Chapter 324
Chapter 324
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 324
Chapter Title: We Will Fight (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Jeong-hyeon sensed a presence from the bushes behind her while taking hits from her senior brothers.
But she never imagined that Eon Yong-un and the Eon brothers would come bursting out.
'...I had a feeling.'
She had earnestly begged him to let her go alone, never thinking he would follow.
Thus, a flicker of disappointment welled up in Jeong-hyeon's heart.
'If you're Eon young hero, you should know this is something I must handle entirely on my own... Do you find me that unreliable?'
While Jeong-hyeon was thinking such thoughts.
The Eon brothers opened their mouths in unison, as if rehearsed.
"I heard Wudang Sect is holding an initiation ceremony today. Why are the Wudang Taoists fighting? It doesn't look like a sparring match."
At least Yin Xia Lian's tone was steady.
But Woo So-reung, who spoke next, sounded like a creaking wooden puppet.
"Is. That. So?"
Namgung Yun and Dang Ok-gi exchanged words as if reciting from a textbook.
"This doesn't seem like the atmosphere to even ask for a cup of water. We should head back."
"Namgung Yun, what are you saying? How can we Righteous Martial Academy cadets just pass by such a spectacle?"
Such awkward line readings, not even amateur theater troupes would attempt, leaked from the Eon brothers' mouths.
Eon Yong-un, a man afraid of nothing in the world, avoided Jeong-hyeon's eyes and kept pretending otherwise.
"Ahem."
From Eon Yong-un and the Eon brothers' appearances, Jeong-hyeon realized they were worried about upsetting her.
Once that thought struck her, she finally noticed the Eon brothers' outfits.
'Sweat-soaked training clothes and present-iron shackles.'
They must have dressed like that to seem natural.
'...Given Eon young hero's personality, he probably meant to train along the way as well.'
And to catch up to Jeong-hyeon, who had left first, they must have diligently climbed the treacherous paths of Wudang Mountain.
Imagining that scene.
A smile spread across Jeong-hyeon's face before she knew it.
"Pfft."
Jeong-hyeon had laughed without realizing it.
But the lingering disappointment from them not respecting her wish to go alone remained.
Jeong-hyeon dusted herself off and stood, speaking with a hint of reproach.
"Primordial Heavenly Venerable. Why not wear night travel clothes while at it?"
Then Yin Ha-seong urgently whispered to Eon Yong-un.
"...Yong-un hyung. I think Jeong-hyeon is being sarcastic."
"...Yeah. She's sarcastic. And like you said, Ha-seong, she's basically a fake Taoist now."
"......"
"...Looks like she's still upset? See? I told you if we do theater stuff, it'll flop."
"This isn't about flopping or not. We just push through."
The two murmured just loud enough to be heard.
Eon Yong-un cleared his throat and spoke.
"Ahem. It's broad daylight. What night travel clothes?"
"True, all-black clothes would draw more attention."
"What are you talking about? We were training and happened by? Can't you see the shackles on these kids?"
"I see them clearly. But don't you remember what I said, Eon young hero? I know your memory is quite good."
"...Don't be upset. We didn't follow because we don't trust you. And you just laughed, right? Normally, once you laugh, it's forgiven. It's in the Qin Shi Huang mausoleum murals and the Great Ming Code. Je-gal Segun, right?"
"Ri...ght? I don't know where the Qin Shi Huang mausoleum is, but if we found it, there'd surely be such a mural inside."
Eon Yong-un bandied nonsense, and Je-gal Seol-ji chimed in.
Watching the other Eon brothers nodding along, Jeong-hyeon smiled once more.
"Thank you all for worrying about me."
But she soon spoke in a serious tone.
"However, from here on, I really must handle it myself."
"The one saying she'll handle it herself was rolling around before even crossing Sword Release Ground, so how can we not worry?"
"But this is a matter between me and my sect. I must bear it alone, as the one who tied the knot must untie it. No matter how long it takes, with the determination of Foolish Old Man Who Moved the Mountain, I'll melt my senior brothers' hearts."
