Chapter 57

The rumor that Nam Hosan had been assassinated spread throughout Chengdu.

Everyone in Chengdu knew that the Qingcheng Sect did not look favorably upon the Thunder Clan. But no one had expected them to move so swiftly.

Especially at a time when tensions with the Emei Sect were escalating. That was why many people found this incident surprising.

Some people, citing these reasons, thought the Qingcheng Sect was not behind the incident. They suspected that the Emei Sect might have instigated it instead.

Whatever the truth, the assassination of the Thunder Clan’s young sect leader set not just Chengdu, but the entire Sichuan Province ablaze.

The person most bewildered by this news was U Seonha of the Hundred Flowers Room.

“He was really assassinated? And the Qingcheng Sect is behind it? What in the world does that mean?”

She had certainly asked Pyo Wol to kill Nam Hosan.

As far as she knew, Pyo Wol had no connection to the Qingcheng Sect. Yet, it was said that Nam Hosan had been assassinated by someone using the martial arts of the Qingcheng Sect.

“Does that mean he wasn’t the one who killed him?”

Her thoughts became a tangled mess.

If Pyo Wol had indeed killed him, then he must have a connection to the Qingcheng Sect.

Would such a person kill Nam Hosan, knowing it would harm the Qingcheng Sect?

It didn’t make sense.

“What on earth is going on…?”

U Seonha shook her head.

Trying to deduce any further was beyond her mental capacity.

What was good was good.

Whether Pyo Wol had really killed him or someone else had, the important thing was that her headache was gone.

If the Thunder Clan clashed with the Qingcheng Sect, it would be a good thing for the Emei Sect as well.

“Hmph!”

Her mood suddenly lifted, and she began to hum a tune.

It was then.

“Young Boss! A guest has arrived from the Emei Sect.”

The voice of a handmaiden came from outside.

“A guest?”

“Yes! You should come out and see.”

“I understand.”

U Seonha hurried outside.

A wide smile spread across U Seonha’s face when she saw the visitor.

“Aunt!”

The one who had visited the Hundred Flowers Room without notice was none other than Jeong Hwa.

“It’s been a long time. Have you been well?”

“Of course.”

U Seonha threw herself into Jeong Hwa’s arms.

Jeong Hwa smiled, patting U Seonha on the back.

It was an affectionate smile she never showed to the disciples of the Emei Sect or to outsiders. Even Yong Seol Lan, who had accompanied her, was seeing such an expression on Jeong Hwa’s face for the first time.

Jeong Hwa introduced Yong Seol Lan to U Seonha.

“This is my youngest Junior Martial Sister, Yong Seol Lan. Greet her.”

“U Seonha of the Hundred Flowers Room greets you, Miss Yong!”

“It’s been a while. You’ve been well, haven’t you?”

“Hoho! Thanks to you, I’ve been very well.”

At U Seonha’s laughter, Jeong Hwa tilted her head.

“It seems something good has happened to you?”

“I’m just feeling good. But Aunt, what brings you here?”

“I came down for a matter and stopped by. I was originally planning to return to the main mountain right away, but it seems I’ll have to stay here for a while.”

“It’s because of the Thunder Clan, isn’t it?”

“That’s right. For their young sect leader to be suddenly assassinated… It’s a good thing for us. But it’s suspicious that something like this happened so suddenly.”

Jeong Hwa’s single eye gleamed sharply.

Just because a misfortune had befallen the Qingcheng Sect, there was no guarantee it would be a boon for the Emei Sect.

Especially in a case with such a huge impact like this one, they had to analyze it more closely to uncover the hidden truth. That was why she and Yong Seol Lan planned to stay at the Hundred Flowers Room for the time being and keep a close watch on the situation.

“Do you happen to know anything about this incident?”

“Pardon? Me?”

“Still, since you’re in Chengdu, you must be well-informed about the local situation, no?”

“I wish I were, but I don’t know anything about this incident either.”

U Seonha feigned ignorance.

There was no guarantee that Pyo Wol had really killed Nam Hosan, and if it was revealed that she had slept with him, nothing good would come of it.

Fortunately, Jeong Hwa nodded without any suspicion.

“Right! What would you know? But from now on, you must mobilize all of the Hundred Flowers Room’s information networks to grasp the truth. Do you understand?”

“Of course.”

“Good!”

Jeong Hwa smiled gently and stroked U Seonha’s head.

