NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 113
Chapter 113: Yongbong Society (Dragon and Phoenix Society)
Shaolin Temple.
The foremost sect of the Orthodox Faction and the giant peak in the Martial World. A colossal mountain of the White Path, steeped in over a thousand years of history and tradition, renowned as the birthplace of the legendary Jeongjong Muhak.
A small city called Deungbong County, acting as the entrance to the Shaolin Temple and situated in the area where Sungsan resides, was overflowing with worshipers and martial artists eager to visit.
Deungbong County was usually bustling with people, but this year, it was even more packed due to the festival of the Yongbong Society, celebrated across the Orthodox Faction Martial World.
Having spent several months since departing from Gongdong Mountain, it was now winter turning to early spring when I finally set foot in that crowded place along with Seoharin and Seomun Cheong-ha.
“Ah, so this is the essence of the Yongbong Society!”
Seeing the festival atmosphere filled with post-stimulation indicators flowing in Deungbong County reminded me it was indeed the season for the Yongbong Society.
What exactly is the Yongbong Society, you ask?
It’s a party where the young and fiery followers of the Orthodox Faction Martial World gather to have fun.
A festival led by the fresh and vibrant new generation, it’s akin to a university festival in contemporary terms.
That’s the Yongbong Society for you.
It’s here that the latest trends and fashions of the Martial World are determined, and also where the idols of the Martial World are made, making it an event of utmost importance to me.
At the Yongbong Society, I must shake off the stigma of the Color Association and rise as the Sword Dragon, the idol of the Martial World.
I spotted some beautiful maidens strutting along the street.
“Is that person from the Gongdong Alliance?”
“An alliance? They say it’s a Color Association!”
“I heard they tear women’s clothes and tease them during every martial contest!”
Rumors darted from the lips of maidens!
But I didn’t care.
The long period of humiliation was finally going to end at the Yongbong Society.
“Hehehe…”
A grown man’s smile naturally emerged from my lips.
My glorious future of becoming the idol of the Martial World at the Yongbong Society was vividly before me.
Just stepping into the inn would shower me with an influx of maidens wanting to sit with me and pile up love letters in front of the Gongdong Sect Mountain.
After this Yongbong Society ends, all of this will become reality.
“Why is he laughing like that?”
“He looks fine, but what’s up with that Color Association?”
“Hah, Yeonmae. Let’s stop looking at that and enjoy ourselves instead.”
“Sounds good! Gaga!”
The calm before the storm.
I wasn’t going to bother refuting the scoffs from the post-stimulation indicators beside me.
The result of the Yongbong Society will tell who the real winner is.
Just then, as I wore the smile of a victor,
Slap!
Someone slammed my back.
Turning around, Seomun Cheong-ha stood there.
“Young Master! Didn’t I tell you not to smile like that?! Can’t you see the commoners laughing at you!”
Seomun Cheong-ha feigned fanning her face as if embarrassed.
She was biting her lips in irritation.
“What’s wrong with a grown man’s laughter? Sister, is my smile that bad?”
Seoharin, upon hearing my question, gazed at us with her usual deadpan eyes and awkwardly replied in her monotonous voice,
“I think big brother’s smile is nice.”
“See? Harin thinks so too.”
An unnecessarily awkward and forced smile. Yet Seoharin was originally known for her expressionless beauty in her previous life, so a smile was quite the evolution.
Pretty cute.
Truly the future first beauty of the Orthodox Faction.
As I felt pleased for getting Harin’s agreement, Seomun Cheong-ha pouted her lips.
“Ugh, really, this is unbearable. How did I end up serving someone so ridiculous?”
Just as we were bickering like that,
“Eungong…!!”
A familiar voice rang from afar.
Papat! Followed by a presence swiftly rushing towards me, stepping lightly across the ground.
This presence and voice belonged to So Geom-hu Cheon Sobin. Trying to hug me in front of everyone to stage another false confession, is she?
Not a chance.
Swift.
I lightly avoided Cheon Sobin’s charge with my Defensive Technique, Flowing Cloud and Water.
“Huh?!”
Cheon Sobin’s two-toned hair of black and silver spilled like a waterfall.
A look of surprise crossed her silver eyes.
“Young Master, how cruel! Not accepting a girl’s hug? I’ve been missing you, the benefactor of our sect, since the last competition until this Yongbong Society!”
