[TS] Became a Peach Saint – Chapter 288

Bang!

While chatting with Jeon Ho, a man with a sword approaches and offers a fist greeting.

He looks as clean-cut as a scholar.

“I am Gok Dowi. In the world, I am known as the Iron Sword Gentleman…”

Crack!

The Iron Sword Gentleman, Gok Dowi, loses consciousness, showing the whites of his eyes as he collapses to his knees on the ground.

“Woohoo! Three undefeated in combat!”

“Nice!”

“It’s great!”

“Wait, that’s not how you do martial arts…”

“Just fight, stop nagging.”

When I pulled out the undefeated in combat badge from Gok Dowi’s waist, another one came out with it.

“Huh? He had two of these.”

“Gok Dowi, the Iron Sword Gentleman, is a martial artist active in Guizhou, and he’s quite well-known in that area.”

“Guess he came here after making a name for himself there.”

Jeon Ho nods.

“Correct. He’s quite influential.”

“I see.”

Click, click.

“Phew— But, is it okay to be this sloppy? For such a grand tournament, the rules seem way too lax.”

It’s all improvised from start to finish.

At first glance, these people, who look well over thirty, claim to be in their twenties and carry undefeated in combat badges on their waists.

It’s a place where invisible social statuses among people exist, and there are even large factions like the Line and Mara.

There’s no way they have resident registration cards, and the only proof of their sect or family is a badge. Ordinary people just write down their residence and family members and pay taxes.

Even in modern times, con artists who exploit the dense legal system are rampant. In such a place, it’s no surprise that problems arise in such a lax environment.

“Martial artists live by martial arts and honor.”

“Ah, so they just brush it off with honor? Even after holding such a chaotic tournament?”

“Well… yes.”

“Confusing.”

“Exciting!”

“True. I’m excited too.”

After petting Baekseol, who peeked out a few times, she went back into the pocket.

If the game is too quiet, it gets boring.

“Hey, Han So-jeo…”

“What?”

Jeon Ho, who had been gauging the situation, cautiously called out to me.

“What should we do about the late-stage scholars we met in Bakju?”

“Those bumpkins? What are they up to?”

“I tied them up and threw them into the forest after sealing their blood paths.”

I left it to Jeon Ho, and it seems he handled the cleanup neatly.

“Hmm, let them go.”

“Really let them go?”

“Yeah. We need more undefeated in combat launchers to increase the numbers.”

“Understood.”

Jeon Ho said they were from good families. So, if we let them go, they’ll gather a bunch of undefeated in combat badges like workers in a game.

“And, go tell them you secretly saved them.”

“Why do that?”

“You wanna get fired from Yeombyeongmaeng? They’re from influential families with a lot of pride. So, make it seem like you were forced to do it under my threat.”

“But then, Han So-jeo, you’ll suffer…”

“Enough, enough. I can take care of myself. Right now, I’m looking out for you first.”

After pondering for a while, Jeon Ho performs a fist greeting, turns around, and disappears.

First impressions were the worst, but it seems like some grudging affection has built up over time.

*Tap.*

Ash falls from the pipe struck against the palm.

─Tsk, tsk.

“Phew─ Is there anyone else who looks appetizing?”

As soon as the words are spoken, Baekseol and Danpung peek their faces out from the pocket.

“I’m hungry!”

“It’s great!”

*Ding!*

“Here, Baekseol, flowers, and Danpung, seeds.”

As I bow my head to meet their eyes, Baekseol presses on my glasses with her front paw.

Thanks to that, Baekseol’s paw print is clearly imprinted on the sunglasses.

“You little rascal.”

“Great!”

When I put food in the pocket, they go back inside.

“Pee-ee! It’s great!”

“Yes!”

I don’t know what they’re doing, but since they love digging and playing, it doesn’t seem particularly frustrating.

Still, it seems like they’ve become much closer, which puts my mind at ease. I was worried Danpung might not adjust, but it seems it was just a baseless fear.

“Phew─”

While smoking a cigarette and pulling out a microfiber cloth, I sense someone approaching.

“Nice to meet you, miss.”

He greets me with a loud fist greeting.

Among the people I’m close to, the biggest guy I met was Gang-cheol from the military.

But the person approaching now is just as big as Gang-cheol. Judging by his rugged appearance, he seems to have done some ironwork.

“Who are you?”

“I am Won-pyeong of the Byeokryeok Family…”

As I take off my sunglasses and wipe Baekseol’s paw print with the microfiber cloth, the man introducing himself as Won-pyeong stares blankly.

“Are you here to fight?”

He’s wearing an “Undefeated in Combat” badge on his waist. What’s unusual is that he doesn’t seem to carry any weapons, unlike others.

“By any chance, is your nickname ‘The Greatest Flower Under Heaven’?”

“Did this punk take some pills or something?”

“I thought a heavenly fairy had descended from the sky. Though your mouth is a bit rough…”

“Do you want to throw some punches?”

*Thud!*

The guy named Won-pyeong clenches his fists together, making a loud noise.

“The Byeokryeok Divine Fist of the Byeokryeok Family is undoubtedly the greatest fist under heaven, let no one doubt it!”

“That ‘greatest under heaven’ thing gets slapped on everything, huh?”

“It’s a saying passed down from the ancestors of the Byeokryeok Family.”

Won-pyeong, despite his size, gives a sly smile.

