The Hebei Paeng Family
After asking the residents of Dang-ga-ta for directions, Cheonhwa finally reached the training grounds.
The grounds themselves looked as if they had only just been completed. Clearly they had been newly built to host the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering.
Cheonhwa listened while the groundskeeper explained the rules of use.
"The training grounds are divided into two main areas. One is the cultivation chambers provided for personal practice. The other is the sparring arena where participants may duel one another."
"Both the cultivation chambers and the sparring arena are quite large."
"We prepared them to accommodate the rising talents gathering from every corner of the Central Plains. The sparring arena in particular will serve as the stage for the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering itself, so we paid it special attention."
"Do people use the sparring arena often? With the Gathering so close, I wouldn't expect many to want to reveal their martial arts."
"As it happens, they use it more than you'd think."
The groundskeeper gave a wry smile.
"The original purpose was for the rising talents to exchange pointers, but in practice it's mostly used to settle disputes."
They were all at the age when blood ran hottest, so petty arguments often turned into fights. To keep the lodgings and shops from being wrecked, they were made to settle matters in the sparring arena. As a result, most of the training-ground staff had been reassigned to the arena side.
"Right now, Zhongnan Sect's Yeobhwa and Young Master Paeng Gun-ak of the Hebei Paeng Family are sparring in the arena."
"...Who did you say is sparring?"
For a moment Cheonhwa doubted his own ears.
Yeobhwa had said he was only going to look over the training grounds. Why on earth was he sparring with someone else?
Wanting to see what was going on, Cheonhwa headed straight for the sparring arena. Sure enough, two giants were locked in combat.
A tightly clenched fist collided with a willow-leaf saber. The air itself seemed to explode, and the aftershock of clashing Jin Releases whipped their clothes into a frenzy.
It was a collision without a single step of retreat—pure strength against strength, with no room for subtle positioning.
"Neither of them is ordinary. The shock waves from their clashing force are reaching all the way over here."
"He's not even wearing hand guards—he's catching a willow-leaf saber bare-handed. He's achieved blade-and-sword invulnerability through outer arts!"
"It's pure Jin Release against Jin Release, yet somehow they've held an even match this long."
The spectators watching the spectacular fight tossed in comments of their own.
Cheonhwa had to agree: both men's Jin Release was of a remarkably high level.
Yeobhwa had trained in the Qiankun Scattered Hands—outer arts combined with hand techniques—and had even reached the point of blade-and-sword invulnerability. His opponent, matching that massive frame, had clearly piled on just as much outer-arts training.
At first glance it looks even, but Senior Brother Yeobhwa is being pushed back.
In pure Jin Release, Yeobhwa held the edge. But his opponent was adding the weight of the willow-leaf saber and the inertia of every swing to increase its power. The longer the exchange went on, the greater the drain would fall on Yeobhwa.
He had to force a decisive blow before the situation worsened.
Yeobhwa's qi pulse thundered; an instant later his opponent's qi also surged violently. It was the sign that both were about to unleash every scrap of force they had stored.
Fist and saber met.
BOOM!
A tremendous roar, and the Jin Release swept outward like a gale. One man staggered and dropped to one knee.
It was Yeobhwa who knelt. His face had gone deathly pale; the excessive force had clearly left him with internal injuries.
With the match decided, Paeng Gun-ak withdrew his weapon and spoke.
"I told you, didn't I? You couldn't win."
"Kh...!"
Yeobhwa ground his teeth and let out a low groan at Paeng Gun-ak's words.
The ugly atmosphere and the content of their exchange made it plain that something unpleasant had passed between them.
Cheonhwa immediately climbed onto the platform and supported Yeobhwa.
"Senior Brother Yeobhwa, are you all right?"
"Junior Brother Cheonhwa, you've come. I've taken some internal injuries, but they aren't severe. Don't worry."
"That's a relief, but how did this spar even start?"
It was Paeng Gun-ak, not Yeobhwa, who answered.
"I simply taught him with my body so he would accept an obvious truth."
"An obvious truth?"
"Yes—the truth that the martial arts of the Hebei Paeng Family surpass those of the Zhongnan Sect."
"..."
Cheonhwa was left speechless.
Any disciple of a renowned sect took pride in their school's martial arts. To deny that pride to someone's face?
Not only Yeobhwa—anyone would have charged in fury at such words.
"In other words, you insulted our sect?"
"Not an insult. I merely proved a fact."
Paeng Gun-ak spoke calmly, without a trace of mockery. His tone made it clear he genuinely believed it was fact, not insult.
Anyone with common sense—or even the barest sense of courtesy—would never have spoken that way. At this point Cheonhwa almost doubted whether the man truly belonged to the Hebei Paeng Family.
Is there really someone like this?
When Cheonhwa stared at him in open disbelief, Paeng Gun-ak turned his gaze toward Yeobhwa.
"More importantly, is it all right to leave him like that? You say it's light, but he still took internal injuries."
Paeng Gun-ak was right. Leaving Yeobhwa as he was could let the injuries worsen. Returning to the lodgings would be difficult; they needed to borrow a cultivation chamber so he could settle his internal injuries.
"Senior Brother Yeobhwa, go recover from your injuries."
"What do you intend to do, Junior Brother Cheonhwa?"
"I'll settle this matter while you do."
After sending Yeobhwa to a cultivation chamber, Cheonhwa formally faced Paeng Gun-ak.
"I am Cheonhwa, head disciple of the Zhongnan Sect's Flower generation."
"Paeng Gun-ak of the Hebei Paeng Family."
"Please summon the leader of your Paeng Family contingent."
"For what purpose?"
"As the leader of the Zhongnan contingent, I intend to lodge a formal protest with the leader of the Paeng Family contingent."
In that brief exchange Cheonhwa had grasped one simple fact: there was no point arguing with a man completely trapped inside his own convictions. Far better to call the person in charge and settle it properly.
Paeng Gun-ak's brow furrowed.
"A Zhongnan disciple and a Paeng Family scion sparred, and the Paeng Family won. You're going to protest over something that trivial?"
"If this had been an ordinary personal dispute between two people, the match's outcome would have ended it. But if the quarrel arose over the martial arts of our respective schools, the matter is entirely different."
It was the sort of insult over which a life-and-death duel on the spot would not have been strange.
"Young Master Paeng claimed that because a Zhongnan disciple lost to a Paeng Family scion, the Paeng Family's martial arts are superior, correct?"
"That's right."
"Then, conversely, if a Zhongnan disciple defeats the Paeng Family, does that mean the Paeng Family's martial arts are inferior?"
"That..."
Paeng Gun-ak could not immediately deny it. The moment he denied it, his claim that Zhongnan's martial arts were inferior would also lose all force.
More than that, the premise itself was flawed.
"That... is impossible. A martial artist of the Hebei Paeng Family could never lose to Zhongnan."
Shaolin or Wudang, who vied for the head seat among the Nine Great Sects, might be another matter. But Zhongnan could not even fully dominate Shaanxi Province and had to share it with the Mount Hua Sect. There was no way the Paeng Family's martial arts could fall short against such a school.
Paeng Gun-ak sincerely believed it.
Which was why he could not ignore Cheonhwa's next words.
"So you're confident you can achieve a better result than Zhongnan at this Dragon and Phoenix Gathering."
"Of course."
"And if Zhongnan posts the better result?"
"If such a thing should ever happen, I will formally apologize for having looked down on Zhongnan's martial arts."
"I see."
As he spoke, Cheonhwa looked past Paeng Gun-ak's shoulder. Naturally Paeng Gun-ak's gaze followed, and he found himself face-to-face with a giant a full head taller than himself.
Until Cheonhwa mentioned it, Paeng Gun-ak had not sensed the slightest presence behind him. His shock was plain.
"Brother Mu-jin?"
"Paeng Gun-ak. So you finally caused an incident."
The giant's name was Paeng Mu-jin—leader of the Hebei Paeng Family contingent and Paeng Gun-ak's elder brother.
Paeng Mu-jin looked down at his younger brother with tiger-like eyes.
"I've already heard the story. Looking down on another sect's martial arts? Were you planning to start a war between Zhongnan and the Paeng Family?"
"That's not—"
"Silence!"
A roar like thunder rolled across the entire sparring arena. Paeng Gun-ak flinched and shut his mouth at once.
"Pride in one's family is fine, but I have told you again and again that yours is excessive. After making this mess, you still think to make excuses?"
"..."
"You will take responsibility for the words you yourself spoke, as the price of your rashness."
Having dismissed his brother, Paeng Mu-jin turned to Cheonhwa and offered a formal bow.
"I am Paeng Mu-jin of the Hebei Paeng Family. My younger brother has caused you trouble. As the contingent leader, I apologize in his place."
"Brother! No matter what, how can the eldest son of the Paeng Family bow his head so easily!"
"I told you to close that mouth. When you have done wrong, you must know how to bow your head. If you only cling to petty pride, how can you call yourself a real man!"
Startled by the sudden apology, Paeng Gun-ak cried out; Paeng Mu-jin fixed him with a glare.
Cheonhwa, however, spoke as if unconcerned.
"I would like to accept the apology, but it seems the party involved does not wish it."
"I am ashamed to have shown you such an unseemly sight."
"Forcing an apology would change nothing anyway. So I ask only one promise of you."
"And that is?"
"Make certain that Young Master Paeng Gun-ak keeps the words he spoke."
In other words: if Zhongnan achieved a better result than the Hebei Paeng Family, Paeng Gun-ak must offer a formal apology.
Given the scale of what Paeng Gun-ak had done, refusing was impossible. Paeng Mu-jin answered with a deep sigh.
"If it comes to that, even if I have to break his legs, I will make him apologize properly."
"Thank you, Great Hero Paeng Mu-jin."
"That is what I should be saying. You chose to punish only my younger brother rather than the entire Paeng Family."
"One can hardly curse an entire well just because of a frog sitting at the bottom of it."
"A wise answer."
Paeng Mu-jin seemed pleased by the reply; a faint smile touched his lips.
"A man like you will surely climb high in the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering. I look forward to meeting you there."
With those final words, Paeng Mu-jin apologized to everyone present at the training grounds for the disturbance, then left with Paeng Gun-ak in tow.
Once the Paeng Family party had gone, Cheonhwa let out a long breath of relief.
Thankfully their leader is someone I can talk to.
If even the leader had been as pig-headed as Paeng Gun-ak, the pride of both sects might have forced an all-out confrontation.
He looked like a considerable expert.
Cheonhwa recalled Paeng Mu-jin. The realm he sensed from the man's qi was Peak Expert. Most martial artists only reached Peak after the age of thirty. To have attained it in one's mid-twenties was proof of outstanding talent.
Still, I can't just take this quietly.
Okwon Jinin had told them not to obsess over victory or defeat, but this time Cheonhwa could not follow that counsel. With the honor of the sect on the line, they had to pour everything they had into outperforming the Hebei Paeng Family.
In that moment, his mindset toward the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering changed completely.
Cheonhwa returned to the lodgings with Yeobhwa and explained to Yeonhwa and Jeokhwa—who had been resting there—everything that had happened at the training grounds.
"What kind of person does that?"
"..."
Jeokhwa openly vented her anger, while Yeonhwa frowned in silence. If Cheonhwa had not already secured the promise, the two of them looked ready to storm out and confront the man themselves.
"I was hoping to take part with a light heart, but it seems that won't be possible."
"Mm. We have to climb as high as we can."
"The fault of this humble one, who gave them the pretext, is great. I will see that this disgrace is repaid."
With the Gathering proper still ahead, the fighting spirit of the three soared as if it might pierce the heavens.
"What about Senior Brother Myeonghwa?"
"He still hasn't come back."
Even though a fair amount of time had passed since Cheonhwa and Yeobhwa returned to the lodgings, Myeonghwa was still missing. Surely he hadn't run into trouble the way Yeobhwa had?
It might have been needless worry, yet the group, uneasy, began searching the lodging complex. Before long they discovered their concern had been wasted.
Myeonghwa was in the dining hall, chatting animatedly with a stranger. The man's disheveled appearance, ragged clothes, and distinctive knot at his waist marked him at a glance as a disciple of the Beggars' Sect.
Unaware of his companions' fretting, Myeonghwa cheerfully introduced the Beggars' Sect disciple with a bright face.
"Say hello. This is Senior Brother Yang Palsan, a rising talent from the Beggars' Sect."
"Yang Palsan. I've heard a great deal about all of you from little brother Myeonghwa. It's an honor to meet the future of the Zhongnan Sect."
How had the two become so close? Myeonghwa had been wandering the lodgings, striking up conversations for the sake of gathering information. Yang Palsan had been doing the same. When they happened to meet and talk, they discovered they got along so well that they were already calling each other elder and younger brother.
"Perfect timing. Big Brother Yang was just about to tell me about the sects participating in this Dragon and Phoenix Gathering."
"That certainly sounds interesting. Is the Hebei Paeng Family among them?"
"Of course I know about them. The Hebei Paeng Family is one of the strongest favorites to win this Gathering."
Yang Palsan's answer drew interest not only from Cheonhwa but from the other martial siblings as well. And so Yang Palsan ended up sharing a meal with the Zhongnan disciples.
Looking pleased, he picked up food with his chopsticks and began to talk.
"Did you know? The Dragon and Phoenix Gathering is a martial contest open to orthodox sects, but it has not always been this large."
Originally, invitation tablets had been circulated only among famous schools such as the Nine Great Sects and the Five Great Families, or those with close ties to them.
"And even now those famous schools remain the strongest favorites to win. The past records of the martial factions that have either claimed the championship or come heartbreakingly close prove it."
Among them, four schools stood out for the number of championships they had won or nearly won.
"From the Nine Great Sects: Shaolin Temple and the Wudang Sect. From the Five Great Families: the Namgung Family and the Hebei Paeng Family."
Wudang and Shaolin were the twin pillars of the orthodox path, forever contending for the head seat among the Nine Great Sects—so much so that people still spoke of "Shaolin of the North, Wudang of the South." Naturally, the participants who inherited those two schools' martial lineages usually posted excellent results.
The Namgung Family and the Hebei Paeng Family, for their part, stood at the very summit among the martial families of the Central Plains. One had founded its renown on sword arts, the other on saber arts. Unlike the more profound principles of the great sects, their martial studies were characteristically direct and tyrannical.
Of course the other schools were by no means far behind. Any school belonging to the Nine Great Sects or the Five Great Families had claimed the championship at least once. Those who excelled at the Gathering usually went on to make their names as the great masters of their generation. In that sense, virtually every famous orthodox school could be called a contender for the title.
"Among them, the Hebei Paeng Family is an especially strong favorite this time—because last Gathering's runner-up is participating."
This year the Hebei Paeng Family was fielding four participants. The one to watch most carefully was none other than the Tyrant Blade Dragon, Paeng Mu-jin.
Ten years ago he had lost to the Heavenly Sword Dragon, Namgung Myeong, but this time he had come sharpening his blade with every intention of taking the championship.
Reaching Peak Expert at such a young age was already unusual—so he was the previous Gathering's runner-up.
While Cheonhwa was recalling the earlier encounter, Yang Palsan swallowed a mouthful of food and continued.
"The other three are half-siblings considerably younger than Paeng Mu-jin—direct bloodline of the Paeng Family."
Yang Palsan began describing the traits of each Paeng Family direct descendant one by one, and the Zhongnan group listened intently.
When he finished, Yang Palsan allowed the corner of his mouth to lift slightly.
"Judging by your faces, something happened with the Paeng Family."
"Yes. We somehow ended up with a bad connection. We've decided to settle it through the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering."
"Do you think you have a chance of winning?"
"We will win."
Cheonhwa answered with rare certainty.
It was not a matter of whether they could win or not. They had to win.
Resolve blazed in Cheonhwa's eyes. Reading that light, Yang Palsan thought to himself:
I don't know what happened, but his fighting spirit is overflowing.
Zhongnan was a powerhouse that consistently reached the main tournament whenever the Gathering was held, yet its championship record could be counted on one hand.
Beating the Paeng Family at the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering is practically the same as beating the Tyrant Blade Dragon, Paeng Mu-jin.
A clash between the Tyrant Blade Dragon Paeng Mu-jin and Cheonhwa, who had recently made a name for himself in Shaanxi as the Jade Light Sword... That was a story that truly whetted the appetite.
If Daoist Cheonhwa defeats Great Hero Paeng Mu-jin, it will mean a new wind is blowing through the jianghu.
Already Yang Palsan found himself looking forward to seeing what ending the confrontation between Zhongnan and the Paeng Family would bring.