I Will Start Doing Business In Jungwon From Today [EN]: Chapter 99

Lee Hak-lin gripped his sword tightly but couldn’t move rashly. The old man who entered was empty-handed, yet his presence felt like the embodiment of the sword itself.

Though he’d never met him, the title Sword Saint sprang to mind, leaving no doubt that this was indeed Mo Yong-hui.

“If you don’t intend to swing it, put it down.”

Mo Yong-hui gestured towards Lee Hak-lin’s sword. Lee Hak-lin slowly lowered it and returned it to its scabbard.

“Hoo-”

Mo Yong-hui sighed. “Whether you realize it or not, you just missed a golden opportunity. Now, you’ll have no chance to cut off that cunning fellow’s head.”

“It wasn’t something I particularly wanted to do, so it’s alright.”

Jo Gwang-yun, who had remained composed even when Lee Hak-lin drew his sword, widened his eyes in surprise. He immediately rose and bowed deeply to Lee Hak-lin.

“Thank you for your grace, Great One. It seems it’s now my turn to save you.”

“You shut your mouth and step back. This isn’t your place right now.”

At Lee Hak-lin’s sharp words, Jo Gwang-yun flinched and glanced nervously at Mo Yong-hui.

“Go outside. I’ll call you if I need you.”

“Yes, Alliance Leader.”
The title ‘Alliance Leader’ caused a fleeting smile to appear on Lee Hak-lin’s lips.

As Jo Gwang-yun bowed to both men and retreated, Mo Yong-hui took the seat he had vacated.

“Sit down. Finish what you were eating.”

“No. I’m full.”

“Then, will you fill my glass?”

Mo Yong-hui held out his empty glass. Lee Hak-lin picked up the bottle and filled it.

“You know who I am, but who are you? From what I overheard outside, it seems you’re a member of the Silent Ink Society…?”

“Before that… how long have you been outside the door?”

“Since when? Let’s see…”

Mo Yong-hui pretended to ponder, then smiled brightly. “Since you entered this room.”

Lee Hak-lin sighed and bit his lip.

“Don’t be too disappointed. I’ve never worked so hard to conceal my presence as I did today. If I had relaxed even for a moment, you would have noticed.”

Mo Yong-hui downed his drink.

“That’s not very comforting.”

Lee Hak-lin also drank, but the trembling in his body persisted.

Mo Yong-hui, sitting before him, wasn’t just the leader of the Orthodox Faction, nor someone interfering with his mission. He was, quite simply, the greatest swordsman of this era.

A surge of competitiveness blazed within him. His hands trembled, and his heart pounded, even as he sat still. He yearned to cross swords.

“I’m not just saying empty words to comfort you. Now, will you tell me who you are?”

“Ah… how rude of me…”

Lee Hak-lin stood abruptly and clasped his hands in a respectful bow.

“Junior Lee Hak-lin pays his respects to the Sword Saint.”

Upon hearing the name, the corners of Mo Yong-hui’s eyes twitched. He never imagined he would meet the rumored strongest master of the Silent Ink Society in this manner.

“So, you’re the protagonist of the name I’ve only heard whispered in rumors.”

“Do you know me?”

“I’ve heard you’re an absolute master in the Black Faction [a martial arts faction often associated with unorthodox or villainous practices] with no trace of evil deeds. The rumors weren’t wrong.”

“Don’t you think I killed everyone who witnessed my evil deeds to prevent rumors from spreading?”

Mo Yong-hui shook his head.

“Your eyes are different. I’ve killed many who have killed many people. I can distinguish human trash just by looking at their eyes. More than that, you…”

“Yes.”

“How did you get involved with that kind of guy?”

Mo Yong-hui gestured towards the door. Lee Hak-lin chuckled.

“It was a long time ago. It’s not so much his fault as it is that I unknowingly embraced the source of trouble.”

“So, you were trying to eliminate the source of trouble belatedly?”

“No. This is a matter for the Silent Ink Society.”

“If the Silent Ink Society is after him, it must be for the money.”

Lee Hak-lin fell silent. Mo Yong-hui was the strongest martial artist, but also the leader of the Orthodox Faction [a martial arts faction often associated with righteous and traditional practices]. He couldn’t discuss internal matters.

