Chapter 36 Mayu Gyeom-1

Chapter 36: Mayu Gyeom-1

Hae Cheong-yeon was dining alone at an inn near Gui Zhou Province when she overheard rumors about her comrades.

Whirlwind Dragon, Snowstorm; Heaven-Defying Black Wolf, Xian Wuzhen; Whirlwind Eagle, Bi Saying… He didn’t know why Xian Wuzhen had earned the nickname Black Wolf, but they were undeniably splendid epithets.

“It’s a bit disappointing, isn’t it?”

Hae Cheong-yeon muttered to himself, suddenly overcome by a pang of regret.

If only he had followed Sun Wujin this time, he could have joined in on those exciting adventures.

Anyway, he was the kind of person who made sure there was never a dull moment when he was around. She even wanted to test whether that would hold true if she spent her whole life by his side.

When Hae Cheong-yeon had said she had other plans and wouldn’t be going with Seon Woo-jin during this vacation, everyone had been genuinely puzzled.

Not only Naseo-yu and Cheon Ju-eun, who knew she had feelings for Seonwoo-jin, but even the other male members who didn’t know felt it was only natural that she was always by his side, like a needle follows thread.

They also knew that behind the scenes, Bisea-yeong had been teasing Seonwoojin, saying he’d finally been rejected.

Sunwoo Jin himself seemed a bit awkward in this unfamiliar situation, too.

“But… this kind of thing has to happen sometime, right?”

It was a bit disappointing, but he thought it was a strategically sound choice.

Sure, just watching from the sidelines was fun, but wasn’t it also okay to occasionally make him aware of her absence?

But Hae Cheong-yeon hadn’t followed Seon Woo-jin this time for that reason alone.

She had been questioning the situations on the front lines she’d learned about, and the secret affairs unknown to the outside world.

Too many, and too significant, events had been hidden from the martial world, completely unknown.

And that couldn’t help but be highly unusual.

In a martial world where rumors spread faster than the swiftest master, how could such secrecy be maintained?

Simply because they signed a confidentiality agreement?

Haecheongyeon shook his head.

“That can’t be it.”

Hae Cheong-yeon was certain there must be a powerful force here ensuring the secret was maintained.

And that force was likely the Martial Arts Alliance.

Haecheongyeon intended to investigate it.

And if the Martial Arts Alliance had truly been doing the things she suspected, she couldn’t just stand by and watch.

That wouldn’t be the righteous faction’s pillar, the Martial Alliance, that she knew.

Therefore, Hae Cheong-yeon had come alone to the Xingren area of Guizhou Province and requested that a courier deliver a letter to the courier agency.

She used the fastest and most expensive express delivery service.

After that, she rented a training room at a nearby martial arts academy and entered secluded training. She had just emerged after several days.

The front lines were undeniably an extremely effective place for training. Not only was it filled with constant life-threatening dangers that left no room for laziness, but it was also a place where excellent sparring partners were scattered everywhere.

At first, he was surprised, but now he found it only natural that the young people on the front lines achieved more than the young members of the Martial Alliance.

“In an environment like the front lines, only the strong can survive. Those who couldn’t would have mostly perished.”

Yet, despite that, Hae Cheong-yeon had been feeling a bit of regret lately.

As she was just about to advance to a new stage, she needed an environment where she could immerse herself more fully in her own training.

Of course, masters don’t choose their environment, but the front lines held too many fascinating things, making it difficult to focus solely on herself.

For example, Seon Woo-jin, or Seon Woo-jin, or Seon Woo-jin.

Anyway, that’s why she was returning to the front lines after finishing several days of secluded training.

When she arrived at the Seventh Squad’s lodgings around evening, all the squad members except her were gathered, happily chatting away.

Since Cheongyeon had timed her return for the last evening of her leave, it seemed not only Na Seoyouna and Cheon Ju-eun, who had said they were going home, but also the four men had already returned.

The squad members greeted her with bright smiles.

“Young Lady Cheongyeon! Welcome back!”

“Yeon-ah, come in! We’ve been waiting for you!”

Hae Cheongyeon suddenly felt a sense of wonder.

She had always been more interested in objects than people, yet strangely, these seven members she had only met about four months ago felt as warmly familiar as family.

She, too, smiled faintly and inquired about their well-being.

“Sister, Jueun. Did you have a good trip back to your family home? I hear the three of you got some splendid nicknames? Must have been quite a joyful occasion.”

Biseyang responded with a hearty laugh.

