Book 9 Chapter 6

"You're a newbie, right?

Though the fires in Cheonmu Academy's Sword Spirit Hall were mostly extinguished,

the bustling streets at the heart of Nanchang still blazed brightly,

forming a city that never slept.

For the fires in the pleasure district (Se-ju-ga) to go out at night would be like wearing fur in the summer.

Bi Ryuyeon's footsteps led him to one of Nanchang's largest inns, Sunpungru. Sunpungru boasted year-round operation, open twelve 'jins' a day, and its excellent service ensured a constant stream of visitors.

This establishment had a unique characteristic: the higher the floor, the more luxurious it became. This meant that the highest floors offered the most exquisite treatment.

"Hey! Stop!"

Just as Bi Ryuyeon was about to ascend to the third floor, transitioning from the lower to the middle tier, a rough, sharp voice like the sound of metal stopped him in his tracks.

The establishment, comprising six floors in total, was divided into upper, middle, and lower tiers, with two floors each serving guests accordingly.

"Me?"

Bi Ryuyeon pointed a finger at himself.

"Yes, you!"

The hulking man nodded, still pointing. His attitude was utterly arrogant.

Bi Ryuyeon's gaze slightly lifted. The one who dared to impede his progress was a formidable-looking guard, a show of brute force. While his bulging muscles might appear intimidating to ordinary people, to martial artists, they were merely heavy, useless decorations.

The burly man spoke in a deep voice.

"Kid! This isn't a place for a child like you. This is Nanchang's premier establishment, Sunpungru, boasting a history, tradition, and dignity far beyond those cheap inns. Scram before you get yourself into trouble!"

'Nanchang's premier establishment? Others claimed the same thing!'

It seemed 'Nanchang's premier establishment' wasn't a formal title. But that wasn't the issue right now. It was the blatant disregard in his tone. Of course, Bi Ryuyeon wasn't one to back down when spoken to like that. Today, the burly man had picked the wrong opponent.

Slightly offended, Bi Ryuyeon asked,

"Why can't I?"

The corners of his mouth twitched upwards slightly. Those who knew him well would instinctively retreat and enter a state of heightened alert at this point.

"Hmph! Look at yourself before you speak!"

His unruly bangs, the cheap-looking, worn black martial arts uniform, and the complete absence of any weaponry anywhere on his person. It was fortunate he didn't even look like a beggar, let alone a martial artist.

"Why? I think it looks fine. What's the problem?"

It seemed Bi Ryuyeon's perception differed significantly from that of ordinary people.

"The kid is asking for a beating today."

Little did he know, the man himself was eagerly inviting death, completely unaware that he was mistaken for the King of Hell on a casual inspection tour.

It was no wonder the burly guard, Wang Jeong, would toy with his own life without knowing his place. There was no trace of a Cheonmu Academy disciple anywhere on Bi Ryuyeon's person. This was especially true for those like Wang Jeong who harbored a subtle fantasy about Cheonmu Academy disciples, a fantasy that further idealized and embellished the actual disciples.

"You're a newbie, aren't you? Are you allowed to be hanging around here instead of running errands?"

"Gasp! H-how…?"

Wang Jeong's eyes widened. He felt a pang of guilt. In fact, he was the youngest among Sunpungru's guards.

"Well, it's common sense."

His tone suggested it was no big deal.

Someone like this would likely be an errand boy for the guards. It was probably a busy time, and they needed all the help they could get.

"The kid's got a sharp tongue."

His hand, the size of a cauldron lid, was raised to the sky. All that was left was to bring it down.

However, by a hair's breadth, Wang Jeong was saved. Just as he was about to strike, the manager of Sunpungru, Jo Myeongbal, rushed in like a cheetah. Screaming at the top of his lungs…

"Waaaaaaait! Hold oooooon!"

This desperate, agonizing voice was directed at Wang Jeong, who had placed his neck on the Grim Reaper's cleaver.

Startled!

