Chapter 303
Chapter 303
My whole body is hot. I can't stand the unprecedented energy boiling up from my body.
My body is now filled with tremendous energy, and I can't do anything because of the instinct to release it.
"You've worked hard."
"Taoist Unhwi. Please come again."
"Thank you."
Is it because of the public duel? There are quite a few people who recognize me in the Martial Alliance.
If it were normal, I would have exchanged a word or two more, but now I don't have the mind to do so, so I just greeted them roughly and quickly left the Martial Alliance.
And so, even after leaving the Martial Alliance, after going to a place where there were no people for a long time.
"Hoo-eup!"
After taking a breath and organizing the internal energy that was running wild in my body at once.
I kicked the ground hard and, jumping forward, performed a movement technique.
Because I felt like my head would go crazy if I didn't release it like this.
Going back a little while ago... the Hwari's inner core had gifted me with tremendous energy.
It's not just that the Hwari's inner core is a great elixir, but it feels like it's a very good match for me.
To be precise, it was an elixir that matched well with the Six Yang Divine Art.
The Hwari's inner core, when consumed, emitted a tremendous cold energy, but once it was all absorbed, it turned back into yang energy and settled in my body.
The tremendous yang energy, flowing proudly through my body like a river, burned away all the impurities in my body, and even melted the energy of the Heavenly Transformation Pill that I hadn't fully absorbed during the public duel, and is flowing together.
The energy being emitted from the Yongcheon acupoint has become incomparably larger than before.
Thanks to that, the speed of performing the movement technique has become noticeably faster.
It is the first time I have run at such a fast speed that the objects I see around me stretch to the side.
With the power of the elixir and the help of the Martial Alliance Leader, the amount of my internal energy has increased dramatically.
'If we're just talking about internal energy itself, I might have already surpassed my past life.'
With the harmony of strong internal energy and an advanced movement technique, I was able to run at the fastest speed I have ever run.
'How much has my sword art developed?'
As I thought that, a tingling sensation began to spread from my hand to my shoulder.
I think this is the first time since I was very young and first started learning martial arts that I have been so eager to show off my achievements.
It meant that the Heavenly Transformation Pill, the Hwari's inner core, and the Alliance Leader's help had brought me great development.
And so, how long did I run?
The energy that felt like it would explode was also controlled to some extent as it was released, and my heart, which had been beating wildly, also calmed down to some extent.
Now I feel like I can control the strengthened energy as I wish, and I don't think I will lose my mind, drunk on the too strong internal energy, like a little while ago.
Then, finally, the surroundings began to come into view.
"Where am I?"
Looking at the sky, it seems I haven't run for a long time since leaving the Martial Alliance.
Because looking at the position of the moon, it seemed to be a time when it was not yet midnight.
But the surrounding scenery is a place I have never been to before.
Well, it's quite understandable since I couldn't even get a feel for which direction and at what speed I had run.
I looked around, trying to figure out where this place was.
Finding the tallest tree nearby, I jumped up onto the tree.
As expected, as my internal energy increased and my movement technique level rose, my body, climbing the tree, felt even lighter.
"I can see a light over there."
Looking down from the top of the tall tree, fortunately, I can see a place with a lantern lit far away.
Since the number of lanterns seemed to be considerable, that place seemed to be a private house or a quite large manor.
I quickly moved my body and headed that way.
Since it wouldn't be that difficult to return to the inn once I knew where this place was, I thought I should ask anyone, whether it was a passerby or a gatekeeper guarding the gate.
"No... this place is..."
As I got closer to the lantern, that place was a huge manor that was so brightly lit with numerous lanterns that it felt as bright as day.
Judging from the scale of the manor and the number of lights on, as I was thinking that it was not an ordinary manor and arrived at the main gate of the manor, I was surprised to see the name of this place on the signboard.
[Seo Mun Family]
Because this place was the very Seo Mun family that I had been having a deep connection with recently.
