Chapter 66
"It's certain that he's skilled in assassin arts, so he's bold and precise at times like this. I don't think I could have done it this well even if I were asked to."
Then Chuin glanced at Ya Socheong.
It seemed he was checking how much of his internal energy had been consumed after finishing off this many people, and whether he was very tired now.
"If you have anything to take from here, take it. You won't be able to come back for a while."
Ya Socheong said to wait a moment and then came out with a little money.
The other things were well hidden, so there would be nothing to worry about even if he left this place for a while.
"The top masters of the main family are on standby for you, Faction Leader. Even the elder who was in closed-door training had to come out. The family head is very resentful, but he didn't even blink an eye. The family head is thinking of showing and passing on all the ultimate techniques of the Baek family to you. The young lady has already decided to choose you, not the Sect Leader, and we are people who value the honor of our family."
To protect Baek Yuhwa meant to eventually become enemies with the Sect Leader, and what that result meant was clear.
It seemed that they had decided to share the power they had with Ya Socheong, whom Baek Yuhwa had chosen, at the same time as they had decided to protect the family on their own.
"You might die in the main family's training ground before the competition begins."
Chuin said as if in anticipation, and Ya Socheong laughed.
Until then, Ya Socheong had only thought that it was a joke.
* * *
In the Baek family's training ground, braziers were lit everywhere, creating a daytime-like atmosphere.
Ya Socheong felt a little embarrassed as he looked at the people who were staring at him and surrounding him.
They were glaring at him as if he had kidnapped Baek Yuhwa, and it was no small matter of embarrassment.
Fortunately, Baek Yuhwa stood by his side and pleaded with the people who were glaring at him, stopping them.
"I don't like it, but it can't be helped. The people of our family have been stubborn as a board since ancient times, so once they set their minds on something, they have to do it no matter what. It can't be helped that our Yuhwa has taken a liking to you. I don't know why she's doing this, leaving the easy path, but what can a person do when their heart goes that way?"
"The junior lords have learned martial arts from the best while eating all sorts of good elixirs. No matter how outstanding Faction Leader Ya is, it will by no means be easy to face them. So for a while, you must think of yourself as dead and devote yourself to training."
"We are not trying to attack Faction Leader Ya with personal feelings, so don't take it to heart."
Seeing them say that even before they had started, it seemed that they had really made up their minds.
While they were doing that, it was noisy outside.
Still, the people didn't seem to care much, thinking that the matter would be taken care of on its own, but for some reason, it became more and more noisy.
Then, finally, a person came running in a hurry.
"A guest has come from the Danli family. He says he must see Faction Leader Ya right now."
He couldn't tell who had come all this way, but Ya Socheong, wondering if someone was looking for him in a hurry, followed him out.
Then Danli Yeonmuk was standing there, and seeing Ya Socheong, he ran over in one breath.
"Faction Leader Ya."
"What brings you here?"
Although he was glad to see Danli Yeonmuk after a long time, he was more curious about his business, so he asked, and he held Ya Socheong's hand and said.
"I heard the news. The story that you are participating in the competition. So the family head thought that he should have you in our Danli family and prepare you. But when I went to the Nether Shadow Faction, hadn't you already disappeared? I asked around and barely managed to come here. Since the Baek family said they would prepare you first, I will wait for a few days, but you must also come to the main family."
Ya Socheong burst out laughing.
He thought that he was very fortunate.
"I understand. I will definitely do so."
"Isn't the main family a hundred times better than the Baek family? Don't try to learn what they teach you here, and just let what they say here go in one ear and out the other. And come to the main family and train hard from then on. We've already matched before, haven't we? And since you've already tasted the important martial arts of the family, it will be easy to learn advanced martial arts."
Then he had a proud expression.
It was not something he could say on his own.
To say that meant that he had already received the family head's permission, or that he had heard what the family head had said first and had come to say it.
"I understand. Thank you very much for coming to tell me."
"What's so difficult about that? This matter will absolutely not pass simply, so you must be fully prepared. You must know that the attack can begin even before the competition starts and prepare in advance."
"I understand."
Only after hearing a definite answer from Ya Socheong did Danli Yeonmuk go back.
A sense of tension spread among the people who had seen him come.
Realizing that the Baek family was not the only one trying to train Ya Socheong, it seemed that they had a thought that they couldn't just do it roughly.
Thinking that they might be compared to the Danli family, the people looked at each other.
Ya Socheong, seeing that, thought that he would now be able to see their ultimate techniques.
And his thoughts were not much different.
