Chapter 96. The Entire World is My Home (17)
Both parties were momentarily shocked at running into the most random of acquaintances in the most unexpected of places. While the others from the North Sea Ice Palace were shocked, Ha Yeo-Seoll had a slightly different expression, smiling without even realizing it herself.
The eldest among the North Sea Ice Palace, Jeong Gyeong, pointed a finger at Woo-Moon.
“Aren’t you that arrogant waiter from back then?! How the hell is someone like you here?”
Just as she said that, Jeong Gyeong suddenly realized that she had gotten angry due to her unpleasant memory of that inn. She hurriedly tried to suppress her emotions, as Yu Cho, the first of the Three Legendary Plum Blossoms, stood directly beside her.
“I’m not your waiter anymore, so why are you speaking down to me right now?
Jeong Gyeong wanted to yell at Woo-Moon again after his response. She truly had a horrible personality. However, she still forced herself to stay calm.
“And who might this be, Lady Jeong?” Yu Cho interjected as he looked up and down at Woo-Moon as if he were inspecting a dog. Seeing the look in his eyes, Woo-Moon grew even more irritated.
“Ah, yes...He’s some extremely rude waiter from an inn I stayed at before. I have no idea how he found himself here.”
Yu Cho smiled softly at her explanation.
“Some customer at his inn must have ordered him to run an errand. Let’s not keep him from his work and just go on our way.”
Although what he said wasn’t funny in any way, other than Ha Yeo-Seol, the North Sea Ice Palace disciples all exaggeratedly burst into laughter.
‘Ha ha ha, well aren’t you damn funny,’ Woo-Moon grumbled to himself.
While Yu Cho, Jeong Gyeong, and the others passed him, ignoring him, Ha Yeo-Seol stopped and greeted him with a smile.
“It’s surprising to see you here, Mr. Attendant. It’s so good to see you again! You’ve been well, I hope?”
She feared that her disciple-sisters would lecture her later for talking to him. However, she just couldn’t ignore Woo-Moon, who had been good to her.
Her obviously kind intentions brought a smile to Woo-Moon’s face.
“Well, a lot of things have happened in the meantime, but for now, I’m doing very well. You’re just as beautiful as ever, Lady Ha.”
“Oh my~!”
Ha Yeo-Seol was unable to hold back her surprise at his words. She blushed, and her smile grew even more endearing.
Jeong Gyeong and Yu Cho seethed inside as they saw the two converse.
Jeong Gyeong was infuriated that Ha Yeo-Seol would have a friendly conversation with a random piece of trash that she had obviously expressed her dislike of. Moreover, as their conversation continued and Ha Yeo-Seol smiled, her appearance was so beautiful and exquisite that even as a woman herself, Jeong Gyeong couldn’t help but be jealous.
On the other hand, Yu Cho grew furious when seeing Ha Yeo-Seol, whom he secretly liked, smiling in a manner he had never seen before while talking to some unknown waiter. She had even gone so far as to blush because of him!
‘You peasant bastard, you dare...!’
About a year had passed since Woo-Moon and Ha Yeo-Seol had first met. Everyone who was gathered here would fall in shock if they were to hear about everything that this “waiter” had gone through in that time. Of course, Yu Cho had no way of knowing that.
Ha Yeo-Seol’s particularly deep double eyelids curved into a unique and flattering smile.
“I would like to hear about your travels some more, but unfortunately, we’re a little busy right now. I hope to be able to see you again soon, Mr. Attendant.”
“Please, call me Song Woo-Moon. Last time, you said you were on the road. Where are you coming from this time, Lady Ha?”
“Ah! So your name was Song Woo-Moon. My name is Ha Yeo-Seol, and I am a disciple of the North Sea Ice Palace in the North Sea.”
The North Sea Ice Palace.
It was a force that even Woo-Moon had heard of. The North Sea Ice Palace was known as one of the four strongest forces in the world, and it was famous for cultivating Glacial Yin Qi through its Glacial Arts.
Jeong Gyeong just couldn’t hold it in anymore and had to intervene. Naturally, she didn’t miss the opportunity to throw a jab at her junior sister.
“I’m sorry to interrupt such a sweet conversation between star-crossed lovers meeting after so long, but we’re a little busy, Yeo-Seol. I get that you like that insignificant waiter, but do you mind not wasting our time anymore?”
