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Chapter 45: Feeling Trapped in a Great Warehouse
Upon hearing "Do what you want," Ha Sobaek looked at Yeon Jeokha with hopeful eyes.
"And you, brother?"
"Me?"
"Yes, what would you like to do?"
In Mansapyeong, Yeon Jeokha had said that he had no desires. Ha Sobaek wanted to know if that was still true. Honestly, she couldn't imagine Yeon Jeokha living his entire life as a bandit.
The Ten Heroes of the Five Peaks Mountain also looked at Yeon Jeokha curiously.
When they didn't know about martial arts, they didn't think much of it, but now they understood. They knew how limited the camp was for someone like Yeon Jeokha. He was like a celestial dragon meant to fly freely in the sky.
Yeon Jeokha shrugged and said:
"Nothing in particular."
"Nothing?"
"Nothing."
Yeon Jeokha had no complaints about his current life.
He had a place to rest, food, and sworn brothers. What more could he need?
Compared to being trapped in a warehouse without dreams or hopes, this was paradise.
Lee Cheolsan commented in frustration:
"Brother, what about becoming a hero of Murim and dominating the world? Surely beauties would follow you."
"What a hassle. I realized during the Nokrim competition that I'm not one to enjoy wandering."
"Wow! If I were you... God! I can't even imagine it."
Lee Cheolsan shuddered just at the thought.
"If you like that, train hard in martial arts and do it yourself. In ten years, you could achieve it."
"Really? In ten years I could dominate the world?"
"I don't know about that, but at least you could walk with your head held high."
"Wow!"
Lee Cheolsan raised both arms and let out a roar.
He had turned to banditry due to a tough life, but hearing those words filled him with courage.
Han Chaeyeon pursed her lips and said:
"Why? Does thinking about women give you strength?"
"No, it's not that. It's just that it excites me to be able to walk with my head held high..."
"Wow, why are you looking sideways?"
After three months of travel, Han Chaeyeon began teasing Lee Cheolsan, almost jokingly.
Yeon Jeokha smiled as he watched them.
He noticed that the relationship between Han Chaeyeon and Lee Cheolsan had changed a bit. Although he liked that Han Chaeyeon wasn't bothering him, he also felt a little sad.
He glanced at Ha Sobaek and saw her sad face.
Finally, Yeon Jeokha understood something and looked at each of the Ten Heroes of the Five Peaks Mountain. His brothers had a different atmosphere from Shim Yanggak, who was a bandit by nature.
Among them, only Ma Hyeongdo and Heo Imdal had been bandits before joining. The others had become bandits out of necessity.
They might want to leave the camp if they improved in martial arts, like Ha Sobaek, who wanted to work in Kaifeng or Zhengzhou.
Maybe Lee Cheolsan was the most normal.
"Am I the weird one?"
But no matter how much he thought about other things, he always returned to the same point.
The warehouse, his aunt, his half-brothers, and the elders... he didn't like them.
Nothing else had much meaning. Everything seemed bothersome. Maybe the only thing left in him were unpleasant memories.
How could he get rid of this?
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Henan Province.
Mount Pyeongjeong.
A long line of merchants from the Baekse Chamber of Commerce climbed the mountain.
There were twenty-five guards from the Chamber of Commerce, a large group.
Although it was his first trip, the Blue Dragon Leader, Yeon Mudo, had an unperturbed expression.
As a pure member of Waryong Manor, Yeon Mudo looked down on Nokrim. After all, his cousin, the Moon-Splitting Swordsman, Yeon Muryong, had gained fame in Murim with the Nine Heavens Swordsmanship.
The members of the Yeon family in Waryong Manor knew that the Nine Heavens Swordsmanship they practiced was not inferior to the martial arts of the righteous clans. To them, the Nokrim thieves were just pups.
"Stop!"
About thirty bandits appeared with great commotion and blocked the way.
Yeon Mudo advanced unhurriedly.
His confident steps showed his assurance.
"I am Yeon Mudo, Blue Dragon Leader of the Baekse Chamber of Commerce. I have heard of the fame of the heroes of Mount Pyeongjeong. I would like to pass through this mountain without conflict. Could you allow us passage?"
Jang Hanwi, the leader of the bandits, furrowed his eyebrows.
The attitude of the Baekse Chamber of Commerce guards was different from before, which annoyed him. But seeing that Yeon Mudo was not an easy opponent, he held back.
'This guy wants to fight...'
Although it was the first time he heard the name Yeon Mudo, he knew he was strong.
'It doesn't make sense for me to fight myself. Is there someone who can do it?'
He looked around but didn't see anyone suitable.
He lamented that his group didn't have someone like the Ten Heroes of the Five Peaks Mountain.
Finally, Jang Hanwi tapped his lieutenant, Yeo Beom.
Understanding the signal, Yeo Beom stepped forward.
"I am Yeo Beom, the Great Killer. If you don't have the courage to fight, pay one hundred taels of silver and..."
Before he could finish, Yeon Mudo drew his sword.
"Fine. Let's do it."
With those words, Yeon Mudo lowered the tip of his sword to the ground.
It was his natural stance after nearly forty years of practicing the Nine Heavens Swordsmanship. The energy of a master radiated from Yeon Mudo.
Yeo Beom, feeling the pressure, felt his insides contract. But he couldn't back down without losing face in front of his men.
'Damn it. Why didn't I ask how much they wanted first?'
Yeo Beom cursed internally as he drew his sword.
Although he called his weapon a sword, it was almost the size of a spear.
Using its reach as an advantage, Yeo Beom attacked violently as soon as he unsheathed his sword.
Yeon Mudo dodged the attacks with slight movements and advanced.
Then, his sword rose from the ground in a zigzag motion towards the sky.
