Chapter 129: Lord of the West (2)
He is one of the Heavenly Venerables, renowned as the sky and absolute ruler of countless martial artists across the central realm—one of the Three Sovereigns of the world.
The Lord of the West, Dishonored Venerable Bijuu.
The reason he is called the Dishonored Venerable is simple.
He is a person who has experienced countless defeats, just like his title suggests.
Many say that the Dishonored Venerable is fortunate.
He himself has acknowledged this.
Despite enduring such numerous defeats, he has managed to preserve his life, and of course, his arms and legs remain intact.
In the future, when his achievements were assessed, and he was referred to as the “Man of Might,” the Dishonored Venerable wished to be called the “Man of Defeat.”
He is here, standing after countless defeats.
He wanted this title to remind himself of how he got here.
Ultimately, following his wishes, his title was changed, but it did not alter the fact that he remained powerful enough to be counted among the Three Sovereigns.
Aside from the Sword Emperor, he was a formidable figure known for annihilating the large array of the Unorthodox Faction single-handedly.
The tale of him erasing an entire mountain from a map during his battle with the Lord of Heaven is notoriously famous.
‘…But why?’
The reason I was taken aback was not only because the Dishonored Venerable had written me a recommendation letter, but also because he, like the Sword Emperor, had mysteriously vanished from the world for years.
In fact, if it hadn’t been for the arrival of the Heavenly Demon in my past life, he likely would not have resurfaced.
So how did the Second Elder manage to acquire a letter from such a figure?
“Second Elder, where did you get this?”
“What do you mean where? I received it directly from him.”
“From… the Dishonored Venerable?”
“Yes.”
I couldn’t help but be astonished.
I didn’t know why the Sword Emperor had hidden himself away, but I understood the reasoning behind the Dishonored Venerable’s seclusion.
He had no choice but to conceal himself; I was certain he had cut off all contact with others.
“How on earth do you know each other?”
“Is it unusual for martial artists to know one another?”
It wasn’t odd at all, considering the Second Elder had spent time in the past as the Flaming Fist.
“But… even so, the Dishonored Venerable is…”
I clamped my mouth shut. It would indeed appear strange that I knew anything about this.
After a brief silence, I shifted the topic.
“How do you want me to use this letter?”
“What do you mean ‘how do you use it’? The recommendation is for you to show it.”
Does he really expect some unknown child from the Gu Clan, like me, to suddenly waltz into the Tournament of Dragons and Phoenixes and simply display a letter written by the Dishonored Venerable?
Oh… goodness.
“What are you hesitating about? I happily gave it to you, thinking you seemed ready to stir up some trouble.”
“Yeah… I suppose you did provide me with something that will help with just that.”
It would indeed draw significant interest. Although I had to contemplate how I might leverage this attention.
“Thank you.”
Regardless, I appreciated it, since it was given with consideration for me. I tucked the recommendation letter into my pocket for now.
While gently patting Wi Seol-ah’s head, who stood beside me, I pondered over how best to utilize this.
Just as dawn had broken, Namgung Bi-ah opened her eyes.
She slowly began to rise.
“Ugh…”
Mornings arrive too swiftly. For someone who values sleep like Namgung Bi-ah, it was painfully early, yet she forced herself to sit up.
She knew she wouldn’t be able to fall back asleep anyway.
Shifting her gaze toward the window, she spotted the white flower she had brought last time soaking up the sunlight.
She had picked it and replanted it, and given its vitality, it seems to have been a healthy flower.
She also began to tidy her bedding.
Usually, this would have been something done by the servants, but Namgung Bi-ah resolved to do it herself. After all, the source of the pillow she had spent the night hugging and sniffing was an issue.
‘…It doesn’t smell as strongly anymore.’
What she was currently using was the bedding taken from Gu Yangcheon’s room.
When something luxurious is taken away, it proves more difficult than not having anything at all, and as soon as she distanced herself from Gu Yangcheon, she was hit with the vile stench that tore down her quality of life.
She was reflecting on her regret over that choice.
Why had she distanced herself from him?
‘…How embarrassing.’
After gaining new insights on the world from Tang Soyeol, Namgung Bi-ah, for some reason, found herself shy to even look at Gu Yangcheon’s face.
Even his breath approaching her, his gaze, his fingers, and his lips…
Every moment made her feel bashful.
It was amusing.
She had thought she could end up having a child because she had slept while holding his hand.
But now, she was also considering that perhaps having a child wouldn’t be so bad.
