Book 16 Chapter 20

The whereabouts of victory

Three days had already passed since the Jungtogwan exam ended.

As always, the morning dawned, and Bi opened his eyes as usual.

However, to the eyes of the Great Prince Bi, the sun rising today felt different from yesterday.

And tomorrow, it would look even newer. Because today is the day a new history begins. The sun rising for the end of the old era and the sun rising to announce the beginning of the new era could not be the same.

The Great Prince rippled the still water in the copper basin, which was reflecting his expressionless eyes like a mirror.

He did not like looking in the mirror. Mirrors always reflect only the present. Unless one possesses special magical powers, it is impossible to see the future through them. And the image of the present always makes one reflect on the past.

Present and past, he did not want to compare these two. It was not a pleasant thing to sometimes realize the stark difference between the past and the present. That's why he didn't like looking in the mirror. Even if it was temporarily formed by the stillness of the water.

Splash splash.

He washed his hands. Three steps away, Chumyeong bowed respectfully with a towel draped over one arm.

"Is everything ready?"

"Everything is ready, my lord. The dragon will fly today."

Chumyeong replied in a voice filled with emotion.

"Good! And them?"

Chumyeong knew who he was referring to without having to ask. Those designated as potential threats, unpredictable variables. But that variable was already silent.

"…There is no news yet. There seem to be no special movements."

"Is that so… Then they won't be able to interfere at all. And the Samsungs?"

"There are no special movements felt from that side either."

"Then there will be no one to stop our event. The historians of the martial world must remember this day. This day when the history of the martial world is rewritten! Destruction for regeneration! Today, the era of martial power ends and the 'New Martial World Chronicle' begins!"

Even his expressionless voice, like a sculpture of ice, was filled with passion this time. The sense of mission to usher in a new era ignited his passion.

"Chumyeong, the plum blossoms that bloom today will be even more beautiful, won't they?"

"Of course."

The five-elemental official exam of the Huashan branch had officially concluded. All participants gathered in the grand training ground. Soon, the winner would be announced by Hyukjung, the master of the Cheonyul Sibyeong.

The victory was all but certain for the first group. All other groups had been attacked by unknown silver-masked figures in the Jungtogwan and had their Cheonyulpa stolen. Only the first group did not have a single Cheonyulpa stolen. Although they were also attacked by a silver-masked figure wielding a tree branch and suffered greatly, they did not lose their pa. Paradoxically, it was all thanks to Biryuyeon, whom they had chased away.

"I don't see Master Bi and Miss So? Nor Young Master Hyo and Young Master Jang… Did something happen, Master Yeomdo?"

Eunseollan asked with a worried voice.

Yeomdo, claiming to be bored with the stiff ceremony, stood a little away from the podium with Eunseollan. She accompanied him, claiming curiosity about the results. But she was puzzled by the absence of familiar faces and asked.

"Well… I vaguely heard that they got caught up in some incident during the exam…"

"Incident?"

"Hmm, I only know that someone was murdered."

Eunseollan's complexion worsened considerably. Realizing her mood had darkened, Yeomdo said, flustered.

"Oh, don't look so worried. I heard no one was injured. The deceased wasn't a participant."

"Then why…"

"Don't try to find out any more details!"

Yeomdo, perhaps not wanting to worry Eunseollan, remained silent about further details.

"Then, I will announce the outstanding group of the Huashan Convention Branch! The outstanding group of the 100th anniversary Huashan Convention Branch Five Elemental Officials…"

The announcer, who was in charge, paused for a moment and then shouted.

"Group 1! The outstanding group is Group 1. Please have the representative of Group 1 come up to the podium."

Cheers erupted from Group 1. The one who stepped onto the podium as the representative was the Great Prince Bi. He ascended the podium with confident strides, exuding an aura that overwhelmed the audience. But just then. People's gazes, which had been fixed on the Great Prince, slowly shifted upwards one by one. On the roof of the 'Cheonmujeon', the building located directly behind the podium, someone had fearlessly climbed.

"Wait a moment!"

The person shouted. His voice, resonating powerfully throughout the grand training ground, was imbued with profound internal energy.

"I have an objection!"

The person shouted again in a booming voice.

"W-why is that guy up there?"

Maharyeong, standing in the front row,'s eyes widened. She recognized the identity of the person who appeared on the roof. It was Biryuyeon, who had disappeared after being accused of murdering Anmyeonghu during the Jungtogwan exam.

But what was he holding? Before her thoughts could finish, Biryuyeon threw what he was holding in his right hand towards the front of the podium, right in front of the Great Prince Bi's nose.

The object appeared bulky and heavy, but it flew slower than expected. As if an invisible hand were supporting it. But as it reached the Great Prince's nose, the invisible hand seemed to disappear, and the object dropped suddenly, making a loud noise as it smashed the podium, rolled a few more times, and landed scattered at Bi's feet.

Surprisingly, it had limbs, arrogantly attached. And it was easily two or three times the size of a normal person. But the face of the giant man was bruised all over, and he was frothing at the mouth, in a complete mess.

However, upon seeing the sight, the Great Prince's eyebrows shot up, and his eyes widened. As someone who knew his hidden second identity, the Great Prince was unable to hide his shock.

"You know who that is, with that size, right?"

Biryuyeon shouted from the roof. The crowd had never seen this man before. There was no one of that size among the announcers they knew.

"Great Master U!"

The one who recognized his identity was the announcer in charge of the proceedings. Hongmaegok had thirty-six chefs, and at the pinnacle of them all was the master chef of masters, the Great Master Dosaldo Udonu. That was his true identity.

"Now, are you ready with your excuses?"

Biryuyeon asked with a smirk.

"Shouldn't you be the one making excuses before me?"

"Why would I?"

"You haven't been cleared of the Anmyeonghu murder charges yet, have you? Weren't you the one who committed the crime? Who would listen to the words of a criminal?"

Biryuyeon chuckled.

"Ah, that's what you're worried about! Don't worry about that. I have reliable guarantors! They will vouch for my words and actions."

"Guarantors?"

"It's us!"

Some people looked as if their hearts would leap out of their chests, and others looked as if their eyes would pop out, as they were not accustomed to such shocks.

The ones who stood up were, surprisingly, the three members of the Cheonmu Samsung.

"This is truly… surprising…"

The Great Prince Bi could not hide his astonishment either. He never expected them to be involved… He hadn't detected any movement. Perhaps it wasn't due to the incompetence of his subordinates. They must have entrusted everything to Biryuyeon and his companions while feigning composure. To make himself, or rather the unseen enemy, complacent.

"Now, do you feel like confessing?"

Biryuyeon said again with a smile.