I came out of the physician building with Master Yukhap and Byuk Geom.
“Byuk Geom, let’s go.”
Byuk Geom who is looking to the side, answers,
“Yes.”
As soon as I got up, I put my clothes on and ran, and only then did the subordinates flock from around. I wasn’t in the mood to speak to them, so I just waved my hand when I heard a laugh come from the Black Rabbit Union’s gate.
“Hahah…”
Where could this laughter be coming from? The Black Rabbit Union was quiet, everyone looked towards the source.
“…”
If I could, I would have told the person to fuck off, but I couldn’t at the big grin the man had on his face.
It was Geum Chul-yong and Kwak Yong-gae.
“We are here.”
I welcome the faces of the two who come in.
“Mister Geum and sub leader, welcome.”
Geum Chul-yong smiles and looks into the union.
“The number of people has increased and the number of unfamiliar faces too.”
The reason Geum Chul-yong is here is unknown. After I manage to calm down, I say,
“I think there was some progress.”
To which he nods.
“I guess so.”
When Geum Chul-yong reaches out his hand, the sub leader holds out the long sword he was holding in his left hand to Geum Chul-yong.
Geum Chul-yong pulls out the sword confidently.
“Come on, now Sect Leader. Should we spar?”
I suddenly realized that I didn’t have Black Hare’s Tooth. So, grabbing the wooden sword at the waist, I say,
“Unfortunately, I gave the Black Hare’s tooth to Moyong. Today, I have no choice but to use this.”
I drew the wooden sword and held it out in the middle.
“Strike it.”
Geum Chul-yong asks me puzzled,
“Sect Leader, isn’t the sword too thin?”
“You think so? But you cannot belittle things based on their appearance. If you break this, I will admit that you have a right reason for this belief.”
Honestly I don’t know what will happen. This wooden sword was the weapon of Elder Heo, who held a front position in the Demonic Cult.
After Geum Chul-yong takes a stance, he checks again.
“It isn’t my responsibility if it breaks.”
“Of course.”
I turn my wrist to raise the sword a bit and Geum Chul-yong nods.
“Here I come.”
Next, he swings his right arm and strikes the long sword into my wooden one. There is a huge sound.
Sring!
In the suffocating silence, Geum Chul-yong stares blankly at the sword. The sword I was using was in good condition but his was broken.
“…”
He asks,
“Sect Leader, did you use internal QI?”
His face goes dark as I look at him and I shake my head. He then drops to his knees and mumbles while touching the broken blade,
“No, dark steel was mixed into…”
Yong-gae hurriedly helps him up.
“Brother get up. What kind of man gets on his knees?”
And I comfort him.
“Mister Geum.”
He looks at me with a horrid expression.
“…”
Putting the wooden sword into the sheath I say,
“The sword I have is a sword which once was used to kill the first in the world. It means you don’t have to feel bad.”
“For real? That wooden sword?”
I nod and look at Cha Sung-tae.
“Sung-tae.”
“Yes, Sect Leader.”
I called for him to get close and then raised Geum Chul-yong whose legs went weak with Yong-gae.
“Mister Geum, sub leader too, listen to me.”
“Yes, Sect Leader.”
“Do speak.”
I look at Cha Sung-tae.
“Sung-tae, investigate all the people who need weapons in the Low-Down Sect including the Black Rabbit Union.”
“I understand.”
I hold the shoulder of Geum Chul-yong and say,
“Mister Geum.”
“Yes.”
“Now make all the weapons for the Low-Down Sect to use in your Dragon Head Smithy. The price of the weapon will give you the best sword making name.”
I carefully examine his broken sword.
“You need to get paid like this. Will you accept the request?”
Geum Chul-yong was so flustered that he didn’t answer.
“That…”
I look at the sub leader.
“Sub leader, do you understand what I mean?”
To which he nods.
“We will make it. We have improved a lot. It will not be compared to what we were using.”
I nodded and looked at my men.
“Mister Geum, the ones here are all people of Low-Down Sect. Please make them a little stronger with the weapons from your place. So that the weapons can save our lives which are at stake once in battle.”
To which he looks at my subordinates.
“What, obviously I will make it.”
I look at him.
“With this determination, make each of my subordinates one piece of those unbreakable swords.”
He nods feeling pressure and I nod to Cha Sung-tae.
“I will be busy with work, so please serve tea to him.”
“I understand.”
I say goodbye to him first.
“I need to move for someone. Have a cup of tea and leave. Talk to my subordinates about anything.”
Only then did I speak to Master Yukhap and Byuk Geom who were watching from the other side.
“Let’s go.”
Farewells came in from behind, but I didn’t bother responding.
I found a store which sells things like hats and picked a bamboo hat. To which Master Yukhap looks shocked.
“What are you doing?”
“Master Yukhap, it is essential for Byuk Geom to move. So, this. Pick one.”
He sighs.
“What nonsense.”
But in the end, I bought three of them and paid before leaving. I put on one and looked at Byuk Geom and Yukhap who while holding the sword in the left hand
“See? There is no absolute adherence to a wooden sword in a bamboo hat.”
“…”
I let out a sigh.
It is because Byuk Geom and Master Yukhap are bastards who don’t even know to joke. So, they looked like I said something lame. Byuk Geom slightly raises his hat and asks,
“Do we kill all those in Yukhang valley?”
“Why are you so into killing people, you insane bastard! Stop killing everyone. Let us talk first. If they cannot respond to words then we can think about it, talk and then we decide if we kill or not. Byuk Geom.”
“I understand. Why are you angry?”