At Jeong-hyeon's words, Eon Yong-un nodded.
"Who's stopping you? We support making amends too."
Yet he showed no sign of leaving.
"Pardon? But why do your words and actions not match...?"
"But no matter how I think about it, you should attend the initiation ceremony. That's our opinion. Don't you think so too, Jeong-hyeon?"
"I do, but..."
"How can you attend if you're taking on every senior brother one by one like this? A day isn't a hundred hours. You looked exhausted already."
"That's..."
"Didn't you just say it? You'll fight your seniors and reconcile. You'll come every day, like Foolish Old Man?"
"...Yes. I did."
"We hang out with you every day. So if you come to Wudang daily... some days we might come too, right? Like when you went to Pearl Eon Family with me?"
"...Uh. Yes?"
"We're just advancing that future day to today."
While Jeong-hyeon was dazed by his words, Eon Yong-un called out to the Wudang disciples.
"Un-kyeong! Is Un-kyeong instructor here?! Not?"
Confirming Un-kyeong wasn't present.
He turned to Jeong-hyeon.
"Un-kyeong instructor is Un-ja-bae's chief disciple, right? Seems he's not down here."
"Ah. Yes."
"We'll clear a path suitably. You head up to the main palace today and catch up with that guy. Meet the other seniors one by one starting tomorrow."
* * * I finished saying I'd clear a path and stepped forward.
Whoosh!
The Eon brothers except Jeong-hyeon spread out to my left and right.
Then, from the Wudang disciples who had been quietly watching as if to see what we were up to, voices arose.
"Little Dragon! What do you think you're doing?"
"This is Wudang's affair. You gonna interfere?"
At that moment, Un-hyeok pushed through the crowd.
"Let me talk to them."
He sighed toward me.
"Eon guild leader. Didn't I earnestly plead with you before? You all care for Jeong-hyeon... I know you care for her. But don't you realize this will only tangle her relationship with the sect more?"
"I've considered that."
"And?"
"But then I thought it might not tangle things. It seems you don't all hate Jeong-hyeon that much."
At my words, one of the Wudang disciples behind Un-hyeok raised his voice.
"What do you know!"
"I may not know everything, but I know you're excited. Actions taken in excitement often become black history later. When the excitement fades and reason returns. Calmly face Jeong-hyeon then."
As I stared them down, Un-hyeok spoke again.
"Ha. This is between senior and junior brothers. Why is someone who should know better meddling in family affairs like this?"
"Hey. How are we outsiders?"
At my words, Un-hyeok burst out as if asking what nonsense that was.
"Outsiders! I'm not from Eon family. Are you a Wudang disciple?"
Even my master chimed in.
- Outsiders. Definitely outsiders. I don't know those snub-nosed bastards.
I pretended not to hear either and continued.
"I don't think Wudang is outsider. The guys standing next to me are called Eon brothers. Jeong-hyeon is one too."
You and I aren't brothers, but Jeong-hyeon and I are.
Something like that.
"So if Jeong-hyeon and I are like brothers... Un-hyeok senior, aren't you her senior uncle?"
"???"
Facing the baffled Wudang disciples, I continued.
"So I pondered if this is really something Jeong-hyeon must bear alone. Truth is, I've dragged her around the world fighting a lot."
"...What does that have to do with this?"
"If I hadn't, she might have faced her seniors sooner. I bear some responsibility. I qualify to share their feelings toward her a bit."
As I finished, Dang Ok-gi spoke first.
"Last winter break, I took her to Sichuan! I qualify too!"
Then Yin Ha-seong, Woo So-reung, and Ye Hae-su followed.
"Me and little So-reung bothered instructor Jeong-hyeon a lot too."
"Hehe. Teaching martial arts, assignments, all sorts. We were together every holiday?!"
"After returning to school, so much changed, I stole a lot of junior Jeong-hyeon's time."
Je-gal Seol-ji and Namgung Yun continued.
"If it's bothering Jeong-hyeon-nim, I can't be excluded. Yong-un-nim told me to beat her first, so I challenged her plenty... Busy lately, but someday I'll win."
