Chapter: 317
Boom…! Boom!
It was early morning, the dawn air suffusing the training room.
In a large training room capable of accommodating dozens of people,
a tremendous noise and vibration were echoing.
The expressions of the Guando students observing the source of the sound were filled with deep fear.
“Ugh!”
The reason for this was probably due to Pae Woo-cheol rolling around while making pig-like sounds.
Thud!
Pae Woo-cheol’s enormous body repeatedly thudded against the ground, stirring up dust with each roll.
It wasn’t just dust.
The biggest reason the students were dumbfounded and watching the spectacle was the absurdly stacked bets that nearly touched the ceiling.
Pae Woo-cheol, helplessly rolling on the floor, hastily braced himself against the ground.
But what came into his view was someone’s hand.
The palm that swooped in covered Pae Woo-cheol’s forehead as he tried to lift himself up and then pushed him back down, disrupting his posture.
“Ugh!”
It was a simple enough motion.
In fact, it hardly took any effort.
Yet surprisingly, it knocked Pae Woo-cheol to the floor with ease.
“If you’re going to lose your balance just trying to get up, you might as well stay lying down.”
Only after being humiliated like that did Pae Woo-cheol sprawl out on the stone floor, gasping for breath.
It seemed his stamina had reached its limit.
“Ugh… Ugh…”
“At first, it seemed like he was calculating his approach, but midway through, he just kept charging in. Didn’t he bother to ask for a hit? He’s got a physique like a mountain, but his body is as soft as tofu.”
His tone was razor-sharp.
Those who were eavesdropping on such scathing remarks recoiled a bit.
Could there be another person who would belittle Pae Woo-cheol, infamous for his foul temper within Shinryonggwan, like that?
Probably not.
Even if there was,
there wouldn’t be anyone as terrifying as the one who was currently teasing him!
“Throwing that big guy around like he’s a child…”
“I shredded the Anti-Aircraft Technique like it was nothing… Does that even make sense?”
The Guando students looked on in horror. And that was understandable.
The one who played with such a power had a physique that might have been half the size of Pae Woo-cheol.
Moreover, in terms of age, he was one of the younger warriors in the entire Shinryonggwan.
Of course, that was different.
While his skills and accomplishments were well-known,
someone watching whispered,
“…The True Dragon tears apart people.”
At this quiet remark, those around were about to nod in agreement.
“Don’t tear him apart, you crazy bastards!”
“Eek!”
Perhaps having heard that, Jinryong shouted back.
It seemed his hearing was quite sharp.
As Guando students hurriedly fled from their spots at Jinryong’s shout,
Jinryong, observing the chaos, let out a deep sigh.
“…This is why I don’t come to the training room.”
Especially on days without morning practice,
from a warrior’s standpoint, if there was no group training,
most individuals still sought out the training room personally.
Such days were usually bustling.
Now, with this big guy causing trouble,
he could only scratch his head while glancing at Pae Woo-cheol, who was catching his breath.
‘I guess this one is better.’
Pae Woo-cheol at least had some grit.
He was certainly better than the guy already crumpled in the corner.
The one completely out cold and not moving at all was none other than Gu Jeolyub.
“Ha ha…”
And before Gu Jeolyub, someone smiled awkwardly.
Perhaps the reason the Guando students kept glancing this way
was as much due to me as it was because of this ‘great’ guy.
The one grinning while gazing at Gu Jeolyub
was none other than Yeongpung,
the genius of Mount Hua,
who had outperformed Namgung and the Shaman to earn the title of Sword Dragon.
Yeongpung looked at Gu Jeolyub in embarrassment
before turning to me and asking,
“…Old Sohyeop, what should we do about this?”
“What’s there to do? Just let it be. Ah, I’m so ashamed I can’t even show my face here anymore.”
I could barely be out and about being called the same Gu.
‘I finally asked for it, but what the heck, that’s a one-hit wonder!’
The reason Gu Jeolyub was sprawled so pathetically was
that he had been floored in a duel with Yeongpung and immediately fainted.
Yeah, just one hit.
That meaning is he couldn’t even last a single blow.
“Ugh…”
Seeing that disgraceful scene,
I instinctively felt the need to wash my face dry.
Yeongpung was undeniably one of the most exceptional geniuses of this era,
but does that mean Gu Jeolyub should have been subdued with a single strike?
No, it shouldn’t at all.
How did I manage to drag that kid down?
Are you telling me he collapsed after just one hit?
“Haha… You seem to be quite… nervous.”
“…You’re still managing to put on a front here, Your Majesty.”
“There’s a reason for everything, right?”
“What reason is there for defeat? We lost because we were weak.”
Even in reality, saying you lost because of circumstances,
would get your head lopped off if you were caught.
“Oh my.”
I didn’t feel guilty towards Yeongpung, though.
After all, I’d asked Yeongpung, who had come to practice with me, to bring along Gu Jeolyub.
“I’m sorry, Yeongpung Dojo.”
“No, it’s alright. This is an experience, so it’s fine.”
