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“So, it’s time to challenge the Twin Gate Sect!”

The next day, I diligently began preparing to challenge the Twin Gate Sect. First, I checked the location based on the information I got from Jeom So-i and scribbled down the names of some renowned experts from the Twin Gate Sect. It was impressive how Jeom So-i, for just a bit of money, could spill out information like a seasoned martial artist.

“How do you know all this?”

I asked, fascinated, and he chuckled.

“Well, stories about martial artists are always fascinating and fun, right? Plus, the reputation of the Twin Gate Sect isn’t bad, and there are quite a few people in Luoyang who admire their experts. I’m just a bit curious and listen in from time to time.”

“Come to think of it, is the Open Sect in Luoyang?”

Jeom So-i waved his hands dismissively. “Oh please, is there any place where you won’t find an Open Sect? You can spot them under remote bridges at Changhe Street, where beggars roam around claiming to be Open Experts. Besides that, Open Experts frequently patrol the back alleys of Luoyang.”

I pondered for a moment. I had already received some rough information from Jeom So-i, but wasn’t it better to visit the Open Sect and acquire more detailed intel? However, information is always circulating, so using the Open Sect recklessly might get me tangled up later on.

‘Let’s put off the Open Sect for now. I should first attempt to challenge the Twin Gate Sect, and gather needed information later.’

I ordered some food and stepped out into the city, starting my search for a weapon shop. The streets were well-organized, bustling with entertainment areas, dining halls, and various shops all categorized neatly. The weapon shop I was looking for was about three li from the Inn Street.

Upon entering the weapon shop, I noticed the lavish interior. It didn’t look like a place a poor person could just stroll into. Naturally, the weapons were expensive, so as I was about to sneak back out, the shopkeeper caught the edge of my cloak.

“Oh dear customer, at least take a look at our goods!”

“… Haha, it’s just that I’m a bit tight on cash.”

“The items we handle are frequently purchased even by the officials. You won’t regret your purchase.”

After hearing that, I decided to browse their weaponry just to explore. Luoyang had many warriors and martial gates, and despite the unstable security, commoners could possess weapons with permission. So, it seemed like shops that originally shouldn’t exist were prospering.

‘Hmmm… I must have at least one spear. And since my longsword’s edge is worn out, it’s high time I replace it. A dagger would be useful too.’

But when I placed my order, the weapon shop owner grinned widely and said, “That’ll come to 30 liang and 50 fen for you.”

“……”

“I could bring it down to 25 liang.”

The shop owner quickly added, but I couldn’t even consider that purchase. That amount was surely beyond what Jeom So-i would save up in a year. Good weapons are expensive, but the shopkeeper seemed to be overpricing by a huge margin. I left that store without hesitation and wandered into others, but they were all similar.

‘Damn it. These guys are colluding on prices! It’s the same everywhere I go.’

I frowned. If all these shops are clustered together in such a narrow area, competition would only lead to everyone going under. The shopkeepers seemed to have conspired to settle on a reasonable price. Of course, those prices were clearly inflated to rip off the warriors.

Still, I felt a bit stuck. I always traveled with a spear and a sword, along with a dagger as standard gear. However, after studying under Mangnyang for three years, my spear was rotting away, and I was stuck with a makeshift crappy wooden spear I got from Jinrang Valley.

The wooden spear, half-finished by the blacksmith in Jinrang Valley, was so pathetic that a guard had barely bothered to check it while passing me. If I used it a few times, it would probably break.

Moreover, my frequently used longsword was badly dulled. It was clear that if I used too much internal strength while fighting, it would snap in an instant. With my weapons in such a questionable state, I couldn’t possibly take on the first-rate experts of a prestigious sect like the Twin Gate Sect.

‘Damn… it looks like I have no choice. I’ll have to borrow weapons from them during the challenge.’

Honestly, this idea wasn’t something a true martial artist would entertain. Treating your weapon like your life and handling it with care should be the basic attitude. Entering enemy territory and asking to borrow training weapons was something that would warrant jeers. Let alone at a prestigious sect like the Twin Gate Sect, facing potential judgment was daunting.

