Episode 64. Focus on Summarizing the Key Points
As Cheon Il-hae’s eyes sharpened, Jo Bang-un mistakenly thought his gamble had paid off.
‘It worked! Cheon Il-hae took the bait! I went through hell, but… I got the result I wanted!’
“Well… Seongwang House has already joined hands with the Governor of Xiangyang…”
Jo Bang-un relayed what he’d heard from Won Seung, cleverly embellishing it so it seemed like he’d discovered it himself, not mentioning Won Seung as the source.
Now, he thought, all that was left was to be recognized for his efforts. But Cheon Il-hae wasn’t interested. His mind was swirling with suspicion and anger.
‘The Governor’s already made a secret pact with Seongwang House to back the Sky-Gazing Pavilion? But Pung Un-saeng—that bastard sided with them? After selling me that painting?’
Did Gu Ja-ang not know?
If the Governor was already colluding with Seongwang House… then all that anxious acting from Gu Ja-ang was just a performance?
Gu Ja-ang had dragged him along, insisting they needed to win over the Governor, and made him spend a fortune—two hundred thousand nyang.
And all for a traitor who, despite being sent by Seongwang House, got distracted by women and ended up backing the Clear Water Sect. To think he handed over two hundred thousand nyang to that guy.
Wait. Did that money really go to Seongwang House?
Could the two of them have been in on it together?
His suspicions grew and grew.
‘Right, that young outsider suddenly bringing up shares in the North Hyun Pier Labor Association… That was out of nowhere, too.’
As Cheon Il-hae’s eyes darted restlessly, lost in thought, Jo Bang-un felt a surge of relief—only for the pain in his foot, burned by the hot chopsticks, to flare up.
He wondered if his foot was permanently damaged. He tried moving it a little, which made his hips shift—and suddenly, the stifling stench of feces spread through the muggy summer night air.
‘Huh?’
Already seething, Cheon Il-hae’s mood soured even further at the sudden, pungent smell. Waking up in the middle of the night to the stench of shit—what a way to start the day.
Cheon Il-hae looked down at Jo Bang-un.
Pathetic. Like a moth drawn to the flame, not even realizing he’s about to die.
To think someone like this was put in charge of the Clear Water Sect’s vice-chief position… They said Hwa Cheon-Woon of the Clear Water Sect was clever, but maybe not as much as rumored.
‘Gu Ja-ang actually bragged about winning over someone like this?’
Then, a thought struck him, and he asked,
“To win someone like you over, Chief Gu must’ve put in quite a bit of effort. Probably gave you a fair amount of money, too…”
“Huh?”
Jo Bang-un shook his head in confusion.
“No, nothing like that. I just agreed to take over as vice-chief if Chief Gu stepped down, and to receive my reward later. That’s all, really.”
“Then why did you act as a spy? The vice-chief of the Clear Water Sect isn’t a position just anyone can fill.”
“I only switched sides out of loyalty to the Sky-Gazing Pavilion and Chief Cheon. Hwa Cheon-gang is so vicious… If you’re even a little late when he calls, he’ll break your shin. The number of people he’s killed—”
“That’s enough. He may be an enemy, but I don’t care to hear you slander him.”
Cheon Il-hae had a reputation for being just as ruthless as Hwa Cheon-gang. He’d broken plenty of his own subordinates’ legs.
With nothing more to hear, Cheon Il-hae turned away.
His subordinates entered.
“Set the table.”
Jo Bang-un was startled at the order to feed him before sending him off.
To come all this way, only to leave with nothing but a wounded foot…
He almost called out to Cheon Il-hae, but shut his mouth.
‘No. As long as there’s firewood, there’s no need to worry about fuel.’
He didn’t know what might happen if he said more.
Just getting out alive was a blessing. He had to survive to plan his next move.
Jo Bang-un regretted his timing.
‘I should’ve come a little sooner.’
He figured the reason his information wasn’t all that useful to Cheon Il-hae was because the three-way martial arts duel was only three days away.
