Book 24 Chapter 15

The sudden appearance of Elder Hyukjung

- A certain request

The fight, which had been more intense than expected, had drained all of Nayerin's strength. She couldn't even stand up properly now. She was injured, too. An injury that would have cost her her life if her reaction had been even slightly slower. She had managed to stop the bleeding urgently, but she couldn't expect her body to heal immediately. Injuries, whether to the body or the mind, happen in an instant, but it takes tens or hundreds of times longer for those wounds to heal. Just thinking about that moment made Yeonbi's heart pound.

Of course, Yeonbi believed in Nayerin. She believed she would succeed. But this world is one where accidents can suddenly happen out of nowhere, with no cause or effect. No matter how close to divine precognition one might be, it's impossible to avoid the unpredictable element of chance. If that sudden chance had occurred during the recent fight… the aftermath was terrifying and dreadful to even imagine.

Now, Nayerin lay on the bed in the waiting room with her eyes closed. She was much better than when she had first struggled to breathe. Beside her, Yunmi stood anxiously, holding a cold towel. Yeonbi, who had nearly lost her sanity, was no less unsettled. Even the bold Yeonbi couldn't help but sigh with relief this time.

"Ah, right. I'll go buy you some cold tea, Lin. You'll feel much better if you drink it."

Unable to stay still, Yeonbi pushed herself up. Then, Nayerin, who had been lying down, spoke with difficulty to stop her. She had been conscious all along, just too weak to move.

"Yeonbi, there's no need. The finals are soon. Just focus on your match against Chilsangheun right now. You don't need to worry about me. I'd feel too sorry if you did."

But Yeonbi disagreed. Nayerin had nothing to feel sorry about here.

"You don't need to feel sorry. Why should you feel sorry, Lin? If I don't take care of you, who will? There's no need for such a burden between us. Besides, a little extra concentration and meditation in your free time won't determine the outcome of the match, win or lose."

Yeonbi did not accept her apology.

"But…"

Still too weak to sit up, Nayerin's face was etched with apology. Seeing that, Yeonbi waved her hand.

"If you keep looking so apologetic, it'll just put more pressure on me. It's not good for my peace of mind. It's okay, I'm doing this because I want to. There's no way it'll burden me if I'm doing it because I want to help you. In fact, it would bother me more if I couldn't do anything for you."

"Still…"

"Oh, stop worrying. I'm ready to fight anytime, anywhere, at any moment. That's equanimity, equanimity. So, Miss Yun?"

"Yes, yes? Me, me?"

Startled to suddenly hear her name called, Yunmi stammered. Yeonbi clicked her tongue.

"Don't be startled just because I called your name. If you get startled by that, you'll be constantly startled from now on."

"B-but…"

"You can't die just from being startled, can you? No one will criticize you if you're a little more confident."

"W-well, that's true, but…"

Yunmi lowered her head.

"Oh, honestly. You've come this far because of Miss Yun Mi's own strength. Not anyone else's. So it's okay to have more confidence. Out of hundreds of people, only the three of us have made it this far. Do you know who the other person is, excluding me and Lin, among the three?"

"…It's me."

That was true.

"See? You know it perfectly well. So if someone like that doesn't have confidence, if they're not confident, it's disrespectful to those they've stepped over. Understand?"

Yeonbi asked the final question forcefully, like a general in command, and Yunmi reflexively snapped to attention and replied.

"Yes, I understand."

Seeing that, Yeonbi smiled.

Then, she pointed to the center of her chest and asked.

"This place isn't empty. Inside Miss Yun Mi, there is definitely confidence and self-assurance. If you acknowledge that it's there, it will definitely exist. I guarantee it. I'm even offering a free guarantee, are you saying you don't trust me? Giving someone a guarantee is like entrusting your life."

"Is… is that so?"

"Of course."

Yeonbi answered with a firm voice and nodded. Then, she patted Yunmi's shoulder and said.

