Cheongmyeong climbed the mountain, constantly glancing around.
"Not here, right?" He was tense, worried that Yuiseol might follow him again, and let out a deep sigh.
"Ha... what am I doing?"
Cheongmyeong had once feared nothing in the world.
During his time as the Plum Blossom Sword Lord, there were those who feared him, but he had never feared anyone.
Even the head of Shaolin did not hesitate to meet him, did they? Yet now, Cheongmyeong found himself avoiding a little girl.
"One must be able to communicate to engage with others."
He thought about smashing her head and tying her up with a rope, then throwing her off a cliff, but it was an accident, so he couldn't just hit her, could he? Huh? What about Baekcheon?
"That brat started it first."
How could a quarrel with a brat be compared to an annoying accident? Anyway, thanks to this, it was the first time in his life... no, even after dying once, it was the first time he was avoiding someone.
"How did I end up avoiding people at this hour?" Cheongmyeong sighed deeply just as he was about to dash into the mountain.
"Huh?" He sensed something.
"Hey! Hey! I knew this would happen! You can fool a ghost, but not me... huh?" Cheongmyeong tilted his head.
The aura he felt was different from Yuiseol's.
Yuiseol had a fantastical presence that felt faint even when Cheongmyeong focused his senses.
That was why he had missed her presence several times.
But the sensation he felt now was too strong and clear to be Yuiseol's.
And...
"Two people?" Not even one.
Cheongmyeong narrowed his eyes slightly and began to move cautiously toward the direction of the aura.
It was strange that two people would meet separately in such a deep mountain at this hour.
This smelled of conspiracy.
"I need to find out what’s going on."
Cheongmyeong's eyes sparkled.
His feet began to move swiftly, cutting through the wind.
As he neared the source of the aura, he suppressed his presence and blended into his surroundings.
Then he slowly leaned forward.
"Huh?" Cheongmyeong blinked.
But no matter how many times he looked again, the people in front of him did not change.
One was someone Cheongmyeong knew well.
Baekcheon.
It wasn't strange for Baekcheon to be here.
After all, this was the territory of Hwasan.
But the person standing opposite Baekcheon was far too strange to be here.
"Why are you here?" Jin Geumryong.
The eldest disciple of Jongnam, Jin Geumryong, stood facing Baekcheon with a peculiar expression.
"Why are these two meeting separately at this hour?" The smell of conspiracy was thick in the air.
Cheongmyeong crept closer and listened in.
"You seem to be doing well."
Jin Geumryong smiled as he spoke to Baekcheon.
However, Baekcheon's face twisted, unable to hide his displeasure at those words.
"You seem relaxed."
"Is there any reason I shouldn’t be? Dongryong."
"Pfft!" The gazes of Jin Geumryong and Baekcheon turned to one side simultaneously.
"Ah, damn."
Cheongmyeong desperately held his breath.
The sound of "Dongryong" made it hard for him to contain himself.
The two tilted their heads, probably thinking it was just an animal sound.
Baekcheon's face contorted.
"Don’t call me that name. I am Baekcheon."
"You shouldn’t carelessly discard the name given by your parents. No matter what anyone says, you are Jin Dongryong."
"Ugh."
Cheongmyeong gripped the ground.
"Oh dear. I’m going to die. Dongryong? So Baekcheon’s original name is Dongryong? Oh, my stomach is splitting."
Cheongmyeong's body twitched.
Baekcheon's face turned red as if it would burst at any moment.
"I said I’m Baekcheon!"
"I got it, Dongryong."
Wow, that brat is really getting into it.
He’s so upset that his face is turning red, yet I keep calling him Dongryong right in front of him.
What a nasty personality.
Whether Jin Geumryong knew Cheongmyeong's thoughts or not, he continued the conversation with a slight smile.
"Living in Hwasan doesn’t seem bad, does it? Your face looks quite good."
"What do you want to say?"
"I just wanted to see how my foolish younger brother, who ran away to Hwasan to defeat me, is doing."
"You must have checked two years ago, right?"
"I never get tired of kicking a defeated dog, no matter how many times I do it."
Baekcheon's face twisted.
Jin Geumryong was just that kind of person.
He was merciless to those he deemed weaker than himself.
He usually disguised himself with gentleness, but inside, he hid a rotten core.
How much had he tormented Jin Geumryong in the past?
"How about it? If you bow down and beg now, I might accept you back into Jongnam."
"Don’t talk nonsense."
Baekcheon looked straight at Jin Geumryong.
"I am Baekcheon, the eldest disciple of Hwasan. My dream now is to make Hwasan a sect greater than Jongnam. So never speak such words in front of me again."
"Oh?" Cheongmyeong watched the two with sparkling eyes.
So let me get this straight.
These two are brothers? One is Geumryong, and the other is Dongryong.
"... I really want to see who their father is."
I must take revenge on the one who named them like that.
No wonder the kid ran away!
Baekcheon growled.
"And even if I beg, you would just smile and pretend it never happened. That’s just the kind of person you are."
"Haha. It’s strange to be brothers. Even after living apart for so long, you know me so well."
After laughing for a while, Jin Geumryong suddenly turned serious and looked at Baekcheon with cold eyes.
"You made a wrong choice."
"..."
"If you wanted to defeat me, you should have joined Jongnam. That would have given you at least a sliver of hope. But to join Hwasan? To try to defeat me in this crumbling sect? Hahaha, a dog would laugh at that!"
Baekcheon bit his lip tightly.
"Don’t underestimate Hwasan."
"Oh?"
