Chapter 27 – The Eighth Dragon (1)

Han Sung maintained friendly relations with the Nine Sects One Alliance, the Five Great Clans, and the Martial Alliance. As such, Namgung Ok had no choice but to send his own children.

“I will go.”

At Yu-jin’s ready agreement, Namgung Ok nodded. Then, with a serious expression, he spoke.

“Actually, there’s another reason I want you to go. Elder Han Sung holds a grand martial arts tournament at every feast. Participation is limited to the younger generation, but since all the rising stars who gather are exceptional, winning brings great fame. I would like you to win there. I don’t know why you hide your abilities, but isn’t it time to reveal yourself to some extent?”

Understanding Namgung Ok’s words, Yu-jin remained silent for a moment before speaking again.

“I will do as you say. When I return, the Seven Dragons will have become the Eight Dragons.”

At Yu-jin’s confident declaration, Namgung Ok smiled and nodded. After Yu-jin and Hwa-rin left, Namgung Ok took out another letter.

The letter was from the True Dragon Sword Clan, written by Namgung Ok’s closest friend, Kang Yu-hyeon.

“Is he slowly preparing his successor, this friend of mine?”

The letter stated that he hoped Yu-jin would go to the Han Clan in place of Yong-hoon, who had entered seclusion for training.

Namgung Ok thought that Kang Yu-hyeon also wanted Yu-jin to gain fame, and he put the letter away.

* * *

The Han Clan estate, headquarters of the Cheonwon Merchant Guild, was located in Taiyuan of Shanxi Province. Spanning tens of thousands of pyeong, the manor was as vast as a castle.

The pavilions were magnificent, and a lake had been dug to encircle the manor, a spectacular sight that never failed to leave onlookers in awe.

And now, a multitude of people had flocked to the Han Clan estate for Han Sung’s seventieth birthday celebration.

“Whoa.”

But among them, some people stood out: the martial artists belonging to the Seven Dragons and the Five Phoenixes.

As the handsome young men and beautiful women, each boasting fine looks, made their appearance, the people let out small cheers of admiration.

*What in the world are these tangled interests?*

Mo Yong-jin, who had just come out of a period of secluded training at the Mo Yong Clan, grumbled with a stiff face. He was busy to death with his training and was displeased at being forcibly sent to a place like this.

But the clan head’s command was absolute, so he had no choice but to come.

“Brother Mo Yong, you’ve arrived early.”

First to arrive was Mo Yong-jin of the Mo Yong Clan, followed by Paeng Won-jun of the Hebei Paeng Clan. He too seemed to have been forced to halt his training, as his expression wasn’t very pleasant.

“It couldn’t be helped. By the way, it seems you were also forced to come.”

“From the way you say that, it seems it was the same for you, Brother Mo Yong. It’s not my hobby to show off my martial arts in front of others.”

Paeng Won-jun, who already felt he was lacking, had no interest in a martial arts tournament for the younger generation.

Just then, a murmur arose from the crowd, and the two men’s gazes naturally turned toward the source of the sound.

Standing there was the beautiful Je-gal Min. The appearance of a woman boasting a slender height and an intelligent look made people gasp in admiration.

However, she ignored the crowd’s attention and headed toward Mo Yong-jin and Paeng Won-jun.

“Brothers, you’ve arrived first.”

“Min, you’re here? I never thought the day would come when the Seven Dragons and Five Phoenixes would gather so quickly.”

It was difficult for all of the Seven Dragons and Five Phoenixes to gather even once a year. For them to meet twice in a year was, if anything, a strange occurrence.

As the three were talking, the siblings Dang Geon-woo and Dang Ga-hee of the Sichuan Dang Clan appeared one after another. Then came Jin Won-ho of Shaolin, Yong Cheon-hwi of Wudang, Ja Ye-eun of the Emei Sect, and even Ma Un-hui of the Sword Pavilion.

The only ones left were Namgung Hwi, Kang Yong-hoon, and Namgung Hwa-rin.

Reflecting the poor relations between the Nine Sects and the Five Great Clans, Jin Won-ho, Yong Cheon-hwi, and Ja Ye-eun were gathered in one spot, while Mo Yong-jin, Paeng Won-jun, Dang Ga-hee, Dang Geon-woo, and Je-gal Min were gathered in another.

In the current martial world, the power of the Nine Sects One Alliance had greatly weakened. As proof, the number of figures from the Five Great Clans among the Seven Dragons and Five Phoenixes, who were hailed as exceptional rising stars, was overwhelmingly larger.

A moment later.

“Young Lady Namgung Hwa-rin of the Namgung Clan! Young Master Kang Yu-jin of the True Dragon Sword Clan have arrived!”

Namgung Hwa-rin, whose beauty had fully blossomed under Yu-jin’s love. Her beauty was already such that it could be called the greatest in the Central Plains.

The people, too, gaped at the sight of the beautiful Namgung Hwa-rin. They whispered among themselves that she must be the most beautiful woman in the world.

“But why didn’t the Flying Sword Dragon come?”

“Come to think of it, the Azure Sky Dragon hasn’t come either?”

The crowd murmured about the two who hadn’t shown up, but Namgung Hwa-rin and Yu-jin simply ignored them and moved toward where the members of the Five Great Clans were.

“Hwa-rin, where is Brother Hwi? And why is Young Master Kang here?”

Hwa-rin smiled and answered Je-gal Min’s question.

“Brother Hwi is currently in secluded training, so he couldn’t come. The reason Young Master is here is to represent Young Master Kang Yong-hoon, who is also in secluded training.”

At the news that two of them were deep in secluded training, the faces of the other Seven Dragons twisted.

The Seven Dragons were rivals, so falling even slightly behind was a problem. To hear that Namgung Hwi and Kang Yong-hoon, who were among the top ranks of the Seven Dragons, were in secluded training, they all regretted having come for nothing.