The sudden intervention by his employer halted the descending hand in mid-air. Along with it, the Grim Reaper's strike also stopped. The Grim Reaper's death decree blade halted just above his neck.

"M-Manager! What kind of person is this fellow?"

Wang Jeong unconsciously pointed at Bi Ryuyeon and asked Manager Jo. In an instant, Manager Jo's face turned ashen white. They say the tongue is the root of all evil, didn't they?

"W-what are you doing! This… this person is…"

Manager Jo Myeongbal, feeling as if he were spitting blood, tried to warn him, but it was too late. Bi Ryuyeon's gaze had fixed on the tip of that finger.

"What a rude finger."

Bi Ryuyeon suddenly grabbed the impudent index finger.

"Wh-what?"

Wang Jeong's eyes widened. He wondered if he was dreaming. This was because his feet were no longer touching the ground. He was hovering about an inch in the air. There was only one possible explanation for this. It was the hand of Bi Ryuyeon, who was holding the tip of his index finger. He hadn't learned any levitation techniques.

Whoosh!

"Aaah!"

For a moment, Wang Jeong must have wondered why the sky and earth had flipped without warning. It turned out it wasn't the sky and earth that had flipped, but himself. It happened the moment Bi Ryuyeon's thumb and index finger, holding his index finger, twisted slightly. His head was now about chest height from the ground. Strangely, he felt no pain in his index finger, which was supporting his entire body. But that was just the beginning.

Whoosh!

"Ugh! Wh-what…"

With a slight shift of Bi Ryuyeon's fingertips, accompanied by a smile, Wang Jeong's sky and earth were restored to their original positions. But that was short-lived…

"Kyaaaaaah!"

His body began to spin like a windmill. His eyes spun. Up, down, left, and right became a blur, and his eyes and ears spun wildly.

He felt an intense urge to vomit.

"M-Master! There are many eyes watching. Please stop. I will discipline him severely. Please bear with me! Young Master Bi…"

Manager Jo, who had been stunned into silence by this incredible sight, rushed to de-escalate the situation. If things continued like this, they might have to deal with a corpse tomorrow.

"Is that so?"

Whirring!

Bi Ryuyeon spoke, still spinning Wang Jeong like a human windmill.

"Yes! Please do. Hahaha! You must eat quickly. We will be serving a magnificent meal shortly. So, please bear with it for today!"

Manager Jo's obsequious tone swayed Bi Ryuyeon.

"Then I shall!"

Thump! Intrigued by the mention of food, Bi Ryuyeon finally stopped spinning the human windmill.

"Hongya, Hongya, Hongya."

Wang Jeong's legs, now back on solid ground, were as limp as an octopus's. He stumbled, hitting his head against nearby objects dozens of times! It took over an hour for Wang Jeong to regain enough consciousness to have a conversation. Until then, Bi Ryuyeon had remained, watching.

"See? I told you you're a newbie, right?"

Bi Ryuyeon asked, gazing intently at Wang Jeong's face. A cold sweat trickled down Wang Jeong's spine under Bi Ryuyeon's unseen sharp gaze. He was still so dizzy that he couldn't tell which way was up or down. Wang Jeong's knees felt weak, and his legs trembled.

"Y-yes!"

Wang Jeong replied, assuming a rigid posture.

"Really? Then it's understandable that you might not know. Don't worry. Manager Jo here will take responsibility for your mistakes!"

"Ah… but Master? Why me…?"

Manager Jo's face fell at Bi Ryuyeon's words.

"Since ancient times, the mistakes of subordinates have always been the responsibility of their superiors. Isn't that the duty of those who sit at the highest seat! Therefore, Manager Jo and the true owner of this inn above him, Sunpung…"

"M-Master! Not that!"

Manager Jo frantically waved his hands, desperately trying to stop Bi Ryuyeon. That secret must absolutely not be revealed.

"Ah! That was a secret. Well, anyway, I firmly believe that person will take responsibility."

'Oh my god!'

