Chapter: 76
What could that stench be?
This was a question that Namgung Bi-Ah had pondered since childhood.
Why was she the only one able to smell the foul odor that others couldn’t?
She understood that because of this, her life had plummeted into hell.
A life where she couldn’t comfortably eat, talk, or even sleep felt like a living nightmare.
How can I ever escape this?
Amidst the thick fog that obscured her vision, Namgung Bi-Ah found herself constantly wandering, lost.
The only consolation was that, amidst such foulness, there were still fleeting moments where liberation could be found.
When she swung her sword.
In those moments alone, the world would grant Namgung Bi-Ah a feeling of freedom.
Thus, she became obsessed, or rather, fixated on the sword.
Because while dancing with her sword, she could fool herself into thinking nothing else mattered.
So every day, she swung her sword.
Yet, as soon as her training ended, the stench returned, and the odor of those watching her became even more potent.
If only she could believe that the stench disappeared entirely while she danced with her sword.
Wouldn’t it vanish completely when she reached the peak she longed for with her swordplay?
Consequently, she sought out opponents more skilled than herself, challenging them relentlessly while dedicating the rest of her time to honing her skills.
As she matured, the noxious smell permeating her home only grew stronger.
She became increasingly reluctant to engage with others, speaking less and less.
The aspirations and desires, the envy and jealousy of those around her were sharply palpable in the air.
Could that be the source of the stench?
Namgung Bi-Ah wasn’t entirely convinced of that.
It felt like there was something more hidden beneath the surface.
Day by day, she was losing the ability to express her emotions.
She couldn’t even recall the last time she genuinely smiled.
It was most likely on the day her mother passed away, the day she lost her smile for good.
The sensation of the stench, even when she covered her nose, was draining her.
She wished to isolate herself deep in the mountains, but the clan wouldn’t allow it.
As time went on, the stench that surrounded her intensified, particularly from her brother, who was becoming burdensome.
The changes in him were growing more pronounced, and the emotions flickering in his eyes felt increasingly foul.
Namgung Bi-Ah felt overwhelmed by it all.
She wondered if there would truly be peace awaiting her at the end of her desired sword’s path.
If life continued, would it lead to a place of tranquility?
Or was she simply clinging to foolish hopes?
Living each day on the brink of despair, she encountered him.
It was the first time.
The first time she had sensed a complete absence of the stench that had plagued her life.
As if the thick fog enveloping her was gently dispersed, only tranquility remained around him.
With his piercing gaze, irritable tone, and clear desire for distance, Namgung Bi-Ah discovered unexpected comfort.
There was no trace of the insatiable greed that she sensed in others. Instead, he looked at her with guilt and an undercurrent of longing.
Occasionally, he would gaze at her as though recalling someone else entirely, and she wanted to ask him.
Who was he searching for?
What was on his mind that caused him to look at her that way?
Yet, in the end, she could never ask, leaving her still in the dark.
Namgung Bi-Ah often recalled the question posed by Tang Soyeol just recently.
“Do you like Young Master Gu?”
At that time, she was sure she didn’t.
What she felt towards him was definitely not love.
What about now?
Is it different now?
She contemplated this query, yet no answer surfaced.
It felt like a question even more difficult to confront than the nature of the stench.
While swinging her sword on the mountain, her gaze inadvertently fell upon the injured hand of the man she had been thinking about.
As she noticed it, she was startled and dashed over.
But at that moment, a hint of stench wafted from him.
It was faint, yet undeniably the familiar odor she despised.
In that instant, Namgung Bi-Ah felt as though the world was collapsing around her.
It can’t be true, she repeated to herself, grabbing hold of him and inhaling deeply.
Praying silently that it was merely an illusion.
He was the only source of comfort she could find in this harsh world.
She could eat with ease,
And she no longer had nightmares when beside him.
She was even able to mingle with others when he was there.
Finally learning to be a normal human…
Yet, she couldn’t afford to lose him.
Perhaps it was just a fleeting misunderstanding.
The slight stench she sensed from him faded away momentarily, reassuring her.
When calmness returned, she lost her strength and collapsed onto the ground.
He approached her carefully, wiping the cold sweat rolling down her face.
In a moment of frantic worry, she seized his arm and pressed it against her nose.
Her anxiety about possibly losing her peace again had driven her to perform that instinctive action.
I see now…
That’s what despair felt like.
The tranquility she had experienced now brought with it the fear of losing something precious.
She understood that she could no longer let him go.
To Namgung Bi-Ah, the title of ‘fiancé,’ which formerly felt trivial, now seemed like a blessing that she might never experience again in her life.
