Chapter 909: So in the end.

Around the time morning turned to noon, I asked Cheonma, who had shown up late.

“A walk.”

I pursed my lips at the simple answer.

“You went for a walk all day?”

“Yep.”

“So, how far did you go?”

“Nearby.”

“Your answers are really something else.”

It’s gotten to the point where it would be better if you just said you didn’t want to answer.

I felt like sighing, but I managed to hold back.

‘It doesn’t matter anyway.’

It’s none of my business where this guy went, or even if he disappeared completely.

Yeah, it would be better if he just disappeared, so it was strange to bother caring.

“Tsk.”

I clicked my tongue briefly and moved.

As I moved, Cheonma quietly followed. I considered telling her to get lost, but decided to try and ignore her.

As I moved, I looked up at the sky.

The crimson sky was still strange. Also.

‘Hmm….’

I was judging it was noon by the sun’s position. But something felt off.

‘Time is weird.’

Subjectively, noon should have passed long ago, and the sun should already be setting, but the sun was still bright.

‘Am I mistaken?’

I wondered if I just felt like time was flowing slowly, but somehow, I didn’t think that was it.

‘This place’s day is different from Zhongyuan.’

That would be the correct way to see it.

I wondered how that could be… In the first place.

‘Time itself is already different, so what’s the point of worrying about it?’

It was pointless to question things one by one when the situation I was in was already messed up.

-Hap!

-Hap-hap!

The shouts I’d heard since morning were still going on.

It meant their enthusiasm hadn’t died down even after this much time had passed.

Glancing at them, I continued walking.

‘Are they martial artists?’

These people wielding wooden swords and exuding intense energy. Though their appearances were all different, their forms were those of martial artists.

Beings from another world.

Yet they were using Zhongyuan martial arts.

That strange sense of incongruity was indescribable.

Is it a matter of prejudice? Or…

‘Is there something I can’t accept?’

I scratched my neck.

An incomprehensible emotion brushed past me. As I tried to quicken my pace, pushing the thoughts aside.

“Nice to meet you.”

Someone appeared in front of me and blocked my path.

I wasn’t particularly flustered. After all, I knew they were watching me.

“Yes.”

I answered curtly, but the woman didn’t drop her smile.

My gaze naturally drifted to her ears.

She was like Gu-bong. Indeed, she was a person with beastly ears and a tail.

The difference being, he was canine, like a wolf or dog, while she seemed closer to a cat.

Observing that, I asked.

“Who are you?”

“I am Seol-yeong, the first disciple in charge of training the current third-generation disciples.”

Another first disciple?

I narrowed my eyes without realizing it. It was because of the incident with Gu-bong last time… or rather, the fact that I beat him up.

Seol-yeong, seeing that, quickly waved her hands.

“Ah, I’m different from that idiot Gu-bong, so you don’t need to worry.”

Seol-yeong spoke as if explaining, perhaps having heard something.

“My junior disciple was always quite jealous and a bit dense. I knew that guy would cause trouble, you know?”

Seeing her nod repeatedly as if in agreement, I almost laughed.

Her attitude suggested she’d been burned many times before.

“There are ways to act out… but if he ends up like that, I have to handle all the remaining work.”

“Should I apologize?”

“Ah, I wasn’t saying anything to you, esteemed guest. I just find that guy frustrating. I sometimes wonder if he really has to live like that.”

Her expression was full of frustration, as if she meant it sincerely.

Seeing that, it didn’t seem like she had come to pick a fight with me.

“So. If you didn’t come to pick a fight, what is your business with me?”

If she didn’t come to start trouble, she wouldn’t have appeared just to complain. So, what’s her purpose?

As I asked, wanting to get to the point quickly, Seol-yeong’s eyes widened slightly.

“I heard about you. It’s certainly true.”

“Heard what?”

“Dodo-ssi said you resemble the Sect Leader.”

“…Who is that damn human?”

Which bastard said something so rude so casually?

I need to catch him right now and break his limbs.

“Uh… He’s the one guarding the gate. Don’t you remember?”

“Ah.”

Is she talking about that short old man? I remembered his appearance.

So that guy’s name was Dodo-ssi.

‘Just you wait next time.’

I had no intention of letting it slide.

“Haha…”

Seol-yeong chuckled awkwardly, perhaps realizing something was wrong with my reaction.

Looking at her, I frowned.

I couldn’t possibly relax my expression after hearing what she just said.

“So, what’s your business?”

My tone naturally lost its politeness.

It was already lacking, but what little was there vanished.

“No… well. It’s nothing major… but I heard you lightly defeated junior disciple Gu-bong.”

“Yes. Why? Do you want me to fight you too?”

“Huh? No? I don’t really like getting hit.”

“…”

What do you mean ‘I’?

Did that Gu-bong guy actually like getting hit?

