Chapter 36

Kwon Hyuk-gi, when you got down to it, had lived two lives.

The first was the life he lived when he was young, performing chivalrous deeds.

A time when he found meaning in chivalry, a time that would never return. As he got older, he realized that the distinction between good and evil was meaningless. He was sick of seeing the wicked living better, more arrogant lives.

So, with the thought of being evil for once, he crossed the line that had been set. He wasn't caught, and he gained quite a bit of profit. Nothing happened. He thought that doing evil would ruin his life, but instead, his life became easier. The burden on his conscience wasn't unbearably heavy either.

Everything is always difficult at first. Especially bad deeds.

He shook hands with evil whenever the opportunity arose. He had committed contract killings, and he had killed people and stolen their belongings.

He amassed quite a bit of money as a two-faced monster, but he was soon caught. When he began to be suspected, he fled to Hubei as if running away.

And the place he settled was Palm Heart Clan. The Palm Heart Clan Lord had surely heard of his unsavory reputation at least once, but he readily accepted him. It meant that if there was any dirty or dangerous work in the future, he would properly ask for his help.

So, he was living in Palm Heart Clan, killing time while being treated as a valued guest. He hid even his meager martial arts skills and lived quietly.

To him, cooking up a simpleton like Jeong I-chu was no problem at all. He got expensive liquor, carried out the orders he was given, it was a win-win situation.

But when Jang In-geol called him in today, the situation was different from what he had expected.

The Spring Breeze Inn was completely devastated, and Jeong I-chu had returned safely.

Jang In-geol yelled at him, asking if he couldn't even handle one measly guy.

He was so annoying that Kwon Hyuk-gi felt like just ignoring Jang In-geol and leaving for another region. But if he did that, he would have to fight the entire Palm Heart Clan. Even if he hid his meager skills, he wasn't capable of taking on the entire Palm Heart Clan.

Gritting his teeth, he went to Spring Breeze, but it was already closed.

He heard rumors that they had been caught selling fake liquor. Damn it, then the liquor he had been drinking must have been fake too? The owner of the place, Ihwa, was already nowhere to be found. She was probably buried somewhere already. If she were alive, he would have buried her himself.

He grilled the customers from that day who weren't from Jianghu and found out the truth about that day.

A young man who seemed to have a special relationship with the second daughter of Righteous Sword Sect had ruined everything.

It was that guy right there, smirking in front of him.

Jeong Charyeon frowned as she looked at Kwon Hyuk-gi.

"You!"

"Call me senior."

"Hmph!"

For Charyeon, it was a face that made her blood boil just to look at. A minion of the trashy Palm Heart Clan.

Kwon Hyuk-gi's gaze turned to Jeok Leegeon.

"What's your name?"

"Jeok Leegeon."

Kwon Hyuk-gi's brow furrowed. He didn't like Jeok Leegeon's attitude at all.

"What do you do?"

"Are you in the habit of investigating the family history of the people you're trying to kill?"

Kwon Hyuk-gi smiled coldly.

"Cute little bastard!"

The surprised one was Charyeon.

"Kill?"

She stared at Kwon Hyuk-gi with a doubtful look. Kwon Hyuk-gi didn't deny it.

Jeok Leegeon was naturally going to be killed. The problem was Charyeon.

Originally, he was going to scare and threaten Charyeon appropriately and then send her away.

But as his murderous intent ripened, he was having second thoughts.

If she was that beautiful.

Moreover, he knew that that dog Jang In-geol liked Charyeon. He didn't want to hand over such a beautiful woman to that bastard.

Kwon Hyuk-gi looked up at the night sky.

'Alright, let's go. It's about time I got tired of Infinite.'

Reading the murderous intent in his attitude, Charyeon's heart began to race.

The words that he would kill Jeok Leegeon meant that he would kill her as well.

Charyeon shouted coldly.

"You bad man!"

"Yeah, that's right. You have to struggle like that so I feel less sorry. And I'm not just going to kill you. You can look forward to it."

Then Jeok Leegeon whispered in her ear.

"He says he's going to do dirty things to you and then kill you."

I know that much without you telling me.

