Chapter: 56
What are you doing here…?
It had been three days since we began our journey together.
The mountain path was particularly rugged and narrow, making it impossible to ride in carriages, so we had to walk.
“…Stranger grandpa is gone,” said Wi Seol-Ah, who had been quietly walking beside me.
In her arms was a box containing Mount Hua’s treasure.
With a tone that expressed her disappointment, Wi Seol-Ah’s words summoned Elder Shin.
“How interesting, she doesn’t even seem to have a special ability or anything of the sort.”
It appeared that she didn’t notice the old man had transferred into me. Apparently, before I absorbed the treasure’s power, the old man often conversed with Wi Seol-Ah.
For reasons unknown, Wi Seol-Ah had an impressive instinct.
She displayed that peculiar talent, especially when we were searching for the secret vault.
Could this be another form of talent?
“She is truly gifted. At such a young age, she may aspire to be the greatest in the world in the future.”
How did you come to that conclusion just from looking at a little girl?
If I were to think about a fully grown Wi Seol-Ah, she would certainly be qualified for such a title.
But at present, she still appeared quite childish. She hadn’t even lost her baby fat.
“That fat definitely won’t disappear with all the yakgwa she eats.”
Of course, to me, she seemed much cuter now with a bit of extra weight than she did in my past life.
Teasing her about it was also a plus.
“Just a bit more, and we should soon reach the valley,” announced Shinhyun, who was leading the way.
Thanks to the guidance from the Mount Hua Sect, our journey had been somewhat more comfortable, allowing us to navigate the path with ease.
As Shinhyun said, after about an hour of walking, we arrived at the valley.
Night would soon fall again, so we decided to stop our journey and prepare to camp.
“Young Master.”
While I was sitting by the river enjoying dumplings with Wi Seol-Ah, Yung Pung came towards me.
“Yes?”
I had just recently discovered that the Sword Dragon was quite talkative.
To put it differently, he resembled a chatty Peng Woojin.
…How annoying.
The unexpected words from Yung Pung caught me off guard.
“Since we will reach our destination soon, would you like to have a meal together?”
“A meal?”
“I rarely get to meet another young prodigy of my age, so it feels a little nice.”
What’s his motive?
Looking at his face, there didn’t seem to be any malicious intent…
But based on my experiences, those with innocent-looking faces often harbored the worst personalities, making me cautious of him.
“I don’t know if you’d enjoy it, but it’s the best dumpling restaurant in Shaanxi.”
“Let’s go together then.”
What a nice guy he was.
“…You idiot.”
“Besides, you said you rarely see other prodigies?”
“I’ve seen them a few times, but we never really talked… They all seemed to be in their own worlds.”
Yung Pung was probably talking about the Five Dragons and Three Phoenixes.
It made sense since they were all talented individuals who likely viewed each other as rivals from the start.
“I can feel your jealousy for not having what they possess.”
“Can you please just stay quiet?”
“In my eyes, you have also reached a level most kids your age cannot attain, so what’s the problem?”
Elder Shin’s words made sense unless he considered my regression.
“…He’s not reacting to the topic of regression. Could it be that he can’t read my thoughts about it?”
He usually picked up on my grievances about him quickly, so it surprised me he said nothing about my regression.
Thank goodness.
I didn’t want to share that with him.
While I was sorting through my thoughts, Yung Pung spoke again.
“Also, you are part of the Senior’s family…”
Yung Pung’s words raised a question as to why he kept calling my little sister ‘Senior.’
Weren’t they both third-generation students? Since we were conversing, it felt like a good time to ask.
“Young Master Yung Pung…”
“Young Master, may I ask something since we’re friends now?”
My inquiry got swallowed by Yung Pung’s declaration.
“Friends?”
I didn’t think we were that close yet.
Yung Pung seemed to rapidly consider people as friends.
On my end, I still wanted to keep my distance.
“…What is it that you wish to ask?”
“It’s not anything serious, but…”
“What’s with the hesitation and head-scratching?!”
It was annoying to see his actions so weirdly fit his handsome face.
After a brief hesitation, Yung Pung finally mustered the courage.
“Would you like to duel with me?”
“No?”
My habitual response slipped out instantly.
Then a wave of disbelief washed over me.
Wasn’t it too absurd to ask for a duel right after inviting me to a meal?
