Ten Paths of the Master - Chapter 110

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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 110. Who the hell are you?
The lower slopes of Geommun Mountain.
Hong Jin, his body and spirit worn to tatters, shuffled along the mountain path.
He hadn’t even exchanged words with Dan Yeop, the one he’d come to settle things with, and here he was—what a mess.
“Blast it! Whistling away like that for no reason…….”
He’d never imagined that Hwang Cheongang, ten leagues away at Geom-gak, would come rushing over.
“Does that old man never sleep?”
As Hong Jin griped, he spotted a cozy crevice between rocks and quickly ducked inside, settling into a cross-legged position.
After the Nahan Touma, the Bori Myeoljin should’ve felled most masters—but Geom-gak was different.
That Ikigeo Sword technique was formidable enough that losing to it held no shame.
What gnawed at him was simply that Dan Yeop had witnessed it.
‘I still need to settle things with Dan Yeop…….’
That thought clung to his mind throughout the night’s meditation.
***
The foot of Geommun Mountain.
Dawn broke.
Over breakfast, the ronin chattered about the previous night’s commotion.
“There was whistling early in the evening, and around midnight—did you hear that dry thunder strike?”
“Lightning struck?”
“This won’t do. Your ears are too heavy with sleep. Even when you’re resting, close your eyes but keep your ears open, as they say.”
Perhaps because of the evening whistling and the late-night thunder sound.
Nearly half the ronin kept eating while the Sangbang guards bustled about hurrying departure preparations.
Dan Yeop tossed the last piece of Ho Byeong into his mouth and stood—Won Beom passed in front of him, muttering complaints.
“These guards are too skittish, aren’t they? They should give us proper time to eat. I couldn’t even tell if food was going in my mouth or my nose. How did anyone sleep with them being so frightened all night?”
Seo Hwa, walking alongside him, picked up the thread of conversation smoothly.
“I think they just don’t want to get caught up in a dispute between high-level masters. There were thunder sounds in the mountains all night, after all.”
Dan Yeop quickly slung his pack onto his back and followed the two of them.
Shortly after, the Jinbo Sangbang investigation team rapidly left the campsite.
***
The distance from Jang An City to Baekwol Kingdom is roughly twenty-five hundred li—about a thousand kilometers.
Even mounted, it would take twenty days of hard travel.
Yet the Jinbo Sangbang investigation team suffered not a scratch on the journey to Baekwol Kingdom.
Though beasts and bandits lurked along the way, the team’s members were ronin, notorious for their ferocity.
The beasts trembled in fear, and the bandits scattered—there was no need to draw a blade even once.
Upon reaching Namun City, the Jinbo Sangbang investigation team first headed toward Jeoksuchon in Monghwa Province.
Monghwa Province.
There was no fighting here either.
Even the notorious warriors of Baekwol Kingdom kept their distance from the team.
The killing intent radiating from sixty mounted swordsmen had cowed them.
Yu Cheongun, the Magistrate of Monghwa Province, was startled by the sudden appearance of armed cavalry and came rushing over in a fluster.
“I am Yu Cheongun, Magistrate of Monghwa Province. From where do you hail?”
Sin Wu, the guard captain, stepped forward.
“We are an investigation team dispatched from Jinbo Sangbang in Jang An City. I am Sin Wu, the captain responsible for this team.”
“Ah, Captain Sin Wu of Jinbo Sangbang! Then—might you have come regarding the incident that occurred last month?”
“Indeed. Our Sangbang Leader was abducted here in Monghwa Province. Do you know anything about it?”
Sin Wu asked, as if confirming.
Yu Cheongun hesitated briefly before answering.
“Since you’ve come already aware, I’ll speak plainly. Your Sangbang Leader is held by the Nabhae Mun.”
“I understand the Nabhae Mun to be a major faction in Namun City. Does that justify committing such an illegal act so openly?”
“If your Sangbang Leader disrespected the Nabhae Mun, it can hardly be called illegal. In Baekwol Kingdom, there is nothing more important than honor.”
Na Bugang, listening from behind, could not restrain himself and broke in.
“Still, surely anyone shouldn’t be able to abduct people at will?”
At that, Yu Cheongun’s expression turned serious.
