A woman in light green smiling brightly and a blonde woman beside her who somehow couldn’t raise her head.
He tilted his head upon seeing Dang Soyeol and Wi Seola, who had appeared out of nowhere.
“What's this? Why are you here?”
“We’re here to register for the Martial Arts Tournament!”
It was an obvious answer.
If he had met them here, they must be here to register for the Martial Arts Tournament.
However.
“…Register…?”
“Yep.”
“You too?”
“…Yes.”
He had never imagined that these two would register.
They even held wooden tokens in their hands, as if they had already finished registering and returned.
‘…Were they interested in something like this?’
Dang Soyeol was originally from a prestigious family and tended to attend events like the Yongbong Conference without fail, but he had never expected Wi Seola to try to participate in the Martial Arts Tournament.
He had thought she had little interest in such things.
Moreover.
‘I had even made sure she wouldn’t be interested.’
He had deliberately tried to keep Wi Seola from standing out, so he was nothing but bewildered that she had walked into the Martial Arts Tournament of her own accord.
‘Had I been too inattentive?’
Lately, being pushed around here and there, he hadn’t had the leisure to pay attention to Wi Seola’s interests.
So perhaps it was only natural that he hadn’t even known she held an interest in the Martial Arts Tournament.
‘Tch…’
It had become troublesome.
He turned his gaze and surveyed the surroundings.
Just yesterday, the area around the registration desk had been incredibly noisy.
“…Wow….”
“Ohh….”
Only deep admiration flowed out, rather than the noise growing louder.
Gazes were drawn.
Most eyes were turned this way.
‘No.’
More precisely, it was correct to say they were looking at Wi Seola.
“Beautiful… How can one be so beautiful?”
They steadied their breath, captivated, their gazes stolen.
That was all they could manage.
‘Even with her presence suppressed, that’s all they can manage.’
Dang Soyeol had almost lost her natural presence due to whatever training she had received from the Dark King.
They could only perceive that she was there, but Wi Seola, despite having suppressed her presence herself, was gathering all the attention.
Now that her beauty had fully bloomed, perhaps the severity of it was greater than expected.
In the end, unable to watch anymore, he released his aura and wrapped it around Wi Seola.
Huuuuk—!
With the mysterious energy draped over her, her presence subsided slightly.
He had used a considerable amount, yet that was all?
Clicking his tongue slightly, he spoke.
“Did you sell your veil somewhere and come back?”
“…It was a bit hot to wear.”
Wi Seola said with an embarrassed expression.
Or was it? Rather than embarrassed, perhaps it was more that she didn’t like it. Seeing this, I immediately said.
“Hot my ass. At your realm, if you’re hot, that’s a disease.”
“...”
Her pursing lips made it clear she didn’t like it.
Why that expression when I was worried about her?
Still, wrapping her in some aura seemed to reduce the surrounding reactions a bit compared to before.
“…So you already registered, right?”
“Yes.”
“That’s right. We’re going to do our best.”
So why are you doing your best?
It was something he couldn’t bring himself to say, so he swallowed the words.
They were martial artists too, so perhaps they wanted to participate in the Martial Arts Tournament… Yeah.
There was no big problem with them participating.
Probably.
‘It’ll cause some trouble, though.’
Shaking off the thought, he turned his gaze.
Leaving the inn, he carefully spread out his senses.
Ooom.
He checked each sensation that came in as it spread shallowly.
‘They were watching from the start.’
Right now, six martial artists from the Alliance side were at the registration desk.
Besides them, ten people were hiding their presence and watching this way.
Of them, five seemed to be people from Wudang.
‘They’re already looking this way.’
He knew they were personnel deployed to block any incidents, but he could clearly tell their gazes were directed at Wi Seola.
And for good reason.
“…The successor of the Sword Sovereign? That pretty young lady?”
“Yes, I clearly heard so.”
“I had heard rumors even at the Shenlong Hall… but to think she’s really a woman.”
Word about Wi Seola was already slowly spreading.
This meant it was a belated effort, even if he covered her with aura.
Up to this point, it didn’t matter much.
‘This was something that would have gotten out sooner or later anyway.’
It was something to be expected from the moment Wi Seola drew her sword.
That they had delayed that moment until now was remarkable in itself.
“Wait here a moment.”
Sighing as he watched this, he carefully moved his feet.
He had some business to take care of first.
Just then.
“Y-you, you…!”
Bong Suni, who had been following behind, tried to speak urgently, but he spoke first.
“Get the title right.”
If useless talk started circulating here, that would be really troublesome.
He corrected her, and Bong Suni nodded her head several times. Had she understood?
“Young Master! What were those guys just now?!”
“...”
