TFSG 10

Chapter 10

“You don’t have to shout. I can hear you perfectly well.”

Jegal Cheonseong, who had come out to greet them, frowned and replied curtly.

“Haha! You’re over sixty now, yet you’re still as rude as ever!”

Namgung Cheon laughed cheerfully, as though he were accustomed to it.

His tone was light, but his tiger-like features, massive build, and long beard gave weight to even such casual words.

But Jegal Cheonseong, his longtime friend, paid no attention to any of it.

“And are you deaf? I told you not to shout.”

“The louder the greeting, the greater the joy!”

“Is the volume of your voice supposed to measure the size of your happiness?”

“Ha-ha-ha! I suppose someone who speaks like an ant crawling by wouldn’t understand!”

The two exchanged insults that were almost enough to start an argument, yet there was no displeasure on either of their faces.

Quite the opposite.

Both were overflowing with genuine delight at seeing each other again.

“Anyway, you must have had a hard journey. Was the road uneventful?”

“Anhui to Hubei isn’t exactly a thousand-li journey. Nothing happened.”

Even so, arriving in Hubei only three days after the letter had reached him could hardly have been an easy feat.

“Good. I’ve prepared plenty of your favorite Geomnan-chun for today, so you have something to look forward to.”

“And surely you prepared Hubei’s famous Cheonjang-yuk as well?”

“Do you really think I’d forget the specialty of the place I live? Don’t worry about that.”

“Haha! You really are the chief strategist of the Alliance!”

Since Namgung Cheon had deliberately refrained from saying so himself, Jegal Cheonseong promised him the finest hospitality.

That was the nature of the relationship the two masters had built over several decades.

“Heebin, it’s been a long time. Have you been well?”

Jegal Cheonseong turned his head and addressed Namgung Heebin, the eldest daughter of the Namgung Family.

Namgung Heebin clasped her hands and answered his greeting.

She possessed the distinctive bearing of the Namgung Family—both noble and upright.

Combined with her striking beauty, highlighted by her prominent nose and large eyes, even a simple greeting from her seemed to brighten the atmosphere around her.

“I am Namgung Heebin, eldest daughter of the Namgung Family. I pay my respects to Family Head Jegal. Thanks to your concern and consideration, I have been well.”

Jegal Cheonseong smiled at her flawless etiquette.

“Heh-heh. It seems that in the time since I last saw you, you’ve grown even more dignified, worthy of the Namgung name. Excellent.”

Unlike the way he had been bickering with Namgung Cheon moments earlier, Jegal Cheonseong now openly praised the Namgung name.

The name Namgung deserved such respect.

The Jegal and Namgung Families had been able to maintain their relationship for so long because they respected and acknowledged one another in this way.

“Seoryong too… Oh?”

Next, Jegal Cheonseong turned his attention to Namgung Seoryong, the second child and eldest son of the Namgung Family.

Something about him caught Jegal Cheonseong’s eye.

“I am Namgung Seoryong, eldest son of the Namgung Family. I pay my respects to Family Head Jegal.”

Seoryong also greeted him with etiquette no less refined than Heebin’s.

He had large eyes and a prominent nose resembling Heebin’s.

His thick eyebrows, however, gave him a distinctly masculine appearance.

Most of all, there was a bluish light in his eyes, as though he knew something others did not, drawing the attention of everyone around him.

Jegal Cheonseong nodded and spoke with a hint of surprise.

“Yes. It has only been a year since I last saw you, yet it seems you have made considerable progress in martial arts.”

Seoryong lowered his head with his characteristic refreshing smile.

“I gained a small insight under my father’s guidance.”

“To receive such guidance, you must have possessed the qualifications for it in the first place.”

Jegal Cheonseong nodded lightly.

“Excellent. Congratulations.”

“It is an honor to hear such words from you, Family Head.”

Namgung Cheon, who had been watching the exchange, nodded with a satisfied expression.

