#1
8
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My head felt heavy and I couldn’t put any strength into my body, as if I had gotten drunk last night to the point where I couldn’t endure it.
Although I had shared a few drinks with Ambassador Hye-seong, it was truly strange to think that I had never felt intoxicated since reaching the peak of my state.
Moreover, the condition of the disciples who had woken them up was also strange.
They were disciples who, as Jeomchang’s disciples, always had to maintain a neat appearance.
However, before he knew it, he had grown a rough beard, and dark circles were forming under his eyes.
“What on earth is going on?”
Master Myeonghyeon, who had been speaking, was startled.
Wasn’t there even a scraping sound coming from his throat, as if it had rusted from not being used for days?
The disciple standing in front mutters as if he has lost his mind.
“Sorcery… It is sorcery, Elder.”
“Sorcery?”
It is not like it is a bolt out of the blue; how is one supposed to understand if you suddenly speak of sorcery?
“Those who attacked us three days ago were… sorcerers.”
Master Myeonghyeon, who was listening to the story, shook his head roughly as if to say that there was no way that was true.
“What nonsense!!! Don’t you know that Jeomchang is immune to such shoddy things as sorcery!!!”
“…….”
The disciples, who were cleaning up the mess after failing to even recite the Demon-Slaying Mantra during the battle with the Blood-Clothed Men, looked at each other with sulky expressions.
Does that mean sorcery bypasses those affiliated with Jeomchang?
Then why did I get taken advantage of this time?
Whether the disciples had doubts or not, Myeonghyeon sprang up from his seat.
“Surely those clumsy scoundrels of the Dark Path dared to pull off some stupid stunt without fearing the Murim Alliance.”
Myeonghyeon, unable to control his anger, suddenly stood up from his seat and staggered from the dizziness that made his head spin.
It is because you have been unconscious for three days straight, Elder. Please get up slowly.
Lee Gi-pung, a disciple of Jeomchang, tried to comfort Myeonghyeon, but Myeonghyeon roughly shook off his hand and headed outside.
The sight that caught his eyes as he rushed out of the barracks like that was…
“W-what is this… What on earth is going on!”
A corpse rolling on the floor.
The martial arts uniform worn by the corpse clearly belongs to the ‘Daejeomchangpa’.
Myeonghyeon opened his eyes wide and hurriedly looked around.
“Th-what is this…….”
A wounded person who has fallen into a coma.
The martial arts attire he wore also indicated that he belonged to the secular singing and dancing school of the ‘Daejeomchangpa’.
Ping──.
Myeonghyeon squeezed his eyes shut at the sharp pain piercing his head.
“It seems the aftereffects of the sorcery still linger. Jinso… no, according to the academy representative, to prevent any lingering aftereffects from the sorcery, you need to regain stability and consistently practice Qi cultivation.”
Myeonghyeon reacted as if having a seizure at Lee Gi-pung’s words.
“Jin So-woon? Why is Jin So-woon being mentioned all of a sudden?”
This event was intended to restore the honor of Jeomchang, which had been tarnished in Akyang, but at the same time, it was also to suppress the fame of Jin So-un, which was expanding without end.
Naturally, not only was Jin So-un not supposed to appear here, but his name shouldn’t even be mentioned.
Amidst the settled silence, Jeomchang’s disciples exchange wary glances.
Eventually, Lee Gi-pung mustered up the courage and spoke.
“The student council representative rushed to save us. If it weren’t for him and his colleagues…”
He swallowed hard, yet did not avoid the fierce gaze of Master Myeonghyeon.
We must surely be dead.
The other disciples immediately nodded their heads as if agreeing with Lee Gi-pung’s words.
Master Myeonghyeon glared at his disciples.
“Representative? Did you just call Jin So-un like that??”
A look of utter disbelief.
Myeonghyeon shouted at his foolish disciples.
“You fools! I even organized this event just because you couldn’t get past that one mere Taeeulmun disciple! Are you foolishly defending him?!”
“Jin So-un… Is that guy here right now?!”
Lee Gi-pung, who had been hesitating at Master Myeonghyeon’s question, nodded.
It was an unexpected story.
