Chapter: 106
After returning to the lodge, I wrapped the flower in cloth and placed it in a box.
While it seemed like the right moment to consume it, given the circumstances, it felt too risky to take a bite of this mysterious flower right after I leveled up.
[So, when do you plan to give it a try?]
“Probably after my body adapts to the new level.”
I had reached enlightenment with Elder Shin’s assistance, but to say my physique matched that achievement would be a stretch.
Just looking at my physical condition, I could see that the second-generation disciples of Mount Hua, or Yung Pung, were indeed in better shape than I was.
‘Sure, the Mount Hua guys seem like monsters, but that doesn’t change my point.’
Fortunately, the flower still retained its potency even after some time passed.
I’d check on it occasionally and so far, so good. I should be able to consume it within the week, at least.
‘First things first, I need to go see the Celestial Plum Blossom.’
It seemed wise not to delay any further, so I headed outside immediately.
As soon as I stepped out, I crossed paths with the Sword Emperor, who was sweeping the ground with a broom.
He seemed to notice me as our eyes met.
‘…Did he figure it out?’
Being the Sword Emperor, he probably sensed that I had reached the peak level.
My vision had sharpened, and my senses felt more expansive, but I still couldn’t detect any Qi from him.
‘I wonder how significant the difference between us is.’
I didn’t have many interactions with the Sword Emperor in my past life, making it hard for me to gauge his strength accurately.
All I remember hearing from the Heavenly Demon is that he was the strongest among the three.
While my Qi was still settling since I just reached the peak, it was still somewhat shocking to realize I couldn’t feel anything from the Sword Emperor.
[Is that man really the strongest swordsman in the world right now?]
Elder Shin seemed to have finally caught on after seeing my memories.
‘Yes.’
I had no reason to deny it.
[What a disappointment…]
‘What are you talking about?’
[That I can’t sense that man’s power because I don’t have a physical body myself.]
I recalled hearing something similar: that spirits struggled to feel others’ power properly.
His reaction made me reflect on who might actually be stronger between the Sword Emperor and Elder Shin.
[You ratty old man… Your level of thought is embarrassingly juvenile.]
‘…I just wanted to know, that’s all.’
It wouldn’t be wrong to consider that the Celestial Plum Blossom was one of the finest swordsmen of his time, though I couldn’t claim certainty due to my limited knowledge of that era.
The Sword Emperor lowered his head as he met my gaze. Every time we crossed paths, it felt awkward, so I hastily nodded and moved on.
It was just past noon, but oddly enough, it felt unusually quiet.
I guessed it was because Wi Seol-Ah and Namgung Bi-ah were nowhere to be found.
For me to notice that their absence left a void—clearly, I had changed a lot.
Though whether it was a good change or not remained to be seen.
‘Where on earth did they go?’
Wi Seol-Ah was usually easy to spot, as she would dash over to greet me whenever I returned to the lodge, and I assumed Namgung Bi-ah would likely be napping in her room.
Regardless, I couldn’t find either of them.
Just then, Hongwa passed by while working, so I stopped her and asked, “Oh… Seol-ah and Lady Namgung left earlier, saying they’d go watch the tournament.”
“The tournament?”
“Yes, the youngest lady came by to invite them along since the tournament is happening today as well…”
So, it turns out Gu Ryunghwa showed up earlier and took them with her.
‘Looks like they decided to continue with the tournament.’
I contemplated which of the two options we discussed the night before had come to fruition.
Ideally, I preferred the first option, but something told me this wasn’t going to turn out well.
‘How many spies are lurking within the Murim Alliance?’
It wasn’t uncommon for not just the Black Palace but the Unorthodox factions to place spies in the Murim Alliance.
However, with how swiftly matters unfolded right after I dispatched Nachal, it felt suspiciously fast.
As I mulled it over, it seemed more like the Black Palace was pretending to have been destroyed by the Murim Alliance rather than actually being dismantled.
[Are you feeling concerned about this?]
“Yeah, it seems like they have some connections.”
I pondered whether they were directly tied to the Heavenly Demon, but the crucial point was that events had unfolded very differently from the records I had in my past life.
The attempt on the Immortal Healer and the way they captured Mount Hua’s disciples to extract their blood for their flowers were just the surface of it.
