Chapter 69
I followed the Young Master of the Han Clan, Han Jin-seong, to a separate room.
As he walked ahead, he introduced himself, “You’re Baek Woong, right? I’m Han Jin-seong, the Young Master of the Han Clan. I look forward to working with you.”
“So, I can just be a guest here?”
“Of course! But there are a few requests I need you to fulfill.”
I glanced at Jin-seong. He looked like a pretty boy, but his martial arts skills were no joke. After all, he had stood intact after the Qi Wave clash between me and Han Baek-ryeong. Given his age, he must be quite skilled himself.
He closed the door to the side room and said, “Have you heard of the Imperial Palace Martial Arts Tournament?”
“Isn’t that a martial arts competition?”
“You know your stuff!”
The Imperial Palace Martial Arts Tournament was indeed a martial arts competition, but unlike your usual affair, it was overseen directly by the Emperor. Thus, the best martial artists from all sects participated, even leaders of major sects entered the fray. The tournament occurred once every four years, and sects would send their strongest fighters to seize glory.
However, the top three winners were obligated to join the Golden Eagle Guard, which made it questionable whether winning the tournament was worth it at all. A leader or elder of a sect being recruited by the Imperial Palace would be quite the pickle.
So, sects usually sent outstanding warriors who weren’t exactly renowned enough to lead a sect themselves. Typically, fighters in their 20s or 30s participated, though sometimes a veteran in their 40s would show up, and let’s just say that wasn’t taken too lightly.
It’s likely that the likes of Captain Ryu and Captain Kwak, whom I encountered earlier, were top-tier fighters in the tournament. They would have exhibited skills rivaling those of the elders from the Nine Great Sects. While I mulled over this, Jin-seong continued, “Twin Gate Sect has the right to participate without needing to qualify. Each sect gets two slots for the main event, starting from the top 128. However, Twin Gate Sect’s warriors cannot enter the preliminaries.”
…
I was gobsmacked.
The Imperial Palace Martial Arts Tournament only happened once every four years! It was a battle for the clan’s honor and a showcase for the next generation of champions. And here I, a mere guest, was being offered a chance to represent? This was absurd!
I said, “You must be joking. If you’re trying to mess with me, it’ll backfire.”
“This isn’t a joke. There are reasons behind it.”
He sighed. “Our Clan Leader isn’t fond of the Imperial Palace Martial Arts Tournament. In fact, he wouldn’t mind sending zero participants if he could. That’s why we usually end up sending guests instead of our own warriors. This time, they were going to choose someone among the guests, and you caught the Clan Leader’s eye.”
Something felt fishy.
Accepting this proposal would be idiotic.
Hot-headed thoughts told me to reject the offer immediately and bolt, but I composed myself.
There was little chance of teaming up against me at an event like the Imperial Palace Martial Arts Tournament. Besides, it was an ideal setting to gain one-on-one combat experience, precisely what I’d wanted. It’d be foolish to pass up an enticing opportunity simply because I thought it might be a trap. With the resolve of someone who expected betrayal, I nodded.
“Fine. But who else will be participating?”
I didn’t quite know who Ki Ryong Shingun was, but I had to agree on Jin-seong’s assessment. Among all those masters who surrounded me earlier, Ki Ryong Shingun’s aura stood out prominently. Probably on par with a Master Hyuncheon or an elder from the Nine Great Sects in terms of internal power.
…?
This was really weird. Typically, powerful martial artists wouldn’t just be handed off to the Imperial Palace. Would they really just let this slide? As I looked at Jin-seong with an eye full of suspicion, he said, “Hmm… I realize now that what I’ve said could be misunderstood.”
You don’t want to expose your martial arts!
That could definitely be a substantial reason. I recalled Jin So-cheong’s effort to hide his secret techniques and nodded.
“…Understood.”
I took a quick look around the room. It was definitely bigger and more comfortable than a normal house, with exquisite furnishings. This might even be nicer than the house I bought with gold bars. After a moment of contemplation, I said, “No, thank you. I’d rather stay in the house I already purchased.”
Jin-seong smiled. “The Imperial Palace Martial Arts Tournament is set to begin three months from now. Please return to the clan three days prior to that and wait. Would that work?”
In other words, it meant they wouldn’t care if frustrated guests came at me for a duel. Realizing how casual this was made me feel somewhat dumbfounded. I quickly understood the Han Clan’s intentions.
I glared at Jin-seong, “But don’t underestimate me. If you’re trying to use me, I won’t let it slide easily.”
This wasn’t just hot air.
Carrying the grudge from my past life, I had a lot of built-up resentment. Especially against those from the Eight Demons of the Demon Path. If time permits in the future, I’d be more than ready for revenge. Nothing could be sillier than making enemies in this world.
