Things Have Escalated
"Thanks."
Seo Joo-cheon said it looking at Hong-mi.
"It's nothing. This is what I ought to be doing."
"Even so, bringing a meal all the way here must have been a hassle."
Hong-mi had carried breakfast to the room. They were supposed to eat in the dining hall of the Guest Pavilion, but the two of them had become such objects of attention there that she had brought the food to them instead. Finding her thoughtfulness endearing, he patted her on the head.
"Hehehe."
Hong-mi grinned, clearly pleased.
"It's complete chaos out there right now."
"What is?"
"Every martial artist in the clan is gathering at the training grounds to see Hero Po, the greatest hero in all of Shaanxi. They've been lining up since early this morning just to claim a spot."
Seo Joo-cheon figured Hong-mi was exaggerating.
"They're hoping to glean even a sliver of insight from the martial arts that drove back the Undying Demon."
Sang Ryo answered for her.
"This is getting bigger than I expected. The Qingcheng Eight Talents must be sweating."
At Sang Ryo's words, Hong-mi waved her hands in denial.
"Not at all. They're actually delighted about it."
Hong-mi somehow couldn't bring herself to like the Qingcheng Eight Talents. The day before, she had heard stories from a fellow servant who attended them, and she had shuddered at how fussy they were. The notion that Taoists were detached from worldly affairs and easygoing in all things had been a complete miscalculation. To Hong-mi's eyes, the Taoists of the Hae generation were the very picture of arrogance. Having just come into their power and bearing the full weight of Qingcheng's expectations, their confidence had swollen into conceit. The Taoists of the Gok generation were in their late twenties, while those of the Hae generation were in their early twenties, and the difference in their bearing showed.
"It's nearly the Hour of the Snake. Shall we head out?"
When Seo Joo-cheon rose from his meditation, Sang Ryo stood with him. Sang Ryo had stood guard over Seo Joo-cheon's cultivation through the entire morning, and once he had a moment to himself, he had completed about two hours of qi circulation. He, too, had drunk the essence of the Human-Shaped Snow Ginseng. It had started as a simple breathing exercise to shake off his fatigue, but he had gotten hooked on the pleasure of the elixir's energy converting into stored inner power.
I only circulated my qi for two hours, but because it's an elixir, an enormous amount of inner energy has accumulated.
If he circulated his qi whenever he had the chance, he felt he too might reach the realm Seo Joo-cheon had attained.
"I'll stay in the room. I need to circulate my qi a while longer."
He wanted to watch the duel between Seo Joo-cheon and Haewol, but the urge to cultivate was stronger.
"This is the first time qi circulation has ever felt this sweet. I don't want to miss this opportunity."
"You'll need a protector, though. Are you sure? I'll stand guard for you tonight — why not wait until then?"
Sang Ryo shook his head.
"No. My mind method allows me to stop circulating at a moment's notice."
Among the vast martial arts of the Kunlun Sect, of course there would be such a mind method. Seo Joo-cheon nodded.
"Understood. I'll see you later, then."
When Seo Joo-cheon left the room, Hong-mi looked at Sang Ryo with a puzzled expression.
"Hero Sang, aren't you curious about this duel?"
Sang Ryo smiled faintly.
"Curious, yes. But I already know the outcome, so there's no need to watch."
"What? You know the outcome? You should have heard how much the Qingcheng Eight Talents were bragging. They said they had to become the pillars of Qingcheng, so they even learned the secret techniques that only the sect's leadership is allowed to practice."
Honestly, Sang Ryo did not think Seo Joo-cheon would lose even if he dueled the Qingcheng Sect Leader himself. The martial prowess Seo Joo-cheon displayed in actual combat defied imagination. A swordsman who had not even reached First-Rate had used Transposition as casually as eating a meal. Now that he had surpassed First-Rate, Sang Ryo was curious just how terrifying his skill had become.
If I watched Hero Po's martial arts right now, I think I'd feel inadequate.
That psychology was also why Sang Ryo preferred to circulate his qi rather than spectate the duel.
"The real question is how much face he'll leave Taoist Haewol."
Hong-mi stared at Sang Ryo, then went outside.
Seo Joo-cheon smiled as he watched Hong-mi walking ahead of him.
Seo Joo-cheon sent her a voice transmission. In the world he had designed, voice transmission required One Gapja of inner power. Whether one had achieved One Gapja could be confirmed by whether they could use voice transmission and sword qi.
Hong-mi turned around.
"Did you call me?"
She looked at Seo Joo-cheon with bright, round eyes, her expression completely unfazed.
"You've heard voice transmissions often, haven't you?"
It was not the face of someone hearing one for the first time.
"Of course. Do you know how many martial artists I've served? I've heard voice transmissions before. The first time, I thought a ghost had possessed me. Hehehe."
The way she stuck her tongue out slightly as she laughed resembled a cat.
"Did you have an order for me?"
He sent another voice transmission, wanting to confirm it really worked. In Po Un's life, how desperately he had wanted to use voice transmission — the moment it succeeded, a thrill ran through his entire body.
