Chapter 8

Seong Mo-ran was growing tired of greeting the guests.

“Ha ha! Young Lady, your beauty truly lives up to the rumors!”

“You are another Xi Shi. Your father must be very proud.”

“When you entered, Young Lady, I thought the sun itself had risen.”

Countless men surrounded her and showered her with exaggerated praise.

“I heard your swordsmanship is exceptional. Might I have the honor of seeing it someday?”

“I also know a little about the sword. Perhaps we could have tea later and discuss our techniques?”

“What would you think of joining our family as an exchange disciple? I could speak with my grandfather……”

They strutted before her as though they were extraordinary warriors.

‘Flowers raised safely in greenhouses, without a single real battle to their names.’

Would they still carry themselves with such confidence without the protection of their sects and the wealth of their families?

At the very least, they were nothing like her.

Seong Mo-ran had reached her current level without receiving any meaningful support from her family.

Naturally, she could not voice such thoughts aloud.

She still remembered the way Seong Mo-hyeon’s face had twisted when he failed to overwhelm her during their spar.

She also remembered the uneasiness in the Elders’ eyes afterward.

Since then, Seong Mo-ran had learned not to attract unnecessary trouble.

‘Forget true warriors. There is not even a single decent man among them.’

She was bored.

Her mother had repeatedly lectured her about protecting the family’s dignity, so Seong Mo-ran forced herself to remain polite.

Even so, the gathering was unbearably dull.

Her father, grandfather, and even Seong Mo-hyeon appeared to be planning something, yet none of them had told her what it was.

Not that she was particularly interested.

‘It must have something to do with the One Hundred Eight Peaks.’

To think a group of grown men could do nothing but scheme.

Why not simply settle the matter through a proper duel?

The Iron Sword Sect had already surpassed the Taeul Sect in strength.

If they openly proved that difference and then treated the Taeul Sect with fairness and dignity, they would at least resemble warriors.

“How tedious.”

She deeply regretted that Namgung Seon-hwa had been unable to attend the banquet.

Had her friend been present, the evening might have been bearable.

‘She must be busy with something.’

Seong Mo-ran had heard that Namgung San, who was attending the birthday celebration in Namgung Seon-hwa’s place, was hosting a separate gathering for the younger guests.

However, she had no desire to attend.

It would only be filled with people desperate to flatter the Namgung Clan and the Iron Sword Sect.

She had already heard enough empty praise to last a lifetime.

“My lady! My lady!”

A maidservant was searching for her.

“Oops.”

Knowing why she was being called, Seong Mo-ran lightly kicked off the ground and landed silently on the roof.

“Where did she go?”

The maidservant arrived at the place Seong Mo-ran had just left and looked around.

“The Young Master is looking for you! My lady! My lady!”

Only after the maidservant disappeared did Seong Mo-ran release a sigh.

“Haa……”

She had spent the entire day pretending to be a refined young lady and had not even been able to stretch properly.

Just as she raised her arms, her gaze fell upon a man and woman walking between the halls.

They were Gye Cheol-yeong and the young lady from the Taeul Sect.

“Hmm…… Are those two going there alone?”

Seong Mo-ran recalled the young man named Jin So-un, whom she had met earlier that day.

His internal energy had clearly been weak, and his taiyang acupoints showed no signs of advanced cultivation.

His martial arts did not appear impressive either.

And yet, he had defeated the man from Blue Bamboo Fortress—the one called Bamboo Flame or something—with a single move.

“He truly is strange.”

It was not only his martial arts.

A person’s confidence was often shaped by what they possessed.

Those born into powerful families naturally carried themselves with pride, while those without such support often became timid before others.

Even someone without a prestigious background might stand tall if they had achieved great things through their own efforts.

But Jin So-un came from the Taeul Sect, and he was far too young to have accomplished anything remarkable.

Despite that, he had calmly answered her father, Seong Ju-tak, point by point. His reasoning had been so flawless that Seong Ju-tak had been left speechless.

“Was he not afraid of the Iron Sword Sect?”

The thought made Seong Mo-ran spring to her feet.

“This might be interesting.”

The banquet that had seemed unbearably dull suddenly promised some entertainment.

Seong Mo-ran lightly pushed off the roof and flew through the night sky.

“……Do you not find him a little strange?”

