Chapter 198
Chapter 198
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 198
Chapter Title: Shinju's Shadow
Baek Yang-hui fiddled with the golden plaque clutched in his hand.
A youth plaque.
What a flood of fresh emotions.
In his previous life, at the tender age of a youth, he had left his clan behind and begun wandering the world.
In this life, things were a touch different, but he was still standing at the dawn of a new journey all the same.
The Dragon-Phoenix Assembly would be a massive turning point.
He would make damn sure it was.
Lost in that thought with a sly grin creeping across his face, he watched as Chui-dal exchanged greetings with Tang Jun.
"Come to think of it, my introduction's overdue, Young Clan Leader. They call me Yi-hu, the Phantom Eagle Hero!"
Tang Jun eyed Chui-dal—bowing formally and giving his full name—with a puzzled look.
"Chui-dal, old buddy, your name was Yi-hu all along?"
"Yes?"
"Not Chui-dal?"
"My real name is Yi-hu..."
"Whoa, I had no clue."
"......"
As Chui-dal shot Baek Yang-hui a wounded glare, Tang Jun pressed on.
"Anyway, what's with the sudden formalities? As you know, I'm Tang Jun."
"Got it. And what's your moniker, Young Clan Leader? I'm the Phantom Eagle Hero!"
Chui-dal repeating himself verbatim. Only then did Tang Jun catch on.
"Ah, I see. Word is you just earned your first nickname recently. Congrats."
Phantom Eagle Hero. It meant vanishing like a ghost and swift as an eagle.
Not even a youth yet, and he'd snagged a fine title—natural he'd be proud.
"Thanks. From now on, call me Eagle Hero instead of Chui-dal."
But Baek Yang-hui wasn't about to let that slide.
"Chui-dal, Chui-dal—the Chui from 'shameful' and Dal from 'otter.' You, who hasn't even hit fifteen yet, pulling an 'Eagle Hero'?"
The old Chui-dal would've snapped, "Argh! Don't call me that!"
But now? Totally different reaction.
"Heh heh heh heh. Call me whatever."
Tang Jun blinked in confusion again.
"That new title go to your head or something? You're handling this way different from before."
"Nah. Just realized complaining changes nothing. Heh heh heh..."
A nastily sinister cackle.
Come to think of it, the guy himself felt... way off.
"Little brother Chui-dal. Why are you so...?"
"Heh heh heh..."
"......kinda rotten-looking these days."
Not like he'd gotten a tan.
Just... the dude seemed kinda decayed.
"Heh heh heh... A lot's... happened."
"Tsk. Little brother Hui. Just how hard did you grind him these past three years?"
Baek Yeon-yeon fielded that one.
"I've heard him beg to die over a hundred times, at least!"
"......People aren't made of iron. You drove him mercilessly."
"No, they gotta be able to do what's expected. How do you hold back, Brother Tang?"
Not just Chui-dal—even Baek Heon-so, standing nearby, glared daggers at Baek Yang-hui.
Hard to believe this was the same Baek Heon-so who always idolized him.
"It's 'cause you're my brother! Only 'cause you're my brother!"
"You push even decent geniuses past their limits, then get mad when they can't keep up?"
"Mm. I get where you're coming from, little brother Hui. Must be frustrating when they lag behind."
Tang Jun—whom no one had ever out-talented—shattering their budding sympathy with one line.
Baek Heon-so and Chui-dal whipped their heads toward him.
'Heavens!! Why didn't you bless me with talent!!!'
'Just one good smack each... that'd be heaven...'
"Anyway, speaking of which, it's a bit surprising to see little sister Yeon with you. I heard she went the scholarly path over martial."
"Brother, you don't like traveling with me? That's cold."
"Right! This girl feels slighted!"
As Tang Yeon and Baek Yeon-yeon teased playfully, Tang Jun floundered.
"Yeon wanted to see the Dragon-Phoenix Assembly. How could a doting brother say no to his cute little sis?"
"......Can't relate."
"What? Brother, you wanna get poisoned?"
Baek Yang-hui smirked at Tang Yeon's bristling.
Truth was, bringing Yeon along had another reason.
'Time to nip the cause of her death in the past life in the bud.'
A lot had changed from his previous life.
He'd cured Mother's illness and slain Hyeong-san Yin-hyeol, Father's enemy, for starters.
Yeon's fate might've shifted already.
But why gamble on vague optimism? Better to crush the root now.
'Problem is, it happened after she left the clan in the past life—no solid leads.'
All he knew: Some prominent kid from Shinju Province, attending Yangsu Academy with Yeon, got illicit designs on her. Trouble followed.
'In the end, Yeon's beauty was the issue.'
Obvious. Pretty flowers draw bees.
Yeon had blossomed into a stunning lady this life too—same risk.
On the way, he'd sniff out the creep and uproot both root and stem.
"Yeon. You mentioned some Shinju bigwig's kid goes to your Yangsu Academy, right? Which family?"
"Huh? Did I? The Ju Clan Manor!"
Not a martial clan, but a powerhouse in Gangsuh's Shinju Province for generations—money and influence.
Local magnates—something like powerful clans
"Staying there tonight sounds good."
"Yeah. They'll welcome us."
That was when bushes rustled violently a short distance away. Over a dozen thugs burst out.
"Uahaha! You lot!"
"Who gave you permission to pass through here?!"
The mountain bandits—laughing boisterously, about to ply their trade—halted briefly.
"You punks! Why the freeze?!"
"First time meeting mountain heroes, eh?!"
"Don't piss yourselves, kids. Show some proper tribute, and we won't kill ya!"
