Book 23 Chapter 20

The Identity of the Old Man

― The Strongest Pervert in the Jianghu

The old man deliberately adjusted his speed so that the pursuers could catch up, allowing Na Baek-cheon and his wife to easily follow him. Once a certain distance was established, the two groups, as if by unspoken agreement, maintained a distance of eight paces and headed towards a secluded area on the outskirts. Underneath a large, ancient tree, the old man stopped. Precisely eight paces behind him, Na Baek-cheon and his wife also stopped.

"Who are you, old man? Reveal your identity!" Na Baek-cheon shouted, still facing the old man's back. The actions against his wife made his blood boil and his teeth grind, but his priority now was to uncover the old man's identity.

"Tsk, tsk, you left your eyes behind, but you also left your ears." The old man clicked his tongue. Now that he thought about it, it was a voice he had heard somewhere before. And it applied to both Na Baek-cheon and Ye-cheong. At that moment, Ye-cheong, realizing the identity of the voice before her husband, widened her eyes in shock.

"S-Surely, Grandfather?" It was Na Baek-cheon who was shocked by her words. There was only one person Ye-cheong would call "Grandfather."

"Yes, it's me!" The old man turned around with a spin. His features were clearly revealed. Despite being over 120 years old, his eyes were full of vigor, and an overwhelming aura emanated from his entire body. It was a remarkable ki, even surpassing that of Na Baek-cheon, the leader of the Martial Arts Alliance. In the Jianghu, there was only one person with such an overwhelming ki.

"Gal Dae-hyung!" Na Baek-cheon, startled, nearly shrieked. He could not help but be astonished that someone he had never expected to meet here had appeared right before his eyes.

"Can you see now? Has your blurry vision improved?" the old man said, clicking his tongue. "It's been a long time, both of you." This person was none other than Gal Jung-hyuk, the God of War and Demon Slayer, one of the two heroes who saved the Jianghu during the past Cataclysmic Blood Sea era.

"Oh my! To try to kill your grandfather after meeting him for the first time in a while, you almost got into serious trouble!" The old man feigned distress. He went on about how his neck was almost severed, how he could have been rendered useless, and whether they would take responsibility if he lost one of his limbs. The Na couple listening was dumbfounded. Who was the perpetrator and who was the victim? This was a complete reversal of roles! Ye-cheong, unable to contain her anger, retorted sharply in a fiery voice.

"Don't lie!" To her, who had originally been involved in the dark arts, the God of War and Demon Slayer was like a deity. However, their relationship was more than just that.

"No, lie? You know how fast and terrifying his sword is when it's drawn, don't you? An old man like me would be sent straight to the underworld." Although she felt good about her husband being subtly praised, she couldn't let it go at that.

"Hmph! Even if Yi's sword is as fast as lightning, it's still not enough to kill Grandfather. How difficult it is to kill Grandfather. In the entire Jianghu, both righteous and dark, you won't find anyone with such ability. Yi is no exception."

"Ho ho, my pretty one is saying something commendable." The old man let out a hearty laugh.

"I've grown up now too. My daughter is already old enough to graduate from the Cheonmu Academy. I've long passed the age to be called 'pretty'."

"In my eyes, you are still a young lass, and it's truly a wondrous thing. It's truly miraculous."

"You'll have an even more miraculous experience if you have a child yourself." The old man shook his head.

"Even though I have almost absolute power in this Jianghu, and I thought there was almost nothing impossible, I don't think that will happen in this lifetime. So, unfortunately, I have to give up on that wonder."

"Well, you've never raised a child before, have you? Hmph!" The last laugh was a triumphant smile filled with a sense of superiority. Indeed, anyone who would hand over an infant to the God of War and Demon Slayer would have to question their sanity.

"My wife went through a lot of trouble. But I can't imagine holding a baby in my hands, stained with blood, instead of two swords. Even I, who feared nothing then, was afraid. It was so fragile, as if it would burst if touched, how could I put my mind at ease?"

"Ah, so that's why you abandoned the child and ran away."

"It wasn't running away, it was a strategic retreat. If I had held that little one then, would he be able to serve as the leader of the dark forces with all his limbs intact? That too is parental love."

Feeling a pang of guilt, Ye-cheong found it amusing how the old man was so serious, and she couldn't help but giggle. Seeing her, old man Hyuk-jung sighed softly and patted Na Baek-cheon's shoulder.

