Chapter 12. Activation of the Four Gods (2)
One month later.
"Wow! Hyung! Look over there! Isn't that carriage huge?"
"Yeah, I guess."
"Whoa, it's the first time I've seen such a big and fancy carriage! Anhui is way prettier than Gangso!"
"Is that so."
"Gasp! Hyung! Did you see that just now?! That carriage is so small but so fast! How can there be such a carriage?"
"Could be."
"Let's ride that carriage sometime later too! Okay?"
"We'll see."
"Hehe, you promise! You promised, Hyung?"
"Sure thing."
Yeon Ji-pyeong's face was all lit up.
It was his first time outside his home turf. Anhui Province was adjacent to Gangso Province, where the Yeon family was located, but the climate and culture were different in many ways.
Yeon Ho-jeong's face, as he watched his younger brother so excited, was totally unimpressed.
"Are you happy?"
"Of course! Aren't you happy, Hyung? Isn't this your first time in Anhui Province too?"
I've been here a hundred times, at least.
"Actually, I want to travel the world and see what's out there. I've always been curious about how people in other regions live."
It's all the same, really.
The climate is different, so the culture is different, and appearances are different, but in the end, people are all the same. Good guys take it on the chin even when they get screwed over, and bad guys always find something to complain about, even when they're getting the royal treatment.
That's just how people were, as far as Yeon Ho-jeong was concerned.
"Um... and also."
"Huh?"
"I'm even happier to be out here with you, hehe."
His silly smile and the way he scratched his head made him kind of adorable.
Yeon Ho-jeong's face, which had been smiling as he looked at Yeon Ji-pyeong, slowly contorted. His father suddenly came to mind.
I'll never understand him.
After hearing his answer in the bamboo forest, his father glared at him for a long time and then returned to his own room.
He wondered if his father was angry because his tone was harsh, but the next day, he was summoned to his father's room and told this.
'On second thought, I'm not comfortable sending just Ji-pyeong. Of course, the same goes for you. However, you are already eighteen years old, and I think you are old enough to pull your weight. If you promise not to cause any trouble, I will send you with Ji-pyeong.'
It was a place he didn't want to go, but it was a bad idea to send just Ji-pyeong. He was right in the middle of the whole mess between the two families. He also didn't want to burden his younger brother.
'If they're not looking for trouble, I'm not either.'
'Even if they start something, just walk away.'
'I can't promise you that.'
'Let me say it again. Taking insults isn't patience, it's being a coward. But that doesn't mean you act like an animal just because they do. Figure out if you're dealing with a man or a beast before you do anything. Got it?'
'......'
'Why is there no answer?'
'Well... I'm not exactly a saint myself, so my patience isn't the best...'
Yeon Ho-jeong spent three days straight training in the horse stance. If he didn't have patience, it would have been hard to endure.
And then he had to get to Anhui way ahead of schedule. His father had ordered him to get there early to get used to the climate and buddy up with the other young disciples who'd already arrived – to learn a little teamwork.
He's a real piece of work.
He'd always thought of him as a stickler for the rules, but this time he seemed to be letting his emotions get the better of him.
Still, Yeon Ho-jeong got it. His son was going against everything he'd hoped for, so of course he was pissed.
This could work out well.
Yeon Ho-jeong's eyes blazed.
I can get a read on things.
Even if it pissed off his father, he wouldn't have come if he didn't think he could get something out of it. He had better things to do with his time.
The only reason he willingly participated in the meeting was one thing.
Can I figure out who these guys really are?
This meeting of the next generation was also a gathering of all the heirs who'd be running things someday.
If the enemy was one of the Seven Great Families, their heir would probably know they were going after the Yeon family. Even if not, he might be able to spot similarities in their Qi and fighting styles.
First, rule out Namgung, Moryong, and Tang.
He'd seen a lot of those three families when he was working with the Orthodox Sect to fight off the Demonic Cult. And he'd never felt anything similar to the enemy's martial arts from any of their masters.
That leaves three families.
Peng, Zhuge, and Myung. I need to watch those three.
"Hyung?"
"Huh?"
Yeon Ji-pyeong asked with an anxious face.
"Are you okay?"
"Uncomfortable? What do you mean?"
"No, just...."
Yeon Ho-jeong smiled. He must have looked grim because he was thinking about getting revenge for the family.
"I'm fine. I'm pumped, actually."
In many ways.
