Chapter 11

Indeed, it was potent. Just one cup, and heat was radiating from every part of her body.

"Eat some snacks and drink slowly."

His tone held a hint of concern.

Just then, the waiter came in again. He performed a feat, carrying four dishes at once, two in each hand.

"Woo-ah-ah-ah! Over here, over here! That smell is amazing! Looks delicious!"

The man was so delighted in such an innocent way that Jeong Charyeon couldn't help but chuckle.

It was an expression that couldn't be faked, even on purpose.

Jeong Charyeon sat back down. She wondered how on earth they were going to eat all that food.

The man rubbed his hands together, savoring the aroma of the dishes.

"The old sages spoke of the three joys of life: that one's parents and siblings are safe and sound, that one feels no shame before Heaven in dealing with others, and that one obtains and educates the talented of the world. Of course, those are fine words, but I've always thought the true three joys of life are hearty eating, hearty defecation, and hearty sleeping. Eating well, shitting well, and sleeping well—what life could be more enjoyable than that?"

Did he have to say that in front of food? And what a shame, the food here was really terrible. That much was clear from the first bite of the mountain greens.

The man tore off a duck leg and bit into it with his mouth full.

"Woo-ah-ah-ah-ah!"

He screamed loud enough to shake the inn.

Then he spat out the meat he had bitten off.

"...Tastes awful."

Jeong Charyeon burst out laughing at the sight.

"Hahaha hahaha!"

It was truly satisfying.

The man tasted each dish one by one.

"Ugh! What is this?"

He frowned deeply and stuck his head out of the room.

"Hey! You there! Get the cook out here right now! Tell him to write his will before he comes up! This is the last dish he'll ever make, so he better put his heart and soul into it! Tell him to throw his own hand in to make the broth!"

He really couldn't stay still for a moment. Whether they were busy or deliberately pretending not to hear, no one came.

Jeong Charyeon, unable to watch any longer, said, "It's your fault, though."

"Huh?"

"Isn't it your fault for ordering so much food on such a busy day, without even knowing how good the cooking is here?"

Then the man readily admitted, "You're right, it's my mistake."

Oh? For once?

"I actually get cravings when I'm nervous."

As he said this, the man's expression became quite serious.

"I have a big thing coming up."

"Why? Because of the tournament?"

"No. Of course, I'll win that little tournament."

Oh, sure, you will.

"Then what is it?"

"I'm going to conquer this Hubei region. It's my goal for the year."

Jeong Charyeon was so dumbfounded and speechless that she couldn't even manage a wry smile this time.

Well, that's what wine and swords were made for, right?

Jeong Charyeon chose wine. Her second cup was emptied without her realizing it. Her insides were burning up.

Oblivious to Jeong Charyeon's feelings, the man continued earnestly, "Fighting one-on-one isn't a problem, but taking over an entire region is a whole different ball game. It's not just about beating up the guys who are already running things here. There's a lot to worry about, a lot to do. I have a lot of concerns. That's when I crave meat."

As he said this, he bit into the meat he had said was awful. He ate it well, even as he frowned.

Even if he had such a grand goal, why was he telling her? Was he going to tell the waiter next?

Jeong Charyeon shook her head and said, "I live in this Hubei region too... so I guess I'll be conquered as well."

It was a provocative statement, wondering how he would respond.

The man stared at Jeong Charyeon without a word. He suddenly became serious, making Jeong Charyeon nervous. It was a completely different feeling from when he was spouting nonsense. This guy's demeanor changed so much between when he was smiling and when he was expressionless.

"Will you let me conquer you?"

Even his voice was so serious that Jeong Charyeon was greatly taken aback.

But I'm not the woman in your fantasies.

"I can kill you, though."

At Jeong Charyeon's fierce gaze, the man grinned and returned to his original expression. He mumbled, chewing on the duck meat, "There's a bird called the Ice Bird in the Great Snow Mountains. You catch it and wrap it in mud. You roast it over a bonfire for about an hour, sprinkle it with a little salt, and have a glass of Ice Snow Wine with it. Woo-ah! I miss it. I miss it so much."

The Great Snow Mountains were more than ten thousand miles away from here. Aside from the bone-chilling cold and the ruggedness of the mountains, it was the headquarters of the North Sea Ice Palace, a place where outsiders could not freely roam. Moreover, Ice Snow Wine was a very precious wine that the Palace Lord of the North Sea Ice Palace was said to enjoy.

He drank it on the top of the Snow Mountains? He spoke so plausibly that a truly naive person would have been completely fooled.

Oh, wait, wasn't one of the Eight Beauties of the Martial World the daughter of that North Sea Ice Palace Lord?

"There's a cute girl among the local gentry's daughters in that area."

Surely he wasn't describing the North Sea Ice Palace like that?

"She was so crazy about me that I had a hard time leaving her behind. Even her parents came after me to catch me. They were jumping up and down, saying they were going to freeze me to death with one palm strike."

If what he said was true, then the Palace Lord of the North Sea Ice Palace had come. This guy was definitely the biggest liar in the Martial World.

