Chapter Index

    *** ***

    “Your mother is suddenly feeling anxious?”

    After introducing the group, my mother-in-law gave me a scary look. I was completely taken aback by that gaze and found myself taking a deep look at the floor patterns created by the potters. After that, I stayed in my lodgings for several days just watching.

    It’s been a few days since Black Cat came forward to resolve the misunderstanding.

    After hearing from my companion that my mother-in-law had come to visit and say hello today, I decided that the misunderstanding had now been resolved and was considering a plan to see my mother-in-law again… but then I heard that she suddenly fell ill.

    The black cat shrugged his shoulders as if there was nothing he could do.

    “Just hold on for a day or two more. Senior.”

    “Tsk. Yes.”

    I had no choice but to lick my lips and stroke Seogong’s head. Seogong was struggling wildly with dissatisfied gestures against my touch, but I had no intention of letting him go.

    When I look away, it runs away, digs a hole, and returns to the dorm covered in dirt. As I watch my mother-in-law with bated breath, I have no choice but to catch it.

    “Stop digging oysters, you guy.”

    Squeak squeak!

    Seo Gong protests fiercely. Since he was born a rat, oysters are something he can never compromise on.

    Anyway, I put my hand in my pocket to give him a candle to silence Seogong, who was crying loudly, but for some reason I couldn’t find anything.

    Have you already fed all those herbs?

    I handed Seogong, who continued to cry, to Yeo Il-ye.

    “Do you want to go out?”

    “I’m going to buy some herbs and get some fresh air.”

    “Yes. You must be feeling stuffy since you’ve been stuck in your room for a few days.”

    “Fried rice when you come!”

    “Okay.”

    My preparation for going out is simple. All you have to do is take off the bamboo rib you normally use, put down the large sword, and put the narrow-pointed sword on your waist.

    After leaving Soga Clothing Store and walking leisurely for a while, it soon started to become crowded with people. Accordingly, street stalls selling food lined up, and the number of shops selling accessories and souvenirs also increased significantly.

    A fan with poems by famous writers and scenery from Dongdongho Lake depicted on it. It’s like a leg pole mainly used by officials. These were mainly items that could create the atmosphere of a great writer.

    As I was looking at those things, I also felt like I wanted to see the scenery of Dongdong Lake, but I quickly shook my head.

    Anyway, the black cat will stay here in Agyang as long as he wants. So, it would be better to come with a group of people rather than see Dongdong Lake alone.

    And above all, now was the time when I had to be careful of falling leaves.

    The reason I was so knowledgeable was my mother-in-law, who knew about my family history.

    I was wandering around Dongdong Lake alone for no reason, and later when my mother-in-law found out about it, she said, ‘Oh, you went to Dongjeong Lake in the meantime? So, did you have a good time with the lovely Sozers?’ The same reaction may come out.

    Just thinking about it makes my body tremble!

    It is quite possible since the ugly hairs are stuck indiscriminately. So, let’s just stop by the herbal medicine store and then head back right away.

    As I was walking with that in mind, something caught my eye.

    Akyang is the largest tourist destination in Jungwon.

    What are the essential things to have in order to receive proper treatment at such tourist destinations?

    It’s clothing.

    Usually, those who are truly powerful and powerful do not need to dress extravagantly. This is because people recognize such real things on their own.

    But here, in Agyang, things are different.

    It’s a place where 50,000 people gather in the vast Central Plains, so how can you find out who is who? The people of Aeyang have no way of knowing whether it is a high-ranking official from the central government who held a government position in Luoyang for a long time, a Wulin who is famous in Shanxi, or a great figure who dominates Anhui.

    Therefore, the standard by which the people of Akyang treat foreigners is their attire and clothing.

    If you wear expensive clothes, you’re a popular guy. If you’re wearing cheap military uniform, you’re a worthless guy.

    Who would want to be ignored at a tourist destination where they come to have fun? Everyone wears flashy clothes, even if it means saving money.

    Due to such circumstances, the clothes of those walking around the streets of Agyang were extremely extravagant.

    The problem was that many of those wearing such fancy clothes were wearing black lips.

    What is black lip?

    It is literally a hat made of bamboo and painted black. So why paint bamboo black? This is to hide the poor quality of the bamboo.

    Bamboo is a material that is not particularly valued anywhere in the central region. Among those ingredients, black lip is made by gathering the yawns of yawns.

    It could truly be said to be the cheapest of the cheap.

    However, people wearing high-quality clothes are wearing such cheap black lipstick.

    No matter how anyone looked at it, it was clearly unnatural, so this thought occurred to me.

    Has the rumor spread that I am in Agyang now? Could it be that black lips, a symbol of Sacheon nangin, are becoming popular because of the rumor that Noegeomnangin came to visit Dongdong Lake?

    I guess I need to do some research.

    To answer my question, I stopped by a store that sells black ribs in piles.

