The surroundings were quiet.
The once noisy street was filled only with the sound of breathing.
How did it come to this?
Starting with the sudden appearance of the Sword Dragon and the Hidden Dragon.
The start of the spar was exceedingly abrupt, but...
As the people of Henan, where the Alliance and Shaolin resided, they were accustomed to martial artists, and a tremendous amount of interest was focused on the spar between the two.
Especially since these two were ranked at the top of the Generation of Shooting Stars.
The Hidden Dragon and the Sword Dragon, who were certain to become the representative martial artists of Wudang and Huashan of the Nine Sects One Union in the future.
Furthermore.
When the current Sword King, the Patriarch of the Nangong Family, eventually steps down from his title.
They were expected to fight over the position of the Sword King (劍王) thereafter.
It was a great spectacle for the people on the street.
A show of strength from young masters was always a welcome event, after all.
However.
"...Uh... Uh..."
"What is that...?"
The current situation was enough to shut the mouths of those who were cheering noisily.
"The Hidden Dragon and the Sword Dragon... fell?"
The Sword Dragon and the Hidden Dragon, who had been fighting so well, lost consciousness and collapsed in an instant.
The problem was.
...
..
"What just happened?"
Most people failed to perceive what had occurred.
Just in the fleeting moment when silence suddenly fell.
When the Hidden Dragon and the Sword Dragon stopped, facing each other.
It seemed certain they were about to do something afterwards.
But in an instant, a gust of wind swept through the street.
And the Sword Dragon and the Hidden Dragon rolled on the ground, losing consciousness.
While many were left dumbfounded, one thing was certain.
At the center of the two fallen martial artists.
Someone was standing there.
And circumstantially, he was the one who created this situation.
"How... is that possible?"
"Is that young man also a martial artist...?"
"I've never seen him before."
His identity was also unknown to them.
From his fierce-looking eyes to his somewhat youthful face.
And his deeply crumpled expression.
He had an appearance that made it difficult to easily approach him.
While everyone was confirming the situation in shock.
"Ah!"
Someone among the countless crowd let out a loud exclamation.
"That face...! I've definitely seen it before."
Such a fierce face, hard to look at for long, was not easily forgotten.
Moreover, it was even more so when recalling the deeds that young man committed when he first showed his face in the Central Plains.
"True Dragon (眞龍). That young man is the True Dragon."
"True Dragon? Don't tell me, that True Dragon!?"
The newly emerged martial artist added last to the Six Dragons and Three Phoenixes.
The figure who played with the Thunder Dragon and the Divine Star with an overwhelming difference at the Gathering of Dragons and Phoenixes, reborn as a new rising star.
True Dragon Gu Yang-cheon.
That young man was Gu Yang-cheon.
The problem was.
"E-even if he's the True Dragon..."
"Isn't it just some coincidence?"
No matter how much of a new genius he was, or how much the True Dragon had risen as a star of the shooting stars.
The Hidden Dragon and the Sword Dragon, who had already made a name for themselves as geniuses that would shake the Central Plains.
Could he really bring them down like this?
Because of that, most of them couldn't easily believe it even though they were seeing it right before their eyes.
And, watching this from afar, Gu Jeol-yeop and Mu-yeon.
"Why is he doing that?"
"...He's done it again. It seems the First Young Master is the same when it comes to just acting first and thinking later."
He used to lecture him to think before acting.
Yet the very person himself had abruptly jumped into this situation and caused an accident first, hadn't he?
Of course, even if he thought that way.
Gu Jeol-yeop was quite shocked inwardly.
The Sword Dragon and the Hidden Dragon.
The First Young Master had subdued them in an instant.
'I barely saw it.'
The movement was so fast that he almost missed it.
He only managed to see it because he had the experience of being beaten up by Gu Yang-cheon before.
If not for even that, he probably wouldn't have seen it at all.
'Just how strong is he?'
Since Gu Jeol-yeop had never seen Gu Yang-cheon fight seriously.
He couldn't know how strong he was, or what realm he had reached.
At the very least, seeing that he was stronger than Mu-yeon, he only knew for certain that he was a peak martial artist who had crossed the wall.
A peak expert at that age.
How on earth could that be?
"...Seriously, if it weren't for his talent, judging by his temper, he's a guy who'd drop dead in a ditch somewhere..."
-You little brat? I'll see you later.
"..."
Gu Jeol-yeop deeply furrowed his brow at the sound transmission that pierced into his ear.
That damned First Young Master had sharp hearing too.
Ugh...
Ah, crap...
I'm fucked... I need to run away later.
And it wasn't just Gu Jeol-yeop who was panicked.
The most panicked were not the spectators around them either.
Nor was it Gu Jeol-yeop.
It was Woo I-hyeok, the Wudang disciple who had been taking care of the Hidden Dragon, Woo Hyeok.
"Uh... Uhh?"
Looking at the unconscious Woo Hyeok, Woo I-hyeok continuously let out bewildered sounds.
