The Great Peng Waiting for the Typhoon (4)
In the end, it was decided that the people of the Elder Hall would go to the Changgung Merchant Guild.
And naturally, Jin Taesan, the hall master of the Outer Hall, would become the center of it.
Perhaps because the funding situation had gained some breathing room, Father kept letting out long sighs.
Since the sect leader and hall masters had to reorganize the Taeul Sect internally while also learning the Taeul Sword Emperor’s martial arts, even if the gates were closed, they could not rest for even a moment.
Fortunately, among the elders, there were some who had worked at small merchant guilds or escort agencies in the past to help manage the Taeul Sect’s livelihood, so there would be no great difficulty.
Moreover, the Taeul Sect had Wang Soso, and they could also ask Wang Geumsan for help.
Even after things were settled to some extent, the elders and hall masters did not rise from their seats.
They all looked as if they could not endure their desire to see the Taeul Sword Emperor’s true transmission.
In response, Hong Mungi ordered wine and snacks, creating a small congratulatory gathering and a place to look over the true transmission.
And while everyone’s attention turned to the true transmission, I quietly slipped out of Daehyeon Hall.
Then I immediately went to find Wang Soso.
As closing the gates became certain, there was something the sect leader and the elders were overlooking.
The Murim Alliance would never let this matter end like this.
Although there had been Moyong Gang’s recognition and the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering’s recognition, during all that, the Diancang Sect and Mount Hua Sect had suffered a great blow to their pride.
If it had been only one person, perhaps, but two people had suffered severe damage to their pride.
And those two were each the greatest talents of Mount Hua and Diancang.
If these two sects joined together firmly, among those who had been hovering nearby, there would surely be people who took interest in the Taeul Sword Emperor’s true transmission.
And once that public opinion became the mainstream, Moyong Gang’s recognition from afar would not help.
At the very least, until the Taeul Sect completely closed its gates and cut off its connection with the outside, we needed to buy time.
“Orabeoni! I am here!”
I approached Wang Soso, who was practicing with the other junior brothers and sisters at the training ground of Kuaehwa Hall.
In the few months I had not seen her, she had grown noticeably and was already starting to shed the look of a little girl.
‘They say girls grow up early.’
Moyong Seol, Namgung Seonhwa, Seong Moran, the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering, and so on.
I had seen countless beauties famous in the murim world, but Wang Soso’s beauty did not fall behind theirs in the slightest.
No, since she still had more growing to do, there was much to look forward to in the future.
‘I understand why fathers with daughters hate sons-in-law so much.’
Just imagining Wang Soso marrying someone someday already made me feel as if my younger sister were being taken away.
“Your swordsmanship has improved a lot.”
“I am working hard. Soon, I may be able to spar with Eunho for more than a hundred techniques.”
“Eunho is someone who ranks within the top ten among the junior brothers and sisters, is he not?”
“That is why. But what was the favor you wanted to ask?”
“Your family must have a lot of gold ingots, right?”
Wang Soso tilted her head.
“Would it only be gold ingots? There are golden toads, golden dragons, golden deer, and……”
“Yes, yes. May I ask one favor?”
“You can ask two? You can ask three too.”
I held out a banknote worth one hundred nyang.
“Hm?”
#
“What does that mean?”
Moyong Seol told him about the conversation she had with Jin Sowoon.
“……Yes, I made a mistake toward Young Master Jin Sowoon.”
“Huh…….”
Moyong Gang did not usually erase his smile.
His uniquely mischievous, playful face made his grandson and granddaughter feel he was someone they could approach comfortably.
But now, he looked as if he had seen a beloved puppy break a precious porcelain vase.
“I apologize.”
“You clearly saw that those Dragon-Phoenix Gathering brats were at fault, did you not?”
Moyong Seol, who had always monopolized Moyong Gang’s love, felt her grandfather was more unfamiliar than ever.
“Tsk, tsk. I worked hard to create one opportunity to connect you, but now it has become useless.”
“……?”
Neither Moyong Seol nor Moyong Jaehwa knew what Moyong Gang was talking about, but they did not question it.
“Life in the murim world does not always flow according to scripture.”
