Chapter 278 - Nervous to See Hubei’s Greatest Beauty Again?

When the Fist Demon and I visited the Blood Heaven Saber Demon’s quarters, he was reading a book.

“What are you reading, coming all this way?”

He answered without even raising his head.

“You won’t let me go home, so I have to read here.”

“Where did you get that book?”

“There’s a library here for the branch’s martial artists.”

Would martial artists even read books? He had searched even that library, maintained as a mere formality, and managed to find something to read. At times like this, it was clear he genuinely loved books.

“Put that aside and read this first.”

Only then did the Blood Heaven Saber Demon close his book and look up.

“A letter arrived from the Martial Alliance Leader’s granddaughter.”

“Why would his granddaughter write to you?”

“She asked for help and sent an invitation to a gathering of promising young martial artists. It’s certainly connected to this affair.”

“So the other side has begun to react.”

The Blood Heaven Saber Demon had advised me to respond according to their reaction, but the message had come from someone I hadn’t expected.

“My guess is that whoever connected Jin Hagun with the Heavenly Harmony School master is pressuring him over this failure.”

Jin Haryeong’s asking to see me at a time like this likely meant that some problem had arisen for her older brother, Jin Hagun.

This time, the Fist Demon asked,

“What will you do?”

“A friend has asked for help. I have to go.”

His expression grew serious.

“You must be cautious about going to the Orthodox Martial Alliance.”

Contacting them now that I was the young lord was different from doing so before. My actions could become the Cult’s official position.

“I’ll proceed carefully.”

The Fist Demon spoke firmly.

“We’ll come with you.”

Since he spoke without consulting the Blood Heaven Saber Demon, they apparently had already agreed to stay with me until this affair was over.

“If you two attend, the entire Orthodox Martial Alliance will go on alert. You even put the Cult’s own Hunan branch on alert.”

The two Demon Supremes smiled faintly. They must have found the alarm at the Hunan branch amusing themselves.

Had it been the Poison King or the Drunken Demon, we might have attended the banquet together, but these two needed to move unnoticed.

“Please stay at the safe house nearest the Orthodox Martial Alliance. I’ll send word immediately if I need help.”

As the two Demon Supremes nodded, Jeok Yeon arrived to report a visitor. An unexpected letter had been followed by an unexpected guest. As it happened, both were women.

“Martial Artist Yi has arrived.”

* * *

Yi An was entering the Hunan branch. Wearing a face covering and a martial uniform unlike her usual one, she drew the eyes of every branch martial artist, bringing them to a halt.

Her beauty, which no face covering could hide, was one thing, but her qi presence was extraordinary as well. Her gait alone conveyed the imposing bearing of a master who overwhelmed ordinary martial artists.

Her uniform and face covering were black, with the words Ghost Shadow embroidered in white on the latter.

Blue Face followed her inside with a dozen or so martial artists. All wore the same clothing, and every one of them had an exceptional presence.

“Yi An!”

She looked over at my call. Normally, after so long apart, she would have run up crying, “Young Master!” Instead, conscious of the eyes around her, she walked toward me slowly.

“You had a new uniform made? It looks great!”

She quickly answered my sound transmission.

“Don’t talk to me! I’m going to make an impressive entrance.”

“You’re swinging your arm and leg on the same side.”

“Stop! Don’t tease me! This is my first formal greeting to you, Young Master. I want to look impressive!”

Reaching me, she respectfully cupped her fist in salute.

“I pay my respects to the young lord.”

“What an act!”

“Bear with it!”

The martial artists who had come with her lined up behind her.

“We pay our respects to the young lord.”

After their resounding greeting, Yi An introduced them.

“This is the Ghost Shadow Squad’s First Team.”

Blue Face stepped forward and greeted me.

“I am Blue Face, leader of the First Team. I formally pay my respects to the young lord.”

At last, the Ghost Shadow Squad’s First Team was complete. Blue Face still wore his blue mask, and the eyes behind it looked utterly dependable. This was a man who had turned down a position as a Demon Supreme to become a team leader. I believed the First Team under his command would surpass the first team of any organization in Murim.

“We only have the First Team for now, but we’ll gradually expand.”

I could sense Yi An’s pride. Blue Face added his loyalty to it.

“We carry out only your orders, young lord.”

“Any order?”

“Yes.”

“What would you do if I ordered you to go kill the Martial Alliance Leader right now?”

Though it was a suicide mission, Blue Face answered without hesitation.

“I would carry out your order immediately.”

“What if my father gave you an order? And what if it conflicted with mine?”

For a moment, Blue Face was taken aback, but he soon answered calmly.

“We obey only the young lord’s orders.”

