Reaper of the Drifting Moon Chapter 615
Pyo Wol descended from Shaolin Temple.
He introduced Grandmaster Unil to Hong Yu Shin, who was in Dengfeng county.
As the chief inspector of the Hao Clan, any discussions with Hong Yushin fell under the jurisdiction of Grandmaster Unil. So Pyo Wol excused himself.
Pyo Wol stayed at the inn with Hong Ye-seol and Soma.
The Shaolin Temple had arranged for them to stay in the best guesthouse in Dengfeng County.
Pyo Wol looked around the interior and muttered.
“Not bad.”
“Shaolin has taken good care of us.”
Hong Ye-seol nodded in agreement.
The guest house was surrounded by a high fence and was quite spacious, so it would be okay to practice martial arts while staying here.
In fact, Soma was in the backyard, swinging his sword.
Ever since he heard of Il Geom Jin’s death, Soma had been like this, taking every opportunity to practice and improve his skills.
His concentration was at its peak, and his skills were growing frighteningly fast.
Pyo Wol did not try to stop him.
Sometimes, anger and vengeance could drive one’s growth, and he understood that well.
Soma was already solidly grounded.
Thanks to Il Geom Jin In, the side effects of the great technique he had learned at the Xiaoleiyin Temple were all resolved, and his strength and skill grew day by day.
It was almost as if the phrase “peak of excellence” existed for him.
Pyo Wol said to Hong Ye-seol,
“Leave Soma be. Let’s go out and eat.”
“Oh, just the two of us? How forward,”
Hong Ye-seol replied with a teasing glint in her eye.
With a nonchalant gesture, Pyo Wol headed out, with Hong Ye-seol hastily following him.
The two walked shoulder to shoulder through the streets of Dengfeng County.
They could have eaten at the guest house, but for some reason, they wanted to eat somewhere else today.
Besides, they didn’t know when they would return to Dengfeng County, so they wanted to explore it thoroughly before leaving.
The city was vibrant, still peaceful under the protection of the mighty Shaolin-a stark contrast to the tense atmosphere in other cities.
Pyo Wol took in every sight, every detail.
Hong Ye-seol sneaked glances at him,
‘He’s filthy handsome.’
Pyo Wol walked in his true appearance without the Reverse Bone technique .
However, he was conscious of people’s gazes, so he pressed down on his hat.
Although others couldn’t see his face, Hong Ye-Seol, who was right next to him, could see it
very clearly.
It was a face she had seen for a long time, and yet every time she saw it, it was a face she was in awe of.
She realized that she would never be able to escape Pyo Wol’s charm. However, she wasn’t completely unhappy about it.
Subtly, she linked her arm with Pyo Wol’s. He didn’t shake her off, simply continuing to walk.
The streets of Dengfeng county were lined with many shops.
Among them were stores that sold items not found anywhere else.
One of them was a shop that sold goods from the West Station.
It was a branch of the Seven Stars Trading Company.
With a feeling of an odd connection, Pyo Wol stepped inside.
“Welcome,” greeted the shopkeeper.
“This is a branch of the Seven Stars Trading Company, is it?”
“You’ve read the sign, I see. Hehe,”
The shopkeeper rubbed his palms together and laughed.
He was unaware that Pyo Wol had once traveled with the Seven Stars Trading Company to a nearby town.
As Pyo Wol browsed, his gaze settled on a small jar. It was filled with beads the size of a baby’s fingernail.
“What are these?”
“Ah, these are prayer beads used by monks from the Western Regions.”
“They don’t seem ordinary.”
“You have a sharp eye. In fact, they’re carved out of a special wood called ‘black sandalwood’. It’s as strong as metal, but lighter than ordinary wood.”
“Is that so?”
Intrigued by the shopkeeper’s description, Pyo Wol picked up a bead and rolled it between his fingers. Its texture and weight appealed to him.
“How much for this?”
“What? You want to buy it? You’re not a monk, why would you need a prayer bead?”
“How much is it?” Pyo Wol pressed.
“If you want all the beads in the jar, it’s five gold coins. We paid a high price to bring them in.”
“Take it.”
Without haggling, Pyo Wol handed over the five gold coins.
The shopkeeper momentarily regretted not asking for a higher price.
But he quickly composed himself, packing the beads into a leather pouch and handing it to Pyo Wol.
“Why would you need these if you’re not a monk?”
“Do I need to explain everything?”
“No, of course not,” the shopkeeper hastily replied.
Just as Pyo Wol was tying the pouch of beads to his belt, he heard Hong Ye-Seol’s voice.
“How about this?”
Turning around, he saw Hong Ye Seol holding a hair ornament to her head.
It wasn’t overly ornate, but it exuded a dignified charm.
“It’s beautiful.”
“Does it suit me?”
“Indeed!”
“Then buy it for me.”
“What?”
“It’s pretty, that’s why.”
With a bright smile, Hong Ye-Seol gazed at Pyo Wol.
Pausing briefly, Pyo Wol inquired the shopkeeper,
“How much is it?”
“It’s an item from the Western Regions. Just two gold coins.”
“Gold coins?”
“It is a hair ornament worn by brides in the Western Regions, a token given by the groom as a sign of proposal.”
At the shopkeeper’s words, Hong Ye-Seol’s face lit up with delight.
