Chapter 20
So Moogyeol lay sprawled on the floor, panting.
As Zhuge Yeon refused to allow an attack, he had used up all his strength and had exhausted himself.
Hong Sochen clicked his tongue.
"Aish, you pathetic brat. Didn't I tell you to train a little harder?"
So Moogyeol, who was lying spread-eagled, got angry.
"I did work hard! You saw it too, Master, didn't you? Me, working hard!"
"Who are you getting angry at, you brat? A guy who worked so hard can't even subdue a girl?"
"Speaking of which... didn't you teach me wrong, Master? She's only been learning for a month, and she's growing so fast."
"What? What did you say? Aish, you brat!"
Thwack!
"Ouch! Ah, really, I told you not to hit my head!"
"Shut up. Aish, you worthless brat."
Hong Sochen looked at So Moogyeol with a pathetic expression. Zhuge Yeon watched the two of them with dazed eyes.
Moyong Gi stealthily approached and spoke.
"How was it? It was manageable, right?"
Zhuge Yeon flinched and looked back.
And then, with a dazed face, she met Moyong Gi's eyes.
"Did I... win?"
It was clearly So Moogyeol who had fallen. No matter how much she rubbed her eyes, that fact did not change. But it didn't feel real.
"You saw it and you still don't know? Moogyeol is out."
"Huh? Th-that's... that's true, but..."
Zhuge Yeon still had a foolish expression.
"What do you mean, that's true? Don't you see him lying spread-eagled over there?"
Moyong Gi gestured to So Moogyeol with his chin.
Zhuge Yeon's eyes followed. And then, after staring for a long time, her cheeks began to flush.
"Huh? Huh? So..."
Moyong Gi placed his hand on Zhuge Yeon's head.
"That's right. You won."
Moyong Gi confirmed it one more time.
It wasn't just anyone, but So Moogyeol.
He had been assigned a low-numbered room in the Ascending Dragon Pavilion simply because he had been unlucky in the sword examination, but in terms of skill alone, he was among the top ranks of the rising generation martial artists.
Even Cheon Youngyoung, who reigned supreme among the women, could not be said to be better than So Moogyeol.
Joy welled up in Zhuge Yeon's eyes.
"Huh? Huh? Really? Did I really win?"
"That's what I'm saying."
Zhuge Yeon's shoulders shook.
The excitement was fully conveyed through Moyong Gi's hand on her head. Moyong Gi patted Zhuge Yeon's head and then approached Hong Sochen.
"How was it? Have you decided now?"
"Why are you asking something so obvious?"
Hong Sochen readily nodded. And then he continued.
"As you said, I'll make it so you don't have to worry. Instead, teach this guy properly."
"Of course. I'll fix him up for sure."
So Moogyeol shouted.
"Hey, you punk! Am I broken somewhere? What are you going to fix?"
"You brat, still! What are you so proud of when you got beaten up by a girl, flapping your mouth like that?"
Hong Sochen glared.
So Moogyeol did not back down.
"I wasn't hit! Who got beaten up?"
"It's the same thing! You're only good with your mouth until the end..."
Hong Sochen clicked his tongue and looked back at Moyong Gi.
"I'm leaving now. Whether you roast him or boil him, do as you please."
And then, he turned his back heartlessly and flew away.
As befitting a top-class master, he disappeared in an instant before one could even blink.
While everyone was admiring his profound movements, Moyong Gi squatted down next to the lying So Moogyeol.
"Hey, you heard that, right? That I can do whatever I want, whether I roast you or boil you."
So Moogyeol let out a groan.
"Don't worry. I won't eat you."
"Aish. Master just had to do something so unnecessary..."
So Moogyeol grumbled with dissatisfied eyes. Still, he didn't say he wouldn't do it. It meant he was greedy.
'How should I teach this guy?'
Unlike Myung Jin or Zhuge Yeon, So Moogyeol was someone who quickly got tired of anything.
Even with the lightness technique training, unlike Myung Jin, whom the guard dog couldn't even dream of catching up to, he was still at a level where he was barely dodging. He needed to be tightened up.
'It won't work if I do it like with Yeon...'
Zhuge Yeon was timid, but her desire to learn was great, so it was possible with just scaring her.
But So Moogyeol was different. Even if he was scared by his killing intent, he would get used to it.
The problem would start from then.
He pondered for a moment what to do, but the answer came out immediately.
'I'll just teach him as I learned.'
Moyong Gi stood up, brushing off his buttocks.
