An Ominous Feeling in the Journey to the Martial World
"That's something I didn't even see when I went up to the capital."
"I designed it myself and explained it to Uncle Jang. I even used all the allowance I'd saved up until now to include cold iron as part of the materials."
"What?! Then the durability must be insane!"
"Right? And look at this."
Yeon Hwi-tae strapped on the gauntlet to one arm. When he clenched his fist and bent his wrist—
Took—
"What the...?"
A sharp spike, hidden within the knuckles, popped out.
When he straightened his wrist again, the spike retracted back inside.
"That's amazing…"
"Isn't it? I put a lot of research into it."
"But normally, martial artists who use fist techniques rely on their external strength and body-reinforcing energy. They don't usually use protective gear, do they?"
It was true. In the martial world, aside from weapons, armor was rarely used. Especially for those who practiced external martial arts or forceful fist techniques—using armor was seen as a sign of weakness and often ridiculed.
The only exception was Mu Gi-hyung, the "Ghost Shell Tyrant King," one of the Top 100 Masters in the Jianghu. He wore a full suit of strange armor and built his fame through martial arts that utilized it. He was the only one respected for using armor—but that was only because he had reached the transcendent realm of Hwakyung.
"That kind of thinking is just stupid. If you can wear armor, you should—for your own safety. No one's out there handing out extra lives. If you die trying to save face over something dumb, that's just ignorance."
Yeon Hwi-tae said this bluntly, as if it were common sense. Yeon Ju-mi could only shake her head.
"Sigh... Well, I guess you've always been like this."
She examined each piece of gear her younger brother had designed. With cold iron mixed in, the strength was unquestionable, and the appearance was also impressive. But most surprising of all was how practical the design was for real combat.
'This chainmail armor... the style isn't something you'd see in the Central Plains. I've heard of similar gear from the distant Western continent. Maybe he used that as a reference?'
Armor made of interlinked chains—designed to reduce the downsides of heavy plate armor. Since her younger brother had often spent his non-training time reading books, he might have read up on the West.
"So when are you leaving?"
"The day after tomorrow, maybe?"
"Have you decided on a destination?"
"Not really. I just plan to wander and gain experience."
Her gaze turned a bit judgmental, and she spoke again.
"Well then, this works out. Head to Hefei in Anhui Province first."
"To brother-in-law's place?"
"Yeah."
His brother-in-law was Namgung Hwang, second son of Namgung Ho, head of the Namgung family. In other words, she was suggesting he visit the prestigious Namgung Clan.
"Why?"
"Why else? It's a good chance to visit your sister and make a good impression on the in-laws. And it's the Namgung Clan we're talking about! If you want to spar, the martial artists there will accept under proper biwu rules."
She wasn't wrong. He hadn't seen his eldest sister in a long time due to his closed-door training. It wouldn't hurt to go, broaden his martial horizons, and maybe even meet a legendary master.
The Sword Sovereign, Namgung Joo-cheon.
His presence alone justified the Namgung Clan's reputation as the top of the Five Noble Clans of the Orthodox sects. As one of the "Ten Supremes of the Martial World" and a transcendent in the Hwakyung realm, just being in-laws with him had allowed the Geumho Manor to leap in status among the Ten Great Merchant Families of the continent.
"Alright, sounds good."
"Ask them to take you in as a guest for a while. The Namgung Clan, being the top seat among the Five Clans, probably has two or three of the Top 100 Masters residing there. But don't go running to the Sword Sovereign asking for a spar. You're not that clueless, are you?"
"..."
If there was one bad habit his second eldest sister had, it was that she had a way of making even ordinary words sound snide. She didn't talk that way to other people—only to him, it seemed.
"Take your time sightseeing along the way, and please try not to cause any trouble at the Namgung clan."
"What am I, a child?"
"I'm talking about the incident with that girl from Mount Hua a decade ago…"
"Ugh, how many times are you going to bring that up?"
"I'll bring it up as many times as it takes. You insulted a guest we invited with great care, you know."
He couldn't argue with that. Even though it had been an official duel, the aftermath left a sour taste. That tiny girl hadn't been able to hold back her anger—and had ended up crying.
"Well, anyway, take care."
Despite the scolding, she was still his only sister, and the only one who really looked out for him.
"Yeah. I won't be around for a while, but I'll stay in touch."
"Alright."
Two days later, Yeon Hwitae stepped out into the world for the first time.
He didn't feel any grand emotion at the idea of setting foot into the vast jianghu, but there was still a sense of something new. He was curious to see how well his modern martial arts, which he had adapted and refined through endless training, would hold up. And how many powerful warriors existed out there in the world.
But Yeon Hwitae had no idea.
That his first journey into the martial world would go off track—no, tangle into a complete mess—from the very beginning.
Cawwww! Cawwwww!
"Why am I hearing crows the moment I set off?"
Rumble… BOOM!
