Chapter 152
Crack.
Crack.
—Aghhhhh!
A chilling scream echoed through the air.
The ground was littered with severed flesh, drenched in blood.
He prayed that the disaster would bypass him, but reality showed no mercy.
It simply continued to rage on.
—H, Help m—
Sogak!
The throat of the fleeing man was sliced off.
Blood splattered violently in all directions, yet not a single stain marred the killer’s clothing.
It seemed as if the killer was evading every drop of blood.
A man hidden behind the wall, trembling as he watched, clenched his shuddering shoulders and ran in the opposite direction.
His terrified legs were reluctant to obey him, but he had to force them into action.
‘I must inform the main palace…!’
That a monster had appeared.
And that they needed to revise their plans.
‘How did he find out?’
The man could not comprehend.
He had heard about the collapse of the Shaanxi branch a few months back.
But that was due to the reckless actions of that foolish Ya Hyeoljeok, who had acted against the leader’s wishes.
He had perished because of his own stupidity.
Moreover, he had even lost an essential asset in the process.
What a dimwit he was. The man thought, recalling Ya Hyeoljeok.
This place was not the same as Shaanxi.
They hadn’t kidnapped any martial artists, and with Shaolin and the Murim Alliance nearby, they moved with utmost secrecy and left no traces behind.
Even the legendary Harmonic Sword and the headmaster of Shaolin, both capable of reading the Heavenly Qi, had completely missed this place.
‘But then…!’
What on earth was that monster?
‘How did it find out about us and launch an attack?’
And it did so all by itself.
Crack.
The man gritted his teeth and strained his legs.
The face of his branch leader, whose neck had just been severed, flashed before his eyes.
He had witnessed firsthand how a martial artist, who had reached the Peak Realm, was brought down in just a single strike.
‘Did that monster even wield a sword?’
He couldn’t recall.
His memories were hazy, clouded by overwhelming fear.
All he did was run.
In his mind, all that mattered was notifying his leader.
‘Just a little further…!’
He was almost at the escape route.
If he could just make it past that point, he would be—
Sogak.
Thud…! Roll…
As the man sprinted towards the exit, his head was suddenly severed, and his body fell to the ground.
Just like that, the last survivor of that branch had perished.
Step…
In the silence that now filled the hideout, the sound of calm footsteps resonated loudly.
The killer was completely unscathed, looking pristine despite having slaughtered dozens of martial artists.
Corpses lay scattered across the ground, as if they had been butchered by a blade, yet the one responsible for this chaos wielded no sword.
“I’m sorry.”
Amidst the emptiness, a frail voice echoed within the cave.
To whom was the apology directed?
The solitary figure continued speaking to herself.
“For borrowing your body without permission and forcing you to do these things.”
The person she was addressing could not hear her.
Having been forcibly put to sleep to shield her from the horrors she had just witnessed.
“…I truly apologize, but just a little longer, please.”
After all, she wouldn’t be able to stay for long.
This was nearly her last chance to utilize this child’s body.
She knew well that her actions would hasten that time.
But she still had to proceed.
It was far too late for her to seek forgiveness for her sins.
And the burdens of her past life would be shouldered by this innocent child.
So, at the very least…
She wanted to remove a few obstacles from that person’s path.
She pondered whether her meager efforts would make any difference, yet she pressed on regardless.
‘Even if it’s the last thing I do, I must.’
And that was why she was here now. The girl emerged from the darkness, stealthily stepping back into the light.
Her pace quickened, faster than anyone else’s.
“Seol-Ah!”
The streets of Hanam remained bright, even with the arrival of night.
The bustling crowds offered Hongwa a sense of solace as she blended in.
“Where have you been!”
Hongwa dashed towards Wi Seol-Ah and enveloped her in a hug.
“Sis was worried…!”
“Oof… I’m sorry…”
“If you keep doing things to worry Sis… I won’t help you next time.”
