Chapter 53 : The Martial Artists of the Nine Sects
Blue Dragon Daoist Temple.
This Daoist temple, created to actively nurture the young and talented next-generation talents of the Orthodox Martial World, was filled with young martial artists who had gathered from all over the Central Plains.
Since these people, who were overflowing with vigor, were gathered in one place, the heat felt from the Daoist temple was also great.
"I am Baekak from the Cheongun Sect."
"The Cheongun Sect? Isn't that a subordinate family of the Cheongseong Sect? You've come from a great place! I am Ok Mosang from the Jangho Gate."
"Oho! The Jangho Gate? Isn't that a sect that was quite famous in Shaanxi?"
"Don't make this Ok Mosang's face red with such praise."
The young martial artists gathered in the spacious grand training ground of the Blue Dragon Daoist Temple were getting to know each other's faces and names by exchanging their names.
"You should get to know people too, Young Master."
"Why should I?"
"They are people you will be living with in the Daoist temple from now on. So you should get to know them!"
"It's a hassle."
Jin Sohyun was not interested in making friends.
It was because to get to know someone, one had to go through the very troublesome process of exchanging names, sharing hobbies and interests, and getting to know each other.
Moreover, moving with someone was also a very troublesome thing.
"Haaam—!"
Jin Sohyun, who did not want to get to know people for various reasons, dozed off while standing.
But despite Jin Sohyun's efforts, the gazes of the young martial artists continued to pour in.
"Who is that handsome man?"
"I heard he's Jin Sohyun from the Jin Family."
"He came in with the Family Head of the Namgung Family! I heard he's an acquaintance of the Namgung Family Head."
"Oh, really?"
The young martial artists of the Blue Dragon Daoist Temple approached and spoke to Jin Sohyun because he was an acquaintance of Namgung Muhyeok and because of his handsome appearance.
"Excuse me... I am Hwang Seohyang from the Hwang Family of Shandong."
Among them, a woman with a beautiful appearance, her hair neatly braided, approached with light steps and spoke to Jin Sohyun.
However, there was no answer.
"Young Hero?"
"Ah, just a moment."
As Jin Sohyun did not answer, a small girl next to him shook him.
"Young Master! A guest has come."
'A guest?'
Could she be referring to him?
By the time Hwang Seohyang was having doubts, Jin Sohyun opened his closed eyes.
"Huh?"
"A guest. She says she's from the Hwang Family."
"Ah... I am Jin Sohyun from the Jin Family of Shanxi."
"Ah... the Jin Family of Shanxi..."
Hwang Seohyang, who was fumbling through her old memories, had a slightly surprised expression.
"The Slothful Young Master of the Jin Family is..."
"That's me."
At Jin Sohyun's confident answer, Hwang Seohyang tried to hide her flustered expression and laughed awkwardly.
"Ahaha... I heard that the Young Hero came in with the Namgung Family Head, so are you perhaps acquainted?"
'If I say the wrong thing, it'll be a hassle, right?'
Jin Sohyun, who had a ghostly intuition for troublesome things, decided to deny his acquaintance with Namgung Muhyeok.
"Not at all. We just happened to come in together."
"Ah."
With a short sigh, Hwang Seohyang smiled and turned away.
After that, the interest in Jin Sohyun was still there, but the emotions contained in those gazes were clearly different from before.
"That man is the famous Slothful Young Master of the Jin Family!?"
"He's a lazy bum of the world. How bad must it have been for even the beggars of the Beggars' Sect to shake their heads?"
"How did he get into the Blue Dragon Daoist Temple?"
"Since his family has a lot of money. He must have poured in a lot of money."
"They say there's no cure for laziness."
"What a waste of a face. A waste."
Soon, the young martial artists lost interest in Jin Sohyun.
But Jin Sohyun, who had been burdened by the attention on him, thought it was for the better.
'Now I can rest comfortably.'
Jin Sohyun dozed off with his arms crossed.
In the meantime, cheers from the young martial artists continued in the Blue Dragon Daoist Temple.
"Th-Those people are...!"
"The Huashan Sect!"
"To think I would see the Daoists of the Huashan Sect with my own two eyes!"
From the entrance of the Blue Dragon Daoist Temple, a group of martial artists wearing purple martial arts uniforms revealed themselves.
They were a total of five people, a group of martial artists consisting of three men and two women.
A tree was embroidered on the chest of the purple martial arts uniform, and this was the symbol of the Huashan Sect, the plum blossom tree.
