Yongbong Assembly (2)
We'd made it to the Murim Alliance HQ, but the Yongbong Assembly wouldn't kick off right away. It was still a few weeks out, apparently. In this era where transportation hadn't advanced much, events like this had to be spaced out with plenty of lead time.
I took my place at the very end of the long line snaking ahead for participant registrations and said, “First things first, let's sign up and scout a place to crash while we wait. …If any rooms are even left.”
There were folks here for the tournament, spectators who'd come to watch, and others on miscellaneous business. The area around the Murim Alliance was swarming with people. Good luck finding an inn with space…
“Sorry, Young Lord Jin… There is the Paeng family estate here, but…”
“Nah, it's fine. After all the hassle of fleeing Hebei Province, I can't just waltz in on my own two feet now.”
“Indeed. In a place this vast, there has to be an inn with room.”
The Murim Alliance HQ itself was massive, rivaling a whole city, but the surrounding urban sprawl that had grown up around it was even bigger. Even if spots were scarce nearby, surely some outskirts inn had availability.
“More importantly, why do you keep apologizing for stuff like this? We settled it ages ago. Don't sweat it.”
She'd turned down any reward and we'd decided to bolt from Hebei like madmen that day. We'd already accepted that this kind of thing might happen. And yet Paeng Soso still felt guilty whenever her running away caused issues.
I patted her butt like I was soothing a kid, and her face flushed bright red with embarrassment.
“Um… Young Lord Jin? There's a lot of people around…”
“Oh, sorry.”
It was just a casual gesture on my part, but in this conservative world, it was probably pretty scandalous. As I mentally kicked myself, Paeng Soso suddenly pressed right up against my side and whispered in my ear.
“No, I meant, don't keep making me have naughty thoughts in a crowd like this.”
“Uh… yeah, got it.”
How'd we end up like this? She definitely started out feeling like a proper young lady.
As I reminisced about the old days, Hong Yeonhwa read my mind and poked my side. “Why pretend you don't know? You're the one who turned her into this.”
“What'd I do…”
Memories of Luoyang flashed through my head. Wait… was it my fault? Yeah, probably.
I shook my head to scatter the steamy images and changed the subject. “Speaking of, it's been a while since we first met too, Yeonhwa. How much have you recovered?”
“Changing the subject… Well, as for my inner power, about sixty percent. Enough to go all-out in a pinch, even if I can't sustain a long fight.”
“Ooh, reliable. But you know you can't show your full power, right?”
With her skills, she could probably fight while concealing her demonic qi to a degree, but at full throttle? No way.
Hong Yeonhwa tilted her head at my words. “The Yongbong Assembly may be grand, but isn't it just a tournament for post-peak youngsters? I doubt there'll be anyone worth my caution…”
“No, watch out for the observing martial arts dignitaries from other sects.”
“Hm. Good point—I should mind that. But don't worry too much. My realm hasn't vanished, you know.”
She'd reached the Present Realm, even if incompletely. In martial history, those who'd attained it were exceedingly rare—only the heavyweights who'd left their mark. Taoists claimed stepping beyond into the Life-Death Realm turned one into an immortal, transcending humanity. Like how Jang Sambong supposedly became the Sword Immortal in his later years and ascended to Peach Blossom Paradise. Sounded like Taoist hype to me; I wasn't buying it.
Buddhists had similar tales, like Sun Wukong or Bodhidharma becoming Buddhas at the pinnacle of martial arts. Anyone could reach Buddhahood through enlightenment, or so they said… but that was just beggar monks laying groundwork for rice alms. Take it or leave it.
My past-life knowledge differed a bit anyway. Bottom line from their lore: the Present Realm was the pinnacle for humans. True or not, far fewer reached it than the Flower Realm. In this era, officially, zero had.
In other words, half-step or not, Hong Yeonhwa was practically the strongest in the current martial world.
“What are you dawdling for? Pet this lady's head at once. And praise my greatness!”