“Hngh…”
“Even if it’s about your Grandpa Wi…”
“I’m sorry, Sis… I promise it won’t happen again. I got lost.”
Looking at Wi Seol-Ah’s tearful expression, Hongwa found it hard to scold her, and let out a sigh.
“…You did everything I asked you to, right?”
“No!”
“What?”
“But! The rest is fine not to do!”
“…No, never mind. Let’s go. Brother Muyeon is probably so worried he’ll be drenched in sweat this winter…”
“Okay!”
As Hongwa pulled her away, Wi Seol-Ah’s gaze lingered on the distant palace of the Murim Alliance.
She hadn’t lied.
She genuinely believed she didn’t need to do anything more.
‘After he obtains everything from this…’
Once he received all the things he desired…
Then she could finally fulfill her purpose afterward.
When Wi Seol-Ah thought of the snowflakes, Jang Seonyeon’s figure came to mind.
This time, he wouldn’t kill that brat.
To be precise, he couldn’t.
Which meant she had to take matters into her own hands.
She would bear the weight from his past life and ultimately vanish.
‘Apologize to him? I probably won’t even be able to do that.’
It was something she had always wanted to express to him.
If only she had a chance.
If only they could meet again.
She yearned to gaze into his eyes and tell him what she felt…
‘But I know I don’t deserve that. I don’t dare to wish for such a thing.’
She exhaled into the chill of the air.
‘He wouldn’t want to see me like this.’
And this child wouldn’t want that either.
She was merely a remnant of the burdens she bore.
Thus, she couldn’t dare to hold any hope.
Wi Seol-Ah’s gaze returned to Hongwa.
Her hands, cold from waiting too long, and her reddened ears caught her attention.
Sss.
The only thing she could offer as an apology was to share a little warmth.
“Hmm?”
Noticing something odd, Hongwa turned to look at Wi Seol-Ah.
“Seol-Ah.”
“Yeah?”
“Um… Did you do something?”
“Huh…? Do what?”
When Wi Seol-Ah looked back at her with sparkling eyes, Hongwa tilted her head in confusion and stared ahead again.
The winter evening flowed quietly, as if nothing had occurred.
Time had passed since the new matchup was announced earlier.
There was enough time for those who had recently competed in the tournament to rest and grab a meal.
As I was idly passing the time, Tang Soyeol emerged from the medical room and spoke to me.
“Young Master Gu… I’m sorry I couldn’t come to cheer you on during your earlier fight.”
“It’s fine, so stop making that face.”
When I replied curtly, Tang Soyeol flinched slightly at my tone.
She had been responding like that every time I spoke casually to her.
‘What’s up with her?’
She had asked me to speak comfortably, yet she wasn’t doing the same herself.
I mentioned that she could, but she rejected it, claiming it felt like cheating or something along those lines.
What did she even mean by cheating…?
Her logic eluded me completely.
As I continued munching on dumplings to satiate my hunger, I noticed another guest had arrived along with Tang Soyeol and Namgung Bi-ah.
In fact, it was that very guest who had brought these dumplings.
The guest, looking slightly incredulous, remarked, “I thought it was just a coincidence, but you actually won a girl over?”
“Why are you insulting me the moment you arrive?”
“I’m giving you a compliment, you dummy.”
This girl had short, black hair.
It was Peng Ah-Hee, the one who had intervened at the banquet.
“I came all the way here just to check on you, and you’re speaking like this…”
“Yeah, so why did you come, anyway?”
“I told you. I came to watch.”
Peng Ah-Hee’s sudden appearance in my tent, dumplings in hand, left me stunned.
It was incredibly unexpected.
Also, why was she bringing dumplings?
“You said you weren’t even participating in the tournament.”
“Casual talk again.”
“Sure.”
“…Wha—no, it’s fine. Just don’t.”
She uttered with a hint of annoyance.
Why was she getting upset when she was the one who invited it?
