The Legend of the Northern Blade

The old man thrust out a hand, clutching a bottle of wine. Jin Mu-Won eyed it for a moment, then silently reached out and took it. Without hesitation, he drank deeply, and a glimmer sparked in the old man’s eyes.

“Hey, slow down there. If you want to last the night, you should pace yourself,” the old man advised.

Jin Mu-Won lowered the bottle and handed it back.

The old man shook it, grumbling, “Damn it! You drank a lot. Thirsty for booze, are you?”

“I just took what I was offered.”

“You sure are one smooth talker, aren’t you?”

Jin Mu-Won sat down in front of the old man, gazing out over the lake. The floating lanterns on the water resembled blooming lotus flowers.

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“Nice view, ain’t it? All one needs to enjoy it is a good bottle of wine and someone who will listen to my grievances.”

“You mean someone to share a drink with, right?”

“No way, that’s basically like adding dog shit to healing medicine.”

“So I’m dog shit?”

“You should count yourself lucky. Not everyone gets to be this old man’s dog shit.”

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“Is that so?”

The old man took a long swig from his bottle. “Ah! This is great. With good booze and such a magnificent view, what more does one need in life? What else is there to covet? Isn’t that right?”

Jin Mu-Won remained silent.

The old man looked at him, puzzled. “You think otherwise?”

“An elder like you, who has lived a fruitful life, might be able to let go of your regrets and aspirations. However, I still have many years ahead of me. It’s a waste to settle for a bottle of wine and a nice view.”

“Hah! Look at this kid.”

Surprised, the old man stared at Jin Mu-Won, but the young man calmly met his gaze.

In the end, the old man was the first to look away. “Well! You’re cheeky, but I suppose a young man should have some spirit. Still, if you keep living like this, things won’t end well for you. Sometimes, you need to bow your head to the world,” he said.

“Is that so?”

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“Consider it advice from an old man who’s seen more of the world than you.”

“Thanks for the tip. I’ll remember it.”

“Hmph! At least you’re not completely pigheaded. Here, drink more.”

The old man handed the bottle back to Jin Mu-Won, who accepted it without a second thought. The wine was indeed as delicious as the old man boasted, far superior to the cheap stuff Jin Mu-Won had tasted before.

“This is good.”

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“It’s called the Thousand Days Fragrance. Its aroma is exquisite, but it’s so rare that you can only taste it around this time of year.”

Jin Mu-Won handed back the bottle.

Taking it, the old man asked, “Aren’t you curious about who I am? Why are you just accepting my drinks and not asking any questions?”

“Would you answer if I asked?”

“Who knows?”

“That’s why I’m not asking.”

“Hah! Were you born with that silver tongue? Tsk!” The old man clicked his tongue, his eyes gleaming with a strange light, but Jin Mu-Won continued to stare at the lake, seemingly oblivious.

The countless lotus flowers blooming on the dark water stirred something in him. It was important that he enjoyed the view his father had longed for while sharing a drink with someone, even if the old man wasn’t a renowned hero.

Soon, the bottle was emptied.

Looking at it regretfully, the old man grumbled, “Damn! I should have bought another bottle. I’ll have to pester that rascal again.”

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“Sorry, I must have drunk too much.”

“What are you sorry for? You kept a cranky old man company when others shun me because they can’t stand my drunken rants.”

At that moment, loud voices echoed from the stairs.

“Is this the place?”

“Yes, we agreed to meet at the Yellow Crane Tower. The others should be arriving shortly.”

Frowning, the old man stood up. “I’m out of wine, so I’ll take my leave. I hope you enjoy the rest of your evening.”

He threw the empty bottle outside the pavilion and jumped after it, disappearing into the darkness in an astonishing display of movement arts.

Jin Mu-Won silently watched the old drunkard vanish.

“As expected…”

He had suspected that the old man was a martial arts expert, otherwise he wouldn’t have had the guts to enter the Black Moon. Nevertheless, the old man was much more skilled than Jin Mu-Won had imagined.

“I could barely feel the flow of his inner arts. No, if it weren’t for the All-Encompassing Cognition, I wouldn’t have realized that he was a martial artist at all.”

Jin Mu-Won understood the implication of that.

“He’s an absolute master.”

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Jin Mu-Won’s eyes flickered with excitement. Today is only my first day in Wuhan, yet I just happen to meet such a master twice in one day? A master is not only defined by his martial arts skills, but also by his ability to turn circumstances to his advantage. For them, there is no such thing as a coincidence.

Unconsciously, Jin Mu-Won placed a hand on Snow Flower and fondled it.

“Wow! It’s really quiet here,” someone said from the direction of the stairs.

