Dokmaeuiseon - Chapter 101

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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 101

 

 

The result of the sparring.

Neither of them spoke of it.

It was hard to even guess. The state of both, disheveled from being pushed back by the sword wind, looked no different from the outside.

In the end, what remained were internal injuries.

Both of them didn’t show these either.

 

‘With swords, it’s a draw.’

‘Interesting. Since the Poison Demon Physician only drew his sword and it ended, is it my defeat?’

 

They didn’t voice the victory and defeat they had decided in their hearts.

However, this was enough.

Regardless of the sparring result, the destructive power of what both had shown was tremendous.

The rumors spreading from Anhui Province would elevate both their reputations.

With this, there would be no one left to obstruct Jung Myeong’s activities.

There would be even fewer to obstruct the activities of the Namgung Family, who claimed to be the masters of Anhui.

Such was the situation that had been created.

 

‘It’s unexpected that the Namgung Family would step forward this earnestly. But everything worked out well.’

 

A satisfying situation for Jung Myeong as well.

Perhaps Namgung Cheol knew this too.

As soon as the sparring ended, he led the group to a grand inn.

To the center of a drinking table that seemed to have been prepared in advance.

 

“Hahahahahaha!”

 

He pulled Jung Myeong close beside him and laughed heartily.

The atmosphere quickly became warm with the Heon-ang Sword’s heroic appearance.

Everyone exchanged drinks and became thoroughly immersed in the atmosphere.

Jung Myeong enjoyed this from the center of the gathering.

 

‘It should be about time now.’

 

He felt the time had ripened.

He turned his head to find the person he wanted.

And just then, his eyes met with that person.

It was Namgung Yeon.

 

[See, didn’t the situation turn out just as I thought?]

[You predicted this far ahead?]

[Of course not. But I knew it would result in such a situation, didn’t I?]

[Even if it hadn’t worked out, you would have made it work anyway.]

[Perhaps so.]

 

He had made a promise with her.

Despite bearing the surname Namgung, he had promised to create a connection for her who couldn’t connect with the Namgung Family.

Wouldn’t now be the perfect opportunity?

 

[Come, come over here. It’s time to keep my promise.]

 

Jung Myeong arranged a place and called Namgung Yeon over.

After quite some time had passed, Namgung Cheol laughed even louder, saying he had found his lost younger sister.

 

 

* * *

 

 

It was like a banquet atmosphere.

Boisterous laughter echoed from all around. Stories about the cultivation levels seen in the earlier sparring bloomed like flowers.

Stories that any martial artist would inevitably be drawn into.

However, there were always a few who withdrew from such stories.

Jung Myeong was briefly one of them.

To give Namgung Yeon some time, he had stepped outside for a moment.

There was an unexpected woman outside.

 

“Why are you here?”

“I’m not particularly fond of such gatherings.”

 

It was the Haomun Branch Leader.

Only boredom remained on her expression.

The commotion inside must be quite a familiar scene to her.

 

“Huh. Don’t you make big money from such occasions?”

“That’s right. That’s exactly why I don’t like them.”

“Ah. I understand.”

 

The reason was quite understandable.

 

“Yes. I’m different from someone who enjoys their work.”

“You’re particularly cynical today.”

“There are days like that.”

“Days like that…”

 

It was a face that seemed to have some story behind it.

 

‘I suppose everyone has their circumstances.’

 

There was something there. But he didn’t ask.

If she wanted to talk about it, she would have brought it up first.

 

“…”

“…”

 

A brief silence was created.

She was the one who broke the silence between the two who seemed to be enjoying it.

 

“Aren’t you curious why I followed along?”

“Who knows?”

“If you’re asking me to guess….”

“I won’t guess.”

“Ah. As expected. You’re really no fun at all.”

“Hey. I think I’ve provided quite a bit of entertainment? Didn’t you earn a lot from the commission?”

“…Tsk.”

 

The Branch Leader clicked her tongue softly.

 

‘Should I try asking once?’

 

She could always say no.

In truth, Jung Myeong was also curious about why she had followed him.

From Hangzhou to this place.

Even while following him, she hadn’t properly explained her reasons for coming along.

He should have opened up that topic.

But in the end, he couldn’t bring it to a conclusion.

 

‘Man-am-gun’s appearance prevented me from finishing the conversation.’

 

So for the past few days, he had been looking for an opportunity.

But it was difficult to get a chance to speak with her alone.

That opportunity had come now.

Was there any reason he couldn’t ask now?

Jung Myeong asked her what she seemed to want him to ask.

 

“Well then, since you seem to want me to ask, I’ll ask. What did you come here to gain?”

“What I want, you ask.”

 

The answer that came from her was quite unexpected.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“Half amusement. Half exploration.”

 

Amusement. He could understand the reason for that.

 

‘Did she want to leave Hangzhou?’

 

That Hao Gate Branch Leader.

Her background itself was more unclear than it appeared.

It was certain she was from Hao Gate, but nothing else about her was known.

There were rumors that she was known as a courtesan named Yeonhwa.

 

‘But they were just rumors.’

 

When he looked into it, there was no one who knew if she had actually worked in that capacity.

There was no known record of her working as a pickpocket or thief either.

There was even less known about her as a martial artist.

However, all martial artists in Hangzhou feared her. Because almost no one who had crossed that Branch Leader had survived.