It was the first technique of the Nine Heavens Swordsmanship, "Flying Dragon Ascension."
The principle is "to invoke the energy of the sword," but Yeon Mudo learned to "do it with force."
Ssshh.
The passage of the sword generated a gust of wind.
The gust was so powerful that Yeo Beom's large sword trembled considerably.
Yeon Mudo launched the third technique, Dragon and Tiger Windstorm, before Yeo Beom could react.
The tip of the sword swung dazzlingly like a reed in the wind and then stopped.
Gulp.
Yeo Beom swallowed involuntarily when the tip of his opponent's sword touched his throat.
Even a slight movement of his torso could make his neck be pierced by the sword.
Hesitant, Yeo Beom slowly lowered his large sword.
Only then did Yeon Mudo withdraw his sword and step back.
Seeing Yeon Mudo without even a breath altered, Jang Hanwi was shocked internally.
'Wow! With such a high level, his name should already be known...'
He was glad he hadn't intervened personally.
Especially considering that axes are not the best against swords, he could have made a fool of himself.
Jang Hanwi laughed heartily, trying to appear carefree.
"Did you say your name is Yeon Mudo? Your swordsmanship is truly impressive. You have shown us great skill, so we will let you pass. Let's go, guys!"
Jang Hanwi, trying to seem magnanimous, turned and disappeared into the forest without any hesitation.
Chief Wang Igang hurried to Yeon Mudo and congratulated him effusively.
"Chief Yeon, you are really impressive. I feel like a ten-year weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I thought fifty silver coins were a good offer, but passing for free is incredible. I can't believe it."
"I just did what I had to do."
Yeon Mudo elegantly sheathed his sword and walked forward with a firm step.
The warriors of the Blue Dragon Division followed him with shoulders held high, full of pride.
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Two days later, in the Five Peaks Mountain.
A large caravan of about eighty people appeared in the Five Peaks Mountain.
It was the caravan of the Baekse Chamber of Commerce, heading to Wuhan.
The twenty-five warriors of the Blue Dragon Division observed the surroundings without much concern. After the incident with the bandits and knowing that the Five Peaks Mountain had a reputation for being peaceful, they didn't feel particularly tense.
About an hour after the caravan entered the Five Peaks Mountain, a long spear with a green flag was planted in the middle of the road.
Then, about twenty bandits slowly emerged from the forest.
Hwang Yomyung, the Poisonous Wanderer, who was temporarily in charge of the camp, arrogantly stepped forward.
"Hum! Climbing the Five Peaks Mountain without permission... Aren't you afraid of the Five Peaks Gang?"
Then, Yeon Mudo of the Blue Dragon Division stepped forward.
"We are from the Baekse Chamber of Commerce. We have heard of the reputation of the Five Peaks Camp. We have twenty merchants, so we will offer you twenty silver coins."
Yeon Mudo didn't want to take risks after hearing that even the Sage of Heaven and Earth from Mount Wudang couldn't avoid paying. Valuing life was more important than saving someone else's money.
Hwang Yomyung frowned.
At first glance, it seemed there were more than thirty merchants, but they said there were only twenty.
"If there are only twenty merchants, what about the others?"
"They are just porters."
Hwang Yomyung looked at the porters with disdain.
After a long time collecting tolls, one develops a keen eye. He could now distinguish between a simple worker, a porter, a craftsman, a servant, etc., with just a glance.
'This guy... it looks like there are at least thirty-five merchants, but he says only twenty...'
If he had said thirty, he might have let it pass, but twenty...
Anger bubbled inside him, but he held back.
There were too many warriors in the caravan.
If the Ten Heroes of the Five Peaks Mountain were present, they might have tried to fight, but with their current forces, it wasn't possible.
'Damn you, Baekse Chamber of Commerce. Fine, you'll see. Damn swindler.'
Hwang Yomyung gritted his teeth internally while extending his hand.
Yeon Mudo smiled slightly.
There were forty merchants, but he would pay only half the toll. It was a great success.
Yeon Mudo handed over a bag with twenty silver coins and bowed slightly.
"Thank you. I'm glad we can strengthen our friendship with the Five Peaks Gang. I hope we can count on you in the future."
"Whatever."
Hwang Yomyung responded coldly and turned around.
For now, he had no choice but to endure, but as soon as the Ten Heroes returned, he would get his revenge properly.
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Tapha (Tapa).
Tapha is a city about three days from the Five Peaks Mountain. Maybe that's why the Ten Heroes of the Five Peaks didn't mention the name of the Ascending Dragon Clan anymore.
As the Ten Heroes calmed down little by little, Shim Yanggak seemed increasingly excited. With each step, he stroked his sword, clearly eager to return to his criminal activities.
Yeon Jeokha shook his head as he watched him.
Suddenly, he remembered the words of a man from the Righteous Faction in an inn in Buyang.
—If you plant an orange south of the Huai River, it will be an orange. But if you plant it north, it will be a bitter mandarin (lemon).
Probably he also knew that Bang Tong was Shim Yanggak.
That's why he mentioned the orange and the bitter mandarin.
'Tsk, tsk. This old man will always be a bitter mandarin, whether south or north of the river. It's in his nature.'
The Ten Heroes of the Five Peaks seemed to have forgotten that they were bandits since they left the mountain. For them, the Five Peaks Mountain was like being north of the Huai River.
As they approached the mountain, their faces grew more somber. That was the difference between those born to be bandits and those who became bandits out of necessity.
But even those attitudes were enviable to Yeon Jeokha.
It meant they had clear desires.
For Yeon Jeokha, it was as if nothing mattered.
Clicking his tongue, he thought, 'Oranges, bitter mandarins, what does it matter?'