Chapter 44

Two groups of three.
There were disciples walking at a distance from each other.
These were the people Yan Hua was referring to.
Yan Hua gently moved to my side, and a moment later, they arrived in front of me.
Three men in pinkish-red robes.
And three men in dark red plain clothes.
“They don’t look like they’re getting along.
They were ignoring each other, as if they weren’t interested in each other, but the way their eyes were darting between them seemed to be checking each other out.
“Why are they holding back?
This is the training grounds for the Volcano Sect’s swordsmen.
They are swordsmen.
I could see how they might see each other as good-natured competitors, but I couldn’t understand why they would stand guard like that.
“Let’s see what’s going on.
The robed man stepped forward.
“Are you Qing Wu, the disciple of Mu Qin?”
“That’s right.”
“Good, I’m Elder Volcano Gate’s disciple, Elder Zheng Young Qin’s disciple, Yun Wu. We’re the same age, so you can talk to me at ease.”
Arrogant tone.
In contrast to his words, he was speaking as if he was being belittled.
Although he spoke as if he was happy to see me, the emotion reflected in his eyes, the windows to his heart, was arrogance.
“What do you have in mind?
Yeon-hwa said, and I realized that she didn’t mean well by speaking to me in such an arrogant manner.
As soon as Eunuch finished speaking, a man stepped forward from the group of red armored men beside him.
A face like an elongated horse with gaping eyes.
Not a good look, the man said.
“I’m Elder Yu Yujing, the immediate disciple of the Volcano Gate Elder. I’m the same age as you, so feel free to talk to me.”
‘This guy, that guy…….’
None of them are good.
They all talked to me in the same way and looked arrogant.
Yeon-hwa spoke quietly behind me so only I could hear.
“Be careful, if you get caught, it’s over.”
“What? What do you mean?”
“There is such a thing. You’ll know when you hear it.”
Yeonhwa said and left my side.
I didn’t know why she left so suddenly, but when I saw them, I understood.
They were glaring at Yeonhwa.
I told her to hurry up.
“I don’t like it.
From the way he said it, to the way he looked at her, to the fact that he wanted her to leave now.
I didn’t like any of it.
I don’t know what she was advising me not to get caught up in, but if you listen closely, you’ll know.
I promised myself not to get caught up in what she said.
“You are…….”
“You are…….”
Two guys who said the same thing.
They glared at each other and said.
“Step aside, you lowly bastard of a checkpoint.”
“You get out of the way. You clumsy bastard of a gate.”
“What?”
Eunuch and Learned Jung hurled insults at each other.
With that, I was sure of one thing.
“These guys are the two bands of the Sword Gate and the City Gate.
I could see why they didn’t just say who’s immediate disciple they were, but clearly labeled them as disciples of either the Volcano Sect or the Dao Sect.
The battle between the Volcanic Sect and the Dao Gate.
It had been passed down to these disciples.
“……I’ll stop now, because I have something to say to you.”
Eunuch Wu’s words silenced Liu Zheng.
Eunuch said.
“I won’t be able to say much because of him. I’d like to give you time to think, but I can’t, so I’ll ask you straightforwardly. Qingwu, disciple of the Immortal Qin of the Dao Gate, where will you stand?”
“Stand where?”
“Hmph, I’ll make it simple: you’re either at the gate or the city gate.”
Liu Zheng nodded.
“These guys are here to lure me in.
I was convinced.
But I don’t know where I want to stand yet.
I shake my head lightly.
“What do you mean?”
“I’m not going to stand anywhere. I don’t want to belong anywhere yet. I’m just a disciple of the Volcano Sect.”
“That’s the deal. You’d better decide soon.”
“That’s something we’ll decide when we get there. I still want to be a disciple of the Volcano Sect.”
To be honest, seeing them argue like this only made me not want to decide anymore.
“Okay, we’ll need a day or so to decide.”
Eunuch stepped forward.
“Why are you interrupting us again?”
“You’re in too much of a hurry. Do you really think a disciple of the Dao Gate should be in such a hurry?”
“You bastard…….”
A hand blocked Eunuch’s path.
“That guy…….
He has a cold expression and a striking beauty.
He was so handsome that a normal person would be intimidated, and it was hard to believe that he was among the people of the Tao Family.
“No, that’s not what’s unusual.
What interests me is something else.
His hands moved as naturally as water.
It was a movement that could only be possible if Eunuch’s movements were precise.
“Amazing.
“Stop, Eunwoo. I don’t like it, but as that guy said, you’re too short-tempered. Unless you fix that, you’ll never be called a master even when you’re old enough to be a contractor.”
“Ugh…….”
You bite your lip in exasperation, but the way you step back seems to concede.
“My name is Aksogun, disciple of the Volcano Sect’s Daoist Master Mukyoung Qin Yin.”
“Aksogun…….
I’ve never heard of this name before.
No, he hadn’t heard any rumors from people in the Volcano Sect for three years, so he must have shown great talent within three years.
He was someone who needed to be remembered.
I imprinted it in my mind so I wouldn’t forget.
“Tell me, learned man.”
