"You're going to... participate?"

Cheonyeong nods his head at Nosanggae's surprised question.

"Yes."

"Suddenly? Weren't you not even interested in the Assembly of Elders?"

"I just became interested."

"Just now? No, why on earth?"

Although Nosanggae tilted his head in bewilderment, Cheonyeong had already made up his mind.

Of course he had to go.

When the Jinkagu punks might come. It wouldn't make sense not to go, knowing that those damn punks might run wild.

But could he tell Nosanggae the truth?

"They're punks who kidnap those poor children and raise them as assassins. They're punks who wouldn't be cool even if they were torn to shreds. If I didn't know, I wouldn't know, but since I know, of course I have to go. And, since I've met them in person, it'll be faster for me to find them myself than to give Myeongseon the information."

"Hmm..."

Nosanggae, who was staring at Cheonyeong, recalls Baekta's words.

That's why he had gone to Dongting Lake.

Come to think of it, Cheonyeong had a truly good personality.

Wasn't he the one who had watched him from the side since he founded the Tang Family's estate until now?

He had taken in the vagrant children of Ganyang and opened a new life for them, and he had also protected Ganyang from the tyranny of the Yin Hand Chamber and the merchant association.

Although he talks about profits... he was always walking in the right direction.

Nosanggae, who was looking at Cheonyeong, smirks and says.

"You're, as expected, not a person who deserves to be called something like a flood dragon."

"Pardon?"

"It's because your actions and words are harsh. You're more righteous than anyone. No, you're much more full of righteousness than those punks who only care about their reputation."

"..."

"I can't just stand by knowing your intentions. Don't worry. I'll write you a letter of recommendation."

"A letter of recommendation?"

"Yeah! Of course."

Cheonyeong frowns at the words spoken while beating his chest.

Is he trying to get a spoon in again... has he been had once or twice?

"It's alright. The Tang Family's estate will take care of its own affairs..."

"It won't work."

"Pardon?"

"Because the application for participation has already closed."

"Cl-closed?"

"Of course. Do you know how long we've been waiting for this competition? Moreover, this time there's no distinction between Orthodox and Unorthodox, so it's a competition that's several times larger than before. The Twelve Dragons of Sicheon have already finished their applications, and even though it's closed, applications from all over are heading to the Blue Green Sect every day."

"Heh! I heard there are still four months left... it's already closed?"

"It's a matter of the Blue Green Sect's precious treasure, the Seventy-Two Wave Sword Manual. I hear there are over a hundred people who have been allowed to participate."

"There are that many?"

"I heard that's after filtering and filtering."

"Th-that's amazing."

"As far as I know, the Blue Green Sect spent a lot of money to build a new martial arts arena for this competition."

"Heh."

Cheonyeong couldn't help but let out a hollow laugh.

If this is the case, does it mean that a letter of recommendation from the Beggars' Sect is absolutely necessary?

"But don't worry. Who am I? I'm Nosanggae, the branch leader of the Ganyang Beggars' Sect. I'll get you in, even if I have to borrow the power of my Sicheon Upper Faction's Elder Chwibul."

"...Thank you."

Although he didn't like the idea of receiving help from the Beggars' Sect, he had no choice.

What other way was there when the application was already closed?

However.

"But... you're not going to call it even with the Yunnan matter with this, are you?"

"Huh?"

"Are you?"

"Th-that's not possible, is it? Heh heh, uh-heh heh heh!"

Nosanggae smiles awkwardly, avoiding Cheonyeong's gaze as if he had been caught.

This person...

He had thought about it.

Anyway, he couldn't let his guard down.

To think that he would try to call it even with just a letter of recommendation for an achievement that Baekta might aim for, not only as a future leader but also as a leader.

"Ah, this is not the time for this. I must go quickly and deliver the news of your participation to my junior brother. He'll be very happy. He's only been talking about you since he came back from Yunnan."

"..."

"Then I'll be on my way. Just trust me and prepare well."

Nosanggae, who had waved his hand as if he were greeting or not, leaves the Divine Works Pavilion.

In the meantime, he had emptied his teacup cleanly. As expected, beggars don't leave food behind.

