Chapter 19
"You girl. What are you doing that it's so hard to even see your face?"
As Baek Unseol chided her, Cheon Youngyoung smiled softly and replied.
"That's because I'm busy training."
"Anyone would think you're the only one training. I train too, you know? Shouldn't you at least eat?"
"I am eating..."
"Ah... alone in your room? Does the food even go down? Is that eating? It's just trying to stay alive, isn't it?"
Baek Unseol nagged. Still, Cheon Youngyoung did not show any sign of dislike.
Baek Unseol looked at the still smiling Cheon Youngyoung and pouted her lips.
"You girl. You're funny..."
Baek Unseol glared at her without any real malice. And then she continued.
"Don't be like that, let's eat together starting tomorrow. Isn't that better than eating alone?"
"That's a bit..."
"Why? Because the watching eyes are uncomfortable? That's only for a while. After a little while, no one will care. Look at me. I'm walking around just fine."
Cheon Youngyoung still had a troubled expression, but Baek Unseol, unconcerned, continued to persuade her.
"Is it because the other Nine Sects One Gang kids are uncomfortable? You don't have to worry about that either. They've lost a lot of their strength. They've been cut in half. Even if that's not the case, they won't even talk to you if you're with me. They don't even acknowledge me because I'm with Gi."
She already knew that fact too. But she was still reluctant.
"Still..."
"Why? Is it because Gi is uncomfortable? You don't have to be. He's a bit playful, but he doesn't talk about troublesome things like the other Nine Sects One Gang kids. Besides, Myung Jin and So Moogyeol are there too. You know they have good personalities, right?"
Cheon Youngyoung did not answer that she would do so until the end.
However, seeing Baek Unseol's persistent eyes, she seemed to have sensed that it would not be easily resolved, and she stealthily changed the subject.
"By the way... it seems your relationship has gotten a little better lately."
"Huh? What?"
"That... that kid named Gi. You were grumbling that you were upset last time..."
"Ah, that..."
As soon as she poked at it, a reaction came. Baek Unseol's brow furrowed. As Cheon Youngyoung smiled stealthily, Baek Unseol chattered again.
"That's what's so strange."
"What?"
"It's not like our relationship was particularly bad before. And just by looking at what he does, it doesn't seem that different from before..."
"Then isn't that fine?"
"That's not it either, in the past, it felt like he was treating me without any reservations, but lately, I feel like there's some kind of wall?"
"Aren't you overreacting?"
Baek Unseol shook her head with a serious face.
"No. Things like this, intuition is usually more accurate. I have a bad feeling..."
Baek Unseol trailed off.
Cheon Youngyoung tilted her head. And then she said something she shouldn't have.
"Is it really because of Young Lady Zhuge?"
At that moment, Baek Unseol's expression changed. The eyes that had been glaring without malice were now sharply narrowed.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Huh? Ah... I didn't mean that..."
"If that's not it, then what is it? Gi is not that kind of person."
The way she glared venomously was fierce. It felt like being pricked by a needle. She had messed with the wrong person.
Cheon Youngyoung quickly changed her stance.
"Th-then. If you say it's not, then it's not. You said you know him best."
"Of course. He's a bit of a show-off, but he's not the type to give his heart to just anyone. When did he even see Zhuge Yeon to give her his heart?"
Baek Unseol glared cutely as if it was out of the question.
However, Cheon Youngyoung also had eyes and ears.
When she had happened to spot Moyong Gi from a distance, she had seen him treating Zhuge Yeon very warmly.
The rumors she heard were even more so, not less.
However, she did not bother to voice her inner thoughts.
Because you shouldn't poke a hornet's nest.
"He's just doing useless things and getting strange misunderstandings... the other kids are the same. What do they know to be blabbering so carelessly? When did they even see Gi..."
Baek Unseol continued to grumble.
Cheon Youngyoung smiled awkwardly.
It seemed her mouth would not rest for a while.
Cheon Youngyoung, who was letting out a low sigh so that Baek Unseol wouldn't notice, her eyes sparkled for a moment.
"Huh?"
"Huh? Why now?"
Baek Unseol looked back at Cheon Youngyoung.
Cheon Youngyoung gestured with her eyes.
"Isn't that Beggars' Sect Leader Hong over there?"
"Huh? It is. What's the beggar grandpa doing here? Huh? Gi is there too."
