Chapter 47

Zou

The next morning, the mission preparations were complete. Jeong Yeonshin received a knapsack filled with various items, provisions, and travel expenses.

As a Blue Warrior, he was told that he had to take responsibility.

Moreover, he covered the characters on the Royal Yellow City martial uniform with a piece of silk. It was quite ingenious.

"This is a place where we must face the noble families. Since it's a dangerous mission, we won't change our clothes."

At Ma Jin's words, the head of the General Office, Do Yuwon, nodded.

"The official martial uniform of the Royal Yellow City contains the silk of a celestial worm, a mystical creature. It's a very valuable material, with one thread woven into each vital area. It's sewn vertically. It should buy you a split second of time from horizontal strikes or thrusts."

"If we added metal plates, we couldn't avoid the keen eyes of experts. It would draw unnecessary attention."

"Ah, no, no! To cover this! It's everything to me and Young Swordsman Jeong!"

Hyeon Wonchang feigned a look of madness.

With his left hand, he stroked the 'Hwang' character on his right side, while with his right hand, he caressed the 'Hwang' character under Jeong Yeonshin's shoulder.

It was quite bizarre. Jeong Yeonshin moved a bit away.

Hyeon Wonchang made a slight pout and said,

"Isn't it enough to go to Huashan? I can't agree. Now, the Royal Yellow City is about to be mine!"

"Silence the Young Swordsman of the Royal Yellow City."

Ma Jin's calm words were followed by Baek Mireu's approach. Only then did Hyeon Wonchang shrink back.

He muttered something inaudible, slightly away. His junior, Shin Sobin, shook her head.

"You and Seonye Seonbae are from the same batch, right? I'm not sure if his wandering will go well."

"Hyeon Wonchang is different from what he appears. It will be your baseless worry."

"I hope so. This is my first mission, and I'll be testing my skills. I only saw Seonye Seonbae's martial arts briefly during the promotion ceremony. I wonder if he can show his skills on par with his reputation during this journey."

Shin Sobin smiled, a bold smile.

Jeong Yeonshin wasn't particularly interested. He just hoped not to be held back.

Becoming Blue wasn't the end; the next promotion uniform, Black, was said to have the rank of a major leader.

There was a vast difference between White and Blue.

'I've taken a step. Now, I must not fail the mission.'

He recalled the unease he felt when the Blood Flame Sect's Seven Demon Swords were subdued.

He didn't want to experience it again. The fact that the young master of the Huangbao Family was a solar nerve expert or whatever was irrelevant.

He just needed to accumulate achievements. Jeong Yeonshin made a fist salute to Ma Jin.

"I'll see you later."

"Right, when you complete your mission, you'll face the Huangbao Family. Let's meet then."

Ma Jin nodded and, after a brief silence, spoke again, his scarred lips looking awkward.

"…The mission can fail. Think of your safety first."

Jeong Yeonshin knew these weren't the words of a Martial Light Benefactor. He bowed to his uncle.

It was different from his maternal grandfather, Ma Yeojik. He couldn't just push away Ma Jin, who felt guilty and kept trying to get closer.

Jeong Yeonshin slightly turned his gaze.

"Please don't overdo it, Lord. I heard the young master of the Huangbao Family is one of the top experts in Shandong."

"It's not a duel but a war. We need to attack together."

Ma Jin smiled slightly in response.

Jeong Yeonshin, who was disappointed, shook his head and mounted the brown steed beside him.

Feeling the sturdy saddle under his buttocks, he gently tapped the horse's neck.

When he lived at the Jeong family estate, he thought of a life companion like a thousand-mile horse. It was different now.

The Royal Yellow City constantly changed horses, making it hard to form a bond with them.

"Please take good care of me until the relay station."

Leaning forward, Jeong Yeonshin whispered. Several Martial Light Benefactors saw him off as he took the reins.

Hyeon Wonchang and Shin Sobin also mounted their horses and approached.

"Back to the martial world. It always gets my heart racing."

Hyeon Wonchang chuckled. Jeong Yeonshin glanced at Shin Sobin, who rolled her eyes as if she didn't trust him, and then flicked the reins.

This was his first mission as a Blue Warrior of the Royal Yellow City.

