Chapter 277: Defeated Venerable Bijuu.
One of the absolute beings known as the Three Sacred Beings of the World.
Even having reached a level beyond the sublime realms,
he still clung to the title of ‘Defeated’ without letting it go.
He stands at the pinnacle of the martial arts world.
Based on countless real combat experiences.
He was a monster expected to have reached the pinnacle of practical martial arts.
In fact, on the day I faced him in the past,
I had to feel a stark difference.
The gaze.
The outstretched fingertips.
The advancing toes.
All of these made me realize why Paejon is called the pinnacle of martial arts.
He is indeed a monster.
It’s not just a vague compliment aimed at ordinary folks or remarkable geniuses.
Paejon was a warrior who showcased the extreme limit of what humanity could achieve through physicality.
If Ma Geum-hu had joined even a moment later,
I would have undoubtedly met my demise right then and there.
The wounds I bore back then were of a severity that would have been impossible to regenerate without the Heavenly Demon’s touch.
Moreover,
even that Heavenly Demon, who is hardly perceived as human,
did not hesitate to praise Paejon’s movements, which only highlights his skill level.
With a single step he could shake the ground.
With a single touch he could crumble mountains.
He doesn’t back down from a challenge.
And he exhibits no hesitation in tasting defeat.
Among the remarks Paejon made during his time as a post indexer, one of his sayings resonates:
“Even if you lose once, as long as your neck remains attached, you’ll find a way to win someday.”
A statement imbued with a mix of arrogance and confidence.
To prove that sentiment,
a man from the rain’s birth,
over twenty years ago,
was dubbed “Defeated Iron Dog.”
He single-handedly killed three of the top experts from the sect then called the Samapalje, shifting the tide towards Samao.
Thus, the man earned the title of “Paejon.”
Ascending into prominence in that fashion,
he remained in the west, on his own land,
occasionally revealing himself among the blind,
spending his remaining years quietly,
until one particular summer day, over a decade ago,
he vanished without a trace.
That must be when he gave up everything and acquired a youthful form.
I swallowed hard as I gazed at the young man before me.
The young man had long black hair.
His dark eyes, devoid of even a hint of dawn.
“It’s definitely different from my previous life.”
He appeared much younger than ever before.
One.
Gulp-
Is it because he knows he is Bijuu?
Or perhaps this dizzying aura is poking at my back?
I kept swallowing the dry saliva that threatened to rise.
“Bijuu….”
It feels vastly different compared to when I faced the current Sword Venerable.
The Sword Venerable was truly a powerless old man.
Even if I looked or attempted to peek beneath the surface,
I wouldn’t feel anything, it was that level of emptiness.
This indicates just how pronounced the gap has grown between me and the Sword Venerable.
In this vast Central Plains, beings capable of measuring the Sword Venerable’s power
can only be counted on one hand, so it’s only natural.
And that person,
he was one of those few.
Though perhaps not in the present moment.
“It’s invisible.”
At least for now, I couldn’t perceive the status of Paejon.
Could it be due to differing levels?
That seems unlikely.
It’s rather that Paejon is adept at keeping his powers hidden.
That ability to conceal and control one’s level is truly overwhelming.
Or, maybe he might be stuck at a less significant level due to the repercussions of a prior incident.
“When I looked at my past life, it wasn’t like that.”
At that point, Paejon,
even considering the fact that he was engaged in a façade,
was no lesser than the other three beings.
Despite his diminished form and
the prowess he once wielded scattered away, how on earth did he recover in just a few short decades?
That’s beyond my imagination.
What this implies is that to achieve such recovery, you’d already need to have been laying the groundwork from that point on.
Alongside a rigorous practice regimen,
there should have been serendipitous opportunities for regaining strength.
Just as I was fervently contemplating Paejon in my mind,
Tap. Tap.
“…!”
In front of me, Paejon—or rather now known as Bijuun—takes a step in my direction.
Tap. Tap.
He walks slowly,
His gaze and direction locked onto me.
