Chapter 305

‘Mara Dharma Hall?’

It was a name he had never heard before.

At least, among all the sects in Jianghu that Pyo Wol knew, none used such a name.

‘A sect from the Western Regions?’

Since the two had said they were from the Western Regions, it seemed possible.

Pyo Wol didn’t know every sect. This was especially true for the sects of the Outer Regions, where information was limited.

Tarha’s martial arts were shocking.

It wasn’t just because of the Repulsion Force Energy.

Everything that exists has a purpose.

The same was true for martial arts.

All martial arts have their own purpose and develop in a direction that befits it.

The martial arts of Buddhism, especially those of Shaolin, developed in a way that subdued people without harming them. That wasn’t to say they had no killing power at all, but they at least left a sliver of mercy in their techniques.

This was why fist, palm, or staff techniques were the mainstay of Shaolin martial arts. They avoided martial arts using sharp blades with high killing power as much as possible.

Conversely, some martial arts focused on maximizing their killing power. This was mainly true for the martial arts of those who followed the Unorthodox Faction or the Demonic Path.

Thus, martial arts were bound to develop differently, each with its own direction.

The martial arts of Tarha that Pyo Wol had seen seemed to have been created for the sole purpose of destruction.

Martial arts created to thoroughly destroy the human body.

Pyo Wol had fought countless martial artists until now, but he had never seen martial arts created with only a single purpose like this.

No matter how much Yu Il-seok dreamed of being the king of Haemun, he was nothing more than a petty local hegemon.

On the other hand, Tarha was a master skilled enough to vie for All Under Heaven.

Compared to the Eight Constellations, he was on par, or perhaps even surpassed them in terms of destructive power.

Pyo Wol was once again reminded of how vast the world was.

Jianghu was not the entirety of the world. A wider world existed outside, with countless other powerful individuals.

Tarha was proof of that.

Just then, Yul Ayeon looked at Pyo Wol and spoke.

“Are you surprised?”

“To some extent…”

“You don’t seem like it at all. Most people freeze up when they see my grandfather’s martial arts.”

Yul Ayeon looked at him with a meaningful expression.

Pyo Wol thought that Yul Ayeon was also an expert.

It was because of her uniquely refined atmosphere and the occasional glint of brilliance in her eyes. It was not easy to have such an intense gaze without having learned martial arts.

Likewise, Yul Ayeon also thought that Pyo Wol was an expert who had learned martial arts.

It was because he showed little agitation even after witnessing her grandfather Tarha’s martial arts right before his eyes.

It was impossible for someone who had not learned martial arts to maintain their composure in such a situation.

Yul Ayeon felt a sense of curiosity growing about the beautiful man before her.

“Great Hero Pyo, how long will you be staying here?”

“Who knows!”

“That sounds like you haven’t decided yet.”

“That’s right!”

“I see. That’s good.”

“What’s good about it?”

“That nothing is set in stone. It means your stay could be extended depending on the situation.”

“It could also mean I might leave this place as soon as tomorrow.”

“That could be, but it might not be, right? I’m satisfied just by the fact that there’s an element of surprise.”

Yul Ayeon smiled faintly.

Her appearance was quite alluring.

Perhaps because she was of mixed Western Regions descent, she possessed a different charm that women of the Central Plains lacked.

Her charm was so fatal that any ordinary man would be instantly captivated the moment he saw her.

Pyo Wol looked at her for a moment before turning his gaze to Tarha.

Tarha was giving some instructions to Yu Il-seok. Yu Il-seok was on his knees, nodding his head repeatedly.

It seemed impossible for any variables to arise here.

Pyo Wol rose from his seat. Yul Ayeon looked at Pyo Wol with a slightly surprised expression.

“Are you going in already?”

“I’m tired.”

“I suppose you could be. Go on in. It seems my grandfather still has things to discuss with those people. I’ll have to wait a little longer.”

“Mm!”

Pyo Wol left Yul Ayeon behind and entered the annex.

Watching Pyo Wol’s receding back, Yul Ayeon muttered.

“An interesting man.”

Her blue eyes sparkled with a peculiar light.

Yul Ayeon smiled and kept drinking, yet she didn’t feel the slightest bit intoxicated.

“The liquor of the Central Plains is certainly weak.”

In terms of taste, the liquor of the Central Plains was superior to that of the Western Regions. But in terms of strength, it couldn’t compare to the liquor of the Western Regions.

For Yul Ayeon, who was accustomed to the liquor of the Western Regions, the liquor of the Central Plains was far too weak.

Thud!

It was when Yul Ayeon slammed her cup down in frustration.

“What is it?”

Tarha approached her.

“It’s nothing.”

“The liquor seems weak.”

“It is, a little.”

“Even in the Mara Dharma Hall, no one could outdrink you.”

“Why bring that up again?”

“I’m just saying.”

“By the way, did the talk go well?”

“Fortunately, they’ve agreed to move as we wish. The people of the Central Plains are truly kind. To come and find us on their own to help us like this.”

Tarha answered slyly.

At that, Yul Ayeon burst out laughing with a ‘pfft’.

In truth, when they first arrived here, they were in a very helpless situation. They had to find something, but they had no idea where to even begin.

That was why they had asked Pyo Wol for an easy way to obtain information.

Pyo Wol had told them not one, but two methods.

As if that wasn’t enough, he had even made the Society Leader of the Crimson Sword Society come to them on his own. To the two of them, Pyo Wol was nothing short of a great benefactor.

“Did they know anything?”

“They didn’t. But I’ve instructed them to find out, so we should hear good news soon.”

“I see.”

Yul Ayeon watched Yu Il-seok rising to his feet with his subordinates. Their faces were filled with terror.