"Now it's thunder out of a clear sky?"
His first steps into the jianghu felt strangely ominous.
His long-awaited debut into the martial world.
As excited and full of anticipation as he was, it would be a lie to say he wasn't also a little worried.
A few days ago, he had told his father what he thought of the murim—describing it as a living hell where one ambush came right after another. That might have been a bit exaggerated, but he didn't think he was entirely wrong. Murim was a world of survival of the fittest, where strength ruled. Letting one's guard down could be fatal, and he stepped forward with a firm resolve, determined not to be careless.
And then, to his surprise… absolutely nothing happened.
No, more than that—nothing happened to the point it became boring.
"I mean, shouldn't I have at least run into some bandits by now? Or roadside robbers or something? I'm not even in the mountains!"
In stories, bandits—or robbers—were the go-to opponents for a first real fight. He wasn't counting water bandits; those guys used shuigong techniques, and he wasn't ready to deal with that yet. Not until he'd learned how to counter it.
He considered using lightness skill to travel faster but decided to take his time since it was his first time seeing the world.
"But come on, there's a limit. I've been walking forever, and all I've seen are government roads, fields, and peaceful scenery… What, did I come all this way just to sightsee?"
Muttering to himself, still debating whether to start using lightness skill, he finally spotted a village in the distance. Figuring that marked the end of this dull first day, he used his technique to rush toward it.
"Whew… If nothing else, lightness skill sure is convenient."
Lightness skill, sound skill, eye techniques, silent movement—all of these were practically perfect techniques as they were, no need to adapt anything from modern martial arts. Especially lightness skill—not only was it convenient, but it also conserved stamina over long distances and could be a literal lifesaver in an emergency. It was easily what one would call an ultimate skill.
"So this is the village? Where am I exactly, though?"
Even with a map, it was hard to tell. Unlike in modern times, maps weren't widely distributed—many were considered military secrets, so civilian versions were vague at best. But the mystery was quickly cleared up.
"This is Juje-hyeon in Henan Province, sir. It's also the last gateway before you reach Luoyang, one of the three great cities of the Central Plains. If you're heading to Anhui, I recommend staying a bit here and then passing through Luoyang for a bit of sightseeing."
After deciding to stop at an inn for food and lodging, Yeon Hwitae slipped the waiter a few extra coins and got some helpful local advice in return.
The inn, for such a small village, was surprisingly busy. About half the patrons looked like regular travelers, but the rest clearly had the air of martial artists. He had just started eating the meal he'd ordered when he overheard a conversation at a nearby table.
"Hey, did you hear the news?"
"What's going on?"
"It's about Wugi-hyung, the Turtle-Shell Tyrant."
"You mean the guy who wears armor—strangely enough for a martial artist—and is one of the Murim's Top Hundred Masters?"
"Yeah, that's him. Apparently, his disciple is going to visit the Namgung Clan."
"For what reason?"
"They say Wugi-hyung owes a great debt of gratitude to the Sword Emperor. He can't visit personally due to some circumstances, but he's sending an incredible gift through his disciple. The Namgung Clan heard the news and is preparing a grand welcome."
"Wait a second. What kind of gift is it that the Namgung Clan would go out of their way like that? I mean, they don't get impressed easily. But they're going all out for this?"
"Ahem… Suddenly I'm feeling quite parched."
With a well-timed throat-clearing and a glance around, drinks and side dishes began pouring in from his eager companions.
Gulp! "Ahh, that hits the spot. Nothing like a good drink—it's good for the body, I tell you."
"Now that you've had your drink, get back to the story."
"Of course. Now, where was I?"
"You were about to say what incredible gift the Turtle-Shell Tyrant Wugi-hyung is sending."
"Ah, right. So the gift is…"
At that moment, not just his companions but everyone in the inn who had been quietly eavesdropping turned their attention to him.
"It's none other than…"
KRA-KA-BOOM!
"…Huh?"
Of all moments, the disruption had to happen then.
Out of nowhere, four or five thuggish-looking brutes stormed through the inn's front doors.
"Gwahahaha! Alright, boys, this inn now belongs to the Black Heaven Sect. Let's keep things civil, eh?"
"Don't worry, folks. As long as you cooperate, there's nothing to be afraid of. Heh heh."
Anyone could tell at a glance these were textbook street thugs, and they cackled as they looked around the room, mocking the patrons. A few hot-headed martial artists immediately shot to their feet.
"Who the hell do you think you are, pulling this trash in a public inn?!"
"What, you think you'll find anything worth robbing here?"
And to make matters worse, they'd barged in right as the story was getting to the best part. That only fueled the patrons' anger. But of course, there were always people sharp enough to realize when trouble was real.
"Wait—Unyielding Flame Guang Su-ak!"
"What?! A peak master-level fighter? Why is he here?!"
One person recognized the man leading the thugs, and the mood inside the inn shifted instantly.