Moyong Gang’s voice was calmer than ever.
“When the other party tries to step on you and stand above you, you must prove that you are by no means such an easy person. In such cases, even more ruthless methods can be one way, can they not?”
“…….”
Moyong Seol had nothing to say, even if she had ten mouths.
On the other hand, she also wondered a little why Moyong Gang was speaking this strongly.
Of course, she could not ask that.
“If I had been in that situation, I would have destroyed that Hwa Jeongsan brat’s dantian.”
“…….”
“Tsk, tsk. I thought going to the Murim Alliance would make your thinking a little more flexible, but you have become even stiffer.”
“…….”
“He is the one who saved your father. Even without me saying more, you know very well what your mistake was, do you not?”
“Yes. I know very well.”
“Go and apologize politely, and make sure no resentment remains for either that boy or you.”
“Yes…….”
“And leave that Dragon-Phoenix Gathering or whatever now. If you continue staying there, it seems you will become rigid just like this. Return to the main family with me this time.”
“……Understood.”
Moyong Gang rose from his seat and muttered.
“I heard he also has a connection with that child Seonhwa, so I hope that Namgung Taeha bastard is not already aiming for him……”
Of course, Moyong Jaehwa and Moyong Seol still could not understand what their grandfather was talking about.
#
Moyong Seol immediately conveyed her decision to the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering.
After hearing the story, Ilmyeong’s face darkened.
Except during emergency summons of the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering, participation in their activities was not compulsory.
There was also the reason that the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering did not do much aside from audit activities for the Murim Alliance branches and the One Hundred Eight Peaks, but it was also because each individual who made up the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering was too important to their sects and the Murim Alliance, so they had been given autonomy in advance.
Therefore, Wudang’s Yong Soa, Namgung San of the Namgung Family, and Hyeyeon of the Emei Sect were absent from this Dragon-Phoenix Gathering activity.
With Jong Byeokgi and Hwa Jungsan in poor condition, if even Moyong Seol withdrew, it could practically be said that the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering’s activity had stopped.
“This will disrupt the schedule.”
“I am sorry.”
“It is all right. Everyone has circumstances.”
Ilmyeong spoke with a grave face.
“It cannot be helped. The Taeul Sect was different from what we expected……”
So Jeho of Qingcheng, who had been speaking, trailed off at the sharp gazes of Jong Byeokgi and Hwa Jungsan.
In particular, Jong Byeokgi’s grudge ran deep.
“That damned brat…….”
He had lost in a completely unexpected place, to a completely unexpected person, in a completely unexpected way.
Moreover, Moyong Gang’s appearance had turned all methods of reversing his defeat into nothing.
Now, on the contrary, he had to worry whether Moyong Gang might do something harmful to him.
“I, I will…… definitely……. Aah!”
While speaking, Jong Byeokgi clutched his head from the severe pain ringing at his temples.
One side of his head was swollen so large that it looked as if a huge horn had grown from it.
Dang Seohee, who was treating Jong Byeokgi, grabbed him by the hair and dragged him back down to the floor.
“Did you not hear me tell you to stay still? Unless you want to live with headaches for the rest of your life as a side effect, you had better stay still.”
“…….”
Dang Seohee was a madwoman who used poison even on people from the same Murim Alliance when her temper twisted.
Jong Byeokgi became silent and only ground his teeth.
Seeing them, Ilmyeong’s brow did not easily relax.
‘Should I consider him…… at the level of Yong Soa……?’
Ilmyeong was feeling from Jin Sowoon the same sensation he had felt when he first met Yong Soa.
“Perhaps…… a storm will rise in the murim world.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean we must reevaluate the Taeul Sect.”
“Damn it, we cannot end it like this.”
Hearing Ilmyeong’s words, Jong Byeokgi sprang up.
At that moment, Dang Seohee, whose anger had surged to the top of her head, stabbed a needle into Jong Byeokgi’s paralysis acupoint.
“Eogeuk!”
“Did you not hear me tell you not to move? Do you want to taste the pain of tendon-separating bone-setting?”
