Yi-gang and the Wandering Crescent Blade agreed to visit each other’s space the following day.

During the negotiation, they also proposed taking turns inviting each other, but that method was dismissed.

This was because, if monitored, neither side could properly assess the abilities of the other’s successors.

Both Yi-gang and the Wandering Crescent Blade had clear objectives.

Yi-gang addressed the successors before him.

“So, Wandering Crescent Blade will soon come here.”

Noh Shik raised a question.

“Is there any reason for us to reveal our martial arts to the unorthodox side? No matter what, martial arts are not meant to be shared outside.”

The implication was that revealing their martial arts before a match was unnecessary.

Yi-gang, of course, did not intend to do so either.

“Of course, that’s unacceptable. Your sects wouldn’t forgive it.”

“Then what do we do?”

“You can spar with Wandering Crescent Blade once.”

This was the agreement Yi-gang and the Wandering Crescent Blade had reached.

By crossing swords, one could roughly gauge the martial arts, habits, and tendencies of the opponent.

The successors seemed to understand the meaning behind his words.

It would now be critical to see what kind of information the Wandering Crescent Blade and Yi-gang each gather.

“Wandering Crescent Blade is undoubtedly the main figure behind the Jeungpyeong Bloodshed… This won’t be easy.”

As Noh Shik muttered, So Woon also grew serious.

“Can we really fight well against the Wandering Crescent Blade?”

The Wandering Crescent Blade was someone so strong that even the Unorthodox Union Leader valued him highly.

Hearing this, Yi-gang widened his eyes and said, “Why fight well?”

“Huh?”

“Why would you fight well for him? You shouldn’t do that.”

“Then…”

“The better you fight, the more of your strength will be exposed, won’t it?”

Yi-gang’s tone implied this should’ve been obvious.

Noh Shik nodded as if he had already understood Yi-gang’s intentions.

“Hide your skills.”

“Oh…”

“Even so, the Wandering Crescent Blade will do his best to draw out your abilities.”

This was a battle between Yi-gang and the Wandering Crescent Blade.

Who could better draw out the real skills of the opposing side? Who could gather more information in the process?

Naturally, the unorthodox successors wouldn’t reveal their true abilities either.

“Truly…”

Noh Shik wore an expression of admiration.

“Brilliant!”

To Noh Shik, such cunning was an admirable virtue.

But Yi-gang didn’t stop there.

“Just act like fools.”

“…Pardon?”

“I’m saying, pretend to be a little slow-witted.”

“Pretend to be slow-witted?”

“Act dumb. Make them think, ‘These guys aren’t normal.’”

“That’s a bit…”

“Noh Shik, show them a demonstration.”

The successors, including Na Hee-yeon, turned to look at Noh Shik.

Noh Shik didn’t even respond but simply left his mouth hanging open.

Then, he picked his nose with one finger.

“Heh…”

Noh Shik grinned blankly with unfocused eyes.

From his slightly opened mouth, a drop of saliva seemed ready to fall at any moment.

It was truly an uncanny performance.

Yi-gang nodded in satisfaction.

“Excellent. A fine example.”

At the same time, the expressions of the other successors darkened.

“The unorthodox successors wouldn’t go this far. They still have their pride.”

Does that mean we have no pride?

Yet no one dared to ask that aloud.

“I’m leaving now. The Wandering Crescent Blade will arrive soon.”

With those words, Yi-gang departed.

An icy silence lingered among the remaining successors.

The first to break the silence was none other than Na Hee-yeon.

After all, Na Hee-yeon harbored the greatest dissatisfaction with Yi-gang’s iron-fisted rule.

“Are we really going to do it? Play dumb?”

“…”

Except for Noh Shik, who seemed indifferent as if wondering what the problem was, everyone else remained silent.

Even though they had decided to follow Yi-gang’s orders, this felt like an entirely different matter.

Acting like a fool in front of an unorthodox master—this was something beyond imagination.

“I can’t do it. No matter what, how can I act like a fool…”

Yi-gang had told them to behave foolishly, not to perform like complete idiots. However, Na Hee-yeon and the other successors seemed to interpret his words a bit differently. ℞ãNОΒËṣ

At that moment, the Wandering Crescent Blade appeared from a distance, strolling casually.

It seemed he had prepared for today’s sparring, as he carried a large crescent blade on his back.

As he approached, he spread his legs slightly and stood before the successors.

“I look forward to today.”

