Chapter 587

Chapter 587 - Side Story 21

Yeon Woong, who had been exchanging greetings with Jin Heon, looked behind. He looked at the Song Il Sect people, bandits, Tang Yu-jeong, and Tang Gyeong in turn, showing a puzzled expression.

"But who are these people..."

Tang Yu-jeong returned from her thoughts to reality. She felt slightly disappointed that she couldn't proudly reveal her origins to this young martial artist of similar age she met for the first time after leaving Sichuan. Moreover, Yeon Woong was manly with strong features and quite handsome, adding to her disappointment.

"Hello. Please call me Hwa-ran. Chu-mong and I have been like older sister and younger brother since long ago."

Asking to be called Hwa-ran rather than saying she is Hwa-ran also meant she wouldn't reveal her real name.

Yeon Woong quickly caught on and cupped his fists.

"Ah, so you're Miss Hwa-ran. Where did Chu-mong meet such a wonderful lady and not tell me? Hahaha."

Tang Gyeong also introduced himself as 'Ji-su'. Tang Yu-jeong made up the alias Hwa-ran after her mother's name, and Tang Gyeong used Ji-su from the epithet Supreme Asura.

Suddenly Yeon Woong showed a puzzled expression. The three people together somehow seemed to resemble each other.

"You look very similar."

"Oh my, we hear that a lot. Hoho. So some people say we're siblings."

Yeon Woong laughed.

"Haha. This friend is handsome too, but standing next to you, Miss, he looks like a thoroughly deflated loofah. Hahaha."

Jin Heon said bluntly.

"Do loofahs deflate that easily?"

"If I'm pressing on it, sure. Hahaha."

Jin Heon snorted.

"Your thick skin is still the same. I came because I have a favor to ask."

Since a crowd had gathered, soon the Yeon Family Sect people also appeared one by one.

"Why, Great Hero Tiger Throat Sword!"

"Song Il Sect? What on earth is going on?"

Tiger Throat Sword had his mouth sealed by pressure points, so he couldn't answer.

Jin Heon said.

"We were attacked by bandits, and we discovered evidence that Song Il Sect was colluding with the bandits."

"What, Song Il Sect?"

The elders of Yeon Family Sect looked at each other.

"Even if that's true, tying them up with bandits is not courteous. Lock the bandits in the storage, and have the Song Il Sect people rest in the shade of the courtyard for now. And you all come inside. We'll bring the family head and listen to the story slowly."

Tang Yu-jeong gestured behind her. She turned her head and called the Merciless Twin Axes, who had his face buried in a corner.

"Mister? Aren't you coming?"

The bandits glared at the Merciless Twin Axes.

"Haa."

The Merciless Twin Axes let out a deep sigh and trudged up to follow Tang Yu-jeong.

"I'm going, I'm going."

***

The head of Yeon Family Sect was an eighty-year-old man named Yeon Liang, known in the jianghu as Deep Thought Sword. It meant he was prudent and righteous, not acting rashly.

Though aged and bent at the waist, his chivalrous spirit remained, so after hearing Jin Heon's explanation, he let out a deep sigh.

"Song Il Sect hasn't had roots for long. It established itself about ten years ago after the Murim Alliance was rebuilt. It had considerable conflicts with the existing local sects."

Family Head Yeon Liang looked at the retainers beside him and asked.

"We had problems with them a few times too, probably?"

"That's right. There was a time when it was quite troublesome because they kept requesting mediation from the Murim Alliance."

"That's right."

Tang Yu-jeong and Tang Gyeong exchanged glances. As suspected, there was a reason.

Jin Heon cupped his fists and requested.

"Though I've confirmed the circumstances, as an outsider it's difficult for me to step forward, so I want to hand them over to the magistrate's office. I came to see you without shame to ask for help."

But beside him, Tang Yu-jeong and Tang Gyeong looked very uncomfortable when they heard Jin Heon's words "without shame". When Jin Heon looked at them as if asking why, Tang Gyeong vigorously shook his head no.