“Huh… You came all the way here when you should be keeping up with your academic schedule?”
Master Myeonghyeon furiously turned his head, which was incessantly in pain due to the aftereffects of the sorcery.
There was no way Jin So-un had come here for no reason.
There must be some kind of conspiracy!
“Right! That’s right! This whole situation is definitely that bastard’s conspiracy!!”
Myeonghyeon shouted angrily as if he had suddenly realized something great.
The reaction of the disciples, who would normally have their eyes burning with determination to take every word of Myeonghyeon to heart no matter what he said, was lukewarm.
Whether he knew it or not, Myeonghyeon continued speaking.
“That bastard is clearly colluding with the Black Path. It is obvious he conspired with the Black Path in advance to set a trap! Jin So-un! Where is that scoundrel?”
None of Jeomchang’s disciples answered Myeonghyeon’s question.
“You said that guy is here! Where is he?!”
At Myeonghyeon’s urging, a disciple belonging to the Seokga sect pointed in one direction.
“I heard that you just returned from observing the enemy’s movements.”
“Guide me! I must punish that bastard myself!”
“Didn’t I tell you to guide me right away!”
Once again, only silence settled quietly.
As none of Jeomchang’s disciples stepped forward, Lee Gi-pung eventually supported Master Myeonghyeon.
The scene that followed was what all of Jeomchang’s disciples had anticipated.
“How dare you pull a stunt against Jeomchang? What are you all doing! Subdue that fellow immediately and bring him before me!”
A command as stern as abstraction was issued by the Myeonghyeon Dojo, but no one moved.
“How dare a mere academy student not only collude with the Dark Path but also raid the Council of Elders? There is no way to atone for your sins, not even with death!”
Master Myeonghyeon shouted angrily, his face turning red, but Jin So-un showed no intention of offering a single word of excuse.
No, rather, he reaches for the Black Dragon Sword.
“No matter how rotten you are, I thought you would at least know how to tell your bladder and bowels.”
And then, slowly, he drew the Black Dragon Sword.
Jin So-un’s face was filled with disappointment.
Even in my previous life, because of people like that, a matter that would have killed ten people escalated into a matter that would have killed a hundred.
“Since they were better educated and more capable than us… we believed, and believed again, that there was some big picture.”
It was only after the sacrifice of tens of thousands of innocent people that I realized it.
It was only belatedly realized as I watched their retreating figures fleeing toward the North Sea, scattering the victims’ blood on the ground.
The grand plan they speak of
That was nothing more than a signboard to hide their political interests…
As Jin So-un stood on the very front lines of the victims, he knew better than anyone how great the sense of betrayal was.
“To turn a blind eye to the tragedy right before your eyes for the sake of your own political gain. Someone like you is a more dangerous enemy of the Murim Alliance than the Apostles or the Demonic Path.”
As Jin So-un points the Black Dragon Sword at Myeong-hyeon, Myeong-hyeon unleashes fiery rage.
“You scoundrel! Not only do you dare to play tricks on Jeomchang, but do you even dare to confront the Elder Council of the Murim Alliance!”
Unlike Myeonghyeon, Jin So-un’s tone of voice is incredibly calm.
What do you mean I plotted?
“Did you think I wouldn’t know that you conspired with the Black Path to disrupt our Jeongdohoe event?”
“If you hadn’t taken Moyong Jaehwa and Eun Seol-ran with you, I would have just watched you die.”
“……
What, what!
In his previous life, the level of Master Myeonghyeon was the absolute peak.
Even if he did not reach the level of the Red Snake-Throwing-Out-of-the-Wind, he must have sufficiently achieved the Three-Flower-Gathering-Energy.
Since the Spirit, Energy, and Spirit were united as one and the Heavenly Palace was being protected, even if one had been caught in the illusion formation unwittingly, there would have been no reason to lose one’s reason.
Therefore, it means that even though Master Myeonghyeon is suffering from the aftereffects of fraud, he is spouting nonsense while in a very clear state of mind.
“Not only I, but Hye-seong is here with us. Do you know that you have been plotting against the Council of Elders?”
“Keep babbling.”
