Infamy and Righteous Fame (2)
“Hoo.”
Yeon Hojeong relaxed his stance. Muk Bi lowered her bow as well.
“Let’s call it here for today.”
Thud.
The moment he set down the Gwang Yong Bu, he collapsed right there on the spot.
It was a sight utterly unlike Yeon Hojeong, whose stamina was monstrously formidable.
Muk Bi asked with concern.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
He didn’t look fine at all. Yeon Hojeong’s face was still pale.
His internal injuries hadn’t fully healed yet.
“You should rest for the next few days.”
Yeon Hojeong gave a wry smile.
“I’ll see how it goes.”
Muk Bi felt a pang of regret deep down.
The Myeol Sa Army had suffered heavy losses from the Hong Yao Society’s ambush.
They had launched preemptive strikes before, but they’d never been on the receiving end of one.
And that ambush had left more than ten soldiers with severe injuries.
It was a miracle no one had died.
At that moment, Yeon Hojeong’s expression changed.
He had calmly tended to the wounded, arranged for medical quarters, and taken measures—then immediately led Muk Bi and a portion of the troops to strike back at the Hong Yao Society.
Recalling that time, Muk Bi swallowed unconsciously.
‘He can become that terrifying, huh.’
Yeon Hojeong had turned into a demon, rampaging wildly.
It was a madness beyond words.
Even assassins who feared no death in pursuit of their targets had fled in terror—what more could be said?
He hadn’t shown it outwardly, but Yeon Hojeong cherished the Myeol Sa Army soldiers terribly.
To use a bit of an odd metaphor, he treated them almost like his own children.
‘He must’ve been even angrier because of their tactics.’
Casualties in battle were fate.
The one who got hit was the fool, no matter what tricks the enemy pulled.
But this was different.
In Muk Bi’s eyes, the Myeol Sa Army had nearly died pointless deaths like dogs.
He’d said to stay more alert, but she figured Yeon Hojeong thought the same.
‘Hm?’
Gazing at him with mixed feelings, Muk Bi suddenly noticed blood on his hand.
“Young Master Yeon. Your hand’s bleeding…”
“Hm?”
Yeon Hojeong looked down at his right hand and clicked his tongue.
“No wonder it’s been stinging.”
“Pardon?”
“It’s the fate of anyone who wields heavy weapons. Unless your body reaches the extreme realm, one slip and your hand could get crushed.”
Yeon Hojeong massaged his right hand.
“No issues with bones or joints. Just a bit shifted and torn. A few days’ rest and it’ll heal.”
Muk Bi let out a deep sigh and pulled a clean cloth from her bosom.
It was medical cloth she always carried, never knowing when someone might get hurt.
“Give me your hand.”
“I’m fine.”
“Don’t be stubborn—hand it over.”
“Hey, I said I’m fine. Leave it.”
“Hand it over before I put a hole in your forehead.”
“Here.”
Yeon Hojeong extended his hand.
Muk Bi wrapped the cloth around it with practiced motions.
“Hey.”
“What.”
“But are your fingers okay? That Hongryeon Palace draw looks no joke.”
Muk Bi fired back in a flat tone.
“I’m fine. Unlike some fool who can’t even check his own condition.”
Yeon Hojeong stared at her blankly, then headbutted her forehead hard.
Crack!
“Ow!”
Muk Bi toppled over.
Sparks flew before her eyes.
For a moment, her mind went blank.
“Wh-what the hell!”
“Kuh. Just annoying.”
“You’re such a…”
Muk Bi pounded her chest in exasperation.
When someone worries about you, you ought to accept it graciously—but this guy was beyond comprehension.
“Treat the rest yourself!”
“Was gonna anyway.”
“Ugh! He’ll only learn after getting seriously hurt someday.”
Yeon Hojeong grinned as he watched Muk Bi storm off indignantly.
Once she was gone, his face twisted.
“Damn, that thick-headed bitch. Does she have an iron band around her forehead? What the hell is she?”
