The RoFan Novel Fan Has Reincarnated Into A Martial Arts Novel-Chapter 13

Among the many buildings in Shaolin, there was a pavilion called Ipseoljeong. The name, written with the characters 立 (Ip – "to stand") and 雪 (Seol – "snow"), originated from the story of Hui Ke, who stood in the snow up to his knees while seeking teachings from Bodhidharma.

Yeon and Hwang Bo Jeonggun were now stepping over the threshold of that very Ipseoljeong. Of course, this place was not actually within the Shaolin Temple grounds—it was merely a building that had borrowed the name.

Ipseoljeong.

Even putting aside the old anecdote, it was a rather elegant name. Additionally, it could also be interpreted as guests standing in the snow, waiting for a meeting. The construction period had coincidentally taken place over the winter and had been completed in early spring, reinforcing the meaning.

In truth, this naming sense had come from external figures who oversaw the construction, but regardless, it had received positive reactions from guests. The patterns on the white walls, designed to resemble falling snow, only added to the effect.

As Yeon stepped into Ipseoljeong, she saw that the attendees who had arrived earlier were already seated in their respective places. Spotting Tang Soso in one corner, Yeon waved to her. However, she suddenly felt a piercing gaze on her. It was coming from the direction of the Namgung Family.

When she turned her head, she saw Namgung Myeong and Namgung Jihyeon glaring at her with cold expressions. Still, for them, this was relatively restrained. It was probably due to the presence of the middle-aged man beside them, who had a refined and composed appearance.

‘That man is....’

He was Namgung Hyeon, the head of the Namgung Family. His scholarly appearance was rather unexpected—he looked far more like a scholar than a martial artist. He was nothing like the Namgung siblings.

‘Now that I look closely, their features are somewhat similar. But their aura is completely different. Did they take after their mother in terms of personality?’

Namgung Hyeon first nodded toward Hwang Bo Jeonggun and then gave Yeon a brief glance. His demeanor was exceptionally polite, accompanied by a faint, serene smile. And yet, it did not come off as insincere or forced.

Caught off guard, Yeon instinctively lowered her head in response, all the while questioning inwardly.

‘Wow, how did that man end up with those kids?’

At that moment—

"Ahem. You’ve arrived, Lord Hwang Bo."

A deliberately unpleasant voice, dripping with hostility, made Yeon turn her head.

Unlike the refined scholar from earlier, this man exuded the complete opposite aura—he looked like he had stepped right out of The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, resembling the warrior Zhang Fei. His stiff beard covered his upper lip and chin, and his muscular build was imposing.

"Lord Paeng, it has been a while," Hwang Bo Jeonggun greeted him, making an effort to hide his bitterness.

Paeng Ho-mok, the head of the Paeng Family, barely acknowledged the greeting as he fixed his sharp gaze on Yeon.

"Was it your idea to cancel the engagement?"

‘Well, at least in this family, it’s obvious who the kid takes after.’

Clicking her tongue inwardly, Yeon intentionally responded in a flippant tone.

"Yes! That was me. Why do you ask?"

"W-why... do I ask?"

Paeng Ho-mok let out a snort, his nostrils flaring with anger. Before he could explode, Hwang Bo Jeonggun quickly stepped in.

"Lord Paeng, please understand. Yeon has only recently recovered from her illness. She was unconscious for a long time—her actions may be difficult to grasp."

"Hmph! I am aware of that, but even so, this is too much!"

Paeng Ho-mok raised his voice, seemingly speaking loud enough for the entire room to hear.

"You really ought to pay more attention to your child's upbringing, Lord Hwang Bo. Now that the engagement is off, I won’t say anything further, but...."

Hwang Bo Jeonggun simply offered a silent bow, signaling the end of the conversation. He had no desire to stir trouble at a gathering where Yeon was attending for the first time in a long while.

"Let’s go, Yeon-ah."

Hwang Bo Jeonggun sent her a look, signaling that they should just let it slide. He took the lead toward their seats, and Yeon begrudgingly followed.