Such a woman’s amusement. It wasn’t incomprehensible.

What was truly incomprehensible was something else.

 

“If it’s exploration, what are you exploring? Other branches would provide information, so there shouldn’t be anything about Anhui that you wouldn’t know.”

“I wouldn’t be curious about Anhui. It’s not my first time here.”

“I see.”

 

What exactly was she trying to explore?

Even regarding Heon-ang Sword, with whom they had just shared drinks, she would know more than he did.

The same went for Anhui’s Murim.

Nothing could escape her notice.

 

‘Even if she didn’t know something, she would quickly find out. If she wanted to.’

 

That was the kind of person she was.

So the fact that her purpose was exploration was what bothered him.

He wanted an answer.

But instead of answering, she stared intently at Jung Myeong.

 

“Hmm….”

 

It was a blatant gaze.

 

“Don’t tell me it’s me?”

“That’s right.”

“Ha. Following me all this way just to explore me. Does that make sense?”

 

The Branch Leader sent him a look that said it was only natural.

 

“That’s what I have to do. Even Namgung Yeon doesn’t know what’s in the Physician’s heart, so shouldn’t I find out somehow?”

“How complicated indeed.”

“What can I do when my affiliation is what it is.”

“Is there even a reason for that?”

 

Wasn’t she more persistent than expected?

No matter how much Jung Myeong was a Super Peak Level martial artist and a rising star.

 

‘Hmm. It does feel like I’m gilding my own face.’

 

While he might draw attention, he didn’t think he was someone worth a Branch Leader personally seeking out.

 

‘But what reason could there be to go this far?’

 

As he was thinking this.

Perhaps reading his gaze.

The Branch Leader, who had been about to leave, smiled and told him.

 

“You two aren’t the only ones who know about the conversation with Black Point, you know?”

 

In those casually spoken words, all the reasons were contained.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Watching her withdraw, Jung Myeong paused for a moment.

 

‘I’ve been had.’

 

Of course, there was no way she wouldn’t know about the conversation with Black Point.

Even if they changed the ferry dock where the ship docked, the matter itself had been conducted on a large scale.

What mattered was the content of that conversation.

 

‘How much has she figured out? No, in this case, it would be more accurate to think about how much she has deduced.’

 

Quanzhen Sect. Quanzhen Religion. Vital Point Training.

Gyeom Gwang-ja’s desire that he learned about while various places were entangled.

 

‘They were extremely personal stories though.’

 

To think that she had deduced all of those personal stories.

Would it be excessive to think that way?

 

‘Rationally speaking, that’s not right, but.’

 

His intuition kept telling him.

That she knows.

Then in the end, it’s back to square one.

 

‘She would have known from long ago that Gyeom Gwang-ja had the greed to interfere with Vital Point Training. Maybe she knows about Jeon Jin too. Then what she doesn’t know is ultimately me?’

 

In the end, going round and round, it’s Jung Myeong.

She must have shown the unprecedented move of accompanying him all the way to Anhui Province to understand him.

 

‘This trip to Anhui must have been quite a risky move.’

 

It meant she wanted to know about Jung Myeong that much.

 

‘Is it necessary to go to such lengths?’

 

He wondered if Jung Myeong himself was worth putting in that much effort.

But that choice was hers to make, so it wasn’t his place to interfere.

Rather, there was one thing he needed to worry about.

 

‘Following Gyeom Gwang-ja, now the Haomun Branch Leader. Then… more people than I thought might know.’

 

That more people than expected would be grasping the situation.

As many people knew.

Unlike before, the game would grow larger.

 

‘This is getting big.’

 

Jung Myeong felt keenly that he needed to move faster than before.

That didn’t mean he was scared or anything.

 

‘I just need to take the lead.’

 

The seeds he had already sown would be moving.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Jung Myeong. He was no longer someone who moved alone.

In Hangzhou, where he had arrived as a Gangho Physician, the seeds he had planted were large and numerous.

That was people.

Among them, the one who stubbornly grew on his own and extended his branches, Gal Tae-gyeong.

He too moved urgently.

 

‘While the Physician is drawing all attention to himself, I must finish this with lightning speed.’

 

Taking advantage of this moment when Jung Myeong was drawing all attention from Anhui and Hangzhou, he visited a quiet manor at the edge of Hangzhou for the first time in fifteen years.

Seeing him, a young servant who had been sweeping the floor with a broom was startled and hurriedly went inside.

After that, the quiet manor became noisy.

 

“Ahem…”

 

It wasn’t to welcome Gal Tae-gyeong.

They were running away to avoid him.

It was a strange scene, but.

Gal Tae-gyeong entered inside with his head held high as if he was used to it.

The manor owner was looking at him while holding a tea cup.

What he held in his hand was a tea set, but only the scent of alcohol, not tea, wafted strongly.

 

“Hmph. What business brings you here, when you left saying you disliked me?”

“Does one need a reason to visit a fellow disciple?”

“Oh my. Such shamelessness? Hey? I haven’t told you to sit yet, have I?”

“Hmm…”

 

On the opposite side, Gal Tae-gyeong stubbornly took his seat.

This was Gal Tae-gyeong who would usually get angry if someone found this much fault with him.

However, he only cleared his throat and said nothing more.

 

“You’ve changed, haven’t you?”

—————
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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