‘This is troublesome.’

Lee Ji-yeom, the Corpse Blood Valley Master, had intended to ascend the platform and announce the end of the duel.

However, he had not expected a situation where the two most influential upper echelon members among the Five Kings would engage in a confrontation.

‘…I understand their intentions, but they went too far.’

Lee Ji-yeom clicked his tongue inwardly as he glanced at Mok Gyeong-un.

In fact, he too had been unable to conceal his astonishment upon witnessing Mok Gyeong-un replicating the profound principles of Mu Jang-yak’s Right Fist, Left Palm technique in a single attempt during their duel.

If it weren’t for the fact that he knew his liege was possessing the boy, he would have been desperate to accept him as a disciple due to his innate martial talent, just like the others.

In any case, to ensure smooth progression, he needed to intervene in their confrontation.

“Ahem. You two…”

However, just as he was about to speak, Shadow Master’s voice came from the left side.

“Hohoho. I apologize for interrupting your conversation, but would it be alright if I said a word?”

As Shadow Master stepped in as if to mediate, the two kings, whose emotions were about to escalate, simultaneously turned their gazes towards him.

Among them, the more belligerent one, Son Yun, the Bright Blade King, spoke in a somewhat sharp tone.

“What do you wish to say?”

“It is nothing more than a remark, wondering if there is a need for you two esteemed individuals to damage your sentiments over a single talent in this gathering.”

Under normal circumstances, they would have quickly come to their senses upon hearing these words.

However, this time was an exception.

Passing all the gates of the Corpse Blood Valley meant that most of the qualities a martial artist should possess had been verified, and it signified that they possessed fierce survival skills as well.

Not only that, but reaching the peak realm at the age of 17 and possessing innate martial talent to the extent of being able to replicate profound principles that even transcendent supreme masters couldn’t casually attempt after witnessing them just once…

Who would want to let go of such an individual?

“I understand what you are trying to say, Shadow Master, but this is a matter between the Thunderbolt Fist King and myself, so please do not interfere.”

Son Yun, the Bright Blade King, issued a strong warning.

On the other hand, Won Byeong-hak, the Thunderbolt Fist King, remained silent.

It wasn’t due to his gentlemanly nature, but because he had visited Shadow Master the previous night and requested him not to touch the child from the Esoteric Realm Gate.

“Ahem.”

He had resolved to be shameless, considering that he couldn’t afford to let go of such a talent, but naturally, he had to be mindful of the situation.

Fortunately, he hadn’t made such a request to the Bright Blade King, but he could only hope that Shadow Master wouldn’t bring it up.

At that moment, Shadow Master smiled and spoke.

“However, what is the point of you two deciding who will take the talent here?”

At those words, one of Son Yun’s eyebrows raised.

Could it be that Shadow Master was also intending to participate in this talent scramble?

With that, Son Yun spoke in a warning tone.

“Don’t tell me you’re also after that child…”

“Ah, no. That’s not what I meant. What I’m saying is that it would be futile for you two to engage in this debate if we follow the rules of the closing ceremony.”

“Futile? What do you mean by that?”

Shadow Master pointed at Mok Gyeong-un with his hand and spoke to the two puzzled kings.

“Although it’s difficult to confirm without witnessing the duels of the other students, if that student were to pass the final gate as the top ranker…”

‘!!!!!’

He trailed off, but everyone understood Shadow Master’s implication.

Come to think of it, with that level of martial talent, the probability of him passing the final gate as the top ranker was significantly high.

If that were to happen, the choice would lie with the student.

In the end, the debate over who would accept Mok Gyeong-un as a disciple might become entirely futile.

‘That’s right. It’s pointless for us to argue.’

Unlike those who agreed with Shadow Master’s words, Hang Yeo-ryang, the Valley Master of the Summoning Sound Valley, glanced at Mok Gyeong-un with twinkling eyes.

***

Mok Gyeong-un sat on the ground, his arms crossed, watching the next duel.

The next duel was between Mo Ha-rang of the Demon Fire Hall, ranked third, and Yeon Mu-ung of the Esoteric Realm Gate, ranked fourth.

They were already engaged in a fierce battle.

The confrontation between Mo Ha-rang, who specialized in the Swift Assassination Blade Technique, and Yeon Mu-ung, who wielded the Iron Fist based on the external martial art known as the Iron String Technique^[1], was quite intriguing.

Should it be called a battle of lightness and heaviness?

-Bam bam bam bam bam!

As their qi consumption was still low and their stamina was sufficient, the duel between the two was evenly matched.

However, judging solely by their fighting styles, it seemed that Mo Ha-rang, who prioritized swiftness, would tire out faster than Yeon Mu-ung, as her movements were two to three times faster than his.

As he was observing the duel,

-Who do you think will win?

