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C137. We Are Not Strange People
Jangokchon Village
After dinner, Yeon Jeokha’s group gathered and spent time chatting. Even Seol Chasu and Yu Geunsik, who had been at the clinic, joined them, making the atmosphere lively. Since there were no other guests, they didn’t have to worry about disturbing anyone.
Spending so much time together allowed them to get to know each other better. Although Namgung Yeon kept a certain distance from the others, Yeon Jeokha did not, which helped them become closer.
Jin Seolha had been watching Yeon Jeokha for a while. She thought she knew him well, but today she had heard something completely new.
"Is the Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens really his master?"
Old Shim of the Nine Heavens, Shim Tong, had openly stated that Yeon Jeokha was a disciple of the Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens. Yeon Jeokha didn’t deny it. In fact, he used his status as a disciple to expose the fake fortune-teller.
While most people focused on the fortune-teller’s lie, Jin Seolha was intrigued by Yeon Jeokha’s claim.
"Is that really possible?"
She knew that Yeon Jeokha used the Nine Heavens Swordsmanship. But today, he claimed to have learned it directly from the Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens.
Curious, Jin Seolha approached Yeon Jeokha.
—"Young Master Yeon, I have a question. May I ask it?"
Shim Tong, Namgung Cheon, and Namgung Yeon looked at Jin Seolha, intrigued by what she wanted to ask.
—"Yes, what is it?"
Jin Seolha wasn’t intimidated by their gazes and continued.
—"Today, in front of the fake fortune-teller, you said you learned Swordsmanship from the Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens."
—"Yes."
Yeon Jeokha nodded as if it were no big deal. After all, it was true that he had learned martial arts from her, whether people believed it or not.
—"Did you really learn martial arts from the Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens?"
—"Yes."
—"Wow! Are we talking about the same Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens from ancient legends? The one who taught strategies to Huangdi in his fight against Chiyou and gave the three celestial books to Song Jiang of Liangshan?"
—"Probably."
Now, not only Jin Seolha but also the others showed interest. Most had dismissed his mention of the Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens as a fairy tale.
But Yeon Jeokha’s response seemed sincere. He had never joked about something so serious.
Shim Tong, who already knew the story, chuckled softly, while the Namgung brothers frowned in deep thought. Seol Chasu and Yu Geunsik stared at the ceiling, trying to hide their confusion.
—"Earlier, you said you gained an opportunity at the warehouse of Waryong Manor, right?"
—"Yes."
—"So, you got the opportunity from your ancestors and also learned Swordsmanship from the Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens?"
—"Something like that. The Nine Heavens Swordsmanship is passed down in Waryong Manor, but the Nine Heavens Supreme Swordsmanship is different."
—"Ah!"
Jin Seolha exclaimed, understanding a bit more. Although she still didn’t fully believe the story, she realized that the Nine Heavens Swordsmanship and the Nine Heavens Supreme Swordsmanship had different origins.
—"Wow! The Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens really existed! I always thought it was just an old legend."
—"I didn’t even know there was an old legend."
—"What did the Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens look like?"
Jin Seolha’s eyes sparkled with curiosity. The idea of meeting a legendary figure was fascinating.
Yeon Jeokha hesitated for a moment before looking at Namgung Yeon and answering.
—"She looked like Sister Yeon."
—"……."
Jin Seolha blinked, surprised by the unexpected mention of Namgung Yeon.
—"Oh! Then she was very beautiful. How amazing!"
Although she felt a bit uncomfortable, Jin Seolha decided to play along.
Yeon Jeokha looked at Jin Seolha and commented.
—"Old Shim doesn’t seem to believe it, but you’re different."
—"Oh, Young Master Yeon! It’s not that I don’t believe it at all, I just have my doubts."
—"Well, your face says otherwise."
Jin Seolha, observing their conversation, calmly said.
—"To be honest, if I hadn’t seen the transformation of the Demon Warriors, I’d have doubts too. Seeing them turn into monsters makes it easier to believe in extraordinary things."
Namgung Cheon nodded, reflecting on what she had just said.
—"Now that you mention it, yes. Compared to the Ten Heroes, this isn’t so surprising."
Even Seol Chasu, who had been feigning disinterest until now, agreed.
—"You’re right. The world is full of things we don’t understand."
No one questioned Yeon Jeokha’s claim of having learned from the Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens anymore.
A while later, Jin Seolha returned to her seat next to Seol Chasu and Yu Geunsik.
—"Still, we can’t report everything he told us, right?"
Seol Chasu thought for a moment before nodding.
—"It’s better not to. It’ll be hard enough to believe the Demon Warriors..."
Reporting on the Demon Warriors and including Yeon Jeokha’s story about the Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens would only make them seem foolish.