"You must have had a lot of trouble too."

"Well, yes." Na Baek-cheon replied with an awkward smile.

"Just a moment! What does that mean? That's a conversation I can't overlook!" Ye-cheong, her eyes blazing, demanded fiercely.

"Ah, it's nothing, nothing at all."

"Is it really nothing?" Her gaze at Na Baek-cheon was sharp. He possessed a power that even the great Martial Arts Alliance leader struggled with.

"You're really whipped, aren't you?" Old man Hyuk-jung shook his head with pity.

"It has nothing to do with you, Grandfather!" Ye-cheong shouted.

"Ah, I understand. Who said anything? Be careful, or you'll get eaten." Old man Hyuk-jung replied, feigning fear. It was only when Na Baek-cheon intervened that Ye-cheong, who was getting excited, was barely calmed down.

"I thought you had changed a lot, but looking at you now, I don't think that's entirely true."

"Hmph, do you dislike it?"

"No, it feels somehow nostalgic. You can't be the same forever, but it would be boring if you changed completely. I'm glad you still seem like yourself." Old man Hyuk-jung said with a hearty laugh.

"Then I am myself, who else would I be?"

"Haha, is that so? That's also true." Old man Hyuk-jung laughed heartily again.

"Oh, right, is my sister doing well, Grandfather?" Ye-cheong deliberately threw out a question to change the subject. Old man Hyuk-jung tilted his head and replied,

"Well, that's something Jung-cheon would know, wouldn't he? I wouldn't know." By Jung-cheon, he meant his son, Gal Jung-cheon, the leader of the Dark Martial Arts Alliance. And Ye-cheong's older sister was Ye-rim, the wife of the dark leader. In short, the three of them had a very complicated relationship. Since it was difficult to determine kinship and hierarchy, they had given up and continued to call each other by their old habits. And all three of them didn't really care about such titles. It was only right to call it great power that both sisters married the leaders of their respective alliances. In fact, it was a strategic blood alliance. If Gal Jung-cheon had had an older or younger sister, there would have been no problem, but unfortunately, he did not. Currently, Gal Jung-cheon was the only one of the old man's children who was still alive. Therefore, to emphasize the blood ties, he had introduced his wife Ye-rim's younger sister, Bing-wol Seonja Ye-cheong, to Na Baek-cheon. In reality, calling him "Grandfather" was not technically correct, but because he had called him that so often when he was much younger, it had become a habit.

"By the way, where have you been lately, Dae-hyung? I was curious because I hadn't heard any news." Na Baek-cheon asked, intrigued by the old man's whereabouts. The old man's actions, even the slightest, could have a tremendous impact on the Jianghu, so the leader of the Martial Arts Alliance could not help but pay serious attention.

"Ah, I'm raising a child." Old man Hyuk-jung replied in a light tone. However, the content was almost earth-shattering to Na Baek-cheon.

"Have you taken a new disciple?" Becoming a disciple of the God of War and Demon Slayer was no easy feat. Depending on the circumstances, it could lead to immense power. And it could also escalate into something that could disrupt the balance of the Jianghu. Gal Jung-hyuk had rarely taught martial arts to anyone outside of the Gal clan. There were only three of them, one had died, and the other two were both missing. Especially the last disciple who showed great promise…

"Didn't you stop taking disciples after 'that day'?" Na Baek-cheon, his expression grim, asked cautiously.

"Don't mention 'that day'." At Gal Jung-hyuk's low warning, Na Baek-cheon fell silent.

"Don't jump to conclusions. Well, it can't be called a formal disciple. I'm just passing on the vision of an old friend, so it might be more accurate to say he's that guy's disciple rather than mine…" Na Baek-cheon's eyes widened, and he blurted out involuntarily.

"That guy… could it be Taegeuk…?" Old man Hyuk-jung raised his hand to stop him.

"Well, don't be impatient. You'll find out later. He's still a beginner, so he's not in a state to be shown. Let's leave this for later enjoyment." Since old man Hyuk-jung said so, Na Baek-cheon, disappointed, could only smack his lips. If so, he felt it wouldn't be worth it if he couldn't find out at least some other purpose.

"I sent word everywhere trying to find you, but you suddenly appeared like this, I must admit I'm surprised."

