Chapter 26: Chapter 26

Chapter 26. Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion's Mistress, Ji Soyak

Lee Byeok followed the girl into the pavilion. Tables filled with drinks and food were spread across the hall.

Amidst the bustling crowd, the smells of alcohol and food mingled with a noise so loud it felt like it would split his ears.

However, as they went up a flight of stairs, the noise noticeably subsided.

Doors lined both sides of a central corridor. It seemed to be a place for guests who paid a higher price, with individual rooms.

“This way, young master.”

The girl strode across the corridor and looked back at Lee Byeok from the opposite end.

Lee Byeok followed the girl up another flight of stairs.

At the end of the stairs, a firmly closed door appeared, guarded by warriors on either side.

They showed no sign of moving even when Lee Byeok and his companion appeared.

At a glance, their aura was completely different from the warriors who had been guarding the main gate.

The warriors looked at the girl. When the girl gave a slight nod, the warriors' gazes flickered over Lee Byeok.

The warriors opened the door.

The sound of their footsteps felt unusually loud.

The interior of the third floor was so quiet that the noise from the floors below felt like a lie.

Lanterns hanging from various pillars flickered, softly illuminating the interior.

There was also the scent of some unknown flower. And at the far end, a woman was seated.

“Welcome, young master.”

The woman smiled languidly.

“I am called Ji Soyak, the mistress of Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion.”

“I am… Lee Byeok of the Falling Sword Sect.”

Lee Byeok bowed his head.

She was a mature woman, but it was difficult to guess her exact age in the flickering shadows.

“Please, come and sit. I will serve you tea.”

Lee Byeok approached the woman.

Her dress, which left her shoulders bare, looked as if it could slip off at any moment. Lee Byeok felt a little flustered.

As Lee Byeok sat down opposite her, the woman picked up a teapot from the tea table in front of them.

Her graceful hand delicately poured water into two teacups. Steam rose gently.

Meanwhile, the girl who had guided Lee Byeok moved to the woman's side. She sat facing Lee Byeok, as if to protect the woman.

“May I see the token?”

The woman said after putting down the teapot. Lee Byeok took the token from his bosom and placed it on the tea table.

The woman's eyes scanned the token.

“It is indeed his token. You’ve come a long way, young master. Thank you for your trouble.”

Seuk, a teacup was offered.

Lee Byeok retrieved the token and took the teacup. A sweet taste spread over his tongue and seeped into his body.

A momentary sense of unease washed over him.

But it quickly subsided.

The speed of his thoughts gradually slowed. The tension disappeared, and his entire body began to feel languid, like a cloud.

“What is the matter, young master?”

Seuk, the woman's hand reached out.

Her fingertips caressed Lee Byeok's cheek.

Hook, the flower scent drew closer, thick and sensual. In his hazy consciousness, just as Lee Byeok's eyes were becoming drowsy.

The Innate power arose.

It swiftly expelled something from Lee Byeok's mind and body. The next moment, Lee Byeok's consciousness became clear.

Lee Byeok slapped the woman's hand away.

And he placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.

At that moment, the girl shot up from her seat, but was stopped by the woman's arm.

“It seems there’s been some mistake.”

“The Sect Leader told me that I would know what to do when I came here, but if you intend to play games with me, I will be on my way.”

Lee Byeok stood up from his seat.

He turned and headed for the door.

“Young master, please forgive my rudeness.”

Lee Byeok, sensing movement, turned back to see the woman bowing to him.

“Let me introduce myself again. Though I am a humble person, I am in charge of the Tranquil Valley branch of the Rogues' Guild. My name is Ji Soyak. And this child is both my guard and my disciple.”

And the girl also bowed.

The foreheads of the two women touched the floor.

“If the young master wishes to leave, I will not stop you. I do not have the power to do so.”

“But please know one thing. We had to be cautious and confirm whether the young master was truly sent by him. Outsiders cannot be allowed to mix in the sect's affairs.”

