Chapter 138: Disguise Technique (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 138: Disguise Technique (2)
The Round of 64 for the Yongbong Gathering, which had spanned several days, finally concluded without a hitch.
Well, there had been a slight accident on the first day, but... since no one died, it could still be considered a resounding success.
With that, the final thirty-two were set.
"Wow, three of the thirty-two are from our side."
Chun-bong, Namgung Su-ah, and Namgung Myeong.
All three had safely advanced to the Round of 32. Or rather, they had advanced far too easily. Namgung Su-ah and Namgung Myeong’s opponents were martial artists who had scraped their way up from the preliminaries. The gap in skill was so vast it was almost painful to watch.
There was an insurmountable wall between the Sixteen Major Sects and Clans and everyone else.
Of course, that didn't mean there were no notable individuals at all.
"Was his name Yang So-hong? That guy was quite good with a spear."
Namgung Myeong nodded at Seo-jun’s remark. "He certainly stood out. He wouldn't fall short even when compared to the scions of the Sixteen Major Sects."
"Is he from a famous sect?"
"No, I heard he’s from a small-to-medium sect in Hunan."
"Oh. I guess he’s just naturally strong."
It seemed the old saying about a dragon rising from a small stream wasn't entirely baseless. Though, exactly how high that dragon could fly remained to be seen.
Seo-jun hummed a tune as he walked. Today, unusually enough, he had an official schedule. It was the event mentioned earlier—the grand meeting where the Sixteen Major Sects and Clans gathered.
His current entourage consisted of Namgung Myeong, Pae Jin-gwang, and Namgung Hyeok.
Pae Jin-gwang wasn't part of the Sixteen Major Sects, but when a man reached the level of the Fist King, he was invited to such gatherings regardless of affiliation. His mere existence commanded the same respect as an entire great sect.
Chun-bong could have come if she wished, but she declined, saying it was still premature. It seemed she intended to restore the prestige of the Divine Sword Geum Family a bit more before making public appearances like this.
The meeting place was Shaolin, just like before.
As he arrived with the group, the main gate of the Shaolin Temple felt oddly unfamiliar.
"Man, now that I think about it, this is my first time actually entering through the front gate."
Last time, he had crashed right into the middle of the temple, so he'd never had the chance to walk in through the front. He had only walked out of it.
"What a thing to be proud of," Pae Jin-gwang grumbled.
"Ahem. Hush, old man."
After bickering with Pae Jin-gwang and sending word inside, a monk soon emerged to greet them. It was a familiar face: Hye-un.
"It is good to see you again, Benefactor."
"Oh, Monk Hye-un."
Seo-jun grinned, pressing his palms together in a polite greeting. "I saw your sparring match. You've improved a lot."
"It is all thanks to you, Benefactor Lee. Our last spar was of great help."
Through that last spar, Hye-un’s cultivation had reached the very edge of the Peak Realm. If he could take just one more step, break through the Life-Death Barrier, and successfully maintain the balance of his Essence-Qi-Spirit, he would ascend to the Super Peak Realm.
The problem was that taking that final step was the hardest part of all.
Seo-jun followed behind Hye-un, exchanging various stories. The conversation mostly revolved around the time Seo-jun had turned the Imperial Court upside down.
According to Hye-un, the reactions from the other sects weren't too bad. Seo-jun had the moral high ground, and he hadn't actually taken Ju Yang-il’s head. From a third party’s perspective, he was seen as a man of great character—someone who had swallowed his tears of rage for the greater cause of the war against the Black Lotus Union, despite his family and master being insulted.
"To be honest, I was a bit nervous watching that," Pae Jin-gwang said, shaking his head. "I thought you’d lose your mind and start twisting the necks of every Imperial official in sight."
"Hey, that’s an exaggeration."
"Hmph. Looking at the way you act, you’re no different from a Great Archdemon. What exaggeration?"
"What, you want to go right now?"
"You want to wreck Shaolin again? Count me out."
"Ugh...!"
While they bickered, they soon arrived at the meeting hall.
"I shall see you again shortly, Benefactor," Hye-un said before departing.
Seo-jun scratched his head as he looked at the grand building before him. "Shall we head in?"
Namgung Hyeok nodded. "Let us."
In terms of seniority and status, this was the proper order. As Namgung Hyeok took the lead and entered the building, the bustling meeting hall fell silent in an instant.
"...So the rumors that the Vast Heaven Great Sea returned to the Namgung Clan were true."
Namgung Hyeok ignored the murmurs and found his seat. Seo-jun also sat down, scanning the faces gathered in the hall.
There are a lot of them.
Fifteen sects had gathered (the Kunlun Sect couldn't make it as they were busy keeping the Demonic Cult in check). Since more than one person had come from each sect, the place was packed.