Kang Chae-seok, who had entrusted Jin So-un with an important task, spoke while Jin Tae-san changed his clothes.

“Hmm…… A little. The seats at the banquet and the guest quarters were certainly unusual.”

“No, that is not what I mean.”

Kang Chae-seok shook his head.

“I mean Jin So-un. Your son.”

“So-un?”

“Do you not find him strange? You saw what happened earlier. He stood before Seong Ju-tak without lowering his head and tore him apart with words. Even I felt the sting of it.”

“……”

“Now that I think about it, he has been acting differently ever since the incident with Gye Yeon-seung. It is almost as though he became another person.”

“You know about So-un’s gift. He probably remembered something he once read in a book.”

“Then how do you explain Gye Yeon-seung? How did he defeat him?”

“Was it not merely a contest of technique? Since So-un remembers anything after seeing it once, perhaps he discovered a way to counter him.”

Kang Chae-seok thought about Jin Tae-san’s words before tilting his head.

“We are talking about Mount Hua’s Plum Blossom Sword Art.”

“……”

“Can someone truly discover its weakness simply by watching it? Besides, they say So-un defeated it using the Minor Heaven Sword Art.”

“……I cannot explain that.”

“Perhaps……”

Kang Chae-seok unconsciously lowered his voice.

“Could So-un be training in secret?”

“?”

Jin Tae-san stared at him in disbelief.

That boy, who cared more about playing than training?

“That is exactly what I mean. He has been roaming the mountains day after day. What if he has been training alone?”

Kang Chae-seok continued thoughtfully.

“With that memory of his, he might have imagined fighting against the Plum Blossom Sword Art thousands of times until he found a way to defeat it.”

So-un’s memory surpassed common sense.

Perhaps Kang Chae-seok’s theory was not entirely impossible.

“Hah.”

What nonsense.

So-un had possessed an extraordinary mind since childhood.

He learned everything easily and rarely needed to put in much effort.

One glance at a book was enough for him to memorize it. After watching a technique only a few times, he could imitate its movements.

Because everything came so easily to him, laziness had sunk deep into his bones.

Jin Tae-san had always believed that indolence was simply part of the boy’s nature.

Kang Chae-seok, however, appeared to see things differently.

“Think about it. What condition did he demand when he made that wager with Gye Yeon-seung?”

“……”

“He asked to be recognized as having completed his training in Busaeng Hall.”

“Since he no longer has to attend Busaeng Hall, he disappears for days at a time, does he not?”

“……”

“And I watched him from behind during the entire journey to the Iron Sword Sect. His physique has changed.”

Although Jin Tae-san still found it difficult to believe, Kang Chae-seok’s words gradually began to convince him.

“This is what I think. Perhaps the boy has been carrying a great deal of anger.”

“Anger?”

“Yes. Ever since Gye Cheol-yeong entered the Taeul Sect, the order within the sect has fallen apart. How much has he tormented the junior disciples, both openly and behind everyone’s backs?”

Kang Chae-seok continued.

“And everyone has already accepted that Gye Cheol-yeong will take the special admission seat and enter the Murim Academy. How could So-un not be angry about that?”

Jin Tae-san had never considered such a possibility.

“And think about what happened with Seong Ju-tak earlier. I hate to admit it, but he is still a peak-level master.”

Kang Chae-seok lowered his voice.

“Even without deliberately releasing his aura, do you think it would be easy for a child at So-un’s level to look him in the eyes without trembling?”

After listening in silence, Jin Tae-san shook his head.

“That is exactly what worries me. Jianghu is far too cruel for someone to survive on courage alone, especially someone from the Taeul Sect.”

“Tsk, tsk. You have grown old.”

Kang Chae-seok clicked his tongue.

“The will to keep moving forward. The courage to take another step despite being afraid. Are those not the very qualities that might one day restore the Taeul Sect?”

Jin Tae-san fell silent.

For a long time, he considered Kang Chae-seok’s words.

“I have returned.”

Jin So-un entered the room carrying a large bundle in one hand.

Kang Chae-seok suddenly shouted,

“You fool! Why did the man who will one day lead the Taeul Sect waste so much time on such an important mission?”

“What are you suddenly talking about? Lead what? And how was this important enough to be called a mission?”

