Chapter 23
“Lost the membership fees?”
Cheon Se-myeong stopped walking.
Mae Seol-lan, who had been walking alongside him, nodded and explained the general situation.
After hearing the story, Cheon Se-myeong clicked his tongue and nodded.
“So that’s what happened. Really, there hasn’t been a peaceful day since that fellow became Head Sword Instructor.”
“Hohoho. Is that so?”
“Why else would I have called Mae Lady?”
“If this matter isn’t resolved as is, there might be no need for me to step in.”
“Well, that should be the case, but who knows what might happen. There have been so many unexpected incidents lately.”
“Even so, a Martial Arts Study Journey… Perhaps it’s actually a good thing.”
“A good thing?”
Cheon Se-myeong resumed walking and looked back at Mae Seol-lan.
Mae Seol-lan smiled faintly, barely visible.
“Originally, feelings bloom between men and women during travels, don’t they? Going through various things together… and sleeping arrangements would be chaotic too.”
She shrugged her shoulders and spoke as if embarrassed.
With that motion, her chest pressed together in the center, creating a deep, soft valley.
Watching this, Cheon Se-myeong’s face reddened.
He quickly circulated his internal energy and exhaled deeply.
‘Truly enchanting.’
The deeply carved cleavage and the lower garment with long slits on the sides of her hips.
With each step, her thighs flickered in and out of view.
She was so beautiful that if he lost focus for even a moment, he might commit some act.
That’s why she was dangerous.
Soul-Bewitching Absorption Art.
That was her unique martial art.
Originally, she was a skilled practitioner who used a soft sword, but she was more famous for her Soul-Bewitching Absorption Art.
That’s why her epithet became Soul-Stealing Heavenly Maiden.
Anyone who made physical contact with her and felt lust would have their energy flow instantly sucked into her body.
Originally, she had learned it for self-defense, but her natural beauty was so extraordinary that she came to use the Soul-Bewitching Absorption Art more often than sword techniques.
As a result, there were now rumors that she had come to favor such methods herself.
‘Get a grip!’
Cheon Se-myeong quickly shook his head.
If he harbored lust and lost self-control, the path to ruin would open.
That path should be walked by Sa Bigang, not himself.
The two climbed up to a pavilion set up in the rear garden of Yongcheon Hall.
The pavilion was precariously built at the edge of a cliff, with a clear view of the mountain landscape, making the scenery quite beautiful.
Therefore, Mae Seol-lan had consistently visited this place since taking her position at Yongcheon Hall.
“In any case, if you do go on the Martial Arts Study Journey, please take good care of things. For the sake of this Yongcheon Hall and the students.”
“Don’t worry. He probably won’t be able to use martial arts again.”
Mae Seol-lan smiled brightly.
Cheon Se-myeong suppressed his racing heart and cleared his throat.
But then.
Murmur murmur.
A sound faintly heard from somewhere.
Cheon Se-myeong was startled and looked around.
Mae Seol-lan also sensed something and quickly turned around.
Cheon Se-myeong shouted sharply.
“Who’s there?”
Then.
“Augh, Instructor. I really can’t hold on anymore!”
“You fool, what are you doing talking when I just barely blocked the energy?”
“But I feel like my arms are going to fall off!”
“This is also part of training!”
“Damn it, what training! You’re just trying to see Mae Instructor’s underwear!”
“Shut up!”
Sounds of bickering.
When Cheon Se-myeong and Mae Seol-lan approached the pavilion railing with puzzled expressions, Sa Bigang and Yeom Ja-ryang, who had been hanging below, looked up with awkward smiles.
Grin.
“Kyaah!“
Mae Seol-lan stepped back in surprise.
Before Cheon Se-myeong could say anything, Sa Bigang growled at Yeom Ja-ryang.
“It’s because of you!”
“Stop saying that and please pull me up! Aren’t you treating an injured person too roughly?”
“Damn it! Weakling!”
Sa Bigang grabbed Yeom Ja-ryang by the scruff of his neck and flew up to the pavilion.
