Book 9 Chapter 21

When Maharyeong became enraged, Jegalgi was sad!

- The Unfair Hyoryong

Screech!

An expensive sound! It was by no means a cheap sound.

Some might question if ordinary sounds, devoid of music or rhythm, can be priced, but no one would dare dispute the fact that it was a very, very expensive sound.

Screech!

Screech!

Riiiiiip!

This sound, the sound of something called fabric being forcibly separated by an external force, was no ordinary sound. It was a very expensive sound that ordinary people wouldn't even have the chance to hear. This was because it was the sound of high-quality, expensive silk being torn to shreds by a woman's hands.

The reason the silk fabric was torn was simple. The silk fabric was a scapegoat for a woman's temper tantrum.

She had plenty of money! The one tearing the expensive silk fabric in a fit of rage was none other than Maharyeong, the leader of the Gunwoonghoe, who was called "Fatty" by Biryuyeon. Indeed, the leader of the Gunwoonghoe seemed to be on a different level from ordinary people throwing tantrums.

If Biryuyeon had seen this, it would have been enough to warrant burying her alive, let alone being indignant. To tear up valuable silk fabric for trivial personal feelings, rendering it useless, or rather, worthless, was an unthinkable act and should never have happened. Biryuyeon would have been furious.

"Please, calm yourself, Leader!"

Jegalgi, who was in charge of accounting for the Gunwoonghoe, tried to stop her. His honest feeling was that he didn't want any more funds to be spent under the pretext of the leader's temper tantrum.

"Ugh… you rascal… Biryuyeon!"

Riiiiip! Rip! Rip!

Again, another innocent bolt of silk lost its value. Jegalgi's heart ached as he thought of his poor ledger. However, as if his feelings were not a consideration at all, Maharyeong did not cease her destructive spree.

"You rascal… you rascal! You! You, the one I'll tear to pieces!"

The very person who had humiliated her in front of everyone! No matter how many methods she used to vent her anger, the hateful image of Biryuyeon, which obscured her vision, did not fade away; instead, it became clearer and clearer. That's why she was even more enraged now.

"Argh!"

Crash!

Perhaps the silk fabric alone was no longer stimulating enough, so she even smashed the high-end table made of rosewood beside her into pieces. The shattered fragments scattered in all directions.

'Ugh! Under what pretense am I supposed to account for that?'

Jegalgi's mind, offering a solemn tribute to the shattered rosewood table, gained another worry.

"Please stop now."

A low voice echoed!

Maharyeong's white hand, which was about to make another bolt of silk its offering, faltered. Her head turned back. The person who stopped her actions was someone she knew very well. Jegalgi felt as if he had met a savior.

Fierce Dragon (閃龍) Cheon Yeajin!

He was the man who, along with Maharyeong, had been taught secret techniques by her maternal grandfather, Doseong (刀聖) Hahushik, the creator of the Unsurpassed Blade Technique (飄流無上刀法).

Many considered the undisputed master of the blade in the Gunwoonghoe to be the storm blade Ha Yunmyeong, a co-winner of the Samsung Mujae competition the previous year. Of course, Ha Yunmyeong's blade technique, a prodigy of the Divine Blade Sect (神刀門) who inherited part of Doseong's legacy, was incredible.

However, even his blade was no match for the blade of Fierce Dragon Cheon Yeajin. This was because he was a direct disciple who had learned the legacy from Doseong Hahushik himself. He was also a junior martial brother whom Maharyeong trusted greatly. Her trust in him, who had trained under her grandfather, was absolute.

"I will handle this matter!"

At his words, her face seemed to soften slightly. Maharyeong thought that Cheon Yeajin was trustworthy.

"Really?"

"Of course, junior sister!"

Maharyeong gently placed the silk fabric she was holding down. Thus, a bolt of silk, destined to perish gloriously in her hands, narrowly escaped its fate and was granted a glimmer of hope to become a beautiful garment.

"Hoo… am I safe?"

Jegalgi breathed a sigh of relief as the expenses to be paid under strict categories were slightly reduced.

"Surely, this will resolve my grievances, right?"

