Martial Artist Lee Gwak

Chapter 67: After the Storm… (2)

Light Novel: Volume 3 Chapter 6

Manhwa: Chapter 61

Swish!

A small figure darted swiftly across the courtyard.

One moment, it was skimming across the blue stone-paved ground, and the next, it was scaling the high walls with a push of its feet.

The little figure was moving like a monkey, swinging its sword as it ran along the walls.

Slash!

The tall grass beneath the walls was sliced cleanly by the sword, shooting into the air before raining down like a shower of greenery.

“It’ll take me forever to clean up the courtyard.”

Lee Gwak muttered to himself as he watched the rain of grass pour down on the courtyard.

The small figure, recklessly cutting through the innocent grass while darting around the courtyard, was none other than Cheon-wol.

Lee Gwak had secretly taught Cheon-wol the Sun Splitting Sword Art. Since he couldn’t train him in front of others, he brought Cheon-wol to his house after the day’s work and taught him there.

Cheon-wol quickly absorbed the techniques of the Dan-yang Sword Manual like a sponge soaking up water. The synergy between Cheon-wol and the Sun Splitting Sword Art was extraordinary.

Though it hadn’t been long since Cheon-wol began learning the Sun Splitting Sword Art, his skills had improved dramatically. If things continued at this pace, he would soon surpass the abilities of most Outer Hall warriors in just a few months.

Watching Cheon-wol practice the Sun Splitting Sword Art taught Lee Gwak a lot as well.

The saying “you learn by teaching” fits perfectly in this case.

“Hoo!”

Cheon-wol took a deep breath and ended his training. He lifted his half-closed eyes to look directly at Lee Gwak.

“How was your day?”

“It was good.”

“Really?”

“Yes!”

At Lee Gwak’s response, Cheon-wol beamed with a wide smile.

Cheon-wol’s expression had brightened a lot during his time learning martial arts here.

His physique had improved, and his baby fat had melted away, making him even more handsome. He was already a pretty boy, but as his facial features sharpened, he became a strikingly good-looking young man who could turn heads anywhere.

However, Cheon-wol didn’t particularly like showing his face in public. Whenever he went out, he wrapped a cloth tightly around the lower half of his face. The only time he uncovered his face like this and showed such cheerful expressions was when he was with Lee Gwak.

“Let’s go out and grab a bite to eat.”

“Yes, big brother!”

Cheon-wol nodded energetically at Lee Gwak’s suggestion.

Over time, Cheon-wol had gotten so close to Lee Gwak that he didn’t hesitate to call him big brother.

The two walked out of the house shoulder to shoulder.

Their destination was a modest guest house outside the outer city, known as the Baekwoon Guest House. The place had only been in business for a short time, but the cook’s skills were exceptional, making every dish a delight.

After stumbling upon it by chance, they had become frequent visitors, enchanted by the chef’s skill. That was how delicious the food at the Baekwoon Guest House was.

“Welcome!”

As Lee Gwak and Cheon-wol entered the guest house, they were greeted by a warm-looking middle-aged woman. She was the hostess of the Baekwoon Guest House, and together with her husband who was a talented chef, they ran the place.

Lee Gwak glanced around the guest house and remarked,

“It’s quiet today.”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“That’s indeed true. If Squad Leader Lee hadn’t come, we’d have spent the day with nothing but flies buzzing around.”

“Oh, come on. I’m sure people will come in soon.”

“Hoho! That’s fine if they do, and fine if they don’t. This business is all about the long run anyway.”

The hostess let out a cheerful laugh.

Lee Gwak and Cheon-wol smiled as they took a seat by the window.

“What will you have today?”

“The dry pot chicken we had last time was delicious.”

“Hoho, that is one of the dishes we confidently serve in our guest house. I can’t tell you how much my husband has struggled to learn to make it.”

The hostess replied, launching into another bout of chatter.

The Dry Pot Chicken, a dish her husband had perfected after ten grueling years of learning under one of the best chefs in Jianghu, was undoubtedly a culinary masterpiece. But every time they came here, they would hear the same story. It had grown so repetitive that it felt like it was etched into their ears.

She chatted for a while longer before rushing off to the kitchen. As Lee Gwak and Cheon-wol were freed from her chatter, they let out a collective sigh of relief.

The food here was undeniably exceptional, but it was always accompanied by the hostess’s chatter, so on days when there weren’t many customers, they had to prepare and brace for it. Still, today’s exchange was relatively short, so Lee Gwak and Cheon-wol felt satisfied.

Cheon-wol looked around the guest house and said.

“It’s really quiet today.”

“It seems that way.”

“That’s probably because so many people have been sent to the front lines, right?”

“Probably.”

Lee Gwak nodded.

