Chapter 386: A Tiger and a Lion Are Different (6)
“They must have met by now.”
“They probably have.”
Yeon Wi’s face was extremely expressionless as he drank his tea.
Although he had softened recently, Yeon Wi originally had quite a blunt personality. As someone like him drank tea without any expression, the atmosphere in the room became incredibly heavy.
Even the world-renowned Tang Kwan cleared his throat for no reason while looking at Yeon Wi’s face, so an ordinary person would not have been able to even breathe.
Zhuge Wen-hu said.
“Grand Commander Yeon’s abilities are inherently outstanding, so he often steps to the forefront. Every time he does, there is something this person says to the Yeon Clan Head. It was to tell you not to worry.”
“……”
“I know well that those words provide no comfort to the Yeon Clan Head, who is a parent. However, we have no choice but to trust Grand Commander Yeon this time as well. As the Yeon Clan Head also knows, Grand Commander Yeon does not throw his body into a fight he cannot win.”
Yeon Wi still remained silent.
Zhuge Wen-hu looked at Tang Kwan with troubled eyes. It meant to ask for some help from the side.
Tang Kwan smacked his lips.
“It can’t be helped that a parent worries about their child. But hasn’t Grand Commander Yeon all grown up? At that age, he is old enough to do his share for one person. You raised him well and he grew up well, so now there is nothing you can do but just watch.”
Normally, he would have called Yeon Ho-jeong an arrogant brat, a crazy bastard, or all sorts of things. But Yeon Wi’s expression was so unusual that even Tang Kwan had no choice but to be careful with his word selection.
However, given his personality, proper words of comfort could not possibly come out. Zhuge Wen-hu’s expression immediately became sour.
At that moment, Yeon Wi spoke.
“I was always prepared.”
The two people looked at Yeon Wi.
Staring at the teacup until the end, Yeon Wi said.
“As the Tang Clan Head said, Ho-jeong is all grown up. Even Ji-pyeong has started to do his share. That is not just for my children. The Tang Clan Head’s and Zhuge Clan Head’s children have also grown enough to do their share.”
“……”
“I thought about it. What can I do as a parent for my already grown children. But, no matter how much I thought about it, there was nothing more I could do. I could take care of trivial things, but anything more than that is a parent’s greed.”
“Yeon Clan Head.”
“Then what more can I do for my child as a parent and as a martial artist?”
Yeon Wi’s eyes turned cold.
“Revenge.”
“……!”
“My children are martial artists. I am the same. If so, if my child dies somewhere, I have nothing more to do for them other than take revenge.”
Zhuge Wen-hu and Tang Kwan were flustered. They had not expected such words to come out of the mouth of Yeon Wi, who was praised as a gentleman.
Yeon Wi calmly drank his tea.
With that one sip of tea, his complicated mind calmed down a lot.
“When a baby bird starts to flap its wings, the mother bird no longer brings it food. People are the same. However, people and beasts are strictly different. That is the only thing left that I can do for my child now.”
“……”
“I apologize for ruining the atmosphere for no reason. Although I spoke like this, as the Zhuge Clan Head said, my worry does not go away. From now on, I will carry this worry alone, so there is no need for you to be mindful of me.”
Yeon Wi sighed.
“However, I only hope that the day I have to perform that last role left for a parent will not come.”
Zhuge Wen-hu nodded heavily.
“So that the Yeon Clan Head will not have to use the last right left to him, this person will help as much as possible.”
“Thank you.”
Tang Kwan smacked his lips.
“Indeed, the Yeon Clan Head’s words are also right. If the child of a martial artist has grown enough to do their share, the only thing left is revenge.”
Revenge, retribution.
For a Tang Clan member, there would be no words that gave as great a resonance as these. Tang Kwan’s face became very serious as he chewed over Yeon Wi’s words.
Zhuge Wen-hu said.
“In any case, given Yang Cheon’s personality as seen by Grand Commander Yeon, he will never be able to harm Grand Commander Yeon. He cannot do that. He is the Combat King, but he is also the head of the Black Path leading tens of thousands of subordinates. It is a position where he cannot act hastily.”
