Episode 53. You’ve Been Found Out, Haven’t You?
That evening.
Won Seung crossed the Inner Courtyard and headed to the shed.
Yong Jo-woon was sitting in meditation in front of the shed, eyes closed. He might not be watching with his eyes, but he was surely sensing every movement around him with his energy.
"Great Hero Yong, I have something to discuss."
Yong Jo-woon only nodded his eyelids.
What kind of arrogant Great Hero is this? He doesn’t even nod his head, just moves his eyelids…
Well, the one with the favor to ask has to endure.
"After you get your revenge on the Clear Water Sect and the Heavenly Observation Pavilion, you’re going to rebuild the Yong Family Manor, right?"
At Won Seung’s words, Yong Jo-woon opened his eyes.
But… his gaze looked vacant.
Seeing this, Won Seung’s jaw dropped in shock.
"Don’t tell me…? You haven’t thought about what you’ll do after your revenge?"
Unbelievable! Not only is this Great Hero arrogant, he’s clueless too.
"Hmm. You’re not one of those cliché heroes who disappear into seclusion after avenging their grudge, are you? You’re too young for that. Life’s long, you know?"
"……."
In truth, Yong Jo-woon was flustered. He’d been training with nothing but vengeance in mind, never once considering what came after.
"Rebuild the Yong Family Manor. I’ll provide the capital."
After a brief thought, Yong Jo-woon flatly refused.
"I have no intention of doing that."
"Why not? This is a win-win for both of us. I’ll put up all the money. We split the profits fifty-fifty."
"I… will achieve a Blade Intent that is unique in all the world."
"And what does that have to do with rebuilding the Yong Family Manor? You can do both."
"I plan to travel the world… and challenge the strongest."
At Yong Jo-woon’s answer, Won Seung’s eyes narrowed slyly.
Peerless Valley… To think it could ruin a man like this. You’re no different from Red Blood Mountain.
Won Seung eyed Yong Jo-woon with half-lidded eyes and said,
"You just came up with that, didn’t you?"
"No."
Yong Jo-woon quietly closed his eyes again.
Won Seung clicked his tongue inwardly.
He totally just made that up… Won Seung coaxed him.
"A Martial Arts Journey… not a bad life for a Great Hero. But you need money for that too. How are you going to fight on an empty stomach? Let’s earn some money first…"
"There are countless masters in the world… What if you die in your first match? Wouldn’t all your years of training be wasted? How about training for another ten years, reaching a sure Realm, and then setting out?"
He even tried to threaten him.
"Have you heard of the Sword King? Even his disciple was a formidable master. But he died a pointless death, showing off at an inn."
He’d made a fuss about the food at an inn, and my master, who happened to be there, killed him with poison for being too noisy.
Of course, my master didn’t know he was the Sword King’s disciple…
If that guy hadn’t complained about the food, the Sword King wouldn’t have tried to kill me.
No matter how he tried to persuade him, Yong Jo-woon wouldn’t listen.
He just shut his eyes tight and pretended not to hear.
"Fine. Whatever you say."
Won Seung gave up, letting out a deep sigh.
"Open your eyes."
You arrogant and clueless Great Hero.
Cursing inwardly, Won Seung held out a piece of paper.
"You need to sign this."
Yong Jo-woon opened his eyes.
"What is it?"
"A written agreement to abide by the rules of the Three-way Martial Arts Duel."
Yong Jo-woon reached out, took the agreement, and read it.
There were various clauses, like the county magistrate would personally oversee the duel to ensure fairness, but the core was the duel format.
The format wasn’t complicated.
- Each person writes down the name of the opponent they wish to fight, and then all names are revealed. If two people choose each other, they fight first.
- If all three pick different opponents, the matchups are decided by dice.
Yong Jo-woon frowned. The rules were too flimsy.
"Too flimsy? Great Hero Yong, you really don’t understand people’s minds. It’ll never come down to dice. The matchups will be decided right away."
