Chapter: 272
The guesthouse in Hanam had been buzzing with talk lately.
“Did you hear the news?”
At the man’s question, which seemed somewhat excited, the innkeeper, Bangdok, frowned.
“I’ve heard it; Hyung Chang talks about it every day. How could I not know?”
“Oh, did I mention it?”
The man, Chang Eui-jin, chuckled awkwardly.
Well, he had indeed brought it up over the last couple of days.
At that moment, the other men sitting at the same table perked up their ears.
“What’s the buzz, fellas?”
Seeing their reaction, Bangdok thought, Here we go again, and returned to the kitchen.
Of course, for Chang Eui-jin, who loved to chatter, it was the perfect scenario.
“Don Ah, have you heard that Shinryongguan is opening this time?”
“How could I not know? It’s been four or five years since it’s last been held.”
It was usually held at intervals, but this time, the break was particularly long.
“Do you know who the current governor is?”
“I do! I heard that the master of Kunlun is seeking out Shinryongguan this time.”
One of the Gupaebangs and the ruler of Cheonghae.
Cheonghae Ilgeom Uibijin.
He was said to be taking the head seat at this Shinryongguan.
The Shinryongguan is hosted by the Murim Alliance, and each time the hall opens, the person in charge changes.
“The previous head was probably the master of the Wudang Sect.”
“Is that so? I hear there were barely a handful of graduates that even made it through back then.”
The nature of the Mudangjeilgeom was widely known throughout the Central Plains, so it wouldn’t have been surprising if that were true.
“Still, if you look at the sword and the dragon, those guys are bound to shine anyway.”
“That’s a fair point… Anyway, is that the main story?”
“Oh no, it’s not!”
Chang Eui-jin waved his hands in denial.
“If I knew everyone already knew about this, would I feel this lively?”
“Then what in the world is it that has you so thrilled?”
“This time, the Cheonghae Ilgeom is coming to Shinryongguan, and there are new instructors too!”
“Ah, I see. So they’re recruiting from the Kunlun faction?”
“That’s part of it…”
Creak.
Suddenly, Chang Eui-jin stood up and leaned in closer.
“I have top-secret news I got from the opening.”
“Top-secret? You mentioned that yesterday and the day before, didn’t you?”
“…Ah, can you at least try to set the mood?”
With an exaggerated groan, the man sighed and moved closer, frowning.
Seemingly satisfied, Chang Eui-jin whispered in his ear.
“I heard that this instructor includes the Plum Blossom Swordmistress!”
“…Huh?”
It was unexpected news.
It sounded fresh, but soon he stepped back, looking disappointed.
“That’s some nonsense. Why would a swordmistress even think of becoming an instructor?”
“Well, is it that Cheonghae Ilgeom has too much spare time on their hands to be going around as headmaster?”
“If so, they would still pay, right?”
“…That’s true.”
It’s not just about getting paid; the position of Shinryongguan can only be held by those with high reputation in the Central Plains.
The awareness around that concept is well-rooted.
For a martial artist, it’s practically an honor.
Because being acknowledged means you’re a notable figure in the righteous faction.
But if you say it’s just an instructor…
“A mere instructor wouldn’t quite do.”
She is the representative heroine of the Central Plains.
A master of Hwasan, who inherited the title of Swordmistress at the youngest age in history.
Not to mention, she is the most talked-about figure amongst the people, with a reputation that sparkles more than a diamond.
After being nowhere to be found for several years, upon her reappearance, many breathed sighs of relief.
“If it comes to that, wouldn’t she be at a level to hold the headmaster position?”
“If she were going to do that, it would be Maehwaseon who would take the lead.”
In fact, it seems she had been offered a few times already.
She had turned them down, saying she didn’t have the strength to take responsibility unless they were children of the volcano.
But the instructor being a swordmistress?
Especially when it’s during the period controlled by the Kunlun faction?
“I don’t think Cheonghae Ilgeom would have accepted that.”
