After traveling a bit further like that, Sanmen Gorge ended and a fairly large ferry dock nestled against a village appeared.
Although it wasn't a place suitable for people to live, thanks to its geographical advantage as a grain transport route, it was quite a prosperous place. It couldn't compare to large castle towns, but it was sufficient to relax the minds and bodies of weary boatmen and travelers.
Now, if they transferred to a large boat here and went straight to Zhengzhou, the journey would be over.
Eulji-tae paid the oarsman his fare and walked into the village, taking the lead. The long-haired young man followed behind him.
The village wasn't usually a quiet place. But right now it was bustling much more than usual.
Judging by the many people walking around wearing martial robes and carrying swords, most of the newly arrived guests were martial artists. Young ones at that.
Eulji-tae knew very well why so many young people from the Martial World had suddenly flocked here.
'Candidates.'
He muttered in a very low voice and walked past them toward the nearest inn. The young man followed right behind him.
"Welcome! Two people?"
A young server who still looked immature greeted them loudly. Behind him, a large plaque inscribed with Cheongcheong Pavilion also beckoned them.
Eulji-tae entered the inn without another word.
Inside was already quite crowded. The first floor was already full, so the server led them up to the second floor.
On the second floor, there were plenty of tables for two left.
The seat the server guided them to was by the window, and though the fairly bustling outside scenery was visible, Eulji-tae wasn't originally the type of person to care about such things. In his view, the young man seemed the same way. Though it was hard to be certain.
Eulji-tae simply ordered Five Spice Soy Sauce Meat from the server.
"One more of the same, please."
The young man spoke indifferently in a level voice. It was the young man's voice heard after a long time.
Was it because he heard the voice of someone who hadn't said a single word even when stopping at inns before? Eulji-tae chuckled. What about this young man had made the Soldier Eccentric laugh like that? Perhaps it was this taciturnity—such an idle thought flitted through his mind.
'Come to think of it, this fellow made me laugh too, following the Soldier Eccentric.'
In some ways, he was someone with even less laughter than the Soldier Eccentric. Since he was fundamentally a man of few words, it couldn't be helped. Yet for whatever reason, the young man had made him laugh.
He found it amusing.
Just as a smile formed on Eulji-tae's lips after a long time.
"Dong Gwang-cheon."
The young man's flat voice caught the ear of Eulji-tae, who had been about to cast his gaze out the window to hide his awkward smile.
"...?"
"That's my name. You seemed curious."
He finally learned the young man's name.
The young man's lower jaw that was revealed here and there as he spoke was long and smooth. He was clearly a handsome man. But why did he grow his bangs so long to cover his face?
Once the name was resolved, now other things became curious. The other party was a questionable man who induced such curiosity. Frustrating, but an interesting opponent.
"Eulji-tae."
Eulji-tae said.
"...."
"That's my name."
An exchange of names at this point after a week might seem awkward, but there was no such thing between the two. Just like that, a belated mutual introduction ended as if it were natural.
After the introduction ended, the two silently appreciated the scenery outside the window.
Most of the young martial artists coming and going were martial artists from unknown, nameless sects. But among them were also those who came from major sects like Mount Hua, Kunlun, and Kongtong Sects. Probably the disciples of the Nine Great Sects and the young masters of the Five Great Families had all come out to participate in this martial arts tournament.
However, Eulji-tae wasn't particularly interested. He would see them plenty once he returned to the Alliance anyway.
But Dong Gwang-cheon seemed different, surveying the passing martial artists with great interest. Probably interested in martial artists his own age.
After waiting like that for a moment, Five Spice Soy Sauce Meat came out—pork simmered in soy sauce with added flavoring from spices like fennel and cinnamon. The smell was so good that the chef here must be quite skilled.
Saliva pooled beneath his tongue naturally. Even when Eulji-tae first picked up his chopsticks and lifted a piece of the sliced meat, Dong Gwang-cheon was still looking out the window.
"Is there something interesting outside? Hurry and pick up your chopsticks. Shouldn't we eat quickly and arrive in Zhengzhou even an hour earlier?"
Was it because he had opened his mouth once? Now he could speak a bit more comfortably.
Just as Eulji-tae threw out that question. As if his words had become a seed, 'entertainment' appeared outside the window.
Crash—!
The wall of the inn's first floor collapsed and something shot out onto the street like lightning. Several tables and some broken branches from a flower tree cultivated on the side also spilled out together. It was a person.
'Did a fight break out?'
It seemed that with hot-blooded young men gathered together, it was difficult to avoid quarrels. Especially with young people from the Martial World full of competitive spirit crowding together, it was pointless to even say more.
The young man who burst out breaking through Cheongcheong Pavilion's wall was a handsome Kunlun Sect disciple in his twenties wearing white robes. The evidence was the cloud-shaped embroidery attached to the shoulder hem of his robe.
