Chapter 8
Thump! Thump! Thump!
The sound of drums could be heard from a distance.
"Is it starting now?"
As soon as So Moogyeol's words fell, the warriors who had been waiting stepped forward, and the crowd, excluding the entrance candidates, flowed out like a tide.
Only then did Moyong Gi, who had some room to look around, survey his surroundings.
"But... I don't see the Five Great Families?"
As the crowd that had filled the training ground left, the group of about a hundred remaining entrance candidates came into view at a glance.
However, the members of the Five Great Families were not seen. Just in case, he scanned each person one by one, but it was the same.
"What kind of guys do you think they are to have come already? They'll probably make their entrance in a little while, drawing all the attention."
So Moogyeol's words made sense. They wanted to show off their presence even a little.
Moyong Gi let out a faint laugh.
"So childish. But isn't it the same for you guys?"
Even from the Nine Sects One Gang, except for So Moogyeol and Myung Jin, no one was seen. They were thinking the same thing as the Five Great Families.
So Moogyeol retorted with a huff.
"Still, three of us came first. Compared to them who didn't come at all, we're gentlemen..."
"Three? Besides you and him, one more came?"
A question arose in Moyong Gi's eyes as he pointed his finger at Myung Jin's retreating back.
It was clear that the members of the Nine Sects One Gang were also not seen.
He wondered if he had missed a face, but that wasn't the case.
At that moment, So Moogyeol grinned and raised his hand.
"She's coming this way just in time. Over here, over here."
Moyong Gi, who was following So Moogyeol's gaze without a thought, suddenly stiffened his face.
Confirming the woman approaching with a bright face, he felt his heart drop.
'Baek Unseol!'
It was her.
Seeing her for the first time in nearly fifteen years, she still boasted a pure and innocent beauty.
No. Perhaps because she was younger, she felt even more pure and innocent than back then.
The mature beauty that naturally comes with age was gone, and only the pure white beauty of her childhood remained.
Baek Unseol approached with small steps and greeted him with a happy face.
"It's been a while."
At that moment, Moyong Gi's face contorted strangely.
The emotions he had been suppressing exploded like a fountain.
Baek Unseol tilted her head.
"What's wrong?"
But the once contorted face did not easily return.
It hurt. It hurt so much.
He had desperately clung to her, and even though he knew it wasn't her fault, he had hated her enough to want to kill her.
After living like a wreck for nearly a year, he had barely come to his senses, and even though he tried to forget belatedly, it didn't work well.
The more he tried, the more it hurt.
In the end, he had gone to her again, knelt, and desperately clung to her, only to shed tears at her cold face as she cut him off.
'I thought I had forgotten everything.'
It took three years to return to a normal life.
Even when memories occasionally came to mind, it no longer hurt.
So he thought he had forgotten everything, but that wasn't the case. His heart was still the same. He had just buried it.
The heart he had been suppressing raised its head again upon seeing her face and poked at his heart.
Seeing the completely frozen Moyong Gi, Baek Unseol showed a worried expression.
"What's wrong with you? Are you sick somewhere?"
At that sight, Moyong Gi's heart pounded again.
It wasn't just painful. With every small expression of emotion, the blood in his entire body boiled like a wildfire.
So Moogyeol looked at Baek Unseol and asked.
"What? Did you two know each other before?"
Baek Unseol smiled shyly and nodded.
"My home is also in Liaoxi. We were childhood friends because our houses were in the same neighborhood."
"No wonder... you seemed close at the Jinju Eon Family. That Hojin guy just wasted his efforts and caused all that trouble... Come to think of it, you were too much too. If you knew each other so well, you should have at least stopped Hojin when he was beating that guy up."
So Moogyeol recalled the incident from a year ago.
"That's..."
Baek Unseol had a troubled expression. Instead, Moyong Gi took a step forward without realizing it.
"It's not her fault."
So Moogyeol let out a hollow laugh.
"Wow... Baek Unseol must be really pretty. Even if you're childhood friends. To take her side even after being beaten like that..."
"Hey, it's not like that."
Baek Unseol's face turned red. So Moogyeol grinned as he looked back and forth between the two.
"What do you mean, it's not? Even though you're showing such a bad mood, you're taking her side because she's at a disadvantage."
Moyong Gi frowned. But he hesitated and shut his mouth. Just as he was about to step forward again, a slender voice brushed past him like an auditory hallucination, interrupting him.
[Look only at me now.]
Moyong Gi, as if drawn by something, turned his gaze with dazed eyes.
"What's wrong?"
