Chapter 35
Peng Jianhong.
He is currently called by the nickname 'Saber King'.
As is always the case in the martial world, people always discuss who is the best among the martial artists who use each weapon.
So they attach various nicknames to the martial artists they consider the best.
King, Star, Venerable, Empress, Emperor, and so on...
Among them, the title of King can be said to be special.
Because the title of King usually comes to mind first before other words.
In other words, when you see a saber, the martial artist who comes to mind first is Peng Jianhong, who is right in front of me.
"That's right! We were the ones who sent the letter to the Hebei Peng family."
I said to Peng Jianhong, slowly getting up.
As I stood up, the pain in my abs, which had been so painful that I thought I was going to die, gradually disappeared.
I'm not usually the type to slack off in training, but Martial Uncle Hyeon Yang's training is too excessive.
"I am Hyeon Yang of the Wudang Sect, Family Head."
"Hyeon Yang? By any chance, are you the Hyeon Yang I remember?"
"Yes. We met about ten years ago."
The Martial Uncle and Peng Jianhong seemed to know each other.
"Haha! To think that Hyeon Yang has become such a wonderful Taoist. It's really nice to see you."
"I never thought the Family Head would come in person."
"Is that so? That's how important this matter is to me."
When Peng Jianhong said 'important matter', the atmosphere suddenly changed.
If he looked like a neighborhood uncle who likes to drink when he was greeting the Martial Uncle a moment ago, now he had the aura of a well-sharpened saber.
The Martial Uncle flinched at that energy.
It's definitely not that he was intimidated or scared by the Saber King's energy.
It's probably because he felt the anger that was deeply embedded in that energy.
"Yes. Well, let's talk about that later... who is this? Is he your disciple?"
"He is not my disciple. However, he is a junior I am teaching with special care. Hwi-ya, hurry up and greet him."
"I greet the Family Head of the Peng family, the hegemon of Hebei. I am Unhwi, the youngest third-generation disciple of the Wudang Sect."
"Unhwi. It's a good Taoist name. And the qi you have seems special."
For a moment, his gaze swept over my body.
I realized that he was trying to figure out my martial arts level, but I couldn't react in any particular way.
'In front of a martial artist of the Saber King uncle's level, I can't hide anything.'
I knew the Saber King Peng Jianhong a little in my past life.
Since he was a person who liked to drink so much, we had often had after-parties after battles.
Coming back to the past, it's not all good things.
I remember the opponent, but the opponent doesn't know me at all, this feeling is a little strange.
"Hahaha! Should I say it's as expected of Wudang. Or, should I say it's a child you're keeping an eye on, Hyeon Yang. He's a very covetable child."
"Even if you covet him, you can't have him. Because that child is a child of Wudang."
"Yes. Do you know that your gaze is very scary right now? It's an eye that reminds me of ten years ago. You came at me with those eyes back then too, right? Maybe?"
"That story..."
The Martial Uncle hurriedly covered the Saber King uncle's mouth and secretly glanced at me.
Since it seemed like I could hear an interesting story, I asked back as if I didn't know anything.
"Came at you? What happened between you two?"
I looked at the Saber King with my eyes as wide as possible.
I already knew that he was weak to talented young martial artists.
"Haha! Are you that curious? Let's see. Yes, it was when your Martial Uncle participated in the Yongbongjihoe ten years ago. At that time, your Martial Uncle, who didn't get along with anyone, suddenly asked me for a spar at our first meeting."
"A spar?"
"Yes. He said it was boring to fight against the younger generation, or something like that."
"So what happened?"
He let out a small laugh.
It seemed he was reminiscing about the old days.
"Can't you tell by looking at your Martial Uncle, who can't say anything right now? I do my best when I fight against anyone."
He said and winked at me.
He was indirectly saying that the Martial Uncle had been miserably defeated at that time.
I secretly turned my eyes and looked at the Martial Uncle, and since he was turning his head to the other side in embarrassment, I decided to stop teasing him here.
This is the end of my revenge on my abs.
"Alright. Then let's put aside the old stories and go check on the person."
"Yes. Please follow me."
The Martial Uncle, perhaps happy that the embarrassing old story was over, quickly led the Peng Family Head into the inn.
'He's finally taking him.'
I cheered inwardly.
Because I was having a hard time with something I hadn't even considered when I had kidnapped Peng Won-so.
'It was good to catch him and lock him up, but I never thought I would have to take care of all the aftermath.'
Peng Won-so came to his senses the day after he was knocked out by my leg.
And even after that, since I couldn't starve him to death, I had to feed him myself, and since he had to relieve himself naturally after eating, I had to take him to the latrine every time.
