Father seemed absolutely delighted by my victory.
“Hahaha! Two members of our family advancing to the second round of the main tournament at the same time! How could this be anything but a glorious day for our merchant group?”
“Does it really make you that happy?”
“Of course it does!”
Father nodded again and again, unable to stop smiling.
“There are no words to describe the satisfaction of watching the same people who dismissed us as lowly merchants bow their heads and scrape before us.”
I smiled and nodded in agreement.
After all, I had endured my fair share of contempt simply for being a merchant.
“If you didn’t have another match tomorrow, I’d take you to the gathering with us. I suppose I’ll have to restrain myself.”
“Hahaha. Please be patient a little longer. The tournament isn’t over yet.”
Tomorrow, the third and fourth rounds of the main tournament would bring the Earth Group’s matches to an end.
I watched my parents and Brother Jin-ho leave for the banquet hall, then headed toward Yeonpung Inn.
“I need to get back and rest.”
Palgap stared at me in disbelief.
“Young Master, put your hand over your heart and answer me honestly. Are you actually tired right now?”
“…”
“Are you suddenly craving some nourishing food to restore your strength?”
“…”
“Are your arms and legs trembling? Are your eyelids twitching?”
“…”
I hurriedly clamped a hand over Palgap’s mouth.
“E-enough! Fine! We’ll go to the commercial district, all right?”
“It’s never good to put off something that needs doing.”
I knew that perfectly well.
“But I’m really not in the mood today. Going straight to the commercial district after a match is exhausting. I appreciate everyone congratulating me, but stopping to greet every last person is harder than the match itself.”
“Still better than having people throw rocks at you while calling you a bastard who deserves to die.”
“W-well, yes. That’s true.”
But did his example have to be so extreme?
I let out a sigh and made my way to the commercial district. Sure enough, countless people immediately began approaching me.
There were the Deputy Merchant Lords I had grown close to, as well as Merchant Lords and Supervisors from other merchant groups.
By the time I reached our temporary stall, I felt as though I had thanked people more than five hundred times.
After checking the temporary stall, I began making my rounds through the commercial district.
Looking around for potential problems was an important part of my work, after all.
The finals of the friendly tournament weren’t far away now. It should be about time.
With that thought in mind, I glanced toward the location where the Baekcheon Merchant Group was operating its temporary stall.
It was the single best location in the commercial district during this Murim Grand Assembly.
Yet I had willingly surrendered that spot in exchange for two temporary stalls.
And soon, the incident that justified my decision would finally occur.
I was walking along while thinking about it when a familiar voice reached my ears.
“It happened exactly as he said it would. I should’ve done this from the beginning.”
“To be honest, I hesitated back then. I also hated the thought of my master having to apologize to someone else because of me.”
That voice… Warrior In-bong?
He seemed to be talking to someone, so why couldn’t I hear the other person?
I tilted my head and followed the voice. Soon, I found him sitting on a nearby rock, smiling into empty air as though he were having a conversation with someone.
Come to think of it, I remembered the rumors about him.
People said he had learned martial arts from a ghost and could command spirits. That sight was probably how those rumors had begun.
“Good heavens! Is he r-really talking to a g-g-ghost?”
Palgap looked terrified.
The others were tense as well. I felt uneasy myself, but I slowly drew in a deep breath.
No matter the situation, remaining calm would always reveal a way forward.
– Kui! Kui!
Just then, Geumryeong sent me a Voice Transmission.
What? There’s someone incredibly powerful standing up ahead?
Then Warrior In-bong wasn’t talking to a ghost. He was speaking with a living person.
After all, Geumryeong had specifically called the hidden presence an incredibly powerful ‘person.’
I circulated the Supreme Yin Ice Sea Divine Art and carefully examined the area before a smile spread across my face.
So that was it.
The others hadn’t noticed anything, but the Supreme Yin Ice Sea Divine Art allowed me to see through the deception.
Just as Geumryeong had said, someone was standing directly in front of Warrior In-bong.
Concealment of that caliber could only belong to a Transcendent expert.
Without the Supreme Yin Ice Sea Divine Art, even I would have mistaken him for a real ghost.
Now I understood.
The rumor that Warrior In-bong had learned martial arts from a ghost must have started because he had been learning from that man.
Anyone who witnessed them together would be unable to see the person In-bong was speaking to. Naturally, they would assume he was talking to a ghost.
