“Ah, I don’t mean like kill.”
As the atmosphere cooled for a moment, Imugi shook his hand to correct the misunderstanding.
“But why…”
Songhwa tried to ask and Imugi answered right away.
“Think about it, aren’t they all doing this for money? But they will be inferior to us. If people with no skills go out to fight… wouldn’t the young master be embarrassed in that situation?”
“Well, that is true but…”
Songhwa did agree to it.
Seok Jong and Ju Ya-seong—
At first glance, it seemed like they were not that great. If they went out, they would only be a hindrance and would not help the situation.
In such a situation, if not just Imugi but Seol-Hwi stepped up, the problem will be completely resolved.
“That isn’t a bad idea.”
Seol-Hwi also had an expression like he understood it.
“I saw him on the way here and that Jong Ri-heon guy, he didn’t seem like a bad person. He seemed a bit disappointed in us, but he still kept being polite to the end. So I intend to help.”
“Help… you say?”
Seol-Hwi nodded while watching Songhwa, who thought that this was a form of helping.
“Yes. There are three of us here. And more helpful than the others going out, we will give Jong Ri-heon the victory he needs, and then they will give us money we deserve. In other words, isn’t this a situation where we both help both parties?”
“Ah…”
Songhwa nodded.
Part of it made sense even if it did not seem completely right. Of course the position of the guys in front will be different, but it would be right to abandon the weird ones and for them to go get results.
And should this battle not be won?
Imugi added,
“No, Master. In reality we must be like we are the ones incurring a loss. That’s right, they set the money for us too low. If they were to use money to pay for the services of Master, then how could that be enough?”
“It should be something that can be simply used like money.”
“That is right! How dare they try to get you with money?”
“Wonderful. You really are my disciple.”
“As expected, my Master is always right.”
Imugi and Seol-Hwi were speaking like they loved this concept. Seeing that, Songhwa sighed.
“Phew.”
Since he could not talk about the money his master should take due to being in a disciple’s position he decided to not interfere.
And it seems that the two had already made up their minds.
“Then I guess I will have to work. Songhwa, would you like to check the whereabouts of the two guests of Jong Ri-heon?”
“…Yes. I will.”
Songhwa stood up from his seat and answered. His mind might not be ready, but tomorrow morning would surely come.
He was not sure what frightened expression Jong Ri-heon would have.
At the same time—
A quiet conversation was happening in the corner of a guest room where there was a monk in robes.
However, the large man who did not seem like a monk was nodding while listening to the words of Jong Ri-heon.
“One of the three great swordsmen in here, he is definitely not an easy opponent. To be honest… I am quite shocked.”
“…Is that so?”
Jong Ri-heon responded calmly.
As expected, the name of the opponent was too good.
So the chances of expecting a win is too low, but he could not help but feel bitter after hearing the reactions of people he invited.
“I will not give up. I do know that the Shadow Phantom Sword technique is known to be great but that is exaggeration. There are many types of sword techniques with the phantom attribute.”
He tried to make Jong Ri-heon understand since the man was not too versed in martial arts.
“There are many sword techniques. Some are fast, others are weird and use illusions and such. However, all of that is just for visual flair. What the monk learns is what is strong in the sense of Shaolin’s martial arts. It is a tough fight but if you find their weak spot, then there is a chance of winning.”
“…Hearing your words do relieve me.”
“I feel bad that I cannot say anything more to comfort you. But we will not be careless and we will fight with a clear mind.”
He had a calm demeanor which was neither arrogant nor condescending.
Jong Ri-heon felt a little hope about it.
Seok Jong said that he is a disciple of Shaolin, but in reality it was no different from learning in the mountains and never experiencing the outside world.
But this monk was young, and he was so interested in the outside world that he gave up on the Shaolin Sect and came down from the mountain.
In terms of skills, he should surely have skills which are on the same level of a direct disciple of an elder.
“Then I will go and cultivate.”
“Yes. Then I will leave.”
Jong Ri-heon stood up from his seat and carefully closed the door.
“Kang Won-tae…”
Only then did Seok Jong’s expression harden.
He was one of the three swordsmen.
He did not expect the fight to be with such a strong person, and now he felt a little intimidated by the fact that such strong people were being called here.
“Well, we need to try it to know.”
Still, he was not so pessimistic about it. That person trained in the Shaolin Sect for a long time, and had a teacher too.
Drr
He opened the door and went out.
There was a large yard in front of the guest room, and Seok Jong stood there.
Assuming the enemy to be there, he moved quickly.
“The Fist of Shaolin has techniques which can stand above all.”
Swish!
He took a stance, raised the energy from the dantian, and held his hand out.
The Shaolin’s five teachings are, dragon, tiger, leopard, snake, and crane.
They were movements that were based on the heavens, earth, and humanity, and they followed the five elements in the world. They were usually divided into five branches.
Swish!
So Seok Jong wielded the five elements in a different manner.
