Book 9 Chapter 9

Chungcheongryong Yongcheonmyeong

"What are these fools doing right now!"

Maharyeong felt like her insides were about to explode with anger.

The foolish subordinates she was desperately calling for were doing nothing but standing by, hands clasped, watching helplessly.

In other words, they were completely useless at the moment.

"Do I have to break the taboo like this?"

It seemed there was only one way left to break free from this restraint. That was to raise the Cheonchukdaeseungyugasingong to its extreme. It possessed a power that could instantly shatter any pressure point or subjugation.

However, doing so carried a significant risk of instability in her bodily control. Therefore, she was hesitating severely.

"Why don't you stop being stubborn and just apologize?"

It was when Biryuyeon pressed her once again. That's when something happened that put an end to her hesitation.

"Wait a moment!"

"……?"

Biryuyeon turned his head at the sudden interruption.

"Why don't you stop now?"

It was a low, but powerful voice that definitely resonated in everyone's ears and hearts. All eyes moved, searching for the source of the voice.

Clang!

The barrier formed by the Gujeonghoe members split in two like the parting of the sea, and a man of extraordinary bearing appeared in the middle. He was quiet but full of grace, and possessed an overwhelming aura that made the surroundings hold their breath.

"Huh?"

Biryuyeon tilted his head slightly. He could distinctly feel a difference from a moment ago.

For the first time, he noticed that the surroundings, which had been noisy with people's bickering, were now deathly silent. It was a stillness so profound that one could hear a single strand of hair falling.

"Hmph!"

Biryuyeon looked at the man with new eyes. He could easily guess that this man, who had suddenly appeared before him, was the reason for this change.

The martial artists of the Gujeonghoe surrounding them were also showing the utmost respect to the man who resembled a jade dragon. The one who had guided them in this manner was Jiryeong (Wise Dragon) Baek Muyoung.

All the Gujeonghoe members around them bowed with clasped fists and lowered their waists.

"Members greet the Chairman!"

Since his appearance was so spectacular that it shook the surroundings, Biryuyeon's eyes and attention were naturally drawn to the man.

He had a refined yet dazzling appearance, with his hair neatly styled, and his entire being exuded a noble aura filled with valor and foresight. His neat silk robes, a light cyan-green, matched his tranquil demeanor even better. Hanging from his waist was a jade belt, from which dangled two swords: one a dark green jade sword that seemed to transcend time, and another a white sword carved from white jade.

The natural grace flowing from him was like that of a noble crane, and his outstanding aura was like that of a dragon that ruled the vast ocean and played in the heavens. He was a man whose appearance alone would draw exclamations of admiration, possessing unparalleled foresight. He seemed to have been born to stand above others.

"Who is that wonderful man?"

Eun Seollan, unable to contain her curiosity, asked Na Yerim. There were almost no individuals in Macheongak with such an extraordinary aura.

'Would someone like that be able to rival him?'

Other than him, there were barely a few people she could count on one hand. Everyone else fell short. Truly, he was a prominent figure among them. The unique presence, felt only by peak experts, emanated from him naturally and overwhelmingly, without any intention.

"Who is he?"

Biryuyeon was also curious.

"I am Yongcheonmyeong of Shaolin, who humbly serves as the current Chairman of the Gujeonghoe!"

The man who introduced himself as Yongcheonmyeong said with a smile.

Rumble!

Instantly, the silent hall became noisy. His presence had caused a stir in the entire venue.

"Chungcheongryong!"

Mo Yonghui exclaimed. Even though he was only interested in martial arts, he had heard this name countless times since childhood, and it was the name that had caused his ear condition, which had not been fully cured until recently.

"We must never lose to Yongcheonmyeong."

"So this is the child who can defeat Shaolin's Yongcheonmyeong!"

"Compared to you, Yongcheonmyeong does seem to fall a bit short!"

"On behalf of the honor of the Eight Great Families, we must never fall behind Yongcheonmyeong."

"Of course, you shouldn't lose to anyone else, but especially not to Yongcheonmyeong! Remember that!"

These were words he had heard incessantly, almost brainwashed, from his family members and occasionally from people from other families who visited. Mo Yonghui had been compared to Yongcheonmyeong many times since childhood. It felt like the rivalry towards the Nine Great Sects was being projected onto him. Therefore, even though he had never met him, he didn't feel like a stranger at all.

Chungcheongryong (Azure Dragon) Yongcheonmyeong (Dragon Heavenly Mandate)!

As the current Chairman of the Gujeonghoe, the de facto highest power of the Cheonmu Academy disciples, he was a prodigy among prodigies, gathering the hopes of the entire martial arts world! It was said that the term "all-around genius" existed for him, as he excelled in both literary and martial arts.

