Chapter 6

Weakness is a sin.

Being born weak is not a sin, but living a weak life because one was born weak is a sin. Knowing one is weak and continuing to live weakly is an even greater sin.

Yahyun lost his parents to an epidemic at the age of ten and was abandoned in a harsh world.

Thus, Yahyun was born as a thorough weakling.

He joined a gang, committed crimes, and was sentenced to death for robbing a high-ranking official. In the end, he became a military slave to survive. He overcame countless life-threatening situations and seized every opportunity, no matter the cost.

In comparison, what about Haowen?

‘Not my concern.’

Yahyun cleared his mind and raised his wine glass.

Just as he was about to pour another drink, he stopped and looked at a wall with a few ink paintings. He could feel someone's gaze fixed on him. His red pupils darkened as he stared at the wall.

“Hmph!”

A sneer.

His intensely red pupils seemed to follow a person's movements, shifting from the wall to the door. When his gaze reached the door,

Click.

The door opened.

A graceful woman, seemingly in her early to mid-twenties, entered.

She was a striking beauty.

Her attire, though not lavish, exuded elegance, fitting for a noblewoman.

However, what truly caught Yahyun's attention was the internal energy within her.

His eyes narrowed for a moment but then softened into a calm smile.

He didn't detect her internal energy through his martial arts senses or discernment. Instead, he felt it faintly through the innate senses and discernment of a vampire.

Her internal energy was so subtle that it would be hard to detect unless one was a highly skilled expert. She wasn't skilled enough to conceal her internal energy intentionally.

It was likely that she had learned an internal energy cultivation technique specialized in concealing one's energy, characteristic of the Haowen Sect.

In terms of pure martial prowess, she was about half a level above him.

‘Probably at the upper level, approaching the expert rank.’

A first-rate practitioner nearing the peak.

Yahyun gauged her level based on the standards he was familiar with, used to measure the strength of knights.

“I am the owner of Juyuelou, Yueying.”

Yueying's introduction paused briefly before continuing.

She had observed Yahyun from behind the wall a moment ago, but when she faced him directly, she was momentarily speechless, captivated by his breathtaking appearance.

Yueying took a quiet breath and sat down in front of Yahyun.

Yahyun poured wine into the glass in front of Yueying, and she, in turn, filled his glass.

Yahyun slowly sipped the wine while looking into Yueying's eyes. His red pupils, visible through her black irises, seemed to penetrate her mind.

“...”

Yueying's sparkling eyes momentarily turned hazy.

Clack!

“The wine tastes even better when a beautiful lady fills the glass.”

Yahyun set his glass down on the table with a thud.

“...!”

Like waking from a midday nap on a lazy spring afternoon, Yueying regained her composure.

“Shall we continue drinking? I don't mind.”

Yahyun's words made Yueying sit up straight.

“I apologize for my rudeness. I am the branch leader of Haowen in Nanzhou. What brings you to our sect?”

Her voice became formal.

However, her composure had long been shaken.

“I didn't come for any grand information, but to have the branch leader herself receive me is quite an honor.”

Yahyun's red pupils darkened even more.

His excessively beautiful face.

Coupled with the power of blood, charm!

Yahyun smiled seductively. Her lips parted slightly, and her rigid posture relaxed.

“I don't usually come out.”

Her voice became as soft as her posture.

Yueying usually didn't appear as the owner of Juyuelou and only revealed herself in special circumstances. Revealing herself meant exposing herself to danger.

But she was drawn out by Yahyun's mysterious aura and unparalleled beauty.

“I appreciate your attention.”

Yahyun's red pupils deepened.

Yueying, who was in the position of observing him, couldn't take her eyes off his red pupils. Gradually, ripples spread through her heart.

“Would you like to hear why I came to Haowen?”

Yueying filled Yahyun's empty glass and spoke.

“I am seeking information about the Zhenjiao Sect.”

“Zhenjiao Sect...”

A thoughtful expression.

‘She knows something.’

Yahyun saw the spark in her eyes.

“It might take some time. Where can I contact you?”

