Chapter 35
‘Good.’
Really good……
I’m realizing it anew, but the foundation of a martial artist is definitely ‘mobility’.
After my reincarnation, I lost the mobility of my assassin days due to the lack of internal energy.
Well, even if I couldn’t fully recover my martial arts right away, I could somehow manage the fights because I have the combat experience of the best assassin of all time ingrained in my soul……
But when I, who used to roam the skies like a flying bird and sprint across the horizon like a flying arrow, got tired after running for just half an hour, the misery was beyond words.
‘After opening the ‘Force’ attribute and the ‘Thunder’ attribute, even if I use Fast Whale Steps to a certain extent, my body is as light as a feather, and my breathing is maintained calmly.
‘It’s been a year. If I train for just one more year, I’ll be able to reach the level of my past life in terms of Fast Whale Steps.’
My Fast Whale Steps can be seen as a movement technique that integrates body-lightening techniques and footwork.
If the Kunlun Sect’s Cloud Dragon Eight Movements is a kind of ‘flight technique’ that allows one to move through the air without physical restrictions, Fast Whale Steps absorbs its advantages and consumes only half the internal energy, so wouldn’t it be an unbelievable equivalent exchange?
Anyway, I used Fast Whale Steps with all my might and arrived at the main building of the former Golden Tiger Lodge, now the Dawn Heaven Sect, in less than two hours, and looked for Yi-dong and Sam-dong.
However, Yi-dong and Sam-dong were out, and Yeon-u happened to visit.
“Brother. What happened?”
I felt something meaningful in Yeon-u’s questioning eyes.
Why is he like this again?
“What?”
“No…… First of all, more than that. Is your body okay? I wasn’t too worried because Master Dongbyeok took care of you, but I heard you were poisoned.”
“Ah…… I’m fine. Not only am I strong, but it’s a common belief in the medical community that if the elder performs acupuncture, everyone except a rotten corpse will come back to life.”
“……I’ve never heard of such a common belief.”
“Forget it. What do you mean by ‘what happened’?”
“Ah. I looked for you all day, but I couldn’t find you. Kang Yi-dong and Kang Sam-dong are also looking for you now. Where have you been? You were bedridden just yesterday.”
“I took care of things and came back.”
“Yes?”
“The Black Society’s Xingping Branch.”
“What?”
“What?”
“No, I mean, what did you just say?”
“I said I took care of it. The Black Society’s Xingping Branch.”
“C, Crazy!”
“What?”
“Is that true…… No, are you saying that now?”
I wonder why Yeon-u is acting like this.
If he misses my Praying Mantis Chestnut, I’m confident I can give him as many as he wants.
◈ ◈ ◈
“Brother.”
“Yeah.”
I’ve been through a lot with Yeon-u, but……
It’s the first time Yeon-u has created such a heavy and serious atmosphere.
Yeon-u abruptly said he had something important to tell me and dragged me to the library on the third floor, which he had been training in. When we were alone, he brought up the main point.
“Leaving everything aside. Be honest with me. What is your true identity? Yes, I don’t need to say anymore that your martial arts are strong. But I can’t understand it. I can somehow understand you subduing Blood Demon Blade Gwak Seong-ho, Demon Slayer Baek Gui-ho, and 150 members of the Black Society single-handedly at the Xi’an Branch…… But you’re saying that you, who were lying in bed just yesterday, went all the way to Xingping in a day and took care of them? And you came back here safe and sound? Does that make sense? Besides, you were poisoned.”
Hmm……
Yeon-u had a point.
Actually, even I think my actions are extraordinary.
But there are all sorts of things in the world, and things that can’t be accepted with common sense are happening every moment.
I calmly opened my mouth.
“Yeon-u.”
“Yes.”
“Honestly, whether it’s you, the people of Seokga Estate, or the gossipers who are talking about me and the Dawn Heaven Sect, you probably can’t understand my actions.”
“Of course. If you’re not a former member of the Nine Great Sects who’s hiding your identity and trying to live quietly…… someone who’s doing pretty well…… For example, if you’re not someone like the Nine Phoenixes of the Righteous Path…… How could this be possible?”
