Chapter 167
"...Is all of that really true?"
"Yes."
Gong Mu-jin now felt rather at ease.
He didn't know how many times he'd said this, but he always faced the same reaction.
Even Sima Cheonse, the Alliance Leader of the Heavenly Orthodox Martial Alliance who normally sat so high that one wouldn't dare meet his eyes, was showing the same reaction as everyone else who had heard this story.
"At that age?"
"Yes."
"So you're saying..."
It's understandable.
Gong Mu-jin understood Sima Cheonse's reaction. He would have reacted the same way if he'd heard about Wei Yan-ho's achievements somewhere else.
Looking at that expression that clearly conveyed 'This bastard seems to be bullshitting me right now, but he's not someone without reputation so it's probably not bullshit… should I believe this or not?', he felt proud that making the name Plum Blossom Sword Ghost known hadn't been in vain.
"Hmm, so you're saying that boy Wei Yan-ho… has learned martial arts of unknown origin, and the level is difficult to fathom."
"That's correct."
"Have you crossed hands with him?"
"Yes."
At Gong Mu-jin's answer, Sima Cheonse asked with interest.
"How was it? Really, with your level, you couldn't guess where his limits lie?"
"That's correct."
"But surely you've crossed hands with other masters as well. At Mount Hua, there must be more than one or two who have reached supreme levels? Aren't there sword masters who command the world? You must have exchanged swords with them."
"...I'll speak honestly."
"Please do."
Gong Mu-jin sighed deeply.
In some ways, this could be considered a disgrace to his sect, so he didn't want to say it if possible. But with the Alliance Leader and strategist waiting, it wouldn't be proper to spare his words.
"I've crossed swords with Elder Sword Immortal as well, but it wasn't as overwhelming a feeling as when I faced that boy. Perhaps it's because my level is lacking, but..."
Sword Immortal.
The impact of those words was significant.
'Beyond the Sword Immortal?'
Sima Cheonse simply couldn't believe it.
Who was the Sword Immortal? The true greatest sword of Mount Hua and one who competed for the title of greatest sword under heaven in this generation.
Wasn't he one of the Three Great Sword Masters Under Heaven along with Wudang's Taiji Master and Namgung's Emperor Sword? To say he was beyond even the Sword Immortal's level.
"Did he eat an entire ginseng field or something?"
Though he said that, Sima Cheonse knew this wasn't something that could be achieved simply by having high internal energy. It was such an absurd and impossible thing to say that he was just speaking without thinking.
"At that age, such a level."
'I'm getting tired of hearing that phrase.'
Well, naturally.
It was natural for such reactions to occur.
If he had to complain, it shouldn't be to those showing the same reaction, but to Wei Yan-ho who made everyone react the same way regardless of their personality or character.
"How would he compare to me?"
"...I dare not make such a comparison."
"Hmm..."
Though Gong Mu-jin said he couldn't compare, it was as good as already hearing the answer.
"Hehehe. Wi Jeong-han, this fellow has given birth to a monster. They say there's no mediocre son under a great father, but this is like a dragon being born under a great father."
Though it might be unpleasant to hear that a young junior had built martial prowess comparable to his own, Sima Cheonse, who was very fond of Wi Jeong-han, just smiled like a proud father and felt happy.
"So what is that boy Wei Yan-ho doing now?"
"...He's selling secret manuals at the main gate."
"Huh?"
Seeing Sima Cheonse's unusually bewildered expression, Jo Hyeon sighed and began explaining the situation.
After listening to the story for a while, with his complexion changing several times, Sima Cheonse asked with a dazed expression.
"That, that thing, there's no problem with it?"
"I've thought about it many times, but there shouldn't be any particular problems."
"But still, to guarantee it in our name..."
"Those secret manuals definitely came from the Secret Cave. Since Sword Emperor's Treasure doesn't mean secret manuals left by the Sword Emperor but rather secret manuals that came from the cave named Sword Emperor's Secret Cave, it's not difficult to guarantee the accurate facts."
"Hmm, I see."
"Moreover..."
Jo Hyeon smiled slightly.
"He's definitely a child who will become the center of the martial world. It's not bad to create some connection in any way. If possible, I'd like to spend a fortune to keep him around for a while and build familiarity."
"To that extent?"
"Even if only one-tenth of what we heard is true, he's a child who will become the greatest under heaven in the future."
"Mm, that would be so."
Sima Cheonse chuckled.
"Even Demon-Slaying Sword Wi San-ho is talent capable of aiming for the greatest under heaven, and his younger brother is even more outstanding… shouldn't we now call the Guangdong Wei Family the greatest under heaven?"
"Right now their power is weak so we can't place them before the Namgung name, but if Wi San-ho and Wei Yan-ho grow, within ten years the name 'Greatest Wei Family Under Heaven' will spread."
"Good, that's good news."
Sima Cheonse smiled contentedly.
"So. What do you plan to do now, strategist?"
Jo Hyeon smiled and said.
"In exchange for letting him do business, he's agreed to serve as an instructor at Dormant Dragon Hall for a while."
"Instructor?"
Sima Cheonse asked as if he couldn't understand.
"I know that Wi San-ho also graduated from Dormant Dragon Hall not long ago, but you're saying you'll send Wei Yan-ho as an instructor? His age probably doesn't differ much from the children receiving training now."
"That's what's important."
"That is?"
Jo Hyeon began explaining slowly.
