Chapter 16. An Unexpected Clash (2)

As the sun began to set, Lee Byeok, Wang Suyeon, and Jang Seok-du headed to the Pungwol Inn on the outskirts of the market.

It seemed that whenever they came down to the market like this, that was always the designated place for the group to have dinner.

Bukjeok bukjeok

Upon arriving at the inn, it was full, despite the rather early hour.

Fortunately, the rest of the group had arrived first and secured a spot.

Jaegal Somi and the children were sitting around two tables.

“Did you all have fun? But how did Suyeon and Seok-du double in size in such a short time?”

“D-Did I gain that much weight, unnie?”

Wang Suyeon’s face turned pale.

Jaegal Somi chuckled and playfully pulled Wang Suyeon’s cheek. Jang Seok-du and Lee Byeok sat down next to her.

“How was it? Did the little one have fun too?”

Lee Byeok held out the coins.

“Huh? What’s this?”

“…There was no occasion to use it.”

It was the pocket money Jaegal Somi had given him earlier.

However, Jang Seok-du wouldn’t allow Lee Byeok’s money to be spent, so it ended up remaining untouched.

“Ah, it’s fine. It’s pocket money I already gave you, so just keep it. You might find something you want someday.”

“See? I was right, wasn’t I, oppa?”

But Jaegal Somi just glanced at it and waved her hand dismissively, and Wang Suyeon chimed in as if she had been waiting.

“……”

Wang Suyeon had said it before.

‘You have to buy something you want with that money, oppa.’ But Lee Byeok didn’t know what he himself wanted.

Jang Seok-du tilted his head and said, ‘It’s strange not to want anything.’

Lee Byeok put the coins away again.

Soon, a waiter approached the group’s table, and Jaegal Somi skillfully ordered their meal.

Then, a silence fell over the table.

After spending the whole day wandering the market, everyone was enveloped in a pleasant languor.

Kudangtang!

“Aigoya!”

But the languor didn’t last long.

A commotion arose from the inn’s entrance, and all eyes gathered there at once.

“Tsk, how noisy.”

The waiter was rolling on the floor.

And two men, who seemed to have just entered the inn, were looking down at him.

“Hey, isn’t it a bit much to turn away a customer at the door? Huh?”

“Ah, no, that is… as you can see! We’re really at full capacity right now!”

“If there are no seats, you should think about making some. Are you telling us to beg for food?”

The waiter’s face turned sorrowful.

It was obvious to anyone that the men were being unreasonably demanding. But the waiter dared not argue back.

The neat attire of a Daoist, and a single sword hanging at his waist. Anyone could see they were Murim-in.

“……”

That attire looks familiar.

They were the group that had been galloping on horseback.

“Listen here, everyone!”

Just then, the other of the two men raised his voice towards the crowd.

“I am! Ujin, a third-generation disciple of the great Qingcheng Sect! On an urgent matter concerning the safety of the world! I have come all the way from the distant lands of Sichuan to this Yunnan, escorting an elder of my sect!”

Kung! He stomped his foot.

The inn’s floor shook as if it would collapse.

“For the sake of our disciples, who are weary from a long journey! For today! I’d appreciate it if you would yield this inn to us!”

And the man crossed his arms. He looked around the room with a face full of pride.

“……”

Soon, the customers in the inn began to get up from their seats one by one.

It was because commoners knew all too well that the best course of action was to avoid getting involved with Murim-in at all costs.

“Tsk.”

Jaegal Somi frowned.

“What rotten luck. Anyway, those bastards from the prestigious sects always make a mess wherever they go.”

Deureureuk.

Jaegal Somi got up from her seat.

“Alright, let’s go, kids.”

Jaegal Somi composed the children one by one, who were frozen by the unexpected situation.

Lee Byeok, Wang Suyeon, and Jang Seok-du also rose from their seats.

Mixing with the crowd rushing out, the Falling Sword Sect group tried to leave the inn together.

Just then, one of the two men, who was about to step outside, made eye contact with Jaegal Somi.

“Hoo, wait a moment.”

Seuk. The man’s arm blocked her way.

And a sticky gaze scanned Jaegal Somi up and down. Ssiik. The man smiled.

“It seems there will be plenty of seats, so the young miss and her party are welcome to dine with us.”

“…No, I’ll have to decline.”

“Ahaha, this is also fate. Wouldn’t it be a good thing for the young miss to spend a night with us disciples of Qingcheng?”

“Ah, yes. But I’m just an ignorant country bumpkin, so I wouldn't know. Well then, if you'll excuse me.”

Jaegal Somi tried to pass by with a glance.

Tak. But the man’s leg blocked her path again.

“Ahem, there’s a wooden sword at the young miss' waist, so are you not a Murim-in? We have already stated our sect and name, so how can you be so rude?”