I was surprised by two things.
The first was that the place I had run to was the Seo Mun family, and the second was the fact that I had run to Gihyeon in that short time.
Although I had run in a state close to selflessness, it was literally a tremendous speed.
"If... someone finds me, it'll be a big problem."
Although I don't know how many people in the Seo Mun family know me, I thought it would be noisy if someone recognized me, so I tried to quickly get away.
Since I now know that this place is the Seo Mun family, if I go up to the northwest, Kaifeng will appear, and I will be able to return to the inn.
"Oh? Aren't you perhaps Taoist Unhwi?"
But at that moment, the martial artist guarding the main gate of the Seo Mun family, perhaps thanks to the brightly lit light, glanced at my face and immediately recognized me and shouted.
"What did you say? Taoist Unhwi?"
"You mean the Taoist Unhwi of the Wudang Sect who had that public duel?"
"Didn't I tell you I went to Kaifeng to see the duel because I was off duty yesterday? It's definitely the same face I saw. I'm sure."
He, after talking with his colleagues, came up to me and said, "Taoist Unhwi. I was deeply impressed by the duel. You have very amazing martial arts at a young age. I was impressed."
The martial artist, with a very favorable attitude, even greeted me with a fist and palm salute and spoke to me.
Since he was coming out like this, I couldn't pretend not to know, so I had no choice but to also greet him with a fist and palm salute and say, "I'm glad you saw it favorably. My skills are still immature."
"Haha! Immature? Then I must be a novice who hasn't even taken the first step of martial arts properly."
He laughed heartily and continued, "But what brings you to our Seo Mun family? Did you perhaps come because of yesterday's incident?"
"That's..."
"Then you've come to the right place. Although it's a little late, the young master is also inside, so I will guide you."
There is really nothing around the Seo Mun family manor.
Since it would be a stranger thing to say that I was just passing by, I had no choice but to follow him.
In fact, it was also because I had something I wanted to say to Seo Mun-jong-tak.
"To be honest... I didn't expect to be welcomed like this."
"Why did you think so?"
"Well..."
Of course, it's because of Seo Mun-jong-tak and Seo Mun-wang-ryang.
Because I've only met two people from the Seo Mun family, and my impression of both of them was not very good.
But as if he had realized the reason why I couldn't continue my words, the martial artist laughed heartily and said, "You don't have to say it, I think I know. Because of that, the young master was severely scolded by the family head and is now under house arrest. I'm afraid you might have gotten the wrong prejudice about the Seo Mun family... but in the end, it's an impression that our family members have created, so what can we do?"
He said heartily.
To be honest, I was a little surprised that he so easily admitted that it was unavoidable that I had a bad impression of the Seo Mun family.
Moreover, he didn't say anything like 'Please reconsider the Seo Mun family' or 'Your thoughts are wrong'.
Rather, it seems he is saying with his actions that the Seo Mun family is not such a narrow-minded place.
And that, on the contrary, shook my heart.
Well, the Seo Mun family is a prestigious family that is well-known in the martial world.
If everyone were as cunning and had as bad a personality as Seo Mun-jong-tak or Seo Mun-wang-ryang, they would not have been able to become such a prestigious family.
"The young master is in here. Would you mind waiting for a moment? The young master can't come out of this pavilion now. To escort you in, I have to inform him that you have come."
"Yes. I will wait."
He went into the pavilion and came out sooner than I thought.
"He said to come in. I will go back to the main gate."
"Thank you for bringing me here."
"It was something I had to do, of course. But..."
He trailed off as if he wanted to say something.
I, thinking that he had something he wanted to say, waited quietly for him to speak.
"Please don't see the young master in too bad a light. I'm not asking you to understand... but... well, the young master is also going through a hard time in his own way."
"A hard time?"
