novelraw Chapter 36 : Chapter 36
Chapter 36 : Chapter 36
Chapter 36 - Legacy of the Heavenly Demon (2)
All training was finished.
When morning came, Jaun, who was heading down the mountain, saw his reflection in a puddle and smirked.
Since I had focused solely on training for over two weeks, my appearance was a mess.
‘Like this, it would be perfect for a stranger to mistake me for a bandit.’
Scratching his messy hair vigorously, Jaun trudged down the mountain.
After descending for quite a while, Jaun sensed a human presence from afar and stopped in his tracks.
‘The official road should be coming up soon.’
I briefly considered going around to avoid the presence I felt from below, but I was too hungry for that.
Having only picked and eaten mountain herbs for two weeks, Jaun was desperate for food touched by human hands
.
With the hope that I might be able to get even a piece of beef jerky from passersby, Jaun began to move towards where the presence was.
Upon reaching the official road, Jaun jumped down from the grassy thicket onto the mountain path without hesitation.
“Stop right there!”
As soon as Jaun jumped down onto the road, a sharp shout from a young girl burst out.
“Those who are good do not come, and those who come are not good. You must be a bandit!”
“Junior Sister, no one plays bandit alone. His appearance is a bit shabby, but…… where in the world is there such a young bandit?”
I heard the sound of one of the group sighing deeply as she spoke.
Jaun turned his head toward the direction of the voice to identify its owner.
It was a group consisting of three women.
Except for the girl who shouted first, the other two women had shaved heads and were wearing clean Buddhist robes, so they appeared to be nuns.
“Senior Sister. The fact that he gives off such a sour smell in all directions means he holds malice towards us!”
The nun standing on the left turned pale and stopped the girl, who was suddenly trying to draw the sword at her waist.
“Junior Sister……. Please calm down and wait a moment.”
The nun standing on the far right raised her hand to restrain the girl.
“How many times have I told you to be careful with your words and actions? I have told you time and time again that a disciple of Emei must prioritize the Dao over the sword…….”
At the nun’s stinging remark, the girl stuck out her lips in a pout.
The nun, who had been looking at the girl with a gaze full of rebuke, turned her body and took a step forward.
Slowly extending one hand forward, the nun bowed slightly to Jaun with a single-handed prayer gesture, then raised her head and spoke.
“I am Hye-ran of the Emei Sect. Do you perhaps have business with us, benefactor?”
At the nun’s suspicious gaze, Jaun looked down at his body once again.
‘Well, since I popped out of the forest blocking the path looking like this…….’
The old clothes, which had become covered in dirt while I went around picking herbs, were torn and worn out in places, and a musty smell rose from my body, which hadn’t been washed properly in that time.
Scratching his head, Jaun bowed to Hye-ran.
I am sorry for blocking your way. Spending a long time in the mountains, my appearance isn’t pleasant for others to see. It is nothing major, but I haven’t been able to eat properly, so if you happen to have any leftover beef jerky…….”
“Speaking, Jaun paused for a moment.
‘Come to think of it, if they are nuns of Emei, they wouldn’t eat meat……?’
Hye-ran smiled as she looked at Jaun, who had stopped speaking with an awkward expression.
“As you know, we do not have beef jerky…… and all we have is some dried herbs. Shall we share some with you?”
Jaun raised his hand to stop Hye-ran, who was undoing her bundle.
“It is alright. If it is herbs, I have some too. I’ve only eaten mountain vegetables for so long that I missed other food……. I asked even knowing it was rude. I am grateful for the sentiment alone.”
The girl, who was observing Jaun from the back, opened her mouth with a frown.
“Seeing that you wear a sword at your waist, you seem to be a martial artist. You could have just used your martial arts to catch a wild animal yourself. What is the reason for following us all the way here and casting amorous glances?”
‘Amorous glances……?’
Jaun looked back at the girl with a bewildered expression.