"As I said before, I just came for some business. Seeing you and your wife was a coincidence. I was the one who was surprised. Tsk tsk, are you trying to give an old man a heart attack? You, who should be sifting through documents in the Jeon-maeng office, wandering around Gangho Rando, the heart of the dark forces, with your wife…" He had secretly followed them to find out what was going on. Na Baek-cheon's actions were also not insignificant.

"I came because of my daughter's matter."

"Indeed, it would have to be that matter to move someone as stubborn as you. But what is it about?"

"I heard that a fighting tournament with a prize of 500,000 nyang will be held at the arena here soon."

"And then?"

"My daughter will be participating in the tournament." This statement surprised even this formidable old man.

"Huh? Surely… is that true?" Na Baek-cheon replied with a sigh and a grim expression.

"I wish it were a joke. I'd like to think so too." His chest still felt like it was burning.

"Dae-hyung, are you here for your disciple's matter?" Of course, the disciple here referred to the child Hyuk-jung had recently taken in. However, Hyuk-jung shook his head heavily.

"No, he is a disciple, but it's about another disciple's matter." Na Baek-cheon couldn't quite understand for a moment. If it wasn't the new disciple, there was only one person he could guess.

"But wasn't 'that person' missing for nine years after 'that day'?" This disappearance case, although overshadowed by the larger incident (Gal Hyo-bong's rampage) that occurred before it, had caused quite a stir. Therefore, Na Baek-cheon could not forget it. With years of no contact, he was already considered dead by various circles in the Jianghu.

"That's right. But recently, I found a clue."

"Is that friend still alive?"

"I'm not interested in corpses. Besides, isn't this place too brilliantly lit for a corpse to walk around?" Na Baek-cheon found it hard to believe.

"S-Surely, is that person, Blood Flame Twin Blades Lee Byeok-han, here? Here in Gangho Rando?"

"I think so."

"But isn't it too close? It's within spitting distance of Macheon Pavilion."

"The saying 'the light under the lamp is dark' isn't just for show. I'm also learning new things from old things these days. Old things aren't always useless. Well, I'm in no position to talk about others."

"But he was the former chief of Macheon Thirteen. He abandoned that position and ran away." That was a painful wound for both Macheon Pavilion and the dark forces. And it was also a great blemish.

"What's the point of reopening painful memories? Let's stop." Na Baek-cheon fell silent. But he couldn't stop the chain of thoughts. Who was Blood Flame Twin Blades Lee Byeok-han? He was unmatched among the younger generation at the time. More importantly, his existence was significant because he was the senior brother of Gal Hyo-bong, who was a promising young martial artist and even considered a successor to the God of War and Demon Slayer, and he was almost the only person who might know the truth of the day Gal Hyo-bong went mad. However, he then mysteriously disappeared, and rumors circulated that he might be the culprit behind the 'Blood Night Incident'. Even after deploying countless people to search the Jianghu thoroughly, his whereabouts remained elusive. At that time, it was said that old man Hyuk-jung, who had lost both his beloved grandson and cherished disciple at the same time, was also greatly shocked. 'And he reappeared? Here in Gangho Rando?' And by chance, I was summoned here at that moment? At that moment, a chill ran down Na Baek-cheon's spine. It was a strange premonition that this coincidence might not be a coincidence at all. The doubt that this might be fate's worst combination spread to every corner of his heart like ink splashed on white silk. 'A greater disaster could occur if things go wrong.' An unsettling wind swept through a corner of Na Baek-cheon's heart.

"Speaking of which, what happened to your brother?" This time, Hyuk-jung touched upon a past event that he wanted to hide. It was something Na Baek-cheon reluctantly recalled, but he had to. Everyone else might forget, but he couldn't. After all, he was involved in the resurrection of Sachon Myeolgeom.

"I have no such brother." Na Baek-cheon said, his face hardening.

"Even if you deny it, the fact won't disappear."

"…"

"Still haven't found him?"

"I apologize."

"That's strange. Even with almost all the intelligence of the Jeon-maeng, how can he hide for ten years…"

"I suspect some power is hiding him." Na Baek-cheon replied with a serious expression.

"Otherwise, it's impossible?" At old man Hyuk-jung's question, Na Baek-cheon nodded with conviction.

"Yes." He couldn't think of any other possibility. Unless a force with power comparable to the Jeon-maeng was protecting him, he should have already been caught in the intelligence net.