“Nine Phoenixes of the Righteous Path…… I’ve never seen them, so I don’t know. Think of it this way.”
“How?”
“Who is the strongest person in the martial world?”
“Well…… It’s probably Sword Emperor of the Dokgo Family and the Demonic Cult Leader, right?”
“That’s right. For example, let’s say I’m the 27-year-old Sword Emperor Dokgo Hwang.”
“……”
“I heard that he experienced Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown before he turned thirty and underwent a complete transformation. You know that, right?”
“Yes. That anecdote is famous.”
“What does that mean? It means that Sword Emperor has been growing rapidly since he was my age. He didn’t get to where he is just because he was born with talent. He devoured the righteous martial world before he even reached forty through rapid growth that others couldn’t understand.”
“That’s true, but……”
“Of course, I’m not saying I’m on the same level as Sword Emperor. But if you assume that I’m a promising martial artist who’s growing as fast as him, it’s not that hard to understand my actions.”
At my question, Yeon-u seemed to be deep in thought for a moment with his mouth closed.
He must be dumbfounded.
I used the Sword Emperor, the best fighter in the righteous faction, as an example, so Yeon-u must be wondering, ‘Is this right?’ And if you think about it, there’s no reason why I can’t become like the Sword Emperor, so his mind must be complicated.
“Hey. Are you speechless because you’re appalled that a lowly guy like me is talking about the Sword Emperor?”
“N, No, it’s not that. I don’t know how you’ll take this, but I believe that you can become a top martial artist like Sword Emperor.”
“Then why are you staring blankly with that expression?”
“It’s just that…… Sword Emperor is such a distant figure, and I’ve never thought about it that way before…… I was just organizing my thoughts for a moment.”
“Okay. Tell me your organized thoughts.”
“Hmm…… Honestly, I still don’t quite get it. But I guess I’ll just have to accept it. As you said, there are all sorts of things in the world, and it’s easier to just think, ‘You’re just a particularly strong person~’.”
“Good thinking. And I really don’t have a true identity or anything like that. I’m just So-yun’s father, Jin So-cheon, and now I’m the Sect Leader of the Dawn Heaven Sect, Jin So-cheon.”
Then, Yeon-u suddenly burst out laughing.
“Why are you laughing all of a sudden?”
“Haha. I think you’re right. There’s no way a weirdo like you could be a former member of a prestigious righteous sect hiding their identity.”
“Right. I don’t fit in with those places at all.”
“That’s right. There’s no way someone as radical, simple, and ignorant as you could be a disciple of a prestigious righteous sect.”
“Yeah. Looks like you’ve finally figured out what kind of person I am.”
“That’s right. I’ve completely figured you out now. Honestly, someone as violent, simple, and ignorant as you being a disciple of a prestigious righteous sect? What nonsense……”
Thump━.
“Ugh!”
I ended up……
Giving Yeon-u a Praying Mantis Chestnut on his head again today.
I’m realizing it anew, but…… These youngsters are disrespectful.
◈ ◈ ◈
“Hmm…… I understand. Then I’ll go to the Xingping Branch with the people from my family and take care of the aftermath.”
I told Yeon-u about the situation at the Xingping Branch, their willingness to surrender, and Il-dong’s struggles.
Yeon-u also briefly explained the information he had gathered about the Black Society, and the conclusion was that the Black Society was indeed supported by the Cult of the Evil Path.
Fortunately, it wasn’t a situation where the Cult of the Evil Path could openly act.
‘While the Martial Alliance was fighting with the Demonic Cult, was the Cult of the Evil Path trying to expand its power behind the scenes?’
The ‘Cult of the Evil Path’ can be considered a gathering of martial artists who pursue the ‘Black Path’ and the ‘Evil Faction’.
Of course, it’s not the same relationship as the Martial Alliance and the ‘Righteous Path’, and not all Black Path and Evil Faction members belong to the Cult of the Evil Path, but still, except for the Demonic Cult, there was no group in the entire martial world that rejected the Cult of the Evil Path among the ‘heterodox’.