“N-No. No. I will stay still……”
Jong Byeokgi quickly sought help from Hwa Jeongsan.
“Jeongsan, you say something too. This is not something we can just let pass, is it?”
“…….”
Hwa Jeongsan merely sat silently with sunken eyes.
“What if you do not just let it pass?”
At Seo Saryeong’s question, Jong Byeokgi rolled his eyes around.
“Of course, we must report it to the Murim Alliance. That a martial art of unknown origin has appeared!”
“But Elder Moyong Gang has already publicly declared it.”
Jong Byeokgi stared at Moyong Seol.
“Hmph! Have you forgotten what our mission is? It is to conduct audit and inspection activities without being influenced by external pressure. Is that not right, Jeongsan?”
“…….”
At Jong Byeokgi’s words, Hwa Jeongsan did not answer, and instead Moyong Seol’s eyes sank coldly.
“Do you think the Moyong Family will stay still?”
“I already said such things do not matter anyway. Everything is for the Murim Alliance to decide. Can even the Moyong Family ignore the Alliance’s decision?”
Watching the war of nerves between Jong Byeokgi and Moyong Seol, Ilmyeong’s eyes sank once again.
There was a certain amount of realism in Jong Byeokgi’s words.
If Jong Byeokgi and Hwa Jeongsan stepped forward, Diancang and Mount Hua would move at the same time.
In addition, if today’s matter were reported, even more people would take interest in the martial art, and if it reached that point, even the Sword Breaker under heaven could not block them alone.
Because that was what justification was by nature.
“Hmm…… Will that be all right? Young Master Jin does not seem to have an easy personality at all.”
At the sight of Seo Saryeong speaking while touching her red lips with her white fingers, Jong Byeokgi unknowingly swallowed and spoke with even more confidence.
“Just wait and see. I will definitely make it happen. If Diancang and Mount Hua step forward first, other sects will probably also take interest.”
Jong Byeokgi was planning exactly what Ilmyeong had expected.
Ilmyeong knew that his own sect could not be free from this either.
Could Shaolin avoid taking interest in the martial art of the Taeul Sect that had destroyed the Vajra Prajna Palm?
At that moment, Moyong Seol looked behind her.
Then Seo Saryeong and Hwangbo Yeon also looked behind them.
Soon, a young man holding bundles in both hands walked in over the wall.
“Young…… Master Jin…….”
At Moyong Seol’s words, the eyes of Jong Byeokgi and Hwa Jeongsan sharpened.
Jong Byeokgi begged Dang Seohee to release his paralysis acupoint, but she merely looked silently at Jin Sowoon.
“The sect leader asked me to come and ask whether there is anything uncomfortable.”
There was a smile on his face, and his attitude was confident.
He looked as if he had forgotten all about the desperate spar from the day before.
Ilmyeong also smiled and stepped forward a few steps.
“Thanks to you, we are staying very comfortably. I wonder if we are being a needless burden.”
“Is receiving the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering not an honor for every martial sect? You may not be able to stay long, but please stay comfortably while you are here.”
At Jin Sowoon’s words, the eyes of the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering members trembled violently.
Had he not fought too desperately to speak so calmly like that?
“Are you all right, young hero?”
“I also have no place that does not hurt. As expected, the sword of Mount Hua is extremely fierce.”
“…….”
Hwa Jeongsan glared fiercely at Jin Sowoon.
Beside him, Jong Byeokgi was also glaring with his stiff body, but rather than frightening, he looked ridiculous.
“I am sorry to Monk Ilmyeong, but I brought some grain tea.”
Grain tea was slang among monks for alcohol.
“Haha, grain tea, you say?”
“Among my junior sisters is a child from the Wang Family Estate, and I asked her to obtain some Golden Basin Bright Wine.”
Golden Basin Bright Wine was a precious liquor produced directly by the Wang Family Estate.
It was a specialty of Hefei, but not something just anyone could taste.
When he untied the bundles, five splendidly decorated wine bottles appeared inside.
“……Since you came all the way here, I thought you should at least taste a local specialty.”
“Thank you. I cannot drink it, but the others will be able to enjoy it. We are truly indebted to the Taeul Sect in many ways.”