She envisioned a life without him.
A life necessitating her to endure that horrid stench again.
Could she truly go back to that existence?
With a shudder of disgust, Namgung Bi-Ah gripped his hand tighter, fearing the reality she wished to avoid.
Noticing something was off with Namgung Bi-Ah, I had no choice but to accompany her back to the lodge.
Why is she sweating so profusely?
They say that even dogs don’t catch colds in the summer. Is she suffering from a flu?
A flu for a martial artist?
It’s notoriously difficult for someone with Qi to catch a cold.
Especially someone at Namgung Bi-Ah’s level.
I suggested she visit a doctor, but she shook her head and went off to wash herself.
“Young Master! Young Master!”
By dinner time, Wi Seol-Ah persistently stuck by my side.
When she saw my injured hand, she nearly burst into tears, so I had to soothe her.
Recently, it seemed Wi Seol-Ah had become infatuated with cooking because she kept bringing me food.
Even though the Mount Hua Sect provided meals already.
While it wasn’t an extravagant feast consistent with a Taoist clan, I didn’t mind, as long as my stomach was full.
…Has it been a while since I had dumplings?
It felt like I hadn’t eaten them in days.
I should get some when I head to the market.
Though it seems I won’t be going there anytime soon.
Given the Mount Hua’s location, going down and then back up was quite a hassle.
As I bit into the indistinguishable food Wi Seol-Ah had brought me, her eager gaze filled me with discomfort.
After tasting it, I immediately spat it out.
“Salty.”
“…R… Really?”
Her eyes welling with tears at the mere word was quite a sight to behold.
Knowing she had genuinely tried, I patted her head, revealing that I was just teasing.
“It’s a joke, it’s tasty.”
“Hey… That’s so mean! Why do you joke all the time?”
“Because your reactions are just too funny.”
Now it didn’t feel awkward to tousle her hair.
Had I grown less hesitant?
Leaning her head against my hand, Wi Seol-Ah gazed at me with wide, puppy-like eyes.
“Bfefgh!”
“…Whoa! It stretches!”
What kind of sensation is this? Now I understand why Gu Huibi was shocked when she touched her cheeks.
So this is how it feels.
“Idehb…”
“Oh, sorry.”
She glared at me as she rubbed her cheeks, looking slightly put out as I realized I may have tugged too hard.
I inquired, “Where’s Elder Wi?”
I didn’t think Wi Seol-Ah had come back to Mount Hua alone.
I assumed the Sword Emperor would have accompanied her, but there was no sign of him.
Touching her slightly pink cheeks, she replied, “Grandpa said he had some tasks to take care of before coming back!”
“…Tasks, huh.”
What could the Sword Emperor possibly need to do in Shaanxi to leave Wi Seol-Ah here alone?
I wasn’t truly worried about him, just curious.
Why had he come to Shaanxi? Why was the Immortal Healer here?
And what about Zhuge Hyuk being the grandson of the Immortal Healer?
…Why are there so many coincidences?
The Mount Hua Sect’s members had gone missing, and what of the state of the Plum Blossom Sword?
These incidents could each shake the world on their own, but they had now coalesced into a massive issue.
It felt as if everything was interwoven into a singular problem.
“Young Master.”
“Hmm?”
“Your face looks ugly again…”
“…What did you say?”
Hearing a comment about my looks after so long, it didn’t pack much of a punch.
Having endured comparisons to a mantis, her remark couldn’t shock me.
“Don’t just say that to people.”
“Why?”
“…Because truly unattractive people might get hurt by those words.”
“But you truly do look ugly when you frown like that…”
“…Right.”
Her words pierced me like a dagger to my heart. Pretty girls really have a way with words.
While it was probably just her response to my scowl as I pondered all these confounding matters, I figured I’d have to take some time to teach her how to communicate better.
…It sounds like you really meant what you said, though…
‘Please, remain silent.’
I’m already hurting enough, and now you’re adding salt to the wound…
I nibbled on a few more greens and finished my meal.
I instructed Wi Seol-Ah to check on Namgung Bi-Ah since she hadn’t appeared for dinner; it seemed she wasn’t feeling well.
While considering a leisurely stroll, I took a glance around.
– Hya!
– Mind your legs!
– Your arms have been neglected!
I could hear the vocalizations of the third-generation disciples training outside.
It surely resonated due to the upcoming event they faced.
I guess it’s some tournament for Mount Hua Sect’s students.
Once that event concluded, I’d likely head back to my clan.
