Chapter: 694
I entered the residence.
As I stepped inside, I noticed there were already a little over twenty people waiting.
Even moving my feet made my skin tingle.
I had to click my tongue inwardly as I sensed the tension.
Tch.
‘Those old men and their power struggles.’
Humans were holding onto unnecessary weight.
Whenever a group of martial artists gathers, it’s always the same: they fight among themselves over territory and make bets.
There really are no greater fools.
‘How nice it would be if they could just live simply.’
Are they really overflowing with energy like that? I think I’d outnumber them all combined.
Showing off like that just leads to embarrassment.
In wars, it’s common for those who boast like that to perish because they can’t muster their strength when it truly counts.
‘That’s why you shouldn’t associate with those who’ve never seen real warfare.’
I waved my hand while constantly recalling various curses.
Huff-
Only after I relaxed the tangled energy around me was I able to breathe a bit easier.
However…
“…!”
“….”
Perhaps realizing I had touched their aura, the gazes of the successful candidates now fixed on me.
Feeling this, I smiled awkwardly.
“Sorry, I couldn’t breathe.”
I blurted that out and found a spot nearby.
Since there didn’t seem to be any designated seating, I settled on a less sunny spot on the floor.
Their eyes still followed me, but I tried my best to ignore it.
‘How long will this take?’
Right now, I was only concerned about the time ahead.
The preliminaries were still ongoing, so who knows how long it’ll be before the second round starts.
Not just the time.
‘I wonder how Wi Seol-ah and Seongyul are doing.’
I was worried about the other guys who participated in the preliminaries with me.
‘They’re alright, right…?’
If the tests were the same everywhere else, I really didn’t believe any of them would drop out.
Still, it lingered in the back of my mind.
Especially Wi Seol-ah.
‘…Is she doing well…?’
Like a child left by the water’s edge, all my senses were on high alert.
If it were up to me, I’d want to pop out right now and check if she was doing fine.
‘I used to giggle a lot while trying to handle things. Surely that won’t happen here.’
Unlike her previous life, this time, she seemed a bit naive.
The new sword looked so much different now compared to how cold and aloof it used to be.
While her current life might be better in some ways, her lack of socialization worried me.
‘Who is really worrying about whom…?’
Well, I don’t socialize.
But Wi Seol-ah is different, so my worry for her was sky-high.
‘I think I might have been too stingy.’
I wanted her to live a different life than her last one.
I couldn’t help but wonder if the things I did back then were turning into a problem now.
Suddenly, that thought gnawed at me.
Rather than judging right from wrong.
It was more about determining what’s better at that moment.
That’s a problem that often arises when living that way.
‘This is tough.’
It’s truly a dilemma.
What’s the right way to go about this?
This was the most challenging quandary for me.
Thud.
As I was drowning in my musings, I sensed a presence in front of me.
When I looked up, I saw a shadow right by my nose.
Someone was blocking the sunlight.
“It’s been a while.”
A rough, thick voice boomed.
Who was it? Standing in front of me was the robust man clad in dark robes—none other than Sword King Peng Zhou.
This was unexpected.
‘I never thought he’d actually recognize me.’
I didn’t expect him to approach. I assumed we’d just pretend not to know each other.
Was that my miscalculation?
As I stared at him, puzzled, his gaze on me intensified.
Well, it’s surprising that the King of Tao spoke first.
There’s nothing we can do about it.
“It’s been a while, Lord Peng.”
As I greeted him briefly, the King’s brows twitched slightly.
“I was just having my doubts, but it really is you.”
“Yes, I am that guy.”
I tossed the words out and stood up.
I wanted to sit a bit longer, but manners were manners.
“The bloodline of the Gu Clan greets the King of Tao.”
I bowed slightly while trying to maintain a formal demeanor.
Even with just a little courtesy, I felt the King’s energy ease just the slightest bit.
Could it be that this guy actually enjoys this kind of exchange?
“You seem to have more polish than I expected.”
That seemed sincere.
A simple greeting really seemed to lift his mood.
“Looks like you’ve changed since back then. I’d thought you had little worth.”