Tang Kwan shook his head.
“Also, that person is the Combat King. He will not easily let it pass not because he is a Black Path member, but because he is the Combat King.”
“Of course he will. However, since Grand Commander Yeon said he had something to trade with Yang Cheon, for the trade to be successful, he will not be able to do anything to Grand Commander Yeon.”
It was a matter related to the Yin Desolation Divine Palm. Zhuge Wen-hu and Tang Kwan did not know the details, but Yeon Wi already knew about it from hearing it from Yeon Ho-jeong.
Even so, being worried could not be helped.
“Contact will come soon.”
Zhuge Wen-hu’s eyes shone.
“If it is Grand Commander Yeon, he will certainly be able to draw out the best result.”
* * *
Papapapang! Peo-eong!
The fight between the two peak masters had entered a state of climax.
‘Amazing.’
Astonishment was cast over Bu Seon’s face.
‘It’s becoming a fight that looks like a fight?!’
What was certain was that her master was not doing his best.
She had seen her master seriously engage in a match before. It was in the distant past, but even if he brought out just the skills of that time, that young man named Yeon Ho-jeong would have fallen a long time ago.
However.
‘That doesn’t mean he is fighting carelessly either.’
Pabababak! Thwack!
Blood splattered from Yeon Ho-jeong’s mouth.
Kwang!
Hazy smoke rose from Yang Cheon’s forearm, which had blocked Yeon Ho-jeong’s elbow.
The accumulated amount of shock was different. The more he defended against Yang Cheon’s attacks, the more Yeon Ho-jeong’s qi flow shook frighteningly, and the more Yang Cheon defended against Yeon Ho-jeong’s attacks, his qi flow remained extremely stable like in the beginning.
Even so, blows were exchanged.
Yang Cheon was not doing his best, but a Fist Combat was taking place.
It was literally a fight. It was not a blood-reeking fight of warriors fighting for their lives, but the fighting skills of fighters standing on a sparring arena.
Of course, even if it was a spar, the fact that one would die the moment they slipped up remained unchanged. But it was also ambiguous to see it as a life-and-death battle.
As if childhood back-alley bosses had come forward as representatives to decide victory or defeat.
The fight between Yeon Ho-jeong and Yang Cheon was surprisingly full of thrill.
“……It’s amazing.”
Bu Seon looked to her side in surprise.
The young swordsman, who she had thought was acting up without knowing the height of the sky, but whose actual skills were higher than hers, and who had come with the number one rising star under heaven, was clicking his tongue.
“I knew my older brother was strong, but to think he could engage in a Fist Combat with the Combat King.”
As she moved to avoid the fierce battle between the two absolute peak masters, it seemed the distance had gotten closer at some point.
Bu Seon’s eyes sharpened.
“What does that mean?”
“Hmm?”
Glancing at Bu Seon, Gang-ryang spoke calmly.
“It was a soliloquy, so don’t pay it any mind.”
“You said a Fist Combat with my master is possible?”
Gang-ryang pointed at the two people with his chin.
“Can’t you see it with your eyes? Aren’t they fighting well?”
“What a ridiculous sound! Anyone can see that my master is fighting while saving his strength. If my master had exerted his full strength, within three seconds……!”
“Then, is that not a fight right now?”
“……!”
“If it were you, would you be confident in engaging in that level of Fist Combat with the Combat King under heaven?”
For a moment, Bu Seon lost her words.
Gang-ryang shook his head.
“Words like the opponent hid their strength or was playing around are ultimately nothing but armchair theories. What is important is only this moment right now.”
“He is just playing around. The moment my master feels boredom, that person will die.”
“That is something you don’t know. Because it hasn’t happened.”
“Playing with words……!”
“And look.”
Gang-ryang smiled.
At that strange smile that felt as if he found it amusing, or perhaps bitter, Bu Seon felt her heart ache for no reason.
“Where on your master’s face do you see boredom? Far from boredom, doesn’t he seem to be enjoying it more than my older brother in this fight that looks like a fight that happened after a long time?”
Bu Seon turned her gaze to Yang Cheon.
‘……!!’
It was true. Gang-ryang’s words were correct.
