At the council, Jeok Eui-mun scolded Baek Li-won.
And truth be told, there was a very good reason for it.
Even after shattering four martial schools, Baek Li-won still hadn't returned home.
Instead, he stayed at the Azure Dragon Martial Hall, occasionally offering lessons.
His students were mostly children, though even the instructors were not exempt.
"Why is your lower body so weak? You need a lot more horse stance training."
"Listen carefully. The most important thing when using martial arts is to keep your eyes fixed on your opponent. If you don't, how will you know what they're doing? So for now, let's start with training you not to close your eyes."
"What? You've never even fought in a real fight? And you call yourself an instructor…? Fine. Spar with me."
Baek Li-won taught each and every one of them with care.
At first, both the children and the instructors were dissatisfied. But soon enough, they were completely absorbed in his teachings.
And it was only natural.
He was still young, his inner energy barely a flicker, his physique seemingly lacking in refinement… but what dwelled within Baek Li-won was none other than Shin Chang.
The man once hailed as the Greatest Under Heaven, a martial artist who left behind countless legends.
Though teaching and doing are two different skills, his instruction was effective simply because he had the eyes to discern each student's strengths and weaknesses.
The result spoke for itself.
"I heard Young Master Baek Li-won is teaching martial arts at the Azure Dragon Hall?"
"I've already enrolled my child. If they're going to learn, better they learn from the right place."
"Aren't you afraid of Jeok Eui-mun?"
"Afraid? Don't you know? The four schools that were harassing the Azure Dragon Hall were crushed. If Jeok Eui-mun dares to try anything, the Baek Li clan will stop them."
"Hmph. Then maybe I should enroll my child too…"
The number of children enrolling in the Azure Dragon Hall surged dramatically.
Rumors spread so quickly that the hall had more students than even during its prime. Its head, So Jin-seong, could barely contain his joy.
'If only Young Master Baek Li-won never returned home…'
He even found himself wishing such a thing.
But Baek Li-won wasn't teaching martial arts here for no reason.
He was waiting.
'It should be about time now.'
What he awaited was none other than Jeok Eui-mun's response.
'Their lackeys—the other martial schools—have already been destroyed. They'll have to react somehow.'
Of course, they wouldn't go so far as to declare war.
They had no justification, and to start a war just to take over a few martial halls would mean suffering immense losses themselves.
'But to do nothing at all would be a blow to their pride.'
Most likely, they would try to punish him directly, using that as a show of force.
That way, the locals would be cowed, the atmosphere would turn tense, but at least it wouldn't escalate into outright war.
Especially since word had spread that Baek Li-won was a bastard son with no powerful backing. That made such a response all the more likely.
And just as he thought that—
Bang!
'They're here.'
Baek Li-won grinned as he looked toward the entrance of the Azure Dragon Hall.
A young man in his mid-twenties, clad in red, burst through the gates with his subordinates in tow.
'So this is the Azure Dragon Hall?'
Hwang Ui-cheol had been ordered to teach Baek Li-won a lesson, and now he scanned his surroundings.
Nothing much stood out.
The panicked instructors, the children—they all seemed ordinary. Just another martial hall.
What was irritating, however, was how lively it seemed.
'I heard this place was practically deserted just a few days ago.'
The thought made his teeth grind.
Wasn't the Azure Dragon Hall one of the schools that supplied warriors to the Baek Li clan?
Among these children, those who chose the martial path would one day become Baek Li clan fighters—turning into enemies of Jeok Eui-mun.
He had been trying to suppress those numbers…
'But that wretched Baek Li-won ruined everything.'
Hwang Ui-cheol's gaze fixed on a boy walking toward him.
The boy was easy to recognize—he carried a long wooden staff, and above all, his face was identical to that of Yong Mo-pagi.
Stepping forward, Hwang Ui-cheol demanded:
"Are you the brat named Baek Li-won, the one who doesn't know his place and runs wild these days?"
"I wouldn't say I run wild without knowing my place, but yes—I am Baek Li-won. I'm also still just a brat. And you are?"
Smiling, Baek Li-won asked the question.
Hwang Ui-cheol proudly puffed out his chest.
"I am Hwang Ui-cheol of Jeok Eui-mun. In the martial world, they call me the Gale Sword (Jilpung-geom)."
"The Gale Sword, is it?"
Baek Li-won's immediate frown made Hwang Ui-cheol smirk.
He assumed the boy was frightened by his title.
But instead—
"So they hand out such fancy titles even to small fry like you these days?"
"You…!"
The reply was laced with pure disdain.
Hwang Ui-cheol's eyes flared with rage.
"What did you just say? Small fry!?"
He had grown up as the nephew of Jeok Eui-mun's leader, astonishing adults with his talent from a young age.
Among the sect's officers, his skill was considered top-tier.
And yet this mere fifteen-year-old boy with no title of his own had dared call him small fry!
"You insolent wretch—do you want to die!?"
Shing!
Fury twisted his face as he drew his sword in a flash.
The instructors of the Azure Dragon Hall, startled, rushed forward to protect Baek Li-won.
But Baek Li-won waved them back with an exasperated expression.
'Don't tell me… he actually took that as a provocation?'
He had been asking sincerely.
But to Baek Li-won's eyes, Hwang Ui-cheol was nowhere near worthy of the title "Gale Sword."
If he still bore that nickname, it meant either he had self-proclaimed it—or the local martial world's standards weren't very high.
