120 - Martial Arts Ain’t That Big of a Deal

Geum Chun Bong's Declaration of Gold in the Realm of Immortals Chun Bong announced, "In the next Yongbongji Meeting, I will reveal the name Geumhee to the entire world." Of course, since she was representing the Geum family, the only goal in mind was victory. Because of this, Chun Bong was filled with enthusiasm. Seo Jun wholeheartedly assisted her in her training. Having the help of a master who knows them better than they know themselves? It's practically a fortuitous encounter. And Geum Chun Bong was a martial artist who continuously experienced such serendipitous events. Under Seo Jun's guidance, Chun Bong honed her skills sharply, reviving the senses that had dulled during her struggle with blocked meridians and diligently practicing the Cheong-woong Divine Sword technique that she had neglected. Did the sight of this perhaps serve as motivation? Even Namgoong Su Ah, who was already fervent in her training to a point that worried others, pushed herself even harder. Seo Jun put his own training on hold for the moment to help with theirs. There was, however, one interruption: "You're working hard today, too." Namgoong Hyuk approached casually, scratching his chin as if feeling shy. "And what do you want this time?" "Heh, must I have a reason to visit? ... Not really a big deal, just came to ask about when you'll be holding the wedding." He had an uncanny timing of only showing up during breaks, thus managing to not interfere with their training, bringing about a mix of amusement and exasperation. "Well..." Seo Jun was at a loss for words and clicked his tongue. He then turned his gaze slightly, feeling the intense stare from Chun Bong's widened eyes meeting his. The veins were bulging on her hand that gripped her sword tightly. Though he wasn’t sure about every detail, he knew that if he said the wrong thing, that sword might very well be swung. At a loss of words, Namgoong Su Ah approached to intervene. "Great-granduncle." "Oho, indeed, indeed." Namgoong Hyuk greeted her with a wide smile. Another treasure brought into the family by such a fortunate child. Her response and the gentle humor she displayed brought a soft smile to Namgoong Su Ah's lips. "The wedding can wait for a while. There's no rush—it’s never too late to marry after enjoying a fulfilling romance, right?" "Yes, yes. You're absolutely right." "Hehe, right? Since you've come all this way, rest for a little while. It’s not a place for tea due to being the training grounds, but we do have drinks." Namgoong Su Ah offered Namgoong Hyuk a sweet drink made from sugarcane, stockpiled by Chun Bong from an inn. "Ah, Cheongjahyang! I drank a lot of this in my youth..." Namgoong Hyuk's expression softened nostalgically as he sipped the Cheongjahyang, reminiscing the past. "Indeed, back then, I poured everything into reaching the level of enlightenment quickly to make the Namgoong clan even greater... but I shouldn’t have become so consumed by it..." "Thanks to people like you, the Namgoong family is what it is today. The efforts you poured in are tremendously beneficial to the family now, isn't that right?" "Is that so...?" "Indeed. Not only is your martial prowess noteworthy, but how many can remember the past with such detail? While advancing with the changing times is essential, preserving traditions and not forgetting the old ways is just as important. How many in the family now can maintain that balance?" "Ahem..." Watching the exchange, Seo Jun felt a sense of admiration internally. ‘So that's the secret to her becoming the idol of the Namgoong clan...!’ In a short time, Namgoong Hyuk had turned from a reminiscent elder to a grandparent filled with affection, now seeing Namgoong Su Ah with eyes that looked like they were beholding a beloved grandchild reunited after countless trials. "Thank you for saying such kind words. I wouldn't want to delay your training further, so if it can be of help, may I offer you some guidance in martial arts?" "Hehe, I'd be most grateful for that." With just a few words, Namgoong Su Ah managed to secure guidance from Namgoong Hyuk. Although her combat instincts had dulled and she couldn't fully showcase her strength in sparring with Seo Jun, she was still a martial artist who had one foot in the state of enlightenment. Moreover, given that her skills were honed using the techniques of the Namgoong clan, it would be significantly beneficial to Namgoong Su Ah compared to other martial artists. He would provide valuable assistance to her from a perspective different from that of Namgoong Jin Cheon. Seo Jun gently poked Chun Bong in the side. "I'll make sure to teach you diligently, Chun Bong." "Don't poke me in the side..." "Hmm? Has our Chun Bong put on some weight? Your side feels rather soft!" "...Say that again." "Hehe, sorry..." At any rate, preparations for the Yongbongji Meeting were steadily progressing. * Time seemed to rush forward more rapidly than anticipated as the group prepared to set out for Hanan for the Yongbongji Meeting. When asked about the reasons for the early departure, Namgoong Myeong answered. "In the case of the Nine Great Sect and the Six Great Houses, it is possible to advance two members from a sect or family directly to the main rounds." "Oh, so that's why..." "Miss Geum will need to participate from the preliminaries representing the Geum family, so we need to leave quickly." The Nine Great Sect and the Six Great Houses can skip the preliminaries? It may seem like an undue advantage, but in reality, it is. If anyone else is upset, they simply need to strengthen their faction to the point of joining that rank. There wasn't much outcry from other martial artists. (Not that complaints would change anything anyway). The high-level martial artists emerging from such grand factions often have skills that are a league above the rest. Rather than face such opponents and exit early in the preliminaries, they judged it better to have a better chance in the main rounds by competing against more evenly matched peers. At least some honor comes with it. It’s a win-win situation. It’s the other, smaller sects just outside of the Great Rank that would feel slighted, but since they can't raise a big fuss against them, they are just left wistful. "Thus, we must also be careful about who we