“Whew! I thought I was going to fall off the cliff and die!”
“Ahem, ahem! Now do you understand? If you properly deploy energy manipulation, you can hang on much longer.”
“I-I’ll keep that in mind.”
Yeom Ja-ryang first performed a Cupped Hands Salute with a serious expression to handle the situation.
But Cheon Se-myeong’s reddened face was already on the verge of explosion.
“What is this behavior! Instructor Sa! What exactly were you doing here?”
“As you can see, I was teaching a student.”
“What kind of education is this…!”
“I told you, didn’t I? I have my own educational methods.”
“Shut up! What kind of education is hanging from pavilion railings…!”
“When you manipulate energy while viewing beautiful scenery, the energy flow becomes smoother and positive energy is replenished…”
“Be quiet! Stop talking nonsense! Apologize to Mae Instructor right now!”
“Hm? Why?”
“Because you… Mae Instructor’s… that… between her legs…! Anyway!”
“I can’t understand.”
Sa Bigang tilted his head and performed a Cupped Hands Salute toward Mae Seol-lan.
“I knew you would come to this place. Very beautiful scenery. Then I hope you enjoy your viewing. What are you doing? Ja-ryang. You should greet the Assistant Instructor too.”
“Ah, yes! It was magnificent and beautiful scenery! Thank you!”
Sa Bigang smacked Yeom Ja-ryang on the back of his head and dragged him down from the pavilion.
“Good grief…!”
Cheon Se-myeong was now on the verge of collapse, clutching the back of his neck.
He whirled around to look at Mae Seol-lan.
“Now do you see? That fellow is that kind of person. For the dignity of Yongcheon Hall, we absolutely need Mae Lady’s help.”
“Hoho. Sa Bigang… an interesting man.”
Mae Seol-lan’s expression hardened coldly.
***
Go Jeok-san faithfully carried out his orders.
He found them in exactly two days.
“They’re Black Gratitude Gang members.”
“Black Gratitude Gang?”
It was a faction he’d never heard of.
Was there such a place?
If he couldn’t remember it, it must be an insignificant place.
Not even a memorable incident.
Go Jeok-san bowed his head and continued his report.
“Yes, they’re fellows who live in the neighboring village. Originally, they were a place that collected booth fees in the marketplace or engaged in thievery.”
“And?”
“Recently, they acquired a trading company and are trying to gain recognition from the Jeongdo Alliance.”
“Such fellows dared to steal membership fees from Yongcheon Hall students?”
“Hehe. Old habits die hard. They aspire to righteousness in front but still do all kinds of dirty work behind the scenes.”
Contempt flickered in Go Jeok-san’s eyes.
He was a member of Ghost Night Stronghold, no different from bandits, but he most despised detestable fellows like Black Gratitude Gang who had two faces.
“First, the fellow who used the sword is called Wi Deok-cheon, the sub-leader of Black Gratitude Gang, thirty-three years old.”
Sa Bigang nodded almost imperceptibly.
Their attack on Yeom Ja-ryang was definitely not a coincidence.
‘The reason they could act like that was because they had something to rely on. Either they know someone who can cover up the incident, or they were actually instigated to do it.’
Either way, they deserved to be punished.
***
Deep in the night.
Yeom Ja-ryang was holding his knees and breathing roughly.
His knees were trembling and saliva was dripping from his mouth.
“Huff, huff, huff.“
Yeom Ja-ryang, who had barely straightened his back, looked at Sa Bigang with resentful eyes.
“Why did you bring me all the way here? Aren’t you being too harsh to someone who’s really hurt?”
“Be quiet. The more it hurts, the more you need to exercise.”
Yeom Ja-ryang shook his head, thinking he shouldn’t have spoken unnecessarily.
Regardless, Sa Bigang walked step by step and looked at the house down the hill.
It was quite a luxurious place, and with two martial artists standing guard at the entrance, it didn’t seem like an ordinary location.
Sa Bigang gestured with his chin.
“From now on, we’re going there.”
“Where is that?”
“The place where we’ll collect.”
“Collect?”
