The next morning, preparations for the mission were complete.
Jeong Yeon-sin received various supplies, including provisions and travel expenses.
As a blue-clad warrior, it was said he had to take responsibility.
Additionally, he covered the characters engraved on his martial attire with a piece of silk.
It was quite exquisite.
"This is a place where we will face renowned families. Since it is a dangerous mission, we will not change our clothes," said Ma Jin, and the envoy from the General's Office nodded in agreement.
"The official martial attire of the Blue River City contains threads from the Celestial Silkworm, a precious material. Each vital area is lined with a single thread, embroidered in a vertical manner. This will buy us a moment's time against horizontal strikes or thrusts."
"Adding iron plates would not escape the eyes of skilled warriors. It would only draw unnecessary attention."
"Ah, to cover this! It is all I have with Jeong so-hyeop!" Han Won-chang feigned a look of outrage, stroking his right yellow sash with his left hand while gently patting Jeong Yeon-sin's shoulder with his right.
It was quite bizarre.
Jeong Yeon-sin took a slight step back.
Han Won-chang, with a hint of a pout, said, "Isn't it enough for the Hwasan Sect? I find it hard to agree. Now that Blue River City is about to be mine!"
"Silence the Blue River Alliance," Ma Jin said calmly as Baek Mi-ryeo approached.
Only then did Han Won-chang shrink back.
He muttered something incomprehensible as he stepped away.
His junior, Shin So-bin, shook her head.
"Aren't you from the same generation as Seon-ye? I wonder if the stealth will go well."
"Han Won-sohyeop is different from appearances. You are worrying for nothing."
"I hope so. This is my first mission too, and I will be coordinating with you. I only caught a glimpse of Seon-ye's martial arts during the promotion ceremony. I wonder if she can show the same skill during our journey."
Shin So-bin smiled, a bold grin.
Jeong Yeon-sin had little interest.
He just hoped not to be held back.
The blue attire was not the end; the next promotion would be the black attire, which held the dignity of a great master.
There was said to be a vast difference between white and blue.
'I have taken a step forward.
There must be no failure in this mission.' The anxiety he felt when he failed to subdue the Blood Flame Sect's Seven Masters resurfaced.
He did not want to experience that again.
The reason the young master of the Huangbo family, whether he was a descendant of the Sun God lineage or not, meant nothing.
He was merely building his achievements.
Jeong Yeon-sin bowed to Ma Jin.
"I will see you later."
"Yes, the moment you complete your mission, you will clash with the Huangbo family. We shall see then," Ma Jin nodded and said.
After a brief silence, when he spoke again, the scar on his lips seemed awkward.
"… Missions can fail. Think of your safety first."
He knew this was not a statement from the perspective of a great master.
Jeong Yeon-sin acknowledged his uncle with a nod.
He could not simply push away Ma Jin, who felt genuine guilt and continued to approach him.
Jeong Yeon-sin slightly turned his gaze.
"Please do not overexert yourself later, Great Master. I hear the Huangbo family is among the top masters in Shandong."
"This is not a martial competition; it is war. We must unite our forces," Ma Jin replied with a slight smile.
Jeong Yeon-sin, who shook his head in disappointment, mounted the brown steed beside him.
He felt the firm saddle supporting him and gently patted the horse's neck.
When living in Jeong's residence, he thought of a companion like a heavenly steed.
It was different here.
Blue River City was a place where steeds were constantly changed, making it hard to form a bond with a horse.
"Please take care until the relay station," Jeong Yeon-sin whispered as he leaned forward.
Several senior masters of Ma waved him off as he took the reins.
On either side, Han Won-chang and Shin So-bin also approached on horseback.
"Back to the Jianghu, huh? My heart is always racing," Han Won-chang said with a grin.
Jeong Yeon-sin flicked the reins after briefly glancing at Shin So-bin, who was rolling her eyes, seemingly unimpressed.
This was Jeong Yeon-sin's first mission as a blue-clad warrior of Blue River City.
Just by covering the insignia of Blue River City, it felt like entering another world.
Perhaps it was because he had to lead the group without his seniors.
He felt a sense of emptiness, even though it was not Han Won-chang.
The background where people showed respect or fear had vanished.
