Chapter 43

“Young Master, it’s Yalu Shan.”

Hwa Eun-wol, overseeing the eve ceremony, responded.

“Come in.”

Yelü Shan was the man who had handed the armor to Danwoo-seong, and he was also Lord Soga’s personal bodyguard.

As Yalu Shan approached, he said.

“He is indeed an impressive man, just as you said.”

He was, of course, referring to Danwooseong, as the Young Master had taken an interest in him.

“Now that you’ve seen him up close, what’s your impression?”

I was curious about Yalu Shan’s judgment. Yalu Shan replied simply.

“It was impressive.”

“Is that all?”

“He seems capable enough to ascend to the Dragon-Phoenix Grand Assembly and the Eight Rivers.”

“No way.”

“What do you think, Lord Sogaju?”

“It will be a three-way battle for the championship.”

“You hold them in high regard.”

Hwa Eun-wol smiled.

“During the light-footed contest, he deliberately waited for us up ahead while running, precisely maintaining the gap. He’s a man of experience.”

“Did you notice that the Young Master deliberately slowed his pace?”

“That much I couldn’t tell.”

Yalu Shan said.

“It’s clear he’s hiding his true strength, but calling it a three-way battle is a bit much.”

A three-way contest refers to…

It refers to a situation where three factions can produce a winner.

First is naturally the disciple of the Nine Sects belonging to the Martial Alliance.

Second is the late-stage disciple of the Sega clan belonging to the Imperial Association.

Adding Dan Wuxing to this mix meant they were holding him in quite high regard.

The Three Divine Ones could not send disciples to such a tournament. Their disciples’ seniority already surpassed that of most sect leaders.

The same applied to Alliance Leader Yu Zhenghong.

As the host, he was a man who thought it ridiculous to send his own disciples. That’s why it was a three-way contest.

Yalu Shan had anticipated it this way.

No matter how powerful the Galaxy Merchant Guild’s master may be, if he faces the Imperial Alliance, he’ll be blocked by the Namgung or Dugu clans. If he meets the Nine Sects, he won’t overcome the barriers of Huashan and Wudang. The Hainan Sect will be tough too. Even the Eight Great Clans can only achieve such results with exceptional luck. There are many powerful individuals not affiliated with any faction or alliance. It’s certain that participants unknown to us will join. Disciples secretly trained by the Demon Lords might slip in as well.”

Hua Eun-wol smiled.

“Sana, you should have observed the duel more closely. The master from the merchant guild didn’t use his internal energy during this match. Subduing the man wielding dual blades was a technique of soft overcoming hard. This means he didn’t even fully deploy his external skills. Despite conserving his strength as much as possible, he overwhelmed his opponent through sheer experience.”

He replayed Yalu Shan’s earlier duel in his mind. As the young master had said, there were indeed no movements indicating the use of internal energy.

“Hmm…”

Hua Eun-wol spoke.

“Let’s imagine adding external skills to the abilities we’ve seen with our own eyes, then adding internal skills on top of that, and finally adding the main martial arts techniques he hasn’t even unleashed yet. He must have victory in mind.”

Yalu Shan replied.

“What do you intend to do? Since you’ve come all the way to the Dragon-Phoenix Grand Tournament, shouldn’t the young master aim for the championship?”

“If I do participate, I came intending to defeat all the late-stage cultivators of the Emperor’s Assembly… but it won’t be easy. Perhaps I should sit this year out?”

“Huh?”

“Or perhaps I should just marry her off to Eunseol or the young master of the merchant guild. I’ve been contemplating it.”

Hwa Eun-seol was Hwa Eun-wol’s only younger sister. Regardless of the Dragon Phoenix Grand Assembly, her original nickname was Snow Phoenix. Just as Hwa Eun-wol was a rare beauty, Hwa Eun-seol was also a beauty.

Yalu Shan was startled by this sudden joke.

“Why would you say such a thing… just the mention of a political marriage sends him into a panic.”

Hwa Eun-wol shook her head.

Marrying into the Dokgo or Namgung families, or any clan belonging to the Imperial Council, is a political marriage. The match is with the Galaxy Trading Company. Our alliance is stronger. You seem to think good things will come from two clans joining forces, but that’s not the case at all. While it’s true that young master is remarkably strong, the company itself isn’t powerful. Our family can fill that gap, making it a perfect match. Wouldn’t it be interesting to turn the Galaxy Trading Company into the world’s greatest trading company while we’re at it?”

