The Art of Instant Death (3)
Namgung Hwaseon sat alongside Namgung Hwasin at the tea table.
Jeong Yeonshin quietly observed the person sitting across from him.
He appeared to be a young man in his late twenties, with gentle eyes.
His slightly closed lips seemed to convey a firm resolve.
He was the young master of the Namgung family.
"They said he was the brother of Baek Kirin, the young hero."
Cheong Kirin, Namgung Sejin.
He was once considered the foremost talent in Namjikrye.
That was a story of the past.
Recently, there were no enthusiasts in the martial world who discussed him as a prodigy.
His physique seemed as solid as his outstanding appearance.
The luxurious blue robe he wore seemed like a part of his body, even darker than the blue martial attire of Ip Hwangseong.
Tak.
A swordsman of the Namgung family with long hair personally served the tea.
Despite the solemn atmosphere, his demeanor was cautious, as if he had no qualms about taking on the role of a maid.
Rather, he seemed to embrace it.
"Thank you, Yeon Mae."
"……."
In response to the young master's words, she replied with a small smile and stepped back.
Soon, she stood by the door of the guesthouse annex, as if on guard.
The place was already being guarded without a gap by the warriors of the Namgung family, as if protecting someone of utmost dignity in the world.
"They say in Namjikrye, they are like royalty."
Jeong Yeonshin thought.
He immediately felt that the rumors were true.
"I'm glad to see you looking well."
The young master spoke.
He was looking at Namgung Hwaseon with gentle eyes.
"I heard Ip Hwangseong is a sect with strict laws. I was worried, but it seems the air of Ho Gwangseong Yangyang suits you. You've become very strong."
"……It's thanks to you, brother."
"I might have contributed a little."
A playful smile appeared on the young master's lips.
"I can't tell you how much I was scolded by the elders. I was severely punished for helping you leave. I had to go into seclusion for a month."
"Ah……."
"I couldn't achieve much because I was worried about you. The Emperor's Sword Form is still a difficult study. I wonder when I will reach mastery."
"I'm sorry."
Namgung Hwaseon bowed his head.
His attitude was different from when he dealt with Namgung Mi.
Jeong Yeonshin, who was beside him, thought it was understandable.
The young master spoke.
"I understand your feelings for volunteering for the martial arts competition. Since it was impossible to stop the event at Ip Hwangseong, you must have wanted to resolve it yourself. I'm sorry and feel for you."
"Brother……."
"It's just the karma of our family."
The young master murmured as if reciting and suddenly turned his head slightly.
"And you are……."
A direct gaze approached.
It was intense.
Jeong Yeonshin did not avoid his gaze.
He quietly met it.
"You are the prodigy of Ip Hwangseong. We've met before. The sound technique you revealed at Cheongyagok was…… very impressive."
"Let me speak about Namgung Mi."
The young master shook his head at the boy's calm words while holding a teacup.
"Are you talking about the sudden appearance of the unorthodox master? It's fine. Though she is my sister, Ami has a lot of karma."
"Um……?"
"As the young master of the family, I looked into the affairs of Muchang Hyunsamun. They handled it in their own way. It's just regrettable that I couldn't guide her properly as her brother. It's not a grudge built in a day or two, so it was something that could happen at any time."
"Brother!"
Namgung Mi's sharp voice echoed from the guest room with the bed.
The young master closed his eyes once and opened them.
He ignored his sister.
Was it because of the powerful martial arts he possessed as the heir of the family? Or perhaps it was due to his nature.
The clear light in his eyes burned vividly.
He silently looked at Jeong Yeonshin and then spoke.
"I, too, am a petty person with a narrow mind, like our elders. Even after seeing you today, I have been contemplating. However, this is still the right thing to do."
"What do you mean?"
"I should have asked for your forgiveness first."
With those words, the young master stood up from his seat.
Swoosh.
He stepped aside to one corner of the tea table.
Then, his body slowly leaned forward.
He bent his waist with his hand extended.
There was no sign of stopping until his upper body came down to the floor.
The sound of people gasping echoed from all around.
Thus.
The young master of the Namgung family bowed to a sixteen-year-old boy from a rival sect.
"There is a saying of a hundredfold apology. It is an apology I must make. Though it may not be something to say in the name of Namgung, this is……."
It was a voice resonating from the lowest point.
The young master spoke while prostrated.
"It is my deep gratitude for your support of Namgung at Cheongyagok, an apology from the young master of Namgung who repaid kindness with betrayal, and a plea from a petty man who wishes to face you honorably in the martial arts competition."
"……."
The silence around was heavy.
It was said that a martial artist who held the hegemony of a province in the Central Plains was no less than a king of a small country.
The one destined to be the ruler of Namjikrye was said to be akin to a crown prince.
Such was his power and prestige.
Jeong Yeonshin looked down with a calm face.
The back of the young master's head showed no sign of rising easily.
His resolve seemed firm.
