Qi Like a Serene Lake
Having overheard Namgung Woo's muttering, Yang Kvae asked with a puzzled tone. "Hanbok? You mean the clothing of the Central Plains?"
Since the pronunciation of Hanbok and Hanbok was identical, it was only natural for Yang Kvae to interpret it that way. Before Yang Kvae could speak further, Yang Jeong added, "Young Hero, that is what they call Goryeo-style attire. It is the fashion of Haedong, beyond Liaodong."
At least it confirmed that what Namgung Woo had in mind was indeed the correct Hanbok. The style most familiar to him from his modern life would have been the hanbok from around the opening of the ports, yet this was somewhat different. It was the hanbok commonly associated with the early Joseon period. Others might have dismissed it with a simple "It's a bit different from what I knew," but Namgung Woo recognized the subtle distinctions.
'Pung-nim used to customize everything in hanbok.'
One of the trio who had played Chukrok Murim together. Namgung Pung's love for hanbok had been particularly eccentric, and as the saying went, even a dog at a private school would learn to recite poetry after three years—Namgung Woo had naturally acquired considerable knowledge about hanbok as well.
"No, what I mean is, why would they be wearing those clothes in the Central Plains?"
At Namgung Woo's question, Yang Kvae wore an expression of complete bewilderment as he stated what he considered an obvious fact. "Look here, young brother, it's common knowledge that Haedong's attire is elegant and beautiful. Just look. Unlike the Central Plains' clothing that ends in a single piece, that horse-tail skirt is more beautiful than a celestial maiden's robes. As expected of the Hebei Paeng Family. In the Central Plains, you couldn't obtain a horse-tail skirt woven that finely."
"They must have acquired it directly from Haedong. The crow-blue silk alone makes that clear."
Was this cultural victory? Namgung Woo found himself seized by a peculiar feeling. Praising the beauty of hanbok and declaring that made-in-Haedong was the best—it made him wonder if this truly was a parallel world following a similar history.
'I think I heard something like that from Pung-nim before.'
Well, good things were good. Namgung Woo decided not to dwell on it any deeper. Instead, he merely filed away in a corner of his mind the thought of obtaining a hanbok for himself later.
"Still… I didn't expect Dohui to come in person…"
"Ildodanhon Paeng Mu-ho is here as well."
Though the titles and names were unfamiliar, Namgung Woo could immediately identify who they referred to. The first mentioned, Dohui, was naturally the leading woman at the head of the group—the very person who had been surprised to see Namgung Woo wearing hanbok. As for the other Paeng mentioned separately, there was no need to ponder; it was clearly the strongest among the group, the middle-aged man standing directly to the right of the woman called Dohui.
"Are they very famous people?"
"You… don't know?"
"No."
"Hmm, if you've only been active in Shanxi, that could happen."
It felt as though some misunderstanding was accumulating, but Namgung Woo let it pass. Instead, he observed the surrounding atmosphere. It wasn't only Namgung Woo and the Yang brothers who were whispering about the Paeng Family's people. Everyone gathered at Iga Manor was doing the same.
Perhaps accustomed to such reactions, the Paeng Family members showed no particular response and simply walked forward, offering greetings to the Iga Manor Lord.
"I am Paeng Ha-ryeong, come from the Paeng Family."
"Oh… Welcome. Seeing the renowned Dohui of the Paeng Family in person, this humble I feels greatly enlightened."
The Iga Manor Lord poured out praise bordering on excessive. Yet no one found it strange. Even Namgung Woo himself took it as natural. Because she was beautiful.
'Chaeji was pretty too, but… is it the difference between wearing makeup and not?'
The Hangsan Sect of the Jeongjonghyeonmun, once counted among the Nine Great Sects. They neither applied makeup nor wore ornate clothing. In contrast, Paeng Ha-ryeong, though a martial artist, wore a splendid Goryeo-style hanbok made of crow-blue silk along with makeup, doubling her beauty. Yet she retained the clear appearance of a martial artist—sleeves shortened so as not to hinder her martial arts, and only a single hairpin as ornamentation—making her a living example of restrained beauty.
"As expected of the foremost beauty of Hebei…"
Someone's muttering reached Namgung Woo's ears. Though spoken softly, the Peak Realm experts whose senses were extremely developed would all have heard it. Among them, of course, was Paeng Ha-ryeong. Yet her expression remained utterly undisturbed. That composed demeanor seemed proof that she was accustomed even to the grandiose title of foremost beauty of Hebei.
"For the heroes of the Paeng Family to come all the way to this humble place, I hardly know how to express my gratitude. Please, come this way. Though we could not prepare wine before the battle, we have prepared a modest welcoming feast."
"No. While I appreciate the sentiment, would it not be better to share the feast's food with the anxious common folk of Muan County? Since we do not know when the Ghost Gate will open, I would prefer to establish our strategy as quickly as possible."
"Ah… As expected of a direct descendant of one of the Seven Great Families, such great compassion. It shall be done. However, since you have traveled a long way, would you not first take a brief meal?"
Namgung Woo could clearly see through the Iga Manor Lord's intentions. The two young men standing beside the lord were likely his sons or close relatives. This was an overt suggestion to arrange a meal between them and Paeng Ha-ryeong, the direct descendant of the Paeng Family.
Paeng Ha-ryeong, perhaps considering the lord's dignity, did not refuse even that. "Then, until preparations are complete, I shall remain here and observe the others."
"Hmm, it would be better to rest in a room…"
"I did not walk a long distance, so it is fine."
Paeng Ha-ryeong was firm. Realizing she had no intention of yielding, the Iga Manor Lord promised to prepare as quickly as possible and departed. Thus, a peculiar tension settled between the Paeng Family members and the martial artists already present at Iga Manor.
