Chapter 119
Baek Mu-Gun visited the four venerable elders as soon as he arrived at the Baek Sword Sect.
“The year has just started, yet you already seem to be having a lot of fun. Meanwhile, we’re cooped up in a small room, waiting for time to pass,” Hwang Rei welcomed Mu-Gun with a provoking remark.
“Did anyone tell you to stay cooped up in here? You are free to drink or bed a woman all you want. Don’t tell me you want me to spoon-feed those to you?” Mu-Gun immediately countered.
“You brought us over as venerable elders, so shouldn’t you at least treat us as such?”
“Why don’t you just ask me to change your poopy diapers in the future as well?” Mu-Gun got on Hwang Rei’s nerves.
“What—you brat! How dare you openly neglect us just because you’re younger!”
“Moving on, I found where the Qiankun Hands and the Daybreak Swordmaster are,” Mu-Gun immediately got to the main point, ignoring Hwang Rei’s remarks.
“Those fuckers are famous,” Yang Cheol-Gon said, pretending to be a know-it-all.
“You’re always like that. I’m sure they are both older than us,” Jin Yoo-Sung, the calmest among the four venerable elders, replied, calling out Cheol-Gon.
“Who cares? They’re not even here. Even kings in ancient times have been cursed at when they’re not around.” Cheol-Gon did not care at all.
Yoo-Sung only shook his head in response.
“What’s your plan? Are you thinking of recruiting them into the Baek Sword Sect as well?” Han Baek asked.
“That would be nice, but it wouldn’t be that easy, would it?” Mu-Gun commented.
“I doubt it. We wouldn’t have even cast you a look if not for our past relationship,” Hwang Rei said.
“That’s not necessarily the case.” Mu-Gun’s eyes shone.
“What’s on your mind?”
“I might be able to recruit them if I make them submit with my martial arts.”
“With martial arts?” Hwang Rei sounded surprised.
“Those who possess high-level martial arts, like the Qiankun Hands and the Daybreak Swordmaster, take great pride in their abilities. I will take advantage of that to make them bet.”
“A bet?”
“I will fight them under the condition that if I win, they will have to join the Baek Sword Sect.”
“For the bet to be valid, wouldn’t you also have to put something on the line?” Han Baek asked.
“Why don’t you bet the Heavenly Sea God Sect’s martial arts?” Hwang Rei suggested.
“The Heavenly Sea God Sect’s martial arts?”
“Since ancient times, martial artists have always risked their lives for martial arts. Those two are bound to be interested in the Heavenly Sea God Sect’s martial arts. After all, it also comes with the bonus of guaranteeing them a comfortable retirement.”
“Ohhhh! That’s simple, but I think that’s exactly why it’ll work.” Cheol-Gon exclaimed. His reaction made Hwang Rei look as if he was about to boast.
“Okay. There’s nothing to lose, so let’s give it a try.” Mu-Gun confidently said, thinking it wasn’t a bad idea either.
“Where are they, though?”
“Mount Nankun in Guangdong Province.”
“That’s way too far.”
“When are we going?”
“We can leave as soon as I inform my father.”
Even if Mu-Gun failed to recruit them, he would at least be able to inform them of the Heavenly Killer Sect’s threat. On that note, he had to be quick since he had no idea when the Heavenly Killer Sect would find them.
“I’ll come with you,” Cheol-Gon swiftly replied.
“Says who?” Han Baek refuted just as quickly. “We should draw lots again to be fair.”
“Fine, but let’s exclude Hwang Rei. He has already accompanied Mu-Gun.”
“What bullshit is that? That was all in the past. Today’s a different day.”
“Aren’t you being too greedy? You should stay out of this.”
“Who says I’m being greedy? Are you not going to eat today just because you ate yesterday?”
“Do you really think that’s the same as this situation?”
“What’s the difference?”
Hwang Rei and Cheol-Gon bickered with each other. Since neither had any intention of backing down, Mu-Gun simply shook his head. They were still the same even though they were older now.
“I’ll let you four decide on who will go with me. I will meet my father now.”
Mu-Gun left the four venerable elders on their own so they could come to a decision. Upon meeting Baek Cheon-Sang, Mu-Gun informed him that he had found the Qiankun Hands and the Daybreak Swordmaster. He also told him his plan to meet them, which Cheon-Sang readily agreed to. In his heart, he hoped that Mu-Gun could recruit the Qiankun Hands and the Daybreak Swordmaster into the Baek Sword Sect, just as he did with the Four Peerless Wanderers.
