Chapter 35
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: Xi'an Four Tyrants
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Noduk's sword strike flew in heavily and sharply, but just as it couldn't slice through a feather drifting in the air, it failed to land any blow on Seonwoyong's true form.
Instead, Seonwoyong's fan nimbly targeted every part of Noduk's body.
Yet in truth, Seonwoyong's fan never even touched Noduk.
It was as if he were merely toying with him.
To the onlookers, it seemed like a match that could have ended early, just like the one against Dogwang, but was being deliberately dragged out.
That was exactly right.
Seonwoyong had no intention of rushing the fight.
Certain that Noduk had mastered part of Jeon Sogi's secret arts, he planned to force him to give his all—and even if he didn't reveal them, to probe for clues.
Noduk repeatedly unleashed the Seven Veils Blade Method in an attempt to turn the tide of the unfavorable match, but there was no way out.
'What an incredible fan technique. There's no way to grasp it...'
Sweat began to bead on Noduk's forehead.
It was something rarely seen when masters clashed purely with techniques.
It wasn't sweat from exertion or heat.
It was pure, heartfelt anxiety.
He had hidden techniques, of course, but he couldn't reveal them in a place and time like this.
His deliberation ended simply.
"Enough. I concede."
After about seventy exchanges, Noduk pulled back and admitted defeat.
Seonwoyong calmly folded his fan, his breathing even, and merely nodded.
It was an exceedingly arrogant attitude.
'Urgh... you brat. I'll repay this humiliation in full.'
Suppressing his boiling rage and shame, Noduk turned and walked away.
With that, the sparring match between the two trading houses concluded.
With Noduk's humiliating defeat, the Heungyang Trading House gave up on sending out Somyeongcho.
As Jeonggwan Jinin officially announced the results, Jin Ichang, displaying the leisure of a victor, comforted the defeated Heungyang Trading House leader Yang Doggo, then approached the Jibu Daenin and other witnesses to exchange formal greetings.
He would likely spend the rest of the day drinking with them.
As Seonwoyong returned under the canopy, Gangpyo and Sa Hongcheon rose to welcome him with applause.
"That was an impressive display of martial arts. To think a young man in his twenties has mastered such profound techniques—truly enviable."
Gangpyo offered his praise first, followed by Sa Hongcheon.
"They say the Yangtze's blue waters always have later waves overtaking the earlier ones, and today I truly felt it. Congratulations."
"No need for such words. I just got lucky."
At that moment, Jin Seolhwa approached Seonwoyong's side.
"Come now, everyone, let's go. We'll lay out a feast right away and keep today's excitement going."
"Haha... shouldn't this useless old beggar excuse himself?"
"Oh, then just head to the back room or something. Ho ho..."
Jin Seolhwa laughed along with Sa Hongcheon's jest.
As everyone chattered happily under Jin Seolhwa's compliments, Seonwoyong quietly slipped out from under the canopy and glanced toward the Heungyang Trading House side.
Noduk, Somyeongcho, and the others had already left, invisible now. Only Dogwang remained, staring this way.
Dogwang was no longer staring at the ground.
The two men's eyes met, and they gazed at each other for a time.
Then, at Jin Seolhwa's urging, Seonwoyong turned and began to walk away.
The Shinju Trading House's celebratory banquet took over the entire third floor of Gold Hall Restaurant, Xi'an's finest drinking establishment.
House leader Jin Ichang was absent, attending separately to the Jibu Daenin and other officials.
Instead, Jin Seolhwa and Jin Ugwang were hosting the guests.
Among the dozen or so round tables set up across the entire third floor, the head table seated Jin Seolhwa and Jin Ugwang, of course, along with Sa Hongcheon, Seonwoyong, and Gangpyo—and various luminaries of Xi'an's martial world had taken seats as well.
Figures from all walks of Xi'an society came to pay respects, claiming seats to eat, drink, and talk.
Then, someone truly unexpected appeared.
Dogwang—it was him.
"They won't even give me a proper drink over there... so I came. Pour me one."
He casually found an empty chair and sat.
It was the table where Seonwoyong and the others sat.
Jin Seolhwa proved herself both a heroine of the martial world and an exceptional merchant.
"Not giving you even one drink? What kind of nonsense is that? The cups at our Shinju Trading House never run dry, so drink your fill."
She specially fetched a large cup and filled it to overflowing for Dogwang.
Dogwang downed it in one gulp without breathing, then handed the empty cup unexpectedly to Seonwoyong.
"Here, take it. You crushed my brother's humiliation today, so you more than deserve this drink from me."
Seonwoyong took the cup and drained it in one go as well.
"Your family name must be Son, I suppose. Might I ask your full esteemed name?"
Earlier, during the match, Gangpyo had asked his name only to be rebuffed, so now he offered Dogwang a cup and asked.
But Dogwang's reaction was no different from before.
He ignored not only the cup from Gangpyo but the question itself, focusing solely on Seonwoyong's empty cup.
And as if Seonwoyong were the only person in the world, he spoke only to him, exchanging cups only with him.
"Hey, once you've had a drink, pass the cup back quick."
Just then, at Dogwang's urging, Seonwoyong returned the empty cup and filled it.
At that moment, Gangpyo abruptly stood from his seat.
"Hey. That's going too far. Do people not even register in your eyes?"
He was usually mild-mannered and proper, but enduring this level of insult without retaliation would make it impossible to show his face in the jianghu.
"You're curious about my name and want to share drinks with me...? Why would that be...?"
Dogwang muttered without even lifting his face from his seated position.
