Chapter 54
“Here are the dumplings you ordered!”
The chef, delivering the food himself instead of Jeomsoi, announced energetically.
He had once tried to become an outer hall warrior of the Namgung family but, after three attempts, gave up and opened this inn instead.
“Our dumplings are as gigantic as the head of Namgung Ui-gyeol, the Celestial Grand Master of the Namgung family!”
Boom!
On the wooden table sat a “Namgung Dumpling” as large as a human head.
It was the inn’s most popular dish.
Of course, using the Namgung name so freely could anger the family if they found out. But apparently, the chef was daring enough to risk it.
“This dumpling is said to be a must-try for any traveler coming to Hebi,” he continued.
Especially on days when the Namgung family selected even an outer hall warrior, the inn would be full of warriors who had failed the exam, nursing their resentment.
On that day, all of them would chew on the head-sized dumplings, venting their frustration.
Coincidentally, today was such a day.
A woman with a pipa on her back glanced at the men at the neighboring table, who were guzzling their drinks.
“Bah, how could that big-headed Celestial Grand Master judge me?” she muttered.
“Who in the world can fetch a peacock feather hung on the end of a pole?”
The men were chewing the enormous dumplings with mouths stretched wide.
Annoyed by their conversation, the woman frowned.
She took a bite of her dumpling and rinsed her mouth with the cup of liquor beside her.
“Hmm… not great. Just ruined my appetite.”
“Hey, why find fault with a dumpling that’s supposed to be delicious?”
A man nearby commented, seemingly itching for a fight.
“Blame my rustic taste buds, then! Ha ha ha!”
The men at the table burst into laughter.
The woman’s lips twisted, revealing her sharp canines.
“Those filled with cowardice might actually enjoy this dumpling,” she said.
“What!”
Bang! Crash!
A group of warriors leapt to their feet.
Their plates still had a few bites of steaming dumplings left.
“You dare mock us?”
“P-please, calm down, sirs!”
The chef turned pale. But the men didn’t care about the food—they just needed someone to vent their anger on.
“This woman… does she know who we are?”
“Who are you?”
Five against one. Any observer would expect the woman to be intimidated—but she wasn’t.
“Have you not heard of the Anhui Five Dragons? You country bumpkins!”
“Country bumpkin” referred to her modest attire.
“Judging by the lack of weapons, you’re just a passing woman.”
Normally, they might have let her go. But the drunken men saw nothing beyond their anger.
“Come here and serve us some drinks! Then maybe we’ll overlook your insolence.”
The woman smiled lightly.
“You’d be better called the Anhui Earth Dragon.”
“Earth Dragon? Are you insulting us as worms?”
Crack!
One furious man split the table beside him with a strike powered by inner energy.
He swung the table leg at her with lightning speed.
“Raaah!”
Bang!
The table leg smashed the chair where the woman had been sitting.
But the pipa-wielding woman was already gone.
“Huh?”
The bewildered warriors looked around.
“How foolish,” she muttered, her claws already gripping the ceiling as she leapt toward the man holding the table leg.
Thwack!
A merciless kick sent teeth flying.
“Brother!”
For a moment, the remaining four were stunned. Then, they all lunged at the woman with the pipa.
Smack! Thwack!
Her fierce strikes hit two men—one on the jaw, the other in the gut.
Wham!
The two fell with a crash, the air splitting with the impact.
“You… insolent woman!”
One of the two who had stepped back drew a blue blade, eyes burning with rage.
“I’ll teach this insolent woman a lesson with my perfected Celestial Technique!”
The woman sighed without assuming any stance.
“Tch, you weren’t even chosen as an outer hall warrior, and yet you speak of Celestial Technique.”
“Raaah!”
Whoosh.
The blade slashed past her side, but she easily deflected it.
She picked up a chopstick from the table and aimed it.
Swish!
The chopstick pierced the man’s knee in an instant.
“Argh!”
He dropped his sword, clutching his knee and collapsing like a leaf.
The last man hesitated, clearly considering fleeing.
The woman smiled with her red lips.
“Fine, I’ll give you a special performance.”
As he turned to run, the rag on her back pipa untied.
Ding!
Her slender fingers plucked the strings.
Despite her clumsy technique, something strange happened.
“Eh…?”
Blood spurted from the warrior’s mouth as the sound struck him.
Ding!
The next note hit, and he collapsed to the floor.
It wasn’t just him—those already lying on the floor also spat blood.
The only unharmed person was the chef standing behind her.
She controlled the sound with her inner energy, directing it as she pleased. Truly astonishing Sound Technique.
“The orthodox sects are pathetic. I had hoped for something useful here in Anhui, but it’s been a mess from the start.”
Leaving those words behind, she turned toward the chef.
Red, potent evil energy emanated from her body.
The chef fell to the ground, terrified.
“P-please spare me! Oh! I did not know, madam!”
The woman furrowed her brow and wore a black straw hat.
She tossed something into the chef’s arms.
“Goodness!”
The chef leapt—he thought it was a human head.
“Sorry about the mess in the inn. Here, take this.”
“Eh?”
“That dumpling? Forget about it—it’s not worth the taste or meaning.”
Finally, the chef looked closely at the object she had thrown.
“This… this is a silver pouch!”
Inside was enough money to repair the inn and still have plenty left over.
By the time the astonished chef looked up, the pipa-wielding woman had vanished without a trace.
Baek, Heuk, and Jeok suddenly started attending the academy.
There were no more scholars worth inviting to the inner hall of the Namgung family.
‘It’s because the genius Namgung Baek has trampled the pride of countless scholars over the years,’ they said.
Coincidentally, a retired great scholar had opened a new academy in Hebi City.
“Can I go to the academy too?”
Hongseol wanted to do everything her three brothers did.
“Ah, I’m sorry, but it’s too dangerous for you to go,” Bing Yuhua gently objected.
Namgung On, head of the family, shared the concern.
“Yes. If word gets to the Namgung family that you’re there through the kids, it could cause trouble.”
“Okay…”
Hongseol answered obediently but couldn’t hide her drooping shoulders.
Seeing this, Namgung On bent down to meet her gaze.
“Don’t be too upset, Hongseol. Instead, I’ll take you to the practice hall myself.”
Bing Yuhua frowned—he didn’t like sending a child outside.
“Really?”
“Yes. You’ve always wanted to go to the practice hall, right?”
Yuhua’s expression softened. How could they deny a child this simple wish?
Hesitant, Hongseol asked cautiously,
“Could I ask one more favor?”
Her eyes sparkled like sugar-coated candy.
Namgung On felt he could grant anything she asked.
“Sure. A hairpin? Or a jade ring?”
Bing Yuhua glared—still thinking that gifts were the only way to win a girl’s heart.
“Perhaps the child would like some delicious noodles,” Namgung On suggested.
“Noodles? Such cheap food?”
“Sometimes, after always eating rich meals, simple food is appealing. You wouldn’t know, having grown pampered in the Namgung estate all your life.”
Again, the two nearly argued over nothing.
Before it escalated, Hongseol shook her head delicately.
“That’s not what I’m asking for!”
“Then what is it, child?”
Hongseol smiled brightly.
“I want to go to the practice hall with you and the master of the pharmacy.”
“Ah…”
“We’ll even hold hands while we walk.”
Neither adult had expected such a request.
Hongseol widened her eyes even more and asked,
“You’ll grant my wish, right?”
