Chapter 591
591
Episode 591. Everything Has a Reason (1)
Father seemed extremely pleased by my victory.
“Hahaha! To think our family has two people advancing to the second round of the main tournament at the same time. How could this not be the glory of our family?” (Father)
“Are you that happy?” (Seoho)
“Of course, of course!” (Father)
Father kept nodding again and again.
“The thrill I feel when those who looked down on us as lowly merchants lower their heads and fawn over us cannot be expressed in words.” (Father)
At those words, I also smiled and nodded.
Because I, too, had experienced being looked down on for being a merchant many times.
“If not for your duel tomorrow, I would want to take you to the gathering with me, but I suppose I must hold back.” (Father)
“Hahaha. Please endure it just a little longer. The duels are not over yet.” (Seoho)
Tomorrow is the day the Earth Division’s main tournament will be wrapped up through the third and fourth rounds.
Leaving behind my parents and Jinho Hyung, who were heading to the banquet hall, I headed for the Yeonpung Inn.
“I should hurry back and get some rest.” (Seoho)
At my words, Palgap asked as though he found it absurd.
“Young Master, honestly, please place your hand on your heart and tell me. Are you physically exhausted right now, sir?” (Palgap)
“…….” (Seoho)
“Are you suddenly craving nourishing food and such, sir?” (Palgap)
“…….” (Seoho)
“Are your arms and legs trembling and your eyes twitching, sir?” (Palgap)
“…….” (Seoho)
I quickly covered Palgap’s mouth.
“S-stop! I get it! We just have to go to the commercial district, don’t we!” (Seoho)
“It is not good to put off what must be done, sir.” (Palgap)
I know that well too.
“But today feels a bit much. If I go to the commercial district as soon as the duel ends, I get tired. I’m grateful that they congratulate me, but receiving everyone’s greetings one by one is harder than dueling.” (Seoho)
“I think it is better than them throwing stones at you and calling you a bastard who deserves to die, sir.” (Palgap)
“Th-that is true.” (Seoho)
But why is your example so extreme?
I sighed and headed to the commercial district, and just as expected, countless people approached me.
From the young captains I was close with to the heads and managers of other trading companies.
By the time I reached the temporary shop, I felt like I had said thank you more than five hundred times.
After checking the temporary shop like that, I began looking around the commercial district.
Because looking around to see whether anything was going on was also quite important work.
Now that the finals of the friendly duels are not far off, it is about time.
Thinking that, I looked at the spot where the Baekcheon Trading Company was operating its temporary shop.
The best location in this martial arts grand banquet’s commercial district.
But I willingly gave up that spot and obtained two temporary shops instead.
And soon, the incident that would be the reason for that would occur.
As I walked down the street while thinking about that matter, I heard a familiar voice.
“It was just as that person said. I should have done this from the beginning.” (Inbong)
“To be honest, I hesitated back then. And I also hated the idea of my master having to apologize to someone else because of me for no reason.” (Inbong)
This voice is… Warrior Inbong?
It seemed like he was talking to someone, but why could I not hear the other person’s voice?
I tilted my head and headed toward the place where the voice was coming from, and found him sitting on a nearby rock, smiling as he looked into the air as if he were talking to someone.
Come to think of it, I remembered the rumors about him.
They had said he learned martial arts from ghosts and commanded ghosts. I thought perhaps it was because of this sight.
“H-holy! Is he really talking to a g-g-g-ghost, sir?” (Palgap)
Palgap had a terrified expression on his face.
The others also had tense expressions. I, too, was tense, but I slowly took a deep breath.
No matter what the situation is, if one stays calm, a path will appear.
* Kkui! Kkui! (Geumryeong)
Just then, Geumryeong sent me a telepathic message.
Hm? There is someone incredibly strong in front of us?
Then that means Warrior Inbong is speaking not with a ghost, but with a person.
Because Geumryeong had said it was an incredibly strong “person.”
I operated the Great Moon Ice Sea Divine Art to inspect that direction, then soon smiled.
As expected, that was it.
The others did not notice, but thanks to the Great Moon Ice Sea Divine Art, I noticed.
Just as Geumryeong had said, there was someone in front of Warrior Inbong.
At that level of concealment arts, it was at the level of the Transformation Realm.
Even I would have thought it was a real ghost if not for the Great Moon Ice Sea Divine Art.
Now I understand.
The reason rumors spread that Warrior Inbong learned martial arts from a ghost must be because he learned martial arts from that person.
And from the perspective of those who saw that scene, they could not see the person he was talking to, so they had no choice but to think he was talking to a ghost.
But who is that person, that he does not reveal his identity?
He seems to be someone from the same Qingcheng Sect, so why is he hiding his identity?
One question led to another.