“This is tantamount to a conspiracy determined by the Murim Alliance.”
“ha ha ha.”
A volatile situation.
Moyong Jaehwa and Eun Seol-ran, who were looking after the people, approach Jin So-un.
Nam Hwa-seong agonizes over whether to get close to Jin So-un or stay far away, but eventually joins Jin So-un.
So what do you plan to do about it?
“I will escort you to the Murim Alliance to punish you! Furthermore, do not expect your fellow disciples and your sect to remain safe!”
As soon as Master Myeonghyeon finished speaking, Jin So-un’s martial arts uniform swelled up as if it were about to burst.
Killing intent exploded in all directions, causing some of those who had barely managed to stabilize the interior to cough up blood once again.
Even Myeonghyeon’s face turned yellow, perhaps because he found it difficult to endure the aftermath of the killing intent.
Jin So-un slowly raised his head.
Try it.
I told you to try it.
Jin So-un’s eyes gleam with murderous intent.
Master Myeonghyeon, unable to accept that rebellious behavior at all, shouts angrily.
Can’t you do it? I’ll help you.
Jin So-un switches his grip on the Black Dragon Sword.
Soon, he strode toward Myeonghyeon.
And then.
puck.
He unleashed a kick filled with internal energy.
“Ugh……!”
Myeonghyeon’s body, which had been leaning on Lee Gi-pung, rolls miserably on the floor.
Jin So-un looks down with a cold gaze.
“If you think I am colluding with the Dark Path and plotting treason to overthrow the Murim Alliance, then go ahead and do it properly!”
“Yes, you bastard!”
puck!
Jin So-un’s rough kick lands on Myeong-hyeon’s face.
“Phew!”
A wound forms on Myeonghyeon’s nose, and blood flows profusely.
However, Jin So-un does not withdraw his killing intent.
“If I am an enemy of the Murim Alliance and a threat to the Jianghu, then go ahead and try to kill me!”
“You, you bastard! If only I… hadn’t suffered internal injuries…!”
Internal injury?
Contempt wells up in Jin So-un’s eyes.
Eventually, he unleashes a blast of wind and strikes Myeonghyeon’s vital point.
Puff puff puff puff puff puff.
The wind blast fired by simply infusing internal energy, rather than being a special martial art, was closer to a brutal punch.
Myeonghyeon felt as if he were being beaten by dozens of giants.
Jin So-un’s eyes tremble as he looks down at him.
Is that all a human’s resolve to protect the martial arts world amounts to?
Because the members of the Sojeong Unit had such meager internal energy, mutual destruction was a daily occurrence.
It was only natural to procure innate vital energy, and whenever the Blood-Explosion Pill could be consumed, it was poured into the mouth without delay.
He did so even though he knew what kind of future would unfold if even his innate vital energy were damaged in the life of an insignificant, third-rate warrior.
Because that was the only thing I could do to protect the future of the martial arts world with my meager strength right now.
“If even a third-rate warrior on a meager salary would act this way, is a human being called an Elder of the Martial Arts Alliance so afraid of his Innate True Energy collapsing that he cannot even be prepared to die together? I truly do not see any reason to keep him alive.”
Myeonghyeon rolled several times from Jin So-un’s kick.
“Yikes! You, you bastard!”
Myeonghyeon also seemed to think that he couldn’t go on like this anymore, so he tried to force himself to generate internal energy.
At that sight, a hollow smile plays on Jin So-un’s lips.
“It wasn’t a time when the apostle was threatening them, nor were the disciples’ lives in danger, so in the end…”
Jin So-un lightly threw a punch.
“Do you only become prepared to die together when your own life is in danger?”
“Cough!”
Myeonghyeon Dojang rolled on the floor, spewing blood profusely, looking literally like a wreck.
Despite this, Jin So-un continued to approach Myeong-hyeon, seemingly having no intention of stopping.
And Myeonghyeon stepped back with a face full of fear and shouted to Jeomchang’s disciples.
“What are you guys doing loitering around!”
“Why don’t you catch that criminal and beat him up right now!”
But the silence returned once again.
Not a single person moved at the words of Master Myeonghyeon.
