Chapter v12c18

Bi Ryu-yeon’s encounter with the old man was a coincidence, as most encounters are. At least, that’s what Bi Ryu-yeon believed. Their meeting was utterly ordinary, as if they had simply bumped into each other on the street. It would be absurd to attach any special meaning to it.

It seemed the old man had also come to test his luck at the Eye Appraisal Convention.

“Hey there, young man with deep pockets!”

The old man was the first to speak.

“Are you talking to me, sir?”

Bi Ryu-yeon turned around with a smile. Standing there was a rather ordinary-looking old man. His hair and beard were the color of pre-dawn twilight, his height was average, and his build was small. He wore a faded gray robe that matched his hair color, and he held a small, unassuming wooden staff in one hand.

He seemed ordinary at first glance, yet there was something about him that wasn’t quite ordinary. His eyes were ageless, their depths unfathomable. His dark pupils, set in shadowed sockets, seemed to hold the wisdom of ages.

He seemed out of place in this environment, where human greed for money was on full display.

“Young man, I’ve been watching you, and you’re betting on some unusual people.”

The old man said in a gentle voice.

“Unusual?”

The old man nodded.

“Indeed. I’ve been observing that odds board for a long time, and I’ve never seen anyone bet on someone named ‘Bi Ryu-yeon’. Well, I suppose you’re the first, since his name was just added. And I suspect you’ll be the last. I pride myself on having good ears, but I’ve never heard of a rising master with such a name. Why don’t you change your bet? You still have a chance to reconsider.”

Bi Ryu-yeon smiled at the old man’s sincere advice.

“Sir, wouldn’t you like to get the highest payout?”

“Do you know a good dark horse?”

The old man seemed intrigued by Bi Ryu-yeon’s words.

“Dark horse?”

“Hahaha, oh, I apologize! I was mistaken. Do you know who has the highest chance of winning?”

“That’s a silly question. I wouldn’t have bet on him if I thought he was going to lose. You can bet on him without worrying about losing your money, sir.”

He pointed to his own name without hesitation.

“Who is that man? I pride myself on knowing all the rumors and gossip in the martial world, but I’ve never heard of such a talent!”

“A true sage always remains hidden, never revealing himself.”

Dokgo Ryeong was speechless at Bi Ryu-yeon’s arrogant response. She felt a twinge of awe at his ability to praise himself so shamelessly.

She had a feeling that with a little more effort, he would point his right index finger to the sky, his left index finger to the ground, and declare, “In heaven and on earth, I alone am the honored one!” It would be disrespectful to Buddha, but she was certain Bi Ryu-yeon was capable of it. Na Yerin remained silent, simply observing.

‘I knew I shouldn’t have come!’

Dokgo Ryeong regretted not stopping Na Yerin from coming along.

“So, you know this sage well?”

The old man pressed on, his curiosity piqued. Bi Ryu-yeon nodded.

“Of course! I doubt anyone in this world knows him better than I do.”

“I’m sure.”

Dokgo Ryeong muttered sarcastically.

“And why is that?”

“Because he’s me.”

He smiled faintly. The old man burst into laughter, his booming voice echoing through the square.

“Hahahahahaha! You’re an amusing fellow. Aren’t you ashamed of praising yourself so shamelessly?”

Bi Ryu-yeon shook his head firmly.

“There’s no shame in speaking the truth!”

Namgung Sang and Jang Hong, who were with him, looked up at the sky, their expressions asking, “Why isn’t the sky falling? Why isn’t lightning striking?”

But the sky remained clear and blue.

“You’re an amusing fellow, truly amusing. So, where is this sage residing?”

“He’s staying at the Plum Blossom Inn.”

“Is that so? A fine establishment. It seems fate has brought us together. How about we share a drink?”

“I’d be delighted. I wouldn’t refuse if you’re offering to pay, sir.”

Bi Ryu-yeon replied politely. It was uncharacteristic of him to be so sociable.

“Hahaha, you’re amusing to the very end. Of course! I’ll treat you to a drink in honor of meeting a hidden sage.”

There was no hint of sarcasm in the old man’s voice. He was genuinely delighted.

“But why is that young man in green so quiet? Is he always like that?”

