Chapter 95
Chapter 95
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 95
Chapter Title: You Suit the Saber More Than the Sword (2)
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Once Eon Jeong-ung, who had been acting like he might bolt at any moment after hearing the kids' news, finally planted his butt down for real.
The mood of the gathering gradually warmed up.
Among the three, the one letting out exclamations of admiration nonstop was Seok Geum-pil, head of the Seok family.
"Professor Pang is no liar as far as I know, but since we're in Hahuk and Hobuk respectively, it's been ages since we last crossed paths, so my memory's a bit hazy. Family Head Eon, you've built ties with him since your youth, so you must know him well?"
"Hrm. True enough. Brother Jae-hyeok, unlike some folks, isn't one for idle jokes. Hrm. Heh hrm."
"Hah. So you're saying everything in that letter is true?!"
The one secretly thrilled was Eon Jeong-ung.
"Hrm. Hrm. Heh."
"That rascal Yong-un. Even at the entrance ceremony, he seemed so valiant it made me wonder if he was the same Yong-un I knew, but as a freshman to become vice president of the student council? Hrm."
"Hrm. Heh. Heh. Ahem hem. That position isn't easy, so I'm worried if the lad can handle it. I sent him out from the family myself, so maybe I shouldn't fret like this. But above all, that rascal Yong-un mustn't bring shame to Cheongjuk Hall."
"You've read the letter's contents too, Family Head Eon? Shame? What shame? He straightened out the insolent attitude of those Hyangran Hall students who looked down on Cheongjuk Hall and the Eon family, and he even boldly told Professor Chang-ryang what needed saying! What was it he said...?"
"He understands a cadet in charge of discipline taking a liking to someone, but that fellow Mu-gil insulted all of Cheongjuk Hall and belittled the Pearl Eon Family that birthed him. Even so, he showed mercy in his strikes."
"You're reciting it word-for-word without missing a syllable?!"
"Ahem. Heh hrm."
"Anyway. On top of that, he even extracted compensation gold and used it to refurbish Cheongjuk Hall's rundown facilities, right? A scoundrel's a scoundrel. Last year, when I heard he gambled using the Eon family's manual as stakes, I thought that kid's got some guts... Ah! S-sorry, Family Head Eon. I got carried away and misspoke."
"Haha. What apology between us? I've quietly let that matter go, so Family Head Seok needn't worry about it."
Yet, Pang Mu-hyeok, who would normally have cracked ten more of his signature dirty jokes by now if the drinks had flowed this far, suddenly fell silent.
"But why's Family Head Pang suddenly gone quiet?"
Noticing this oddity, Seok Geum-pil tilted his head and spoke up, and Eon Jeong-ung nodded vigorously in agreement.
"Exactly. Normally, you'd be demanding apology wine or apples without any 'sorry' about it. What's up, Brother Yi?"
"...Hm? Oh, I was lost in thought for a moment. Were you talking about me?"
"We were talking about that rascal Yong-un, of course. You seemed all fired up just moments ago, so we wondered if something was wrong. What deep thoughts had you so absorbed?"
"Hm. I was thinking about Yong-un too."
"Pardon? What thoughts would make you wear that expression?"
"Well, in the letter Jae-hyeok sent, there's that part where Yong-un dismantled a Mosan Sect junior's sword stance with a single strike."
At Pang Mu-hyeok's words, Seok Geum-pil exclaimed, There was that story too! and the three launched into reminiscences of their youthful days at Righteous Martial Academy sparring against Mosan Sect sword arts.
"Even I, and you two family heads as well, struggled when we first saw the swords of Mosan Sect Taoists, didn't we? I still vividly remember everyone's shock."
It was certainly true.
The illusory subtleties in Mosan swords carried a hypnotic edge, so even Seok Geum-pil, who terrorized Hahuk Province, and Eon Jeong-ung, known across Hahuk and Jiangnan with no stranger to his name as Hahuk's Might, along with Pang Mu-hyeok, hailed as the world's greatest swordsman, had found Mosan blades tough opponents in their youth.
"Haha. Plus, coming from the Pearl Eon Family with its corpse puppets, Yunmaegwan classmates pinned their hopes on me, which was quite embarrassing."
