Chapter 21

Chapter 21
Chapter 21. A Third-Rate Warrior Welcomes an Uninvited Guest (2)

The initial person to encounter the arrival was Hong Sa-ryeon.

Having concluded her instructional session at Busaeng Hall, she was moving toward her private practice grounds when she noticed the stranger.

A high-quality blade hung at his hip, his attire was vastly more opulent than anything Sa-ryeon possessed, and his striking features along with his imposing height signaled that he was far from commonplace.

Despite having stepped into an unfamiliar domain, his confident demeanor, devoid of even a hint of awkwardness, indicated he was an exceptional individual.

Above all, his countenance struck her as familiar, as though she had encountered him previously, yet she was utterly unable to place where.

“What brings you to this place?”

“I am searching for someone. Might a person named Young Master Jin So-un be residing here?”

Sa-ryeon’s gaze sharpened at the unexpected query emerging from the aristocratic young master’s lips.

His appearance suggested he was easily four or five years senior to So-un, leaving her to ponder when So-un could have formed an acquaintance with such a figure without her knowledge.

“What is your purpose with him?”

“I have journeyed to see him regarding a private matter.”

“Senior Brother Jin has been away for numerous days now. It would be best if you returned at a later date.”

“Hmm…….”

She had subtly indicated he should depart, vexed by his discourtesy in failing to offer his name, yet the noble young master did not budge.

“In that case, may I remain here to wait?”

“……What exactly are you attempting to do? Taeul Sect is not a lodging house.”

Only at that moment did the noble young master seem to recognize his oversight.

“Ah, that was my misstep. I shall pay my respects to the Sect Leader first and obtain his consent. Could you show me the way to the Sect Leader?”

“Listen to me!”

Ultimately, Sa-ryeon’s restraint snapped, and she let loose a sharp exclamation.

The noble young master curved his lips into a smirk and remarked,

“I am Namgung San of the Namgung Clan.”

“The Heaven-Opening Divine Dragon?”

Only then did Sa-ryeon recall that he had been present alongside them during their time of degradation at the Iron Sword Sect.

“Precisely. That is who I am.”

—

Taeul Sect was in a state of minor agitation due to the arrival of Namgung San.

Gye Cheol-yeong was entering and exiting the guest quarters so frequently that the threshold might split, while the leaders of the alternative halls were also making discreet appearances at the guest quarters to forge an alliance with him.

The stir was grandest among the juvenile followers.

A ascending master they had only encountered through tales of the murim. Furthermore, one celebrated as an attractive young lord. With such an individual lodging at Taeul Sect, it was simply impossible for them to remain calm.

“Great Hero Namgung San is incredibly remarkable.”

“How wonderful it would have been if I had come into the world within a place like the Namgung Clan as well?”

“At the very least, I wish I could acquire the Namgung Clan’s Boundless Firmament Sword Art. They say even their pupils are chosen through rigorous filtering, correct?”

Regardless, I possessed no inkling as to why he had traveled out of his way to seek me out.

There was zero probability he was linked to Namgung Sang-won.

Namgung Sang-won’s objective, from the very start, was to crush the main line of the Namgung Clan and elevate the side line to govern the clan.

To Namgung San, who was essentially the upcoming ruler of the Namgung Clan, he was nothing short of an absolute foe.

Could he have come to praise me for my actions?

The scheduling was far too swift.

Even if he possessed knowledge of that event, would the magnificent Namgung Clan under the skies dispatch their sole legitimate successor merely to encounter a singular ordinary swordsman of Taeul Sect? The Heaven-Opening Divine Dragon, hailed as the finest prodigy in Anhui Province, no less?

No rationale held weight.

Namgung San’s arrival was an event that had never transpired in my past existence.

If an occurrence that failed to happen in my past existence took place in this current lifetime, it signified that there must be an element filling that void.

‘Something that was present in my past existence but is absent in this one…… or the exact reverse.’

At the conclusion of that line of reasoning, a realization struck me.

“……So that was the reason.”

“What are you muttering about?”

“It is of no consequence.”

“When exactly did you establish ties with the Namgung Clan? Do you venture out and interact with people constantly whenever you depart?”

“It is not like that at all.”

“Regardless, make haste and go. He has already been residing here for a full week, and everyone within Taeul Sect is feeling stressed because of it.”

