Chapter 124: I Won’t Accept It. -01
Drip.
Today, not at a late hour of the night but while the sun was still up, Ban Hojin was having a private eting with Namgung Ho.
Of course, it was not a seat arranged at Ban Hojin’s request.
“Isn’t that expression a bit too honest?”
“Isn’t that better than being scheming?”
“Hah.”
If it had been any other Later-Generation Expert, such an attitude would not even have been imaginable, yet Namgung Ho rely let out a hollow laugh and said nothing more.
It was because both of them knew well that this was not a eting either of them had truly wanted.
Moreover, since Ban Hojin held the hilt of the sword, Namgung Ho had no choice but to take a lower stance.
“It’s Baiho Eun Chim today, I see.”
“I prepared this tea especially for you.”
“I prefer tea grown on Mount Song.”
“Then send so to as well.”
“It’s hard enough to be self-sufficient.”
At Ban Hojin’s blunt refusal, Namgung Ho shook his head as if admitting defeat.
Yet what was interesting was that despite being treated this way, there was not the slightest trace of displeasure on Namgung Ho’s face.
“You’re leaving tomorrow morning?”
“Yes. Now that the wedding ceremony has ended, isn’t it proper for a guest to leave early?”
“You’re not running away because it’s troubleso?”
“I committed no cri, so why would I run?”
“Does Shaolin Temple teach its disciples sharp tongues these days?”
Namgung Ho asked with a hollow smile.
It felt as though he had not won a single exchange.
“As far as I know, no.”
“So it’s your personality, then. But I’ve heard your temperant has changed quite a bit from before?”
“Everyone goes through a storm-and-stress period.”
On the surface, it sounded like nothing much, but the underlying aning was different.
Yet Ban Hojin, even knowing that, did not bother to point it out.
His cultivation was not so shallow as to beco agitated over such trivialities.
Sluurp.
Instead, he leisurely sipped his tea.
Since it was expensive tea and had been offered to him, there was no reason to refuse, and Ban Hojin calmly savored its fragrance and taste.
“Do you like the tea?”
“If expensive tea isn’t good, wouldn’t that itself be the real problem?”
“You’re as sharp as a drawn blade.”
“We’re not exactly on comfortable terms, are we, Family Head?”
“What happened yesterday—I apologize. My heart ran ahead of , and I failed to consider yours.”
Had it been soone else, their eyes would have widened at Namgung Ho’s words, but unfortunately for him, his counterpart was Ban Hojin.
Even at Namgung Ho’s apology—sothing he rarely offered—Ban Hojin maintained an indifferent deanor from start to finish.
“I will accept the Family Head’s apology.”
“Then, in that spirit, may I ask you one thing?”
“If it is sothing I can answer, I will.”
“Must you always attach conditions? Or do we need to beco closer first?”
“Well.”
It had been ages since Namgung Ho had spoken in such a lowered posture, yet unexpectedly, he did not feel displeased.
Rather, he found it amusing.
But that was only because it was Ban Hojin.
Since he was stronger than the young man, he did not feel insulted even when treated like this.
“Isn’t that a bit too cold? I did apologize, and I am making an effort in my own way.”
“And that is why I ca this far. If it had been soone else, I would have simply left.”
“If you put it that way, I have nothing to say.”
“You may simply say what you intended to say to .”
“You don’t wish to hear anything else?”
Namgung Ho let out another hollow laugh.
There was no mistreatnt quite like this.
Though he was the master of this vast estate, sohow in front of Ban Hojin, he felt diminished.
“I can’t deny that.”
“Does the Abbot know?”
“If my Master did not know, wouldn’t that be stranger?”
“It seems the Head Disciple knows as well.”
“You’ve investigated quite thoroughly, it seems?”
Even at the blunt question, Namgung Ho smiled.
As Ban Hojin had just said, he had committed no cri.
“I was simply curious about you personally. After all, you didn’t exactly fall from the sky, did you?”
“Is that so?”
Ban Hojin countered as if he found it difficult to agree, his gaze still resting on his teacup.
“In truth, you know it yourself, don’t you? That your very existence defies logic.”
“That doesn’t an there’s no precedent.”
“Are you overestimating yourself a bit?”
“I’m not saying I’m on the sa level as those figures. I’m saying it isn’t impossible.”
“You really do have a way of speaking that’s irritatingly good.”
Namgung Ho muttered his true thoughts without realizing.
Yet he did not take the words back.
He knew that Ban Hojin would not concern himself over sothing at this level.
“Thank you for the complint.”
“Honestly.”
“I believe we may move on to the main point now.”
This was a private audience others would try desperately to obtain, yet Ban Hojin was different.
He openly displayed on his face that sitting here was botherso and uncomfortable.
From that sight, Namgung Ho could fully understand the position and feelings of the lesser party.
“All of this must be my fault for fastening the first button incorrectly.”
“It would have worked on another Later-Generation Expert. And that would have been wrong. Because it always worked, you likely never thought that thod itself was wrong. That bad habit continued until now, and in my generation, it returned to its proper place. If you think of it the other way around, it’s quite easy to understand. When people believe they hold superiority over soone else, they tend to try to show it sohow. You might say they have a disposition to do things in whatever way suits them.”
At the blunt words that struck to the bone, Namgung Ho found himself unable to speak despite having a mouth.
There was no room for rebuttal, and so he rely gave a bitter smile.
At the sa ti, though only briefly, he reflected upon himself.
Because he was the Namgung Family Head, because he was Yama King, even those who had complaints would not have been able to voice them.
“That’s enough. I understand more than sufficiently now.”
