“Mm?”

Yeon Wi’s eyes sharpened. Far off, more than a hundred masters had stopped and were watching this way.

It was a decent distance, but he recognized who they were at a glance.

“The Namgung Clan.”

First Among Swords, the Namgung Clan.

They were tied to the Yeon Clan in a somewhat awkward relationship. But Yeon Wi’s expression didn’t change, as always.

“What do you think?”

“Huh?”

Startled, Mookbi looked at Yeon Wi.

Yeon Wi tilted his chin toward the Namgung Clan.

“Their ability.”

“Ah...”

Confusion crossed Mookbi’s face.

“They seem incredible. I can feel their sword qi from here, like it’s trying to pierce through.”

“Is that so.”

“Yes. It feels heavy and stately.”

“You saw well. Everyone who has faced Namgung swords describes them as magnificent.”

On the other hand, the Yeon Clan’s sword was different.

The Yeon Clan’s sword pursued orthodox fundamentals to the end. So if you learned it halfway, people said nothing about it stood out. But if you honed it properly, they said it could suppress ten thousand swords.

Maybe the title First Among Swords suited the Yeon Clan even more than the Namgung Clan did.

At least within the White Path martial world.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

The Yeon Clan’s force moved.

While riding, Yeon Hojeong edged over beside Mookbi.

“Hey.”

“Yes?”

“Relax your face, you punk.”

“W-what’s wrong with my face?”

“It looks like a black fire just lit in your chest. You’re so confused you don’t know what to do, huh?”

In truth, Mookbi’s heart was tangled.

She had heard the rumors that the Namgung Clan had raided the stronghold of the Anhui Blood Palace and cut off the sprout of evil. If that was true, then Sun-Piercing Valley was surely walking the path of ruin.

They had done what she meant to do. It was what she wanted, but somehow her heart still felt unsettled.

“I told you before, but you don’t need to feel debt over that, and you don’t need to hate them either. We just used them as a long-game piece. Nothing more, nothing less.”

“I know.”

“Good. Then that’s enough.”

Mookbi let out a sigh.

“I know, but my feelings are still strange.”

“You don’t have to force your emotions into order.”

“Huu.”

As she sighed, Mookbi suddenly looked at Yeon Hojeong’s horse.

“It’s kind of new to notice, but...”

“Mm?”

“It’s really an amazing horse.”

The horse Yeon Hojeong rode was larger and more imposing than the others. /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ Every step made its muscles split and roll with vivid power.

“Can’t be helped.”

The Mad Dragon (Axe) weighed exactly eighty-two geun.

Traveling with a heavy weapon over eighty geun naturally affected the horse’s stamina. If it were only a man’s weight, fine. But if a moment came when he had to grip that axe and swing it from horseback, the horse’s stamina would plunge.

So of course he had to get a military horse with strong endurance and strength.

“If people saw this, they’d think Young Master Yeon was the commander.”

“Tch.”

“I still don’t get it. The Yeon Clan must have tons of high-level martial arts, so why did you pick that heavy axe?”

Yeon Hojeong let out a quiet snort.

“Who knows.”

The reason he started swinging an axe was close to an accident.

Even if not as many as in the White Path, the Black Path had plenty of hidden masters. And when he fought in chaotic melees with those masters, he realized bare hands had limits.

Then one day he happened to grab a spear that had fallen to the ground and swung it. Before he knew it, that had turned into an axe. You could say it was talent awakened in battle.

“Whatever it is, if it makes me stronger, that’s enough.”

“Very you.”

Just then, Yeon Wi raised a hand.

“Quiet.”

Before they knew it, their group had reached the Namgung force.

Namgung In stepped forward and gave a cupped-fists salute.

“Greetings, Clan Lord Yeon. I am Namgung In.”

Yeon Wi inclined his head in return.

“Greetings, Clan Lord Namgung. I am Yeon Wi.”

Everyone gathered here could feel the peculiar tension running between the two heads.

Namgung In smiled.

“Are you on the road to the Alliance of the Martial World?”

“I am.”

“We met by chance like this, so there’s no need to travel separately. Shall we go together?”

“Fine.”

It was a barebones exchange. With just a few lines, the two clans took the road side by side.

The two clan lords rode at the head.

“Heh. You’re impressive.”

“...?”

“You seem even stronger than when I saw you before. They say the Judge’s Sword’s name is shaking the lands east of the river—before long you’ll sweep across the Great River’s north and south alike.”

“You flatter me.”

It was a compliment offered to lighten the air. Courtesy demanded a response, but Yeon Wi’s reply was short.

He didn’t speak words that didn’t rise from his heart. That was Yeon Wi’s temperament.

Besides, the two clans were tangled in bad blood through their children. This wasn’t a relationship for easy laughter.

Namgung In glanced at Yeon Hojeong.

“So you’re the son of Clan Lord Yeon, the one whose fame has been blazing lately.”

Yeon Hojeong was about to answer “Yes,” when he caught his father’s eyes.

He sighed inwardly.

“Yes, I am.”

“Heh!”

Namgung In only laughed.

Was he offended by Yeon Hojeong’s blunt reply? No.

“He misread the opponent—badly.”

He could tell at a glance.

Yeon Hojeong was a strong man. His martial arts were to a degree you couldn’t even imagine for a youth who had only just come of age.

More shocking, that martial power didn’t seem inferior even to his eldest son who had just ended closed-door training. At least on the surface.

“With this strength now, he must have looked down on most masters even back then. So he toyed with Chuseong... now I feel it in my bones.”

Namgung In clicked his tongue.

“To provoke someone like that...”

It was already past, but he felt disappointed in Namgung Hyun all over again.