* * *

Hiding the Royal Yellow City emblem made him feel like he had entered a different world.

Was it because he had to lead the group without seniors? He felt a sense of emptiness, even though he wasn't Hyeon Wonchang.

The background where people showed respect or fear was gone.

'I heard that Royal Yellow City experts also face disdain in the martial world.'

Jeong Yeonshin thought. Since he hadn't experienced it yet, it would be different when it came.

The destination was Huizhou in Nanzhili. There was a slightly longer relay station route from Yangyang to Huizhou.

Unlike previous missions where they had to take long breaks for the horses, they moved quickly this time.

Shin Sobin, being from a prestigious family, was skilled in horseback riding.

Even though she had been riding for a long time, it didn't hinder her at all.

Hyeon Wonchang also rode very well. He said that touring the martial world after a mission was the best.

Twenty days passed. Jeong Yeonshin didn't have enough internal strength to travel between cities using lightness skills.

The two White Warriors also relied on horses.

Nothing unusual happened until they reached the outskirts of Huizhou.

Despite the numerous bandits and pirates in the green forests and waterways, it was as if all the rumors were just exaggerations.

'I'm getting a feel for it.'

During this time, Jeong Yeonshin honed his sword technique. It was to gradually advance into the realm of sound techniques.

He also worked on deconstructing the incantations of the Moon Ling Zohwa Technique. He hoped to create a new mind technique before the Dragon Phoenix Gathering ended.

Woo-woong.

They were on the main road leading to Huizhou. The sword on Jeong Yeonshin's lap, the Northern Bright Sword, hummed.

The Royal Yellow Sword was not with him. He had to hide his affiliation, so he entrusted it to Cheongmyeong.

'Increasing the size of the sword hum has become easier.'

He infused his internal energy into the sword to make it less likely to break. It was a common technique among experts.

Jeong Yeonshin went further.

He felt the essence of sound. Using the profound principles of the Extreme Sword Technique, he divided his true energy into two strands and inserted them into the sword blade.

The more intense the waves of energy, the louder the sound.

Goo-woong!

The mystery of true energy was astonishing.

Even with his innate senses, the extremely delicate manipulation brought a resonance he had never heard before.

He could control the pitch of the sound.

If he infused dispersive true energy into the sound waves emanating from here, it would become a sound technique.

'The power of this martial art ultimately depends on the amount of internal energy.'

There was another issue. Sound techniques were also said to be profound martial arts.

With his shallow cultivation, it was hard to distinguish between friend and foe. He thought of Hyeon Wonchang and Shin Sobin.

Should he send a mental message to protect their ears with internal energy just before using the sound technique? It would be great if the fight allowed that much leeway.

Still, the sense of accomplishment was significant. It would be highly effective in one-against-many battles.

"Isn't it a sword technique? Indeed, it draws a lot of attention."

Shin Sobin, dressed in white, had her dark eyes sparkling with interest.

She approached with a rustling sound, placed her hand on her knee, and bent her waist.

Her long, lustrous hair flowed down.

Jeong Yeonshin, not being an expert, wondered why she grew her hair so long.

It was easy to grab in close combat.

"I'm sorry."

Jeong Yeonshin let his thoughts drift and apologized.

Huizhou was a very large city.

It was said to be incredibly prosperous, with caravans carrying high-quality tea leaves and silver coins frequently traveling in and out.

If the main road was relatively safe, there was no need to mention it. Many passersby glanced at them from the opposite side of the road.

"I like it! It has a certain charm."

Hyeon Wonchang chuckled while eating his provisions.

Perhaps because the rough characters on his yellow robe were covered, he seemed oddly pleased to be noticed.

At that moment, people were slowly approaching.

"Looks like they're attending the Dragon Phoenix Gathering. Truly arrogant."

"They're making the sword hum in broad daylight without a fight? What else could it be but showing off their meager martial arts?"

A young man and woman with extraordinary aura approached.

They wore high-quality yellow silk martial uniforms, and Jeong Yeonshin first noticed the swords at their waists.

They were martial artists. They seemed to come from extraordinary families.

A young man with a hero's emblem on his forehead, like Hyeon Wonchang, and a woman with slightly upturned eyes.

Both appeared to be around twenty years old, with a hint of youthfulness in their faces.

