Chapter 16
‘A hero…’
On the road to Liaoning after leaving the Martial Alliance.
So-ah was swept up in a whirlwind of unknown emotions.
It was because Grandma Hong-ryeon’s words wouldn’t leave his mind.
“So-ah! What are you thinking about?”
Just then, Tang Hwa-rin’s voice, which awakened So-ah from his thoughts, flowed out.
“Huh? Nothing…”
“Are you thinking of participating in the Young Heroes Tournament?”
Tang Hwa-rin was curious about that.
“I don’t know. I’m not sure if there’s a need for it.”
“Why don’t you accept Senior Hong-ryeon’s proposal? If you participate in the Young Heroes Tournament, winning would be a piece of cake. Hoho.”
Tang Hwa-rin truly believed so.
And she hoped it would be so.
The martial arts she had seen from So-ah were so amazing that the expression “heaven-shaking” was not enough.
‘If it’s So-ah, he could probably even defeat the young master of the Namgung Clan, who is called a once-in-a-century prodigy.’
Tang Hwa-rin had a cunning side.
First, So-ah was traveling with her.
What if such a So-ah won the hero tournament?
Wouldn’t she also receive attention as a result?
Wouldn’t her name also be mentioned to some extent as an acquaintance of the mysterious young master?
Such thoughts came to her.
Of course, it wasn’t that Tang Hwa-rin wanted So-ah to participate in the tournament only for her own benefit.
The birth of a new hero.
It was obvious that the martial world would be in an uproar just from the appearance of the disciple of the God of War, who had gone into seclusion seven years ago.
Because any young man or woman in the martial world would wish for the birth of such a new hero.
Just then, Tang Il-gi muttered softly.
“If Young Master Jin participates, I’ll have to give up.”
At that, Tang Hwa-rin asked.
“Oh my! Why, brother?”
“Winning is out of the question, isn’t it? Haha. I wouldn’t be able to withstand even a single move from Young Master Jin.”
At those words, Tang Hwa-rin smiled faintly and nodded her head.
“Hoho, that’s true. I wonder what kind of scary brawling art that cute-looking kid has learned. Would it just be you, brother? Even the five great rising stars of the martial world wouldn’t be able to withstand a single move from that Cute God of War.”
For a moment…
The atmosphere suddenly turned cold.
A look of astonishment flashed across Tang Il-gi’s face.
‘Sigh, Hwa-rin… why are you being so aggressive?’
A fifteen-year-old girl was repeatedly calling a man she didn’t know well “cute” at the end of every sentence. If the elders of the family heard, they would be horrified.
“Hwa-rin.”
So-ah spoke.
“Yeah?”
Tang Hwa-rin asked with innocent eyes.
“Do you think I’m cute?”
Only then did Tang Hwa-rin’s face turn slightly red.
“……A… a little?”
Tang Hwa-rin, judging that it would be more embarrassing to deny it, said what was on her mind.
‘Oh my… this is a series of troubles, family head…’
Tang Il-gi’s head throbbed, and he closed his eyes. And So-ah.
“Haha, you’re a little cute too.”
Wasn’t he taking it a step further?
‘I don’t know anymore…’
Tang Il-gi was at a loss for words at the friendship antics of these cheerful fifteen-year-old peers.
***
The Tang siblings had spent the past few days in a state of astonishment, as if they had experienced all the surprising things they could in their lives.
Of course, the reason for their surprise was none other than So-ah.
“Pant… pant…”
“Hey, Jin So-ah! Can’t you go a little slower?”
The So-ah they saw had a level of stamina that was unbelievable for a human being.
His internal energy was also so profound that he didn’t sweat a single drop or even breathe heavily while crossing the rugged and steep mountain roads using the Swift Whale Step.
‘It’s not just his martial arts that are outstanding…’
‘What kind of stamina… he’s a monster!’
So-ah’s Swift Whale Step was certainly not the best lightness skill in the world.
It was not as stealthy as the Step on Snow Without a Trace, not as exquisite as the Bow Body Ejecting Shadow, and not as fast as the Heavenly Demon’s Reigning Step in terms of maximum movement speed.
