Chapter v18c15

## History Repeats Itself

– Even the Unnecessary Things

Before leaving the mountain, she always made it a point to visit the meadow where she had embraced a man twenty years ago. It had become a ritual for her. Standing there, she would reflect on the past and reaffirm her resolve. Where had she come from? What path had he chosen? Could she walk the same path? She would ask herself these questions.

But her reverie was shattered the moment she returned to the village.

Jin So-Ryeong was bewildered. She hadn’t expected anyone to be bold enough to block her path here. Had her juniors been neglecting their duties while she had been secluded in the mountains? If so, she would have to hold them accountable upon her return.

“Hey, lady! Got a minute?”

One of the five men surrounding her, the apparent leader, called out. His casual demeanor and clichéd line were already offenses worthy of death. To think such a line would work… he must have been underestimating her. Or perhaps he had intended to use force all along!

“What do you want?”

Jin So-Ryeong’s voice, cold as the north wind, cut through the air. Her gaze was icy. They weren’t ordinary thugs. This wasn’t a place where common criminals thrived. Who would dare to cause trouble within the Emei Sect’s territory? And they were dressed too extravagantly for thugs. Their clothes were made of fine silk, despite their lowly status as guards, and they carried large swords on their gaudy belts.

“Yikes, scary!”

One of the men, dressed in yellow silk, pretended to cower in fear.

‘Are they really that oblivious?’

That settled it. They were fools, unable to sense her killing intent. They couldn’t be proper martial artists.

“Are you blocking my path for no reason?”

Jin So-Ryeong’s tone grew colder.

“Hehehe, our Young Master wishes to see you.”

The woman’s right eyebrow twitched. History seemed to repeat itself, even the unnecessary things. She had unpleasant memories associated with this kind of situation, a deep-seated loathing bordering on hatred.

“You’re not from around here, are you?”

She asked, her voice sharp.

“What?”

They were clearly men who relied on their brute strength, probably lackeys of some clueless Young Master. Most likely the son of some nouveau riche family, ignorant of the ways of the martial world.

“How could you possibly think of harassing women in a place under the Emei Sect’s protection?”

There was an unspoken rule in the Emei Sect’s territory, a code of conduct that no local would dare to break. Anyone who knew the sharpness of the Emei’s swords wouldn’t be so foolish.

“Don’t worry! I’m not inexperienced this time.”

She said, her voice firm.

“So you won’t die!”

She didn’t want to stain her sacred sword with the blood of worthless trash.

“So, where is this Young Master of yours?”

The man in yellow pointed to a tavern nearby. A foppish-looking man was sitting there. He was clearly the type who believed that expensive clothes and accessories could compensate for a lack of substance. He was even fanning himself with a gaudy fan, lost in his own self-admiration.

As Jin So-Ryeong turned her gaze towards him, the people around the Young Master started backing away. They recognized her. A wide semicircle formed around him, leaving him isolated. He seemed oblivious to their reactions.

One of the onlookers, a kind-hearted soul, took pity on him and decided to offer him a way out. He was the owner of the tavern, and his advice was a minimal courtesy to his customer.

“Sir, I’ll be blunt. Go apologize to the young lady before it’s too late. If you hurry, she might only gouge out your eyes.”

Another onlooker chimed in.

“He’s right. She’s a merciful woman. Go prostrate yourself before her, bang your head on the ground until it bleeds. It’s called a ‘kowtow.’ The key is to draw blood. That might save you an arm. She probably won’t rip out your tongue.”

The tavern owner, Jang, having fulfilled his duty as a host, now had to fulfill his duty as the owner of the Jang Family Tavern.

“Sir, please leave. I’ll waive your bill. But as the owner of this establishment, I can’t let it be destroyed. So please understand. Boys!”

Clap! Clap!

Two burly waiters rushed over at his signal, grabbed the Young Master by the arms, dragged him out of his chair, and tossed him out the door like a piece of garbage.

“H-hey! How dare you! Do you know who I am?! I’m…”

But the waiters ignored his protests and threw him out.

“How dare they! To our Young Master!”

