“That happened?”“Yes.”The middle-aged man looked out the window.He wasn’t particularly tall. His build was ordinary.But his air was nothing like that ordinary exterior. His spirit felt as if idly drifting like cloud, yet with a peculiar backbone of resolve.More a man of letters than a man of arms—a scholar’s spirit. One who hones wisdom by applying amassed knowledge, and with that honed wisdom, pursues righteousness.He was the Je Gal Clan Lord, Je Gal Munho.Je Gal Ahyeon asked evenly,“Father is the Clan Lord. Even if she’s his daughter, she mustn’t overstep.”“…”“But this time, I want to ask.”“…”“What do you think of this marriage?”Je Gal Munho turned to Je Gal Ahyeon.In his serene gaze, a trace of bitterness lay.“What parent under heaven wishes their child to spend a lifetime with someone they don’t want?”“…”“It’s just that several pillars of the clan rotted. I sensed the signs and, using busyness as an excuse, let them slide. Not handling them properly then—still a regret that gnaws.”“…That has already passed.”“Yes, it’s gone by. Only…”Je Gal Munho closed his eyes.On those gentle features, a hint of self-reproach showed.“Only, my greed was excessive.”“…”“What’s toppled can be piled up again. The trouble is the time until it’s stacked anew. The martial world of the day may look peaceful, but behind it, the cause-and-effect law of the rivers and lakes—demanding blood and death—is ready to leap out at any moment.”“Cause-and-effect…”“I didn’t want to watch the clan collapse in my generation. But that too, in the end, seems to have been nothing but an excuse. Watching the Ming matter, I freshly grasped the obvious truth: excessive greed inevitably summons ruin.”Je Gal Ahyeon asked,“Do you, too, have ambition, Father?”As if it were obvious, Je Gal Munho nodded.“Of course.”“…I see.”“I don’t think bearing ambition is wrong. Only… I think it was wrong that I couldn’t frankly acknowledge that ambition.”His gaze changed.“I was foolish. Because of my desire, I nearly made my daughter unhappy.”“No, Father.”“The Union Lord of the Dragon Head Union is right. I intend to refuse the Namgung Clan’s proposal.”Je Gal Ahyeon’s eyes trembled.“For a time, the Namgung Clan won’t be able to make an enemy of us either. An event this great has broken out; they’ll have no choice but to hold their breath.”“…”“You, put aside every worry and devote yourself to study.”Je Gal Ahyeon rose with a smile.“Father.”“Speak.”“Don’t try to shoulder every burden alone.”Je Gal Munho burst out laughing.“You’re a decade too early to be saying that. Strive, and strive again.”“Yes!”“Ah! By the way…”Honest curiosity rose on Je Gal Munho’s face.“Did you hand the Lesser Celestial Mechanism Pill to that youth named Yeon Hojeong?”Je Gal Ahyeon’s face twisted of its own accord.“I did. My teeth still grind when I think about that moment.”“What happened?”Je Gal Ahyeon recited, without missing a syllable, the reaction Yeon Hojeong had shown.“There are outrages, and then there’s that. I honestly wanted to sock him once.”Je Gal Munho’s eyes curved.“Ahyeon.”“Yes?”“Perchance—do you have a mind toward the Yeon Clan’s eldest?”It was like a blow from nowhere.Je Gal Ahyeon shook her head hard enough to snap her neck.“No! No! Who’d have feelings for a lout with no manners like that!”“Aren’t you lacking in manners yourself?”“Father!”Je Gal Munho chuckled.“I asked on a whim. Every time his name comes up, your reactions are anything but ordinary.”“What about my reactions? What about them!”“Your mother was much like you are now. She’s probably still saying such things about me.”“Not at all!”“Then what is that youth, Yeon Hojeong, to you?”Je Gal Ahyeon’s eyes narrowed to slits.“Mm… a brat I dislike for no reason… and a precocious old man who pricks my curiosity…? Just a friend.”Je Gal Munho’s expression turned dubious.“An impressive evaluation.”“He can’t be summed up in a word. He’s that peculiar. If I don’t see him for a while, he crosses my mind. I find myself wondering what mess he’s making now.”“Is that so?”“Yes.”“I see.”“Why are you smiling?”“Just trying a smile.”“…That’s ominous! Don’t get any strange ideas!”Je Gal Munho looked out the window.The drifting clouds looked very peaceful.Ahyeon’s grown up too.Je Gal Ahyeon protested,“I don’t know what you’re thinking, but absolutely not!” ****Leaving the medical quarters, Yeon Hojeong’s party took a mountain trail.Whatever direction you move, the official road is easier—but the problem was Yeon Hojeong’s fame.Rumor catches fire and spreads in an instant. Of course, it cools just as fast.The issue was the present. In Henan, his name was blazing hot; many tried to approach just to exchange a few words.In the end they chose a mountain path. It would take time, but it avoided nuisances.Not that that was the only reason.Fusssss.Sitting cross-legged, a pale heat-haze rose from Yeon Hojeong’s body.At last.Black Tortoise Qi surged, cleansing all the foulness rising from damaged meridian points. The mountain air he drew through his nose rinsed his head clean in a breath. His reason felt clarified.Naturally, White Tiger Qi opened, mending the shocks left in bone and flesh. Vermilion Bird Qi, burning like fire, sent clean blood coursing through his body.Day by day, his condition improved. Even the chest wound he’d taken from Ming Cheon’s sword had near healed.It was a startling recovery.He’d