"Of course. The person I serve is dueling. I have to be there to cheer him on."
Her face said he was asking the obvious, and Seo Joo-cheon had no reply. Seeing Hong-mi respond accurately to the voice transmission, he smiled with satisfaction.
As they approached the training grounds, it was just as Hong-mi had said — martial artists had gathered in such numbers that you had to stand on tiptoe to see. Seo Joo-cheon had never received this much attention in his life, and he felt awkward.
"The First Hero is coming!"
At someone's shout, a hush fell over the crowd.
"Oh! He's better looking than I expected!"
"A face like that? He's a handsome man!"
"Kyaah! He's my type. Sharp, but with this lonely air — like a lone wolf!"
Women's voices could be heard as well. Female martial artists were mixed in here and there, which made it clear this duel had become the talk of the entire clan.
Even searching through Po Un's memories, and throughout Seo Joo-cheon's own life, he had never once been called handsome. His features had been that ordinary.
It's probably because achieving One Gapja changed my presence.
Seo Joo-cheon himself had been inwardly surprised that morning, when he had washed and looked in the bronze mirror, to find that his once merely sharp appearance had transformed.
Even I can tell there's a kind of profound quality about me now.
He had seen martial artists who had achieved One Gapja, but they had not given off that kind of feeling. Jeong Geum-sik and Hak Yu were examples, and the Plum Blossom Swordsmen had not had it either.
But recently, Jang Hyeon-nam and I both had a complete change in presence. Is this a protagonist buff?
Protagonists always received different descriptions. There was no reason to lavish description on those who were not protagonists.
I suppose I'm a lead character now too.
Even as the gathered martial artists each offered their praises, he took it all in with composure.
Is this another bonus from achieving One Gapja? Something like a tranquil mind?
There was no ripple in his heart at all. Words that should have grated on his ears sounded completely meaningless and worthless.
It started the moment I entered a combat stance for the duel.
Seo Joo-cheon had written about a tranquil mind day and night in his wuxia novels, but experiencing it firsthand was a different feeling entirely.
Arriving at the training grounds, Seo Joo-cheon smiled and approached Jang Hyeon-nam.
"So my little brother came too? I'm sorry for making such a racket the moment I arrived."
"Not at all, Hyung-nim. Ah, please allow me to introduce you. This is the Patriarch of the Jang Family Clan, and my father."
Seo Joo-cheon was inwardly startled to find that even facing the Patriarch of the Jang Family Clan, he felt completely composed. It occurred to him that such an overly serene demeanor might come across as offensive.
"I am Po Un, First of the Shaanxi Four Chivalrous Heroes. I've heard much about you from my sworn brother. It is an honor to meet you."
"Oh!"
Patriarch Jang Yeong-in let out a short exclamation of admiration. He found Seo Joo-cheon's presence far more intimate and densely concentrated than expected.
Why does a man of the Unorthodox path carry the scent of the Daoist school? That means his realm is that high. He's more of a talent than I thought.
He had dealt with many Unorthodox and Black Path figures through the clan, but he had never encountered a temperament like Seo Joo-cheon's. Jang Yeong-in had not expected much when he heard his son had taken a sworn older brother. He knew his second son's kind nature made him sociable, so he had assumed the boy had simply sworn brotherhood with a reasonably decent martial artist. On top of that, the morning's news that the man was even dueling Haewol of the Qingcheng Eight Talents had lowered his estimation further. If a guest invited to his sworn brother's home had a character that stirred up controversy, there was nothing more to see. But the reputation of having driven back the Undying Demon had brought him to the training grounds to confirm the man's skill for himself.
Though he had a slightly rounded belly typical of a merchant, Jang Yeong-in was a First-Rate swordsman. He trained with the Peak realm as his goal, but he had not yet reached it. Perhaps because of that lingering regret, he had not objected when his wife sent their two sons to the Nine Great Sects as secular disciples. He had hoped his sons would surpass his own limits. And both sons had already reached his realm. They had become comrades walking in the same direction.
"My second boy has been boasting about his sworn brother since yesterday, so I came out of curiosity. I hope my sudden appearance hasn't been a blight on the occasion. Seeing Hero Po, the phrase 'living up to one's reputation' comes to mind."
Seo Joo-cheon replied, looking at the affable Jang Yeong-in.
"I am Hyeon-nam's sworn brother. Please, speak comfortably with me."
"Ah, is that all right? Well, if you're my second boy's sworn brother, then you're as good as my own son. Hahaha."
A woman standing behind the two of them saw her father let out that hearty laugh for the first time in a long while. It had been ages since she had seen that laugh, the one that only came out when he was in truly high spirits. Lately there had been much worry, as tensions with their mother had grown severe.
He looks quite decent even to my eyes. Hyeon-nam has a good eye for people.
Seo Joo-cheon thought to himself as he noticed the woman staring at him.
That must be Hyeon-nam's older sister.
Just then, Jang Hyeon-nam pulled the woman forward.
