"Hoo…"
A sigh slipped out on its own. The story Tang Jincheon had told me was enough to make my head spin.
The Hebei Peng Clan and the Jinzhou Eon Clan. The two families had never been on good terms, not since long ago.
Of course, it wasn't that they were hostile without any reason at all — there were plenty of reasons for it.
First of all, both the Paeng Clan and the Eon Clan were families located in Hebei Province.
Hebei Province was a vast land, but not vast enough for two families of such stature to coexist.
In fact, a few generations ago, when the Eon Clan still practiced the Corpse Puppetry Arts, the Jinzhou Eon Clan had been a member of the Five Great Families.
Afterwards, when the Corpse Puppetry Arts could no longer be used alongside the various other arts, the Paeng Clan was handed the position of the Five Great Families.
Because of that, even to this day, there are frequent disputes over interests between the two families, big and small… but the martial arts of the Paeng Clan and the Eon Clan are also a problem.
The Paeng Clan is a family that rose to prominence based on their natural bone structure, outstanding External Arts, and the domineering saber techniques that bring these to life.
In the case of the Eon Clan, they are a family famous for their powerful fist techniques, which were built upon a special External Art rooted in the Corpse Puppetry Arts that they once used as their mainstay, and which reforged their very bones.
The process is different, but in the end, don't the results overlap? And since they are martial artists with strong pride, how much must they resent each other?
Furthermore, because of the Paeng Clan's straightforward and fiery temper, they detested the Eon Clan, which had a strangely sinister atmosphere, and the Eon Clan felt an inferiority complex toward the Paeng Clan, who had taken their position.
It was common knowledge in the martial world that when the two families met, a fight would break out.
But the reason I was at a loss was not because of these old, stale reasons.
The dispute between the Paeng and Eon Clans, centered on the Spiritual Medicine now unfolding before me.
That, before the regression, this conflict would end with both families' successors taking their own lives.
And that all of this was the Demonic Cult's scheme — these were the things that unsettled me.
"I had some inkling of this…"
When I interrogated the Demonic Cult masters who had ordered the attack on Tang So-wol the other day, I learned they were preparing to invade the Central Plains.
The Heavenly Demon, who had already reached the Ultimate Demon realm, that mad monster who would climb even higher with time — he must be trying to split the Central Plains' martial world apart for a more certain and overwhelming victory.
Indeed, before the regression, after half of Tang So-wol's face had melted away, the Tang Clan adopted an extremely hostile stance toward the Unorthodox Sects.
The Paeng and Eon Clans, having suddenly lost both their successors, may have stopped their immediate fighting, but the rift of resentment had deepened, and each merely watched the other's crisis unfold.
It was uncertain whether this too was the work of the Demonic Cult, but every time the Black Alliance tried to expand its influence, various incidents erupted, and in the end, it could not break out of Zhejiang Province.
The conflict among the Orthodox Sects had reached its peak, and even within the same sect, frequent quarrels broke out… and the Unorthodox Sects, despite the existence of the Black Alliance, could not unite as one.
With the Heavenly Demon charging in under such circumstances, it was only natural that they failed to respond properly and had half their forces crushed one by one.
I had recovered a certain level of martial ability, and it was around the time when the events I remembered were about to unfold, so I needed to resolve these conflicts as smoothly as possible and unite the Central Plains' martial world into one…
But in the first place, wasn't the peace of the Central Plains' martial world an ideal that even a massive organization like the Murim Alliance had failed to reach despite years of effort?
Trying to accomplish that with the strength of a single individual was enough to make anyone feel hopeless.
And so, as I let out sigh after sigh, Tang So-wol, seeing my expression, crept closer and asked.
"Why the long face, young hero?"
"It's nothing."
"If you keep sighing like that, I can't stand it. Tell me plainly before I die of frustration."
"…Actually, it's what my father-in-law told me about the Paeng and Eon clans that's been bothering me."
