Chapter 220: Sleeping on Brushwood and Tasting Gall (8)
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Peoeok!
A tree branch that flew without a sound got stuck in the iron plate.
Seureureuk. Tuk.
Although it was stuck in the iron plate, its depth was merely one chi of the tip of the branch. The tree branch that was swaying back and forth as the wind blew eventually could not hold on and fell to the ground.
“Hmm…….”
Regret lingered in Muk Bi’s eyes.
‘It seems it is still far away.’
She looked down at the tree branches placed on the flat wooden bench.
Surprisingly, the tree branches were all without exception in the state of just being broken, not carved. There were no arrowheads or fletching, and they were not even straight, so they were not in a state fit to be used as a substitute for arrows.
Muk Bi had shot such a tree branch and stuck it into an iron plate. It was truly a terrifying archery.
“You are amazing, Vice-Commander.”
Ok-cheong clicked her tongue.
“The tension of the bow is also reckless, but isn’t it difficult from the start to control it so as not to break it?”
“Yeah, as for that.”
Muk Bi only smiled as if it was no big deal.
Ok-cheong picked up a tree branch with a fascinated face.
“How can this…… Heot?!”
Pasak!
The tree branch broke.
Absurdity rose on Ok-cheong’s face.
“The inside of this is all decomposed, isn’t it? Was it a rotten tree branch?”
“Yeah.”
“Keok!”
Not enough to shoot a tree branch that crumbles even if slightly given force by knocking it on a bow that even a first-rate master finds hard to pull, she stuck it into an iron plate. And that exactly on the desired target.
Ok-cheong felt marvel.
“Just how complex of an internal energy operation did you do in that one moment? Even in our Wudang Sect, it would be hard to find a person capable of internal energy control this delicate.”
Muk Bi shook her head.
“It’s just that you don’t know, there will be more than you think. I am still merely a greenhorn.”
“……If Vice-Commander is a greenhorn, what do I become.”
“Not even at the level of a greenhorn. So train hard.”
“Yep.”
Even while speaking comfortably, her own strict military discipline was ingrained.
It was not a very long time, but while training the Evil-Annihilating Army soldiers, an authority as a superior had also formed in Muk Bi.
Furthermore, she spends her days working harder than anyone among the soldiers. Before they knew it, the soldiers sincerely considered Muk Bi, who was merely quiet and kind, as their superior.
Of course, Muk Bi still did not realize her own change. Because she had something as important as the training of the Evil-Annihilating Army.
‘I must become stronger.’
Muk Bi picked up a wooden arrow that had fallen on the floor. It was an item with an arrow shaft well-trimmed and an arrowhead sharpened keenly.
She knocked the wooden arrow on the Red Lotus Bow.
Kkadeudeudeuk.
The bowstring stretched terrifyingly as she pulled her arm.
‘At least as much as Young Master Yeon, or more than that.’
Piyuung!
The wooden arrow shot high into the sky disappeared from her vision in an instant.
The wooden arrow disappeared, but the sensation remaining in the hand that pulled the bowstring was vivid.
That sensation was telling her. That it was still far away.
Muk Bi gave a bitter smile.
‘Father said he would rest tomorrow. I should seek his teachings again tomorrow.’
It was a short period, but she received many teachings from Yeon Wi.
Yeon Wi was not an affectionate master. He was on the side of placing weight on criticism rather than praise, and there were not many detailed explanations. Rather than unfolding and teaching martial principles, he was on the side of inducing the opponent to ponder and directly acquire them.
However, he absolutely never left out necessary explanations, and if there was a wrong part, he pointed it out without hesitation.
He was not affectionate, but he was an excellent master. Since Muk Bi also had outstanding senses, her pace of development was tremendously fast.
However, with this much, even if she hears the sound of ‘hearing one and knowing ten’, she would not hear the sound of ‘a talent that comes once in a hundred years’. On the other hand, although everyone is hushing it up, they say Yeon Ho-jeong is a monster who might or might not appear once in a hundred years.
It was the reason Muk Bi could not be satisfied here. For her, who believed she had to become at least as strong as Yeon Ho-jeong, her current realm was merely a process.
However, she did not know. That there was a corner that developed more noticeably than martial arts.
‘Why must I become stronger? The reason doesn’t matter. The important thing is that I want to become stronger.’
It was a more mature mindset.
A goal she wanted to achieve in her lifetime? She didn’t have one yet. She didn’t know if such a thing would arise even if ten or twenty years passed.
However, if there is something I want right now, I just advance without looking for reasons or whatever.
If her martial arts developed while training with Yeon Wi, she was one who achieved mental growth while leading the Evil-Annihilating Army soldiers. Now she had entered a realm where she could ask herself questions and seek answers with her own strength.