When I asked Yung Pung, he mentioned it would finish in a day or two, meaning the wait wouldn’t be lengthy.
I held a silent hope that nothing bad would occur in the meantime.
The main issue lay with that demonic Qi I had sensed earlier.
Those that lingered around the Black Palace.
Inaccurately labeling it demonic Qi felt incorrect; its essence felt filthy.
To be precise, it was of low quality and appeared imperfect.
It bore a cheaper semblance than the demonic Qi associated with the cult.
Consequently, I felt it had nothing to do with the Heavenly Demon.
“Thinking about those guys, are you?”
“…Yes, their presence leaves me uneasy.”
“Are they famous?”
“I wouldn’t say they’re notorious, but they definitely can’t hide.”
The Lord of the Black Palace himself was a master representing the Unorthodox Faction.
Even when the renowned Black Dragon fell to the Sword Emperor, he maintained a dignified demeanor.
“Was I too indifferent?”
Had I been too easy on them, assuming they would vanish as soon as the Murim Alliance rose?
Contemplating their connection to the Heavenly Demon while refusing to consider their link to the demonic Qi kept gnawing at me.
“I won’t ignore it; letting one slip away means I can’t just walk away from this.”
“Given the recent exposure, they likely won’t act recklessly.”
I understood they’d sustained significant losses, but I didn’t envision them simply taking it lying down.
“The Celestial Plum Blossom will manage everything in this area.”
There were numerous matters demanding my attention amid this tangled mess.
Finding information on the Black Palace while in Shaanxi proved nearly impossible.
As I made my way back to the lodge, trying to push aside my tangled thoughts, someone approached me from a distance.
“Young Master Gu!”
It was Yung Pung, drenched in sweat from head to toe.
What on earth?
“Yung Pung?”
“Are you heading out for training after dinner?”
“Huh? No?”
“The air is rather fresh tonight. I believe training will invigorate you!”
“…Oh, I see.”
Had this guy been training non-stop since morning?
“Out of the group, he’s the one I like the most. With his talent and dedication, he’ll surely be the strongest martial artist of the Mount Hua Sect soon.”
As Elder Shin emphasized positively,
Provided history remains unchanged, Yung Pung was destined to carry that mantle for the Mount Hua Sect.
Unless some maniac builds a volcano right out of the blue and wipes Mount Hua off the face of the earth…
“…Dammit.”
“Huh? What did you say, Young Master Gu?”
“No, nothing at all.”
“Oh… understood. If you’re free, would you like to train with me after dinner?”
Even after the intense morning workout, he still seemed energized and cheerful.
Having dealt with a slew of issues earlier, I felt like collapsing into bed, but seeing him invigorated felt nice.
“Let’s go, then.”
Yeah, a little training wouldn’t hurt; I can just sleep right after.
…Or so I thought, but just minutes in, I instantly regretted my decision.
What a crazy place this Mount Hua is.
“…Ugh…”
After being tempted by Yung Pung, I couldn’t withstand even half of the evening training and fled.
Setting aside the absurd training methods, what kind of lunatic straps a boulder on their backs and climbs cliffs?
On top of that, we continued with every possible grueling exercise without a break.
My muscles screamed as I felt like I might die, yet Yung Pung appeared to revel in it.
How had someone like that once been stymied?
Was there a reason behind it?
“Don’t think it’s just because of your influence that he’s changed so much.”
“What sort of person transforms like that after a single duel?”
“You just don’t know.”
Had my duel truly altered him that dramatically?
If so, I was relieved he’d undergone a positive change, but it was alarming how rapidly it had happened.
When I finally couldn’t bear it and decided to leave, Yung Pung looked disappointed, saying he would continue for a little longer before returning to his quarters.
I barely processed what he said before hastily making my way down the mountain.
Having gone through a myriad of events today, coupled with the exhaustive dinner training, my body was at its limit.
Arriving back at the lodge, I took a cold shower to cool down and changed into fresh clothes.
I longed for sleep.
Having hardly slept the previous night, I felt assured I’d make up for it tonight.
That thought lingered as I opened my door.
– Slide
“Youn—!”
– Slide, Tap—
“…?”
Before I even realized it, I closed the door automatically.
I could have sworn I saw Namgung Bi-Ah and Wi Seol-Ah inside…
Just my imagination, right…?
My site has received a lot of DMCA notices, lol. From now on, I will update the MTL on https://darkmtl.com/.
The site is fast and lightweight because there are no ads yet. However, the theme is different from Cybor-TL, so take some time to familiarize yourself.
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.