The Unstoppable Momentum of the Hosan Seo Clan
Come to think of it, that’s quite cheeky.
Seo Jua’s eyes narrowed once more at Baek Cheong’s still blank expression. It seemed all the bragging she had done about her family hadn't even reached Baek Cheong’s small heart. Seo Jua gave a small shrug of her shoulders and tightened her grip on the collar of her robe.
"I am a cultivator with an Earth Spiritual Root who has already reached the 8th star of the Qi Refining stage, and I mastered my family’s secret technique long ago! I am here representing the Hosan Seo Clan at the upcoming New Spring Exchange Meeting martial contest!"
Seo Jua lifted her chin, revealing the family crest embroidered on her robe’s collar. The two maidservants of similar age standing beside her also bowed their heads in polite agreement, nodding in unison.
"...So, you are Seo Jua of the Hosan Seo Clan?"
"Exactly!"
Seo Jua nodded triumphantly. Baek Cheong, who had been listening quietly, carefully searched her memory for the other clans her uncle would occasionally mention. Surely, the name "Hosan Seo Clan" should have come up at least once, but she couldn't find a single trace of it in her mind. She could barely remember the faces of the children her own age she’d met at her own family’s banquet, so there was no way she would have remembered a different clan.
'I really don't remember them at all.'
Seeing Baek Cheong tilt her head again, Seo Jua stepped closer and raised her voice.
"Are you saying you truly don't know my family?!"
"I apologize."
Baek Cheong bowed her head without much emotion. It was simply to get out of an annoying situation she had no interest in. Seo Jua’s hands trembled inside her draped sleeves. She took a short, sharp breath, as if suppressing her frustration.
"...My family rules over the entire Hosan region! We hold a Grade 4 Spirit Vein, we will soon stand tall as the only Nascent Soul clan in the Southern Continent, and it is an undeniable fact that the children of our house have deep connections within the inner sect of the Biun Sect!"
She added more boasts about her family. It was true that they had quite a strong momentum for a Golden Core clan. However, compared to the Yeonha Baek Clan, they were ridiculously lacking.
'Doesn't everyone usually have at least a Grade 4 Spirit Vein?'
The more Baek Cheong listened, the more ordinary the girl in front of her seemed. Her grandfather was already a strong candidate for Nascent Soul and was diligently cultivating, and with the Yeonha Baek Clan’s resources—from the Yeonha Seonseong to the various Spirit Villages and the Baek Clan Merchant Association—they had an endless supply of wealth. Through their Millennia Foundation Plan, they were already building relationships with various powers far beyond the borders of the Southern Continent.
"I have heard of you for a long time, Baek Cheong!"
"...Ah, is that so?"
"You were a hot topic in our family, too! The rumors say you carry around Pill-inscribed Pills refined by Yakseon himself, that you are the Transmission Disciple taken in by the Pacheon Sword Sovereign of the Heavenly Sword Sect, and that your Sword Intent is so clear it’s the talk of the Biun Sect!"
Seo Jua stomped her feet, continuing as if frustrated. "When word reached my family that someone a year younger than me possessed such talent, I genuinely wanted to test my skills against you, Baek Cheong!"
"I see."
"That is why I made the decision to represent the Hosan Seo Clan at the New Spring Exchange Meeting! But for you to not even know my name, despite my sincerity—what kind of discourtesy is this!"
As if she had steeled her heart, she took a deep breath. Seo Jua clasped her hands together at her chest and straightened her posture.
"Baek Cheong, I am Seo Jua of the Hosan Seo Clan! At the upcoming New Spring Exchange Meeting martial contest, will you not test your skills against mine?"
Her voice was clear and polite, but a hint of jealousy was mixed in. Because she had spoken so loudly, the cultivators wandering nearby stopped to watch. A small stir rippled through the cultivators, unable to contain their interest in the gossip.
The cultivators chattered noisily among themselves. Even the artifact refiners guarding their stalls stopped their hammering and turned their gaze. Jin Wi, who had been listening quietly, opened his mouth slightly with an awkward expression.
