Chapter 20

"Cheong-ra, if you ever encounter that bastard Dang Ran-yeong again, don't recklessly rush at him, claiming to seek revenge."

Would he even be able to face Dang Ran-yeong again? Last time, it was in Central Plains, close to Sichuan, so they had encountered each other, but this time, they were heading to Hubei. Unless something extraordinary happened, there would be no chance of meeting Dang Ran-yeong. As Cheong-ra was thinking that and his response was slightly delayed, Gong Hyeok-rin looked at him with a worried expression, prompting Cheong-ra to reply.

"I will, Great Senior Brother."

"I wish I could go with you, but..."

Gong Hyeok-rin sighed with regret. The position of great senior brother was no different from the future of the sect. Only the most intelligent, wise, and strong disciple in Moon Lake Sect is allowed to succeed the sect leader. Moreover, Gong Hyeok-rin was a person of outstanding character, respected and followed by all the junior brothers. As such a precious talent, he couldn't go on a long-term mission like this one, which could take an unknown amount of time.

"Don't worry. I'll take good care of our junior brother in place of the incompetent great senior brother."

Song Geum-hye approached and pushed Gong Hyeok-rin away. Then Ju Mu-gwang stood in front of Gong Hyeok-rin with his arms crossed, staring at him intently. It was a gaze filled with resentment because Gong Hyeok-rin had pushed him with his foot earlier, causing him to volunteer by mistake.

"Great Senior Brother, did you have to send me?"

Ju Mu-gwang was someone who rarely wanted to leave Moon Lake Sect unless necessary. Ordinary disciples joined Moon Lake Sect for the powerful influence the sect exerted on Central Plains and to learn martial arts. However, Mu-gwang's purpose was different. He was an oddball who joined because he loved the beauty of the majestic and rugged mountains surrounding Moon Lake Sect. His hobby was to go up the mountain and paint landscapes whenever he finished training.

"No, then were you going to let Cheong-ra, who is like a brother to you, go alone?"

"It's not that I don't cherish Cheong-ra! There could have been plenty of other volunteers. I'm on the verge of completing the landscape painting I'm currently working on..."

"Well, what can you do? Blame your skills for being superior to others even when you slack off in training. Since you're going, why don't you paint some famous mountains in Hubei and bring them back?"

Saying that, Gong Hyeok-rin rummaged through his sleeve and handed over a money pouch, telling Mu-gwang to go and buy some writing and painting supplies. Ju Mu-gwang scowled fiercely but quickly accepted and pocketed the money pouch. Calligraphy, poetry, painting, and music were quite expensive hobbies, and his financial situation wasn't that affluent.

That day, Baek Ri Yeong-hyeon, who had heard the news late, came to visit, sighing deeply but unable to stop Cheong-ra. Even though they had received sufficient travel expenses from Moon Lake Sect, he personally prepared Cheong-ra's luggage, worrying about his nephew, and placed a heavy money pouch and high-quality golden wound medicine deep inside the travel bag.

"Cheong-cheong, it's alright if you can't complete the mission. Just come back unharmed, and your uncle will take care of everything."

"I will return without getting hurt. Don't worry too much."

Despite Cheong-ra's words, Baek Ri Yeong-hyeon couldn't easily feel at ease. Whenever Cheong-ra had to leave Moon Lake Sect like this, he would only look at him with eyes filled with worry and affection. Thanks to his uncle's deep consideration and concern, Cheong-ra was able to leave Moon Lake Sect fully prepared.

***

"So you're the Moonlight Beauty Sword. You're as beautiful as the rumors say."

The owner of the melodious voice arrogantly looks down on Cheong-ra. Befitting the leader of the underworld group with dozens of subordinates, the weapon in his grasp emits an ominous glow. The beautiful beauty sneers and crushes Cheong-ra with overwhelming force, like a cat playing with a mouse, rendering him unable to move. Then, while teasing, he says.

"From now on, I'll make you my plaything and cherish you."

...Cheong-ra often had this kind of imagination whenever he left Moon Lake Sect. However, reality was always different from his vain delusions.

"The lad is as pretty as a courtesan's brother!"

While crossing the mountains after leaving Moon Lake Sect, they encountered the leader of a group of mountain bandits. His voice was loud and vulgar, and his teeth visible between his lips were yellowish. Not only did he not have a thick beard, but his toenails were also unkempt and long, and his belly, covered in hair, was bulging out due to his pot belly.

"Heh heh heh! I'll break you here and ravish you along with that wench!"

While rubbing his crotch over his yellow pants and scratching his belly with a rustling sound, Cheong-ra's face stiffened upon seeing it, and he hurriedly covered his mouth with his sleeve.

"Ugh!"

When Cheong-ra retched as if he had seen something unsightly while looking at him, the leader momentarily forgot what to say. It was the first time he had seen someone openly retching in disgust in front of others. Soon, the leader's face turned red with anger. Cheong-ra, who was trying to calm his churning stomach, also had eyes filled with anger and contempt as he glared at the other party.

