The wind was quite chilly.
But the cold autumn breeze could not dampen the liveliness of the market street. Countless people were soliciting customers to enter their shops.
'It's been a while.'
As soon as he went outside, he forgot about the wall-breaking technique.
It was the first time he had come to the market street since he returned to the past. He felt nostalgic.
'Still the same.'
He had wandered around this street a lot in his childhood.
He had never visited this place again after his family was annihilated. He thought he would remember his dead relatives whenever he came here.
"Nice."
"Hehe, right?"
Yeon Ji-pyeong's face was flushed. It was the first time he and his brother had come to the market street alone.
"Brother, are you feeling uncomfortable somewhere?"
"Hmm?"
"Your walk is a bit strange, isn't it?"
"Ah, just a little."
Suddenly, his inner power had risen by two levels.
And he had cleared a lot of blocked meridians. As he repeated sending his energy to that place, his body naturally gained strength.
The mismatch between his body and his energy. He tried to walk slowly, but his speed increased involuntarily. It was a discrepancy caused by his muscles not being fully refined.
'I'll have to suffer a bit from now on.'
Physical strength was as important as inner power. He would need a hellish training to temper his body, which had not yet healed, to the level of black darkness.
When Yeon Ho-jeong was rolling his shoulders for a while.
"Ah, there! Let's go there!"
Yeon Ji-pyeong pointed to a neat-looking restaurant.
"Goyang-ru (Old Sun Tower), huh."
Goyang-ru was a famous restaurant in the southern part of Gangso Province. It was quite expensive, but it was famous for its delicious food and scenery.
"Ah, have you been there, brother?"
"A few times."
It was not a place where he had good memories.
Was it about half a year before his family was destroyed? He had drunk a lot of alcohol with a resigned mind. Among them, he had drunk a lot at Goyang-ru.
'I lived so stupidly.'
He had broken a lot of furniture in a drunken state, and he had been beaten up badly by picking a fight.
It was a place where his body and mind were shattered.
"They say the fish dish is very famous there. Let's go eat fish-fish."
"Fine."
"Huh? But do you eat fish, brother? You didn't like it much, did you?"
Yeon Ho-jeong shrugged his shoulders.
"You have to eat it when you can. By the way, is this your first time going there?"
"Hehe, actually, I've been there once. With my friends."
"Friends… of Cheonggang Academy (Listening to Health Academy)?"
"Yes! They are all good friends."
Byeoksan Yeon Family emphasized both literary and martial arts more than other martial arts sects. They did not hope to become outstanding scholars, but they thought they should be at least better than others. That was the thought of their ancestors.
That teaching was the same even now, when they had risen to the ranks of the seven great families. Yeon Ji-pyeong was learning to write at Cheonggang Academy for that reason.
Yeon Ho-jeong smiled.
"You should learn well. It won't hurt to learn."
Yeon Ji-pyeong asked with an innocent expression.
"But brother, you won't come out in the future, will you?"
"To Cheonggang Academy?"
"Yes!"
"I won't go."
Yeon Ho-jeong had gone to Cheonggang Academy first and learned. But two years ago, he quit writing to focus on martial arts.
A faint disappointment appeared on Yeon Ji-pyeong's face.
"That-that's how it is."
He was a very honest guy.
He felt sorry, but he still had no intention of going. It was not because he hated writing, but because he thought he did not need to learn more.
"You get along well with your friends, don't you?"
"Of course. Oh! By the way, some short-term students came to the academy this time!"
"Short-term students?"
"Yes! They are from famous martial families in Anhwi. Among them, there is a child of Namgung Family (South Palace Family)!"
He said with a bright expression as if he had never done so.
Yeon Ho-jeong frowned.
"From Namgung?"
"Yes! Surprising, right?"
Was it?
He did not remember that part. At this time, he only cared about himself.
'Namgung… Namgung.'
The best family in Anhwi, adjacent to Gangso.
