Chapter 106
“Hah… is this really right?”
“So-yeong-ah. What are you worried about? It’s not like the North Sea is at odds with the Central Plains! They’re electing a new Alliance Leader and holding a hero tournament to bring together all the martial artists of the four seas. Is there any reason we can’t participate?”
In the center of a procession of well-trained, famous horses, a father and daughter were holding the reins and having a conversation.
They were the North Sea Ice Palace Lord, Wang Bang-tae, and his only daughter, Wang So-yeong.
The two, accompanied by the most renowned masters of the North Sea, were on a long journey.
Their destination was the Martial Alliance headquarters, where the election of the new Martial Alliance Leader and the Hero Tournament were being held.
‘If I want to make So-ah my son-in-law, I need to know how the Central Plains works. On this occasion, I’ll also check if the Moyong family is a good family for my daughter to marry into, hehehe.’
Wang Bang-tae still had his sights set on So-ah as a son-in-law.
Of course, he couldn’t even utter a word about it due to his daughter’s threats, but whether it was martial arts or strategy, that guy unparalleled drive.
Wang Bang-tae had never seen a man like So-ah in his life.
Therefore, despite his gentle refusal, far from giving up, his favorability was only soaring day by day.
Besides.
‘So-ah is even strong in his ability to make a living, so my daughter will be able to live without worrying about money. That kid… to think of selling snow ice stones! He’s amazing. Kuhuhu!’
He had even reached the point of having such an exaggerated delusion that one might wonder if there was such a doting father.
Of course, whether that delusion would become a reality or not was still unknown.
“By the way, we should have at least sent word to So-ah. He’ll be very surprised.”
“What’s the point of sending word? It’s more delightful to meet a missed person unexpectedly. Besides, didn’t we prepare a gift to save our son-in-law’s… no, Young Master Jin’s face? Young Master Jin will probably be quite happy.”
Wang So-yeong’s gaze turned to the rear of the procession.
The goods piled high on the large carts.
They were the highest quality medicinal herbs that grew only in the North Sea and were full of frosty cold ki.
“Hmm… that’s true, but do we need to bring so much?”
No matter how she thought about it, it was a question.
If the plan was to save So-ah’s face, it would have been enough to give a gift to just one person, the head of the Moyong Family, to save face, but the amount of medicinal herbs was too much for that.
But.
“You brat. Don’t talk nonsense. It’s been a long time since the North Sea officially participated in an event in the Central Plains, back when I wasn’t even the Palace Lord. Since we’ve come to the Central Plains after a long time, shouldn’t we show off our palace’s wealth? One box for the newly elected Alliance Leader. One box for the son-in-law’s… no, the Moyong Family Head. And one box for Young Master Jin, so we need that much.”
“Dad! You just said son-in-law, right?”
“What are you talking about? You must have misheard. What son-in-law!”
“I think you did.”
“I… I said no!”
“I’m warning you, don’t say things like that in front of the Moyong Family Head or So-ah. Why do you keep connecting things like that? So-ah and I are just friends!”
At Wang So-yeong’s words, Wang Bang-tae held back a smirk and nodded his head.
“I will do so.”
“I’ll take care of my own marriage. Don’t you worry about it, Dad.”
“I said I would!”
“Hmph! You always say things so smoothly, but you just get all giddy when you see So-ah. Ugh! I can’t even with you, Dad!”
‘This sharp-tongued brat, really! Damn it!’
Although he was resentful of his daughter who was scolding her father in front of everyone, Wang Bang-tae gave up on retorting.
Even if she was annoying, Wang So-yeong was a filial daughter who would be sad if she were second in the world.
‘You brat! No matter how much you pout, this father knows your heart. Keke. The one who gets all giddy when sees So-ah is you, isn’t it?’
Wang Bang-tae, with the corners of his mouth slightly turned up, shouted spiritedly.
“We’re not far from the Martial Alliance now, so everyone hurry up!”
“Yes, Palace Lord!”
“Yes!”
“Yes!”
Thump, thump, thump…
The famous horses of the North Sea kicked up a sandstorm and galloped vigorously across the land of the Central Plains.
***
‘It’s… it’s real!’
The sworn brother’s biological younger brother.