It was information I didn’t particularly want to know.

“Then what…”

“Ah. Well, it’s just that…”

Seol-yeong carefully began to speak.

“We were training our disciples, you see… How should I put it? I wanted to give them some kind of different experience.”

“And?”

“Since they only train here every day, they lack diverse experiences… If possible, I’d like you, esteemed guest, to show the children a fresh perspective…”

Hearing that much, I understood what she wanted from me.

So, in the end.

“You want me to be a spectacle in front of your disciples?”

“Less of a spectacle and more like a martial arts demonstration…?”

“No.”

I immediately walked past Seol-yeong.

I’m busy as hell already, why is she saying something so pointless?

“Ah-! Wait a moment!”

Seol-yeong followed right behind.

“Still, for the sake of these budding talents, couldn’t you do it just once?”

“No. Not even once.”

“No, but still… If you, esteemed guest, could show some broad generosity…”

“My generosity isn’t broad. It’s narrow, and very narrow.”

“Aww-! That’s narrow only because you think it’s narrow. If you wanted to broaden it, you could, you know.”

“…”

I stopped walking and looked at Seol-yeong.

“Guh.”

Seol-yeong flinched upon seeing my face.

My expression was probably full of annoyance.

“Why do you keep bothering me? I said no.”

“Hahaha…”

“Do I look easy to you? I’m not someone who gets told they have a gentle personality wherever I go.”

“Yes. You do look that way.”

“What?”

“J-just kidding. Hahaha…”

What is this crazy person?

This is a personality I’ve rarely encountered.

After this much interaction, she should have given up, but she’s quite persistent.

Ah, what should I do?

‘Should I beat her?’

Should I just beat her and send her away?

Such thoughts crossed my mind.

“I don’t like getting hit.”

Seol-yeong said it as if she’d read my mind.

“…Can you read minds too?”

“No, it was just a hunch… Was I right?”

“You’re quite perceptive.”

“Thanks for the compliment. I hear that often.”

“But then, if you keep acting like this, you must know how I’ll react, right?”

“…”

Seol-yeong subtly took a step back.

As expected, she seemed perceptive, just as she said.

Still, it didn’t look like she’d back down easily.

Since I couldn’t exactly beat her up and send her away, I finally sighed and chose another method.

“Even if it’s a request, I can’t just agree without permission. At least get approval.”

“Approval?”

“Yes. If you get the okay from the old man you call Sect Leader, I might…”

“Ah, I already got that.”

“…What?”

I frowned.

What did you say?

“You got it?”

“Yes. Of course, I asked the Sect Leader first.”

“…What did that crazy old man say?”

“He said to do as I pleased.”

“…”

I naturally pressed my fingers to my brow.

Is he really a crazy person?

He was acting all busy, saying he’d be back in a moment, but…

When did he grant permission for this?

Suspicious, I said to Seol-yeong.

“…Isn’t that a lie?”

Maybe she’s just saying it casually to persuade me.

I asked, but.

“Ah, he did say you’d probably say that.”

“…”

“He told me to answer like this, though.”

“…What?”

“Since you’re just sleeping, shitting, and stuffing your face here anyway, just do the work without complaining, you damn brat.”

“…”

“That’s what he said… he’d say…”

Seol-yeong gave an awkward smile, perhaps thinking her words were a bit strong.

‘…Damn it.’

It was undeniably the old man’s words.

“Haaaa…”

A sigh escaped me.

I already have mountains of things to worry about.

I’m busy trying to find a way back to Zhongyuan, and suddenly what? Help train disciples?

‘Are you crazy?’

He told me to stay put and not go anywhere, then he slips away himself.

And he makes me do this kind of thing?

“…This old man, really.”

I felt a surge of anger.

I briefly considered just carrying him off.

As I was thinking that for a moment.

“Ah.”

A thought flashed through my mind.

“Esteemed guest?”

“Let’s go.”

“Huh?”

“Let’s go. We’re doing it.”

“S-suddenly?”

“Yep.”

Seol-yeong looked flustered seeing me suddenly agree after constantly refusing.

However, I was serious.

I even started smiling slightly with amusement, causing Seol-yeong’s eyes to twitch minutely.

“This sounds fun. Let’s give it a try.”

“…Wh-what?”

Seol-yeong’s reaction was getting stranger, but I was serious.

‘You’re dead.’

How dare they make me do this?

The growing heat enveloped my body.

As I had told Seol-yeong earlier.

‘I’ll make you regret this.’

My generosity was extremely narrow and, moreover, petty.

---

I followed Seol-yeong.

We arrived at the place where shouts had echoed from morning till evening.

“Instructor!”

As soon as Seol-yeong appeared, those inside swinging wooden swords stopped momentarily and approached us with bright faces.

“Have you all eaten lunch?”

“Yes!”

It was a resounding shout.

