Looks Like They’re About To Come Out?

A man walked toward the group.
He looked similar to Moyong Min, but the air he gave off was entirely different.
The man stopped beside Moyong Min and gave a fist-clasp salute to those around them.

“My younger brother is still young and seems to have made a mistake. I ask that you be generous and forgive him.”

Moyong Min was hardly young enough to be called ‘still young.’
He was in his early twenties.
Had he not been a scion of a martial clan, he would already have been married.
The remark seemed to belittle Moyong Min, but he could not say anything in response.
He merely hung his head.

“…He is the one who did wrong, yet you are even demanding that we forgive him?”

Namgung Hyeok spoke bluntly.
He had yet to withdraw his killing intent.
The man’s brow twitched at Namgung Hyeok’s words, but he soon gave Gyo-ha a courteous fist-clasp salute.

“Young Master Gyo, I apologize for his discourtesy. I will speak to Father and see that formal compensation is made for this matter. My apology alone will not be enough. Min.”
“B-Brother.”

Moyong Min hurriedly called out when his brother mentioned their father, but the gaze that returned to him was cold.

“Apologize at once.”

At the quiet rebuke, Moyong Min bit his lip.

“I-I apologize.”
Only then did the man nod in apparent satisfaction and turn back to Gyo-ha.

“Will that suffice?”

Gyo-ha thought briefly before answering the man.

“I don’t need compensation. I’d rather have a match with you.”

At the unexpected remark, not only the members of the Five Great Clans but even those from the Nine Sects, One Union drew sharp breaths.
The man stared intently at Gyo-ha.

“…I would also like to exchange moves with you, Young Hero, but I have a prior engagement, so I fear that will be difficult.”

It was a refusal.
However, everyone knew he was not fleeing because he feared losing.
The presence emanating from him showed that he had already surpassed the level of his peers.
Only Jeon Pung and Gyo-ha could withstand that presence without being overwhelmed.
Gyo-ha smacked his lips in disappointment at the man’s answer.
However, he didn’t want to force someone who had refused.
He had already received an apology.
The man began to turn away, then paused.

“…May I ask something out of personal curiosity?”

The question was directed at Gyo-ha.

“The form of the martial arts you practice is rather unusual. Are they Kunlun’s martial arts?”

Gyo-ha scratched his cheek at the man’s question.

“I learned a lot from my master, but I also picked up all sorts of other things here and there.”
“Picked them up here and there…”

The man muttered quietly.
Yet there was no more appropriate way to describe it.
The man considered Gyo-ha’s answer briefly, then nodded.

“Let us meet again if the opportunity arises. Min.”

At the man’s call, Min began to move.
They were about to leave.

“Wait.”

This time, Gyo-ha stopped the man.

“What’s your name?”

For the first time, the man’s expression wavered at Gyo-ha’s question.
It was the reaction of someone who had never imagined that Gyo-ha would not know him.

“Moyong Hwi.”

The man left after giving his name.
Moyong Min followed Moyong Hwi like a cow being led to the slaughterhouse.
Once the two had departed, the members of the Five Great Clans also left the area.
Only Jegal Yeon inclined her head slightly toward Gyo-ha and the members of the Nine Sects, One Union. The others left without even saying farewell.

“Sword Dragon Moyong Hwi.”

Namgung Hyeok approached Gyo-ha and uttered the name.

“Heh. So he really is famous.”

Gyo-ha exclaimed in admiration.
An epithet containing the word Dragon was not bestowed upon just anyone.
That epithet alone revealed the man’s standing.

“Though he is of our generation, he is already considered beyond the ranks of the younger-generation prodigies.”

Hua Dragon. Jeon Pung, who bore a similar dragon epithet, spoke calmly.
Contrary to his composed expression, his eyes burned with competitive spirit.
He too was a prodigy known as Mount Hua’s dragon.
Yet no one referred to Moyong Hwi as merely a prodigy.

“He is also the Commander of the Azure Dragon Unit.”
“Azure Dragon Unit?”
“It is a combat unit formed within the Murim Alliance around the Five Great Clans.”

Namgung Hyeok gave a brief explanation. One of the four combat units representing the Murim Alliance.

“Ah.”

Gyo-ha had heard something similar before.

“The Nine Sects, One Union is the Black Tortoise Unit, right?”

