Chapter 43: Journey towards Mount Hua

Even in Murim, society functioned much like the modern world—making it nearly impossible for a commoner to rise to greatness.

The term Late Blooming Talents referred to young martial artists destined to become the next generation’s powerhouses.

Yet, these so-called young experts all came from prestigious sects or powerful noble families.

Of course, a major factor was their upbringing—being bathed in medicinal baths from birth to refine their meridians, consuming rare elixirs as infant formula, and wielding weapons before they could even walk. Their entire lives were a concentrated investment in their development.

But the biggest obstacle was this: Even if a young expert without such a privileged background did appear, gaining proper recognition was nearly impossible.

For example, if word spread that the rising talent named Qing had slain the Cannibal Demon, people simply wouldn’t believe it.

"There’s no way she fought alone."

"The Yangtze Waterway Company has powerful martial artists. No way they just let her fight by herself—surely they all ganged up on him, and she just happened to land the final blow by luck."

"Besides, wasn’t the Cannibal Demon not in peak condition? I heard he practiced Demonic Flame Arts—who’s to say that cursed demonic cultivation didn’t drive him insane? Maybe he wasn’t even thinking straight."

"Wait, and she’s a woman? Pfft. Bet she offered herself to the Waterway Gang’s masters to buy herself some fame. Hahaha."

It was something like that.

Of course, in reality, Qing’s achievements never made it into the public eye.

Bok Haeun, the leader of the Waterway Company, was a veteran of the martial world and knew exactly how things worked.

For the sake of his benefactor, the story had to be buried.

So, he erased any traces and silenced his subordinates.

While some rumors still spread quietly, the fact that the Waterway Company itself remained silent made the story seem like nothing more than baseless gossip.

But what if the same feat had been attributed to someone from a prestigious family?

Let’s say, for example, the rumor was that Namgung Shinjae had slain the Cannibal Demon.

The reaction would be entirely different:

"As expected of the Namgung Clan! We always believed in them!"

"This is the power of history and tradition!"

"We must send Esteemed Namgung a celebratory drink!"

"The future of orthodox martial arts is brighter than ever!"

"Hah! I knew that sword-crazed bastard would make a name for himself sooner or later!"

This was the harsh reality.

Even if a dragon were to rise from humble origins, it was nearly impossible for an unknown young expert to gain recognition.

Yet, this system was not seen as a problem.

After all, throughout history, those in power had always made sure to kick away the ladder beneath them.

It was their way of maintaining the rule of the orthodox sects and great noble families over Murim.

Because of this, young prodigies only formed relationships with other young prodigies of similar status.

Moreover, these Late Blooming Talents had all been spoiled since birth, indulged at every turn and raised to believe they could do whatever they pleased.

Thus, they grew up in a martial aristocracy where their every action was validated.

It was the perfect environment to create people who were kind-hearted yet utterly insufferable.

And sure enough—

"Junior Brother, Peng Junior Brother! That young lady over there—"

The speaker was Chang bin, the Drunken Sleep-Fighting Sword.

A nickname bestowed upon him after he, in a drunken state, single-handedly slaughtered an entire band of thieves attacking a village.

He was the most promising talent of the Mount Hua Sect and the senior-most disciple among the "Zhang" and "Bae" generation.

"Come on, Junior Brother, just look at her."

"Sigh. What is it this time?"

Peng Daesan snapped, his voice laced with irritation.

Chang Bin, however, simply smirked and whispered,

"That young lady sitting three seats to the left of the one in the striking red palace robes. Isn’t she absolutely stunning?"

"If you like her, why don’t you just go talk to her?"

"Ah, but when the sun is watching the flower, does the flower even notice? Hah, what good is speaking to her when she won’t even hear me?"

Why are all these so-called ‘Late Blooming Talents’ like this?

Peng Daesan made a disgusted expression.

"I'm not interested."

"Come on, we’re friends, aren’t we? It’s lonely drinking by myself."

"Am I just a piece of furniture here?"

"Hah! Since when do men count as drinking companions?"

Peng Daesan let out yet another long sigh.

This idiot is supposed to be one of the senior leaders of the Hidden Dragon Society?

"The future of the Orthodox faction is very bleak."

For reference, Hidden Dragon Society was the name of a long-standing fraternity of Late Blooming Talents from the Orthodox factions.

