The Lazy Young Master of the Jin Clan

Gu Yong, who had fearlessly listened to Jin Sohyun's daegeum performance right in front of him, came to his senses after a whopping three days.

"Is this... the Peach Blossom Spring?"

"What Peach Blossom Spring for a beggar? Stop with the foolish talk and get up. Do you know how surprised Sohyun was, thinking you were dead?"

"Kkeung—!"

Gu Yong, who had come to his senses, drank the cold water O Yoran had brought and woke up his hazy mind.

"Thank you."

"..."

For some reason, he felt a sense of guilt and pity in O Yoran's eyes as she looked at him.

'It must have been Elder O who taught Jin Sohyun sound art.'

Even now, just thinking about that moment made his vision go dizzy.

It was only natural, as he had even infused his hearing with internal energy to observe Jin Sohyun's true nature, and thanks to that, Jin Sohyun's daegeum sound had filled Gu Yong's ears without any resistance.

And at that moment, Gu Yong realized something was wrong.

'Oh no! This brat is...!'

Jin Sohyun, who had realized he was being tested, had attacked him with sound art.

Gu Yong, without even a moment to defend himself, had been dealt a severe blow to his mind and body in a defenseless state and had fainted.

'Jin Sohyun... a formidable foe.'

A terrifying sound art hidden behind an innocent face.

And on top of that, the patience to wait for the prey to take the bait for a whopping fifteen days.

Jin Sohyun was like an assassin with a daegeum.

—Is my performance that bad?

And on top of that, the audacity to act as if he didn't mean it, with a tearful face at the end.

Gu Yong had never met such a terrifying being in his life.

'A natural-born killer. I thought the three heroes of the martial world were protecting Jin Sohyun... but that wasn't it.'

Gu Yong realized why Jin Sohyun was living in such a shabby mountain hut instead of the magnificent estate of the Jin Family.

Kang Cheon, Bieunggaek, and even O Yoran.

The three old masters were protecting the world from his son in return for Jin Seomok's sincerity.

'It seems they even taught him sound art to suppress his natural-born killing intent... but they didn't think he could kill people with sound art!'

There was no need to fill the entire month.

Since Jin Sohyun had started to be wary of him, there was no need to stay here any longer.

On the contrary, his presence would only increase Jin Sohyun's killing intent.

"It's been a while."

Gu Yong rummaged through his shabby clothes and took out a book.

The name of the book was [Encyclopedia of Central Plains Demonic Heads].

It was his own register and dictionary, which recorded the demonic heads of the evil sects that had disturbed or were likely to disturb the Central Plains.

Gu Yong's eyes, which had taken out the Encyclopedia of Central Plains Demonic Heads, shone with a cold light.

***

"I will be leaving now."

"It hasn't been a month yet... will you be alright?"

At Kang Cheon's question, Gu Yong gave a faint smile.

"I have obtained everything I needed to. I will see you in a better place next time. Then..."

At the sight of Gu Yong, who had come empty-handed and was leaving empty-handed, befitting a beggar of the Beggars' Sect who practiced coming empty-handed and leaving empty-handed, Kang Cheon let out a dry sigh.

"Phew... I'm glad it passed without any trouble."

"That beggar appreciated Sohyun's daegeum performance right in front of him. He won't spread strange rumors because of this, will he?"

"From what I heard, it seems he has no memory of that time. There's no need to worry too much."

"Still..."

O Yoran looked at the receding back of Gu Yong, biting her thumbnail anxiously.

Her fear was that Gu Yong might spread a rumor that Jin Sohyun, who had learned sound art from O Yoran, had performed a bizarre daegeum performance.

If such a thing happened, O Yoran's reputation as the Heavenly Sound Hundred Flowers would be overturned in an instant, and in the end, a rumor might even spread that she was the master of the Ghostly Wail Forest.

'No... that can't happen... no!!'

How hard had she worked to protect the beautiful title of Heavenly Sound Hundred Flowers?

The purity and nobility she had protected by giving up marriage might turn into bubbles because of that dirty beggar's mouth.

"I don't think this will do!"

"Wh-What are you thinking of doing?"

