Autumn passed, and winter was right at the doorstep.

“Soon...”

The wind blowing in was brutally cold. Even layered up in fur clothes, his insides felt chilled.

“I should get ready.”

Mo Yong-woo lifted his eyes to the sky packed with dark clouds. His gaze was full of a certain resolve.

“Lee Geon.”

“Yes, Branch Chief.”

“Until I return, take good care of the branch for me.”

Lee Geon’s eyes lit up.

“Are you truly planning to go alone?”

Mo Yong-woo smiled.

“Until I met you, I lived my whole life alone in solitude. It’s nothing new.”

“I see.”

“Besides, I declared that I would rebuild my clan from the ground up, but that doesn’t mean the Zhejiang Branch can fail at its role. If we mess up, a lot of people will go hungry.”

“...”

“Take good care of things.”

“Until you return, I’ll run it as best I can, no matter what.”

“Your administrative ability is far better than mine. I have no doubt.”

Mo Yong-woo took the treasured sword hanging on the wall.

“...”

A faint nostalgia settled in his eyes as he looked down at it.

“Then I’ll see you later.”

“Please take care of your health.”

Leaving the branch alone, Mo Yong-woo immediately set out by land.

Why? He knew traveling by boat would be faster, but his feet chose the road on their own. And he didn’t force himself to change that choice.

After traveling by land for half an hour, he could confirm that his judgment had been right.

“I didn’t expect to run into you on this road.”

Surprise showed in Mo Yong-woo’s eyes.

“Yeon Hojeong?”

Yeon Hojeong frowned.

“Let’s talk about sorting out what you call me later. Hearing that after so long feels pretty wrong.”

Gladness rose on Mo Yong-woo’s face.

There are people you can meet a hundred times and never feel attached to, and people you only need to see once to feel close.

To Mo Yong-woo, Yeon Hojeong was firmly the latter. Maybe because looking at Yeon Hojeong made him reflect on his own past.

“Did you have business in Zhejiang? What a coincidence.”

“What business would I have in Zhejiang? Other than seeing you.”

Mo Yong-woo’s eyes widened.

“You came to see me?”

“Yeah.”

“Haha. We said we’d meet again after our first operation succeeded, so why did you come without a word?”

Yeon Hojeong smiled.

“If you still hadn’t made up your mind, I came to say a word. And even if you had, I still had something to tell you.”

“Something to tell me?”

Yeon Hojeong looked into Mo Yong-woo’s eyes.

They shone like the morning star. The sky was dark, but the resolve rising off his body and his particular gentle air had a charm that made whoever faced him feel good.

“You’re going to go under Mo Yonggun.”

“Yes. That’s what I plan to do.”

“Thanks for following my thinking.”

“I should be the one thanking you. After meeting you, I realized how passively I’ve lived. It’s all because of you.”

Yeon Hojeong shook his head.

“You just needed a trigger. You’ve always been someone who could make the right call. I hope you have more confidence in yourself.”

Mo Yong-woo burst into hearty laughter.

“Why are you only saying nice things today?”

“What do you mean ‘today’? It’s not like we’ve met that many times.”

“Hahaha!”

That sharp, stinging way Yeon Hojeong spoke felt truly familiar. Mo Yong-woo felt his heart grow lighter.

“Alright. So what did you want to tell me?”

“...”

“Yeon Hojeong?”

That was when it happened.

TOUWUNG!

With a roar like a war drum, Yeon Hojeong’s body slammed in at terrifying speed.

Mo Yong-woo’s eyes flashed.

JJEOOOOONG!

The massive Mad Dragon (Axe) was blocked by Mo Yong-woo’s treasured sword.

His response speed was dazzling. But Yeon Hojeong’s attack didn’t end there.

With a mysterious body movement, Yeon Hojeong poured force into the Mad Dragon (Axe) and drove Mo Yong-woo back mercilessly.

WHIRIRIRIK! JJEOJEOJEONG!

Mo Yong-woo retreated again and again, blocking the assault.

