CHAPTER 138: FACE-CHANGING ART (2)

0% The 64-person tournament of the Dragon Phoenix Tournament concluded successfully after several days.

Well, there was a minor incident on the first day... but since nobody died, it could be considered successful.

Thus, 32 participants advanced to the next round.

“Wow, three of our people made it among the thirty-two.”

Chunbong, Namgung Suah, and Namgung Myeong.

All three advanced to the top 32 without issue. Or rather, they advanced too easily.

Namgung Suah and Namgung Myeong’s opponents were martial artists who had come up through the preliminaries, and the gap in skill was painfully obvious to all observers.

Such was the wall between the Sixteen Great Sects and other sects.

Of course, there were some standouts.

“Yang Sohong, was it? She used the spear skillfully.”

At Seojun’s comment, Namgung Myeong nodded.

“She definitely caught my eye. She wasn’t inferior even compared to disciples from the Sixteen Great Sects.”

“Is she from a famous sect?”

“No, I heard she’s from a small sect in Hunan.”

“Oh. Seems like she’s inherently strong.”

Perhaps the saying about dragons rising from small streams wasn’t entirely unfounded. Though how high this dragon might soar remained to be seen.

Seojun hummed a tune as he walked.

Today, unusually, he had an official schedule.

It was that thing mentioned before—the meeting where the Sixteen Great Sects would gather.

Currently in his group were Namgung Myeong, Pae Jingwang, and Namgung Hyeok.

Though Pae Jingwang wasn’t part of the Sixteen Great Sects, someone of the Fist King’s stature was always included in such gatherings.

His very existence received treatment equivalent to a major sect.

Chunbong could have come if she wished, but she declined, saying it was premature.

She seemed intent on restoring the Geum Clan’s prestige to some extent before participating in such affairs.

The meeting location was Shaolin, same as before.

Arriving with his group at Shaolin’s main gate felt quite unfamiliar.

“Wow, come to think of it, this is the first time I’m entering through the main gate.”

Last time, he had crashed right into the middle of Shaolin, so he hadn’t seen the main entrance. Though he had seen it on the way out.

“Is that something to brag about?”

“Hey, old man, shush.”

Bickering with Pae Jingwang, they sent word of their arrival, and before long a monk came out to greet them.

A familiar face—Hyeun.

“Welcome, benefactor.”

“Oh, Monk Hyeun.”

Seojun grinned at the monk who greeted him with a prayer gesture.

“I saw your duel. You’ve improved a lot.”

“Thanks to you, benefactor. Our previous duel was very helpful.”

Through their previous duel, Hyeun had reached the edge of the Peak Realm.

With just one more step, breaking through the Life and Death Entrance and maintaining the balance of essence-qi-spirit, he could reach the Transcendent Realm.

Though that was the difficult part.

Following behind Hyeun, Seojun exchanged various conversations.

Mostly about how he had turned things upside down with the imperial family last time.

According to Hyeun, the reaction from other sects was not too negative.

The justification had been on Seojun’s side, and he hadn’t beheaded Ju Yangil either.

From a third party’s perspective, despite his clan and master being insulted, he had swallowed his anger for the greater cause of the war against the Black Serpent. He came across as quite the character, apparently.

“Honestly, I was pretty nervous watching that.”

Pae Jingwang shook his head.

“I thought you’d just go crazy and twist all those imperial bastards’ necks.”

“Come on, that’s exaggerating.”

“Haha, with the things you do, you’re no different from a great demonic adept. Don’t talk about exaggeration.”

“What, want to fight?”

“Want to destroy Shaolin again? Count me out.”

“Ugh...!”

While grumbling, they arrived at the meeting hall.

“I’ll see you again soon, benefactor.”

As Hyeun departed, Seojun scratched his head while looking at the building before them.

“Shall we go in first?”

Namgung Hyeok nodded.

“Let’s do that.”

In terms of rank, this was appropriate.

As Namgung Hyeok entered the building first, the meeting hall instantly fell silent.

“...So it’s true that the Azure Sky Great Sea has returned to Namgung.”

Ignoring someone’s muttering, Namgung Hyeok found his seat and sat down.

Seojun also took a seat and surveyed those gathered in the meeting hall.

So many.

Fifteen sects had gathered. (Kunlun Sect couldn’t attend as they were containing the Demonic Cult.) And since each sect had sent multiple representatives, the place was packed.

