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Kwak Moon-Jung walked quietly down the bustling street. rchants shouted their wares, their voices mingling with the bewitching laughter of courtesans leaning from windows.
Martial artists with weapons at their waists laughed heartily. Beggar boys darted frantically through the crowds, fraying everyone's nerves.
He was heading to the northern street of Fu County, a place the locals called the Road of Forgotten Souls. Dead souls were said to roam there, a testant to how many people had died.
The front line had moved to Ganquan Grand Canyon, but this area had once been the heart of the fighting. Many had died here, and the faint scent of blood still lingered in the air.
The largest building on the Road of Forgotten Souls was the Fu County Branch of Heaven's Summit. It served as the training and deploynt center for the Demon Slaying Army. Between the thousand resident personnel and the thousands of boys in training, nearly two thousand people were staying there.
Kwak Moon-Jung paused to study the Fu County Branch. He could hear the spite-filled shouts of boys from beyond the tightly closed main gate. Though curious about what was happening inside, the branch itself was not his destination today.
Just as he turned his back on the Fu County Branch to walk away, a woman called out from behind him.
"Hey there!"
Kwak Moon-Jung kept walking, assuming she was talking to soone else.
"Excuse !" The woman called out again.
This ti, Kwak Moon-Jung turned around doubtfully. Standing before him was a cute girl who looked about fifteen or sixteen.
His martial arts were exceptional, but she disliked his haughty personality.
A refreshing smile spread across the girl's lips. "It really is you, isn't it? Long ti no see, Moon-Jung!"
"You... are?"
Recognition soon dawned on his puzzled face as the girl approached with quick steps.
"Hello, Moon-Jung."
"You're So... So-Ryeong, right?"
The girl smiled brightly. "That's right. Ham So-Ryeong of the South Sea Inn. Wow, to think I'd et you here!"
Kwak Moon-Jung was stupefied. eting this girl again stirred up mories from long ago.
The girl's na was Ham So-Ryeong. Because of her, he had made an enemy of the Kongtong Sect and nearly lost his wrist. Although things had been resolved safely, he had honestly forgotten all about her since that day. He never dread he would et her here.
"Why are you here?"
"Excuse !" The woman called out again.
"Hehe! I followed Father to the Fu County Branch."
"Your father?"
Just as a strange light appeared in Kwak Moon-Jung's eyes, a dignified voice spoke.
The Kongtong Sect martial artists on the training ground watched Ham So-Ryeong in fascination.
"Young Leader, what are you doing there?"
"Father, it's Moon-Jung!"
This ti, Kwak Moon-Jung turned around doubtfully. Standing before him was a cute girl who looked about fifteen or sixteen.
A middle-aged man stood behind Ham So-Ryeong, and he approached them both.
"Moon-Jung?" The middle-aged man seed puzzled for a mont, but quickly broke into a bright smile. "I wondered who it was. If it isn't the little brother from the White Dragon rchant Association!"
"Ah! M-Master Ham."
Recognizing the man, Kwak Moon-Jung hurriedly offered a clasped-hands greeting.
Ham Ji-Pyeong, Ham So-Ryeong's father, grabbed both of his hands in return. "Master? Nonsense. It's good to see you, young man. How have you been?"
Kwak Moon-Jung was dumbfounded. He rembered Ham Ji-Pyeong following Mu-Jin into the Kongtong Sect.
"Young Leader, what are you doing there?"
"What are you doing here, Master Ham?"
"I've been dispatched from the Kongtong Sect for work at the Fu County Branch. What brings you here? Did the White Dragon rchant Association co here as well?"
"Yes, that's correct."
"I see. I was curious how you were doing since there was no contact, so this is really great. We shouldn't be standing around here. Let's go inside together."
"I..."
"Let's do that."
Kwak Moon-Jung looked troubled for a mont, then he nodded. He couldn't refuse once he saw Ham So-Ryeong's brightly shining eyes.
How did you end up coming all the way to this distant Shaanxi Province?"
He followed the two of them into the Fu County Branch. The guards at the main gate saw Ham Ji-Pyeong and let them pass without a word.
The Fu County Branch was massive on the inside. A central training ground, large enough for a thousand people, was flanked by enormous pavilions.
Many martial artists were training on the grounds. Off to one side, people heaved open a huge warehouse door and stacked a trendous amount of supplies.
Ham Ji-Pyeong and Ham So-Ryeong led Kwak Moon-Jung to the quietest pavilion in the branch, which served as the residence for warriors dispatched from the Kongtong Sect.
After Kwak Moon-Jung sat down, Ham Ji-Pyeong smiled. "I really didn't know I would see you here. Fate is truly unpredictable."
"Isn't the Kongtong Sect in Gansu Province? How did you end up coming all the way to this distant Shaanxi Province?"
"It's because the situation here is the most urgent. Heaven's Summit, the Mount Hua Sect, and the Zhongnan Sect all requested support. Eventually, I led a few disciples here."
"Then have you recovered all your martial arts?"
"Fortunately, the Sect Leader showed rcy, so I was able to recover my original martial arts."
Ham Ji-Pyeong had originally injured his dantian and lost all his inner energy. The Kongtong Sect had perford a secret technique on him called the Grand Healing thod. Thanks to this, Ham Ji-Pyeong regained so of his inner energy, and after three years of steady training, he had recovered a good portion of his martial prowess.
"That's a relief."
"It's all thanks to you, little brother, and to him. If it weren't for you two, my daughter and I would have lost our lives that day. Now I've recovered my position as a first-class disciple, and my daughter has beco a formal disciple of the Kongtong Sect. Thank you so much."
He knew how much pride Kwak Moon-Jung took in his work.
"Not at all."
"I really wanted to et you and repay the favor."
Kwak Moon-Jung didn't know what to do with Ham Ji-Pyeong's heartfelt words.
You never ca to visit."
Beside him, the smile on Ham So-Ryeong's face deepened. "You haven't changed a bit. How have you been? Why didn't you contact us even once?"
"Well..."
"Hmph! I guess you didn't miss . You never ca to visit."
"Ah, well, that is."
Kwak Moon-Jung's face turned bright red, and Ham So-Ryeong burst out laughing with a pfft. Three years had passed, and he had beco a respectable young man, yet he still seed naive. Seeing him like this made her heart flutter.
Kwak Moon-Jung scratched his head. "I'm sorry. Work has been a bit...hectic."
Kwak Moon-Jung answered without a hint of sha or hesitation.
"Then are you free now? Why did you co here? How long will you stay?"
"Young Lady, breathe a little while you speak. Can't you see the little brother is flustered?"
Unable to watch any longer, Ham Ji-Pyeong tried to rein her in, but it was useless.
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