Chapter 152: Sibling Showdown (1)

Two days later, Eun Wiryong came to visit the courtyard.

He immediately cupped his fists and bowed before Seojun.

“I apologize for my behavior the other day.”

“Oh, what’s with this? Did you have a change of heart?”

For someone claiming to have changed overnight, he still looked rather grim. Seems like his inner demon hadn’t gone away.

Sure enough, Eun Wiryong shook his head.

“No. My thoughts remain unchanged. Only those destined for greatness will reach their goals in the end.”

Seojun laughed bitterly.

“Then why?”

“My feelings on this matter do not excuse my behavior.”

Eun Wiryong said, looking up at the sky.

It was noon, the sun hanging at its peak.

Squinting against the light, he asked.

“…Do you truly believe it’s possible to reach it?”

“You won’t know unless you try. How can anyone tell if you’re cut out for it or not?”

“That is… true.”

He looked around, sighing deeply.

“Where is Young Expert Namgung?”

“Why do you need Myeong?”

“I should apologize, shouldn’t I? I was inexcusably rude to someone I’d barely met.”

“Surprisingly polite for a guy like you.”

“I’d appreciate it if you’d give me that much credit.”

Seojun chuckled and pointed into the distance.

“Myeong went to see his sister-in-law.”

“Sister-in-law…?”

“You know, Hwangbo Hyeji?”

“…I see.”

Eun Wiryong squeezed his eyes shut, sighing.

“What? You two don’t get along?”

“Not particularly. We simply don’t mesh well.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Eun Wiryong cupped his fists once more.

“Then I’ll be taking my leave.”

“Why not stay a bit longer?”

“No. I should act while my mind is made.”

“Suit yourself then.”

Seojun waved goodbye.

After Eun Wiryong left, Chunbong approached after playing around nearby.

“Why’d he come here? What’d he want?”

“Nothing much. Aren’t you going out to play with your friends?”

“Nah. We just greet each other when we meet.”

Surprisingly, Chunbong had made several friends at that banquet.

She wasn’t the type to be friendless by nature. Her environment just hadn’t allowed for friendships before.

“My Chunbubbie isn’t avoiding her friends just to hang out with big brother, is she?”

“As long as you know.”

“What…!”

My devoted daughter Chunbong….

His eyes became blurry from tears.

Eun Wiryong left the Namgung Clan courtyard and headed straight for the Hwangbo Clan’s residence.

Though he was going to meet Namgung Myeong, he didn’t need to knock on the door. He encountered Namgung Myeong and Hwangbo Hyeji on the way.

“Eun Wiryong…”

Hwangbo Hyeji frowned.

Ignoring her, Eun Wiryong cupped his fists toward Namgung Myeong.

“I was impolite previously, I apologize for ruining the banquet.”

“Not at all. More importantly…”

“I’ll speak separately with Young Lady Hwangbo. So, would a moment be fine?”

Eun Wiryong gestured toward Hwangbo Hyeji. Though she frowned, Namgung Myeong readily nodded.

“I’ll wait here and look around.”

“Young Expert Namgung… will you be alright?”

“Of course. I’ll explore the area, so take your time talking.”

“Thank you…”

Hwangbo Hyeji bowed with a reddened face, then glared at Eun Wiryong.

“So what is it?”

Instead of speaking, he gestured with his chin.

While frowning, she obediently followed him to a secluded area.

Once they entered an alley, Eun Wiryong suddenly spoke.

“My words were too harsh last time.”

“At least you’re aware.”

“However, my opinion hasn’t changed.”

“So you’re going to keep wasting your time like this?”

“I don’t know about that myself. As long as I’m affiliated with Diancang, completely abandoning martial arts would be difficult…”

Hwangbo Hyeji snorted.

“How privileged of you.”

“Perhaps.”

“…What’s this? Acting all enlightened after just a few days. How irritating.”

“Enlightened? I’m still as lost as ever.”

“You look it.”

Eun Wiryong squeezed his eyes shut and sighed.

“I’m overstepping, but I’ll offer one piece of advice.”

Hwangbo Hyeji gestured for him to continue.

“Don’t seek your own will in your mother’s wishes.”

“…That truly is overstepping.”

“Didn’t I say I was?”

She sighed and said.

“Do you consider yourself unhappy, Young Expert?”

“Not particularly.”

“That’s fortunate. If a young star of the Sixteen Great Sects said such things, it would truly be privileged talk.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

He continued.

“Similar to how we don’t find happiness by comparing ourselves to others, there’s no need to compare our unhappiness either. If I’m struggling, then I’m struggling. When my heart is telling me so, wouldn’t it be ridiculous to deny otherwise?”

That too is Dao.

Eun Wiryong swallowed those final words.

Speaking of Dao himself seemed foolish. It was nothing more than mimicking his master’s verbal habits.