The ages of those visible were all different.

Some looked to be in their early teens, while others seemed just past their twenties.

Seol-yeong smiled as she looked at them, then shifted her gaze towards me.

“Everyone, greet him. He is the esteemed guest brought by the Sect Leader.”

“Greetings!”

The clothes they wore were martial arts uniforms, similar to those I’d seen at the Mount Hua Sect in Zhongyuan.

‘Did they make them based on that?’

It seemed like something the old man had created from his unfaded memories.

How on earth could he have implemented something like that?

‘…He must have lived those hundred-plus years quite fully.’

I was slightly worried.

But it seemed there was no need to be.

I looked at the third-generation disciples one by one and said to Seol-yeong.

“Uh. Seol… Miss Seol?”

As I hesitated on what to call her before speaking, Seol-yeong chuckled slightly.

“You can just call me Seol-yeong. You were also referred to as the Sect Leader’s guest.”

“Alright, Seol-yeong.”

“No, I didn’t mean for you to drop formalities completely…”

“Your instructor asked me to show them something. He said it would be helpful for training.”

I lightly ignored Seol-yeong’s words and moved forward.

As I spoke, I glanced back.

I tried to see where Cheonma had gone.

She had somehow ended up crouching under the shade of a nearby tree.

Confirming that, I looked back at the disciples.

And then.

Hwarururuk.

I wrapped blue flames around my hand.

“Wow…”

“Oh…”

Starting from my hand, I calmly enveloped my body in flames.

As the embers spread throughout my body, their reactions became clearer.

“Whoa…”

It was the same for Seol-yeong. She was also looking at my flames as if they were fascinating.

Their gazes suggested they had never seen anything like this before.

From my perspective, their appearances were far more peculiar.

Observing their reactions, I chuckled and spoke.

“The kind of things I can show you are like this.”

If I had to say, I could make it much more spectacular, but I didn’t mention that.

Ttuk.

The flames disappeared momentarily.

Then, the eyes of those watching filled with disappointment.

They seemed to want to see more, but I thought to myself.

‘Don’t worry, I’ll show you plenty.’

With the hand that had extinguished the flames, I lightly tapped my chest as if brushing off dust.

It was to briefly draw their attention for my next words.

“Rather than things like this, I think it would be better to do something more efficient.”

“Something efficient?”

I smiled and replied to Seol-yeong’s question.

“Yes. If it’s training, wouldn’t it be better to let them experience it firsthand rather than just showing them…?”

“Yes…? What do you mean by that…?”

“Shall we have some sparring matches?”

“Esteemed guest, that…”

Just as Seol-yeong reacted in panic.

“Ha…”

A scoffing sound came from somewhere.

I turned my head to see an unusually large guy among the group.

As our eyes met, he had a look of displeasure.

Good.

‘As expected.’

Yes, no matter how different the world is, there’s always someone like that, and I was hoping for someone like that.

Looking at him, I asked.

“Why are you laughing?”

As I pointed him out, he faltered for a moment, seemingly taken aback.

However, perhaps due to his pride, he soon pushed through the crowd and walked out.

As he approached, his physique felt even larger.

His height surpassed even Father’s or First Elder’s.

He’s almost like a bear… Is he a bear?

‘Come to think of it, his ears….’

They bore a striking resemblance to a bear’s.

“Whoa-! Senior Disciple…!”

“There he goes again…!”

As soon as he stepped out, sighs of exasperation came from the third-generation disciples.

Judging by their reactions, he seemed like a hot-tempered fellow.

But.

“I apologize.”

The guy who walked out suddenly offered me an apology.

Was it a failure? Just as I was about to feel a bit disappointed.

“Even though you are an esteemed guest, your words were questionable.”

It wasn’t a relief.

“Questionable? What was?”

“Because you don’t seem to possess the qualifications for sparring.”

“Oh.”

I was impressed.

This bastard actually said it to my face.

“Do-ung! You…!”

Seol-yeong tried to intervene urgently.

I blocked her with my hand.

Judging by the feel of it.

‘Except for a few of them, they don’t know I pulverized that Gu-bong guy.’

I suspected as much, and it seemed true.

If they knew, they wouldn’t have reacted like that, at least.

Smiling broadly, I asked the guy called Do-ung.

“Qualifications? You don’t think I have them?”

“To think you have them…”

His gaze scanned me up and down.

“I don’t find it very convincing.”

“Hmm.”

I’ve been told my face is a bit (?) fierce, but compared to that, I’m treated as looking younger.

Even setting that aside, I am young in the first place.

So I sometimes get treated like this, and every time, it feels fresh and amusing.

‘Although I did intentionally conceal my aura.’

But that’s something the opponent wouldn’t know, so let’s move past it.

“So. You mean I look too weak to teach, right?”

