Chapter 114

Chapter 114

Immediately after finishing the second round of the Yongbongji Conference.

The Muja Group members naturally headed towards the Cheonryu Sangdan branch. This was due to Mu-jin’s rule that they couldn’t skip training even on the day of a martial arts competition.

If the match had been extremely strenuous, they would have focused on recovery training using close-range spear techniques, but none of the four were in such a state.

As expected, Jegal Jin-hee also visited the Cheonryu Sangdan branch.

“I wanted to come earlier, but I was tied up with a meeting of the Five Noble Families, so I got a bit delayed.”

Though she said that, the real reason for her delay was Tang So-mi. Jegal Jin-hee had spent extra time trying to avoid Tang So-mi, who seemed even more interested in Mu-jin after the martial arts match.

Ryu Seol-hwa, who was receiving personal lessons from Mu-jin, smiled brightly at Jegal Jin-hee.

“Since you were late, it would have been fine to skip today. Since you had a match today, why not take a day off?”

“Hohoho. I can’t skip training just because of a little match, don’t you agree?”

Though both women were smiling and conversing, there was a sense of intense energy clashing between them.

‘Did Ryu Seol-hwa also learn martial arts?’

Mu-jin wondered if the Jade Maiden Technique he had taught Ryu Seol-hwa before was actually a high-level martial art.

In any case, the training session proceeded in its usual cheerful yet tense atmosphere, and after sufficiently torturing their muscles, it was time for the close-range spear technique.

While they were relaxing their muscles, Mu-jin cautiously asked,

“Is everything okay with your family?”

“Nothing much to speak of,” Jegal Jin-hee replied, trying to keep a neutral expression.

Since she started implementing the physical training methods and close-range spear techniques she learned from Mu-jin at her family, she had begun to be treated as an oddity.

But there was no need to bother Mu-jin with such trivial matters.

‘There’s no need to compare myself with Ryu Seol-hwa.’

Especially since she didn’t want to highlight the stark contrast between her own family’s situation and that of Ryu Seol-hwa, who was being fully supported by the Sangdanju.

Mu-jin’s next words, however, led to a misunderstanding.

“If you ever have any trouble, please feel free to contact me. Regardless of our respective sects or families, Jegal Jin-hee, you are a precious friend to me.”

Mu-jin merely said this to identify any peculiarities that might occur in the Jegal family someday.

‘So, he already knew.’

Jegal Jin-hee took it to mean something else entirely.

The reason she was treated as an oddity was not just because she, a direct descendant of the Jegal family, was practicing external martial arts instead of internal energy techniques, but fundamentally because of Mu-jin, who had embarrassed the Jegal family and seemed to maintain a close relationship with Shaolin.

“Yes, if any trouble arises with my family, you will be the first I seek help from, Mu-jin.”

Jegal Jin-hee felt both grateful for Mu-jin’s considerate words and frustrated by his insistence on referring to her as a “friend.”

* * *

“Master Elder, are you going to leave the young lady as she is?”

In response to the question from a Hyun Sword Squad warrior, who was like a close aide, Jegal-hyeon answered in a blunt tone.

“Leave her be for now. After all, she is the only one from our family who has advanced to the third round.”

Only eight late-stage practitioners advanced to the third round of the Yongbongji Conference. Among them, only two were from the Five Noble Families: Namgung Jin-cheon and Jegal Jin-hee.

This was because four of the eight finalists were from the Shaolin Temple, which the Jegal family subtly considered a rival.

However, the family’s honor being elevated by her being among the eight finalists was not enough to excuse her unrestrained behavior.

Currently, the elders of the Five Noble Families were continuously meeting to discuss the formation of an alliance.

But as with any alliance, it wasn’t something that could be settled with a simple “Let’s form an alliance!”

Such verbal alliances could quickly become meaningless, so naturally, basic rules and agreements were needed to maintain the alliance.

In the process of establishing these rules and agreements, each family was engaged in a battle for dominance to ensure favorable terms for themselves.

In this sense, the results of the current Yongbongji Conference were very significant.

Although they were just late-stage practitioners now, in ten or twenty years, they would grow into key figures in their respective families.

This was an opportunity to take a significant step closer to the name he had always dreamed of—Mu-gung, the martial arts prodigy.

Mugung’s competitive spirit ignited with the thought of avenging himself against Cheongsu Dojang while simultaneously capturing people’s attention.

Of course, Cheongsu Dojang was simply looking forward to the match with Mujin. He had no intention of disregarding Mugung.

“Hahaha.”

Cheongsu Dojang’s thoughtless speech resembled that of someone close to Mujin.

* * *

Two days later.

The morning of the third match of Yongbong Gathering dawned.

As before, the Shaolin disciples headed to the martial arts stage together, and shortly thereafter, Mugung ascended the stage in time for the start of the Yongbong Gathering.

Opposite him, amidst the Wudang Daoists, Cheongsu Dojang calmly walked up to the stage.

‘Phew. Focus.’

Burning with competitive spirit towards Cheongsu Dojang, Mugung steadied his breathing.

Though the desire for fame still lingered, the past four years of training in immovable mind had not been in vain.

He had cultivated enough to distinguish between when to maintain composure and when to act impulsively.

“Amitabha. I am Mugung of Shaolin.”

“Immeasurable Buddha. I am Cheongsu of Wudang.”

As soon as Mugung and Cheongsu Dojang exchanged greetings with half-bows and fist salutes on the stage,

“The match between Mugung of Shaolin and Cheongsu Dojang of Wudang will begin!”

The referee’s shout rang out, but neither man moved hastily.

‘He’s different from Ilhui Dojang. Is this what it means to be Wudang?’

Wudang’s martial arts focused on defense and counterattack through subtlety, seemingly waiting for his initiative.

However, he couldn’t just stand idly by.

“Hah!”

With a shout, Mugung took a large step forward towards Cheongsu Dojang.

As Mugung moved, Cheongsu Dojang’s sword began to dance slowly and gracefully.

Mugung admired Cheongsu Dojang’s sword with calm eyes, inwardly exclaiming.

‘He’s not called the best of Wudang for nothing!’

Cheongsu Dojang’s sword seemed to move slowly at first glance, drawing a circle. That circle encompassed all possible directions of Mugung’s attacks.

In other words, he was ready to deflect and counter any attack.

Mugung stepped around Cheongsu Dojang, occasionally feinting to deceive him, but Cheongsu Dojang’s defense remained solid.

Failing to find an opening, Mugung decided on a direct approach.

‘If there are no openings, I’ll just make one!’

At the moment of decision, extreme yang energy and forbidden energy began to converge in Mugung’s palm.

Naturally, his palm began to turn crimson.

Unleashing the Shaolin technique that had broken the Splendid Light Thirteen Hands of the Mount Heaven Sect in the second match, Mugung aimed his palm strike at Wudang’s Taiji.

Just as with Ilhui Dojang, who had been struck by the Buddha’s Palm, the calm look in Cheongsu Dojang’s eyes changed.

However, unlike Ilhui Dojang, he was not flustered.

“Hahaha!”

Far from being flustered, Cheongsu Dojang laughed as if things had finally become interesting.

He watched Mugung’s crimson palm strike with an ecstatic expression and began to draw countless Taiji symbols with his sword energy in the air.