Chapter 61 :

The Black Flame Dragon Playing with the Dragon and Phoenix (3)

“Eldest senior brother!”

“Eldest senior brother!”

“Brother!”

“Orabeoni!”

My junior brothers and sisters suddenly rushed over in a crowd, but I was too out of breath to answer them.

The return journey with Moyong Gang had been horrible.

That damned old man kept whining here and there and constantly made me do things.

He suddenly said he wanted to eat meat.

He asked me to show him footwork.

He asked when I had started learning martial arts.

He asked if I had obtained some kind of fortuitous encounter.

Because he even showered me with all sorts of trivial questions, I was on the verge of losing my mind.

I had even seriously wondered whether, if Moyong Gang got beaten by someone during his eccentric act, he would respond as the Wind Earl Breaking Sword or as an herbalist.

Still, I somehow soothed and coaxed him along, thinking we would just barely make it on time.

But when we passed through Hefei and I heard that the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering had already departed in the morning, I lost my mind and left behind even Moyong Gang and ran here.

“Orabeoni. Here, water, water, drink this.”

I could not even say thank you as I gulped down the water Wang Soso handed me.

“Huaa…….”

Only after barely catching my breath did Jin Taesan ask.

“What is this? Suddenly…… what on earth…….”

“Father.”

“……Huh?”

“An old man and his grandson will arrive in a little while. Please treat them like honored guests.”

“Hm?”

“You must absolutely not look down on him as some worthless old man with a foul temper. You must not ignore him just because he looks like an herbalist either. Treat him as if those people from the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering…… no, as if the leader of the Murim Alliance himself has arrived.”

“What does that…… Hey, brat!”

Without even listening to my father’s answer, I stepped into the main yard and greeted the sect leader.

“I am late, sect leader.”

“Yes. Did you return safely?”

“Yes. I apologize. I did not know guests had arrived like this and arrived late.”

“It is enough that you came.”

The gazes of the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering looking at me were not good.

The eyes focused on me all at once made me feel as if I had become an uninvited guest.

Whether they did or not, my gaze was directed only at one place.

‘You are still the same.’

Unlike the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering, who were full of hostility or mischief, she was the only one anxiously worried about this situation.

She had not changed, neither in my past life nor in this life.

“Junior, it is good that you are greeting them, but I do not think this is the time.”

Jong Byeokgi, who stood behind Hwa Jeongsan, spoke.

“What do you mean?”

“Huh! Are the adults not in the middle of an important discussion right now? Is that what the Taeul Sect teaches you?”

To bring up the teachings of the Taeul Sect while standing in the Taeul Sect itself. Just how arrogant did one have to be to speak so shamelessly like that?

“Senior Jong. If people say that the Flying Cloud New Wind of Diancang is merely flattering the Plum Blossom’s mood, the world will laugh.”

“What!”

“!”

“!”

The members of the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering looked surprised after hearing the words that came out of my mouth.

Jong Byeokgi, who thought he had been insulted, even gripped the hilt of his sword and tried to draw it.

Only after Ilmyeong stopped his hand did Jong Byeokgi realize that he had been about to draw his sword, and even he looked startled by it.

Ilmyeong spoke calmly.

“Young hero, I do not think this is a place for you to intervene.”

“I am Jin Sowoon, eldest disciple of the Taeul Sect. I know it is rude, but I have intervened.”

“If you know you are committing rudeness, why are you doing so?”

“The sages of old said that one should treat even what is not proper etiquette with etiquette, but I am narrow-minded and have not yet reached that level.”

“…….”

At the words pointing out Hwa Jeongsan’s attitude, Ilmyeong’s face hardened.

“Asking the sect leader, who is like the father of an entire sect, for a spar when there is such a great difference in standing between him and Great Hero Hwa is far too inappropriate. Moreover, it was not done to cultivate friendship, but was a one-sided request for a spar, so it is not proper etiquette. There is no way Great Hero Hwa would not know this, so does this not mean he is looking down on the entire Taeul Sect?”