He also cursed his own indecisiveness.
At least, that’s what he thought… right up until—
Even when two men in black came in carrying a stretcher, he didn’t realize.
“Let’s go.”
Even as they carried him out on the stretcher, he didn’t realize.
Step, step… The sound of the river reached his ears, and suddenly, a rumor flashed through his mind.
—The fish of the Xiang River gather around the Sky-Gazing Pavilion.
Why? Because they get fed from time to time.
Was “set the table” meant… for them?
In that instant, Jo Bang-un twisted his body and tried to get off the stretcher.
But—
“Ugh!”
The pain in his burned foot made him collapse.
Thud!
A dagger stabbed into the back of Jo Bang-un’s neck.
Someone muttered,
“Making trouble at the last minute…”
Gurgle.
Blood bubbled from Jo Bang-un’s mouth.
‘I really should’ve come sooner…’
As he repeated this meaningless regret, Jo Bang-un’s consciousness faded away.
*
After watching Jo Bang-un climb over the Sky-Gazing Pavilion’s wall, Ohgu went to wait at the spot where bodies were usually dumped.
Much later than expected—
Splash!
The sound of a body hitting the water.
Step, step.
Once the footsteps on the cliff above faded, Ohgu reached out with a pole and pulled the corpse in.
After confirming it was Jo Bang-un, Ohgu bowed respectfully, offering a silent prayer for the dead. Then he pushed the body back into the river.
The corpse floated for a moment before sinking into the dark waters.
The great calamity that shook Murim… The first casualty of the Xiangyang three-way martial arts duel was Jo Bang-un.
*
When Won Seung heard of Jo Bang-un’s death the next morning, he was shocked.
“No way. To kill someone who went to all that trouble to bring information!”
“He was cut in the throat. They tortured him, too. Burning the foot with hot chopsticks—that’s a favorite method of Xiangyang’s mad dog, Gwan Ju-gyeon.”
“Savage bastard!”
Won Seung shuddered.
He’d heard stories of Murim’s brutality, but to hear that someone he knew had been tortured and killed like that… It was horrifying.
‘So, everything Jo Bang-un knew ended up with Cheon Il-hae?’
He’d deliberately leaked that the Governor was quietly backing the Sky-Gazing Pavilion and that he was trying to bring the Clear Water Sect to Seongwang House’s side, hoping Cheon Il-hae would feel secure enough to accept the three-way duel. With the duel only three days away, it didn’t matter much now…
‘They probably already knew the Sword Pact Sect was coming.’
Nothing much had changed. Jo Bang-un died for nothing.
He felt uneasy. The man had died chasing the bait he’d dangled…
‘What if he holds a grudge against me in the afterlife?’
In a somber tone, Won Seung said,
“It’s too sad he died such a miserable death. Let’s at least hold a memorial for him.”
He set up a simple spirit tablet for Jo Bang-un, scattered paper money, and burned it.
‘Don’t resent me too much. It was your own choice, Chief Jo.’
After the ritual and breakfast, he called in Jong Bi and Ohgu to check on their progress.
These days, every morning started with a meeting like this.
Usually, Won Seung would ask questions, and Jong Bi and Ohgu would answer.
“Have you secured the hosts for the three-way duel?”
“River Pavilion Hall Master, Cloud Pavilion Sect Master, and Flower Clear Pavilion Master have agreed to co-host. We’ll need to pay each of them ten thousand nyang.”
“Flower Clear Pavilion Master? Isn’t it a bit undignified to have a brothel owner as a co-host?”
“He’ll be hosting as the head of the Xiangyang Black Society.”
“And the duel referees?”
“River Pavilion Hall Master and Cloud Pavilion Sect Master. They want ten thousand nyang each, too!”
“Ugh… Why are those two getting double pay?”
Fifty thousand nyang just for hosting and refereeing.
“They say it’s hazard pay, since they might get injured overseeing a fight between Peak Masters.”
Won Seung frowned and turned to Ohgu.
