Obtain the Blood Demon Sword by winning this martial arts tournament.
It sounded so simple when saying it, but nothing was that easy. Especially with the conditions for winning being so difficult.
-Do they not know?
Can they know? It was a monster that the Murim Alliance had kept secret.
-Then he shouldn’t be qualified as a late-stage martial artist right?
The late-stage was one thing, the only problem was that the starting point for everyone was different.
Moreover, it hadn’t been long since the official notice of this poster had been distributed, so no one could know everyone who would participate in it.
“I think my sister will aim for this.”
That meant that Baek Hye-hyang will be sending someone from her side.
‘Hmm.’
That was worrying. This mission had too many loopholes and was extremely dangerous.
Was it fine with so many variables? Baek Ryeon-ha looked at my contorted face and asked for my thoughts,
“You seem to have something to say.”
After a moment’s hesitation, after opening my mouth, I realized that just saying it was better.
“… are you sure that you have a defense prepared for this mission?”
It wasn’t her who answered my question but Jang Mun-wong,
“There are so many things at stake with this mission, it is a life or death scenario. The operation will not be in vain. Do not worry about it.”
Jang Mun-wong seemed very confident. Last time he was the scheming mind behind the escape from the Six Blood Valley.
Hae Ack-chun had brought him, and Baek Ryeon-ha said,
“If you have any problems, speak frankly. I would like to hear your insights.”
Hae Ack-chun nodded like he was fine with me speaking.
“Apart from winning it, would the Murim Alliance accept the sword being asked as a prize?’
This is one of my concerns.
Not knowing about the others here, the sword is being asked as a reward. And it was doubtful if the Murim Alliance would just pass it on.
-Wouldn’t we be lucky if they don’t doubt us?
As Short Sword said, there is a high chance of the winner being extremely suspected of being related to the sect. At my words, Hae Ack-chun laughed,
“Hehe. Would they give it to you just like that?”
Huh?
So, did they think of this too?
Jang Mun-wong got up and brought something.
A box made of wood, long enough for a sword to fit in.
Tak!
When they opened the box, there were several swords in it. All the swords were of the same shape, length, and pattern.
“This is?”
I was puzzled when he pulled out one sword and showed me something strange.
Swish!
The sword could be bent and folded making even Song Jwa-baek lose his voice.
Jang Mun-wong smiled and said,
“Is this a good enough answer?”
‘Ha!’
So this is why they were leaving these days, to make this? Now I had an idea of what these people had planned.
But I wanted to hear more,
“So, what do we do with this?”
Even if I understood, Song Jwa-baek didn’t.
This guy was so close to being relegated to a muscle-headed fighter.
He barely understood so Jang Mun-wong had to explain explicitly,
“Over the past decades, our sect has made countless attempts to somehow recapture the sword. As the failures accumulated, we were able to collect a lot of information about the base of the alliance. And this tournament is one of the times when the armory is opened.”
Information and opportunity? Maybe we had a chance.
“Is there no problem then?”
Asked Song Jwa-baek.
“But commander… isn’t the tournament a place only those with a name or a suitable sect can participate?”
-Yah. Even Jwa-baek could use his head at times.
Short Sword made fun of how simple his mind worked, but this was a natural question to be curious about.
Because our status was only valid in the Blood Sect. Jang Mun-wong answered this question with a smile,
“Fortunately, none of the sects out there know that the Young Masters are the loyal members of the sect. Even your family doesn’t.”
As expected.
That was the reason why we were the ones getting assigned to this mission.
The twins of the So family and I were from the famous Ikyang So family.
Song Jwa-baek’s face darkened.
-He is beginning to understand.
Neither of the twins nor I had ever had a good position in the family.
It would be kind to call me the trash and the fool they abandoned, but the twins weren’t well treated either.
However, they must not have expected that their family would be reconnected like this.
It was quite a strange situation. Becoming a member of the sect here and then returning to the family.
-Come to think of it, didn’t you say you wanted to end your family with your own hands?
Short Sword recalled what I had said previously, but now things were tricky.
“… do we really have to represent our family and participate?”
“Yes. That is the basic qualification.”
Right.
The first set of hurdles had been passed. Obtaining the qualifications to represent a faction was a major part of this plan.
-So you’re not ending your family… but representing them?
I felt bad.
Do I have to meet those people again?
Hae Ack-chun looked at the twins and said,
“Huh! Wouldn’t it be blasphemous if the disciples of mine were unable to have a good position in their family?”
He was trying to encourage us. But, the Ikyang So family was a prestigious family sect that was said to have many warriors.
And it is counted among the top places in Hunan province and was as great as one of the Five Great Families.
Of course, from their point of view, our family had to be no less than a provincial family sect.
‘… beat everyone and use the name of my family?’
I felt anger rise within me, but I calmed it down.
‘Maybe this is a chance?’
A rather good one too.
Bound by blood ties, so I did want to have a bond.
And it happened too quickly. And I am different from who I was. The me then with my dantian destroyed and having been abandoned as valueless was not the me of now.
“Take this.”
“Uh?”
Hae Ack-chun threw a teacup at the table.
Shh!
He didn’t throw it, more like made sure it came right into my hand, gently.
If he had used his strength the teacup would have shattered.
Wheik!
Rotating the teacup in the hand I killed the internal qi he threw it with. And after rotating in my hand for a while, the teacup settled to a stop.
