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The position of the Zhao Family, one of the six great families of Guanzhong, was at the Zhao Family Estate, located in the northwestern part of the Zhao Family’s Money Field. Naturally, being a family that made its living through financial means.

I dashed my way over, covering about 7 li, and eventually reached the Zhao Family Money Field. Looking at the sign, it didn’t seem as far as I originally thought. After all, 7 li wouldn’t take long on horseback.

Outside the Money Field, a quartet of guard warriors stood watch. Upon seeing me suddenly appear with my swift movement technique, they immediately drew their weapons.

“Who are you?”

Feeling a bit mischievous, I almost cracked a joke, but I held back. No need to complicate matters unnecessarily. Instead, I respectfully bowed and said, “I am Baek Woong, a disciple of the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School. I came to inform the Lord of Zhao Family Estate that our Grandmaster, Jin So-cheong, is visiting.”

They exchanged glances for a moment.

“Please wait.” “Sure.” “Do you have anything to prove your identity? No one with uncertain status can enter the Zhao Family Estate.”

“This is the Master Token from Azure Dragon Martial Arts School.”

I pulled out the Master Token from my coat. It was engraved with a soaring Azure Dragon, crafted from high-quality bronze. This was given to me by Samjeol Lee Kwang to verify my identity. Once they examined the token, they gasped in surprise.

“Oh… a master at such a young age from Azure Dragon Martial Arts School?”

“Impressive!”

“Please wait a moment.”

One of them, now using honorifics, dashed inside, while the other three relaxed their grips on their weapons, saying, “Did you say your name was Baek Woong? A new star has appeared in the Guanzhong martial world.” “How old are you?”

……

I couldn’t believe how quickly the guard warriors were turning friendly once they saw my Master Token. They didn’t even consider that it could be a fake or counterfeit.

Though the token was authentic, it showed just how peaceful the martial world had been lately without any significant upheaval. Simultaneously, it demonstrated how high the prestige and honor of the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School were in Guanzhong. The Azure Dragon Martial Arts School had become as influential in the region as the Twin Gate Sect had in Luoyang.

“Oh… just a moment… it’s important that I meet my senior.” I mumbled a vague response. But the guard warriors chuckled in understanding.

“Haha, please wait.”

After about half a moment had passed, a guard returned, looking perplexed.

“Um… I’m sorry, Baek Woong. You’ll have to wait a little longer.”

“What’s going on?”

……

He clamped his mouth shut without explaining. I could sense there was something occurring inside. Perhaps they were told not to let me in, or maybe Jin So-cheong wasn’t even there.

Feeling a bit irritable, I said, “I’m here on the orders of my master. He commanded me to bring my senior, and you plan to keep me waiting out here for no reason?”

My outburst seemed to catch the guards off guard. While my words may have lacked patience, they were true. At this, the guard hastily tried to explain.

“Right now, Master Jin So-cheong is having an important discussion with the Lord of Zhao Family Estate. If you’re from Azure Dragon Martial Arts School, you should understand that much.”

“Of course, I can understand. But if you all can stop me from entering, then you’ll have to take responsibility!”

At the mention of “responsibility,” the guards turned pale. It was the most terrifying word to them. They quickly began calculating just who would take the blame for this, urging the guard who had gone inside to return swiftly.

“Tak! Just ask again!”

“Isn’t it just an urgent matter? Just check with them again!”

The guard called Tak exploded in frustration. “Damn! Am I your servant? Why is the burden on me?”

“You were assigned to report!”

“Ugh…” He seemed to be holding back a torrent of curse words. Reluctantly, he finally said to me, “Previously, I didn’t receive direct instructions from your senior or the Lord. However, I will make sure to clarify this time.”

“What do you mean? Did somebody tell you to turn back?”

“Ah, well, you see… The Chief Commander said not to let any guests near the VIP room. You don’t need to worry this time.”

With that, the guard called Tak hurriedly dashed back inside. The other guards exchanged exasperated remarks and discontented grumbles about him, but I paid them no mind. Instead, I turned my thoughts into high gear to assess the current situation.