“Hahaha! We were just about to tell you that! It would have been great if you had come along too, young lady!”

It was obvious that Biseyang was excitedly recounting his exploits.

Though I didn’t specifically join in, Seolpung and Seonwoojin’s expressions looked incredibly bright, clearly enjoying what must have been a delightful vacation.

Only Bae Jong-gwan seemed a bit down, perhaps because he alone hadn’t received a nickname. As expected, Seonja-yu was thoughtfully chatting beside him, listening to his story.

Cheon Ju-eun suddenly spoke with a bright face.

“Sis, sis! Our team members brought us a whole bundle of elixirs! Now I can finally meet the requirements for first-class status!”

Elixirs?

Ah, so that’s what he gave her when he said he saved her from life-threatening peril?

With that thought, she smiled and congratulated Cheon Ju-eun.

“That’s great. Congratulations, Jueun.”

At that moment, Seon Woo-jin smiled faintly and said.

“Now that I think of it, since Young-yeon is here too, I suppose we can all take them out now.”

He brought the bundle and spread it out before everyone.

The moment the bundle opened, a deep, pure fragrance filled the entire room.

Haecheongyeon was genuinely startled by the sight of the medicinal herbs packed inside.

“All of that… is elixir?”

Seon Woo-jin answered with a sly smile.

“These are things I scraped together from the Black Chamber’s storeroom. Well, now that the owner is gone, shouldn’t we put them to good use? The elixirs here can be shared among all our team members when needed. And this is…”

Saying this, Seon Woo-jin pulled out a small pill.

“These are the Life-Death Pills. The Elder of the Life-Death Sect personally guaranteed they’re superior to summoning pills. He gave us exactly seven, so each of us should keep one and use it when needed.”

Hae Cheong-yeon was genuinely speechless.

While others might not even have the chance to encounter such items and thus be unaware of their value, she knew all too well that summoning pills weren’t something you could just buy with money.

It was an artifact one could scarcely even glimpse without the right connections, a precious elixir that could be worth another life to martial artists.

And yet, here he was, casually handing out this elixir—said to surpass even the Summoning Pill—to people as if it were nothing.

To an outsider, it might have looked like she was handing out snacks.

Ha Cheong-yeon couldn’t hold back and asked Seon Woo-jin.

“Is it really okay to just give this away like this?”

Seon Woo-jin looked at her for a moment before answering with a faint smile.

“If there’s anything I’d hate to lose most in my life, it’s the people gathered here right now. So isn’t it only natural to invest in the less important things for the sake of the most important? Don’t you agree, Young Lady Cheongyeon?”

Hae Cheong-yeon couldn’t understand.

Of course, she herself had grown quite attached to the team members and sometimes felt they were like family.

But no matter how much that was true, they had only met four months ago.

She couldn’t fathom the deep affection Seon Woo-jin sometimes showed them, nor the deep, somehow lonely look in his eyes.

But Seon Woo-jin soon spoke again with a bright expression, as if he’d never shown that deep gaze at all.

“Now, now, and this isn’t the end! I have another gift prepared for our lovely ladies! Ta-da!”

Cheon Ju-eun cheered excitedly at Seon Woo-jin’s salesman-like tone.

“Waaah! You’re the best, Young Master Seonwoo!”

And what he immediately pulled out were a sword, a dagger, and a thin tunic, one of each.

Hae Cheong-yeon quickly scanned them.

The items were a sword with a white scabbard, white hilt, and white pommel; a thin halberd that appeared to be made of hemp; and a thin upper garment crafted from a fabric with a metallic sheen, the exact material unclear.

Though not easily recognizable, she had seen many fine pieces since childhood and could immediately tell these were quite decent items.

Judging by the material and finish of the scabbard and sheath, it was easy to tell even without seeing the blade that this white sword was the work of a master craftsman.

Moreover, Haedong’s Hwando, alongside Dongyeong’s Waido, was a treasure among weapons, revered by warriors.

Moreover, that upper garment was also extraordinary.

Judging by its metallic sheen, it appeared to be made by drawing metal into threads as thin as silk. Such a level of craftsmanship was only possible by the Sichuan Tang Sect or masters of comparable renown.

While not quite reaching the level of the Heavenly Silk Armor that defends against blades, it seemed capable of protecting the wearer from most external attacks.

Sun Woo-jin said.

“You may each take one of the three items you desire.”

But Hae Cheong-yeon keenly noticed how Sun Woo-jin, after saying that, subtly glanced at Seo Yu-yu’s expression.

