Chapter: 132
—
Don’t Touch Him
Right before I set off for the Dragons and Phoenixes Tournament, who would have thought I would run into the Second Elder?
“Leaving so soon after arriving, huh?”
“Indeed. I can’t believe this happened.”
In my previous life, I would’ve still been lounging around at home during this time.
The stark contrast in the direction my life has taken actually made me chuckle lightly.
“I heard this trip won’t take too long, so that’s a relief at least.”
Since it was a relatively short distance, I didn’t expect it to take forever.
In this moment, the Second Elder brought up something else.
“By the time you return, Yangcheon, this old man likely won’t be around.”
“Huh? Second Elder, where are you going?”
“It seems there’s something going on with the Fifth Swordsmen Army.”
“The Fifth Swordsmen Army…”
That’s where Gu Huibi is currently in charge.
They’ve been focused on searches and dispatching efforts. Why would the Second Elder need to go there?
Did something significant happen recently? I couldn’t recall anything major.
“Don’t worry, it’s not a big deal.”
“Who in the world would even worry about you?”
If anything, I’d be more concerned for his opponents!
“Oh, and for the upcoming Nine Dragons Ceremony this winter, it should be fine, as both your sisters are here.”
“Are you referring to my second sister and the youngest?”
“Correct.”
The Nine Dragons Ceremony takes place twice a year, and it looks like Gu Ryunghwa and Gu Yeonseo will be participating this winter.
‘I wonder if it’s alright for Gu Ryunghwa to join, especially since she’s from Mount Hua.’
I guess it’s allowed; otherwise, there’d be objections.
I heard that Gu Yeonseo had decided not to participate in this year’s Dragons and Phoenixes Tournament.
I wasn’t sure if that was due to her joining last year or my presence this time.
‘…So it’s Gu Ryunghwa and Gu Yeonseo.’
Thinking about their dynamics made me worry about Gu Ryunghwa’s situation, considering the clear strain in their relationship.
However, recalling Gu Ryunghwa’s resilience shown back at Mount Hua made me think she might pull through.
‘Maybe I should be more concerned about Gu Yeonseo instead.’
After all, I didn’t know how she had grown since our last, less-than-pleasant meeting.
I had no idea what kind of progress she made in her seclusion training.
But Gu Ryunghwa was formidable too.
“Oh, Yangcheon.”
“Yes?”
Responding to his call, the Second Elder rummaged through his belongings and said,
“I heard you’re headed to the Shaolin Temple…”
“I refuse.”
“Hmm?”
I straight-up blocked him as I noticed the Second Elder trying to pull something out.
After all, the last time I met him, he had me deliver Mount Hua’s treasure, so who knows what he might attempt this time?
“I’m not accepting anything from you, Second Elder.”
“Come on; how could you reject it without even knowing what I’m offering?”
“…Whatever it might be, I’m not taking it.”
Who knows? He snagged Mount Hua’s treasure through a drinking bet, so maybe he’d try pulling something similar with the Shaolin Temple’s treasures.
The Second Elder chuckled as he pulled out a purse.
“You little brat, you act like I always make you run errands. I merely wanted to give you an allowance.”
“Thank you, Lord Second Elder. It’s only you I can count on.”
“…You’re really getting more audacious by the day. What am I supposed to do with you?”
With a sigh, the Second Elder reluctantly placed the purse in my hands.
“I didn’t put much in there.”
“Then I guess I might be a little disappo—… Just kidding! Lower your hand, please.”
If I had let my guard down even slightly, I would’ve gotten hit.
When I shook the purse, the sound of coins clinking cling cling was audible.
And considering its weight, it seemed he had actually put in a decent amount, contrary to his words.
“Thank you.”
“Alright, since you’re going, make sure to cause some ruckus there.”
For a moment, I thought I misheard him, thinking he’d earlier told me to keep a low profile.
“…Didn’t you say to behave on my last trip?”
When I went to Mount Hua or Sichuan, he had a lot to say about my position and authority in the clan. Now, however, he’s telling me to stir up trouble?!
The Second Elder looked at me as though I were the strange one.