Jin So-un had slipped into the kitchen and returned with several bottles of expensive wine that had not been served at the ordinary banquet tables.

“This is part of the vital process of investigating the Iron Sword Sect’s wealth.”

Kang Chae-seok hurried over and nearly snatched the bundle from him.

Then he suddenly stopped and stared at Jin So-un.

“Sniff, sniff.”

“……Ahem. It was stuffy inside, so I stepped outside for some fresh air.”

“You drank, did you not?”

“Is that what you say to a disciple who risked his life gathering information? I merely spilled some wine while carrying the bottles.”

Jin So-un tried to slip away, but Kang Chae-seok firmly grabbed the back of his collar.

“You. Breathe out.”

“……What?”

“Say, ‘Haa.’”

“How could I breathe such foul air upon the face of the Swift Blossom Hall Master, who stands as high as the heavens?”

Kang Chae-seok slowly turned his head.

“Tae-san, forget everything I said earlier. I was mistaken.”

“What are you talking about? Was it something impor— Aaaagh! Aaaagh!”

As Jin So-un struggled helplessly in Kang Chae-seok’s grip, someone knocked on the door.

Knock, knock.

Kang Chae-seok and Jin So-un exchanged a glance.

Then they both moved at once.

Kang Chae-seok shoved the wine bottles beneath the bedding, while Jin So-un hid the bundle out of sight.

“Young Lady Mo-ran?”

When the door opened, the person standing outside was not a servant or steward of the Iron Sword Sect.

It was Seong Mo-ran, the Beautiful Wolf Iron Sword.

“What brings you here at such a late hour?”

“The young talents of Anhui have arranged a private banquet. I thought it might be good for you to attend as well.”

Jin So-un glanced back at Jin Tae-san.

His father shook his head.

“Thank you for the invitation, but I have been traveling all day and am rather tired. It would be better for me to attend such a gathering another time.”

Seong Mo-ran paused at his refusal.

“……Will that truly be all right? Young Lady Hong is already there.”

The gazes of Jin So-un, Jin Tae-san, and Kang Chae-seok immediately met.

“Ha ha ha ha!”

“Ho ho ho ho!”

Laughter filled the banquet hall.

Handsome young men and beautiful young women laughed without pause, as though something endlessly amusing had happened.

Among them, Hong Sa-ryeon sat stiffly in her martial robes, the only person not dressed in silk.

She had prepared herself for this.

She knew no one here would treat her with respect.

No—

She had known she would be fortunate if they merely ignored her instead of mocking her.

That was why she had come prepared to endure it.

Still, a small part of Sa-ryeon had hoped that, as the daughter of a Sect Leader, they would at least show her basic courtesy.

“As someone who also carries a sword, I have always dreamed of witnessing the swordsmanship of the Taeul Sword Emperor. Could you arrange for me to meet your Sect Leader someday?”

“……”

The words spoken by the man in jade-colored silk were far less refined than his clothing.

Someone beside him pretended to hold him back.

“Come now. Do not tease her too much.”

Then he added,

“Was the story of the Taeul Sword Emperor not invented so the Taeul Sect could enter the One Hundred Eight Peaks?”

“Oh? Is that so?”

The first man reacted with exaggerated surprise.

The women in elegant dresses covered their mouths and laughed.

“Could a sect truly enter the One Hundred Eight Peaks with nothing more than a made-up story?”

“It must have been a very convincing story. Perhaps that was why it worked.”

Their words might have sounded like harmless jokes if the person they were mocking had not been sitting directly in front of them.

“……”

Sa-ryeon had prepared herself for this.

“Enough, everyone. Young Lady Hong must be embarrassed.”

The man who had mocked her the most was also the first to pretend to stop the others.

“My apologies, Young Lady Hong. We men sometimes take our jokes too far.”

In a way, Sa-ryeon felt relieved.

It was fortunate that Jin So-un had not come.

He would never have endured this quietly.

He would have become angry, answered them with that reckless tongue of his, and probably been beaten for it.

‘But how did he defeat Senior Brother Cheol-yeong?’

That sudden thought eased some of the pressure in her chest.

For some reason, she felt she could endure a little longer.

It was fortunate.

Truly fortunate that she had come instead of Jin So-un.

Rather than answer them, Sa-ryeon forced a smile onto her lips.

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