“I apologize again for what I said earlier.”
Chung Sang spoke up to relieve the awkward atmosphere.
“I feel like shit, but it’s alright.”
“…Uh?”
There was a brief moment of silence at hearing that answer from Hwang Shin.
Wait, did he hear it correctly?
Looking at Hwang Shin’s expressionless face, it seems like he did.
While Chung Sang was confused, Chung Woo slowly approached Hwang Shin.
“Nineteen years old?”
“……”
“You’re cute.”
“……”
When Chung Woo tapped his shoulder, Hwang Shin chuckled looking at him.
There was a saying about becoming friends, but as a member of the Evil Sect’s Heaven, how can he become friends with Wudang? Meanwhile, this little pig, why is he acting so friendly…
“I am 19 too. But I was the first to become friends with Sasuk.”
“……”
“Chung Sang sahyung is older than me, and has better martial arts too, so he can be considered as the next with regards to Sasuk’s position, but he won’t let others aim for his position. Do you understand?”
Chung Woo shook his head and wagged one finger.
This is what is called territorial nature.
Hwang Shin, who was watching this, made an expression like he didn’t care.
“Are you smiling? Ahh, it seems like you are making fun of people for practicing some stealth techniques. I am a Seven Star Boy.”
Seven Star Boy.
Compared to Chung Sang, who had already received the title of Flowing Cloud Sword Dragon, and Zhuge Sansan who had the title of the Sword Lady, no one had given him a title, and so Chung Woo thought it up and gave the title to himself.
“So even though we are the same age, I’m telling you to be good to me from now on. Got that?”
The moment Chung Woo smiled friendly and placed his hand on Hwang Shin’s shoulder, the guy sighed and crossed his legs as he spat.
And curses came out of his mouth.
“Seriously, this damned pig. Should I just pull out your eyes and play catch with them? You are looking me straight in the eyes, huh? What? Take care of you? This big-headed bastard will die the most times and it wouldn’t even need an investigation to know how. Get your hand off my shoulder. Should I just break those hands? Fuck, if you do this one more time, I will change the direction your head is looking and you will be looking backwards for the rest of your life. You got that?”
“……”
Hwang Shin cursed with a straight face and didn’t even stop to take another breath.
“Why aren’t you taking your hand off my body you damned pig? Damn it, are you only going to come to your senses after I cut down every one of those little fingers of yours? Can you make sure that no part of your body regrets doing that?”
Chung Woo carefully removed the hand from Hwang Shin’s shoulder with a stunned look, hearing an insult he had never heard before.
“If you touch my shoulder one more time, I will put a hole in your head, you get that?”
“……”
“Ah, I guess I’m free now. I was asked to be friendly, so I will be speaking normally from now on.”
“……”
“You, anchovy head, Chung Sang, right? If you act like some hyung just because you’re a couple of years older, I will engrave a ring on your forehead of the face which you worked so hard to keep.”
“……”
“And woman, I wanted to ask you earlier, why do you look at people like that? Do you want to follow me? Maybe I should just bury you in this mountain with a nice view. Just say it. I know a lot of things to do.”
Hwang Shin was speaking non-stop.
Smiling so brightly…
The more this happened, the more the faces of Chung Woo, Chung Sang and Zhuge Sansan turned hard like stone.
When Jinmu returned from the talks, he found himself deep in the mountain… And the atmosphere of the four sitting together was like kids by bonfire.
Hwang Shin was eating with a grin on his face while the others stared at him with rabbit eyes.
What happened here?
I was worried because Myung Se-chan warned me about some ‘new experience’, but it didn’t seem like there was any such thing.
Well, there is no way they would have ignored his words.
He doesn’t know about Hwang Shin and Zhuge Sansan, but Chung Woo and Chung Sang wouldn’t do that after the teachings they received from Jinmu.
“You’re back?”
Hwang Shin stood up and bowed like nothing happened.
“Yes.”
Jinmu tilted his head.
“But why do you all look like you saw something you shouldn’t?”
“…That.”
Chung Sang couldn’t speak.
“What? Why do you all look so disapproving when I asked you to get friendly?”
“…It’s not that.”
This was calling for doubts as Chung Sang spoke with this flustered tone, like this was a fight but not exactly.
“Now. Let’s have a drink.”
“…Yes.”
Jinmu put the bottle on the ground and sat down. Hwang Shin sat down first and then the two sajils along with Sansan awkwardly sat down.
“……”
Were they always this awkward?
It felt like they were trying to keep their distance from Hwang Shin.
Well, it cannot be helped. Well, meeting briefly doesn’t bring immediate friendship.
Yet, since the olden times, guys drink together and become closer. There is no reason to worry about whether they get closer or not.
In this awkward atmosphere, it was time to get drunk.
“Miss Zhuge, I have something to discuss with them, so would you please leave for a moment?”
“…Sure.”
I was curious about what she would say, but Zhuge Sansan didn’t refuse and got up and walked away, with Hwang Shin following behind her, like an escort.
When they were some distance away, Jinmu erected a qi barrier around them to prevent any words of theirs being understood by others.
“Chung Woo, Chung Sang.”
“Uh?”
