Book 14 Chapter 5

The Drinking Session of Two Old Men!

"Pour! Drink!"

Various liquor bottles rolled around, and piles of plates, clearly once brimming with appetizers, lay scattered about. The surfaces of the empty plates, stacked like Mount Sumeru, were plastered with colorful sauces and the annihilated fragments of vegetables, bearing the unmistakable scars of their brutal ravishing by chopsticks.

"Are those two old freaks truly human?"

The manager, Director Jang, a veteran of the liquor industry who prided himself on being among the top five in charge of all affairs, big and small, at the Mae-ryeong Jo-ru (Plum Spirit Tavern), one of the most renowned establishments in Hwa-eum County, could not believe his own eyes.

'Is that human capacity for alcohol?'

For days now, this tavern had been forcibly occupied by those two old men.

"They're not normal!"

It was clear those two old men wished to die by drowning in alcohol. Otherwise, how could such atrocities be possible? Yet, their continued survival was a mystery in itself.

The drinking session, which began a few days prior with the sudden intrusion and the declaration, "Let's start off lightly!", continued to this very moment.

Three days had flown by, and Director Jang, sharp with calculations and profits, couldn't help but worry.

He harbored doubts about whether those two unremarkable old men possessed the cognitive ability to settle the bill for all that they had consumed. The finances of Mae-ryeong Jo-ru could be ruined if things went awry. Whenever he cautiously inquired, they only reiterated their desire for more alcohol, making his worry all the more intense. He had even considered mobilizing his strongmen as a last resort.

However, the arrival of one person necessitated a complete revision of that plan. It was Hyeok Seon-u, the skilled swordsman of Ling Yun, one of the Ten Outstanding Disciples of Hua Shan, a distinguished guest of Mae-ryeong Jo-ru, and a friend of the tavern's owner.

"What is it, Director Jang?"

Sensing an unusually different atmosphere, Hyeok Seon-u inquired, and Director Jang eagerly poured out his tale. The influence of the Ten Outstanding Disciples of Hua Shan was almost absolute in this region. The response was as he expected.

"What, was that all? Worry not. I will handle it cleanly!"

Of course, Director Jang believed his confident assertion. Hyeok Seon-u was one of the most trustworthy individuals in Hwa-eum County. And his method of handling the situation was truly astonishing.

Stride, stride, stride!

As Ling Yun Swordsman Hyeok Seon-u walked towards the two old men in question, his steps were filled with spirit and chivalry.

"Honorable elders, a moment of your time, if you please."

Seeing this, Director Jang rejoiced from afar, clapping his hands in his mind.

The two old men's gazes shifted from their drinking session to the face of the one who had interrupted their grand feast.

But then, something utterly unexpected happened. Director Jang had known Hyeok Seon-u for over ten years, but he had never witnessed such a display of reverence before his eyes.

Thud!

Director Jang, along with the tavern waiters who had been watching the unfolding events with keen interest, widened their eyes and gaped.

The proud Hyeok Seon-u, known for his unyielding pride, one of the Ten Outstanding Disciples of Hua Shan, destined to carry the future of Hua Shan, a master of the Twenty-Four Heavenly Plum Blossom Sword Technique, bowed so deeply that Director Jang worried his handsome nose might be crushed. To anyone watching, it was an act of utmost respect.

After that, they seemed to exchange a few more words, but their voices were not lowered; it was evident they were speaking in hushed tones, as if an invisible barrier had been erected between them.

Finally, Hyeok Seon-u, drenched in cold sweat and looking even more gaunt, was released from the presence of the elders.

"Who on earth are those people?"

Having witnessed his audacious (?) behavior, he could no longer refer to them as mere old men.

"Do… do not ask about those two gentlemen!"

He looked as if he had returned from hell, his face pale and drenched in cold sweat.

"Instead, I implore you to attend to them with all your heart. They are not individuals who can be casually served. I, Hyeok Seon-u, will take responsibility for everything. Settle the bill under my name. And do not forget to caution all your staff to avoid any disrespect towards them."

"Just who are they?"

This only deepened the curiosity.

"I am not permitted to answer that question. However, these individuals are no different from gods to me. Therefore, be mindful to avoid any mistakes."

With that, he hastily exited the tavern, as if fearful of staying any longer. Since then, no one dared to bother the two old men, and they were treated with utmost sincerity.

If Director Jang had discovered the true identities of these two old men, he would have surely fainted from shock. They were the pillars of two renowned great sects among the Nine Great Sects. In particular, one of them was the supreme elder of the Hua Shan sect, who wielded immense influence throughout Hwa-eum County.

The two old men were none other than Mei Hua Jian Xian (Plum Blossom Sword Immortal) Liu Huan-gwon, who had appeared before the disciples of the Tian Wu Academy a few days prior, and Hyeon Geom Ja (Mystic Sword Master), the senior martial uncle of the Mu Dang sect leader and the master of Sam Jeol Geom (Three Cuts Sword) Qing Hen.

