Episode 87. Cheonsu-gwan (天水館)
Then Yeo Nan-ju said with a happy expression.
“okay. “It is an honor to meet the famous Jang Seong-pyo.”
A middle-aged man who introduced himself as Ki Bong-rim said while waving his hands.
“That’s not true. All rumors about Moorim are exaggerated. This is especially true if you are stuck in a remote corner like the Kunlun faction.”
Of course, Han Ibi had never heard of it.
There weren’t many martial arts novels that dealt with the Kunlun faction in earnest, so there was a lack of background knowledge about the Kunlun faction itself.
But looking at their expressions, it seemed that Jong Ri-hyuk and So Eun-ri were no different.
Both of the lower knights were completely indifferent to things like rumors of strongmen or clan trends…
Only Yeo Nanju was talking excitedly.
“I had heard about the cooperation between the National Association of Korea and I knew about it. Especially the battle in the desert with the chief’s madou…”
“Hehehe. Now stop painting your face with gold. “Didn’t I say earlier that this was definitely an exaggeration?”
“Agi Daehyup is also humble. “How could there be smoke in the stove if it weren’t for that?”
Even though he told him not to do it, Ki Bong-rim didn’t seem to be in a bad mood.
At that time, Jong Ri-hyuk spoke.
“It is an honor to meet you at the National University of Korea. “By the way, what business did you come here for?”
It was a word that seemed to pour cold water on a barrage of praise.
Han Ibi thought.
‘Anyway, that guy needs to reform his social skills first. Even if you say the same thing, you make me feel bad so bluntly… tsk, tsk.’
Then Ki Bong-rim, who seemed to have come to his senses, spoke with a solemn expression.
“Now that I think about it, that’s what I wanted to ask. “What on earth are the disciples of the Qingcheng Sect doing in Hubei Province?”
Jong Lihyuk answered.
“Actually, everything started by chance. Our original destination is the Murim Alliance.”
Jong Ri-hyuk simply summarized and explained how he met Yeo Seon-pyo Gukju and the fact that he came here in response to his will.
With every word of the story, Gi Bong-rim’s face turned red and he was filled with anger.
Clang-!
He eventually couldn’t hold back his anger and smashed one of the pottery.
When Han Ibi and her group looked at him in surprise, they saw that Ki Bong-rim was shaking all over.
He said.
“Cheon Shin-woo… Cheon Shin-woo is dead?”
Jong Ri-hyuk spoke in a heavy voice.
“That’s right… He was worried about Yeo Seon-pyo’s people until the very last moment.”
At that moment, Han Ibi and the others were surprised.
This is because I found Ki Bong-rim shedding hot tears like a waterfall.
“Ahhh. Shinwoo, you man… How did you work so hard to end up in vain like this? “I should have stopped him when I thought it was strange…”
He remained silent for a while with his eyes closed.
There was silence and it was awkward, but Han Ibi and her group did not dare to intervene.
Only when the tears dried and left marks did Gi Bong-rim open his eyes and say.
“I am friends with Cheon Shin-woo. “We are hometown friends who have known each other for a long time.”
Ebi Han said.
“Ah, you are becoming friends with Gukju?”
“That’s right.”
“But what brought you here today?”
Then Gi Bong-rim took a deep sigh and said.
“Not long ago, Shinwoo asked for something different from usual.”
“Please?”
“That’s right. He said that he had been entrusted with an important mission, and that there might be considerable risk involved. At the same time… I will mark my location at each important point and send a message. If the message is cut off, I ask you to immediately convey it to the Yeo Seonpyo Bureau. “I heard we talked about it in advance…”
“Ah. “I guess that’s what happened.”
“But Jeon Seo-gu, who was supposed to come, didn’t arrive. So, even though I didn’t think anything would happen, I thought I should visit Yeoseonpyo Bureau at least once.”
“You really have a strong friendship.”
“I arrived only recently. But… as you can see, there wasn’t a single rat in sight. “I was just going to go back, but Shinwoo asked me to do it, so I was hiding for a while and watching the situation.”