“Don’t we need to receive what we lent? The money.”
“What? Then perhaps…?”
Sa Bigang walked step by step without answering.
Yeom Ja-ryang quickly followed behind him.
The two martial artists guarding the entrance frowned when they saw the two men.
When Sa Bigang tried to enter, the two martial artists roughly blocked his path.
“Stop! Who are you?”
The two martial artists looked Sa Bigang and Yeom Ja-ryang up and down.
Sa Bigang glared at them coldly.
“Move aside.”
“Ha! Where are you causing trouble when you haven’t even been drinking?”
“You bastard, get lost if you don’t want to die!”
Sa Bigang glanced back at Yeom Ja-ryang.
“You heard that, right? They’re trying to kill people over something this trivial. We need to find our own way to survive, don’t we?”
Before Yeom Ja-ryang could reply, the gatekeeper exploded in anger and shouted.
“What is this crazy bastard babbling about? If you don’t want to get beaten up…!”
Whack!
Crash!
Clang clang clang!
The gatekeeper who was hit by Sa Bigang’s kick flew straight through the door into the inner courtyard.
He seemed to have fainted as he no longer moved.
Sa Bigang slowly straightened his posture and shifted his gaze to the other gatekeeper.
Hiccup.
The gatekeeper hiccupped.
Yeom Ja-ryang just stood behind Sa Bigang with a dazed expression.
The gatekeeper mustered courage and asked.
“Wh-who are you… what business do you have…?”
“I came to collect money.”
“Mo-money… what…?”
“Wi Deok-cheon. That fellow borrowed our money. It’s time to pay it back.”
“Wa-wait a moment please!”
The gatekeeper backed away hesitantly, then turned around and ran off quickly.
Sa Bigang stepped into the inner courtyard and looked back.
“What are you doing? We need to go collect the money.”
“What? Ah, yes.”
Yeom Ja-ryang quickly came to his senses and stuck close behind Sa Bigang.
***
A special room located on the third floor of the brothel.
Deung Bu-hyeong took a sip of alcohol and clicked his tongue.
“Tsk tsk. Isn’t it truly pathetic? To squander the membership fees that students paid.”
“Hehe. That’s right. It seems that fellow’s qualifications as an instructor are questionable. It’s no wonder that Instructor Deung is so concerned about it.”
Wi Sang-tak, the Black Gratitude Gang Leader sitting across from him, nodded his head greatly in agreement.
However, both men had bright smiles on their faces.
Wi Sang-tak refilled Deung Bu-hyeong’s cup and continued speaking.
“Come, drink up. Since such an instructor will be fired soon anyway, what’s there to worry about anymore?”
“That’s right. Actually, it worked out well. It would be good for Yongcheon Hall to get rid of such a rootless instructor at this opportunity.”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying. To tell the truth, it seems fortunate that such an incident happened early.”
“Exactly. If something like a student getting injured during the Martial Arts Study Journey were to happen… Ugh, just thinking about it gives me a headache.”
Deung Bu-hyeong shook his head and drank his cup.
He grinned and continued speaking.
“At this rate, perhaps we should give a big reward to the fellow who stole the membership fees.”
“Hehe, Deung Instructor really. You make such interesting jokes.”
“Hahaha. Is that so? In any case, this time that rascal of an instructor won’t be able to muddy the waters of our hall anymore.”
“If he quits, there will be a vacant position.”
Wi Sang-tak wore a faint smile.
Now came the main point.
Deung Bu-hyeong recognized the intention and nodded.
“That vacant position will soon be filled with talent. I’ve been keeping an eye on someone talented who handles both sword and saber well.”
“Perhaps that person is…?”
“If I may whisper just to Gang Leader, he’s in his thirties and has the surname Wi.”
“Hehe! Hehehehe!“
Wi Sang-tak burst into loud laughter.
He picked up the wine bottle.
“Come, drink up. The alcohol tastes especially good today.”
“Indeed it does.”
The two men continued their harmonious atmosphere, exchanging pleasantries.
But they had no idea in their dreams.
About what was about to happen shortly.