So Moogyeol, who was following Moyong Gi's gaze, confirmed the rising generation martial artists of the Five Great Families who were just entering and twitched his nose.
"What? It was the Five Great Families guys? What's so great about them that they're always acting all high and mighty?"
Even though So Moogyeol grumbled with dissatisfaction, Moyong Gi did not move an inch.
He was still staring intently at something.
Baek Unseol tilted her head and called Moyong Gi.
"What's wrong? Is there a problem?"
But he still didn't move. He hadn't heard her voice.
As the time grew longer, Baek Unseol, unable to bear it, gently pulled on Moyong Gi's collar.
Only then did Moyong Gi look back at Baek Unseol.
"Why?"
"No. I was just wondering what was going on."
Moyong Gi did not answer and just looked down at Baek Unseol.
Her figure still captivated Moyong Gi's gaze. His heart pounded at every meaningless gesture.
But if you looked closely at the other side, there was also a sense of incongruity. After a moment of thought, he saw the reason.
'My heart... is heavy.'
Moyong Gi narrowed his brow and then turned his gaze again.
There was still a considerable distance, so Zhuge Yeon's face was not clearly visible.
However, he could be sure it was Zhuge Yeon just by looking at the blurry outline.
Moyong Gi's face, which had been stiff until now, softened.
"What are you smiling about like a fool? Is there someone you know over there?"
At So Moogyeol's words, Moyong Gi raised his hands and stroked his face.
The slightly raised corners of his mouth could not be hidden.
Moyong Gi looked at Baek Unseol again.
His heart still pounded at the sight of her wide-eyed curiosity.
But it wasn't like the first time. The heaviness in his heart had also lifted a lot.
'Then what about Yeon?'
Moyong Gi turned his gaze to Zhuge Yeon again.
Just looking at her made him feel good. The slight sense of incongruity that had remained was washed away without a trace.
Moyong Gi could finally smile comfortably.
"So that's what it was."
"What? What's wrong?"
Baek Unseol frowned. Her face was so pretty that even that was beautiful.
However, Moyong Gi was no longer shaken.
"I'm busy right now. Let's talk later."
"You, what on earth..."
Baek Unseol couldn't finish her words.
Instead, she widened her eyes as she watched Moyong Gi move away, drawing a long line.
"What is this?"
It was too fast. Even her master, an elder of Mount Hua, could not show this level of movement.
"What do you mean, what is it? Haven't you heard the rumor about that guy?"
"That... the rumor that Young Master Yoo lost? I thought it was a lie."
Baek Unseol knew Moyong Gi's level of martial arts well. So she didn't believe it. It was because martial arts required sufficient time. A little over a year was not enough time.
"Huh? But that guy... what is he doing now?"
Baek Unseol, who was unconsciously turning her gaze at So Moogyeol's words, frowned her pretty face.
***
Seeing Moyong Gi closing the distance in an instant, Peng Gahyeok hurriedly drew his saber.
"Who are you!"
But Dang Somun was faster. A dozen or so hidden weapons flashed and flew in.
Moyong Gi did not slow down. He seemed to slightly raise his sleeve and then struck down in an instant.
Thwack!
The dozen or so hidden weapons were driven straight into the dirt ground.
"Die!"
Peng Gahyeok swung his saber wide horizontally. The powerful saber force flew in menacingly, as if it would send his head flying at any moment. Moyong Gi slightly lowered his stance and struck the flat of the saber upwards.
Whoosh!
Peng Gahyeok's saber, having lost its direction, passed over Moyong Gi's head in vain.
"Stop!"
This time, it was Eon Juhye.
Even though her fist looked small and cute, the power it contained was not to be underestimated.
However, it was no threat to Moyong Gi at all.
Moyong Gi gently caught Eon Juhye's wrist and quickly changed its direction.
Eon Juhye spun in place like a top.
"Huh?"
As the flustered Eon Juhye let out a sharp voice, Namgung Seocheon's sword thrust in silently.
Moyong Gi, who had been indifferent until now, narrowed his brow.
'I can't get past this.'
The momentum contained in the sword was heavy. If he tried to deflect it rashly, it would press down on his own strength and come in.
Moyong Gi, who had made his calculations, instantly stomped the ground.
His figure, which had been stretching out like a beam of light, came to a sudden stop.
Namgung Seocheon's sword passed right in front of his nose.
Moyong Gi took a step back and stuck out his right foot.
"Huh?"
Thud!
