Chapter 33 :

Second-Rate Warrior Searching for a Legend (5)

If one were to choose the most splendid building even in the splendid city of Yueyang, it would undoubtedly be Yueyang Tower, where Dongting Lake could be seen clearly.

This tavern, which represented Yueyang, was a place high officials had to visit if they wanted to say they had enjoyed some entertainment, and among scholars as well, those who claimed to “know refinement” had to visit it.

Because of that, even among those who could endure Yueyang Tower’s murderous drink prices, making a reservation was as difficult as plucking stars from the sky.

“Our group is at Yueyang Tower.”

“I heard making a reservation there is extremely difficult. Did you reserve it several months ago?”

“Pardon? Ah… ho ho.”

At my question, Namgung Seonhwa merely looked at Seong Moran with a meaningful gaze that seemed to both know and not know.

When we entered Yueyang Tower, the people who had been drinking noisily all turned to look at us at once.

Although everyone here was also someone who could boast quite a bit wherever they went, the appearance of the Namgung Family seemed to be that much of a novelty.

“Shall we go up?”

“…”

Yueyang Tower had seven floors, with the top floor being the seventh, and the higher one went, the clearer the full view of Dongting Lake became.

Because of this, at Yueyang Tower, the price rose exponentially with each floor.

Yueyang Tower itself transformed into a space that represented one’s status.

‘The Taeul Sect could not even enter in the first place.’

Not only in my previous life, but even now in this life, though my money pouch was full of gold coins, my psychological resistance stubbornly rejected things like this.

If I tried to eat in a place like this, the faces of the Taeul Sect’s junior brothers and hall masters came to mind.

Despite my doubtful feelings, the Namgung Family group ultimately went all the way up to the seventh floor.

Not only that, but they had already reserved seats closest to the window on the seventh floor.

The group mentioned earlier was already seated and lightly drinking.

Each one of them emitted an extraordinary aura.

“This is Young Hero Jin Sowoon from the Taeul Sect.”

When Seong Moran introduced me, I saw the eyes of the four men already seated move quickly.

Then the man wearing a blue headcloth introduced himself first.

“I am Ha Minjung of the Hengshan Sect.”

The man in the blue headcloth, who merely nodded, was Ha Minjung, the Ancient Star Sword of the Hengshan Sect, which was evaluated as not being weaker than the Nine Great Sects, even though it was not among them.

Behind the Hengshan Sect, the phrase “five hundred years of regret” always naturally followed.

At the time of the Murim Alliance’s founding, they had the chance to participate in the alliance but did not attend, and now they could not enjoy the same status as those sects. It was a phrase people of the murim world used to mock them.

“I am Ak Muheun of the Shandong Ak Family.”

He was the eldest son of the Shandong Ak Family, which held one seat among the Five Great Families and gave birth to the peerless Ak Family Spear Style, which even the military officially adopted as a martial art.

“I am Yang Insu of the Yang Family Estate.”

Even the eldest son of the Yang Family Estate, which occupied the twenty-ninth peak of the One Hundred Eight Peaks.

People from truly impressive families were gathered in one place.

I could understand why they had taken seats on the seventh floor of Yueyang Tower.

Amusingly, while I offered a fist-and-palm salute, they all merely nodded in response.

Since this was something I always experienced, I did not particularly care, but for some reason, Seong Moran’s expression gradually worsened, and Namgung Seonhwa, who noticed that, quickly stepped forward.

“We did not greet properly earlier, did we? I am Namgung Seonhwa of the Namgung Family. I have heard a lot about you from Orabeoni San.”

At Namgung Seonhwa’s words and actions, the men could not hide their expressions of surprise.

And perhaps influenced by Namgung Seonhwa, the last man, who had a gentle face, rose from his seat and offered a fist-and-palm salute with a soft smile.

“I am Yu Jiryang of the Maosan Sect.”

Even the Maosan Sect, a sect more distinctive than any other in the world thanks to its specialization in formations and arts.

