Chapter 157
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 157
Chapter Title: Huayin Encounter
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Shaanxi Province, Huayin.
A border city between Shanxi Province and Shaanxi Province, already swarming with crowds.
With pedestrians making it impossible to gallop, the carriage carrying Seol Hwa-un moved slowly.
“Wow!”
Peering out the carriage window at the streets, Jin Pyo let out an exclamation.
“Isn’t this too many people? Surely not all of them are here for the Dragon-Phoenix Assembly?”
Yu Gong-seon laughed as he replied.
“Haha, of course not. Most are just spectators flocking to watch.”
“Ah, I see.”
Seol Hwa-un spoke up.
“Even so, it’s too many. They say the Martial Alliance and Righteous Heaven Alliance are staking everything on this Dragon-Phoenix Assembly, and it looks like it’s true.”
Yu Gong-seon nodded.
“That’s right, Manor Lord. It’s safe to say their pride is on the line.”
This was the first Dragon-Phoenix Assembly since the Righteous Heaven Alliance had split from the Martial Alliance.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say these results would indirectly show which alliance held the advantage.
Yet both the Martial Alliance and Righteous Heaven Alliance had shown strong confidence for this event.
So rather than holding back, they were expanding the stage to maximize the impact.
Jin Pyo asked.
“Between the Nine Great Sects and Eight Great Families, which do you think will have the edge?”
“If trends continue, the Eight Great Families are favored, but it’s not certain. The Nine Great Sects will be grinding their teeth, so some unexpected prodigies might emerge.”
At Yu Gong-seon’s words, tension appeared on Jin Pyo’s face.
“I see. Among such brilliant young experts, I wonder if I can even put up a good showing…”
“Hahaha, the Shanxi Tiger seems to lack confidence.”
“That nickname still feels awkward. It’s too much for me.”
Yu Gong-seon smiled faintly.
“Do you remember the Mount Hua Sword Eagle?”
“Yes, of course.”
Thanks to that encounter, he’d made a name for himself and even earned a nickname, so Jin Pyo could never forget it.
“They say he’s one of the top favorites for this Dragon-Phoenix Assembly.”
Jin Pyo’s eyes widened slightly.
“That Mount Hua Sword Eagle?”
“That’s right. The one who fought you to a draw.”
“Ah.”
“That means the Vice Sect Leader is also a top contender.”
It was an oversimplification, but not entirely wrong.
“……!”
Jin Pyo’s expression turned blank.
‘Me, a… Dragon-Phoenix Assembly favorite?’
Seol Hwa-un said.
“You’ve even learned the Ice White Sword Formula, so you could be considered an outer disciple of our palace. Don’t tarnish our palace’s reputation, or else.”
“What? Hahaha.”
Jin Pyo burst into laughter at the joke.
“Don’t worry too much. If the Vice Sect Leader stays confident and shows his true skill, the Dragon-Phoenix title won’t be out of reach.”
Those who placed in the top eight or higher at the Dragon-Phoenix Assembly earned the title of ‘Dragon-Phoenix’.
“Ah… Thank you, Manor Lord.”
As they chatted, the carriage suddenly stopped.
“Hm?”
Soon, the North Dragon Brigade Leader’s voice rang out.
“How dare you block my lord’s carriage. Who are you?”
“Apologies. Is the North Heaven Manor Lord inside by any chance?”
“……!”
It was a familiar voice. Seol Hwa-un immediately sent a transmission.
[Brigade Leader Mok, it’s someone I know, so don’t be too wary.]
[Understood, Manor Lord.]
Seol Hwa-un opened the carriage door and stepped out.
In front of the carriage stood a group in red martial robes, uniquely marked with plum blossom patterns on their sleeves.
One of them spotted Seol Hwa-un and exclaimed.
“Ah!”
The bright-faced man approached Seol Hwa-un.
“Long time no see, Manor Lord Seol.”
“Jo, long time no see.”
