Chapter 231: An Unexpected Encounter (3)

Jin Mu-Won studied Jongri Mu-Hwan’s face intently. Three years had done little to change it. He had only put on a little weight, and his gaze had grown deeper.

As Jongri Mu-Hwan sat down, Go Cheon-Hu asked, “Where are the others?”

“They’re stabling the horses, so they’ll be along soon.”

“Hmph!”

“I’m sorry to have kept you waiting.”

At the second apology, Go Cheon-Hu’s stiff expression softened.

Jongri Mu-Hwan smiled and turned to Gi San-Ha. “So this is your disciple, Master Go. I’ve heard a great deal about you. They say you’re a prodigy who’ll one day lead the murim, and you certainly seem to have what it takes.”

“Greetings, Master Jongri. I am Gi San-Ha.” Gi San-Ha rose and clasped his hands in greeting. His posture was polite and respectful, though his arrogant expression never wavered.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Master Gi,” Jongri Mu-Hwan returned the greeting.

CLACK!

The door opened. A beautiful woman in her early thirties walked in. She was dressed in snow leopard skin and had an impressive sword scar running from her neck down to her chest.

She was none other than the Vice Commander of the Iron Brigade, Chae Yak-Ran.

Behind her, the Seven Skills Swordsman Gongson Chang and the Twilight Iron Bowman Dam Jin-Hong also entered the establishment.

Jongri Mu-Hwan introduced them to Go Cheon-Hu, but the old man barely listened, letting his half-lidded gaze rake over Chae Yak-Ran’s face and chest.

Chae Yak-Ran furrowed her brows slightly at the blatant stare, but she soon squared her shoulders and ignored it. She was used to such gazes. Still, she warned, “Master Go.”

“I heard there was a beautiful tigress in the Iron Brigade. You certainly live up to your reputation.”

“You’re too kind.”

“I’d love to have a duel with you sometime. In the nude, that is. Hehehe!”

“The nude part might be difficult, but I’ll accept a martial duel anytime. I’m not sure you can handle me though, Master Go. You’re getting on in years, and overexerting yourself isn’t good for your health.”

Chae Yak-Ran smiled. She didn’t flinch in the face of the lewd remark. If vulgar jokes fazed her, she never would have made a name for herself as the Vice Commander of the Iron Brigade.

“Hmph! You have quite the sharp tongue. We’ll see if your martial arts live up to it.”

“You won’t be disappointed, Master Go,” Chae Yak-Ran replied calmly.

The past three years had given her experience and composure. She no longer wavered or lost her temper easily, as was evident in her exchange with Go Cheon-Hu.

Just then, a waiter brought out the food Go Cheon-Hu had ordered ahead of time.

Jongri Mu-Hwan’s face brightened. “Perfect. I was just getting hungry. Let’s talk while we eat.”

“Let’s.”

The five of them started eating.

Jin Mu-Won stared at them blankly. Although it was their first meeting in three years, none of them recognized him. Of course, his disguise accounted for part of it, but his completely changed aura accounted for more. Three years ago, his aura had been unassuming, but now he blended perfectly into the surroundings.

The Iron Brigade.

For the past three years, he had received almost no news of the Iron Brigade, which meant their activity in the murim had been minimal.

However, the auras of Jongri Mu-Hwan and the others had changed considerably. They now carried a far more solid air about them. He could sense a composure and depth of experience that could never be acquired by someone who had lived comfortably.

After they had eaten and shared a few cups of wine, Go Cheon-Hu said, “Now that our stomachs are full, tell me why you sought me out. The world-renowned Iron Brigade wouldn’t ask to see me for nothing.”

“Of course,” Jongri Mu-Hwan replied.

“Well? What is it?”

“We wish to recruit you, Master Go.”

“You’re asking me to join the Iron Brigade?”

Jongri Mu-Hwan shook his head. “Not the Iron Brigade.”

Go Cheon-Hu blinked in confusion.

“Not the Iron Brigade, but the Iron Sect,” Jongri Mu-Hwan added.