It was truly a gathering with everything firmly in place.

“But how did a friend from the Taeul Sect come here?”

Ak Muheun let out a strange question that was neither directed at me nor at Namgung Seonhwa.

“Ah, Young Hero Jin Sowoon will be joining us.”

At Namgung Seonhwa’s words, the brows of the three men twisted deeply.

“Hmm… Does the Taeul Sect also want the Mita Divine Water?”

“They may want it. Whether they have the ability is another matter.”

“I worry that the number of people we have to protect may increase for no reason.”

Ha Minjung, Ak Muheun, and Yang Insu spoke in order, and Seong Moran’s expression gradually grew worse.

“So, how many companions did you bring?”

“I came alone.”

“Pardon?”

Ha Minjung looked at Namgung Seonhwa with an expression that seemed to say this made no sense at all.

“Uh… that is…”

“If Young Hero Jin joining us is uncomfortable, I will also withdraw.”

“Unni.”

Seong Moran’s sudden declaration.

Not only the three men, but even my eyes went round.

“I am sorry, Seonhwa. Even if I obtain the divine water, I will make sure to give it to you.”

Seong Moran bit her lip tightly as if she had completely made up her mind, met my gaze, and nodded.

The three men looked at me as if demanding an explanation for what on earth was going on, but even I did not know anything about the current situation.

If there was a reason she wanted to go with me, I thought it might be because she wanted to stab me.

But judging from her actions on the last day at the Iron Sword Sect and her current appearance, it did not necessarily seem that way.

“Um, Young Lady Seong… You do not have to go that far…”

I tried to calm the situation.

In any case, this group was a group that would die inside Maling Plateau.

It would not be bad to take this chance to leave.

But even Namgung Seonhwa cut me off and spoke.

“Unni Moran came entirely to help me. If Unni says so, then I will join too.”

When even Namgung Seonhwa acted like this, the expressions of the remaining three men turned awkward.

It was like the expression of someone who found a silver coin on the road, only to see that there was feces on it.

“Hmm. That can be done. Did we not gather in the first place to cooperate with one another? Even if one person rides along for free, we should understand.”

“Thinking about it another way, perhaps it is better. At least he has no group with him.”

“Young Hero Jin must have saved a country in his previous life.”

The three did not forget to say something until the very end.

At that moment, Seong Moran sat down and said,

“If you have already forgotten what happened to the Iron Sword Sect after they looked down on the Taeul Sect, you had better be careful.”

“…”

“…”

“…Ahem.”

As an awkward atmosphere lingered in the room, Yu Jiryang smiled and opened his mouth.

“Hero Ha said he obtained a map.”

When everyone’s gaze focused on him, Ha Minjung showed a triumphant smile and took out a scroll from his robe.

Then, when he opened the scroll, it was densely filled with detailed drawings like an ant nest.

“Oh, so this is that map. Where did you obtain it?”

“Young Lady, that is confidential, so I cannot easily tell you. Haha.”

What Ha Minjung spread out was the cave map the black market owner had shown me.

“Can this be trusted?”

Although there had just been a small conflict with Seong Moran, Ha Minjung’s face held a smile.

“They say it was made by someone who lived there for half a year.”

“Even so, I do not think it can be completely trusted.”

“Of course, it is only for reference. But how could it compare to entering such a complicated place without even a map like this?”

Seong Moran’s tone remained cold, but the eyes of the three men looking at Seong Moran remained warm.

Only then did I understand their relationship.

‘They are in the heat of youth.’

If Seong Moran was a cool beauty with a refreshing appearance, Namgung Seonhwa was a delicate and cute beauty.

With two beauties called two of the three great beauties of Anhui Province right before their eyes, it was natural for their gazes to become warm.

For men around twenty years old, beauties like Seong Moran and Namgung Seonhwa were precious just by existing.