Seeing Jeok Leegeon making jokes in this situation, she thought that was just like him. He was really consistent in this respect.

"Don't be scared. Do you think you and I are destined to die at the hands of such a bad guy on the same day?"

Actually, she wasn't that scared.

She had been practicing the Crimson Snake Sword Art without missing a day for the past ten years, but she also felt reassured by being with Jeok Leegeon. What was so trustworthy about that guy anyway?

Charyeon asked.

"Did Jang In-geol order you to do this?"

It was already a question that would make her angry, but Jeok Leegeon added fuel to the fire.

"Of course he did. That bastard doesn't seem free-spirited enough to bark without his master's orders."

Kwon Hyuk-gi rolled up his sleeves with a cold expression. Like his nickname Eight Flying Hands, his unique martial art was palm technique. It had the power to crush bones and break swords.

Jeok Leegeon took a step back behind Charyeon.

"Save me."

Charyeon looked back at Jeok Leegeon with a dumbfounded expression.

Jeok Leegeon shouted in surprise.

"Look ahead!"

Startled, she looked ahead, but Kwon Hyuk-gi was still standing in the same spot.

She heard Jeok Leegeon's voice from behind.

"When facing an enemy, you always have to look at your opponent. You can't even blink if a friend next to you steals your money and runs away."

Was it impossible for him to make a common and logical analogy like 'even if lightning strikes next to you'? What on earth was in his head?

Kwon Hyuk-gi took a step forward.

Charyeon was startled without realizing it and took a step back.

Kwon Hyuk-gi smiled coldly.

Damn it, I'm being overwhelmed by his aura.

Thump, thump.

Charyeon's heart began to beat wildly.

She knew she shouldn't, but her mind began to go blank. When people are afraid, they tremble and become dazed.

This is not a joke.

The moment she thought she might die, Charyeon's whole body began to tremble. It was a common mental demon that came with her first real battle.

It was Jeok Leegeon who broke that mental demon.

"First, draw your sword."

Clang.

She drew her sword unconsciously.

She continued to hear Jeok Leegeon's voice.

"When facing palm technique, distance is important."

Ah, right. Distance.

It was something her father had taught her a long time ago.

"Look at your opponent's eyes."

Charyeon stared at Kwon Hyuk-gi's eyes.

Her mind became calmer than when she was looking at his whole body and face.

She was still trembling, but the extreme tension had disappeared.

Kwon Hyuk-gi had a look that said she was not bad. He was still relaxed. Taking care of two young kids was easier than picking up money off the ground.

Jeok Leegeon's words came clearly.

"Don't rely on footwork, entrust your body to the flow of the sword form."

The flow of the sword form? How?

As if reading Charyeon's mind, Jeok Leegeon added.

"The sword goes out, so your feet follow! Your feet don't go out to follow the sword!"

Something struck Charyeon's mind.

It was something obvious, but she had never seriously thought about it.

She had only thought that the sword form and footwork had to be in harmony.

"Forget about footwork. Footwork only exists for the sword form."

Clang! She had a feeling.

Right, that's right. I was complicating things by thinking about harmonizing everything.

Let's just focus on the sword.

Charyeon found a little more composure.

Charyeon gripped her sword even tighter and said.

"If you know so well, you fight!"

"I have to go to the tournament. I have to save my strength."

"I'm going too!"

"I don't deal with kids' tournaments."

Kwon Hyuk-gi smiled wickedly.

"I have no grudge against you. Step aside."

Then Jeok Leegeon behind her quickly said.

"I bet you won't say that when he's forcibly taking off your clothes."

Don't say things like that! How disgusting.

Jeok Leegeon said coldly.

"You're dealing with a dirty bastard, so make up your mind!"

It sounded like a joke, but with each word from Jeok Leegeon, Charyeon was accurately recognizing the situation.

Those without experience die easily because they are slow and inaccurate in assessing the situation.

From the vain hope that he wouldn't really kill her to the hesitation of not being able to kill when she had to.

Whoosh.

In an instant, Kwon Hyuk-gi closed the distance in a surprise attack.

Swish!

Charyeon swung her sword and dodged to the side.

