Chapter 162 – Seo Ok-rang (6)

At the Guandi Temple on the outskirts of Suzhou.

The three survivors from last night’s escapade looked utterly wretched.

Seo Ok-rang looked at her cut-off hair ends with a tearful expression.

“Ugh. Ouch.”

As she held her side and groaned, a voice came from beside her.

“A young person groaning like an old man.”

“Have you said everything you wanted to say?”

Seo Ok-rang, her eyes blazing, shouted sharply.

“How could you take someone to a dangerous place like Maegumgul without warning!”

“I told you.”

I said we were going to unwind.

“You followed along, so I thought you knew where we were going.”

“Oh, really.”

Seo Ok-rang huffed and recalled last night’s battle.

The flashing swords and the desperate killing intent.

Just thinking about it gave her chills, and she pouted.

“We almost died!”

“But you didn’t die, did you?”

Does this person even realize what he’s done?

“Why? Was it a bit dangerous for the flower of Euncheon Hall?”

“No, definitely not.”

Seo Ok-rang realized.

‘People’s words weren’t wrong.’

– Madman of Dongcheon Hall.

‘The rumors were actually an understatement.’

Who in their right mind would go to a place where they could die and cause a ruckus?

He didn’t care at all about the safety of the students.

‘Thinking about it makes me angry again.’

Seo Ok-rang grumbled and held her side.

“Ouch.”

“Stop whining.”

“Whining? I have a hole in my side.”

“Aren’t you embarrassed in front of him?”

Seo Ok-rang turned her head and closed her mouth.

There stood Il-pyo, his upper body wrapped in bandages.

He even had a crutch.

Seeing the blood-stained bandages made her feel guilty about complaining.

Looking at him with pity, Il-pyo, his pupils dilated, muttered.

“We’re alive.”

“Yes, we are.”

“Being alive is what matters.”

“Why didn’t you run away?”

Cho Un-hwi teased Il-pyo, who was reminiscing.

“Because Iam an idiot.”

“That’s true. It’s not easy to risk your life and stay put.”

“How about running away without looking back next time?”

“…I’ll try.”

Though he grumbled, he never said he would definitely run away.

Hearing this, Seo Ok-rang suddenly laughed.

‘Why?’

Even though they were injured and in a mess, she didn’t feel bad.

‘We were on the brink of death several times.’

They fought a fierce battle she had never experienced before.

Though they almost died several times, it didn’t feel as terrifying or hopeless as before.

‘It’s quite strange.’

This feeling wasn’t just from the exhilaration of battle.

‘It was a strange experience.’

Fighting surrounded by countless vagabonds was something she had only read about in stories.

The ending was just as strange.

Il-pyo pointed out the same thing.

“We were lucky. The leader of Maegumgul stepped in.”

The Black Wolf of Suzhou, Sang-gwang.

How surprised they were when the leader of Maegumgul appeared.

“Yes. I thought we were really going to die.”

“I didn’t expect him to fight alongside us.”

“You never know how things will turn out.”

Seo Ok-rang shook her head in disbelief.

“If he hadn’t been hosting an important guest, we would have been in danger.”

“We were at our limit. As much as it hurts my pride, without him, we would have been in serious trouble.”

At first, they were bewildered as to why such a renowned vagabond would help them.

“You there. You have quite a colorful past and many enemies.”

Seeing that a guest had already arrived.

*Slash!*

But when he pointed to someone who had been quietly watching, they understood.

“Damn it.”

Sang-gwang hadn’t stepped in to help them he had done it for a job to get rid of a wanted criminal.

*Swish!*

The man hiding among the vagabonds used a very vicious sword technique.

*Swish swish swish!*

His sharp swordsmanship, which cut through the air, was too intimidating to face.

But when the Black Wolf of Suzhou stepped in, they could barely hold on.

*Slash.*

And it was Seo Ok-rang who slashed his side.

“Ugh…”

The surprising thing was Sang-gwang’s reaction.

“Take him away.”

He turned and left without even glancing at the man bleeding out.

