Chapter 520
Four teacups placed on the table.
Leaving behind the tea that I didn’t even know when it had brewed and brought to me, I could only gaze ahead with astonished eyes.
“Where are you going…?”
What did I just hear? I picked up the teacup I was about to drink and looked at Namgung Bi-ah.
Where…? Where did you just say you’re going?
“North Sea? Did you just say North Sea?”
“Yeah.”
I couldn’t believe it, so I asked again, but the answer was the same as before.
So I decided to ask something else.
“…Why there?”
“…”
“I’m going to go there, knowing where it is.”
If the place called North Sea that Namgung Bi-ah mentioned is somewhere I’m aware of…
‘…That must be Saewoemurim (Fortified Martial Arts Forest), right?’
The area outside the current Central Plains.
I heard that people participated in the bloody disaster caused by the Blood Demon.
This is the area that didn’t partake in the war even when the Celestial Horse descended and wreaked havoc.
If that’s the North Sea that Namgung Bi-ah is talking about…
‘The place where the Ice Palace is located.’
Clearly, it must refer to the territory ruled by the North Sea Ice Palace.
I’ve heard it’s a region where snow falls year-round and is filled with bitter cold.
That’s probably the reason.
‘…Wasn’t that also the work of a hundred-level monster?’
It was recorded that it was so.
I wonder if that vast land could really become like that because of one monster.
‘Seeing as it can create rivers and cover entire forests in fog, it seems plausible.’
Reflecting on the troubles my ancestors caused, I can’t just dismiss it.
[What a mishap, you punk! Do you know how much I’ve suffered?]
I heard one of the gentlemen who had caused the mishap getting riled up, but I ignored him.
Anyway, coming back to the point.
Since Saewoemurim prohibits entries from outsiders, it was a place that even the members of the Murim Alliance or the bloodlines of prestigious families couldn’t easily enter.
Especially when it comes to the North Sea.
‘And that’s similar to the Ice Palace.’
In the past, when the previous Ice Palace Lord visited the Central Plains.
Right after he fought the Sword Venerable and turned the entire Xi’an area into ruins, the North Sea was then forbidden from stepping into the Central Plains.
What this means is…
Neither side could traverse back and forth in a normal manner.
‘But you’re saying you want to go to the North Sea?’
No matter how I think about it, it sounds utterly random.
It was an incredibly bizarre statement to come out of Namgung Bi-ah’s mouth.
So, I turned my gaze back to Namgung Bi-ah.
“What’s going on here?”
“Ahem…”
Someone clears their throat in an awkward manner at my unintended outburst.
He was the only male among the three who had entered my quarters before me.
“Hey, you look like you’re going to kill someone with those eyes… Open them slowly.”
The man, who continued to cough awkwardly, resembled Namgung Bi-ah in some way.
It couldn’t be any other way, as he was a direct descendant of the Namgung Clan with the same bloodline.
“I asked what’s going on.”
When I asked again with my brows furrowed, the man, Goeseon, took a slow sip of tea.
A gentleman who threw down his brain and disappeared.
How should I even interpret the fact that he suddenly found his way to my place a few days later?
‘Honestly, if it were just about the previous matters, I wouldn’t mind.’
Yeah, it doesn’t really matter.
There’s nothing I’d have to worry about stealing.
It’s something trivial that I could overlook.
The reason I was getting so worked up was for a different reason.
“Who’s taking whom as a disciple? Who’s the master and who’s the student?”
The real problem was what the gossip had thrown at me the moment he saw me.
As I spoke through gritted teeth, the shamanic spirit waved his hands frantically.
“Confucius, please calm down for a moment…”
“Calm down?”
What a load of nonsense.
I was barely holding back my temper from exploding at any second, and he tells me to calm down?
I felt like flipping the table, but I bit my lip and managed to hold back.
Sigh.
A sigh escaped almost instinctively.
Was it just me? I felt like the breath I had just released was simmering with heat.
