Dragon Phoenix
Eon Ui-jin's eyes widened slightly.
“……Tree bark?”
“Yeah. Why?”
She stared quietly at Jeong Gwang.
Jeong Gwang stared back at her.
The people around them watched the pair.
It was a picturesque scene of a handsome man and beautiful woman facing each other.
Time passed like that.
She's pretty, alright.
Jeong Gwang nodded inwardly.
She was the prettiest woman he'd seen since reincarnating. Or rather, by his standards of “pretty,” she was a rare beauty in the Central Plains.
But.
She's out of her mind.
She'd been firing questions nonstop, then suddenly went silent. Not even blinking, just staring blankly.
Clear sign of wild mood swings.
We had plenty like her in the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
The type who'd suddenly start swinging their sword in a frenzy if their mood soured.
Thanks to that, Jeong Gwang was a long-time expert at handling them.
Easiest way is to beat some sense into 'em.
Unfortunately, he couldn't do that in this life. Touch her without provocation, and he'd be in for endless nagging from the Kunlun Taoists.
Second option it is.
Flatter their ego a bit, and they'd roll over purring.
Conveniently, he'd just learned how to handle women from his wet nurse.
Alright. Let's do this.
Jeong Gwang opened his mouth to speak, but Eon Ui-jin beat him to it.
“You're a really interesting guy. Fun.”
I'm not trying to be fun.
Flatter her back and send her on her way.
Just say she's pretty…… Huh?
There's something even prettier than her face.
“Wow. That's pretty.”
Eon Ui-jin's eyes flickered. It was a line she'd heard a million times, but from Jeong Gwang, it felt different.
Definitely not like other guys.
But Jeong Gwang was far more different than she imagined.
“Your fists have such nicely callused knuckles.”
“……!”
A vein bulged on her forehead.
“……Thanks.”
“No problem. Your hand ridge is nice and thick too. Bet it could slice clean through a rock with a palm strike.”
Veins popped on her clenched fist.
“Thanks! A! Lot! See ya!”
Jeong Gwang blankly watched her vanish in a blur of lightness skill.
What's her deal all of a sudden? Was the praise too much?
He felt a disapproving gaze and turned to find Baek Seung-mu staring at him in disbelief.
“What're you looking at?”
“……Senior brother. You're incredible.”
“What is?”
“How do you hurl insults like that at Kwonbong Eon Ui-jin, one of the Guryong Sabong?”
Oh. She was Kwonbong?
Whatever. That was that.
“I just praised her like my wet nurse taught me. She even said thanks.”
“……Was that praise?”
“Obviously. You know about fist masters, right? The ones proud of fighting barehanded.”
“They do have a bit of excessive pride, yeah.”
“But hardly any actually fight with pure fists. They wear gauntlets or swing mandarin duck axes. Oh, and pull out daggers when things go south.”
The last bit referred to Jade Qilin, whom he'd recently fought.
“That girl trained her fists purely. See that hand ridge? Her palms must be the same. Pretty admirable, right?”
Everyone nodded vigorously.
Listening closely, it did sound like praise.
Still an idiot move, though.
Baek Seung-mu sighed inwardly.
With that face and terrifying martial arts, it's no wonder something's missing upstairs.
In his past life, only women who worshipped or feared Jeong Gwang surrounded him.
In this life, only women who'd known him since infancy and spoiled him rotten.
No wonder the first women he met outside Kunlun couldn't understand him.
Jeong Gwang was the same.
He needed time.
I have to help.
Pitying his woman-idiot senior brother, Baek Seung-mu explained in detail.
“As you said, senior brother, her hands are proof of bone-grinding training. Beautiful enough to deserve praise.”
“Exactly.”
“But the order was wrong.”
“What do you mean?”
“Praise the face first, then the hands. That way, it paints her as a noble warrior who sacrificed part of her beauty for martial arts.”
Jeong Gwang stroked his chin and muttered.
“Hmm. Sounds plausible.”
“She would've been thrilled.”
“You know women, junior brother?”
Baek Seung-mu scratched his head sheepishly.
“Haha. Embarrassing.”
“Met a lot? How many?”
Baek Seung-mu's face stiffened.
Avoiding Jeong Gwang's gaze, he finally bowed his head.
“Junior brother. Why no answer? Too many to count?”
“……”
“Not zero to count, right?”
“……Hic.”
The watching Jeong generation disciples solemnly murmured “Amitabha” with grave faces.
Right here was a man who hadn't received a Dao title yet but was already a fine Taoist.
* * *
The next morning, the Un and Heo generation disciples headed to the Murim Alliance.
The Jeong generation was naturally thrilled. As they discussed how to spend this precious time, a waiter came running in a panic.
“S-sorry, but you need to come out.”
“What's wrong?”
“Guests have arrived.”
“Guests? Who?”
“Too many to name……”
“Got it. Let's go.”
Jeong U led his junior brothers outside the inn. A crowd of young martial artists waited there.
“I'm Jeong U of Kunlun. Are you here on alliance business?”
One youth stepped forward at Jeong U's question.
His expensive blue robe and ornate sword marked him from a wealthy house.
Turned out, excessively so.
“Sorry for the early intrusion. I'm Namgung Jin-yeong.”
“Namgung young hero. What brings you?”
“I heard a disciple of your sect named Jeong Gwang was rude to Kwonbong Eon young lady yesterday. I'm here to demand answers.”
