Chapter 86 – I’ll Peel It Myself!

Chapter 86 – I'll Peel It Myself!

Mount Song was located in Henan Province .

Mount Song, considered the Central Peak among the Five Sacred Mountains, was a mountain that embraced three peaks. On the northern foothills of Shaoshi , the temple of Shaolin, referred to as the Thousand-Year Shaolin, was situated.

Shaolin, lined with magnificent pavilions and monk quarters, not only boasted an immense scale but also possessed the geographical advantage of easy access, making it perfectly suited to host major events of the martial world.

“Hah…”

“What is all this…?”

Their admiration for the elegant scenery of Mount Song lasted only a moment.

The warriors of the Tang Clan could not close their mouths at the crowd that surged in like waves.

Peddlers moved busily to display their wares, and the sounds of soliciting customers echoed ceaselessly from all directions. There were stalls displaying various goods, and even carriages wafting the fragrant aroma of food.

The entrance of Mount Song, packed to form a mountain and sea of people , was crowded not only with pilgrims heading toward Shaolin, but also with visiting martial artists and the merchants who never missed such festivals.

Tang Yi-seon, the Leader of the Ten Thousand Poisons Hall, blinked.

“Family Head. Has there ever been a Dragon and Phoenix Assembly with a crowd this bustling in the past…?”

“It seems more than twice as many people have gathered compared to three years ago.”

It was truly the largest event of the Jianghu martial world.

Especially with the first-ever confrontation between the orthodox and unorthodox factions, the heat of this Dragon and Phoenix Assembly was hotter than ever before.

“Wow. I always thought Chengdu of Sichuan was crowded, but compared to this crowd, that place feels spacious.”

“Wow… the delicious smell is amazing too.”

The rising stars also poured out their admiration at the unprecedented scale. Especially the young rising stars, including San-ho who was visiting Mount Song for the first time, were busy looking around with sparkling eyes.

“From here on, be exceptionally careful with your behavior. Do not leave any unnecessary flaws, and always behave honorably with the mindset of representing the family. Do you understand?”

“Yes.”

The rising stars nodded at the words of the Young Clan Leader, Tang Hae-soo.

At that moment, San-ho approached as if possessed by a crowd that particularly caught his eye.

“What is that?”

A street where various merchants set up stalls and solicited customers. One of those spots was exceptionally crowded. Glancing in that direction, Tang Hae-soo replied calmly.

“What do you mean by… Ah, you mean the bookmakers.”

What caught San-ho's eye was none other than a gambling den.

Behind the professional bookmakers, wooden boards with the names and standings of each sect written on them were lined up neatly. People gathered in front of them, engaging in heated debates, while the bookmakers egged them on with their eloquent speech.

“Bookmakers? This is supposed to be Shaolin's front yard, yet they set up a gambling den so confidently?”

“They only turn a blind eye temporarily during the tournament. Isn't that sort of thing also a source of amusement for the commoners?”

“Hmm…”

San-ho's gaze naturally began to search for his family's name.

The sects occupying the highest ranks on the wooden boards were Shaolin and Mount Hua. The Namgung Family followed closely behind them, and below them, the Murong Family and Wudang held similarly high standings. Jongnam, Qingcheng, and the Hebei Paeng Family occupied the lower-middle ranks.

Let's see, where is the Tang Clan?

“…Huh?”

Scanning the wooden board from top to bottom, San-ho tilted his head. The Tang Clan's name was nowhere to be seen. 'No way, that can't be right,' he muttered, scanning the board once more.

“What, why isn't it here? Is something wrong?”

Why was only the Tang Clan missing from the wooden board where the names of the Nine Sects and Great Families were written side by side! His eyes, which had turned fierce in an instant, directed themselves at the bookmaker.

“Aigoo! How could we possibly leave out the Sichuan Tang Clan of the Five Great Families? It's right here!”

“Where?”

Recognizing that he was a warrior of the Tang Clan, the bookmaker hurriedly pointed toward the bottom. Indeed, his words were true. The character 'Tang' was clearly carved on the wooden board. If there was one problem…

“No wonder I couldn't see it when it's at the absolute bottom! No, why did you hide it away like this?”

It was in a position hidden around the ankles. When San-ho asked with a face full of dissatisfaction, the bookmaker replied, fidgeting nervously.

“I-I didn't do that on purpose, Young Master.”

“What?”

“This goes up according to the standings… The ones that customers bet less on are placed relatively lower down.”

“……”

So right now, that meant no one had bet any money on the Tang Clan? Because they thought they wouldn't win?

As San-ho's eyebrows twitched, the quick-witted bookmaker hastily added.

