Chapter 111
Chapter 111
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 111
Chapter Title: The Celestial Dragonfly Soul of the Yue Family of Shandong
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As I approached, Ju Won-ik finally let out a gasp of admiration.
“Brother Yong! That was incredible!”
“You flatter me.”
It was a rare display of humility for me. I felt a bit awkward, but it was a good feeling.
Ju Won-ik clapped me on the shoulder.
“It was a duel between masters, so I couldn't follow it closely, but the sight of you two flying through the air as you fought was like watching immortals!”
Ju Won-ik turned to Jeong Chung-ho, who had just walked over.
“Captain Jeong, what do you think of Brother Yong?”
“The great warrior is far more skilled than I. He is a cut above.”
“Is that so?”
Ju Won-ik threw an arm around my shoulder and burst into a hearty laugh.
“Hahaha! I thought Captain Jeong was the best, but it seems there's always a sky above the sky! Brother Yong, you are that higher heaven!”
As we walked down the riverbank, I asked Jeong Chung-ho.
“Captain Jeong, how much of the Celestial Dragonfly Soul have you mastered?”
Jeong Chung-ho was slightly surprised.
“You recognized the Celestial Dragonfly Soul?”
“I did.”
Jeong Chung-ho answered with a serious tone.
“I began training in the Celestial Dragonfly Soul at fifteen and practiced it for sixteen years. After that, I was active in the martial world for over a decade.”
Hyukryeon Byeok-gyo had told me there were three Supreme Ultimate Fast Swords: the Rainbow Zenith, the Celestial Dragonfly Soul, and the Heaven-Severing Divine Sword.
Since the sword art Jeong Chung-ho had used was neither the Rainbow Zenith nor the Heaven-Severing Divine Sword, it had to be the Celestial Dragonfly Soul.
“What was the sword art you used, great warrior?”
“The Heaven-Severing Divine Sword.”
“Ah!”
“You know of it?”
“I've heard that the Heaven-Severing Divine Sword is one of the Three Divine Swords Under Heaven. My defeat at your hands was an inevitable outcome, then.”
Even though I wielded one of the Three Divine Swords Under Heaven, I knew nothing about the other two.
“Not necessarily. The Celestial Dragonfly Soul is an excellent sword art, one of the Supreme Ultimate Fast Swords. In a real fight, however, factors like internal energy and supplementary martial arts play a large role.”
Jeong Chung-ho considered my words seriously.
“Forgive my impertinence, but what is the extent of your internal energy, great warrior?”
“When I fought you, Captain Jeong, I used one hundred and fifty years of internal energy.”
Jeong Chung-ho was shocked.
“You mean to say your internal energy exceeds one hundred and fifty years.”
“That is correct.”
From what I could tell, Jeong Chung-ho's internal energy was at the level of one hundred and forty years.
Jeong Chung-ho was very serious.
“Would you tell me the reason for my defeat?”
In a duel, knowing why you lost is far more important than winning.
Furthermore, it is extremely rare for a victor to kindly explain the reasons for the loser's defeat, and it is almost unheard of for a loser to ask. It is a matter of great pride.
I thought for a moment, but only one reason for his defeat came to mind.
“It's because I was stronger than you, Captain Jeong.”
“Is that so?”
If misunderstood—no, even if not misunderstood—it was a statement that would offend ninety-nine people out of a hundred.
It implied, "I won because I'm stronger than you. What other reason could there be?"
“Your skill, Captain Jeong, was flawless.”
However, if heard correctly, it was a compliment and encouragement, and Jeong Chung-ho understood that.
Jeong Chung-ho asked another question.
“How did you recognize the Celestial Dragonfly Soul?”
“Isn't the Celestial Dragonfly Soul one of the three Supreme Ultimate Fast Swords?”
“What is a Supreme Ultimate Fast Sword?”
We stopped walking.
“You don't know of the Twelve Supreme Ultimate Fast Arts?”
“I do not. I've never heard of them.”
I was a bit taken aback, but it was understandable.
Terms like the Twelve Supreme Ultimate Fast Arts or Supreme Ultimate Fast Sword were all coined by the connoisseurs of the martial world to establish a certain standard.
In any world, there are rankings and measures to gauge them.
This was especially true in the life-or-death duels of the martial world, where strength was everything.
“Would you tell me about these Twelve Supreme Ultimate Fast Arts?”