“aha. “That’s when we came in.”
“That’s right.”
At that time, Han Ibi spoke as if she remembered something.
“Ki Daehyeop. “So, could you please take a look at this?”
Han Ibi said, pointing to the Dying message under the pottery.
Gi Bong-rim moved to that side and began to observe it.
His expression was very serious.
Han Ibi asked.
“Mr. Ki Daehyeop. Can you guess what that means?”
Then Ki Bong-rim made a ‘keuung’ sound and said.
“I have no idea… This looks like the character Baek (白)…”
I know that much too…
At that moment, Jong Ri-hyuk spoke.
“Then I think we should go back at this point.”
Gi Bong-rim responded with an ‘oops’ expression.
“Right. Thank you for coming all the way here at the request of Shinwoo, a stranger to me. “I will check from here.”
“no.”
Han Ibi intervened.
“sure. Isn’t the Dead Sea called Dongdo? “We just did what we had to do.”
Han Ibi succeeded in spitting out everything she had been thinking about, even though she was conscious of Yeo Nan-ju rolling her eyes with an expression that said, ‘You’re funny.’
Gi Bong-rim said.
“Ah, but why do these young people visit the Murim League?”
Then, Yeo Nan-ju was proud and tried to explain, but Jong Ri-hyeok stopped him and said,
“It’s no big deal. “I’m just running an errand because I have something to deliver from the Cheongseong Sect.”
Only then did Gi Bong-rim nod his head as if he had realized something and said.
“Oh dear. I was trying to meddle in other people’s business without being in charge. “I’m sorry.”
“no.”
Jong Ri-hyeok continued his speech while taking the example of the Four Fist.
“Then let’s go.”
“I understand.”
It was time for four people, led by Jong Ri-hyuk, to turn around one by one.
“Perhaps…”
Ki Bong-rim said.
“…If I need help with something, can I send you a message?”
Jong Lihyuk said.
“of course.”
“Who can I do this to?”
“You just need to find Zhong Lihyeok of the Qingcheng Sect.”
“I understand. I guess so. Well then, thank you for your hard work. “Have a nice day.”
Ebi Han said.
“Then, Daehyeop, please return home carefully.”
In Ki Bong-rim’s determined expression as he turned around, Han Ibi was able to discover the two letters of ‘revenge’.
So the four people finished saying hello and left the main hall.
Yeo Nan-ju said to Jong Li-hyeok.
“execution. “Can I just go on like this?”
“Something is unclear… but it doesn’t make sense to get involved any further.”
Han Ibi intervened.
“Now that we have the Gibongrim Daegyeop, let’s go our own way!”
Then Yeo Nanju responded sharply.
“Earlier, you were talking about the Dead Sea and Dongdo…”
“Haha. That’s right… sometimes ostentation is necessary… Isn’t that the case with everything in life?”
The four people left the gate, drove their respective horses, and started running towards the Murim Alliance again.
* * *
After that, it was another boring journey.
Fortunately or unfortunately, nothing special happened like before.
And finally, Han Ibi and her group arrived at Gaebong, a historic town in Henan Province.
Han Ibi muttered.
“Hwiyu. “I’ve come back a bit, but it’s a really long way away.”
Yeo Nanju never failed to say a word.
“I only came through two castles, so how far is it?”
“Ugh. This is a very far distance for me. “Why on earth was the Murim League created here in Ha Nam Province?”
“Are you saying you’re a martial artist by name and you don’t even know that?”
“Do you know that lady?”
“Sure. “What mountains are there in Henan Province?”
“Are you afraid I don’t even know that? “Yes, there is Mount Seong, one of the five mountains.”
“Who is in Songshan?”
“Yes, there is the famous Shaolin Temple. But just because there is a Shaolin Temple, does that mean the Wulin Alliance should be in Henan?”
Yeo Nan-ju said with a sneer on her face.
