Chapter 434

As Pyo Wol rose, the silk blanket slid off, revealing his naked body.

Women’s hands rested on his waist and chest.

“Mmmph!”

“Ha!”

The women, as naked as Pyo Wol, let out soft moans and burrowed deeper into the blankets.

Pyo Wol left the women in the blankets and got up.

His black hair cascaded like a waterfall over his snake-like, smooth body.

Pyo Wol walked, still naked, to the window.

When he opened it, the rear garden of the Myriad Flower Pavilion came into view.

All sorts of rare and beautiful flowers were in full bloom in the well-tended garden.

Bees and butterflies flew about, and a sweet fragrance filled the air.

Pyo Wol watched the scene with his arms crossed.

It had already been five days since he had entered the Myriad Flower Pavilion.

During Pyo Wol’s stay, every courtesan in the Myriad Flower Pavilion had visited his room. And Pyo Wol had not turned any of them away.

As if there were no tomorrow, they had fiercely explored one another.

During that time, the Myriad Flower Pavilion had bolted its doors and closed for business.

The patrons, too, knew better than to visit.

No one in Chengdu was bold enough to dare visit the place where Pyo Wol was staying.

After gazing at the garden for a long while, Pyo Wol turned and said.

“It’s time for me to go.”

Instantly, the lounging courtesans rose from their spots.

They took out Pyo Wol’s neatly folded clothes and began to dress him.

Pyo Wol stood still, letting them do as they pleased.

The courtesans carefully dressed him and tied his belt. Lastly, they combed his hair neatly with a comb and tied it together.

A moment later, he was fully dressed.

Pyo Wol said.

“Thank you for everything.”

“Please, visit us again anytime.”

“We will be waiting.”

The eyes of the courtesans looking at Pyo Wol were filled with affection.

Pyo Wol left them behind and walked out of the Myriad Flower Pavilion.

As he stepped outside, the Steward bowed his head in greeting.

“Go in peace.”

“You must have suffered a great loss, being unable to do business because of me.”

“Not at all. On the contrary, the rumor that the Great Hero was staying here has made us the center of attention. Business will probably be even better.”

“Is that so?”

“It is.”

At the Steward’s firm reply, Pyo Wol nodded and went outside.

Once outside the Myriad Flower Pavilion, the sunlight felt even hotter.

After looking up at the sky for a moment, Pyo Wol began to walk.

Perhaps because of the heat, there weren’t many people on the streets. Everyone had hidden in the shade to escape the heat.

Pyo Wol paused for a moment in a patch of grass near the Myriad Flower Pavilion. Just then, from somewhere, Ghost Fang pushed through the undergrowth and burrowed into his arms.

While Pyo Wol had been spending time with the courtesans, Ghost Fang had been living freely.

Pyo Wol did not go straight to Red Pine Manor with Ghost Fang.

The place he stopped by was a quiet street a little way from New Heaven Road.

The most conspicuous thing on the street was a workshop.

The sound of hammering could be heard from the workshop, which didn’t even have a sign.

Pyo Wol unhesitatingly opened the workshop door and went inside.

The inside of the workshop was filled with sweltering heat.

In the middle of it all was Tang Sochu.

Tang Sochu was hammering away, oblivious to Pyo Wol’s arrival.

Clang, clang!

Each time he struck with the hammer, the red-hot iron bent this way and that.

Pyo Wol sat on a chair and watched Tang Sochu work.

Tang Sochu, stripped to the waist, hammered relentlessly. Beads of sweat flowed ceaselessly over his body, toned by his work in the workshop.

Still, Tang Sochu did not lose his focus and concentrated on his hammering.

Tang Sochu now exuded the air of a master craftsman.

Although he was young, he had reached the level of a grandmaster when it came to the art of the blacksmith.

Pyo Wol was proud of Tang Sochu.

Even though he had inherited the secret transmissions of the Tang Clan, mastering the skill to such a degree was another matter entirely.

It was an impossible feat without obsession, passion, and talent.

Tang Sochu possessed all three.

He never rested on his laurels, nor did he confine himself only to the secret transmissions.

He was always researching new techniques and searching for better methods.

