Those Who Chase the Dragon (3)

In his previous life, the Murim entrance exam had been more intense than ever before. With the Murim Alliance at the forefront, sects across the entire martial world—having reached their peak during a long period of peace—unleashed all the power they'd been holding back. Some even said the competition was only that fierce because the prominent orthodox sects caught up in the Mareung Plateau incident couldn't even recover their disciples' bodies and had to forfeit participation.

But now, without the Mareung Plateau disaster, the current Murim entrance exam was unfolding in an even more brutal showdown than what he'd seen in reports from his past life.

Events that hadn't happened in his previous life. The Nine Great Clans and Five Great Families were inherently powerful sects, and even those enduring this hellish exam tended to see them as the final hurdle. The fact that attacks were already starting meant the current exam was unfolding even more fiercely than in his past life.

The news that even the Namgung Family and Iron Sword Sect had taken hits was quite a shock.

'The Cheonggung Unwi Sword Technique should have been completed by now.'

The Creator Divine Sword had secluded himself with half of Jeon Cheon-gi's upgraded version of the Cheonggung Muae Sword Technique. If it was complete, Namgung Seonhwa would surely have led Namgung Family warriors at the level she was originally meant to command.

'Did they fail to complete it?'

Moreover, if they were moving with the Iron Sword Sect, there shouldn't have been anyone in Anhui Province who could oppose them. The fact that those two ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠had to go into hiding to evade attacks meant it wasn't their weakness—it was proof of how brutal the exam had become.

'The Creator Divine Sword did ask for this...'

Right now, he was too busy tending to the gold-silver-bronze brothers.

"Hup!"

Dongryong jolted awake in alarm. His face was plastered with dried blood that wasn't his own as he scanned the surroundings with tense eyes.

"You okay?"

"...Senior Brother."

"Looks like you had a nightmare."

"..."

It had been three days since they left Cheonmok Mountain. Repeated attacks had left the kids unable to even catch a wink, forced to fight back constantly. Just moments ago, after a fierce battle, they'd decided to rest a short distance away, but as they tried to circulate their energy, the three brothers had passed out from exhaustion.

They were desperately circulating their energy, but ten years' worth of internal energy had its limits. The bigger problem was rest. Three straight days of gritting their teeth through endless fights were already gnawing away at the boys' bodies—and now their minds too.

"...Sorry, Senior Brother."

Even when told to get some more shut-eye, Dongryong just stared blankly before hanging his head.

"It's not your fault."

"..."

"Right now, priority one is recovering as much internal energy as possible—not dwelling on blame."

Dongryong nodded at Jin Sowoon's firm words and quickly began circulating his energy.

"I'll leave it to you, then."

If there was one reason the kids were this worn out despite using Tae-eul Haenggong and the White Tiger Sword Formation, it was Dongryong. Up until they left Tae-eul Gate, the three moved like a single body. But after Dongryong's heavenly killer star awakened, they were even less coordinated than total greenhorns.

To be precise, Dongryong's elevated skills were breaking the formation. With his heavenly killer star awakened, he'd absorbed new sword forms mastered in a trance-like state. The star's instinct—to grow stronger with every kill—advanced him a step with each battle, leaving Geum Pyo and Eunho unable to keep up.

But they couldn't fight without him; the White Tiger Sword Formation required at least three to hold the heaven-earth-human positions. Geum Pyo and Eunho alone couldn't maintain it.

"...I'm starting to think it might be better if we head back."

Eunho, now awake, spoke quietly.

"You up?"

Eunho hesitated before repeating himself.

"...Wouldn't that be best?"

Jin Sowoon knew what worried him and brushed it off.

"Fatigue easing up at all?"

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"...Internal energy's recovered somewhat, but my senses are dulling."

It was about time for the side effects of substituting sleep with energy circulation to kick in.

"Eat something first, at least."

He tossed Eunho the jerky pouch he was munching from. Eunho reached in but pulled his hand back at the thick stench of blood wafting from the woods nearby.

"If you don't eat now, who knows when you will next."

"..."