Of course, Zhuge Yeon was also there.
Baek Unseol's eyes narrowed. Then, she shot up.
"What are you doing? Let's go quickly."
"Huh?"
"What do you mean, huh? Aren't you going to greet him?"
"Ah... I should."
"Beggar grandpa!"
Baek Unseol ran over with a happy face.
At that sight, Hong Sochen's face lit up.
"Who is this? Isn't it Unseol?"
Hong Sochen and Baek Unseol's master, Johwasim, had an awkward relationship.
The easygoing Hong Sochen and the cold Johwasim did not match in personality.
However, Baek Unseol was a separate matter.
Among the rising generation martial artists of the Nine Sects One Gang, he especially cherished her.
He was very fond of her bright personality.
"You rascal, you should have come to see me first when you came to Kaifeng."
As Hong Sochen chided her, Baek Unseol pouted her lips.
"I did visit. Who was it that didn't meet me because they were busy?"
"Huh? What are you talking about now?"
"That... who was it? Anyway, they said the beggar grandpa was busy and told me to come back next time."
Hong Sochen frowned.
"These guys! They did that to our Unseol just because I wasn't paying attention for a moment? I'll really get these guys!"
"Aish... you don't have to do that just because of me."
"No. I'll give them a good beating."
Baek Unseol was in a good mood at Hong Sochen's exaggerated reaction. She unknowingly grinned just like when she was a child.
Cheon Youngyoung, who had been just watching, finally took a step forward.
"Greetings, Sect Leader Hong."
Unlike the bright face he had shown to Baek Unseol, Hong Sochen immediately showed a dissatisfied expression.
Hong Sochen was particularly dissatisfied with Myung Jin and Cheon Youngyoung.
The reason was that they reminded him of Johwasim in his youth.
"This one and that one. How are you the same as when you were a child? How long are you going to exude that cold air?"
Baek Unseol quickly shielded Cheon Youngyoung.
"Aish, why are you doing that again? We just met after a long time... by the way, what are you doing here? Did you come to see Moogyeol?"
"Why would I come all the way here to see that guy? I can just call him if I have business."
"Then?"
Hong Sochen, instead of answering, smiled slyly. And then he looked at Moyong Gi.
"You brat, will it be okay to do it here?"
Moyong Gi glanced at Baek Unseol and Cheon Youngyoung.
"Yeon is fine, but... will you be okay, Sect Leader?"
As Moyong Gi called her familiarly in front of people, Zhuge Yeon flinched.
Although it was for a moment, Baek Unseol's brow furrowed, but Hong Sochen, who hadn't noticed, just nodded.
"It's fine. If you try to break the Dog Beating Staff Technique carelessly, your own head will burst."
The Dog Beating Staff Technique was second to none in terms of complexity.
If you tried to devise a way to break it after seeing it only once or twice, you wouldn't see a good outcome.
That's why Hong Sochen was showing confidence.
"Alright, then."
Moyong Gi nodded. And then he looked back at Zhuge Yeon.
Seeing her completely stiff, Moyong Gi chuckled.
"Are you nervous?"
"Of course. Why did you do something so ridiculous..."
Zhuge Yeon glared with unkind eyes.
"Don't worry. It won't be a big deal when you face him."
"Are you saying that as if it makes sense? It's the Beggars' Sect's Dog Beating Staff Technique!"
"The Dog Beating Staff Technique is of course amazing. But you're not facing Sect Leader Hong."
"Even Young Master So is amazing to me!"
"Have you already forgotten? That even Myung Jin is over in three seconds for me?"
On the other hand, Zhuge Yeon could now easily withstand Moyong Gi for five seconds.
If you just calculated it simply, you could see that Zhuge Yeon was ahead of Myung Jin.
However, Zhuge Yeon could not agree with this.
"That's because you went easy on me, Young Master Moyong."
"Who said that? That I went easy on you?"
Zhuge Yeon's eyes widened.
"Am I wrong?"
Moyong Gi grinned and pushed Zhuge Yeon's back.
"See for yourself. If I went easy on you."
Zhuge Yeon was pushed out with a reluctant expression.
So Moogyeol, who was waiting, glared at Zhuge Yeon with a face full of venom.
"I'll say this in advance, I'm not doing this because I have feelings for you."
And then, exuding a fierce momentum, he aimed his staff.
Zhuge Yeon sighed and drew her sword.
