Chapter 63

“W-What nonsense are you talking about!”

At Dokgo Bin’s shocking statement, it was none other than Paeng Ha-ryeong who was the first to raise her voice.

Passing by Hwa Yeok-pil, Paeng Ha-ryeong stood in front of Namgung Woo as if protecting him and removed her mask.

Although she had shown her face to the Cheongsu Gate people while fighting against No Hae-rip, Paeng Ha-ryeong had continued to use her mask.

Of course, she had also used it within Gyeonghyeon. It was the same when she came to Guyajang with Namgung Woo to accept a request. Therefore, Paeng Ha-ryeong’s face was practically revealed now.

However, Paeng Ha-ryeong’s fame was limited to the Hapbuk region. Let alone in Gangnam.

People admired Paeng Ha-ryeong’s beauty but did not recognize her identity.

“Who are you?”

Dokgo Bin tilted her head slightly and asked. She wasn’t particularly interested, but since you stepped forward, she decided to ask anyway.

This further irritated Paeng Ha-ryeong.

How dare you try to act cute and gain sympathy in front of me.

I absolutely cannot back down.

“I am…!”

Paeng Ha-ryeong, who had opened her mouth to strongly protest, suddenly stopped speaking as if she had hit a wall.

It was one thing to throw off her mask due to her competitive spirit over Dokgo Bin’s appearance. She had already shown her face once, and the only people who would see it here were the two craftsmen of Guyajang and Dokgo Bin.

But is it really okay to reveal her identity here?

[It’s okay.]

Namgung Woo’s Whispering Transmission gently resonated in her eardrums.

The Four Seasons Brew event was over. From now on, even if it wasn’t Paeng Ha-ryeong, she would gain fame for having brewed with the master of Guyajang.

She no longer had to worry about getting involved in troublesome matters because of her reputation. She would inevitably get involved anyway.

As soon as she received Namgung Woo’s permission, confidence flowed from Paeng Ha-ryeong.

The Dokgo Family? Fine. I acknowledge it. Among the four major families that form the core of the Black Martial Alliance, it is undoubtedly the best.

But what does that matter? The Hapbuk Paeng Family is also one of the Seven Great Families of the Martial Alliance. Although unlike the Dokgo Family, there is an overwhelming figure like the Heonwon Family, even the Dokgo Family falls short in front of the Heonwon Family.

The authority of the Hapbuk Paeng Family, which possesses the Twelve Lords, is equal to that of the Dokgo Family!

Paeng Ha-ryeong puffed out her chest proudly. See? Can’t you already feel the difference between Paeng Ha-ryeong and Dokgo Bin?

With the sense of victory as a woman, Paeng Ha-ryeong spoke boldly.

“I am Paeng Ha-ryeong, daughter of the Hapbuk Paeng Family.”

“The Paeng Family?”

It was a shocking revelation of identity, but Dokgo Bin’s reaction was utterly bland.

Instead, the Cheongsu Gate members, who had somewhat guessed her identity through her appearance, let out a sigh.

“As expected…”

“The Paeng Family… I can understand their strength.”

Paeng Ha-ryeong’s astonishing martial prowess, which had defeated the famous Peak Master No Hae-rip, was somewhat understandable if she was from the Hapbuk Paeng Family.

Although there were two even greater monsters standing there.

And one of those monsters carried on with her argument without a hint of wavering despite Paeng Ha-ryeong’s words.

“So? What does that have to do with anything?”

“Y-You…!”

Are you saying that because you’re from the righteous faction, you can’t be with someone from the evil faction? Paeng Ha-ryeong realized the flaw in her own argument and closed her mouth again.

Is Namgung Woo really from the righteous faction? If you consider only his chivalrous spirit, which values lives over martial arts and rushes into danger for the sake of connections, he could indeed be called righteous. But coldly speaking, Namgung Woo was still a person who had not aligned himself with any faction.

Between righteousness and evil. That was Namgung Woo’s current position as a wanderer.

But even without bringing up the faction debate, Paeng Ha-ryeong still had something to stand on.

“I am a member of the Changcheon Pavilion’s Great Master. And I am one of its members. Do you think it’s possible for you, a direct descendant of the Dokgo Family, to join a wanderer group?”

At Paeng Ha-ryeong’s question, Dokgo Bin tilted her head again as if it were some absurd nonsense.

“You’re here too.”

