107
107
Even though it was the day of the opening ceremony, that didn't mean there was no opening match.
The War of Flowers, divided into eight groups, was scheduled to take place over several days, much like the Yongbong Assembly.
If someone currently panting heavily in some warehouse had a match the next day, then someone else was due for a duel today.
- Before the opening match, I extend my gratitude to the many sects who have graced this occasion! First, the Wudang Sect's...
While someone's throat grew hoarse after nearly an hour of earnestly shouting introductions for the countless distinguished guests from various sects, Dokgo Ja-yeong briefly excused himself under the pretext of visiting the restroom.
[Alliance Leader's Special Waiting Room.]
A presence could be felt inside the room that no one other than the Murim Alliance Leader could enter. Dokgo Ja-yeong immediately opened the door and went inside.
"Yeon-a!"
"Father."
Dokgo Yeon, attired in a light purple martial uniform, gently bowed her head to greet Dokgo Ja-yeong. Her predominantly white uniform bore no trace of the blood she had coughed up.
"Are you feeling well?"
"Yes. The physician gave me this as well. He said if I keep it in my mouth, I won't cough up blood."
Dokgo Yeon pulled out a candy from her robes. Dokgo Ja-yeong seethed at the sweet scent of the candy.
He gave her candy and claimed it would stop her coughing up blood? Wasn't this just the kind of thing local quacks handed out, calling it medicine? Had he deceived Yeoni?
Just as her paranoid suspicions deepened and her trust in Physician Mubung was about to bottom out—
"I see. Are you truly alright? It isn't laced with some kind of poison, is it? May I inspect it?"
But concealing his true feelings and smiling benevolently was the most fundamental quality required of a Murim Alliance Leader. Dokgo Ja-yeong took Dokgo Yeon's hand and reached for the candy.
"No. This is mine."
"Y-Yeon-a?"
"The physician made this for me. Father, you can't take this."
"Do you even know what's in it?"
"Human-shaped Snow Ginseng."
"......."
Her trust and suspicion toward Mubung deepened simultaneously.
'Who makes candy out of Human-shaped Snow Ginseng?'
She felt trust because he had used his own medicinal stock rather than drawing from the Alliance's supply, but doubt arose because, even for an incurable disease, he had turned Human-shaped Snow Ginseng into candy and given it as medicine.
Even if he was the Divine Doctor's disciple, where did he get Human-shaped Snow Ginseng? Did he really use his own? Or had he prepared this medicine for Dokgo Yeon before even arriving?
"R-right. If you're well, that's a relief. You aren't in any pain, are you?"
"No. Since the physician looked after me, I haven't coughed up blood once. Even now."
Dokgo Yeon drew the sword from her waist. Dokgo Ja-yeong gulped at the clean, unadorned starting stance, and Dokgo Yeon lightly flicked her sword toward the wall of the waiting room.
Swish!
"!!"
A tiny slash mark appeared on the wall. It was a quick sword strike an ordinary person wouldn't even have seen, but to Dokgo Ja-yeong's eyes, the sword's trajectory was perfectly clear.
"Breaking Sword, Taiji?!"
A picture formed in his mind. He clearly envisioned the Dugu Nine Swords thrusting swiftly against Wudang's Taiji Sword, forcibly shattering the circular defensive flow of the Taiji Sword. Dokgo Ja-yeong's mouth fell open as he was startled by Dokgo Yeon's achievement.
Her daughter, not even twenty years old, had already reached the Peak Realm.
"Even using my sword like this doesn't hurt. It's all thanks to the physician."
Dokgo Yeon blushed as she caressed the candy. Dokgo Ja-yeong felt another chill crawl down his spine.
'One-handed!'
Dokgo Yeon had clutched the candy in one hand and with the other alone, flicked her sword from its scabbard, gripped it, and struck. The entire sequence took less than a blink of an eye.
"H-how did this happen?"
"Senior Sagong Hee and my elder sister, Little Princess, helped me. I'm sorry for the unsanctioned duel, Father."
"Huh..."
'It's going according to plan!'
He had secretly harbored a faint hope that such help might materialize, but he never dared imagine it would actually happen. Dokgo Ja-yeong was getting goosebumps from how favorably everything was unfolding for his daughter.
His daughter's illness gradually improving through Physician Mubung's power, young female martial masters becoming friends who shared martial arts and grew together, black and white paths mingling in pursuit of peace, and, ideally, his daughter standing supreme among them all—as this fantasy became reality, Dokgo Ja-yeong felt an unexpected surge of emotion.
She wondered if things were going too well for her daughter, but what did it matter? This was the perfect opportunity for her daughter to proudly display her own beauty and skill before the world.
"Yeon-a, how did your duels with those two young ladies turn out?"
Still, curiosity was unavoidable. Dokgo Ja-yeong couldn't hold back the question, but Dokgo Yeon puffed out her cheeks and shook her head.