“Haha! Cheonseong! The future of the Namgung Family is this bright!”

“Tsk. I told you not to shout. Still… it certainly is dazzling.”

At Jegal Cheonseong’s words, Namgung Cheon gave a broad smile.

Seoryong’s appearance resembled his mother more than his father, and therefore differed somewhat from Namgung Cheon, who was practically the embodiment of the word ‘man.’

But that refreshing smile made it unmistakably clear that Seoryong was his son.

“Why should only our family have such a future?”

Namgung Cheon’s gaze shifted toward Muyeong.

“Muyeong, it’s been a long time. Have you been well?”

Muyeong clasped his hands and returned Namgung Cheon’s greeting.

“I am Jegal Muyeong, young master of the Jegal Family. I pay my respects to the Alliance Leader.”

“Heh-heh, yes! Your talent is still shining! It looks like it won’t be long before you surpass your father!”

“Haha… You flatter me.”

Muyeong glanced briefly at Seoryong before continuing.

“Seeing Seoryong, I think I finally understand what Father meant when he said that the martial world is vast.”

Muyeong had realized it the moment he saw him.

Namgung Seoryong, who was three years younger than him, had already reached the same Peak realm as himself.

“I’m merely ashamed that I became so conceited, even if only for a moment.”

“There is no need to be ashamed.”

Namgung Heebin suddenly spoke up in response to Muyeong putting himself down.

“…Pardon?”

“Your martial arts realms are the same, and when it comes to military strategy and formations, you are actually superior, Young Master Muyeong.”

Namgung Heebin continued, looking at Muyeong without the slightest hesitation.

“Young Master Muyeong is more than qualified to be proud of himself.”

With a confident smile, Namgung Heebin spoke those words.

Muyeong smiled in response.

“It’s been a long time, Young Master Muyeong.”

“It has indeed, Miss Heebin.”

Muheun, who was standing beside them, watched the exchange with a pleased expression.

‘Heh-heh. Sister-in-law was already on Big Brother’s side even back then.’

Jegal Muyeong and Namgung Heebin.

Knowing that the two of them would eventually marry, Muheun could not help but smile at the sight.

“Ha-ha-ha! Exactly! Heebin is right! Then surely the future of the Jegal Family is bright as well!”

Agreeing with Namgung Heebin, Namgung Cheon laughed heartily before turning toward Muheun.

“Yes, and another pillar of that future is… How… Hmm?”

Namgung Cheon began to say something to Muheun with a smile, but suddenly stopped as though something had caught in his throat.

Having met Muheun many times before, Namgung Cheon knew the details of his terminal meridian disorder quite well.

That was why, in that brief moment, he noticed something impossible.

There was a small amount of Yang energy within Muheun’s body.

Because he knew that such a thing was impossible, Namgung Cheon was momentarily rendered speechless.

Muheun smiled and clasped his hands.

“I am Jegal Muheun, second son of the Jegal Family. I pay my respects to the Alliance Leader.”

Thanks to the experience he had gained from meeting countless people over several decades, Muheun’s greeting was both perfectly polite and relaxed.

“Ah… yes. Muheun… It seems you have been well.”

“I am simply grateful that you noticed.”

Namgung Cheon looked back at Jegal Cheonseong with a bewildered expression.

“You… found a way? How?”

Jegal Cheonseong answered with a serious expression.

“I wasn’t the one who found it.”

“You weren’t? Then did you find some whereabouts of the missing Divine Physician?”

“Nothing like that. In the first place, the reason I called you here today is precisely because of what you are seeing now.”

Jegal Cheonseong let out a hollow laugh mixed with both uncertainty and relief.

“However, judging by your reaction, I suppose that isn’t what happened after all.”

“Haven’t I told you for forty years not to talk in a way that only you understand?”

“They say even a dog in a village school can recite poetry after three years. After forty years, shouldn’t you be able to understand me?”

