Moorim Pochang - Chapter 44

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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 44. Pregnancy.

Ah….
Even the spectators watching from the sidelines let out gasps of admiration.
Yet again, Gang Jo simply shifted his body movement slightly to the side, dodging Eon So-ryong’s strike.
Crack..!
The moment Eon So-ryong’s foot touched the ground, his body tumbled across it.
“This…this bastard…!”
Rolling on the floor, he twisted his face in fury and pushed himself upright.
A red handprint was stamped across his cheek.
Wheeeee…….
Enraged, Eon So-ryong charged forward without hesitation.
Just as his fist was about to drive into Gang Jo’s face, his head snapped backward.
Gaack…!
Gang Jo, having lifted his chin with a heel strike, drove his body in and raked his palm across Eon So-ryong’s cheek.
Crack…!
Eon So-ryong tumbled to the ground once more.
Gaack…
As he rolled, blood mixed with spittle spilled from his mouth.
The hall fell silent.
How could a master acknowledged even by the Sleeping Dragon Association lose to an innkeeper?
The spectators could not believe what they were witnessing.
“He’s more formidable than I’d anticipated.”
Even Baek Mun-do could not suppress his admiration.
It was difficult to gauge the full extent of Gang Jo’s martial prowess from this exchange alone.
Yet he had subdued his opponent with nothing but economical movements.
They were not flashy, but devastatingly practical.
Chuckle, chuckle, chuckle….
“Didn’t this old fool tell you? That fellow is no easy mark.”
Sin Pung-gae watched Gang Jo with gleaming eyes.
Then Baek Ha-yeong suddenly burst in.
“Disaster……! The enemy has attacked……!”
Murim Alliance warriors hurried in behind her with urgent reports.
“A fierce battle is raging at the Grassfield……!”
Wheeeee………..
The moment the warriors finished their report, Baek Won-yeong deployed his Body Movement technique.

*

He had to escape to the Murim Alliance at all costs.
But the enemy had already cut off his escape route.
Gasp…heave…
Yang Jeong raised his sword with heavy, ragged breathing.
It seemed his life would end here.
Wounds already marked his chest and leg, making flight nearly impossible.
‘I wanted to wander the Martial World with you, to live quietly….’
If this moment was to be his last, he wished to meet it with some measure of dignity.
“Come on………..!”
As he raised his voice with a ringing shout, Yeo Hwa laughed.
Ho ho ho…….
“So you’ve finally accepted death? Still, you held out quite long.”
Her eyes gleamed with a pale blue light as she moved her Willow Leaf Blade.
Truly a remarkable one.
His Lightness Technique was so swift that she’d struggled to keep pace.
Moreover, his Sword Technique was respectable—she hadn’t been able to cut him down easily.
Crash…!
The moment her blade met the Willow Leaf Blade, she caught sight of Yang Jeong’s profile.
‘It’s over.’
The Willow Leaf Blade drove toward his throat.
But once again, the sword’s edge blocked it.
‘Again?’
Bang!
Yang Jeong was flung backward along with his blade.
In that instant, Yeo Hwa pursued his retreating form and slashed at his waist.
Or rather, she tried to.
“Damn it!”
Something hurtled toward her, and its force was far from ordinary.
Crash!
Yeo Hwa spun her body, deflecting the incoming force.
The moment the Willow Leaf Blade met it, the dark sword’s edge rebounded.
Immediately after, another blade bored through her guard.
Crash! Bang!
As she parried the blade driving at her entire frame, the attacker’s face came into view.
“Baek Won-yeong.”
She faced him with an unruffled expression.
How much time had passed since they’d parted? And he’d changed so drastically.
Sensing the internal power contained in his blade, she realized this was not the Baek Won-yeong of a short while ago.
“Must have had a stroke of fortune?”
Yeo Hwa smiled faintly and shifted her body movement.
Crash! Bang!
Each time the Willow Leaf Blade clashed with his sword, Baek Won-yeong staggered back under the impact.
Yet Yeo Hwa found herself unable to finish him so easily.
A soft laugh escaped her.
She retreated, propelling herself backward with a flourish of her technique.
“Mun-do’s here as well?”
“So we meet again.”
Baek Mun-do stepped forward with overwhelming presence.
A sharp intake of breath.
Yeo Hwa’s eyes swept across the grounds with profound displeasure.
‘That accursed bastard.’
She glared at Yang Jeong with eyes full of irritation.
He lay sprawled across the Grassfield, gasping for breath.
‘If only I’d disposed of that wretched creature quickly enough.’
But he had proven far too stubborn, and now everything had unraveled.
“Your neck is mine.”
Yeo Hwa raised the Willow Leaf Blade, pointing it at Baek Mun-do.
A piercing whistle cut through the air.
Without hesitation, she moved through her technique and vanished.
Ah.
“I’m alive.”
The moment she disappeared, Yang Jeong exhaled a sigh of relief.

