Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 160

160. Just Asking, But

Leaving the Guest Hall, Unhyun opened the letter under the shade of a nearby tree.

Rustle.

Unhyun smiled without realizing it.

The letter, written in elegant handwriting, detailed the recent lives of his sister-in-law and Il Ah-young.

It mentioned that his sister-in-law seemed much brighter and that Il Ah-young had taken on a fairly important role in the Hoam Merchant Guild.

There was also a complaint that she was too busy with work to meet her fiancé.

“Hehe.”

Unhyun chuckled.

‘It seems she’s doing well.’

Suddenly, Unhyun missed Il Chung-hyun’s main residence.

He wanted to see the garden he had worked so hard to cultivate, and Lee Gong-ja, Il Ah-young’s fiancé, again.

But the people he missed the most were his sister-in-law and Il Ah-young.

“I should definitely go down there when I get a vacation.”

Rustle.

Unhyun slowly read the letter.

Il Ah-young’s words, urging him to take care of himself and to come back again, were filled with genuine concern.

‘Huh?’

It was then that Unhyun discovered something strange.

‘The Hoam Merchant Guild is having difficulties because of the Namgung Family incident?’

It was a story that came up while Il Ah-young was talking about her work.

The Namgung Family had lost its influence in the Jang River region, and the Hoam Merchant Guild was busy preparing countermeasures.

‘Come to think of it.’

The people who were with Lee Seo-yeon when he went to Dongting Lake were also from the Namgung Family.

However, the Namgung Family was in a situation close to being sealed off by the Dark Heaven Demon Emperor.

And Unhyun had an unforgettable duel with that Dark Heaven Demon Emperor.

Crumple.

Unhyun’s hand, holding the letter, tightened.

For a while, Unhyun calmed his mind without saying a word.

And after a while, Unhyun folded the letter, put it in his pocket, and started walking.

Towards the residence of the Divine Monk Bulyeong, Waryongheon.

***

Waryongheon was just as he remembered.

Unhyun felt a slight sense of longing for the sight that reminded him of the Sleeping Buddha’s hut.

“Master.”

Suddenly, it felt like a knuckle would fly from somewhere [referring to a flick to the forehead as a form of playful scolding].

Because the Sleeping Buddha kept calling him ‘*ddaengjung*’ [a Buddhist monk who doesn’t act like one, often used playfully], even the title of Master felt awkward.

“You came?”

Bulyeong, who was feeding the birds, smiled brightly.

Unhyun felt a slight chill at the sight.

How could a master and disciple be so similar?

At first glance, they seemed very different, but the atmosphere of the Sleeping Buddha and the Divine Monk Bulyeong was very similar.

“I brought the Seon Master’s letter.”

“Is that so?”

The Divine Monk accepted the letter from Unhyun.

Rustle.

“Is he doing well?”

“…Yes.”

The Divine Monk Bulyeong read the letter with an indifferent gaze.

Then, he snorted lightly, roughly folded the letter, and put it in his pocket.

“Um…”

Unhyun said hesitantly.

“Wouldn’t it be better to visit him once?”

Thinking of the Sleeping Buddha living alone in the hut, Unhyun nodded.

“Yes. Well, it seems like he doesn’t have much time left…”

The Divine Monk Bulyeong chuckled.

“It’s okay. He’ll live longer than me.”

Bulyeong continued without hesitation.

“That grumpy old man will probably live vigorously and harass other people even after I die. Hehehe.”

It was rude, but Unhyun couldn’t refute it.

It seemed like the Sleeping Buddha was capable of doing that.

“Why? Do you have anything else to say?”

After hesitating for a moment, Unhyun opened his mouth.

“About the Jang River matter…”

“Jang River? Are you talking about the Namgung Family?”

Unhyun nodded.

He hesitated whether to say it or not, but eventually decided that it was right to do so.

Because this is something that involves many people.

“There is a person called Sangin [a term implying a superior or elder, often with spiritual connotations] behind the Emperor.”

“Is that so?”

The Divine Monk’s reaction was lukewarm.

It was as if he was asking what he should do about it.

Unhyun tried his best to continue.

“And it seems that there is a clue about that *Sangin* in the Northern Sea.”

