Moorim Pochang - Chapter 70

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

Chapter 70. The Meaning of the Short Sword.

Clang-clang-clang……..! Clash……….!
Ja-seol and Dok-go Eun continued their fierce exchange, blade meeting blade.
“Let’s call it here for today.”
The moment Ja-seol lowered her sword and stepped back, Dok-go Eun did the same.
“Did you eat something nourishing at the Guest Inn? You’re brimming with energy.”
Dok-go Eun studied Ja-seol with suspicious eyes.
After crossing blades dozens of times, she knew her technique and strength well.
But this woman returning from the Guest Inn was somehow different.
Her moves flowed without hesitation, and ease radiated from her composure.
“I suppose I was well rested. The excess energy came from that, I think.”
Ja-seol kept what had happened at the Guest Inn to herself.
Of course she wouldn’t tell her senior master, and especially not Dok-go Eun, about what had transpired there.
Yet Dok-go Eun was no dull observer.
“Is that so? Then I should spend a few days resting there myself.”
“By all means. Though I suspect it won’t come cheap.”
“That’s hardly a concern.”
Dok-go Eun smiled coldly and turned to leave first, her Body Technique carrying her away.
Ja-seol watched her disappear before turning to go as well.
‘This is suffocating.’
She had returned to the Murim Alliance, yet it felt different from before.
Once, she had thrown herself into martial cultivation without a second thought.
But now the towering pagodas felt constricting, and even her own sword seemed to grate against her somehow.
She sought out Baek Won-yeong, who was practicing his martial arts.
“Master, would you spare me a Martial Sparring?”
He stopped his practice and turned to face her.
“Your body still doesn’t seem fully recovered.”
“I’m fine. This time, I’d like to use my Inner Energy too.”
At Ja-seol’s request, Baek Won-yeong showed a flicker of surprise.
But he nodded gently and smiled softly.
“Don’t push yourself too hard. Your senior sister will be furious.”
“You worry about the strangest things.”
Baek Won-yeong and Ja-seol stepped into the center of the practice grounds.
The disciples training there immediately withdrew to a distance.
Dok-go Il and Dok-go Eun also watched the two of them, standing with the Seong-ma Order members.
Shing..
The moment Ja-seol drew her blade, Sword Energy enveloped it.
‘Her Sword Energy is remarkably natural.’
Baek Won-yeong drew his own sword, inwardly impressed.
Shing..

*

Clang-clang-clang……! Clash…….!
Kang Jo’s blade and Yang Jung’s blade met briskly, then parted.
“Elder brother, we should prepare the grass for the horses now.”
Yang Jung didn’t want to continue sparring with Kang Jo.
He always lost whenever they fought.
But Kang Jo thought otherwise.
‘That’s his problem right there.’
When he lacked true desperation, he couldn’t display his full strength.
“I can’t protect you forever. So stop thinking about playing and get back to cultivating your martial arts.”
“I’ll stay by your side for life, so there’s nothing to worry about.”
Yang Jung wasn’t entirely carefree either.
He was practicing Concealment Art, and soon he’d be able to hide his presence like the professional assassins.
Kang Jo had all but given up by now.
No matter how much he lectured, that idiot never changed.
“What will you do if you encounter enemies out in the village?”
“Then naturally I’ll have to escape using my Lightness Skill, sir.”
“And if the enemies are faster at Lightness Skill than you are?”
“That’s why I’m training in the Concealment Art, brother.”
The more he talked with this fool, the more his temper frayed.
Why on earth would he abandon such excellent martial arts to train in the Concealment Art of assassins?
“Do as you please, you damned fool.”
“Why are you angry? I’m working hard at it, aren’t I, brother?”
Sigh.
Kang Jo headed toward the Guest Inn, trying to soothe his roiling frustration.
He had to begin preparing dinner soon.
Yet his footsteps grew heavier as he walked.
“Welcome.”
Someone sat before the dining table, and on it lay three pheasants, already cleaned and ready.
“I stopped by on my way. Roast them for me with just salt.”
Kang Jo quietly gathered up the three pheasants.
“Did you cut down Gwang-ak?”
“I don’t know who Gwang-ak is.”
“The scrawny one carrying Dual Swords—you didn’t cut him down?”
“If that’s Gwang-ak, then yes, I cut him down.”
Cheol-goe nodded.
His suspicion had been right.
Among the young masters of the Murim Alliance, no one else could have felled Gwang-ak.
“Have you come for revenge?”
“Revenge? I have no interest in that wretch’s death.”
At his words, Kang Jo carried the pheasants to the kitchen.
As he rubbed salt into the flesh, it dissolved and seeped inward.
Kang Jo lit the fire in the hearth and threaded the meat onto an iron spit.
“Has Yeob-hwa not returned again?”
“No, I’m still waiting as well.”
Hehehehe…
Cheol-goe laughed.
He understood the meaning beneath those words.