“Are your words some kind of poem? Anyway, if you called me here, I assume you intend to explain?”

Jegal Cheonseong nodded and turned around.

“Since the greetings are finished, let’s talk about the rest inside.”

“Sounds good. I’m looking forward to tasting some of Hubei’s specialties after all this time.”

The two family heads slowly walked toward the reception room of the Jegal Family.

After exchanging a brief greeting with Muheun, Namgung Heebin stuck close to Muyeong’s side and followed behind them.

Muheun watched the sight with a satisfied expression.

Then a familiar voice came from behind him.

“Watching other people fall in love is supposed to be enjoyable, so why is watching my sister’s romance so unpleasant?”

Hearing the familiar voice for the first time in a long while, Muheun unconsciously curled the corners of his lips upward.

“Is that how you feel? I think the two of them look like a perfect match. It’s nice to see.”

“Haha! You called me ‘you’! Last time, even when I told you to speak casually, you never stopped calling me ‘Big Brother.’ I suppose you’ve changed your mind?”

Seoryong had somehow come to stand beside Muheun, laughing cheerfully.

Unlike the vision Muheun had last seen, both of Seoryong’s arms were perfectly intact, and he looked even younger than he had during the period when his body had undergone a complete transformation.

“It’s been a long time, Seoryong.”

“Yes. It has, Muheun.”

The words were the same, but the weight of time behind them was different.

For Muheun, it had been one year in this life.

Half a year in his previous life.

Thus, he was looking at the face of his lifelong friend again after a year and a half.

“Do you have anyone? Surely you wouldn’t lose out to anyone in terms of height or looks.”

Muheun chuckled at Seoryong’s teasing question.

“I can barely take care of myself. How could I possibly meet someone else?”

“Really? Well, isn’t it fun to gradually adjust to each other?”

Seoryong clicked his tongue regretfully.

“That’s true. But I don’t think the time is right yet.”

“I suppose it’s good that you can at least say that. I wonder when that time will come. I’m looking forward to it.”

Seoryong nodded lightly and continued walking.

“More importantly, congratulations. Just as Father said, it seems your condition has improved considerably.”

“Thank you. My coughing has decreased considerably these days, so I’ve been feeling quite comfortable.”

“Did you really find the Divine Physician? You even sound a little more old-fashioned. Is that because you lived under that person and came back?”

Muheun burst out laughing at Seoryong’s joke.

Of course, Seoryong had not changed.

He was the kind of person who looked after those around him, made pointless jokes, and put people at ease.

That was a talent Namgung Seoryong possessed even before he became the leader of the Martial Alliance.

“That’s not it. A person’s way of speaking changes as they live their life, doesn’t it?”

“Well, that’s true. Then what’s the real reason?”

Muheun lightly shrugged and smiled.

“It’s a somewhat long story to explain while standing here. Aren’t we both heading inside to hear the explanation anyway?”

---

“…So Muheun personally improved the Jegal Family’s Little Heavenly Star Technique?”

Namgung Cheon put down his cup with an incredulous look in his eyes.

Jegal Cheonseong also put down his cup and nodded.

“Yes. He called it the Heavenly Mountain Circulation Technique.”

Namgung Cheon crossed his arms and let out a low hum.

It was the first time since arriving at the Jegal Family that he had shown such a serious expression.

“But it resembles the secret technique of the Namgung Family, and that is why you suspected me?”

“…That’s right.”

Namgung Cheon looked at Jegal Cheonseong with a solemn expression.

“Cheonseong. I may not know as much as you do, but I also know quite a bit about Muheun’s terminal meridian disorder.”

“…”

“I would never commit the foolish act of teaching martial arts to a child who cannot learn them. Even so, I hold the position of Martial Alliance Leader.”

“You’re right.”

“And more importantly…”

Namgung Cheon filled his cup to the brim with liquor.

“As the head of the Namgung Family, before I am the Alliance Leader, I would never casually reveal one of my family’s secret techniques simply out of pity.”