“Sen-senior sister! What do you mean...!”
Ha Yeo-Seol blushed even more, making the jealousy in Yu Cho’s heart grow even further. What was more infuriating to him than anything else was her attitude.
‘Are you saying that I’m not as good as that bastard waiter?’
Yu Cho also joined in with a slightly offended expression.
“We should go now, ladies. We’ve spent too much time on some servant trash.”
“Ah, of course.”
The disciples of the North Sea Ice Palace had been visiting the Justice Coalition for some time and were now on their way back to the North Sea. Yu Cho, the captain of the Gold Sword Squadron, had been tasked with the other members of the Gold Sword Squadron to see them off a certain distance.
Ha Yeo-Seol had to walk away, since that was the order of her senior sister. A minute later, however, she stopped and took a moment to look back.
Seeing Woo-Moon waving a hand high above his head as if to bid her farewell, Ha Yeo-Seol nodded in response ever so slightly with a faint smile on her lips.
“Well, should I go back, too?” Woo-Moon muttered with a little regret.
However, his eyes suddenly glowed fiercely as he watched the North Sea Ice Palace disciples leave.
“What is that?”
Woo-Moon could see shadows moving so quickly behind the disciples of the North Sea Ice Palace and the Gold Sword Squadron members that even he couldn’t see it in detail.
“I don’t know what sort of bastards are trailing them, but there’s no way they’re doing it for a good reason.”
Woo-Moon wouldn’t have paid it any attention if Ha Yeo-Seol hadn’t been with their group. However, because he was worried about her, he followed them, making sure to keep himself hidden.
***
As Ha Yeo-Seol and the others left the outskirts of Shijiazhuang and emerged on the main road, the shadows finally emerged.
“Hey, what’s this? Who are you?!”
As it turned out, the shadows were a small group of men. That was one thing, but strangely enough, all of them only had one eye.
Immediately after, the Gold Sword Squadron sensed another presence. Quickly turning around, they could see another group of one-eyed men appearing out of nowhere and blocking their way.
Yu Cho drew his sword.
“You bastards dare to block us this close to the Justice Coalition?! Who do you think you are?”
However, their enemies didn’t seem to want to respond.
“Kill them.”
With a soft command, the one-eyed men in front and behind them rushed the group simultaneously.
Yu Cho clashed with the one who had given the order. As their swords met, he realized that getting out of this wasn’t going to be as easy as he had thought. He could feel that the person in front of him was just as experienced in battle as he was from how he handled his blade.
‘Whatever, I’m still stronger!’
And indeed, as the battle progressed, it was easy to tell that the Gold Sword Squadron and the North Sea Ice Palace disciples had a slight advantage over their attackers.
The Gold Sword Squadron was composed entirely of younger generation talents of the Justice Coalition, while the disciples of the North Sea Ice Palace possessed incredible skills, befitting the Palace’s title of one of the four strongest forces.
However, as the battle reached its peak, a black shadow flashed out from one side of the forest, using an incredible movement technique and snatching Ha Yeo-Seol by the arm.
“Ahh!”
“Lady Ha!”
Yu Cho was flustered at seeing his unrequited love kidnapped and tried to stop the shadow. However, his opponent refused to let him go easily.
Angry, he unleashed an even more furious flurry of blows. However, as if to spite his urgent feelings, the situation grew worse and worse. It was only to be expected, as they didn’t have a decisive advantage over the others to begin with and now they were also missing Ha Yeo-Seol.
The man in the black robes quickly pressed Ha Yeo-Seol’s acupoints while using his movement technique to its maximum. As he reached about five hundred zhang away from where the Gold Sword Squadron and the North Sea Ice Palace disciples were fighting, he suddenly saw a young man standing in his way.
Woo-Moon had been waiting leisurely with his back against a tree. Seeing the man finally approach, he came out of the shade.
“I’m sorry, but you’re going to have to leave that young lady behind if you want to go further.”
Ha Yeo-Seol was barely able to turn her eyes to Woo-Moon and shouted in surprise, “Mr. Attendant! No, please run!”
Even in her situation, she was still worried for his safety.
“I’d rather not, Lady Ha. How can I just watch while you’re being kidnapped?”
Ha Yeo-Seol was quite moved by his words. It had to take great courage for an ordinary waiter to stand and block the path of someone from the murim.