[So what do you intend to do?]
“You already know my plan, don’t you?”
Since I resolved to thwart the Heavenly Demon, if the Black Palace was linked to it, then my course of action was straightforward.
If the Black Palace had a hand in the appearance of the Heavenly Demon…
“I’ll have to sever ties with them.”
That would be my foremost step.
Assuming the Celestial Plum Blossom would be preoccupied with the tournament at this time, I thought it best to see the Sword Master.
“Welcome.”
“I apologize for my sudden visit.”
Fortunately, the Sword Master was home in her hut.
‘She looks considerably younger than before.’
Her thick black hair shone, and I noticed her skin was devoid of wrinkles.
At the very least, she looked to be in her thirties. The Sword Master briefly assessed me and then seemed surprised.
“…Looks like something has transpired.”
“I had a small enlightenment.”
“Even so… for you to reach that level at your age, it seems that heaven has truly favored the Gu family in this generation.”
“That’s too grand a compliment for someone like me, senior…”
[…Of course it’s too grand; the world should recognize the garbage you truly are!]
I found myself naturally sensing the Sword Master’s strength now that I was at the peak level.
While I couldn’t fully comprehend just how powerful she was due to her being much stronger, I could tell that the energy contained in her body was extraordinary.
‘It’s no wonder she’s called the Sword Master.’
Legends like her inherited pre-existing titles rather than receiving new ones—like the Sword Master or the Sword King.
The Sword Master noticed me staring and decided to comment on it.
“Not much to look at, right?”
Only when I heard her say that did I realize my gaze was somewhat disrespectful, prompting me to apologize, “I’m sorry… I’m still learning how to control it.”
“It’s fine. Your ability to perceive my strength shows me how far I have yet to recover.”
The Sword Master concluded her speech by offering me a cup of tea that smelled just like the green plum tea Gu Ryunghwa had brewed for me.
“Your leader often brings this for me.”
“Oh, that explains it…”
I could see why it smelled familiar. As I began sipping my tea, the Sword Master opened up more.
“I wanted to extend my thanks to you once again, so I’m glad you visited.”
“Thank me for…?”
“It seems that Ryunghwa has changed quite a bit since her visit last night.”
The Sword Master appeared quite pleased as she spoke those words.
“She was smiling.”
“…”
“I never realized Ryunghwa could smile so brightly; she was incredibly cute.”
It looked like the Sword Master had also noticed the change in Gu Ryunghwa post-tournament.
Still, I wasn’t thrilled with the idea of her attributing that change to me.
“If that’s the case, I didn’t contribute much…”
Wasn’t I the one hindering Gu Ryunghwa from breaking through her limits throughout?
Bringing that up seemed pointless since I was sure of it.
‘Gu Ryunghwa is incredible for overcoming that obstacle and proudly smiling afterward.’
The Sword Master just kept smiling; it seemed she wouldn’t buy my words.
“Oh, Ryunghwa mentioned going down to see her brother, but looking at your reaction, I guess you missed each other.”
“She wanted to meet me?”
I heard that she came to the lodge to watch the tournament with Wi Seol-Ah and Namgung Bi-ah.
‘Could it be that she came looking for me? I never expected that.’
‘I need to go see her later.’
I didn’t know the reason behind her search, but it would be a matter of just meeting her later.
After having a brief sip of tea, the Sword Master went on.
“When do you plan to return to your clan?”
“I believe we should set out tomorrow since we’ve covered most of our matters here.”
“…Hmm, isn’t that sooner than expected?”
“I wanted to leave early since it felt like I had stayed here longer than necessary.”
“Have you informed the Immortal Healer?”
“Oh… I’ll let him know later.”
‘I completely forgot about that.’
The Sword Master chuckled softly when she noticed my slip, and I awkwardly cleared my throat.
“…My apologies. I completely blanked on that.”
“No worries; it’s just that you resemble your mother so much that it made me smile unintentionally. I’m sorry.”
The Sword Master always seemed to smile when mentioning my mother.
Were they that close? I had never heard my mother speak about the Sword Master, so that was surprising.
‘Well, I could just not remember since I was very young back then.’
This made me curious about how my mother and the Sword Master met and became friends.
‘Still…’
I felt uneasy discussing my mother, so I chose not to inquire.
