Chronicles of the Mad Demon - Chapter 96

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 96. Counter Greater Force with Even Greater Force (1)

“Wow!”

Namgung So So’s mouth fell wide open.

“It’s incredible!”

The sparring arena was much larger than she had imagined.

This was the Grand Sparring Arena where the main tournament finalists would compete.

Naturally, the spectator seats surrounding the sparring arena were also massive. They had firmly packed imported soil and laid high-quality bluestone on top, with a tiered structure that rose higher toward the back. This width could easily accommodate several thousand people.

“They certainly put some effort into this.”

Clean cloth banners hung on the walls of the spectator seats, with large characters written across them.

Geumhwa Rice and Grain Store, Geumhwa Crossbow Guild, Geumhwa Textile Emporium, Geumhwa Hundred and Eight Pavilion…

The Gold Flower Trading Company that invested in this sparring match was conducting massive promotional activities.

Of course, they weren’t only promoting businesses under the Gold Flower Trading Company. Several promotional texts from various trading companies were written in fancy calligraphy, but compared to the Gold Flower Trading Company, they were drops in the bucket.

Jegal Chung Ho clicked his tongue.

“I have no idea how much they spent. With this kind of width, tents, and everything else… it must have cost at least three hundred thousand nyang.”

“Three hundred thousand nyang?!”

“You only swing your sword around, so you have no knowledge about this kind of thing, do you?”

“Well…”

“You need to observe the flow of money carefully too. Even if you don’t become a family head, if you want to help your family in the future, you should know how the ways of the world work.”

“Can you see all of that?”

Arrogance overflowed from Jegal Chung Ho’s face.

“Of course. This level is just child’s play. You’ll never know how fierce the real world of merchants is.”

“Hmm.”

“Actually, the fights in that world are more intense than battles between Murim Warriors. Sword fights are commonplace, and there are countless cases of sending assassins in secret.”

Namgung Gwan frowned.

“Was it that severe?”

“Money makes even ghosts work, doesn’t it? There’s talk that assassination organizations haven’t been completely eradicated from the world because of money.”

Jegal Chung Ho’s mouth didn’t stop.

Thinking this was his chance, he rattled off all the knowledge he possessed.

Namgung Gwan, who would normally be fed up and complain about being drained, listened intently to Jegal Chung Ho’s words for this moment.

How much time had passed like this?

“Oh!”

At Namgung So So’s surprised voice, the two men turned their heads.

“Why is that bastard here?”

Namgung So So frowned as much as possible.

Namgung Gwan’s expression wasn’t particularly good either.

“Ho, you came too?”

A rough voice and an incredibly large build. There were as many as five such men.

The young man in the center wore silk clothes that didn’t match his large frame, with muscles that looked ready to burst clearly visible.

Namgung Gwan spoke in a calm voice.

“It’s been a while.”

“Indeed. Has it been a year?”

The grinning young man was none other than Hwangbo Seong.

As the eldest son of the Shandong Hwangbo Family and the same age as Namgung Gwan, he had already been appointed as the Young Family Head and was the next master of the Hwangbo Family.

And the Hwangbo Family was one of the Six Great Families of the current generation.

“You must have had a hard time coming from Shandong.”

“It’s much farther than Anhui. I came using lightness skills as training.”

Though he called it training, he probably stopped by every juru along the way to have drinks and fool around with gisaengs.

“How is it? Have you reached the realm of the Boundless Sky Sword?”

“I’m still lacking.”

“Haha! This fellow is being modest again! How can a man be so timid?”

He couldn’t understand when humility had become timidity.

But from Hwangbo Seong’s perspective, it was timidity.

Originally, people from Shandong praised those who were bold and hot-tempered, calling them Shandong Heroes.

Among them, the Hwangbo Family was particularly extreme. Perhaps because it was a family where everyone was born with strength and size, they were obsessed with boldness.

“A true man should live with the pride of conquering the world, even if his head gets cracked today! Can you make it to the main tournament with such a mindset?”

“I’ll just do my best.”

“Uhahaha! It’ll be hard to see you in the main tournament!”

