Chapter 9 - A Third-Rate Warrior Defending His Sect's Honor (3)

Seong Moran was accumulating fatigue as she greeted guests.

"Haha, Young Lady! Your beauty is as outstanding as the rumors say!"

"You rival Xi Shi herself. Your father must be very pleased."

"The instant you walked in, Young Lady, I thought the sun had already risen."

Countless men were showing excessive interest.

"I've heard the young lady's sword is incredibly sharp. May I perhaps take a look at it for you later?"

"I also have a deep understanding of the sword, so how about we discuss swordsmanship (論劍) over a cup of tea later?"

"How about coming to our family as an exchange disciple? I could speak to my grandfather..."

They swaggered as if they possessed incredible skill.

"Greenhouse plants who haven't even experienced a single real battle."

Was it possible for them to swagger like that based solely on their own skills?

Would it truly be possible without the protection of their sects or the investments of their families?

At the very least, she did not think they were like her, who had climbed to this position without receiving anything from her family.

Of course, she couldn't express those thoughts.

Seong Moran remembered how grotesquely Seong Mohyeon's face had contorted when he failed to overwhelm her in a sparring match, and how concerned the eyes of the family elders had been, so she didn't cause any unnecessary trouble.

"Forget real warriors, there aren't even any decent men."

It was boring.

She was forcing herself to endure it because of her mother, who was endlessly nagging about the family's face and whatnot, but it was incredibly boring.

Her father, her grandfather, and even Seong Mohyeon seemed to be plotting something, but they hadn't told her about it, and she didn't have much interest anyway.

'It's probably about the 108 Peaks or whatever.'

To think that all the men could talk about when they gathered was conspiracy.

They should rather have a fiery duel instead. Hadn't it already been a while since they overwhelmingly surpassed the Taiyi Sect's strength?

If they showed the difference in strength and embraced their opponent fair and square, at least they would look like proper warriors.

"How dull."

It was a great shame that Lady Seonhwa hadn't been able to attend the banquet.

At least if she were here, it wouldn't have been this boring.

"She's probably overwhelmed right now."

She had heard that Namgung San, who had attended the 60th birthday banquet in Lady Seonhwa's place, was hosting a party, but she had no desire to attend.

Even if she went, it would just be filled with people anxious to flatter the Namgung Clan and the Iron Sword Sect anyway.

She had heard enough praise and flattery to last her a while.

"Young Lady! Young Lady!"

A maid was looking for Seong Moran.

"Oops."

Knowing what her purpose was, Seong Moran lightly kicked off the ground and landed silently on the roof.

"Where did she go?"

The maid, reaching the spot where Seong Moran had been just moments ago, was still turning her head and looking for her.

"The Young Master is looking for you. Young Lady! Young Lady!"

Only after the maid disappeared did Seong Moran let out a small sigh.

"Ugh..."

The moment she, who hadn't been able to stretch properly while playing the part of a demure young lady, stretched refreshingly.

Her eyes locked onto a man and a woman between the pavilions.

It was none other than Gye Cheolyeong and the young lady of the Taiyi Sect.

"Hmm... Are just the two of them going?"

Seong Moran recalled the man named Jin Sowoon she had seen earlier in the day.

His internal power clearly seemed meager, and there were no marks on his temple acupoints.

Even though his personal martial arts seemed incredibly meager, he had instantly subdued that Juk-yeom whatever-his-name-was from Cheongjokbo.

"It's fascinating."

The single move he showed back then wasn't the only fascinating thing.

A person's attitude is determined by what they possess.

A person with a solid family background naturally straightens their shoulders, while someone without one bows their waist.

A person who has achieved mastery through their own efforts, regardless of background, can also have a confident attitude.

But the man named Jin Sowoon had the Taiyi Sect as his background, and he was too young to have achieved mastery.

On top of that, he had the eloquence to logically counter every word from her father, Seong Jutak, and leave him speechless.

"Was he not very afraid of the Iron Sword Sect?"

As she thought that, she suddenly jumped up from her spot.

"This should be fun."

It felt like the boring banquet was suddenly going to become enjoyable.

Seong Moran lightly kicked off the roof and flew through the night sky.