Lee Byeok thought for a moment.

Could he trust this woman, this place? But he still could not disobey Lee Jincheon's orders.

Lee Byeok sat down again.

“Then please rest well, young master. If you need anything, just ask any of the staff.”

After concluding his conversation with Ji Soyak, Lee Byeok was guided to his quarters by Eon Mi-hee.

It was one of the rooms in the second-floor corridor, and the interior was excessively spacious and clean.

“Then I will be on my way.”

Eon Mi-hee bowed her head and backed out of the room. Though polite, he could feel her wariness toward him.

Lee Byeok organized his body and belongings.

After extinguishing the lantern, he lay down on the bed. He replayed the conversation with Ji Soyak in his head.

Guizhou Evil Faction Alliance.

An alliance of the Evil Faction in the Murim that stands in opposition to the Righteous Path Alliance and the Righteous Blood Alliance of the Righteous Faction, a massive power that encompasses the southern part of the Central Plains.

But it was an Alliance, not a League.

The meaning was clear. In other words, it was merely an alliance formed in preparation for conflicts with the Righteous Faction, and it did not possess strong unity or binding force. ᴛhis chapter is ᴜpdated by NoveI(F)ire.net

In particular, since a non-aggression pact between the righteous and evil factions was established in the Murim recently, there had been no major incidents, and its role had been gradually shrinking.

Just a short while ago, a summons bearing the seal of the Evil Faction Alliance's leader was said to have been sent to each sect within the alliance.

The creation of a so-called new martial unit.

The gist of it was to gather the rising stars of each faction who would lead the future of the Evil Faction Murim, and have them build friendships and gain experience with each other.

—Our Rogues' Guild, not being a martial sect, is strictly speaking more of an ally than a member of the Evil Faction Alliance… but in any case, since an invitation has come, someone must respond.

Ji Soyak let out a small sigh.

Thus, Eon Mi-hee, the disciple of the Tranquil Valley branch chief Ji Soyak, came to respond as the representative of the Rogues' Guild.

Lee Byeok's role was to escort Ji Soyak and Eon Mi-hee on their journey to ensure they safely reached the Guizhou Evil Faction Alliance.

This was the content of their conversation.

There was nothing particularly difficult about it. However.

A few puzzling points crossed his mind.

First, was the Rogues' Guild so short on manpower that they would entrust the escort of their representative to an outsider like himself?

Of course, the mission was probably originally assigned to Lee Jincheon of the 'Guardian Squad', but was it acceptable for an unproven kid to take his place?

In the first place, why was the position of representing the Rogues' Guild given to a mere branch chief and her disciple from a rural corner of Yunnan Province?

He still couldn't understand.

Lee Byeok stopped thinking.

In truth, whatever intentions the Rogues' Guild had, it was not a matter for a mere escort like himself to be concerned with.

What was more concerning was……

‘Evil Faction Alliance. The main headquarters of the Evil Faction Murim.’

Leaving everything else aside, the weight of the name 'Evil Faction Alliance' was quite burdensome for Lee Byeok.

The logic of the Jianghu Murim, which he had wanted to stay as far away from as possible, was now rushing toward him.

‘It will be a long journey.’

Lee Byeok thought of Flower Pavilion Village.

Even though it was a short distance that he could return to in half a quarter of an hour, for some reason, it already felt like a very distant place.

Lost in various thoughts, Lee Byeok tried to sleep. But he could not find a comfortable rest.

He eventually woke up at dawn.

He tried to go back to sleep, but his consciousness, having risen to the surface, showed no sign of settling down.

Feeling suffocated, Lee Byeok finally got up. After getting ready, he took his sword and stepped out of his quarters.

The interior of the pavilion was quiet.

The commotion of the previous night felt like a lie.

Lee Byeok went out to the courtyard.

He intended to at least lightly loosen up his body.

