Chapter 64

"Are you talking to me?"

Hyo-ryong confirmed, pointing to his own chin with his index finger.

"Yes, I'm talking to you."

The young man in the yellow martial robe nodded his head. On his left chest was an embroidered crest of five swords and five dragons encircling them. A Five Sword Dragon! They were geniuses of martial arts said to surpass the direct disciples of the great sects. He was one of the few skilled individuals who were hard to find even within the Cheonmu Academy.

"Who are you?"

"Ah, I haven't introduced myself. I am So Cheon-gun, the Clear Wind Sword from the Qingcheng Sect. I am a third-year at the academy and belong to the Four Sword Lords of the Sword Soul Society."

Seeing his chest puff out when he said 'Four Sword Lords', he seemed to be a person of a considerably high position within the Sword Soul Society. But unfortunately, no matter how high a status one has to boast about to others, it has no effect if the other person does not know it.

"This humble one is Hyo-ryong of the Tae-eul Sword Sect."

Hyo-ryong responded with a fist-and-palm salute. Since the other party had revealed his sect, he also revealed his own sect as a matter of Jianghu etiquette.

"Tae-eul Sword Sect? Due to my lack of knowledge, I have no memory of it. Was there such a sect?"

As So Cheon-gun tilted his head and expressed his doubt, Hyo-ryong answered with a smile.

"It's natural that you don't know. It's a single-lineage sect, so it's bound to be unknown."

"Haha, is that so? As expected, there are many hidden talents in the Jianghu. That is also an interesting point of the Jianghu."

He, who had been nodding his head continuously at Hyo-ryong's words, looked at Hyo-ryong again and asked in a serious tone.

"Seeing your physique and posture, you seem to be a person who has deeply learned the sword. What do you say? About joining our Sword Soul Society. Our Geomhon-gwan is the largest, strongest, and best club in the academy, and we have numerous sword talents and sword demons. If you, as a swordsman, join our Sword Soul Society, I expect there will be much development. It will be a gain for you, and there will be absolutely no harm."

"The Sword Soul Society?"

"It is the largest, best, and strongest club that possesses the greatest and most powerful force in our Cheonmu Academy. It is a gathering where the best next-generation figures of the Jianghu gather to research and develop the profound truths contained in the sword. I guarantee that if you join this place, it will be of great help in ascending to a new realm of the sword."

His boast was full of confidence.

"Is it such a great place?"

"Of course. No matter how much you take lectures on sword studies, isn't it all in vain if you don't understand? There is a limit to one-sided teaching. The club activities are to supplement that. Everyone must join and be active in at least one club. It's a documented rule written in the school regulations. What do you say, will you join?"

"Hmm... shall I?"

It seemed that Hyo-ryong was also getting interested. But something that dampened his interest happened soon after.

"It would be better to reconsider such a misjudgment."

Everyone's gaze turned to where the voice had come from. What was clear was that it was by no means a voice from among their group. At the source of the sound stood a young man in a black robe with a rough impression, wearing a crudely made saber at his waist. He was a man who exuded a hegemonic aura, with thick, dark eyebrows and a strong chin. Seeing him, So Cheon-gun's impression was slightly wrinkled.

"What are you doing here?"

So Cheon-gun asked bluntly.

"Shall we say I'm an apostle of justice who has come to save a little lamb that has fallen into your evil clutches?"

The young man in the black robe taunted in a mocking voice. On the young man's chest was embroidered the same number of Five Sword Dragon crests as So Cheon-gun. It was a proof that he was a person of equal skill.

"To hear such words from the mouth of a riff-raff from the Saber Soul Society, which is a bundle of ferocity and ignorance, is utterly ridiculous. One Saber Shatter, Gu Chang!"

The Clear Wind Sword, So Cheon-gun, retorted as if it were ridiculous, in a voice full of hostility. The other party did not lose either.

"To hear such words from a gang of the Sword Soul Society, the personification of cunning and deceit, my deceased ancestors would laugh so hard their belly buttons would fall out. It's utterly ridiculous."

"What did you say!"

So Cheon-gun and Gu Chang growled at each other as if they were going to eat each other. The ferocity of their confrontation was enough to put a beast of prey to shame. The two seemed to have very bad feelings for each other. In fact, the Sword Soul Society and the Saber Soul Society had a relationship as bad as sworn enemies within the Cheonmu Academy and were in a thorough competitive relationship. It would be stranger if their relationship were good.

"You!"

Gu Chang said, pointing at Hyo-ryong.

"Yes?"

Hyo-ryong answered in a daze. He, who did not know how the situation was unfolding, could not understand what was going on. Gu Chang's gaze rested on his twin swords.

"That swordsmanship punk over there seems to be seducing you, but I'll give you some advice for your future. What's so good about a sword that's only flashy and full of pretense? Shouldn't a real man learn the saber, the personification of strength, which combines both power and speed? Reject that flimsy club right away and join our Saber Soul Society. It's not too late to start over from now. A real man is all about the saber."