*

Gang Jo retrieved his fallen blade from the grass.
The innkeeper had to stay and guard the inn, after all.
It was his failing that trouble had struck the moment he’d stepped away.
“Brother. I thought I was done for.”
As Gang Jo approached, Yang Jeong rose and spoke as though he’d narrowly escaped death.
Hahahaha.
Baek Mun-do laughed at his antics.
“You don’t seem to be badly wounded?”
Baek Won-yeong examined Yang Jeong’s body, checking for injuries.
“What are you saying, brother? I thought I was a goner—but I’m fine, truly.”
Catching sight of Baek Ha-yeong, he quickly straightened his manner.
“Are you all right? Yang So-hyeop.”
“Wounds of this degree are nothing to me, Miss Baek.”
Sigh……
Gang Jo shook his head slowly.
The man would probably maintain that ridiculous composure even in his final moments, so long as there were women nearby.
Heh heh heh……
Baek Won-yeong chuckled softly, as if he’d never been tense at all.
“Shall we summon a physician from the Murim Alliance to tend to your wounds?”
At Baek Mun-do’s question, Yang Jeong bowed deeply.
“No, Alliance Lord. Wounds of this degree are nothing at all.”
In truth, he wanted nothing more than to see a physician.
But if he went into the Murim Alliance, Sin Pung-gae would surely corner him there.
Even from a distance, Sin Pung-gae’s eyes were gleaming brightly.
Baek Mun-do nodded and turned to Gang Jo.
“You’ve won your match against Eon So-ryong. Now go and rest.”
“Thank you.”
Gang Jo gave him a slight bow as well.
“Take good care of him, will you?”
Baek Won-yeong handed over the sword sheath, his concern evident for Yang Jeong.
“If the wound were truly fatal, he wouldn’t be standing.”
Gang Jo accepted the sheath and slid the Dark Sword into it.
“Are you sure you’re all right? Yang?”
Ha ha ha……
“What man would complain of such a trifling wound?”
At Baek Ha-yeong’s concern, Yang Jeong flashed a bright smile.
“Let’s go, Samryong.”
Ha ha……
“Brother, you really……”
Gang Jo turned and led the way with his Body Movement, while Yang Jeong followed awkwardly, forcing a smile.

*

“Brother, this is killing me.”
“Shut your mouth, you bastard!”
Gang Jo snapped as he applied Gold Wound Medicine to Yang Jeong’s body.
“I really am in pain, brother.”
“Does complaining make it hurt less?”
“It seems I won’t be able to work for quite some time with this injury.”
“Fine, fine—just keep quiet.”
Yang Jeong’s eyes drifted toward the kitchen.
“I think a bit of wine would give me strength……”
Ah……
“This bastard……”
Exasperated, Gang Jo stood up abruptly.
Normally he would have beaten him senseless.
But with the man injured like this, he couldn’t do much.
Gang Jo went into the kitchen and took out the remaining Snow Ginseng from the storage jar.
He placed it on the cutting board and sliced it thin.
“Here, eat this.”
“Thank you, brother.”
Yang Jeong eagerly accepted and ate the Snow Ginseng Gang Jo handed him.
“Give me a little more, please.”
“Later.”
“You promised, brother.”
“All right, you devil.”