"...Lady Baek, I don't think you need to accept this."
Jin Wi carefully waved his hand, trying to add his two cents. Seo Jua’s request for a duel seemed somewhat unreasonable. To Jin Wi, there was no reason for Baek Cheong to accept such a sudden challenge. Even if the Hosan Seo Clan was a powerful family in the Southern Continent, it wasn't something Baek Cheong, who was only staying in the sect briefly, needed to worry about.
'Oh, jackpot.'
Meanwhile, Baek Cheong didn't react much to Jin Wi’s dissuasion. She had already decided to enter the martial contest anyway. She had planned to create an excuse at the opening ceremony later, but a justification had just rolled right into her lap. Thinking it was for the best, she nodded readily.
"Yes, I understand."
"...W-what did you say?"
Seo Jua hesitated instead. She had requested the duel, but she hadn't expected Baek Cheong to accept so easily. Her eyes darted around, not knowing where to look. Even the hands hidden in her sleeves were fidgeting.
The cultivators couldn't hide their excitement and chatted away as if it were fascinating. Not only that, but other cultivators gathered around, turning it into a new spectacle. Seo Jua barely regained her composure and asked carefully.
"T-then, you really will accept?"
"Yes."
Baek Cheong answered firmly without a second thought. Seo Jua’s eyes regained their focus, and she lifted her chin high with pride.
"Good! Then at this martial contest, I will show you my skills clearly, Baek Cheong!"
Seo Jua swished her sleeves and walked through the crowd with her maidservants. Jin Wi stared at Baek Cheong, speechless for a long time, before letting out an awkward cough.
"Lady Baek, are you really sure you should accept?"
"It's fine."
"But if you get hurt..."
"It's a martial contest, not a Life-and-Death Duel."
Baek Cheong replied as if it were nothing. On one hand, she thought she wouldn't even have a match at the Qi Refining level. Because of that, she was more satisfied that she could stand tall in front of her uncle or her eldest brother than she was worried.
'Actually, this is better.'
The stalls at Yeongi Peak hadn't been much to look at, but thanks to the child of the Hosan Seo Clan, she hadn't wasted her trip.
"Lady Baek, shall we go see the opening ceremony of the martial contest now?"
When Baek Cheong nodded at Jin Wi’s question, they left the area. They stepped onto the clouds by performing the Cloud-Riding Technique at the entrance of Yeongi Peak.
'But who really is she?'
Meanwhile, Baek Cheong was lost in thought about the child of the Hosan Seo Clan. Judging by the competitive spirit she had inadvertently revealed, it was highly likely that because they were in similar environments, they had been compared to each other without knowing it. But she felt pity rather than sympathy.
'She didn't seem to know nothing about me, though.'
Setting aside her skills, the courage to throw a gauntlet at the Transmission Disciple of the Pacheon Sword Sovereign was commendable. Of course, she had also shown a flustered side when Baek Cheong accepted so readily.
'I have to give it my all.'
She hadn't intended to approach the martial contest with a light heart from the beginning. Naturally, she had no intention of revealing rare treasures like the White Pearl Artifact or the Five Elements Banner. She didn't intend to reveal her skills related to Formations or Lightning Qi, either. She simply meant she would give it her all at the level she had shown publicly.
'The more, the better.'
As an outsider, it was a simple opportunity to obtain valuable things that couldn't be bought with Spirit Stones, like the Biun Sect's contribution points. There were things she could only get from the Biun Sect, not just the Cloud-Riding Technique. For example, a Secret Realm, which was said to be a collection of opportunities that every sect possessed. Even if there were limits because she was an outsider, she could at least get a simple technique.
'By the way, was she taller than me...'
Without realizing it, she lowered her head and looked down at her small chest. At the same time, she recalled Seo Jua’s figure that remained in her memory. It was a body closer to a young girl than a woman. They looked to be the same age, but that figure was foul play. Since she was a year older, her growth was bound to be different, but for some reason, she felt a surge of irritation.
'I should definitely give it my all against her.'