Chapter 44

The Great Peace Pavilion's servers were waging a war today.

"Alright, alright, we're full! Please come back another time!"

It was always a popular place, but today, a special guest had arrived.

The rumors of their arrival had drawn an even bigger crowd. The entrance was complete chaos.

Amidst the clamoring crowd were Jeok Leegeon and Jeong Charyeon.

"You said the meat here is definitely better than that inn we went to before, right?"

"It is, but do we have to eat meat? We had meat just the day before yesterday. Let's just grab a simple bowl of noodles."

"Comparing meat to noodles!"

"I don't like meat."

"That's why you have such a wishy-washy personality. You need to eat meat to become more combative."

Ah. Now she was hearing all sorts of nonsense. A wishy-washy personality, was it?

Charyeon shook her head.

"Anyway, we only have two nyang. Keep that in mind when you order."

She was worried, remembering how Jeok Leegeon had ordered last time.

Sure enough.

"Only two nyang?"

Jeok Leegeon looked visibly disappointed.

"That's what I've saved up from my allowance for months."

"Hmm, your father is stingier than he looks."

"Let's just say it's a frugal Clan tradition. Don't eat if you don't want to."

"As if. It's bad luck to dislike free food."

"I don't think that's a saying."

"Then you can just eat a little."

When she was with Jeok Leegeon, she really became an ordinary woman. Of course, that was absolutely not the case. Even in this moment, in this crowded throng, there were more than a few gazes directed at her. The guy next to her, breathing roughly, looked like he was about to reach out and touch her butt any second.

"Let's just go."

"Follow me."

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see when we get there."

Jeok Leegeon pushed through the crowd and went around to the back of the Great Peace Pavilion building. There was a door there that led to the kitchen.

"Inns always have a back door to the kitchen. Do you know why?"

She had never thought about it, so of course she didn't know.

"The bigger the inn, the more often they order ingredients every day. But they don't bring them through the area where the customers are eating."

With that, he abruptly opened the door and went inside. Sure enough, it was a back door leading to the kitchen.

A young cook who was passing by stopped them.

"You can't come in this way."

Without a word, Jeok Leegeon held up a gold nugget the size of a finger.

"Can you make us a spot?"

It looked like it was worth at least ten nyang.

He tossed it to the cook. The cook's attitude immediately became respectful.

He gestured for them to wait a moment and then ran off somewhere.

Charyeon pouted.

"It's a bad habit. Trying to solve everything with money."

"Half right."

"What about the other half?"

"It's about getting things done without fussing over every little detail. Taking a step forward instead of wasting time worrying. Spending ten nyang well, eating well, and then earning a hundred nyang with that energy, that's the idea."

"Hmm, I think I get it, more or less."

"Right now, we want to eat here, right? If we go to another inn, even if the food there is delicious, we'll still have lingering regrets about the food here. We're exchanging that negative feeling for ten nyang. And then we earn a hundred nyang with that good feeling. Besides, that guy is happy to earn ten nyang."

"Hmph..."

"Let's say you earn ten nyang a month. But you live in a half-nyang room. It's damp in the summer and cold in the winter. Instead of saving money by living in a place like that, you just live in a two-nyang house. You eat and sleep comfortably. And then you work harder to earn more."

"I only agree with half of that."

"What about the half you don't agree with?"

"It's too idealistic. It also feels like you're putting down people who live frugally and work hard. Sometimes things don't go as planned, right? If things don't work out, you might end up owing one and a half nyang. If you just live in a half-nyang room, you wouldn't have to take out a loan."

"Then what about the half you do agree with?"

"On the one hand... I can see your point."

"That's why I like you."

"What?"

"You're moderately kind. If you're too kind, it's exhausting."

Jeok Leegeon strode off. The cook was gesturing to him from ahead.

For a moment, Charyeon stood still.

Moderately kind, he said? Was that an insult?

"What are you doing? Aren't you coming?"

"I'm coming."

The place where the two of them settled was a window seat on the second floor of the Great Peace Pavilion.

Jeok Leegeon tilted his head, looking out the window.

"But who came that's causing such a commotion?"

Just then, a young server who had come to take their order replied excitedly.

"Sohyeop Im, the Dragon Phoenix, has arrived. Moreover, Sama Sohyeop, who will be competing with Im Sohyeop in the Dragon Phoenix Gathering this time, is with him."

