Chapter 21
The first one to welcome the visitor was Hong Sa-ryeon.
After finishing the Buseng Hall class, she discovered the visitor while on her way to personal training.
He was wearing a luxurious sword at his waist, his clothes were far more luxurious than the clothes Sa-ryeon possessed, and his handsome face and tall stature seemed extraordinary.
The bold air of not feeling unfamiliar despite entering an unfamiliar place made one feel he was an extraordinary existence.
Above all, it was a face she felt she had seen somewhere, but she could not remember at all.
“What business brings you here?”
“I am looking for a person. Is there perhaps a person named Young Master Jin So-un here?”
At the unexpected words coming from the noble young master’s mouth, Sa-ryeon’s eyes narrowed.
It was clearly a face that looked four or five years older than So-un, so it was a question of when he had made such an acquaintance without her knowing.
“What is the matter regarding?”
“I came to meet him on a personal matter.”
“Senior Brother Jin has not been coming in for several days already. It seems you will have to come back next time.”
“Hmm…….”
Despite her indirectly giving a dismissal order due to the rudeness of not introducing himself, the noble young master did not budge.
“Then may I wait here?”
“……What are you doing right now? The Taeeul Sect is not an inn.”
Only then did the noble young master look like he realized his mistake.
“Ah, I made a mistake. I will greet the Sect Leader first and receive permission. Will you guide me to the Sect Leader?”
“Look here!”
Eventually, the moment Sa-ryeon’s patience ran out and she shouted quack.
The noble young master smiled at the corners of his mouth and spoke.
“I am called Namgung San of the Namgung Clan.”
“New Era Divine Dragon?”
Only then did Sa-ryeon remember that he was together at the place where the Iron Sword Sect suffered humiliation.
“That is correct. That is exactly me.”
***
The Taeeul Sect was a little excited due to the existence of Namgung San.
Gye Cheol-yeong was coming and going until the door of the annex wore out, and Hall Masters of other halls also dropped by the annex subtly to build friendship.
The commotion was especially loud among the young disciples.
A rising master heard only through rumors of the Jianghu. And since someone famous as a handsome gentleman was staying at the Taeeul Sect, it was simply hard to endure.
“Master Namgung San is so cool.”
“How good would it be if I was also born in a place like the Namgung Clan.”
“If only I could learn the Namgung Clan’s Blue Sky Limitless Sword Technique at the very least. I heard they select disciples strictly there too?”
Anyway, I had no idea regarding the reason he dared to come find me.
There is no way he is related to Namgung Sang-won.
From the start, Namgung Sang-won’s goal is to suppress the direct lineage of the Namgung Clan so the branch family becomes the owner of the clan.
He is practically a mortal enemy with Namgung San, who is practically the next owner of the Namgung Clan.
Then did he come to praise me for what I did?
The timing is too early.
Even if he knew about that matter, would the Great Namgung Clan send their one and only legitimate son to meet a mere warrior of the Taeeul Sect? And the New Era Divine Dragon, called the greatest talent of Anhui Province at that?
No reason makes sense.
Namgung San coming to visit is something that did not happen in my past life.
That something absent in the past life happens in the current life means something is needed to fill that gap.
‘Something that existed in the past life, but does not exist in the current life…… or the opposite.’
At the end of that thought, there was something I could guess.
“……Was it that?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Nothing.”
“When on earth did you build a friendship with the Namgung Clan? Do you go around meeting people every day while going out?”
“It is not like that.”
“Anyway, go quickly. Because he has been staying for a week already, everyone in the Taeeul Sect is feeling uncomfortable.”
“Understood.”
“That is the Great Wise Hall. The guest is staying in the annex.”
“I will greet the Sect Leader first before going. You convey the news to that person that I have arrived.”
“No, I told you he waited for a week!”
“Waiting is that person’s mind; since there was no appointment, I can also do as I scheduled.”
“No! What on earth……! And, since when did you greet the Sect Leader so regularly!”
“……I originally did it well. You just go and convey the news.”
Sa-ryeon grumbled, ‘If you’re going later anyway, why tell me to convey the news……’ and headed to the annex.
As I entered the Great Wise Hall, Father and Hong Mun-gi were just discussing matters within the sect.
“Sect Leader. Disciple Jin So-un has returned from outing.”
At my greeting, both Father and Hong Mun-gi could not hide their surprised eyes.
Seeing them surprised to that extent, it became true that I didn’t greet them well usually, just as Sa-ryeon said.
“Right, did you have a good trip?”
Hong Mun-gi, who recovered his expression first, smiled benevolently and accepted the greeting.
On the other hand, Jin Tae-san still couldn’t hide his surprised eyes.
“Whatever, what happened? For you to come to greet the Sect Leader.”
“Father, if you speak like that, it is spitting on your own face.”
“This rotten…….”
Hong Mun-gi smiled elegantly, unlike the boisterous Sa-ryeon.
“There is a guest for you in the annex. Did you hear?”
“Yes. I heard.”
“Right, then go see him.”
