Chapter 136: Resentment is not forgotten but kept in the heart (2)

Gwansan Cheol stared at Nam Suryeon with burning eyes. In response, Nam Suryeon's forehead slightly wrinkled, but there was no hint of any emotional disturbance in her gaze.

It was actually Gwansan Cheol, who provoked her with his intense gaze, who seemed more bewildered by her unyielding eye contact. The longer he looked into her eyes, the more strangely he felt his whole body withering away.

Jinmuwon mumbled as he watched this scene.

"Is that the 'Eye Soul Control' (안광제혼)?"

When one's internal energy reached the level of "Yungtong Mu'ae" (융통무애), it naturally emanated through their gaze. While it couldn't physically harm a person, it could deliver a significant mental blow to those with weaker internal energy or mental strength.

The fact that Nam Suryeon could unfold "Eye Soul Control" was a clear indication of her exceptional martial arts skills.

If left unchecked, Gwansan Cheol would undoubtedly suffer a severe mental blow. It was as if a mouse stood in front of a snake and couldn't lift its tail. Similarly, when Gwansan Cheol stood before Nam Suryeon, the same was bound to happen.

In some ways, this method was more efficient and ruthless than suppressing with martial arts skills, but it was also a technique that not just anyone could employ.

"Grrr!"

Under the pressure on his psyche, Gwansan Cheol's cheeks contorted unpleasantly.

At that moment, Ju Munho intervened between the two.

"Haha! Your gazes are too fierce. Let's leave the greetings for today and meet again later."

"Hah."

As Ju Munho blocked Nam Suryeon, Gwansan Cheol finally exhaled the breath he had been holding. Images of her eyes flashed in his mind.

Ju Munho's intervention had come at the perfect moment. Thanks to him, Gwansan Cheol was spared, and Nam Suryeon's "Eye Soul Control" dissipated like foam on the water. It indicated that Ju Munho's martial arts level was higher than she had anticipated.

Ju Munho's gaze suddenly shifted towards Tang Mireyo, who was near Nam Suryeon. Clearly, until yesterday, Nam Suryeon had been alone, but now there were people with her.

Ju Munho's eyes gleamed. It was evident even at a glance that these newcomers were out of the ordinary.

He wanted to ask Nam Suryeon for introductions, but at that moment, she turned away. Ju Munho missed his chance to speak and could only watch her back as she walked away.

Suddenly, Ju Munho's gaze shifted towards Jinmuwon, who was walking alongside Nam Suryeon. The black sword that Jinmuwon was carrying, which looked like a Pi Pung (피풍), stood out remarkably.

"Hmm!"

He, too, was a swordsman dedicated to the extreme of swordsmanship. Undoubtedly, his ability to assess a sword was superior to most. He recognized that the sword at Jinmuwon's waist was truly an extraordinary weapon.

For a moment, a glint of greed flickered in his eyes but quickly disappeared. At that moment, Gwansan Cheol, who was standing nearby, exploded with anger.

"This damn!"

"Quiet."

"But, brother..."

"Do you want to bring shame upon yourself? There are many onlookers. There's still plenty of time, and there will be opportunities to repay any disgrace."

Gwansan Woong patted Gwansan Cheol's shoulder. Perhaps because he was the older brother, Gwansan Woong appeared more rational and composed than Gwansan Cheol. However, there was an unmistakable glint of jealousy in his eyes.

The Seven Martial Peaks were a formidable barrier for young martial artists to overcome. Knowing that there was someone among their contemporaries with overwhelming presence and reputation was indeed uncomfortable.

And then it happened.

"Damn! These muscleheads think they're something just because they're all buffed up."

Someone muttered as they walked past them. It was Myeongryu Mountain.

The faces of Heukbaek Ssangwoong twisted in response to the muttered comment. It seemed as if the remark was directed at them, even though it didn't specifically refer to them. However, they couldn't get angry without a clear target.

In the meantime, Myeongryu Mountain had disappeared into the crowd.

"Changryong Society... I don't know who they are, but they seem to have some dangerous ideas."

Danggimun's expression stiffened as he heard about the Changryong Society from Nam Suryeon. It was the first time he had heard of it, but it wasn't the case for Hajinwool.

"Seomun Hyeryeong."

The only person who had brought disgrace to him.

She had wanted Hajinwool to join the Changryong Society, but he had rejected her proposal without hesitation. Seomun Hyeryeong's vision and the world she sought were not in alignment with him.

Hajinwool believed that the martial world should be left to flow naturally, to leave it to its own devices. Allowing it to progress according to its own order was, in his opinion, the closest representation of the true nature of the martial world.

On the other hand, Seomun Hyeryeong wanted to consolidate the martial world's order through powerful control, like the nine heavens. So she chose Damsoocheon and founded the Changryong Society.

The future form of the Changryong Society was uncertain, but it was undoubtedly one of the most potentially influential groups within the current martial world. As time passed, they would become even stronger. When Damsoocheon's disciples completed their training and emerged, their influence would undoubtedly grow larger.

Hajinwool's gaze shifted towards Jinmuwon.

Jinmuwon stood on the deck, gazing out at the wide river.

Tightly sealed lips, deep and profound pupils, and his distinctive aura of stillness.

"It's only him. The young martial artist who can stand against Changcheon Fortress is none other than him."