She was countering the logic that you, as a daughter of the Hapbuk Paeng Family, can do it, but I, as a daughter of the Dokgo Family, cannot.

However, Paeng Ha-ryeong had anticipated this much.

“I received permission from the family head to leave. But you joining the Changcheon Pavilion is running away, isn’t it? Do you think the Dokgo Family will allow that?”

Seeing Dokgo Bin without an answer, Paeng Ha-ryeong smiled triumphantly.

It worked.

The weaknesses of members of prestigious families are similar wherever you go.

They enjoy powerful privileges by relying on their family’s power, but at the same time, they are bound and constrained by their family.

Dokgo Bin didn’t seem to know much about Paeng Ha-ryeong, but Paeng Ha-ryeong knew a little about Dokgo Bin.

Dokgo Bin, the Pei Zhao Jun.

The only child of the Dokgo Family head.

It was said that she possessed a natural talent comparable to the Dokgo Family head and was expected to be the top of the Late Blooming Prodigies in the evil faction martial world.

Seeing her today, it seems that is true.

But with such talent and status, there would undoubtedly be restrictions on her activities.

As the only child of the Dokgo Family head, she would naturally be the family’s successor. A successor cannot easily leave the family. It wasn’t for nothing that Paeng Ja-ryeong was holed up in Tianjin and earned the nickname “The Unyielding Lord.”

Paeng Ha-ryeong thought of her brother and expected Dokgo Bin to be the same. If you have received something from the family, you must fulfill your duties to the family. That was Paeng Ha-ryeong’s common sense.

But that was underestimating Dokgo Bin.

“It doesn’t matter.”

The Dokgo Family also has family rules.

But there is a family motto that comes before that. The teaching that in the end, you are alone.

Do not rely on the family, rely only on yourself.

Even this time, it was the same. Dokgo Bin came alone to Gyeonghyeon.

Although it was only 400 li (200 km) from Hapbi, where the Dokgo Family is based, to Gyeonghyeon, which is a short distance by Central Plains standards, it was still an extremely unusual event for the family’s successor to move alone.

“Staying out is no problem. I can do laundry and cook. Even if it’s a wanderer group, I won’t be a burden.”

“Ugh…!”

This time, Paeng Ha-ryeong was pushed back.

Paeng Ha-ryeong was terrible at household chores.

What kind of noble young lady would have done household chores in her life?

Laundry, cleaning, cooking… those were the roles of servants, not Paeng Ha-ryeong.

Although she had been practicing cooking recently because Namgung Woo enjoyed gourmet food, it was still quite clumsy.

But Dokgo Bin, who had been prepared for independence since childhood under the strict family rules of the Dokgo Family, was truly a jack-of-all-trades in household chores. She was indeed a prepared talent.

“That is.”

As Paeng Ha-ryeong was shot down, Namgung Woo pushed her back and spoke.

“Even if it means making an enemy of the Dokgo Family?”

I understand that independent action is possible.

But to what extent?

Is even antagonizing the Dokgo Family’s allies tolerated?

“The Paeng Family head gave permission. Even if it means fighting against their own allies, he said it’s okay to act first and report later.”

Dokgo Bin stared straight at Namgung Woo.

There was no necessity for Dokgo Bin to follow Namgung Woo. The argument with Paeng Ha-ryeong was because Paeng Ha-ryeong had overreacted to a question Dokgo Bin had asked to confirm, not because Dokgo Bin had argued to join the Changcheon Pavilion.

But it was also true that Dokgo Bin had countered Paeng Ha-ryeong’s opposition.

Her curiosity and competitive spirit towards Namgung Woo, who had defeated her, were genuine. She thought it wouldn’t be bad to join the wanderer group and continue to challenge him, so Dokgo Bin had tried to refute Paeng Ha-ryeong’s objections.

Dokgo Bin made a calculation in her head.

There was no room to refute Namgung Woo’s words.

And she knew that his words about defeating her and telling her to follow were just following her own words, not really meaning to follow him around and challenge him anytime.

“…Alright.”

It only took a very short time for Dokgo Bin to reach a conclusion.

“Nam Woo of the Changcheon Pavilion. I’ll remember your name.”

Dokgo Bin left those words and departed from Guyajang.

Implying that she would come find you again someday.

§

“Phew… that was intense.”

As the tension between Dokgo Bin and the two dissipated, Wi Ji-ryang, who had been suppressed by the atmosphere, sighed and spoke.