“I truly! I believe the Tang Clan's martial arts are the most terrifying and threatening under heaven! Of course I do!”

“Looking at that, it seems like nobody else thinks so.”

“Well, that's…”

Squeezing his eyes shut, the hesitating bookmaker said.

“Since you are automatically disqualified if the opponent d-dies, because of that, everyone is, well…”

Just as San-ho, who was glaring, was about to open his mouth, Tang Hae-soo grabbed the back of his neck.

“Stop it.”

“Ah, brother, aren't you angry at all?”

“Isn't it useless to waste emotions on such things one by one? We just need to prove our skills in the tournament, and then it is only natural that their perception will change.”

“Tsk. Anyone listening would think you are cultivating Tao or something.”

It was at that moment.

The body of San-ho, who was still pouting with a dissatisfied face, was shoved by someone. When he was bumped with a thud but heard no apology, San-ho raised his head.

“What…”

“Ah, my apologies. I simply failed to see you…”

“…Is your eyesight very poor?”

At that moment, Tang Hae-soo stepped in front of San-ho and clasped his hands.

“Greetings to Elder Wi-yeong of the Jongnam Sect.”

“Oh, the Young Clan Leader of the Tang Clan was here. It has been a long time.”

“Yes. Have you been in good health?”

At Tang Hae-soo's words, San-ho reluctantly showed his respects. So, a Taoist priest who actually cultivated Tao bumped into a person and brushed off the apology with a mere 'my apologies'? …Was a Taoist priest allowed to do that?

“Thanks to you. By the way, who is beside you? It seems to be a face I haven't seen before.”

“My introductions are late. This is my younger brother, San-ho. He is a junior of the martial world, so please look upon him kindly.”

“Haha, the rumor that the Young Master of the Tang Clan is participating in the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly was true. Setting aside his skills, there are many interesting rumors, so my expectations are high.”

Wi-yeong, an elder of the Jongnam Sect, scanned San-ho from top to bottom and continued speaking.

“Since you arrived four days early, you will be able to enjoy the scenery of Shaolin leisurely. It must have been a bit regrettable last time. Considering the hard work of traveling a long way, you should really achieve good results this time.”

Oh my? Look at how this Taoist uncle spoke.

Feeling his disbelief drift away to the rhythm of Jajinmori, San-ho frowned. No matter how much he listened with a filter of respecting his elders, it was definitely sarcastic, wasn't it?

'But it's exactly… the kind of speech style that makes only this side look sensitive if I say anything.'

There were people who used this kind of speech.

Subtly sarcastic, making the other party feel unpleasant.

Not enough to call them out openly, yet too uncomfortable to just let go.

“All the rising stars of the Tang Clan have turned over a new leaf and continued their training, so you may look forward to it.”

Tang Hae-soo, fit for a Young Clan Leader, did not lose his composure, but San-ho, who was watching, was losing his composure in real-time.

“Well… I will tell my disciples to go easy on you, so do not worry too much. Haha.”

'This Taoist uncle is really…'

But no matter what nonsense was babbled in front of him, he had to endure it now. This was not Sichuan, they came representing the family, and there were many eyes watching… but wasn't that bastard the one who picked a fight first?

“Pardon?”

San-ho's mouth, where a gradient of anger surged, moved first as a spinal reflex. He swore he did not mean to do that, but his tongue refused to listen, as if it had a will of its own…

“What do you mean by those words just now?”

San-ho, widening his eyes, spoke with an innocent expression.

“Hmm?”

“Do you mean Jongnam will purposely lose to us? Don't tell me it's match-fixing?”

“Haha, I did not mean it like that…”

“Oh, of course not, right? In the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly, where martial arts are contested fairly, there's no way such a heinous thing would happen…”

“Young Master. It seems there was a misunderstanding.”

“A misunderstanding? Then you must clarify it.”

Originally, this level of mental warfare was common before the start of the tournament. However, because San-ho suddenly raised his voice and blurted out words like match-fixing, a crowd began to gather one by one around them.

Wi-yeong, who glanced sideways at the gathered people, cleared his throat and chose his words.

“Ahem, I only wished for both Jongnam and the Tang Clan to achieve good results. Haha. Match-fixing, would Jongnam ever plot such a thing? It is something that will not happen, so lay down your misunderstanding.”

“Pardon? Then, if there is no fixing, are you saying that Jongnam can naturally defeat the Tang Clan?”

“Haha…! Amitabha. I cannot put it that way, but since Jongnam's disciples are indeed outstanding, it would be best for you to be on your guard.”