As the martial artists of the great Huashan Sect, which was called the backbone of the Nine Sects, appeared, the martial artists from the minor sects and martial families greeted them with gazes of admiration.
"Do not act rashly and act like a disciple of the Huashan Sect."
At the solemn voice of the man standing at the front, the other four martial artists answered with a fist and palm salute.
"Yes!"
At the sight of the Huashan Sect martial artists, who were full of discipline even with just a fist and palm salute, Siu's eyes sparkled.
"So that's a martial artist of the Nine Sects."
Seeing the martial artists of the Nine Sects, whom she had only heard about, with her own eyes, she felt a different kind of emotion.
"Young Master. Please open your eyes. They are the martial artists of the Huashan Sect."
"Wh-What did you say?"
"The Huashan Sect."
Jin Sohyun looked at the martial artists of the Huashan Sect with half-open eyes and then closed his eyes again.
What was important to him was not the martial artists of the Huashan Sect, but his sleep right now.
"Aigoo... Young Master is really..."
Siu gave up on waking Jin Sohyun and looked at the entrance of the Blue Dragon Daoist Temple.
Following the Huashan Sect, another group of martial artists from the Nine Sects appeared.
Martial artists wearing martial arts uniforms with the character 'Tae'eul' embroidered on a white background on their chests.
They, like the Huashan Sect, were made up of five people, and they were all men.
"It's the Jongnam Sect!"
"This time, the martial artists of the Jongnam Sect have appeared."
"Just like the Huashan Sect, they are amazing."
The martial artists of the Jongnam Sect, like the Huashan Sect, received the enthusiastic cheers of the minor sects and martial families and entered the Blue Dragon Daoist Temple.
As soon as they entered, they stood facing the Huashan Sect as if to confront them.
"It's been a while, Hyeok'ugun."
As a martial artist of the Jongnam Sect greeted him with a confident face, the Daoists of the Huashan Sect all turned their heads.
Among them, the man called Hyeok'ugun said indifferently.
"Jong Ryeo'ak. You've come too."
"You, a second-generation disciple, have brought the third-generation disciples. Let's see... are the third-generation disciples of Huashan this time any good?"
"They are excellent. Unlike Jongnam."
A cold smile spread on the face of the man called Jong Ryeo'ak.
"That arrogant mouth of yours is still the same."
"Although Jongnam has a stronger secular tendency than a Daoist one... it doesn't seem to be a tone that a martial artist of the Nine Sects should use."
"It's better than your crooked mouth."
As the two stared at each other with sharp gazes, the Blue Dragon Daoist Temple became as quiet as if cold water had been poured on it.
It was already famous that the Huashan Sect and the Jongnam Sect, which belonged to the Nine Sects, were not on good terms as they were both sects that operated based in Shaanxi.
At the power struggle between the Nine Sects, the martial artists from the minor sects and martial families were even careful with their breathing.
"Well... shall we see your skills after a long time?"
"It seems you want to go back to Mount Jongnam as soon as you've come."
"Achoo!!"
By the time the power struggle between Jong Ryeo'ak and Hyeok'ugun was intensifying, Jin Sohyun, who had sneezed, sniffled.
"Sniffle."
Jin Sohyun, who was scratching his shoulder, said.
"They say even a dog doesn't catch a cold in May or June... why is it so cold here?"
"Are you cold? Young Master?"
"Yes. I should go to a warmer place."
Jin Sohyun, who was looking for a place with good sunlight, pushed through the wall of martial artists blocking his way and moved forward.
And Siu followed him closely.
"Aigoo, it's hot here too."
Jin Sohyun, as if he didn't like the place he had moved to, moved his steps again.
Jin Sohyun, who had been moving here and there, finally found a place he liked.
The sunlight was moderate, and the shade was also moderate, so it was the perfect place to doze off with a peaceful mind.
However, the gaze looking at him was hot.
'What is it?'
Jin Sohyun, who was blinking, discovered Siu, who was looking at him with round eyes from a distance.
"Siu?"
"Young Master..."
Siu's finger moved quickly left and right, and Jin Sohyun's eyeballs also moved accordingly.
Come to think of it, there were faces he hadn't seen on Jin Sohyun's left and right.
They were looking at Jin Sohyun with dumbfounded faces.
"Hahaha!"
At that moment, a person wearing a white martial arts uniform laughed heartily and approached Jin Sohyun.
"To think you would so boldly wedge yourself between the Nine Sects. You are truly a hero. So... where does this hero live and who are you?"