“From now, I will be going into the Evil Sect’s side.”
“…Uh?!”
Chung Sang and Chung Woo were shocked at Jinmu’s words.
“N-no, why? There is so much work to be done with the Murim Alliance!”
“Sasuk! That cannot happen. Sasuk is the hope and dream of Wudang.”
Right. I made so much money for them that it is only natural that I am the hope and dream of it.
“So noisy. I decide my own path. There is no other choice I have once I have learned Dual Internal Qi Arts. And the Master also said it.”
“T-teacher did?”
“Sasuk… think again.”
Chung Sang and Chung Woo tried to talk to Jinmu to get him to change the decision, but Jinmu’s expression remained stern.
“Like I said before, you grow your strength. And grow into the core of the Murim Alliance.”
“……”
“And change it into the ideal that you dream of. Wudang will probably respect my wishes. Because I am growing up right.”
“…Sasuk.”
Chung Sang looked like he didn’t like this, and Chung Woo touched his puffed out cheeks with a sad look.
“Contact me often. Through that guy there, Hwang Shin.”
“Sasuk.”
“Chung Sang, Chung Woo, I believe that you will do well.”
“…Yes.”
Chung Woo’s voice was subdued.
Jinmu smiled and gently stroked Chung Woo’s head.
Their expressions were full of disappointment and concern for Jinmu.
Chung Sang is trustworthy and Chung Woo is like a grandchild.
Anyway, it was something I’d decided on a long time ago and it’s not like we will never see each other again, but seeing their expressions before we will again go our separate ways, somehow made me feel sad.
Is this how Myung Jin felt when he looked at me?
Damn it, this kind of feeling is so unfamiliar that I will have a hard time getting used to it.
Yet, the shorter the breakup, the better.
Jinmu poured them drinks then one for himself.
“This cup is like yours. Until now, Wudang and the people around you have filled it up for you, but from now, you need to fill it up. Fill it up yourself. If it overflows, it gets on your hand, and if it’s not enough, it isn’t nice, so just fill it so that it’s the right level of full.”
Jinmu emptied his glass in one go and got up.
Hwang Shin quickly ran to him.
Chung Sang and Chung Woo slowly bowed to Jinmu’s back.
I promise that one day I will be able to stand next to you without any problems…
Swish.
The stream of water meets the bottom of the cliff surrounded by the fog, as if no attention was paid to the vast height, creating this thundering noise.
There was an entrance to the back of the waterfall along the rocky path made by the water, on the side of the waterfall that one felt lost at the sight of it.
The place was filled with a deep, deep, darkness like the entrance to hell.
Wheeing.
The wind from the waterfall was being sucked into the darkness with a wheezing sound.
“Kuaak…”
Painful groans could be heard, like the screams of criminals being tortured, traveling with the wind.
In the deepest part of this dark cave, one can hear the screams which were not obscured by the waterfall.
A young man without clothes was sitting on a chair.
Every solid muscle in his body gleamed, and his evil eyes shone like serpents in the dark, emphasizing the dominant presence he possessed.
Thud.
A child in his hand was losing his life, turning limp and falling to the ground, and crumbling to pieces.
“Phew…”
As he exhaled with a sigh, there was a surge of evil qi and the old man in front of him bowed.
“Sang Gwan-Pyung. Raise your head.”
Heeding his low call, Sang Gwan-Pyung sat in an upright position with a calm expression.
The man who met the gaze of Sang Gwan-Pyung.
Aside from the Great Palace Lord, he was the next highest-ranking person, and he was the Young Palace Lord Han Seung, who absorbed the innate qi of others to get stronger.
Although he had the same status as the four Palace Lords below the Great Palace Lord, Sang Gwan-Pyung’s attitude was extremely polite.
“My mother passed away.”
“Yes.”
“You say it was the work of the Wudang Taoist called Jinmu?”
“Right.”
“He seems like a strong guy.”
Han Seung nodded, putting his hand on the arm rest and rested his chin, with a solemn look.
“Sang Gwan-pyung.”
“Yes. Young Palace Lord.”
“You are such an interesting person.”
“……”
“You drove my mother to death by going so far as to kill the subordinates. Moreover, she even used the unnamed village to cut their tail off.”
“I killed the Inner Palace Lord? How is that possible? How will I dare do that?”
When Sang Gwan-pyung shook his head, Han Seung burst into laughter.
“Can I be honest with you?”
“……”
“Even though I am staying here and blocking out news of the outside world to create martial arts, I am not one who is blind in the eyes and deaf in the ears.”
“……”
“It cannot be that, you, who was demoted, didn’t know that the subordinates previously under your command could have been commanded to kill my mother and then secretly seize control of the Inner Palace, right?”
Sang Gwan-Pung responded to Han Seung’s words with a cold smile on his lips.
“Since the Third Palace was seized it is only natural that she took charge of the Palace, and it is unheard of that I incited my subordinates to kill the Inner Palace Lord.”
Han Seung was focusing entirely on Sang Gwan-pyung’s expression.
“Well, okay. If you say that, then it must be so.”
“……”
“However, I’m quite surprised. I didn’t know you would come here and bow your head in person. Did you think I would endure my mother’s death so well?”