That was one of the reasons this news smelled fishy.
“Why is everyone so suspicious? Just wait. You’ll see that what I said turns out to be right!”
“If you’re right, do treat me to a drink.”
“That day will be the day the income of this inn doubles!”
Chang Eui-jin laughed heartily.
“Stop dragging that out and hit me with something else.”
“Something else? What do you want?”
“This Shinryongguan is said to be the best of all time.”
“Ah-ha.”
Chang Eui-jin nodded as if he understood the man’s words.
Because he realized what was being referred to.
The generation of shooting stars.
In this current time, geniuses who appear only once in a hundred years are plentiful.
Within those, shining stars are visible.
It’s said that geniuses are falling like shooting stars nowadays, hence the term “generation of shooting stars.”
Among them, the Six Dragons and Three Peaks.
Six dragons and three phoenixes.
They were the ones that stood out, shining among a sea of brilliance.
“In the previous batch, were there only two—a dragon and a phoenix?”
“Right.”
“Oh, were there two?”
“The Sword and the Dragon.”
To be precise, the former divine dragon, Peng Wujin, and the current top scorer, Geumbong, were both from that previous class.
How amazing were those times?
The Shinryongguan set up by the Wudang’s headmaster back then was quite challenging for the heirs of noble families to complete.
It had the highest difficulty ever.
Yet the result yielded the lowest number of graduates.
However, Geumbong and Peng Wujin boasted the highest scores among all Shinryongguan graduates ever.
It was indeed a tremendous record.
“But now there are five of them…”
The timing couldn’t be more perfect.
It was the right age for the remaining candidates to join, and the circumstances fit just right.
Every one except Geumbong among the Six Dragons and Three Peaks could join.
Except for the ones whose positions haven’t yet been established, that is.
At this point, a question arises.
This is the pondering question that everyone on the Central Plains has considered at least once.
The biggest dilemma of the present.
“Who do you think will be the greatest?”
Who stands out among the Six Dragons and Three Peaks?
At this, Chang Eui-jin chuckled.
“Surely, it would be Geumbong.”
“Geumbong doesn’t come to Shinryongguan.”
“True. Then who would you say?”
Chang Eui-jin’s question left the man in silence for a moment.
“…Sleeping Dragon?”
“After all that pondering, you bring up that sleepyhead.”
“Considerations aside, isn’t it true that Jamryong is better?”
The Sleeping Dragon is lazy. He sleeps a lot, prefers being lazy, and absolutely loathes movement.
That’s how he earned the title—the Sleeping Dragon.
It was said that just swinging a sword or even breathing felt like a chore to him.
Yet despite that temperament, he possesses an overwhelmingly incredible talent.
The Sleeping Dragon was permitted to enter the ranks of the Six Dragons and Three Peaks.
“If you’re putting it that way, the Lightning Dragon shouldn’t be counted out either, right?”
“Oh please, everyone knows the Lightning Dragon lost to the newcomer in the last Yongbong gathering.”
The next head of the Namgung family, the Lightning Dragon.
He hadn’t shown any outstanding results leading up to the past year, including the year before that.
“Well, the Ice Phoenix and Poison Phoenix are still up in the air. I don’t know much about the Two Dragons…”
“Then what about the True Dragon?”
“Oh, you mean he just got a new nickname last time? But who are you talking about?”
When Chang Eui-jin heard about the True Dragon, he almost let slip a remark.
He paused, noticing an unfamiliar young man had suddenly barged in.
It was clear they had been conversing, but somehow an unfamiliar face had slipped in.
In response to Chang Eui-jin’s question, the young man smiled warmly and grabbed a chicken leg off the table.
“Oh, don’t mind me. I just couldn’t help but join since the conversation sounded so entertaining.”
“That’s… my food…”
“The bill’s on me.”
“So what else did my little brother want to hear?”
The young man, shifting from a stranger to a “little brother,” replied with a grin.
“I’d like to hear a bit about the True Dragon. What’s your take?”