Hiding his true thoughts, Namgung In smiled.

“Your qi suits your epithet Green Mountain Tiger General. The Yeon Clan’s future is truly bright.”

“Thank you.”

He didn’t feign humility, but he wasn’t talkative either.

Namgung In turned away. There was no further reason to speak with Yeon Hojeong.

As he did, his eyes cooled.

“Clan Lord Yeon. You raised a monster.”

Tiger father’s dog son?

Nonsense. Clan Lord Yeon must have hidden his eldest son’s monstrous talent out of fear it would become a calamity.

If Namgung In was shocked by Yeon Hojeong, Yeon Wi was shocked by Namgung Pyo.

“Tremendous.”

He was clearly the Young Clan Lord of the Namgung Clan. Rumor said he would soon inherit the clan from his father.

“To have martial arts like that at around twenty... he’s a genius.”

There was no need, but Yeon Wi found himself comparing Namgung Pyo to his own eldest son.

“...”

Yeon Wi shook his head.

What was he thinking? Perhaps only he could know.

“...Mm.”

Namgung Pyo let out a low sound without meaning to.

His eyes were on Yeon Hojeong.

“What is that bastard?”

Namgung Pyo’s gaze trembled faintly.

“He’s not lacking compared to me? At that age?”

He had heard Yeon Hojeong had only just come of age. That meant a ten-year gap between them.

Yet he carried qi like that. The air around him was dangerous perfection, like a volcano right before eruption.

“That’s impossible...”

His confidence and pride as a genius felt like they were being smashed to pieces.

Namgung Pyo was about to open his mouth when—

“It’s been a while.”

Yeon Hojeong glanced at Namgung Hyun.

Namgung Hyun was forcing himself to keep his face blank.

“I wanted to meet you and apologize in person, but I never got the chance. Since we’ve met here, I’ll atone for what happened before.”

He didn’t say what it was. Everyone already knew, and there was nothing to gain from saying it out loud in front of this many people. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Yeon Hojeong watched Namgung Hyun quietly, then smiled.

“Is that a sincere apology?”

“...What do you mean?”

“I mean there’s no need to force it if you don’t want to apologize.”

The atmosphere of the group turned icy in an instant.

Namgung Hyun’s expression hardened.

“If I didn’t want to apologize, I wouldn’t have. My apology is sincere.”

“Yeah?”

“It is. I’m the one who did wrong, so I have no excuse. But at least don’t brand my heart as a lie.”

His words carried real honesty. With just those few lines, sharp gazes swung toward Yeon Hojeong.

Yeon Hojeong tilted his head.

“I’m not branding it. It’s the truth. You don’t mean to apologize to me.”

“Are you trying to insult me?”

“You’re being crushed.”

“...?”

“I can see it. You’re completely being crushed by your brother’s qi. You haven’t been able to open your mouth properly the whole way here, have you?”

Yeon Hojeong shook his head.

“I don’t know if you’re trying to stamp your presence into the air or what, but don’t use me for your desire. Even if you apologize with that rotten face, nobody will believe it.”

Namgung Hyun’s expression changed violently, and everyone who could see, saw.

Namgung In clicked his tongue.

“My son seems to have ruined the mood for no reason. I’ll apologize on his behalf.”

Yeon Wi shook his head.

“My son is lacking in manners. I’ll apologize as well.”

Then he said to Yeon Hojeong,

“Restrain yourself.”

“Yes, Father.”

With that, Yeon Hojeong turned his head away.

Namgung Hyun’s face twisted into ruin.

His suppressed inferiority was already on the edge of explosion. And now he’d been publicly humiliated by someone he hated more than anyone.

“You...!”

He couldn’t control himself. He couldn’t endure it.

Tstststst.

A faint killing intent rose off Namgung Hyun’s body as he glared at Yeon Hojeong.

“...?!”

Everyone’s faces stiffened in an instant.

Everyone except Yeon Hojeong.

Yeon Wi looked at Namgung In with a razor gaze.

Namgung In roared,

“What do you think you’re doing! Put away your killing intent this instant!”

That shout carried fierce inner force.

Namgung Hyun came to his senses too late. The piled-up emotions had burst, and he had spilled killing intent without realizing it.

Then—

SMAACK!

Namgung Hyun’s head snapped to the side. Blood seeped from the corner of his mouth. It had been a slap strong enough to do that.

Namgung Pyo gave a cupped-fists salute to everyone.

“I apologize. Recently my younger brother suffered a deep wound to his heart. Because of that, his mistakes have been frequent.”

Namgung Pyo looked at Namgung Hyun with cold eyes.

Namgung Hyun ground his teeth.

“Not long ago he even showed early signs of Qi Deviation. We brought him along to get some air, but it seems we made a mistake.”

Yeon Hojeong nodded.

“Early signs of Qi Deviation would do that. I understand.”

Namgung Pyo looked at Yeon Hojeong with grateful eyes.

Yeon Hojeong smiled.

“They say one mistake is a common occurrence in war. I understand completely, so I hope you won’t scold him too hard.”

“Thank you for your generosity, Young Master Yeon.”

“Either way, the mood’s gotten too strange. Rather than forcing ourselves to travel together, how about we meet again at the Alliance of the Martial World and share some tea?”

“I think that would be best as well.”

The two men looked to Yeon Wi and Namgung In.

Both clan lords nodded.

“That’s better.”

“Heh. I’m ashamed.”

“Then we’ll go on ahead.”

“Please do.”

With that, the Yeon Clan fighters increased their speed.

After the distance opened up considerably, Yeon Wi said to Yeon Hojeong,

“Well done.”