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Chapter 37
The first impression of Wang Guanchun was like this.
“Wow, he looks like one of the Four Heavenly Kings of Buddhism.”
It was exactly that.
His dark skin, square and angular face, large eyes, nose, and mouth, and sharp, piercing gaze framed by thick eyebrows arched like seagulls made him look incredibly intimidating.
Most impressive of all were the three swords strapped to his back. Perhaps that was why he earned the nickname “Three Blades.”
In any case, he had an extremely fearsome appearance. If I had seen him on the street, I would have flattened myself immediately.
“This is no joke…”
And there was someone even more terrified than me—
“F-Father… Father, how could you…?”
It was Suo Wenzhu.
From the moment he heard Wang Guanchun’s rough voice, Suo Wenzhu had turned pale, and when Wang Guanchun appeared, he visibly trembled.
He looked like a puppy in front of a tiger—and the tiger didn’t hold back.
“Wang Juguan—!”
Wang Guanchun’s furious voice boomed through the hall.
“Say that one more time! What? You think I’d pity you? That our bond would be broken over something so trivial?”
“Father… Father…”
“Who was it that first broke our bond! Do you think it’s trivial to use force against a delicate woman? A daughter from a prestigious family almost got dragged into scandal—do you think that’s trivial?”
“Th-That… I, I…”
“Who do you think you are calling yourself ‘I’? Who do you think is my son? I’ve never had a son like you. I’ve never had a son who commits heartless, despicable deeds like this!”
“……”
“And what about you, Suo Wenzhu?”
In that moment, Suo Wenzhu froze stiff. But Wang Guanchun’s wrath didn’t stop.
“Since when have you been the Suo Wenzhu of this sect? I haven’t even chosen a successor yet, so how have you become the face representing this sect? Even if you tarnish the sect’s name, there are limits!”
I opened my mouth in shock.
“Wait… he wasn’t even the real Suo Wenzhu?”
No wonder he was singing the “real Suo Wenzhu” song—it was just his own wishful thinking.
Now Wang Guanchun’s words had taken on a pleading tone.
“Please, try to learn from your elder brother and younger brother. Both of them are still striving to become Suo Wenzhu, yet what are you doing?”
“……”
“If you lack skill, at least make an effort! Do you think just lamenting the world will accomplish anything? Yes, if you lack skill and can’t even make an effort, at least be humble! How dare you be so arrogant…!”
“Father!”
Suddenly, Wang Juguan—not Suo Wenzhu—shouted.
“Father, you always say that! Every time you bring up my elder brother and younger brother, you belittle me like this!”
“……”
“Did you ever support me like you did them? Did you push me to become an official like my elder brother, or help me improve my martial skills like my younger brother? All you ever say is effort, effort, effort! You only tell me to try harder!”
“……”
“I… I have made an effort. But what can I do if I cannot succeed alone? If you had only done for me what you did for the other two…”
“Juguan.”
Suddenly, Wang Guanchun spoke in a low voice.
“What could I not give you?”
“……”
“An official career? I provided the best teachers so you could pursue your studies. Martial skills? Even when your progress was slow, I never gave up on you. Yet who was the one who gave up first, complaining it was too hard?”
“……”
Wang Juguan could not reply. Wang Guanchun sighed deeply. His imposing face seemed to have aged ten years in that moment.
His voice was filled with regret.
“Yes, all of this is my fault. I am guilty for neglecting you until you became like this. If I had paid more attention when you began to go astray, guided you…”
“……”
“My guilt is this deep. All of this is my fault. Therefore…”
Wang Guanchun’s eyes suddenly flashed.
“I will take responsibility myself.”
Shing.
He drew one of the swords from his back.
It was a curved blade—a wando.
Holding the curved sword, Wang Guanchun slowly approached Wang Juguan. Wang Juguan, tears streaming down his face, backed away on his rear.