But who was that man, and why was he hiding his identity?
He seemed to belong to the Qingcheng Sect, so why would he conceal himself even from his own people?
One question led to another.
But I had no choice except to set those questions aside.
I had no right to interfere in their private affairs.
Besides, I needed to rest for tomorrow’s match.
I chose not to tell my companions what I had discovered.
There had to be a reason he lived in such secrecy. Exposing him merely to satisfy our curiosity would be discourteous.
“Let’s go.”
“Yes, sir. Let’s get out of here immediately.”
Palgap hurried away as fast as his feet could carry him, and we returned to Yeonpung Inn.
After eating dinner, I washed up and went to bed.
I was just about to fall asleep in preparation for tomorrow when the window suddenly swung open.
Creeeeak.
– Kui?
Geumryeong’s confused Voice Transmission entered my mind.
A moment later, another voice resounded inside my head.
– My apologies for startling you.
“Who are you?”
– Didn’t you see me speaking with In-bong earlier?
“…”
As I suspected, he had known I was watching them.
“So you were the one from earlier. This humble merchant, Eun Seo-ho, greets the Great Hero.”
I rose from bed, faced the place where I sensed his presence, and bowed with a fist-and-palm salute.
– Hah! So you truly did detect me! How in the world did you notice my presence? Even Transcendent martial artists have difficulty finding me…
“My senses happen to be unusually sharp. More importantly, what brings you here at such a late hour?”
– First, I wanted to express my gratitude.
“I don’t believe I’ve done anything that deserves your gratitude…”
– In-bong’s life has become much easier because of you. This morning, he formally challenged the fellow disciples who had been tormenting him and defeated every last one of them. Not a single person dares to look down on him now. Hehehe.
His Voice Transmission continued.
– He only found the courage to do that because you dealt with that man Geum-bong. In-bong had been swallowing every insult because he feared his master might suffer if he caused trouble.
“I see. So that was the situation.”
I continued speaking.
“But you don’t need to thank me for that. It was merely compensation for the way I deceived Warrior In-bong.”
He burst into hearty laughter.
– You mean concealing your true abilities from him?
“So you noticed that as well.”
I answered with a composed smile, but my mouth had gone completely dry.
It would be troublesome if he revealed my true abilities to anyone else.
Since he was hiding his own identity, it seemed unlikely that he would expose me, but I could never be certain.
“I realize this may be unnecessary, but I would like to ask a favor. Please don’t tell anyone else about that.
– As long as you remain silent about me, I will keep your secret as well.
So there was a condition.
But I had never intended to reveal his existence anyway, so it hardly posed a problem.
“Very well. We have an agreement.”
I readily accepted.
“It seems that’s why you came to see me. Since you’re already here, may I ask you a few questions?”
– I’ll answer anything I’m able to answer.
“Why do you refuse to reveal yourself? And why are you so concerned about Warrior In-bong?”
This time, no answer came immediately.
Nearly thirty minutes passed in silence before his Voice Transmission finally returned.
– Because he’s my son.
…Excuse me?
It was almost as shocking as learning that Geum-bong’s father was the Qingcheng Sect Leader and that his own son had poisoned him… except it wasn’t.
That possibility had already crossed my mind.
– But the boy still doesn’t know. I’ve never told him.
“…”
– And given my present circumstances, I cannot show myself before him.
Why couldn’t he tell In-bong that he was his father?
“Did you get drunk and beat him?”
– Of course not!
“Did you starve him, throw him out, and order him to earn money for you?”
– No!”
“Then if you weren’t such a terrible father, why are you afraid to show yourself or tell him the truth?”
His next Voice Transmission carried unmistakable bitterness.
– I don’t know how that child would feel about it, but the truth is that I might as well have abandoned him at the Qingcheng Sect.
“…”
– After leaving the Qingcheng Sect to travel the martial world, I met a woman. When I later returned to find her, I learned that an Unorthodox Sect had… taken her life. Despite everything she endured, she had given birth to my child. I left that helpless infant with the Qingcheng Sect and departed in search of revenge. It’s a dreary and unremarkable tale.
“So you finally completed your revenge and returned.”
– Yes. But far too much time had passed. By the time I returned, the boy was already over twenty. And my body had been reduced to this wretched state…
“…”
– Rumors began spreading that In-bong spoke with a ghost. Hehehe. Considering that I truly look no different from one, I can hardly call those rumors wrong.