“……”

“Or perhaps, does our Qingcheng Sect look laughable to the young miss?”

A sleazy smile.

He was harassing a woman by creating a forced argument. He didn’t even think it was wrong.

Under the status of a disciple from a prestigious sect, such actions were justified as a brief, youthful amusement.

“Haa.”

Jaegal Somi frowned.

“Lee Byeok, take the kids and go.”

“…Senior Sister.”

“Hurry. I’ll be out after a little while.”

“Ah, of course, your party may leave.”

Hwoi, hwoi. The man waved his hand as if it didn't matter, without even looking this way.

He’s not paying any attention at all.

Qingcheng Sect. Lee Byeok thought.

A member of the renowned Nine Great Sects he had only heard about.

Naturally, he would have learned inner energy.

But his presence was not refined.

And that presence didn’t feel particularly impressive. It seemed he had little to no real combat experience.

Lee Byeok discreetly glanced around.

There happened to be a table right next to them.

Taak!

“Eot?!”

The moment he made his decision, Lee Byeok kicked the table up. The table flipped over with a crash and flew towards one of the men.

While the man reflexively flinched, Lee Byeok brought his hand to his wooden sword.

The Sword-Drawing Form of the Azure River Sword Style already begins its technique from the sheathed state.

The subtlety of Fast was shot out like lightning.

Ppeok!

“Keok!”

Lee Byeok’s sword struck the other man near his solar plexus. The impact was solid, and a scream escaped.

Ppeok!

And the extended sword was smoothly withdrawn, striking the man on the crown of his head once more.

It was the subtlety of Curve from the Sword-Withdrawal Form.

“…Kkeu.”

Teolseok.

The man with his eyes rolled back collapsed to the floor. Without even having drawn the sword at his waist.

Chaeng!

“Y-You villainous—!”

Just then, the sound of the other man, who had deflected the table, drawing his sword from behind was heard.

Lee Byeok quickly dropped to a sitting position.

Seugeong!

A hair-raising sound grazed over his head.

Lee Byeok turned around. As he kicked off and stood up, he struck the man’s groin with his wooden sword.

Ppeok!

“Eok.”

“……”

“Kkeu, kkeueueu, eueueueu……”

Tuk, taenggeurang.

The sword fell from the man’s hand.

And clutching his groin, the man’s body crumbled. He collapsed to the floor, convulsing.

“T-To do such a thing, and you think you’ll get away with it, you, you bastard—”

Ppaak!

The wooden sword struck the man’s head.

The man’s body went limp.

The final blow was not from Lee Byeok, but from Jaegal Somi’s sword. And silence fell over the room.

Tadadadat!

Fearing they might get caught up in it, the inn’s customers hastily left. The fallen waiter seemed to have lost his mind.

Jeobeok jeobeok.

Jaegal Somi walked over to Lee Byeok.

Cheolsseok!

A palm struck Lee Byeok’s cheek.

“U-U-U-Unnie……?”

Cheolsseok!

She slapped the other cheek once more.

“What are you doing, Lee Byeok. Are you crazy?”

“……”

Lee Byeok searched for words.

“…Didn’t you teach me that this is what senior and junior brothers are, Senior Sister?”

“…Haa.”

Teolseok. Jaegal Somi collapsed onto a nearby chair as if falling. A weary groan escaped her lips.

“I’m doomed. Aaaaaah.”

Jaegal Somi covered her face with her hands.

But the next moment, she hastily lifted her head. She looked around at the children of the Falling Sword Sect.

“Seok-du. Suyeon.”

“Uh, yeah……?”

“Take the kids and run away quickly, right now, as far as you can. Find the village adults… and tell them to somehow relay this to the Sect Leader.”

“Wh-What about you and Big brother?”

“Don’t worry about us. Hurry!”

***

“It would have just ended with my day being ruined.”

“……”

“Do you understand? It was something that would have been over if I just had a meal with them and played along with their greasy-faced nonsense before making a timely exit.”

The two disciples of the Qingcheng Sect were still unconscious, rolling on the inn floor.

“But you beat up a disciple of the Qingcheng Sect. What do you think will happen if we run away on top of that?”

“……”

“What if the Qingcheng Sect considers this a conflict between Murim factions? What if Qingcheng designates us as a hostile force?”

Lee Byeok listened in silence.

“Everyone’s life will be in danger. You, me, the griz, the villagers, and even our kids.”

“…That’s unlikely.”

“It is likely. You don’t know how dirty, petty, and terrifying those so-called prestigious orthodox sects are.”

Haa. Sighing, Jaegal Somi clutched her forehead.

“Honestly, I’m not sure if even the Sect Leader can resolve this situation if he comes.”