"Hehe, then shall we find a place to crash, then?"
"Good idea."
Just then, a deep voice spoke up.
"Aren't you guys heading out any further today?"
Yeon Ji-pyeong jumped. The deep voice made his gut rumble.
Yeon Ho-jeong replied.
"Yep."
"Got it. Give us a minute to find you guys a place to stay."
The man bowing with a fist-and-palm salute was a swordsman, maybe forty years old.
It was Shin Mo, leader of the Azure Hawk Squad. Squad Leader Shin Mo. He was the head of the Yeon family's prized Azure Hawk Squad, a top-tier master, and one of the best swordsmen in Gangdong.
"No need. I've already got a place in mind."
"Yes?"
"We're heading to Choseong Pavilion."
They were in He County, Anhui Province. The northeast part of the county was called O River, famous for the legend of the Hegemon-King of Western Chu being surrounded – the whole 'four-sided song' thing.
Choseong Pavilion was a tavern with a great view of the O River. It was kind of a hidden gem; not many outsiders knew about it.
Shin Mo asked, as if surprised.
"You know Choseong Pavilion?"
"Yeah."
"Not many people outside Anhui know about it..."
"Just heard of it. You know the place, Squad Leader Shin?"
"Yeah, I've been there a few times. It's not far from Gangso."
"Then take us there."
"Understood."
Shin Mo was different in many ways from Kang Yoon.
He was a better fighter than Kang Yoon, and more careful, too. Like a true Yeon family warrior, he kept his personal and professional life separate, and always gave his all to his duties.
There were plenty of guys with better skills, but not many you could trust like him. That's why Yeon Wi had sent him to watch over his sons.
So, the Yeon brothers, Shin Mo, and twenty of the Azure Hawks headed to Choseong Pavilion.
"Wow!"
Choseong Pavilion was packed. Even with the weather turning cold, people came year-round to hear the stories about the Hegemon-King of Chu.
"Let's grab some rooms and chill. We've got plenty of time, so we'll head out in a few days."
"Yes."
The group unpacked their luggage in the back garden of Choseong Pavilion.
But the Azure Hawks were on high alert, guarding the brothers. All twenty-one of them, including the squad leader, took turns standing guard in three shifts.
Yeon Ho-jeong came out with an iron staff and clicked his tongue.
"Why don't you guys get some rest?"
"We are fine."
So uptight.
Suit yourselves.
In any case, they were people who had received orders from the family head. Yeon Ho-jeong didn't bother to persuade them.
"Hmm, around here should be good."
Whoosh, whoosh.
Yeon Ho-jeong, holding the staff in the middle, twirled it around.
Shin Mo's eyes lit up as he watched Yeon Ho-jeong.
He's good.
The way he handled it, even one-handed, showed he knew what he was doing. It was like he'd been training with a staff for years.
Didn't he use a sword?
Yeon Ho-jeong hadn't stopped training, even on the road. But it had all been Qi circulation and slow fist forms. He'd never seen him practice with a staff.
Clang!
The staff hit the ground with a sharp crack.
Time to get started.
Yeon Ho-jeong flicked the iron staff with his toe.
Whoosh!
The staff spun around, whistling through the air.
Gripping the staff with both hands, he swung it like a whirlwind. The cold, dry air whipped around it.
"Hmph."
Clang!
Stomping his foot, Yeon Ho-jeong really started to put some power into it.
Whoosh!
Shin Mo's eyes widened as he quietly watched Yeon Ho-jeong.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Thwack!
The staff work got faster and sharper as he went.
He was whipping that heavy staff around – almost twenty geun – like it was nothing. He knew how to use the momentum, speeding it up and then snapping it into strikes, all smooth and graceful.
A smile appeared on Yeon Ho-jeong's face.
It's working.
On the way here, he hadn't practiced with the staff at all, just the Yeon family's basic fist forms, the Thirteen Fists. He wanted to get his flexibility and balance down first.
Just like I thought. The Whirlwind Staff was finally clicking. A little more practice, and he could use it in a real fight.
Alright, let's push it.
His Emerald Wave Qi kept him steady. The tip of the staff was sharp as it pierced the air, and the shaft was heavy as he slammed it down. The whirling staff flowed like a powerful river.
Shin Mo, who was admiring his much better-than-expected skills, was soon startled.
Thwack! Bang! Thwaaang!
The staff work, which had been flowing like a river, suddenly