“Anyone? The Sect Leader of Nabhae Mun is the Military Commander of the Eastern Army in Namun City. Even if he were to kill your Sangbang Leader, there would be no one to speak against it. If anything, people would blame your faction for your discourtesy.”
“…….”
Startled by this, Na Bugang could only gape.
He had not known the Sect Leader of Nabhae Mun was a government official.
Sin Wu regarded Na Bugang with eyes of mild reproach, then turned back to Yu Cheongun.
“What would we need to do to retrieve our Sangbang Leader from the Nabhae Mun?”
“If you go to the Nabhae Mun and offer a hundred apologies, they might perhaps release him. Though I cannot guarantee it will end that way. That’s simply my thought on the matter.”
Yu Cheongun, the Magistrate, appended a long caveat to his words, plainly uncertain.
“I understand. Thank you for telling me.”
“How long do you plan to remain in Monghwa Province? We have many armed personnel, so I must report this to my superiors.”
“I’ll stop by the Qingshui Tavern in Jeoksuchon to learn the details of the situation, then leave at once. I won’t stay more than a day.”
“Understood. I’ll report that you’ll depart by tomorrow at the latest. Please honor what you’ve said.”
Having finished speaking, Yu Cheongun bowed to Sin Wu and took his leave.
Sin Wu addressed So Gangmu, Na Bugang, and the siblings Na Geumryeong.
“Everyone heard that? We move to Jeoksuchon as quickly as possible. We’ll meet the owner of the Qingshui Tavern, then head to Namun City.”
At once, Sin Wu and So Gangmu moved to the front of the column.
***
Jeoksuchon.
The Qingshui Tavern.
The inspection party halted before the Qingshui Tavern.
Shortly after, three men in their fifties emerged from within.
One of them stepped forward with a respectful bow and asked a question.
“My name is Miao Lanta, the proprietor of the Qingshui Tavern. Are you by chance from the Jinbo Sangbang?”
Sin Wu, standing at the front, stepped forward and replied.
“Indeed. I am Sin Wu, the head of this inspection party. On the road, I met the Magistrate of Monghwa Province and heard the general situation. Before we proceed to the Nabhae Mun, there are several matters I need to clarify.”
“Of course. Please speak.”
“Did the Eunwol Bang arrange this transaction?”
“Yes, the Qingshui Tavern has been conducting business with the Eunwol Bang for some time.”
“Then why did the Sect Leader of the Nabhae Mun interfere and create this commotion?”
“I cannot say for certain. Whether it was mere caprice or a genuine attempt to seize control of Monghwa Province’s operations—”
“The Nabhae Mun had nothing to do with this until before the agreement with the Sangbang Leader. Is that correct?”
“That is correct.”
A sigh escaped Sin Wu’s lips, heavy with frustration.
It was now certain that the Nabhae Mun had unilaterally obstructed the transaction and abducted the Sangbang Leader.
Na Geumryeong spoke, her face flushed with indignation.
“This is outrageous! How can such a thing even be possible?”
Miao Lanta, sensing the mood, opened his mouth cautiously.
“However, Monghwa Province falls under the jurisdiction of the Nabhae Mun. So it is not entirely without justification. They may have turned a blind eye to the Eunwol Bang’s operations until now and decided to directly intervene.”
“If that were the case, they should have said so plainly! Why did they have to abduct the Sangbang Leader? He signed the agreement in good faith, relying on your word and the Eunwol Bang’s!”
“I am equally perplexed as to why such a thing occurred. This is the first time since the Qingshui Tavern was established—”
Na Geumryeong remained frustrated but said nothing more.
The proprietor of the Qingshui Tavern seemed ignorant of the true circumstances himself.
Sin Wu led the inspection party onward toward Namun City.
Following the course of the Geomgang River, the party halted after midday.
They meant to rest and take their meal.
Four cooks drew water from the river and prepared food.
Meanwhile, the Ronin slipped into the shade of the trees.
Unlike their usual chatter and boisterousness, the fifty Ronin were subdued.
The prestige of the Nabhae Mun was far greater than they had thought back in Jang An City.
Yang Hak, gazing at the flowing river, turned to Pae Gang, his second.
