Right away, Geumwolsang stood between Ong Mungyu and Gold-necked Hwan. Ong Mungyu flinched as he was about to strike. Geumwolsang’s ki was no joke.
Meanwhile, Ong So-hu watched Geumwolsang’s movements closely. To his surprise, the man seemed to possess considerable martial prowess. This was completely different from the Geumwolsang that the spies had reported.
He was slightly taken aback, but that was all. Though talented, he was incomparable to himself, who had undergone systematic training in a prestigious clan.
Still, it was true that the reports from the incompetent elders were quite off. Even though they had been driven away, Ong So-hu thought it was good that he came here personally.
“I apologize. This young master has violated etiquette.”
Ong So-hu apologized, stepping forward toward Geumsurin.
Up close, Geumsurin’s skin was even more exquisite. Her terrified expression was utterly captivating. Ong So-hu’s desire to possess her grew stronger.
“Very well. Step back. Our lady seems frightened.”
At that moment, Gold-necked Hwan intervened. Ong So-hu looked down on Gold-necked Hwan. If he struck now, he could easily cut his throat. It was pitiful to see him act unaware of how close he was to death.
Still, Ong So-hu could not kill Gold-necked Hwan here. Whether to gain information or to secure Geumsurin more firmly.
Ong So-hu envisioned a grand plan.
“Oh dear. I apologize. That was never my intention, young master.”
As Ong So-hu’s apology sank in, the eyes of the three disciples and Ong Mungyu grew wide.
Ong So-hu was apologizing to a minor clan?
Though Ong So-hu thought he was managing things well, those who knew were aware of the fierce pride he held for Hyeongsan.
Considering Ong So-hu’s usual temperament and the norms of the martial world, his words were unfathomable.
“Mungyu, you apologize to this young master as well.”
Ong Mungyu was dumbfounded. To his knowledge, there was nothing to apologize for.
“Why should I apologize…”
Before he could finish, his face twisted. Then a crisp sound was heard.
Crack!
Ong So-hu had slapped Ong Mungyu’s cheek. Ong Mungyu clutched his face and looked at Ong So-hu in disbelief.
“How dare you lay hands on me without permission? You’re disgracing Hyeongsan’s name.”
Ong Mungyu was stunned, his face reddening with shame and anger.
At first, Ong Mungyu was naive and had no interest in women. Ong So-hu knew this well — that Ong Mungyu had only lost because of his good nature.
Yet there was a reason Ong So-hu slapped him: to provoke his anger.
No matter how angry Ong Mungyu was, he knew he couldn’t defeat Ong So-hu. So he had to vent his rage elsewhere. The perfect target was Gold-necked Hwan.
He had even tried to block the Gold Nasu Technique directly. Now, Ong Mungyu looked at Gold-necked Hwan with hostile intent rather than at Geumsurin.
Ong Mungyu’s glare flickered as he bowed his head deeply.
“Young master, I apologize.”
“Hmm.”
Geumsurin was at a loss, unsure whether to accept the apology or not. Gold-necked Hwan made the answer clear.
“Sister, it’s fine.”
He was saying she shouldn’t accept the apology. Ong Mungyu’s ears flushed red, but there was nothing he could do.
This was only a chance to seize; one day, he and Gold-necked Hwan would clash again.
Ong So-hu was unaware, but the reason Ong Mungyu often picked fights at the inn was that he deliberately provoked situations where he could fight. There was nothing more enjoyable to him than killing.
However, this was the first time someone had picked a fight with him first: a disciple of Hyeongsanpa and a Jangmunin’s adopted son.
“Hey, what’s your name?”
Ong Mungyu glared at the kid who had interfered. The boy didn’t glare back; he simply stared silently.
“Gold-necked Hwan.”
“Gold-necked Hwan, huh? Alright, alright. And this young lady beside you?”
Geumsurin hesitated briefly, but since Gold-necked Hwan had already revealed his name, there was no need to hide hers.
— When they come politely, we show courtesy too; when they come leisurely, we show leisure as well.
“I’m Geumsurin.”
