Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 161

161. I’m on Brother’s Side

“Understood. Then, I’ll be going in.”

“Yes, Secretary Un.”

Byeon Gi-ryang said with a bright smile.

Gwan Ji-bu also bowed to Un-hyeon as if it were natural.

Un-hyeon greeted them and left the Guest Hall.

“This is something…”

Leaving the Guest Hall, Un-hyeon shook his head.

The other new secretaries, An Su-jae, Pyeon Eo-du, and Jo Du-sik, were all busy.

So much so that even Jo Du-sik, who loved alcohol, grumbled that he didn’t even have time to smell alcohol.

So there was no one to meet.

‘Should I go meet Dokgo-rang?’

Even though Dokgo-rang claimed to be Un-hyeon’s servant, he couldn’t enter the Murim Alliance [a martial arts alliance].

No, actually, he tried to enter, but Un-hyeon stopped him.

He told him to wait a moment, as he would request that he be allowed to commute from Hangzhou.

Just then, Byeon Gi-ryang’s voice echoed in his ear.

—Whether you practice, meditate, or just rest.

Un-hyeon’s face darkened.

In fact, he had a big problem right now.

It was that he couldn’t properly do mental training.

‘Training…’

Un-hyeon bit his lip.

Through the sparring with Mu-je, Un-hyeon saw an amazing realm.

But at the same time, it brought new frustration.

Since that day, Un-hyeon had to face Mu-je every time he did mental training.

And just like that day, at the last moment, Un-hyeon’s sword shattered.

He had to face that tremendous sense of loss that he never wanted to experience again, every time he did mental training.

It was truly a terrible thing.

Eventually, Un-hyeon stopped mental training.

He thought that if he continued, a serious situation might occur, if not so-called inner force deviation [a dangerous state of imbalance in one’s internal energy].

“Hoo.”

Un-hyeon sighed.

‘This isn’t because of Mu-je.’

Biting his lip, Un-hyeon thought.

‘And it’s not because of the sword either.’

Was it because it was a wooden sword that it broke?

Un-hyeon didn’t think so.

If that were the case, it should have broken a long time ago.

Because it wasn’t the first time he had imbued a wooden sword with inner force.

Besides, at that moment, hadn’t Un-hyeon let go of everything?

Regardless of inner force, momentum, or energy, he entrusted everything to that flow, that huge flow that sent shivers down his spine just by thinking about it.

‘In the end.’

Un-hyeon raised his hand and looked at it.

‘It must be that I couldn’t handle it.’

The wooden sword is merely a reflection of Un-hyeon’s heart.

If that sword couldn’t withstand it and broke, it ultimately meant that Un-hyeon’s heart had not yet reached that level.

‘Something’s missing…’

Un-hyeon clenched and unclenched his fist.

‘What is it?’

What is missing? What else is needed?

What should Un-hyeon have done in that huge flow?

He didn’t know.

No, he couldn’t even guess.

So Un-hyeon had no choice but to tell Shin-seung.

‘I think I’m stuck.’

“Hoo-oo.”

Un-hyeon let out a long sigh.

And without realizing it, he muttered.

“I wish someone would just show me that this is the answer.”

How nice would it be if someone as reliable as Mount Tai [a symbol of stability and trustworthiness] smiled calmly and showed him the right path?

How happy would he be if there was someone who could enlighten his foolishness, break his vain delusions, and let him know what he truly needed to look at?

But there is no right answer in the world, and even more so, there is no one to show it.

It was then.

Un-hyeon raised his head at the sound of someone approaching.

Sabeok, sabeok [sound of light footsteps].

With light footsteps, a young woman appeared.

‘Oh.’

Un-hyeon looked at her with surprised eyes.

The attractive woman in a colorful silk dress was none other than Lee Seo-yeon, the young lady of the Hoam Merchant Group.

“Brother Un!”

While Un-hyeon was surprised, Lee Seo-yeon said with a bright face.