***
Hong Sochen looked at Moyong Gi with a stiff face.
"You, what on earth did you teach that child?"
"Teach what. She learned it herself."
"She learned that by herself?"
Zhuge Yeon did not gain an advantage against So Moogyeol.
However, she deflected all of So Moogyeol's attacks with clean sword moves and did not allow a single second.
And a master who had reached a realm like Hong Sochen did not miss its true value.
"Are you saying that as if it makes sense! What kind of sword art is that?"
It had no sharp taste, nor was it flashy.
It wasn't so fast that it was impossible to handle.
It was just extremely clean.
It seemed as if not a single ounce of strength was wasted.
She moved her sword just as much as was necessary.
"What do you mean, what is it? It's the Formless Sword Art."
"Nonsense! How is that the Formless Sword Art? Where are you lying?"
The Zhuge family's Formless Sword Art, like the Dog Beating Staff Technique, had flashy sword moves.
Although it was less deep than the Dog Beating Staff Technique, once it got on track, it was dizzying to watch.
But the sword that Zhuge Yeon was displaying was not like that at all.
"Look carefully. You'll see it if you look closely."
Hong Sochen frowned.
But he soon narrowed his eyes and followed Zhuge Yeon's movements.
Not long after, his face was colored with astonishment as he raised his voice.
"It's true! It really was the Formless Sword Art!"
He hadn't recognized it because the characteristic splendor of the Formless Sword Art was completely gone.
However, when he looked closely, he could see the basic sword path.
It matched the sword path of the Formless Sword Art that Hong Sochen remembered.
Even though the moves had been modified, the basic form was preserved, so it wasn't to the point where he couldn't recognize it.
Hong Sochen's jaw dropped.
"How did this happen?"
"What do you mean, how did it happen? I told you she learned it herself."
Baek Unseol, who was next to him, cautiously intervened.
"Is that... that amazing?"
However, Hong Sochen waved his hand without even looking back.
"Let's talk later. Later."
He was completely dazed.
As Baek Unseol pouted and looked back at Cheon Youngyoung, she was also dazed.
'Wow... even Youngyoung? Then what about Myung Jin?'
Baek Unseol, who was stealthily turning her gaze, her eyes widened when she saw Myung Jin's gleaming eyes.
'Myung Jin is showing fighting spirit? And to Zhuge Yeon at that?'
Only then did Baek Unseol focus on Zhuge Yeon.
However, she still couldn't see much.
Her level had not risen enough to recognize it.
So she was about to ask the relatively normal Moyong Gi for the reason, but Hong Sochen was faster than her.
"By the way... she's only using nine of the thirty-six moves."
Moyong Gi grinned.
"Isn't it amazing?"
It was an answer whose meaning could not be understood. Hong Sochen looked back at Moyong Gi.
"Is it amazing?"
"Of course. I told you she's only been learning for a month."
Hong Sochen flinched. And then he sighed in admiration.
"The Zhuge family failed to recognize a once-in-a-century prodigy."
Moyong Gi did not think that Zhuge Yeon was particularly a prodigy. But he had no intention of kindly explaining it either.
If Zhuge Yeon's reputation rose, that was also a good thing.
As Moyong Gi was quietly shutting his mouth, Hong Sochen asked again.
"Did you intentionally kill the changes?"
"Of course not."
"Then?"
"That's because she only learned how to defend."
"Did you do it on purpose?"
"Of course not."
"Then?"
"As I was facing her, she couldn't bring herself to attack."
At that moment, a thought flashed in Hong Sochen's mind.
Hong Sochen looked at Moyong Gi with eyes filled with a strange heat.
"If she learns how to attack, the original changes of the Formless Sword Art will finally come to life."
"I suppose so."
"It will be several times more flashy than before."
Hong Sochen had already seen everything. Moyong Gi no longer felt the need to speak.
So he was about to turn his gaze back to Zhuge Yeon, but at that moment, Hong Socchen grabbed Moyong Gi's hand.
He let him be because he didn't feel any particular malice.
Instead, he stealthily pulled his hand away with a burdened expression.
"What are you doing?"
Hong Sochen put more strength into the hand that was holding Moyong Gi.
And then he suddenly brought his face close.
Hong Sochen whispered in a suggestive voice.
"That... can I learn it instead of Moogyeol?"
(End of Chapter)