* * *

"... Isn't it a bit strange?"

Kang Chaeseok, who had entrusted Jin Sowoon with an important mission, spoke to Jin Taesan as he changed his clothes.

"Hmm... It is a bit strange. The seating in the dining hall, the guest rooms."

"No, no, not that, I'm talking about Jin Sowoon. Your son."

"Sowoon?"

"No, isn't he a bit strange? You saw it earlier too, didn't you? Keeping his head held high and beating Seong Jutak with words right in front of him. It hurt me just watching it."

"..."

"And come to think of it, starting from the incident with Gye Yeonseung, it seems like he's strangely become a different person lately."

"... You know it too. Sowoon's special talent. He must have remembered things he read in books before."

"Then what about Gye Yeonseung? How did he beat him?"

"Didn't he say it was a simple battle of martial moves? Since he can memorize everything just by seeing it once, wouldn't he have found some kind of method?"

Kang Chaeseok, who had been listening to Jin Taesan's words, pondered and tilted his head.

"The Mount Hua Sect's Plum Blossom Swordsmanship?"

"..."

"Can a weakness be found just by looking at it? Besides, they said he used the Lesser Heaven Sword Technique, didn't they?"

"... I don't know about that."

"By any chance."

Kang Chaeseok unconsciously lowered his voice.

"Could Sowoon be training something on his own?"

"??"

Jin Taesan's face was full of questions. To think that playboy of a son was training.

"No, I'm talking about that part. The way he wanders around the mountains and rivers day in and day out... I'm saying, couldn't that perhaps be for personal training? If he used that memory of his to run thousands of imaginary sparring matches to defeat the Plum Blossom Swordsmanship..."

Sowoon's memory transcended common sense.

Perhaps it might be possible, just as Kang Chaeseok said.

"Heh."

What nonsense.

Because of his brilliant mind from a young age, Sowoon had learned easily without much effort, and as a result, laziness had taken root in his body.

He memorized books just by looking at them once, and could mimic martial moves just by roughly watching them, so Jin Taesan thought that laziness might just be his fate.

However, Kang Chaeseok seemed to think a bit differently.

"Think about it. What was the condition when he made a bet with that guy Gye Yeonseung? Wasn't it graduating from Busaeng Hall?"

"..."

"Since he doesn't have to go to Busaeng Hall, you said he's been roaming around and not coming home for days, right?"

"..."

"And I watched him from behind the whole way to the Iron Sword Sect, and his physique has changed a little."

Though Jin Taesan found it hard to believe, he began to get drawn into Kang Chaeseok's story.

"In my opinion, I think he might be harboring an immense rage."

"Rage?"

"Yeah. How much has the hierarchy been ruined since Gye Cheolyeong entered the Taiyi Sect? Not to mention how much Gye Cheolyeong bullies the junior brothers, both openly and secretly. On top of that, since it's practically been decided that Gye Cheolyeong will be the one going to the Murim Academy later on, wouldn't he be angry?"

It was something he had never considered before.

"And earlier too. Seong Jutak. I hate to admit it, but he's still an expert who has reached the Peak Realm. No matter how much he isn't emitting his aura, is it easy for a kid at Sowoon's level to look him in the eye without trembling?"

Jin Taesan, who had been listening to Kang Chaeseok's story for a while, shook his head and spoke.

"Those are the things I'm worried about. To survive on boldness alone, Murim is far too harsh for the Taiyi Sect."

"Tsk, tsk. You've gotten old now, too. The will to move forward. The courage to take a step away from fear. In the end, aren't those the things that come together to raise the Taiyi Sect up again?"

At Kang Chaeseok's words, Jin Taesan was speechless for a long time.

He merely chewed over the words Kang Chaeseok had said a few times.

"I'm back."

Jin Sowoon appeared carrying a large bundle in one hand.

Kang Chaeseok suddenly yelled out.

"You foolish brat. Why is the guy who's going to lead the Taiyi Sect wasting so much time on such an important mission?"

"What are you suddenly talking about? Lead what? And how does this even count as a mission?"

Jin Sowoon had snuck into the kitchen and was in the middle of bringing out a few bottles of precious alcohol that wouldn't be served on the regular banquet tables.

