"Did you eat well?"
"Yes. Su-ryeon brought it for me, so I ate well."
Wei Jeong-han looked at Wei Yan-ho, whose face was glistening with oil, and couldn't hide his displeasure.
'This guy's supposed to have a duel with his older brother today, but just how well did he sleep to have such a face?'
Even though anxiety wasn't a pleasant emotion, it was a natural feeling that people should have. But this guy seemed to have no understanding of the emotion called anxiety at all. Though he was his son, he truly had to say that he had lost all sense of fear.
"Well, today is an important day…"
Wei Yan-ho slightly raised his hand.
"Hm? What is it?"
"I'm getting bored having to listen to stories I've already heard enough of again. I wish we could just move on quickly."
"Mm-hmm…"
Wei Jeong-han ended up shaking his head.
It was his own fault for trying to lecture Wei Yan-ho. Lectures were only meaningful when given to someone who would understand them, weren't they?
"I don't know why everyone's gathered here making such a fuss about what's not even that big a deal. My master said that society can't develop because of people who try to stick their spoons into everything whenever something happens."
"…Who said that?"
"My master."
Just what kind of person was Wei Yan-ho's master?
He had heard explanations several times already, but the more he heard, the more he couldn't shake the feeling that it was bizarre.
"You said your master was a ghost?"
"He strongly insisted that he wasn't a ghost."
"…Isn't that usually what ghosts are?"
"To be precise, um…"
Wei Yan-ho shrugged his shoulders.
"A ghost is when a person dies and their soul comes out to wander around, but he strongly insisted that he wasn't a ghost because he was simply a mental image remaining in the Internal Core."
"What's the difference?"
"Exactly."
Wei Yan-ho's lips stuck out.
"I don't know what the difference is exactly, but anyway, he insisted he was different. When I asked what was different, he was someone who preferred to explain with fists rather than words, so he had the tremendous logic of 'If I hit you, your brain will find the answer to avoid getting hit.'"
"…It's amazing you came back alive."
"I think so too."
Wei Jeong-han shuddered.
Anyone who knew Wei Yan-ho would understand, but Wei Yan-ho surprisingly didn't speak ill of others very often.
Wei Yan-ho knew well that he wasn't qualified to speak ill of others. Even those who could objectively be called human trash seemed more human-like compared to Wei Yan-ho.
For Wei Yan-ho to speak ill of someone else was like a dog with something on it scolding another dog with something on it.
'That's why he doesn't badmouth others…'
Though he was full of complaints and grievances, he had at least minimal conscience and didn't speak ill of other people. But for Wei Yan-ho's master to cause Wei Yan-ho to continuously spout negative remarks just by mentioning him—just what kind of tremendous person must he have been?
It was enough to make one lose faith in humanity.
"You don't go around talking about me like that behind my back, do you?"
"…"
Why can't you answer, you bastard!
Why!
Just as Wei Jeong-han was about to shed tears of blood, Jang-il poked his head in and said:
"They say to prepare."
"Got it."
Wei Yan-ho stood up from his seat.
"Well then, I'll be going."
"Y-yes."
After Wei Yan-ho went outside, Wei Jeong-han's eyes sank low.
'So this day has finally come.'
It was a day when he would have to see a sight he never wanted to see. No matter how much it was just a duel, Wei Jeong-han's honest feelings were that he didn't want to see those two crossing swords with each other.
With sunken eyes, Wei Jeong-han stared endlessly at the door through which Wei Yan-ho had left, then turned his head to look at the empty sky. As if longing for someone.
"Hmm…"
Cheong Yeong-ja looked at the dueling stage with an uncomfortable expression.
"Quite an anticipated matchup, isn't it?"
"Indeed it is."
Though he was answering with his mouth, Cheong Yeong-ja's mind was elsewhere.
'Baek Geom-yeong, Wei San-ho, and Wei Yan-ho could be called the strongest championship candidates.'
For two of them to face each other with one falling out was truly a welcome situation for Cheong Yeong-ja, who wished for nothing more than for the Righteous Martial Alliance to shine.
Yet why did he feel strangely uncomfortable?
The other matches had already concluded. It was very welcome that Shaolin's Mu-jin had defeated Cheonuiryeon's Do Mak-so to advance to the semifinals. The good showing of the Nine Sects was always something to celebrate. However, what was making Cheong Yeong-ja gloomy was that the trusted Jang So-ha had been literally smashed by Baek Geom-seong's Baek Geom-yeong.
'Is the difference really this great?'
Of course, Baek Geom-yeong was one of the top rising stars called one of the three championship candidates along with Wei Yan-ho and Wei San-ho in this tournament. Just because Jang So-ha lost to such a person didn't mean his value decreased, but the content was too poor.
Jang So-ha couldn't even properly resist Baek Geom-yeong's sword and suffered a literally one-sided defeat.
No matter how much time passed in the future, if Jang So-ha couldn't achieve revenge, Baek Geom-seong's name would always be ahead of Mount Hua's.
'I was happy when Song Hyeon was eliminated…'
Cheong Yeong-ja had inwardly laughed watching Song Hyeon admit defeat without even crossing swords with Wei Yan-ho, but seeing Jang So-ha's miserable defeat, he had to admit that Song Hyeon had been fox-like.
The perspective of 'lost but fought well' took priority over 'surrendered helplessly,' but 'defeated miserably' was worse than 'surrendered.'
And in the third duel, the Peng Family's Peng Do-geuk had unfortunately lost to Cheonuiryeon's Cheol Jo-hwi.
As a result, the semifinals had Cheonuiryeon, the Righteous Martial Alliance, Baek Geom-seong, and the Nine Sects each placing one person.
