Moorim Pochang - Chapter 71

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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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Chapter 71. The Target of Seongma-dan.

Hyeol-je was not the only master in Gangho bold enough to call him a pig of a man—Kang Jo bore that distinction as well.
Yang Jung, who had been listening quietly until now, raised his voice in indignation.
“That pig destroyed the Guest Inn twice.”
They had rebuilt the same structure three times over.
Two of those reconstructions were because that swine had torn it down.
On top of that, there was the time an arrow had nearly pierced his chest.
Yang Jung stood before a beautiful woman watching them, yet he could not contain his rage.
Though the man called Cheol-goe was fearsome, with his elder brother holding firm beside him, this much cursing seemed bearable enough.
Crack-crack-crack-crack… Ha-ha-ha…!
When his assumption proved wrong, Cheol-goe erupted in laughter.
Truly, what an amusing Guest Inn this was.
The owner of this establishment was as fearless as his younger brother—neither showed an ounce of dread.
He stuffed pheasant meat into his mouth, his laughter fading.
“Be careful. He’s a terrifying man.”
Hyeol-je had not yet guessed why he’d simply withdrawn.
Yet if that beast set his mind to it, neither the Guest Inn’s owner nor his brother would escape unscathed.
“If he comes again, I’ll take his head.”
Cheol-goe nodded at Kang Jo’s words.
“Then do so.”
Dok-go Il and Dok-go Eun listened intently to the exchange between Kang Jo and Cheol-goe.
Though the matter of the Blue Dagger was urgent, the formidable foe before their eyes mattered far more.
‘Truly, the more one knows of him, the more extraordinary he becomes.’
How could men who spoke of death sit face to face and enjoy their meal in such ease?
Cheol-goe wiped his greasy hands on his clothes as he finished eating.
“That was excellent.”
He drew three silver taels from his purse and placed them on the table.
“Please visit again should your path bring you this way.”
“I shall.”
Grasping his spear, he left the Guest Inn, but not before casting a glance toward the siblings Dok-go Il and Dok-go Eun.
“We shall meet again.”
Dok-go Il and Dok-go Eun rose from their seats.
“We will see you on the battlefield.”
“Those who will face you are not me—do not hasten toward death.”
“Who among us could fall to such an end?”
Crack-crack-crack…
“You shall learn soon enough.”
Cheol-goe left those words behind and crossed the Stone Bridge.
Whoosh…
The moment he crossed the bridge, his body technique scattered into the darkness, vanishing in the blink of an eye.
Though his form had disappeared, Dok-go Il could not tear his eyes from the shadows.
Truly, he was a fearsome man.
Though he wore an air of composure on the surface, his heart told a different story.
“Please, finish your meal.”
The moment Kang Jo’s voice reached his ears, his trembling heart found its anchor.
Ha-ha…
Laughter spilled naturally from his lips.
When would he become like that himself?
Ho-ho…
Seeing his sister laugh, she seemed to share the same sentiment.

*

The skilled personnel of Seongma-dan who had returned to the Murim Alliance recounted what had transpired at the Guest Inn to their comrades.
They fumed at what the man called Cheol-goe had done, and burned with greater fury upon learning that Yang Jung possessed the Blue Dagger.
The previous Sect Master had done so, and the current one did as well.
When the Sect Master held his wedding ceremony, he gave a blue dagger to his wife, and she kept it until passing it down to the next Sect Master.
Then that dagger would be passed on to the bride.
“I never thought the Sect Master’s wife would bestow the dagger on an outsider, not even a member of our own sect…”
“We’ll all have to bite the blade and die.”
“The fact that the Sect Master’s wife gave that dagger to someone named Yang Jung means she’s already marked him as a suitable son-in-law.”
“Still, the man’s irritatingly handsome, I’ll give him that.”
Silence fell among the Seongma-dan’s skilled personnel.
If Yang Jung was to be the son-in-law, then the bride was naturally Dok-go Eun, the Sub-leader.
The Sub-leader was counted among the most beautiful women in Ma-gyo, and her martial prowess rivaled even the Sect Master’s.
To take her as a bride would mean becoming the Sect Master’s son-in-law.
It was natural that the young skilled personnel of Seongma-dan harbored such desires.
“In the end, we’ll have no choice but to defeat that man and seize the dagger.”
“That’s true. But there are rumors that this Yang Jung fellow’s martial arts are no trifle.”
Ma-gyo prioritized strength above all.
Even if the Sect Master’s wife had bestowed the dagger upon him, if they could seize it through sheer skill, they would be recognized for it.
“I hear his Light-Body Technique surpasses even the Valley Master’s.”
“His Swordsmanship is impressive too. When Hyeol-gyo attacked, he single-handedly held the Stone Bridge and defeated their masters—that’s what the stories say.”
Kang Jo’s martial arts she had confirmed with her own eyes.
But Yang Jung—she had only heard rumors and never witnessed his skill herself.
“I’ll step forward first and verify his martial prowess. If he falls short of expectations, I’ll naturally seize the dagger.”
“The real problem isn’t Yang Jung himself—it’s Kang Jo. Will Kang Jo actually permit a confrontation between Yang Jung and us?”
Most of Seongma-dan’s skilled personnel were fearless.
But Kang Jo was not an opponent one could overcome with mere savage swagger.
“All we can do is make a respectful request. If that doesn’t work, we’ll have to combine our strength.”
“Then let’s head over after breakfast tomorrow morning.”