grown anxious at how slow it had been; in a few days, it returned to normal at a rapid clip.Why is this happening?Recovery was good, but the reason was unknown.I clearly recognize the difference between my former body and this one. Even accounting for that, recovery was slow. Only once my body was decent did it speed up.A twinge of misgiving shadowed his face.This isn’t good.Whether a phenomenon is good or bad—you learn the why, and you prepare accordingly.Is it because I lack Azure Dragon Qi?For a brief instant, he had summoned three of the Four Spirit Arts’ energies. It had been far earlier than he’d vaguely scheduled. Thanks to that, his combat ability and armed power had spiked in a rush.Which was why it was unstable. He had refined each energy, but not yet harmonized them. Without Azure Dragon Qi, full harmony of the Four Spirit energies could not be achieved.It was only that an unparseable phenomenon had driven his thoughts even to Azure Dragon.“Fuu.”Yeon Hojeong sighed and stood.“Keep grinding. Then one day I’ll find the answer.”He knew by instinct. This wasn’t a matter to be solved by digging in now.It was vexing, but he could only shake it from his head. Better to spend the time on something productive.I need to hone my arts, too.Yeon Hojeong recalled himself matching the Ming Clan’s masters.If they were run-of-the-mill, I could overwhelm them. Even before summoning Vermilion Bird Qi, I could endure dozens of exchanges against Ming Cheon.The Ming arts were a forced twisting of the Four Spirit Arts. Which made them strong—but saddled them with severe defects.There were plenty of openings.When he faced them, Yeon Hojeong had dismantled the fake Four Spirit Arts root and branch.In truth, the Four Spirit Arts were not something fit to be “dismantled.” Nothing is absolute in the world, but in the vectors of forms and techniques, the Four Spirit Arts almost do not meet natural nemeses.He simply had not drawn forth Yellow Dragon Qi, yet he had near mastered the Four Spirit Arts; thus he could target the finest gaps and completely take them apart.The change in true energy helped greatly. Before the original heir of the Four Spirit Arts—the true successor of the main line—the fake energies were helplessly unraveled or extinguished.In short, the reason Yeon Hojeong could overwhelm so many Ming masters lay in the very martial arts he was mastering.I’ve grown stronger, but I’m still far short.Stronger yet. Grow further.At the least, he had to reclaim the level of armed might from when he’d been called the Dark Emperor.Unfolding his legs, Yeon Hojeong took up his axe.“Yang Heum.”“Yes, First Young Master!”“Where’s Captain Shin?”“Ah, the Captain has gone down to the county for a bit.”“To the town? Why?”“That we don’t quite…”Just then—From below the mountain, Shin Mo walked up.“Captain Shin.”“Ah, have you finished circulating your work?”“Mm.”“How is your body?”“Perfect. All healed.”“That’s a relief.”“That’s not the important part. Well? Now that the air’s cooler, shall we have a bout?”Discomfiture touched Shin Mo’s face.“Sir, First Young ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) Master.”“Mm?”“I’d like to discuss once more the matter I mentioned before.”“Discuss? Which matter?”“Serving you, First Young Master.”Yeon Hojeong shook his head.“As I said before—I’m only going to experience the world. I no longer need the Azure Hawk’s help.”“As you well know, traveling the rivers and lakes is dangerous. You never know what risks will descend.”“If you can’t draw a blade for fear of blood, you can’t be called a warrior.”“Even so…”“Besides, you people are attached to the main house. As the main house’s armed corps, you can guard me, the First Young Master—but once the mission’s done, you should go back and do your work.”“…”“I don’t know the details, but the main house’s situation isn’t rosy. Likely very busy. So go and help Father. That’s your task.”Shin Mo let out a sigh.“Then at least two squads…”“Denied. Leave off worrying about me and focus on the work you ought to do in your posts.”Guarding the clan’s First Young Master was their job.Yet Yeon Hojeong refused flatly.He had confidence he could survive in any environment, but more than that, he didn’t want the clan hurt by the things he did.After wrestling with it, Shin Mo fixed his resolve.“Understood. Then we’ll return to the clan.”“Good. I’ll send Father a letter myself.”Yeon Hojeong tapped the axe-edge.“Done? Then shall we have that match?”“Only—allow us to follow you for this one matter.”“What ‘one matter’?”Shin Mo drew a letter from his breast.With a puzzled eye, Yeon Hojeong looked at it.“A message came from the Beggars’ Union.”“Let me see.”As he unfolded it, Yeon Hojeong’s eyes flashed.Tension shadowed Shin Mo’s face.“Given who it is, what could truly happen? Still, there’s a reason they grabbed hold of you just as you were leaving. Somehow, it doesn’t feel like a good intent.”“…The Mo Yong Clan Lord.”Yes. The sender was Mo Yonggun himself.Folding the letter, a coolness touched Yeon Hojeong’s face.Indeed, it wasn’t wrapped up cleanly.They had to meet once anyway. Better that the message came first; it set him at ease.Had I waited, he’d have tightened the noose on his own.Yeon Hojeong hooked his axe over his shoulder.“Prepare to descend the mountain.”

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