Light Novel: Volume 17 Episode 22
Manhwa: N/A

The name of the city was Dali.

Dali was among the larger cities in Yunnan Province.

Upon entering the city, Pyo-wol and Do Yeonsan genuinely felt that they had finally returned to the human world.

The people in Dalian were also diverse in color, with many tribes living together.

The streets of Dali were bustling, not unlike those of Jianghu cities.

Along the streets, countless shops and street stalls were set up, with many people trading.

“Could you give me a discount?”

“There’s nothing lef to give, if you’re not going to buy, please go somewhere else.”

“Hey! Don’t be like that–!”

“I said I won’t sell it for that price.”

Listening to the loud voices of the traders, there was an odd sense of comfort.

Despite the unfamiliar presence of Pyo-wol and Do Yeonsan, the people barely gave them a second glance.

Dali was a city where major routes intersected.

Naturally, countless people came and went every day.

With so many people coming in and out, the addition of two more people would not be particularly noticeable.

“Whoa!”

Do Yeonsan took a deep breath.

Inhaling the city’s air made it truly feel like they had left the rainforest.

Pyo-wol said,

“Let’s rest here tonight and make preparations to depart tomorrow.”

“Yes!”

The two looked for the most lavish and largest inn in Dali.

After living in the rainforest for a long time, they yearned for a proper rest. 

Based on Pyo-wol’s experience, the bigger and more opulent the inn, the higher the chance of receiving good treatment. 

“Welcome!”

The innkeeper greeted the two.

The two men had been living in the rainforest for a long time, so their clothes were torn and ragged. This consequently caused the innkeeper to involuntarily frown.

Pyo-wol tossed two silver coins to the innkeeper, saying,

“Give us two of your best rooms.”

“Yes!”

The innkeeper replied with a smile, as if his earlier grimaced did not happen. 

He personally escorted the two to their rooms.

“These are the best rooms in our inn. The beds were recently replaced, so they’re very comfortable.”

“What about a bath?”

“I will instruct the inn servants to prepare it immediately.”

“I need one more thing prepared.”

“Yes?”

Pyo-wol tossed another silver coin, saying,

“Buy us new clothes. Both for me and this guy.”

“Understood.”

One silver coin was more than enough to buy more than ten sets of clothing.

Since the innkeeper only need to buy two sets, he could pocket the remaining money. 

Smiling, the innkeeper said,

“I’ll have them ready for you to wear as soon as you finish your bath, so please take your time and relax.”

The innkeeper departed with a smile.

Pyo-wol said to Do Yeonsan,

“Let’s meet again after taking a bath.”

“Yes!”

Thud!

The two closed the doors and went into their respective rooms.

The room was quite splendid, just as the innkeeper had mentioned.

The bed was brand new, and the traditionally decorated interior exuded elegance.

Pyo-wol took a moment to look around the room before removing his Black Dragon Robe.

The Black Dragon Robe, which he had worn for a long time, was worn out, as if bearing witness to the intense battles Pyo-wol had endured.

Its ability to repel fire and water had long disappeared, and its functionality as clothing was almost gone.

It was time to bid farewell to the Black Dragon Robe.

Pyo-wol used the Samadhi Real Fire, and the Black Dragon Robe quickly caught fire and turned into a handful of ash.

Gwiya slipped out of Pyo-wol’s arms and settled down on the bed.

Pyo-wol looked at Gwiya, who had fallen into a deep sleep with its tail curled. Throughout their journey through the rainforest, Gwiya had been actively hunting for food.

Since it had eaten countless poisons, it needed a lot of sleep to digest all the poisons it had consumed.

As it digested the poisons, the horns on its head became increasingly darker and darker in color.

Gwiya had absorbed the inner core of Jiaolong. 

It had long since transcended the category of a simple spirit animal.

‘I wonder if this little fellow will turn into a dragon at this rate.’

