***
“I told you so!”
I returned to the lodgings and spoke of what had happened at the banquet, and a bolt from the blue struck.
Gang Chae-seok was huffing and could not hide his anger, and Jin Tae-san’s face was stiff, more so than ever before.
“They insulted our sect. Was it the right thing for me to do, to just endure it on the spot?”
“Th-this... this brat, truly!”
Instead of Gang Chae-seok, whose face was flushed red from excitement, Jin Tae-san spoke.
“You gave them a justification for their schemes. Did you not anticipate what results that justification would bring?”
“The justification was unilateral and forced. Even if I had endured the insult, they would have eventually dragged me out.”
“If that were the case, there would have been no unilateral violence disguised as a martial arts duel.”
“I do not fear being defeated and getting hurt. But I fear the sight of myself running away because I am afraid of defeat.”
“.......”
Jin Tae-san rose without a word and began to untie the strings of his upper garment.
“Tae-san, you!”
Even though Sa-ryeon was with us, Father did not stop, regardless of what he was thinking.
“......!”
“What is this!”
When he took off his clothes, deep scars were revealed on Jin Tae-san’s back.
Strangely, the scars stretched long, four fingers wide, and the ends were pointed.
“Look. What kind of wound do you think this is?”
Even though Father lived in the same house as me, he had never shown me his bare body.
Come to think of it, it was surprising that I had no memory of this wound, even from my very early childhood.
“What kind of wound... is it?”
“Look closely.”
To call it a whip mark, the scar was too uniform, and to call it a club mark, the ends were too pointed.
The shape was exactly as if a sword had been pressed down firmly and then lifted...
“Could it be... the sword face...?”
“You saw it correctly. This is a wound carved twenty years ago by Seong Ju-tak, the Young Sect Leader of the Iron Sword Sect.”
Grind.
My teeth gnashed.
“......What happened?”
“Pain is a more terrifying thing than you think.”
“Please tell me what happened.”
“.......”
Jin Tae-san put his clothes back on without a word. And he walked out of the lodging just like that.
“Stop there. Sa-ryeon, you go back as well.”
“If I do not hear the story, I cannot know what happened. If I cannot know what happened, I cannot know what I will do in the future.”
“.......”
“Anyone feels the tearing of a family member’s flesh more deeply than the pain of their own bones breaking. If I just go to sleep like this, even if it means I die tomorrow, I will fight with the resolve to kill Seong Mo-hyeon.”
“......Based on the same level of achievement, the sword of the Tag-eul Sect cannot defeat the sword of the Iron Sword Sect.”
The essence of the Iron Sword Sect’s sword technique is weight (重). The founder of the Iron Sword Sect used a giant sword of four chon, and now that the sword techniques were all nearing completion, they had been unified into swords with a sword face three chon wide.
The essence of the Tag-eul Sect’s sword technique is speed (快).
The principle of speed is light in weight, so it cannot pierce the sword of the Iron Sword Sect.
If the speed were more overwhelming, one wouldn't be tied to weight, but to do that, one would have to possess an internal energy or achievement far more overwhelming than the opponent’s.
“Even so, is it acceptable to do such a thing to a defeated person?”
Hong Sa-ryeon said, unable to hold back her anger.
“It was a place where countless Murim figures were gathered, just like now. Sa-ryeon, could you obediently admit to a fault you did not commit?”
“.......”
“That is why I told you not to get entangled in any forced situation. With the Murim Alliance’s Chief Strategist and people from the Namgung Clan present, can you imagine what kind of absurdities those guys from the Iron Sword Sect might pull?”
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Father did not return all night.
It was only when the promised time arrived that I could know where Father was.
He was at the central training ground.
“.......”
“Jin Tae-san, you stupid fool.”
At the sight of him kneeling on the cold floor, it seemed as if sparks would burst from Gang Chae-seok’s eyes.
Those who had been well-treated at the sixtieth birthday banquet were gathering at the central training ground one by one, thinking that an interesting spectacle had emerged.
“What on earth is going on?”
“They say a disciple of the Tag-eul Sect insulted the Iron Sword Sect.”
“Haha! Look at this fearless guy. How dare the Tag-eul Sect pull such stunts at the Iron Sword Sect?”
“It seems his father is apologizing. It’s quite magnanimous of the Iron Sword Sect Leader to say he will forgive him if he shows true repentance.”
The Iron Sword Sect, in order to gather even more people, had their servants deliver simple snacks and even alcohol around the training ground.
People for whom alcohol was more important than the spectacle began to rush out from the pavilions.
“.......”
As I walked toward Father, the gaze immediately turned to me.
“Is that guy the one?”
“Because of a thoughtless son, the father is going to get a beating.”