Hwa Jeongsan’s face, as well as the faces of the others, hardened severely.

“However, since you have come from far away and so desperately wished to taste the sword form of the Taeul Sword Emperor, I stepped forward in his place.”

“……Brat, are you even capable of receiving my sword?”

I snorted.

“Is this not a light spar? It is merely a place to show sword forms and share learning, so why does skill matter?”

Hwa Jeongsan, who had been grinding his teeth while looking at me, suddenly looked at Hong Mungi and spoke.

“Sect leader, if I defeat this child and all the disciples you wish, will you grant me instruction?”

Hwa Jeongsan spoke with confidence, as if he intended to break the sect.

Even though the anger of the Taeul Sect people was rising higher and higher at Hwa Jeongsan’s blatant attitude, Hwa Jeongsan did not care at all.

“……Very well.”

In the end, Hong Mungi nodded heavily.

As Hwa Jeongsan and I moved to the training ground, everyone moved along accordingly.

“But are you really going to use real swords?”

“Are you frightened now?”

“There is no need to risk one’s life in a spar, is there?”

“Let me tell you one thing. True ability appears when one’s life is in the greatest danger.”

Those words had already taken root in my memory.

Because in my past life, while I was acting as Gye Cheolyeong’s servant, he had said that while throwing me around until I was on the verge of death, calling it sparring practice.

Thinking of that time brought a smile to my lips.

“Understood.”

I stepped onto the training ground and drew the Black Dragon Sword.

At the sight of its blade and hilt both being black, a strange light appeared in Hwa Jeongsan’s eyes.

“A treasured sword cannot replace skill.”

“I do not carry it to replace skill. A sword suited to my skill naturally came into my hand.”

“Only your mouth is alive. As expected of a descendant of the Taeul Sword Emperor.”

It was clearly sarcasm, but it did not hurt me at all now.

“Thank you.”

“……I will concede three techniques.”

“Will that be all right?”

“Hmph, that is the only chance you will get.”

“Understood.”

I looked at my palm.

My palm, hardened with calluses from countless training sessions in this life.

In the past, there had not been a day when eczema disappeared from my hands because I washed Hwa Jeongsan’s socks and underclothes.

“Then the first will be the Small Heaven Sword Art.”

Thinking of that time, I ground my teeth.

#

“This fellow must be very exhausted.”

At Moyong Gang’s words, Moyong Jaehwa clicked his tongue.

“That is all because of you, Grandfather. Why did you suddenly say you had to hunt a wild boar and drag the horses into the mountains?”

“You brat! How can a person live only on porridge? Sometimes, one must eat meat too.”

“If we use movement technique even now, we can get there quickly.”

“Then our identity will be exposed, will it not!”

At Moyong Gang’s words, Moyong Jaehwa felt the limits of his patience once again.

He even had the irreverent thought that if only this man were not his grandfather, no, if only his grandfather were not the absolute expert of the murim world known as the Wind Earl Breaking Sword, it would have been better.

This period was a very important time for Moyong Jaehwa.

He had never been interested in the sword of the Moyong Family to begin with, and he had not wanted to take the Martial Academy regular examination either, but his father had gone to search for the inner core of the fire tiger for his sake.

However, his father, whom he had firmly believed would not suffer anything frightening anywhere even if he was not on the level of his grandfather, went missing, and the family was thrown into chaos at the risk of losing its young family head.

His grandfather immediately led the warriors of the Moyong Family and went out to search for his father, and he himself also followed that grandfather.

Fortunately, his father appeared again after one month.

The message delivered through a carrier pigeon said that he had received great help from a righteous hero named Jin Sowoon of the Taeul Sect and preserved his life.

When he heard his father had returned, he thanked the heavens and resolved once again to prepare for the examination with all his might and return home.

