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Chapter 26: Sword-Seizing Spar (3)
Chapter 26: Sword-Seizing Spar (3)
Chapter 26: Sword-Seizing Spar (3)
Peng Mu-ah gently tapped Jin Ri-yeon’s arm.
When Jin Ri-yeon turned to look, Peng Mu-ah had a flustered expression on her face.
“What should we do, sis? What should we do!”
“First… Let’s calm down.”
“Then hyah! He spun around and shoved the cup into his mouth…! I had no idea he was like that.”
Despite her words suggesting shock, in reality, Peng Mu-ah had immediately drawn her blade.
If Jin Ri-yeon had not stopped the disciple from the Seven Lightning Blade Sect, who was probably about to assist Yang Jeong by drawing his blade, he would have been in deep trouble.
Of course, he had already been knocked down by a kick to the solar plexus from Baek Ha-jun, instead of Peng Mu-ah.
“Really, I only thought he was weak, but to think he had that side too, how unexpected.”
As Peng Mu-ah said this, she was gasping for breath. Contrary to her words, her face looked excitedly flushed.
Jin Ri-yeon felt at a loss.
‘Please don’t be surprised if something embarrassing happens at the banquet.’
Yi-gang had told Jin Ri-yeon that this morning.
She wondered if something embarrassing would really happen. And sure enough, it did.
And it was all under Yi-gang’s lead.
“Those jerks, if they said such things in front of me, even I would have snapped!”
Peng Mu-ah voiced her support for Yi-gang with a scoff.
To Jin Ri-yeon’s eyes, it was true that the Seven Lightning Blade Sect had provoked the situation.
However, Yi-gang’s retaliation was immediate and incredibly bold. The problem was that the one Yi-gang picked a fight with was the Moyong Clan.
She naturally thought Moyong Tak would be furious, but he surprisingly accepted it with a laugh.
He declared a sword-seizing spar. A battle of pride between the Moyong Clan and Baek Clan had begun.
The people at the restaurant were holding their breaths at this unexpected turn of events.
“Waiter.”
Moyong Tak called out to a waiter, who was cleaning up the broken bottle pieces.
“Ye-yes!”
“We’ve wasted good liquor. Bring another bottle of Golden Essence Liquor. Make sure it’s the best one with a special aroma.”
“Ah, understood!”
The waiter rushed off, forgetting about the cleaning.
Moyong Tak leaned back in his chair leisurely.
“There’s no rush, so let’s take it easy.”
Moyong Jin and Baek Ha-jun were still glaring at each other.
The atmosphere was tense despite the closeness they had developed from training together over time.
Yi-gang responded lightly.
“Indeed.”
He surprisingly nodded in agreement to the suggestion of taking a short break.
Yi-gang looked at his hands. Though he wiped them with a towel, they still smelled of alcohol.
“I’ll go wash up for a moment.”
“You’re not planning to run away, are you?”
“…Haha.”
“Just kidding. Haha.”
Yi-gang descended the stairs of the restaurant.
The people who were speculating if a spar would happen immediately glanced at each other, gauging reactions.
“Everyone, relax. The food and drinks are delightful.”
After Moyong Tak said that, the crowd took their seats.
Ha-jun also sat down and slowly closed his eyes.
However, Moyong Jin could not do the same. In front of Ha-jun, who seemed unfazed, Moyong Jin hesitated.
“You.”
“…Yes?”
“You’re suddenly facing a spar, and you’re not nervous?”
Ha-jun did not reply, which made Moyong Jin feel even more frustrated.
“It’s not just a regular spar, but a sword-seizing spar using real swords. The honor of our clan is at stake.”
“And?”
“What do you mean ‘and’? Obviously…”
Saying that one should obviously be nervous would only make Moyong Jin, who was truly nervous, look ridiculous.
He had been reprimanded by his elder brother not long ago. He was told that he would perform the sword-seizing spar with Ha-jun in front of everyone.
He had tried to calm himself by repeatedly thinking about this spar, but when the day arrived, his body became stiff with tension.
