Tales Of The Nine Dragons [EN]: Chapter 151

Nine Dragons Chronicle (151)

Just Be Friends

Hwa-rin was able to arrive in Taiyuan, the capital of Shanxi Province, with Baek Gun-seong.

In the past, there was a Demonic Sect in Taiyuan, and when he came to Shanxi Province, he used to receive great hospitality there, but as the Demonic Sects in Shanxi Province were destroyed by Hwa-rin, it became difficult to receive such treatment.

“It’s getting dark. Shouldn’t we find an inn to rest?”

“We should. But do you know any places?”

“Where would I know? I’m like a fallen leaf because Master Ju destroyed the Demonic Sects.”

“Is that so? Then let’s go to a place I know.”

“Do you have a business here too?”

“No, it’s just an inn I’ve been to a few times. The food there is delicious.”

“Then let’s go there.”

Hwa-rin took Baek Gun-seong to a place called Duyang Inn.

As they entered the inn, it was so crowded with guests that it was hard to find a seat, and business was booming.

“Sir, there are no seats available.”

“What about rooms?”

“We have rooms available.”

“Then take us to a room.”

Hwa-rin booked a room right away because there were no empty tables. The waiter led them to the second floor, gave them the room at the innermost part, and said,

“How about the meal… Shall I bring it to your room?”

“No, we’ll go down and eat, so when a seat becomes available, prepare Duyang stir-fried vegetables, a roast duck, and an egg drop soup.”

“Yes, sir.”

Hwa-rin flicked a coin with his finger and gave it to the waiter. It was a glittering gold coin.

“With that, can I cover the room fee and breakfast for tomorrow?”

“Of course, sir.”

Due to the power of money, the title changed from guest to sir.

“Then I’ll keep that in mind, so come and get me when the food is ready on the table. Oh, you can keep the change.”

“Yes, sir. Please rest comfortably, sir.”

Baek Gun-seong, who saw the waiter going down in a hurry, said bluntly.

“That guy is moving his feet so fast, as if he has learned some kind of Lightness Skill.”

“He did learn Lightness Skill [Qinggong, a martial art focusing on agility and speed]. Even though he looks like that, he’s a disciple of the Hao Gate.”

Baek Gun-seong’s head turned and looked at Hwa-rin.

“Is this the Hao Gate branch?”

“That’s not it, that guy is a disciple of the Hao Gate. He organizes and reports the information coming out of here.”

Hwa-rin said casually and stretched out in the room.

“Ah… It’s comfortable to lie down. What are you doing, not coming in? Come in quickly and take a rest.”

Baek Gun-seong had not been with Hwa-rin for long, but he couldn’t read his mind at all.

‘Maybe there’s something to learn, as my father said.’

“Let’s do that.”

Baek Gun-seong came into the room, closed the door, and lay down next to Hwa-rin.

“It’s comfortable to lie down as Master Ju said. It’s been a while since I’ve been able to lie down with my feet stretched out without any worries.”

“A young man worrying… You should move your hands and feet one more time at that time.”

“Hahaha. I can’t let my guard down because you sometimes say things that hit the bone.”

“Speak comfortably. Why are you being so polite? We’re martial artists who would start a sword fight if necessary.”

Baek Gun-seong blinked and turned his head to look at Hwa-rin while lying down.

Hwa-rin was still looking at the ceiling and said in a low voice.

“Aren’t people dividing sides and wielding swords according to their interests and thoughts? Even if they are on the same side, they stab each other in the back due to greed and desire, so what will change if I don’t care about that politeness?”

“That’s true, but… Still, we should respect our elders.”

“It’s a relief if they don’t attack.”

“Hahaha! I’m sometimes surprised by Master Ju’s wit.”

“There are so many things to be surprised about. I’m talking comfortably, so you talk comfortably too. You’re a year younger than me, right?”

“That’s right.”

“One year out in society is a friend. Come to think of it, you’re the same age as Sa Do-jun. That friend also decided to be friends with me, so you can just talk comfortably too.”

“Ah, I understand. No… I will.”

“Look, how good it is to talk like this. I’m going to close my eyes for a bit, so wake me up when the waiter comes. The wound is throbbing, so I’m really tired.”

