Chapter 25
Hong Sochen was covered in dog bite marks.
Although not as much as the So Moogyeol of the past, he was still covered in scabs.
Chunghuh looked at Hong Sochen with a pathetic expression.
"What's with that state at your age?"
Hong Sochen coughed with an embarrassed face.
"Ahem. Ahem... it just happened. By the way, what brings you here? You acted as if you would never come down from the mountain again."
It had already been twenty years since Chunghuh had confined himself to Mount Wudang. He had tried to get help when there were things to do in the middle, but he had not taken a single step outside of Mount Wudang.
But he had suddenly come to Kaifeng without any notice.
At first, he was dumbfounded, but soon curiosity took over.
At Hong Sochen's curious eyes, Chunghuh smiled slightly.
"Isn't the Dragon and Phoenix Inn's mid-term examination coming up soon? I came down because I was curious about how Myung Jin was doing."
Hong Sochen's eyes lit up.
"You didn't even pretend to listen when I begged you to come out, what are you talking about? Have you ever seen such a doting fool."
Hong Sochen panted as if he was getting angrier the more he thought about it.
"Then you should have gone to your precious disciple, why did you come to see me? What's there to see in an old beggar?"
"I was going to, but I was curious about something, so I came to see you first."
"What? This brat, do I look like a pushover to you? You only come to see me when you need something?"
Hong Sochen glared with dissatisfied eyes.
However, Chunghuh still did not lose his smile.
"It just happened. I'm sorry to you."
"Aish, you rotten brat."
Hong Sochen's eyes, looking at Chunghuh, were still not kind.
However, his disposition was not bad enough to treat an old friend harshly.
In the end, Hong Sochen clicked his tongue and then spoke again.
"Alright. What are you curious about that you came to see me? Tell me your business."
"It's nothing else, Myung Jin asked me for a favor this time."
"What's so great about a disciple asking his master for a favor? Is there something special about it?"
Chunghuh shook his head.
"It's not that special. It was a request to exchange a Thousand-Year Snow Lotus for a hundred-year-old fleeceflower root."
"You brat! Why is that not special? Is a Thousand-Year Snow Lotus common?"
Although the efficacy was similar, in terms of value alone, the Thousand-Year Snow Lotus was higher.
This was because while fleeceflower root could exist anywhere in the world, the Thousand-Year Snow Lotus only grew in the Tian Shan mountains.
The difference in numbers was also quite large.
"Although it's not abundant, there's a decent amount of surplus. It's not like he's just asking for it, so it's fine if it's an exchange for a hundred-year-old fleeceflower root."
"Aish. This one and that one, they're all out of their minds."
Hong Sochen clicked his tongue.
Chunghuh, undeterred, asked again.
"Do you have any idea?"
"I do. I have one that I can pinpoint exactly."
The Myung Jin that Hong Sochen had seen had no greed. And it was hard to even imagine that some nobody would tempt Myung Jin. There was only one person who would do such a thing.
"What is it?"
"Wait and see. Didn't you say you came to see the mid-term examination? You'll find out naturally if you watch it."
It wasn't something that had to be kept a secret.
It was just a small revenge on a friend who had been harsh for decades.
Hong Sochen grinned. Then, as if a thought had struck him, his face turned red for a moment.
"Come to think of it, this damn brat made me go through hell and only asked for a single Thousand-Year Snow Lotus from Wudang? And he's not just getting it, he's giving a hundred-year-old fleeceflower root? Have you ever seen such a rotten brat?"
***
"Damn it!"
Woonhyun panted and threw his sword.
He didn't even glance at his sword, which was rolling on the floor with a clanging sound, and left the training room.
Moyong Gi, who was watching, clicked his tongue.
"This one and that one, they all have such bad tempers."
"It's understandable. In less than a month, he's no match at all. I'd be like that too."
So Moogyeol took Woonhyun's side.
It was understandable, as the gap with Zhuge Yeon had widened too much.
At first, he didn't know because Zhuge Yeon was only defending, but just after two weeks, when Zhuge Yeon started to thrust her sword in earnest, he was no match at all.
Even though only about a month had passed since they had started dueling, the gap had widened to the point where he had to use all his strength to barely block Zhuge Yeon's twenty or so moves.
It was not that he couldn't understand why Woonhyun was angry.
Zhuge Yeon stealthily intervened.
"Will he be okay?"
So Moogyeol glanced at Zhuge Yeon, who had a troubled expression.
"Forget it. He'll get over it and come back soon. He's not the type to hold a grudge. By the way, what did you do to her to make her change like this? I don't think I can handle her anymore."
Moyong Gi chuckled.
"When could you ever handle her?"
"Hey, you bastard! Isn't it about time you stopped? How long are you going to talk about that?"
"Until you die."
As Moyong Gi replied with a shameless face, So Moogyeol was dumbfounded.
"Aish. I'd rather die than suffer. By the way, just answer me. What did you do to her?"
"What did I do? You saw that I didn't do anything, right?"
"That's what I'm saying. It's clear that there's nothing special, so why has she become so monstrous?"
"That's because she's starting to use what she has."
Zhuge Yeon had invested the most time in Moyong Gi.
Myung Jin was naturally talented, so it was understandable, but So Moogyeol was different.
In terms of talent, So Moogyeol and Zhuge Yeon were about the same. It was abnormal for Zhuge Yeon not to win.
The reason why So Moogyeol seemed to have caught up to Zhuge Yeon until now was because Zhuge Yeon didn't know how to attack.
But as she dueled with Woonhyun and Cheon Youngyoung, she learned the reason why she had to attack.
She had learned that it was more efficient than just defending.
Once she took the first step, the rest was a breeze.
