IBASL 07

Chapter 7

The Paeryeok Gong Family

If the Hyeoljoga was a martial family that had made its name in Piljeol, the Gong Family was a family of the Unorthodox Path that had maintained its position in Ansun for a long time.

Unlike most families of the Unorthodox Path, whose traditions were usually short-lived, the Gong Family had maintained its position for more than ten generations. As a result, there were few people among the Unorthodox Path who did not know of this martial family.

‘So a family like that… has joined hands with those bastards….’

Haegang clenched both fists tightly, his hands trembling as he struggled to suppress the murderous intent boiling inside him.

In his previous life, after becoming involved in a misguided transaction with the old men of the Orthodox Path, he had already realized that the claws of those old monsters had reached into the Jo Clan long ago.

And he was certain that one of them was Gong Cheonwoo—the man who had caused Yeonhwa to wither away.

To Haegang, that man was an enemy he absolutely had to kill.

Just as he was glaring at him with burning eyes, Haegang’s gaze shifted when a man suddenly draped an arm over his shoulder.

—Gurgle.

“Why don’t we have a drink? It’s not like today is the only day we’ll have.”

Bi Sinju, who had been sitting beside him, had placed an arm around Haegang’s shoulder and poured him a drink before pushing the cup toward him.

It was only a brief distraction, but thanks to it, Haegang was able to regain his composure.

There was no doubt that he currently lacked both the ability and the backing to do anything to that bastard here.

Showing his hostility would only make matters worse.

Gulp.

“It’s pretty good baekju, isn’t it?”

After emptying the cup in one gulp, Bi Sinju asked with a smile.

“It isn’t as good as the liquor I had recently, but it’s not bad.”

“Oh? Baekju better than this isn’t something you can easily come by. You don’t look very old, Brother, so where did you get such fine liquor?”

Apparently, Bi Sinju was curious because Haegang, who still clearly looked like a boy, had tasted liquor better than the baekju the Hyeoljoga had prepared for its guests.

“It was baekju from the Imperial Palace. When you drink it, a warm heat goes straight down into your stomach, and while you’re drinking it, its fragrance changes at least seven times. It was an excellent liquor.”

“Oh! Chilhyanghyang! To have tasted such a famous liquor…. Brother, I’m truly jealous.”

“I was merely lucky enough to have one cup. You seem to like drinking.”

“Is there any man in this world who doesn’t like liquor? For a man, drinking is naturally—”

“Move.”

A long shadow stretched over them, blocking their surroundings, and the voice of an old man overflowing with fighting spirit came from behind them.

Bi Sinju’s words abruptly stopped.

Bi Sinju and Haegang turned around and looked coldly at the old man who had approached them.

“Tsk.”

After seeing their gazes, the old man clicked his tongue.

He then turned his gaze toward the martial artists occupying the seats beside them.

The old man’s eyes were filled with fighting spirit.

The two martial artists immediately vacated their seats.

The old man known as Paeryeokdo and Gong Cheonwoo took the newly emptied seats.

Bi Sinju, meanwhile, resumed his discourse on the philosophy of drinking, talking without pause.

—Taoguang Yanghwe.

While continuing to chatter, Bi Sinju secretly wrote four Chinese characters on the table using the liquor on his finger.

He was subtly conveying the meaning that one needed to conceal one’s abilities and bide one’s time.

Haegang, who had already regained his composure, gave him a small nod.

The noisy atmosphere throughout the compound became as quiet as a graveyard once the two members of the Paeryeok Gong Family had entered.

More precisely, it was because of Paeryeokdo Duhwajeon, who was constantly radiating an overwhelming fighting spirit in every direction.

And so, when the sun had climbed high into the sky, the sound of someone finally approaching the detached compound could be heard.

With everyone’s eyes focused on him, the person entering the detached compound was a middle-aged man with an imposing appearance and extraordinary presence.

The dignified middle-aged man had streaks of gray beginning to appear in his hair.

Everyone sitting in the compound stood up, and those scattered around also began gathering together.

“Thank you all for coming here for the sake of my inadequate youngest daughter. Please, sit down. I’m hardly some great person. Hahaha.”

Although the middle-aged man smiled amiably and waved his hand, no one immediately followed his words and sat down.

There were not many people who could disregard the dignity of Jo Pungdo, the Fenghyeol Maenggeum of the Hyeoljoga.

Jo Pungdo, an exceptional master of Piljeol who had transformed the Jo Clan into the Hyeoljoga it was today, had been the man who turned what had once been an ordinary martial family into the greatest martial family in Piljeol within a single generation.

The Jo Clan had originally specialized primarily in sabers, but beginning with Jo Pungdo’s generation, they had started specializing in claw techniques.

Because of this, many people in the martial world speculated that Jo Pungdo must have encountered some forgotten eccentric and received an extraordinary opportunity from him.

Thud.

