Chapter 18. Spring Painting and the Sword (5)

Only after they had moved away from the Juejian Sect did Baolinghua finally speak.

"To think we would meet in such an unexpected place, Mr. Cheng."

"It's fortunate that you came, Chief."

"It is training time, after all."

"......"

That's right.

"There was a bit of an accident. I got involved in some trouble... It was really dangerous. If you hadn't come, it would have been a big problem."

"You didn't seem very dangerous."

"Well, human psychology doesn't just neatly wrap up after a duel."

The guy was limping, and I was fine, so even if I did nothing, my victory was almost certain.

But there were still issues after winning.

If they had ganged up on me, I wouldn't have been able to handle it.

"Do you know the young lady behind you?"

Baolinghua asked, looking at Wang Xi, who was following me with a dazed expression. I was momentarily at a loss for how to explain.

—This is Asanak, the rising star of the Chunhua School and the goddess of the big butt.

...That might be a bit problematic.

I was pondering how to introduce her when, fortunately, Wang Xi introduced herself.

"I'm just a mediocre artist. Due to a misunderstanding, I was detained at the Juejian Sect, but I received help from Mr. Cheng here."

"I see. Do you have a stage name, Mr. Hua?"

A long hesitation was felt from beside me. After much deliberation, Wang Xi sighed deeply and answered with difficulty.

"...Asanak."

At that, Baolinghua's face turned bright red.

"S-so, then..."

"......"

An extremely awkward silence enveloped the two of us.

It's unbearable.

After walking in silence for a while, we reached the market street. If we continued straight, we would reach the Manjin Bookstore. Wang Xi, who had been looking in the direction of the Manjin Bookstore, seemed to be thinking about something and bowed her head to me.

"I have caused you a lot of trouble, Mr. Cheng."

"Well, that's true."

"You said you came to buy my paintings... Please accept this as a token of gratitude."

Wang Xi took out a few folded sheets of paper from the bundle she was carrying and handed them to me. I accepted the papers, which I couldn't unfold on the street.

"I will go to the Manjin Bookstore from here."

"Are you sure? You didn't want to go there, did you?"

"...Yes. I still don't want to go, but my thoughts have changed. Before the duel, you told me that a professional must adhere to professional ethics."

Indeed, I had said that.

"I had forgotten that there are things we must adhere to, even if we don't want to. Thank you for teaching me."

She bowed her head again and then left in the direction of the Manjin Bookstore.

Watching Wang Xi's departing back, Baolinghua said softly.

"What kind of professional ethics does someone who skips training have?"

I was wrong.

* * *

"By the way, why were you there?"

Returning to the agency with Baolinghua, I asked the question that had been on my mind.

"I was in the middle of negotiating a security contract with the Zhengjia Manor."

"Negotiating?"

"Yes. They seemed to want to end it amicably."

The master of the Juejian Sect was so shocked by the death of his youngest child that he collapsed. Bai Songlin, the young master who took over the sect, made the first decision to negotiate with the Baiyun Escort Agency.

—Since the deal with the Zhengjia Manor will inevitably leave us, anyway.

So he started negotiating with Baolinghua to get the best possible terms.

He proposed a one-year grace period to gradually hand over the business, and to leave Meiyang County once the handover was complete.

This was not a bad deal for Baolinghua.

"Otherwise, there would be continuous friction."

"Indeed."

It's difficult for two tigers to live on one mountain. Continuous disputes over business rights were inevitable, and in the worst case, it could lead to war.

From that perspective, the Zhengjia Manor's complete departure from Meiyang County was something the Baiyun Escort Agency had been hoping for. Having a tiger that had lost its food source as a neighbor was too dangerous.

Therefore, the one-year grace period was not a bad deal for the Baiyun Escort Agency.

Even if they could bring in the business immediately, it would take time and capital to build the system. It would be less chaotic to prepare and take over the business properly after a year rather than forcing it.

After hearing this explanation, I asked Baolinghua.

"But can a sect move so easily?"

A sect is fundamentally based on a specific region.

It's common for them to have firmly established roots and activities in one area for decades or even centuries.

So, even if a prestigious sect wanted to move, it couldn't. There would be all kinds of capital invested in the land, buildings, and shops around them.

The Juejian Sect is not a prestigious sect, but it has been established for quite a long time.

"I'm not sure. It didn't seem like they were trying to buy time, but I couldn't read their true intentions."

"Indeed, it was difficult to read their true intentions."

Bai Songlin, right?

He definitely had a strong charisma and martial arts skills.

"In any case, we plan to continue the negotiations. Thanks to Mr. Cheng, it should go a bit more smoothly. I owe you one."

"I'm glad."

"Still, don't skip training next time."

"Yes, sir."

I really shouldn't skip training.

"And... I was just about to give this to you. Please take it."

She took out a sword from her waist and handed it to me. Suddenly, a sword as a gift...

When I took the sword, it felt strangely familiar.

I've seen this somewhere before.

Seeing my puzzled expression, Baolinghua explained.

"This is the sword Bai Shengyi used."

"Oh!"

When I drew the sword, I recognized it. I almost lost my head to this guy, and now it's in my hands.

The sword was a fine one. The Juejian Sect was not a poor family, and they wouldn't have given their son a cheap sword, so it was natural.

"Is it okay for me to have this?"

"Since it was officially received, it's fine. Besides, since we have severed ties, the ownership of the items belongs to Mr. Cheng."

Indeed, since Bai Shengyi was disowned, the Juejian Sect cannot claim ownership of his belongings. Ultimately, it's right for me, who eliminated him, to loot them.

Looking at the sword that almost took my head, Baolinghua said casually.

