The Battle for the Heavenly Sword - Chapter 99

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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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99
The Sword Contest
Ha Baek-jin’s expression was complicated as he sat with Woo Geom-san.
Mixed with joy and embarrassment, he could not manage his facial expression properly.
It was an unfamiliar sight to Woo Geom-san, who only remembered his manly and jovial side.
Ha Baek-jin asked cautiously.
“Who is that child?”
“He is my companion. Greet him, Yunxiao.”
The moment Woo Geom-san finished speaking, Ning Yunxiao sprang up from his seat, offering a cupped hand salute to Ha Baek-jin and Nam Se-myeong.
“My name is Ning Yunxiao. It is a pleasure to meet you.”
Ha Baek-jin smiled naturally at the child’s energetic behavior.
“Nice to meet you. I am Ha Baek-jin. As you can see, it has been a long time since I last met Geom-san.”
“Yes! I look forward to your guidance.”
“Right!”
The gaze Ha Baek-jin cast toward Ning Yunxiao was warm.
On the other hand, Nam Se-myeong did not even accept Ning Yunxiao’s greeting and drank the alcohol on the table as he pleased.
Taking a sip of the alcohol, he frowned as hard as he could.
“Tsk! You call this alcohol? Offering such cheap trash as alcohol.”
“I will order something else right away. Please calm down, Doctor!”
After soothing Nam Se-myeong, Ha Baek-jin hurriedly called the waiter.
“Bring the best alcohol in this inn immediately.”
“Understood.”
Even after the waiter rushed to the kitchen, Nam Se-myeong did not relax his frown.
Woo Geom-san’s expression hardened slightly at his arrogant attitude. However, since he did not know the circumstances between the two, he quietly suppressed his anger.
First, he needed to know Ha Baek-jin’s situation, so he spoke carefully.
“How have you been spending your time? Are things well with your fiancé?”
“Phew! Twelve years ago, she returned to heaven, just like the Patriarch.”
“I am sorry, I did not know that…”
“No. Her lifespan was only that long, so what could be done? Do not feel sorry.”
“Your grief must have been immense.”
“There was no time to grieve. I was too busy raising the newborn child she left behind.”
“Did you have a child?”
“She left behind a beautiful daughter who looks exactly like her before passing away.”
Ha Baek-jin’s expression automatically turned distant.
After returning to his hometown, his only dream was to live happily for the rest of his life with his fiancé. That was why he had been so happy to return to his hometown after the Nine Great Sects sealed their gates. However, his life partner passed away quickly, and he suddenly became a widower.
It felt as if the sky was collapsing and his heart was tearing apart. Even so, the reason he could endure was thanks to the daughter his beloved woman had left behind in the world.
He was not given the leisure time to grieve.
Because, as in any era, a man raising a daughter alone was an arduous task that drained one’s very soul.
Seeing Ha Baek-jin’s expression, Woo Geom-san asked carefully.
“Is your daughter sick by any chance?”
“How… did you know that?”
Instead of answering, Woo Geom-san looked at Nam Se-myeong, who was drinking the new alcohol brought by the waiter.
There was only one reason a martial artist like Ha Baek-jin would grovel before a doctor. Someone close to him was so sick that they needed the help of a doctor from Saengsagok.
Ha Baek-jin nodded with a bitter smile.
“My daughter is very sick. She was weak since childhood, but her condition rapidly deteriorated after she turned ten. At first, she would faint for a few shijin, but now, once she loses consciousness, she cannot wake up for two or three days. That is why I went to Saengsagok, begged them, and brought Doctor Nam here.”
Calling it bringing him after a difficult plea was a euphemism; the humiliation he actually suffered to invite Nam Se-myeong was difficult to express in words.
Even the reason Saengsagok sent Nam Se-myeong was because of Ha Baek-jin’s reputation.
Fist Martial Artist Ha Baek-jin.
That was the martial title martial artists of Jianghu gave him.
After losing his wife, Ha Baek-jin lived as a vagabond to raise his daughter.
Living as a vagabond, he took on any profitable request that came his way.