"Haha. That's right. I burdened you plenty too, saying you had to handle it as my brother. To dismantle Mosan swordplay in one strike... Didn't that rascal Yong-un only pick up a sword after leaving home? To achieve that in just over a year—astonishing. A prodigy."
"Kuhm. Heh heh."
As admiration settled on Seok Geum-pil's face and Eon Jeong-ung's lips twitched upward again.
Unlike the other two, a faint shadow of worry clouded Pang Mu-hyeok's expression.
The reason was simple.
Dismantled it in one strike?
Pang Mu-hyeok fretted that Yong-un might get the wrong idea from this.
Mosan swords are unique, but purely as swordsmanship, they're not particularly sharp.
Dismantling Mosan sword in one strike was praiseworthy, but in Pang Mu-hyeok's view, it was seventy percent illusion and thirty percent swordplay.
Still, if this went to Yong-un's head and he fully pursued the swordsman's path, that would spell trouble.
Eon Yong-un. You suit the saber more than the sword.
The messenger pigeon sent to Hahuk returned.
Not empty-beaked, of course—a letter from Pang Mu-hyeok was tied to its leg.
『To my brother Jae-hyeok.
I read your letter.
But what the hell are you doing?
From your letter, it seems Yong-un's still carrying a sword around?!
You brat! When your nephew looks headed down the wrong path, an uncle should coax and guide him right!
Did you just watch because I said to keep an eye on him?!
What if Yong-un decides to become a full-fledged swordsman?!
Take action now!
I have mountains to say to you, but space is short, so I'll stop here.』
Reading the letter, Pang Jae-hyeok pinched his nose bridge for a moment.
"Ugh, you don't even know the situation here!"
Pang Jae-hyeok hadn't avoided talking to Eon Yong-un entirely.
It was just that reflecting on his scolding during the entrance exam felt embarrassing now, so he'd aimed for a chance encounter.
But what freshman was so busy he couldn't bump into him?
And he even went out on weekends.
So, he'd planned to just summon him to the lab.
Then the incident blew up.
Eon Yong-un's clash with that Mu-gil from Hyangran Hall had entangled him with Professor Chang-ryang—no, all of Hyangran Hall—turning the kid from hot potato to blazing inferno.
His uncles and father are all Yunmaegwan alumni, and he picks Cheongjuk!
Pang So-jin had chosen Yunkuk Hall over Yunmaegwan, but that fact held no weight in Pang Jae-hyeok's mind.
So what now?
Anyway, unless Eon Yong-un came to Yunmaegwan or walked into Pang Jae-hyeok's lab on his own, summoning him as Cheongjuk's discipline officer felt dicey.
If I call him in, worst case, rumors fly about Yunmaegwan and Cheongjuk joining hands or whatnot.
Who knew what gossip would spread?
After agonizing, Pang Jae-hyeok devised a plan.
Yong-myeong would say leave it to big brother. Better use So-cheon.
Though ties had naturally frayed as Eon Yong-un went full scoundrel mode.
Still, they'd been "hyung" and "dongsaeng" in childhood, same grade too—perfectly natural for them to meet.
Cheongjuk Hall's facilities and gear were so outdated and shoddy that opinions flew on how to spend the compensation squeezed from Hyangran Hall.
"All valid points, but funds are limited, so let's prioritize the most urgent needs. Brother Kyung-ryong, what's Cheongjuk's top priority right now?"
"Above all, victory in the upcoming spring inter-dorm tournament, no?"
"What do we need for that, Silver Sis?"
"Fixing the crumbling bedrooms and training grounds takes priority."
"...Don't sneak your selfishness in."
"Tch, bedroom upgrades fully qualify. Sleep's the best medicine, right? Furniture, flooring—all creaky and worn; worst, rats staring from ceiling cracks!"
The most specific pitch came from Yin Xia Lian.
"Understandable, but where do cadets sleep during fixes?"
"...One. At a time."
"Then they're crammed tight during that. Can't sleep well, as you said. Self-contradictory, no?"
"...Hing. I just want decent sleep after barely getting hours."
Her quarters in Hui Province versus Cheongjuk bedrooms were worlds apart, so her gripe made sense; sleep as medicine rang true too.
But bedroom fixes weren't urgent.
"Let's do bedrooms fully after spring tournament winnings and academy project profits—clean sweep in summer break."
