13. Princess of the Great Jegal (3)
13. Princess of the Great Jegal (3) – I didn’t do that
Revenge on the Five Great Kings? Are you out of your mind?
It was a natural reaction. It would be different in the classical martial arts era when even the so-called sects were at the level of hole-in-the-wall shops, but what kind of crazy person in the world would go up against a gigantic sect of the Universal Century with hundreds of millions of subordinates? If you were in your right mind, it would be normal to accept reality and start a new life.
So, Seol-yeong, full of rebellious spirit, chose revenge. It would be impossible to overthrow the Five Great Families alone, but if he took revenge with the unwritten rules of martial arts behind him, there was at least a slight possibility.
But the reality was not so easy.
She had become increasingly aware of this over the past few years. No matter how much she talked about revenge or anything else, it was just a far-fetched idea that could not be realized in reality.
The last direct bloodline of the Sacheondangmun, Dang Se-ryeong. Her appearance may be plausible, but in reality, she is a half-assed bounty hunter who doesn’t even have a proper internal energy drive. What kind of revenge is this when she’s struggling without even a proper internal energy drive?
That may be why Se-ryeong naturally gave up at some point. She became obsessed with meaningless pride while chasing revenge that was out of reach.
At least, that was the case until he had the chance to encounter an ancient master thousands of years ago.
During her short journey with Mokjin, Seolyeong saw the possibility.
Revenge, I thought, might actually be possible.
Because of this, she was able to laugh off even Jegal Hee’s provocations.
‘That pride, what can’t you sell?’
It was called the Future Segaehoe. Since it was something he had said in front of a gathering of young masters with names that seemed to have no luck, Jegal Hee, who was risking his life to save face, would not have been able to say anything else because of his pride.
It was a precious opportunity to obtain the highest level of internal energy drive that would probably never come again. If I could stop that persistent crazy bitch’s tricks by just getting a few internal injuries and selling my pride, it would be a good deal.
······I thought so.
That is, until Mokjin suddenly showed unexpected behavior.
“······I didn’t know that my senior would step forward for a personal favor.”
Jegal Hee slowly turned his head back and opened his mouth. Despite being suddenly slapped, his voice was extremely calm.
It was just a personal grudge between the two. It was the law of the martial arts world that a discerning senior in the martial arts world would not interfere unless he knew the details and would wait and see if the parties could resolve the matter between themselves.
Since they were traveling together, he thought that Mokjin might intervene, but not in this way. Jegalhee was calmly thinking about how to resolve this situation, but he couldn’t help but feel unpleasant.
“Don’t you think that’s too shady for a personal favor? It’s true that the Jegals I’ve seen so far were good at strategy, but they had at least the minimum of dignity and spirit as a warrior. But your words and actions are not that of a warrior, but of a bad child. If you are truly the daughter of a warrior, then act like a warrior.”
“······If the girl had acted like an unmanned person, would that woman still be alive?”
Jegal Hee asked back with a cynical smile, so that only Mok Jin could see. If she were to reveal half, or even a third, of her abilities, then a half-penny warrior like Se Ryeong would not be able to even point out ten seconds. What would happen if he killed her like a warrior, as Mok Jin said?
But her guess as to why Mokjin had intervened was wrong, if not wrong by a wide margin.
“If the grudge was truly deep enough to warrant taking one’s life, then one should have done so.”
“······Are you serious?”
“If a warrior has a grudge, isn’t it the law of the martial arts to resolve it through martial arts? That’s how a warrior’s life is. No matter how deep your grudge, if you forget even the etiquette of a warrior, who in the martial arts world would call you a child of a martial family?”
Jegal Hee’s eyes sank at Mok Jin’s words. Mok Jin’s words were quite insulting to a member of a prestigious family.
However, despite that, Jegal Hee’s mind was thinking calmly about the current situation. It was because she couldn’t really gauge the inaction of Li Mujin, the great warrior who had won a landslide victory over the Western Sword Lord, and also because countless people from the Future Saga Council were looking at her.