"Martial Sister! Let me deal with that bastard."

Then, without even waiting for a response, Cheong-ra drew his sword with a clang. As soon as he drew it, the blade flashed like lightning and deflected the arrows flying towards him. Then, his figure shot forward like an arrow, stepping on the ground. The leader hurriedly drew the axe hanging from his waist and swung it, but Cheong-ra's speed in reaching right in front of him was faster.

The startled leader widened his eyes. The huge axe cut through the air, making a threatening whoosh sound. However, by the time the axe struck the ground, Cheong-ra was already behind the leader's back. When he belatedly turned around, Cheong-ra had already cut down several mountain bandits in an instant. Warm blood dripped from the sword with a sharp blade.

"Wh-What is this!"

The mountain bandits, who belatedly realized that their opponent was not just a mere courtesan's brother but a master with unapproachable skills, faltered and retreated. Some of them quickly made a judgment and tried to flee, but Song Geum-hye and Ju Mu-gwang swiftly blocked their way.

"Aaaagh!"

In the meantime, the bandit leader, who had one of his legs and arms severed in an instant, fell while screaming. The huge axe was kicked far away. The leader, who had lost his fighting spirit and was crawling on the ground, raised his head. At first, he thought he was just a pretty-faced fellow, but seeing his swordsmanship and beautiful face, a name came to mind.

"C-Could it be... Moonlight Beauty Sword... Ugh!"

"Don't raise that hideous face in front of me."

Cheong-ra, who had shallowly retched again in disgust upon seeing his face, coldly rebuked and stomped on the other party's head, pressing it into the ground. His stern eyes, filled with contempt, shot out like cold daggers. Ju Mu-gwang, who was knocking out the bandits with his fists, clicked his tongue.

"No wonder there are rumors that he chooses his friends based on their appearance..."

Although devoted followers like Jin Hwang-yeong were busy denying it, those who had traveled with Cheong-ra all knew. Cheong-ra was quite particular about appearances. Especially when dealing with the underworld groups like evil factions, his coldness could become as icy as the northern sea.

Like the bandit leader currently vomiting blood with his dantian (~2 inches below the navel) shattered, if someone was dirty and ugly, Cheong-ra openly showed his contempt. Even his retching wasn't to insult the other party but a genuine action stemming from his true feelings. However, it didn't mean he went easy on those who were handsome or pretty. He didn't show the same contempt, but his methods became harsher, and he acted more violently than usual.

This discrimination wasn't limited to just the underworld groups. One could feel that Cheong-ra's attitude subtly changed towards people with outstanding appearances when he was outside Moon Lake Sect. Only the people of Moon Lake Sect were an exception to that discrimination.

For example, Cheong-ra was usually gentler towards women than men. It wasn't because he was lustful towards the opposite sex. It was because women were generally more pleasant to look at than men and more likely to have a nice scent. There were many beautiful, pretty, or cute women, but handsome, good-looking, or cute men were rare.

So Ju Mu-gwang, who was well aware of his own appearance, wondered if he could have even become Cheong-ra's acquaintance, let alone his closest friend, if he hadn't been from the same sect.

"Cheong-ra definitely discriminates based on appearance. He's also very shy."

Song Geum-hye nodded while cutting off the limbs of the bandits who resisted until the end.

"But what can you do when his appearance is so beautiful? Our Junior Brother Baek Ri should live in Moon Lake Sect for the rest of his life. The world is too rough for a fragile and pitiful junior brother to live in..."

Ju Mu-gwang shook his head at the voice that sounded quite pitiful. It seemed that in Geum-hye's eyes, Cheong-ra always looked like he did when he was young. Even though Baek Ri Cheong-ra was the strongest among the three, Geum-hye always pitied her junior brother.

But when Cheong-ra, who had been so cold and sharp towards the enemy, swiftly approached them...

"Martial Sister, are you hurt anywhere? Mu-gwang, what about you?"

When he tilted his beautiful face and asked with a completely disarmed, infinitely gentle and soft voice, showing concern, even Ju Mu-gwang couldn't help but think that he had made the right choice in joining Moon Lake Sect. In fact, Cheong-ra was also the subject of the few figure paintings Ju Mu-gwang, who mainly painted landscapes, had ever done.

"How long have we been training? Do you think we'd be beaten by these weaklings?"

Ju Mu-gwang replied bluntly while fiercely kicking the buttocks of a nearby bandit. They were all wailing and crying out in pain, but he felt no sympathy at all. There must have been more than a few commoners who had lost their lives and been humiliated at the hands of these bandits. He even personally broke an extra bone of the bandit leader who had dared to insult his martial sister and friend.

Cheong-ra sighed while meticulously checking if any dirt had gotten on his clothes. It was because of the thought that had occurred to him while dealing with the bandit leader.

'Someone like Dang Ran-yeong is truly rare and precious, like ginseng.'