Since they didn't do strange things just once or twice, Jin Heon ignored it.

Yeon Liang asked for opinions from the household members and retainers around him. The household members and retainers were somewhat reluctant.

"We're worried we might face backlash if we step forward over something uncertain."

"To be certain, we'd have to go to Song Il Sect and secure evidence, but Song Il Sect's resistance won't be small."

"Moreover, if they're connected to the Green Forest, we'll have to endure retaliation later. Setting aside the minor figure Merciless Twin Axes, if an Eagle Scarf level comes out and brings Green Forest bandits, we'll face a difficult fight."

"Even if we defeat the Eagle Scarf, there's the Old Eagle Scarf, and then the number of Green Forest bandits will definitely exceed thousands..."

Eagle Scarf is responsible for one province, and the Old Eagle Scarf with eagle feathers is the ruler of each of the nine provinces. It's not a level that a small to medium-sized South Seas sect like Yeon Family Sect can handle.

Jin Heon's friend Yeon Woong stepped forward.

"Since when have we avoided fighting due to concerns about disadvantages when witnessing injustice? We also have sects in the South Seas that share our ideals. If the Green Forest swarms, we can fight together and win."

The retainers discouraged him with even more worried expressions.

"The South Seas sects survived the Nanchang bloodshed and are just now recovering. In this situation, we can't bet the family on uncertain matters."

"If it's uncertain, we should verify it. I'll go to Song Il Sect myself."

Yeon Woong's firmness was also remarkable.

To Tang Yu-jeong's eyes, Yeon Woong seemed to shine with light. Could there be another person who asserted himself with such clear chivalry?

Unfortunately, such people were hard to find in Tang Family Manor. They were too bound by rules to break them easily, and above all, everyone was overwhelmed by the presence of the world's greatest master Jin Ja-gang and the head of the world's greatest family Tang Ha-ran. Since Jin Ja-gang and Tang Ha-ran's way of handling matters was clear and nearly flawless, people often followed without objection.

Perhaps that's why Yeon Woong's assertiveness seemed both unfamiliar and impressive.

Beside Yeon Woong, a middle-aged man resembling him stepped forward. It was Yeon Woong's father, Yeon Gi-sang.

"Woong's words have merit. We should verify it. What we fear is the Murim Alliance's interference and some annoyance, but the common people's difficulties from collusion with the Green Forest involve their survival."

At his words, even the adults who had been objecting all nodded.

Family Head Yeon Liang asked.

"Come to think of it, the Merciless Twin Axes is quite a skilled fighter, so who captured him? That young lady there? Or perhaps are you siblings? You resemble each other strangely."

Tang Yu-jeong quickly pushed Tang Gyeong forward. Tang Gyeong stepped forward bewildered and cupped his fists.

"I captured him!"

"What, such a young hero?"

"Remarkable."

"What's your name?"

"I'm new to the jianghu, so I'm still quite lacking. I'm called Ji-su."

The Merciless Twin Axes, kneeling behind Tang Yu-jeong and listening, chuckled.

"Who captured me? That's ridicu..."

Tang Yu-jeong firmly stepped on the Merciless Twin Axes' thigh. The Merciless Twin Axes yawned and quickly continued.

"I want to sleep. Me."

The Yeon Family Sect people looked at the Merciless Twin Axes with strange eyes. Under their gaze, the Merciless Twin Axes glared.

"What are you looking at!"

Yeon Liang laughed heartily and admonished the Merciless Twin Axes.

"In the jianghu, if someone doesn't want to reveal something, it's also courteous to tacitly overlook it."

"Ah, yes yes."

Yeon Woong's father Yeon Gi-sang said.

"Now that we understand the situation, you all go out and rest for a while. We'll make a decision and let you know. Take that vicious bandit too."

Yeon Gi-sang's gaze briefly met Tang Yu-jeong's. Tang Yu-jeong felt awkward but slightly bowed her head. Somehow it seemed Yeon Gi-sang was smiling.