“Such a careless fellow. The young family head of the Moyong Family got ambushed?”

For some reason, his grandfather, who was properly offended, did not return home and began an eccentric journey.

His grandfather’s eccentric acts were not something that had happened only once or twice, so just as Moyong Jaehwa was about to ignore him and return, his grandfather sealed his dantian and blood vessels by pressing his acupoints and forced him to participate in the eccentric act.

“I need to prepare for the Martial Academy regular examination, Grandfather!”

“This experience is more important than the examination you will take!”

After stubbornly forcing such nonsense, his grandfather prevented him from wearing the clothes of the Moyong Family, put a human-skin mask on him, and began the eccentric journey by disguising them as an herbalist and his grandson.

The murim journey that began like that was a series of trials for Moyong Jaehwa.

“Hey~ Big brother here is hungry because he has no money, so empty your pockets.”

Getting his pockets robbed by thugs carrying swords while walking on the road was only the beginning.

“You bastard? Hey! If you hit someone, you should apologize!”

“Did we not merely bump shoulders?”

He had to get beaten until his eyes swelled black and blue just because their shoulders had bumped.

“We need to eat, so give up your seats.”

He had to be chased from his seat before he had even eaten half his food.

Even if his body was weak, it was still a body that had learned the martial arts of the Moyong Family.

Moyong Jaehwa had to suffer harsh things that he would absolutely not have suffered if he had internal energy.

Was the life of common people who had not learned martial arts truly this harsh?

As he chewed over that suffering, Moyong Jaehwa reached a certain realization.

‘Ah! Grandfather was giving me these trials so I would realize this. Only by knowing weakness can one devote oneself even more to strength!’

The fact that Moyong Jaehwa had usually neglected swordsmanship must also have been the reason for this eccentric journey.

Through this realization, Moyong Jaehwa resolved to improve further in martial arts and told his grandfather about that resolve.

“Hm? What are you talking about? Teaching? And what is this realization?”

“……??”

Moyong Gang tilted his head as if he had no idea and merely continued his eccentric act.

In the hope that he might at least lessen the unfair beatings he received, Moyong Jaehwa turned his eyes away from all sorts of ugly and dirty things happening around him.

Even if he saw thugs harassing a woman, he ignored it, and even if he saw a warrior tormenting a farmer running a roadside stall, he ignored it.

But every time Moyong Jaehwa tried hard to ignore it, the one who stepped forward was Moyong Gang.

“A man was born with a pepper hanging between his legs, and yet all he does is harassment? Your mother must have lamented even after giving birth to you and could not even eat meat soup.”

“……???”

“Since ancient times, when a warrior holding a sword loses the way, he becomes a street thug. Looking at you bastards, even the master who taught you martial arts must have been a fellow who stole petty coins in back alleys.”

“……!!!”

Befitting the nickname eccentric hero, Moyong Gang’s tongue was sharp and painful.

When the thugs and warriors, whose eyes had rolled back at Moyong Gang’s insults, immediately raised their fists and swords, Moyong Gang would lose his mind in fear and hide behind Moyong Jaehwa.

“I-I do not know this old man.”

“For someone you claim not to know, you look too much alike!”

It seemed this was why he had made them wear human-skin masks that looked similar, saying they were playing the roles of grandson and grandfather.

And so it began to be taken for granted that Moyong Gang would do the insulting and Moyong Jaehwa would take the beating.

Each time that happened, his grandfather, who had avoided the beating, would stand where Moyong Jaehwa could see him with an expression as if he could not hold back his laughter.

Once things reached this point, even Moyong Jaehwa’s character began twisting as much as it could.

His grandfather, who always played the role of a powerless old man and avoided the fists of thugs whenever an incident happened, became so hateful that it reached the level of resentment.

“Why are you hitting me! The one who insulted you is my grandfather over there!!”

“…….”

