Chapter 140

Gong Ilhyuk of the Three Hands of Zhongnan stared dubiously at the young man before him.

What’s with this guy?

Jin Taekyung, the Sleeping Dragon of Shanxi. He was the driving force behind a whirlwind that had quietly spread his name as far as Shaanxi in the span of only a few months.

Gong Ilhyuk mulled over what Jin Taekyung had said.

“The Reign…” What was it?

It definitely seemed as though he had been about to say something before stopping himself.

Unlike his enthusiastic reaction when he first heard the name of the Zhongnan Sect, he now looked completely deflated and let out one deep sigh after another.

“Whew.”

“…What’s with the sighing?”

“It’s nothing. Really.”

“What do you mean, nothing? Go on. Finish what you were saying.”

Gong Ilhyuk was beginning to feel irritated. What kind of sect was his? It was none other than the famous Zhongnan Sect.

It was one of the great pillars of Murim, a sect that had proudly earned its place among the Nine Sects and One Gang on the strength of centuries of history and deeply rooted martial traditions.

And yet…

Instead of being grateful that I acknowledged him, he sighs?

No matter how successful the Jin Family of Taiyuan had become, it was still merely a family from the frontier.

Compared to the Zhongnan Sect, one of the Nine Sects and One Gang, it was a firefly before the sun. In both background and personal fame, Jin Taekyung was an insignificant greenhorn far beneath him.

Arrogant bastard.

Gong Ilhyuk had spent his entire life taking pride in being a disciple of the Zhongnan Sect. Naturally, he was offended.

The other two members of the Three Hands of Zhongnan also regarded Jin Taekyung with displeasure.

“Ahem.”

“Young friend, you have a habit of stopping halfway when you speak.”

As the atmosphere grew increasingly sour, Jin Taekyung waved a hand.

“No, it’s not like that. I just misunderstood something on my own.”

Gong Ilhyuk forced himself to speak magnanimously.

“What did you misunderstand? Tell me. I’ll answer everything.”

“It’s really nothing…”

“Ah, just tell me!”

“Huh? Why are you shouting?”

Gong Ilhyuk took a deep breath.

He was almost forty years old. Yet here he was, getting worked up over a brat barely twenty.

For some reason, just looking at that handsome face got under his skin.

“It’s not that… Whew. Anyway, tell me.”

“Hmm.”

Jin Taekyung finally spoke, as though he had no other choice.

“Then may I ask you one thing?”

“Anything.”

“What is the name of the current chairman of the Zhongnan Sect—or rather, the Sect Leader?”

“Hm? You mean the Sect Leader’s name?”

“Yes.”

What kind of question was that? Puzzled, Gong Ilhyuk answered.

“His family name is Gong. His given name is Iljung.”

“Ah. Yes.”

His indifferent response made it sound as though he had no idea who that was. Veins bulged on the foreheads of all three men.

“Have you never heard the Sect Leader’s name?”

Jin Taekyung scratched the back of his head.

“I might have. Or maybe not…”

“…Then what about his title, the Wind-and-Cloud Sword Lord?”

“Wind-and-Cloud Sword Lord Gong Iljung. Wind-and-Cloud Sword Lord Gong Iljung… Hmm. Doesn’t ring a bell.”

It was beyond absurd.

The Sect Leaders and Family Heads of the Nine Sects and One Gang and the Five Great Families were all renowned masters whose names resounded throughout the world. No martial artist could possibly be unaware of them.

Yet this fellow, a member of the Jin Family of Taiyuan rather than some half-baked martial artist, didn’t even know the Sect Leader of the Zhongnan Sect.

Worse, he casually repeated the man’s name as though they were friends.

Is this bastard mocking the Zhongnan Sect?

Gong Ilhyuk’s head was still reeling from the shock when Jin Taekyung suddenly looked up at him.

“Oh? Come to think of it, your names are similar. Gong Iljung, Gong Ilhyuk.”

At least he had some basic social awareness. Gong Ilhyuk’s irritation eased slightly.

“He’s an elder of my family.”