I approached, but Father did not budge an inch.
“......Go down.”
“Stand up. Why are you acting like a sinner?”
“......What father in the world could watch his son’s body being scarred?”
“No child in the world likes to see their father in such a miserable state.”
“.......”
The moment I reached out to lift Jin Tae-san up, the murmuring among the people grew louder.
Above the training ground appeared the Iron Sword Sect Leader, the Young Sect Leader Seong Ju-tak, the Murim Alliance’s Chief Strategist Jegal So-myeong, and the Namgung Clan’s Namgung Tae-won and Namgung San.
“So you are the Jin So-un of the Tag-eul Sect.”
The Iron Sword Sect Leader stared at me with disdainful eyes.
“That is correct.”
“Truly, you are a guy without even a speck of politeness. Even after seeing what kind of catastrophe your frivolous tongue has caused, you still cannot grasp the situation?”
“What warrior in the world shows courtesy to his father’s enemy?”
“What did you say?”
“I heard that something like this happened twenty years ago.”
“......What are you talking about?”
“Did you not invite the Tag-eul Sect to the Iron Sword Sect’s banquet, insult us, and then force us to draw our swords to bring us humiliation?”
“......!”
At my words, the murmuring among the people grew louder.
“What is that guy saying?”
“Now that I think about it, a long time ago......”
“Hey! Be quiet! Have you forgotten where you are right now?”
Those who had been speaking shut their mouths tightly at the sharp glares of the Iron Sword Sect disciples.
“I know you want to remove our Tag-eul Sect and enter the One Hundred and Eight Peaks, but I would like to ask if you, who have done things that even street thugs would not do, truly have the qualifications to become an ally of the Murim Alliance.”
The commotion grew even larger.
Surely, someone among them would remember the events of twenty years ago, and feel a sense of déjà vu at the two situations that were so similar.
“Th-this brat......!”
The Iron Sword Sect Leader’s beard trembled as he gauged Jegal So-myeong’s reaction.
“.......”
However, Jegal So-myeong remained still, watching the series of events without even a change in expression, and the Iron Sword Sect Leader, emboldened by that, changed his complexion.
“I do not know what you are talking about. In any case, because of what you did, your father is suffering like that.”
The back, bent low while kneeling on the ground, felt solid and huge today.
“I do not feel shame for a father’s action of worrying about his son. But I cannot hold back my nausea at your smelly, despicable behavior of trying to exploit even this father’s heart!”
“Th-that brat!”
I pointed at Seong Mo-hyeon.
“Seong Mo-hyeon! I told you I would take responsibility for my words. But why are you not appearing?”
Seong Mo-hyeon was gauging the reactions of his father and grandfather.
The situation had gone far off from their original plan.
Furthermore, with the Murim Alliance’s Chief Strategist and people from the Namgung Clan out here, he looked to be contemplating what to do.
I did not give them any more time to think.
“Seong Mo-hyeon! Your father and grandfather have set up a stage of this magnitude. Should you not be the one to put the finishing touch on this stage!”
I drew my sword and said to Father.
“Since the sword is already drawn, Father’s knees have no meaning from now on. Go down.”
Jin Tae-san raised his head for the first time.
“......Are you confident you can endure it?”
“I have already shown my resolve.”
“Then do not do anything that will make you ashamed of yourself with a moment’s pain.”
Instead of answering, I looked at Sa-ryeon.
Sa-ryeon and Gang Chae-seok came up to the training ground and supported Jin Tae-san, who could not walk, and took him down below the training ground, and at the same time, Seong Mo-hyeon came up from the opposite side.
“It must be regrettable that things did not go as intended.”
Seong Mo-hyeon’s expression was stiff.
“I do not know what you are talking about.”
“Did you really move without knowing what the adults’ intentions were? It is true that Mi-rang is superior to Hyeol-rang.”
Seong Mo-hyeon’s face flushed.
“Even if you defeat me in the duel, you will likely not achieve what you desire.”
I looked at the onlookers around.
“Furthermore, if you lose to me or if the match ends in a draw, today’s events will forever make the Iron Sword Sect ashamed.”
I had already planted doubts in people’s minds.
Those who supported the Iron Sword Sect would deny my words, but those who secretly disliked the Iron Sword Sect now had a good opportunity to criticize them.
“......Stop with the ridiculous talk.”
Seong Mo-hyeon unfolded his starting posture.
A posture that leaned forward heavily, as if to show the Iron Sword Sect’s belligerence, ready to spring out at any moment.
There was no such thing as yielding by considering the hierarchy and level of the Murim.
The duel where courtesy had vanished was left with only the name, and the momentum of each side was ready to take the other’s life at any moment.
“Haa!”
Seong Mo-hyeon moved first.
