Chapter 250 : . Strange Reunion (1)

Chapter 250: Strange Reunion (1)

The three of us entrusted our horses to the Jeomsoi of the Twin Flower Dining Hall and entered the inn.

Surprisingly, the Twin Flower Dining Hall was bustling with guests.

Even in my previous life, this place was frequented only by high-ranking officials, great tycoons, wealthy merchants, and scions of prestigious families. Half of the seats were always empty.

But now, it was nearly full—clearly, an unusually large crowd had gathered.

“What’s going on? Did the food prices drop?”

I muttered and looked around at the guests, but that didn’t seem to be the reason.

Everyone was dressed in luxurious garments made from rare and expensive fabrics.

Curious, I asked the Jeomsoi.

“Why are there so many guests here?”

“You didn’t know? I thought you came here because you knew.”

At her answer, I gave her a puzzled look and asked again.

“What do you mean?”

“You know, don’t you? That famous Chouhui is staying at our inn. She came down for lunch. All these people are gathered just to catch a glimpse of her, even if only from afar.”

“Ah.”

I nodded slowly and thought to myself.

‘So Eum Sajeok was telling the truth when he said Chouhui was in Jeongju.’

Honestly, I hadn’t fully believed him.

“Young Master, I’m sorry, but the only table left is in that corner. Is that alright?”

The table in the corner was vacant because it didn’t offer a view of the second floor, where Chouhui was dining.

“We’ll take that one.”

The Jeomsoi led me there, took our orders, and disappeared into the kitchen.

“To think people would make such a fuss just to see Chouhui… Men really are helpless in front of a beauty.”

Jeong Suji looked at the men staring up at the second floor, their expensive meals untouched, with a disgusted gaze.

“Second Young Mistress, do you know Chouhui?”

“There’s so much talk about her that it’s hard not to hear, even if you don’t want to. They say you need to buy a Gold Token just to pass the gate and see her. I wonder how confident she must be in her looks to pull that kind of stunt. But I’ll bet she’s not as pretty as me.”

“Hahaha, is that so?”

“What? You don’t believe me? They say she wears a veil to cover her face. What does that tell you? A real beauty wouldn’t hide behind a veil.”

“Well, that could be true.”

I didn’t even glance at the second floor. Then Jeong Daji looked at me slyly.

“Young Master Yong, are you not interested in Chouhui?”

At that, Jeong Minji stared intently at my face.

I responded with a faint smile.

“I tend to cherish those around me. I don’t pay much attention to distant people. I believe in loving and cherishing those whom I already hold dear.”

“Hmph, that’s a fine sentiment.”

When Jeong Daji glanced to the side, she saw her eldest sister Jeong Minji lowering her head with a pleased expression.

This question had been asked for her sake.

Then Jeong Daji muttered as she spotted a young man going up to the second floor.

“Huh? Isn’t that Dang Cheolgi?”

Sure enough, the surrounding martial artists began murmuring.

“Dang Cheolgi of the Tang Clan is acting quite bold.”

Half of the seated guests were martial artists dressed in fine clothes. They were skilled warriors unconcerned with money.

‘Good grief, so this is what Dang Cheolgi was doing instead of arriving. He must’ve come to see Chouhui.’

Do Gye-gong had requested help from the Tang Clan, and I had been told Dang Cheolgi would arrive soon. I had been looking forward to his arrival.

When the Sky Ocean Merchant Union was attacked, Dang Cheolgi’s presence had been desperately needed. With his expertise in poison and hidden weapons, the damage might have been reduced.

Even if it was frustrating, I could understand the youthful impulse to catch a glimpse of Chouhui.

As Dang Cheolgi climbed the stairs, a martial artist who had already taken a position ahead of him spoke up.

“Follow the order. Even if you are the Young Master of the Tang Clan, you should abide by the code of the Jianghu.”

Dang Cheolgi sneered.

“The code of the Jianghu? Does even meeting a woman require adherence to such a thing?”

“Of course. Most of those gathered here are Murim people.”

Dang Cheolgi engaged in a quarrel with the martial artists but showed no intention of backing down.

“We’d better eat quickly and leave.”

I called over the Jeomsoi and urged her.

“Understood. I’ll hurry the cooks and have the food brought out quickly.”

To think that seeing a beauty whom one might barely glimpse even with a Gold Token could cause such a commotion.

“Let’s just cancel the order and leave.”

Jeong Minji said to me, clearly annoyed by the chaos.

“No. We must eat here at least once.”

Even in the disorder, the dishes of the Twin Flower Dining Hall were too delicious to give up. I wanted to share that flavor—this was my intent.

Just then, several men boldly entered through the inn’s doors. When I saw one of their faces, my eyes widened.

Jeong Minji quickly sent me a telepathic transmission.

–Isn’t that Lee Yung?

–Yes. I’d heard he was following Chouhui around, but it turns out to be true.

–What should we do?

–Let’s just watch for now. Tell your younger sisters to suppress their momentum.

I noticed Jeong Suji and Jeong Daji raising their killing intent upon seeing Lee Yung, so I gave the warning.

Soon, their killing intent subsided.

–But for him to appear without any disguise.

–Probably because his current face is good-looking, so he felt no need.

Lee Yung, entirely fixated on Chouhui, hadn’t noticed us sitting in the corner.

Moreover, as soon as he entered the hall, the brewing scuffle between Dang Cheolgi and the other martial artist drew everyone’s attention, including his.

I glanced behind Lee Yung and saw a girl and four martial artists following him.

‘So those are the girl and the Ghost Spirit Demonic Practitioners the Demonic Master mentioned.’