I paused to collect my thoughts and then brought up the reason for my visit.
“Do you remember me mentioning I would have a request to make of you soon?”
“Yes, I recall. Is there something you need?”
“Yes, but it’s nothing too major.”
‘Tomorrow, I plan to see the Celestial Plum Blossom before I leave. I want to see him alongside the Sword Master.’
The request I had for her was rather simple.
“I just need you to stand by my side for a moment.”
That would be enough.
After concluding my conversation with the Sword Master, I was leisurely heading down to find Gu Ryunghwa.
The cool breeze reminded me that summer was almost over.
“Time seems to be flying by.”
Although I’d experienced many changes thus far, I still felt that time was moving faster than my progress.
Reaching the peak realm in under a year felt quick, yet it felt pointless to be proud of it when anticipating the looming calamity.
I would barely reach the status of a top prodigy—just that much.
[You seem a bit desperate.]
“I think a little desperation is necessary.”
[…I can’t casually refute that. ]
“I’ll just need to manage it so it doesn’t backfire.”
Though that wouldn’t be an easy task.
As I neared the bottom of the mountain, I spotted a familiar face.
“…Huh?”
“…?”
Because I had displayed too much presence, the boy, Zhuge Hyuk, whose long hair had been covering his face until his nose, noticed me.
‘What’s he doing?’
He was holding a basket that seemed to be about the same size as half of his body.
Peeking inside, I noticed it contained mushrooms.
I thought about walking past him, but something compelled me to approach and ask, “What are you doing here?”
Zhuge Hyuk looked up after snagging another mushroom and tossing it in his basket.
He mimed something about planning to eat the mushrooms, suggesting he gathered ingredients for cooking.
“Do you even know if those mushrooms are safe to eat…?”
They all looked vibrant but definitely not the kind I would trust for consumption…
Zhuge Hyuk was about to respond but paused, then picked up a nearby twig and began writing in the dirt.
– Don’t worry. They’re safe.
Seeing those words in the dirt stirred a complex emotion within me. I had never actually had a proper conversation with this kid.
“…How do you know for sure?”
– It’s in my grandfather’s book.
“Your grandfather’s book?”
Zhuge Hyuk nodded, making me wonder if he actually had such a book!
“What are you planning to do with them?”
– I’m going to fry them. And make soup too.
It seemed he was indeed preparing to use them for dishes.
The Zhuge Hyuk I first encountered was odd and acted coldly, but he looked genuinely excited now. So, I found myself asking him a question almost instinctively.
“Do you like cooking?”
His eyes widened as if surprised at my question. Then he gave an enthusiastic nod.
– How did you know?
I remained silent in response to his inquiry.
I still felt this heavy awkwardness while talking to him, but I kept reminding myself this world was different.
“Just a hunch.”
It merely brought forth a memory that brushed past my mind.
– I wanted to open a restaurant. Just a cozy little place. Cooking is fun for me.
These were meaningless words spoken right before someone was about to meet their doom.
He looked like he was bleeding profusely, barely able to speak, yet he managed to utter those words with clarity.
Ultimately, it didn’t matter now. All that Zhuge Hyuk said in my past life was laden with lies.
He only ever spoke the truth when commanded by the Heavenly Demon to do so.
He had been someone who wrapped himself in deceit up until his dying breath, making it hard for me to trust him now.
– I was an orphan as a child. I had no family.
That was a lie; he had the Immortal Healer as family.
– But I was relatively healthy. I had many friends.
This as well was a falsehood.
– Do you know? In another world, we could have been good friends.
Each statement came out cloaked in lies. This particular claim was one I couldn’t buy even back then.
– Lord, do you resent me?
I responded affirmatively. I had even expressed a wish to tear him apart.
He chuckled, yielding more blood with every laugh, staining his clothes.
– If this is how it ends, then it’s not all bad.
It was his final statement. I pondered about how much of what he said was genuine.
I believed he wouldn’t dare lie about his past, but ironically, it all reeked of deception.
Reflecting on it now, I started thinking that perhaps there wasn’t any truth to be found in his words.
“…”
I gazed at Zhuge Hyuk, pondering how he could have turned into a demonic human.
If he had indeed been captured alongside the Immortal Healer, was that the beginning of his downfall?