Hiding my chattering teeth, I turned to Goeseon.
“…You’re a shaman, right?”
“Indeed. I am a shaman.”
Amid all the gossip about whether that person is really a Taoist or not.
He was a peculiar fellow who had heard all sorts of nonsense, yet he was undoubtedly a disciple of the current head of the Wudang Sect.
Then…
“Why would a shaman want to take him as a disciple?”
“Hmm…”
At my question, Goeseon rolled his eyes around and replied.
“First of all, I think there’s been a misunderstanding, so let me clarify. The shaman does not want that child.”
“Then what is it?”
“It’s not the shaman. It’s ‘what I’ want. This is entirely unrelated to the shaman’s intent.”
The narrowed brows only became even more scrunched at Goeseon’s words.
That was no different than some childish wordplay.
What difference would that make?
I shifted my gaze back to Namgung Bi-ah.
Namgung Bi-ah didn’t seem to offer any particular denial regarding Goeseon’s words.
That would mean this conversation had somewhat been prearranged, right?
Sigh.
Why on earth does Goeseon want Namgung Bi-ah so suddenly?
I couldn’t make sense of it.
She is blood-related to the Namgung Clan, just like Goeseon, but there’s one major problem.
‘She’s already reached the peak of her mastery in the German martial arts.’
Namgung Bi-ah had attained the pinnacle through the profound techniques of the Namgung family.
Becoming the disciple of a shaman, it implies that she would have to abandon all that.
‘…That’s completely insane.’
That’s something only a martial arts-crazed elder would suggest.
[You call my teacher a madman!]
‘That old man is indeed a madman.’
Surely, that description perfectly fits the character of the one obsessed with martial arts, so I might allow it.
But did Namgung Bi-ah make that choice?
I could never believe it.
“I can understand your concerns, but I have no intention of making her abandon all her martial arts and learn anew.”
It seems that Goeseon had figured out what I was worried about.
He continued on with his explanations.
“…What do you mean by that?”
You’re not making her throw out everything and start from scratch, yet you want to take her as a disciple? It sounded awfully vague.
So what on earth does that mean?
‘Unless it’s something like my situation.’
If someone like me could host another’s heart without repercussions.
If that’s not the case, then I’d have to say this situation is utterly bizarre.
‘Could it be…?’
An idea unexpectedly crossed my mind, and I turned my glare towards Namgung Bi-ah.
Surely, she couldn’t be thinking of taking another heart technique into her body, could she?
‘That’s unacceptable.’
If so, I’d have to stop her, even forcibly if needed.
Just as I was about to ask if that was the case, I suddenly wondered if this was how people had felt when they looked at me in the past.
‘…’
I recalled how my father and master had dealt with me with fury, and a small feeling of guilt started to seep in.
I tried my best to push it away.
“It’s not that I’m going to teach her some other skill or anything.”
I swallowed my saliva nervously.
I hadn’t said a thing, so how does he already know?
“I mean, I did mention taking her as a disciple in a grandiose manner, but it’s really not that serious. Even Confucius would understand, I already have one disciple.”
“…Yes.”
I thought of Woo Hyuk, who should be sleeping somewhere by now.
“It’s hard enough just trying to teach that one, so it’s not as grand as it sounds.”
“So, what exactly are you planning to teach?”
“Sword. I don’t have any grand intentions. I just wanted to teach my nephew about swords.”
“…Sword?”
Does that imply swordsmanship?
What kind of swordsmanship is he talking about…?
“…!”
While trying to grasp the meaning of it, a thought suddenly flitted through my mind.
‘…This old man. Are you really talking about the sword you’re referring to?’
I abruptly glanced back at the drawer.
That’s where the noisy brainiac had been thrown in.
So until now, Goeseon had been carrying that brainiac.
There was something inside the brain that was presumably Namgung Myung.
Although Shin Noya had claimed he wasn’t Namgung Myung, his tone still carried a hint of uncertainty.
