Chapter 111: The Dragon, the Phoenix, and the Tiger (9)
Chapter 111: The Dragon, the Phoenix, and the Tiger (9)
If you were to ask what the biggest topic of conversation in Wuchang was right now, you would likely be met with a look of disbelief, as if you’d only just arrived in the city. You’d probably be mocked with a retort like, "Ah, so you didn't see it?"
The Dragon-Phoenix Gathering was originally a massive event that people would talk about for months once it began.
From the perspective of the common folk, it was a rare opportunity to see the direct descendants of prestigious martial sects—people they wouldn't normally glimpse in a lifetime—emerging in droves to engage in duels using incredible martial arts the likes of which they had never seen.
What did it matter if the participants hid their ultimate techniques and secret arts, competing only with their raw skill? Even if they had shown their secrets, the commoners wouldn't have recognized them anyway.
Even with more than half of their true strength concealed, their movements appeared no different from those of immortals to the untrained eye.
But now, things were different. These were the most prominent among the rising stars, clashing while baring their true ultimate arts.
It was a duel between those who could arguably be called the pinnacle of their generation without fear of contradiction.
A clash where temple bells seemed to ring and thunder seemed to explode. Unless it was a life-and-death duel between masters, such a spectacle was a rare sight indeed.
And as with most things, the more one knew about martial arts, the deeper one could see into it.
Those who were properly trained would watch in admiration.
Those who had spent their lives seeking the truth of martial arts would watch in sheer shock.
"I had no idea the martial prowess of the Hebei Peng Family was so profound."
The rising stars representing the Sichuan martial world—from the Diancang, Kongtong, and Emei sects, as well as the Tang Family—sighed as they tilted their cups.
"Perhaps we should consider it a blessing that the distance to Northern China is so great."
"Indeed. With the current state of affairs, my worries only grow."
"What about the situation in Yunnan? I heard your sect has been facing great difficulties lately. Isn't it said that three of the Ten Great Sects of the Ten Thousand Ghosts Alliance are gathering in the Yunnan region?"
"Ah, yes. The commotion is quite significant."
"…Are you feeling unwell, Young Hero Jeong? Your complexion doesn't look good."
"I am fine."
The disciples of Emei and Qingcheng looked with concern at the Whistling Moon Sword of Diancang.
Due to the repeated disturbances in the Yunnan region recently, the Diancang Sect had been unable to send any other martial artists this year besides him.
Even his presence here was likely a move by the Diancang Sect to flaunt its continued strength to the Martial Alliance.
Yunnan was currently turning into something no different from a living hell.
Because of this, the Sichuan martial world was also on high alert.
Crossing just one river from Yunnan leads directly into the Sichuan region, and Sichuan has historically been a basin where the paths to other regions are blocked by rugged mountain ranges.
Their own sects were currently dispatching guests to support the safety of Diancang.
In such a situation, the fact that a rising star from the Hebei Dragon Slaying Alliance was gaining such overwhelming fame could only add to their worries.
However, a martial artist from the Tang Family shook his head as he set down his cup.
"If anything, we should consider it a stroke of luck."
"How so?"
"I don't know much about the Hebei Peng Family, and I know even less about the Hebei Dragon Slaying Alliance. But I happen to know the Beheading Blood Wolf of the Peng Family relatively well."
The age limit for participating in the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering is thirty. Martial artists who received the titles of Dragon or Phoenix in the previous generation relinquish those titles when the next gathering is held.
It is only then that they are publicly regarded as no longer belonging to the generation of rising stars.
Therefore, the man who had held the title of Dragon for the past ten years could only welcome the emergence of these new juniors with a smile.
"The Beheading Blood Wolf is a martial artist who understands righteousness."
"…Righteousness?"
"Yes. If that young hero eventually becomes a pillar of the Dragon Slaying Alliance… then the distinction between the Orthodox and Unorthodox might become more fluid than it is now. Even if we're talking about the villains of Chongqing. So, how could I not be pleased?"
"It seems the Poison Dragon has a deep interest in that man."
"Is there even a need to ask?"
The Poison Dragon smiled contentedly, raised his cup, and drained it in one gulp.
"On a large scale, he is a benefactor to my family, and on a small scale, I owe him my life. So, do not worry. As long as Hyeon-hwi of the Peng Family stands strong, there may still be peace between the Orthodox and Unorthodox factions."
"But didn't he first gain fame in the Shanxi martial world for slaying the head of the Divine Spear Yang Family?"