"Ah, I admit that bothered me a little too. It's always been the case that the two don't get along, but knowing the Demonic Cult is involved this time does worry me."
"Well, still, it seems the Demonic Cult's plan itself has been thwarted, so that part should be fine."
The elixir made from people ground up and stolen by Gwiyeong Sin-tu.
It was a way to gain a massive amount of internal energy easily and quickly, but because the True Qi of different people was mixed together, the side effects were severe, and nine times out of ten, one would fall into Qi Deviation.
Since I hadn't known of its existence before the regression, when the mid-low grade elixir made from it was released in Hebei Province, people fought each other to claim it exclusively.
Both the Paeng Clan and the Eon Clan are families with divine arts, aren't they? Since the potency had degraded, the side effects must have degraded as well, so they likely believed they could overcome them with the power of their Mental Cultivation Methods.
In reality, the elixir probably had some problem. Why would the Demonic Cult scatter elixirs among martial artists if not for some purpose?
There were many ways to set them against each other.
That should have been the case, but in this life, I and Tang So-wol kept Gwiyeong Sin-tu alive and revealed the existence of the elixir.
The Murim Alliance Leader had told Tang Jincheon about it, so wouldn't he have informed the Paeng Clan and the Eon Clan, the parties involved?
Naturally, the two clans must know how that medicine was made.
In fact, according to what Tang Jincheon told me, the reason the Paeng Clan and the Eon Clan are fighting now isn't to monopolize the elixir like before the regression.
They're snarling at each other, each claiming the other has joined hands with the Demonic Cult to bring them down.
At this point, it almost seemed like the Demonic Cult didn't matter at all—they just wanted to fight for the sake of fighting.
As I shook my head, Tang So-wol, who had been watching me, asked with a curious expression.
"Still, I'm a bit surprised."
"About what?"
"That you, young hero Cheon, are showing this much interest. I could understand if it were someone close to you, but I've never seen you care about someone else's affairs that have no connection to you."
"…Strictly speaking, it's not entirely someone else's business."
The biggest reason this matter weighed on my mind was the hope that I might be able to improve the relationship between the Paeng Clan and the Eon Clan.
I didn't expect them to reconcile completely, but wouldn't it be fine for them to at least join forces in the face of a powerful external enemy?
Of course, I couldn't tell anyone about that. If I tried to explain in detail, I'd have to reveal the fact of my regression.
So I voiced a different reason—one that was slightly different, yet genuinely true, born of real concern.
"The plan went awry, but regardless, the fact that the Demonic Cult is involved bothers me. These are the ones who once targeted you, Tang So-wol. I don't know what vain dreams they're chasing, but if their goal hasn't changed, they could come for you a second time, a third time."
"Ah… So you're saying you're worried about me?"
"…To sum it up roughly, yes."
"Heh. Heh heh heh."
Tang So-wol started laughing with a strange sound.
I stared at her, wondering what was going on, and only then did she wipe the corner of her mouth and compose her expression.
"Hm. What? What do you think, young hero Cheon? I see. Then how about we do it this way?"
"Is there actually a method?"
"It's a bit much to call it a method. But at least we'll be able to see how things stand between the Paeng Clan and the Eon Clan."
Tang So-wol shrugged her shoulders and lifted her chin with a confident expression.
And… she just kept her chin lifted.
"?"
Not understanding what she meant, I blinked, and Tang So-wol tilted her chin again as if urging me on.
With a sense of disbelief, I carefully reached out and tickled the underside of her chin with my fingertips.
After trembling once, Tang So-wol finally grinned with satisfaction and continued.
"Do you remember what I told you about how the rising talents of the Five Great Families and the Nine Great Sects and One Gang don't return home right after the Dragon Phoenix Gathering ends, but instead stay for a while to interact with one another?"
"Ah, now that you mention it, I do recall something like that."
In one place, the pillars that upheld the Orthodox Sects had gathered. Wouldn't it be a shame to simply part ways?
The adults would discuss all sorts of complicated matters at the Murim Alliance, while the rising talents would hold a separate gathering of their own to foster camaraderie.
