Chapter 146: Dragons and Phoenixes Tournament (5)
People often say that silence can be heavier than noise.
But how can a soundless void truly be heavy? It’s not a saying that makes much sense, yet here we were.
The banquet hall was filled with a myriad of prodigious young talents, easily over dozens.
In a gathering this immense, noise was expected to fill the air.
So what could explain this silence?
The reason was simple.
They had just witnessed something truly shocking.
“What the…?”
“What just happened? Did anyone see that?”
“…Who is that boy?”
Whispers began to circulate gradually.
From their hesitant gestures and cautious tones, it was clear just how bewildered they were.
Crack. Crack.
Every time I twisted my wrist, there was an audible sound of cracking bones.
‘I really didn’t need to go this far.’
I had stirred up more chaos than I had anticipated.
At least, I had intended to keep things calm during the banquet.
Who would have thought that the extra baggage I followed would create such a scene?
‘…Sigh…’
Thanks to that, I found myself in a much more unpleasant situation than I desired.
The array of gazes from the young prodigies didn’t faze me that much.
I understood the intent behind their stares.
But my emotions had withered away long ago, leaving me too numb to care.
I naturally scanned the area for Jang Seonyeon.
‘If that guy hadn’t tried to meddle, I’d have just enjoyed the show.’
Even if I hadn’t stepped in, Gu Jeolyub would have won anyway.
I meant to make use of him as he was under my guidance.
‘He turned out to be more useful than I initially thought.’
Gu Jeolyub was part of the category of geniuses that were scattered everywhere.
In other words, if I taught him one thing, he’d grasp five others in return.
‘Though I certainly had to push him a bit harder since I didn’t like that aspect.’
How narrow-minded of me.
If Elder Shin were here, he’d have certainly said as much.
‘So he aimed for the chin, huh?’
Gu Jeolyub’s judgment wasn’t poor, all things considered.
Though it was blatantly obvious that it wouldn’t have worked. The pig, Hwangbo, who lay next to me like a corpse, was quite a miserable creature.
Nevertheless, he wasn’t weak.
Ultimately, a martial artist’s power is based on their mastery and understanding of their skills…
But the most crucial element is rather basic.
Gu Jeolyub’s sword lacked the speed to reach its target.
That’s all there was to it.
Even if Hwangbo Cheolwi was weaker than Gu Jeolyub…
Gu Jeolyub wasn’t at a level to finish him off in one blow, so it certainly wouldn’t have ended decisively.
Jang Seonyeon’s gaze from afar held a different expression.
His smile had vanished, replaced by a calm demeanor.
I had no clue what kind of emotions flowed through him.
‘He appeared ready to charge in just now.’
Jang Seonyeon’s eyes, the movement of his feet, even how he was controlling his Qi.
Caught by that instinctive feeling, I couldn’t help but leap forward, completely unaware.
What would have happened if I hadn’t made that move?
If it were him, what would he have done?
Now, the murmurs, the stares directed at me, the burning heat riding up my spine due to the attention.
Had it all shifted to him instead?
Just like it had back then?
The moment our eyes met was fleeting.
For everyone else, it may have seemed merely a moment, yet in that instant, I managed to smile at him.
Did he notice my smile?
Jang Seonyeon’s eyes widened slightly.
‘That’s sufficient for now.’
There was no need for further provocation. Slowly, steadily…
Until it all culminated…
‘I’ll take everything from you.’
One by one, everything would belong to me.
That was the resolve I had forged.
I kicked at the seemingly lifeless Hwangbo next to me, saying, “Hey.”
The words were directed at the entourage surrounding the pig.
I could see their shoulders tense the moment I called out.
“What are you waiting for? Get this cleaned up.”
If they didn’t like my tone, their expressions clearly showed it.
Were they offended because a younger kid was speaking down to them?
Even if that were the case, I had no desire to treat them kindly.
Besides, I wasn’t interested in crafting a good impression here.
“Aren’t you going to do anything about it?”
Only after reiterating my demand did they begin to move. It seemed like they weren’t keen on throwing themselves into a confrontation.
Thank goodness they weren’t entirely brainless.
Hwangbo Cheolwi, dragged off, was drooling.
This was supposed to be his first appearance at the Dragons and Phoenixes Tournament too.
‘But now he’ll be remembered as the drool guy.’
I felt pity for him, but what could I do?