Until just a moment ago, he had been a senior in the martial arts world, taking a step back and observing the situation. Why was he suddenly interfering? Jegal Hee asked questions to find out the exact reason.
“Is that why you came forward?”
If it wasn’t because of a personal connection with Dang Se-ryeong, but simply because it was uncomfortable to see, then it’s okay. It’s a bit unpleasant to be slapped in the face for no reason, but there aren’t a few eccentric masters in the universe of martial arts.
But that wasn’t the only reason Mokjin had stepped forward. He just shook his head quietly.
“Of course not. It is not a short matter, so I cannot reveal it here, but I will say that I am no stranger to the favor between this child and Jegal.”
Jegal Hee’s eyes change at Mok Jin’s declaration that he will stand in opposition to Jegal without beating around the bush.
This guy is Sega’s enemy.
Jegal Hee’s voice is filled with cold air.
“······Are you really trying to command Jegal and Cheok? There is no doubt that the Great Swordsman is a renowned master, but even so, I don’t think it is a wise choice to fight against the great martial arts masters alone.”
I don’t know why the ancient people from thousands of years ago interfered with the favor between Zhuge Shiga and Tang Shiling. However, the fact that he wanted to oppose Shiga could not be taken lightly.
The Murim Sega is a political sect, but to those who challenge its authority, it is as harsh as the Demonic Cult. In order to rise above the limitations of blood relations and become a large martial arts organization, it needs an absolute center of gravity.
Even if the opponent is an absolute master, it is the same. No matter how high the martial arts are, the power of the school and the family can cover it. It is impossible to stand against that power unless you have another force on your back.
That is why Jegal Hee was able to warn and not back down even when he was clearly superior to an opponent right in front of him.
Although the martial arts skills of Donganwugong Yi Mokjin are said to be so great that they are famous throughout the martial arts world, he is still just one of the absolute masters who are enemies of Zhuge Liang.
And there were even more absolute masters who worked with Sega.
“Heh heh.”
But the man in front of her laughed. As if her warning sounded like a joke.
“You are wrong.”
The voice was soft but firm, as if scolding a child who had proudly given the wrong answer.
“That question should have come from my mouth, not yours.”
“······What are you talking about?”
Jegal Hee controlled his expression and asked back at the unfamiliar English words. It’s not that he dislikes the answer to the question, but in the current situation, it wasn’t a very positive sign.
But when she heard Mokjin’s words that followed, she couldn’t help but distort her pretty eyes without realizing it.
“I am asking you, Zhuge Liang, whether you dare to fight against me.”
The words that Seolyeong, the last survivor of Sacheondangga, wanted to hold in her heart for a moment, but could not dare to hold in her heart.
It was an overly outrageous statement for an individual to make against the massive martial arts world that numbered tens of millions, including its subordinate sects.
But no one present could take Mokjin’s words lightly. It was because of his face, filled with extreme conviction and confidence, as if he were simply saying something obvious.
The spirit of an absolute master from ancient times who can truly and sincerely confront the martial arts world alone is not something that can be handled by later rankers who only have high martial arts skills.
Mok-jin smiled brightly as he looked straight into Jegal-hee’s eyes, who was looking at him as if he was looking at an incomprehensible creature.
“Young Zhuge Liang, so before that, let me ask you one thing.”
Are you qualified to challenge me on behalf of Zhuge Liang’s will?
“Ugh, ugh······.”
The eerie glare seen between the gently curved eyes that at first glance appear kind. It may have been natural for Jegal Hee to be momentarily overwhelmed when standing before them.
However, Mokjin forgot for a moment that she was not the only one here.
“Great Hero.”
A man with a clear voice stands between Mok-jin and Je-gal-hee.
Namgungcheon, the mighty dragon of the sky.
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He had eyes that were as blue as the sky and looked at Mok-jin with a fierce expression that was unusual for someone who was dealing with a great senior in the martial arts world.