The more I look at him, the more I compare him to the neat and tidy Gang-cheol.

“Phew─”

*Tap.*

─Tsk, tsk.

After shaking off the ash and lighting the pipe again, Won-pyeong stares at me intently.

“Miss, cigarettes are not good for your health.”

“If I don’t smoke, my mouth gets dry. And what’s it to you? If you’re not here to fight, go on your way.”

“You’re the woman who will be my partner, so you should take care of your health.”

Won-pyeong, still smiling slyly, looks me up and down.

“What kind of lunatic is this?”

“Haha! A strong man suits a beautiful woman!”

“That’s…”

“Strong? Want to fight me?”

“Hehe. Sure. But…”

*Crash!*

His jaw drops because he’s so tall.

*Thud.*

Like the others, his eyes roll back, and he crashes to his knees.

*Whoosh!*

“You! How dare you ambush me! Do you have no honor?!”

One of the guys who came with Won-pyeong suddenly draws his sword and charges.

“Haah! First Form of the Seven Iron Swords…!”

When I catch the swinging sword with my hand, his eyes bulge like they’re about to pop.

“Y-you’re a master of both offense and defense…”

“Stop shouting skill names, kid. It’s embarrassing.”

*Whack!*

“Gah!”

I yank the sword and smack the back of his head, slamming his face into the ground.

Searching Won-pyeong and the guy who charged, I find a bunch of “Undefeated in Combat” badges tied to their waists.

“Wow, these guys are golden goblins.”

Won-pyeong had four badges, and the swordsman had two. Combined with the two I already had and the two from Gura-geom, that makes ten.

Iron Sword Guy gave me two, and the golden goblins gave me six, so now I have ten in total.

“Han So-jeo.”

“You’re here?”

“Yes, I let them go as you instructed. They thanked me.”

“Good job.”

I pull out some Heavenly Peach Wine from my storage space and hand it to Jeon Ho. His face lights up.

Every time we eat, I give him a glass as a side drink, and it seems to suit his taste.

“Thank you, Han So-jeo. And by the way, that’s how martial arts duels are supposed to go.”

“Shouting skill names?”

I’d rather stick my nose in a bowl of soup than do something so cringy.

“The purpose of martial arts duels is…”

“What?”

“I think I was wrong. You shouldn’t shout them.”

“Just drink.”

“Yep.”

Meanwhile, I notice Won-pyeong’s comrades backing away.

“Hey, come here.”

“Huh? Are you talking to me…?”

“Yeah, you. You wanna die, or you wanna hand over your badges and leave?”

“Our family’s honor…”

“Shut it.”

“Gasp!”

The remaining three hand over their badges and bolt.

“Han So-jeo, they’re like street thugs.”

“I am a thug.”

“Ahem.”

Now I have thirteen badges.

“How many badges do people usually collect?”

“At most, five or six. The Sword Dragon who won the last Dragon and Phoenix Gathering collected thirty badges and received high praise.”

“Won? I just started and already have thirteen.”

“……”

*Gulp.*

Jeon Ho avoids eye contact and just sips his Heavenly Peach Wine.

“What did he exchange them for?”

“I heard he traded fifteen for a precious sword and the other fifteen for the Taicheong Pill, a spiritual medicine from the Wudang Sect.”

“Is he from the Wudang Sect?”

“No. The Wudang Sect’s medicine is said to have balanced energy, so he probably traded for it. Of course, I…”

“It’s just a thought, though.”

The exchange rate looks better than I thought.

“If you spread it like that, will there be anything left?”

“That’s already strange for Han So-jeo, who has collected ten. Even the previous Sword Dragon had to win and lose repeatedly until he collected thirty. According to the rules of the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering, exchanges are only possible after advancing to the main round, and you can’t refuse free combat. So, it’s natural for humans to get tired and wounded.”

“That’s true.”

If you’re a top contender, you’ll be under a lot of scrutiny and pressure. The Sword Dragon, who won despite not being able to refuse any battles, must be quite impressive.

“If I collect about a hundred, I should be able to pull out one of the pillars of the Yeombyeong Alliance, right?”

“······.”

“Where can I see the exchange list?”

“It’s not under my jurisdiction, so I’m not sure. Maybe you can find out by asking the application officer over there?”

Jeon Ho points to the application officer sitting in front of the Murim Alliance wall.

The guy who took my application earlier is lounging comfortably in his chair. It seems like he’s done receiving applications, as there are no applicants around, making it quiet.

“Let’s go.”

“Yep.”

Adjusting my sunglasses, I approach the application officer, who looks up at me with sleepy eyes.

“Show me the exchange list for the undefeated in combat.”

“Tsk tsk. Instead of thinking about winning, you’re just trying to satisfy your own greed.”

Must be that frozen honor theory of his.

—Tsk, tsk.

“Phew— I don’t care about that, just the exchange list.”

“Sigh. It’s that young master again. Since you haven’t passed the iron stone test yet, go solve that first.”

The application officer, looking annoyed, points to the giant iron stone next to him, poking it with his thumb.

“Alright, I’m really going to pull out one of the Yeombyeong Alliance pillars today.”

“Don’t you have any sense of propriety? You might end up crippling your arm, and I won’t care.”

“Did you tell me to do it? I don’t know what your future holds either.”

Standing in front of the iron stone, I gather my strength. Jeon Ho, his face pale, rushes over in a panic.

“Ah, no…!”

“Yes!”