Chapter 59: That Inn
Jin Gwangung gave me a sidelong glance and spoke bluntly.
“Why are you so surprised?”
He frowned.
“You look like you've seen a ghost.”
Of course I was surprised.
How was I supposed to expect someone who had disappeared for nearly a month to suddenly show up inside the Sect Leader's Palace?
Unable to hide my confusion, I immediately asked,
“Don't tell me... you're the other escort?”
“That's right.”
Jin Gwangung crossed his arms.
“This body will be escorting you brats.”
Then he smirked.
“Surprised?”
"..."
A brief silence followed.
Jin Gwangung glanced toward Sect Leader Cheon Gwangcheon.
“It's not like I wanted to escort you lot even one bit.”
He clicked his tongue.
“But that old man wouldn't stop pestering me.”
Then he began grumbling.
“Going on about how Kunlun hasn't participated in the Dragon-Phoenix Awakening Tournament in twenty years...”
“and asking how we could send young disciples out into the dangerous martial world by themselves....”
Jin Gwangung rubbed one ear.
“He nagged me so much I thought my ears would start bleeding.”
Then he shrugged.
“So I had no choice but to accept.”
Sect Leader Cheon Gwangcheon watched him with a gentle smile.
“Haha.”
“In the end, didn't you come because you care about the disciples, Gwangung?”
Jin Gwangung waved him off.
“What are you talking about?”
“Me? Care about those brats?”
He snorted.
“Even a passing dog would laugh.”
Cheon Gwangcheon chuckled.
“No.”
“Knowing your personality, if you truly didn't want to do it, you would've ignored my request and run away.”
His smile deepened.
“Gwangung, honestly...”
“You could simply say what you feel.”
Jin Gwangung hurriedly waved both hands.
“Enough, enough.”
He grimaced.
“I'm only coming because I want to get out of this boring Kunlun and travel through the martial world for once.”
Cheon Gwangcheon nodded.
“Haha. Either way, I feel much more at ease thanks to you.”
“It's just sightseeing.”
Jin Gwangung cleared his throat.
“Sightseeing.”
He looked embarrassed.
For some reason...
that made me feel strangely grateful.
Is this what affection between master and disciple is supposed to feel like?
While responding to the Sect Leader...
Jin Gwangung kept sneaking glances at me.
That alone was enough for me to guess what he really felt.
Cheon Gwangcheon looked at him.
“Then I'll trust you.”
“Together with First Elder Gwangcheol, guide these children well.”
Jin Gwangung sighed deeply.
“Haa.”
“Just thinking about traveling with that stiff old bastard is already making my chest feel tight.”
Yu Gwangcheol immediately snapped back.
“Gwangung.”
“Maintain some dignity befitting a First Elder.”
“There he goes again.”
Jin Gwangung groaned.
“That's exactly why I left the Geoncheon Guard in the first place.”
Yu Gwangcheol's eyes narrowed.
“Strictly speaking, you didn't leave of your own accord.”
“The Geoncheon Guard made the decision first because of your lack of discipline.”
“Aaaaah, all right!”
Jin Gwangung covered his ears dramatically.
“Enough already!”
Sect Leader Cheon Gwangcheon stroked his beard while watching them.
“Hahaha.”
“You two are as harmonious as ever.”
What exactly was harmonious about this?
Anyone could see they were constantly one sentence away from trying to kill each other.
The Sect Leader really does look at the world far too positively.
I shook my head.
After a moment...
the Sect Leader's smile faded.
He looked over the four of us one by one.
The gentle look in Cheon Gwangcheon's eyes hardened into the steady gaze of Kunlun's leader.
“Good.”
“Then there is no reason to delay any longer.”
His voice was low...
but powerful.
“From this moment onward, you step into the martial world carrying the name of Kunlun.”
His gaze sharpened.
“Each step you take will be a step taken by Kunlun itself.”
“Never forget that.”
Then his tone softened slightly.
“And above all...”
“return safely.”
The four of us bowed together.
“Yes. We will remember.”
It was the beginning of my first proper journey through the martial world...
both before and after my regression.
Immediately after speaking with the Sect Leader...
we carefully gathered everything we would need for the journey.
Then we departed for the Righteous Alliance, where the Dragon-Phoenix Awakening Tournament would be held.
The Righteous Alliance was located in Luoyang.
There were now a little more than two weeks remaining until the tournament.
If we wanted to arrive on time...
we needed to move fairly quickly.
Of course...
that didn't mean we traveled without rest.
We had enough leisure to occasionally speak with Yu Gwangcheol, who was leading the group.
Though rather than casual conversation...
most of those talks were about martial arts or the martial world.
Today was no different.
During a short break in our journey...
Myeongjeon casually approached First Elder Yu Gwangcheol.
“First Elder, there's something I'm curious about.”
Yu Gwangcheol looked at him.
“What is it?”
“I've heard Mount Hua and Wudang will also be participating in the Dragon-Phoenix Awakening Tournament.”
Myeongjeon's eyes brightened.
“Both are famous for their sword arts.”
“Which one is more dangerous?”
In other words...
he was asking which was stronger between Mount Hua and Wudang.
Yu Gwangcheol answered without hesitation.
“Mount Hua's sword contains illusion.”
Everyone's attention immediately turned toward him.
“The instant you relax because you've stopped one attack...”
“that technique has already been discarded, and an entirely different one comes next.”
His gaze drifted into the distance.
“When you face Mount Hua's sword directly...”
“it feels less like fighting a sword and more like fighting a wind that changes endlessly.”
Myeongjeon swallowed and listened closely.
The rest of us did the same.
Yu Gwangcheol continued.
“Compared to the endlessly changing sword of Mount Hua...”
“Wudang's sword defeats its opponent through the principles of Taiji.”
His gaze lifted toward empty air.
“Wudang connects yin and yang to create a circle.”
“Then it draws the opponent's force into that circle.”
His voice remained calm.
“Once you're caught inside the circle of Taiji...”
“you will never escape easily.”
His explanation was simple...
yet carried unusual weight.
Almost like someone speaking from personal experience.
Myeongjeon licked his lips and asked,
“Then...”
“what about Kunlun's sword?”
The corner of Yu Gwangcheol's mouth lifted slightly.
He had probably expected that question.
“Kunlun is vast.”
Myeongjeon blinked.
“Vast?”
Yu Gwangcheol answered with pride.
“Kunlun's sword follows the form of the vast Kunlun Mountains.”
“It embraces overwhelming force...”
“yet does not concentrate all of that power into a single point.”
He paused.
“Instead...”
“it spreads that power endlessly outward.”
After drawing a breath, he continued.
“That is why Kunlun's sword, once it reaches its ultimate realm...”
“resembles the vastness of nature itself, covering all things beneath heaven.”
I cautiously asked,
“Then... which of the three do you consider the highest?”
The surroundings instantly became quiet.
