Chapter 125
Translator: penny
Chapter: 125
Chapter Title: The Sword Dragon's Visit
Murim Alliance Leader Heo Woocheong had promised to recommend me, but that didn't mean I could join the Murim Alliance right away.
Even if it was just a formality, I still needed permission from the other elders, and there were all sorts of complicated administrative procedures for things like lodging and affiliation for a new face.
Thanks to that, it would be seven weeks before I could join the White Tiger Unit.
Moyong Hui would return to the Murim Alliance at the same time.
Of course, since Moyong Hui was already affiliated with the Murim Alliance, she could have gone back a bit sooner,
-It's fine. I'll stay with you a while longer and join on the same day.
She wanted to spend time with me.
Heo Woocheong had no urgent matters, so he readily agreed.
After finishing my discussion with the Murim Alliance Leader and rejoining the group, Cheon Woojin started grumbling.
"That's really too much. You couldn't have said something to me too?"
"About what?"
"About putting me in the Vermilion Bird Unit! One word from the Murim Alliance Leader, and it'd be done."
He pretended it was just musing to himself while slipping into casual speech.
I stroked the hilt of my sword, and he hurriedly plastered on a smile.
"If I joined the Vermilion Bird Unit and protected Lady Moyong too, wouldn't that put your mind at ease, my lord?"
But Moyong Hui, who had overheard, snorted.
"Heavenly Warrior, who's protecting who here?"
Truth be told, Cheon Woojin wasn't even a match for Moyong Hui right now.
Not only had she ascended to the Flower Realm, but she'd continued sparring with me afterward and honed her skills even further.
Yet Cheon Woojin replied with his usual cheeky grin.
"Come on, does being a bodyguard really require overwhelming martial prowess? Right, my lord?"
A smart move, sidestepping her and pulling me in instead.
I decided to play along.
"Yeah, Hui. Having a guy who'd take a sword thrust for you in a pinch—how invaluable is that?"
"...Even so, a sword thrust is a bit..."
Cheon Woojin muttered softly at my words.
Honestly, I didn't expect that much from him anyway.
'He's not the type to begin with.'
Still, having Cheon Woojin stick by Moyong Hui would ease my mind.
At the very least, he'd keep the clingy guys at bay with some tact.
"Anyway, my lord, since you even met the Murim Alliance Leader, couldn't you have put in a good word for me too?"
"Tch, get real. What was I supposed to say about you? That you have a fancy title? Some reputation? What do you even have?"
"Just that there's an outstanding talent here..."
He trailed off, realizing even as he said it how ridiculous it sounded.
Of course, Cheon Woojin was overflowing with skill, but trials like the Imperial Dragon Exam were already prepared precisely for talents like him.
'Truth be told, I only got the recommendation thanks to my father-in-law.'
The head of the Moyong family—one of the Five Great Families—held a status comparable to a Murim Alliance elder.
Without that, no amount of skill would have earned me a recommendation.
That was why I'd had the Imperial Dragon Exam on my mind.
"Hey, enough. Did you look into what I told you to?"
Cheon Woojin, still sulking, nodded with a dissatisfied look.
"Yes. As you know, the Azure Dragon Exam is available anytime, while the White Dragon and Imperial Dragon Exams are about a month away."
"A month?!"
Way too long.
If not for the Murim Alliance Leader, I'd have been left hanging for another full month.
The only minor issue was Baek Rihyeon, who wouldn't join the Murim Alliance until a month from now...
'Cheon Woojin will handle him.'
That's what the master-disciple bond between those two was for, after all.
Seeming to catch the implication in my gaze, Cheon Woojin let out a small sigh.
"Then just give me some living expenses."
That was no trouble at all.
I was already footing all the travel costs anyway.
While we were hashing out our plans at the inn, some uninvited guests showed up.
"Hui, it's been a while."
A young man's voice, addressing Moyong Hui with easy familiarity.
I scowled and turned, spotting a vaguely familiar face.
'Huh? Who's that guy? His face rings a bell...'
It tickled at the edge of my memory.
As I puzzled over it, Moyong Hui stood up with a delighted expression.
"Brother Chan!"
'Chan? That guy's Nangong Chan?'
The one currently known as the Sword Dragon, who would later become one of the Ten Strongest Under Heaven, the Sword King.
And...
'Whoa, I end up meeting the guy I killed in my past life after all.'
In my previous life, I'd been the one to personally end him.