"That's a secret. Asking that would be rude to my elder sisters."
"Kgh...!"
Witness this virtuous nature, which would not even tell her father! Save for her frailty, a daughter who perfectly matched the descriptor 'flawless' was now one step from spreading her wings and soaring.
'A Celestial Maiden descended from the heavens!'
The daughter she had always been proud of, yet regretted could not fulfill her potential—the daughter so precious that placing her in one's eye would cause no pain—was now flapping her wings to ascend into the sky. Dokgo Ja-yeong's eyes inexplicably reddened at the sight.
'My wife, are you watching? Our daughter can finally reveal herself before all the world.'
White hair and purple irises? A change in hair and eye color is a symbol of a peak master; who could possibly say anything against it?!
"Our Yeoni has now become a true woman! You are ready to be married!!"
"What?!"
Dokgo Yeon, who had been resolutely steadying her sword energy, flinched in surprise and blushed crimson. Seeing Dokgo Yeon, who had always seemed frail and close to death, display embarrassment like a young woman her age should, Dokgo Ja-yeong felt a swell of satisfaction he hadn't earned.
"Haha, our Yeoni has finally reached the age to feel the stirrings of spring. To think you'd be so bashful."
"Th-then, could it be... your intention in sending Physician Mubung... was also for that reason?"
"What? Physician Mubung? Why bring up that name all of a sudden?"
Had he misconstrued this as a suggestion to marry Physician Mubung? Dokgo Ja-yeong's mood instantly twisted.
'How dare he, with my daughter?'
The Divine Doctor's disciple? That mattered not one whit right now. How dare he enter such a relationship with her beloved daughter? Even the mere mental image of it, regardless of their actual thoughts, was unpleasant, irritating, and infuriating.
But.
- Since my lord saved my life, you must take responsibility.
Dokgo Ja-yeong knew all too well that a woman indebted to a man for her life would fall for him. Dokgo Ja-yeong saw the image of his departed wife reflected in Dokgo Yeon.
"......Yeon-a, do you fancy Physician Mubung?"
"Setting aside whether I fancy him or not... he is someone who might become my life-saving benefactor, who may heal me."
Dokgo Yeon deeply bowed her head and fidgeted with the candy. Dokgo Yeon's illness was not yet cured; Mubung had merely suppressed the symptoms. But to anyone's eyes, Dokgo Yeon was now a normal person.
If he truly healed her illness—
"...W-well, if Father also thinks it would be good, then I too..."
That alone was sufficient grounds for Dokgo Yeon to fall for him. The swallow whose wings were broken and could not fly was given the chance to beat them once more; how could the swallow not hold its benefactor in its heart?
'She was the same.'
Dokgo Ja-yeong knelt on one knee to meet Dokgo Yeon's eyes. Though it was a topic almost taboo within their family, bound by their deep blood ties, Dokgo Ja-yeong could not refrain from speaking.
"You truly take after your mother."
"Mother...?"
"Yes. She also owed me her life. She fell... for her life's benefactor. I happened upon her by chance when the Green Forest thugs were about to use an aphrodisiac on her and saved her."
Dokgo Yeon hugged the candy to her chest and smiled. Dokgo Ja-yeong stroked Dokgo Yeon's head and began to speak.
"It was right before the Yongbong Assembly. I, who harbored dreams of ascending to the Dragon Gate—"
"Alliance Leader, are you there?"
The voice of the strategist came from outside. Dokgo Ja-yeong, who had been delving deep into the past, hastily straightened up and lowered his voice.
"What is it?"
"I came to tell you it is nearly time for the opening match. You weren't in your waiting room, so I sought you out... are you with Lady Dokgo Yeon, by chance?"
"Yes. She is here. Do not worry, I will ready her and send her out shortly."
"...!! Cough, understood."
The strategist turned around with a choked voice. He, too, was moved that Dokgo Yeon would take the stage.
"Yeon-a."
"Yes, Father."
"If it hurts, you may forfeit mid-match. No one will say a word against you. To me, even if it's just once, from the very beginning. Even if you only step into the arena one time, I am grateful to the spirits of heaven and earth."
"Father."
Dokgo Yeon sheathed her sword with a kind smile.
"You should give your thanks to Physician Mubung."
"...Ahem."
It was a fair point, but why did it suddenly bother her so much?
"And don't worry. There will be no forfeit, and I won't lose midway, either."
Dokgo Yeon popped the candy into her mouth and turned around, her face brimming with confidence.
"I will go and win the opening match with dignity. For Father, for myself, and for Physician Mubung, who healed me."
So why did she keep mentioning Mubung? A chill ran down Dokgo Ja-yeong's spine.
'Could it really be true?'
Had he let a wolf into the rabbitry where a single rabbit slept? The blood drained from Dokgo Ja-yeong's face.
