There was only one thought that crossed my mind upon seeing the tournament bracket.
'Why did they do that?'
Why on earth did they structure the bracket like this?
It was obvious to anyone that the Alliance had tampered with the tournament bracket.
I had known this ever since they changed the bracket simply because personnel were added.
They were going to pull something again.
It would simply be a justification for him. I knew that much very well, but.
'Why?'
This bracket was something I hadn't anticipated.
Tap. Tap.
I tapped my waist with my fingertips, deep in thought.
What could the reason possibly be?
'Weren't they planning to pit the Divine Dragon against the Dao King?'
I had already seen through their schemes.
The purpose of this martial tournament was to make the Divine Dragon fight the Dao King. Whether in the semifinals or the finals. That was how it had to end up.
I had known this fact since the Dao King announced his participation.
And there, the Divine Dragon would put on a good showing before being eliminated, and the Dao King would claim victory.
That was the scenario I had anticipated.
'The Dao King losing makes no sense.'
It wasn't due to his realm or practical strength.
'Because the Alliance would never let the Hebei Peng Family lose.'
The Peng Family was one of the prestigious families supporting the Murim Alliance.
If the head of that family were to participate in the tournament and lose, the damage to the Alliance would be no small matter.
'The Dao King must have participated in agreement with the Murim Alliance in the first place.'
The Dao King wasn't an idiot.
No, perhaps he could be, but no matter how much of a fool he was, for a King-tier martial artist to come out to something like a martial tournament didn't make sense.
Why would the Dao King come out to a fight where he had nothing to gain and everything to lose?
'Naturally, he came out because there was some give-and-take.'
It could have been favorable conditions.
It could have been a threat that left him no choice but to participate.
However, the important thing was that the Dao King had come out.
'Their intention was to use that to hype up the Divine Dragon.'
The Divine Dragon would show a good performance against the Dao King and then lose.
The intent was to clearly demonstrate the advantage of being a Hwagyeong-level martial artist and to show the audience that the Divine Dragon was at a level capable of putting up a decent fight against the Dao King.
My prediction was definitely along those lines, but.
'An anomaly occurred.'
An anomaly had occurred.
'The Dao King fell.'
The Dao King's standing was completely shattered in his fight against the Fighting Dragon.
The most humiliating victory in the past ten years.
Being toyed with like a plaything by the junior, the Fighting Dragon, and even the sight of him screaming as the Fighting Dragon forfeited.
The foothold the Dao King barely maintained in the Central Plains was blown to pieces that day.
'If I'm not mistaken, the Peng Family must be shaking terribly right now.'
The merchant guilds that witnessed the spar would have started pulling out. Other guilds that read the tide would have begun moving one by one as well.
Given the circumstances, it was uncertain how the Alliance, whose plans had gone awry, would react.
Whether they would pit the Dao King and the Divine Dragon together as planned. Or whether they would employ a different scheme.
That was hard to tell, but.
'I never expected them to come out like this, though.'
To match me in a spar at a point where it's only the fourth preliminary round.
It was an incomprehensible measure.
'What's the reason?'
Why did they match the Divine Dragon and me at this point?
This was a variable I had never thought of.
Wasn't it?
'The Alliance has to elevate the Divine Dragon somehow.'
Even if the Dao King had become a laughingstock, what needed to be done still had to be done.
Making it so the Divine Dragon's opponent was easy, but not so easy that it ended too simply.
Excluding Tang Soyeol and a few others who had already shown strong appearances in the tournament.
'There are at most four or five people who come to mind.'
If you were to pick people who showed a moderate level of cultivation, it would be exactly that many.
Yet I wasn't among them.
Or perhaps.
'Did I look weak? Is that why they matched us?'
That was plausible, but.
'Probably not. No matter how incompetent the Murim Alliance is.'
How many things had I intentionally shown?
I caught the eyes of the Sword Emperor and the Sword Immortal. And I had also revealed my strength in the spar.
Even if I hadn't shown my full power, no one would think I was weak.
'Rather, they would harbor doubts.'
Just how strong is that guy?
'Since the Overlord caused an incident, they'll be thinking even worse of us.'
Right at the time when the Fighting Dragon, who had no presence, stayed and caused an incident.
Expectations and wariness toward all junior martial artists had skyrocketed.
