The stares were piercing.
I didn’t understand why, but suddenly the gazes of the people from Mount Hua felt extremely intense.
Why are they suddenly acting like this?
I hesitated, wondering if I should scratch my cheek, and both Shinhyun and Yung Pung flinched in sync at my movement.
Huh? Why are you all scared?
What on earth was happening?
“…Ahem.”
When I looked at Shinhyun with confusion, he let out a forced cough.
“…What’s with everyone suddenly acting like this?”
“No, uh…”
“…How should I put it?”
Huh? What was with these reactions?
Until just a moment ago, the warriors of Mount Hua had been staring just fine, but now they couldn’t even meet my gaze and started turning away.
And then they began whispering among themselves.
“…I thought he looked familiar.”
“But his eyes don’t seem that similar, do they?”
“That’s why it’s hard to look him in the eye…”
I could hear every one of their murmurs.
It seemed they were discussing me, but why all of a sudden?
“What are you all talking about?”
I finally couldn’t hold it in any longer and asked.
It wasn’t pleasant to see them murmuring about me while standing right in front of them.
Shinhyun finally attempted to clarify with a slightly irritated tone.
“…Uh, everyone is just surprised to hear you’re from the Gu Clan.”
He suddenly switched from being casual to addressing me more formally.
What did being a descendant of the Gu Clan have to do with any of this?
“Your little sister is fairly famous in our circle…”
“My little sister?”
I took a moment to ponder Shinhyun’s response.
To be honest, I didn’t know much about my little sister.
I only knew that she had been away from the clan since she was young and that she had lived with the Mount Hua Sect.
So unlike my two older sisters, who remained in the clan, I didn’t really have the chance to interact much with my little sister.
Thinking back, it was strange that someone from a prestigious clan could be accepted into a Taoist clan.
But back then, I hadn’t thought much of it.
Of course, later on, my little sister became so famous that it was impossible not to know about her.
All I knew was that every few years, my little sister would return to the clan for just a few days.
Outside of that, I didn’t know much about her.
“…What about her?”
I asked Shinhyun again, struggling to figure it out.
“…Ahem.”
Shinhyun seemed at a loss for words, opening and closing his mouth without saying anything.
What was so hard for him to say that he hesitated like that?
“Seriously, I really want to ask you something.”
Yung Pung jumped in while Shinhyun was having a hard time.
“What is it?”
“…Young Master, was Senior always like that?”
Senior?
The Shinhyun in front of me was a disciple of the second generation, and since Yung Pung was calling him master, it meant Yung Pung was from the third generation.
Not to mention I, my little sister was even a few years younger than Yung Pung, so wouldn’t they theoretically belong to the same generation?
So… why were they referring to her as ‘Senior’?
“…What do you mean by that?”
“Um… It’s, uh…”
After a fair amount of hesitation, Yung Pung clenched his eyes shut and blurted out his question.
“Was Senior Gu once a boy—”
I couldn’t catch all of Yung Pung’s words because at that moment, Shinhyun swiftly slapped his hand over Yung Pung’s mouth.
Oofghh!!
Yung Pung rolled back, clutching his mouth, and Shinhyun kicked him further away, sending him rolling.
Then, as if they were waiting for it, the other warriors from Mount Hua started kicking and beating Yung Pung.
His cries echoed amidst the kicks landing on him.
“O-Ow! Master, please wait…!”
“Is this guy out of his mind?”
“He was seriously about to say that out loud? Hey! Who’s responsible for this kid!? Who taught him this nonsense?”
“It’s you, you fool!”
Owww!
“….”
I was left utterly speechless at the brutal spectacle.
Yung Pung was indeed getting beaten up like it was nothing.
He seemed to have been about to ask me something about a boy…
I looked at Shinhyun, hoping to ask again, but his demeanor had turned entirely serious.
“Uh…”
“You don’t need to worry about it.”
“Um… I feel like I really should.”
“No, no, you genuinely don’t need to. We thought he required a bit more education anyway, and it seems this situation is just suitable for that.”
“Huh…?”
Education? Was this genuinely what they considered education? Was this acceptable for someone referred to as the Sword Dragon…?
Everything looked completely opposite of what I had formerly anticipated.