“I understand.”

“That direction leads to the Great Mysterious Hall. The visitor is resting at the guest quarters.”

“I shall offer my greetings to the Sect Leader prior to my departure. Go and inform that individual that I have returned.”

“No, I just informed you he has been waiting a whole week!”

“It was that individual’s personal choice to remain, and as we possessed no arrangement, I may likewise attend to my own affairs.”

“No! What on earth are you……! And since when have you so faithfully gone to pay respects to the Sect Leader like this??”

“……I have always conducted myself properly. Go and convey the message.”

Sa-ryeon grumbled, “If he is going to visit later regardless, why must he command me to inform him……,” and walked off toward the guest quarters.

—

When I stepped into the Great Mysterious Hall, Father and Hong Mun-gi happened to be conversing about internal affairs of the sect.

“Sect Leader. Follower Jin So-un has returned from his journey.”

Upon my salutation, both Father and Hong Mun-gi were unable to conceal their astonished expressions.

Observing them manifest that level of shock, it turned out to be accurate that, precisely as Sa-ryeon had stated, I typically did not wander about offering proper salutations.

“Yes, did you complete your trip safely?”

Hong Mun-gi, who recovered his composure first, accepted my salutation with a kindly grin.

Conversely, Jin Tae-san was still unable to mask his bewildered gaze.

“What in the world has occurred? You have actually come all this way to salute the Sect Leader.”

“Father, if you speak in that manner, you are dishonoring your own name.”

“This miserable rascal……”

Unlike the hot-tempered Sa-ryeon, Hong Mun-gi let out a refined chuckle.

“You have a visitor resting at the guest quarters. Are you aware?”

“Yes. I have been informed.”

“Excellent. Then depart.”

“That visitor holds no arrangement with me. I possess several matters to present first, so I shall remain seated for a brief moment.”

This instance, even Hong Mun-gi, along with Jin Tae-san, was unable to clear the stunned look from his countenance.

“Might I be permitted a cup of tea?”

“You even desire to consume tea before departing? You scoundrel, Namgung San is waiting for you.”

“Father, what is so magnificent about the Namgung Clan that I must rush to meet him without even presenting myself to the Sect Leader? When I observe you, Father, you appear to belong to the Namgung Clan rather than Taeul Sect.”

“You, you…… wretched boy!”

“Hoho, Tae-san, I am data-conscious of the disruption, but could you brew some tea? It will be delightful to share tea with So-un after such a long interval.”

“Sigh.”

Jin Tae-san readied the tea in a seasoned fashion, and shortly after, a cup of tea with rising vapor was situated right before me.

I stripped away the irrelevant details before and after and presented the account of liberating Wang So-so.

“……Hoho, so you perceived the youth appeared to have been seized, pursued them, and liberated her.”

“Yes. However, while liberating her, the youth seemed to suffer from a sickness, so I imparted the Taeul Heart Method to her. I express regret for failing to obtain authorization beforehand.”

“It matters not. Martial disciplines are, by their core, meant to aid mankind. If it was a situation you could remedy with rudimentary martial disciplines, then you adequately performed what was required of you.”

Hong Mun-gi and Father generally interpreted it as my having liberated a lady and youth from flesh merchants, and the purpose I deliberately framed it this way was to avert a conflict if Wang Geum-san came seeking us down the line.

“By the by, for what reason did Young Master San of the Namgung Clan come searching for you? It has caused us severe irritation, having him occupy the finest chamber in Taeul Sect for a week and providing him three meals daily.”

“Who can say? Perhaps he journeyed here to acquire a technique from me.”

“What?”

Father’s countenance crumpled like a piece of waste paper, and it was amusing to witness regardless of the frequency.

“Am I not an individual who bested Seong Mo-hyeon of the Iron Sword Sect in my own style? Beyond that, I even claimed the Ninefold Sword, so would not even the premier young master of the grand Namgung Clan under the skies desire to acquire a technique from me?”

“Cease this! Miserable rascal. If you intend to utter absurdities, remove yourself!”

“Yes, Sect Leader. This follower shall depart now to greet my visitor.”

—

Namgung San experienced an unfamiliar sensation.

Though he had not set eyes on his opposite or conversed with him, he felt irritation.

What was even more peculiar was that the sensation had instantly flared up inside him.

When he discovered the man’s nonexistence, he had experienced no irritation.