'I have heard that Blue River City's masters also face disdain in the martial world.' Jeong Yeon-sin thought.
Since he had not yet experienced it, the upcoming encounters would surely be different.
The destination was Huizhou in the southern region.
There was a slightly longer relay route from Yangyang to Huizhou.
Unlike previous missions where they had to take long breaks for the horses, this time, the group sped along.
Shin So-bin, being a direct descendant of a prestigious family, was skilled in horseback riding.
Even though riding for a long time was another matter, it did not hinder her at all.
Han Won-chang also rode exceptionally well.
It was said that enjoying the Jianghu after a mission was the true pleasure.
Twenty days passed.
Jeong Yeon-sin did not have the power to traverse between cities using lightness skill.
The two in white were the same.
They had to rely on their horses.
Until they reached near Huizhou, nothing significant happened, despite the rumors of bandits from the Green Forest and the Waterway Society being everywhere.
Han Won-chang had encountered many dangers while traveling from Shanxi to Blue River City, but it seemed like mere exaggeration.
'I am getting the hang of it.' During this time, Jeong Yeon-sin practiced his swordsmanship, gradually moving towards the realm of sound energy.
He was also dismantling the formula of the Moon Spirit Harmonization Technique.
At the very least, he felt he could create a new heart technique before the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering ended.
A low rumble.
The road leading to Huizhou came into view.
Under a particularly large ginkgo tree by the roadside, the sword resting on Jeong Yeon-sin's lap began to hum.
The Blue River Sword was not present.
He had entrusted it to Cheongmyeong to hide his affiliation.
'It has become easier to increase the sword's size.' He infused his internal energy into the sword to prevent it from breaking easily.
It was a common technique in the world of masters.
Jeong Yeon-sin advanced further.
He felt the essence of sound.
With the subtlety of the sound technique, he split two strands of energy and infused them into the sword's body.
As the rippling waves of energy grew stronger, the sound grew louder.
Guwooong! The mystery of the true energy was astonishing.
The extremely delicate manipulation, which was difficult even with innate senses, brought forth a resonance he had never heard before.
He could adjust the pitch.
By infusing the sound waves spreading from here with dispersive true energy, it would become sound energy.
'The power of this technique will ultimately depend on the amount of internal energy I possess.' There were more issues to consider.
Sound energy was also said to be a profound martial art.
With Jeong Yeon-sin's shallow training, distinguishing between friend and foe was difficult.
He thought of Han Won-chang and Shin So-bin.
Sending a preemptive message to protect his ears with internal energy just before casting sound energy? How wonderful it would be if he could only fight with that much leeway.
Even so, the sense of achievement was great.
In battles against many foes, it would prove to be highly effective.
"You said swordsmanship? It certainly draws a lot of attention," said Shin So-bin, dressed in white.
Her dark eyes sparkled with interest.
She approached, kneeling with her hands on her knees and bending at the waist.
Her long hair flowed down smoothly.
Jeong Yeon-sin thought it strange for someone who was not a master to have such long hair.
It seemed easy to grab during close combat.
"I apologize."
Jeong Yeon-sin let his thoughts drift away and apologized.
Huizhou was an enormous city.
It was said to be bustling with merchants carrying high-quality tea leaves and silver coins, coming and going frequently.
It was undoubtedly a relatively safe route.
Many passersby glanced over from the opposite road.
"I find it pleasant! It has a certain charm," Han Won-chang said, munching on provisions.
Perhaps it was because he had covered the rough characters; he seemed oddly pleased to be in the spotlight.
At that moment, a group of people approached slowly.
"They seem to be participants in the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering. Truly arrogant," someone remarked.
"Making a ruckus in broad daylight without a fight? What else could it be but to show off their mediocre martial arts?" They were young men and women with extraordinary auras.
Dressed in luxurious yellow silk martial attire, Jeong Yeon-sin first noticed the swords hanging at their waists.
They were martial artists, likely from an extraordinary lineage.
A young man with a heroic demeanor like Han Won-chang and a woman with slightly upturned eyes.
Both appeared to be around twenty years old, with a hint of youthful immaturity on their faces.
Behind them was a group that seemed to be their attendants.
