Book 5 Chapter 8

Mock in a Leather Sack

The Celestial Dragon Blue Scars match also featured Mo Yonghui's

The crowds were almost as big as the competition.

If Mo Yonghui was a challenger, Cheong Hyeon was the king.

"Phew, my opponent has the misfortune to be Cheong-Heon."

Zong's response was an admission of defeat.

"It is an honor to mix swords with my blue brother!"

Zong Zhihe had already realized his defeat. Although they were in the same third grade, Zhong Zhaoge was well aware of the difference between his and Qinghe's abilities. Qingfeng was someone he didn't dare to cross. He had to admit it.

"I'm flattered."

It was also a blueprint for the virtue of moderation.

"I may not be as skilled as you, but I'm not going to give you an easy victory!"

Zhong Zhaoge drew his saber and shouted with determination. He was also a former disciple of the Great Blue Castle Sect, and he had no shame in being defeated so easily.

"Of course! Come!"

I told him to come. That's what Gosu says to his servants, and Zhongzhi He had to go.

You could lose, but you couldn't lose ugly. There was dignity in losing. If you didn't want to be the dog in the ring, you had to give it your all. He knew that if he didn't give it his best shot, he would never get another chance.

The content of Qinghe's stilted dance was a protest against Mo Yonghui. Qing Shui had also used a single sword to break Zong Zhihe's sword herb and reach the blood in his throat. It was the same point that Mo Yonghui had targeted.

Blood oozed from Zhong Zhihe's right hand as he gripped the sword. He was lucky he didn't lose his grip on the sword.

"You lost!"

Zhong Zhihe admitted it. He had known from the beginning that his strength was not enough to overcome the Blue Scars Wall. It was just a pity that he had to admit defeat so soon.

"Thank you!"

After retrieving the sword, Cheng Hsien bowed respectfully.

"Ooohhhhhh!"

Cheers erupted from all directions. Most of the people cheering were from the old schools. Of course, there were a few people who expressed pure emotion at Qing Shui's martial prowess, but they were few and far between compared to the people of the Old School.

I knew it was strong, but the ambiguity of the Gungwoong Falaknae's position made it hard to be happy.

"A man who feels the righteousness of kendo."

Mo Yonghui's expressionless face flashed with admiration and astonishment.

Mo Yonghui's hands were damp with cold sweat, and he felt as if a thunderbolt had struck him in the spine, the shudder of its powerful impact making his body tremble. It was only a single blade, but it was enough for him to see the terror in it, for he knew better than anyone how difficult it was to contain so much energy in a single blade.

"Hehe, I've never seen you so agitated before……. I see you're having a good time today! You're the iceberg of the heavens, you're the cold one (that's what Bi Ryuyeon called Mo Yonghui), and you're doing all the things that make Mo Yonghui agitated. If the people of the world knew, they'd scorn you."

She was still giggling, not realizing how serious it was. It was like heaven and earth.

Mo Yonghui's gaze swept over Bi Ryuyeon. It was normal to at least show some sort of inhuman admiration after seeing such a terrifying Sun Sword, but no matter how much he looked, he couldn't find any trace of it in any corner of Bi Ryuyeon's body.

Although she was his worst enemy when it came to keeping his room clean, he had known her for nearly half a year, even if they hadn't interacted much. But she was still a mystery to him.

"The author is none other than the three-headed sword, the divine dragon Qingfeng of the Shamanic Sect, and the Mu Zheng of the Nine Festivals!"

A brilliance flashed in Hyorong's eyes as he watched Qing Shui walk offstage. The light appeared and disappeared so quickly that no one else even noticed.

"Oh, no! No! I must have gotten nervous and raised the speculation!

The hairs on the back of his neck stood up, and it seemed that he wasn't the only one who felt a chill run down his spine. Mo Yonghui's agitation was also palpable as he stared at the blue scar with a stern expression on his face, even more serious than usual. Beside him, Bi Ryuyeon, who seemed to be at peace with the world, caught Hyorong's eye.

