"To all mbers of the Martial Alliance! And to all our comrades in the martial world, both from the Black and White Paths!! It is a truly joyous day. I hope you will enjoy the banquet and relieve all the accumulated feelings."
"Waa-a-a-a-a!"
"Long live the Alliance Leader!"
"Kehkehkeh! It's a aningful day where all the people of the martial world have gathered in one place!!"
In the evening.
The Martial Alliance had prepared a grand banquet.
The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, the Green Forest, the Waterway, and even the North Sea...
...groups that had no reason to visit the Martial Alliance.
All those groups had gathered here today.
Moreover, they had fought together against the great evil of the White Lotus Cult and had achieved victory.
They had different roots, different philosophies, and even different environnts.
Also, soday, they might oppose each other depending on the political situation of the martial world.
But at this mont.
"For the!"
"Peace of!"
"The martial world!"
They were old friends and comrades who had shared life and death together.
"Let's drink, drink! Let's drink like crazy today!!"
Seeing the lavishly prepared delicacies and expensive high-class liquor, Han-baek, who couldn't resist alcohol, drooled.
At that, his friends frowned and each said a word.
"Han-baek, Han-baek. Really, take it easy today, okay?"
"Aww! No matter how crazy Han-baek is! He won't make a mistake today. It's not just the Martial Alliance here, but also the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, the Green Forest, the Waterway, and even the North Sea. Do you think he'll make a scene here too?"
"Well, you never know. He's a psycho who transcends common sense, right?"
"Hahaha!"
"Hohoho!"
"That's true too!"
Soon, Han-baek's face turned red.
So, you brat!
You should have behaved well in the first place.
So-ah smiled and opened his mouth.
"Han-baek. Go ahead and do as you please. But the price. I'll help you receive it very sweetly. You know?"
Because he was smiling while saying such things, it was even more creepy, and Han-baek, the person in question, even felt a chill.
"Ah... haha! Alcohol is just, enough to feel good!!"
Of course.
'It's not the old Brother Jin... now, if I get beaten up by that person even as a joke, I think I'll really die. Phew, what a disgusting person! How can a person get so strong?'
His instinct was constantly giving him a signal that he should not ss with So-ah anymore.
***
In the dead of night.
A pleasant night where even the cry of the night bird sounded friendly.
Abbess Hongryeon, who had left the noisy banquet hall, was enjoying a walk alone under the faint moonlight.
'Hoho! It's a relief that everyone seems to be having fun.'
Now that the White Lotus Cult had been completely uprooted.
Her heart, more than anyone else's, must have been captivated by an extraordinary sense of elation.
In her generation, she had annihilated the great evil of the martial world, and to make matters worse, she had even built a thick friendship with the Black Path and the outer world, so this subjugation was a great turning point and an inflection point in her life.
Furthermore, it could be said to be the starting point of the second act of her life.
'So-ah. Thank you. It's all thanks to you!'
Once again, Abbess Hongryeon felt grateful to So-ah.
If it weren't for So-ah.
In the first place, she would not have been able to receive the help of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, the Green Forest, the Waterway, or the North Sea, and the subjugation of the White Lotus Cult, which had spread its roots throughout the Central Plains, would also have been a distant prospect.
Just then.
Feeling a presence about five feet away, Abbess Hongryeon raised her vision and stared to the side.
Although it was a dark night, the distinction between day and night was aningless to the vision of a superhuman like Abbess Hongryeon.
"Y-You, why are you here again!"
Abbess Hongryeon, who had recognized the source of the presence, stuttered with a bewildered expression.
"Chun-mae..."
He was the Green Forest King, Jang Beon-pal.
"I told you not to call
by that na, didn't I? You human! Are you really crazy and want to get your mouth torn off?"
Even while letting out a murderous question, she looked around to see if anyone was listening.
It was inevitable...
If anyone were to see the scene of the Alliance Leader of the martial world making such frivolous and vulgar remarks, there would be no greater sha than this.
"Ah! I'm sorry... I'm sorry. Alliance Leader. But... you are always Chun-mae to ..."
Was it because of the alcohol?
