Martial Artist Lee Gwak Episode 184
Making a Name at Another’s Feast 3
Fragrance Pavilion was the largest pleasure house in Yangsan
It housed nearly a hundred resident courtesans, and including the musicians and the servants, the total number of people exceeded two hundred.
The courtesans were not only beautiful but also proficient in poetry, calligraphy, painting, and music, attracting high officials and influential figures of Yangsan.
Even though it was late at night, the laughter of the courtesans and the sounds of the musicians never stopped. In this way, the Fragrance Pavilion dominated the night like a busy castle. However, there was one place within the Fragrance Pavilion that maintained a sinister atmosphere.
It was a separate pavilion located in the deepest part of the Fragrance Pavilion.
Unlike the main building, which was decorated with lavish decorations and antique furniture, the pavilion was exceedingly plain.
The only furniture was a shabby wooden table and bed, and a small lantern was the only source of light brightening the room.
Inside the room, a man with disheveled hair sat at the table, writing something.
“Sigh!”
After a while he sighed and ran a hand through his hair, revealing his features under the dim glow of the lantern.
His expression was a paradox, appearing kind at one moment and sinister at another.
He muttered as he looked at the document he had been working on.
“The Blood Rain Assassins… This is troublesome.”
He pressed his temples together with his thumbs, easing his headache somewhat.
Creak!
Just then, someone quietly opened the door to the pavilion and entered.
It was a woman wearing a thin silk dress that subtly revealed her skin. Her face, lightly powdered, was as beautiful as a pear blossom, and her hair was adorned with elaborate accessories that reflected the light.
She cautiously approached the man, her fragrance reaching him before she did.
As the man turned his head, the woman smiled radiantly.
“Are you still worried?”
“Isn’t it still business hours? Should the mistress be out like this?”
“Who would seek out an old courtesan like me?”
The woman smiled and sat down across from the man, prompting him to chuckle.
“Who would call you an old courtesan? To my eyes, you are still the most beautiful woman in the Fragrance Pavilion.”
“That’s nice to hear.”
“Hm?”
“To hear that from the lord makes me feel like I’m back to being my eighteen-year-old flower-like self.”
The woman had an excited expression on her face.
The man smiled at her response.
The woman’s name was Snow Flower.
She was the owner of the Fragrance Pavilion and the most sought-after courtesan in Yangsan, whom many men dreamed of embracing at least once in their lives.
The man was well aware that behind her innocent face lay a very cunning fox, but he didn’t mind that cunning.
Snow Flower glanced at the document the man had been working on.
“So, it’s that issue again. The Blood Rain Assassins.”
“Yes! It’s a headache. Even mobilizing all of our forces, we’ve yet to uncover their true nature.”
A deep shadow fell over the man’s eyes.
The Blood Rain Assassins were an assassin group that had recently appeared in the Jianghu.
They appeared out of nowhere and assassinated numerous martial artists.
Among the victims of the Blood Rain Assassins were several top martial artists of the Jianghu.
It was unknown who was commissioning the Blood Rain Assassins or for what purpose they were conducting the assassinations.
One thing was certain: the damage to the Jianghu was growing because of the Blood Rain Assassins.
Suddenly, Snow Flower stood up and gently embraced the man from behind. Her soft touch and the scent of her body filled his senses.
She whispered from behind him.
“Lord, you worry too much. How many assassin groups exist in the Jianghu? Like most of them, the Blood Rain Assassins will soon fade into the annals of history.”
“If only that were true…”
The man closed his eyes tightly.
Snow Flower stroked the man’s chest with her pale, eel-like hands.
Normally, he would have embraced Snow Flower and headed to the bed, succumbing to her seduction. However, he couldn’t do that now, his mind was entirely occupied by the Blood Rain Assassins.
“There must be something…”
He felt like he was missing something crucial, but he couldn’t quite grasp what it was.
Then Snow Flower’s voice reached him again.