There were things that bothered him, but he decided to let it slide for now. She had roughly understood, which was enough.
“They looked like jewels! Can I bite them? I can bite them, right?”
“Why would you bite people?”
“They look so expensive! Cute! I want to bite them!”
Expensive-looking…
In a way, it was quite an accurate expression.
It was just the words that followed that were the problem.
‘That girl would really bite if she said she’d bite.’
Shaking his head, he pulled Bong Suni close.
Seong Yul was following behind.
They soon arrived at the registration desk.
He could see slightly more people than yesterday.
Seeing this, he put his hand into his bosom.
And quietly activated his Authority.
In that instant.
Rustle—!!
Two letters were created at his fingertips.
He grabbed and pulled them out.
“Take these and go register.”
He handed the created letters to Bong Suni and Seong Yul respectively.
“Yeah!”
Bong Suni wordlessly took the letter and ran to the registration desk.
Seong Yul took it and asked Gu Yangcheon.
“What is… this?”
Answering Seong Yul’s question with a tilt of his head, he said.
“A letter of recommendation.”
“…!”
The Martial Arts Tournament could not be applied for without a recommendation letter from the Alliance, and Bong Suni and Seong Yul were in no state to have such things.
Bong Suni obviously didn’t, and Seong Yul was in a situation similar to a fugitive.
Thus, he had to use his Authority to create replica recommendation letters and hand them to the two.
“Hurry up and come back.”
“…Understood.”
Seong Yul still seemed to have much he wanted to ask, but he walked toward the registration desk for now.
I watched Seong Yul leave and thought inwardly.
‘The duration… at most half a kak.’
The letters were not large, but because they were packed with characters and sentences, the Authority wouldn’t sustain them for long.
Judging by the line, they should finish and return within that time.
If things went as expected, they wouldn’t be discovered.
In truth, since he had changed their sect affiliations and names, if the Alliance checked, the chances of being discovered were high, but.
‘The Murim Alliance isn’t a place that works with such precision.’
He was counting on their lazy side of handling matters. Indeed, before long, the two appeared holding wooden tokens.
It seemed they had successfully registered.
“Young Master! I’m Pi Yeonyeon now!”
Bong Suni approached me holding the wooden token and said in an excited voice.
She seemed happy to have a name.
“…Right, for the time being, you’re Pi Yeonyeon.”
Pi Yeonyeon was a false name he had prepared.
It was the surname of a family that actually existed in the Xian region, and a place where he had set things up through Nahi.
There was no need to worry about Bong Suni being discovered by her name.
If there was a problem here.
“Young Master Jin, you too must do well for the time being.”
“…Yes.”
It was Seong Yul, who had suddenly become Jin Imseok of the Gwangju Jin family, who would be the problem.
Making a playful remark, he patted Seong Yul’s shoulder a couple of times and quietly added.
—The Kunlun guys will be here soon too. If there’s anything that bothers you, hide reasonably well.
“...”
Seong Yul nodded with an uncomfortable expression.
He wasn’t telling him not to go outside.
If he didn’t want to, it was fine not to participate in the Martial Arts Tournament.
Since Seong Yul would be in trouble if he caught the Kunlun Sect’s eye.
However, Seong Yul probably knew as well.
That if he didn’t step forward in the Martial Arts Tournament, he would be of no use to himself.
‘If he wants to step forward, I can deploy a few tricks.’
He didn’t know if there would be no problems.
But he could make it so that there was nothing to be done even if a problem arose.
Kkuk.
Seong Yul was seen gripping the wooden token tightly and putting it in his bosom.
Seeing that, he chuckled and turned his back.
Since registration was finished, it seemed today’s important schedule was done.
‘After this, should I contact the Pilduma side and throw some bait in advance?’
It was about time to build a foundation, so he needed to organize and make contact again.
‘And I need to ask Sinui about curses too.’
He had thought it was a relatively relaxed day, but when he dug into it, there was always a lot of work.
As always, today was such a day.
‘Fortunately, Beomdong really hasn’t appeared since then.’
It had only been a day since the incident with Beomdong.
Nothing might happen within that time, but this too was an uncertain matter.
Because Beomdong might act contrary to expectations, he had even prepared plans for him.
‘I hope he doesn’t do anything pointless.’
If Beomdong’s matters were mixed in, things would get a bit complicated.
So he hoped Beomdong would stay quiet.
That way, it would be easier to use and discard him later.
Afterwards, looking at the sky, he thought.
‘It’s not exactly leisure time, but it seems we can eat before the next schedule?’
Before the next schedule, he could take the kids to eat.
Then should they go to the dumpling house he went to with Paeng Ujin yesterday?
Thinking so, he returned to where Dang Soyeol and Wi Seola were.
