****
The sword Cheon Muryang swung was truly unsightly.
“Kik-kik!”
A small laugh was heard.
Although it was not blatant, sneers that were just quiet enough not to be heard came from every corner of the training hall.
“Hu-uk, Hu-uk!”
Furthermore, Cheon Muryang let out rough breaths after swinging only a few times.
Watching this, the majority of the trainees training in the training hall laughed quietly or showed a cold reaction as if thinking, 'as expected'.
Even though he clearly knew this, Cheon Muryang did not particularly react.
Because it was an unchanging fact that he was unsightly enough to buy ridicule.
‘Certainly, my stamina is a mess.’
It was not only the inside of the body that was ruined due to excessive spiritual elixirs.
The flesh that had been gained excessively due to that could not be called chubby even if put nicely.
“Tsk.”
Cheon Muryang clicked his tongue like a habit.
How pathetic was this?
It was a body that did not even possess the physique to swing a sword.
It was a feeling where even he wanted to ridicule himself.
“It seems…… building the body first is urgent.”
Not to mention controlling the spiritual elixirs with internal energy, it seemed I had to build up stamina first.
Fortunately, I brought clothes to change into, so wasn't it foresight?
“Then shall I run?”
Cheon Muryang put down the sword.
It was not the time yet.
Hoo-ung!
Although Cheon Gwang cried.
What could I do?
There is an order to everything.
“Hoo-woo…….”
Cheon Muryang, having caught his breath, began to run around the training hall.
That appearance only looked like a pig with massive flesh jiggling to others.
Although no one could laugh openly, gazes full of ridicule poured down.
However, Cheon Muryang did not care about such gazes.
‘I just have to go my own way.’
Because if I could not even overcome this much, I could not accomplish anything.
Cheon Muryang let out breaths while running.
Among the internal energy filling his body, he drew up only the controllable internal energy.
“Eueueu…….”
Even though it was just that, a burning pain was felt in the flesh.
Even so, Cheon Muryang clenched his teeth and ran while operating his internal energy.
It felt as if his heart would burst, but from some point, his breathing began to stabilize.
“Hu-uk, Hu-uk!”
Breathing heard at regular intervals.
Although it was still a slow and unsightly figure, he never stopped.
“Kik-kik!”
There were still those who laughed.
Not long after, their laughter also stopped soon.
“S, still?”
Even though they came back after eating.
Even though the training had ended.
Cheon Muryang was still running.
“Hu-uk, Hu-uk!”
The speed was not fast.
The flesh still jiggled.
However, he never stopped.
Not even for a single moment.
Therefore, some people whispered.
“Until when on earth does he intend to run?”
“Hmph. Even if he does that, it will probably be a jaksim-samil (giving up after three days). Where is the guarantee that he will do that tomorrow just because he does that like that today?”
“I, is that so?”
The majority believed the words that it would not even last a day.
Since he could do that for about a day, they cut off interest altogether.
‘That is rather better.’
For Cheon Muryang, indifference was more comfortable than excessive gazes directed at him.
Like that, how long did he run?
“Heo-eok, Heo-eok!”
Letting out rough breaths, Cheon Muryang spread out in a 'big character' shape (大) on the training hall as if collapsing.
The clothes that were fluffy in the morning had become covered in sweat.
Hwi-i-ing!
The cold night air just felt refreshing.
“It is refreshing.”
“Gong, Gongja-nim……! A, are you okay?”
Wolyeong approached urgently.
She wiped the face full of sweat with a towel.
“I think I am going to die?”
“You even skipped the meal, you overexerted yourself too much!”
“Even if I eat, it would be a taste I know anyway. Just one day is fine.”
Cheon Muryang, who said that, forced himself to get up from the spot.
“Let’s run just one more lap for the last time.”
“Yes? You say you will run again?”
“Because there is a goal I decided to run. I must fill that.”
“Ah?”
Although Wolyeong did not know, Cheon Muryang intended to run exactly one hundred laps of the training hall.
