Chapter 518
A middle-aged man, already quite drunk, raised his hand high.
“Owner! Bring me a bottle of Fire Wine!”
“And some roast duck!”
“What kind of small-minded fools are you? Ordering Fire Wine and roast duck when the founding of the Martial Alliance is upon us?”
“Come on, we’re in Henan, shouldn’t we at least drink some Du Kang Wine?”
“Oho, I wouldn’t mind that, but aren’t you overdoing it?”
“No worries! We’re splitting the cost anyway.”
“…You’re out of your mind. Change my order to Fire Wine instead.”
The inn near Songshan’s main street was bustling with people.
As expected, the vast majority of them were martial artists.
From young wanderers who still smelled of inexperience to veterans who had roamed Jianghu for decades, every kind of warrior was gathered here.
Their purposes, ages, and backgrounds were all different.
But wherever people gather, conflict follows.
Especially when drunken martial artists were thrown into the mix.
“Wait a minute… You—!”
“Oho… isn’t this the chief disciple of Soha Gate? Looks like that cut-off finger is still missing.”
“You bastard! You’ve walked right into your death!”
Even though the world was vast, enemies had a strange way of crossing paths, even on a narrow bridge.
And when such complicated grudges were rekindled in a chance encounter, blades were bound to be drawn.
Cha-cha-chang! Swish!
The clash of weapons rang out, and blood splattered across the floor.
The intense battle unfolding before them had the surrounding martial artists cheering.
“Waaaaahhh!”
“A fight! A fight!”
“I bet one silver tael on Soha Gate’s chief disciple!”
“Then I’ll put two taels on the Long Serpent Saber!”
It was an age-old truth—the most entertaining things in the world were watching houses burn and street fights unfold.
A handful of ordinary people, unconnected to Jianghu, looked uncomfortable and quietly slipped away.
But for those who lived and breathed martial arts, whether righteous, unorthodox, or demonic, fights were irresistible entertainment.
Amidst this chaotic atmosphere, one person quietly stepped into the inn.
Cha-cha-chang! Boom!
“Waaahhh!”
Despite the fierce battle taking place in the center of the tavern, the middle-aged man who had just entered didn’t even glance at it.
Instead, he tossed a silver tael onto the counter.
“A bottle of Fire Wine, two bottles of Du Kang, and a whole roast duck. Give me a seat with a good view outside. Oh, and make sure the duck is crispy.”
“Ah, um… sir.”
“Hm?”
The innkeeper bowed deeply.
“I apologize, but there are no available seats at the moment.”
“No seats?”
“Yes, as you can see, with all the great heroes of Jianghu gathered, space is rather limited…”
The middle-aged man took a glance around before looking up at the second floor.
Several individuals sat above, peering down at the commotion below.
“There seem to be seats up there.”
“Ah, my apologies, but that area is reserved…”
“That spot looks good.”
“W-wait a moment! Sir! Sir—!”
Ignoring the innkeeper’s desperate pleas, the middle-aged man calmly walked up the stairs.
Sharp gazes immediately fell upon him, but he paid them no mind.
“…Much better. Quiet.”
The second floor of the tavern was reserved for those of higher status.
Though only a mere twenty steps separated it from the chaotic first floor, the atmosphere was entirely different.
Here, the noise and rowdiness of the lower level disappeared, replaced by a quiet, solemn ambiance.
The warriors seated at the tables were of a different class entirely.
“Sir! You can’t go up there!”
The moment the innkeeper’s panicked voice rang out, the hushed conversations among the patrons abruptly stopped.
A middle-aged man with graying hair, seated at a nearby table, furrowed his brows.
“How noisy. What’s going on?”
“I-I apologize, sir. This esteemed guest mistakenly went upstairs…”
“Then send him back down. And tell them to quiet down downstairs as well.”
“Yes, sir.”
However, by then, the middle-aged man had already set his sights elsewhere.
“That window seat looks good.”
“Sir—!”
