Namgung Jong, a noble young master who looked as if he had stepped out of a painting—though he seemed a bit tired at the moment—let out a deep sigh and spoke.
"Haa… Well, there's no need to worry about the Hwangbo Clan lodging a complaint."
"I'm aware."
Hwangbo Gwang. Before the regression, he was a man whose hidden deeds had all been exposed to the Agwibu, costing him both his life and his honor.
Moreover, he neglected his training and devoted himself entirely to reckless mischief, so despite his burly appearance, he was nothing much to speak of.
At the moment he lost his life to the Agwibu in his previous life, surprisingly, Hwangbo Gwang hadn't even been a full Transcendent Peak. He was in a state like mine now—halfway there.
Being born into a prestigious clan was no different from starting several steps ahead of everyone else.
Outstanding talent, a rising martial art, no shortage of spiritual medicine, and even an environment where one could focus solely on training.
Things that others flail their entire lives to obtain even a single one of—he was born holding several, yet lost them all because he refused to put in the effort himself.
I didn't know why the Hwangbo Clan kept carrying a brat like that to the end, but he had so many sore spots that he wouldn't raise his voice over just anything.
So I waited for the moment Namgung Jong placed his hand on Hwangbo Gwang's shoulder to hold him back, and poured all my killing intent into that instant.
…I hadn't expected him to wet himself, though.
I nodded as I put a bite of the prepared food into my mouth, and a glint of surprise appeared in Namgung Jong's eyes.
"You knew?"
"I hear things, that's all."
"Hm hm. So you're saying it wasn't just a flash of anger, but that you moved with everything calculated."
Namgung Jong nodded with a satisfied expression, as if something had pleased him greatly. He was a man opposite to Hwangbo Gwang.
It was routine for him to be obsessed with the sword and swing it all day long, and far from causing trouble, tales of his good deeds occasionally came to light. When the Demonic Cult had invaded, he had been the first to step forward.
In the end, he had fallen to the Heavenly Demon's hand, but unlike Hwangbo Gwang, who had merely grazed the Transcendent Peak, he was a swordsman who had reached the complete Harmony Realm in his final moments.
There was nothing to gain from making an enemy of him, and nothing to lose from befriending him.
For my part, I was more interested in the Namgung Clan's Sword Art, but that probably wasn't the case for Tang So-wol and the Tang Clan.
And so, since we had moved to a new spot, I offered a fist-and-palm salute and formally greeted him.
"It seems my greeting is rather late. I am Cheon Hwi of the Tang Clan. And I apologize for what happened earlier."
"Think nothing of it. As I told Hwangbo Gwang, I carried no killing intent, so it was hardly a grave offense. No need to worry."
"That may be so, but there is still the matter of Hwangbo Gwang."
"That is also fine. Had the young hero drawn his sword, it would have been a far greater problem. The fact that it ended here is fortunate enough."
"…?"
His attitude was suspiciously favorable. Whatever the reason, my actions must have dampened the mood of the banquet for Namgung Jong, its host.
I narrowed my eyes and stared intently at Namgung Jong.
A face like a noble young master drawn in a painting. Yet, within those eyes, a deep, sticky ambition churned.
A blatant desire, similar to that of the Lord of the Black Alliance, yet fundamentally different in nature.
This guy, surely not…
"I withdrew due to poor health, but I watched the entire Dragon Phoenix Gathering. Everyone was remarkable, but the sparring match of young hero Geomryong stood out in my memory."
"Hahaha! To hear such words from none other than young hero Cheon Hwi is truly humbling. Though my alias is somewhat fierce, I have yet to receive the recognition of the Lord of the Black Alliance. Now I see clearly. There may have been a bit of exaggeration, but it was no idle rumor."
Namgung Jong brightened and pounced on the bait I had casually cast.
Yes. What I saw in his eyes was a blatant craving for recognition.
If the Lord of the Black Alliance was a man filled with the desire for conquest and domination, wanting to make everything in the world his own.
Namgung Jong was a man filled with the desire for recognition, wanting to be praised by everyone in the world.
I had never met anyone so blatant, but it was a type I had seen often among Unorthodox Sects martial artists, so I could recognize it immediately.
Even considering the Namgung Clan's unique family style of pursuing the highest, this was excessive… Well, no one in the world is perfect.
If a person has good character, good talent, and a good family, they're bound to have at least one flaw.
"…So? Which sparring match did you enjoy the most? The prodigy of the Sandong Akga? Or the female hero of the Diancang Sect? Ah, perhaps the Shaolin monk you faced in the finals? They were all excellent opponents, so I worry my shortcomings might have been exposed."
Even as he said that, Namgung Jong wore an expression that clearly asked for more specific praise.
I shook my head inwardly and opened my mouth.
"As the young hero Geomryong said, they were all outstanding martial artists, and it was a thrilling bout that stirred the heart… but the sparring match with the monk Wonyu of Shaolin stirred my blood even more. The Jewang Geomhyeong he displayed at the end made it clear why the Namgung Clan is called the best sword family in the world."
"Young hero, you have a talent for making me feel ashamed. The Namgung Clan may indeed be the best sword family in the world, but I still have a long way to go."
"That is precisely how much I admired it."
That was the truth. If I were to fight Namgung Jong, I would probably win… but setting that aside, the Jewang Geomhyeong was unlike any sword I had seen before.
"I have yet to see the young hero's sword, but I can tell it is no ordinary one. Might I ask which sect you belong to? The aura I feel from you does not seem to be the Tang Clan's sword art."
"I don't belong to any particular sect. I was simply fortunate enough to learn from various places, and I am building upon that foundation one step at a time. I have received much help from the Tang Clan."
"Oh? Is that so?"
