Chapter 57

After about an hour, in the meditation room.

"I'm sorry."

Jeong Charyeon, looking dejected, knelt on the floor.

"For a young lady to be kicking people in broad daylight!"

Charyeon lowered her head even further at the middle-aged monk's scolding.

"Enough. Stop it."

The old monk waved his hand.

"Great Master, weren't you almost seriously injured?"

"It's alright. Please leave now."

The old monk sent the middle-aged monk away.

"Don't worry, and the benefactors should also withdraw."

Charyeon bowed her head at the benevolent old monk's forgiveness.

"I'm sowwy, Great Master."

Charyeon bowed and rose from her seat.

But Jeok Leegeon didn't budge from his spot.

"Let's play a little longer."

Play? Is he crazy?

"What are you saying? Let's leave so the monk can rest."

Charyeon grabbed Jeok Leegeon's arm. Having caused trouble, she wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible.

Jeok Leegeon brought his face close to the old monk's.

"But Master, you seem to have had some fun in your younger days."

Gasp!

Charyeon was startled.

"What are you doing?"

Charyeon forcibly dragged Jeok Leegeon away.

It's not that I don't know you, but this isn't it!

Jeok Leegeon grinned at the old monk.

"Stop faking it and get up already."

"Hey! What kind of language is that!"

Charyeon shouted.

Jeok Leegeon went even further.

"If you don't get up in three, I'll beat you up. One, two..."

The old monk jumped to his feet.

"Damn it! Bad luck! Spit, spit! You crazy ghoul! How did you find this place? Even Buddha is heartless!"

Charyeon wore a dumbfounded expression at the sudden outburst of curses.

Jeok Leegeon grinned.

"You got a good Mask. Where did you get it? Is it real human skin?"

"You're as unlucky as ever, you little brat. Hmph!"

Charyeon, halfway up, glanced at the old monk and asked Jeok Leegeon.

"Who is he?"

"A con artist, a quack, a thief. He's got about eight useless talents, right?"

At those words, Charyeon thought of one person in the Jianghu.

"Could it be Palbangchugoe?"

"That's right. It's him."

"Hmph! Chugwe? This body is the Eight Directional Handsome Man!"

The old monk took off his Mask. He was a middle-aged man with a very ugly appearance.

Charyeon was startled and stepped back.

Palbangchugoe was one of the most famous people in the Jianghu. He possessed outstanding talents in eight fields; in addition to the three mentioned earlier, he also had exceptional skills in Go, calligraphy, painting, music, drinking, and Martial arts.

He was also famous for being extremely ugly, so people in the Jianghu called him Palbangchugoe instead of Eight Directional Handsome Man.

Charyeon gave a Clasped-fist Salute.

"This insignificant junior greets Palbang... Handsome Man Senior."

Charyeon couldn't bring herself to say Chugwe to his face.

Even with a hmph expression, Palbangchugoe looked somewhat pleased.

"Hmm, this young one knows the ways of the Jianghu quite well."

Thwack!

Jeok Leegeon mercilessly smacked him on the back of the head.

Gasp!

Charyeon was shocked. Jeok Leegeon, no matter how eccentric you are, this isn't right!

And that wasn't all.

"Chugwe."

Jeok Leegeon treated him as if he were a subordinate, and even more surprisingly, Palbangchugoe couldn't say anything to reprimand him.

"What's going on?"

Charyeon whispered in Jeok Leegeon's ear. Then came an unimaginable answer.

"This guy is my disciple."

"What?"

She had been surprised repeatedly, but Charyeon was truly shocked this time.

Palbangchugoe groaned. It seemed to be true. It was truly something that could be called a marvel of the Jianghu.

"I had a hard time finding my runaway disciple. Disciple, massage my legs."

He said, stretching out his legs to Palbangchugoe.

Palbangchugoe frowned and turned away.

"What exactly is going on?"

"He lost a bet to me. If he lost, he agreed to become my disciple."

"What kind of bet was it?"

"Go."

