Book 26 Chapter 4

Beauty takes a long time to prepare.

―Beauty! Too!

Donghaedo Dormitory 11.

Alias: Beauty Destruction Squad.

After a tumultuous ordeal of broken collarbones, the shrill screams of girls, and fainting spells, Moyonghwi and Gongson Jeolhwi, having passed through the main gate of Donghaedo, now stood in the center of the main training ground, facing King Ja-gun of Donghaedo above them.

The training ground was situated in a hollow, like a basin. Ja-gun stood on the upper part of the basin, while Moyonghwi and Gongson Jeolhwi were led to the lower, excavated part. The sloped sides were made into tiered seating, and now, dozens of members of the 11th squad surrounded them in a circle. However, most of these members were women, and they gazed at Moyonghwi and Gongson Jeolhwi with eyes full of bright curiosity and strange fervor instead of enmity. They whispered and giggled amongst themselves, and Moyonghwi couldn't even guess what they were talking about. It was probably better not to know.

"Hmm…"

Ja-gun, seated on his chair in the highest position, looked down at Moyonghwi for a long time.

"By the way, did you perhaps not apply anything?"

King Ja-gun of Donghaedo, who had been scrutinizing Moyonghwi's fair face, frowned and asked in a serious voice.

"Apply what?"

Moyonghwi was bewildered by Ja-gun's sudden question.

"Powder, mercury, sachets, and the like, cosmetics."

"I did not apply any."

Moyonghwi replied simply.

"You didn't apply any? How is this possible! Are you out of your mind? What will you do if your skin gets damaged? Are you not afraid of the enemy that rains down from the sky, the radiant skin?"

Ja-gun shivered, pointing a finger at the sun in the sky as if in hatred. His tone was almost as if he doubted Moyonghwi's sanity.

Then, this time, Moyonghwi frowned.

"I am a man. Of course, I don't wear makeup."

Ja-gun tutted and shook his index finger from side to side.

"Tsk tsk, not wearing makeup because you're a man, that's an outdated notion. Listen carefully. Those cosmetics, you see, are weapons that defend the fortress of beauty. Just as one never goes into battle without weapons, the apostle of beauty never reveals herself to others without finishing her makeup."

"Is that so? I don't understand that beauty."

No matter what, Moyonghwi couldn't understand Ja-gun's state of mind.

"You don't understand! You don't understand! You still lack self-awareness as an 'apostle of beauty'."

Ja-gun lamented, slapping his thigh with his hand.

"I hope I never have to be aware of such things."

But Ja-gun didn't heed Moyonghwi's words at all.

"Do you understand? With this harsh sunlight, and you haven't even applied powder to your face. Skin is like a flower. If you don't water it and weed it constantly, it will wither away. If you let your guard down, you'll be instantly conquered by terrifying beings like age spots, pimples, and wrinkles. Isn't that a horrifying thought?"

Ja-gun seemed to consider such an event more terrifying than the destruction of the martial world.

"Don't those things appear as time passes and one gets older? I don't find it that terrifying."

After all, aging was an unavoidable fate for humans.

Ja-gun exclaimed in horror.

"Too soft! Too soft! You are not fit to be an apostle of beauty. To resist the flowing tide of time and maintain firm skin and snow-white skin is the mission of an 'apostle of beauty'! Time, for the 'apostle of beauty,' is the enemy that must be overthrown!"

Ja-gun passionately argued. And then,

"In that sense, Captain Muyeong is commendable. As a model for fighting against time. Of course, he himself lacks some self-awareness as an apostle of beauty."

he added, his words incomprehensible.

'Even if it's an enemy…'

Moyonghwi sighed. His enemy was not the eternally flowing time, but King Ja-gun of Donghaedo standing before him. He had come here to fight Ja-gun. He was prepared for a clash to obtain the wooden coffin, a clue to Naye-rin's whereabouts. Then why was he here, under the stinging sunlight, talking about pointless things like skin beauty with Ja-gun, who stood under parasols held by women on both sides?