"That is a rumor spread by the Shanxi Beggars' Sect and the Zhuge clan. My family does not speak of what we have not witnessed with our own eyes, and we never forget a debt of gratitude or a grudge once received."
After that, the martial artists of the Sichuan region shared small talk about the state of the world over their drinks before parting ways.
Even as they scattered to their respective inns and guest houses, the taverns in Wuchang city were still boisterously burning through the final moments of the festival late into the night.
The largest tavern in Wuchang was the Guanhu Pavilion, which overlooked East Lake.
The Little Arhat, who had sent me a message, was apparently staying on the top floor of Guanhu Pavilion along with other rising stars.
True to its nature as a tavern, the smell of alcohol and meat filled the air.
The entrance was absolutely packed with people.
Normally, I wouldn't have cared, but…
"Isn't that the Beheading Blood Wolf? Why don't you come over and have a drink?"
"Why would he associate with nameless nobodies like us? He's clearly here because the masters of the great sects are staying upstairs!"
"Hahaha! So a martial artist of the Peng Family enters a tavern like this too. I thought they only ate raw flesh!"
"Watch your mouth!"
People were trying to acknowledge me from every direction. Suddenly, my life as a medieval influencer had begun.
It couldn't be helped, as there was practically no one in Wuchang who hadn't seen the duel earlier today.
After making such a flashy scene, my life as a nameless nobody where no one recognized me was officially over.
I didn't expect to become known here before the Black Path society, though.
Even now, if I went to Chongqing, the number of people who would recognize my face could be counted on one hand.
"This way, please. We have been waiting for you."
A waiter with a clean appearance bowed excessively as he led me.
The top floor of this tavern was the fifth floor. And since martial artists are like mountain climbers who tend to prefer high places for no reason, the status of the people I encountered changed with every floor I ascended.
Passing the first floor, which was mostly wealthy commoners, I reached the second floor where the wealthy from merchant guilds and banks held their seats.
"It's the Beheading Blood Wolf."
"The momentum of the Northern China region will be formidable from now on."
Unlike the commoners on the first floor, they didn't speak to me. They only whispered among themselves while glancing my way.
And when I reached the third floor, where martial artists finally held their meetings, the atmosphere began to change.
Everyone was looking at me. Everyone was watching me, holding their tongues.
I could clearly feel the emotions entwined in their gazes. Wariness, awe, admiration, curiosity, competitiveness—
It was a void where no sound could be heard except for the sound of people swallowing hard.
Passing through that and ascending to the next floor, I even felt a sense of pressure.
This was the gaze the Orthodox faction of the world held for me.
The emotions directed toward a direct descendant of the Black Path Unorthodox Faction who had suddenly risen to prominence.
The hostility was fainter than I had initially expected, while competitiveness and curiosity were much greater.
There were those who tried to apply pressure by releasing their aura, and those who quietly rebuked them while waiting for me to pass.
Thump, thump. With every step I took, silence fell over each section of the boisterous tavern.
Following that, whispers trailed behind me. Beheading Blood Wolf, Hebei Peng Family, Ten Great Sects of the Black Dao, Righteous-Demonic War—
And then.
"Oh. Did you sleep well?"
A large monk was smiling broadly and waving at me.
"Man, you were out so cold it felt awkward to even wake you up. Hahaha!"
"As if you were any better."
"Oho, what a disappointing thing to say. Unlike you, benefactor, this humble monk has been up since early morning going on alms rounds."
In the middle of the open door stood the laughing Little Arhat.
"Now that you're here, take a seat. Everyone was curious about you."
And there was Taoist Danheo, sitting next to the empty seat of honor and gesturing with his chin.
"Thank you for last time. If it weren't for you, I surely would have died there."
"……I have nothing to say."
"Is this Sang-gwan fellow feeling shy now? During the duel earlier, you looked like you wouldn't have noticed even if a fly landed in your mouth."
"What flies are there in this winter?!"
"So that was the important part."
There were Sang-gwan Wook and Namgung Jeong-ha, bickering with each other.
"Since I owe you my life, it is only right to call you my benefactor. Have you finished your recovery? I have the physicians from our merchant guild on standby, but…."
And even Hwa-yeong, who still didn't realize her identity had been found out.
In this gathering of rising stars from the Jiangnan Baeklim Association and the Shaanxi martial world, it was hard to find anything resembling hostility.
"I'm a bit weak in these kinds of settings."
I had no choice but to smile awkwardly.