Having obtained Cheon-Sang’s approval, Mu-Gun looked for a ship heading to Guangdong Province. Fortunately, he found a Eun Merchant Group ship leaving for Guangzhou, Guangdong Province in three days. As scheduled, Mu-Gun boarded it with the Six White Wolves and Sunset Sword Jin Yoo-Sung, who was chosen through an intense lot-drawing match among the four venerable elders. Mu-Gun’s trip to Guangdong was handled in strict secrecy since the Nine Celestial Demons Sect could be targeting him. If they found out that Mu-Gun and Yoo-Sung were away, they could target the Baek Sword Sect instead.
* * *
The long journey spanned twenty days, but that was already fortunate for them, considering it could have been twice as long if they had to travel by land.
The main threat on the Wenzhou-Guangzhou sea route was the Southern Sea Gang pirates. They ruled the Southern Sea, which stretched from Fujian Province to Guangxi Province. They used to be more powerful than the Four Seas Gang, but the Guangdong Jin Family’s constant suppression greatly diminished their forces. Nevertheless, they were still a fearsome gang of pirates for merchant groups.
The Sea Palace Sect, which was based in Fuzhou, Fujian Province, escorted the Eun Merchant Group to and from Guangdong Province. They had the same escort agreement with the Baek Sword Sect.
The murim forces in Fujian Province, the frontier of murim, were relatively weak compared to the other provinces. However, the Three Great Clans of Fujian were at least strong enough to hold their ground, especially the Sea Palace Sect, which had the largest force among the three. The Eun Merchant Group ship joined up with the Sea Palace Sect’s escort ship in Fuzhou, Fujian Province, and sailed for Guangzhou in full throttle.
During their journey, Mu-Gun sparred with the Six White Wolves while aboard the ship just like last time. Yoo-Sung, just like Hwang Rei, showed interest in the sparring session and eventually started joining in as well. Sparring with Yoo-Sung, who used a different sword art from Mu-Gun, was the best training for the six.
The Six White Wolves’ skills improved a lot more than when they went to Wuchang last time due to the additional Hundred Herb Pills that they had consumed. Mu-Gun wanted to give them Heavenly Medicine Pills, but he could not afford to provide them with such a huge preferential treatment since they still had not made any special contributions. Taking two Hundred Herb Pills alone was already a great privilege for them, but that was something Mu-Gun could do at his discretion.
Either way, the Six White Wolves were growing rapidly thanks to Mu-Gun’s grace and preferential treatment, but Mu-Gun was not taking care of them for no reason. They knew better than anyone how amazing and valuable the opportunities they were given, and they were also well aware that they had to spare no effort in grasping those opportunities. That was why they were working as hard as they could. Considering the efforts that they had put in, they deserved preferential treatment.
The Sea Palace Sect’s forces escorting the Eun Merchant Group’s ship were part of the Sea Palace Heavenly Might Corps, their combat division. The Crimson Shark Platoon, the second platoon of the Sea Palace Heavenly Might Corps’ five platoons, was in charge of the escort mission. Their captain, Nam Jo-Yang, looked at Mu-Gun’s group with interest when he discovered that they were sparring on the Eun Merchant Group’s ship.
“I don’t think they’re from the Eun Merchant Group. Do you know anything about them?” Jo-Yang asked Seo Il-Pung, his adjutant.
“I’m not sure, but I don’t recognize them. Do you want me to check?”
“Find out who they are. They have incredible martial arts, so I doubt they’re ordinary martial artists.”
“Understood.”
As ordered, Il-Pung immediately looked into the identity of Mu-Gun’s group, and upon learning who they were from a member of the Eun Merchant Group, he reported back to Jo-Yang.
“They’re apparently the Baek Sword Sect’s Young Patriarch and his subordinates. I couldn’t identify the middle-aged man with them, though.”
“Baek Sword Sect... You mean the sect that has been rising into fame recently?”
“That’s right. I heard that the Baek Sword Sect has become the Zhejiang Martial Alliance’s leader and that their Patriarch and Young Patriarch are Absolute-Realm masters.”
“Why is the Baek Sword Sect’s Young Patriarch on the Eun Merchant Group’s ship?”
