Swordless Demonic Path

Chapter 223 : Turning a Blind Eye (2)

About a hundred warriors from the Jo family estate surrounded the main gate of the inn. They made sure no one could come or go.

From among the warriors of the Jo family estate, a middle-aged man in his late forties with a belly as big as a mountain walked out.

He, with a rat-tail-like beard, was a person with sharply torn eyes and crescent-moon-like eyebrows.

Jo Tae-guk, the master of the Jo family estate, twisted his beard like a bladderwort and looked around at the dozen or so warriors who were blocking the entrance of the inn.

They were the warriors of the Guguang branch of the Martial Alliance, and nothing had changed from a few days ago.

"How long is the Martial Alliance going to be here? Do you have nothing better to do?"

Although Jo Tae-guk grumbled, no one among the warriors of the Martial Alliance opened their mouths.

Jo Tae-guk raised his voice towards the guards.

"Hurry up and go tell Miss Namgung that I, Jo Tae-guk, the master of the Jo family estate, have come!"

At Jo Tae-guk's words, one of the guards went inside. Just then, about ten horses came running at a fast speed.

On the horses were the warriors of the Guguang branch, and the figure of the branch master, who looked to be middle-aged, was also visible.

"Whoa! Whoa!"

The branch master, who had stopped his horse, greeted Jo Tae-guk and then, without looking back, hurriedly entered the inn.

"Is something wrong?"

Jo Tae-guk somehow felt sad that he was left alone. A short while later, a guard came out and said to Jo Tae-guk.

"Only Master Jo and five escorts can enter. I will guide you to the guest hall."

"Do so."

At the warrior's answer, Jo Tae-guk, accompanied by five escort warriors, entered the inn.

The Guguang branch master stood at the entrance of the Golden Garden and greeted Jin Sa-wol, who was coming out. Jin Sa-wol, receiving his greeting, walked to the guest hall.

"The Martial Arts Garden Master is scheduled to visit in a few days. You will have to prepare to welcome the master."

"I understand."

Jin Sa-wol let the branch master's story go in one ear and out the other. To him, the Martial Arts Garden Master was not an important person.

"I heard that Brother Jin is managing the Thousand Gold Vault here on behalf of the Martial Alliance. Then aren't you a member of the Martial Alliance?"

"There is no Thousand Gold Vault. It seems you came after hearing a false rumor, but this is a ruined inn. It's a place that has been burned down, and it needs to be rebuilt. Whether to open the door or not is a matter for me to choose, not for the Martial Alliance to interfere in."

The branch master, who was offended by Jin Sa-wol's cold voice, said with a hardened expression.

"Will it be okay to withdraw all the guards?"

"As you wish."

Jin Sa-wol answered with an indifferent face and then passed the door of the guest hall.

"Hmph! I heard he was very arrogant, but he's insolent. If it weren't for the Martial Alliance, he would have been dead long ago."

Although Jin Sa-wol heard the branch master's words, he ignored them. And it seemed the branch master was misunderstanding something.

It was the Martial Alliance that had destroyed the inn, not the Martial Alliance that had protected the inn.

As he entered the room of the guest hall, he saw Jo Tae-guk sitting squarely in the center of a wide round table.

He knew about Jo Tae-guk to some extent because of the Jo family estate and Jo Han-yu.

It felt like he was looking at a pig fatter than the rumors.

Jo Tae-guk, who was talking with Namgung Ji, looked Jin Sa-wol up and down as he entered.

"I am Jin Sa-wol, the owner of the inn."

"I am Jo Tae-guk of the Jo family estate. I have heard about you a few times."

"What have you heard?"

"They say your martial arts are high."

Jo Tae-guk greeted by just raising his hand while sitting in a chair. He acted as if this were his own house.

"What brings you here?"

Jin Sa-wol stood without sitting in a chair and looked down at Jo Tae-guk.

To see Jin Sa-wol's indifferent face, Jo Tae-guk raised his head.

"This Thousand Gold Vault was originally ours, the Jo family's. The Martial Alliance was just managing it for a while, so we just entrusted the management. Now, the Thousand Gold Vault will be managed by our Jo family estate, so please step back. I will give you a generous price for the land here. And since you have managed it well so far, I will also give you a generous management fee."