Truly. If I were to count how many of my peers hadn't tried to kill me in a life-and-death duel, the number would be staggering.
My brothers all want to kill me.
The rising stars of the Hebei Dragon Slaying Alliance each keep a snake in their hearts, using one another.
In this harsh medieval China where the Ten Great Sects of the Black Dao hold daggers toward each other.
"Come and eat. The seat felt lonely without a feast."
"Are you allowed to eat meat and drink alcohol as a monk?"
"Oh, did you know that the prohibition of alcohol and meat is surprisingly not a precept found in the Brahmajala Sutra? Even Sakyamuni said to eat whatever is given as alms, so should the rules come first, or should life?"
"You really are a fake monk. Does the Divine Monk know about this?"
"It would be a disaster if he did! I'd have to face the wall in the Cave of Repentance for three years!"
The Little Arhat chuckled and sipped his drink.
When I held out my cup, he pushed away the bottle he had been using to pour for himself and picked up a new bottle from the table to fill mine.
"It has been a long time since I've enjoyed such a pleasant gathering. Although I managed to snatch victory by a hair's breadth, I find myself fearing the future."
"Who said you won?"
"We both collapsed at the same time, but since this humble monk woke up first, isn't it my victory?"
"I'm speechless, seriously."
I ignored the words of this crazy monk and looked at Taoist Danheo, who was sipping his drink beside me.
Taoist Danheo, who wore a very stern expression, was quietly enjoying his drink with his back perfectly straight.
When our eyes met, he spoke curtly.
"You said you would discuss the world."
"……."
"It is a phrase often uttered by those who call themselves heroes in the mundane world, but among those who speak of the world, how many truly wish for its peace? Young Hero Peng, do you know why the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering is held in this harsh winter?"
As I emptied my cup, he personally poured more for me and continued.
"The reason it is held during the periods of Minor Snow and Major Snow, the coldest and hungriest times of the year—the reason it is held when the people of the world are at their most weary—is for a specific purpose. When the harvest is poor and the people are starving, bandits tend to run rampant. We are issuing a warning to them."
Winter in the Middle Ages was no joke.
Even though there had been several years of good harvests recently, winter was still never something to be taken lightly.
Countless commoners froze to death, those who hadn't prepared enough for winter starved, and the government offices barely held on by distributing relief grain.
Rivers froze over, and official roads became a mess.
In the mountains and rivers where trade stopped and human presence grew sparse, bandits thrived.
That was also the reason why local powerful families, known as martial sects, existed.
Even now, when the influence of the government was stronger than in any other era, one of the reasons martial sects could still flourish was that they served as a minimum safety net for the commoners in such times.
Thus, unlike the Black Path sects that colluded with the government, the Orthodox martial sects survived through the reverence and respect of the common people.
In this vast Central Plains where the eyes of the government could not reach, they became lighthouses and torches, standing by the side of the commoners.
Therefore, the reason for holding the event in such a severe season was this:
"To show that we are still strong. That our bond is firm. To announce that even though we are scattered across the world, we can still gather under a single banner."
To those who would target the last handful of seeds that the starving people had saved so dearly in this season.
This is what the martial artists of the world's Orthodox faction were declaring.
No matter how harsh the winter.
"The sun has shone, so spring is coming (Yanghe Inmun, Chunrae Jigyeong)."
Saying so, he finished his drink and handed the bottle to me. I took the bottle and filled his cup.
We drank together and looked at each other. Taoist Danheo set down his cup and concluded.
"Therefore, Young Hero Peng. If a martial artist is to discuss the world, it must be about peace, not the sword. If one is to decide the fate of the world, it should not be about determining who is the best under heaven, but about resolving the weary state of the current times."
So, please.
"When you return to Northern China, keep this in mind."
The Taoist said this, gave a polite nod, and left the room.
Once Taoist Danheo, who had made the atmosphere heavy, departed, these young and energetic rising stars immediately regained their liveliness and began to chatter again.
After several rounds of drinks had passed, the door suddenly burst open.
"I've been looking everywhere for you! What on earth is a person who was injured so badly doing here? Do you have no sense of danger at all?"
Into this "popular kids" drinking party that even I had been invited to, a half-Jurchen barbarian suddenly came charging in.
She sat down right next to me and stared for a moment at Hwa-yeong, who was gracefully pouring me a drink.
"Huh?"
She froze stiff.
Seeing this, Hwa-yeong let out a strangely suspicious giggle and quickly popped a piece of candy into my mouth.
Uh, well. It's sweet...