And since he had run ninety-nine laps now, one last lap remained.
“Then I go.”
Cheon Muryang forced himself to run while dragging his legs that did not even move well now.
Wolyeong’s two eyes watching this shook endlessly.
‘Is this the Gongja-nim I knew?’
She served him by his side for a long time.
There would probably be no one in the Cheon Family who knew about Cheon Muryang as much as Wolyeong.
‘What on earth happened…….’
Even such a Wolyeong was confused.
‘Still…….’
Cheon Muryang running while waddling.
Why was that appearance so?
It seemed like seeing the Cheon Muryang of childhood before he became violent yet.
‘It is truly a relief, Gongja-nim.’
Wolyeong knew.
Cheon Muryang before he became a mangnani.
Although she did not know when he would return to being a mangnani again, she wanted to believe in him.
“Cheer up.”
Cheon Muryang ran one lap in the end.
“Wolyeong, help support me a bit.”
“Yes yes! Lean on me.”
Looking at Wolyeong who somehow became brighter, Cheon Muryang asked.
“Is there something good?”
“Yes? There is no way there is such a thing.”
“Mm…….”
Wolyeong was stronger than thought.
Therefore, even when Cheon Muryang’s massive body leaned on her, she endured it easily.
“Let’s go quickly.”
“Yes. But Gongja-nim.”
“Why?”
“Will you run in the training hall tomorrow too?”
“Yeah.”
“Yes. I will prepare for it too!”
“I am hungry. Is there nothing to eat?”
“Ah, would you like to eat the stir-fried mushrooms you ate yesterday?”
“Right. That is good.”
“Shall I…… prepare alcohol too?”
“No. Forget the alcohol. Since I will not drink alcohol now, you do not have to prepare it from now on.”
“It is true, right?”
“Right. Nam-a-il-eon-jung-cheon-geum (A man's word is worth a thousand gold)! I do not say two things with one mouth.”
“Yes yes. I know.”
“Let’s go.”
“Yes.”
It was a training hall with no one after the two people left.
However, something like a cold gaze swept past the floor where Cheon Muryang had collapsed after running the last lap.
<><><>
Cheon Muryang, who barely returned to the room receiving Wolyeong’s support, sat cross-legged on the bed.
“Mm…….”
How stiff it was.
Even though it was a posture he had done all his life, he felt discomfort.
‘I must endure.’
Isn't the first day hard for everything?
Cheon Muryang polished the Cheon Yang Divine Art (Heavenly Yang Divine Art) which anyone could learn if they were a martial artist of the Cheon Family.
‘I must be satisfied with the basic art.’
It would be good if I could learn martial arts beyond that in the Cheonryong Library, but right now there was no other sharp method.
He intended to melt the energy of the spiritual elixirs filling Cheon Muryang’s inside.
‘More than thought…… the repulsion is severe.’
However, since the internal energy he possessed was so little, he could not handle the energies of the spiritual elixirs that were different from each other.
‘Isn't this energy of completely different nature?’
Spiritual elixirs were largely divided into two branches.
It was Yin energy and Yang energy.
Those two energies were maintaining a strange balance, so they seemed not to invade each other’s territory.
‘It won’t be easy.’
There was a right time for everything.
After eating a spiritual elixir, one had to focus on making that energy one’s own.
Since he missed that right time, it meant the energy of the spiritual elixirs had settled in Cheon Muryang’s body as is.
‘Well, since it is the start now, I cannot be full from the first spoonful.’
A presence was felt.
It must be Wolyeong who brought water to wash.
Cheon Muryang gathered his internal energy.
“Hoo-woo…….”
Beon-tteuk!
Cheon Muryang opened his eyes.
It was clearly different from the eyes of Cheon Muryang which were always cloudy, soaked in alcohol.
“Gongja-nim, here is water to wash.”
“Right. Thank you.”
What Wolyeong brought was not just water.
Wolyeong even brought the stir-fried mushrooms whose taste he was so curious about.
“Let’s see, shall I try eating?”