“Junior Sister. Not every martial artist possesses high-level martial arts like the trainees of Emei. Even if it is a lowly creature, it is dangerous enough for a normal person. It is understandable that he would be reluctant.”
Hye-ran turned around to answer the girl and turned back again.
“Please understand, benefactor. It is because my Junior Sister still has little experience in the Jianghu and is full of wariness.”
“Not at all. Actually, since I have to move to the Tang Family by tomorrow, I don’t have much time, so I made a shameless request. If I made you uncomfortable, I apologize once again.”
It is not something for me to receive an apology for, nor for you to give one.”
Hye-ran, who bowed her head once to answer Jaun, continued speaking.
“However, the Tang Family. Perhaps this is also a connection specifically granted by the Buddha. We just happen to be moving to the Tang Family as well.”
Hye-ran looked Jaun over once again with a smile.
“It must be quite dangerous for a young benefactor to travel alone to the Tang Family with just a single sword……. It would be lonely too. If you are alright with it, would you like to accompany us?”
At Hye-ran’s words, the girl standing behind her frowned deeply.
‘Honestly, there’s no reason I can’t……. But it feels like it would be uncomfortable.’
Jaun, who glanced back at the girl who was blatantly showing her dislike, scratched his cheek.
Jaun himself didn’t feel the need to travel with the monks of Emei, nor did he have the inclination to do so, so he politely expressed his refusal.
“It is fine. I am very grateful for the sentiment, but I can go alone.”
“Hmm……. Recently, the Green Forest has been running so rampant that the path you are taking might be very dangerous. It is obvious that you will be in danger, benefactor, so our hearts would not be at ease just sending you off.”
Hye-ran scanned Jaun’s body once from top to bottom.
“And…… you do not seem to be financially affluent, so we could also treat you to a meal on the way. Of course, with the food you desire.”
It seemed there was a huge misunderstanding.
Just as he was about to refuse the offer once again, a thought crossed Jaun’s mind.
‘Why is Emei, which clearly gave no help to the Tang Family even knowing about the Demonic Cult’s invasion of Sichuan, acting now?’
It seemed there had been a significant change in the war situation while he was away.
‘If I’m going to spend time moving anyway, it wouldn’t be bad to hear the recent news in the meantime.’
When Jaun showed signs of contemplating, Hye-ran took one more step forward.
“There is no need to be shy. Helping benefactors is also our joy.”
Towards Hye-ran who did the single-handed prayer gesture again, Jaun hesitated before bowing his waist deeply.
“Thank you. Then, I will shamelessly impose on you for a bit.”
“Hmph.”
Hearing Jaun’s answer, the girl started walking ahead first with a disapproving look.
Then Hye-ran gave an awkward smile, turned around, and followed the girl, and Jaun also moved his steps following behind them.
He tried to walk slightly apart in case he smelled, but the two nuns slowed down to match Jaun’s pace as if they didn’t care much about such things.
“You are very lucky, benefactor. Our Junior Sister going ahead has extraordinary martial arts skills. You can put away your worries about being harmed while we travel.”
“Ah. I see. By the way…….”
Jaun, who was reading the room, scratched his head and asked Hye-ran.
“May I ask why you are going to the Tang Family?”
At Jaun’s question, the nun named Hye-seung, who had stopped the girl at the very beginning, opened her mouth.
“Since rumors have already spread, I suppose I can tell you. Recently, the conflict with the Demonic Cult is intensifying.”
Hye-seung continued with a serious face.
“Sichuan is fortunately defending well, but the sects in the Gansu and Guizhou regions, located above and below centered on Sichuan, have suffered great damage from the Demonic Cult.”
“Amitabha.”
Hye-ran murmured a Buddhist chant from the side.
“Because if they cannot conquer Sichuan which is left remaining in the middle, their forces will be divided top and bottom, so the Murim Alliance anticipates that the Demonic Cult will try to conquer Sichuan by any means necessary.”
Accepting Hye-seung’s words, Hye-ran continued.
