Light Novel: Volume 23 Episode 13
Manhwa: N/A
Gu Jin-wang’s head flew into the air, severed from his body.
The head, hovering and spinning in mid-air, briefly locked eyes with Pyo-wol.
Gu Jin-wang had a puzzled expression on his face.
He did not even realize what had happened to him.
That was the end of Gu Jin-wang.
Thud!
Gu Jin-wang’s head rolled on the ground like a ball before coming to a stop at Pyo-wol’s feet.
Pyo-wol looked towards where Gu Jin-wang’s body lay.
Behind Gu Jin-wang’s large torso, a small boy appeared.
The boy waved at Pyo-wol.
“Big brother!”
The boy, waving both hands and running like a puppy, approached Pyo-wol.
A look of recognition lit up in Pyo-wol’s eyes as he watched him approach.
No matter how anyone looked at him, the boy seemed no older than seventeen or eighteen. Yet, he ran towards him with a bright expression on his face.
“Big brother!”
“So… ma.”
Pyo-wol instantly recognized the boy’s identity.
t was indeed Soma.
In an instant, Soma was in front of Pyo-wol, pulling him into a tight embrace.
Pyo-wol stroked Soma’s head and asked,
“What happened to you? When did you come down from Mount Wudang?”
“Just a few days ago. I came straight here as soon as I descended from Mount Wudang. How have you been, brother?”
“As you can see…”
“Hehe! You’ve been well, then? Ah, wait a moment…”
Soma broke away from Pyo-wol’s embrace and ran back to Gu Jin-wang’s corpse. Then, he snatched the Gongbu from its hand.
“Heh heh, I finally found it!”
Soma looked very ecstatic to hold Gongbu.
He had finally reclaimed back what Gu Jin-wang had stolen from him long ago.
Pyo-wol spoke to Soma.
“While you’re at it, take the other sword as well.”
“Okay!”
Soma nodded and then extracted the Golden Emperor from Gu Jin-wang’s corpse.
The Golden Emperor was just as fine a sword as Gongbu. However, Soma didn’t even glance at it.
There was no reason to covet something that wasn’t his to begin with.
“Here!”
Soma cheerfully handed the Golden Emperor to Pyo-wol.
Pyo-wol asked Soma,
“How did you find Gu Jin-wang? Did you come here expecting to see him?”
“No, I came looking for you, brother.”
“How?”
“I asked around the Hao clan.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Master Hong told me you’d be somewhere around Poyang Lake. So, I kept my eyes wide open and watched the streets all night.”
“How did you know when I would show up?”
“I didn’t know! But we met like this, so it worked out, right?”
“Right! That’s enough.”
“Hehe!”
Soma laughed cheerfully.
He secured Gongbu at his waist as if he would never let it be taken from him again.
Despite being apart for quite some time, Soma hadn’t changed at all.
Pyo-wol asked,
“How is Sage Il-gum?”
“The same!”
“Like how?”
“Still full of nagging, but still healthy.”
“Really?”
“He’s still flying around these days.”
“So, did you learn a lot?”
“Hehe! He said I won’t be going mad with rage anymore.”
“That’s good.”
Pyo-wol nodded.
Sage Il-gum was the highest elder of the Wudang Sect.
He had taken pity on Soma and taken him under his wing.
Although he didn’t formally induct Soma into the Wudang Sect, he taught him the martial arts he knew to help Soma control his mind.
Thanks to that, Soma’s murderous intent had significantly decreased compared to before. It didn’t mean his personality had completely changed, but it was true that he now had a much softer aura than before.
Pyo-wol watched Soma for a while before picking up Gu Jin-wang’s severed head.
Even though he was already dead, the expression on Gu Jin-wang’s face still looked terrifying.
Pyo-wol placed Gu Jin-wang’s head into a leather pouch he had prepared beforehand.
“Let’s go!”
“Where?”
Soma asked with a puzzled expression.
Holding the leather pouch, Pyo-wol answered,
“To the Imperial Yuan Merchant Group.”
* * *
“We pray for Noh Tae-tae’s soul to rest in peace.”
“I’m sure she has gone to a good place.”
There was no shortage of visitors who came to mourn at the Imperial Yuan Merchant Group.
Even though the organization had recently secluded themselves from the martial world of Jianghu, the reputation they had built in the Poyang Lake area had not disappeared.
