Chapter 5 - A Few Punches To The Face Will Shut Him Up

Son Bin found himself at a loss for words, unable to respond to the young man's question.

He was about to deny any association with the sword-wielding woman, but the words got stuck in his throat.

'I can’t pretend to not know my savior...'

It was true that he didn't personally know the woman who came to help him, and also that her intervention had provoked Young Master Namgung’s anger. However, having been saved by her, Son Bin couldn't bring himself to lie.

"So?" The young man demanded, his gaze boring into Son Bin. "It was you, wasn't it?"

The room was deathly silent, no one spoke or moved.

"Indeed, I had a disagreement with the Young Master," Son Bin admitted.

"Disagreement? Is that all you call it?" The young man scoffed.

"But it was him who first brandished his sword to harm. The woman merely intervened to prevent that. She did no wrong."

Son Bin met the young man's gaze, his voice resolute. The young man responded with a scornful laugh.

"Where's the woman now?" He surveyed the room, but all he met were averted gazes. The woman was nowhere to be found.

"I don't know."

"You don't know?"

He responded with a derisive laugh.

"Well, we'll have to jog your memory then."

He motioned to the young martial artists standing behind him.

"Take him away. He's been disrespectful, so don't hesitate to use force if needed."

He was clearly irritated by Son Bin's defiance. The young martial artists, previously silent, agreed with the man's words, their demeanor jovial. To Son Bin, however, their words were anything but amusing.

"But when you strike a dog, its master tends to show up. Maybe if we rough him up a bit, she'll make an appearance."

He continued to taunt Son Bin, his laughter echoing cruelly in the silent room.

"Remarkable, isn't it? Despite the Imperial Law's unforgiving nature, some individuals still behave so recklessly," Sonbin said as he slowly retreated backwards.

"Imperial Law?" inquired the young man standing before him with a scoffing chuckle.

"I know your type well," he jeered, a bitter smile on his face. "A few good strikes to the face and you'll quiet down."

He advanced on Son Bin, his fist clenched in a show of dominance. His physique, honed from extensive training, far surpassed that of Son Bin's. If the man were to strike Son Bin with full force, it was clear Son Bin would be in for a world of pain.

Suddenly, a voice rang out within the inn. The words originated from directly behind Son Bin.

"I've seen it time and time again... Those without ability always want to act tough."

"Who are you?" The startled shout from the young men and the collective gaze of the inn's patrons turned toward the source of the voice. Son Bin too, turned to see who had spoken.

The figure was remarkably tall, with streaks of white hair, brawny arms that looked capable of taking down a tiger, and a colossal black sword strapped to his back. It was Sa Jahyuk.

"Hehe." He let out a laugh as he cast a glance at Son Bin. "You didn't get very far."

In that moment, his laughter was like a blissful melody to Son Bin’s ears.

"Who are you?" The young man questioned, his tone fraught with anxiety. Until this moment, he hadn't detected Sa Jahyuk's presence.

The other martial artists, previously standing quietly behind him, now gripped their swords, their bodies taut with tension in the face of Sa Jahyuk's sudden arrival.

"Hmm, my name isn't anything special…" Sa Jahyuk's words were laced with an unmistakable sarcasm. "I don't feel like telling you."

The young man's face contorted in irritation. However, Sa Jahyuk's formidable aura, along with the imposing sword on his back, kept the man from responding impulsively. But he couldn't just let the matter slide.

"Do you realize that you're now meddling in the affairs of the Namgung family?"

His words carried the weight of a veiled threat, leveraging the influence of the Namgung family. The mere mention of the Namgung name usually sent most people into retreat.

"The Namgung family?" Sa Jahyuk's eyes sparked with recognition.

His laugh seemed to chill, and his gaze turned icy. Son Bin felt a sense of déjà vu, as if he had seen that look somewhere before.

A wave of intense, palpable energy washed over the young men. It was a level of power they'd never encountered, even under the influence of the formidable Namgung family.

"If you think that name intimidates me, you're sorely mistaken."

"Urk."

Groans slipped from their lips. Yet, Sa Jahyuk didn't halt his advance. Instead, he gradually closed the gap between himself and the young men.

The nearer Sa Jahyuk drew, the more the blood drained from the faces of the young men. A few of them were already sinking to their knees.

"Stop!"

A voice pierced the tension, originating from behind Sa Jahyuk. It was Son Bin.

"Why?" Sa Jahyuk swiveled his head to face Son Bin, his gaze icy.

"They were the ones who sought to hurt you. Do you realize what would have befallen you had you been dragged to the Namgung?"

Son Bin swallowed hard. These were individuals who scoffed at Imperial Law, who dared to abduct and inflict harm upon others under the influence of the Namgung.

"Yet, wouldn't you be stooping to their level if you hurt them now?"

Sa Jahyuk's response was a derisive chuckle. "When a lion hunts a rabbit, does it become a rabbit? Your logic is feeble at best."

Son Bin locked eyes with Sa Jahyuk. He was utterly unswayed by Son Bin's argument. Furthermore, his hand, which had effortlessly shattered a large rock, seemed ready to strike the young men at any moment.

"Regardless, we should halt this." Son Bin managed to speak after taking a brief moment to catch his breath.

"If I stop," Sa Jahyuk countered. "Will you do what I said?"

Son Bin cast his gaze downward. "Just because you cease your actions, doesn't mean I'm obliged to do what you want."

Sa Jahyuk's brows furrowed at this, but Son Bin wasn't finished.

"However, if you wish to talk, I'm willing to listen."

Sa Jahyuk's expression remained skeptical, prompting Son Bin to clarify,

"A conversation rooted in mutual respect, an equal exchange."

