Day And Night (8)

“Calm yourself.”

The one who stepped in front of the unresponsive Ha Jun was Baek San.

Baek San spoke with composure.

“This is a gathering of the heirs of the Eight Houses. Cause further trouble, and the Eight Houses will not forgive it.”

“An amusing claim.”

Frost fell over Jin-hyeon’s face.

“So when one of those Eight Houses insults a person and tries to kill them, there is no problem?”

“The Divine Spear heir has already lost to you. We can deem the matter concluded. If you press further, you clearly become the problem.”

He wasn’t wrong.

But Baek San was mistaken about one thing.

“You mean to say that having a conversation would cause trouble?”

“?!”

“If you thought I drew a blade to fight, I’d call that delusions of grandeur. If he were in the wrong, I would certainly take his head, but what great wrong has your master done that everyone cowers so?”

A flush rose on Ha Jun’s face.

Overwhelmed by Jin-hyeon’s pressure, he had momentarily forgotten. This was his gathering. Yet his subordinates kept stepping in front of him, pushing him to the back.

It struck at the Cheongyang Association’s Second Young Master’s pride. With so many watching, if he kept being led like this he would be called a scarecrow.

Baek San forced himself to remain calm.

“Before right and wrong, your aura is far too…”

“Stand aside.”

Startled, Baek San looked back at Ha Jun.

“Second Young Master.”

“Move! One more step without my order, and you’ll be punished by the rules.”

Baek San ground his teeth. As he saw it, Ha Jun’s pride had been wounded.

‘This is not good.’

Ha Jun was talented. Perhaps not his elder brother, but with growth he could surpass his father, the Cheongyang Association Leader.

The problem was his pride. Being hot blooded is a youth’s privilege, but when pressed by his older brother and younger sibling alike, he sometimes did the absurd despite his gifts.

Concerned as he was, Baek San had to step back. Too many eyes were watching. If he did not step back, Ha Jun, along with the Cheongyang Association, would lose face.

Stepping forward, Ha Jun spoke boldly.

“To leave an heir of the Eight Houses in such a state. Do you carry spare lives with you?”

Jin-hyeon answered dryly.

“Did you not see he used a killing move first?”

“You were the one who provoked him.”

Then Seol So-ha spoke, voice cold.

“Young Master Ha, speak correctly. The Divine Spear heir first insulted the two from the Beak-Star Saber Sect and tried to disgrace our Seol Clan’s benefactor. He even used a killing move. Anyone can see this is Song Geon’s fault.”

A twitch ran in Ha Jun’s cheek.

“Young Lady Seol, you should stay out of this.”

“How can I not speak when you try to pin absurd blame on an innocent person.”

“I clearly told you to stay out of this.”

Gu Hee took hold of Seol So-ha’s sleeve.

“Lady Seol, perhaps…”

Seol So-ha gently pushed her hand away and said,

“This gathering is truly disappointing. I did not know ‘fellowship’ meant creating unearned privileges for those of the Eight Houses.”

“Lady Seol.”

“I would rather we not meet again. Teacher, let us go.”

At that moment Ha Jun shouted.

“When I say stay out of it, you stay out of it!”

“Shut your mouth!”

Jin-hyeon stared wide-eyed at Seol So-ha.

Nor was he alone. Everyone was startled at her fearsome shout.

A frost-laden aura burst from Seol So-ha.

“Who are you to order us around? Have we taken some oath of loyalty we do not know about?”

“Look here, Lady Seol!”

“I refrained from stirring trouble, yet Young Master Ha’s conduct is truly self-serving. Was this gathering made to inflate your self-esteem?”

Fierce anger welled in Ha Jun’s eyes.

“Mind your tongue.”

“You lack common sense. There is no further value in continuing this conversation.”

Woooong!

A biting aura rose from Ha Jun as well.

Dust along the floor scattered in all directions.

“You dare speak such words before the Cheongyang Association? You dare!”

Ha Jun’s presence was on a different level from Song Geon’s.

They were both heirs of the Eight Houses, but their depth and talent differed. Even the air seemed to hold its breath before Ha Jun’s fierce aura.

As Seol So-ha moved to speak again.

“There is only one thing I want to know.”

Gazing steadily at Ha Jun, Jin-hyeon spoke.

“Why is there still no rumor that the Cheongyang Association’s Second Young Master has competed in the Radiant Sword Festival?”

Ha Jun started.

Then Baek San’s eyes changed.

Jin-hyeon stroked his chin.

“Many are late to gatherings to flaunt influence or bask in attention. But the Radiant Sword Festival is a duel festival. With the Sichuan Branch hosting directly, I doubt backroom deals or cheating come easy.”

“What are you implying!”

“Yet I have heard no rumor about you. To be precise, I have never once heard that the Cheongyang Association’s Second Young Master faced someone in a duel and won.”

Suddenly Jin-hyeon asked the In siblings,

“You two? Have you heard anything?”

Caught off guard, the two faltered.

In Hye-dan recovered first and shook her head.

“Never. We only learned today upon receiving the invitation.”

“Right?”

Jin-hyeon cocked his head.

“It is overly unnatural. The Cheongyang Association is the strongest of the Eight Houses and, as we saw, its influence is immense. Even the other heirs are deferential to the Second Young Master alone. There’s a great gap despite all being from the Eight Martial Houses.”

All eyes naturally turned to Ha Jun.

Ha Jun spoke coldly.

“What are you trying to say? Are you suggesting I cheated?”

“Did you actually compete?”

“Of cour…!”

“Whom did you fight?”

“I am under no obligation to tell you that!”

“Well, then I have nothing more to say.”

Jin-hyeon’s eyes narrowed.

“Even if one cheats, no fool does it so blatantly. Would that not invite suspicion? One might rig the brackets, but the idea that someone who did not even compete would quietly slip in through a deal with the hosts is not something that comes to mind.”