Noh Tae-tae, in particular, did a lot of good deeds behind closed doors after stepping down from the front lines.
She had given away and distributed her wealth to the poor, and even sent doctors to the sick.
For children who needed jobs, she arranged work at the Imperial Yuan Merchant Group and courier services, among many other things.
There were not just one or two people who had received her kindness.
That’s why as soon as the news of Noh Tae-tae’s death spread, those who had been graced by her kindness came to pay their respects.
The procession of mourners stretched for more than ten miles.
The Imperial Yuan Merchant Group was not even officially holding a funeral yet. They were waiting for Pyo-wol to return before proceeding with any funeral rites. Yet, the mourners kept coming anyway.
Eventually, the Imperial Yuan Merchant Group had to open their gates to welcome those who came to pay their respects.
“Hic! Hiic!”
“To pass away so suddenly…”
Tears broke out among the people lining up to pay their respects.
The crying quickly spread, infecting those around.
“Noh Tae-tae! You can’t leave us like this–!”
“What happened? I’m sure it’s those despicable warriors! I can’t believe they had killed Noh Tae-tae like this!”
“Why should a noble woman like Noh Tae-tae have to be caught up in a fight with a bunch of warriors and die?”
The people who were sobbing and crying lashed out at the martial artists.
After the Jianghu war broke out, the residents living near Poyang Lake hadn’t had a single night of peaceful sleep.
The fear of being caught up in the warriors’ battles and losing their lives constantly tormented them.
Though they had been too afraid of the warriors’ power to speak up, Noh Tae-tae’s death caused their anger to explode.
Now, the ordinary people were no longer afraid of the martial artists.
Rather, it was the warriors who came to pay their respects that had to be mindful of the ordinary people.
No matter how powerful the warriors were and how they dominated the world, they could not live alone.
Although the world where the martial artists live in is called Jianghu, Jianghu is not necessarily separate from the world where ordinary people live.
A world inhabited solely by warriors without ordinary people does not exist.
For this reason, even the most powerful factions and sects had to pay attention and be concerned about the public opinion and welfare of the people.
The warriors who came to mourn found themselves awkwardly lowering their heads or looking elsewhere under the sharp gazes of the people.
“Hoo!”
“It’s like sitting on needles.”
The warriors who came to mourn privately sighed.
This was the first time they had ever been stared at like this and had to be so mindful of the people’s opinions.
At any other time, they might have been indignant, but they couldn’t afford to quarrel with others while paying respects to the respected Noh Tae-tae.
It was then.
“Huh?”
“What’s that?”
Suddenly, a commotion arose from the back of the line of mourners.
The eyes of the people swiftly turned towards the back of the procession.
Two young warriors emitting an extraordinary aura, accompanied by about a dozen escorts, were easily noticeable.
The moment the identities of these individuals were recognized, the onlookers’ eyes widened in shock.
Such unexpected figures had appeared.
“Is that person the leader of the Golden Heavenly Society… Grand Master Jang Mugeuk?”
“And the person next to him is the young master of Rain Sword Mountain Manor, Jang Hoyeon.”
“Wow! They came to pay their respects?”
The people became agitated.
Jang Mugeuk and Jang Hoyeon were key figures of the Golden Heaven Society.
Not to mention the leader of the Golden Heaven Society, Jang Mugeuk, but even Jang Hoyeon alone was considered essential to the functioning of the Golden Heaven Society, to the extent that it was said the society couldn’t operate without him.
Both were not only masters of martial arts but also possessed backgrounds considered among the highest in Jianghu.
The appearance of such two people made people hold their breath.
The fact that the two of them made the move themselves meant that the condolences were the official stance of the Golden Heaven Society.
Until now, since the Imperial Yuan Merchant Group had distanced itself from Jianghu, there was no room for involvement, but it was clear they intended to exert their influence under the guise of paying respects.
Upon hearing that the two had arrived, the steward of the Imperial Yuan Merchant Group rushed out in a hurry.
His face was clearly marked with astonishment and bewilderment.
He had not anticipated their appearance at all.
At best, he thought a representative from the Golden Heaven Society would be sent, but never had he expected that its leader, Jang Mugeuk and Jang Hoyeon would personally make an appearance.
But that wasn’t the end of the surprises.
“Heuk!”
“What, what’s that?”
A commotion arose from the opposite direction.
The eyes of the crowd naturally turned in that direction.
“Hmm!”