The thirty years had thrown me off at first, but now that I'd heard and seen him, it clicked immediately.
As I watched in a mix of ambiguous emotions I couldn't quite name, he kept talking to Moyong Hui.
"When did you get to Jeongju? You could've sent word when you arrived."
"I just got here today too. But how did you already know I was here?"
Moyong Hui chatted with him while sneaking glances at me for no reason.
Nangong Chan noticed and finally turned his attention my way.
"I don't believe we've met. Might I have your name?"
Listening to his polite greeting stirred strange feelings in me.
-You filthy Lecherous Demon bastard! Now I can finally avenge my Qing!
The man who had once charged at me half-blind with vengeance for his daughter, heedless of his own life, was now all decorum and manners.
The contrast made even me pause for a moment.
As I said nothing, Cheon Woojin, who had been quietly gauging the situation, stepped in.
"Before that, shouldn't you introduce yourself first and explain why you've come to see us?"
Uncharacteristically aggressive from Cheon Woojin.
But I knew exactly why he was acting this way.
'Trying to score points with me.'
Just an hour ago, he'd been insisting he join the Vermilion Bird Unit to protect Moyong Hui.
Now some guy who clearly looked close to her had shown up, so of course he'd block him.
'Let's see how he handles this.'
It wouldn't hurt to test if his words were just smooth talk or if he could actually fend the intruder off.
I'd score him based on how well he chased this uninvited guest away.
Meanwhile, Nangong Chan looked a bit flustered at the sudden hostility.
"Ah, my apologies. I'm Nangong Chan of the Murim Alliance's Vermilion Bird Unit. I hold the modest title of Sword Dragon."
Modest, he said, but his voice rang with confidence.
Now that he knew the man's status, Cheon Woojin seemed thrown off.
'Tch, getting rattled over some mere Sword Dragon.'
Of course, it wasn't just the title that surprised him.
It was probably the "Nangong" surname.
'He saw the power of the Five Great Families firsthand in Simyang.'
I decided to hold back and observe a bit longer.
Cheon Woojin glanced at me briefly before speaking up again.
"Ahem, so you're the Sword Dragon. Then why exactly have you come to see us?"
"Well, I heard Hui was here through Crouching Dragon and came to meet up since we're friends... Ah! Hui, Crouching Dragon told me you were here."
"From Crouching Dragon?"
'Crouching Dragon? Who's that?'
I shot Cheon Woojin a look, and he shook his head, equally clueless.
Noticing, Moyong Hui belatedly explained to me.
"Crouching Dragon Zhuge Wei. He's the reserve strategist of the Black Tortoise Unit and a friend my age."
'Zhuge Wei? He's Crouching Dragon?'
One of the Five Dragons, Crouching Dragon.
I'd never paid attention to guys, so I hadn't known who it was, but Zhuge Wei rang a bell.
'The Murim Alliance's Chief Strategist.'
In the past, he'd schemed with Cheon Woojin to corner me.
His Heaven's Net had been so airtight that he'd ultimately fallen to Baek Rihyeon.
Not content with just glancing at me, Moyong Hui added more details, drawing Nangong Chan's attention back my way.
"I've said plenty about myself, so if it's alright, could you introduce yourself now?"
Before answering, I gave Cheon Woojin one last look.
As if to say, "You gonna let this chance slip?"
The quick-witted Cheon Woojin got the hint and stepped forward again.
"Plenty? What do you mean plenty? We didn't invite you, and you just barge in like this... What kind of rude behavior is that?"
Cheon Woojin's tone grew increasingly sharp.
People around us started paying attention.
Not a bad tactic.
We had nothing to lose, while Nangong Chan had his fancy Sword Dragon reputation to uphold.
To make matters worse for him, Moyong Hui chimed in.
"Heavenly Warrior, that's enough. And Brother Chan, could you head back for today? I'll come see you later. We're in the middle of something important right now..."
I didn't need to intervene in this situation.
Nangong Chan realized he should withdraw, looking genuinely embarrassed.
"Oh... Sorry if I've interrupted. I was so excited to hear you'd come that I brought Sua along too..."
He sighed softly after that.
But one phrase stuck in my ear:
'Sua? Spear Phoenix Nangong Sua?'
He'd brought the Spear Phoenix here too.
Hearing that, I shot up from my seat and grabbed him.
"Now, now, Young Master Nangong? Why don't you sit here and chat with us."
I felt piercing stares from all sides, but by now, I was used to it.