Episode 24. The turning point of life
It took the two women three full days to learn the nine-thousand-year-old law. It was incredibly fast for someone who had just entered the martial arts.
While he was at it, he also taught them ‘Hyunnyeo Gangrim’, a form of ‘Gucheon Gugeom’. However, an unexpected problem occurred. No matter how much he explained, the women could not understand it.
He realized too late that he had to master the Nine Heavens Law to be able to enter the Nine Heavens Nine Swords.
In the end, he ended up teaching the nine-thousand-year-old law to the two women he was in love with. He was also concerned about Waryongjang, but he did not want to teach the fairy’s martial arts to the thieves.
Han Chae-yeon and Ha So-baek, who did not know the inside story, were grateful with just the ‘Baekja Gu-gyeol’, the anti-demon method, and one herb.
***
It is May, the month when flowers bloom.
Meanwhile, the life of Obongsanchae has become more prosperous. This is because the number of merchants coming and going from Obongsan has increased.
There is a reason why the number of merchants has increased despite the introduction of green forests in Mt. Obong.
Other Green Forest members not only robbed people of their wealth, but also took their lives just for fun.
Compared to those evil spirits and evil spirits, O Bong San Chae was a bodhisattva. He only collected one nyang of silver from merchants, regardless of the amount of their luggage.
Merchants from southern Hanam Province wanted to travel via Mt. Obong, which was safe and cheap.
Of course, the high water level of the water supply was an exception.
***
The water level is high.
After arriving at Mansu Sangbang, Cheonji Sangin did nothing for seven whole days. This was because the wind-blown swordsman Sangmucheon strongly urged him to first get rid of his toxins.
The upper room’s Ark Gwak Ja-ui only treated him with the utmost respect and did not even mention the subjugation of Mt. Obong. This was because on the day he met Cheonjisangin, he believed that ‘the subjugation was over.’
The 5th day of May, the 8th day.
The merchant who had been reading his fortune early in the morning said, “Good luck,” and left the room.
After a while, people and horses poured out through the main gate of Mansu Sangbang. Finally, about seventy soldiers of Cheonji Sangin and Sangbang set out to punish them.
The Mansu Sangbang warriors walked with their necks held high as if they were disciples of a shamanist sect. To put it nicely, it was majestic, to put it badly, it was like a fox pretending to be a tiger.
The movements of Mansu Sangbang were widely reported by word of mouth from eyewitnesses.
“Mansu Sangbang has set out to subjugate O Bong San Chae!”
“The great leader, the wind-blown swordsman Sangmucheon, has brought his master, Cheonjisangin!”
***
The rumor spread to Obongsanchae in just one day.
Thieves began to gather one by one at the recently completed Sanghwagak. They looked at each other with faces as if they were dying, like cattle being dragged to the slaughterhouse.
Chae Joo-pung-yeon-cho, who was sitting at the top, opened his mouth.
“Brothers, the Mansoo Sangbang is coming to attack us. I heard that these damned bastards have even dragged in the shamanist Cheonji Sangin. What should we do?”
The thieves could only sigh silently in front of the enormous nickname of the Heavenly Merchant.
The fourth, Heo Im-dal, spoke cautiously.
“Big brother, the guys from upstairs will arrive tomorrow… … How about running away to another place?”
But Poongyeoncho did not answer at all.
The Sanghwagak was plunged into a heavy silence.
Poongyeoncho, who was scratching his head, suddenly turned his gaze to Gumilbokgeom Simyanggak.
Will he have a plan like the last time Nanyangsangbang invaded?
“Hey, Sim No-je, if you have any good numbers, please let me know.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Sim Yang-gak sneered.
“Huh! Do you think you can deal with a monster like Cheonji Sangin with luck or tricks? That’s ridiculous.”
The angry debt collector, Tak Go-myeong, snapped.
“So what do you want to do?”
“Are you really asking because you don’t know? We should consider Obongsanchae to be finished.”
Sim Yang-gak, who thought he had already gone as far as he could, did not hide what was on his mind.
When the Madu, which was as big as Simyanggak, was finished, the bandits started to make a noise.
“What do we do now?”
“I have to stand out somehow.”
“Where?”
