Episode 201

After meeting Yu Hae-eung, we headed back northeast, deeper inland.

Although Brother Jeungchil seemed quite displeased, even he had to admit that clashing with the Haenam faction at sea was too dangerous, so there was no other choice.

As we ran through the jungle, I spoke with Mukrang.

“So, you’re saying that the sword the so-called Baekrang Swordmaster wields is definitely the Seollang Sword you crafted, Elder?”

“That’s right. There might be other swords with a white wolf engraved on them, but if it uses ice techniques that freeze the sea, it’s hard to imagine it being anything else.”

I had asked around in the coastal villages about this Baekrang Swordmaster.

What I learned was that a scruffy-looking man had recently appeared, wielding a pure white sword, and had been fighting the Haenam faction’s group.

That alone wasn’t particularly unusual.

“Scruffy-looking” just meant his appearance was shabby, so his true identity was unknown. And pure white swords could be found anywhere.

After all, the Baekyeon Sword that Sun Woojin gifted to Cheongyeon was also a pure white blade.

But the martial arts he used were special.

People said the Baekrang Swordmaster could freeze the sea.

In the scorching South Sea, he froze the water, ran across it, and fought pirates on the waves.

Hearing this, Mukrang sighed deeply.

“Seollang Swordsmanship! It’s definitely the Seollang Sword I made!”

According to Mukrang, the martial arts inscribed on the Seollang Sword were based on the legendary Northern Sea Ice Palace’s Bingbaek Divine Skill and Bingbaek Swordsmanship, which he had adapted into the Seollang Swordsmanship and Seollang Mind Technique.

So, the sword the Baekrang Swordmaster carried was undoubtedly the Seollang Sword, the legacy of the Sword Spirit, and this person had even passed the Sword Spirit’s trial—just like me.

Mukrang, now certain of this, spoke with a hint of surprise.

“Huh, the Seollang Sword revealing itself like this is strange. The Haenam faction must really be in disarray.”

I didn’t understand.

What did the Seollang Sword showing up have to do with the Haenam faction being in chaos?

“What do you mean by that?”

He answered.

“Back in the day, the Seollang Sword was taken by Injeongho. He didn’t like the wolf emblem and wanted it changed to a tiger, so he could use it as his family’s symbol. I personally overlaid a white tiger emblem on top of the wolf design. But now, it’s back in the hands of the Haenam faction and this Baekrang Swordmaster, and the original wolf emblem has reemerged. There must have been quite a few complications.”

A white sword with a tiger emblem?

Hearing that, I immediately thought of something.

“Ah, then that must be the Baekho Sword?”

“Hm? The Baekho Sword?”

“Yes. The Baekho Sword was used by Haenam Sword King Injeongho and has been passed down as a sacred heirloom among the Haenam faction’s leaders. Judging by the circumstances, I think it’s probably the Seollang Sword. And seeing the Baekrang Swordmaster wielding it against the Haenam faction…”

“Hmm, maybe he’s the heir of Haenam Island who went missing long ago.”

“Yes, I think so too.”

The more I learned, the more complicated the Haenam faction’s situation seemed.

A leader who pursued tyranny and expanded power like a rogue sect, disciples who wanted to uphold the righteous path, and now the heir of Haenam Island revealing himself with the Seollang Sword, fighting against the faction.

Of course, it wasn’t certain that he was the heir, but the situation was undeniably tangled.

Then, Mukrang suddenly spoke in a tone of disbelief.

“Also, it’s strange that three people in the same era have passed my trial, which no one had cleared in a hundred years.”

“Oh, that’s true.”

He was right.

Blood Wolf Swordmaster Ban Jungyang, myself, and this Baekrang Swordmaster—all three had passed the Sword Spirit’s ‘Trial of Unity.’

Hearing that, I suddenly became very curious about this Baekrang Swordmaster.

Whoever he was, passing the Sword Spirit’s trial meant he had the kind of unity and resolve to risk his life for others.

Mukrang then smiled and said,

“You shouldn’t be so relaxed about it. In other words, you have two more rivals who could inherit my True Sword Technique. You’d better hurry.”

I gave a bitter smile.

That was true.

After all the effort to reach Zhejiang Province, it would be quite disheartening if someone else inherited the Sword Spirit’s True Technique.

I asked Mukrang,

“Now that Blood Wolf Swordmaster Ban Jungyang passed your trial long ago, could he have already inherited your True Sword Technique?”

But Mukrang was skeptical.

“Not necessarily. My trial was about unity, but to inherit the Mang-a Technique requires overwhelming talent. Didn’t I tell you before? I never found a successor in my lifetime, which is why I had to resort to this method. And from what that strange swordmaster said last time, Ban Jungyang’s talent wasn’t exceptional.”

I nodded and decided to forget the uneasy thought that the Sword Spirit’s True Technique might already be lost.

Since I couldn’t know for sure, it was a pointless worry.

Then I asked about another question.

“If Mukrang Swordsmanship is based on Cheonma Divine Skill, and Seollang Swordsmanship on Bingbaek Divine Skill, what martial arts did you base the other swords on?”