“It’s not quite like that, but…”

“Just don’t show off and stick to breathing fire. That’s what you mean, right?”

“I, I didn’t say it quite like that…”

“Fine. Qualifications, I like that.”

I lightly stretched my wrist.

The ‘udeuk’ sound echoed unusually loudly.

“Esteemed guest… just a moment…”

As the situation took a strange turn, she hurried towards me.

I looked at her and said.

“The Sect Leader gave permission, right? He told me to earn my keep. I’m doing it because of that, so just stay quiet.”

“But…”

“Don’t worry. Nothing will happen.”

“…”

Seol-yeong swallowed nervously at my words and stepped back.

“Qualifications. How should I show them…”

I pondered for a moment and then said to the guy named Do-ung.

“Alright. Shall we make a bet?”

“…A bet?”

“If you fight me and even brush against my collar once… I’ll pester the Sect Leader here and get you one thing you desire.”

“…!”

Do-ung’s eyes widened.

As soon as I mentioned the old man, everyone’s gaze changed.

It seemed the old man’s standing was better than I expected.

“How about it?”

“…Can you really do that?”

“Come on. Why are you already thinking about that?”

I waved my hand nonchalantly.

“That’s something to worry about when you actually touch me. It won’t happen anyway.”

“…!”

It was a jab at his pride, and his expression crumpled.

Seeing that face, I asked.

“Are you going to do it?”

In response to my question, he clasped his fists instead of answering.

“The third-generation disciple of Mount Hua, Do-ung.”

The swaggering demeanor from moments ago vanished, replaced by proper etiquette.

I looked at it strangely.

I could feel the old man’s conviction in that attitude.

“Gu Yangcheon of Shanxi.”

So, for this part, I matched him.

Once the fist clasp ended, Do-ung immediately placed his hand on his sword.

“Do not regret this.”

At Do-ung’s action, the third-generation disciples instantly moved far away.

I remained still and observed his body.

Solid muscles.

The muscles reacted the moment he took his stance.

Especially his lower body was so firm that, judging solely by muscle quality, it was comparable to Dang-deok’s.

‘The level of the third-generation disciples is too high?’

The third-generation disciples in Zhongyuan were at best second-rate, or at most first-rate.

Even when I first saw them, except for Yeong-pung, they were all mediocre.

‘These guys are drastically different.’

It was the same with Gu-bong whom I met yesterday; this place feels stronger than Zhongyuan.

This is…

‘Is it the difference in the old man’s teachings? Or….’

Is it simply because they aren’t human?

Recalling that, I loosened my fingers.

“Take a proper stance.”

Do-ung said, looking at me.

Seeing that, I smiled.

“If necessary.”

“…”

At my words, Do-ung’s thick eyebrows twitched roughly.

Seeing that, I spoke preemptively before the start.

“Ah, just in case.”

Do-ung paused briefly.

“Yesterday, someone got cocky and acted out of line, and got beaten by me. So, fight seriously. Assess the situation carefully.”

“…”

He just frowned upon hearing my words and didn’t reply.

He merely tightened his grip on the hilt.

Seeing that, I glanced towards Seol-yeong.

As if sensing what I wanted, Seol-yeong urgently called out.

“Ah…! S-sparring.”

Her hand went up.

“Begin.”

Her slender fingertips pointed towards the ground.

Kkuuk.

And so.

Cheol-geok-!

Just as the sword was about to be drawn from its scabbard.

Kwak.

“…Huh?”

For some reason, the blade couldn’t emerge into the world.

It wouldn’t move, as if caught on something.

What is it? Do-ung looked greatly bewildered.

“I told you.”

“…!”

He quickly lifted his head.

My body, which had been far away, had already arrived in front of him.

I pressed down firmly on the end of his sword hilt with my hand to prevent him from drawing it.

Just like that.

“Anyway.”

Kwak-!

“Keok!?”

Pressing his knee joint, I forced his upper body down.

“I told you there was no need to worry??”

I drove my fist straight into his collapsing face.

Kwang-!!

“Keok.”

With a short sound, his massive body collapsed onto the floor.

Kung.

As he fell powerlessly to the ground, I moved aside.

Amidst the rising dust.

The sparring match ended just like that.

“…”

“…Huh…?”

Those watching wore blank expressions.

They didn’t even seem to comprehend what had just happened.

An uncomfortable silence persisted.

Then, amidst that.

“…”

Seol-yeong looked at me with an expression of shock.

-You said nothing would happen.

Her wide eyes were filled with the meaning of ‘I’m screwed.’

Seeing Seol-yeong’s face like that, I answered with my expression too.

-Did you believe that?

“…No!”

“Now.”

Ignoring Seol-yeong’s attempt to retort, I looked at the other third-generation disciples and said.

“Next.”

Naturally, no one stepped forward.

Ah, of course.

I wasn’t the type to just stand by if no one came forward.