Kang Cheon was startled when O Yoran took out a white daegeum from her bosom.

It was because O Yoran's eyes, holding the daegeum, were strange.

'Her eyes have gone crazy!'

The flustered Kang Cheon shouted, looking for Bieunggaek, who was somewhere.

"Bieunggaek! Elder O's eyes have gone crazy! Help me at once!"

"Get out of the way! I will personally shut that beggar's mouth forever!"

"Calm... calm down!! Bieunggaek! You damn chicken-footed bastard!!"

While Kang Cheon was throwing his whole body to stop O Yoran, the footsteps of Gu Yong, who was going down the mountain, came to a halt.

"Do you still have business with me? Elder?"

Gu Yong faced Bieunggaek, who was blatantly blocking his path.

"Whatever you saw and whatever you felt up there... erase it all right here."

"It was a short time, but the days on the mountain were a very valuable experience for me... is there a reason why I should do that?"

"The world will become chaotic."

"The world will become chaotic..."

'That's right, you brat! If a rumor spreads that a genius like Sohyun is here, the Central Plains will be turned upside down, and if it attracts unnecessary attention, the Heretic's Path Alliance and the White Moon Palace won't just stand by!'

'He's trying to shut my mouth to protect Jin Sohyun, who has a killing intent!'

The two were thinking completely different things, but the conversation proceeded without a hitch.

"Did Young Master Jin learn sound art?"

"Yes. It's the sound art of the Heavenly Sound Hundred Flowers."

Bieunggaek deliberately emphasized O Yoran's title.

'Hehe... that pathetic sound art is the teaching of O Yoran, that ill-tempered old woman.'

'As expected... the essence of the Heavenly Sound Hundred Flowers was imbued in that amazing sound art.'

The two, once again harboring different intentions, glared at each other sharply.

"Don't be interested in Sohyun anymore."

"So what do I get?"

"Life."

"Life? Don't tell me... are you planning to kill me to silence me?"

Could it be that he was trying to protect Jin Sohyun to the point of killing him?

At Bieunggaek's firm attitude, Gu Yong felt a surge of fear.

But the one who was surprised by the unexpected answer was also Bieunggaek.

"...What? Why would I kill you."

"Then what does life mean?"

"Are you still pretending not to know?"

"Me?"

Bieunggaek, who nodded, approached Gu Yong and patted his waist.

"As far as I know, all beggars of the Beggars' Sect have knots, and they use them to know each other's rank."

"Well..."

"And the reason I was able to rob the Cheon Family's treasury was because of information a beggar gave me. Isn't it strange? The beggars of the Beggars' Sect are uncharacteristically tight-lipped. Especially information about the White Moon Divine Lord's treasury is information that one should know, but not know. How did he know such information... and why did he give it to me?"

Bieunggaek's gaze was colder and sharper than ever before. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

"It must have been for you to use me to gauge the level of the White Moon Divine Lord. To get the answer to the question, 'Can the Shadowless Thieving Ghost survive the blade of the enraged White Moon Divine Lord?'"

Gu Yong looked at Bieunggaek with a surprised face.

This old master named Bieunggaek was much more seasoned than he had thought.

"At the time, I was steeped in the sense of accomplishment of having robbed the treasury and didn't care, but just the fact that you used me is enough reason to kill you. Isn't that right, Gu Yong."

"..."

"But as I said, I have no intention of killing you right now. After all, you and I both got what we wanted."

"Then it means there's another way."

"The intelligence to find out about the Cheon Family's treasury and the confidence to be safe even after handing it over to me. And finally, the empty knot... the world may think of Gu Yong as just a beggar who knows a lot as much as he talks, but I know who you are."

Gu Yong's expression hardened.

"Think carefully. What the meaning of the life I mentioned is."

"...Freedom."

In order to protect his life of freely enjoying the pleasures of life, Gu Yong reluctantly raised both hands above his shoulders and signaled his surrender.

"Yes, I have lost, Elder Bi. So what is it that you want from me?"

"Literally. Forget everything about Jin Sohyun. No, write down his evaluation as I call it."

"Is that enough?"

"Yes."