As a result, he had become the best in Chengdu and the land of Sichuan.

Even if one were to search the entire Jianghu, it would be difficult to find a craftsman with better blacksmithing skills than him.

Chiiiik!

Tang Sochu cooled the shaped iron in water.

An immense amount of steam rose as the intensely heated iron entered the cold water.

“Hoo!”

Only after taking the object out of the water did Tang Sochu let out a sigh of relief.

He looked at his creation with a satisfied expression.

The object Tang Sochu was holding with a pair of tongs was a dagger.

The blade, so well-crafted it was reminiscent of a work of art, was about half a handspan longer than the Ghostly Rain daggers Pyo Wol had used before.

A wave-like pattern was engraved on the surface of the blade, making it feel even more elegant.

Pyo Wol let out an exclamation of admiration without realizing it.

“It’s magnificent.”

“Hyung? When did you get here?”

Tang Sochu turned around in surprise.

His face, upon seeing Pyo Wol, was full of delight.

Pyo Wol stood up from his chair and answered.

“A while ago!”

“You could have made a sound.”

“You were concentrating. I didn’t want to disturb you.”

“You and your ways, Hyung…”

Tang Sochu’s face reddened slightly at Pyo Wol’s reply. But he quickly composed himself and brandished the dagger in his hand.

“How does it look?”

“I told you. It’s magnificent.”

“Right? It’s been a while since I made a proper one. The shape, strength, balance, weight—it’s not lacking in any way.”

“Your blacksmithing skills have improved in the meantime.”

“There’s that, but I also mixed in a little of the meteorite you gave me.”

“You did?”

“There was a little left over after making the wrist guards, so I tried making this. Take a look for yourself.”

Tang Sochu tossed the dagger to Pyo Wol.

It didn’t have a hilt yet, but the way it fit snugly in his hand was extraordinary.

Pyo Wol returned the dagger to Tang Sochu and said.

“I don’t know who commissioned it, but it’s a true masterpiece.”

“It’s yours, Hyung.”

“What?”

“You said all your Ghostly Rain daggers were broken, right? I figured you’d need a decent dagger too. So I made it.”

Tang Sochu caressed the dagger.

Even though the edge had not yet been sharpened, the dagger emitted a chilling light. Once it was sharpened and a hilt was attached, it would surely become a true masterpiece of a sword.

“Thank you.”

“I’m the one who’s more grateful. Thanks to you, I can focus on my workshop without any worries. Without you, the me of today wouldn’t exist.”

“What about the wrist guards?”

“They’re almost finished. Want to see them?”

“It’s fine. I trust you to handle it. Show them to me when they’re done. The dagger too…”

“Alright.”

“I’m leaving.”

“Already?”

“I’ve been out for too long. It’s time to go home.”

“Hehe! I guess the courtesans wouldn’t let you go, huh? You have some serious luck with women, Hyung. Why don’t you settle down with one woman?”

“That would be a disaster for her. Forget it!”

“That’s true too.”

Tang Sochu nodded his head.

Pyo Wol lived a precarious life on the edge of death.

He was exposed to all sorts of threats.

The moment he settled down with one woman, everyone would target her. It would be creating a weakness for Pyo Wol.

It would be a terrible thing to do to both Pyo Wol and the woman.

It was better for everyone if he just lived freely like this.

As he headed for the door, Pyo Wol said.

“I’m going!”

“Take care, Hyung! I’ll come find you with the items when they’re finished.”

Thud!

Pyo Wol gave a slight nod and closed the door.

It was time to return to Red Pine Manor.

Pyo Wol walked down New Heaven Road.

The best thing about New Heaven Road was how clean it was.

Since it was lined with so many grand manors, it was meticulously managed.

It also had the advantage that outsiders couldn’t easily enter, as there were guards stationed everywhere.

The martial artists standing guard at the main gates of each manor exuded an intimidating aura. But that had nothing to do with Pyo Wol.

The martial artists guarding the manors might be a source of fear for first-time visitors to this street, but they were all watching Pyo Wol’s every move.

Every time Pyo Wol passed in front of the manors they were guarding, they all flinched.

The fact that Pyo Wol was staying at Red Pine Manor was no longer a secret.

