The Youngest Member Chapter 86

Cheon Woojin was in a difficult position.

After Tang Bicheon left, he returned to the Black Tortoise Pavilion as if nothing had happened.

But a Taoist priest, looking as though he carried all the gloom in the world on his head, was waiting for him.

"Young Master, I am ruined."

It was Jin Yun.

He was afraid to tell the elders of the Mount Hua Sect at the Alliance that he had caused a ruckus at the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly and left, so he had co straight to the Black Tortoise Pavilion.

"Why did you leave the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly?"

Cheon Woojin asked. He also knew that the expectations of Mount Hua were resting heavily on Jin Yun's shoulders.

Jin Yun's lips quivered with a sullen face.

Of course, he intended to tell them that the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly was targeting his friends, Young Master Cheon and Young Master Song.

However, this was the Black Tortoise Pavilion. There were too many listening ears. He didn't have the confidence to handle the strange rumors that might spread if he spoke carelessly.

Even Jin Yun, who was the genius Plum Blossom Swordsman of Mount Hua and was evaluated as soone who could live without laws, could not ignore the power of the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly.

"That is..."

As Jin Yun opened his mouth, the martial artists of the Black Tortoise Unit, including Zhuge Lin, pricked up their ears while pretending to focus on their own training.

Sensing this, Jin Yun let out a sigh.

"Could I speak with just the two Young Masters for a mont?"

"Of course."

Cheon Woojin shrugged. At that, the Black Tortoise Unit martial artists smacked their lips as if disappointed.

* * *

Cheon Woojin, Song Yiyeon, and Jin Yun left the Martial Alliance.

It was due to Jin Yun's judgnt that they could not completely deceive the eyes and ears of the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly, at least not within the Alliance.

The place the three settled on was a small, empty tavern, infamous for its bad taste.

The tavern was run by an old woman alone, who roughly served the alcohol and food the three ordered and then imdiately settled down and snored.

Her attitude of not caring about custors at all was actually better for the three of them.

"Go ahead and speak."

Cheon Woojin asked after checking the old woman's ki sense and confirming she was completely asleep.

Song Yiyeon also had a very curious expression.

"Actually, the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly is targeting the two of you."

"..."

Song Yiyeon and Cheon Woojin t each other's gaze at the sa ti.

Soon, the two burst into a chuckle.

At that sight, Jin Yun made a bewildered expression.

"You knew?"

"How could we not know?"

At Song Yiyeon's answer, Jin Yun's mouth fell open.

"But how can you be so calm? It's the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly. The Dragon and Phoenix Assembly."

Jin Yun thought that these two did not know the true power of the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly. Jin Yun, who had often heard about the assembly since he was young, knew their power.

The current head, Tang Bicheon, was a considerable master and a man of power, but the true strength lay in the solidarity of the masters who ca from the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly.

They were already positioned in large numbers among the key officials who ford or would form the Martial Alliance, and they held enough power that even the current Alliance Leader could not do anything about them.

For them to be openly targeting low-ranking Alliance mbers. It was nothing short of a bleak and frightening situation.

However, at Cheon Woojin's next words, Jin Yun's eyes nearly popped out.

"I'm set to fight Tang Bicheon at the tournant."

"Wh-what...!"

Jin Yun shot up from his seat.

It was a completely unexpected statent.

Regardless, Cheon Woojin continued to speak calmly.

"I can't tell you the details. We promised to keep it a secret for now."

"Why on earth would you have a match with him?"

"I told you I can't say."

Jin Yun, who sat down limply as if his legs had given out, had a dumbfounded expression.

"Do you know the rules of the tournant?"

"I heard that all attacks are permitted as long as they don't cause permanent damage to the opponent."

"That's right. Fortunately, Tang Bicheon won't be able to use the Tang family's ultimate poison arts. However, the Tang family has many other fierce things besides life-threatening poisons."

Cheon Woojin just shrugged.

Seeing his completely unconcerned appearance, Jin Yun felt frustrated and spoke.

"Young Master, I don't know what you talked about with him, but how about we call it off? Tang Bicheon is a man who never fights a losing battle."

Jin Yun also knew that Cheon Woojin was abnormally strong. However, Tang Bicheon was also a man who had proven his viciousness over a long period of ti.

The Tang Bicheon that Jin Yun knew would never do anything that would put him at a disadvantage. Moreover, Cheon Woojin's strength must have been well-known to Tang Bicheon.

And yet, to agree to a match...

'It ans he has so kind of sche or plan.'

A chill went down his spine.

It was a sche from none other than the notoriously vicious Tang family.

How could he not be afraid?

He couldn't possibly predict what he would do on the tournant stage.