I had thought he would be calm and mature, but good grief…?
As expected, they’re really teaching him well. It’s essential for teachers to build those sorts of bonds with their students!
“Oh… right.”
If this old man truly was the Divine Sword, I could start to wonder where things went wrong.
In an instant, it all started making a little bit of mental sense.
After the warriors of Mount Hua ceased their assault, they stepped back, leaving Yung Pung lying on the ground, resembling a corpse.
Was he unconscious? Was he truly okay…?
Before I could worry more, someone picked Yung Pung up and disappeared into the crowd.
“Don’t mind it. He’ll be up in no time.”
Before I could ask any more questions, Shinhyun shot another question to me.
It felt like I shouldn’t pry any further…
“Yeah, um, anyway…”
“So you’ll be heading to Mount Hua soon?”
“I guess that’s necessary; I have a job to finish soon enough.”
“Is there something else you need to do at Mount Hua aside from just returning the treasure?”
“Nothing special, I just need to bring my little sister back to our clan.”
“Pardon…?”
Did I say something strange again?
Just like before, the gazes from the people of Mount Hua turned toward me again.
No, it was different this time.
Their stares were far more intense than before.
…Was Mount Hua always a gathering of these lunatics?
What did you just say!?
Geez, could you keep it down? My head is pounding.
You little brat, insulting someone else’s clan when you have nothing better to do!?
No matter what they said, it was pointless.
Just looking at how I was being glared at, I felt justified in making such an assessment.
Suddenly, Shinhyun firmly grabbed my shoulders.
“What are you doing—”
“Let’s go, Young Master.”
“Pardon?”
In an instant, he switched from calling me by ‘Young Master’ to outright calling me ‘Master.’
The people from Mount Hua, who had been silently observing, swarmed around me.
“We shall escort you to Mount Hua safely.”
“You must be tired from walking. Do you want me to carry you? I’m quite fast.”
“Should I fan you while I’m at it?”
“Hey! Get rid of that horse! I can run faster than any horse!”
“Two horses are better than one! I’ll also be a horse!”
…Wow.
What should I do? These people really ARE crazy.
I answered with an awkward half-smile.
Fortunately, my voice didn’t quiver.
“No, I think it’s better if we travel separately.”
That was my sincere plea, but my words were effortlessly ignored, and I ended up accompanying the people from Mount Hua.
Haha, all this lively behavior is quite heartwarming, isn’t it?
…Life.
—
The lot of Mount Hua was situated near Huayin City of Shaanxi Province.
The season for plum blossoms had already passed, but plums bloomed year-round in Mount Hua.
This perpetual bloom existed due to the Qi that martial artists of Mount Hua possessed and nurtured.
Even in the height of sweltering summer, the scene resembled winter as petals floated down like snowflakes.
After wandering through the mountain paths, we finally reached a small hut closest to the peak.
Not even second-generation disciples were allowed to enter here; it was a place exclusively for the clan’s Lord, elders, and a select few first-generation disciples.
But now, a small girl was carefully opening the door of that hut after making her way up the mountain.
– Creeeaak.
She tried to be as careful as possible, yet the old door creaked as if rebelling against her intentions.
Perhaps because of that, the individual inside stirred from their slumber.
“Come in.”
Her voice spoke of age, yet it remained elegant and graceful.
The small girl appeared, looking guilty as she cautiously revealed herself.
The woman asked,
“Ryunghwa, why do you have that face?”
“…I’m sorry, I just wanted to see you but accidentally woke you up.”
The master smiled at her disciple’s words.
Even after all those years, the disciple’s charm was undeniable, warming her heart.
She opened her arms carefully.
The disciple rushed towards the master and embraced her.
The teacher gently stroked her disciple’s hair.
“Were you not afraid coming here at this hour? You make me worry…”
“It’s because I want to… Please don’t say that.”
To arrive here, the disciple had to traverse wild mountain paths and run a fair bit.
For a little child, it was a exhausting endeavor.
Yet, she came every day to visit her master.
In her master’s embrace, the disciple quietly inquired,
“Are you feeling alright…?”
“I’m fine today, the weather is agreeable.”
“Really!?”
“Would you like to go for a walk with me?”
“Yeah!”
