Chapter 172. Time (4)

In front of the main gate of the Seomoon Clan.

Two warriors who appeared to be gatekeepers were standing guard there.

Perhaps because it was a renowned clan, the spirit of the gatekeepers was quite strict.

Also, they did not act arrogantly, intoxicated by the clan’s name value.

They asked with a disciplined attitude.

“Who are you and where are you from?”

“I am Jin Yuseong of the Jin family. Is Young Clan Head Seomoon Ak or Teacher Sama inside?”

At my question, the gatekeepers showed a startled reaction.

“A-are you saying you are Great Hero Jin Yuseong?”

“How are we supposed to believe that?”

Like the Twin Heroes Alliance guys, I wondered what kind of reaction this was.

“Whether you believe it or not is up to you, but wouldn’t you know if you call Young Clan Head Seomoon Ak or Teacher Sama?”

At my question, the gatekeepers whispered amongst themselves.

Then one of them hurriedly ran inside the clan.

And a short while later. An urgent presence was felt from inside the manor, and a familiar face popped out.

“Young Clan Head Seomoon Ak. It has been truly a long time.”

When I expressed courtesy with a clasped hands greeting to Seomoon Ak, who had a dazed face, only then did Seomoon Ak also hurriedly take a clasped hands greeting.

“I, I greet Great Hero Jin.”

Seomoon Ak, who had reflexively expressed courtesy, approached me as if running and said.

“J-Jin Daehyeop. Are, are you really Jin Daehyeop?”

“You ask the same question as the people over there. Have I changed so much that I am unrecognizable?”

“N-no, it is not that. I heard you were dragged away by the F-Fighting Venerable…….”

“I was released a few days ago.”

Seomoon Ak’s expression changed variously moment by moment.

The place where Seomoon Ak’s face finally arrived after undergoing complex changes was relief.

“Haa. It is truly, truly a relief, Great Hero. It is truly a relief to see you again like this.”

Seomoon Ak, who was speaking like that, let out a faint exclamation as if realizing something.

“Ah. I have committed a great discourtesy by keeping a guest standing like this. Please, come inside.”

“Then excuse me.”

On the way into the Seomoon Clan following behind Seomoon Ak.

I could faintly hear the conversation of the gatekeepers who had stopped me.

“Is that man really the Great Hero Jin the young masters spoke so much about?”

“To return alive after meeting the Fighting Venerable. He must be a truly tremendous master.”

Listening to their voices, important business came to mind.

“By the way, what on earth have you been going around saying about me?”

As if guilty, Seomoon Ak flinched and spoke.

“Yes? Wh-what do you mean?”

“After parting with the Fighting Venerable. I encountered prodigies calling themselves the Twin Heroes Alliance three times while coming here.”

I couldn’t even bring myself to say the things they mentioned about my name.

“Ahem. Th-that is……. We did not intend for it to be like that from the start.”

Seomoon Ak, coughing in vain, continued the story as if making an excuse.

“As the Great Hero knows, originally it was a gathering where we gathered among ourselves to discuss martial arts and chivalry. Then once, such a topic came up. Asking if there was a need to discuss these stories only among ourselves.”

He mentioned Teacher Sama.

“Didn’t Teacher Sama also say it? That education is important. Education isn’t limited to teaching children, is it?”

So, starting with young warriors of small and medium sects in the nearby area, they often invited people to the clan to have this and that conversation.

“Of course, we had time to compete in martial arts through duels and discuss our respective thoughts on chivalry but……. It just happened that the youngest…….”

Did they say speak of the tiger and it will come?

Just as Seomoon Ak was about to mention the youngest young master, Seomoon Ho, suddenly Seomoon Ho’s voice was heard.

“Great Hero Jin!!”

Seomoon Ho, who shouted loudly, ran toward this side with all his might.

Looking over there, Teacher Sama and Seomoon Yeong were also coming this way together.

“See. Brother! Didn’t I tell you! There is no way Great Hero Jin would die to the likes of the Fighting Venerable!”

‘Likes of the Fighting Venerable’, he says.

I felt he was exactly the type of guy to cause trouble by running his mouth carelessly somewhere.

“Ahem. Since that guy proudly blabbed Great Hero Jin’s anecdotes as if they were his own every time at the gathering, it became like that.”