"In fact, I have that suspicion too, which is why I'm asking. I suspect they might be somewhere too close to us."

"Isn't that like 'under the lamp, it's dark'?"

"Sort of. Though in this case, it's a question of whose lamp it is." This was not something that could be easily dismissed.

"Haha, has the conversation become too heavy? Well, we'll continue this later. It seems you'll be staying here for a while, right? Where are you two heading now?" Old man Hyuk-jung asked.

"We plan to go to the information merchant Du-noi's house for now." Na Baek-cheon replied immediately.

"Du-noi's house? What business do you have there?" From his tone, old man Hyuk-jung seemed to know the information merchant.

"It's nothing special. We have some things to inquire about regarding my daughter." Ye-cheong answered instead.

"Shall we go together?" If old man Hyuk-jung accompanied them, it seemed they could handle any unexpected situation without being flustered.

"No. There's no point showing my face to that loose-lipped fellow. He only keeps his mouth shut when there's no money in front of him."

"Du-noi is still the same, it seems."

"We'll see each other later when you find a place to stay. You're planning to watch the tournament anyway, aren't you?"

"Ah, actually, the reason I came here is also related to that." He then showed a letter that had flown to him from his pocket. Seeing its contents, old man Hyuk-jung's expression darkened.

"Possibility of a trap?" To old man Hyuk-jung's question, Na Baek-cheon replied,

"We are not excluding it."

"That would be much wiser." Hyuk-jung parted ways with the Na couple, agreeing to meet again after their business was concluded. Finally free from Hyuk-jung, Ye-cheong pulled Na Baek-cheon aside. Her steps were unwavering. However, while walking, Na Baek-cheon looked around as if he sensed something.

"What's wrong, dear?"

"Ah, it feels like someone is watching us. A person of considerable skill."

"Could it be Grandfather?"

"We just met him, would he need to go to such lengths? It feels like someone from Macheon Pavilion. They are following us at a considerable distance, so it will be difficult to capture them. Should we shake them off?"

"No, I don't think there's any need. Let's go inside for now." She then pointed to the gate of a magnificent tiled-roof house.

"Is this the house of that old man Du-noi you were talking about? For an information merchant, he lives in a rather conspicuous place." Ye-cheong nodded.

"It's Du-noi's home and business. He says if you want to hide a tree, you hide it in a forest. If it's too secret, it stands out. Well, anyone who knows this place already knows what kind of place it is. The owner of this place, Du-noi, has the nickname 'Nine Ears, Ten Eyes', and although he's old, his hearing and sight are quite useful."

"Why ten eyes and only nine ears?" It was a trivial matter, but he couldn't help but feel strangely bothered. Ye-cheong chuckled and replied,

"Du-noi once said that he lost one ear to Na Dae-yi of Sunpung Mountain Midwifery."

"That's an interesting joke." That meant he possessed ten times the ability of Na Dae-yi.

"I don't know if I have nine times the ability of Na Dae-yi of Sunpung Mountain Midwifery, but at least I'm not inferior. If it's here, I'm sure we can easily find Ye-rim's whereabouts. Besides, today is the first rest day, so it's likely she's within Gangho Rando." In the reception room, the man called the greatest information merchant in Gangho Rando was waiting. However, according to Ye-cheong, he was a 70-year-old man, but to Na Baek-cheon, he looked too young. At most, he looked no older than his late thirties. Were information merchants practicing profound arts these days to regain their youth? While having such an absurd thought, Ye-cheong asked,

"Where is Du-noi?"

"Yes? Du-noi?" The man in his late thirties asked with a puzzled expression. There were people who referred to their fathers as 'Du No-dae' or 'Du No-ya', but he had never heard anyone address him as 'Du-noi'.

"Nine-Eared Du-noi. What's your relationship?"

"I… I'm his son." The man answered hesitantly. Strangely, he couldn't disobey the command.

"Du-noi has a son? But where is Du-noi?" Ye-cheong asked again, looking around.

"My father has already retired. I am his son, Du-chil, of this Gu-i-gwan…"

"Is he dead?" Ye-cheong cut off Du-chil's words and asked abruptly. Despite the rude question, Du-noi's son suppressed his anger and replied,

"No, he is still alive." He couldn't dare to lie and answered truthfully.

"Call him over immediately. Tell him Bing-wol-hee (Ice Moon Princess) Jeok-ye is looking for him after a long time." At those words, Du-chil's eyes widened.