In such a situation, matching me, who looked ambiguous, with the Divine Dragon was close to a gamble.
A gamble where no one knew what would happen.
'They take a gamble when there's an easy road?'
From the Alliance's perspective, it couldn't be anything but nonsense.
That was why I couldn't understand it even more.
'What could be their intention?'
I quickly racked my brain.
An unknown variable.
To deal with this, I had to figure out the reason somehow.
While I was grinding my brain like crazy.
"Young Hero Gu."
"...!"
I widened my eyes and turned my head at the voice calling me.
A familiar face came into view.
White martial uniform with plum blossom embroidery. The insignia denoting a member of the Huashan Sect, and a handsome face.
"...Daoist Yingfeng."
Huashan's greatest genius. The Sword Dragon, Yingfeng.
"Haha. I hope you've been well."
The sight of him approaching with a smile was as refreshing as always.
Bastard... he got even more handsome as he aged.
As if being handsome wasn't enough, he seemed to have grown taller too. And here I had to go through all sorts of trouble just to get my height....
"...Yes, well, I'm always the same."
"I see. Ah, I did convey my greetings to Miss Wei, but... did you happen to hear?"
"I heard."
It felt like she did.
Wei Xue'a had mentioned that she talked with Yingfeng about me last time.
"I originally intended to see you as soon as I arrived in Henan, but... I had some matters to attend to, so my greeting is late."
"It's fine. Greetings, well. I haven't done them either."
I knew the Huashan Sect was in Henan. And I also knew Yingfeng was attending the martial tournament.
Knowing that and not seeking him out was the same for me. There was no need for an apology.
While we exchanged a few more words like that.
A hesitant look flashed across Yingfeng's face.
"...And that... about last time..."
"Enough."
I blocked him immediately as he let out some words with a trembling voice.
He probably intended to apologize once more for what happened in Wudang.
"You don't need to apologize. I've already forgotten it anyway."
Yingfeng, who had been angry at me for receiving the flying Guijing.
It seemed he had kept it in his heart that he couldn't control his emotions and showed a strange state.
'It was pretty strange, though.'
Considering Yingfeng's personality, it was a sight that was hard to understand, but.
I didn't take it too deeply to heart.
When I said I wouldn't accept his apology, Yingfeng briefly chewed on his lip, and then.
"...Thank you."
He spat out light gratitude instead of an apology.
That wasn't particularly necessary either. But it was better than an apology, so I decided to let it slide.
"Ah, Daoist."
"Yes. Young Hero Gu."
"By any chance... do you hear strange sounds every night... or feel the voice of a foul-tempered old man, or anything like that?"
"Pardon...?"
It was a face asking why I was suddenly asking such a weird question.
"It seems you asked me that last time too... Haha. Not at all."
"I see."
"I don't know the reason, but please don't worry. I am a Daoist in my own right, so if such a thing happens, I can exorcise it immediately."
Uh... you shouldn't exorcise it?
Yingfeng replied playfully. Seeing that, I was inwardly startled.
'What are you going to do if you exorcise your own ancestor?'
He was saying something that would cause a huge disaster.
Even if their blood wasn't connected, I felt like that was still a form of filial impiety.
'Anyway. So he doesn't hear the voice.'
Even though Yingfeng had become the successor of the Huashan Divine Sword, it seemed he didn't hear the voice like I did.
Maybe because I recalled the Old Man after a long time, the incident I heard of in the North Sea came to mind.
'Did they say I was the Old Man's reincarnation?'
Certainly, the physical body was so.
Nangong Ming said so through Wu Yi's body.
'...'
Thinking about it like that made me feel dirty.
'That foul-tempered old man was my past life?'
It was a terribly bad feeling.
"Young Hero Gu? What's wrong? Your expression..."
"It's nothing. I just suddenly remembered something unpleasant."
"Ah... yes."
My stomach felt bloated. I quickly shook my head.
"Let's drop this... Is she doing well?"
I brought it up to change the subject.
"She... who do you mean?"
"I mean my younger sister."
"Ah, you mean Shigu."
My younger sister who would be staying at Huashan.
When I asked about Gu Linghua, Yingfeng smiled somewhat awkwardly.
They definitely came together, right?
"She must be in her quarters now. She seems... a bit angry, perhaps."
"Angry?"
"Well... I think the problem might be that you didn't come to visit her."
