Chapter 5
"Stop it now. Isn't that enough?"
Jeonggak of Shaolin stepped forward first. Contrary to his rugged face, his tone was calm.
"Enough?"
Moyong Gi looked at So Moogyeol.
"Hey, little beggar. You know me, right?"
Moyong Gi's gaze turned to So Moogyeol. So Moogyeol nodded with a reluctant expression.
"Y-yeah."
"Then you answer me. Does this look like enough?"
So Moogyeol looked back and forth between Moyong Gi and Yoo Hojin. Then he let out a groan.
'He was beaten so badly.'
A year ago, Moyong Gi had been beaten by Yoo Hojin so badly that he couldn't even move properly for three days. He had been beaten severely.
It didn't seem like a few slaps to the cheek would resolve it.
Of course, if he had known that Moyong Gi had imbued his strikes with internal energy, he would have come to a different conclusion.
But So Moogyeol, who didn't know that fact, eventually averted his gaze and shut his mouth.
Then, this time, Joo Jinsung stepped forward.
"Then what do you want to do? Beat him more? He's from Diancang. Do you think you can handle that?"
While pretending to stop him, it was a clear threat. His true nature finally came out. Still, Moyong Gi had something to rely on.
"My home is in Liaoxi, so it's fine."
Sichuan, where Diancang was located, and Liaoxi were at opposite ends. It would take a year to go back and forth even if they moved quickly. He didn't think Diancang would leave its base to do such a thing.
"Is Diancang an Unorthodox Faction? To do something like that? I'm talking about you. You. Do you think you can live in the Dragon and Phoenix Inn after causing such a scene?"
Moyong Gi grinned.
"So you're saying that Diancang, being an Orthodox Faction, wouldn't do such a thing, but the Dragon and Phoenix Inn, being an Unorthodox Faction, would?"
Joo Jinsung's face turned red. He had no reply.
At that moment, Yoo Hojin, who was struggling while being held by the hair by Moyong Gi, seemed to have regained his senses and grabbed Moyong Gi's wrist, gritting his teeth.
"You bastard! I won't let you get away with this."
He thought his spirit was broken, but his venom had returned. His eyes gleamed. The venom gleaming in his two eyes was enough to send a chill down one's spine.
However, it had no effect on Moyong Gi.
Thwack!
Moyong Gi's raised knee went straight into his chin. Yoo Hojin screamed and went limp.
"This guy can't get a grip even after being beaten."
Joo Jinsung couldn't hold back and rushed in.
"This is really!"
The straightly extended sword exuded a sharp edge.
Glancing at him, Moyong Gi once again threw Yoo Hojin at Joo Jinsung. Instead of catching Yoo Hojin, Joo Jinsung deftly dodged.
"I won't fall for the same trick twi... huh?"
Taking advantage of the moment the sword's edge was disturbed, Moyong Gi had closed the distance in an instant. Joo Jinsung's eyes widened at Moyong Gi's face suddenly appearing.
Thwack!
"Gasp!"
Joo Jinsung, who had taken a punch to the chest, let out a suppressed groan and rolled on the floor.
Even in the midst of that, Moyong Gi's left arm did not rest.
He gently pushed away Jo Iljang's fist, which was digging in with a menacing force.
Jo Iljang's chest was exposed. Moyong Gi, whose eyes sparkled, let out a disappointed groan and took a step back.
Swish! Swish!
Woonhyun and Jongri Hye's swords sharply dug in from both sides.
And Moyong Gi finally drew his sword.
A flash of blue sword light flashed, and he pressed down on Woonhyun and Jongri Hye's crossing swords at once.
Clang!
"Huh?"
"Damn it!"
Voices of undisguised surprise burst out from both sides. Moyong Gi broke through the gap between them.
"You brat!"
Jo Iljang instinctively threw a punch.
It was the ultimate technique of Kongtong, the Seven Injuries Fist. Although it lacked a menacing force, the energy it carried was even more dangerous. He was really trying to kill him.
'Is he crazy?'
As if noticing that, a cold energy brushed past Moyong Gi's face. But he soon relaxed his expression. He had considered cutting it off but had changed his mind in a short time.
'I can't do that.'
