“What’s going on?”
Seo Daeryong still had no idea about the events that were about to unfold.
“You need to participate in the Soaring Dragon Tournament.”
At the mention of the Soaring Dragon Tournament, Seo Daeryong was utterly shocked. He was so startled that I began to feel guilty for him, and he asked with a trembling voice.
“Surely, you don’t mean *that* Soaring Dragon Tournament I’m thinking of, right?”
“What Soaring Dragon Tournament do you know?”
“The martial arts tournament organized by the Murim Alliance, held for the late-stage disciples of the righteous sects. It’s that extremely dangerous martial arts competition where the Murim Alliance and numerous righteous masters gather, and people from the unorthodox factions or our sect aren’t even allowed to spectate, let alone participate. That’s not what you’re talking about, right?”
“It seems like that’s exactly the one.”
Seo Daeryong, who had been silently staring at me, suddenly jumped up from his seat and walked straight out of the inn without looking back.
I didn’t try to stop him and instead ordered some light snacks and drinks from the server. It had been an eternity since I last drank, having been lost in training deep in the mountains.After having a couple of drinks, Seo Daeryong returned to his seat.
“You’re not going to stop me?”
“Why would I? I knew you’d come back.”
Seo Daeryong poured himself a drink and gulped it down in one go.
“This is impossible. It can’t be done. What on earth are you talking about?”
“You’re the only one.”
“That’s something corrupt leaders say when they’re about to exploit their subordinates! What do you mean, I’m the only one? There are plenty! If you look carefully, you might even find someone in this very inn!”
Seo Daeryong looked around, trying to think of someone else who could replace him, but quickly realized that the people around me were all odd characters and sighed in resignation.
“Still, I can’t do it.”
He downed another drink.
“You do know who I am, right?”
“Of course I do. You’re a power-seeking, cold-hearted man, but you’re also a real man who only loves one woman. And when everyone else remains silent…” ŗàƝổ฿Ěś
“Stop it!”
I skipped over the rest and added only the newly relevant information.
“…You’re also the coward who never managed to face Lyu Bin, but still my right-hand man, Investigator Seo. And soon, the courageous man who will participate in the Soaring Dragon Tournament will be added to that list.”
“No matter what, how can I participate in the Soaring Dragon Tournament?”
“Well, I can’t do it, can I?”
“No one will recognize you. With that beard, you’ll be completely unnoticeable!”
“And you said it was a poor disguise? That it was a filthy beard?”
As he sighed, he came up with another excuse. Lowering his voice, Seo Daeryong whispered.
“I haven’t even properly learned Master’s martial arts yet.”
“That’s even better. You don’t want to stand out, do you? You’ll have to fight using only basic skills anyway.”
By now, Seo Daeryong had already mastered how to conceal demonic energy, so his martial arts wouldn’t draw any attention.
As Seo Daeryong lowered his head, emanating a dark aura of resistance, I played my trump card.
“Well, if you really can’t do it, then there’s nothing I can do. I’ll just have to fail the test that my father gave me. In the end, my brother will become the successor. I’ll probably be assassinated and left in some nameless field, where my body will be eaten by wild beasts. Ah! But I won’t hold it against you. I mean it.” 1
“I’ll likely die on the martial arts stage, stabbed by the sword of some righteous sect bastard I’ve never seen before. Then my body will be sent to the sect that provided me with a fake identity. Who’s this guy? I don’t know either. Probably just a short, gloomy-looking guy who got used and then died. Poor fellow. Let’s bury him quickly. Ah! But even then, I wouldn’t resent you, my lord. Honestly.”
“When I become the Cult Leader one day, I’ll look back on today. Ah, if it weren’t for you, I would never have become the Cult Leader. Thank you.”
“And someday, when I have my grandson sitting on my knee, I’ll tell him about today. Back then, I was stubborn and refused to enter that tournament, and that’s why you’re here now.”
It was a battle between spear and shield. But no matter how much he resisted, the outcome of this battle was already decided.
“Oh, really, I can’t live like this, I just can’t. But then, who am I to blame? I was the one who wanted revenge for my senior when you first arrived at the Underworld Pavilion. I was also the one who decided to learn the blade.”
I poured him another drink.
“Thank you.”
“As long as you understand. Life’s about doing things you don’t want to do.”
“People who say that are probably the ones who live doing only what they want.”
“No! That’s supposed to be *my* line!”
I knew how big of a decision this was for him. He was someone who hated standing out the most.
“As a martial artist, this will be a good experience for you. Just look at the names—it’s destiny, isn’t it? Soaring Dragon Tournament (So-ryong-jeon) and Seo Daeryong. It’s where Dae-ryong ascends. If the competition had been named So-ho-jeon, I would’ve called Jangho instead.”
My silly joke finally made Seo Daeryong laugh.
“So this is the successor’s test.”