"Please take good care of Lin, my beautiful Miss Yun Mi. Then, I'm off, whoosh~!"

Yeonbi deliberately made a sound with her mouth, opened the door, and disappeared.

Yunmi stared blankly at the closed door, then lowered her gaze to her own chest. As if trying to ascertain what was inside.

"It's flat…"

All she saw were cliffs.

Naturally.

There was still time until the next match.

Nayerin was still struggling from the aftermath of the last match, and a refreshing, fragrant cup of tea would surely lift her spirits.

Yeonbi went to a teahouse within the arena and bought some cold tea. On her way back, she also purchased a vase and some simple snacks like honey cookies. It was a good strategy to have a light meal before an important match. A little indulgence would surely lift her spirits. Of course, she planned to go out alone in the next match. Just then, she heard applause from somewhere in the corridor.

Clap, clap, clap!

"That was a splendid match just now."

Yeonbi, who had been walking, stopped abruptly.

"You flatter me too much."

Yeonbi said without turning her head. She didn't feel any joy from the applause and praise. That's because the applause and voice were coming simultaneously from all six directions, making it impossible to pinpoint the location.

'Is it Yukhap Jeonseong?'

It was quite noisy and buzzed unpleasantly in her ears, but it was quite useful for hiding her position. Moreover, although the person was invisible, their presence filling the space was palpable. The presence was swallowing the space, which only added to the confusion. Instead of erasing his presence, he was layering it to hide himself from Yeonbi's five senses.

"Who are you? I don't have time to have tea with you. As you can see, I'm quite busy. I have a prior engagement."

Then, a low chuckle was heard from behind her. However, the direction remained ambiguous.

'I've heard that voice somewhere before.'

Yeonbi pondered for a moment.

'Could it be Master?'

She thought, but that couldn't be it. Master wouldn't move in such a roundabout way.

"Heh heh heh, you audacious child. But to speak so calmly even in the face of my aura. Well, that's why you could make it to the finals."

Strangely, the voice was very familiar.

"Is it fashionable these days to praise while hiding oneself?"

Yeonbi didn't act foolishly by looking around aimlessly. Instead, she opened all her sensory organs and expanded her senses simultaneously.

"The old man is a bit shy, you see. When I see a young woman, my face turns red and my heart pounds. How can I live with a heart condition? So I have no choice but to hide my appearance."

"In other words, it's not intentional?"

"That's right. That's exactly what I wanted to say. This young woman is also smart."

However, her voice held no trace of shyness or fluttering. Yeonbi wasn't naive enough to believe such a preposterous statement.

"But if you keep hiding, you'll just become a 'couch potato'… Yo!"

Before she could finish speaking, Yeonbi's body spun halfway around.

*Swish!*

The Hyeoncheon Eunrin in Yeonbi's hand flew fiercely towards a certain spot. It wasn't a place particularly good for hiding, just a corner of the corridor shrouded in shadow. Normally, the Hyeoncheon Eunrin would have just added another hole to the empty wall. But in the darkness, the Hyeoncheon Eunrin stopped abruptly. In the shadow where there was nothing.

*Woowoowoowoong!*

The space around the tip of the black umbrella shimmered, and a being revealed itself.

"Astonishing. To find me so quickly. Can we talk for a moment, young lady?"

Yeonbi was startled by the figure that emerged from the shadows. Until he appeared, his presence was barely perceptible, but once revealed, he exuded an imposing aura like a towering mountain. To have silently grasped her back was astounding, and with such a presence, he was no ordinary man. Marchengakju Majin-ga was not this formidable. While it was a pity for Lin, even Murim Alliance Leader Na Baekcheon's aura was not this strong.

Yeonbi suppressed the urge to flee for a moment. Firstly, because although he was imposing, there was no murderous intent, and secondly, using excessive movement techniques recklessly could lead to side effects. More importantly, what was surprising was that Yeonbi recognized the face.