“I’m not sure why, but they also seem to be heading to Guangzhou.”
“Hmm, good job. Tend to your own matters.”
“Noted.”
Jo-Yang sent Il-Pung away and continued watching Mu-Gun’s group, who were still sparring. News about the recent achievements of the Baek Sword Sect’s Young Patriarch in murim had traveled even as far as the Fujian Province. Jo-Yang was surprised beyond belief when he heard about Mu-Gun’s accomplishments. It made him want to meet Mu-Gun even just once. He didn’t have any ulterior motive. Rather, he simply wanted to see what a person who had reached the Absolute Realm at the tender age of twenty-three would look like.
Unexpectedly getting the opportunity to meet the Baek Sword Sect’s Young Patriarch, Jo-Yang thought about forming a friendship with him. If the rumors circulating around murim were true, the Baek Sword Sect’s Young Patriarch would one day become a prominent murim figure. Hence, befriending Mu-Gun now could prove helpful to him and the Sea Palace Sect. Even if it didn’t, it at least wouldn’t cause any harm.
That same evening, the Eun Merchant Group’s ship and the Sea Palace Sect’s escort ship docked and spent the night at Pingtan Island. Those with a high position stayed in an inn, while the rest stayed in the ship’s cabin and had a quick meal.
Mu-Gun and his party decided to stay in the inn on Pingtan Island as well, which meant more of the Eun Merchant Group and Sea Palace Sect members had to stay in the ship’s cabin. The Eun Merchant Group aside, the Sea Palace Sect could have complained about it unless the status and martial arts of Mu-Gun’s party were good enough.
However, Jo-Yang, who now knew the real identity of Mu-Gun and his party, yielded and adjusted the number of people who could stay in the inn accordingly. He then approached and greeted Mu-Gun, who had settled down in the inn and was about to have a meal.
“Would you give me a little bit of your time?”
“What’s the matter?” Mu-Gun asked Jo-Yang, who spoke politely.
“I heard that you are the Baek Sword Sect’s Young Patriarch, so I wanted to greet you as a fellow martial artist of murim. I am Jo-Yang, the leader of the Sea Palace Sect’s Crimson Shark Platoon. It is an honor to meet you, Young Patriarch Baek—the rising star of murim.”
“Honor? You flatter me too much. I’m not that amazing. Anyway, it’s nice to make your acquaintance. I am Baek Mu-Gun, the Baek Sword Sect’s Young Patriarch.”
“Few can reach your level of martial arts and accomplish what you’ve done in murim. Everyone acknowledges you, Young Patriarch Baek.”
“Thank you for your flattery.”
“May I ask who the gentleman accompanying you is?” Jo-Yang carefully asked about Yoo-Sung, who sat opposite Mu-Gun, while respectfully pointing at him.
“Please introduce yourself.”
“I’m Jin Yoo-Sung. My friends in murim refer to me as the Sunset Sword,” Yoo-Sung kindly replied.
“Oh, the Sunset Sword! I apologize, Master Jin. I did not recognize you due to my bad judgment.”
“It’s fine. It’s only natural that you do not recognize me, Captain Nam.”
“If it’s fine with you, can I sit and have a meal with you two? It would be a great honor to our sect if I could eat with Master Jin, a hero of murim, and Young Patriarch Baek, murim’s rising star.”
“You are praising us too much, Captain Nam. I’m fine with it. What about you, Young Patriarch Baek?”
“If the venerable elder is fine with it, I’m fine with it too. Please have a seat.”
Mu-Gun could not coldly refuse him because this would not be the last time they would meet. They would keep seeing each other on their way to Guangzhou. There was no harm in building a friendship with the Three Great Clans of Fujian anyway, so Mu-Gun decided to have a meal with him.
As they ate, Mu-Gun thought Jo-Yang was an honest and simple man who did not have the slightest hint of pretense. His martial arts were great, but his experience in murim was limited, having only ever fought pirates while traveling between Fuzhou and Guangzhou. In fact, he basically did not have any true murim experience. Perhaps that was why he was very curious about their world.
Throughout their meal together, Jo-Yang expressed his curiosity about Mu-Gun and Yoo-Sung’s murim stories. Mu-Gun and Yoo-Sung shared their experiences with him, making him realize that they were even more incredible than he had initially thought. Because of their meeting, he began desiring to someday amass achievements in murim like they did.
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