Without realizing it, Pyo-wol chuckled. 

He found it amusing to think that this little guy could become a massive dragon.

It was then.

“The bath is filled with water.”

The voice of the inn servant could be heard from outside.

Upon hearing the inn servant’s voice, Pyo-wol opened the door to find a wooden bathtub filled with hot water.

“Thank you.”

Pyo-wol tossed a coin to the inn servant.

“Hehe, thank you.”

The inn servant bowed deeply to Pyo-wol before leaving.

Pyo-wol took off his clothes and stepped into the bathtub.

Since this was the first time in a long while since he soaked in warm water, immersing his body felt utterly relaxing.

Lying in the bathtub, Pyo-wol indulged in the feeling of relaxation.

It was almost half an hour later when he came out of the bathtub.

Outside the room with the bathtub, clothes that the inn servant had brought were laid out.

Pyo-wol picked up the clothes and returned to the room where Gwiya was resting.

The clothes the inn servant had brought fit Pyo-wol as if they had been tailored for him. The innkeeper seemed to have a good eye.

After changing into his new clothes, Pyo-wol spoke to the sleeping Gwiya. 

“Get some rest. I’ll be back after I eat.”

Gwiya slightly wagged its tail.

It was Gwiya’s way of responding.

Pyo-wol left Gwiya alone and went back down to the first floor.

“Brother!”

Do Yeonsan, who had finished his bath first, waved from his seat.

When Pyo-wol sat down, Do Yeonsan spoke,

“I ordered the food in advance. I wasn’t sure what you’d like, so I ordered various dishes. Is that okay?”

“Well done.”

“Hehe!”

Do Yeonsan laughed.

His emotional wounds seemed to be healing, given his increased laughter.

Pyo-wol thought he looked pretty good.

“Wow! He’s really handsome!”

“Are you crazy?”

Exclamations of admiration could be heard from the other tables nearby.

Seeing Pyo-wol’s appearance, they inadvertently let out gasps of amazements. Still, they seemed polite as they quickly shut their mouths and gave apologetic looks when Pyo-wol glanced their way.

Pyo-wol’s appearance was definitely different from everyone else here, so he was bound to attract more attention.

Six out of ten people in Dali were of the Bai ethnic group, while the remaining four were from various other ethnic minorities.

The Bai had relatively fair skin, while the other minorities had darker complexions. Thus, Pyo-wol, with his exceptionally fair skin, stood out even more.

Still, people tried not to stare at Pyo-wol out of courtesy. It was proof of their kindness.

This was quite different from Jianghu.

Perhaps Do Yeonsan had a similar feeling, so he said with a smile,

“The people here are so simple. If this was Jianghu, many would have started arguing with you already.”

“That’s definitely true.”

“I wish I could live here.”

“You can if you really want to–”

“I’ll think about it.”

Even though Do Yeonsan responded that way, he had no intention of living here.

He knew no one here, and knew next to nothing about this place.

Someday he’d have to settle down, but he wished to find a place in a region he was at least somewhat familiar with.

As they were talking, the inn servant approached with a tray full of food.

“Here’s your food.”

Excluding the side dishes, there were more than five main dishes.

Do Yeonsan said with an awkward expression,

“I heard that the food here tastes amazing, so I ordered a bit of everything out of curiosity… This is definitely a lot, right?” 

“No, it’s just right.”

“Hehe!”

Do Yeonsan laughed and picked up his chopsticks.

Pyo-wol also picked up his chopsticks and started eating.

Probably because the climate here is hot, the food was salty and spicy. Still, both of them enjoyed it thoroughly.

Compared to what they used to eat in the forest, this was a true feast.

While Pyo-wol tasted a little bit of everything, Do Yeonsan hurriedly gobbled down his food.

Their manners contrasted, but in some ways, they looked well-matched.

The people nearby also stopped paying attention to them and focused on their own conversations.