It was Jo Jin-hong, the second-generation disciple of Mount Hua Sect known as Gale Wind Quick Sword.
During his last trip to the Central Plains, Jo Jin-hong had gotten him to attend the Sword Clan Assembly, where Seol Hwa-un had encountered the Sword Demon.
“I came running as soon as I heard you were coming.”
“How did you…?”
Jo Jin-hong replied as if it were obvious.
“Huayin is within our sect’s territory. We knew the moment your carriage entered that you’d arrived, Manor Lord Seol.”
“Come to think of it, Mount Hua is right nearby.”
“Exactly.”
At that moment, a sharp-aura young man from the Mount Hua group approached.
“Long time no see, Manor Lord.”
Seol Hwa-un’s eyes widened slightly in recognition.
“Young Hero Ma?”
The young man smiled.
“You remember me.”
It was none other than the Mount Hua Sword Eagle, Ma Seong-gyun.
‘Like Hwang Bo-young… he’s grown beyond recognition.’
“Long time no see.”
“……I really wanted to see you again.”
The words carried multiple meanings.
Seol Hwa-un couldn’t help but admire him.
‘His aura is incomparable to before. As expected of a prestigious sect’s disciple. His growth is remarkable.’
There was no trace of his former clumsiness. Ma Seong-gyun had already carved out his own realm as a true swordsman.
Just then, Jin Pyo, who had stepped out of the carriage absentmindedly, locked eyes with Ma Seong-gyun.
“……!”
“……!”
A strange tension flowed between them. As if by agreement, they approached each other.
“Young Hero Ma.”
“Young Hero Jin, long time no see.”
Back during their spar, Jin Pyo had been much taller, but now they were about the same height.
“…….”
Their expressions contrasted sharply.
Jin Pyo’s face gradually hardened, while Ma Seong-gyun’s bore a relaxed smile.
‘……He’s changed this much.’
He didn’t need to draw swords to know.
‘If we fought now, I’d lose nine times out of ten.’
Jin Pyo gritted his teeth.
‘Over the past three years, I thought I trained harder than anyone…’
He keenly felt the high wall of a prestigious righteous sect.
Ma Seong-gyun was thinking similarly.
‘He’s no longer my rival.’
In that moment, Jin Pyo vanished from Ma Seong-gyun’s mind. He was no longer a competitor.
Of course, Ma Seong-gyun had trained harder than anyone over the past three years too.
The difference was his innate talent, superior martial arts, and Mount Hua Sect’s full support.
In short, their innate limits and environments had widened the gap.
‘Hm.’
Seol Hwa-un, watching them, felt a bitter taste.
‘As expected, the Nine Great Sects’ foundation is fearsome.’
His heart went out to Jin Pyo, but he couldn’t breach such a realistic wall.
‘I hope the Vice Sect Leader’s spirit doesn’t break.’
After a brief greeting, they parted ways, promising to meet again at the Dragon-Phoenix Assembly.
“…….”
Back in the carriage, Jin Pyo fell silent. Seol Hwa-un and Yu Gong-seon said nothing to him.
They knew clumsy comfort could be poison.
In such cases, reactions usually split two ways: despair and acceptance of reality, or steeled resolve to overcome.
‘Vice Sect Leader, which will you choose?’
Meanwhile, the carriage continued on, reaching the Weinan area of Shaanxi Province.
Xi’an, home of the Martial Alliance, was just ahead, but with night falling, they decided to stay overnight.
Thanks to prior reservations, they avoided camping.
“…….”
As the group disembarked toward the inn, Jin Pyo suddenly knelt before Seol Hwa-un.
“Manor Lord.”
“……!”
Bowing his head to the ground, Jin Pyo said.
“Please help me surpass the Mount Hua Sword Eagle!”
Yu Gong-seon tried to dissuade him.
“Vice Sect Leader, you know better. Martial arts don’t improve overnight. Even the Manor Lord can’t do much in such short notice…”
“Of course I know. But… but staying like this feels like my chest will burst!”