'Should I attack first?'

He had considered the idea of forcefully charging into the main building and searching for the wooden coffin. However, standing here and engaging in trivial chatter about skin beauty, surrounded by mostly beautiful women, most of whom were peeking at him and Gongson Jeolhwi like exhibits and giggling with their hands covering their mouths, made any move awkward and difficult. Under the circumstances, any desire for combat was non-existent.

Gongson Jeolhwi was no exception. In fact, he was more bothered than Moyonghwi, even annoyed. But that annoyance didn't lead to combat either. He felt completely caught in the opponent's flow.

'This is troublesome… truly troublesome… This is not neat at all.'

The most troublesome aspect was that Moyonghwi himself was a righteous man who highly valued etiquette. Therefore, since the opponent wasn't being rude and most of the people were women, he was at a loss. If it had been Biryu-yeon who came here, regardless of whether there were women or what Ja-gun said, he would have tried to smash that smirking, oily face, saying, 'What is this effeminate fellow?'

But even with an enemy like Biryu-yeon, Moyonghwi wasn't that corrupted. His cleanliness obsession was still intact.

'What should I do? What should I do? What should I do? How can I steer the situation cleanly? Fairly and cleanly.'

Next to Moyonghwi, who was struggling to find the cleanest solution, Gongson Jeolhwi, whose patience had reached its limit, finally exploded.

"Aaaargh! It's so sickening, I can't stand it!"

As if he had goosebumps, Gongson Jeolhwi scratched his arms and shouted.

At that moment, Ja-gun's body froze like a statue. The voices of the women who had been chatting happily also disappeared from the surroundings. An eerily heavy silence filled the void.

Ja-gun's head drooped.

"……"

Another heavy silence ensued. Gongson Jeolhwi had to endure the quiet, cold, and stinging gazes from all directions. For the first time, he realized how painful collective, unspoken criticism could be.

'What did I even do!'

Ja-gun still had his head bowed. It was the complete opposite of his posture just moments ago, when he held his head high to showcase his beauty to the world. Looking closely, his shoulders were trembling slightly. Soon, the trembling amplified into greater tremors. Seeing this, the women of Donghaedo turned pale and began to subtly retreat.

'Why is he doing that?'

The women around them, their faces pale, were cautiously backing away. Ja-gun, who had been trembling, finally exploded.

"SICKENING!"

Fierce anger erupted, like a hot volcano erupting.

"I HATE THAT WORD THE MOST!"

The eyes of Ja-gun, who had been laughing like a jolly old fellow just moments ago, were filled with a thick murderous intent.

"Insulting beauty! Die!"

Using an incredibly swift movement technique, Ja-gun descended towards the center of the training ground.

"Ugh!"

Startled by Ja-gun's sudden attack, Gongson Jeolhwi quickly counterattacked with his family's secret supreme sword technique.

*Swish!*

The sword light cleanly cleaved through Ja-gun's form.

'I cut him!'

He had reacted, albeit unintentionally.

However,

*Whoosh!*

Ja-gun's form, which he thought he had cut, scattered like red petals before his eyes.

"Gah!"

Gongson Jeolhwi was shocked by the sight.

"Where are you looking, you aesthetically blind fool!"

Ja-gun's vanished form suddenly appeared to Gongson Jeolhwi's left. Gongson Jeolhwi quickly turned to his left and unleashed the first move of the Supreme Sword Technique, 'Supreme Left Suppression.' This move, meaning the Supreme Being suppresses the left, was also specialized for left-sided attacks.

*Swish!*

Again, red petals scattered. Ja-gun's form disappeared once more. Ja-gun reappeared to Gongson Jeolhwi's right, then scattered into petals when cut, reappeared behind him, and scattered into petals again, repeating the cycle.

"This! This! This!"

He swung his sword, trying to follow Ja-gun's movements, but he was always a step too late. He was being toyed with helplessly by the impossibly fast and mysterious footwork.

