Chapter 153: Into the Tigers Den (3)

Chapter 153: Into the Tigers Den (3)

The old man thrust out a hand, clutching a bottle of wine. Jin Mu-Won eyed it for a moment, then silently reached out and took it. Without hesitation, he drank deeply, and a glimmer sparked in the old man’s eyes.

“Hey, slow down there. If you want to last the night, you should pace yourself,” the old man advised.

Jin Mu-Won lowered the bottle and handed it back.

The old man shook it, grumbling, “Damn it! You drank a lot. Thirsty for booze, are you?”

“I just took what I was offered.”

“You sure are one smooth talker, aren’t you?”

Jin Mu-Won sat down in front of the old man, gazing out over the lake. The floating lanterns on the water resembled blooming lotus flowers.

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“Nice view, ain’t it? All one needs to enjoy it is a good bottle of wine and someone who will listen to my grievances.”Th.ê most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m

“You mean someone to share a drink with, right?”

“No way, that’s basically like adding dog shit to healing medicine.”

“So I’m dog shit?”

“You should count yourself lucky. Not everyone gets to be this old man’s dog shit.”

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“Is that so?”

The old man took a long swig from his bottle. “Ah! This is great. With good booze and such a magnificent view, what more does one need in life? What else is there to covet? Isn’t that right?”

Jin Mu-Won remained silent.

The old man looked at him, puzzled. “You think otherwise?”

“An elder like you, who has lived a fruitful life, might be able to let go of your regrets and aspirations. However, I still have many years ahead of me. It’s a waste to settle for a bottle of wine and a nice view.”

“Hah! Look at this kid.”

Surprised, the old man stared at Jin Mu-Won, but the young man calmly met his gaze.

In the end, the old man was the first to look away. “Well! You’re cheeky, but I suppose a young man should have some spirit. Still, if you keep living like this, things won’t end well for you. Sometimes, you need to bow your head to the world,” he said.

“Is that so?”

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“Consider it advice from an old man who’s seen more of the world than you.”

“Thanks for the tip. I’ll remember it.”

“Hmph! At least you’re not completely pigheaded. Here, drink more.”

The old man handed the bottle back to Jin Mu-Won, who accepted it without a second thought. The wine was indeed as delicious as the old man boasted, far superior to the cheap stuff Jin Mu-Won had tasted before.

“This is good.”

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“It’s called the Thousand Days Fragrance. Its aroma is exquisite, but it’s so rare that you can only taste it around this time of year.”

Jin Mu-Won handed back the bottle.

Taking it, the old man asked, “Aren’t you curious about who I am? Why are you just accepting my drinks and not asking any questions?”

“Would you answer if I asked?”

“What are you doing here?” Jwa Moon-Ho asked through gritted teeth. As Hyun Gong-Hwi fainted and the Monochrome Twins were injured, they missed the Yunmeng Marsh Riverboat and had to take the long, arduous land route to Wuhan. It was impossible for him not to resent Jin Mu-Won.

“I’ve wanted to visit this place for the longest time.”

“If you’re done sightseeing, then please leave. We have a meeting here.”

A thought crossed Jin Mu-Won’s mind. Is the Azure Dragon Society holding a meeting here?

That seemed the most likely explanation. The young martial artists who had arrived earlier joined Jwa Moon-Ho’s group, suggesting they were part of the same organization.

Who is this man who can make Master Jwa react so sharply? Their eyes seemed to say as they watched the tense exchange curiously.

Jin Mu-Won frowned. He did not like Jwa Moon-Ho’s arrogant attitude, but neither did he want to cause trouble. In the end, he quietly turned to leave, but Hyun Gong-Hwi blocked his path.

“Where is Nam Soo-Ryun?” Hyun Gong-Hwi demanded.

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“......”

“Answer me. Where is she?”

Jin Mu-Won sighed. “Why are you looking for her?”

“I haven’t finished my duel with her,” Hyun Gong-Hwi growled, his eyes with ablaze with rage and frustration, unable to accept that he had tied with someone he considered vastly inferior to himself.

The young martial artists immediately flinched at the intensity of his aura.

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Jin Mu-Won, however, remained unperturbed. “She’s in Wuhan,” he replied calmly.

“Where exactly?”

“I don’t want to tell you.”

“You dare!” Hyun Gong-Hwi’s eyebrows shot up as he released his killing intent.

Offended by Jin Mu-Won’s defiance, the other young martial artists backed Hyun Gong-Hwi.

Sensing the rising tension, Jwa Moon-Ho bit his lip. This is bad. It’s getting out of hand.

Though he disliked Jin Mu-Won, he knew when to be rational. The young martial artists weren’t just reacting to Hyun Gong-Hwi’s killing intent, Jin Mu-Won’s confidence in their presence agitated them.

Jwa Moon-Ho quickly grabbed Hyun Gong-Hwi’s shoulder to hold him back.

“Let go, or I’ll consider you an enemy too!” Hyun Gong-Hwi snarled.

“You’ll have plenty of chances to redeem your pride. Right now, we must prioritize the meeting.”

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This meeting was orchestrated by Jwa Moon-Ho, not Shim Won-Yi or Seomoon Hye-Ryung, so he would bear the consequences if anything went wrong. Naturally, he was desperate.

Hyun Gong-Hwi glared at Jwa Moon-Ho, his eyes burning with killing intent. Jwa Moon-Ho swallowed nervously but stood firm.

“All of you need to calm down. Cease this at once,” he addressed the others.

“I don’t want to...” The first young martial artist to arrive shook his head with a smile. His name was Namgoong Il-Geom, and he was from the Namgoong Clan, one of the Five Great Clans. Naturally, he was curious about Jin Mu-Won, who had provoked such a violent reaction from Hyun Gong-Hwi, a member of the Seven Young Skies.

As Namgoong Il-Geom spoke, the other young martial artists began to whisper in hushed tones.

Jwa Moon-Ho ground his teeth and glared at Jin Mu-Won. This is dangerous! This man could cause a rift in the Azure Dragon Society before it even takes flight.

Amidst the rising pressure, Jin Mu-Won stood serenely, the air around him shifting subtly.