“Your Majesty said that it was related to her and the grudge between Jegalga. So, can we see that what you said earlier was directed at the entire martial arts world, including the Five Great Families?”
“Are you worried?”
“······.”
He nodded and smiled as he watched Namgungcheon glaring at him with his mouth shut as if he wouldn’t listen to anything other than the answer to his question.
“Of course. It’s okay if you take it that way.”
It was a declaration of war. A declaration of war against the Five Dynasties, including the Zhuge Liang family.
Since the revival of Sacheondangmun was declared, it was something that had to be faced at some point. Mokjin just brought it forward a little.
“Is that so?”
Then, Namgungcheon drew the sword from his waist and bowed his head respectfully toward Mokjin.
“No matter how great the opponent is, as a direct descendant of the Namgung family, I must do my best to protect its honor. Right here, on behalf of the Namgung family, I, Namgung Cheon, the last of the martial arts schools, request a duel with the great swordsman, Lee Mok-jin.”
He is an absolute master like Supernova who defeated the Western Sword Master. Naturally, the family also talked about it, and if they were to have a relationship, it is true that the guidelines were set to maintain a good relationship as much as possible.
But if the current Odaese regime is attacking the Sacheondangga survivors, the story is different.
The chances of being persuaded by a relationship entangled in silver are slim. From this moment on, Dong-an-woo-gong Lee Mok-jin will be added to the list of common enemies of O Dae-se.
Of course, they won’t be the first to make a move. They are a legitimate faction. As long as Mokjin doesn’t directly oppose Namgung Se-ga, he will just watch as the main target of observation.
But, separate from that, there was another reason why Namgungcheon pointed his sword at Mokjin.
If they heard a declaration of war, shouldn’t they respond to it? Especially if it’s a declaration of war against the authority and honor of Sega, which they must protect with their lives.
Anyone who carries the name of a sect will pursue a cause. Whether it be the Gupailbang or the Odaese. The fact that they do not draw a sword without cause proves that they are a sect.
However, there is a critical gap between the two pillars of the political faction, the Gupailbang and the Murimseaga.
If the Gupaebang risked their lives for a cause, the Murim Sega risked their lives for the honor of their family.
Even if their opponents were extremely strong absolute masters, they, as members of Sega, could not back down.
“······I, too, on behalf of the Great Jegal Family, would like to request a duel with the great swordsman, Jegal Hee of the last school of martial arts, Master Lee Mok-jin.”
Jegal Hee, who had regained his composure late, also followed Namgungcheon and extended the iron wire to him. Mok Jin, who saw the two of them, showed a slightly satisfied smile, unlike a little while ago.
“Yeah, now you’re acting a little bit like a noble bloodline.”
Just as Mokjin was about to respond to their request for a secret meeting, someone tugged at Mokjin’s sleeve.
The only person who has been watching the situation so far but has been unable to take any action due to being possessed by a demon.
It was a spirit.
“Stop it, leave it alone······.”
Seolyeong opened her mouth in a voice that seemed like it would break, spitting out bright red phlegm due to her internal injuries.
Who would bow their head to the blood of their enemy and be humiliated because they have no courage?
She, who had nothing left but her pride, was willing to sell her pride not to be greedy but to achieve a greater goal.
If you can sell your pride to get a proper internal drive, and build up your strength to take revenge on the enemies of the Five Great Powers, then it is not humiliation, but an investment.
How much agony had she gone through to get to that conclusion? Even though she didn’t say anything, the internal conflict she had felt was not something that could be easily expressed in words.
But the determination that he had reached after such agony was kicked away by the blind man in front of him who knew nothing about it.
I appreciate you being angry at me for my own good, but I shouldn’t have done it now.
Regardless of whether Mokjin defeated them now, in the future, Jegal Se-ga would use every means at his disposal to prevent her from obtaining the internal energy drive. Se-ryeong couldn’t help but resent that.
“Seryeong.”
