Upon arriving at the gate of Hamgokguan, just as Namgung Hwan had said, there were people waiting for us. They were martial artists dressed in blue, standing guard near the gate. When they spotted Namgung Hwan, they bowed.
"The Sky Corps greets Young Master!"
The Sky Corps seemed to be a direct military force under the Namgung family. I surveyed their ranks, estimating there to be about twenty of them, with more than half being first-class experts. With such strength, they could wipe out a minor sect in a single day, which surprised me greatly. Namgung Hwan spoke to the leader of the Sky Corps.
"Why didn't you come to greet me inside Guanzhong City?"
"I apologize. If we enter Guanzhong City, the six major families will become very concerned. It was an unavoidable measure to avoid friction."
"Is that really what you think?"
"......"
"Hmph."
Namgung Hwan gave a bitter smile and turned his head, while the leader of the Sky Corps remained silent. From their demeanor, I could tell there was some kind of conflict between them, but now was not the time to pry. Namgung Hwan, holding Jin So-cheong's hand, said:
"I'm really grateful. If it weren't for you and Baek Woong, I would have died without even leaving the Zhao family compound."
"That's not true. You trusted me enough to risk coming to Qinglong Martial Hall despite the danger. I'm the one who's grateful."
They seemed to have a deep friendship. I was curious about why Namgung Hwan was being pursued by martial experts with only Murong Yan, and what the relationship was between the Sky Corps and Namgung Hwan. However, I couldn't ask directly, so I held back.
Namgung Hwan then took my hand and said:
"Thank you, young hero. If you ever visit the Namgung family, I will treat you as my savior and honor you greatly. Please come and visit."
"Thank you, no need to be so formal."
I gave a polite response and glanced at Murong Yan. She had been strangely quiet and inactive throughout this incident, following Namgung Hwan silently as if it were her duty.
'If she had been captured, she would have been gang-raped or raped. How can she remain so calm?'
I felt a sense of unease. Even if she were a strong and resolute female hero, the fact that dozens of martial artists were chasing her with the sole intention of violating her should have caused fear and emotional turmoil. Yet, she showed no signs of disturbance, as if it were impossible for such a thing to happen.
"Then, take care."
"Indeed, take care."
After Jin So-cheong's farewell, Namgung Hwan and Murong Yan disappeared into the night with the Sky Corps. Despite their obvious fatigue, they seemed determined to put as much distance as possible between themselves and their pursuers. As their figures faded away, Jin So-cheong spoke to me.
"Let's head back, junior brother."
He now fully trusted me as a new junior brother, a stark contrast to the past when I was treated like an experimental subject. I felt a sense of pride and said:
"Senior brother, I have a question."
"What is it?"
"Today's events are very strange. The young master of the Namgung family, without any escort, only brought a Heavenly Yin Body. And the Sky Corps, which must have arrived at Hamgokguan earlier, didn't come down from the mountain to protect the young master."
"......"
"Senior brother, do you know something about this?"
I trailed off, and Jin So-cheong remained silent for a while before speaking.
"It's not our place to interfere further. I've done my part as a friend to Namgung Hwan, and the rest is up to him. At least, nothing more will go wrong."
"Do you know the full story of what happened today?"
"Do you want me to tell you?"
"Yes."
Jin So-cheong ruffled my hair and smiled.
"Alright, how about we make a bet?"
"A bet?"
"If you can last a hundred rounds with me in spear combat, I'll tell you."
I was a bit surprised.
"That's..."
"What do you think? It will be good practice for you."
I felt a competitive spirit rise within me. Jin So-cheong was more than just a senior brother to me; he was a master who had taught me almost all of my martial arts, and he possessed overwhelming talent and ability that I could never match. I didn't want to avoid a challenge from someone like him.
"Alright."
Namgung Hwan and I raced back to Qinglong Martial Hall, arriving just as it was approaching the ninth hour. Despite our fatigue, we had to report to our master, Samjeol Lee Gwang, first.