***

The meeting went long. As the family's survival was at stake, it wasn't something easily decided. Tiger Throat Sword was also called in, and several bandits were summoned as well.

After quite a while, Yeon Woong came out.

The three people waiting anxiously jumped up.

With a somewhat tired face, Yeon Woong raised his hand and smiled.

"It's done! Our Yeon Family Sect will take responsibility for this matter! Everything from collecting evidence of collusion with bandits to handing them over to the magistrate's office."

The three people almost cheered.

"Thank you, Woong!"

"That's great!"

"Thank you."

Yeon Woong laughed.

"Haha. Of course it's what we should do as the righteous sect."

Yeon Gi-sang also came out soon. The three thanked Yeon Gi-sang. Yeon Gi-sang nodded and said.

"You all, can you spare some time? I'd like to talk for a moment."

"With us?"

Tang Yu-jeong, Tang Gyeong, and Jin Heon were bewildered. They felt slightly anxious.

***

"You resemble him."

Hueek!

At those words casually thrown by Yeon Gi-sang, Tang Yu-jeong, Tang Gyeong, and even Jin Heon were startled. Fortunately, only Yeon Gi-sang and the three were in this room.

"Actually, I thought you resembled him when I saw you, Chu-mong, but I didn't pry. It's the same now. I won't ask for details. But I called you all here because I wanted to tell you this story."

Yeon Gi-sang asked.

"Do you know how our Yeon Family Sect, which belonged to South Sea Sword Sect, survived?"

Even though Jin Heon was friends with Yeon Woong, he only came out a few times a year. In a situation where it was difficult to reveal his identity, they hadn't become close enough for deep conversations.

"From rumors, I only heard that you came out in opposition to South Sea Sword Sect's actions."

At Jin Heon's answer, Yeon Gi-sang said.

"At that time, I persuaded the family head and the elders."

"What?"

He said "at that time." What that implies is...

Yeon Gi-sang looked upward as if recalling the past and said.

"Every individual has their own justice. Each justice combines and separates to form the great righteousness that is the standard of true chivalry. The jianghu doesn't belong to any individual, we ourselves are the roots supporting the jianghu, so ultimately it is we ourselves who can change the jianghu."

Tang Gyeong, who practically memorized Jin Ja-gang's past, even got goosebumps at Yeon Gi-sang's words.

Wasn't that the teachings passed down from Immortal Haewol to Jin Ja-gang!

"Those were the words he spoke in front of young martial artists like me. He was about my age but was admirable. There was tremendous resonance. My body heated up. Several friends including myself sat in a tavern drinking for days. Yet the shock didn't fade and our heated hearts didn't cool. I'm embarrassed to say we even cried. Somehow, it felt like we learned the truth hidden behind the facade of a false world we couldn't understand. The tears didn't stop for a while."

Yeon Gi-sang closed his eyes as if passion still rose when thinking of that time.

"How much hardship must he have endured to learn that truth. And how long must the Immortal who passed on the right path to him have endured the harsh world's gaze alone... They were truly great people."

Yeon Gi-sang smiled faintly and lowered his head.

"So I came back and persuaded the elders with resolve to die. Fortunately, the family elders trusted my words and made the difficult decision."

That's how Yeon Family Sect survived. But the families of other friends who couldn't persuade their superiors needless to say became a handful of poison at the Nanchang Murim Alliance.

"Ahh..."

Tang Gyeong, who unknowingly exclaimed, quickly covered his mouth, but Yeon Gi-sang didn't mind.

Tang Yu-jeong carefully asked.

"Um... but why are you telling us this..."

"I know that recently bad rumors about him have been spreading. You've probably heard them too."

"That's true, but we're uh... not really connected to that person... Hehe."

Even the confident Tang Yu-jeong could only laugh awkwardly. Yeon Gi-sang smiled slightly.

"I just wanted to tell you. That anyone who knows him wouldn't believe those rumors. By the moral standards of the era, he might be the world's greatest killer, but he was never an evil person."