Chapter 66 - The Great Peng Waiting for a Typhoon (4)

In the end, it was decided that the people from the Elder's Hall would go out to the Cangqiong Merchant Group.

And naturally, Jin Taesan, the External Hall Leader, was to be at the center of it.

My father let out a long sigh of relief, perhaps because the financial situation had finally opened up.

Since the Sect Leader and Hall Leaders had to internally reorganize the Taiyi Sect while simultaneously mastering the Taiyi Sword Emperor's martial arts, they wouldn't have a moment to rest even if they sealed the sect.

Fortunately, among the elders were those who had worked in small merchant groups or escort agencies in the past to manage the Taiyi Sect's livelihood, so there wouldn't be much difficulty.

Moreover, the Taiyi Sect had Wang Soso, and it was something we could ask Wang Geumsan for help with.

Even though the matters had been somewhat sorted out, the elders and Hall Leaders did not rise from their seats.

They all seemed unable to endure their desire to see the Taiyi Sword Emperor's true inheritance.

Accordingly, Hong Mungi ordered alcohol and snacks to hold a small celebratory banquet and create an opportunity to view the true inheritance.

And while their attention was focused on the true inheritance, I quietly slipped out of the Grand Sage Hall.

Then, I immediately went to find Wang Soso.

With the sect's sealing confirmed, there was something the Sect Leader and the elders were overlooking.

The Murim Alliance would never let this matter end like this.

Although we had Moyong Gang's acknowledgment and the Dragon-Phoenix Summit's acknowledgment, the Mount Cangshan Sect and the Mount Hua Sect had suffered deep wounds to their pride in the process.

It would be one thing if it was just one person, but two people had suffered deep wounds to their pride. And those two were the greatest talents of Mount Hua and Mount Cangshan, respectively.

If these two sects united firmly, even those snooping around would start taking an interest in the Taiyi Sword Emperor's true inheritance.

And if such public opinion became the mainstream, the distant acknowledgment of Moyong Gang would be of no help.

At the very least, I needed to buy time until the Taiyi Sect completely sealed its gates and cut off ties with the outside world.

"Oppa! I'm over here!"

I approached Wang Soso, who was practicing with the other junior disciples at the training ground of Kwaehwa Hall.

She had grown significantly in the few months I hadn't seen her, already beginning to shed her girlish appearance.

'They say girls grow up fast.'

Moyong Seol, Namgung Seonhwa, Seong Moran, the Dragon-Phoenix Summit, and so on.

I had seen numerous beauties renowned in Jianghu, but Wang Soso's beauty did not fall short of theirs in the slightest.

No, since she still had more growing to do, she was worth looking forward to in the future.

'Now I understand why fathers with daughters dislike their sons-in-law so much.'

Just thinking about Wang Soso getting married off to someone already made me feel like I was having my little sister stolen away.

"Your swordsmanship has improved a lot."

"I'm working hard. Soon, I might even be able to spar with Eunho for over a hundred martial moves."

"Eunho is a guy who ranks in the top ten even among the junior disciples, you know?"

"Exactly. But what was the favor you wanted to ask?"

"Your family has a lot of gold ingots, right?"

Wang Soso tilted her head.

"Would it just be gold ingots? We have golden toads, golden dragons, golden deer..."

"Right, right. Can I ask you for one favor?"

"You can ask for two, you know? You can even ask for three."

I held out a bank note worth one hundred taels.

"Huh?"

* * *

"What are you talking about?"

Moyong Seol recounted the story of what had happened with Jin Sowoon.

"... Yes, I made a mistake toward Young Master Jin Sowoon."

"Hah..."

Moyong Gang normally never erased the smile from his face.

His distinctively comical, mischievous face made his grandchildren feel that he was an approachable figure.

But right now, he looked as if he had just watched a beloved puppy shatter a precious ceramic vase.

"I am sorry."

"Did you not clearly see that those fools from the Dragon-Phoenix Summit were in the wrong?"

Moyong Seol, who had always monopolized Moyong Gang's love, found her grandfather more unfamiliar than ever before.

"Tsk, tsk. I went out of my way to create an opportunity to connect you two, but now it has become useless."

"...?"

Neither Moyong Seol nor Moyong Jaehwa knew what Moyong Gang was talking about, but they did not talk back.

"Life in Jianghu does not always flow according to the scriptures."