Jegal Cheonseong slowly nodded and filled his own cup.

“I know. I’m sorry for calling you here over something like this. But I still had to make sure.”

Jegal Cheonseong met Namgung Cheon’s gaze without wavering.

“Before I am the chief strategist of the Alliance and the head of my family, I am a father.”

Namgung Cheon gave a light snort and raised his cup.

Jegal Cheonseong raised his as well, and their cups collided in midair.

Then, without either waiting for the other, they swallowed a mouthful of the strong Geomnan-chun.

“Ahh! Yes! This is it! I’ll consider your little mistake forgiven after this!”

“Thank you. If there’s anything else you want, just say so. There’s no need to hold back today.”

“Haha! Good! I’m not the kind of man to refuse an offer like that!”

After laughing cheerfully, Namgung Cheon turned his head toward Muheun and Muyeong.

“Muheun! And Muyeong! Your father is a man who will speak his mind regardless of whether he is standing before the Martial Alliance Leader or the head of the Namgung Family! Isn’t that impressive?”

“Tsk, what are you saying again…”

“You are absolutely right.”

Muheun clasped his hands and agreed with Namgung Cheon.

“I am always grateful for Father’s concern for me.”

At Muheun’s words of gratitude, Jegal Cheonseong awkwardly poured more liquor into his cup.

“…That’s enough. As long as you know.”

“Why are you so embarrassed? You’re old enough to have gotten over that!”

Namgung Cheon laughed heartily as he filled his own cup.

“Still, I am curious. You were confused enough to suspect me?”

After taking a small sip, Namgung Cheon asked Muheun,

“Muheun, can you show me the martial art you said you created?”

Namgung Cheon’s eyes were affectionate, but there was also a deep curiosity belonging to a martial artist within them.

And there was good reason for that.

He had just heard that a sickly child who had never even been able to learn martial arts had accomplished something that even most martial artists would struggle to do.

And on top of that, it was similar to the technique he had trained in throughout his entire life?

From Namgung Cheon’s perspective, this was probably a question asked while suppressing his curiosity as much as possible.

Muheun understood that feeling and readily accepted the request.

“Of course, Alliance Leader.”

Muheun closed his eyes and sent energy flowing through all the meridians throughout his body.

The energy inside him raced through his blood vessels as though it had been waiting for this very moment.

Despite the difficulty of the Heavenly Mountain Circulation Technique, its operation was already so familiar to Muheun that anyone watching him would think it was easy.

In an instant, Muheun felt a warm energy flowing throughout his entire body.

‘The speed has increased even further.’

Muheun smiled with satisfaction and finished circulating the Heavenly Mountain Circulation Technique.

“This is the martial art I use, the Heavenly Mountain Circulation Technique.”

When Muheun finished his demonstration, everyone else fell silent.

It wasn’t that they had failed to notice because of the speed of the circulation.

Rather—

“…Huh? Huh-huh… Hahahaha!”

After sitting there dumbfounded for a moment, Namgung Cheon began to laugh loudly.

“Indeed! Cheonseong! Now I understand why you suspected me!”

Even to Namgung Cheon, it looked exactly like the circulation method of the Namgung Family’s secret technique.

No.

More precisely, it was even better.

“The stability with which you circulate your energy is superior even to mine! Muheun, I never knew you possessed such martial talent!”

“Martial talent? You flatter me.”

“How could that be flattery? I just said your detailed control is superior even to mine! Are you looking down on the Alliance Leader? Kahahaha!”

Namgung Cheon laughed happily and raised his cup once more.

“Congratulations, Muheun! And Cheonseong! Just as expected of your son—he inherited this kind of talent from you!”

At Namgung Cheon’s reaction, Jegal Cheonseong finally relaxed and smiled faintly.

“Thank you. Martial talent, huh? Yes. Hearing you say that puts my mind at ease.”