"Shut up. He is a great swordsman, no matter what anyone says. He is a person who has reached a realm that cannot be compared to you. To force him to learn the saber, which is ignorant, brutal, and has no elegance, is absurd. Don't be ridiculous. You!"

The last words were calling Hyo-ryong.

"Yes?"

"Don't listen to that ignorant saber-wielder. You are a great swordsman, no matter what anyone says. My eyes cannot be deceived. How can I watch you fall into the pit of the ignorant and hideous saber technique? That is an act that is the same as giving up on your future. Don't listen to that ill-bred person and join our Sword Soul Society right away."

"Hmph, what's the point of joining the Sword Soul Society, where they won't even pay attention to you?"

"What kind of slander are you trying to make this time?"

So Cheon-gun said in a chilly tone.

"Hmph, who in this academy doesn't know that your Sword Soul Society is a lackey of the rotten nine great sects? No matter how talented a person is, if they are not a person of the nine sects, they are alienated and ignored. Isn't that your Sword Soul Society?"

Gu Chang's words were extremely scathing. So Cheon-gun's complexion hardened noticeably. It seemed that Gu Chang's words were not so wrong.

"I'm not like that."

"Hmph, just because you're not like that doesn't mean the other punks are the same. Besides, you're just as suspicious."

Suddenly, So Cheon-gun's mouth closed like a clam. His complexion was grave, and it seemed he couldn't find the words to refute. In fact, Gu Chang's words were almost true. The Sword Soul Society had a strong character of being a shadow and a double of the Nine Orthodoxies Association, so it was difficult to be treated well if one was not a person of the nine sects. So it was hard to find people other than those from the nine sects. But this situation was the same for the Saber Soul Society.

"Aren't you guys the same, ganging up and plotting?"

"Hmph, so you're admitting that you guys are ganging up and plotting."

Gu Chang caught on to the tail of his words and dragged it out.

"What kind of absurd sophistry is this? Don't talk nonsense."

"It's strictly different. You know that well, so why are you like this? Our Saber Soul Society is a place made by the people of the Eight Families Association and the Heroes Association. I'd appreciate it if you didn't compare us to you guys who are just plotting with nine sects. Since that punk is obviously not a person of the nine sects, shouldn't he join our Saber Soul Society?"

The organization created to stand against the Sword Soul Society, the double of the nine sects, was the Saber Soul Society. It was an organization to stop the monopoly of the nine sects and to keep their power in check. The Saber Soul Society was a place where the Eight Families Association, with the eight great families as its axis, and the Heroes Association, where other large and small gangs and sects had gathered, had joined forces.

So they had hung up a sign saying it was a place to research the sword and the saber, but in reality, they were in the middle of a power struggle. As a result, both places had members who were far from having a connection with the sword and the saber. In other words, if one was a person of the eight great families, they would join the Saber Soul Society, leaving aside the Sword Soul Society, even if they used a sword. Both sides would not be able to deny that they had deviated from the original purpose of the club by about 102,000 meters. So it was natural that they could not mix like water and oil, or like dogs and monkeys, and were always bickering.

The two seemed to have a strange talent for hurting each other's feelings. The talent of growling whenever they met was also one of their indispensable specialties. Whenever and wherever they met, they could instill enough ill feelings in each other.

The two largest clubs that had built the largest forces among the Cheonmu Academy clubs were the Sword Soul Society and the Saber Soul Society. Since both were places that researched the two major weapons most widely used in the Jianghu, it was natural that they had the largest number of members. The two were on par in terms of the number of members, force, and skill, so it was difficult to determine their superiority every year. These days, the Sword Soul Society was one step ahead, and the Saber Soul Society was putting all its efforts to catch up.

That is why the Sword Soul Society and the Saber Soul Society are always growling at each other like sworn enemies and continuing their power struggle. Since both places were united with pride and the interests of the Jianghu were also involved, reconciliation was unthinkable.

"Weak sword-method fanatic!"

"Ignorant saber-technique-wielder!"

These words were the most frequently used insults when the people of the Sword Soul Society and the Saber Soul Society cut each other down. Of course, they, who had exchanged the established insults, flared up.

"What did you say? You impudent punk!"

The atmosphere surrounding the two was getting more and more brutal. The air began to vibrate with killing intent.

"It's Formless Ki."

Jang Hong said, his eyes shining. Formless Ki was a term that referred to the formless sword ki that only a peak master or higher could use. It was not a skill of a realm that anyone could easily use. Besides, its power was also a force that was reminiscent of an old master.

"Oh my, at this rate, it'll be hard for either side to be safe."

Jang Hong said, clicking his tongue. Because he could feel the invisible Formless Ki between the two fiercely entangling. In any case, they were fellow disciples, so doing that was not a very desirable phenomenon.