“Oh, a family elder! Then are you two…?”

“He’s my father’s cousin.”

“Your father’s cousin!”

Seeing Jin Taekyung’s eyes widen, Gong Ilhyuk squared his shoulders.

It wasn’t just anyone. He was the Wind-and-Cloud Sword Lord. Being related to the Sect Leader of the Zhongnan Sect was an immense honor.

“Ahem. Don’t spread it around too much. If this became widely known, people would start treating me differently.”

In truth, no one wanted that fact widely known more than Gong Ilhyuk himself.

He had enjoyed all manner of benefits by invoking the Wind-and-Cloud Sword Lord’s name: superior martial arts, elixirs, and even the title of Three Hands of Zhongnan.

If he continued advancing at this rate, it was only a matter of time before he seized an important position within the Zhongnan Sect.

“You understand what I mean, don’t you? If you truly must tell someone, limit it to a few close friends…”

Jin Taekyung waved him off.

“No way. I’d never tell anyone. It would obviously hurt Great Hero Gong’s reputation. People would say, ‘That bastard only made it this far because of his connections.’ Oops. Sorry. Anyway, that kind of rumor would be troublesome, wouldn’t it?”

Gong Ilhyuk gave a dry cough. Even he had to admit that the boy wasn’t entirely wrong.

“Ahem. It’s not as though it would hurt me that much. I only meant that there might be people who are curious about me…”

“Curious about you? I don’t have a single friend, so there’s no one I could tell.”

“…Your eldest brother, the Lesser Family Head of the Jin Family, might be curious. Or Young Hero Heaven Shaking Sword.”

“Oh, you don’t know much about my family situation. My eldest brother is incredibly busy right now. My second brother isn’t interested in much besides martial arts.”

“…Is that so?”

“Yes.”

There was nothing more Gong Ilhyuk could say.

As Gong Ilhyuk continued giving irritated coughs, Jin Taekyung smiled brightly.

“Besides, what would be the point of telling anyone? If he’s only your father’s cousin, you’re practically strangers. Here I thought you might be father and son or something.”

“……!”

Nothing in the world was more exhilarating than screwing someone over with a smile.

It was especially satisfying with arrogant bastards. Land the blow properly, and the rush was twice as sweet.

Ah, I could get addicted to this.

The Three Hands of Zhongnan, was it?

I hadn’t liked them from the start. Not the way they looked down on everyone, nor the way they strutted around because they belonged to some great sect.

So it really is different from the novel.

Back in high school, I’d dreamed of becoming a disciple of the Zhongnan Sect.

But as expected, reality was a cesspool.

I held back my laughter as I watched Gong Ilhyuk’s fists tremble.

Cute bastard. He’s so much fun to tease.

I wanted to keep going, but this was probably enough. If the Jin Family of Taiyuan was a local player, these guys were national-level. Nothing good would come of picking a fight with them.

Fortunately, a voice suddenly cut in and lightened the atmosphere.

“Aren’t you gentlemen monopolizing the conversation a little? The other guests must feel lonely. We haven’t even finished the introductions.”

The nasal, lilting voice gave me goose bumps once.

Then the pretty middle-aged man looked at me and winked, giving me goose bumps all over again.

“I haven’t introduced myself yet, have I? I’m Hong Jin, the Deputy Military Commissioner of Shanxi Province.”

“Deputy Military… what?”

“The Deputy Military Commissioner. Ah, you’re a martial artist, so I suppose this is your first time hearing of the office?”

“Yes.”

I’d heard of Comrade Chairman, but Comrade Deputy Military Commissioner was a new one.

Hong Jin giggled as he looked at me blinking.

Good heavens. A middle-aged man was giggling.

“Why that expression? Did something bad happen?”

“…No. I’m just so happy.”

“Happy? Ho ho ho, you’re adorable. Don’t you agree, Assistant Commissioner Li?”

He called me cute. Fuck, that bastard called me cute.

I barely managed to suppress my nausea as the man I had glimpsed earlier greeted me bluntly.

