Chapter 66
“?”
Whittaker hurriedly waved next to Choi Yeonseung, signaling not to accept the suggestion.
-I don’t know what the people running this place are up to, but don’t accept it!
Hunters could get killed if ambushed at close range. While it likely wouldn’t happen here in the auction house, what if Choi Yeonseung accepted their proposal and followed them? Questionable suggestions had to be rejected.
Choi Yeonseung looked at Whittaker. “Weren’t you hiding while I was fighting earlier?”
“W-What are you trying to say? I tried to help but couldn’t because it was too crazy.”
“Master. This bastard should just sew his mouth shut.”
“You didn’t participate either, though?”
“I told him not to join in. Anyway, I’ll give them a bit of my time. All of you should stay out of this.”
“N-No... Aren’t you suspicious of them?”
The hunters of the auction house glared at Whittaker. Whittaker’s back was sweating.
“I mean... Haha. Don’t misunderstand. You know what I meant, right?”
“You should get out.”
“I will.”
After Choi Yeonseung and Odaigon joined forces and scolded him, Whittaker grumbled and went out.
The hunters bowed.
“We’ll guide you inside.”
***
Despite the uproar, the auction house was already being cleaned up.
“It’s rare to see martial artists these days. Can I ask how you came to learn martial arts?” Choi Yeonseung asked the hunter next to him.
“......!”
The Mount Hua Sect hunters flinched.
“I’m sorry. Did I ask a tactless question?”
“N-No.”
The hunters were surprised, but they were soon convinced. Choi Yeonseung’s martial arts were on an entirely different level. It was easy for a master to recognize those who weren’t skilled. Hence, it didn’t come as a surprise that he knew they practiced martial arts.
“Let me answer you in their stead.”
The voice came from the old man in front of them. He had white hair and was missing an arm and a leg.
‘Who is he? I feel like I’ve seen him before.’
“Have you ever heard of the Mount Hua Sect?”
“Mount Hua Sect...”
Choi Yeonseung searched through his memories.
‘Wasn’t it one of China’s famous clans thirty years ago?’
China had the largest number of martial artists. Those who practiced martial arts by inheriting the old traditions easily adapted to martial arts after awakening. They created a clan named after the old traditions. Clans named after the famous nine sects also came out at this time!
“Ah. Li Yuyuan belonged to the Mount Hua Sect.”
Li Yuyuan used to be a famous A-grade Mount Hua Sect hunter. The clan’s signature hunter! It was all in the past now, but...
“Thank you for remembering.”
“Wait. Perhaps?”
The old man surprised Choi Yeonseung. He thought he had seen this person somewhere. Could it be...
“Are you Li Yuyuan?”
“Yes.” For the first time in ages, Choi Yeonseung was shocked. Odaigon stood beside him, puzzled. What made Choi Yeonseung like him so much?
“Hum hum. Please give me an autograph...”
“......”
“......”
The hunters around them looked at Choi Yeonseung with embarrassed expressions. What an unexpected reaction!
“What’s wrong? Can’t I ask for an autograph?”
“N-No.”
“Please give me a lot.”
Choi Yeonseung holding out a piece of paper made Li Yuyuan very happy.
“I shouldn’t be the one giving my signature...” magic
“Don’t say that. Please give me one.”
“Umm.”
Li Yuyuan signed his autograph shyly. Looking at him seemed to have made Choi Yeonseung deeply emotional.
‘It’s been over 10,000 years...’
Li Yuyuan might be a fraud who deceived the world, but Choi Yeonseung’s fan sentiment didn’t disappear so easily.
Choi Yeonseung changed his expression as if nothing had happened, then asked, “So... These are hunters from the Mount Hua Sect?”
“That’s right.”
“Should you reveal this to me?”
Would it be good for the clan if it was known that they were running this auction house? However, Li Yuyuan spoke without changing his expression.
“How can we ask you for a favor without first revealing who we are? I was already determined to do this much when I decided to speak to you.”
“What if I don’t listen to it?”
“I’m also prepared for that.”
“Tell me. I’m willing to listen.”
“I want to learn martial arts.”
“!”
***
The hunters who left China were divided into two. One group consisted of hunters who weren’t treated properly. They left China under duress so they could eat and live well. These people adapted well wherever they went. Countries welcomed any immigrating hunters since that would increase their power free.
The Chinese government naturally disliked it a lot. They would’ve prevented these hunters from leaving if it hadn’t been for the chaos caused by the great invasion. In some cases, the hunters they oppressed left during the great invasion while shouting, ‘I’ll definitely go back!’
The Chinese government had severely suppressed the disloyal hunters, many of which had complaints or dreamed of rebellion. An individual fighting against a country sounded ridiculous, but hunters could do it. After all, they could deal with an army alone! If dozens of those hunters gathered, then it could really be possible to overturn a country.
The Mount Hua Sect was made up of such people. They gritted their teeth under government oppression! The situation was so unfavorable that they had to flee abroad, but their determination hadn’t disappeared.
-I’ll work hard so I can return!