"I have a piece of advice for Mr. Cheng: it's best not to leave the agency for a few days."

"Are you worried that something like today might happen again?"

"Yes. Although it's unlikely, you never know what might happen."

Indeed, from the Juejian Sect's perspective, it's understandable.

Although the master of the Juejian Sect disowned Bai Shengyi to clean up the mess, it doesn't mean they wouldn't care if someone really went and killed him.

In this case, it's more like a temporary disownment, and they might take him back once the situation calms down.

But since he died in my hands before they could take him back, it's not surprising that someone like Yang Jinpo, who is ready to flip out, might appear.

Of course, without a justifiable reason, they can't openly say, "Kill that guy!" But as we saw today, the world doesn't work that way.

There are many people who commit crimes and then seek forgiveness. And the martial world is generally dominated by such people.

That's why harboring grudges in the martial world is a scary thing. In a civilized world, you might receive a summons for something that could get you stabbed.

"I understand. I'll be careful for a while. I need to focus on training."

"Hehe, that's a good attitude. Don't worry too much, though. I'm just saying this out of caution. From the attitude of Young Master Bai Songlin today, it seems he will firmly control his subordinates."

"Hmm. Indeed... Seeing someone's arm cut off, no one would act rashly."

It was too scary.

Seeing an arm severed in front of you would be quite traumatic.

"Hehe, Mr. Cheng seems to get involved in many things right after arriving."

"Indeed."

It's as if I'm possessed by a demon.

Not even a disaster.

"So, how about getting involved in one more thing?"

"Excuse me?"

"There's something I want Mr. Cheng to help with."

"What is it?"

Baolinghua extended her slender hand and pointed in a certain direction.

"The Wujiang Bandits' extermination."

The Wujiang Bandits?

I vaguely recalled hearing about them.

"Are they the bandits who attacked the convoy last time?"

"Yes. Since Mr. Cheng can read maps and knows the way, I thought it would be good if you could come along this time."

"Sure, if it's just guiding the way."

There wouldn't be a problem as long as I don't have to deal with the bandits.

But why me?

"But aren't there other people? There were quite a few who were attacked that day."

"They have a lot to do here. Mr. Cheng is the only one with nothing to do."

I was the only one with free time.

"Someone is coming to help this time, so we plan to take this opportunity to eliminate the Wujiang Bandits, the root of the problem."

"Someone to help?"

At that moment, a voice calling her from a distance was heard.

"Sister!"

"Here they come," Baolinghua said with a light laugh.

* * *

Two women were running towards us from a distance.

One was following the other like a bodyguard, and the other, who looked quite small and cute even from a distance, was carrying a giant dao (大刀) on her back that was as tall as she was.

I quickly thought to myself.

'Who in the martial world uses such a crude weapon?'

Female martial artists generally preferred swords. Men also preferred swords because they were heavy, cumbersome, and annoying, so why would women be any different?

However, there was one exception.

The Hebei Peng Family (河北彭家)

A prestigious family in Hebei known for their aggressive dao techniques.

Here, regardless of gender, they were all required to carry the crude and large dao, which could be considered their signature weapon.

So, in the martial world, if someone carried a ridiculously large dao, it was common to ask, "Is your esteemed name Peng by any chance?"

'Might this be the Blood Phoenix Peng Gui?'

It seemed likely.

To my knowledge, the only small female from the Peng family was Peng Gui.

When I first heard the name Peng Gui among the Nine Dragons and Seven Phoenixes, I thought the agency had given her a stage name too casually.

I had seen so many funny stage names in modern times that I was almost indifferent.

But realizing this wasn't the modern world, I couldn't help but burst out laughing like a madman. "How can someone have such a name lol."

...Of course, I still remember the looks of those who thought I was crazy.

Peng Gui, who had been running and hopping, suddenly hugged Baolinghua and exclaimed.

"Sister! I've really missed you!"

"Oh, oh. Gui, there are other people here..."

Baolinghua, looking a bit awkward, lightly hugged and patted Peng Gui. Seeing the two, one relatively tall and the other relatively short, hugging each other, it felt like a niece hugging her youngest aunt.

I made a fist salute and greeted her formally.

"It's an honor to meet the famous daughter of the Hebei Peng Family, Blood Phoenix Peng Gui. I am Cheng Lajun, a new escort of the Baiyun Escort Agency."

This is a good opportunity to make an impression.

Peng Gui is almost a celebrity in the martial world. This is a good chance to network.

A prestigious martial family is like a wealthy family in modern terms.

Typically, martial families have been rooted in their regions for a few hundred years, operating dozens of large farms and businesses, making them extremely wealthy.

If the daughter of such a family is a precious gem, she can be considered a celebrity among celebrities.

Peng Gui, who had been hugging Baolinghua, suddenly turned to me with a surprised look.

"Really! You're one of Sister's subordinates! Nice to meet you! I'm Peng Gui!"

Seeing her cheerful exclamation, the suppressed laughter from earlier started to creep out.

She was indeed pretty enough to be one of the Nine Dragons and Seven Phoenixes.

But her short stature and cute actions made her more endearing than beautiful.

She looked at me with sparkling eyes and asked.

"Are you the new escort who killed Bai Shengyi this time?"

"It seems I've become famous."

Why don't they give me a nickname?

Since I killed an adulterer, something like 'Adulterer Slayer' might be fitting.

I shrugged, and Peng Gui shook her head.

"It's not that. On the way here, I heard some Juejian Sect members talking about killing you! I was worried, but it turns out it's you!"

"......I wish I had heard that a bit earlier."

Anyway, nothing goes right.