Hyejin and Biyeon's confrontation grew longer.

As time passed, Hyejin's tension deepened even more.

'Why is no one coming out?'

Biyeon, in front of Hyejin's eyes, was literally a madman with clear eyes.

The traces of training deeply engraved in his bones from Mount Song instinctively told him that a big deal would happen the moment he turned his back now.

However, he couldn't just stay like this.

'Could it be that I was just mistaken?'

Hyejin's thoughts began to compromise towards the easier side.

'Why am I being wary of the benefactor in front of me? Since he's Benefactor Baek's fellow disciple, there's no reason for him to pose a threat to me, right?'

At the pain in his legs, which was gradually starting to ache, Hyejin had compromised with his heart without realizing it.

Come to think of it, it was not unreasonable.

It hadn't been long since he had arrived in this village, and he hadn't rested in the meantime.

Hyejin bowed his head to massage his gradually aching legs.

At that moment.

Thwack!!

With the intense pain he felt on the back of his head, Hyejin's body's balance collapsed, and he was stretched out on the floor.

Although Hyejin was confident in the hardness of his body due to the nature of Shaolin's martial arts, which emphasized the training of the body itself, this unexpected blow had thoroughly pierced Hyejin's opening.

"Keuk..."

In his fading consciousness, Hyejin barely managed to turn his head and look at the being who had hit the back of his head.

There, Biyeon was raising the corners of his mouth, with his clear eyes sparkling.

"Do not show your back in front of the Biyeolmun."

With those words, Hyejin lost consciousness.

And just in time, Baek Yoonjun and Hong Yungae, whose conversation had moderately ended, came out and witnessed that sight.

Baek Yoonjun looked at Hyejin, who was sprawled on the floor, with coldly sunken eyes.

'No, what, he got hit by a brat who has just entered martial arts and is stretched out?'

By Baek Yoonjun's standards, although Hyejin was below the third-rate, the gap in martial arts level with Biyeon was the difference between heaven and earth.

If they were to fight head-on, there would be no chance for Biyeon to win, even if the sky were to collapse.

But the reality was that the one sprawled on the floor was Hyejin, and Biyeon was looking at Baek Yoonjun with sparkling eyes like a dog waiting for praise.

"Do not dare to show your back in front of the Biyeolmun."

Baek Yoonjun stared blankly at Biyeon, who was proudly spitting out the finishing line of the Despicable Stab that he had taught him, with sparkling eyes.

For some reason, since his sparkling eyes were really like a dog's, he felt an urge to pat his head, but he endured it.

"Do not dare to show your back in front of the Biyeolmun."

"Good job."

Fortunately, although he had not patted his head, Biyeon seemed to be satisfied as he uttered words of praise.

Biyeon savored something for a moment and then looked at Hong Yungae with his eyes glinting.

"In front of the Biyeolmun..."

At the madness felt from his sparkling pupils, Hong Yungae swallowed his dry saliva and could not move, with his gaze met.

Baek Yoonjun, looking at that sight, once again repeated the thought he had thought of in the past.

'As expected, whether it's a master or whatever, if you get stabbed with a knife, you die.'

And at the same time, he concluded that the direction of the martial arts of the Biyeolmun that he had presented was not wrong and nodded his head.

Having moderately finished his thoughts on martial arts, Baek Yoonjun recalled the story he had heard from Hong Yungae in the room just before.

'Yuhwa and Hwaryeong, and Senior Sister Suhye went to Emei to get the recipe for the medicine to treat me... and recently, a ghost story related to shadows is prevalent in the Central Plains.'

He could predict to some extent that Shinseung would cause some trouble regarding Tang Yuhwa.

'Hmm... I should let them know that I'm up and about when I see a chance.'

Since it felt as if things were getting bigger and bigger, Baek Yoonjun decided to let them know that he was fine when he saw a suitable time.

"Do not show the back of your head in front of the Biyeolmun."

"No, the words have changed slightly from before."

Baek Yoonjun, looking at the confrontation between Hong Yungae and Biyeon, was lost in thought again.

'Hmm... a shadow... come to think of it, the chaos in this village was also related to shadows, and I've seen something like a doppelgänger before. Is it related to that?'

Baek Yoonjun thought of the man in the black robe.

Although he did not know his name and could not objectively evaluate his appearance due to his lack of self-esteem, he remembered that their martial arts were the same.

And the strange phenomenon that had happened in the village clearly seemed to be related to shadows.

Although Baek Yoonjun's mind began to connect the two beings, since there was no clear clue, he gave up.

'Since it doesn't seem like there's anything I can do, shall I consult with Monk Shinseung.'

Since Baek Yoonjun had no intention of solving anything himself, he decided to pass it on to Shinseung appropriately.

And so, as soon as Baek Yoonjun had finished his immediate worries, whether it was a coincidence or not, Tang Yuhwa's party arrived at the village.

