Chapter 182: A Winter That Isn’t Cold (4)
What a bright and sunny day it is!
Maybe it’s because I personally prefer days like this, with a few clouds in the sky, over a completely cloudless one.
Today looked particularly beautiful.
‘In the midst of all this, to be heading to Shaolin again…’
Normally, I had planned to finish everything up and set off around tomorrow, but now that plan has been pushed back by a day thanks to this endeavor.
‘But I can’t just not go.’
With those eager, expectant eyes gazing at me, I found myself at a loss for words.
Right now, my arms were effectively tied up.
“Young Master! Look over there!”
One arm was in Wi Seol-Ah’s grip.
“What is it now?”
“A sparrow!”
“…Does it look delicious?”
“…Young Master eats sparrows?”
Is there a rule against it…?
Wi Seol-Ah was clutching my arm tightly as if she wouldn’t let go.
Hongwa tried to pry her off, muttering something about disrespect, but I stopped her.
‘If I had known this was going to happen, I should have insisted on putting a mask on her.’
This was my mistake for being careless.
Perhaps feeling relieved from the burden of wearing a mask, Wi Seol-Ah wore a bright smile the entire time.
Yeah, at least she’s happy.
My other arm was grabbed by Namgung Bi-ah.
She wasn’t hugging me as tightly as Wi Seol-Ah but was instead timidly holding onto my sleeve.
From the subtle expression on her face, I could tell she was a bit tense.
Unlike usual, she couldn’t meet my eyes.
Tang Soyeol’s cheeks puffed slightly in disappointment for being left out, but she chose to keep her thoughts to herself.
After hopping out of the carriage and walking for a bit, I soon spotted the stairs leading up to Shaolin Temple.
“Have they done some construction on the stairs compared to last year?”
Tang Soyeol remarked.
“It looks like they fixed those cracks…”
“You came here last year too?”
After my question, Tang Soyeol paused briefly before continuing.
“I just had something to discuss with the Chief Abbot.”
With Heavenly Eye, right?
From Tang Soyeol’s expression, it didn’t seem like a particularly memorable moment for her.
Or perhaps it was just not a good memory.
Noticing her expression shifted slightly, Tang Soyeol quickly donned a smile.
Unlike Wi Seol-Ah or Namgung Bi-ah beside me, Tang Soyeol and Moyong Hi-ah, who had lived as true nobility, managed their expressions exquisitely well.
“It was nothing special, Young Master Gu. You don’t need to worry about it!”
‘I wasn’t worried about you…’
I unintentionally made a weird expression and absentmindedly rubbed my cheek instead.
Pull-
My left arm was tugged back slightly.
Namgung Bi-ah had pulled on my sleeve.
“What?”
As though questioning my intent, I looked at Namgung Bi-ah, but she only stared at me silently.
‘What’s up with her?’
Slide.
The awkward silence passed as Namgung Bi-ah let go of my sleeve, only to gently wrap her arms around my arm next. Is this what she wanted?
With her proximity, I caught a whiff of her scent.
Did she spritz something? It felt different than usual.
Haha. This dog-shit world.
I had a feeling he was going to say something like that.
Did he not promise to stay silent today?
For now, I chose to ignore it and focused on Namgung Bi-ah’s azure eyes.
‘Our eye level.’
Back when we first met, I recalled Namgung Bi-ah being a tad taller than me, but looking now, I noticed I was slightly taller. The difference was minuscule, of course.
Did that make me curious?
‘Could I grow a little more?’
I wanted to hope.
A martial artist’s growth tends to be rapid.
The energy within one’s body encourages development conducive to martial arts.
However, this variance depends on the individual.
Thinking back to my previous life, I wasn’t particularly tall.
‘I was shorter than Father.’
Considering most members of the Gu Clan were on the shorter side, both Father and Elder Second were exceptions.
I practiced martial arts like them, so why was I like this?
‘Since this life is different from my past life, I hope that I grow a bit taller.’
This wish wasn’t purely superficial; practically, it would also serve my martial arts.
While I knew height wasn’t everything, it generally benefitted a martial artist to be taller.
Pull-
Distractedly mulling over these thoughts, Namgung Bi-ah tightened her grip on my left arm again.
“…Again?”
Namgung Bi-ah, evidently unsatisfied, turned my head with her hand so I was facing her.
“…You were thinking of something else…?”
“Focus.”
She urged me to do so while scrunching her eyebrows.
And she looked incredibly beautiful doing it.
It was so captivating that I found myself looking away involuntarily.
As I averted my gaze, she clung to my arm tighter still.
With that, the soft warmth of her touch became even more pronounced against my arm.
Do you know?
‘Are you going to curse at me again?’
You rotten piece of shit, do you think cursing is the only thing I know how to do?
Am I mistaken?