On the other hand, Ha-jun seemed calm. At this rate, there was a possibility of losing again.
“You too. No, I mean, you are.”
Moyong Jin swallowed and asked,
“Your brother ordered it, right? For you to fight.”
“Yes.”
Unexpectedly, Ha-jun readily admitted. He too, like Moyong Jin, was fighting due to the will of his elder brother.
Moyong Jin felt both a sense of camaraderie and a sense of injustice.
His father had lost in a sword-seizing spar against Iron-blooded Merciless Baek Ryu-san in the past, but…
What does Moyong Jin’s spar with Baek Ha-jun have to do with that? To show the martial world that the Moyong Clan’s swordsmanship was superior to the Baek Clan? What’s the intention behind demonstrating that?
There was one reason. It was for his elder brother, Moyong Tak.
Externally, he could not express it, and he even dared not think about it, but in reality, that was the case. Moyong Jin’s subconscious felt this situation was irrational.
“That’s why I feel more at ease.”
At that moment, the silent Ha-jun suddenly said that. Moyong Jin did not understand what he meant.
“You feel at ease?”
“My brother is much smarter than I am.”
“…Even so.”
“Also, there’s no way my brother would do anything that would harm either me or our clan.”
If it had been the old times, before he got to know Yi-gang and Ha-jun, he might have disagreed.
Would you trust your half-witted older brother when there was no one to trust? He might have fired back like that.
“…”
But now, after getting to know Yi-gang and Ha-jun, Moyong Jin could not refute those words.
“If my brother says to fight, then it’s right to fight. But since I’ve already drawn the sword…”
Ha-jun looked straight into Moyong Jin’s eyes.
“I don’t plan on losing.”
Moyong Jin instinctively avoided that gaze.
“Jin. Enough with the pointless chatter. Come here.”
Right then, Moyong Tak called out to Moyong Jin.
Moyong Jin, as if running away, but with an awkward stride, sat beside his brother.
“Are you nervous?”
“…Yes.”
“Of course, you would be.”
Moyong Tak did not blame Moyong Jin.
“Now, take the cup.”
He then handed over a small cup made of crystal.
On the table, unnoticed until now, was a bottle of Golden Essence Liquor that the waiter had brought over. The bottle’s mouth was adorned with gold strings.
“This is…”
“Relax. Do your best. I trust you.”
Young Moyong Jin does not drink alcohol. However, how could he refuse his brother’s words in such a situation? Touched, Moyong Jin took the cup, and Moyong Tak poured Golden Essence Liquor into it.
“But… what if I get drunk?”
“Ha-ha! A mere sip from this small cup would not dull your sword skills. Instead, it will put you at ease.”
Moyong Jin nodded and took a gulp.
The sip of Golden Essence Liquor, though minimal, felt incredibly cold. However, once it slid down his throat, it felt blazingly hot.
“Euk.”
“How is it?”
“My chest feels warm.”
“Feeling a bit relaxed now?”
“It seems… so.”
Truly, he felt warmth inside, and courage began to surge. Seeing his younger brother like that, Moyong Tak’s eyes curled up like crescents.
“Oh, perfect timing.”
Just then, Yi-gang was coming up the stairs.
“Go prepare for the spar.”
“Yes!”
Moyong Jin headed towards the sparring stage with a stern expression. He seemed uncomfortable, touching his chest now and then, but felt better than before.
Moyong Tak looked back at Yi-gang, who was not approaching immediately but stood beside Jin Ri-yeon and Peng Mu-ah.
Whatever they whispered to each other remained unknown.
“Hmph.”
Moyong Tak was not particularly interested. His attention was entirely on the upcoming spar.
‘The preparations are perfect.’
Choosing such an elaborate method was to eliminate any potential risks.
At the outer restaurant, where there are no vassals of the Baek Clan.
Having the martial artists as witnesses for the duel.
He used the drug, Pilinu powder, received from Tang Go-jin of the Tang clan.
‘I would’ve preferred not using the Low Down Sect.’
The conditions for using Pilinu powder were stringent. It worked best mixed with alcohol, and after mixing, it must be consumed within a certain period.
