Chapter 136

“Ugh.”

“Gnnngh.”

The two men’s eyes met as they groaned. Seeing each other lying face down with their bare buttocks exposed was embarrassing, yet it also gave them a strange sense of solidarity.

“Ahem. Young Hero Jeong, how are your wounds?”

“Ahem. More or less. How about you, Young Hero Gal?”

“I feel like I’m going to die—hngh!”

“Actually, so do I—ngh!”

The pain returned as they spoke. Both men blinked back tears and muttered,

“There’s bad luck, and then there’s this. Of all the people we could have run into, why did it have to be the Sleeping Dragon of Shanxi?”

“I know. I never thought I’d suffer this kind of humiliation in my lifetime.”

The mood was gloomy.

Things might have been different in the Central Plains, where countless prestigious sects stood shoulder to shoulder. But in borderland Shanxi Province, both men were heirs to sects big enough to swagger around spitting and farting as they pleased.

They had never once had to humble themselves before anyone. Now they lay groaning in bed after being thoroughly beaten.

“Even when the Mount Heng Sword Sect was still standing, the Five Gates of Shanxi weren’t reduced to this…”

“Those were the days.”

A few months ago, the alliance of small and medium-sized sects led by the Five Gates of Shanxi could still have made its voice heard. Now, they couldn’t even squeak. The balance of Shanxi Murim had been shattered.

With the fall of the Mount Heng Sword Sect, the balance of power in Shanxi Murim was bound to tilt toward the Jin Family of Taiyuan.

“My father will kill me if he finds out.”

“Same here. He warned me so many times. If he finds out this happened… Ugh. I don’t even want to think about it.”

They had been publicly humiliated in front of more than a hundred people. By around New Year’s Day, the rumor would certainly have spread throughout all of Shanxi.

“If I had my way, I’d run far away.”

“To hell with running away. I don’t even know if I’ll be able to walk tomorrow. But I can’t refuse the City Lord’s summons, either…”

“Even if our legs are broken, we still have to go. What else can we do? He isn’t just some ordinary City Lord. He’s a member of the imperial family.”

“That’s true. At least our faces are fine.”

“They are.”

Their gazes naturally shifted to the side.

Woo Jintae lay there as though dead, his face swollen like he had been stung by a swarm of wasps. If not for the occasional labored breath, they would have thought he was already dead.

“Still, how could anyone beat a man that badly?”

“I never knew the Sleeping Dragon of Shanxi was this vicious.”

“Thank goodness we planted our heads on the floor beforehand. We almost ended up just like Brother Woo.”

“He absolutely would have done it. Isn’t he the bastard who beats women without mercy, too?”

There were two women in their group. A man might be expected to go soft in front of young, beautiful women, but that bastard Jin Taekyung’s reaction had gone far beyond anything they expected.

“Age.”

“Y-yes?”

“Age. How old are you?”

“I-I’m seventeen.”

“And you?”

“I-I’m eighteen.”

Seventeen and eighteen. They were in the flower of youth, old enough that it wouldn’t have been strange for talk of marriage to begin.

Just as everyone wondered whether Jin Taekyung might be interested in the women—

“Lift your butt higher. You’ll break a bone.”

Whack! Whack!

“You kids are still wet behind the ears! And you’re already drinking!”

Whack! Whack!

“If you’re going to drink, hide somewhere and do it quietly! Don’t pick a fight with someone who was minding his own business!”

Whack! Whack!

“You haven’t learned how to behave! People like you are exactly why corporal punishment is necessary! Do you understand or not?”

Whack! Whack!

“Improve teacher authority! A certain amount of corporal punishment is absolutely necessary!”

Whack! Whack! Whack!

The two men shuddered at the memory.

One woman had fainted, while the other had wept until tears and snot streamed down her face in front of everyone.

After having their buttocks thoroughly beaten by a man outside their families in front of so many people, it was only a matter of time before their marriage prospects were ruined.

“What in the world does ‘improve teacher authority’ mean? Is it something from Mencius?”

