Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 393

393. One More Hit

Youngho-jun led Woon-hyun and Gae-ong to a renowned establishment called Chwiseonru.

The five-story pavilion of Chwiseonru was a magnificent sight from the outside.

The eaves of each floor’s roof soared high, seemingly reaching for the sky, and the colorful lanterns hanging in every direction illuminated Chwiseonru, adding to its splendor.

It was a very famous place in Hangzhou, so much so that people were already lining up even though it was still early evening.

“Let’s go,” Youngho-jun said confidently as he stepped out of the carriage.

Woon-hyun and Gae-ong followed him.

Woon-hyun felt self-conscious under the gazes of the young people in line and had to clear his throat and look away.

Youngho-jun spoke with the manager at the entrance, and soon the group was allowed inside Chwiseonru.

‘Oh.’

Woon-hyun’s eyes widened in surprise.

The interior of Chwiseonru had a refined and elegant atmosphere, quite different from its ostentatious exterior.

The first floor was designed as an open space, similar to a typical restaurant, where people could enjoy meals or drinks.

The decorations and ambiance were undeniably luxurious, and the place was filled with young people.

In fact, it seemed to be exclusively populated by young people.

“We’re going to the third floor,” Youngho-jun announced to Woon-hyun and Gae-ong.

“The first floor of Chwiseonru can be a bit intimidating. I used to be quite the presence there, but honestly, I’m not so sure anymore.”

It was an unexpected admission, but Woon-hyun understood the situation.

The young people on the first floor all looked effortlessly cool and sophisticated.

Even those who came alone seemed to strike up conversations and laugh easily.

The thought of entering such a place and sitting there awkwardly without anyone to talk to made him feel uneasy.

“Oh my, Plum Blossom Sword has arrived!”

Woon-hyun looked up at the melodious voice.

A woman in a lavish dress greeted Youngho-jun with a radiant smile.

“I heard you were in Hangzhou, but I thought you had forgotten about me since you hadn’t visited.”

The woman even gave him a playful glare.

Youngho-jun responded with a charming smile.

“How could I ever forget you? I’ve been a little preoccupied with important responsibilities, so please don’t hold it against me.”

Woon-hyun clicked his tongue inwardly at Youngho-jun’s smooth and persuasive words.

Youngho-jun’s handsome face and eloquent speech were undeniably effective.

“You still have a way with words. Even a century of resentment would vanish in an instant,” she said jokingly, but a faint blush crept onto her cheeks.

She then turned her attention to Woon-hyun and Gae-ong.

With a graceful gesture, she bowed her head slightly.

“Welcome to Chwiseonru. My name is Yeon-hong.”

“Nice to meet you. I am Woon-hyun.”

Yeon-hong smiled warmly at Woon-hyun’s greeting.

“You seem like a very kind person. Thank you for visiting. Please, follow me.”

Yeon-hong led the group towards the grand and ornate staircase. As they ascended, Youngho-jun asked Yeon-hong,

“Do you have anyone skilled at playing the Xiao [a Chinese vertical bamboo flute]? I don’t mind if it’s a man.”

“Of course, we do,” Yeon-hong replied, gracefully leading the way.

“The Xiao pairs beautifully with the Guqin [a Chinese zither] and Se [a large plucked string instrument], so shall I have them prepared as well?”

“That would be wonderful. However, it must be someone with exceptional talent. I assured my companions that Chwiseonru boasts the finest musicians.”

“Oh my, thank you for the compliment!” Yeon-hong said with a smile.

“You won’t be disappointed. Our Chwiseonru is…”

Just then, a loud crash echoed through the building.

Crash, bang.

“Kya!”

A woman’s scream pierced the air, followed by a man’s angry outburst.

“What did you just say!”

Yeon-hong’s beautiful eyebrows furrowed in annoyance.

Coincidentally, the commotion was coming from the third floor, where they were headed.

Yeon-hong gestured to the servants near the stairs.

The male servants hurried towards the disturbance, and Yeon-hong questioned a nearby maid.

“What’s going on?”

“It’s, uh, the young master of the Shim family…”

At those words, Yeon-hong immediately understood the situation.

The troublemaker was Shim Geol-wi, the second son of the Shim family.

Yeon-hong’s expression hardened.

Thump.

The servants cautiously opened the partially broken door and rushed inside.

“Y-Young master, you can’t do this!”

“What, you bastards! Why won’t you let go of me? Do you even know who I am?”

Youngho-jun, hearing the commotion from the hallway, inquired,

“Who is it?”

But Yeon-hong didn’t answer.

“…I apologize. It will be resolved shortly, so please, come this way first…”

Yeon-hong forced a smile as she spoke.

Clang.

“Ugh!”

“Cough.”

Three servants were thrown out of the room, tumbling into the hallway.

The three burly servants were no match for Shim Geol-wi.

It was understandable.