Because he had not established an arrangement with him.

He had endured seven days in low-tier quarters and consumed basic nourishment, yet he had experienced no irritation.

Because he was the one who had declared he would wait. Because he could not object that Taeul Sect’s tier of reception was merely this baseline.

However, the precise instant he discovered that Jin So-un had made his way back to Taeul Sect.

Irritation erupted from deep within his chest.

Because this was the premier such event in his existence, even he was unsettled.

“What sort of individual is Young Master Jin So-un?”

The young woman beside him was delivering the updates while appearing highly anxious.

She could not match him, but because she was a young woman bearing the weight of having to take over the upcoming era of her sect, she was a youth who had captured a fraction of his attention.

“Senior Brother? I am uncertain. He is such an impossible individual to comprehend.”

The young woman, who had scowled as she discussed something distasteful, steadily grew more animated as the dialogue rolled on.

“Well, he executes a lot of erratic actions, but I do not believe that is because he is attempting to do solely whatever pleases him. Regardless, he minds a great deal for the junior followers of the sect. He lacks courtesy, but he also takes incredibly good care of the seniors. Even though he does not salute people properly himself, if someone utters something insolent, his temper flares and he strikes forward.”

“It appears your senior brother is dependable.”

“Huh? What are you implying? I just explained it to you.”

“Is that so?”

The young woman whose identity he did not possess protruded her tongue with a look of disgust and assumed a facial expression as though she had tasted bitterness.

—

“I understand you were searching for me.”

A youth stepped into the guest quarters.

A standard Blue Steel Sword secured at his hip. A martial arts garb that was aged but appeared to have been thoroughly cleansed. Lengthy hair bound up orderly. Not a single attribute about him appeared extraordinary.

‘How peculiar.’

Yet as Namgung San observed him, his feelings surged and bubbled as though metal were being scorched.

“Are you Jin So-un?”

“Did you travel searching for me without recognizing me?”

The unidentified young woman who had been offering him company glanced back and forth between Jin So-un’s countenance and Namgung San’s, attempting to comprehend what was unfolding.

“I have merely perceived what was conveyed to me regarding you.”

“That day…… were you not present?”

“That day?”

“The Iron Sword Sect.”

Reflecting upon it, he felt as though he had witnessed that youth and this unidentified young woman at the venue where the Iron Sword Sect was stripped of the Ninefold Sword.

“Ah! Indeed. Now that I recall it, you were present alongside us.”

“……Do you suffer from an issue with your recollection?”

What ought he term it? Did the very entity recognized as Jin So-un pull revulsion from the depths of his soul?

Even phrases that appeared to have been cast out without any intent provoked his feelings.

“No. I tend not to allocate my focus to matters I possess no concern for.”

“……Then for what purpose did you come searching for me?”

Where ought he commence?

With the reality that the item Jin So-un held had been his? Or with the reality that Jin So-un had intercepted it midway?

Namgung San pivoted his gaze to the unidentified young woman and stated,

“You should step out for a brief moment.”

“Ah…… yes. I understand.”

“What did you just utter?”

Jin So-un creased his brow heavily.

For a flash, Namgung San felt as though he had committed an error.

However, nothing was incorrect.

“I requested her to depart because I possess an essential topic to examine with you.”

“‘You should step out’ is a command. It is not an appeal.”

“……Uh, uh. S-Senior Brother. What is wrong? I am fine. Please converse. I shall depart now.”

The unidentified young woman instead grew panicked and exited.

The entity termed Jin So-un gazed blankly at the young woman’s retreating form.

“What did I execute incorrectly?”

“Does the Heaven-Opening Divine Dragon not even comprehend the distinction between ‘you should step out’ and ‘would you step out’?”

“…… Laws of courtesy vary.”

Only then could Namgung San comprehend the origin of all these sensations of displeasure, anger, annoyance, and fury.

“You…… are incredibly prideful.”

The feelings he had perceived from every soul present in Taeul Sect.

Wonder, reverence, dread, esteem, regard, acclaim.

He could not detect even a fragment of those within Jin So-un.

Instead, he radiated disdain, arrogance, mock, and offense, sensations Namgung San had never encountered even once in his existence.

“How peculiar. Since when did the Namgung Clan transform into the Sovereign’s clan?”