“Seo, Seo-yeon… Sister.”

Un-hyeon, who was about to call her ‘Miss’ without thinking, remembered that she had sulked when he didn’t call her ‘Sister’.

“Yes, it’s me.”

Sabeok, sabeok [sound of light footsteps].

Lee Seo-yeon approached with light steps as if she were flying.

The fragrant scent of the young lady enveloped Un-hyeon.

“I knew I would meet Brother if I came to the Murim Alliance.”

Lee Seo-yeon said with a smile.

Her appearance was as bright and colorful as a spring flower.

“No, how did you…”

Lee Seo-yeon tilted her head at Un-hyeon’s still surprised question.

“How? Well, I came by boat.”

“Not that…”

Lee Seo-yeon smiled brightly.

“I know. I just stopped by the Murim Alliance because I had some business to do.”

‘Ah.’

Un-hyeon understood.

The Hoam Merchant Group is a huge merchant group.

It wouldn’t be strange if they had a deal with the Murim Alliance.

No, it would be more awkward if they didn’t.

“Instead of standing here, shall we move to another place?”

Lee Seo-yeon said with a smile.

“Is that okay?”

Un-hyeon nodded without realizing it at Lee Seo-yeon’s beautiful and attractive smile.

He didn’t have anything to do anyway, and Un-hyeon also wanted to get out of the stuffy Murim Alliance.

***

Un-hyeon and Lee Seo-yeon entered a tea house in Hangzhou.

The group had grown to three, as they had run into Dokgo-rang as soon as they left the Murim Alliance.

Dokgo-rang just said it was a ‘coincidence,’ but Un-hyeon already knew that the coincidence couldn’t have just happened.

Judging from his personality, he probably stayed near the main gate.

After asking Lee Seo-yeon for her understanding, Un-hyeon accompanied Dokgo-rang.

So now, Un-hyeon, Lee Seo-yeon, and Dokgo-rang were sitting at this tea house in Hangzhou.

“Brother’s sworn brother?”

Lee Seo-yeon asked Dokgo-rang with shining eyes.

Un-hyeon answered instead of the silent Dokgo-rang.

“Yeah. His name is Dokgo-rang.”

Un-hyeon spoke in a comfortable tone.

It was awkward at first, but thanks to Lee Seo-yeon’s friendly attitude, it quickly became natural.

“Dokgo-rang, could it be Dokgo-rang the Solitary Swordsman?”

Lee Seo-yeon said with surprised eyes.

“Do you know Dokgo Je?”

“Of course.”

Clack.

Lee Seo-yeon stood up from her seat, smiled, and bowed to Dokgo-rang.

“It’s an honor to meet the Solitary Swordsman. My name is Lee Seo-yeon from the Hoam Merchant Group.”

Despite her attractive and polite greeting, Dokgo-rang remained indifferent.

He only nodded, without even opening his mouth.

However, Lee Seo-yeon was not displeased.

The fact that Dokgo-rang the Solitary Swordsman had manifested sword energy at Cheoljeong Mountain was already widespread in the Jianghu Murim [martial arts world].

Even if Lee Seo-yeon was the young lady of the Hoam Merchant Group, she couldn’t expect a polite greeting from a supreme master.

Besides, Lee Seo-yeon knew very well that the more skilled a person is, the more eccentric their personality is.

“I see. To think that Dokgo-rang the Great Warrior is Brother’s sworn brother…”

Lee Seo-yeon looked back at Un-hyeon with a somewhat surprised expression.

Lee Seo-yeon smiled at Un-hyeon’s slightly embarrassed appearance and then spoke to Dokgo-rang again.

“Please take good care of Brother.”

Her voice, as she bowed politely, contained a sincere feeling.

However, Dokgo-rang, as his alias suggested, simply nodded silently.

As the greeting seemed to be over, Un-hyeon said to Lee Seo-yeon.

“Seo-yeon, have you been well?”

“Yes, Brother.”

Lee Seo-yeon replied with a bright face.