Hwa Eun-wol let her imagination run wild.

“Is the Galaxy Trading Company really that big?”

“I doubt he’ll make it into the top five. The head of the merchant guild is quite frugal, so he just hasn’t gained much notoriety. That greedy old Gu Yang wouldn’t have set his sights on him for no reason. Since it’s true he brutally beat Gu Yangsheng, the young masters of other families are clearly sharpening their knives. Even without me stepping in, the late-stage cultivators of the Imperial Assembly will suffer this time.”

Yalu Shan said.

“If the Sangdan young master wins, then we’ll consider it then.”

Hua Eun-wol clicked her tongue.

“Gambling and competition aren’t like that. If he wins anyway, marriage proposals will line up from all sides…”

“I suppose so.”

“All families with marriageable daughters will rush in. They’ll finally start thinking like me. The Eunha Trading Company has deep pockets, so they’ll be even more tempted. Marriage talks will unfold like a war. Since the warlord favors young masters, they might even come to us. That’s why we should approach them first and gauge the possibilities.”

Ha Eun-wol possessed the traits of a strategist, and she was applying this skill to marriage negotiations. Her ambiguous attitude, impossible to tell if playful or serious, was also characteristic of her.

Yalu San spoke with a look of utter exhaustion.

“Oh dear, Young Master. This is the Dragon-Phoenix Grand Banquet. You didn’t come here to rescue your brother-in-law.”

Hwa Eun-wol gazed out the window, fluttering her fan.

“Having come all this way, how could I focus on just one thing? I’ll watch the Dragon-Phoenix Grand Assembly, find a wife, find a wife for you, scout out the Martial Arts Alliance, drink some wine, see some beauties…”

Just then, the door burst open. A woman strode in and said,

“Brother.”

Yalu Shan smiled and bowed his head slightly.

“You’ve arrived.”

Hua Eun-wol scolded her younger sister with a disapproving look.

“Without any manners, this is…”

Hwa Eun-seol spoke with a calm expression.

“Brother, I could hear everything you said all the way down the hallway.”

Yalu San backed away, glancing between the two men.

“……Well then, I’ll be going.”

Hwa Eun-wol waved her hand as if urging him to flee.

“Seol-ah, have you forgotten Father’s words? He told you to find yourself a handsome husband. The choice is yours, but I also have a duty to look into it from your brother’s perspective. You’re of marriageable age—how long do you plan to live fighting like a man? Have you set your sights on the martial world too?”

“It’s not that I have set my sights on the martial world. My family has set its sights on the martial world. I am simply the daughter of that family.”

Hwa Eun-wol suddenly studied Hwa Eun-seol’s expression and asked unexpectedly.

“Did you see it?”

“What?”

“The pre-festival martial arts match.”

“I saw it. My room has a window too.”

Hwa Eun-wol asked, watching Hwa Eun-seol’s eyes.

“Was he handsome? Did you like him?”

When Hwa Eun-seol didn’t answer, Hwa Eun-wol chuckled softly.

“So you came out of curiosity. Wondering what kind of relationship we have. Why I lent him the armor. Hahahaha! Trying to deceive this brother of yours? No way.”

“No, I didn’t.”

Before her face could flush, Hwa Eun-seol turned away and said.

“I was just passing by and it came out.”

“Watch your step.”

Hwa Eun-wol chuckled softly, noticing her sister’s ears turning bright red as she exited the door.

‘Oh dear, how am I supposed to clean that up? He’s so picky.’

Hwa Eun-seol, walking down the hallway, saw a man coming up the stairs and her eyes widened in surprise.

“Oh my.”

Her face still flushed, Hwa Eun-seol quickly turned away and stared at the wall.

Danwooseong, climbing the stairs, spotted the woman facing the wall and flinched in surprise.

‘Crazy…’

For a moment, I thought she might be a madwoman, but her attire was impeccable, and her long hair tied back was utterly smooth. Just from her demeanor, she was clearly a noble lady, and her posture was upright, suggesting long years of martial arts training. Moreover, a thin, expensive-looking long sword hung at her waist, making it even less likely she was a madwoman.

Still, he couldn’t fathom why she was acting that way. After quietly passing through the corridor, Danwooseong stopped at what he assumed was Hwa Eunwol’s room and called out.

“Chu Feng… Young Master Hua, are you there?”

