"……."

Hyun-young stared blankly at the martial arts arena, tilting his head in confusion. 'What on earth is going on here?' He was a talented strategist, known for his quick calculations and sensitivity to gains and losses, which had earned him a reputation as a promising figure since he entered the sect.

However, because of this, he had been unable to focus on martial arts training.

As a result, he was now among the least skilled of the wise ones.

Thus, Hyun-young found it hard to comprehend the scene unfolding before him.

Cheong-myeong had defeated the third disciple of Jongnam.

And he had done so overwhelmingly.

Just how significant was this event?

"No, that sect leader…."

Hyun-young had wanted to hear the sect leader's words, but when he turned to Hyun-jong, he flinched.

Hyun-jong wore a face he had never seen in decades.

His eyes were wide open, as if they might pop out at any moment, and his mouth was agape, wide enough for a passing bird to take a rest.

Not only Hyun-jong, but Hyun-sang beside him wore the same expression.

'Should I be surprised too?' Feeling a bit left out, he felt a tinge of disappointment.

"Uh…"

"Huh?"

"Uh…"

"Uh?"

Hyun-jong's eyes trembled as if an earthquake had struck, and soon a dazed voice escaped his lips.

"This, this is… no, this can't be…."

His mumbling continued, lost in a daze.

Unable to bear it any longer, Hyun-young gently tugged at his sleeve.

"Leader, outsiders are watching. Please regain your composure."

Only then did Hyun-jong close his mouth.

The sound of his jaw snapping shut indicated that he was truly shocked.

"No, that child…."

Hyun-jong barely managed to regain his composure, but Hyun-sang could not.

He pointed a trembling finger at Cheong-myeong and muttered, "That child shouldn't be this strong… This doesn't make sense… He should have lost."

Finally, Hyun-young snapped in irritation.

"The child of our sect has performed brilliantly! What kind of curse is that? He should be celebrated!"

"…It doesn't make sense, so isn't that why I'm saying this? It doesn't make sense."

Hyun-sang raised his hand and rubbed his face in disbelief, still looking dazed.

"How long has that child been training?"

"Not even six months."

"Are you saying that in just six months, he defeated a disciple of Jongnam? And so one-sidedly?"

"…."

Ah… Thinking about it that way, it really does seem impossible.

"Ungeum! Where are you?"

"I'm here, Sect Leader."

Unlike the others, Ungeum maintained a relatively calm demeanor and stepped forward.

"When that child entered Hwasan, did he have any other martial arts training?"

"No, there were no signs of him having learned any martial arts."

"Then are you saying he truly reached that level in just half a year?"

"Yes."

Hyun-jong looked at Ungeum with disbelief.

"A genius indeed…"

Ungeum replied nonchalantly, "Perhaps that term doesn't even fit him. He is such a reserved child that I still haven't grasped his true abilities."

"Ah."

As Hyun-jong expressed his admiration, Hyun-sang muttered to himself.

"I thought geniuses and prodigies only existed in other sects, but this is just absurd… It's like digging through a storage room and suddenly finding a golden calf in a sack of rice."

Hyun-jong also appeared to be greatly shocked.

"I thought he was just a lucky charm…" His mumbling reflected the feelings of everyone watching.

How much had Cheong-myeong accomplished in Hwasan until now? They had thought that he didn't even need talent in martial arts.

After all, he was a person too, and it wouldn't be right to ask for more.

But now, he was showing exceptional talent in martial arts as well? Enough to toy with the third disciple of Jongnam?

While everyone was still in disbelief, only Hyun-young quickly calculated the situation.

"In any case, we secured one victory. That should count for something, right?"

"……."

Hyun-jong and Hyun-sang turned their heads blankly.

Then, with a mix of anger and disbelief, they glared at Hyun-young.

Feeling awkward, Hyun-young cleared his throat.

"Well, that's what it means. For now."

"Good grief…"

"This is why I say we need to properly learn martial arts. You're just talking nonsense by yourself."

Hyun-young made an endlessly wronged expression at Hyun-sang's reprimand.

Hyun-jong simply chuckled lightly and cast his gaze far away at Cheong-myeong.

'Just a face-saving act.' Can this really be reduced to just that? Perhaps… 'The outcome of today's Hwa Jong meeting might not matter at all.

Hwasan might have just acquired a talent that will shape the next hundred years.'

"It seems the child of Hwasan has won."

"Yes, that's true."

"…Wasn't it quite one-sided?"

"Ah, it was unexpected."

Hwang Mun-yak leisurely enjoyed the reactions around him. 'Of course, he should perform at that level!' Hwang Mun-yak did not know the extent of Cheong-myeong's abilities.

He had not regained consciousness until the matters of the Silver River Sect were settled.

He had heard that he was struck by Lee Song-baek and even spat blood, but he did not believe it.

There was no way that Cheong-myeong could be like that.

Surely, it was just an act to catch the opponent off guard, right?

To Hwang Mun-yak, Cheong-myeong's abilities were an unknown territory.

But the reason he could watch the martial arts competition so leisurely was simple. 'That child wouldn't lose a fight.' While he couldn't say he knew Cheong-myeong well, he was the one who turned the Silver River Sect into the Sanseong Sect.

The fact that Cheong-myeong stepped forward so confidently meant he had a strong conviction of victory.

Of course, it was more intense and overwhelming than Hwang Mun-yak had anticipated. 'That's right.

He doesn't fight to lose.' Then, could this Hwa Jong meeting also be considered Cheong-myeong's battle? If Cheong-myeong thought so, the outcome might differ from everyone's expectations.

"There are talents in Hwasan."