"Yes. You’re right. The reason I first joined Hwasan was precisely because of that. I wanted to lead Hwasan, which they despised the most, and defeat the brother who looked down on me."
"That’s a foolish thought, even for you."
Ignoring the continuous mockery, Baekcheon spoke firmly.
"At first, it was indeed childish. But now, I truly love Hwasan. Living as the eldest disciple of Hwasan, Baekcheon, is incredibly fulfilling."
"Oh?" Cheongmyeong looked at Baekcheon with admiration.
"So that’s what happened."
He must have had his reasons for wanting to become strong.
Moreover, Cheongmyeong was subtly moved by Baekcheon’s words.
"Ah, this crumbling..."
"You find fulfillment living as the eldest disciple of this crumbling sect? In this ruined sect? Have you lost your mind?"
That brat? No, that was what Cheongmyeong wanted to say, but hearing it from him made him even angrier.
Just shut your mouth!
"Yes."
Baekcheon answered firmly.
"It may seem strange. But I’ve come to realize that being in a good sect, eating good food, and wearing good clothes doesn’t guarantee happiness. At least here, I am needed, and I can set a goal to make this place enviable. Hwasan gave me a purpose and embraced me with affection!"
"Affection?" Jin Geumryong scoffed.
"You’re still naive, it seems. Let me tell you, you’re already finished. As a price for this foolish choice, you will live your life as a third-rate warrior, enduring humiliation. And you will watch me become the head of Jongnam from here."
"What does that matter? I’m just living my life."
"You’ll live a trashy life. Well, that might be entertaining to watch."
Jin Geumryong said with a sneer.
"But I don’t have the patience to watch for long. I’ll let you know tomorrow just how foolish your choice of Hwasan over Jongnam was."
Then, as if pondering something, Jin Geumryong smirked.
"No, no. Perhaps it was a good choice. A fallen sect and a foolish person—what better combination could there be?"
"I don’t care if you insult me. But don’t mention Hwasan with that mouth. I’ll tear it apart."
"... You think you can?" Jin Geumryong glared at Baekcheon.
The rising killing intent made Baekcheon flinch.
After glaring at Baekcheon for a while, Jin Geumryong suddenly withdrew his killing intent and chuckled.
"There’s no need to rush. You’ll find out when the sun rises. After tomorrow, neither you nor Hwasan will be able to show your faces in the martial world. I’ll make sure of that."
Jin Geumryong glanced at Baekcheon and then turned away, descending the mountain without looking back.
Baekcheon, watching Jin Geumryong’s retreating figure, let out a deep sigh.
"Can I do it?" Jin Geumryong was someone who would get things done.
Regardless of his character, his skills were far beyond what Baekcheon could match.
Baekcheon bit his lip tightly.
"Don’t waver."
I am Baekcheon of Hwasan.
And one day, I will become the head of Hwasan and revive its glory.
As Baekcheon muttered to himself, determined, he was about to turn around when...
"Wow, look at you, so admirable."
"Wow! Damn! You scared me!" Baekcheon, startled, cursed without realizing it and fell to the ground.
He was so shocked that his heart felt like it would leap out of his throat.
When he finally gathered himself and looked up, Cheongmyeong was nodding with a satisfied expression.
"You, you... why are you here?"
"Comrade... ugh. D-Dongryong."
Cheongmyeong struggled to suppress his laughter as he spoke, causing Baekcheon’s face to twist in disgust.
"... Did you hear everything?"
"Wow, Dongryong. I’m impressed. That noble heart thinking of Hwasan."
As Cheongmyeong nodded repeatedly, Baekcheon sighed deeply.
"You ghostly brat. I didn’t even sense you."
"Well, that’s only natural."
"... I didn’t do anything wrong, but don’t tell anyone else. There will be those who don’t think kindly of it."
"Don’t worry, Master. This Cheongmyeong! If there’s anyone in the world who can keep a secret, it’s me!"
"..."
Isn’t that just saying your mouth is crazy? The thought that it had to be this brat made Baekcheon hold his head in despair.
Only a few elders, including the head, knew about this.
But of all people...
"Hmm. So you’re saying you’re Jin Geumryong’s brother?"
"Even if I say brother, it’s not a very close relationship. We have different mothers..."
Baekcheon sighed and tried to continue.
"Since I was young..."
"Ah, that’s enough."
"Huh?"
"I don’t need to hear about such trivial matters. It’s probably obvious. You were born a bastard or the youngest, overshadowed by your talented brother, couldn’t get proper treatment, and ran away to Hwasan. Am I wrong?"
"... Don’t simplify someone else’s life like that."
But it was true.
"Well done."
"Yes. So... huh?" Baekcheon suddenly perked up.
"Well done. Coming to Hwasan."
Cheongmyeong had a slightly different expression than usual.
It wasn’t the smile that usually irritated people.
It was a genuinely soft smile.
And from his mouth came a heavy voice.
"No matter your background or story, as long as you came to Hwasan on your own, you are a disciple of Hwasan. And I will prove that choosing Hwasan over Jongnam was not a mistake."
Baekcheon couldn’t say anything.
This young brat shouldn’t be saying such things.
But strangely, at that moment, his heart felt at ease.
"Prove? When?"
"When? When?" Cheongmyeong grinned.
"Today."
Cheongmyeong turned his head.
Soon, the sun that would announce the Hwa Jong meeting would rise.
"Let’s see what we can do, Master."
Cheongmyeong’s eyes glimmered with excitement.
It was time to crush those Jongnam brats.