Tales Of The Nine Dragons [EN]: Chapter 79

Nine Dragons Chronicle (79)

“What on earth is going on?”

Hwa-rin gathered Namgung Jin, Sado Jun, and Namgung Yeon-ah, who were resting in the inner quarters of the main residence, and told them about the surprise attack on the manor.

“They’re after the Nine Dragons Pavilion.”

“The Nine Dragons Pavilion? The pleasure house you’re building?”

“Yes. I legally obtained a gambling permit from the Lord of Shanxi Province, which allows me to open a casino. Combining that with a pleasure house, some people think it will be a goldmine and are eyeing it.”

“A casino… Even high-ranking officials can’t easily get permission for that.”

“That’s right. Even with the Lord’s permission, it’s impossible without the Emperor’s approval.”

“Then, Brother Hwa-rin, you’ve accomplished something truly amazing!”

At Namgung Yeon-ah’s words, Namgung Jin nodded. This was a huge deal that would affect not only this province but also others.

“So, who exactly is after your Nine Dragons Pavilion?”

Sado Jun asked.

“There are many. You don’t need to worry about it. It’s my problem to handle. Right now, flies are buzzing around because it’s under construction, but once it’s completed and business starts, those flies will disappear.”

“The problem is before it’s completed.”

“But isn’t there still two days left until the Mount Hua Assembly ends?”

When Hwa-rin asked, Namgung Yeon-ah looked disappointed.

“It ended quickly due to the incidents in Sichuan and Chongqing. I’m really sad that I couldn’t see the martial arts competition, which was the most anticipated event at this Mount Hua Assembly.”

Her disappointment was clearly visible on her face, as she was constitutionally unable to hide her emotions.

“So, I came down from Mount Hua and had nowhere to go, so I came to see you, but I got caught up in some unnecessary trouble and suffered a bit.”

“Helping a friend isn’t unnecessary. So, you have nowhere to go for the time being?”

When Hwa-rin asked, Namgung Jin said,

“I’m thinking of stopping by the Righteous Heaven Alliance and then returning to my family home.”

“The Righteous Heaven Alliance?”

“My father asked me to deliver something to the Righteous Heaven Alliance.”

“Okay. Then, Sado Jun, what about you?”

“I didn’t have anything particular to do, but after meeting you, I suddenly have something urgent to report, so I think I need to return to my sect.”

“Sect? Which sect do you belong to, Brother Sado Jun?”

“There is one. A very scary place!”

“A scary place? Could it be the Demonic Cult?”

“No. It’s a little less scary than that.”

“The Blood Sect?”

“A little below that.”

“The Four Serpent Blood Heaven?”

“A little further down.”

“The Small Thunder Sound Temple?”

Listening to Namgung Yeon-ah’s questions, Sado Jun realized that his sect, the Thousand Shadow Valley, wasn’t such a bad place after all.

“Um… Yeon-ah, listening to you, it seems like our sect is a good place.”

“Tch, what is that? Are you trying to tease me again?”

“That’s not it, but listening to you, there are many places more terrifying than our sect.”

Sado Jun said this, but the Thousand Shadow Valley was the best assassin group in the Central Plains, so feared that even crying children would stop crying.

“By the way, Hwa-rin, do you happen to have a flute with you?”

Sado Jun asked. Hwa-rin took out a flute with a dark red glow from his chest and showed it to Sado Jun.

“Wow, the color of the flute is so beautiful.”

Sado Jun closed his lips and nodded as if he had already guessed something, and Namgung Yeon-ah commented that the flute was pretty.

“Brother, can you play the flute? If you can, please play a song.”

Hwa-rin looked momentarily embarrassed, then nodded and brought the flute to his lips.

After taking a deep breath, he placed his mouth on the reed attached to the flute and blew, and a sound flowed from the flute.

