Chapter 98: Tournament (3)
I was going to ask about the reactions regarding the mention of Gu Ryunghwa while going to the Mount Hua Sect.
But looking at their reactions now, I began to suspect that I had been misunderstanding something all this time.
However, instead of that, Shinhyun had questions for me.
He started to recount the story of Gu Ryunghwa from the moment she first joined the Mount Hua Sect to the present.
He asked, why would such a young girl look like her soul had been taken away during her time with the sect.
Shinhyun explained while simultaneously questioning if it was my fault that Gu Ryunghwa ended up like this.
There was only one answer I could give.
“Yes, it is my fault.”
For someone who suddenly brought up such a deep topic, his words were laden with meaning.
This was the first time I was hearing about Gu Ryunghwa’s experiences in the Mount Hua Sect.
How she cried while searching for me.
And how she had a fear of men.
Although I initially brushed it off, it seemed that the reality of her condition was more severe than I realized.
I doubted that the Gu Ryunghwa I recently encountered had truly overcome her fears; it felt more like she was just enduring everything.
Upon hearing my answer, Shinhyun fell silent, but I could sense the negative emotions swirling within him, evident from the frown on his face and the labored breaths.
It seemed he was trying to contain something within himself.
At first, I thought Gu Ryunghwa must have been bullied, but thankfully, that didn’t seem to be the case.
Rather, it appeared she might have received a bit of affection instead.
‘If there were any bullying, I would be the one to blame.’
I couldn’t deny that fact.
Since Shinhyun remained silent, I decided to ask him,
“Are you not going to ask why I did such a thing?”
His eyebrows furrowed slightly at my question.
“…I figured asking you would lead to no answer.”
As he said, there was no answer I could genuinely give.
It was a personal matter, and I didn’t feel the need to share it with anyone.
“And,”
Shinhyun added,
“I still don’t think my eyes are wrong.”
“…”
I couldn’t quite grasp what he saw in me that led him to think that way.
I matched my gaze with Shinhyun, unable to fully decipher all his thoughts, but I sensed something.
The flickers of resentment in his eyes were rooted in his concern for my little sister, so I didn’t feel bad about it.
I didn’t think Yung Pung brought me here to showcase something like this…
Speaking of which, Yung Pung appeared behind me and greeted the senior disciples.
“Greetings, seniors.”
“Junior Yung Pung.”
“Yes…”
“Is the Young Master Gu the one you brought here?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“This place is reserved for the disciples of the Mount Hua Sect; outsiders cannot simply enter. You’re aware of that, right?”
“…I apologize. He inquired about Senior Sister Gu, so I thought it best he spoke directly.”
“About Senior Sister Gu?”
Shinhyun turned to look at me, his expression having shifted slightly from earlier.
It seemed I wasn’t permitted in this area, based on the context of his words to Yung Pung.
Despite that, Yung Pung disregarded the rules and brought me here.
‘He really is quite audacious.’
Though the discipline wasn’t as strict as the Murim Alliance, disciples of the Mount Hua Sect were known for obeying their superiors diligently. Yung Pung had disregarded this clearly stated rule.
I sighed softly and spoke.
“I wanted to ask why my sister is fighting against the third-generation disciples.”
“Oh… that’s—”
Shinhyun began to respond, but someone interrupted him in the midst.
“Brother?”
Turning at the familiar voice, I found Gu Ryunghwa standing there, eyes wide in shock at seeing me.
As she noticed the many second-generation disciples surrounding us, her expression quickly soured.
“…Guys.”
“Oh, we’ve been discovered.”
“It’s all Eldest Senior Brother’s fault… What kind of person talks openly when trying to hide?”
“Gu Ryunghwa… Eldest Senior Brother told us to come; we didn’t do this on our own!”
“…So, you all are just going to throw your eldest senior brother under the bus here? What kind of people are you? You’ve got to be kidding!”
Shinhyun wore a face of utter embarrassment, as if accustomed to such antics.
Watching this unfold, Gu Ryunghwa sighed,
“I told you not to come here…”
He immediately began to plead his case to her.
“I’m sorry, these guys kept insisting…”
“What the heck…? He was just complaining about us throwing him under the bus and immediately sells us out!”
“What’s surprising about that? This has happened more than once, hasn’t it?”
The disciples, who were murmuring behind him, fell silent upon seeing Shinhyun’s fierce look.
Gu Ryunghwa watched silently, seemingly having much to say but holding it back.
With a deep breath, she finally released her pent-up thoughts.