Glancing at Seonwoo Jin’s new sword, Mukrang, leaning against the wall, she instantly understood what he was thinking.

Among the three women, only Cheon Ju-eun could take Hae Dong’s sword. She was the only one who used swords.

Therefore, the remaining two should be divided between Na Seo-yu and Hae Cheong-yeon. However, Hae Cheong-yeon already possessed a rather exceptional sword, the beloved crimson blade ‘Yeonhong’.

Seon Woo-jin must have assumed Hae Cheong-yeon would naturally take the Bo-ui, leaving the white sword for Na Seo-yu.

A white sword that would form a pair, contrasting with Seon Woo-jin’s black sword.

A chuckle escaped him.

His predictable thinking was utterly adorable.

But cute was one thing; letting things play out that way was another matter entirely.

Haecheongyeon immediately raised her hand and said,

“I’d like that sword. I really like it, you know?”

Seon Woo-jin visibly flustered and replied.

“Huh?! Ah, yes. Young Lady Cheongyeon wants that sword…”

Before Seon Woo-jin could say anything else, Cheon Ju-eun and Na Sa-yu beamed and said.

“I’ll take that splendid sword. Wow, it’s truly magnificent!”

“Then this outfit is mine. Thank you, Young Master Seonwoo!”

“Ah, yes. You’re welcome, hehehe…”

His awkward smile, trying to hide his deflated look, was incredibly cute.

He felt a little sorry, but he knew Na Se-yu wouldn’t have chosen that sword anyway.

He also keenly noticed how she briefly glanced at the white sword and Seonwoo Jin’s sword.

It was truly astonishing that he could be so unaware of where the woman he loved was directing her gaze.

***

The day after returning from leave, we were doing evening training after finishing our afternoon patrol.

It was our first group sparring session in a long while.

I suddenly glanced at the three women chatting happily, satisfied with their new weapons.

Among them, seeing the white sword I had ambitiously prepared for Lady Na in Lady Qingyan’s hands made my heart ache terribly.

Chungyeon had named that white sword ‘Baekyeon’ and gifted her original sword, ‘Yeonhong’, to me. To give away a beloved sword she had grown attached to and keep that new one… it seemed she truly favored it.

Though it gnawed at me, I resolved to accept it as unavoidable.

But regardless of my heartache, the new weapons proved their worth beyond reproach on their very first patrol.

Every weapon displayed astonishing sharpness, slicing through the ghosts we encountered during the patrol without needing sword energy.

Of course, only my Mookrang could completely cleave them apart, but even so, everyone was overjoyed.

Especially Private Cheon Ju-eun, who had been troubled, thinking she was useless because she hadn’t manifested her spiritual energy yet, looked as if she had the world at her feet.

It made me, the one who gifted it, feel incredibly proud.

And now that Bisea-yeong could manifest her Dao energy, she truly flew about with ease.

Whereas before she specialized in infiltrating with swift divine techniques to confuse or lure enemies, now she demonstrated an overwhelming presence, infiltrating with even faster divine techniques and slicing through ghosts with a single stroke.

At that level, he could likely handle a group of five or six Gan-gwi alone with ease.

The same held true in this sparring match.

Originally, excluding divine techniques, she had been on a similar level to Lady Cheon Ju-eun. Yet now, even without divine techniques, she was completely overwhelming her.

The other team members watching our sparring match from nearby gasped in astonishment.

“I was going to tease you about getting an overly flashy nickname, but you’ve actually improved a ton, huh? Hey, Whirlwind Lightning! What happened?”

Biseaeng replied arrogantly.

“Hmph! Don’t you lot even know the term ‘sudden enlightenment’? When you put in consistent effort like this, the time for a major breakthrough naturally comes.”

“Well now, that’s truly amazing. Care to spar with me sometime?”

“Hmm? This Lightning-Swift Response here finds it a bit beneath… to face those without even a nickname.”

Hearing that arrogant remark, Won Cheong-won, the leader of the Sixth Division who had been watching, laughed heartily and said.

“Hahahaha! Exactly, exactly! Fighting those without even a nickname is beneath me. In that spirit, might this Kuan Nan-won-hu, Yuan Qing-yuan, request a match with the great hero, Storm and Thunder, Bi Sa-yeong?”

“Oh! I’ve long heard of your esteemed name, Grand Hero Yuan Qingyuan, the Joyous Storm Marquis. If it’s a duel with you, I should be the one asking for the honor!”