*

When the pheasant was nearly done cooking, Yang Jung appeared, grumbling.
“The sickle’s teeth have worn down, and the grass won’t cut properly, brother.”
“Then buy a new one. Or use one of the swords in your room and cut the grass with that.”
“I’ll buy a new sickle tomorrow when I go to the village, or… eh?”
Yang Jung recognized Cheol-goe and fell silent mid-sentence.
He scurried over to Kang Jo’s side.
“Why have you come again?”
He whispered the question, and Cheol-goe, seated at the table, answered.
“I came for a meal.”
“Ah… yes. Welcome.”
Yang Jung greeted him after checking the mood.
“It’s ready.”
Once the pheasant was fully roasted, Kang Jo placed them in a large wooden bowl and set it out.
Cheol-goe then rubbed his palm against his clothes and tore off a pheasant leg.
The moment he tore it, the juices ran out.
‘There’s no place quite like this Guest Inn.’
Whenever he caught pheasant, he would seek out the nearest inn.
But he had never seen an inn that roasted meat as well as this one.
Crunch, crunch…
Cheol-goe shoved the pheasant leg into his mouth.
As he began to eat, Yang Jung pulled a Short Sword from his waist.
The sickle’s teeth had worn down, so he’d been using this Short Sword instead, and now grass stains had seeped into the blade.
While Yang Jung polished his short sword, Kang Jo stepped outside to greet the visitors.
“Welcome.”
Yang Jung quickly set down the blade he’d been working on and joined in the greeting.
“Welcome.”
The visitors were none other than the Dok-go siblings and several young skilled personnel from the Seong-ma Order.
Originally only the Dok-go siblings had planned to visit the Guest Inn, but a handful of talented individuals had attached themselves to the group, so they all arrived together.
“It’s been a while.”
Dok-go Eun offered Kang Jo a subtle smile.
The moment Kang Jo saw that smile, her mother’s face rose unbidden in his mind.
That languid, seductive curve of the lips was uncannily similar to her mother’s.
“It has indeed.”
Dok-go Il’s tone was identical to Dok-go Yeop’s.
“It’s been some time, Minor Chivalrous One Kang.”
The younger members of the group bowed respectfully.
“Please, come in.”
As they entered the Guest Inn, they noticed a man already seated and eating.
Nearly in unison, they drew their weapons.
Clang.
A face covered entirely in black tattoos.
There was no need for anyone to tell them—this was unmistakably a master from Hyeol-gyo.
Cheol-goe, who had been eating, glanced at them once.
Recognizing Dok-go Il and Dok-go Eun, he spoke with casual indifference.
“So Yeop’s children have come. You’ll come to no harm here, so eat your fill in peace.”
“How dare you—!”
One of the angry young skilled personnel from the Seong-ma Order moved to hurl his blade.
But Kang Jo stepped in front of him first.
“No fighting in this establishment.”
Dok-go Il raised his hand to hold back the young man as well.
“Since he’s shown us restraint first, we can hardly draw steel on him, can we?”
Chuckle, chuckle, chuckle.
At his words, Cheol-goe laughed.
“You take after Yeop greatly.”
His laughter faded, and he turned his head back to tearing into his meat.
Dok-go Il and Dok-go Eun seated themselves where they had a clear view of him.
The Seong-ma Order’s skilled personnel had no choice but to lower their weapons.
“What do we have today?”
Dok-go Eun asked, her gaze fixed on Cheol-goe with eyes as cold as winter frost.
“Braised pheasant noodles.”
“Bring that then. And wine.”