*

Yang Jung crossed the Stone Bridge with his shoulders slumped.
“I need to bring the horse back soon. My legs are killing me.”
It wasn’t that his legs hurt—he simply hated walking.
“Stop your whining and repair the quarters instead.”
Kang Jo’s tone was utterly indifferent.
“When was the last time I fixed the quarters? How can you say such a thing?”
When Yeon Ja-seol had been recuperating at this Guest Inn, Kang Jo and Yang Jung had slept in the repaired quarters.
“Repair the other quarters, not the ones we’re using.”
Yang Jung’s eyes went wide as a startled rabbit, and his voice rose.
“Again? Brother, I’m going to work myself to death.”
“You said it yourself, you fool. You promised to give each of your wives a quarters.”
A long sigh.
He exhaled deeply in response to Kang Jo’s words.
It was a mistake to have said such a thoughtless thing.
“I… I’ll only take one wife. So please, let me rest for now, brother.”
“Since it needs fixing anyway, start today.”
Brother never gave an inch, as always.
At that, Yang Jung finally surrendered.
If he didn’t work, he’d be ordered to practice martial arts instead. It was far easier to shirk idly while doing the work than face that alternative.
“Then… I’ll rest for a couple of days and start after that.”
He unwrapped his bundle, setting the pork on the cutting board and placing mushrooms and vegetables in a basket.
“Brother, now that we have plenty of chickens, shouldn’t we stop shopping for meat?”
“We don’t have plenty of chickens—we just have plenty of chicks. Besides, we can’t eat chicken meat every single day.”
Perhaps because the chickens ran freely, the number of chicks seemed to increase every few days.
Sometimes they came pouring out of the ruined buildings, and sometimes they streamed through the collapsed fences within the estate.
“Then I’ll go to the Murim Alliance for a moment.”
“What’s the Murim Alliance got to do with it?”
“I need to get my horse back from Baek Won-yeong. Brother, it’s strange—when did he take the horse? He still hasn’t returned it.”
Muttering under his breath, Yang Jung turned to cross the Stone Bridge again.
But then he spotted the skilled personnel of Seongma-dan and Jamryong-hoe streaming toward this place.
Among them were the faces of Baek Won-yeong, Baek Ha-yeong, and Dok-go Eun.
“Sir..! Customers are pouring in by the dozens..!”
At his shout, Kang Jo hurried outside.
Though it was still well before lunch hour, the prospect of so many guests arriving thrilled him immensely.
Yet the young skilled personnel looked decidedly uneasy.
‘These don’t seem like ordinary customers.’