The disciple beamed as if she had awaited this invitation, then promptly took her master’s hand.
The master’s cold, wrinkled hand was comforting to her.
Together, they exited the hut and began their stroll.
Thanks to the moon illuminating the night, the darkness was manageable, and the plum blossoms looked even more beautiful under its glow.
The disciple adored walking along the path filled with plum blossoms hand-in-hand with her master.
Though the hand she held was cold, she could clearly feel warmth within it. The disciple attributed it to love.
She matched her pace with her master, ensuring not to lag behind.
She skillfully kicked away stones that could trip her.
Dust slowly settled on her pretty garments, but she remained unconcerned.
The master affectionately patted her disciple’s head.
“Ryunghwa.”
“Yes, master.”
The master hesitated to speak.
She had something to share, but it was a topic her disciple would rather avoid.
“It’s nearing the time for your return to Shanxi, isn’t it?”
“…”
As expected, the disciple fell silent upon hearing her teacher’s words.
Her slight frown suggested her displeasure.
The master couldn’t help but smile gently at that expression.
“You’re going to see your family, is it really that difficult?”
“…”
“Ryunghwa.”
“…-family.”
The disciple mumbled softly.
The master leaned in closer to listen.
Now, the disciple’s voice rang clearer.
“They’re not my family.”
She seemed on the brink of tears.
The master slowly raised her head and wrapped her arms around her disciple.
“…I’m sorry.”
The master had no words left to say.
It was not her place to discuss such matters.
Though her disciple was someone she was responsible for teaching, there were no regrets.
Rather, she realized soon enough that her happiness came from her disciple.
If there was one lamentation, it was the master’s physical state, which wasn’t at its best.
Had they met a bit earlier, she could have imparted more wisdom and embraced her more frequently.
Time felt insufferably cruel.
The master hoped for her disciple to find happiness amidst this tumultuous world.
Under the moonlight gracing Mount Hua,
The Plum Blossom Sword gently caressed her disciple’s head, filled with bittersweet emotions.
– Roooaaar-!
The sound of a bear’s roar sent the birds hiding in the forest flapping away in terror.
The landscape was littered with the bodies of demons.
In a pool of blue demon blood, Namgung Bi-ah calmly gathered her Qi.
How many times had she faced demons?
She counted up until her fingers grew tired, the rest lost to memory.
She had sprinted tirelessly from Shanxi, but with prolonged exertion, she began questioning her purpose…
Yet there was no desire to return home.
She had uncovered a space more comforting than anywhere else.
Namgung Bi-ah navigated only through instinct.
To put it plainly, she instinctively gravitated toward the set path with less of a foul stench.
But that often led her astray.
In this instance, it was no different, though there was a slight variance.
Her Qi was nearly depleted,
Demons had appeared out of nowhere, and a sudden downpour had soaked her,
And as she traversed the rugged mountain path, her immaculate garb had become tattered and soiled.
This was all a familiar plight.
If there was one fortunate turn, it was that she encountered a stream, allowing for slight relief.
“…Not much further.”
Namgung Bi-ah murmured under the sky filled with trees and grass.
Her resolve remained unshaken.
Anyone asking her how she could be so sure would likely come away with no answers.
It simply felt that way.
That if she proceeded in this direction, he would be awaiting her.
The only warm refuge in a world so wretched.
Cleaning her sword, she shifted her direction and forged ahead.
This way was surely correct.
She felt it intuitively.
“I want to see him alr—”
Namgung Bi-ah’s eyes widened, instinctively covering her mouth after speaking unwittingly.
…I want to see him?
Why?
Is it because he doesn’t smell? Is that it?
She slowed her steps, eventually coming to a halt. Gathering her thoughts, she stood still for quite a while.
After a long moment, she voiced her affection.
“I want to see him? …I want to see him.”
Namgung Bi-ah nodded.
Though the reasons eluded her, she felt a clamor in her heart for him.
And that was enough.
There was no pressing need to delve deeper into reasoning.
“Just a little more.”
She sensed his presence from afar.
It was a certainty born of intuition.
It felt like there remained some distance, yet time seemed comforting.
Having resolved her thoughts, Namgung Bi-ah resumed her steps once more.
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