“Brother, surely with this many men, the Nabhae Mun won’t act rashly?”
Even if the Five Evil Sword Sect itself were involved, fifty renowned Ronin banded together would not be dismissed lightly—or so he ventured.
“Is that so? These are men who abducted the Sangbang Leader of Jinbo Sangbang on some flimsy pretext. Who can say what thoughts occupy their minds?”
“Blast! Everything went so smoothly until now, but we’re about to step in something foul, aren’t we?”
“Tsk, tsk! You should have realized the danger when you hired fifty Ronin in the first place.”
“We thought fifty men was reassuring. Who could have predicted this?”
“Never mind that. If you’ve learned anything about Dan Yeop, speak up.”
“That’s what’s strange, brother. None of the Ronin know Dan Yeop.”
“Not a single one?”
“No. They all stayed one night in the Jinbo Sangbang’s guest quarters the day before departure, and he wasn’t there. Moreover, no one from the Jang An City Ronin market has ever seen him. He simply appeared out of nowhere.”
“Such men aren’t rare. So you’ve learned nothing in the end?”
“Yes. Oh, but I should mention—So Gangmu apparently came looking for Dan Yeop on several occasions.”
“So Gangmu?”
“Yes. There’s definitely something between that ferret and Dan Yeop.”
“Is that so? From now on, watch those two carefully. They’re going to rescue their Sangbang Leader, yet they’ve brought only five from the Sangbang as guards. The atmosphere doesn’t sit right.”
“Understood.”

By the time the two finished their conversation, the cooks rang the bell in front of the carriage.
The ronin who had been resting hurried toward the carriage one by one.
Dan Yeop’s group also went to the carriage and received their food.
Again, it was perfectly baked Ho Byeong and Horal Tang.
Dan Yeop picked up the Ho Byeong, inhaling its savory aroma, and murmured to himself.
“It’s tedious, yet I can’t fathom why it goes down so smoothly every time I eat it.”
Won Beom chuckled softly and spoke.
“The taste is good, isn’t it? That’s what matters.”
Because Dan Yeop had brought up the Ho Byeong, everyone reached for it first.
Chae Wun, who had just put the Horal Tang in her mouth and was about to swallow, suddenly spat it out with a sharp sound.
The four others turned to look at her with questioning eyes.
“There’s poison in it. Don’t eat.”
She then withdrew a small ceramic vial from her sleeve. Tilting it, she let a single pill fall into her mouth.
At that moment, Ja Yun leapt to his feet and shouted to the ronin around them.
“There’s poison in the Horal Tang! Don’t eat it!”
Startled by the cry, the ronin flung their bowls of Horal Tang away.
Those who had already eaten rushed toward the carriage.
They believed the cooks must have kept an antidote, since they had used poison.
The ronin who rushed to the carriage looking for the cooks shouted.
“The cooks are dead!”
“Someone has killed the cooks!”
The agitated ronin crowded toward Sin Wu and So Gangmu, the captain of the guards.
Five of the Sangbang guards blocked the ronin’s path.
From behind the guards, Sin Wu’s voice rang out.
“Calm yourselves! I know nothing of this! If I had done it, would I be standing with you now? There is someone here who will investigate this matter fairly. Please, all of you, step back.”
Seized by fear, the ronin cried out in confusion.
“Who is that!”
“There’s no one here capable of such a thing!”
“If you’re thinking of putting forward the captain of the guards, think again! Do you expect us to trust the words of a Jinbo Sangbang man?”
Sin Wu then pointed to one side and spoke.
“No! I will entrust the investigation to Dan Yeop, a Pokwae of Jang An County!”
Every eye among the ronin turned toward Dan Yeop.
Won Beom, who had been standing dumbfounded, suddenly erupted as though he had been betrayed.
“What! A Pokwae, not a ronin?”
“Yes, I never said I was a ronin.”
Dan Yeop then turned to Chae Wun without the slightest concern and spoke.
“Miss Chae, you seem well-versed in matters of poison. Would you help me?”
Chae Wun, studying Dan Yeop from head to toe, asked with suspicion in her eyes.
“What are you really?”
“Well, perhaps the finest Pokwae of the present age?”

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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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