She bit her lip as she nodded in response.
Then the man standing next to her stepped forward.
“This guy, too…….
There is no one who is not strong.
Even the guys fighting in front of us are honestly strong.
Strong enough to be compared to Yan Hua.
And the two who stepped forward now seemed stronger than Yeonhwa.
Judging from the natural movements of Yeonhwa and Eunwoo blocking their way, it seemed to be that much.
“Mr. Aksou, a man of the city gate has no right to order a man of the checkpoint.”
“Then I beg you, please tell me.”
“Nothing has changed.”
“Then what do you want?”
The two men are getting a little angry with each other.
But unlike Eun-woo and Eun-jung, they don’t seem to have any emotional changes.
‘Cold impression…….’
It was a fitting response.
If Eun-woo and Learned Jung were fire, they were ice.
On the battlefield, they were soldiers.
“Well, it would be unreasonable to expect such a thing from you. Tell me, Ling Zheng.”
“Yes…… Okay.”
Learned Jung looked a little embarrassed.
“Those two are the ones standing over Eunwoo and Learnedjung.
I could tell by the fact that they came out second, and I could tell by their current behavior.
“Then are the two behind them higher up?
One of them wears an uncharacteristically pensive expression for his young age, while the other crosses his arms and looks on with interest.
If the previous four were similar in appearance, two by two, these two were not.
“I’ll give you a day. I’m giving you time to think. Use that time to think about it and decide where you want to stand. Think of it as a little bit of time, a year ahead, and…… think about it.”
Finally, learned Jung gives him a lively look.
“They’re not worthy.
That’s what I concluded.
They have good skills, but they have bad personalities, just like Yoo Hyuk and Zhang Il before them.
There was no point in getting along with them.
I nodded roughly and turned away.
I felt a hot gaze on the back of my head, but I ignored it.
I walked outside and met a person in front of the front hall.
Yeon-hwa was waiting for me.
“How did it go, did you do well?”
“Yeah, they said I have until tomorrow to choose.”
“Is it good…… No, don’t choose anywhere. I’m a Bo Ping disciple, so they gave up in one go, but you’re a direct disciple, so I won’t give up. I told you I’d give you one day to choose. If you don’t choose in one day, I’ll probably harass you or chase you until the end, just be clear. Do you understand?”
“I know, and I don’t want to go into any of their hordes.”
Those guys are not representative of gates and checkpoints.
They’re just a bunch of kids, and they’re intimidating you to choose where you want to go.
They don’t feel worthy of respect.
And they’re going to choose anyway when the terms come, so why choose now?
I just don’t want to choose anything yet.
I was going to do it anyway, even if Yeon-hwa didn’t tell me.
“Yeah, that’s a good idea. They have a reputation for being good at what they do, but not so good at what they say.”
“Yeah, but what the hell happened to their demeanor?”
I ask.
“Well…… they think they’re the representatives of the gates and checkpoints of the Good Swordsman, so they’re anarchists, and there’s no one with a higher allotment than them, so they’re even more anarchists. Just ignore them.”
“Okay. There’s something I want to ask you.”
“What is it? Tell me.”
“You said that they think they’re the representatives of the checkpoints and gates, and if they’re tacitly acknowledging that, they’re pretty good at it.
“What? No way, you’re not going to listen to me and join the same gang as those guys…….”
“No, I’m just curious.”
He’s curious about their skills.
Yeon-hwa is a genius who has risen from a boping disciple to a swordsman.
If they can compare to her, or even surpass her, even though they’re only her immediate disciples, they’re great.
‘Besides…….’
The two who didn’t come forward.
The one with a kind face and the one with an interesting look in his eyes.
The two were incomparably stronger than Yeonhwa.
‘They seemed to be stronger than me, but…….’
Still, I felt like I could catch up with them if I tried a little harder.
I don’t like what they’re doing, but I think they could be good competition, so I ask.
“First, the two guys who ran in front of me first, Eunjung and Eunwoo.”
“I know, I heard.”
“Don’t stop talking.”
“…… Okay.”
“Anyway, they’re all the same age as us, and they’re in the same ranks as you. Anyway, they’re like the leaders of the pack. They’re the ones who talk first, and they’re the ones who exercise their skills, and their skills are…… I hate to admit it, but they’re about half a second above me.”
‘I see…….’
That was pretty much my judgment.
Still, I was surprised.
The weakest of the bunch, and yet he’s above Yeon-hwa…….
“And then the next two. They’re called Aksogun and Paekyung-wook. They’re the ones I’m eyeing for non-sales because they’re smart and have good situational skills. They’re angry, but they’re also smart and skilled. I watched them fight from the sidelines, and honestly, I think I can last about thirty seconds.”
“Thirty seconds…….”
“And then there were the guys who watched without saying a word: the one with the kindly smile is the leader of the city gate men, Yue Yan, and the one with his arms crossed behind him is the leader of the sword gate men, Jin Zhengyi. He’s a disciple of He Sheng Qin’s at the city gate, and he’s the eldest son of the Jin family of Hubei.”
‘He Sheng Qin Yin, Jin Jiang…….’