Manager Jo screamed inwardly.

Bi Ryuyeon visited occasionally when he was in the mood. Every time he came, Manager Jo felt like he was dying. But he had no choice but to refuse. It was all Lu Zhu's fault. When superiors made mistakes, it was as if the path of hardship was wide open for subordinates.

There was a danger of the conversation spiraling out of control if he talked with Bi Ryuyeon any longer. That had to be prevented.

"Young Master Bi! Please go to your seat! Fortunately, good wine from Sichuan just arrived today. I will offer you a cup as an apology."

A cup here meant a free bottle.

"Food usually accompanies drinks, doesn't it?"

Bi Ryuyeon casually asked.

"Of course. Please, let's go! Hey! What are you doing, not attending to our guest!"

At Manager Jo's bellow, a waiter darted like lightning and guided Bi Ryuyeon to the top floor.

"I will follow shortly after finishing my work."

Manager Jo said with a sweet smile and bowed deeply to Bi Ryuyeon. Bi Ryuyeon waved in return and ascended the stairs with composure.

And a moment later!

"Ughhhhhhh! Kuaaaaaaaah! Uooohhhhhhh!"

A terrifying roar that shook Sunpungru to its foundations!

"You scounnnndrel…"

As soon as Bi Ryuyeon disappeared from sight, Manager Jo turned towards Wang Jeong, his eyes glinting with a murderous intent so fierce that even ghosts would flee in terror.

Even though he was hiding his true identity, Manager Jo, a martial arts master, found Wang Jeong's waterlogged muscle mass incapable of withstanding his needle-sharp murderous intent.

"Hieeeek!"

Wang Jeong nearly wet himself out of sheer terror.

"Huh? What's that noise?"

Bi Ryuyeon's ears perked up.

He heard a series of horrific screams behind him as he walked, politely guided by the waiter.

"Kuaaaack!"

Thwack thwack thwack! Whack whack whack! Tush tush tush!

Flap flap!

"Die! Die! You bastard! Die! You plotted to ruin our business, didn't you? You bastard! Where were you sent from, a spy? Huh? Speak up! You dared to shake the foundations of our establishment… Uooohhhhh!"

"No. Oof! No!"

"What do you mean no! You're a spy sent by a competitor, aren't you! Confess! Huh?"

Thwack thwack! Oof oof! Thwack! Ugh! Thwack! Kuaek!

"Kuaaaaaaaah!"

The screams continued, echoing through the night sky.

"This is, this is too noisy!"

Shaking his head, Bi Ryuyeon sat down.

"Order!"

A waiter darted over like a comet. Only then did Bi Ryuyeon feel like the world had returned to normal.

"It's said to be a secret establishment run by Sunpungsanbui Naedai…"

It was as opulent as ever.

Despite his small stature, which made him seem unassuming except for his noticeably large ears, no one could easily imagine him as the owner of such a luxurious establishment. His unassuming appearance hindered connection. Moreover, his business premises were not as flashy as one might expect. It was truly astonishing how he managed to amass such wealth.

However, upon deeper consideration, the inn was not entirely unrelated to his profession. Throughout history, bustling inns had always been centers of information. Furthermore, the clear division into upper, middle, and lower tiers provided a structured system for accessing information from various social strata. It was undeniably advantageous for information gathering.

'Well… this is a kind of human triumph, I suppose…'

Sunpungsanbui Naedai's standing in Nanchang, built upon selling information, was considerable. Like any information broker, he possessed many hidden facets that he never revealed to others. This inn was one of those facets. Very few locals knew that the true owner was Ssangnangi Naedai. This was a testament to his exceptional self-discipline and ability to protect secrets.

However, there were a few non-locals who knew this fact, and one of them was Yeomdo. Through a chance encounter in the past, Yeomdo had learned this, which is how Bi Ryuyeon came to know about this place. And Bi Ryuyeon had become a regular patron.

'At any rate, it's very convenient!'

