Namgung Seon hummed a little tune as he climbed Mount Hua.

It was an exceedingly pleasant afternoon.

He had found two people who interested him; this trip for the sparring meet had paid off handsomely.

When he reached the main gate at the mountain’s peak—

He spotted two Third-Generation Disciples bickering and muttering at each other up ahead.

“No, listen! I’m telling you to trust Head Senior Cheonjeong!”

“Trust what! Our Head Senior zones out looking at flowers unless Master is right next to him!”

“Cheongak. I’m telling Head Senior you said that?”

“Wow, so this is how much our friendship is worth? I’m deeply disappointed!”

Cheonjeong.

Namgung Seon knew the name.

Smiling brightly, he strolled over to the two.

“Hi.”

“Wh-what the—? Hold on. That martial robe’s insignia is…?”

Cheongak’s eyes went wide as he stepped back.

An unconscious reflex—an expert’s instinctive guard.

Cheongu recognized the insignia instantly and offered a formal fist salute.

“Third-Generation Disciple Cheongu. I greet the Young Clan Lord of the Namgung Clan.”

Not that long ago, they’d seen the Namgung Clan Lord walk straight across Mount Hua toward the Red-Tile Pavilion.

The entire inner courtyard had been in an uproar because of it.

Mixed into that uproar were many rumors.

About Namgung Seon—the Heaven-Forged Body, the prodigy acknowledged by the Sword Sovereign.

His story was part of the noise.

“Oh? Sharp one, aren’t you?”

“Clan Lord has gone to the Red-Tile Pavilion.”

“Eh, I don’t care about whatever my father does.”

“…Sorry?”

Cheongu’s eyes rounded at that.

Namgung Seon just grinned, then looked at Cheongak.

“You’re like me, aren’t you?”

“…What are you talking about?”

Cheongak frowned.

But cold sweat trickled down his back.

This boy, who looked about their age, was definitely a powerhouse.

“They say Mount Hua has a Third-Generation Disciple who’s touched the edge of First-Rate.”

“Ha. That’s me. Why?”

“I was just thinking you haven’t crossed the wall yet.”

“…Is this bastard making fun of me?”

If another disciple had said this, Cheongak would’ve beaten him with his scabbard on the spot.

But this kid was an outsider.

And more importantly…

Cheongak could feel the difference in ability with his skin.

Pressure.

This is what the world called pressure.

Judging an opponent’s skill was a skill of its own.

Cheongak didn’t even bring his hand near his sword.

“So anyway, you were talking about my friend. What are you to each other?”

“Your friend?”

Cheongak tilted his head.

Was there someone on Mount Hua who could be friends with the Namgung Young Lord?

“Your Head Senior. Cheonjeong, right?”

“You know Head Senior?”

“Sure, sure. We ate dumplings down the mountain and became friends.”

Cheongu and Cheongak exchanged puzzled looks.

Yes, their Head Senior had a gentle personality and got along with everyone.

As firm as he was about what he kept or cut off, he was just as easygoing in daily life.

But becoming friends with an outsider at first meeting over dumplings?

Especially with Soyak standing right there?

Hard to believe.

“Head Senior Cheonjeong? With you?”

“Cheongak. He is the Young Clan Lord of Namgung.”

“Head Senior Cheonjeong? With you, sir?”

Adding one polite syllable didn’t magically produce etiquette.

Not that Namgung Seon cared.

As long as it wasn’t in front of his father.

“Yeah. Your Head Senior. With me.”

“…Strange.”

“With all due respect, it is… unusual.”

“Why is it unusual?”

Cheongak planted a hand on his hip, asking back.

Namgung Seon ignored the posture entirely.

Cheongu’s heart, on the other hand, thumped nervously.

“Well, our Head Senior is picky about who he befriends.”

“Picky? Isn’t he the one who leads all the disciples?”

“That’s true, but that doesn’t mean he’s ‘friends’ with everyone. Above all…”

“Above all?”

Even that added syllable of polite speech had already been discarded.

Cheongu let out a deep sigh.

Well… he’ll get scolded later anyway, he thought.

“You aren’t a Third-Generation Disciple of Mount Hua, and you’re not one of his junior or senior brothers.”

Not an incorrect point.

Strictly speaking, it was hard for a clan’s Young Lord and a sect’s Third-Generation Disciple to be “friends.”

