Chapter 24 : We Meet Again. -02

Chapter 24: We Meet Again. -02

Several presences were felt at the entrance to the training grounds.

At the same time, a familiar voice cut across the training grounds.

“Who is it?”

When an unfamiliar voice greeted them cheerfully, Seo Joun narrowed his brows.

He was wary of the sudden visitors.

However, Seo I-gyeong’s expression as he brought the guests over was different.

For some reason, he looked slightly flushed.

“Ah, my apologies for the late greeting. I was so pleased to meet Great Hero Ban that I forgot to introduce myself. It’s my first time meeting you. I am Geum Hoyeon of the Geum Family.”

“T-the Geum Family?”

Judging by his lavish attire, Seo Joun had assumed he was someone of no ordinary status, but he had not expected him to be from the Geum Family, which dominated the Central Plains commercial world, and he was genuinely startled.

Moreover, from the way he spoke, he seemed to be acquainted with Ban Hojin.

“That’s right. But aren’t you going to introduce yourselves?”

“Ah! My apologies. I am Seo Joun of the Seo Family Estate. It is an honor to meet you!”

“Haha, I wouldn’t go that far. If anything, those words suit Great Hero Ban much better.”

“I know very well how amazing my elder brother is.”

“Elder brother?”

Geum Hoyeon, who had been wearing a warm smile, was startled for a moment.

He had not expected Ban Hojin and Seo Joun to be sworn brothers.

At the same time, his doubts deepened.

He could not understand why someone of Ban Hojin’s caliber was staying at the Seo Family Estate, a Martial Family that had completely fallen into ruin.

“Yes. He saved my life, so I serve him as my elder brother.”

“That makes me curious about the story.”

“It just so happened that our fates crossed.”

Ban Hojin cut him off.

There was no need to tell Geum Hoyeon about Seo Joun in detail.

They were not on bad terms, but they were not close either, so Ban Hojin wrapped up the conversation appropriately.

Seo Joun noticed that cue as well.

“I-I see.”

“By the way, what brings you here?”

“I was passing nearby on business and received word that Great Hero Ban was staying here, so I came by to pay my respects. If I knew and still passed by without greeting you, it would be rather discourteous. After all, we’re not just casual acquaintances—I owe you a life-saving grace. And I thought there might be something I could help with as well.”

“You heard through the Geum Family Trading Company.”

“Yes.”

Ban Hojin nodded.

However, he did not look surprised.

When he sold the byproducts of the White Toad of a Hundred Years at the branch of the Geum Family Trading Company located in Taigu County, he had used the identification token he received from Geum Hoyeon.

Since he was poor at bargaining, he thought he might not get a fair price if he sold them outright, so he used the identification token, and it seemed that this had been reported to Geum Hoyeon.

“Thanks to the identification token you gave me, I was able to conclude the transaction smoothly. Thank you.”

“It’s nothing. Compared to the help I received, it’s insignificant. Rather, I’m grateful that you made use of it like this.”

Geum Hoyeon replied with an easygoing smile.

In truth, he had not expected Ban Hojin to use the identification token.

That was the impression he had gotten when they parted.

Yet Ban Hojin had used it surprisingly quickly.

‘He’s definitely connected to the Seo Family Estate.’

Geum Hoyeon glanced at Seo Joun, who was wiping sweat beside Ban Hojin.

Every situation pointed to being related to the Seo Family Estate.

Moreover, from the looks of it, Ban Hojin even seemed to be personally overseeing their martial training.

“Shall we go inside for now? The weather is hot, so we might as well avoid the sunlight.”

As the conversation seemed to be dragging on, Seo I-gyeong cautiously spoke up.

As he did, he alternated his gaze between Ban Hojin and Geum Hoyeon with a freshly astonished expression.

He had not expected Ban Hojin to have ties with Geum Hoyeon.

“Let’s do that.”

“I’d like that as well.”

At Ban Hojin’s reply, Geum Hoyeon readily agreed.

The scorching sun beating down on the back of his neck had been unbearable anyway.

