Recently, the inn at Hanan had become a hub of conversation.

“Have you heard the news?”

The man’s question was asked with excitement, causing Bangdok, the innkeeper, to frown.

“I’ve heard it. How could I not, when you’ve been talking about it every day, Chang?”

“Oh, right, did I mention it already?”

The man, Chang Eui-jin, let out an awkward laugh. After all, he had indeed mentioned it yesterday and the day before.

Seeing this, the men sitting at the same table perked up their ears.

“What’s this news you’re all talking about?”

With that reaction, Bangdok muttered to himself, "This is going to take a while," and retreated back to the kitchen.

Of course, for someone like Chang Eui-jin, who loved to tell stories, this was the perfect situation.

“You’ve heard that Shinryong Hall is opening again, right?”

“Who wouldn’t know? It’s been, what, four or five years since the last time?”

Though the hall opened at irregular intervals, this break had been particularly long.

“Do you know who’s in charge this time?”

“Of course, it’s the master of Kunlun, isn’t it?”

Kunlun, one of the Nine Great Sects and the ruler of the Qinghai region, was renowned throughout the martial world.

Qinghai’s top swordsman, Eui Bi-jin, was said to be the new overseer of Shinryong Hall this time.

Shinryong Hall was organized by the Martial Alliance, and the position of overseer changed each time the hall opened.

“The previous overseer was the head of Wudang, right?”

“That’s right. I heard only a handful of students graduated successfully under his leadership.”

Given the widely known personality of Wudang’s top swordsman, it wasn’t surprising that so few passed.

“Still, whether it’s the Sword Phoenix or Shinryong, the truly talented always manage to rise.”

“That may be true, but… So, is that all this is about?”

“Ah, of course not.”

Chang Eui-jin waved his hand dismissively, denying the suggestion.

“If it were just that, I wouldn’t be this excited.”

“Then what’s this news you’re talking about?”

“Well, when Qinghai’s top swordsman takes over as overseer, new instructors are bound to come too, right?”

“Yeah, they’ll probably bring in experts from Kunlun, won’t they?”

“Yes, but there’s more to it.”

Creak.

Suddenly, Chang Eui-jin stood up and leaned in closer.

“This is something I heard from the Beggar’s Sect—premium information.”

“Aren’t you the one who’s been sharing this ‘premium information’ for days?”

“…Well, just play along with the atmosphere.”

Chang Eui-jin grumbled, and one of the men leaned in closer with a sigh.

Satisfied with the attention, Chang Eui-jin whispered into his ear.

“One of the new instructors is said to be the Plum Blossom Sword Empress.”

“…What?”

It was unexpected news.

Though it sounded intriguing, the man quickly pulled back with a disappointed expression.

“Bah, what a load of nonsense. Why would the Sword Empress take a position as an instructor?”

“Then why would Qinghai’s top swordsman bother becoming the overseer?”

“Well, that’s for the money.”

“…Fair enough.”

It wasn’t just for the money. The position of overseer at Shinryong Hall was an honor, only bestowed upon those with great prestige in the martial world.

For a martial artist, it was a matter of pride to be acknowledged as a master by the martial sects.

But the Plum Blossom Sword Empress?

“She’s not someone who would take such a lowly position.”

She was one of the most prominent female figures in the martial world, inheriting the title of Sword Empress from the Mount Hua Sect at the youngest age in history.

Not only was she admired by many, but she was also known for her spotless reputation.

When she reappeared after a long period of absence, many breathed a sigh of relief.

“If anyone would take the overseer position, it would be the Plum Blossom Immortal.”

Indeed, several offers had been made to the Plum Blossom Immortal, but he had always declined, saying that he could not take responsibility for anyone outside of the Mount Hua Sect.

But for the Sword Empress to become an instructor, especially during Kunlun’s time in charge?

“It doesn’t seem like something Qinghai’s top swordsman would approve of.”

This was one reason why the news seemed unlikely.

“Why are you all so doubtful? Just don’t be surprised later when my words turn out to be true.”

“If you’re right, I’ll buy you a drink.”

“That day, this inn will see twice its usual profits.”

Chang Eui-jin laughed heartily.

“How about something else? Got any other interesting stories?”

“Something else? What do you mean?”

“I heard this year’s Shinryong Hall is going to be extraordinary.”

“Ah.”

At those words, Chang Eui-jin nodded in understanding.

He knew what the man was talking about.

This was the era of the Falling Stars Generation.

In this time, rare geniuses appeared in abundance, and even among them, there were those who shone the brightest.

This period had been likened to falling stars raining down on the martial world, hence the name.

Among these stars were the Six Dragons and Three Phoenixes.

Six dragons and three phoenixes who stood out amidst the multitude of geniuses.

“There were only two of them last time, wasn’t there?”

“Right.”

“Two? Who were they?”

“The Sword Phoenix and Shinryong.”

To be precise, it was Paeng Woojin, the former Shinryong, and the current top Late-stage Martial Master, the Sword Phoenix.

The last time Shinryong Hall opened, the difficulty was so high that only a few students graduated successfully.

