The Dragon-Phoenix Preliminaries
Namgung Suryeon appeared after passing through the barrier set by Seolbaekgeom Jongri Ok as if it were nothing. Baekri Hyeong stared at her with an expression of utter disbelief. She hadn't broken through the barrier—she had slipped past it without the one who cast it even noticing. Was that even possible?
'Don't tell me she can see the flow of qi and preemptively block it... No, she can actually see the flow of energy itself?' If that were true, it was nothing short of monstrous talent. Being able to read the flow of qi would allow her to adapt to any situation. But that wasn't the immediate problem. The real issue was how much of their conversation she had overheard.
"Did you hear anything? What we were saying."
"You didn't want to be caught, did you? I didn't hear a thing. By the way, who's this?"
"Ah, I'm Myeong Hwarin of Ilsalmun! You must be Namgung Suryeon, right? I've always admired you!"
"Ah... Th-thank you. I hope I didn't interrupt anything private?"
"N-no, of course not! Your conversation is over, so please talk freely! And I'll come find you later, Young Master Baekri Hyeong!"
Seeming to sense the displeasure in Namgung Suryeon's tone, Myeong Hwarin scurried away in a panic. Baekri Hyeong had been planning to properly recruit her, but things had taken an unexpected turn. Still, he had managed to identify the nature of Namgung Suryeon's ability. He could call it an even exchange.
"Who was that girl? Already flirting with women the moment you arrive?"
"Ilsalmun. She's the last disciple of a sect that was wiped out in the past. I was just curious about her."
"Ah, I was wondering what Ilsalmun was. A sect that was destroyed long ago?"
"That's right. Among all the sects in the Central Plains, there probably wasn't one more dangerous than them."
"Dangerous? What made them dangerous?"
"There was a reason."
Ilsalmun had played a tremendous role in the war against the Demonic Cult in the past. While the Heavenly Venerable crushed the demonic practitioners with sheer martial prowess, the warriors of Ilsalmun had paved the way for him to do so. They constantly monitored the Demonic Cult's movements and exposed every one of their plans. From the enemy's perspective, it must have felt like madness—every operation they attempted was discovered before it could even begin.
He didn't know why such a sect had been destroyed... but since their final disciple remained, he had to draw her to the orthodox side by any means necessary. Otherwise, the same great catastrophe from his previous life would repeat itself.
"Are you confident? About taking the Divine Dragon seat at the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering."
"The Divine Dragon position is already decided. I'm aiming to inherit my sister Hyang's seat."
"When did you start calling her 'sister'?"
"We just started saying it while training together. Thanks to her, I've improved a lot."
"I can see that."
Baekri Hyeong could feel that Namgung Suryeon's lower dantian had grown dramatically. Her energy felt far more solid than when they had sparred at the Murim Alliance last time. This Dragon-Phoenix Gathering was going to be interesting.
With that brief conversation with Myeong Hwarin concluded, the waiting room for the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering preliminaries was filled with countless martial artists. Some were unfamiliar, but others were faces Baekri Hyeong recognized—people he had fought alongside against the Demonic Cult in his past life. Though those memories belonged to him alone, he quietly smiled from a corner, recalling the good times they had shared.
Just then—
"Young Master!"
"Ah, Lady Yujin. It's been a while."
"You said I could speak casually..."
"Then why don't you start by speaking casually first, Lady Yujin?"
"Fine, I will!"
Unlike a year ago, Jegal Yujin had grown enough that she seemed ready to break through the wall of the Peak Realm. If she gained enlightenment during the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering, she would surely ascend to it. Participating at the age of twelve was no ordinary feat, but Jegal Yujin had chosen to enter the gathering alongside Baekri Hyeong. After all, the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering was an event one could only participate in once. Simply sparring against the renowned rising stars from across the murim was enough to seek a leap in one's cultivation.
"I hope you get good results. You'll have to take over the Wisdom Phoenix title after me, right?"
"Th-that might be too much for me... But I'm sure you'll become the Divine Dragon, Young Master. I'll be cheering for you!"
"Right. Let's do our best."
