Book 12 Chapter 16

Volcanic Society Discernment Council

Whether it was the smell of money or curiosity that drew them to the peak where the culminating event, the Hwasanjikai, was to take place, the crowds were already swarming like bees.

I couldn't believe where all these people were coming from.

Shijin's largest square in particular was packed from early in the morning with hordes of people, dressed in all sorts of outfits, milling about. Not surprisingly, it was noisy.

Since time immemorial, humans seem to have thought it impolite to rest their mouths when more than two people are gathered together, so when not one, not two, but countless humans are gathered together, it is inevitable that there will be noise. If it's not too much, it's lively, but if it's a little louder, it's noise.

The noise was especially intense on the east side of the square, where the crowds were most concentrated, and the din, noise, and chatter was dizzying. What was attracting so many people?

She didn't feel much of a need to hide her natural curiosity, so she went over there without hesitation. She was followed by her companions, who were just as curious.

"Here, place your bets. Take it. Heaven if you're right, hell if you're wrong! You're trying your luck."

The master of ceremonies was shouting at the top of his lungs from a prefabricated podium, his hand clutching a bundle of papers. It was a large-scale eye examination, far beyond the one held by the Tianmu Academy.

The blackboard was huge enough that it was easy to see at a glance through the crowds of people gathered here. From the front, it appeared to be the Heavenly Martial Academy to the right, the Martial Palace camp to the left, and a few names from above. Of course, there were empty spots, but they would be filled soon. For now, all but a few spots are empty because we still don't know exactly who will be competing.

The names currently listed here are the big names that were never going to be left out of this volcanic event, and their presence was a no-brainer for the bookies. Without them, there's no story. The owners of the names currently on the podium were already in the thick of the action, and their reputations were well established. Next to their names were numerical odds.

Names like Long Tianming, Maha Ling, Qing Heng, Xin Yu Sheng, and Mo Yonghui were already on the list. Even at the youngest age, Mo Yonghui was able to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with such illustrious names.

Among them, the one with the highest approval rating was Xin Yu Sheng, due to his past victories. His current approval rating was higher than anyone else's, and he was closely followed by Yong Tianming.

Bi Ryuyeon looked toward the Heavenly Martial Academy for a moment, then turned her gaze to the left. There were a few names listed on the side of the Pagoda. Bi Ryuyeon looked at it carefully. Her natural gaze drifted to the name that had the most support (and, naturally, the lowest odds) of all the names on the blackboard. That name was Obi-Wan.

"Obi-Wan? Who is that?"

"No, you mean you don't even know Obi-Wan the Iron Saber?"

Jang Hong was surprised and asked.

"No, I don't know."

The answer was so simple it was almost painful.

"He is the most famous thief in the twentysomething age group in the Temple of Heaven. His strength is said to be so great that he can handle a thick iron bar as playfully as a dangling finger in the heat of the day, and his skill is said to be so great that it has been said, 'Don't make the foolish mistake of taking Obi-Wan's blade head-on unless you want your grip torn off or your own blade killed!' You're not even thirty yet, and it's been over a decade since you made your mark on the force. And he was a finalist in the last Volcano Covenant."

This means that the odds of winning are higher.

Below them were names like Annakin, Zidou, and others. To Bi Ryuyeon, of course, these were names she had never heard before in her life, but to others, they were not.

Jang Hong sighed and explained that Annakin over there was a famous young swordsman who was now known in Jianghu by the name of Cut Wind Sword. Above them was one more, with only one character on it, the word "rain".

"Who?

I was mildly curious, but I stopped thinking about it. After watching for a while, Bi Ryuyeon walked over to the receptionist off to one side and muttered something in a quiet voice, then held out a leather pouch. The receptionist's eyes widened when she saw what was inside. The receptionist's eyes widened as she checked the contents of the pouch, then looked back and forth between the pouch and Bi Ryuyeon, then quickly scribbled something and handed it to Bi Ryuyeon. She then quickly called for one of the moderators. The moderator was equally as surprised as the receptionist.

She clutched the paper from the receptionist in her arms and returned as if nothing had happened.

"What was that?"

When Na Yerin came to stand beside her, she smiled and answered.

"It's kind of an upfront investment."

Then, one of the moderators used chalk to write the name Bi Ryuyeon in a blank space on the right side of the dividend board. And the number next to it was astonishing. A murmur rippled through the crowd. Bi Ryuyeon watched the scene, smiling quietly.