The old man pointed a finger. Hyo-ryong was standing there. Yi Jin-seol had already washed his clothes, so the bloodstains that had dotted his light green uniform were gone.

Jang Hong answered for him.

“No, he wasn’t. He used to be a cheerful fellow, but he had an accident recently and hasn’t spoken much since.”

The old man’s eyes flickered for a moment. Perhaps he felt sympathy for the young man’s misfortune.

“Is that so? Can he recover?”

“Yes! His mind was affected by a powerful sword energy, and he’s suffering from temporary aftereffects. He’ll be fine soon. He risked his life to save this young lady, so his courage is commendable. I’m sure he doesn’t regret it.”

Jang Hong pointed to Yi Jin-seol, who was supporting Hyo-ryong, never leaving his side. Yi Jin-seol’s heart ached, and her nose tingled as she remembered the incident. Tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to spill over. All she wanted was for Hyo-ryong to return to his former self.

“Oh? This young lady?”

The old man’s gentle gaze turned to Yi Jin-seol.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“He did what any man should do. I’m sure his father would be proud of him.”

“Of course. And he’ll recover soon.”

The old man nodded after scrutinizing Hyo-ryong from head to toe with a sharp gaze.

“Indeed! By the way, he’s a handsome young man. He would be even more dashing if he dressed up a bit. Young lady, don’t worry too much. He’s not the type to be defeated by such a setback! Absolutely not!”

Yi Jin-seol tightened her grip on Hyo-ryong’s hand at the old man’s kind words. A faint smile touched the old man’s lips as he watched them.

“Come on, let’s go! Let’s drink all night, forgetting about sleep, with the moon and stars as our companions!”

The old man, his enthusiasm surpassing even that of the young men, exclaimed and started walking briskly towards the crowd, leaning on his staff, before Bi Ryu-yeon could even answer. It was difficult to refuse, and Bi Ryu-yeon wasn’t one to turn down free drinks.

“Let’s go before we lose him.”

He started walking, leading the way. The others had no choice but to follow. Bi Ryu-yeon was now leading the group.

Namgung Sang, unable to hide his surprise, said to Bi Ryu-yeon,

“That’s strange. Senior Brother, who always looks down on others… being so polite to an old man?”

It wasn’t exactly politeness, but it was a novel experience for Namgung Sang. However, he was too honest, expressing his thoughts without any filter.

“That old man deserves to be treated with respect. Can’t you see it? The immense power hidden within that old shell? Why would such an extraordinary person be here… hiding his true self? He’s probably the strongest person I’ve met since entering the martial world!”

Bi Ryu-yeon could sense it instinctively. No matter how well the old man concealed his true nature, he couldn’t fool Bi Ryu-yeon’s eyes. But why he was here remained a mystery. It was the first time Namgung Sang had seen Bi Ryu-yeon express such open admiration for someone.

“Really? Is he really that amazing? He just looks like an ordinary old man to me.”

Slap!

“Ouch!”

A chestnut landed on Namgung Sang’s forehead. Bi Ryu-yeon clicked his tongue disapprovingly.

“Tsk, tsk, Gungsang! Gungsang! When will you grow up? If you can block even one of that old man’s sincere sword strikes for a single second, I’ll stop calling you Gungsang.”

Namgung Sang’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Yikes! H-He’s that strong? He doesn’t look like it at all!”

His senior brother’s offer was tempting, but he didn’t have the courage to accept it.

“Since when did you start doubting your senior brother’s words? You’ve grown bold.”

Bi Ryu-yeon raised his fist again, and Namgung Sang instinctively flinched.

“Gulp! N-No, sir. How could I dare…”

Namgung Sang waved his hands frantically, his face pale. He swallowed the words, “It’s okay to have doubts, it happens,” for the sake of his health and longevity. He didn’t need to share that truth with the world.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk, you lack faith. You need at least ten more years of training.”

Bi Ryu-yeon scolded him, making Namgung Sang feel even smaller.

‘But no matter how hard I look, I can’t see anything special about him.’

He strained his eyes, trying to detect the hidden strength Bi Ryu-yeon had mentioned, but he couldn’t sense anything.

“What are you doing! Hurry up!”

The shout came from afar. He snapped out of his thoughts and realized that Bi Ryu-yeon and the others had left him behind, walking ahead. Namgung Sang hurriedly chased after them.