Once he sat down at the head of the long food table, the people who had been occupying seats finally began sitting down one after another.

At this, the men who had crowded around Jo Pungdo like a swarm of clouds, only to find themselves without seats, began looking around, searching for servants who might prepare additional places for them.

“Hmm…. That’s strange. Both the host and the guests have taken their seats…. So why are there still so many people standing?”

?!

At his words, expressions of realization flashed across the faces of everyone in the compound.

As the confusion among those standing grew, the Jo Clan Patriarch continued.

“A host has proper conduct as a host, and a guest has proper conduct as a guest, does he not? As the host, I have fulfilled my courtesy. Those who have failed to fulfill the courtesy of guests are no longer guests of the Jo Clan, so I must ask all of you to leave.”

It was an unmistakable order to leave.

The faces of those who had thought that the examination of the Yeongseo Chochin had not even begun yet filled with resentment and injustice.

“Wait! I—”

“You’re the second son of the Manbok Merchant Company. I saw you at your grandfather’s birthday celebration last time, didn’t I? Then take care on your journey home.”

The young master who had tried to rely on his connections could not even finish speaking before being cut off.

With that, Jo Pungdo’s intentions became perfectly clear.

Those who had not taken the seats prepared for them were simply finished.

At that moment, a man who appeared to be around thirty quickly reached toward Haegang’s shoulder.

Sensing something strange, Haegang reacted, but by then the man’s hand was already reaching for the back of his neck.

“Come out—”

—Snap!

Just as Haegang belatedly tried to react, the man’s hand was caught and stopped by Baekju Shinsal Bi Sinju.

“You, what—”

—Thrust.

Before the man could finish speaking, Bi Sinju’s chopsticks pierced straight into his upper arm and shoulder.

“When the host orders you to leave, proper conduct is to quietly leave. Since you failed to observe proper conduct, you’re seeing blood.”

The man, whose shoulder and arm had been pierced by the casually thrown chopsticks, staggered backward.

He glared at Bi Sinju for a moment before turning around and leaving the detached compound.

Many others who had been planning to choose an easy target and steal their seat noticed that the Jo Clan Patriarch Jo Pungdo’s expression was unusual and hurriedly left the compound as well.

In an instant, the men disappeared like the receding tide.

Bi Sinju stood up, faced the Jo Clan Patriarch, clasped his hands in a respectful salute, and bowed his head.

“I apologize for spilling blood in such a good place because of a sudden attack. I know it was improper.”

“Haha. No. If you hadn’t done it, I would have torn that damned bastard’s arm off myself.”

The people present could tell that his words were no exaggeration.

He was clearly smiling, but an intense killing intent was leaking from his body.

“Then, now that that’s settled, allow me to greet the guests…”

The Patriarch began looking over the people occupying the seats one by one as he spoke.

Then his gaze—and his words—stopped.

Precisely at Paeryeokdo Duhwajeon.

“…”

“…”

Despite receiving the Patriarch’s sharp gaze, Duhwajeon stared somewhere else, keeping his mouth firmly shut and pretending not to notice.

“Are you not Paeryeokdo Duhwajeon?”

“That is correct. We met at the Four Emperors Castle event last time.”

“What brings you here?”

“Well…. For the Yeongseo Chochin…”

“Master Du. Don’t you think you’re going too far with this joke? You’re making me lose face.”

“…There isn’t exactly an age restriction…”

—Bang!

Before he could finish speaking, Jo Pungdo slammed his hand down on the table.

“Hey. Duhwajeon. Did you come here to spill blood at my family’s event?”

Suddenly, Jo Pungdo’s expression and tone changed.

A terrifying killing intent exploded from his body.

“…”

The killing intent was so savage that Duhwajeon, who had been acting arrogantly while radiating his own fighting spirit, abruptly stood up and took two steps backward.

For an instant, Duhwajeon was convinced that Jo Pungdo was about to attack him and instinctively retreated.

“Elder. He…”

Gong Cheonwoo hurriedly stood up and tried to speak, but Jo Pungdo immediately cut him off.

“The Paeryeok Gong Family is declaring that it wants to fight me?”

“That is absolutely not the case! My grandfather was simply worried about me, so he sent him to accompany me.”

No sooner had Gong Cheonwoo finished speaking than Jo Pungdo’s seated figure disappeared.

His vanished figure reappeared directly in front of Duhwajeon.

The people in the compound looked around, trying to find where he had gone, but only a few managed to turn their gazes toward Duhwajeon.

Grab.

Duhwajeon could not react at all when Jo Pungdo suddenly appeared in front of him and grabbed him by the beard.

Naturally, he knew that one should not draw a weapon while participating in a Jo Clan event.

But even if he had not been concerned about that, Jo Pungdo’s hand was simply far faster than his ability to react.