And on top of that, in case he ran away, I tied him up in the same room, but he smelled so bad that I even had to take him to the bathroom and wash him.
'He was no different from a master.'
The reason I waited for the Peng Family Head to come while enduring that pain.
It was because of the Saber King's personality that I knew.
"Peng Family Head. This is the room."
Screech—
The Martial Uncle, who had arrived at the room we were staying in, opened the door without hesitation, and the figure of Peng Won-so tied to a pillar in the room was immediately revealed.
"...! Eup, eupeup!"
As soon as the door opened and he saw the figure of the Peng Family Head who appeared there, he was terrified and struggled.
It's a good thing I had gagged his mouth in case he screamed.
Otherwise, my ears would have hurt from that guy's screaming.
"You... you bastard...!"
And, Peng Jianhong, who had found Peng Won-so.
He emits an aura that makes it impossible to think he is the same person who was laughing and talking outside the inn a moment ago.
Woooong—
The air vibrated from the energy that burst out from around his body, and the inn shook, and dust fell.
Thump—
He took a step towards Peng Won-so, and that footstep was unusual.
Each step contained a very large energy, and the area around the Peng Family Head was already so dense with an energy that seemed to cut through flesh that it was difficult to even breathe.
Even I, who had thought I had become quite strong, couldn't endure it at all.
"Ugh."
"Hwi-ya. Are you okay."
The Martial Uncle who supported me as I staggered.
But, sweat was already forming on the Martial Uncle's forehead.
It meant that the Peng Family Head was emitting a tremendous force that even the Martial Uncle was having a hard time handling right now.
Kwoong—
Even in this situation, Peng Jianhong took another step and got closer to Peng Won-so.
His hands were filled with an energy that seemed to be able to tear through an iron plate.
I even had a thought that if I left Peng Jianhong alone like that, he would burst Peng Won-so's head with those hands.
Just as Martial Uncle Hyeon Yang was about to stop him first.
"Family Head...! You must come to your senses. Are you going to kill him so easily...!"
I shouted desperately.
Because I had to somehow bring back the reason of the Peng Family Head, who was about to lose his mind to anger.
"Right now, that guy is a fly's life that will die with one move from you, Family Head. Since there's nowhere to run, it would be better to think about what to do with him...!"
Although it was a situation where it was difficult to maintain my posture and shout, I shouted with my internal energy in my voice, mustering up all my strength.
Swoosh—
Then, Peng Jianhong finally turned his head and looked at me.
'Ah...'
I couldn't help but swallow my pity inside when I saw his eyes.
His eyes were bloodshot.
The immense anger and the relief that he had finally caught him.
And, the sense of emptiness that even if he caught this guy, the past could not be undone, must have made that strong man cry.
"Hoo..."
When our eyes met, as if he had come to his senses, he let out a deep sigh and withdrew the energy he had been emitting.
At that moment, I felt my body become lighter, and the breath that had been difficult to breathe properly was now breathed smoothly.
It was a moment when I felt the preciousness of air anew.
"Keureuk..."
At the same time, the tied-up Peng Won-so rolled his eyes back, foamed at the mouth, and fainted.
He had fainted from the Saber King's energy.
We, who were nearby, were in this state, so it was only natural that he, who had received all the energy head-on, would faint.
"Thank you so much. If it weren't for you guys, I would have lived my whole life in regret."
He had a sad expression.
When I met him in my past life, he would often send me that kind of gaze when he drank.
The fact that he couldn't even catch the guy who had done that to his daughter, and that he couldn't even confirm whether he was alive or dead, had tormented him his whole life.
'This time, that regret. Let's stop here, uncle.'
I conveyed my words to him in my heart.
He smiled faintly, as if he had heard my words.
"If you wait a little, the Peng family martial artists will come. I rushed here first after receiving your letter. Shall we talk for a while until our martial artists come?"
For a moment, my eyes lit up.
Talk for a while? In this situation? Then there's only one thing.
'It's the reward! He's probably going to talk about what reward to give us.'
I felt good for a moment and looked at the Martial Uncle.
The Martial Uncle must have surely noticed the Peng Family Head's intention...
'Huh?'
The Martial Uncle, contrary to my expectation, was shaking his head with a firm expression.
"We would like to, but it seems we have to move right away. We've already spent too much time waiting to hand this guy over."
"Is that so? Hmm... I wanted to talk about it because I wanted to give you a reward."
"No. We just did what we had to do."
The Martial Uncle immediately refused Peng Jianhong's words.
I turned to the Martial Uncle with a start.
