As the unconscious Cheol Woo was carried away, Jin Wi-gyeong stepped forward.
“Are there no more who wish to challenge!”
I was the one who had literally wiped the floor with the ever-so-strong Cheol Woo. There was no way there would be any challengers. When no one stepped forward, Jin Wi-gyeong shouted with an expression of pure joy.
“Then the final victor of this duel is the Hidden Dragon of Shanxi, Jin Tae-kyung!”
Tiring.
- -You have become the final victor of the surprise event, [Taiyuan Jin Family Dueling Tournament]!
- -Your fame has increased!
- -You have gained experience points!
- -Level Up!
- -You have acquired 10 bonus points as an event reward!
Along with the unexpected notification sound, the Grand Training Grounds transformed into a literal cauldron of frenzy.
“Yeeaaah!”
“A thousand years to the Taiyuan Jin Family! Ten thousand years to the Hidden Dragon of Shanxi!”
“The Hidden Dragon of Shanxi defeated the Defeating Flower Fist!”
“Kkii-yat-hooo!”
Who was that kkii-yat-hooing? Must be someone who knows how to party.
In any case, the atmosphere in the arena became as heated as a rock festival. A child threw the candy he was holding into the air, and a white-haired old man shattered his cane over his knee with a monstrous cry.
“Waah!”
“Hii-yah!”
The reactions of the martial artists were even more intense, not less. For ages, the martial world of Shanxi had been treated as a frontier province. I had only defeated one serial confessor, but to them, it was as if they had won a battle of pride against the martial world of Shaanxi.
“Innkeeper, a bottle of wine here!”
“The dumpling that’s been stuck in my gut for twenty years just went down. It’s on me today, order whatever you want!”
Don’t call the innkeeper. Don’t order everything. It was all coming out of the Jin Family’s pockets anyway, but the people, who were high on their Shanxi pride, had lost their minds.
They’re running wild.
Since a good number of them were martial artists, carrying weapons was a given. I was worried that, intoxicated by this high, a problem might arise. Sure enough, just then, some crazy bastard shouted.
“Everyone, draw your swords!”
Chachachang!
With a flash of light, hundreds of weapons were drawn.
“From the front, wave them in order!”
“Woooooah!”
Chachachang! Chachachang!
Wait, they’re doing the wave³ here?
As I watched this advanced, new-age cheering culture, I muttered, dumbfounded.
“This is completely…”
“A mess.”
I had started the thought, but someone else finished the sentence. A wizened voice pierced my ear distinctly. I looked around, but all I could see were excited people.
Who was that?
Even in the pandemonium of mixed noises, it sounded as if someone were speaking right next to me. A master, and one with profound internal energy at that. Just as I and a few others turned our heads to find the owner of the voice, a new sound erupted.
“Halt!”
Goooooh.
Was this the Lion’s Roar I had read about in martial arts novels? The ground rumbled and the air trembled. Among the commoners, the faint of heart either fainted or collapsed with screams.
“Kyaaaak!”
“Ugh!”
The Grand Training Grounds, which had been in a festive mood, instantly turned into a scene of utter chaos. A lone old man could be seen walking leisurely through the crowd of trembling commoners and frozen martial artists, who had scattered like they’d been hit by a bomb.
“Now, that’s a bit better.”
A tall, skinny body. The old man’s sharp gaze swept over the crowd before it met mine. Being at the center of the dueling stage and standing perfectly fine while being young, I must have stood out. The old man looked me up and down and opened his mouth.
“Is it you?”
“Pardon?”
“Cheong Pung, Jin Tae-kyung. Which one are you?”
What is this situation? A thousand different thoughts raced through my head. In that brief moment, I made a decision and answered.
“I’m neither of them.”
“You’re not?”
“Yes. I think you have the wrong person.”
Whatever it is, let’s just deny it for now. The situation was obvious. I didn’t know who he was or where he was from, but he didn’t seem to have a very good impression of me.
“Is that so?”
“I’ve never heard those names before in my life.”
The old man gestured behind him.
“Come here.”
“Y-Yes, Elder.”
Four people who had been hidden among the crowd revealed themselves. Coincidentally, they were all people I had seen before. One of them, in particular, had a face I couldn’t possibly not know.
Hyeok Mujin?
Wait, why is the guy who said he was on duty over there?
Hyeok Mujin, pale as a sheet, walked as if being dragged by the three middle-aged men beside him. Their faces were also familiar. But what were their titles again?
Ah, right. The Three Hands of Zhongnan.
Just as I managed to recall the extras’ titles, the mysterious old man spoke to the four of them.
“Find them.”
Hyeok Mujin and the middle-aged man with his arm in a splint, Gong Il-hyeok, simultaneously pointed at me.
“Squad Leader! Please save me!”
“That’s him! That’s Jin Tae-kyung!”
Oh, I’m busted.
After a moment of silence, the old man asked me.
“Are you really Jin Tae-kyung?”