If only he had practiced his footwork more. He regretted neglecting his footwork training, focusing too much on the power of his sword moves, but it was too late.

"Danger!"

Moyonghwi warned in a hurried tone.

"Huh? Huh? Huh?"

'I-I can't keep up…'

The more he tried to chase, the more his feet got tangled.

Before he knew it, red petals were dancing in circles around him. Ja-gun's form was invisible, and his presence couldn't be felt. Only the petals danced before his eyes.

"Huh?"

Strangely, his vision spun, and he felt dizzy. His head throbbed. The sky and earth spun together, round and round.

"Wh-wh-wh-what!"

And when he came to his senses, he was lying there awkwardly.

"Huh?"

What was this…? He couldn't remember when he had buried his face in the ground covered with petals.

"Hahaha! How was that? The taste of my beautiful illusory footwork, 'Scattered Flowers, Shadowless'!"

Ja-gun laughed triumphantly, stepping on his face as he lay fallen.

"Engrave it into your bones, the great power of beauty! Do you understand, you foolish, aesthetically blind fool!"

As if his acupoints had been targeted, Gongson Jeolhwi, lying on the ground with Ja-gun's foot on his cheek, couldn't move at all. All he could do was endure the humiliation.

"Kyaaah! You're so cool, Ja-gun!"

"You're so beautiful!"

"How can your appearance, crushing the lowly, be so beautiful!"

Shouts, almost screams, erupted from the women. Whatever Ja-gun did seemed beautiful to them.

"These women are clearly blindfolded… What's so good about this sickening guy…"

Even as he tasted dirt with his tongue, Gongson Jeolhwi didn't stop grumbling.

"Do you understand the 'beauty' of beauty now?"

To be looking for beauty in this situation, Gongson Jeolhwi, who was extremely annoyed, turned around. He thought it didn't matter what happened as long as he could deliver a mental shock to that guy.

"You are not beautiful at all, you sickening guy! Your beauty doesn't even come close to Moyonghwi's! Go look in the mirror more!"

Suddenly, the pressure on his cheek disappeared. Gongson Jeolhwi, who could finally turn his head, looked up at Ja-gun. He seemed to have received a great shock, his pupils dilated, and he was in a state of panic, his face pale.

"My, my beauty… to… to be… bathed!"

Hearing him mispronounce 'insulted' as 'bathed,' it was clear the shock was significant.

"Hmph, say things like that after you defeat Moyonghwi, you sickening guy!"

Gongson Jeolhwi scoffed again.

"Sickening guy again! Fine! I was planning to do that anyway."

And then he pointed at Moyonghwi and shouted.

"Moyonghwi! I challenge you to a 'Battle of Beauty' in the name of my beauty!"

And then he immediately shouted at Gongson Jeolhwi.

"You ugly, aesthetically blind fool! Watch from there! Witness true beauty triumph! I am Beauty! Beauty is Justice!"

"Battle of Beauty? What is that?"

Moyonghwi, receiving the duel challenge from King Ja-gun of Donghaedo, asked in bewilderment. Their mental worlds were so different that there were countless things he couldn't understand without asking individually.

"Ah, the Battle of Beauty, as the name suggests, is a contest where we compete with each other's beauty. It's abbreviated as 'Beautu'. It's a noble battle where the ugly are not even allowed to participate."

Ja-gun said boastfully, flicking his hair to one side, which he had washed three times that morning. His tone suggested they should be grateful for being allowed to participate in such a battle.

"Compete with beauty? By what standard do we compete with beauty?"

Beauty is truly ambiguous, isn't it? Everyone's sense of beauty is quite different. Of course, there's a vague standard of 'above a certain point,' but it's impossible to draw a clear line.

Do I have to perform tricks in front of judges? Or should I sing or dance?

"Naturally, the one who wins the fight is beautiful, isn't that obvious?"

He spoke as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Why is that? The standard is completely incomprehensible."

To Moyonghwi, that obviousness was anything but obvious.

"Victory is also a form of beauty. Victory is beautiful, and defeat is ugly."