“The True Dragon… Well, he’s actually been missing since the last tournament.”
Just like how the Two Dragons vanished.
The True Dragon also dropped off the face of the earth after appearing at the first Yongbong gathering.
It’s quite perplexing, though.
What’s curious is they both stunned everyone with their exceptional skills during their first appearances.
Especially at that time when they crushed the Lightning Dragon.
The news that he toyed with Shinsung, the previous Yongbong champion, felt almost embellished as time went by.
Moreover, considering age, isn’t he currently the youngest among the Six Dragons and Three Peaks?
I heard he hasn’t even turned twenty.
The rumors are undoubtedly exaggerated.
Yet if they’re not, then the True Dragon is undoubtedly a monster destined to rock the Central Plains.
However, Gu Clan, who happens to have both Geumbong and True Dragon, remains mute on the matter.
The current perspective in the Central Plains holds that rumors are indeed just that—rumors.
“Of course, even if it’s just a rumor, it’s not like it’s a lie that he defeated the Lightning Dragon and the Divine Spirit. So he must be strong, right?”
“Then how does he compare to the Sleeping Dragon?”
“Sleeping Dragon?”
The man regarded the young person who had asked such a delicate question.
Looking closely, he was actually quite striking.
Having shaggy hair and, judging by the crusties around his eyes, he hadn’t bathed in days.
Yet his handsome face seemed to overshadow all of that.
“Hmmm… would the Sleeping Dragon not be more impressive?”
“I see.”
The young man wore a peculiar expression at Chang Eui-jin’s response.
He seemed slightly disappointed or perhaps hopeful at the same time.
“Oh, little brother. Instead of that, since you’re picking up the tab, I’ll share something even more exciting.”
“Oh, what is it?”
The young man faced Chang Eui-jin, his face a mask of eager anticipation.
Chang Eui-jin, seemingly pleased with the young man’s reaction, was about to speak when—
“Hyung… what are you doing here?”
Suddenly, someone approached the young man, giving him a hefty sigh.
At this, the young man’s expression shifted to one of realization.
“Whoops, busted.”
“It’s not so much ‘busted’ as… wait, why did you run off in the first place… Hyung, are you seriously munching on meat right now?”
“Priest.”
“Yes?”
“This is made of soybean. It’s not meat, you see.”
“Then is that chicken saying ‘Kongkio’ instead of ‘Kkokkio’?”
“Haha, Priest, is this becoming entertaining?”
“…”
“Alright, stand up already.”
At the Priest’s ugh, seriously expression, the young man scratched his head and pushed himself up.
Dropping the chicken leg he held, Chang Eui-jin looked up at the young man, a hint of disappointment in his gaze.
“Don’t worry. Thanks to your captivating tales, I’ll foot the bill.”
“Oh, be safe on your way in. Oh, little brother looks like a martial artist too…”
Only then did Chang Eui-jin speak, his tone edged with caution.
The sight of someone with a sword.
Standing upright, he felt an inexplicable disconnect.
“I guess I’ve had my share of satisfying meals.”
“By any chance… do you have a nickname?”
“It’s not a significant name, and it’s not one I’m particularly fond of.”
The young man, shaking with laughter, tossed a pouch containing the food money at Chang Eui-jin.
“That was a fun story! I’m Woohyuk. Let’s meet again.”
Beaming like a star, the young man exited the inn.
Following right behind was the person referred to as the Priest.
And here, Chang Eui-jin and the man found themselves alone once more.
They shared a moment of dazed silence before opening their mouths wide.
“Woohyuk… Woohyuk?”
It was a familiar name.
The young man’s name is Woohyuk.
Unless Chang Eui-jin and the man were mistaken, he was decidedly—
“The Wudang Woohyuk.”
A renowned martial artist from the Wudang Sect, born of the age.
And simultaneously, a figure touted as the brightest star of the meteor generation.
That very same person…
“…Sleeping Dragon?”
He was the Sleeping Dragon among the Six Dragons and Three Peaks.