“You senile bastard. My daughter is only fifteen, and some stinking old man like you dares to participate in her Chochin? If you’ve gone senile, you should quietly sit around smearing shit on the walls. Instead, you’re trying to smear shit on my family…”

“P-Patriarch Jo. I was in the wrong. That isn’t what I meant…”

Jo Pungdo dragged Duhwajeon out of the detached compound by his beard while continuously cursing him.

Duhwajeon was dragged along like a dog being held by the scruff of its neck, completely at a loss as to what he should do.

Several people in the compound laughed at the sight, while Gong Cheonwoo shot glares at those who were laughing.

Jo Pungdo finally threw Duhwajeon onto the ground outside the detached compound.

Only then did he brush both hands off with a loud clap.

“It’s a good day, so I’ll let this pass. But if you utter one more word of nonsense with that stinking body of yours, I’ll tear not only your mouth apart but your head in two.”

Duhwajeon knew that the Fenghyeol Maenggeum Jo Pungdo was more than capable of doing exactly that.

He quickly got to his feet, clasped his hands, and bowed at the waist.

“I crossed the line because I was worried about my young master. I sincerely apologize.”

Duhwajeon bowed deeply to Jo Pungdo, even though he was considerably older than him.

How could he not?

Gong Cheonwoo, an important member of the family, would remain inside for the Yeongseo Chochin that was about to begin.

Despite Duhwajeon’s apology, Jo Pungdo continued to huff angrily as he turned coldly and walked back into the detached compound.

—Bang!

Even after the door of the detached compound slammed shut irritably, Duhwajeon stared at the closed door for a long while.

Step.

Just as quickly as he had disappeared earlier, Jo Pungdo appeared in his seat again and clasped his hands together in a respectful salute.

“I apologize for showing such an unpleasant scene after inviting such distinguished guests. I ask for everyone’s understanding.”

The others smiled awkwardly and nodded.

But Haegang continued nodding enthusiastically, his expression making it clear that he thought it was perfectly understandable.

‘How dare such a rotten old bastard!’

At this moment, Jo Pungdo and Haegang were completely of one mind.

Just imagining such a filthy old man reaching out toward Yeonhwa was enough to make Haegang’s anger rise to the top of his head.

“Whew. Then let me introduce myself once again. I am Jo Pungdo, Patriarch of the Jo Clan. I thank all of you for gathering here today for our family’s event and for bringing such shining talents with you. Seeing so many people worthy of the name Yeongseo makes me happier than I can say.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Jo Pungdo left his seat and personally poured liquor for each of the men seated there, exchanging a few words with each of them.

—Pour.

“I am Bi Sinju, a student who studied at Samgoksan.”

“Samgoksan…. Isn’t that near Samdo?”

“Yes.”

“Since ancient times, Samgoksan has produced many great eccentrics of the Unorthodox Path. You spent your time in a place with good energy.”

“Yes. If I ever get the opportunity, I would be honored to show you the talents of Samgok.”

“I look forward to it.”

After passing Bi Sinju, the Patriarch stepped toward Haegang.

Haegang stood from his seat and raised his empty cup with both hands.

—Pour.

“I am Haegang of the Mun Family of Piljeol.”

“Oh! So you’re him. I remember seeing you playing with Yeonhwa in the streets several times. I heard you became the Haeweon of this year’s Hyangsi?”

“Thank you for remembering me.”

At Jo Pungdo’s mention of Haegang becoming the Haeweon, the gazes of everyone around him changed.

Most of the martial artists who had come from outside Piljeol knew little about Haegang.

Seeing a young man dressed so plainly, with no particularly noticeable presence, they had wondered why he was even sitting here.

Only after hearing Jo Pungdo’s words did they finally nod in understanding.

In the world as it currently existed, people from influential families could use connections and wealth to pass an examination such as the Hyangsi without too much difficulty.

But no powerful family, regardless of its background, could buy its way into the position of Haeweon, whose answer sheet and circumstances were sent all the way to the Imperial Palace.

Therefore, even though they were martial artists, they understood how extraordinary it was to become the Haeweon of the Hyangsi.

“You’ve become a Geoin and have honored this gathering with your presence. I’m truly proud and grateful. If you’ve managed to become Haeweon of the Hyangsi, then your path toward an official position should already be open to you. Yet you still came all the way here to a martial family’s Chochin.”

“What does the path matter? In the end, the heart and the person are what matter.”

Jo Pungdo was about to pass by after patting Haegang on the shoulder, but his footsteps suddenly stopped at Haegang’s answer.

Jo Pungdo once again carefully examined Haegang’s face.

For a scholar, the Imperial Examinations and the path toward an official position were the righteous path—the only road he was supposed to take.

For a martial artist, cultivating martial arts and establishing one’s reputation were the righteous path and the road one was expected to follow.

Yet how could the words of a boy not even twenty, saying that people and the heart mattered more than the path, strike his heart so deeply?

“That is a good saying. Do your best and persevere until the end of the Chochin competition.”

“Yes.”