‘The Lord of Zhao Family Estate and my senior speaking about something important? Wasn’t my senior supposed to meet with his friend, Namgung Hwan, here? This wasn’t just a rendezvous location, was it?’

It seemed that my senior meeting with Namgung Hwan entailed more intricate circumstances than I anticipated. Although I thought the Lord might be detaining or threatening my senior, no matter how powerful the Guanzhong six great families were, they wouldn’t dare do such a thing. My senior’s martial prowess alone wouldn’t allow for any form of capture by the Lord of Zhao Family Estate, especially when Azure Dragon Martial Arts School’s power was as strong as combining two or three of the six families.

I wiped that ridiculous assumption from my mind. I then asked the guard warriors if Namgung Hwan and his fiancée, Mo Yong-yeon, were present. The guards’ expressions shifted to one of suspicion.

“Why do you ask?”

“I heard rumors from the marketplace that they were headed this way towards the Zhao Family Estate.”

“That’s something we don’t know about.”

Despite their denial, I felt reassured that they indeed had visited Zhao Family Estate. If they truly didn’t know, they wouldn’t have reacted so defensively. It seemed that their guard experience was lacking in terms of quick thinking.

‘Should I just charge in?’ I mused, feeling it was a waste of time standing here. But I gripped my fists tightly, holding back once more. I’d seen too many people die recklessly charging in, and I knew from experience that holding out as long as possible would lead to better outcomes. Sure, crashing the Zhao Family would be easy, but dealing with the aftermath would not be.

I waited there for about half a moment longer. Then, finally, guard Tak and a middle-aged man emerged together.

“Greetings, Baek Woong. I apologize for the wait.

“Who are you?”

“I am Ha Jun, the Chief Commander of the Zhao Family Estate.” He spoke to me with respect, apparently aware of my status as a master from Azure Dragon Martial Arts School, despite his youthful appearance. He maintained a formal demeanor in recognition of our ranks.

Ha Jun, the middle-aged man who introduced himself as the Chief Commander, continued on with a tone of regret. “Master Jin So-cheong was in discussion with the Lord but could not align their views and will be staying longer. He intends to return to the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School, so you don’t need to worry about that.”

“…What did they talk about?”

“That pertains to the secrets of this estate. If you wish to know, you can ask your senior later.”

I couldn’t help but smirk, my eyes glinting with suspicion. “Do you think I’m an idiot? Making me wait like this and then telling me to go back while I haven’t even laid eyes on my senior? When exactly would I expect him to return?”

“Ah, no…” Chief Commander Ha Jun seemed caught off guard.

Well, it made sense. The gravity of my words coupled with the aura of my internal power was putting them all on edge. Despite the Zhao Family’s experience in the martial world, confronting my presence made their eyes shake with unease.

The other four guards next to me flinched back, their faces pale as if they had just seen a ghost. My aura had clearly intimidated them; they were already paling with fear.

I imposed on Commander Ha Jun, saying, “Let me make this clear: Either you grant me an audience with my senior or at least inform me of the situation. If not, I will take matters into my own hands!”

“You threaten him, a disciple? Are you intending to sully the reputation of your senior, intimidating the Zhao Family Estate?”

The Chief Commander retaliated with surprising fierceness, displaying his fortitude. It was clear he was someone with strong resolve, as he stood his ground despite the pressure of my internal energy.

I chuckled, noting the irony. “Does this truly sound like a threat? I’ve simply been commanded by my master to ‘bring my senior here.’ This is binding and important guidance that should hold even for him. Don’t hide behind excuses. Disobeying this command reflects solely back onto your senior!”

……

“Within our martial clan, which carries more weight, the will of the senior or the directive of the master? I’m merely speaking facts.”

Ha Jun looked troubled at my words.

In between the lines, I was asserting, [If I were to rampage through Zhao Family Estate in pursuit of my senior, it would not be seen negatively in the martial world]. Given that he was the Chief Commander, one could only expect he would grasp the logic beneath my words pretty quickly. In reality, even if I created a scene, if I were to take down guards and the commander himself, the Zhao Family Estate would be the only one with repercussions.