Blokes like him had to learn the hard way—to realize their place through humiliation.
Just like I had.
After Hwangbo Cheolwi was out of sight, I could finally focus back on Gu Jeolyub.
For some reason, Gu Jeolyub seemed rather nervous.
“What’s up with you?”
“Y-Yes!”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing…”
He flinched the moment I stepped closer. Seeing that made me scowl.
“What’s with that reaction? Anyone would think I was about to hit you.”
“…”
“…”
Yeah, I guess I did hit him before.
To break the awkward tension, I coughed lightly.
That’s that, then.
“But why do you keep causing problems?”
“…I’m sorry.”
“Who the heck wants to stir up trouble during the gathering, especially using Qi no less?”
…Didn’t I pull something similar in my past?
Well, no one remembers that anymore, right? So it never happened.
Gu Jeolyub looked disappointed thanks to what I said. It irked me to see a handsome guy with such an expression.
Thud!
“Ugh!”
I struck his head in what looked like a friendly manner. I didn’t use Qi, but it seemed the hit landed on a sensitive spot, causing Gu Jeolyub to stagger and collapse to the floor.
“Who do you think you are, the Second Elder? Why does charging forward into trouble always seem to be your first choice? Are you planning to do the same with the carriage later?”
“N-No…?”
“No, my foot. Didn’t you come here to keep me in check? Then why are you the one getting into trouble?”
“Um… that’s not it…”
“Do you even have anything else to say besides ‘no’?”
“…N…”
I felt like I kept losing the spotlight to Gu Jeolyub.
To put it more precisely, it felt like I was just cleaning up after his mess.
Gu Jeolyub seemed aware too; he was avoiding making eye contact with me.
‘Was he always like this?’
While I acknowledged how I’d changed since my first encounter, situations had an odd way of developing.
Luckily, I managed to avert a full-blown fight before it began, so it didn’t escalate into something serious.
It would have been a hassle if they had wrecked the place.
Thank goodness that didn’t happen.
Of course, if anything had broken, Gu Jeolyub would’ve been stuck dealing with it.
While I kept lecturing him, I picked up whispers floating around.
“He’s the son of the Tiger Warrior…”
“That was just now…”
“The Sword Phoenix…”
I turned my head, trying to pinpoint the voices that had drawn my attention.
I noticed the atmosphere around the hall had changed since then. Moments ago, they were reluctant to approach me, but now it seemed they were more wary.
‘Now they’re acting cautious around me.’
The glances thrown my way conveyed shock and watchfulness.
Was I too strong?
To be honest, I felt like I hadn’t done anything too outlandish.
Perhaps it was due to the fact that fewer had the discernment to figure out what had transpired, considering these promising talents hadn’t reached a higher martial level yet.
‘Counting, it’s around… four, five?’
About that many, at least from my observation.
“It really is a hassle.”
Can you believe I have to use power in a children’s play area? What am I, the playground bully?
I felt a rush of guilt creeping in.
But it was something that had to be done.
That was the simplest course of action to take, after all.
With their eyes glued to me, I returned to the corner where I had originally been standing.
“Y-Young Master Gu.”
Upon returning, I noticed Tang Soyeol was shivering while clutching her shoulders.
Did she catch a cold or something? What was going on with her?
“What’s wrong?”
“…I can’t stop shaking because you’re so cool.”
“Excuse me?”
Tang Soyeol blushed crimson while saying this, which made me involuntarily step back, caught off guard.
Her reaction seemed to startle her in return.
“Young Master Gu?”
“Um, I’m sorry. I was just momentarily shocked…”
She had such a peculiar expression that it was understandable for me to feel alarmed and retreat.
I felt bad seeing Tang Soyeol looking so pitiful, but there was nothing I could do about it now.
Namgung Bi-ah, who was enjoying the breeze by the window, approached Tang Soyeol and lightly rubbed her shoulders.
Was that meant to comfort her?
While observing that, I suddenly felt someone tugging at my sleeve.
Then came a delicate floral fragrance.
“Young Master! You were amazing…!”
As I looked to see who it was, it turned out to be Wi Seol-Ah, playfully lifting her veil.
The smile on her face showed a small dimple, prompting me to return a smile in kind.
At the same time, I gently pinched the bridge of her nose.
“Ouch…”
“I told you not to lift your veil.”
“But… it’s suffocating.”