Her encounter with the old man was a coincidence, as all encounters are. At least that's what she thought. The encounter with the old man was unremarkable and extremely ordinary. It seemed ridiculous to attach a different meaning to something so unimportant as a chance encounter on the road.

The old man had also come to try his luck at the discernment contest.

"Hey, big boy!"

It was the older man who spoke first.

"Did your grandfather call for me? "

Smiling, Bi Ryuyeon turned around and saw a very ordinary-looking old man standing there. The old man's hair and short beard were as gray as the dawn, and he was not very tall or thin. The clothes he wore over his small body were a faded ash-colored robe that matched the color of his hair. In one hand, he held a small staff carved from wood with his name on it.

He was a plain-looking old man, but somehow he didn't look plain at all, and he had eyes that belied his age. The two black pupils in the shadowy corners of his eyes seemed to hold years of wisdom, the depth of which was impossible to measure.

He was an old man who seemed out of place in this place where man's primal lust for money stirred.

"Young man, I've been watching you for a while now, and I see you've put your money on an unusual man."

The old man said in a soft voice.

"Unusual?"

The old man nodded.

"That's right. Nobu's been watching the odds here for a long time, and he's yet to see anyone bet on someone named 'Bi Ryuyeon'. Well, the name came up a little while ago, so I suppose you're the first, and probably the last. Nobu prides himself on having a pretty good ear, but I don't think I've ever heard of a late-bloomer with such a reputation. Why don't you change your mind now? You still have a chance to reverse your decision."

The old man's advice was sincere, and Bi Ryuyeon smiled.

"Grandpa, don't you want to get the biggest dividend? "

"Do you know any good stallions?"

The old man seemed to be intrigued by her words.

"A stallion?"

"Heh heh heh. Ah, I'm sorry, Nobu was mistaken for a moment, yes. Do you know who has the best chance of winning?"

"You're asking the obvious question, you wouldn't have bet on me if you thought you were going to lose, would you? My grandfather would never lose money betting on him."

He hesitantly pointed to his name.

"Who the hell is that guy? Nobu prides himself on having listened enough to hear the rumors of Kang Ho flowing here and there, but he's never heard of such a talent!"

"A wise man is always secretive and never reveals himself."

At Bi Ryuyeon's archaic answer, Dokgo Ling was so stunned that she was speechless. She was almost in awe that he could so casually elevate himself to such a level.

With a little more courage, she felt that she could soon point her right index finger to the sky, her left to the ground, and say in a loud voice, "Heavenly and earthly, I am the only one. Of course, it would be a shame for the Buddha, but she was sure it would be possible for Bi Ryuyeon. Na Yerin didn't say anything, just stood there in silence.

"I shouldn't have come with you after all!

Dokgo Ling reprimanded himself for not interrupting Na Yerin's judgment in allowing her to accompany him.

"So you're saying you know who that sage is?"

The old man's curiosity was piqued. Bi Ryuyeon nodded.

"Absolutely! There's probably no one in the world who knows more about him than me."

"Of course."

Dokgo Ling muttered in a cynical tone.

"Why is that?"

"That's because that's who I am."

Then she laughed heartily. At Bi Ryuyeon's words, the old man folded his arms and laughed heartily.

"Hahahahaha, what a funny fellow, aren't you embarrassed to talk about yourself in such a gilded way?"

Bi Ryuyeon shook her head firmly.

"There's no shame in telling the truth! "

Nan Gongsang and Jang Hong, who were accompanying him, looked up to Chang Chen and made expressions that meant "why doesn't the sky fall?" and "why doesn't the thunder fall?".

But the sky was eerily clear and blue.

"Interesting fellow, very interesting indeed. So, where is the sage staying now?"

"I'm staying in a place called the Plum Goblet."

"Oh yeah, you're staying in a nice place, yeah. I guess it's fate that we're meeting today, so why don't we grab a drink?"

"Sure. If the old man pays for the drinks, I won't say no."

Bi replied politely, an uncharacteristic sociability.

"Hahaha, funny fellow to the end, sure! I'll have this old man buy me a drink to commemorate meeting the hiding sage."

There was no sarcasm in the old man's words. The old man is purely rejoicing.

"By the way, why is the guy in green over there so quiet, is he always like that?"