They were a family that was ranked as one of the seven great families along with Yeon Family, but they had a much longer history than Yeon Family.
Namgung meant sword. In the past and in the present, the most famous sword family was Namgung Family.
That was the same even after an unparalleled swordsman appeared from Moyong Family.
"Brother?"
"Hmm?"
"Why are you like that? You look unhappy."
"No. Let's go."
"Yes!"
The two finally entered Goyang-ru.
Goyang-ru was quieter than expected. There seemed to be less than ten people in the four-story restaurant.
"We're lucky, brother. Let's go to the fourth floor!"
"Okay."
When he went up to the fourth floor, the view was very nice. The window was wide open, so the wind was refreshing rather than cold.
"Nice, right? Nice, right?"
"Yeah, I think we came well."
He had been there a lot in the past, but he felt new as if he had come for the first time.
As soon as he sat down by the window, Yeon Ji-pyeong ordered food with excitement. He ordered a fish dish and a few vegetable stir-fries, which were not cheap.
"Isn't it too expensive?"
"I saved a lot of pocket money!"
"You want to pay?"
"Of course! I told you I would treat you!"
Well, I didn't bring any money.
Yeon Ho-jeong lost his appetite.
"Just enjoy it."
"Sure thing!"
He was ready to devour any dish from Goyang-ru. His eyes were sparkling like a puppy that was very happy.
Yeon Ho-jeong found his brother cute. And at the same time, he felt burdened.
'He's such a bright kid.'
He had been jealous and mean to him. He had not verbally or physically abused him, but sometimes indifference was much more cruel.
So even though he felt burdened, he tried hard to smile in front of Yeon Ji-pyeong. He regretted his past mistakes so much.
Yeon Ji-pyeong, who was smiling brightly at Yeon Ho-jeong, asked cautiously.
"Um…"
"Yeah?"
"Are you feeling upset or anything?"
"About what?"
"No, just… if there's anything that bothers you, or something like that."
Yeon Ho-jeong tilted his head.
"I don't know? I didn't have anything like that."
"I see."
"Why? Do I look that bad?"
"No! I was just wondering."
"You're a silly guy."
Yeon Ho-jeong turned his head to the window. He wanted to enjoy the view.
Seeing his brother like that, Yeon Ji-pyeong sighed with relief.
'He must be fine.'
He could understand the situation of Kang Yoon, the former lord of Bi-eung, as a person of Yeon Family. But it was not in front of his brother. Anyone would feel embarrassed.
Fortunately, his brother didn't seem to care much. Rather, Yeon Ji-pyeong felt very sorry because he thought it was because of him.
Yeon Ji-pyeong, who was smiling at Yeon Ho-jeong, tilted his head.
"By the way, brother."
"Hmm?"
"Um… I don't know if I can say this, but…"
"What is it?"
"Your Flying Swallow Energy (飛燕氣) has become more active, hasn't it?"
Huh?
"Can you tell?"
"Yes? Oh, yes. I was not sure, but you seem to have changed a lot from before."
Yeon Ho-jeong looked at Yeon Ji-pyeong with a new eye.
'He felt that?'
He had activated his core and mastered the Flying Swallow Technique, but it was a change that was hard to notice without checking his pulse.
It was because Yeon Ho-jeong was good at gathering energy without interruption. And since the Flying Swallow Technique itself was not a high-level martial art, the change in magnitude was not big either. It was hard to notice the change in his true energy (眞氣) from the outside.
But his brother had seen through it. Even though he was not yet skilled enough to be called a first-class.
"I mastered the Flying Swallow Technique."
Yeon Ji-pyeong got up without knowing.
"Really?!"
"Yes."
He might not believe it because it was too sudden.
"Congratulations! I'm really happy for you, brother!"
He believed it.
Yeon Ji-pyeong congratulated him sincerely as if it was his own thing. He clenched his fists and shook them wildly, looking very excited.
He was grateful for his brother, but he was more surprised than grateful.
'I knew he was talented, but…'
Yeon Ho-jeong's face had a faint admiration.