Seems like that wasn’t quite right then.
“Has the passage of time made you wiser?”
“…Yes. Well, I suppose that’s the case.”
He struck a chord, but I managed to hold it in.
The fact that he was acting like this surely related to the sins of my youth.
‘Just paying for the sins of my younger self.’
That’s the price for living like an idiot.
I could cope with this much.
The father of my ex-fiancée.
It couldn’t be more of a messed up relationship, considering I’d called off the engagement due to her insults.
Could it be that the King of Tao was aware of that as well?
“I heard you got engaged to the Namgung Clan.”
The subject he brought up was the engagement.
“Yes, that’s what happened.”
“The daughter of the Sword King… she’s referred to as the Sword Dancer, right?”
My shoulder felt a tickling sensation.
It felt like a very subtle tickle from fingers.
The conversation with the King of Tao felt so filled with tension.
“Gu Clan is really impressive. To have broken off the engagement with Peng Clan and reconcile with Namgung Clan… impressive skills.”
To have broken off with Peng Clan and gotten engaged to Namgung Clan.
Do you want to get involved with a renowned clan looking like that?
That’s the intention behind it.
Smiling slightly at that remark, I replied.
“Thank you. It was merely luck.”
“What? It’s all thanks to the Lord’s capabilities.”
That ticklish sensation turned prickly.
“There was a time I thought he was the one who threw away my fortune.”
So true.
He could have lived a leisurely life at the level of Peng Clan, yet he went and blurted out insults, hitting just the right spot.
“Now that I think of it, our kid seems a bit… lacking.”
“Haha… Thank you for the compliment.”
Though it sounded like a compliment, it didn’t feel like one at all.
He appeared humble, but his gaze was filled with intense emotions.
“If you’ve reached this point, you’ve crossed the wall. That’s quite an accomplishment at your age. The future of your clan looks bright!”
“Compared to Lord Peng, it’s nothing impressive.”
Smirk.
The corners of the King’s mouth lifted at my trivial flattery.
This guy seemed to think I had barely scraped by.
I must’ve crossed a wall by passing the first preliminary, but it seems he didn’t realize I had reached another realm.
Not only did it seem he couldn’t anticipate it, but it also seemed he was blindsided altogether.
It didn’t really concern me.
In fact, it might be more helpful this way.
I had complimented him and had accepted his praise to some degree. So I thought it could be fine to leave it at that.
Just as I was beginning to consider that and was about to move along…
“Definitely, Gu Clan is set to grow even larger.”
I heard the King of Tao add.
“Unlike the previous clan head, this child carries themselves well.”
The poison hidden in the praise dug deep.
It felt like I got suddenly stabbed by a blade at the tip of my finger as I lightly tapped.
‘This kid.’
I nodded and looked back at the Tao King.
It wasn’t just a thorn in his words; it felt like he sharpened it and stabbed it deep.
“I had a lot of worries when I first saw him, but it seems he’s indeed been well-raised.”
“Hmm.”
I gently grasped my wrist.
The Tao King was actually right. According to him, I had matured a bit.
Isn’t that so?
To hear such words without immediately reacting, that felt quite mature.
“It seems you’re quite close with our master.”
“Of course, we’ve been thick as thieves since childhood.”
But why the hostility in his gaze when he said that?
I barely managed to contain a sigh.
‘It’d have been better if that kid had become the leader.’
I genuinely regretted it.
I heard that he was defeated by Geomsen and couldn’t become the leader, but if only King Do had taken that role, things would have been much simpler.
Then I could’ve treated him like a toy.
I tried to hide that feeling of regret and managed a smile.
“Won’t not just Gu Clan, but also Peng Clan prosper?”
Snicker.
The King of Tao’s smile became even broader at my words.
Could it be a smirk at my inability to convey my intention?
Watching that, only questions plagued my mind.
“They say the prosperity and decline of a clan is determined by its head… seems like Peng Clan is quite fortunate in that regard.”
“You don’t need to go around fluffing things up. I don’t care for such things…”
“Even if you’re a bit wobbly now, once the Confucius of Bisungdo comes to power, Peng Clan will soar.”