And to find out about Ban Hojin’s relationship with the Seo Family Estate, a deep conversation was essential, so Geum Hoyeon answered as if he had been waiting for it.

“Please follow me.”

Though much younger in age, Geum Hoyeon was the Second Young Lord of the Geum Family.

Moreover, as someone currently competing with the First Young Lord in a succession struggle, Seo I-gyeong treated him with proper courtesy.

That said, he did not grovel.

Though the Seo Family Estate was a fallen Martial Family now, he did not believe it would remain so forever.

‘Twenty years from now, the Seo Family Estate will be completely different from what it is today.’

Seo I-gyeong smiled confidently.

With Seo Joun, the youngest, they would surely achieve far more than merely restoring their former glory.

That was why Seo I-gyeong could be confident even before Geum Hoyeon.

Entering the old but neatly maintained detached annex, Geum Hoyeon took a seat and summoned the deputy commander of his escort unit.

There was something he had instructed him to do separately while he talked with Ban Hojin.

“Did you find out?”

“Yes.”

“He wouldn’t have told you willingly, would he?”

“Surprisingly, it wasn’t difficult. Perhaps because he’s simple-minded—when I treated him amicably, he talked quite freely. Of course, I did apply a bit of lubrication.”

“That’s only natural. There’s nothing free in this world.”

A bribe aside, a bit of lubrication was nothing to Geum Hoyeon.

And if he could obtain the information he wanted with a little lubrication, like a desperate man lowering himself, it was actually a profitable deal.

Rather than wasting time and money trying to save a few coins, it was far more advantageous to lubricate things from the start.

“Since it’s the countryside, fortunately it didn’t cost much.”

“Watch your words. Didn’t you see how Great Hero Ban views this place?”

“I-I’m sorry.”

At Geum Hoyeon’s flat yet all the more frightening voice, the deputy commander hunched his shoulders.

His personal martial prowess might far exceed that of the unit, but what mattered was that Geum Hoyeon was his employer.

Moreover, with a mere gesture, Geum Hoyeon could have his head taken, so the deputy commander remained extremely tense.

“I warned you again and again.”

“I will correct myself!”

“Your voice is too loud. Don’t forget that we are guests.”

“Yes.”

Geum Hoyeon let out a long sigh, as if frustrated.

His martial arts were serviceable, but everything else was lacking.

No—thinking of Ban Hojin, even his martial arts could hardly be called outstanding.

Ban Hojin, at the age of coming of age, had beaten down the Wolf King, who was called the pinnacle of wandering warriors.

‘It truly was beautiful.’

Even though he had seen it in the very midst of despair, Geum Hoyeon had witnessed beauty taken to its extreme in Ban Hojin’s single sword strike.

It was unmistakably a killing sword, yet paradoxically, what Geum Hoyeon felt was ultimate beauty.

It was the first time he had ever felt that a sword strike could be so beautiful.

At the same time, though he was a complete layman when it came to the sword, he also sensed just how extraordinary Ban Hojin’s level was.

“…….”

As he was briefly lost in thought, he felt a gaze quietly fixed on him.

The deputy commander was tactfully waiting in silence.

At that sight, Geum Hoyeon came back to his senses.

“Report.”

“Yes. According to what I found out, the Third Young Lord who was with Great Hero Ban had been suffering from the Nine Yang Severed Meridians until recently.”

“Nine Yang Severed Meridians?”

Geum Hoyeon tilted his head.

The Third Young Lord looked far too healthy for someone afflicted with the Nine Yang Severed Meridians.

“Yes. But it seems that Great Hero Ban treated it.”

“Hmm.”

At the deputy commander’s continued report, Geum Hoyeon stroked his chin.

His brows were tightly furrowed.

His first meeting with Ban Hojin and the byproducts of the White Toad of a Hundred Years came to mind at the same time.

When Ban Hojin had defeated the Iron King Samugung and treated him to a meal, he had said he was nearby on some personal business.

‘So that was the White Toad of a Hundred Years. Which means he knew about Seo Joun from the very beginning.’