"Respect?"

A smirk found its way back onto Sa Jahyuk's face.

"Alright."

With that, Sa Jahyuk retracted his hand. The oppressive force that had held the young men at bay vanished instantly.

"Ugh."

"Ugh, gasp."

The young men finally exhaled in relief.

They had been struggling against Sa Jahyuk's formidable presence, barely able to draw breath. Lips that had been bitten in the struggle ripped open, blood trickling down from them.

"Scram." Sa Jahyuk spoke, his back turned towards them.

"Today's humiliation...." One young man dabbed the blood from his lips and bit down, his voice thick with resolve, "I'll never forget it."

"Hmph." Sa Jahyuk responded with a dismissive snort. "I would scoff even if the head of the Namgung family said that, let alone you."

The young man's expression contorted with indignation. However, he realized he was no match. The youth and his companions hastily retreated from the inn, supporting one another.

"Well, shall we talk?" Sa Jahyuk turned to Son Bin, a triumphant, relaxed smile on his face.

Son Bin responded with a soft sigh. "Let's share a drink first."

Sa Jahyuk greeted this suggestion with a grin.

∴

Wangpal Noya, who had been dozing off, was jolted awake by the sound of a bell tolling at the inn's entrance.

He was taken aback as the pale face of a man came into view. The sudden apparition startled him; he thought he was seeing a ghost or some spirit.

"Good heavens!" Wangpal Noya exclaimed in shock.

Upon entering the inn, Son Bin, looking weary, collapsed onto the nearest table, startling Wangpal Noya even more.

"Are you always this frail?"

Sa Jahyuk's voice floated in from behind, prompting Son Bin to twist his face into a frown and turn around. Sa Jahyuk strolled confidently into the inn and took a seat across from Son Bin.

"I'm not frail! You violently hauled me here!"

Sa Jahyuk slightly furrowed his brows, averting his gaze, "That was a light jog."

"Light? Do you have any idea how far Muhan is from here?"

As Son Bin continued to grumble, Sa Jahyuk turned his attention to Wangpal Noya. Wangpal Noya, now somewhat recovered from his surprise, hurried over to Sa Jahyuk.

Once Wangpal Noya had placed an order for some light food and several bottles of alcohol, he darted back into the bustling kitchen.

Lacking the energy to argue further, Son Bin slouched in his chair, letting out a series of coughs before reaching for the teapot on the table to pour himself a cup of tea.

Though the tea had gone cold, it seemed to have a soothing effect on him as he sipped it.

"Phew."

As Son Bin regained his composure and glanced up, he found Sa Jahyuk observing him quietly with piercing eyes.

"Cough cough." Son Bin straightened up in his chair. He couldn't afford to look disheveled while Sa Jahyuk appeared perfectly calm. Shortly, Wangpal Noya returned with their order.

"How did you track me down?"

At Son Bin's query, Sa Jahyuk replied, "It wasn't particularly challenging. For me."

Son Bin stuck out his tongue. He had to admit that Sa Jahyuk probably wasn’t bluffing. True masters of martial arts could indeed soar through the sky and cleave rocks asunder.

Such individuals existed in this world, and in comparison, he was just a failed scholar. Son Bin heaved a subtle sigh. "So, what do you want from me?"

Sa Jahyuk, who had been raising a small glass to his lips, paused at the question. After a moment of silence, he murmured in a low voice, "I intend to engage in a series of duels."

"Duels?" Son Bin tilted his head in confusion. Weren't those one-on-one battles where martial artists compared their skills?

"And I will definitely kill them."

Son Bin's expression hardened at Sa Jahyuk's statement. Doesn’t that mean his life would be on the line?

"The adversaries I will face are all formidable and have powerful influence. I hold no regard for their backing, but..." Sa Jahyuk gazed at the glass in his hand, his expression tinged with a trace of bitterness.

Son Bin ventured to question him, "If they are so powerfully supported, how can you confront them on your own?"

Sa Jahyuk lifted his gaze. His brow furrowed slightly as he responded, "Have you ever come across the term 'Stars Beyond Heaven'?"

"'Stars Beyond Heaven'?" Son Bin shook his head.

"The martial arts world, known as 'Murim', consists of renowned martial arts institutions, vast power structures, and celebrated martial artists. But 'Murim' has many layers hidden beneath its surface. Among them, those who have mastered martial arts to the highest degree and achieved enlightenment are referred to as 'Stars Beyond Heaven.'

As Sa Jahyuk spoke, his eyes sparkled with intensity, forcing Son Bin to avert his gaze.

"Beyond the heavens…" It was an unbelievable phrase, but for some reason, Son Bin found himself accepting it easily.

"Those who belong to the 'Stars Beyond Heaven' refrain from meddling in mundane politics. They find it inconvenient and bothersome. Their only interest lies in defeating their adversaries and reaching the peak of martial arts."

"So, they're like hermits?" While Son Bin couldn't fully grasp Sa Jahyuk's words, he processed them in his own way. After all, people disinterested in worldly affairs could be found in all walks of life.

Especially in the realm of 'Murim', where individuals honed their martial arts skills, it would be unusual not to find such people.

"If they choose to wield their influence to subdue me, I will welcome it with open arms. It will grant me not only the opportunity to defeat them but also to obliterate their entire existence."

As he spoke, a faint smile graced Sa Jahyuk's face.

"However." Sa Jahyuk slammed his glass onto the table with a force that echoed through the room. 

"There's one thing I can't tolerate," he declared, his eyes burning with an intense fire.”

"If their deeds remain hidden, it's as though they never occurred. I cannot, under any circumstances, allow that to pass."