Their duty was to protect their master, not to procure women, so they rushed to his aid. Or at least, they tried to.

“Stop!”

A sharp voice rang out, and a beam of sword energy pierced their shoulders.

“Aaaaaaaaagh!”

The five men screamed in pain, blood spurting from their wounds as they collapsed to the ground.

“You scoundrels! How dare you disrespect her!”

Jin So-Ryeong’s eyes narrowed. That sword energy hadn’t come from her.

‘That swordsmanship!’

It was a style she hadn’t seen in a while, but one she couldn’t forget. That unique execution, that power… There weren’t many who could wield it like that.

“It seems the arrows of the Jeomchang Sect have become even sharper and faster.”

She said with a smile.

“You flatter me.”

The voice came from about five zhang away. Two men were standing there. One was a middle-aged swordsman in blue robes, the other a handsome young man in his twenties, also dressed in blue.

“It’s been a while, Miss Jin!”

The middle-aged swordsman, a man with a commanding presence, approached her, cupped his fists in a respectful salute, and said.

The woman smiled back.

“You still call me ‘Miss’ after twenty years, Master Yoo?”

The man blushed slightly.

‘Whoa, is he actually blushing? My iron-willed master?’

The young man accompanying him stared in disbelief. He had never seen his master so flustered by a woman. It was a far cry from the fearsome figure he knew. He even doubted if this was the same man who had made his life a living hell. He was too terrified to tell his fellow disciples.

‘They wouldn’t believe me anyway…’

They would probably think he was crazy.

“Who’s this young man?”

The woman’s voice brought him back to reality. It was a calm, refined voice, undeniably captivating.

“Ah, my apologies. I haven’t introduced him yet.”

His tiger-like master beckoned him with a gesture.

“Un-Bi, come here and greet the Divine Maiden!”

The young man approached awkwardly.

‘This is unbelievable. My master, the Tiger, is acting like a lovestruck puppy in front of a woman.’

Yoo Un-Bi’s ears perked up at the word “Divine Maiden.”

“Gasp! Th-then she’s…”

“Yes, this is Jin So-Ryeong, the Divine Maiden of Emei, the greatest swordswoman in Sichuan.”

There was no need to ask if he had heard of her. It was like asking if he knew how to breathe. It was a given.

No martial artist in Sichuan could claim ignorance of Jin So-Ryeong, the Divine Maiden of Emei. She was a legendary figure, sought after by many, but rarely seen. A glimpse of her face was considered an honor for young disciples like him.

“Y-Yoo Un-Bi greets the Divine Maiden.”

He bowed deeply, seizing this rare opportunity.

“Divine Maiden… you flatter me.”

Jin So-Ryeong waved her hand dismissively.

“Coming from Master Yoo Eun-Seong, the ‘Great Swordsman,’ renowned as the ‘Setting Sun Sword’ and the ‘Best Sword of Jeomchang’…”

Yoo Eun-Seong beamed at her subtle flattery. He managed to control his facial muscles, his grin remaining small and restrained.

She was in her thirties, but she looked much younger, her beauty timeless, her elegance and grace unmatched. Her gaze fell upon Yoo Un-Bi, who had been staring at her in awe. He blushed involuntarily.

“So this is the ‘Best Sword of Jeomchang,’ the rising star of the Jeomchang Sect.”

Yoo Un-Bi puffed up with pride, hearing the Divine Maiden acknowledge his fame. But his elation was shattered by Yoo Eun-Seong’s cold words.

“Rising star? Don’t be ridiculous. He’s just a greenhorn. Please guide him well.”

Yoo Eun-Seong said with a smile.

‘A… greenhorn…’

Yoo Un-Bi coughed, suppressing the urge to spit up blood. His master was always stingy with praise. He must hate compliments. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be treating him so poorly.

“Your crimes are punishable by death, but I’ll spare you for the Divine Maiden’s sake. This is the Emei Sect’s territory. You can’t just kill people without their permission.”

