#45. A First-Rate Warrior Who Gathers People (4)
In one corner of the Jegal family estate stood a small pavilion built in a peculiar square shape. The family called it the Lord's Golden Prison.
Though the estate already had a golden prison deep underground for holding the martial world's demons, this Lord's Golden Prison had been constructed specifically for a prisoner unlike any before or since.
Inside the cramped space fit for just one person, a red-eyed boy was ceaselessly drawing diagrams, blueprints, and runes on every surface—walls, floor, without distinction.
"Young master."
He froze at the voice from above.
"Yeongyeong. If you keep coming in here, the Supreme Elder will scold you."
Yeongyeong. A shadow who served only Jegal Cheongi. He'd told her to return to her original post since no one knew when he'd leave this prison, but the loyal shadow continued to hover around him.
"Someone's here to see the Supreme Elder."
"The Supreme Elder is always busy."
"He's here to see you, young master."
"Me? Why?"
Jegal Cheongi stared at the empty ceiling.
"He wants to request your dispatch."
"Why me...?"
"He wants to install your mechanism arrays in his sect."
"What!"
Jegal Cheongi jumped in shock. While everyone in the family—and countless scholars across the martial world—unanimously dismissed mechanism arrays as useless, someone had come requesting to install his?
"And do you know who this person is?"
"Who? Someone special?"
"You know about the recent incident in Hunan?"
"Of course."
"It's the Black Flame Dragon hero who shone there."
"The Black Flame Dragon himself!"
Yeongyeong occasionally shared news from the outside world, and among recent tales, the one that captivated Jegal Cheongi most was about the Black Flame Dragon. The story of how he'd triumphed inside the legendary Muryangbulgolmokhonjin—an endless maze formation—never grew old, no matter how many times he heard it. If he weren't imprisoned, he'd rush to meet the man right now. He desperately wanted to know how he'd broken through that formation.
"That man came to see me?"
Jegal Cheongi instantly forgot the gloom of the past few months, the surrounding chaos, and the people's scorn. He had so many questions to ask him.
"...Ah, ah."
Then he remembered the Supreme Elder.
"It's probably impossible..."
"What do you mean?"
"The Supreme Elder isn't an easy man."
"..."
"Yeongyeong, if I can't meet the Black Flame Dragon hero, could you deliver a letter for me?"
"Don't say that. I'm sure he'll come to see you."
#
"Hah!"
Jegal Jeong let out a sound between delight and fury.
"I thought I'd meet this Black Flame Dragon making Hunan buzz with rumors, but he's just a lowborn thug after all."
Most of what Jegal Jeong said grated on the ears, but Black Flame Dragon stuck out most.
"Black Flame Dragon?"
Seeing my expression, Jegal Hyeonun raised an eyebrow.
"You didn't know? That's the nickname the martial world calls you by."
"..."
I could guess the 'Flame' came from my exploits. And the 'Dragon'—an honor reserved for the most outstanding among famed sects' young talents—was flattering enough. But 'Black'? That didn't suit a righteous martial artist's heir. And combined, the three characters had an oddly grating ring.
'Why?'
I'd ponder the nickname later and continued.
"Does my proposal displease you?"
"Do you not know how much shame your proposal brings upon the Jegal family?"
I tilted my head.
"This shames the Jegal family?"
"Do you think we lack the power to capture the Iron Shell Rise-Fall Great Serpent? It's all according to proper order."
"Who in the martial world doesn't know that?"
"What?"
We could catch it easily enough, but stepping in for free would cheapen our name. Unless greater damage occurred or someone pushed us into it, we couldn't act.
"In that light, shouldn't imprisoning Jegal Cheongi be even more shameful?"
Experimenting with Geomunjinbeop formations often led to accidents. In severe cases, people suffered hallucinations until they went mad, losing their minds forever.
Jegal Cheongi's offense wasn't a huge issue within the family. The real problem was that a direct descendant like him advocated for mechanism arrays over Geomunjinbeop.
Jegal Cheongi could have left the prison earlier. The sole condition: abandon mechanism arrays and swear to advance Geomunjinbeop. Refusing that, he'd spent eight years inside—missing even the Murim Academy entrance exam, serving mandatory duty in the Murim Alliance, and ending up in the Small Justice Squad.
"I truly don't understand. You decry mechanism arrays as worthless, yet demand the highest standards from someone who wants to use them. Isn't that the kind of chaotic contradiction only found within Geomunjinbeop itself?"
Jegal Jeong's face flushed beet red. Just as I thought the deal might fall through,
"Supreme Elder. This young man's words ring true."
"Clan Head!!"
The clan head persuading the Supreme Elder—and the Elder holding more sway at times—was a rare sight in the martial world, but unique to the Jegal family.
"To begin with, he's right. If we impose harsh criteria on a non-formal sorcerer, won't people see our standards as personal stubbornness, not reason?"
Jegal Jeong clearly disliked the clan head taking my side.
"That's only because he's the clan head's son!"
"...!"
He'd finally slipped. The clan head's voice could weaken on rational family matters. But ignoring him entirely crossed the line.
"Indeed, he is my son. Then let me ask in turn: why impose such harsh punishment only on my child?"