"Well. Isn't it obvious? The overflowing expectations of the family and himself, who can't meet them. Compared to the family where he is not recognized, outside the house where he can hold his shoulders up with the prestige of the family on his back... in a way, it's a common story."
The martial artist said calmly.
To be able to speak so frankly about something that could be a disgrace to the family.
Thanks to that martial artist, I feel like my impression of the Seo Mun family has improved greatly.
"My words have become long. Anyway, please go in. The young master will also be waiting."
"Yes. Thank you. May I ask for your name?"
"Why would you want to know the name of a low-ranking martial artist like me? Heh heh... I am Seo Mun-ju-guk. A low-ranking warrior of a branch family."
"I will remember it."
He, as if he were in a good mood, laughed heartily and went back in the direction of the main gate.
As I entered the pavilion, there were several rooms, and the door of one of them was wide open.
That must be where Seo Mun-jong-tak is staying.
"Y-You, why are you here...?"
As expected, when I went to the place with the open door, Seo Mun-jong-tak, with a face as if he couldn't believe it, said to me.
Although it was an unintentional visit for me too, I, pretending to be leisurely, said to him, "Are you feeling a little better?"
"...... Yes. I'm fine."
"Your leg?"
"My leg is also fine. In the first place, it wasn't that big of a shock."
"Should I say that's a relief?"
"Why did you come? Did you come to make fun of me, who is under house arrest and can't go anywhere because I was caught by my father?"
"No. You don't really think I'm that leisurely of a person, do you?"
"Then why did you come all the way here?"
I, looking at him who was coming out very aggressively, shook my head and said, "Is this how the Seo Mun family usually treats its guests? Shouldn't you at least offer me a seat and continue the conversation?"
"What kind of guest are you... haa... yes, sit here."
He offered me a chair and even got up himself and poured me the tea that was in the teacup.
Although it was lukewarm tea, as if it had been brewed for quite a long time, I, taking a sip, looked at him.
"So what's the reason you came all the way here?"
"Just. I came because I have something I want to say to you."
"Something you want to say?"
To be precise, it was more like 'Since I've come all the way here, let's say what I want to say' rather than 'I came because I have something I want to say', but the slightly different order doesn't have much meaning.
"Just. Don't give up and keep striving. I'm the strange one, you have quite strong martial arts for your age. To be honest, your talent, physique, and background are a waste."
"A waste?"
"If you grit your teeth and train hard, you can become much stronger, but time is not eternal. Even if you spend money extravagantly, your family can give you more, or you can earn it again, but time, no matter what you do, does not come back. So cherish your time now."
"Are you... lecturing me?"
"If I thought you had just that much talent, I wouldn't even think of saying this. You should also seriously think about your future. You are also a man, and if you are a martial artist, shouldn't there be a time when you have to clash with all your heart at least once?"
"......"
Seo Mun-jong-tak couldn't answer.
After clashing swords with him directly on the duel stage, I had this thought.
Why doesn't Seo Mun-jong-tak work hard, even though he has this much talent and the background of a family that can support him to the end?
If it were me, I would have worked hard, risking my life.
So I wanted to talk to him once as a man to a man, and as a martial artist to a martial artist.
In the end, the Seo Mun family is also one pillar of the orthodox faction.
And the future of the Seo Mun family is Seo Mun-jong-tak.
If Seo Mun-jong-tak grows up properly and the Seo Mun family becomes an ally when we fight against the power of the Demonic Cult in the future...
I thought it might be quite reassuring.
"I-I..."
Seo Mun-jong-tak opened his mouth to say something.
Although he seemed to have a lot to say, for some reason, it seemed difficult for him to speak properly.
He tried to speak again with courage, but I couldn't hear his answer.
Because I heard the sound of the pavilion's main gate being roughly opened, and someone rushing this way.
"Unhwi? Is it true that Unhwi is here!"
The person who came in shouting.
He was the very Seo Mun-wang-ryang who was filled with anger.
(End of Chapter)
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