Chapter 529
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 529
Chapter Title: Is the Pinnacle the End?
Jong Gwang-yeo turned his gaze to his proud disciple.
"What is it?"
"Might I request a brief leave of absence?"
"Leave?"
Jong Gwang-yeo tilted his head in puzzlement.
"Truth be told, there's a place I wish to visit after stepping away from the sect for a short while. It's quite far, so it'll take some time. That's why I'm mentioning it in advance."
"Some time... Hm."
Jong Gwang-yeo fell into thought.
The Sanhwa Martial Hall was already undergoing preparations for opening.
About six disciples who would serve as martial instructors and assistants alongside him had already relocated here.
Once they finished separating the areas for the Fierce Dragon Corps and the instructors, along with the other preparations, they could start accepting trainees and visitors right away. He estimated it would take about half a month.
"How long will it take?"
"I'm thinking at least a month."
"At least a month? Heh."
It was long. Too long.
If the minimum was a month, it could stretch to two.
"What's the occasion?"
"I plan to visit a comrade-in-arms."
"A comrade?"
"Yes. Someone who had my back, and I his."
Poong Geon smiled faintly as he replied.
"Hmm."
Jong Gwang-yeo's deliberation dragged on.
Entrusting one's back meant entrusting one's life.
He couldn't just flatly refuse a visit to such a comrade.
"Even without me, my fellow disciples will handle things well. Aren't they disciples of the Great Sanhwa Hall?"
It wasn't wrong.
The first thing they'd teach the trainees in this small city was basic martial arts.
There would hardly be any need for Poong Geon, who had reached the realm of sword aura, to step in.
Even so, it wasn't ideal for the hall lord to be absent.
"Um, Squad Leader—or rather, Hall Lord."
At that moment, Kwan Ha-kyeong, who had been watching their conversation from a short distance away, cautiously interjected.
She knew it was presumptuous, but her surging curiosity was impossible to contain.
"Yes?"
Poong Geon's gaze turned to her.
"Are you referring to Squad Leader Yu, by any chance?"
He was the first person who came to mind when Poong Geon mentioned a comrade and smiled like that.
No one else fit the image of someone who could draw such an expression from him but Yu Gwi-gwang.
Poong Geon nodded.
"Ah...!"
Kwan Ha-kyeong let out a small exclamation, her eyes shifting to Ha Mu-baek.
"What is it?"
"Corps Leader. Could I also take some leave...?"
A soft chuckle escaped Ha Mu-baek's lips involuntarily.
The Yu Squad Leader that Kwan Ha-kyeong mentioned.
He could guess who it was.
The only Yu Squad Leader both of them knew—and Poong Geon's comrade—had to be Yu Gwi-gwang.
A member of the Fierce Dragon Corps whom Ha Mu-baek himself had sent home with a generous sum not of his own money.
A sense of pleasure welled up in him.
Yu Gwi-gwang was from the Fierce Dragon Corps, while these two were from the Demon-Sealing Corps.
Their affiliations differed, as did their situations and treatment.
The only thing they shared was one: pushing through the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest together.
Even their roles had been different.
The Fierce Dragon Corps had drawn the jiangshi's attention and handled defense for the Demon-Sealing Corps.
For these two from the Demon-Sealing Corps to regard Fierce Dragon Corps member Yu Gwi-gwang as a comrade and want to visit him—it warmed his heart.
However, while Poong Geon might be fine, Kwan Ha-kyeong posed a problem.
"You don't have that much leave accrued."
She'd said at least a month, so it had to be a long journey.
Kwan Ha-kyeong's available leave fell far short.
"H-Hall Lord. Do you happen to know where Squad Leader Yu's hometown is?"
"I asked the day before he left. Shaanxi Province."
"Shaanxi..."
It was far.
Far too far.
This was Jiangxi Province.
To reach Shaanxi, they'd have to cross all of Hubei Province—an immense distance.
"Um, I didn't take any leave at all last year..."