Naturally, the Young Lord’s status was overwhelmingly higher.

“Well, that’s true enough. Anyway…”

“Anyway?”

“Your junior sister is incredible.”

Cheongak and Cheongu both blinked, not understanding a word.

Namgung Seon had no intention of explaining.

He simply patted their shoulders and walked past.

“Tell him I’m really looking forward to the sparring match.”

****

Around sunset.

At the peak of Mount Hua, in front of the main building.

Soyak and Cheonjeong climbed on foot, without using lightness arts.

Of course, they weren’t not using inner power.

They lightened their bodies, but didn’t unfold their full aura concealment.

Because of that, the steep Mount Hua mountain path became a pleasant hiking trail.

Up until they ran into Cheongak and Cheongu.

“Head Senior! Where on earth were you!?”

“The Namgung Young Lord said you were his friend…”

Cheonjeong sighed and rubbed his face.

If only these two were the only ones who’d heard.

Namgung Seon—whatever else that brat was, he didn’t seem loose-tongued.

He’d be… reliable.

Probably.

“There was a bit of a situation…”

“Wait, Soyak! What happened between Head Senior and that guy!?”

“That guy? Cheongak! He’s the Young Lord!”

“Maybe in Namgung he is. Not here.”

Cheongak and Cheongu began bickering again.

Soyak slipped naturally between them and pushed them apart.

“No. Nothing happened.”

“…But he said he became friends with Head Senior?”

“He merely bought us lunch down below, that is all.”

At that moment, from afar, a voice they didn’t want to hear rang out.

A voice they’d already gotten used to.

“Talking about me over there?”

Namgung Seon.

Soyak glanced his way.

A grinning mouth.

Nothing like the solemn superiority he’d shown earlier.

“Yes. We were.”

“Heh. So you talk behind people’s backs, hm? That’s disappointing.”

“Do not concern yourself.”

Her tone was unusually sharp.

It was the first time she’d ever used formal high-register speech like that.

At least, to the eyes of the other seniors.

“Looks like she really hates me.”

“Head Senior. I’ll head in first.”

Soyak bowed politely to Cheonjeong.

Then she spun around.

At that instant, Namgung Seon’s figure shot across the courtyard.

A straightened hand clawed toward Soyak’s wrist like an eagle’s talons.

But it was useless.

In the next moment, she was already beside Cheonjeong.

“What are you doing, Young Lord?”

“Call me something friendlier. Brother Seon, maybe?”

“We are not friendly.”

And that was the last word she gave him.

She simply walked away toward Ahwa Hall.

“Is your junior sister always like that?”

At Namgung Seon’s question, Cheongak drove the stake in.

“Only to you.”

“Cheongak, polite speech.”

“Only to you, sir Young Lord.”

But Namgung Seon’s smile didn’t fade.

Yet the other three saw it.

His left hand was gripping his scabbard.

There was an unfamiliar man standing before Ahwa Hall.

He wasn’t wearing plum-blossom robes; definitely not a Mount Hua martial artist.

So why was he standing with the Sect Leader?

Soyak stopped dead with an ominous feeling.

But turning back was too late.

The Sect Leader’s voice reached her.

“Soyak. Come here, child.”

A kindly smile.

A gentle tone.

She already knew from her master what kind of person he truly was.

But she could not show it.

“I greet the Sect Leader.”

Soyak offered a polite fist salute.

Then approached with her gaze lowered.

“This little one has reached the Peak realm among the Third-Generation Disciples. Can you believe it?”

“Indeed, she’s small and fragile. One wouldn’t think she could even hold a sword…”

Namgung Hyeong swept his sharp gaze up and down her form.

Was she, like Namgung Seon, born with the Heaven-Forged Body?

No.

A body that special would emanate an aura of blazing, pure yang force.

‘…Weak, but unmistakable. What is this chill?’

Unfortunately, his “eyes” were not as good as Eunsong’s.

He could not see as she had.

He couldn’t tell that this girl had been born with the Celestial Killing Star fate.

“Quite the plum-blossom-like child, isn’t she?”

“Indeed. She’s no worse than my son.”

Mere flattery.

Soyak slightly raised her eyes and glanced at the emblem on Namgung Hyeong’s robe.

The insignia of the Namgung Clan.

“It will be an interesting match, Sect Leader.”

Chapter 26

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