Chapter 67
“I’m sorry, but there’s no guarantee that you’ll become stronger just because I taught you.”
The cat constellation grabbed the back of its neck and asked, “Why are you telling them that?”
However, Choi Yeonseung was speaking sincerely.
“The Undefeated Incarnation of Training helped me, but that is only my case. I don’t know if it will apply to others. Most of all, I trained in the Abyss...”
“It doesn’t matter. We are naturally prepared for that as well.” Li Yuyuan looked at Choi Yeonseung with piercing eyes. “As a martial artist, we should feel ashamed if our achievements are low. Why would we blame the master who taught us?”
“Despite all of that, you still want to learn from me?”
“Yes.” Li Yuyuan nodded.
“I’m not going to just ask you to teach us. We know that nothing in the world is free. In return, we will offer you absolute loyalty.”
“Absolute loyalty?”
Choi Yeonseung was puzzled. He didn’t understand exactly what Li Yuyuan meant.
“People to kill, capture, investigate... Don’t you need subordinates that can deal with that?”
Li?Yuyuan’s?voice was filled with bloodlust. This was a clan that had turned into a criminal organization. Indeed, at the same level, martial artists were better in single combat than magicians. Rather than using loud magic, a slash of a sword would end it all.
‘I’m saddened that martial arts don’t seem to suit raids!’
“I’ve never really thought about it.”
“I see.”
Li?Yuyuan’s?expression darkened. He seemed to think of Choi Yeonseung’s reply as a refusal. Offering money to a hunter capable of joining the Icarus clan would be meaningless. He could just earn as much as he wanted in the future.
“It isn’t a refusal. It’s just that your proposal is so sudden. Do you mind if I think about it before giving you an answer?”
“Yes!”
Li Yuyuan nodded with a much brighter expression.
“I’ll be waiting, Choi Yeonseung.”
“Don’t expect too much. I’m not confident when it comes to teaching others.”
The bitter memories from Hwang Gyeongryong’s clan a long time ago came pouring in.
-Clan leader! Isn’t this man crazy?
-Choi Yeonseung is a good hunter, but I don’t want to train with him!
"I don't think so. Now, take this. I’ll wait while you think about it.”
Li Yuyuan held out a note. Choi Yeonseung cocked his head when he received it.
“Is this like a secret code? Do I need to use it to come in here?”
“... You’re holding it upside down. It’s my phone number.”
“......”
The nearby Mount Hua Sect hunters visibly bit their lips to hold back their laughter.
[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ can’t hold back its laughter!]
***
“Will it be okay?”
Choi Yeonseung wasn’t the only one taken aback by such a sudden proposal. The other hunters of the Mount Hua Sect were also flustered. Did they really have to bend over like this toward such a young man? The reason why there was no dissatisfaction was because of their trust in Li Yuyuan.
Li Yuyuan had been a pillar of the Mount Hua Sect even when they were still in China! He continued to unwaveringly lead the clan when they came to the United States and entered the shadows.
Time passed and young hunters joined, but they still respected Li Yuyuan. They would follow his decisions! The Mount Hua Sect hunters’ loyalty was beyond imagination.
“He is worth it.”
“If you say so, then we will follow.”
The hunters bowed.
The elders of the clan agreed with Li Yuyuan. The young hunters only felt that Choi Yeonseung was ‘fast and strong’, but the elders felt much more than that. He had reached the pinnacle of martial arts!
“I’ve never seen anyone like him before.”
“He’s reached a state that can’t be achieved overnight. What shame is there in learning from someone like that?”
If they could learn something from a child, they should ask the child to teach them. That held even truer when the person in question was a master. They’d do anything for the clan’s future.
***
Choi Yeonseung decided to go to Hwang Gyeongryong and ask him about the constellation battle and the Mount Hua Sect first.
-A-Are you going to meet Dragon Hwang? I’ll come with you…
-Eh? No thanks.
-What? Why?! I even took you to the auction house!
-If you wanted to meet him, then you should’ve done something more valuable. Goodbye.
-Haha! Get out of here, you scumbag!
Whittaker tried to come with Choi Yeonseung with shining eyes when he heard the latter was going to meet Hwang Gyeongryong, but Choi Yeonseung cut him off. Odaigon?also helped in an?excited?manner. This was payback for running away instead of joining the fight! While Whittaker looked tearful after losing the opportunity to build connections, Choi Yeonseung was composed.
‘Is it here?’
Hwang Gyeongryong was a surprisingly busy person. Although that was only natural since he was leading such a company, Choi Yeonseung was still amazed by it! In the middle of the city center was the Dragon Industry’s street. It was full of buildings, and most of them were owned by Hwang Gyeongryong. New magic research, item research, monster materials research...
The security in this area was strict since various studies related to raids and hunters were being conducted here.
“You came. The chairman’s waiting for you.” A secretary politely guided Choi Yeonseung to the top floor of a building that offered a panoramic view of the city center’s dazzling development.
“Great, you’re here. I have something to tell you. Are you adjusting well to the Icarus clan?” He already knew the answer to that after hearing the report, but Hwang Gyeongryong pretended not to know.
Choi Yeonseung nodded. “Yes.”
“Did anything interesting happen?”
“There are so many weirdos in it.”
“I guess so.”
‘You aren’t normal either, dude...’ Hwang Gyeongryong thought to himself.