Of course, I would never actually harm them. Doing so would expose me to serious risks. Yet, instilling the possibility that I could indeed cause chaos sufficed to give me leverage in this conversation.

Ultimately, Ha Jun looked back toward the inner chambers of the Zhao Family Estate with a sigh.

“Alright, I will tell you of Jin So-cheong’s whereabouts.”

“Where abouts? Isn’t he supposed to be in the Zhao Family Estate?”

“He left this place not long ago.”

……!!

I quickly confirmed my suspicions. The previous blocking out of the guard and subsequent excuses presented were orchestrated to conceal the absence of Jin So-cheong from me. My gut feeling was right on the mark again, but I had no choice; I needed to assess the situation and not disadvantage myself later, choosing accordingly.

I spoke to the Chief Commander again. “Why did you hide Jin So-cheong’s whereabouts?”

“Because he made a request to the Lord of Zhao Family Estate.”

“What did he request…?”

“I cannot discuss further. We merely honored his request, and be assured, we will not be intimidated by even the Azure Dragon Martial Arts Master over this whatever it may be.”

There was a sharpness to Ha Jun’s responses. His tone suggested he was slightly irritated about involving herself in other’s affairs, so I opted not to poke that hornet’s nest further. It seemed Master Jin So-cheong had a reason for requesting the Lord to keep his movements under wraps, having a deadline that seemingly fell by tomorrow morning. The Commander was merely complying, attempting to buy time.

But why…?

After a moment, Chief Commander Ha Jun added, “He was heading toward Hangu Pass. If he’s on horseback, you must hurry to find his trail.”

“You’re really working hard to cover your tracks, aren’t you?”

In truth, giving this information so openly was likely an attempt to prep an alibi, covering their backs in case of future inquiries about why they had hidden Jin So-cheong. Ha Jun seemed to wrinkle in discontent.

“Don’t be condescending. We don’t enjoy getting involved in others’ business either.”

“Hmmm.”

“I won’t see you off. You should head out now.”

After a brief moment, Ha Jun commanded the guards to close the gates, effectively cutting our conversation short. As the gates slammed shut behind him, the guards looked awkward but soon began tending to their posts, lighting the torches for their tasks. Indeed, night had already fallen, and it would be crucial to hurry or I might lose track of where I need to go.

With a bang!

I knew where Hangu Pass was. Having lived in Guanzhong for three years, I had a rough idea of the geography. Hangu Pass sat right on the border, connected from Central Plains to Guanzhong and hugged the southern bank of the Yellow River, near the Lingbao region. I hadn’t visited Hangu Pass yet, but well-known historical locations would be easy to find just by following the official road.

‘There should be a post station nearby. I can rent a horse from there.’

Riding at night can be dangerous, but holding a torch in one hand provides some visibility. Of course, my horsemanship isn’t the best, but I’d manage to keep a steady pace. I could gallop if needed, but conserving my energy was preferable.

The official road was flanked by fire towers adorned with torches at necessary intervals. Luckily, they weren’t hard to miss, and I began to trot along slowly.

The station master mentioned that I would see the shape of Hangu Pass after crossing a mountain and traveling about 5 li more. Based on their estimate, the actual distance was around 25 li from here. It was considerable, and I felt lucky to have a horse!

As the sound of my horse’s hooves echoed, my thoughts whirred.

‘Surely, Jin So-cheong must have met with Namgung Hwan and Mo Yong-yeon at Zhao Family Estate and now headed towards Hangu Pass.’ I perceived only one likely purpose behind all this.

Protection!

A great deal of top-tier martial artists were prowling about town since the break of dawn, and they would be hunting for Namgung Hwan and Mo Yong-yeon. There was no way he wouldn’t know this; thus, bringing his fiancée to Zhao Family Estate was top-tier strategy, signaling for assistance from his friend Jin So-cheong in the process!