So-ah, who saw Jang Beon-ha in person, was so surprised that he almost fainted.
Just by looking at their faces, it was impossible to tell who was Jang Beon-pal and who was Jang Beon-ha.
But So-ah, who had an extraordinary power of observation and a keen eye, soon discovered the crucial difference between the two.
‘He’s bigger than his older brother. If his older brother is an eight-foot demon, this guy is a monster, a monster.’
So-ah had been surprised only twice in his life by looking at someone else’s build.
The first was Grandpa Heavenly Demon, Wi-ji Un, and the second was his sworn brother, Jang Beon-pal.
Jang Beon-ha boasted a much more magnificent build than the two, so he felt a sense of murderousness from his first impression.
And that feeling was exactly right.
“Did you really fight a duel with this mountain bandit leader and achieve a draw?”
A rough and gruff voice.
Moreover, Jang Beon-ha, far from calling his older brother ‘brother,’ referred to him with the disrespectful modifier ‘mountain bandit leader.’
But So-ah was not one to be flustered and hesitate.
“That’s because Brother Beon-pal went easy on me. But it’s true that we fought a duel. At that time, it was an unavoidable choice for me.”
“An unavoidable choice?”
“Brother Beon-pal is a person who is widely rumored to be an eccentric among eccentrics. At that time, the students of the White Martial Academy were overwhelmed by his ki and were only looking at me. As the head of the organization, I couldn’t bow down to a foreigner, so I just made the right choice. That choice was a duel.”
“You arrogant brat! Do you think I’ll praise your courage if you talk back to me so clearly?”
This was just, being shameless and turning the tables.
At Jang Beon-ha’s attitude of provoking him to his face as soon as they met,
‘Ah! If only he weren’t my brother’s younger brother!’
So-ah felt like he wanted to fight, whether it turned out to be porridge or rice.
“Great Hero Jang. I may be a wandering martial artist with nowhere to go, but I am the great disciple of the great Moyong Family. In other words, the humiliation I suffer is directly related to the honor of my family.”
“So?”
“Let’s keep it moderate.”
So-ah was definitely not one to be pushed around in a verbal battle.
In that moment.
“Kuhahahaha!”
“Kuhahahaha!”
Jang Beon-ha and Jang Beon-pal.
The two old twins, the bandit king and the pirate king, respectively, burst into a loud laugh at the same time, without anyone going first.
‘…What? Really.’
So-ah was bewildered.
“As expected! The mountain bandit has a great eye for people. I’ve never seen such a smart brat in my life! That’s right. So-ah. I heard you’re being evaluated as the new Ten Great Masters of the Orthodox Path these days?”
“That’s true, but… actually, I don’t pay attention to such rumors.”
“Will you give me a chance to witness your Ten-Second Invincible Arts someday?”
“Anytime.”
“Keke. Anyway, it’s a pleasure to meet you. As I heard, you have great spirit, and not only are you logical, but you also have a lot of strategy and guts. Alright! I like you. I will consider you my younger brother and become a supportive sworn brother!”
“Yes?!”
So-ah turned his gaze to his sworn brother, Jang Beon-pal, with a pale face.
At that.
“So-ah.”
“Yes, Brother Beon-pal.”
“That pirate and I are like one body. My sworn brother is also that guy’s sworn brother. What do you think? Although he’s an eccentric brat, won’t you also take that guy as your older brother?”
If someone had witnessed this scene, they might have rolled their eyes and fainted.
The two great leaders who ruled the Jianghu.
To think that the Green Forest King and the Waterway King were begging a young man in his early twenties to become their sworn brother.
Even the person in question, So-ah, couldn’t help but be dumbfounded and just blinked his eyes.
Just then.
“So-ah.”
The Waterway King, Jang Beon-ha’s voice sank low.
“Yes.”
“That mountain bandit and I may be nothing more than insignificant old men, but we can promise you one thing.”
“Yes?”
“If someone tries to harm you, we will follow them to the ends of hell and twist their necks.”
The moment he heard those words, a faint memory of the past came to So-ah’s mind.
—Never again will anyone in the world be able to torment you. This old man will make absolutely certain of it.
It was what his grandfather had said in his lifetime.
‘Why are these great people being so good to me…’
Suddenly, that question came to him.