Eunho forced some jerky into his mouth and dry-heaved a few times.

"Senior Brother's using a different movement technique from us."

He meant the Heavenly Lone Walker God Step he'd shown a few times in battle.

"Got lucky and picked it up. I'll pass it on when the time's right."

It was an ancient technique created by past Demon Lords and the Tae-eul Sword Emperor. He hadn't mastered it enough to teach yet.

"That's not the point. If you have that, couldn't you just leave us behind?"

Back to square one.

"..."

Eunho gazed pityingly at the dozing Dongryong. The formation had crumbled because of him, but there was no resentment in his eyes.

"I already gave you a chance to bail. So remember—you can't turn back now."

"Wouldn't you be freer without us?"

Was that kind of freedom true freedom? Memories of a lifetime without it made him shake his head.

Eunho raised his voice in frustration.

"Senior Brother... the formation's already broken..."

"I'll step in."

"Pardon?"

"I'll join and rebuild the formation."

"That's ridiculous..."

Mid-sentence, Eunho whipped around as if hearing ghostly laughter.

"Senior Brother... did you just...?"

The attackers stalking them were that close now.

"I know."

"Then let's—"

Eunho moved to wake Geum Pyo and Dongryong.

"Leave them. They're cautious types—it'll take them a while to close in."

"Huh?"

"It's still daytime, isn't it? And if they've been watching, they know what we've been through these past three days."

This was psychological warfare. They'd deliberately let him sense their presence. And instead of bolting, he'd urged the kids to rest—which made the enemies hesitate, wondering if it was a trap.

"So we're resting until they attack?"

"They're not the only ones eyeing us."

Warriors in groups of ten or twenty were watching from all sides.

"They're waiting to see who strikes first. They won't move until there's a trigger."

Even in a sure-win fight, humans instinctively avoid harm. Easier to finish a wounded foe than a tired one, and a dying one easier still.

"We've barely passed Ilgwanmun. They won't act until they're certain they can take us down."

"..."

Eunho plopped down, looking like he'd heard madness, shaking his head as if thinking was too much.

"I give up. Do what you want, Senior Brother."

Jin Sowoon couldn't help a smirk. In his past life, the kid hadn't followed him like this.

"Want me to knock you out?"

"Knock me out?"

"You think ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠you'll sleep in this situation?"

Eunho nodded blankly.

"Please do."

"Sleep."

He fired a finger wind, putting Eunho under.

Eunho was stunned in more ways than one.

A sword formation wasn't something you could just pull off by following steps. You had to feel your comrades' bodies as your own, move as one heart under their will—that was true completion. That's why even those with high martial realms couldn't wield formations casually. Even Shaolin, the martial world's North Star, didn't casually deploy their famed One Name Genius or 108 Arhats Formation.

And yet.

'It's working.'

It works. It's working. Perfectly.

And not just coordinated—it felt like they'd gained a whole new level of power, something they'd never experienced. After his heavenly killer star awakened and his realm advanced, he now understood why Dongryong had run the formation so wildly, making their old one feel suffocatingly weak by comparison.

'Just because Senior Brother joined.'

That's why Senior Brother had feigned madness, luring enemies while letting them rest amid the encirclement—he was confident he could handle them with the reformed formation, no matter how many came.

'What an incredible guy.'

Every choice seemed to defy common sense, even sanity, yet it always yielded the best results. Thanks to this brief rest, Geum Pyo and Dongryong's complexions had improved dramatically.

"Hang in there just a bit longer!"

"Yes, sir!"

Eunho felt strength surge into Geum Pyo and Dongryong's grips at his fierce shout. The seventy attackers swarming like bees began collapsing as the moon dipped, blood streams forming rivers, abandoned swords littering the weed-choked ground.

"Hah, hah, hah."

When the last foe fled and he leaned on his sword, dawn broke from the east.

"Hah, hah."

Geum Pyo gulped down the last of his water skin, shoving jerky into his mouth despite the blood and flesh strewn everywhere. Not to be outdone, Eunho forced some down beside the corpses. If they didn't eat now, who knew when next.