"So?"

Even if it was a lie, there were lies that made you curious about what came next.

"Well, I just went back."

"Why?"

"If it turned into a fight between elders, my family would have a considerable advantage."

This made no sense, and she couldn't understand it.

"Stop it already!"

Was it because of the alcohol? Jeong Charyeon's voice was a little louder.

"Stop what?"

"That lying! What kind of person are you that you lie every time you open your mouth?"

"I'm not lying."

At that moment, the door opened slightly, and someone peeked inside.

"Oh, it is you. I thought the voice sounded familiar."

The one who opened the door and entered cheerfully was Hyeok Isang, the heir to the Dragon Tiger Sect.

"Wow! Long time no see!"

Hyeok Isang was Jeong Charyeon's childhood friend, whom she had grown up with. They used to hang out quite often when they were little, but as they got older, they had fewer opportunities to see each other, and they naturally became awkward. The little Hyeok Isang now looked quite grown up.

"How have you been?"

"So-so. How about you?"

It was awkward for them to speak informally to each other, but Hyeok Isang acted more comfortably than she expected.

"Me? Well, you've become even more beautiful? Hey, it's been a while, let's have a drink."

Without waiting for a response, Hyeok Isang called to the group waiting in the hallway. Three people, one man and two women, entered. Judging by their attire, they were scions of prestigious families, and the man looked somewhat familiar.

"Let me introduce you. This is Young Master Jang of the Palm Heart Clan."

Jeong Charyeon's expression instantly hardened.

Jang In-geol, whom she was introduced to, scanned her body from head to toe and greeted her. His very unpleasant habit of looking at her body before her face was still the same.

"Long time no see."

That arrogant face and unpleasant voice.

Ah, today's luck was truly amazing.

Hyeok Isang's introduction continued.

"This beautiful Sohyeop is Young Master Jang's younger sister, Jang In-hwa."

Jang In-hwa had heavy makeup and gorgeous beauty. If she was Jang In-geol's younger sister, she would be about the same age as her or younger, but she exuded a maturity that was well over twenty. She was definitely pretty.

Perhaps it was because of her bad impression of Jang In-geol, but her first impression of her was not good either. She seemed to have a rather difficult and bitchy personality. She should either not wear a sword or take off her makeup.

Jang In-hwa immediately noticed that Jeong Charyeon disliked her.

Jang In-hwa was a woman who lived by the firm belief that a woman's enemy was another woman. She immediately responded with a mocking gaze.

Well, what else would you expect from someone's sister?

Hyeok Isang introduced the last remaining person.

"And this is my younger sister."

The last short girl smiled brightly and greeted her happily.

"I'm Song-hwa. You remember me, right?"

Of course, she did. That tiny Song-hwa had grown up so much.

"Nice to see you. It's been a while."

"Hehe, it has been. You've become even more beautiful, Unnie."

Song-hwa had been cheerful since she was young. She was the most welcome person there.

"Okay, let's sit down first."

Song-hwa took a seat first. Everyone took their seats, and Hyeok Isang subtly asked, "But who is that?"

Even though new people had entered the room, the man was still focused only on the food. Already, only the bones of one duck remained.

Ah! What a scary guy.

"Is he with you?"

Hyeok Isang asked again.

She didn't know whether to say she knew him or not. But he was still a stranger to her.

Jeong Charyeon shrugged, indicating that she didn't know him, and Jang In-geol immediately stepped forward.

Jang In-geol approached the man's table.

"If you're done eating, could you give up your seat?"

He was asking politely, but his coercive gaze was pressuring him to leave quickly.

That damn bastard. How many people had been intimidated by that look and suffered harm?

The man mumbled something with food in his mouth. It was impossible to understand what he was saying. Moreover, the food in his mouth splattered onto Jang In-geol. Jang In-geol frowned and stepped back.

"You son of a bitch!"

Jang In-geol shouted angrily. Growing up as the heir to the Palm Heart Clan, there was nothing that didn't go his way.

As Jang In-geol exuded blatant murderous intent, the air in the room immediately turned cold. Just over something like this. How impressive, Jang In-geol.

Only then did the man, having swallowed all the food, say, "I'm not done eating yet?"

"Looks like you're done now?"

Jang In-geol said threateningly.

"I'm just getting started?"

"Looks like you're finished?"

Was he intimidated by that fierce gaze?

The man glanced sideways, looking at Jeong Charyeon behind Jang In-geol. He asked with his eyes if she was going to watch this situation unfold.

Jeong Charyeon felt sorry.

Even though he was talkative and annoying, it wasn't as if he deserved to be kicked out while eating.

Moreover, Jang In-geol's actions were nothing more than the tyranny of someone with power.

"He was here first, so let's move to another table."

Jang In-geol raised his hand slightly, indicating that he would take care of it.

Then, looking down at the man with a sneer, Jang In-geol took out silver coins from his pouch.

He slowly dropped them onto the table one by one. In a very unpleasant way.

Five nyang rolled onto the table like that.

Jeong Charyeon frowned.

That bastard was truly the worst.

