Chapter 144: Dragons and Phoenixes Tournament (3)
As soon as the Alliance Leader Jang Cheon made his entrance into the noisy banquet hall, an immediate hush fell over the room.
There was a need for respect, but the atmosphere also grew heavy in an instant.
This occurred because the Alliance Leader intentionally used his Qi to shape the atmosphere.
The sound of his footsteps echoed loudly throughout the banquet hall.
The pleasant middle-aged man I had encountered earlier was now replaced by the leader of a clan.
A master martial artist of the Orthodox Faction, likely in his prime, having crossed into his forties.
The Harmonic Sword, Jang Cheon.
His presence here was for the speech.
“I appreciate everyone taking the effort to come all the way here,” he said.
His deep voice resonated in sync with the Qi, brushing past my ears.
The deep resonance made it evident just how profound his Qi really was.
“It warms my heart to see all of your shining stars gathered here this chilly winter day.”
Everyone was so careful about their breathing, all focused solely on his words.
One could say that commanding attention through voice and atmosphere is another talent in itself.
‘How boring.’
It seemed that his words didn’t quite reach me.
If the leader of a capable and talented alliance spoke, maybe I would feel something, just like everyone else.
But having experienced the future, I couldn’t help but question whether he was indeed as great as everyone claimed.
Although I could not pick on his achievements,
to me, he just appeared as an ordinary person with impressive non-actions.
Especially separate from any innate talent for martial arts.
“…Well then.”
‘This is painfully dull.’
“I’m pleased to see everyone’s growth.”
“Make sure you’re ready for the friendly martial arts competition starting tomorrow.”
That summed up what he conveyed.
What left a curious impression was how he didn’t mention Jang Seonyeon even once during his speech.
He could have at least thrown in a line about him.
‘Is he trying to stir up interest on purpose?’
Everyone was well aware that the Alliance Leader’s son was present at the banquet.
Whether it was a purpose of managing expectations…
Or if he intended to treat his son as an equal amidst his peers as the Alliance Leader…
I honestly couldn’t tell.
Even if I did know, it wouldn’t change anything.
With the appearance of the Alliance Leader, more eyes began to drift toward Jang Seonyeon.
My direction also garnered attention thanks to the ladies gathering around me.
Still, the attendees of the Dragons and Phoenixes Tournament were all martial artists, drawn to Jang Seonyeon, who stood out as a rising star.
Additionally, three of the Five Dragons and Three Phoenixes were absent from this event.
The Sword Phoenix of the Gu Clan.
The Sword Dragon of Mount Hua.
The Water Dragon of Wudang.
Those three were completely missing.
‘How unfortunate.’
It was understandable that the Water Dragon was absent.
Given his personality, he wouldn’t find such gatherings appealing.
As for Gu Huibi, she was probably busy with clan affairs.
Yung Pung’s absence, however, was quite surprising.
I expected he would appear since he had entrusted me with an item.
‘Does Mount Hua have something else going on?’
Considering the distance from Shanxi to Hanam, perhaps it made sense for him to forego attending, but I still felt a touch disappointed.
Had I genuinely become closer to him even in such a short time?
Even though I should know my place.
To quell my unrealistic expectations, I took a sip of my now lukewarm tea.
‘I’m definitely missing the Water Dragon.’
He was someone I had genuinely hoped to meet at the Dragons and Phoenixes Tournament.
There was a slight chance he might show up, but as expected, that lazy guy was nowhere to be found.
He was one of the few I could consider a friend.
– “Just please, hold in your anger at least three times.”
– “Hey, you crazy man!”
– “Didn’t I tell you not to take the lead? I warned you it would be dangerous!”
– “Hey, it’s cold! Why not light a fire? You look like kindling… Why are you balling your fists? Hey, stop right there!”
I recalled the raucous voice that seemed to never cease.
When he was around, it felt like I could get a headache.
But now, I found myself occasionally missing those moments.
And it felt like now was one of those times.
“…May the future of every star shine endlessly, I, Jang Cheon, wish for this.”
While wrapped in my thoughts, the speech neared its end.
From the sound of applause surrounding me, it seemed his speech was well-received.
Only now did I realize that Wi Seol-Ah’s hand was still resting on my shoulder.
I tried to shift my head to glance at Wi Seol-Ah, but for some odd reason, it wasn’t easy.
What kind of expression was she making right now?
Perhaps a bored expression or maybe one of amusement.
As the Alliance Leader effortlessly left the podium, it indicated he was solely here for the speech.
It would’ve been nice if he had at least spared a glance at his son.
“You really sound like a good person,” said Tang Soyeol, her eyes gleaming as if moved by his speech.
However, all the while, she was chewing on something.
It looked like she was snacking on some kind of grass.
Noticing my gaze, she blushed and turned her eyes away.
“…Umm, I’m just a bit hungry,” she admitted.