“Okay, Yeon-u. I’ll also split up my disciples and send them as support, so you do your best to take care of the aftermath.”
“Yes. By the way, brother. The Clan Head wants to have a serious talk with you about this Black Society subjugation.”
“If you’re talking about the Clan Head of Seokga Estate, are you referring to your father?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Now that I know they received even a small amount of support from the Cult of the Evil Path, I can’t handle this alone. If it’s Seokga Estate, they’re a secular family of Mount Hua, so the Cult of the Evil Path won’t be able to easily pick a fight. It’s beneficial for the Dawn Heaven Sect.”
“That’s right. That’s why I got deeply involved in this matter.”
“Well done.”
“But……”
“?”
“Would it be possible for you to come to our family estate with me? My father will inform Cheongmun Sword Master, your grand-uncle, about this matter right away. I don’t know about my father, but Cheongmun Sword Master is a senior. It would be better for you to visit him first…… It would look better……”
“I agree. Then I’ll stop by Seokga Estate with you as soon as we’re done cleaning up the remnants.”
“……Really?”
“Yes.”
“Why is this so easy? I was very careful about bringing it up because I thought you’d yell at me.”
“Why would I yell?”
“Because you have a lot of pride. I thought you’d say something like, ‘Tell him to come here himself if he has something to say!'”
“Yeon-u. I’m not an illiterate who doesn’t know respect for elders. The Clan Head of Seokga Estate is your father, and you’re my younger brother. Why would I have pride in visiting him?”
“Wow! That’s unexpected. You do have some flexibility.”
This kid, really……
What does he think of me?
This is absurd.
◈ ◈ ◈
“I have a lot to say, but let’s talk later.”
“Yes.”
When I entered the house, Master Dongbyeok glared at me, then shook his head and went into his study.
He’s probably going to scold me for going out without a word just a day after I woke up. What kind of expression will he make if he finds out that I went to Xingping and ‘took care of’ the remnants?
“Daddy!”
Whatever.
I’ll get scolded later. I lifted So-yun, who jumped into my arms, and pinched her cheek.
‘She’s growing so fast.’
Ordinary people wouldn’t be able to perceive the growth rate of a four-year-old child, but……
I’m different. I’m a master of observation, a possessor of precise and delicate senses, an explorer who penetrated the Life-Death Realm with my keen eye, a master of self-control who maintains the breathing posture of the Nature Meridian even while sleeping, and an expert on ‘Jin So-yun’ who understands the human ‘Jin So-yun’ better than anyone else.
“Daddy. Did you go to work?”
“Yes, I did.”
“Did you make a lot of money?”
“I didn’t make any money. But I got something better.”
“What is it?”
“You don’t know?”
“Peeh━ Is Daddy stupid?”
“That’s right. Daddy is stupid.”
It was still too early to go to sleep.
So, as usual, I held So-yun’s hand and went out to the lakeside in front of the house. I had been unconscious for seven days and nights, so I felt this quiet time was precious.
“So-yun. Did you have fun while Daddy was asleep?”
“Yes. I studied with the writing teacher…… I read books with Ye-rin…… I went hiking with grandpa. I was pretty busy.”
“I’m disappointed. You weren’t even worried about Daddy while he was just sleeping?”
“Hey! I was so worried about Daddy. I even had a nightmare that a sleep ghost would eat you!”
“A nightmare…… So-yun is only four years old, but you know about nightmares. That’s amazing.”
“Because I’m Daddy’s daughter. Hehe━.”
I stared blankly at So-yun’s face illuminated by the moonlight.
Her round eyes, like an upside-down half-moon, her cute nose, and her cherry-like lips were so perfectly blended that she couldn’t be any cuter.
“Daddy.”
“Yes.”
“But where’s Uncle Il-dong?”
“Why are you asking about Uncle Il-dong?”
“He promised to go for a walk with me.”
“Ah……”
So-yun.
Uncle Il-dong is burning corpses in Xingping right now.
I chuckled, imagining Il-dong struggling.
But.
My ears suddenly feel so itchy……
I guess Il-dong is cursing me terribly.