A thug with a tattoo on his forearm that might have been either a dragon or a snake stopped swinging his fist and looked back and forth between Moyong Jaehwa and Moyong Gang.

“Though I may belong to the dark faction, I cannot tolerate shameless trash who sells out his own grandfather! Know that today this year will be the day of your memorial rites.”

After being beaten until he fainted like that, Moyong Jaehwa could no longer resist, whether against thugs or murim people.

As the saying goes, no one is strong before a beating.

After being beaten this much, the righteous words that used to burst out of him in anger no longer came out of his throat.

“Keulkeul. A man cannot even say what he should just because he was beaten a few times?”

“…….”

His grandfather’s provocation made Moyong Jaehwa feel even more wronged and furious.

“Where on earth are you trying to go! I am going back now!”

“Is that so? I was going because the child who saved your father was from the Taeul Sect, and I wished to offer my thanks. If you insist, then go back. It is Sangwon’s fault for raising such a shameless child who does not even know gratitude for the grace of saving his one and only father.”

“…….”

In the end, Moyong Jaehwa had no choice but to shut his mouth and follow Moyong Gang.

He could only hope there would be no more causes for conflict.

But contrary to Moyong Jaehwa’s wish, they encountered bandits on the road to the Taeul Sect, and this time as well, right before he was about to be beaten by the bandits for Moyong Gang’s words about “a man’s balls……” and “being poor at night work……” and so on, a noble person descended from the sky and saved Moyong Jaehwa.

“I am Jin Sowoon of the Taeul Sect.”

His identity was none other than the “noble person” who had saved his father.

Moyong Jaehwa tried to act familiar out of joy, but Moyong Gang firmly stopped him.

‘He is the one who saved Father. This behavior will surely be rude.’

‘Stay still.’

‘At this rate, the honor of the Moyong Family will fall to the ground.’

‘Tsk! I told you to stay still!’

Moyong Jaehwa was worried that even Jin Sowoon might grow angry at Moyong Gang’s rude behavior and swing his fist, but he was a person with far greater character than Moyong Jaehwa had imagined.

Watching Jin Sowoon accept all the ill-tempered behavior that would have been hard to accept even if one knew he was really Moyong Gang, Moyong Jaehwa thought that this must be the bearing of a truly magnanimous person.

“If Great Hero Jin went in such a hurry, does that not mean something happened?”

“What urgent matter?”

“Perhaps something happened to his sect.”

“Did he not say he was returning because the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering was visiting?”

“Why is the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering visiting such an urgent matter?”

“The Dragon-Phoenix Gathering is originally an audit institution, but sometimes, to test the One Hundred Eight Peaks, it changes into a rather rude ‘inspection’ institution.”

“Pardon? What does that mean?”

“Are the members of the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering not produced by each sect focusing all their capabilities? What would happen if such people went to a lower-ranking sect of the One Hundred Eight Peaks and stirred things up?”

Moyong Jaehwa’s face turned sullen.

“You mean the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering does such things?”

“That is why you must not hold fantasies about the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering either.”

“I have no such fantasies. In any case, if that is so, this is not the time to be doing this. If something happens to the Taeul Sect…… This will not do. Grandfather, quickly release my acupoints.”

“Keulkeul. Forget it, you fool. Did you not understand even after seeing that child Jin Sowoon unfold his movement technique just now?”

“…….”

It had certainly seemed unusually fast.

But even so, was that such a remarkable thing?

There were not only one or two movement techniques in the murim world that focused solely on speed.

“Tsk, tsk. With eyes this poor, how will you manage?”

“What do you mean?”

“You did not properly see the footwork when he met those bandits either, did you?”

“……No.”

“And you say you will take the Martial Academy regular examination like this? Tsk. You will have to take this Martial Academy examination alongside monsters like Jin Sowoon.”

“Monsters?”

“A brat not even yet of age carrying a hundred years of time inside him is a monster.”

“What on earth are you talking about…….”