By the way, the Assembly of Elders...

"I'm looking forward to it. What kind of punks will be there. And what kind of things the Jinkagu punks will do."

A strange light appears in the eyes of the lone Cheonyeong.

***

As the news that Cheonyeong would participate in the Assembly of Elders spread, not only the inside of the Tang Family's estate, but the entire Ganyang began to buzz.

Then, a vassal meeting was convened, completely regardless of Cheonyeong's will.

"Greetings, Family Head."

"Huh? What brings Manager Gu here?"

Cheonyeong, who had entered the Three Yang Hall, tilts his head as he looks at the people gathered inside the building.

He had definitely heard it was a vassal meeting, but it was full of familiar faces, including Manager Guhwang, the general manager of the Ganyang Merchant Association.

"What do you mean, what brings us here? We heard that you, Family Head, are participating in the Blue Green Sect's Assembly of Elders, so how could we just stand by?"

"Pardon?"

"First, this way. Hey, Jeongil, what are you standing there for? Measure him quickly."

"Yes!"

At Guhwang's nagging, Han Jeongil, who he knew from before, runs up to Cheonyeong's side.

Han Jeongil, who runs the Tang Family Cloth Store.

"Family Head, your arms..."

"Pardon?"

"I need to measure them."

"What..."

"Of course, clothes."

Who wouldn't know that? So why clothes all of a sudden?

As Cheonyeong is bewildered, Han Jeongil says as if frustrated.

"How can we send you, Family Head, who is representing the Tang Family's estate, no, Ganyang, to the Blue Green Sect in shabby clothes?"

"Sh-shabby?"

It didn't really look like that.

The clothes he was wearing now...

"I will use all my skills, not sparing any gold or silver thread."

"Pardon?"

"First, your arms..."

Han Jeongil forcibly spreads Cheonyeong's arms and begins to measure him here and there.

What on earth is he thinking?

"I've measured everything. I will do my best. Family Head, in preparation for you going to the finals, about ten sets should be enough, right?"

"T-ten sets?"

"Of course! You have to change every day. Then I'll be on my way. I heard the competition is in four months, but since you'll be leaving early, time is tight..."

Han Jeongil leaves the Three Yang Hall, holding the paper with the measurements written on it like a treasure.

But tight?

Even if he left a month ago, there were still three months left. It was enough time to make ten sets of clothes and more.

And yet it's not enough, what on earth is he going to make?

Then Guhwang, who runs the Tang Family Leather, examines the vest worn under Cheonyeong's outer garment.

"I will find the best leather, even if I have to mobilize all the hunters of the Tang family."

Guhwang also leaves...

"Family Head, for now, please make do with this."

"Pardon?"

"They say that spiritual herbs are needed to supplement the qi of martial artists, but this is all I have for now. But don't worry. The herb gatherers are diligently searching the mountains, so I will send them to the Tang Family's estate as soon as they are found."

The owner of the Tang Family Pharmacy, Eonsaeng, leaves after giving him a basket full of medicinal herbs.

They were very high-quality items that he had never seen before.

What on earth is going on?

After all the merchants had left, only the vassals of the Tang Family's estate remained.

But.

"Where did the great blacksmith go?"

"He went to the blacksmith street."

"The blacksmith street?"

"Yes, because we haven't built a forge in the main family yet."

Cheonyeong tilts his head at Yongcheon's words.

"Why there?"

"Didn't you ask for a sword and hidden weapons?"

"Well..."

"He rushed out as soon as he heard that you, Family Head, were participating in the Assembly of Elders."

"Huh?"

"He said that since there are only a few months left, he would use all his skills to make a sword and offer it to you. He also said not to look for him for a while because he has to make weapons for the attendants. Because it would be a disturbance."

"..."

"You must win. For the honor of the Tang Family's estate, no, the entire Ganyang!"

Yongcheon says with great force in his words.

"No, that's..."

The reason he decided to participate in the Assembly of Elders was not to raise his reputation.

Because of the Jinkagu...

To find out what those damn punks are up to and to interfere with their event.

But.

