The Tournament's Blind Spot (2)
The second day of the Yongbong Martial Tournament finals.
The incident happened during the very first match.
The problem was that the opponents were disciples from the Huashan Sect and the Zhongnan Sect, both infamous for their deep-seated grudge.
They had gone all out from the start, staking their pride on unleashing their most powerful attacks.
The swords of the two warriors clashed, sending sword qi flying in all directions.
In truth, formations had been set up around the arena to ensure that attacks wouldn't affect the spectators.
But...
Even those formations had a blind spot.
When waves of qi of exactly equal strength collided without the tiniest margin of difference, the resulting resonance subtly distorted the formation.
No one had known about this flaw before because it had never happened until now.
As a result, the formation failed to activate properly, and the sword qi from the warriors' clash hurtled straight toward the spectators.
"Gasp!"
"H-heck!"
The spectators realized what was happening and froze in place.
It was all so sudden that they couldn't even scream.
Of course, it wasn't the sword qi of absolute masters, so the experts in the crowd could have blocked it easily.
But the abruptness caught even them off guard.
Some closed their eyes tight, bracing for the impending carnage.
That was when it happened.
A handsome young man in red leaped into the air.
A blue glow emanated from his sword, stretching out like a stream of water... or perhaps a whip.
It was sword silk.
The blue sword silk intercepted each stray strand of sword qi heading for the crowd.
His movements were breathtakingly beautiful.
And moving in tandem with him was another warrior.
The man in white robes glided through the air with the grace and agility of a butterfly, blocking the sword qi that the red-clad youth had missed.
The spectators gasped in admiration at their fluid, elegant maneuvers.
Thud!
Thump!
Once they had neutralized every last bit of sword qi aimed at the crowd and returned to their seats, no one was looking at the arena anymore.
Even the two warriors locked in fierce combat atop the stage were staring at the pair who had just saved them from disaster.
"......"
Silence fell over the arena.
* * *
I sheathed my sword.
The Seo-u Warrior followed suit.
I could feel every eye in the place turning toward us. But right now, I had more important things on my mind.
"Father, Mother. Are you alright?"
"Huh? Y-yeah......"
My startled father nodded repeatedly, and my mother patted his back reassuringly.
"We're fine, dear."
"Thank goodness."
I turned to the Gwangjun Merchant Group leader and his wife seated next to my father.
"Are you alright as well, Merchant Leader, Madam?"
They nodded at my question.
Then, an elderly man from the jade seats spoke up, eyeing me.
"Could it be... the Heavenly Flow Ice Sword? Are you a descendant of the Extreme Heaven Sword?"
A murmur rippled through the crowd. The name Extreme Heaven Sword carried that much weight.
Though no one really cared how his lineage had fared—whether it continued or died out.
"Young Eun! How do you wield the Heavenly Flow Ice Sword?"
The Tang Clan Alliance leader stared at me in shock. Meanwhile, the Jegal Supreme Patriarch wore an oddly intrigued expression.
In the end, the remaining finals were postponed.
It was impossible to continue the tournament after an incident that had nearly caused mass casualties.
I was in the Murim Alliance headquarters with the Seo-u Warrior—specifically, in their guest reception room.
The Alliance Leader had summoned me personally.
Right now, it was just the two of us in the room. The Leader and the others were no doubt discussing how to handle the crisis.
"I can finally thank you properly. Thank you for your help back there."
The Seo-u Warrior grinned sheepishly at my words.
"I'm your bodyguard, my lord. It's my duty to draw my sword and protect you."
"I'm grateful for those words."
"But..."
He asked cautiously.
"How did you know that was going to happen? I know you're highly skilled, my lord, but it was like you were prepared for it..."
Sharp eyes.
I had known about this incident from the Yongbong Tournament in my previous life, so I hadn't let my guard down for a second.
That's how I was able to intervene in time.
But I couldn't exactly tell the Seo-u Warrior that. Besides, the Alliance Leader would ask the same thing soon enough.
Still, I had my excuse ready, so I explained without hesitation.
"It's thanks to the martial art I practice. It heightens my sensitivity to surrounding qi waves. That's how I predicted the sword qi would break through the formation."
"What? You even knew about the formation?"
The door opened then, and the Murim Alliance Leader entered. Looked like the meeting was over.
The Seo-u Warrior and I quickly clasped our hands in salute and bowed.
"This lowly merchant of the Eunhae Merchant Group, Eun Seo-ho, greets the Murim Alliance Leader."
"Seo-u, bodyguard to Young Eun, greets the Murim Alliance Leader."
"Rise."
"Thank you."
"Thank you."
We straightened and faced the Leader.
"Take a seat. Sorry to keep you waiting."
"Not at all."
"First off, thank you for preventing what could have been a catastrophe today. If not for you, young hero... it doesn't bear thinking about. Truly chilling."
"It was only what I had to do. My parents were there too. Knowing I saved their lives because I learned martial arts—that alone makes me grateful for my training."
"Even with your personal stake in it, I can't tell you how thankful I am."
The Leader continued.
"But how did you come to learn the Extreme Heaven Sword's signature technique? As far as I know, his lineage ended..."
"No."
I pretended to hesitate for a moment before speaking.
"Sigh. My master won't be pleased if I reveal this publicly, but there's no helping it. The truth is, my master is a descendant of the Extreme Heaven Sword hero. It's said his line died out, but he actually tied up loose ends and vanished from the world."
A lie I'd coordinated with my master beforehand, of course.