Hwa-rin closed his eyes, and Baek Gun-seong felt like he was losing out on something.

‘Are you trying to trick me into treating you like a servant?’

In fact, he is an inspector, so he is in a higher position than Hwa-rin. But looking at how Hwa-rin is treating him now, it didn’t seem like that was the case.

Rather than treating him well or paying attention to him because there was an inspector next to him, he was trying to use him, so he felt like he had become Hwa-rin’s attendant.

‘You subtly persuade people with words.’

The inn was still full of guests, and Hwa-rin and Baek Gun-seong leisurely ate while listening to the guests talking.

“In my experience, the words floating around in these inns can be good information.”

“Really?”

“So don’t just listen to what people are saying and listen carefully.”

Hwa-rin said as if it was very important, but he actually listened to people’s words with one ear and let them out with the other.

“That’s right. The one who mastered the Blood Demon Palm has disappeared after finishing in Gansu Province. The masters of the Mount Hua Sect and the Jongnam Sect, who came down from the mountain gate to arrest him, are also returning, saying that it is difficult to chase him anymore.”

“Rumor has it that the one who mastered the Blood Demon Palm is likely to be a member of the Demonic Sect, is that true?”

“As the Cheonoe Peak collapsed, Gwonma Cho Dan-un was buried, and the masters of the Righteous, Demonic, and Unorthodox factions are guarding the place as a forbidden area, so no one really knows who stole and mastered Gwonma Cho Dan-un’s martial arts.”

Ordinary people seemed to be very interested in the affairs of the Murim [martial arts world], and they always talked about the Murim when they gathered.

Hwa-rin frowned slightly when the story of Gwonma Cho Dan-un came out.

‘The plan was completely messed up because the Four Emperors appeared.’

Hwa-rin recalled the Four Emperors who appeared in the Mount Hua Sect. If he had appeared only a month later, he could have dragged the Demonic Sect into this fight, but that plan fell through.

“What do you think?”

Baek Gun-seong, who had been listening to the conversation of the people in the inn, asked Hwa-rin.

“What? Gwonma [Demon King]?”

When Baek Gun-seong nodded, Hwa-rin smiled and said.

“Gwonma Cho Dan-un is a person from two hundred years ago. No matter how great his martial arts are, how many martial arts have been created to break the Blood Demon Palm as martial arts have developed over the years.”

“Really?”

“Even if it’s a second-rate sect, the great sects, clans, and manor houses will be able to fight against the Blood Demon Palm.”

“Still, he was the one who put the Murim in fear two hundred years ago.”

“So, it wasn’t the Blood Demon Palm that put the Murim in fear, but Gwonma Cho Dan-un, who mastered the Blood Demon Palm.”

“Not the martial arts, but the person?”

“Yes. How does your Spirit Demon Art compare to the Spirit Demon Art your father mastered?”

When Hwa-rin mentioned the Spirit Demon Art, Baek Gun-seong flinched.

“They look exactly the same. I can’t even recognize it, so why are you so surprised?”

“Haha. I didn’t think of that. I thought I was deceiving you well.”

“Deceiving well…”

“Of course it’s different, my father has surpassed the realm, but I haven’t.”

“Yes. Even if people have mastered the same martial arts, there is a difference depending on the person’s talent.”

“So there’s no need to be wary of the one who mastered the Blood Demon Palm?”

“Small sects will be nervous, but sects with some power don’t have to be too nervous. There’s no guarantee that he’ll appear again.”

Baek Gun-seong tilted his head and asked again as Hwa-rin spoke in a confident tone.

“Why do you think so?”

“He disappeared, right? Why did he hide? After fighting once, he realized that he was not enough to dominate the Murim as he thought, or to put the Murim in fear like Cho Dan-un.”

“Hmm.”

The moment Baek Gun-seong, who thought it made sense, nodded, Hwa-rin’s telepathic message came.

―The ones sitting at the far right.

Baek Gun-seong reacted to the telepathy and turned his head to look at the people sitting at the table at the far right.

They were a man and a woman wearing white and black clothes. The woman was covering her face with a veil, and the man had his hair tied up with a hero’s headband, revealing his cool forehead.