"S-Surely, you are… the notorious…"

"What did you just say?" A chill suddenly ran down Du-chil's spine as a cold light flashed from her eyes, as clear and pure as a lake. He quickly slapped his mouth as if to scold himself. At that moment, he remembered his father's advice. If he ever met a woman with such a nickname, he should never provoke her. He could end up going to the underworld and back if he was careless.

"Ah, no. (Slap!) It was just my deranged monologue. (Slap!) This mouth of mine babbled beyond its station! (Slap!) I'll go and bring Father right away. (Slap! Slap!)"

"Do that." Ye-cheong sent Du-chil away without further questioning. Du-chil, barely escaping with his life, quickly ran like the wind and woke up his father, who was enjoying a nap. Upon waking, Du-noi, as compensation for being roughly awakened, punched his son a few times before hearing the full story. Then, like a bull with fire on its hindquarters, he dashed across the garden and flew into his office. Then, he quickly rubbed his palms together and put on a servile smile.

"Oh my, who is this! P-Princess… it's been a long time."

"Ah, Du-noi. It's been a while." Ye-cheong said, raising her hand lightly. She acted as if she were addressing a servant, but Du-noi, as if it were natural, paid no mind to her attitude.

"It's been twenty years. You're still beautiful, Princess." Ye-cheong replied with a smile.

"Du-noi, you've gotten more wrinkled. You were still vigorous back then."

"You can deceive people, but you can't deceive age. I tried to hide my aging, but it's like covering the sky with your palm, so I gave up."

"So, are you deceiving less these days?" There was a hidden blade in the casual question.

"Haha, didn't I promise you back then, Princess? That I would never again sell false information to people. These days, I conduct my business with honesty as my life. I'm teaching this one the same way." Du-chil was astonished to learn that his father's emphasis on trust and honesty was all because of this beautiful woman before him. He had heard stories of his father almost getting beaten up for selling false information, but he never imagined the perpetrator would be such a beauty. He could understand why his father, who had weathered many storms in this harsh Gangho Rando and was even called Nine Ears, was trembling like a frog in front of a venomous snake.

"Ah, Princess, and this gentleman…" Du-noi asked cautiously, glancing at Na Baek-cheon. Having experienced enough in this field, he instinctively sensed that the old man was no ordinary person.

"Princess?" Na Baek-cheon, knowing his wife had no connection to royalty or nobility, found Du-noi's address very strange and unfamiliar. Ye-cheong replied simply and briefly.

"Ah, my husband." But with that one sentence, Du-noi's eyes widened in surprise. There was only one person this "Goblin Princess" would call husband.

"Gasp! Th-then this person is…" He was, after all, an information dealer. Seeing such a massive piece of information, he couldn't help but drool instinctively. At that moment, a delicate hand rose above Du-noi's field of vision.

"Enough." Ye-cheong silenced Du-noi, who was about to blabber carelessly, with a single word.

"Don't say any more." Realizing his mistake, Du-noi quickly bowed in half.

"As you command, Princess. I understand." His attitude clearly showed that he was trying to respond as politely as possible. Na Baek-cheon, unable to suppress his curiosity, asked,

"But why do you keep calling her Princess, Princess? What is the reason?" Du-noi quickly replied,

"Ah, that's because when the young lady was in the Seven Princesses faction… she was called that by us. Back then…" He was about to continue by saying that she had made everyone tremble with fear, but his tongue suddenly froze. An unseen killing intent struck his old body.

"Stop it, Du-noi?" With that low but quiet, killing-intent-laden word, Du-noi flinched and quickly shut his mouth. As Du-noi kept spouting useless words as if he were losing his memory, Ye-cheong warned him again in a quiet voice.

—Don't forget that day! Remember that day again! Ye-cheong was advising him with her eyes. She believed that a woman's past was beautiful when buried in secrets.

"Ah, right, but why did you make such a difficult journey to come here? I will help you with anything I can. Of course, it's free, hehe." Du-noi said, rubbing his hands together so hard he worried the fingerprints would wear off. For the stingy miser Du-noi to volunteer for free work like this would be a strange sight for those who knew him.

"I'm looking for someone." Ye-cheong stated her business briefly.

"Who should I look for?" To Du-noi's question, Ye-cheong replied briefly.

"My daughter."