“…”
“Isn’t that right, Lord Peng?”
As I wiped my smile away and said that, I saw the corners of the King of Tao’s eyes twitch.
I tried it once since I kept sticking thorns in his words, and it seemed to have hit well.
Just as he occupied the seat, Peng Woo-jin would later stabilize the Peng Clan.
So just keep quiet and stop blabbering.
That’s what I wanted to imply.
“This kid…”
Fortunately, the Tao King seemed to catch on and began to frown deeply.
“I’ve met him a few times. Prince Peng is truly a remarkable person.”
“…Hah…”
While praising my son, the King’s expression kept deteriorating.
At the same time, I felt a sense of oppression wash over me.
The energy flowing from the Tao King had thickened considerably.
“I thought you only resembled me a bit in appearance.”
Creak.
Slam!
As the King’s aura grew heavier, those around him assumed their positions.
The martial artists instinctively responded.
“Even the way you speak is exactly like my father.”
I tilted my head at those words.
Was that an insult? Because it sounded more like a compliment.
Pondering, I gazed into the King’s eyes.
There was a lot more hostility than before.
What could have been the issue?
I tried to scratch where it itched, but his strong reaction was surprising.
‘Lack of ability as a clan head? Comparing with his child? Or what was the real issue?’
As I thought about it, I was suddenly struck by a strange feeling of alienation.
Those didn’t seem to be the issue, but…
‘Could it be that I’m the problem?’
No, wait. Not me exactly…
‘Is it my father who’s the issue?’
He had certainly claimed that I resembled my father, which made his aura intensify.
Could the problem lie there?
If so, what exactly is the problem?
After mulling this over for a moment, suddenly a thought struck me and I asked the King of Tao.
“Lord Peng. If I may.”
“What else are you trying to say…”
“Have you ever been hit by your father?”
“…”
Tension.
At my question, the Tao King froze in place.
The fierce aura he had been radiating vanished in an instant.
I widened my eyes at that sight.
“Oh, is it true?”
Was that really the case?
From his reaction, it appeared to be true.
‘Wow.’
I wondered why he was acting this way, and it dawned on me that perhaps it had something to do with what his father did to him.
Is he taking out his anger on me for getting hit by his dad?
‘Father… what on earth did you do when you were young?’
I found myself wondering how he ended up hitting someone from one of the Four Great Families.
This was a moment I suddenly felt curious about my father’s past.
Creak.
A rough noise came from the direction of the King of Tao.
His tightly clenched jaw and the fighting spirit emanating from his fists reflected his tension.
Then, as he forcefully relaxed his expression, he opened his mouth.
“… You are the child of the nine families.”
“Yes.”
“Be grateful that this is within the Martial Arts Alliance and that the Alliance’s laws exist. If there hadn’t been any established rules, you would have been crawling on the ground right now.”
Any unauthorized conflict during preliminaries results in immediate disqualification.
That had been the prior notice before the preliminaries began, so the Tao King had to remind me to express gratitude towards such a thing.
“That’s true.”
That was genuinely a regrettable aspect from my side.
“Rules… aren’t they something to be thankful for?”
Animals that don’t know their place deserve a beating, just like dogs.
It’s such a pity that we rust and maintain those rules.
As the Tao King glared at me for a while, he eventually turned his back.
He probably felt he’d lose his temper if he stayed any longer.
What a shame. If he’d been a bit more bull-headed, things might have turned out differently.
In the meantime, could it be that this was truly the end of my dealings here?
‘Did he really just come here for trouble?’
Seems like being a clan head is a lot of idle time.
Tsk.
Even though it was just for a brief moment, I thought I understood why my father hit that guy.
I sighed, sitting back down on the floor.
I already felt fatigued.
So, I decided to close my eyes for a moment.
I just wanted time to fly by.
While surrounded by curious gazes, I wished for that.
The next exam would only start half an hour later.
The sky turned red.
The sun was setting, marking the beginning of twilight.
Considering the exam began at noon, considerable time had passed.
I stood again amidst the crowd, preparing once more.