He was a product of a thousand years of history. He was a disciple of the Great Shaolin Temple! A rare genius born once in a hundred years from Shaolin! He carried dozens of epithets. He was a prodigy who had a plethora of flattering titles attached to his name.

'Someone who can rival him… To fight a dragon, the opponent must also be a dragon! In Macheongak, apart from one or two people, I can't think of anyone else, but if it's someone else, there's one right in front of me, so I can pick one quickly!'

Eun Seollan's gaze landed on Mo Yonghui, the pride of the Eight Great Families, known by the moniker Chiljeol Singeom (Seven Ultimate Sword). Although born a few years later, his potential and latent ability were unmatched.

'Oh? That's unusual?'

Eun Seollan's eyes sparkled as she looked at Mo Yonghui.

'Why is this person, who is always so quiet, acting like this?'

Mo Yonghui's gaze was now filled with seriousness and fighting spirit.

'So this is the one who defeated Samjeolgeom Cheongheun by half a step!'

Mo Yonghui, who had always been quiet, was now exuding fighting spirit. It was a primal instinct.

'When I meet a strong opponent, I want to gauge their martial arts.'

This was a common saying among martial artists. Even though he acted like a quiet and calm model student, he was a born martial artist to the bone.

"Truly, many outstanding talents have been born in this generation. Perhaps this is the peak of resurgence since the nightmare of the Heavenly Calamity and Blood Washing a hundred years ago dealt a great blow to the martial arts spirit. Otherwise, such outstanding individuals wouldn't continuously appear from both the righteous and evil sides. Do you understand what I mean, Chief Elder?"

Majinga looked at Chief Elder Binggeom Gwancheolsu with a benevolent smile. The document in his hand was an analysis of the current strength of the Cheonmu Academy disciples. However, his expression was not very cheerful.

"I am still inexperienced and find it difficult to understand easily. I apologize."

Binggeom replied in a quiet voice. His voice barely conveyed any emotional change.

"Hohoho! I'm saying that the upcoming Huashan Accord Assembly will be more difficult and grand than any other time. You must not forget for a moment that this is a tournament with special meaning, occurring once in a hundred years."

"Of course. I will do my best."

Majinga nodded slowly, seemingly satisfied.

"To achieve that, any means necessary will be permitted."

His voice was firm. He clearly had a plan. When Majinga was like this, he wouldn't budge on his resolve, no matter how much he was persuaded.

"Any means… did you say?"

"That's right. According to the report, we cannot win against them with the current complacent operation and training."

His grim expression was likely due to that issue.

"Then, could it be…"

For the first time, a discernible emotion appeared on Binggeom's face.

"It is that 'could it be'. We will open the sealed Huanmadong (Illusory Demon Cave)!"

"Y-you don't mean… Huanmadong?"

At the mention of Huanmadong, Binggeom's face, which had been like a block of ice, changed instantly.

"Isn't Huanmadong a place that was sealed for 18 years due to its extreme danger?"

Huanmadong! Originally created to rigorously train the disciples, its difficulty and danger were so high that it resulted in numerous injuries and ultimately casualties. Therefore, it was also called the "Gate of Death" or the "Gate of the Dead," a place of evil. It had been firmly sealed after the incident 18 years ago, which caused mass casualties.

"These children these days don't seem to understand the pain, suffering, and weight of blood that we were forced to endure in the past. The martial arts world has been too peaceful recently. Peace has the power to soften a person's will. But this cannot continue. We must win this time, no matter what."

"But won't opening Huanmadong be too harsh a treatment for the children?"

Huanmadong was so dangerous that it even caused concern to Binggeom, who was suspected of lacking emotion. To put it in others' words, it was a place where danger lurked unnecessarily.

"I have made up my mind. This time, we must win to uphold the prestige of the righteous path. It is time to renew our resolve. Even if it's a bit of a stretch, I believe in the children."

A strong will flashed in Majinga's eyes. His body seemed to grow as large as Mount Tai. As the firm resolve in his heart took hold, a profound energy, as grand as Mount Tai, naturally emanated from his body.

"I will carry out your order!"

Binggeom bowed and lowered his head. He couldn't dare to defy the Chairman, who exuded an oppressive presence like Mount Tai and a firm will like a thousand-year-old boulder.

'Yongcheonmyeong…'

Maharyeong felt miserable, trying to ignore the reality.

'To show this pathetic sight to that man…'

She felt so ashamed that she wanted to stick out her tongue and die. To show weakness or a pathetic appearance to that man was unthinkable for her.

'You bastard!!'

She felt like she could abandon all her status and position just to show that damned Biryuyeon a lesson and get revenge. It was a strange feeling she had never experienced before.