“That’s right.”
“What exactly do we need to do?”
“There’s a guy who’s called the leader of the Heavenly Society. He’s going to use this tournament to carry out a scheme. He might approach the participants, so that’s why you’re entering. Our goal is to catch him.”
“We have to catch him. Catching bad guys is what we do.”
“Now that’s my right-hand man.”
Once Seo Daeryong made up his mind, he didn’t look back. This might be the reason why I liked him. Behind that small and melancholic appearance, there was an unyielding determination.
I took out some documents from my chest pocket and handed them to him.
“Here, this is your new identity. Memorize everything, down to the last detail. You’re good at memorizing, so I’m not worried.”
“What about you?”
“I’ll be playing the role of your attendant and bodyguard.”
A flicker of joy crossed Seo Daeryong’s face at that. He tried hard to suppress a smile that was about to break out. 2
“Why do you look so pleased?”
“Me? No way.”
“You just smiled.”
“You must have seen wrong.”
“You smiled.”
“Hey, kid, why are you fooling around when your elder says he didn’t? Ah, I was just practicing my act.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at Seo Daeryong’s playful jest.
“For now, focus on memorizing that, and we’ll go register for the Soaring Dragon Tournament tomorrow.”
We rented a large guest room with two beds.
As soon as we entered the room, Seo Daeryong moved to dust off my bedding, but I stopped him.
“Don’t worry about me. Just focus on yourself.”
“How can I do that?”
“I’m giving you an order that could change your life, so the least you can do is worry about yourself. You can even wet my bed if you want.”
“Receiving this order *is* my life. Don’t think of it as a bad thing. I’ve never thought of it that way, especially not since meeting you, my lord.”
Thank you for saying that.
After roughly unpacking, Seo Daeryong sat by the window and gazed outside. After a moment, he spoke with concern.
“I’ll need to climb as high as possible in the ranks to find out what that Heavenly Society leader is plotting. I’m worried I might get eliminated too early.”
I couldn’t predict the outcome either, not knowing exactly what the level of competition at the Soaring Dragon Tournament would be.
“Don’t worry. Your old master left something for you.”
“Huh? What do you mean by that?”
I pulled out a small pouch from my chest pocket.
“This is a strategy pouch given to you for when you hit a wall.”
Seo Daeryong was more shocked now than when I first told him he had to enter the Soaring Dragon Tournament.
“Did Master really give you this?”
To be honest, I was surprised too. I never imagined that Blood Heaven Blade Demon would leave something like this behind.
“Did you check what’s written inside?”
“No, why? Should I open it now?”
“Absolutely not! If Master said to open it during a crisis, then you should only open it during a crisis!”
Though curious about the contents of the pouch, Seo Daeryong was deeply moved by the fact that Gu Cheonpa had given it to him specifically. He felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude, so much so that he wanted to bow in respect towards the distant horizon where his aloof Master might be.
That night, Seo Daeryong couldn’t sleep, lost in various thoughts and emotions.
* * *
The next morning, we had breakfast and then headed to the Murim Alliance.
In the distance, the grand buildings of the Murim Alliance headquarters came into view. A massive statue of a warrior, modeled after a heroic figure, loomed over the area.
As we got closer to the Murim Alliance, I felt a strange sense of unease. Eventually, even the Murim Alliance would be swept away by Hwa Moogi.
Would my regression change their fate as well? Or would it only alter the destiny of our Cult? I couldn’t know that yet.
Seo Daeryong kept glancing at the female warriors passing by.
“Righteous sect women are beautiful, aren’t they?”
“They really are. I thought it was just a rumor.”
“While you’re here, try courting one. A fateful romance between a righteous sect heroine and a demonic cultivator!”
Demon
“It would be fun for the onlookers. But imagine how tough it would be for the people involved.” 3
Despite his words, Seo Daeryong’s gaze kept drifting towards the women passing by.
The registration for this Soaring Dragon Tournament was set up separately in the outer grounds of the Murim Alliance.
Even though registration was open for nearly five days, the line was long. Countless late-stage disciples from various righteous sects across the Central Plains had flocked to participate.
We lined up to register as well.
While waiting, I overheard the martial artists ahead of us talking about the tournament.
From what I gathered, not only would the winner be selected, but those who made it to the final eight would also be chosen and integrated into the elite forces of the Murim Alliance.
One of the men in front of us glanced at Seo Daeryong and me, smirking. Our rustic appearance must have made him naturally dismissive of us.
I asked Seo Daeryong, loud enough for the man to hear.
“Young Master, are you confident that you’ll win?”
Seo Daeryong’s eyes showed a strong protest—‘Win? All of a sudden?’—but his response was resolute.
“I’m confident.”
The men in front exchanged glances and snickered, but they didn’t openly provoke or mock us. 4
After a long wait, it was finally our turn.