Wi-yeong felt like he was being put to the test as he looked at San-ho, whose clear eyes were shining. Now, it was self-evident that if Jongnam were to lose to the Tang Clan, they would be swept up in strange rumors of match-fixing.

“Hmm… Well, we will know once we see the results.”

“……”

Wi-yeong, who stared at San-ho who would not yield even a single word. He realized that exchanging further words here would only be a loss for him. After all, it was a fact known to everyone that the Tang Clan was weak in duels.

Was there any way Jongnam would lose?

If so, there was no need to clarify further. Even if they babbled about match-fixing or whatever now, they were people who would be eliminated in the early rounds and return to Sichuan anyway.

Quickly sorting out his thoughts, Wi-yeong looked at Tang Hae-soo and spoke.

“Ahem. I have delayed too much time when this is not the time. I shall head inside first, so let us meet inside, Young Clan Leader.”

“Yes. We shall meet at Shaolin.”

That the corners of Tang Hae-soo's mouth, who slightly bowed his head, were curled upward was a secret no one saw.

***

As Wi-hyeon's back receded, San-ho, who kept his mouth tightly shut, suddenly retraced the path he had come. Because of his exceedingly bold footsteps, Tang Hae-soo and the rising stars tilted their heads and followed behind him.

“Why here?”

The place San-ho returned to was the gambling den from earlier.

Suddenly calling out to the bookmaker, San-ho pulled a bundle of banknotes from his chest pocket.

“All of this on the victory of the Sichuan Tang Clan!”

“Pardon?”

Examining the banknotes, the bookmaker's eyes grew as wide as lanterns.

It was entirely understandable.

The banknotes, which detailed a huge sum of money, were stamped with three seals. The Meteor Merchant Guild, one of the Ten Great Merchant Guilds of the Central Plains; Hao Sect, an unorthodox force; and the Martial Alliance, the center of orthodox power. They were banknotes authenticated by three places that left absolutely no room for worry about forgery.

“Y-You mean all of this?”

While the authentication was one thing, the amount itself was so vast that the hand of the bookmaker holding the banknotes began to tremble. Although he fully understood the desire to bet on one's family's victory as a Tang warrior, how could that possibly happen?

Of course, the bookmaker was not the only one surprised.

“……”

The warriors of the Sichuan Tang Clan standing behind San-ho froze with their mouths wide open.

This was because, seeing the Tang Clan's marker that had been stuck to the bottom instantly rise up to the height of their shoulders, they realized the money San-ho bet was astronomical.

While not only the bookmaker and the Tang warriors, but also the martial artists who had been holding heated discussions, were all merely opening and closing their mouths at the unprecedented occurrence,

San-ho, who received the stamped token, suddenly turned his head.

“I…”

And a sorrowful voice that did not match the context of the situation began to flow out.

“You don't know how many terrifying things happened in the Jianghu. But I overcame them firmly by thinking of my brothers. After such a rough and arduous journey through the Jianghu, I finally managed to scrape together a bit of money…”

“……?”

A bit?

He had single-handedly caught up to the standings of Wudang and Murong, where hundreds of people must have already bet… a bit? No, more than that, throwing all the money earned like that into a gambling den right now… Is he seriously crazy?

Watching San-ho, who had thrown his fortune into the gambling den without even any time to take it back, everyone was speechless.

“Although it is money earned with such difficulty, I do not doubt the Tang Clan's victory, so isn't this an investment?”

“…Huh?”

What should we do about this.

The Tang Clan warriors swallowed their dry saliva.

Of course, it was true that they had trained day and night to achieve good results. They certainly had the confidence to achieve better results than last time. But winning the championship was a slightly… different story, wasn't it?

“Since you brothers will definitely win the championship, there's no way this younger brother will lose his hard-earned money, right?”

“Uh, uh, of course…!”

However.

Their younger brother had bet his hard-earned money on their victory and believed in them! Inevitably, a new resolve rose in the eyes of the Tang Clan rising stars. Above all… they could not let that huge sum of money be blown away in gambling!

“For the sake of this younger brother, you must win no matter what, brothers.”

A shadow fell over San-ho's downcast eyes as he smiled softly. Thus, the Tang Clan warriors failed to notice the sparks flying from his pupils.

'Even if they are trashed, I should be the one to trash them. I'm so pissed off I can't stand it.'

With the public sentiment at the gambling den crawling on the floor, the elder of the Nine Sects who subtly ignored them, and even the glances whispering as they peeked, everyone expected a hard struggle for the Tang Clan.

Unexpectedly burning with fighting spirit, San-ho gritted his teeth inwardly.

Canceling the statement that winning was not the goal.

…I will win the championship and then go. Absolutely.