Recalling the memory, Il-pyo rubbed his neck.

“Instructor, how did you know this man was a wanted criminal?”

Looking at the unconscious, bound man, Cho Un-hwi replied.

“It wasn’t much. I heard the North Gate Guard mention it at Mi Mi Sikbang.”

He said a particularly vicious guy had infiltrated the demonic sect.

‘Did he say that?’

Seo Ok-rang joined in the questioning.

“But how did you know he was hiding in Maegumgul?”

“Fugitives think alike.”

Especially those who are pursued by both the authorities and the martial world.

“They would think Maegumgul is the safest place.”

“Maegumgul, a dangerous place?”

“No one cares about the past of vagabonds who might die any day. If they’re lucky and the guy next to them dies, they can steal his identity and wash away their past.”

“Oh.”

“Once you get used to a place, it feels like home.”

That last part seemed different.

“By the way.”

“How does it feel to be a hero?”

“A hero?”

“You saw it. He’s a skilled fighter with a vicious past.”

“He’s not someone an ordinary student can take down.”

“I just helped.”

“The final blow is important. Remember? Even the Black Wolf of Suzhou acknowledged it.”

“……”

He did.

But Seo Ok-rang still couldn’t believe it.

“It was just a coincidence…”

Seeing her wavering gaze, Cho Un-hwi said.

“Everything in life is a coincidence. You just got lucky along the way.”

“Is that so?”

“Some people die because they’re unlucky, while others survive because they’re lucky.”

Isn’t that the way of the world?

Though his words were light, they somehow made her feel a sense of accomplishment.

But Seo Ok-rang still felt dazed.

“I’m not sure.”

It’s hard to objectively assess the situation right now.

Cho Un-hwi chuckled at her response.

“If you can’t enjoy good luck when it comes your way, the unlucky ones will feel even worse.”

“I can’t help it. It was so sudden.”

Cho Un-hwi added.

“Sometimes, it’s good to just enjoy your luck.”

You can trust me.

Not just anyone, but me.

“That’s the word of the Lucky Sword.”

***

Today, Baek Ri-seol wandered around Myojinmun.

“…He’s not here.”

She checked the cat fortune-telling, now a famous attraction, and the popular cat tavern.

But he was nowhere to be seen.

“He’s not here either.”

She even checked the rooftops, where he rarely appeared, but couldn’t find him.

“Where did he go?”

The instructor often disappeared without a word.

But this time felt different.

“…It happens often.”

But this time felt different.

Her intuition was sending strong signals of danger.

“I don’t feel good about this.”

As she paced anxiously, a familiar face appeared around the corner.

“Hmph!”

“Tsk!”

They both looked away instantly, responding in the same manner.

“……”

“……”

Just as irritation was about to rise.

“Oh?”

Mo Yong So-hye, who had been walking from the opposite direction, ran over.

“Sister, were you looking for the instructor too?”

“Yes.”

But I can’t find him.

“Hmm. This is troublesome.”

He always disappears when we need him.

“Then what about Brother Namgung?”

Jegal Tan answered on behalf of Baek Ri-seol, who had lost interest.

“Yun-ho left early in the morning. He said he was looking for a quiet place.”

“…Really?”

“Is something wrong?”

“Mo Yong-sister said she had an important message for him.”

Mo Yong So-hye whispered prettily.

“She said his younger brother is coming here. Is that a problem?”

“Hmm. Yong-ho…”

Knowing his friend’s complicated situation, Jegal Tan sighed.

“…I hope he doesn’t get hurt too much.”

“Are they not on good terms?”

Right. She doesn’t know about the Namgung Clan.

Jegal Tan quickly explained.

“…I see. So siblings can have bad relationships too.”

“Yes.”

In fact, bad relationships are more common.

For better martial arts and important positions, direct descendants of clans often compete.

‘There’s no need to mention that.’

Jegal Tan hoped the perceptive girl would only see and hear good things and kept quiet.

“Then what about his grandfather?”

“Grandfather?”