'This guy, he was a complete monster, wasn't he?'
There are two ways to see talent in martial arts. Having a superior body and having a superior mind.
But Yeon Ji-pyeong's talent was not that.
'He has a good sense.'
The power that overwhelms logic and reason. In other words, an ability that he was born with. He didn't know about other fields, but at least in martial arts, Yeon Ji-pyeong's sense was definitely better than anyone else.
And he also had the best physical talent in Yeon Family.
'If he polishes it properly, he'll make a name for himself in no time.'
Yeon Ji-pyeong said with an excited face.
"Brother, you'll become stronger soon! I'm sure of it!"
"Yeah, I have to."
It was a moment that surprised both of them.
Soon after, the food came out.
The two of them laughed and chatted while eating. Yeon Ji-pyeong was mostly the one who talked, but Yeon Ho-jeong was not very quiet either.
They finished their meal in no time and ordered tea. A good aroma came from the steaming smoke.
"Brother, since you have mastered your technique, let's train together!"
"No."
It was a rather firm rejection. Yeon Ji-pyeong shrank his neck.
"Why?"
"You and I have different ways of training. Maybe later, but for now, it's better to do it separately… Huh?"
Yeon Ho-jeong turned his eyes to the stairs.
"What's wrong, brother?"
"…"
"Brother?"
"Pretty impressive."
Impressive? What is?
Yeon Ji-pyeong, who was tilting his head, suddenly felt a faint energy coming from the first floor.
Yeon Ji-pyeong's eyes widened.
"A master?!"
No, not a master.
A real master should be able to unleash his achievements in practice. That's the qualification to be called a master.
In that respect, there was no master among those who came up from the first floor. At least, that's what Yeon Ho-jeong thought.
But their achievement was impressive.
'Considering their age.'
The vitality that came out of their energy (氣) was very fresh. They were clearly not of age (弱冠).
"Ah!"
Yeon Ji-pyeong exclaimed.
"Why? Do you know them?"
"Yes! I don't know who the master is, but I feel a familiar energy. They must be my academy friends."
Academy friends?
"Go and say hello."
"Ah?! Can I do that?"
"If you didn't know, it would be fine, but you can't just pass by without saying hello if you know them. Go and come back."
Yeon Ji-pyeong got up quietly.
"Then, brother, I'll be back soon. Please wait a little."
"Take your time and talk."
Yeon Ji-pyeong ran down the stairs.
Yeon Ho-jeong smiled and rested his chin.
'He's cheerful.'
Maybe it's because he grew up so darkly.
He had developed some social skills by joining the Black Gang, but he was not as bright as Yeon Ji-pyeong. He often felt annoyed when talking to someone.
That's why he liked his brother's appearance. It was a personality he didn't have.
'Grow up brightly. You don't have to be serious every time the world is harsh.'
He wished he would grow up more splendidly than anyone else. That was the only thing Yeon Ho-jeong wanted from his brother now.
Yeon Ho-jeong, who was drinking tea and enjoying the view outside the window,
He thought it was not the time to enjoy this leisure, but what could he do? It was the first time he had come out to eat with his brother.
Preparing for the annihilation was the most important thing, but there were also things that he couldn't miss.
It was then that he was enjoying a short break.
"Is this it?"
"Oh! It's definitely different from the third floor!"
A buzzing voice came from the third floor.
And Yeon Ji-pyeong's bewildered voice too.
"Hey, wait a minute. Let me talk to my brother first…"
"Hey! We're just going to say hello, why are you like that? Besides, you didn't rent the whole fourth floor, did you? Let's take a look around."
"Ah…"
An indescribable embarrassment came out of Yeon Ji-pyeong's voice.
A moment later.
"Wow, the view is amazing!"
"We did well to come up!"
Yeon Ho-jeong turned his eyes to that place.
Yeon Ji-pyeong's face, sandwiched between two men and one woman (二男一女) he had never seen before, looked very awkward.