That was understandable.
“But a no still stands.”
Wi Seol-Ah made a sulky face from my stern response, but she complied and lowered her veil once more.
“Just bear it for a few more days.”
“…Okay.”
I felt a bit guilty.
Part of making her wear a veil was related to her looks.
But mostly, it stemmed from my own anxiety.
‘…As much as possible, I need to ensure she doesn’t attract that bastard.’
While I didn’t anticipate anything occurring…
There was still no absolute assurance that everything would be all right.
‘Just a little longer.’
A few more days.
I only wished for Wi Seol-Ah to hang in there a tad longer, driven by my self-serving motives.
In other words…
A few days would suffice for me to quell my worries.
I still felt his eyes on my back.
That bastard was definitely looking elsewhere.
He was likely chatting with other young talents just like before.
But the fact I could still sense his scrutiny from behind suggested he still had me in mind.
‘I don’t dislike that.’
It didn’t feel bad at all, especially since it was something I had been hoping for.
Hopefully, he would continue to observe me that way.
So he could more clearly feel his impending despair later on.
After Hwangbo Cheolwi exited the banquet, and Gu Yangcheon returned to his position…
“…What on earth just happened?”
“Isn’t the person who just collapsed a blood relative of the Hwangbo clan? How could he be subdued so easily…?”
The previously jovial conversations had taken a serious turn in an instant.
Smiles were replaced with solemnity, and discussions shifted to a serious tone.
The scene had been astonishing enough.
To think that someone as massive as Hwangbo Cheolwi would go down so effortlessly.
Moreover, he had been defeated by a boy barely half his size.
“I heard he’s a blood relative of the Gu clan.”
“The Gu clan… is that related to the Tiger Warrior?”
All eyes shifted toward the boy nestled in the corner of the hall.
A black-haired boy with a hint of red glimmering in his eyes and a terrifying smile that emanated an aura of danger.
He looked entirely different from before.
To be precise, the whole atmosphere had shifted dramatically.
Just moments earlier, he hadn’t seemed significant in the least.
However, his seemingly low-key presence stood out most significantly compared to the other renowned young figures.
This was an astonishing contrast to the expectations.
“I didn’t even see him move.”
“…That’s likely because we were profoundly focused on the other two engaged in battle…”
“True… And it’s impossible to assume he’d evade our sights; it must have been a miraculous surprise attack that worked out.”
Even though they all witnessed the event firsthand, believing it had actually happened was hard.
‘Such fools.’
This was what Jang Seonyeon thought while smiling at the foolish claims of the other prodigies.
‘Did they genuinely believe it was a surprise attack?’
‘And there’s no way he avoided our eyes? Those ill-bred miscreants.’
‘He was merely that fast.’
Fast enough that their eyes couldn’t keep up.
A surprise attack?
He had just blatantly walked up and struck the chin, after all. Jang Seonyeon had witnessed the fluidity of those movements.
The precision that came with them was unbelievable.
That this dialogue transpired even after observing such talent was an unfortunate scapegoat of the uninformed.
“What do you think, Young Master Jang?”
The focus turned to Jang Seonyeon once again.
The intent behind their expressions was clear; they yearned for him to echo their thoughts.
Jang Seonyeon forced a smile and replied, “…I’m not sure either; I didn’t see it well myself.”
He hadn’t seen it. That sentiment was genuinely true.
Jang Seonyeon failed to observe properly how Gu Yangcheon had made his moves.
Despite focusing intensely on Hwangbo Cheolwi…
‘How could I let that slip?’
As far as he was concerned, he expected to only need to be wary of the Five Dragons and Three Phoenixes during tonight.
This unexpected turn of events left him taken aback.
His father had already informed him beforehand about Gu Yangcheon.
– “He brought a recommendation letter from the Dishonored Venerable.”
It was a recommendation from a Heavenly Venerable. Jang Seonyeon questioned if Gu Yangcheon might have been a student of the Lord of the West, the Dishonored Venerable.
But based on what he had learned, that didn’t seem accurate.
As Jang Seonyeon cast his mind back to when he had clasped Gu Yangcheon’s hand, an odd feeling stuck with him.
‘Did he seem to regard me with hostility?’
A fleeting moment, yet he distinctly felt it. Gu Yangcheon’s unease toward him.
‘What might be the reason?’
‘I hadn’t done anything to earn such treatment.’