I crouched lower on my horse to slip through the branches going forward, muttering to myself, “What a bother this has turned out to be…”

Without a doubt, if I followed my senior towards Hangu Pass, I would likely cross paths with those top martial artist thugs who were obsessed with Mo Yong-yeon. They certainly wouldn’t let something as trivial as a marriage slip past them. After all, if anything triggered their interests in the Zhao Family then there was no predicting their intentions.

It turned out my predictions were spot on. While I was carefully jogging down the mountain path along the road in following the torches, I felt a sudden surge of powerful energy resonating in the air. It was a massive wave of energy, one that indicated a clash between formidable masters was underway. A small sound almost inaudible to ordinary ears danced around me, signaling that masters were clashing.

“Oh no… am I too late?” I clicked my tongue and spurred the horse ahead. While it was dangerous going downhill, there was no option to delay.

“C’mon, buddy!” I urged the horse, laying a hand on its neck, funneling my energy into it, and as it perked up, it raced forward faster than before. I could help steady it, so it wouldn’t misstep or veer off the path.

Higgy-hee!

Regular masters wouldn’t be able to pull off this kind of thing. Infusing internal energy into another being was typically extremely inefficient; precisely why masters often studied acupuncture points meticulously to maximize efficiency. But since my internal energy was overflowing, even bypassing these points and merely pouring energy would still suffice to deliver ample power.

Ultimately, in a mere moment, I pulled up right at the place of the battle.

With a whoosh!

I flowed out of the bushes into a wide meadow scattered with towering trees. Far off, the majestic Hangu Pass peaks rose in the distance amidst the flames of torches lighting a battlefield. There were about a dozen figures standing there stilled.

I jumped off the horse and shouted, “Master Jin So-cheong! Are you alright?”

Jin So-cheong, mid-battle, glancing at me while wielding his spear against two opponents, caught my eye. Astonishingly, he held them at bay, moving as if the spear was a part of him, not setting a single foot back but instead overpowering them!

Thwang!

“Ugh!” One of the guards wielding a long sword screamed and reeled back as Jin So-cheong thrust his spear forward, sending him tumbling backward. And with one swift movement, he unleashed the Thunder Spirit Eight Forms, causing a shockwave that tore through the air as the remaining attacker’s weapon was shattered, leaving him with a gash on his shoulder.

Having defeated both attackers within a blink, Jin So-cheong turned to me with a look of astonishment.

“Who are you? How is it that I can sense Thunder Spirit energy from you?”

It seemed he picked up on the thunder aura emanating from me. Regardless, with the speed at which he sensed the essence of my Thunder Spirit energy, it became clear that Jin So-cheong was an impressive martial artist far beyond my initial assumptions.

All the gazes of the martial artists in the area turned towards me.

I bowed slightly and explained to my senior, “I’ve recently become a disciple of Azure Dragon Martial Arts School and, on the Master’s order, have come to accompany you.”

“A disciple…? Accompany?”

“For my own reasons, I’ve taken upon myself to master the Three Refined Masters.”

With a baffled expression, Jin So-cheong seemed to have grasped the situation and burst into hearty laughter. “Hahaha! I see! I’m counting on you, Baek Woong!”

“Yes.”

In an instant, he pieced together I was a disciple under Samjeol Lee Kwang from the Thunder God Lineage. Moreover, he realized that my mention of ‘Three Refined Masters’ was a discreet metaphor for the Thunder God Lineage. It seemed he was as sharp as he was skilled, a true prodigy of the martial world!

‘What else can you expect from one of the world’s Ten Great Masters in the future…’

Standing beside Jin So-cheong were two others: a strikingly handsome man, resembling a sculpted dragon, indisputably dashing, you could say, while his partner, Mo Yong-yeon, was equally a dazzling beauty. If I were to compare her with Sagong Lin, I would find it difficult to declare which was the more exquisite beauty. One radiated pure youth while the other exuded charm typical of elegant sophistication. In any case, they were both figures worth risking one’s life for talent!

They greeted me, “Nice to meet you, young hero. I am Namgung Hwan, the Azure Dragon of the Sky.”

“And I’m Mo Yong-yeon, the daughter of the Mo Yong family.”