'If I keep this up, I'm in the finals!'

Indeed, the Three Swords Blue Scars would definitely be a thick wall, a high cliff, and a difficult obstacle for Mo Yonghui more than anyone else, and……, when he thought about the distant future, it was no exception for himself.

Surrounded by a group of people, Hyorong's gaze was drawn once again to Qinghe, who was receiving congratulations. There was a gleam in his eye, as if he would never forget.

"Why is the mood so low? Did everyone eat something wrong?"

Once again, Hyo-Ryong's gaze shifted to the voice's protagonist, Bi Ryuyeon. Next to Mo Yonghui, who was lost in thought with a serious face, Bi Ryuyeon was constantly making fun of his mouth. Mo Yonghui would probably never try to watch with her again.

'Does he lack basic human sensibilities, or is he just plain stupid…….'

Still an inscrutable object, both to herself and to others, Bi Ryuyeon's face still showed that she couldn't tell what she was thinking.

"Boom!"

The table shook violently with a loud bang.

The flickering candle that threatened to go out was a clear indication of the emotional intensity of the man who had struck the table.

"You can't possibly……. betray me? I'll send my brother to……."

Namgungsang's voice trembled slightly.

"Betrayal! You're being a little harsh with your words. Don't use such a terrible word. It just means that you might go with the flow." ……. It doesn't mean much else. Besides, it hasn't been finalized yet, so let's be careful what we wish for."

Geum Young-ho spoke in a serious tone, despite the shaking of his neck. He was still clinging to his purple silk robes that didn't match his face.

"But technically, you betrayed your big brother……."

"Huh! No, no, no, no, cover your mouth!"

Geum Young-ho cut off Namgung-sang's ramblings with a swift slap in the middle. There was no good in listening, no good in speaking. It was a markedly different and resolute demeanor from his usual flirtatiousness as a merchant's offspring.

"The jury is still out. We're at a crossroads, a crossroads of sorts, a crossroads where we're either going to go along with public opinion, or we're going to take a chance and use what we've seen and felt, however unpleasant, as a guide to our judgment!"

It was time to put our heads together and make a decision.

In the darkness of night, a single candle flickered in a chamber, swaying with the faintest breeze and human breath. Each of the sixteen men in the shadows of the flickering candlelight wore a single, flying, embroidered bird on their right breast. They were members of the Sixteen.

What brought these 16 people together in the middle of the night? Despite the fact that the men and women were different…….

All of them were stiff-faced and speechless. It was as if they were waiting for a lifelong enemy. What could possibly be making them so nervous, even the best of the Heavenly Martial Academy?

"Phew!"

As if on cue, they inhaled and exhaled deeply in unison. The intention was to use the breath to release some of the tension and relax their muscles. It's hard to get good results when you're impatient.

Everyone's eyes shone like a hawk's, like the halo on a sword's blade.

The candles flickered with each inhale and exhale, casting dark shadows on everyone's faces.

It was not a leisurely chit-chat, judging by the seriousness with which he stared at the single flickering candle in the center of the room, which had been secretly set up for the night.

"Can we win?"

A seven-blossomed plum blossom was embroidered near the left waist of the man who spoke up. The seven plum blossoms and the light red robes were the mark of the Huashan Sect, and the speaker was Cao Tianwu, the swordsman of the Huashan Sect. The seven plum blossoms also represented a rank just below elder.

But who beats whom?

"Well……, I don't know about that, I don't dare make any guarantees."

In his own words, there were no guarantees. If it were, we wouldn't be sitting here today thinking about it.

"Do you really think you can win? You know him better than anyone else here, and I'd love to hear what you have to say."

True to his word, Hyun-woon knew more about the man than anyone else here, and he had a genuine respect for him.

"I think that's a bit much! It's not that simple, and besides, even I don't know the true extent of his accomplishments. At least I think so."