It seemed she wouldn’t have to worry about betrayal.

From now on, they would move as Tarha’s hands and feet.

As if he had just remembered something, Tarha asked Yul Ayeon.

“And him?”

“He went inside.”

“Is that so?”

Tarha’s eyes narrowed.

＊＊＊

Pyo Wol returned to the annex.

He first took off the Dark Dragon Robe and hung it on the wall.

The Dark Dragon Robe, an artifact made by Tang Sochu, had maintained its original form well without much damage despite numerous fierce battles.

As he took off the Dark Dragon Robe, Gwia, which had been coiled on Pyo Wol’s forearm, began to stir and move.

Gwia had once been silvery-white and even transparent. But now, Gwia’s appearance was as red as blood.

It had started to take on a reddish hue while devouring the poisonous bees on Mount Tianjung, and by the time he left Mount Tianjung, it had turned completely red.

When Gwia, now possessing glossy red scales, was coiled on his forearm, it looked like a finely crafted bracelet in itself.

Pyo Wol placed Gwia on the bed.

“I’m going to wash up, so you rest.”

Gwia flicked its small tongue as if it understood.

Pyo Wol headed to the well in the annex courtyard.

He took off all his clothes by the well and became naked.

Pyo Wol had fought numerous fierce battles on his way here. Naturally, his body had also suffered considerable injuries. But now, not a single scratch remained on his body.

It was as if he had never been injured in the first place.

It hadn’t been like this from the beginning.

Pyo Wol was human too.

A human who was left with scars when injured.

But the four months he spent on Mount Tianjung had brought about a great change in Pyo Wol’s mind and body.

The scars that had remained on Pyo Wol’s body at that time had also disappeared cleanly.

Pyo Wol looked at his own sleek, snake-like body for a moment, then drew water and poured it over his head.

Chwaaaa!

The ice-cold water flowed down his skin.

Pyo Wol repeatedly doused himself with water, cleaning his body thoroughly.

Only after washing away all the dust that had accumulated on his body on his way here did Pyo Wol finally stop pouring water.

“Hoo!”

Pyo Wol let out a sigh and looked at his hands.

They were hands more beautiful and white than a woman’s.

The blood of countless people had stained these hands.

The traces might have disappeared, but the Blood Scent still remained. Others might not, but Pyo Wol could smell it.

It was a karma he had to carry for the rest of his life.

He didn’t know how many more people’s blood he would have to stain his hands with in the future.

He wanted to live without staining his hands with blood, but Pyo Wol knew better than anyone that he couldn’t.

Whether he liked it or not, Pyo Wol had already immersed himself in the center of Jianghu’s grudges and favors. It was impossible to pull himself out of it until he died.

When he circulated his internal energy slightly, the water on his body evaporated in an instant. Pyo Wol put his clothes back on.

As he entered the room, Gwia slithered up his body as if it had been waiting. It looked as if it were acting cute.

Pyo Wol didn’t dislike Gwia for it.

Gwia played with Pyo Wol, slithering in and out between his fingers or coiling around them.

Pyo Wol spent some time playing with Gwia.

In the past, this would have been an unimaginable act.

He was always tense, his nerves on edge to the changes in his surroundings, leaving no room for peace of mind. But now was different.

He certainly had more leeway than before. That didn’t mean he was letting his guard down. The two coexisted in a delicate balance.

Pyo Wol thought as he played with Gwia.

‘Mara Dharma Hall…’

It was a name he had never heard even once.

If the Mara Dharma Hall had a few more people like Tarha, it was highly likely that it reigned supreme even in the Western Regions.

The problem was why Tarha and Yul Ayeon had come to Jianghu.

At a glance, their statuses did not seem ordinary. Such people would not have come all this way just for sightseeing.

They clearly had a purpose for coming here, and they had used Pyo Wol to draw in the Crimson Sword Society.

It was not an act that had been planned from the beginning.

It was clear they had improvised. Yet, the fact that things had proceeded so naturally showed just how much experience they had.

The act of instantly subduing Yu Il-seok, the Society Leader of the Crimson Sword Society, and giving him orders was as natural as if it were a daily occurrence.

Pyo Wol thought he would have to look into the Mara Dharma Hall separately and fell asleep.

＊＊＊

Pyo Wol opened his eyes only when the sun was high in the sky.

For the usual Pyo Wol, this would have been an impossible occurrence.

He had always taken only the minimum amount of sleep and rest. But yesterday was different. Perhaps because he had slept on a soft bed for the first time in a long while, he was able to sleep very deeply. Thanks to that, his body was in excellent condition.

Pyo Wol washed up briefly and left the annex.

He headed for the inn’s first-floor restaurant. Perhaps because the mealtime had passed, the restaurant was very quiet.

Pyo Wol sat at a window seat overlooking the harbor. A waiter quickly rushed over.

“Did you sleep well last night?”

“I slept well.”

“That’s a relief.”

Unlike yesterday, the waiter’s eyes held a glint of fear as he looked at Pyo Wol.

Pyo Wol immediately knew the reason.

It was because of the grandfather and granddaughter, Tarha.

The martial prowess and actions they had shown yesterday had frightened the waiter.

In the waiter’s eyes, Pyo Wol, who had sat at the same table, must have seemed to be one of their party.

Pyo Wol asked the waiter.

“And them?”

“They had breakfast early in the morning and went out.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes! I don’t know their exact destination. Shall I find out for you?”

“How?”

“Hehe! I have many friends around here. If I ask, I can find out what’s happening in Haemun in no time.”

“Are your friends natives here?”

“Yes! They were all born and raised here.”

“Is that so?”

Pyo Wol showed interest.