“Name, Seo Ryong. Sect, the Seodo Sect of Gansu.”
This was an actual sect in Gansu, one directly managed by the Heavenly Communication Pavilion for such contingencies. If someone were to investigate, they would find a young man named Seo Ryong, who had left to participate in the Soaring Dragon Tournament.
“In ten days, the match schedule will be posted in front of the Murim Alliance. At that time, check the date and the designated stage. If you’re late for your match, you’re disqualified, so be sure to arrive early and wait.”
“I understand.”
After completing the registration, we left the Murim Alliance.
“Did you see how those guys looked down on us earlier? I might just go ahead and win this whole thing out of spite.”
“There’s no reason you can’t.”
“Can I really? I’ve always been first in everything since I was a kid. Don’t underestimate me!”
“I’m not underestimating you. Go ahead. You’re allowed to win.”
“I really will!”
From that day on, Seo Daeryong trained relentlessly in the mountains until the tournament began. I didn’t assist him. Since he was learning from the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, it wasn’t my place to interfere. I simply trusted in the teachings of old man Blade.
Whenever Seo Daeryong went out to train, I trained as well. Of course, I went to a different location so as not to disturb him.
Even before Seo Daeryong arrived, I had been training intensely in the mountains, but this time, I pushed myself even harder. And this training yielded the best possible results.
“I did it!”
At last, I had reached Ten Star Greatness in the Wind God’s Four Steps.
To be honest, I was even more thrilled than when I achieved the Ten Star Greatness in the Soaring Sword Art.
Now, my Divine Lightning Step would allow me to escape dangerous situations even faster, the Dark Shadow Step would let me disappear like an illusion, and the Underworld King Step had become extremely deadly in its raw power.
Additionally, the Star Light Step had become terrifyingly fast. While the internal energy consumption had massively decreased, the mental strain had doubled. It was so fast that, at first, I even collided with trees. Without the New Eye Technique, it would have been impossible to control such speed, even on a wide plain.
Once I become accustomed to this new realm, the final hurdle in the Wind God’s Four Steps would say to me:
— “Isn’t this amazing? If the Ten Star Greatness is like this, imagine what it’ll be like when you achieve Twelve Star Greatness. Come on, just a little more effort and we’ll get there!”
I need to hear those words. Only then can I say this to the Wind God’s Four Steps after reaching the end :
— “You did well too!”
I will definitely say this one sentence.
After that, I’ll inherit the Nine Calamities Demon Art and obtain the Secret Demonic Soul as well.
Even after mastering both martial arts, I won’t stop striving to become more powerful. 3
If after all this, I still can’t contend with Hwa Moogi… then there’s nothing more I can do. In that case, I’ll gladly die with a smile.
* * *
The match schedule was announced.
The first match was scheduled for tomorrow, as the thirteenth contest in the Imperial Group’s rounds. Due to the overwhelming number of participants, the matches would be held simultaneously across dozens of locations within the outer grounds of the Murim Alliance.
“If our Cult held a tournament like this, do you think we’d draw such a crowd?”
“No, I don’t think so.”
“This is the power of the righteous sects. Their numbers are probably ten times ours.”
And it’s not just the visible participants. The number of hidden masters is also overwhelmingly higher among the righteous sects.
This is why we can’t recklessly start a war, even if we’re stronger than the Murim Alliance right now. Even if we pushed them back all the way to the main headquarters, the real war would only begin from that day onward.
As Seo Daeryong and I were having dinner and discussing various topics, a server suddenly approached us in a hurry.
“Excuse me, but may I ask if you could share your table? The place is crowded due to the Soaring Dragon Tournament.”
“Of course.”
“Thank you.”
Shortly after, a woman wearing a bamboo hat joined us at our table.
As soon as she sat down and removed her bamboo hat, I was taken aback. She was someone I knew.
A person of such high status that I never would have imagined sharing a table with her at an inn, renowned for her cold, intellectual beauty that earned her the title of the Greatest Beauty of Hubei, and possessing exceptional martial arts skills—she was none other than Jin Haryeong, the granddaughter of the Murim Alliance Leader. 6
1 : Lol, can you be even more pushy at that point ? XDXDXD
2 : Either he find it funny too, or he’s already planning how to use his authority to ‘bully’ him ^^
3 : Our right-hand man is right, it would be like a retelling of Romeo and Juliet. Everyone says it’s romantic yadayada, but they still end up dying.
4 : Reasonable Orthodox, this novel really change all the rules.
5 : I wonder if he’ll take more martial arts. So far, he only have 5 : Soaring Sword Art (12 Stars), Wind God Four Steps (10 Stars), Heavenly Demon Body Protection, Temporal and Spatial Transference Technique and the Deadly Secret Art of Flying Daggers
6 : Welp, your destiny is here !!! Jump up into the Mugeuk train !!!
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