I watched a shiver crawl straight up Jin Muryang’s back as he hurriedly nodded.
“Good. Once you’re settled, go over to True Martial Sect, say you’ve moved into Jin Family County and you’re counting on them, and pay your respects.”
“Yes. Understood.”
“My father’s been looking a little run-down lately. I hear thousand-year ginseng is really good when your body’s weak.”
“Ah, I understand. I’ll bring a thousand-year ginseng.”
“For my mother too.”
“Yes.”
“Oh, and I’ve got a younger sibling.”
“I’ll prepare some for your younger sibling as well...”
“No, for my younger sibling, go spar.”
“Sorry?”
“Push him right to the brink of death. Just don’t actually kill him.”
“You mean your younger sibling, Senior Brother?”
“Yeah. I’ll write a letter. Then he’ll accept the sparring without complaints.”
“Ah... understood.”
“If you don’t see any progress, push him harder.”
“Yes.”
“And here.”
I held out a pouch. Jin Muryang took it and asked,
“What’s this?”
“Once you push him to the brink of death, feed him that. He’ll come back.”
“D-do we really have to go that far?”
“He has to get stronger. I’m worried. Really worried. At this rate, who knows when any of them will get strong. Their bodies are all too frail.”
Judging by Jin Muryang’s face, he was probably thinking something like:
In this whole wide world, every person alive is going to look weak by your standards.
“Tell my little brother this for me. Once I’ve taken the Provincial Exam and come back, I’m going to check what he’s achieved in the meantime.”
“Are you truly planning to sit the exam?”
“Yeah. I promised my parents. I should keep it. I’m planning to do my best.”
“And if you pass?”
“Then I’ll take the Metropolitan Exam.”
“And if you pass that as well?”
“Then I’ll sit the Palace Exam.”
“If you pass there, you’ll be appointed. Are you really thinking of becoming an official?”
“I kind of want to try it.”
“Pardon?”
“You know this already. I’ve only ever lived up in the mountains.”
“I know that very well.”
“This time, I want to experience everything in the world. Doesn’t being an official sound fun too?”
Fun for you, maybe, was probably what he wanted to say.
The officials who’d have to deal with me would be living in hell.
Not that he was in any position to stop me.
“That’s why I need the four of you.”
“Sir?”
“You have to protect True Martial Sect. I have to hurry up and find the rest too. At your level, it’ll be more than enough. With four of you, I can stick one each in the east, west, south, and north and relax.”
To anyone else, that would’ve sounded ridiculous.
With all Four Heavenly Demon Lords, you don’t just protect a single sect—you can take a shot at unifying the world.
“You seem weaker than you used to be. Train a bit.”
Of course, from his perspective, there was no way that was true.
He was always on edge, never slacked in his training, and was stronger now than in the past.
I knew the other Heavenly Demon Lords would be the same.
The problem was that I’d gotten so much stronger than before that, next to me, it looked like they’d gotten weaker.
It was the kind of thing that left you feeling hollow.
“What are you thinking about?”
“Sorry? Ah! I was just thinking about how I can best protect True Martial Sect.”
“Yeah? Good boy. Just keep doing that and I’ll treat you well.”
“Th-thank you.”
“Then, I’ll leave True Martial Sect to you.”
“Understood.”
I got up from my seat, walked toward the door, then stopped and turned back to look at Jin Muryang.
The moment he met my eyes, he looked like his ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ breath caught in his throat.
My gaze must have been ice cold.
“Wh-why are you looking at me like that?”
“Don’t let your thoughts wander...”
“I—I would never do something like that. I s-swear.”
Only then did my expression loosen into a smile.
“All right. I’ll trust you. I’m heading out.”
“P-please go safely, Senior Brother!”
The moment I stepped out, Jin Muryang collapsed back onto his seat.
His whole body was drenched in cold sweat.
With trembling hands, he wiped his forehead and let out a long sigh.
