Fist Demon of Mount Hua - Chapter 56

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 56. Arrived in Central Plains, yet everything feels unfamiliar—3
When Bang Jin Bo opened his eyes, a beautiful woman was sitting right beside him. His face flushed crimson in an instant. Amused by his bashfulness, Mun Su Gyeong burst into laughter.
“Ho-ho-ho!”
Bang Jin Bo felt awkward and could only scratch his head sheepishly with his fingers.
Mun Su Gyeong spoke to him.
“You must be quite skilled at cooking, aren’t you?”
“Well… I just… enjoy it……”
“That’s impressive. How do you identify all the ingredients just from tasting something once?”
At her compliment, Bang Jin Bo’s face grew even redder. Mun Su Gyeong found his innocent nature increasingly endearing.
“Then you must cook well too?”
“Just a little, I suppose.”
“I’d love to taste something you’ve prepared someday.”
“Of course!”
Bang Jin Bo assumed it was mere politeness. He thought nothing more of it.
Lifting his gaze, he looked at Dam Ho, who was quietly eating beside them. Despite a striking beauty speaking to him right next to his seat, Dam Ho continued his meal in silence—and that struck Bang Jin Bo as utterly typical of him.
Even if lightning struck directly beside him, Dam Ho would probably not blink an eye. That was simply who he was.
Mun Su Gyeong’s voice reached Bang Jin Bo’s ears again.
“Are you heading to Hong Aam Mountain Lodge too?”
“No.”
“Then where?”
“To Dongting Lake.”
“Dongting Lake? Why?”
“Just… there’s someone I need to meet there……”
“Really? I’ve never been to Dongting Lake myself.”
For the first time, a glimmer of envy appeared in Mun Su Gyeong’s eyes.
She had spent her whole life in Gansu Province. While she was content with her life here, that didn’t mean she harbored no longing for other regions.
Dongting Lake was a place so captivating that poets and artists never ceased to visit. For that reason, it was one of the places Mun Su Gyeong had always wanted to see.
Then it happened.
“Sister, enough of this idle chatter.”
Jwa Sang Cheon’s voice pulled her from her reverie.
Displeasure was written plainly across Jwa Sang Cheon’s face. He disliked seeing Mun Su Gyeong chatting so familiarly with that mere lout.
Bang Jin Bo, sensing Jwa Sang Cheon’s mood, spoke to Mun Su Gyeong.
“Then please enjoy your meal, sister.”
“Right! Sorry for interrupting your eating. Enjoy your food.”
“Yes!”
Bang Jin Bo returned his attention to his meal, even forgetting that he’d spoken with Mun Su Gyeong as he savored each flavor.
Meanwhile, roasted duck and bamboo leaf tea were brought to the table where Mun Su Gyeong and Jwa Sang Cheon sat. She paid no further attention to Bang Jin Bo.
Though not as animated as Bang Jin Bo, Dam Ho was nevertheless fully appreciating his food.
At last, the long meal came to an end.
“Wonderful! Delicious.”
Bang Jin Bo set down his chopsticks with a satisfied expression.
“How was it for you, brother?”
“Delicious.”
“Really, wasn’t it? I wonder how they achieve such flavor.”
“Still, the food you make tastes better.”
“Brother?”
Bang Jin Bo’s eyes shone with gratification. He never expected Dam Ho to say something like this at this moment.
“Thank you, brother. I’m grateful you’d say something like that.”
“I don’t speak empty words.”
“I know.”
Bang Jin Bo broke into a broad smile.
“Brother, would it be alright if we stopped by the market tomorrow? I’d like to look around and buy some good ingredients if I find any. Is that okay?”
“Of course.”
Dam Ho nodded and rose from his seat. Bang Jin Bo followed behind him with a smile on his face.
‘Hehe! I wonder what kind of ingredients Nan Zhou has!’
Anticipation and excitement were already building.