That means…
‘…Did the brain happen to know that the Namgung Clan’s swordsmanship had declined?’
If Namgung Myung inside me knew this…
What if he had been trying to mend it through the shaman?
‘Is he possibly talking about the sword in that context?’
Would Goeseon be attempting to teach the Namgung Clan’s lost swordsmanship?
If that’s the case, Goeseon must know about the forgotten sword of the Namgung Clan.
When all these thoughts collided in my mind, he remarked,
“It seems you also know something. Is this part of the story contained within you?”
“…”
I could hear Goeseon’s words.
He must have been guessing that just like him, I also carried something within me.
As I processed that, I asked Goeseon again.
“…About your statement, is it true that your intent is indeed to teach the Namgung Clan’s swordsmanship?”
“Precisely.”
“Ha…”
I let out a sigh, looking at Goeseon nodding affirmatively.
“How on earth do you know that?”
“Hmm? Is it strange that I would know? I’m also from the Namgung Clan.”
“No, that’s not the problem.”
It’s a swordsmanship that has already vanished and is regressing.
I wouldn’t have been able to inform the Sword King without Shin Noya’s assistance.
How does Goeseon know of such things?
The answer to that was:
“What’s wrong with that? I have a crazed person trying to bring this information to me somehow.”
Saying that, Goeseon pulled out something from his bosom and displayed it to me.
It was the brainiac. I squinted at that.
‘Did he take that out of the drawer?’
Without permission while I wasn’t there?
This was a bit over the line, so I was about to comment.
Goeseon casually continued his dialogue.
“I apologize for doing this without your consent. I would have preferred to leave it be, but this person was causing quite the ruckus…”
Seeing Goeseon, who seemed genuinely sorry, I decided to let it go for now.
Because he knew just what had caused all that commotion.
“…”
“I didn’t learn swordsmanship because I wanted to. I just did it because I had to.”
I felt like I had a hazy grasp of the situation.
I didn’t know why Goeseon chose to learn swordsmanship separately while stepping into the shoes of the shaman, honoring Namgung Myung’s will.
‘But even so.’
That couldn’t explain everything.
“Why do you need to go all the way to the North Sea to learn that?”
Wanting to make a fuss about learning the Namgung Clan’s sword all the way in the far North Sea.
The reasons for that remain uncommunicated.
“I see no reason to inform you, Confucius.”
“…What did you say?”
I couldn’t help but feel irked at Goeseon’s words.
But…
“This is my personal affair. My nephew agreed to this. I don’t believe it’s up to you to meddle any further.”
“…”
There was no way I could refute his words.
And he was right, after all.
The title of fiancée may sound strong, but it is also weak.
In reality, it was something that could be severed at any time, so that wouldn’t sway my hands.
I took deep breaths, trying to articulate something else.
“Not to mention, it’s not a place you can just go to.”
“There are ways to handle that. My older sister will sort it out.”
Goeseon smiled as he addressed my question.
If he’s referring to his older sister…?
“…White Lotus Sword?”
It was the White Lotus Sword standing beside.
Are you saying that White Lotus Sword is going to help you get to the North Sea?
Upon hearing this, Baekryeongeom shouted,
“No!”
Bam! He slammed both fists down on the table, shouting.
“What do you mean you’re solving something for me, you madman!”
“Hey, can’t you do something to help out?”
“What are you talking about! What powers do I even have to do that! Aren’t you out of your mind…?”
“There’s definitely something. Sister, without a doubt.”
Ignoring Baekryeongeom’s fury, Goeseon just smiled and said.
“Wow… I’m going to lose my mind…”
Baekryeongeom’s face turned red as if he felt wronged.
I could see something peculiar there.
‘Something.’
There’s definitely something going on.
Beyond Goeseon expressing such confidence, I could also subtly detect through Baekryeongeom’s reaction.
That means she’s hiding something.
