The Reason for the Fight (1)
“Ugh, it’s cold. How’d it get so chilly all of a sudden? Wandering around with just this sackcloth, I’ll freeze to death.”
His body shuddered, but his face beamed with excitement.
“Finally made it!”
Gadeuksang gazed at the massive manor. More precisely, he was scanning for signs of life within.
Just as I thought—packed full.
He could sense countless presences. What amazed him was that most of them were masters worthy of being called first-rate.
Gadeuksang rubbed his hands together, his expression thrilled.
As expected from the heirs of great families. Even the escorts are top-notch.
The confident auras of the younger generation paled next to the subtle, razor-sharp presences of their escorts. It made sense, sending elite guardians into the unpredictable jianghu with the heirs.
“Alright, time to sneak in and get a peek at the young masters and ladies……”
That was when it happened.
“Who might you be?”
“Eek!”
Gadeuksang hastily straightened up and whipped around. There stood a middle-aged swordsman. His stone-carved, stoic face contrasted with his sword-like aura that demanded attention.
Gadeuksang cleared his throat awkwardly.
Damn, slipped up again.
No warrior worth their salt would miss a swordsman of that caliber approaching. But once he focused, Gadeuksang completely tuned out his surroundings.
“You’ve got some impressive inner energy stored up. No ordinary beggar…… Beggar Sect?”
“That’s right, Great Hero Windstorm Sword.”
Sin Mo’s eyes narrowed.
“You know me?”
“Haha, gotta have sharp eyes when you’re begging for scraps to survive.”
The Beggar Sect’s martial arts rivaled the Nine Great Sects. But their true strength wasn’t martial prowess—it was information. Their intel network was the best in the White Path Murim. Naturally, joining meant being quick-witted and sharp-minded.
Sin Mo glanced at Gadeuksang’s waist.
Eight knots?
The eight-knot tie. Surprise flickered across Sin Mo’s face.
“Huigae?”
Gadeuksang scratched his head sheepishly, sending white dandruff snowing down.
“Just an old bum who’s been getting thrashed by my master my whole life.”
He phrased it lightheartedly, but no one in the world dared underestimate a Beggar Sect Huigae. The sect was on par with the Nine Great Sects and Seven Great Families, boasting the most disciples of any single faction—hence the nickname Ten Thousand Beggars Sect.
The king of all beggars scattered across the Central Plains. The top dog in the White Path’s info world.
And Gadeuksang was that man’s successor.
Sin Mo cupped his fists in respect.
“My apologies for the rudeness on first meeting. I had no idea you were the Beggar Sect’s heir.”
“Aigoo, no need for apologies! You’re being too polite to a lowly beggar like me.”
A giant of the murim who proudly called himself lowly. That very attitude made him seem all the more impressive.
Though it was their first encounter, Sin Mo was certain Gadeuksang was no pushover.
“What brings you here since dawn……?”
“Ah! Haha! I was in the area on business and heard about the Seven Great Families’ younger generation gathering. Thought I might score some free booze, so I poked around.”
Sin Mo’s eyes gleamed. No way the Beggar Sect’s Huigae was just now hearing about it. He’d come sniffing for intel, no doubt.
“Sorry, but as a Yeon family warrior, I can’t let you in.”
“Nah, it’s fine! A beggar shouldn’t impose on wedding guests anyway!”
Sin Mo nodded.
“Then I’ll head in first.”
“Sure, take ca—huh?”
Gadeuksang tilted his head.
“What’s with the bundle?”
“Ah, this……”
Sin Mo cleared his throat.
“It’s an errand for the eldest young master of the main family.”
“Errand? Heavy-looking thing. What’s it f……”
“I’ll be off.”
“Huh? Oh, right! Go on in!”
Sin Mo entered the manor. Gadeuksang’s eyes sharpened.
“Yeon Hojeong, the eldest young master.”
The one who’d burned the arsonist of Choseong-ru alive. The eldest son of Bi-san Yeon Family, once rumored to be a tiger cub under his father.
He knew Sin Mo was captain of the Chaeng-eungdae and had shone at Choseong-ru. But even with this chance encounter, he didn’t pry about Yeon Hojeong. No point—the guy wouldn’t spill anyway.
These things are best savored by meeting ’em face-to-face and digging gently.
Oh man, this’ll be fun.
Gadeuksang pounded on the closed gate.
“Hey! Got a feast going on? Smells killer even this early! If there’s leftovers, toss some my way!”
* * *
“Hoo!”
Sweat-drenched Yeon Hojeong tossed the iron staff aside carelessly.
He’d risen at dawn and swung it nonstop until nearly chen shi.
Whirlwind Staff is solid now. Time to move to spear.
His body hadn’t fully matured as hoped, but he’d ingrained the basics of staff techniques. He’d studied staff while eyeing spear arts, but wielding a real bladed spear was another beast.
Progress was faster than expected. Mastering Black Tortoise Qi had sharpened his martial finesse, halving the time to embody techniques.
Spear…… Can’t skip it.
His true weapon was a massive axe weighing dozens of jin. To wield it like a limb, he needed spear mastery at grandmaster level.
With Black Tortoise Qi deepening daily, spear arts would come quickly too.
Weapons matter, but awakening all Four Gods Qi is key. White Tiger first, ideally.
Black Tortoise excelled in perfect defense; White Tiger in relentless offense, unmatched in combat engagement and advance.