“I was just going to come for the banquet. I knew the head of the clan would address it if I didn’t attend. Brother told me he was going for business, so I just tagged along.”
I could easily imagine how the head of the Peng Clan would respond, given his nature.
He resembled a tremendous bear with a fiery temper.
‘It’s amusing how such children have come from that man.’
What struck me was how both Peng Woojin and Peng Ah-Hee were attractive, while that man was quite the opposite.
‘I’d wager that their mother was exceptionally beautiful.’
As it turned out, Peng Ah-Hee was the child of a concubine; thus, both wives must have been stunning.
“What are you looking at? Do I have something on my face?”
“Nah, nothing. So what do you want from me?”
“I’m not here for you. I’m here to see a friend.”
“A friend?”
Peng Ah-Hee’s gaze shifted toward Tang Soyeol. At that moment, Tang Soyeol coughed while eating.
Seizing the opportunity, Peng Ah-Hee kept going.
“You’re really doing a good job, huh?”
…Cough… Ahem…
They knew each other?
Peng Ah-Hee turned her attention to Tang Soyeol.
“Do you even have an appetite right now?”
…Err…
“I heard you lost your first fight?”
…Yeah.
“Wow~Greattttt Job. And you were so cocky too.”
Tang Soyeol hid her face behind her green hair, having no response to offer.
She appeared as though she wished to vanish into a mouse hole.
Spotting Tang Soyeol’s condition, Peng Ah-Hee sighed.
“…Are you okay?”
…Yeah… I’m not hurt.
“You don’t look like it.”
…
“I’m just teasing. Your opponent must have been strong.”
In response to Peng Ah-Hee’s words, Tang Soyeol’s expression threatened to turn teary.
Still, she kept on snacking on dumplings one at a time.
…Were you hungry?
…Yeah, porridge isn’t too tasty, you know.
“That’s why I brought this for you.”
Thanks…
Tang Soyeol’s sad expression resembled that of someone caught in a sudden downpour.
Peng Ah-Hee turned her gaze back toward me.
“She’s a good girl even if she can be rude sometimes.”
Ah—Ah-Hee!
I shifted my expression strangely upon hearing Peng Ah-Hee’s compliments.
“Rude? She’s never been rude to me, though.”
“What?”
Peng Ah-Hee’s reaction after hearing my words was exaggerated.
But it was true that Tang Soyeol had never shown rudeness toward me or my party.
Instead, she seemed genuinely caring and considerate.
Peng Ah-Hee stared at Tang Soyeol with an incredulous expression, “You… really excel at pretending, huh?”
No! What do you mean pretending!
You unbelievable girl… The whole world likely knows what your personality is like already.
Tang Soyeol looked frustrated, but Peng Ah-Hee didn’t alter her demeanor.
It was evident from their interaction that they were indeed close.
“Soyeol, I always thought you had peculiar tastes, but I never expected it to turn out like this.”
…What did I do?
“What’s the point of explaining? You chose…”
Peng Ah-Hee scrutinized my form from head to toe. I found the sudden scrutiny immensely annoying…
“You—Be careful too.”
With what?
“Be careful when you sleep, and don’t eat any gifts the Tang Clan sends you. Their lord truly adores Soyeol—”
“Hey!”
Tang Soyeol couldn’t hold her tongue any longer and yelled loudly.
Because of her outburst, Namgung Bi-ah, who had been snoozing in the back, stirred awake.
“Oh my, what a surprise!”
Peng Ah-Hee, who hadn’t realized Namgung Bi-ah was with us, screamed in shock.
It truly was a chaotic situation.
W-Why is she here?
She’s feeling sleepy.
The girl who had fought right after me in the tournament was dozing off due to sheer exhaustion.
‘I suppose it’s understandable, considering her opponent.’
By the way, her opponent was Gu Jeolyub.
Thanks to that, Gu Jeolyub was likely sulking in a corner somewhere.
“But why is she in your—oh.”