“Father… Father, I was wrong! It’s all my fault! I won’t do it again. I won’t act rashly from now on, so please—”
“……”
“Please, please forgive me! Father, don’t… please, Father, don’t…”
As Wang Guanchun’s hand rose—
Slash!
“Aaah!”
I turned my head.
I saw Wang Juguan’s severed arm flying through the air, vividly before my eyes.
He wailed, crawling across the hall floor. Judging by the terrible smell, he had even wet himself. The people behind Wang Guanchun quickly moved to administer first aid.
Despite the commotion, Wang Guanchun calmly held his son’s severed arm. Then he approached the sect leader and solemnly said,
“I deeply apologize for this, Suo Sect Leader. Though normally such a thing should be repaid with one’s life, as a father, I could not take a life. I ask for your understanding.”
“I understand, Master Wang.”
“In return, I will ensure he never commits such vile acts again. He will be castrated promptly so he cannot act as a man. His head will also be shaved, and he will become a monk to spend the rest of his life repenting for his sins.”
Wow… so it wasn’t just the arm.
The sect leader seemed satisfied, smiling gently and saying politely,
“I appreciate Master Wang’s consideration.”
Wang Guanchun handed Wang Juguan’s arm to a nearby servant and finally greeted the sect leader. The leader returned the greeting with full courtesy.
Meanwhile, the severed arm was… in my hands. Because the servant next to the sect leader was me.
Why am I holding this?
I couldn’t believe it—I wasn’t a doctor, yet I was touching a severed human arm. This martial arts world was terrifying.
As I tried not to think about the arm too much—
“And Suo Wenzhu… no, this young master, I have one more question for you.”
“What is it?”
I strained my ears.
“Truly, in Park Lahyeon, very few could commit such a bold act. Unless they wanted conflict with the real head of the house, no one would participate in your schemes.”
“That is true.”
“However, when interrogating your servant, I learned that you also received a potion from someone. So…”
The sect leader’s firm voice continued.
“I need to know. Who gave the potion to this young master?”
“…So that’s how it happened.”
Socheongja and Namgung Jeong sat at a table together.
Namgung Jeong had just returned from attending to some matters.
When he entered the mansion, he saw the walls guarded and wondered what was happening—but in his absence, a major incident had occurred!
Hearing the circumstances, Namgung Jeong let out a wry laugh, astonished.
“Lightning Three Blades, Master Wang, is famous in the martial world for his righteousness. Yet under such a man, such a hooligan appears—it’s lamentable.”
“They say parents never know how their children will grow. Still, it’s fortunate that the master handled it well.”
“It’s also good that Ari wasn’t harmed. That she was able to block him…”
Namgung Jeong was particularly surprised by this.
It was the servant, Seodan, who had stopped Wang Juguan’s attack.
To Namgung Jeong, Seodan had been an ordinary child who didn’t know a thing about martial arts just days ago. The only notable traits were sharp eyes and quick reflexes.
In that sense, Seodan shouldn’t have been a match for Wang Juguan. No matter how poorly Wang Juguan’s skills developed, the difference between learned and unlearned was vast.
And yet, Seodan had defeated him.
Even more astonishing—Seodan had knocked him down.
He has talent.
He was too promising to leave as is. Namgung Jeong considered bringing up the topic of disciples again in the future.
“…So, who gave him the potion? Who had the nerve to do that?”
Socheongja sighed deeply.
“It was a courtesan from Huaxiang Lou. The young master didn’t know exactly who she was.”
“A courtesan…”
“They’ve already sent someone to find her. By the time we arrive, she had fled. I wonder whose orders she was following…”
“Master!”
Suddenly, a loud voice came from outside the door.
Socheongja and Namgung Jeong leapt to their feet. Before Socheongja could speak, the Red Commander burst in.
He greeted Namgung Jeong briefly before speaking urgently,
“Forgive my intrusion, but this is urgent. Master, we have found the courtesan. But…”
“But?”
The Red Commander’s face was grim.
“She was already dead. Long ago.”