When Lee Hak-lin remained silent, Mo Yong-hui spoke again.

“I swore to protect that guy. So, as long as I’m watching, you won’t be able to harm him.”

“I already missed one opportunity, and I don’t feel like pursuing it anyway. You don’t need to worry.”

Mo Yong-hui nodded, satisfied.

“But a moment ago, when that guy said he would save you, what did he mean?”

“It’s just presumptuous talk.”

“No, that guy often boasts, but he usually accomplishes what he sets out to do. You shouldn’t dismiss it so easily. If a capable guy offers to help, there’s no need to refuse. It’s a strange situation, but aren’t you the benefactor who saved him?”

“This is a matter for the Silent Ink Society, so I will handle it. How can the Black Faction listen to the advice of the Orthodox Faction’s leader?”

“Geez, you keep saying Black Faction, Black Faction… We’re all living life on a knife’s edge, so what’s the point of distinguishing? There are villains among those in the Orthodox Faction, and there are those in the Black Faction who pursue chivalry. Just think of it as advice from a senior in life and keep it in the back of your mind.”

“This junior desires the teachings of a martial arts senior more than those of a life senior.”

As Lee Hak-lin’s eyes gleamed with challenge, Mo Yong-hui waved his hand dismissively.

“What are you going to learn from an old man whose bones ache? You’re already at a level where you’re walking your own path. There’s not much to learn from my sword.”

“You just said you don’t distinguish between the White and Black Factions… Was that just lip service?”

“Hey, you. How old do you think I am to fall for such provocation? Stop it. Hehe.”

Mo Yong-hui laughed and picked up the chopsticks on the table.

“I feel hungry now that the tension is gone.”

He brought the bowl of rice closer and took a spoonful.

Chewing, he picked a grain of rice stuck to his beard, fiddled with it, and flicked it away.

The grain of rice stuck to Lee Hak-lin’s sleeve. Lee Hak-lin frowned slightly and brushed it off. But another grain flew and stuck to his shoulder.

Lee Hak-lin thought the old man’s prank was going too far and looked at Mo Yong-hui, whose face was now stern.

Lee Hak-lin jumped up, pushed back his chair, and drew his sword. Mo Yong-hui, looking at Lee Hak-lin, relaxed his stiff face and said,

“You’re a bit slow on the uptake.”

Another grain of rice flew towards Lee Hak-lin’s eye.

*Ding!*

He thought he had split it perfectly in half, but the grain bounced off.

Mo Yong-hui had imbued the rice grain with internal energy [qi or chi, vital energy], making it like a tiny dagger. A large smile spread across Lee Hak-lin’s face as he heard the sound of metal clashing against metal.

Again, more than ten grains of rice soared above the rice bowl and instantly flew towards his face at high speed.

Tadararang-

The grains of rice collided with the sword, making the sound of metal clashing against metal, and poured back towards Mo Yong-hui’s face. Mo Yong-hui made a whooshing sound and leaped off his chair to avoid the rice grains, which then pierced the back of the chair. They were still as sharp as daggers.

“Hey friend. This old man’s energy is running low. Take it easy.”

Once again, more than ten grains of rice flew towards Lee Hak-lin. But instead of the clear sound of metal clashing, all the rice grains stuck to the blade.

“Kehehe. Fooled you this time, right?”

Lee Hak-lin made a disgruntled sound.

“This is a bit dirty.”

But Lee Hak-lin was impressed by Mo Yong-hui’s technique. Now that decoys were mixed in, he had to be even more careful.

The room was gradually becoming more chaotic with flying rice grains.

It wasn’t sword against sword. Dozens of rice grains, imbued with internal energy, flew in at once. The internal energy contained in each grain was slightly different.

Some were as hard as steel, while others were just ordinary grains of rice. If he were hit by a rice grain full of internal energy, it could create a hole in his torso.

Lee Hak-lin waved his hand, and a thin barrier, like a protective aura, appeared. Dozens of rice grains stuck to the barrier, while another dozen pierced through and flew in.

Once he distinguished between the rice grains filled with internal energy and those that weren’t, Lee Hak-lin’s counterattack became even fiercer.