"It sounds no different from a one-on-one duel?"

Ja-gun shook his head vehemently.

"It's different. Very different. The participants must exude overwhelming beauty to the audience. They must defeat their opponents with beautiful techniques, always gracefully and elegantly. Rough fights like those of commoners are not fitting for 'apostles of beauty' like us. To captivate the audience, and even the opponent fighting, is the ultimate goal of a 'Beautu'."

His eyes began to look into the distance again. Completely lost in his own world, he didn't even spare a glance at Moyonghwi and the others.

"If you are booed three times, you automatically lose, even in the middle of the fight. Don't panic, just compete with beauty elegantly."

"Hey! What kind of ridiculous fight is this!"

Gongson Jeolhwi, whose family's traditional education was deeply ingrained, couldn't accept such a strange fight. This was not the world of martial artists.

"Of course. You ugly thing! This is the world of beauty. There's no place for a loser like you. You just stay there and sulk!"

"What do you mean I'm ugly? I absolutely won't accept that!"

While not as much as Moyonghwi, Gongson Jeolhwi also had confidence in his appearance.

"Didn't you just hear? Defeat is ugly? You who have been defeated are ugly. See? It's easy to understand, isn't it? If you understand, then get lost."

At those words, Gongson Jeolhwi was defeated not only physically but also mentally. Ja-gun of Donghaedo, without giving a glance to the dejected Gongson Jeolhwi, fixed his gaze on Moyonghwi like a sharp arrow.

The Battle of Beauty was, as its name suggested, a one-on-one duel. However, the preparation process was truly splendid. He changed into new, splendid silk robes for the Battle of Beauty, adorned himself with numerous accessories, and reapplied his makeup. He hardly moved, and the female guards surrounding him took care of most of the work.

"You should get ready too."

"I'm fine as I am."

"Are you sure about that? Aren't you going to dress up more for the Battle of Beauty?"

"No, I'm really fine."

Moyonghwi declined.

"Fine, don't regret it later."

Ja-gun, wearing even redder and more splendid silk robes than before, put on thin, round gold earrings on both ears, fixed his hair with a crimson accessory, and returned to his seat in the main position. The man who was already splendid became about five times more splendid after adorning himself. When his so-called combat preparations were finished, exclamations erupted from the surrounding female guards. They seemed ecstatic.

When preparations were complete, women flocked and lined up in two rows from Ja-gun's seating area to the combat stage. Then they began scattering flower petals from the baskets they held. Ja-gun walked with a confident smile along the path carpeted with red petals. Moyonghwi also walked alongside him towards the combat stage.

"Brother Moyong!"

Moyonghwi felt a sense of surprise at the address Gongson Jeolhwi, who never used such a term, used. After hesitating for a moment, Gongson Jeolhwi then spoke with a serious expression and shouted.

"Don't lose to that sickening guy!"

Then, perhaps embarrassed, he turned his head elsewhere. Moyonghwi smiled and said,

"Don't worry, I will definitely win."

"Wh-wh-who said I'm worried! Just don't lose. It's my role as Gongson Jeolhwi, a descendant of the Gongson family, to defeat you!"

Gongson Jeolhwi retorted indignantly. Then Moyonghwi replied with serious eyes.

"If you wish for that, then strive harder."

And he turned his head forward and walked on. Finally, King Ja-gun of Donghaedo and Moyonghwi, the Seven-Cut Divine Sword, stood facing each other on the combat stage.

"Now, let's show off each other's beauty."

Ja-gun declared the opening of the Battle of Beauty, unfurling his magnificent red fan.

Of the two, Moyonghwi and Ja-gun, Ja-gun was the first to charge.

As if not wanting to be outdone, he lunged at Moyonghwi with a splendid, dance-like posture. Moyonghwi instinctively swung his sword.

*Whoosh!*

Ja-gun's form, cut by the sword light, disappeared again as petals. It was the same movement technique that Gongson Jeolhwi had been subjected to earlier.

