Chapter 77: Cold in the Midst of Summer (3)
It was way past the expected time for a sleepless night.
I was trying to lay my weary body down and get some sleep.
“To truly become a Taoist, one must forget all worldly desires, including lust.”
For some reason, Elder Shin’s voice in the dead of night carried an unusual seriousness.
Perhaps it was the heaviest emotion I had heard from him since we met?
“If you get entangled with personal feelings, you’ll never reach the heights you yearn for as a martial artist and a Taoist.”
Even amidst his rapid-fire words, there was no wavering in his voice.
“Did you know? Very few high-ranking elders of Mount Hua marry throughout their lives. It is all a means to attain a higher level of enlightenment.”
The one meant to be the face and heart of the sect rarely marries, though there are rare instances where Taoists might still tie the knot.
Honestly, who married and who didn’t was of little concern to me.
I let Elder Shin’s nagging words wash over me, wearing a bland expression as I asked,
‘…So what’s your point?’
“…I wish you’d just go die, you little brat!”
Elder Shin suddenly yelled in my head.
“I just can’t figure out what’s so attractive about this ugly mantis that you’re able to catch all these flowers! What a world we live in…”
‘So, what you’re saying is that I died without ever experiencing true love, while some young whippersnapper is getting all the attention, is that right?’
“…”
‘You’re not genuinely angry over something like that, are you?’
“You… little…”
Though I hadn’t seen his face, I could vividly imagine him trembling with anger.
In reality, it was quite a sad story.
I began to understand why Elder Shin had always hurled curses at me over trivial matters like this.
‘…But, have you never met anyone…?’
“…!…!!…!!!…!”
“Why are you screaming…!”
“Umph…”
“…Huh.”
“…!”
I shrank back from the rustling sounds on either side of me.
I was so fatigued I felt like I could faint any second,
But now, the peculiar situation was keeping me wide awake.
In the dim room, I found myself squeezed between Wi Seol-Ah and Namgung Bi-Ah, who lay on either side.
Namgung Bi-Ah dozed off the moment she laid down, while Wi Seol-Ah, after some persistent chatter, finally fell asleep beside me.
Upon first opening the door, I had been so startled by the sight of them, already set up with blankets beckoning me to join, I thought I was dreaming.
If you’re wondering how I ended up in this situation,
It was because I didn’t have a chance to ask for a different room for Namgung Bi-Ah due to the chaos earlier that day.
And I couldn’t possibly kick Wi Seol-Ah out when she looked like she might cry at any moment after I told her she couldn’t sleep with me.
“…Why is sis allowed but I’m not…?”
She had muttered with incredulity, followed by tears.
With that, I found myself unable to say a word after that.
I could have casually remarked that it was because she was just a maid,
But I knew once those words slipped out, I wouldn’t be able to take them back.
I could only imagine what kind of face Wi Seol-Ah would make if I uttered that, and I couldn’t bring myself to say it and deal with the fallout.
Given that the Sword Emperor wasn’t around, I ultimately decided to let her stay as I had no energy to manage her emotions.
I was already familiar with the concept of summer snow.
Yet, snow and summer didn’t belong in the same sentence, and my logic couldn’t rationalize the coexistence of such a phenomenon.
How could it be cold enough in summer to snow?
This thought seemed nonsensical at first, but I gradually started to understand what those words meant.
– Sssss
– Sssss
With the faint sounds of breathing from Namgung Bi-Ah and Wi Seol-Ah, mingling with their scent filling the air, I found it impossible to fall asleep, no matter how hard I tried.
I didn’t even have a chance to feel the summer heat; instead, I felt rather cold, to the point of nearly losing my sanity.
Typically, I would sleep in a shrimp-like position, but due to the faces positioned on either side of me, it was utterly impossible.
“Smelling their scent? How perverse of you.”
‘…Can we just sleep already?’
“Have you ever seen a ghost sleep?”
‘…Ugh.’
I reluctantly lifted my weary frame, and after maintaining an awkward position for too long, my shoulders ached.
“Umph…”
I thought I had been careful, but Wi Seol-Ah, who had been snuggled against my arm, made a noise as I shifted.