"Is that what you say when you see with your own two eyes that one of us has fallen to the ground? I don't believe he had the skill to overpower them so easily."

Dressed in a white and black robe that looked like the feathers of a crane, the Kunlun Sect disciple Yi Yun spoke up with a slightly nervous tone. His eyes were much smaller than a normal person's and had sharp slits, making him look even more imposing.

The mood turned even more gloomy when their names were mentioned in conjunction with the disgraceful affair. Their faces frowned slightly. Can't we just ignore it and move on? There's no need to bring up their names again and again.

"The dragon was right. I'm the one who made you both dead in one breath. My brother-in-law is……. You can swear on my sword that he is, but I won't give you that easy of a guarantee!"

"……."

Cheng Cheng, a disciple of the Qing Sheng Sect, agreed. Putting one's sword's honor on the line was the same as putting one's life on the line. It also meant that one was confident in one's opinion.

The only one who remained silent was the normally reticent Ilgong. He was used to living under strict discipline in Shaolin Temple, and this kind of position was overwhelming. As a junior monk, or in more advanced terms, a Buddhist monk, a position such as this was one of the least suitable for him. Though he was forced to be there by his friends, he had no role to play in this gathering, only to observe the goings-on with a steady silence.

The women weren't much better.

"We must be careful. I don't think it's worth risking the honor of the sword on, though. It's not something to be done lightly.

I must admit, his skills are impressive. His sword qi is unimaginable, even if he hasn't shown it all. Honestly, I can't guarantee a victory just yet, even though we're both from the same Nine Dragons. But can we really say we've seen the full extent of his abilities?"

The answer was no. Namgungsang was right. It was something to think about again.

"Mmmmm……. "

Namgungsang's orderly narrative made Geum choke up. Today's meeting was presided over by Kumho's heir apparent, and he was now in charge. Everyone had high hopes for his abilities.

Silence fell over the entire room. No one spoke, for there was only one thing they were now watching in silence.

In the center of the table where they sat in a circle, a leather sack lay in the flickering light, and everyone was staring at it.

"Even if me and Namgung-sang fight together, it may still be difficult to beat him and win the Samsung Festival. My pride will be hurt, but……."

Zhao Tianwu admitted honestly. A true master doesn't bluff.

"We can't even participate."

That, too, was a complaint from everyone, including Jilong.

"Why the fuck are we not allowed to participate in Samsung Mujae because of our battles with those guys?"

Yi Yun spoke up nervously. His personality, though inferior to Luo Hak's, was also quite hasty and rough. Perhaps it was because he lived in the Kunlun Sect, which was located on the edge of the desolate Martial Forest. It was so far away from the center of the Murim that it was actually very difficult to interact with it.

"So you think this Confucius can jump over the Blue Dragon Corps while still caring about the Three Musketeers?"

In a quiet voice, the spirit asked. There was only one answer.

"Well…, that would be impossible."

At the mention of the Blue Dragon Clan, he and the others' grumbles sank deep into the pit of their stomachs. They had something far more important on their minds than the Samurai Sword Festival: the battle with the Blue Dragon Clan. To determine who was the most authorized of the Four Great Divine Clans, Zhu Jiaxuan had given up the Samurai Sword. To be precise, it was a rash decision made without consulting him after an argument with the ice sword Guan Xue, but the result was the same. It was the same for the Blue Dragon Corps. By agreement of the two labor unions, both the Blue Dragon and Jujak teams gave up their right to compete in the Samsung MUJE. This was despite the fact that they were fully qualified to compete.

"I can't lose!"

Yi Yun said in a firm voice.

"If we lose, not only will the big brother be jumping out of his skin, but also Nosabu-sama."

Jinling said.

"I shudder to think of it. Gene Sojae, you shouldn't say such dreadful, horrible things! What will you do if the horse becomes a seed?"