He had come intending to offer at least a cup of tea, since he had lent her the armor. The door swung open abruptly, and Hwa Eun-wol appeared with a delighted expression.

“What brings you all the way here? Come on in.”

“Let’s have a cup of tea.”

“Let’s go. By the way, once we get closer, you’ll call me Fallen Leaf. You keep saying Autumn Wind, Autumn Wind. That’s not my nickname.”

“It’s just so memorable.”

“Now that things have come to this, I’m wondering if I should just stick with the nickname.”

When Hwa Eun-wol came out, Hwa Eun-seol had already vanished into her room at a speed that seemed like she was using lightness skills.

“Hmm…”

Walking down the hallway, Hwa Eun-wol deliberately whispered softly at Hwa Eun-seol’s door.

“Little brother? Fancy a cup of tea?”

Hwa Eun-seol pressed her ear to the door, then startled, quietly stepped back. Then, turning her head in the opposite direction, she replied.

“Huh? No?”

“If you don’t want to, then don’t. Let’s go.”

As Danwooseong and Hwa Eunwol descended the stairs, Hwa Eunseol silently approached the door again and pressed her ear against it.

Hwa Eun-wol’s voice could be heard.

“Ah, my poor little sister. She came to participate in the Dragon Phoenix Grand Tournament. I’m not just saying this because she’s my sister, but she could be considered a strong contender for the championship. She’s such a tomboyish girl… Hahaha.”

What came next was crucial. Danwooseong replied like this.

“You seem to be staring at the wall…”

Hwa Eun-seol sighed and knocked on the door with her hand.

‘Why did I do that?’

Hwa Eun-wol’s absurd retort slipped out.

“He was practicing wall-facing meditation. He’s a guy obsessed with training. My brother was trained to be able to meditate anywhere, anywhere, to gain enlightenment in martial arts. He has incredible concentration, and I have a lot to learn from him.”

Hwa Eun-wol’s joke made Dan Woo-sung burst into laughter, a rare occurrence. As Hwa Eun-seol also laughed in disbelief, Hwa Eun-wol spoke in a voice charged with inner energy.

“Enseol, stop eavesdropping and come down for tea.”

Hwa Eun-seol’s smile vanished completely once more. He really was a ghostly older brother.

.

.

.

Hwa Eun-wol, who had been watching the two of them like bees that had lost their queen, suddenly burst out laughing alone. Hwa Eun-seol asked.

“Brother, why are you acting like that?”

“Ah, I’m sorry.”

Hwa Eun-wol covered his face with his hands.

Hwa Eun-seol was awkward, but the young master of Eunha Trading Company was even more of a piece of work.

He seemed utterly disinterested in Hwa Eun-seol. Nor was he the type to make polite small talk out of courtesy. He was truly a blunt man. The absurdity of his pairing with Hwa Eun-seol had made him burst into laughter all by himself.

Hwa Eun-wol pointed to the gift box Dan Woo-sung had placed on the table and said.

“The gift box was a present. You needn’t return it. Use it for the Dragon Phoenix Grand Banquet.”

Dan Wooseong did not refuse. He valued graciously accepting and using gifts. He was a man who knew how to reciprocate.

“I’ll put it to good use.”

Hwa Eun-wol asked as she slipped on her gloves.

“Your Highness, do you know who the favorite is to win the Dragon Phoenix Grand Tournament?”

“I don’t know.”

“This is serious. How can you be so out of the loop?”

Hwa Eun-wol pointed at Hwa Eun-seol with her finger and commanded.

“Explain it to him.”

Hwa Eun-seol pointed at herself.

“Me? Why? You know the details better than I do, Brother.”

Hwa Eun-wol retorted.

If you’re told to do it, just do it. I made this concession because it pains me to see you sitting there like a bee-stung mute. If you just drink this cup of tea and leave, what will the Crown Prince think of you? He’ll mistake you for some absolute master who meditates facing a wall, or who sinks into meditation even while drinking tea. That’s not you. If you won’t speak, I suppose I’ll have to tell the Crown Prince about your childhood. There were many amusing incidents…

Hwa Eun-seol cut her brother off.

“I’ll explain.”

Hwa Eun-wol glared at the two of them. This man was terrifying in the most unexpected ways. He was trying to gauge the mind of Kwon Wang, who had absolutely no interest in women.

ⓒ Yoo Jin-seong

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