Yahyun looked around the room.

“The wine is good, and it's quiet... I like it.”

“I'll inform the staff.”

“Since you handle information, can you also act as a broker for selling items?”

“You have something to sell?”

Yueying's eyes sparkled.

With a smile, Yahyun pushed the plates of appetizers aside with his arm and placed a long, wrapped object on the table.

Clunk.

A heavy metallic sound.

“I'd like to sell this. I need to pay for the wine.”

Yueying reached out and grabbed the wrapped object.

‘A sword?’

In the martial world, swords are the easiest items to buy and sell, with prices varying widely.

Yueying unwrapped the rough cloth.

‘...!’

Her eyes widened dramatically as she saw the sword.

It was indeed a sword, but one she had never seen before.

‘From the Western Regions... no, from the West.’

But what truly surprised her wasn't that it was a Western sword, a longsword.

Even someone ignorant of swords would be dazzled by the longsword's opulence.

The scabbard was beautifully adorned with gold, silver, and tiny jewels, and the hilt was wrapped in the skin of an unknown beast, with a very antique appearance.

Not only the scabbard and hilt, but the guard (crossguard) also had a lustrous blue sapphire embedded in it.

Swish!

Yueying, with a brief nod, drew the longsword and lightly swung it.

“Hmm.”

She sheathed the longsword and placed it back on the table, then looked at Yahyun with a questioning gaze.

“This sword...”

He recalled a memory of a longsword used by a king of an ancient kingdom hundreds of years ago.

It was a ceremonial sword, a combination of a true sword and a ceremonial weapon, made by the dwarves, a race known as the "earth's people." While it might not be considered a divine sword, it was certainly a famous sword.

However, who would take a work of art crafted with the highest aesthetic sense to the battlefield?

Thus, the old kings who owned this longsword used it primarily for ceremonial events and parties, as a display piece. In other words, it was a beautifully crafted sword, but more of an artistic display piece than a practical weapon for the battlefield.

Yahyun recalled the memory and calmly explained the sword's history.

Throughout the explanation, Yueying couldn't take her eyes off the longsword and kept swallowing.

After the explanation, she closed her eyes and pondered for a moment.

“Sigh...”

After a while, she sighed deeply.

“I have two proposals to make.”

After much deliberation, Yueying made her suggestions.

However, she didn't know that for Yahyun, the longsword, which was difficult to value, was the least meaningful item he possessed.

“It's not an easy item to sell. Therefore, we propose to purchase it and sell it gradually. The price we can offer is... 1,500 gold taels.”

“And?”

Yahyun, as if it were someone else's matter, calmly filled his glass and asked.

“You can entrust us with the sale. In this case, the commission is usually around 20-30%...”

“Get to the point.”

“The value varies depending on the buyer, and the potential buyers are limited, so the expected selling period will be very long. The commission is...”

Yueying paused and looked at Yahyun.

Yahyun smiled seductively and used his charm.

“...Considering the high value of the Western sword, I will take a 10% commission.”

His seductive smile turned into a satisfied one.

“Then I'll be in your debt for a while.”

Yahyun raised his glass to Yueying.

Not understanding the meaning, Yueying blinked, alternating her gaze between Yahyun and his glass.

“It means I'm entrusting it to you.”

He lightly raised his glass as he said this.

“...Ah!”

Realizing the meaning, Yueying raised her glass and lightly clinked it against his. After emptying her glass, she wrapped the longsword in the cloth again and stood up.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

“Don't leave me too lonely.”

“Shall I send in another courtesan?”

“You can come back quickly.”

Yueying blushed slightly and left the room.

Yahyun sipped his wine and admired the night view outside the window. After about an hour, Yueying returned to where Yahyun was.

They exchanged a few casual words over their glasses.

“Excuse me.”

The door opened, and the steward who had guided him entered the room. He made a gesture of apology and approached Yueying to whisper in her ear.

“The leader of the Ironfoot Gang has arrived. From the number of subordinates he brought, it seems he is well-prepared.”

# 7