But splurging too much on weapons would hinder my movement down the line. I needed to save that money, even if it meant swallowing a bit of shame. I could take a temporary job at the post office in Luoyang to earn some money, but I felt that leaving too many traces in Luoyang would be detrimental later on.

That day, I wandered around near Twin Gate Sect to confirm the information I received from Jeom So-i. When I identified the Iron Blood Gate and the Great Sword Gate, I was slightly taken aback. I had thought they were just regular sects, but they actually owned estates covering over a thousand houses.

Other families had mansions, but their sects weren’t that large. They only seemed to house a few dozen people at most, barely reflecting the scale of martial arts families.

But as I approached the Iron Blood Gate, I realized there were hundreds of low-ranking disciples milling about. It felt more like a bustling market than anything. The Great Sword Gate wasn’t much different. This was truly astounding, as owning just a house in Luoyang meant one could get by, but having estates for hundreds signified incredible prosperity. The leaders of Iron Blood Gate and Great Sword Gate must be among the richest in Luoyang.

‘It’s no wonder even Huashan Sect and Zhongnan Sect can’t touch Luoyang…’

The reason for the prosperity of the Iron Blood Gate and Great Sword Gate became clear to me. Unlike the other great families—the Zhang, Xu, Li, and Han conglomerate—which were made up of bloodlines and struggled to accept disciples from outside, the Iron Blood Gate and Great Sword Gate had no such restrictions. They simply expanded as long as they had a leader; it was a straightforward purpose.

Much like the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School, they actively recruited low-level techniques as bait to propagate advanced techniques on a large scale. Given the prevailing authority of Twin Gate Sect in Luoyang’s martial arts scene, it was obvious that talent flocked to them like bees to honey.

This made me realize just how absurd my challenge would be. Just how high was the skill level of the experts commanding the hundreds of disciples in such large sects? To effortlessly manage so many disciples and fend off the Nine Great Sects’ interference required exceptional skill—it was clear that there would be plenty of powerful experts keen to put me in my place.

But I shook my head.

‘I shouldn’t think too negatively. It’s not about defeating the lords of Iron Blood Gate or Great Sword Gate. I just need to seek opportunities to test my skills against martial artists of similar levels.’

After wrapping up my excursion that day, I returned to the inn and quietly practiced the Thunder Dragon One Qi Technique. It had been a while since I performed the Greater Circulation properly, and I felt a surge of excitement.

I had been stuck in Lesser Circulation before, not having to maintain extensive internal power or deep focus.

The Greater Circulation would boost my internal power and spread vital energy throughout my channels. Achieving this required deep concentration—if I was attacked during this state, I could suffer severe wounds regardless of my martial skill.

Buzzing…

“……”

I felt my Inner Dan bubbling up with golden energy. Following the energy of Greater Circulation, I drew the power up through the top of my head, experiencing a pulling sensation across my skin and a vibrant stirring near my heart. I focused for a long while, gathering and controlling the immense energy until finally, it crashed down toward my dantian.

BOOM!

A heavy shock coursed through my body. But there was no pain; I instinctively knew that considerable portions of the previously clogged channels had opened up. The daily sense of progress made it impossible for me to stop training.

‘Now, what level is my internal power at?’

Mangnyang had commented once that, in his eyes, my internal power might rival the leader of the Nine Great Sects. However, being just an ordinary person with no martial training, he lacked the ability to measure me accurately. Ultimately, the only way to gauge my level was through martial artists who had reached similar realms.

I closed my eyes and contemplated.

‘The first target I should aim for isn’t the four great families—it’s the Twin Gate.’

The reason was somewhat complicated.

If I were to first challenge one of the four families—Zhang, Xu, Li, or Han—and win, they were very sensitive about their honor and might resort to secret schemes to bury that fact. Moreover, fighting against them meant facing family members, likely enhancing their grudge should they lose. Also, as families, they had fewer experts, but the disparity in skill levels could lead to suddenly facing an overwhelming peak expert that I couldn’t possibly handle at my current level.

However, the Twin Gate was different. With a greater number of disciples, their skill levels would likely be evenly distributed. Additionally, given that this is a gathering for shared benefits, the chances of a neutral stance were higher. They were also sensitive to honor, but with so many participants, it was likely that someone would be labeled a “loser” if they were defeated. Although I needed to keep the potential aftermath in mind, my desire to compete with them was overwhelming.