Cheong-ryeong asked.

Without any hesitation, Mok Gyeong-un muttered quietly in response.

“Mo Ha-rang.”

-Ho. Your discernment has improved quite a bit.

She shared the same opinion as Mok Gyeong-un.

At a glance, one might think that Yeon Mu-ung, who was moving in a composed manner while employing the Iron Fist, would have an advantage as time passed, but the difference in their skill levels was evident.

In Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes, despite exchanging over twenty moves, Yeon Mu-ung still couldn’t keep up with Mo Ha-rang’s movements, while she was gradually attacking his weak points.

This alone indicated that Mo Ha-rang was a step above Yeon Mu-ung.

“shit!”

As Mok Gyeong-un had predicted, Yeon Mu-ung was gradually becoming impatient.

Yeon Mu-ung, whose Iron String Technique had only reached the 7th stage, had three vulnerable areas.

They were his face, armpits, and ankles.

When the Iron String Technique reached its pinnacle, the entire body would become as hard as rock, resolving most of the weak points.

However, Yeon Mu-ung still had vulnerabilities.

-Bam!

“Hiss!”

At some point, one of Mo Ha-rang’s daggers had penetrated the area near his armpit, one of his weak points.

Yeon Mu-ung, who had been firmly holding his ground, finally employed footwork and retreated.

With this, she could be certain.

‘Found it.’

An incomplete external martial art inevitably had weak spots.

Now that she had found them, she could make her move.

‘You’re finished.’

-Clang! Crack!

As she released the dagger from her hand, the silver thread connected to it moved like a living snake, chasing after Yeon Mu-ung, who was trying to create distance.

It persistently targeted his armpit, tormenting Yeon Mu-ung.

“shit!”

Enraged, Yeon Mu-ung tried to strike down the silver thread, but it entangled and coiled around his arm like a spider’s web.

Seeing this, Mok Gyeong-un chuckled.

The outcome would soon be determined.

Being at a higher level than himself and having his weak points exposed, it would be difficult for Yeon Mu-ung to endure.

At that moment, Yeom Ga from the Vermillion Slaughter Cave, or rather, the evil spirit possessing him, approached Mok Gyeong-un and whispered in a low voice.

“My Lord. What should we do?”

The evil spirit glanced at someone.

It was Mok Yu-cheon.

Although he knew that Mok Gyeong-un didn’t have any particular feelings towards him, they were ostensibly brothers, so he was asking how to handle the situation.

Without much contemplation, Mok Gyeong-un replied.

“Confront him at the level of the body’s owner.”

“Understood.”

The evil spirit occupying Yeom Ga’s body could display greater martial prowess, but doing so might unnecessarily draw attention, so there was no need for that.

Besides, with the evil spirit’s skill, even at Yeom Ga’s level, it would not be difficult to defeat Mok Yu-cheon.

The experience of his previous life could not be ignored.

At that moment,

“Gasp!”

Mu Jang-yak, who had been lying unconscious beside them, woke up.

Upon waking up, he struggled to regulate his breathing, sitting up and coughing.

“Cough, cough.”

Seeing him like this, Mok Yu-cheon approached and spoke.

“Jang-yak. Are you alright?”

“Cough, cough… I-I’m fine.”

After coughing a few more times, Mu Jang-yak finally managed to catch his breath and raised his head.

Then, with a bitter look in his eyes, he opened his mouth.

“As expected… I lost.”

“…You fought well enough.”

Mok Yu-cheon spoke in a regretful tone.

He wanted to console him in a way that could lift his spirits, but there was no way to do so.

Not only had he reached the pinnacle of the peak realm, but he had even mastered the profound technique of the Right Fist, Left Palm technique, which even peerless masters couldn’t replicate. Yet, he had still lost.

His opponent had perfectly recreated his own technique after witnessing it only once.

The opponent was simply the worst.

‘Mok Gyeong-un…’

What is happened are you?

He had thought that something had changed about him since the Yeon Mok Sword Manor, but this was a completely different level of existence.

Even he, who was called a genius, felt a sense of inferiority compared to Mok Gyeong-un’s martial talent.

That fellow was a monster in itself.

“Phew.”

At that moment, Mu Jang-yak struggled to stand up.

Mok Yu-cheon tried to stop him.

“Don’t push yourself. Sit down and circulate your qi. You must be quite dizzy after being hit in the jaw and face.”

The fact that he had woken up this quickly was already remarkable.

Despite Mok Yu-cheon’s suggestion, Mu Jang-yak shook his head, saying he was fine, and then got up and approached Mok Gyeong-un.

Mok Yu-cheon looked at him with puzzlement.

Was he doing this because he couldn’t accept the outcome of the duel?

Thinking that a dispute might occur, Mok Yu-cheon approached to intervene.

