麻豆工作室

 Why wouldn’t it?

 With her victory over Hyeun, Tang Hwa-seo had put an end to the various controversies surrounding her.

 Firstly, the rumors that she had stagnated in martial arts.

 There were some who said that her skills deteriorated during her disappearance, but her recent performance had proven them wrong.

 Secondly, the supposed strife with the Tang Clan.

 Some said that she had fallen out with her clan, hindering her from revealing herself in public, but her participation in the Dragon Phoenix had dispelled that notion as well.

 This also meant that Tang Hwa-seo’s plan had hit the mark.

 ‘Now, the clan cannot openly threaten me.’

 The Clan Head’s greatest fear was a feud with her, who would become the symbol of their people. Or to be more specific, the conflict becoming known around the world.

 The Clan Head was a man who valued the Sichuan Tang Clan’s reputation over his own pride, and would become humble if it meant elevating the clan name. So long as she did that, he would have to keep silent.

 Tang Hwa-seo continued pondering.

 ‘Of course, thinking they won’t approach me at all would be naive.’

 The Tang Clan would definitely reach out to her during the tournament, and once the event was over, they might try to ‘retrieve’ her through blackmail or an offer she can’t refuse.

 ‘…It’s time to make my move.’

 She needed to approach Fist Dragon Il-woon before the Tang Clan came looking for her.

 “Young Lady?”

 While lost in thought, Mok Riwon spoke up.

 Tang Hwa-seo snapped out of her daze and looked at him.

 “Ah, yes?”

 “You seem very tense! Oh, I understand! It’s not just any stage, but the semifinals of the Dragon Phoenix Tournament, the highlight of the event!”

 “Yes, I’ve finally made it this far.”

 “I’m glad we can advance to the semifinals together. Looking at the bracket, we won’t meet in the arena unless we both make it to the finals!”

 Mok Riwon was full of excitement, but Tang Hwa-seo smiled bitterly.

 “It’s likely that I won’t reach the finals. My next opponent is Namgung Jincheon.”

 “H-How can you say that! You won’t know until you try!”

 It was like not knowing whether it was soybean paste or shit until you tasted it.

 Tang Hwa-seo appreciated Mok Riwon’s optimism, but his positivity felt more like a burden at times like these.

 ‘He was a wall I couldn’t surpass even five years ago.’

 Now that the gap had only widened, how could she possibly compete with him?

 Having achieved her initial objective, all that remained for Tang Hwa-seo was to travel to Shaolin through Il-woon, meet the Abbot there…

 ‘…and then I’ll join the Orthodox Alliance.’

 To go somewhere beyond the Tang Clan’s reach.

 However, she didn’t need to reveal all her plans, so Tang Hwa-seo responded evasively.

 “…Yes, I shouldn’t be so pessimistic. I’ll give it a try.”

 “Indeed! I’ll look forward to meeting the Young Lady in the finals!”

 As Mok Riwon cheerfully slurped up his somen noodles, Tang Hwa-seo worried about his nutrition since he had been eating that for every meal.

 ‘…But why am I worried about what he’s eating?’

 She couldn’t help but think she was treating him too much like a child, so she shook off that thought then said.

 “Young Hero Mok, your next opponent will be either Monk Il-woon or the Immortal Dragon.”

 “Hm! I want to face Monk Il-woon!”

 “There’s a high chance that you will. As for the Immortal Dragon…”

 Tang Hwa-seo reminisced about the Immortal Dragon she had met in past.

 A man who always smiled in a forlorn manner and kept to himself.

 Even when stepping into the arena, he never cast away that air of emptiness.

 “…Well, he certainly has the skill to earn the title of Dragon, but I cannot picture him defeating Monk Il-woon.”

 “Young Lady doesn’t know either?”

 “Yes, he’s a man who has not revealed much.”

 Immortal Dragon Hyungong was a man shrouded in mystery.

 It was to the extent of rumors emerging that he hadn’t even shown his true skills when facing Namgung Jincheon, always conceding the match after exchanging a few blows.