Yeongpung, unlike before, had greatly toned down his arrogance.
He retained an essential sense of pride a warrior should have and a certain competitive spirit,
but he lacked excessive hubris about his talents and abilities.
‘…His energy is perfectly attuned.’
As his aura stabilized,
He endured the rigorous training of Mount Hua,
and as his talents flourished, his energy began to seep through.
The Yeongpung of old seemed incomprehensibly beyond reach now.
The peak, that is, just shy of mastery.
That was where Yeongpung currently was.
‘So different from the previous life.’
I might not have known Yeongpung back then,
but I knew that he had reached his peak
only after a considerable period of wandering.
Recalling that made me feel a bit envious.
‘…I just gave him a light tap.’
I had been feeling guilty about Mount Hua,
and it was just my annoyance at the show he was putting on that made me knock him a bit.
And somehow that had become a turning point for Yeongpung.
While others were rolling around in embarrassment.
If he continues to progress like this and survives the Era of Bloodshed,
I would bet on Yeongpung to become the next Sword King.
The Plum Blossom Sword King? Perhaps that would be his title.
‘Hoping for Muyeon a bit.’
Although it had yet to be known in the Central Plains,
once Muyeon steps out from behind the guise of a bodyguard
and shows himself as a warrior,
he was bound to make a name for himself quickly.
‘He’s one of my few allies.’
While I don’t trust him completely,
Muyeon was one of the most trusted people among all those outside my previous life.
Gu Jeolyub was included in that group,
but judging from the current state of things, I might need to reconsider.
“…This guy.”
Having been busy entering the training ground,
I let things slide a bit and didn’t realize how much time had passed before seeing this mess.
“Pae Woo-cheol.”
“Y-yes, hyung-nim…”
Pae Woo-cheol responded weakly to my call,
perhaps still struggling to catch his breath.
“Take him and move him.”
“…Um… Shall I just toss him onto the nearby floor?”
“If possible, please throw him in a room. The floor is just a bit too much.”
“Understood.”
For some reason, Pae Woo-cheol replied as if he felt a bit let down.
Why is this guy so obsessed with that loser?
It was truly perplexing.
With practice time nearly over,
I slowly began to rise.
“Are you leaving?”
“Yes.”
“…What a shame. I was looking forward to having a good practice with you after a long time.”
Upon hearing Yeongpung’s words, I slightly frowned.
Actually, I don’t recall any joyful moments in practice…?
I had thought this before when I had gone to Mount Hua,
but all those Plum Blossom lunatics were simply out of their minds.
“Let’s do it together next time. I’ll remember this.”
“Oh… Really?”
It was just a casual remark suggesting we grab a meal together next time,
but upon hearing that, Yeongpung’s eyes sparkled.
…It seems I misspoke.
“No… what I meant…”
“I’ll definitely remember it.”
“…Yes, please do.”
I had already let the words slip,
and it was far too late to take them back.
Yeongpung beamed like a kid in a candy shop.
‘What’s got him so thrilled?’
He’s probably dying in Mount Hua training,
much less the fact he seems to have gotten along with his brothers like he did in the past.
While contemplating that,
Yeongpung grinned and spoke to me.
“It seems the brothers really didn’t like training, as they disappeared midway from keeping their heads down, leaving me feeling a bit lonely.”
“…”
Hmm.
Hearing Yeongpung’s words, I nodded slightly to myself.
I see.
‘… In other words, they couldn’t all endure it and ran off halfway.’
The disciples of Mount Hua aren’t weird;
as it stands, it seems Yeongpung isn’t the odd one out either.
At that moment, my perception of Yeongpung began to change a little bit.
At that moment.
“Hmm?”
The Yeongpung smiling at me suddenly tilted his head.
His gaze was directed towards my arm.
“…Uh…?”
As if sensing some kind of strangeness, he briefly stared at my left arm.
“Why are you looking at me?”
I called out to Yeongpung as if asking why.
Only then did he seem to realize he was being rather rude, stepping back a pace.
“Oh, no, it’s nothing. I’m sorry. I was feeling some familiar aura.”
“It’s fine. I have an appointment, so I’ll be heading out now.”
I left Yeongpung behind and exited the training room.
The rest was something Pae Woo-cheol would handle.
As soon as I stepped out of the training room,
I caught a glimpse of the Guando students all exhaling a sigh in unison.
What was this? It felt like they were treating me as some sort of devil.
It didn’t bother me much since I had already gotten used to it in my previous life,
but the problem was the gaze that had lingered just before from Yeongpung.
‘…Did he sense something?’
What Yeongpung was looking at was certainly my left arm.
Remembering that, I slightly rolled up my sleeve.
“…Ugh.”
My eyes landed on my arm, wrapped in a pale pink bandage.
Perhaps Yeongpung’s attention was drawn in by the energy emanating from it.
I had tried my best to conceal it, but it seemed I couldn’t hide it from a warrior of Mount Hua.
‘What should I do about this headache?’
Sighing, I recalled the events of the previous day.
It probably was that thing that Noya grabbed while borrowing my body back in the Abyss.
