Chapter 28
At the Black Lotus Sect (3)
Of course, that was still his limit.
Bang! Tat-tat-bang!
Yeom Gi-jin easily deflected Kang Yong-un’s counterattacks.
“You need to break out of this pressure quickly, Brother. With counterattacks like that, you won’t manage it!”
“Hrmm. Of course—!”
That was all Kang Yong-un could answer.
All he could do was barely withstand Yeom Gi-jin’s onslaught; there was no opening to launch an attack of his own.
[Hah! Foolish brat. You insist on dodging only after seeing the attacks. Some strikes are so fast they hit you the instant you see them—how do you expect to block if you rely on your eyes alone, you idiot?!]
[Boy, if you see it, it’s already too late. Feel it. Sense the flow of the air around you. As soon as you read the shift in your opponent’s energy, cast it off. Pour your will into your blade. Do you understand?]
[How many times must we tell you—you must unify Heaven, Earth, and Man into one!]
[At the very least, gather your essence, energy, and spirit into one. That will guide you beyond simple sword energy manifestation.]
Perhaps just watching was too frustrating.
Through the Heart Resonance, Bai Yu Zhuge Liang and Wang Chongyang showered him with criticism and advice.
And then—
[No, forget it. Just take the beating for now. If you get hit enough times, you’ll figure it out someday, you blockhead…]
[Now, now. The boy may be a little lacking, but he works hard, doesn’t he? Don’t be too harsh. When someone’s a fool, their body always pays the price, after all.]
They didn’t even hesitate to deal harsh blows with their words.
Those words stung so badly that Kang Yong-un snapped back, gathering strength from the Great Celestial Divine Art.
“Have you decided the order?”
“Wahaha. Brother, what are you muttering to yourself about?”
“No. I merely said that if this keeps up, you’ll end up last.”
And with that—
His mind fell completely silent, as if someone had turned off all the noise.
***
At the same time—
Zhuge Heryeong was bidding farewell to Sect Lord Yeom Jung-ho.
“…Thus, I will now take my leave from the Black Lotus Sect, Sect Lord. I am grateful for the favor you have shown during my stay.”
“Hohoho. Quite unexpected. To think the Deputy Strategist of the Martial Alliance would leave without mentioning gains and losses.”
Of course, Yeom Jung-ho had already considered this.
For the Martial Alliance to march south with its main force had cost them dearly.
When he thought of the warriors lost in battle against the Heretics, the losses were even greater.
“The matter of the Sword Sect of Hongho County—since you already said you would take responsibility, I am at ease.”
“I hear many Alliance warriors were injured by the heretics who broke through the encirclement.”
It was a probing remark, but Zhuge Heryeong replied with unwavering firmness.
“The Martial Alliance acts for righteousness. To confirm the revival and movement of heretics, who were said to have vanished a century ago—that alone makes the cost bearable.”
“…Hmm. Indeed.”
“And should the day come when the Martial Alliance faces dire hardship, I trust the Black Lotus Sect will also act for righteousness.”
That was the end of it.
Zhuge Heryeong held his gaze steady, staring directly into Yeom Jung-ho’s eyes.
‘As expected—!’
Yeom Jung-ho nodded deeply.
‘The bloodline of the Zhuge family, indeed.’
He had no choice but to acknowledge it.
‘He binds me with the word righteousness.’
Had she spoken of compensation or repayment, he would have been disappointed.
Money would have allowed the Black Lotus Sect to tidy everything up cleanly and wash its hands of the matter.
“Of course.”
In the end, Sect Lord Yeom Jung-ho could only answer that way.
The Black Lotus Sect was not a place that preached righteousness, but neither could it be likened to some petty band of brigands.
“If, though unlikely, the Martial Alliance is ever endangered by heretics again, I swear on the name of the Black Lotus Sect, we will stand with you.”
“Thank you, Sect Lord.”
Only then did Zhuge Heryeong smile.
Before the threat of the heretics, she had secured the strong ally that was the Black Lotus Sect.
“Then I’ll take my leave—!”
“Hohoho. Travel well.”
And so Zhuge Heryeong departed from the Black Lotus Sect.
