Chapter 64 - The Great Peng Waiting for a Typhoon (2)

Despite needing a long rest due to the physical overload from using innate qi and Moyong Gang's strike, I was forced awake by my junior disciples.

"Just what were you thinking? Do you even have a brain or not?!"

I thought I wouldn't have to listen to this kind of nagging anymore after sending Saryeon to the Murim Academy.

"Innate qi... I'm absolutely speechless. What if something went wrong..."

Wang Soso, who had learned a little martial arts and now understood what it meant to use innate qi, nagged endlessly.

"... Well, even if your martial arts were completely crippled, you could just come work for our merchant group, so that wouldn't have been too bad... But anyway, doing something so dangerous makes no sense!"

"... Could you pick just one, whether you're disappointed or worried?"

"Anyway! I was planning to tell my father once this Dragon-Phoenix Summit is over. Of course, the Mount Cangshan Sect has been added on top of the Mount Hua Sect now. I will definitely show them just how vicious Wangga Manor's financial power can be."

I didn't know what exactly she planned to do, but since they had provoked the precious daughter of one of the Four Great Merchants of the World, it seemed obvious that the Mount Hua Sect and Mount Cangshan Sect would suffer some difficulties for a while.

"Eldest Senior Brother. You crossed the line a bit this time. Have you lost your mind?"

Geumpyo, who wasn't even much younger than me among the Geum-eun-dong Brothers, stepped forward as their representative.

"Isn't that... a little disrespectful to say to your Eldest Senior Brother?"

"They say that if a person makes the same mistake more than three times, it has become a habit. If you pull a stunt like this again, I will tie you tightly to a pillar in the Taiyi Sect and only feed you three meals a day."

At Geumpyo's vicious words, the gathered junior disciples nodded in unison.

When did their unity become this good while I was gone?

"Hyungnim. We are completely serious."

Kang Yuseong and Zhuge Cheongi stood to one side.

Zhuge Cheongi's eyes were glaring wider than ever before.

"We aren't joking. If you act like this, I will create a mechanism array that surpasses the Boundless Indestructible Soul-Extinguishing Array and lock you inside it, Hyungnim."

"..."

Even if I had ten mouths, I wouldn't have anything to say, so I nodded.

Should I be happy about this situation or not?

As I was being tormented like that.

Someone suddenly entered, bypassing my qi perception.

Seeing her face half-covered by a veil, I immediately recognized who it was.

'I guess I really did overdo it. To think I didn't feel anything until she arrived.'

"..."

The junior disciples stopped their chattering and looked at her with hostile gazes.

It was Moyong Seol of the Dragon-Phoenix Summit.

The Dragon-Phoenix Summit, who originally planned to stay outside, ended up staying at the Taiyi Sect due to the injuries of Jong Byeokgi and Hwa Jeongsan.

They were too wary of Moyong Gang to move right away, and especially since Jong Byeokgi's condition was extremely poor.

"Are you alright?"

"..."

A voice slightly more youthful than in the past. As I remained speechless, my mind confused by the overlapping memories.

Wang Soso stepped forward with a fierce glare.

"Isn't that a bit rich coming from the person who caused this situation?"

At Wang Soso's words, the junior disciples unanimously began to express their hostility.

I could see that the junior disciples were following Soso like their boss.

"First, I offer my apologies."

Moyong Seol removed her veil and respectfully cupped her fists.

"..."

The boys who had been hostile toward Moyong Seol flinched upon seeing her appearance and didn't know what to do.

Watching those guys, I let out a chuckle and said.

"Could you all step out for a moment?"

"Oppa!"

"She is a guest who has come to the Taiyi Sect. Isn't it right to observe the bare minimum of etiquette?"

"But!"

"It is fine to be angry, but Lady Moyong Seol is the one person who at least stood up for us."

"... Understood."

As I patted Wang Soso's head, Wang Soso mumbled something and nodded.

Wang Soso, who had been glaring at Moyong Seol, spun around sharply.

Starting with Wang Soso, all the junior disciples left.

"I apologize for my junior disciples committing a discourtesy."

"... No. I understand. I would have done the exact same thing if I were in their place."

It had actually been Moyong Seol who tried to stop Jong Byeokgi and Hwa Jeongsan among the Dragon-Phoenix Summit, yet she wore an apologetic expression as if she had committed the wrong herself.

"Isn't everything already settled? I also committed a discourtesy, so I don't think we need to feel sorry toward each other anymore."

Seeing her sad expression was torture for me.

Fortunately, she seemed to understand my words and nodded.

"In that case, may I say one thing?"

"Please go ahead."

"Why did you force the sparring match with Hwa Jeongsan to drag on like that?"

"..."