"They're raising their momentum more and more. It won't be easy."

The skills of the two seemed to be on par. A power struggle using Formless Ki in a situation where neither side was in a definitely superior position was an act as dangerous as an internal energy contest. But neither of the two had any intention of slowing down their momentum, and on the contrary, it was only getting stronger and stronger.

"Hey, Hyo-ryong? Who do you think will win between those two? That ignorant saber-wielder over there, or that slender-bodied swordsman over there?"

Bi Ryu-yeon's assessment of the two was merciless. It was another hobby of Bi Ryu-yeon to enjoy this kind of brutal atmosphere as if watching a fire across the river. He even had a record of sometimes deliberately creating this kind of atmosphere if he had the chance.

"Well? I think the Clear Wind Sword, So Cheon-gun, over there has a slight advantage."

"Hey, are you taking his side just because you're also a swordsman?"

"No, this is a very objective assessment. I'm not a fool to put my personal feelings into the outcome of a match. I can see that the Saber Soul Society brother over there is excited both on the outside and on the inside. But So Cheon-gun of the Sword Soul Society, even if he's pretending to be excited on the outside, his inside is probably as cold as an ice crystal. His transparently clear eyes say it all. He seems to have accumulated considerable training. It's a difficult thing to reach that kind of realm."

Hyo-ryong was honestly impressed. But his tone was only tinged with a slight admiration, and there was no feeling of longing at all. His tone was a leisurely attitude that he had already reached that realm a long time ago.

"It would be very interesting if they fought to the death. Looking at their form, it's a pity that they seem to be ending it with just a war of nerves."

Hyo-ryong smiled wryly at Bi Ryu-yeon's regretful tone, like a child who had missed a fire.

"Endure it. I refuse to get involved in a fight from the very beginning of my official academy life. The incident at the Geomhon-gwan freshman welcoming party yesterday was more than enough. Yesterday felt like a year's worth of accidents all at once."

He expressed yesterday's incident as the culmination of a year's worth of accidents, but unfortunately, the real accidents had not even happened yet. Compared to the things that would happen around him in the future, the Ho Cheon-gang rampage incident yesterday was a weak incident that was not even worth the blood of a bird's foot. But for Hyo-ryong, who did not have the handy talent of reading the future, it was natural that he could not predict what was to come. It was the same for Jang Hong and Yun Jun-ho.

"It seems that neither of those places is a place to join."

Hyo-ryong also nodded his head at Bi Ryu-yeon's assessment.

"I think so. If they bicker like that every day, I don't think my nerves will last."

The match was still undecided, and the momentum was only getting more and more vicious.

"But in the Cheonmu Academy, one person is required to join one club. Whether it's a club related to academics or a club related to martial arts, you can choose according to your personal preference. That's an individual's freedom. But don't forget. The fact that you must join at least one place, wherever it is."

Jang Hong said firmly. Bi Ryu-yeon and Hyo-ryong began to think again about what kind of club to join.

"How about a dagger throwing club?"

Hyo-ryong recommended one place. It was a field that he had been very interested in for a long time.

"I'll pass on that."

Bi Ryu-yeon shook his head.

"Why?"

"I think there's nothing more to learn in that area. My Flying Thunder Dagger is more than enough. Let's find something else."

Bi Ryu-yeon himself had the Flying Thunder Dagger. For him, who had learned the Flying Thunder Dagger, the culmination of dagger throwing and silk sword, further dagger throwing classes were meaningless. Everything else just looked like child's play in his eyes.

When he tried to decide on a place to join, there was no suitable place. Even though there were dozens of clubs lined up along the road, there was no place that appealed to him.

While they were talking and exchanging opinions, the formless secret struggle between So Cheon-gun and Gu Chang was getting more and more intense. A sensation that could be fully felt even from 6 meters away. He could feel the sharp edge generated by the clash of their Formless Ki piercing his skin. Now, the two were glaring at each other, keeping each other in check, while emitting their maximum Formless Ki.

As the situation developed to this point, it became very difficult to resolve. There was a danger of having one's heart meridian severed and dying if one carelessly stepped into the area where Formless Ki was entangled. It is no exaggeration to say that the space dominated by Formless Ki is already a different space. It is said that peak masters can kill people with just this Formless Ki, so one can imagine how great its power is. Formless Ki was something that an ordinary person would die just by looking at.

So Cheon-gun and Gu Chang, whether their pride and competitive spirit had been ignited, were not thinking about the virtue of yielding at all. It was an attitude of deciding even life and death if necessary.

"Hey, you guys are watching something interesting."

Yun Jun-ho was startled and quickly turned his head back. Because he had not felt any presence at all, even though the voice behind him had approached so close. In a real battle, it was a threat that could have cost him his life by having his neck cut. Unlike him, Bi Ryu-yeon, Hyo-ryong, and Jang Hong were extremely calm, as if they already knew.