Playfully initiating their spar, the two soon began driving each other back like a raging storm.

The duel was evenly matched.

Though Yuan Qingyuan held the overall advantage in martial prowess, he couldn’t keep up with Bishiying’s whirlwind speed.

Whenever he closed in to unleash his swift strikes, only to find himself at a disadvantage, Bi Sayeong would swiftly retreat backward or sidestep out of the way. Yuan Qingyuan struggled to gain the upper hand.

Biseoyoung, who until recently had been dismissed as a second-rate warrior, was now locked in a deadlock with Won Cheongwon—the squad leader, albeit the lowest-ranked among them, yet undeniably the leader of a squad.

To the other squad members, this sight was nothing short of shocking.

“No way…”

“That speed is incredible. Hard to even follow with the eyes.”

Watching this unfold, I couldn’t help but smile with pride.

Then, Sojeo, who was in the middle of a duel with me, said with a deliberately angry expression.

“Even so, isn’t it a bit much to watch another duel and even smile while you’re in the middle of fighting me?”

“Huh?! Ah, Miss Song, that’s…”

“Forget it! Ah, my pride is wounded. Just you wait. I’ll train hard and soon make you look only at me!”

With that, Miss Song sheathed her sword and retreated.

She was Miss Song Young-young from the Third Division, who had once handed me a handkerchief. Even after that, she often came during our training sessions to request sparring matches with me.

I accepted her requests briefly, lacking a reason to refuse. But honestly, the gap in our skill levels was vast, and knowing her motives for challenging me made it hard to take her seriously.

So, even during our sparring, I’d been glancing around here and there. But it seemed I couldn’t hide my expression because the duel between Bi Saying and Yuan Qingyuan was just too thrilling.

I felt a little guilty.

Just then, Miss Cheongyeon approached me and said.

“How about you and I have a go now?”

I grinned and replied.

“I look forward to it, Miss.”

She was one of the two people in our group I had never once defeated.

She was truly a top-tier martial artist, standing at the pinnacle of her craft, seemingly just one step away from reaching the ultimate realm.

But my inability to defeat her was only before my leave. Now that my internal energy was fully replenished, I thought it was about time I won at least once.

With a fierce grin, I charged toward her.

***

Standing at a distance, the Seventh Squad Leader, Mayu Gyeom, watched the Seventh Squad members sparring intently.

He had always been uncomfortable around Seolpung, the Seventh Squad leader, and had deliberately avoided paying attention to their training. But today, even he couldn’t look away.

It was astonishing.

The Seventh Squad had always been nothing more than a motley crew, with only Seolpung, a peak master, truly holding his own.

‘At least until four months ago.’

But then, at some point, they began to stand out and accumulate achievements. In just four months, they had reached this level.

That Bu Jo-jang Na Se-yu, who had been merely a first-rate intermediate, had now ascended to the realm of a mature first-rate advanced was no longer surprising.

‘Bisa Yeong, who was merely second-rate, isn’t being pushed back even against the Sixth Division Leader, Won Cheongwon? And that pig-like Sunwoo Jin’s martial prowess…’

Alongside Qingyan, Sun Wujin’s martial prowess now seemed entirely comparable not only to the Sixth Division Captain, Yuan Qingyuan, who had yet to reach his peak, but even to the Fifth Division Captain, the Black Death Winged Demon, Dousu Guang.

The Seventh Division had somehow become a formidable unit, boasting three Division Commander-level talents.

And the root cause of all this was likely that man.

Seonwoojin, the man he had wanted to bring into his own squad, the man who had now earned the nickname ‘Lowly Black Wolf’.

The realization that the talent he himself had failed to secure was the egg of a great phoenix made his heart ache unbearably.

At that moment, among the squad members watching behind Ma Yu-gyeom, the spear-wielding swordsman Ju Tae-gyeong addressed him.

“Look at that, Senior Brother Zhang! Do you think that makes any sense?! For someone who was second-rate to suddenly grow like that! It must be related to the Blood Sect’s black magic! Didn’t I tell you before?! That sudden surge in his internal energy happened after he went into the jungle to help that Miao tribe bastard!”

At those words, Mayu Gyeom turned his eyes to look at him.

“Blood Sect?”

Joo Tae-kyung nodded firmly, his eyes brimming with conviction.

“Yes! Without a doubt! That bastard has definitely been possessed by the Blood Cult or has the Cult’s demonic mark upon him!”

Mayu Gyeom, who had been listening silently, opened his mouth with a sharp gaze.