Isn’t It Young Brother Gyo!

Fields and rice paddies spread out everywhere.
It looked like an ordinary countryside, but once they crossed a single hill, a different world unfolded.
Skyscrapers rose high.
People bustled back and forth.
Along the riverbank, boats moved without rest.
At the docks, merchants in various outfits were chatting.
Inside the city, mud-and-brick houses were packed together, and in every narrow alley, shops, eateries, and taverns lined up.
Unlike other regions, people’s faces were bright.
That was only natural, because the Murim Alliance was here.
Since the Murim Alliance managed even places beyond the reach of government troops, public order had to be good.
The center of Changsha.
They could see a cluster of splendid halls.

“That place.”
“That is the Murim Alliance.”

Namgung Hyeok answered Gyo-ha’s question.
At last, the two had reached the heart of the Murim Alliance.

The closer they got to the Murim Alliance, the more Gyo-ha’s eyes sparkled.
From the moment they entered Changsha, they could see countless martial artists.
The closer they got, the more there were.
Every time he turned his gaze, he saw masters.
Gyo-ha’s eyes couldn’t help but grow busy.

‘If it’s like this outside.’

What would it be like inside the Murim Alliance?
What kind of people would be there?
As he thought that, Gyo-ha furrowed his brow.
Because pain rose from his injured arm.
In his excitement, he had tensed without realizing it.
Thanks to that, he could regain his composure.
Unlike the peaceful city, the Murim Alliance’s security was strict.
The martial artists on guard kept scanning the surroundings with sharp eyes.
But entering wasn’t difficult.
As they approached, a guard spoke.

“You are Young Master Namgung Hyeok of the Namgung Clan and Young Master Gyo-ha of the Kunlun Sect, correct? We received word.”

They could enter without any special checks.
Seeing Gyo-ha look oddly disappointed, Namgung Hyeok felt puzzled.

“Brother, what is it?”
“It’s nothing.”

He wasn’t hoping something would happen, but getting in this easily still felt oddly unsatisfying.
But he soon learned why.
Unlike them, the people coming in behind were being checked thoroughly.

‘A rich family’s privilege.’

More precisely, it was fame.
They passed quickly because they recognized Namgung Hyeok’s face.
The Namgung Clan’s heir.
There was no way he was the Evil Heaven Alliance’s spy.
As they walked, they saw a martial artist running from afar.
He wasn’t dressed in Murim Alliance attire.
He was a Namgung Clan martial artist.

“Young Master, you’ve arrived. The Patriarch is looking for you. He said to escort Taoist Gyo-ha as well.”

It seemed word had already reached them.
Namgung Hyeok nodded and turned to Gyo-ha.

“Let’s go.”

He said Patriarch, not Supreme Patriarch.
The Namgung Clan’s Patriarch.
Gyo-ha’s eyes sparkled.

Namgung Je-yeon, the Namgung Clan’s Patriarch, wasn’t as well-known compared to the Supreme Patriarch Namgung Jin-yeong.
That wasn’t because Namgung Je-yeon was lacking.
It was because Sword Saint Namgung Jin-yeong’s name stood that high.
Someone who became the Namgung Clan’s Patriarch couldn’t be ordinary.
A gentle-looking impression.
But the aura flowing from him was by no means gentle.

‘…Strong.’

It wasn’t simply that he was strong.
The world Namgung Je-yeon looked at was different from the world Gyo-ha looked at.
A peak martial artist.

“I’ve wanted to meet you since I heard the news before. I’m Namgung Je-yeon, Hyeok’s father.”
“Yes.”

Namgung Je-yeon spoke gently.

“You change every time I see you.”

Someone behind Namgung Je-yeon suddenly spoke.
It was Sword Saint Namgung Jin-yeong.
Namgung Jin-yeong sounded impressed. But he wasn’t talking about something like a striking transformation.

“What did you get up to this time?”

Namgung Jin-yeong’s and Namgung Je-yeon’s eyes went to Gyo-ha’s arm.

“…It wasn’t something I started.”

Gyo-ha spoke awkwardly and scratched his cheek.
Namgung Hyeok spoke in his stead.

“Jeokyang. You got tangled with troublesome bastards.”

The Five Great Clans and the Four Great Houses.
Even putting aside the Murim Alliance and the Evil Heaven Alliance, they had no choice but to be conscious of each other.

