Chapter 66 : Challenger at the Five Martial Gates (2)

Chapter 66: Challenger of the Five Martial Gates (2)

Only two people could smile and bid farewell as Yong Hwarin left the dining hall.

Though Pang Giyok and Pang Cheollyeon had lost their guards, their expressions were bright.

They had gained fame, honor, and friends.

In some ways, the Pang Clan might have been the greatest beneficiaries of the Bamboo Forest Blood Battle.

Despite also losing their guards, Shangguan Joyoung and Seomun Yuwon couldn’t say a word.

Shangguan Joyoung felt even more apologetic when he saw his younger sister, Shangguan Yuseol’s gloomy face. He himself, along with both his sister and older sister, all looked like they had just gone through heartbreak.

‘There won’t be another chance.’

They knew that even if they tried to approach Yong Hwarin now, it wouldn’t be like before.

Seomun Yuwon had already sensed that Pang Cheollyeon’s eyes toward him had completely changed.

In the past, she would at least treat him like a decent late-stage cultivation peer or a friend of her older brother, but now, her eyes had become indifferent, treating him worse than a stranger.

The complete lack of interest was what made Seomun Yuwon's chest ache.

*

Yong Hwarin returned to his residence.

Upon his return, his companions were waiting without having eaten.

“What have you been doing all this time without eating?”

“We were waiting for you, Young Master. Have you eaten?”

“Good grief.”

Yong Hwarin, despite having already eaten with the other young heads of the clans, couldn’t bring himself to tell them, knowing they had skipped their own meals just to wait for him.

“I haven’t eaten yet either. Let’s eat together. Little Brother Jong, Hyemae. You must be hungry, right? Let’s eat.”

They had already known that Yong Hwarin would be heading to Kaifeng, so they were waiting to have one last meal together before his departure.

Knowing that, Yong Hwarin sat down and ate again.

“I won’t ask why you're going to Kaifeng, but please, take care of yourself. And… I’m sorry. I should be going with you…”

Still feeling regret, Mo Biyoung looked at Yong Hwarin.

“You two should focus on your recovery. I’ll be taking Nam Wook with me, so don’t worry too much.”

“Hyungnim, I’ll go with you too.”

“Little Brother Jong, I’m sorry, but I can’t leave just the two injured guards behind. You’re the only one I can trust here. If you go, Hyemae would have to go too, and with me needing to move quickly, that would only be a burden. I’ll be back soon, so don’t worry.”

Jong Seok was someone who had once laid down his life for him during the battle in the bamboo forest.

That made Yong Hwarin feel an even deeper pull toward him.

Despite having his own mission and needing to protect Gu Munhye, Jong Seok had chosen to fight alongside him as a warrior, even if it meant death.

That alone showed how much Jong Seok truly followed him.

In his gaze, his words, and actions—everything showed his genuine care for Yong Hwarin. He couldn’t betray someone like that.

So Yong Hwarin entrusted him with his trusted guards, as if leaving them with family.

Jong Seok, fully aware of that trust, clenched his teeth as his chest trembled.

That resolution was as good as any spoken answer.

Yong Hwarin said,

“Write down everything that’s happened so far and send it to my family using a message hawk. If our parents only hear about this fight through rumors, they’ll surely worry. And by the time I return, not only should you be fully recovered, but there better be noticeable improvement as well. Otherwise, how will you keep up with me?”

He directed the words at Mo Biyoung.

“I’ll squeeze every bit of talent out of Young Master Jong here, so don’t worry.”

At Mo Biyoung’s words, Jong Seok’s face turned pale.

Having already been pushed to the limit with countless martial challenges just getting here, Mo Biyoung’s comment terrified him.

“And Guard Jung, you must absolutely not drink while recovering. That’s an order from your Young Master. If you recover slower than Master Mo, I’ll never drink with you again.”

Jungwook shook his head quickly, as if snapping out of a daze.

“Of course, how could I drink in a time like this? That would never happen.”

Yong Hwarin then turned to Jong Munhye, who had been quietly standing beside Jong Seok.

“Hyemae, while I’m gone, take good care of them. It’s because smart Hyemae is here that I can leave in peace. The Shangguan Clan has agreed to provide any support you may need in my absence, so let them know if there’s anything you require.”

“Yes, Orabeoni.”

Jong Munhye, caught in the warmth of the rare family-like atmosphere, was overwhelmed with emotion.

Yong Hwarin forced himself to take steps and left the Shangguan Clan.

He had already informed them in advance, so he left quietly through the east gate. But waiting on horseback at the gate was Nan Myeonggwak, Nan Myeonggwak.

“Huh? Where are you off to?”

Nan Myeonggwak approached with a sly smile.

“Young Master Yong, aren’t you heading to Kaifeng because of something related to souls? What will you do if you end up needing me?”

He whispered, then stepped back.

While Yong Hwarin didn’t think he’d need him to meet Chouhui, it did occur to him that he might require Nan Myeonggwak to master the Dual-Mind Inner Art.

“Alright. Let’s go.”

Namwook, on the other hand, had a face five feet long.

He had planned to stay at the Shangguan Clan to refine his lacking martial arts. But now that Mo Biyoung and Jungwook had gained such an opportunity while he alone was being left out, he had no desire to go to Kaifeng.

Yong Hwarin, already aware of what was going on, coaxed Namwook gently.

“While we’re headed to Kaifeng, let’s spar and exchange some swordplay. It'll help us both elevate our level.”