“The Iron Sect?”

“We’ve been steadily gathering strength with the Iron Brigade at our core. Now that we’ve reached a certain scale, we intend to officially form a sect. As such, we would like to welcome you as a elder of the Iron Sect.”

“Keuk! A elder...” Go Cheon-Hu sneered. “You’re asking me, Go Cheon-Hu, to become a elder for some fledgling sect? Not worth considering.”

Jongri Mu-Hwan remained unfazed. “The sect may be new, but we’ll treat you as well as anyone else. If you join us, Master Go, it would be a great honor.”

“Hmph!” Go Cheon-Hu snorted, his expression still indifferent.

That changed in an instant the moment his eyes landed on Chae Yak-Ran, who was sitting beside Jongri Mu-Hwan.

He raised a finger and pointed at her. “Send that wench to my chambers tonight, and I’ll consider it. Hehe!”

Chae Yak-Ran’s eyebrow twitched as she spat, “Wow! How can an old man with so little time left be so greedy?”

“What?”

BAM!

Cheon-Hu slammed his palm on the table and jumped to his feet. Plates of food flew in every direction as the table shattered and fell to the floor. Enraged, he pointed at Chae Yak-Ran accusingly.

Chae Yak-Ran sprang from her seat and hurled insults right back, not to be outdone. “How dare an impotent old man covet a woman! We came to recruit you with respect, and you don’t even know your place! A master of the previous generation? What a load of bullshit.”

“Y-You wench...” Go Cheon-Hu’s shoulders shook uncontrollably, and his face turned beet red.

Chae Yak-Ran wagged a finger at him. “Come outside, old man. Let’s have a round.”

“Very well. I’ll teach you some manners. If I win, you’ll be in my arms tonight.”

“Hmph! And if you lose, old man, you’ll join the Iron Sect.”

“Fine.”

Chae Yak-Ran strode out first, followed by Go Cheon-Hu and Gi San-Ha.

Only after the three of them had disappeared did Gongson Chang glance at Jongri Mu-Hwan. “You’re a demon to provoke that old monster like that, Strategist.”

“Hehehe! Extreme measures are the surest way to draw in a man who roams about as if the world were too small for him.”

“Hmm! But can the Vice Commander really beat Go Cheon-Hu? The Ghost Shadow Spear is a legendary spearmaster, after all.”

“Noona has come a long way in that time, too. She’ll win for certain,” Jongri Mu-Hwan declared confidently, his voice conveying his firm trust in Chae Yak-Ran.

BOOM!

A thunderous roar erupted outside. The fight between Chae Yak-Ran and Go Cheon-Hu had begun.

Jongri Mu-Hwan and Gongson Chang continued their casual conversation, not glancing toward the door once. That was how much they trusted Chae Yak-Ran.

Jin Mu-Won also quietly sipped his wine. Outside, he could sense that one aura was fierce, and the other was sharp.

The fierce one is Go Cheon-Hu, and the sharp one is Vice Commander Chae.

Although the inn’s walls stood between them, he could see their movements as vividly as if he were watching with his own eyes. He could hear the sounds of the fight and feel intense waves of energy surge with every clash. Thanks to his All-Encompassing Cognizance, the entire fight unfolded in his mind in real time.

Go Cheon-Hu was overpowering Chae Yak-Ran. His Ghost Shadow Spear threatened her vital points with fierce momentum.

Nevertheless, Chae Yak-Ran’s defense was solid, and though she countered only occasionally, her strikes were so sharp that Go Cheon-Hu flinched and gave ground each time.

Ultimately, even after unleashing his most powerful technique, the Scattering Flowers Seven Cuts Spear Technique, he failed to leave a single scratch on her.

“You’re quite something, little wench...”

Go Cheon-Hu’s voice carried through the wall. While he sounded like he was acknowledging her, he couldn’t quite hide his bewilderment. He had not expected her martial arts to be this outstanding.

Jin Mu-Won smiled. She’s come a long way.