It wasn't clear who he was talking to, but to Gangpyo, it was obvious.
"Just who the hell do you think you are, acting so arrogant and disrespectful? I, Gangpyo, have lived my whole life without looking down on others. I can't take this anymore—get up."
As Gangpyo growled in righteous fury, Jin Seolhwa stepped in first.
"Brother Gang, please hold back. It would be a shame if something unfortunate happened on a fine day like today."
Then Sa Hongcheon intervened as well.
"My friend Gangpyo, bear with it just a bit longer. One of that man's nicknames includes the character for 'madness.' What's the point of arguing with a madman? Right?"
Sa Hongcheon's words carried a subtle persuasiveness.
Here in Xi'an, Dogwang's mad behavior was quite infamous, making the very idea of quarreling with such a person seem ridiculous.
"Urgh... fine, I'll hold back today. But I can't share a table with someone who knows no propriety, so I'll take my leave."
"Very well. I'll be your drinking companion—let's head somewhere nice together."
Thus, Sa Hongcheon soothed Gangpyo and led him away.
Even amid the commotion, Dogwang showed no interest, and neither did Seonwoyong.
Dogwang passed his emptied cup to Seonwoyong again, and Seonwoyong promptly drained it.
Though neither spoke, their eyes had already exchanged many words.
"Ahem... this old beggar is seeing all sorts of rare sights today."
After Gangpyo and Sa Hongcheon left, an awkward silence fell, broken by an elder at the table.
"If Division Leader Gang has any wisdom to share, I wash my ears and listen."
Jin Ugwang responded deferentially.
The speaker was Chilji Gae Gang Muung, leader of the Beggars' Sect Xi'an branch.
He had cut off his own finger each time he broke a promise—and had done so only three times in his life—making him a precise, clear-cut master of the sect.
"The fan work I saw from young hero Seonwoyong earlier was unmistakably the Hainan Sect's swordsmanship. And that spot Dogwang struck on division leader Gangpyo's Forwarding Acupoint was definitely Wudang Sect technique."
One of the experts at the table nodded at Gang Muung's words.
Originally nine at the table, now with one added and two gone, eight remained.
Excluding Seonwoyong, Dogwang, Jin Seolhwa, and Jin Ugwang, four others stayed.
And they were all top masters representing Xi'an's martial world, known as the Xi'an Four Tyrants.
"You saw it that way too, Chilji Gae. I had my suspicions watching it myself."
He was Cheongryong Mu-ae Geom Namgung Jinsso, leader of Cheongryongbang, Xi'an's largest martial faction.
Judging by his faction's name, surname, or nickname, his origins were clear.
Namgung Jinsso, a member of the Namgung family, had long settled here in Xi'an.
With full material and manpower support from the Namgung main house, Cheongryongbang had quickly established itself, now serving as the Namgung family's northwest Central Plains branch.
The other two besides Chilji Gae and Cheongryong Mu-ae Geom were Yuun Sinsu Na Eul and Wahojangsa Yi Taechung.
Yuun Sinsu Na Eul hailed from the prestigious Na Family Manor in Xi'an and was an elder of the Zhongnan Sect.
With Zhongnan Mountain practically adjoining Xi'an to the south, Xi'an was essentially the Zhongnan Sect's territory. Representing their interests here was none other than Yuun Sinsu Na Eul.
He was also the senior brother to Jeonggwan Jinin, today's judge, and Sa Hongcheon, who had just left—making him a heavyweight who had tacitly overseen the event.
Wahojangsa Yi Taechung was the master of Wahojang, Xi'an's premier martial arts school, an expert in their house style Wahojang Fist.
He was also Jin Ichang's brother-in-law.
With even Namgung Jinsso agreeing, all eyes naturally turned to Seonwoyong and Dogwang.
But the two were not the types to satisfy their curiosity.
They simply filled each other's cups and drank.
Jin Seolhwa stepped in.
"Young hero Seonwoyong, do you perhaps have ties to the Hainan Sect?"
"No such connection."
Seonwoyong's curt reply silenced the table.
"Ahem... Dogwang, and you? Any relation to Wudang?"
Next, Chilji Gae Gang Muung asked Dogwang.
Dogwang, having just set down his cup, stood abruptly.
Ignoring Chilji Gae's question and the others' curiosity, he tossed a word to Seonwoyong.
"Hey. Wanna go somewhere else for another round? Too noisy here."
Seonwoyong quietly nodded and rose.
At that moment.
"Thud!"
Namgung Jinsso slammed his palm on a cup atop the table.
"You two are definitely treating Xi'an's notables with too much disdain."
When Namgung Jinsso lifted his palm, the small but thick porcelain cup beneath lay shattered like fine sand.
It was peak Internal Force Palm technique.
Seonwoyong hadn't been particularly humble or polite during his initial greetings with these luminaries either.
And it had worsened since Dogwang joined.
Gangpyo had stormed off in anger, but the remaining four masters were also being utterly ignored, their pride wounded.
Out of some face-saving concern, they hadn't exploded outright but had deliberately brought up the origins of the duo's martial arts to draw them out—only to receive icy dismissal.
They had endured as much as they could, and even Jin Seolhwa and Jin Ugwang, having watched from the start, couldn't casually intervene.
"Heh heh. Old timer, showing off your strength to me? Heh heh..."
As if Namgung Jinsso's Internal Force Palm display were a joke, Dogwang snickered and sat back down.
Seonwoyong stood silently, arms crossed, simply observing the situation.
The room's atmosphere turned icy.