“I appreciate your loyalty, but my father’s orders are the exception. Treat his orders as mine and obey them. Understood?”

“Yes, understood!”

I patted his shoulder with profound trust.

“I’m counting on you.”

“I will serve you with all my loyalty.”

My real request came through sound transmission.

“Take good care of your squad leader rather than me.”

Blue Face answered with the look in his eyes behind the mask. It inspired more trust than any words could have.

I passed Blue Face and slowly walked along the line of First Team members. They were all young. Since Yi An and Blue Face had handpicked them, they were martial artists I could trust.

Each removed their face covering and gave their name as I passed.

After meeting each one’s eyes, I addressed them.

“There’s something I always tell your squad leaders. Treasure yourselves above all else. Live for your own happiness.”

Their expressions said they had heard this before. Yi An had probably told them something about me.

I asked one of the Ghost Shadow Squad’s martial artists,

“Do you know why I named it the Ghost Shadow Squad?”

“I heard the name expresses our resolve to become your shadows, young lord.”

“Yes, that’s right. You are my shadows.”

Just then, I sensed Jeok Yeon behind me grow a little tense and unsettled. The Ghost Shadow Squad’s martial artists were no less imposing than my guards, and hearing them called my shadows seemed to stir an odd sense of rivalry in him. He must have considered the guards my shadows.

Pretending not to notice, I continued addressing the Ghost Shadow Squad.

“It would be strange if the person were happy but the shadow were miserable, wouldn’t it? So don’t make me the bad guy. Be happier than the person casting you. I believe this organization will grow stronger only if you’re happy. Now, repeat after me. We will be happy shadows!”

“We will be happy shadows.”

The First Team members looked awkward even as they repeated it. They had heard the young lord was unusual, but surely hadn’t expected to repeat a declaration like this.

Happiness.

No organization in the Demonic Cult had ever emphasized that word before. No, likely none among the orthodox or unorthodox factions had either.

Yi An interjected.

“You know that doesn’t mean he’s telling you to be cowards, right?”

“Of course!”

Their answer rang out.

“You’ve worked hard getting here. Jeok Yeon, arrange food and rooms for the Ghost Shadow Squad. And Squad Leader Yi, a word with you.”

Leaving the Ghost Shadow Squad to rest, Yi An and I walked through the flower garden alone.

“What brings you here?”

“I heard you were here, Young Master, so I stopped by on my way back to the Cult. It was on the way.”

“You didn’t come to show off your First Team?”

“Was it that obvious?”

She laughed awkwardly. She had rushed straight to me because she wanted to show them off.

“I wanted you to be the first to see them. What do you think of my subordinates?”

I held off answering for a moment. As I pondered how to tease her while she waited anxiously, she beat me to it.

“What a relief. Thank you for saying I chose well.”

“I haven’t said anything.”

“I can tell just from the way you’re trying to think of how to tease me. If I’d made a mess of it, teasing me wouldn’t even cross your mind.”

At her perceptive remark, I offered heartfelt congratulations instead of a joke.

“Yes, they all looked good. You worked hard choosing them.”

Yi An beamed. That one remark must have made all her hard work feel worthwhile.

“How was it for you?”

“As I traveled around the Central Plains, I realized over and over how narrow my world had been. I also learned just how important experience is.”

“On that note, come have another experience with me. An invitation arrived on the day you got here. It must be fate telling us to go together.”

Yi An had arrived the same day Jin Haryeong’s letter came. I took it as fate telling me to introduce the two women. Both were exceptionally intelligent, and I believed this meeting would help them grow in some way.

There was another reason, too.

I recalled my conversation with Jin Haryeong.

[“Is there a woman back home? Someone you like?”]

[“There’s a woman prettier than you.”]

[“Prettier than me? Now that makes you a lot less credible.”]

[“You’re Hubei’s Greatest Beauty, aren’t you? She’s the world’s greatest beauty.”]

[“You must show me this world’s greatest beauty next time!”]

I had intended to introduce them when the opportunity arose, and at last it had.

“Who sent the invitation?”

I smiled faintly.

“Someone who sent my credibility plummeting.”

* * *

Jin Haryeong hosted her gathering as usual.

The promising young martial artists went to all sorts of lengths to attend. Only those who distinguished themselves in their respective regions could receive an invitation.

The gathering’s greatest advantage was the chance to build connections with the scions of other sects. In particular, simply making an impression on Jin Haryeong made attending worthwhile.

The young martial artists attended with secret dreams of marrying Jin Haryeong. Most were the leading figures in their hometowns, so they dreamed big.