“Of course.”
After explaining what I knew about the Twelve Supreme Ultimate Fast Arts, I asked him a question.
“Captain Jeong, from whom did you learn the Celestial Dragonfly Soul?”
“I learned it from my master.”
“And who is your master?”
If he taught Jeong Chung-ho the Celestial Dragonfly Soul, he must be a powerful warrior. And if he was still alive, he was another rival I would have to defeat. It seemed that no matter how many you dug up, powerful martial artists just kept appearing.
“He is the Celestial Sword Emperor.”
Just from the title, he sounded like a formidable figure, but I had never heard of him.
“Is he alive?”
“About twenty years ago, he said he was going somewhere and left abruptly. He has not yet returned.”
Jeong Chung-ho's face was filled with longing.
“He sent a letter once, five years after he left, but there has been no word for the last fifteen years.”
Then, Jeong Chung-ho revealed something unexpected.
“My master is the lady's uncle.”
I was startled.
“The lady? You mean my sister-in-law?”
“Yes.”
“Your master is from the Yue Family of Shandong?”
“That's right. My master's name is Ak Ho-cheon.”
“Ak Ho-cheon.”
The moment I heard the name 'Ak Ho-cheon', I felt a sharp jolt pass through my chest.
But upon reflection, I realized I had never heard the name Ak Ho-cheon before.
In that case, the Celestial Dragonfly Soul must be the exclusive sword art of the Yue Family of Shandong.
Jeong Chung-ho looked puzzled.
“Do you know my master?”
“No. I'm hearing the name for the first time.”
“But your expression just now...”
Jeong Chung-ho didn't let it go.
“I must have mistaken it for a name I knew.”
I couldn't explain the strange feeling I didn't understand myself, so I gave a vague answer.
“Then is the Celestial Dragonfly Soul the exclusive sword art of the Yue Family of Shandong?”
“Yes, it is.”
Unfortunately, the Celestial Dragonfly Soul was not among the sword arts I had mastered.
I asked an important question.
“How many people have mastered the Celestial Dragonfly Soul?”
“Most members of the Yue Family of Shandong have mastered it.”
The fact that everyone in the Yue Family of Shandong practiced the Celestial Dragonfly Soul, a Supreme Ultimate Fast Sword, was shocking.
“Are there people in the Yue Family of Shandong stronger than you, Captain Jeong?”
“There are probably about twenty.”
Twenty people stronger than Jeong Chung-ho. It was more than incredible; it left me speechless. If that was true, the Yue Family of Shandong was the strongest family in the martial world.
“In your opinion, Captain Jeong, are any of them stronger than me?”
Jeong Chung-ho thought for a moment before answering.
“Of those twenty, about fifteen would be on par with you, great warrior, and five would be stronger.”
My curiosity—no, my fighting spirit—was piqued.
“Who are those five?”
“They are the clan of the Yue Family Head. Please understand that I cannot say more.”
“No, thank you for telling me.”
What Jeong Chung-ho had told me was a great help.
His assessment, coming from someone who had fought me, was likely accurate. The thought that there were five people in the Yue Family of Shandong stronger than me was astonishing, and it made my fighting spirit burn even brighter.
Therefore, as I was now, I couldn't yet claim to be the strongest in actual combat.
“So, Captain Jeong, you must be close with my sister-in-law.”
Jeong Chung-ho smiled warmly.
“The lady's third older sister, Ak Bu-yong, is my wife.”
“Huh!”
I had not expected that at all.
“Then...”
“That's right. His Highness and I are brothers-in-law.”
“Huh!”
My "Huh!" was louder this time. I was genuinely surprised by the unexpected revelation.
As if he had heard, Ju Won-ik, who was talking with his wife a short distance away, smiled and waved at Jeong Chung-ho.
“Brother-in-law! Let's go have a drink!”
“Brother-in-law! I'm hungry! Let's go!”
Ak So-cheong chimed in.
Jeong Chung-ho scratched his head in embarrassment.
“Understood.”
I smiled warmly.
“In terms of family relations, isn't His Highness your junior, Captain Jeong?”
“Great Warrior Ak.”
Jeong Chung-ho, flustered, waved his hand as if to say, 'stop.'
Before boarding the boat, Jeong Chung-ho clasped his fists respectfully.
“His Highness has gained a fine sworn brother. He is a good man, so please take care of him.”
