Chapter 191
Returning Home
“Mi-jeong?”
“Yes.”
At Sajil’s respectful answer, Pae Yul stroked his chin.
“So, you mean to stay at the Wulin Alliance for the time being.”
“That’s correct, Uncle.”
“Hmm.”
Pae Yul fell deep into thought.
Cheok Gang cautiously asked,
“Um… Uncle?”
“What is it?”
“May I ask you something?”
This kid hasn’t changed at all.
Cheok Gang had always been known for his aggressive nature, even back at Jeomchangpa. However, he was always respectful to his elders and was considered a dangerous individual among his peers.
Such a person had joined the Myeolsagun and received good evaluations.
For a young man of his age, this could easily lead to arrogance. Yet, Cheok Gang hadn’t changed in the slightest.
Pae Yul recognized this trait in him. If nothing else, this kid was at least consistent.
“Ask.”
“All the other uncles have returned to the main sect, so why are you staying at the Wulin Alliance?”
The corner of Pae Yul’s lips curled slightly.
“Why? Does it bother you to see me idly lazing around?”
“Gasp! No, not at all! I’m really just curious.”
This is why people shouldn’t do things they’re not used to. It was meant as a joke, but Sajil’s face turned completely pale.
Pae Yul leaned back in his chair as if he were tired.
“There’s nothing to do if I return to the main sect. It would just be continuous training.”
“Ah…”
Cheok Gang nodded, but inwardly, he felt puzzled.
Pae Yul was both a martial arts fanatic and a battle maniac. He equated the study and training of martial arts with breathing, and when it came to fighting, he didn’t care who his opponent was.
It was strange to hear such a statement from his uncle. He had thought Pae Yul was someone who would never change, even until his death.
‘There must have been a change in his mindset that I don’t know about.’
Cheok Gang spoke up again,
“By the way, I haven’t seen the Sect Leader around. It seems a Bonggong meeting is being held.”
“Obviously.”
Pae Yul couldn’t understand what there was so much to discuss. He hated complicated matters to begin with, so he couldn’t comprehend how the higher-ups handled their affairs.
Pae Yul, with a listless face, stared up at the ceiling, his eyes filled with lethargy.
‘As expected, there’s nothing particularly interesting at the Wulin Alliance either.’
He hadn’t come with the intention of obtaining any position.
He had only come because he thought there would be countless high-level masters gathered, and that he would be able to have a splendid showdown with them. That was his only goal.
But so far, he hadn’t engaged in any battle worthy of being called a showdown. There were plenty of masters, but they all held back.
There was nothing to gain from standing out. After all, they hadn’t come to fight; they had come with the intention of securing a position.
‘And yet, the only reason I’m still at the Alliance is that I can’t let go of this faint hope.’
Pae Yul smiled bitterly.
‘This must be my heart demon (simma).’
What is a heart demon if not this? When you feel inexplicably lethargic and start acting out of character, that’s exactly what a heart demon is.
“It won’t work. I’ll have to leave the alliance soon.”
Lately, he had been neglecting the training he once enjoyed so much. He couldn’t tolerate his accumulated skills diminishing, so he only practiced enough to maintain them.
By now, he had no idea how to advance his martial arts any further. Honestly, he had never imagined that a moment like this would come in his life.
It was then.
“Hey there!”
Cheok Gang’s eyes widened at the voice coming from outside the window.
“Huh? Is that the captain?”
Pae Yul’s eyes lit up.
‘Captain? Yeon Hojeong?’
A booming voice followed.
“Cheok Gang, are you there? Come see me.”
Cheok Gang stood up.
“Master, I’ll be right back.”
“Alright.”
Cheok Gang hurriedly stepped out of the room.
Pae Yul, who had been lounging in a relaxed position, moved to the window out of curiosity.
“Gasp! Captain!”
“Sorry about that. I know you were resting.”
“No, it’s fine. But… you don’t look so well.”
Yeon Hojeong rubbed his shoulder.
“I just had a sparring match with my father. I couldn’t beat him, not yet.”
“With the head of the Yeon family?”