“The Dragons and Phoenixes Tournament is where you go to create a scene. It’ll be filled with those who are itching for attention.”
He may have exaggerated, but he wasn’t entirely wrong.
Fame seems secondary for martial artists, but it holds a significant importance nonetheless.
The reason peers my age pour their efforts into the tournament is to carve out a name for themselves.
They’re envious of titles like Lightning Dragon, Sword Dragon, Poison Bee, Sword Phoenix, and other prestigious monikers as those signify acknowledgment of their skills and foreshadow their emergence in the future.
“Though I probably don’t need to tell you that.”
“Where do you get that unwavering conviction from?”
“Even if I told you not to cause trouble, you’d likely do the opposite. You might cause even more chaos if I told you to create some.”
“…”
Sadly, I couldn’t refute his statement.
After that, the Second Elder and I shared casual chatter until Gu Jeolyub appeared covered in sweat.
“Y-Young Master! We’ve loaded everything in.”
“Already?”
Disappointingly, it seemed like the load was lighter than I anticipated.
Panting heavily, Gu Jeolyub respectfully lowered his head at the sight of the Second Elder.
“Good day, Lord Second Elder.”
“Oh, Jeolyub. You seem to have grown quite a bit since we last met.”
Gu Jeolyub’s face turned red in embarrassment. He did look taller since we last met.
I also grew this year, but it hardly compared to him… which didn’t sit well with me.
As the Second Elder stared at Gu Jeolyub, he said to me,
– Treat this child gently, he’s a pitiful one.
– That might be a bit challenging, but I’ll give it a shot.
I conveyed our exchange telepathically, and the Second Elder seemed slightly surprised but brushed it off—already aware of my martial prowess.
“Well, whatever, have a good journey.”
“Yes.”
With that, the Second Elder turned to leave.
He certainly seemed busy after all.
The last look I got was of Gu Ryunghwa’s pouty expression from a distance.
I hopped into the carriage, and we began our journey to Hanam, where the Murim Alliance was located.
And yes, Gu Jeolyub was on horseback.
*
As we set out on our journey, the seasons quickly changed.
Autumn gave way to the chill of winter in one swift move.
To prove this, the beautiful maple leaves shimmering in the trees fell into a slumber, promising to return next year.
And I too, felt a flutter of excitement, welcoming my first winter after returning.
Gazing at the snow drifting down outside, I responded to Wi Seol-Ah when she offered me dumplings.
“Young Master… aren’t you cold?”
“Hmm? The coolness is rather pleasant.”
“Sir Gu… typically, people dress like this and complain about the cold.”
Tang Soyeol weighed in on the matter too.
Even though they mentioned that, I didn’t feel the chill much after stepping up to the 5th rank in flame arts.
Thanks to that, my clothing didn’t differ much from my summer outfit.
Because of this, I likely looked pretty cold to others.
“Would you like me to offer you my clothing?”
“If I snag yours, I’m sure I’d be facing quite a bit of backlash.”
Wi Seol-Ah was bundled up in fur clothing.
I heard those were crafted using the fur and leather of animals.
Astoundingly, it was said to be made by the Sword Emperor himself. He seemed to be quite handy, even indulging in sculpting.
Tang Soyeol, being of noble lineage, had a fair number of people taking care of her. It seems she also looked after Namgung Bi-ah quite well.
Even now, Namgung Bi-ah was nestled cozily between Tang Soyeol and Wi Seol-Ah.
“What’s she, a bear? It’s as if she’s hibernating.”
She’s probably been sleeping more often recently.
Tang Soyeol, appearing to respond for her, said with a smile,
“Sis always sleeps a lot when it’s cold.”
“You think that’s just the cold? She was already a heavy sleeper in warmer weather.”
“That is true…”
Seems like Tang Soyeol couldn’t counter that with a solid argument.
“…Well, if you’re cold, would you like some tea?”
“I’ll have to pass if it’s that same poisonous tea from last time.”
“Aw.”
Last time, she offered me tea while I was cold. I accepted it, only to find out it was a type of poison that raised body temperatures.
While it was not harmful to the body, it was bitterly toxic and an unpalatable herb.