But I had no choice but to set those questions aside.
Because I could not interfere in their affairs.
And I also had to rest for tomorrow’s duel.
I did not explain what I had discovered to my companions.
There must be some reason they were living like that, and there was no need to expose it on purpose.
“Let’s go.” (Seoho)
“Yes. Let us hurry, sir.” (Palgap)
Palgap moved his feet in a hurry, and we returned to the Yeonpung Inn.
After eating dinner, I washed up and headed to bed.
And just as I was about to sleep for tomorrow, the window suddenly opened.
Creeeak.
* Kkui? (Geumryeong)
I heard Geumryeong’s telepathic message, sensing something strange.
And then another voice echoed in my mind.
* I am sorry for startling you. (Unknown Man)
“Who are you?” (Seoho)
* Did you not see me talking to Inbong earlier? (Unknown Man)
“…….” (Seoho)
As expected, he had realized that I was watching that scene back then.
“So it was you from earlier. I, Eun Seoho of the merchant trade, greet you, Master.” (Seoho)
I rose from my seat, clasped my hands and bowed my head toward the place where I sensed his presence.
* Huh! So you really had noticed me! How on earth did you detect my existence? Even martial artists of the Transformation Realm cannot easily notice me… (Unknown Man)
“My senses are somewhat sharp. At any rate, what brings you here at this late hour?” (Seoho)
* First, I came to express my thanks. (Unknown Man)
“I do not think I have done anything in particular to receive your thanks, Master…” (Seoho)
* Thanks to you, Inbong has become more at ease. This morning, Inbong formally requested duels with the Senior and Junior Brothers who had been tormenting him, and he defeated every last one of them. Now there is not a single fellow who looks down on Inbong. Hehehe. (Unknown Man)
He continued his telepathic message.
* The reason that fellow was able to do so was because you dealt with that man named Geumbong. He was the sort of fellow who had only been watching others’ reactions, fearing his master might suffer harm. (Unknown Man)
“So there was such a circumstance.” (Seoho)
I continued.
“But there is no need to thank me for that. It was merely compensation for deceiving Warrior Inbong.” (Seoho)
At my words, he laughed heartily.
* You mean hiding your skills? (Unknown Man)
“So you noticed after all.” (Seoho)
I answered with a calm smile, but inwardly, my mouth was drying up completely.
Because it would be disastrous if he were to reveal my true skills to others.
Since he himself was hiding his identity, the possibility of that was not very high, but still, one never knew.
“I ask you just in case. I would appreciate it if you did not tell others about that.” (Seoho)
* If you do not speak of me, then I shall also keep your secret. (Unknown Man)
It is conditional, then.
But as for me, I had not intended to reveal his existence anyway, so there was nothing difficult about that.
“Very well. Let us do that.” (Seoho)
I readily accepted.
“It seems you came to see me because of that, but since you have already come, may I ask you a few things?” (Seoho)
* If it is something I can answer, I will answer. (Unknown Man)
“Why are you not revealing yourself? And why do you care so much about Warrior Inbong?” (Seoho)
This time, no answer came right away.
Silence flowed for about the time it takes to eat a meal, and at last, a telepathic message came.
* Because he is my son. (Unknown Man)
…Excuse me?
It was not as shocking as when I learned that Geumbong’s father was the Sect Leader of the Qingcheng Sect and that his own son had poisoned his father… no, it was not.
Because it was one of the possibilities I had thought of.
* But that fellow does not know yet. I have not told him. (Unknown Man)
“…….” (Seoho)
* And right now, I am also in a position where I cannot show myself before him. (Unknown Man)
Why can he not say that he is his father?
“Did you perhaps drink and beat him?” (Seoho)
* As if I would! (Unknown Man)
“Then did you perhaps starve him, chase him out, and tell him to go earn money?” (Seoho)
* No! (Unknown Man)
“You are not such a wicked father, so why are you reluctant to show yourself and say that you are his father?” (Seoho)
A bitterness could be felt in his following telepathic message.
* I do not know how that child would feel, but in truth, it is no different from having abandoned my son at the Qingcheng Sect. (Unknown Man)
“…….” (Seoho)
* I left the Qingcheng Sect and wandered the martial world, and during that journey, I met a woman. However, when I went to seek that woman again, I learned that she had lost her life… at the hands of a member of the criminal underworld. Even in that difficult situation, she bore my child, and I left that newborn with the Qingcheng Sect and set out for revenge. It is a very uninteresting story. (Unknown Man)
“In the end, you finished your revenge and returned.” (Seoho)
* Yes. But perhaps too much time had already passed, because he was already over twenty. And my body was already battered beyond repair… (Unknown Man)
“…….” (Seoho)
* Rumors spread that Inbong speaks with a ghost. Hehehe, my appearance truly is no different from that of a ghost, so it is not wrong. (Unknown Man)
Complicated emotions could be felt in his voice.