Jin Yun spoke again with a voice full of worry.

"Young Master, Tang Bicheon is a more vicious person than you think. Also, until you appeared in the Alliance, the term 'unprecedented genius' referred to him."

He was a man who had achieved the state of a Poison Human before even reaching the age of twenty.

A Poison Human, as referred to by the Tang family, was literally a human whose entire body was no different from poison.

He boasted a trendous advantage in one-on-one duels, but he truly shone in lees or wars. How could one not be afraid when he breathed out poison and made anything he touched rot away?

Therefore, in the world of the Orthodox Path, where a war with the Demonic Cult or the Unorthodox Path could break out at any ti, the value of a Poison Human was an existence that could not be described in words.

Recalling this, Jin Yun made a bitter expression.

"Even if Tang Bicheon harms you greatly with a sche that crosses the line, in the end, no proper punishnt will be handed down to him. The radical elders who are considering a war with the Demonic Cult will oppose it, and the Tang family will also risk the fate of their house to protect their young master. That's why it's frightening. Because Tang Bicheon might use that fact to do who knows what."

Jin Yun imagined Cheon Woojin being struck by a deadly poison, his entire body lting away hideously. Just imagining it made his heart sink.

If that situation were to happen, would he be able to draw his Plum Blossom Sword and rush onto the tournant stage?

After thinking for a mont, Jin Yun nodded.

'I already owe him my life, so it's only natural. Even if I'm stripped of my qualification as a Plum Blossom Swordsman...'

Just as Jin Yun was steeling his resolve with the most serious expression in the world.

"This is better than I thought."

Song Yiyeon, having cleanly finished a bowl of noodles, patted his stomach. At that sight, Jin Yun's eyes narrowed.

"Aren't you worried, Young Master Song?"

"About who? Tang Bicheon?"

"..."

Jin Yun was at a loss for words.

Then, Song Yiyeon soothed Jin Yun, saying, "I get it, I get it," and then spoke to Cheon Woojin.

"Young Master Cheon, no matter what, you're not going to smash the Tang family's young master's head inside the Martial Alliance, are you?"

"Probably not."

As Cheon Woojin nodded, Song Yiyeon patted Jin Yun's shoulder, saying, "See, look."

Jin Yun had nothing more to say looking at the two of them.

Were they being optimistic, or just confident?

"Young Master Song is also a target of the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly. For now, Young Master Cheon, who has agreed to fight Tang Bicheon, seems to be the priority, but a day will surely co when they threaten you as well."

Jin Yun was prepared to risk his life for the two of them, but regardless, he was frustrated because the two seed to have no thoughts about it.

"Thank you for your concern. It's just reassuring to have our genius Plum Blossom Swordsman on my side."

Song Yiyeon smiled brightly.

Seeing the two's reaction, his mind was made up.

He would tell the elders of Mount Hua the truth. If, by so one-in-a-million chance, they remained silent even after knowing the ugliness of the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly, he planned to go to the Alliance Leader next.

If nothing changed even then, he would have to see it as the entire Orthodox Path being rotten to the core.

Jin Yun was that determined. If things went wrong, he was prepared to abandon everything and beco a wanderer, walking the martial world alone.

Just as the three of them finished their al and were about to get up.

Song Yiyeon spoke as if in passing.

"For your reference, I'm going to nominate Young Master Namgung Jin. It's a problem that has to be cut down at so point."

"..."

Jin Yun also knew about the relationship between the Anhui Song family and the Namgung family.

'Young Master Song has already shaken it off.'

Jin Yun stood in his spot and watched the backs of the two who were leaving first. Backs with no worry or fear. The only thing that could stop the steps of such people was death.

For a mont, Jin Yun felt like a fool.

The things he had been anxious and afraid of, like a puppy needing to poop, now felt like nothing at all.

He suddenly rembered a book he had read as a child.

It was a book written by the Plum Blossom Sword Saint himself, who had led the golden age of Mount Hua.

- What adversity could be frightening to a swordsman who holds a single sword and walks the right path? A Plum in the Snow. For a plum blossom is a flower that blooms even in the snow.

Sohow, Jin Yun's heart, which had recalled the words of the Plum Blossom Sword Saint from the two's attitude, cald down.

If he was a swordsman, he just had to walk his own path.

If sothing that went against his beliefs blocked his way, he just had to cut it down and move forward.

Jin Yun, frozen in place like a stone statue, continued to think, his thoughts chasing their own tails.

Cheon Woojin, who was walking ahead, turned his head and looked at Jin Yun, then said in a low voice.

"I see why Mount Hua has high hopes for you."

At that, Song Yiyeon turned his head as well.

"You crazy bastard. You gained enlightennt in the middle of all that?"

