### Chapter 158
The Thing I Wanted to Show You (2)
When the semifinals bracket was revealed, I didn’t react much.
It wasn’t much different from what I expected.
If you look at the bracket, the Lightning Dragon should’ve been here.
Their calculations must have pointed to that.
After all, they probably hadn’t calculated that I would make it this far.
‘…Though Namgung Bi-ah was unexpected.’
It was indeed a surprise for me too that Jang Seonyeon would be facing Namgung Bi-ah.
I naturally thought I would be up against Namgung Bi-ah first, with Jang Seonyeon going against Moyong Hi-ah.
‘That would’ve made a better story for him as well.’
Was there some behind-the-scenes maneuvering by the Murim Alliance?
Or were they scheming something?
Since I held no trust in the Alliance, thinking deeper only brought me gloom.
“How are you seeing it?”
Tang Soyeol asked me.
What did she mean by that?
“I’m just seeing it.”
“…”
Seemingly dissatisfied with my answer, Tang Soyeol looked at me with exasperation.
She seemed to be expecting something more profound, but alas, I had nothing to say.
It wasn’t like I could suddenly go harping on about how the bracket was garbage.
There wasn’t any ground to argue over.
I shifted my gaze to the back.
In the direction where Namgung Bi-ah was.
Namgung Bi-ah, who was there with me, was naturally looking at the bracket as well.
‘She doesn’t seem particularly bothered.’
Truly, it looked like she was just staring at it.
Judging by her usual blank expression, she seemed to be unfazed.
‘It would be even weirder if her expressions changed, honestly.’
While Namgung Bi-ah likely knew nothing of Jang Seonyeon, it made sense for her to be indifferent towards this bracket.
After continuously staring, her eyes met mine, and Namgung Bi-ah tilted her head slightly.
She looked like she didn’t understand something.
Then, she approached me gracefully on light feet.
She got close enough that her hand could probably reach me if she wanted.
“What’s… wrong?”
It came out of the blue.
What was she getting at?
“What do you mean?”
“Your expression…”
My expression?
At her words, I instinctively touched my own face.
Was I making some weird face?
I didn’t believe I was, though I thought I was wearing a rather poker face.
But perhaps to Namgung Bi-ah, it didn’t look that way.
“Why are you worried about me?”
Her words left me momentarily speechless.
What on earth did she mean?
“When have I ever worried about you?”
“Right now… you are.”
Namgung Bi-ah’s soft hand brushed against my eye.
“You’re… worried about me?”
I didn’t respond when she looked deeply into my eyes.
Funny enough, I couldn’t.
All I had to do was say no, but my tongue was like a stone, refusing to budge.
‘Was I actually worried about her?’
I didn’t even realize it myself.
If that were true, then what could Namgung Bi-ah have noticed in me?
Breaking the silence, Namgung Bi-ah added with a cold tone,
“Do you think I’ll lose…?”
My lips, tightly shut, forced themselves to move.
“…No.”
Because of that, my answer was delayed.
And it seemed Namgung Bi-ah interpreted it differently.
Honestly, I didn’t think she would lose.
Seeing as the only contender with any chance against her was my mad sister Gu Huibi.
But my delayed response had more to do with that gnawing unease within me.
I didn’t know why it felt this way.
This mysterious discomfort kept feeding my frustration.
Namgung Bi-ah seemed to pick up on my unsettled mood.
“…It’s fine.”
It was a quiet voice.
So quiet that only I could hear.
‘What does she think is fine?’
I swallowed those words.
It felt wrong to say anything like that right now.
“I’m… fine.”
It felt strange.
It felt like she was talking to me, yet somehow not.
I just kept staring into Namgung Bi-ah’s eyes.
Only after a while did I begin to decipher something.
‘Is she actually nervous?’
Namgung Bi-ah was nervous.
It was hard to notice since she wasn’t the type to reveal such emotions.
I asked her while observing her closely.
“Are you okay?”
No response came.