“you’re welcome. Starting from Henan Province, there is Wudang Mountain in Hubei Province to the south. Next to it is Zhuge Sega. Is that it? In western Shaanxi Province, there is a volcanic wave. Also, in Sacheon, not far away from us, our Cheongseong and Ami faction Jeomchang faction and Jeonjin faction are located. So, isn’t it the right location for the Murim League geographically?”
Yes.
After hearing it, I found it to be true.
The sects that Yeo Nan-ju recited one after another were all sects that farted in the current powerhouse, ‘except for the Cheongseong sect’.
Among them, the presence of Shaolin shamans could be said to have been significant throughout all times and times.
Han Ibi muttered in a dissatisfied voice, even though she knew that what she said was right.
“No one is good enough for a boss who wants to have a company dinner in his neighborhood…”
“What?”
“no. no.”
At that time, Jong Ri-hyuk spoke.
“Now that we’re almost there, you should be more careful.”
When Han Ibi slowly raised her head and looked ahead, it was clear that a building of quite grand scale was revealed.
He focused his eyes and read the plaque.
– Cheonsu-gwan (天水館)
Cheonsu-gwan (天水館)?
What kind of fortune teller is this? It seems like the name of a black bean noodle restaurant…
“It doesn’t say Murimmaeng?”
Then Yeo Nan-ju smiled and said, ‘Puh-huh’ again.
“No really… aren’t you stupid? “The name Murimmaeng is not officially used.”
Han Ibi was about to scream in anger, but barely held back and asked.
“Why can’t we call ourselves the Murim Alliance even though we are the Murim Alliance?”
“Gangho people have always maintained an independent relationship with government officials. The imperial family is uncomfortable with the alliance between the martial powers. So, the Murim League exists, but its true nature is never revealed to the public.”
joy. okay. you are good
The front door of Cheonsu-gwan was quite wide.
And there was a side door on either side of that door, and next to it was a gatekeeper or a security guard. Anyway, there were two men standing in charge.
He was tall, had long bones, and was muscular all over, so he seemed perfectly suited for this job.
The two people were looking wary as they saw Han Ibi and his party riding on horseback from a distance.
At that time, four people, led by Jong Ri-hyuk, got off their horses and approached the security guard.
A security guard with a full beard blurted out.
“What’s going on?”
Jong Li-hyeok said while politely waving his arms around.
“Disciples of the Qingcheng Sect visited Tiansu Pavilion.”
Then the man spoke with a sour expression.
That expression seemed to explain the current position of the Qingcheng faction.
“Do you have an appointment?”
“became.”
“Wait a moment.”
The two guards made eye contact and then saw one person enter through a side door.
Han Ibi and the others had no choice but to wait in shame.
He said as he came back out before he had time to drink a cup of tea.
“Follow me.”
The man went back in through the side door.
Han Ibi and the others followed him inside.
As soon as I entered, a boy caught my eye.
“You can leave the horses to me.”
As expected, the scale of the Murim Alliance is different.
There was also a child who took care of the customer’s horse….
The four people handed the horse over to the child and walked further inside, following the security guard.
The inside of the Tensu-gwan was well-groomed with trees, like a rich man’s garden.
At that time, I saw a person walking from far away.
I noticed that he was a skinny middle-aged man with an unflattering smile.
He said with a cheerful, yet somewhat sly smile.
“I am Maeng Gap-son (孟甲遜), a member of the Murim League’s Jami Party. “You said you came from the Qingcheng sect, right?”
Jong Lihyuk said.
“That’s right.”
The man who introduced himself as Maeng Gap-son nodded lightly once and said.
“Okay. I guess it’s a little later than I thought. Anyway, you four follow me.”
Then, without waiting for an answer, he turned around and started walking away.
But the gesture was so quick and cheerful that the four people were startled in their hearts and hurriedly started walking after him.
Han Ibi also thought with quite a bit of surprise.
‘If even the martial arts skills of the person who came to pick you up are this good… how much better must the others be…’
(Continued in the next episode)