“Not at all. Are we not all comrades gathered under the banner of the Murim Alliance? Hahahaha.”
Sowoon laughed heartily, but none of the men could laugh.
It was because they somehow felt as if they had been pushed back by Sowoon, who was several years younger than them.
On the other hand, the women’s eyes sparkled as they looked at Sowoon.
“Young Master Jin, how can you be so strong? I was truly surprised to learn that the Taeul Sect’s martial arts were at that level.”
When Soul-Seducing Xishi Seo Saryeong spoke in a warm tone like spring flowers, Jong Byeokgi looked as if he had realized something too late.
Soul-Seducing Xishi Seo Saryeong had subtly conveyed her intention to withdraw from this matter.
“…….”
Moreover, she had given Jin Sowoon an opportunity to talk about his martial arts.
Sure enough, Jin Sowoon did not miss that opportunity.
“In truth, regarding that part, I would like to express my gratitude to Great Hero Hwa.”
The people tilted their heads.
“…….”
“In truth, we had painstakingly recovered the great-grandmaster’s martial arts, but we were worrying about how to inform the world of it. We could have simply announced it, but we did not know what kind of disputes that might drag us into. Just like today.”
Ilmyeong’s surprised mouth slowly opened.
“But just then, Great Hero Hwa Jeongsan said, ‘I want to see the sword form of the Taeul Sword Emperor,’ and I gained a good opportunity.”
“T-That was…… Ahem.”
Hwa Jeongsan could not say anything.
The moment he revealed that his original intention had been mockery, the one who would fall would be Hwa Jeongsan himself.
“Therefore, it is true that I overdid it, and it is also true that Great Hero was injured because of it. Because of that, the sect leader is greatly concerned that I injured a benefactor.”
At the word “benefactor,” Hwa Jeongsan’s face flushed red.
Ilmyeong was looking at Jin Sowoon as if observing a strange creature that casually threw out such words.
Jin Sowoon approached Hwa Jeongsan.
Then he set down the small bundle in his other hand and pushed it toward Hwa Jeongsan.
“……What is this?”
“Our sect is so small that we have no elixirs or items to restore vitality within the sect. This is in their place.”
“……Hmph, no matter what the Taeul Sect prepared…….”
Hwa Jeongsan roughly opened the bundle with a grumbling expression, but his expression began changing strangely.
When he opened the old-fashioned box, a plum tree carved from ox horn and gold appeared inside.
Even Seo Saryeong, who usually wore many ornate gold, silver, and jewel decorations, widened her eyes at the sight.
“Huh…….”
“I happened to obtain it a few months ago, and perhaps it was meant to create this connection. I hope this can help Great Hero Hwa Jeongsan obtain an elixir that will allow him to recover.”
“……Connection?”
“You may not know this, but in the past, the hall master of our Busaeng Hall was a lay disciple of the Mount Hua Sect. In the end, the way of Mount Hua turned and turned until it reached even our Taeul Sect.”
“…….”
“In the midst of that, I committed such a mistake, so how sorrowful must the sect leader’s heart have been?”
Hwa Jeongsan had already lost the words to speak, and Jong Byeokgi, who had been watching stiffly from the side, had a face turning red and blue.
“Hwa Jeongsan, return that thing. What is that worthless thing supposed to be that we should forgive them?”
At Jong Byeokgi’s words, Hwa Jeongsan looked at him with fierce eyes.
“……You stay quiet!”
“What?!”
“Did things not grow this large because you butted in for no reason?”
Jong Byeokgi’s face flushed red beyond comparison.
“Huh!”
Moreover, Jin Sowoon had a massive supporter named Moyong Gang standing firmly behind him.
His eccentric personality, powerful martial arts, and enormous family made turning him into an enemy far too risky compared to the gain.
Perhaps the reason Hwa Jeongsan had been silent until now was because he had been thinking of how to find a way out.
Jong Byeokgi glared at Jin Sowoon with venomous eyes.
“Brat! Do not think this is over with this!”
Then Jin Sowoon also looked at Jong Byeokgi with cold eyes.