He answered playfully.

“Curious, huh? The others aren’t any less impressive. For example, the Byeokrang Swordsmanship incorporates the Taeguk Hye Sword technique from the Mudang sect. It was the best among the Nine Schools I’ve seen.”

“Taeguk Hye Sword?!”

I was stunned.

Taeguk Hye Sword was the undisputed top sword technique of the righteous sects.

Though I’d heard it was so advanced that even the Mudang sect hadn’t had anyone master it in a long time.

But to think someone like Seo Il, the Poisonous Sword Maniac, had a Byeokrang Sword with that technique…

It didn’t suit him at all.

Still, the surprise at hearing Taeguk Hye Sword was nothing compared to the Blood Wolf Sword’s martial arts.

Mukrang explained,

“And the Blood Wolf Sword contains the Gucheon Blood Dragon Demon Technique from the Blood Sect.”

The Blood Sect’s martial arts?!

I was shocked and asked again.

“The Blood Sect’s martial arts?”

“Yes. The Blood Sect’s techniques corrupt the mind, but if you fix that, they’re quite formidable. Gucheon Blood Dragon Demon Technique is especially good. I doubt Ban Jungyang ever clashed much with the Blood Sect. I probably told him that. I tried to make it look different, but those who know will still see the similarities.”

“Ah…”

Now that I thought about it, it made sense that the famous swordsman Ban Jungyang rarely crossed paths with the Blood Sect’s demon warriors.

It was probably because of the martial arts he had mastered.

Mukrang suddenly laughed and warned me.

“So be careful yourself. Even if others don’t care, if Cheonma sees you using Mukrang Swordsmanship, he’ll light a fire in his eyes and try to kill you.”

“……”

That was a terrifying thought.

If Cheonma saw me and tried to kill me, it meant I’d be targeted by the strongest force in the world—the Cheonma Divine Sect.

Just imagining it was horrifying.

Mukrang joked,

“So why not become stronger than Cheonma first? Hahaha!”

“……”

Easier said than done.

Becoming stronger than Cheonma wasn’t something you could just laugh off.

Hearing Mukrang say it as casually as if telling someone to eat when hungry made me want to glare at him.

Frowning, I suddenly remembered something and asked again.

“What about the Hwangrang Sword? What martial arts did you incorporate there?”

This time, Mukrang’s tone turned sour.

“The Hwangrang Sword? That one contains the Chilseong Swordsmanship, my family’s traditional technique. It’s the sword style I used the longest and created with great affection. And that bastard broke it…”

Mukrang was clearly angry at the strange swordmaster who had shattered his carefully crafted sword.

Watching him so upset somehow made me feel refreshed.

Mukrang said,

“…I can feel your mood.”

“Ah, sorry.”

I knew that too.

I felt a bit smug.

Mukrang muttered,

“This is the first time I’ve regretted taking you as my successor.”

---

We ran for a full day and finally escaped the jungle.

The western half of Guangxi Province was covered in jungle, much like Yunnan Province.

The place we arrived at was Nanning, located about a third of the way into southwestern Guangxi—a beautiful city surrounded by forests.

As we entered the city walls bustling with people, Brother Jeungchil exclaimed with delight,

“Ah! Finally, we can eat real food and sleep in a proper inn!”

I grabbed him as he hurried inside.

“Hey! Why are you grabbing me again?”

He protested, looking confused.

I gave him a stern look.

“Brother, I say this out of concern. Guangxi Province is currently dominated by the Hapsan faction, and Nanning is within their territory. So just in case…”

He groaned, clearly fed up, and shouted back.

“Alright, alright! I get it! Just don’t pick a fight, okay?! No matter what happens, I won’t get involved! Hell, I won’t even look! Happy now?!”

Listening to his exasperated outburst, I nodded with satisfaction.

It seemed my constant nagging had finally sunk in.

“Yes, that’s enough.”

He grumbled as he stepped through the castle gate.

“Why did I even swear brotherhood with that guy? I can’t tell if he’s the youngest, the eldest, or even the wife.”

“I can hear everything, big brother.”

“Ah, can’t even say a word back?!”

To be honest, we never officially became sworn brothers. But somehow, we’d naturally settled into the roles of three brothers.

And unlike my real siblings, I genuinely liked these two.

The coolest middle brother in the world, and the eldest brother who’s a bit hot-headed and slow on the uptake but kind at heart.

For the first time in a while, we entered a proper inn and ordered food.

Brother Jungchil’s face lit up with excitement.

“Order one of everything they do well here! And bring the best liquor they’ve got!”

Seeing him so pumped up, Brother Seolpoong smiled and asked,

“Aren’t you ordering a bit too much, brother?”

“It’s fine, it’s fine! Sometimes on special occasions, we even leave some behind! Today, I’m treating you all for your first meal with me!”

But once the food arrived, Jungchil couldn’t eat right away. He muttered absentmindedly,

“I wonder if Youngchun’s eating well. I hope no one’s bullying her…”

Youngchun was the name of a girl we’d met in a seaside village.

From the moment he saw her, Brother Jungchil seemed really fond of her.

