Book 7 Chapter 7

Hyo-Ryong's Troubles

- Hug (抱擁)

"Whoa!"

"Whoa!"

An earth-shattering breath.

It was the sound of a man's anguish and troubles in the silent night of the high peaks.

The man who was staring at the stars in the night sky, torturing his mind and body with anguish and trouble, was Hyo-ryong. He wanted to deny the reality he was in now, a reality where the impossible had happened. His heart was like a chimney, wanting to turn away.

"Can we hear what happened?"

"I don't have anything to say, I'm sorry."

The one who repented deeply and did a hundredfold penance was Mukhun Ilho.

"Tragedy seven years ago……."

Hearing Hyorong's bitter mutterings, Mu Heng's complexion stiffened.

One by one, the seals of past memories that had been sealed away in Hyo-Ryong's mind were being broken.

"Obviously, you've been trapped in the Thousand Marbles since the tragedy seven years ago, so how can you appear here on the Shaman Mountain? Am I hallucinating?"

"I'm sorry, sir. It looks like you've been pulling your own strings."

"It's a unique secret……. Who else has the power to personally wield heaven and earth?"

"Probably only one."

"It must be just that one person, right?"

Hyo-ryong felt a twinge of recognition.

"Yes! There is no one other than the Grand Duke who can wield this much power on his own, unless you are at the forefront."

I had realized this, but I just had to remind myself.

Why did he show up here, and what did he mean by his behavior earlier in the day? Who can control a maniac?

A name popped into his head. It was all he could think of, and no other explanation was possible.

"The Heavenly Soul Sword's Demon Spirit Great Technique!"

I thought it was just a rumor when I heard that he could manipulate people's minds, but I never realized it was true.

It was a big shock for Hyo-ryong.

"How can I put my brother back in his place……."

No matter how much I racked my brain, I couldn't come up with a solution.

"Rustle! Rustle!"

"Huh?"

"Chaing!"

With a sudden burst of energy, Hyo-Ryong drew his sword and flashed his sword light. The sword play stopped precisely in front of the udder of Inyoung, who had appeared from behind a beautiful tree. He only stopped here because In-young had no life, otherwise…….

The clouds spit out the moon, revealing In-young's face in the dusky moonlight.

"Boom! This Sojae!"

Horrified, Hyorong hastily sheathed his sword in his scabbard. Already, there was no sign of the Fierce Sun Lake.

Hyolong's face flushed with embarrassment. He had swung his sword without checking his opponent. What if it had gone wrong…….

"Sin… I'm sorry. This Sojae! This damned sword has done something terrible to Sojae… are you okay, please tell me you're okay?"

He was stammering, embarrassed and apologizing. At this point, Hyo-ryong was out of his mind. Seeing his inexperience and youthfulness seemed to calm Lee Jin-sul's nerves. She blushed slightly and stammered.

"I… came to look for Confucius because I couldn't find him… ah… it didn't mean anything… it was just that I couldn't find him during the meeting… so… that's why… ……."

She didn't seem to be able to organize her thoughts.

Hot!

Hyorong's cheeks flushed as well, as he, too, seemed to be unexpectedly wormy in this direction. It seemed that no matter how high a martial artist he was, this kind of thing was of no use to him, and that his love affair with his highness was a completely separate matter.

The branches in front of her bent left and right, creating a path. It was the reward for her hard work.

Rustle, rustle, rustle, the sound of leaves and blades of grass brushing against the hem of my dress tickled my ears.

"Is it okay to do this?"

Moving through the forest at the pace of a cat were Bi Ryuyeon and Na Yerin, who was being dragged along by his hand. With her feral senses, she sensed the subtle flow of emotions and secretly followed behind Lee Jin-sul. Leading Na Yerin by the hand…….

It was then.

"Boom!"

The explosion came from the expected spot. Judging by the sound, it was a detonator. Surprised by the sudden explosion, Bi Ryuyeon and Na Yerin hastened their sentencing. It didn't feel right.

"Ginseng!

Impatience and urgency tugged at her heartstrings.

Ryuyeon Bi and Na Yerin have finally reached their destination, and neither of them are rushing off.

Her eyes widened as she peeked out of the grass.

"Oh my!"

What was she seeing?

What she saw was a very embarrassing scene. A man and woman were clinging to each other in the cold moonlight, illuminated by the stars and the moon.

He was Hyo-ryong and she was Lee Jin-sul, and if you can witness this often enough, you can say it was worth the chase.