I bowed my head as politely as possible.
“It is a pleasure to meet you for the first time. My name is Jin Tae-kyung.”
“Well, I’ve never seen such a crazy bastard.”
Just as the old man was expressing his disbelief, three figures landed gracefully with a whoosh of air. It was Jin Wi-gyeong, Baek Mu-seong, and Cheong Pung.
“I am Jin Wi-gyeong, the Lesser Family Head of the Taiyuan Jin Family. May I ask for the senior’s esteemed name?”
“Ahem. The Lesser Family Head of the Jin Family, you say?”
The question was directed at the old man, but it was Gong Il-hyeok who stepped forward. Jin Wi-gyeong’s brow furrowed at his interruption.
“I am. And who might you be?”
“I am Gong Il-hyeok of the Three Hands of Zhongnan. The great hero, Gong Il-jung of the Wind and Cloud Sword, who is the master of the great Zhongnan Sect, is my fifth cousin once removed.”
That guy is still consistently using his fifth cousin as a flex. It made me want to smack his mouth with a chicken leg. Upon learning Gong Il-hyeok’s identity, Jin Wi-gyeong muttered with a groan.
“The Zhongnan Sect?”
Gong Il-hyeok may be a parachute who only relies on connections, but the name of the Zhongnan Sect was different. The Nine Great Sects and the Five Great Families were the titans that moved the martial world of the present day. Riding the momentum, Gong Il-hyeok continued triumphantly.
“And this person here is an elder of our sect, the Great Hero Song Il.”
That old man is an elder of the Zhongnan Sect? I had expected him to be a master, but it seemed his status was far greater than I thought. The faces of Jin Wi-gyeong and Baek Mu-seong hardened.
“The Raging Roar Sword Expert…”
“This junior martial artist, Baek Mu-seong, pays his respects to Senior Song.”
The old man, the Raging Roar Sword Expert, looked down at the two who were hastily paying their respects. A voice laced with the leisure and arrogance of the strong flowed out.
“Baek Mu-seong? So you are the Crane of Huashan.”
“Yes, it is an undeserved title.”
“It seems so. You are inferior to your master in his younger days.”
Look at the fucking attitude on this old man.
But I had to admit one thing, his clout was incredible. The Raging Roar Sword Expert had not only shamelessly belittled Baek Mu-seong, who was an object of aspiration, in front of everyone, but had also spoken of the Huashan Sect Leader, Heavenly Sword Sage, as if he were a neighborhood friend. It seemed his seniority in the martial world was as great as his martial arts.
“I will strive to improve.”
“Hmph, you have a glib tongue. But if Heavenly Sword Sage sent you…”
The Raging Roar Sword Expert’s eyes gleamed as he watched Baek Mu-seong bow his head without a word. His gaze was directed at the blankly-standing Cheong Pung.
“So that’s him. The successor of the Sword Saint.”
Cheong Pung asked with a bewildered expression.
“Do you know my grandpa?”
“I do. Of course, I do. How could I not know him?”
Judging by his expression, it didn’t seem to be a very good relationship. As the situation took a grim turn, Jin Wi-gyeong asked with a hardened face.
“May I ask the purpose of your visit?”
“I came to collect a debt.”
“A debt, you say.”
“Yes, the debt for daring to mock the great Zhongnan Sect and harming a disciple of our sect.”
A blade-like gaze shot towards me and Cheong Pung. Gong Il-hyeok stepped forward, shaking his splinted arm.
“Do you see this? This is an injury I received at the Prince of Sangsan’s residence, where I was visiting upon invitation. I showed it to a physician, and he said I would need to recuperate for at least half a year.”
Cheong Pung spoke with an apologetic face.
“I hit you gently… Did it hurt a lot?”
Cruel bastard. Kicking a man when he’s down. Gong Il-hyeok’s face flushed red from the public humiliation.
“You brat! How dare you speak such words after launching a surprise attack!”
I muttered, dumbfounded.
“‘Surprise attack,’ my ass. You were the one who grabbed my collar first and got your ass handed to you.”
“Shut your mouth! When I think of what you two did to me, mocking my sect, chewing you up and spitting you out wouldn’t be enough!”
And so, a children’s fight escalates into a fight between adults.
The faces of Jin Wi-gyeong and Baek Mu-seong crumpled.
“Chew him up? Are you talking about our youngest right now?”
“‘Brat’! Great Hero Gong, watch your words! Though our sects may be different, there is still a clear seniority in the martial world, how could you…”
“Kekeke.”
At the Raging Roar Sword Expert’s grating laugh, Jin Wi-gyeong and Baek Mu-seong shut their mouths.
“Seniority. You said it well.”
“…”
“…”
“I am the senior brother of my sect’s leader, the Wind and Cloud Sword Lord, and I am of the same generation as the Huashan Sect’s Heavenly Sword Sage, so there should be no problem.”