-Plop!

However, Mu Jang-yak sat down next to Mok Gyeong-un and spoke in a low voice.

“I lost. No, I lost to you. As promised, my lord…”

“Ah, no. I think you used the wrong form of address.”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, Mu Jang-yak’s cheeks trembled, and then,

“…I will serve you as my master. Please forgive me for not being able to properly show my loyalty in front of the leaders and their watchful eyes.”

‘!?’

Mok Yu-cheon, who had intended to intervene in case a dispute broke out, couldn’t hide his bewilderment upon hearing their conversation.

‘Master?’

What was this about?

Why was Mu Jang-yak addressing Mok Gyeong-un as his master and submitting to him in such a humiliating manner?

Could it be related to the promise they had mentioned earlier?

As he was puzzled, Mok Gyeong-un looked at him with a smile and pointed his finger at a certain location.

It was the training ground in the center of the plaza where the duel was taking place.

‘Ah?’

Looking over there, the outcome of the duel had been determined.

“Haa… Haa… I lost.”

Yeon Mu-ung of the Esoteric Realm Gate, holding his blood-soaked right armpit, knelt on one knee in front of Mo Ha-rang’s dagger, acknowledging his defeat.

This meant that it was now Mok Yu-cheon’s turn to duel.

Although he was curious about what had transpired between those two, he had to prepare for the duel first.

‘Tsk.’

Mok Yu-cheon turned his body, intending to leave.

At that moment,

“Good luck.”

“Yes, Master.”

‘!?’

Upon hearing the voice of Yeom Ga from the Vermillion Slaughter Cave addressing Mok Gyeong-un as “Master,” Mok Yu-cheon froze in place.

What was going on?

He knew that person had been accompanying Mok Gyeong-un for some time, but “Master”?

Wasn’t that a form of address typically used by slaves or servants?

With that, Mok Yu-cheon turned around and spoke to Mok Gyeong-un in a dumbfounded tone.

“…What have you done?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Why are they calling you their master? What exactly have you done to them?”

In response to Mok Yu-cheon’s question, Mok Gyeong-un chuckled and replied.

“I didn’t do anything special.”

“What do you mean you didn’t do anything special? Then why are they addressing you as their master or whatever…”

“Mok Yu-cheon!”

At that moment, the voice of Lee Ji-yeom, the Corpse Blood Valley Master, resounded.

Mok Yu-cheon bit his lip and turned around, walking towards the center of the plaza.

While dealing with that fellow here in the Corpse Blood Valley, he had realized his devilish true colors.

There was no doubt that he had played some trick.

At that moment, he saw Mo Ha-rang, who had won the duel, walking back to where the students were.

Considering their friendship from being in the same team during the flag contest, Mok Yu-cheon spoke.

“Congratulations on your victory.”

“…Thanks.”

-Step, step!

As they approached each other, Mok Yu-cheon warned in a whisper.

“Stay away from that Mok Gyeong-un. I don’t know what trick he played, but it seems like he’s making the students around him serve him as their master.”

He was telling her this out of a sense of camaraderie, as they had been on the same team.

However,

“…That advice. It’s already too late.”

‘!?’

Upon hearing Mo Ha-rang’s voice as she passed by, Mok Yu-cheon’s expression stiffened.

So, she was also serving Mok Gyeong-un as her master?

Mok Yu-cheon turned his head and looked at Mok Gyeong-un with trembling eyes.

Despite being brought here as a hostage, what the .... are you up to in this place?

***

Thus, the duel between Mok Yu-cheon and the evil spirit possessing Yeom Ga from the Vermillion Slaughter Cave began.

As he was observing the duel, a voice echoed in Mok Gyeong-un’s ears.

-Hello.

‘!?’

Mok Gyeong-un slightly furrowed his brows.

What was this?

This wasn’t Cheong-ryeong’s voice.

The sound penetrated his ears, but it wasn’t reverberating around him; it sounded as if someone was whispering directly into his ear.

Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes narrowed as he lightly scanned his surroundings.

Where did that voice come from?

At that moment,

-Hehehe.

A chuckle was heard.

At that moment, as Mok Gyeong-un was raising his vigilance, he detected the faint form of internal energy carried along with the reverberating vibration of the incoming sound.

-Swish!

Mok Gyeong-un turned his head and looked at Hang Yeo-ryang, the Valley Master of the Summoning Sound Valley, who was sitting as a spectator beside the platform.

‘Ha!’

At this, a glimmer of admiration flashed in her eyes.

Ah, yes. That fellow truly exceeded her imagination.

When infusing internal energy into sound from a distance, it was difficult to discern who had spoken and pinpoint their location.

Yet, he had instantly found her from this distance.

‘I must have him, indeed.’

He was not someone she could afford to concede.