“Hm?”
He had to frown as he looked ahead.
Because there was someone near Wi Seola and Dang Soyeol.
‘Who is it?’
He saw a man talking to Dang Soyeol.
Slowly walking toward him, he heard sounds from the surroundings.
“…Isn’t that the Yudan Sword…!”
“The Yudan Sword! So it was true that such a master came to the Martial Arts Tournament?”
“How lucky… To think I’d see a master of the Hundred Great with my own eyes.”
“That’s not important. Isn’t it important that a Hundred Great master is participating in the Martial Arts Tournament!”
‘Yudan Sword?’
Those words were directed at the man in front of Dang Soyeol.
Since all eyes were on this man, he couldn’t help but notice.
Moreover, he was quite a famous figure.
‘That man is the Yudan Sword?’
He was a martial artist even I knew.
The Yudan Sword, Baek Cheongsin.
He was an orthodox martial artist from the Yoryung Baek family, one of the prestigious families, and a figure among the current Hundred Great Masters of the Central Plains.
He seemed to be under forty, but as someone who had crossed into the Transformation Realm, he was likely older than he looked.
His appearance was roguish, but he had an air of dignity that prevented him from looking ugly.
A handsome middle-aged man, one might say.
Whether it was because he knew such advantages, apart from his outstanding skill.
‘There were rumors that he was rather lecherous.’
One of the reasons the Yudan Sword was famous was because he had so many anecdotes involving women.
For such a Yudan Sword to be talking to those two…?
His steps naturally slowed as his brow furrowed, and he opened his ears.
First, he decided to grasp the situation.
******************
“Look, it’s a Hundred Great master…!”
“The Yudan Sword! A master like that came to the Martial Arts Tournament?”
“How fortunate… To think I’d see a Hundred Great master with my own eyes.”
“That’s not what’s important. What’s important is that a Hundred Great master is participating in the Martial Arts Tournament!”
The sounds continuously flowing from the surroundings.
Hearing them, the man slightly raised the corners of his mouth.
‘Praise me more, you uncivilized things. Yes, I am the Yudan Sword.’
Yudan Sword Baek Cheongsin.
He listened to the sounds and tried hard to suppress the smile that leaked out.
The words tickling his ears were truly pleasant.
He was a figure who particularly liked the praise of others.
‘I am a figure you cannot see anywhere else. It’s only natural.’
Look more.
And praise more.
The boiling attention and praise were also the reason he lived.
“They say the Yudan Sword has reached the Transformation Realm. The momentum he exudes is certainly extraordinary.”
“I saw several Pinnacle masters just yesterday… but the Transformation Realm is on a different level.”
“Indeed. Ordinary masters cannot compare to Transcendent masters.”
Indeed, they were pleasant words.
However, even in the midst of that, the Yudan Sword had to feel somewhat displeased.
‘Comparing me to trash who are at best at Pinnacle. Tch.’
How dare they compare him to such trash.
He was the real among the real. To compare him to young fellows who hadn’t even properly crossed the wall.
Tch tch.
Feeling gradually displeased, the Yudan Sword had to raise his smile even higher without showing it on his face.
It couldn’t be helped.
Because before him was the thing he liked next to the attention of others.
Women.
The Yudan Sword liked women.
Young and beautiful women, at that.
To the Yudan Sword, those before him were treasures he couldn’t help but covet.
“I had heard rumors, but such petty words cannot contain it.”
The Yudan Sword spoke and swept over someone with his eyes.
It was a woman of small stature with light green hair, and quite a beauty.
She was among the most beautiful women he had seen recently.
Moreover.
“The woman behind is on a different level.”
Behind the woman with light green hair stood another woman.
The blonde woman was at a level that made him think she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.
Just looking at her made his mouth water.
To the point where he shamelessly wanted to drag her away immediately.
‘I must endure.’
The Yudan Sword suppressed the surging emotion.
It couldn’t be helped.
That was poison.
Such beautiful poison that would kill him in an instant if he laid a hand on her.
‘They say that woman is the successor of the Sword Sovereign.’
There couldn’t be a more terrifying background.
Those among swordsmen who had reached a certain level knew how fearsome an existence the Sword Sovereign was.
As he was a figure who had reached the heavens as a swordsman, touching his successor rashly could cause problems.
It was a shame.
It was maddeningly shameful, but the Yudan Sword endured.
It wasn’t quite a substitute, but there was another figure before him.
“If I’m not mistaken, might you not be the treasured daughter of the Dang family….”
“...”
The Yudan Sword’s words made the woman frown.
Even that was beautiful.
“Could it be that I am mistaken?”
“…No. A blood relative of the Dang Clan greets Senior Yudan Sword.”