Bringing up seniority was a mistake. His martial arts were formidable, and now he was pushing with his rank, so not even Jin Wi-gyeong, Baek Mu-seong, or even Cheong Pung, the disciple of the Sword Saint, could stand against him.
“Am I wrong?”
When no one spoke, the Raging Roar Sword Expert said to Cheong Pung.
“You have harmed a disciple of the Zhongnan Sect. Are you prepared for the consequences?”
This is why words are so scary. There was no process of how it happened, only the result. Baek Mu-seong hastily interjected.
“Senior, we must clearly determine the rights and wrongs of this matter.”
Cheong Pung also muttered with a very timid posture.
“I just tapped him gently.”
“So, are you saying you didn’t do it?”
“That’s not it. I did hit him, but I didn’t know he would get hurt that badly.”
Seeing an opening, Gong Il-hyeok rushed in.
“It was a clear killing technique!”
“Did you hear that?”
“It really wasn’t.”
As Cheong Pung stammered, unable to say anything, the Raging Roar Sword Expert’s sharp voice continued.
“I will formally protest this matter to the Huashan Sect, so do not even think of shirking responsibility.”
“Elder, the law of the government and the law of the martial world do not interfere with each other. Furthermore, the government officials who were present at that time were friendly towards them, so I worry they may bear false witness.”
“You are right. I will take measures.”
It was already no different from a rigged game of Go-Stop. As Baek Mu-seong bit his lip at the unfair treatment, the remaining arrow had a clear target.
“The Taiyuan Jin Family will seal its gates until our sect sends a person.”
“…What did you just say?”
Jin Wi-gyeong said what I wanted to say. No, everyone who heard the Raging Roar Sword Expert’s words must have had the same thought.
Seal our gates?
What kind of bullshit is that?
It was true that I had slightly humiliated Gong Il-hyeok. But that was limited to Gong Il-hyeok himself; I could swear that I had said nothing to mock or insult the Zhongnan Sect. Yet he was ordering us to seal our gates just for that? Although there was a condition that it was only until the Zhongnan Sect sent someone, the act itself was already a disgrace.
“That is unjust!”
At Jin Wi-gyeong’s shout, the Raging Roar Sword Expert’s eyes shot up.
“What was that?”
“To order us to seal our gates before even determining the rights and wrongs of what happened. Is this the way of the Nine Great Sects, no, the way of the Zhongnan Sect?”
“How dare you!”
“Our family will not accept it!”
“And if you do not accept?”
Ssssuuuu.
A powerful aura rose from the Raging Roar Sword Expert’s entire body like a wildfire. It felt like a sword was aimed at my forehead. My skin tingled.
“If you do not accept, what will you do?”
“…!”
“This is the martial world. Have you forgotten?”
A sudden surge of annoyance welled up inside me. I already knew how the world worked, having experienced it to a sickening degree. Being looked down on for not having money, being treated with contempt for not having a strong backer, being scorned for having meager talent.
It’s the same here too.
The martial world and the modern world were different, yet so very similar. The powerful turn lies into truths and truths into lies. Pressuring and crushing the weak. All of it was natural and obvious to them. Just like the Raging Roar Sword Expert before me.
Drip, tuduk.
Blood flowed from the fist I had unknowingly clenched so tightly. Staring at the blood droplets that fell onto the ground, I exhaled a hot breath.
“Ah, fuck. This is so fucking shitty, really.”
In a situation where no one dared to open their mouth, everyone heard the curse that escaped my lips. It felt like something invisible had shattered with a clang.
The Raging Roar Sword Expert asked with a face of disbelief.
“…What did you just say?”
Cursing was a mistake. Since this was something that had happened because of me, I should have held it in no matter what. That would have been the way to resolve the situation more smoothly. But…
“I said it’s shitty. Fucking shitty. You fucking bastards. There’s a limit to abusing your power.”
I couldn’t take it anymore. I could be cursed at for being thoughtless, for being a kid who doesn’t know the ways of the world, but it couldn’t be helped. I had no masochistic hobby of wanting to replay the things I had already experienced to a sickening degree in the real world here in the martial world.
I apologized to Jin Wi-gyeong.
“I’m sorry. I know this is something I should endure even if it feels like shit, but they’re being so fucking shitty that it feels twice as shitty, so I just couldn’t let it go.”
Jin Wi-gyeong, who had been half-dazed, had a myriad of expressions on his face. It crumpled, then smoothed out. After showing several expressions in a short moment, he finally let out a snicker.
“To be honest, I felt like shit too.”
Those words pulled the trigger. A flame hotter than lava erupted in the Raging Roar Sword Expert’s eyes.
“You bastards… are dying to die.”
Sssreung.
With the words he spat out, his sword was drawn. A white blade was layered with sword Qi. Just as that Qi, which burned more intensely than any I had ever seen, was aimed at me…
“If you kill that one, you die too.”
A sharp voice came from somewhere, and the Raging Roar Sword Expert’s body froze.