"Hyung-nim. This is my sister. She practically raised me when I was young."
"A pleasure to meet you. I am Jang Hwa-lim, Hyeon-nam's older sister."
"I'm glad to make your acquaintance."
Seo Joo-cheon preferred to keep greetings with women as plain as possible. To be precise, it was not Seo Joo-cheon but Po Un's temperament that ran that way. Seo Joo-cheon had never properly described Jang Hwa-lim, as she was a character who died while transporting cargo to the Mount Hua Sect. So seeing her in person was a fresh experience.
She's beautiful enough to be called a beauty.
Her figure, even more than her face, was exactly Seo Joo-cheon's type. A long, pale neck, slender legs, and a full bosom captured his eyes. The unfortunate part was that her clothes concealed that figure. But even trying to hide it, a voluptuous body could not be completely covered.
"We ought to have received Hero Po properly, yet here we are exchanging greetings at a training ground. I apologize."
"Not at all. I had intended to call on you soon anyway. For a martial artist to first meet the Patriarch at a training ground has its own kind of charm, wouldn't you say?"
"Hahaha, if that's how you see it, then my heart is at ease."
Unexpectedly, Seo Joo-cheon and Jang Yeong-in got along well. There had been many times when, even though he had set the personalities of his characters, he had worried they might turn out different when he actually met them.
"Hero Wang is here as well."
Wang Jae-gyeong, chief of the Inner Guards, was escorting Jang Yeong-in today.
"Yes. We meet again."
When Wang Jae-gyeong clasped his fists in greeting, Seo Joo-cheon looked to the right and greeted them as well.
"You two heroes have come as well."
Oh Jang-gwon and Oh Seung of the Oh Family Six Spears were also present. Oh Jang-gwon spoke.
"This is our eldest brother."
Seo Joo-cheon clasped his fists toward Oh Sin, the first of the Oh Family Six Spears, who had been introduced to him.
"This humble junior of the martial world greets his senior."
Oh Sin nodded.
"So you're the second nephew's sworn brother. You've got the qualifications."
As a First-Rate spear expert himself, Oh Sin grasped Seo Joo-cheon's realm at a glance. Seo Joo-cheon exchanged greetings with Oh Sin and the rest of the Oh Family Six Spears.
Oh Sook-jeong couldn't come herself, so she probably sent the Oh Family Six Spears to evaluate me.
If that were not the purpose, there would have been no need for all of them to come. The duel had turned into an appraisal.
After roughly finishing the greetings and stepping into the training grounds, Haewol rose from his seat.
"How long am I supposed to wait?"
Seo Joo-cheon replied to the provocative words.
"I apologize for keeping you waiting. There were many people I was meeting for the first time today, so I was delayed."
"Shall we start right now, then?"
Haewol found Seo Joo-cheon's unhurried manner thoroughly displeasing. He had tried to project the composure of a Taoist, but with all the attention and interest going to Seo Joo-cheon, he felt a pointless jealousy. That jealousy had turned into impatience.
Seeing this, Gok Un, the second, let out a sigh. Beside him, Gok-in, the third, spoke.
"Senior Brother, Haewol won't lose, will he? Among us fellow disciples, his talent is outstanding, isn't it? He's already grasped the profound meaning of the Blue Cloud Wind and Thunder Sword. After just a few exchanges, that so-called First Hero will be left trembling."
The Blue Cloud Wind and Thunder Sword was a secret technique that only Qingcheng's leadership could learn. At those words, Hae-min, the sixth, chimed in.
"On top of that, his Blue Cloud Labyrinth Footwork is more refined than mine. In terms of talent, he's the best among us fellow disciples. There's no way a junior brother like that would lose to some Unorthodox nobody."
Gok Un murmured quietly.
"Watch your mouth, Junior Brother Hae-min. Have you forgotten where we are? If those words reach anyone else's ears, there will be no place for us here. And as for that First Hero..."
"What about the First Hero?"
Gok Un opened his mouth, then shook his head.
"No. Never mind."
Gok Un could not bring himself to speak the rest aloud. It felt like a slight against his eldest senior brother.
That First Hero's presence is similar to Eldest Senior Brother's. There's a transcendent's composure about him. Can Haewol defeat someone like that? Should I have actively stopped this duel?
Gok Un had heard of Seo Joo-cheon's reputation, but he had not actually thought Haewol would lose. The Blue Cloud Wind and Thunder Sword was no ordinary sword art. It was the only sword study that could be compared to Mount Hua's Violet Sunset Divine Sword, Wudang's Taiji Wisdom Sword, or Shaolin's Three Swords of Bodhidharma.
But yesterday's him and today's him have a different presence. If I had seen him today, I would have stopped this duel no matter what.
He worried that his own greed might bring disgrace upon his youngest junior brother.
"I'll yield the first move."
At Seo Joo-cheon's words, Gok Un lifted his head. And as he watched his junior brother grit his teeth and charge toward Seo Joo-cheon, he clenched his fists.