If he ever had to fight her later, headbutts were definitely off-limits.
Still, the throbbing pain cleared his stray thoughts.
Yeon Hojeong rubbed his forehead and sighed.
“Another internal injury.”
This one was from the Hong Yao Society headquarters exploding.
He’d sensed it and tried to evade immediately, but Ok Cheong had burrowed too deep.
He’d unleashed Blood Wing Swing Heaven, burning through his extreme inner energy.
He couldn’t even remember how many times.
In the end, he’d saved everyone, but his injuries were severe.
‘Well, no deaths—that’s practically nothing.’
Yeon Hojeong sat cross-legged and circulated the Bi-ra Jin-gyeol.
Woooong.
Blue true energy, refreshing just to behold, swirled through his entire body.
The Bi-ra Jin-gyeol was already on the verge of reaching ten seong.
Once it hit ten seong, the heart method itself had nowhere higher to go.
From then on came endless deepening.
In other words, it became a battle of how to refine the Bi-ra Jin-qi, not raising achievement levels.
And the moment one perfectly paved their own path—that was when martial arts reached twelve seong, extreme accomplishment.
The problem was now.
“Hoo.”
Yeon Hojeong frowned.
“Yeah, now I get it.”
The reason his internal injuries healed slower than in his Black Dark Emperor days.
Right after the fight with Myeong Cheon, he’d collapsed.
And recovery had taken twice as long as expected.
Same this time.
The blast injuries were serious, but he should’ve recovered beyond ninety percent by now.
And now, Yeon Hojeong realized why his injuries healed slower than as the Black Dark Emperor.
“It’s because of my inner energy.”
Not the Three Divine Qis.
Nor the absence of Azure Dragon Qi.
The Bi-ra Jin-gyeol.
Precisely, the base inner energy volume for the Four Gods Qis was far less than before.
Yeon Hojeong had never prioritized inner energy quantity.
And that was correct.
Inner energy was about quality over quantity.
High-quality inner energy yielded tenfold efficiency from a single unit.
It was common sense, truth.
Neither righteous nor evil arts deviated from that principle.
But the Four Gods Martial Arts demanded more.
‘The Four Gods Qis themselves produce power beyond any heart method’s true energy. With that trait, both the quality and quantity of the base heart method matter.’
The Four Gods Qis resided not in the dantian, but in their governing organs.
Deepening them meant activating those organs beyond before.
Activated organs transformed the body ceaselessly.
His master had said the bodies of successive Four Gods Martial Artists were as sturdy as diamond.
‘I was too.’
As Black Dark Emperor, his body was a weapon.
He could crumple steel plates barehanded, without inner energy.
‘That’s why Master taught me the Vermilion Heaven Qi.’
Vermilion Heaven Qi itself wasn’t world-shaking.
Top-rate, but not divine.
Its greatest strength was qi accumulation volume and speed.
‘With more inner energy than anyone via Vermilion Heaven Qi, the Four Gods Qis stayed stable. No wonder injuries didn’t faze it.’
To fix his slower recovery, he needed to amplify his base inner energy volume.
Yeon Hojeong’s eyes deepened.
‘Should I take the So-cheon Gi-dan?’
The So-cheon Gi-dan from Jegal A-yeon remained unused.
The martial world was dangerous.
Who knew what might happen.
Not an immediate issue, he’d saved it for later.
After much deliberation, Yeon Hojeong shook his head.
‘No, give it to Jipyeong later.’
Better to raise heart method achievement and overall prowess than rely on elixirs for quantity.
A detour, but wiser long-term.
He was certain.
‘Since I’ve learned Four Gods Martial Arts, I should surpass my past self. Can’t chase the Yellow Dragon with the old simplistic approach.’
One So-cheon Gi-dan wouldn’t stunt growth—might even enhance it.
‘But.’
Not now.
He trusted the path he’d walked, the truths he’d grasped wouldn’t betray him.
‘First, reach ten seong great accomplishment in Bi-ra Jin-gyeol. Then gradual amplification to twelve seong extreme accomplishment, and after…’
Yeon Hojeong’s eyes flashed.