Behind them was a group that seemed to be their attendants.

Before Hyeon Wonchang could say anything, Jeong Yeonshin stood up first.

"I was rash. Your words deeply resonate with me."

He made a respectful fist salute, and the postures of the young man and woman changed. They returned the salute in the same manner, as if they had been trained in etiquette for a long time.

It seemed almost reflexive, yet their movements were graceful.

"…You readily admit your mistake. Not bad to look at."

"It might be because we emitted a slight aura of annoyance. You must have been scared."

Both the young man and woman were arrogant yet dignified. It was enough to make him think of the Dragon Phoenix Gathering.

It was said that many promising young talents from prestigious families would attend. These two were likely among them.

"What is your name and sect?"

The young man slightly lifted his chin and asked.

There were various characters in the great families of the world. Some valued etiquette, while others were known for the arrogance of the righteous and orthodox sects.

'Probably from a martial family.'

Jeong Yeonshin thought. If they were martial gentry who acted like kings in their territories, this was understandable.

It was an era when exchanges like the Dragon Phoenix Gathering were infrequent.

Living like royalty in their own world, it seemed like incidents like the Huangbao Family's forced labor could happen.

The young man slightly raised his eyebrows.

"What are you thinking? Speak without hiding anything."

"I am Gugwa of the Chuseolmun."

"Chuseolmun? I've never heard of it. You must be a rootless wanderer."

The woman beside the young man said mercilessly. A faint disdain appeared on both their faces, and their tone changed.

The young man moved his thick eyebrows and spoke.

"Right. As you can see, we are blood relatives of a righteous and prestigious family. You must have heard of the Huangbao Family? I know all the sects that attend the Dragon Phoenix Gathering. If your sect is a middle-ground sect between righteous and orthodox, I can't let you off easily."

"I need to teach you a lesson. You, raising the sword hum is not something to be taken lightly."

The woman stepped forward, adding to his words. She seemed very accustomed to using her aura to satisfy her emotions.

"…."

The Huangbao Family. They were indeed close to Huizhou. Still, Jeong Yeonshin couldn't believe it for a moment.

The appearance of the young master of the Huangbao Family, as described in the portrait given by Ma Jin, only came to mind late.

He looked similar.

At the banquet celebrating his Blue promotion, he heard Ma Jin's drunken story about his sister, Jeong Yeonshin's mother, who had married into the Jeong family in a truly absurd way.

He said the fate of the martial world was like a sudden storm. Was this situation no different?

He felt the presence of onlookers gathering behind Hyeon Wonchang and Shin Sobin, who were watching.

He could finish this quickly after a long time of thinking. He thanked the Buddha and the Primordial Celestial Venerable.

There was no reason to endure.

He had to handle the young master of the Huangbao Family and make him use the family's power. This was a mission that required him to draw his sword in the territory of the righteous sects.

'I need to secure a clear justification.'

He lowered the hands he had raised in a fist salute and opened his lips.

"Talking about roots."

Jeong Yeonshin revealed his true nature.

"Even though the Huangbao Family is renowned, it's rude to speak so disrespectfully after hearing the name of my sect. Is this the etiquette of the martial world? Your insults have tarnished the honor of my sect. We speak of each other's flaws. What else do martial artists have to talk about?"

"What…?"

Perhaps it was something they had never encountered. For a moment, the expressions on the young man and woman's faces disappeared.

Jeong Yeonshin felt the presence of the gathering spectators.

He continued in a clear voice.

"I apologized first and showed respect. Despite your uncouth words, I revealed my sect and name. Speaking of the Huangbao Family and calling me rootless? Could you endure that? I challenge you to a duel."

"Your words flow like clear mountain water."

The young man's lips curled up. He raised his arm and pushed the woman with the delicate brows back.

The veins on his arm, visible through his sleeves, stood out. It seemed he had cultivated his qi and blood extensively.

"Fine. I didn't like the idea of inviting a middle-ground sect to the Dragon Phoenix Gathering. My nickname is…"

"I'm not interested. Come."

Interrupting the man's words, Jeong Yeonshin slowly gripped the Northern Bright Sword.

Suddenly, the image of Sim Wuye's sword technique, which had decapitated a neck, came to mind.