‘Huh?’
Moyong Hwa couldn’t understand her grandfather’s words and questioned them inwardly.
But a moment later…
She discovered a sturdy and handsome man entering the entrance of the estate.
‘That’s…’
He had definitely changed.
The boy, who had a cute impression when they parted three years ago, had now grown up enough to be called a man and was so handsome that he could be called a peerless beauty.
The boy was none other than Senior Brother So-ah.
“Senior… Brother?”
Moyong Hwa’s murmur.
But that small murmur did not reach So-ah’s ears.
No, right now, So-ah could not see or hear anything.
So-ah was just staring at one person’s face and running with trembling eyes.
“Grandpa!!”
The place where So-ah’s gaze, body, and consciousness were directed was the God of War, Moyong Cheon.
Hugs!
A somewhat ridiculous scene unfolded.
So-ah, who had grown taller than Moyong Cheon, hugged Moyong Cheon tightly as if he were a child.
But Moyong Cheon did not push him away.
Instead, he just hugged him warmly and uttered a low voice.
“So-ah. You’ve grown a lot.”
Only then did So-ah calm his excitement.
Then he looked over his grandfather’s entire body with misty eyes.
‘Grandpa…’
Although three years had passed, his grandfather did not seem to have aged at all.
Rather, the light in his two eyes was much more intense than before, and it even felt as if he had become younger.
“Grandpa. I missed you.”
“I missed you too.”
“Grandpa…”
“This old man is very happy today. So much so that I would have no other wish if I could spend the rest of my life like this.”
“You will be able to, Grandpa.”
“…”
“Because I will never leave your side again.”
***
For the first time in a long time, the estate was bustling.
It wasn’t just Moyong Cheon who had missed So-ah.
The members of the Moyong Family relentlessly asked So-ah about his whereabouts for the past three years, and So-ah answered them in detail each time.
So-ah seemed to have grown up a lot, but his talkative disposition was still the same.
“Haha. Did you really spend three years like a madman just watching fights?”
So-ah shook his head at Moyong Baek’s question.
“Uncle. It wasn’t just that. I had various experiences of my own. I worked as an escort in Hubei because I ran out of travel money, and I also studied whenever I had time. I once saw books about disguise techniques and unorthodox arts in the marketplace, and disguise techniques were so interesting that I sometimes disguised myself as a middle-aged man and went to the dogfighting ring to watch dog fights.”
At So-ah’s words, Moyong Cheon burst into a pleased laugh with eyes dripping with honey, while Moyong Hwa and the mistress of the Moyong Family, Yeon So-so, couldn’t hide their surprise.
And Moyong Baek clearly realized that So-ah was no longer a young master who had only learned martial arts in the deep mountains and valleys, but had grown into a proper member of the Jianghu.
“So-ah. This uncle is endlessly proud of you. Now that Father will defeat the Heavenly Demon and become the greatest under heaven, our family will be reborn as the top martial family of the era. It means that we will be the first single martial family to surpass the fame of the Nine Great Sects. You, as the Senior Brother of such a Moyong family, must stand tall.”
Moyong Baek firmly believed in his own thoughts.
But in that moment.
So-ah’s eyes widened like lanterns.
“Uncle. What do you mean by that?”
“Huh?”
“Grandpa will defeat Grandpa Heavenly Demon and become the greatest under heaven?”
“Don’t tell me… So-ah… you…?”
Just then.
Moyong Cheon, who had been watching the two’s conversation, opened his mouth softly.
“So-ah.”
“Grandpa.”
“I haven’t had a chance to tell you.”
“Grandpa…”
“This old man is going to have a once-in-a-lifetime duel tomorrow.”
***
So-ah went for a walk with Huin-dung-i in the morning dew.
Of course, it couldn’t be called an ordinary walk.
Who in the world would have a running race with a tiger?
Moreover, So-ah did not use any internal energy while running with Huin-dung-i.
This was to utilize the martial principle of the Ten-Second Invincible Arts, which was to raise the strength and endurance of the whole body to the extreme even without using internal energy.