Of course, all of this was just my thoughts. Who knew what kinds of situations would arise in actual combat? I shook off the swirling distractions and resumed practicing the Thunder Dragon One Qi Technique. Once I began down the path of martial arts, a desire to win was boiling within me.

The next day, I woke up at dawn, steeling myself for the challenge ahead.

I made my way to the Iron Blood Gate—renowned as the traditional institution that produces the most martial officers in Luoyang. Because I arrived before dawn, there were two sleepy-looking disciples standing guard in front of the gate’s plaque.

“Who are you?”

I answered flatly. “I’m Baek Woong. I’ve come to challenge the Iron Blood Gate for a sparring match.”

“Sparring? Hehe, this is something…”

The two disciples exchanged incredulous glances, and then one laughed sinisterly. “You seem like the kind of guy we’ve seen a couple of times, but this time you really picked a foolish option. Do you have any idea how many wandering heroes have ended up as jokes after challenging the Iron Blood Gate?”

“Whether you’ll accept the spar is your call, isn’t it?”

I shot back fiercely, causing his expression to harden slightly. He retreated into the gate, declaring, “Alright. Just wait a moment. We’ll follow the proper procedures to set this up.”

“I’m not waiting.”

One of the Iron Blood Gate disciples sneered at my response. “Don’t play tough now; you’ll just end up as a joke.”

Acting tough, huh? I thought he might have a point. The truth was, today I was more heightened than usual, just by standing here. It was my first real challenge as a martial artist, so anxiety was inevitable. If I remained tense, I wouldn’t be able to bring out my true abilities, so I intentionally relaxed my expression and smiled.

“Haha.”

“……? Is he crazy?”

“Hahaha!!”

I laughed, regardless of how bewildered he looked. This laugh eased my tension, loosening my muscles and putting me in a relaxed state. With my calm restored, I felt my internal power flowing like a grand river, significantly weighting my fists.

Absolutely not going to lose.

After all, I had earned this through sheer effort.

If I lost here, I might as well just give up the ghost.

Moments later, an Iron Blood Gate disciple came out and said, “Hey, come in. I’ll take you to the sparring hall.”

I followed him to the sparring hall. As expected, the scale of the sect was vast. Dormitories housing hundreds of disciples were present, along with strength training facilities and large sparring arenas. Remarkably, a training site resembling military drills was also visible. It was likely where those preparing for the martial examination were training.

After a brief moment, I was led to a large indoor sparring arena that smelled of incense and had a wooden floor. Despite arriving before dawn, there were still high-ranking disciples already present to spar against me, along with low-ranking disciples hoping to watch. The dozens of eyes upon me were incredibly intimidating.

Suddenly, the Iron Blood Gate disciples erupted into a loud roar. It was less of a cheer and more like a battle cry designed to crush my spirit. The wooden walls of the arena resonated like a thunderous sound, and undoubtedly, any martial artist with shallow training would probably wither from such pressure.

‘These bastards?’

But I wasn’t about to give in to that atmosphere. So I loaded my internal power and roared back.

“AAAHHHHH!!!”

RUMBLE!

“AHHHHH?!”

“Cough!!”

Suddenly, the wooden floor creaked as the panels began to break. Several shouting disciples from Iron Blood Gate fell to the ground, spitting blood. The entire building shook, and the doors swung wide open like they exploded.

Just then, a man in white seated before me commanded, “Halt!”

As if the chaotic atmosphere had been dissolved, the hall fell silent again. The powerful energy I had unleashed for my Lion’s Roar was offset by the gaze of the expert before me. He frowned as he looked over the fallen Iron Blood Gate disciples and scolded the nearest disciple.

“You fools… Get the injured ones to the medical hall quickly. And I want all but the four highest-ranking disciples sent back to the dormitory!”

“Understood.”

“And summon the Sect Leader and Elders. Do you get that?”

“Yes sir!”

The older disciples moved swiftly, and as the injured were carried off, the arena grew quite quiet. With fewer people, the place appeared like a vast training hall.

Now calm, the man in white spoke with a begrudging tone.

“I apologize; my disciples overstepped while trying to gauge your level. Please bear with me, Baek Woong.”