Immense power was loaded into the thick sword that reached four joints of a finger, and every time that sword swept across the surroundings, a sharp sword wind raged.
Those who had received the Iron Sword Sect’s sword even once used to say that they felt the burden as if they were receiving a giant iron mace with a thin sword.
It is a sword technique impossible to receive with the Tag-eul Sect’s light and cheerful sword.
This was what Gang Chae-seok and Father were most worried about.
‘But that is a story for when the levels are the same.’
The Small Heaven Sword Technique, which moved as my heart desired, reaching the Twelfth Stage during the Great War of Righteous and Evil.
As I began to circulate the internal energy cultivated with medicinal herbs, energy spread throughout my body.
Swoosh.
Rip.
Along with a chilling cutting sound, Seong Mo-hyeon’s face, which had been striking down with the sword, turned blue.
“Hup!”
“D-did you see that just now?”
People could not take their eyes off the hem of Seong Mo-hyeon’s clothes that had fallen to the floor.
“What on earth......”
Even though the duel had started, a silence as if there wasn't a single ant around hung over the training ground where commotion had been swirling.
I did not delay and stepped forward with the Middle-Step Footwork toward Seong Mo-hyeon.
Following the first move of the Small Heaven Sword Technique, Il-cho-pa-geom (First Move Breaking Sword), the second move I-cho-sak-geom (Second Move Cutting Sword) extended out.
Seong Mo-hyeon could not even unfold a proper defensive move and was merely dodging the sword, narrowly giving up his sword tip and the hem of his clothes.
“Is the Tag-eul Sect overwhelming them right now?”
“This is a total disgrace. After setting everything up like that.”
“Be quiet. The Sect Leader’s expression is not good.”
From the beginning, it was natural that things would not happen as they did in my previous life.
Me, who had built up desperate real combat experience while dealing with the Demon Cult’s lackeys at the very front of the battlefield, and Seong Mo-hyeon, who lived a life coated with marrow-cleansing and medicinal herbs like a flower in a greenhouse.
If his internal energy had been more overwhelming, there would definitely have been a possibility for Seong Mo-hyeon to win, but now, my internal energy also did not fall behind anyone.
“To have planned such schemes and have the result be only this. You surely won’t be able to show your face to your sect members.”
“Shut up!”
Seong Mo-hyeon, having increased the distance, prepared to give up the Rock-Breaking Sword Technique and unfold the Mountain-Breaking Sword Technique.
The Mountain-Breaking Sword Technique is the essence of the Iron Sword Sect.
He would have wanted to specify that the Iron Sword Sect was above the Tag-eul Sect by overwhelming me with the Rock-Breaking Sword Technique, but if he lost after doing that, it would become a situation where it would have been better not to have done anything at all, so it was an unavoidable choice.
‘Is it reasonable to end it like this?’
Even if it is the Mountain-Breaking Sword Technique and not the Rock-Breaking Sword Technique, the current Seong Mo-hyeon cannot defeat me.
But even if I defeat Seong Mo-hyeon right here, it does not mean I could completely block the Iron Sword Sect’s conspiracy in the future.
I just happened to have skills outside the specifications due to my two lifetimes, and the Iron Sword Sect would soon realize that.
‘Perhaps they will act even more unscrupulously.’
Boom, boom, boom.
Every time Seong Mo-hyeon’s sword was swung, a massive wave of energy moved along with the sound of wind bursting.
An extraordinary massive force that made the floor of the stone training ground tremble.
I once again shot out the Small Heaven Sword Technique to confront the Mountain-Breaking Sword Technique.
Clang. Clang-clang-clang.
My sword, which sprang back like a needle thrown at a rapidly spinning top, finally brought a smile to the corner of Seong Mo-hyeon’s mouth.
“Do you know now? This is the difference in class!”
Boom, boom, boom.
Pow-pow-pow-pow-pow!
As Seong Mo-hyeon’s even more triumphant sword swept the floor, stone fragments flew in all directions and flew even to the spectator seats.
“D-dodge!”
“What kind of power is this!”
“As expected, the Iron Sword Sect is the Iron Sword Sect.”
I did not target the weak points and reduced the amount of internal energy to deliberately make the sword not penetrate.
And every time the sword was blocked by the Mountain-Breaking Sword Technique, I stepped back, and in the end, I was driven to the edge of the training ground.
“This is the end!”
The moment Seong Mo-hyeon was about to strike down his sword.
I burrowed into his embrace, placed my left hand on him, and activated the Cheong-ryong-hwan.
“......!”
He dropped his sword to the floor as if all his strength had suddenly left him.
“Hup!?”
Seong Mo-hyeon was looking at me with eyes that could not believe it.
“Why? Did you see a ghost?”
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