 Thus, indifferent to victory or defeat, the empty dragon became called the Immortal Dragon.

 ‘It’ll probably be the same this time.’

 He would likely concede after exchanging a few moves with Ilwoon.

 “Well, we’ll find out tomorrow.”

 Ending with that, Tang Hwa-seo picked up her chopsticks.

 Tomorrow was the last day of the quarterfinals, and Tang Hwa-seo was already filled with thoughts of congratulating the victorious Il-woon and preparing her secret plans with him.

* * *

 It was an unthinkable turn of events.

 [Immortal Dragon! Victory!]

 “Wowwww!!!”

 Tang Hwa-seo stared at the arena in disbelief.

 There he stood, adopting his usual empty fist-palm salute, and in front of him was Monk Il-woon on his knees in defeat.

 ‘What is this….?’

 She couldn’t understand.

 It wasn’t that she couldn’t comprehend he won, but that the method of his victory was beyond her.

 Il-woon was strong.

 As always, he wielded his fists with his unique solidity and integrity, delivering a series of powerful blows that could shatter the very arena.

 The Immortal Dragon had evaded all of them with the slightest movements, and at the end, he swung his sword just once.

 Il-woon had fallen to that single strike.

 Tang Hwa-seo looked at Mok Riwon, hoping he might have some insight, but…

 “…Young Hero Mok?”

 Mok Riwon was staring at the Immortal Dragon with a tense expression.

 She tried to read the emotions hidden in his face.

 ‘Is he shocked? Angry? Or is there something else…?’

 It was unclear.

 When his usual bright smile had faded, leaving nothing but him frowning in confusion, she became unexpectedly concerned.

 “Young Hero Mok.”

 “Ah…”

 Tang Hwa-seo grabbed his arm, bringing him to his senses and then he turned towards her. Then she asked him worriedly.

 “What’s wrong?”

 “It’s nothing. I just had something on my mind for a moment.”

 Mok Riwon said, his expression relaxing.

 “Shouldn’t we go to Monk Il-woon? Since we’ve become friends, we should check on him at least, right?”

 “Yes, I was thinking the same.”

 It would be better to save her business for later and offer this courtesy for the time being.

 Tang Hwa-seo felt a twinge of regret over her disrupted plans as she awaited Il-woon’s return.

* * *

 In the usual corner of the inn they always visited, three men and one woman sat there with a gloomy atmosphere around them. It was naturally because of Monk Il-wion’s expression.

 He bit his lips in frustrations, his fists clenched so tightly that they could clench no more, and in his eyes was an uncharacteristic anger.

 He was angry at himself.

 After trembling with emotion for a while, Il-woon finally took a deep breath and spoke.

 “…I have lost face.”

 A bitter smile hung on his lips.

 “I apologize. I truly wanted to stand on the arena with you, Benefactor Mok.”

 “You don’t have to apologize. Although you were defeated, Monk Il-woon, your martial arts was so impressive that I was truly awestruck. There’s no need to blame yourself.”

 “Thank you for your kind words.”

 Il-woon took a deep breath and pulled himself together.

 “It seems I am the reason no one can even eat. I am fine, so please go ahead and eat.”

 “Then… Stay strong.”

 Even the frivolous Zhuge San offered his sincere condolences at this moment. Il-woon couldn’t help but laugh slightly.

 “As Benefactor Mok said, I have already lost. This opportunity has made me realize my shortcomings. I will simply have to train harder and win next time.”

 It wasn’t merely words.

 True to being the future of Shaolin, Il-woon was transforming his rising frustration and regret into his drive for improvement, working towards perfecting his unshakable will.

 “…”

 Mok Riwon watched him silently, deep in thought about the previous match.

 ‘The Immortal Dragon’s single move.’

 Tang Hwa-seo hadn’t properly seen it, but Mok Riwon had witness it from beginning to end.

 With the essence of Wudang called ‘Taichi’, he applied the principle of redirecting the opponent’s own force back towards them.  