“Heh heh.”
The man, who had been discussing the Sleeping Dragon moments ago, repeatedly pondered over what he’d just spoken, trying to calm himself.
Chang Eui-jin laughed helplessly like he’d encountered a ghost and then abruptly stated.
“…If I’d known he was such a mighty figure, I would’ve shared the most crucial details.”
“Is that guy’s tale even relevant now? It was the Sleeping Dragon. If I accidentally flubbed my words… Eek…”
As he recoiled in horror, Chang Eui-jin recalled what he should’ve said.
‘The descendant of the Sword Master has appeared.’
This alone was something Chang Eui-jin himself brushed aside as mere gossip.
However, had he known that he was, indeed, the Sleeping Dragon…
He would’ve mentioned it just for laughs.
Settled with the thought that he had secured another amusing story to share, Chang Eui-jin inspected the pouch the Sleeping Dragon had left behind.
“I’ve also earned money for drinks; we could talk all night now…”
“Why so contemplative, Chang Hyung?”
When Chang Eui-jin froze,
The man stepped closer to check out the pouch with him.
“…Huh?”
While there was indeed money in the pouch, it contained just one or two coins.
That wouldn’t even cover the cost of the cheapest noodles at the inn!
“Seriously, can you not walk alone?”
“Priest, the world was meant to be lived alone.”
“…Ah… What a headache.”
The Priest shook his head in disbelief and walked away.
Meanwhile, the Sleeping Dragon watched the Priest with a chuckle.
Additionally, he recalled the stories he’d heard at the inn just earlier.
‘The True Dragon.’
Was that last year?
It felt like a name he had heard in passing.
He had gotten wind of a new dragon appearing.
He also heard that this new dragon had mentioned his name.
‘He defeated the Lightning Dragon and the Divine Spirit?’
Even after hearing this, he felt no strong emotions.
To begin with, the Lightning Dragon wasn’t impressive and was of low caliber.
And about the Divine Spirit? There wasn’t much there to ponder.
Just a glance would reveal that bystanders seemed to be boosting him and petting him along.
As if he was already expected to be labeled a master.
It felt like watching an artificially crafted “masterpiece”.
‘How boring.’
Thus, it lacked any real impact.
He felt only drowsy and fatigued.
“I’m sleepy.”
“…Didn’t you sleep all day yesterday?”
“Priest, no matter how much I sleep, I still feel tired.”
The Sleeping Dragon let out a yawn as he sauntered forward.
How much longer to their lodgings?
He longed to lie down.
‘It’s noisy.’
The chatter around him was too evident for his liking.
The Sleeping Dragon despised this sort of hullabaloo.
“Hyung, isn’t it a bit quiet today?”
“Really?”
“Yes, for the streets of Hanam, this is unusually little.”
“To me, it’s just as noisy.”
“Pardon?”
At the Sleeping Dragon’s remark, the Priest glanced around.
The atmosphere around them more aptly described as deserted rather than lively.
‘Noisy?’
The Priest felt a twinge of doubt, but didn’t further dwell on it.
His brother had a penchant for strange comments.
“First and foremost, I could just use a good sleep…”
“Uh?”
On the way to the lodgings where the Wudang martial artists were staying,
The Sleeping Dragon and the Priest halted mid-stride.
A familiar face was approaching from ahead.
Just as the Sleeping Dragon had stopped, the person coming also seemed to recognize him.
A genuine smile appeared.
Alongside the Sleeping Dragon stood another strikingly handsome young man.
Dressed in a pure white uniform.
On his chest was a symbol representing his faction.
Beautifully blooming plum leaves.
There was only one place in the entire Central Plains where such plum-leaf adorned garb was worn.
As the Sleeping Dragon recognized this, he wore a curious expression.
The young man, as if waiting for this moment, approached the Sleeping Dragon.
“It’s been a while, Master Woo.”
As the words floated through the air, a subtle scent of plum blossoms brushed against Woohyuk’s nose.
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