She seemed to be munching on her hair in her sleep.
It looked like she was probably dreaming of eating something.
‘What on earth is she nibbling on?’
“Could it be noodles?”
Thinking about such a trivial matter, I brushed Wi Seol-Ah’s hair away from her face.
When I moved her hair, her fair skin and rosy lips came into fuller view.
Despite still having an undeveloped face, it exuded an innocent allure.
‘At some point, I’ll have to cover her face with a veil too.’
It may sound ridiculous for a maid to wear a veil, but under the circumstances, it seemed necessary. She wasn’t just any pretty girl; recalling my past life, it seemed almost mandatory.
“I’ll probably have to cover her face up in one to two years.”
‘If… we’re still together by then, that is.’
That thought cut deep.
I was haunted by the gnawing worry that Wi Seol-Ah might not stay with me forever.
The possibility of her leaving wasn’t far-fetched at all.
Even though I was currently showered with her overwhelming affection and care,
I couldn’t help but wonder if I truly deserved it.
My mind was filled with such thoughts.
“Umm…”
Suddenly, Wi Seol-Ah, in her sleep, grabbed my hand.
Her hand was warm and tender.
“Grandpa…”
Was she dreaming about the Sword Emperor? I gently stroked her head and tried to rise quietly so as not to disturb her slumber.
With the intention of getting a pillow, I moved slowly to a corner of the room.
“You’re making a sad decision, you know…”
‘It’s not a sad decision.’
If I ended up losing sleep tonight, it wouldn’t matter if I was a martial artist — I might as well die of exhaustion.
I laid down on the hard wooden floor after positioning the pillow.
Since their breathing and lingering scent were no longer distracting me, I thankfully fell asleep quickly.
– Chirp, chirp… Chirp! –
I awoke to the sound of chirping birds.
Just hearing that was enough to confirm that morning had indeed arrived.
“…Ugh…”
I wanted to nap until at least noon. Why was I waking up so early?
Feeling the annoyance bubbling up, I attempted to roll out of bed but soon realized I couldn’t move as if someone was pinning me down.
‘…Am I experiencing sleep paralysis?’
Moving my head around to assess the situation,
I soon spotted bluish-white hair slightly draped over my chest.
“…What the?”
Once I was fully awake, I discovered that both my arms had been captured while I slept.
Namgung Bi-Ah and Wi Seol-Ah were clasping my arms tightly on both sides.
‘…What were they doing here when I consciously tried to sleep away from them?’
“What in the world happened last night?”
“…Elder Shin.”
“Don’t call for me.”
“What do you mean? Did something happen last night?”
“I didn’t see anything…”
“What is he talking about?”
Putting Elder Shin’s strange response aside, I desperately wanted to free myself, but my arms were firmly held.
“…Seriously, what are they doing here? What if someone sees—”
– Creeeak…
“…this.”
No sooner had I uttered those words than the door swung open, and I found myself locking eyes with the intruder.
There was no way a servant would barge in without so much as a knock,
And it definitely wasn’t someone from the Mount Hua Sect either,
So the list of potential entrants shrank significantly.
“…”
“Uh…”
Upon recognizing who had just walked in, beads of cold sweat immediately broke out on my forehead.
Among the least likely options, it was none other than Gu Ryunghwa, my sister, who pushed the door wide open.
Her expression rapidly darkened as she scanned the two girls on either side of me.
I understood it was an awkward moment, but how was I going to explain myself to her now?
“How do I convince her this isn’t what it looks like? That we merely slept holding hands?”
‘…Wow, what a convincing scenario.’
I couldn’t possibly say something that silly when I was sprawled on the floor surrounded by two asleep girls.
As I puzzled over what to say to clear this misunderstanding, Gu Ryunghwa seemed ready to say something but abruptly turned and closed the door with a frigid frown.
“…I’ll wait outside.”
As soon as I heard the chill in her voice emanating from outside, I realized it was far too late to remedy this misunderstanding.
Straining to break free from the grip of the two girls, I eventually managed to pry one hand loose by tickling Wi Seol-Ah’s side.
“Kyahhh!!”
Wi Seol-Ah shot up in shock and surprise and started rolling around on the floor.