The first to pull at that tension was the Paeng Family side. The Paeng Family's martial artists pointed out or glanced toward several familiar figures while whispering into Paeng Ha-ryeong's ear. Perhaps they saw no need to use sound transmission. Or perhaps they believed no one present could eavesdrop even on soft voices. Namgung Woo suspected both, but it seemed closer to them simply not caring if they were overheard.
After all, they were not gossiping maliciously—only offering objective assessments of the vagabonds and martial artists: their cultivation realms, the martial arts they primarily used, and so on.
While receiving these explanations, Paeng Ha-ryeong's gaze turned toward Namgung Woo's group. It happened when the title "Twin Wandering Blades" was mentioned by Paeng Mu-ho. And Namgung Woo met Paeng Ha-ryeong's eyes.
Upon seeing Namgung Woo's eyes, which held a faint blue light, Paeng Ha-ryeong's pupils widened and trembled for an instant. They quickly returned to normal, but Namgung Woo's Changnyeongmanan thoroughly read not only her pupils but also the true nature of the emotions that had stirred within her.
'Shock? Did she perhaps discern my realm?'
She was clearly a Peak Realm expert. At best, Paeng Mu-ho seemed to be at the precarious edge of Peak Realm, just below Transcendent Realm—yet even for him, it would have been difficult. If the two had mastered some special eye technique, Changnyeongmanan would have dissected it completely.
Before Namgung Woo's doubts could be resolved, they moved. This time Paeng Ha-ryeong stepped back, and Paeng Mu-ho came forward.
"So you were here as well, Twin Wandering Blades."
It seemed a title that referred to both Yang brothers simultaneously, as the name suggested twin vagabond blades. They appeared to be acquainted with the Yang brothers, as his approach felt quite natural.
"It has been a long time, Ildodanhon Great Hero."
"Been well?"
"Haha, listen to that way of speaking. Flying Dagger Scholar, you must have had quite the hardship."
"Not at all."
"Hmm, I don't quite understand what the Great Hero is saying?"
Paeng Mu-ho chuckled and asked, "Have you thought about the proposal from last time?"
"I'm sorry, but I still have no desire to pledge myself anywhere."
"Is that so? That's a shame. Let's coordinate well this time as well."
"Of course. Since the Paeng Family elders are here as well, this closed-door campaign should be comfortable."
"Complacency is forbidden, Kvaewundo."
"Just call me by my name. We're not strangers meeting for the first or second time."
"I prefer it this way. And the young hero beside you?"
At Paeng Mu-ho's words, the gazes of the Paeng Family members converged on Namgung Woo. Namgung Woo felt that their true target had not been the Twin Wandering Blades, the Yang brothers, but himself. Thus, he drew upon Changnyeongmanan's power a little more and observed them in return.
"My name is Nam Woo."
§
After finishing the meal prepared by Iga Manor and returning to the room provided, Paeng Ha-ryeong immediately spoke. "Uncle, you felt it too, didn't you?"
Even during the meal just now, Paeng Ha-ryeong had been thinking only of that. Forgetting even the Ghost Gate and the closed-door campaign, she had been endlessly pondering about one person.
"You mean the young man called Nam Woo who was beside the Twin Wandering Blades?"
"Yes. That person… was strange."
Strange. It was the only word Paeng Ha-ryeong could manage, unable to find a more fitting expression.
"Indeed. His qi flow was far too stable."
Ordinarily, qi flow was not constant. Internal energy was not an involuntary muscle that moved on its own; it responded to the will of the person who contained it. Naturally, qi flow fluctuated slightly, and differences in strength typically arose according to the development of the qi meridians. This was especially true if one had not opened the Governing and Conception Vessels. Since not all acupoints could be fully utilized, there would inevitably be parts where the qi flow weakened. Particularly the head region.
Furthermore, unlike the lower dantian that nearly all martial artists cultivated, or the middle dantian that naturally opened once one's internal energy reached a certain depth, the upper dantian located in the head was cultivated by only a minority of martial artists. Unless one deliberately raised protective qi, the qi flow in the head region could not help but be weak.
Yet Namgung Woo's qi flow was different.
"I've never seen anything like it. It was like… looking at a serene lake. Such tranquility."
Upon seeing Namgung Woo, Paeng Ha-ryeong had been so astonished she had nearly screamed. If she had not possessed the extensive experience of a direct bloodline descendant of the Paeng Family who had even visited the imperial court, she might have rushed forward with an exclamation to examine him further.
"How can that be possible? Even Father wasn't at that level…"
If one tried to forcibly imitate it, even Paeng Ha-ryeong's father, the Paeng Family Head, might not be incapable—but the fact that Namgung Woo maintained it so naturally had come as a shock to her.
"Well, I don't know either. Perhaps he has cultivated a divine art that trains all three dantians—upper, middle, and lower—simultaneously. Since his qi flow wasn't particularly large, it might be possible with an orthodox martial art of the utmost depth and refinement."
"…Could it be of help to Ye-ryeong?"
At the end of every one of Paeng Ha-ryeong's concerns lay that name. This time was no different. Paeng Mu-ho looked at Paeng Ha-ryeong with eyes full of pity and muttered bitterly, "That too… is difficult to guarantee. Still, it would be worth observing."
"…You're right. During this closed-door campaign, it would be best to move around that person."
"I'll say this in advance."
Paeng Ha-ryeong recalled Namgung Woo's face, which she had glimpsed only briefly. She would observe him. To see what kind of person he was. And if he truly could become hope… then…
'Somehow… I must bring him with us.'