Myung Jin stuck to him as if he had been waiting.
"What's with you again?"
"Can I have a duel too?"
His eyes, glancing at Zhuge Yeon, were overflowing with fighting spirit.
Zhuge Yeon showed a flustered expression.
"Me?"
Myung Jin nodded.
Moyong Gi sighed. And then he blocked Zhuge Yeon's path.
"No."
At Moyong Gi's firm reply, Myung Jin frowned. But Moyong Gi did not back down an inch.
"It's no use anyway. You'll win."
At Moyong Gi's calm judgment, it was Zhuge Yeon who widened her eyes.
But reality was reality. If they fought now, Myung Jin would definitely win.
It wasn't a matter of martial arts level, but of innate disposition.
Unlike So Moogyeol, who had charged in foolishly, Myung Jin's sword was sharp.
It was still too much for Zhuge Yeon to handle.
"You'll only know if you try."
"I know even without trying."
When it didn't work at all, Myung Jin changed his direction.
"Losing is also training."
However, Moyong Gi still shook his head.
Winning and losing was not a big problem.
If she was pressed by Myung Jin's sharp ki, Zhuge Yeon might break before she could even grow.
Also, Myung Jin's sharp ki was sometimes uncontrollable.
If it were in the past, it would be different, but if he couldn't control himself while facing the improved Zhuge Yeon, something big might happen.
And there was also a realistic problem right now.
"She's tired. Would you be happy to win by dueling with a tired person?"
No matter how skilled Zhuge Yeon had become at controlling her strength, in Moyong Gi's eyes, she was at a beginner's level.
Zhuge Yeon was also exhausted from enduring So Moogyeol's offensive.
She was standing only because she had just a little more strength than So Moogyeol.
"Then tomorrow..."
"Ah, really! I said no. If you really want to, try it in about a month."
Myung Jin frowned. But he soon recovered his expression and looked at Moyong Gi.
"Then teach me too."
In the end, this was the main point.
Moyong Gi grinned.
"They're not learning for free."
"I know. I will pay the price too."
Moyong Gi's eyes sparkled. He thought he had him.
"It might be a little expensive."
Myung Jin shut his mouth.
Although Hong Sochen and Moyong Gi hadn't said it openly, Myung Jin was also quick-witted.
He had noticed what the price for teaching So Moogyeol was.
And it was on the expensive side.
Myung Jin's face quickly darkened.
Moyong Gi, unconcerned, put his arm on Myung Jin's shoulder.
"You don't have to be so scared. I won't ask for something that expensive."
"Then?"
Moyong Gi said with a suggestive face.
"I heard that Wudang has a Thousand-Year Snow Lotus..."
This was it. He had planned to teach Myung Jin anyway, but this was the reason why he had postponed it until he received a request first.
Myung Jin was flustered.
"Th-that's..."
Unlike Moyong Gi's words, it was too expensive a price for Myung Jin to handle.
No matter how much he was recognized as the best talent in Wudang, that much was not allowed.
Myung Jin's face darkened.
"Of course, I'm not just asking for it."
"Then?"
"I have a hundred-year-old fleeceflower root. You can just exchange it for something of a similar grade."
Myung Jin's face brightened a little.
He still seemed to be pondering, but a conclusion was soon reached.
His master would have to make a difficult request, but it wasn't a particularly difficult matter.
Myung Jin nodded.
"Alright. I'll send a message to the main mountain."
Moyong Gi's face lit up.
He had thought it wouldn't be easy, but thanks to Myung Jin, the elixir problem was easily solved.
'Will it be as effective as the fleeceflower root?'
If it was that much, it was as if he had almost recovered all his martial prowess from before his return.
Unless it was a large group, there was nothing to be afraid of in the martial world.
'Should I invade the Imperial Palace on this occasion?'
He had that thought for a moment, but he soon shook his head.
Even without that red-robed man, the Imperial Palace was still scary.
Moreover, it was a situation where there was no Dragon Slaying Brigade to help him like back then. It was still a time to endure.
At that moment, Baek Unseol stealthily pulled on Moyong Gi's collar.
"Why?"
"It's nothing else. Can I learn a little too?"
Moyong Gi looked at Baek Unseol with a strange expression. But he soon made his calculations.
Moyong Gi shook his head.
"I don't think so."
***
"To think that even Cheon Youngyoung would stick to that guy."
Jo Iljang sighed with dark eyes.