Ha Jun snapped.

“You go further by the moment! Insult me and the Cheongyang Association again and I will not let it pass!”

“And if you do not let it pass, what then?”

“What?!”

“You, are in my domain.”

Unthinkingly, Ha Jun stepped back.

At the same time, Jin-hyeon’s hand seized his shoulder.

“?!”

The onlookers tilted their heads, and were then startled.

The instant Ha Jun retreated, Jin-hyeon’s hand was on his shoulder. Yet no one had seen when it happened.

Baek San shouted,

“You wretch! The Second Young Master…!”

“Quiet.”

Jin-hyeon put a finger to his lips and spoke to Ha Jun.

“You cannot slip my hand. Even if I am later seized and slain by Cheongyang, you, at least, will never see it. Understand?”

What he meant was to not move rashly or provoke him. Ha Jun’s face turned crimson.

Jin-hyeon’s lips moved.

The onlookers were startled again. This was because he was using Secret Sound Transmission.

Wrapping sound from the vocal cords in inner energy and delivering it to a target demands delicate control of True Qi. Even a first-rate master in the Kangho finds it tricky without specialized training.

Surprise flickered on Ha Jun’s face as he heard the voice transmission. But soon his expression shifted again and again.

Watching him, Jin-hyeon took his hand from his shoulder.

“It seems there was a misunderstanding. Fine, let us leave it here today.”

“You wretch…”

Bloodshot veins stood in Ha Jun’s eyes.

“The Cheongyang Association will be watching closely.”

“Stop it with the Cheongyang Association. Can you not watch me yourself?”

“What?!”

“Every other word is ‘Cheongyang Association, Cheongyang Association.’ Without your organization, are you a fool who cannot threaten anyone?”

He was telling him to stop borrowing his clan’s prestige.

Ha Jun’s body trembled, rage at its limit leaving him at a loss.

Jin-hyeon snorted and looked to Seol So-ha.

“He looks utterly fed up. It seems we’ve become unwelcome guests, shall we go?”

“Let’s.”

Seol So-ha even took deep breaths, suppressing her mania.

Nodding, Jin-hyeon glanced to the remaining heirs. Yeom Hang watched stiffly, the In siblings looked conflicted.

And Gu Hee.

‘?’

Jin-hyeon’s eyes flashed.

Startled, Gu Hee dipped her head.

But Jin-hyeon saw it. A cold glint had flickered in her eyes before she bowed.

‘Oh-ho.’

Smiling, Jin-hyeon turned.

“Let’s go.”

On the way back to their lodgings,

Seol So-ha sighed.

“My apologies, Teacher.”

“For what?”

“You followed me for nothing and saw an ugly scene.”

“I’m the one who came for free liquor. Think nothing of it.”

“So then, did you get what you wanted?”

Jin-hyeon smiled.

“You knew?”

“At least the Teacher I know wouldn’t join such an event easily. I assumed you wanted something.”

Her expression was quite composed.

“Sorry. I used you a bit.”

“There is nothing for you to apologize for.”

Han Cheol-sang asked.

“Since Lady Seol is involved, why not tell her?”

“Huh?”

Startled, Seol So-ha looked at Jin-hyeon.

After a moment’s thought, Jin-hyeon tossed it out.

“It doesn’t seem to be the Cheongyang Association.”

“Then what did you say to that Ha Jun or whatever he is?”

“I prodded him this way and that. That guy, it seems he did join late.”

Seol So-ha’s eyes widened.

“You mean those words were true?”

“There’s nothing suspicious about him. The reason he only called the heirs together now is simply that it would’ve been awkward to gather them at any other time. It’s a chance to stroke his pride and, while he’s at it, enjoy the sight of a few beauties.”

“…How could they cheat like that?!”

“That just shows how great the Cheongyang Association’s power is. Frankly, for the organizers, beating up a few winners, driving them off, and putting someone else in their place wouldn’t be difficult. And if they felt uneasy about it, they could always kill them quietly. No one’s going to care if a rootless Murim wanderer disappears.”

“That’s…”

Jin-hyeon frowned.

“Brother Han.”

“Yes, Patriarch.”

“I thought about it. The heirs of the Eight Houses likely know about the Lee brothers.”

“What makes you think that?”

“Because it happened at the Radiant Sword Festival. They would not want some child of theirs to stumble on them and ruin everything.”

Han Cheol-sang nodded.

“True enough. So, was there no gain at all?”

“For now.”

Despite his words, Gu Hee’s chilly eyes stuck with him.

The Abundant Prosperity Guild Master had been there when he met Song Cheol-gwang, and since they were all insulted together, her feelings toward him would not be good.

‘Is it only that?’

Jin-hyeon’s gaze deepened.

‘Even if I ask the Black Society’s informants, digging it up will not be easy.’

With a wry smile, Han Cheol-sang said.

“Whatever the case, it’s certain now.”

“Mm?”

“Divine Spear House and the Cheongyang Association will not sit still.”

“All the more interesting.”

Jin-hyeon looked up at the sky.

“They’re the sort who are one way in front and another behind, different by day and night. I’m the same. Those of similar level are drawn together.”

“For calling it ‘drawn,’ Patriarch, you stirred them up quite a bit.”

“…”

“Hm? Patriarch?”

The three looked at Jin-hyeon in puzzlement.

Jin-hyeon stopped and wore a curious smile.

“Drawn, you say?”

“Eh?”

“I wonder why I did not think of it. I suppose I was too relaxed.”

Jin-hyeon spoke to Seol So-ha.

“Lady Seol.”

“Yes?”

“Will you do something for me?”

Startled by the weight in his eyes, Seol So-ha flinched.

“…Of course.”