That kind of incident would get his admission to the Dragon and Phoenix Inn canceled. The meaning of coming all the way to Kaifeng would be lost.
Besides, Kongtong wouldn't stay still either. It was still too much for him to handle head-on. So, instead of cutting it off, he skillfully deflected the fist and dug into Jo Iljang's embrace.
Thwack!
"Gasp!"
Jo Iljang let out a more intense scream than Joo Jinsung. He even coughed up a mouthful of blood.
'Vicious bastard.'
Jo Iljang was a memory as unpleasant as Yoo Hojin to Moyong Gi. So he had intentionally imbued it with a considerable amount of internal energy.
'Is that the same guy from a year ago? Why is he so strong?'
So Moogyeol swallowed hard as he watched Moyong Gi subdue Jo Iljang in an instant.
The Moyong Gi from a year ago was nothing more or less than a pretty-faced guy who just laughed foolishly.
But the Moyong Gi he saw today seemed like a completely different person.
He was strong. He took down one guy after another with a single blow. It meant he knew how to properly apply his strength.
Besides, he was fast. If you took a step back and watched, you could at least see the line being drawn swiftly. But if you took another step closer, he was so fast that it was difficult to follow with your eyes.
'The problem is that it doesn't seem like this is all...'
So Moogyeol was more concerned about another part.
Three of the rising generation martial artists of the Nine Sects One Gang were taken out in an instant. And there were still four left.
But Moyong Gi seemed relaxed. He had energy to spare.
'I stepped in shit.'
So Moogyeol grimaced.
At that moment, Moyong Gi slowly turned his body. Woonhyun and Jongri Hye hurriedly raised their swords.
"Y-you brat!"
Jeonggak took a step forward.
"Stop!"
A heavy voice pressed down on the sharply raised swords. Thanks to that, the sharp edge they had painstakingly built up was disturbed.
Woonhyun and Jongri Hye looked at Jeonggak with dissatisfied faces. Jeonggak silently received their gazes and met Moyong Gi's eyes.
"It's ridiculous to say let's stop now... let's see how far this goes."
It was a voice with a strange resonance. A sense of power was felt as he slowly took his stance. Even though he hadn't shown anything yet, he had dominated the scene in an instant.
Moyong Gi's eyes sparkled.
'Pretty good...'
Jeonggak had imbued his voice with internal energy. It meant he was a master of internal energy of a considerable level. Moyong Gi became curious.
"Hoo..."
Jeonggak, who had taken his stance, let out a deep breath and glared at Moyong Gi. Woonhyun and Jongri Hye, whose gazes had also deepened, raised their momentum.
A suffocating tension weighed heavily on the surroundings. Not only the people watching from the corner, but even So Moogyeol, who was standing with them, swallowed dryly.
'Jeonggak...'
People often said that Jeonggak came after Myung Jin. But the gap was not that big. He had actually beaten Myung Jin in a duel before.
'It wouldn't be bad to fight him on this occasion...'
Before his return, they had no connection. Jeonggak was more interested in the Orthodox Justice Alliance itself than the Dragon and Phoenix Inn. He had a strong desire for power, unlike a monk.
'Later on, he was no match for Myung Jin.'
Even if you overcome it with talent when you're young, what remains as you get older is blood and sweat.
Since he was more interested in worldly affairs, it was naturally impossible for him to keep up.
'What a shame.'
Later is later, and the current Jeonggak is certainly interesting.
Jeonggak alone would be no match, but if he attacked with the rest of the rising generation martial artists, it could be a pretty interesting fight. But there was no time.
"That's it for today."
Moyong Gi chuckled and sheathed his sword.
Jeonggak's brow furrowed. Jongri Hye frowned. Woonhyun's face contorted as he shouted.
"This bastard, really...!"
"Stop!"
At that moment, twenty warriors rushed into the Righteous King Pavilion and surrounded Moyong Gi and the rising generation martial artists.
***
Hwang Gwon, the head of the Orthodox Justice Alliance's Disciplinary Hall, glared at Moyong Gi.
"You're from the Moyong Family? Are you So's younger brother?"
Moyong Gi's older brother, Moyong So, and Hwang Gwon were quite close. Moyong Gi knew that fact well. Yet, he widened his eyes as if he had heard it for the first time.