"Ouch!"

Na Yerin was so surprised that she almost burst out laughing. She couldn't help but be surprised at how quickly things had changed.

"Shhhh, that'll get you caught."

Bi Ryuyeon lifted a finger to cover her mouth and warned her. Hesitantly, she clamped her lips over his.

For a moment, Na Yerin's cheeks flushed slightly as she watched. But the flush quickly faded into a stern expression.

Bi Ryuyeon and Na Yerin held their breath and hid their faces. Having come this far, they couldn't afford to act recklessly and reveal their identities.

The night was drawing in as the stars shifted their constellations in the sky.

As they spied, Bi Ryuyeon and Na Yerin suddenly felt puzzled: even if it was a beginner's hug, there was something too awkward about it. Moreover, the atmosphere was full of tension, and it was far from emotional. The couple's embrace was nice to look at, but it didn't seem to be a very pleasant situation.

Hyorong looked at Yi Jinxue in his arms with concern. Hyo-ryong was uncharacteristically flustered. The idea of hugging a woman in your arms harder and more passionately didn't exist in his mind. Besides, he didn't remember being taught how to react in this situation at all during training.

The same goes for the binary theory. This is too sudden a development. I wasn't ready for this.

"Are you okay?"

Nod!

Yi Yun shook his head, his face flushed with anger. His right hand was wrapped around her, and his left hand held a sword. It was the same sword that had just parried the sword qi that had swooped down from the forest without warning. His wrist still throbbed.

"Who is it?"

Hyorong shouted at the darkness on the other side.

Who is on the other side of the darkness and silence? Surprisingly, it was Chunghyeon who emerged from the darkness of the night.

Hyorong's eyes widened.

"What are you doing, didn't you almost get yourself hurt?"

Qingfeng looked at Hyo-ryong with a cold gaze, then turned to Lee Jin-sul and bowed his head slightly.

"I'm sorry, Sojae, I didn't realize you two were together. Forgive my rudeness."

Lee Jin-sul nodded in silence. Hyo-ryong spoke without letting his guard down.

"So let's hear why you were attacked out of the blue."

Qinghui nodded slowly.

"Great, because I have a question for you too!"

The muscles in Hyorong's face twitched slightly.

"That's a harsh way to ask a question, why did you do that?"

Suspicion!

It was not in keeping with his reputation or his usual demeanor as one of the Moo-jeol of the Lunar New Year, to attack without warning, as if by surprise or ambush.

"Oh, there was something I wanted to check for a second. That's all!"

His gaze was still as icy and cold as a river in winter.

"I'm very curious to know what it is, and if it's something that should have gotten this much attention."

"Who you are!"

Qingfeng's sharp gaze pierced Hyo Long like an arrow.

Hmmm!

For a moment, Hyorong's face stiffened.

"Who are you?"

Qinghui asked again.

"What do you mean……."

Hyo-ryong asked, looking deliberately foolish. Lee Jin-sul's breath tickled his cheek. His heart felt like it was splitting in two, but now was not the time to worry about that. He couldn't help but notice that Qing Shui's cold gaze was still glaring at him.

"What is your identity? How did you recognize the Great Spiritualist who hasn't been seen in ten years?"

"That's right, there's no other martial art in the Jiang Clan that's as famous as the Heavenly Blood Young Dao!"

"You mean you can recognize that much herbivory?"

Hmmm!

She could feel Hyo-Ryong's body stiffen through her skin. His tension coursed through her skin.

"Can you tell me why?"

As if his suspicions weren't enough, Cheong Hyeon continued to probe.

Bi Ryuyeon and Na Yerin could only watch from behind the bushes, holding their breath. Now was not the time for either of them to go out.

"So you're saying that you're doubting my identity?"

Cheong Hyeon nodded.

"We want you to be transparent about your identity. So that we can trust you. Who is your master? Who have you studied under?"

"As you know, I studied at Taeulgumun."

"Tae Eul Moon? I've never heard of it. What about you, Master?"

"I can't tell you."

I said in a firm voice.

"Even if I suspect your identity?"

"I think it's a violation of the unwritten code of Kangho to force someone to name a teacher they don't want to reveal."

"Isn't this a situation!"

The blue stain screamed.

"Even if it is, I can't tell you."

"Do we really need to do that?"

Hyorong nodded in silence.

"Stuffy fellow!"