It had already been a year since the Jianghu Grand Conference had passed, and in that time, the war against the Celestial Demon Union had only become more intense.

Not only had the Jade Heaven Alliance conscripted countless martial artists to be dispatched to the front lines, but many members of the Ten Supremes had joined the war against the Celestial Demon Union.

The participation of the Dragon Sky Valley, the White Light Sect, the Martial Sword Alliance, and the Heavenly Guardian Association was confirmed, and even the Nine Dragons Sect was reportedly holding internal discussions about their involvement.

All of this had been set in motion at the Jianghu Grand Conference. The conference had successfully rallied not only the Ten Supremes but also numerous sects to join the war effort.

Now, the conflict was no longer merely a war between the Jade Heaven Alliance and the Celestial Demon Union—it had become a war between Jianghu itself and the Celestial Demon Union.

The front lines continued to expand, and it was said that countless martial artists were dying every day. This created a crisis for the Jade Heaven Alliance in maintaining their supply of fighters.

The war didn’t just require highly skilled martial artists. Lower-level martial artists were equally important for filling the ranks, prompting the Jade Heaven Alliance to issue proclamations across the land, encouraging people to join the cause.

They promised food, shelter, money, and martial arts training to those who enlisted.

But this led to a series of unfortunate consequences.

Impoverished parents began selling their children to reduce the number of mouths to feed, and there were even those who resorted to kidnapping orphans to sell them into the war effort.

More often than not, people ended up being sold to the Jade Heaven Alliance against their will rather than volunteering of their own accord. However, the Jade Heaven Alliance paid no mind to such circumstances.

If they lost to the Celestial Demon Union, the horrific events of a century ago could repeat themselves, so they had to use every means at their disposal to avoid being overpowered. Criticisms about inhumanity or cruelty meant nothing to them.

Ironically, this was the reason why Lee Gwak and Cheon-wol were having such a quiet, idle day.

The primary duty of the Outer Hall was to defend the Jade Heaven Alliance. While they could be dispatched to other organizations as needed, they were fundamentally stationed at the Jade Heaven Alliance, in charge of its defense.

Because of that, Lee Gwak and Cheon-wol were able to spend relatively quiet days here in the Jade Heaven Alliance, far away from the front lines.

However, Lee Gwak knew.

That this peace wouldn’t last long.

From his experience, the Jade Heaven Alliance was not the kind of place to let anyone or any organization relax for long periods of time.

Sooner or later, some sort of mission would undoubtedly come down. That’s why this calm moment was so valuable to Lee Gwak.

At that moment, Cheon-wol asked,

“By the way, Master Ma of the Creation Pavilion— I heard that he’s officially retired now, isn’t that right?”

“Yes. He left the fortress not long ago.”

“The Jade Heaven Alliance actually allowed him to retire? That’s surprising.”

“It wasn’t easy, he had to wait a year for permission.”

“Then he can finally live freely now, right?”

“I suppose so.”

Although he answered that way, Lee Gwak’s expression wasn’t bright.

Over the past year, Lee Gwak had formally learned mechanism engineering from Ma Duwon, so he knew better than anyone the story behind his retirement.

It was true that Ma Duwon had been allowed to retire from Jianghu, but there were conditions attached.

For the rest of his life, he would be under constant protection. No matter where he went, he had to be accompanied by ten bodyguards at all times. Furthermore, if the Jade Heaven Alliance ever found itself in a crisis, he would be required to return.

Lastly, he was required to reside strictly within a two hundred li radius of the Jade Heaven Alliance. While he wasn’t confined to the fortress itself, he was still under their surveillance.

In essence, it was only a partial retirement.

This was a testament to the importance of the knowledge Ma Duwon possessed. A year ago, it was his expertise that enabled assassins to infiltrate the annex undetected.

This was why the Jade Heaven Alliance couldn’t let Ma Duwon go completely free. Having witnessed this, Lee Gwak believed that Ma Duwon’s retirement was far from complete.

For this reason, Ma Duwon had not informed the Jade Heaven Alliance that he had passed on the entirety of his mechanism engineering knowledge to Lee Gwak. If the Jade Heaven Alliance were to find out, they would undoubtedly make Lee Gwak bound to the same fate.

Lee Gwak smiled bitterly.

He remembered something Ma Duwon had told him just before leaving the Jade Heaven Alliance.

—Don’t attach any meaning to the Jade Heaven Alliance. Don’t even think about sacrificing yourself for Jianghu’s cause. The Jade Heaven Alliance doesn’t have the noble ideals you think it does. It may have been a century ago, but not anymore. Just think of it as a job that provides generous pay. That’s the only way to live a long, peaceful life.”

With those words, Ma Duwon left the Jade Heaven Alliance.

That was already several days ago.