The second my hand got free, I swiftly tapped Namgung Bi-Ah on the head.
“…Hmm?”
Namgung Bi-Ah jolted awake from the light slap on her forehead.
With her grip on my other hand easing up, I wasted no time pulling my arm free and bolting out of the room.
Outside, I discovered Gu Ryunghwa seated on the floor.
I was at a loss for words, frantically searching my mind for something to say, but in that moment, she spoke first.
“Master wants to see you.”
“…What?”
I was utterly baffled; the last thing I expected to hear was that.
“She was disappointed that she didn’t get to meet you the last time you were here.”
When mentioning the “last time,” I assumed she was referring to when I delivered the letter for the Immortal Healer.
“Celestial Plum Blossom herself?”
“Why?”
Since she once mentioned she was friends with my mother, perhaps she wanted to see me as the son of her friend?
“She asked for you to visit her once more before you head back to the clan.”
“…Alright, so that’s why you came here? This early in the morning?”
“Are you crazy? Of course, I have other tasks to attend to in addition to this.”
She wore a clear expression of annoyance.
“But had I known I would walk into this scene first thing in the morning, I’d have come a bit later.”
“…What brought you to the Sect at all?”
“Is it odd for a sect member to come to their own sect?”
“In your case, yes, yes it is.”
I retorted, knowing she spent most of her time in the hut taking care of the Celestial Plum Blossom— her master.
Gu Ryunghwa let out a long, almost tired sigh, her expression one of distaste, like she had just chewed something distasteful.
“…I’m just here for the tournament, so mind your own business.”
“I was minding my own business, but you’re the one who shows up.”
“…”
“Are you planning to participate in the tournament as well?”
“Isn’t that obvious?”
“Right.”
Initially, I intended to return to the Gu clan once the tournament concluded, but since I had returned the treasure and Gu Ryunghwa had revealed her intention not to return to her clan,
‘I think I can leave without staying for the tournament’s end.’
I didn’t see any reason not to depart early, as long as I could gather a bit more intel on Zhuge Hyuk and the Black Palace.
While I was caught up in these thoughts, Gu Ryunghwa stood up and began to leave as her business here concluded.
“I’m done here. You can go back to playing with your ugly girls again.”
“What…? Ugly…?”
“Yeah, every girl who’ll be around you is—”
She abruptly halted mid-sentence.
Immediately, I could see Gu Ryunghwa frozen in place, likely shocked by something.
She was still staring in my direction, but it was evident that she wasn’t really looking at me.
It seemed more like… behind me?
“Hmm?”
I turned to check what had startled her, only to spot Namgung Bi-Ah leaning against the door with sleepy eyes, observing Gu Ryunghwa.
And Wi Seol-Ah was there too, half-asleep alongside her.
Gu Ryunghwa stood frozen, clearly overwhelmed by the sight of both at once.
Perhaps even just one of their captivating appearances would be shocking enough, yet here were two stunning girls in close proximity.
Gu Ryunghwa’s lips quivered as if she wanted to say something.
Yet, she quickly turned and vanished from sight without uttering another word.
“What the…?”
“What’s up with her?”
After finishing breakfast with the two sleepyheads.
Wi Seol-Ah, as usual, was whisked away by Hongwa, while Namgung Bi-Ah headed off to train on the mountain.
Around noon, I was summoned to discuss the issues concerning the Black Palace.
“Not a single clean body.”
Three corpses lay before me.
There had been more than five when I left, but two appeared to have been ravaged by wild beasts, making it impossible to bring them back intact.
One body had its neck twist grotesquely, while the others were burned to ashes.
This was pretty much everything I’d done, so I had little to say in my defense here.
However, one thing was clear:
‘Thankfully, they don’t seem to be demonic humans.’
Those who succumb to the influence of the Heavenly Demons would have their skin blacken the moment they died, distinguishing them as Demonic Humans.
The charred remains of these guys simply appeared black due to the flames, showing they weren’t tainted.
A man closely examining the bodies turned to the Celestial Plum Blossom.
“It’s hard to tell since one body is so ruined, but judging from the others, they appear to be members of the Western Dragon.”