He could not possibly perform such a meticulous process in public view.
‘It was unavoidable.’
The Low Down Sect would surely not defy Moyong Tak. It must have been handled properly.
Boldly, Yi-gang sat down next to Moyong Tak.
“It’s about time it started.”
“You took quite some time. Was it a big deal? Haha.”
Yi-gang ignored Moyong Tak’s jest.
Yi-gang also seemed visibly tense. It was surprising when the frail Yi-gang subdued the Green Field Gang disciple with his techniques, but to Moyong Tak, it was still of a lower caliber and unworthy of his attention.
“Jin, get ready.”
Upon Moyong Tak’s command, Moyong Jin and Baek Ha-jun locked eyes and placed their hands on their sword hilts.
Unlike the friendly spars, in a sword-seizing spar, they did not follow the ceremonial steps like clashing their swords thrice.
Just as Moyong Tak was rising to address the spectators about their role as witnesses—
Someone called out to him.
“Excuse me, Young Master Moyong.”
Unexpectedly, Peng Mu-ah approached.
“Hm?”
Wondering why he was being bothered at such a critical moment, Moyong Tak concealed his irritation and offered a thin smile.
“What is it?”
“You dropped this.”
The moment he saw what was in Peng Mu-ah’s delicate hand,
Moyong Tak’s heart felt like it dropped heavily.
In Peng Mu-ah’s hand was a yellow piece of paper. It was the yellow paper from Sichuan that sealed the Pilinu powder.
“Th-thank… you.”
He almost snatched the paper from her.
“Yes.”
Peng Mu-ah returned to Jin Ri-yeon’s side.
Despite this, Moyong Tak’s heart continued to race uncontrollably.
It was clear. This yellow paper was the same one Moyong Tak had kept with him. The one he had passed to the Low Down Sect member
Dropped it? Impossible. There was no way he had dropped something he had already handed over.
As Moyong Tak’s thoughts reached this point, he heard Yi-gang’s mocking voice.
“This liquor smells different. Seems like you got a new one. Oh, only this one is tied with a golden string.”
When Moyong Tak turned his head, Yi-gang was holding a bottle of Golden Essence Liquor, gulping it down.
All of this had happened in the brief moment Peng Mu-ah had diverted Moyong Tak’s attention.
Moyong Tak instinctively snatched the liquor bottle from Yi-gang.
From the looks of it, he had already consumed quite a bit. This meant Yi-gang had ingested multiple times the amount of Pilinu powder that had been given to Moyong Jin.
“What… what have you done?!”
Moyong Tak’s face contorted in despair.
“Just because I took a little sip of your drink… Was there gold dust or something in it?”
Yi-gang’s casual demeanor and words seemed suspicious.
‘What did they say happens when one overdoses on Pilinu powder?’
A small amount was said to be harmless, but according to Tang Go-jin, it was clear…
“Uhm… ah… gah.”
Suddenly, Yi-gang clutched at his chest.
“Cough, cough!”
He started coughing violently, convulsing severely. He was clearly not okay.
The crowd began murmuring in confusion. Baek Ha-jun and Moyong Jin, who had been locked in a stare-down, also turned their gaze to Yi-gang.
“Hey! Hey!”
Moyong Tak, also alarmed, checked on Yi-gang’s condition. Yi-gang, his face now pale, glared at Moyong Tak.
With force, as if he was vomiting blood, he uttered a single word,
“Poi… poison…!”
The moment the word “poison” left his lips, someone screamed in horror.
“What?!”
Moyong Tak grabbed onto the staggering Yi-gang.
People stared at Yi-gang and Moyong Tak with shocked expressions. Amidst their glaring eyes, Moyong Tak’s head began to throb with pain.
Yi-gang looked as though he might vomit blood at any moment.
“There’s no way… it definitely wasn’t poison…”
If Moyong Tak were entirely innocent, he would not have uttered such a remark.
However, at his careless words, Yi-gang chuckled.
“Heh. Haha.”