Pow! Pow!

Kwon Hyuk-gi, who had dodged the sword, unleashed a series of palm techniques.

Charyeon, who had dodged the palm techniques, thrust her sword in succession.

Swish, swish!

Kwon Hyuk-gi twisted his body and lightly dodged the sword.

"Not bad."

Compared to the relaxed Kwon Hyuk-gi, Charyeon was breathing a sigh of relief.

She had almost had her shoulder shattered by the series of palm techniques just now.

She heard Jeok Leegeon's voice.

"Look at his eyes! That guy isn't that much stronger than you right now!"

If you know so well, you fight instead!

Swish, swish, swish!

Pow! Pow!

The second clash ended.

Looking at Charyeon, who was still unharmed, Kwon Hyuk-gi was inwardly impressed. Of course, he wasn't using killing moves to avoid killing her. He was just trying to subdue her with a light injury, but it wasn't easy.

It was because he hadn't expected Charyeon's swordsmanship to be this good.

But even so, it was difficult for a hunting dog to lose to a cat just because it was a little fierce. The difference between the two was that much when it came to experience and skill.

Jeok Leegeon raised his hand, asking to wait a moment. Kwon Hyuk-gi silently watched, wondering what he was up to.

Jeok Leegeon looked at Charyeon and said.

"Doesn't something seem strange?"

"What?"

"Your swordplay originally values heaviness, so why are you moving so frivolously?"

What? The Crimson Snake Sword Art values heaviness?

The Crimson Snake Sword Art that she had learned from her father was a swordplay with diverse and unconventional changes in its forms.

At that moment, lightning struck Charyeon's mind.

The painting?

That turtle painting?

The painting drawn by the old woman she had met on the street suddenly came to mind.

A painting of a turtle climbing a mountain.

Could it be that it meant? A turtle that should go to the water is going to the mountain?

Turtles are originally animals that live in water.

The slowness of the turtle and the softness of the water. If the Crimson Snake Sword Art was a martial art based on heaviness and softness, as Jeok Leegeon said?

She felt like several clues that had been stuck at Seven Stars were being unraveled.

Charyeon looked back at Jeok Leegeon and smiled.

I think I know something.

Jeok Leegeon smiled, as if he had read her mind from her expression.

"Take it slow, make it comfortable."

Looking at Jeok Leegeon's serious face, Charyeon nodded.

The third clash was different from the previous ones.

Bang.

Clutching her left shoulder, Charyeon rolled on the ground.

But Charyeon's face, as she jumped up, was happy. It was a face that had tried something of her own. She operated her Inner Force slowly, as well as her movements.

That's right. The flow of the sword form is more natural.

She was clearly happy. Her father had misunderstood the origin of the Crimson Snake Sword Art. The reason why her father had not achieved great success was probably because of that reason.

She didn't see Jeok Leegeon's admiring look behind her. It was by no means easy to apply what she had learned to martial arts in an instant. Charyeon didn't know how great a feat she was accomplishing right now.

She was only focused on the fight.

Swish, swish, swish, swish!

Her sword became slower and slower, but Kwon Hyuk-gi was getting more and more troubled.

Swish!

Unlike before, Charyeon's sword cut through Kwon Hyuk-gi's hair and passed by.

'Huk! I'll be in big trouble if I'm careless.'

Kwon Hyuk-gi also began to do his best.

Pow! Pow! Pow!

Kwon Hyuk-gi's twin palms covered her as if flying in from all directions. Charyeon rolled on the ground, dodging the palm techniques.

I won't lose. Never.

But as Kwon Hyuk-gi began to do his best, her hands and feet quickly became dizzy.

No!

The moment she thought Kwon Hyuk-gi's face was suddenly getting bigger.

Charyeon swung her sword with all her might.

Ttang!

With the sensation of the sword hitting something, her body soared into the air.

And she lost consciousness.

"What?"

The shocked Kwon Hyuk-gi looked around.

Charyeon, who was about to have her Blood Point suppressed just a moment ago, had suddenly disappeared.

He heard Jeok Leegeon's voice from above his head.

"Over here."