"This is all part of an important process to gauge the financial power of the Iron Sword Sect."

Kang Chaeseok hurriedly approached Jin Sowoon and snatched the bundle away, practically tearing it from his hands, before stopping dead in his tracks and staring at him.

SNIFF, SNIFF.

"... Ahem. Ugh, it's stuffy. I'm going to get some fresh air..."

"Did you drink alcohol?"

"Is that something you should say to a disciple who risked his life to gather information? I spilled a little while bringing the alcohol back."

Kang Chaeseok tightly grabbed the nape of Jin Sowoon's neck as he tried to leave.

"Say 'Haaa'."

"How could I thrust my filthy mouth toward the dragon-like visage of the sky-high Hall Leader of Kwaehwa Hall?"

Kang Chaeseok's head turned stiffly.

"Taesan, forget what I just said. I saw him wrong."

"What are you talking about? Was it perhaps an important sto— Aaagh! Aaagh!"

While Jin Sowoon was unable to escape Kang Chaeseok's rough hands, someone knocked on the pavilion's door.

KNOCK, KNOCK.

Kang Chaeseok and Jin Sowoon's eyes met, and the two of them began to move like lightning.

Kang Chaeseok hid the alcohol inside the bedding, and Jin Sowoon hid the bundle out of sight.

"Lady Moran?"

When he opened the door, the person who appeared in front of it wasn't a manager or servant of the Iron Sword Sect, but the Beautiful Wolf Iron Sword, Seong Moran.

"What brings you here this late at night?"

"The young rising stars of Anhui Province have prepared a banquet together. I thought it would be nice if you participated."

Jin Sowoon looked back at Jin Taesan, and Jin Taesan shook his head.

"Thank you, but since we walked all day, our minds and bodies are exhausted, so it would be better to have this gathering another time."

At Jin Sowoon's refusal, Seong Moran paused for a moment before speaking.

"... Will you be alright with that? It seems Lady Hong has already gone there."

The gazes of Jin Sowoon, Jin Taesan, and Kang Chaeseok tangled together.

* * *

Hahaha.

Hohoho.

Laughter overflowed in the banquet hall.

As if the beautiful men and women had something to be happy about, the sound of their laughter never ceased.

However, the face of Saryeon, who was the only one wearing martial robes among the silk clothes, was stiffly frozen.

She had been prepared for this.

That she wouldn't be treated well anywhere she went...

No, that she would be lucky just not to be ignored and mocked.

Because she had prepared herself for that, she attended this gathering.

Out of a slight sliver of hope that they would at least show minimum courtesy in front of her, the child of a Sect Leader.

"Actually, as a sword wielder, it has been my dream to witness the sword of the Taiyi Sword Emperor. Could you set up an appointment with the Sect Leader for me sometime?"

"..."

The words coming from the mouth of the man draped in jade-colored silk were not as beautiful as his clothes.

"Hey now, you! Don't tease her too much."

It seemed like someone was trying to stop him from one side, but...

"Isn't that Taiyi Sword Emperor stuff all just a made-up story to get into the 108 Peaks?"

"Hoh! Is that so?"

Exaggerated and absurd actions.

At those gestures, the women in palace dresses covered their mouths and smiled.

"No, but can you even get into the 108 Peaks with a story like that in the first place?"

"The story is very realistic, isn't it? It must have been pretty convincing for them to get in."

Stories that would have been no problem if they were told where the person involved wasn't present.

"..."

It was what she had prepared for.

"Stop it, you guys, Lady Hong will feel embarrassed."

The one who had teased her the most was the first to step forward and stop them.

"My apologies, Lady Hong. As men, our jokes go a bit too far."

On one hand, she thought it was fortunate.

Because Senior Brother Sowoon probably wouldn't have been able to tolerate this.

He might have been furious and gotten angry.

He might have been beaten up for acting up like that.

'But how did he beat Senior Brother Cheolyeong?'

Suddenly having a distracted thought made her feel a little more at ease.

Somehow, it felt like she could endure it more comfortably.

It was a real relief.

It was a real relief that she had come instead of Senior Brother Sowoon.

Instead of answering, Saryeon formed a smile on her lips.