Thinking of Four Gods Martial Arts brought Sabangmuje to mind.
Flawless offense, defense, evasion…… and summons a golden dragon?
Yeon Hojeong stroked his chin gravely.
Plenty of arts elevate offense, defense, evasion to elite levels. But a golden dragon……
If Sabangmuje truly mastered Four Gods Martial Arts……
He’d even grasped Yellow Dragon Qi.
Yellow Dragon Qi was the pinnacle of Four Gods Martial Arts. Yeon Hojeong, who believed no art was invincible, saw it as closest to absolute.
An ultimate technique so profound even Black Emperor-era him hadn’t breached the entry.
If it draws Yellow Dragon Qi, I’d fear no foe. At least in this life……
This time, no regrets like before.
Yeon Hojeong shoved Sabangmuje from his mind. He’d teased Jegal A-yeon over her possible connection, but now wasn’t the time to chase a stranger’s past.
After a cold rinse, he sensed a presence in his room.
“Jipyeong?”
“Yes, brother.”
Yeon Jipyeong greeted him with a smile.
“Washed up?”
“Yeah.”
“Haven’t eaten, right? Let’s go together.”
“Sure.”
The Yeon brothers left for the dining hall in silence.
Yeon Hojeong wasn’t talkative by nature, but it was odd for the usually chatty Yeon Jipyeong.
Yeon Hojeong glanced sideways. His brother’s face was bright, but his eyes scanned sharply.
“What’re you thinking?”
“Huh?”
“What’s on your mind?”
“Oh, nothing.”
Yeon Hojeong stared, then sighed.
“No need to watch your surroundings like that.”
“Huh?”
“I’m saying don’t stress over yesterday.”
“Ah……”
Yeon Jipyeong scratched his head.
“Just in case.”
“Sorry. Must’ve worried you over nothing.”
“No, brother. Yesterday was the Tang heir’s fault. You did nothing wrong.”
His expression was earnest—not flattery, but genuine belief.
Yeon Hojeong tilted his head.
“But clashing with the Myeong third young master……”
“Haha, trying not to dwell on that.”
“Huh?”
Not thinking about it? What’s that mean?
Yeon Jipyeong smacked his lips.
“Coming here, it hit me. I’ve been a frog in a well. The world’s way more fun—and dangerous—than I thought.”
True enough.
“But you were different. It didn’t align with family doctrine, but you had unshakable confidence and conviction.”
Yeon Hojeong’s gaze deepened. Boldly stating it clashed with Yeon doctrine meant he truly grasped their teachings.
“I’m not as smart as you, brother. But I know one thing: you’d never harm the family.”
“……”
“Whether your methods are right or wrong…… I’ll think on that later. I trust you, and you don’t waver. That’s what matters.”
Yeon Jipyeong smiled. A fifteen-year-old’s grin, laced with unnatural resolve.
“Didn’t know your martial arts were that strong, though. Guess I’ll learn from you from now on?”
Yeon Hojeong’s eyes grew profound.
No. He was the one who should learn from his brother.
The sibling who’d lived by family tenets his whole life. Shaken by his brother’s bold actions, yet never doubting him.
He’d agonized on the journey here, but now chose faith.
Didn’t know he had this side.
Strong. Maybe innate resilience. Just never needed to show it before.
“Why scan around so much, though?”
“You said it yourself: killers in temples, saints in alleys—that’s the jianghu.”
“Hm.”
“Who knows? Someone might try something over yesterday.”
Yeon Hojeong chuckled.
“Even if they did, you handle it?”
“Hey, come on! Not your level, but I’m decent.”
For his age, “decent” was an understatement—exceptional.
Yeon Hojeong ruffled his hair wildly.
“Eeeek!”
“Relax. If trouble hits, I’ve got it.”
“My hair’s a mess!”
“That’s the point, kid.”
Yeon Hojeong’s tone softened subtly—the old family-home brotherly banter.
Since venturing out, he’d treated Jipyeong more like a father than a brother. For protection’s sake, slipping into his forty-six-year-old Black Emperor mode.
But Jipyeong wasn’t weak. Seeing that let Yeon Hojeong revert to brother mode.
“What’s breakfast, anyway?”
“Not sure. But it smells like dongpo pork.”
“Meat feast at dawn? Rich folks really are drowning in cash.”
As the brothers chatted amiably toward the dining hall—
“Buuuurp! Whoa, am I getting old? Just this much and I’m stuffed!”
A beggar burst from the dining hall doors, slapping his belly. Surprisingly, the younger generation eyeing him showed no contempt—though some looked uneasy.
Yeon Hojeong’s gaze sharpened.
Beggar? Beggar Sect? Knots…… eight?
He looked at the beggar’s face. The beggar met his eyes.
For a moment, Yeon Hojeong saw a vision from the past.
A hero stroking his dirty gray beard nonstop, roaring with laughter.
The man who knew the Black Emperor Castle lord’s true identity but never leaked it to White Path Murim.
The Beggar Sect’s top leader, who’d crushed Saneumgyo forces alongside him. One of the few who treated the Black Path’s emperor as an equal to White Path leaders.
Yeon Hojeong overlaid the memory on the beggar’s face.
A bit longer, dirtier black beard, half-grayed? Deeper wrinkles around eyes and mouth, wild hair tied tight?
Eight knots to nine, a fancy short staff with emerald jade at his waist?
“Gadeuksang, Dragon Head Bangju?!”