Shivers ‘I can never let my guard down!’
Although we hadn’t spent a long time together, I began to feel increasingly comfortable around Tang Soyeol.
She ended up leaving her carriage and jumping into mine to hang out a bit.
I took a bite of the dumpling Wi Seol-Ah handed me.
“When did you manage to snag this?”
“Back when we stopped at that town earlier.”
“Sorry! You can finish eating before talking.”
From what I could glean from Wi Seol-Ah’s muffled words, she probably mentioned getting it from our previous stop.
‘She eats that much yet doesn’t gain an ounce.’
I used to worry about Wi Seol-Ah being too thin, but her tendency to consume ludicrous amounts has given her cheeks a delightful fullness once more.
Wi Seol-Ah was less skinny now and appeared quite healthy, progressively resembling her past self.
Still, it was a touch disappointing that her adorable chubby cheeks were disappearing.
With a gentle hand, I fondled Wi Seol-Ah’s cheek, which still felt soft and squishy.
‘Seems there’s some baby fat left.’
If that also disappears, I’d genuinely feel bummed out.
It seemed the warmth of my hand provided her comfort, as she nudged her face against it even more.
“Is it warm?”
“Your hand is always warm, Young Master…!”
Even though it was winter, my body still radiated plenty of heat.
As I looked out the window, the snow was cascading flurries down, quietly accumulating.
After observing the snow for a spell, I turned to the horseman.
“How much longer do we have?”
“We should be arriving quite soon, I believe.”
I heard a tired voice responding to me.
That horseman was none other than Gu Jeolyub.
Originally, the Sword Emperor had taken up horse duty, but this time he didn’t accompany us.
It felt weird and led to a flurry of thoughts swirling in my mind.
This meant he likely didn’t join, yet permitted Wi Seol-Ah to come.
‘What is he thinking?’
I wasn’t well-acquainted with the Sword Emperor, making me feel unsettled.
…Wouldn’t it just be right to admit you don’t trust him?
‘It’s been a while since you made an appearance.’
The voice belonged to Elder Shin, sounding somewhat spent.
As the seasons changed, Elder Shin commented that he didn’t much care for the cold and started engaging less in conversation.
Even though he insisted that spirits couldn’t feel anything.
I may not feel the chill… but I can tell winter feels tough.
What’s the difference? Neither Elder Shin nor I could comprehend that.
Regardless of who could easily have taken on the horseman’s duty, I decided to have Gu Jeolyub do it since I had heard of his capabilities.
Gu Jeolyub, evidently used to being spoiled, looked somewhat annoyed when I gave him such orders, but he refrained from voicing his complaints. After all, he had martial arts that commanded heat, so I was just making him earn his keep.
‘The fact he dutifully listens to my orders seems to indicate he’s been thoroughly roped in by the First Elder or my father.’
Probably the First Elder, since I doubt my dad would meddle.
It didn’t seem like Gu Jeolyub engaged in anything else in the meantime.
‘Except for that one time he tried to start a conversation with Tang Soyeol, only to end up getting shut down.’
So cold, so direct.
…Apologies, but your face is too ugly for me to bear. Please refrain from speaking to me.
I was sure it wasn’t just the weather contributing to how icy he felt after hearing that.
Thanks to her, Gu Jeolyub ended up speechless and didn’t even have lunch that day.
‘He seems to avoid the hibernating bear and Wi Seol-Ah too.’
It’s not because Namgung Bi-ah and Wi Seol-Ah aren’t attractive.
Objectively, Tang Soyeol is certainly lovely, but those two are in a league of their own.
It seems he’s been restraining himself due to his engagement with Namgung Bi-ah and those bruises he received the last time he tried pursuing Wi Seol-Ah.
‘Could it be that his target is Tang Soyeol?’
But it doesn’t appear he’s putting in any effort.
Is he merely acting as a pawn?
He often displayed a troubled expression, yet still obeyed every command I issued. Outside of sporadic training sessions with Muyeon, he hardly engaged in anything else.
Though I certainly gave him a piece of my mind every time I saw him.
Hey, bring me a drink.
I fetched one earlier.
What about tidying up the carriage?