It was also a time-honored social club passed down through generations.

"Chang Bin, could you just keep drinking and spare me the nonsense?"

"Ah, you wound me! Junior Brother, don’t you know the art of drinking? True enjoyment comes from sharing a drink with a beautiful woman!"

"Are you spouting that nonsense again?"

"Agh! I just want to drink with a woman!"

Peng Daesan sighed deeply yet again.

Among the many Late Blooming Talents in the Dormant Dragon Society, if he had to pick the most annoying one, it would undoubtedly be Chang Bin.

The man had a good heart, sure—but he was constantly drunk, and everything that came out of his mouth was nonsense.

If he wasn’t at least a decent person, Peng Daesan would have cut ties with him long ago.

And then—

"Oh! Junior Brother! Look over there!"

Chang Bin’s sudden excitement snapped Peng Daesan out of his thoughts.

Here we go again. He’s probably just spotted another beauty.

His expression soured even further.

"No, look—Namgung is here."

"…Fantastic. Just fantastic."

The Namgung he referred to was none other than Little Sword King, Namgung Shinjae.

And Namgung Shinjae was the weirdest member of the Hidden Dragon Society.

As if dealing with the most annoying member wasn’t bad enough—now the weirdest one had arrived too.

Truly, misfortunes never come alone.

"Hmm? Looks like Brother Namgung has a woman with him? Like a true sword fanatic, he only considers a woman a woman if she carries a sword. Oh, they're coming this way."

"Of course he would come this way."

Peng Daesan suppressed his growing irritation.

Of course, Namgung Shinjae knew they were here.

That’s why he was coming over.

It was the same reason why Peng Daesan could never escape running into people he didn’t want to meet.

And then, of course, there was the problem with women.

Endless persistence.

Relentless attempts at unsolicited contact.

Blatant violations of privacy.

Countless shameless schemes.

Peng Daesan had plenty of reasons to despise groups of women.

And among those reasons—

Was the fact that his location was always found out.

Every time he entered a city, it took less than half a day before the news spread like wildfire:

"The Jade Qilin has arrived!"

And then, the women would swarm in.

That was when the passing Hidden Dragon Society members or senior figures from the Murim Alliance would sigh and mutter—

"Ah, the Jade Qilin has done it again."

And they would show up immediately.

…But Namgung Shinjae, bringing a woman along?

Even Peng Daesan had to admit—he was curious.

The mere idea of Namgung Shinjae traveling with a woman was a shocking revelation.

If the Hidden Dragon Society had to pick one person who was absolutely never going to associate with women?

The answer was obvious.

Namgung Shinjae—the sword-obsessed madman—held an undisputed championship in that category.

"Beyond the sword"—those words quite literally meant everything beyond the sword.

It wasn’t just that he had no interest in women—he had no interest in anything at all except the blade.

Even Peng Daesan, who made it a point never to make eye contact with women, found himself intrigued.

His head slowly turned.

A young girl in a simple martial robe.

She looked to be around twenty.

Her long black hair was intricately braided, her complexion pale and unadorned by makeup. Large, striking eyes. A small, soft mouth.

Her figure was… well, her chest was far too large, making her stance look a bit clumsy in her outfit. A flaw, perhaps—but overall, she was fair enough to be considered a beauty.

And at her waist—

"She carries a sword."

"Well, of course. It’s Namgung Shinjae we’re talking about."

"That’s true."

For once, Peng Daesan actually agreed with Chang Bin.

A rare occurrence indeed.

"Chang Bin, doesn’t she look familiar?"

"Hmm. Not to me. A completely new face."

"I’m sure I’ve seen her before. Maybe she’s someone’s younger sister?"

"Yeah, that makes sense. No way that guy would actually be close to a woman."

As the two murmured amongst themselves, Namgung Shinjae approached, waving a hand.

"Ah, I came to see you, Peng! And I see Senior Chang Bin is here as well."

"Hah. How have you been?"

"Oh, you know me—I’m always doing well. And you?"

"I suppose I’ve been fine."

"Good. That’s all that matters. Ah, and let me introduce someone—this is Lady Ximen. Despite her appearance, she is an incredible swordswoman."

Ah.

Of course.

Namgung Shinjae wouldn’t just bring a woman.