The real issue came from Yung Pung’s reaction.
“W-Why?”
“Why are you asking why, you brat…?”
He had an expression that reflected genuine confusion over my refusal.
That made my astonishment even greater.
“Why are you requesting a duel all of a sudden?”
“I heard that to become closer to each other, a duel is necessary. Isn’t that right?”
“…Who told you such nonsense?”
“The clan’s leader.”
“…”
“Ahem… Ahem!”
Elder Shin almost had a seizure due to Yung Pung’s revelation.
Did the leader of Mount Hua genuinely say that absurdity? Could it be true…?
“Is this really a Taoist clan?”
“…Ahem, well, he’s not completely wrong, is he?”
“No matter how I look at it, that’s definitely wrong.”
The old man tried to salvage the idea, yet he was still off base.
Moreover, suggesting that dueling one another was a way to become friends made them seem more like bandits than a Taoist clan.
“H-How dare you compare us to bandits!? No clan in the world possesses the dignity and pride of Mount Hua.”
“At least try speaking without stuttering.”
Yung Pung’s peculiar gaze at me was truly unsettling.
At this moment, I felt certain; he essentially was just another version of Peng Woojin.
“So we’re not having a duel, huh…?”
“…Why do you sound like you’re about to cry?”
Quit it with the sorrowful tone, it was vexing to hear a young man speak like that.
“Just duel with other students.”
It’s not like Yung Pung was the only third-generation student around.
Moreover, there were likely numerous martial artists in the Ten-Sect Alliance.
Yung Pung let out a bitter smile at my comment.
“Other students aren’t particularly fond of dueling with me.”
“Oh.”
It wasn’t hard to decode what he meant by that.
His monstrous talent practically left the average martial artist trembling in fear.
Such situations were especially pronounced in this generation.
The Sword Dragon.
His title would certainly make it strenuous for other Mount Hua students to challenge him.
If Gu Huibi didn’t exist, odds are he would’ve claimed the title of the greatest prodigy.
Honestly, comparing him to someone like the Lightning Sword would be an offense.
The youngest talent of Mount Hua.
He was a prodigy who learned to manifest plum blossoms at a young age, a feat most achieved at about thirty.
The other third-generation students training alongside him likely considered him an insurmountable wall.
They were just learning to concentrate Qi in their swords, while he had already manifested plum blossoms.
“And regardless of their efforts, the gap between them and him will never close.”
Everyone understood the outcome, so those who still sought a duel against Yung Pung possessed an overwhelming sense of pride.
Would I be okay in their shoes?
Reflecting on my past life, wherein I endured constant comparisons to my sisters, made it somewhat relatable, albeit potentially worse for them.
“Putting that aside, why do you want to duel me?”
“I thought you would be a worthy opponent.”
I sensed his eagerness through his sword.
His request for a duel likely stemmed from recognizing that I was at a similar level.
“The kid has good eyes.”
Elder Shin, who could directly observe my abilities, shared the sentiment.
“But really, asking for a duel out of nowhere?”
Elder Shin spoke up again after catching my distaste for dueling.
“What’s wrong with just one duel?”
“You say that easily since you’re not involved.”
“It’s not like you have anything to lose.”
…Elder Shin was indeed correct.
I had no reason to reject such a light-hearted duel.
Because, at the end of the day, it was merely a duel.
I had no fear of loss either.
After all, my mental state would have unraveled ages ago based on all my defeats.
However…
I simply didn’t want to get involved with Mount Hua.
That was the crux of my hesitation.
“What reason do you feel so guilty?”
“…Please stop reading my mind.”
“Young Master?”
Yung Pung looked at me with a confused expression. I hesitated to answer.
No one knew about what I had done to Mount Hua.
It was a secret only I bore, and it would remain so.
Yet, it was not something I could just shove aside.
Elder Shin spoke while I was caught in silence.
“I don’t know what makes you harbor such guilt toward Mount Hua, but if it troubles you this much, then just go through with it.”
“Hmm…”
“As a martial artist, you should be flattered when someone proposes a duel. It makes no sense for a young man like you to hesitate; tsk tsk. You might as well cut off your manhood at this point.”
“What the hell, cut off what now?!”
Though his words might sound aggressive coming from a past hero, they weren’t entirely unfounded.
I composed myself, stood up, and faced Yung Pung.
“…Alright, let’s duel.”