"Is that so? Why would he make that choice?"
"He said it was the descendant's decision at the time—he felt overwhelmed bearing the Extreme Heaven Sword's name. And his family line was so sparse, with only single heirs passed down through generations."
"I see... that explains it. So, what connection do you have with this descendant of the Extreme Heaven Sword that he taught you the Heavenly Flow Ice Sword?"
"Well... my master runs an escort agency. And it's been a long-time business partner of our merchant group."
"A descendant of the Extreme Heaven Sword running an escort agency..."
Was he bitter about not being able to launch that escort business he'd been ambitiously preparing?
His expression soured slightly.
It's a venture doomed to fail anyway, and here he is with his greed.
But the sour look didn't last. The Leader soon smiled kindly again.
"So that's how the connection formed?"
"Partly, but he wouldn't teach an outsider just for that. I once saved his son's life. I found him mortally wounded during a walk and barely managed to save him."
"Ho! What a bond!"
"Yes. So my master wanted to repay me, and I asked to learn martial arts from him."
The key to a convincing lie is eight parts truth, two parts fabrication.
If Palgap had been here, he probably would've said, "I write novels, sir."
"So that's how you learned the Heavenly Flow Ice Sword!"
"Yes."
"How old are you now, by the way?"
"I'll turn twenty-one in a few months."
"Peak realm at that age! Remarkable talent!"
"Thank you for the kind words."
"No, I mean it. It's a blessing for the murim that talents like you exist."
From that, I could tell the outcome of their meeting.
They'd decided to make the Seo-u Warrior and me the heroes of the hour.
It had been a close call—a massive disaster that, in my previous life, killed and injured countless people.
This time, thankfully, there were no casualties, but the spectators might still view the Murim Alliance unfavorably.
Worst case, it could spark a wave of refunds.
And the near-miss had happened in the most expensive jade seats. Refunds from there would give the Alliance a real headache.
In my past life, I'd heard they spent a fortune cleaning up the mess, leading to tough times for a while.
At any rate, the tournament had to continue to prevent that.
The best way was to push forward young heroes.
Especially since the sword art I'd learned with the North Sea Ice Palace Lord's help was the very technique of Kwak Hoon, the Extreme Heaven Sword hero who became a legend in the war against the Blood Cult two hundred years ago.
'Descendant of the Extreme Heaven Sword saves the day.'
Even I had to admit it was a captivating tale.
"Which is why the Murim Alliance would like to reward you accordingly."
Reward, huh...
"Is there anything you desire?"
I had plenty of desires.
Modest ones like helping the Eunhae Merchant Group establish a base in Luoyang... or bigger ones, like the head of Nangong Gang, the merchant leader.
Suddenly, the situation struck me as amusing.
In my previous life, the Murim Alliance and Nangong Gang had cost me my life...
Now, I was their hero!
I glanced at my palm. It used to get sweaty just arriving in Luoyang.
But now, sitting in the Alliance's guest room, I felt no tension.
Just...
How can I make the most of this opportunity?
Turns out I'm tougher in the real world than I thought.
Still, blurting out my demands here would be amateur hour.
I held the knife now.
"A reward? Why speak so formally?"
I smiled and continued.
"I'm satisfied knowing I saved my parents and so many others."
I clasped my hands in salute.
"I'm just a merchant. With all this attention on the Eunhae Merchant Group because of me, it's probably time to close the temporary shop and head back to Hubei."
The Leader smacked his lips, trying to hold me back.
"I understand your feelings, but couldn't you stay in Luoyang a bit longer? Even just your Seo-u Warrior..."
The Seo-u Warrior responded firmly.
"I'm my lord's bodyguard. My duty is to stay by his side."
Whether from quick wits or true conviction, I couldn't tell...
But it made the Leader look even more troubled.
"Hm. How about this, then? Since you're a merchant, let's make a deal."
"......"
"If you stay in Luoyang until the Yongbong Tournament ends, the Murim Alliance will grant you first priority in all future dealings."
I put on a troubled expression.
"But doesn't the Baegcheon Merchant Group already handle the Alliance's dealings? How can you offer first priority? Wouldn't it still be after them?"
"That's why it's first priority. Ahead of the Baegcheon... the right to trade first."
This was...
Unexpected windfall.
They must be desperate to hush up the incident and finish the tournament smoothly.
First priority with the Murim Alliance... it's significant, sure.
But I still needed to play it safe.
"If I may be so bold, shouldn't you consider your relationship with the Baegcheon? They're vital for the Alliance's revenue. Undermining them would be like cutting off your nose to spite your face. I can't accept that."
"Haha! Thinking of the Murim Alliance, are you?"
"Without the Alliance keeping the murim riffraff in check, how could merchants like us roam the world freely?"
"To hear you say that—truly grateful."
Man... I'm quite the smooth talker.
The Alliance fails miserably at reining in those "riffraff," costing us merchants a fortune...
And some of that riffraff belongs to the Alliance itself—should I mention that?
Plus, in my previous life, their armed forces ambushed me and my group—practically killed me.
Yet here I am, spouting this without batting an eye. Guess I've got a knack for acting.
After a moment's thought, the Leader spoke.
"Then how about three instances of first priority in our dealings? That should ease your concerns."
"Can you put it in writing?"
"Of course."
That was manageable.
If only you'd offered something quieter, more under-the-table...
"And..."
Hm?
I doubted my ears at the Leader's next words.
Wow... he must be even more desperate than I thought.