Go was one of Palbangchugoe's main specialties. Jeok Leegeon beat him at Go?

Palbangchugoe wore a resentful expression.

"Someone must have been telling him the moves with Telepathic Transmission!"

"He insisted on that back then too. So, we ended up making another bet."

"What was it?"

"Who could scam a more impressive person."

Charyeon wore a dumbfounded expression. To make such a bet.

"That guy scammed the Namgung Clan. He has a grudge against the Namgung Clan's Lord. Over a woman!"

"Don't even mention that bastard!"

Palbangchugoe flared up.

"So?"

Charyeon was gradually becoming more interested.

"What do you mean, 'so'? How could you scam someone as impressive as the Namgung Clan's Lord? So, I admitted defeat and gave him what I bet."

"What was that?"

"Moonlight Beauty Painting."

"What?"

Charyeon was startled.

She had heard of the Moonlight Beauty Painting. It was as famous as Palbangchugoe.

It had been known in the Jianghu for about ten years.

A painting of the most beautiful woman in the world. Rumor had it that immense Martial arts were hidden within it. There were people who claimed to have seen the painting, but all of their stories were hard to believe. Some said it was caught on a tree while they were cutting wood in the mountains, others said a man pulling a cart showed it to them. Some even said they saw it while buying fruit.

In any case, over the past ten years, the Moonlight Beauty Painting had only amplified rumors.

"You had that?"

Jeok Leegeon grinned.

"Huh? But how did Palbang Senior become your disciple?"

"Because that painting was a fake."

"What?"

"I was tricking Chugwe. If the Namgung Clan's Lord was acknowledged as a more impressive person than Chugwe, I would have lost."

"Palbang Senior didn't acknowledge that."

Indeed, Palbangchugoe growled softly.

"If I'm worse than that Nam Gungseong, there's no reason for me to live."

Charyeon once again admired Jeok Leegeon.

You fox. You really are a nine-tailed fox.

Jeok Leegeon chuckled and said.

"That shameless guy wouldn't admit it either."

"The match was over when you said you lost!"

"He kept insisting like that. So, we had another match. I'm too kind, aren't I?"

I wouldn't say that.

"What kind of match was it this time?"

"This unlucky disciple insisted on choosing something he couldn't win. Among the remaining talents my disciple had, the only one I could win at was..."

"What was it?"

"Martial Arts Contest."

Charyeon was startled again. Palbangchugoe's Martial arts, while not at the level of an ultimate master, were still at the level of a top master.

"Could it be? You won?"

"Of course. There's no way I'd lose to this old, ugly disciple, right?"

"You must have used poison!"

"He ran away insisting on that. Of course, he was just a flea trying to jump away."

Charyeon looked at Jeok Leegeon with suspicious eyes.

"You used poison, didn't you?"

"What's with you?"

Palbangchugoe said, as if resigned.

"Alright, disciple or whatever, let's just say it's all good. Why did you come looking for me?"

Jeok Leegeon's expression finally turned serious. His gaze deepened as he stared at Palbangchugoe.

"I have a favor to ask."

"What favor?"

"I need you to examine a patient."

Huh? He came to make him his subordinate. To Conquest of the World?

"If you treat her... I'll call off the bet."

At those words, Palbangchugoe wavered.

"How important is this person?"

Jeok Leegeon said calmly.

"You don't have to treat her directly, just figure out the cause."

After pondering for a moment, Palbangchugoe jumped up.

"Alright. Let's end this tiresome, ill-fated relationship quickly. Let's go."

Following behind him, Charyeon whispered.

"That wasn't the original purpose, was it?"

"I changed my mind."

"Why?"

"Conquest of the World is important, but that child's life is also important."

"Who is it?"

Jeok Leegeon replied casually.

"Suryeon."

"What?"

She never imagined her sister's name would come up.

Too surprised, she stopped in her tracks. Her heart trembled, and she couldn't say anything. Her mind seemed to go blank.

"Say your thanks later. She needs to get a proper examination."

Hot tears streamed down Charyeon's cheeks.

........You bastard!