*The Encounter Between the Central Plains Escort Agency and the Mount Zhongyang Escort Agency*

After their outing, they returned to the Plum Blossom Inn, located at the center of a three-way intersection, with an unexpected companion. One side of the town was buzzing with commotion.

The curious townsfolk were already rushing towards the source of the commotion. Naturally, Bi Ryu-yeon and his companions were also drawn to it.

It was a procession. Several strong men, mounted on brown horses, led a long line of carts. Judging from the numerous carts, the armed guards surrounding them, and the weapons they carried, it was clearly an escort from a renowned agency.

Each cart had a flag to announce their affiliation. A blue flag with an embroidered lotus and sword: the Lotus Sword Banner. Bi Ryu-yeon and his companions recognized the symbol.

The imposing middle-aged man leading the procession on horseback was undoubtedly Jang Woo-yang, the leader of the Mount Zhongyang Escort Agency and the Eighteen Swordsman.

“They’re a bit late.”

Bi Ryu-yeon muttered to himself. Then his eyes narrowed slightly. His head tilted to the side. The man wearing a bamboo hat, riding alongside Jang Woo-yang, wasn’t part of their original group. He was certain, as it hadn’t been long since they had parted ways.

Judging from the silver beard peeking out from under the hat’s shadow, it was definitely an old man. And the beard seemed familiar. He had a strong feeling that he had met this man before, somewhere in the past.

“Who could it be?”

As Bi Ryu-yeon racked his brains, trying to remember, another commotion arose from the opposite side of the street. It was the western street, opposite the direction of the Mount Zhongyang Escort Agency’s procession.

And this commotion was even louder and more chaotic than the previous one. The sound of dozens of cart wheels rolling over the ground echoed like waves. The sheer volume of the sound indicated that the approaching procession was no ordinary one.

Jang Woo-yang raised his right hand, and the Mount Zhongyang Escort Agency’s procession slowed to a halt. He rode alongside his son, waiting for something to approach.

The faint sound of waves grew louder and louder. The sound of hooves, accompanied by the footsteps of many men, could be heard. The rhythmic, synchronized footsteps, like the march of an army, were powerful and intimidating.

The group that emerged from the western street, pushing through the crowd, looked remarkably similar to the Mount Zhongyang Escort Agency. Judging from their appearance, they were also an escort from an agency. But they were even more extravagant and imposing than the Mount Zhongyang Escort Agency.

The man leading the procession was quite young, dressed in luxurious gold robes, a jeweled sword with a gold and silver inlay hanging from his waist, mounted on a snow-white horse.

“Is that guy trying to show off his wealth?”

Bi Ryu-yeon frowned at the young man in gold.

He believed that “money is not meant to be flaunted, but to be accumulated secretly, like strength!” To him, such extravagant attire was a waste, a meaningless display of vanity. A sword’s power didn’t increase just because it was adorned with jewels and precious metals.

Their black flags, fluttering in the wind, bore a unique symbol: a golden bull. The golden bull, embroidered with gold thread on a black background, was the symbol of the Central Plains Escort Agency, the most renowned escort agency in the land.

The guards protecting the carts were all tall and sturdy, their bodies radiating a powerful aura. They were far from ordinary escorts.

“Hahaha, to use such people as mere escorts is a waste of both manpower and money. What kind of precious cargo requires such skilled guards?”

The old man muttered, baffled. These men were all capable of becoming leaders of any escort agency in the world. Both processions, approaching the Plum Blossom Inn where Bi Ryu-yeon and his companions were staying, came to a halt at the same time.

The street was narrow, and the processions were large. In other words, the street wasn’t wide enough for both processions to pass simultaneously. There was a northern street, but it seemed no one wanted to use it.

“This is about to get interesting!”

Bi Ryu-yeon smiled, his eyes gleaming with anticipation, as he focused on the unfolding situation. It was now a battle of pride between the two escort agencies. Sensing the rising tension, he decided to put the old man with the silver beard aside for now.

The young man on the white horse and a swordsman, who seemed to be his bodyguard, stepped forward, leaving their groups behind. The swordsman positioned himself half a step behind the young man, establishing their hierarchy.