The Return of the Sword God Chapter 141 : A Windfall That Rolled in on Its Own. -03

Chapter 141: A Windfall That Rolled in on Its Own. -03

With beads of sweat forming densely upon his forehead, the figure made a respectful request.

Anyone could see that he was sincere, and Jeonghyeon found himself rather flustered instead.

It was the first ti soone had pleaded with such utmost earnestness.

“Ah, there isn’t any particular procedure. It’s just that since so many guests co looking for Shibaek, most of them contact us in advance by ssenger pigeon or through a courier before visiting. Even then, most of them get turned away. But did you co alone?”

“Yes.”

“If it isn’t too rude, may I ask the purpose of your visit?”

Perhaps because the other party was so polite, Jeonghyeon naturally responded with courtesy as well.

A monk was still human; when treated with respect, his attitude changed accordingly.

“I wished to show Young Master Ban my abilities.”

“Hmm. Very well for now. Please follow .”

It was a vague answer, but Jeonghyeon did not pry further.

He did not seem to have co with ill intent, and his martial prowess did not appear particularly remarkable at first glance.

There were no traces of having cultivated poison arts, and he did not even seem to have reached twenty. Thus, Jeonghyeon decided to guide him.

“Thank you!”

“It’s nothing. I was heading that way anyway. Let’s go.”

“Yes!”

He had already felt a thread of unease since it was a side path, but when Jeonghyeon—who appeared to be a second-generation disciple of the Shaolin Temple—offered to guide him, Inyeong’s face brightened.

Perhaps because he now walked with a lighter heart than before, they arrived at their destination faster than expected.

Two small wooden buildings, which appeared to be hermitages, stood side by side, and a sparring match was in full swing in the front yard.

Each participant exuded formidable energy, and Inyeong could not help but admire them inwardly.

“Hm? It seems a guest has arrived?”

“Huh?”

Ban Hojin, who had been watching his younger brothers spar, turned his head at Seonwoobang’s words.

And then he was truly startled.

A completely unexpected person was standing beside Jeonghyeon.

“What? Why are you so surprised?”

“How is that child here?”

“Hm? Do you know him?”

“Not exactly.”

As Ban Hojin’s gaze did not leave the youthful-looking guest, Seonwoobang’s eyes widened into circles.

Ban Hojin was not soone who startled easily, so such a reaction piqued his curiosity.

“Shibaek! I’ve brought a guest.”

“Ah, hello! It’s my first ti eting you! My na is Sama Uiseong!”

Sama Uiseong, who had walked over with Jeonghyeon, greeted them spiritedly.

Perhaps because he had co to Songshan, where the Shaolin Temple was located, he greeted them with palms pressed together. Ban Hojin reflexively returned the greeting with a bow.

However, a trace of surprise still lingered in his eyes.

“Pleased to et you. I am Ban Hojin of the Shaolin Temple. Shall we go inside and talk?”

“R-Really?”

Sama Uiseong’s eyes widened greatly.

He had not expected a face-to-face conversation to be arranged so swiftly.

In the worst case, he had even prepared himself to be turned away at the gate. Instead, he was readily invited inside the residence, and he was astonished.

The others felt the sa.

-What is this?

-They don’t seem to know each other, do they?

-No. But if he’s letting him inside like that, it must an there’s sothing about that person.

Countless rising talents had co here until now.

They had been granted greetings, yes—but never invited inside.

At least, not on a first eting.

Yet that precedent had just been broken.

-Is that a man? Or a woman?

-Well.

At Seo Jowoon’s voice transmission, Seonwoobang could not answer readily.

Perhaps because of the young age, it was difficult to guess the person’s gender.

Judging solely by the clothing and build, it seed to be a young man. Yet from the surprised expressions and the voice, it would not have been strange if it were a woman.

-He looks past the age of voice change.

-So people just have naturally thin voices. You and Cheok are handso enough that even dressing as won wouldn’t look awkward.