After shaking hands with Jegal Yujin, Baekri Hyeong returned to the shaded corner with a smile. This was exactly the kind of moment where he'd want to sip a cup of wine, but his child's body made that impossible. Seeing his young-faced comrades made him want to tease them, but doing so now would only make him look like a madman, so he held back.
More and more participants arrived for the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering.
"Greetings, everyone. I am Jongri Ok, the sect leader of the Jongnam Sect."
"Th-the Jongnam Sect Leader?!"
"It's Seolbaekgeom Jongri Ok-nim!"
Seolbaekgeom Jongri Ok. The current sect leader of Jongnam, one of the Ten Great Masters who had reached the pinnacle of the Hwagyeong Realm. Notably, despite his advanced age, he was famous for rarely leaving Jongnam. Yet here he was, appearing in the waiting room where the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering preliminaries were being held. The martial artists erupted into excitement. In the murim, simply laying eyes on a master could bring enlightenment. Now that Seolbaekgeom had appeared, they each stared intently at him, hoping to gain some insight.
But Baekri Hyeong snorted at the sight. They seemed to be misunderstanding something about the title Seolbaekgeom.
'If they knew what kind of temper that old man has, they wouldn't be doing that.'
As expected, Jongri Ok, who had noticed he was being observed, unleashed a lion's roar without regard for his own dignity or the prestige of Jongnam.
"GET OOOOOOUT!!"
"Aaaagh!"
"Uuuueeegh!"
"Anyone who screamed or vomited from the lion's roar just now—escort them outside the Alliance. They are unworthy of a place meant for selecting Dragons and Phoenixes."
"Yes, sir!"
The martial artists struck by the sudden lion's roar were dragged out of the waiting room by the Alliance's soldiers. The remaining martial artists swallowed dryly at the sight, wondering if the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering preliminaries had already begun.
'That was a good decision. We couldn't have carried dead weight all the way through.'
Most of the people Baekri Hyeong didn't recognize had been expelled from the waiting room. Jongri Ok had likely anticipated this when he used the lion's roar. If he had been truly angry, no one here would have remained silent.
"Now that the unnecessary ones are gone, I'll explain how this Dragon-Phoenix Gathering will proceed."
Jongri Ok then began explaining the format of the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering. First, the preliminaries. Four martial artists would fight at once, with two surviving and two being eliminated. Since all four would be on the stage simultaneously, alliances could be formed if desired. The preliminary match would end when two participants surrendered or became unable to continue fighting.
"There are exactly sixty-four of you. We'll divide you into sixteen groups total. The sixteen preliminary matches will be held with eight matches running simultaneously."
The first to finish the preliminaries and secure a spot in the main tournament would gain the right to choose their opponent. Once the bracket for the round of thirty-two was complete, participants would exchange brief greetings with their opponents and wait until the main tournament began. The round of thirty-two would be divided across three days—five matches, five matches, and six matches respectively.
"We'll discuss the round of thirty-two later, so just wait for now. Any questions?"
"What happens if only one person survives the preliminaries?"
The one who asked was Baekri Hyeong. Though the question could have seemed arrogant, Jongri Ok, who knew Baekri Hyeong's abilities, answered without hesitation.
"It would be a bye. However, if you don't defeat three opponents at once, the remaining two will advance."
"Understood."
"Any other questions?"
"If someone leaves an indelible wound on their opponent's body, is that an automatic loss?"
This question came from Mun Ho-sik. True to his nature as a demonic practitioner, the question was filled with the intent to harm someone from the very start. Perhaps Jongri Ok sensed the malice in Mun Ho-sik's words. He furrowed his brows deeply and warned him with killing intent in his eyes.
"The Dragon-Phoenix Gathering is an event held for the future of the rising stars. If someone is forced to abandon martial arts due to physical injury..."
"What then?"
"I will personally step forward and kill that bastard. So don't worry and fight freely."
At Jongri Ok's answer, one corner of Mun Ho-sik's mouth twitched. Jongri Ok had clearly understood his intent behind the question. Yet by responding in a way that expressed concern for Mun Ho-sik, he had instead made him look like a coward. To think he would be treated this way.
'Seolbaekgeom Jongri Ok... I will definitely kill you.'
There was no reason to endure humiliation. Mun Ho-sik resolved that he would kill Jongri Ok someday, no matter what.