“He’s scarier than ever... there’s no comparison to before...”
Kind, righteous people aren’t frightening.
Jeok Wigang is not that kind of kind, righteous person.
That’s why I’m more frightening.
If I feel like it, I can kill him or keep him alive whenever I want.
And I can choose exactly how much pain to put him through before he dies.
Running isn’t even an option.
I definitely did something to his body, and because he has no idea what that something is, he can’t run.
All he can do is live doing what he’s told.
From the look of it, Jin Muryang had decided he’d better start by getting close to the people of True Martial Sect.
*****
“Ha ha ha! My dear nephew. How’s your studying been going?”
“Yes. Thanks to Uncle’s consideration, I’ve been able to focus.”
“I didn’t do anything worth mentioning. Just do well on the Provincial Exam today.”
“Understood. By the way, Uncle, you look well these days.”
“Do I? You can see that?”
“Yes.”
“Ha ha ha! For some reason everything’s been going smoothly lately. All the things that were giving me headaches have been cleared up.”
“Congratulations.”
“Thank you. I feel like you brought good fortune into my house.”
“What are you talking about? They say blessings come to a house that accumulates good deeds. This is just the good you’ve done coming back to you as fortune, Uncle.”
“Is that so? Ha ha ha!”
Yu Munchang laughed with real pleasure, then suddenly seemed to remember something and took something out from his robe.
“I hear you’re leaving right after the Provincial Exam?”
“Yes. I’ve been in your debt for a long time.”
“In my debt, my foot. If you ever have reason to come here again, don’t hesitate.”
“Yes, Uncle.”
“Here, add this to your travel money.”
“No, it’s all right. I have money.”
“When an elder gives you something, you say ‘Thank you’ and take it.”
“...Understood. Thank you, Uncle.”
“Ha ha ha. Good! I feel better with you taking it.”
After saying my goodbyes to Yu Munchang, I headed off toward the examination hall to sit the Provincial Exam.
*****
When the Provincial Exam ended, they announced first place.
The top scorer was me.
Second place was Gu Yanghu.
People’s attention wasn’t on me; it was all on Gu Yanghu.
The most infamous delinquent in Changsha coming in second?
Everyone said it made no sense and assumed the Gu Yang Family must have pulled strings to make him second.
Of course, no one actually said that out loud.
You only have one life.
But his second-place finish was purely Gu Yanghu’s own ability.
A genius produced by the Gu Yang Family.
That was Gu Yanghu.
And the existence that even that genius couldn’t do anything about—that was me.
Gu Yanghu came running over, eyes wide with admiration.
“As expected, Big Brother, you’re incredible.”
“You’re incredible too. I was surprised. Second place, huh.”
“At the Metropolitan Exam and Palace Exam, I will beat you.”
“Sure. Do your best.”
“Are you going home now?”
“No, I’m going to see my grandfather. I’ll stay there for a while, then head to the imperial city.”
“Then I’ll see you again in the imperial city. Do you have somewhere to stay?”
“Not sure. I don’t think I know anyone in the imperial city.”
“Then let me host you.”
I let out a small laugh and asked,
“Really? Won’t that be inconvenient?”
“Not at all. If it’s you, Big Brother, you’re welcome any time.”
Gu Yanghu had completely changed.
He wasn’t afraid of me anymore; instead, he looked at me with eyes full of reverence.
His head was overflowing with the desire to become someone like me.
Maybe he could tell I’d picked up on that, because he smiled faintly and nodded.
“All right. Then I’ll impose on you a bit in the imperial city.”
“Really? Understood! I’ll be staying at my second brother’s house. I’ll tell him in advance.”
“Won’t your second brother be uncomfortable with that?”
“The house is big. We hardly ever run into each other.”
“Is that so? All right. Then I’ll see you then.”
“Yes, Big Brother.”
*****
I lay on my back on the wagon again, staring up at the blue sky as we started moving.