She looked at Pyo Wol with eager anticipation.
Without hesitation, Pyo Wol handed over two gold coins to the shopkeeper.
“Thank you.”
“Hehe!”
Both the shopkeeper and Hong Ye-Seol seemed pleased.
Hong Ye-Seol offered the accessory to Pyo Wol.
“What?”
“Place it on my head.”
“So troublesome…”
“It’s not that hard. Please?”
“Fine.”
With an indifferent expression, Pyo Wol affixed the ornament to Hong Ye-Seol’s hair.
Looking up at him, she spoke,
“Tell me, does it look good?”
“It suits you.”
“Is it pretty?”
“Very!”
“Hehe!”
Hong Ye-Seol laughed heartily, clearly pleased.
Pyo Wol quietly observed her.
The innkeeper poked Pyo Wol playfully, and spoke,
“Your wife seems pleased.”
“She’s not my wife.”
“What? Oh, I apologize.”
“It’s alright.”
“Yes!”
After looking at herself in the mirror for a while, Hong Ye Seol turned to Pyo Wol.
“Let’s leave. Since you bought me the accessory, dinner is on me.”
“Very well.”
The two exited the store together.
Hong Ye-Seol clung to Pyo Wol’s side, her laughter continuous.
Even when Pyo Wol tried to create some distance, she remained undeterred, clinging even closer.
“Do you like it that much?”
“Yes. It’s the first gift I’ve ever received from someone in my life.”
“You mean you’ve never received one before?”
“Many with evil intentions have offered, but I have turned them all down. Surprising, isn’t it?”
“No.”
Pyo Wol shook his head.
Hong Ye-Seol was one of the most cold-hearted women he knew.
While she might show this relaxed side to him, she did not betray any vulnerability in front of others.
She refused to accept anything that would interfere with her mission.
So this was really her first accepted gift, even though she had practically demanded it.
“Hmm! Ha!”
For some reason, a jubilant Hong Ye-Seol even began to hum a tune.
Pyo Wol led her to a decent looking inn.
It was a local inn, known for its good food.
By now, evening was setting in, and the guests in the inn were deeply intoxicated.
The specialty of the inn was Dukang wine.
This famous wine was made in Ruyang, not far from Dengfeng county.
The inn chosen by Pyo Wol prided itself on obtaining Dukang wine directly from Ruyang and serving it to its guests.
Even a small amount of this potent drink was enough to turn faces red.
The two found a comfortable spot and sat down.
A waitress approached them.
“Welcome. What can I get for you?”
“The same drink others have, with stir-fried pork and beef noodles.”
“Understood.”
The waitress retreated after her reply.
Pyo Wol said to Hong Ye-Seol,
“Wine? I don’t drink.”
“I know. I ordered it for myself.”
“Why?”
“A little wine is good for mental health. It helps relax the nerves, like releasing the tension from a drawn bow. Try it and you’ll see what I mean.
“No thanks.”
“Alright.”
Hong Ye-Seol didn’t insist.
She was already aware that Pyo Wol didn’t drink at all.
She rested her chin on her hand, her gaze fixed on Pyo Wol.
Her face was radiant with a bright smile.
Merely buying her a hairpin had sent Ye-seol’s spirits soaring.
Her beauty was the kind that grew on you – the more you looked at her, the more attractive she became.
Her genuine smile was so captivating that many couldn’t take their eyes off her.
Three men sitting nearby exchanged glances.
They were from the Shaolin Temple and held significant power in Dengfeng county.
Normally they were fine, but alcohol changed them, making others wary of their presence.
Their faces reddened with alcohol, they approached Ye-seol.
“Miss! May we know your name?”
“Why be with such an ordinary guy when you can be with us?”
“We didn’t expect to see such beauty in Dengfeng County. Forget him, come have a drink with us. We’ll take care of the bill.”
They paid no heed to Pyo Wol and cozied up to Hong Ye-Seol.
“Those bastards are at it again.
‘What is Shaolin thinking, letting them be like this?’
The guests in the inn frowned at the three men, but no one dared to intervene.
Their reputation in Dengfeng county was just too strong.
They expected Hong Ye-Seol, a lovely woman, to be intimidated and cry.
But contrary to their expectations, Hong Ye-Seol neither cried nor seemed flustered.
She looked at them with cold, icy eyes.
“What’s with that look?”
“Why is she looking at us like that?”
The men were momentarily taken aback by Hong Ye-Seol’s piercing gaze.
Their cocky demeanor deflated instantly.
Her spirits, which had soared to the heavens, plummeted due to the men’s unwelcome advances.
The very fact that she was interrupted by men on such a historic day made her furious.
Thud!
Snap!
She tightly gripped the chopsticks in her hand.
At that moment, Pyo Wol spoke to her,
“Don’t kill them. I don’t want to eat with corpses around.”
“I won’t,” she responded with a fleeting smile. But her eyes weren’t smiling at all.
There wasn’t an ounce of mercy in her heart for the thugs who had ruined her perfect day.
“Please, spare us!”
The panicked screams of the thugs soon filled the inn.
As Pyo Wol listened to their cries, he gazed out the window, lost in thought,
‘If one were to find out that the witnesses they tried to silence were dead, how would they react?’
He pondered from the perspective of Jang Cheon-hwa.
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