I had no clue what she was actually nervous about.
It didn’t appear like she was tense about her match with Jang Seonyeon.
“Hand.”
After hearing Namgung Bi-ah’s curt reply, I carefully grasped her hand.
It felt like she was urging me to hold it.
In fact, as I held her hand, she closed her eyes.
“Are you nervous?”
I asked, but Namgung Bi-ah simply shook her head.
After standing still for a bit as if concentrating, she pulled back her hand a step.
“I’m fine.”
She had said that three times already.
At this point, real concern began creeping in.
Why did she keep insisting that she was alright? What was on her mind?
Out of my strange disposition, I smiled lightly and asked,
“If you’re not feeling well, do you want to forfeit?”
Namgung Bi-ah shook her head firmly.
“No.”
She sounded so resolute that her usual flappiness had vanished.
Could she actually have kept it all controlled?
As I ruminated on that thought, Namgung Bi-ah continued,
“I’m not forfeiting…”
“I figured as much. Just asking.”
Forfeiting in a duel was something that young prodigies despised, to the point that they’d rather die than do it.
Facing defeat was palatable, but willingly forfeiting? Never.
That’s the pride for all in their age group.
‘Though I doubt Namgung Bi-ah cares about something like that.’
From time to time, I wondered what was going on inside Namgung Bi-ah’s head.
Now was one of those times.
What thoughts occupied her mind now?
What was she thinking, sporting that expression?
‘She looks like she’s gearing up for battle…’
I may have exaggerated a bit, but that’s how it appeared to me.
Namgung Bi-ah, after letting go of my hand, seemed to murmur something under her breath.
It appeared she had more to say.
Though I felt a bit impatient, I held back from pressing her.
“…I’m fine.”
Her response was the same as before.
But it held a slightly different tone this time.
It felt like she had something else to add.
“Believe in me… Just watch me closely…”
What a manner of speaking without context.
She didn’t clarify what she was referring to at all, yet her request remained unaltered.
She really had no intention of making it easy for me, it seemed, and I was left deciphering it once more.
“When did I ever not believe in you?”
I not only hadn’t displayed my faith in her, but I also didn’t believe I had ever doubted her.
I didn’t grasp what was within Namgung Bi-ah’s thoughts.
She never provided that it meant anything special to her.
Wasn’t that comprehensible?
Considering Namgung Bi-ah’s nature, she didn’t come across as someone aiming for greatness.
“…To make you trust me…”
That made it even more so.
“I’ll show you.”
I wasn’t privy to what emotions Namgung Bi-ah had as she spoke those words to me.
Just before the semifinals were about to start, the audience remained packed tighter than during the quarterfinals.
This was because more spectators had gathered to catch the semifinals.
And surely, when it came to the finals, far more people would show up than now.
“Who do you think will win?”
That was usually the kind of chatter spectators engaged in before a duel.
“Hmm… That’s a pretty hard question.”
By this time, the Lightning Dragon and the Poison Phoenix had both been eliminated.
It made predicting the winner seem almost impossible.
“Still, wouldn’t it be the Snow Phoenix?”
“Hmm…”
A rather uncertain reaction.
Although the Snow Phoenix from the Moyong Clan hadn’t been eliminated yet, for some reason, not many believed she would win.
“The remaining ones are from the Moyong Clan, the Gu Clan, the Namgung Clan, and the Taeryung Clan?”
“Right, it’s just the bloodlines from noble clans left. I expected this would happen, but still feeling a bit disheartened about it.”
“Oh right, Cheon, didn’t you mention that your child was participating in this tournament too?”
At that, a man named Cheon gave a series of fake coughs.
But someone else jumped in to speak for him.
“Hey, you clueless fool! Didn’t he get eliminated in the first round? Don’t bring that up; it’ll just embarrass Cheon…”
“You said that at such a high volume… You’re worse than him!”
“Everyone already knew he wasn’t gonna last long. He only got in because of the donations you poured into the Alliance.”