Yong Jo-woon retorted,
"I’ll write Hwa Cheon-gang’s name. Cheon Il-hae wants to kill Hwa Cheon-gang, but he won’t want to fight him first, so he’ll write my name. Hwa Cheon-gang… he’ll put the interests of the Clear Water Sect first. He knows I’ll write his name, so he’ll write Cheon Il-hae’s. In the end, it’ll be decided by dice. No way he’d leave the fate of the Clear Water Sect to chance."
"That’s exactly why I say you, a newcomer to Murim, don’t understand people."
Yong Jo-woon’s gaze turned fierce, but Won Seung ignored him, pulled out his folding fan, and waved it gently as he spoke.
"Listen carefully. It’s simple, but actually a high-level psychological game."
"……."
"Right. Cheon Il-hae will write your name, Great Hero. Hwa Cheon-gang will write Cheon Il-hae’s. So you, Great Hero, should write Cheon Il-hae’s name."
Yong Jo-woon’s brow furrowed.
Pick someone else over his mortal enemy?
Won Seung snapped his fan shut and clapped his palm.
"This is the beauty of this simple method! Great Hero! Take down Cheon Il-hae first. You said you’d settle everything anyway, right? The order doesn’t matter. At least you’ll know who you’re fighting first. Know your enemy and yourself, and you’ll never be defeated! You’ll be one step ahead of them."
"Hmm…"
Yong Jo-woon let out a low hum. If he chose Cheon Il-hae, the duel would proceed. But after defeating Cheon Il-hae, he’d have to face Hwa Cheon-gang.
Both were among the Hundred Great Experts of the Central Plains.
That saying about knowing your enemy sounded nice, but…
If he fought Cheon Il-hae first and was worn out, he might not be able to kill Hwa Cheon-gang—he might die himself.
Knowing what Yong Jo-woon was worried about, Won Seung pointed to a line in the agreement.
"Don’t worry. Look here."
- The county magistrate may control the situation to ensure a fair duel.
It was an obvious, formal clause. But Won Seung smiled meaningfully.
"After you defeat Cheon Il-hae, the magistrate will delay your duel with Hwa Cheon-gang. Not for long… but two hours should be enough, right?"
If you can’t even beat Cheon Il-hae, then there’s nothing to be done.
He kept that last thought to himself.
"The magistrate?"
Yong Jo-woon looked at him in disbelief, but Won Seung replied confidently.
"It took a painting worth hundreds of thousands of nyang to win over the magistrate."
"……?"
Yong Jo-woon looked puzzled, then suddenly his expression turned cold.
"What are you after? Spending hundreds of thousands of nyang just to arrange this duel—what’s your real aim?"
The sharp killing intent made Won Seung flinch.
‘He really is a master.’
Won Seung gave the answer he’d prepared in advance.
"I told you. Rebuild the Yong Family Manor, and together we’ll seize control of the Xiang River waterway."
"I already said no."
"Then I’ll do it myself… Just take care of the Clear Water Sect and the Heavenly Observation Pavilion for me."
"You? How?"
Yong Jo-woon scoffed, as if to say don’t be ridiculous.
As a descendant of the Yong Family, he knew how vast the interests tied to the Xiang River were, and how much blood had been shed to control them.
His own parents had been killed by the three brothers of the Clear Water Sect, who were obsessed with those interests.
And now this young scholar claimed he’d take control of the Xiang River?
Honestly, even if he tried, there was no guarantee of success. How could this kid possibly manage it?
Won Seung replied bluntly,
"You said no, right? Then you don’t need to know. Just sign."
"Ugh."
Yong Jo-woon glared at Won Seung, then signed the agreement.
*
The tightly shut main gate of the Clear Water Sect.
"What a mess this is."
A stone was rolling in front of the gate. Come to think of it, the stone lions on either side of the gate steps had been vandalized—one had its nose broken.
After rumors spread that the Clear Water Sect had sent assassins to kill Yong Jo-woon, people had started coming at night to throw stones. It was happening more and more.
They could catch the culprits if they tried, but that wouldn’t calm public anger.
"People of Xiangyang are brave, aren’t they? Treating martial artists like pushovers."
Won Seung muttered as he climbed the stone steps and knocked on the gate.
Bang, bang!
A small window opened, and a pair of eyes peered out.
"Young Master Seung?"