    “Look, owner. There are more than one person wearing black lips on this evil sheep. Do you know the reason?”

    “Oh my! Musa. When you say black lip, who is it? This is the Sacheon Longin, and who is that kind of Sacheon Longin? Isn’t this Hocheonan Daehyup, the hero of the martial arts and the main character of the Mosan War? Everyone wears black lips because they admire him!”

    The employee seemed to be one or two people who had the same question as me, but gave the number one answer without any soul.

    However, such an obvious answer was not enough to solve my doubts, so I handed him a silver coin and asked again.

    “Hehe. What I want to ask is, why is the black lip craze only happening in Agyang? I have never heard of Noegeomnangin having connections in Agyang, so I have my doubts.”

    The staff member, who came back to life after receiving the eunja, looked around and whispered in my ear.

    “Actually, there is a rumor that Noegeomnangin went there after seeing the scenery of Dongjeongho Lake.”

    It’s not that I came to see you, it’s that I came to see you.

    “It is said that Daehyeop, a nobleman, fell in love with Dong-ho Dong-ho at first sight and shed tears of sorrow over the fact that he had to leave this beautiful Dong-ho. It is said that in order to soothe his sorrow, Noegeomnangin took off the black lip he was wearing and threw it into Dongjeong Lake.”

    No, what the fuck is this?

    I was so dumbfounded that my mouth dropped open.

    “Wow, isn’t it really romantic? So, these days, the number of people looking for this Dongdong Lake has increased significantly, following the will of Daehyeop, a brain swordsman, and throwing black lips at Dongdong Lake.”

    “….Huh, I guess so.”

    “How about Daehyeop visit Dongdong Lake wearing a bamboo lip and give black lip as a gift to Pung Gwang, who Noegeomnangin fell in love with? Right now, I will offer you a special discount of 50 coins.”

    I refused and left.

    “Ugh.”

    I was surprised to think that my whereabouts had been exposed, but it turned out that it was just a common commercial tactic of merchants from the central region.

    I gathered my thoughts as I walked towards the herbal medicine store, as per my original purpose.

    Now, the black cat is having a happier time than ever with her mother-in-law.

    However, current happiness is truly a precarious thing that can be broken at any moment.

    This was because the reasons why Black Cat had no choice but to leave Soga Clothing Store and the problems that prevented him from returning were still there.

    What kind of problems did the black cat encounter when it lived here in the past?

    Since Black Cat didn’t tell me about her past, I also don’t know what Black Cat was worried about that led her to give up on reuniting with her mother.

    However, considering that Black Cat was the owner of Wolbokdang even before he met me, the issues surrounding Black Cat will not be easy.

    This means that even though they had the best information power in the world, they couldn’t dare to solve it.

    That’s why I just reacted so sensitively to black lips. If it were revealed that I visited Akyang and was staying at Soga Pomok Branch, attention would be focused on Soga Pomok Branch, and if so much attention was focused, it would also become known that Soyeonhwa at Soga Pomok Branch, which disappeared in the past, has returned.

    If the news that the black cat has returned spreads throughout Aeyang, the problems that the black cat was afraid of will naturally also arise.

    The happy times we managed to regain will be broken in just a few days.

    Should I ask the black cat now what happened in the past?

    That thought crossed my mind for a moment, but I quickly shook my head.

    Over the past few days, the black cat had been smiling brighter than ever, and I didn’t want to ruin that happiness by reminding myself of the past.

    In the end, it is for the happiness of black cats that solves the problems surrounding them. Wouldn’t it be better to enjoy happiness even just for a day rather than worrying about it in advance?

    With that in mind, I filled the herbal medicine pouch and returned to the Sogapomok branch.

    “Get out of the way! I have to deal with the evil Noegeomnangin!”

    I could see a bunch of bastards, accompanied by quite a few people, making a fuss in front of a dry goods store.

    *** ***

    What is the biggest sect in Agyang?

    If you asked that question, people would most likely give you the answer, Cheonhomun.

    Cheonhomun Gate.

    Its immediate disciples numbered in the hundreds, and if you count those who once studied in the sect, it was a huge sect with thousands of disciples.

    Akyang, where people from all over the world willingly open their wallets. The scale of Cheonhomun, which absorbed Aeyang’s wealth, was so enormous that it could not be compared to other sects.

    It is a huge sect with over 500 immediate disciples, and thousands of disciples if you count those who once studied at the sect. If you consider the number of people and size of the sect, there are few places in the world that can compare to it.

    Naturally, Cheonhomun, a large literary sect, had great influence in Akyang.

    Teng Bowi, the rumored owner of Tianhou Gate, was not in a good mood these days.

    In order to alleviate the feeling of being on the receiving end, the members of his clan and young people who followed him continued to speak out.

    “etc. Brother, they said a new entertainer came to Sangseoru today! Would you like to go together?”

    “Rumor Lord. I heard that the head of Yerim Chamber of Commerce is arranging a meeting. What should you do?”