“Are we returning now, Deputy Strategist?”
“To the Alliance?”
“No.”
She shook her head in answer to Bang Geuk, Lord of Wind and Cloud Hall, and Yu Seong-jin, First Squad Leader.
“To the Sword Sect in Hongho County.”
“Huh? To the Sword Sect?”
“Why?”
Her answer was brief.
“To see the Alliance Leader and the Grand Strategist.”
No further questions were needed.
Bang Geuk and Yu Seong-jin’s faces lit up like victors returning from war.
But Zhuge Heryeong’s eyes grew heavy.
A single face continued to linger in her thoughts.
‘I truly don’t know how to make sense of him.’
The more she thought of Kang Yong-un, the more baffling he became.
‘If he can manifest sword energy, he should be a first-class martial expert. Yet the sword art he used was nothing more than the basic Three Talents Sword Art?!’
She had clearly seen it during the battle against the heretic martial artist—the brilliant gleam of manifested sword energy on his blade.
If he had other martial arts, the moment his life was on the line should have been when he displayed them.
‘Yet he fought to the very end with only the Three Talents Sword Art, and even managed to land a strike!’
Well, that could be explained: without a sect or teacher, mastering one sword art through sheer repetition could indeed bring results.
‘But how did he unravel the heretic’s attack?’
If he had fought alone, she wouldn’t even mention it.
But Kang Yong-un had clearly moved Bang Geuk and Yu Seong-jin like extensions of his own will.
‘That unsettled the heretic martial artist greatly.’
She still remembered the ridiculous sight of the enemy stumbling in confusion.
‘And what about dispelling the heretical spell lodged in the Red Dragon King’s grandson?!’
What kind of martial artist who merely practiced the Three Talents Sword Art and had ordinary first-class internal energy could possibly achieve that?
No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t think of anyone comparable.
‘And then… with such calm words, he even overwhelmed me.’
That was a first.
Other than her uncle, the Grand Strategist Zhuge Sun-hu, or her father, Clan Lord Zhuge Sun-woong, no one had ever done that.
‘On top of that, he matched me in strategy at the Hero’s Tournament!’
No—if she were honest, he had surpassed her.
When her uncle had given her one of the test problems, she hadn’t come up with an answer as sharp as Kang Yong-un’s.
‘Hah… I don’t know anymore. In any case, I’ve already sent word ahead. The Alliance Leader and Grand Strategist will surely be waiting at the Sword Sect.’
This was a matter involving the heretics resurfacing after a hundred years.
It was urgent—of course they would be waiting.
What came after would depend on her detailed report and their judgment.
‘I only hope the Alliance Leader and Grand Strategist can recognize his true worth…’
Without realizing it, she had already begun to call him “that person.”
She wasn’t even aware she was doing so, as she silently hoped they would see Kang Yong-un’s value.
***
Three days later.
Kang Yong-un, who had spent all that time locked in sparring matches with Yeom Gi-jin, finally received the long-awaited news.
“In two days, Yun-ah.”
“In two days?”
“Yes. Lord Zuo Pojing has agreed to meet you at his residence in Chengdu.”
“At last—!”
He was moved to the core.
After wandering the Central Plains for three long years since leaving home, he was finally seeing the first fruits of his efforts.
“Thank you, foster father.”
“Hahaha. It’s too soon to celebrate. You’ll only have results after you meet him and ask.”
“That’s true, but still…”
“Go get ready. To reach Chengdu, we must set out at once. You can’t show up in dusty, sweat-soaked clothes, hahaha.”
“Ah!”
Kang Yong-un rushed to bathe, then changed into the blue martial attire his foster mother, Yu Yeong-hwa, had prepared.
“Travel safely, my son.”
“Thank you, Mother.”
She hugged him as if he were truly her own child. The word slipped from his lips unconsciously: “Mother.”
“The Red Dragon Troop will escort you. Jin-ah will not accompany you—just in case. Don’t be too disappointed.”
“What are you saying?!”
Kang Yong-un’s eyes went wide, and he shook his head fiercely.
“I am only grateful, foster father.”
“Hahaha. Good. Off you go, then.”
“Yes!”