But Cheon Sobin didn’t look flustered; instead, she blushed and tried to act miffed while staring at me.
Upon seeing her, Seoharin bit her lips, and Seomun Cheong-ha shot daggers at Cheon Sobin.
“Heh, I would have never imagined to see such youthful excitement before the Yongbong Society.”
“It seems the rumors about the Gongdong Alliance sneaking into So Geom-hu’s chambers by night are indeed true.”
“I figured it was the Color Association.”
“What a scandal!”
Whispers of slander swirled around us.
My head felt dizzy.
Pressing on my temples, I swiftly applied the Demon Subduing Great Power Technique while using a delicate touch to flick Cheon Sobin on the forehead.
Thwack!
“Ouch! Why did you hit me again?!”
“I can see you don’t like me at all, right? Didn’t I tell you to practice acting more?”
Cheon Sobin clasped her forehead with a wronged expression.
I aimed to mentor her as an acting genius.
Just then,
“Oh, is that so? So this lady here doesn’t like Cheon Sobin?”
A third voice suddenly cut in.
I turned my head.
There stood a handsome young man clad in sky-blue martial attire, bearing a look rivaling Cheon Sobin’s beauty, wearing a heroic crown on his forehead and a sword at his waist.
The cloud-piercing sword emblem inscribed on his martial attire’s chest caught my eye.
And I immediately recognized the family to which that emblem belonged.
The first family of the world, dominating all martial families across the Central Plains, including the six great clans.
Namgung Family.
And with that handsome face, annoying speech, and gaze directed at Cheon Sobin, it was evident.
There could only be one person with all these traits.
‘Oh Gi-rin Namgung Cheong!’
The eldest son and the fine heir of the Namgung Family.
Endowed with outstanding talent, he was recognized as the pillar who would lead the next generation of the Namgung Family, having received the Reforming Great Method and footing martial arts lessons since he started to walk.
Later, Namgung Cheong became known as the Sword of the Sky, gaining great fame throughout the Martial World.
He was also well-known as the charming gentleman.
What does “charming gentleman” mean? Simply put, it’s a roundabout way to say he was a playboy and a rogue.
Indeed.
Namgung Cheong’s hobbies involved courting courtesans, and his specialty was hitting on girls.
Of course, in the Orthodox flavor, he didn’t forcibly take women but, in Martial World terms, he was a suave guy, the kind of alpha male who was popular in real life.
Thus, he was often referred to as Namgung Dae-hyeop in later years.
The fact that Namgung Cheong followed Cheon Sobin in her previous life was quite well-known. In her previous life, Cheon Sobin stubbornly followed her master, sworn to remain unmarried, yet Namgung Cheong insisted on pursuing her continuously.
Of course, Cheon Sobin eventually declared her intention to stay single, causing him to retreat.
“…Who, who says that? It’s not true! Hmph. The lady and I already confirmed our feelings on the first night of the competition in private…”
I hurriedly covered Cheon Sobin’s mouth before the bombshell erupted.
“Mmph! Mmm! Mmm!”
Cheon Sobin flailed her limbs. Her face turned crimson.
“We already confirmed our feelings… This lady, regarding Cheon Sobin’s words, is that truly the case?”
“No.”
I immediately denied Namgung Cheong’s statement.
I couldn’t allow a malignant rumor to spread that I had clandestinely tangled with an unmarried maiden at night across the Orthodox world.
Rumors like that would be fatal to my reputation, especially in this medieval Ming-era setting filled with Confucian values.
“I see. Then it’s a relief, but… This gentleman, I’ve been caught in quite the awkward situation lately. My feelings for Cheon Sobin have never wavered. Yet, she continuously rebuffs my advances. Recently, however, Cheon Sobin did express some feelings towards me. But just now, I heard this lovely lady no longer holds true feelings for me…”
His handsome face turned towards me.
Namgung Cheong smiled.
“…It seems that’s what was said. Isn’t it?”
“Of course, it is.”
I nodded vigorously at his statement.
“Excellent! It seems you and I speak the same language! So let’s clarify my connection with Cheon Sobin…”
Namgung Cheong trailed off.
“I believe there’s a misunderstanding here.”
I quickly interjected, cutting him off.
The latter words were already obvious. He would likely ask for my support for his pursuit of Cheon Sobin, drawing a firm line between her and me.
I had no intention of doing that at all.