‘Master the Five Divine Arts.’
Mastering all Yeon family Five Divine Arts revealed the ultimate secret divine art.
Then he’d grasp both quantity and quality.
Yeon Hojeong laid out his plans step by step.
He’d been too busy for personal time— this was a good opportunity.
Lost in thought alone like that—
“Hyungnim?”
“Huh?”
Yeon Hojeong turned.
Paeng Manho stood there, blinking innocently.
“Huh? When’d you get here?”
“I stomped on purpose, but you didn’t notice?”
“Oh, yeah? So what’s up?”
“Lady Jegal’s calling you.”
“Got it.”
Rising, Yeon Hojeong frowned at a sudden thought.
“Hey.”
“What?”
“Can’t you drop the ‘hyungnim’ thing?”
“Why? Don’t like it?”
“Not that, but we’re the same age—why keep calling me hyungnim?”
“You call someone you respect hyungnim. You know Guan Yu was older than Liu Bei?”
About to snap back, Yeon Hojeong just sighed and waved him off.
“Do what you want.”
“Yes.”
“But what’s so respectable about me?”
“You wield heavier weapons than me.”
“…That’s it?”
“What do you mean ‘that’s it’? That’s plenty respectable. I don’t lose to anyone in strength, but against you…”
“Don’t call me hyung.”
“Why?”
“Just don’t, you punk.”
Striding off, Yeon Hojeong felt inexplicably irritated.
“Damn, respecting something because there’s nothing else to respect!”
“You’re here? Hm? Why the sour face?”
“What about my face.”
“You look grumpy. And why’s your forehead so red? Bump into a rock?”
“Something harder than a rock.”
Flopping down casually, Yeon Hojeong asked.
“So, what’d you call me for, Strategist?”
Jegal A-yeon chuckled.
“Don’t tease.”
“Not teasing. You are the strategist.”
“Whatever—look at this.”
Yeon Hojeong’s face turned serious the instant he saw the letter Jegal A-yeon handed him.
“Gui-meng…?”
“They said it’s to commend our army’s achievements and cut rest time short. At least nominally.”
“Nominally, huh… What else?”
Jegal A-yeon pulled another letter from her bosom.
“That one’s from the Martial Alliance. This is separately from Huigae.”
Yeon Hojeong read Gadeuksang’s letter too.
His eyes sparkled.
“Oho.”
“Suspicious, right?”
Tension flickered subtly on Jegal A-yeon’s face.
“The Tang family head isn’t one to agonize. It’s yes or no. My father saw it that way too.”
“Yet he stepped up to lead the Myeol Sa Army’s return to the alliance?”
“Smells fishy?”
“Yeah, it reeks.”
Yeon Hojeong recalled Dang Gwan.
The lofty wolf’s face, brimming with perilous flames.
“He’s joined hands with Moyong Gun after all.”
“…”
“Expected it, but faster than thought.”
Jegal A-yeon asked worriedly.
“What’ll you do?”
“What can I do? It’s an official order from the Alliance.”
“If it feels off, we could stall a bit more…”
Yeon Hojeong cut her off firmly.
“No. The Myeol Sa Army’s an independent elite unit. That means freedom, but we follow top orders to the letter. At least show that much. That’s responsibility.”
“Hoo, it’s tough.”
“The kids?”
“No major mobility issues. But a few more days’ rest to avoid aftereffects.”
“Good.”
Yeon Hojeong felt a twinge of regret inwardly.
‘Jin Yang might be at the next target already.’
Jin Yang.
One of the Black Emperor Castle’s Five Great Generals, a man who spread terror across the White Path martial world with his jovial nature and fluid martial arts.
Pondering deeply, Yeon Hojeong soon shook his head.
‘This might be better.’
Both he and the Myeol Sa Army had rushed too hard.
They needed this chance to regroup.
Regrettable, but not the time for greed.
“Return to the Alliance in three days. I’ll tell the kids myself.”