“That guest is a guest I have no appointment with. First, since I have a few things to tell you, I will sit for a moment.”
This time, Hong Mun-gi also couldn’t wipe off the surprised expression like Jin Tae-san.
“Uh, can you not give me a cup of tea?”
“You intend to go even after drinking tea? You rascal, Namgung San is waiting.”
“Father, what is the Namgung Clan that I have to go meet him without even being able to report to the Sect Leader? Looking at it, Father seems like a person of the Namgung Clan, not the Taeeul Sect.”
“You, you…… rotten!”
“Huhu, Tae-san, I am sorry but could you prepare tea? It would be enjoyable to drink tea with So-un after a long time.”
“Haa.”
Jin Tae-san prepared tea with a practiced appearance, and steaming tea was placed in front of me soon.
I cut out the unnecessary parts front and back and reported the story of saving Wang So-so.
“……Hoho, so you thought the child was kidnapped, chased them, and saved her.”
“Yes, however, in the midst of saving her, it seemed the child had an illness, so I transmitted the Taeeul Heart Method. I apologize for not receiving permission.”
“It is fine. Martial arts are originally for benefiting people. If it was something that could be saved with basic martial arts, you did what you had to do sufficiently.”
Hong Mun-gi and Father roughly understood it as saving a woman from human traffickers, but the reason I spoke like this was to prevent misunderstanding if Wang Geum-san came to visit later.
“By the way, why did the Young Master San of the Namgung Clan come to find you? I suffered a headache treating him three meals a day while he occupied the best room in the Taeeul Sect for a week.”
“Well. Wouldn’t he have come to learn a move?”
“What?”
Father’s face, crumpled like a sheet of paper, is enjoyable whenever I see it.
“Am I not the person who defeated Seong Mo-hyeon of the Iron Sword Sect in my own way? Since I even took the Nine-Fold Sword there, wouldn’t the Eldest Young Master of the Great Namgung Clan also want to learn a move?”
“Eit! Rotten rascal. If you’re going to talk nonsense, get out!”
“Yes, Sect Leader. This disciple will stop now and go to welcome the guest.”
***
Namgung San felt a strange emotion.
Even though he hadn’t seen the opponent or talked to him, he felt an emotion of anger.
The stranger point was that the emotion rose suddenly.
He didn’t feel anger when he knew of his absence.
Because he hadn’t made an appointment with him.
Although he spent seven days in a shabby accommodation and ate meager meals, he didn’t feel anger.
Because it was he who said he would wait. Because he couldn’t complain that the Taeeul Sect’s level of receiving guests was only this much.
However, the moment he heard the story that Jin So-un returned to the Taeeul Sect.
Anger soared from deep within his chest.
Since this experience was the first time in his life, it was a bewildering situation for him as well.
“What kind of person is Young Master Jin So-un?”
The girl who was fidgeting while conveying the story from the side.
Although she couldn’t be compared to him, she was a girl who carried the burden of having to continue the sect’s future, so she was a child he had a little interest in.
“Senior Brother? Well. He is such an unpredictable human.”
The girl, who was frowning and talking about something she disliked, gradually became excited in face as the story progressed.
“Well, he does do a lot of unpredictable actions, but it doesn’t seem like he’s trying to do whatever he wants. Anyway, he cherishes the Junior Brothers and Sisters of the sect a lot. He has no manners, but he takes care of the elders terribly well. While he doesn’t even greet properly himself, if others say ignoring words, he rolls his eyes back and attacks.”
“It seems your Senior Brother is reliable.”
“Pardon? What are you saying. I told you just a moment ago.”
“Is that so?”
The girl whose name was unknown stuck out her tongue bleh and made a face as if chewing bile.
“I heard you looked for me.”
A young man entering the annex.
A common Blue Steel Sword tied at the waist. Martial arts robes that looked old but cleanly laundered. An appearance where nothing looked special, even up to the long hair tied up neatly.
‘It is strange.’
However, Namgung San’s emotion watching that appearance boiled like heated iron.
“Are you Jin So-un?”
“Did you come to find me without knowing me?”
The nameless girl who kept him company looked at Jin So-un and Namgung San’s faces alternately, trying to understand what the situation was.
“Because I have only heard stories conveyed about you.”
“That day…… Were you not at that place?”
“That day?”
“Iron Sword Sect.”
Come to think of it, at the place where the Iron Sword Sect had the Nine-Fold Sword taken away, he felt like he had seen that child and this nameless girl.
“Ah! I see. Come to think of it, you were together at that place.”
“……Do you have a problem with your memory?”
How to say it, does the existence called Jin So-un itself draw out repulsion from deep within the heart?
Even at words that seemed to be spat out without meaning, a turbulence of emotions arose.
“No. It is just that I tend not to give my gaze to things I have absolutely no interest in.”
“……But why did you come to find me?”
From where should I speak?
From the fact that the item Jin So-un has was mine? Or from the fact that Jin So-un intercepted it in the middle.
Namgung San turned his head and spoke to the nameless girl.
“You, vacate the seat for a bit.”
“Ah…… Yes. Understood.”