She abruptly stopped, seemingly realizing our engagement.
Though that alone didn’t justify her presence here.
“Even so… shouldn’t she not be here?”
The hesitation came from the fact that I was set to face Namgung Cheonjun next.
Namgung Bi-ah herself seemed uninterested, but I took the matter more seriously.
In fact, I subtly suggested to Namgung Bi-ah that it might be wise for her to return to her own tent, given the commotion we were causing.
However, the moment Namgung Bi-ah had heard my words, she scrunched her brows and nestled down to sleep.
As if her body was issuing a silent protest.
Peng Ah-Hee regarded Namgung Bi-ah, who remained silent, and sought to ease the atmosphere with chatter.
“Well, given the relationships and everything… it’d be a bit tough to cheer for one side, right?”
…I’m not cheering.
Namgung Bi-ah quieted responded to Peng Ah-Hee.
…There’s no need.
To some, her response might have come off as icy.
Instantly, Peng Ah-Hee fell silent upon hearing those words.
Yet unlike her sudden quietness, I understood.
There might’ve been a misunderstanding due to her limited vocabulary, but I interpreted it as ‘He’ll be fine even without my support.’
“Geez…”
This issue stemmed from her tendency to be cryptic and share only partial thoughts, but she showed no desire to amend that.
Not that I cared all that much at this point.
In the midst of this somewhat awkward atmosphere, a servant spoke to me from outside.
“Master, the time is…”
“Oh, I’m coming now.”
I had a feeling it was time for me to go out, so I paused my meal and began directing my Qi flow.
My body started to warm, and the relaxation I felt just moments ago morphed into tension.
I was in prime condition.
Accompanying the servant to the arena showed a stark contrast to before.
The arena was now much grander.
And it appeared far sturdier as well. It seemed they had used top-grade materials to construct the stage, preventing any damage during fights.
In absolute certainty, it wouldn’t break easily. Easily being the operative word.
I made my way slowly onto the arena.
Then, I began to hear the chatter among the crowds. It was astonishing to see so many spectators despite the wintry chill.
Why did they love watching fights so much?
“Is that a kid? A kid like that managed to reach the top 8?”
“How did he do it? Did he just get lucky with his matchups?”
“I heard the Wudang’s young prodigy lost to that kid…”
“Wudang… from all the sects? No way, that must be a baseless rumor.”
Among the audience, there were various individuals present, not just the young prodigies from the banquet.
They appeared to be supporters of the Murim Alliance or others with similar possessions.
Because ordinary folks wouldn’t be allowed to watch the tournaments.
“Gu Clan of Shanxi…? Isn’t that the clan of the Tiger Warrior?”
“Wow… The Tiger Warrior had a son?”
“Then why was this not known until now…? Maybe he’s a collateral relative?”
“You dimwit! A collateral relative wouldn’t have made it this far. Being the son of the Tiger Warrior makes him also the younger brother of the Sword Phoenix. Therefore, he must be incredibly talented.”
“Hmm… That’s more disappointing.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Even if he’s talented, his opponent is… you know, so his winning streak might end here. I find that a bit unfortunate.”
The observers commented while watching a young man walking up to the arena.
“Even if that kid shows talent, it won’t suffice against that young man.”
A young man with a sculpted visage and silver hair stepped onto the stage.
Dressed in a blue robe adorned with gold embroidery, his imposing presence, coupled with a hint of chilling energy, left a remarkable impression on everyone.
The young man hailed from the most illustrious sword clan in the Central Plains.
The heart of the four noble families in the Orthodox Faction.
The Lightning Dragon, Namgung Cheonjun of the Namgung Clan.
He shone brightly on the arena stage.
Swish.
As he slowly unsheathed his sword, it gleamed in the moonlight.
Though it was a sword provided by the Murim Alliance, the way he grasped it made it resonate with an exceptional quality.
As I prepared myself, Namgung Cheonjun suddenly approached and spoke to me.