Kwon Hyuk-gi's eyes widened as he looked up at the sky.

Jeok Leegeon, who was holding Charyeon, was clearly floating in the air.

"H, how can this be?"

Moreover, even while holding Charyeon.

Kwon Hyuk-gi intensified his gaze and examined the ground beneath Jeok Leegeon's feet. But no matter how much he looked, there were no visible threads or strings.

Jeok Leegeon was still floating in the air, staring at Charyeon.

"My father and mother said they fell in love at first sight. I didn't really believe it. I thought it was a beautified love story of married people. But... I think I can believe those words a little now."

Jeok Leegeon's gaze as he stared at Charyeon was extremely gentle. It was the kind of look that would make Charyeon's heart flutter if she saw it. But Charyeon was fast asleep.

But when that gaze turned to Kwon Hyuk-gi, it became extremely cold.

"You've never had a happy family, have you?"

Kwon Hyuk-gi was still looking up at Jeok Leegeon with a shocked and bewildered look.

Jeok Leegeon took a step. As if there were invisible stairs in the air, Jeok Leegeon slowly came down.

Kwon Hyuk-gi's mouth dropped open. He knew how difficult it was to walk down from the air like that. Moreover, even while holding someone.

Kwon Hyuk-gi exclaimed in shock and raised his eyes.

"Stepping on Air?"

Jeok Leegeon smiled and said.

"It's Falling Blossom Step among Heavenly Thunder Steps. Well, it's similar to Stepping on Air. My father's martial arts are quite cool at times like this."

"Heavenly Thunder Steps? Falling Blossom Step?"

"You've probably never heard of it. There are hardly any people in Jianghu who know about it."

Kwon Hyuk-gi felt that Jeok Leegeon's martial arts were at a higher level than he could compare to. If there was any lingering feeling of denial even after seeing it with his own eyes, it was probably because Jeok Leegeon was too young.

"Reverting to Childhood?"

"Don't say disgusting things. I just learned properly under proper people. Plus, I'm a genius."

Kwon Hyuk-gi was bewildered because he said it playfully. He felt like he was being deceived. He felt like he was caught in an illusion.

Jeok Leegeon carefully laid Charyeon down on one side.

"Are you happy that I'm telling you everything so willingly?"

"What?"

"If I were you, I'd be more anxious. Because..."

Kwon Hyuk-gi took a step back without realizing it at the surge of murderous intent.

Jeok Leegeon's atmosphere had completely changed. The moment the smile completely disappeared from Jeok Leegeon's eyes,

Boom--

It was so fast that there was no time to dodge.

Bang!

He felt terrible pain in his face.

His cheekbones and teeth were all broken.

The fight was over with that one punch. Kwon Hyuk-gi's knees buckled. It was a shock that he didn't lose consciousness.

Jeok Leegeon came and stood next to him.

"...P, please!"

"Please what? Spare you?"

Kwon Hyuk-gi nodded.

"Why? Give me a convincing reason."

Kwon Hyuk-gi mumbled something. It wasn't easy to hear.

Jeok Leegeon said coldly.

"Do you know why I hate my father?"

Jeok Leegeon indifferently looked down at the back of his head, which was bowed.

"My father always said. Do your duty as a human. Live upholding chivalry. It was really enough to make my ears bleed. My father would forgive you even if you did much worse things than you've done now. Even if you did a hundred times worse. My father is a true great hero."

Kwon Hyuk-gi muttered something incomprehensible.

"I once had a fight with my father and asked my mother, panting, if my father wasn't frustrating. If he wasn't tiresome. My mother said that she was proud of my father for having a standard of life that we could never put into practice. That only truly strong people know true forgiveness. Well, that's probably why they fell in love at first sight. But what's important here is that my mother used the expression 'we'. Do you know what that means? It means that even my mother can't live like that. In the current situation? My mother would definitely advise me like this. Kill a guy like you who has no pride and no luck. Kill him and don't leave any regrets."

Jeok Leegeon grabbed the back of Kwon Hyuk-gi's neck.

"Even if my father's Jianghu is right, I'm going to live in my mother's Jianghu. My father's Jianghu... is too boring."

Boom--