“I am Li Feng, Assistant Military Commissioner of Shanxi Province. I oversee the training of the soldiers attached to the Shanxi Provincial Office.”

“And he’s my direct subordinate. Isn’t that right, Assistant Commissioner Li?”

Li Feng’s thick eyebrow twitched.

We had known each other for less than five minutes, but I already knew one thing.

Li Feng hated Hong Jin.

That alone made him worthy of courtesy. I offered him a respectful fist-and-palm salute.

“My name is Jin Taekyung of the Jin Family of Taiyuan.”

“I have heard much of your reputation. A great new star has risen in the martial world of Shanxi.”

“A new star? You flatter me.”

Li Feng shook his head gravely.

“No. Rumors are often exaggerated, but after seeing Young Hero Jin today, I can tell they were all true.”

Kind words deserved kind words in return.

I brought up the soldiers I had seen on the way here.

“I was surprised by how skilled the soldiers were. I wondered who had trained them, but I suppose it was only natural that it would be you.”

I gave him a firm thumbs-up, and a smile flickered across Li Feng’s lips.

It had been so long since I’d had a normal, pleasant conversation that I was almost moved.

“If it would not be discourteous, could you introduce the others as well?”

“Of course. This is…”

“Greetings! To the respected Seniors of Murim and those who toil day and night for the sake of the nation…”

“……”

What was this, a job interview at a conglomerate?

The young prodigies of the Five Gates of Shanxi had been waiting for their chance. They fell over one another to deliver extravagant introductions and lavish everyone with flattery.

That left only one person.

“All right. Junior, where are you from, and who are you?”

At Gong Ilhyuk’s question, delivered with all the smugness of someone high on his seniority, Cheongpung blinked.

“Me?”

“Who else would I mean?”

“One, two, three, four… There are plenty of people besides me.”

A vein bulged on Gong Ilhyuk’s forehead.

“Not that! You’re the only one who hasn’t introduced himself!”

“Oh, I see. You called me Junior, so I didn’t think you meant me.”

“Good heavens! In Murim, we all share the same path! We’re all seniors and juniors to one another. How do you not know that?”

If it had been me, I would have laid the sarcasm on thick.

But Cheongpung was Cheongpung.

He was in a different class from ordinary people.

“Wow, I’ve never been anyone’s junior before! Please take good care of me!”

“…What kind of person is this?”

Sometimes, a pure child was much harder to deal with than an adult who had been properly tainted by the world.

Cheongpung spoke with a bright smile.

“My name is Cheongpung, and I live in Shanxi.”

Gong Ilhyuk had been left speechless, but he finally came to his senses and stammered out a question.

“Ahem. Then you must also be one of the young prodigies of the Five Gates of Shanxi.”

“Huh? No.”

“You’re not?”

“No. I came from Henan.”

“You just said you were from Shanxi.”

“I live in Shanxi, so that makes me a Shanxi man. Hehe.”

“You… Whew.”

A furrow appeared in Gong Ilhyuk’s forehead.

He clearly wanted to throw a punch right then and there, but the occasion forced him to hold himself back.

“Fine. Then which sect in Henan are you from? The Iron Blood Sect? The Five Tigers Sword Sect?”

“Where are those?”

“You’re from Henan, yet you’ve never heard of the Iron Blood Sect or the Five Tigers Sword Sect? How does that make any sense? What, are you from Shaolin Temple?”

“Oh, I only stayed in Henan for about two weeks before moving to Shanxi, so I don’t know much about it.”

“You said you were from Henan!”

“I did come from Henan, but before that, I was in Shaanxi…”

“You little bastard! Just say the whole world is your hometown!”

Gong Ilhyuk finally exploded. With a roar, he reached for Cheongpung’s collar—or tried to.

Grab.

His wrist was caught with absurd ease.

Gong Ilhyuk let out a hollow laugh.

“Well, look at you. You know at least one trick, huh?”

“Ah, I just reacted on instinct. I’m sorry, Senior.”

“On instinct? And you’re apologizing?”

Seeing Cheongpung apologize with a miserable expression, Gong Ilhyuk gave a short laugh.