"Surely not?"
"Yes. Since it's a gathering that takes place on the occasion of the Dragon Phoenix Gathering, it's called the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering. At some point, it became tradition for the winner to invite the others… and as it happens, an invitation letter arrived today."
Saying this, Tang So-wol snatched my hand that had been frozen under her chin, clasped it tightly with both of hers, and asked.
"Probably the sons of the Paeng and Eon clans will be there too. Since I promised to take you along last time, I thought we might go together, but…"
"Judging by the way you're trailing off, there's something you want."
"Oh, it's nothing much. You don't need to worry about it."
"Having experienced it myself, that's a rather annoying answer."
I chuckled softly and, with the hand she was holding, gently tickled Tang So-wol's palm from the inside as I continued.
"Go on, tell me. What do you want me to do?"
"It's really nothing, just… maybe to save face?"
"Ah."
It was necessary, thinking about it.
Tang So-wol had shown herself to be a martial artist at the Peak Realm at this Dragon Phoenix Gathering, but… that was only the strength she displayed excluding her poison art and bladed hidden weapons.
Naturally, compared to other rising talents at the Peak Realm, she couldn't help but seem lacking.
Especially since she had spent the past three years in seclusion, not engaging in any external activities at all.
And on top of that, I, her betrothed, had merely shown off a bit of aura and swung my sword a few times at the Dragon Phoenix Gathering before getting kidnapped by Seomun Hwa-rin.
Of course, now everyone knows that Seo-rin is Seomun Hwa-rin, a master who has reached the Harmony Realm. They know she's an opponent a rising talent couldn't possibly resist, no matter how hard they tried…
Still, it was inevitable that we'd be looked down on a little. After all, we hadn't shown anything in the first place.
I didn't really care. My martial level would be revealed soon enough anyway, and I wasn't particularly curious about what anyone thought of me.
However, Tang So-wol would be a little different.
She must have been excited, expecting the Tang Clan to finally take the Dragon Phoenix Gathering championship this time, and looking forward to showing off her betrothed to friends she hadn't seen in a long while.
But all of that came to nothing when I was kidnapped by Seomun Hwa-rin.
Even though I had told her in advance, it was closer to a unilateral notice than a request for her understanding.
Tang So-wol had granted my unreasonable request without showing a hint of displeasure, and she had also handled the various problems that arose from my absence well.
And then she even said she was grateful that I'd told her in advance this time.
…Thinking about it this way, I really am a terrible person.
No, I really was too much.
After a moment of deliberation, I steeled my resolve and nodded.
"I understand what you're saying."
"Then…!"
"Alright. I'll show them 'properly' this time."
"P-properly?"
"Yes. Didn't you ask me to save face for you? I'll make it so no one can look down on you, Tang So-wol, and so that everyone envies you."
"Hehe. Young hero Cheon? You're already amazing, so just acting normally would be more than enough, you know?"
"Don't worry. I've already lived with the Tang Clan for over three years. I've only been half-heartedly following along because I couldn't be bothered—I know the etiquette required at formal occasions well enough."
"You've just been half-heartedly following along because you couldn't be bothered?!"
I let Tang So-wol's shocked cry go in one ear and out the other, nodding along.
I said that, but simply acting politely wouldn't mean anything here.
This was a gathering of the most promising rising talents in the entire Central Plains martial world. How strong must all their pride be?
So let me mix in a bit of the Unorthodox Sects' ways. Isn't the unorthodox world one where you get bitten the moment you look weak?
When it came to projecting presence, the Orthodox Sects could never match the Unorthodox. It was a matter of survival.
And I had made quite a name for myself even in the unorthodox world, where all sorts of bluffs and posturing ran rampant.
"You can look forward to it."
"You must act ordinary! Just act completely ordinary! Do you understand?!"
Tang So-wol wore the expression of someone crushed by a calamity she had brought upon herself, but that was hardly the important thing right now.