Record of the Dragon-Slayer’s Return

"Leader."

Moyong Gi turned his head. Lee Shimhwan was approaching, waving his hand.

Zhuge Yeon, who had glanced at Lee Shimhwan, bowed her head lightly.

"Then I'll be going."

"Alright, let me know as soon as you're ready."

"I understand."

Zhuge Yeon bowed her head slightly to Lee Shimhwan as well and then walked away with a swaying gait. Lee Shimhwan, who was watching her back, muttered to himself without realizing it.

"She's beautiful, so beautiful."

"Is that so?"

"Of course it is. You think about it too. Is that the back of a woman who is almost forty? I'd believe it if you said she was just twenty."

At Lee Shimhwan's joke, Moyong Gi let out a faint laugh.

"Aish. No matter how much, it's not that much. The landscape changes twice in twenty years."

"Oh, this person. You've been wandering the martial world for quite a while, so you should know well, right? Tell me. Is there another woman like that in the martial world?"

It was certainly not common. Compared to women in their early twenties, she was less fresh, but considering her natural beauty and her firm body trained through long hours of martial arts training, she was so beautiful that it would be difficult to find a match for her in the world. However, it was not that there were none.

'Unseol would be no less than Yeon.'

He happened to think of Baek Unseol. He felt his mood was about to sink for no reason. Moyong Gi, who had shaken his head, quickly changed the subject.

"Aunt Hwang is also beautiful, isn't she?"

Lee Shimhwan looked back at his wife, Hwang Sekyung. Hwang Sekyung, who was nagging the members of the Dragon Slaying Brigade with a rice paddle in her hand, still showed off her beauty, belying her age. Although the traces of time that could be seen here and there were unavoidable, even that was so alluring that it looked like maturity.

"She's beautiful."

"That's what I'm saying. She's still like that, so I think she must have given you a lot of trouble when she was young."

"That's what I'm saying! I followed her around so much because I was worried that some strange guys would stick to her. I had a lot of trouble until we got married."

"Wow. You chased after her?"

"Of course. How could I just leave that woman alone after seeing her. I fell in love at first sight and chased after her like my life depended on it."

"At first sight? How did you meet?"

"We had a blind date."

"A blind date?"

"Yes. After wandering the martial world for a while, I went back home and my father was bedridden. He said his wish was to see his son get married, so how could I refuse? So I went on a blind date."

"You met aunt that day?"

Lee Shimhwan nodded.

"Yes. But that person was a little late that day. I heard later that she had gotten lost. Was it about one or two shichen?"

"You waited for that?"

"I didn't know she would be that late either. I thought it would be about an hour at most, but an hour became two hours, and two hours became four hours."

"Wow. You were amazing too, uncle."

"I got stubborn at that time too. I thought, 'Let's see how long you'll make me wait.' So I was sitting alone in the Akyang Pavilion and dozing off. But a young lady suddenly appeared and said hello with a bright smile..."

"You fell for her there."

"I did."

Lee Shimhwan's eyes, as he recalled the past, became moist. Moyong Gi, who was looking at that, tilted his head.

'Why is this uncle suddenly like this?'

It wasn't about his dead son, it was about his wife who was next to him. It didn't seem like there was a reason to be sentimental. However, since he had such a serious face, he couldn't even say anything and just stared blankly.

Lee Shimhwan, who had been sentimental for a while, looked at Moyong Gi with still moist eyes after a little while.

"Damn it. I shouldn't have waited at that time."

***

"You are the child of the Moyong family."

Mokyoung, who had received the greetings of the Ascending Dragon Class children, showed particular interest in Moyong Gi. Although there was the matter of Jeonggak, it seemed that there was no uncomfortable feeling at all. Rather, he had a face that said he was sorry to Moyong Gi.

"A child of our Shaolin has done something to you that he should not have. I apologize on his behalf."

"Not at all. How could that be the great master's fault? It is not something that the great master should apologize for."

"No. It is my fault, our Shaolin's fault for not teaching that child properly. I hope you do not have any uncomfortable feelings towards our Shaolin."

"That's not necessary. What do you mean, uncomfortable feelings. How could I have such feelings towards Shaolin?"

Moyong Gi's words were sincere. It was because the places where he had received the most help when he was active as the Dragon Slaying Brigade before his return were Shaolin and the Heavenly Demon Fortress. Because of that, Shaolin had even declared a thirty-year closure.

So, Moyong Gi had no intention of being at odds with Shaolin just because he hated Jeonggak.

As if Moyong Gi's sincerity had been conveyed, Mokyoung nodded with a pleased face.

"I'm grateful that you think so. Look at my mind. Greet them. I heard you've already met Elder Tang Hwagi, and these are Elder Jeongheo and Elder Yang Sosam."

"It's a pleasure to meet you for the first time. I am Moyong Gi."

Unlike Moyong Gi, who greeted politely, the other children, who had already met them, just bowed their heads slightly as a greeting.

However, no one seemed to care. It was because all the elders' attention was directed at Moyong Gi.

Jeongheo smiled gently and said.

"It's a pleasure. I've heard a lot about you from our Youngyoung. You taught her very well."

"Not at all. It is because Youngyoung is smart."

"No. It is true that you taught her well. No one in Emei would be able to teach Youngyoung such things. You can be a little more proud."

"What Emei has given me is more than that. Thanks to you, I was able to live comfortably in the Dragon and Phoenix Inn. Compared to that, what I gave to Youngyoung is nothing."

"You have a very upright way of thinking."