Yu Geunsik murmured in frustration.
—"It’s a shame we can’t tell everything we saw and heard."
—"It’s unfortunate, but we must focus on the information about the Demon Warriors. Even that will be hard to believe. If we omit important details, the report won’t make sense... It’s complicated."
Jin Seolha and Yu Geunsik nodded in agreement. Telling the truth might not be credible, but omitting details was also problematic.
-----------------
The Next Day
After breakfast, Yeon Jeokha’s group gathered again. Thanks to the rest, Yu Geunsik looked much better.
When Lee Sa arrived with the carriage, everyone boarded one by one. Jin Seolha offered to sit next to the coachman to make space for the injured.
Lee Sa, concerned, suggested Jin Seolha cover her face due to the cold.
—"It’s still cold. You should cover up."
—"Spring has already started. I’m fine."
—"Ah, yes."
Lee Sa made the horses start walking slowly. As the frozen ground settled, he gradually increased the speed.
Soon, Jin Seolha’s face began to freeze. Although she had kept her head high at first, she eventually had to wrap it in cloth.
Lee Sa, who had been watching, chuckled softly.
Despite being a martial artist, no one could withstand the cold wind for long.
As Lee Sa had predicted, Jin Seolha’s sneezes soon echoed.
"Tsk! Even a frog that comes out in the spring thaw can freeze to death if it’s cold..."
---------------
Dengzhou
At noon, the carriage with Yeon Jeokha’s group arrived in the city. They stopped in front of a large clinic so the injured could receive treatment.
Seol Chasu and Yu Geunsik received simple treatment, while Jin Seolha was prescribed medicine for her cold.
When she returned to the carriage with a package of medicine, she laughed sheepishly.
—"Hehe, they told me to take it for fifteen days, but I said three days would be enough. I haven’t caught a cold in years. Achoo!"
Jin Seolha sneezed, unconcerned about her condition.
Namgung Cheon, the most sociable of the group, consoled her.
—"Sister Jin, you should take the medicine on time. Even on the move, make sure to prepare and take it."
—"Yes, sorry for causing trouble."
—"It’s no trouble at all. It’s just another life experience."
—"Thank you. You’re very considerate."
Jin Seolha glanced at Yeon Jeokha, but he was looking out the window.
After a while, as if remembering something, Yeon Jeokha turned around.
—"Shouldn’t we eat something before we continue?"
—"Young Master, the coachman will take care of that. I saw him asking the locals for a good place to eat."
—"Ah, good. He’s a good coachman."
—"We pay him five taels of silver a month, so that’s the least he should do."
—"In this cold weather, traveling all over the country for five taels... It’s not much."
—"Young Master, it seems you don’t have much sensitivity for money yet. Five taels of silver is enough for many people to take the job."
—"Do you have sensitivity for money?"
—"A little, yes."
—"How much have you saved?"
Suddenly, all eyes turned to Shim Tong.
—"A little over fifty taels."
—"And how much do you think I’ve saved?"
—"…Five hundred taels?"
—"More than fifteen hundred taels, my friend. And you talk about sensitivity for money?"
—"Hm, hm. Sensitivity for money isn’t just about saving. Knowing how to spend it wisely is just as important. Using it in a way that it grows... That’s the true sensitivity for money."
—"Spending and growing sounds more like debt. Didn’t you see how Waryong Manor ended up in debt?"
At that moment, the carriage moved sharply.
Shim Tong took advantage of the movement to change the subject and started singing.
—"Oh, we’re finally on our way! How nice! Mountains and rivers, wind and moon, with no fixed owner, only those who seek tranquility are the true owners."
Yeon Jeokha felt defeated in the discussion, though he wasn’t sure why.
Lee Sa stopped the carriage in front of a restaurant called Milim Banjeom.
Namgung Yeon gracefully exited the carriage, attracting the attention of passersby.
Then the rest of the group got off the carriage, causing curious onlookers to continue on their way.
The smell of delicious food wafted from the restaurant, making everyone, except the cold-ridden Jin Seolha, feel hungry.
Yu Geunsik commented, sniffing the air.
—"Wow, it smells good! They must cook really well here."
Jin Seolha, unable to smell, lamented.
The restaurant was packed, with not a single seat free. The group gathered near the counter, waiting for a table.
A burly man stood up and approached Namgung Yeon and Jin Seolha.
—"Hello, ladies. It seems you’re waiting for a table. How about joining us?"
Namgung Yeon ignored him, while Jin Seolha sneezed.
The man looked at Yeon Jeokha and the others, smiling.
—"We are not strange people. We are from the Bongmu Clan, the best in Dengzhou. Our leader wishes to invite the ladies to join us. What do you say?"
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