    However, after hearing their proposal, Teng Bowi frowned even more blatantly.

    “Is your level at most that level? At best, this security guard is someone who would waste time on something like that.”

    “Mi, I’m sorry…”

    “I couldn’t understand Lord Somun’s deep meaning! Please forgive me!”

    The members of the clan and their followers lowered their heads and cursed in their hearts. What does a man who is a martial artist, who puts training on the back burner and is obsessed with entertainment and sex, do if he doesn’t go out to have fun?

    “Aren’t you feeling anything these days?”

    The followers were silent as they could not understand what Teng Bowi wanted, and Teng Bowie clicked his tongue as he looked at his followers who had become dumb.

    “The hideous creatures floating in Fortress Dongdong Lake!”

    Deung Bowi thought of the black lips floating around the fortress’ Dongdong Lake. Those black lips floating in Dongdong Lake were like a token proving the reputation of Hocheonan, a brain sword sac.

    Just because of the unfounded rumor that Noegeomnangin threw black ribs into Dongdong Lake, many people were buying black ribs and throwing them into Dongdong Lake!

    ‘What’s so great about that guy?’

    At best, isn’t he a lucky ronin? Does it make sense for him to enjoy the same level of fame as he does now for defeating a person with the same fundamentals as a ronin and eliminating the blood religion with the power of the Heavenly Demon Church at his back?

    “Even if you say that you are a noegeomnangin, you are ultimately a ronin. Rumors of a lowly rogue are coloring the floor of Agyang and even damaging the scenery of Dongdong Lake. What on earth are you thinking?”

    Only then did the followers guess Teng Bowi’s twisted judgment and opened their mouths.

    “That’s right. Why is it that the world is so anxious that they can’t lift up this person who is just a ronin who will hit rock bottom in a little while?”

    “It’s truly unfortunate. If there was someone like Jeongcheol in this Agyang, Lord Somoon would have cut him down with a single sword!”

    “Since he is related to the Heavenly Demon Church, he is probably someone who extorted a false reputation through evil magic and unclean tricks.”

    Only then did Teng Bowi’s face soften a little. However, seeing Teng Bowie still waving his fan and showing his discomfort, his followers racked their brains and looked for something to make Teng Bowie feel better.

    While a follower was thinking about this, a rumor passed through his mind.

    “You. Have you ever heard the rumor about Soga Clothing Store?”

    “Sogapomok branch?”

    As soon as he heard the name Soga Clothing Store, Deng Bo-wi thought of the name So Yeon-hwa. Although it had been more than ten years since he last saw Su Yanhua, Teng Baoyu’s image still remained in his mind.

    I was thinking that he would definitely propose to me when he got a little older, but I was so disappointed when I heard that he suddenly disappeared.

    Although he had met many beautiful women thanks to his power as Somunju of Cheonhomun, there was not a single one who surpassed the beauty of So Yeonhwa, whom he had seen in his childhood.

    “What about that Soga Clothing Store? Say it quickly.”

    The follower, confident that he had caught Teng Bowi’s attention, continued speaking excitedly.

    “A few days ago, a luxury carriage entered that Soga Clothing Store.”

    “Isn’t that a common occurrence? Say it right!”

    “The real story starts here. They say that the Soga Clothing Store is going out of business after that luxury carriage came in. It means that Soga Clothing Store, famous for its diligence, has closed its doors.”

    “Um.”

    “Isn’t this really strange? Besides, there is something really suspicious.”

    “What is it? Don’t hesitate and speak!”

    “The person who visited the Soga Clothing Store in that luxury carriage was a man and a woman, and one of them was wearing black lipstick!”

    “What!”

    At Teng Bowi’s reaction, the follower smiled inwardly. In fact, the real rumor that the follower heard was that there were amazing beauties coming and going with a man at Soga Clothing Store, and among them there was a beauty with black lips, but whatever.

    Rumors are inherently inaccurate.

    Without knowing the true intentions of his follower, Teng Bowi jumped up from his seat and shouted.

    “That guy! It’s clear that he’s a brainiac! How dare that ruthless bastard cross this Yue Yang, which is protected by this Deungbowi!”

    Even Deung Bowi, who shouted that, knew that there was a 90% chance that the person wearing the black lip was not a person with a black lip. Why is the real Noegeomnangin here in Agyang and why would he stay at Soga Pomok Branch for several days?

    The person wearing black lips was probably just a follower of the current trends.

    But that fact was not important to Teng Bowi. The important thing was that the rumor asked by the follower was perfect for showing his bravery and letting people know that he was in no way inferior to the Noegeomnangin.

    “Go! I will punish that ruthless bastard right away!”

    Therefore, Deung Bowi led his followers and forced them in front of Soga Clothing Store.

    “Get out of the way! I have to deal with the evil Noegeomnangin!”

    Ho Cheon-an, who was returning from buying Yeongcho, encountered Deung Bowi.

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