Blushing, Seomoon Ak finished his words.

Thus, I asked Seomoon Ho who had approached in no time.

“Young Master Seomoon. I heard about a place called the Twin Heroes Alliance by chance while coming here. By any chance, did you go around talking about me?”

“Hahaha. Have you heard the news already?”

“Why did you go around talking about me?”

“As we discussed chivalry, it naturally turned out that way. Who else would be the Chivalrous Hero if not Great Hero Jin Yuseong!”

Seomoon Ak covered his face with his hands as if he had a headache.

He sighed once and was about to say something to Seomoon Ho, but Teacher Sama’s voice was heard.

“Hahaha. It is as Young Master Seomoon says. Isn’t the world becoming a little better because of Brother Jin’s chivalrous acts?”

“……What does that mean?”

At my question, Teacher Sama smiled gently and said.

“First of all, I am glad you are safe.”

“I am also glad that Teacher Sama seems to be doing well here. By the way, what did you mean just now?”

“A significant number of young warriors in the Hubei region are living with great ambitions regarding chivalry. Thanks to that, even in this chaotic time, the Black Way cannot run rampant in Hubei at least. It is all thanks to Great Hero Jin.”

It seemed the Twin Heroes Alliance was exerting great influence near Hubei.

I couldn’t understand why that was thanks to me.

But there was one thing more bothering than that.

“A chaotic time, what does that mean……?”

“Didn’t the leaders of the three major factions of the Black Way suffer mishaps because of that Fighting Venerable? I heard two died, and the Unwol Sect Leader also lost an arm.”

“Are they fighting for territory, gathering and scattering as the leaders disappeared?”

Teacher Sama nodded.

“Fights broke out among the Black Way bastards almost every day, and innocent civilians were swept up in it more than once or twice. According to news heard from here and there, recently the Unwol Sect is especially expanding its power.”

“I guess it’s because the leader is safe unlike the other two places.”

“Yes. Initially, I heard there were several rebellions inside the Unwol Sect targeting the Unwol Sect Leader who lost an arm. But recently, I heard the Unwol Sect Leader has somewhat quelled the internal strife and is absorbing other places in earnest.”

“Unwol Sect Leader. If I can find out his location, I must visit him.”

He was a guy with whom I had a lot of bad blood.

Since I almost died because of his raid last time, shouldn’t I visit him this time?

“By the way, since when did Teacher Sama become so well-versed in the affairs of the Jianghu?”

“Hahaha. It is thanks to the Twin Heroes Alliance Brother Jin mentioned. Those who went on chivalrous acts would visit here and tell stories of what they saw and experienced. Also, the Beggar’s Gang often delivers news.”

“From the Beggar’s Gang?”

“Yes. This is also thanks to Brother Jin’s chivalrous acts. The Beggar’s Gang says they owe a debt to Brother Jin and is helping in various ways. Ah, even the Beggar’s Gang Leader visited once.”

To think the Gang Leader whom I hadn’t even met came here.

What on earth happened while I was trapped in the cave?

Looking at Teacher Sama quietly, there were many other things that had changed.

How should I put it. He was somewhat similar yet different from the Brother Sama I remembered from my past life.

A few years ago. When I met Teacher Sama in Jiangxi, he still had his baby fat.

The will he harbored inside and the wisdom in his head were mature, but at least his appearance was like a child of that age transitioning from a boy to a young man.

On the other hand, now he exuded an atmosphere that anyone would agree suited the title of ‘Teacher’.

For some reason, a faint arc was drawn on my lips.

I sent him here simply with the intention of taking care of the children kidnapped by the Red Moon Falling Flowers.

But Teacher Sama was continuing meetings with the prodigies here and gradually unfolding his own will.

Like me in my past life, he was throwing questions to the inexperienced. So that they could ponder what is truly right.

But it was different from my past life.

Unlike the past life where he died futilely to trash like Hyeok Ilso, this time his great will was slowly sprouting.

It seemed he sold my name a little in the process, but it was something I didn’t mind.

It seemed likely that it was Seomoon Ho, not Teacher Sama, who sold my name anyway.

“The Gang Leader said this. He wanted to meet Brother Jin at least once, but it was truly regrettable that he missed the timing because of the Fighting Venerable.”