Lee Yung hadn’t noticed, but Myeolhwa had sensed the flash of killing intent that had briefly flown their way. She lifted her head and looked in our direction.

The girl, though her eyes were closed, was looking right at me.

‘That girl has advanced Qi Sensory Perception. Even with her eyes closed, she pinpointed exactly where the killing intent came from.’

Fortunately, the killing intent had been quickly withdrawn, so the girl didn’t seem to feel in immediate danger.

Not surprisingly, due to the quarrel between Dang Cheolgi and the martial artist, killing intent was leaking from all over the inn.

People feared that Chouhui might leave because of the disturbance and were responding with growing hostility.

As the situation grew more entertaining, any thoughts of the food left my mind—I now wanted to see how this entire event would unfold.

“Step aside.”

Lee Yung spoke to Dang Cheolgi and the martial artist blocking the stairs.

“Why should I step aside?”

Dang Cheolgi tilted his chin toward Lee Yung and replied.

“Because I intend to go up.”

“What a ridiculous fellow. Can’t you see the people lined up over there?”

“What does their line have to do with where I intend to go?”

“Hmph, so you’re just going to push your way through.”

Dang Cheolgi stared at Lee Yung for a moment, then for some reason stepped aside.

“Go ahead.”

As Dang Cheolgi made way, the martial artist ahead barked out.

“Who are you to tell people to step aside or not? Get in line!”

At those words, Myeolhwa had already stepped forward and grabbed the martial artist’s throat, hurling him down the stairs.

Thud!

Overwhelmed in a single move and slammed into the floor, the martial artist reached for his sword.

“If you draw that sword, you’ll die.”

Lee Yung said coldly, emanating killing intent. The martial artist realized he was no match and couldn’t draw his blade.

Humiliated and unable to see Chouhui, the martial artist clenched his teeth and stormed out of the inn.

Lee Yung resumed his climb and addressed the martial artist in front of him.

“Move aside.”

“Hmph, try me. I’m not so easy.”

As he said, the martial artist radiated the momentum of a First-rate Martial Artist. But even he was subdued in an instant by Myeolhwa and tumbled down the stairs.

Climbing several more steps, Lee Yung smiled faintly.

He believed that by flaunting his martial prowess like this, Chouhui wouldn’t dare disregard him.

Until the top of the staircase, no one had lasted more than ten seconds against Myeolhwa without suffering the same fate.

But the one at the top of the stairs was different.

Yong Hwarin didn’t think Myeolhwa would be able to overcome this opponent so easily.

On the youth’s martial arts uniform, a clearly embroidered fist symbol was visible—it was the emblem of the Jin Family of Jinju, renowned for its fist arts.

Other martial artists refrained from drawing weapons in front of Chouhui and ended up at a disadvantage when fighting Myeolhwa with bare hands or basic techniques.

If they had fought with their Beloved Weapon, the outcome might have been different.

However, this young man’s primary martial art was fist-based, so Myeolhwa held no advantage.

“As expected.”

Just as Yong Hwarin thought, Myeolhwa could not easily overpower the youth of the Jin Family of Jinju.

In fact, she gradually began to retreat down the stairs under pressure. Then one of the Ghost Spirit Demonic Practitioners silently stepped forward and took her place.

“Good, all of you come at me!”

The youth of the Jin Family of Jinju shouted confidently.

He believed it was a chance to display his dignity and martial strength before Chouhui.

However, even without using a sword, the Ghost Spirit Demonic Practitioner broke the Jin Family youth’s arm around the twenty-second mark.

Crunch!

His arm broken, the young expert from the Jin Family glared at Lee Yung with venomous eyes and then also exited the inn.

With that, Lee Yung had effectively cleared out most of the martial artists lined up to meet Chouhui.

But again, they were blocked by another martial artist.

Fan Yegok spoke politely.

“The Young Mistress wishes to dine quietly. Please leave.”

Fan Yegok was actually grateful that Lee Yung had chased off the others.

“What are you saying? At the very least, shouldn’t she meet the one who defeated all the others?”

Then from behind, Dang Cheolgi spoke up.

“Would you kindly move?”

When Lee Yung turned around, Dang Cheolgi looked up from below with a sly grin.

He was creating the same situation as Lee Yung had just done.

“If you want to pass here, just beat me.”

“Is that so?”

As one of the Ghost Spirit Demonic Practitioners approached to stop him, Dang Cheolgi hurled a hidden weapon.

It was a Cow Hair Needle, a fine needle barely visible to the eye.

“Hm?”

But the Ghost Spirit Demonic Practitioners were not the sort to fall to such simple hidden weapons. They were martial artists who no longer felt pain or bled.

Due to that, the timing slipped, and Dang Cheolgi was forced onto the defensive.

Still, thanks to his exceptional martial skills, he managed to fend off one of the Ghost Spirit Demonic Practitioners with ease.

He used the Tang Clan’s famed Golden Silk Technique, specifically the Leaf-Grabbing Net Technique, to overpower the practitioner’s Golden Silk Technique.

Since the Tang Clan specialized in hidden weapons and poison administration, they possessed deeper knowledge than most sects when it came to Golden Silk Techniques and trap formations.

To make matters worse, he continued to toss hidden weapons intermittently, making him an enormous threat.

Thock!

Thud-thud-thud-thud!

One of the Ghost Spirit Demonic Practitioners finally fell to Dang Cheolgi’s Leaf-Grabbing Net Technique.

The practitioner bounced down the stairs like a pounded rice cake.

“So, you really want to do this, huh.”

Lee Yung’s face twitched.

Just then, a jade-like voice flowed from the table where Chouhui was seated.

“Please stop.”

The moment her words were spoken, both Dang Cheolgi and Lee Yung froze in place.