“Anyway, that’s your problem! You worry about your children far too much! Listen, you two. When you were young, this fellow actually did…”

“That’s enough. Are you already drunk?”

Jegal Cheonseong and Namgung Cheon continued bickering as the drinking party gradually became livelier.

Both were masters capable of quickly dispelling the effects of alcohol, but when they met privately like this, they chose not to.

The same was true of Muyeong and Namgung Heebin, who enjoyed the intoxication and the pleasure of meeting again after such a long time.

Everyone became touched by the warmth of alcohol except for two people: Muheun, who normally could not drink, and Seoryong, who was sitting with a serious expression as he pondered something.

Muheun enjoyed this moment.

How long had it been since he had been able to sit somewhere so comfortably, without a care in the world?

“But where did you get the inspiration for that martial art? You didn’t happen to see our family’s technique and steal it, did you? Hahaha!”

“Cheon! Do you really think my son would do such a thing?”

“I’m not guilty of anything like that. How could I possibly do such a thing?”

Even Namgung Cheon’s drunken teasing felt warm and familiar to Muheun.

Then suddenly, a voice rang inside Muheun’s head.

—Muheun, could you come outside for a moment?

It was a telepathic message from Seoryong, who was sitting across from him.

Muheun looked at Seoryong.

There was still a smile around his mouth, but his expression was quite serious.

‘It seems this really shocked him.’

Muheun lightly nodded in agreement.

Seoryong rose from his seat first.

“Family Head Jegal, Father, I’m going to step outside for a moment. I need to use the restroom.”

“Hm? Heh-heh, yes, go ahead.”

Muheun also rose from his seat.

“May I excuse myself as well? I’m feeling a little tired…”

“Yes, go ahead. You’ve had a long day.”

The two left the room under their respective excuses.

Watching them leave, Jegal Cheonseong spoke.

“I was planning to send Muheun back anyway. This worked out perfectly.”

Jegal Cheonseong raised his internal energy and dispelled his drunkenness.

As a master who had reached a certain level of cultivation, he did so quickly.

“Why are you suddenly ruining the mood?”

“I don’t want to do this either. But unfortunately, something happened yesterday that you need to know about.”

At Jegal Cheonseong’s words, Namgung Cheon let out a faint sigh and quickly dispelled his drunkenness as well.

“Muyeong, as the young master, you should know about this. Heebin will eventually find out too, so you might as well hear it now.”

At Jegal Cheonseong’s words, the two young lovers who had been happily flirting with each other also circulated their internal energy and dispelled their drunkenness.

“What on earth happened that you’re making such a serious atmosphere? Seoryong isn’t even here.”

“He isn’t the young master yet.”

“He will be soon, and he’s already past twenty. I think he has every right to know.”

“Then you can tell him. More than anything else, it is important that you know.”

“Jeez, tsk. What happened that you’re making such a fuss?”

At Namgung Cheon’s gruff question, Jegal Cheonseong slowly shook his head.

“An order has come down to the Alliance.”

Namgung Cheon’s expression hardened slightly.

“An order has ‘come down’? To the Alliance?”

“Yes.”

Jegal Cheonseong pulled a document from inside his robes.

It was decorated with gold lines on a red background.

“It is an imperial edict from the Imperial Palace.”

---

Meanwhile, the two men who had gone outside walked a little farther before stopping in the courtyard of the Jegal Family estate.

The bright moon of Hubei hung high in the sky, while the elegantly decorated estate welcomed the two men.

“What is it?”

Muheun asked Seoryong, who had come outside ahead of him.

“…That martial art of yours. You called it the Heavenly Mountain Circulation Technique, right? It was truly remarkable. Astonishing, even.”

“So it was about that after all.”

Muheun gave an awkward smile.

It wasn’t that he was embarrassed to receive praise for the Heavenly Mountain Circulation Technique.

It was simply strange to hear these words now, because the very person who had helped him complete the technique was standing before him saying them.