Geum Hoyeon was also aware of the Nine Yang Severed Meridians.

It was a condition that was virtually impossible to cure.

If it were easy to treat, it would never have borne the name “severed meridians.”

However, if it could be cured, the situation changed entirely.

It would produce a talent of innate genius incomparable to anyone else.

Moreover, since he possessed talent in both literary and martial pursuits, Geum Hoyeon found his mouth watering.

‘No. I can just do the same thing.’

Geum Hoyeon shifted his thinking.

If Ban Hojin could do it, he believed he could as well.

Those born with severed meridians were rare, but if he searched, there might be others.

If he found them and treated them, he could naturally gather talented individuals.

‘The possibility is more than enough.’

After coming face to face with death due to the Iron King’s betrayal, Geum Hoyeon felt it keenly.

He needed talented people.

Not only now, but even after becoming the master of the Geum Family, talent would be absolutely necessary.

And not just any talent, but truly exceptional ones.

‘If it were up to my heart, I’d recruit him immediately, but…….’

The person Geum Hoyeon most wanted to recruit right now, no matter what anyone said, was Ban Hojin.

He was a martial artist with a promising future, but even his current strength was tremendous.

The problem was that Geum Hoyeon’s present vessel was not large enough to contain Ban Hojin.

Moreover, Ban Hojin now had Seo Joun, who could be called a genius among geniuses.

‘If only I could obtain both Great Hero Ban and Young Lord Seo, pushing aside the First Young Lord would be nothing.’

Geum Hoyeon smacked his lips.

Just imagining it made him feel immensely secure.

But the problem was that making it happen would not be easy.

“Phew.”

All that came out was a sigh.

Still, he had no intention of giving up.

Liu Bei had paid three visits to recruit Zhuge Kongming.

If even Liu Bei of all people had shown such sincerity, there was no reason he could not do the same.

If it was for the sake of obtaining Ban Hojin, this much effort was nothing.

Moreover, considering that he had learned about the talent named Seo Joun, coming here was by no means a waste of time.

‘First, I need to become close. Only then can I do anything. Even if I can’t recruit him, I must at least form an intimate relationship.’

Though he had dealt with the Third Young Lord, Geum Hoyeon’s war was not yet over.

Until he secured the position of Young Estate Lord, this war would continue, and for that, Ban Hojin’s existence was indispensable.

The greatest force in dismantling the Third Young Lord’s faction had been the Iron King’s death.

Everyone had prostrated themselves, believing that a master stronger than the Iron King was secretly protecting Geum Hoyeon, but if it became known that no such person actually existed, those who had bowed their heads would surely begin harboring other thoughts.

‘I’m recruiting experts, but their skills are all about the same. And I can’t even trust them.’

Unlike Ban Hojin, who had helped purely out of goodwill, those he had recruited this time had joined his ranks solely for Geum Hoyeon’s money.

In other words, if someone offered better conditions, they could defect at any time.

Of course, there would surely be some among them who were trustworthy, but it would take no small amount of time to identify them.

“If you give me time, I’ll look into things further. If dealing with the Third Young Lord is difficult, there are ways to approach the Second Young Lord and the First Young Lord as well.”

“That’s something you should obviously do. And not just those two—pay attention to the Seo Family Sect Leader as well. Their standing will be different from now on.”

With heaven-granted talent and a Murim master like Ban Hojin overseeing his martial arts, Seo Joun would grow at a terrifying pace.

Even his inner energy would be tremendous, so it would not be long before Seo Joun’s name spread throughout Jianghu.

“Understood.”

“Don’t do things halfheartedly—do them properly. This place is far more important than those ambiguous ones.”

“Yes!”

If he could form a good connection with Seo Joun, coming this far would not have been meaningless at all.

Moreover, if he could use Seo Joun to draw in Ban Hojin as well, it would be an unconditional gain for Geum Hoyeon.

Of course, it would not be easy, but for now, he had to do everything he could.

“Still, I’m glad I came. If I hadn’t, I probably wouldn’t have learned about Seo Joun.”