"No matter how much you force me, no matter what I do, no matter how badly I'm treated, I can't go against Master's orders."

Hyorong's tone was resolute. As a disciple of the Shaman Sect, the two great reapers of the Qing Heng Sect, it was extremely difficult to force him to betray his faith. He seemed to ponder for a moment.

"Chaing!"

His pondering did not last long. After much deliberation, Qing Shui drew his sword. He could not go into battle with these doubts. It was necessary to impose sanctions.

"If you'll excuse me, then. But before we do that… why don't you drop it?"

"What? Huh!"

Hyo-Ryong, realizing that he was still hugging Lee Jin-Seol tightly, jumped up and down in anger and took a step back. Her face flushed red and she hung her head, unable to say anything. This was not like her usual bubbly and cheerful behavior.

"Even that cheerful tomboy can be shy at times!

Na Yerin couldn't remember ever seeing a quieter, shyer Iseult than she was today, and in her eyes, today's Iseult looked very foreign and unfamiliar.

"What made him do that?

Even the most insensitive of her could recognize that the culprit was on the other side, Hyo-ryong, who was currently panicking and trying desperately to make excuses.

"So… Sojae! I… I didn't mean to, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

Hyo-Ryong was bowing his head and saying 'sorry' over and over again.

"……."

Lee Jin-sul was still speechless; she had never been held in a man's arms for so long in her life.

Hyo-Ryong looked like he wanted to make more excuses, but Qing-Heon showed no sign of letting him.

"Sorry to interrupt, but are you done?"

Qinghui's sword pole pointed at Hyorong's eyes. Hyo-Ryong stopped his self-rationalization in response and turned to face him, his own twin swords drawn.

Sword Qi surged from their bodies. Facing the martial prowess of the Heavenly Martial Academy's Gu Zhengkai in front of him, Hyorong showed no signs of fear, save for a slight sense of hopelessness. For the most part, he didn't want to fight.

"What should I do?

It was at this point that the real dilemma began. Should he continue to fight with all his might, or should he lay down his sword and surrender……. It wasn't an easy choice.

'But if I use that…….'

If he gave it his all, he would be instantly recognized by Qing Shui, who had watched the duel between Galhoubong and Mo Yonghui today. If he didn't use his full strength, it was doubtful that he would last even ten seconds. His opponent was the renowned Three-Sectioned Sword Celestial Dragon Qinghe. He was a peak expert who was far from being a shy opponent. He could see Li Qiye's nervous gaze looking at him anxiously.

"Shit!

Finally, Hyo-ryong made up his mind.

"Then take a break!"

"Wham!"

Qingfeng drew his sword, a pure white sword energy shooting from the tip.

"Tsk!"

Hyorong closed his eyes tightly. The tip of his sword lowered to the ground. It was an act of surrender. No more rebellion!

"Boom!"

A scream erupted from Lee's mouth.

"Boom!"

A loud bang could be heard from where Hyorong stood. Even if his sword is not at full strength, he will not be harmed.

"Confucius, Confucius, Confucius!"

A near-scream echoed through the dense dust. What worried Lee Jin-sul the most right now was Hyo-ryong's safety.

"Kolokolok, I'm safe, this Sojae!"

As the dust from the explosion settled, Hyo-Ryong's figure emerged through it. Amazingly, he was unharmed.

"Ah!"

"No way!"

A sigh of relief escaped Lee Jin-sul's lips, and a gasp of disbelief escaped Qing-heon's. The sword Qi that Qing Shui had unleashed hadn't even reached Hyo Long in the end. There was a presence that blocked the path of the sword qi he had sent out.

"Who is it?"

Qingfeng said to the man who had formed an intangible barrier in front of him.

"Let me go!"

It was Bi Ryuyeon who stopped Qing Shui's sword technique. Qing Shui's complexion instantly hardened. His face was filled with disbelief and horror.

'You blocked my sword qi point so easily…….'

She had no intention of killing him, only of restraining him with a bit of acupuncture. Hei Ling knew this, so he didn't protest. However, Sword Qi Acupuncture was an elevated form of kendo study. It was never a pleasant feeling to have one's studies so easily blocked by others. Especially when it's from a distance.

Qing Shui frowned.

"Why?"

"Friends!"

"Is that so?"

Qingfeng nodded in understanding. But emotion and reason are not the same thing! We can't stand idly by. This was a state of emergency, akin to wartime.

"You mean you're going to take over?"

"Of course!"