*

While Kang Jo cooked, Yang Jung carried out seasoned vegetables on a wooden plate along with wine.
“Enjoy your meal.”
Until that moment, Dok-go Eun had been glaring at Cheol-goe, but now she smiled faintly.
The other man paid her no mind whatsoever, so fretting over him alone was foolish.
“Come, let’s drink.”
But the skilled personnel’s attention remained entirely fixed on Cheol-goe.
So much so that they had no time to regard Yang Jung with disapproval.
Having quickly disposed of one pheasant, Cheol-goe turned to Kang Jo.
“When will the food be ready?”
“Why do you ask?”
“I’ll have another bird left over, so come sit in front once the cooking’s done.”
“Take your time with your meal.”
Kang Jo accepted the words easily, without hesitation.
Dok-go Il and Dok-go Eun exchanged puzzled glances at him.
Had he not recently engaged in a blood feud with this master covered in tattoos, cutting him down?
So how could he now converse with the man so naturally?
“Eating alone is tedious. Come quickly.”
At Cheol-goe’s urging, Kang Jo turned to Yang Jung.
“You sit down and eat in my place.”
“Me……me, sir?”
Yang Jung hesitated.
No matter how beautiful Dok-go Il’s daughter might be watching, sitting in that seat felt impossible.
Ha ha………
He forced out a bright laugh and shook his head.
“It doesn’t seem like a fitting place for someone like me, sir.”
‘I shouldn’t have said that.’
Kang Jo hurried with the cooking.
Yang Jung watched Cheol-goe’s expression, then picked up a short sword and wiped it with cloth.
But that short sword caught Dok-go Il’s eye.
Hm..
He was a man who rarely showed a flicker of reaction to ordinary matters, but this time was different.
“That short sword……how did it come to be there?”
Dok-go Eun turned her head as well.
Her eyes, upon spotting the short sword, trembled fiercely like a sailboat caught in a storm.
“Why are you……carrying that short sword?”
Only then did the skilled personnel recognize Yang Jung’s short sword.
Gasp…..
Ah…
Stifled gasps escaped from the lips of the skilled personnel.

*

As the Dok-go siblings and the Ma-gyo’s skilled personnel reacted in shock, Cheol-goe showed interest as well.
‘It’s the short sword that Dok-go Yeop held dear.’
It had been only brief, but he had glimpsed that short sword once before.
However, he hadn’t understood its significance and had thought nothing more of it.
“It seems Yeop came to this place.”
Yang Jung still hadn’t grasped the situation properly.
The short sword was merely something he’d received as payment for drinks.
On top of that, he’d used this short sword to cut grass blades, and his brother had even dug at the ground with it.
“Yes, sir. He left it as payment for the drinks.”
At his answer, Dok-go Eun’s eyebrows rose sharply.
“He handed over something like that to you for mere drink money?”
The air, already cold, became unbearably frigid.
The young skilled personnel of the Seong-ma Order stared at Yang Jung with faces as if they might devour him on the spot.
Only then did Yang Jung quietly conceal the short sword.
“If you wish, I will return it.”
Kang Jo broke the murderous atmosphere, bringing out pheasant noodles and stepping outside.
As the pheasant noodles were placed on the table, Dok-go Eun smiled coldly.
“That short sword is not something you can simply return as you please.”
“Then there’s nothing to be done. Please, enjoy your meal.”
After placing all the pheasant noodles on the table, Kang Jo walked over to Cheol-goe’s table and sat facing him.
“Won’t you have some wine? I could offer you a bottle free of charge.”
Chuckle chuckle chuckle……..
“I’m grateful, but I’d prefer to decline.”
Cheol-goe laughed and picked up some meat.
The reason he came to this place was partly for the taste, but mainly because his heart felt at ease here.
There was no other place in the world where someone treated him so comfortably as this Guest Inn.
Kang Jo tore off a pheasant leg and handed one to Yang Jung.
“Eat.”
Yang Jung approached carefully and quickly took the pheasant leg.
“You two have a good bond.”
“Apart from him, I have no real family to speak of.”
Kang Jo received his words with ease.
Though he had become sworn brothers with Baek Won-yeong, that bond was not yet deep.
“Has Hyeol-je ever visited this place?”
Cheol-goe continued speaking as he tore at the pheasant leg.
“I don’t know who Hyeol-je is.”
“That fat bastard.”
Ah……
It was only then that Kang Jo realized who Hyeol-je was.
“The pig-faced brute did come looking for me, yes.”
Krkrkrkrk…………….
He couldn’t suppress his laughter at Kang Jo’s answer.
In all the world, Hyeol-je was surely the only one who could be called such a thing by this man standing before him.

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