Jang Seonyeon, who excelled in acting, knew that even his father, the Harmonic Sword, carried no knowledge of his true persona. Thus, this disquiet left him perturbed.
‘It must just be a misunderstanding.’
That was the conclusion to reach. Should it not be…
‘It might be worthwhile to investigate further.’
It was more prudent than living in doubt.
While Jang Seonyeon pondered this way, the others continued discussing Gu Yangcheon’s exploits.
“Or perhaps the blood relative of the Hwangbo clan just lacked strength compared to expectations?”
One voice suggested, and silence fell over the group briefly as they began to nod slowly.
Rather than believing it as a truth, it felt more like they were imposing it as an explanation.
“As Young Master Bi remarked… that might be it.”
“Absolutely. I’d heard similar rumors about that blood relative of the Gu clan, about how he was a notorious troublemaker. They say he’s lazy, weak, and possesses no talent in martial arts…”
Tsk-.
Jang Seonyeon couldn’t help but click his tongue at such drivel.
Despite being fortunate others showed no sign of hearing it, he was grateful all the same.
‘What level of shame must they carry?’
Were these the very people who would one day represent the Orthodox Faction?
‘Should that prove true, it’ll leave me incredibly disappointed.’
They not only lacked intelligence, but they also possessed rotten judgment.
‘Now I begin to feel pathetic for putting on a mask of smiles before them.’
‘How disheartening.’
‘Low standards are somewhat acceptable; it’s even beneficial.’
‘It means I will appear more outstanding. I can only hope they stay this foolish till the end.’
‘But I do wonder what his true strength entails.’
While he conversed with others with a facade of politeness, thoughts of Gu Yangcheon consumed him.
Not being able to decipher him suggested he was either stronger or at least comparable to him.
‘But how is that even plausible?’
Which only compounded the mystery.
‘I could have sworn the Gu clan was not part of Meteor.’
Jang Seonyeon’s eyes glimmered quietly.
Examining Gu Yangcheon’s physique made it evident he hadn’t undergone any enhancements, and although he seemed to suppress its flow, it felt like a typical Qi.
Did this imply Gu Yangcheon reached his current martial arts level through sheer self-efforts?
‘He probably hasn’t completely faced his wall yet.’
‘Doubtful he has reached the peak realm; after all, in the history of martial arts, no one has scaled such heights at such a tender age.’
So, did this imply he struggled against an oncoming wall?
Even that was astonishing in its regard.
‘I must ascertain the truth.’
Behind his smile, plans began forming in Jang Seonyeon’s mind.
After all, this was the one thing he excelled at more than anyone else.
“Haha, so…!”
-!
Just as Jang Seonyeon prepared to slide seamlessly back into performance, he suddenly halted.
His body felt like it was bristling with an electric charge.
A biting prickling sensation stabbed at the back of his neck. An icy chill enveloped him, as if sharp blades were aimed at him from every direction, leaving him paralyzed.
‘Killing intent?’
Jang Seonyeon’s gaze darted around for any signs, but with the others seemingly unaffected, he perceived himself alone in the sensation.
‘Who could it be?’
Could one person truly unleash such precise killing intent aimed solely at another?
Fortunately, the pressure bearing down on Jang Seonyeon quickly lifted.
If gauged by time, it had lasted perhaps two breaths’ worth of air.
Immediately, Jang Seonyeon placed a hand on his sword, scanning enthusiastically but found only prodigious young talents engaged in low-key chatter.
A momentary inspection of his palm revealed it coated in cold sweat.
He scoured his surroundings yet found nothing amiss, as if this sensation were merely figments of his imagination.
While he looked around nervously…
Wi Seol-Ah quietly observed from a distance.
Her expression was eerily devoid of emotion.
“What are you doing?”
At the sound of a voice at her side, Wi Seol-Ah’s countenance lifted brightly.
Like nothing had happened.
“Um…! I did nothing!”
With Wi Seol-Ah’s energetic exclamation, Gu Yangcheon grinned and ruffled her hair.
The contact was choppy yet gentle, and Wi Seol-Ah leaned into his hand.
That first day concluded as the name “Gu Yangcheon” etched itself into the minds of all present prodigies.
And like that, the next day arrived.
The day of the Friendly Martial Arts Competition, considered the highlight of the Dragons and Phoenixes Tournament.
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