Her colorful appearance went very well with the subtle tea fragrance.

“How about Brother? Was the Murim Alliance work fun? Oh, I heard you went somewhere far away?”

He wondered how she knew that, but he soon understood.

She probably heard it from the Murim Alliance.

Un-hyeon is quite famous within the Murim Alliance, although it wasn’t his intention.

“I went to Shaolin.”

“Shaolin?”

“Yeah.”

Un-hyeon held his teacup and nodded.

“I met good people and learned a lot. It was a very good time.”

Un-hyeon said, recalling the Reclining Buddha.

He didn’t think it was necessary to talk about the Moryong family or the investigation team.

“I see.”

Lee Seo-yeon said with a bright smile.

“But why does Brother’s expression look so bad?”

“Ah, that’s…”

Sarak [sound of movement].

Lee Seo-yeon moved her face closer to Un-hyeon and said.

“I don’t think of Brother as a stranger.”

As if whispering, a subtle voice flowed from between Lee Seo-yeon’s red lips.

“So you can tell me everything. I’m always on Brother’s side.”

Lee Seo-yeon’s sparkling eyes were even somewhat bewitching.

“Ahem.”

Un-hyeon cleared his throat and quickly turned his head.

It is not a scholar’s etiquette to stare at a young lady’s face like this.

Thanks to this, he didn’t see Lee Seo-yeon’s brow furrow slightly.

“Actually.”

Un-hyeon sighed slightly and said.

“There was talk in the Alliance about whether I would go to the Northern Sea…”

“The Northern Sea?”

Lee Seo-yeon’s eyes widened.

‘The Northern Sea at this time?’

The Jianghu Murim [martial arts world] is very noisy these days.

Is there a reason to send Un-hyeon to the Northern Sea?

But her answer was simple.

“That’s good.”

Lee Seo-yeon smiled and raised her teacup.

“It’s good to have new experiences. I don’t know what will happen in the future, but if it’s about the Northern Sea, you might be recognized as an expert, right?”

As expected, it was an idea worthy of a merchant group’s young lady.

Un-hyeon nodded and said.

“But there’s something personally bothering me.”

“Is that so?”

Clack.

Lee Seo-yeon said, putting down her teacup.

“Then don’t go. It’s not a good thing to leave your position at this time.”

Un-hyeon was a little surprised at Lee Seo-yeon’s words, which changed her opinion as if turning over her palm.

But Lee Seo-yeon smiled softly.

“I told you, I’m on Brother’s side. Do whatever Brother is comfortable with. That’s what I want.”

Un-hyeon smiled slightly.

It’s not that he wanted that, but it’s true that he was grateful that she cared about him.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Lee Seo-yeon, who lightly bowed her head, looked at Un-hyeon again.

“Uh, why, why?”

Un-hyeon, who was still burdened by the young lady’s subtle gaze, stammered.

“Somehow, it seems like that’s not all.”

Lee Seo-yeon touched her red lips slightly with her finger.

“I have a pretty good eye. Brother’s worries aren’t just about the Northern Sea.”

This time, Un-hyeon was really surprised.

He even looked back at Dokgo-rang, wondering if everything was so obvious on his face.

But Dokgo-rang wasn’t even looking this way and was quietly savoring his tea.

As if telling him to think that he wasn’t there.

“That’s…”

Un-hyeon hesitated for a moment, fiddling with his teacup, and then made up his mind.

“I met the Dark Heaven Demon Emperor.”

Un-hyeon said with a bitter smile.

“And I lost.”

That was something even Lee Seo-yeon hadn’t expected at all.

Lee Seo-yeon couldn’t hide her surprise.

“Now, what did you say?”

Lee Seo-yeon even asked a question that she would never have asked normally.

Un-hyeon’s words were so shocking.

Dark Heaven Demon Emperor.

The man who, with a single fight, brought the Namgung family to practical closure.

It was even more shocking to her, who had directly seen his martial prowess.