Shim Geol-wi had received martial arts training, and the servants couldn’t afford to treat him lightly.

Youngho-jun smiled wryly.

“It doesn’t seem like it will be resolved anytime soon?”

At that moment, a young man stumbled into the hallway, panting heavily.

It was Shim Geol-wi, who possessed a rather sturdy build.

He was dressed in extravagant clothing, but his face was flushed red, indicating that he was already drunk.

Unable to contain his anger, Shim Geol-wi kicked one of the fallen servants.

Thud, thud.

“You son of a bitch! How dare you! Who do you think you’re touching!”

“Ugh.”

The servant instinctively covered his head with his arms.

Shim Geol-wi, still seething with anger, turned around and spotted Yeon-hong.

“Oh, you’re here!”

Shim Geol-wi, approaching her rapidly, suddenly stopped.

He recognized Youngho-jun.

Shim Geol-wi frowned, then cleared his throat and averted his gaze.

“Ahem.”

However, his eyes betrayed his blatant animosity towards Youngho-jun.

Yeon-hong, noticing Shim Geol-wi’s scowling face, turned to Youngho-jun.

“Perhaps you would like to go with this maid first? I’ll join you shortly.”

The maid bowed politely to Woon-hyun’s group.

Meanwhile, Yeon-hong cautiously approached Shim Geol-wi.

Sabal, sabal [sound of footsteps].

Youngho-jun watched Yeon-hong’s retreating figure.

“Please, follow me,” the maid urged.

Trouble was a common occurrence in a brothel.

It was impossible, and unnecessary, to intervene in every single incident.

Youngho-jun shook his head and began to follow the maid.

Or rather, he was about to.

“What? What did you just say?”

Shim Geol-wi glared at Yeon-hong.

“Did I not make myself clear? I want that So-wol. How dare you ignore my request? Are you trying to make things difficult for me?”

Shim Geol-wi’s face was inches from Yeon-hong’s, his voice a menacing growl.

“Do you really want me to make things difficult? Don’t you know that if the Shim family sets its mind to it, ruining this Chwiseonru would be child’s play?”

Yeon-hong bit her lip, knowing that his words were not an empty threat.

The Shim family was originally a moderately influential clan in Hangzhou.

Like other clans, they had once been affiliated with the Murim Alliance [a martial arts alliance], but when the Heroic Alliance was established, they were among the first to volunteer as a cooperating clan.

The Shim family, intimately familiar with the inner workings of Hangzhou, became a loyal arm of the Heroic Alliance, exploiting smaller clans and merchants to expand their power.

Chwiseonru had no choice but to rely on the Shim family’s protection, or rather, their exploitation.

Even with the world changing and the Heroic Alliance collapsing, the Shim family’s influence remained significant.

And Shim Geol-wi was the son of that Shim family.

“Young Master Shim,” Yeon-hong said, her voice strained.

“As I explained before, So-wol is a gisaeng [a Korean geisha] who sells her artistic talents. If you force her to undress…”

Slap.

A sharp sound echoed as Yeon-hong’s head snapped to the side.

Her beautifully made-up cheek quickly turned red.

Shim Geol-wi had slapped her.

“What the hell are you talking about? Bring her to me, now!”

Shim Geol-wi roared, his anger reaching a boiling point.

His behavior was utterly arrogant and unruly.

“Young Master Shim, if you continue like this…”

“You insolent bitch!”

Whoosh.

Shim Geol-wi raised his hand again.

The sound indicated that he had channeled internal energy into the blow.

Yeon-hong instinctively closed her eyes.

But the blow never landed.

“Stop it?”

Yeon-hong opened her eyes to Youngho-jun’s calm voice.

Youngho-jun was holding Shim Geol-wi’s raised arm.

He appeared to be lightly gripping his elbow, yet Shim Geol-wi was completely unable to move.

“W-What is this! Let go of me!”

Shim Geol-wi shouted, clearly flustered.

Youngho-jun smirked.

He was about to push Shim Geol-wi away when…

“C-Can the Azure Dragon Alliance’s Commander-in-Chief really be doing this?”

Youngho-jun’s expression turned serious.

Shim Geol-wi smiled triumphantly.

“How long has the Azure Dragon Alliance been in Hangzhou that you’re already flaunting your power!”

A chill ran through Youngho-jun’s eyes.

Shim Geol-wi flinched at the cold gaze, but he continued to shout even louder.

“Are you going to hit me? Go ahead and hit me! Are you the only customers here? Can the Azure Dragon Alliance’s Commander-in-Chief just hit people recklessly?”

He deliberately raised his voice, ensuring that everyone could hear him.

His strategy was working, as passersby turned to stare at Youngho-jun.

Youngho-jun bit his lip.

The opponent was more cunning and malicious than he had anticipated.

In this situation, it would appear as though Youngho-jun was abusing his power.