“…….”
“I understand it logically. Mount Hua isn’t just anywhere; how could lowly Shanxi Sword Sect compare?”
Jin Pyo gave a wry smile.
“I thought it was obvious… but deep down, I didn’t.”
His face twisted.
“My heart screams it can’t accept this. Three years of effort suddenly feel meaningless…”
Martial artists rarely knelt to others, especially someone younger.
Jin Pyo was no exception. Yet he’d done it twice for Seol Hwa-un.
The first time had clear justification: saving crisis-stricken Shanxi Sword Sect.
But this was purely for himself.
‘Anyone else, maybe not, but you, North Heaven Dragon—I believe you have a way!’
Then, Seol Hwa-un placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Stand up, Vice Sect Leader.”
Jin Pyo looked up at him.
“Manor Lord…”
“I fully understand your frustration. It must be stifling.”
Seol Hwa-un’s eyes suddenly gleamed.
“Vice Sect Leader, can you cut sleep to one hour a day until the Dragon-Phoenix Assembly?”
“……Pardon?”
Seol Hwa-un smiled faintly.
“As you know, our palace repays favors clearly. I haven’t forgotten how Shanxi Sword Sect fought for me in the Shanxi conflict.”
Color returned to Jin Pyo’s face.
“Th-then!”
“Of course, even I can’t guarantee you’ll reach Mount Hua Sword Eagle’s level in this short time. But let’s tackle it together from here.”
“Thank you. Truly, thank you, Manor Lord!”
Though smiling, Seol Hwa-un’s mind was complicated.
‘Hm, what to do?’
It wasn’t a small gap but a considerable one. He’d spoken out of a desire to help, but already felt a twinge of regret.
* * *
The next day, after breakfast, Seol Hwa-un’s group left the inn and arrived at the Martial Alliance around noon.
An enormous crowd had already gathered in front.
“We’ll have to go on foot from here.”
They unhesitatingly sent the carriage to a nearby inn and pushed through the throng toward the Martial Alliance headquarters.
The North Dragon Brigade led with North Heaven Manor’s banners, clearing the path. Naturally, eyes turned their way.
“What? Who’s that, escorted by such experts?”
“North Heaven Manor?”
“Where’s that?”
“Oh! North Heaven Manor!”
“You know it?”
“The manor with North Heaven Dragon as leader!”
“What?”
The crowd buzzed, staring at Seol Hwa-un, Yu Gong-seon, and Jin Pyo in the North Dragon Brigade’s center.
“That’s him! That handsome young man is North Heaven Dragon!”
“North Heaven Dragon?!”
Waaah!
Cheers erupted spontaneously.
“North Heaven Dragon!”
“North Heaven Dragon!”
Seol Hwa-un’s fame had soared boundlessly. It was no wonder the crowd was excited by his appearance.
“Unbelievable! To see the real North Heaven Dragon!”
“Martial prowess, righteousness, looks—perfect in every way!”
“Look over here, North Heaven Dragon!”
Meanwhile, some watched his arrival with uneasy eyes.
“Why’s North Heaven Dragon at the Martial Alliance?”
“To watch the Dragon-Phoenix Assembly?”
“Why bother? What does he lack?”
“Anyone can spectate.”
“……What if he’s competing?”
“No way, he’d wade into kids’ fights? Plus, he’s from the outer realms.”
“What’s stopping him? He’s allied with Righteous Heaven Alliance now—outer realm status isn’t an issue.”
“…….”
“And age-wise, he qualifies. He’d win easily, of course.”
The young experts around murmured.
“Is he really entering?”
“No way…”
“But if he insists, who could stop him?”
“Then why hold the tournament? He’d take first for sure.”
“Second place will be brutal.”
“What if he does?”
“Pray for good bracket luck?”
Three days before the Dragon-Phoenix Assembly, Seol Hwa-un, who had become a storm just by appearing, entered the Martial Alliance.