“Who else would my father be if not him?”
Pae Yul’s eyes sparkled.
The head of the Yeon family? The Judge Sword, Yeon Wi?
‘A duel… Between father and son?’
At that moment, Pae Yul felt a strong surge of competitive spirit welling up from deep within.
Yeon Wi, also known as the Judge Sword or Judge Hero, was someone whose martial arts Pae Yul had witnessed firsthand. He had been present at the Wulin Alliance’s inner training hall when the Yeon family father and son had engaged in a sparring match.
Yeon Wi’s martial arts were the complete opposite of what Pae Yul pursued. His swordsmanship, which emphasized formality and dignity, sought the perfection of swordsmanship itself rather than mere lethality. At first glance, it seemed stifling.
But the sword force hidden within that stifling style was astonishingly powerful. Each stroke carried the weight of a thousand pounds, a perfected sword technique that utterly dismantled Yeon Hojeong’s highly practical martial arts from the ground up.
‘And.’
Pae Yul’s gaze shifted to Yeon Hojeong.
‘The martial arts of this guy, who relentlessly pushed through the ironclad swordsmanship of the Yeon family head with a thoroughly lethal technique, were even more impressive.’
Yeon Hojeong rather than Yeon Wi.
While he also wanted to test himself against Yeon Wi, he had an even stronger desire to compete with Yeon Hojeong, time and time again.
It wasn’t simply because Yeon Hojeong’s martial arts were practical. Watching him fight stirred an inexplicable excitement that made Pae Yul’s palms sweat.
He was a natural-born competitor. Yet, at the same time, he possessed the spirit of a warrior who would do anything to kill his opponent.
‘Just like me.’
The martial arts of Jeomchangpa were among the most practical of the nine major sects.
And Pae Yul was one of those who fervently believed in that practical martial arts to the extreme. Although Cheok Gang walked the same path, the depth was different.
‘I want to fight him.’
The lethargy and emptiness that had enveloped him vanished without a trace. The gaze Pae Yul directed at Yeon Hojeong grew increasingly intense.
“But, why did you… Ah! Please come in first. I’ll make you some tea.”
“No need. I won’t be staying long.”
“Oh, alright.”
“By the way, are you busy?”
“Not at all.”
“Your internal injury hasn’t healed yet, has it?”
“There’s still a bit left, but I think it’ll be fully healed in about ten days.”
“Is that so?”
Yeon Hojeong stroked his chin thoughtfully.
‘It’s just as I thought.’
This was a mission he had personally undertaken to minimize the damage to their allies and to closely examine the relationship between Yangcheon and the Three Teachings.
However, no matter how skilled he was, there were limits to what he could accomplish alone. This meant he needed to undertake the mission with someone reliable.
It would be ideal to have someone with excellent skills. But more importantly, their cooperation and coordination had to be perfect. This mission required such a partner.
‘Moreover, I can’t afford to reveal that I use martial arts from the Baekdo (White Path).’
Of course, the Heukdo (Black Path) martial world is full of various figures, and many of them use orthodox martial arts.
Even so, it’s best to avoid using them whenever possible. Attracting unnecessary attention wouldn’t be beneficial.
In this regard, Cheok Gang was ideal. The martial arts of Jeomchangpa were particularly practical, and with a little modification, they could even appear as martial arts from the Sapa (Unorthodox Sect).
‘But…’
Yeon Hojeong looked at Cheok Gang’s face.
He had grown more mature from the various missions, but there was still a hint of boyishness in his appearance. His gentle eyes were quite striking, contrasting with his rough hands.
‘Cheok Gang is the type who would follow my orders without hesitation, even if it meant jumping into a fire. In that sense, he’s a good fit to accompany me, but…’
Yeon Hojeong sighed inwardly.
‘It won’t work after all.’
He had initially thought that Cheok Gang would be perfect to bring along, but seeing his face now made him reconsider.
‘He’s perfect in every aspect, but… this kid might end up getting killed.’
When Cheok Gang gets heated, his focus narrows. Depending on the situation, this could be a great strength, but for this mission, it could be a fatal flaw.