Yang Cheon’s face responding to Yeon Ho-jeong’s punches and kicks could not have been more expressionless.
But Bu Seon knew. No, anyone could know.
Yang Cheon’s cheeks were flushed red. His two eyes sparkled more than ever, and his qi flow responding to the opponent’s movements was drenched in a strange excitement amidst its stability.
Gang Ryang’s words were correct. Yang Cheon was enjoying this fight right now.
“You say my older brother will lose if he does his best? That’s right. The probability of that is overwhelmingly high. But the important thing is the fact that the Combat King is not doing his best.”
Even while speaking, Gang-ryang’s eyes were chasing every single ignorant movement of the two people.
He would not let a single movement, not a single clash go to waste. It was a gaze that showed such will.
“Giving the Combat King enjoyment, dealing with the Combat King so that he can enjoy this fight longer.”
“……!”
“Making it so that the Combat King does not exert his full strength in this fight, that is the reason why my older brother is amazing.”
“……He approached aiming for that from the beginning?”
“That is something no one knows except the person involved. However, the older brother I know is not a person who throws his body into enemy territory without any preparation. He must have had confidence.”
Gang-ryang’s smile deepened.
“The confidence to make it so the Combat King could not kill him, and the confidence to use it as a foundation for his own martial arts to develop.”
Boom!
With a tremendous explosion, Yeon Ho-jeong bounced outside of five zhang and rolled on the ground.
“Kuhu-luk!”
Vomiting the blood he had held back and held back, Yeon Ho-jeong looked at Yang Cheon with reddened eyes.
Yang Cheon’s posture had become even lower. It was the very posture of a lion about to pounce on its prey.
Staring blankly at Yang Cheon, Yeon Ho-jeong soon grinned.
“I lost.”
“……?”
“Let’s stop here.”
Yang Cheon’s eyebrows twitched.
“You want to stop here?”
Pususeuseu.
Yeon Ho-jeong stably gathered the internal energy he had drawn up to the limit. It was an expression of his will not to fight anymore.
“What are you doing? The fight is still……”
“It’s over. I am at my limit now.”
“……?”
“However, if you want to enjoy a fight like today again, I will drop by on my way back after this mission is over.”
“What?”
“Was it okay? The fight with me?”
Staring quietly at Yeon Ho-jeong, Yang Cheon relaxed his posture.
Yang Cheon’s face became strange.
“It was okay. It was certainly okay. Ever since I immersed myself in the Starlight of the Ultimate, this is the first time I had a martial exchange full of such thrill.”
“I’m honored.”
After a moment of silence, Yang Cheon asked as if throwing the words.
“Did you aim for this?”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“It would be difficult to kill an ill-fated friend who is worth exchanging blows with, let alone an enemy. Thanks to you, I played well, but what was a fun game for me must have been a battle of wits with your life on the line for you.”
Yeon Ho-jeong shook his head.
“I did start with such a mind. However, as the fight continued, those things disappeared from my head. Because it was not a fight with enough leeway to have distracting thoughts.”
“……”
“However, if you thought I am an ill-fated friend worth keeping alive, then help me now. Let’s crush the Three Cults together. Of course, only if you also think you have a debt left to pay those bastards.”
Yang Cheon smirked.
‘He is truly a bastard I cannot hate.’
He didn’t know things would proceed in this way. Of course, he had no intention of killing Yeon Ho-jeong from the beginning, but he didn’t know it would conclude this cheerfully.
“A smart enemy is always the number one target for elimination. But right now, you are too good of a bastard to kill.”
Yang Cheon turned his body.
“Follow me. At least for this time, I will welcome you as a guest.”
Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes shone.
“Are you saying you will invite me to the Black Dragon Manor?”
“Why? Are you scared? Afraid I might take you there and kill you?”
“There’s no way. If you were going to kill me, you would have killed me already. Rather, I’m honored. However, I have a mission, so I won’t be able to stay long.”
“Just heal my body and leave. You will be able to receive the information regarding Hong Gwan after my body becomes perfectly fine.”
Yeon Ho-jeong grinned widely.
“It’s a trade I like.”