But Paeng Woojin and the Sword Phoenix set records for the highest scores ever in Shinryong Hall.

“It was truly a legendary year.”

The difficulty was compounded by the fact that the previous overseer, the head of Wudang, set the bar extremely high.

“Now, this time, they’re saying there are five of them…”

The timing couldn’t have been better.

With the right age and circumstances, five of the Six Dragons and Three Phoenixes were set to attend Shinryong Hall.

Excluding the new Shinryong, of course.

At this point, the discussion shifted to a question that all martial artists pondered at least once.

A great dilemma of the current era.

“Who do you think is the best?”

Which of the Six Dragons and Three Phoenixes would come out on top?

At this, Chang Eui-jin smirked.

“Isn’t it obvious? The Sword Phoenix.”

“But the Sword Phoenix isn’t attending Shinryong Hall.”

“That’s true. Then who do you think it is?”

Chang Eui-jin’s question caused the man to fall into brief contemplation.

“…The Hidden Dragon?”

“After all that thinking, you go with the sleepy one?”

“Even so, the Hidden Dragon’s talent is undeniable.”

The Hidden Dragon was known for being lazy. He was so lethargic that even wielding a sword, or breathing for that matter, seemed too much effort for him.

Yet, despite his indolence, his overwhelming talent earned him a place among the Six Dragons.

“If that’s the case, why not the Thunder Dragon?”

“Come on now, everyone knows the Thunder Dragon lost to an unknown martial artist at the last Dragon and Phoenix Conference.”

The Thunder Dragon, the next leader of the Namgung family, had failed to make a significant impression in recent years.

“Cloud Phoenix and Poison Phoenix… still seem uncertain. As for the Twin Dragons, I don’t know enough about them…”

“Then what about the True Dragon?”

“Ah, the one who recently earned a new nickname… Wait, who are you?”

Chang Eui-jin paused as he realized that the person he had been speaking to wasn’t someone he recognized.

At some point, a young man, unknown to him, had joined the conversation.

The young man, noticing Chang Eui-jin’s gaze, smiled and grabbed a drumstick from the table.

“Oh, don’t mind me. The conversation just seemed too interesting, so I thought I’d join in.”

“That… That’s my food…”

“I’ll pay for the food.”

“Well then, what did you want to hear more about, little brother?”

Having already accepted the young man’s presence, Chang Eui-jin asked with a grin.

“I’m curious about the True Dragon. What do you think?”

“The True Dragon… Well, he’s a mysterious figure who hasn’t been seen much since the last martial arts tournament.”

Like the Twin Dragons, the True Dragon had disappeared from the public eye after his first appearance at the Dragon and Phoenix Conference.

What was odd, though, was that both the True Dragon and Twin Dragons had demonstrated overwhelming skill during their first appearances.

In particular, the True Dragon had crushed the Thunder Dragon and toyed with the last conference’s champion, the Rising Star.

The rumors had become so exaggerated that they were almost unbelievable.

Especially considering the True Dragon was likely the youngest of the Six Dragons and Three Phoenixes.

‘He’s said to still be under twenty.’

While the rumors were likely exaggerated, if even half of them were true, the True Dragon was destined to become a monstrous force in the martial world.

Yet, despite this, neither the True Dragon nor the Guga family had commented on the rumors.

Many in the martial world assumed this was confirmation that the rumors were mere fabrications.

“Still, even if the stories are exaggerated, defeating both the Thunder Dragon and the Rising Star isn’t a lie. He’s strong, that much is certain.”

“So, how do you think he compares to the Hidden Dragon?”

“The Hidden Dragon?”

The man took a good look at the young man standing before him.

Now that he was paying attention, he realized the young man was rather striking.

Though his hair was messy and his eyes looked crusted with sleep, his handsome features made up for it.

“Hmm… Even with that in mind, I’d say the Hidden Dragon is still better.”

“I see.”

At Chang Eui-jin’s response, the young man’s expression became somewhat peculiar.

There was a hint of disappointment, but also a bit of expectation.

“Well, little brother, since you’re paying for the food, how about I tell you something even more interesting?”

“Oh? What is it?”

The young man looked eagerly at Chang Eui-jin, who licked his lips in satisfaction before preparing to speak.

But just then—

“Senior… What are you doing here?”

A figure approached the young man, letting out a deep sigh.

The young man, caught off guard, made a sheepish expression.

“Oh, you found me.”

“It’s not that I found you… Were you seriously eating meat right now?”

“Junior.”

“Yes.”

“This is tofu meat. It’s not real meat.”

“So, that chicken’s cluck is a soy-based ‘cluck-cluck’?”

“Haha, junior, you’re getting funnier.”

“…”

“All right, all right. Let’s go.”

Seeing his junior’s annoyed expression, the young man scratched his head and stood up.

As he set down the chicken leg he had been holding, Chang Eui-jin looked up at him in disappointment.

“Don’t worry. I enjoyed the conversation, so I’ll pay for the food.”

“Oh, take care, little brother. You seem like a martial artist, don’t you?”

Chang Eui-jin’s tone suddenly became more cautious.