At the beginning of the Hour of the Ox, in front of the main gate of the Hua Ping Estate in Hwa-eum County, Shaanxi Province.

CRASH!

With a thunderous roar as if the sky itself had cracked, the door of the Hua Ping Estate, a considerable manor in Hwa-eum County, was violently smashed to pieces.

And then, a group of martial artists surged out, trampling over the fallen door. According to witnesses, leading the charge was a middle-aged man with a fierce countenance and fiery red hair.

"Kids! Run!"

At the command of the middle-aged man, who resembled a crimson apparition, the youths darted away like a gust of wind.

For them, the greatest enemy at that moment was not the pursuing, life-threatening attackers, but time, which they could neither catch nor hold back.

Dawn was fast approaching.

"I… I beg your forgiveness, Esteemed Young Master! Please, kill me!"

Huo Yu-gwang, the lord of Hua Ping Estate, trembled on the ground. To make such a mistake in the presence of that esteemed person… His forehead was already bleeding profusely.

However, the Esteemed Young Master Fei did not even spare him a glance.

"I cherish my subordinates," Fei said in a quiet voice.

"Even if it is a grave mistake, I do not wish to mete out death carelessly. That would be a great loss to the organization!"

Huo Yu-gwang, who had prostrated himself, felt a shiver run down his spine.

"Therefore, I give everyone two chances!" the Esteemed Young Master continued in a quiet voice. These words also granted Huo Yu-gwang a lifeline.

"Retrieve the woman! Failure is unacceptable."

"Yes, I accept the task. I have already deployed the Sa Gwi Dae (Death Ghost Squad)."

Huo Yu-gwang, having narrowly escaped the brink of death, shouted with desperate conviction.

The Esteemed Young Master nodded.

"Let us hope they succeed in retrieving the woman."

Huo Yu-gwang could keenly feel the shadow of death lurking behind those words.

"I… I will not disappoint you."

He managed to reply, his voice trembling and sweat beading on his forehead.

"The dogs will surely catch the scent! Conceal everything. We abandon this place."

"As you command!"

An infrequent reunion between men leads to alcohol, and according to the law of causality, it gives birth to the virtues of overindulgence and binge drinking. Here, factors like age, lifespan, or wealth are of no consequence.

Mei Hua Jian Xian Liu Huan-gwon and Hyeon Geom Ja were drinking at a tavern, forgetting the setting moon and the passing night. Their appearance was difficult to reconcile with their status as esteemed elders of a sect.

It seemed they had resolved to delve into the depths of the "Way of Alcohol" rather than the "Way of the Sword" for the past few days. Through self-experimentation.

Where did it all begin, and where would it end?

"Will those children be able to handle it?" Hyeon Geom Ja asked, slowly sipping his drink. The excessive Taiqing Qi within his body automatically burned off any surplus alcohol fumes, making it difficult to get drunk no matter how much he drank. However, to forget the movements of the sun and moon and drink to this extent was bound to lead to intoxication, even if he didn't want to.

"If they learn the truth of this tournament, they will surely be disheartened?" Liu Huan-gwon answered his question with another question.

"They will likely be bewildered," Hyeon Geom Ja's reply was tinged with a bitter smile. Liu Huan-gwon, who was drinking with him, nodded in agreement.

"It is understandable. It will await them in a form entirely different from what they imagined and hoped for! Even this old Taoist might not have been any different. You, on the other hand, might have forgotten your status as a Taoist and thrown a tantrum!"

Hyeon Geom Ja did not deny it.

When people encounter a reality different from what they had expected or hoped for, they become flustered. And from that fluster, discord and immaturity emerge.

It's similar to marriage. Most people are disappointed after marriage because they mistakenly believe that the passion of courtship will last indefinitely once they are married. However, courtship and marriage are entirely different matters, and such things do not easily occur. Therefore, married people often express disappointment with marriage.

"It is something that requires discarding preconceptions built up over twenty years or more. It will likely not be easy to accept. They will face more 고민 (gomin - worries\/troubles) than ever before."

"We can only hope they overcome it! Some of it is our responsibility for teaching them incorrectly. Telling them to dismantle the common sense they've accumulated over a lifetime overnight might be cruel."

"But without doing so, we cannot move forward." Hyeon Geom Ja, appearing frustrated, emptied another cup of wine into his mouth. Along with the aroma of the wine, a surge of heat rose within him.

"Speaking of which, I didn't expect him to summon his younger brother." Hyeon Geom Ja nodded without putting down his wine cup.

"How can I fathom his thoughts! I merely follow his lead."

Who could possibly be the one who could summon Hyeon Geom Ja, one of the supreme elders of the Mu Dang sect, at will? It seemed Liu Huan-gwon knew who it was.

"Still haven't grasped the tail?" Liu Huan-gwon asked in a quiet voice. But whose tail was he referring to?

"He is so elusive that it's difficult to even catch a single strand of his hair," Hyeon Geom Ja shook his head listlessly. There seemed to be something weighing heavily on his mind and spirit.

