Chapter 04 ..
Invincible Sword Spirit (4)
The Black Tiger Sect (2)
The stories Sword Spirit had heard about the martial world from his three masters—Solitary Demon Maya, Cheonnam-yeon, and Gu Yeong-cheol, as well as Yakbing—were a little different from reality, so he asked.
“They’re the same kind of people. If something benefits them, they take it; if it brings them loss, they throw it away… And the Black Tiger Sect’s leader, Man-gyeong, pays bribes to the county magistrate. The magistrate is too busy shielding them. If we file a report, those thugs show up that very day and wreak havoc, so we can’t even report them.”
From their perspective, martial artists and government officials were no different from the fists and thugs of the Black Tiger Sect.
“I see. The world is full of bad people.”
Sword Spirit gave a faint smile and asked for the goods to deliver.
“Take this to Jin-sang Lumber Mill in the neighboring village.”
“Yes! I’ll be off, then.”
Sword Spirit took the cloth bundle and left the fabric shop.
“I’ll need to learn more about the way of the world. Things aren’t quite like what Grandpa and Grandma taught me…”
To see the true face of the brothels, one had to wait until night.
At night, the pleasure houses lit their lanterns one by one, preparing to welcome guests.
In Xiangxiang, there were seven houses. Six of them were cheongru—green houses where wine and laughter were sold—but one was a hongru—a red house where bodies were sold.
Hong-a-ru was Xiangxiang’s only hongru, and it was run by the Black Tiger Sect.
As always, night fell, and the houses lit their lanterns for guests. But Hong-a-ru had not yet lit its lamps, as if preparations were incomplete.
“Unni, what should we do?”
The courtesans working in Hong-a-ru had gathered in the main hall, wearing grave expressions.
Those who worked in the red house usually entertained clients until dawn or morning, only going to sleep after sunrise.
That day had been no different. They worked through the night, slept until late afternoon, and woke to wash and dress themselves for the evening shift. But on their way to the baths, a sharp stench had led them to the main hall—where they discovered the Black Tiger Sect’s leader Man-gyeong and all his men, lying dead in pools of blood.
The women had screamed in fright, but soon quieted. With the Black Tiger Sect gone, the ones who tormented them were no more.
The oldest among them, Hong A-yeon, had gathered everyone into the hall.
No one grieved or pitied the dead thugs. Instead, they cursed them, saying it was good they died.
“It’s up to you, but from now on no one holds chains over us.”
When Hong A-yeon spoke, the courtesans listened.
“Those who wish to return home may return.”
The women looked at her. Her tone suggested she herself would stay.
Seeing their looks, Hong A-yeon gave a self-mocking smile and said:
“I’ve lain with more men than I can count. They climbed onto my body to satisfy their lusts and left.”
She spoke of her life in Hong-a-ru. And her story was the story of nearly every woman present.
“Even if I went home, would they welcome me? They’d call me a whore and point fingers. It wasn’t even my fault. My husband’s gambling debt dragged me here, forced to share beds with strangers. But people won’t blame him—they’ll blame me.”
Some of the courtesans nodded. They knew their fates would be the same if they returned.
“I’ll stay. Better to live out my days here in peace than go home and endure scorn. That’s my lot.”
“Unni…”
“I don’t know who killed those men, but I take it as heaven’s blessing. A chance to live anew. I want to stay and run Hong-a-ru, not as a red house, but as a green one.”
Several agreed to join her.
“But what about the magistrate?” one asked.
Man-gyeong had bribed him, bringing him here each month to bed women. With that gone, the magistrate might not sit quietly.
“Don’t worry! I’ll handle the magistrate.”
The women looked at her, then nodded. They remembered how, whenever the magistrate visited, he always asked for Hong A-yeon.
“Unni…”
They understood what she meant—that she would serve him herself, even if the house changed from red to green.
“Don’t worry about me! I’ve lived this way already. But you mustn’t live like me.”
Her words brought tears to their eyes.
“It wasn’t our fault—our parents, husbands, lovers brought us here. Why should we live this life? You don’t have to.”
“But what about you, unni…”
“One is enough. If it’s me, many others can be happy.”
At her words, the women wept.
“I’ll go to the magistrate, explain everything, and secure his promise.”
“Promise?”