Jinmuwon was the only young martial artist he recognized. And at this moment, he was the final move Hajinwool believed in.

"Seomun Hyeryeong, if you've staked everything on Changcheon Fortress, then I too will wager everything on him."

Hajinwool clenched his lips until they bled.

The once-cold blood was now boiling hot. He wanted to release this fervor as soon as possible.

That's when Jinmuwon, sensing Hajinwool's gaze, approached him.

"Are you okay?"

"What's it to you?"

"You just seemed lost in thought."

"Hmph! When you reach my age, you tend to think a lot."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. But more importantly, don't ever support him."

"What do you mean?"

Jinmuwon looked at Hajinwool with a puzzled expression. Hajinwool's face held a strong determination.

Hajinwool didn't say more, but somehow, he felt like Jinmuwon understood what he meant. No, instinctively, he felt that Jinmuwon knew what he was getting at.

"Yes."

Jinmuwon nodded. Hajinwool rested his arm on Jinmuwon's shoulder.

"Don't be tense. Your journey has just begun."

"I understand."

"Good, that's all you need to know."

The two of them silently watched the flowing river for a while. Nam Suryeon approached them.

She bowed her head to both of them.

"I'm sorry for causing unnecessary trouble."

"It's natural for flies to gather around a beauty. No need to apologize. If there's any fault, it's that you're too pretty."

"What?"

Nam Suryeon's eyes widened at Hajinwool's flippant words. Then, Hajinwool burst into laughter.

"Haha! It's just a joke. I said it to make you laugh."

"Oh!"

"There are always those who act tough when they have the upper hand. No need to waste your mental energy on such people. The martial world is full of them."

"Yes."

Hajinwool's criticism of the Heukbaek Ssangwoong brothers was indeed scathing. Among the disciples of the Musan Sect, there was no one with such rough language. Therefore, it felt even more refreshing. Despite the rough manner of speaking, there was no sense of pretense, which might have made it even more likable.

Nam Suryeon's gaze now turned towards Jinmuwon, who was silently gazing at the river. Her gaze towards Jinmuwon was different from when she looked at Hajinwool.

At first, she had assumed he was just an ordinary martial artist, so she hadn't paid much attention to him. However, as time passed, an inexplicable uneasiness began to creep over her.

"This person is not an ordinary martial artist."

She didn't particularly care about the title of Chilsotcheon. It wasn't something she sought after, and she felt that entering such a position simply because she was the Musan Sect's head disciple would be disrespectful.

She believed that only those who had trained themselves through numerous trials could stand at the pinnacle of the martial world. Leaving the Musan Sect and influencing the martial world was her goal, and as a result, she had the opportunity to interact with many young martial artists.

Most of the martial artists she encountered had some common traits: admiration and envy in their eyes, and a strange passion.

These were the ones who truly held an interest in martial arts and its advancement.

Juwonho couldn't break out of that category, and the Heukbaek Ssangwoong brothers were in the same boat. Therefore, she wasn't afraid of them. While she couldn't confidently predict the outcome, she didn't think of herself as losing. But Jinmuwon was different.

"This person, I just can't gauge him at all."

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't estimate the level of his inner strength. Everything seemed as if it were shrouded in impenetrable darkness.

The fact that she was facing an opponent whose abilities she couldn't read weighed heavily on her.

Gradually, the fighting spirit that had been dormant beneath her surface started to rise. Jinmuwon was the first person to ignite this kind of fighting spirit within her.

Suddenly, Jinmuwon turned his head and looked at Nam Suryeon. Her determination had triggered his all-around senses.

For a while, the two of them stared at each other in silence. And Hajinwool, watching them with an intrigued expression, was by their side.

Nam Suryeon was the first to break the silence.

"Someday, I'd like to request instruction from Master Jin Sohye."

"Indeed."

"Then..."

It was an unspoken agreement, a silent promise between martial artists.

With that, their conversation came to an end, and Hajinwool, who had been eagerly anticipating something, wore a disappointed expression.

The conversation was over, but the anticipation in the air remained palpable.

Then, out of nowhere, someone intruded.

"Can I receive instruction as well?"

The unexpected intruder was Myeongryu Mountain.

His eyes, directed at Jinmuwon, were filled with jealousy. He didn't like the fact that Nam Suryeon, whom he had taken an interest in, was engaged in casual conversation with another man. He had even forgotten the pain from the previous night and now glared at Jinmuwon.

Hajinwool burst into laughter at Myeongryu Mountain's audacity.

"Hah! You don't know how fierce a puppy can be, huh?"

"A, a puppy?"

"Then should I call you a thundering monkey?"

"Ah! Seriously..."

Myeongryu Mountain didn't back down, even in the face of Hajinwool's mockery. Instead, he gave Hajinwool a defiant look. His demeanor was absurd, but Hajinwool didn't feel any anger toward him.

Hajinwool shook his head and said to Jinmuwon, "You handle that fellow yourself."

Jinmuwon responded with a smile instead of words.

For a moment, a shiver ran down Myeongryu Mountain's spine. Then, he heard Jinmuwon's voice, which didn't disappoint his expectations.

"Of course, I'd be happy to instruct you."

"Delightful!"

Suddenly, a sense of regret surged like a rising tide, accompanied by an itching sensation in a troubled spot.