Moyong Tak could not understand why Yi-gang, shaking his shoulders, was quietly laughing.
“Why are you laughing…?”
“Of course it wasn’t poison.”
Only then did Moyong Tak realize that Yi-gang seemed much better than he initially thought.
His breathing was steady, and he was even smiling. His face was flushed because he drank and exerted strength.
“With aconite, corydalis, and dahurica seeds, I made sure I wouldn’t feel any pain.”
Moyong Tak’s face hardened like ice.
“Ephedra, stone weeds, and others to awaken the senses. Even a small dose will make the senses sharp, preventing sleep for days.”
Yi-gang was reciting the ingredients that Tang Go-jin had mentioned when providing the Pilinu powder.
“There are many dangerous ingredients as well. I’ve heard that the soldiers at the borders inhale the vapor from boiled pig urine before battles. This is even more potent than that.”
“What nonsense are you spouting?”
“Haha.”
To Moyong Tak, Yi-gang’s laughter sounded like the devil’s chuckle.
“Though I have some knowledge in medicine, there are many things I didn’t recognize. The person who crafted it is quite skilled…”
“Shut your mouth!”
“It’d be better if you lowered your voice.”
Because Yi-gang spoke softly, the spectators could not fully hear their conversation. However, they were certainly aware that something suspicious was happening.
Yi-gang then stood up, looking perfectly fine.
He declared to the onlookers, who were staring with dropped jaws,
“All unrelated to me should leave this place by the count of three. This includes those who work here.”
It was an abrupt and rude command.
Yet, the one giving the order was a young master from the Baek Clan, someone no one could underestimate in Xi’an.
“Those who remain will certainly pay the price, staking my clan’s and my name. Three.”
And then, he began counting down immediately.
Even if they were not from the Seven Lightning Blade Sect or the Green Field Gang, all the martial artists who had come to watch on Moyong Tak’s invitation wore faces of indignation. They looked at Moyong Tak as if urging him to say something, anything.
“Two.”
But all he did was maintain silence with a twisted face.
“One-”
“Everyone, please leave.”
Moyong Tak had no choice but to say it in a dejected voice.
Soon, the crowd that had filled the fourth floor of the restaurant all descended. They even hurried, fearing they might offend Yi-gang.
The only ones left were Yi-gang, Moyong Tak, and the members of the Seven Stars Conference.
“Tsk.”
Yi-gang clicked his tongue at Moyong Tak.
“You fed such a thing to your brother just to win in a mere spar?”
This time, he did not lower his voice. Moyong Jin looked back and forth between Yi-gang and his own brother in shock.
“If you had used a mountain venom on Ha-jun just to win, I might have understood. It’s a spar you had to win after all.”
“…”
Yi-gang’s voice carried a subtle hint of anger.
After meeting Jeong Gu a short while ago, Yi-gang verified the powder handed to him by Moyong Tak. By smelling the powder and consuming a small amount, he had discerned its true nature.
Thanks to his hands-on experience and consistent study in pharmacology, he understood it fully.
It was not Sangong powder. It was a drug that temporarily enhanced martial strength and made one forget fear.
In other words, it was intended not for Ha-jun, but for his own brother.
“Such drugs that temporarily awaken the body’s latent power inevitably have side effects. You should know that,”
Yi-gang said, genuinely angered by Moyong Tak’s scheme.
“From a human standpoint, as a brother…”
“Shut up.”
“You shouldn’t feed such trash to a brother who’s about to become a martial artist. You shameless bastard.”
Yi-gang’s gaze was icy.
“I said shut up!”
Moyong Tak drew his sword like lightning.
His flawless sword-drawing technique was so swift it was almost invisible. The sharpened blade threatened Yi-gang’s throat.
“Stop!”
And then, everyone rushed toward Yi-gang and Moyong Tak.
“Brother!”
Leading the charge was Moyong Jin, his expression seemingly on the verge of tears.
Moyong Tak saw his younger brother’s face.
“This, this…”
The ever-present smile he wore like a mask was now gone.
His face contorted, as if he would crumble at any moment.