Although Jang Beon-pal had been terrified before when he had called Abbess Hongryeon by the na Chun-mae, because he had drunk heavily with So-ah at the banquet hall, he seed to have lost his reason.
Spouting nonsense, he ended up greatly offending Abbess Hongryeon.
She made a face like the frost of a winter day, and even drew her sword and glared at Jang Beon-pal with venomous eyes.
"Hey, you mountain bandit brat. Do you really want to die today?"
'Hah!'
Only then did Jang Beon-pal co to his senses.
In fact, he had intended to use the alcohol to settle the past today.
But if he ssed up a little more, he was on the verge of losing his head.
In the end, Jang Beon-pal.
'Yes. This way won't work. That incident. I must apologize.'
Decided to try to win her heart back with all his sincerity, and took a step forward.
Soon...
Wasn't he suddenly kneeling before Abbess Hongryeon?
"Y-You, what is this...!"
In an instant, a deep bewildernt appeared on Abbess Hongryeon's face.
Jang Beon-pal was not only from the Black Path, but was also the leader of the largest martial force in the martial world along with the Beggars' Sect.
For such a person to kneel before the Alliance Leader of the Martial Alliance was an astonishing event.
"Alliance Leader... I deeply regret the past. My feelings for you at that ti were sincere. I an, there was not a single lie."
"Sh-Shut up!"
At Jang Beon-pal's sudden confession, Abbess Hongryeon trembled and growled.
But Jang Beon-pal continued to speak without caring.
"Of course, now that so much ti has passed. What can I say to you? You have already beco a nun who has taken refuge in Buddhism, and I have beco a lowly mountain leader. But to the Alliance Leader of the past who was hurt by . To my endlessly delicate and pure Chun-mae. I am thus kneeling and apologizing."
The two eyes of Jang Beon-pal, who was saying that, were filled with deep sincerity.
A long ti ago.
Before Abbess Hongryeon had beco a nun. (The Ei Sect was a sect where nuns and non-monks coexisted, and in fact, it had a stronger character of a martial arts sect than a Buddhist temple, and the mbers of the sect could choose it for themselves. Therefore, although Abbess Hongryeon was a nun, her disciple, Myo-seon, was an ordinary martial artist.)
There had been a ti when a rosy atmosphere had flowed between her and Jang Beon-pal.
Of course, they were not officially in a relationship, but at that ti, Jang Beon-pal had advised Abbess Hongryeon not to beco a nun and had shaken her heart to the core.
(As an aside, and believe it or not, Jang Beon-pal was a very handso man at that ti.)
But in the end, he could not manage his free spirit, and in the midst of clashing with Abbess Hongryeon, who was conservative and pursued righteousness in everything, he felt burdened and committed the outrageous act of disappearing without a word.
Although it was a childhood incident, Jang Beon-pal's action of setting a woman's heart on fire and running away was undoubtedly a mistake that could not be easily forgiven.
"You..."
"Alliance Leader! Although I helped in this subjugation at the request of my younger brother, So-ah, I was actually more happy that I could help you. Please forgive
now. The Alliance Leader and I are already old. How much longer will we live? For the rest of our lives. Let's beco good friends and grow old together."
"Get up."
"Alli... ance Leader?"
"I said I understand, so get up. You fool!"
"Ah! I... I understand!!"
As they say, if you are sincere, you can move heaven.
As the leader of the Green Forest, he had thrown away his pride and had knelt and pleaded like a child, and as if his sincerity had been conveyed.
Abbess Hongryeon opened her mouth with a softened voice.
"If you say the word 'Chun-mae' one more ti, I'll really send you to the underworld, so you know. Senior Jang."
"S-Senior Jang?!"
In an instant, Jang Beon-pal's eyes widened.
Senior Jang.
To think that the word 'senior' would co out of the mouth of a woman who seed like she wouldn't bleed a drop of blood even if she was pricked with a needle!
"Kehahahahaha!!! I will be a reliable senior to the Alliance Leader for the rest of my life! If anyone tries to bother the Alliance Leader, I will tear their crotch apart..."
"Ouch!"
It is always important for a person to keep the line.
But it seed to be a difficult task for Jang Beon-pal.