-Dressing as won? The very thought is horrifying.

Seo Jowoon made a face of disgust.

He knew he was handso, but cross-dressing was going too far.

Moyong Cheok likely thought the sa.

-Judging by the mannerisms, it seems like a man. The way he walks too.

-Well, it’s not like there aren’t n prettier than won.

Seo Jowoon soon lost interest in the matter of gender.

Instead, he pondered the reason the visitor had co to see Ban Hojin.

“Sama Uiseong… Could he be a descendant of the Sama Family?”

“Hm? Co to think of it, his surna was Sama, wasn’t it?”

“The mont I heard it, the Sama Family ca to mind.”

Moyong Cheok shot Seonwoobang a look as if asking why he had only just realized.

But Seonwoobang had his own defense.

“They’ve been annihilated for a long ti. Hasn’t it been roughly forty years since they disappeared from the Jianghu?”

“That sounds about right. Seeing this makes think the saying ‘No flower blooms for ten days’ wasn’t coined for nothing. They were once a prestigious family that stood shoulder to shoulder with the Zhuge Family.”

“There was a ti when their influence was trendous. They even surpassed the Zhuge Family.”

“And then they collapsed in an instant. Unlike the Zhuge Family, which still remains among the Five Great Families.”

“To speak coldly, it was the result of their choice. Looking at it in hindsight.”

Seonwoobang muttered in a bitter tone.

Though it was said that no one could see even an inch ahead in life, the Sama Family’s fall had indeed been precipitous.

“But he might not be a descendant of the Sama Family. Aren’t we jumping to conclusions?”

“That’s true. The surna Sama is rare, but not nonexistent.”

“He could be from a distant collateral line. In fact, if he is a descendant, that’s more likely.”

Feeling that they were speaking too conclusively, Seo Jowoon offered a rebuttal.

It felt improper to speculate like this without even asking the person concerned.

“I’m more curious about why Hyungnim was so startled at first. Wouldn’t he only react like that if he knew sothing?”

“I’m curious about that too.”

At just the right mont, Jeong Iryong shifted the topic.

Truthfully, this interested them more than the Sama Family.

Moreover, it was the first ti Ban Hojin had allowed soone he had just t into his residence, so all of them stared at the building with curious eyes.

Click.

Entering the residence, Ban Hojin inwardly let out a quiet chuckle at the sight of Sama Uiseong standing stiff as a board and poured him a cup of tea.

As the weather was what it was, Ban Hojin adjusted the tea to a lukewarm temperature.

So drank it cold in the sumr, but most preferred it lukewarm, so he matched that preference.

‘Sama Uiseong.’

The mont he saw him, Ban Hojin recognized Sama Uiseong.

He looked far younger and more inexperienced than the image preserved in his mory, yet there was no difficulty in recognizing him.

He had left too deep an impression; Ban Hojin knew at a glance.

That was why he had been so startled.

‘Fate truly is a curious thing.’

Among the talents Ban Hojin intended to recruit, Sama Uiseong had been included.

In fact, he had been ranked even above Seo Joun.

Yet Sama Uiseong had been soone he could not find no matter how hard he searched, forcing him to give up. And now that very person had co looking for him first—Ban Hojin could not help but let out a quiet chuckle.

Fate was indeed amusing.

‘In my previous life, we fought countless tis.’

Ban Hojin’s gaze turned distant.

Sama Uiseong, who hailed from the fallen Sama Family, had struggled desperately to rebuild his clan.

However, he could not restore the Sama Family through his own strength alone.

Moreover, the established Prestigious Families did not wish for another competitor to erge, and whether openly or subtly, they hindered him.

Even so, Sama Uiseong did not give up and continued striving—but in the end, he failed.

Under relentless checks and suppression, he had been unable to accomplish anything.

And so, Sama Uiseong made a choice no one had anticipated.

‘He entrusted himself to the Northern Sea Ice Palace.’