Hwa-rin skillfully covered or opened the finger holes with his fingers, producing various notes, and the melody of *Sohogangho* [a song about wandering the martial world], which a wandering old man sang as he left the martial world, flowed out.

As Hwa-rin skillfully played *Sohogangho*, Sado Jun was inwardly surprised, though he didn’t show it.

‘To play the Killer Sovereign Dark Blood Flute and produce sound, you need at least sixty years of internal energy. Judging by how soft the sound is, he must have at least three cycles of internal energy.’

The Killer Sovereign was the leader of the assassins, and although the assassins had not sworn allegiance to him separately, his orders were absolute to them.

‘I need to tell my father and have him clearly define our course.’

—What are you thinking so deeply about?

At that moment, Hwa-rin’s telepathic message echoed in his head.

—Thinking about what to do in the future?

—Don’t think too deeply. Even if you are the son of the Thousand Shadow Valley Lord, you are still my friend.

He was surprised and looked at Hwa-rin, who was playing the flute with his eyes closed.

—You knew?

—There are many assassins around me. Some of them recognized you.

Sado Jun nodded, and his appearance looked as if he was nodding in admiration of Hwa-rin’s performance.

“Jun, you also think Hwa-rin is good at playing the flute, right?”

“Uh… uh, yeah. He’s good.”

—But Hwa-rin, what are you going to do in the future?

—Me? I’m thinking of making a big name for myself in the martial world.

—Do you want to put your name on the Ten Kings?

The Ten Kings that Sado Jun was talking about referred to the One Demon, Two Emperors, Three Kings, and Four Sages, another name for the Ten Great Masters of the Central Plains.

—That’s just a process. I want to become the king of the martial world.

—The king of the martial world?

—My father taught me that if a man puts himself in one world, he must strive to become the king of that world.

—The king of the martial world… Before that, you’ll have to surpass the Killing Sword Emperor, Baek Jeong-in.

He was one of the Four Sages, and there were rumors that he had elevated killing people to the level of art. He was the best assassin in the Central Plains, and some compared him to the Killer Sovereign, saying that he was a greater assassin.

—I’ve heard the rumors, but if I have time, I should meet him. If I cross swords with him directly, I’ll know how great he is.

Seeing Hwa-rin speaking nonchalantly, Sado Jun was worried. He thought that Hwa-rin was saying this because he didn’t know the horror of the Killing Sword Emperor yet, and when he was about to tell him about it, Hwa-rin’s performance ended.

“Wow! Brother Hwa-rin, you’re really amazing.”

Namgung Yeon-ah clapped and praised him, and Hwa-rin gave an awkward smile.

“Anyone can do it if they practice, but you praise me so much that I don’t know what to do.”

“I tried so hard to learn the zither. But I couldn’t.”

“That’s probably because Yeon-ah doesn’t have the desperation. I think it’s because you just wanted to learn it.”

“Desperation?”

“For some, it may be a hobby, but for others, it may be a means of livelihood. So, the mindset of the two people will inevitably be different.”

“That’s right.”

“Suyeon told me that.”

“What did your sister say?”

“She said she ran away from home because she couldn’t risk her life to learn martial arts in the family.”

“What?”

Namgung Jin, who heard Hwa-rin’s words, was also a little dumbfounded.

“I don’t know why, but Suyeon, whom I have been with and watched, worked harder than anyone else, as if she was risking her life to learn martial arts.”

“So, was there any result?”

Namgung Jin asked.

“Based on when I last saw her, she was stronger than you are now. That was a year ago, so if she’s still alive, I don’t know how much stronger she’s become.”

Namgung Jin looked a little shocked at Hwa-rin’s words, and Yeon-ah smiled brightly and asked Hwa-rin.

“Then, when my sister comes back, she’ll teach Yeon-ah a lot of martial arts.”

“That will be Suyeon’s will.”

“My sister likes and cherishes Yeon-ah, so if she returns to the family, she will definitely teach me martial arts.”