Jeongheo nodded with a satisfied face. Then, it was Yang Sosam's turn.

"Are you the one who is making our Moogyeol a human?"

So Moogyeol had an enraged face. However, since many elders were present, he did not dare to open his mouth.

Moyong Gi chuckled and nodded.

"That's right."

"Huh? You were humble to the other elders, why is your reaction to me like that?"

"That's because Moogyeol has to cause trouble. This time too, he ran away from home, saying he was retiring, so I had a hard time."

Of course, it was the other children who had a hard time. However, Yang Sosam, who did not know the detailed circumstances, was busy chuckling.

"That's understandable. Is that guy just any ordinary guy? You've had a lot of trouble."

"Thank you for recognizing that."

"What's there to be thankful for. Anyone would know after spending just a month with that guy. Our Sect Leader would have been the same, but I'll ask you this too. Please make that guy a human."

A satisfied smile unknowingly bloomed on Moyong Gi's face as he nodded.

Not only Tang Hwagi, but also Mokyoung, Jeongheo, and Yang Sosam all seemed to have good personalities. It seemed that there would be no reason to get red-faced while living together with these people.

However, was it said that good things always have a jinx? A jinx always follows good things.

'Huh?'

He felt a familiar yet somehow unfamiliar presence. Without even giving Moyong Gi a chance to tilt his head for a moment, the presence that had rapidly approached flung open the door.

Baek Unseol, who had been silent as if she were not there, shot up from her seat.

"Master!"

Johwasim looked around at the people who were staring at him with dumbfounded faces.

And then, finally, he met Moyong Gi's eyes and opened his mouth.

"I'm going too."

***

He was in a hurry, but two burdens were clinging to him. Putting aside Baek Unseol, Johwasim, who was still unwell, was a real nuisance.

'Did that old man eat something wrong? Why is he doing something he doesn't usually do?'

He couldn't pick up speed. It had already been ten days, but he hadn't even entered Hunan Province yet.

At this rate, it would take at least ten more days to reach Akyang, where the Iron Palm Sect was located.

It was because the carriage was originally slow, and he had to take a break several times a day for Johwasim's sake.

'It's too slow.'

He had to pick up speed. It was because Lee Shimhwan and Hwang Sekyung were important beings to Moyong Gi.

It wasn't just Moyong Gi. The entire Dragon Slaying Brigade was like that. It was because to them, who had no family, Lee Shimhwan and Hwang Sekyung were like a father and a mother.

'I don't think I can do it. Should I go alone?'

However, that was not the answer either. There were too many enemies to face. From what he had heard from Lee Shimhwan, there were at least three digits.

It was possible to do it alone if it was a matter of hitting and running and reducing the number of enemies. However, it was absolutely impossible to face them while protecting someone. He needed the help of the elders of the Orthodox Justice Alliance.

"What are you thinking so much about?"

Zhuge Yeon pulled her horse and followed next to Moyong Gi. Moyong Gi glanced at Zhuge Yeon and then soon shook his head.

"No, nothing."

"No. It's not nothing. There's something serious you're thinking about."

It was Zhuge Yeon, who had become much more charming these days. Although she wasn't like that when she was with many people, she would sometimes drag out her words when they were alone. Normally, he would have been gaping at her cute appearance, but the matter was serious. Moyong Gi just raised the corners of his mouth instead. Zhuge Yeon, who had noticed that, tilted her head.

"There really is something wrong, isn't there. What is it? Tell me."

"I said it's nothing. You don't have to worry."

"Then why is your face like that? It's a face that says you're about to die of anxiety. Is that the face of a person who has nothing wrong?"

"What's wrong with my face? Where do I look anxious?"

"You're asking because you don't know? Look at Grandmaster Woonhyun and Young Master So over there. They're frozen stiff because they're worried that the sparks will fly because you look unhappy. Young Master Tang is the same."

As Moyong Gi threw his gaze at So Moogyeol and Woonhyun, the two flinched and avoided his gaze.

At that sight, Moyong Gi let out a hollow laugh.

"Wow. Do I look that bad?"

"That's what I'm saying. It's like you're about to explode if someone pokes you. So tell me. What on earth is it? I've heard a lot that I'm smart, you know."

"Ah, that's right. You're also from the Zhuge family, right?"

"What's with that reaction? It's kind of unpleasant."

Since he had seen her dazed appearance so many times, he had forgotten for a moment that she was Zhuge Yeon. If it was the Zhuge Yeon who had led the Dragon Slaying Brigade to the Imperial Palace, she might have a good idea.

Moyong Gi, who seemed to be pondering for a moment while scratching his cheek, finally opened his mouth with a determined face.

"Is there a way to move faster?"

"A way to move faster?"

"Yeah. I think it's too slow."

"That's..."

Zhuge Yeon looked back at the two-horse carriage that Johwasim and Baek Unseol were riding with a troubled face. It was because it was a burden to increase the speed with them.

"It's a bit difficult, right?"

"Yes. Because of Grandmaster Jo..."

Zhuge Yeon trailed off with a dark face. Moyong Gi shook his head.

"It can't be helped. You don't have to worry so much."

"But."

"It's okay. It's just a few days, what could happen in that time?"

Zhuge Yeon nodded.

"Yes. Nothing will happen."

As Zhuge Yeon had said, the Iron Palm Sect was fortunately not harmed until Moyong Gi's party arrived.

Moyong Gi, who had confirmed Lee Shimhwan's face, could finally let out a sigh of relief.

"Greetings. I am Lee Shimhwan, the head of the Iron Palm Sect."

(End of Chapter)