Episode 221 I
hope that the time of silence will pass.
Dokgokju’s mouth, which had been tightly shut, finally opened.
“I understand now.”
“......?”
“Why did the Murim Lord make you the representative of the delegation?”
The heavy energy that filled the room instantly dissipated.
Dokgokju smiled, nodded and said.
“Don’t accept it.”
“Are you sure you don’t mind? “I have to send my beloved granddaughter to Jungwon.”
“As you said, isn’t this what the child wanted?”
I was a little surprised that they accepted it more obediently than I expected.
The suggestion I made may seem reasonable at first glance, but it actually had a loophole.
It didn’t occur to me that Dokgokju wouldn’t have noticed that.
‘I was going to give up neatly when they said they wouldn’t accept it.’
It seems that the saying that he was deeply attached to his granddaughter, whom he had acquired at a late age, was not entirely false.
Dokgokju stood up from his seat, placing his hand on the table.
I felt strange looking at the hunched posture that reminded me of a village elder.
After all, people couldn’t judge something just by looking at its appearance.
Who would believe this story, that Dokgokju, who had a reputation as one of the absolute rulers of the South, was such an unsightly old man?
“Whoa.”
He walked slowly, supporting his balance with a cane, but suddenly stopped in place.
He quietly stared at the door and spoke in a humorous voice.
“How about just coming in?”
Soon the door opened and an old man appeared.
It was Dang Sang-jin, the head of the Tang family.
Perhaps, when Dokgokju unleashed his energy to pressure me, he sensed something strange and came running.
The entire room was enveloped in a magical membrane, but it seemed like this wasn’t enough to fool the absolute master’s senses.
“.......”
Looking at Dang Sang-jin’s stiff expression, it seemed like he was quite embarrassed by the current situation.
I reassured him by signaling with my eyes and muttered to myself.
‘It’s a face to face between a poisonous king and a poisonous ruler.’
It was a fun picture.
When people in the world discuss the master of poisonous techniques, two people who are always mentioned were gathered together in one place.
Although something like that should never happen, I thought that if the two people were to fight, I would like to watch from up close.
“There is no need to be so cautious. “All my business has been accomplished, and I intend to return quietly.”
“...Then that’s a good thing.”
“I heard about the Poison King’s reputation so hard that it stung my ears. “It is indeed a famous and false story.”
Dokgokju said, looking Tang Sangjin up and down.
The wrinkled eyes were slightly curved.
Tang Sang-jin’s expression became even more displeased, perhaps because he felt displeased with that.
“I know it’s hard to welcome guests who come without a message, but there’s no need to be so stiff.”
“.......”
“I hope they can at least clear the way. “If you stand in front of the door like that, I won’t be able to pass by.”
I watched the two people fight with excitement.
For some reason, goosebumps appeared on my forearms.
Dokgokju, who quietly passed by Dang Sangjin and left the room, glanced in my direction and said,
“Please take care of Hwa-yeon.”
“yes.”
I knew it intuitively.
It’s a request, but in fact it’s a statement that’s close to a warning.
If there was a problem with Woo Hwa-yeon’s life, Dokgokju would never sit idly by and ignore it.
“......?”
Dang Sang-jin looked at me and Pokgokju in turn with a shocked expression.
His face looked like he couldn’t understand why Dokgokju was saying this to me.
“Oh, by the way, I guess I didn’t say something important.”
“What do you mean it’s important?”
“Woo Hyuk-jong. “That viper-like bastard keeps doing nasty things, so I tried to do something to discourage him a little.”
“yes?”
“You’ll find out tomorrow what that means.”
Woo Hyeok-jong was none other than the name of this Confucius.
After finishing speaking, Dokgokju’s new form disappeared as if melting into the darkness.
Dang Sang-jin, who had been staring in the direction where he disappeared, took a long breath and looked back at me.
I narrowed my eyes and muttered.
‘What are you thinking?’
* * *
As the match progressed into a long battle, I noticed one thing.
The opponent’s movements were slower than I expected.
To be precise, as time passed, the movements became more and more unnatural.
‘It doesn’t seem like you’re exhausted because your internal strength has been depleted.’
Not only does he display a passive attitude that doesn’t fit his personality, but he also repeatedly retreats even when he has a chance of winning.
If it happened once or twice, I would pass it off as a coincidence, but as the same situation repeated itself several times, I couldn’t help but wonder.
‘Have you been addicted?’
As I thought about various possibilities in my head, I lowered my sword and laughed.
What Dokgokju said to me the day before passed through my mind.
[You will find out what this means tomorrow.]
‘I see.’
It was said that he had taken great care to spoil this Confucius, and it seems that he was referring to this.
I didn’t know exactly what was done.
What was certain was that the opponent’s physical condition was far from normal.
‘It’s literally a prepared table.’
I felt like a fool when I cautiously inspected the liver, thinking there was something behind it.
I decided that it would be okay to push a little more boldly.
The energy flowing along the surface of the sword flared up and took on a clear shape.
The manifestation of swordsmanship.
Absolutely! Quick!
Subsequently, white thunder energy enveloped the tangible energy.
“Sigh!”
He unfolded the ghost beam and immediately invaded the opponent’s gap.
The moment the sword, which was swung in a large trajectory, made contact with the crossed clubs, an explosion rang out.
Quang! bang!
I continued to attack my opponent without stopping.
Around the time when we exchanged about thirty sums.
The warrior who was pushed away, leaving a long trail, finally got down on one knee.
“Uweek!”
Then he vomited a bunch of blood.
He raised his body using a club as support, glared at me with bloodshot eyes, and spoke as if he was chewing.
“......Coward.”
I had nothing to say in response.
I felt like I had unintentionally become a villain.
‘Whether I become a villain, it’s fine as long as I can achieve my goal.’
I had no intention of making excuses or anything like that.
I had no intention of giving the opponent a chance to adjust his stance.
It would be better for both of us to finish the match quickly rather than wasting our mental energy on useless things.
The 19th herbivorous month (播月).
Sword energy spread out in all directions and swept the area.
“Ugh!”
The warrior caught in the herbivorous range let out a groan in pain.
Clothes made of animal skin were torn to pieces and blood splattered.
Quadddddd!
Once again, he penetrated into the gap between the opponent and swung the sword filled with brain energy, causing fragments of the shattered club to fly in all directions.
He tripped the warrior, who was staring at his empty hands with a puzzled expression, and knocked him off balance, knocking him mercilessly to the ground.
Jump! Jump! Jump! Jump!
A light hitting sound rang out.
The sensation of bones breaking passed through my fingertips.
The body of the warrior, who had been hit alternately with his sword and his left fist, quickly became tattered.
“stop!”
The elder of the Beast Palace, who took on the role of referee, rushed in and stopped the match.
He looked down at the unconscious warrior and cried out in a deep voice.
“Winner! Seogon!”
Wow!
A cheer that erupts as if they had been waiting.
As I looked up at the audience, I let out a small laugh.
While everyone was excited about the outcome of the match, only one person was leaving the stadium with a shit-chewing expression on his face.
It was none other than this Confucius.
‘I feel a bit relieved now.’