---

Tang Yuhwa's party finished their business on Mount Emei and set out on the road.

However, their destination was not Shaolin.

"Anyway, even if we go to Shaolin, there's no way to open the chest, right? It's faster to find an informant! Just in time, since Senior Brother Yungae handles information, let's go there first."

Following Zhuge Hwaryeong's suggestion, they decided to find Hong Yungae first.

It was not difficult to find Hong Yungae's whereabouts.

As soon as they arrived at a nearby village at the foot of Mount Song, they gave a suitable amount of food to a beggar sprawled on the roadside, and he spilled the beans.

"The leader? Uh... I think he said he was going west."

And so, after passing through several villages, it was when they had arrived at the small village where the Biyeolmun was.

Tang Yuhwa stopped her steps.

The tip of her nose twitched slightly.

"Master's smell."

She smelled the familiar and longed-for smell of poison, similar to her own, that came from her master.

And Baek Yoonjun, the owner of that smell, also felt a presence at the same time.

'Yuhwa? Hwaryeong?! Why are they in this village all of a sudden?!'

Baek Yoonjun was startled to know that Tang Yuhwa's party had arrived.

On top of that, Tang Yuhwa, who found him well like a ghost, was running straight towards Baek Yoonjun.

'Shall I run?!'

Although he was inwardly pondering whether to run away, it seemed that if he ran away here, things would get out of hand later.

And so, as Baek Yoonjun was hesitating and could not move.

Thump!

The old gate of the Biyeolmun, which had only one side, opened as if it would be shattered.

"Master?"

Tang Yuhwa, covered in dust, stopped on the spot as if she were nailed.

Her eyes were wide open. A look of disbelief.

Baek Yoonjun, who had received that gaze, felt a cold sweat flowing down his back like a waterfall and opened his mouth awkwardly.

"...Yuhwa-ya?"

As if that foolish answer were a trigger, tears welled up in Tang Yuhwa's eyes and began to fall drop by drop.

Drip, drip.

'She's crying?! Really?!'

Baek Yoonjun was flustered.

Although he didn't think she would curse or get angry, given Tang Yuhwa's personality, he didn't know she would cry so sorrowfully.

And so, Tang Yuhwa, crying her eyes out, rushed at Baek Yoonjun, who was at a loss for what to do, flustered.

"Master, die."

A deep emotion, unlike her usual self, was imbued in Tang Yuhwa's voice.

A small fist, filled with killing intent, flew towards Baek Yoonjun.

'Killing intent!'

Baek Yoonjun's dynamic visual acuity perfectly read the trajectory of Tang Yuhwa's fist.

Naturally, if he wanted to dodge, he could dodge without difficulty.

But Baek Yoonjun saw.

Tang Yuhwa's face, which was a mess of tears.

'If I dodge that... I won't be able to handle it later, right?'

Although he had already committed a sin, if he were to accumulate more karma here, he could not even imagine what would happen later.

In the end, he gave up on everything and squeezed his eyes shut.

Thwack!!

"Keoheok!"

With a dull hitting sound, Baek Yoonjun's body staggered.

Tang Yuhwa's martial arts level was by no means high.

Therefore, although he had thought her fist would be like a cotton bat, something mysterious power was imbued in it.

'Is this the pain of conscience.'

Although Baek Yoonjun was flustered at the unexpected pain, the pain was not the end, but the beginning.

"Older Brotherrr!"

Cheon Suhye, who had appeared next, ran over pitifully.

Baek Yoonjun welcomed Cheon Suhye in his heart.

'You've come to save me!'

Thwack!

But what followed was not salvation, but pain.

For some reason, Cheon Suhye had joined Tang Yuhwa and was beating him up.

Baek Yoonjun, who had suddenly been beaten up by two women, quietly shed tears inside.

'Right. It's my karma.'

Someone stealthily joined that scene.

"I can't miss this chance! Master! Please accept your disciple's hot respect!"

Zhuge Hwaryeong, with her eyes glinting, lightly tapped various parts of Baek Yoonjun's body.

Although on the outside, it was a feeling of lightly tapping, the problem was that those places were all vital points.

'Hwaryeong-ah? Have I been unkind to you usually?'

Although they were not vital points that would physically endanger his life, they were all parts that could cause pain with even a small impact.

Baek Yoonjun frowned and, with his eyes narrowed, turned his gaze.

There, was Su Yeohyang, who was fidgeting.

"Uh, uh? D-do I have to join too? I-I'm sorry!"

Su Yeohyang, who had been fidgeting, rushed at Baek Yoonjun with a face as if she had firmly decided something.

'Why you too?!'

Su Yeohyang rushed at Baek Yoonjun with all her might.

"Oh?!"

Her foot got caught on a stone.

Su Yeohyang, who had lost her balance, fell on top of Baek Yoonjun.

Crash!

Baek Yoonjun, who had been crushed by four women in an instant and was buried in a pile of dust.