But the women’s interest lay elsewhere.

“I heard that the Namgung Clan has acknowledged Young Master Kang.”

At Je-gal Min’s words, Yu-jin scratched the back of his head shyly.

“Has the news already spread that far? That’s really fast, haha. Fortunately, the elders of the Namgung Clan have acknowledged me. Still, perhaps they weren’t fully convinced, as they wish for me to win this martial arts tournament. There are many outstanding rising stars, so it’s a bit daunting, but I plan to do my best.”

Yu-jin’s words were more than enough to draw the attention of the other Seven Dragons. He was someone who was implicitly considered to be on par with Namgung Hwi. For such a person to declare he would take the victory, the competitive spirit of the other young men flared up.

“For someone making their official debut in the martial world to immediately speak of victory in such a grand tournament, the great young master of the True Dragon Sword Clan is truly something.”

Je-gal Min’s subtle tone further fanned the flames of the other men’s competitiveness.

*Oh? Look at this young lady.*

Watching Je-gal Min provoke the others who were already annoyed, Yu-jin inwardly seethed but replied with a smile.

“How could that be? I simply plan to do my best, as the Namgung Clan has placed their faith in me.”

Even as he answered, Yu-jin vowed to teach Je-gal Min a lesson. His words were already being disregarded by the other Seven Dragons and the male rising stars. They swore they would never let Yu-jin win.

*Well, I guess it doesn’t matter if they burn with passion.*

Whether they burned with ambition or not, the difference between their skills and Yu-jin’s was like the heavens and the earth.

The next day, a boisterous feast began to celebrate Han Sung’s seventieth birthday. The young rising stars were busy greeting each other, becoming acquainted, and making friends.

The most conspicuous people were the rising stars belonging to the Seven Dragons and Five Phoenixes. Even when they stood still, young people from various minor sects tried to approach them to strike up a conversation.

However, people didn’t approach Namgung Hwa-rin, whose marriage was already set, or Yu-jin, who had become famous merely for being her betrothed. Those who did approach only offered occasional words of congratulations.

*Gathering people’s attention is no big deal anyway.*

If he defeated all of the Seven Dragons gathered here in this tournament, people would naturally flock to him. Therefore, Yu-jin paid no mind whether people ignored him or not.

The problem was ‘how much strength to reveal.’

*I don’t mind catching the eye of others, but it’ll be troublesome if I catch *his* eye. It’s already a pain that he has his sights on me. I’ll have to reveal just the right amount.*

The reason Yu-jin had accepted Namgung Ok’s proposal was simple. Since those who needed to know already knew to some extent, there was no need to hide himself completely.

However, revealing everything and catching the clan head’s eye would be troublesome. And since the clan head likely already had some grasp of Yu-jin’s skills, he could get by if he revealed them at an appropriate level.

*Besides, if I make a name for myself, that bastard won’t be able to touch me so easily.*

With that thought, Yu-jin entered Namgung Hwa-rin’s room. As the two received less attention from others, they had more free time and planned to share the love they couldn’t at the Namgung Clan.

Namgung Hwa-rin was already beautifully adorned, and the moment Yu-jin saw her, he immediately embraced her and kissed her.

Their tongues tangled together. Yu-jin slowly opened Namgung Hwa-rin’s top. Her ample breasts were revealed.

Yu-jin licked her breasts alternately with his tongue, while his other hand moved past her buttocks and hovered around her flower.

“Hnngh!”

At Yu-jin’s aggressive caresses, Namgung Hwa-rin’s face flushed red. Yu-jin smiled and slipped a finger past the black bush and into her flower.

Namgung Hwa-rin’s body shuddered, and she let out the moan she had been holding back. She had tried her best to endure it, but she was still too inexperienced to withstand Yu-jin’s skills.

“Ahk! Aaaangh! Young Master! I-it feels so good!”

At Namgung Hwa-rin’s confession, Yu-jin caressed her even more fervently, and her flower flooded its surroundings.

But as if that wasn’t enough for her heated body, Namgung Hwa-rin stood up and pushed Yu-jin onto the bed. Then, naked, she stood over his face with her legs spread.

“I like this proactive attitude, Hwa-rin.”

Unfazed by Namgung Hwa-rin’s sudden action, Yu-jin gazed at the parted flower between her smooth, jade-pillar-like thighs and spoke.

“Young Master… I… can’t take it… anymore…”

Standing over Yu-jin’s face with her legs apart, she lowered her delicate hands to the center of her lower body and parted her lush, overgrown fragrant grove with her fingers.

*This is too stimulating.*

It was a sight so stimulating that even Yu-jin, who had savored countless women, felt his breath catch.

The dense forest parted, revealing the woman’s mysterious inner flesh to his eyes, already slick with hot dew. Yu-jin immediately began to lick Hwa-rin’s drenched flower.

“Haaaangh!”

Her ivory thighs trembled, and her moon-like buttocks and sleek waist created sensual ripples on their own.

From between Hwa-rin’s crimson lips flowed lustful moans of thirst.

She couldn’t bear it any longer. The caresses alone were not enough to release the ecstasy coiling around her body.

“Young Master… you keep… teasing… me…”

Finally unable to hold back, Hwa-rin collapsed on top of Yu-jin and hastily undid his pants.

Yu-jin raised his hips to help Namgung Hwa-rin pull them off, and soon his pants were undone, and his massive, powerful member sprang up before Hwa-rin’s face.

“Ah… Young Master…”

Hwa-rin, whose lust had already reached its peak, unhesitatingly grabbed Yu-jin’s member. Then, she spread her legs and squatted down over it.

For her, swept away by desire, a woman’s pride and shame no longer existed.