Chapter 236
If there have been changes in the Central Plains over the past year, they can be summarized in a few key points.
The first is the downfall of the Black Palace.
While the exact details weren’t disclosed, news spread throughout the Central Plains that the Murim Alliance and the Gu Clan joined forces to drive out the Black Palace, which was one of the major factions of the Unorthodox Sect. The fall of the Black Palace delighted many.
However, the reasons behind the Murim Alliance suddenly engaging in battles with the Black Palace and the significance of the Gu Clan’s involvement remain largely unknown.
Moreover, although the Black Palace crumbled, the fate of its ruler, the Black Palace Lord, and other martial artists from the faction was still shrouded in mystery. Nonetheless, as the Alliance claimed it, and the Beggars’ Sect spread the news, people simply took it at face value.
Regardless, the eradication of the Unorthodox Sect was seen as a positive outcome. What really happened internally didn’t matter much to most people.
The second major change was the return of the Plum Blossom Sword Queen.
After years of being missing and untraceable, the renowned heroine of the Central Plains, the Plum Blossom Sword Queen, made her appearance again.
She even returned with the same beautiful and formidable presence as before.
Regarding why she hadn’t shown up until now, the Mount Hua merely stated: “-It was her choice, and we respect that.”
Such an explanation left many baffled, yet the Sword Queen seemed to agree with it too.
Also, just like before, people were quite accustomed to the peculiar remarks from Mount Hua and brushed them off.
In the end, the conclusion was simply that the Sword Queen had returned.
The third change was concerning the Tournament of Dragons and Phoenixes that was held last time.
The issue was that the majority of the current young prodigies, known as the Six Dragons and Three Phoenixes, led by the central figures collectively called the Six Dragons and Three Phoenixes, did not attend the tournament.
The Younbong Gathering usually attracted tens to hundreds of promising youngsters every year—an expected gathering of dragons and phoenixes—but even last year’s event had an even worse turnout compared to the year before.
Historically referred to as the most skilled dragons and phoenixes, they each had their own reasons for not attending. The Water Dragon claimed he didn’t wish to exhaust himself from the long journey, while the Sword Phoenix sent a letter indicating that she was too busy with her clan’s matters.
As for the Sword Dragon, he was said to have entered seclusion after gaining enlightenment, as proclaimed by Mount Hua.
Even the others, the True Dragon and the Lightning Dragon, didn’t bother to send any letters.
Consequently, the only participants in the tournament were the Lightning Dragon and the Poison Phoenix.
Although the Meteor Sword, who achieved great success in the previous tournament, also participated, many considered a tournament lacking most of its prominent figures to be pointless.
Thanks to this, the Tournament of Dragons and Phoenixes this year was shaping up to be a forced affair.
Well, with only two attending from the dragons and phoenixes, that’s rather lamentable.
I didn’t really have a say in the matter since I hadn’t even sent a letter, but I certainly didn’t expect only two would show.
…I should have thought more about it when Moyong Hi-ah mentioned she wouldn’t be attending either.
Moyong Hi-ah’s absence likely had something to do with me, but I didn’t foresee that the others wouldn’t attend either.
Because of this, there would probably be some forced participation in this year’s Tournament of Dragons and Phoenixes to protect the Murim Alliance’s reputation.
Though honestly, I still didn’t plan to go.
Regardless of any pressure, the Gu Clan never cared much about such matters.
Slide.
Stepping outside my tent, I caught a whiff of the distinct scent of dawn.
It seemed like not much time had passed since sunrise.
“Ugh…”
Amidst the tranquility, a sound tickled my ear from inside the tent.
Throwing my head around to identify its source…
“…When did she sneak in here?”
Curled up snugly in the corner was none other than Namgung Bi-ah.
After feeding her last night and sending her back to her own tent, what on earth was she doing here?
…
As absurdity washed over me, I felt half resigned at this point.
This wasn’t the first or second time she’d pulled this stunt.
“…Wake her later.”
The one feasible thing I could do was stop Hongwa as she passed by to ask her to wake Namgung Bi-ah.
“Oh…!”
Upon hearing my request, Hongwa peered into the tent, then glanced at me with an expression as if to say, “Is she really in there again?” However, that look didn’t provide me with any answers.
“I did see Lady Moyong leave a little while ago… but I didn’t expect Lady Namgung to be here too…”
“What?”
“Huh?”
“Moyong… she left from this tent?”
“Yes…”
“But why didn’t I know that?”
Moyong Hi-ah exited my tent?
When exactly had she come and gone?
Are they all cats, entering and leaving as they please?
It would appear to an outsider as if they were homeless strays.
How absurd.
Certainly, the best tent in this area belonged to Moyong Hi-ah, without a doubt.
While mine was reasonably spacious, it was merely an ordinary tent. It was only because of my lineage that I had the privilege of sleeping alone without having to stand night watch.
Everything else about the tent, even the bed, was nothing special.
Not that I particularly cared—I’d even sleep on the floor if required.
I can let Namgung Bi-ah off the hook, but what’s up with Moyong Hi-ah?
It had already been quite some time since Namgung Bi-ah began taking over my bed without hesitation, which I could accept, but why was Moyong Hi-ah here?
Is she not concerned?
The Moyong Hi-ah I knew was picky beyond measure, so I could not comprehend why she would willingly choose to sleep here.
“Did I not provide her with enough warmth?”
That can’t be it.
I was sure to give her warmth regularly, at least once a week.
Besides, the fact that she seemed to be absorbing more warmth than before made me think that she might nearly be cured.
Considering the recent vitality of her complexion, it must be true.
She seemed incredibly well.
If her skin had previously looked sickly pale, it now radiated with a vibrant glow. Progress seemed evident.
Of late, her body appears to be warming up a bit, doesn’t it?
Is she actually cured?
Not likely.
If she were cured, why would she still be coming to me for warmth?
At any rate…
Leaving Hongwa behind, I decided to step towards Moyong Hi-ah to find out why she had come to my tent.
While walking, I noticed someone trudging toward me from afar.
Taking a closer look, I identified the figure as Gu Jeolyub.
Gu Jeolyub flinched when he saw me and subtly attempted to veer off course.
This guy?
“Where are you headed?”
“…!”
“We made eye contact, so don’t even think of pretending you didn’t see me.”
Startled, Gu Jeolyub begrudgingly walked over to me.
He no longer tried to mask his disdainful expression.
This bastard has certainly changed, huh?
How delightful.
“…I greet the Young Master.”
“Yes, and I also greet the Heroic Flame Sword. I trust you’ve been well.”
“Ugh…”
Gu Jeolyub muttered under his breath in response to my playful jabs.
Sigh, he used to bask in his title when he first acquired it.
“Are you coming from somewhere?”
“I was on my way to rest after my shift.”
It appeared he had just returned from his night watch.
I nodded understandingly and suggested, “Then we can train together.”
“Huh?”
“I assume you have some free time now?”
Admittedly, I had intended to check on Moyong Hi-ah, but I could do that later.
Gu Jeolyub looked flustered by my suggestion.
“Uh, Young Master…?”
“Yes?”
“I just said I was returning from my night watch…”
“I heard you clearly.”
“…Then what did you mean by what you just said?”
“Simply that you’ve done your night watch, so you now have ample time.”
“What? How does that make sense?”
“What will you do after you return?”
“…Sleep.”
Indeed, after a night watch, sleeping was essential.
However, I had something else in mind.
“Will you only sleep for the rest of your life?”
“Pardon?”
“Sleep is something you can also do after you die.”
Gu Jeolyub’s face scrunched at my nonsensical comments, but I was already resolute.
“Or should I make you sleep eternally? I excel at that.”
As I grinned while saying so, Gu Jeolyub’s expression twisted to the point of near-breaking.
As midnight transitioned into noon, our light training session came to an end.
Thud!
A heavy sound echoed through the forest.
Flutter!
The birds that had been quietly perched in the trees sprang into the air in a startled flurry.
The noise came from a boulder I had set down.
“Huff… Huuuff…”
Gu Jeolyub lay flat on the ground, gasping heavily for air.
His attire was already soaked with sweat, and his trembling hands and feet indicated he had worked hard.
Seeing him in such a state, I tossed the boulder I had been holding down as well.
Bam!
The sound reverberated much louder than Gu Jeolyub’s drop.
That’s understandable since the rock I was holding was twice the size of his.
Unlike Gu Jeolyub, who looked like a drenched rat, I merely had beads of sweat gathering on my forehead.
Observing the nearly lifeless Gu Jeolyub, I couldn’t help but ask, “You made it through until the end today, huh?”
“Huff… Huff huff…”
He seemed eager to respond but didn’t have any strength left to do so.
I examined Gu Jeolyub’s body while nodding.
It appears his foundation is almost ready.
Gu Jeolyub was near equipped to climb to the Peak Realm of martial arts.
Truth be told, after everything I had put him through, it would’ve been odd if he weren’t making progress.
By now, he’ll achieve it before summer’s end.
To break through their barriers, martial artists need sufficient Qi to penetrate the Middle Dantian, but possessing a resilient body to endure the process is even more vital.
Of course, should one possess the extreme ability to control Qi, it is feasible to overcome barriers without compromising one’s body.
For instance, even if people like Namgung Bi-ah or Gu Huibi lacked the necessary physical foundation, they could potentially break through with their innate talents.
He might manage to do that too.
As a genius in his own right, Gu Jeolyub had the potential to do likewise. Still, developing a robust body was pivotal for him in the longer run.
The shortcut I took isn’t ideal long-term.
That was why I’d been intentionally pushing him to his limits whenever I could.
Still, this guy constantly tried to avoid me despite my best intentions. I couldn’t help but feel frustrated.
“Now that I think about it, it’s really irritating… perhaps I should increase the intensity of our training sessions?”
“Huh…?”
“I’m doing all this for your benefit, Little Brother.”
Even though I was younger than Gu Jeolyub, he seemed unaffected by my calling him ‘Little Brother.’
Yet, I could tell he remained silent, likely out of fear of getting pummeled if he dared to comment.
Anyway…
If I kept this up, he’d truly lose it, right?
If I kept pushing him, Gu Jeolyub might genuinely lose his mind. So, I decided to cut him some slack.
“Regrettably, we must end it here for today.”
Upon hearing that, Gu Jeolyub let out a long breath, looking relieved.
Was he genuinely that joyful to escape martial arts training?
I, too, despised training during my younger days.
I couldn’t be in a position to judge Gu Jeolyub for his feelings.
While I observed his relieved expression, I couldn’t resist adding one more thing.
“Oh, Sis mentioned she plans to train with you later.”
“…Pardon? What do you mean…!”
“That’s all. I’ll be heading off first.”
“Y-Young Master!”
Gu Jeolyub called out frantically, but I had no intentions of stopping.
His desperate expression likely stemmed from the fact that Gu Huibi’s training was known to be far harsher than mine.
Gu Huibi was notorious for forcing people into grueling sessions until they were on the brink of death.
Knowing that fact, Gu Jeolyub was pleading for mercy from me. Unfortunately, I had my own matters to attend to since it was past noon.
Had I known I was going to do this later, I might have taken it easier on him.
That thought lingered for a moment.
Ah, well. He’ll figure it out.
With unwavering faith in Gu Jeolyub, I pushed all such thoughts from my mind.
Good luck, Gu.
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