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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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The lodging the Azure Sky Group secured was a place called Changmu Inn, similar to their own name.
Like inns south of the Luo River usually did, it had the character ‘武 [Mu – Martial]’ prominently displayed, and in Luoyang, putting the character ‘Mu’ in an inn’s name was like a mark indicating that the inn had its own training ground attached.
And the Azure Sky Group rented out the entire annex of the Changmu Inn, which was large enough to have a training ground next to the inn.
An expensive lodging fee where several silver taels were deducted per night?
Such things could no longer be obstacles hindering the Azure Sky Group’s progress.
Compared to the support funds Moyong Hye had permitted, it was no more than scooping a ladleful from a river.
Anyway, when Namgung-Woo arrived at the annex the Azure Sky Group had rented, he could see a familiar face displaying a full measure of grievance in its expression and actions.
“Young Lady Song. It really was Young Lady Song.”
The first connection Namgung-Woo had made since coming to this world.
It was Song Chae-ji.
Song Chae-ji, who spotted Namgung-Woo, brightened her sullenly crumpled face and shouted.
“Young Hero Nam!”
As Namgung-Woo was about to smile at the welcome face and speak, Song Chae-ji, perhaps due to how aggrieved she had been, abruptly turned her head towards Yang Kwai and began to pour out her indignation.
“See! It’s true! I told you we were close…!”
“Ahem… Well, I understand now that you have an acquaintance with the Captain, but there were more than one or two scoundrels who approached us in a similar manner. And your case seemed a bit more genuine, so didn’t we let you wait in the annex?”
“Don’t forget I was the one who determined it seemed genuine. That’s my achievement.”
“Hah, Captain, look at this. The discipline of our Azure Sky Group has become so lax. Even the precious daughter of the Peng Family addressed this Yang Kwai respectfully as ‘senior,’ but for the newest member to behave like this…”
Namgung-Woo stepped in to stop Yang Kwai, who was about to start arguing with Myorin as well, not just Song Chae-ji, and organized the situation.
“Yang Kwai, Myorin, you both did well. None of you have eaten yet, right? Let’s talk while we eat. Young Lady Song, it’s been a while, let’s talk over a meal. I hear the Luoyang Water Banquet is that delicious.”
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Facing the 24 dishes spread across the dining table, Song Chae-ji, instead of putting food into her mouth, began to voice the words she had kept in her heart.
“I was really surprised, you know! I came out after a long time, having lived cooped up in Mount Heng, and then I heard a familiar name everywhere… But what on earth happened in the past year? This isn’t the Young Hero Nam I knew…”
Where had the Namgung-Woo who didn’t know the ways of the world and slept sprawled on the roadside gone, and now he was at the center of attention, making Luoyang buzz?
And what about his attire?
The Goryeo-style martial attire and long robe he wore so stylishly made the memory of him wearing only a single hemp garment, like commoners, fade away.
Her discerning eye, developed thanks to growing up in a rather well-off family, unlike living in the mountains, even recognized the extraordinary fabric.
She had known he was highly skilled, so she had expected him to become famous quickly, but seeing it in person, the sense of change was considerable.
‘What on earth have I achieved, cooped up in Mount Heng…?’
I, too, diligently devoted myself to training during that time and reached the Peak Realm?
To boast about that, the average level around here was too high.
Just looking around, all those he kept as subordinates seemed stronger than Song Chae-ji, not weaker; what kind of reaction would she get if she boasted about reaching the Peak Realm here?
‘They’d probably treat me like a child…!’
Song Chae-ji was 21 this year.
She was actually the youngest, even a year younger than Myorin, the current youngest member.
Being treated like a child was enough at the Mount Heng Sect.
Despite being a proper first-generation disciple, she was doted on even by second-generation disciples, who were like her martial nephews, due to her young age. She had only just escaped being the youngest when third-generation disciples came in, and she couldn’t receive such treatment again.
Song Chae-ji hid her anxious feelings and spoke as maturely as possible.
“I knew Young Hero Nam’s skills, so I expected things would turn out like this.”
At Song Chae-ji’s words, someone could no longer hold back and spoke up.
“Young Lady Song, you seem to know Oppa well?”
Song Chae-ji’s eyes widened at Peng Ha-ryeong’s abrupt question, and she asked back.
“Yes? Oppa? You mean Young Hero Nam?”
“Yes. Since when have you been close with Oppa? Perhaps childhood friends or something…?”
“Ah, it’s not like that. Hmm… A lifesaver, something like that?”
Song Chae-ji chuckled, recalling the day she had brought Namgung-Woo, who had been on the street, to her home.
However, that smile appeared differently to Peng Ha-ryeong.
‘…Is she confident?’
Peng Ha-ryeong, whose wariness had lessened upon hearing she was a core disciple of the Mount Heng Sect, raised her guard again.
The Mount Heng Sect was officially a sect that had a foot in both Daoism and Buddhism.
Thus, unlike Daoist sects that sometimes permitted Daoist priests to love and marry, it strictly prohibited relationships between men and women.
Peng Ha-ryeong probed that point.
“If you helped Oppa, then I too must express my gratitude. You are indeed like a gallant heroine of the Mount Heng Sect.”
“Um… That was half a joke. Even if I hadn’t helped, it wouldn’t have been much of a problem for Young Hero Nam, and I also received grace thanks to him. We helped each other. Don’t they say all under heaven are comrades?”
More than that, Song Chae-ji was fixated on Peng Ha-ryeong’s use of “Oppa” and felt dizzy.