Once one reached a certain level in martial arts, further improvement became difficult as one hit a plateau. This plateau was so high and solid that it could not easily be broken through.

Many martial artists trained diligently, but few ever broke through it. Only a handful of them succeeded and reached the level of a supreme master.

Jin Mu-Won could that Chae Yak-Ran had broken through that obstacle. He didn’t know what had happened in the years since they parted, but she had shattered the massive wall in her path and taken a great stride forward. For this reason, she could stand toe to toe with Go Cheon-Hu, a master of the previous generation.

The outcome is already decided.

Raising his cup, he glanced at Jongri Mu-Hwan and Gongson Chang. Both men sipped their drinks nonchalantly, as if they already knew how the fight would end.

CLANG!

A loud crash erupted beyond the wall, and the entire inn shook.

Silence fell.

“It’s over,” Jongri Mu-Hwan muttered, downing his wine.

Gongson Chang nodded and gazed toward the entrance.

A moment later, the door opened, and Chae Yak-Ran strode in confidently, followed by a red-faced Go Cheon-Hu and Gi San-Ha.

To anyone watching, the winner and loser were obvious.

As if to drive the point home, Chae Yak-Ran sat down and immediately drained her cup. “Ahh! This wine tastes great!” She stared at Go Cheon-Hu. “You’ll keep your promise, won’t you?”

“Ugh!”

“I’d like to believe that the great Ghost Shadow Spear isn’t a petty man who goes back on his word.”

“Of course... I’ll keep my promise. Ugh! From today on, I am a member of the Iron Sect. Haa...!”

Go Cheon-Hu finally let out a sigh. As if he lacked the strength to stand, he collapsed into the chair across from Chae Yak-Ran. His wrinkled face seemed to age ten years in an instant. Dejected, he shook his head from side to side, muttering, “I must be getting old. My body isn’t what it used to be.”

He surpassed Chae Yak-Ran in martial arts and experience, but stamina was another matter. He was old, while Chae Yak-Ran was still in her prime.

The longer the fight dragged on without an early subjugation, the worse his position became. Ultimately, he couldn’t overcome his failing stamina and had to yield to her.

Jin Mu-Won saw it differently, however.

The biggest difference is that Go Cheon-Hu has barely fought in years.

Real combat was like an iron sword, prone to rusting. If you neglected it for even a day, it would grow dull, eventually becoming useless when you needed it most.

Chae Yak-Ran’s situation was another major factor. He didn’t know what she had gone through in the past three years, but her senses were honed to perfection. Her vibrant eyes and the lively twitch of her resilient muscles proved it.

Jongri Mu-Hwan smiled and offered Go Cheon-Hu a cup of wine. “Welcome, Master Go. We’re family now, eating from the same pot.”

“Did you provoke me from the start with this in mind?”

“I wasn’t one hundred percent certain my plan would work, but... you’re right, it was somewhat intentional.”

“Grk!” Go Cheon-Hu let out a pained groan. He had no answer to that.

Suddenly, he swept the inn with killing intent, as if a realization had just come over him.

Everyone who met his gaze paled and dropped their heads.

Standing up, he shouted, “If anyone here breathes a word of what happened today, I’ll hunt you to the ends of hell and deliver judgment!”

People trembled at the chilling voice, and Go Cheon-Hu snorted at the sight.

Jongri Mu-Hwan smiled gently. “We’ll ensure their silence, so there’s no need to worry, Master Go.”

“Hmph!”

Jongri Mu-Hwan signaled with his eyes. Gongson Chang and Chae Yak-Ran rose and made their way from table to table, verifying the identities of everyone seated there and nipping any potential trouble in the bud.

Most people gave their names obediently, cowed by the martial artists.

Finally, Chae Yak-Ran went to the table where Jin Mu-Won and Yu Geon-Yeop were sitting.

“Hey!”

Jin Mu-Won raised his head and looked at her. It was their first encounter in three years.

Chae Yak-Ran tilted her head. “Haven’t we met somewhere before?”