Normally, Yang Kwae would have chimed in with Wi Ji-ryang’s words, but now it was different.

The Yang brothers quickly approached Namgung Woo and cautiously asked.

“Captain, are you okay?”

“Bad luck has struck. To meet the Dokgo Family here.”

The Yang brothers were among those who knew that Namgung Woo was from the Namgung Family.

To them, it seemed like Namgung Woo had met the daughter of his enemy without any preparation.

Asking directly about the Namgung Family also seemed to the Yang brothers like Namgung Woo’s composure was shaken in front of the enemy family.

“It’s fine. I’m not bothered at all.”

“But…”

“Don’t make a fuss.”

Pushing aside the Yang brothers, Namgung Woo turned his gaze to Hwa Yeok-pil.

“Rather, Master of Guyajang. I would like to discuss the request further.”

“Ah, yes. Right. Did you bring the horn?”

“Yes. Yang Kwae.”

“Here it is.”

Yang Kwae handed over the horn of the Netherworld Horn, which he had been carrying on his back, to Hwa Yeok-pil.

As the silk wrapping the horn of the Netherworld Horn was unwrapped, the demonic and evil energy contained within the horn spread out.

“This is the Sealing Silk. Did the Paeng Family give it to you?”

“Yes.”

“What a vicious thing. The Sealing Silk is already blackened. This can’t be used anymore.”

“It would still be worth a few gold coins… what a waste.”

“Hey, you rascal. You have an eternal treasure in your hands, and you’re worried about the Sealing Silk?”

“Is it in my hands? It’s in the master’s hands.”

While Hwa Yeok-pil and Ju Yang-hong exchanged words, they carefully examined the horn of the Netherworld Horn with their hands and eyes. As craftsmen who had also trained in martial arts, they circulated their internal energy to block the evil energy emanating from the horn.

“This will take at least a month. The scabbard will be made of Dragon Eye Wood, which contains spiritual energy, so this should be perfect.”

“Will that work? The horn is stronger than the Dragon Eye Wood, so it will eventually break.”

“It will last for a few years. We’ll have to find other materials within that time.”

“Shall we ask the Mosan Sect for help?”

“Stop it. Those old men won’t help us.”

As the two immersed themselves in their own world, exchanging opinions, Namgung Woo spoke up.

“As far as I know, spiritual materials can manifest their power just by inscribing spell runes on them. What about the Dragon Eye Wood?”

“Spell runes? That depends on the spell. The material is top-notch, but if you inscribe a clumsy spell rune, you might just disrupt the material’s spiritual energy.”

“If that’s the case, it’s fine. I’ll prepare the spell runes to be inscribed on the scabbard, so just prepare the spellcraft part.”

“You’ll write it yourself…? Hmm, alright. That much isn’t difficult.”

Hwa Yeok-pil handed the horn of the Netherworld Horn and the Dragon Eye Wood to Ju Yang-hong and sent him to move them to his workshop.

“One month. It will be tight, but I’ll complete it by then. You can look forward to it. This Hwa Yeok-pil, who has walked the path of a swordsmith for 50 years, is more excited than ever.”

§

On the way back to the inn after leaving Guyajang.

Namgung Woo asked Wi Ji-ryang.

“What does the Cheongsu Gate plan to do now?”

“Hmm… I think we should go back first. The senior brother’s internal injuries are almost healed. And since we don’t have the Dragon Eye Wood, there shouldn’t be any problems.”

“But it would be good to stay in Gyeonghyeon for a few more days and prepare to leave. We don’t know how the Four Seasons Brew will end, so we haven’t prepared yet.”

“That’s right, Nam Hero.”

Wi Ji-ryang spoke, echoing Yi Gong-seo’s words.

“But a month is not a short time. Do you plan to stay in Gyeonghyeon, Nam Hero?”

“Well. I haven’t thought that far ahead.”

“Ah! Then, let’s go to Peach Blossom Pool! It’s not far from Gyeonghyeon and is a beautiful place where Li Bai left a poem.”

“Brother, let’s not go back right away and take this chance to sightsee, okay?”

Since there’s nothing to do in Gyeonghyeon anyway.

Under the strong insistence of Paeng Ha-ryeong and Wi Seong-ha, they set Peach Blossom Pool tourism as their next schedule… but it never came to pass.

“The Jegal Family is in danger!”

That was the beginning.

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