“That is something I also wish to say. The Taeul Sect will remember today’s events for a long, long time.”
“I am Jong Byeokgi of Diancang! Do you think I will be afraid!”
“……You should be afraid. Senior Moyong Gang said he would take you with him.”
“Ugh! W-What does that mean!”
“You interfered with his eccentric act, so should you not pay the price? Ah, also, he said he would send a letter to the sect leader of the Diancang Sect. You should be prepared for punishment when you return.”
Jong Byeokgi’s face turned sallow, and a sigh of relief escaped Hwa Jeongsan’s mouth.
“……Could you tell the sect leader that this junior is reflecting on his rude behavior?”
At Hwa Jeongsan’s words, Jong Byeokgi and the members of the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering were shocked.
“Did I not tell you? He is actually grateful.”
“…….”
“Did you not say the expert the Divine New Plum Blossom Sword of Mount Hua admired most was the Taeul Sword Emperor?”
“Ahem…… I did.”
“What greater praise could there be for the Taeul Sect?”
“Ahem…… What are you saying? After seeing your sword form, I have also become certain that what I thought until now was correct.”
Seeing Hwa Jeongsan laugh and converse with Jin Sowoon without any restraint, Jong Byeokgi’s face grew increasingly grotesque.
And Ilmyeong, who had watched the entire series of events, had to feel a chill in his chest.
‘He is…… frightening.’
The image Jin Sowoon had shown in the spar was not simply to show the recovered true transmission.
He had looked as if he had met an enemy he could never share the same sky with.
The tenacity with which he had ultimately sought to draw blood.
Yet now he was telling a plausible lie as if such actions had not been sincere.
Thanks to Moyong Gang, it was fair to say that there was no longer any problem between the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering and the Taeul Sect.
The problem was ultimately Diancang and Mount Hua, the greatest victims of the incident, but he had not compensated both of them. He had given only Mount Hua ample compensation while even bringing up a past connection.
Because of this, Hwa Jeongsan had no choice but to let go of his resentment toward Jin Sowoon, and Jong Byeokgi, left alone, was now in a position where his own fault would grow even larger, let alone having justification.
‘His martial arts were no small thing, but his scheming is even better.’
What made Yong Soa extraordinary was that he possessed talent that could not be surpassed.
But he was not a frightening existence.
Since Yong Soa could not become a ruler, he was not a terrifying opponent.
On the other hand, Jin Sowoon had deep scheming that could manipulate people.
‘From now on, the murim world will be greatly shaken because of the Taeul Sect…… no, because of that young man.’
Jin Sowoon once again looked at the members of the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering with a relaxed face and said.
“Then please rest comfortably. I will take my leave now.”
Just as Jin Sowoon was about to turn around.
“You must stop for a moment.”
Dang Seohee called Jin Sowoon, and the people of the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering looked at Dang Seohee with surprised eyes.
It was because she never spoke to unfamiliar strangers she was seeing for the first time.
“There is something you and I must settle.”
“Ah…. You mean that.”
Jin Sowoon showed an awkward expression for the first time.
“I have decided to let the forbidden concealed weapon matter pass. There was the Divine Sword’s letter, and this is also meant as an apology for today’s matter.”
These were stories the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering did not know.
One thing was clear: Dang Seohee was also showing that she had no intention of joining Jong Byeokgi’s matter.
“T-Thank you.”
“In exchange, you must spar with me once next time.”
“!!”
Dang Seohee asking for a spar was an expression of interest.
“Do you mean today?”
“Today is not a good time.”
Jin Sowoon, who could not know that, simply nodded lightly.
“Please teach me a move someday.”
“Then it is a promise.”
With that, Jin Sowoon went out the door.
“I will be going too.”
Moyong Seol stepped out without waiting for an answer.
Anyone could see she had followed Jin Sowoon out.
“Oh my, Seol had such an active side.”
Seo Saryeong chuckled while covering her red lips.
“……This is truly bewildering in many ways.”
“…….”
“…….”
The men of the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering, who had lacked nothing in the world, pressed their mouths shut at the strange sense of defeat they were experiencing for the first time in their lives.
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