Chapter 179

Chapter 179
Chapter: 179

Chapter Title: It’s Not a Joke (1)

—

“Haa, haa!”

Dokgo Ryong was spread out wide on the earth, ragged gasps escaping his lips.

He lay there for a long time, eyes fixed vacantly on the slow-moving clouds above, until his frantic breathing finally began to settle.

“Just how much longer do you intend to stay pinned to the dirt?”

The Dragon Sword Emperor Baek Muhyeon barked the question, yet Dokgo Ryong offered no immediate sign of life.

“You little punk!”

It was only after Baek Muhyeon’s second roar that the youth shifted his head slightly to respond.

“I am currently analyzing the duel, Master. Was it not you who taught me that the post-spar review is the most vital part of training? You said I must scrutinize exactly why my defense failed and why my strikes fell short—those were your words, Master.”

“I certainly never instructed you to do it in such a pathetic posture.”

“I poured every drop of my soul into that, so I lack the vitality to even wiggle a finger.”

Dokgo Ryong gave his calm defense before shutting his eyes tight once more.

Baek Muhyeon opened his mouth to shout again but ultimately shook his head and turned away.

Regardless of the boy’s laziness, he was indeed reflecting on the combat, so Baek Muhyeon chose to give him the benefit of the doubt. The assertion that he had exerted himself fully wasn’t a fabrication, either. Whether or not he was truly paralyzed by exhaustion, however, remained a separate matter.

A significant amount of time drifted by. Then, accompanied by the sound of light, rhythmic footsteps, Sima Jin arrived holding a small basket made of bamboo.

“What exactly are you doing, Senior Brother?”

The words had barely left Sima Jin’s mouth before Dokgo Ryong launched himself upward as if spring-loaded.

“Ah, you’ve arrived, Junior Sister?”

His eyes narrowed into happy slits and his mouth stretched into a wide, foolish grin—he bore a striking resemblance to the village simpleton found in any rural hamlet.

“Why were you sprawled out in such a miserable state?”

Sima Jin’s brows knit together.

Dokgo Ryong’s appearance—stained with grime, caked in sweat, and generally filthy—clearly bothered her.

“I was contemplating my recent duel with Master. I felt more dissatisfaction with my performance than usual today.”

“Is that the case? Because your snoring was loud enough to be heard from quite a distance during your ‘contemplation.’”

As Sima Jin offered a teasing smirk, Dokgo Ryong’s eyes darted around in a panic.

“T-That’s impossible. I was focusing on my mental cultivation with the utmost diligence. Your ears must have deceived you.”

“If you say so. Regardless, go clean yourself. Shake off that filth. Every time you shift, clouds of dust erupt from your hair. You are disgusting.”

“U-Understood.”

Dokgo Ryong retreated with awkward steps, his face flushed with visible shame.

Sima Jin couldn’t suppress a small laugh at his ridiculous behavior before she walked toward Baek Muhyeon, who was resting near the entrance of the small shack.

“I have returned, Master.”

“Enter.”

A faint, gentle smile—one that never graced Baek Muhyeon’s usually stern countenance—softened his features.

“I’ve brought some fruit. Please eat while it is fresh.”

The basket she placed down was overflowing with crisp apples and pears.

“Excellent. I shall partake.”

Baek Muhyeon wiped an apple against his sleeve and took a hearty bite.

“A fine balance of sweet and sour. I feared the heavy rains would ruin them, but they turned out well.”

“They did, didn’t they? The pears are exceptionally succulent as well.”

Sima Jin began to peel a pear, slicing it into elegant wedges. She cast a look toward the well situated behind the storage building and added,

“You seem to have been quite rigorous with him today, haven’t you?”

“With whom? Your senior brother?”

“Yes. He was unconscious on the ground—he looked completely spent.”

“He approached our session with more intensity than I usually see. He has found some motivation. Though, he is still leagues away from where he needs to be.”

Baek Muhyeon shook his head, yet his tone wasn’t one of true annoyance. Dokgo Ryong’s progress, which had been stagnant for some time, had recently begun to accelerate at an impressive pace.

“His mindset has shifted lately. He used to treat everything as a prank—it must be the influence of that duel invitation from the Sword Empress.”