After finishing his revenge, he must have returned to the Qingcheng Sect and been living there while entrusting himself to them.
From the Qingcheng Sect’s position, he was a warrior who had left long ago, but seeing his martial prowess, they would not have been able to refuse him.
Having come to live again at the Qingcheng Sect like that, he found his son, approached him, taught him martial arts like a kind uncle, and gave him advice as he lived on.
“So there was such a story.” (Seoho)
* Still, telling you like this does ease my heart. (Unknown Man)
“You trust me.” (Seoho)
At my words, he laughed.
* Are we not both holding something over each other? (Unknown Man)
He was more cold-hearted than I had expected, and I could feel that he was indeed someone who had survived through fields of slaughter.
* The reason I came to visit you so late at night is indeed to express my thanks, and it is also to warn you to hide my identity. But there is something more important than that. (Unknown Man)
What is it? Something more important than that?
* It is information about through whom that bastard Geumbong obtained that mysterious medicine. I am certain the Sect Leader will not tell you this. (Unknown Man)
It was just as he said.
Honestly, this was practically the Qingcheng Sect’s disgrace.
No matter how much I helped the Qingcheng Sect Leader, he would not tell me anything beyond that.
It may seem heartless, but that is the murim.
* He said he saw someone with a red leaf-shaped tattoo. (Unknown Man)
“……!” (Seoho)
* And I, too, once saw a red leaf-shaped tattoo before. (Unknown Man)
As for that mention, I had heard it before as well.
Because they had said that the superior of the person who had plotted to starve the Northern Sea Ice Palace before had such a tattoo.
And by my guess, they were the Blood Cult.
It seemed that among the Blood Cultists, fairly high-ranking ones had that tattoo engraved on them.
“I ask just in case. Do you know their identity?” (Seoho)
* I do not know either. But the important thing is that they clearly had a purpose. (Unknown Man)
“…….” (Seoho)
* Be careful. If they happen to learn that you are the one who returned the Sect Leader to his senses, you may be in danger. (Unknown Man)
His worry and advice for me.
I could tell that this had been his true purpose.
* Then I shall be going now. Forgive me for disturbing you late at night. (Unknown Man)
Whoosh.
I heard a sound like wind blowing, and soon his presence disappeared.
At the same time, I also felt the qi barrier surrounding the space I was in disappear.
He had done it to prevent sound from leaking outside.
“Hoo……” (Seoho)
I lay down on the bed just like that.
Ah, seriously.
There goes my sleep tonight.
How could you leave out the most important thing when telling me?
Could this perhaps be revenge for making Warrior Inbong, his son, forfeit?
I had no choice but to grumble like that.
.
.
.
Day broke.
Because I had been thinking about this and that last night, I ended up barely sleeping.
Fortunately, after circulating my qi through meditation, my mind began to clear to some extent.
As expected of the Great Moon Ice Sea Divine Art.
My family and I ate a hearty breakfast and headed to the dueling grounds.
And on the way, I received the cheers of many people and sat down in my seat.
Hoo…….
Last night, Father and Mother had returned quite late. They had apparently been surrounded by many people and received words of congratulations.
I am sorry to Father and Mother, who are so happy, but I intend to lose this duel.
If I have come this far, I have come far enough.
I am a merchant, not a martial artist. What use do I have for winning the friendly duels?
Soon, the duel began.
Captain Geum Yeonhwa went up onto the dueling stage and announced the participants of the first duel.
“The person who will participate in today’s first duel is Hyangok of the Emei Sect, who has gained the new alias Gale Fairy!” (Geum Yeonhwa)
“Waaaaaaaaah!”
“Gale Fairy! Gale Fairy!”
As I watched Hyangok Noona go up onto the dueling stage while listening to the cheers of the people, I cheered as well.
“Her opponent is the Thunderbolt Bladesman, Seomoon Ilshin!” (Geum Yeonhwa)
“Waaaaaaaaah!”
A member of the Seomoon Clan going up opposite Hyangok Noona.
Wearing the blue clothes that symbolize the Seomoon Clan, his Lightning Three Blades are famous as a masterpiece.
Huh?
I felt an inexplicable sense of incongruity from him.
Is that person… really Mister Seomoon Ilshin? Something about his energy is strange.
It was then.
The corners of his lips split upward, and he swung his blade toward Hyangok Noona, who was defenseless while attaching tokens to her body.
Shwaaaaaak!
When everyone was shocked by the sudden situation and did not know what to do.
Chaeng!
When I came to my senses, I was blocking that man’s blade.