"This person's swordsmanship must be terrifying."
The boy showed no change in expression.
However, he was inwardly bewildered.
He was a chivalrous person who clearly distinguished between grace and resentment.
He never expected to sense the scent of chivalry he felt from the disciples of the Nine Great Schools in a family like this.
He never imagined that his opponent in a life-and-death duel would be such a person.
"I dare not ask for forgiveness. I know that such a gesture cannot absolve Namgung's sins. The martial arts competition is already scheduled, so just accept it."
The young master did not raise his head for a long time.
Namgung Hwaseon remained silent with a bitter face.
While the warriors of the Namgung family, who stood guard, each wore different expressions, Jeong Yeonshin took a sip of tea and then spoke.
"You are right. The life-and-death duel is set. Now one of us must die, so there's no point in discussing its meaning."
"……."
"I will consider the young master's apology as accepted. It would be best if you rise and state your business."
"Thank you very much."
The young master dusted himself off and stood up.
He slowly raised his head.
His face bore a slightly awkward smile.
"Even his heart is polished."
Jeong Yeonshin thought.
The man before him possessed a strong inner self.
It was both chilling and intriguing.
What kind of sword path did he possess?
"I heard you encountered a couple of major incidents on your way here. I came to protect my sister, Ashin, and you. Of course, I will withdraw my subordinates. How could you trust us, the prodigy?"
The young master did as he said.
He sent away all the martial artists of the Namgung family who had come with him.
"It is right for the young master to maintain his position."
"Roaming the martial world alone is something only wanderers do."
There were those who were reluctant to leave.
It was natural.
Namgung of Huizhou was a family that was discussed as the best in the world among the orthodox sects.
The young master was not someone who could freely roam the martial world.
"Do not disgrace me further. I am ashamed to face the masters of Ip Hwangseong. Do not even think of following from afar. I will deal with the crime of disobedience with the authority of the young master."
The young master expelled them with a calm command.
His attitude was very firm.
Namgung Mi wanted to go with her subordinates, but the young master, who shook his head, stopped her.
"The spiritual energy of the Puppet Snow Lotus is miraculous. I know your body has recovered. This could be your last journey in the martial world. We siblings have never leisurely traveled the world together, have we?"
"What do you mean, last……!"
"Follow me. Huizhou is close. It won't take more than a few days."
Thus, four people remained.
Jeong Yeonshin and his party left Hwangju, where they had stayed for five days unintentionally.
It was an unexpected addition to their journey.
They quietly entered the forest path.
Occasionally, eight footprints were imprinted on the soil that shimmered in gold.
Since the Seven Killers were targeting Jeong Yeonshin, it might be more accurate to say there were ten.
Namgung Hwaseon, Namgung Mi, Jeong Yeonshin, and the young master.
It was a group that was difficult to walk together harmoniously.
One person had to die.
Only the young master's weighty jokes occasionally stirred the dust.
"It's a good thing."
Suddenly, the young master spoke.
The smile he wore as he looked back and forth between Jeong Yeonshin and Namgung Hwaseon was strangely stylish.
"The prodigy and Baek Kirin. The names of two masters are starting to spread beyond the land of Ho Gwang. If you two survive, cherish the bond of friendship. A worthy rival is someone who hones each other like a divine sword. For me, it was Hwangbo Segae's Tae Yeomryong, but I hear he's imprisoned in the dungeon of Ip Hwangseong?"
"Who knows why he's still alive."
Jeong Yeonshin replied.
He was a man who had a dazed expression while holding a poppy.
It was hard to imagine him associating with the young master.
"He seemed free-spirited but was a foolish friend. He wanted to escape his family, but it was only in his heart. We had much in common. It seems he achieved his dream in a different way, but…… indeed, the life of a martial artist is hard to predict."
The young master murmured with a bitter smile.
It was then.
Jeong Yeonshin and his party all turned their bodies simultaneously.
"Is the prodigy of Ip Hwangseong there!"
A voice imbued with internal energy rang out loudly.
It was closer to a notification than a question.
A group was rushing at a terrifying speed from behind.
They all carried weapons.
There seemed to be about twenty of them, and the collective aura they emitted was extraordinary.
The tranquil forest air began to shake with a strong wind.
"You brat in blue from Ip Hwangseong! Endure the punishment of the great master of Simmuryun!"
There was an outstanding person among them.
The one who seemed to be the leader of the group leaped out at an astonishing speed.
He had already drawn his sword.
Swaaak!
Without questioning right or wrong, he launched a sword attack.
"Simmuryun."
Jeong Yeonshin immediately recalled the martial journey that created the Melma Blue River.
He had boarded the ship with the original monk of Shaolin and the thirteen prodigies.
A woman named Geomyehwa threatened an innocent woman, so he beheaded her.
Later, Majin advised him.
She had a fiancé, so be wary of grudges.
Paekgeomjong, Blood Flame Sect, Simmuryun.