Of course, I didn’t like Cheon Sobin. She didn’t truly like me, either.
However, in both her previous and current lives, she never had genuine feelings for Namgung Cheong.
Would I hand over a girl, a cute maiden at that, to a guy she doesn’t even like? Especially not to an alpha male like him?
‘Absolutely not.’
That would hurt even more than a cousin snagging prime urban development land for 100,000 won per pyeong.
“I have no intention of supporting you at all. Cheon Sobin wouldn’t like you, either.”
Upon hearing my words, cracks appeared on Namgung Cheong’s handsome facade.
His brows twitched.
“She doesn’t like me at all? Can you guarantee that?”
“Of course. Cheon Sobin will likely think the same!”
I released Cheon Sobin’s mouth.
At that moment,
Hug.
Cheon Sobin leaped into my arms, pulling me close as she remarked toward Namgung Cheong,
“Hmph. Naturally! Whoever says otherwise, the person this lady has feelings for is none other than this Young Master! Much more satisfactory than a character like you who flirts with women, having no substance and just flashy titles. My benefactor, though he belongs to an alliance, is far more handsome!”
Namgung Cheong’s expression hardened as he looked at Cheon Sobin in my arms.
I detached her from me, stating,
“Did you hear that?”
“I heard. But still, this Namgung cannot give up on his burning feelings for Cheon Sobin…”
“You should give it up.”
“Hmm… I do recall hearing that this lady didn’t genuinely like me, indeed. Alright, then…”
Namgung Cheong smiled.
“…How about we settle this matter in a friendly duel tomorrow at the Yongbong Jiyeon, using the way of the Martial World? If both of you acknowledge my feelings, that would be splendid!”
Yongbong Jiyeon.
An informal party held the night before the Yongbong Society, a gathering for youthful post-stimulation indicators. Imagine rich kids throwing a club party—it’s a similar vibe.
Of course, there would be no wholesome fun from the lively youth. So, Yongbong Jiyeon is practically a zoo. The unofficial contests held there are one such example.
Namgung Cheong was suggesting an unofficial duel.
Of course, while it’s called unofficial, it takes place in a gathering that involves all the key figures of the post-stimulation indicators.
The outcome of such a duel would ripple across the Martial World and have a substantial effect on the results of the Yongbong Society itself, making it extremely significant.
‘I need a sacrificial lamb to wash away the stain of the Color Association, and Oh Gi-rin is just perfect. If I can defeat the heir of the Namgung Family, my popularity will skyrocket!’
Namgung Cheong’s proposal was like a slap on the back when I wanted to cry.
I needed fame and popularity quickly. Yet, the Gongdong Sect’s status was still low, unable to secure invitations to the friendly gatherings of the Yongbong Jiyeon.
But suddenly, Namgung Cheong sought a duel with me at the Yongbong Jiyeon. Naturally, the outcome would undoubtedly be my victory. Attending Yongbong Jiyeon, winning, and boosting my reputation all at once—it was an opportunity I had no reason to decline.
All eyes were on me.
Seomun Cheong-ha, Seoharin, Namgung Cheong, Cheon Sobin, and even other post-stimulation indicators and commoners gazed in anticipation.
Everyone awaited my response.
I looked straight at Namgung Cheong and said,
“Let’s do it.”
Upon hearing my words, Seomun Cheong-ha’s eyebrows twitched, and Seoharin’s gaze became heavy.
Cheon Sobin’s expression grew awkwardly stiff.
Lastly, Namgung Cheong beamed with a hearty laugh.
“Hahaha! As expected, this gentleman appreciates the arts of conversation! Good! Then I shall see you at Yongbong Jiyeon tomorrow! You can have one of my servants deliver the details to your lodgings, so rest assured! Tomorrow, I shall prove my true feelings for Cheon Sobin!”
Namgung Cheong chuckled as he departed.
Good.
I never expected such a victory would come rolling in.
Luck was on my side.
As I smiled at Namgung Cheong’s retreating figure,
“Tsk tsk. Very clever. Quite clever indeed, big bro.”
A familiar yet utterly annoying voice drifted from somewhere.
Turning towards the sound, there she was.
The one I’d never forget even in dreams, with striking green eyes, a 15-year-old girl standing in a familiar appearance.
The infamous healer, Dang Yeong-ryeong, stood before me just as she was in the first round.
I crumpled my face as I looked at her, mumbling,
“Healer?”