“Be quiet!”

Moyong Jaehwa had many more things he wanted to ask, but seeing Moyong Gang begin pretending to be an herbalist again, he shut his mouth.

If he interfered with his grandfather during an eccentric act, there was no telling what punishment he would receive.

When they entered the Taeul Sect like that, a large man came striding toward them.

Now, Moyong Jaehwa’s body stiffened whenever anyone with a frightening face approached him.

Moyong Jaehwa felt ashamed of his own pathetic state.

The man asked in a rough voice.

“Are you the people who came with Jin Sowoon…… that brat?”

“Oh my……. Yes, that is right.”

“I heard about you from that Sowoon brat. I will escort you inside.”

“It is all right. How could you escort country folk like us? It is enough for us to simply watch from the side.”

“No. The Taeul Sect does not receive guests that way. Please come this way.”

At the first hospitality he had received while acting as an herbalist, Moyong Jaehwa felt something surge up in his chest.

“Um…… senior…… no, my lord, by any chance, what relationship do you have with Great Hero Jin Sowoon……?”

When he asked because there was a bird whose face strangely resembled his, the man smiled awkwardly.

“I am that brat’s father. I am Jin Taesan, who manages the Outer Hall of the Taeul Sect.”

Seeing him even clasp his fists politely now, Moyong Jaehwa could not help but feel moved.

At that moment, in the center of the great training ground, Jin Sowoon was facing off against those who seemed to be the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering.

Moyong Jaehwa found Moyong Seol among the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering, but he could not act as if he knew her.

“Right now, other guests have come to the Taeul Sect…… I will escort you inside.”

Seeing Jin Taesan try to take them inside, Moyong Jaehwa quickly stepped forward and spoke.

“No. Could we perhaps observe…… no, watch from here? We have lived our whole lives only in the mountains, so we have never had a chance to see such a rare sight.”

After following his grandfather’s eccentric acts, such lines came out naturally.

Beside him, Moyong Gang nodded with a pleased smile, and that sight was deeply unpleasant to look at.

“Ah… well, that is fine, but I think it would be best to stay a little away. The aftermath of the spar may spread.”

“Of course. Of course.”

He did not know what the situation was, but Hwa Jeongsan and Jin Sowoon were about to begin a spar.

“Heulheul, it seems you are slowly starting to like this wandering too. Seeing how the lines come out naturally.”

“Not at all!”

Moyong Jaehwa shouted without realizing it.

“Watch carefully. I deliberately followed him all the way here to show you this.”

“What do you mean…….”

“The Martial Academy regular examination is full of children like that.”

“…….”

At Moyong Gang’s words, Moyong Jaehwa could only tilt his head.

It was because he had never heard Moyong Gang praise a warrior this young so much.

He was not looking down on him…… but in any case, was he not a disciple of the Taeul Sect?

‘I will know if I watch the spar.’

Moyong Jaehwa began focusing on the spar with the desire to cheer for Jin Sowoon.

#

The first technique was utterly ordinary.

Jin Sowoon’s sword aimed for Hwa Jeongsan’s vital point, but to an expert of Hwa Jeongsan’s level, such a sword did not create much impression.

“Chaat!”

The second clash.

A slightly altered attack came in, but it still lacked sharpness.

It was slow for a swift sword, and light for a heavy sword.

“Is this all you have?”

Hwa Jeongsan gradually began to boil with anger.

“Did you not wish to taste the skill of the Taeul Sword Emperor?”

“If the legendary expert Taeul Sword Emperor had this level of skill, then it is true that the rumors were exaggerated.”

“To insult the Taeul Sword Emperor in the Taeul Sect, it seems you do not value your life.”

The third clash.

Swaaaek.

Perhaps because he had provoked him, the sword blade piercing toward his vital point with the sound of cutting air was rather sharp.

However, to Hwa Jeongsan, who had even received the swift sword form of the Hainan Sect, this kind of swift sword was not even a swift sword.