Moreover, since most attendees were accomplished individuals, the auras they unconsciously emitted were enough to make the meeting hall tremor.

If an ordinary person wandered in unknowingly, wouldn’t they immediately roll their eyes back and collapse?

That guy’s name is Hwangbo... what was it? Hwangbo Jun?

While killing time identifying familiar faces...

All attendees except the Shaolin Abbot, who would preside over the meeting, had arrived.

Among the many present, one person drew the most attention by far. Needless to say, it was Seojun.

The imperial family, in particular, sent the most intense gazes.

Though Ju Yangil wasn’t present (probably because he wasn’t the crown prince), unusually, a middle-aged man in armor stared fixedly at Seojun.

“Do you know who that is?”

When Seojun asked Pae Jingwang, he nodded.

“The imperial Great General.”

“The what?”

“He shouldn’t be weak... but I’m not sure. Never fought him.”

“Hmm. The way he keeps staring, maybe he wants a go?”

“Can you stop causing trouble for once?”

“But...”

With Chunbong absent, this old man is nagging instead.

Seojun grumbled and ignored the Great General’s gaze.

After passing some time, the Shaolin Abbot finally arrived.

“I apologize for the delay.”

Without further explanation, he offered a brief apology and immediately got to the point.

“The Heavenly Demon has moved.”

The murmuring in the meeting hall ceased.

*He realized something.

Meetings really didn’t suit him.

From what Seojun could see, quite a few others seemed to share this sentiment.

Well, most of those here weren’t scholars but sword-wielding martial artists, so it would be stranger if meetings did suit them.

Although... martial artists were mostly strange folk, so there were quite a few who participated enthusiastically in the meeting.

[How long will this take?]

When Seojun sent a transmitted sound to Pae Jingwang, he yawned widely.

[I don’t know either.]

[I want to go home soon.]

[Then go, what’s the problem?]

[Isn’t that obviously a problem...?]

[Namgung Hyeok is here, so it should be fine?]

[Hmm. Fair point.]

Seojun nodded in agreement and blankly surveyed the meeting hall.

How much support to send, what interests were at stake, the relationship between the Demonic Cult and the Black Serpent, power dynamics...

Among those earnestly debating, some leaned back in their chairs with bored expressions, staring into space.

Among them, two familiar faces.

Wolmang of Cheongseong and Hwangbo Jun of the Hwangbo Clan.

Especially Hwangbo Jun. It had been quite a while.

Unable to endure his boredom, Seojun casually sent a transmitted sound.

[Not going to say hello?]

[...What?]

[My, such an insolent bastard. When our eyes met, shouldn’t you greet me?]

At this personality attack, Hwangbo Jun nodded slightly with a strange expression.

Why is he so compliant?

Disappointed, Seojun needled Hwangbo Jun a bit more.

He’d hoped for an angry retort, but unfortunately, Hwangbo Jun didn’t show much reaction.

He didn’t seem like this type of person before. Very disappointing.

Then suddenly, he thought of the children he had met before.

Seo Hyul and Heerin, was it?

After rescuing the kidnapped sister, he had given them a martial art—he wondered if they were practicing it well.

Since Jacheong from the Blue Wind Squad had gone along as an instructor, they should be doing well...

[Heard any news? It’s your territory.]

[...They seem to be doing well.]

[Are you sure? Not just saying whatever?]

[It’s information I heard directly, so it should be accurate. ...Probably.]

[Look at you, saying “probably.”]

As Seojun clicked his tongue, another transmitted sound interjected.

[Instead of just you two playing, how about including this old man?]

Looking toward the source, Seojun saw an old beggar grinning with yellowed teeth.

[Who are you?]

[My, don’t you recognize me at a glance? I’m a beggar.]

[Yes, but which beggar?]

[Remember the name Chui Gugae?]

Chui Gugae? He’d heard the name.

At the battlefield where he met the Qilian Sect Leader. The Transcendent Realm master from the Beggar’s Union who had died before Seojun arrived.

[I’m his peer. Never thought he’d go so easily. Being a Transcendent Realm master and all.]

[Um... may his soul rest in peace...?]

[What’s that nonsense.]

[...Elder, where did you learn such an abbreviation?]

[I heard young people talk like this these days. Is it wrong?]

[Yes, it’s wrong.]

[That’s a shame.]

The old man clicked his tongue, then suddenly revealed his name.

[I am the Red Face Beggar. My name is hardly worth remembering, so just call me Red Face Beggar.]