“I already knew you had the talent to inherit the title of the Sleeping Dragon. But to possess such outstanding martial talent as well… What does that make me?”

Seoryong spoke in a playful tone.

Muheun smiled lightly and shook his head.

“I have no martial talent worth mentioning. Even if I did, compared to you, it would be nothing more than the blood from a bird’s foot.”

It was true.

As far as Muheun knew, Seoryong’s martial talent was something difficult to find anywhere in the world—or even in the ancient texts he had searched through.

“Haha! If such delicate control is merely the blood from a bird’s foot, then I suppose you have at least the foot of a phoenix!”

But without knowing the truth, that was naturally how Seoryong saw things.

Seoryong stopped laughing and spoke with a serious expression.

“May I ask you for something that might be rather presumptuous?”

From Seoryong’s expression, Muheun could already guess what he was going to say.

“You want me to teach you how to circulate the Heavenly Mountain Circulation Technique?”

“Teach me how to circulate the Heavenly Mountain Circulation Technique.”

When Muheun correctly guessed what he was going to say, Seoryong’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Have you learned some kind of mind-reading technique?”

“I simply considered your personality, which I know well, along with the circumstances we’re in.”

Seoryong had never been ashamed of seeking instruction from a martial artist who was superior to him in some aspect.

That remained true even after he had risen to become almost the greatest martial artist under heaven.

Once, immediately after returning from the battlefield, he had even asked a Beggar Sect member questions about something he was curious about while they were traveling together.

Because of that tendency, his actions now were incredibly obvious to Muheun.

‘You, who never even asked me about martial arts, are acting like this now. I suppose this is another amusing aspect of regression.’

What made it even stranger was that Seoryong himself wanted to learn the martial art that he had once helped Muheun complete.

‘You were the one who originally taught it to me. How could I possibly hide it from you?’

Muheun lightly nodded.

“Of course. You’ll be able to learn it quickly.”

At Muheun’s answer, Seoryong smiled brightly.

“Really? Thank you! I will never forget this favor!”

Seoryong expressed his gratitude enthusiastically, his eyes shining with curiosity.

Muheun chuckled and began to explain the Heavenly Mountain Circulation Technique.

“First, the key to this technique is the blood vessels. The human body naturally has…”

Screeeech—

At that moment, a sharp sound struck the ears of both Muheun and Seoryong.

“?! What was that sound?”

“…This is…”

Muheun hurriedly pulled a sheet of paper from inside his robes.

It was the sheet on which he had written a formation after installing one at Hwang Yak-sang’s house earlier that afternoon.

The fact that it was making a sound meant that someone had intruded into the formation Muheun had created.

‘It hasn’t even been a day. Have they already arrived?’

With the smile gone from his face, Muheun took out his judge’s brush and rearranged the formation written on the paper.

With a few strokes of Muheun’s brush, the characters that had been scribbled down haphazardly quickly shifted and formed a single word.

Two.

Four.

“…Four Second-Rate martial artists.”

Muheun crossed his arms and muttered quietly as he fell into thought.

“What happened? Did something serious happen?”

At Seoryong’s question, Muheun finished thinking and looked at him.

“…If that’s all there is, you could deal with them easily on your own, couldn’t you?”

“What?”

“We should probably hurry. The formation won’t break, but the people nearby could be harmed.”

“What on earth are you talking about?”

At Seoryong’s frustrated question, Muheun raised one eyebrow slightly and smiled.

“You said you would definitely repay me for teaching you the Heavenly Mountain Circulation Technique, didn’t you?”

“Hm? Well… yes, I did.”

Muheun had originally thought he had no right to demand compensation.

But this was a situation where every second mattered, so he had no choice but to take advantage of the opportunity.

“Then how about paying in advance?”

“Paying in advance? I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Muheun held up the sheet of paper in his hand.

“I’m saying we should go perform an act of chivalry together.”