The Battle for the Heavenly Sword - Chapter 89

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

89
Woo Geom-san Competes for Hegemony
The waiter brought out the food and alcohol.
Before touching the food, Woo Geom-san poured a drink into his cup and downed it.
“Good!”
While it couldn’t compare to the alcohol he had tasted at the Zhuyang Inn, the liquor at the Qinghua Restaurant was still quite flavorful.
Woo Geom-san then began to eat his meal.
Just as Im So-ryeong had promised, the food was delicious.
Ning Yunxiao, who hadn’t eaten properly for days, buried his nose in his bowl and practically inhaled his food.
Trickle!
It was just as Woo Geom-san was pouring another cup of alcohol.
Suddenly, a low murmur rippled through the restaurant.
Curious, he looked toward the entrance, only to see a woman so breathtakingly beautiful that she made everyone’s eyes snap wide open entering with her entourage.
She was a stunning beauty who combined purity and glamour, looking as though a lily and a rose had been blended together.
Behind her walked a stern-faced old woman and a plump young man, but the crowd didn’t give them so much as a glance.
The woman’s beauty was just that peerless.
Once your eyes landed on her, it was utterly impossible to look away.
Even the young Ning Yunxiao couldn’t help but marvel.
“What a really pretty older sister. I’ve never seen anyone that beautiful before.”
“She certainly is beautiful.”
Woo Geom-san agreed with Ning Yunxiao’s words.
The woman’s beauty was undeniably peerless, and she possessed a lethal charm that made it impossible not to steal glances at her.
However, the reason Woo Geom-san couldn’t tear his eyes away wasn’t because of the beautiful woman.
It was because of the stern-faced old woman walking behind her.
It felt like looking at a finely forged sword.
It was rare to meet someone whose mere presence made you feel as though a blade had pierced through your chest.
The old woman’s aura and the natural momentum she emanated made it clear that she was no ordinary person.
As if sensing Woo Geom-san’s gaze, the old woman turned her head and looked directly at him.
Her eyes were terrifyingly cold and tranquil.
Woo Geom-san calmly met her gaze, one that an ordinary person would have found difficult to endure for even a single second.
At that, a glint of surprise flashed in the old woman’s eyes.
She hadn’t expected anyone in this ordinary inn to remain unfazed after meeting her gaze head-on.
The old woman spoke to the beautiful woman walking ahead of her.
“Let’s sit over there.”
The spot she pointed to was right next to Woo Geom-san’s table.
“Yes, Master.”
The beautiful woman replied politely and sat down in the spot the old woman had indicated. Following her, the man who had accompanied them also took a seat.
The man with them wore highly extravagant clothing, and at his waist hung a sword that was just as flashy as his attire.
Though he had a larger frame than the average person, his plumpness gave off the distinct impression of a nouveau riche.
Behind him followed three martial artists who appeared to be his bodyguards.
He scanned the interior of the inn and spoke.
“This place is far too shabby for Miss Leng to stay in. Wouldn’t it be better to move to a different place right now?”
“It seems it doesn’t meet Young Master So’s high standards. However, we are perfectly satisfied with just this much.”
“Master Leng, you are simply too strict. You and Miss Leng are more than qualified to stay in a much more luxurious and high-class establishment. This So Jin-seo will cover all the expenses, so let us move right away.”
At the man’s words, the old woman knit her brows. But the man paid no heed and continued to flaunt his wealth.
“If the two of you are willing, I, So Jin-seo, will build a massive manor for you in Yueyang. I possess more than enough wealth to do so.”
“I appreciate your kind gesture, Young Master So, but I must decline. What we need right now is not a grand pavilion, but people.”
“Don’t you need at least a manor to gather the people you require, Master Leng? You don’t seem to understand well, but in the Jianghu today, financial might is power. Only when backed by wealth can martial power truly exert its proper force. If you grant permission for my marriage to Miss Leng, the Huajin Sect will spare no support. Then, the reconstruction of your sect, which is your lifelong dream, will be just around the corner.”
“I do not wish to discuss that matter right now. Let us just order our food.”
“Master Leng!”
“Immediately!”
“Yes!”
As the old woman’s voice rose, the man named So Jin-seo grimaced and called the waiter over to order food.
“Bring out ten of the most delicious and expensive dishes this inn has to offer.”
“Ten dishes? That might be far too much for you…”
“Silence! What does a mere peasant like you know to babble on? Just bring out the food as ordered!”
“Yes, sir!”
Cowed by So Jin-seo’s overbearing tone, the waiter backed away without daring to say another word.