Hwangbo Seong, who had been bursting with hearty laughter, suddenly looked at Namgung So So.

“You, are you So So?”

“So what if I am.”

A sulky face, her eyes clearly showing she was fed up.

A smile as wide as a washbasin spread across Hwangbo Seong’s face.

“You’ve become much prettier! How about it, won’t you marry this Elder Brother?”

Shandong-style jokes were generally notorious for being rude.

It didn’t even seem like a joke. The feeling that it was fine to take it as a joke, or even better if not, was palpable.

Namgung So So’s face turned cold.

“Want to try a match with your lower body blown off?”

Though she might fear her Elder Brother, her venom was no ordinary thing either.

Namgung Gwan was flustered by his younger sister’s terrifying words, but Hwangbo Seong burst into laughter instead.

“That girl’s personality is so refreshingly straightforward, I like it! If you think it’s too fast, I also like getting to know each other gradually!”

“I don’t want to know even a speck about you, so don’t talk to me.”

“Oh my, you’ve grown too many thorns in just one year?”

Namgung Gwan raised his hand.

“That’s enough.”

“Oops! Sorry about that. I forgot there was an Elder Brother here and was hitting on the younger sister! Here, I’ll formally apologize to both of you.”

It was only an apology in words; his beaming smile never left his face.

“By the way, aren’t you getting married? Even if someone like me is too much, someone like you could easily take in a couple of concubines…”

“Would that be alright?”

“Hm?”

A cold wind was now blowing fiercely across Namgung Gwan’s previously calm face.

“I’m asking if you can pass even the preliminaries with one arm.”

Meaning he should stop before getting one arm blown off right here.

The weight was completely different from Namgung So So’s words.

A chilly aura also appeared on Hwangbo Seong’s face, which had been grinning annoyingly.

“I wonder if that’s possible?”

“Weren’t you a Shandong Hero? If it’s a war of words, that’s fine too.”

He meant why was he only flapping his mouth when he had good fists.

With just a few words, he skillfully scratched at his opponent’s pride. A look of satisfaction appeared on Namgung So So’s face.

Hwangbo Seong growled quietly.

“You seem to have improved a lot. Still the same eloquence despite being slender like a woman.”

“I often hear that I’m more thoughtful than my sword.”

“I don’t know about other things, but my fist seems more solid than your sword?”

“No matter how solid it is, I just need to cut and stab it. Why would I clash head-on?”

“Still as cowardly as ever, you are.”

“If you want to fight a swordsman who doesn’t use his sword, just say so anytime. It’s not difficult to give you a few moves.”

Whoosh!

A heavy energy wave flowed from Hwangbo Seong’s body.

Since his opponent was who he was, he didn’t reveal killing intent, but it was an aura that seemed ready to explode at any moment.

Namgung Gwan didn’t emit any aura at all. He just looked at Hwangbo Seong with quiet eyes.

A suffocating standoff continued.

And it was Hwangbo Seong who ended that standoff.

“Tsk, I can’t even joke around with these pea-brained brats.”

Hwangbo Seong, who had suddenly burst into laughter, clasped his hands behind his back.

It seemed like if he didn’t clasp them, he might throw a punch at any moment.

“Don’t disgrace the reputation of the Six Great Families and make sure to advance to the main tournament properly.”

Then, Jegal Chung Ho opened his mouth.

“A battle of wills already? How impressive. I could never do that even if I died.”

Hwangbo Seong’s face immediately crumpled as he turned his head.

“Jegal Chung Ho?”

“How have you been?”

His body trembled as if he had seen something he shouldn’t have.

Hwangbo Seong looked at Jegal Chung Ho with an expression full of disgust and spun around.

“If I breathe the same air as this moron, I’ll become an idiot too. Boys! Let’s go!”

It was an outright insult.

Namgung Gwan, who was about to shout something, hesitated for a moment. Jegal Chung Ho had raised his hand to stop him first.

“Why are you getting worked up over something so trivial?”

“Aren’t you angry?”

“Angry? What for. Have you ever seen someone get angry every time a dog barks?”

He truly didn’t seem angry.

Namgung Gwan sighed.