The closer a manor was to Red Pine Manor, the higher the price it fetched. This was due to the perception that being closer to Pyo Wol meant being safer.

Pyo Wol was aware of this fact but didn’t pay it much mind. It was because no harm had come to him.

Pyo Wol had almost arrived at Red Pine Manor.

Creeak!

Suddenly, the gate of a nearby manor opened and someone came out.

The person who came out recognized Pyo Wol and approached him.

“Well, if it isn’t Great Hero Pyo? Do you remember me? I am Woo Jang-rak.”

The middle-aged martial artist who greeted Pyo Wol cheerfully with a fist-palm salute was none other than Woo Jang-rak of Snow Cloud Stronghold.

The martial artists who had followed Woo Jang-rak out froze on the spot when they saw Pyo Wol.

‘That’s the Reaper?’

‘What’s with his looks…’

Most of them were recently hired and were seeing Pyo Wol’s face for the first time.

They couldn’t believe that a man of such beautiful appearance existed, and they couldn’t easily accept that such a beautiful man was a terrifying being called by the alias of Reaper. But seeing Woo Jang-rak, the Steward of Snow Cloud Stronghold whom they revered like the heavens, bowing and scraping in such a low posture, they had no choice but to believe it.

Pyo Wol looked at Woo Jang-rak and said.

“It’s been a while.”

“Indeed it has. Seeing you return safely like this makes me feel good.”

“Is the Snow Cloud Stronghold Lord well?”

“Thanks to you, he is hale and hearty.”

“That’s a relief. Are you going somewhere?”

“Ah, yes! I’m going to see a guest.”

“A guest?”

“There’s a rather troublesome guest, so I’m going to persuade them.”

“If you’re moving personally, they must be a big shot.”

“Yes! It’s the Silver River Escort Agency, one of the businesses run by New Moon Manor. The head of that Escort Agency has made a difficult request.”

“Is it related to the Buddhist sutras?”

“How did you…?”

Woo Jang-rak’s eyes widened.

He was so surprised his mouth hung open.

He was dumbfounded by Pyo Wol’s ability to discern the truth in an instant, even though he hadn’t given any clues.

“H-how did you know?”

“What else from Snow Cloud Stronghold would attract outside attention besides the sutras? I already know from our time together that many people are after the sutras.”

“Ah, so that’s how. You are correct. The mother of the New Moon Manor Lord wishes to build a temple to honor her late husband, and she wants our sutras. Since they are the originals, I suppose they hold a special meaning for them as well.”

“That could be.”

“But as you know, we are in a situation where we have promised to donate all the sutras to the Shaolin Temple.”

Originally, the Shaolin Temple had intended to send people earlier. But various circumstances had delayed their schedule, and in the meantime, New Moon Manor had sent someone.

“So you’re going to try to persuade them with words?”

“Yes! A peaceful resolution is the best option. There is still quite a bit of room for negotiation. If things get difficult, I could connect them with the Taewon Trading Company. Then they would gain a considerable profit, so I think they might not hold a grudge.”

“Will it be that easy?”

“Pardon?”

“These are people who have come all this way to this distant place, specifically targeting the original sutras. Will they really be satisfied with that kind of compensation? If it were me, I would never be satisfied.”

“Mmmph!”

Woo Jang-rak could only let out a groan, unable to answer easily.

Pyo Wol had hit the nail right on the head.

As Pyo Wol brushed past Woo Jang-rak, he said.

“In any case, good luck.”

“Ah, yes! L-later, I will come to visit you formally with the Manor Lord.”

“Do as you wish…”

Pyo Wol replied indifferently. Still, Woo Jang-rak did not feel slighted.

He knew that the reason Pyo Wol paid them even this much attention was because of Soma.

Soma was very fond of the Snow Cloud Stronghold Lord, Yu Gicheon. So he often visited Snow Cloud Stronghold.

That was why Pyo Wol, unlike with other places, showed at least this much interest in Snow Cloud Stronghold.

Pyo Wol’s words weighed on his mind, but he tried to think positively.

‘What could possibly happen? He is here…’

He could see Pyo Wol entering Red Pine Manor.