“So the Murim Alliance has requested support from various sects for the defense of the Sichuan region. We are also on our way to provide support. Actually, the Sect Leader is not in a condition to come out due to poor health……. But the Junior Sister over there insisted so strongly.”
Hye-ran laughed as she looked at the girl walking far ahead.
“But it is unexpected. That you do not know about these details. In fact, since you said you were going to the Tang Family, young hero, we thought you were going to lend a hand to the Murim Alliance Volunteer Corps.”
At Hye-seung’s words, Jaun smiled and opened his mouth.
“I think I should clear up the misunderstanding first. My name is Han Jaun, affiliated with the Murim Alliance’s Anti-Demon Squad. I am on my way back after leaving the Tang Family briefly for personal matters.”
At Jaun’s words, the whole group opened their eyes wide as if surprised.
“You are…… affiliated with the Anti-Demon Squad, benefactor?”
Hye-ran and Hye-seung, with their mouths wide open, exchanged glances and then turned their heads toward Jaun.
The girl who was walking apart in the front suddenly stopped walking.
“……Anti-Demon Squad, my foot.”
Perhaps having heard the three people’s conversation, the girl spun around as soon as the word Anti-Demon Squad came out and walked briskly toward Jaun.
“To impersonate the Anti-Demon Squad of all things, you are out of luck.”
At the words of the girl who approached closely, Jaun tilted his head.
“I am a Squad Leader of the Anti-Demon Squad’s Combat Unit. Is it not nonsense that I, who never missed a training session while in the Murim Alliance, have never seen your face?”
At the girl’s words, this time Jaun’s eyes grew large.
‘A Combat Squad Leader of the Anti-Demon Squad?’
Jaun’s eyes scanned the girl’s body for a moment.
‘It is certainly a disciplined movement. But why is a Squad Leader of the Anti-Demon Squad in a place like this right now?’
While organizing his confused mind, Jaun answered the girl’s question first.
“You couldn’t have seen me. It hasn’t even been a month since I joined.”
At Jaun’s answer, the girl scoffed.
“Nonsense. A rookie who hasn’t even been there a month came to Sichuan?”
The girl walked right up to Jaun’s nose, stomping her feet.
“If you are a man with that hideous ‘thing’ hanging in the middle, you shouldn’t speak lies!”
— Chae-aeng
As soon as the girl finished speaking, she drew the sword from her waist.
“You should be ashamed! With what intention did you approach! You must be a spy of the Demonic Cult, or a guy harboring wicked thoughts towards us.”
‘Hanging what in the middle? And what? Wicked thoughts?’
While Jaun was organizing his thoughts with a bewildered face, the girl’s sword was already shooting toward Jaun.
At the sharper-than-expected sword momentum, Jaun also raised his energy, imbued it into the Ink Ring, and lifted the hand wearing the Ink Ring straight forward.
— Kka-aang!
The tip of the girl’s sword touched the Ink Ring Jaun was wearing and bounced off.
Right after, just as Jaun was reaching out his hand towards his own sword, Hye-ran strode out from the side.
“Sword Phoenix! Just what kind of uncouth behavior is this! For a disciple of Emei to spout such bizarre and vulgar words! And to draw a sword against a young hero?”
At the shout of Hye-ran, whose face had turned bright red, Jaun’s mouth dropped open.
‘Sword Phoenix? Don’t tell me, the Sword Phoenix who is the best among the Rising Stars, and the Sword Phoenix of the Blade Dragon and Sword Phoenix duo? This ruffian-like girl?’
Whether listening to Hye-ran’s words or not, the girl, who was looking down at her sword which was trembling finely from the impact, soon raised her head.
“You, you’re strong.”
A bright smile bloomed on the girl’s face.
“A strong man is welcome. What is your name?”
The girl came closer, tapped Jaun’s shoulder, and started circling him.
‘……What is this?’
At the girl’s attitude, which was completely different from just a moment ago, Jaun couldn’t gather his wits.