"Then, how should I write the evaluation of Young Master Jin?"

"Write this in the Encyclopedia of Central Plains Martial Artists that you cherish like your life."

Bieunggaek crossed his arms and said proudly.

"The best lazy bum under the heavens, second to none! The Slothful Young Master of the Jin Family!"

Gu Yong, who had come down the mountain after making a certain deal with Bieunggaek, let out a deep sigh and looked down at his Encyclopedia of Central Plains Martial Artists.

"I vowed to write without falsehood... but it has been tainted."

His encyclopedia of martial artists, which should be more truthful than anything else, had been stained with false information.

Gu Yong forced back the tears that were flowing without notice.

"Keuk..."

As Gu Yong was pretending to wipe his tears and putting the book in his bosom, a group of people approached him.

They were dressed as beggars, just like Gu Yong.

Among them, a beggar with a whopping five knots approached Gu Yong and bowed his head.

"What brings the Branch Master here?"

"The Sect Leader is looking for you."

The beggar who raised his head said in an indifferent voice.

"Young Sect Leader."

***

"Puhahaha! Kang brat! What's with your hair!?"

Bieunggaek, who had returned to the mountain hut, burst into laughter at the sight of Kang Cheon with his disheveled hair.

"You chicken-footed brat! Where have you been!? Because you disappeared, I had to stop Elder O, who was trying to kill Gu Yong, all by myself!"

"I did something very important. So where did O Yoran go?"

"She's holed up in the hut."

"It's her own karma. She should have taught him well if she was going to teach him."

Creak—!

As the door of the hut flew open and O Yoran appeared with a face full of killing intent, Bieunggaek waved his hands with a pale face.

"I misspoke."

"If you misspeak one more time... I will make it so that you can never move that mouth again. Do you understand?"

Bieunggaek and Kang Cheon, who was standing next to him, could only nod at the same time.

Swoosh—

As O Yoran closed the door and disappeared as if nothing had happened, the two blinked and kept their mouths shut.

'I almost died because of that Gu Yong bastard! Tsk!'

If he had his way, he would have wanted to reveal Gu Yong's identity and what he had been doing right away.

But Bieunggaek kept his mouth shut.

A secret was like a sharp blade that was good to use.

The fewer people who knew, the sharper the blade became.

Bieunggaek had to endure the current injustice in order to protect the secret that only he knew.

In the meantime, Jin Sohyun, who was sprawled out comfortably, was enjoying the vacation that had come after a very long time, even yawning.

"Haaam—!"

***

"Did you rest well?"

"No. It's still very insufficient."

As Jin Sohyun did not think of getting up, with his body attached to the ground, Kang Cheon smirked.

"Elder O will be here soon... can you handle it?"

"Hah—!"

The only being among the three masters who made Jin Sohyun tremble in fear was O Yoran.

Jin Sohyun, who squirmed and got up from his spot, scratched his chin and asked.

"So what should I do now?"

At his question, Kang Cheon and the two masters who appeared after him faced Jin Sohyun with meaningful faces.

Jin Sohyun, who felt something was strange about their appearance, blinked.

"From now on, we, your masters, will teach you everything we have."

"Ah..."

The moment to impart all the teachings that had been postponed had finally come.

Jin Sohyun, who had straightened his slouching posture, clasped his hands and nodded.

"It will probably be incomparably harder and more painful than anything you've experienced so far. Are you prepared?"

"Yes!"

"Then there's no reason to delay any longer. Let's start right away."

"I understand."

And a short while later, the three masters, who had met in a place quite far from the small mountain hut that had been their dwelling, faced Jin Sohyun with a serious and solemn appearance that they had never shown before.

"What should I do now?"

Kang Cheon cleared his throat once and then spoke to Jin Sohyun, who had his usual innocent expression.

"Do you see the peaks in front of you?"

Jin Sohyun looked at the three peaks on the mountain top.

"Yes, I see them."

"There are gifts prepared by your masters on each of them. If you obtain all those gifts, you will be able to obtain what you desire the most."

"The thing I desire the most?"

Kang Cheon grinned at the blinking Jin Sohyun.

"Descending the mountain."

(End of Chapter)