“I don’t know, either. He even hit them one extra time.”

“What a vicious bastard…”

“Even so, I envy the others.”

“What kind of outrageous thing is that to say? Can’t you see that your butt is covered in bruises?”

“At least the others were beaten by the Sleeping Dragon of Shanxi. I was beaten by some beggar-looking bastard… Sob!”

“Oh, that’s awful.”

“If I’d been beaten by the Sleeping Dragon of Shanxi, at least I could make excuses. But some mangy bastard who crawled in from who-knows-where beat my butt… Who borrows a beating instead of money?”

His chin trembled with humiliation as he remembered the beggar-like man taking the sword case from Jin Taekyung and gleefully laying into him.

“Wow, this is fun! Your butt has some great bounce!”

Whack! Whack! Whack!

“Does it hurt? How much does it hurt? If you don’t mind, may I hit you harder? This is my first time doing something like this, so please understand if I’m not very good at controlling my strength!”

Whack! Whack! Whack!

He had suffered a humiliation he would never forget until the day he died—or even after. He wanted to chew that bastard up from head to toe and swallow him piece by piece, and even that wouldn’t have been enough.

“I will never forgive that bastard!”

“Don’t worry. I’ll do everything in my power to help you, Young Hero Jeong!”

Who were they? They were heirs to the Five Gates of Shanxi. Jin Taekyung of the Jin Family of Taiyuan might be beyond their reach, but they certainly had enough power to deal with one young beggar.

“Um, about that…”

“Yes?”

“Are you certain he’s really a beggar? I’m not saying this because I’m afraid, but after what happened with the Sleeping Dragon of Shanxi, it occurs to me that there’s no harm in being thorough…”

“…Should we look into him a little more?”

“Y-yes. Let’s do that.”

One group beating had taught the pampered rich kids to be cautious.

Once the lesson was over, we decided to move to a private room.

Staying on the first floor meant enduring the stares of all the surrounding guests.

Basking in people’s attention was fun for a moment or two, but if I tried to eat like this, I’d probably lose track of whether the food was going into my mouth or up my nose.

“My name is Seok, and I oversee Honghwa Inn. Please feel free to call me Chief Steward Seok.”

The Sleeping Dragon of Shanxi’s reputation really was something. The chief steward, who hadn’t shown so much as a hair until now, had come out personally to bow to me.

This man must be part of the Lower District Sect, too, right?

Honghwaru served as the base of Wolhwa, Chief Branch Leader of the Lower District Sect in Shanxi, and judging by its name, Honghwa Inn was practically a subordinate organization.

He might even have known about my existence before I set foot inside Honghwa Inn.

I can’t say that makes me feel particularly good.

Was it overreacting to think that unseen gazes were monitoring my every move?

Still, I wasn’t exactly offended.

It was more like a little caution. We had certainly maintained a friendly relationship until now, but no one knew what might happen in the future.

“I’ve prepared a separate, quiet place for you.”

“Oh, that sounds good.”

They were offering us special treatment without even being asked, so there was no reason to refuse. I was about to follow the chief steward when—

“Thank you for everything, Benefactor.”

I turned toward the voice and found Cheongpung smiling innocently.

“What do you mean? Surely you aren’t planning to leave just like this?”

“Yes. It’s already late, so I was thinking of heading out.”

Going where? We barely got to talk because those random bastards barged in.

I hurriedly waved him off.

“Come on, if it’s late, you should stay the night. You said you don’t have any travel money, right?”

“It’s all right. I’m used to sleeping rough.”

“You shouldn’t be used to that. Right, a new experience! Have you ever slept at an inn?”

“I stayed at inns a few times before I lost my travel money. And I’ve already imposed on you both more than enough.”

Hyuk Mujin muttered beside me.

“That’s true. My candied hawthorn skewers¹…”

“You be quiet. So, are you really leaving?”

“Yes. Fortunately, I still have business left in Shanxi Province, so if we happen to get the chance, we’ll meet again.”