“What do you know? You have to go somewhere.”
The murmur of the people grew louder as time went by. Some even gathered others to run away with them. As the atmosphere became chaotic, Poongyeoncho shouted.
“Okay! Okay! Quiet! Quiet!”
Only then did the bandits shut their mouths one by one.
Anyway, since Poongyeoncho was still the owner, he had to follow his instructions.
“What do you think, Yeon-ah?”
The thieves’ eyes were all focused on Yeonjeokha.
They planned to go somewhere with Yeonjeokha. As long as Yeonjeokha was with them, they wouldn’t have much trouble going somewhere else.
“I don’t know.”
There is no way Yeon-jeok-ha, who is young and has little experience in the world, could have a solution.
However, when they heard such pitiful words, sighs escaped the thieves’ mouths.
As the disappointed bandits began to murmur again.
Muyeongshintu Baekgyo, who had been waiting patiently for the right time, opened his bow and shook it, saying.
“Hehehe, Poong Chae-ju. Let’s not waste time with an obvious answer in front of us. Let’s make a choice here and now, either move the mountain vegetables to another place quickly or split them up.”
Tak Go-myeong responded in an agitated voice.
“If you move to another place and the Heavenly Merchant comes back, what will you do then?”
“Wow! Is it only a day or two of banditry? Ask me something like that. I have to move to another place again.”
“No, shit! So you’re saying we should just keep wandering around, avoiding the Heavenly Merchant? Do the other Nokrim Mountain Cultivators do the same?”
When Tak Go-myeong protested harshly, even swearing, Baek-gyo’s eyes lit up with murder. If it weren’t for Yeon-jeok-ha, he would have run over and ripped off his mouth.
“Tsk tsk! Even if you’re a Chilpae clan, you won’t touch a famous mountain herb. It’ll be annoying if you keep nagging at us for revenge later. But we don’t have the ability to take revenge, and there’s no mountain herb to watch over us. Even the merchants of heaven and earth know that, so they got involved. If you don’t know your place and act like a fool, you’ll die a violent death.”
This time, Tak Go-myeong only grumbled and failed to refute.
It was frustrating, but Baek-gyo’s words were true.
‘Damn it! If only I had a year, I wouldn’t have gotten this far.’
The problem is that there aren’t many mountain vegetables since it was created not long ago. No, even if you had attended the Green Forest Competition and become acquainted with the nearby mountain vegetables…
The expression on Poongyeoncho’s face as he watched the two people’s argument changed from moment to moment. Thinking about the newly built house and pavilion, he should stay, but if he did, he would surely die.
The mind is like Takgo Myeong, but unfortunately, the reality is like Baek-gyo’s words, a violent death.
Should I run away or should I hold on?
A thousand thoughts passed through my head.
Hwang Yeo-myeong, the poisonous dwarf who was watching the conflicting Poongyeoncho, spoke oddly.
“Oh! What is there to worry about? What Brother Baek said is completely right. Why are you taking such a long time when the Heavenly Merchant is coming?”
Huang Yeoming’s words became shorter and shorter.
It was an ambiguous situation whether he was speaking informally or talking to himself, but no one was going to question it.
At that time, the third son, Ma Hyeong-do, took Tak Go-myeong’s side.
“Big brother! Let’s block the entrance like last time and see the face of the merchant. It would be too unfair to give up on the mountain vegetables just because of rumors.”
As expected, Hwang Yeo-myeong immediately jumped in.
“Don’t talk nonsense like that. What if the real Heavenly Merchant comes? Do you think lowlifes like us can run away from the Heavenly Merchant?”
The thieves nodded their heads at Huang Yeoming’s sharp remark.
However, Poongyeoncho, who sat at the top, was an exception.
He didn’t want to just give in to rumors and throw away the mountain vegetables. The sincerity he had poured into the O Bong Mountain Vegetables was too much of a waste. What if the merchant of heaven and earth doesn’t come back after all the effort he put into running away? Then he would become the laughing stock of the world.
Poongyeoncho looked at Yeonjeokha without realizing it.
Could Yeonjeokha stop Cheonjisangin even for a moment? If so, he could buy time to escape.
“Hey, Yeon-ah, by any chance. No, no.”