Moyong Gang's voice was calmer than ever before.

"When an opponent tries to step on you to rise, you must prove that you are not someone they can trifle with. In such cases, an even more cruel method can also be a valid approach, can it not?"

"..."

Even if Moyong Seol had ten mouths, she would have nothing to say.

On the other hand, she was a little doubtful as to why Moyong Gang was going so far as to say this.

Of course, she couldn't ask him that.

"If I had been in that situation, I would have destroyed that bastard Hwa Jeongsan's Dantian."

"..."

"Tsk, tsk. I thought going to the Murim Alliance might make your thinking a little more flexible, but it has only made you stiffer."

"..."

"He is the one who saved your father. I don't need to say more for you to know exactly what you did wrong, right?"

"Yes. I know very well."

"Go and politely apologize, and make sure that no resentment remains for either him or you."

"Yes..."

"And now, quit that Dragon-Phoenix Summit nonsense. If you stay there any longer, I feel like you will solidify just like this. Come back to the main family with me this time."

"... Understood."

Moyong Gang muttered as he rose from his seat.

"I heard he also has a connection with that child Seonhwa. I just hope that bastard Namgung Taeha isn't already targeting him..."

Of course, Moyong Jaehwa and Moyong Seol still had no idea what their grandfather was talking about.

* * *

Moyong Seol immediately relayed her intentions to the Dragon-Phoenix Summit.

A shadow fell over Ilmyeong's face as he heard the news.

There was no compulsion to participate in activities, except during the Dragon-Phoenix Summit's emergency summons.

This was partly because the Dragon-Phoenix Summit didn't do much other than inspection activities for the Murim Alliance's branches and the 108 Peaks, but it was also because each and every member of the Dragon-Phoenix Summit was so important to their respective sects and the Murim Alliance that they were given autonomy in advance.

Therefore, the Wudang Sect's Yong So-ah, the Namgung Clan's Namgung San, and the Emei Sect's Hyeyeon had been excluded from this Dragon-Phoenix Summit activity.

With Jong Byeokgi and Hwa Jeongsan in poor condition, if Moyong Seol were to drop out as well, it meant the Dragon-Phoenix Summit's activities would practically come to a halt.

"There will be a disruption in our schedule."

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine. Everyone has their circumstances."

Ilmyeong said with a solemn face.

"It can't be helped. The Taiyi Sect turned out differently than expected..."

So Jeho of the Qingcheng Sect, who had been speaking, trailed off at the sharp glares from Jong Byeokgi and Hwa Jeongsan.

Jong Byeokgi's grudge, in particular, was bone-deep.

"That damn brat..."

He had lost in a completely unexpected place, to a completely unexpected person, in a completely unexpected way.

Moreover, with Moyong Gang's appearance, all methods to overturn the defeat had evaporated into nothing.

Now, it was a situation where they had to worry about whether Moyong Gang would do something to harm them instead.

"I-I will... definitely... Aagh!"

Jong Byeokgi grabbed his head as excruciating pain rang through his temples while he spoke.

One side of his head was swollen so large it looked as if a giant horn had grown out of it.

Tang Seo-hui, who had been treating Jong Byeokgi, grabbed him by the hair and yanked him back down to the floor.

"Did you not hear me tell you to stay still? If you don't want to live with a headache for the rest of your life as a side effect, you had better stay still."

"..."

Tang Seo-hui was a deranged human who would use poison even on someone from the same Murim Alliance if she was in a bad mood.

Jong Byeokgi clamped his mouth shut, only grinding his teeth.

Watching them, the furrow between Ilmyeong's brows did not easily smooth out.

'Should I consider him... on Yong So-ah's level...'

Ilmyeong was experiencing the same feeling from Jin Sowoon that he had felt when he first met Yong So-ah.

"Perhaps... a storm will rise in Jianghu."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean we will have to reevaluate the Taiyi Sect."

"Damn it, I can't let it end like this."

Hearing Ilmyeong's words, Jong Byeokgi shot up to his feet.

At that moment, Tang Seo-hui, whose anger flared to the top of her head, stabbed a needle into Jong Byeokgi's paralysis acupoint.

"Urk!"

"Did you not hear me tell you not to move? Do you want to taste the pain of your bones separating and muscles tearing?"

"N-No. No. I'll stay still..."