Bi Ryuyeon nodded cheerfully. Hyorong's complexion subtly changed. It wasn't because he was infinitely moved by his friend's sincere friendship, which surpassed the Guanjie Sect.

"Are you telling me that there is such a thing as accountability for her?

He couldn't believe it. He couldn't believe it at all. He couldn't help but worry, even to the point of putting aside his own work.

"What would you do if I insisted?"

Qing Shui said with a stern face. He had not yet withdrawn his sword qi.

"We have to stop them!"

"How? Is there a way?"

"Of course!"

Bi Ryuyeon smiled and raised his hand, the silken dragon ring on his wrist glowing a dull black.

"I suppose I could just try to be a tough guy and take it on the chin, but I don't think that would be wise when there are so many situations around us where we need to use our strength, and besides, I was taught that sowing distrust in each other is the worst thing you can do, or did I learn that wrong?"

"Hmm… But you, Hyo-ryong over there, and Jang Hong are the only three people here whose identities are uncertain. The rest of us are all people whose identities are certain."

It seemed that the suspicions were not limited to Hyo-ryong alone. Qingfeng was right.

"Then I'll have no choice but to prove my existence by force."

"How?"

"All you have to do is prove that you can beat everyone here, right?"

"That's right, but……."

Are you out of your mind… Who do you think you are? Feeling disrespected by the other person, Cheonghun suddenly had an unpleasant thought.

"Then it's simpler than I thought."

Bi Ryuyeon didn't seem to mind. Her whole body oozed relaxation.

"Do you want to try it?"

"If you want, you can always……."

"By the way, ……."

Suddenly, Bi Ryuyeon looked back at Hyo Ryong and said.

"How much will you pay me to save you?"

Bam!

Hyorong's mouth dropped open.

"Do you need money?"

"Of course!"

Hyo-ryong made a face.

"Are we making things worse?

If he did anything wrong, he could be lumped in with them and treated as a partner, which was never a good thing. Without proof, there were limits to Cheonghyeon's behavior. He had a suspicion, but no proof. That was enough. Drawing attention to himself was the worst kind of behavior. It was the first thing to be avoided if you were going to do it.

Now he was trying to save the day… and he was asking for money! Hyorong suddenly felt like he had made the discovery of the century.

Bi Ryuyeon's gaze remained fixed on Cheong Hyeon.

"Ignored.

Qinghui's face turned as red as forged iron.

Shame (羞恥)!

It was the first time since he'd gotten his name that his hands shook with rage.

"What's all the fuss about in the middle of the night!"

It was Yeomdo who broke up the confrontation with a loud bang. Everyone was stunned by his sudden appearance.

"I am fierce enough as it is, and must you, the blue streak of an honor student, cloud my mind by making a fuss?"

His rebuke was stern. However, when Yeomdo was quick to blame him, Qingfeng felt a little resentful.

"No… me……."

Cheng Heon realized that he should take this opportunity to talk to Yin Do about his doubts and raise the issue. There was no time like the present.

"Mr. Nosa, I have something to tell you."

"I won't listen!"

"Boss!"

His eyes shone and his voice was firm as he tried to make his point, but Yeomdo's rejection was equally firm. He wasn't the only one who was adamant. Yeomdo was equally adamant in his rejection.

"I don't want to create a dispute over something so trivial at such a critical time. You're not going to make any more noise either. Do you understand?"

Cheong Hyeon is reduced to a mere clamorer.

"Yes, sir!"

Cheong Hyeon replied grimly, looking completely dead.

"You both need to go!"

Yeomdo waved his hand and spoke, and Qingfeng and Hyo-ryong retreated with trembling expressions.

'That doesn't mean it's over yet! I don't want you to plant any seeds of doubt in my mind.'

It was the prelude to the sound of the blue haze in Hyorong's ears. Hyorong's complexion hardened even more.

Hyo-ryong and Cheong-heon retreated, followed by Lee Jin-sul and Nay-lin. She was no longer in the mood to stay, and so she left. The phrase "invisible, untouchable, mirage-like" seemed to describe her. But she wasn't about to give up. If you can't be seen, make yourself visible, if you can't be caught, make yourself caught - that was her life's credo.

It was only when he was sure the four figures were out of sight and out of mind that he spoke.

"What can I do for you?"

Bi Ryuyeon smiled brightly.

"I just need to ask you something, and I need a favor!"

The Yeomdo gave me an ominous feeling.