―The smell of blood is on their bodies. They must have had a big fight before coming here.

―Really? You have a complete dog nose. How can you smell the blood on your body?

―Didn’t your father tell you? I’m from the same military unit as my father.

―He didn’t say that.

―If you cross the line between life and death, you can naturally smell the smell of death and the smell of life.

―But why are they?

―Judging from the strong smell of blood, something is about to happen.

As soon as Hwa-rin finished speaking, martial artists with swords rushed into the inn.

“There they are!”

They drew their swords and rushed towards the two men and women in white and black clothes.

The man in black clothes pulled out the chopsticks from the chopstick holder and threw them, piercing the forehead of the one who ran ahead and taking his life.

“It’s a fight.”

The inn instantly turned into a scene of carnage, and people rushed out of the inn, fearing that they would be caught up in their fight.

“Ah…”

The owner of the inn, who saw this scene, looked at those who were making a mess of the inn with a blank face.

Considering the food expenses that he had not received from the guests and the furniture that was being destroyed due to their fight, the sales for today might have to be used to repair the broken items.

Cheeeeng!

The woman in white clothes used a sword, and the man in black clothes used a saber, and their martial arts were not ordinary.

“Die!”

The ones who came into the inn and tried to kill them without hesitation were the martial artists of the Taiyuan Sect, who could be said to be the local bullies of Shanxi Province.

Hwa-rin moved the food to a table as far away from the fight as possible, sat down, and leisurely watched their fight.

“They say that watching a fire and watching a fight is the most fun. I’m going to watch a proper fight today.”

“The ones wearing blue martial arts uniforms are the Taiyuan Sect martial artists.”

Baek Gun-seong said with a puzzled expression. The Taiyuan Sect he knew was a righteous sect and was known as a reasonable sect in terms of right and wrong, so they were not known to cause disputes unless necessary.

“Something must have happened between them. That’s why they’re rushing in so fiercely.”

Hwa-rin picked up a duck leg with his hand, brought it to his mouth, and tore it off.

“Their martial arts are quite good too.”

Baek Gun-seong could see that the martial arts of the man and woman in white and black clothes were not ordinary.

“But is there a sect where women wear white and men wear black?”

When Hwa-rin asked, Baek Gun-seong tilted his head.

“Well, isn’t that their taste?”

“I don’t think so. There are numbers written on their left chest.”

When Baek Gun-seong looked closely, there was really the number six written on it.

“If it’s the same number six, is it a sect that starts with six?”

Hwa-rin looked at Baek Gun-seong with a pathetic look.

“Why?”

“No. There wouldn’t be that many masters in the Green Forest [Bandit hideouts] or the Waterway Village [Pirate hideouts].”

“Even if there are a few people if you go up, the overall level is low. How strong can bandits and pirates be?”

“Well, they say that the ones who are good at it are the ones who caused accidents in the Righteous or Demonic Sects and turned to the Black Path. Then they wouldn’t be the Black Path [Evil or Unorthodox path of martial arts].”

As the bowls containing food flew towards Hwa-rin and Baek Gun-seong due to their fight, Baek Gun-seong lightly waved his hand.

The direction of the bowl changed due to the power Baek Gun-seong created and fell elsewhere.

“Why are you curious about that?”

“The Taiyuan Sect isn’t that bad, right?”

“That’s right.”

“But the fact that they’re rushing in to kill them like that means that the ones wearing white and black clothes caused an accident.”

Baek Gun-seong nodded.

“Then, did they cause an accident because they had a grudge against the Taiyuan Sect? I don’t think so.”

“Why do you think so?”

“If they had a grudge, only those two wouldn’t have come.”

Hwa-rin said with conviction.

The martial artists of the Taiyuan Sect tried to kill the two, but the difference in their martial power was considerable.

“Keueok!”

As the martial artists of the Taiyuan Sect fell one by one and the situation became unfavorable, they asked Hwa-rin and Baek Gun-seong, who were watching without leaving, for help.

“It seems like you are martial artists, please help us. If you help us arrest or kill them, we will give you a great reward.”

Hwa-rin’s eyes twinkled at the words.

“Then I should ask what I’m curious about.”