It was the same guard whose boil he’d treated before.
"Miss Yeowol went to the academy."
"I’m here to see the Second Elder today."
"The Second Elder?"
But then, a voice called out from behind the guard.
"Who dares to demand an audience with the Second Master?"
It was Jo Bang-un’s voice.
That guy’s still alive?
*
Jo Bang-un was plagued by anxiety.
At some point… Hwa Cheon-gang had stopped seeking him out. The man who used to call for him over the smallest things now kept his distance.
The other Hwa Family members were the same. He was supposed to be the chief steward for the Hwa Family, but now he could hardly even see them.
‘Did they catch on? No, that can’t be. I was so careful.’
If Hwa Cheon-gang had found out, with his temper, Jo Bang-un would already be dead… but there’d been no word.
Still, his instincts screamed at him to get out of the Clear Water Sect as soon as possible.
But where could he go? He had nowhere to turn after leaving the sect.
Even if he went straight to the Heavenly Observation Pavilion, they probably wouldn’t welcome him.
Thinking about his future, he couldn’t sleep at night.
‘That old man… he’s stubborn as a mule.’
Jo Bang-un had betrayed the Clear Water Sect partly because he thought, with Gu Ja-ang’s age, he might become the next Heavenly Observation Pavilion Strategist.
Gu Ja-ang himself had said so when first trying to win him over.
—How much longer do you think I can keep this up?
He’d fallen for that and pictured himself as the strategist for the Heavenly Observation Pavilion.
Cheon Il-hae was just a brute. Handling someone like him would be easy.
If he could control the Heavenly Observation Pavilion, which dominated the Xiang River, and run things behind the scenes… he’d be as powerful as an emperor.
But Gu Ja-ang, that narrow-minded man, not only refused to step down, but had grown wary of him. Sometimes, the look in his eyes was downright cold.
‘Well, of course. Who’d be happy to see a talent like me join? If I want Cheon Il-hae’s trust, I need to bring something big.’
His anxiety growing, Jo Bang-un started meddling everywhere, busier than usual.
Today, he’d wandered around the Inner Courtyard where the Hwa Family stayed, but found nothing. Dejected, he was passing near the main gate when he heard a familiar voice.
That arrogant voice…
Jo Bang-un hurried over and asked the gate guard,
"Who dares to demand an audience with the Second Master?"
"Oh, it’s Young Master Seung, who stayed with us a few days ago. He wants to see the Second Sect Leader."
"Is that so? Open the gate."
As the chief steward, his word was law, so the guard opened the gate.
A well-dressed, handsome youth entered, beaming.
"Ha ha. How have you been? Oh dear, you look worn out. Have you been ill?"
"Young Master Seung, it’s been a while. Have you been well?"
Jo Bang-un greeted him politely.
He didn’t like the kid, but today, he was glad to see him.
He planned to use Won Seung as an excuse to gauge Hwa Cheon-gang’s mood.
‘Why is he so happy to see me?’
Won Seung wondered, but kept smiling.
"I have something to discuss with the Second Master."
"Ah, I see. Allow me to escort you."
"I’d appreciate that."
Jo Bang-un led Won Seung toward Hwa Cheon-Woon’s residence, but at the Inner Courtyard Gate, a guard stopped them.
"A distinguished guest is visiting. No one is to enter."
"A guest?"
Jo Bang-un frowned.
He was the chief steward serving the Sect Leader’s family, yet he didn’t know about this guest.
At the same time, a chill ran down his spine.
The longer the tail, the easier it is to step on… Looks like his actions had been exposed while the Heavenly Observation Pavilion hesitated.
His hands trembled involuntarily, betraying his nerves.
Jo Bang-un hid his shaking hands in his sleeves and asked the guard,
"If a guest has arrived, you should have notified me, the chief steward, first."
He tried to scold the guard and go in, but the guard didn’t budge.
"The order was strict: no one is to enter."
"I’m the chief steward! Let me through!"
Jo Bang-un shouted, but the guard shook his head.
"The order was ‘no one!’"
Jo Bang-un was dumbfounded, but Won Seung instantly understood the situation.
‘You’ve been found out, haven’t you?’