Reincarnated Sword Ghost

Chapter 115 : The Shaolin Assembly

The Shaolin Assembly

"Why are you laughing?"

Peng Mu-gyeol furrowed his brows.

There was tension in his eyes as well.

It seemed he thought that this rookie from a middling sect was mocking him.

Jeong-un naturally tightened his lips and replied,

"I'm sorry. I just had something caught in my throat."

He had laughed, indeed.

More than all those hollow evaluations from martial artists he'd barely faced, one word from Peng Mu-gyeol—someone with whom he'd actually crossed swords—seemed much more amusing.

'He was half a step ahead, huh.'

It was true that a victor had not been decided in their previous duel.

After all, Jeong-un hadn't drawn his sword intending to see it through to the end.

His mission from the start had been to prevent conflict among martial artists.

He had responded only because of Peng Mu-gyeol's insistent pressure.

If he thought about it, Peng Mu-gyeol was both the one who challenged to the duel first and the one who withdrew first.

And yet it was laughable that the man who had rolled several times on the ground now claimed to have come out ahead.

'Nothing's changed, really.'

From Jeong-un's perspective, Peng Mu-gyeol had fairly sharp senses.

His martial arts level was quite formidable, and even now, Jeong-un could perceive that he had improved compared to when they met in Yangyang.

However, like with most people of the martial world, his character had not grown alongside his skills.

Peng Mu-gyeol had amassed upright energy and wasn't a villain, but he was still far from being a sage.

In that sense, perhaps it was better to be like those orthodox sect martial artists who studied Taoist principles alongside their martial training.

"......."

After quietly watching Jeong-un for a moment, Peng Mu-gyeol soon turned his gaze away.

No matter how arrogant his personality, it didn't mean he could ignore the eyes of those around him.

Most people here were looking favorably at Jeong-un.

If Peng Mu-gyeol let his anger show any further, he'd only earn criticism for picking on a supposed pushover.

"... Anyway, don't speak lightly of that matter. To my eyes, as a martial artist, he seemed more accomplished than any of you."

With that, Peng Mu-gyeol stood up from his seat.

He strode away in large steps, and although his words sounded quite rude, everyone wore expressions as if this was just expected.

One could glimpse what his usual conduct must have been like.

After that, the conversation returned to trivial matters—opinions on martial studies, talk of some nameless Evil Faction gangs on the rise, evaluations and comparisons of martial artists of similar age...

At that moment, Shin Soryeong, who was sitting beside him, gave him a gaze and whispered,

"Shall we get up?"

* * *

"So, what did you think?"

"About what, exactly?"

Shin Soryeong asked Jeong-un as they left the pavilion and walked along a quiet path within Shaolin Temple.

Occasionally, they would make small bows to passing monks.

"You said you'd spent a long time training within your sect, right? This must be your first time seeing so many rising stars with outstanding martial skill, especially from such prestigious sects. I was curious how you felt."

She looked at him with round eyes, truly expecting an answer.

Jeong-un found her pure gaze embarrassingly earnest and instinctively took a half step away as he answered.

"They all possessed their own distinctly radiant energy. I think the future of the orthodox martial world looks bright."

Inwardly, he reviewed everything he had heard them discuss.

'It was helpful.'

Indeed, experiencing it in person was far better than simply hearing explanations.

This Shaolin Assembly, which at first had seemed merely a move to check the rising prestige of the Heavenly Martial Hall, was, in fact, an event with venerable tradition.

Moreover, the martial artists he saw here had a much firmer energy than he'd anticipated.

He could now understand why the enigmatic Divine Thief had targeted Shaolin.

If someone managed to wreck such a major event and embarrass Shaolin, their own fame would soar considerably.

As a bonus, they could greatly tarnish the reputation of the orthodox martial world.

"It's only natural that the Heavenly Martial Hall is worried."

If Shaolin's prestige were to be harmed, all sorts of rabid Evil Faction groups would seize the opportunity.

Not because each of those guys had formidable martial arts. Jeong-un had already executed scores of such men.

These were the kind who gladly lorded over ordinary folk with even the faintest strand of internal energy.

If their numbers grew, public order could fall apart in an instant.

While Jeong-un was lost in thought, Shin Soryeong spoke up.

"Is there a martial artist you revere?"

"Revere?"

For once, Jeong-un was genuinely taken aback—even his pace stalled for a moment.

"Revere...?"

It was a concept he'd never considered.

The term itself felt foreign.

No wonder—Jeong-un was a rootless martial artist.

He forged his own path for his body's true ki to flow, realized for himself the way to control muscular contraction and relaxation.

Every day, through countless errors, he refined the flow so it produced the most optimal movements.

But a revered martial artist?

Jeong-un had never even thought about such a figure, as his foundations lay solely within himself.

Shin Soryeong blinked in surprise at Jeong-un's confused expression.

Her casual question had yielded a most unexpected reaction.

"Isn't there... someone you wish to emulate, no matter who it might be? Whether a fabled swordsman or a chivalrous hero who saved the masses..."

Someone to emulate. Jeong-un smiled inwardly.

He had started with the Three Talent Sword Technique.

One of the most trivial, third-rate sword arts in the world.

If he were to trace his roots, that was it: cutting and stabbing, that was all.

He still sometimes wondered if that was enough.

Subconsciously dividing his own unique sword technique into three moves had stemmed from that background.

Jeong-un shook his head and answered,

"No. There really isn't anyone."

"Oh..."

Shin Soryeong slowly nodded, her words trailing off.

Jeong-un asked her,

"May I ask why you brought that up?"

"Ah, it was just... a light question. Most people have at least one such person they look up to. For me, that's what the reward for winning this Shaolin Assembly means."