Jeon Pyeong nodded bitterly. He was the one who had told Gyo-ha about the Black Tortoise Unit.
Jeon Pyeong had come all the way to Qinghai to search for his fellow disciples who had belonged to the Black Tortoise Unit.
Jin-un continued the explanation.

“There are also the Vermilion Bird Unit and the White Tiger Unit. The Vermilion Bird Unit is closer to an intelligence unit operating directly under the Strategist Department. As for the White Tiger Unit…”

When Jin-un trailed off, Jeon Pung spoke in his place.

“It is made up of neutral martial artists who belong to neither the Nine Sects, One Union nor the Five Great Clans.”

After saying that much, Jeon Pung paused briefly before continuing.

“Some dismiss them as fringe martial artists, but that is not truly the case. The Alliance merely assigns martial artists according to the nature of each unit.”

Jeon Pung calmly continued his explanation.
The Azure Dragon Unit, centered around the Five Great Clans, primarily served as a strike force.
The aggressive martial arts of the Five Great Clans made them well suited to that role.
In contrast, the Nine Sects, One Union possessed a stable balance of offense and defense, making them well suited to defensive duties.
The Black Tortoise Unit was the shield that protected the Murim Alliance.
Of course, that didn’t apply to every member of the Nine Sects, One Union.
Just as the Jegal Clan was more accomplished in formations and battle arrays than direct attacks, the sword arts of the Diancang Sect and Hainan Sect were aggressive.
However, the relationships between unit members were also important.
Just as the Black Tortoise Unit did not only defend strongholds, the Azure Dragon Unit was not assigned only strike missions.
The White Tiger Unit had the greatest number of members.
Their primary duties were protecting the common people and overseeing the sects affiliated with the Murim Alliance.
In a sense, theirs could be considered the most important work within the Murim Alliance.

“The Sword Dragon is the youngest of the four unit commanders.”

Jeon Pung added that Moyong Hwi was the first person to become a unit commander while still in his twenties.

“He likely avoided the spar because he judged Gyo-ha to be beneath his level.”

The members of the Nine Sects, One Union gave bitter smiles at Namgung Hyeok’s words.
The person most similar to Moyong Hwi was Namgung Hyeok.
Not only their positions but their temperaments were similar.
That made it easy for Namgung Hyeok to guess Moyong Hwi’s thoughts.
Gyo-ha had become famous, but not nearly as famous as Moyong Hwi.
Upon learning the truth, Gyo-ha puffed out his cheeks.
However, Moyong Hwi had done nothing wrong.
The more famous someone became, the more challengers they received. He could not accept every one of them.

“He must already regard us as beneath him.”

Jeon Pung gave a bitter smile at Jeon Pyeong’s words.
It was true. Even he did not think he could defeat Moyong Hwi.

“You were dragged into a pointless incident today because of me. I apologize.”

Namgung Hyeok politely bowed his head.
He knew whom Moyong Min had been trying to provoke.

“Not at all. We were the ones who invited you, so the greater responsibility is ours.”

The others nodded at Jeon Pung’s words.

“Tell us if any problems arise. We may not be able to offer much help, but we can at least serve as witnesses.”

The incident could later become a problem involving the Namgung Clan.
They too knew the relationship between the Five Great Clans and the Nine Sects, One Union well.
After finishing their farewells, the group departed.
Only the Diancang Sect disciple lingered as though he had something to say before eventually leaving.
He had decided that the circumstances were not suitable for a conversation.

Peng Seon-ho stopped while they were walking.

“Sister Yeon, is it really all right to let this pass?”

Unlike when others were present, he addressed her familiarly.
It was not because they were lovers.
Jegal Yeon was the daughter of Peng Seon-ho’s aunt.
Jegal Yeon sighed at Peng Seon-ho’s question.

“What would you do if we didn’t?”
“No, but the honor of the Five Great Clans is at stake.”

Peng Seon-ho spoke forcefully.
At that, Jegal Yeon also stopped walking.

“The Five Great Clans? Why is this a matter for the Five Great Clans?”

Jegal Yeon tilted her head.

“What do you mean, why? Those people are from the Nine Sects, One Union!”

Jegal Yeon shook her head at Peng Seon-ho’s exclamation.

“Brother Seon-ho.”