Furthermore, since most of these people were formidable masters, the air in the meeting hall felt like it was fluctuating from the sheer pressure they unconsciously emitted. If an ordinary person had wandered in without knowing any better, they would have fainted on the spot.
Was that guy’s name Hwangbo… something? Hwangbo Jun?
While he killed time looking for familiar faces, the final attendees arrived. Everyone was present except for the Abbot of Shaolin, who was to preside over the meeting.
Among the many people there, one person was receiving the lion's share of the attention. Needless to say, it was Seo-jun.
The Imperial Court, in particular, was sending the most intense glares his way. Ju Yang-il was nowhere to be seen (likely because he wasn't the Crown Prince and thus couldn't attend), but strangely, a middle-aged man in heavy armor was staring Seo-jun down.
[Do you know who that guy is?]
When he asked Pae Jin-gwang via Voice Transmission, the old man gave a subtle nod.
[He’s General Cheonyang of the Imperial Court.]
[Is he strong?]
[He shouldn't be weak... but who knows? I’ve never fought him, so I can’t say for sure.]
[Hmm. Given how he keeps staring, maybe he wants to go a round?]
[Don’t you dare start anything.]
[I mean...]
Since Chun-bong wasn't here, this old man had taken over all the nagging. Seo-jun grumbled internally and ignored the General’s piercing gaze.
After they killed time for a bit longer, the Abbot of Shaolin finally arrived.
"Forgive my tardiness."
He offered a brief apology without making excuses and immediately cut to the chase.
"The Heavenly Demon has moved."
All murmuring in the meeting hall ceased instantly.
*
He realized it then.
Meetings really weren't for him.
From what Seo-jun could see, quite a few people seemed to be thinking the exact same thing. Most of the people here weren't scholars; they were martial artists who swung swords for a living. It would be weirder if they did enjoy meetings.
Well... of course, martial artists were mostly a strange bunch, so there were still quite a few participating enthusiastically.
[How much longer is this going to take?]
When he sent a Voice Transmission to Pae Jin-gwang, the old man let out a massive, silent yawn.
[I don’t know either.]
[I’m starting to want to go home.]
[Then just go. What’s the problem?]
[Isn't that obviously a problem...?]
[Namgung Hyeok is here, so I don’t think it matters.]
[Hmm. You have a point.]
Seo-jun nodded in agreement and looked around the hall with a bored expression.
They droned on about how much support to send, what their vested interests were, the relationship between the Demonic Cult and the Black Lotus Union, the state of their forces, and so on...
Amidst those talking passionately, there were others leaning back in their chairs, looking utterly bored or simply spacing out. He recognized two of them. Wol-mang of the Qingcheng Sect and Hwangbo Jun of the Hwangbo Clan.
Especially Hwangbo Jun. It had been quite a while since he’d seen that guy.
Unable to bear the boredom a second longer, Seo-jun sneakily sent a Voice Transmission.
[Not even going to say hello?]
[...What?]
[Ahem, look at this arrogant brat. If our eyes meet, you should greet me.]
When he started acting like a jerk, Hwangbo Jun simply tilted his head with a strange expression. Why was he being so compliant?
Clicking his tongue in disappointment, Seo-jun teased Hwangbo Jun a bit more. He had hoped the guy would get fired up and snap back, but unfortunately, Hwangbo Jun didn't show much of a reaction. He hadn't seemed like this kind of guy before. It was quite disappointing.
Then, he suddenly thought of the children he had met before. Was it Seo-hyeol and Hee-rin?
After rescuing the kidnapped younger sister, he had handed over a martial arts manual. He wondered if they were practicing it well. Since Ja-cheong of the Clear Wind Unit had gone along as an instructor, they were probably doing fine, but...
[Have you heard any news? That’s your territory.]
[...They seem to be doing well.]
[Are you sure? You’re not just saying that, are you?]
[I heard it directly, so it should be certain. ...Probably.]
["Probably," he says.]
As Seo-jun clicked his tongue, another Voice Transmission cut in.
[Why don’t you let this old man join in instead of playing among yourselves?]
Turning toward the source of the transmission, he saw an old beggar grinning, revealing a row of yellow teeth.
[Who are you?]
[Ahem, can’t you tell just by looking? I’m a beggar.]
[No, I mean, which beggar are you?]
[Do you remember the name Drunken Dog Beggar?]
Drunken Dog Beggar? He had heard the name. The battlefield where he had met the Giryeon Sect Leader. Wasn't that the Super Peak master of the Beggar Sect who had died before Seo-jun even arrived?
[I was his comrade. I didn't think he’d go so easily. Especially for a Super Peak master.]
[Uh... RIP...?]
[What’s with the ‘RIP’?]
[...Wait, Elder. Where did you learn that abbreviation?]
[I heard that’s how the young folks do it these days. Was I wrong?]
[Very wrong.]
[That’s a shame.]
The old man clicked his tongue and suddenly introduced himself.