"Even so, last year was your first year in the Demon-Sealing Corps. That still doesn't cover it."
Kwan Ha-kyeong's face fell gloomily at Ha Mu-baek's firm words.
"If we advance the next three years' worth of leave..."
Her head snapped up at Ha Mu-baek's follow-up.
"I'll do it."
"Pardon?"
"I'll do that."
"That means no leave for the next three years, you know?"
"I didn't take any last year anyway."
Ha Mu-baek couldn't help but chuckle again at Kwan Ha-kyeong's quick retort.
"Fine, then do that."
Kwan Ha-kyeong beamed at Ha Mu-baek's approval.
Poong Geon, watching her, turned back to his master Jong Gwang-yeo.
"Master..."
"Sigh. You know full well how important things are here at the hall right now."
"Yes..."
"One month. I'll stay here in the meantime. You said at least a month, but the maximum I can give you is one. Is that alright?"
"Thank you."
Poong Geon bowed deeply.
Jong Gwang-yeo's gaze shifted to Ha Mu-baek.
"I ask for your assistance as well, Corps Leader."
His tone implied that since Ha Mu-baek had let Kwan Ha-kyeong go first, he'd had no choice but to release his disciple too—please lend a hand.
Ha Mu-baek turned his head sharply.
Han Seol-bing was there.
"Hm? What?"
Han Seol-bing asked Ha Mu-baek.
Her voice was icy.
"Hm? Nothing."
Ha Mu-baek gave a curt reply and met Jong Gwang-yeo's eyes again.
"We'll help as needed."
And so, the two's journey to Shaanxi was settled.
"Shaanxi Province... Lucky."
Dang Jin-san muttered.
Ha Mu-baek didn't miss the quiet voice.
"You want to go too?"
"Pardon?"
Startled by the sudden question, Dang Jin-san blurted out a response.
"I'll stay here. I don't know Squad Leader Yu that well."
He had guessed who the Yu Squad Leader was, hence his answer.
Ha Mu-baek's gaze swept over the other Fierce Dragon Corps members.
"Since Hall Leader Kwan brought it up, if anyone else wants leave, tell me right now. You can advance it like this or take only what you have available. I'll approve everyone."
A murmur rippled through the members at Ha Mu-baek's words.
"Um, then what about our missions?"
Joo Woo-myeong voiced concern that too many absences would burden the rest.
"What do you think I'm here for?"
The Fierce Dragon Corps members and Poong Geon all nodded in agreement at Ha Mu-baek's matter-of-fact response.
Only Jong Gwang-yeo tilted his head, unable to comprehend their nods.
"Alright, that's it for today. Dismissed."
At Ha Mu-baek's declaration, the Fierce Dragon Corps members and Sanhwa Martial Hall staff dispersed in small groups from the training grounds.
They had all gathered for one reason.
Poong Geon had requested the promised guidance spar, and being the first, everyone showed up.
No one had imagined he'd unleash sword aura in that single lesson.
"As expected of Instructor Ha..."
Baek Ri-pyeong muttered on the way to the dorms, and the rest of Squad Seven walking with him nodded.
They'd witnessed Ha Mu-baek's monstrous skills multiple times already.
Today's events were surprising, but it just felt right for their instructor.
"Tomorrow we head back to the outpost, right?"
The estate was crawling with Fierce Dragon Corps members.
Double the usual number— the entire corps was here.
Ha Mu-baek had decided they'd rest one day at the estate after preparations were complete.
Of course, they weren't neglecting duties.
They were still monitoring the Sa-pil Alliance's movements.
Wei Ji-gun alone was watching the west from the Fierce Dragon Corps' mission area.
Tomorrow, half—including Squad Seven—would rotate back to the outpost for duty.
Rotations every ten days.
Everyone was satisfied with the schedule.
As all departed, Ha Mu-baek headed to the office.
Han Seol-bing followed.
She had work there too.
"As expected of Instructor Ha. Maybe being an instructor suits you perfectly, Corps Leader?"