At this point, I had nothing left to say. If a Peak master was determined to leave of his own accord, I couldn’t exactly hold him back by claiming the roads were dangerous at night.

Still, I was dying to know the identity of this oddball who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

“If you have nowhere to go, come to the Jin Family of Taiyuan. Give them my name and they’ll let you in.”

“Oh, come to think of it, you’re a Young Master of the Jin Family of Taiyuan, aren’t you? The Sleeping Dragon of Shanxi, Jin Taekyung… I’ll remember my Benefactor’s name.”

He had known who I was for some time, but it hadn’t fazed him in the slightest. His reaction amounted to, Oh, I see. That was it.

Hyuk Mujin subtly caught my eye before cutting in.

“The Jin Family of Taiyuan. You don’t know it?”

“Well, I think I’ve heard of it somewhere. It does sound familiar, but I don’t really know much about it.”

Cheongpung tilted his head for a moment, then bowed to us.

“If fate brings us together, we’ll meet again. Then I’ll be off.”

I bid him farewell with deep regret.

“Take care. And don’t forget the Jin Family of Taiyuan.”

“Haha, of course I won’t.”

He turned away with a hearty laugh. Thinking the conversation was over, the chief steward spoke.

“Then I’ll escort you to the annex.”

“Ah, yes. Mujin, let’s go.”

“Oh! We get to sleep in the annex of the famous Honghwa Inn?”

“We stayed in the annex at Phoenix Inn, too. Why are you acting like this is something new?”

“What are you talking about? If Phoenix Inn is a young prodigy, then Honghwa Inn is a Peak master whose fame is already known. Its hot springs, in particular, are such a renowned attraction that even high officials and nobles visit them.”

“Hot springs?”

“I’ve only heard about them from rumors, but they say there’s no paradise like it.”

The chief steward added calmly,

“My father is turning eighty this year. He came here once and nearly departed for paradise.”

“…Isn’t that dangerous?”

“It only means the hot springs are that good. He’s still hale and hearty.”

“Ah, I see. I hope he lives a long life.”

Hot springs…

I had gone to saunas plenty of times, but I had never visited a hot spring. Just thinking about sinking into pleasantly hot water already had me excited.

“Ahem. Shall we go?”

“I’ll escort you.”

I was just about to follow the chief steward when a firm hand suddenly seized my shoulder.

“Um. Did you just say hot springs?”

“…You haven’t left yet?”

Looking at Cheongpung’s sheepish grin, I was certain of one thing.

I’d bet both my balls this bastard had never been to a hot spring.

In the early dawn, while darkness still lay thick over the estate’s training ground, a man was swinging a sword.

He looked to be about thirty. His strong, rugged features were striking.

Swish, swish, swish!

He thrust, slashed, and swung without pause. Each form flowed smoothly into the next, like flower petals fluttering in the wind.

As the Seven Plum Sword, in which he had reached eight-tenths mastery, cut through the chilly dawn air, a messenger opened the main gate and entered.

“What is it? I forbade anyone from entering while I’m training.”

“My apologies. But His Highness Prince Shangshan ordered me to deliver a message…”

“His Highness?”

“Yes. His Highness commands you to attend today’s luncheon at noon.”

“The luncheon… You mean the gathering where the young prodigies of Murim are coming?”

“Yes, sir.”

The man let out a deep sigh. He was a Third-Rank Assistant Military Commissioner, an official who could easily be counted among the five highest-ranking figures in Shanxi Province.

I can’t refuse an order from His Highness. What a nuisance.

The position of Assistant Military Commissioner was by no means an idle one. It was a weighty office responsible for training the soldiers.

But the order had come from Prince Shangshan, the City Lord and a man of royal blood. The man had no choice but to nod.

“Tell His Highness that I accept the royal command.”

“Yes, sir!”

After the messenger departed, the man raised his sword once more.

As he resumed the Seven Plum Sword, the plum blossoms of Huashan, which he had left long ago, seemed to bloom from his blade.