The innkeeper nearly fainted, but before he could say anything, the gray-haired man at the nearby table intervened.
“Stop right there.”
The middle-aged man slowly turned to face him.
“…Are you talking to me?”
“Well, who else would I be talking to?”
“…You?”
“Judging by your appearance, you’re much younger than me. Don’t cause unnecessary trouble and go back down.”
The gray-haired man calmly added:
“You seem ignorant, so let me educate you. I am from the Fang Clan. In Jianghu, I am known by the moniker ‘Moonlit Saber’.”
“Oh.”
“This should be more than enough explanation. Now, be reasonable and leave.”
The middle-aged man blinked, then finally spoke.
“What you just said… do you really mean it?”
Moonlit Saber smirked.
Who was he?
He had long since reached the level where his very saber aura could injure people without even touching them.
He was a cut above mere wanderers who flaunted their newly acquired sword skills.
“Hah. Why would I lie? Of course, I mean it.”
“…No, not that. The other thing.”
“…What?”
“The part where you said I look young. That’s definitely true, right?”
“Uh… I suppose? That’s not a bad thing, is it?”
Before Moonlit Saber could reply, the middle-aged man burst into laughter.
“Hah! Not bad! I like you.”
He grinned, then gestured toward the window seat.
“Go on, keep drinking. Don’t mind me.”
“…I beg your pardon?”
Before the conversation could escalate, a calm yet powerful voice suddenly cut through the air.
“Well, I was drinking alone, and it was getting quite dull. You’re welcome to join me.”
The voice came from an elderly man seated by the window, nursing a drink.
Both Moonlit Saber and the innkeeper fell silent.
The innkeeper, naturally, had no say if a guest allowed someone at their table.
But Moonlit Saber, on the other hand… why did this old man’s presence bother him so much?
Even before this middle-aged man arrived, there was something unsettling about him.
The elderly man seemed like just another wealthy old man, yet there was something undeniably extraordinary about him.
‘Who is he? Is he really just some rich old man? Or is he someone far more dangerous?’
Even as Moonlit Saber debated whether to teach the middle-aged man a lesson, a sense of unease crept into his mind.
Did the old man have some connection to this ignorant fool?
Without a care in the world, the middle-aged man plopped down across from the old man and immediately tilted a bottle of wine back.
“Ahh, good stuff. Is this Nü’er Hong?”
The old man nodded.
“The innkeeper claims it’s been aged for at least twenty years.”
“A fine wine indeed. But nothing beats Fire Wine.”
He smirked.
“The innkeeper should be bringing some soon. You should try it.”
“I’ll have to pass. I’m not much of a drinker.”
“What a shame. So then, why are you here, drinking alone?”
“It’s nothing special. I just thought… it had been a while since I was among so many people.”
The old man turned his gaze toward the window, watching the crowded street below.
The voices, the footsteps, the chaos of the world—he watched in silence before speaking again.
“…And now that I’m here, I don’t mind it. Being alone like this.”
“You don’t seem completely alone to me.”
“Of course not. I have children and grandchildren. Just as you have a disciple.”
“Hah. I can’t tell if that brat is my disciple or my sworn enemy.”
The middle-aged man snorted.
“…But how did you know?”
“How could I not? I’ve seen him myself.”
Clank.
The middle-aged man slammed his bottle down onto the table.
A trickle of wine ran down his beard, glistening deep red under the warm light.
“…That little bastard. I knew it. But he swore he’d never met you.”
The old man let out a low chuckle.
“You’ve trained him well, Fire King.”
Fire King Jeok Cheon-Gang wiped his beard with his sleeve and gazed at the old man.
“…Last time, my disciple caused you trouble. So I’ve come to see you in person, Azure Sky Sword King.”
The elderly man, none other than Namgung’s Supreme Elder, one of the Ten Kings of Jianghu, gave a small smile.
“That is a pleasant surprise.”
“I knew you’d recognize me, old man.”
