“Did you two spend the whole night fighting?” Scarlett asked the next morning when she saw the two men had become a lot closer. Nangong Heewon laughed aloud and gently pounded Sung-Min’s shoulder with his fist.
“Alcohol, a night together and a friendly competition is all men need to become friends.”
“That sounds good and all, but the part about ‘spending the night together’ sounds strange to me. I hope you didn’t do anything weird.” Scarlett remarked, squinting her eyes as she glanced them over. Sung-Min looked disgusted and shook his head feverishly.
Unlike Sung-Min who had caught on quickly, Nangong Heewon looked confused.
“We just spent the night together. What does she mean by doing something weird?” He asked.
“Senior brother. Please don’t ask pointless questions.”
“No, seriously. I’m asking because I don’t understand. Do you know what she means, younger brother?”
Sung Min didn’t answer. Nangong Heewon still didn’t understand and looked confused, and Scarlett didn’t explain what she had met either.
“But anyways, we’re brothers now.”
“Lucky you,” Scarlett said, turning to Sung Min, “you’ve bonded with the young master of the Nangong household. At least you won’t starve.”
Being the prestigious family they were, the Nangong household had influence all over the land of Eria. It was to the point where one would be treated well if they claimed to be from the family and was able to prove it. Of course, this didn’t apply everywhere. In the areas where the Shafa had risen to power, having connections with the Nangong household wouldn’t be deemed upon as favorable.
The three headed out the West Gate in the direction of Mount Song. Mount Song was not very big, nor was it dangerous to approach. Sung -Min couldn’t understand why the monk Bodhidharma, the founder of Shaolin, would want to name such a small mountain ‘Mount Song’ and build Shaolin there.
“Old age must have made him senile,” Scarlet muttered, taking a sip of water. Sungmin couldn’t help agreeing to himself and Nangong Heewon burst out laughing.
It had only been a day since they had met and become companions on this journey but Sung-Min liked this so-called Nangong Heewon a lot. Despite being a young master of a prestigious household, he was easygoing.
“You said you were committed to an old promise with Great Master Bul-Young. May I ask what he did in your favor?”
“Looks like you were curious. Why didn’t you ask me before?”
“I thought it would somewhat be rude to ask when we weren’t even friends yet.”
“Right. And I wouldn’t have given an answer either if you had asked. But I will now.” Namgoong Heewon smiled.
“The family lines of Nangong, Zhuge, Murong, and Tang have heirs in each family. We’re all similar in age and skill.”
“Right.”
“When we were a lot younger, the head of each household decided to unite us in one group. Kind of like those martial sects. We had a name too. The Sky Dragon Sect. But a problem arose as soon once we tried to form our group. All the heads of the families had similar skills. The other households could rise up if there was to be a leader, but there wasn’t one good enough to choose as a leader either.
Being a master of a prestigious family meant being the head of the household with the best skills. Just as Nam Koong Baek of the Heavenly Swords was the grandmaster of the Nangong family, other households had masters of their own.
“So this is what they decided to do. They decided to leave it to the next generation. They all had children, so they decided to raise their kids well and choose the best as the head of the Sky Dragon Sect. And our witness of that vow is the currently the Grand Monk of Shaolin, ‘monster’ Monk Bul-yeong.
Sung-Min hadn’t known any of this had happened, even in his previous life. That was because he didn’t have any connections with the prestigious households in his former life, nor did the Sky Dragon Sect exist until his death.
‘That means they’ll be competing against each other for at least eight years.’
Who would win and become the master of the Sky Dragon Sect? Just like the proverb that says men are blind in their own cause, Sung-Min secretly hoped that Nangong would be the master of the Sky Dragon Sect.
Before they knew it, they arrived at the doors of Shaolin located in Mount Song as they were having this conversation. Mount Song was small, but the gates to the mountain weren’t. Sung-Min felt overwhelmed by the tall gates and hesitantly took a few steps back. Scarlett let out a sound of exclamation and nodded.
“If the gates are that big, wouldn’t it be uncomfortable trying to close them?”
“We’re not the ones closing it, so it doesn’t matter.” Nangong said and walked up the stairs. Sung-Min and Scarlett followed. Sung-Min gripped the Hundred Step Manual, the Ahrat Step Manual and the Dharma Cultivation manual, which he had taken out of his bag in beforehand.
“It’s been a while. Young Master Nangong.”
The monk that had been guarding the gates bowed deeply. Light shone on the perfectly hairless head and hit Scarlett in the eye, making her scowl.
“So I have. Have the other heirs arrived?”
“They have all arrived yesterday. You, Young Master Nangong, have arrived the latest.” The monk said, twirling his beads. It wasn’t a sneering tone, but it was true that Nangong had arrived late.
Sung-Min stole a glance at Nangong, thinking he himself was to blame. Nangong, however, didn’t seem to be bothered at all and smiled as if he didn’t care.
“I had my reasons. There was an enjoyable interaction.”
“Is it because of these two you have brought with you?” The monk stole a glance at Sung-Min and Scarlett. He didn’t seem to care about Scarlett, who was female, but looked at Sung-Min differently. Sung-Min felt the monk’s attention was on him and couldn’t help greeting him with a bow.
“That’s right.”
“He looks young, but he seems to be quite achieved…” the monk murmured, fascinated. The trio walked past the monk and entered the temple.
“You said you were here to return the books of Shaolin. Since you’ve come all the way here, why don’t you come meet Grandmaster Bul-Young with me? I think he will award you with a fair price.”