“No worries, but does that mean I’m going to duel with you?”

“Indeed. I am Gyo Joon, the Sword Hall Master of the Iron Blood Gate.”

He slowly lifted his foot from the ground and eventually stood, taking a basic stance.

I too rose and took up a middle stance with my sword.

I didn’t know Gyo Joon’s exact position in Iron Blood Gate, but I sensed he was no mere poster boy—he was a genuine expert. He had effortlessly countered the force of my Lion’s Roar and maintained steady control of his emotions. The aura of a martial artist emanated from him at a very high level.

‘Damn… what gives? Is the lion really going all out against a rabbit?’

Having expected just a senior trainee, I was taken aback. Gyo Joon before me seemed to possess capability enough to make a name for himself in the martial world.

He scanned me briefly with sharp eyes and remarked, “Impressive… I’ve never come across someone like you with such internal power. Which sect trained you to achieve this?”

“I’m self-taught with no master or sect.”

He may know about Azure Dragon Martial Arts, but for now, I opted to deny it. It was better to deflect than to acknowledge right away. Unless one could produce evidence linking me directly to Azure Dragon Martial Arts, I wouldn’t be threatened.

But then Gyo Joon sighed, holding his sword.

“Hmm… I can’t possibly beat you. But I won’t stain my sect’s honor. So, would you mind waiting a moment?”

“What do you mean?”

“If you could wait for a bit, a worthy opponent from Iron Blood Gate will arrive to fight you. You should spar with someone worthy.”

What sort of nonsense is this?

I was gearing up to have a hard clash with Gyo Joon, and now he was backing down? I sensed he wasn’t lying; he genuinely believed he’d lose to me and requested to fetch someone stronger from the sect.

‘What’s going on? I’m not even in harmony with my internal power and level yet…’

However, I didn’t accept Gyo Joon’s request. Instead, I smiled coldly and said, “Is Iron Blood Gate known for its double-talk? Let’s stop the chit-chat and get to the duel.”

For some reason, I felt an urgency resonating within me. My sword might be dulled, but if I got dragged into doing things his way, I felt like trouble was brewing. So, I resolved to force the match myself.

“Wait, what…”

“Let’s begin the duel.”

Crashed!

The next moment, I charged fiercely at Gyo Joon. He hadn’t expected me to just tackle him like this without any formalities, leaving him startled into action with his sword stance.

Even with my dulled sword, I swiftly drew upon my Thunder Dragon Sword Technique to launch an attack.

Gyo Joon’s sword moves were precise and spirited. His stance was incredibly stable, leading me to instinctively grasp that he was at least a first-class swordsman. Thus, I thought it wouldn’t end quickly, so I launched a barrage of attacks.

Shwiiiish!

CLANK!

“Cough!”

Gyo Joon, having clashed with my sword just once, suddenly coughed up blood and flew back several feet, faltering as he tried to rise, knees buckling and causing him to kneel again.

“D-Damn…”

“……”

We barely exchanged five moves? I stared down at my sword; the blade, although dull, showed no sign of breaking. Meanwhile, Gyo Joon’s sword was shattered in half, lodged in the wall—a clear indicator of how overwhelmingly my internal power exceeded his. Beside me, an Iron Blood disciple was trembling in fear.

“A-monster! You just beat the Sword Hall Master…?”

What in the world just happened?

I stood there in shock, unable to comprehend, when a calm voice echoed through the entrance of the sparring arena.

“Quite the formidable challenger I see. Is it already ten years since such a talent appeared?”

I turned my back to the entrance and saw a middle-aged man in fur, filled with a powerful aura, surrounded by six martial artists. The energy radiating from him was palpable, not to mention the notable presence of the six warriors providing a strong aura of their own.

Behind them were a few more sword-wielding people akin to the Sword Hall Master Gyo Joon.

As they appeared, the Iron Blood disciples erupted in cheers.

“Wow!!!”

“The Sect Leader and Elders have arrived!!”

“The masters have all come!!”

“……”

My expression drooped. ‘Oh hell…’

I had suspected it, but the entire high-ranking officials of Iron Blood Gate had come out, who were also significant figures within the esteemed Twin Gate Sect itself.

 

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