Abbess Hongryeon's sharp kick slamd into his shinbone.
***
anwhile.
In another pavilion, there was a man and a woman chatting.
"So-yeong. Thank you so much."
"What? Unlike you? That serious look doesn't suit you?!"
It was So-ah and Wang So-yeong.
As Wang So-yeong said, for so reason, So-ah was putting on airs and creating a sowhat unsuitable atmosphere.
But,
"Hey! I'm serious. I feel like I've only received from you. You know I'm a person who can't live with debt, right? That's why my heart is heavy, you brat."
There was not a single bit of pretense in So-ah's heart as he said that.
Of course, their first eting was bizarre.
Also, taking her and continuing a trendous forced march from the Great Desert, the Gwangpungsa, to the Manchu Pharmacopoeia in Qinghai, and again to the North Sea Ice Palace, he had faithfully carried out the request, so from Wang So-yeong's point of view, she would think that she was the one who had received the favor.
But So-ah's thoughts were different.
So-ah had been paid for all those things, and had even obtained the exclusive rights to mine and distribute the ice stones on the pretext of their connection, and had also received help in this subjugation.
Therefore, in a corner of his heart, he was feeling a kind of sense of debt, wondering if he had used his friend, So-yeong, on the pretext of friendship.
"So-yeong..."
"Aww, why are you being so gross?"
"Is there anything you want?"
"Huh?"
"I have a lot of money. There probably aren't many people richer than
among my peers. So if there's anything you want, just say it. I'll buy you anything."
"So-ah."
"Yes?"
"I'm also the young lady of the North Sea Ice Palace."
"Ah!"
Who is showing off their money in front of whom?
In front of the young lady of the North Sea Ice Palace, which had accumulated wealth for thousands of years of history.
Showing off your money and saying you'll buy her what she wants?
Aww!
In an instant, So-ah's face turned red with embarrassnt.
But in Wang So-yeong's eyes, So-ah's appearance was just cute.
"If you really want to do sothing for , then buy
a ring made of diamonds."
"Is there a crazy... no, a rich person who makes a ring with a precious gem like a diamond?"
"You told
to say what I want!"
"...You have high standards. I don't know! I get it. I'll look for a diamond ring."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Good! Then three years."
"Huh?"
"In three years, I'll visit the Central Plains again. Prepare the ring by then."
At Wang So-yeong's words, So-ah opened his mouth slightly.
"So-yeong. How about trying to live in the Central Plains this ti? Stay at the Moyong family, learn martial arts. You said you're lonely in the North Sea because you don't have any friends, right? How about spending a year or two traveling around the Central Plains with ? I've already talked to the Palace Lord."
So-ah's suggestion made Wang So-yeong genuinely happy.
She had grown up lonely all her life.
How could she not be happy when her only friend, So-ah, said that?
But she shook her head.
"No. I'm going to focus only on martial arts in the North Sea from now on."
"So-yeong..."
"If it were the old , I would have gladly accepted the proposal. But seeing you play an active role in this subjugation, surpassing the star-like seniors of the martial world, I suddenly had this thought."
"..."
"Ah! I was a martial artist too. I had forgotten. I was a martial artist who wanted to beco a master more than anyone else! That's what I thought."
"So-yeong."
"I'm going to beco a master. I'll practice hard. I'll beco a master who is not inferior to you, Young Leader Wi-ji, or Young Lady Myo-seon. I'll co to the Central Plains then. You'll give
the ring then. Got it?"
So-ah stared at Wang So-yeong's face.
A will like a volcano was rising in her two eyes.
'Phew!'
What could he say?
Her own will was so firm.
All So-ah could do was to wish his friend good luck in her martial arts.
"I'll look forward to it. Our friend, Wang So-yeong."
"Of course. Ah! And keep your promise, okay?"
"?"
"The ring! It must be a diamond, okay?"
"You rich people are sothing else."
"What?"
"Haha!"
"Hahaha!"
So-ah suddenly held out his hand.
Wang So-yeong also took his hand.
The two smiled at each other's faces.
'Goodbye! My friend, Jin So-ah.’
(End of Chapter)
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