Even after returning to their room, Bang Jin Bo couldn’t sit still. He studied the cookbook his father had left behind, working through the night. In the end, Bang Jin Bo stayed awake the entire night with wide eyes.
＊＊＊
The next morning, Dam Ho and Bang Jin Bo left the inn and headed for the market. Bang Jin Bo’s eyes, following behind Dam Ho, were bloodshot with exhaustion. Yet the moment they arrived at the market, his face suddenly came alive as if he’d never been tired at all.
“Wow!”
The street was lined with countless shops, their stalls overflowing with freshly slaughtered meat, strips of jerky hung to cure, and fish brought daily from the nearby lake.
To Bang Jin Bo, it was paradise. He forgot that Dam Ho was even beside him and bolted into the nearest shop.
Bang Jin Bo held up a piece of dark jerky to the shopkeeper.
“What kind of jerky is this?”
“Mutton jerky.”
“You can make jerky from mutton too?”
“Of course! Using our shop’s secret method, we remove the gaminess so it actually tastes better than beef jerky.”
“Really?”
“Want to try a piece?”
“Can I? Seriously?”
“Of course.”
The shopkeeper smiled and tore off a small portion. Bang Jin Bo chewed it slowly, savoring every bite.
“It’s really delicious.”
“Isn’t it?”
“Yes! This is the best jerky I’ve ever tasted.”
“Ha-ha!”
When Bang Jin Bo gave a thumbs up, the shopkeeper’s face broke into a genuine smile. He could feel the boy’s sincerity.
“I’ll take two pieces, please.”
“Done.”
The shopkeeper wrapped the mutton jerky in paper with a grin, rolling it tight. Bang Jin Bo settled his account and tucked the wrapped bundle under his arm.
“Come again next time.”
“I will!”
With an eager reply, Bang Jin Bo hurried to the next shop.
On this stall lay twenty mysterious black objects arranged in a line. Each was no larger than a child’s fist, shriveled and compact, their nature impossible to discern.
“What are these?”
“Dried Sea Cucumbers.”
“So they’re sea cucumbers that have been dried?”
“That’s right. Precious things, they are.”
At the merchant’s words, Bang Jin Bo’s eyes widened.
Sea cucumbers came only from the sea—rare treasures impossible to find in an inland place like this, no matter how deep within civilization.
When sea cucumbers are dried properly in the shade, they become Dried Sea Cucumbers. Well-cured ones retain a flavor nearly as rich as fresh ones and can be stored for years. Yet even so, finding Dried Sea Cucumbers in the interior was no simple matter.
“Wow!”
The exclamation escaped him unbidden.
He’d heard many stories about it from his father Bang Woo Gwang, but this was his first time seeing Dried Sea Cucumbers in person. Now that the treasure he’d only imagined in dreams stood before him, Bang Jin Bo didn’t know what to do with himself.
Bang Jin Bo ventured carefully, “They must be terribly expensive?”
“Of course.”
“How much—”
“. . .”
“Five Silver Taels for one Dried Sea Cucumber.”
“Gasp!”
Bang Jin Bo’s cry of shock escaped unbidden.
Five Silver Taels was equivalent to several months of living expenses for an ordinary family. Even a child as young as Bang Jin Bo knew that.
Bang Jin Bo lost his nerve at the prospect of purchasing them and turned away, crestfallen. But Dam Ho was standing right in front of him.
Dam Ho silently pressed a Bank Note into Bang Jin Bo’s hand—one worth one hundred Silver Taels.
“Brother?”
“Buy them.”
“But it’s too expensive.”
“I’ve given you the money. What you do with it is your choice.”
Dam Ho turned and walked out without waiting for Bang Jin Bo’s reply. Watching his brother’s retreating silhouette, Bang Jin Bo clenched his fists.
“Brother!”
“Are you buying them or not?”
The merchant’s voice called from behind.
Bang Jin Bo spun around sharply.
“I’m buying them. All of them.”
His firm voice resonated through the shop.
When Bang Jin Bo stepped outside, his face was radiant with joy. He could hardly believe he’d found something as precious as Dried Sea Cucumbers in such a remote inland place.