Usually, living as a vagabond meant getting involved in unpleasant matters, whether one liked it or not.
That was the life of a vagabond, and it was why most vagabonds felt no guilt for the evil deeds they committed during requests.
However, Ha Baek-jin was different.
He never once did anything that went against his conscience, and instead performed numerous righteous deeds.
People called Ha Baek-jin a righteous fist and counted him among the Four Great Vagabonds.
Saengsagok could not reject the request of Ha Baek-jin, who held high public esteem in Jianghu, so they sent a doctor named Nam Se-myeong.
The problem was that this doctor named Nam Se-myeong possessed an incredibly arrogant personality, viewing the people who needed help as insignificant as the dirt beneath his feet.
He acted completely according to his whims, as if he derived pleasure from treating the righteous fist Ha Baek-jin like a servant.
Ha Baek-jin had no choice but to desperately cater to Nam Se-myeong’s moods.
“Where is your daughter?”
“My friends are bringing her here. They will probably arrive here tomorrow or the day after.”
“You must be very worried.”
“Needless to say. Still, now that the doctor is here, she will get better soon.”
Ha Baek-jin forced a smile.
Woo Geom-san thought that Ha Baek-jin’s smile looked incredibly sorrowful.
Having lost Baek Ho-yang himself, he knew very well how immense the sorrow of losing family was.
He hoped that things would be resolved well so that Ha Baek-jin would never have to experience such pain again.
Ha Baek-jin forced a bright smile and changed the subject.
“More importantly, how have you been? You look dashing and well. Women must throw themselves at you.”
“I have been well too. I recovered my health while recuperating in a quiet mountain village.”
“That is a relief. Did you learn a lot from the Patriarch?”
“He taught me many things, but because my talent is lacking, I feel like I have not even mastered half of it.”
“Even that is something. The Patriarch’s realm reached the heavens, so inheriting even half is truly amazing.”
Ha Baek-jin smiled brightly, genuinely happy for him.
Woo Geom-san also smiled at Ha Baek-jin’s attitude, which remained unchanged from the past.
Although they met after fifteen long years, the reason he felt no awkwardness was because Ha Baek-jin was just that consistent of a person.
Woo Geom-san knew very well how difficult it was for a person to remain unchanged for such a long time.
It was then.
Nam Se-myeong, who had been sipping alcohol alone, suddenly asked Woo Geom-san.
“Have you also learned martial arts?”
“Yes, I have learned a little.”
“You look like a fair-skinned scholar, yet you have learned martial arts too? Amazing!”
Despite his sarcastic tone, Woo Geom-san did not react.
Although it had not even been fifteen minutes since they met, he knew through the man’s actions and conversation that his disposition was completely twisted.
Reacting to every single word spoken by such people was nothing more than a waste of time and emotion. Therefore, Woo Geom-san let his words slide.
Instead, Ha Baek-jin felt restless and did not know what to do about Nam Se-myeong’s rude tone.
Woo Geom-san conveyed through his eyes that it was fine, but Ha Baek-jin’s apologetic expression did not ease easily.
Woo Geom-san changed the subject.
“Have you found a place to stay by any chance?”
“Fortunately, the Hongjo Bang provided a residence.”
“Is that where you decided to meet your daughter?”
“That is correct.”
“Then please let me know the location. Shouldn’t I at least see your daughter’s face once?”
“That is…”
Ha Baek-jin glanced at Nam Se-myeong for a moment.
Fortunately, since Nam Se-myeong did not say anything, he carefully informed Woo Geom-san of the residence’s location.
Woo Geom-san nodded and said.
“Understood. I will head over there tomorrow as well.”
“You do not have to go out of your way to come…”
“If she is my brother’s daughter, she is also a niece to me, so how could I just pass by?”
“Even just hearing those words makes me grateful. My daughter will really like it too.”
Ha Baek-jin’s eyes welled with tears.
A man strong enough to be called the righteous fist in Jianghu became emotional whenever his daughter was mentioned.
Woo Geom-san fully understood Ha Baek-jin’s heart.
Even after that, Woo Geom-san continued his conversation with Ha Baek-jin for a while before leaving the table.