'He's using the same technique…'

It was a clear challenge, as if to say, 'Break it if you can.' Moyonghwi, feeling no need to refuse, swiftly swung his sword to his left. Almost simultaneously, Ja-gun's form appeared on his left.

*Screech!*

The sword light cleanly sliced through Ja-gun's form.

'Did I cut him?'

*Whoosh!*

But again, Ja-gun's form, once cut, simply scattered into petals.

Another failure.

Thinking this wouldn't do, Moyonghwi's form vanished from his spot. Using the Meteor Footwork, Moyonghwi's reappeared behind Ja-gun, who had appeared to his right.

Silver River Meteor Sword Technique (銀河流星劍法) Secret Art (秘技)

Silver River Flash (銀河一閃)

Like a meteor streaking across the dark night sky, the sword blade raced through space. Speed was the issue. Therefore, Moyonghwi suppressed all variations and unleashed the fastest sword move in the Silver River Meteor Sword Technique. The sword energy emanating from the blade left a long streak on the combat stage floor.

"Magnificent!"

Cheers erupted from the women in the audience surrounding the combat stage. It was a sound that somehow dispelled tension.

Was this attack effective? Even as he briefly considered this, Ja-gun's form once again scattered into red petals.

"Th-this!"

He had definitely felt a touch on his fingertips…

*Whoosh!*

Suddenly, a strong wind blew from somewhere, and the scattered petals violently swirled. This obscured Moyonghwi's vision. Although the moment was brief, it was enough time for Ja-gun to get behind Moyonghwi.

Flame Flower Glorious Divine Skill (陽炎華華麗麗神功)

Ultimate Skill (奧義)

Mirage Turbulent Wind (아지랑이 亂風)

Moyonghwi felt a chilling sensation on his back. This familiar feeling was unmistakably murderous intent. And it was the same technique that had felled Gongson Jeolhwi.

Moyonghwi had to evade his current defenseless state at all costs. Amidst the gust of wind-whipped flower petals, Ja-gun's red fan, held like a sword, aimed for Moyonghwi's pressure points on his back.

'Dangerous!'

Thinking it was absolutely dangerous, Moyonghwi instinctively lunged forward. He judged that it was too late to block with his sword. The sudden movement unbalanced him, causing Moyonghwi to roll twice on the combat stage. However, he quickly got back up, using the momentum of the roll. And as he prepared to counter,

"Uggggggggggggggggggh!"

Booing could be heard from the surroundings. Moyonghwi was bewildered.

"Rolling on the ground like a common horse, how unsightly."

Ja-gun shrugged and shook his head in disappointment.

The "rolling on the ground like a common horse" was a movement technique that meant a 'ugly colt rolling on the ground', and it was too embarrassing to even call it a movement technique. Ja-gun clicked his tongue, looking at Moyonghwi with pity.

"If it were 'Beauty', she would never use such an unsightly movement technique, even if she were to die. It's too ugly. Oh, there's a flower petal stuck in your hair."

"Kyaaak! Ja-gun, you're the best."

"You're so much cooler, Ja-gun."

"I love you."

Ja-gun, who had humiliated Moyonghwi, put on an arrogant expression, unfurled his fan, and began to fan himself gently. His face seemed to look down on people.

Moyonghwi brushed off the flower petals clinging to his hair and the dust on his clothes, then looked back at Ja-gun. Something bothered him.

'I thought speed was the issue… is it not just speed…'

Although he wasn't sure, it didn't seem like he was missing his movements solely due to speed. The feeling earlier was like chasing a phantom.

'Is there a secret?'

However, he couldn't even begin to guess what that secret was.

'Not yet, anyway.'

Reluctantly, he felt he would have to play cat and mouse a few more times.

Moyonghwi gripped the hilt of his sword tightly.

After a few rounds of cat and mouse, Ja-gun consistently evaded Moyonghwi's grasp.