“What about the kids? Are they resting well?”
“Probably? Even though it’s a one-day vacation, well, they’ll probably be training at their quarters.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. Because Vice-Commander is so hardworking.”
Muk Bi blinked her eyes.
“Come to think of it, what are you doing here?”
Ok-cheong scratched her head.
“I came because I had something I wanted to ask of Vice-Commander, but it is fine now.”
“A request?”
“Yes.”
“What is it?”
“That is…….”
Ok-cheong let out a dry cough.
“I’ve felt my martial arts stagnating recently. It does seem like I’m becoming well-versed in sword principles day by day, but I feel like my body can’t keep up with it.”
“……?”
“I came wondering if an answer would come out if I hold a spar with someone incompatible with me…… but my mind changed after seeing Vice-Commander’s martial arts.”
Muk Bi smiled.
“I am fine. If you want to compete, anytime.”
“Ah, I am fine too. I don’t think I need to do it.”
“Why?”
“I wouldn’t know if it was a fellow wolf, but I don’t think I could get an answer by fighting a tiger. The difference should be moderate, this is just…….”
“Isn’t that something you wouldn’t know unless you try fighting?”
Ok-cheong gave a warm smile.
“Usually that’s the case. However, I know now. That there are things you can know even without trying to fight.”
Muk Bi’s eyes shone.
‘Ok-cheong has grown too.’
Focusing for a moment and looking, Ok-cheong’s aura had become even more profound. The aura spewing out was so soft and natural that she hadn’t realized it until now.
That is exactly the martial arts of the Wudang Sect.
It is an aura that approaches and wraps around like fog, or like a cloud. The martial arts of Wudang, which pursued the extreme of naturalness, was finally opening that path for Ok-cheong as well.
“Then I will take my leave first.”
“Yeah, tell me anytime if there’s anything.”
“Yes.”
Ok-cheong walked out of the Army-Destroying Pavilion with long strides.
Muk Bi, who put down the Red Lotus Bow, looked up at the sky.
The day was sunny, but the movement of the clouds was quite fast. The weather had unknowingly become chilly.
“……Is the work going well?”
* * *
The next morning.
‘Not yet.’
Yeon Ho-jeong, who finished his water bath and changed into neat clothes, was sitting on the steps of the manor’s yard.
‘If you don’t hurry, you’ll have quite a headache, this gentleman.’
Yeon Ho-jeong was waiting for Murong Jun’s contact.
Stepping forward to reorganize the Black Dragon Manor’s organizational chart was, so to speak, close to buying time. He could plant a sufficiently strong impression with that alone, but in order to properly conclude this transaction, a transaction item capable of revealing practical results was necessary.
And the person who said he would prepare that was Murong Jun.
Yeon Ho-jeong, who was quietly looking up at the sky, closed his eyes.
‘If it’s late, it can’t be helped. I have no choice but to display my own wits.’
Anyway, Murong Jun’s cooperation was close to free money. If he hadn’t come, he would have had to reach the deep core of the Black Dragon Manor with his own strength alone.
Of course, Yeon Ho-jeong was confident. Confident in gaining Yang Cheon’s trust.
‘Although it will take some time.’
At that time, Tang Sang-ah’s voice was heard from the side.
“It’s chilly, why are you out here?”
“What do you mean chilly? This much is just cool.”
“Is it?”
“Yeah.”
Tang Sang-ah, who hesitated for a moment, sat next to Yeon Ho-jeong.
Yeon Ho-jeong looked at her with puzzled eyes.
“Why? Do you have something to say?”
“Rather than something to say…….”
“What is it?”
Tang Sang-ah smacked her lips.
“That was acting, right?”
“What was?”
“That…… yesterday, I mean.”
Yeon Ho-jeong, who tilted his head, suddenly thought of something and chuckled.
“Killing that monkey bastard?”
“That too. And the killing intent too.”
“Why? Did I look like an Unrivaled Demon Head?”
“If it was more than that, it was more, it was not less.”
Seeing her speak to this extent, it seemed it was quite shocking.
Yeon Ho-jeong turned his head.
“Did she say she was Fire Ape? That person, it seemed there would be frequent clashes in many ways. If it’s a clash that can’t be avoided just by avoiding, it’s better to suppress her spirit at the very beginning.”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah.”
Tang Sang-ah’s eyes shook.
“But you killed a person, didn’t you?”
Yeon Ho-jeong tilted his head.
“What does that matter?”
“……?!”
“The Black Dragon Manor is the enemy. Fire Ape is the Fire Ape, but the person I killed yesterday sincerely harbored killing intent. And that twice.”
“But even so…….”