“…Thank you for your concern. But I’d prefer if you didn’t worry so much.”
Her voice was unwavering and firm, bordering on rudeness toward her seniors.
So I glanced at the other disciples, unsure of how they would react.
‘Huh…’
Surprisingly, they didn’t seem angry at all.
It was more like—how to put it… shock? Touching? Something along those lines…?
“W… Wow, she just thanked us.”
“She didn’t even glance away or step back.”
“What’s going on? Am I going to die tomorrow…?”
…This was beginning to get oddly frightening.
What is with their insane reactions?
Shinhyun kicked the disciples, who seemed dazed, and approached Gu Ryunghwa.
“…Are you going to be okay?”
She nodded.
“As always, I’ll respect whatever decision my family makes.”
“Yes… thank you.”
“I think this might be the first time I’ve heard gratitude from you; it feels strange.”
“…I’m sorry.”
“That apology suffices. Whether it’s thanking us or apologizing, we never did anything to earn that from you.”
Shinhyun smiled faintly as he looked at Gu Ryunghwa.
She turned her head away, unable to meet his gaze any longer.
“I’ll take these fools away now, as it seems time is running short. I hope you achieve satisfactory results for yourself.”
Though the other disciples began whispering again after hearing their conversation, they immediately quieted down at Shinhyun’s fierce expression, which reminded me of a tiger.
I hadn’t known he could make such a face…
Even I felt a little intimidated at that moment.
“What brings you here, brother?”
I turned my gaze to Gu Ryunghwa at her question.
It seemed she had gotten comfortable calling me brother, which struck me as problematic.
‘Do I really deserve to be called that?’
That was my only thought.
Erasing that notion from my mind, I replied to Gu Ryunghwa.
“I heard you’re fighting against the third-generation disciples.”
“Oh.”
“I was just curious about it, and somehow ended up all the way here.”
Shinhyun had already left with the others.
And given Yung Pung’s absence, it seemed he had been taken along as well.
After a brief pause, Gu Ryunghwa answered.
“I just thought I should fight where I belong.”
I understood what she meant.
Currently, Gu Ryunghwa was nowhere near matching the skills of the second-generation disciples.
The majority of the Mount Hua Sect’s fighting force was composed of second-generation disciples, so she wasn’t exactly categorized within that group.
‘Though even the third-generation disciples might still give her a run for her money.’
While Gu Ryunghwa did engage in consistent training, it didn’t change the fact that the other third-generation disciples probably did too.
I had no accurate way of knowing since Yung Pung was the only third-generation disciple I had met.
Anyway, if she fought against the third-generation disciples for such a reason, there wasn’t much else for me to inquire.
Moreover, it seemed she had obtained permission from the higher-ups in the sect, which was why she could enter against the third-generation disciples in the first place.
‘Yung Pung against the second-generation disciples, and Gu Ryunghwa against the third-generation disciples, huh…’
It felt like they had switched roles.
Just like Yung Pung pressed through his challenges with brute force, Gu Ryunghwa seemed to rely more and more on her determination.
“…Good luck.”
Her head perked up with surprise at my words.
“What’s with that expression?”
“I… didn’t expect to hear those words from you, brother.”
“Aren’t you used to hearing such encouragement? You seem to get spoiled a bit.”
I referred to the second-generation disciples, who had been cheering for Gu Ryunghwa like they were in a fan club or something.
“…They are just a bunch of weirdos.”
She appeared a bit uneasy, frazzled by their muscles.
In truth, I would probably feel the same if a mob of brawny warriors suddenly declared, ‘Our Yangcheon is the best!’ every day. I’d hide at the first opportunity.
Still, it didn’t seem like she entirely disliked their affection.
She was just somewhat perturbed by their kindness.
“Anyway, I’ve seen enough; I’m leaving now.”
“Wait.”
Gu Ryunghwa’s abrupt call halted my steps.
When I inquired about her reason for stopping me, she stepped closer, grasping my sleeve.
I couldn’t help but feel astonished; after all, she used to struggle just to meet my gaze.
“You…”
“Are you coming to watch the tournament?”
“Well, that’s why I’m here.”
“Is Sis… here too?”
When she asked about her sister, I assumed she meant Namgung Bi-ah. She was probably taking a seat next to Wi Seol-Ah already.
I quickly replied to Gu Ryunghwa.
“Yes, she’s here; I think she’s settled in the spectator area.”
“What about you, brother?”
“I…”
I had ultimately come to see Gu Ryunghwa fight, yet expressing it directly felt a bit embarrassing. After a light cough, I concluded with a quieter tone.