"You know my brother?"
"Yes, you brat! What were you thinking, causing such an incident?"
Hwang Gwon glared and raised his voice.
Moyong Gi grinned and replied as if it were no big deal.
"Aish, what incident. It was just a little fight between kids."
Hwang Gwon clenched his fists. Veins bulged.
"A little? A little? How is this a little, you brat!"
Jo Iljang had suffered internal injuries and needed to rest for three days, he said. But this was the least of it.
"Putting Jo Iljang aside. Yoo Hojin of Diancang will have difficulty moving for at least a week. How did you beat the kid to put him in that state?"
"I didn't hit him that many times."
"Is that what's important now? The kid can't move?"
"Then should I just let him run wild with a sword? When my own neck was on the line..."
"Where are you lying! I've looked into it all. You beat him one-sidedly, didn't you? You should have gone easy, you brat!"
"I'm telling you, it's not true. How can I go easy when I feel like I'm about to die? I was in danger too."
"And a guy like that is fine even when four of them attacked at once? And you even inflicted internal injuries on one of them? Come on, you brat! Stop lying."
He already knew everything. It didn't seem like any good words would come out if he pushed further. In times like these, it was best to keep his mouth shut. Pushing further would only lead to more nagging.
Hwang Gwon clicked his tongue.
"So was serious and sincere, but where did a mudskipper like this pop out from..."
Hwang Gwon, as if his head was hurting, pressed his temples and said.
"What are you going to do now?"
"About what?"
Moyong Gi replied with a shameless face. Hwang Gwon's eyebrows twitched.
"You're asking because you don't know? The Dragon and Phoenix Inn."
"What do you mean, what am I going to do. I'm going to attend. That's why I came all this way..."
"Are you saying that as if it makes sense?"
Hwang Gwon glared at Moyong Gi with a look of disbelief. But glaring wouldn't solve the situation. And in the end, he was the one who had to come up with a solution.
Hwang Gwon let out a deep sigh and said.
"Should I cancel your admission?"
He had caused too big of an incident.
Just now, he had barely managed to stop the masters of Diancang and Kongtong from forcing their way in. A normal life in the Dragon and Phoenix Inn was impossible.
It was better to go back home if he wanted to at least keep his body intact. Hwang Gwon was being very considerate.
However, Moyong Gi's thoughts were completely different.
"That's not right. Why cancel my admission to the Dragon and Phoenix Inn when I did nothing wrong? It was the fault of the guy who ran wild with a sword in the first place."
"Who doesn't know that? I'm saying this because it's not that kind of problem. What are you going to do when there's a sword examination as soon as you enter?"
The sword examination was the first test of the Dragon and Phoenix Inn course. Based on the results, they were divided into the twenty-member Ascending Dragon Class and the eighty-eight-member Martial Tiger Class for teaching.
Since the courses were different, the goals were also different.
The Martial Tiger Class was a course to raise general martial artists for the Orthodox Justice Alliance, and the Ascending Dragon Class was a course to raise rising generation martial artists solely for the Pure Martial Grand Tournament.
Not all students of the Dragon and Phoenix Inn were the same.
Naturally, the examination was strict.
They paid a lot of attention to it, to the point where elders of the Orthodox Justice Alliance from each of the major sects participated as examiners.
Hwang Gwon was worried about that.
But Moyong Gi had an indifferent expression.
"What could happen? If they get involved in a kids' fight, they'll only lose face."
Hwang Gwon had a frustrated expression.
"I'm saying this because it looks like something will happen."
"I'm telling you, it's fine."
Hwang Gwon frowned.
He could see his stubbornness. A face like this wouldn't listen to anything. He had to use a different method.
Hwang Gwon took a step back for now.
"Then, if you find it too difficult while attending, come find me. I'll process your withdrawal then."
"I don't think that will happen... but, alright. I'll do that. Can I go now?"
At Moyong Gi's carefree attitude, Hwang Gwon sighed.
"Go. But don't forget what I said."
"I understand. I'll see you next time."
As Moyong Gi quickly opened the door and disappeared, Hwang Gwon's sigh deepened.
(End of Chapter)