Did it first thing in the morning, along with the cleaning you mentioned yesterday.
…Did you eat yet?
Not yet.
…Let’s eat.
He was surprisingly competent at following orders, even better than I’d expected.
Why?
Why is he good at this?
“I don’t get it.”
“What are you talking about?”
“About everything. I can’t seem to wrap my head around him, that guy, or even him.”
“Young Master, grandpa always said the world is filled with things we can never fully understand.”
“…Looks like Elder Wi taught you well.”
Early education can be truly daunting.
I turned my attention to Muyeon, who was steadily walking beside the carriages.
“Muyeon.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
He replied with his gaze fixed forward, still maintaining a disciplined stance while releasing an aura radiating around him.
It occurred to me, …He’s breaking through his barriers.
Whatever the reason, it seemed he was nearing the peak level.
That implied he was really putting in the hard work.
“Will we go directly to the Murim Alliance upon arrival?”
“Not really. We’ll get some rest at the lodge they’ve arranged first.”
“They even booked us a lodge?”
Usually, they wouldn’t go that far.
It appeared the Murim Alliance was genuinely concerned about something.
You only understand such things after you’ve participated.
The last time I attended, as the young lord, I left a chaotic situation in my wake.
That troublesome incident at the Dragons and Phoenixes Tournament.
Had that never occurred, I probably would have comprehended various matters better.
What I need to do… is prevent any occurrence of that kind from repeating.
It was a calamity, indeed.
Because at that time, many young prodigies perished simultaneously.
In the end, no casualties happened, but I knew too well.
Everyone other than myself had perished.
…Is that what we should call resurrection?
As the Murim Alliance records indicated, everyone survived, including me.
The only issue was that no one but me retained memories of the Abyss.
…
Much time has elapsed, even since my rebirth, yet the memories of that incident still stung my heart vividly.
How futile.
It has become part of the past.
And something I must ensure never happens again.
“Young Master.”
I directed my attention to Gu Jeolyub’s voice.
“The palace is now in sight…”
“Really? Could you wake up the bear over there?”
In response to my statement, Wi Seol-Ah shook Namgung Bi-ah, who had fallen asleep leaning against Tang Soyeol.
“Mmm…”
“Sis! You need to wake up!”
“Ah! You drooled, sis…!”
I guess I’ll just pretend I didn’t see that.
Hanam, huh.
Taking a deep breath, I savored the crisp air.
The very heart of the Orthodox Faction, which seamlessly served as the foundation for all trouble.
After a lengthy journey, we arrived at Hanam, home to the Murim Alliance and the Shaolin Temple.
—
The lodge called Bacheonmaru, which the Murim Alliance prepared for guests.
Inside the room where we finally unpacked, a beautiful lady wore a disgruntled expression.
Though her face showed signs of discontent, it did nothing to mar her exquisite beauty.
“Isn’t this arriving a bit too early, My Lady?”
The lady smiled faintly in response to her maid’s query.
“…Well, what could we do? That man is expected to arrive around this time.”
Within her eyes sparkled a hue reminiscent of a clear sky.
Observing those eyes, the maid tentatively asked,
“Would you like me to prepare some wine?”
“…I’m a bit hungry, but it’s okay. If I drink now, it’ll be too apparent.”
The lady continued to gaze out at the falling snow through the window.
“Sori.”
“Yes, My Lady.”
“Isn’t life just dreadful?”
The sudden harsh words escaped the lady’s lips, causing the maid to jolt and stumble while sorting out their belongings.
Quickly regaining her composure, the maid exclaimed,
“Mistress, please…! Watch your language!”
“We’re alone, who cares?”
“What will you do if the Lord hears you…”
“Father? Will he fly all the way from Yo-ryung to here?”
“…If it’s the Lord, he might.”
The lady chuckled quietly at the maid’s vague response.
She entertained the notion that her father might really do such a thing.
After watching the snow for a good while, she finally shut the window.
“It’s cold.”
She didn’t like snow, regardless of where it descended.
As she calmed her body, trembling from the cold, Moyong Hi-ah, the Ice Phoenix, silently reflected upon the bitter nature of winter.
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