"I never dreamed I'd know the person."

Then, a look of surprise appeared on the old man's face.

"Hmm? Have we met before? Why don't I remember?"

Seeing the old man's face, which showed no recognition, Yeonbi realized her mistake. When she had met the old man at the foot of Mount Hua before, Yeonbi hadn't looked like this. So it was understandable that the old man would have that expression. However, she maintained an unwavering expression and smiled, saying.

"That's called dementia. Don't worry. It's a common illness as one ages. It's a frequent occurrence."

"Hmph! This old man is still young! I'm in my prime."

"Oh my, the word 'young' is being misused these days. If you call an old man a turtle that lives for three to four hundred years, then perhaps you could call him young at his current age."

The two eyes beneath the old man's shaggy white eyebrows widened.

"Ho ho ho, how fearless you are. Are you calling this old man a turtle now?"

This was the first time in decades this had happened. In the past few decades, no one had dared to be so disrespectful to his face. They all knew it would be a suicidal act.

"How could I? It's just a metaphor. A figure of speech, if you will. It's nothing, so don't worry about it."

A more powerful aura emanated from the old man's entire body, but Yeonbi's smile remained, and she replied calmly. Hyukjung the Elder seemed to have lost some interest.

"Your heart doesn't seem to be made of ordinary stuff either."

It seemed he couldn't win with words. There weren't many people who could make him feel defeated, even just with words. It was strange. The old man said with a wry smile.

"But how did you manage to find me? It doesn't seem like you judged by sound?"

'Yukhap Jeonseong' wasn't called that for nothing. It was called Yukhap Jeonseong because it sounded like it was ringing out from all six directions (Yukhap: East, West, South, North, Up, Down) simultaneously (Jeon: All), making it nearly impossible to pinpoint the speaker's location due to its nature.

"Of course, I found you by sound."

However, Yeonbi answered without hesitation.

"How?"

It was a natural question.

"Everything has a center. Just like even the largest ripple has a single point as its center."

"As expected, my eyes were not mistaken."

Hyukjung the Elder showed a look of considerable satisfaction.

"What brings you here? Some mysterious old man who appeared out of nowhere?"

The owner of the immense presence that had appeared was indeed Hyukjung.

"I came to ask you for a favor."

"I can't accept a confession."

Hyukjung replied with a very disappointed expression.

"Why? Do you already have someone?"

"Of course."

Yeonbi answered curtly.

"Well, what a shame. But there's nothing I can do. Then, let's move on to the next matter."

"What is it?"

"Young lady, don't you want to defeat Chilsangheun?"

"I thought that kind of obviously stated question was considered bothersome and had already passed?"

"So you want to win, right?"

"Of course. But why?"

It was hard to believe he was doing such a troublesome thing for no reason.

"I will help you win against that man, Chilsangheun."

"And the price?"

Yeonbi didn't see the world as so easily accessible that such a thing would come for free.

"It's simple. In return, you just have to grant me one request. How about it? It's really simple, isn't it?"

Yeonbi pondered for a moment, moving her head from side to side. Then, she said.

"No!"

Her answer suggested she had intended to say that from the beginning.

"Why?"

"I can't share the prize money anymore."

Yeonbi said with a tone of difficulty.

"Prize money? Not at all. This old man has no interest in petty change."

"Wow! Are you incredibly wealthy?"

"Well? I haven't counted, so I don't know exactly, but I'm not poor. I don't really need money right now either."

"Then what do you want? Chilsangheun's life? A grudge?"

Hyukjung shook his head again.

"Life? Quite the opposite. It would be problematic if that child were to die, no matter what."

"That child? Who is that child? Could it be Chilsangheun?"

Yeonbi had caught that Hyukjung had referred to Chilsangheun as 'that child' just now.

"That's right. This old man has something he must hear from that fellow, no matter what."

"You're a grandfather who likes stories."

Yeonbi said with a slight sarcasm.