In her efforts to escape the stench, she trained diligently but promptly changed her mind when another breakthrough surfaced.
Namgung Bi-ah felt more embarrassed than about anyone else, it was really about herself.
She recalled her father kneeling in the dim night.
That father, who had once seemed uncaring and despicable, was still the same after several days.
Even her mother, who passed away from a disease due to his negligence, never resented him until her last breath.
How could that be possible?
If this was what people referred to as love, it truly seemed terrifying.
Left alone in a world of stench, Namgung Bi-ah still endured.
– Please be happy, my daughter.
Namgung Bi-ah held onto her mother’s last wish, longing for her happiness, deciding to withstand everything until she found it.
She didn’t know when that time would come, but Namgung Bi-ah persevered through her hellish existence.
Now, she mused, was the present moment where she was no longer suffering through this due to the happiness she had been searching for?
Namgung Bi-ah recalled how her previously intimidating father had knelt before a boy.
How could that happen?
While observing her father’s ruined state, Namgung Bi-ah pondered what she should think about.
Was it relief? No, that word felt too strong.
Was it fear? Yet, that emotion didn’t seem quite suffocating either.
Human emotions are indeed complex.
Namgung Bi-ah was slowly beginning to comprehend this.
She stepped out of the guesthouse for a brief walk.
“…I’m tired.”
Not getting much sleep still left her feeling drowsy.
Throughout her life, she had grown accustomed to falling asleep amidst the foul odor, and yet after merely a few months of peace, everything had changed.
Namgung Bi-ah enjoyed wandering about. An activity she hadn’t realized she cherished until the stench vanished.
As she walked, she observed that there were paths with less unpleasant odors.
This implied that if she followed this route, he would be there.
“…!”
Namgung Bi-ah discovered she was trying to go to him subconsciously.
“Not yet…”
She turned back; she still had something to take care of.
She headed towards the training area, yet not for sword practice.
– Swish! Swish! Swish!
The sharp sounds of a sword slicing through the air were produced by Namgung Jin.
Recently, he seemed to be training with fervor for some unknown reason.
She had caught glimpses of him training in the clan a few times, but witnessing such intensity was strange.
“What’s going on?”
As Namgung Bi-ah approached, Namgung Jin sensed her presence and turned around.
His cold demeanor hadn’t softened.
“I wanted to ask something.”
“You have something to ask me?”
Namgung Jin looked surprised that his daughter was inquiring about anything. Typically, she wouldn’t even speak unless prompted.
“If you wanted to know about the future plans, that’s your call—”
“Did you ever love mother?”
Namgung Jin quickly closed his mouth after hearing her inquiry, his eyes widening in astonishment.
“You are asking a silly question all of a sudden.”
“Did you not love her?”
Namgung Jin was unable to decipher why his daughter was posing such a question.
A woman’s face resurfaced in his mind, one resembling Namgung Bi-ah. She was the most beautiful woman in Anhui.
Despite her allure, she had a gentle personality.
She was beautiful and charming, yet there was no room for her in Namgung Jin’s heart.
Thus, when faced with his daughter’s question—he could offer no answer, as he had not considered her in decades.
Their bond had never been affectionate; he had never shown her warmth as a husband.
The ever-busy Namgung Jin’s only memory of her was tinged with guilt surrounding his role as the clan leader.
Namgung Jin had not taken any concubines.
It wasn’t born from the guilt of losing a wife; it was merely that there had never been a suitable circumstance to do so.
That was about it.
There was hardly anything left for Namgung Jin regarding her.
“…”
In certain situations, silence could serve as the loudest answer.
For Namgung Bi-ah, that moment represented exactly that.
“I… will be taking my leave now.”
Having received no answer, Namgung Bi-ah offered a polite bow before turning to leave.
Her father’s expression, breathing patterns, and the way he looked at her spoke volumes already.
How many years had it been since she felt like crying?
Namgung Bi-ah was puzzled by why she had suddenly posed a question she had long avoided out of fear of his response.
She recognized the answer deep within herself.
It was the faintest flicker of hope, which ultimately turned out to be fruitless.
The very thing she thought she had relinquished, she had nestled back into her heart once more.
“…I’m exhausted…”
Namgung Bi-ah felt an inexplicable tiredness wash over her. She didn’t like this feeling.
Having lost the chance to practice her sword, she kept walking.
The wretched odor of the world still lingered.
Flowers blossomed but appeared grotesque, and sweet-sounding birds chirped like cries of anguish.
Her current life felt like hell.