“Pleased to meet you, young lady Geum.”
Ong Mungyu apologized to Geumsurin while still watching Gold-necked Hwan intently. However, Gold-necked Hwan soon diverted his gaze away from Ong Mungyu. This only irritated Ong Mungyu more.
“Thank you.”
Geumsurin said, then turned her face away with a haughty air. On the side she turned toward stood Gold-necked Hwan, who quickly traced a smile and returned expressionless. Geumsurin smiled at his cuteness — a sign that he had handled the situation well.
“The time’s been wasted. Hurry and guide us to Jingjeongwon.”
Ong So-hu spoke as if nothing had happened. Geumwolsang acted the same.
He too remembered Gold-necked Hwan’s words. There was no need to nitpick.
“Then follow me.”
Led by Geumwolsang, it was the same formation as before. Geumwolsang walked at the front, with Geumsurin and Geumhwacheong to his sides, and Gold-necked Hwan at the rear. Hyeongsan’s people trailed behind, with Ong So-hu at the very end.
The people of Hyeongsan walked through the Hwanggeum Family’s gardens with admiration. Even Ong So-hu was entering the Hwanggeum Family grounds directly for the first time.
Stone sculptures, wooden carvings, exotic flowers planted in the garden, lakes, stone bridges, and pavilions built at angles.
Whether luxurious or simple, the sights were splendid and pleasing to the eye.
As they absentmindedly admired the scenery, the group ahead stopped.
“This is Jingjeongwon.”
“I see. The stairs are quite high. It would be tough to climb for those without martial arts.”
“Exactly. There’s a plan to fix that soon.”
Ong So-hu glanced at Geumwolsang. Now he was certain he was no fool.
Given the people he’d been watching, Geumwolsang should be wary of outsiders; Geumhwacheong and Geumsurin should avoid them silently; and Gold-necked Hwan shouldn’t even have come.
But what were they doing now? Geumwolsang showed a calm, assured demeanor. Geumhwacheong revealed hostility toward Ong So-hu, and Geumsurin remained aloof.
The only one difficult to read was Gold-necked Hwan. Though he had changed the most, it was hard to explain. Perhaps because he had changed too much.
Reports of his change had been coming for months, but Ong So-hu had never witnessed it firsthand. The man’s personality and glances had shifted. Ong So-hu also knew that Gold-necked Hwan had become a disciple of Gwak Jindo, one of the Namhae Sibigeom.
Maybe that was why Gold-necked Hwan had unleashed the Gold Nasu Technique against Ong Mungyu. If it had been a trivial technique, Ong Mungyu would have countered easily. Ong Mungyu’s retreat indicated the Gold Nasu Technique was quite advanced.
Ong Mungyu was a formidable figure. Even those who disliked him personally admitted he was among Hyeongsanpa’s top prodigies. Among his generation, only the Gupailbang’s prodigies matched him.
That he made Ong Mungyu step back was no coincidence.
“Gold-necked Hwan, young master.”
“Yes.”
“I hear you’ve become a disciple of Cheonryu Myeongun.”
Gold-necked Hwan nodded calmly without hesitation.
“That’s right.”
“Then are you learning the sword of Haenam?”
“That’s something I cannot discuss.”
“Haha. That’s right. It’s impolite to ask what martial arts one has mastered. My apologies.”
Ong So-hu smiled with mock courtesy, but Gold-necked Hwan said nothing, turning his head away.
Ong So-hu, feeling slighted, glanced around. Ong Mungyu watched Gold-necked Hwan with hostile eyes. His glare seemed ready to emit rays of anger.
Suddenly, Ong So-hu had an intriguing thought: a strategy to gain double benefits.
“Youngest disciple.”
Gold-necked Hwan turned his body.
“I have a good proposal. You’re learning from an excellent martial artist, but don’t you feel the desire to test yourself in real combat? There’s no one truly martial within this clan.”
“I have no such desire. Though it would be nice if there was.”
“How about a friendly spar with Mungyu?”
Ong So-hu laid a hand on Ong Mungyu’s shoulder as he spoke.