It was a moment when she realized once again that rumors in the Martial World were frighteningly accurate.

"Is this enough?"

In fact, five nyang was quite a lot of money.

The man stacked the five nyang one by one. Then he pouted his lips, which were glistening with grease.

"This isn't enough?"

"What?"

Come to think of it, there was an excessive amount of food on the table.

"There's more food coming. It's definitely not enough."

It must have been because Jeong Charyeon was watching that Jang In-geol's pride began to writhe and twist.

"Hmph! Then I'll give you more."

Jang In-geol put his hand in his pouch. Whether the coins were all those five nyang, the pouch was empty. He boldly took out a bill.

The moment he was about to throw it at the man, his hand flinched.

'Damn it!'

It was a hundred-nyang bill.

He should have exchanged it at the exchange, but he had come straight to the tavern, planning to exchange it here after having a drink, which was the root of the problem.

In this atmosphere, he couldn't very well ask for change after deducting the cost of the food, could he?

He should have just told him to get lost, saying he would pay for the food.

But was he just going to give away a hundred nyang?

To that strangely annoying guy who was looking up at him with a sly smile?

The moment he threw it, the guy would definitely take the money and leave happily. Even though he was the heir to the Palm Heart Clan, a hundred nyang was still a large sum of money. It was money he had received specifically to spend with the younger generation of other Sects at this Dragon Phoenix Gathering.

Should he give it to him and then chase after him and kill him? Would there be time for that? By saying he was going to the restroom?

Really, in that short moment, countless thoughts flashed through Jang In-geol's mind.

Everyone in the room read his thoughts.

The moment he realized that his thoughts had been exposed, Jang In-geol's face flushed. The hand holding the bill trembled.

'Damn it! I should have just thrown it.'

Jeong Charyeon laughed silently, and Jang In-hwa saw it. Jang In-hwa bit her lip as if annoyed.

"You bastard!"

Jang In-geol grabbed the man by the collar and lifted him up.

"Stop it!"

Jeong Charyeon shouted. And immediately regretted it.

The moment he was grabbed by the collar, the man grabbed the dishes to prevent the food in front of him from spilling. Both were dishes containing meat.

In the midst of all that. He was quick.

Even Jang In-geol, dumbfounded, forgot about throwing a punch for a moment.

Then his eyes fell on the sword and saber propped up to one side.

"Oh? So you're a Martial World person?"

Normally, he would have instinctively protected himself and taken a step back.

The hidden schemes of the Martial World were truly terrifying, where one could die without even knowing how they were defeated. To grab a Martial World person by the collar while being careless? It was a truly dangerous act.

But this guy in front of him,

This guy who still hadn't wiped the grease from his lips,

This guy with the innocent face that looked like he would collapse and cry if he got slapped,

He didn't feel intimidating at all. Even the tattoos he had gotten to look scary looked ridiculous. A simpleton or a Rogue. In his experience, you could handle guys like this lightly.

"Carrying around such big weapons for someone like you. Shall we take a look?"

Jang In-geol took a step towards the sword and saber. Indeed, the man didn't stop him at all.

Jang In-geol smirked. He was definitely a novice. If he was a proper one, he would never let someone touch his weapons so easily.

"Why is this wrapped in so much cloth? So messy."

The moment Jang In-geol casually lifted the saber,

"Ugh."

A groan involuntarily escaped his lips.

It was incredibly heavy. He almost broke his wrist.

Jang In-geol mustered his Inner Force. Only then could he lift the saber.

"Quite heavy."

That wasn't the half of it. It was so heavy that he wanted to put it down immediately. He didn't even want to think about lifting the sword next to it.

But Jang In-geol put on a show. As if to compensate for his timidity in not throwing the hundred-nyang bill earlier.

Jang In-geol tried to draw the saber.

Huh? What is this?

The saber wouldn't come out. He gathered his Inner Force. Huh, even now?

"Ugh!"

A groan involuntarily escaped his lips.

It was as if the scabbard and the saber were one piece. There was no way it wouldn't come out like this otherwise.

He gathered his Inner Force to the limit, but the saber wouldn't come out. Was it because of the cloth wrapped around it? No, the cloth was wrapped separately around the scabbard and the saber's handle.

But why wouldn't it come out? Ugh.

Jang In-geol threw the saber down irritably.

Clang--

The saber fell to the floor with a heavy metallic sound.

"Damn it! This is a practice saber!"

Jang In-geol was convinced that it was a practice iron lump, only shaped like a saber, that novice students swung hundreds of times a day to build their strength.

And it wasn't just any heavy iron lump.

The man picked up the saber and placed it back in its original spot.

"This isn't for practice..."

"You bastard! Yes, it is! If I say it is, it is!"

"This is mine. My words should be right..."

"Ugh! Where do you think you're mouthing off!"

Jang In-geol raised his hand to slap him across the face. At the same time, a sense of unease arose. Huh? 'But how can that guy lift that heavy thing...' By the time he had thought that far, Jeong Charyeon had grabbed his hand and pulled it down.

Then she stood in front of the man.

"Please stop now."