As the thin barrier slowly moved, approaching Mo Yong-hui, Mo Yong-hui was horrified and picked up his chopsticks.

With a single wave of the chopsticks, the barrier disappeared. It was a strange sensation.

“You’re good at improvising. You also know how to conserve internal energy.”

“Don’t talk to me. It disrupts my breathing.”

“Such exaggeration. Hehe.”

Mo Yong-hui, having confirmed that Lee Hak-lin was much stronger than he had expected, channeled even more internal energy.

One of the chopsticks in his hand was enveloped in a blue light.

Azure Sky Thunderclap Sword (蒼天爆雷劒).

It was a martial art created by Mo Yong-hui, but he didn’t name it himself. The name of this sword technique was given by those who were defeated in an instant, as if struck by lightning from a clear sky.

The blue chopstick flew towards Lee Hak-lin.

Mo Yong-hui, who had been watching Lee Hak-lin deal with the chopstick with a smile, stopped smiling when all the rice grains that had fallen on the floor suddenly floated up, and he firmly gripped the remaining chopstick.

All the rice grains flying towards him were like steel beads, so Mo Yong-hui had no choice but to dance with his sword, surrounded by a whirlwind of rice grains.

Mo Yong-hui dealt with the rice grains, and Lee Hak-lin dealt with the chopstick.

The first to falter was Lee Hak-lin. His internal energy was dwindling. As expected of the Sword Saint, the depth of his internal energy seemed limitless.

‘Is this really Twelfth Heaven? Or Sixth Heaven? What is his true level?’

While parrying the chopstick, Lee Hak-lin, feeling his internal energy draining, wondered if Mo Yong-hui was even using his full power.

As Lee Hak-lin’s lack of internal energy became apparent, the rice grains surrounding Mo Yong-hui also began to fall to the floor one by one.

Both had learned enough about each other, so the playful exchange ended.

Mo Yong-hui’s chopstick also fell to the floor.

Looking around the messy room, Mo Yong-hui took a breath and said,

“Didn’t I hit you with six or seven?”

“Three. One was real. I have a hole in my side. It hurts a lot.”

“Really? I’ve been busy lately, so I’ve become a bit dull? Only three?”

Mo Yong-hui looked at his hand and muttered to himself.

Looking at the triumphant Mo Yong-hui, Lee Hak-lin raised his finger and pointed to his knee.

“Alliance Leader, you have a grain of rice on your knee. You should brush it off.”

In an instant, Mo Yong-hui froze, his expression turning cold. He checked the crushed grain of rice stuck to his knee.

He couldn’t believe it.

He firmly believed that no one could touch him, except perhaps the old men of the Nine Sects [powerful martial arts sects] or immortals on the verge of ascension. Even Namgung Hyo-shin, the God of War, couldn’t touch his clothes. He felt ashamed for having looked down on the Black Faction. It was a moment of profound humiliation.

Perhaps, excluding a few figures revered like gods in the martial world, few could stand before this man. And with a few more insights, Lee Hak-lin might become his equal.

Jo Gwang-yun ruined the precious moment of mutual admiration.

“Ah, really…! Do you know how much money I spent decorating this room? What is this, like children…! If you want to show off your strength, do it in a wide courtyard!”

* * *

As the sounds of people starting their day outside the wall drifted in, Lee Hak-lin left the room.

“Great One, shall I prepare breakfast?”

“Later.”

Leaving the respectful servant behind, Lee Hak-lin wandered through the well-decorated rear garden, lost in thought.

“You must be feeling empty. How about a cup of tea to soothe yourself?”

Jo Gwang-yun, who had approached unnoticed, bowed his head.

“Shall we?”

“Please come this way. I have it prepared.”

The two sat in the gazebo and drank tea in silence for a while.

“Shouldn’t you make a choice now?”

Jo Gwang-yun cautiously broached the subject, but Lee Hak-lin remained silent.

“If you have made up your mind but don’t know how to proceed, I will find a way.”

“Can you find it?”

Lee Hak-lin spoke for the first time, indicating that he had already made his decision.

“It would be best to handle it as a missing person.”

“Missing?”

“Missing person (行方不明) [Japanese term for ‘missing person’, often used in East Asian martial arts stories].”

End