“It is neither a swift sword nor a heavy sword, so what exactly is the identity of this sword art?”

“It is a sword containing the deep will of the Taeul Sword Emperor. It is a foundational martial art called the Small Heaven Sword Art.”

“Is that so? But what will you do? You have already used all three techniques.”

“Is this not where it begins?”

“Hmph!”

He had conceded three techniques in order to at least match ten techniques.

It would not be entertaining if he defeated his opponent in fewer than ten techniques.

“If I had known it was this kind of sword art, there would have been no need to see even ten techniques.”

Forget ten techniques, could he even receive one technique?

Hwa Jeongsan immediately unfolded the Plum Blossom Sword Art.

The fragrance of plum blossoms began spreading throughout the training ground.

The Plum Blossom Sword Art had such a strong characteristic that it was impossible not to recognize it.

Exclamations naturally came from here and there.

“This…… this is the Plum Blossom Sword Art.”

“It really smells like plum blossoms?”

Soon after, plum blossoms made of sword energy began falling scattered through the air.

They looked beautiful, but each one was terrifying, aiming for vital points.

“It is over.”

Hwa Jeongsan did not intend to take his life or cut off his arm.

However, he was at least thinking of inflicting internal injuries on this arrogant junior who did not know how high the sky was and correcting his manners.

But.

“Huh……?”

A strange light appeared in the eyes of those who had been enchanted by the alluring plum blossoms.

Following their gazes, Hwa Jeongsan soon could not hide his shock.

Pa-pa-pa-pa-pat.

It clearly looked like Jin Sowoon had only swung his sword once.

But more than ten sword forms appeared in the air and annihilated every plum blossom that had been aiming for Jin Sowoon’s vital points.

At the sword art he had never seen before in his life, Hwa Jeongsan was dazed and unknowingly spoke.

“What is this…….”

“This is the Great Heaven Sword Technique.”

“What does that……!!”

As he muttered, Hwa Jeongsan’s eyes widened.

“You threw away the first three techniques from the beginning?”

It was absurd.

A spar between a Mount Hua Sect disciple and a Taeul Sect disciple.

Even using all his strength in the first three techniques would not have been enough, yet he had thrown away three techniques?

Jin Sowoon, who should have answered, was only smiling leisurely.

“You are not in your right mind.”

“Is this the time to worry about me? All this dust disappeared in an instant.”

“Dust……?”

If the phrase that mocked the Taeul Sect was Taeul Sword Emperor, then the word that mocked the Mount Hua Sect was dust.

It was a word used to mock the Plum Blossom Sword Art of the Mount Hua Sect when its achievement had not reached ten-star mastery, and the form of the plum blossoms had not yet been properly shaped.

However, no one said such a thing out loud.

Once sword energy had already taken form, each one of those was no different from a supreme technique, and the one who uttered those words would surely meet death.

“I mean the things flying around in the air.”

“……Hah!”

At Jin Sowoon’s utterly relaxed attitude, Hwa Jeongsan’s reason finally flew away.

“I intended to go easy on you, but…… you have changed my mind.”

“…….”

“Regret running your mouth carelessly for the rest of your life.”

Hwa Jeongsan’s eyes turned violet, and his martial uniform swelled as if it would burst.

Seeing that sight, someone murmured softly.

“Purple Cloud Divine Art…….”

The secret martial art said to be passed down only to the true disciples of the Mount Hua Sect began to manifest.

“Try clearing away the dust properly.”

The training ground was quite large for only two people to stand on.

Above it, plum blossoms formed, covering the sky.

At that fantastical sight, the people could not help but be shocked.

“……This is Mount Hua’s plum blossoms.”

“……But if Senior Brother Jin is hit by that…….”

“No!!”

As if mocking the people’s screams, the plum blossoms flying through the sky began shooting fiercely toward Jin Sowoon.