The best part was that money barely mattered. Though his sincerity regarding money was questionable, Bi Ryuyeon did not always accept free treatment out of conscience. Surprisingly, he was a person who was meticulous about payment. This was due to the ingrained education he received since childhood. It seemed to be a plot by his master, who wanted to be repaid for raising him, but there was no way to confirm it now. Considering all these circumstances, the cost of using this place was practically nothing compared to other establishments.

"You acted like you had no money, but you seem to have amassed quite a bit through other means. How did you manage to acquire such a magnificent inn? The investment must have been enormous…"

Acquiring an inn of this scale would require far more than one or two life-threatening deals.

"As expected, information pays off…"

The fact that collecting and selling information guaranteed a substantial income strongly piqued Bi Ryuyeon's interest. However, he had no immediate intention of diving into it. He still enjoyed his life at Cheonmu Academy.

'So, what should I eat…?'

Bi Ryuyeon unfurled a luxurious order form bound in red silk.

Rustle!

Instantly, the world of brilliant, profound, and philosophical cuisine unfolded before his eyes.

"What? That guy's here again?"

Naedai exclaimed, his expression clearly revealing his displeasure as if he had eaten something rotten. This was the highest floor in Sunpungru, and the only person who could conduct business here was the mysterious, reclusive owner of Sunpungru, the Nu-ju himself. Astonishingly, this Nu-ju had much larger ears than others. He was none other than the Nanchang native information broker, Sunpungsanbui Naedai, nicknamed Ssangnangi (Double Pouch Ears).

"I wish he'd stop coming… Does he like free things that much?"

He felt like a fool. A merchant shouldn't make a customer feel like a fool; he was the one being made a fool of. He felt like a snake eaten by a frog.

"Should we get rid of him?"

Manager Jo cautiously probed. It reflected his heartfelt desire.

"Do you have a practical solution?"

He desperately wanted to, but without a concrete plan, he could only watch. Surrender was a more accurate term than resignation.

"I heard he appeared in the vicinity."

"Oh?"

"It's Blood Orchid Fragrance (Hyeolgyeonhyang), known as the greatest assassin in the martial world."

"Ooh! You mean the assassin who achieved the fame of 'Thousand Killings' (Cheonsalhaeng) for a thousand executions? Regardless of good or evil, he's famous for not killing the weak and only taking the lives of the strong, isn't he?"

Indeed, he had received numerous requests, both overt and covert, regarding Blood Orchid Fragrance. He knew him well. The fact that he didn't know this piece of information suggested it was fresh intelligence, likely arriving via carrier pigeon.

"Because of that, he's quite popular in some circles. He seems to be in the area for business. What should we do?"

"Hmm! Blood Orchid Fragrance…"

It was certainly an appealing prospect.

"Should we proceed?"

If Naedai gave his approval, Blood Orchid Fragrance could receive a request for a contract tomorrow. Along with half of the agreed-upon fee, as per custom!

But…

Twitch!

Wince!

Manager Jo naturally felt intimidated by Naedai's chilling gaze, which was waiting for an answer.

"Are you insane?"

"No!"

"If you don't want to ruin the business, don't even think about it! Do you think I'm not using force because I don't know how?"

Naedai, who seemed ready to cheer in agreement, became furious, causing Manager Jo to grumble inwardly. It was unreasonable to feel like he was being scapegoated. Naedai soon shook his head from side to side.

"Forget it! Forget it! Blood Orchid Fragrance alone cannot defeat that guy and Yeomdo behind him! You don't seem to realize how formidable Yeomdo is! Instead of hiring someone so expensive and likely to fail, it's more profitable to just waste money on drinks. After all, he doesn't drink until ruin, does he?"

He doesn't drink to ruin! That was Naedai's only consolation. It was true that Bi Ryuyeon, with Yeomdo backing him, never extorted excessively beyond reason.

'Still, maybe I should try?'

After scolding Manager Jo for a while, Naedai found himself wrestling with intense temptation, but he forcefully suppressed it."