"...B-Because he's the clan head's heir. If he dismisses Geomunjinbeop, it's as if the Jegal family does."
"Cheongi has never dismissed Geomunjinbeop. He simply took great interest in mechanism arrays."
With that, Jegal Hyeonun crossed his arms and clamped his mouth shut.
Jegal Jeong found himself in a bind from his own mistake. Pushing his stubbornness now would mean ignoring the clan head and harshly punishing his son.
"Is that how it is?"
"Quiet! This isn't your place to speak."
The Jegal family, who never overlooked irrationality, wouldn't view Jegal Jeong favorably now. Opening my mouth to smooth things over would save face and end well—but knowing that, I deliberately stayed silent, watching him.
Jegal Jeong glanced at the clan head, glared at me, eyed the ceiling, then smirked thinly.
"Fine. I accept your conditions."
Jegal Hyeonun's eyebrow arched. His arms began to uncross slowly.
"You have at least some rationality."
"...But with conditions."
I nodded instead of answering.
"Passing the Jegal family's standards means recognition as a famed sect. You're Tae-eul Gate's representative, so we must gauge your sect through you."
"True."
"Thus, you must capture the Iron Shell Rise-Fall Great Serpent alone, without warriors or hunters' aid."
"Supreme Elder!"
Both Jegal Hyeonun and I were startled.
"Clan Head. This is a major concession on my part."
"Even so, how can he catch it alone?"
"That's for him to choose. Well? Will you?"
Sly old fox. Rising to Artisan Hall leader from a collateral line in talent-packed Jegal family wasn't mere luck.
I rifled through my mental library.
To him, it looked like hesitation, as his smirk widened.
Scanning books on beasts and spirits, I replied readily.
"Understood."
"...You'll do it?"
Uncertain from my quick answer, he pressed on.
"That sword and arm gear look extraordinary. No artifacts either. I'll lend you a plain iron sword."
"Hah..."
Jegal Hyeonun let out a hollow laugh at Jegal Jeong, now throwing a tantrum beyond reason.
"Understood. Any more restrictions?"
"No setting fires or harming nearby villages."
"More?"
I was starting to wonder how low this old man could sink.
"...No thunderbolt bombs either."
"Can I even get those? Go on."
"..."
"Nothing else?"
"..."
As I removed my sword gauntlet and Flying Dragon Claw, I said to Jegal Jeong, still fuming uneasily,
"Do you know what old thief means, elder?"
"...You brat!"
"At first, passing your standards seemed a fine chance to raise Tae-eul Gate's name."
I alternated glances between Jegal Jeong and Jegal Hyeonun.
"Now, I wonder if gaining Jegal recognition by meeting such standards even matters."
#
Even after Jegal Jeong stormed out, Jegal Hyeonun remained silent for a long while.
"Forgive the ugly display."
He sighed deeply. What a humiliation.
Unlike other clans, Jegal Hyeonun had risen to clan head decades early—because his father, Jegal Somyeong, had become the Murim Alliance's chief strategist.
If only his father had sorted family matters, but his words were:
"If you lack ability, give it to another."
Harsh, perhaps, but that was Jegal tradition—the foundation of their centuries-long fame.
"It's fine."
The young man before him. When Jin Sowoon defended Jegal Cheongi, gratitude had nearly made him leap up in embrace.
No one in the family acknowledged Cheongi, so an outsider validating him felt fresh.
'Cheongi might gain a good brother.'
He'd been an odd one out even among siblings.
But that was the end of it. He had to stop what the youth planned.
Capturing the Iron Shell Rise-Fall Great Serpent was hard enough; enduring all those restrictions made it suicidal—even from his position.
"I'll speak to the Supreme Elder. Head back."
"I need Jegal Cheongi."
"Thank you for saying so. Cheongi would be thrilled. But capturing it alone? Without gear? Market swords won't pierce its hide. The Supreme Elder's just playing dirty to force your surrender."
Jegal Hyeonun stared piercingly at Jin Sowoon.
He'd heard ears ringing about his feats at Ma-ryeong Plateau. He lamented his family's inaction and admired the rumors of Jin Sowoon's triumphs.
He wanted to ask how he'd breached the formation and study it together—but as clan head, he couldn't.
That's why he hoped this promising youth wouldn't throw away his life on stubbornness.
"The Supreme Elder clings to decisions relentlessly. He'll assign an observer to prevent any tricks."
"All anticipated."
As they spoke, Jegal Hyeonun felt an odd dissonance.
"...Aren't you afraid?"
"I am."
Jin Sowoon showed no tension, as if he knew the outcome.
'Come to think of it.'
Jegal Jeong was a top scholar. Yet this youth under thirty had pointed out contradictions and called him old thief.
"You don't look it."
"Afraid, yes—but I have several ways to catch the Iron Shell Rise-Fall Great Serpent."
"...Several?"
"I'll use the one sure to rile the Supreme Elder most."
Then Jin Sowoon grinned, flashing his teeth.
The smile was familiar—like kids plotting mischief.
'Joking in this situation?'
Jegal Hyeonun had never felt inadequate, but now he couldn't guess Jin Sowoon's thoughts.