And so, filled with anticipation, Kang Yong-un set off to meet Lord Zuo Pojing.
Five days later—
He returned to the Black Lotus Sect utterly dejected, dragging his feet.
Do you know of Master Kang Jin-yeo, who once served as the Grand Minister of Works in Haedong?
He had asked the question with such excitement—only to be crushed by the answer.
Hmm. That would be the equivalent of a First Rank Grand Preceptor, wouldn’t it? Regrettably, I do not. I myself served in court for decades in my youth, but I never had the chance to meet someone of such high station. Does that answer satisfy you?
He couldn’t expect everything at once. Kang Yong-un knew that much.
But for his first meeting in three years to yield nothing—it was a bitter disappointment.
‘His expression and tone were sincere. It was the truth: he really had no ties with Grandfather.’
“Don’t be too discouraged, Yun-ah. There are still two more people to meet, aren’t there?”
“That’s right, Brother. This is just the beginning.”
“Son, don’t be so disheartened, hmm?”
Yeom Jung-ho, Yeom Gi-jin, and Yu Yeong-hwa all tried to console him.
Kang Yong-un smiled faintly.
“Of course. Like Jin-ah said, this is only the start. I’ll gather my strength again and keep searching.”
“Good. Then where shall we arrange the second meeting? With the Jin family of Sichuan? Or with the retired Grand Preceptor who settled by the sea in Zhejiang twenty years ago?”
“Zhejiang is a little closer, isn’t it?”
At Kang Yong-un’s reply, Yeom Jung-ho chuckled with satisfaction.
“Wahaha! I thought so. I’ve already sent the invitation.”
“Thank you, foster father.”
Hope bloomed again in Kang Yong-un’s heart as he waited eagerly for a reply.
But—
“Ah, no—!”
Five days later, the reply dashed everyone’s hopes.
Former Grand Preceptor Jin Yeong-hwi has passed away from old age. He was interred the day before your letter arrived. In life, he was known for his kindness toward the poor, and the region now mourns his loss.
He had died before they could even meet.
The news left everyone disheartened.
Now only one possibility remained—
The former head of the Jin Merchant Clan of Sichuan, one of the top ten trading houses and renowned as a great elder of the province.
At least, not all the news was grim.
For at that moment, the Red Dragon King, having completed both recovery and treatment, finally emerged once more.
A long-awaited moment.
“Father!”
“Grandfather—!”
Sect Lord Yeom Jung-ho and Young Lord Yeom Gi-jin rushed forward, surrounding him in joy.
“Congratulations on your recovery, Grandfather.”
Kang Yong-un also hurried over, joining his hands and bowing deeply with sincere joy.
“Hahaha! Seven days, has it been?”
The Red Dragon King laughed heartily.
He had purged the parasites gnawing at the Black Lotus Sect, and now, upon emerging, saw all were diligently training. How could he not be pleased?
“I hear your search for your grandfather has met with failure after failure?”
“Yes, Grandfather.”
At Kang Yong-un’s bitter answer, the Red Dragon King’s reply was warm with encouragement.
“They say true sincerity moves Heaven. Your devotion burns so bright that one day, surely, even Heaven will be moved, and you will meet your grandfather.”
“Thank you, Grandfather.”
Seeing Kang Yong-un steel his resolve, the Red Dragon King smiled proudly.
“I shall give you a gift.”
“…What?!”
Startled, Kang Yong-un looked up, but the Red Dragon King turned his gaze toward Yeom Jung-ho and Yeom Gi-jin instead.
“It is a gift I normally reserve for my direct bloodline. But I shall allow you to witness it yourself.”
“Father? C-could it be?”
Yeom Jung-ho’s eyes widened in realization. His voice trembled.
The Red Dragon King grinned and nodded firmly.
“Yes. I have completed it—the Fire Spirit Divine Technique!”
“Ooooh!”
“Grandfather!”
Yeom Jung-ho cried out in joy.
Yeom Gi-jin trembled with emotion.
The Red Dragon King, watching them with satisfaction, turned vigorously.
“Come.”
He led Yeom Jung-ho, Yeom Gi-jin, and Kang Yong-un toward the forbidden mid-slopes of Mount Akrok.