"Is that a confirmed story? That recommendation… uh…"

CRASH!

The conversation between the two men did not continue further.

CRASH! CLANG! CLATTER!

CLANG CLANG CLANG!

A deafening clamor echoed from outside the tavern window, so loud it was painful to the ears.

"How noisy!"

With a shout, a wine bottle flew through the air. It was, of course, an empty bottle.

The old Taoist's training(?) was not so weak as to waste the remaining alcohol with such a drastic action.

CRACK!

The wine bottle struck the back of a masked man's head and shattered with a loud noise. He fell face-first onto the ground.

The gaze of Sal Hon Sib Gwi (Ghost of Death Ten), the leader of the tenth unit of the pursuit and extermination special forces, the Sa Gwi Dae, flickered towards that spot. However, his immediate priority was to eliminate the intruders who had given up fleeing and turned to face them as they closed in, and to recapture the woman.

The roar that had shaken Mae-ryeong Jo-ru moments ago was the aftermath of the clash between the fleeing intruders and their pursuers, the Sa Gwi Dae. And it seemed this clash had ended in the pursuers' disadvantage. In this single encounter, three subordinates were already lying on the ground. On the other hand, all of their opponents stood on their own two feet, unharmed.

"What kind of riff-raff are blocking these elders? I'm running out of time! Damn it, do you want to die!" Yeom Do unleashed a torrent of curses in a furious voice. What he feared were not these "riff-raff." They were quite formidable, but no one in their group was so weak as to turn and flee from such opponents. Even with twice the numbers, it would be the same. However, their time was too tight to be held back by these individuals.

The Sib Gwi was greatly displeased by this brazen attitude. So, he raised three fingers and then one index finger, pointing towards the second-floor window of the tavern from which the wine bottle had flown. It was a signal for three of them to go up and handle the situation. He intended to set a brutal example and draw the momentum to their side.

However, his expectations were completely dashed.

BANG BANG BANG!

From the very second-floor window through which the wine bottle had flown, three of his subordinates, who had gone to apprehend the intruders, were thrown back with a tremendous commotion. Their limbs were twisted at strange angles, and they were frozen like stone statues.

Then, an elder's roar erupted from within the window.

"You reek of blood while elders are drinking… have you no manners!"

The voice belonged to Hyeon Geom Ja.

"Who dares! Reveal yourself!"

"Hmph, what a rude fellow. Your words are becoming increasingly harsh."

For a Taoist, Hyeon Geom Ja's tone was quite rough. However, he was not the type of person to hide or restrain his emotions due to strict discipline. While he expressed his feelings through honest words and actions, even his fellow disciples from the same sect would sometimes shake their heads at Hyeon Geom Ja's free-spirited behavior.

"Old Taoists usually enjoy doing calisthenics under the moonlight after drinking," Hyeon Geom Ja said.

Not wanting to come out, the two old men revealed themselves through the hole in the wall.

People's eyes widened.

The old Taoist clad in a faded crimson robe wore a peculiar and crudely made mask, and the old Taoist next to him, clad in a faded, worn-out blue robe, wore a straw hat over his face.

Although their faces were hidden, no one present failed to recognize their identities. Especially Yoon Jun-ho, who was from the Hua Shan sect, his expression was something to behold.

"Wow! That person is the famous Plum Blossom Mask!"

A gasp of admiration erupted from somewhere! The voice was filled with emotion and excitement. While everyone stood with their mouths agape, the culprit who broke the tension with a nonsensical cry was Jang Hong.

The response was equally remarkable. The Plum Blossom Mask slowly turned its head towards him and then gave him a powerful thumbs-up! Jang Hong responded with a grin and a thumbs-up.

Observing this action, which could be seen as eccentric at best and shameful at worst, the Mu Dang sect elder wearing a straw hat had a gaze filled with an inexplicable sense of envy.

"Hmm, perhaps I should make a mask too and put a Taegeuk symbol on my forehead…"

This mumbled remark, filled with inexplicable envy and jealousy, was thankfully unheard by anyone, thus sparing the Mu Dang sect any potential embarrassment.

"Hmph!"

Everyone's eyes widened, friend and foe alike. As the two old men descended from the sky, their speed was incredibly slow, as if feathers were falling. This clearly demonstrated how accomplished these two elders were.

Hyeon Geom Ja, who landed lightly on the ground, glanced at the Sa Gwi Dae with a frown and said, "Ah, you are souls addicted to the taste of blood. The swords in your hands are of no help in this world, so I shall take them all away."

Then, he turned back and said, "It seems you are in a hurry, so hurry along. Leave this to us two old men!"

Yeom Do and the entire rescue team bowed in respect.

"Thank you, honorable elders!"

At that moment, Hyeon Geom Ja added one more thing.

"Ah, and we have never met before!"

Yeom Do, momentarily bewildered, soon understood the hidden meaning and bowed his head once more.

"Thank you!"