“Lord of the Manor. The guest sent from the Mo Yong Clan’s side has arrived.”

Yangcheon, seated in the grand chair with his eyes closed, spoke.

“Let her in.”

“Yes, sir.”

RUMBLE!

The door opened, and the light sound of small footsteps rang out.

The corner of Yangcheon’s mouth curled upward.

Not bad.

He had heard she was only in her late teens.

Considering her age, she had built up a respectable level of martial arts. She was not enough to be called an unmatched genius, and she did not seem to have ever seen real combat, but as expected of someone from a prestigious family, her personal martial arts were still fairly presentable.

The sound of fabric brushing the end of the stairs carried a subtle tension.

Only natural. A younger-generation talent so young was meeting one of the Thirteen Seats of the Supreme Heavens, a living legend of the martial world. There was no way she could not be tense.

Still, he really was different.

Bitterness rose on Yangcheon’s face.

There was no one else like Jeong.

Even the sound of Jeong’s footsteps had been different.

It was not that he had felt no tension, but he had radiated a commanding presence prouder than anyone under heaven. It had felt as if he himself were another absolute ruler, a giant going to meet the emperor of a foreign land.

It had been unbelievable confidence. No matter how great a person’s martial strength was, there would not be many in the world who could show that kind of nerve while facing one of the Thirteen Seats of the Supreme Heavens.

Thinking of that, this felt like a deal that simply did not add up.

Jeong had been the sort of genius who, if properly raised, would surely grow into a giant fit to contend over the world within ten years. But the girl climbing the stairs now—forget ten years, even if he taught her for thirty, it was doubtful whether she would ever become someone fit to contend over the world.

It can’t be helped.

She had been meant from the start to serve as a bridge for his connection with Mo Yonggun. She was not wholly his person, so there was no real reason to be disappointed.

And yet the fact that he still felt regret only meant that the impression Jeong had left on him had been that strong.

“Mo Yong Yeonhwa of the Mo Yong Clan pays her respects to the King of the Dark Path.”

Yangcheon opened his eyes.

Below the grand chair, on top of the red carpet, a slender young woman was bowing flat to the floor.

Even so.

Her voice carried calm.

She was tense, but she was a girl who knew how to control herself. It was only that Jeong had been far too exceptional. Seen objectively, this girl too was likely talented enough to earn praise.

Silently looking down at Mo Yong Yeonhwa, Yangcheon finally spoke.

“Raise your head.”

Mo Yong Yeonhwa lifted her upper body.

Yangcheon’s eyes gleamed.

Hmm.

Her beauty was secondary.

The eyes of the girl looking up at him were rather proud. In those clear black-and-white eyes, there was even the faintest trace of expectation.

...So that is why he said with his own mouth that she was an exceptional child.

One never truly knew until seeing in person.

Her eyes were better than he had expected. It was only because his regret over Jeong was so great, but now that he had seen her himself, he found himself nodding without meaning to.

“I trust your father has already told you the circumstances.”

Mo Yong Yeonhwa bowed her head.

“Yes. Though my abilities are lacking, I will devote myself to Ink Dragon Manor.”

The corner of Yangcheon’s mouth lifted. A playful impulse stirred in him for no reason.

“Did you hear this as well? If your father shows the slightest suspicious behavior, you will die the most miserable death in the world.”

Those were words spoken by Yangcheon, the Fighting King himself. They did not sound like empty words in the slightest.

“I know that as well.”

“Do you?”

“Though I have many shortcomings, I was still a person who received a certain degree of recognition as one of the younger generation of the Orthodox Path martial world. I understand that without needing to be told.”

“Oh?”

Mo Yong Yeonhwa raised her head again and looked at Yangcheon.

She was trying to restrain herself, but Yangcheon’s presence was not something that could be blocked merely by trying. Even so, Mo Yong Yeonhwa was meeting his gaze head-on.

“I do not know how you see me, Lord of the Manor, but I too came here prepared to risk my life for my family. I am not so foolish that I would come to a place that may become my grave without considering the worst.”