"...Fine."
"Then training grounds upgrade, Yong-un brother?"
"Yes. Brother Kyung-ryong. Most urgent now. Order placed—done midweek. Benefits most people, direct tie to tournament performance boost."
Morning spot for all Cheongjuk cadets; tournament success demanded sparring and footwork drills.
Current grounds are decrepit, cracked everywhere—slip and risk injury.
Footballs bounced erratically too.
With my and Yin Xia Lian's opinions aligned, Chairman Kyung-ryong Brother spoke to conclude.
"No objections from other executives?"
"None. Young Hero Eon's prioritizing max benefit teaches me what chivalry means today."
"...Guidance Director agrees. Athletics Director?"
"Full support. Student council caring for athletics—we'll repay with top spring tournament results."
"All in agreement then?"
"Publicity hasn't submitted yet!"
"Hm? Junior Ha-seong? You'd follow Yong-un brother's lead anyway. Other thoughts?"
"Nope."
"Hehe. Yeah. If Eon Brother says do it, we do."
"Then why say it like you do?! Confusing people!"
Anyway.
Decision: replace training ground slabs.
Speak of the devil.
"Where do these go?"
"Over there, please."
On slab delivery and masons' arrival day, pre-ordered dumbbells, weights, iron gloves (future sandbag replacements) arrived too—chaos amid it all, surprise guest.
"Eon Brother! Someone from Yunmaegwan—says Brother So-cheon, know him? Huge guy."
"Who? Yong-myeong?"
"No. First time seeing him, but he said you'd know So-cheon Brother?"
"Only Kyung-ryong Brother I call hyung..."
Oh, right.
Strictly, never called him hyung myself, but as Eon Yong-un, there was one.
Pang So-cheon.
Heir of Northern Pang Family, Pang Mu-hyeok's twin son, original protagonist generation figure.
Been thinking it's time to build ties; him showing up voluntarily? Perfect.
I sent So-ryeong to fetch Pang So-cheon quick.
"Yong-un. Long time."
Past memories fuzzy on address, brief hesitation.
His vibe screamed high familiarity; original Pang So-cheon was straightforward anyway—no worries.
I replied casually.
"Yeah. Been a while?"
"Whoa, what's all this?"
Luckily, my read hit; his eyes now scanned Cheongjuk chaos.
I smirked, answered.
"You’ve never been to Cheongjuk, huh?"
"No reason to. Even entrance exam, assigned Yunmaegwan side, stayed there."
"Training grounds were a total mess, so replacing with recent funds."
"Ah. From those Hyangran brats?"
"Yeah. So what brings you to a Cheongjuk you've no business with?"
"Uncle said teach you saber's cool side?"
At Pang So-cheon's words, Master at my waist spoke.
- Isn't that kid the saber guy's son? That 'uncle' must be Pang Jae-hyeok. 'Saber's coolness' extends from that inn talk about learning Pang saber arts?
'Yeah, seems so.'
Agreed to wait, why stir now?
- So, what'll you do? Refuse?
Refusal viable, but it'd complicate things immediately.
But a way existed.
Time to link other protagonist-gen with Jeong-hyeon or Yin Xia Lian; leverage Pang So-cheon's nature and situation for bridge.
Original Pang So-cheon was pure-hearted.
Brain aside.
Thought done, I smirked.
"Then show me."
And sat cross-legged on ground.
"Can watch sitting?"
Pang So-cheon tilted head, furrowed brow at my move.
Probably told: if I balk at learning saber, mix hands to demo Oho Gate Saber's might.
Me meekly sitting for demo? His brain must be scrambling now.
I prodded to draw those mental wheels my way.
"Not showing? I'm busy."
"Sh-show you!"
Thus, like saber dance, Pang So-cheon solo demoed all fifty-nine Oho Gate Saber forms.
"Huff. Huff."
Sweating buckets, he asked me.
"Huff. Wh-what'd ya think?"
What else? Impressive.
Pure-heart brain notwithstanding, his skill undeniable.
True heir to saber master: saberplay roaring like fierce tiger.
But no praise here.
I crafted words to hook him to Cheongjuk while pricking his pride—no, brain muscle.
Smirked, spoke.
"Sigh. Lower body's a bit weak? Would've been different training at Cheongjuk."