Filled with rage, Myeonghyeon struggles to stretch his limbs around and shouts again.
“What are you all doing! Do you find my command to make that sinner kneel immediately laughable! Lee Gi-pung!”
As Myeonghyeon pointed at Lee Gi-pung, the eyes of Jeomchang and the disciples of the Sok clan turned toward him.
“Lee Gi-pung! Join Jeomchang’s disciples and subdue that fellow with a single blow!”
Lee Gi-pung looked back and forth between Jin So-un and Myeong-hyeon, then let out a sigh and started walking.
“What are the rest of you doing! Why aren’t you moving immediately!”
Lee Gi-pung slowly approached Jin So-un and Myeong-hyeon.
After gazing briefly at Jin So-un’s relaxed gaze, he said, “I will pass by for a moment.”
Soon, he passed him and approached Myeonghyeon.
“What are you doing! Subdue that guy immediately…… *Cough*.”
Master Myeonghyeon, who had been pointing his finger, suddenly let out a gasp and grabbed the hem of Lee Gi-pung’s clothes as if he could not believe it.
The one who interrupted Master Myeonghyeon and ambushed him was.
“You, you bastard…….”
It was none other than Lee Gi-pung, who had supported him.
dump.
Myeonghyeon looked at Lee Gi-pung with a look of disbelief and fainted.
Lee Gi-pung, who had been staring indifferently at the fallen Myeonghyeon, scratched his head and said
“Perhaps… Elder Myeonghyeon seems to have lost his reason after being exposed to fraud for too long.”
Lee Gi-pung looked at the other disciples.
A situation where, if things go wrong, you could end up bearing the blame for the destruction of the knights.
The other disciples also nod their heads as if they have made up their minds.
Well, that’s to be expected. We don’t really know what’s what yet, either.
I still see things that aren’t there.
Master Myeonghyeon has had a bit of dementia for a long time.
As Jeomchang’s disciples began to agree one by one, the disciples of the Seokga sect did not even dare to think of stepping forward.
Lee Gi-pung, having handed over the Myeonghyeon dojo to another disciple, slowly stepped forward.
Then, he politely grasped the fist.
Representative Jin So-un, I apologize on behalf of Elder Myeong-hyeon for his slip of the tongue.
Jin So-un looked at Lee Gi-pung with a look of wonder.
“You’re worse than Jongbyeokgi. Do you think you can clean up the mess you just made?”
Do you remember me?
Well, since he showed quite a sharp move at the dock.
Lee Gi-pung felt truly ashamed.
During the regular admissions period, regardless of whether I passed or not, I attempted to sabotage the other person solely to fail them.
However, now that opponent saved them and even took the blame for the insult.
I felt even more sorry about that fact.
“The crime of destroying knights is the most grave offense punishable by the sect. Wouldn’t it have been better to just take a few punches from me and be done with it?”
Lee Gi-pung raised his head and looked at Jin So-un.
I felt even more ashamed of myself at the sight of him acting as if nothing had happened, despite knowing my past.
“I wanted to become a warrior to understand honor and avoid living a shameful life. If I am to live such a shameful life, I believe it is better to commit the sin of destroying the knights.”
It would be a shame to be imprisoned in the golden palace of Jeomchang. I wanted to see how you would change.
Lee Gi-pung looked at Jin So-un with complicated eyes for a while.
Just how big-hearted is this man to be able to say such things without hesitation?
Lee Gi-pung felt overwhelmed by a grandeur he had never once experienced in his life, and his head naturally bowed. ‘To someone like this, the political maneuvering we have engaged in must have been nothing but a mere trick. How shameful.’ Lee Gi-pung bowed respectfully and grasped the clasp.
“I thank you once again for fighting like a mere trifle to save these foolish people. I will engrave your kindness in my bones and surely repay you someday.”
Starting with Lee Gi-pung, Jeomchang’s disciples began to bow their heads one by one.
“I thank my benefactor. I will engrave this kindness deep in my bones and will surely repay it someday!”
As all the disciples of Jeomchang bowed their heads, the disciples of the Jeomchang Seokgamumun followed, and then the disciples of Shaolin and even the disciples of the Shaolin Seokgamun.