“The same goes for you.”
***
Since Ju Won-ik would be leaving for Nanjing the next morning, a final drinking party was held on the Flying Dragon.
One night at the King of Jinling's residence and nine days on the Flying Dragon—in those ten days together, Ju Won-ik and I had become unbelievably close.
In all that time, we never had a single argument, not even a minor disagreement.
When people spend time together, it's natural for opinions to clash or for small annoyances to arise.
But with Ju Won-ik, that never happened, to the point where I found it strange myself.
Ak So-cheong and Jeong Chung-ho were also truly good people, without a single flaw. They were the perfect wife and captain of the guard for Ju Won-ik.
The Flying Dragon was anchored about fifty feet from the riverbank. We sat around on the deck, savoring our last night together and raising our cups.
Ju Won-ik poured me a drink, his voice tinged with regret.
“Brother Yong, after you go to Yueyang, you'll return to Dong-ro County, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then stop by and see me on your way.”
“I will.”
“Un-hyo, you're not planning on just disappearing somewhere, are you?”
Ju Won-ik, seeing the twenty-year-old Go Un-hyo as a youngest brother, spoke to him informally.
“I am your shadow, big brother.”
“Big brother? You mean me? You're my shadow?”
“No, sir. I meant Big Brother Ak here.”
Ju Won-ik tilted his head, a look of disappointment on his face.
“But Un-hyo, how come you've never once called me 'Eldest Brother'?”
“...”
“Is it because I'm not worthy of being your eldest brother?”
“N-no, sir...!”
For the past nine days, Go Un-hyo had never once called Ju Won-ik 'Eldest Brother'.
Go Un-hyo was just very shy, but it seemed Ju Won-ik was hurt by it.
“If that's not it, then hurry up and call me Eldest Brother!”
Go Un-hyo, as if his lips were sealed, struggled to speak.
“Come on! I told you to say it!”
Just as Ju Won-ik feigned a shout, I suddenly sensed something.
I detected the sounds of multiple people approaching from far beyond the riverbank where Jeong Chung-ho and I had dueled.
As I sensed danger, my martial senses naturally awakened.
The distance was about five li. I counted up to twenty of the approaching figures before stopping. There were at least fifty of them.
*Of all times.*
They must be masters from the Demonic Emperor's Grand Union or the Ten Heavens of the Unorthodox Path. I had been acting secretly, not revealing my presence, yet these bastards had managed to find me as if they were ghosts.
From their expressions, it seemed Jeong Chung-ho and Go Un-hyo were still unaware.
As Ju Won-ik continued to press Go Un-hyo to call him Eldest Brother, I interrupted.
“Brother, uninvited guests are approaching.”
“Uninvited guests?”
I noticed Jeong Chung-ho's face turn cold and hard. As Ju Won-ik's captain of the guard, it was a natural reaction.
“Un-hyo and I will take care of it. Please continue drinking for a moment.”
“Do so.”
Even with uninvited guests on their way, Ju Won-ik remained calm, trusting in me, Go Un-hyo, and Jeong Chung-ho.
Jeong Chung-ho spoke.
“Please elaborate.”
“About fifty people are approaching from five li away.”
“Fifty people?”
Seeing Jeong Chung-ho's face stiffen, I smiled warmly.
“Captain Jeong, you stay by our brother's side. This won't take long.”
As Go Un-hyo and I stood up, Ju Won-ik also rose with a smile.
“Be back before the food gets cold.”
“Save our food and wine.”
“Come back before we eat it all.”
“We will.”
Ja-un approached.
“Should I go too?”
“You stay and attend to our brother and sister-in-law.”
I sent a telepathic message to Jeong Chung-ho.
[Let me know if anything happens.]
[I will.]
At that moment, I failed to notice that Jeong Chung-ho's face was unusually tense.
With a leap, Go Un-hyo and I flew towards the riverbank.
*Thud!*
After landing on the riverbank, I looked back at the Flying Dragon and the dark river behind it.
The Flying Dragon was about fifty feet from the bank, and several other boats were anchored sporadically in the darkness.
Most were merchant ships that would set sail for their respective destinations at dawn.
Far from the Flying Dragon, towards the center of the river, the dark silhouettes of a few more anchored boats were visible.
“Let's go.”
Go Un-hyo and I shot forward, cutting through the night wind.