If the situation escalated, it would be difficult to deal with this man later.

It would be seen as using his position to threaten the clan for personal reasons.

Shim Geol-wi smiled triumphantly.

He shouted even louder.

“Okay, this is perfect! Go ahead and hit me! The Azure Dragon Alliance’s Commander-in-Chief assaults people in a brothel! What’s the difference between you and the Heroic Alliance if you do this? Huh? What is it!”

“The difference is this.”

The voice that suddenly cut through the air did not belong to Youngho-jun.

Shim Geol-wi turned his head.

But all he saw was a palm flying towards his face.

Paak.

The impact sent a wave of intense pain across Shim Geol-wi’s face.

The face is difficult to train, even for a martial artist.

It would be different if he could cover it with internal energy like Plum Blossom Sword Youngho-jun, but Shim Geol-wi was far from that level.

Moreover, it was a properly swung blow from an adult male, even without internal energy.

The cartilage of his nasal bone immediately collapsed, and blood gushed out.

“Kkeuaak!”

Shim Geol-wi groaned and staggered backward.

Just then, Youngho-jun released his grip, and Shim Geol-wi fell to the ground.

Thud.

Shim Geol-wi covered his face with both hands.

“Uaaaaak! Aaaaak!”

His loud screams were not an exaggeration or a pretense.

Youngho-jun turned to Woon-hyun with a surprised expression.

It was clear that Woon-hyun had delivered that blow.

“Did you ask what the difference is from the Heroic Alliance?”

Woon-hyun said, walking towards Shim Geol-wi.

“The Azure Dragon Alliance never succumbs to injustice. We didn’t care when the Taepyung Alliance ridiculed us, and we didn’t back down even when the Heroic Alliance threatened us.”

Dang Seol-ryun of the Taepyung Alliance ridiculed them as a one-man alliance.

Yeom Jung-bu of the Heroic Alliance sent former great devils to trample on the temporary headquarters.

But the Azure Dragon Alliance has never compromised or succumbed to reality, not even once.

“But how dare you ridicule the Azure Dragon Alliance’s Commander-in-Chief with the eyes of the world upon you?”

Woon-hyun looked down at Shim Geol-wi with cold eyes.

“Ugh, ugh.”

Shim Geol-wi staggered back, covering his nose with one hand.

He was clearly a weak-looking scholar, but the aura emanating from Woon-hyun was definitely something Shim Geol-wi couldn’t handle.

“I can’t tolerate anyone touching my people, no matter what.”

Woon-hyun said with a chilling expression.

“No, I will never tolerate it again.”

Woon-hyun’s eyes blazed with intensity as he spoke.

It was clear that his anger wasn’t solely for Youngho-jun’s sake.

Seuk.

Woon-hyun slowly raised his hand.

Shim Geol-wi’s eyes widened with terror.

“Wait a minute, Alliance Leader,” Youngho-jun suddenly interjected.

When Woon-hyun turned to him, Youngho-jun smiled brightly.

“There’s no need for the Alliance Leader to get his hands dirty with something like this.”

“I don’t care about prestige or anything.”

The Azure Dragon Alliance and the Shim family were not comparable.

It would definitely be a matter of prestige if Alliance Leader Woon-hyun directly struck Shim Geol-wi.

“No, that’s not it.”

Youngho-jun said softly.

“It would be a reflection of my own inadequacy if I couldn’t handle something like this myself. So please, allow me to take care of this.”

Woon-hyun’s expression remained stern.

But soon, he nodded.

“Thank you.”

Youngho-jun said with a smile and turned his attention to Shim Geol-wi.

Shim Geol-wi unknowingly swallowed hard at the sight of Youngho-jun’s eyes, which had turned cold in an instant.

“Heok! S-Save…”

Seuk.

Youngho-jun placed his hands behind his back.

Then, he kicked Shim Geol-wi with one foot.

Lightly, as if kicking aside a roadside pebble.

But the result was anything but light.

Peoeok.

“Keuheok!”

Shim Geol-wi flew through the air like a kite with a broken string.

Whoong, kwadangg.

He crashed through the hallway, broke the door he had come out of, and landed inside the room.

“Kya!”

The gisaeng in the room screamed in surprise.

Woon-hyun turned his head and looked at the gisaeng.

Her hair was disheveled, and her clothes were torn.

Her red cheeks clearly showed signs of being struck.

Woon-hyun frowned at the sight.

“…Commander-in-Chief.”

“Yes, Alliance Leader.”

Woon-hyun said quietly, his gaze fixed on the gisaeng’s appearance.

“Hit him one more time.”

“I will gladly do so.”

Youngho-jun replied with a bright smile.

The smile was brighter and more cheerful than ever.

Yeon-hong couldn’t hide her surprise, while Gae-ong simply looked down at the lower floor with indifferent eyes.

Fortunately, no one on the lower floor had been disturbed by the commotion.