But what was important was So-ah’s ‘stamina’.
This was thanks to the sadistic training method of the Ten-Second Invincible Arts. So-ah’s stamina had reached a realm beyond the heavens and was now not at a human level.
[In a duel between masters of similar realms, the most crucial factor that determines victory is ‘stamina’. Everything about a fighter comes from stamina!]
This was Moyong Cheon’s usual theory, so how could So-ah’s stamina be anything but extraordinary?
Perhaps the current So-ah could endure running at full speed for three days and nights without a single sip of water.
“Hahaha, how did you learn martial arts with such weak stamina?”
So-ah said with a sneer as he looked at the exhausted Tang Hwa-rin.
“Hey… pant… my stamina isn’t that weak, you know? You’re the one who’s at a crazy level.”
“Cheer up! You too, Young Master Tang.”
So-ah encouraged the two of them.
Of course, the problem was that it wasn’t encouraging at all.
‘Little God of War… that monster…’
‘Young Master Jin… what on earth is your identity?’
The Tang siblings wanted to ask, but they just shook their heads and gave up, thinking they would only be teased more.
***
Liaoning.
In the past, Liaoning was a place far from the center of the Central Plains, so the footsteps of martial artists were rare.
Also, the Moyong Family, the representative martial family of Liaoning, had only been listed among the Five Great Families after the appearance of the God of War, so it was not originally a prestigious family that received attention.
But now it was different.
Although Moyong Cheon had been in seclusion for seven years and had not been active for a long time, no one dared to ignore or look down on the Moyong Family.
Because the God of War was still alive.
Furthermore, the duel between the top masters of the orthodox and unorthodox factions that would take place in three years.
If the God of War, Moyong Cheon, won the duel against the Heavenly Demon, Wi-ji Un, the Moyong Family would surpass the Nine Great Sects and become the first family to be the top group in the martial world.
Therefore, the Martial Alliance, conscious of this, had designated Liaoning as the venue for this year’s Young Heroes Tournament.
<Moyong Family>
“Hwa-ah.”
“Yes, Dad!”
“Hush! What if someone hears you calling me Dad? Didn’t I tell you to call me Father?”
“There’s no one here! You’re just being fussy…”
“Ahem! Hwa-ah. You’re fourteen now. You’ve reached the age where you have to be active as a rising star of the martial world. How long are you going to act like a child?”
Anyone who heard would be horrified.
If they saw the young lady of the great Moyong Family, which had produced the God of War, still calling her father, the family head, ‘Dad’.
“Aww… alright. Father!”
The young lady of the Moyong Family.
Moyong Hwa, who had been raised like a precious treasure, narrowed her eyes and grumbled.
Every time he saw his daughter like this, the family head, Moyong Baek, was at a loss.
But the fact that Moyong Hwa had become such a crybaby was entirely Moyong Baek’s own fault.
Although he was not even one of the ten great masters of the Orthodox Path, unlike the son of the God of War, and was among the weakest in martial arts among the heads of the Five Great Families, he was definitely the best in the world in one thing.
That was in the area of being a doting father.
Just then.
“Family Head!”
The chief steward of the Moyong Family, Baek Do-pyo, entered the room.
‘Sigh… that was a close call.’
Moyong Baek, who had been worried that someone might hear his bickering with his daughter, couldn’t help but be surprised when the chief steward, Baek Do-pyo, entered.
“What is it, Chief Steward.”
“Guests have arrived.”
“Guests? It must be more rising stars who have come to make an impression on our family in relation to the Young Heroes Tournament.”
“That is correct.”
“Which family is it this time? If it’s a disciple of a minor sect, I’d like to stop meeting them now. I’ve been acting like a senior to young friends for a few days, and I’m about to get sick.”
“Haha. Family Head. I’m sorry, but you’ll have to go through some trouble this time as well.”
“Where on earth are they from…”
“The Sichuan Tang Clan.”
The chief steward’s words made Moyong Baek shake his head.
The Tang Clan, along with the Namgung Family, was a prestigious family with a long history that had maintained its status as one of the Five Great Families for the longest time.