“There are physicians inside the Alliance. I’ll write you a letter of recommendation, so get treated.”

It was a recommendation letter from the Namgung Clan’s Patriarch.
But after thinking briefly, Gyo-ha shook his head.

“It’s fine.”

Thinking of what the Medicine Immortal said, it wouldn’t be any use anyway.
And there was nothing good about showing it.
Namgung Je-yeon didn’t say more.

“Then rest. The Alliance Leader or the strategist may call for you.”

Gyo-ha’s eyes sparkled.
Murim Alliance Leader Baek Gun-ak.
One of the Twelve Heavens.

‘That strategist must be someone high-ranking too, right?’

If he was the Murim Alliance’s strategist, his martial arts would be exceptional too.
Seeing Gyo-ha grinning, Namgung Je-yeon looked puzzled, and Namgung Jin-yeong let out a small laugh.

“Hyeok. Guide Young Hero Gyo.”
“Yes.”

The Namgung Clan had lodging they stayed at whenever they came to the Murim Alliance.
They were treating him as the Namgung Clan’s guest, not the Murim Alliance’s guest.
But both Namgung Jin-yeong and Namgung Hyeok accepted it as natural.
As Gyo-ha was about to leave like that, Namgung Je-yeon called him.

“Young Hero Gyo.”
“Yes?”
“Since you’re Hyeok’s sworn older brother, you may think of me as your father. I’ll think of you that way as well.”

Gyo-ha’s eyes widened.

“If you have any troubles, tell me.”
“Ah, yes. Thank you.”

Gyo-ha spoke in a daze and lowered his head.
Unlike the dazed Gyo-ha, Namgung Hyeok looked at Namgung Je-yeon with startled eyes, then nodded.

“Brother, let’s go. I’ll show you around the Alliance.”
“Yeah.”

Gyo-ha was practically pushed out of the room by Namgung Hyeok.
So he hadn’t yet realized what Namgung Je-yeon’s words meant.

“What’s gotten into you?”

Namgung Jin-yeong was puzzled.
That was how unexpected Namgung Je-yeon’s words were.
Being Namgung Hyeok’s sworn brother and Namgung Je-yeon saying he’d treat him like family were completely different.
It meant he would treat him no differently from a member of the Namgung Clan.
It meant the Namgung Clan would share in Gyo-ha’s grudges and favors as well.
For Namgung Je-yeon, who valued self-cultivation, it was unexpected.

“The world is changing. In times like these, it’s not bad to have one trustworthy friend.”

At Namgung Je-yeon’s words, Namgung Jin-yeong stroked his beard.
He agreed with Namgung Je-yeon as well.
But.

“You felt it too, didn’t you?”

Namgung Je-yeon nodded.
The sinister power crouched within Gyo-ha’s body.
It was something thicker than what you’d call Heretical Qi.
It hadn’t been there when they saw him before.
But now it could be felt clearly.
If they could feel it, many others would notice too.
And right now, inside the Murim Alliance, all the Five Great Clans’ patriarchs were gathered.
Trouble was inevitable.

“A blade changes its role depending on who wields it.”

It could become a sword that protects someone, or a sword that kills someone.

“Besides, didn’t Father also not oppose it?”

At Namgung Je-yeon’s words, Namgung Jin-yeong let out a small laugh.
He was right.
If he thought harm would come to the Namgung Clan, Namgung Jin-yeong would have stopped it.
But he had only watched.
Because he acknowledged Gyo-ha’s character.

“Better than those black-hearted bastards.”

He wasn’t talking only about Gyo-ha.
The Kunlun Sect.
And Yun Heo, who led the Kunlun Sect.
The Yun Heo Namgung Jin-yeong knew was eccentric, but his line was clear.

“It’s your choice, so I’ll support it. But you’ll have to bear it too.”
“…I know.”

A grudge had already formed.
The Jeokyang Clan.
Seeing Namgung Je-yeon nod firmly, Namgung Jin-yeong swallowed a smile.
Because he knew what Namgung Je-yeon was thinking.
But Namgung Jin-yeong was thinking something else.

‘You’ll suffer in a different way.’

Judging by Gyo-ha’s attitude, he clearly didn’t know the meaning of what Namgung Je-yeon had said.
Then something amusing would happen.
If he were the Patriarch, he would’ve made a different choice, but now he wasn’t.
His son Namgung Je-yeon would handle the aftermath, so he could watch with enjoyment.
And before even half a day passed, Namgung Je-yeon would come to understand what Namgung Jin-yeong meant.