advance to the main rounds. If a member who received such preferential treatment performs too poorly in the main rounds, it would be a terrible embarrassment to us." "Ah, I see. So it’s rare for the spots in the main rounds to be filled through mere privilege?" "Precisely. If there isn’t a promising candidate, some sects choose not to participate in the Yongbongji Meeting at all." So that's the way it goes. Seo Jun leaned out of the carriage window with understanding. Behind him followed another carriage, also belonging to the Namgoong clan. Inside Seo Jun's carriage were Chun Bong, Namgoong Myeong, and Namgoong Su Ah, while the other carriage transported Namgoong Hyuk, Jang Geuk, and Pa Jin Kwang. Despite being amidst a chaotic time, it was quite a luxurious roster. There were three near-peak performers close to enlightenment, and another at the peak. This was a force powerful enough to sweep away most major sects with a few gestures. Adding in the additional guards and drivers, the accompanying number was substantial. However, it didn't seem excessive. With both Namgoong Myeong and Namgoong Su Ah, two direct members of the Namgoong line traveling together, any unexpected incident would be a significant matter. What stood out as peculiar was that both Namgoong Hyuk and Pa Jin Kwang volunteered to provide escort. Namgoong Hyuk, startled by the news that the treasured ones of the clan were heading out, immediately joined, while Pa Jin Kwang, out of sheer boredom, decided to accompany Seo Jun. Jang Geuk was simply brought along by Seo Jun. “Hey there! Not bored, are you?” When Seo Jun shouted, a large hand popped out from the following carriage’s window and playfully showed the middle finger. “Has that old man gone mad?” That was Pa Jin Kwang. Lately, he has been claiming to understand youth culture, but seems to have picked up only such antics. He's no different from a kid these days. Grumbling, the group continued on their journey to Hanan, when they unexpectedly faced an incident. Some reckless bandits jumped out, demanding a toll fee. “The professionalism...” Seo Jun was impressed as he unleashed a spell. Five Elements, Earth, Rock Projectile. From the ground, small pillars of rock soared up and tightly bound the bandits' bodies. “Ugh...! What's this?!” “A master...!” “Please spare us, grand master...!” Though he could have easily eradicated them, Seo Jun, curious, decided to ask them instead. "Hey, can't you see this?" He pointed to the Namgoong clan emblem engraved prominently on the carriage. The bandits looked puzzled. “W-what is that...?” “Oh...” Bandits, of all people, failing to recognize the emblem of the Namgoong clan? Flabbergasted, Seo Jun asked Namgoong Hyuk. "Did we recently change our emblem or something?" “The emblem’s been the same since before I was born.” These were simply dim-witted bandits being their usual selves. When he turned to the ex-bandit Jang Geuk for comment, Jang Geuk merely shook his head. "It seems the basic understanding of today's bandits is sorely lacking." “No matter how you slice it, isn't this too much?” “They've probably built a wall against studying. Perhaps these are just particularly dense ones among them...” “Truly not an easy world.” The bandit group was roughly tied up and dragged to a nearby city where they were handed over to a sect. Receiving the bandits, the sect seemed quite delighted. Whether they chose to execute them or use them as slaves was entirely up to them. As long as they weren’t turned into elixirs, no one would really raise a fuss. Fortunately, they didn’t encounter any more bandits as foolish as those. Instead, there was a day when heavy snow began to fall during their journey. On that day, they stayed at an inn in a nearby city and enjoyed a snow fight. Seo Jun won the snow fight by using spells to hurl snowballs like a machine gun. Although Chun Bong, covered in snow, was furious and beat Seo Jun up, he considered it a reward for winning and enjoyed the moment thoroughly. Time passed, the snow melted, and when fresh sprouts began peeking from the ground, the group arrived at Shaolin. “Wow, Hanan!” It wasn’t that long ago, but somehow the familiar landscape of Hanan felt nostalgic, as though it had been ages since he last returned. Seo Jun gave Chun Bong a piggyback ride, taking a tour around the town. After settling their luggage at the Namgoong clan's villa in Hanan, Namgoong Myeong smiled gently. “There’s ample time before the preliminaries, so exploring Hanan for a while might be nice.” The Yongbongji Meeting is one of the few grand events in the martial world. With such an event, Hanan was bustling earlier than usual, its market thriving more than ever. Given the remaining time before the Yongbongji Meeting, now was the perfect moment to enjoy sightseeing while things were relatively calm. “Shall we drop by the Haomun for old times’ sake?” At Seo Jun's suggestion, Namgoong Su Ah smiled warmly. “Indeed. I recall we promised to pick up the Geum of Chiryeong back then.” “Chiryeong? Who's that?” “You remember, from the boat trip? She was one of the musicians.” “No way, you became friends in that short time?” Seo Jun was appalled. He had always wondered where Namgoong Myeong got his capybara-like amicability from. Seeing Namgoong Su Ah being the same, he suspected it might be genetic. ‘It's probably not from the father-in-law’s side... Maybe the mother-in-law was particularly sociable?’ While Seo Jun pondered this, other companions each chose their destinations and dispersed. Namgoong Myeong went off to meet friends in Hanan, while Pa Jin Kwang decided to catch up with acquaintances he hadn’t seen for a while in Hanan. Namgoong Hyuk seemed eager to join Namgoong Su Ah, but worried he'd be considered a nuisance among the younger ones. In the end, Pa Jin Kwang simply grabbed him by the collar and dragged him away. The rustic bandit Jang Geuk disappeared with a pouch of money Seo Jun handed him, cheerful as could be. The Namgoong clan’s martial artists divided among themselves, with some guarding the villa and others taking a short rest. Excited to spend time as a trio once again, Seo Jun grabbed Chun Bong, and they dashed through the streets. "Let's go, Geum Chun Bong...!" "Let's go!" "Yahoo!" It was all fun and games until a dart flew toward them with the sudden gust of wind.