“…You’re acting like some kind of Daoist.”

“Apologies, but I am a Daoist. From Diancang.”

“Shut up.”

She glared at him.

“So, is that all you had to say?”

“Yes. I simply wished to say my piece and feel better.”

“Unbelievable.”

Although Hwangbo Hyeji sighed in exasperation, Eun Wiryong’s chest felt somewhat lighter.

Nothing had really changed, but at least he’d prevented things from getting worse.

It’s nothing but foolishness to wallow in your misery and take out your frustrations on others.

He was at least wise enough to recognize his own foolishness.

He hoped that wisdom might guide him a bit further, but unfortunately, this seemed to be his limit.

In the end, nothing has changed.

His troubles remained just that—troubles.

Seojun spent the four-day break quite productively.

He had drinks with Woonbaek from Mount Hua and finished exploring Henan that he’d missed before.

Soon it was the last day of the holiday.

Seojun sat Namgung Suah down and passed on his expertise about reaching the Transcendent Realm quickly.

“Most of the groundwork is done. Now that you’ve found the direction you want to take your mental image, you just need to make it concrete. If you infuse that into your qi and manifest a star, it becomes reinforced qi.”

Of course, before that, she needed to break through the Gate of Life and Death to connect the Conception and Governing Vessels, but that part could be handled relatively easily with the Life and Death Breakthrough Art.

Therefore, her current focus should be on solidifying the foundation before opening those meridians.

“You won’t be able to use the Life and Death Breakthrough Art immediately, because you need to stabilize your current realm first.”

“It’ll be difficult before the Dragon Phoenix Tournament ends, right?”

“Probably. If things go quickly, maybe around the finals.”

“I see.”

Namgung Suah smiled broadly while hugging her long sword.

She was reaping the rewards of all her diligent training.

The Transcendent Realm, a level that countless martial artists could only dream of, like stars in the sky. Namgung Suah had it within her reach.

Naturally, Chunbong grew anxious.

She tugged on Seojun’s sleeve, semi-forcibly dragging him aside to whisper.

“B-By any chance, who’s stronger right now, big sis or me?”

“Let me see…?”

In terms of realm, Namgung Suah was slightly ahead.

Though Chunbong had also found her mental image’s direction, it felt somewhat unstable.

Originally, realm was a rough expression for one’s degree of qi manipulation, so the criteria weren’t quite set in stone. It varied by person and martial arts learned, so that was the end of it.

For example, while sword qi was considered the representative skill of the First Rate realm, it wasn’t rare for certain martial arts to not use sword qi at all.

It was even more difficult to compare martial prowess.

There were compatibility issues, and it could vary depending on one’s physical condition that day…

“Right now, it seems pretty neck and neck?”

“Neck and neck? I told you not to use foreign phrases!”

“…That’s not a foreign phrase, Chunbong-bong.”

“…What.”

Seojun patted her head, whose knowledge remained pure.

My Chunbong wasn’t originally like this… Has she been using her brain too little lately?

Anyway, being pure was probably good. As long as Chunbong was happy.

“You…! Don’t look at me with those eyes…!”

She was a little right.

The Round of 16 of the Dragon Phoenix Tournament began.

Rather than sitting with the elders of the Sixteen Great Sects, Seojun slipped into the waiting area for the young rising stars.

To the question of whether this was appropriate, he could answer confidently.

Who’s gonna say anything?

There was nothing wrong with abusing his power just this much. It wasn’t like he was doing anything weird.

“There, there, everyone just sit comfortably and watch.”

Seojun gestured to the nervous young disciples around him and leaned back comfortably in his chair.

Chunbong made a strange expression while watching him.

“Hey! Stop making people uncomfortable!”

“It’s boring over there. Nothing but oldies.”

“You said before that you were more comfortable with old people!”

“But my Chunbubbie is here.”

“Ugh…! My h…!”

Seojun knew this was no different from a boss crashing a company dinner.

But bosses were people too.

If he was bored, couldn’t he change seats?

Everyone was around the same age anyway.

Since all the young disciples would be equally uncomfortable, no one would be disadvantaged by being unable to rest.

“What are you doing here?”

Of course, the Abbot seemed to think differently.

Dragged out of the waiting room, Seojun returned to his original seat and propped his chin up sullenly.

“No flexibility at all. Shouldn’t Shaolin, with the compassionate heart of a Buddhist, just pretend not to see?”

Sage Heo Do of Wudang chuckled.

“Shaolin is compassionate but also strict.”

“Tch…”

Seojun clicked his tongue and waited for the upcoming match.

It wasn’t like he’d barged into the waiting room for no reason.

The match opening the Round of 16 is…

— Namgung Myeong of the Namgung Clan!

Between my little brother and big sis Suah.

— Namgung Suah of the Namgung Clan!

Who the hell made this bracket, seriously.