The steward’s pupils fluttered wildly.
A young martial artist with a vigorous appearance and a young woman exuding a noble and mysterious aura.
It was the leader of the Silver Lotus Society, Lee Geumhan, and his lover, Namgung Seol.
The two of them walked in silence, attracting everyone’s attention.
At their arrival, everyone, including the steward, swallowed hard.
This was because the key figures of the Jianghu war that was unfolding around Poyang Lake had all gathered in one place.
It was the first time since the war had started that they had all been in the same location.
Lee Geumhan and Namgung Seol approached Jang Mugeuk and Jang Hoyeon.
It was Lee Geumhan who spoke first.
“What brings you here?”
“Considering that the most respected person in the Poyang Lake area has passed away, it’s only natural for me to come and pay respects, isn’t it? Isn’t that why you’re here too?”
“I couldn’t just pass by without stopping.”
In response to Lee Geumhan’s answer, Jang Mugeuk nodded.
Everyone in Jianghu knew that they had been at odds for a long time.
Each had the backing of the world’s two strongest sects, Celestial Martial Sect and Frenzied Warrior Sect, and each of them led the massive forces called the Golden Heaven Society and the Silver Lotus Society, respectively.
In many aspects, the two could not help but be compared to each other.
The appearance of the two heightened the tension among the people.
If the two let their emotions get the better of them and started a fight, it would surely bring disaster.
Even without their backgrounds, both possessed martial prowess enough to contest for the title of the strongest in the world.
If the two were to fight, there would be no one to stop them.
Thus, the people watched the confrontation between the two with tense expressions.
Amid everyone’s focused attention, Lee Geumhan said,
“Do you want to go in first or shall I go in first?”
“Let’s not trouble others and just go in together.”
“That’s not a bad idea.”
Lee Geumhan nodded at Jang Mugeuk’s suggestion.
Although he wanted to challenge Jang Mugeuk right then and there, it was not the place to cause a disturbance at someone’s funeral.
The two walked shoulder to shoulder into the Imperial Yuan Merchant Group.
Although the line for the mourning was long, no one dared to tell them to wait their turn.
Making a bad impression here would mean never being able to live in Poyang Lake again
Gulp!
The people swallowed dryly and watched their backs as they entered the Imperial Yuan Merchant Group.
After Jang Mugeuk and Lee Geumhan entered shoulder to shoulder, Jang Hoyeon and Namgung Seol encountered each other.
Jang Hoyeon looked over at Namgung Seol and said,
“It’s an honor to meet the Thousand-Year-Old Fox of Jianghu, Lady Namgung.”
“I, too, am honored to meet the young master of Rain Sword Mountain Manor.”
The gazes they exchanged were as sharp as blades.
They scrutinized each other with looks that seemed to pierce right through to each other’s core.
Everyone knew that it was Jang Hoyeon who actually run the Golden Heaven Society.
Similarly, Namgung Seol had risen to a position of real power after Lee Geumhan became the new leader of the Silver Lotus Society.
They considered each other to be fated enemies.
Thus, their looks were filled with a subtle hostility.
However, given the occasion, they couldn’t openly express their antagonism.
Namgung Seol said,
“Even though we stand in sharp opposition with each other, I hope we can put aside our longstanding grievances for today and honor the memory of the deceased.”
“I feel the same way.”
“Then let’s have our guards stay back, and just have the two of us enter.”
“Let’s do that.”
Jang Hoyeon readily agreed.
Namgung Seol made another suggestion.
“Also, in memory of Noh Tae-tae, how about we have a three-day truce? What do you think?”
“A three-day ceasefire…”
“Don’t you think it should be at least that long, to help clear the distrustful gazes of the people?”
“I’m on the same page as you. I agree.”
“You and I are quite alike in many ways, Young Master Jang. It would have been much better if we were on the same side.”
“If that’s what you think then how about switching your allegiance from the Silver Lotus Society and move to the Golden Heaven Society?”
“There’s no way I’m going to leave Geumhan and join the Golden Heaven Society.”
“Ha! The affection between a man and a woman is not eternal. Should your heart ever grow cold, consider it.”
Jang Hoyeon smiled as he walked inside.
Looking at the back of Jang Hoyeon’s head with cold eyes, Namgung thought,
‘Hmph, let’s see how long you can keep smiling like that.’
LUNA-CAVE
You cannot copy content of this page