Until they parted, Nam Se-myeong did not speak a single word to Woo Geom-san and only sipped his alcohol. It was worrying whether he would even be able to conduct a proper medical examination tomorrow or the day after.
***
Although the master of the Hongjo Bang was Bo Hyeon-seung, it was the chief manager, Ha Jin-yeop, who handled the practical matters.
As if proving that he had not obtained the position of chief manager for nothing, Ha Jin-yeop managed the Hongjo Bang well.
Nothing that occurred within the jurisdiction of the Hongjo Bang could escape Ha Jin-yeop’s eyes.
Ha Jin-yeop looked at his confidant with a serious expression.
“So, while on the way here, a ship of the Fenglin Zhai was attacked by the Red Cloud Sect?”
“Yes! The martial artists of the Huajin Sect were talking loudly about it at a drinking party. They even said that Qingyi Shizhe, one of the Four Great Envoys of the Red Cloud Sect, and two of the Ten Direction God-Kings were mobilized.”
“That is hard to believe. Is it reliable information?”
“It is certain. The merchants and martial artists belonging to the Huajin Sect all say the exact same thing.”
“Mmh!”
Ha Jin-yeop let out a low groan.
The Ten Direction God-Kings of the Red Cloud Sect were peak realm martial artists well-known in Jianghu. Individually, they possessed martial power that surpassed the elders of prestigious orthodox sects.
The Four Great Envoys possessed martial power that surpassed even the Ten Direction God-Kings.
They were incredible martial artists who could look down upon the sect leaders of ordinary small and medium sects.
It was a massive incident where three such individuals were mobilized all at once.
The problem was that they were routed despite being mobilized in that manner. Furthermore, it was not a simple retreat; a major incident involving the loss of their lives had occurred on the Yangtze River.
If this incident became known to Jianghu, everyone would have been unable to conceal their astonishment.
“I did not know Zhang Wangchu and Im So-ryeong’s martial arts were at that level. To handle three core members of the Red Cloud Sect simultaneously.”
“It was not them.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“The two of them did not even intervene in the fight.”
“Then did Leng Tianxiang…”
“It was not her either. She and her disciple only watched from the sidelines.”
“Then what kind of force was mobilized?”
“It was not a force. They say a single person killed them.”
“A single person? Do you expect me to believe that?”
Ha Jin-yeop looked at his confidant with a gaze of disbelief. However, the confidant continued speaking without a shred of hesitation.
“I did not believe it at first either. However, after cross-checking, it became certain that a single person killed them.”
“Mmh!”
At this point, Ha Jin-yeop had no choice but to believe it.
Because his confidant also possessed a cautious personality and never spoke of unverified matters first.
“Who on earth is it?”
“We are still identifying him. Because the Fenglin Zhai is keeping it tightly under wraps, it seems it will take a little time to confirm.”
“Identify him as quickly as possible. If it is true that he killed the experts of the Red Cloud Sect all by himself, he is definitely an incredible expert.”
“Since we are tracking all the passengers who disembarked from the Fenglin Zhai’s ship, good news will be heard soon.”
“His identity, disposition, master’s sect—everything must be thoroughly investigated.”
“Do not worry. I will find out everything by tomorrow evening.”
The confidant bowed deeply before withdrawing.
Left alone, Ha Jin-yeop’s expression showed no signs of easing.
“To kill two of the Ten Direction God-Kings and one of the Four Great Envoys alone? Unbelievable.”
If it had not been reported by his confidant, he would never have believed it.
It was just that massive of an incident.
An unidentified expert who newly emerged in Jianghu.
Confirming his identity was the urgent priority.
He also thought he knew the reason why the Fenglin Zhai was keeping it quiet.
“They intend to monopolize the high-level information for themselves, don’t they?”
Information is power.
If it was information about an expert capable of killing three supreme experts of the Red Cloud Sect alone, its value could not dare be converted into money.
“Wait, I shouldn’t just be sitting around like this. I must report to the Chief immediately.”
There was no time to sit idly.
Ha Jin-yeop hurriedly moved with brisk steps to report to Bo Hyeon-seung.

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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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