That was when she heard it.

"Tsk... To break off an engagement? Know your place."

Yeon’s steps came to an abrupt halt.

If she walked away now, she wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight.

With a chilling smile, she shot back in the same tone.

"The one who didn’t know his place was Paeng Donghu, wasn’t he? He got beaten up, after all. Tsk..."

She even mimicked the tsk-tsk sound with perfect accuracy before continuing on her way.

Naturally, there was no way Paeng Ho-mok would take that lying down.

"Stop right there! What did you just say?!"

Yeon didn’t stop walking. Not because she was afraid—rather, because she wanted to make him even angrier.

"I said, stop!"

Just as Paeng Ho-mok roared, the doors of Ipseoljeong opened.

Yeon glanced sideways and, for the first time that day, saw a truly welcome face.

‘Cheon-gang....’

He really had a habit of showing up at just the right moment. Was this some kind of protagonist buff?

He entered alongside his father, Lee Baeksan. The moment Cheon-gang stepped inside and saw Yeon, he paused for a brief moment. Their eyes met, and he subtly lowered his gaze with an unreadable expression.

"Hm?"

Lee Baeksan’s eyes widened slightly. His son’s reaction must have been quite unexpected. Lee Baeksan glanced between Cheon-gang and Yeon before finally greeting Hwang Bo Jeonggun.

"It has been a while, Lord Hwang Bo."

"Ah, yes. You have arrived, Lord Lee."

"It has been a long time since your daughter last attended a gathering. She looks very healthy."

"Indeed, our Yeon-ah—ah, our Yeon has fully recovered. And your son, Young Hero Cheon-gang, is just as impressive as ever. Haha."

As Hwang Bo Jeonggun and Lee Baeksan exchanged pleasantries with warm smiles, Paeng Ho-mok’s outburst was conveniently drowned out. He looked as if he was barely holding back his anger. At this point, bringing up the earlier confrontation again would be beneath his dignity as a family head.

Meanwhile, Lee Baeksan turned his gaze toward Yeon.

"Hmm...."

Lee Baeksan—the man recognized as the greatest martial artist in Zhongyuan. The sharp intent hidden within his gaze could not be entirely concealed, no matter how much he tried. His piercing eyes locked onto Yeon’s, carrying an unspoken pressure.

Paah!

Yet Yeon simply smiled as she met his gaze head-on.

After all, the title of Zhongyuan’s Greatest didn’t mean much to her.

Besides, wasn’t he soon to be her future father-in-law?

Nice to meet you, Father.

Or perhaps, Father-in-law? Hehe...

As Yeon mentally mapped out her future family plans, her smile deepened. It seemed that Lee Baeksan slightly misinterpreted the expression on her face.

“Hm.”

“What’s the matter, Lord Lee?”

“I heard rumors that your daughter was weak, but her presence is far stronger than expected. Honestly, she seems even more formidable than my own son.”

“What? No, no, surely that’s an exaggeration. Hahaha, hahahaha!”

Caught off guard by the unexpected praise, Hwang Bo Jeonggun grinned from ear to ear.

The other family heads also murmured among themselves, reassessing Yeon. After all, receiving a compliment from Zhongyuan’s Greatest Martial Artist, Lee Baeksan, was no small feat.

‘What’s with everyone?’

Yeon felt awkward under the sudden attention. Being stared at for her beauty was nothing new, but this wasn’t exactly flattering.

Then, at the edge of her vision, she caught sight of Namgung Jihyeon. Her face was twisted with jealousy. Sensing a perfect opportunity to tease her, Yeon put on an air of self-importance.

‘Hmph, this is just how amazing ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ I am, Jihyeon. Do you get it now?’

With a smirk, she dramatically flipped her hair. Namgung Jihyeon's head nearly burst into steam. Her lips moved subtly, forming silent words.

“Crazy bitch.”

Yeon ignored the human pressure cooker’s provocation with ease and bowed her head toward Lee Baeksan in thanks.

“Hm.”