Looking at just the results, one could say a very fair outcome had emerged, but those who knew the reality didn't evaluate it that way.
Everyone knew that the reason the others besides Baek Geom-yeong could advance to the semifinals was because they hadn't faced the three championship candidates.
That's how much the martial arts of the Wei brothers and Baek Geom-yeong were on a different level from the other rising stars.
'It's like I've done favors for others.'
Though it was still unknown who would win this tournament, when the tournament ended, the names of the Righteous Martial Alliance—more precisely, the Guangdong Wei Family and Baek Geom-seong—would shake the world.
Moreover, the reputation of the Guangdong Wei Family would become increasingly difficult to approach as time went on.
In terms of power, how could the Guangdong Wei Family dare to approach Mount Hua, but in the martial world, the words "Greatest Under Heaven" held special meaning.
Whether it was becoming the Greatest Person Under Heaven or the Greatest Rising Star Under Heaven.
Wasn't the Greatest Rising Star Under Heaven tantamount to saying the future Greatest Under Heaven?
If one of Wei Yan-ho or Wei San-ho won like this, the Guangdong Wei Family would become an unprecedented family with brothers competing for the title of Greatest Under Heaven.
'A world of the Guangdong Wei Family and Baek Geom-seong.'
Even though two massive coalitions that controlled the world and the prestigious Nine Sects had sharpened their blades to participate, it was a situation where small sects like the Guangdong Wei Family and Baek Geom-seong were dividing up the championship.
Cheong Yeong-ja's plan to use this tournament as a stage for Mount Hua's revival and raise the banner of the Nine Sects to escape from the Righteous Martial Alliance's influence had been cleanly shattered.
People were already uninterested in Mount Hua. Their eyes were entirely focused on the emergence of a new star named Wei Yan-ho.
And that fact was clearly reflected in the expressions of those sitting in the high seats.
'Anyone would think this was a funeral.'
They were all looking at the dueling stage with gloomy faces. Baek Geom-seong hadn't sent a separate advisor, and Wei Jeong-han had stubbornly insisted that being in such a place gave him goosebumps and that he would watch the match from the spectator seats, so he couldn't join them in this place.
In the end, there was no one in this place who could reap the fruits of this martial tournament, and they didn't even have the opportunity to build relationships with those who would benefit from this tournament.
So how could the atmosphere not be gloomy?
Looking at those who occupied the high seats with faces like they were chewing something bitter, Cheong Yeong-ja let out a deep sigh.
'How did the tournament turn out like this?'
If we traced the most fundamental cause, it would be because their rising stars lacked skill above all else, but they wouldn't become this gloomy for that reason alone.
Everyone hoped for victory, but no one was unaware that there could only be one winner.
If the tournament had just proceeded normally, even if their sect's disciples were eliminated early, these weren't people who couldn't manage their expressions.
'…Here he comes.'
The cause that had driven the tournament to disruption was slowly walking toward the dueling stage.
"Wowwwww!"
"It's Wei Yan-ho! Wei Yan-ho!"
When Wei Yan-ho was startled by the cheers pouring from left and right, he frowned and shouted loudly:
"You startled me!"
"Hahaha! What, getting startled by something like this."
"I'm so timid! Please be careful!"
"Sure thing. We'll do that anytime!"
The audience was bursting into laughter here and there. However, Cheong Yeong-ja watching that scene couldn't laugh.
'How can he be so undignified?'
Criticizing someone for showing a friendly appearance toward the audience as undignified might be petty. But Cheong Yeong-ja had hoped that whoever won this tournament would show a more dignified and trustworthy appearance.
Wouldn't that raise the tournament's status?
But finding dignity and majesty in Wei Yan-ho was no different from looking for water in a desert. It seemed like it should be somewhere, but without a map you couldn't find your way there, and even with a map, it was endlessly confusing whether this path was that path.
If someone with that level of martial prowess just kept their mouth shut a little, dignity would be naturally produced, but there was no sign of Wei Yan-ho's mouth closing, and there would never be any vitality entering his half-slack eyes.
"…If only he would just wash his face."
Someone's groan-like words from beside him struck Cheong Yeong-ja's heart.
No matter how much the martial world was said to be a heartless world of survival of the fittest, wasn't it too sad that such a person received respect just because his martial arts were strong?
Cheong Yeong-ja was even having thoughts that he shouldn't have as a martial artist.
"Ohhhh! It's Wei San-ho!"
"Wow! He really has class."
The audience shouted seeing Wei San-ho slowly walking up from the other side.
Wei San-ho, wearing pristine white martial robes and walking quietly with a sword in one hand, truly had the bearing of a hero from a story.
"My eyes are being purified."
"Whose child is he? Really handsome."
"Hmm, I can't help but acknowledge it."
The atmosphere in the high seats completely changed.
'They're brothers, brothers!'
Cheong Yeong-ja simply couldn't understand this situation. Wei Yan-ho and Wei San-ho were brothers. Brothers were bound to resemble each other. Setting aside the matter of appearance, shouldn't they at least resemble each other in atmosphere?
But who would see Wei San-ho, who gave anyone the impression of having just jumped out of a painting, and Wei Yan-ho, who gave the impression of having jumped out of a beggar's den and just changed clothes, as brothers?
When the two stood on the dueling stage looking at each other, that sense of incongruity began to be maximized.
'They do seem to resemble each other, but how can there be such a difference?'
Cheong Yeong-ja shook his head vigorously.
And Wei Jeong-han's figure was embedded in his eyes.
'What a lucky bastard!'
His stomach began to ache.
To have two sons when even having one would earn eternal favor from his ancestors.
"I should have gotten married if I knew it would be like this."
Cheong Yeong-ja was even having impossible thoughts.