“Mr. Oh, the martial arts stage will be finished today, right?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll go check it myself. Who knows what tricks someone might have pulled—I need to see it with my own eyes.”
A martial arts duel arranged in just ten days. Everything was being rushed, with huge sums spent to get it ready in a flash.
“Tomorrow, selling spectator tickets is crucial. Sell them and disappear right away. You know you can’t let your face be seen, right?”
“I’ve already found someone to handle it, and the masks are ready.”
After giving some final instructions, Won Seung went to see Yong Jo-woon.
As the duel approached, Yong Jo-woon grew more somber by the day.
He might avenge his grudge—or die.
All that was left was to leave it to fate.
Scrape, scrape…
He was sharpening his blade, recalling the days he’d burned with vengeance.
But this wasn’t the sword he usually carried. It was a peculiar blade, widening toward the tip, with a thick edge and a long handle. The dragon pattern engraved on the blade was exquisitely detailed.
‘He’s brought out his real weapon.’
Won Seung held out a wooden box containing the Meridian Cleansing Pill.
Yong Jo-woon glanced at it, then went back to sharpening his blade.
“I’ve been taking what you gave me. Thanks to you, my internal energy has increased a bit.”
That was his way of saying it was enough.
Just as expected.
“This is the last favor I can do for you. In two days, I might not even be able to give you this if I wanted to. Please, take it.”
He actually had to beg him to take a Spirit Pill.
What a situation.
“I really don’t get why you’re doing all this…”
Yong Jo-woon casually opened the box and tossed the pill into his mouth.
“Anyway, thanks—”
He stopped mid-sentence, eyes suddenly wide. He hastily sat upright and began cultivation practice.
‘Ah, this hopeless Great Hero… I’m busy enough as it is.’
Why start cultivation practice right here?
Because Yong Jo-woon spent the whole morning cultivating after taking the Meridian Cleansing Pill, Won Seung was stuck standing guard.
It was only around noon that Yong Jo-woon opened his eyes and asked,
“What kind of medicine is this?”
“It’s called… something or other. Anyway, I bought it for a fortune from the medical hall down below. Did it work?”
“Oh, it’s amazing!”
Yong Jo-woon was deeply moved.
Thanks to his master, he’d already opened his Conception and Governing Vessels. With his unmatched saber skills, formidable physique, and burning desire for revenge, he’d reached the level of a Peak Master, but internal energy had always been his weak point.
Internal energy depends on one’s cultivation method, but for everyone, it increases only with time and effort.
Trying to shortcut it can lead to deviation or demonic cultivation, turning you into a monster. Unless you’re lucky enough to find spiritual medicine or a hundred-year-old ginseng, there’s no other way but to practice cultivation morning and night.
But with the Meridian Cleansing Pill, he’d gained twenty years’ worth of internal energy in an instant, filling the gap he’d always felt.
How could he not be overjoyed?
At the same time, he felt truly grateful to Won Seung.
What on earth did this guy want, to treat him so well?
Great Hero Yong Jo-woon couldn’t understand it.
After staring at Won Seung for a long while, Yong Jo-woon hesitated and asked,
“You said you wanted someone killed, right? Who is it?”
“Why?”
“I don’t know if I’ll be alive after two days.”
Yong Jo-woon spoke solemnly.
“If it’s really someone who’s a menace to the world, like you said, I’ll go kill him tomorrow.”
“Just go to the secret training room and do more cultivation.”
The newly renovated house next door had a secret training room in the basement.
“If not now, there might not be another chance.”
“Maybe not for you, Great Hero, but I have plenty of chances.”
He planned to use Lee Eon-pae’s life to pay for the Sea Mist Sect’s Special-Grade Assassin’s treatment.
Won Seung shoved Yong Jo-woon into the secret training room.
And then—
“Two days left! Don’t try to learn anything new—just relax and review what you’ve already mastered! Focus on summarizing the key points!”
This was the ultimate secret behind Won Seung’s top grades in the mountain training logs.