This is troublesome if he comes out like this. The reason I went through all this trouble to hand Peng Won-so over to the Peng Family Head was for that very 'reward'!
"Still, I won't feel at ease if I just send you off like this."
"Martial Uncle! Can't we just talk for a very short while? The Family Head will probably feel uncomfortable if we just leave like this. Don't you think so?"
I was giving him a strong hint, but the Martial Uncle was just staring at me blankly.
"Hyeon Yang. Your junior is really smart. Listen to him. What are you going to do if you refuse even when he says he'll give you a reward?"
"Hmm... I understand."
When the Peng Family Head said this much, the Martial Uncle had no choice but to nod his head.
"Will you two go down first? I'll go down separately in a little while, just a little while."
"Family Head, by any chance...?"
"Hahaha. Don't worry. I've come to my senses thanks to your junior. I will definitely not do anything like killing this guy in a fit of excitement."
"I understand."
Leaving Peng Jianhong, who spoke so calmly unlike before, the Martial Uncle and I came out of the room.
But when we had not even reached the stairs leading to the first floor after coming out of the room.
"Kuaaaak—!"
A terrible scream burst out from the room we were in.
"Well... he said he wouldn't kill him, but he didn't say he wouldn't torture him."
The Martial Uncle glanced at the firmly closed door and then turned his head again and went down the stairs.
And, I had no choice but to follow the Martial Uncle.
***
A moment later.
Since it was awkward to just sit on the first floor, the Peng Family Head came down while we were ordering and drinking tea.
His expression looked much more refreshed than before.
Although there were bloodstains splattered here and there on the clothes he was wearing now, which I hadn't seen before.
"Yes. I told you to wait because I wanted to talk about the reward. Have you thought about what you want by any chance? It's okay whatever it is, so tell me. I'll grant you anything I can."
Sincerity was dripping from the Peng Family Head's expression.
It seemed he was that grateful that we had caught Peng Won-so for him.
"Haha. Anything, you say?"
"Yes. As long as it's not an unreasonable request that I can't grant, like giving you the Hebei Peng family or asking me to die."
Thud—
He unbuckled the saber he was wearing at his waist, placed it on the table, and then continued.
"If you want, I can give you this saber. It's an item that's like my life."
"We all use swords. You don't have to give us the saber."
"What did you say...? Hahaha!"
The Saber King laughed heartily at Martial Uncle Hyeon Yang's words.
To be honest, when the Saber King put down his saber, I was incredibly surprised inside.
The Saber King's saber.
Because that was one of the only ten weapons left by the master craftsman Po Eun-sa, whose skill in making weapons was said to have reached the heavens, the 'Earth's Fate Saber'.
"Even if you don't use it yourself, if you sell it, you could exchange it for several huge pavilions."
"That's why it's unnecessary. If that's the case, we can just receive it in money, so why bother receiving it as a weapon?"
"Hahaha! You're right."
He burst out laughing again.
Then, as if he had never laughed like that, he asked with a serious face.
"Then what is it that you really want?"
Martial Uncle Hyeon Yang frowned and couldn't answer.
He was a Martial Uncle who had not intended to receive a reward in the first place.
But since the Peng Family Head was saying that much, he was at a loss as to what to ask for.
I thought to myself that it was time for me to step up.
'It's the duty of a junior to resolve the Martial Uncle's predicament.'
And, leaving the still-contemplating Martial Uncle aside, I slowly opened my mouth.
"Saber King elder. If it's not a discourtesy, may I say something?"
"Oh-ho. Yes, go ahead."
Before the Martial Uncle could stop me, I immediately continued.
"I have heard that the Hebei Peng family has been skilled in the technique of pouring out a great force at once since ancient times. Is that correct?"
"Yes. Our martial arts are generally martial arts that pour out a great force in a short time to decide the match in a short time."
"What I felt while learning the martial arts of Wudang is that when a decisive blow is needed, there is no suitable martial art to use at that time."
"Hwi-ya! What on earth are you talking about?!"
The Martial Uncle shouted in surprise at my words.
He was surprised that I suddenly mentioned the weakness of Wudang's martial arts.
I sent him a look that said it was okay and then continued.
"So I request to receive one of the Peng family's martial arts from you, Family Head!"
"...A martial art?"
"?!"
At my words, both the Peng Family Head and the Martial Uncle looked at me with dumbfounded faces.
I calmly received their gazes.
Although it's not a common thing to learn the martial arts of another sect, it's not something that has never happened in the history of the martial world.
'If I can learn the martial arts of the Peng family and improve them, my... no, Wudang's martial arts will make great progress.'
I looked at the Peng Family Head with eyes full of conviction.
(End of Chapter)