The top masters of the Baek family, thinking that they would be compared to the Danli family from now on, revealed the best they could do to Ya Socheong.
They had already heard as much as they could about Ya Socheong, and even leaving all that aside, Ya Socheong was a person worth coveting and teaching.
The people who had been trying to show him a few things and just give him a taste while sparring with him eventually ended up showing everything.
It was both a human attraction and a greed.
"This is not something to be taught."
"No. I didn't intend to teach this."
"This is not the time to be teaching this."
They didn't know, but Ya Socheong had already heard the same words from several people.
Later, several of them gathered together and taught Ya Socheong.
"Faction Leader Ya, if you fight alone against anyone, you will be able to get out without much difficulty. But if the opponent creates a sword formation and attacks, it will be difficult then. You have to experience this in advance and think about it several times so that your body will move even a little when you encounter it."
Then they unfolded a sword formation.
Ya Socheong, who was standing in the center of the formation, felt a tremendous pressure and could not move.
They tightened around him without giving him the answer.
As he was looking at the swords that were aimed at him as if they would kill him at any moment, he shot up from the ground, stepped on the sword blades, and got out.
But they moved again and trapped Ya Socheong in the center, and he realized that his internal energy and stamina were being rapidly depleted.
As long as he couldn't find the answer, it was no use just holding on there.
"In a formation, there is always a center that forms it. Don't be fooled by other things; you must find it and attack only that person. Even if you feel like you're about to die, you must do so. If you attack something else, leaving the center, even if it seems like you're doing well, you will surely die. If you keep hitting the center, even if you doubt whether you're right, a path to life will eventually open."
Ya Socheong, hearing those words, found the center of the formation.
And he began to attack the center, and in the end, he realized that those words were right.
Even while Ya Socheong was attacking, advice followed from here and there.
"You have to be faster. You shouldn't think that you just have to succeed once out of several swings. Think that there is only one chance and aim accurately. Consider that there is only one chance to defeat one person."
Ya Socheong swung his sword with more concentration.
The sword formation was instantly created again.
It seemed that they were trying to train him so that he would become completely accustomed to it and could recognize the center of the sword formation like an instinct.
If it weren't for the top masters of the Baek family, their bodies would have been cut in two by the sword that Ya Socheong was swinging, but they were not easy.
The sword formation was like a living thing.
The center of the sword formation changed every time, and all the people who formed the formation were like one person.
It was unbelievable how their intentions could be so in sync.
Ya Socheong, thinking that he was now seeing something, could not stop for a moment.
The training continued until the torches burned out and dawn broke.
Ya Socheong did not even know that time was passing.
Sweat flowed from his body, and his clothes were soaked with the sweat that had flowed.
At his frightening concentration, the top masters of the Baek family also joined in.
"Tell the family head to send a few more people. We need to surround the sword formation and create more sword formations."
Since Ya Socheong was doing so well, they became greedy, wanting to teach him something a little more difficult.
Without even being able to eat, and without even being able to rest for a moment, they continued to swing their swords for several shichen, sprinkling their sweat on the training ground.
* * *
The Heavenly Demon Dan Mok-san was lost in deep thought in his office at the Sect Leader's residence.
Recently, various stories had been heard, and in the midst of them, one name was being mentioned repeatedly, knowingly and unknowingly.
At first, it was Pae Maseong.
Then, at some point, the stories about Pae Maseong subsided, and the name Ya Socheong was frequently mentioned.
His name came up several times as the one who had been trained with Pae Maseong at the Cho family's assassin training facility, and later, that name was heard in a very unpleasant situation.
Baek Yuhwa, who had not accepted his proposal for a long time, had gone on a boat ride with that brat, and Ya Socheong was sparring with the top masters there at the Baek family's training ground day after day.
He could have pretended not to know, but he didn't want to.
He had never put so much effort into taking a Demonic Empress before.
If he wanted, anyone would kneel, and they considered it a personal and family honor.
But Baek Yuhwa was not easy to obtain.
So he was more expectant and enjoyed it.
He wondered how great the joy would be when he finally got her in his hands after much difficulty.
Then, he could no longer deny that Baek Yuhwa's heart was gradually turning towards Ya Socheong.
'What should I do?'
He pondered for a long time.
He wanted to inflict a pain and a wound on both of them that would not disappear for a long time.
It seemed that he would not be satisfied with just doing that to the two of them, and it would be good if the Baek family also suffered.
'What should I do?'
Then he called one of his subordinates.
(End of Chapter)