Even after ordering the food, So Jin-seo couldn’t tear his eyes away from the woman.
‘She truly is beautiful. If only I could make her my companion, I wouldn’t care even if I squandered my entire fortune.’
The name of the beautiful woman So Jin-seo had fallen for at first sight was Leng Shuiyue.
She was the stepdaughter of the old woman his father had hired as his martial instructor.
The old woman’s name was Leng Tianxiang, and she was said to be the last sect leader of a tragically ruined sect.
So Jin-seo had absolutely no interest in the old woman.
The only reason he had taken her in as his martial instructor in the first place was because of the beauty of her stepdaughter, Leng Shuiyue.
Thanks to the financial power of the Huajin Sect, So Jin-seo had met countless women. Yet, none of them were even half as beautiful as Leng Shuiyue.
Phrases like ‘a face like a flower and a form like the moon’ or ‘a beauty capable of ruining kingdoms’ seemed to exist solely to describe Leng Shuiyue.
From then on, So Jin-seo had become obsessed with her.
Leng Shuiyue didn’t seem to mind his attention either, allowing him to follow her around.
So Jin-seo desperately tried everything to win her favor.
His offer to build her a manor was no empty boast.
Without even needing to borrow the power of the Huajin Sect, his personal wealth alone was enough to whip up a grand estate in the blink of an eye.
So Jin-seo stared at Leng Shuiyue’s face with a dazed expression.
Just then, Leng Tianxiang’s cold voice snapped him back to reality.
“Have you secured a boat to Yichang?”
“Ah! My subordinates went to the Fenglin Zhai Branch, so there should be good news soon.”
“I don’t know why we have to go through the trouble of taking a boat when we could just walk.”
“How could I let our Miss Leng walk on the dirty dirt roads? Besides, we have cargo to transport. Taking a boat is beneficial in many ways.”
“Hmph!”
Despite So Jin-seo’s explanation, Leng Tianxiang still looked displeased.
Her gaze shifted to Woo Geom-san, who was eating his meal right beside them.
While every man in the inn had lost his mind over Leng Shuiyue’s beauty, he alone was eating in a completely leisurely and carefree manner.
‘An extraordinary character.’
Like the experienced veteran of the Jianghu she was, Leng Tianxiang sensed Woo Geom-san’s unusual aura.
The air inside the inn was burning hot with obsession over Leng Shuiyue’s kingdom-ruining beauty, yet the space around Woo Geom-san alone was completely tranquil.
It felt as though Woo Geom-san existed entirely in a different world.
Leng Shuiyue followed Leng Tianxiang’s gaze and noticed Woo Geom-san.
So Jin-seo did not miss the sudden glint that sparked in her eyes.
It was a look filled with ‘interest’—an emotion she had never once shown him.
Leng Shuiyue didn’t do anything else, but a raging fire erupted deep within So Jin-seo’s chest.
Bang!
So Jin-seo suddenly slammed his palm down on the table and stood up.
Leng Shuiyue and Leng Tianxiang frowned at his abrupt action. However, So Jin-seo ignored them and strode purposefully toward Woo Geom-san.
So Jin-seo addressed Woo Geom-san.
“Since everyone within the four seas is a brother, let’s introduce ourselves. I am So Jin-seo, the young faction leader of the Huajin Sect. What might your name be?”
“I am called Woo Geom-san.”
“Woo Geom-san? And what is your master’s sect?”
“It’s a small place, so you wouldn’t know it even if I told you.”
“Then what kind of martial arts have you learned?”
“As you can see, I’ve learned a bit of swordsmanship.”
Woo Geom-san replied, gesturing to the sword at his waist.
In that instant, a smirk played on So Jin-seo’s lips.
The sword Woo Geom-san displayed was incredibly shabby.
The scabbard was old and cracked in various places, and even the leather wrap on the hilt was so worn out it looked ready to snap at any moment.
‘Just how dirt poor do you have to be to carry a piece of junk like that around?’
By So Jin-seo’s standards, it was a piece of garbage he wouldn’t take even if it were handed to him for free.
During the war between the Nine Great Sects and the Cheonmyeong Association, the Huajin Sect had amassed an enormous fortune by selling weapons and provisions to both sides. They had quite literally raked in cash from the wartime boom.
Using the money earned back then as a foundation, they had aggressively expanded their business into a massive empire.
So Jin-seo was the young faction leader of that very Huajin Sect.
He had grown up eating all kinds of delicacies since childhood, and once he came of age, his room was piled high with all sorts of rare and precious treasures.