Just as Ma Duwon had said, the Jade Heaven Alliance provided a generous salary. At the very least, Lee Gwak had never felt any financial strain in his daily life.

“Hoo…”

Lee Gwak sighed quietly as he gazed out the window.

“You’ve been waiting a long time. Your order of Dry Pot Chicken is finally here!”

The chef himself, the hostess’s husband, emerged carrying a tray.

In contrast to the warm and hearty demeanor of the hostess, the chef was a gaunt, middle-aged man. He set the plate of Dry Pot Chicken on the table where Lee Gwak and Cheon-wol sat.

Dry Pot Chicken was a dish where various vegetables and chicken were cooked together in a large pot without broth. The flavor depended heavily on the combination of vegetables, making the chef’s skill crucial.

The chef expertly shredded the chicken into bite-sized pieces, making it easier for Lee Gwak and Cheon-wol to enjoy.

“Please enjoy your meal!”

“We will.”

Lee Gwak and Cheon-wol eagerly began using their chopsticks. The tender, perfectly cooked chicken melted in their mouths.

A look of absolute happiness appeared on Cheon-wol’s face, and he instinctively gave a thumbs-up.

“It’s really the best!”

“Haha! I’m glad you like it. This Dry Pot Chicken is a dish I barely managed to learn after ten years of training at the Bang Family Guest House, a place that could truly be called the Best Culinary House in the World. Please, enjoy it to your heart’s content.”

“Bang Family Guest House?”

Cheon-wol widened his eyes in curiosity, as if hearing about it for the first time. The chef chuckled and explained,

“For people like you who aren’t in the culinary profession like us, you probably wouldn’t know about it. It’s a guest house established by Master Bang Jin-bo, the Grand Chef of Mount of Mount Hua, who gained a legendary reputation a hundred years ago. His descendants have carried on his legacy, running the guest house for generations. It’s not just about delicious food is— their dishes are even said to heal the body and even enhance one’s internal energy.”

“No way! That can’t be true, can it?”

Cheon-wol expressed, his expression full of disbelief, but the chef’s expression remained completely earnest and serious.

“I know it may be hard to believe, but what I’m saying is the truth. In fact, during the Blood Heavenly War a hundred years ago, there were many martial artists from Jianghu who reported an increase in their internal energy after eating the food prepared by Master Bang.”

“……”

“There were many things that happened back then that defy our current understanding. Some even call that era the Mythic Age because of all the mythical warriors who emerged.”

“Like who?”

“Like Master Cho Yeon-woon, the founder of the Jade Heaven Alliance, and Master Geom Yul-cheon, the creator of the Celestial Demon Union. And most famously, the Fist Demon of Mount Hu—”

“Honey!”

At that moment, the hostess called out to the chef. When the chef stopped talking and turned around, the hostess said.

“Stop chattering and come over here so you two of them can enjoy their meal in peace.”

“Hng…”

The chef scrunched up his nose for a moment at the hostess’s scolding. But he didn’t have the courage to argue and refuse her demand, so he gave a polite bow to the two customers and returned to his spot.

Once they were alone, Cheon-wol asked Lee Gwak in a quiet voice.

“Do you think what he said is true? About the Mythic Age and how you can increase your internal energy by eating food? And this Fist Demon of Mount Hua? I’ve never heard of that before.”

“I don’t know!”

Lee Gwak replied vaguely.

His gaze then drifted out to the window.

The now-deserted streets, emptied as many people had left, came into view. In the distance, he could see the Jade Heaven Alliance.

Everyone knew of the Jade Heaven Alliance. However, only a few truly understood its inner workings.

Similarly, only a handful of people knew the real truths of Jianghu.

Whatever had happened over the past century, much of Jianghu’s history had been erased, so no one could say exactly what had happened. As a result, most people today had little understanding of the circumstances from a hundred years ago.

Ma Duwon, who had become his master, was an incredibly knowledgeable person. Not only was he a master of mechanism engineering, but he was also well-versed in the history of Jianghu. He once said that:

Someone deliberately erased the history of Jianghu. That’s why so few people truly understand the events that occurred even just a hundred years ago.

The war between the Jade Heaven Alliance and the Celestial Demon Union was no exception.

While the death of Iron Monarch Ko Jin-rak was said to have aggravated the war, bthe exact reasons behind the war between these two massive factions remain unclear.”

“Hoo…”

Lee Gwak let out a quiet sigh, suddenly struck by how much he didn’t know.

To survive in the harsh world of Jianghu, it wasn’t enough to simply excel in martial arts. He had to keep his eyes open to the world as well, remaining keenly aware of what was happening around him.

Suddenly, Nam Woo-kyung came to mind.

He was the man with the most extensive intelligence network in Jianghu.

And yet, he still lived in the slums.

‘I should pay him a visit soon.’

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