The old man pointed his finger to one side. There stood Hyorong. The blood stains on his light green robes had already been washed away by Lee Jin-sul, leaving no trace.

Jang Hong answered for him.

"No, he used to be a cheerful fellow, but he had an accident a while ago and hasn't spoken to me since."

At that moment, the old man's eyes flickered momentarily. Did he feel sorry for the young man's misfortune?

"Really? Is it possible to get better? "

"Yes! He's just suffering from a momentary after-effect of being shocked out of his mind by the terrifying sword qi, but he'll be fine soon enough. He risked his life to save this girl here, and his courage is to be commended, and I'm sure he'll never regret it."

Jang Hong stood by Hyo-ryong's side, supporting him, and pointed to Yi Jin-sul, who hadn't moved an inch away. Lee Jin-sul's heart sank and the bridge of his nose wrinkled as he remembered that day again. Tears were already forming in her eyes and threatening to fall. All she wanted now was for Hyo-ryong to return to his old self as soon as possible.

"Ho-ho, you mean this girl?"

The old man's gentle gaze turned to Binary.

"Yes, it is."

"He did what a man should do, and I'm sure his father would never criticize him for it and would be proud of him."

"Absolutely, and he'll be back on his feet in no time."

The old man, whose sharp eyes scanned Hyo Long's entire body from top to bottom, soon nodded.

"Cancer, indeed! A very handsome, stout young man, by the way; he would be much more brilliant if he were painted. Little lady, this young fellow will soon be his old self again, so don't be too hard on him; he's not the sort of fellow to be knocked down by such hardships as this, Cancer, no!"

At the old man's warm words, Lee Jin-sul tightened her grip on Hyo-ryong's hand, and a faint smile appeared on the old man's face as he watched.

"Come, then, let's go, forget sleep for the night, and drink to the moon and stars!"

The old man's curiosity was too much for the young man to ignore, and before she could respond, he began to push his way through the crowd with his cane. It was already difficult to say no, and she wasn't about to turn down a free drink.

"Then let's go before we miss it."

Then he started walking ahead. One by one, the others followed suit. Soon, she was leading the group.

Namgungsang said to Bi Ryuyeon, puzzled.

"That's unusual, my godbrother, who always looks down on people…, is being so polite to me, even though he's an old man?"

If that was polite, there would be nothing to say, but it must have been a very unfamiliar experience for him. But even so, he was too honest to reveal his feelings.

"Because that old man deserves it. Do you really not realize the power hidden within that old man's shell? Why would such an amazing person be in a place like this……, even hiding himself? That old man is probably the strongest person I've ever met since I came out of the stronghold!"

Bi Ryuyeon could see it naturally. No matter how much she tried to hide her true colors, his eyes could not be deceived. But why she was here was a mystery even she couldn't solve. He had never seen her so openly admire someone before.

"Well? Is he really that amazing? He seems like just a regular old guy to me."

Voila!

"Yuck!"

Albam's forehead burned as if it had been waiting for him. Bi Ryuyeon clicked her tongue in disapproval.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, when will you grow up? If you can block that old man's heartfelt one-sided sword for even a second, I will no longer call you a tsk."

Namgungsang's eyes widened in surprise.

"Hee hee, are you saying he's that…, that great, because he never looks like that?"

His brother's suggestion was tempting, but he didn't have the courage to follow through.

"When did you begin to doubt the words of this great brother? It's been a long time."

Bi Ryuyeon raised her fist once more, and Namgung flinched reflexively.

"Heck, no…, how dare I……."

The contemplative namgungsang rubbed his hands together, and the words that followed, "It is possible to have doubts, in life!" were swallowed whole for the sake of longevity. Such truths are best kept to oneself in this world.

"Tsk, tsk, I don't have enough faith, I don't have enough faith, I still have ten more years of practice."

Bi Ryuyeon gave him a pinzan for his pathetic behavior. This only served to intimidate the Southern Palace.

"But really, no matter how you slice it, he doesn't seem that great.

No matter how hard I strained my eyes to find the hidden strength she was talking about, I couldn't detect any hint of it.

"What are you doing, aren't you coming?"

The shout came from quite a distance. Before he knew it, Bi Ryuyeon's group was already walking ahead of him, leaving him alone in the middle of the marketplace. Namgung Sang hurried after them.