He shouldn't be like that...
It was impossible for his senior martial brother to collapse so helplessly, right?
Even in the spar with the elders of the sect.
He was a senior brother who wouldn't be easily pushed back even if he ultimately lost.
Although he was a sloth-like human, thoroughly rolled up in a ruined disposition and annoyance.
The Hidden Dragon Woo Hyeok, a person with talent that more than covered for it, his senior brother, was always...
"Huh... Uh...?"
Woo I-hyeok wondered if he was seeing an illusion.
Otherwise, the situation entering his eyes right now had no sense of reality at all.
At that moment.
"What are you just looking at? Aren't you going to take him?"
It was the voice of a young man making an expression that seemed ten times more annoyed than the expression his senior brother used to make.
Then, Gu Yang-cheon grabbed the back of the unconscious Woo Hyeok's neck and threw him toward Woo I-hyeok.
"Ugh!"
Throwing him like a light object, Woo I-hyeok gasped and caught Woo Hyeok's body.
Having confirmed up to that point, Gu Yang-cheon spat on the ground once.
"They know everything they need to know, yet they're starting a spar in this crowded situation. It's absurd."
Hah.
His appearance as he let out a deep sigh somehow looked quite annoyed.
"At the very least, they should've just done some light swordplay..."
Tsk.
The True Dragon clicked his tongue and swallowed the rest of his words.
Who knew those crazy bastards would actually raise their killing intent and fight in the middle of the street.
If he hadn't stopped them, it might have become a devastated wasteland.
'These dumb bastards.'
Anyway, they had the competitive spirit of men, for whatever it was worth.
If it had gone to the end, it seemed like neither of them would have backed down.
Gu Yang-cheon then sent a resentful glare and stared at somewhere.
"If you're going to do your job, do it properly."
For a moment, Woo I-hyeok wondered where Gu Yang-cheon was looking and whispering to, and moved his gaze to follow.
But there was no one where he looked.
"What are you blanking out for? Take him away quickly."
"Ah..."
"What do I do with this bastard? Why is no one coming for him?"
The person he was nudging with the tip of his foot was none other than the Huashan's rising star, the Sword Dragon Yeong-poong.
However, to Gu Yang-cheon, he was just a useless piece of baggage.
It was true that it was a somewhat welcome face to see after a long time.
But seeing him in this state, even the welcoming feelings would drop instantly.
They said the Hidden Dragon bastard had someone to take him away.
But for some reason, no disciples of the Huashan Sect were visible around.
What to do?
'I can't just leave him...'
A thought crossed the mind of Gu Yang-cheon, who was pondering what to do.
There's no need to not leave him behind, right?
Who would dare touch a disciple of the Huashan Sect?
Soon, Gu Yang-cheon nodded.
He had made up his mind to just leave him and go.
"Yeah, I'll just leave him roughly here and find my lodging..."
"I will take care of the child, so do not worry."
Gu Yang-cheon, who was about to leave the unconscious Yeong-poong who had been struck on the back of the neck and collapsed.
Stopped his moving body at the beautiful voice that came from behind.
A faint scent of flowers could be felt.
It was a much richer and more fragrant scent that couldn't even be compared to the faint scent of plum blossoms emanating from Yeong-poong.
"It's been a long time."
At the sight of the woman speaking with a gentle smile.
Gu Yang-cheon made a somewhat flustered expression.
"...Why are you here?"
It was because she was someone who didn't quite fit being here.
She was.
Someone who should be spending time with her own disciple in the mountain valley by now.
At Gu Yang-cheon's words, the woman smiled and replied.
"I had some things to take care of."
With the woman's smile, the scent of flowers spread widely around.
It was so fragrant that.
It was visible that the men watching staggered.
In the same pure white martial uniform as Yeong-poong.
With a light pink plum blossom petal drawn on her chest.
The female master of the orthodox faction most loved by the people.
Plum Blossom Sword Empress (梅花劍后). So I.
She was standing in front of Gu Yang-cheon.
Inside a building located at the top of a mountain in Henan.
Rustle.
A small reception room where sunlight shone down quietly.
A cup of tea whose heat had not yet cooled.
In the room where the winter wind blew refreshingly.
An old man who seemed to have embraced much time was repeatedly brushing a letter.
On the blue armband worn on his shoulder, the word 'Gwanju' (官主) was written in white letters.
The old man, who had been slowly moving his brush.
Asked the man standing in front of him.
"You say the dragons held a spar on the street."
The old man's eyes, as he slightly raised his head and shifted his gaze.
Had pure white pupils that resembled clouds.
It was a heavy gaze full of clear murderous intent.
The man receiving this gaze had to swallow a groan inwardly.
"...That is correct."
"What did they say the reason was?"
"...They say the Sword Dragon took the first strike against the Hidden Dragon."
"The Sword Dragon..."
Gwanju.