His voice was filled with complicated emotions.
After completing his revenge, he must have returned to the Qingcheng Sect and remained there under its protection.
From the Qingcheng Sect’s perspective, he might have been a warrior who had departed decades ago, but considering his martial prowess, they could hardly have refused him sanctuary.
Once he returned to the Qingcheng Sect, he found his son. Yet instead of revealing the truth, he approached In-bong as a kindly older man, teaching him martial arts and offering him guidance.
“So that’s what happened.”
– Still, now that I’ve told you everything, I feel somewhat relieved.
“You must trust me.”
He chuckled at my words.
– We each have something to hold over the other, don’t we?
He was colder and more calculating than I had expected. It made sense for a man who had survived countless bloody battles.
– I came to you this late at night partly to thank you and partly to warn you not to expose my identity. However, there is something even more important.
What could possibly be more important than that?
– I have information about the person who supplied that bastard Geum-bong with the strange drug. I doubt the Sect Leader intends to tell you about it.
He was right.
To be honest, this entire incident was a humiliating disgrace for the Qingcheng Sect.
No matter how much I had helped the Qingcheng Sect Leader, he would never reveal more than necessary.
It might have sounded coldhearted, but that was how the martial world operated.
– Someone reported seeing a man with a red, leaf-shaped tattoo.
“…!”
– And I have also seen that same red leaf tattoo before.
I had heard mention of such a mark as well.
The superior of the man who had plotted to starve the North Sea Ice Palace had supposedly borne the same tattoo.
And according to my suspicions, they were members of the Blood Cult.
It seemed that only fairly high-ranking Blood Cult members were given that tattoo.
“I have to ask. Do you know who they are?”
– I don’t. But what matters is that those people clearly had an objective.
“…”
– Be careful. If they discover that you were the one who restored the Sect Leader’s sanity, you may find yourself in danger.
He had come here because he was worried about me and wanted to warn me.
I could tell that had been his true purpose all along.
– Then I’ll be leaving. Forgive me for disturbing you so late at night.
Whoosh.
I heard a sound like wind rushing through the room, and then his presence vanished.
At the same moment, I felt the Qi barrier surrounding my room disappear.
He had erected it to prevent our voices from escaping outside.
“Phew…”
I collapsed flat onto the bed.
Seriously.
There went any hope of sleeping tonight.
How could he tell me all that and leave out the most important part until the very end?
Was this revenge because I had forced his son, Warrior In-bong, to withdraw?
I couldn’t help grumbling to myself.
.
.
.
Morning arrived.
After spending the entire night lost in one thought after another, I barely managed to sleep.
Fortunately, a session of Breathing Meditation gradually cleared my head.
As expected of the Supreme Yin Ice Sea Divine Art.
My family and I ate a hearty breakfast before heading to the martial arena.
After receiving encouragement from countless people along the way, I finally took my seat.
Phew…
Father and Mother had returned quite late last night. Apparently, a large crowd had surrounded them and showered them with congratulations.
I felt guilty about disappointing them after seeing how happy they were, but I intended to lose today’s match.
I had already advanced far enough.
I was a merchant, not a martial artist. What possible use would I have for winning the friendly tournament?
The matches soon began.
Commander Geum Yeon-hwa stepped onto the martial stage and announced the competitors for the first match.
“The first competitor to fight today is Hyang-ok of the Emei Sect, who recently earned the new epithet Gale Fairy!”
“Waaaaaah!”
“Gale Fairy! Gale Fairy!”
I joined the cheering as I watched Cousin Hyang-ok climb onto the martial stage.
“Her opponent will be Seomun Il-shin, the Thunderbolt Saber Wanderer!”
“Waaaaaah!”
A young man from the Seomun Clan climbed onto the stage opposite Cousin Hyang-ok.
He wore the blue robes that symbolized the Seomun Clan, and his Three Lightning Saber Strikes were widely renowned as a masterpiece.
Wait.
I sensed something strangely unsettling about him.
Was that man… really Young Lord Seomun Il-shin? Something about his Qi felt wrong.
Then it happened.
His lips twisted upward into a vicious grin, and he swung his saber at Cousin Hyang-ok while she was defenseless, fastening her match plaque to her clothes.
Swoooosh!
Everyone froze in shock at the sudden attack, unable to react.
Clang!
By the time I realized what had happened, I was already standing between them, blocking the man’s saber.
–TL Notes–
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