Jong Byeokgi quickly asked Hwa Jeongsan for help.

"Jeongsan, you say something too. This isn't something we can just let slide, is it?"

"..."

Hwa Jeongsan merely sat silently with sunken eyes.

"And if we don't just let it slide?"

At Seo Saryeong's question, Jong Byeokgi's eyes rolled around frantically.

"Naturally, we must report it to the Murim Alliance. That martial arts of an unknown origin have appeared!"

"But Elder Moyong Gang has already publicly declared it."

Jong Byeokgi stared at Moyong Seol.

"Hmph! Have you forgotten what our mission is? It's to conduct inspections and investigations without being influenced by external pressure. Isn't that right, Jeongsan?"

"..."

Hwa Jeongsan did not answer Jong Byeokgi's words, and instead, Moyong Seol's eyes sank coldly.

"Do you think the Moyong Noble Clan will stay still?"

"Didn't I say that doesn't matter anyway? Because everything is up to the Murim Alliance to decide. Do you think even the Moyong Noble Clan can ignore the Alliance's decision?"

Watching the war of nerves between Jong Byeokgi and Moyong Seol, Ilmyeong's eyes sank once again.

There was a certain level of realism in Jong Byeokgi's words.

If Jong Byeokgi and Hwa Jeongsan stepped forward, Mount Cangshan and Mount Hua would move simultaneously. On top of that, if today's events were reported, the number of people taking an interest in the martial arts would increase even more, and if it reached that point, even the world's Breaking Sword wouldn't be able to block it alone.

Because that was the nature of justification.

"Hmm... Will it be okay? Young Master Jin doesn't seem like his personality is anything to trifle with."

At the sight of Seo Saryeong speaking while stroking her red lips with her pale fingers, Jong Byeokgi swallowed hard without realizing it and spoke even more confidently.

"Just wait and see. I will absolutely make it happen. If Mount Cangshan and Mount Hua step forward first, other sects will probably take an interest too."

Jong Byeokgi was planning exactly what Ilmyeong had anticipated.

Ilmyeong knew that his own sect would not be free from this, either.

How could they not take an interest in the Taiyi Sect's martial arts, which had completely destroyed the Vajra Prajna Palm?

Just then, Moyong Seol looked behind her.

Following her, Seo Saryeong and Hwangbo Yeon also looked behind.

Soon, a young man walked in over the wall, carrying bundles in both hands.

"Young Master... Jin..."

At Moyong Seol's words, Jong Byeokgi and Hwa Jeongsan's eyes sharpened.

Jong Byeokgi pleaded with Tang Seo-hui to release his paralysis acupoint, but she only watched Jin Sowoon silently.

"I have come because the Sect Leader asked me to inquire if there is anything causing you discomfort."

There was a smile on his face, and his attitude was confident.

He looked as if he had completely forgotten about the desperate sparring match from just a day ago.

Ilmyeong also stepped forward a few paces with a smile on his lips.

"Thanks to you, we are resting very comfortably. I'm not sure if we are being an unnecessary nuisance."

"Would welcoming the Dragon-Phoenix Summit not be an honor for any martial arts sect? Though you cannot stay for long, please rest comfortably during your time here."

At Jin Sowoon's words, the eyes of the Dragon-Phoenix Summit members trembled violently.

Hadn't he fought too desperately to be speaking so nonchalantly like that?

"Are you alright, young hero?"

"I, too, am aching all over. As expected, Mount Hua's sword is incomparably fierce."

"..."

Hwa Jeongsan glared fiercely at Jin Sowoon.

Jong Byeokgi next to him was also glaring with a stiff body, but it looked more comical than frightening.

"I apologize to Monk Ilmyeong, but I have brought some grain tea."

*Grain tea* refers to liquor in monk slang.

"Hoho, grain tea, you say?"

"One of my junior disciples is a child of Wangga Manor, and I asked her to procure some Golden Powder Fine Liquor."

Golden Powder Fine Liquor was a precious alcohol produced directly by Wangga Manor. Although it was a specialty of Hefei, it was difficult for just anyone to taste.

When he untied the bundle, five elaborately decorated liquor bottles emerged from inside.

"... Since you have come all the way here, I thought you should at least have a little taste of the local specialty."

"Thank you. I won't be able to drink it, but the others will surely enjoy it. We truly owe the Taiyi Sect in many ways."