“Understood.”
Ban Hojin did not enjoy nagging either.
He was not close enough with Namgung Ho to go that far.
Even so, the reason he had spoken to this extent was because he did not want another victim to erge.
If not for that, Ban Hojin would have had no reason to say such things.
“I believe you can already guess why I summoned you separately.”
“I’m not sure.”
Namgung Ho subtly adopted a weighty tone as he began, but Ban Hojin wore an expression of ignorance.
He feigned innocence perfectly.
Yet Namgung Ho was not shaken by that expression.
“How would my daughters be as your partners?”
“I refuse.”
“Without even giving it thought?”
“Is there any need to think?”
Ban Hojin instead asked in return.
For him, it was not a matter worth contemplating.
He had already received quite a number of proposals.
Offers like this had previously co from the Hebei Peng Family and the Sichuan Tang Family as well.
“I assu you received similar proposals from the Hebei Peng Family and the Sichuan Tang Family.”
“I won’t deny it.”
“Those two likely bluntly told you to marry their daughters. But I am different.”
Namgung Ho continued with a face full of composure.
However, Ban Hojin tilted his head.
He did not feel any real difference from the other two.
The wording and tone might have been slightly different, but to him, it was much the sa.
“Frankly speaking, my daughters’ beauty cannot compare to Poison Phoenix. But that does not an their looks are greatly inferior. I say this from a strictly objective standpoint. To my eyes, of course, my daughters appear more beautiful than Poison Phoenix.”
“That is only natural. I understand.”
Ban Hojin nodded.
It was an unavoidable instinct for one’s own children to appear more beautiful.
Thus, he had no intention of pointing anything out about that.
“But from your perspective, it is different. Nine out of ten n share similar tastes, but one in ten is unique. You may belong to that one.”
“I’m similar as well. There’s no man who dislikes a beauty.”
“But beauty alone cannot bind a Later-Generation Expert like you. From your standpoint, you have options beyond the Namgung Family. Nor can I force a marriage upon you. So I intend to speak of what I—and only my main house—can provide. You are a martial artist, so you must have a goal. I will support you wholeheartedly, in both material and immaterial ways, in achieving that goal. In truth, though you are the Abbot’s disciple, you are a Lay Disciple, are you not? Even if Shaolin Temple stands as your background, you hold no real authority. In that case, I believe the main house offers you sufficient advantages. Consider it. Your sect would be Shaolin Temple, and your wife’s family the Namgung Family. Would not the road toward becoming the Greatest Under Heaven be paved straight and firm?”
Namgung Ho wore a confident expression.
Just hearing it painted the image of a brilliant future.
With such an offer, he was confident that no Later-Generation Expert could remain unmoved.
The problem, however, was that the man before him stood above him.
“In exchange, I would be bound to the Namgung Family. Even if I were to beco the Greatest Under Heaven, would not everything ultimately belong to the Namgung Family? Along with the title of the Greatest Family Under Heaven?”
“That would co naturally. What matters is the Greatest Under Heaven. That would be you.”
“I am grateful for the offer, but I have no intention of entering the Namgung Family as an Adopted Son-in-Law. Nor do I intend to have any background other than Shaolin Temple.”
Namgung Ho tried once more to persuade him, but Ban Hojin did not waver.
Certainly, Namgung Ho’s conditions were excellent.
It was the Namgung Family, no less, offering proper support.
But what mattered was that even without the Namgung Family’s support, Ban Hojin was confident he would beco the Greatest Under Heaven.
“Don’t be so quick to decide. Why not think about it seriously? This concerns your future, does it not? Stay at the main house for a few days and consider it. et my daughters as well.”
“I have considered it sufficiently. I have also given you a sufficient answer. I believe there is nothing more to discuss.”
“Haa!”
At Ban Hojin’s firm reply, Namgung Ho let out a sigh.
It was so resolute that there was no opening to probe.
Moreover, the young man was sharp enough to see straight through his intentions.
“If you have finished what you wished to say, I will take my leave.”
“W-wait! Just wait a mont!”
“Is there sothing more?”
As if he truly ant to leave, Ban Hojin straightened from his half-risen posture and asked.
But Namgung Ho could not readily open his mouth.
He had believed this alone would be enough to tempt him and had not prepared a second-best option.
Yet if he remained silent, it was obvious Ban Hojin would return to Shaolin Temple as he was.
So Namgung Ho quickly turned his thoughts.
“Must you return to Shaolin Temple imdiately? Since you’ve co this far, how about speaking with further about martial arts? It would surely benefit you as well. To be honest, I also wish to properly cross hands with you once more.”
If he could not tempt Ban Hojin with won, the only thing left was martial arts.
At Shaolin Temple, there was the Law King Damhyeon, one of the Murim Ten Kings, but he was the Abbot.
No matter that Shaolin Temple was a temple, he would not have little to do, and thus ti for private etings would inevitably be scarce.
In contrast, Namgung Ho was relatively freer in terms of official duties and could make ample ti.
‘First, I must keep him here. Send all the other children away. If we see each other often and et frequently, being human, affection will naturally form.’
He would have to abandon the easy path and take the difficult one, but if the fruit of that effort was Ban Hojin, it was worth the investnt.
And his instincts told him fiercely that if he let this opportunity slip now, there would be no next ti.
“Aren’t you the sa?”
“No.”
“As expected, you also—. Hm?”
Namgung Ho’s eyes widened.
Contrary to his expectations, he had been rejected in a single stroke.
Ban Hojin did not stop there. He bowed politely at the waist and left the room.
Creeeak. Thud.
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