In just three days, the gold-silver-bronze brothers had lost any luxury regarding meals.

"Senior Brother, you eat too."

Dongryong offered the jerky pouch, but Jin Sowoon stared into the woods instead of answering.

Another attack? If they just let us rest half a day, it'd be a miracle, he thought fleetingly. Then, from the direction of his gaze, three or four men in yellow robes emerged.

Just four? Eunho started to rise, thinking they ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠could take them, but Jin Sowoon held up a hand to stop him.

"...?"

The yellow-robed men just stood there, watching. Unlike previous attackers who hid and struck swiftly, this was different.

"What're they?"

"Their auras feel... different."

No killing intent, but heavy. That rock-solid density felt more ominous.

As Jin Sowoon glared silently, a transmission rang in Eunho's ear.

Eunho whipped his head around in shock, and Geum Pyo and Dongryong jolted too—they'd heard it.

"..."

Stunned by the uncanny technique, but as Jin Sowoon nodded, the yellow-robed men approached slowly. The three men looked to be in their early thirties, similar ages, with a freckled youth in the center who seemed about Eunho's age.

The freckled youth spoke first.

"Impressive display."

His voice was eerily calm amid the gruesome battle traces.

"You may not know, but I'm Jong Seogang of the Hwanggeom Sect."

Jin Sowoon replied to the greeting.

"Why wouldn't I know a fellow member of the 108 Peaks? Jin Sowoon of Tae-eul Gate."

"Calling us 'fellow 108 Peaks' feels a bit much..."

"..."

His calm tone hid sharp barbs laced with clear hostility.

"I've heard the rumors. You got lucky and snagged an Ilgwanmun plaque, right?"

Eunho wanted to snap back at the rudeness.

"...Does anything in this world happen by luck alone? You get what you work for."

Jong Seogang's lip curled at Jin Sowoon's words.

"You might not know, Jin Gongja, but Hwanggeom Sect has never failed to enter the Murim Academy."

"Is that so?"

"But this time, bad luck—we missed the Ilgwanmun exam."

"..."

"So, how about you hand over that plaque you got lucky with?"

Eunho ground his teeth listening. Lucky? They'd waged war on two bandit strongholds for it, nearly died multiple times, and Dongryong's star had awakened, almost killing his brothers. And now this—'hand it over'? It's robbery, plain and simple.

Unthinkingly, Eunho surged his internal energy. And in that instant—

'Gah!'

The constricting aura shattered it. What the—

Disrupting circulation with sheer presence was absurd mastery. Even if his own attainment was low, this was unreal. Eunho's gaze shifted to the man on Jong Seogang's right, who met his eyes without denial—as if saying, Don't get reckless.

'An expert... one whose level I can't even fathom.'

Weren't first-rate or higher barred from participating?

"..."

Jin Sowoon sighed softly at the sight.

"I could spare two."

Having felt the unfathomable expert's pressure firsthand, Eunho now understood why Jin Sowoon had been tense from the start.

"Two?"

"That much, I'd happily yield. We're both 108 Peaks after all, right?"

"Hoh."

Jong Seogang chuckled suddenly.

"You knew?"

"Hard to miss when you're advertising it."

"Pity, but two won't cut it. Not with all of Hwanggeom Sect and Cheongdo Bang's forces here—plus the sects allied with us."

"..."

"Hand over everything."

Hwanggeom Sect, Cheongdo Bang, and others? How many were there?

Jong Seogang lightly raised his right hand.

"...!"

"...!"

"...!"

With it, massive killing intent erupted from the surrounding woods. Birds fled in panic, wild animals shrieked and scattered like they'd met predators.

"As I said—all our forces are here. We're not like the small fry you've faced."

The gold-silver-bronze brothers shivered under the invisible pressure, faces pale with desperate urge to flee. Jin Sowoon drew a deep breath and bellowed.

"Haat!"

With a bursting sound, the pressure on his group shattered. Jong Seogang's smug face twisted in a frown.

"Everything? No dice. You thieves think you can just demand my stuff? You're asking to die."