“Never mind. I must have spoken out of turn.”
“Why? What’s going on?”
Yeon Hojeong gave a bitter smile.
“I’ve received a mission. It’s not a Myeolsagun mission, but one I took on my own.”
“What? What kind of mission?”
“It’s a bit dangerous. We have to infiltrate the Heukdo.”
Cheok Gang’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.
“The Heukdo?”
“Yes. It’s a solo mission, but I’ve been looking for someone to join me. However, it seems you’re not the right fit.”
“Why not? Why not? I’m fine! If I focus more, I can heal my internal injury within five days! I’m serious!”
Yeon Hojeong patted Cheok Gang’s head.
Cheok Gang made a crow-like noise in response.
“There are things more important than martial arts. It’s not because your skills are lacking, so don’t take it personally.”
Cheok Gang pouted sullenly.
“If that’s the case, why did you even bother coming all the way here?”
“Well, you’ve got a point.”
Yeon Hojeong patted Cheok Gang on the shoulder.
“Anyway, take some time to rest. Don’t slack off on your training.”
Just as Yeon Hojeong was about to turn away, he glanced up at the second-floor window of Cheok Gang’s residence. There, Pae Yul was watching him.
Yeon Hojeong silently nodded, offering a respectful gesture to his senior.
Then, it happened.
Pah-ra-ra-rak!
In an instant, Pae Yul leaped out of the window and landed in front of the main gate.
A look of puzzlement appeared on Yeon Hojeong’s face.
“Senior?”
The way Pae Yul was acting now was different from how he had been at the Wulin Alliance’s main gate. He knew how to separate personal matters from official business.
In a calm voice, Pae Yul asked, “You’ve received a mission?”
“Yes.”
“For someone of your caliber to say it’s dangerous, it must be no ordinary mission.”
“It’s very dangerous.”
“What kind of mission is it?”
Yeon Hojeong clicked his tongue.
“I’m sorry, I can’t tell you.”
This was strictly official business. No matter how respected a senior he was in the martial world, he couldn’t just divulge confidential matters.
“I see.”
Pae Yul nodded.
“Regardless, the fact that you came to see Gang means you judged that he could be of some help, correct?”
“That’s right.”
Yeon Hojeong felt puzzled. He had only met Pae Yul once, and they certainly hadn’t formed any kind of relationship. He couldn’t understand why Pae Yul kept acting this way.
Pae Yul then spoke directly, “Whatever the mission is, I’d like to join you.”
“What?”
“Why? Do you think I’m not up to the task?”
What’s gotten into him all of a sudden?
Suppressing his rising doubts, Yeon Hojeong responded, “That’s correct.”
Pae Yul’s eyebrows twitched.
“In what way? Surely you’re not saying my skills aren’t sufficient.”
“Of course not. However, this mission requires more than just skill. Considering all factors, I don’t believe you’re suitable for this particular mission.”
“I’d like to hear your reasoning.”
“For this mission, while there’s someone else in charge of the overall command, I’m the one responsible for the operations. I need someone who can react immediately to orders given on the spot.”
Yeon Hojeong gave a wry smile.
“Can you, as a senior, follow the orders of a much younger junior without hesitation, even if it means walking into a death trap?”
Pae Yul couldn’t respond.
Yeon Hojeong bowed his head slightly.
“I’ll see you again. Goodbye.”
As he passed by Pae Yul and opened the gate, Pae Yul spoke up.
“Following the orders of a much younger junior, no matter how official the mission, can be quite a blow to one’s pride.”
“…?”
“But if it’s someone who has beaten me, that’s a different story.”
Yeon Hojeong hesitated for a moment.
Thump, thump.
Behind him, a wild and rough energy, like that of a fierce beast, began to surge.
“When it comes to a fight, there’s no one as clean-cut as me. If you manage to defeat me, I promise I’ll follow your orders on this mission without a single complaint. If you tell me to die, I won’t just pretend—I’ll actually do it.”
“…!!”
“So, how about it? Want to have a match with me?”