"Hah."
I let out a hollow laugh at those words.
"What a funny girl. She didn't come to see me either."
It had been a few days since we came to Henan, and Gu Linghua not coming to see me was the same.
Even if you count that I was busy, what right did she have to be angry?
"I tried telling her that too. But Shigu said, how could she go there..."
"...Hmm?"
How could she go? What do you mean how? She could just walk here....
'Ah.'
I stopped as soon as I realized it.
Because I felt like I belatedly understood the reason.
'It's because of Madam Mi.'
Madam Mi.
Since it was the quarters she occupied and was nearby, Gu Linghua seemed reluctant to come.
'Right.'
Madam Mi and Gu Linghua didn't get along.
I had forgotten that for a moment.
'Damn...'
Tsk.
It seemed I would have to go see her at least once.
As I clicked my tongue briefly, Yingfeng let out a soft laugh.
"It seems my words have made you uncomfortable."
"That's not it. I'm just annoyed with myself, so it's not your fault, Daoist."
I forgot something I should have known.
Recalling it just put me in a bad mood, that was all.
Suppressing a sigh that was about to burst out, I said to Yingfeng:
"...Could you pass on a message that I will visit her within three days?"
"I will certainly pass it on."
"Thank you."
I expressed my gratitude and awkwardly scratched my cheek.
It wasn't that I was trying to play the older brother belatedly at this point, but....
'Still, I should care a little.'
It was something I couldn't just ignore entirely.
Just as I was smacking my lips with a bitter feeling.
"In any case. As this was a conversation I had been looking forward to, it was a pleasure."
Yingfeng suddenly tried to wrap up the conversation.
"Are you leaving?"
"Yes. It's regrettable, but I think this much is good."
With the business finished, Yingfeng also carefully offered his respects.
Then, with a serious voice, he spoke to me.
"As for the rest of the talk... I look forward to sharing it atop the arena."
At those words, the corners of my mouth lifted.
'Is this a declaration of war?'
I'll win and survive until I meet you.
That meaning was felt without a shred of concealment.
"Yes. Well... I'll be looking forward to it."
Try it if you can.
I didn't stop him either.
There was something I did in Shaanxi.
To drag Yingfeng out of the well, I told him I would remain as a wall he could never overcome.
The heart that thought so hadn't changed.
Try climbing over it. I still felt that way toward Yingfeng.
'Thanks to that, things turned out not bad, right?'
Finishing his greetings, Yingfeng walked away.
I looked at Yingfeng's back with a peculiar gaze.
'He's gotten stronger.'
Yingfeng had become much stronger than when I saw him a few months ago.
Whether he was at the Hwagyeong level or not was somewhat uncertain. It wasn't that I couldn't see it, but it felt ambiguous.
'Hmm.'
Staring at that, I then looked to the side.
"Hey."
"Huh?"
Someone raised their head at my call.
It was Bongshun, who had been dozing off while leaning against a pole.
Seeing her drooling from the corner of her mouth, any lingering dignity just dripped away.
She looks pretty, but with that mess of an appearance, honestly....
"How is he?"
"Whaaat...?"
"I don't want to hear it, so pronounce it properly."
"What?"
"Him. How is he?"
When I jerked my chin toward the retreating Yingfeng, Bongshun looked at him with interest.
And then.
"Oh."
She let out a short exclamation.
"Super strong!"
"That's a given, you punk."
"Then?"
"I'm asking if you think you can win. He's your opponent."
"Umm."
Bongshun was going to fight the Sword Dragon in this martial tournament.
Hearing that he was her opponent, she finally looked at Yingfeng with slightly deeper eyes.
Quietly. And silently.
After staring at him for a while, Bongshun asked me with a somewhat blank expression.
"Can I kill him?"
"No."
I answered immediately.
Hearing my answer, Bongshun nodded and said.
"Then I don't know. It's ambiguous."
Bongshun was quite good at objectively assessing herself.
If she said that much, it must really be so.
So I decided to ask differently.
"Then, what if you could kill him?"
What would happen if you could kill him? When I asked that.
"Then."
Emotion filled the face of the blank Bongshun.
Then, a smile formed on her face, and the expression she made was...
"I'll win."
A terribly chilling smile.
******************
Not long after, the fourth preliminary round began.
This schedule started much earlier than usual.