“What the hell?”
I felt a lump rising in my throat.
Not only was I flustered by the unexpected appearance,
but did he have business with me…?
“I just came to see your face.”
“Ah.”
At that moment, I was reminded of the letter Paejon had sent me.
“… Surely, you didn’t come to see me?”
He couldn’t have possibly traveled this far just for that.
Did he somehow recognize me from my past life at Shenlong Pavilion?
I find it hard to recall.
Dragons and whatnot.
“Ta-da~!”
I wasn’t even curious until I heard Paejon might actually be a dragon.
What would I know about that?
“Maybe he doesn’t know who I am?”
I let myself entertain that notion for a brief moment.
He likely wouldn’t even recognize my face, so why not just let it slide…?
“Ah, Prince Bi! Here he is! This is the Prince Gu I mentioned!”
“….”
I had planned my escape.
But the excited words of Dang So-yeol sitting beside me just shattered my resolve.
Without knowing my turmoil,
Dang So-yeol continued to giggle and excitedly elaborate.
Even whispering in my ear, boasting,
“I’ve bragged about you a lot.”
“What… did you say?”
“I talked about how cool you were at the Yongbongji meeting, how incredibly handsome you are… and that you’re unbelievably strong?”
“…”
What am I going to do?
Seems like I’m in a tight spot here, right?
Wouldn’t it be better to just run away now?
I had already scouted escape routes from the moment Bijuun walked in.
Bam.
Just as I recalled that, Bijuun was now standing right in front of me.
It was too late now.
At this distance, even if I raised my strength, escaping would prove impossible.
Should I just confront him?
Maybe that’s the better choice.
“…”
Those heavy eyes.
They’re hollow, dark.
It feels impossible to discern what’s actually going through his mind.
Those eyes held a mystery.
Tension gripped me tight.
I raised all my senses towards Bijuun.
Ready to react instantly no matter what occurred.
And just like that,
Swish.
As if ready and waiting, Bijuun made his move.
—
The youngest of the Rain clan,
Vivi, the little sister amid three siblings,
was observing her second brother with a peculiar frown.
“Funny… my brother is showing interest in someone.”
He seemed indifferent to worldly affairs.
Her brother, inclined solely to lounge or stroll around the clan,
for some reason, was hinting at a curiosity regarding others.
Yet, he wasn’t entirely disinterested in companionship.
Sometimes, he seemed to be off meeting someone he called his friend…
In truth, Vivi had never witnessed this friend, thus suspecting her second brother traffic with lies.
It seemed incredible that someone with such a quirky personality could maintain friendships anyway.
Her second brother, being three years older,
seemed quite peculiar even to her, his younger sister.
While others risked their lives, battling fiercely for leadership,
he had willingly handed over his seat to their older brother.
His lack of interest in worldly matters didn’t help the situation.
“Surely the second brother is much stronger…”
Although it felt like he hid this strength away from them.
Vivi recalled a few years back when her first brother was beaten by second brother until he was nearly covered in dust.
Many questions loomed; she mused over the reasoning behind it.
Vivi had known that her older brother remained in a melancholy state for some time following that incident.
Notably, her first brother surely didn’t make the later rankings of the Six Dragons and Three Peaks, a feat he utterly failed to achieve.
“Isn’t that delightful?”
Vivi felt a surge of pride.
After all, she had dragged the second brother, who would rather avoid the Yongbong gathering than die,
to go and participate.
She hoped the world would someday acknowledge such a strong older brother,
whose reputation surged with the title “Turyong,” gaining notice.
Yet, that man seemed adamant about staying out of the limelight afterward.
“Father is strange too.”
Additionally, even her father, the head of the Rain clan, exhibited odd behavior.
Discrimination was non-existent.
While he fussed over the elder brother, scolding him endlessly,
he didn’t seem to bother checking on the younger brother’s well-being.
“Or perhaps he does, but…?”
Every so often, he made fleeting inquiries about their comfort.