“You must not get involved in the murim’s affairs! This man knows martial arts! You’re going to die!”
Although he wanted to be a little mischievous and pretend to be stoic, Woo-Moon found Ha Yeo-Seol’s worry cute and was unable to hold himself back, laughing out loud.
"Hahahahaha!"
The person who had kidnapped Ha Yeo-Seol also only had one eye. Judging by his grizzled hair, he seemed to be in his early fifties and had a stronger cultivation than the other one-eyed warriors.
“If you get out of the way now, I’ll only cut off an arm and a leg,” he said coldly.
Although Ha Yeo-Seol was momentarily taken aback when Woo-Moon burst out laughing out of nowhere, she was scared to reality again when she heard the emotionless voice of the one-eyed man.
“Please, I’m begging you, run away Mr. Attendant! There’s no need for you to die just because of me!”
However, Woo-Moon paid her no need and responded to the man.
“I can’t accept your offer. Here’s my counter. If you put her down right now and run, I’ll spare your life.”
Although Woo-Moon was wearing a rather excellent-looking sword on his waist, Ha Yeo-Seol still had no idea that he was a martial artist.
In an era where there were many thieves, it was common for everyone to carry a sword or a knife at the very least.
“No, please! Mr. Attendant!”
However, despite her mournful cries, the one-eyed man circulated his qi and spat on the ground.
“To think you’d refuse my grace and prefer my fist. You just don’t know how precious life is, do you?!”
As the man used his movement technique, space itself seemed to shrink between them. A fraction of a second later, he punched at Woo-Moon’s solar plexus.
With an eerie cracking sound, Woo-Moon’s hand formed a claw and aimed for the man’s incoming fist.
Squelch!
As they collided, the one-eyed man stumbled backward as he was unable to withstand Woo-Moon’s strength.
A fist was bound to have an advantage when colliding with an open hand. However, Woo-Moon’s fingers and nails seemed just fine. Instead, blood was dripping from the one-eyed man’s fist.
Woo-Moon grinned and spoke to the surprised Ha Yeo-Seol.
“Our cute little Lady Ha doesn’t have to worry.”
Realizing that Woo-Moon was a terrifying expert, the one-eyed man’s face distorted.
“Why are you interfering in other people’s business?”
“Yeah, yeah. Moving aside, I can take that attack as you ignoring my suggestion, right? Now then... should we spar a little?”
As soon as he finished speaking, the Northern Wind Steps blasted aside the air around them!
His speed of movement made the other man seem like a tired snail. As he approached, a sword suddenly appeared in his hand, and Cold Snow was unleashed.
The one-eyed man held Ha Yeo-Seol in one hand and a sword in the other. He initially struck back at Woo-Moon; however, he was suddenly startled by Woo-Moon’s sword suddenly changing direction and sliding down the flat of his blade.
This forced him to drop Ha Yeo-Seol and use both hands to block Cold Snow.
Woo-Moon reached out with a free hand as soon as the man dropped Ha Yeo-Seol and grabbed her by her slender waist, pulling her behind him.
Even during the panic of battle, her face turned a bright red.
Woo-Moon raised his left foot and tried to stomp on the man’s foot the moment the man overcame Cold Snow.
Bang!
Although the one-eyed man hurriedly pulled his foot back in response to Woo-Moon’s sudden stop, Woo-Moon took advantage of that moment and took another step forward, stomping the man’s other foot as he was off balance.
Crack!!
This time, the man wasn’t able to dodge properly, and every bone in his foot shattered into pieces.
“You dare!”
His blood rushing from the pain and fear, the man suddenly unleashed a technique entirely unlike anything he had used thus far. Gathering Glacial Yin Qi in one hand, he thrust a palm forward and sent an explosive palm wind toward Woo-Moon.
Ha Yeo-Seol’s eyes widened in shock seeing the Glacial Yin Qi.
“Divine Frozen Soul Palm!”
Bang!
Woo-Moon’s long, flowing hair slipped out of its tie and fluttered behind him, while the one-eyed man flew backward, spewing blood from the force of being hit by the Raging Wind Palm. Then, Woo-Moon gently lay Ha Yeo-Seol on the ground and released the acupoint suppression she was under before grasping his sword and walking toward the one-eyed man.
“I told you, didn’t I? To put her down and piss off. I could have sworn I told you it would be difficult for you to stay alive if you didn’t....”