“I heard Daeryung Escort Agency is recruiting escorts. I’m thinking of applying.”

“Daeryung Escort Agency?”

“They’re recruiting a large number of new escorts for a journey to Jiangxi Province. With my skills, I should easily be hired, right?”

“I’d advise against it.”

“Why?”

“Do you really not know?”

The man conversing looked at his colleague with a pitiful gaze.

The coworker, concerned by the look in his eyes, asked cautiously,

“Is there a reason?”

“You’re really behind about news in Jianghu.”

“Ha! Stop beating around the bush and tell me straight.”

“I’ll tell you if you buy me a drink.”

“Fine! I’ll pay for everything you eat here. Now, spill it.”

“Ahem! Listen carefully then. Jiangxi Province and its surroundings regions are in utter chaos right now.”

“Chaos?”

At his friend’s naive reaction, the man showed a slight look of annoyance. For someone claiming to be a martial artist, he was really out of the loop.

“There’s a huge conflict going on there right now, a great battle that rivals the great Jianghu wars.”

“For real?”

“Because of that, the entire Jianghu is in turmoil.”

“Is it really that serious?”

“There’s a big fight going on between the Golden Heaven Society and Silver Lotus Society, along with their associated sects and martial artists. Their fight are so fierce that Lake Poyang has turned to red from their blood. . The number of casualties has been so high that it’s now a situation they can’t back out from. If you decide to follow the Daeryung Escort Agency to Jiangxi Province, you’ll be risking your life.”

“So that’s why Daeryung Escort Agency is looking for a bunch of new recruits.”

“That’s right. They know it’s dangerous, so they want to bolster their forces.”

“Hmm!”

“If ever they get caught up in the conflict, they will surely throw in rookies like you, who don’t know the world, as sacrifices and escape by themselves. So listen to me and stay out of the Daeryung Escort Agency. People like us should always stay out of trouble if we want to live a long life.” 

“Thank you! If it weren’t for you, my life would have been in danger.”

“If you know then settle the bill.”

“No problem. I’ll even pay for your dinner tonight, so you eat to your heart’s content.”

His colleague spoke with an expression that suggested he was incurring a favor.

The man poured liquor into his glass and said,

“People like us with mediocre martial arts skills are better off not getting involved in such messes. If we carelessly get swept up, we’re likely to be the first ones to lose our lives.”

“I suppose I’ll just have to find a new escort agency other than Daeryung Escort Agency.” 

“Indeed. If you’re really short on cash, try finding a merchant group or escort agency headed to Sichuan. It’s relatively safer there.”

“I see. Sichuan, huh?”

The coworker repeated Sichuan Province multiple times as if he had learned some crucial information.

Their voices were heard by both Pyo-wol and Do Yeonsan.

Do Yeonsan put down his chopsticks and said.

“It seems like a big fight is going on. It might even escalate to the level of a great Jianghu war. What will we do if such a war really occurs?” 

Do Yeonsan shuddered, finding the mere thought horrifying.

Although he had been fortunate enough to be granted the Ghost King’s martial arts, his mental age was still around fifteen or sixteen years old.

For a young boy, the word war was too terrifying.

He couldn’t predict how many would die or get injured, and among them could be people Do Yeonsan knew.

He had already finished his food, but he lost his appetite entirely.

Pyo-wol also put down his chopsticks.

The conversation of the men was shocking, but it didn’t greatly move Pyo-wol.

‘It’s all coming to this after all.’

He had already anticipated this.

The clash between the Golden Heaven Society and the Silver Lotus Society was not just a power struggle between the two factions.

The interests of numerous sects and martial artists were intertwined in it.

If the conflict hadn’t started at all, it would be one thing, but once it began, it could never be stopped.

The struggle between the two factions would drag many into it like a quagmire. And once martial artists or sects got involved in this fight, they could never get out.

‘In the end, a great Jianghu war will occur.’

And that would be sooner rather than later.


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