…No need to worry, right?
I reached out toward Hong Yeonhwa, who was obviously going to win and was already demanding preemptive praise. Her pink hair tilted toward me like she was welcoming me home…
Flick!
“Kyaaang!”
I gave her a light knuckle rap. Not hard at all, but she clutched her head dramatically, looking up at me with teary eyes. Then, with an expression pooling all the world's grievances, she wailed, “D-domestic violence is wrong!”
“Why do you jump to extremes like that?”
She'd just assumed I'd stroke her so naturally that I rebelled out of spite. Some contrarian impulse flared up unbidden.
“Young Lord Jin, that's on you.”
“Soso speaks true! This is your fault!”
When I honestly explained, Paeng Soso shook her head from the sidelines, and Hong Yeonhwa hid behind her, flailing her arms.
“Sorry, okay?”
I tried to pet her properly this time, but…
“Shaaak!”
Hong Yeonhwa bared her teeth warily, and I failed. This was the dignity of a Flower Realm absolute expert…? Yeah. Even if her demonic qi slipped, we'd manage. What'd we even do wrong?
Not many would buy that this girl was some vicious demon lord. I approached the suspiciously glaring Hong Yeonhwa again, this time holding out a candy.
“Arrr… Grrr…”
We'd agreed one per day, and she'd already had hers. This was a bonus.
While she was distracted by the candy, I swiftly stroked her crown.
“Omnom.”
Her pouty lips gradually receded.
“Phew…”
As I sighed in relief, I finally noticed the stares around us. A mix of lukewarm awkwardness, mild irritation… and anticipation?
Anticipation?
I looked up. The last one was from Paeng Soso.
“My turn next, right, Young Lord Jin?”
“Uh… want some candy?”
At my question, she beamed and parted her lips slightly.
Feed me?
***
Ignoring the increasingly prickly stares as we flirted, the line dwindled until it was our turn. The half-dead-eyed Murim Alliance staffer opened his mouth in a listless voice, sounding exhausted.
“All three of you here for the Yongbong Assembly preliminaries?”
“No, just two. This one's got a recommendation plaque.”
Hong Yeonhwa, her mood restored by my desperate efforts, pulled a silver plaque from her bosom. The one from Paeng Cheoljin—if used, it skipped prelims straight to the main tournament.
Normally, I'd use it since it was given to me, but both she and Paeng Soso insisted against it. Wasting the chance to spar lots of opponents? No way, they said.
Paeng Soso needed to start from prelims to showcase her skills and resolve—that was her goal here. By process of elimination, Hong Yeonhwa got the plaque.
We could've sold it, but with Paeng Soso as my woman, Paeng Cheoljin wasn't an outsider anymore. It was given expecting it'd be used at the Assembly, so using it this way gave us something to say if we met later.
The staffer's eyes lit up momentarily as he took the plaque.
“Hmm…”
He inspected it from all angles, nodded, and pulled out a brush. “The White Tiger Captain's recommendation is genuine. May I have your name?”
He jotted down Hong Yeonhwa's name, explained the guidelines, then reverted to his dead-eyed stare and directed us.
“The other two, head to the tent in the back.”
“Not registering here?”
“Too many unqualified randos think they can join the Yongbong just 'cause. You have to pass a basic aptitude test first.”
“Ah… yeah, the crowds are insane.”
Registrations weren't one-day only, yet the line was endless. Accepting everyone would get chaotic and dilute the event's quality.
The staffer, frowning deeply at some memory, sighed heavily. “At least no one's thrown a tantrum today about 'Do you know who I am?' or tried cutting in. Small mercies.”
No sooner had he spoken than a booming voice echoed from behind.
“Even without a plaque, you're telling Yang Soyu of the Tempest Sword to stand in line like the rest?!”
“…Good luck with that.”
“Yessir…”
We left the now ashen-faced staffer nodding grimly and headed to the testing area in the back.