Taecheon and Chu Sowon sat up front.
Milyeong had gone back to the Hao Clan.
Our destination was Heavenly Martial Castle.
Lying there, my heart beat a little faster.
We were rolling along under that sky when the wagon stopped.
“Young master, it looks like we have a visitor.”
“Hm?”
I sat up to see the Lord of Nameless Hall prostrating himself in the middle of the road.
“What are you doing here?”
“I’ve been waiting for my lord.”
“Why?”
“We’re going to open an escort bureau, as you ordered, my lord, but I didn’t know where we should set it up, so I came to ask.”
“Oh, did I not tell you?”
“No.”
“Want to set up in Jin Family County, where True Martial Sect is?”
“Understood!”
“You were sitting out here over that? Sorry about that.”
“Not at all, my lord. I was using it as an excuse to see your face again.”
At Ungyeol’s words—the Lord of Nameless Hall—I grinned.
“Come to think of it, I don’t even know your name.”
“This lowly one doesn’t have a name. That’s why I am ‘Nameless.’”
“Oh, so that’s where ‘Nameless Hall’ came from?”
“Yes.”
“Mind if I give you a name?”
“It would be the glory of three lifetimes!”
“Let’s go with ‘Ungyeol’—it means a bond tied together by flowing fate.”
Tears welled up in Ungyeol’s eyes.
“This is the first time! No one has ever given this lowly one a name...! I’m Ungyeol! I will live only for my lord!”
“Good. I’ll be counting on you. Once you’re near True Martial Sect, look after the people there, all right?”
“By my loyalty! I’ll stake my life to protect them!”
Reliable enough.
“Then I’ll see you back home.”
“Yes! The children have already cleaned up the road ahead for you, my lord. I hope you have a comfortable journey.”
“Thanks.”
Cleaned up what, exactly?
I was curious, but I didn’t ask.
I could more or less guess.
We set off again, and night fell.
We were looking for somewhere to camp when a rough-looking man in leather stepped out.
Taecheon eyed him warily and asked,
“What are you?”
The rough man immediately dropped to his knees and bowed.
“We’ll host you at our mountain stronghold!”
...Just like that?
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“A distinguished person ordered us to treat you with utmost hospitality if you came through.”
“Who?”
“He said under no circumstances were we to reveal his name.”
Looking closer, I saw bluish bruises all over his face.
I had a pretty good idea who had sent him.
“And if we don’t go?”
At my question, the man flinched and started crying.
“T-then we’ll die! Please, let us host you!”
I scratched my chin.
“Yeah? Then I’ll trouble you for a night.”
“Thank you! Thank you so much!”
When we reached the mountain stronghold, there was a feast spread so heavy the table legs looked ready to snap.
The bandits lined up beside it were a complete mess.
Every one of them was doing everything they could not to meet my eyes.
“Hey, come out.”
I called for someone.
Before the words were even done leaving my mouth, men in black masks appeared in front of me and dropped to their knees.
Seeing them, the bandits recoiled in pure terror, which told me pretty much everything I needed to know about what had gone on here.
“What did you do to them to make them react like that?”
“We only instilled respect for our lord.”
“You didn’t happen to put all the mountain strongholds on the way to Heavenly Martial Castle into this state, did you?”
The masked men stayed silent.
Which meant: Yes, they did.
Their loyalty was a bit much.
“Dial it back. I’m not a fan of this kind of thing.”
“By my loyalty!”
“Anyway, good work. Thanks to you, I’ll get a good rest.”
At my words, the masked men shuddered.
They were moved.
Nameless Hall’s assassins were the type to get choked up over absolutely nothing.
I had no way of knowing it was because they’d never heard warm words in their lives before.
“If you haven’t eaten yet, join us.”
“How could we possibly share a table with our lord! Your words alone are more than we deserve!”
“Then have them set something up for you separately and eat before you go. That’s an order.”
“By our loyalty!”