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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Bobt
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A few days later, the group was able to reach their destination, Kaiyang.
Kaiyang was a village with a decent scale.
Guizhou was divided into north and south, centered around its capital, Guiyang. The north was the territory of the orthodox sects, and the south was the territory of the unorthodox sects.
Among them, Kaiyang was a village located near Guiyang. It belonged to the front lines. As a result, it was where the orthodox sect members gathered the most.
“Oh my, judging by your appearance, you must be the heroes of the orthodox sects. This little merchant couldn’t hide his excitement upon seeing the heroes walking with such grandeur from afar,” a small merchant who approached first bowed and scraped as soon as they entered Kaiyang.
“What do you mean?” Jang Hong looked at the small merchant with a dumbfounded expression.
As a rule, when praise becomes excessive, it is seen as flattery. The small merchant’s fawning had already surpassed the level of praise.
“Haha.” Goo Poong looked at the small merchant and laughed, making a sound like the wind, as if he found it amusing. Then he took out a coin from his bosom, placed it on his thumb, and flicked it with his finger, sending it flying to the small merchant.
“There’s no need to unpack our luggage at the inn, so instead of unnecessary guidance, just guide us to the Wulin Alliance’s Kaiyang branch. If you try anything boring, we won’t just let it slide. Keep that in mind.”
“Oh, of course! Hero!” The small merchant caught the coin with both hands and bowed. He bowed so excessively that his forehead almost touched the ground.
At that, the surrounding solicitors clicked their tongues and backed away. They seemed to be regretting losing the customers.
Only then did Jang Hong understand what was going on, and he exclaimed, “Aha,” nodding his head.
“When you arrive in a new place, it will be filled with people trying to solicit like this. So, if you give them a few coins and ask them to guide you to your desired location, that’s all you need to do,” Goo Poong explained kindly while walking leisurely.
“Also, if your destination is the Wulin Alliance branch, there’s no need to go to an inn. Unless it’s a special case, they will take care of your accommodation and meals there.”
It was practical information that was helpful for the journey in the murim, even if it was minor.
If Joo Seo-cheon didn’t already know this, he would have listened attentively and kept it in mind.
“Oh my, they provide accommodation and meals at the branch!” The small merchant exclaimed with his mouth wide open in surprise.
The Wulin Alliance branches, even in rural areas, were not small. Wherever you went, they could easily accommodate and feed about a hundred people.
However, not just anyone could do it. To stay there, you needed to have business with them and receive permission.
To put it bluntly, third-rate or second-rate martial artists without affiliation were often chased away, calling them freeloaders.
The fact that one could receive accommodation and meals at the branch meant that they were not third-rate.
However, it wasn’t to the extent of exaggerating like this. The small merchant’s reaction itself was excessive, as if flattery was his purpose.
“If it’s not rude, may I ask for your honorable names?” The small merchant bowed and scraped with a shameless face.
It was so blatant that anyone could tell his intention.
“I’m Goo Poong of Mount Hwa. My, you’re really passionate,” Goo Poong said.
“Oh my! Fourteen Sword Hero! No wonder I felt something extraordinary about you from afar. You are the disciples of the great Mount Hwa!” The small merchant exclaimed, widening his eyes and raising his voice.
“A big shot!” he thought.
If one mentioned Fourteen Sword Hero Goo Poong, he was a master recognized even in the martial arts world. He looked like the guardian of novices making their debut in the murim, so he knew he was a master, but he didn’t expect him to be this great.
For merchants, connections were particularly important. If the target of that connection was a big shot, it was undoubtedly good.
The small merchant wagged his invisible tail and showered Goo Poong with compliments.
“Please be quiet,” Jang Hong said, unable to bear it any longer. The emotion reflected in his eyes was a sense of humiliation.
“Do you have no self-respect?” Jang Hong looked at the small merchant as if he was pathetic.
At that, the small merchant smiled lightly as if apologizing. He seemed to have some tact, as he didn’t say anything more.
“Jang Hong, what kind of language is that? If you’re from the orthodox sect, be careful with your words. It’s not that I don’t understand, but try to speak more softly,” Goo Poong reprimanded Jang Hong.
“I apologize, Martial Uncle,” Jang Hong said, lowering his head.
Goo Poong didn’t scold him further when Jang Hong bowed his head. He was already feeling a bit uncomfortable with the small merchant’s flattery.
“Oh my, it seems the atmosphere has become a bit awkward because of me. As a repayment, I will treat you later. Come, come this way. We will arrive at the branch in a moment,” the small merchant said.
Jang Seo-eun also tried to say something but stopped.
It was a fleeting relationship that would end once they reached the branch anyway.
“This is the place. If you ever need guidance, nearby…” the small merchant said.
“The guidance is enough. Thank you,” Goo Poong interrupted his words midway with a bitter smile.
He was indirectly telling him not to be a bother.
“Oh my, there’s no one who treats a guide as kindly as you. Anyway, I will surely repay you, so just call for me! Hehehe!” The small merchant laughed like a sycophant and left.
* * *
They arrived at the branch and signed the guest book. As soon as the person in charge of the registry saw their names, he treated them kindly and guided them.
“Tsk, they keep telling us to wait, but look at them,” one of the waiting visitors nearby muttered.
“Shh, be careful with your words. I took a glance earlier, and they seem to be the disciples of Mount Hwa,” another visitor said.
“What? Mount Hwa? Oh no, that was close. Thank you,” the first visitor said.
The visitors quickly lowered their heads to hide their faces, worried that they might have been overheard.
“They probably didn’t even imagine that we heard them since we’re not martial artists,” Jang Seo-eun muttered with a subtle expression.
“What do you think, Junior Brother?” she asked.