Jeok Leegeon's eyes widened as he asked.

"Sama Sohyeop? Is she pretty?"

Charyeon shook her head. Of course.

"Of course, she's beautiful. That's why she's attending the Dragon Phoenix Gathering with the Dragon Phoenix."

"Who is the Dragon Phoenix?"

The server looked dumbfounded.

"You really don't know Im Sohyeop of the Northern Sky Hegemon Clan?"

The server looked at him with disdain, as if he couldn't believe how anyone could not know that.

"Hey, he might not know."

"That's impossible. How can you not know the Dragon Phoenix?"

"Do you know the name of the person who sells the most delicious fruit at Jade Gate Pass?"

"No."

"See, man. Then I might not know either."

"Im Sohyeop is going to inherit the Northern Sky Hegemon Clan!"

The server seemed to idolize Im Ha-gi. His face was flushed as he raised his voice. Of course, it was also because the kindly looking Jeok Leegeon seemed easy to push around.

"You have to inherit it to know. Usually, siblings fight and die before that."

"Im Sohyeop is one of the favorites to win this Dragon Phoenix Gathering!"

"Originally, the word 'favorite' was created to comfort the ones who are going to lose!"

"I'm not selling you food! Get out!"

"Save those lines for when you get promoted to owner."

The young server was on the verge of tears.

Charyeon shook her head.

"What are you doing to the kid?"

"Kid? He's a hundred times more jaded than you are. Hey, you! Didn't you get money from that Dragon Phoenix guy before?"

The server was momentarily flustered. It seemed that he had.

The server shouted defensively.

"That's not why!"

"See? I'm right. You, how do you know what kind of guy he is? He might be doing all sorts of dirty things behind the scenes. He might even rape your sister tomorrow."

"I don't have a sister!"

"Then your brother would be even more miserable... cough!"

Charyeon pinched Jeok Leegeon's lips tightly with her fingers.

"Ouch! That hurts!"

Ah, that felt good. I've always wanted to do that.

Wiggling Jeok Leegeon's lips back and forth, Charyeon winked at the server.

"Can't you let it go just this once for this noona? Please bring us some tea first."

Only then did the server's anger subside, and he nodded.

Jeok Leegeon shook off Charyeon's hand and shouted at the departing server.

"Go tell that Dragon Phoenix guy that the winner of this tournament has already been decided!"

The server stuck his tongue out and disappeared.

It was then. Someone spoke from behind Jeok Leegeon.

"May I ask who that is?"

The man who approached from behind had a very tall and sturdy build. With his affable eyes and manly face, he had the look of a Sohyeop.

"I am Im Ha-gi. My fellow Jianghu members call this lacking person by the excessive name of Dragon Phoenix."

Charyeon was startled. Reflexively, Charyeon stood up, Clasped-fist Salute and greeted him.

"I am Jeong Charyeon of the Righteous Sword Sect."

He was the heir to the Northern Sky Hegemon Clan, one of the Four Hegemons. Charyeon had no desire to curry favor with anyone, but she couldn't help but feel intimidated by his impressive background.

"Oh, you are indeed as beautiful as the rumors say. It is an honor to meet you."

In contrast, Jeok Leegeon looked up at Im Ha-gi with an indifferent expression.

Charyeon poked him in the side, and he greeted him with a reluctant expression.

"Jeok Leegeon."

Im Ha-gi's expression soured slightly at that attitude.

Northern Sky Hegemon Clan Im Ha-gi.

With those seven words, there was no difficulty or impossibility. That was how he had grown up. Even the Sect Leaders of most Clans did not dare to treat him carelessly.

Charyeon quickly stepped in.

"He's a friend who doesn't know the ways of the Jianghu very well. Please understand."

Im Ha-gi nodded. The ridiculously large sword and sheath that Jeok Leegeon was carrying actually made him look down on Jeok Leegeon even more.

Just then, someone else approached from behind.

"Im Sohyeop, what are you doing here?"

Charyeon's face twisted when she recognized him. It seemed that enemies in the Martial World met in inns; it was none other than Jang In-geol.

Jang In-geol's expression also hardened when he saw Jeok Leegeon and Charyeon, but he quickly relaxed his expression, perhaps conscious of Im Ha-gi.

"Let's go back. They're waiting for you."

"Haha, I must go. Ah, since you are in the same Infinite, you must know each other well."

"Yes."