“There was room to cause trouble. Especially those of that kind are highly likely to commit acts out of excessive loyalty even without their Lord’s orders. If left alone, he probably would have bothered us quite a bit.”
“It’s just a possibility, isn’t it.”
Yeon Ho-jeong spoke flatly.
“If it is judged that there is even a fraction of a possibility that could become a problem for us, I will clear it away and go.”
“…….”
“Here is the Unorthodox. The Black Dragon Manor is enemy territory, and the moment things go even slightly wrong, all of us could die.”
“……!”
“If you wish for a humane response from me, who has to pay attention not only to the mission but also to the safety of the entire party, I am sorry but go back even now.”
Tang Sang-ah’s eyes deepened.
“Is it because I have finished my role?”
“You heard?”
“Yes.”
“That’s right. You have sufficiently accomplished your role.”
“…….”
“I hope you don’t misunderstand. It doesn’t mean you are useless. If a master like you helps, the work will become that much easier.”
Tang Sang-ah, who had been quietly looking at Yeon Ho-jeong, let out a deep sigh.
“I didn’t know you were such an extreme person.”
“It is not my intention to offend your feelings, but I also didn’t know you people would be this soft.”
“What do you mean soft?”
“Have you forgotten already? The opponent is the Unorthodox and Yang Cheon.”
“……!!”
“You haven’t released your tension just because things are going smoothly, have you?”
Tang Sang-ah unconsciously swallowed her saliva.
That was right. The opponent was not a single sect but the entire Unorthodox. Furthermore, the person reigning at the summit of that Unorthodox was one of the Saintly Heaven Thirteen Seats.
He was an opponent about whom one could not say he was easy to deal with even as empty words.
“Are you telling me to handle matters while keeping chivalry and morality even with such an opponent in front of me? Even if there was such a method, I would not choose it. Because I don’t want to affect the work with a method I cannot be certain of myself.”
Especially.
‘Even more so now when the possibility of the Black Dragon Manor holding hands with the Three Cults is high.’
Ulkeok.
Yeon Ho-jeong painstakingly suppressed his soaring anger.
‘I need certain information. Because perhaps Yang Cheon could be unrelated to those guys.’
Of course, that possibility was close to nil.
However, Yeon Ho-jeong did not jump to conclusions. He wanted more transparent, certain physical evidence.
He had to be cautious. He had to be certain.
For the sake of myself, and no one else, it had to be so.
‘There is plenty of time. Let’s not ruin things by running wild out of excitement for no reason.’
In truth, to Yeon Ho-jeong who returned to the past, the Myeong Clan were guys more worthy of killing than the Three Cults. The Three Cults did not aim only for the Yeon Clan, but the Myeong Clan annihilated the Yeon Clan, with whom they had no grudges, for their private interests.
However, in the scale of the disaster, the Three Cults were overwhelming. They intended to wipe out the realm of Murim itself from the start.
It must be because of that. That he felt more tense, and more excited.
Just controlling those emotions of his was not an ordinary difficult task.
“I am sorry.”
“Hmm?”
Tang Sang-ah let out a sigh.
“I was not trying to criticize you, Army Commander Yeon. Just…… because I received a little shock.”
Come to think of it, she too had shot and killed the informants of the Unorthodox, whose faces she had never even seen, with hidden weapons. Furthermore, they had not even revealed killing intent like the dead Ape Leg.
‘My tension was released.’
When moving together with Yeon Ho-jeong, he handles almost everything.
So she had forgotten. The tension and sense of purpose at the beginning of the operation.
Even though she even lost her mind at the death of an ally in the joint operation of Sweeping Demons and Annihilating Evil.
‘We have entered right in the middle of enemy territory.’
Goosebumps rose afresh.
There are various forms of missions. There are missions where one marches solely to annihilate the enemy, while there are also missions like now where one deceives the enemy and snatches information.
In other words, now is a situation where one must sharpen their knife inwardly even if they laugh and chat outwardly.
‘The war was in full swing.’
Tang Sang-ah deeply lowered her head.
“I acted too much like a greenhorn, didn’t I?”
Yeon Ho-jeong inwardly let out a sigh.
Come to think of it, it was understandable. Perhaps after this mission ends, it would be proper to apologize to Tang Sang-ah personally.
‘It is truly eventful.’
He opened his mouth.
“Let’s be a little more tense.”
“Yes.”
It was then.
“It came!”
From the distant wall, Ga Deuk-sang ran like the wind.
“A letter has come.”
Yeon Ho-jeong sprang up.
Yeon Ho-jeong, who quickly received the letter from Ga Deuk-sang, flashed his eyes for a moment.
“……Now, let’s go meet Yang Cheon.”