Following Jin-seong, I headed to the dining room. After he left, I looked at the extravagant food laid out by the Han Clan and suddenly got up.
With that, I left the Han Clan. For some reason, I had developed a habit of not eating food or drinking water provided by others unless I felt comfy about it. If I wasn’t at ease, I avoided it altogether. Maybe it was born out of the subconscious fear of getting poisoned and dying unexpectedly.
So, I just found any inn, booked a room, and lay down.
If I fought and ended up dead or crippled, what would I do then? If I died, I’d feel relieved, but if I was left disabled, that would be a whole other problem; wasting time and struggling through life didn’t sound appealing. So, if such a scenario unfolded, I decided I’d end my life myself.
It hit me that I should fight hard this time, without holding back, and aim for the win at the tournament. Battling against peak experts in the tournament would sharpen my martial arts skills, not to mention, I could get into the Golden Eagle Guard and keep an eye on their movements! It was a win-win!
But thinking about Han Baek-ryeong made my head spin.
The self-proclaimed clan leader of the Han Clan, she was undoubtedly a Half-Transition Master and a peak expert. Not to mention she never hesitated to kill a disciple, which suggested her relationship with Lee Kwang wasn’t that rosy. It was hard to believe, but compared to my mastery after consuming Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng repeatedly, her internal power was likely on par.
I thought the Twin Gate’s leader was superior in strength compared to a clan leader, yet here was someone who could challenge that notion. Plus, the fact that the Han Clan was the wealthiest in the Central Plains weighed on me. I sensed a link I was missing regarding the Han Clan.
In any case, I had three months left.
Now that Jin-seong had granted me a grace period, I could do whatever I wanted for the time being.
Three days later, I visited the manager and received the documents and seal for my new house. The manager handed me the papers, saying, “I even hired someone to clean the house for you. Just move in and live.”
“Thanks!”
“Hehe, you’ve hit the jackpot! You won’t find anyone as kind as me.”
Watching the manager grin while stroking his catfish whiskers made me chuckle inside.
He probably used my gold bars and barely gave the owner even three hundred silver coins while pocketing a hefty commission. The amount he skimmed off was likely enormous.
But even knowing all this, I willingly handed over my gold bars. Why? Because I figured the bigger the sum he received, the higher the likelihood he’d keep quiet and clean up his act. He might have looked at me as an easy target, but I was just avoiding the hassle.
I stepped into my new home and soaked in the warm sunlight. It was a pleasant sun that made me forget all the hardships I endured in my past life.
Back when I was poor, working as an escort, I longed for a life of luxury in a big house. After all the struggles and with the treasure acquired from the ruins of Xuyou, I had effortlessly fulfilled that dream. I couldn’t wrap my head around having obtained wealth in mere moments, something I wouldn’t have earned even if I worked my entire life.
As I laid there on the floor, ready to take a nap, suddenly the thought crossed my mind.
Wasn’t the tragedy in the village of Taekyung sealed away? Maybe I could simply live off my remaining fortune and enjoy a comfortable life.
If I wanted to, I could surround myself with beautiful women and live a carefree life without a worry in the world. With nine gold bars left, I could easily support that lifestyle.
…….
It was tempting.
I groaned and clutched my head in contemplation. It was true that I could live an easy life now without thinking about dying. The idea of declining their offer to represent the guests in the Imperial Palace Martial Arts Tournament and enjoying life at home suddenly became attractive.
I felt dazed.
Because at that moment, I realized I was at a major crossroads in my life.
Continue on this path – or stop here and abandon it!
Eithway was fine, but the fact that choosing the latter meant no longer feeling the pain of death held weight. I sat there blankly, mulling over my options for what felt like an eternity. It would definitely go down as the longest and most excruciating decision-making period of my life.
After what felt like a long while, I muttered, “No. I can’t stop yet.”
Thinking it over, I couldn’t just quit. I hadn’t achieved my goal of mastering the Thunder God Lineage, nor had I avenged the grudge of being ambushed by the Eight Demons of the Demon Path. Above all, if I didn’t knock down that Lord of the Golden Eagle Guard, I wouldn’t feel like a real man.
Remembering the disgraceful face of that Mangnyang made me reflect on my humiliation!
I wasn’t allowed to live peacefully until I settled that debt!
Buzz buzz.
Moments later, I stood up and quietly started swinging my sword in the empty space of my home.
“Lord, I’ll definitely take your head!”
Life isn’t just a series of moments.
Current actions will lead to future results, so I must live with purpose.
For the coming three months, right up to the tournament, my plan was to master the techniques of the Thunder God Lineage and perfect my martial arts. Plus, I needed to become more familiar with utilizing the potential of my internal power that had yet to be tapped!