“……”

“Lee Byeok, I haven’t asked about your past or your original sect, and I don’t want to know, but know this one thing. We, right now, don't have the background to clean up after impulsive hot-headedness.”

Impulsive hot-headedness?

“I see.”

Lee Byeok replied.

He didn’t think he had done anything wrong himself.

But his lack of foresight had ended up putting those around him in danger.

More than anything, deep within Jaegal Somi’s anger was a concern for Lee Byeok himself.

He had to take responsibility himself.

Lee Byeok steeled his heart.

And how much time had passed?

The sound of a group of people approaching was heard from outside the inn.

Kkiik.

The door opened, and men entered.

A group dressed in the same attire as the first two men entered boisterously before coming to a sudden halt.

They looked around the messy interior of the inn.

“…U-Ujin?! Umyeong?!”

The newly entered men approached the fallen disciples. After hastily checking on them, they looked around the interior.

Naturally, their gaze landed on Lee Byeok and Jaegal Somi. In the brief silence, one man walked forward.

“…You’ll have to explain this.”

“First of all, I would like to pay my respects to the disciples of the great Qingcheng Sect. My name is Lee Somi. And this is my younger brother.”

“Right, never mind your names. What exactly happened here?”

“There was just a small misunderstanding.”

“A small misunderstanding……”

“The two young masters offered me a meal and a chance to join Qingcheng, but it was too much for me, so I couldn't accept. However, the two young masters repeatedly offered their kindness.”

“……”

“But then my younger brother, who happened to see this scene, misunderstood the two young masters as ‘ruffians making unwanted advances on a woman’ and ended up causing a conflict.”

The man’s gaze swept over Lee Byeok.

Soon, his expression began to twist.

“Ha.”

The young man laughed lightly.

“So you’re saying that even though our boys are lazy, the disciples of the great Qingcheng Sect were beaten up and knocked down by your younger brother in a two-on-one fight?”

“What is the matter, Uhak?”

Just then, an elderly man with a long beard entered the inn.

“Elder, it is as you see. The young miss over there says there was a ‘small misunderstanding’.”

“……”

The elder of the Qingcheng Sect, Gong Myeong-ja, looked around the interior. A beautiful girl and the sprawling young disciples.

The situation was as clear as day.

It was quite common for disciples new to the Murim to show interest in women from ordinary households.

Of course, it wasn’t something to be greatly faulted.

Such was the youthful vigor of a healthy man.

But the important thing was that the other party was no ordinary woman.

Gong Myeong-ja smiled faintly.

“Right, a misunderstanding, you say. Excuse me, but which sect do the young miss and her brother belong to?”

“Sect? We are just commoners living in a nearby village.”

“Hahat! An interesting jest. So you’re saying a country boy beat up the disciples of Qingcheng? Does the young miss expect us to believe that?”

“Of course not. We have learned a few moves at the village’s martial arts hall, but it is not a place that the masters of the great Qingcheng Sect would bother to remember.”

“My dear young miss, the honor of the great Qingcheng Sect has been tarnished due to that small martial arts hall. Do you think you can get away with such an explanation?”

Gong Myeong-ja thought.

If the other party had a respectable faction, he could let it slide moderately.

But if not, the other party had to receive due punishment.

In front of many watchful eyes, he had to make an example of them for harming a disciple of Qingcheng and restore their tarnished honor.

“Suspicious, indeed. Keol keol keol!”

“……”

“Well, if it’s difficult to reveal your sect, you don’t have to. But it seems the young miss' brother has an excess of vigor, so our Qingcheng will have to provide some ‘slight guidance’.”

“…Would it not be enough if we knelt?”

“It would not.”

Jaegal Somi bit her lip.

“…Even if my name is actually Jaegal Somi?”

Meomchit

Gong Myeong-ja’s movement paused.

He looked Jaegal Somi up and down.

She was certainly an outstandingly beautiful girl, but her attire was shabby. And he couldn't feel any particular presence from her.

“Do you have a token to prove your identity? Or can you demonstrate the secret martial arts of the Jaegal Clan?”

“The main family does not pass down its secret arts to its daughters. Instead, if you permit, I will demonstrate a formation.”

“I’m afraid I have no intention of spending that much time. And my knowledge is short, so I don’t have the eyes to recognize such things.”

“…Are you absolutely sure?”

“Keol keol keol, in the first place, why would a daughter of the Jaegal Clan appear in this distant land of Yunnan, not Shaanxi or Hubei? Even if she were real, she would just be a stray from a collateral branch.”

Gong Myeong-ja stroked his beard and laughed.

“Don’t worry too much. We are not some villains, so we wouldn’t take your life, would we?”

“……”

“I don’t know what you’re waiting for, but we don’t want to cause any more damage to the inn, so stop talking nonsense and come with us quietly.”

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