Jang Beon-pal and Jang Beon-ha were great seniors of the Jianghu, and peerless masters.
Just having a connection with the two would be considered an honor for the family of any martial artist.
How could such a fortuitous connection continue for him?
‘Ah! I don’t know! Brother Gu-yang or Elder Baek’s words must be right. That’s right. I’m the owner of a heavenly fortune that heaven helps~ let’s just think that. That’s more comfortable. Phew… kekeke.’
So-ah soon crushed the questions that were tailing him.
If it were a bad thing, maybe, but wasn’t it a great fortune to be able to serve Jang Beon-ha as his sworn brother?
“Alright! I, Jin So-ah, will serve the great heroes Jang Beon-pal and Jang Beon-ha as my sworn brothers from today, and as long as I live, I will do my best to fulfill my duty as a brother!”
“Kekeke! I like it! I like it!”
“I am so grateful to have a younger brother like you! Kuhaha!”
So-ah had suddenly become the sworn brother of both the bandit king and the pirate king.
‘Phew… if it’s an accident, it’s an accident. I don’t know anymore.’
***
The hour of the Dragon.
Baek In-hwa, like the Moyong Baek couple, had been assigned a special room used by the top officials of the Martial Alliance.
Knock, knock—
Someone knocked on the door of Baek In-hwa’s room…
Click—
Baek In-hwa, who opened the door, had his eyes wide like lanterns.
“You… you are. Woo-chi, aren’t you?!”
“Master!”
The person who came into his sight was none other than his disciple, Jeon Woo-chi, and the military strategist of the Martial Alliance, Jegal Hyeok.
“Woo-chi-ya! Is it really you, Woo-chi?”
“Of course! Master! Have you been well?”
“You brat. You should have at least sent word.”
“Master. Please forgive this unworthy disciple.”
Jeon Woo-chi.
The person whom So-ah and everyone in the Martial Alliance knew as ‘Gu-yang Seon’ suddenly knelt down.
“Hoho! It’s a reunion of master and disciple. I’m glad.”
At the sight of Baek In-hwa and Jeon Woo-chi, Jegal Hyeok stroked his beard and smiled gently.
“Great Hero Jegal. Thank you. Thanks to you, I was able to see my disciple.”
“Don’t mention it. Then, you two, please talk a lot.”
Only after Jegal Hyeok tactfully left the room did Baek In-hwa and Jeon Woo-chi hold hands and enjoy the joy of their reunion.
“You brat. Did you change your name to the strange name of Gu-yang Seon? Because of that, there was a lot of confusion. If it weren’t for Young Master Jin’s reasoning, I wouldn’t have been able to find you so easily.”
“The reason I used a pseudonym is simple. Although I am fluent in Chinese, I am still a Goryeo person. To settle down in the Central Plains, I had to avoid unnecessary trouble, so I used a name that sounded like a native of the Central Plains.”
“Hmm… that’s not the right attitude. From today, you must live with the name Woo-chi.”
“Yes, Master.”
“By the way, you’ve lost a lot of weight. You used to be so fat…”
“Haha. I naturally lost weight when I cut down on alcohol.”
“You look good.”
As it was a reunion after a long time, the two talked endlessly about each other’s well-being and what had happened in the meantime, and reminisced.
In the midst of that.
“It’s truly amazing that you and So-ah met while catching the demon of the North Sea. It must be fate.”
“That’s what I’m saying. When I saw Young Master Jin’s appearance, I knew that I would inevitably meet him. If I hadn’t met him then, I probably would have gone to find him.”
“What did you think of So-ah, Master?”
“He is a child who has all the qualities to become a hero of the world.”
“That’s right? Hahaha. I also saw So-ah that way.”
“Soon, the world will enter a chaotic era. Originally, heaven always makes a chaotic era and a hero appear together. That child is destined to save the world.”
“A chaotic era… why?”
“The Evil King Star has risen in the Central Plains.”
“Ah… the Evil King Star, you say?”
“That’s right.”
“…I did not sense it.”
“As you know, reading the Evil King Star requires considerable insight and magical power. You are still lacking in your training.”
“Master…”
“So, I’m thinking of giving you the three great demonic tools of the Udo-bang.”
(End of Chapter)