TL: FoodieMonster007
"That crazy bastard, Hyonwon Kang. Making such a big deal out of this…"
Seonwoo Jin turned pale when he saw the massive crowd gathered around the duel arena. He had agreed when Hyonwon Kang insisted on choosing the location of the duel, but he never expected it to turn into such a spectacle.
Instead of one of the Azure Dragon Academy's dueling arenas, Hyonwon Kang had chosen the busiest main street in the heart of Nanchang City as their battleground. Even for a formal duel, this was over the top.
How on earth did he get permission from the Principal?
Regardless, that wasn't the only baffling thing. As he looked around at the arena and waiting rooms built with obviously expensive materials and the hundreds of spectator seats, Seonwoo Jin's jaw dropped.
Just where did he get the money to build this duel arena?
The arena was built specifically for one duel, but it had a sturdy floor that wouldn't crack under powerful blows, and so spectator seats were even furnished with luxurious tables and chairs.
"Please line up! We will begin admitting people starting one hour before the duel!"
"Those with special invitations, please co this way!"
Even governnt soldiers were deployed to manage the crowd and prevent any potential accidents.
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"This is ridiculous…" Seonwoo Jin muttered as he took in the surreal scene.
Wouldn't it take a duel to the death between two of the top hundred grandmasters to draw such a crowd, not just a friendly match between teenage prodigies? Even the Azure Dragon Festival, which the Azure Dragon Academy organized every sumr, hadn't attracted such a large crowd in years.
Mysteriously, Seonwoo Jin wasn't alone in his shock. Erging from the waiting room opposite him, Hyonwon Kang looked equally stunned by the scale of the event.
"What the heck, was it supposed to be such a big event?!" Hyonwon Kang exclaid, surveying the arena with a bewildered expression.
Behind him, Geo Sangwoong grinned with satisfaction. "My father heard about your story and decided to invest a little."
"Senior Sangwoong, if your family has money to burn, why not just give it to ?"
"It's not my money. It's the Golden Dragon Trading Company's money."
The White Dragon Manor students joked among themselves as if it was no big deal, but when Seonwoo Jin overheard their conversation from a distance, his eyes widened so much that it looked like his eyeballs would pop out.
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Did he just say the Golden Dragon Trading Company? Why is the na of one of the Ten Great Companies being ntioned here?!
However, the surprises did not stop there. A constable with an icy expression approached Hyonwon Kang, followed by officers carrying a large bouquet and a letter.
"Hmm? What's this, Constable Cheong Cheon?"
"This is a gift from the Magistrate, and this is a letter from the Pri Minister…"
Hyonwon Kang blinked in surprise. "Huh? Grandpa Gongson sent a letter?"
"…You might want to use a more respectful term of address."
"Aww, between us, it's fine. Anyway, how did Gramps find out about my duel today?"
"Baek Suryong inford him, probably to get permission to build a dueling arena in the middle of the city." Cheong Cheon let out a deep sigh. For a mont, he wanted to ntion that the Magistrate had burst into tears, thinking he'd lose his head when he suddenly received a letter from the Pri Minister, but in the end, he held back.
"Mr. Baek did that? Man, he really spread the news everywhere."
Shaking his head, Hyonwon Kang read Gongson Su's letter on the spot. It contained a brief greeting and words of encouragent to definitely win, as well as a quip that if he lost, he would return to the school and avenge him.
A warm smile spread across Hyonwon Kang's face. "That old man, seriously…"
anwhile, Seonwoo Jin, who had overheard the entire conversation, stood frozen, overwheld by shock and dread.
D-Did that constable just say the letter ca from the Pri Minister!? Not only the Golden Dragon Trading Company, but even the Pri Minister?! Are the richest man and the most powerful person in the Central Plains both connected to Hyonwon Kang? How? What? Why?
If that were the case, even the combined influence of all the Seonwoo Clan's connections wouldn't asure up.
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"Hoo…" Seonwoo Jin steadied his ragged breathing.
Calm down. This must be a psychological trick he's aiming for. The Golden Dragon Trading Company? The Pri Minister? No matter how I think about it, it's nonsensical. It's clearly a ploy to unsettle before the duel begins… It must be.
Just then, as if all the shocks so far weren't enough, the Seonwoo Clan's Patriarch and his other family mbers arrived.
With a smile that perfectly mirrored his son's, the Seonwoo Patriarch waved and shouted, "Jin!"
"F-Father? How did you know about this duel?" Seonwoo Jin asked, genuinely puzzled
The Patriarch surveyed the bustling arena, then walked over to his son, saying, "How did I know? I received an invitation. Still, I didn't expect your duel to be this grand. Hoho!"
"…Who sent you the invitation?" Seonwoo Jin asked uneasily. He hadn't invited his family. To him, this wasn't supposed to be a significant event.
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Could it be…
The Patriarch's answer was exactly what he had feared.
"I received it from one of your instructors, a man nad Mr. Baek Suryong. He said that since you're the star of the duel, we should definitely attend. He even prepared the best seats for us, hoho! I must thank him right away. Where is he?"
"That Baek Suryong…"
"Hey! How dare you call your teacher's na so rudely?!" the Patriarch chided, glancing around in the hopes that no one was listening to their conversation.
"Father," Seonwoo Jin whispered.
"Yes? What's the matter?"
Seonwoo Jin quickly did a ntal calculation of the distance between the Seonwoo Clan and the Azure Dragon Academy. Based on the day the duel was decided, Baek Suryong would have had to send an express ssenger pigeon to the Patriarch to have him arrive by today.
Which ant…
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"It seems my opponent is severely underestimating ," he said.
A crack appeared in the Patriarch's previously pleasant expression. "What?"
Like father, like son. Seonwoo Jin had inherited his father's temperant.
[I'll explain everything through telepathy,] Seonwoo Jin conveyed, summarizing the events between himself and Hyonwon Kang.
The Patriarch's eyes turned cold. [How dare he?! How strong is that kid?]
[He's quite strong, but he's no match for . Not long ago, he lost in less than ten exchanges against Peng Sahyuk.]
[Ten exchanges… How long can you hold out against Peng Sahyuk?]
The Patriarch didn't bother asking if his son could win. He knew it was impossible.
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Feeling slighted, Seonwoo Jin bit his lip, but did not deny it. [The last ti I sparred with Peng Sahyuk, we exchanged over fifty moves evenly.]
The Patriarch nodded in relief. Ten exchanges versus fifty was a difference that couldn't be bridged within a short period of ti. [This might actually be good. Use this opportunity to raise your fa and improve our clan's reputation in the murim.]
[Yes, I think so too.]
Father and son exchanged chilling glances. Like two snakes hiding their venom, they nodded in silent understanding.
[Father, is it alright if I handle him a bit roughly?]
A cold smile ford on the Patriarch's lips as he understood his son's intentions instantly. [Of course. You should at least cut off an arm. Don't worry about the aftermath, our clan's will handle it. Make sure to engrave the way of the Seonwoo Clan into that insolent brat. Permanently.]
"Yes. I will definitely do so," Seonwoo Jin replied, his eyes filled with killing intent as he glared at Hyonwon Kang. With his family's permission secured, there was nothing holding him back now.
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