With the first round completed.
All the successful candidates had to gather together to begin the second preliminary round.
“There are fifty-eight people who passed the first round.”
A martial artist from the alliance organized a note and handed it over to someone.
The person who received it was an elderly woman with white hair, her sharp gaze giving her an aura that seemed to suggest not even a drop of blood would spill from her.
The old woman briefly glanced at the note, then turned her well-formed waist and stern gaze towards me.
“Keul keul… It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Yeo Seon, the leader of the Wind Dragon Corps…”
At her introduction, I felt a slight gasp from those around me.
Yeo Seon of the Wind Dragon Corps.
Or Bimapa, the female monk.
She’s the only female leader in the alliance and, as far as I know, has been active in the current martial arts alliance for the longest time aside from the Sword Master.
However, in martial prowess, she wasn’t particularly impressive.
The Wind Dragon Corps specialized in formations and magic, and their leader, Bimapa, was an expert in that area.
When it comes to martial power, she was probably at the bottom among the head clans.
But that doesn’t imply she was weak.
In some ways, that old woman was probably the most annoying figure among the leaders.
‘… I had quite a lot of trouble because of that old lady.’
The one who assisted the strategist Jegal Zhixi, responsible for killing Cheon Yu-rang-a, was her.
The formations and magic she wielded were quite troublesome.
Starting from hallucinations to traps created through formations.
It wouldn’t be wrong to say she was more specialized in warfare than in one-on-one combat.
The fact that even the Black Dragon and Green King, who fought each other every time they met, joined forces to take her down, reveals her value quite evidently.
“This second preliminary round is something I will be presiding over, so please take good care of me…”
There was no murmuring sound at Bimapa’s words.
It looked entirely different from the first exam.
Well, I suppose that’s to be expected.
By now, most of them would have been filtered out during the previous competition.
What remained for them wasn’t anticipation to meet a master.
Instead, it was merely curiosity and tension regarding what kind of trial would face them.
Thus, everyone was gulping hard while looking at Bimapa.
“This second preliminary exam is not as complicated as the first.”
Without hesitation, Bimapa began to explain.
Thud!
As she spoke, she drew a long line in front of her with the cane she held.
And then she stated.
“From now on… anyone who crosses this line will be deemed a pass.”
“…What?”
“Cross the line?”
The voices that had barely been held back flowed out at Bimapa’s declaration.
So we just have to cross that line?
Everyone wore dumbfounded expressions, bewildered by the completely unexpected content.
While it’s simple, isn’t it a bit too simple?
They all clearly showcased that thought.
But…
“We’ve already cast formations around here…”
Everyone’s faces hardened as Bimapa continued her explanation.
“You’ve already entered this place… so it won’t be easy to leave…”
The formations were cast around the residence.
At her words, everyone looked around with stiff expressions.
When on earth did the formations get set up?
That was something nobody anticipated.
Is this the true skill of Bimapa, the foremost formation master of the alliance?
At that moment, everyone exchanged looks that bordered on shock.
“You mentioned fifty-eight… so half should suffice.”
Bimapa spoke to the crowd.
“First come, first served for twenty-nine.”
Everyone started squinting their eyes as they absorbed the meaning.
Break through Bimapa’s formation. It may seem simple, but intuitively, everyone knew it would be no easy task.
“Only twenty-nine who cross this line and tap my shoulder will pass to the second round.”
Bimapa scanned the surroundings and narrowed her eyes slightly.
“Then let’s begin…”
“Do I just need to tap your shoulder?”
Just as she was about to start, a question echoed, making Bimapa pause for a moment.
She had just explained it, but hearing someone repeat the question put her in a bothersome mood.
“…Yes, once you cross the line and tap my shoulder… Hm?”
However, Bimapa, who was about to continue, suddenly had to bite back her words.
It was because the voice was coming in much too closely.
Thud thud.
At the same time, I felt a touch on my shoulder.
Bimapa turned her head.
And then our eyes locked.
Looking into Bimapa’s eyes, I smiled and asked,
“Can I go home now?”
“…?”
Just like last time, this time, too, there was no answer.
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