“Is that so?”

“It is.”

“I am curious. How exactly did your father persuade you?”

“There was no need for persuasion. My father needs me, and I simply did not wish to betray his expectations.”

“As you said, this place may become your grave. Were you not afraid?”

“I came here staking my life on it. That means there will be just as much for me to learn.”

“Oh?”

Mo Yong Yeonhwa smiled.

It was a smile she was forcing onto her face. Cold sweat had even formed across her forehead in beads.

But for some reason, Yangcheon liked that clumsy smile of hers.

Yangcheon nodded.

“You have had a hard journey. Go rest in your quarters until I call for you again.”

“Thank you.”

“What did you say your name was?”

“Yeonhwa. Mo Yong Yeonhwa.”

“I understand. You may go.”

Mo Yong Yeonhwa bowed respectfully and withdrew in quick little steps.

Yangcheon rested his chin on his hand.

“...The Orthodox Path certainly has many talented people.”

*****

The Yeon Clan of Green Mountain.

It was a martial family that had appeared like a comet roughly fifty years ago. Its power was small, but it was still judged to be a martial clan whose martial prowess and chivalrous spirit were worthy of contending over the world.

Whether Orthodox Path or Dark Path, the martial world was conservative by nature and stingy in its judgment of others.

For such a world to see a family rise in less than half a century and make a name for itself as one of the foremost martial clans in the land—that was truly an extraordinary thing.

Naturally, the Dark Path too had no choice but to keep its eyes on the Yeon Clan of Green Mountain. A rising power of the Orthodox Path meant a new enemy of the Dark Path.

And Gangryang was the heir to one of the prestigious families spoken of as the foremost in the Dark Path. Naturally, he knew a great deal about the Yeon Clan.

I’d heard about him, but...

Yeon Hojeong had said that he was the Commander of the Alliance’s Evil-Smiting Corps and a son of the Yeon Clan of Green Mountain. Now that Gangryang had entered the Alliance of the Martial World, of course he had no choice but to meet the Yeon Clan Lord as well.

But the feeling of actually facing the Yeon Clan Lord, a man whose name had been wrapped in rumor for so long, was difficult to describe with pen and ink.

Yeon Wi, the Judge’s Sword. The strongest swordsman of Gangdong, and the leader of the Yeon Clan’s ghostlike swordsmen!

Gangryang swallowed.

“What are you doing?”

Yeon Hojeong frowned.

“If he greeted you first, then common sense says you should greet him too, doesn’t it?”

Gangryang snapped back to himself.

He brought his hands together in a formal salute.

“My name is Gangryang. I am...”

Gangryang hesitated for a moment, then closed his eyes and spoke in an even tone.

“I am the heir to the Ghost-Iron Sword Gate, the foremost sword gate of the Dark Path, and the sole survivor who carries Ghost Blood. It is an honor to meet the Clan Lord of the Yeon Clan.”

He had originally intended not to reveal where he came from.

But he changed his mind. In a meeting with a giant like this, hiding his background would have been little different from insulting the other man.

More than that, it was also a matter of pride.

I may be the heir to a destroyed sword gate, but my pride has not died.

Now then, how would he respond?

How exactly would the Clan Lord of the Yeon Clan, the very symbol of chivalry, treat the heir of the Dark Path’s foremost sword gate?

“You’ve had a hard journey.”

Gangryang’s eyes flew open.

He raised his head and looked at Yeon Wi.

The strongest sword hero of Gangdong looked utterly calm.

“I have heard the rough outline of what happened.”

“...”

“I would not dare say I understand what it feels like to lose your parents and your siblings. Still, through my son, we have come to share this connection. It is not my house, but I hope you will make yourself comfortable in our quarters.”

Gangryang’s eyes shook.

Yeon Wi smiled.

“By the way, the Sword Gate Master taught his son properly. I have rarely seen someone in the younger generation with such solid fundamentals. Even my eldest is not quite your equal in that regard.”

Yeon Hojeong grumbled.

“That stings my pride a little.”