The "Scattered Flowers, Shadowless" technique, which scattered into petals every time it was cut, was certainly a peculiar movement technique. If a woman had used it, he would have admired it as a truly beautiful technique. It was that aesthetically exquisite. However, when employed by Ja-gun, who was completely lost in his own world, it made Moyonghwi and Gongson Jeolhwi feel uncomfortable to watch. Moreover, the discomfort wasn't solely due to that reason.

'Damn! My clothes got dirty… I just washed them…'

Dust and stains had appeared on his snow-white robes in various places. It was because he had rolled on the combat stage earlier. He had shaken off the flower petals from his hair and clothes, but his usual philosophy was that clothes, once soiled, wouldn't become clean again until they were washed. However, it was in the middle of a fight, and he wasn't so foolish as to dust himself off and readjust his attire during combat.

Due to the scattering flower petals around him, his vision was not clear. If this continued, he would have to roll on the combat stage again, just like before.

'Hmm… but I really want to avoid that.'

Moyonghwi, who had an obsession with cleanliness, wanted to avoid such an unsanitary situation from happening again. He believed that even in combat, there should be neatness.

Fortunately, while Ja-gun's movement technique was powerful, the sharpness of his attacks was weak. Because of this, he kept evading Moyonghwi's grasp, but he couldn't land a fatal blow. It was just that ordinary techniques had become threatening when combined with his extraordinary movement technique.

'If I could directly clash with that red fan…'

He was confident he wouldn't lose in terms of sword power. If he could prolong the fight through the exchange of weapons and the precision of his techniques, he was confident he could win. The problem was that Ja-gun always maintained a certain distance from Moyonghwi, moving in circles.

And at one moment, when the opening he had seen earlier appeared, he didn't miss the opportunity and struck.

He was fighting within the opponent's interval and distance. Both the temporal distance [interval] and the spatial distance [distance] were controlled by the opponent.

'First, I need to regain my own interval!'

To do that, he had to close the distance.

Moyonghwi changed his objective.

Giving up on the idea of cutting Ja-gun's form, he began to aim for Ja-gun's weapon, the red fan. If only he could collide with that red fan! He could either cut it or send sword power through the weapon to the opponent.

After all, the red fan was a weapon. Unlike the body, which is instinctively protected, it should be easier to make contact with. To do that, he needed to evoke Ja-gun's defensive instincts. When people feel they cannot avoid something, they inevitably use their weapon to block.

He needed a technique that could at least immobilize him, even if it couldn't inflict a fatal wound.

"Have you ever seen a meteor in broad daylight?"

Moyonghwi asked Ja-gun abruptly.

"Of course not."

Ja-gun replied, not slowing down his movement technique. A wind of flowers enveloped him.

"I guarantee it would be a magnificent sight."

"Oh, how beautiful is it?"

As one who called himself an apostle of beauty, Ja-gun reacted sensitively to the word "beautiful." Moyonghwi replied calmly.

"See for yourself, I'll show you now. A meteor in broad daylight!"

*Whoosh!*

At that moment, Moyonghwi's sword began to roar with a dazzling white light. An immense amount of qi was concentrated at the tip of his sword. Moyonghwi took a breath and swung his incandescent sword.

Silver River Meteor Sword Technique (銀河流星劍法) Ultimate Skill (奧義)

Silver River Meteor Shower (銀河流星滿天)

*Swish!*

Moyonghwi's sword qi shot out towards all four directions of the combat stage, like meteors.

The entire combat stage was covered in a dazzling meteor shower.

"Gasp!"

Ja-gun involuntarily let out an ungraceful gasp and dodged. However, the rain of meteors, which controlled all directions, had its limits to evasion. With no time to consider his appearance, Ja-gun unfurled his red fan, infused with his qi, and blocked the incoming meteor sword qi.

"Tch! Ah, beautiful."

A sound, indistinguishable between a groan and an exclamation of admiration, escaped Ja-gun's lips. This was due to the immense pressure transmitted through the fan.