“No. There’s no need to let go. No need to apologize, either.”

“Really?”

“Yes. But you’ll pay dearly for your reckless bravado.”

“What? What does that mean?”

“You’re about to find out.”

I stepped in at that exact moment.

I threw myself in front of Cheongpung, and Gong Ilhyuk regarded me coldly.

“Move aside, Junior.”

“Pardon me, Senior.”

“Pardon you… Should I take this to mean the Jin Family of Taiyuan intends to oppose the actions of our sect?”

I answered calmly.

“Not at all. I only want to stop this from becoming a bigger problem.”

“A problem? What problem?”

“His Highness will be arriving soon, won’t he? And there are plenty of eyes on us.”

“Plenty of eyes. Deputy Military Commissioner, what do you think?”

I could see Hong Jin smiling behind Gong Ilhyuk.

His lilting voice followed.

“Well, I don’t think it will be much of a problem.”

Li Feng immediately objected.

“This is the grand hall. We cannot tolerate even a minor disturbance.”

“Assistant Commissioner Li, I find the word ‘tolerate’ unpleasant. Anyone listening might think you were my superior.”

“Deputy Military Commissioner!”

“Why, Assistant Military Commissioner?”

No sooner had Hong Jin finished speaking than the other two members of the Three Hands of Zhongnan quietly stepped in front of Li Feng.

True to the Zhongnan Sect’s reputation, both were at least advanced First Rate masters.

Li Feng bit down hard on his lip, then looked at me and muttered,

“I’m sorry.”

Gong Ilhyuk smiled triumphantly.

“Well? What will you do now?”

What else could I do?

I shrugged once and stepped back. Gong Ilhyuk’s smile deepened.

“A wise choice.”

“I only wanted to prevent the problem from getting bigger. You understand, right?”

“Of course. Everyone here will remember it clearly.”

“I hope so.”

Cheongpung stared blankly at me.

“Benefactor, did I do something wrong?”

Gong Ilhyuk answered before I could.

“What? Wrong?”

His murderous gaze swung toward Cheongpung.

“Are you insulting me and the Zhongnan Sect right now?”

“That’s not it. I was just…”

“Can’t you shut that mouth of yours?”

A complicated, subtle expression appeared on Cheongpung’s face.

Then he said the one thing more than enough to make Gong Ilhyuk lose his reason.

“Wow, no one’s ever sworn at me before. This is fascinating.”

“You goddamn bastard…!”

Whoosh!

A heavy sound split the air.

Gong Ilhyuk’s fist shot toward Cheongpung’s ribs at blinding speed.

Then—

Crack. Crunch.

“……!”

“……!”

Amid the stunned silence, one man’s mouth fell open in agony.

His fist had been crushed. Bone jutted through the torn flesh of his forearm, and Gong Ilhyuk, drenched in blood, asked in a trembling voice,

“Wh-what is this? What kind of fist technique…?”

If he hadn’t asked, I would have.

I had expected this result, but not to this extent.

With a single counter, Cheongpung had rendered Gong Ilhyuk, a master above Level 70, completely helpless.

And…

“That wasn’t a fist technique.”

At my mutter, Cheongpung answered with a face that looked ready to vomit.

“Benefactor is right. It wasn’t a fist technique. It was a palm technique called the Taeeul Miri Palm. But Senior, you’re bleeding too much. The smell of blood is making my stomach churn. Urk!”

What a lunatic.

I let out a hollow laugh as Cheongpung flung Gong Ilhyuk aside and began to dry-heave.

That was when—

“Ta-Taeeul Miri Palm!”

Li Feng asked with his eyes wide.

“Did you just say Taeeul Miri Palm? Are you certain?”

“Urk, yes. My grandfather taught me.”

“M-May I ask his name?”

“Urk, Mae Jonghak—bleeegh!”

Splash!

I was shocked that Cheongpung had vomited in the very place where the king was about to arrive, but Li Feng seemed unfazed.

He trembled as though he had been struck by lightning, then squeezed out a single word.

“The Sword Saint…!”