Judging from that, he seemed to care, even though it perplexed her why he wouldn’t direct the questions towards his son.
In any case,
her father seldom approached her second brother.
It seemed rather their second brother chose to seek out their father when an issue arose.
At that time, she noticed her father’s face would adopt a lifeless expression, drained of vitality.
“…is he going to die?”
Vivi would chuckle internally at the notion of her brother scolding their father.
Immediately, she’d dismiss the thought; it felt absurd.
On another note, this trip to Hanam had similar implications to that of Yongbong.
Vivi was determined to draw her second brother away from the clan somehow.
She capitalized on his unique weakness towards her.
She’d concocted all manners of plans, yet…
surprisingly,
“Let’s go.”
This time he followed her without much resistance.
Now that he acquiesced, a hint of doubt loomed in her mind.
“Did I have to tie our arms together with ropes to keep him from trying to bolt?”
“How intriguing.”
A person who usually would rather die than step outside,
this time had shown willingness to follow her without question.
Vivi found it quite intriguing.
The absurd ordeal of going a week without food flashed through her mind.
“Running into Lady Dang was fortunate.”
She stumbled upon the famed Dokbong during their excursion; how marvelous!
Vivi’s gaze was drawn towards Dang So-yeol.
“So pretty….”
With her beautifully colored hair,
those wide, round eyes,
and an adorable beauty spot beneath one eye.
Dang So-yeol also possessed impressive martial arts prowess, boasting the title of Dokbong.
From Vivi’s perspective, Dang So-yeol seemed a remarkably fascinating person.
Being in the presence of a lady who treated her with such respect was an exceptionally novel experience.
One thing felt slightly off though.
“I don’t think she used to be like this?”
Quiet and cool.
She spoke her mind without falter along with a graceful demeanor.
The very essence of a noble lady, exactly how Vivi envisioned.
Yet now…
“Your Majesty, let me tell you, I came across a monster on my way here…”
The sight of her chattering away on some trivial topic alongside an unfamiliar man felt utterly bizarre.
If it disappointed her, she’d deny it, but it was undoubtedly something she had not anticipated.
Then, as she was observing Dang So-yeol, she shifted her gaze.
Dang So-yeol was the one being excessively charming.
“That person….”
One likely to have tied a string to her brother’s interest.
The subject of conversation Dang So-yeol had returned to repeatedly during their travels.
True Dragon Guyangcheon.
The last martial artist to join the ranks of the Six Dragons and Three Peaks, if she remembered correctly.
“He really does look fierce.”
That was her initial impression.
While the facial structure might be acceptable, the slanted features around his eyes reflected a slight displeasure.
Not someone whom one would easily feel inclined to approach.
“My second brother isn’t like that at all.”
Even Bijuu, who was often labeled cold and expressionless, didn’t match that level.
As she endlessly praised Dang So-yeol’s looks and prowess,
Vivi couldn’t help but wonder how exceptional this man could be.
“…?”
Just questions swirled in her mind.
He wasn’t unattractive, but hardly what one would label as handsome either.
Then,
“…!”
As she turned her head, unintentionally inhaling sharply.
Vivi observed the companions seated next to Guyangcheon; they held a certain something that piqued her interest.
“What on earth, how could someone appear like that…?”
A rather aloof-looking beauty with alabaster hair graced the scene,
her attention state solely upon Guyangcheon, though she appeared to keep a watchful eye on her surroundings.
Slurp.
As soon as Guyangcheon’s teacup emptied, she filled it up for him once more,
stealing glances at the buzzing Dang So-yeol beside her.
Even with such assumption, her looks turned her into a full-blown painting.
The woman beside him, too, was stunningly beautiful but felt different somehow…
“Wait, is that not Seolbong?”
Feeling puzzled, Vivi narrowed her eyes while scrutinizing the woman.
Wearing light blue attire, coupled with shiny, ebony hair.
Her alluring appearance, combined with eyes that seemed to reflect the azure sky.
That garb was unmistakably identifiable as part of the Moyong clan’s attire.