“I am not here to be awarded.”
“Come now, brother. I have my insights. Who do you think you’re kidding? You have three manuals with you, so don’t you want to receive the book of Summoning in exchange?”
It was a fact, so Sung-Min simply let out a cough instead of arguing.
“Monk Bul-Young is quite ill-tempered. A piece of advice for you brother… don’t kid around Monk Bul-Young. That old man? Maybe it’s just from memorizing Buddhist scriptures but he sure knows when someone is lying.”
“If I do kid around… I mean.. lie, what will happen?”
“He’ll beat the crap out of you.” Nangong said without smiling.
“He’s not called a ‘monster monk’ for nothing. He’s the type who acts before he speaks. Sometimes, I think he has dementia. I don’t know how that old man even became the head of Shaolin. Maybe because he’s so old?”
Sung-Min was seriously concerned about him talking behind the head monk of Shaolin but didn’t find it necessary to stop him.
“Rude, just as always.” An annoyed voice interrupted. Nangong Heewon stopped dead in his tracks.
“Tang Ahee.” Nangong Heewon murmured. A girl wearing a black martial arts uniform that stuck to her body strode over to Nangong. She glanced over at Sung-Min and Scarlett, then glared at Nangong Heewon.
“Are you aware that yesterday was the day we were supposed to gather?”
“Something came up so I was late.”
“Why should we take responsibility for your problems?”
“No one asked you to wait for me.” Nangong counterargued confidently, and Ahee was dumbfounded. Nangong snorted as if to say See? and simply strode past her. Her face turned red.
“How rude you are.”
“Why should I be polite to you when you were rude to me first?” Nangong answered, his expression unchanging. Sung-Min immediately followed after Nangong and stole glances at Tang Ahee. Their eyes met when she suddenly turned in their direction.
“And… who is the young master?” Tang asked piercingly. It was a question for Sung-Min At this, Nangong burst into laughter before Sung-Min could even reply.
“Hahahah! Funny you should call someone who is at the edge of reaching his top level a ‘young master’.”
“Top..Level?”
“Looks like the heir of Tang doesn’t have good insight. Perhaps you have been a little lazy with your training?” Nangong said mockingly, and Tang Ahee’s face turned even redder. She breathed hard, then snapped.
“So, who is he?!”
“You’re now a human-turned master. Young master Tang, you do care about the smallest things don’t you.”
“I asked who he was!”
“He’s my younger brother.” Nangong answered, smiling. Sung-Min gulped and looked back and forth from Nangong to Tang. This was why Nangong had took Sung-Min in as his brother. Whatever the case, he had exceeded the Top Level and reaching the point of Super Top Level at the age of eighteen and this meant he had the potential and abilities of someone that nobody would be able to look down on. Keeping Sung-Min as his younger brother made himself worth more.
‘Not sure if he’s smart or simply rude.’
Perhaps it was both. Whatever the case, it wasn’t bad for Sung-Min. Just as Nangong was using Sung-Min himself, Sung-Min could use the fact that he and Nangong had made a brotherly bond. His background of being the heir to the Nangong household was overwhelming enough for Sung-Min to consider him his brother.
“My name is Sung-Min.”
“Sung-Min? Don’t know that name…”
“Of course you don’t. So, where are the other heirs?” Nangong asked , hoisting the bag he was carrying. Tang Ahee chewed on her lips and whisked around. She didn’t tell Nangong to do so, but he chased after her as if it was what he should do.
There was a man and woman standing in a well-kept garden. Nangong first introduced them to Sung-Min in an undertone.
[See the one over there looking high and mighty? That’s Zhuge Taeryong. He’s the heir of the Zhuge household and has the nickname of ‘Flying Silver Dragon’. The rash girl we met just now ‘Poisonous’ Tang Ahee. And the fair lady over there, as beautiful as a bouquet of flowers… is ‘Snowy Flower’ Murong Seo-Jin.]
They were all nicknames Sung-Min was familiar with – Zhuge Taeryong, the ‘Flying Silver Dragon’, ‘Poisonous’ Tang Ahee, and ‘Snowy Flower’ Murong SeoJin.
It was a strange feeling, standing in front of legendary figures whom he had not even had any encounters with in his past life.
“You’re late, Heewon.”
“Something came up.”
“It’s no big problem for us waiting for you. But you will have to apologize making Grandmaster Bul-young wait.”
“I’ll do that myself.” Nangong answered, and Zhuge Taeryong glared at him. Nangong Heewon didn’t look away. Murong Seo-Jin, who had been silent, spoke up.
“The Grandmaster is waiting.”
“Hm.”
Nangong Heewon nodded. He had been rude to Zhuge Taeryong and Tang Ahee, but he shut up and nodded as if he were quiet when addressing Murong. It seemed what he had told Sung-Min in an undertone about being in love with Murong Seo-Jin was true.
“Well, then, younger brother.” Nangong said, addressing Sung-Min as he turned around to face him.
“I’ll be off to greet Great Master Bul-Young, so why don’t you take a look around Shaolin with Scarlett? I’ll let him know about our pledge.”
“Yes, Senior Brother.” Sung-Min replied, and Zhuge Tae-Ryeong and Murong Seojin looked slightly dumbfounded. They had sensed Sung–Min’s mage level as well so they were quite surprised to see him treat Nangong Heewon with respect.
“I do hope temple food is good enough to eat.” Scarlett muttered once they were left alone.
Come to think of it, Sung-Min realized, they hadn’t even eaten breakfast.
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