“You’re thinking again. I told you to forget all about it.”
“It’s not something I can control…”
As the man was making his excuses,
Crack!
Suddenly, a faint noise echoed from outside.
Instantly, the man’s eyes snapped open.
“Is there someone else who has entered?”
“That shouldn’t be possible. I strictly ordered that no one is allowed in the pavilion.”
Snow Flower’s expression also hardened.
It was when he quickly got up.
“Ugh!”
A low groan echoed.
He rushed to the window and threw it open. The entire Fragrance Pavilion, shrouded in darkness, came into view.
“It’s not closing time yet…”
Snow Flower’s complexion turned pale.
She too sensed the imminent trouble.
A heavy scent of blood drifted in with the wind.
“Lord, please flee. It seems our connection with the Hao Clan has been exposed.”
“Hm!”
Instead of responding, the man let out a low grunt.
Snow Flower looked at him with a frustrated expression.
“Please, my Lord.”
“It seems it’s already too late.”
The man’s eyes sank deeply.
Rustle!
He felt a stealthy movement in the darkness.
Moving as if they were part of the darkness itself, the figures were steadily closing in on the outbuilding.
Nam Woo Gyeong bit his lip until it bled.
“Damn it! Looks like we’re in for some bloodshed.”
***
Lee Gwak paused and dipped his hands into a stream. The coolness of the water on his fingertips jolted him back to reality.
He scooped some water to his mouth, quenching his thirst somewhat.
“Sigh!”
After shaking off his hands, Lee Gwak lifted his head. In the distance, the faint outline of a city was visible.
If they were on the right path, the city in front of them was Lianzhou.
Lianzhou was a region where the influences of three of the ten sects intricately intersected. To the northwest, it overlapped with the sphere of influence of the White Light Sect, and to the northeast, it bordered the territory of the Jade Heaven Alliance.
Yet, it was directly under the control of Martial Sword Troupe, the overlord of the southern Jianghu.
If they were on the right path, the city ahead of them was Lianzhou.
Once in Lianzhou, reaching the Jade Heaven Alliance would be quick.
Excitement and fear coexisted inLee Gwak’s eyes as he gazed at Lianzhou.
It was as if he had been away for a long time and had finally returned home. Even though Jade Heaven Alliance wasn’t really his home, it meant a lot to him.
Passing through Lianzhou, it would take no more than ten days to reach the Jade Heaven Alliance.
According to Seo Yun-myeong, the leader of the Hwado branch of the Hao clan, Lianzhou was like a “city of demons”.
Within Lianzhou, groups or individuals backed by the Jade Heaven Alliance, the White Light Sect, and the Martial Sword Troupe freely exercised their power, causing great turmoil.
If someone supported by the Jade Heaven Alliance caused trouble, then crossed into the area managed by White Light Sect, there was no way to apprehend them.
Similarly, if a murderer under White Light Sect’s influence fled to Martial Sword Troupe’s territory, they could not be punished.
As many exploited these aspects, Lianzhou had become a veritable cauldron of chaos.
So much so that Lianzhou was no longer referred to by its original name, but as the ‘City of Demons’.
Unlike the cities Lee Gwak and Cheol Gwang Woo had passed through, which were all bustling with life, the entrance to Lianzhou appeared quite ominous.
The atmosphere among the people on the streets was subdued, making it difficult to casually strike up a conversation.
Cheol Gwang Woo looked around and chuckled.
“I like it here, brother.”
Almost instinctively, Cheol Gwang Woo realized that this was a place ruled by power.
He enjoyed the damp air and atmosphere of this place.
In Lianzhou, it felt like one could act without thinking too deeply.
Lee Gwak warned Cheol Gwang Woo.
“We still have to be careful.”
“Let’s find shelter first.”
“Yes!”
The two began searching for an inn.
Finding an inn was not difficult. The problem was that the condition of the inns did not look very good.