"Don't mention it. Are we not all comrades gathered under the banner of the Murim Alliance? Hahahaha."

Sowoon let out a hearty laugh, but not a single one of the men could laugh.

It was largely due to the feeling that they had been pushed back by Sowoon, who was several years younger.

On the other hand, the eyes of the women looking at Sowoon sparkled.

"Young Master Jin, how can you be so strong? I was incredibly surprised by the fact that the Taiyi Sect's martial arts were at that level."

As Soul-Stealing Xi Shi Seo Saryeong spoke in a warm tone like spring flowers, Jong Byeokgi wore an "oh crap" expression.

Soul-Stealing Xi Shi Seo Saryeong was subtly conveying her intention to step out of this matter.

"..."

Furthermore, she had even given Jin Sowoon the opportunity to talk about his martial arts.

Sure enough, Jin Sowoon did not miss that opportunity.

"Actually, I would like to express my gratitude to Great Warrior Hwa regarding that part."

People tilted their heads in confusion.

"..."

"To be honest, although we had painstakingly recovered our Great Martial Ancestor's martial arts, we had been worrying about how to announce this to the world. We could have just declared it publicly, but we didn't know what kind of disputes we might get swept up in if we did. Just like today."

Ilmyeong's mouth slowly dropped open in surprise.

"But then, Great Warrior Hwa Jeongsan conveniently said, 'I want to see the Taiyi Sword Emperor's sword forms,' which gave us a great opportunity."

"T-That's... Ahem."

Hwa Jeongsan couldn't say anything.

Because the moment he revealed that his original intention was mockery, the one who would plummet in standing would be Hwa Jeongsan himself.

"Therefore, there were times when I pushed too hard, and it is also true that the Great Warrior suffered injuries because of it. Thus, the Sect Leader is greatly concerned about having injured a benefactor."

At the word 'benefactor,' Hwa Jeongsan's face flushed red.

Ilmyeong was watching Jin Sowoon casually throwing around such words as if observing a fascinating creature.

Jin Sowoon approached Hwa Jeongsan.

Then, he set down the small bundle in his other hand and pushed it toward Hwa Jeongsan.

"... What is this?"

"We are such a small sect that we have no spiritual elixirs or items to restore vitality within the sect. This is in exchange for that."

"... Hmph, no matter what the Taiyi Sect prepared..."

Hwa Jeongsan's expression, who was grumbling as he roughly opened the bundle, began to turn strange.

When he opened the antique treasure box, a plum blossom tree carved out of ox horn and gold emerged from within.

It was to the point where Seo Saryeong's eyes, who usually wore a lot of extravagant gold and silver jewelry, shot wide open.

"Hah..."

"It is an item I happened to acquire a few months ago, and I believe it was perhaps meant to forge a connection like this. I hope Great Warrior Hwa Jeongsan can use this to procure a spiritual elixir for your recovery."

"... Connection?"

"You might not know this, but the former Hall Leader of our Busaeng Hall was a lay disciple of the Mount Hua Sect. In the end, Mount Hua's Dao went round and round and reached our Taiyi Sect as well."

"..."

"Since I committed such a blunder in the midst of that, how sorrowful must our Sect Leader's heart have been."

Hwa Jeongsan was already at a loss for words, and Jong Byeokgi's face, who had been watching with a stiffened body beside him, turned blotchy.

"Hwa Jeongsan, return that kind of trash. Why should we forgive them over something like that?"

At Jong Byeokgi's words, Hwa Jeongsan glared at him with sharp eyes.

"... Keep quiet!"

"What?!"

"Isn't it because you needlessly interfered that things blew up this big!"

Jong Byeokgi's face flushed impossibly red.

"Hah!"

Furthermore, Jin Sowoon had a massive backer named Moyong Gang standing firmly right behind him.

Between his eccentric personality, highly profound martial arts, and massive family, the risk of turning him into an enemy was far too great compared to the investment.

Perhaps the reason Hwa Jeongsan had been quiet up until now was because he had been plotting a way out.

Jong Byeokgi glared at Jin Sowoon with spiteful eyes.

"Brat! Don't think it ends here!"

At that, Jin Sowoon also stared back at Jong Byeokgi with cold eyes.

"That is what I want to say as well. The Taiyi Sect will remember today's events for a long, long time."