Seven weeks ago, even Cheon Youngyoung of Emei had joined Moyong Gi's group.
Since Cheon Youngyoung was someone who was difficult to get along with, the shock was even greater.
A giant tree that seemed like it would never be shaken had started with small scratches and had eventually been cut in half. The roots were shaken.
Joo Jinsung grumbled.
"That's what I'm saying. Aren't they all crazy? Putting Baek Unseol aside since she's a childhood friend, what's there to see in that guy that the other guys are sticking to him?"
Besides being a little strong in martial arts, he was a guy with nothing much to see.
He couldn't understand at all why four of the rising generation martial artists of the Nine Sects One Gang had stuck to such a guy.
Woonhyun replied indifferently.
"I guess there's more to see than you think."
"What is there to see? It's just Moyong, what can there be."
As Joo Jinsung retorted with a huff, Woonhyun pushed the words that were about to come out of his mouth back down his throat.
Jeonggak, who had been watching quietly until then, stepped forward.
"How is the situation over there?"
Jongri Hye, as if she had seized an opportunity, readily replied.
"That side is also cut in half. The only one who stuck to that guy is Zhuge Yeon, but I heard that Namgung Seocheon isn't even coming out of the Elder's Hall. Since he's the central figure, the blow will be bigger than ours."
In terms of proportion, the blow to the Nine Sects One Gang seemed bigger, but the Five Great Families had fewer numbers.
If only one or two left, they would be more precarious than the Nine Sects One Gang, which had been cut in half.
In particular, the absence of Namgung Seocheon, who was the central figure, was a blow whose value could not be measured.
Jeonggak continued to ask.
"What about the children from the small and medium-sized sects?"
This time, Jo Iljang stepped forward.
"You don't have to worry about that side. They know better than anyone that the Nine Sects One Gang and the Five Great Families are scarier."
Jongri Hye shook her head.
"That's all there is to it. They're not trying to move."
At first, they had tried to mobilize them to isolate Moyong Gi, but it had failed.
It wasn't because of the presence of Myung Jin or So Moogyeol.
It was because Moyong Gi himself did not even give any interest in getting along with the other children.
Since he had no interest in the first place, he didn't think he was isolated even if he was isolated.
It was also not right to incite the children to use their skills.
Since Moyong Gi had shown so much, the children had gotten scared in advance.
If they didn't have the background of the Nine Sects One Gang or the Five Great Families, they might have also stuck to Moyong Gi.
Jeonggak tapped the table with his finger.
"It's difficult. Should we join hands with the kids from the Five Great Families?"
Moyong Gi was too strong.
Even those who had not yet delved deep into the world of adults instinctively felt that his existence was a considerable threat.
They thought they had to nip the bud before it grew bigger.
But they lacked strength. To face Moyong Gi, they had to fill the other half.
Jeonggak looked at Jo Iljang.
"Can we make an appointment with the kids from the Five Great Families?"
"I'll meet with Peng Gahyeok."
With Jo Iljang's answer, Jeonggak shut his mouth as if he had no more business.
Woonhyun stretched and stood up.
"Then is it over now?"
Joo Jinsung looked at Woonhyun.
"What's the rush? Do you have something urgent to do?"
"Then aren't you busy? I don't even know how time is passing because I'm busy with my martial arts training..."
Joo Jinsung's eyes narrowed.
"That guy's showing off is really. Anyone would think you're the only one training."
Woonhyun chuckled. And then he looked at Jeonggak.
"Ah, and I forgot, don't call me for things like this from now on. It's a waste of time."
Joo Jinsung was startled and shouted.
"Hey, you punk! What's wrong with you?"
"What do you mean, what's wrong, you punk. You wake up too. In the martial world, the strong one takes it all in the end. If you have time to do this, take care of your own martial arts."
Jo Iljang's eyes became sharp.
"What do you mean?"
"You're asking because you don't know? It seems getting hit once by that guy wasn't enough."
"You...!"
Jo Iljang's face turned red as he shot up.
Jongri Hye and Joo Jinsung quickly stopped him.
"Hey, stop it. What are we going to do if we fight among ourselves?"
"Yes, stop it. Iljang, you endure it."
Woonhyun, who was watching that with indifferent eyes, turned his gaze back to Jeonggak.
"Don't call me. I'm not joking."
And then he left without any lingering attachment.
Jeonggak, who was watching Woonhyun's back as he disappeared in an instant, let out a sigh.
"I'll have to meet with the Five Great Families for sure."
(End of Chapter)