Whirl—
Though he had collided hard enough to break the wall, he nonchalantly flipped in midair and stood straight on the ground. Quite impressive.
"That's the fellow called Kunlun White Dragon."
Eulji-tae recognized the young man at a glance.
Kunlun White Dragon Hundred-Breaking Sword U Sim-gi.
One of the Three Stars Five Phoenixes Nine Dragons created by the gossips of the Martial World who love ranking. Three Stars Five Phoenixes Nine Dragons referred to seventeen outstanding people among the rising stars of the Martial World.
Eulji-tae wasn't particularly one to believe in such things. He wasn't particularly pleased that he himself was included in the Twenty Great Masters under Heaven either. He didn't know about Two Divinities Three Eccentrics, but the Five Supremes Ten Greats below them was a bit much. In the Martial World, there were many stronger than them.
The Martial World was truly vast—a place where one never knew what masters might be hiding where. Naturally, countless eccentrics existed whose exact martial prowess was difficult to know. Yet they so easily ranked such people. Even in the Council of Elders of each major sect, there might be one or two masters at the Ten Greats level among the Five Supremes Ten Greats.
Wasn't that all?
This ranking itself was mostly composed of the Orthodox Faction, so it didn't properly reflect the actual entire Martial World.
What does Orthodox, Unorthodox, or Demonic have to do with whether martial arts are superior or inferior?
Except for a few like the Heavenly Demon Castle Lord who absolutely couldn't be denied, almost all of the Twenty Great Masters under Heaven were filled with figures from the Orthodox Faction. Even the Three Stars Five Phoenixes Nine Dragons were all composed of children from the Orthodox Faction.
'Probably before long, all those standards will be overturned.'
Eulji-tae was certain of it. Because they had been getting along without major friction with Heavenly Demon Castle, the Hall of Gathering Evil, or other forces, the Martial World had stagnated, and many masters of the Demonic Path and Unorthodox Faction hadn't become known to the Central Plains.
However, through the wars of the past year, several masters of the Demonic Path had already become known to the Orthodox Faction. Probably in a few more years, many names in the Twenty Great Masters under Heaven would be replaced.
Of course, the same went for the Three Stars Five Phoenixes Nine Dragons.
Anyway, whether Eulji-tae liked it or not, U Sim-gi was currently one of them. As such, his skills must be outstanding among the young generation of the Orthodox Faction.
But someone sent one of them flying like that?
'Is the opponent another one of the Three Stars Five Phoenixes Nine Dragons?'
Eulji-tae guessed so. Though the gossips' words weren't that trustworthy, at least here in front of the Murim Alliance, they were believable. Wouldn't it be nonsensical to think that a young master from the Unorthodox Faction or Demonic Path had suddenly appeared here and sent one of the Nine Dragons flying?
As he slightly enhanced his eye power and waited for that opponent to come out, someone wearing blue martial robes slowly walked out through the broken wall.
Thud, thud.
He was a man with a leisurely appearance like a middle-aged veteran master. Should it be called rhythm? There was a strange breathing pattern in his gait, and one hand naturally gripped a sword hilt.
Since he was male, he was excluded from the Five Phoenixes....
Was he one of the Three Stars or Nine Dragons? He thought he would be one of the remaining ten excluding the now-dead Blade Star Do Heo-ok and U Sim-gi who was standing there, but that wasn't it either.
Eulji-tae hadn't met all of the Three Stars Five Phoenixes Nine Dragons, but he knew their appearances and clothing in detail.
A tall figure appearing over seven feet. Long hair grown out scraggily tied back carelessly. Several strands sticking out and fluttering randomly in the wind. Worn martial robes that had originally been deep blue but had faded so much they turned sky blue, with even patched marks and worn parts visible here and there. A beard left unshaven that covered his entire lower jaw.
Yet he didn't seem particularly old. His eyes, overflowing with vigor and sparkling, were a young man's eyes.
Among the Three Stars Nine Dragons, there was no one with such an appearance. None of them were heirs of families or sects who would wander outside their sphere of influence in such a shabby state.
However,
Unlike the blue-robed young man's shabby appearance, the longsword held in his left hand was antique and venerable. The blade length was about three feet eight inches, the width about three fingers combined. Though old, it was a genuine sword from which refinement flowed. There was no pattern drawn or jewel embedded in the scabbard or hilt, but a subtle blue light circulated making it look mystical. If only the white dust covering it was wiped away, it was undoubtedly a famous sword that would boast a truly unique color.
"That is...?"
Eulji-tae recognized that sword. Though it was the first time he'd encountered the sword in decades, it was such an impressive sword that he couldn't fail to recognize it.
"Heavenly Rigid Sword!?"