“…”
Chewing like a rabbit, it seemed, but I didn’t pry into what she was eating.
Given that it was clear as day, whatever she was eating was probably not something ordinary folks could have.
At least, one fortunate side was that I was not the only one who found the speech to be dull.
I pinched the hand of the person seated nearby.
“Ugh…”
I woke up Namgung Bi-ah, who had been dozing off with a blank expression on her face.
Even I hadn’t dozed off, so how could she sleep in front of the Alliance Leader’s speech?
‘Especially from the front row.’
Jang Cheon would have definitely noticed Namgung Bi-ah dozing off.
I could only hope he wouldn’t hold any negative opinions regarding her behavior.
As soon as the Alliance Leader exited, the banquet hall filled with a bustling noise.
It signaled the real party was about to begin.
Some people began rising from their seats to engage in conversations with those further away.
Others quietly savored their meals.
Familiar faces started to appear here and there.
One unmistakable element was that no one dared approach the front row.
I must commend how well this world does class separation.
“Young Master!”
“Hmm?”
Wi Seol-Ah approached me with excitement, practically bouncing. Out of habit, I reached out to ruffle her hair.
Feeling my hand, Wi Seol-Ah chirped, “There are so many people here!”
“Of course, it’s a gathering after all.”
The cacophony surrounding us was a bit overwhelming but still manageable.
Standing from my seat, I made my way to the window in the corner.
I placed a cover over Wi Seol-Ah just in case.
It was a precautionary measure for possible emergencies.
To ensure it didn’t seem suspicious, I covered all my servants, not just her.
However, this action resulted in some peculiar looks from others.
‘But oh well.’
It wasn’t the first time I was treated as a weirdo, anyway.
I could handle something like this without flinching.
But one bizarre thing did catch my attention.
“I heard that this is your first tournament, right, Young Master Jang?”
“Yes, indeed! That’s why I’m so excited.”
“Oh, so this banquet is also your first?”
“Embarrassingly so…”
“Ah, well, our clan hosts gatherings too, so if you’d like…”
With his charming smile and unique atmosphere, many were drawn to Jang Seonyeon.
Given that he was the Alliance Leader’s son and a new face, it made perfect sense.
“…But what about me?”
“…?”
I found comfort in the lack of people nearing me.
But seriously, was there no one even remotely interested in talking to me?
Being the son of the Tiger Warrior and the younger brother of the Sword Phoenix may seem less appealing than being the son of the Alliance Leader…
But I couldn’t help but wonder why not a single person came to me.
Wouldn’t at least some be curious?
As I mulled over these thoughts, Tang Soyeol, finally escaping the crowd of eager young prodigies, made her way towards me.
She appeared worn out from dealing with her fair share of people.
“…Young Master Gu, is something wrong?”
“It seems like it’s you who has a problem.”
“I’m fine…! This is just a minor inconvenience.”
To prove her point, she flexed her bicep, but all I could see was a thin, pale arm.
I let it slide and continued, “It just seems strange that no one’s approaching me.”
“Ah…”
Tang Soyeol’s eyes shimmered as if she understood the reason behind it.
I didn’t miss that detail.
“What is it?”
“Well… um, it could be because… of what happened with the Sword Phoenix last time…”
BANG!
Tang Soyeol was about to elaborate, but her words were interrupted by a loud smash resonating from the center of the banquet hall.
With the sound came a gust of wind permeated with Qi.
“What the hell are you talking about!”
The voice that cut through was one I recognized.
Tsk.
The sound of disapproval came directly from Tang Soyeol.
“How dare a lowly fellow like you bare your fangs at me, a Hwangbo!”
The uproar was being caused by none other than Hwangbo Cheolwi.
That guy had displayed similar behavior back in Bacheonmaru, and now he was acting out here too.
He looked a bit pitiful, yet when I saw who he was aiming at, I couldn’t say anything.
“Shit.”
I hoped this wouldn’t turn out like I feared…
Hwangbo Cheolwi’s opponent was Gu Jeolyub, just like last time.
Why was this guy acting up again?
“I heard Hwangbo is called the tiger of the world, yet your behavior is more akin to that of a house cat than a beast.”
It seemed Gu Jeolyub wasn’t planning to back down either, gripping the hilt of his sword while countering. His Qi flowed steadily, but its sharpness hinted at a hint of pent-up emotion.
Hwangbo Cheolwi sneered and retaliated, “How dare you mock me, a Hwangbo, coming from the Gu clan, known for fire? But in reality, that fire burns weaker than a mere torch flame?”
‘Ha, this punk.’
His slur aimed at my clan as some measly torch flame annoyed me greatly.
Yet, I had absolutely no intention of stepping in.
Being looked down upon was something I had grown accustomed to.
Thus, I intended to simply remain silent.
Slide…
That was until I noticed a subtle movement from Jang Seonyeon.
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