U Seonha felt a slight pang of guilt. But the guilt soon vanished.

＊＊＊

Pyo Wol returned to Chengdu.

The iron sword and clothes he had used to assassinate Nam Hosan had been discarded long ago on his way.

Pyo Wol was looking around for an inn to stay at.

“Well, well, who is this? Isn’t it the handsome Orabeoni?”

A familiar voice suddenly called out.

Pyo Wol turned his head to see Heo Ranju approaching with quick steps.

Heo Ranju was beaming, as if she were genuinely happy to have run into Pyo Wol by chance.

“I heard you met Daoshi Go at the Golden Hall? When did you get back?”

“Just now!”

“Really?”

Heo Ranju’s narrowed eyes scanned Pyo Wol from top to bottom.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Are you hiding a woman in the Golden Hall? Be honest if you are. My heart is big enough not to get jealous over something like that.”

“If you’re going to talk nonsense, then get lost.”

At Pyo Wol’s cold words, Heo Ranju made a wounded expression.

“Gasp! You’re the first man to ever say such a thing to me. My heart…”

Pyo Wol simply walked past Heo Ranju, who was pretending to clutch her chest. Heo Ranju then hurriedly followed him.

“Really! So prickly… Are you leaving just because I made a joke?”

“……”

“But why did you really go to the Golden Hall? What happened?”

Heo Ranju was genuinely curious.

Daoshi Go had said he assigned Maun to watch Pyo Wol. But when Maun went to the Golden Hall, Pyo Wol was already gone. Because of that, Maun returned empty-handed without even catching a glimpse of Pyo Wol’s back.

But as it happened, while Pyo Wol was staying at the Golden Hall, the assassination of Nam Hosan occurred.

It was publicly known as an incident caused by the Qingcheng Sect, but neither Heo Ranju nor Jang Muryang believed the rumors as they were.

If there was even the slightest suspicion, they had to dig into it relentlessly.

Heo Ranju didn’t believe Pyo Wol was the assassin who killed Nam Hosan, but she suspected he might be related to the series of events.

“Didn’t Daoshi Go tell you? I went for personal reasons.”

“That’s why I’m curious what those personal reasons are.”

“You certainly lack manners for a Wanderer. ‘Personal’ refers to a private domain that cannot be spoken of to others.”

“What?”

In an instant, Heo Ranju’s eyebrows shot up to the sky.

She had been told countless times that she had a great affinity with people or a good personality, but this was the first time she had been told to her face that she lacked manners. And with the word ‘Wanderer’ specifically pointed out.

“Ha! I guess I must have looked like quite a pushover. I was being nice to you because you’re handsome. Do you take me for a fool? Is that it?”

A frosty aura emanated from Heo Ranju’s entire body.

Although she usually walked around with a silly grin, her martial prowess was not inferior to the famous experts of Jianghu. In fact, if one only considered practical combat, she was even better.

‘Guys like this who act cocky just because they have a handsome face are easier to handle if you break their spirit from the start.’

Heo Ranju intended to fix Pyo Wol’s habits on this occasion.

She liked Pyo Wol. And because she liked him, she intended to mold him as she pleased.

Heo Ranju spread her hands wide and said.

“I’ll give you about three seconds, so come at me. For your information, you’d better do your best. After three seconds, I won’t be holding back either.”

It was a statement she could make because she was confident in her own martial prowess.

The position of Vice Unit Leader of the Black Cloud Corps was not obtained for free. It was earned through skill.

When Pyo Wol narrowed his eyes slightly, Heo Ranju smiled.

“Why, are you scared?”

At that moment, Heo Ranju’s pupils wavered.

Like a lie, Pyo Wol had suddenly appeared right before her eyes.

There had been a distance of three or four steps between her and Pyo Wol. But before she could even perceive it, Pyo Wol had reached her.

She was so startled that Heo Ranju couldn’t even speak and just blinked her eyes.

“Wha-what?”

Belatedly, she let out a cry of alarm and tried to attack Pyo Wol. She was so shocked that she had forgotten her promise to give him three seconds.

Jjeong!

At that moment, Pyo Wol jabbed Heo Ranju’s abdomen with his index finger.

Heo Ranju felt a massive impact in her abdomen.

The shock soon spread through her entire body like a wave, and she collapsed without even being able to scream.

She realized that when pain reaches its peak, not even a scream can come out.