With a wolf-like grin, the Wandering Crescent Blade smirked.

The Wandering Crescent Blade he held had a wolf-head ornament attached to it.

When he pointed it at someone, it was as if a wolf was targeting its prey.

“Let’s introduce ourselves. I’m the Wandering Crescent Blade Byeok Gi. You there, introduce yourself first.”

The Wandering Crescent Blade was a master of the unorthodox faction.

His overbearing attitude was apparent, but it was likely calculated behavior.

The tip of his crescent blade pointed at Ha-jun.

Ha-jun hesitated to answer.

“Are you deaf? I’m asking who you are.”

It was clear from his demeanor that Ha-jun was deliberately being defiant.

The Wandering Crescent Blade sneered as if he found it ridiculous.

He thought to himself.

‘Fine, I’ve been pent-up with frustration anyway. This is a good chance to let it all out.’

His arrogant and provoking behavior was entirely intentional.

While he couldn’t act recklessly toward the unorthodox faction’s successors due to their powerful backing, this group was different.

If they got angry and lashed out, he could simply use that as an excuse to beat them up.

Of course, injuring them before the sparring session wouldn’t be acceptable.

“Hey! No answer?”

“I…”

When the Wandering Crescent Blade barked at him again, Ha-jun slowly opened his mouth.

What came out next left the Wandering Crescent Blade speechless.

“What was my name again…?”

“…”

“Heh…”

Ha-jun stood there with a blank face, his mouth hanging open.

The Wandering Crescent Blade couldn’t know that Ha-jun barely stopped himself from going as far as picking his nose like Noh Shik.

The Wandering Crescent Blade flared up.

“Is this brat mocking me…?!”

As he glared angrily, the Wandering Crescent Blade flinched in shock upon seeing Noh Shik.

Noh Shik was lying flat on the ground, scratching his exposed belly.

‘What… are these guys?’

While the Wandering Crescent Blade stood flustered, the other successors shut their eyes tight and began engaging in bizarre antics.

So Woon sat on the ground and started building a sand tower with the dirt from the training yard, while Jeong Myung seized the opportunity to sit opposite him and join in the sand play.

“Y-you…!”

Flustered, the Wandering Crescent Blade turned his gaze to Na Hee-yeon, who had remained standing until then.

“You! Explain what’s going on here!”

Na Hee-yeon startled, her face gradually stiffening.

It wasn’t that she was angry at the Wandering Crescent Blade for commanding her so arrogantly.

Rather, she was utterly shocked that the other four successors had all simultaneously begun acting foolishly.

If things went south, she was sure she would end up shouldering all the blame.

“Uh, uh…”

Yet, despite her rising anxiety, she couldn’t bring herself to act foolishly like the others.

Overwhelmed with shame, anxiety, and a sense of betrayal, Na Hee-yeon resorted to the most familiar act she could think of.

Ding-ding-ding-

She plucked the strings and began to sing.

“The spring breeze is blowing now~”

“…”

“Petals scatter everywhere~”

Na Hee-yeon’s face turned bright red.

Yet, it seemed to have some effect.

The furious expression on the Wandering Crescent Blade’s face began to calm.

As he looked at Na Hee-yeon, the Wandering Crescent Blade thought.

‘…This woman is crazy.’

When the others had started their bizarre antics, he felt as though they were mocking him.

But as autumn deepened, watching Na Hee-yeon suddenly sing a springtime song sent chills down his spine.

‘No, I must regain my focus.’

He was certain they were putting on this charade to avoid revealing their true abilities.

“…Tch.”

Still, the Wandering Crescent Blade couldn’t deny that he had already lost in terms of sheer presence.

Yi-gang suddenly thought to himself.

He had instructed the successors to act as if they were lacking.

He had told them to mimic Noh Shik’s timely display of foolishness.

It was meant as an example, not a demand for the successors to match Noh Shik’s extraordinary performance.

‘Surely, they wouldn’t take it that far.’

Being “lacking” simply meant acting a little dull.

Making mistakes during sparring and appearing slow-witted.

‘They’ll figure it out and keep it appropriate.’

Surely, nothing could go wrong.

Yi-gang entered the training yard where the unorthodox successors were.

From here, it was Yi-gang’s responsibility.

He had already assessed Gal Dong-tak thoroughly before, so now he would focus on the other four.

“Ha.”

Yi-gang let out a dry laugh.