The scale-patterned scars etched on their shoulders seemed to represent the symbol of their organization.
The scars appeared rather old, indicating they were not recent creations.
“…Isn’t ‘Western Dragon’ the group disbanded by the Murim Alliance a few years ago?”
While it was uncommon to find bandits in this era, they certainly weren’t extinct.
“It seems like those who escaped at the time of their disbandment were absorbed into another group.”
It was typical for members without a cause to join another faction.
Just because they lost their original group didn’t mean they would suddenly become virtuous.
And those wandering souls tended to gravitate toward a specific destination.
‘The Black Palace.’
The frowns on the faces of the Celestial Plum Blossom and other elders suggested they were linking this discovery to the disappearances within the Mount Hua Sect.
Possibly contemplating the reasons behind those vanishings…
“Lord, should we expand the search perimeter?”
One of the elders spoke up, breaking the heavy silence.
With a clue in hand, they wanted to widen the search radius.
Naturally, not everyone was on board with this plan.
“Sir, that might cost us more students.”
“Then you’d prefer to do nothing out of fear? We’ve already lost so many students…!”
“That doesn’t mean…!”
“Enough.”
– Swoosh—!
With a single command from the clan leader, the fragrance of plum blossoms instantaneously filled the room. After asserting his presence, he spoke again with a calm smile.
“An outsider is present with us; I can sense your urgency, but I ask you all to remain composed and collected.”
“…I apologize.”
“…My apologies, Lord.”
I continued observing their exchange, my demeanor blank. Thankfully, unlike during my last talk with the Celestial Plum Blossom, I was spared from arrows of blame.
“I do have a suggestion for the search.”
“You have a plan?”
“…For such a doubtful expression, you surely wound my feelings.”
“…I apologize.”
While he offered an apology, he didn’t reject my skepticism, did he?
To think even the sect leader had to endure distrust from his own members… Just how much trouble had he caused them…?
“Ahem, anyway. I sincerely apologize for entangling you in our Mount Hua Sect affairs, kid.”
“It’s no trouble at all.”
“I’ve been informed of the overall circumstances, and once I’m done discussing with the elders, I’ll arrange for the compensation I mentioned earlier.”
“…Thank you.”
To be frank, while I wanted to feign nonchalance about how this was something they ought to have done, I had a strong sense that if I were to say something dismissive, the Celestial Plum Blossom would likely retaliate.
As expected, the Celestial Plum Blossom eyed me with an unusual gaze.
But with the presence of the other sect members around, it seemed he dared not joke.
If any indications were to be believed, others seem ready to continue with discussions, so I made a polite exit.
“It appears to have gone well.”
“Yeah, I had prepared several points to cover, but it looks like they weren’t necessary.”
“The Taoist clans are exceptionally understanding after all.”
“That’s a rather ironic statement coming from you…”
Looking back, Elder Shin didn’t seem overly concerned about the modern-day Mount Hua Sect.
Particularly, he seemed unfazed by the odd disappearances among its members.
It felt as though he was satisfied just to see the sect still standing strong.
The current challenges were simply issues for future generations to confront and overcome.
I suppose this could be classified as a form of retirement, perhaps?
With such thoughts swirling in my mind, I headed for the training mountain I had visited before.
I figured I’d sleep more if I returned to the lodge, so I aimed to get some training in instead.
But then…
“What is she doing here…?”
I already sensed Namgung Bi-Ah nearby with her razor-sharp intent blanketing the atmosphere around me as I made my ascent.
It was somewhat milder than yesterday, but I could still confirm without a doubt that it was Namgung Bi-Ah’s aura.
Yet, I also detected another presence nearby.
– Arghh…! Why can’t I land a single hit…!
The other girl was fiercely brandishing a wooden sword, only to be tripped by Namgung Bi-Ah’s leg and sent sprawling to the ground.
Unlike yesterday, there were no onlookers this time. Apparently, everyone had been distracted with their own training.
The girl rolled around on the dirt as if this were an ordinary occurrence, her uniform now caked in grime.
“…What’s she doing here?”
Namgung Bi-Ah stared at her opponent with the usual indifference on her face.
And the one rolling around in clear frustration was none other than Gu Ryunghwa.
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