Why bring up his grandfather?

“I’m actually closer to my grandfather.”

Ah, so that’s it?

Jegal Tan was about to make an excuse, but Mo Yong So-hye was faster.

“Maybe his grandfather from the Namgung Clan can help.”

“Grandfather from the Namgung Clan?”

“Usually, a family elder steps in to resolve such issues, right?”

Mo Yong So-hye added with a bright smile.

“If it’s the Heavenly God of the Azure Sky, it should be possible.”

Jegal Tan’s face turned pale at her cheerful response.

***

Jegal Tan hurriedly retraced his steps along the path and found Namgung Yun-ho meditating under a large tree.

‘He’s changed again.’

His friend had recently been meditating alone.

He didn’t want to interrupt over trivial matters, but he had no choice now.

“Yun-ho, I have urgent news.”

Namgung Yun-ho, waking from his meditation, smiled warmly.

“Haha. What’s the matter? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Something similar. For you, anyway.”

“What could it be…”

“The Heavenly God is coming.”

Hearing the explanation, Namgung Yun-ho’s face gradually darkened.

***

When the conversation ended, Namgung Yun-ho muttered in disbelief.

“Indeed. The Jianghu is vast, yet so small.”

“The Great Elder of the Namgung Clan is coming. The head of the clan as well.”

Namgung Yun-ho understood why Jegal Tan had come so urgently.

‘He knows my situation.’

A bitter smile appeared.

“You’re not in a position to be sitting around.”

It’s not just your brother, but the Heavenly God.

“You’re right.”

“Where do you think your brother’s temperament came from?”

“It was his father who filled the blank slate with arrogance.”

‘And my father learned it from my grandfather.’

There was nothing to criticize.

The strongest master of the Namgung Clan.

In the long history of the clan, few had mastered the clan’s secret ‘Emperor Sword Technique’ to perfection.

That was the title of the Heavenly God of the Azure Sky.

– What the Namgung Clan desires, it achieves.

He was the one who created the saying that the clan members often repeated.

‘Jegal Tan is right.’

Meeting the Heavenly God of the Azure Sky was not a good decision.

He judged people based on their martial arts.

When Namgung Yun-ho lost his way in the sword dance, he had said.

– This won’t do.

Since then, he hadn’t looked at him even once.

Even when he left for ten years of closed-door training.

Namgung Yun-ho knew him as a cold person.

Jegal Tan, knowing this, waved his hands in persuasion.

“It’s not too late. How about leaving for a while?”

Indeed.

“That’s an attractive suggestion.”

“He’s a busy person. He won’t stay long.”

Namgung Yun-ho, closing his eyes, spoke after a moment of hesitation.

“Has the instructor returned?”

“Not yet. Lady Yeo said he went on a mission under the orders of the senior instructor.”

“Haha. My luck is truly bad.”

When confusion shakes my heart, he’s the one I want to meet the most.

A fleeting look of pain crossed Namgung Yun-ho’s eyes.

“You’re right. This is no small matter.”

“Then, let’s go now.”

“But I won’t run.”

How can a student leave without the instructor?

“I’ve had enough of avoiding attention and trying to escape while living as the Ghost of Dongcheon Hall.”

Jegal Tan felt bitter but couldn’t force him further.

He knew his friend was stubbornly loyal once he made a decision.

‘It must be a difficult decision.’

Feeling sorry, Jegal Tan decided to respect his friend’s choice.

“Sigh. It can’t be helped.”

But are you really okay?

He asked with his eyes, and Namgung Yun-ho spoke as if in passing.

“They believe the Emperor Sword Technique is what makes the Namgung Clan the greatest.”

In other words, they consider any bloodline that hasn’t mastered it to be worthless.

Jegal Tan, who had seen how the Namgung Clan treated Namgung Yun-ho, kept quiet.

“……”

“Well, I don’t have high hopes.”

Namgung Yun-ho said jokingly.

I just hope.

“That ten years of closed-door training has somewhat softened his icy demeanor.”

There was no hint of hope in his voice.