“……”

Namgung San resolved to halt.

Because he calculated that if he persisted in speaking with Jin So-un any further, he might lose his composure.

“You likely do not comprehend why I abruptly journeyed and sought you out, correct?”

Somehow, he could comprehend Jin So-un’s perspective as well.

There existed such individuals. Those who displayed antagonism when they encountered an immense counterpart due to their own minor status.

Those who dreaded all the more because they recognized nothing.

Managing such individuals properly was likewise a quality of the powerful.

“The purpose I arrived is……”

“Is it not due to the Entry Token?”

“!!!”

This rogue, did he possess knowledge from the very beginning?

—

What purpose would Namgung San, who had held no concern for Taeul Sect at the Iron Sword Sect, have to journey to Taeul Sect?

The majority of the celestial medicines and hidden codices I had acquired were items no soul recognized, so if I had to designate something someone would identify among the objects I had captured, it would ultimately be solely the Steel Guardian Pill and the Entry Token.

There was zero possibility the legitimate successor of the Namgung Clan had arrived because he desired the Steel Guardian Pill, so that signified it was the Entry Token.

His posture was entirely shameless.

He was distinctly the one who had arrived to present an appeal, yet there was zero trace of that.

He merely appeared as though he resolutely trusted that if he demanded it, I would hand it over to him.

“That was originally my property.”

The manner he spoke was likewise the instinctive style of someone demanding borrowed wealth to be returned.

I possessed no plan of surrendering it to him regardless, but since he advanced like this, I could not prevent my internal feelings from becoming even more distorted.

“The Grand Strategist did not articulate anything of that nature.”

“It was an item I requested initially, and that was the reason it concluded in your hands.”

If the Grand Strategist had made a resolute vow to Namgung San, there would be zero cause for Namgung San to approach me and demand me to yield the Entry Token.

Because the Grand Strategist could simply forge one additional piece and deliver it to him.

In the end, the Grand Strategist, who had resolved to deliver the Entry Token to Namgung San, had calculated it would not signify greatly even if he delivered that Entry Token to me.

The inference was that the Entry Token was not Namgung San’s.

“How peculiar. If it was so reliably yours, Great Hero, then for what reason did the Grand Strategist deliver it to me? It appears this is an issue you should dispute with the Grand Strategist about, not one you should dispute with me about. Or perhaps the Grand Strategist is too formidable an adversary, while Taeul Sect is vulnerable, so you journeyed here?”

Namgung San released a lengthy breath.

“You possess a skill for scraping against your counterpart’s emotions.”

“My remarks do not depart from logic, so if your emotions were scraped, Great Hero, that would be your personal issue.”

“Naturally, I am not requesting you to simply surrender it.”

“……”

“I have arrived prepared to offer adequate compensation for it. This is a gem termed the Seven-Colored Jewel. It is a rare asset valued high enough to purchase at least a ninety-nine-bay estate. I shall grant you this.”

Upon Namgung San’s palm, a gem radiating seven shades gleamed vividly.

In my recollection, it was an asset precious enough to purchase three ninety-nine-bay estates.

“The reason I journeyed here under my personal identity and did not transform this into an open conflict was for both Taeul Sect and yourself. If the population of the murim discovered that you lusted after an item of the Namgung Clan’s, how would they view you, and how would they view your clan, Taeul Sect?”

As he stated, if he exposed this, the issue would expand.

And the Namgung Clan’s narrative would circulate more intensely, closing around Taeul Sect.

On top of that, he was not demanding it for zero return and had even declared he would grant me the Seven-Colored Jewel, so I was at the junction where even expressing my appreciation would not be sufficient.

“Cut the nonsense.”

“……What?”

I intended to convey my appreciation, but my authentic thoughts emerged instead.

“Well, execute as you please.”

“Do you believe…… I am incapable?”

“Taeul Sect is not that minor a sect. You are assessing me, who belongs to such a place, far too lightly.”

“……You desire this to transform into a major crisis. Can you manage the Namgung Clan?”

“Even if I am incapable of managing it, you shall not discover the Entry Token.”

injustice.
“……”

“And you should select your path thoughtfully. The Iron Sword Sect conducted themselves the style you are conducting yourself now, Great Hero, and had the Ninefold Sword stripped away.”

“……!”

For the initial instance, Namgung San’s countenance solidified rigidly.