“So So, are you alright?”

“I agree with Brother Jegal! I might be angry for a moment, but it’s not worth remembering. Hmph!”

She was more mature than expected.

Jegal Chung Ho made a fuss again.

Let’s go see the arena where the preliminaries will be held! The tournament is tomorrow, but there are already many merchants who have set up shop!”

“Ah, when Kang Suk comes, let’s move together.”

“Kang Suk will surely come on his own! Let’s go for now! How long should we wait here not knowing when he’ll arrive?”

And so the three people toured the preliminary arena.

Even though it was the day before the tournament, there were quite a lot of people. Though not from all corners of the world, there were hundreds of participants, so they had come early to secure lodging nearby.

“It’s quite lively, though not as much as Wuhan Market Street.”

But the quality of liveliness was different.

If Wuhan Market Street overflowed with vitality, this place had a strange tension amid all the hustle and bustle.

There were definitely many Murim Warriors carrying swords. They were all conscious of each other, and it seemed like fights might break out.

Of course, since warriors from Wudang Sect’s affiliated schools, Flexible Sword Gate and Cloud Sword House, were stationed throughout to prepare for any possible accidents, fights were unlikely to occur.

“Even I’m getting nervous.”

“Aren’t you participating?”

“Me? Why would I?”

“Your skills are outstanding too.”

“That bastard Hwangbo Seong sometimes says the right things. Do people like you also make such empty compliments?”

“It’s not empty talk. Even if your internal power might be lacking, you can execute most of the Jegal family’s delicate martial forms, can’t you?”

“Do people fight with martial forms alone? And I’m not interested in sparring matches to begin with. It’s better to play and eat during that time.”

That’s when it happened.

“So that’s why you abandoned even Yi Yeon Ju and came here?”

“Gasp!”

Jegal Chung Ho, startled, turned around.

There stood a woman.

Despite her modest attire, she somehow looked stylish.

She held a thick book in her hand and wore glasses over her high nose bridge, giving her an intellectual appearance.

With her pale white face and slender body, she was a beauty who was both beautiful and somehow gave off a rigid atmosphere.

Jegal Chung Ho gulped.

“Why are you here?”

“I’ve been here for a month.”

“A, a month?”

“I had things to study dealing with merchant groups.”

“…I see. I didn’t know.”

“Is that the only thing you don’t know?”

Her voice wasn’t particularly cold or indifferent, but it strangely made one feel intimidated.

“Ah! Elder Sister!”

At Namgung So So’s delighted cry, the woman, Jegal Lin, raised her hand.

“It’s been a while, So So.”

“How long has it been? Have you been well?”

“Yes.”

Jegal Lin glanced at Jegal Chung Ho.

Standing there with both hands pressed firmly against his thighs like a borrowed barley sack, he looked like a subordinate soldier standing before his superior.

“Are you going to keep standing like that?”

“Huh? Oh, you mean me?”

“Then who else would I mean?”

“I’m comfortable like this.”

His speech was as stiff as the joints of a wooden puppet. It was completely different from his usual self.

Jegal Lin sighed and turned her gaze to Namgung Gwan.

“It’s been a while, Brother.”

“Have you been well?”

“Haven’t you lost some lifespan dealing with our family’s biggest troublemaker?”

“Just a little bit.”

Jegal Chung Ho made a sound like he was dying.

Jegal Lin glared at Jegal Chung Ho with terrifying eyes.

Though one person looked rather pitiful, they were quite a well-matched pair of siblings. At least they didn’t look at each other like complete strangers.

Namgung Gwan, who had been watching the two with a chuckle, turned his head at the commotion he suddenly felt.

“Hey! Stop eating so much! We need to look around the arena!”

“It’s murderously delicious. Su Hyang, do you want some too?”

“…Give me some first.”

“As expected of my pig Younger Brother.”

“I should just smack this…”

Another familiar yet new pair of siblings revealed themselves.

Namgung Gwan’s face brightened.

“Young Master!”

“Mmm?”

Moyong Bi, who was chewing meat on a skewer, tilted his head.

“Namgung Tongue?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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