“Quiet. You spent your life drowning in liquor. How could your fundamentals possibly be solid?”

“Since you’re at it, I’d appreciate it if you thought of it as an ordeal undertaken to forget the sword.”

“You certainly talk well.”

Yeon Wi looked at the split tree.

“You seem to have a lot on your mind. Training is good at times like this, but getting proper rest can also be the answer.”

“...Pardon? Ah! Yes.”

“Stop tormenting innocent trees and come back to the quarters. It looks like you haven’t eaten either, so let us fill your stomach first.”

“Ah! I-I’m fine. I’d like to train a little more...”

“This is advice not from an elder, but from a senior in the sword path. It seems your Inner Qi prioritizes explosive output over a stable flow. If you keep swinging in such an unstable state, you’ll only ruin your feel.”

“...!”

Yeon Wi turned to Yeon Hojeong.

“I’ll go on ahead and tell the cook. Bring him with you.”

“Yes, Father.”

Yeon Wi turned and headed for Warbreaker Pavilion.

Gangryang blankly watched Yeon Wi’s back. His hands were clasped behind him as he strolled away, and from behind he looked like a scholar who had seen through all the affairs of the world.

“What are you doing?”

Startled, Gangryang looked at Yeon Hojeong.

With a bored expression, Yeon Hojeong pointed at the sword.

“Stick the blade back in the scabbard, idiot. Clean this up and let’s go.”

“...What just happened?”

“What do you mean?”

It seemed his shock still had not worn off. Gangryang spoke with a dazed face.

“How can he be that calm?”

“Father?”

“That’s right.”

“You really are a funny bastard. Then what exactly would he need to be tense about? If someone at your level came at him, he’d smash you to pieces in one move.”

“No, that’s not what I mean...”

Gangryang shook his head.

“I am the heir to the Ghost-Iron Sword Gate.”

“So what?”

“I’m saying the Ghost-Iron Sword Gate was the sword gate spoken of as the foremost in the Dark Path.”

“Ah, so what!”

“Isn’t the Ghost-Iron Sword Gate an obvious enemy to the Yeon Clan of Green Mountain?”

“Did you, while I wasn’t looking, stab someone from my clan?”

“No! That’s not what I’m talking about! The Dark Path and the Orthodox Path are obvious enemies! The Ghost-Iron Sword Gate may have been destroyed, but your father’s attitude is too...”

“Too calm?”

“That’s right!”

Yeon Hojeong tilted his head sideways.

“And what if he is?”

“...?!”

“You’ll be living with us from here on, so I’ll tell you in advance. My father can be pretty frustrating.”

“...What?”

“In other words, he’s the kind of man who cares about formalities. If you don’t keep proper manners, he’ll glare at you with those sharp eyes, and if his son is away in the martial world and too busy to send letters, he’ll even shout at him for it.”

“Ghk!”

“But there’s one reason I like my father.”

Yeon Hojeong smiled.

“My father doesn’t lie.”

“...!”

“When he deals with people, he is always sincere. Do you know what that means? It means he’s the kind of man who doesn’t get swayed by rumors and sees the essence of the person in front of him.”

Without realizing it, Gangryang felt strength enter his ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) fists.

Not getting swept along by rumors. It sounded easy, but it was not something just anyone could do.

“My father trusts me. And I brought you into the Alliance of the Martial World. Whether you’re from the Dark Path or not, that alone is reason enough to respect you.”

“...”

“So quit talking nonsense and start cleaning up, asshole. Couldn’t even wait a little before wrecking the place, damn it.”

Grumbling, Yeon Hojeong started throwing the torn-up weeds and broken pieces of wood back into the forest.

Gangryang followed Yeon Wi’s retreating back with trembling eyes. At some point, Yeon Wi had already gone quite far.

...He does not get swayed by rumors. He sees the essence.

Yeon Hojeong barked,

“What are you doing, idiot? Aren’t you going to clean up already?!”

“Huh! A-all right.”

Gangryang moved in a frantic rush as if his ass had caught fire.