The reason was that the personnel from the third preliminary round were mixed in.
Even if they started early, the ending time would be even later.
I wondered if they could split the days, but seeing the Alliance side push through without doing so, it seemed there was an issue with the schedule.
'Well, that doesn't really matter.'
The increase in time was fine.
Increasing the days would actually cause problems for me too. This part didn't need to be minded.
Kwoong--!!
A loud sound was heard.
Looking at the arena, I saw a large man falling to the ground.
Was it called Lutanshiquan?
He was a matured peak martial artist who was somewhat famous.
It seemed he had lost to his opponent, Piaoliu Dijian.
"Jiao Tierren of the Mu'an Biaomen. Wins."
Uwaaaaaaaah--!!
Cheers erupted as the referee made the call.
I had seen it for several days now, but it was still a massive cheer.
Seeing this, I gave a slight nod.
'Not bad.'
Piaoliu Dijian, Jiao Tierren.
They said he was from a sect called Mu'an Biaomen, which I had never heard of.
Was it a sect with a one-man victory? He was a martial artist using martial arts I had never seen before.
'His realm is right before Hwagyeong.'
A level that could break through the wall with a little more time.
He would likely reach Hwagyeong before long, and judging by the vibe, he was someone who would definitely make it into the Hundred Great Masters.
A decent feeling.
Perhaps others besides me had the same thought, as I could see personnel from the merchant guilds moving.
'They're so fast, really.'
They were trying to quickly gather information about Mu'an Biaomen and Jiao Tierren.
The faster ones would try to negotiate with Jiao Tierren directly.
Merchant guilds move at the emergence of a martial artist.
It was like that before, but it had gotten worse with the appearance of the red monster.
'They need to start preparing slowly over there too.'
I had already told Murong Xi'er, so she would prepare it, but I also had to lay the groundwork without delay.
Recalling my plan, I spoke to the guy in front of me.
"It's going to be your turn soon."
"Yes."
At my words, Seong Yul nodded.
After one more spar ends. It would be Seong Yul's turn next.
Looking at Seong Yul, who looked somewhat loose, I slightly shifted my gaze.
Toward the young man standing alone in the distance, not gathering with anyone.
Peng Wuzhen.
The son of the Dao King, whose reputation was plummeting by the day.
The former Divine Dragon, now a young man called Feixingdao.
As I quietly watched him, Peng Wuzhen looked at me. Our eyes met.
And then, as if he had been waiting, Peng Wuzhen waved his hand at me.
Despite his father's situation turning strange, Peng Wuzhen didn't seem to care at all.
Every time I saw him, it was somewhat peculiar.
'How on earth did a guy like that come from the Dao King?'
A tiger father and a dog son.
It was a phrase I had heard all my life, but judging by that guy, it was the opposite.
Should I say a dog father and a tiger son?
Peng Wuzhen was truly a heterogeneous existence.
For a blood relative of the Peng Family, his build was on the smaller side, and his temperament wasn't very aggressive.
He did take after him in looks, so he must be his son, but.
How should I put it.
It was a really strange feeling.
"Hmm."
After looking at Peng Wuzhen, I turned back to Seong Yul and tilted my head.
"Hey."
"Yes?"
Seong Yul looked at me at my call.
Slightly glowing yellow eyes and a still-miserable complexion.
Along with an upper body that looked vaguely comfortable.
Was it that comforting not to be matched against a disciple of Kunlun?
'Brat. If you're going to wear that kind of expression, I told you to at least tell me your circumstances.'
Seeing him suffer in silence secretly bothered me.
But since he seemed to have absolutely no intention of talking about it, it was even more annoying.
Something was pissing me off.
Yeah, that was probably why.
"Let's make a bet, you and I."
"Suddenly?"
"Yeah."
"...What kind...?"
The reason I blurted it out somewhat impulsively was.
"See your opponent over there."
When my hand pointed at Peng Wuzhen, Seong Yul followed my gaze and looked at him.
"Yes."
"Win."
"Pardon?"
"Even if you have to do everything you can, win and come back. Then."
I said with a grin.
"The death of Qinghai Yijian we talked about last time."
"...!"
"I'll tell you why that's the Murim Alliance's fault."
"..."
The story of Qinghai Yijian that I had stopped midway from telling.
As I brought up the story about him, Seong Yul's expression rapidly turned cold.