Baek Yang-hui's group just stared blankly at the bandits.
Chui-dal spoke first.
"Whoa, bandits."
Baek Heon-so chimed in.
"Yeah. Actual bandits."
"How long's it been since we last saw some?"
"No bandits in Baek Clan turf, so... at least a year?"
"Seeing 'em after so long kinda makes 'em welcome."
Baek Yang-hui flicked his finger, face bored.
"Tch. Cross into Shinju, and bugs swarm right away. You got one incense stick. Go."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Shinju Province's busiest city was Sangyo County.
The group strolled the bustling market streets, glancing around.
"Sigh. Bugs delayed us—now we're late."
"Yeah. Visiting this hour's rude. Let's grab an inn or tavern instead."
Plans derailed. He'd meant to storm Ju Clan Manor on arrival and yank out the root... er, the troublemaker.
Tang Jun looked troubled too.
"Hm. Too late for courtesy at Ju Clan Manor. Camping beats hunting lodgings, especially with no travel funds."
The bandits they'd wiped out were small fry with hefty loot.
After divvying it among the suffering mountain villagers, their once-fat pouches were dust-empty.
"Passing a tavern for camping? Fine by me, but Yeon's here."
"Little brother Hui, looking out for me?"
"Not your house's Yeon—our house's Yeon."
"Ha!"
Then Chui-dal stepped up confidently.
"Just book a tavern. The best one."
"Little brother Chui-dal. Broke, remember?"
"Got money."
"...?"
Chui-dal proffered his pouch. They'd seen him empty it in the village, yet it bulged again.
And... different color?
"Trust me and follow! Uhahaha, drinks on me?"
"......"
Tang Jun gawked at Chui-dal striding ahead cockily.
Man really changed. Used to be moral, stickler for justice.
"Little brother Hui. Your sworn brother's busted. Not right in the head."
"People grow by breaking and mending, right? 'Abnormal' is just 'extraordinary' waiting to happen!"
Tang Jun watched Baek Yang-hui trail Chui-dal with a chuckle, struck by a realization.
'Little brother Hui's always been like that, huh.'
Extraordinary in every damn way. Heh heh.
"Hey, waiter! Customers!"
They claimed a whole table, ordering lavish dishes galore.
"Oh, right—forgot something."
Tang Jun pulled items from his robe, handing them to Baek Heon-so and Baek Yang-hui.
"Entry plaques. Mandatory for the Dragon-Phoenix Assembly. Wait—didn't request one for you, little brother Chui-dal?"
"Nope. Not competing. Not my path."
"What's your path, then?"
"Theft."
......Technically a 'path', but...
Not the righteous kind...
"Quit yapping nonsense, Chui-dal. Brother Tang, Chui-dal's skipping for other business. No need for everyone to enter anyway."
"What? Tournaments aside, no plaque means missing all events."
"Huh, didn't know. Guess Yeon needs one too."
Whatever.
Baek Yang-hui snorted at the plaque.
"Human-grade."
"Yep. Earth-grade needs a spot in the world's top hundred sects."
Dragon-Phoenix plaques came in Heaven, Earth, Human tiers.
Human was lowest, most common. Treatment for invitees varied wildly by grade.
"Human-grade's basically worthless. Though skipping plaques makes the Assembly more fun anyway."
Simple reason: Plaques were designed to spark competition before arrival.
'Plaques double as the tournament's prelims.'
Young heroes worldwide numbered tens of thousands.
Even elites topped ten thousand yearly for the Assembly's arena.
Pulling three hundred sixty finalists meant multiple prelim rounds.
'Human: round one. Earth: round two. Heaven: straight to finals.'
Hated hassle, so first chance, he'd...
Someone spoke up nearby.
"Greetings. Might I ask... are you of the Baek Clan, good sir?"
"Ah, yes. And you?"
"Oho! The Heaven-Covering Sword Dragon in the flesh?!"
Baek Yang-hui nodded. The man's face lit up as he bellowed.
"No way! To meet the Baek Clan's famed heir in person—honor to behold Gangsuh's Supreme Dragon!"
Shinju wasn't Baek turf. Baek Yang-hui never roamed it.
Still, enough to electrify the tavern's first floor.
"Heaven-Covering Sword Dragon here?!"
"Where... oh! Real deal! Saw him at a Baek Clan banquet!"
"Whoa! True hero vibes! What divine bearing!"
By fame alone, Silver Venom Dragon Tang Jun and Heaven Venom Peak Tang Yeon outshone him.
But in Gangsuh? Only "Heaven-Covering Sword Dragon" claimed top young gun.
"Your praises humble me—no, lift my spirits! Drinks on me for everyone here, as thanks!"
Cupped fists high, he shouted. Cheers erupted.
Funds tight, but no issue.
Chui-dal—heart gone rotten—mastered Money Duplication Divine Art ages ago.
"Kehahaha, cheers!"
"Heaven-Covering Sword Dragon! Thanks!"
As folks swarmed for free booze, he handled them curtly.
"Greetings to the Baek Clan's heir and second son, Tang Clan's Young Lord and lady."
Spot-on titles, polite bow from the man.
Fine robes, refined features screaming pedigree.
He continued.
"And to you, Miss Baek. Long time."
"Young Master Ju Jeok-yeon. Indeed."
Ju Clan. Instinct screamed it.
This punk's the academy creep who lusted after Yeon.
Amusing twist, too.
'Bastard's no pure scholar—trained proper martial arts.'
Even demonic arts.
Guess Yeon's looks weren't the whole spark for that disaster.