“You fool.”
His low voice reached my ears thanks to the vibrancy of his Qi.
The judge hadn’t yet arrived on the arena.
Yet, Namgung Cheonjun spoke quietly so only I could hear.
“I could respect that you’ve come this far, but your foolishness remains unyielding.”
“Brother-in-law, do you consider this way of addressing an older brother-in-law respectful?”
“You…!”
Namgung Cheonjun appeared to flare with rage at my response.
It seemed he genuinely detested that I referred to him as ‘Brother-in-law.’ Why was he the one getting upset when he initiated the insults first?
I was almost tempted to ham it up more.
Yet, Namgung Cheonjun, seemingly calming down, continued.
“Didn’t I warn you? If you wish to avoid getting hurt, then forfeit before facing me.”
“My nose isn’t that big. It’s smaller than Brother-in-law’s, you know?”
“…Your sharp tongue still flaps freely, and it appears you’re still oblivious of your place.”
The way he held his sword gradually shifted.
He adjusted to a more convenient stance, prepared to swing it at any moment.
Even so, it didn’t seem like he intended to take the fight seriously. Why does every member of the noble families always let their guard down?
It’s no wonder their clans would eventually fall into ruin. How could they not when a blood relative behaves this way?
Namgung Cheonjun seemed unfazed by my thoughts as he continued.
“Do you believe you won in that incident back in Sichuan?”
What incident? Oh, when brother-in-law got thrashed by me and was crawling on the floor?
“…If I could have used my Qi, it would’ve been easy to slice your throat.”
I nearly chuckled at Namgung Cheonjun’s boasting.
What should I do with him?
“Brother-in-law, have you any idea?”
“You brat keep—”
“If the elder I know heard your words, he would’ve probably screamed.”
Elder Shin might have tried to tear him apart if he caught wind of Namgung Cheonjun’s remarks just now.
“Are you even considered a martial artist if Qi is the only way you can function? If that’s your mindset, you might as well pick a random guy to be the Young Lord of the Namgung Clan. He would undoubtedly do better than you.”
“You brat…!”
He attempted to yell something, but the judge began walking onto the arena.
The judge this time was a different caliber.
It looked like a formidable judge, someone strong enough to intervene if necessary.
The murmurs from the crowd about Namgung Cheonjun and me grew quiet as the judge made his entrance.
Everyone naturally fell silent, concentrating on the thrilling fight poised to commence.
“Quarterfinals, Namgung Cheonjun from Namgung Clan vs…”
Namgung Cheonjun infused his blade with Qi the moment the judge called his name, forgoing any necessary display of mutual respect.
Which was, perfectly fine by me.
‘Whoa…’
I sensed a tingling sensation as it brushed against my cheek.
Namgung Cheonjun’s sword was undoubtedly charged with Lightning Qi. It appeared he hadn’t just been idling about.
“Gu Yangcheon of Gu Clan.”
I was accepting the fact that he exuded confidence.
After all, Namgung Cheonjun was indeed a genius in his own right.
It’s just that he had too many formidable opponents before him.
To be honest, I didn’t care much about his arrogance.
Who was I to judge when he was already aware of his own talents, yet still wanted to boast about it?
However, it would be fantastic if he could merely leave me be and stop being irksome.
Furthermore, it would be even better if he could alter the way he gazed at Namgung Bi-ah.
I might have been narrow-minded, yet I had a hint of understanding about these matters.
I was a mad dog in my past life, but now I managed to rein myself in to some extent.
And this time, without a doubt…
Had Namgung Cheonjun hidden that insatiable greed in his eyes…
I wouldn’t have felt too much concern about it.
So you could argue that the blame lay with Namgung Cheonjun for failing to conceal it.
“Start.”
The voice of the judge rang out.
Simultaneously—
—Fiery Fangs of Beast!
A colossal flame erupted from my fist… enveloping half of the arena stage.
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