"I am Jin Sohyun from the Jin Family of Shanxi."
"The Jin Family... I'm sorry. I've never heard of it."
"It's alright. It's a place that's far from the martial world."
"A straightforward friend. Since this is also a connection, how about we shake hands?"
As Jong Ryeo'ak offered a handshake, Hyeok'ugun's face hardened.
"Your bad hobby is still the same."
Offering a handshake was one of Jong Ryeo'ak's bad hobbies.
If one were to obediently shake his hand, one would be injured by the internal energy that Jong Ryeo'ak had sent.
And if one were to resist, one would have to have an internal energy contest right away, so a wise person should not shake the hand that Jong Ryeo'ak had extended.
Hyeok'ugun knew of Jong Ryeo'ak's true intentions, but he did not bother to warn him.
Hyeok'ugun was not a kind person enough to step up for a man he didn't even know.
In the meantime, Jin Sohyun shook the hand that Jong Ryeo'ak had extended without a thought.
'Alright.'
Jong Ryeo'ak sent his internal energy through the hand that Jin Sohyun had held.
'This is the punishment for daring to block the way of the Nine Sects. Take it sweetly.'
Swoosh—!
His internal energy flowed through Jin Sohyun.
But something was strange.
'What is it?'
No matter how much internal energy he sent, Jin Sohyun did not seem to be in pain.
On the contrary, he was just looking at him with a calm face.
'What happened?'
'What is he doing?'
Meanwhile, Jin Sohyun could not understand Jong Ryeo'ak's actions.
He had offered a handshake, so he had shaken his hand, but he had suddenly started to send his internal energy.
If it were an ordinary martial artist, he would have been injured by the internal energy that Jong Ryeo'ak had sent, but Jin Sohyun was not.
His vast great meridians, which were without any turbidity, were on the contrary greedily sucking in Jong Ryeo'ak's internal energy.
'My internal energy... is being... sucked... sucked in!'
Jong Ryeo'ak's face turned pale as his internal energy began to be absorbed like the Star-Sucking Great Art of the Ming Cult of old.
'I have to retrieve my internal energy!'
Jong Ryeo'ak wanted to let go of the hand he was holding, but his hand was stiff and would not move.
In the meantime, Jin Sohyun's dantian, which had been feasting after a long time, was greedily sucking in Jong Ryeo'ak's internal energy like a thirsty person drinking cold water.
'No...!'
As Jong Ryeo'ak's face turned from white to blue, Jin Sohyun, who found it strange, asked.
"Are you alright?"
'He's talking!?'
Jong Ryeo'ak, who was having his internal energy unilaterally sucked, looked at Jin Sohyun with a shocked face.
His face was overly peaceful. Looking closely, it seemed to be even more radiant than before.
'At this rate... I will...'
His knees felt weak, and the strength in his two knees was giving out.
A desperate situation where he might have to kneel in front of a man he didn't even know, in front of everyone, and that, in front of Huashan.
'What's with Jong Ryeo'ak?'
Hyeok'ugun, who had noticed his strange symptoms, looked back and forth between the two with a puzzled face.
At that moment, an unexpected savior appeared.
"Oh! Young Master Jin!"
At the voice overflowing with magnanimity, Jin Sohyun let go of the hand of Jong Ryeo'ak he was holding.
"Heok—! Heok—!"
While Jong Ryeo'ak, who had barely escaped from Jin Sohyun's grasp, was catching his breath, a large man came over, thumping.
"We meet again here!"
Peng Xiaofeng came over, laughing boisterously, and patted Jin Sohyun's shoulder.
Despite the rough touch, Jin Sohyun's body did not move a muscle.
"Are you alright?"
"Hahaha! For a man of the Peng Family, a wound like that will heal after a few days of sleep!"
"That's a relief."
Peng Xiaofeng stealthily removed the hand that had been patting Jin Sohyun's shoulder.
'It's like I hit a rock.'
His palm was tingling.
"Young Master Jin!"
At that moment, another familiar face appeared, crossing the gate of the Blue Dragon Daoist Temple.
He was Zhuge Ming from the Zhuge Family.
The two people he had met at the Namgung Family had appeared at the Blue Dragon Daoist Temple.
While the two were having a friendly conversation with Jin Sohyun, Jong Ryeo'ak, who was being supported by his fellow disciples, stared at Jin Sohyun with hot pupils and muttered quietly.
"This son of a bitch..."
(End of Chapter)