[Red face? Your face doesn’t look particularly youthful.]

[Well, it’s a title from my youth.]

[Ah, I see.]

[Anyway, I’ve heard a lot about you.]

The Red Face Beggar, apparently bored, held Seojun captive in conversation for quite some time.

He rambled on about how the beggars who had fought alongside Seojun praised him excessively, and how seeing people around him die one by one made him feel his time might be coming soon.

Since the cowardly Hwangbo Jun had slipped away, Seojun was left to face the Red Face Beggar alone.

I want to go home...

What worldly glory had brought him here?

He should’ve just stayed home, pinching Chunbong’s cheeks...

Deep regret washed over him.

*Around the same time, at the Namgung Clan.

The Gold Wine Hall, where the Chief Administrator served as clan head, had recently taken on a strange atmosphere.

It had been a few months since Seojun created two divine arts, and their effects were beginning to show noticeably.

“Hehehe...”

Jin Gawi, the Chief Administrator of the Namgung Clan, smiled strangely.

“...Why do we have excess manpower?”

Of course, he knew the reason.

It was thanks to the Azure Lightning Thunderlight Cultivation Art and the Thirteen Stormflash Swords.

The Azure Lightning Thunderlight Cultivation Art accelerated martial artists’ growth, and the Thirteen Stormflash Swords allowed those below First Rate to wield techniques similar to sword energy.

Currently, the Thirteen Stormflash Swords was showing the greater effect.

Ordinarily, what allowed First Rate martial artists to overwhelmingly dominate Second and Third Rate martial artists was largely sword energy.

Even a Second Rate martial artist could compete with a First Rate one if they could handle sword energy. (In fact, the ability to wield sword energy was what defined First Rate in the first place.)

As a result, not only did the Thirteen Stormflash Swords help people get the feel for sword energy and reach First Rate faster, but immediately, Second Rate martial artists could now perform tasks usually reserved for First Rate martial artists, quickly filling the previously short-handed workforce.

Consequently, the Chief Administrator, who had been racking his brains, also found his workload dramatically reduced.

But Jin Gawi, the paragon of workers, thought a little differently from others.

With his spare time, he started creating work to do.

What can I do for the Young Master?

What kind of reward should he prepare for the Young Master, who had repeatedly declined rewards, saying he needed nothing?

This was truly a difficult question.

The Great Namgung Clan had nothing to offer the Young Master.

He had already learned martial arts up to the Emperor Sword Form, he said he didn’t particularly need spirit pills, and he had no greed for money...

Typical rewards for martial artists ended there, but the Young Master’s situation was a bit different.

Then what could there be...

If he didn’t need anything as a martial artist, then as a man?

Women?

Instantly rejected.

He didn’t want to get stabbed by the Young Lady or the Clan Head.

Rare fine wine?

The Young Master didn’t seem to enjoy alcohol that much.

Is there really nothing I can offer him?

Watching the Chief Administrator pondering blankly, Baek Gyeol, one of the guards, spoke up.

“Chief Administrator, what about a sword?”

“A sword? The Young Master has said he doesn’t particularly need a sword either.”

“Perhaps the Young Master has never used a truly excellent sword?”

“Hmm... According to the Young Lady, that did seem to be the case.”

Come to think of it, a sword seemed the most suitable.

Is it difficult to find a famous sword that would satisfy a Transcendent Realm master?

Lesser major sects might struggle, but this was the Great Namgung Clan. Acquiring a famous sword wasn’t particularly difficult.

A normal famous sword wouldn’t be enough.

Considering the Young Master’s contributions, that was only natural. Such a basic reward wouldn’t satisfy him.

A divine weapon—a famous sword with supernatural powers—would be needed to balance the scales.

Not just a sharp blade, but a divine weapon with magical properties could be helpful even to the Young Master.

Perhaps that would be sufficient reward for his achievement of creating the Heaven-Man Divine Pill Art?

After organizing his thoughts, the Chief Administrator nodded.

“Baek Gyeol, do you know where we might acquire a divine weapon?”

“...That’s not something you can just go out and buy, is it?”

“Well, it’s not impossible for us to acquire one.”

The Chief Administrator casually filled out paperwork and stamped it with a seal.

“First, I’ll get approval from the Clan Head.”

What kind of divine weapon would suit the Young Master?

A demonic sword? Or perhaps something other than a sword entirely?

The possibility of not receiving approval never crossed the Chief Administrator’s mind.