[I am called Hong Angae. I barely remember my real name, so just call me Hong Angae.]
[Hong Angae (Rosy-Faced Beggar)? Your face doesn't look that youthful, though.]
[That’s because I got that nickname when I was young.]
[Aha.]
[Anyway, I’ve heard a lot about you.]
Hong Angae must have been terribly bored, as he latched onto Seo-jun and talked his ear off for a long time. He talked about how the beggars who had been on the same battlefield as Seo-jun couldn't stop praising him, and how seeing his old acquaintances die off one by one made him feel like his time was coming soon, too.
Since the cowardly Hwangbo Jun had slipped away from the conversation, Seo-jun was left to deal with Hong Angae all by himself.
I want to go home...
What kind of fame and fortune was he seeking by coming all the way out here? He should have just stayed home and poked Chun-bong’s cheeks...
A deep sense of regret washed over him.
*
Around the same time, at the Namgung Clan.
The atmosphere in the Golden Pearl Hall, where the Chief Steward presided, had been rather unusual lately. A few months had passed since Seo-jun created the two new divine arts, and the results were finally starting to show.
"Ho ho..." Jin Ga-wi, the Chief Steward of the Namgung Clan, wore a peculiar smile. "...Why do we have surplus manpower?"
Of course, he knew the exact reason. It was all thanks to the Azure Lightning Heart Method and the Thirteen Lightning Sword Forms.
The Azure Lightning Heart Method accelerated the growth of their martial artists, and the Thirteen Lightning Sword Forms allowed those who hadn't even reached the First-rate level to perform techniques similar to Sword Qi.
The most immediate effect came from the Thirteen Lightning Sword Forms.
Originally, the reason a First-rate martial artist could display such an overwhelming gap in power against Second or Third-rate martial artists was largely due to Sword Qi. If even a Second-rate martial artist could handle Sword Qi, they could hold their own against a First-rate master. (In fact, the stage where one could handle Sword Qi was usually the very definition of First-rate.)
As a result—setting aside the fact that the Thirteen Lightning Sword Forms helped them grasp the sensation of Sword Qi and reach the First-rate level faster—the Second-rate martial artists were now able to perform tasks that previously required First-rate masters. Their chronic labor shortage was resolved in an instant.
Needless to say, the workload of the Chief Steward, who had been suffering from endless headaches over this issue, had also drastically decreased.
However, Jin Ga-wi, a true paragon of a workaholic, had a slightly different mindset from most. Since he had extra time, he simply started creating more work for himself.
Is there anything I can do for the Young Master?
The Young Master had kept putting off his rewards, insisting he didn't need anything. What on earth should he give him?
This was a truly difficult problem. The Great Namgung Clan actually had nothing they could give to their own Young Master.
In terms of martial arts, he had already mastered the Emperor Sword Form. He said he didn't particularly need spirit herbs, and he had absolutely no greed for money...
Usually, rewards for martial artists fell neatly within those categories, but the Young Master’s situation was completely different.
Then what else is there...
If he didn't need anything as a martial artist, what about as a man?
Women?
Absolutely rejected. He didn't want to be stabbed to death by the Young Lady or the Family Head.
Rare, famous liquor?
The Young Master didn't seem to enjoy drinking to that extent.
Is there really nothing I can do for him?
As the Chief Steward sat there lost in thought, his guard, Baek Gyeol, spoke up.
"Chief Steward, what about a sword?"
"A sword? The Young Master said he didn't particularly need a sword either."
"Perhaps that is because the Young Master has never used a truly great sword?"
"Hmm... Come to think of it, the Young Lady did mention something like that."
Now that he thought about it, a sword seemed like the best option.
Was it hard to find a famous sword that would satisfy a Super Peak master? That might be true for an ordinary sect, but this was the Great Namgung Clan. Obtaining a famous sword wasn't a particularly difficult task for them.
An ordinary famous sword won't do.
Considering the sheer number of achievements the Young Master had accumulated, it was only natural. A normal blade wouldn't even begin to satisfy him. It would have to be a famous sword on the level of a Divine Weapon to even come close to being a fair reward.
A Divine Weapon that didn't just have a sharp edge, but possessed its own mystical powers—that would surely be of help to the Young Master. Perhaps the monumental achievement of creating the Heaven-Man Divine Elixir Art could be compensated with that?
Having organized his thoughts, the Chief Steward nodded. "Baek Gyeol, do you know where we might find a Divine Weapon?"
"...Those aren't exactly things you can just go out and buy, are they?"
"Well, it’s not like they’re impossible to find, right?"
The Chief Steward nonchalantly drafted a document and stamped it with his seal. "First, I’ll get approval from the Family Head."
What kind of Divine Weapon would suit the Young Master best? A Demonic Sword? Or maybe something other than a sword entirely?
The thought that he might not get approval didn't even cross the Chief Steward’s mind.