"A reward?"

When Jeong-un echoed her words, Shin Soryeong stopped abruptly.

Curious, he turned to look at her, and saw her eyes grown wide.

"You didn't know what the gathering's reward is?"

"I didn't. I'm really here just to represent my sect—that's all."

Shin Soryeong let out a small, dry laugh.

"Even so, weren't you at least a little curious? You're a young hero of the martial world, full of vigor."

"So, what is the reward?"

"A private audience with the abbot."

"You mean the reward is a meeting with the abbot?"

Shin Soryeong nodded.

Her gaze became somewhat distant, perhaps imagining that moment.

"Can you believe it? You get to have a one-on-one conversation with a peak expert, someone ranked among the world's ten great masters. You can discuss martial arts on an entirely different level, even ask for advice."

"..."

Jeong-un listened quietly.

Even without asking, he could now guess who Shin Soryeong revered.

Of course, her clan was deeply intertwined with Shaolin.

Then, catching Jeong-un's lack of expression, Shin Soryeong glanced at him and asked,

"It seems the idea doesn't excite you, young hero."

"I thought it would be something more tangible. Like Shaolin's Great Rejuvenation Pill, for example."

"Oh..."

Shin Soryeong laughed, studying Jeong-un.

It was the look of someone amused by a young hero's expectation of a grand opportunity.

"Though, it certainly deserves the term 'opportunity'."

It was the most precious elixir born from Shaolin's secret alchemy.

Despite being widely known from market street booklets, only a handful had ever seen its true form.

"No matter how great the honor of winning the Shaolin Assembly, they would never offer the Great Rejuvenation Pill as a reward. Especially not to an outsider. Such treasures are reserved for Shaolin disciples—at most, for a disciple the abbot entrusts with the future of the sect, and that only once in a lifetime."

"Is the Great Rejuvenation Pill really such an elixir?"

"Of course! Even an average martial artist could become a skilled expert merely by taking it. The ingredients alone must be outlandish. The only thing that could compare would be the Immortal Spirit Pill that recently set the martial world abuzz."

"..."

"But I personally value a chance to face a true peak expert more than any elixir. Where else could I get such an opportunity?"

It seemed Shin Soryeong truly intended to give it her all.

The others probably felt the same.

No matter how great the reward, it was still a chance to make their name known across the Central Plains.

It was no wonder even the heirs of the five great families were present.

But Jeong-un was not interested.

He too was a participant at the Shaolin Assembly, but he had no intention of deliberately losing.

Still, unlike the others, he did not plan to give his all.

His purpose was simply different.

While the others aimed to shine at the gathering, Jeong-un's true target was the mysterious Divine Thief, whose timing and approach were unknown.

"They say he's a formidable expert..."

Jeong-un's mission wasn't complicated.

He was to observe carefully from inside Shaolin, and if the Divine Thief really did break in to steal something, to quickly notify Heavenly Martial Hall.

Checking how Shaolin guarded itself was just an added bonus.

Supposedly, the warriors of Heavenly Martial Hall were already surrounding Mount Song, laying an inescapable net.

But Jeong-un didn't want to stop there.

He secretly hoped to catch the Divine Thief himself, or at least secure a solid clue.

More than anything, it was a chance to face a top-level expert.

That was more meaningful to Jeong-un.

After all, he had already once tasted bitter defeat against such an expert.

That painful memory made him want to know how far he had come.

Jeong-un asked Shin Soryeong,

"Other than the Great Rejuvenation Pill, are there any legendary treasures in Shaolin? As a great sect of the Shaolin caliber, I'm understandably curious."

In truth, it was not far off to say that he had sought her favor just for this question.

As a member of a lay sword sect closely tied to Shaolin, she would know best.

"Hmm, let's see. The Scriptures Pavillion houses countless martial manuals with Shaolin's greatest techniques. The Buddhist scriptures recording true dharma are treasures without equal. Then there's the Green Jade Monk's Staff, symbolizing the abbot's authority—the value of that is indescribable."

"I see."

"Oh, and there's also the kasaya said to have been worn by Bodhidharma. Naturally, it's regarded as a divine relic."

The list was broader than expected. Besides the Great Rejuvenation Pill, there were secret manuals of supreme internal arts in Scriptures Pavillion, not to mention the Green Jade Monk's Staff and Bodhidharma's kasaya.

There was an abundance of things the Divine Thief might target.

'Perhaps the Green Jade Monk's Staff is the most likely.'

After all, the mysterious letter had been left in front of the abbot's chambers.

As a token of the headmaster's authority, the abbot would keep it close.

For the Divine Thief, it would certainly be a tempting target—a treasure that, if stolen, would truly bring humiliation.

"But..."

Jeong-un couldn't help feeling that his target wouldn't choose something so predictable. It was just a hunch.

By the time they returned to the Hall of Standing in the Snow, night was already falling.

The Shaolin Assembly's preliminaries would be held the next day.

Even with no intention of giving his all, some preparedness would be necessary.

"Well then, let's go in. We should rest early for tomorrow."

"Let's do that."

After parting with Shin Soryeong, he returned to his room.

"They did say all the famous martial sect heirs had been summoned."

Given that even Baek Sword Gate had received an invitation, it couldn't have been too exclusive.

Still, he couldn't be careless.

No matter how well he'd concealed his identity, failing in the preliminaries might make the General Affairs Department hesitate to assign him future missions.

Just then, Jeong-un suddenly remembered the gathering where the heirs of noble martial families had exchanged information freely.

They had discussed things no outsider could even imagine.

"The nobler the status..."

Jeong-un pondered quietly.

Perhaps he could use the Shaolin Assembly to his own advantage.