Now that he was paying attention, he could sense an odd disparity in the way the young man carried himself.

“I’ve dabbled in the martial arts, yes.”

“Do you have a nickname, by any chance?”

“I do, but it’s nothing impressive. I’m not fond of it, either.”

With a chuckle, the young man tossed a pouch of coins to Chang Eui-jin.

“The conversation was fun. My name’s Woo-hyuk. Let’s meet again sometime.”

With a grin, the young man left the inn, followed closely by his junior.

Left behind, Chang Eui-jin and the man at the table stared blankly for a moment before their jaws dropped.

“Woo-hyuk… Woo-hyuk?”

It was a name they recognized.

If they weren’t mistaken, that young man was—

‘Woo-hyuk of Wudang.’

A renowned martial artist from Wudang, and a prominent figure among the Falling Stars Generation.

His nickname was none other than—

“…The Hidden Dragon?”

He was the Hidden Dragon of the Six Dragons.

“Ha…”

The man who had been talking about the Hidden Dragon suddenly felt his stomach churn as he recalled what he had just said.

Meanwhile, Chang Eui-jin let out a hollow laugh, as if he had just seen a ghost.

“I should have told him the most important thing.”

“Are you seriously still thinking about your rumors? He was the Hidden Dragon! If I’d said anything wrong, I’d be… ugh…”

The man shuddered at the thought of what could have gone wrong.

Ignoring him, Chang Eui-jin couldn’t stop thinking about the words he hadn’t shared.

‘The heir of the Sword Immortal has appeared.’

He still considered it a baseless rumor.

But if he had known the young man was the Hidden Dragon, he would have mentioned it for fun.

Satisfied with the fact that he had gained another interesting story to tell, Chang Eui-jin shook the coin pouch Woo-hyuk had given him.

“Now that I’ve made some money for free drinks, I can tell stories all night…”

“What’s wrong, Brother Chang?”

When Chang Eui-jin suddenly stopped, the man leaned over to check the pouch with him.

“…Huh?”

There was some money in the pouch, but only one or two coins.

It wasn’t even enough to buy the cheapest bowl of noodles at the inn.

_________________________

 

"Could you please stop wandering off alone?"
"Junior, the world is meant to be lived alone."
"...Ah… my head."

The junior disciple shook his head in exasperation and walked ahead, while the Hidden Dragon chuckled quietly to himself.

At the same time, he recalled the conversation he'd overheard at the inn.

'The True Dragon, huh.'

It was a name he’d only heard briefly, sometime last year.

The news had spread about the emergence of a new dragon, and there had even been talk that this new dragon had mentioned him by name.

'They said he defeated the Thunder Dragon and the Rising Star.'

Even hearing this, he didn’t feel much of anything.

The Thunder Dragon was boring and below his level, and as for the Rising Star, there wasn’t much to think about. From what he saw, the people around the Rising Star were just puffing him up, treating him like a high-level master even though it was clear he was more manufactured than real.

'No fun.'

So, it didn’t leave much of an impression. It all just felt tiring.

"Sleepy."

"...Didn’t you sleep all day yesterday?"
"Junior, no matter how much sleep you get, you’re always tired."

With a yawn, the Hidden Dragon continued walking down the road. How much further was it to the inn? He couldn’t wait to lie down.

'Too noisy.'

The sounds around him filled the air, and the Hidden Dragon hated noise.

"Senior, isn't it rather quiet today?"
"Is it?"
"Yes, for the streets of Hanan, it’s rather empty."
"Still too noisy for me."
"Huh?"

His junior looked around, noticing that there were indeed fewer people than usual, and the atmosphere was calm.

'Noisy?'

Puzzled by his senior's complaint, he didn’t dwell on it too much. After all, his senior often said strange things.

"Anyway, I just want to…"

"Huh?"

As they made their way to the inn where the Wudang disciples were staying, both the Hidden Dragon and his junior stopped.

Someone was walking toward them—someone with a familiar face.

Just as the Hidden Dragon halted, the approaching figure also stopped, recognizing him.

A smile spread across the stranger’s face.

The man was as strikingly handsome as the Hidden Dragon himself, wearing a pristine white robe adorned with the symbol of his sect: a beautifully blooming plum blossom.

There was only one place in the entire martial world where disciples wore such robes.

The Hidden Dragon’s expression became unreadable as he looked at the man approaching him.

The handsome youth spoke first, as if he had been waiting for this moment.

"It's been a while, Woo Do-jang."

As his words reached the Hidden Dragon's ears, a faint scent of plum blossoms wafted toward Woo-hyuk’s nose.

____________________________

 

After a long journey, Gu Yangcheon had barely arrived in Hanan with his entourage when he was greeted by some unexpected news from one of his attendants.

"...What did you just say?"

The incredulous tone in his voice indicated just how ridiculous he found the information.

The attendant repeated the message, as if nothing was wrong.

"They say the Sword Dragon and the Hidden Dragon are currently sparring in the streets…"

"...?"

The words made Gu Yangcheon furrow his brow deeply.

To hear something like this right after arriving in broad daylight was downright frustrating.

...What are those madmen up to this time?