Chapter 7: Nine Dragons Day (1)
Swordsmen.
The group responsible for taking down the demons that burst out from the Gate of Demons is known as the Swordsmen. It’s a necessity for prestigious groups like the Ten Sect Alliance and the Four Noble Clans, not to mention the smaller sects and clans, to have their own set of Swordsmen.
The Swordsmen played the most important role among martial artists today; closing the Gates entitled them to fame, support from merchants, and the backing of common folk. The Gu Clan possessed five Swordsmen groups, with the first being directly under the Clan Master.
Thus, the Nine Dragons Day is an occasion that honors the labor of the Swordsmen who toil to seal the Gates and protect the civilians of Shanxi. It’s a ceremony held twice a year, and during this event, the Gu Clan recruits new Swordsmen.
Given that both major and minor sects from the Shanxi region participate, it’s mandatory for the blood of the Gu to be present. In other words, I have no chance of skipping out.
“Would dying exempt me?”
“Isn’t dying worse than just showing up?”
“How about pretending to be dead?”
“If you pull that off, the Clan Master will surely make you truly dead.”
Basically, the only way to dodge this obligation was to kick the bucket.
I have no solutions, damn it…
Muyeon jumps in with more bad news. “This Nine Dragons Day is being organized by the Second Elder, and he has threatened to turn you into mincemeat if you dare run away again.”
“Damn… so it’s him…”
The Second Elder had been the most stubborn and insistent elder since I was a kid. He believed that for the clan to rival the Four Noble Clans, the sole son of the Gu Clan must be trained to become a great figure in the future.
‘Not even my father believed in that.’
In a way, I appreciated his input, but he was also quite the nuisance, always forcing education and training on me whenever he got a chance.
“It’s actually impressive that I’ve managed to live this long as a fool despite all that.”
“Huh?”
“Just talking to myself, but when do we leave?”
“The event is at Heaven Market, so it won’t be too far if we take the carriage.”
“It’s at Heaven Market? Wow, the Second Elder really put in some effort this time.”
Heaven Market is the most famous marketplace in Shanxi, having been a consistent partner of the Gu Clan through three generations of Clan Masters.
What happened to Heaven Market in the future?
Did they remain the greatest marketplace in Shanxi? I recalled that there hadn’t been any major problems back then.
I dismissed the thought; I had too many things on my plate to worry about the marketplace.
“By the way, why aren’t we on the road yet?”
Shouldn’t everything be ready by the time I finish getting ready? I headed toward where the servants were gathered to give them a piece of my mind.
What’s taking you all so long—
I couldn’t finish my sentence.
In the midst of the bustling servants stood Wi Seol-Ah.
No, it wasn’t the Wi Seol-Ah I remembered, with messy hair covering her face and a perpetually blank expression.
Instead, she looked just like the Wi Seol-Ah who had once looked down on me when I was at my end.
They were indeed the same person; it was just hard to recognize because of her shabby state before.
Now, with her hair tidied up, her face shone like a gem.
She had transparent skin and bright red lips.
Her dark eyes, shimmering with a hint of blue, stood out gloriously in the crowd.
Now that her hair was arranged…
“Seol-Ah, you look absolutely stunning!”
“How can someone be this pretty? When you grow up, you’ll make all the boys cry!”
“Honestly, I wouldn’t mind if you were my son… Oh dear, Young Master!”
As the servants showered praise on Wi Seol-Ah, they quickly bowed and straightened themselves upon noticing my presence.
One of the servants, who had been styling Wi Seol-Ah’s hair, stepped forward with an apology.
“I’m sorry… we thought we should make Wi Seol-Ah look presentable for the event…”
With how pretty Wi Seol-Ah turned out, they lost themselves in admiration.
They had merely tidied her hair, yet look at the difference.
Knowing they couldn’t escape the blame even if I complained eased my conscience.
Amidst this, Wi Seol-Ah walked toward me.
Instinctively, I wanted to avoid her diamond-like eyes, but I held my ground. There was no way she could know my train of thought.
Her eyes now were nothing like those I had seen in my previous life. Gone were the cold, emotionless depths.
“Young Master, the senior servants said I’m incredibly pretty.”
My heart skipped a beat as she said that with a gentle smile.
The contrast between her present face and that cold visage I hoped never to see again made my heart race even more.
I struggled to steady my fluttering heart, but it was futile.
“Do you also think I’m pretty?”
In the end, I couldn’t find my voice in response to the beaming Wi Seol-Ah.
We were slightly delayed, but thankfully, everything was arranged for our journey.
While I chatted with Muyeon and the others, the carriage was prepped, and since only a few servants, including Wi Seol-Ah, were accompanying me, we boarded swiftly.