"What can I do? That's my life's pleasure."

The old man replied casually.

"But isn't that also a story for after you win the match? Our chances of winning are actually not very high. At least, that's what the gamblers think."

Most gamblers bet on Chilsangheun. As always.

"Then you intended to lose?"

"Of course, I intend to win. You're asking the obvious again."

Then, as if waiting, Elder Hyukjung smiled.

"I'm going to help you win. I'll help you do something that the gamblers say is completely impossible. Only I can do it!"

Hyukjung's tone suddenly changed.

"Wow, you're truly amazing. Do you have a secret to victory?"

Yeonbi feigned slight surprise.

"Yes. I know all of that child's weaknesses. If you know that, and I teach you just one technique, someone with your skills can definitely win. I guarantee it."

"You don't sound very confident."

"You can trust me."

It wasn't a very convincing statement.

"How about it, my rosy condition? If you win, I might even teach you a few moves of what's called a 'peerless technique' in the martial world. Something on par with 'Gongcheonddo'. It's not boasting, but it's quite formidable. You won't lose out, ever."

"Something feels suspicious. Especially you emphasizing how rosy it is."

Yeonbi said with a suspicious voice. She wasn't the type to readily believe what people said. For the old man, it was infuriating. To refuse such a heavenly opportunity was truly foolish. However, for the sake of his dignity, he didn't explode with anger.

"Believe me. Blessed are those who believe, and it's beneficial for both parties. Now, I'll tell you that child's weakness."

Then, Yeonbi quickly covered her ears with both hands and said.

"No, I don't want to hear it."

"What? You don't want to hear it?"

Elder Hyukjung's voice involuntarily rose. He had never dreamed she would refuse here.

"Yes, I don't think I need to hear it."

Even with her ears covered, Yeonbi could hear everything.

"This is truly useful information. You'll definitely regret it if you don't listen."

The old man said, creating anxiety with a subtle threat. However, Yeonbi wasn't swayed by such psychological threats.

"And I don't know how many years ago that weakness was from. How old is that information? Is it still fresh?"

"Hmm… it seems to be about nine years old…"

His voice was significantly less confident.

"Information over ten years old is already past its expiration date."

"I said nine years."

"Nine years or ten years."

"Are you going to throw away the chance to win?"

"There's no law that says it's the only chance, is there? Right? I'll win even without that help. I will! Because I am the number one under heaven, above heaven, in the universe, primordial, and in all directions!"

Yeonbi declared confidently, placing her hands on her hips. Her declaration was so grandiose that the old man was momentarily stunned and could only let out a hollow laugh.

"Hah… Huh… What great confidence. And your tongue isn't even twisted. But would you still say that after hearing about Chilsangheun's true identity?"

Elder Hyukjung's words carried a subtle pressure. But this time, he had picked the wrong opponent to apply pressure to.

"Of course. As long as it's not that one person."

Yeonbi said confidently.

"Who is that?"

"There is someone, the world's number one swindler, a drunkard. And a miser too. Anyway, as long as it's not that person, I don't care. Besides, he was someone who had a weakness from a long time ago, so if I lose, it makes no sense."

"You'll regret it."

This was his final attempt to make her reconsider, but Yeonbi was already deaf to it.

"I won't regret it, never. I'll win even without you telling me about any weaknesses. But don't worry. I won't kill him. I'll let him hear what he wants to hear. I'm curious about what that story is anyway."

"Geez, let's thank you after you win."

The old man still seemed skeptical.

"There's no harm in thanking you in advance. It's just a matter of time anyway. And I'll get my reward properly. Nothing in this world is free. Well, I should be going now. There's someone waiting for me. Cold tea tastes bad when it gets lukewarm."

Yeonbi gave a slight nod of greeting and started to walk away. Then, the old man's voice was heard from behind.

"Be sure to win, Yeonbi '군'!"

When Yeonbi spun around like a gust of wind, the person was already gone.