With Dried Sea Cucumbers on hand, he could now attempt dishes he’d never dared to try before.
The mere thought of it filled him with happiness, an emotion that shone plainly across his face.
Bang Jin Bo’s thoughts were easy to read. Dam Ho reflected on this as he glanced back.
By now, the street had filled with a steady flow of passersby.
Bang Jin Bo gazed at Dam Ho with bright, eager eyes.
“I’m hungry, brother.”
And truthfully, he hadn’t eaten breakfast before they’d left, so his stomach was growling.
Dam Ho nodded, and Bang Jin Bo broke into a wide smile, tugging at his sleeve. By now, Bang Jin Bo could read Dam Ho’s intentions from the smallest gesture, the slightest flicker in his eyes.
Dam Ho rarely needed many words. Yet his movements and gaze held far more meaning than speech ever could.
“On the way here, I spotted a stall selling Beef Noodle Soup. The smell was incredible—it must taste amazing. Hehe!”
Bang Jin Bo rubbed his palms together, already anticipating what was to come.
When it came to food, Bang Jin Bo’s senses sharpened dramatically. The moment he’d entered this street, he’d swept his gaze across the countless stalls and instinctively singled out the one most likely to serve something delicious.
Bang Jin Bo headed toward the stall he’d spotted earlier, his face bright with anticipation. But the moment he arrived, confusion flickered across his features.
The broth was simmering vigorously, yet the Old Woman who ran the stall sat with a vacant, defeated expression.
“Grandmother, aren’t you open for business?”
“Open? I should be, but……”
“What’s wrong?”
“My shoulder’s been killing me since this morning.”
The Old Woman kneaded her shoulder. At her age, there was scarcely a part of her that didn’t ache, but until a short while ago, she’d managed. Now the pain had become unbearable. In this state, she couldn’t pull the noodles.
“I’ve had the broth simmering since before dawn……”
The Old Woman sighed.
The day was warm. If she didn’t use all the broth she’d prepared today, it would spoil quickly. For an old woman living hand to mouth, that was a significant loss.
She needed to pull the noodles and prepare various ingredients to run her business, but in her current condition, it was impossible.
Having heard her entire situation, Bang Jin Bo’s expression darkened. Looking at the Old Woman’s troubled face, he found he couldn’t treat her as a stranger.
After glancing back and forth between Dam Ho and the Old Woman for a moment, Bang Jin Bo seemed to reach a decision, his lips pressing together firmly.
“Grandmother.”
“Yes?”
“I’ll prepare the ingredients and pull the noodles for you.”
“You?”
“Yes!”
“How could you possibly……?”
“Despite appearances, I know my way around Cooking a little. If you teach me, I can do it.”
“Still……”
The Old Woman hesitated.
Bang Jin Bo turned to look at Dam Ho.
“Brother, I want to help Grandmother. Is that all right?”
Dam Ho nodded silently, and a radiant smile blossomed across Bang Jin Bo’s face.
The Old Woman eventually relented. In her current predicament, she needed all the hands she could get.
Bang Jin Bo rolled up his sleeves and stepped forward.
“What should I start with?”
“First, you need to pull the noodles.”
“What about the dough?”
“Look under the counter—there’ll be a large bucket. The prepared dough is in there.”
“Wow! This is really chewy. Just flour alone wouldn’t have this texture.”
“That’s right! I mix a little cornmeal into it.”
“So that’s why it has this color. I never knew. How did you ever figure that out?”
“Oh, just picked it up through trial and error over the years. Nothing special, really.”
Bang Jin Bo and the Old Woman chatted warmly as they worked, like a true grandchild and grandmother.
Dam Ho watched them silently, saying nothing.
There was nothing for him to do here. Only to observe.
Following the Old Woman’s guidance, Bang Jin Bo began pulling the noodles.
Vitality radiated from his expression, his eyes gleaming—as if light were emanating from his very body.

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