"I am Jong Byeokgi of Mount Cangshan! Do you think I'd be scared!"

"... You should be scared. Since Senior Moyong Gang said he would take you with him."

"Urk! W-What does that...!"

"Shouldn't you pay the price for interrupting his eccentric journey? Oh right, he also said he would be sending a letter to the Sect Leader of the Mount Cangshan Sect. You had better be prepared for disciplinary action when you return."

Jong Byeokgi's face turned a sickly yellow, and a sigh of relief escaped Hwa Jeongsan's mouth.

"... Could you tell your Sect Leader that I am reflecting on the rude behavior this junior showed?"

At Hwa Jeongsan's words, Jong Byeokgi and the Dragon-Phoenix Summit members were appalled.

"Didn't I tell you? He is actually thankful. Didn't you say that the expert Mount Hua's New Plum Blossom Sword admires the most is the Taiyi Sword Emperor?"

"Ahem... I did."

"What greater praise could there be for the Taiyi Sect?"

"Ahem... You're too kind. After seeing your sword forms, I have also become certain that my thoughts all this time were correct."

Seeing Hwa Jeongsan shamelessly chatting and laughing with Jin Sowoon, Jong Byeokgi's face grew increasingly bizarre.

And Ilmyeong, who had observed this entire series of events, had to feel a chilling emotion in his chest.

'What a terrifying... person.'

The side of Jin Sowoon shown during the sparring match wasn't simply to display the recovered true inheritance.

He had looked as if he were facing his sworn mortal enemy.

The tenacity with which he sought to see blood to the very end.

Yet, he was now plausibly lying that such behavior hadn't been genuine.

Thanks to Moyong Gang, it was safe to assume that the relationship between the Dragon-Phoenix Summit and the Taiyi Sect would have no issues.

The issue ultimately lay with the biggest victims of the incident, Mount Cangshan and Mount Hua. But rather than compensating both of them, he had only given a generous compensation to Mount Hua while even bringing up a past connection.

Because of this, Hwa Jeongsan had no choice but to let go of his grudge against Jin Sowoon, and Jong Byeokgi, left all alone, ended up exacerbating his own faults instead of gaining any justification.

'His martial arts were nothing to sneeze at, but his scheming is even more outstanding.'

What was amazing about Yong So-ah was that he possessed unsurpassable talent. However, he was not a terrifying existence.

Because Yong So-ah could not become a politician, he was not an opponent to be feared.

On the other hand, Jin Sowoon had a deep scheming mind capable of playing people like pawns.

'In the future, Jianghu will be greatly shaken because of the Taiyi Sect... no, because of that young man.'

Jin Sowoon looked at the Dragon-Phoenix Summit members with a relaxed face once again and said.

"Then please rest comfortably. I will be heading back now."

Just as Jin Sowoon was about to turn around.

"You must stop for a moment."

Tang Seo-hui called out to Jin Sowoon, and the people of the Dragon-Phoenix Summit stared at her with wide eyes.

Because she never initiated conversation with strangers she was seeing for the first time.

"You have unfinished business to settle with me."

"Ah... You mean that."

Jin Sowoon made an awkward expression for the first time.

"I have decided to just let the Golden Dragon Hidden Weapon matter slide. There was Lord Divine Sword's letter, and what happened today was also meant as an apology."

These were stories the Dragon-Phoenix Summit knew nothing about.

One thing that was certain was that it showed Tang Seo-hui also had no intention of stepping forward alongside Jong Byeokgi.

"Th-Thank you."

"Instead, you must spar with me next time."

"!!"

Tang Seo-hui asking for a sparring match was an expression of her interest.

"Do you mean today?"

"Today is not a good time."

Having no way to know that, Jin Sowoon simply nodded lightly.

"Please teach me a move someday."

"Then it's a promise."

With that, Jin Sowoon went out the door.

"I will be going now too."

Moyong Seol stepped out without waiting for an answer. Anyone could see she was following Jin Sowoon.

"Oh my, did our Seol have such a proactive side to her?"

Seo Saryeong giggled while covering her red lips.

"... This is truly embarrassing in many ways."

"..."

"..."

The men of the Dragon-Phoenix Summit, who had nothing to envy in the world, clamped their mouths shut at the strange sense of defeat they were experiencing for the first time in their lives.