She couldn’t even breathe properly, and her body was so stiff she couldn’t move. Her mind went blank, unable to form a single thought.

A pain so excruciating that she didn’t even wonder how Pyo Wol had closed the distance or what technique he had used to attack dominated her.

Pyo Wol looked down indifferently at Heo Ranju, who was frozen in pain.

“Do you still want to give me three seconds?”

“Keoheok!”

At that moment, Heo Ranju vomited blood.

Still, after vomiting blood, she felt like she could live.

Heo Ranju looked up at Pyo Wol with an expression of having been deceived.

She had guessed that Pyo Wol had learned martial arts, but she had never imagined he was hiding such immense power.

It felt as if she had been scammed by Pyo Wol.

‘C-cowardly…’

Her face was miserably contorted.

It was not only painful but also humiliating.

Pyo Wol turned his body and said one last thing.

“If you say something like that again, I’ll really snuff out your life.”

At that moment, Heo Ranju shivered as if she had been doused with cold water. Pyo Wol’s words didn’t feel like a simple threat.

‘I was thinking about this all wrong. This man is a much stronger expert than I thought.’

Heo Ranju’s gaze, watching Pyo Wol’s receding back, shone sharply.

Although she had been miserably defeated by an unexpected blow, she did not think she had lost.

This was because what she was most confident in was not her Whip Art or martial arts.

Of course, that didn’t mean the foul mood had disappeared.

“Damn it! That hurts like hell.”

Heo Ranju glared at the back of Pyo Wol’s head for a long time.

Pyo Wol ignored Heo Ranju’s gaze on his back and continued walking.

He had originally considered ending Heo Ranju’s life right there. But he restrained himself, thinking there would be more to lose than to gain.

By killing Nam Hosan, he had incited a clash between the Thunder Clan and the Qingcheng Sect; there was no need to draw people’s attention by needlessly killing Heo Ranju.

Pyo Wol looked for an inn with a vacant room.

The place he found was the Song Family Inn.

As the name suggested, it was an inn run by a man with the surname Song.

The inn was not very large, but since it had been built recently, all the facilities were clean.

Pyo Wol got a clean Solitary Cell and then had a meal on the first floor.

On the first floor, quite a few people were gathered in small groups, eating. Their topic of conversation was, by far, the death of Nam Hosan.

“Did the Qingcheng Sect really kill Nam Hosan?”

“They say traces of Qingcheng Sect martial arts were left on Nam Hosan’s body, don’t they?”

“That kind of thing can be faked, can’t it?”

“What are you talking about? I heard that the more advanced the martial art, the more unique the traces it leaves. Such traces can never be imitated.”

“Then does that mean the Qingcheng Sect is really the culprit? Why would they, at a time like this…”

“Who knows the reason? I’m afraid this might lead to a bloodbath in all of Chengdu.”

“Huu! Let’s just drink.”

The men raised their cups with worried faces.

Countless other stories could be heard as well.

Pyo Wol listened to all the stories as he ate.

Even trivial information like this was of great help to him.

It was then.

“Oh! Did you hear that story?”

“What story?”

“I heard that Jeong Hwa of the Emei Sect and Miss Yong have entered Chengdu.”

“Is that true? Those two really came to Chengdu?”

“Yes! I heard many people have already seen them.”

“Hah! For even them to come down from the mountain. This is really unusual.”

“Tell me about it.”

In that instant, Pyo Wol’s chopsticks stopped.

It was because of the names Jeong Hwa and Yong Seol Lan.

There were a few names in his life he could never forget, and two of them were Jeong Hwa and Yong Seol Lan.

In many ways, their names were deeply engraved in Pyo Wol’s mind.

Unaware that Pyo Wol was listening intently, the men continued their conversation.

“For what purpose did they enter Chengdu?”

“How would I know? I heard they met someone and then went into the Hundred Flowers Room.”

“The Hundred Flowers Room? Right! The Hundred Flowers Room is practically a Lay Family sect of the Emei Sect. Maybe they came out to discipline their Lay Family sects.”

After that, their conversation devolved into idle chatter with little substance.

Pyo Wol, too, tuned out their conversation and sank into his own world.

‘So Jeong Hwa and Yong Seol Lan have come here?’

Pyo Wol thought that things were turning out to be more interesting than he had expected.

It seemed he could make things even bigger than he had initially thought.

Pyo Wol’s white teeth were revealed between his red lips.