It wasn’t like she had this or that kind of relationship with Namgung-Woo, but to think he had already made a lover in the nearly one year since she had last seen him…
‘And with a daughter of the Hebei Peng Family, no less!’
Song Chae-ji even felt a sense of betrayal.
“You were a great help at that time, Young Lady Song. Thanks to you, I met the Yo-Pyeong Escort Agency and went all the way to Beijing. If it weren’t for Young Lady Song, I wouldn’t be here now.”
“Uh… Does it turn out like that?”
Namgung-Woo’s words were a roundabout way of protecting Song Chae-ji.
He was telling Peng Ha-ryeong not to be harsh, as Song Chae-ji also deserved credit for him being able to go to Hebei and meet the Peng Family.
Peng Ha-ryeong had reached a stage where she could read Namgung-Woo’s mood just by the difference in his gait.
Peng Ha-ryeong instantly grasped the meaning of his words, temporarily retreated, and picked up her chopsticks.
Then she began to pick up food far from where Namgung-Woo was sitting and move it in front of him.
“By the way, did Young Lady Song come alone?”
“Huh? No. I came with my master.”
“Venerable Eulju?”
Namgung-Woo recalled that in Song Chae-ji’s introduction during the duel with the Black Bear Gang, she had mentioned being taught by Venerable Eulju.
Song Chae-ji made an expression mixed half with joy and half with surprise, as if she had received an unexpected gift.
“Oh, you remember?”
“Is So-dang-ah doing well?”
“Of course. Actually, So-dang-ah misses Young Hero Nam a lot. Don’t you have any plans to come to Shanxi sometime? If you come this time, I’ll treat you really well.”
“My heart wishes to, but it’s difficult.”
“The wanderer group’s work must be very busy. Going to the Murim Alliance too.”
Although Song Chae-ji also knew Namgung-Woo’s real name, Namgung-Woo refrained from bringing up stories related to it.
Song Chae-ji had her own life and the group she belonged to.
This much distance was appropriate with Song Chae-ji.
“Young Lady Song seems busy too, right? Coming all the way from Mount Heng to Luoyang. Are you also here to participate in the martial arts tournament at the league meeting, Young Lady Song?”
“That’s not it. My master said he had business at the Murim Alliance, so I followed along because my family also asked me to hear some news about my uncle who is in the Murim Alliance.”
“Your uncle is in the Murim Alliance?”
“I don’t know well either. He’s someone who keeps his distance from the family.”
Song Chae-ji grumbled that she had only seen him a few times when she was young and was worried about what to say first when she met him.
“Still, since I’m here, I plan to participate in the martial arts tournament before I leave.”
Just as the topic was about to shift to the martial arts tournament, a knocking sound from outside the door was heard, along with a voice.
It was quite a distance from the door to here; it seemed the voice had been imbued with Qi.
“Sorry to disturb you while you’re resting. By any chance, has a child named Song Chae-ji come here?”
“Ah! It’s Master! She said she’d be a bit late, but already…”
Song Chae-ji, who had meticulously eaten her food while talking and had almost finished her meal, quickly got up from her seat.
“Don’t do that, please sit down. You can just ask her to come inside.”
Namgung-Woo, just as the visitor had done, sent his voice imbued with Qi.
As permission to enter was given, a female Daoist priest who looked to be in her forties entered with a polite demeanor.
The female Daoist priest, whose face was beginning to show some wrinkles, saw her disciple sitting at the table laden with a full Luoyang Water Banquet and her facial wrinkles deepened.
“Immeasurable Life Buddha… I wondered why the one who said she’d just pop in for a moment was so late…”
Although the Mount Heng Sect encompassed both Daoism and Buddhism, Venerable Eulju seemed to lean more towards Buddhism.
Or perhaps Song Chae-ji’s appearance required more Buddhist compassion than Daoist.
“Ah, Master, it’s not like that……”
“I invited her to stay for a meal since it’s been a long time since I saw her. I apologize for keeping her so late.”
“No, no. It seems my disciple has caused trouble. I apologize for visiting during your meal.”
Venerable Eulju politely showed courtesy even to Namgung-Woo, who was younger.
It was as if showing what a proper, orthodox female Daoist priest was like, unlike the pseudo-female Daoist priest feel of Myorin.
“Since it’s late, would it be alright if I take my disciple and return now? If you have more to discuss later, please send word to the Nokmu Inn. We will likely be staying there for the time being.”
“I will do so.”
Venerable Eulju’s eyes hardened as if to give Song Chae-ji a stern word, but then, seeing Song Chae-ji’s fidgeting hands, she relaxed her narrowed brow.
She always ended up letting her off like this; it seemed it would be the same again this time.
Just once.
Last year, the one who said she’d just go out alone for a bit had even dueled with a Black Path gang, so she had scolded her severely.
The reason she had come out like this today was also because of that past experience, worried that she might cause trouble again.
“Young Hero Nam, then I’ll be going. You’ll be in Luoyang during the league meeting too, right, Young Hero Nam? Let’s see each other often!”
Led by Venerable Eulju’s hand, Song Chae-ji left the Changmu Inn.
The Azure Sky Group members had a lot they wanted to ask about Song Chae-ji, but after finishing their meal and clearing the food, there was no time for that.
It was because Namgung-Woo’s words had begun.
“I received an escort request from the Murim Alliance, but I refused it.”
Everyone gathered here possessed enough discernment to distinguish between public and private matters.
From the moment Namgung-Woo mentioned the request, they began to listen to Namgung-Woo’s words with a serious attitude.
“First, I want to tell you my thoughts on that.”
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