It was uncertain whether the word "grievances" truly fit the emotion, but Maharyeong seemed to think so.

"Of course. That person must be trembling with fear right now. They wouldn't think they could get away with provoking Maharyeong, the leader of the Gunwoonghoe, the Iron Jade Cicada."

"Is that really so?"

"Of course! Trust me."

The man with a cold demeanor, Fierce Dragon Cheon Yeajin, nodded and assured her.

"Biryuyeon…"

Maharyeong bit her lower lip.

Right now, she was feeling very complex and subtle emotions. Of course, she was not aware of them herself. It was not a feeling that could be simply described as hatred.

Having been pampered and raised with immense wealth since birth, Biryuyeon's reckless behavior had been a tremendous shock to her.

After that incident, Biryuyeon's presence in her occupied a disproportionately large space. Of course, it was a crystallization of malice, hatred, and resentment, devoid of even a speck of love, friendship, or goodwill.

In proportion to that shock, his presence also took up a significant space in Maharyeong's heart. The emotion she felt towards the shock she had experienced for the first time in her life was also a strange and peculiar feeling she had never felt before. That crystallization kept making her think of him.

One thing was certain: Biryuyeon's presence was deeply imprinted on her heart.

"I cannot forgive him! I can never forgive him!"

Cold rage silently bloomed in her eyes.

Now, the means no longer mattered. Her emotions were so agitated that the means could be disregarded. It was the most intense emotion she had ever felt.

It wasn't just Maharyeong whose anger was rising because of Biryuyeon. There was another person! Changcheonryong Yongcheonmyeong, the leader of the Gujeonghoe, who held a position equal to or higher than Maharyeong at Cheonmu Academy.

"That man, was his name Biryuyeon?"

She wanted to forget, she tried to forget, but Biryuyeon's face wouldn't disappear.

Biryuyeon's last words to him were etched in his mind, refusing to let go like a leech.

"Next time, I want to see that sword isn't just for decoration."

Yongcheonmyeong could not forget that last, arrogant remark that Biryuyeon had uttered as he left. It was an absurd, annoying, and incredibly impudent statement, yet strangely, Yongcheonmyeong could not erase it from his mind.

'Does he believe I am worth his full effort?'

It was not yet time to make a judgment. However, the only information he could ascertain at present was that he was not a mere braggart.

He was encountering a type of person for the first time and couldn't figure out how to deal with him.

Squeeze!

Yongcheonmyeong gripped the Jade Buddha Sword (녹옥여래신검) strapped to his waist.

'This sword shouldn't be drawn for someone like that!'

He still felt nothing of Biryuyeon's true strength.

'But then again, that ferocious young lady won't remain idle…'

He would bet his life that if he remained silent, she would become another monster, not Maharyeong, but a different one in her guise.

The unfolding events were unpredictable even for him, who was recognized by everyone as having an exceptional intellect. This fact made Yongcheonmyeong even more displeased.

Nothing good ever came from being misunderstood. It always resulted in personal harm. However, misunderstandings often occurred unintentionally and undesirably, causing bewilderment.

"What should I do about this matter…"

It was a continuous procession of misunderstandings. The more he thought about it, the more peculiar and absurd the series of misunderstandings became. Now, the chasm of misunderstanding was so deep that it was impossible to mend.

"This is troubling."

Using a mind that hadn't been used much gave him a terrible headache.

"Damn it!"

A curse slipped out of his mouth involuntarily. He couldn't control it even if he tried.

"How am I supposed to resolve this misunderstanding?"

He pondered and pondered, but no clear solution came to mind. At times like this, he cursed his "stone-headed" brain—no one had ever said that about him. It felt like he was experiencing all the worries of his life in a single night.

'But if that scene was witnessed…'

Being with another woman in the dead of night, and to make matters worse, being caught in a passionate embrace, it was a miracle that the scene didn't raise suspicion.

Moreover, his arms were tightly embracing Eun Seollan, who was wiping her tears, leaving no room for excuses. Crying uncontrollably himself!

The problem was that Lee Jinseol had witnessed that perfect scene clearly. At that moment, his heart sank.