Cheonghae Il-geom, the owner of Kunlun, tilted his head slightly at the epithet that came to mind.
"I remember him not being a child with such a fierce disposition."
The greatest genius of Huashan.
The Sword Dragon, one of the few prides of that damned Plum Blossom Immortal bastard.
He had actually seen him before.
He remembered that he was not a child with a personality fierce enough to draw his sword first out of anger toward his opponent.
Having recalled up to that point, Cheonghae Il-geom nodded.
"Right... Young folks can have a bit of a scuffle, but."
The important thing was not about the Hidden Dragon and the Sword Dragon.
"You say the victory and defeat of those Hidden Dragon and Sword Dragon was decided elsewhere?"
"Yes."
Naturally, if a victory or defeat was decided, it should have been divided between the two who were sparring.
In Cheonghae Il-geom's mind, he was thinking the Hidden Dragon would probably have won.
Surprisingly.
The one who stopped them was said to be another martial artist.
"Called the True Dragon."
"Yes, the son of Haoxia, from the Gu family of Shanxi."
"Um..."
Haoxia Gu Cheol-un.
And the True Dragon.
"Right, I've heard of him."
The young child who swept the martial arts tournament and sat at the very last seat.
He was of the same bloodline as Haoxia, and even the Sword Peak.
Thinking about how the Alliance Leader or Cheon-an must have racked their brains at the time, he felt somewhat refreshed inwardly.
'Even so, he subdued the Hidden Dragon and the Sword Dragon.'
It wasn't just butting in during the spar and snatching them away.
He heard that he subdued them by knocking both of them unconscious in an instant.
For a mere rising star to have done it, it was a somewhat surprising thing.
Cheonghae Il-geom soon shined his eyes and said to the man reporting.
"Is there no falsehood in your words?"
"...Yes, I saw it clearly with my own two eyes."
The man spoke while swallowing dry saliva inwardly.
It was because he had told a lie mixed in to Cheonghae Il-geom, who was his sect leader and the current Gwanju of the Sinryonggwan.
The words that he saw it clearly with his own eyes.
Funnily enough, the man had missed the True Dragon's movement at that time.
He, who had reached the peak of maturity.
"Wi-seok."
"Yes, Sect Leader... No, Gwanju-nim."
Could you do such a thing?
At the Gwanju's question, Jo Wi-seok clenched his fist behind his back, out of the Gwanju's sight.
"...I am not sure."
This too was a lie.
He would not be able to do so.
This was a conviction.
For him to do so, the levels of the Hidden Dragon and the Sword Dragon were much higher than expected.
It was a level so different that it was hard to call them rising stars.
He might rather have to see them as equal to himself.
'Then what the hell is that bastard?'
The True Dragon, who subdued such martial artists in an instant.
Moreover.
Jo Wi-seok recalled what happened at the end and bit his lip slightly.
Jo Wi-seok, who was hiding on the roof and watching secretly.
The True Dragon had seen through him so casually and met his eyes.
And looking at him, he said.
-If you're going to do your job, do it properly.
His stealth was seen through by a mere rising star.
No, the True Dragon was already at a level that couldn't be called a rising star.
The man thought.
If the True Dragon were to truly enter the Sinryonggwan like this.
Amidst the numerous vipers and mountain snakes, the ones who barely show the aura of a lesser serpent.
It would truly be like releasing a single giant dragon.
"They said the son of Haoxia was unworthy of his father, but it seems that is not the case."
From what he briefly heard, it was certainly said to be the case in the past.
What could have happened for him to change so much?
Cheonghae Il-geom ruminated on Jo Wi-seok's words and let out a shallow breath.
"Anyway, since they say he's that strong, I'd like to see his face at least once."
If Jo Wi-seok's words were true.
The child called the True Dragon was surely a monster who had taken a handful of the current era.
Cheonghae Il-geom let out a joyful laugh and took a sip of tea.
"Wi-seok."
"Yes, Gwanju-nim."
"This matter is done for now, so look into something else."
"What kind...?"
When Jo Wi-seok asked back with a puzzled expression.
Cheonghae Il-geom whispered quietly to Jo Wi-seok.
"They say the descendant of the Sword Venerable is coming to the Sinryonggwan."
"They said he's the age of a rising star, so find out what kind of child he is first. He will probably arrive in a few days."
"Under...stood."
The Sword Dragon, the Hidden Dragon.
It was a shocking story enough to completely drive out even the talk of the True Dragon from his mind.
Jo Wi-seok stepped out the door with a slightly pale face.
Cheonghae Il-geom, left alone, turned his gaze out the window and closed his eyes.
Five days left until the Sinryonggwan entrance exam.
The geniuses of this generation were shining exceptionally bright.
Moreover, seeing such geniuses gathering in one place at the right time.
It felt as if a storm was approaching.
"I'm looking forward to it."
How will it turn out.
Cheonghae Il-geom smiled involuntarily with immense anticipation.