Each strike could split rock, and the destructive gale could even collapse a stone wall. Yet Mo Yong-woo stopped every one of those blows with a single sword. His martial art had reached the level of something like a divine skill.

How long did the exchange last?

FLASH!

Mo Yong-woo’s eyes sharpened.

“He vanished?!”

Yeon Hojeong vanished in an instant. He completely lost him from view.

Then, from the cloud-choked sky, he felt an illusion as if a fierce shaft of sunlight was pouring down.

“Above!”

Mo Yong-woo snapped his head up.

“...!!”

Yeon Hojeong was dropping at frightening speed, overflowing with red, blazing qi. That gorgeous, sinister flame-like qi spread behind his shoulders like a curtain, like a pair of wings.

Overwhelming firepower. Horrific killing intent.

Mo Yong-woo’s sword moved on instinct along a sword formula.

JJEOJEOJEOJEOJEONG!

An incredible technique.

He was swinging that heavy, massive weapon like a master of fast swordplay. If he slipped even a little, his sword might have flown from his hand.

WUUUUUUNG!

Mo Yong-woo’s sword let out a fierce ringing cry.

FLASH!

A blue sword-shadow surged upward, folding the showering fire qi together and flinging it high into the sky.

Srrk.

Yeon Hojeong landed ten steps in front of Mo Yong-woo.

“Mm.”

Mo Yong-woo felt a faint tremble in the hand gripping his sword. He hadn’t neutralized all of the shock.

That wasn’t all.

His waist ached, and a dull pain climbed his knees. Taking consecutive fast, heavy blows had put a brutal strain on his body.

“What tremendous martial arts.”

This was the first time he had actually traded blows with Yeon Hojeong.

They were truly formidable. No, far more intense than he’d imagined.

Because he knew Yeon Hojeong hadn’t even gone all out.

“Did this older brother do something to offend you?”

Yeon Hojeong snorted.

“You didn’t offend me. But after trading a few moves just now, you’re kind of frustrating.”

“Frustrating? Why?”

“You could’ve counterattacked plenty, so why didn’t you strike even once?”

Mo Yong-woo smiled.

“As your older brother, how could I point my sword at you?”

“Tch.”

“Still, your martial arts were so strong that I had no choice but to draw. I don’t want to die either.”

Yeon Hojeong watched him for a moment, then nodded.

“Looks like you haven’t gotten rusty.”

“Were you worried this older brother’s ability wouldn’t be reliable?”

“When was the last time you had a proper match?”

“You mean a real fight?”

“Yeah.”

“Well... I can’t remember.”

“For a martial artist, nothing studies you better than real combat. I couldn’t feel that sharpness a swordsman should have, so I just swung at you out of nowhere. Luckily, your skill isn’t something that’ll get you killed anywhere you go.”

Even if you’re strong, one ambush can send you to the next world in this line of work.

Mo Yong-woo was different. It had been a long time since he’d seen real combat, but his instincts were still useful. The years he’d spent honing his martial arts every day must have made him what he was.

“It’s not amazing, but it’s not bad either. You’ll do.”

Shhk.

Mo Yong-woo sheathed his sword.

“So, what did you want to tell this older brother?”

“Hold out. If you’re going to become Mo Yonggun’s man, become it for real.”

“I don’t think that’s the only reason you came.”

Yeon Hojeong nodded.

“I’m going to the Alliance of the Martial World too.”

Mo Yong-woo jolted.

“You’re going to the Alliance of the Martial World? Are you saying you’ll go with me?”

“What a ridiculous misunderstanding.”

“Then?”

Yeon Hojeong looked far to the northwest.

The direction where the Alliance of the Martial World was.

“Early in the new year, the heads of Nine Sects and One Union and the Six Great Clans will gather over the founding of the Alliance of the Martial World. My clan decided to leave in five days.”

“Then?”

“Yeah. I’m going to the Alliance of the Martial World with my father.”

Gladness touched Mo Yong-woo’s face.

“Then we’ll be able to—”

“Sorry, but our family isn’t as cold as yours. We’re close. In a place that huge, do you think we’ll even have time to meet?”

“...Urgh.”