“If we run this place, other pests will come sniffing around. We need protection. I’ll use the magistrate as our safeguard…”
The women thought over her words.
“While I’m gone, think carefully and tell me your decisions.”
“We will, unni.”
“Good. Yeon-hee, speak to the younger girls, and send those with no experience home.”
“Yes, unni. I’m sorry.”
“No need for apologies. If this is my fate, I’ll accept it. I’ll be back.”
Hong A-yeon left to meet the magistrate.
“Remember what unni said. Think carefully about what’s best for you, then tell her.”
Meanwhile, Xiangxiang’s market streets were celebrating.
Overnight, the thugs who had tormented them and extorted their money had been wiped out.
No one knew who killed them, but merchants praised the unseen hand and rejoiced at the Black Tiger Sect’s demise.
“I’m telling the truth!”
Sword Spirit was quarreling—though not quite quarreling—with Jin A-seol. For him, bantering with her was part of his daily routine.
“Liar!”
“It’s true. I killed all the Black Tiger thugs.”
“Then how did you kill them?”
She snapped back.
“Well… when I released my killing aura through inner force, they coughed blood and dropped like flies. Pathetic weaklings.”
He boasted proudly, but A-seol gave him a look that said no one in their right mind would believe such nonsense.
“There’s no such thing.”
Even if she was young, she wasn’t completely ignorant. She had overheard enough stories from escorts to know better.
“There is. Right here.”
Passersby smiled faintly, amused to see the two bickering again, as they did every day.
“Che, you’re just teasing me because I’m young. I know plenty.”
“Like what?”
“Na-guk ajusshi said even martial masters can’t kill with aura alone.”
“Yeah, but I told you—I’m the top master of the martial world.”
“Liar! Why would the greatest master be here?”
“Well… even masters need money, don’t they?”
“But Na-guk ajusshi said great masters are fought over by the Martial Alliance and other groups.”
“Really? Then why hasn’t anyone invited me?”
His shamelessness left her speechless.
“That’s because you’re not a master.”
Sword Spirit nodded thoughtfully.
“Maybe my idea of a master is different from theirs. But my grandpas said no one in the martial world could defeat me.”
“Who?”
“My grandpas.”
“Grandpas?”
“Yes, the ones who raised me. They told me so.”
“Didn’t you say your master was the one who defeated even them? Why bring up grandparents now? You’re a liar.”
“Miss, my grandpas and grandmas were also my masters. And doubting people’s words isn’t good, you know.”
“I believe everyone else—but not you.”
This time, he felt like he had lost.
“Fine, I won’t talk to you anymore.”
He spun on his heel and headed for the Gangnam Escort Bureau’s gate.
“Where are you going?”
“To work. Didn’t they say if I don’t work, I don’t eat?”
As he left, Jin A-seol smiled brightly. Today, she had won.
When Sword Spirit stepped into the marketplace, he could clearly feel the change in people’s moods.
The merchants’ faces were full of smiles. Their haggling voices were louder, their gestures more animated.
He greeted familiar shopkeepers lightly as he passed, taking in their cheerful faces. Their joy made his own heart light.
“So this is why Grandma told me never to overlook injustice.”
He passed through the market toward the Dae-ryuk Bank, located at the far end.
The Dae-ryuk Bank was run by the O-seong Merchant Guild and had some reputation in Guangdong Province. Its customers were mostly local merchants.
Entering, Sword Spirit pulled a note from his robe.
“I came to deposit this.”
At the counter, he handed it to the clerk.
The note was worth one hundred thousand taels of silver—the loot from the Black Tiger Sect’s treasury.
The clerk eyed him suspiciously, glancing back and forth between him and the note, but in the end issued a receipt for the deposit.
After all, doubting him wouldn’t change anything. And if the bank lost such a customer, the clerk might well lose his job.
Sword Spirit checked the receipt, tucked it away, and thanked the clerk before leaving.
“I’ll stay here a little longer, learn more about how people live, and then travel the Central Plains.”
He thought he needed to understand the world better.
All his life, he had lived in seclusion on Dark Abyss Island with his three masters.
Though he had learned their wisdom and knowledge, the world was more complex and difficult than he had imagined.
“Grandpa Ghost always said—to avoid being used by others, I must first learn as much as I can.”