Namgung Hyeok took Gyo-ha around the Murim Alliance to see this and that.
As they did, they gradually got hungry.

“Let’s go outside the Alliance.”

At Namgung Hyeok’s words, Gyo-ha tilted his head.
While showing him around the Murim Alliance, they had seen several restaurants.

“The restaurants inside the Murim Alliance are fine too, but there’s a good place outside. I want to introduce you to it.”

At Namgung Hyeok’s confident words, Gyo-ha’s eyes sparkled.
After fighting, the thing Gyo-ha liked most was food.
If Namgung Hyeok was boasting like that, it was trustworthy.
Gyo-ha gladly followed behind Namgung Hyeok.
They left the Murim Alliance and headed toward the riverside.
Even though night was falling, the streets were crowded with people.
They could see children running around too.
They could tell how good public order was here.
As he looked around, Gyo-ha sniffed the air.
Passersby flinched at the sudden behavior, but Namgung Hyeok stayed calm like he was used to it now.

“Is something wrong?”
“No. I thought I smelled something familiar.”

It wasn’t a yokai.
If it were a yokai’s stench, there was no way he wouldn’t know.
It was a welcoming scent.
And soon, Gyo-ha could tell what the scent was.

“Huh?”

As they walked, someone stopped the two.

“Isn’t it Young Brother Gyo!”

A voice filled with delight.
When they turned their heads, a Taoist robe embroidered with plum blossoms fluttered.

“Jeon Pyeong?”

It was Jeon Pyeong, Yu So-ha’s older brother and a disciple of the Mount Hua Sect.

“To meet here, it seems the bond between Brother Gyo and me is no ordinary one.”

Jeon Pyeong laughed and patted Gyo-ha’s shoulder.
Gyo-ha blinked at the unfamiliar address.
From young hero, to hyung, to brother, and now it was younger brother.
The address was changing however it pleased, but it meant Jeon Pyeong felt that close to Gyo-ha.
It didn’t feel bad.

“I heard the news, but I didn’t think I’d see you at the Murim Alliance. More importantly, what in the world happened to your arm?”

Jeon Pyeong looked at Gyo-ha’s arm with worry.

“Something happened.”

Gyo-ha only smiled awkwardly.
At that sight, Jeon Pyeong let out a small laugh.

“That really is like you, little brother.”

Then his gaze went to Namgung Hyeok beside him.

“This is my sworn younger brother, Namgung Hyeok.”
“Sworn younger brother?”

Jeon Pyeong looked at Namgung Hyeok with surprised eyes, then shook his head.

“If you’re my little brother’s younger brother, then you’re not a stranger to me either. I’m Jeon Pyeong of Mount Hua. Think of me as an older brother and treat me comfortably.”
“…Yes. Understood.”

Namgung Hyeok’s answer came a beat late.
Gyo-ha knew why.
He must have been weighing whether Jeon Pyeong was worth calling hyung.
If it weren’t for Gyo-ha, he would’ve politely refused.

‘So this kid socializes too.’

Gyo-ha looked at Namgung Hyeok like he was proud, but in truth, Namgung Hyeok had been good at socializing from the start.
Except those who were close with him, everyone marveled at how polite he was.
It wasn’t something for Gyo-ha, who got treated like a beast by Yun Heo, to judge.
Unaware of that, Jeon Pyeong laughed heartily.

“I suddenly gained another younger brother.”
“Brother Jeon. Who are those people?”

Then the people behind spoke.
A man in monk’s robes and a woman in a Taoist robe.
They were staring blankly at the group.

“Oh. I made a mistake in my excitement.”
“Not at all. Bonds are precious.”

The man briefly recited a Buddhist invocation.
The woman beside him also tipped her chin like it was no problem.

“Let me introduce you. This is my sworn younger brother and a disciple of the Kunlun Sect, Gyo-ha.”

At Jeon Pyeong’s words, a new light rose in the young monk’s and the woman’s eyes.
The name Kunlun Sect wasn’t light to them either.

“And this is my sworn younger brother’s sworn younger brother—”
“I am Namgung Hyeok of the Namgung Clan.”

Namgung Hyeok gave a respectful fist-clasp salute.
It was a restrained display with nothing to fault.