"I didn't know you would be greedy for the Thousand Gold Vault. It seems the Present Gold Safe of the Jo family estate was not enough."

As he mentioned the Present Gold Safe, Jo Tae-guk's expression hardened. Jin Sa-wol showed a smile to Jo Tae-guk.

"Who in the Martial Alliance said they would manage the Thousand Gold Vault? And to whom in the Martial Alliance did you entrust it?"

"It was the Jeongcheon Wonju of the Martial Alliance. Now it would be the Martial Arts Garden Master."

"If it's a lie, your neck will fly."

As Jin Sa-wol's voice turned cold, Jo Tae-guk drank his tea as if his throat were parched.

"That's... Hmph!"

"Right now, Master Jo is driving a wedge between me and the Martial Alliance. Do you know that?"

When Jin Sa-wol asked again, Jo Tae-guk was flustered and then, with a frown, hit the round table.

Thump!

"Hmph! What are you talking about! This was originally my late uncle's house, and the Thousand Gold Vault was also made by my uncle. So I should be the owner! The Martial Alliance was just in charge of the Thousand Gold Vault."

"Stop talking nonsense."

With a cool voice, Jo Geom-ok entered the guest hall. She had been listening from outside and couldn't stand it anymore, so she came in.

Seeing Jo Geom-ok, Jo Tae-guk's expression hardened.

"Why are you here?"

"I am in my own house, so what's the problem? And if this is the Jo family estate's, shouldn't half of the Jo family estate's property be mine?"

"What are you talking about?"

"It was my adoptive father who gave the property to the Jo family estate. It's not the power of the Jo family estate, but the power of my late adoptive father. Do you want to have it all taken away?"

"I took in a pitiful thing and raised it..."

Jo Tae-guk, as if he were dumbfounded, clenched his fists and trembled all over. Seeing that, Jo Geom-ok's expression turned noticeably cold.

"Anyone who hears that would think you raised me. Did you raise me?"

Shing!

Seeing Jo Geom-ok even drawing her sword, Jo Tae-guk was startled and retreated.

Although there was a clear age difference between Jo Tae-guk and Jo Geom-ok, they were cousins.

As Jo Geom-ok showed a killing intent, Jo Tae-guk, with a grim expression, pointed at Jo Geom-ok with his hand and shouted.

"How dare you call me a bastard!"

"When my adoptive father made the Present Gold Safe in the Jo family estate, he must have told you not to get involved in the affairs of the martial world and to live in luxury. It seems your guts have grown as your belly has grown. If you get involved in the affairs of the martial world, do you think your neck will be properly attached? It will fall before three years."

Jo Geom-ok scolded Jo Tae-guk with a more emotional face than usual.

Jo Tae-guk frowned and shouted.

"Do you think I have no power!"

With a thwack! sound, Jo Tae-guk fell in that instant. The person standing with a clenched fist was Namgung Ji.

She couldn't stand it and had thrown a punch. The fallen Jo family estate master was carried out on a stretcher.

After the Jo family estate master had left, Seo Mun-ryeon entered the guest hall. She had gone to Guguang Fortress and had just come.

"It's true that the Jo family estate master hired thieves through the Hao Faction. At first, he brought petty thieves, but when that didn't work, it seems he hired famous thieves by paying a high price."

Hearing Seo Mun-ryeon's story, Jin Sa-wol judged that it was necessary to send a warning to the Jo family estate master.

***

Around evening, Bi-sun and Jo-rim arrived at the inn with the young boys of the Ghost Spirit Valley.

Jin Sa-wol walked in the rear garden behind the Golden Garden with Bi-sun. Bi-sun, as if he had organized his thoughts, said.

"I think I should go to the Guryeon Mountain myself."

"Yourself?"

"I think I need to see it with my own eyes."

Bi-sun planned to examine the Guryeon Mountain and judge whether it was a place worth living in.

"When are you planning to leave?"

"Tomorrow."

Bi-sun judged that if he had started, it was better to move as quickly as possible, and Jin Sa-wol had the same thought.