"You must win."

"You guys! What are you talking about? If the Family Head participates, of course he'll win!"

"That's right! It's a win, a win!"

"Wow! It's really like a dream. To defeat all the renowned martial artists in Sicheon, no, the nearby regions, and win!"

Cheonyeong couldn't honestly reveal the purpose of his participation in front of those bright faces.

Weren't the expressions of the merchants who had gone ahead, and all the members of the Tang Family's estate, including Yongcheon, all the same?

"Hah, dammit..."

Cheonyeong lets out a deep sigh.

If this is the case, it seems he has to win.

If by any chance he loses, the morale of the Tang Family's estate...

"Yongcheon."

"Yes! Family Head."

"Prepare the training ground."

"The training ground?"

"Yes. Since everyone wants me to win like this, I should at least do some seclusion training."

"O-o-o!"

At Cheonyeong's words, the vassals, starting with Yongcheon, all burst into cheers.

Well, he was going to do it anyway.

The state of the Transformed Body was not enough.

It was a situation where he could have been defeated by the young chief of the Black Scorpion, Baihe, whom he had met in Yunnan.

Also, although he hadn't fought the Black Scorpion chief, Biata, he didn't have the confidence to face him.

So, he had to achieve the next stage of the Samyang Divine Art, Body Filling, as soon as possible.

If he was lucky in this seclusion training, he might even reach the third stage, Body Exchange.

"Family Head Gongson."

"Yes, Family Head."

Gongson Seung answers forcefully.

"Let's postpone the trade with Yunnan for a while. Until the Assembly of Elders is over."

"You mean this? There shouldn't be any small problems that interfere with your training, Family Head."

"Yes."

"Don't worry and focus only on your training. I will take responsibility and protect the Tang Family's estate."

At Gongson Seung's words, Yongcheon frowns and approaches, hitting him on the head.

"Ah, damn it! Why did you hit me!"

"What are you taking responsibility for? This guy is acting like the owner whenever he gets a chance. I'm the deputy family head, you punk. If the family head is not here, of course I have to take responsibility. Why are you taking responsibility?"

"Tch, you dull bear."

"What did you say? Didn't you hear what I was like in Yunnan?"

"It must have been luck!"

"What luck?"

"Just grab anyone and ask them. What they think will happen if the Tang Family's estate is entrusted to the deputy family head. They'll all say it will be ruined!"

"You punk! You come here!"

Gongson Seung slips out of Yongcheon's grasp and hides behind Sanghui.

"Heh, you little punk! Who said it was luck! And who said the Tang Family's estate would be ruined if I took over?!"

"Everyone."

"What did you say? Everyone? You're dead..."

Although Yongcheon flared up, Sanghui glares at him and protects Gongson Seung.

To Sanghui, Gongson Seung was an admirable and pretty younger brother who was handling the affairs of the Inner Hall, so it was natural.

"Why are you picking on a kid? It's not like he's wrong."

"Even you, Sanghui?"

"Only me?"

"Huh?"

Sanghui wears a bewildered expression, and the other family members even cross their arms and click their tongues.

"Family Head Gongson is right. If it's entrusted to the deputy family head, the family will be ruined."

"Yeah, that's right. He can't do anything but use his strength."

"That's right, that's right."

As everyone agrees, Yongcheon's face turns bright red.

"You guys!"

"..."

"I hate you all!"

Yongcheon, who had sulked unlike his large frame, storms out of the Three Yang Hall.

And Gongson Seung, who was staring at his back, says.

"...He gets sulky too."

"Leave him be, he'll get over it soon."

Sanghui answers casually at those worried words, strokes Gongson Seung's head, and looks at Cheonyeong.

"Family Head."

"Yeah?"

"We will also train hard. So that we don't fall behind anyone in the Blue Green Sect."

Cheonyeong smiles brightly at Sanghui's words.

"Alright."

That day, a carrier pigeon from the Beggars' Sect branch flew vigorously towards the Blue Green Sect.

Along with a letter of recommendation to allow the Thirteen Dragons of Sicheon to participate in the Assembly of Elders.

(End of Chapter)