Tang Xiu shuddered and said. He didn't want to hear it, even as a joke. He was scratching at his raggedy body to the point where he was frowning, and a pile of grime was coming off! It was frightening to watch. Nan Gongsheng quickly turned away.

"We must win to prevent such a disaster! Let's do our best in training tomorrow. After all, we've managed to avoid being knocked out by a single blow, so that's progress!"

As Namgungsang said, the only person who can see blood with such fierce specialty training is Yoon Jun-ho, who is no longer here, and whose basic training is too difficult to follow. Even so, it's hard not to imagine him chasing after them with all his might, without making any excuses.

"Actually, I've only seen the first round, so I can't say anything definitive, so I'll listen to your opinions again and make a final decision. I think it's Hyun-woon who should make the final decision, so let's hear from him and make the final call."

"That's what he's doing now. That was his current role. With his words, everyone's eyes turned to Hyun-woon.

Hyunwoon knew what his friends wanted from him.

The key to the game was whether or not they could defeat the Trident Blueprint.

All eyes were on Hyun-woon. It was a bit overwhelming. Even though they were in the same grade, according to the genealogy of the Shaman Sect, Qing Shui of the Three Sliced Sword was Lin Yun's death sentence. He was raised in the shamanic sect from a young age, so he was quite high up in the ranks of Shen Yun, as he was initiated at an early age. As a result of his death, he had always trained with Xun Yun since they were children, so it was Xun Yun who knew more about the Celestial Dragon Qingxuan than anyone else here, and Xun Yun never left out this word when describing him.

"It's a genius, the blue death penalty!"

That was Hyun-woon's natural answer, and it was always the same answer to the same question. He never hesitated to give this answer.

"umm……."

The situation in the hall had taken a turn for the worse. The groan-like sound of Hyun-woon's spit compounded the seriousness. A heavy silence pressed between them. Geum Young-ho asked.

"How does that compare to you? Aren't you also one of the most colorful of the Heavenly Beasts?"

Hyunwoon shook his head. It was a skeptical response.

"Even if it's the same kung fu master, Shi Yan's skill is beyond my comprehension."

"Is that what you mean?"

Hyun-woon's prowess was something all sixteen of us here were familiar with.

"I'm getting stronger these days, too, but if it comes down to winning or losing, I can guarantee you that it will be my loss in five hundred seconds."

There was not a trace of shame on his face as he admitted his defeat, a sign that he recognized his opponent's skill.

"Hmmm, to be judged by you to that extent, does that mean he's that good?"

Geum groaned.

An opponent that even Lin Yun, a top ranked Heavenly Martial Saint, could guarantee his own defeat. Qing Shui was just such an existence, which was why he dared not neglect him.

'You all know that the Divine Dragon of the Shaman Sect is not me, but the word for death!"'

Finally, Hyun-woon declared defeat. They all knew he couldn't be wrong, but even at that risk, they had to do it. With everything they had, they had no choice but to fight.

The face of their godbrother, Bi Ryuyeon, who they wanted to bury in the back of their minds, but didn't want to bring up, flashed before their eyes.

"But isn't it too risky to concentrate it in one place, and if you're so worried about it, why not split it into two?"

Nan Gongshan, who had been watching silently, spoke up. She had been slowly gaining prominence among the Innkeepers and the Seven Peaks as of late. However, her demeanor was still cautious.

"Haha! That's something you don't understand, Master Southern Palace. When you have information that others don't, you have to take advantage of it. That's called opportunity. No one knows the true nature of the Grandmaster yet, and in that respect, neither do we. But we know one more thing that they don't."

He chuckled and looked at her. Her eyes sparkled as she met his gaze head-on.

"The skill of a master!"

"Yes, that's right, and that skill can make the difference between winning and losing the tournament. It's called opportunity, and it's either a boon or a bust. That's why we're so concerned with the biggest variable, which is whether or not Qing Shui can stop the Grandmaster."

As it turns out, he had a point. But there was one thing that seemed to have been overlooked.