 However, if that was all there was to it, Mok Riwon wouldn’t be wearing such a grave expression. The reason he looked so serious staring into the arena, and why his mind still couldn’t settle lay elsewhere.

 ‘It was definitely a killing technique.’

 With his exceptional ability to detect killing intent that surpassed anyone else, Mok Riwon knew.

 The Immortal Dragon’s sword was imbued with killing intent, and at the end of its path was Il-woon’s throat.

 That man had intended to kill Il-woon.

 ‘Only in the last moment did he alter the path and stop his sword.’

 Mok Riwon didn’t understand what he was thinking.

 But nonetheless, he was infuriated.

 As far as he knew, such killing intent shouldn’t be displayed on a stage meant for showcasing and exchanging martial arts.

  Clench–

 Mok Riwon made a fist.

* * *

 There was a week left until the finals started.

 In the meantime, crowds of people began swarming Shexian like never before.

 It was to be expected, after all.

 This was the semifinals of the Dragon Phoenix Tournament.

 In any era, those who had reached this stage were destined to become the leading figures of the next generation in the martial world.

 People were flocking in to get a glimpse of them.

 Of course, this included notable names from all over the Central Plains.

 “Look over there. That’s the Extreme Blade of the Hebei Peng Clan, Peng Dowol.”

 “And that way is the Brilliant Sword of Mount Hua, Jin-myung!”

 “That place… Right, it’s unmistakeably the Beggars’ Gang.”

 These were indiviiduals who normally wouldn’t move an inch, but the Dragon Phoenix Tournament was significant enough to draw even them out.

 “The impact of the Ink Sword is truly tremendous.”

 “What’s the use of saying that? He’s already confirmed to be the new Dragon. How he performs in this tournament will reshape the martial world’s landscape.”

 “True… Indeed, the Ink Sword has no particular affiliation. There will be those trying to recruit him.”

 “If he comes from a prestigious family, they might even try to make him their son-in-law.”

 “But the Ink Sword and Poison Phoenix…”

 “Does love provide meals? Needless to say, the Tang Clan is one of the best matrimonial matches, but depending on the conditions, he could go anywhere.”

 That was how most conversations in Shexian ended.

 The previous match between Tang Hwa-seo and Hyeun had become a topic of casual discussion and twisted into more akin of gossip as it spread.

 “Poor Poison Phoenix ends up looking pitiful in all this.”

 “Eh, would the Poison Phoenix really let him slip away? Remember how she laughed after punching the White Phoenix in the guts?”

 “That’s true…”

“Enough of that, let’s join the crowd. The match is about to start.”

 The chattering men hastened their pace.

 Their destination was a martial arts arena that was even bigger than the one used for the preliminaries.

 There were people everywhere they looked. The men might have been annoyed, but instead they laughed and continued talking among themselves.

 “It’s not only the Noble Clans and Sects that have come. Look there. That scruffy-looking old man is a master from the previous generation, Supreme Fist Byeok Gwonwoong.”

 “Why is he here?”

 “I heard he was looking for a disciple. He was quite reckless in his youth, but now in his old age, he seems to need someone to carry on his legacy.”

 The spectacle of the people watching was entertainment in itself. The two of them could hardly contain their excitement at the sight of masters they might only see once in a lifetime.

 And then.

  Boom–!

 The drums sounded and filled the arena with tension.

  Boom–!

 The atmosphere changed drastically for solely one reason.

 “At last, he’s come.”

 “I never thought I’d see him with my own eyes in this lifetime…”

 The person now entering was a living legend in the Orthodox Path.

 The Bloodied History which had drenched the martial world in blood over twenty years ago.

 That man was one of the leading figures who had put an end to it.

  Boom–!

 With the sound of drums, a large old man stepped through the opened gates.

 Though nearly seventy, his back was not bent in the slightest.

 His eyes sunk deep, radiating dignity, and at his waist was a sword stained by the ravages of time.

 “The Sword King…!”

 Sword King, Namgung Hyuk.

 He had arrived to personally oversee the Dragon Phoenix Tournament in Anhui.

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