She was the Martial Alliance Leader’s granddaughter, Hubei’s greatest beauty, and an accomplished martial artist. She could be called the finest marriage prospect in orthodox Murim.

Of course, once they met her in person, they realized it was an impossible dream. She led the gatherings splendidly, but never showed any personal feelings. Especially since the incident at the Young Dragon Tournament, she had left no opening whatsoever.

“Is something wrong? You seem tense.”

Her bodyguard, Chu Ho, asked with some concern. She seemed particularly nervous today.

“I’m fine.”

She hadn’t taken Geom Mugeuk’s arrival for granted. Unlike their last meeting, there was now a clear difference in their status. Merely coming to the Orthodox Martial Alliance meant taking a considerable risk, so he was more likely not to come.

Even so, she couldn’t help hoping. Somehow, she felt Geom Mugeuk would come. He was a man who inspired that sort of expectation.

Meanwhile, people streamed into the banquet hall. They exchanged greetings, all doing their best to make themselves known.

She peered out from behind the curtain, but Geom Mugeuk was nowhere to be seen.

'Is he not coming?'

Disappointment and wounded pride aside, her older brother desperately needed him.

“It’s time to go out.”

At Chu Ho’s words, she composed herself. As she stepped outside, her expression was completely different from moments before.

Everyone applauded and cheered at her entrance. Those seeing her for the first time marveled at the beauty of Hubei’s Greatest Beauty.

Normally, she would begin by thanking her fellow martial artists for making the journey, but instead she said,

“Good to see you, friends.”

Her joking opening drew laughter from all sides, immediately lightening the mood.

“When Grandfather starts a speech, you don’t dare so much as blink, no matter how bored you are, right? Well, you’re welcome to doze off now.”

Another burst of laughter followed. Jin Haryeong hadn’t always been this easygoing. But after meeting Geom Mugeuk, she had changed. She was trying to change. Even she didn’t know why.

“You’ve probably heard some unsettling news lately. News from the Demonic Cult and the Unorthodox Alliance.”

At the mention of those two organizations, everyone’s expression hardened. Most of those gathered were scions of prestigious families and sects, and had heard rumors about their successors through various channels. The rumors about the Demonic Cult’s successor in particular were so astonishing they were hard to believe.

“Those rumors tell us why we must gather, and why we must stand united. Someone more extraordinary than any successor in history has appeared. And it isn’t our grandparents or parents who will face him. In the future, we will.”

A heavy silence settled over the hall.

Pausing her speech, Jin Haryeong silently looked around at them. These young martial artists needed to wake up. If they were to face him, they had to truly change.

It was then that her eyes met someone’s among the young martial artists.

The moment she saw him, she was startled. When on earth had he come in? Geom Mugeuk stood among the crowd, smiling.

'Ah! He came!'

A surge of joy welled up inside her. His eyes were as clear and deep as ever, with an innocent look that suggested he might start joking at any moment.

She was grateful. When she had asked for help, he hadn’t refused; he had come all this way. The Demonic Cult’s young lord was standing alone among orthodox people, all because she had asked him to come.

Still gazing at Geom Mugeuk, she resumed her speech.

“The Demonic Cult’s young lord in those rumors is no ordinary person. They say he’s stronger, smarter, and braver than anyone. They even say he keeps his promises.”

Geom Mugeuk’s smile deepened.

“So we must stay alert and hone our skills as well. If we let our guard down, someday the Demonic Cult’s young lord will drive his sword through our hearts. So let’s join forces and work hard! For peace in Murim! There’s no time to doze off.”

The young martial artists cheered enthusiastically.

Amid the noisy hall, the two continued gazing at each other.

* * *

After finishing her speech, Jin Haryeong immediately met Geom Mugeuk privately in the rear garden.

“You really came.”

“We agreed to be friends, didn’t we?”

“It feels awkward after so long.”

“You can relax around me. I came as a friend.”

Seeing Geom Mugeuk up close made Jin Haryeong inexplicably nervous and shaky. With her brother’s problem added to the mix, all sorts of thoughts crossed her mind. He really had come as a friend, hadn’t he? Could he be deceiving her? Gratitude mingled with fear.

So she eased her nerves with playful banter.

“Well? Nervous to see Hubei’s Greatest Beauty again after so long?”

“I see the world’s greatest beauty every day.”

“Boasting again?”

“I knew you’d say that, so I brought her.”

“Then let me see this world’s greatest beauty.”

Until then, Jin Haryeong had thought Geom Mugeuk was joking.

But when he turned his head, Yi An emerged from behind a distant building. Realizing he truly had come with a woman, Jin Haryeong was startled.

Yi An slowly stepped out of the building’s shadow and began walking toward them.