He wanted to slaughter them all, but he had to restrain himself. This wasn’t the Jeomchang Sect’s territory. Even after twenty years, his feelings hadn’t faded. The five idiots and their idiotic Young Master scurried away, their heads bowed, clutching their bleeding shoulders.

“So, Master Yoo, what brings you here?”

– Is that really true, Master No?

“Ah, yes. I have somewhere to stop by. This boy is taking the entrance exam this year.”

– Do I look like a liar? It’s true! The Divine Maiden’s first appearance in five years!

“Then you’re going there too?”

Yoo Eun-Seong’s eyes widened at her question.

“You are? What a coincidence.”

– When is it?

– The departure is in a month. The location is the Middle Heaven Merchant Guild!

“Indeed. What a coincidence…”

Jin So-Ryeong nodded.

– The Middle Heaven Merchant Guild?

– Yes. I’ll be accompanied by one of my disciples.

“I thought you were just on a short outing. I never imagined you would be going to Nanchang too.”

– Make it seem like a chance encounter. She’s a naive child, so she won’t suspect anything.

“Ah, I have to stop by somewhere first. We’ll meet up there later. I have some business to attend to at Cheonmu Academy, so we decided to travel together this time.”

“Business?”

“Yes, I’m going to see my niece. It’s been five years. I’m looking forward to seeing how much she’s grown.”

Jin-Ryeong, who had trained under her alongside Ryu-Ran, was a capable girl. She hadn’t planned on attending the Cheonmu Academy entrance ceremony. It was an annual event, nothing new. But this time, she had decided to go personally. She wanted to see her niece’s first love with her own eyes. He couldn’t be indecisive or dull-witted. She believed that a man without common sense was better off discarded than salvaged. It was a lifelong decision. What was the harm in being extra cautious? In a world overflowing with mediocrity, had her niece truly chosen wisely? She wanted to test her judgment.

“So we’ll be traveling together.”

– And that’s how you naturally end up traveling together. For almost two months.

– T-two months…

“Indeed. This is good. She’ll learn a lot from you, Master Yoo. It’s not every day you get to witness the ‘Best Sword of Jeomchang’ in action.”

“Haha, you flatter me! We’re the ones who are honored to be in the presence of the Divine Maiden of Emei. It’ll be an eye-opening experience for this boy. He’s a lucky one. What a coincidence.”

– I’ve given you everything I can offer, Master No. Now it’s your turn to give something back. Don’t you agree?

– Are you talking about the benefits?

– Do I really have to spell it out for you?

– Is this a backroom deal?

– Tsk, tsk, you’re still young. Don’t use such vulgar language. This is called “high-level political negotiation.”

– Is that so, Master No?

– It is.

‘Coincidence, my foot…’

Yoo Un-Bi grumbled inwardly.

It was a lie. His master had been meticulously planning this for weeks. He had patiently waited, suppressing his eagerness to leave, ignoring his nephew’s pleas to depart sooner.

It was no coincidence. He was certain of that.

He must have received some information. He didn’t know how, but he had definitely received something. He couldn’t be sure how much he had paid for it, but it must have been a hefty sum. There were even rumors of a high-level deal. But he couldn’t confirm the truth of those rumors.

It was a conspiracy. But Yoo Un-Bi, sworn to secrecy, couldn’t reveal anything. If he did, his tiger-like master would tear him apart. He might even lose the sword he had been promised. He had been waiting for this day just as eagerly as his master.

“Are you really that happy?”

He muttered under his breath, making sure his master, his uncle, couldn’t hear him. He had already learned that a healthy dose of sarcasm was essential for survival at his young age.

– Don’t misunderstand me, young man. I’m not doing this out of greed. I hold you in high regard. I like you, you see. And I want your daughter, who’s like a daughter to me, to be happy. I want her to find a good match. Don’t you agree?

– A… match?

– Yes, a match! A husband, as they say. I know you turned down the position of next sect leader because of your feelings for her.

– I understand, Master No. I’ll treasure your kind intentions.

– So?

– Yes, the benefits of Soyang now belong to the Emei Sect.

– An excellent choice. Thank you. I wish you the best.

– Yes! I’ll do my best.