Looking back, Jin Mu-Won saw a group of young martial artists climbing the stairs of the tower. They all looked sharp and lively, dressed in fine silks with expensive weapons at their waists. The most striking was the young man leading them, tall with tanned skin and chiseled features. He looked around the pavilion, glancing briefly at Jin Mu-Won, but immediately lost all interest in him.

The younger boy next to him chattered like a lark, “Looks like we’re the first to arrive, Senior Brother.”

“Indeed.”

Hearing their conversation, Jin Mu-Won walked towards the stairs, expecting more people to arrive. When he saw familiar faces among the newcomers, however, he stopped in his tracks.

It was Jwa Moon-Ho, Hyun Gong-Hwi, the Monochrome Twins and the rest of their entourage.

“You?” Jwa Moon-Ho exclaimed, scowling. Having clashed with Jin Mu-Won before over Nam Soo-Ryun, his hostility was obvious.

Similarly, the Monochrome Twins, who had suffered at the hands of Jin Mu-Won, shuddered anxiously.

However, Hyun Gong-Hwi was different. Since he had fainted at the same time as Nam Soo-Ryun, he did not see Jin Mu-Won overwhelm the Monochrome Twins, and no one had bothered to inform him of Jin Mu-Won’s true strength.

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Jin Mu-Won bowed slightly, greeting, “It’s been a while.”

“What are you doing here?” Jwa Moon-Ho asked through gritted teeth. As Hyun Gong-Hwi fainted and the Monochrome Twins were injured, they missed the Yunmeng Marsh Riverboat and had to take the long, arduous land route to Wuhan. It was impossible for him not to resent Jin Mu-Won.

“I’ve wanted to visit this place for the longest time.”

“If you’re done sightseeing, then please leave. We have a meeting here.”

A thought crossed Jin Mu-Won’s mind. Is the Azure Dragon Society holding a meeting here?

That seemed the most likely explanation. The young martial artists who had arrived earlier joined Jwa Moon-Ho’s group, suggesting they were part of the same organization.

Who is this man who can make Master Jwa react so sharply? Their eyes seemed to say as they watched the tense exchange curiously.

Jin Mu-Won frowned. He did not like Jwa Moon-Ho’s arrogant attitude, but neither did he want to cause trouble. In the end, he quietly turned to leave, but Hyun Gong-Hwi blocked his path.

“Where is Nam Soo-Ryun?” Hyun Gong-Hwi demanded.

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“……”

“Answer me. Where is she?”

Jin Mu-Won sighed. “Why are you looking for her?”

“I haven’t finished my duel with her,” Hyun Gong-Hwi growled, his eyes with ablaze with rage and frustration, unable to accept that he had tied with someone he considered vastly inferior to himself.

The young martial artists immediately flinched at the intensity of his aura.

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Jin Mu-Won, however, remained unperturbed. “She’s in Wuhan,” he replied calmly.

“Where exactly?”

“I don’t want to tell you.”

“You dare!” Hyun Gong-Hwi’s eyebrows shot up as he released his killing intent.

Offended by Jin Mu-Won’s defiance, the other young martial artists backed Hyun Gong-Hwi.

Sensing the rising tension, Jwa Moon-Ho bit his lip. This is bad. It’s getting out of hand.

Though he disliked Jin Mu-Won, he knew when to be rational. The young martial artists weren’t just reacting to Hyun Gong-Hwi’s killing intent, Jin Mu-Won’s confidence in their presence agitated them.

Jwa Moon-Ho quickly grabbed Hyun Gong-Hwi’s shoulder to hold him back.

“Let go, or I’ll consider you an enemy too!” Hyun Gong-Hwi snarled.

“You’ll have plenty of chances to redeem your pride. Right now, we must prioritize the meeting.”

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This meeting was orchestrated by Jwa Moon-Ho, not Shim Won-Yi or Seomoon Hye-Ryung, so he would bear the consequences if anything went wrong. Naturally, he was desperate.

Hyun Gong-Hwi glared at Jwa Moon-Ho, his eyes burning with killing intent. Jwa Moon-Ho swallowed nervously but stood firm.

“All of you need to calm down. Cease this at once,” he addressed the others.

“I don’t want to…” The first young martial artist to arrive shook his head with a smile. His name was Namgoong Il-Geom, and he was from the Namgoong Clan, one of the Five Great Clans. Naturally, he was curious about Jin Mu-Won, who had provoked such a violent reaction from Hyun Gong-Hwi, a member of the Seven Young Skies.

As Namgoong Il-Geom spoke, the other young martial artists began to whisper in hushed tones.

Jwa Moon-Ho ground his teeth and glared at Jin Mu-Won. This is dangerous! This man could cause a rift in the Azure Dragon Society before it even takes flight.

Amidst the rising pressure, Jin Mu-Won stood serenely, the air around him shifting subtly.