"Ugh! What do I do… about this matter…"

It was truly an agonizingly troublesome affair. However, he had to come up with a solution. He didn't have the luxury of time to leisurely search for and choose methods and means.

He was that desperate. His backside was already on fire, burning brightly. He needed a move to save himself.

In times like this…

'Do I have no choice but to give up everything and pray to heaven!'

His future seemed bleak. It was as if hope had abandoned him and moved far away without any notice.

'I'm wronged!'

He truly felt wronged.

Hyoryong was wronged. So, he wanted to express his unfairness in any way possible. However, the judge who was supposed to listen to his unfair grievances was ignoring him with a chilling indifference. Nothing could be resolved as things stood.

"This…"

Whoosh!

He was about to shout "Miss"! By chance, as he was walking down the street, he ran into her from a considerable distance. It was an opportunity, and Hyoryong wanted to seize it somehow. However, Hyoryong couldn't end up calling out "Miss Lee." As soon as Lee Jinseol sensed his presence, she quickly hid elsewhere.

"Gah…"

Hyoryong's head drooped.

The first attempt had failed.

The opportunity for a second attempt came surprisingly quickly. It was during lunchtime at the Cheonmu cafeteria. As humans, born as animals, they had to eat.

"Lee Mis…"

Whoosh!

Hyoryong couldn't call out "Miss Lee" this time either. Lee Jinseol chose to starve for a meal rather than encounter him. Lee Jinseol seemed to intend to actively utilize the truth that a person doesn't die from skipping one meal. Still, throwing her tray as if she had just seen him and running away was too much. Hyoryong's heart began to feel increasingly heavy.

To at least provide a minimal excuse, he had to face her one-on-one. However, she wasn't even granting him that minimal opportunity.

It was natural for Hyoryong's shoulders to sag.

The reactions of those around him seemed to be eager to torment him.

"Tsk tsk! You're a terrible person. To abandon such a cute young lady and harbor two hearts. I'm so disappointed! Disappointed!"

Namgung Sang spoke as if he knew everything. Hyoryong was curious about how he knew, but he didn't want to dig his own grave by asking about the source.

However, he felt the need to at least express his injustice.

"I am wronged."

"People caught in the act always say that!"

Namgung Sang clicked his tongue.

"I'm really, really wronged!"

Hyoryong's face contorted into a look of unbearable distress. However, Namgung Sang, finding amusement in tormenting him, had no intention of stopping. It had been a long time since he had been the one being teased, and now he had been elevated to the position of the teaser. It was too precious an opportunity to let go.

"What can a man do, he's a pitiable creature…"

Namgung Sang said as if he understood everything, but it offered no comfort to Hyoryong.

"What should I do now?"

The water had already spilled. Since it couldn't be scooped back, he had to think of a way to fetch new water. Still, he thought Namgung Sang, who had a legitimate fiancée in Jinryeong, might be of help. However, when the lid was opened, he was utterly useless.

"How would a morally corrupt person like me know? Young man, the world is a harsh place. It is a profound world where all sorts of hardships and adversities await. However, that path cannot be walked by anyone else! That is impossible for anyone."

"What are you saying? Please say what you want to say simply."

He said curtly and petulantly, his face sulky. He had painfully realized that it was foolish to expect anything more.

"Huh? Oh, well! I mean, you should work hard. You have to solve your own problems, especially when it comes to profound matters between men and women…"

Namgung Sang trailed off, his answer vague.

"So, you're just turning away like that. Senior, I'm disappointed!"

"Oh, disappointment… profound, philosophical, and mysterious matters between men and women are useless with anyone's help. Try to appease her somehow. I don't know. When it comes to matters of men and women, I'm already overwhelmed with my own problems, so how could I have the capacity to help you?"

Cowardly, Namgung Sang skillfully dodged Hyoryong's request with his "feint" technique. Even though he had attacked with the "trusting ax" technique, Hyoryong ended up hurting his own foot because Namgung Sang had subtly slipped away. Along with utter despair…

His future seemed bleak.

'I want to cry…'

Given the situation, Hyoryong had no choice but to ask for salvation.