*

From the very next day, Yang Jeong did absolutely nothing.
He simply sat at the table, talking endlessly.
“If it weren’t for brother leaving the inn unguarded, I wouldn’t be suffering like this. So please, keep the inn properly. What happens to an inn when its owner abandons it?”
“Stop your prattling and go give the horses in the Stable some feed.”
“My body is aching, so for the time being it seems I shall have to leave the horses’ feeding to you.”
“Then starve to death.”
Only then did he force himself to rise.
“If you keep moving about like that, your wounds will reopen….”
Yang Jeong grumbled all the way to the Stable as he walked.
Only once he had vanished did Gang Jo reclaim his composure.
“Ah… what an irritating bastard.”
But that peace did not last long.
Yang Jeong, who had complained of body aches, came rushing back at full speed.
“Sir, my horse is behaving strangely.”
Gang Jo’s anger finally erupted, and he fixed Yang Jeong with a murderous glare.
“You’re dead.”
“I’m telling you it really is strange! Why are you suddenly so ill-tempered with me?”
Under ordinary circumstances, he would have fled by now.
But Yang Jeong did not move at all.
At this, Gang Jo released his clenched fists.
“It better not be a lie. You’ll die if it is.”
Just as Gang Jo was leaving the kitchen, Baek Won-yeong was crossing the stone bridge.
“All well?”
“Welcome, sir.”
Yang Jeong, who had seemed perfectly fine, suddenly limped forward to greet him.
“Welcome, sir.”
Gang Jo also offered his greeting.
“I brought some medicine. The Murim Alliance physician prepared it himself, so it will work wonders.”
Baek Won-yeong handed him the Gold Wound Medicine and Strengthening Tonic he was carrying.
“Thank you, sir. There’s no one like you.”
Yang Jeong, who had been flattering him, set the Gold Wound Medicine and Strengthening Tonic on the table.
“Is there some other urgent matter?”
“Well, it’s that my horse has been acting rather strange.”
“Really? Then we ought to go check on it right away.”
The three of them hurried toward the Stable.
As they reached the Stable and tried to enter, the stallion blocked their way.
“Look at this—doesn’t he fail to recognize even his own master?”
Yang Jeong’s words were not without merit.
The stallion stood guard before the Stable entrance, barring passage to anyone who tried to enter.
“This damned beast….”
When Gang Jo raised his hand, the stallion’s spirit flagged and he retreated slightly, yet still would not give way.
“Wait.”
Baek Won-yeong, who had been examining the mare closely, raised his hand to stop them.
“Why, sir?”
At Yang Jeong’s question, Baek Won-yeong smiled.
“If I’m not mistaken, the mare appears to be pregnant.”
Only then did Gang Jo and Yang Jeong examine the mare’s belly.
As he had said, the mare’s abdomen did appear somewhat swollen.
Ha ha…..
Yang Jeong approached the stallion with a bright smile on his face.
“So your mate is with foal, is she? Now that you know I understand, step aside.”
Only then did the stallion back away and clear the path.
‘What a clever horse.’
Baek Won-yeong could not help but admire the stallion’s behavior in his heart.
The stallion had clearly blocked its master’s way to alert him to the mare’s pregnancy.
“From now on, make sure to provide good hay and feed.”
At Gang Jo’s words, Yang Jeong stroked the mare’s head.
“Have no worry, sir. I shall care for her well until she bears her foal.”

*

Mo Yong-se was hurrying toward the Murim Alliance.
‘Had I remained with the Murim Alliance, I could have achieved great merit. What a shame.’
He had entered Baek Mun-do’s school around the same time as Yeon Ja-seol.
With a striking appearance and formidable martial prowess, he had earned a reputation not only within the Murim Alliance but throughout the entire Martial World.
As he hurried along the road, he spotted a merchant caravan under attack.
Some thirty martial artists had surrounded the caravan and were engaged in a massacre.
Krkrkr……
“Kill them all and seize the horses and carriages….!”
Ughhhh…….!
Gahhh….!
By now, considerable time had passed, and only a handful of merchants and guards remained alive.
‘An opportunity to elevate my name,’ he thought.
Mo Yong-se wasted no time, launching into swift Body Movement.
Kraaahhh……..!
Ahhh…!
Each time his blade flashed, enemies’ heads flew and chests split open.
Yet this rabble was not composed solely of weak martial artists.
From all sides, swords and sabers came rushing toward him.
Clang……..! Crash……!
Sparks erupted each time the weapons clashed.
But that resistance lasted only moments.
Slice…slice..
His blade severed one enemy throat after another.
Soon the attackers began to scatter in retreat.
“Run for it….!”
They lowered their weapons and fled in haste.
Hahahah…….
“I am Mo Yong-se………….!”
He shouted after the fleeing enemies.
His reputation would rise further still.
But those who fled did not escape far.
As if struck by lightning, they suddenly tumbled to the ground in unison.
Whoooosh……….
And a man with a Long Spear in his grip materialized in their place.
His face was covered entirely with black tattoos.
“So you’re Mo Yong-se?”

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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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