However, the reality wasn’t so lenient. They succeeded in establishing themselves in the United States, but they couldn’t find good hunters. Mount Hua Sect’s skilled hunters had been killed or injured during the great invasion. Even Li Yuyuan had lost an arm and a leg.
Furthermore, martial arts were weakening and becoming more difficult to learn all over the world. It naturally became weaker as fewer people studied and trained in it. Even the Mount Hua Sect’s young hunters began to learn magic instead of martial arts, which was concerning for a clan built on martial arts.
-Should martial arts be discarded?
-Abandoning martial arts and switching to magic now won’t work. We have to stick with martial arts. The peak-class stage! If only we can raise a martial artist to that rank...
-This bastard and peak-class! Things haven’t been going well because you’ve been obsessed with that. Even Li Yuyuan couldn’t reach it…
-Hey! Watch your mouth!
-The era of martial arts is over, Elder! The era of magic has come!
In the midst of this, Choi Yeonseung appeared. He was a martial artist, which was a surprise, but they weren’t that interested at first. They came across martial artists every now and then. It was extremely rare for them to get a high rating, but...
That attitude changed the moment the battle earlier broke out.
-!!
-T-That...!
The elders who heard the commotion and rushed over couldn’t believe their eyes when they saw Choi Yeonseung fight. Most of the Mount Hua Sect’s old hunters had retired only getting as far as the first-class stage. Now, a master who became a B-grade hunter with martial arts alone was right in front of them! They immediately recognized that he was on a higher stage than them.
-Bring that person to me! -I-Is he really that strong?
The young hunters were flustered. Choi Yeonseung was great in their eyes, but they didn’t know how amazing he truly was. They had to reach a certain stage before they could understand that. On the other hand, the elders of the clan were so thrilled that their hands trembled. Out of nowhere, they found someone in the peak-class stage, which they had never seen before in their lives. It was like a dream.
-Didn’t I tell you to bring him to me?
-U-Understood!
***
“?”
Li Yuyuan’s words puzzled Choi Yeonseung.
“Why ask me?”
The Mount Hua Sect had a history, so it had to have various martial art books. It’d likely also have many hunters who had learned martial arts. Those were enough to guide new hunters who wanted to learn!
“You...”
“?”
“You are the strongest martial artist we know.”
“......”
Those words were hard to?refute!
Choi Yeonseung felt sad. The only known master to reach the peak-class was a fraud. Ever since then, the number of martial artists?had?significantly decreased. It wasn’t surprising that their eyes widened when they realized that Choi Yeonseung was at the peak-class stage.
‘Sadly, I’m barely at the peak-class.’
Choi Yeonseung was currently at the peak-class stage, which was like being in between a B+ and an A-grade hunter in terms of internal energy. He was confident that this alone was enough to subdue others, but it was a very disappointing level for him. Yet they were still so in awe...
“How can I get to that level?” One of the Mount Hua Sect’s young hunters asked cautiously.
“Did the constellation called ‘Undefeated Incarnation of Training’ give you that power?”
When one of them asked a question, the others followed suit. There was envy and curiosity in their eyes.
“Silence! What do you think you’re doing? I will tolerate no rudeness toward our guest!” Li Yuyuan yelled, stunning the other hunters and causing them to shut up.
“No, it’s okay. They’re asking questions that should be answered. How did I get to this point... Thanks to my disappearance to the Abyss, I had to continue practicing martial arts. I reached the peak-class stage at some point.”
“!”
“Indeed...!”
The young hunters nodded with bewitched expressions.
Did he develop his strength by fighting in the Abyss?
If someone else said that, they would’ve replied, ‘Don’t talk nonsense.’ However, Choi Yeonseung was a naturally persuasive speaker.
“The Undefeated Incarnation of Training isn’t particularly helpful in training martial arts...”
[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma shouts, “What are you doing?”]
-?
[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ is dumbfounded. It says that even if?you're not really his household member, you should still say things that would draw people in. At your current level, people could easily link you to martial arts.]
The constellation himself had reached the pinnacle of martial arts. How could he not help in training? That was what the cat constellation claimed.
‘Um. That is correct.’
Even if?that wasn't true, he was in a situation where he had to increase his household. He had to speak with confidence.
“He’s helpful.”
“......!”
[Faith toward the ‘Undefeated Incarnation of Training’ has increased!]
[The power of your existence has risen!]
Choi Yeonseung suddenly felt a rapid surge in power, one incomparable to receiving faith from one person! It was only possible to gain such strength because all the hunters in this place had faith in the Undefeated Incarnation of Training.
‘I’ve still a long way to go...’
Other constellations could be gaining this type of power on a scale of tens or hundreds of times worldwide. The thought of having to fight an advanced or highest-grade constellation honestly made him feel overwhelmed.
[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ comforts you by saying?that even traveling for a thousand miles begins with a single step.]
-Thank you. That being said… Aren’t you adapting too quickly?
[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ shrugs. It doesn’t know what you mean.]
“Choi Yeonseung. As you can see, I am in no position to teach anyone.”
Li Yuyuan said while pointing to himself.
“The other hunters are in a similar situation. My past comrades are now either old or retired. There were quite a few hunters who reached first-class in the past, but they could barely train people to second-class now. We’re desperate.”