Namgung Seocheon, who had been rushing in menacingly, sprawled out unsightly. Namgung Seocheon, who had shot up, aimed his sword with a beet-red face.
"You brat!"
However, Moyong Gi no longer gave him a glance. He slowly walked over to Zhuge Yeon.
Zhuge Yeon, with a fierce face, belatedly brought her hand to her sword hilt. Moyong Gi quickly snatched it.
Zhuge Yeon raised her eyebrows and shouted sharply.
"What are you doing!"
Baek Unseol was pure and innocent, but Zhuge Yeon was glamorous. If they were flowers, Baek Unseol would be a magnolia, and Zhuge Yeon would be a rose.
Naturally, she had thorns. Her voice was sharp.
However, Moyong Gi's face had a gentle smile.
"I came to keep my promise."
***
Jinsan, who was looking down at the training ground from the roof of the True Martial Pavilion, looked at Hwang Gwon with a look of disbelief.
"That kid is from the Moyong Family?"
"That's what I'm telling you."
"Is he really from the Moyong Family?"
"For goodness' sake! That's what I'm telling you. How many times do I have to say it."
At the repeated questions, Hwang Gwon got annoyed. But instead, Jinsan glared.
"Where are you getting annoyed! You have eyes, you must have seen it? Is that the skill of a rising generation martial artist? It's a skill that would steam and eat even decent masters."
Hwang Gwon's eyes widened.
"Is it that much?"
"You saw it and you still don't know? He stopped in an instant while running at full speed. This means that his control of ki is that free. It's proof that he has perfect control over his body. Even a decent master wouldn't even dream of it."
"Ho..."
Hwang Gwon looked at Moyong Gi with a new look. Jinsan clicked his tongue.
"You didn't know?"
"I only learned martial arts for self-defense."
"That's why I told you to pay more attention."
"Is that something that can be done just by paying attention? You were the one who said it wouldn't work even if I poured elixirs on him because his talent was poor, Alliance Leader. Have you forgotten already?"
Jinsan shut his mouth with a groan. It was true that Hwang Gwon lacked talent.
"More importantly, please help me now."
"Help with what? If you leave him alone, he'll grow up just fine."
"The problem is that they won't leave him alone. Yoon Choong of Diancang is already gritting his teeth."
Jinsan frowned.
"Ah, those bastards, really... they should be ashamed. What is this, getting involved in a kids' fight?"
"That's what I'm saying. How can a person who is an elder of the Orthodox Justice Alliance be so petty. So please help me just this once. Isn't it enough to just show your face once?"
Jinsan stroked his beard.
Hwang Gwon's request was not a difficult one.
He would receive some glares, but it wasn't a one or two day affair. He could just cover his eyes and ears for a while.
That wasn't what Jinsan was worried about. Seeing Moyong Gi in person, he had become greedy.
"Alright. I'll help. But..."
"Ah, really! Don't even dream of it. That kid is So's younger brother. Just leave him alone."
Hwang Gwon vehemently refused. Jinsan sighed. Still, he had to say what he had to say.
"Because he's that kid's younger brother, I have to bring him in even more. Do you think the other guys will be quiet just because he passes this sword examination? They'll be watching him like a hawk until the end of the Dragon and Phoenix Inn course, how is that kid going to handle it? Just bring him to me. That's safer."
"Safer, my ass. Right now, it's just a matter of losing an arm, but if he becomes your person, his head will fly off. Are you saying you don't know?"
"You idiot, didn't you see just now? That kid even messed with the Five Great Families' kids. It wasn't just a fight, he broke them easily as if he was playing with a child. And four of them at the same time. Do you know what this means? One of the Three Dragons and Two Phoenixes spots belongs to that kid. The Nine Sects One Gang and the Five Great Families will be watching closely. They'll try to kill him if they get the chance."
Finally understanding the meaning, Hwang Gwon shut his mouth with a serious expression.
They often say that the nail that sticks out gets hammered down.
But listening to Jinsan's words, it wasn't just a nail.
The situation was worse than he had thought.
Hwang Gwon finally opened his mouth again after a long time.
"I understand. I'll bring him before you, Alliance Leader. But promise me one thing. If that kid says he's going home, you'll let him go."
"That kid... you're really taking care of him."
Jinsan glared. But he nodded without difficulty.
"Do that. It'll be better for that kid too. I promise."
Even after hearing Jinsan's confirmation, Hwang Gwon's eyes were still anxious. He knew that even if he acted like a great man, he would use all sorts of tricks to lure Moyong Gi.
Hwang Gwon let out a deep sigh.
(End of Chapter)