That was unthinkable.

Peng Daesan and Chang Bin exchanged a knowing look.

A rare moment of perfect understanding between them.

"Greetings, honored warriors. I am Ximen Mo[Didn't translate wrong, the korean was "모", litterally "mo". I think shes trying to test to see if Peng Daesan recognizes her], a mere girl. Meeting such renowned experts, I must admit—I can hardly contain my nerves. If I make any mistakes, I hope you will be kind and forgive me?"

The girl spoke in a sweet, delicate voice.

Her face was only moderately pretty, but her voice was exceptionally clear and pleasant.

When Peng Daesan met her gaze, she smiled softly, her eyes glimmering, tail practically wagging.

A look of clear interest.

And with that, Peng Daesan immediately lost all interest.

"Peng Daesan."

He curtly gave his name.

A clear signal—he did not wish to continue this conversation.

"Chang Bin of Mount Hua."

To his surprise, Chang Bin also gave only a short response.

"Oh! The renowned Jade Qilin, Master Peng Daesan!"

She beamed, her enthusiasm just a little too obvious.

Peng Daesan’s voice dropped a pitch.

"Why? Did you not know?"

His words were sharp.

The girl’s face immediately fell into a look of distress.

"Oh… Did I say something wrong…?"

"Lady Ximen, don’t take it to heart. Peng isn’t the kindest of men—this is just how he is. Even if the Five Great Beauties of Murim were here, he’d act the same."

Namgung Shinjae tried to soothe her.

Of course, his words were an absolute disaster.

That was essentially telling her, “You’re not even close to their level, so don’t bother.”

The kind of remark that would normally offend any woman.

Yet, Ximen Mo was undeterred.

Even Namgung Shinjae was secretly surprised.

She was, after all, still a woman.

It was both amazing and creepy to see her acting so demure in front of the Jade Qilin, considering her usual behavior.

"Besides, Peng doesn’t even use a sword. A skilled swordswoman like you need not concern yourself with someone like him."

Peng Daesan clenched his jaw.

Today was really testing his patience.

Of course, this was exactly why Namgung Shinjae was known as Sword Fanatic.

Still, it would be bad manners to completely reject someone that a close acquaintance had introduced.

If she lost interest and backed off, that would be for the best.

But…

She had no intention of backing off.

"I’ve heard that Master Peng has an impeccable eye for beauty."

"That’s not true."

"Oh, don’t be so cold. What do you think of me? If you had to rate me, how would I fare?"

"Hah. Lady Ximen."

Peng Daesan sighed deeply and spoke calmly.

"I do not like women. If you need someone to talk to, please direct your words to Senior Chang Bin."

Beside him, Chang Bin nearly spat out his drink.

"Wh—?! No, wait—Hey, Namgung, pour me another drink!"

"Ah. My mistake. Here you go, Senior."

Chang Bin was never one to lie.

And he always claimed that drinking with a woman made the experience more enjoyable.

Yet, the moment a woman actually joined the table—he went completely silent, drowning himself in his drink instead.

According to him, it was because the taste of alcohol became so good that he couldn’t waste time talking.

Now that a woman was here, Chang Bin’s conversational presence was effectively over.

Meanwhile, Ximen Mo continued her relentless pursuit of Peng Daesan.

"So, Master Peng? What do you think? Am I—"

"Enough. Stop bothering me. I’m only tolerating this because of Namgung. I have no desire to speak harshly to you."

Peng Daesan’s voice dropped even lower.

He was seconds away from snapping.

Then—

"SoO You’ve gooT Nooo desirrre to speak harrshly, huh?"

Peng Daesan’s head snapped up.

His eyes widened in shock.

"You always do this—lowering your voice whenever you start talking seriously."

The girl suddenly dropped her delicate act, planting an elbow on the table, resting her chin in her hand.

Her posture turned utterly casual—completely different from before.

"Wow, Peng, you really haven’t changed at all! But I gotta say, I’m kinda hurt. It’s only been, what, half a year? And you’ve already forgotten my face? You looked like you were gonna cry when we parted ways. Actually… didn’t you cry a little?"

"…No way."

"What, you can’t recognize me just because I look a little different now?"

Peng Daesan was stunned.

He stared at her, completely frozen.

Then—

Qing grinned, utterly pleased with herself.