However, before we left, I caught a glimpse of Wi Seol-Ah flaunting her appearance to her grandfather, who then stroked her head with an emotionally heavy gaze.
With everyone settled in, the carriage rolled toward Heaven Market.
“Wow! This is amazing! It’s moving!”
As soon as we started moving, Wi Seol-Ah bounced in excitement at the swiftly passing scenery outside.
She remarked on how fast the trees seemed to whiz by. But when a servant corrected, “The carriage is moving quickly, not the trees!”, she appeared even more thrilled.
The charming Wi Seol-Ah now seemed to be getting extra affection from all the servants.
It took about four hours to get to Heaven Market by carriage, so I planned to catch some sleep during the ride.
Lately, my sleep had been cut short due to midnight training sessions and planning.
As Wi Seol-Ah chirped away, I handed her a yakgwa so she could munch quietly, granting me a brief moment of peace to doze off.
The carriage dashed non-stop toward Shin Weol-hyun, the area leading to Heaven Market.
The streets were bustling with a remarkable number of people, proclaiming this was likely the most significant celebration held in Shanxi.
The lively atmosphere invigorated the streets and provided opportunities for countless merchants.
Of course, for me, it was just one big hassle.
“…I was planning to train.”
That was my aim to mend the training deficiencies I’d felt ever since my father returned.
Every part of me throbbed with pain from the abrupt increase in training, yet it was essential for my future.
“If I don’t, I might die, so I have to.”
As I passed the busy street and approached Heaven Market, a group of people awaited my arrival.
A somewhat rotund middle-aged man donned in a golden silk robe decorated with the characters “Heaven,” approached me as the representative of Heaven Market.
“I am Cheon Eeshil, the representative of Heaven Market. It’s an honor to meet the little star of the Gu Clan.”
“I am Gu Yangcheon, from the Gu Clan.”
Cheon Eeshil, scanning the area, noticed Wi Seol-Ah and widened his eyes briefly. But, recovering quickly, he focused back on me with a merchant’s practiced composure.
“The Second Elder hasn’t arrived yet, but Lady Gu is unpacking and resting. Allow me to guide you so you may also unpack and relax.”
“…Hmm, that sounds nice. Thank you for your help.”
Cheon Eeshil kindly offered to escort us himself.
Having remembered that Heaven Market was sizeable, experiencing it again after my return made me realize its true vastness this time.
“Could it be even larger than the Gu Clan?”
Of course, the reluctance of the previous Clan Master to expand played a part.
Gu Yeonseo had already arrived. She probably wouldn’t show herself until the ceremony began, since she would have unpacked by now.
Gu Yeonseo clearly doesn’t like me. I worry that if I were to run into her, annoying troubles would undoubtedly follow.
Thus, I felt relieved at the thought of avoiding her.
“There’s no way I’d be unlucky enough to see her.”
…But then again, fate has a funny way of working.
While making my way to the guest quarters, I unexpectedly encountered her.
“Just my luck to see such a disgusting face right when I arrive.”
Gu Yeonseo spat as soon as she laid eyes on me.
“Hello, sister.”
“Don’t talk to me; you’re annoying.”
Why does she act like I shouldn’t even breathe?
Perhaps my greeting didn’t please her, as she responded with evident irritation.
“I’d prefer if you didn’t cause any trouble today—having a Gu bloodline tarnish the ceremony would be beyond disgraceful.”
“Relax; I’ll just lie low and quietly slip away after a bit.”
“Who said I was worried…”
Gu Yeonseo caught sight of Wi Seol-Ah then her expression changed for the worse, as if my mere existence had disturbed her.
She threw one last disgusted look at me before walking away.
What’s got her so riled up?
Cheon Eeshil, watching this interaction, started to sweat bullets.
“Well, it’s typical sibling squabbles. I myself got into tussles with my sister when I was younger…”
…
No need to console me.
Shortly after, we arrived at the guestroom.
It was spacious enough that it could rival my quarters in the clan and was impeccably clean, as if it were tended to daily.
I yearned for a little more rest, but with the ceremony approaching, I hurried back outside.
The banquet hall of Heaven Market was an impressive sight.
The significant size was deliberately designed to evaluate the power of each merchant.
“Still, isn’t it a bit excessive?”
“Wow! It’s enormous! I’ve never seen anything this big!”
For once, I absolutely agreed with Wi Seol-Ah.
One might think this place was hosted by the Martial Alliance due to its sheer scale.
The first day would be dedicated to honoring the Swordsmen of the Gu Clan.
The eagerly awaited second day would hold contests to determine the next generation of Swordsmen.
Thankfully, as blood relatives of the Gu Clan, we were exempt from participating.
My only task here was to sit back and observe.
“I’m just spectating; nothing could possibly go wrong, right?”
Please let it be so.
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