The Shocking Observer from Golden Dragon Battlefield
The gatekeeper disciple froze in flustered confusion, clearly at a loss over this unforeseen situation.
"What are you doing? Let them in."
Bang So-un urged him on. Only then did the disciple snap back to his senses.
"Uh, well, that is... Could you wait a moment? This seems beyond my authority to decide..."
"What? Is this such a big deal?"
"Th-then please wait!"
So flustered was he that the disciple bolted straight up to the Haenam Sect himself. Bang So-un chuckled inwardly. He'd cast the bait. Now all that remained was to await the results.
Bang So-un crossed his arms leisurely and waited.
The current sect leader of Haenam Sect, One Sword Sea-Splitting Heonwon Gang, was famous for his perpetually stern expression. There was a reason for it.
His predecessor had suffered the humiliation of being pushed from the ranks of the Nine Great Sects to the bottom due to rivalry with Mount Heng Sect. As that previous leader lay dying of pent-up rage, he left behind a final testament laden with absolute determination:
"In your generation, you must reclaim our place among the Nine Great Sects."
That dying wish became Heonwon Gang's burden. And so he strove endlessly, devoting his life to it. But it was no easy task. Mount Heng Sect, once ascendant, blazed like the rising sun, while Haenam Sect waned like the setting moon.
Frustration upon frustration. Just as Heonwon Gang's hair began to gray and his later years approached, a new hope arrived.
A genius of unbelievable talent. He had taken Sau-bi as his disciple.
Heonwon Gang trembled. Sau-bi's talent clearly surpassed even his own and his predecessor's. The finest raw gem imaginable.
From that moment, Heonwon Gang's demeanor changed. A smile lingered on his lips, his features softened. It was enough to make one doubt they were the same man. Hope has a way of transforming people.
Heonwon Gang was convinced. With Sau-bi, they could shove aside those detestable Mount Heng bastards and reclaim their seat among the Nine Great Sects.
A year ago, when Sau-bi mastered ten forms of the South Sea Thirty-Six Swords, that conviction grew even stronger. Mount Heng Sect was no obstacle. With Sau-bi, even the Ten Absolutes might not be a pipe dream.
"Did you sleep well last night?"
Heonwon Gang gazed at someone with a smile. It was Sword Peak Yu Seol-young.
"Not bad."
Yu Seol-young's reply. Hardly the response one would give a senior martial artist of the murim. It bordered on insolence. Yet Heonwon Gang kept his calm expression. He'd spent enough days observing her to gauge her character.
She was brazen to an extreme. Perhaps overconfidence from achieving high cultivation at a young age, but it seemed more innate. No wonder she could utter such outrageous words.
"Ten Absolutes? That's so last generation. The murim needs fresh waves, not stagnant old waters. Someone like me."
Yu Seol-young's infamous statement still echoed. Few would dare say it publicly. For those unqualified, it would mean ruin in the martial world.
That's why it lingered in memory. Fans called it bold fitting for the top young expert, if a bit much. Detractors dismissed it as arrogance from unproven youth, doomed to fade.
Heonwon Gang had leaned toward the latter, but meeting her shifted him to neutral. She was the real deal. Her presence alone set her apart from other young experts.
Most who delude themselves into thinking they're strong leak their aura showily. A phase all green young experts pass through. But not Yu Seol-young. Her bearing was natural yet flawless. In the martial world, they called it maturity.
To possess such poise at her tender age.
'Who knew such a genius existed.'
Heonwon Gang admitted it honestly. She might rival Sau-bi.
Yet he kept his composure for a reason.
'No killing with the sword's flat. What a waste of immense talent paired with such a flawed mindset.'
Nowhere was life and death closer than the martial world. A place where you killed to survive. Even Shaolin monks opened the precept against killing. No-kill policy there? Eccentrics existed, but their ends were invariably tragic. The martial world offered no mercy to soft minds.
Sword Peak would be no different. No killing, striking only with the flat? How long could that last? It was self-imposed shackles. No true sword art could wield full power with the flat. And flats break easily.
She's held up so far? Of course. She's strong, and hasn't met a worthy foe yet.
But.
'Today will be different.'
Heonwon Gang smirked inwardly. With equal talent, the one unleashing full power versus the self-shackled? The outcome was obvious.
"Today's the day, then."
"Yes."
"May it be a fine spar."
"Is that why you called me here?"
Probably only Yu Seol-young, a young expert, could speak so freely to Haenam Sect's leader.
"Haha, hardly. Your observer arrived last night, so I called you to make introductions."