"The boy Wei Yan-ho will lead the martial world in the future. But his temperament seems to not particularly enjoy meeting with others."
"...Hmm, that would be a problem."
Being the greatest under heaven is a symbolic position. Being the strongest doesn't inherently carry any power with it. But since martial artists are beings who pursue strength, that symbolism alone can sometimes wield world-shaking influence.
That's why the martial world always faced chaos when someone with a twisted or evil nature claimed to be the greatest under heaven.
So those of similar age to Wei Yan-ho needed to build familiarity from early on.
Of course, the best would be for him to enter as a student, but...
"It's not about age – we can't tell a child stronger than the instructors to enter as a student, can we?"
"That's right. Moreover, if the children who will become pillars of the martial world can be stimulated by seeing Wei Yan-ho or gain even a little of the secret to how he became so strong, it wouldn't be a losing business for us either."
"Hmm, indeed..."
Sima Cheonse didn't know whether Jo Hyeon's calculations were right or wrong. But as always, he trusted Jo Hyeon's judgment. He'd never lost money doing what Jo Hyeon suggested.
This time too, Sima Cheonse believed without doubt that everything would flow according to Jo Hyeon's intentions.
"...But you said he was doing business with secret manuals?"
"That's right."
"I heard he's copying them by hand – exactly how much is he charging?"
"Three gold nyang, he says."
"Hmm..."
Sima Cheonse looked slightly embarrassed and subtly avoided eye contact.
"Then wouldn't it be bad for us to get a copy or so?"
"...When selling to individuals it's three nyang, but when selling to groups he charges proportionally to the number of people. Considering the Martial Alliance's personnel, he says he should charge a thousand nyang."
"A, a thousand nyang?"
A thousand gold nyang?
Wasn't the Heavenly Orthodox Martial Alliance's annual operating budget a thousand nyang?
"So we agreed on five hundred nyang."
"Uhhh..."
It seemed necessary, but five hundred nyang made his heart skip a beat.
"Then, how much money is that boy making right now?"
"I don't know the details, but one thing is certain."
"What's that?"
"At this rate, after just one month, even if not the greatest family under heaven, the Guangdong Wei Family will become the greatest wealthy family under heaven. Rich enough to use golden bowls for dog food."
Sima Cheonse quietly looked down at his plain clothes, then slowly raised his head again.
"Will Jeong-han take care of me a bit?"
"..."
* * *
From morning, a notice was posted and Dormant Dragon Hall began to stir.
"What, what does it say?"
"They say the strategist has issued an official order?"
"The strategist? You mean Divine Strategist Jo Hyeon, the strategist, personally issued an order to the hall?"
It was natural for the students to be interested.
No matter how much they were said to be future pillars responsible for the martial world's future, Divine Strategist Jo Hyeon was the second-in-command of the current Heavenly Orthodox Martial Alliance. In reality, such a person couldn't pay attention to Dormant Dragon Hall individually.
No matter how important the next generation was, current pressing matters were equally important.
Thanks to this, there were countless people who spent nearly ten years at Dormant Dragon Hall and graduated without ever seeing the faces of Alliance Leader Sima Cheonse or Strategist Jo Hyeon.
For such a Jo Hyeon to personally issue an official order, they couldn't help but be interested in the content.
"What's the content? What's the content!"
"Wait, let me see!"
A student who stuck his head forward frowned.
"It seems like a special instructor is coming?"
"Special instructor?"
"A new instructor is coming and they're accepting applications for new classes that the instructor will participate in. They say very high-level martial discussions will take place, so they'll select those who will take the class through screening among applicants."
"...Just who is coming!"
It was shocking content.
Dormant Dragon Hall didn't apply a grade system. While there was competition among students, anyone could apply for all classes. Thanks to this, when application time came, wasn't there quite a spectacle with people flying around the hall using lightness techniques?
But for the first time since Dormant Dragon Hall was established, they were going to screen and select those who would take a class.
"Who, who exactly is coming as an instructor?"
"Isn't the strategist coming himself?"
"Hey, does that even make sense! But it's definitely not an ordinary person!"
"I'm applying! I can't miss something like this!"
"Me too!"
Eon Hyo watched this scene while trembling.
"Why are you like that?"
At Peng Do-hyeong's words, Eon Hyo said in a slightly trembling voice.
"Look here, Brother Peng."
"Yes, brother."
"Haven't we already paid our dues completely?"
"That's right. We did it quite thoroughly."
It wouldn't just be Shangguan Hong, but they too had suffered all kinds of hardships. But because they returned to the Martial Alliance together with Wei Yan-ho, they received no recognition for their suffering and it was buried without a sound.
"But I don't know why I'm feeling so anxious."
"...I feel strange too."
"Ugh."
Eon Hyo shook his head.
"What will you do?"
"I have to apply."
Eon Hyo's eyes blazed with fire.
Though he didn't express it outwardly, he was in a state of tremendous shock because of Wei Yan-ho. Though Shangguan Hong was half a step ahead of him, he thought that was a gap he could catch up to.
But then the monster Wei Yan-ho appeared out of nowhere.
Despite being younger than him, Wei Yan-ho displayed incomparable martial prowess – if he didn't burn with competitive spirit after seeing that, he wouldn't be a martial artist!
"I must learn everything I can learn! When there's a monster in my generation, how can I pass up such an opportunity!"
"Right! Brother!"
But they didn't know.
That the person coming to teach them would be that very monster.
That this would be the beginning of their misfortune.