“Are you angry?”
“Hmm?”
Han Seung laughed.
Although he suspected that his mother had died and that the person who plotted it was Sang Gwan-pyung, he was merely annoyed and not looking for revenge.
Was the death of the mother who gave birth to him of such insignificance?
“I just decided that it would be beneficial for me to be under the shadow of the Young Palace Lord to achieve my cause.”
“Beneficial… you say?”
“……”
“To my ears, it sounds like you are trying to use me to achieve your goals.”
“I won’t deny that.”
To Han Seung’s threatening words and frowning expression, he looked at Sang Gwan-pyung, smiled and responded.
“Well, alright. Because right now I need someone as ambitious and skilled as you. If you turn into a knife that cuts me later, I can break you and throw you away.”
Han Seung paused and then continued.
“But. I don’t know if you can be of any help to me now that the entire foundation of the Third Palace has collapsed. The Inner Palace is on my side as always.”
“If you think so, you can shake me off right now.”
“……”
Han Seung frowned.
“Let’s hear your story.”
As he said, it was enough to just use him, but Han Seung was curious as to the sudden change in alignment.
“How much does the Young Palace Lord trust the Great Palace Lord?”
“……”
“By nature, you have no parents or siblings.”
“Are you speaking of the old times’ saying that power doesn’t care about blood?”
“Yes. Because that is the truth.”
There was no change in Han Seung’s expression. This is because he already knew the true intentions of the Great Palace Lord.
“You think father will keep me in check?”
“Yes.”
“……”
“On the surface, he says he will handle everything once he gets ready, but those are just words, and he is already a person who has forgotten even the past promises he made. There is no way he would be sincere about it.”
Han Seung thought deeply and nodded.
“I will help you. By adding the strength of the Inner Palace, First, Second, and Third Palaces, I hope that Young Lord will obtain the Great Palace in the future.”
“You say interesting things. Do you think father will just stand by and watch this happen?”
“We need to hide it so that no one sees it.”
“Hide?”
“Yes. It’s about being completely faithful to the original purpose.”
“To annihilate the Murim and establish a new order under the Great Palace rule?”
“Yes.”
“But is that possible? I know very well about the ties between you and the Palace Lord, and like I said before, hasn’t the Third Palace collapsed? Forget the Evil Sect’s Heaven and Demonic Cult. How are you going to destroy the Central Murim Alliance?”
Sang Gwan-pyung shook his head at Han Seung’s words.
“The Third Palace has collapsed. But it still served the original purpose.”
“Original purpose?”
“The division of the Murim Alliance.”
“…?”
“What do you think the leadership of the Central Murim Alliance, who defeated the Third Palace, will do?”
“Speak.”
“They will strengthen their ties. And in the process, they will concentrate their efforts on the Alliance.”
“And so we divide them?”
“Yes. The more it strengthens itself, the more severe the backlash from vested interests will become. Just throw a little spark into that situation and it will combust badly.”
“But what if that Sword of Wudang gets involved again?”
“It is just one person at most. No matter how strong he is, he cannot change the entire course by himself.”
“Nice. Aside from the Justice Faction, what about the Evil Sect?”
“It is easier there. The current Heavenly Lord is an arrogant and self-fulfilling guy. The order to change the Sect has been implemented, and two of the Five Kings of the Evil Sect’s Heaven have rebelled to follow him and so, they have not yet fallen into the path of ruin. Of the three factions in the world, it will be the first to fall.”
“Is there any guarantee that we won’t have someone like the Sword of Wudang who will appear in the Evil Sect’s Heaven?”
“That won’t happen. Heroes don’t appear twice in the same period. And Hyeok Ryun Mugang was greedy and didn’t even leave a proper heir.”
“Hmm, then the Demonic Cult is the problem?”
“But he is old.”
“Old?”
“Bokri Do-cheon will surely die within ten years.”
“……”
“If the center holding the circle together is broken, every person’s greed will seep out, causing an internal conflict.”
“And it will destroy itself.”
“Yes.”
“But isn’t ten years too long?”
“We have waited decades for a cause. Also ten years is enough time for the Young Lord to achieve the martial arts you want to.”
“Hmm, do you mean to wait for the right time?”
Sang Gwan-pyung just laughed at Han Seung’s words.
“But what if the three factions unite?”
“That will not happen.”
“Why?”
“Because the three of them are always in conflict with one another. And this hasn’t changed even one bit in the past.”
Han Seung nodded at those words.
“Okay. I like it. Mother tried to use me to gain power for herself. What do you want from me now?”
“I just want to be the eldest advisor to the Young Lord.”
Sang Gwan-pyung said so, but Han Seung knew it was a lie.
But it didn’t matter what he wanted.
Ten years.
A duration which can be both short or long.
Once he masters the martial arts he is learning, he wouldn’t have to fear anything. It doesn’t matter what this man thinks after that.
“I believe you. But don’t forget that I am always watching you.”
“One day when the Young Palace Lord achieves greatness, you will hold the Great Palace in the palm of your hand and become the ruler of the Central Plains.”
Although the two had different emotions, they joined hands for one purpose.