Dang Soyeol cupped her hands and showed courtesy to the Yudan Sword.
At that, the people around began to murmur.
“If she’s a daughter of the Dang Clan… then that young lady is the Poison Phoenix.”
“Poison Phoenix? No, before that, the Dang Clan?”
The gazes looking at Dang Soyeol increased.
At the same time, a chill began to permeate those gazes.
“That damned family, you mean.”
“I heard they were expelled from the Four Great Houses after being caught kidnapping children for human experiments.”
“A bloodline of such a family, with what face did they come here. Tsk tsk….”
Talk related to the Dang Clan began to flow rather than Dang Soyeol’s appearance or nickname.
Hearing those words, a shadow fell upon Dang Soyeol’s face.
Confirming this, the Yudan Sword laughed awkwardly and said.
“Oh, it seems I made a mistake. This was not my intention….”
“…No. I think of it as something I must surely endure.”
It was obvious, but it was not a mistake.
The fallout was greater than expected, but this too was as expected.
The Yudan Sword wore his characteristic arrogant smile and continued speaking to Dang Soyeol.
“To think I would make such a big mistake upon our first meeting… I am truly sorry. Though it is lacking to call it an apology….”
Spitting out the words, he took a step closer to Dang Soyeol.
“If it’s alright with you, I was wondering if I might treat you to a meal at a nice place. What do you think?”
When the Yudan Sword spoke to Dang Soyeol in a suggestive voice.
“It’s fine. Receiving your intentions is enough for me.”
Dang Soyeol rejected his proposal with an expressionless face.
Not a hint of hesitation could be felt.
“...”
Hearing that, wrinkles formed at the corners of the Yudan Sword’s eyes.
Did she just refuse? Him?
Tch.
‘So she has pride despite everything.’
A girl from a ruined, crumbling family, acting without knowing her place.
‘A man like me approaches her, and instead of accepting gratefully.’
Truly, she was a foolish girl.
Recalling this thought, the Yudan Sword smiled even deeper.
“Haha. Receiving only intentions, how could a man do such a thing. It’s fine, you needn’t decline.”
“It’s really fine. This junior is afraid of wasting your time.”
“Wasting! How could having a meal with a pretty junior be a waste. Don’t worry and let’s have a light conversation….”
Continuing the conversation, the Yudan Sword was slowly beginning to get annoyed.
A girl with nothing but a pretty face.
A descendant of a ruined family going against his will, so his anger was inevitable.
Moreover, the surrounding gazes were slowly becoming subtle.
If he dragged this out further, it would cause trouble.
In the end, unable to overcome the situation and his emotions, the Yudan Sword reached out and grabbed Dang Soyeol’s wrist.
“It’s really fine, so just come with me.”
His words naturally shortened. It seemed she was getting cocky because he was being polite, so he decided to take a strong approach.
A white wrist was caught. Saliva naturally pooled at the touch of her white, cold skin.
He wanted to lay her on the bed right away, but that could cause a problem.
Though she was refusing like this now, once she started a meal with him, it wouldn’t take long.
Most women he had met were like that.
So he tried to drag her away just like that.
Kkuk.
“…?”
For some reason, she wasn’t being pulled.
‘What…?’
The Yudan Sword turned his head and looked at Dang Soyeol.
Despite using strength, Dang Soyeol stood in place and calmly looked at the Yudan Sword.
It was bewildering.
‘Did I use too little strength?’
He was just dragging one girl. Had he been that lacking?
No. He thought he had used enough strength.
Unable to overcome the strangeness, the Yudan Sword paused for a moment.
“…Sigh….”
A small sigh was heard.
It came from Dang Soyeol.
‘A sigh?’
Surely she hadn’t sighed at him?
And right in front of him?
As the Yudan Sword looked on in disbelief, Dang Soyeol quietly whispered to him.
“Senior.”
“Mm…?”
“Could it be that your groin is attached to your brain, making it difficult for you to understand words?”
“Ng…?”
Hearing her words, the Yudan Sword made a blank expression.
What did she just say? His face was ruined as if wondering if he had heard wrong.
It was that incomprehensible a situation.
How could he understand?
“Just now… what did you just say… Ah, no. What did you say, young lady…?”
He asked again to confirm, but Dang Soyeol’s eyes only grew colder.
“Since I’ve been holding back for you, you seem to not know your place, so I think I need to speak a little more clearly.”
Dang Soyeol took a step toward the Yudan Sword, who wore a bewildered expression.
And she whispered into the Yudan Sword’s ear with the coldest voice in the world.
“…You can’t have me even if you die, so fuck off, you maggot-like bastard.”
“…!”
At Dang Soyeol’s words, the Yudan Sword’s face hardened completely.