“About what?” Joo Seo-cheon asked in response to her question.
“The treatment by the person in charge of the registry,” she said.
At her words, Joo Seo-cheon fell into thought for a moment with his mouth closed, then answered honestly, “Originally, life is never equal. Even just based on one’s background, the treatment changes. No, it changes not only based on background but also based on ability. That’s reality, isn’t it?”
Joo Seo-cheon had also experienced discrimination before the regression. No, it was the same even after the regression.
Previously, he received decent treatment because of his background, but since he was such an ordinary martial artist, he sometimes faced discrimination. Now, he was being ridiculed and discriminated against within the Mount Hua Sect because of his nickname “Rich on the Inside, Poor on the Outside.”
“Discrimination can be seen everywhere. Even within the Mount Hua Sect, the Lotus Hall and…” Joo Seo-cheon tried to continue his words but felt alarmed by the gazes around him. He had said too much of his thoughts.
His words didn’t seem to belong to a twelve-year-old at all. Joo Seo-cheon rolled his eyes and broke out in a cold sweat.
“Haha, they call you ‘Rich on the Inside, Poor on the Outside,’ but your mind is indeed rich. You’ve picked up a lot from somewhere!” Jang Hong didn’t think deeply about Joo Seo-cheon’s words.
To him, Joo Seo-cheon was “Rich on the Inside, Poor on the Outside.” An incompetent junior martial brother who barely entered the Lotus Hall by chance and luck.
Jang Seo-eun also looked at him with a bit of curiosity but didn’t seem to think too deeply about it.
“Hmm.” However, only Goo Poong was different. He was lost in thought while looking at Joo Seo-cheon with quite an interested expression.
“From the incident at the Yangtze River and now, that child Joo Seo-cheon has remarkable intelligence compared to other children his age. If only his qualities were good, he could have even aimed for the Plum Blossom Swordsman position. It’s truly regrettable,” Goo Poong thought.
However, that was only a slight increase in his evaluation. He didn’t particularly consider Joo Seo-cheon to be extraordinary.
“Phew, I should be careful,” Joo Seo-cheon inwardly sighed in relief.
Perhaps it was because of the resentment of not being able to speak his mind in his previous life, but his thoughts kept wanting to come out whenever something happened.
Of course, he had planned to live like that, but there were times when he had to hold back.
“I am Shin Do-gyun, the head of the Kaiyang branch. It’s an honor to meet the Fourteen Sword Hero,” Shin Do-gyun greeted with a salute, revealing his white teeth.
“The honor is mine to meet the head of the Kaiyang branch who is in charge of the front lines in Guizhou,” Goo Poong replied with a smile.
Shin Do-gyun seemed pleased when someone like the Fourteen Sword Hero praised him, and a smile appeared on his lips.
“I have already arranged for your accommodations and meals, so you will receive guidance when you leave this room,” Shin Do-gyun said.
“The head of the Kaiyang branch has been so considerate. I am grateful for your thoughtfulness,” Goo Poong said.
“It’s just what I should do. By the way, the young heroes behind you seem to be members of the Lotus Hall… Am I right?” Shin Do-gyun asked.
The three of them nodded their heads up and down.
The Lotus Hall of the Mount Hua Sect was a renowned and historic place in the martial arts world, just like the Martial Dragon Hall of the Wudang Sect.
As a result, when they came out into the murim before reaching adulthood, accompanied by a guardian, it often became a topic of discussion.
Children from the Mount Hua Sect who were not even of age. And if a transcendent master was accompanying them, the answer was obvious.
“To be able to see the future masters of Mount Hwa who will shoulder its future this year as well, it seems like being the head of the Kaiyang branch is worthwhile,” Shin Do-gyun said.
Furthermore, it wasn’t the first time members of the Lotus Hall had visited Kaiyang. Countless members of the Lotus Hall had visited Kaiyang over the generations.
The fact that Guizhou was the front line meant that there were many enemies, but it also meant that there were many masters of the Wulin Alliance.
That meant that if they were attentive, they could gain experience while being protected by masters.
In addition to elite institutions like the Lotus Hall, late-stage disciples also frequently visited to gain experience and establish achievements.
In the case of the Lotus Hall’s guardian, it changed every year, so it was the first meeting between Goo Poong and the head of the Kaiyang branch.
From Shin Do-gyun’s perspective, the visit of the Lotus Hall was an annual event.
“No matter what mission you give us, we will stake the name of the Mount Hua Sect and complete it,” Goo Poong said.
And this mission to gain practical experience was traditionally assigned at the discretion of the head of the Kaiyang branch.
There were only a handful of people who knew as much about the current situation in Guizhou as the head of the Kaiyang branch.
“Hahaha, as expected of the Fourteen Sword Hero, your sense of righteousness is truly exceptional. I will inform you of the mission soon,” Shin Do-gyun said with a gentle smile.
“Ah, by the way, the Zegal family is currently at the Kaiyang branch. You will likely carry out the mission together with them, so it wouldn’t be bad to go and coordinate with them in advance,” he added.
Goo Poong nodded his head with an unsurprised expression.
As mentioned, Guizhou was a place to gain experience or establish achievements. There were many orthodox sect members visiting besides the Mount Hua Sect.
Most of them visited once a year, but a few forces were an exception.
One of them was the Zegal family.
The Zegal family was located in Hubei, but they frequently sent their members to Guizhou for reconnaissance and experience to always grasp the situation and devise strategies.
It didn’t matter anyway since the Zegal family rarely fought directly on the front lines.
“The Zegal family!” Joo Seo-cheon thought excitedly at the mention of the Zegal family.
“I’m not sure if the timing is right, but maybe…”
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