Without saying a word, Poongyeoncho shook his head.
No matter how much he tried to persuade Yeonjeok, it was impossible to deal with the merchant of heaven and earth. He didn’t want to force Yeonjeok, who had a bright future ahead of her, into a dangerous situation.
“What is it?”
When Yeonjeokha showed interest, Poongyeoncho gave in to her temptation.
“I thought it would be okay to run away after confirming that the Heavenly Merchant had come up. Can Abu hold back for a moment? Don’t think about pushing yourself too hard.”
Yeonjeokha, who had been thinking for a moment, asked again.
“Brother, that Taoist called Cheonjisangin. Can he cut a person with a blade of grass?”
The question is whether you are an expert.
But Poongyeoncho took those words at face value.
“I thought it wasn’t that bad? Why?”
Although Cheonji Merchant was famous, there had been no rumor about him ‘cutting people with blades of grass’.
“Then we can stop it for a little while.”
“really?”
A bright color appeared on Poongyeoncho’s face.
This is because if Yeonjeokha buys you time, your range of choices expands.
Sim Yang-gak poured cold water on the somewhat excited Poongyeoncho.
“Feng Chae-ju! It is true that his martial arts skills are excellent, but he will not be able to hold out long enough for us to escape. Are you willing to risk your life over something trivial?”
Baekgyo also sneered.
“I’m glad you can run away!
But Pungyeoncho, who had made up his mind, paid no attention.
“Brothers! I have no intention of abandoning the mountain village after hearing only rumors. I will stay until the end and confirm the face of the enemy. I will not force you. Those who will stay with me, stay, and those who will leave, leave.”
Sanghwagak was turned upside down by Poongyeoncho’s declaration.
“If we stay, we’ll die. Let’s just go.”
“I have to go. The shamans are different from the rascals in the upper ranks.”
“Damn, someone stop Chae Joo-nim.”
“I don’t know. I’ll go.”
As time passed, the bandits naturally split into two groups.
Far more bandits flocked to Simyanggak and Baekgyo, who said they would leave, than to Pungyeoncho, who said they would stay.
Sim Yang-gak’s eyes turned to the O Bong San Chae flag planted next to the Pung Yeon Cho. He was greedy for the flag, but it didn’t seem like Pung Yeon Cho would give it to him.
‘Tsk! If we’re going to promote ourselves as the flagship of O Bong San Chae, we need to have that… … .’
I guess I’ll have to come back later to get the flag.
Sim Yang-gak thought that the Pungyeoncho group would not be able to survive the punitive force. The shamanist masters were anxious because they could not kill Sapa.
When the battle was completely over, Huang Yeoming bowed his head to Shen Yangge and Baek Gyo.
“Brothers, let’s go.”
Led by Sim Yang-gak and Baek Gyo, about twenty thieves began to leave Sang Hwa-gak.
Cheon Gi-deok tapped his friend Lee Cheol-san on the arm.
“let’s go.”
“… … .”
But for some reason, Lee Cheol-san showed no intention of moving.
“What are you doing? Aren’t you going?”
“……uh.”
“What are you talking about? If you don’t go, you’ll die, kid. If you have eyes, look at the people who are left behind. Except for Yeon-hyung, they’re all worthless. This is not the time to act like a fool.”
But Lee Cheol-san didn’t budge an inch.
Now his gaze was fixed on Han Chae-yeon.
Only then did Cheon Gi-deok realize that Lee Cheol-san wanted to stay because of Han Chae-yeon.
“Are you by any chance… … .”
“Don’t worry. If it feels dangerous, I’ll run away right away. I have no intention of stopping or enduring it.”
“Wow! This kid. He’s crazy about women. I’m going. Follow him or not, it’s up to you. There’s more than just that one woman in the world. He’s crazy. He’s crazy.”
Cheon Gi-deok shook his head and left.
Lee Cheol-san, who had hesitated for a moment, walked towards Han Chae-yeon.
Blinded by unrequited love, Lee Cheol-san did not know that his current choice would determine the rest of his fate. The turning point in the life of the bandit Lee Cheol-san had come, but his eyes were still following Han Chae-yeon.
Wuxia,