“What did you say just now?”
Jin So-un furrows his brow deeply.
For a moment, Namgung San felt an emotion of ‘Did I do something wrong?’.
However, there was nothing wrong.
“I asked you to vacate the seat because the story I have to discuss with him is important.”
“‘Vacate the seat’ is an order. Not a request.”
“……Uh, uh. S-Senior Brother. What’s wrong. I am fine. Please talk. I will stop and go now.”
The nameless girl leaves the seat rather flustered.
The person called Jin So-un was staring blankly at the girl’s back.
“What did I do wrong?”
“Does the New Era Divine Dragon not even know the difference between ‘Vacate the seat’ and ‘Could you vacate the seat’?”
“…….”
Only then could Namgung San know the cause of all this unpleasantness, anger, annoyance, and rage.
“You…… are quite arrogant.”
Emotions felt from everyone existing in the Taeeul Sect.
Worship, awe, fear, respect, reverence, praise.
He couldn’t find even a speck of such things from Jin So-un.
Rather, he was exuding emotions Namgung San had never felt in his life, such as contempt, scorn, disdain, and insult.
“It is strange. When did the Namgung Clan become the Emperor’s family?”
“…….”
Namgung San decided to stop.
It was because he thought he might get angry if he talked with Jin So-un any longer.
“You probably don’t know why I suddenly visited and am looking for you, right?”
Somehow, Jin So-un’s feelings were also understandable.
There are people like that. Those who show hostility when they meet a huge opponent because of their insignificant presence.
Those who fear even more because they know nothing.
Being considerate of such people was also a virtue of the strong.
“The reason I came is…….”
“Isn’t it because of the Entrance Pass?”
“!!!”
This guy, did he know from the beginning?
***
What reason would there be for Namgung San, who had no interest in the Taeeul Sect at the Iron Sword Sect, to visit the Taeeul Sect.
Since most of the elixirs and manuals I obtained were things no one knew about, eventually, if I had to pick something someone knew among the things I obtained, there were only the Steel Body Protection Pill and the Entrance Pass.
The legitimate son of the Namgung Clan wouldn’t have come because he lacked the Steel Body Protection Pill, so it means it’s the Entrance Pass.
His attitude is quite brazen.
Clearly, he must be the one who came to ask, but there is none of that.
Just the appearance of firmly thinking I would give it if he asked for it.
“That was originally mine.”
Even the way he speaks is the natural tone of telling someone to pay back borrowed money.
Since I had no intention of giving it anyway, I can’t help my gut twisting even more since he acts like this.
“The Chief Strategist said no such words.”
“It was an item I requested from the start, and that is why it came into your hands.”
If the Chief Strategist had made a definite promise to Namgung San, there would be no reason for Namgung San to come to me and ask to return the Entrance Pass.
Because the Chief Strategist could just make one more and give it.
Eventually, the Chief Strategist, who intended to give the Entrance Pass to Namgung San, thought it wouldn’t matter much if he gave that Entrance Pass to me.
The conclusion is that the Entrance Pass is not Namgung San’s.
“It is strange. If it was so certainly the Great Hero’s item, why did the Chief Strategist give it to me? I think this matter should be taken up with the Chief Strategist, not a problem to take up with me? Perhaps, is it that the Chief Strategist is burdensome to deal with and the Taeeul Sect is easy, so you came here like this.”
Namgung San let out a long sigh.
“You have a talent for offending the opponent’s mood.”
“Since my words do not deviate from reason, if your mood was offended, that would be the Great Hero’s problem.”
“Of course, I am not saying just return it.”
“…….”
“I came prepared to pay a sufficient price. This is a gem called the Seven-Colored Jewel. It is a precious treasure that can buy at least one ninety-nine kan mansion. I will give this.”
A gem emitting seven colors was shining brilliantly on Namgung San’s palm.
In my memory, it was a treasure valuable enough to buy three ninety-nine kan mansions.
“That I came in the name of the clan and did not make it public is all for the sake of the Taeeul Sect and you. If the Jianghu people knew that you coveted the Namgung Clan’s belonging, how would they view you, and also how would they view your sect, the Taeeul Sect.”
As he said, if he makes it public, the matter will grow big.
And the Namgung Clan’s story will spread more powerfully and tighten around the Taeeul Sect.
Furthermore, since he didn’t ask for it for free and said he would give the Seven-Colored Jewel, it was a situation where thanking him wouldn’t be enough.
“Don’t bullshit me.”
“……What?”
While trying to express gratitude, my inner thoughts slipped out.
“Well, try whatever you want.”
“Do you think…… I cannot do it?”
“The Taeeul Sect is not that small of a sect. You are underestimating me too much, who has my name listed there.”
“……You want things to blow up big. Can you handle the Namgung Clan?”
“Even if I cannot handle it, you will not retrieve the Entrance Pass.”
“…….”
“And you will have to choose well. The Iron Sword Sect lost the Nine-Fold Sword while acting like you, Great Hero.”
“……!”
Namgung San’s face hardened stiffly for the first time.