Master Yukhap asks the same.
“Weren’t we planning to kill them all?”
“…”
“See, Yukhap. The three princes of the Cult, the mothers of theirs have amazing power on their side. They have the best warriors, and they use them as slaves.”
Yukhap asks,
“Ah, like me?”
“Uh, right. like you. Fucking idiot. Anyway, the leader of the valley is also being forced to work under them like Byuk Geom. I will be there and catch the White Face Prince first and then get the antidote. He must have someone from his mother’s side who is helping. Now do you know what we do?”
Master Yukhap asks Byuk Geom,
“Where is the valley?”
“Follow me.”
Byuk Geom says walking quickly,
“Looking at it now, the bamboo hat too was a strategy.”
I answer briefly at the idiot words of Byuk Geom.
“Sure.”
I looked at the stupid guy and the ugly guy and moved ahead.
It was a fun journey. I wanted to defeat the two of them before traveling to the right place, but I couldn’t since these two were on my side. Byuk Geom walking fast says,
“Can we run?”
“Do whatever you want, I am faster anyway.”
Byuk Geom asks Master Yukhap,
“You are fine too?”
To which he nods.
“I am faster so do what you want to.”
Byuk Geom snorts and begins to use light footwork. Yukhap too does the same. I sigh and run after them.
‘Pathetic bastards.’
I am full of energy because I made up for two days of sleep. Before that, this obsessed feeling with cultivation had worked and the body felt nice now. First, I was planning to focus on the cultivation and raise it to a level of using it when fighting. That way the harmony of yin and yang would be correct to some extent.
After arriving at Mt. Pyongjong, where the Right Valley was, we climbed up the mountain. My body temperature, which accumulated heat due to using light footwork, was quickly brought down by the wind coming down the valley.
“What kind of person is the leader of the valley?”
Byuk Geom says,
“Martial arts are good and there is strong pride… and he gets into trouble because of it.”
“Why?”
“It wasn’t that the White Face prince was coercive. He gambled and lost with a price, so he took the medicine as ordered. Still, he is one who resists whenever he is ordered to do something. How should I put it… there are some insane sides. I am sure that the Sect Leader can communicate with him. And if you cannot, no one can.”
“Of course, you speak first. And I will check his personality and then speak.”
“I understand but what if the prince is there?”
“Is he strong?”
“Enemies cannot stand him.”
I look at Yukhap.
“Hear that? Your opponent.”
Yukhap nods his head.
“It will be funny to play the role of Demonic Cult’s enemy drinking their own poison.”
“Not funny.”
Arriving at the valley, the rough surroundings were gardens and flower paths being managed by people. Byuk Geom walked on the narrow road as he said,
“Do not get lost around here. There are poisonous weeds. It seems there are various thorns pricking us too.”
After passing through the narrow flower road, the warriors of the valley began to appear and recognized Byuk Geom.
“You came?”
To which he responded.
“Where is the valley leader?”
“He is inside but there are guests.”
“Guests?”
One man moved ahead and looked at Yukhap and asks,
“Are these your new subordinates?”
Byuk Geom nods.
“Right.”
Byuk Geom walks like a person with a task through the garden. At the table three people were talking and looked at us.
One who seemed to be the valley lord looks at Byuk Geom.
“Byuk Geom, what is it?”
When he hesitated, the man raised his finger.
“Stop. Stop those following you.”
It was only then did I raise my head and slightly check the valley lord. A man and a woman were with him. Of them, the middle-aged woman changed her facial expression fast, and got up from the chair.
The quick-witted valley leader checked her expression and turned to look at us.
“Who are you? I do not think you are under Byuk Geom!”
I push Byuk Geom to the side and slowly approach the round table. The man sitting on the side of the leader is strange but the woman feels familiar.
As I get closer, the woman grabs me with a scared expression.
“Sect Leader, how have you been?”
I smile.
“Ah, I was thinking who…”
The woman forces a smile.
“How are you?”
I nod.
“Lady Iron Toad.”
“Yes.”
Only then, I knew of the man.
“Then you are the valley leader.”
As I see it, Oil Flower Valley1 and Right Valley seem to be close. So, Lady Iron Toad and the other valley leader were here.
“Who?”
I take out a dagger and look at Oil Flower Valley Lord.
“You recognize this?”
His eyes widened.
“The dagger!”
I come in casually and slump over in a chair and put the moonlight dagger into the table.
“Nice to meet you all.”
I am so delighted that I have this wide smile. And I tell the two who came with me,
“The two of you wait.”
“Yes.”
“Sure.”
I hold my hand out to Lady Iron Toad, who is still standing.
“Lady, sit down and be comfortable. Why stand? The land is wide yet narrow. For me to see you here.”
“Ah. yes. I didn’t know.”
She turns to me and sits down, pressing down her knees. Oil Flower Lord looked like he was holding himself.
The Right Valley Leader asks Lady Iron Toad,
“Who?”
To which she says,
“He is the Low-Down Sect Leader.”
As if he had heard something before about us, he turns to me.
I don’t even bother thinking and say,
“That is me. Pleasure to meet you.”
Half real and half not but I don’t care. The important thing wasn’t the tone but the feeling.
I look at the dagger and say,
“You people don’t seem happy to see me.”
To which they said,
“Nice to meet you, Leader.”
Oil Flower Leader speaks to me in a calm tone.
“Nice to meet you. I have heard several things about you.”
Even the Right Valley leader tells me,
“Low-Down Sect Leader, nice to meet you.”
A man who is welcomed wherever he goes, that is me.
Editor’s Notes