I glanced to the side and saw Tang So-wol, who had paused her lively conversation with Wi Ji-suryeon to tilt her head toward me.
However, this did not last long. As our gazes continued to meet, the corner of her mouth twitched, and eventually, she sent me a wide, beaming smile.
I returned it with a small smile of my own.
After that, I continued to exchange pleasantries with Namgung Jong, building a rapport, greeted Wi Ji-suryeon as well, and shared a light word of greeting with Jin Baek of the Zhongnan Sect, who had arrived late.
Perhaps it was because those gathered here were people who walked the path of martial arts with genuine sincerity. At first, we were awkward with one another, but before long, we began discussing martial arts with great fervor.
For me, most of this was a path I had already walked, so it held little novelty, but apart from that, I could clearly sense what each clan and sect pursued, which was interesting in its own right.
Surprisingly, the most heated debate was between Wi Ji-suryeon and Jin Baek.
The Mount Hua Sect and the Zhongnan Sect share the same root in the Quanzhen Sect, and despite their close proximity, they coexist peacefully without any conflict of interest. I had assumed they simply understood each other well, but it seemed that wasn't entirely the case.
The debate was about whether to pursue an unchanging center amidst change, or to actively throw oneself into change to pursue development…
Honestly, I knew almost nothing about the Daoist side, so I couldn't even understand half of what they were saying.
Seeing Namgung Jong and Tang So-wol grasp the gist of it even without perfect understanding, I once again felt the weight of why Seomun Hwa-rin had forced me to study in my previous life.
If I had possessed even a basic knowledge of Daoist teachings, I would have gained quite a lot from this gathering.
And this naturally leads to an expansion of one's vision and perception, becoming the seed of enlightenment.
…The very fact that such thoughts were occurring to me in the first place was probably because the matter with the Black Heaven Sword Gate had been settled, bringing closure to the affairs within me.
After looking inward, it's only natural for one's gaze to turn outward.
At any rate, I was enjoying something that wasn't quite a fight, but a suitably heated discussion resembling a Sword Discourse.
Then, from a short distance away, an agitated voice rang out.
"Are you done talking?!"
"Have I said anything I shouldn't have? This is exactly why people call you ignorant."
"How dare you! I can't take it anymore! Follow me to the training ground right now!"
No, the only one shouting in excitement was the man; the woman facing him wore an expressionless face, merely curling the corners of her lips upward in a calm, mocking smile.
I looked around, wondering who had started the fight and over what.
Tang So-wol's lips moved slightly as she sent a Voice Transmission.
— Young hero Cheon. It's those two.
— What do you mean?
— Those two are the successors of the Paeng and Eon Clans that you've been looking for.
"Hm?"
The voice slipped out before I could stop it. My eyes widened at Tang So-wol's words, and I looked at the two of them once more.
Hwangbo Gwang, who had been about to cause a commotion moments ago but had only wet himself, was a large man. But the man standing there alone, venting his fury, looked a head taller than him.
A height that seemed to exceed seven cheok, perhaps even reaching eight.
That alone was impressive, but the truly frightening part was that this massive body was packed entirely with muscle.
It made me wonder if he was really the same kind of person as me.
And then there was the greatsword strapped to his back. A piece of metal that boasted a length nearly equal to that of a full-grown man.
With a build like that, wielding a greatsword like that, how many people could possibly block it?
No doubt the man was the successor of the Paeng Clan.
Meanwhile, the woman facing him with a cold expression was the complete opposite in demeanor.
Among women, she had a petite frame. She was short, and her muscles weren't particularly prominent for a martial artist.
A doll. …Or rather, the impression of a living corpse.
She carried no visible weapon, so she surely specialized in Fist and Leg techniques, yet her body was far too frail for that.
But if one were to ask if she was weak… No. At the very least, the Aura she exuded was on par with the man from the Paeng Clan.
Her skin was as pale as a corpse's, and her joints moved with a strange stiffness, but the energy radiating from her entire body was unmistakably gwigi.
I knew it well, because it was the same energy Seol Ri-hyang had wielded before the regression.
Unlike the Yin-Cold True Energy, which was powerful in its own right, gwigi wasn't particularly formidable. Instead, it had the ability to weaken those it touched.
Those who came into contact with gwigi would slowly develop cracks in their minds. Hesitation would amplify, fear would devour reason, and in the end, they would be reduced to nothing more than trembling bodies.
In fact, there were many sorceries that made use of it. Causing hallucinations, making one lose their sense of direction, or knocking them unconscious for a short time.
These were techniques that Seol Ri-hyang and certain martial artists who dealt with gwigi had frequently used in her previous life.
Of course, this wasn't a universal solution. Against those who had firmly steeled themselves and honed their will to a razor's edge, its effectiveness would be halved.
Moreover, abilities that were practically sorcery would be shunned by the Orthodox Sects.
If the Eon Clan hadn't built up trust over such a long period of time, it would have been difficult for them to remain among the Orthodox Sects.
But despite all these issues, the advantage of gnawing at Simnyeok rather than internal energy was undeniable.
A poison that devoured the mind instead of the body. If one was wrapped in that much gwigi, no matter how powerful their physical body was, it would be hard for them to easily gain the upper hand.
I had been gauging the two of them as they began to reveal their Aura in earnest, but only for a moment. If those two were the successors of the Paeng and Eon Clans, then didn't that mean they would be joining us later?
I had heard that the two lovers, despairing over the hostile relationship between their families, had taken their own lives together…
I narrowed my eyes and drew up even more internal energy, expanding my Qi Sense.
The world became clearer to my senses. Within it, the two of them, acting as if they might fight at any moment… were constantly exchanging quiet hand signals and Voice Transmissions.
"Hah."
They really do live exhausting lives.