“You should wash first!”
“Ah, right.”
The stir-fried mushrooms had a very healthy taste.
<><><>
One month passed.
In the meantime, Cheon Muryang ran in the training hall without skipping even a day.
That was not all.
From a certain moment, he added muscle strength exercises to running.
It was a training amount to the point of being vicious.
“Hey, he came today too.”
“Chet. Even though it is raining today?”
“Forget it, hand it over quickly.”
Therefore, bets used to occur secretly among the trainees over Cheon Muryang’s training.
Looking at Cheon Muryang who came to the training hall even though it was a rainy day, some people gathered and exchanged money.
“You lost again, Neung Ryeo-un.”
“Damn it.”
“Hand it over quickly.”
“Why is he doing that annoyingly?”
“Crazy guy, be quiet.”
“Shh!”
As Neung Ryeo-un raised his voice, the rest of the people urgently restrained him.
Even so, Cheon Muryang was of the status of the Eldest Gongja.
If they openly made him the subject of a bet, they could face great trouble.
“Chet! Let him hear!”
“Stop it. What are you going to do?”
“No, I am not saying I will do anything, but it is unsightly. To pretend to train now.”
“That is true. If he was not the Eldest Gongja of the Cheon Family, he would have been kicked out long ago.”
To the trainees who wanted to become martial artists of the Cheon Family, Cheon Muryang’s existence was privilege itself.
『A mangnani living in luxury thanks to a noble bloodline.』
That was the gaze with which they looked at Cheon Muryang.
So, even if it was Cheon Muryang who would become the Gaju in the future, there was no way they would have a shred of loyalty.
The center of the Cheon Family was the current Gaju Cheon Wi-gang, and the Supreme Elder Cheon Jung-ho, including the General Unit Leader of the Cheonryong Sword Unit and Cheonbong Sword Unit, Cheon Seon-hak.
In other words, the respect of the majority of trainees was directed at the three people, never toward Cheon Muryang.
So, naturally, there was no reason to look kindly upon the rare mangnani Cheon Muryang.
“Even if he is like that, he can learn the ultimate arts of the Cheon Family to his heart’s content. It is dirty unfair.”
“Be quiet. He will hear!”
The mangnani who can learn the ultimate arts of the Cheon Family anytime, Cheon Muryang.
Because he is a direct bloodline, isn't the current opportunity also granted?
The trainees were in a position where they could never like Cheon Muryang.
“Well, so what. Whether the Eldest Gongja came to his senses or not, isn't it enough if we just learn martial arts and receive money?”
“That is true, but…….”
It was a thoroughly monetary relationship.
The Cheon Family provided money and martial arts, and the trainees merely became affiliated with the Cheon Family in return.
“Even if that mangnani Eldest Gongja becomes the Gaju anyway, he probably won’t have any real power?”
“What?”
“Isn't it so. There is the Council of Elders, and above all, would Unit Leader Cheon Seon-hak even follow the Eldest Gongja’s orders?”
“Ah, that is true.”
It was as they said.
The structure of the Cheon Family was very heterogeneous, so the authority of the Gaju was not that powerful.
Although everyone respected the current Gaju, Cheon Wi-gang, Cheon Wi-gang’s power was not absolute.
Because it was the Cheon Family with that atypical structure, the trainees were also divided into two categories.
It was either becoming a member of the armed forces led by Cheon Seon-hak or entering the affiliation of the Council of Elders.
“And frankly speaking, even if the Eldest Gongja becomes the Gaju, how could he carelessly cast us out?”
“Hey, Neung Ryeo-un. Aren't you going too far?”
“Let’s speak correctly. Does the current Cheon Family look like the Cheon Family of the old days?”
Although the Cheon Family was a family counted among the Ten Great Families of the World, even that was just past glory.
In the competition with countless families and sects rising up like bamboo shoots after rain, the Cheon Family was slowly losing competitiveness.
“He absolutely cannot cast us out.”