Everyone stopped what they were doing, bowed their heads in unison, and grasped the bowing fist of Jin So-un.
Sincere voices echoed all around like a reverberation.
Moyong Jae-hwa, who had hooked his finger onto the string of the steel bow, lowered the bow and stared blankly at the scene.
For some reason, Eun Seol-ran turned her head and wiped away her tears.
“Tsk…….”
Jin So-un, sheathing the Black Dragon Sword with a complex expression, slowly opened his mouth.
“I understand… let’s stop this and hurry back.”
Jin So-un turns around abruptly and walks away as if running away.
Nam Hwa-seong chased after Jin So-un and asked.
“Do you like it? Do you like being praised like that by your enemies?”
“Get lost! You’re annoying!”
However, a faint smile played on his face. After stabilizing(?) the Myeonghyeon Dojo, a similar incident almost happened with Grand Master Hyeseong, but thanks to Ilgak somehow stepping in quickly(?), there was no need to blush with Grand Master Hyeseong.
After reorganizing the unit, I sent them off first and remained at that peak.
Nam Hwa-seong said he felt awkward joining the unit and would follow me, but when I warned him that he might encounter Cheol-gang-si again, he put on a serious face, told me to come back quickly, and joined the unit.
“Um…… Brother…….”
Moyong Jaehwa cautiously begins to speak.
“Huh? Why?”
“Um… I don’t know why I’m still here…”
He must have been quite anxious about being the only one left behind while everyone else was going back.
I stroked his head and said.
Thunderclap, you haven’t finished it yet.
Huh? Ah, uh, right.
“There are such good targets right here, so I should finish it here before I leave. Right?”
“B-but they say Steel City will definitely appear…….”
Tch, did you hear what I said to Nam Hwa-seong?
It won’t come out. Probably.
You said “maybe”?
“Anyway, don’t worry. Unlike Nam Hwa-seong, you are light, so I can pick you up and run away.”
“yes?”
Jaehwa’s eyes tremble helplessly.
I stroked his head even more to reassure him.
“Well, as long as my clothes don’t get torn or anything, such an unfortunate thing won’t happen, right?”
Moyong Jaehwa suddenly fumbled around with his clothes.
“What do you mean… Ah, no, more importantly, what do you plan to do staying here?”
“Seunghodang is coming this way right now. If we don’t stop their advance party, the damage will be even greater.”
Jaehwa opens his mouth wide as if he cannot believe it.
“Then you mean the two of us should stop that advance party…?”
“Yeah. Why?”
Is that possible?
It is possible if you just complete the Thunderclap Poem.
The damage from war is most likely to occur during a retreat.
Moreover, the leading groups, including Shaolin and Diancang, had not even fully recovered from the aftereffects of the sorcery.
“It is self-evident that if we are ambushed in this state, the damage will be severe not only for the Jeongdohoe but also for my party. And above all, I cannot afford to lose the Red Light Sword… no, the Blood Sea Jade.” This is truly killing two birds with one stone.
I gazed deeply at the dazed Jaehwa and spoke.
Shall we go pick mulberries?
“Huh? What do you mean…?”
Especially in times like this, you have to push hard and drive them crazy.
Training… no, basic common sense of training.
“Look, over there! Over there! Do you see the red barracks?”
“What? You mean that barracks two hundred jang away?”
“Alright. First, give them a Thunderclap Arrow.”
“Um… Brother, even a steel bow has a maximum range of 150 lengths.”
“Oh come on, what are you talking about? I saw them shoot from a distance of 300 jang.”
It’s true. In his previous life, Pagung could effortlessly shoot arrows at targets averaging 300 zhang and up to 400 zhang away. ‘They said that theoretically, it’s possible to shoot up to 500 zhang once one’s martial arts are perfected.’ Of course, even Pagung in his previous life ultimately failed to reach that level, but since he grasped the bow sooner in this life, wouldn’t it be possible before the Great War between the Righteous and the Demonic?
therefore
“What are you doing? Why aren’t you shooting?”
I need to hurry up and retrieve the Blood Sea Jade and go back.