With the power contained in this artifact, I had seemed to be able to survive.
Given that it had been used by the legendary Noya,
and considering the reactions of Geom-hu or Yeongpung,
it was evident that it was an artifact from Mount Hua.
That’s all fine and dandy.
This proved that the Abyss wasn’t an illusion,
and it was indeed a valuable artifact that saved my life.
The issue was.
‘Why won’t it come off?!’
This artifact refuses to detach from my body.
‘This is driving me crazy…’
It’s wrapped around my arm like a bandage, so I thought just unwrapping it would do,
but it wouldn’t come off.
I had tried carefully unwrapping it,
thought of using martial techniques to loosen it,
and even hit my arm out of sheer frustration.
‘…I probably ended up bruising my arm.’
After hitting it too hard, I found it tough to get up,
but I had to try something, yet it wouldn’t budge at all.
Why on earth can’t I get it off?
It was uncomfortable to wash with the burden tied to my arm,
and it felt embarrassing to even show it around.
When I showed the tightly wound bandage to the inspector,
he kept pondering what to do.
His answer was to ask the Eldest Plum Blossom,
considering it was an artifact from Mount Hua.
He also mentioned that he hadn’t been able to procure the Plum Blossom Stone she had wanted.
Geom-hu asked if the thing wrapped around my arm was a Plum Blossom Stone,
but seriously, how can you call this a stone?
‘Well, it felt like a gemstone back then, though.’
To be honest, I had once thought it felt like jade in my hands.
I had no idea why it turned into this state now.
Geom-hu said he would ask Mae-hwa-seon about it.
When that reply would come was anyone’s guess.
I knew someone who could answer me much quicker and knew more about it.
“So please, could you explain something?”
Just.
I’m asking questions like I’m chewing them,
yet I receive no answer.
Noya, the hero of Mount Hua, who has ensconced himself within my body,
this madman casually showed himself when he felt like it,
only to vanish again.
‘…I’m losing it, really.’
What does he even want?
I’m pretty sure he knows what this is.
You can’t be messing around,
showing up and disappearing. What’s he playing at now?
“Nothing’s going right for me.”
Regarding the note that had been in Shinryonggwan,
before the Murim Alliance began their investigations,
I wanted to sort out as much as possible.
But with the accidents causing a disruption, I was getting frustrated.
I mean, I have a lot to worry about without this.
‘…What was next on the schedule? Was it ‘practical training’?’
I recalled the upcoming activities for Shinryonggwan.
They had mentioned it would be practical training related to the education I’d received so far.
There seemed to be something along those lines.
Given the current situation,
‘It’s about time he made his move.’
The one certain expectation I had was
that Jang Seon-yeon would soon start moving.
If I were that guy, I’d say this practical training would be the perfect opportunity to pull some tricks on me.
This also means it would be a good opportunity for me to play tricks on him.
Doesn’t he get it?
‘Hey, I even whispered it to him directly. There’s no way he wouldn’t know.’
“You’re gonna die here.”
I kindly told him,
and I doubt Jang Seon-yeon would miss that.
So the means he decided on must be Cheol Ji-seon.
‘How did he find out?’
What’s somewhat suspicious is that
unless he has past-life knowledge like me,
it’s odd for Jang Seon-yeon to be privy to information about the guy.
It might be true that Cheol Ji-seon has the last name Jegal,
however, if that bastard approached him,
it’s likely because he knew about that ‘force’ and approached him.
The big question is how did he know?
Word of mouth rumors?
While the information may be freeing in that respect,
this wasn’t the type of information one could simply regard as such.
“I guess that means there’s some sort of backing.”
That wouldn’t be a typical situation at all.
For instance,
the guys I caught the other day when I brought Wi Seol-ah with me.
‘That might be it.’
If that’s true, then Jang Seon-yeon has strayed so far from the righteous path.
‘Does Nakgeom know about this?’
I truly wanted to know if the leader was aware too.
With that knowledge, I could ascertain if the entire Murim Alliance was in cahoots or not.
‘Even if they’re not in on it together.’
In any case, I had no trust in those inside the alliance,
so I wasn’t even expecting anything from them.
As I reflected on that, I quietly murmured,
“This time, I won’t let it slide.”
About what lay ahead,
the most significant stumbling block, a figure I would do anything to eliminate,
I needed to sort this out for sure.
From the moment I resolved to enter Shinryonggwan with that guy,
that’s exactly what I had in mind.
‘Unless something catastrophic happens.’
I hoped for that, but that evening,
I would face a variable beyond what I could have expected.
“…What?”
I tried to take a spoonful of rice.
It was because the guy eating with me had uttered something strange.
“What did you just say?”
I asked again, as if I had misheard.
Cheol Ji-seon repeated the same words.
“…The Divine asked me to help kill you.”
It was quite a sudden confession,
and from my viewpoint, it left me dumbfounded for a moment.
Of course,
‘I already knew that…?’
I anticipated it would eventually get to this point.
Only,
I didn’t expect Cheol Ji-seon would tell them to me directly.
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