“Stop there. Even if you lost the bet, stop acting out, Neung Ryeo-un.”
“Chet.”
“Since the bet is over, let’s go now.”
The bet ended.
Those who won money left the training hall giggling.
Neung Ryeo-un, left alone, acted out by kicking an innocent stone on the ground.
“Ah, annoying.”
Although he always lost bets, Cheon Muryang running in the training hall looked especially unsightly today.
He wanted to ridicule Cheon Muryang’s effort of running silently through the rain, wondering if he even knew that a bet was taking place over him.
“Chet. What would change just because a pig bastard runs like that.”
Therefore, in a way to make him hear a little, Neung Ryeo-un spoke openly.
It was because he rather wanted Cheon Muryang to hear these words and act out.
“Heo-eok, Heo-eok!”
Even though he clearly must have heard, Cheon Muryang had no reaction.
Watching Cheon Muryang running silently, Neung Ryeo-un felt strangely bad and spat roughly.
“Ptu!”
The moment he was about to leave the training hall.
Someone stood in front of Neung Ryeo-un.
It was a woman with cold eyes.
“Hm?”
“Cancel those words just now.”
“What?”
“I said, cancel the insult toward Gongja-nim.”
Neung Ryeo-un was dumbfounded.
How dare a mere sibi mention an apology.
“Hey, Neung Ryeo-un. Are you not coming?”
“Let’s just go. It looks like he is busy at a glance. Kil-kil-kil.”
Seeing the appearance with the sibi, they teased Neung Ryeo-un strangely.
Was it because of that gaze?
Hwa-kkeun!
Neung Ryeo-un’s face flushed.
Therefore, he inadvertently drew his sword.
Seu-reung!
Even though it was a trainee status, the Cheon Family provided real swords.
Therefore, Neung Ryeo-un’s sword boasted sharpness in all directions that could easily kill a person.
“What did you blabber? Try blabbering once more.”
However, Wolyeong was not afraid.
Rather, with her eyes raised.
She retorted clearly.
“I said do not insult Gongja-nim who is doing his best like that.”
“E, eek!”
Enraged Neung Ryeo-un swung his sword.
He had no intention of killing.
He just intended to scare her.
Because she would tremble in fear just by bringing the sword to her neck.
However, it did not go as Neung Ryeo-un thought.
Ka-a-ang!
A sharp sound rang out.
“Heok!”
Neung Ryeo-un’s sword bounced back.
Kang!
Ka-deu-deuk.
No, it was a shock enough to make him drop the sword altogether.
Neung Ryeo-un could not understand this situation.
‘What is this?’
The doubt was brief.
Seom-tteuk!
Something chillingly cold wrapped around Neung Ryeo-un.
“What are you doing right now?”
A cold voice.
The protagonist was Cheon Muryang, who had been running in the training hall until just now.
“N, no…….”
Soaked in rain, water drops were falling even now.
Ju-cheum.
Neung Ryeo-un retreated backward without realizing it.
“Grasp the sword.”
“……?”
“I mean if you have something you want to say to Wolyeong, say it to me, with the sword.”
“Are you requesting a duel from me right now?”
“A duel…….”
Cheon Muryang ridiculed Neung Ryeo-un.
“If I say it is a life-and-death duel, what will you do?”
“……!”
“Grasp the sword.”
“Depending on the victory or defeat, this matter…….”
“If you win, I will not make an issue of this matter. I will also not appear in this training hall. Is this enough?”
“Gong, Gongja-nim!”
Wolyeong was flustered and tried to stop Cheon Muryang.
Because she knew that although he ran in the training hall and did muscle strength exercises for nearly a month, he had never held a sword even once.
However, Wolyeong realized.
That she could never stop him.
“I will endure insults toward me.”
However.
“I will not endure insults toward the person who cares for me.”
That was.
The conviction of Cheon Muryang, who was Mumyeong in the previous life and became the Eldest Gongja of the Cheon Family, born anew.
“Draw your sword, Neung Ryeo-un.”
“……!”