“Hahahaha. Still, now that Great Hero Jin has returned safely like this, can’t you meet the Beggar’s Gang Leader anytime?”

Ignoring the brightly innocent words of Seomoon Ho, I asked Teacher Sama.

Since Teacher Sama seemed to be doing well, it seemed I should resolve some urgent business now.

“Since you hear a lot of news, I ask, do you know where my companions are currently?”

***

After briefly hearing news about his companions from Sama Hyeon and Seomoon Ak, Jin Yuseong headed to the Seomoon Clan’s Leader’s Hall.

Since he came as a guest, it was proper to at least greet the master of the house before leaving.

“I greet the Clan Head.”

As Jin Yuseong expressed courtesy and offered a greeting, the Seomoon Clan Head took a clasped hands greeting in return.

“I did not expect to meet the Great Hero Jin Yuseong, whom I only heard of, in person like this.”

It was an appearance of showing utmost courtesy despite being the head of a renowned clan.

“I heard you encountered the Fighting Venerable about three years ago. What happened to the Fighting Venerable? Did Great Hero Jin win?”

Jin Yuseong shook his head.

“We did have a duel, but I lost.”

“Hoh……. That person will bring a bloodbath to the Jianghu again soon.”

“There will probably be no such thing.”

The Seomoon Clan Head expressed doubt, but Jin Yuseong did not bother to answer that the Fighting Venerable was dying of old age.

After exchanging small talk for a while. Jin Yuseong took a clasped hands greeting.

“I have urgent business, so I think I should leave now. Please forgive the discourtesy.”

“It seems I was tactlessly holding onto a busy person. Safe travels.”

As soon as the greeting was finished, Jin Yuseong left like the wind.

“…….”

The Seomoon Clan Head, who watched where Jin Yuseong left for a while with his mouth shut, turned his head to look at his eldest son.

“Hehehe. When I first heard from you guys, I thought the exaggeration was quite severe.”

“How was it in Father’s view?”

At Seomoon Ak’s question, the Seomoon Clan Head stroked his beard.

When his children returned after finishing their first journey into the Jianghu. The youngest son talked about that Jin Yuseong until pus came out of his ears.

At that time, the Seomoon Clan Head listened to the youngest son’s story with one ear and let it flow out the other.

He just passed it off thinking his still young youngest son was greatly impressed.

And when the young man named Sama Hyeon mentioned Jin Yuseong, he was half in doubt.

Sama Hyeon who came to the Seomoon Clan with his children.

He was a truly amazing young man even in the Clan Head’s view.

Children. He was young, the same age as even the youngest Seomoon Ho, but his learning surpassed him, the Clan Head.

If one conversed with him, one would rather learn more. That was why he willingly accepted him as a guest.

Since such a young man held the man named Jin Yuseong in exceptionally high regard, it was exceedingly surprising.

And immediately after facing Jin Yuseong for the first time today. The Seomoon Clan Head realized instinctively.

That he was a master at least equal to himself. Perhaps a master a level above himself.

That was why he asked if he had won against the Fighting Venerable.

Wait, it felt like a hollow laugh would flow out.

He heard Jin Yuseong’s age was even younger than his youngest son, Seomoon Ho.

But to think he might be superior to himself, who was counted among the masters in Hubei.

“I think I understand why the Fighting Venerable showed interest in Great Hero Jin.”

Thus, the Seomoon Clan Head was willingly calling Jin Yuseong, who was the age of his son, a Great Hero.

“By the way, do you happen to know why Great Hero Jin is leaving so urgently?”

“He seems to be going to find the Unwol Sect Leader.”

“Hoh. A chivalrous journey as soon as he escaped the Fighting Venerable’s grasp after about three years. Truly amazing.”

The Seomoon Clan Head also knew. That Jin Yuseong almost died from the joint attack of the three leaders before being kidnapped by the Fighting Venerable.

But now, he wasn’t worried at all.

At the father’s words, Seomoon Ak smiled faintly.

“A chivalrous journey is a chivalrous journey, but I think he probably has other business as well.”

At his son’s words, the Seomoon Clan Head, retracing his memory, smiled faintly.

“Ah. Come to think of it, those children also said they were chasing the whereabouts of the Unwol Sect Leader.”

Some of Jin Yuseong’s companions were there.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep