Unwanted Invitation (4)
“How dare you try to end the Moyong family line, you bastard?!!!!!!!”
Tightly clenched fists. A face flushed beet red. Eyes bulging with burst blood vessels. Hot snorts blasting out like steam from a kettle, with all pretense of dignity thrown out the window.
At a glance, it was clear he hadn't vented his rage on Moyong Jaehwa yet.
But why the hell were those arrows flying at me?
“What are you talking about? End the family line?”
“Hah, playing dumb, are you?”
Moyong Gang, who had been about to step into the office, grabbed the shattered door—now just a hunk of ragged wood—by the collar with one hand.
Crunch, grind...
Boom.
……He tore it apart.
Whoa…
So that's what absolute masters could do.
Regardless of my exclamation, Moyong Gang's face remained twisted in unresolved fury.
“Fine, then. I'll jog your memory.”
Crack, crack.
The sound of his knuckles popping and his neck cracking echoed through the entire office.
How the hell was that the demeanor of an absolute master? He'd fit right in with the local thugs.
What I'd hoped for was a heartwarming scene: Moyong Gang bursting in mid-beatdown to stop him, advocating for his grandson, and clearing up the grandfather-grandson misunderstanding.
But somehow, this rage-uncontrolled absolute master—who even made black path bastards tremble—was treating me like his mortal enemy.
Could I talk my way out like I did in front of Jegal Somyeong? Maybe.
The problem was, I had to let him blow off some steam first before any convincing would stick.
“Wait!”
“……”
“Just wait a moment, please.”
As I boldly stood from my seat, Moyong Gang fixed his eyes on me, daring me to try something.
“Got something to say?”
“Hoo… Dust… cough, cough… I can't talk like this. Why'd you have to smash the important door?”
“What'd you say?”
I clicked my tongue and slowly walked toward the window. Moyong Gang stared at me, eyes twitching in disbelief.
“Go on, say whatever you have to say. Might keep me from snapping all your limbs.”
Killing intent flickered in his eyes now.
“……But aren't you the benefactor who saved the young master's life?”
No, if he's the benefactor who saved your son's life, you shouldn't be trying to break his limbs in the first place. The guy's logic was shot.
The best way to handle someone like that? Only one option.
Rattle.
I flung open the window and planted my foot on the sill.
“What the hell are you—”
The ultimate strat from Art of War. Of the Thirty-Six Stratagems, the best was to hightail it.
Whoosh.
Unleashing Heavenly Lone Walker God Step at full throttle warped the scenery around me in an instant.
“Jin Sowoon!!!!!!!”
Moyong Gang's roar faded into the distance.
Autumn air had never felt so refreshing.
#
—You'd better stop while I'm being nice.
A booming voice—telepathic transmission or sound skill, who knew?—rang in my ears like it was tearing them apart.
What the—scary as shit.
I kicked my legs into overdrive in sheer panic.
Back in my childhood, my father had warned me about three types of people to avoid.
Those with overwhelming martial prowess.
Those with zero anger control.
Those whose thoughts you couldn't read.
Dad probably never imagined all three in one person.
Anyway, the best way to deal with Moyong Gang right now? Just run. From experience.
Heavenly Lone Walker God Step was top-five lightness skill in the entire martial world, no matter where you looked.
No matter how great the Moyong family's movement arts, they couldn't catch a technique forged by the Heavenly Demon and the Tae-eul Sword Emperor.
Plus, my internal energy was a whopping four jia.
Layer on the daily-trained Tae-eul Haenggong for mobility…
'I could run all day!'
Why did I suddenly crave a shield for extra peace of mind?
—Oh ho! Confident in your lightness skill, eh?
Another ear-shattering transmission.
I sent a silent apology in my heart.
No matter how absolute Moyong Gang was, his means of pursuit were li—
Boom! Boom-boom! Boom-boom-boom!
Huh? Glancing back at the exploding air, that tiny rice-grain figure of Moyong Gang was closing in with explosive steps.
What the fuck!
Shit! I ramped up speed in shock, but his transmission stabbed my ear.
—Think I haven't faced faster feet among my enemies?
No, I told you I'm not your enemy!
Boom! Boom-boom! Boom-boom-boom-boom!
Moyong Gang was detonating qi blasts at his feet, using the recoil to shrink space.
Whoa…
So that's how my past-life Moyong Jaehwa learned to propel arrows—from his own grandpa…
Another revelation amid the joy, and suddenly Moyong Gang had closed to within ten zhang.
A few more bursts and he'd catch me.
I pushed my thighs and calves to the breaking point.
“You fool! Just take the hit instead of stoking my rage!”
You were gonna beat me no matter what I said.
That bastard! Now close enough to yell without transmission, Moyong Gang overtook me with another foot-blast.
Boom!
He shot past in a flash, aiming to block me.
But I wasn't going down easy.
The moment he cut me off—
'Now!'
Crunch.
I wrenched my direction violently, my ankle and lower body joints screaming in protest.
“Y-You! Damn punk!”
Moyong Gang, waiting ahead, chased with even more fury.
He wasn't the type for fine qi control to modulate blast intensity.
His nickname was Fengbai Sword Breaker, after all.
'If I just keep dodging like this…'
Then—
In the midst of our life-or-death game of tag, the space ahead warped.
“Wh-What the…”
The pristine academy scenery twisted into a muddy blur.
The distortion solidified into a massive hand shape.
Palm power? Vacuum grasp? No, too vivid and huge.
“Gah!”
The instant I sensed the unknown, I spun desperately—but an invisible giant hand had already slammed my side.
Bam!
Tangling and rolling dozens of times across the ground, I scrambled up.
“You bastard!!”
Through the dust cloud, Moyong Gang charged with a colossal palm strike.
Clang!
I desperately drew the Black Dragon Sword to block his fist.
Boom!
His fist met the supreme metal of Gold Diamond Invincible Iron—yet the palm power didn't dissipate, surging past the blade to smash my solar plexus.
Thud!
Ribs shattering in agony, my vision swam—but no time to hurt.
Moyong Gang's second strike was already incoming.
Heaven-Earth Invincible Palm.
Raw destructive power rivaling Heaven-Earth Splitting Sword Art.
Hell, the old man's for real.
I unleashed Blazing Spear with the Black Dragon Sword to deflect it, while my left hand countered with Cartoon Invincible Fist.
Moyong Gang's eyes sharpened at the illusory fist shades filling my view.
“You dare defy your elder?!”
No, you're the one going all-out on a junior half your age…!
Clang! Clang! Clang!
His Wall-Shattering Fist clashed with my fist shades, bell-like tones ringing wide.
Simultaneously, I tightened Twin Heaven Sword Conclusion around his vitals.
Shinggggg!
Black Dragon Swords filled the air without gap, each laced with lethal sword qi.
Yet Moyong Gang looked bored.
“You think me on the level of those snake-and-chicken game clowns?”
Heat flared from his right foot, spewing flames like a fire dragon, incinerating my sword qi.
True to form, the guy's a hothead.
“That all you got?”
He flicked away the heat and qi, advancing with fury unchecked.
All I got?
“Hardly.”
I'm the guy who beheaded the Dharma King with sheer tenacity, after all.
I grinned at him.
“We're just getting started.”
'Extreme Swiftness'
The Black Dragon Sword shot out like a beam of light with a heroic whistle.
#
“……Ugh.”
“Hands up straight!!!”
At Moyong Gang's bellow, Jin Sowoon—eyes swollen like ping-pong balls—shot both hands sky-high.
“S-Senior, it's already been a whole shichen. If I keep 'em up much longer…”
His hands trembled as he feigned near-death agony. Moyong Gang stared in utter disbelief.
'A guy with that depth of skill whining after just one shichen?'
First shock: dodging his lifelong insight, Mutual Destruction Fist.
Then layering sword qi on Twin Heaven Sword Conclusion—impressive enough.
But that follow-up swift sword? What the hell.
Sharpness aside, the speed blew past predictions.
A split-second slower, and he'd have suffered the humiliation of his robes sliced by a novice swordsman.
'Definitely Sword Demon's arts…'
How'd this punk master the techniques of the guy who vanished five years ago?
And at the end, coating Ten Thousand Swords of Heaven and Earth in sword aura for Twin Heaven Sword Conclusion—madness.
Internal energy aside, that destructive power screamed untrained external arts? No way.
A guy at that level griping about holding his hands up?
Even a stray dog would laugh.
“Tch. Thought he'd roughly match Seol, but the kid's already leaped ahead.”
Moyong Seol had been making waves lately, dubbed the next Sword Queen.
Time to broach the topic—or so he'd thought, but this punk had opened another realm's door.
Jin Sowoon, clueless to his mutterings, just gawked blankly.
“Huh?”
“Hands up straight!”
Moyong Gang snapped irritably at the sight.
Undeterred, Jin Sowoon slyly lowered his hands a bit and asked.
“Senior, just gotta ask out of pure curiosity… Why the hell are you doing this to me?”
“Why?”
Jin Sowoon nodded without hesitation.
“I seriously have no clue.”
“Then why'd you run?”
“Duh, you run when something scary chases you. Natural reaction, right?”
His brazen calm drew a scoff from Moyong Gang.
“Hah! More like running 'cause you knew you were guilty.”
“No! What the fuck did I even do to you?!”
Now pounding the floor in mock injustice with both hands.
“Hands up again…”
“Yes, sir!”
Even trying to game the system mid-punishment.
Wasn't even fazed by the Sword Breaker?
“Anyway, I did nothing wrong.”
“Nothing? Seducing and blackmailing the Moyong direct heir to claim the clan's bow pavilion isn't a crime—what is?”
Moyong Gang cut straight to it; Jin Sowoon paled in shock.
“Wh-What? Seducing and blackmailing…?!”
Figured he'd deny it. That's why he'd resisted shredding the letter in rage.
“Tch.”
Moyong Gang pulled the transmissive letter from his bosom and flung it at Jin Sowoon.
It sailed stiff as iron plate, not fluttering like paper.
Glancing warily, Jin Sowoon lowered his hands, snatched it, and read.
Your unworthy grandson Moyong Jaehwa must pay respects in person, yet shame prevents me, so forgive this written greeting…
I never once thought to claim the pavilion, but the Black Flame Dragon Hero exploited my yielding heart…
Moreover, threatened that if I didn't seize it, everyone around me would die, leaving me no choice…
Finishing the letter, Jin Sowoon let out a low whistle.
“Whoa, this Black Flame Dragon asshole's a real piece of shit.”
Reading it, even knowing it was about him, fury bubbled up.
The scattered references to real jianghu incidents added vivid realism.
Hell, shoulda made Jaehwa wield a brush, not a bow.
But…
'Wait… This handwriting looks familiar?'
Focusing on the script, another face floated up.
This was definitely—definitely…
'……Eunho! You little shit! Selling out your big bro for a friend?'
Jin Sowoon glared at it, eyes blazing like he'd torch it any second.
Seeing him tremble in rage, Moyong Gang asked.
“Admitting your guilt?”
Jin Sowoon sprang up.
“No, Senior! I'm innocent. This letter's packed with fabrications and incitement—”
“Shut it! Even if there's lies in that letter, you won't claim seducing Jaehwa into the pavilion was fake too?”
Jin Sowoon faltered mid-rise.
“Th-That’s…”
“Just came from the academy head. You even made special archery lessons for him?”
Fuck, cornered.
“Facts this clear, and you still deny your crimes?!”
Jin Sowoon thrust out a hand, halting Moyong Gang's advance.
“W-Wait! Technically, the line hasn't ended!”
“What? Speak carefully. Unless you want your ancestral rite rice next year.”
Gulp.
Jin Sowoon swallowed hard, racking his brain.
“W-Well, isn't Moyong Seol the young lady better at swordsmanship anyway?”
“Hm?”
“And I heard the Moyong family isn't so rigid.”
A chilling smile crept onto Moyong Gang's lips.
“Oh ho. Suggesting a son-in-law, then?”
“N-Not exactly, but it could be one way, and besides…”
“Good. Then you become the Moyong son-in-law.”
“……Huh?”
Stunned by the sudden declaration, Jin Sowoon tilted his head.
'Shit, what now? This guy's losing it.'
Moyong Gang's logic was beyond him—headache incoming.