But there was already someone there.

A carriage was parked in the middle of the courtyard, and a small man was sitting in the driver's seat.

He was completely still, with his eyes closed.

But the moment Lee Byeok made his presence known, his eyes flashed open. A sharp gaze shot out from between his wrinkled eyes.

He spoke to him without preamble.

The other party was an old man in his late years, but if he showed a rude attitude, there was no reason for him to be polite first.

“I don’t know how many times I’ve had to prove who I am since I arrived here last night.”

“Not only that. It’s not like showing the token proves anything, is it?”

Tuk, with a light movement, he jumped down from the driver's seat. He was a small, frail man, smaller than Lee Byeok, but at that moment, Lee Byeok knew instinctively.

“Then, receive a strike.”

Just as Lee Byeok was gathering his inner energy, the man drew a bizarrely shaped saber from behind his back.

It flew, occupying the space.

Azure River Flowing Leaf Sword Style.

First Form of the Sword-Drawing Style.

In a moment of crisis, Lee Byeok drew his sword without hesitation.

The secret sword technique, unleashed with mental preparation, clashed with the man's saber.

A heavy inner energy surged toward him.

A power as hard and condensed as a pebble.

They had only clashed once, but for some reason, two consecutive shocks washed over him.

On the second, Lee Byeok's Straight Sword and the man's technique were completely neutralized.

‘…No, I was pushed back.’

It was a very slight difference, but Lee Byeok had been pushed back a step. Lee Byeok looked at the man with surprised eyes.

He couldn't read any emotion from his expression.

Gulp, Lee Byeok swallowed his saliva. And he knew instinctively. If he had to fight, he would have to give it his all.

Seuk, the man sheathed his saber.

He turned away from Lee Byeok as if he had lost interest. He climbed onto the driver's seat, crossed his arms, and closed his eyes.

The carriage swayed lightly.

Lee Byeok and his companions, having left the Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion, began their journey in the carriage.

The carriage was spacious and comfortable. But Lee Byeok felt an indescribable sense of unease.

Lee Byeok sat alone in a corner, and opposite him, Ji Soyak and Eon Mi-hee sat side by side.

“Young master, is there anything you need?”

When their eyes met, Ji Soyak's eyes curved into a crescent. It was a graceful smile, but for some reason, it was difficult to meet.

There were four people in the party.

The three inside the carriage, and the man driving the carriage in the driver's seat was the same man who had clashed swords with Lee Byeok in the morning.

Ji Soyak referred to the man as ‘Old Master Go’.

And because of that, Lee Byeok was able to understand at least one thing.

If a master of that level was with them, it would be possible to calculate that there would be no problem with the escort, even if it wasn't Lee Jincheon.

“Ahem, young master?”

Ji Soyak spoke again.

“…Yes, please speak.”

“If it’s not too rude, may I know how old the young master is?”

“I will be sixteen this year.”

“Oh my, the same age as my Mi-hee. I couldn’t wish for more than for you two to become good friends.”

Wince, Eon Mi-hee's shoulders trembled.

Their eyes met unintentionally, and the next moment, they hastily averted their gazes.

Ufufu, Ji Soyak chuckled.

“In any case, the journey is long. There will be plenty of time to talk and get to know each other.”

He would have to stay cooped up in this atmosphere for the next few days. Lee Byeok suddenly felt disheartened.

“I am very interested in the young master. What kind of person is the disciple whom he trusts enough to readily give his token to?”

Amidst his bewilderment, Lee Byeok suddenly became curious about one thing. The title ‘he’ of course referred to Lee Jincheon.

“You can call me comfortably.”

“…What is your relationship with our Sect Leader?”

Ji Soyak looked quite surprised.

“I see. What kind of relationship… even though we belong to the same sect, a mere member like myself cannot dare to be compared to him, so it is difficult to say.”

Ji Soyak placed a hand on her chest.

“But personally, I admire him.”