Heonwon Gang gestured to the elder beside him.
"This is White Cloud Hermit, who has graciously agreed to serve as our observer."
White Cloud Hermit. No one in the South Sea martial world was ignorant of the name. Abbot of White Cloud Temple, a profound expert who appeared whenever trouble arose to lend aid. His reputation was legendary.
Naturally, he maintained good ties with Haenam Sect, a pillar of South Sea murim. That's why Heonwon Gang chose him.
"Hermit, this is the famed young expert Sword Peak Yu Seol-young."
Now Heonwon Gang introduced her. White Cloud Hermit chuckled warmly.
"Ho ho, I've long heard of young hero Yu's renown. What a pleasure to meet you in person."
"Honestly, this is my first time hearing your name, Hermit. But now that we've met, I'll remember it."
Yu Seol-young gave a light bow. Shocking words. Facing a senior, even if truly ignorant, etiquette demanded something like, "I've heard much of your esteemed name." A smooth flattery.
Yet she tossed out blunt honesty without a care. What kind of person was this?
Heonwon Gang and White Cloud Hermit shared the thought but masked it with their seasoned poise.
'Hah, youthful ignorance. I'll overlook it. She'll be family soon enough.'
Heonwon Gang let it slide. This wasn't just a spar—it was a marriage duel. If Sau-bi won, Sword Peak joined the family. Manners could be corrected later.
'Ho ho, such youthful hubris. Too-early success blinds the eyes, as they say.'
White Cloud Hermit chuckled inwardly, clicking his tongue. In his long years, he'd seen her type once or twice. Their ends were uniform: they bloomed not, but snapped. Strong yet inflexible, they shattered.
Her fame might dazzle now, but the same fate awaited. Such was life's way.
"Ho ho, is that so? Do remember me, then."
His jovial response kept the mood from souring. White Cloud Hermit continued.
"Speaking of which, who is your observer, young hero Yu?"
Heonwon Gang figured it was a needless question. If there were one, she'd have mentioned it. Hiding it until the last day didn't suit her at all.
Certainly, no observer.
"My observer is..."
Yu Seol-young opened her mouth with indifferent eyes—when footsteps approached from outside.
"S-sect leader..."
Heonwon Gang's brow furrowed slightly.
"What is it? I said no interruptions unless urgent— we have guests."
"It, it seems urgent..."
"Urgent?"
Heonwon Gang eyed him questioningly.
"Y-yes, someone claiming to be young hero Yu's observer has arrived at the gate..."
"What?"
Heonwon Gang's expression shifted. Yu Seol-young's eyes gleamed with interest.
"Bring him in!"
At Heonwon Gang's command, the disciple entered. It was the gatekeeper, sweat streaming down his forehead from the unexpected ordeal.
"What nonsense is this?"
Heonwon Gang demanded again. He'd been certain Sword Peak had no observer—yet one pops up? Baffling.
But surely fake. Fakers claiming observer status cropped up in every duel.
This would be no different.
"Uh, the Golden Dragon Battlefield Lord visited the gate, claiming to be young hero Yu's observer, so I rushed here to confirm..."
"What? Golden Dragon Battlefield Lord?"
Heonwon Gang's face changed again. Successive absurdities left him dumbfounded.
He'd instructed a subtle eviction for insulting his disciple. Yet not only did he not leave— he's the observer? What madness?
Heonwon Gang's gaze turned to Yu Seol-young.
"What is the meaning of this? Surely the Golden Dragon Lord isn't truly your observer?"
He didn't think so, but if true, it was awkward. Evicting Sword Peak's observer? Unwanted, they'd have to accept. The man wasn't fool enough to miss the warning intent— sharing space would be tense. No goodwill there.
Moreover, an observer implied ties.
'Sword Peak and Golden Dragon Battlefield?'
Golden Dragon Battlefield, treated as mid-tier due to lacking force. But filled? Their status would soar uncontrollably.
Sword Peak, and Geomgak behind her. If Geomgak allied with Golden Dragon...
'If even a chance, we can't ignore it.'
Heonwon Gang's eyes sharpened, peering into her soul.
However.
"Heh."
Yu Seol-young smiled faintly with an enigmatic expression. Her first smile since arriving at Haenam Sect startled Heonwon Gang. He'd thought he had her pegged. Yet this unexpected facet emerges. Not good. None trickier than an unreadable foe.
"What do you mean?"
"What do I mean? Just stating the obvious."
"The obvious?"
"The Golden Dragon Lord is undoubtedly my observer."
"Wh-what?"
Heonwon Gang's pupils quivered in shock.