Moreover, they also had great families and martial arts, so it was only natural that hot-blooded youths seeking partners would want to look good to them somehow.

‘They are having fun.’

While watching them giggle, not knowing what would happen ahead, I was tasting Jade Dew Wine, Yueyang Tower’s famous specialty.

At that moment, the floor below began growing noisy.

One by one, we, who had been conversing, also began turning our heads toward the stairs, and at the same time, the men all rose from their seats as if struck by lightning.

“Yong Soa!”

“It is Yong Soa!”

“It is Wudang’s One Sword, Yong Soa!”

At those words, my whole body trembled as if I had been struck by lightning as well.

Yong Soa and those who seemed to be his junior brothers came up to the seventh floor under the waiter’s guidance, and when Ha Minjung’s group met Yong Soa’s eyes, they offered fist-and-palm salutes with utmost courtesy.

“Great Hero! It is an honor to meet you.”

“It is an honor.”

“It is an honor.”

Then even Seong Moran and Namgung Seonhwa approached and offered fist-and-palm salutes, and Yong Soa merely nodded in response.

Even so, no one felt displeased.

Above dragons and phoenixes, Yong Soa roams the sky.

The Dragon-Phoenix Gathering was a gathering of the greatest talents selected in every class of the Martial Academy.

This meant that even the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering could not compare to Yong Soa.

Considering that the leader of the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering was Ilmyeong, the Little Buddha, a transcendental genius who would one day learn all seventy-two consummate arts of Shaolin, one could understand how arrogant those words were.

Yet none of the members of the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering found those words unpleasant.

Yong Soa was a genius who towered far beyond geniuses, and he had already occasionally been listed among the Hundred Swords Under Heaven.

Considering he was only in his mid-twenties, this was an astonishing thing.

“Everyone… is gathered here.”

Yong Soa’s gaze, which had swept across the room, turned toward me.

An unreadable, indifferent gaze.

The ones who grew anxious were Ha Minjung and the others.

Each of them frowned and nodded their heads slightly, telling me to come and greet him.

“…”

In my previous life, there was only one time I had met him this close, like now.

And that was when he came to execute me.

He would not know it, but for me, this was not a pleasant situation at all.

I lifted my wine cup and turned my gaze toward Dongting Lake.

Soon after, Yong Soa’s gaze also withdrew from me.

“…Are you thinking of going to Maling Plateau?”

“Ah! Yes. That is right. Are you going there too, Great Hero?”

“It is my sect’s order.”

To begin with, Yong Soa probably did not need the Mita Divine Water.

“Ah, I see. If so, how about going together with us? In our case, we have secured an internal map.”

“…I have already secured a map, and I am on my way back from meeting the person who was there. Still, if you wish to go together, I will not stop you. I cannot stand by and watch the younger siblings of my friends die.”

“…”

“…”

His tone was not particularly pleasant, but since it meant he would go with them anyway, color returned to the group’s faces.

“…Of course, that is limited to those whose identities are certain.”

Yong Soa’s gaze turned toward me again.

Seong Moran quickly stepped forward and defended me.

“His identity is certain. He is Young Hero Jin Sowoon of the Taeul Sect, which holds one of the peaks of the One Hundred Eight Peaks.”

“…Taeul Sect? I have never heard of it. I cannot take on such a risk. If you go with him, then consider yourselves excluded from our group.”

“…!!”

Seong Moran looked back and forth between me and Yong Soa with a shocked expression.

After finishing the rest of the Jade Dew Wine, I rose from my seat and approached Seong Moran.

“Young Lady, it seems this is as far as we go. The consideration you have shown me until now is already more than enough.”

I was about to leave like that when Yong Soa spoke as if chewing the words.

“You are arrogant.”

“…What is?”

“It will be difficult for you to survive there alone.”

I tilted my head.

“Are you saying I will definitely live if I follow you?”

“…”

“Hey!”

Unable to endure my words, Ha Minjung shouted angrily, but I ignored him and continued speaking.