“…I’ll be watching.”
Upon hearing this, Gu Ryunghwa immediately released my arm. I noticed her hands trembled slightly as she withdrew, revealing her struggle with being near me.
Why did she grab my clothes if being close was so hard for her?
As she held her trembling hands, she offered a bittersweet smile.
“It seems I’m still having a hard time.”
I’m sorry. If it’s difficult, you don’t have to force it.
Those sentiments bubbled up within me, yet I chose not to voice them.
The young Gu Ryunghwa was earnestly attempting to overcome her past traumas.
Her narrative had already diverged significantly from what I knew in my previous life.
“…Right. I’ll be watching.”
Each time I witnessed her like this, guilt and determination struck me simultaneously.
The regret of not having treated her well before, along with the resolve to change my approach from now on.
Gu Ryunghwa declared it was time to prepare for her upcoming fight and departed back to her post.
I too turned back, watching her retreat into the building for a moment before moving on.
Filled with a jumble of emotions, I made my way back to the gathering crowd in search of my companions.
Finding them proved simpler than expected—just locate Namgung Bi-ah, and I’d be set.
True to form, she had managed to gather quite a few eyes around her.
Despite wearing a veil over her face, her unique presence commanded attention.
Namgung Bi-ah leaned against Wi Seol-Ah, wearing a somewhat exhausted expression before suddenly raising her head and moving about.
It seemed she was searching for something.
Her eyes, which had been glancing around, locked onto me.
Upon confirming my presence, she waved enthusiastically.
Wi Seol-Ah beside her waved too.
‘How did she find me from this distance?’
Did she use her Qi to locate me?
Nah, that doesn’t seem likely, so it must have been a coincidence.
I moved toward them, my mind flitting through pointless thoughts and found an open seat next to them, clearly saved for me.
Wi Seol-Ah looked at me and inquired,
“Young Master, where did you go?”
“I went to check on my sister; I heard she’s fighting today.”
Upon hearing that, Namgung Bi-ah instantly reacted.
“She’s… fighting today?”
“That’s what I heard.”
Her lips quivered as if she wanted to ask more, but she ultimately turned her head without saying anything.
Her gaze was fixed intently on the tournament stage.
There was no need for me to inquire about her motives.
The previously buzzing crowd quieted down.
Everyone’s eyes were directed toward the stage.
On the still, quiet stage, a flicker of vibrant pink energy began to gather, forming delicate leaves in the air.
The leaves, capturing the light, fluttered with an unseen breeze before settling to the ground.
As soon as the leaves touched down,
—Swooosh—!
A torrent of vibrant pink energy surged forth, enveloping the stage.
It was evident that a staggering amount of Qi had been unleashed.
Like a tempest, the force swirled across the arena before exploding, leaving behind faint traces of its display.
When the energy dissipated, Celestial Plum Blossom, the master of the Mount Hua Sect, stood in front, flanked by the third-generation disciples who would be participating that day.
The moment the audience laid eyes on them, cheers erupted.
“…Incredible.”
Though the Celestial Plum Blossom surely addressed the crowds that made the strenuous trek to attend this event, the sheer fact that he showed no signs of wear after utilizing such an immense amount of Qi was astonishing.
When the Celestial Plum Blossom raised his hand, silence descended once more, as if it had been prearranged.
“Each year, many of you trek to this high mountain for this humble event… I express my utmost gratitude for your attendance.”
Every step Celestial Plum Blossom took elicited a strange illusion of wind sweeping in from nowhere.
*b> Is he channeling Qi as well?
“There’s nothing more tiresome than an old man rambling, so I’ll take my leave after expressing my thanks. I hope you all watch our children pour their hearts into this modest sword festival.”
With those brief words, the Celestial Plum Blossom exited the arena, leaving.
The Sword Dragon Yung Pung may have been a promising prodigy, yet the Celestial Plum Blossom was renowned throughout the realm, and many regretted that they didn’t hear more of his words.
From my perspective, I appreciated the faster pace toward witnessing the tournament.
Having settled into the elders’ seating area, the third-generation disciples began to prepare.
Two of them stepped forward, wielding wooden swords and facing off against one another.
‘They’re using wooden swords?’
If I recalled correctly, the second-generation disciples were supposed to use real swords.
The man, undoubtedly a judge for the match, surveyed both disciples, ensuring their readiness.
“…Begin!”
With a voice imbued with Qi, the match commenced as both participants launched at one another, swords drawn.
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