Ha Mu-baek glanced at Han Seol-bing's words.
"What are you trying to say?"
"Just that. Making a full cup overflow with just a slight shake— not just anyone can do it."
She was right.
If it were as easy as Ha Mu-baek made it sound, there wouldn't be so many warriors despairing at the wall to first-rate.
Making the full cup overflow.
That was the true difficulty, the massive wall between first-rate and pinnacle.
"You think it's easy for me?"
"Then what about Hall Lord Poong?"
"He just didn't realize it himself, but he'd already set foot in pinnacle. I don't know the details of whatever recent change of heart he had, but that's probably it. You could've made him overflow too."
"Hmm."
Han Seol-bing's eyes showed she wasn't convinced by Ha Mu-baek's words.
"Well, it's been like that since your Hocheon Corps days."
Thinking back, it had.
He taught exceptionally well.
"I was going to drill them hard, but what can you do about regret?"
"About what?"
"Hall Lord Poong."
"Is the pinnacle the end? It's just the beginning."
Ha Mu-baek chuckled as he spoke.
At that moment.
Poong Geon felt an inexplicable chill, goosebumps rising on his back.
The day dawned.
Yu Gwi-gwang left home early with his younger brother Yu Hyun-gwang.
They were heading to Elder Kang's money house.
Kang Jeon-jang.
What a plain name.
As they opened the door and entered, Elder Kang greeted the brothers.
As if he'd been waiting.
"Congratulations on your safe return, Hall Lord Yu."
Elder Kang smiled warmly at Yu Gwi-gwang.
Fitting for the money house owner, he already knew of his return.
"It's been a while, Elder."
"Yes, what brings you here so early in the morning?"
His eyes held deep meaning.
"I heard the rough situation from my brother yesterday."
"Indeed, I'm sorry about that. Given your connection to Hall Lord Yu's late father and considering that boy's face, it shouldn't have happened... But business is business, merit is merit, right?"
Zhang Huan was Elder Kang's son, Kang Jang-hwan.
"You're right. Knowing it's presumptuous, I've come anyway."
"Presumptuous? A money house with open doors welcomes guests—that's the rule."
"Then I'll ask."
"Go ahead."
"As Hyun-gwang mentioned yesterday, the amount seemed off."
"Off? Too much, you mean?"
Elder Kang's eyebrow twitched.
"No. Too little."
The twitching eyebrow settled.
Instead, thick curiosity filled his eyes.
"Too little?"
"Yes. Too little."
"Heh. This is a first. Countless have come to me complaining it's too much and caused a fuss, but you're the first to call it too little, Hall Lord Yu."
"Business is business, private ties are private."
Yu Gwi-gwang echoed Elder Kang's own words back at him.
Elder Kang chuckled.
"True, less is better, so why seek me out at dawn?"
His eyes grew meaningful again.
"Because the moneylenders I know never miscount even a single coin."
In that instant, Elder Kang's eyes flashed.
"Ha ha, haha. I thought you'd just barely survived the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest fighting like mad, but how'd you get so sharp about money?"
Laughing, Elder Kang rose from his seat.
He stepped away from the counter for loaning or depositing money and opened a side door.
"Come in."
As the brothers entered, he closed the door.
"Follow me."
Elder Kang led the way. A small door revealed stairs descending underground.
Thus, the three headed to an underground secret room.
"Ha ha. Gwi-gwang, my boy. You didn't just return alive—you returned with insight. Your late father would be pleased."
In the empty secret room, the form of address changed.
"As expected, you said that knowing something."
Elder Kang nodded.
"Seems Hyun-gwang here didn't realize, but the favor I could extend stopped there. If you hadn't known, it couldn't be helped."
At those words, cold sweat trickled down Yu Hyun-gwang's back.
Thinking what might have happened without his brother made it flow naturally.
"What's the situation?"
Yu Gwi-gwang looked at Elder Kang and asked.