If I could somehow change that piece of history, would Zhuge Hyuk’s transformation into a demonic human never occur?
In that brief moment, my mind was flooded with a myriad of thoughts.
As I was beginning to feel overwhelmed, Zhuge Hyuk suddenly handed me a mysterious pouch.
“…What’s this?”
Caught off guard, I opened it to find it filled with mushrooms.
When I glanced back at him for clarification, he began writing again on the ground.
– I’ll pick more for you; these are delicious.
He smiled brightly after writing that. For a split second, I questioned whether that smile was genuine, but—
The moment passed, and I gently tucked the pouch of mushrooms away into my pocket.
“…Thanks.”
I figured that at least for now, that wouldn’t be a lie.
Zhuge Hyuk seemed to have more to collect, so I let him be and stood up.
Upon returning to the lodge, I noticed that the girls who had left to watch the tournament hadn’t come back yet.
Since I heard that Gu Ryunghwa had been searching for me, it felt right to go look for her.
Before heading out, I handed the mushrooms to Hongwa.
“…Young Master, what is this?”
She gazed at me, clearly taken aback, causing me to mumble something awkwardly.
“They were a gift; if they seem fine to you, use them to cook something.”
“Oh… Understood. Uh, Young Master?”
“Hmm?”
“Are you leaving to fetch Wi Seol-Ah?”
“No, not exactly.”
Technically, I was seeking out Gu Ryunghwa, so my statement was half-truth.
Hongwa sighed deeply.
“What’s the matter?”
“…Seol-Ah went off without doing her chores. She may have left not realizing she had any work to do, but I intend to have a word with her when she returns.”
“…Oh.”
It appeared that she was fuming but held back since I was present; however, her annoyance was evident.
[Her hand is shaking.]
‘Yeah.’
Her clenched fists were trembling slightly, clearly reflecting her anger.
‘Good luck.’
I couldn’t help but envision Wi Seol-Ah caught up and facing punishment from Hongwa, and I silently cheered for her.
In the main headquarters of the Murim Alliance, within the residence of the Alliance Leader.
Jang Cheon, the current leader of the Alliance, was cautiously reading over a letter sent by the Sword Emperor.
He had already read it several times but worried he might have missed something crucial, so he kept reading.
‘…Granddaughter, huh.’
Many things were noted in the letter, but what grabbed his attention the most was the mention of the Sword Emperor’s granddaughter.
“How strange…”
The Sword Emperor had always been without family. While he had a daughter, he was aware she had died tragically.
He knew this because he had personally guided the Sword Emperor to her corpse.
[Then who is this granddaughter?]
What occurrences unfolded during the years the Sword Emperor went missing…
He had learned of Wudang and Shaolin searching for the Sword Emperor, and they had reached out to ask him about his whereabouts.
Since he wasn’t privy to that information, he had stayed silent.
‘What am I supposed to do about this situation?’
It seemed to Jang Cheon that things were rather complicated. Granting the Sword Emperor’s request outlined in the letter would mean setting the Ten Sect Alliance at odds with him.
However, on the flip side, to refuse that request was also difficult because Jang Cheon had received immense help from the Sword Emperor in the past.
While he wrestled with these thoughts…
[– Knock knock.]
He sensed someone at the door. Jang Cheon carefully folded the letter back and tucked it into his pocket.
[– Father. It’s Seon-yeon.]
“Come in.”
Upon Jang Cheon’s invitation, the door opened, and a figure stepped inside.
It was his son, a well-mannered young man with a gentle disposition.
“What brings you here?”
“I wanted to greet you as soon as I heard you were back.”
“I mentioned it wasn’t necessary. I assumed you’d be busy with training…”
“No, how could I skip paying my respects?”
Jang Cheon smiled, feeling proud of his son for his politeness.
He had raised him well; no matter the situation, Jang Cheon never felt ashamed of his son.
Moreover, he had heard his son had made significant progress recently, experiencing thrilling breakthroughs that had Jang Cheon imagining him taking one of the Five Dragons’ seats.
“Haha, such words bring unspeakable joy to me as your father.”
Jang Cheon laughed heartily.
A happy echo followed as Jang Seon-yeon joined in, producing a deep and warm chuckle.
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