To someone like So Jin-seo, there was no way Woo Geom-san’s sword could catch his eye.
He wouldn’t even want to touch an object like that out of fear of getting his hands dirty.
Normally, a sword was passed down from a master to a disciple.
If a sect gave such a shabby sword to its disciple, it was easy to guess just how impoverished his master’s sect must be.
“May I take a look at your sword?”
“My sword?”
“Indeed! If you show me your sword, I will give you this one as a gift.”
So Jin-seo held up the sword at his waist so Woo Geom-san could get a clear view of it.
The hilt, adorned with five-colored tassels, was embedded with a red gem, and the scabbard was engraved with elaborate gold patterns.
It wasn’t merely gold-plated; the scabbard was decorated with solid gold.
It was beautiful enough to be considered a work of art rather than a weapon.
It was an item crafted with the utmost care by a master artisan.
It was a treasure anyone would naturally covet.
Selling this sword would easily fetch at least dozens of gold taels.
So Jin-seo believed Woo Geom-san could never refuse his offer. However, the reply he received from Woo Geom-san was far from what he expected.
“No thank you. I have no reason to show you my sword, and above all, I have no interest in yours.”
Though he didn’t know why So Jin-seo was acting this way toward him, Woo Geom-san had no intention of showing anyone the precious sword he had inherited from Baek Ho-yang.
Even after being rejected, So Jin-seo had no intention of backing down.
So Jin-seo suddenly tossed a pouch in front of Woo Geom-san.
Thud!
“There are ten silver sycee inside.”
“And?”
“Just show me the sword, and both my weapon and these silver sycee will be yours.”
So Jin-seo was certain that this time, Woo Geom-san would not be able to refuse his offer.
It was a more than generous proposal just for a glance at a sword.
Yet, what returned this time as well was a cold rejection.
“I’m not interested.”
Woo Geom-san tossed the pouch back to So Jin-seo.
Anger flared across So Jin-seo’s face as he caught the pouch.
To think he was rejected even after making an offer out of goodwill.
This was the first time in his life he had been repeatedly turned down like this.
Moreover, he had been rejected by a martial artist who had nothing to show for himself other than a decent face.
So Jin-seo stole a glance at Leng Shuiyue.
He saw that a spark of curiosity had flared up in her otherwise languid eyes.
It was clear that Leng Shuiyue was watching with genuine interest.
With her watching, he couldn’t just back down in such a pathetic disgrace.
“You’re acting awfully proud over a worthless piece of junk. Looking at the state of that sword, I can tell exactly what kind of person your master is. To give you such a cheap piece of trash, he must have been a nobody.”
“Young Master So.”
“What? Did I say something wrong?”
“The reason a person has only one mouth is because once words are spoken, they can never be taken back. It means one should think carefully before speaking.”
“So are you telling me to watch my mouth?”
“If possible, it would be much better if you didn’t open it at all.”
“How dare you!”
In an instant, fury erupted on So Jin-seo’s face.
He had initiated the provocation, yet he was the one who ended up being taunted by his opponent.
“You bastard!”
So Jin-seo gripped the hilt of the sword at his waist and tried to draw it. However, no matter how much strength he exerted, the sword wouldn’t budge from its scabbard.
Startled, he looked down and saw a single chopstick pressing against the pommel of his sword.
Woo Geom-san was using the chopstick in his hand to pin the weapon down so So Jin-seo couldn’t draw it.
So Jin-seo channeled his internal energy to force the sword out, but it remained completely motionless, as if weighed down by a boulder weighing thousands of pounds.
“Urgh!”
So Jin-seo’s face turned bright red.
Only then did he realize his opponent was an expert far beyond his imagination, but it was too late to back down now.
“What are you all doing just standing there? Help me!”
So Jin-seo roared at his bodyguards.
At his command, the bodyguards rushed forward to subdue Woo Geom-san.
“Unband your hand from our master this instant!”
“Let go of the young master!”
The bodyguards were all experts belonging to the Huajin Sect.
The moment they reached for their swords, Woo Geom-san slammed his palm down on the table.
Thud!
From the powerful impact, the chopsticks resting on the table flew up into the air.
With a single sweep of Woo Geom-san’s hand, the chopsticks shot toward the bodyguards at a terrifying speed.
Thwack!
Along with the dull impacts, all the bodyguards dropped their weapons.
The chopsticks unleashed by Woo Geom-san had struck the swords they were holding, sending them flying far away.
Clang!
The swords that fell to the floor vibrated with a sharp ring, as if crying out in pain.

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