“Once we enter that place, no one can guarantee life or death anyway, can they? If so, rather than entrust my life to another, I will take responsibility for it myself.”

Yong Soa was silent for a moment.

“…And insolent too.”

His manner was as if he were admonishing a child.

“Before worrying about others, why not worry about yourself first? It is not as if a sword cannot enter your body just because you are from the Wudang Sect.”

With those words, I offered a fist-and-palm salute to Seong Moran, Namgung Seonhwa, and Yu Jiryang in turn, then left Yueyang Tower.

Only after passing through the crowd-filled street for quite some time did my reason return.

“Whew…”

The reason that had remained calm even at the Iron Sword Sect had run wild in all directions like a dog let off its leash.

Though I had faced him only once in my previous life, I could not help reacting that way because, though he did not know it, the choices he made had resulted in many righteous faction forces being plunged into despair.

“Still, this is strange. The Wudang Sect and the Namgung Family entered together, so how did only the Namgung Family get completely annihilated?”

I knew that the Wudang Sect, including Yong Soa, had participated in the struggle for the Mita Divine Water.

However, I had not known they would be together with the Namgung Family’s group.

“Was he able to discard even one of the Five Great Families, so a third-rate sect was never in his eyes to begin with?”

A bitter smile formed on my lips.

Knowing the tragic ending and still being unable to say anything was the weight one who knew the future had to bear.

After I had walked a few more steps like that,

I heard the sound of someone running up behind me.

“Young Lady Seong? What brings you here? Were you not going to move with the Wudang Sect?”

“Haa, I do not know. Whether I go in with them or not, I will live, but you… you will certainly die, will you not?”

“Pardon?”

“Ah~ enough. I have already decided. Haa, what will Father or Grandfather say if they find out?”

While Seong Moran sighed and looked up at the sky,

the Namgung Family people soon approached as well.

“I will keep it secret from the Iron Sword Sect people that we met Great Hero Yong Soa.”

“Seonhwa!”

“You came to help me, so how could you just leave?”

“No… that is, I was a little worried.”

Seong Moran glanced at me and fidgeted with her fingers.

“Are you all right?”

“I am all right. If we move with that side anyway, Great Hero Yong Soa is likely to take it in the end. This actually worked out.”

“With this, the group has become even simpler.”

Yu Jiryang followed behind, along with two men who seemed to be his companions.

“Great Hero Yu, I am sorry.”

“It is fine. Were we not hired from the beginning? Just protect us formation masters well.”

I asked about something I had been curious about since earlier.

“It feels a little sudden to say this, but would it not be dangerous for formation masters to enter that place?”

At my words, Namgung Seonhwa smiled and answered.

“They say there is a formation created from natural objects inside.”

“A formation?”

“Yes. That is why even Haomun, though they have a map of the inside, did not think of taking the Mita Divine Water for themselves.”

“…I heard natural formations are not difficult to break.”

Natural formations created by coincidence usually collapse helplessly under strong destructive force.

Aside from the young lady of the Namgung Family, the Namgung Family warriors were full of experts, so there was no need for them to fear something like a natural formation.

“Hmm… They say it uses natural objects, but it is not a natural formation. Apparently, it is an enormous formation created in a style from roughly three or four hundred years ago.”

“…”

As if lightning had struck inside my head, pieces that fit together began gathering one by one.

‘No way…’

Meanwhile, Namgung Seonhwa spoke with concern.

“But what should we do since we could not secure the map?”

“I am sorry, Seonhwa.”

“No. That side has no information either. It should be easier to obtain the map instead.”

It seemed the previous group had planned to divide their roles and gather the things needed to enter the cave.

After briefly organizing the contents of the library in my head, I spoke.

“Ah, you do not need to worry about the map.”

“Pardon?”

“I memorized the whole map.”

The people tilted their heads, as if they could not understand my words.

Then Seong Moran seemed to realize it and looked utterly shocked.