Either way, it mattered little.
Baek Li-won smirked.
"Sorry, I was just too shocked. But I'm curious—surely you yourself know you're not skilled enough to be called the Gale Sword. Don't you feel embarrassed calling yourself that?"
"You bastard! I'll kill you!"
Hwang Ui-cheol roared, his face twisted with fury.
At first, he had planned only to rough the boy up, to make him understand his place…
'But cutting off a limb or two shouldn't be a problem.'
After all, wasn't this brat said to be a bastard son with no allies?
The Baek Li clan wouldn't react strongly over something like that.
"Hah!"
Baek Li-won burst into laughter as Hwang Ui-cheol charged at him, sword blazing with killing intent.
Was it youth?
A fragile pride?
Or simply a hot temper? Whatever the case, to react this explosively to the slightest provocation…
But then—
"If you were going to attack, you should've first gauged the difference in skill."
Baek Li-won summoned the energy of the Heavenly Thunder Returning to One Art.
Crackle!
"...!"
Lightning flared all around. Hwang Ui-cheol's eyes widened in horror.
But by the time he realized it, Baek Li-won's figure had already vanished.
Behind you.
Startled by the whisper, Hwang Ui-cheol spun around—
Only to feel a sharp poke in his chest.
"One death."
Baek Li-won had tapped him playfully with his staff.
Enraged, Hwang Ui-cheol swung his sword wildly—
Crackle!
Again, Baek Li-won's Heavenly Thunder Steps activated.
Shadows of his figure split in all directions, surrounding Hwang Ui-cheol.
Panicked, he slashed blindly, his sword cutting only air—
Thwack!
"Two deaths."
This time, the boy's head was smacked cleanly.
Shock spread across Hwang Ui-cheol's face.
'W-what is this!?'
It looked as if his opponent were merely toying with him.
And in truth, that was exactly what was happening. Baek Li-won had him at his mercy—he could have ended it any moment, yet chose not to.
"You dare mock me!?"
Grinding his teeth, Hwang Ui-cheol howled in rage.
"Don't underestimate me!"
He spun, slashing in every direction.
Shhk! Shhk! Shhk!
His speed was indeed impressive—enough to warrant, perhaps, the nickname Gale Sword.
But Baek Li-won simply stepped back, clicking his tongue.
That's just flailing fast with a blade. That's not real martial skill.
"Not even worth playing with."
Thud.
Baek Li-won's staff glowed with thunder as he took a firm step forward.
In a flash, it slammed upward against Hwang Ui-cheol's jaw.
Bang!
"Guhahk!"
With a strangled cry, Hwang Ui-cheol's eyes rolled back and he collapsed heavily to the ground.
The onlookers were stunned. The difference in skill was far too overwhelming.
"H-how could the Gale Sword be defeated so easily…?"
One instructor muttered in disbelief.
Hwang Ui-cheol, after all, was considered one of the most promising young experts in the region.
And yet this fifteen-year-old had crushed him effortlessly.
But Baek Li-won didn't care. He simply waved at the remaining Jeok Eui-mun men.
"Well? Come get him."
"You little—how dare you!"
Shing!
The men drew their swords and rushed forward—only to falter the moment they faced Baek Li-won.
What a terrifying aura…!
The killing intent radiating from him was nothing like before.
Gulp.
Someone swallowed dryly. Instinct screamed at them: if they fought him now, it wouldn't end with someone merely fainting.
Baek Li-won's voice cut through the tense silence.
"If you want to fight, I won't refuse. But this time, know that I won't be holding back."
The meaning was clear: he would beat them mercilessly, perhaps even kill them.
Cold sweat broke across their brows. They had seen enough already—they did not want this fight.
"You won't fight, right? Then take your man and get him to a physician. Oh, but leave someone behind to guide me."
"G-guide you? Where…?"
The one who reacted was none other than So Jin-seong, the master of the Azure Dragon Hall.
To his ears, Baek Li-won's words could mean only one thing—he was planning to march straight into enemy territory.
"Young Master, surely you don't mean to attack Jeok Eui-mun!?"
Gasps erupted all around.
Even the Jeok Eui-mun men stared at him as if he'd gone mad.
"Attack is too harsh a word. Let's just say… I'm paying them a visit."
"That's far too dangerous! If something were to happen to you—!"
"Master So."
Baek Li-won interrupted him, his voice grave.
"Do you truly wish to continue this meaningless war of attrition with Jeok Eui-mun?"
"...!"
"If I simply leave and return home, do you think Jeok Eui-mun will just sit quietly?"
"T-that…"
So Jin-seong faltered. The answer was obvious—of course they wouldn't.
"They may not strike directly at the Baek Li clan, but they'll vent their fury somewhere. And the likeliest target… is this Azure Dragon Hall."
If that happened, the harassment would only intensify, perhaps even force the hall to close its doors for good.
"I'm going to Jeok Eui-mun to prevent that. To resolve this at its root."
For Baek Li-won, leaving would have been far easier.
Whether the Azure Dragon Hall survived or not, his mission was technically complete.
'But that would sit poorly with me.'
If people suffered or died because he left things unfinished, it would weigh on his conscience.
And later, settling such grudges would demand an even greater blood price.
Baek Li-won had no desire for that. He preferred to settle matters cleanly while he could.
"So trust me."
He smiled.
"I'll return with this matter settled once and for all."
"...!"
So Jin-seong's eyes trembled uncontrollably as he listened.
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