They were cramped and shabby, making them not want to stay. Because of this, Lee Gwak and Cheol Gwang Woo looked for more inns, but the atmosphere of the place they found was similar to the first one they saw.
Eventually, they gave up on finding a decent inn and settled for one that seemed somewhat less gloomy.
Inside, most of the seats were occupied. Many of the occupants were armed martial artists, and even as they drank ,and ate, they didn’t neglect to stay alert
,In Lianzhou, it wouldn’t be surprising to be attacked at any time.
There was literally no law or order.
Left to fend for themselves, their vigilance was at an all-time high.
Upon entering, Lee Gwak and Cheol Gwang Woo were met with suspicious glances.
Newcomers like them were prime targets for suspicion.
They didn’t know what they were here for.
They could be assassins out for their lives, or spies sent to gather information, prompting everyone to be extremely cautious around them.
“What’s with this atmosphere?”
Cheol Gwang Woo felt the stares and scowled.
His normally gentle face took on a terrifying aspect, causing people to quickly turn away.
“What the hell, that bastard!”
“Why is his face like that? My heart is still racing. Fuck!”
Cheol Gwang Woo’s presence alone was enough to intimidate others, overshadowing even Lee Gwak next to him.
Lee Gwak asked the innkeeper,
“Do you have a room?”
“How long do you plan to stay?”
“We’re thinking just for tonight.”
“All the other rooms are taken, but we have an outbuilding.”
“There’s an outbuilding?”
“Don’t judge by its plain exterior. It has everything necessary inside.”
“Alright, we’ll take the outbuilding.”
“It’ll be three silver nyangs.”
Lee Gwak frowned slightly at the innkeeper’s words.
Renting an outbuilding in a rundown inn for three silver nyangs was steep. But the owner’s expression was clear: If you don’t want to pay, leave.
Since there were many people wanting to stay at the inn besides Lee Gwak, the innkeeper could afford to be bold.
“Fine.”
“Payment in advance.”
The innkeeper stretched out his hand as if it was only natural, and Lee Gwak handed over three silver nyangs. The innkeeper grinned at the payment.
“The outbuilding is at the back. Go through the back door, and you’ll see it right away. It won’t be hard to find.”
“Before going to the outbuilding , we’d like to have a meal. Is that possible?”
“Just find any empty seat. We’ll bring the food shortly.”
Lee Gwak and Cheol Gwang Woo found a suitable spot to sit.
Creak!
The shabby chair creaked as if it would break under Cheol Gwang Woo’s immense weight.
Cheol Gwang Woo, looking forward to a proper meal for the first time in a while, smiled continuously.
At that moment.
“Did you hear? A new master has appeared in Jianghu.”
“A new master? They’re always coming up, what’s so special ….”
Martial Artists sitting near Lee Gwak and Cheol Gwang Woo were talking loudly.
“This one’s different.”
“How so?”
“He defeated the Mad Dragon.”
“The Mad Dragon? The one from the Martial Sword Troupe?”
“Exactly! That Mad Dragon.”
“No way! That’s unbelievable. A newcomer defeating the Mad Dragon?”
One of the martial artists pointed an accusing finger. But the first one who spoke up didn’t seem to mind.
“I didn’t believe it at first, but it’s true. You know the Cheong Family’s estate in Hwado? The one owned by the ‘Righteous Wanderer? Apparently, in front of hundreds of witnesses, this new martial artist defeated the Mad Dragon. Hwado’s been in an uproar ever since.“
“Is that true? How come I haven’t heard about it?”
“It’s because of the Martial Sword Troupe. Would they let such news spread, given that their young master was defeated by an unknown martial artist? They’re trying to keep it under wraps, but those in the know are already aware.”
“So, who is this person?”
After a pause, the talkative martial artist cautiously looked around and whispered,
“Lee Gwak… In Hwado, they call him the ‘Sura Blade’.”