"From what I could see, you could have easily overwhelmed Hwa Jeongsan. Did I see wrong?"

I felt as though I was projecting my nostalgic memories back to life.

'She was this kind of person.'

A righteous and fair person. Even though she had an incident involving the Dragon-Phoenix Summit she belonged to, making it clearly uncomfortable for her to chase after me and talk like this, she didn't hesitate to point out what was wrong.

In my past life, the reason she left the Dragon-Phoenix Summit was because she clashed with Hwa Jeongsan after Hong Mungi fell into qi deviation.

"You saw correctly."

"If I saw wrong... What?"

"Great Warrior Hwa Jeongsan said he 'wanted to see the sword forms of the Taiyi Sword Emperor,' and I was trying to fulfill his request."

"..."

"Even when Great Warrior Jong intervened, I could have ended it appropriately, but I deliberately chose not to."

Moyong Seol's face showed bewilderment at my shameless words.

Right now, she was just a young woman in her early twenties.

"Why..."

"My junior disciples were watching."

"..."

"The elders of the sect were watching as well. And in such a setting, they openly brought up the Taiyi Sword Emperor and insulted the Taiyi Sect."

"..."

"Although that mockery has become reality now, didn't Great Warrior Hwa Jeongsan bring up the Taiyi Sword Emperor to mock the Taiyi Sect?"

Moyong Seol's expression became complicated.

"When I was young, I couldn't bring myself to say I belonged to the Taiyi Sect. I was ashamed of being a part of the Taiyi Sect."

"... No, wait a moment..."

Moyong Seol glanced toward the door for a moment, looking troubled as if she didn't know what to do.

Since I didn't know why she was acting like this, I just continued speaking.

"Because I was ashamed and hid it, I came to hate it, and because I hated my sect, I even came to hate my junior disciples and the elders. Even though they are all like family to me."

This was my story, reflecting on my past life. It was a story she wanted to hear in my past life but one I couldn't bring myself to tell.

"That is why I did it. So that I, my junior disciples, and the elders of my sect wouldn't hate the Taiyi Sect. So that they could feel proud of belonging to the Taiyi Sect. So that they could cherish the people of the Taiyi Sect."

"..."

Moyong Seol blinked constantly, seemingly confused. It was probably still a very unfamiliar story to her.

Because it was an emotion only someone who had lost everything could feel.

"It's true that I overdid it. Trying to antagonize the entirety of the Dragon-Phoenix Summit was also a mistake. I apologize to Lady Moyong Seol for this as well. However, if something like this happens again, I will do the exact same thing. To protect my precious people. Even if my life is on the line."

"..."

Moyong Seol's face had flushed red, and she was wearing a dazed expression.

She looked flustered.

Did I push her too hard?

Still, she was someone I had missed so dearly. I didn't want to leave her with such a bad memory. Just as I was about to steer the conversation toward a lighter topic...

"Waaaaah!"

"Sob sob sob."

"Sniffle!"

The junior disciples, who I thought had gone back, came running in while crying.

"Eldest Senior Brother! I will never resent the Taiyi Sect!"

"Eldest Senior Brother! I will act exactly the same way as you!"

"Oppa! I'll protect you too, Oppa!"

"Hyungnim! I will create a perfect mechanism array that no one can ever invade!"

Pushed aside by the swarm of junior disciples rushing in, Moyong Seol quickly recovered her complexion, nodded, and then turned back to leave.

"Ah, no... Lady Moyong... Let's talk a little more..."

"Eldest Senior Brother!!"

"Eldest Senior Brother!!"

"Oppa!"

"Hyungnim!"

I wanted to break free, but I had no strength in my body.

* * *

Moyong Seol, having stepped out of the hall, tried to calm her violently beating heart.

'Why am I like this?'

Because this wasn't the first time, Moyong Seol was even more flustered.

From the moment Jin Sowoon swung his sword at Jong Byeokgi, who had intruded on the sparring match, Moyong Seol's heart had begun to beat violently.

That look in his eyes, the shape of his mouth, his actions—they were lodged in her mind and wouldn't leave.

A battle against Underworld experts she had encountered while traveling on eccentric journeys with her grandfather when she was very young.

At that time, even though her grandfather foresaw defeat, he hadn't lost his imposing dignity.

His figure, showing that he would never back down no matter what, was imprinted in Moyong Seol's mind as the ideal image of a warrior.

And as she spent a long time learning martial arts and meeting people, she realized that what her grandfather had done was an act not just anyone—including herself—could replicate, so she had given up on looking for such an image.

But of all places, she had seen that image again in the Taiyi Sect.

Still, there was definitely something wrong with the way he dealt with Hwa Jeongsan.

She had tried to confront him about it, but he had shamelessly admitted everything.

And the reasons why he had no choice but to act that way.