Recently, the figures of prestigious families that had not been included in the Five Great Families were openly showing jealousy and hostility, so no matter how tired Moyong Baek was, he had no choice but to meet the rising stars of the Tang Clan.
“Alright.”
***
“It is truly an honor to meet the head of the Moyong Family. I am Tang Il-gi of the Tang Clan.”
“Family Head, hello. I am Tang Hwa-rin of the Tang Clan.”
“Hello… I am Jin So-ah.”
So-ah’s group, who had entered the Moyong Family, politely greeted Moyong Baek.
At that, Moyong Baek greeted them with a forced smile.
“I see you are the esteemed guests of the Tang Clan. But… which esteemed sect is this Young Master Jin from? Is he an external disciple of the Tang Clan?”
The eyes of the Tang siblings widened at Moyong Baek’s question.
They had naturally thought that Moyong Baek would know So-ah.
Since So-ah had said he was the top disciple of the God of War, they had thought he was an external disciple of the Moyong Family.
‘What’s going on…’
‘So-ah… what on earth is your real identity?’
As the two were bewildered.
A soft voice flowed from So-ah’s mouth.
“Excuse me… you are the head of the Moyong Family, right?”
‘Huh?’
Moyong Baek was bewildered.
Just by looking at him, So-ah had a face that was so handsome and cute that the word “noble young master” was not enough.
But the way he was fidgeting while looking at him was just like a child.
“That is correct. I am the current head of the Moyong Family.”
‘He knows, so why is he asking?’
Moyong Baek was bewildered but decided to listen to what So-ah had to say.
Just then.
A word close to a thunderbolt came out of So-ah’s mouth.
“Grandpa… I… I mean, I’m here on an errand from Grandpa God of War, Moyong Cheon! Phew…”
So-ah let out a big sigh after speaking.
So-ah, who was friendly and confident in everything, had never been like this, but for some reason, the thought of meeting his grandfather’s relatives made his heart pound as if it would burst.
But whether they knew So-ah’s heart or not, Moyong Baek and his daughter, Moyong Hwa, were standing with their mouths agape, their faces deathly pale.
Seven years.
He was a father who hadn’t sent a single word for seven years.
A father who represented not only the Moyong Family but also the Orthodox Martial Path.
It was only natural that they were surprised to hear news of their father, whom they could never follow in their lifetime, from a boy they had never met before.
“Is… is that really true? Is it true that you have come to our family on my father’s errand?”
“Yes!”
As soon as So-ah’s answer came out, this time, Moyong Hwa came running from a distance, grabbed So-ah’s arm, and said as if she were interrogating him.
“Is… is that really true? Do you really know my grandpa?”
“Yes. That’s right.”
So-ah took out the letter he had been holding in his chest.
It was the letter that Moyong Cheon had written.
Then he handed the letter to Moyong Baek.
“This is a letter written by my grandpa. He asked me to deliver this.”
Moyong Baek urgently opened the letter without answering.
“It’s… it’s true… it’s… father’s… handwriting!”
Moyong Baek’s throat was choked up.
He began to read the letter from his father, whom he had missed even in his dreams.
[Baek-ah, have you been well? I am sorry for not contacting you for a long time. But do not worry. I am living very happily. Through the two shichen of meditation I perform every day, my martial arts have progressed and progressed, and now I think I might be able to find a way to survive in the duel with old man Wi-ji. How is Hwa-ah growing up? She might have forgotten her old grandpa, whom she saw when she was very young. Please tell her that this old grandpa always cherishes and cherishes her. Three years from now, on the ninth day of the ninth month. Come to the estate located on Samryun Peak of Mount Daeak in Sichuan. I will return to the family with you on that day.]
That was the content of the first page of the letter.
And when he took out the second page.
Moyong Baek couldn’t help but be startled again.
[You must be curious about the child who delivered this letter. That child is my true top disciple, and the only child who has learned my Ten-Second Invincible Arts. Therefore, that child is the talent who will become the second God of War. You will register that child as an external disciple of the Moyong Family.]
(End of Chapter)