“Hoo… hoo…”
So-ah, who had reached the top of Mount Daeak, lightly caught his breath and was suddenly lost in thought.
“Come to think of it, I think I heard it a few times when I was young…”
So-ah vaguely recalled the conversations his grandfather had with Grandma Hong-ryeon and Grandpa Wi-ji in the past.
There seemed to be something related to a duel in those conversations.
Of course, at that time, So-ah didn’t think much of it, but after hearing his grandfather’s words today, he realized that this duel was by no means a light sparring session, but a once-in-a-lifetime duel between the top masters of the Jianghu.
‘Nothing bad will happen, right?’
He felt anxious.
Both his grandfather and the Heavenly Demon, Wi-ji Un.
To So-ah, both of them were precious people, and he didn’t want either of them to get hurt or be in danger.
A needless anxiety that what if the two old men were seriously injured during the duel assailed So-ah.
But,
“That won’t happen, right? Huin-dung-i?”
So-ah decided to put aside his bad thoughts.
The God of War and the Heavenly Demon.
The Heavenly Demon versus the God of War.
If it was their decision, that event would surely unfold, even if the heavens and the earth were to be overturned.
“Keu-heu-eung…”
Huin-dung-i, whether he knew So-ah’s heart or not, just pushed his head against So-ah’s hand and yawned lazily.
So-ah smiled and patted Huin-dung-i’s head once.
“Huin-dung-i. Still, our grandpa will beat Grandpa Wi-ji, right? Haha.”
So-ah was also a martial artist who couldn’t be helped.
In the end, he suddenly became curious about the outcome of the two old men’s fight.
***
A great dawn rose over the Samryun Peak estate.
Moyong Cheon had never had such a refreshing morning in the past ten years.
His mind was light, and his soul was as calm and refined as a clear mirror.
But his body was heated up in a state optimized for fighting.
When he breathed, every cell in his body reacted.
Moyong Cheon felt that sharp reaction fully and sat in the lotus position.
Then, shaking off all the thoughts in his head, he thought of only one person’s face.
‘Old man Wi-ji…’
The person he thought of was the Heavenly Demon, Wi-ji Un.
‘I’m so curious about what you will show me. Hoho.’
At that, a laugh naturally burst out.
He was truly feeling joy before facing the strongest master of his life.
The Heavenly Demon Divine Art.
It was revered as the oldest, most cruel, and strongest martial art in the history of the martial world, both by himself and others.
And Wi-ji Un was a person who had learned that Heavenly Demon Divine Art to an unprecedented level of perfection, and Moyong Cheon was not unaware that he had already shed all the demonic ki in his body a long time ago and had achieved the realm of life and death, surpassing the profound realm, making him the strongest Martial God.
That’s why he was even more joyful.
‘I wonder if my insignificant fighting technique can reach your realm. Old man Wi-ji…’
The corners of Moyong Cheon’s mouth wouldn’t come down.
Finally, the one he had been waiting for appeared.
“Are you there? Hahahaha!”
The figure who entered the estate was none other than the Heavenly Demon, Wi-ji Un.
***
“Grandpa Wi-ji! Brother Chan!”
So-ah’s face brightened.
He was happy to see the Heavenly Demon, Wi-ji Un, who had given him a small revival pill when he was young, but he had also missed Wi-ji Chan, whom he had always admired.
“Hoho! It’s So-ah. So-ah! How did this kid grow up so well? All the women in the world will be clamoring to marry you! Kuhaha!”
The Heavenly Demon was still the same.
His magnificent physique, which was second to none in the world, and his booming voice seemed to tell how magnanimous a person he was just by hearing them. The members of the Moyong Family, who were somewhat afraid of the Heavenly Demon’s appearance, were even more surprised that he treated So-ah so friendly.
“So-ah. Look how tall this kid has grown. Haha. You’ve really grown up.”
Wi-ji Chan was also happy to see So-ah.