“Mungyu is also my younger brother, but he’s only recently started learning martial arts. To be frank, I think it’s a bit late for him. Since you, Gold-necked Hwan, haven’t trained long either, wouldn’t it be good for both of you to spar?”
Ong So-hu’s words were a lure. Ong Mungyu was a promising young talent ranked alongside Gupailbang’s prodigies.
Of course, most in Jungwon wouldn’t know this. Gupailbang hid their information, so common folk often heard exaggerated or nonsense rumors.
Ong Mungyu looked at Ong So-hu and soon broke into a broad smile.
His elder brother was giving him a chance for revenge, and he wouldn’t miss it.
“How interesting. I am curious how skilled a disciple of the Namhae Samgaek is.”
Gold-necked Hwan knew he’d only trained about a hundred days, but he didn’t emphasize it. It was better to have some unknowns to fall back on when making mistakes.
The question was whether Gold-necked Hwan would accept, but Ong So-hu wasn’t worried.
He would force them to spar by coercion if necessary.
Gold-necked Hwan silently glanced between Ong So-hu and Ong Mungyu, then nodded.
“Very well. As you said, this seems a good opportunity.”
“Oh?”
Ong So-hu was slightly surprised. He had expected an outright refusal but saw that Gold-necked Hwan had some backbone. In this situation, it was better described as tolerance than backbone.
“Wait, wait. A spar between a Hyeongsan disciple and a Sanggye disciple? That will be the joke of Jungwon.”
The Jungwon generally had little interest in others’ affairs. They might enjoy others’ downfall, but that was about it.
Ong So-hu sneered at Geumwolsang.
“Gold-necked Hwan said it’s fine. Naturally, if it looks like either party will be seriously hurt, I’ll step in and stop it.”
“Understood, elder brother.”
Gold-necked Hwan added the last words. Geumwolsang grunted but nodded. Geumsurin looked at Gold-necked Hwan with worried eyes.
Without further ado, the sparring would take place in one of the Hwanggeum Family gardens.
They were each given wooden swords with hollow shafts. All that was left was Ong So-hu’s command to begin.
Gold-necked Hwan and Ong Mungyu exchanged no words.
Just before starting, Ong So-hu revealed his dark intentions.
“Sparring is good, but isn’t just sparring a bit dull? How about making it interesting with a wager?”
“What kind of wager?”
Ong Mungyu asked, somewhat suspicious. Despite being sworn brothers, they worked well together in situations like this.
“Hmm, if we win, I want to invite young lady Geumsurin to Hyeongsan.”
At the sudden mention of her name, Geumsurin’s shoulders trembled. Geumwolsang looked troubled.
“What’s your intention?”
“She’s beautiful. I simply want to get to know her better.”
Ong So-hu said with a smile. Though straightforward and confident, no one could predict what might happen after.
In the martial world, it wasn’t uncommon for strong clans to abduct women from weaker clans for marriage.
Geumwolsang seemed to ponder, then nodded. Geumsurin just turned her face away.
“Very well.”
“Haha. How generous and fine.”
The Hwanggeum Family members were still stunned. Some were a little surprised, but since they never ventured outside the martial world, they were unaware of the underground unwritten rules.
These included the fact that if injuries were inflicted during sparring, no one bore responsibility.
Having gotten what he wanted, Ong So-hu smiled and said to Geumwolsang,
“Then young master, state your wishes.”
At that moment, Geumwolsang’s troubled expression suddenly turned cold and resolute.
“I want the heads of the disciples standing back there.”
Ong So-hu was stunned. Geumwolsang, who had seemed dazed, now said something absurd.
“Do you realize what that means? You intend to fight Hyeongsan? Just for a minor clan?”
“We must drive the Hyeongsan people out of the clan.”
Even Ong So-hu was shocked by that statement. They already knew that a Hyeongsan spy was within the Hwanggeum Family.
Perhaps Gwak Jindo found out and informed them. The fact they had pretended not to know until now was impressive.
Still, Ong So-hu thought it was a childish idea.
“Such a rash decision. If you’d played ignorant, you might have had another chance later.”