Moyonghwi's sword qi, sharpened and strengthened by his recent training under Hyuk-jung, was not something that could be easily blocked. However, the "Silver River Meteor Shower" was originally a technique for one against many, rather than a one-on-one technique. Therefore, although the range of the sword qi was wide, it couldn't avoid weakening in power. Was it because of this? The meteor sword qi couldn't pierce the red fan infused with qi.

"Hahaha! It's quite a beautiful technique, but it cannot stop my beauty with this much."

Ja-gun, who had barely deflected the meteor sword qi, pretended to be unfazed, hiding his momentary panic.

"I already knew that."

By then, Moyonghwi's form had reached Ja-gun's eyes. Just immobilizing him was enough. Moreover, with such a flamboyant technique, it also helped with misdirection.

"Gyaaak!"

Another strange scream escaped Ja-gun's lips.

"Hah!"

The sword light flashed menacingly and lunged forward. Ja-gun quickly folded his red fan to block the sword strike.

*Crash!*

However, the sword blade cut straight through the iron red fan. Moyonghwi had deliberately held back his strength for this very moment.

That's right.

The "Silver River Meteor Shower" earlier, although very splendid on the outside, did not involve expending his full power. And now, he channeled the remaining power to the tip of his sword.

Sword power was transmitted to Ja-gun through the fan. Perhaps because the 'fusion qi' had been activated, Ja-gun couldn't detach the fan.

Moyonghwi did not lose momentum and proceeded to split Ja-gun's fan in two. The sword's power did not dissipate and its blade continued to slash. A fierce sword wind whipped towards Ja-gun's waist.

"Hiiik!"

Ja-gun, clutching his fan, had to quickly roll backward. As a result, he momentarily forgot about maintaining his beautiful composure.

*Roll, roll, roll, roll.*

After rolling four times, Ja-gun was able to regain his posture. The Ja-gun who stood up again was a mess. His accessories, scattered here and there, had fallen off, and his neatly worn clothes were in disarray. The more elaborately he was dressed, the worse he looked when disheveled. The most unsightly thing was that his magnificent red fan, which he held, was broken in two. Moyonghwi added the final confirmation.

"Oh dear. Flower petals have gotten stuck in your hair."

Pointing at Ja-gun's hair with his finger, he repeated the words he had heard earlier. Ja-gun scowled, ashamed that his beauty had been ruined.

"And you rolled twice more than I did."

He added, "In case you didn't realize."

"Grrr! To show such a disgrace to me!"

Ja-gun scowled, his brow furrowed. His jaw trembled as if he was clenching his teeth.

"Ja-gun's face… how could he contort that beautiful face!"

"Something you avoid so much for fear of wrinkles."

"He must be that angry…"

The women trembled, watching Ja-gun's face contort in anger, a face he cherished so much.

"To insult beauty. I will kill you!"

A fearsome voice emanated from Ja-gun's distorted mouth.

"Your weapon is already broken. Why not surrender cleanly?"

Then Ja-gun scoffed, his lips twisting into a sneer. It was a clear mockery.

"Weapon? I never said this red fan was my weapon."

"…!"

Moyonghwi's eyes widened.

"This fan is merely an object for elegance; my weapon to protect my beauty is separate."

"What is it? Show me quickly."

"Have you heard the saying that beautiful flowers have thorns?"

"I have."

Moyonghwi nodded. Then a triumphant smile spread across Ja-gun's face.

"This is my thorn!"

*Shwoosh!*

Ja-gun's right hand shot out, and in the next moment, something sliced through the air, narrowly grazing Moyonghwi's cheek.

*Bang!*

In the next instant, there was the sound of air bursting, and a few strands of Moyonghwi's cut hair fluttered down.

'It was at a distance where my sword couldn't reach…'

Nor was it sword energy.

"Did you see? This is my thorn that protects my beauty, the Crimson Rose Whip!"

Ja-gun declared triumphantly, a blood-red whip now in his hand. Ja-gun pointed at Moyonghwi and declared.

"I will make red flowers bloom on the field of your body!"