“Northern Sea?”

The Divine Monk’s eyes sparkled.

“Yes.”

Unhyun nodded.

When he dueled with Bingseol, the Young Palace Master had clearly said.

To find out the identity of *Sangin*, you have to come to the Northern Sea.

At that time, he didn’t know what it meant, but now he could clearly understand.

That *Sangin* is the one behind the Dark Heaven Demon Emperor and the one who is confusing the *Jianghu Murim* [the martial arts world].

“Hmm.”

The Divine Monk Bulyeong rested his chin and pondered.

Then, he muttered to himself.

“Northern Sea, this is quite a coincidence.”

The Divine Monk suddenly looked at Unhyun and smiled.

Unhyun trembled without realizing it.

Whether it was the Divine Monk or the Sleeping Buddha, nothing good ever happened to Unhyun when they smiled like that.

“I was just wondering if there was a secretary needed to go to the Northern Sea.”

“Yes?”

That was truly an unexpected remark.

A secretary in the Northern Sea?

What kind of ridiculous combination is this?

However, the Divine Monk was already spewing out even more difficult stories to Unhyun.

“You go.”

“Me?”

Unhyun already knew that if he asked that, the only answer would be ‘Yes, you.’

But still, he couldn’t help it.

Who wouldn’t be flustered by the sudden order to go to the Northern Sea?

“Then should I go? Leading this old body at this age?”

The Divine Monk frowned and said.

The way he looked was so much like his master, the Sleeping Buddha, that Unhyun was momentarily horrified.

“Don’t worry. I won’t tell you to go empty-handed.”

The Divine Monk continued, as if he was quite enjoying Unhyun’s reaction.

“I’ll give you a sword, a carriage, and plenty of travel expenses. Is that all? I’ll also give you a chance to get close to the beautiful Northern Sea ladies. A man needs to get married to be stable and have a sense of responsibility, so wouldn’t it be good to get married on this occasion?”

The Divine Monk Bulyeong said with a cheerful face.

However, Unhyun’s expression was gradually distorting even more.

He was speaking as if he was joking, but that made it even clearer.

The order to go to the Northern Sea was by no means a joke.

“Hehehe.”

The Divine Monk laughed as if he was quite enjoying it.

That appearance was so similar to the Sleeping Buddha that Unhyun frowned without realizing it.

It was the first time in Unhyun’s life that he openly expressed his annoyance in front of an elderly person.

“Hoo.”

Unhyun let out a deep sigh.

“I’d like to ask you something first.”

Unhyun calmly said to the Divine Monk Bulyeong.

“Is that an official order?”

As a secretary of the Murim Alliance, he must follow orders.

Unhyun is asking if the order to ‘go to the Northern Sea’ is an official directive.

The Divine Monk shrugged.

“No, if you have to ask, it’s more like a request.”

Unhyun asked, wondering what ‘about’ meant.

“Then is the Young Palace Master of the Northern Sea involved?”

In fact, it was a question that didn’t need to be asked.

There was no way the Young Palace Master wouldn’t be involved in the affairs of the Northern Sea, and didn’t she say that they would meet again when they parted ways a while ago?

Still, it was necessary to make sure and move on.

As expected, the Divine Monk smiled.

“Yes.”

Unhyun sighed once again.

‘…I definitely don’t have a good feeling about this.’

He was already burdened with the Divine Monk, but even the Young Palace Master was involved.

Unhyun foresaw that this task would not be easy.

No, he was certain.

‘But.’

He couldn’t coldly refuse.

Perhaps because he had lived with the Sleeping Buddha in the Shaolin, he didn’t feel like the Divine Monk Bulyeong was a stranger anymore.

Besides, things that he hadn’t seen before were now beginning to come into view one by one.

Swish.

Unhyun glanced around Waryongheon.

The name is plausible, but in the end, it is a small and secluded hut.

The same goes for the Divine Monk Bulyeong.

He is called *Hwanwoo Ohcheonjon*, the leader of the Murim Alliance, but Bulyeong has hardly anyone to share his heart with.

He is just an old monk who is working hard for the *Jianghu Murim* alone in the Murim Alliance, which is no different from a den of demons.