There was a slight difference in the way he clenched his fist and extended it, but that was not something one would notice. It is a deeply different move.
“Uhhh!”
After sweating quite a lot, Seok Jong withdrew his energy. Whenever he did this, he would never lose confidence against anyone.
It was a time when he felt good and happy.
“Are you done?”
“…?!”
Seok Jong’s eyes widened.
It was because he did not think that he would not feel the presence of someone in here.
“Who are you?”
Seok Jong groaned.
He was worried that the other side might try to hurt him.
But—
“Ah, you must have misunderstood, I am on the same side as you.”
A man walked out of the dark with sharp eyes, but nothing else about him felt great.
And seeing him, the monk guessed,
“You… are the one the young master brought today?”
“Well, yes.”
“Tch.”
Seok Jong clicked his tongue.
“I heard that the young master was losing it in the end… maybe those concerns were true. To think that a person who does not even know basic matters of the family…”
Seok Jong held a cold reaction.
It was for suddenly appearing in the middle of the night and being impolite, and peeking at his martial arts too.
He wondered why the young master kept going on about the last person being hopeless, but this was something no one could change.
“Well, you can think of it as you like, but I was thinking of asking a favor.”
“…?”
“Let me borrow your body. You can rest for a day or so and then get up.”
“W-what does that mean?!”
Only then did Seok Jong feel something strange about the other person, and he immediately raised his energy.
Papat!
The opponent was running to him without caring to answer, and in a short moment, he threw out a great force.
“Ha!”
But it only hit the air.
“Sorry. But I already looked at it earlier.”
Puak!
A hand flew with the speed of lightning to his head. The vision of Seok Jong blurred in an instant.
He is strong…
That was his last thought before he fell down.
Swish
Seol-Hwi carried him on his shoulder, and after taking a look around, he disappeared into the darkness.
A guest room but there was a yard ahead and it was luxurious—
There was a man who nervously stood there.
“Kang Won-tae…”
Ju Ya-seong bit his lip. He pretended to be calm in front of Jong Ri-heon when he said this, but he was trembling in fear.
“Huh, maybe I should just sit out…”
He was someone who could be called a bottom feeder and Kang Won-tae was an exception.
Was he not one of the three great swordsmen of this place?
Moreover, when it was said that there was someone even stronger than him, he felt all hope fade away.
“Tch… I will be cursed for a while. Still, I cannot do anything now. It is a bit frustrating…”
He thought of wanting to make a decision. He was treated generously, but it was not enough to trade his life away.
Ju Ya-seong recalled the path he took when entering the family manor, the two gates and fence.
If he got over it, he could escape. In other words, he could take the money he got as an advance payment in the room and leave.
So when he approached the door—
“Are you running?”
“Huh…?!”
He doubted his eyes as a strange man talked to him.
“How…”
“Ah, I came through that opening.”
The man calmly pointed at the door, and it was an opening between the doors he had left.
“You want me to believe that right now?”
“Well, it doesn’t matter what you believe. It is called body changing… there is no way you’d know.”
“…”
A chill ran down his spine.
He could already feel something odd.
Srng
He took out his daggers he always had on his waist. And it was what he used to assassinate his targets. They were short and curved.
When he breathed deeply the energy within the body rose.
“Maybe I was late…”
“…?!”
“If only I knew you were thinking of running. Hey, I will pretend I don’t know, so you can just run.”
“…”
The man frowned at this. Actually he did want to run and suddenly this guy introduces and says there is no need to fight him.
“…Sorry, but not like that. Wouldn’t it be better to get rid of the witness who saw me run?”
The man had to kill this intruder so that he does not have his name tarnished.
He did feel bad.
It felt like something watching him running away would be a lot worse.
“That! I am a bit sorry then.”
Imugi raised his head.
And then—
Swish!
Ju Ya-seong jumped and the dagger he was holding was ready to move.
One of the skills was dagger throwing, and it never failed at this distance.
But—
Puak!
The moment he ran, the situation ended.
The Demonic Spirit Blade technique, it was one of the leading blade techniques in the Demonic Sect which Elder Baekhon used.
It was a blow so powerful that no one could handle it.
One of the methods that could be used was a defensive one, but with only the dagger ready to throw, nothing would happen.
“…Is this place full of idiots?”
Imugi clicked his tongue and then carried the fallen man over the shoulder as he moved.
“Tomorrow…”
On the other hand, Jong Ri-heon waited for the dawn of fate with his hands touching his chest. Whether he lost or won, he thought of the image he had to show to the family.
Then, when he looked at the room of Seol-Hwi with the lamps still on, he sighed.
“Ah. When I see it… I think it was right.”
The opponent was a strong swordsman.
It was a story that he had already told the two who attended earlier.
No. If they knew about it, it would only be worrisome. It will be better to leave this without speaking about it.
Jong Ri-heon immediately corrected his thoughts and went back to his room.
The half open window only showed dark clouds passing by the moon.