Sometimes, allowing myself to go with the flow wasn’t such a bad idea.
“Woah!”
“Master… are we really going to fight?”
Wi Seol-Ah, who had been quietly eating dumplings beside me, asked with worried eyes.
She looked at me with enough concern to almost bring tears to her eyes, so I gently ruffled her hair.
“We’re not fighting; it’s apparently a way to become friends.”
“That’s right! Exactly!”
Of course, this was only true to the standards of the Mount Hua Sect…
With Wi Seol-Ah nestled meekly under my gentle pats, she chimed in happily.
“Come back victorious!”
“…I’ll do my best.”
*
We managed to find a reasonably level space for our duel.
Meanwhile, Yung Pung said he would inform Shinhyun about it.
However, when he returned, he bore a large lump on his head, and Shinhyun followed behind him.
Approaching me, Shinhyun bowed slightly.
“I apologize… He’s still quite immature.”
“I don’t mind. It’s just a duel after all.”
This was, in reality, the first ‘normal’ duel I was going to have since my regression.
Given my history with lunatic opponents, I didn’t consider my previous encounters duels.
To observe our duel, both Muyeon and Shinhyun, along with several Mount Hua disciples, gathered around us.
“What’s going on?”
“Apparently Yung Pung is about to duel Young Master Gu.”
“…And it’s happening right now? That guy’s really nuts.”
“If he survives this, we should tie him up to prevent him from doing anything reckless next time.”
“Let’s gag him too so he can’t breathe.”
“Wouldn’t he die then?”
“If he does, there’s probably a way to revive him.”
…It sounded like I was overhearing some terrifying discussions.
“Is everything alright?”
I asked Yung Pung, having just heard those grim conversations, but he didn’t seem bothered at all.
“It’s fine. I’m used to escaping.”
Oh, so this isn’t his first rodeo?
I felt a bit anxious given the audience that had gathered, but I did my best to stay calm.
Yung Pung grasped his wooden sword and positioned himself.
“Oh, not bad at all. He’s well-trained.”
A swordsman’s stance clearly indicates how long and diligently they have trained.
In terms of posture, Yung Pung was practically spot-on.
It revealed not only his extraordinary talent but also evident hard work.
“…”
Taking a slow breath, I wrapped my body in Qi. A red aura formed around me steadily.
The color shift returning to red was thanks to Elder Shin.
I noticed a glimmer in Yung Pung’s eyes.
Simultaneously, something stirred at the tip of his wooden sword.
It looked small and delicate, but that was undeniably a plum blossom.
“Oh, so he’s not planning to hold back.”
He wasn’t just going to take it easy and instead instantly drew his plum blossom technique.
An involuntary smile appeared on my face, surprised by how serious he seemed.
“If I don’t take this seriously, I’ll really be in for it.”
“Let’s start.”
When both of us seemed to be ready, Shinhyun called for the duel to commence.
Yung Pung lunged, swinging his sword immediately.
I channeled Qi into my feet, dodging his strike.
And in the blink of an eye, the match concluded.
BANG!
With an explosively loud sound, dust soared in every direction.
“Gah!”
Yung Pung was sent flying, shrieking.
Meanwhile, I stood there, utterly stunned by the scene.
I hadn’t even done anything.
I didn’t even come close to Yung Pung, and yet he just went soaring into the distance.
…Was that an ambush?
I hadn’t sensed any intent from anyone.
The surrounding dust cloud blinded my view, yet I felt a presence where Yung Pung had just been standing.
“Uh?”
Noticing the presence, a startled sound escaped my lips.
It was an unmistakable presence.
“What the…?”
It was someone who shouldn’t be here.
Why was I feeling the aura of a woman who should have been training in Anhui?
As the wind blew, the dust began to settle.
“…Oh.”
The owner of that presence spoke in a brief tone.
She stood where Yung Pung had been moments before.
Her attire was a complete mess, hair disheveled as if she had been through a battle.
Yet, she retained her snow-white skin and radiant beauty amid the disarray.
Upon noticing me, her azure eyes locked onto mine.
Then she smiled.
Brightly.
“I found you…”
Her melodious voice resonated in my ears.
I hoped for a pleasant encounter, but what stood before me was the opposite.
“Finally, I found you.”
The one who smiled and spoke those words was none other than Namgung Bi-ah.
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