“Well... even if we do meet, most of the time we’ll be facing each other as enemies.”

The smile on Mo Yong-woo’s face stiffened instantly.

“Enemies...”

“Yeah. Enemies. Of course, you’d only be an enemy worth calling an enemy if you really go under Mo Yonggun.”

“I understand.”

“Good.”

The two of them fell silent, staring at each other.

Mo Yong-woo broke the silence first.

“You heard what the Mo Yong Main House warned me about, right?”

“Yeah.”

“You were right. If I hadn’t thought to go to my clan lord brother myself, they would’ve kept watching me without end.”

“Mo Yonggun isn’t an idiot.”

“And thanks to you reading my brother’s temperament and intent, I’ve stepped back into the world like this.”

“I don’t want to hear praise that doesn’t even fit.”

“Stay tense.”

Yeon Hojeong blinked.

“I didn’t expect you to say that. Stay tense?”

“I’m someone who makes a lot of mistakes. I’ll try not to, but I think there will be moments when I surprise you.”

“You’re ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) kidding. If you work, mistakes happen. Keeping that level of tension is obvious.”

“Just understand this one thing. Even if I make mistakes from now on, I don’t plan to apologize to you. Advancing forward is more profitable than spending time feeling sorry toward you.”

“Oh?”

“So I’m apologizing in advance. I’m sorry.”

Yeon Hojeong grinned.

“That’s a fine mindset. I hope it doesn’t waver.”

Mo Yong-woo gave a crisp cupped-fists salute.

“Thank you for everything. Let’s do well from here on out.”

“Same for me.”

Mo Yong-woo left first.

The sky was full of dark clouds, yet somehow it felt as though sunlight shone only on the path he walked.

Watching his back from a distance, Yeon Hojeong smacked his lips.

“Well, hell. I think I get why Father yells at me for not sending check-in letters. It’s like watching a three-year-old kid.”

Just then, Mookbi stepped out from behind a big tree.

Unlike before, her hair was tied tight, and her whole look overflowed with healthy vigor.

“He’s ten years older than Young Master Yeon. How is he a kid?”

“And you’re only five, six years older than me, and you’re a kid too.”

“How do I look like a kid?”

“You just always feel like a kid. You.”

“Tch.”

Mookbi rummaged at her waist and pulled something out.

“Eat this.”

“What is it?”

“Rice balls.”

“No jerky? Jerky? I want meat.”

“You called who a kid?”

“You wouldn’t say that if you’d ever choked down rice balls until your throat locked up. No, seriously, why pack rice balls for a trip that’ll take days and not pack jerky?”

“Because rice tastes better.”

“You’ve got a weird palate, seriously.”

“So are you not eating it?”

“Give it. I’m hungry.”

“You’re going to eat it but you’re still being picky.”

“You really grew up a lot.”

“You don’t say that to an adult.”

The two of them laughed and bickered like that for a long while, tearing through the rice balls.

****

“Where are you going again?”

“...”

“That bastard’s getting lazier by the day. Get your ass in here right now.”

“Ah, come on. Master, I already fully learned the First Ten Forms, the Latter Eight Forms, and the Dragon-Subduing Eighteen Palms!”

“You learned them, sure, but you didn’t train them properly. You’ve still got a long way to go. Get in here.”

“No.”

“You’re going to die. Seriously.”

“I said no.”

“Master! The world is about to go through a huge upheaval, and you want me to sit rotting here? I need to go out and see how the world’s turning!”

“The kids bring information in on their own. Quit your nonsense and get in here.” 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

“No. I’m going.”

“Where do you keep saying you’re going, you crazy bastard?!”

“I’m going to the Alliance of the Martial World!”

“And what are you going to do there?”

“I’m going to the Alliance of the Martial World... huh? Wait, Master, you’re not going?”

“Ahem. I already sent word that I’m not going.”

“...”

“Huh? What is it? Hey! Where are you going! Get your ass back here right now! That bastard—when did he learn Autumn Wind Across Ten Thousand Li that well? Hah! I’m old now, I can’t even catch him. That damned punk. When he comes back, I’m going to cripple him for real.”