I couldn’t recall a single time where a renowned historical sage didn’t slip a curse word in somewhere.
Ahem.
Had he read my thoughts or merely realized he needed to tone it down?
“Anyway.”
Trying to switch the subject smoothly.
“Back when I was alive, there was a woman known as the Zenith of Beauty.”
Out of nowhere? Elder Shin suddenly launched into a tale about the most beautiful woman of his time.
“She was extraordinarily beautiful. Not only stunning, but she was also proficient in martial arts.”
“I see.”
“Her family was impressive too, making her virtually the ideal woman.”
For some reason, the nostalgia crept into his voice.
Sure, reminiscing was acceptable, but why this topic out of the blue?
“Yet, as this cruel world often dictates, she didn’t meet the best end.”
Elder Shin’s tone darkened a little.
“Protect her well.”
“What?”
“Anything can become perilous if it’s too excellent. That girl’s beauty is a prime example.”
I glanced over at Namgung Bi-ah after Elder Shin’s words.
As usual, she appeared to inhabit a world of her own.
Wi Seol-Ah was no different.
Yes, she was still growing, but any day now, she too would start radiating her own brilliance.
‘But that’s not particularly important right now.’
Why Elder Shin was bringing this up eluded me.
Despite usually seeming brusque, he often provided valuable advice.
“This child has gained fame, you know.”
This statement didn’t seem to pertain to me; my context was off.
“She’s not only earned a title but is being referred to as the most beautiful woman in Anhui.”
I’d heard such comments floating around.
Despite this, Namgung Bi-ah seemed to shrug it off.
With the attention she was attracting, it made sense she’d collect admirers after showcasing her skills in battle.
‘Then why did she even ask me to teach her?’
It seemed ironic considering I taught her to conceal her presence, yet she fully revealed it, performing her sword dance for all to see.
Thus, people began calling Namgung Bi-ah the Sword Dancer after her duel.
I wasn’t sure if that could be called an official title.
‘But it does seem a bit excessive.’
Surely, this was due to her talent along with her looks.
Because of that, the phrase began to spread through the world, garnering attention not just from young talents but everyone involved in the martial arts domain.
“Namgung’s Flower stands out as the finest in the Central Plains.”
‘But to protect her well?’
Even without Elder Shin’s urging, I planned to.
I would protect her.
Unlike in my past life.
“…?”
Noticing my slight tension in the body, Namgung Bi-ah cocked her head slightly.
She seemed poised to ask something.
“My name is Eejuu, and I will be your guide today.”
However, she was interrupted by a calm-spirited figure entering the scene.
“Wow!”
Wi Seol-Ah reacted brightly upon spotting the monk named Eejuu.
She couldn’t be reacting so enthusiastically because of his bald head, right?
“Young Master, that guy’s head is shiny—Uff! Uofgh!”
As had been anticipated, she was on the verge of saying something terribly rude when I hastily covered her mouth.
Though she didn’t finish her sentence, I was pretty sure Eejuu caught on to the gist of it.
Nevertheless, he responded with a forgiving smile and prompted us to follow him towards Shaolin, just like yesterday.
‘That was close.’
Telling a monk that he had a shiny head—that wouldn’t be something even I would dare to utter!
‘I gotta teach her a lesson later.’
I was worried she might mouth off in another inappropriate situation.
I had to convey to her to keep those words to herself.
Just like yesterday, the tour around Shaolin didn’t differ much.
We visited various statues, observing rocks.
After wandering and catching sight of the White Fish of Purity at the lake, it seemed like time slipped away quickly.
‘And nothing happened this time.’
Unlike yesterday, when Cheolyoung engaged me in conversation, nothing appeared out of the ordinary this time.
In fact, the white fish didn’t seem interested in approaching us at all, which was unlike before.
Eejuu appeared flustered, claiming it was his first experience with something like this, while the others in our group displayed indifference.
They weren’t the type to be awed merely by gazing at pretty fish.
While Wi Seol-Ah’s eyes sparkled while watching the fish, an instinct warned me not to ask why she looked that way.
‘I hope it’s not because she thinks they look tasty.’
On the other hand, Namgung Bi-ah looked rather sparked with curiosity as she scanned her surroundings, her usual vacant expression brightening with life.
Did she find Shaolin intriguing?
It didn’t seem that remarkable to me.
If anything, Mount Hua looked more special.
‘Hmm? Why mention Mount Hua all of a sudden?’
‘Is that not fitting? Being part of the Ten Sect Alliance but smelling more of sweat than blooms, with training tools strewn about?’
How on earth did such a place qualify as a sect of Daoism?
‘That merely indicates a dedicated approach to martial arts—’
‘Quit trying to sugarcoat it, Elder Shin.’
‘[…]”
Elder Shin seemed to agree with my take, as he lapsed into silence.
“Next up…”
During this time, I stole a glance at the guide named Eejuu, who wore a kind countenance.
Not sensing any energy was a relief—it seemed he wasn’t cut from the same cloth as that jerk I’d run into yesterday.
Also, I had found and rescued the little monk named Heeyoung after subduing that baddie.
The rogue had hidden Heeyoung in a mountain cave quite a distance away from Shaolin.
I couldn’t tell how many days Heeyoung had spent there, but judging by the signs, it didn’t look like it had been prolonged at least.
‘No clue how much Qi I spent just finding him.’
I couldn’t bring myself to simply walk away after hearing that rascal had stashed away a child monk on the mountainside—it would have plagued my conscience otherwise.
In turn, this delay led to more egregious complications.
Despite all that, I managed to bring the child back, which was the real point of it all.
‘Considering Shaolin hasn’t experienced drastic changes, maybe they were alright?’
I wasn’t sure precisely what impact the issue with the child monk had on Shaolin.
Yet, given I hadn’t heard any turmoil, it seemed the matter was resolved behind the scenes.
Or perhaps they made sure no disposers like that stayed near Shaolin?
‘I can’t rule out the existence of more scoundrels lurking within Shaolin.’
That conclusion was a distinct possibility.
Thus, I had to remain vigilant.
Whooooosh!
As I marched on, mulling over all this, a strong gust of wind howled past us.
“Ooooh!”
Wi Seol-Ah huddled closer to me to avoid the wind.
I couldn’t block the wind entirely due to my relatively small stature, but Wi Seol-Ah seemed content nonetheless.
“The wind is blowing like crazy!”
“Yeah.”
“But it’s not cold!”
Of course, I was radiating heat around me, after all.
With a smile, Wi Seol-Ah nestled herself deeper into my side.
“When I lived with Grandpa…”
Not pushing her away, I wrapped one arm around her instead, concerned that she might be cold.
“It was chilly in the forest.”
Apparently, she referred to those days living alone with the Sword Venerable.
She mentioned they lived in the forest together for quite some time.
The fact that Wi Seol-Ah seemed a bit younger than her actual age likely stemmed from that experience.
“It was really cold, so I hated winter.”
I figured the Sword Venerable probably could weather the cold using his Qi, but it was likely lesser than the effectiveness of the Flame Arts used by martial artists.
With a slightly flushed nose, Wi Seol-Ah said to me, “But this winter isn’t cold!”
Her grip around my waist tightened again.
“I hope next year’s winter isn’t cold either!”
Although Wi Seol-Ah sincerely expressed her thoughts, it swelled a warm feeling within me, filling my heart.
“Yeah. I hope the same.”
I can’t say how much I can carry her burden when I often feel like I’m floundering, but if I can, I hope…
You live a much more tranquil life than before.
Since my wish could depend upon my actions, I earnestly hoped it would manifest.
Though Shaolin boasted vast grounds that reflected their generous donors, the entry for outsiders was strict, and they’d prepared only the most picturesque routes for us.
Thus, our tour concluded rather promptly.
Considering how brief it was, I wondered if I ought to take them somewhere else, but thankfully, everyone appeared satisfied.
“It was fun!”
With Wi Seol-Ah’s cheerful shout, Namgung Bi-ah offered a slight nod.
Tang Soyeol likely visited often enough that she probably didn’t find it as entertaining as the others.
“Young Master Gu.”
Tang Soyeol called out for me.
“Are you feeling hungry by any chance?”
“Just a bit? After all, I haven’t eaten anything.”
Given that I had been dragged off to Shaolin right after finishing my training without breakfast, I was somewhat peckish, just as Tang Soyeol had guessed.
At that, a satisfied smile spread across Tang Soyeol’s face.
“In that case, I know a delightful restaurant, would you like to—”
“Are you Young Master Gu?”
Tang Soyeol’s sentence was abruptly interrupted by someone cutting in.
At that, Tang Soyeol’s expression sharpened a bit, unable to hide her annoyance this time, yet when she laid eyes on the interrupter, her mouth snapped shut.
It was an elderly man, lines etched into his face.
He had a long scar running down to his head and a frame that boasted muscles bulging like they’d explode, towering at over seven feet tall.
‘The Mighty Staff?’
This old man was someone I recognized.
He was among the Hundred Masters of the Central Plains and held a significant rank just below the Chief Abbot at Shaolin.
‘What could this formidable figure want with me?’
Prompted by respect, I hurriedly returned the greeting.
I was perplexed about his unexpected appearance, but since he greeted me first, I needed to maintain decorum.
“Yes, my name is Gu Yangcheon.”
The Mighty Staff slowly straightened up and addressed me.
“The Chief Abbot wishes to meet you.”
Sigh.
Hearing that from the old man made me click my tongue.
I wasn’t sure what it entailed, but I could sense it was certain to be a hassle.
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