“Most likely. All arrogance and no grasp of his own limitations.”

Remembering Dokgo Ryong’s boldness in trying to take his place in the duel against the Sword Empress, Baek Muhyeon let out a dry, short laugh.

“It is a pity. Had I encountered you a year sooner, I would likely be watching you challenge the Sword Empress instead of him.”

“Not at all. I am still far behind Senior Brother’s level.”

Sima Jin dismissed the notion as if it were preposterous.

“You are still developing, certainly. But how long do you think that gap will exist?”

“Well…”

“To my eyes, you will overtake him in six months at the latest.”

“That cannot be true.”

While Sima Jin looked skeptical, Baek Muhyeon spoke with absolute certainty.

“When we first met, I told you plainly: Your talent is a gift from the heavens. You possess a peerless mind, a body perfectly built for the martial path, and a staggering amount of inner energy—if you ever truly master it, you could stand at the pinnacle of this world.”

At that moment, Dokgo Ryong reappeared after his wash, shaking water from his hair as he walked over.

“That boy might act like a fool, but he has no equals among his peers. And yet, you have nearly caught him in a single year. Most importantly, you did so without even tapping into half of the latent power within you. Skill isn’t solely about deep inner energy, of course, but it is the bedrock. No masterwork technique can truly shine without the strength to fuel it.”

Dokgo Ryong finished drying his hair, snatched up an apple, and bit into it aggressively as he joined them.

“Then give me something like that Celestial Pure Jade Milk you gave Junior Sister—actually, I won’t even ask for that. Just a decent medicinal pill, and I wouldn’t be struggling to execute your high arts because of my mediocre inner energy!”

“Celestial Pure Jade Milk isn’t some common snack I can just pull out of my pocket.”

“Then how about that Great Reversion Pill she received at the end…”

“You little brat!”

Feeling the weight of Baek Muhyeon’s intensifying killing intent, Dokgo Ryong ducked behind Sima Jin for protection.

“Stop talking about inner energy already. It makes this disciple’s heart ache to listen to.”

Sima Jin stepped between the two, unable to watch the bickering further.

“That’s enough, Master. You too, Senior Brother.”

Her quiet intervention immediately doused the flames of their argument.

“Oh, by the way—the meeting with the Sword Empress has been pushed back slightly.”

While Dokgo Ryong already knew this, Sima Jin’s eyes grew wide with astonishment.

“A courier from the Zhuge Clan arrived earlier today. They reported that the Sword Empress’s itinerary was delayed due to unforeseen circumstances. I told them it was no issue. I have no plans to leave anytime soon.”

“What was the reason?”

“From what was implied, it seems she is delivering a duel challenge to someone else along her path. I don’t know the specifics, so don’t bother thinking too much on it. Just know it is delayed.”

“I understand.”

“Wait, Junior Sister.”

Dokgo Ryong spoke up, his face messy with pear juice.

“Didn’t you mention you wanted to visit your home? To see your siblings?”

Sima Jin’s expression clouded over.

“I’m not sure. I’ve sent messages to my younger brothers at the Hahou Clan, but Big Brother hasn’t come home yet.”

“Any word on when he might?”

Sima Jin offered a faint, sad smile and shook her head.

“He will return safely. Don’t fret too much. Based on the rumors, they are the real deal—they’re quite powerful, aren’t they?”

“Yes. They are incredibly strong.”

A note of deep pride rang in Sima Jin’s voice.

Before, her understanding had been vague, but now that she was a practitioner herself, she truly realized the magnitude of the power Sima Geon, Cheol Woo, and the others possessed.

“Hearing you say that only makes me more intrigued. When I eventually meet them, I’ll have to trade a few strikes. It would be a magnificent contest.”

Dokgo Ryong bragged with a lighthearted tone.

“Nonsense. Stop the empty boasting and get back to your forms.”

Baek Muhyeon scolded him, assuming the boy was just being competitive or curious, but Sima Jin’s face became deathly serious.

“A magnificent contest? Big Brother might hold back, but if you cross paths with Cheol Woo, you will actually die. Don’t even joke about it.”

“Oh, come on, you’re being dramatic.”

“…”

Dokgo Ryong gulped nervously as he looked at Sima Jin’s blank, unblinking stare.

“You aren’t joking, are you?”

“No. He would kill you.”

Sima Jin’s voice was so firm it sounded almost pained.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

After discovering that Twin Sword Heavenly Formation had gone into seclusion in his birth village of Yulin, the party of the Sword Empress decided to strike north from Musan.

Since Sima Geon had decided to travel alongside them, Cheol Woo was forced to find a quick buyer for their boat. Because of the haste, he managed to recoup only a third of what he had paid.

He had spent a significant sum on the vessel and the wages for the crew, but he felt no bitterness. He even divided some of the remaining gold among the sailors as a parting gift.

The distance from Musan to Yulin was over four hundred li; even at a brisk pace, the journey took ten days. The middle portion of the trek, which connected the Great Wave Mountains to the Musan Range, was notoriously difficult terrain.

“Blast it, after surviving the nightmare at Split Rock Guest Ravine, I promised myself I’d stay off mountains for a while.”

Cheol Woo complained, and Noe Jeon nodded his head in sympathy.

“Truly. I didn’t plan on spending over a week wandering through goat paths.”

“This is actually quite manageable. Compared to the mountain passes leading into Sichuan, this is like a walk in a garden.”

Hearing Manchu’s comment, So Surin cast annoyed glances at Cheol Woo and Noe Jeon.

“A few days of comfort and you’ve both grown soft and lazy.”

“Regardless, we are nearly through the peaks—stay focused.”

Just as Manchu predicted, the party cleared the mountain trails in under an hour.

The first settlement they encountered upon exiting the wilderness was Yulin.

“What a charming village.”

So Surin couldn’t help but admire the idyllic scenery.

Golden sunlight blanketed the fields of ripe grain, where birds fluttered among the stalks and crooked scarecrows made everyone smile. In the stream that wound through the farmland, fish darted through the water while children ran along the banks with nets.

Yi Sogun walked up to the children carefully and asked a few questions.

The youngsters didn’t recognize the title Twin Sword Heavenly Formation, but through her inquiries, she learned that an elderly man fitting that description resided past the northern ridge.

“The foul-mouthed old man?”

Neung So-hwa asked with a chuckle.

“Yes. The children say he uses a lot of profanity. However, they didn’t seem to dislike him. He apparently builds them clever toys and teaches them interesting tricks.”

“Interesting tricks?”

“Likely basic martial foundations.”

Yi Sogun had noticed several children mentioning specific breathing exercises.

“I wonder if this was the right choice. He has left the martial world behind—he seems to be enjoying a quiet twilight.”

Seeing Neung So-hwa’s hesitation, Danri Hwa offered some gentle perspective.

“Receiving a challenge from the Sword Empress is a high honor for any martial artist. This duel could serve as the glorious finale to his retirement.”

Neung So-hwa and the warriors of the Sword Pavilion nodded in agreement, but Sima Geon’s group, who were listening nearby, had a very different take.

“An honor?”

Cheol Woo tilted his head in confusion.

“A massive one,” Gwa Yu and Manchu answered simultaneously.

“And you, Boss?”

“Eh.”

Sima Geon avoided the question with an awkward grin, causing Cheol Woo to snort.

“Never mind. What do you two think?”

So Surin and Noe Jeon’s responses were the polar opposite of Gwa Yu and Manchu’s.

“I don’t know.”

“Sounds like a headache. What do you think, Deputy?”

“Me? I’d be furious. You give up everything to live in peace, and they hunt you down in some remote village just to bother you? I’d find it incredibly annoying.”

Gwa Yu and Manchu still looked confused by that perspective, but Noe Jeon nodded his head in total agreement. So Surin and Sima Geon, who was leading the way, seemed to silently share Cheol Woo’s sentiment.

As they continued their banter, they approached the hill the children had pointed out. Suddenly, the usually calm Black Wolf bared its teeth and let out a low, menacing snarl.

“What’s the matter?”

Before Noe Jeon could finish the sentence, Black Wolf took off like a bolt of lightning.

The beast disappeared over the crest of the hill in a heartbeat, and as the wind shifted, it carried the pungent, unmistakable smell of fresh blood.