Namgung Yeon-ah says that her sister will teach her martial arts, but Namgung Suyeon, whom Hwa-rin knows, was not kind enough to teach martial arts to others.

“Okay. When that time comes, learn a lot from Suyeon.”

“Yes.”

“Then, what are you going to do now?”

He was asking about those who attacked the manor.

“I have to return what I received. I haven’t abandoned my military habits yet. I’m going to return ten times what I received.”

“I heard that two places attacked the manor. Can you handle it alone? Do you want me to lend a hand?”

When Sado Jun said this, Hwa-rin shook his head.

“Compared to the people I’ve dealt with so far, those who attacked this manor are worse than dogs and pigs. I’ll take care of this myself, so you guys can rest well and go back.”

“Okay. Then, there’s nothing I can do. If you need help, tell me anytime. I’ll come running.”

“Thank you.”

“Brother Hwa-rin, the main family will also help, so if it’s difficult, please contact the main family without delay.”

“I will. More than that, you came to the manor and have only been here, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then, today I’ll show you the businesses I’m running.”

“The pleasure house and the inn?”

“There’s also a fabric store and a loan business. When you come to Shanxi Province, come to my inn or pleasure house and rest. I won’t charge you. To do that, it would be good to go today and get acquainted with the managers.”

“Okay. Let’s go quickly. I’ve been cooped up in the house, and I’m getting restless.”

“Yeon-ah is always bright, so I like her.”

Sado Jun said with a bright smile.

—It seems like Sado Jun likes Yeon-ah.

Hwa-rin sent a telepathic message to Namgung Jin.

—He’ll take care of it. They’re not children. Unless it’s forced, I won’t interfere.

—You seem to know Sado Jun well.

Sado Jun was the successor of an assassin sect that was between the righteous and the evil. Although they were between the righteous and the evil, assassins who killed people for money were treated as members of the evil faction, so it was also a question of whether the Namgung family, which could be called a prestigious righteous sect, would recognize Sado Jun.

—I don’t know him well. But looking at that friend’s eyes, I can be sure that he’s not treating Yeon-ah falsely.

Hwa-rin was about to tell him about Sado Jun’s identity but stopped.

—That may be that friend’s strength.

“Brother Hwa-rin, let’s go quickly.”

Namgung Yeon-ah urged Hwa-rin, and Hwa-rin nodded and got up from his seat.

“Let’s go out together, have dinner outside, and come back. Our inn’s cook is amazing at making food.”

Hwa-rin left the room with them.

—My lord, the leader of the Black Hall, Mun-so, will move tonight to burn down the Stone Heaven Sect.

Lee Do-moon’s telepathic message was heard from a short distance away.

—Okay. When their building burns down, they’ll go crazy and charge into our manor. Don’t let a single one of them live then.

—I receive the order. But what about the Blood Serpent Clan?

—Leave that place for now. I found out that the White Horse Temple in Shandong Province is behind them.

—Madam Lee-ran’s family home is the White Horse Temple.

—So, if we attack the Blood Serpent Clan, the White Horse Temple might move, so just leave it alone for now. They’ll send assassins to the manor a couple more times. Even if we only catch them, the power of the Blood Serpent Clan will weaken a lot, so it will be eaten by other sects in Henan Province.

—I understand. Then, I’ll focus on the Stone Heaven Sect’s affairs.

—Do that. Just in case, have the Law Enforcement Clan’s family members stand by as well.

—I receive the order.

As Lee Do-moon’s telepathic message ended, Seo Dae-young approached them.

“Are you going out somewhere?”

“My friends have come, so I’m going to show them around the businesses. We’ll eat outside and come back, so you don’t have to prepare anything separately.”

“I understand.”

—I found out that the Hwasang Merchant Group has sent people to secure grain from Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, and Guangxi Provinces.

Hwa-rin nodded at Seo Dae-young’s telepathic message.

—I’ll take care of that myself, so take your time finding carts and horses.

—I understand.