“I nearly didn’t. Reverse Aging, is it? I see you’ve been waiting for this moment.”
Jeok Cheon-Gang’s eyes glowed faintly.
“The promise we made back then… though delayed, I can finally fulfill it.”
At those words, Azure Sky Sword King’s expression shifted.
For over twenty years, he had been waiting.
A long time ago, he entrusted a man’s life to Jeok Cheon-Gang, and in exchange, he had been promised a duel.
And now, after all these years, that moment had finally come.
“…A shame, really. The Fire Wine should be here soon.”
“Then let’s drink while standing.”
“And our weapons?”
Azure Sky Sword King calmly reached for a pair of chopsticks on the table.
“These will suffice.”
Jeok Cheon-Gang smirked as he turned toward the window.
“The sky is blue… and you’ve taken up your sword.”
“And with the sun overhead, it is a perfect moment.”
Whoooosh.
A sudden gust of wind swept through the tavern.
A formless wave of energy erupted from both men, silently spreading in all directions.
And before anyone inside the inn could realize what was happening—
The two absolute masters struck at once.
KWA-AAAAANG!
—
“…Holy shit.”
I stood there, my mouth hanging open.
I wasn’t even close to the source of the explosion, yet the sheer force of the impact sent shockwaves through the air.
It wasn’t just the deafening roar or the towering plume of smoke that had me stunned.
Even Nameless, who had been calmly standing beside me, now wore a serious expression.
“Benefactor… you feel it too, don’t you?”
I gave a slow nod.
Even from this distance, I could feel the immense energy rippling through the air.
This wasn’t just any fight.
This was a battle between absolute masters.
“…If something like this is happening, then it must be—”
“Amitabha. Yes… it is Dark Heaven’s attack.”
“Dark Heaven, those sons of bitches!”
“We took every precaution, and yet… another disaster unfolds.”
Nameless’s eyes grew cold.
“…At this point, I can no longer hesitate. I shall break the precepts and kill if necessary.”
I cracked my neck and grinned.
“I’ll break them with you. I enjoy killing Dark Heaven’s bastards.”
And clearly, I wasn’t the only one.
DENG! DENG! DENG!
“Dark Heaven! Dark Heaven is attacking!”
“Slaughter them and restore honor to Jianghu!”
“Kill the demonic bastards!”
The alarm bells rang across the city.
Martial artists poured into the streets, swarming like a pack of rabid dogs.
The sight alone was enough to send shivers down my spine.
‘This… this is a Murim Crusade.’
For so long, I had fought against Dark Heaven while being outnumbered and overpowered.
But this time…
I wasn’t alone.
Tears nearly welled up in my eyes.
This time, we had overwhelming strength.
I couldn’t miss this.
I couldn’t sit this out.
“FOLLOW ME!”
As I leaped from the window and landed in the street, dozens of heads snapped toward me.
“The Blazing Fire Dragon!”
“The Blazing Fire Dragon of Taewon Jin Clan is here!”
“OHHHHHHHH!”
I wasn’t just some nameless warrior anymore.
I was Jianghu’s rising star—a symbol of the righteous path.
“WAAAAAHHHH!”
“Charge! Crush Dark Heaven!”
“The Blazing Fire Dragon fights with us!”
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Martial artists roared as they surged forward, weapons drawn.
And of course, at the very front of the charge were me and Nameless.
“FUCK ‘EM UP!”
I poured my energy into my voice, and the roar of hundreds followed.
At that moment, I knew—with this army, we could crush anyone.
“This is a holy war!”
“Benefactor Jin has declared a holy war!”
“Slaughter the demons!”
“Amitabhaaaa!”
Dark Heaven, you bastards better not run.
Because I’m coming for your heads.
—
But then—
I froze.
My brain shut down as I saw who stepped out from the burning ruins ahead.
“…Oh.”
The man emerging from the flames glared at me.
“…What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”
A monster had appeared.
But the problem was…
He was our monster.