Mokjin opened his mouth, bending slightly and meeting her eyes that seemed to be a mixture of gratitude and resentment.
“I know you are looking beyond one step.”
But if you’re unmanned, you know that sometimes there are things that take priority over everything else. His voice wasn’t particularly warm, but it was calm and settled.
“I don’t know the ways of today’s times.”
Mokjin’s right hand was now on the sword at his waist.
“But in my time it was done this way.”
The sword was drawn silently and drew a cool trajectory as it headed towards Jegal Hee and Namgung Cheon.
He said.
“Do not accept the offer.”
It was a moment when simple coincidence and favor intertwined to become the precursor to a typhoon.
information)
The Murim Sega is made up of blood relatives, so there is a limit to how large it can grow, just like the sects of the Universal Murim Era. So, they usually grow their power by inviting sects that are connected to collateral branches or sects affiliated with the main faction within their sphere of influence. Usually, the power of a Sega is in the tens to hundreds of thousands, but when it reaches the level of the Five Great Sega, its subordinate forces alone reach millions.
Since leading the expulsion of the Sichuan Tang family in the past, the Zhuge Family has grown its influence to an unprecedented level among the Five Dynasties with the support of the human government, and its subordinate forces have grown to exceed ten million.
Se-ryeong, who barely managed to survive without any money, had half given up on revenge. However, after meeting Mok-jin, experiencing various incidents and earning a lot of money, her thoughts changed.
Both Gupaebang and Moorimsega belong to the same faction, but the way they are viewed by the people of Moorim is a bit different. While Gupaebang has an image of being old-fashioned and somewhat corrupt, it is still recognized as being on the side of justice, while Moorimsega is on the side of justice, but it feels like a kind of chaebol power that tends to pursue personal interests within that category.
In reality, the Gupaebang tends to pursue more justice, while the Murimsega tends to pursue honor. Of course, this is just a tendency, and it is not an absolute characteristic.
The Murim Sega is very harsh towards hostile forces, especially those who challenge the honor of the Sega. This is because only then can they properly lead their subordinate forces, each with different backgrounds.
From the perspective of the martial arts world, Mokjin is one of the best masters to befriend, but in other words, that’s all. In martial arts worlds and schools, there is a strong tendency to consider the absolute master as a ‘strategic individual force that is best not to be hostile, but can sufficiently respond politically and militarily’.
If the external affairs department of the Murim Sega had known that Cheolsi Gwi-ong had single-handedly attacked the fortified planet, they would have upgraded Mok-jin to an ‘asymmetric force that can conditionally deliver a significant strategic blow to the Murim forces’, unlike the general absolute masters.
Even though Namgung Se-ga is hostile to Mok-jin, he still only treats them as targets for his own use and has no intention of sending combat troops unless they directly engage in combat.
Both Namgungcheon and Jegalhee know that Mokjin is stronger than them. Nevertheless, they applied for the non-combat because Mokjin openly challenged the authority of the Five Great Families. Most of the direct descendants of the martial arts families are taught that even if defeat is certain, if they are the direct descendants of the family, they should not overlook a challenge to the authority of the family.
Usually, if a direct descendant of a powerful family like Namgungcheon and Jegalhee challenges you while risking defeat, it is an unwritten rule in martial arts that you usually don’t take their lives unless they are the leader of a very vicious faction. Not only is there a reputational issue, but if you really kill them because they are being attacked, the martial arts families who are blinded by the death of their direct descendant will come running and declare revenge.
Of course, it’s okay as long as you don’t kill them or make them completely incapacitated. If you’re a regular sect, it might be okay, but if you’re a Sapa-type expert, cutting off one or two limbs is considered industry practice and you’ll get away with it. In any case, if you receive biotechnology treatment or cyborg surgery, it won’t have any major problems in daily life or combat.
Jegal Hee and Namgung Cheon are aware that Mok Jin is more skilled than them, but they do not think that this means they have no chance of winning.
Mokjin did not intervene simply because of Jegalhee’s aggro.