As a martial artist, Sama Uiseong had been rely average, but as a strategist and military advisor, he had possessed the ability to toy with the world.

With bizarre and ingenious sches, he had torn through the Orthodox Martial World ti and ti again.

Among those he dismantled had been the very Zhuge Family that once competed with him.

‘To think that Sama Uiseong, who once toyed with the Murim of the Central Plains, would co looking for .’

Recalling his previous life, Ban Hojin composed himself.

That was enough reminiscing.

Now was the ti to focus on the present.

Swoosh.

When he regained his focus and looked at Sama Uiseong, he saw him waiting perceptively.

He was carefully sipping his tea in small gulps.

“I apologize. I left a guest waiting while I was lost in thought.”

“Not at all. I’m grateful that you welcod so warmly even though I ca unannounced.”

“If you see it that way, I’m thankful. I heard that you ca looking for .”

“Yes. I wished to show Young Master Ban my abilities.”

Though his nervousness was evident, Sama Uiseong calmly brought out the words he had prepared.

His voice trembled slightly, yet there was a resolute energy within it.

“You wish to show your abilities. That sounds rather vague. I would appreciate it if you could be more precise.”

“I wish to entrust myself to you, Young Master Ban.”

“To ? I am rely a Lay Disciple of Shaolin.”

Ban Hojin answered while feigning slight bewildernt.

But inwardly, it was different.

He had expected sothing of the sort, yet he had not thought Sama Uiseong would truly say it so directly. He was inwardly surprised.

“I know. However, I believe that will change greatly in the future. You have already accomplished much and changed many things. In my view, this war will not end easily.”

“May I hear your reasoning?”

“Nine Heavens Gate and Ironblood Fortress are forces that can be called the rulers of their respective regions. Though Ironblood Fortress has a short history, that does not an its strength is weak. The Great Desert has always produced absolute masters. The only reason Ironblood Fortress has a short history is because new absolute masters continually erge. As for Nine Heavens Gate, there is no need to elaborate—it is a prestigious great sect of Miaojiang. Even facing one would not be easy, yet now we must fight both. The strength of the Murim of the Central Plains will inevitably be divided. But the real problem lies elsewhere. While we are fighting Ironblood Fortress and Nine Heavens Gate, another force may appear to reap the fisherman’s profit.”

As if he had long prepared these thoughts, Sama Uiseong answered without hesitation.

Seeing that, Ban Hojin was reminded of the Sama Uiseong from his previous life.

As an enemy, he had been nothing short of terrifying; as an ally, he would have been more reassuring than anyone.

Of course, he still lacked experience in many areas, but if guided properly, the Demonic Strategist would this ti fight not for the Four Tyrants of the World, but for the Orthodox Martial World.

“Whom do you anticipate, Young Master Sama?”

“I believe there is a possibility that Tibet and the Northern Sea may invade. Tibet may be more livable than other regions, but that does not an it lacks ambition. The Northern Sea Ice Palace has openly revealed its aspirations. In addition, I believe we must also take the Demonic Cult of Xinjiang into consideration.”

Though not yet fully matured, the insight that had earned him the title of Demonic Strategist remained intact.

Through this conversation, Ban Hojin was certain of it.

“I share a similar view, Young Master Sama. Unlike when the Central Plains stood strong, if its strength wanes, ambition will naturally arise. There are already precedents.”

“Ah.”

Sama Uiseong’s expression showed faint emotion.

He had spoken because he was asked to, but inwardly he had worried.

He had feared being rebuked for being too fanciful.

Yet Ban Hojin did not doubt him in the slightest and instead agreed with his opinion.

“You ca to most likely to rebuild the Sama Family, did you not?”

“H-How did you know that?”

“The surna Sama is not common. And with insight of this caliber, how could one not think of the Sama Family? Furthermore, if you ca looking for , does that not imply you had reason to do so?”

“Y-Yes.”

“You have co to the right place. Let us change the world together. And I will help you rebuild the Sama Family.”