"Ahem. I and the Hwalam Hall cadets contributed somewhat. In that regard, this Namgung Yun has some qualification."
The Yunmae Hall trio added their pieces.
"The proposal to go to Pearl Eon Family last summer break was actually mine. I qualify."
"I don't think I have any..."
"Then stay quiet, Cheon Jang-ho. Always telling me to stay quiet gets you halfway. Idiot?"
"I, idiot? What about So-cheon hyung?!"
"Heh. I often asked her to move weights."
Finally, Yin Xia Lian spoke.
"Above all, if instructor Jeong-hyeon falls ill, Cheongjuk Hall collapses. Until her real return, doing everything alone was so hard! If she gets beaten by seniors right away and falls ill again... I'll really quit the dorm! I'm done!"
As the Eon brothers burned with intent to clear the path.
Shing-
I drew Regret.
Then, one of the Great Pure Sword Disciples in training garb with a clear pine pattern on the nape spoke.
"Drawing a sword at Sword Release Ground! You mean to antagonize Wudang?!"
"Antagonize? Didn't you hear? We think of the instructors as brothers."
I shook my head and planted Regret into the Sword Release Ground.
"Brothers don't always agree. They fight sometimes. That's how they grow, right?"
Following me, the other Eon brothers planted their swords in the ground.
The already agitated young Wudang disciples took our actions as a challenge.
They had planted swords during quarrels with Jeong-hyeon before, so they kicked off the ground immediately.
Those watching drew swords, planted them, and charged.
Swoosh!
Wudang originally competed with Mount Hua, Namgung family, and Heaven-Splitting Sword Sect for supremacy in swordsmanship.
Among them, their swords were the best, but their fists and kicks were no slouch.
Their lightness skill and footwork, represented by Je-un-jong, were truly first-rate.
Swoosh!
Swoooosh!
Wudang disciples surged with nimble steps, unleashing fist strikes embodying their signature softness.
"You'll know from fighting Jeong-hyeon, but those wobbly things—if you meet them carelessly, you'll hurt yourselves with your own strength?!"
"You handle it, Eon young master! Don't beat them too hard?!"
"...What do you take me for?"
"We see you as Eon young master! Layered Formation Wings! Half shell!!"
But they were manageable.
The Eon brothers were basically geniuses, with real combat experience crossing the line of death alongside me.
Whoosh!
The Eon brothers instantly formed a formation.
And began fulfilling their roles in perfect unison.
Amid the disciplined whirlwind of Taiji, as the Eon brothers didn't budge.
The Wudang disciples forming the Taiji began bouncing off, unable to maintain the technique.
From here, it was my time.
Pop!
I chased the bouncing Wudang disciples with Phantom Heaven-Splitting Steps.
"?!"
"!"
At my arrow-like charge, Wudang disciples tried to evade or counter.
"Slow."
"Ugh!"
"Predictable."
"Guh!"
But none escaped my grasp.
"You need to go to the initiation ceremony. Can't have your faces hurt. You keep guarding your abdomen—better guard your faces. Faces."
* * * 'Eon young hero has truly reached Harmony Realm.'
Jeong-hyeon had seen countless Harmony experts and even those with superior prowess.
But confirming that Eon Yong-un, with whom she had shared hardships, had entered the absolute expert realm felt entirely different.
Each thrust sent shivers through her.
She felt she could watch all day without tiring.
Such a person calling her brother and willing to share any blame.
Her eyes naturally welled up.
'......'
But there was no leisure to redden her eyes at Sword Release Ground.
Jeong-hyeon had a path to ascend.
Jeong-hyeon passed Sword Release Ground, leaving Eon Yong-un and the Eon brothers behind.
Shortly after climbing the stairs toward the main palace.
Wudang Sect.
Passing the gate with those three characters, the familiar training ground appeared, where she had moved countless times since childhood.
Atop that training ground stood Un-kyeong, the eldest of the second-generation disciples who had always corrected her stance.
"Jeong-hyeon."
"...Greetings to great senior uncle Un-kyeong."