*

The skilled personnel of Seongma-dan and Jamryong-hoe came to a halt before the Stone Bridge.
“Welcome.”
Yang Jung greeted them with a soft smile and melodious voice.
Then a sharp-featured young man stepped forward from among Seongma-dan’s ranks.
“I have come to challenge Young Master Yang to a life-or-death duel.”
Yang Jung stared at him in shock.
They had never quarreled before—so why would this man suddenly challenge him to such a duel?
“I…what do you mean?”
At his bewildered question, Baek Won-yeong stepped forward with an awkward smile.
“It concerns the Blue Dagger that Young Master Yang possesses.”
He had only learned about the dagger this morning.
Hearing rumors that Seongma-dan’s skilled personnel were demanding a life-or-death duel with Yang Jung, he had rushed to investigate.
Once he understood the situation, there seemed no way to prevent the duel.
For Yang Jung, however, it was like being struck by lightning from a clear sky.
“Why would this dagger…?”
He fumbled in his robes and withdrew the Blue Dagger.
At the sight of it, the eyes of Seongma-dan’s young skilled personnel gleamed with fierce light.
Baek Ha-yeong cried out in exasperation.
“Whoever possesses that dagger is destined to become the son-in-law of the Ma-gyo Sect Master, Young Master Yang!”
To decide the Sect Master’s son-in-law based on a single dagger?
It made no sense whatsoever.
Hehehehe……..
‘Well then, what will you do? Can you truly bear the weight of that dagger?’
Dok-go Eun watched the scene unfold, her smile turning cold.
“Brother…..”
Yang Jung turned to look at Kang Jo.
He had simply coveted the dagger because it looked so fine.
Had he known such circumstances were attached to it, he would never have desired it in the first place.
“Do as you wish. It was only a dagger for cutting grass and digging earth anyway.”
At Kang Jo’s words, the eyes of Seongma-dan’s skilled personnel flashed with killing intent, and Dok-go Eun’s smile vanished in an instant.
“How dare you! You’re saying that dagger was used for cutting grass and digging earth…!”
The young skilled master of Seongma-dan cried out in fury.
As if that were all.
Yang Jung had also used the dagger to slice meat and eat it.
But he certainly could not mention that he had carved meat with it.
“I will return this dagger to you.”
Yang Jung extended the Blue Dagger to the young skilled master of Seongma-dan.
But the young man refused to take it.
To use that dagger for cutting grass and digging earth?
Had the Sect Master or his wife known of this, they would have drawn their swords and taken his head on the spot.
“We must certainly engage in a life-or-death duel! I hope Young Master Kang will understand the circumstances of Ma-gyo.”
His voice raised, he bowed respectfully toward Kang Jo.
At this, Kang Jo nodded without hesitation.
“Very well. But I would prefer it take place somewhere other than the Guest Inn.”
“Brother…?”
Yang Jung stood bewildered, unsure what to do.
He had not expected his trusted brother to consent to a life-or-death duel.
Moreover, the dagger was not originally his—it was one that his brother had received.
‘I’m not confident…’
He could certainly defeat lesser fighters with ease, but his opponent was an expert from Seongma-dan.
There had been an occasion when he ambushed and defeated a young master of Seongma-dan who had been throwing his weight around.
But this man not only remained unharmed—he looked far stronger than that previous young expert.
The young skilled personnel of the Seongma-dan turned their body and crossed the road.
The far side of the road was grassland—an ideal place to conduct a life-or-death duel.
Once he had claimed his position, the skilled personnel from both the Seongma-dan and Jamryong-hoe crossed over as well.
“What are you doing? Get going.”
At Kang Jo’s urging, Yang Jung’s face fell entirely.
“Brother, do I really have to go?”
“You’ll be fine. Your skill is more than enough. Even if you were lacking, I won’t let you die—so don’t worry.”

*

Kang Jo reached toward the kitchen.
Whoosh—
A sword that had been resting in the kitchen flew through the air and landed in his hand.
He had laid bare his martial art as a warning to those across the road.
If Yang Jung dies, you will all die as well.
Those watching from the far side could not hide their shock.
“My goodness…”
“It’s Ranged Weapon Control.”
Ranged Weapon Control was not a technique anyone could perform.
Only those who had transcended the absolute peak could wield it, though the range was not great.
Only masters capable of freely employing the Flexible Sword Technique could achieve such prowess with Ranged Weapon Control.
Given that he had previously killed an expert from the Hyeol-gyo who wielded the Flexible Sword Technique with mastery, it was only natural—yet the shock of witnessing it with one’s own eyes was something else entirely.
Then Yang Jung, too, found some courage.
‘That’s right. With Brother at my side, what is there to fear?’
He straightened his face and broke into a bright laugh.
Hahaha…
“Since a life-or-death duel has been called for, it is only proper to accept. However, I would hope that we might spare the opponent’s life.”
Speaking with the fluidity of clear water over stone, he crossed the road to face the Seongma-dan’s skilled personnel.
Then the Seongma-dan’s skilled personnel drew his sword first.
Sling—
The moment the blade left its sheath, a grainy energy rose from his sword.
‘Wait… that’s not it.’
Yang Jung’s heart sank.

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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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