"But there's one oddity, did the Golden Confucius forget that there's another variable in this competition?"

For a moment, Geum's face looked like he'd been struck by lightning in the back of the head.

"Seven Feast Divine Sword Mo Yonghui!"

He slapped his forehead with the palm of his hand. From the sound of it, it seemed to be an unceremonious slap.

"Oh my gosh, why didn't I think of that, I forgot about such an important second variable."

Nohak asked, unable to contain his curiosity.

"What, is Mo Yonghui going to win this time?"

Geum Young-ho's thoughts were whirling through his head like lightning, so he couldn't get a grip on the mood and ended up giving her a quick slap on the back. I wanted to lecture him on why, but now was not the time to expend energy on that.

"Nope. I'll bet it all on my big brother."

He declared.

"What? Weren't you the one who was hesitant to betray Qingxuan, risking the stigma of betrayal, and now you've suddenly decided to bet against your big brother? Are you saying that Mo Yonghui is a pole?"

"Hahaha! That's right! It's a bong! It's a bong!"

"You're a stuffy fellow, I'm afraid you're the scion of a merchant family, and I'm dying to know, so tell me all about it."

The old man urged. No matter how much he was beaten, his short temper was incurable.

"I wonder too!"

Even Namgung-sang, who had voted for Dae-hyung from the beginning, and thus had been at odds with Geum-young-ho for a while, urged him on.

"That's right……."

Geum Young-ho explained to them, point by point, why they should bet everything on him. At first, the cast members listened to his explanation with skepticism, but their faces gradually brightened, and by the end, they were laughing uncontrollably.

"Hahaha, that's right, that's right, why didn't I think of that simple reasoning!"

"No objection."

"I have no objection."

"Me too!"

"Me too!"

"……."

Everyone said a few words in admiration. After a moment of silence, Geum straightened up in his chair and spoke with a serious face.

"Finally, it's decided! It's been a long game. I don't think I'll ever have to make such an esoteric binary decision again."

All eyes were on Geum Young-ho. They had all tacitly agreed to defer to his judgment in this case, so his responsibility was heavy.

"In that case, I'll bet everything on my big brother winning tomorrow!"

"Mmm!"

Everyone nodded their heads in agreement. No one raised any objections. They were finally on the same page.

This is what I've been trying to do for so long. It's not a lot of money, but I decided to take a chance.

Most of all, they were afraid of the repercussions that would come to them if it was later discovered that they hadn't paid their big brother. Honestly…….

"Alas, everyone else will say I'm crazy!"

Geum Young-ho grumbled. The faces of the people around him were stepping in the snow.

"I'll take it!"

Hyunwoon said he was relieved that it was all over.

"It's not what I signed up for, and I can't do it if I'm afraid of what people will think."

Namgungsang said firmly. He had always been indecisive, but since his training in the Amethyst Mountain, he had changed dramatically, and now he seemed to have a sense of determination.

"I agree with Confucius of the Southern Palace."

As he walked up to Qin Lie, his face quickly turned pale. All around him, whistling sounds suddenly became loud and boisterous. The more he looked, the more he dropped his head in disbelief. It seems that his personality is still a long way from being completely fixed.

"All or nothing, that's the question! Infinite Life Buddha!"

It was one of those words from Hyun-woon that still makes me feel like I'm not a guru at all.

"Young Ho, I'll ask you tomorrow then!"

Namgungsang put a hand on his shoulder and said.

"Leave it to me."

Geum Young-ho nodded in agreement. His face was bright, as if he had just made a big decision and had shed the weight that had been building up.

And the next day!

Geum came to a place where people were swarming like bees, and the place was filled with heat and noise. But rather than a hustle and bustle, he could feel the energy of life in the air. He had always liked this kind of atmosphere.

In his hand, he held the leather pouch from the table they had circled last night. The pouch contained the living expenses of the entire Order, so his handling of it was careful.