These were the unorthodox Thirteen Heavens who had encountered Jeong Yeonshin and formed grudges.
Ip Hwangseong had sent a martial challenge to Namgung.
The entire martial world was stirred.
The list must have been well known.
The route to Namjikrye was obvious, and they had been delayed in Hwangju for five days.
"It's not strange for pursuers to catch up."
It was something he had prepared for.
Jeong Yeonshin grabbed the hilt of the Ip Hwang Sword and responded.
Clang!
With the draw of the sword, he immediately clashed swords.
The impact of the opponent's strike spread to the back of his hand.
It was an incredible sword force.
It surpassed the ordinary level.
Jeong Yeonshin murmured.
"The great master?"
"I am the captain of a hundred men of the sect! The great master sent me to punish you!"
The middle-aged man shouted as if roaring like a lion.
So you're not the one.
Jeong Yeonshin murmured inwardly.
He claimed to be the leader of a hundred, but only twenty had come.
That was a secondary issue.
There was no time, but the enemies kept increasing.
He began to worry.
Would he die before he could eat the fruit?
It was then.
An overwhelming presence emerged.
It was from the front where the subordinates of the man were rushing.
It wasn't a narrow space.
The immense aura from the young master's body of the Namgung family rose widely.
Hwaaah―!
It was as if the air there was being pushed out entirely.
At the same time, the movements of the martial artists of Simmuryun slowed rapidly.
"No."
They weren't moving.
Saying they were slow was an understatement.
The bodies of the twenty men seemed almost frozen.
It was truly an unreal sight.
They were martial artists who had mastered the internal energy techniques of the Thirteen Heavens.
It was a miracle.
The martial arts had transcended the ordinary.
"The Emperor's…… Sword Form……."
Namgung Hwaseon, who had drawn his sword simultaneously with Jeong Yeonshin, murmured quietly.
While the boy was contending with the captain of Simmuryun, the young master had stepped forward in front of those subordinates.
The divine skill known as the Emperor's Sword Form revealed itself before Jeong Yeonshin's eyes.
It was the unique martial art of the Namgung family, said to be unparalleled in the world.
"Cheong Kirin! Why do you stop us! Ip Hwangseong is the enemy of the martial world! We can deal with these brats and then face them!"
The captain of Simmuryun shouted while clashing swords with Jeong Yeonshin.
The young master did not respond.
He continued to display the Emperor's Sword Form while looking at the boy and spoke.
"I heard recently that you beheaded the Eight Fiends of Paekgeomjong. Did you know that beggars of the Beggars' Sect were watching at that time? They call themselves parasites, but their insight is no less than that of most masters. I was able to buy quality information."
And then he turned again.
The martial artists of Simmuryun, who had drawn their weapons, were all around.
"I heard you are skilled at breaking and destroying techniques. You unravel and dismantle well. So I have no intention of showing you my sword techniques in advance."
"Haaaah!"
The martial artists trapped in the domain of the Emperor's Sword Form shouted their battle cries.
Now, none of them even flinched.
Among them, only the young master stood alone.
He drew a brilliant sword and strolled along the forest path.
He began to cut down the immobilized enemies one by one.
His leisurely steps were imbued with majesty.
There was no one to withstand his sword strikes, which were not even special techniques.
It was more accurate to say they couldn't resist at all.
One person died with each breath.
Their lives were cut short with a sigh of despair.
There is a saying, "Exterminate demons and destroy evil."
It is absurd to say that orthodox martial artists show mercy in their actions.
The young master's hand, which had drawn the sword, was resolute.
All the orthodox martial artists who dealt with the unorthodox were like that.
Finally, when all the subordinates brought by the captain were dead.
"How about this?"
The young master quietly asked.
"Prodigy, can you destroy this?"
Jeong Yeonshin did not answer.
He instantly reversed the grip on the Ip Hwang Sword and threw it.
He pushed it with an explosion of power.
He immediately closed in on the captain, who had deflected the Ip Hwang Sword.
He grabbed the dazed man's sword together and placed his left hand on his abdomen.
He had already activated the Maragong Blood Art and Melma Blue River simultaneously.
The power of the spell formation that arose from his palm wove the opposing martial arts into one.
Saaaah!
Jeong Yeonshin did not hide it.
He fully revealed the incomplete palm technique.
His opponent from Simmuryun was clearly an inferior opponent.
He unleashed it without concern for casting time or precision.
Boom!
It was an enormous vibration.
The trees around shook momentarily.
A flock of birds fluttered and soared.
"……."
The captain's body, unrecognizable, was flung far away.
Jeong Yeonshin shook off the blood from his hand, stained with his opponent's blood, and turned his head.
Namgung Hwaseon, who only slightly furrowed his brow, and Namgung Mi, who wore a shocked expression, came into view.
Jeong Yeonshin met the eyes of the young master, who had widened his eyes.
"I have shown you."
The boy said.
He engaged in psychological warfare.
The martial arts competition had already begun.