Hae Ack-chun smiled,
“Your internal qi has grown.”
Han Baekha who was next to him smiled.
“He must have absorbed the pill”
“Pill? Did the Sixth Blood Star give a pill?”
“Yes.”
To be precise, it was Baek Ryeon-ha who had given it to me. After arriving here, she said she would accept the talks we had before.
And I asked for a pill to make up for the lack of my internal qi and I had absorbed it last night.
“Kulkul, if this is it, then not a single one of those bastards can touch your toes.”
Hae Ack-chun spoke with a satisfied voice.
As he said, considering that everyone would be around my age and first-rate warriors, I was at least above them.
“How much time did you say?”
At Hae Ack-chun’s words, Jang Mun-wong looked at us and said,
“The tournament will be held in about 2 months’ time, so considering the length of time the Young Masters will have to go Hunan; the work should be finished in a fortnight.”
“Hear that? Don’t let me down.”
Until the next full moon.
15 days, quite a tight schedule.
We have to change locations and go to the place where I was called a fool.
Tak!
At the time, Song Jwa-baek bowed and spoke,
“We will not disappoint you. As the representative of our sect, I will definitely win the competition and bring the Blood Demon Sword to the Lady.”
Jang Mun-woong scratched his head at those words. And a bit hesitantly he said,
“Um… Young Master. Your role isn’t to win.”
“Uh?”
“It is the job of the Young Master to eliminate as many candidates as possible and help Young Master So Wonhwi reclaim the sword.”
At his words, Song Jwa-baek’s expression distorted.
He thought he was being entrusted with a heavy duty, but it was almost like an assistant and his pride seemed a bit deflated.
Perhaps he was feeling a bit of resentment too, but to ease this Jang Mun-woong added,
“It isn’t because the Young Master is ineffective, but because this mission requires obtaining a sword, and the role of Young Master So as someone who has learned the swordsmanship of the Southern Heavenly Swordsman is important, so do not misunderstand…”
Listening to his soothing words, I could understand why he was always put in charge. I have a sword technique that the Orthodox sects could accept.
And the twins on the other hand had learned their techniques from Hae Ack-chun, so they could not simply demonstrate them to the world.
At that time, Song Woo-hyun who was blankly staring at them spoke,
“…give us the chance to prove ourselves.”
He spoke softly but his intentions were shown. Could it be he spoke on behalf of his brother?
“You?”
Song Jwa-baek looks a bit surprised.
“It isn’t…”
Jang Mun-woong cut in and tried to clear it up, but Hae Ack-chun intervened,
“Are you confident?”
“Elder!”
Jang Mun-wong tried to deter him but Song Jwa-baek who was back to his courageous form began to take a few steps back and display his technique of kicking.
Papak!
The destructive and soft technique that Hae Ack-chun had shown previously.
They felt the need to learn more techniques, so they were recently learning some more from him.
However, looking at the soft and unobstructed movement it felt like they were able to achieve it at a level I couldn’t.
-They were hiding this.
Seeing that he didn’t show it till now, this was his trump card.
This guy was definitely gifted. Jang Mun-wong’s expression had changed.
With this level of skill, no one could think that this was an unorthodox technique.
Hae Ack-chun chuckled and looked to the side,
“What would you like to do?”
Baek Ryeon-ha who was looking at Song Jwa-baek smiled and mumbled,
“The more the opponents lose the better.”
After 8 days.
North of Yulang county in Hunan province.
A vast manor thousands of square meters large was present and the signboard hanging on it read,
Ikyang So Family
The pride of the county. Like noble warriors representing the Hunan, even the gatekeepers guarding it had proud appearances.
They were just gatekeepers, but they were still second-rate warriors.
And they took great pride in being members of this family. But, even they were losing to the sweltering heat.
“Ugh. So hot.”
“We cannot even get a little shadow.”
It was so hot that they were fanning with their hands. But that was never enough to cool the heat.
The hot summer noon was heating up the ground and their gaze ahead was turning hazy.
“How long until the next shift?”
“Since it is noon… another hour is left… Uh?”
“What is it?”
“Someone is coming?”
The eyes of the gatekeepers turned ahead and they looked at three people in bamboo hats walking in the heat.
The one in lead was wearing an iron sword wrapped in cloth on their back and one of the two men was dressed like a scholar with a wooden box behind him.
The only man with bare hands didn’t have a weapon, and the gatekeeper could tell that they were Murim people.
“Murim.”
“Stand upright.”
Sh!
Despite being in the heat, they stood tall.
They didn’t know because they weren’t informed about the guests who were coming
Chak!
The gatekeepers put their hands on the swords on their waists. As the unknown Murim people were coming, they were all ready to greet them
“This is the manor of the Ikyang family, so please identify yourself”
The man at the forefront said,
“Should I give my details to you?”
The gatekeepers thought that this was absurd.
What the hell was that guy trying to do, not even giving out his identity and trying to enter the manor?
“Ha! I am only being normal and dignified. If you don’t reveal your identity you will not go through it…”
“Ikyang So family.”
‘Uh?’
The bamboo hat man spoke while gently lifting the hat,
“Third son So Wonhwi wants to enter the family house.”
‘…!!’
The eyes of the gatekeepers widened at the face of the young man behind the hat.
The unidentified Murim warrior was So Wonhwi, the third son of the family who had gone missing a year ago.