Anyone could see it was the face of soone who had gained enlightennt.

Song Yiyeon felt his insides twisting in real ti.

Regardless, Cheon Woojin gripped his Crane Feather Fan and lightly scanned the surroundings. At tis like this, it was better not to disturb and just stand guard.

* * *

The day of the tournant.

A crowd so large there was no room to stand flocked to the Martial Alliance.

There were, of course, the youngest Alliance mbers who were the participants of the matches. Their seniors and families. The high-ranking officials who recalled their own youth while watching the young vigor. The martial artists of the Disciplinary Hall, who were watching with fiery eyes for any demonic masters trying to sneak in through the cracks.

Besides them, commoners, officials, rchants, and gamblers who had co to watch the martial artists' fights were all mingling together in a dizzying scene.

"Young Master Cheon. I think I'm actually a little nervous."

Song Yiyeon suddenly confessed his feelings.

He felt that Young Master Cheon would never tremble, no matter what enemy he faced.

So he said it to get so comfort, but strangely, there was no reply.

Song Yiyeon turned his head to look at Cheon Woojin.

"...Again?"

At the truly enormous crowd, Young Master Cheon's jaw had dropped. No, the Young Master who didn't get nervous even in front of the Dark Heavenly Son's disciple or the great elder of the Orthodox Path, Great Monk Beopjin, would turn like this whenever he ca to a crowded place.

While Song Yiyeon was feeling dumbfounded.

A thunderous roar erupted from the huge crowd surrounding the spacious tournant stage.

Waaaaaah-!

The tournant had begun with one Alliance mber stepping onto the stage. The order of the matches was decided by the higher-ups after a eting.

The top five ranks were bound to be in the later order, and if a lackluster match was shown in the first round, the prestige of the Alliance would fall.

Considering such matters, the carefully selected first contender was none other than Seok Domyeong of the Seok family.

His rank in the selection test was neither too low nor too high, and while the Seok family was not on par with the Five Great Families, it was a family with a high reputation in its own region.

Seok Domyeong, with a truly confident expression, raised his hand and responded to the cheers of the crowd.

He was quick-witted and clever. To the extent that when he first entered the Alliance, he had set his goal to build friendships with the successors of the Five Great Families and the Nine Sects One Union.

In fact, as a result of endlessly clinging to Jin Yun, Namgung Jin, and Dang Soyeon, he had succeeded in building so friendships.

Naturally, he also chose his tournant opponent intelligently.

Seok Domyeong slowly looked at the Alliance mbers.

'Choosing a peer is a stupid thing to do. If I choose soone too weak, I can't show myself off, but if I choose one of the top five, I'll only look ridiculous.'

In that case, it ant he had to choose from among the seniors.

If he won, he would properly imprint his existence on people, and even if he lost, it would be less embarrassing.

'Of course, it would be better to win if possible.'

After agonizing all night, Seok Domyeong ca up with the perfect opponent. He had been anxious that soone else would snatch him up, but he didn't know how fortunate he was to be selected as the first contender.

He was a deputy commander of a Martial Alliance ard unit, but according to rumors, his skills were said to be inferior to those of a re unit mber.

That person, to whom the deputy commander position was reluctantly given simply because the Martial Alliance could not ignore the prestige of the Five Great Families.

"I will make my nomination."

At Seok Domyeong's statent, the audience fell silent for a mont.

Soon, Seok Domyeong looked at a martial artist from the Black Tortoise Unit.

"As the first contender, I can't make a boring choice, can I? Deputy Commander Zhuge Lin. This junior requests a lesson."

He even added a touch of flair by subtly imbuing his voice with internal energy.

Seok Domyeong looked at the flustered Zhuge Lin and smiled inwardly.

'As expected!'

He montarily had a happy fantasy of defeating a deputy commander, making a na for himself, and eventually even joining the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly.

Zhuge Lin's beauty was famous even in the Martial Alliance. Seeing her flustered face made his heart soften a little and he felt sorry, but life was originally a real battle.

Just as Seok Domyeong hardened his heart and gripped his sword.

Zhuge Lin ca out, scratching her head as if embarrassed.

At the sa ti, the audience erupted in cheers again.

But, sothing was strange.

Seok Domyeong blinked his eyes repeatedly like an old man with dim vision.

There was sothing strange in Deputy Commander Zhuge Lin's hand.

It wasn't the unique flexible sword of the Zhuge family, but a large greatsword that looked like it could sever a horse's neck entirely, wasn't it?

Seeing Zhuge Lin coming out, smiling shyly while holding a brutish sword larger than her own torso, he had a thought that sothing might be wrong.

"W-wait..."

Seok Domyeong said in a low voice, but no one heard him.

(End of Chapter)