She freely displayed the essence of martial arts that she had realized while dueling with Moyong Gi.
Rather, Woonhyun and Cheon Youngyoung, who had received Zhuge Yeon's sword for twenty or so moves, should be praised.
So Moogyeol, who was looking at Zhuge Yeon with a strange expression, turned his gaze to Moyong Gi and showed an unreasonable expectation.
"Then will I get stronger if I use what I have too?"
Moyong Gi was dumbfounded.
"Wake up. You have to have something to use it."
"The way you talk."
So Moogyeol glared.
Moyong Gi grinned and clapped his hands.
Myung Jin and Cheon Youngyoung, who were each lost in their own thoughts, also looked at Moyong Gi.
"That's it for today. You can all go now."
So Moogyeol threw a look of surprise.
"What's with you? Telling us to go at this time?"
"What do you mean, what's with me? Isn't tomorrow the mid-term examination? I don't think it'll be a big deal, but it's better than going with your body hurt. Everyone go and rest well today."
And then, he was about to slip out of the training room with just his sword. Zhuge Yeon caught Moyong Gi.
"Just a moment. I need to talk to you."
"Huh? What about?"
"That's..."
Zhuge Yeon stealthily looked around.
Moyong Gi chuckled.
"Anyway... you guys can go now. See you tomorrow."
Myung Jin and Cheon Youngyoung left the training room without a word.
So Moogyeol did not move.
"Why aren't you leaving?"
So Moogyeol glanced at Zhuge Yeon.
"It seems like it's the same topic anyway, so is there a need to say it twice? Let's just do it at once."
"Hey, you punk. How do you know what she's going to talk about? What if she's confessing? That's not polite of you."
Zhuge Yeon shook her head firmly.
"It's not that."
Moyong Gi's face contorted.
So Moogyeol giggled.
"Wow, so firm. She must really dislike you. What are you going to do?"
"Do you want to die? Should we duel all day?"
Moyong Gi growled.
But as if that was a little scary, So Moogyeol stealthily averted his gaze.
Zhuge Yeon sighed.
"By the way, what do you mean by the same topic?"
"You're pretending not to know. Isn't it about the other guys? You're telling me to be careful because they're going to do something tomorrow."
"How did you..."
At So Moogyeol's reply, Zhuge Yeon's eyes widened.
So Moogyeol, for once, had his shoulders squared.
"I may look like this, but I'm a beggar. No matter how quietly your uncle handles things, he can't deceive a beggar's ears."
"Ah..."
It was something that Zhuge Guk had tried to handle quietly with great care. But it had still leaked out.
She knew that the Beggars' Sect's information network was amazing, but she hadn't known it was to this extent. It was beyond imagination. Zhuge Yeon was impressed.
But Moyong Gi snapped.
"You're proud of that, you bastard. Anyone who hears you would think being a beggar is some kind of official position. You're just a beggar."
"You always have to say things like that..."
"Shut up. So what do you want to say?"
Zhuge Yeon's words were nothing else. It was to be careful. Just as she was about to say that, So Moogyeol said something else.
"Our master told us to go easy."
"Oh? Not to be careful?"
"I asked him that too, but he said they're the ones who should be careful. When I thought about it, he was right."
Even if they were the rising generation martial artists of the Nine Sects One Gang and the Five Great Families, there were only a few left.
Four from the Nine Sects One Gang and four from the Five Great Families, a total of only eight.
Hong Sochen was the first to realize that with just eight, they could not harm Moyong Gi no matter what they did.
"But what's with going easy?"
"Ah, that? He said not to make things bigger because he's already tired to death. If things go wrong, even our master can't handle it."
Moyong Gi licked his lips. And then he readily nodded.
"Tell him I understand."
***
Moyong Gi, who was entering the Ascending Dragon Pavilion, discovered Tang Somun waiting in front of his room.
"Huh? What are you doing here?"
Moyong Gi tilted his head and approached Tang Somun. Tang Somun, as if his face was contorting, threw out a word as if spitting it out.
"You, go home."
At the words that came out of nowhere, Moyong Gi's face contorted.
"What are you talking about? You have to make sense."
"Go home. Can't you understand what I'm saying?"
Tang Somun, who had no intention of kindly explaining, repeated the same words. However, Moyong Gi, who had soon understood the meaning, showed a faint laugh.
"Why? Are you worried about me?"
"Are you crazy? Me, worrying about you?"
"Then?"
"That's because our older sister..."
Tang Somun, who was retorting with a huff, suddenly shut his mouth. And then he glared at Moyong Gi with eyes full of dissatisfaction.
"Anyway, I warned you. It would be better to go home."
And then, he walked away roughly and soon disappeared from Moyong Gi's sight.
Watching his back, Moyong Gi scratched his head.
His sharply slanted eyes, thin jawline, and thin lips gave a sinister impression at first glance.
However, unlike his appearance, he was a kind-hearted person.
"How do I handle that again?"
He was indebted to Tang Somun.
When the emperor had attacked the Moyong family, it was Tang Somun who had supported the Moyong family alone, even abandoning his position as the family head.
Although it was for his older sister, Dang Sohee, Dang Sohee was ultimately the mistress of the Moyong family.
It was the same as the head of the Dang family abandoning his position as the family head and helping the Moyong family.
Of course, this debt was very expensive.
However, he had just left it alone because it was difficult to make a connection.
But that worry did not last long.
At the sound of someone knocking on the door, Moyong Gi turned his gaze.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
"Who is it?"
However, there was no answer.
Moyong Gi, with an annoyed face, strode over and roughly opened the door.
"What bastard is playing a prank... huh? What are you doing here?"
Baek Unseol raised her hand with an awkward face.
"Hello."
(End of Chapter)