Before Han Won-chang could say anything, Jeong Yeon-sin stood up first.
"I was reckless. Your words resonate deeply with me."
As he bowed politely, the demeanor of the young man and woman changed.
They responded in kind, as if they had learned etiquette for a long time.
Their movements were almost reflexive, yet they carried a sense of grace.
"… You readily acknowledge your mistakes. Not a bad sight," the young man said.
"It may be that we revealed our aura out of annoyance. You must have been frightened," the woman added.
Both exuded arrogance yet had a certain elegance.
They reminded Jeong Yeon-sin of the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering.
It was said that many descendants of prestigious families would attend.
They likely belonged to that group.
"What is your name and sect?" the young man asked, tilting his chin slightly.
It was said that even among the renowned families, there were various characters.
Some were humble like the Sword Dragon Wei Zhimiao, while others were the arrogant descendants of prestigious sects.
'They seem to be figures from the martial world,' Jeong Yeon-sin thought.
If they were martial aristocrats acting like kings in their regions, this was to be expected.
It was not an era where exchanges among people like those at the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering were frequent.
Having lived like royalty in their own world, incidents like the Huangbo family’s labor dispute could arise.
The young man raised an eyebrow slightly.
"What are you thinking? Speak without hiding anything."
"I am from the Pursuit of Truth Sect," Jeong Yeon-sin replied.
"Pursuit of Truth Sect? I have not heard of it. You seem to be of no origin," the young man said, and the woman beside him spoke without hesitation.
A faint disdain flickered across their faces, and their tone changed.
The young man’s thick eyebrows twitched as he spoke.
"Indeed. As you can see, we are descendants of a prestigious family. You must have heard of the Huangbo family? I know all the sects attending the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering, and if your sect is positioned between righteousness and evil, I cannot let you go easily."
"I must teach you a lesson. You, who can easily waste the realm of raising your sword," the woman stepped forward, seeming very accustomed to exerting her influence to satisfy her emotions.
"…."
The Huangbo family? They were just a bit further ahead, near Huizhou.
Even so, Jeong Yeon-sin found it hard to believe for a moment.
The image drawn on the portrait of the young master he received from Ma Jin suddenly came to mind.
Their faces resembled each other.
He recalled Ma Jin's drunken tales during the banquet celebrating his blue promotion.
His sister, who had left him, Jeong Yeon-sin's mother, had indeed married into the Jeong family in a most absurd manner.
The fate of the Jianghu was like a sudden storm.
Was this situation not similar? He felt the aura of Han Won-chang and Shin So-bin behind him growing stronger.
He had thought for a long time, but it could end quickly.
He expressed his gratitude to the Buddha and the Primordial Heavenly Ancestor.
There was no reason to endure.
He had to handle the young master of the Huangbo family and mobilize the power of his clan, as it was a mission that required drawing swords in the realm of righteousness from the start.
'I must certainly take the moral high ground.' First, he lowered the hand he had gathered for a bow and opened his lips.
"To speak of origins," Jeong Yeon-sin revealed his true nature without hiding it.
"Though the Huangbo family’s reputation is high, your attitude is rude even after hearing the name of my sect. Is this the etiquette of the Jianghu? Your insult has tarnished the honor of my sect. We speak of each other's flaws. What more can a martial artist say?"
"What…?" Was this something they had never experienced? For a moment, the expressions on the faces of the young man and woman vanished.
Jeong Yeon-sin felt the presence of onlookers beginning to gather.
He continued in a clear voice, "I first took the courtesy to apologize. I revealed my sect and name in response to your rude words and actions. You speak of the Huangbo family while calling me without origin? Could you endure such a thing? I challenge you to a duel."
"Your words flow like a stream," the young man said, the corners of his mouth curling up.
He raised his arm, pushing the woman with the beautiful brow behind him.
The veins on his forearm bulged, as if he had trained his blood and energy immensely.
"Very well. I was already displeased that a sect of the middle ground was invited to the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering. My alias is…"
"I am not curious. Come forth."
Interrupting him, Jeong Yeon-sin slowly grasped the hilt of the North Ming Sword.
Suddenly, he recalled the swordplay of the Heartless Sword Sect that had once severed a neck.