“Did you think I’m also weird just now?”
“N-No?”
Hwang Gyeongryong tried to deny it but soon came to a realization. Choi Yeonseung was a constellation and his master. Hwang Gyeongryong had heard stories about the hunters who had contracted with other constellations, so he was familiar with the concept.
-A contract with a constellation is nigh-absolute. Once you’ve signed it, your soul is bound.
-You should think of it as having your every move monitored. Saying something disrespectful about a constellation could shatter your soul on that same day, Gyeongryong. You’re absolutely not fit to sign a contract with a constellation. You really shouldn’t do it.
-You’re talented, Gyeongryong, so you’ll be treated as a household member, not just a minion. However... You’ll likely touch a constellation’s temper, so don’t sign a contract.
“You... Can you see through my heart?” Hwang Gyeongryong asked while looking at Choi Yeonseung.
“Huh? Ah. That thing?”
[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ is using its power of existence.]
[The other constellations’ gazes have been obscured!]
-Huh?
[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ says you have to be very careful from now on. Using your power of existence now will get you caught, so it will use it for you.]
After declaring war on the Warrior Stained with Madness and Blood, it was only natural that some attention would be paid to Choi Yeonseung and the Undefeated Incarnation of Training. There would be nothing strange if other constellations used the power of existence to peek around him.
A constellation of the same level had to step up to block their eyes. The cat constellation used its power of existence to prevent other constellations from eavesdropping.
-Thank you, cat constellation.
[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ is proud to have taken care of the constellation that knows nothing but training.]
-That’s a bit too much, but thanks anyway.
Choi Yeonseung had sealed his presence as a constellation and his stage in martial arts was lowered. Things would’ve been many times more uncomfortable without the cat constellation.
“No. I can read minds with my constellation abilities, but... I’ve never used it.”
“T-then how?”
“You’re just the type who reveals all your thoughts.”
“I see...”
Hwang Gyeongryong coughed in embarrassment.
“In any case, I’m glad you came. I wanted to borrow some of your strength.”
“?”
“Ah. I should hear about your business first. What’s going on?”
“Hmm Hyung, do you remember the Mount Hua Sect?”
“Mount Hua Sect? Um...”
Hwang Gyeongryong frowned. It was hard to remember one out of hundreds, thousands, or tens of thousands of clans.
“Wasn’t that a clan of Chinese martial artists a long time ago?”
“Oh. You still remember.”
“It was quite famous, and you are a martial artist.”
Choi Yeonseung was slightly moved. He was a clan leader for a reason. Even if Hwang Gyeongryong was clumsy and made frequent mistakes, his clan members trusted and followed him...
“Yeonseung. You’re usually cursing me inwardly when you look at me like that.”
“Haha. You misunderstand. In any case, it’s great that you remember them. That makes things easier.”
“Um... What’s going on with them? They were smashed when the great invasion broke out and China was in an uproar, then they were smashed a second time when their clan leader Li Yuyuan was caught in the rating manipulation...”
“......”
‘Their situation was much direr than I thought.’
Choi Yeonseung frowned, and Hwang Gyeongryong spoke as he recalled those times.
“A lot of people died during the great invasion. China has a large territory, so it was constantly under attack.”
It was 30 years ago, but for Hwang Gyeongryong, who experienced it himself and almost died several times, it was as vivid as yesterday. Earth could’ve been destroyed back then, so people panicked. Many hunters also died in South Korea, but the damage was minimal. It would’ve multiplied if the hunters hadn’t taken the initiative at that time, though.
“Did the Mount Hua Sect clan suffer a lot because they were martial artists?”
The martial artists had to fight up close so they suffered whenever things went wrong, especially when they were against a strong monster!
“That could be a reason, but it was probably because the Chinese government sent them to dangerous places. They denied that this wasn’t the case, but everyone knew.”
Clans loyal to the government were sent to safe places while clans that rebelled were sent to dangerous places. The Chinese government flatly denied it, but no one believed them.
“They’re such nasty bastards. I can’t help but wonder if the rating manipulation was done because the government ordered it. I doubt normal people could’ve done that on their own.”
During the great invasion, they stood up front as the vanguard. Later, the government cut them off when the rating manipulation that they ordered was exposed. It was understandable for the Mount Hua Sect to have a deep grudge that could only be washed away with blood.
“Anyway, why did you ask me about the Mount Hua Sect? Are you going to look for Li Yuyuan? It won’t help much.”
“No. We already met here.”
“What? Really?”
“Yes.”
Choi Yeonseung explained what happened. Hwang Gyeongryong was amazed.
“Huh. I didn’t hear from him, so I thought he was dead?or had disbanded?the clan. Turns out he was here all this time.”
“... Hyung. Considering that you’re the master of this city, your knowledge is too...”
Choi Yeonseung was dumbfounded. Hwang Gyeongryong felt it was very unfair.
“What grade do you think I am? I don’t have time to track such insignificant people.”
No matter how he looked at it, it seemed like Choi Yeonseung was looking down on him too much!
“Look, Yeonseung. This is how many reports I get in a day. I usually get urgent reports from overseas companies, important US political issues, reports on the current state of other super large clans, and urgent matters in the city... Hey! Listen to me! Your hyung is talking!”
“Ah. I’m sorry. What you’re saying is too boring.”
The source of this c𝓸ntent is fr𝒆e(w)𝒆bnovel