Why would they willingly give away their knowledge of Hyeongsan? Clearly, the Hwanggeum Family’s people lacked proper sense.
“That’s a matter for us to discuss.”
“Haha. Indeed.”
Ong So-hu laughed. Geumwolsang clicked his tongue but nodded. Geumhwacheong and Geumsurin looked tense.
“Then fine. You’re wagering the lives of the five Samdae Jeja.”
Ong So-hu said. The five disciples’ eyes blazed fiercely, but they said nothing. If anyone spoke out here, Ong So-hu would personally kill them.
Besides, none of the disciples doubted Ong Mungyu would lose.
Their opponent was a child who had barely learned any martial arts, from a lower clan. Ong Mungyu was an adopted son of a prestigious clan, with talent and years of training. The mismatch was clear.
Thus, the sparring began.
“Pathetic, you.”
Just before Ong So-hu gave the command, Ong Mungyu looked at Gold-necked Hwan.
“It would have been better if you’d brought a real sword. If you put energy around a wooden sword, the breakage is crushed, causing more pain and slower recovery.”
Ong Mungyu had declared he would use his great sword energy in the spar. That implied he had attained the level of Hyun-gi at the age of Ji-hak. Yet Gold-necked Hwan’s expression remained unchanged.
“Are you ready?”
Ong So-hu’s voice was relaxed. Ong Mungyu nodded, and Gold-necked Hwan gave a short nod.
“Begin.”
At the signal, Ong Mungyu leapt high into the sky and unleashed Hyeongsan’s Guhyang Geombeop’s third form: Jagae Chungcheon.
This form symbolized the flowing water turning back in Hyeongsan’s Jagaebong.
His sword curved. The blade swung widely through the air. It was a swift, difficult-to-block curved slash. The sword’s tip aimed for Gold-necked Hwan’s lower dantian, a place never to be exposed in sparring.
Ong So-hu had no doubt Ong Mungyu’s sword aimed for Gold-necked Hwan’s dantian. The last report of Gold-necked Hwan’s training was about a hundred days ago.
No matter how talented Gold-necked Hwan was, there was no way he could block the sword of a prodigy from a renowned sword school who had devoted over half his life to martial arts.
Then Gold-necked Hwan moved, his hand reaching toward his sword sheath.
Ong So-hu thought it was too slow a reaction to counter Hyeongsan’s swift sword. Gold-necked Hwan took a step toward the northeast and vanished in an instant.
Ong So-hu’s eyes widened. He had been fooled. Naturally, Ong Mungyu’s eyes also shook violently.
Having deceived his target, Ong Mungyu’s stance completely collapsed.
When Gold-necked Hwan reappeared, he was already where Ong Mungyu’s curved blade had passed. If Ong Mungyu didn’t block with his hand, the sword would have struck him.
Yet Gold-necked Hwan still hadn’t drawn his sword. Before Ong So-hu could warn him to be careful, Gold-necked Hwan pushed the sword away with his thumb.
A thunderous sound, as if the sky were breaking, coincided with that moment. It was the Namhae Sibigeom Chosik, Pashang Strikes the Star.
The wave was swift and merciless, striking Ong Mungyu’s sword-wielding arm.
Though faint, a subtle blue glow shimmered on Gold-necked Hwan’s blade, less intense than the one on Ong Mungyu’s arm.
“Yaaah!”
Soon Ong Mungyu’s arm fell to the ground, and blood gushed from his broken elbow.
In an instant, Ong Mungyu’s skin paled.
Gold-necked Hwan didn’t even glance at his brothers but turned his head coldly toward Ong So-hu.
That was when Ong So-hu realized. Gold-necked Hwan’s involvement with Hyeongsan was no mistake.
They had come out to meet him as a preemptive declaration of war against Hyeongsan.
As Ong Mungyu’s screams echoed through the garden, Geumwolsang, Geumhwacheong, and Geumsurin’s eyes fixed on Gold-necked Hwan.
Gold-necked Hwan’s final words to them now resonated clearly.
— Once you go, there will be no turning back.