Namwook’s expression immediately changed.

If the Young Master, whose skills had already proven comparable to Pang Giyok’s, agreed to spar with him, his martial growth would undoubtedly accelerate faster than anyone else’s.

Even back in the Bamboo Forest, Namwook had demonstrated remarkable effectiveness using the mental cultivation technique learned from the Jong siblings against warriors of the Blood Demon Castle.

Of the three, Namwook had made the most notable progress.

That was why he had emerged from the battle without a scratch.

Namwook was a perfect fit for demonic cultivation methods.

They didn’t even realize they’d earned nicknames for their performances. Since those nicknames were passed among the warriors of the noble families, they hadn’t heard them yet.

Twin Swords of the Raging Dragon.

That was the nickname referring to the Two Wook Sword Demons.

Their complementary Soaring Dragon Emperor Sword technique wielded a power akin to a violent storm.

When executed with demonic martial arts, their swordplay was unstoppable. Thanks to these two cutting through the demonic warriors without hesitation, Jaegal Byeok had been able to escape to the Bamboo Forest safely.

Moreover, after arriving in the Bamboo Forest, Mo Biyoung had held off the demonic forces until Jaegal Byeok could set up a formation.

Because of that, rather than being referred to by her Heavenly Central Sect nickname Dragon Flower Sword, she’d earned the splendid external title One Blossom Among Dragons.

Yet, Mo Biyoung herself didn’t know any of this.

Since she didn’t converse with the warriors of the noble families, she had no idea her nickname was being passed around among them.

Meanwhile, Yong Hwarin’s nickname had become even more widely known as his fame spread.

However, none of them knew how they were being referred to by those around them, as they simply went on living their own lives. Yong Hwarin, too, had no time to listen to such rumors—he had far too much to take care of.

Once preparations were complete, Yong Hwarin immediately set off for Kaifeng.

*

Among the three travelers, the one who felt the most bored during the journey was Nan Myeonggwak, Nan Myeonggwak.

During the two-day trip, Yong Hwarin and Namwook sparred as if they were enemies locked in a life-or-death duel. Even just watching them was enough to make his knees tremble.

“Good grief, anyone watching would think they’re truly fighting to the death.”

One might think he would have gotten used to it after watching a few times, but that never happened.

And with good reason—when the Soaring Dragon Emperor Sword was combined with demonic cultivation techniques and shifted into a purely offensive mode, their swordplay became relentless, showing no signs of restraint.

Though they each only used half of their internal energy during sparring, every time they fought, the surrounding underbrush was completely obliterated.

The trio avoided inns and chose to camp outside.

That was Nan Myeonggwak’s biggest complaint, but it was unavoidable if they were to continue such intense sparring sessions.

“I can’t follow your sword techniques anymore, Young Master.”

Namwook found he could no longer detect any openings in Yong Hwarin’s moves. After battles with Jeok Gwang, Gocheok, Do Gye-gong, the Blood Green Brigade, and the Blood Demon Castle, Yong Hwarin’s skills had risen dramatically.

His techniques had finally revealed their true power through real combat experience.

When someone first begins training in martial arts, they often wonder, “Is this move really that powerful?” But once it proves itself in real battle, that doubt vanishes, replaced with trust—and that trust gives way to explosive strength.

After finishing a spar, Yong Hwarin would return to meditation and energy circulation.

At such times, Namwook would faithfully stand guard, and not even someone like Nan Myeonggwak could approach. If he tried, Namwook would glare at him as if ready to sever his throat.

The two of them seemed utterly obsessed with martial arts.

Though Nan Myeonggwak grumbled about tagging along, he still did everything he could to support them materially and emotionally.

Eventually, the group arrived in Kaifeng.

*

Kaifeng had once been the capital of several dynasties, including Wei during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, as well as Liang, Jin, Han, Zhou of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, Northern Song, and Jin.

During the Tang dynasty, it sat at the meeting point of the Grand Canal and the Yellow River.

With goods from all regions converging there, Kaifeng developed into a thriving commercial city, and by the Song dynasty, its population had reached over a million.

During the Yuan dynasty, its name changed to Bianliang and it became the administrative center of Henan Jiangbei Province.

In the Ming dynasty, it reverted to the name Kaifeng and became the provincial capital of Henan.

Kaifeng had grown into the economic hub of Henan.

As a result, all the province’s specialty products gathered there.

Neither Namwook nor Nan Myeonggwak knew why Yong Hwarin had come to Kaifeng.

He always told them the destination but never the purpose.

Still, they had followed him enough times to know there would be a reasonable objective behind it, so even if they were curious, they kept it to themselves.

Even so, Namwook couldn’t hide his astonishment as they arrived at their destination.

“Hey, Young Master. Isn’t this... River Immortal Pavilion?”

Recently, one of Kaifeng’s most renowned attractions was none other than the River Immortal Pavilion.

Thanks to the fame of its beauty, Chouhui, the pavilion itself had risen in prestige.

When Yong Hwarin didn’t respond, Namwook spoke again, this time with a hint of anger.

“You left our injured comrades back at the Shangguan Clan... just to come here? Is it because of that gold token you got?”

Namwook couldn’t help but feel disappointed. He assumed Yong Hwarin was using the gold token he got from Jeok Gwang to meet Chouhui.

‘No matter how much one enjoys leisure, there’s a time and place for it.’