From what she understood, Seolbong was the only one among them exhibiting such features.
“…The Dokbong, the Seolbong… what’s going on?”
How could such enchanting women be so plentiful around Jinlong?
Vivi found her head spinning in confusion regarding her current circumstances.
In a tavern not brimming with visitors.
This indicated the bizarre scenario of having four individuals, counting the dragon and phoenix, gathered together.
Not that it was any workplace for the Yongbong gathering…
Vivi felt her unease escalating as she began to feel increasingly burdened.
“This may not be so bad…”
It appeared to present an enchanting situation in its facsimiles.
When else would she find herself caught in such a whimsical occurrence?
“People need to adopt a positive outlook.”
With that, Vivi nodded to herself.
Now, their only priority was to observe how her brother would handle things.
“What could he be planning?”
Bijuun strolled over slowly and came to a halt right before Sir Jinlong.
Observing from the sidelines was a slightly unnerving experience.
Whenever he assumed this position,
it usually culminated in a situation where he would strike someone down.
Rarely did it involve anything outside of pulverizing or mending some broken pieces.
“Surely no way he’d initiate a fight, right?”
Regardless of how wild her brother could be,
they wouldn’t dare land a surprise punch on another dragon.
“Or would he?”
Recalling that time when she followed her older brother into the martial arts event.
Eerily enough, he matched a single serious expression while absolutely wrecking everything in sight.
A fleeting thought crossed her mind indicating that it truly made sense.
In that moment, Vivi perceived Bijuun’s hand gliding into motion.
Oh crap, it’s real!
He must be planning to kick things off with a slap.
In a frenzy, Vivi sprang into action.
She intended to grip his back, preventing some calamity.
“Brother…!”
But he was too quick.
The hand of Bijuun shot toward Guyangcheon in an instant.
“Pleasure to meet you.”
“Hmm?”
He reached out for a handshake with Guyangcheon.
Having observed this, Vivi halted her movements.
“I’m Bi Yijin from the Rain Clan.”
“Oh?”
Could it be that stoic fellow would greet someone first?
It certainly appeared to be the case.
Continuing, Bijuun maintained eye contact with Guyangcheon.
“Are you indeed the clan leader of the True Dragon, Guyangcheon?”
Vivi wasn’t the only one caught off guard; Guyangcheon gazed blankly at Bijuun.
As if this was entirely unanticipated.
Time froze momentarily.
Bijuun’s inquiry prompted Guyangcheon to nod slightly, affirming his identity.
“I see.”
Receiving a response, Bi Yijin flashed him a grin.
In that precise moment, Vivi felt sweat bead up at her temples.
When her brother flashed that sort of smile,
it usually preceded significant blunders.
“Pleased to meet you, Master. I’ve heard so much about you.”
It felt like a disaster was brewing at this point.
Yet, curiously,
Guyangcheon’s expression morphed into an inscrutable one after hearing Bi Yijin’s words.
What ought it to be dubbed?
“…Feeling a hint of trepidation here.”
It felt decidedly that way.
What could be just a greeting shouldn’t draw such expressions…
That and a brief moment of questionability.
“But, did my brother have a mentor?”
Vivi began to ponder the meaning behind Bi Yijin’s words.
She realized she had never actually witnessed her brother seeking instruction in martial arts from anyone.
Their father also didn’t allocate another teacher to his second son.
Despite lacking such guidance, Bi Yijin had grown stronger on his own.
But…
“Mentor?”
Who could he be alluding to?
Vivi found comprehension eluding her.
As everything slowly flowed forth,
Drip. Drip.
Tap.
An unforeseen sound resonated from outside the window.
Vivi glanced away and peered outside.
There, she witnessed…
“Rain?”
It was, indeed, raining.
Though not particularly heavily, it was definitely a curious occurrence to witness in what seemed so out of season winter weather.
In terms of the chill, snow would have felt much more appropriate.
As if that were inconsequential,
the winter rain began to descend gently from the sky outside the inn.
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