"Considering his age, it's remarkable. No, that's not enough. It's beyond remarkable."

"You can't defeat Jongnam's disciple by chance. The difference was clear even at a glance, wasn't it? If he's stepping up to lead in such a martial arts competition, he must be an outstanding talent among Jongnam's three disciples, yet it's this one-sided."

The conversation of the elders sounded like beautiful music to Hwang Mun-yak's ears.

However, he did not miss the strange heat contained in the seemingly calm voices of the elders.

It was hard to give a big compliment since Jongnam was watching, but no one could miss that Cheong-myeong was a big deal.

'Don't even dream about it.

That fish is mine.' With just this one martial arts match, Cheong-myeong succeeded in garnering more attention than Jin Geum-ryong.

Regardless of how the Hwa Jong meeting ended, Cheong-myeong's name would be spoken throughout the entire Sanseong region for some time.

Hwang Mun-yak glanced at Cheong-myeong's back as he returned to his seat with a smile.

"But this is just one victory. If the other three disciples all lose, it will simply end with that child having shone brightly."

"That's certainly true."

Hwang Mun-yak, intrigued, narrowed his eyes as he watched the three disciples welcoming Cheong-myeong. 'Now, show me, Cheong-myeong!' Would this be the end of a single anomaly? Or would Hwasan's counterattack begin?

Cheong-myeong returned to his seat with a satisfied expression, like a cat that had eaten its fill and basked in the warm sunlight.

The irritation that had seemed about to burst was nowhere to be found, replaced by a refreshing look as if all his complaints had been resolved.

'To feel so refreshed after beating someone! Even a demon wouldn't do that.'

But the joy was mutual.

Eventually, the words they had kept inside burst forth.

"Cheong-myeong! Well done!" "Why didn't you stomp on him more!" "All the pent-up frustration has been released!"

Yoon-jong smiled contentedly as he watched the cheering disciples. 'These guys are also disciples.' If they had experienced a similar situation before Cheong-myeong arrived, there would have been all sorts of complaints about whether a practitioner could beat someone to that extent.

But now, it seemed these fellows had been swept up in Cheong-myeong's excitement and were ready to celebrate.

Even Yoon-jong couldn't help but let his lips curl up in a smile.

"Cheong-myeong, you worked hard."

"Well, I just played around for a bit."

Though it was an annoying remark, at this moment, it seemed perfectly justified and fair. 'I knew he was strong, but…' I never imagined he would completely wipe the floor with a disciple of Jongnam.

This was the first time I felt pity for a disciple of Jongnam.

Hwasan had always been in a position to receive sympathy; they had never been in a position to sympathize with others.

Yoon-jong painfully realized that anyone connected to Cheong-myeong, regardless of age or gender, became an object of sympathy.

"Cheong-myeong, you did well!" "That was truly amazing! Outstanding!"

Even the second disciples, who had a terrible relationship with Cheong-myeong, gathered around to cheer him on.

Indeed, the ones who were happiest right now were not the three disciples or the sect leader, but the second disciples.

They had been thoroughly avenged for the humiliation they had suffered.

While defeat was defeat, the ridicule from Jongnam throughout the martial arts competition had been enough to make them furious.

In such a situation, Cheong-myeong had delivered a refreshing blow to Jongnam's disciple like a splash of ice water on a hot summer day, making this young disciple utterly adorable.

Personal feelings aside, they were even happier that Cheong-myeong had somewhat restored Hwasan's honor, which had fallen in the previous match. 'He deserves to be arrogant.' 'If you have the skill, you can be arrogant.' 'He might actually be a good kid if you get to know him.'

As Cheong-myeong basked in everyone's cheers, he turned to Yoon-jong.

"Hyung!" His voice was firm.

Yoon-jong, sensing the meaning behind that voice, nodded with a serious expression. 'It's my turn now.' Cheong-myeong had fulfilled his role… no, he had exceeded it.

Now it was time for Yoon-jong and the other disciples to take on that role.

I was prepared… "What are you staring at? Get out there quickly."

"……."

No, this guy was doing well, but why was he suddenly acting like this! "…Right."

What was there to say? It was just making me anxious.

Still, there was something left to say.

"Do you have any advice? Like the characteristics of Jongnam's martial arts?"

"If I tell you, can you use it?"

"……."

"Just go out. If you see a head, hit it."

"……I understand for now."

Yoon-jong, with a dazed expression, headed toward the martial arts arena.

As he felt the gazes of those around him, he wore a subtle expression. 'The atmosphere has definitely changed.'

Hwasan had been in a state of mourning.

But thanks to Cheong-myeong's perfect victory, the atmosphere had changed dramatically.

Perhaps the three disciples would be different.

It was Yoon-jong's job to turn that expectation into reality.

"Huh."

I tried not to be nervous, but it wasn't working.

If anything, I should have been less anxious, but because of Cheong-myeong's performance, there was a glimmer of hope.

But if Yoon-jong were to lose…

At that moment.

"Hyung!" Cheong-myeong called out to Yoon-jong from behind.

Yoon-jong turned around with a stiff face.

Right, you should have a little conscience and at least offer a word of encouragement… "If you lose, you're dead."

"……."

Ah.

I had momentarily forgotten that this was Cheong-myeong.

It's my fault.

Sighing deeply, Yoon-jong steeled his expression once more.

He then drew his sword and took his stance, his gaze fixed precisely on where the Jongnam disciples were gathered.

And he raised his sword, aiming at Jongnam.

"The third disciple of Hwasan, Yoon-jong, requests a martial arts match with Jongnam!"

The wind began to blow toward Hwasan.