‘…Is there truly a way?’
A means to travel to the North Sea.
Does the White Lotus Sword really possess that?
‘But why is it called the North Sea anyway?’
As the conversation progressed, my head began to ache.
Why on earth would they want to go to a place they don’t even know?
What are they intending to do?
What could a kid who can’t even navigate do in a cold, distant land?
‘I can’t let her go. Absolutely not.’
I couldn’t permit it.
‘I can’t even join her on this trip.’
There are many matters to attend to here. It’s not a situation where I could simply pick up and go.
How long would the journey even take?
‘It’s far too distant from here to the North Sea.’
It’s not a mere distance between Shanxi and Sichuan. It would take quite a while just to travel back and forth.
Understanding that, I tried to think of a reason to refuse.
“…Let me go.”
“…”
Namgung Bi-ah’s voice echoed through the air.
“You…”
“…I have to go… Please send me…”
The determination in her eyes was like never before.
This was the first time I’d seen Namgung Bi-ah so resolute.
“Absolutely not. Where are you going to do?”
“…I have to go…”
“Why?”
“My uncle… is going.”
Namgung Bi-ah spoke, glancing at Goeseon. She mentioned his uncle.
Uncle, you say…?
Well, it’s true, but it still rubbed me the wrong way.
“…I… have to go… I’m going to… learn the sword.”
I genuinely didn’t know.
I truly don’t understand.
Why is Namgung Bi-ah so obsessed with swords?
What is the meaning behind all this?
With an unexplainable fury beginning to boil over the top of my head.
“Yes. I need to protect you.”
“…”
I felt all that heat subside upon hearing the words Namgung Bi-ah then uttered.
“What did you just say…?”
“No matter what… I try. Right now… I can’t… So, I have to go.”
“You now…”
“This is… what I must do…”
Words failed to leave my lips as they kept getting caught.
It wasn’t even a humorous situation.
So she intends to follow me to the North Sea to learn swordsmanship based on that?
“Who’s protecting whom?”
You are going to safeguard me?
I stared at Namgung Bi-ah with disbelief, but her eyes remained steadfast.
The once dark blue eyes now sparkled with clarity.
Those glimmering eyes fixated on me wholly.
I felt the urge to avert my gaze without realizing it.
But I couldn’t do that, so I fought against it and met her gaze.
It was infuriating.
All of this nonsense felt unbearably annoying.
There’s so much on my plate and time is incredibly tight.
It made me angry, as if they were trying to pry away one of my supports.
“Confucius, let’s talk this over a bit more…”
“Just a moment… Could you all please step out?”
“Huh?”
“It won’t take long. I have things I need to contemplate.”
“Um… I understand.”
Though it was a somewhat rude request, Goeseon nodded and respected my wishes.
As the strange ship exited, I caught Goeseon’s attention again.
“Goeseon.”
When he looked at me with a puzzled expression.
“Can I borrow that for a moment?”
“What?”
Goeseon’s eyes widened at my request.
What I had just asked to borrow was none other than the brain.
“I need it to think.”
Extending my hand as if to plead for it, Goeseon shook off his initial surprise and handed over the brain.
Swish.
“…Heh heh.”
A brain that was passed over to me without a single hitch.
Seeing this, Goeseon unleashed a hollow laugh.
Because this time, there was no backlash.
“I’ll return it promptly.”
“If you find it useful, just keep it. That works out better.”
He appeared to have no lingering feelings about it as Goeseon exited.
I, too, requested Baekryeongeom and Namgung Bi-ah to leave.
Once everyone had departed, silence enveloped the room.
Whoosh.
I spread a shiver throughout the room and glanced at the brain before speaking.
“…Now, please disclose everything.”
I couldn’t help but let irritation seep into my voice.
There was no way to keep it hidden.
“What the heck is going on in this situation?”
This stated that Namgung Myung’s intentions are unquestionably evident here.
Is there more to this tale…!!
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