'Shall I just pretend to be dead?'

He seriously considered whether to pretend to be dead again.

"..."

And Biyeon, who was watching that sight, opened his mouth blankly.

In his eyes, this pandemonium was reflected completely differently.

With his nasty impression crumpled up, but with his eyes sparkling, he muttered.

"Kya! As expected of Great Senior Brother."

Biyeon was genuinely impressed and shook his head.

"His magnanimity is... they say a hero is fond of women! As expected!!"

Although it seemed he was misunderstanding something greatly, Baek Yoonjun was too lazy to even make an excuse.

After a long time.

The situation was barely brought under control, and everyone was gathered in the cramped main hall of the Biyeolmun.

And in the midst of that.

"Yuhwa-ya, won't you move away a little?"

"I don't want to..."

Tang Yuhwa was hanging on Baek Yoonjun's back, almost as if she were attached.

And behind her, Zhuge Hwaryeong was sticking close to Tang Yuhwa, as if she were attached.

"Hwaryeong-ah, won't you move away a little too?"

"I'm sticking to Senior Sister."

Baek Yoonjun, who was not very good with words, was at a loss for words.

And next to Baek Yoonjun, Cheon Suhye was sticking close and fidgeting.

"Suhye-ya...?"

"Since the space is small, it can't be helped, Older Brother."

"..."

At a loss for words, Baek Yoonjun turned his gaze to the opposite side.

And there, Su Yeohyang was fidgeting at a distance where she was about to stick to Baek Yoonjun.

"Yeohyang-ah?"

"It's Hyang."

"W-well, right. Hyang-ah. Why are you doing that? Since you've devoted your body to Buddhism, shouldn't you stay away from men...?"

"My master told me to get married if I meet a good man and quit the sect!!"

Baek Yoonjun was at a loss for words again.

'What on earth is the Emei Sect...?'

And at the same time, quietly worrying about the future of the Emei Sect, he glanced at Hyejin.

"Keu... if only I hadn't grown up in Shaolin, I would have gotten married long ago..."

Although he was muttering something as if he were wronged, and the content was very concerning, he decided to ignore it.

Anyway, Baek Yoonjun had an obligation to bring this place under control.

For now, the establishment of relationships.

Although it had just been a moment ago that he had told Hong Yungae to keep it a secret, now he had to explain it with his own mouth.

Baek Yoonjun quietly pointed to Biyeol and Biyeon with a polite hand gesture.

"This person's name is Biyeol, and he is the owner of this Biyeolmun and my master. And this is my junior brother, Biyeon."

In terms of relationship, it was true.

It was just that it hadn't been long since Baek Yoonjun had entered the Biyeolmun.

Baek Yoonjun then began to introduce his disciples to Biyeol and Biyeon.

"This is my second disciple, Tang Yuhwa, and I have taught her poison arts, hidden weapon techniques, and medical arts."

"Hmm? Second disciple?"

"Great Senior Brother? You had disciples?"

"Ahem. It just happened."

Since it seemed the story would get complicated if he were asked about the time he had received his disciples, Baek Yoonjun just mumbled and then began to introduce his next disciple, Hong Yungae.

"This is my third disciple, Hong Yungae, and he has learned staff techniques and palm techniques."

Biyeol's and Biyeon's eyes widened at the same time, and it seemed they had many things they wanted to say, but Baek Yoonjun desperately ignored them and continued to introduce.

"This is my fourth disciple, Zhuge Hwaryeong..."

"Greetings, Grandmaster, Master-Uncle. I, Zhuge Hwaryeong, as a disciple of Master Baek, have been taught formation arts and mechanism arts."

Although it was Zhuge Hwaryeong, who had been hanging on Tang Yuhwa until just before.

'When did she come down?'

With a neat posture, she was politely performing a fist-and-palm salute to Biyeol and Biyeon and was introducing herself.

Although Baek Yoonjun was curious at the unusually polite appearance of Zhuge Hwaryeong.

"I am called Tang Yuhwa. As a disciple of Master Baek, I have been taught poison arts and hidden weapon techniques."

As even Tang Yuhwa joined that procession, he immediately realized why they were doing this.

'These brats, they do know some manners.'

And belatedly, Hong Yungae scratched his head and joined, performing a clumsy fist-and-palm salute.

"Uh... I am called Hong Yungae. As a disciple of Master Baek, I have learned staff techniques and palm techniques, and as I have introduced before, I am the leader of the Beggars' Sect."

Although it was clumsy, it was an appearance that strangely felt a sense of pride.

Baek Yoonjun, looking at such an appearance of Hong Yungae, clicked his tongue inside.

'Tsk, what an unobservant brat.'

Anyway, since he had safely finished introducing his disciples, Baek Yoonjun turned his gaze to the remaining party members.

And Biyeon, who was listening to that introduction.

'As expected, Great Senior Brother is a great person!'

His eyes became even more sparkling.

(End of Chapter)