He approached So-ah with an endlessly bright face, grabbed his hand, and then bowed to Moyong Cheon and spoke.
“Esteemed God of War. Have you been well?”
“Chan. You seem to have become more dignified since I last saw you. Hoho.”
“I am glad that you also seem to be doing well, senior.”
“Thank you. Why haven’t you come to receive the bone-setting and massage from me?”
“I was so busy with the affairs of our cult that I could not visit. I am sorry.”
“Hoho, sorry for what. I am the one who should be sorry to you.”
At Moyong Cheon’s words, Wi-ji Chan tilted his head and asked.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Today, this old man is planning to make your grandpa, that demon geezer, kneel. Hohoho. I apologize to you in advance, Chan.”
At that, Wi-ji Chan drew a troubled smile and thought to himself.
‘Haha. Senior God of War. I’m sorry, but my grandfather will not be defeated.’
***
“Father.”
“Yes?”
“Grandpa is a really strange person, isn’t he?”
Moyong Hwa asked Moyong Baek.
“Hwa-ah. Why do you think so?”
“No, isn’t it? It’s strange that Grandpa, who is called a legend of the Orthodox Martial Path, is talking friendly with a demon geezer… no, the Heavenly Demon and his grandson, and besides, Senior Brother So-ah seems to be too close to them. If the people of the Orthodox Faction saw this, they would surely look at them with a disapproving gaze.”
Moyong Baek couldn’t help but nod his head at Moyong Hwa’s words.
But he soon smiled and patted Moyong Hwa’s shoulder.
“Haha, Hwa-ah. That is because of your father’s upright character. Your father does not consider a person’s status or origin at all when making friends.”
“But…”
“For a long time, the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult and the Martial Alliance have divided the Jianghu without any major conflicts. Of course, the righteous and the unorthodox, the black and the white, cannot coexist, but don’t blame your grandfather for that and make him uncomfortable.”
It was then.
A loud laugh erupted from Wi-ji Un’s mouth.
“Kekeke! The granddaughter of the war fiend is truly smart!”
In that moment, the eyes of Moyong Hwa, who was standing at a distance, widened.
‘Gasp! Did he hear everything? If he heard, he should have just pretended not to, sigh…’
Moyong Hwa was bewildered but could not say anything to Wi-ji Un.
At that, Wi-ji Un strode towards Moyong Hwa and spoke again.
“Your name is Hwa-ah, you said?”
“Huh? Ah, yes…”
“Hahaha! I’d like to give you a gift, but unfortunately, I didn’t know you would be here. So, I only prepared something for So-ah. Instead, after I make your grandfather kneel today, I will give you a small revival pill later. So please don’t criticize the people of our cult. Kuhaha!”
Moyong Hwa’s face turned bright red, not knowing where to put herself.
Just then, Moyong Cheon reprimanded Wi-ji Un.
“Demon geezer. Are you planning to tease my only granddaughter? Will you not stop at once? Hoho.”
“Alright, alright. You war fiend. Don’t worry. I have no such intention.”
Only after the two’s jokes continued did a light smile appear on the faces of the people.
They walked for a long time like that.
And finally…
They arrived at their destination.
***
—Swaaaa…!
The place where Moyong Cheon had led the people was an open space with a waterfall so wide that its end could not be seen.
The sight of the powerful stream of water from Mount Daeak, reminiscent of a great sea, falling like a thunderbolt was enough to make one’s heart pound just by looking at it.
“A good place.”
Wi-ji Un said.
“Isn’t it. I have always imagined it. The day I would have a once-in-a-lifetime duel with you here. And today, that day has come.”
“Are you confident, war fiend?”
“I am confident.”
“I see.”
“And you, are you not confident?”
“Of course, I am confident too.”
“I ask of you. Please, open my eyes.”
“I will show you clearly what a realm that can never be reached with that shabby fighting technique is.”
“Hoho. You speak so harshly.”
“Cheon.”
“…”
“I am grateful that you are here.”
“Un…”
“Now, let’s settle this once and for all.”
(End of Chapter)