Giving only a short response, Lee Baeksan moved toward his designated seat. As he passed, Cheon-gang’s gaze lingered on Yeon a moment longer than necessary before breaking away.

Yeon liked that far more than any spoken words.

‘Oh? Does our Young Hero Cheon-gang have something to say to me? Well, I suppose I’ll have to make time for him.’

Once Cheon-gang took his seat, the gathering was fully assembled. Shortly after, an elderly monk appeared near the podium at the front.

“Hoho, I am grateful that you have all taken the trouble to visit this humble place. This old monk’s name is Damdeok.”

His deeply wrinkled face made it difficult to determine his exact age. The numerous lines on his face shifted, forming a warm, benevolent smile—so natural, it seemed as though he had been born smiling.

That kind of expression wasn’t something one could simply make. It was the culmination of years of discipline, enlightenment, and a positive understanding of life itself.

Yeon thought back to the perverted monk she had encountered before and nodded to herself.

‘Yes, this is what a real Shaolin monk should look like.’

The seated guests rose slightly to return his greeting. The name Damdeok signified that he was none other than the Abbot of Shaolin.

"Since you have all waited long enough, let us begin the assembly immediately."

Normally, a gathering like this would begin with a lengthy speech about the peace and harmony of the martial world... and similar pleasantries. However, Damdeok's words suggested he had no intention of wasting time on such formalities. Aside from a few individuals, most attendees seemed relieved by this.

"Ah, but before we begin..."

Damdeok turned his head toward the entrance he had come from.

"Come out already."

His previously gentle gaze sharpened with sternness. His expression, as if exposing a shameful secret of Shaolin, carried a hint of discontent.

"I said, come out this instant!"

His voice was barely more than a murmur, yet not a single person in the room failed to hear it. Even Yeon, who had been wondering if the old monk had ever been truly angry in his life, was taken aback.

‘Wait, just who could it be?’

At that moment, a monk—likely a musang (a martial monk)—hesitantly shuffled out from the entrance. His gait was awkward, like a child being dragged to the dentist. His head was bowed low, but something about his shaved head felt familiar.

‘Wait a minute...’

With a deep sigh, Damdeok spoke again.

“This foolish disciple’s name is Gongyeo. He should not be here today, but... in the end, I believe this too is the will of Buddha, so I have brought him before you.”

At that moment, Gongyeo timidly lifted his head, only to lock eyes with Yeon. He immediately recoiled, his head snapping back down.

But it was too late—Yeon had already recognized him.

Her eyes widened to the point of nearly tearing.

‘Wait... isn’t that the perverted monk from before?!’

Now that she looked closely, she swore she could still see the faint imprint of a footprint on his scalp.

Well, it made sense. The feeling of that satisfying impact—no, kick—was still fresh in her memory.

Damdeok let out a weary sigh, muttering a Buddhist chant under his breath.

“Amitabha... how did it come to this...? But even this shall serve as a lesson. What are you waiting for? Offer your greetings properly.”

Gongyeo hesitated before clasping his hands together and speaking in a voice so small it was barely audible.

“I... I am Gongyeo. After completing my long seclusion training, I had just begun meditative contemplation when I heard news that the heroes of the martial world would be gathering. So, with what little strength I have, I wished to contribute...”

“Pfft.”

A small laugh echoed through the hall.

People glanced around in confusion, unable to immediately identify the culprit—except for one person sitting right next to the source.

“Yeon-ah, why are you laughing?”

“It’s nothing, Father.”

Damdeok’s quiet but firm voice followed.

“Speak the truth.”

“...Sigh. The truth is, I was so eager to witness the gathering that I... snuck out of the temple.”

The Shaolin seal on his smooth, bald head seemed to redden as if about to burst.

“If my actions have caused anyone trouble, I sincerely apologize. And above all, there was... a misunderstanding about that incident—”

“Enough! Do not speak unnecessary words.”

Damdeok swiftly cut him off and then surveyed the audience. His kind smile returned.

“Is the benefactor this foolish disciple speaks of present here today?”