"We're back."
"Welcome back. Come in quickly."
Samjeol Lee Gwang was reading a book in Walong Hall with a lantern lit. He closed the book and spoke to Jin So-cheong.
"You're a bit late."
"I was helping a friend."
"If you're at peace with yourself, I won't pry further."
Samjeol Lee Gwang let the matter drop. Seeing this, I felt a sense of envy. Normally, such a matter would be thoroughly questioned, but Samjeol Lee Gwang trusted his disciple, believing he was always honest. This kind of trust was a great source of strength for a disciple.
Samjeol Lee Gwang then said:
"You must have heard. A child from the Thunder God Sect has come to become my disciple."
"Yes, he helped me a lot."
Samjeol Lee Gwang nodded approvingly.
"As you can see, he possesses tremendous internal energy. In the future, he can help you revive the Thunder God Sect. Work together and aim to become the best in the world."
"Yes, I will remember that."
The best in the world!
The grand words made my heart race. It was a dream for all martial artists, but when spoken by a peak expert like Samjeol Lee Gwang, it carried a sense of reality. The expectation that I could become the best in the world under his guidance settled in my heart.
"You may leave now."
"Yes, Master."
"Good night."
We bowed and left Samjeol Lee Gwang's presence. As we walked through the dark corridors of the martial hall, Jin So-cheong spoke to me quietly.
"Neither of us has fully relaxed. Since we're at it, why don't we have that match now?"
"Can we continue the match until I win?"
"Of course."
"Then, of course, we should do it."
Namgung Hwan and I left Walong Hall and headed to the training hall. We lit the hall with bright lights and each picked up a wooden spear, assuming the starting stance. I used the Thundering Eight Postures, and so did he.
Jin So-cheong said:
"By the way, you can use your full internal energy without restraint."
"Is that okay? I might destroy this training hall."
"Don't worry. I just want to see your skills."
"Understood."
I was a bit worried about causing a commotion in the middle of the night, but when I held the wooden spear and stood three paces away from Jin So-cheong, I realized my concerns were unfounded.
"......!!"
It feels like my entire body is being pierced.
Jin So-cheong just stood there, but my vital points were exposed as if I were naked, and his spear tip felt like it was already embedded in my heart. Even if I had the best internal energy in the world, it would be useless. The moment I tried to move my spear, his blade would slice through my throat under the training hall's lights.
This wasn't about whether my specialty was a spear or a sword.
'What...? I've eaten the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng three times!'
But I couldn't accept this. It was frustrating. I had consumed the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng, the greatest fortune in a lifetime, three times, and my body was filled with almost boundless internal energy, yet I couldn't defeat Jin So-cheong! Moreover, I knew that Jin So-cheong was just entering the peak expert stage at this time, which made it even more surprising.
Was this pressure even greater than facing the First Elder of the Iron Blood Sect?
Sweat trickled down my hands, which held the wooden spear. I felt as if the illusion before my eyes was speaking to me, and the prickling sensation made it hard to breathe.
"Ugh...!!"
I couldn't bear it. I thought about using my internal energy to move in a different direction, but my thoughts didn't translate into action. Each time, the spear tip seemed to move like a living thing, following me.
No, this won't do.
This is definitely not possible.
It's not a problem that can be solved with internal energy.
"... I give up."
In the end, I admitted defeat without moving a single step. Only then did Jin So-cheong release the pressure. He put his wooden spear back in the training hall and said:
"I'm sorry, junior brother. I didn't mean to show off my skills on your first day, but your current state is too dangerous, and I had to give you a warning."
"Dangerous?"
Click
After putting my wooden spear back, I sat down in front of Jin So-cheong. I knew he had something to say, which was why he proposed this match. Jin So-cheong nodded and said:
"You probably think that the only things you lack are the techniques to control your energy and martial arts