* * *
"Senior, wake up. It's about time to begin."
"...Is that endless ceremony over? The guest congratulations were damned long."
The Divine Spear yawned deeply and stretched. With all the introductions and congratulatory speeches from the elders and leaders of the Nine Sects and One Gang, the Eight Great Families, and countless other sects, some people had already grown weary and left.
"Khaa. Annoying as hell. I don't know why I had to come all the way here just to watch."
"If there's a possibility of the Demonic Cult's schemes, shouldn't we obviously watch? There could be a Demonic Head concealing their identity among the participants."
"Are you underestimating the Murim Alliance Leader? They'd have glanced over the participants at least once. Anything even slightly suspicious would've been caught immediately."
"Couldn't they have swapped an existing person, rather than creating a fake one out of thin air?"
The Imperial Inspector and the Divine Spear sat in the spectator seats, warily observing their surroundings. Though they were disguised, they were not alone; warriors from the Imperial Guard and East Depot were also seated among the audience in disguise.
"Since the Little Princess is here, there's no reason the Eldest Prince wouldn't come. Senior, that bastard has definitely pulled some trick."
"Who knows. Knowing the man we identified, he's probably executing his main scheme elsewhere, don't you think? He'd have sent a subordinate for this."
"As expected, even you don't deny that someone is here, Senior!"
"...Obviously. I keep feeling this sticky, unpleasant energy. When I went to the restroom earlier, ugh, water suddenly splashed out of nowhere. Honestly."
Just as the two were discussing the Demonic Cult's plot, two women finally stepped into the first arena.
Thud, thud!
"W-whoa..."
An overwhelmingly massive frame that looked well over eight cheok in stature. The spectator stands began to buzz at the appearance of a solid hunk of muscle, making it impossible to tell if a woman had entered the arena or a man from the Green Forest.
"That young lady, no way...!"
"That is Bang Yeong-hui, the second daughter of the Green Forest King. Since her elder sister, Bang Cheol-su, became the Mountain Stockade Phoenix, she has undoubtedly entered out of an inferiority complex toward her sister."
The spectators' gazes darted back and forth between the arena and the seats of the Six Phoenixes several times. The Mountain Stockade Phoenix, Bang Cheol-su, who wore a green headband on her head, had a slightly larger build, but a wildflower-like charm that did not lag behind the other phoenixes overflowed from her.
In contrast, Bang Yeong-hui was, how to put it... more of a wild beast than a wildflower....
"Eldest daughter and second daughter...? Those two are sisters?"
"The eldest inherited more of her mother's blood, and the second inherited more from her father, the Green Forest King."
"Yeong-hui!! You must win----!!"
A Lion's Roar erupted from the opposite spectator stand. At the center of the bandit throng occupying one corner of the stands sat a massively muscular man who anyone could see was Bang Yeong-hui's father: the Green Forest King.
"...She is his daughter, right? Not his son."
"I told you she's his daughter. Senior, if the Green Forest King hears that, he'll swing a club at you right away."
"Then I'd be the wronged party. Honestly—"
Step, step.
A hush fell over the spectator stands. The white-haired woman who appeared opposite Bang Yeong-hui looked so sickly she might collapse at any moment.
"Crazy, look at the level of the opening match."
"That girl is...!"
"Dokgo Yeon. The gold branch and jade leaf of the Murim Alliance Leader."
Dokgo Yeon, who had not shown herself outside even once in six years, arrived at the arena as softly as a violet. By the Divine Spear's rough estimate, there was roughly a threefold difference in their builds.
"Is this... going to be okay?"
"According to the rumors I've heard—"
Duel, commen——nce!!
"Kuahahahahahahaha!!"
A green lion-shaped aura began to coil around the gauntlets grasped by Bang Yeong-hui. Everyone shuddered at the overwhelming force of Bang Yeong-hui, who was raising her qi in both hands from the very start.
"Strength to Upset Mountains and Overturn the World——!!"
Bang Yeong-hui charged toward Dokgo Yeon. The momentum was so ferocious that even the Green Forest King was startled and nearly leaped from the spectator stands.
"Senior! Isn't that dangerous—?!"
"It's not."
The Divine Spear felt goosebumps. The fighting spirit Bang Yeong-hui unleashed was overwhelming, but the Divine Spear had read the sensation buried beneath it.
Fear of a superior predator. Bang Yeong-hui was afraid of the little swallow.
Shiiing.
Dokgo Yeon slowly leveled her sword forward. Assuming a starting stance of swordsmanship known to the White Path—no, to the entire Murim—Dokgo Yeon murmured in an exceedingly small voice.
"Mountain, Break."
Swish.
With a single stroke of the sword.
Alongside a light purple trajectory, the giant who sought to overturn the mountain was sent flying back, as if struck by the very force of a shattering mountain.