Bi-sun touched his chin and frowned.

"It's fine for us to move, but Miss Namgung has to stay, so that's a concern."

Namgung Ji was a person of the Martial Alliance who knew the inn better than anyone else. No matter how close she was to him, she was ultimately the daughter of the Alliance Leader of the Martial Alliance.

Jin Sa-wol said with an emotionless face.

"Jia doesn't fit in with us. And she will probably return to the alliance soon."

Jin Sa-wol was convinced that his relationship with Namgung Ji would not last long. Because his martial arts had become known.

If things went wrong, Jin Sa-wol could hold Namgung Ji hostage. The Alliance Leader also knew that.

Besides, because of the rumor about the Thousand Gold Vault, the inn had become a dangerous place. There was no parent who would just watch when their daughter was in a dangerous place.

Jin Sa-wol said as if he had thought of something.

"On the way to the Guryeon Mountain, stop by the Jo family estate."

"Why the Jo family estate?"

"He came this morning and threatened me."

"Hahahaha!"

Bi-sun, who had laughed loudly, soon understood what he meant and said.

"I'll just threaten him moderately and leave."

Bi-sun laughed again with an amused expression.

That night, without fail, a thief entered the inn. Although they moved silently like a night cat, they were unlucky and were all caught by Jo-rim.

Jo-rim hung all the thieves upside down from the ceiling, tortured them, and then killed them.

The corpses were burned at dawn, and the fact that a thief had entered was only told to Jin Sa-wol and Bi-sun.

She judged that there was no need to make a fuss and inform everyone.

***

Jo Tae-guk, the master of the Jo family estate, was pacing in the tea room. Because the news of the thieves who had invaded the inn had been cut off.

If they had succeeded, they should have come to him, but after they had gone in, there was no news.

"Don't tell me they died without a mouse or a bird knowing? Or did they run away with the treasure? Damn thieves."

Jo Tae-guk muttered and then went into the chamber and lay down.

"Hoo... I'll have to send the kids to find them tomorrow. By the way, who hit me? It must have been Geom-ok, that bitch. I'll chew her up."

Muttering and cursing Jo Geom-ok, he closed his eyes and tried to sleep.

Sleep came surprisingly quickly and took him far away. Then, from a certain moment, he felt suffocated.

"Ugh? Ugh!"

Jo Tae-guk, who was trying to breathe, felt something in his mouth and opened his eyes.

The ceiling was definitely his room. But he found himself lying naked in the shape of a large character, not covered by a blanket.

He had a gag in his mouth, and his arms and legs were tied to the bed as if they were one body.

It was difficult to move.

"Ugh! Ugh!"

Although he shook his head like crazy and put strength into his hands and feet, he was immovable.

Suddenly!

A masked person appeared before Jo Tae-guk's eyes.

It was Bi-sun, who had left the inn.

Bi-sun placed a person's head on Jo Tae-guk's mountain-like belly and said.

"It's one of your escorts."

"Ugh!"

The startled Jo Tae-guk opened his eyes wide and trembled all over. Bi-sun took off Jo Tae-guk's gag and said again.

"It's okay to shout. There's no one to hear anyway."

"Who are you?! What are you doing?!"

"If you know who I am, you have to die now, are you okay with that?"

At Bi-sun's story, Jo Tae-guk shut his mouth.

"This is a warning. Don't even come near the inn from now on. There won't be a second time."

Bi-sun stroked Jo Tae-guk's forehead and then disappeared. Jo Tae-guk trembled all over and then shouted.

"Hey! You damn bastard! You have to untie me and go!"

Although he shouted loudly, Bi-sun did not return.

***

For three days after Bi-sun had left, Jin Sa-wol controlled his internal energy by practicing qi circulation every day. During that time, there were no particular incidents at the inn.

On the fourth day.

Jin Sa-wol, who had felt a presence while practicing qi circulation, quietly opened his eyes.

"A guest has come from the Martial Alliance."

At the words 'guest from the Martial Alliance', Jin Sa-wol, who had thought of Son Muk, the Martial Arts Garden Master, stood up from his seat and took his sword.

(End of Chapter)