The unorthodox successors wouldn’t show Yi-gang their full abilities either.

The Wandering Crescent Blade had surely instructed them to conceal their skills, just as Yi-gang had.

Even so, he hadn’t expected them to respond this way.

“…Are you all that’s here?”

Yi-gang smiled.

At the designated meeting place, only two were present.

There was Gal Sa-hyeok, standing idly and rolling his eyes around.

And Flawless Blade Ghost Seomun Cheong, silently swinging his blade through the air.

Gal Dong-tak scratched his head and answered, “The others didn’t want to wait, so they didn’t show up.”

“And you?”

“I came because I made a promise.”

“Good. You did well.”

When Yi-gang patted him on the shoulder, Gal Dong-tak grinned broadly.

Yi-gang shifted his gaze to Seomun Cheong.

Seomun Cheong didn’t even glance at Yi-gang, continuing to swing his blade.

It wasn’t some extraordinary sword technique he was practicing—just a basic diagonal slash.

The only unusual aspect was the heavy chain tightly wrapped around his blade.

At the end of the chain, a massive rock was attached, setting it apart from an ordinary slash.

The heavy rock seemed to weigh at least a hundred jin.

Clang!

Each time the blade slashed through the air, the chain made a loud clattering noise.

Though his body was covered in burn scars, it didn’t seem to hinder his use of the blade.

“Still, there’s one more person here. My name is Baek Yi-gang.”

Clang!

Seomun Cheong didn’t respond.

Instead, Gal Dong-tak explained, “Brother Seomun wasn’t waiting for you. He just trains here at this time every day.”

“Ah, I see.”

Yi-gang smiled.

It was clear that Seomun Cheong didn’t care about his presence.

“Still, since someone’s here, shouldn’t you at least say hello?”

Yi-gang was looking down on Seomun Cheong despite him being the child of the Unorthodox Union Leader.

Yet, even so, Seomun Cheong didn’t reply.

Yi-gang raised the stakes with his words.

“I heard you took quite the blow from the Heaven-Shattering Thunder. Did it deafen you, too?”

“…”

It was not something to let slide easily.

Seomun Cheong cast a sharp glare at Yi-gang.

Eyes that seemed capable of killing a person with a mere gaze—those were the kind of eyes he had.

“Watch your mouth, brat.”

The oppressive aura surged like a blade.

It was the intangible energy of a true master, strong enough to pressure others solely through presence.

However, Yi-gang didn’t waver in the slightest.

He was someone who had stood face-to-face with the Heavenly Demon.

If Yi-gang didn’t flinch before the Unorthodox Union Leader, how could he be intimidated by the leader’s son, who merely had a menacing face?

When Yi-gang showed no signs of being shaken, Seomun Cheong resumed swinging his blade.

From then on, no matter how much Yi-gang tried to provoke him with words, Seomun Cheong didn’t respond.

“Hm.”

Yi-gang fell silent for a moment.

Gal Dong-tak glanced nervously between Yi-gang and Seomun Cheong.

“It seems he doesn’t intend to engage with you easily.”

Yi-gang didn’t draw his sword.

Instead, he simply removed the long coat draped over his shoulders.

Then, Yi-gang tightened the hem of his pants once more.

“Fortunately, there’s one more person here.”

“Huh?”

Gal Dong-tak looked puzzled, but Yi-gang didn’t respond.

Recklessly, Yi-gang extended his foot toward the blade that Seomun Cheong was swinging.

“…!”

Seomun Cheong’s eyes flared with anger.

The audacity to challenge a blade with his foot!

It would be satisfying to sever that insolent ankle completely!

Swish!

Seomun Cheong’s blade accelerated sharply and slashed toward Yi-gang’s foot.

But Yi-gang’s foot twisted oddly at the last moment, narrowly avoiding the blade and instead kicking the rock bound by the chain below it.

The chain tied to the rock crossed the path of Seomun Cheong’s blade.

Clang!

In an instant, Seomun Cheong’s blade sliced cleanly through the chain holding the rock.

The massive rock, about the size of a child’s torso, briefly hovered in mid-air.

Yi-gang kicked the rock.

The rock flew like a ball and smashed into the door of a building.

Crash!

The door was utterly destroyed.

From inside, a person stumbled out.

“You crazy bastard!”

It was a man with a pale face—the Green-Faced Willow Demon, a disciple of the Five Poison Divine Lord, cursed in shock.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep