Chapter: 281
As soon as the rain stopped, the weather cleared up as if by magic.
The sun had set.
Night had already arrived.
By the time I returned to the guest house, it was already night without me realizing it.
“Ah, Young Master Gu!”
As I returned late to my lodgings, Dang So-yeol appeared as if she had been waiting for me.
Was she actually waiting for me?
“You’re late?”
“I had some matters to attend to.”
“Oh, I see… Well, have you eaten?”
“Yeah. More or less.”
In truth, I hadn’t eaten, but I mumbled that I had.
Right now wasn’t the moment when I wanted to eat anything.
While Dang So-yeol chatted away with a bright smile about everything that had happened today, I just nodded along.
“You have to wake up early tomorrow, so hurry up and go to sleep.”
“Oh, right.”
Yeah, I need to go out early tomorrow.
Damn Heavenly Dragon Academy.
Just thinking about it made my previously okay mood turn sour.
I was desperately trying to manage my expression, but then, in the midst of it, Dang So-yeol asked me something else.
“Your Highness.”
“Hmm?”
“Did something good happen to you?”
“Out of the blue?”
“Yes… I just thought you seemed happy.”
“…Hmm.”
Something good.
-I missed you.
Was it because of the words I had just heard?
I struggled to suppress the corners of my lips that threatened to rise.
“Something like that.”
Perhaps to hide it, my tone came out a bit sharper than usual.
Dang So-yeol tilted her head but didn’t ask me anything further.
Leaving her behind, I headed up to my room, pondering.
‘Where has that guy gone?’
I hadn’t seen Mo Yong-hee much over the past few days.
He often disappeared, claiming to have something to do, so I assumed he’d come back this time as well.
He should show up before the heat dies down.
Crack.
“Huh?”
As I opened the door and walked in, I found the candles in the room already lit.
Wondering if the attendant had left them on, I stepped in without thinking, only to realize someone was sitting on the bed.
“…You scared me…”
I flinched, taking a step back to see who it was.
As expected, it was Namgung Bi-ah.
“What are you doing here? You surprised me.”
“I… was waiting for you…”
“What does my being late have to do with you lying in bed?”
At that, I was left speechless.
Only then did Namgung Bi-ah sit up with a groan.
Judging by her messy hair, it seemed she had been lying down for quite a while.
She must have even fallen asleep.
“Have you eaten?”
“…Yeah.”
“Good job.”
I carelessly tossed my outerwear aside.
Then, as I was about to change clothes…
“Why aren’t you going out? Get out so I can change.”
“…”
For some reason, Namgung Bi-ah stayed sitting on the bed, looking up at me instead of leaving.
In the dim room, with just a small candle lit, Namgung Bi-ah’s blue eyes seemed to shine especially bright.
What’s going on, or does she have something to say to me?
Namgung Bi-ah quietly stared at me.
She opened her pink lips and asked, “…Did you meet?”
“…!”
Her question caught me off guard, and I couldn’t hide my surprise.
Is she asking who I met?
There wasn’t even a need to think about that.
Namgung Bi-ah’s gaze was telling me everything.
It looked like she figured out I had met Wi Seol-ah.
‘How did she know?’
How could Namgung Bi-ah, who hardly ever left the dorm, know I met Wi Seol-ah?
It was surprising and curious, but now wasn’t the time to ask.
She was demanding an answer.
I looked into her gaze and decided to respond.
“…Yeah. We met.”
I didn’t tell a lie.
I didn’t want to hide the truth from Namgung Bi-ah.
In response to my answer, Namgung Bi-ah just continued to look at me with the same unwavering gaze.
What kind of eyes are those?
I couldn’t quite grasp the emotions behind her look.
Swish.
She blinked once, slightly shifted her gaze, and wrapped herself in the blanket, appearing a bit weary as she settled down.
“Why did you come alone…?”
Her quiet question from under the blanket made me recall what Wi Seol-ah said to me then:
-I’ll come see you again later.
-Aren’t you coming together?
-No.
The answer was firm.
I had just seen her face, after all.
-It was really nice to see your face today.
-…
-See you tomorrow… Young Master… No.
While fixing the hair blowing from the winter wind, Wi Seol-ah smiled softly and spoke to me.
-Young Master Gu.
In that gentle melody, I felt compelled to keep silent at that moment.
‘Tomorrow.’
Wi Seol-ah clearly told me she would meet tomorrow.
What this implies is…
Wi Seol-ah will probably also be going to Heavenly Dragon Academy.
‘It hasn’t changed.’
Seeing her again was quite nice.
However, it wasn’t entirely pleasant.
Through my regression, many events have changed.
At the same time, I discovered things I had not known before.
Several situations arose where things I’d hoped for got entangled in unexpected ways.
Ultimately, Wi Seol-ah’s path didn’t significantly deviate.
‘Could I shift it?’
Or would I even dare to take on what is already in place?
That relentless feeling of anxiety still lingers.
Yet, it’s become something I can’t turn back from.
It’s not about whether I can—
It’s a situation where I must act.
Namgung Bi-ah turned around to quietly observe me.
I turned my head again.
She must have gotten along well with Wi Seol-ah too.
She could have asked what had happened, but it seemed she decided not to, judging by my expression.
‘Everyone is so perceptive.’
So is Tang So-yeol.
Namgung Bi-ah too. Even Moyong-hee.
If there’s something unusual about me, they sense it as easily as a ghost.
I, on the other hand, could never do that.
It’s quite burdensome yet evokes gratitude and guilt.
Looking at Namgung Bi-ah’s back, I slowly spoke up.
“But you know what?”
“…Hmm?”
“Why are you sneaking around trying to sleep here?”
“…”
“Get up.”
Tsk.
A short click of my tongue echoed as Namgung Bi-ah rose.
From the look on her face, it was clear she realized she had been caught.
It looked like she had planned to let it slide.
The rooms on the top floor are remarkably spacious.
A young man took a sip of his drink, gazing at the people beyond the bridge.
Uihwa Cheongju.
An expensive liquor sold only in Hanam.
If someone had mentioned the price, I would have spat it out in disbelief.
The young man continued drinking, seemingly unfazed by everything around him.
There were more than enough people walking around the streets.
One glass, then two.
By the time he had emptied half the bottle of alcohol,
“Brother!”
An uninvited guest burst through the door.
The young man sighed inwardly.
I hoped to catch a break today.
Looking at the woman who entered with a serious expression,
she again asked the same question she had asked yesterday.
“Is it really true that you’re the disciple of my elder?”
“… Ha. This is already the fourth time you’ve asked that.”
Even though I answer daily, her repetition was bothersome in many ways.
It’s not exactly annoying.
“It’s just that I can’t believe it no matter how many times I hear it.”
“Didn’t I distinctly say… that it’s true?”
The young man, Bi Eejin, frowned slightly as he replied. Only then did she close her mouth, though judging by her pout, it looked like she was still displeased.
Seeing this, Bi Eejin sighed repeatedly.
‘This is getting annoying.’
I should have said something when this kid wasn’t around.
That was a mistake on my part.
“What are you so dissatisfied with?”
“…I’m not complaining. I just understand a little why my brother is so strong despite living so lazily.”
“When did I ever live a lazy life…?”
I live a busier life than anyone!
Since Vivi doesn’t know what’s going on in my life, she might see things that way.
‘Tsk.’
But that doesn’t mean I can explain those circumstances.
This time, I just had to keep my mouth shut.
“Then when exactly did you meet your elders?”
“… It just happened by chance?”
“You met someone known as one of the three deities of the world… just by chance?”
“Living means there are days when things happen and days they don’t.”
“If someone overheard you, they’d think you were over seventy! Brother, you’re only twenty.”
“…”
Twenty is nonsense.
I’ve lived at least three times that long.
Bi Eejin couldn’t help but smile bitterly at Vivi’s words.
I never thought I’d end up like this.
When will I stop regretting?
Regrets over things I shouldn’t have done.
“Still, I’m a little relieved.”
“What do you mean?”
“Rumors were spreading about how Elder Bi took in a disciple.”
“Oh.”
Was that what she was referring to?
How much I laughed when I heard that!
“To be honest, it was somewhat the case.”
“What?”
“You, or even Brother Cheol— to say you’ve taken someone from another world as your disciple would leave some disappointment.”
The person Vivi referred to as Iron was the eldest son of the current head of their clan.
Bi Eejin couldn’t help but chuckle at Vivi’s words.
Though he was being rude, it seemed she had him in mind to a certain extent.
Yet—
‘I can’t take that fool as my disciple.’
In Bi Cheol’s eyes, Bi Eejin saw him as incompetent.
Although he has talent for martial arts, his temperament inherits the hot-headed nature of his father.
His blood perhaps grants him a measure of talent, but that alone wouldn’t satisfy me.
From a young age, I have worked hard to make him into a proper person.
Aside from that,
I had no desire to delve into martial arts.
‘If it hadn’t turned out this way, I wouldn’t have cared at all.’
I wasn’t tied to that family’s origins.
I had no intention of becoming a leader from the start.
Bi Eejin, or rather Bi Joo,
was simply someone whose goal was to realize and create his martial arts.
If the current head hadn’t begged and begged to hold on,
Bi Eejin had no intention of remaining here under such circumstances.
Moreover—
“Why do you look at me like that?”
“You’re ugly again today.”
“…Have you ever been hit on the head with a bottle, Brother?”
“I’ve been hit plenty.”
“Then let’s see how it feels today.”
If that troublesome brat didn’t exist,
I would have abandoned everything halfway through, whether it was the master’s request or whatever else.
Vivi swung the wine bottle with great effort.
She was immediately subdued by Bi Eejin’s grip.
Even with her arms restrained, Vivi still had plenty to say.
“Then if what you say is true, it means the rumors about the old clan are false, right?”
Click.
As Bi Eejin opened another bottle of alcohol,
an odd expression formed on his face at Vivi’s question.
“Well…”
“What?”
“It’s possible I wasn’t the only one.”
“What do you mean? You said that your brother is your disciple.”
“Can there only be one disciple in the world?”
Heh heh.
Bi Eejin just laughed.
Vivi looked puzzled, clearly thinking he was saying some utter nonsense.
But Bi Eejin had no intention of revealing the truth.
Watching her frustration was rather adorable, so he considered keeping an eye on her a little longer.
In the meantime, he recalled the kid Vivi mentioned.
‘That brat kept covering for me back then.’
The kid he had met at the guest house last time.
The one his friend, often referred to as an enemy, had cherished like a grandson.
He had the same face as his father.
Also, the resemblance extended beyond just the face.
‘Blood is thicker than water.’
When he first laid eyes on Guyangcheon,
Bi Eejin was filled with admiration.
How meticulously cultivated he was.
His well-defined muscles granted him a body nearly perfect for martial arts.
The energy contained within was so profound that even Bi Yijin struggled to comprehend it.
Is it any wonder?
He wondered if perhaps this individual was going through a similar situation as himself.
Banrohwandong.
A pitiful curse that destroys everything you’ve built, merely buying you time.
Bi Yijin wondered if Gu Yangcheon had also experienced Banrohwandong’s transformation.
‘If that were the case, he wouldn’t have developed a body like that.’
As blood flows thinned, the power would diminish, and the body would degrade into something worthless.
Bi Yijin himself had endured an immense struggle to transform his miserable physique into a normal one.
However, Gu Yangcheon was different.
Unlike the realms, his body was perfectly crafted for martial arts.
It was unfortunate that his smaller stature imposed some limitations in distance, but regardless, he demonstrated perfect control over his body.
Only two circumstances could yield such a physique at that age.
One is a martial artist who has transcended into peak or flower realms.
Their blood and body intact, they return to their youth and cultivate diligently.
The second case:
‘or to possess extraordinary talent.’
Ignoring the first case, which is impossible without time-traveling, the only remaining scenario is the second.
‘It’s likely the reason they reached that level was due to such talent existing from the start.’
Upon examination, it was apparent that Gu Yangcheon’s pinnacle status was still very much intact.
A body with an impeccably balanced ratio of flesh and energy.
Along with an enhanced awareness that allows one to handle any circumstance and the flow of energy guiding where they should head in the future.
It was as though he had seen everything beforehand.
‘He enveloped it so well even I couldn’t detect it.’
The energy of Gu Yangcheon was at a level that even the master would realize only after several days of observation.
I’ve heard he hasn’t reached maturity yet.
And yet, is he already preparing to touch the flower realm?
Not to mention being right at that threshold.
The master had surpassed his own pinnacle only shortly after crossing into age.
Considering that the other two men who rose to the pinnacle in today’s Central Plains also reached their peak at an age younger than Pajeon,
No matter how remarkable the talents of this generation,
Gu Yangcheon surpassed that level by a mile.
If he continued to flourish and develop his talents, it was clear without a doubt he would ascend to a level of a sublime warrior in the future.
‘If he plays his cards right.’
So, the master was taking a keen interest in Gu Yangcheon.
If he continues to perform well,
it’s entirely feasible.
Bi Eejin smiled as he gazed outside.
Initially, he only wanted to see what sort of person Guryun was, considering all the fuss.
He felt it best to ignore him, thinking he wanted to subtly teach him a lesson.
Secondly, how impressive could he possibly be?
He was curious why rumors of him being the disciple were circulating.
Bi Eejin wasn’t angry about it.
After all, the one who desires to have disciples more than anyone is himself.
One thing is certain—
He lacks the slightest bit of talent.
If some fool who doesn’t even understand the subject walks around claiming to be my disciple,
‘I’d fold him in half in a heartbeat.’
I thought I would scold him fiercely, but the person I encountered was not bad at all.
On the contrary, he was quite good.
‘I’ve found it.’
This moment I have long desired.
A later talent who possesses such a body and the ability to handle this type of energy.
He was the one Biju had been searching for for ages.
This is why Bi Eejin was the first to extend his hand to Gu Yangcheon.
‘But why that expression?’
Bi Eejin felt a twinge of doubt when he reached out his hand.
Gu Yangcheon appeared oddly guarded before him.
It seemed like he was ready to respond as if he expected assault.
He took care to keep each one of his companions within his awareness,
as though seeking to minimize any potential damage were a confrontation to erupt.
The problem lies with the question:
‘Why?’
That reason still eludes him.
‘Was he aware of who I am?’
That explains his demeanor fairly well.
But that occurrence seemed unlikely.
If Guryun had prattled, then it’s natural.
That crazy man had a temper like a rabid dog.
He wouldn’t speak carelessly about his friends.
Then, what had prompted Gu Yangcheon to regard him with suspicion?
Was it merely instinct?
‘If that’s the case, it’s all the better.’
The instinct of a warrior must always remain attuned,
sharpened to a blade’s edge.
‘That’s great.’
With that, Bi Eejin took another swig of his drink.
The longer he looked, the better it appeared.
Perhaps, just perhaps.
‘… I might be able to achieve perfection.’
Would Gu Yangcheon allow him to witness the culmination of his martial arts?
Such thoughts made the drink slide down smoothly.
Once again sipping his drink, Vivi, who had been standing there absent-mindedly, approached him, pointing somewhere.
“Oh, brother. Over there….”
The direction of her finger indicated where Bi Eejin had already been paying attention even before she pointed it out.
“Brother, those people…right?”
Bi Eejin nodded in response to Vivi’s question.
‘Those are the forces of that wretched brat.’
Several groups had begun to amass on the streets at night.
Since tomorrow is a significant day,
those who needed to gather were starting to show up.
The streets were thus filled with people.
‘Hmm….’
Among them,
a white martial arts uniform with dark patterns displayed.
It was a martial arts outfit that demonstrably marked them as part of the Jang family, current leader Nakgeom Jangcheon’s kin.
‘Come to think of it, I wonder if the ghost made it safely.’
The ghost borrowed for a short while from the Murim Alliance.
Originally, Bi Eejin had intended to hand it over in person during the Yongbong meeting.
But he had forgotten to do so, even leaving behind a letter with an explanation for his lapse.
Following that, the old man said he would give it hand-delivered.
‘I assume he took care of it accordingly.’
Bi Eejin figured he’d done just fine and filed it away in his mind.
“Then is the person in front of us the divine being?”
At Vivi’s words, Bi Eejin shifted his gaze slightly.
He then spotted the handsome young man striding at the very front.
“Isn’t he handsome…?”
Vivi muttered while gazing at the young man.
What a stunning face.
With not only looks but also charming features, he radiated an air of a well-raised, elegant young master.
“I think that guy must be a divine being.”
A rising talent among the martial artists of recent days.
The son of the leader and a divine being.
“He’s truly handsome…”
Vivi appeared utterly captivated, unable to avert her gaze from the divine’s allure.
‘Someone like that has impressive martial arts, I wonder?’
He is perfection… pure perfection.
Vivi simply nodded along.
Meanwhile, Bi Eejin was indifferent to whether that person was divine.
Sure, he seemed commendable, but
he didn’t strike him as anything particularly special.
‘Hmm.’
In fact,
the individual named Shinsung, trailing right behind him.
Bi Eejin was more concerned with that person.
Draped up in a cloak, it was hard to see, but trying to gauge the figure’s outline would indicate a female presence.
Given she wore a blade at her waist, she could easily be identified as a swordswoman.
Additionally,
‘…what’s this?’
The faint aura radiating felt strangely familiar.
It couldn’t be a coincidence.
For it was the same energy that had sent him sprawling to the floor multiple times before.
The sword that splintered the heavens while containing the moonlight was here.
Upon recalling the energy, he couldn’t help but picture the hermit who, dubbed among the three lords, had stood alone atop the razor’s edge of a blade.
Thinking of this, Bi Eejin couldn’t help but smile widely.
The energy emanating from that woman was unmistakable.
‘That elder.’
The master of the Moonlit Dance style.
‘They’ve raised a monster.’
It was the energy of the swordmaster Wei Hyo-gun.
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