Realizing that, Unhyun couldn’t help but feel sorry for him.

It was like seeing the Sleeping Buddha alone.

In the end, Unhyun said to the Divine Monk.

“Can you give me some time to think?”

A strange light flashed in the Divine Monk’s eyes.

“What are you worried about?”

“Yes.”

Unhyun answered obediently.

He didn’t have the confidence to deceive someone as perceptive as the Divine Monk, and he didn’t consider him a stranger anymore.

“You wouldn’t be worried about women… it must be the sword.”

The Divine Monk immediately hit the nail on the head.

Unhyun nodded, although he was bothered by the words ‘you wouldn’t be worried about women.’

“That’s right. I feel a little… blocked.”

The Divine Monk frowned.

The Divine Monk, who had been staring at Unhyun intently, asked quietly.

“Was he such a big wall for you?”

Unhyun smiled bitterly.

As expected, the Divine Monk already knew.

He knew that Unhyun had fought with the Dark Heaven Demon Emperor, and even the result.

“It’s not like that.”

Unhyun said calmly.

“I don’t think it will work like this.”

“Hmm.”

The Divine Monk Bulyeong looked into Unhyun’s eyes.

And he chuckled.

‘This guy.’

There was no despair or disappointment in Unhyun’s eyes.

Rather, Bulyeong could clearly see that a deeper and greater desire was stirring beneath Unhyun’s gaze than before.

“Do it.”

The Divine Monk Bulyeong said.

“But don’t make me wait too long. A woman’s heart is like a swaying reed. Heolheolheol.”

Unhyun smiled bitterly.

He wasn’t sure if ‘a woman’s heart’ was just a metaphor or the Young Palace Master’s heart, but he decided not to ask.

Swish.

Unhyun bowed to the Divine Monk Bulyeong.

Unhyun, who was about to leave Waryongheon as it was, stopped at the thought that suddenly came to mind.

“…Just asking, but.”

Unhyun took out a rough cloth bag.

“This isn’t something like a Great Revival Pill, is it?”

He already knew the moment he asked.

Because the Divine Monk Bulyeong was smiling with his gums fully exposed.

“Keuk, keuk, hehehe, wooheolheolheol.”

He didn’t know if it was because Unhyun’s appearance was funny, or if he was happy that there was someone else who had been tricked by the Sleeping Buddha besides himself, but the answer was enough with just that laughter.

Unhyun frowned as he put the cloth bag in his arms at the sight of Bulyeong holding his stomach and laughing.

And he left Waryongheon as it was.

Until then, the Divine Monk Bulyeong’s laughter did not fade from Unhyun’s ears.

***

The Murim Alliance was very busy.

It was because of the upcoming World Murim Competition, which would be held in six months.

All the secretaries and writers, even the new secretaries, had to suffer from overwork all day long.

But Unhyun was an exception.

It was not because he was not working, but because he could not.

“Oh my, what’s wrong?”

When Unhyun, who had come to work at the Guest Hall, picked up the documents, Byun Gi-ryang immediately ran over.

“Please give this to me. Secretary Unhyun has important work to do.”

Byun Gi-ryang snatched the documents that Unhyun was holding.

“This is my job.”

Unhyun said, but Byun Gi-ryang shook his head.

“No. Secretary Unhyun has to prepare for the World Murim Competition.”

Byun Gi-ryang said with shining eyes.

“So don’t worry about this kind of thing and go and train, meditate, or just take a good rest. Hurry up.”

Unhyun smiled bitterly.

Byun Gi-ryang views Unhyun as a noble person.

He thinks that he is a truly respectable master who does not promote himself even though he is the successor of the Sword Saint, and who has transcended status and power.

“But everyone is busy, so I…”

Still, Unhyun is a secretary.

It was natural to work when they were so busy.

But it seemed that Unhyun was the only one who thought so.

“Cough.”

Gwan Ji-bu, the head of the Guest Hall, who was working next to him, coughed pointedly.

He doesn’t say it, but he also pays a lot of attention to Unhyun.

Unhyun sighed inwardly.

At this rate, it seemed that he would only be a hindrance rather than a help.