And that’s how life had always been for Namgung Bi-ah.
As she stepped forward, the relentless stench began to fade. The urge to cry, which had nearly suffocated her, dissipated instantly.
Namgung Bi-ah was aware of her destination, thus making the effort to hide her expression.
She didn’t want to show that face to him, after all.
With deliberate, slow steps, she continued on her way.
Sure enough, she soon began to feel warmth radiating from a distance.
Was it due to the cold weather? It felt uncommonly warm.
He possessed flames, but to Namgung Bi-ah, it was purely a comforting warmth.
Upon reaching his location, someone quickly approached her.
“Hello, Young Lady!”
For a moment, she thought it could be Wi Seol-ah, but another woman dressed in the same maid uniform rushed over instead.
“Who is it?”
“I’m grateful for what you did last time…!”
“Oh…”
The memory came rushing back.
It was the maid who had nearly cried when Namgung Bi-ah took a couple of pillows the last time.
Namgung Bi-ah had given her twice the amount for her kindness and felt sorry for her.
Though she had said nothing, the maid had anxiously remained silent, which only surprised Namgung Bi-ah further.
“…Hello.”
Namgung Bi-ah bowed her head slightly as a polite greeting.
The maid appeared genuinely astonished by her gesture.
Was it really that surprising for a member of the Namgung Clan to offer a greeting?
Namgung Bi-ah quickly disregarded such pointless thoughts.
“Are you here to see the Young Master?”
Namgung Bi-ah nodded in confirmation.
“Oh, the Young Master is probably training right now; he always trains around this time.”
The maid cheerfully pointed out his whereabouts, but Namgung Bi-ah was already aware of where he would be.
After parting ways with the maid, she resumed her slow pace.
Taking one step, then another.
Upon taking the third step, she noticed that the nauseating stench surrounding her vanished instantaneously.
‘It’s… so much more spacious than before.’
Back when they first met, even a small distance would bombard her with his stench; now, she felt secure even at a considerable distance.
Why had it changed?
Was it because he continued growing stronger?
Reflecting on this brought her some hope.
If she were to elevate her own level, perhaps the stench would vanish too?
Inhaling the much-anticipated fragrance she had finally reclaimed, Namgung Bi-ah proceeded toward the place where he awaited her.
As she approached, the heat radiating from him became more pronounced.
Had he solidified his strength even more?
With her feet moving forward, her pondering was cut short.
The warmth that once permeated the training area suddenly ceased.
The door swung open, revealing a sweat-soaked Gu Yangcheon.
As if expecting Namgung Bi-ah to be on the other side, he showed no surprise upon meeting her gaze.
“What’s up? What brings you here so early? …Why do you look this way?”
Gu Yangcheon inquired, his expression mirroring disbelief.
That was how he usually was.
Even if others overlooked subtle shifts in expressions, he seemed to catch them effortlessly.
Namgung Bi-ah could sense that his concern was more intimate than that of others.
“Didn’t get enough sleep?”
She nodded softly in response.
Why did you come here? Keep your distance…
The boy who used to push her away with those very words was gone.
“In that case, you should sleep longer; what made you come so early in the morn-”
Despite still being a bit curt, Namgung Bi-ah didn’t mind.
The glances he gave her were distinctly different from her father’s.
Knowing this better than anyone, a smile inadvertently graced her lips.
“…I missed you.”
“Hmm…?”
“…Honestly, I just wanted to see you….”
She conveyed her feelings purely and honestly.
All she desired was to see him.
‘…’
Hearing this, Gu Yangcheon stood still as though he had turned to stone.
His silence bore a resemblance to Namgung Jin’s earlier quietness, yet Namgung Bi-ah sensed something deeper within that stillness.
After a brief moment of silence, Gu Yangcheon broke it.
“…Let’s eat.”
“Hmm…?”
“Have you eaten yet?”
“No.”
“Then let’s go have something.”
With that, he passed by Namgung Bi-ah.
Without meaning to, she couldn’t restrain a short giggle.
“What’s so funny?”
As Gu Yangcheon grumbled, she continued to chuckle lightly, as if it were unimportant.
“…It’s just that you’re being silly.”
She hadn’t heard his retort.
Yet, somehow, she felt she had already grasped his reply.
Despite his harsh demeanor, a glimpse of red crept onto his ears.
He took a few steps ahead but then slowed down, subtly waiting for her to catch up.
That was enough.
That was all she needed for now.
Feeling her burden lift in an instant, Namgung Bi-ah followed Gu Yangcheon.
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.