Jeong Gwang, who'd been watching curiously, stepped forward in disbelief.
“I praised her.”
The youths' eyes turned to Jeong Gwang. They all gaped in unison.
Gods! What a face!
Damn! Lost before we even fight!
Namgung Jin-yeong finally spoke.
“……So it was you. Countless witnesses saw it. Why'd you do it?”
“I praised her.”
“Don't lie!”
A sudden curiosity hit Jeong Gwang.
“But what's it to you?”
“Well, obviously……”
His words trailed off into heavy silence.
Jeong Gwang nodded knowingly.
“No relation?”
“……Apologize to Eon young lady.”
“Didn't do wrong.”
“You really won't?”
“Nope.”
“Then only one answer.”
Namgung Jin-yeong cupped his fists.
“Namgung Jin-yeong of Namgung family challenges Jeong Gwang of Kunlun to a match.”
“Too annoying. All come at once.”
Everyone thought they'd misheard.
But Jeong Gwang confirmed it.
“What're you waiting for? Come on.”
The youths exploded.
“What do you take us for?!”
“I'll fight you first!”
“Outta the way! My turn!”
As the youths surged toward Jeong Gwang, Jeong U and the Kunlun disciples panicked and blocked them.
“Calm down! This helps no one!”
“Value yourselves!”
Meant well, but it was like pouring water on boiling oil.
“What’s that mean?”
“Saying we'll lose?!”
“Let's see! No need to line up— you join too!”
The youths challenged the Kunlun disciples. “Challenge” was polite; they were raring to fight.
After several refusals, Jeong U and his juniors had no choice but to accept.
Better they handle it mildly than let Jeong Gwang turn them into half-corpses.
Namgung Jin-yeong, already facing Jeong Gwang, had no say.
—Jeong Gwang. Don't kill or cripple them.
—Senior brother. What do you take me for?
What else? You.
—I trust you!
Jeong U and the Jeong generation cupped their fists politely.
“Go easy, please.”
“Just sparring— no need to hurt pride.”
The youths bristled.
“Hah! Let's start!”
“Spar with swords, not words!”
The matches began.
Unlike their polite words earlier, the Kunlun disciples thrashed the youths soundly.
Jeong Gwang's grueling training had honed their bodies that way.
“Argh!”
“S-stop! Ack!”
Jeong Gwang shook his head.
“They could hit harder. Why hold back?”
Namgung Jin-yeong was aghast.
“Impossible! Kunlun's this strong?!”
The fights didn't last long.
The Kunlun disciples cupped their hands to the fallen youths.
“Amitabha. Glad no serious injuries.”
The youths twitched on the ground.
“Original Celestial Venerable helped. Rest well.”
The youths could only twitch, unable to rise.
“Ah! Little bro! Why're you down too?”
Baek Seung-mu, weak in martial arts and beaten by the youths, teared up in grievance.
To Namgung Jin-yeong gaping at the sight, Jeong Gwang said,
“Our turn now.”
“W-wait! Hah!”
Namgung Jin-yeong wasn't weak.
His longsword wove a dense net of majestic strikes, guarding flawlessly.
The Namgung family, overlords of Anhui Province and rivals for the Seven Great Clans' top seat through ages! Their great swordsmanship flowed from his blade.
Problem was his low realm.
Jeong Gwang pierced the sword veil and punched.
Crack!
“Guh!”
Namgung Jin-yeong spun, flying over ten feet before crashing.
Jeong U moved to call Jeong Gwang off, thinking it over, but—
“Stoooop!”
With a mighty roar, a man landed before Jeong Gwang.
Broad shoulders, tall stature.
Angular, manly face with bold features.
A heroic rogue straight out of a tale!
Huh?
Jeong Gwang tilted his head.
Who's this beggar?
Yes, a beggar.
A very dashing one.
“Who're you?”
Before the hero could answer, shocked voices erupted.
“Yu Jeong-pung!”
“Beggars' Sect's successor beggar!”
“One of the Guryong Sabong— Ui-ryong!”
An impressive status, but not a speck of arrogance in Yu Jeong-pung's eyes.
“As they say, I'm Yu Jeong-pung.”
Jeong Gwang got it instantly.
Top-dog beggar.
The Beggars' Sect—one of the Nine Great Sects and One Gang—was a massive beggar horde. So many they didn't know their own numbers, and their next sect leader? A capable one.
“You Jeong Gwang young hero?”
“Drop the young hero, and yes.”
“Just like I heard. Right place.”
“……?”
He gestured to the fallen youths.
“High rivers cover deep— let 'em go? No need to escalate.”
“Then what?”
A bright and cheerful smile curved Yu Jeong-pung's lips.
A smile too fine for a beggar.
“Got a favor to ask.”
“Ah, hold on.”
“……?”
Jeong Gwang pulled a banknote from his money pouch. Baek Seung-mu, sobbing on the ground, yelped in shock.
“Senior brother!”
“Oops. Too much.”
Jeong Gwang pocketed it and pulled out another— Baek Seung-mu's job, but not the time.
“This work?”
“……”
The amount wasn't the issue.
Alms to the Beggars' Sect successor?
Baek Seung-mu gaped in disbelief.
Yu Jeong-pung stood equally stunned.
Jeong Gwang pressed the note into his hand earnestly.
“Not much, so use it wisely.”