Peng Seon-ho flinched at her quiet address.
Unlike his other siblings, Peng Seon-ho was close to Jegal Yeon.
As a child, he had been especially fond of his aunt, who had married into the Jegal Clan, so their bond had continued to this day.

‘If you aren’t sure about something, ask Yeon.’

That was what Peng Seon-ho’s aunt had told him.
She trusted that Jegal Yeon would never do anything that would harm Peng Seon-ho.
Peng Seon-ho also knew that he was not especially clever, so he obediently followed that advice.
Jegal Yeon continued calmly.

“Is the Kunlun Sect part of the Nine Sects, One Union?”
“No.”

Perhaps it had been in the past, but it was not now.

“Young Master Moyong did not pick a fight with the Nine Sects, One Union. He picked a fight with Young Master Namgung.”
“Huh?”

Peng Seon-ho blinked. Now that he thought about it, she was right.

“Furthermore, Young Hero Gyo also has ties to the Tang Clan.”
“He does?”

Apparently unaware of that fact, Peng Seon-ho looked surprised.
Even among the Five Great Clans, the Tang Clan was unique.
Part of that was because the Tang Clan did not actively maintain relations with outsiders, but members of the other clans also avoided them because they used poison.
They believed the Tang Clan was not of the same standing as themselves.
Of course, none of them could openly look down on the Tang Clan.
However, they harbored a certain aversion toward them.

“Do you still think this is a matter for the Five Great Clans?”
“Hmm.”

Peng Seon-ho shook his head.

“If Young Hero Gyo is Namgung Hyeok’s sworn elder brother, then this is a dispute between the Moyong Clan and the Namgung Clan. Nothing good will come from our involvement.”
“…Is that so?”

Peng Seon-ho scratched his head.
Now that he thought about it, that seemed right.
Jegal Yeon turned away after saying that. Peng Seon-ho hurriedly followed her.
However, there was something Jegal Yeon had not told him.

‘Things would have been different if someone other than Brother Seon-ho had come here.’

The blood relatives of the Peng Clan.
Like Peng Seon-ho, they were Jegal Yeon’s relatives, but she did not get along with them.
Their dispositions were notorious.
They were the most headstrong even among the Five Great Clans.

‘…No, calling them headstrong is far too generous.’

Many found it strange that the Tang Clan, which wielded hidden weapons and poison, belonged to the Orthodox faction rather than the Unorthodox faction.
Jegal Yeon did not.
Considering their temperament, the Hebei Peng Clan was far more dangerous.
They walked perilously close to the line.
The Moyong Clan at least put on a show of virtue, but the Peng Clan did not even do that.
For the sake of their clan’s interests, they could change sides at any moment.

‘Well, my own clan isn’t any different.’

Jegal Yeon swallowed a hollow laugh.
The other great clans were probably similar. The Hebei Peng Clan was simply more honest and audacious about it.

“Come to think of it.”

Jegal Yeon looked back at Peng Seon-ho.
In a way, his temperament didn’t suit the Peng Clan.
He resembled her mother in that respect.

“You might get along well with Young Hero Gyo, Brother. Try speaking with him sometime.”
“Huh? Me?”

Peng Seon-ho blinked his guileless eyes.
Peng Seon-ho tried to ask why, but Jegal Yeon was already walking away.

“See? I was telling the truth!”

Seo Jong-dae shouted from atop the mountain. His breathing was ragged because he had rushed there.

“…Is this really the time to look so triumphant?”

Shin Yul, standing beside him, spoke in disbelief.
As she said, the Shin Clan martial artists who had climbed up with them were so silent that they seemed to have forgotten even to breathe.
The sight before them was that shocking.
Seo Jong-dae felt better simply because there were now others with whom he could share the burden of this crisis.
The pressure had weighed heavily on him until now.
However, that feeling did not last long.

“Wait, I think they’re about to come out?”
“…!”

As soon as Shin Yul finished speaking, Seo Jong-dae channeled internal energy into his eyes.
He was using an eye art.

“…Good heavens.”

For the first time, Tang Ho frowned. His expression was no longer indifferent as usual. That alone was enough for everyone to understand the situation.
As Shin Yul had said, the pupae were behaving strangely.
They were squirming and writhing.
The vibrations gradually intensified until they spread across the entire lake.
Seo Jong-dae’s eyes trembled as he watched.
The Shin Clan martial artists behind him reacted no differently.