I half expected him to say he wanted to take her as a disciple.

With a worried look, he asked me,

“Maknae, shouldn’t we have given those village folks a proper warning? What if they hold a grudge against Youngchun and hurt her?”

Before we left the village, we’d made an example out of the village chief who had tried to poison our food with sleeping drugs.

We told the villagers it was the price for trying to harm someone who came to help them with good intentions.

I smiled and replied,

“It’ll be fine. Youngchun hasn’t told anyone about us, right? Besides, the warriors sent by Yu Haeung are still watching nearby. No one will dare cause trouble.”

He frowned deeply.

“I don’t trust those guys either. Aren’t they pirates from the Haenam faction? Who knows if they might suddenly turn on us when we’re not around?”

His concern wasn’t unfounded.

People’s true nature is hard to read.

But I hoped it wouldn’t come to that.

At least Elder Mukrang had said they were just like their leader and his men.

If they were similar to Yu Haeung, maybe we could trust them.

I smiled and said,

“If you’re that worried, why not take Youngchun with you when we leave? If her family agrees, she’ll come along.”

He looked surprised.

“R-Really?”

“Yes. It’d be great to have such a cute little disciple like Youngchun.”

Brother Seolpoong chuckled in agreement.

“I’m with you, brother. If we could have such an adorable disciple, I’d definitely ask for one.”

“R-Really? You guys think so? Having a disciple is a bit of a hassle, but if you want it that badly…”

“Yes, we really do.”

“Please, brother.”

“Alright, I’ll think about it.”

With that, Brother Jungchil finally started eating, clearly in high spirits.

Just thinking about it seemed to lift his mood.

As we were happily enjoying our meal, I suddenly felt someone’s gaze and turned to look.

In the corner of the inn, a young servant boy was staring right at me.

When our eyes met, he flinched, gave an awkward smile, and bowed his head.

Then, as if something else had come up, he hurried into the kitchen.

“Hmm.”

I watched the kitchen with a suspicious eye, and Brother Seolpoong asked,

“What’s wrong, Jin?”

“That servant boy who hasn’t even mastered martial arts was staring right through me.”

Brother Jungchil, chewing loudly, said,

“Huh? Isn’t it normal for servants to keep an eye on guests?”

“That’s true, but somehow, it didn’t feel like a normal look.”

I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling.

Many of the servants were affiliated with the local Hao Sect.

If that boy had seen something and was reporting back to them, it could get complicated.

I stood and went toward the kitchen.

But the boy was nowhere to be seen inside.

He must have slipped out through the side door leading to the busy street.

Tracking him down would be difficult.

“Hmm.”

Back at the table, I told the brothers,

“He’s already gone. This might turn into a bit of a hassle.”

Brother Seolpoong said,

“That’s strange. How could he recognize you, Jin? Your Mukrang sword is wrapped in cloth.”

That was odd.

And since the boy had stared at my face so intently, it meant he recognized me by my face, not the sword.

But my face wasn’t exactly famous.

We decided to leave as soon as we finished eating, before anything happened.

No need to wait for trouble to find us.

Brother Jungchil grumbled,

“Ugh, I was looking forward to a peaceful night’s sleep after so long, and now some weird servant boy’s ruining it.”

I was disappointed too, but there was nothing we could do.

In fact, we probably should have left before finishing our meal.

Suddenly, Brother Seolpoong and I both sensed something and looked around.

He said,

“We’re surrounded.”

“Yes, there are too many of them.”

Brother Jungchil’s eyes went wide as he scanned the inn.

“What? Surrounded? I don’t see anyone.”

“Outside the inn. About a hundred warriors have encircled this place.”

“What? Really?”

Our senses were proven right immediately.

Guests who had tried to leave came back inside, fear written all over their faces.

“Oh no!”

“What’s going on?!”

“They’re warriors from the Hapsan faction! They’ve completely surrounded the place!”

Hapsan faction warriors?

Brother Seolpoong and I exchanged glances.

Hapsan was the fastest rising sect in Guangxi Province in recent years.

Though based in the northeast near Hapsan, they’d been expanding their influence, and rumors said the Sabuji region had fallen under their control.

But why target us?

We had no connection to them.

Then, about a dozen warriors strode confidently through the inn’s door.

Three of them looked like top-tier masters; the rest appeared to be first-rate fighters.

The innkeeper forced a smile as he greeted them, sweat beading on his forehead.

“Oh, honored warriors, what brings you to my humble establishment?”

But all he got in return were cold glares.

“Shut up.”

The innkeeper fell silent.

The intimidating presence of the warriors silenced the other guests, who watched their every move with fearful eyes.

The lead warrior held a paper in one hand and scanned the inn.

Then his gaze landed on me.

He looked back and forth between the paper and me, then grinned and said,

“So, we finally found you, Inparang.”

…Huh?

Who did he say?

I was caught off guard.

Before I could react, he looked at my sword wrapped in cloth and said,

“That must be the White Tiger Sword, right? Haha, you really are Inparang.”

…No, I’m not.

This was turning into a very awkward situation.