At his words, her reasoning halted once again, and her heart began to beat violently.

'Just what is this?'

While she was reflecting on his words that she couldn't understand, yet somehow felt like she could...

"Sister!"

As her thoughts were cut off, Moyong Seol furrowed her brow.

"... You!"

"Uh! Ah!"

Seeing Moyong Seol use the Soul Chasing Footwork, Moyong Jaehwa also freaked out and used his footwork to retreat.

However, he couldn't escape the footwork of Moyong Seol, who had achieved such high mastery that 'Iron Sword' could be included in her alias. Moyong Seol's arm wrapped around Moyong Jaehwa's neck.

"If you were coming with Grandfather, you should have told me in advance!"

"Aaaah...! It hurts! Did you think I knew you'd be here, Sister?!"

Moyong Jaehwa, having barely escaped Moyong Seol's arm, rubbed his neck and spoke.

"Argh... I really need to hurry up and consume a core or something... But where are you coming from? I heard this area is Great Warrior Jin Sowoon's residence."

"... Right. I was just on my way back from seeing him for a moment."

"Huh? Already? Did you know?"

"Know what?"

"That Great Warrior Jin Sowoon saved our father."

"...? What does that mean?"

Moyong Jaehwa tilted his head.

As Moyong Jaehwa explained what had happened recently, up to how he and Moyong Gang had come to the Taiyi Sect, Moyong Seol's face began to turn pale.

"... Don't tell me you made some kind of mistake toward Great Warrior Jin Sowoon in the meantime?"

"..."

Moyong Seol turned so pale that her distinctly fair skin looked even more prominent.

"You didn't make some kind of mistake toward Great Warrior Jin Sowoon in the meantime, did you?"

Moyong Seol remained silent despite the repeated question.

Eventually, Moyong Jaehwa began to rationalize it himself.

"Nah... Probably not. Surely you aren't the type to make a mistake toward someone who risked his life for our father, right?"

"..."

Moyong Seol still didn't answer.

* * *

The junior disciples didn't stop crying for a long time.

"What is this chaos?"

Kang Chaeseok walked in with a deep frown on his face.

"Did someone die or something?"

"A-Ah, no, well, Hall Leader!"

"Oppa is! Oppa is!"

"Sniffle."

The junior disciples burst into tears, speaking incoherently.

Kang Chaeseok's face flared with annoyance since he didn't know the full story.

There was no mess quite like this mess.

I felt like just going back inside and sleeping.

"Jin Sowoon. Come out. The Sect Leader is calling for you."

"... Yes."

But I couldn't do that.

"... Have a good trip, Eldest Senior Brother."

This time, the junior disciples seemed to sense the mood and slowly stepped back.

It was finally right before the oldest promise in the history of the Taiyi Sect was to be fulfilled.

* * *

"..."

On the way to the Grand Sage Hall. Kang Chaeseok maintained a stiff expression and said nothing.

I could understand his feelings.

He was the strongest within the Taiyi Sect, but because of that, as the representative of the Taiyi Sect, he must have constantly faced the high walls of the Murim.

It was obvious that this wasn't a situation where any words could easily be spoken.

All the elders of the Taiyi Sect were gathered in the Grand Sage Hall.

"Disciple Jin Sowoon greets the elders."

"..."

From Sect Leader Hong Mungi to the senior elders and the Hall Leaders who supported the Taiyi Sect.

All of their expressions were no different from Kang Chaeseok's.

"..."

A solemn and heavy silence continued.

Just what should be said, and who should say it first?

Both myself, who was conveying the Taiyi Sword Emperor's promise, and the people of the Taiyi Sect, who were to receive that promise, didn't know how to react to an event we were experiencing for the first time.

"..."

I just quietly waited in the silence for their thoughts to sort themselves out.

Hong Mungi, covering his mouth with both hands clasped together, was staring at me from the farthest spot directly in front of me with the most complicated eyes.

"Jin Sowoon."

The moment his heavy lips parted.

I, too, prepared the answer to the question I expected.

"Yes."

"Is it true that you threatened Elder Wind God Breaking Sword, asking him if he wanted to taste a warrior's straight punch?"

"That is correct. The Taiyi Sword Emperor's... Huh?"

While answering, I felt something was off and tilted my head.

"It is true that you threatened Elder Wind God Breaking Sword, asking him if he wanted to taste a warrior's straight punch?! Did I teach you to act like that?!"

Sect Leader Hong Mungi, the elders, and the Hall Leaders were all looking at me with appalled expressions, wondering where such a crazy bastard could exist.

In particular, my father, standing far away, was making a throat-slitting motion with his thumb.

The face of the person who provided the cause for their actions quickly surfaced in my mind.

'This old man, seriously!!'