“Yes. A pleasure.” I acknowledged their intentions without further fuss, feeling buoyed by the correctness of my assumptions.

Just then, a man clad in black stepped forward, disdainful laughter escaping his lips as he mocked, “Laughable. You’re all going to die. Just because a few more kids have joined won’t change your fates!”

A horde of seven or eight masters brandished their weapons in support of him. I even felt the vibes of four first-class experts from earlier in the day mixed in among them! To my dismay, I spotted that familiar figure standing at the back, holding a wooden sword—Wei Zhong, the War Sword Ghost, who I effectively dealt with earlier!

Soon enough, Wei Zhong spotted me and shouted in disbelief, “Ah! You’re that boy from earlier today!”

I retorted brusquely, “Boy from earlier today? I’m a disciple of Azure Dragon Martial Arts School!”

“Don’t act ridiculous, you filthy brat!” he sneered. “

“Shut up!”

Realizing it was time to flex a little might, I launched myself forward as if to show them what I was made of.

“You lunatic!”

As I surged ahead, the elite martial artists regarded me as if I was a mere mosquito. Yet mere moments later, that perception shifted as they abruptly attacked me with deadly intent. But before entering their strike range, I paused mid-air to pivot downwards and unleashed my internal energy focused into the ground.

‘Time to get busy!’

Kawa-pow—!!!

Explosive devastation ripped through the area, mimicking the sound of dozens of barrels full of gunpowder detonating simultaneously, sending a cacophonous wave barreling through the mountains!

The ground shook as if massive pillars exploded into the air, covering the sky in dust. A thunderous shockwave surged outwards, ripping through the air. The ground quaked underfoot, imploding into chaos as trees nearby were stripped bare due to the shockwave.

Human forms were no exception.

“AAAAAHHHHH!!”

“What, what the hell?!”

“No way, is this guy insane?! Huh?!”

With shrieks of terror, the assembled first-class masters stumbled back, propelled by the force of my attack. Some buried their weapons into the ground, while others attempted stances in sheer fluster, but none could withstand my overarching force. A weaker soul found themselves launched backward, spilling blood from their mouth!

Simply erupting my internal energy into the ground had invoked this level of disaster.

Yet witnessing the aftermath left me astonished.

Did I truly wield such formidable power?

At that moment, Jin So-cheong remarked, a grin cutting across his face, “Well done, Baek Woong! Let’s hop on my horse and make our getaway!”

“What? Retreat?”

“Those men over there—each and every one of them can take on a master! A direct confrontation would end poorly!”

In a flash, Mo Yong-yeon mounted the horse I had ridden in earlier. Grabbing the reins, Namgung Hwan urged, “Head towards Hangu Pass now, don’t worry about us!”

“Understood, Hwan.”

As Mo Yong-yeon spurred the horse ahead, Jin So-cheong and I began to follow suit. Although we could effortlessly outpace the speed of the horse, conserving our strength was paramount, keeping a sensible distance.

As we galloped onward, Namgung Hwan glanced at me, “I never imagined that there are other young experts like you in Guanzhong… Seems like the future of our world is set for upheaval.”

“Haha…”

Feeling a bit sheepish under such praise came to me, realizing he would one day claim the title of Sword King, as the future figure revered across the martial realm.

Just then, Jin So-cheong transmitted a thought to me. [Did you inherit from another lineage of the Thunder God?]

Though I wasn’t adept at conveying in this manner, I murmured back, “Yes. My previous master passed away, so I sought out the Lord.”

[Hmm, that should make your training more interesting. I trust you’ll perform admirably today.]

Remarkably, Jin So-cheong exhibited no jealousy or suspicion towards me, nor did he harbor any intentions of antagonism, despite the fact that gaining a prodigy out of nowhere would typically raise eyebrows amongst peers. Feeling his authenticity made my heart heavier, a prodigy surely acknowledged as a natural talent!

‘Though it would be easier on me if he had been more of a whiner…’, I thought, contemplating the notion of surpassing a talent that Samjeol Lee Kwang himself proclaimed as his successor.

 

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