“Going to keep poking at my sore spots? I’ll return the favor too.”
“Hey, everyone, quit bickering and focus! Who do you think is actually going to win?”
“Why even ponder that? The son of the Harmonic Sword will of course win.”
“Huh? Not the Snow Phoenix?”
“This guy is just slow at picking up rumors; he really is a merchant! The news about the Taeryung Clan’s son has already spread everywhere.”
“Rumors?”
“Yeah, they say a new star has emerged.”
Rumors often begin from nowhere,
But merchants are the ones who spread them.
Merchants keep their ears peeled at all times.
To stay aware of the world’s tides is essential for business.
Naturally, that’s how they earn money.
That’s why they make significant donations to the Murim Alliance as well as the Beggar’s Sect, ensuring they get news faster than the crowd does.
They seemed to be talking with such enthusiasm, as if they got the info early from the Beggar’s Sect.
Merchant Cheon, who ran a middle-sized shop in Hanam…
Upon hearing all this, he couldn’t help but wear a somewhat reluctant expression.
He wasn’t like the other merchants; he had been too engrossed in watching earlier duels.
He had kept an eye on the previous round closely.
‘So they wouldn’t know.’
Merchant Cheon didn’t pay much consideration to what they said.
As they suggested, the son of the Harmonic Sword was indeed a remarkable figure.
He shared a striking resemblance with the Alliance Leader, having a charming and handsome appearance…
Yet he also possessed talent.
In the quarterfinals yesterday, the son of the Taeryung Clan had effortlessly claimed victory over his opponent.
He truly exemplified the title of the Alliance Leader’s son.
However, for some unknown reason, Merchant Cheon found his thoughts drifting towards a different figure.
‘Was it the blood relative of the Gu Clan?’
The young warrior, with a fierce expression, had black hair subtly tinted with red.
He was the boy who had defeated the Lightning Dragon.
His performance had left such a profound impact that it couldn’t easily be forgotten.
The spectacle of flames leaping in the arena electrified those in attendance.
The Lightning Dragon couldn’t even utilize his full strength and ended up spitting out blood.
That was the immensely powerful Lightning Dragon from the mighty Namgung Clan, who faced such a disgraceful defeat.
So how could anyone believe that the son of the Harmonic Sword would become the victor?
‘I find it curious that word of that fight hasn’t spread widely.’
Merchant Cheon realized that the rumors about that duel were only slowly beginning to circulate after the day had passed.
Normally, news would have circulated quickly after a fight, especially with the Beggar’s Sect involved.
There was no chance that any sect would lag regarding information.
This struck Merchant Cheon as a rather odd phenomenon.
“Then do you believe the child of the Taeryung Clan will win as well?”
The man who had been bubbling with chatter came to such a pause, causing those listening to nod.
“His opponent is from the Namgung Clan, correct?”
“Hmm? Didn’t the Namgung Clan already suffer eliminations?”
“Turns out there’s one more; she’s said to be the sister of the Lightning Dragon.”
“Namgung Clan has a daughter? That’s news to me… How did I miss that?”
“She’s even rumored to be very strong; they say she won her quarterfinal match in one strike.”
Merchant Cheon had witnessed that fight too.
There wasn’t an ounce of exaggeration. She indeed made her opponent submit with a single blow.
‘…Though the opponent seemed a bit peculiar.’
Even with limited knowledge of martial arts, the duel yesterday appeared to possess an absurd element.
The person did something odd with their footwork and ended up losing because of it.
‘Surely, they didn’t trip over themselves.’
Surely, martial artists don’t mess up like that before an attack.
Perhaps it was just a unique art of theirs.
‘Hmm…? Speaking of, I think that boy had the Gu surname too.’
He seemed to share the same surname as the boy who overcame the Lightning Dragon.
“Anyway, no matter how you say it, the victory will definitely go to—”
The man, who previously had been passionately praising the son of the Taeryung Clan, fell silent all of a sudden.
Merchant Cheon sensed something odd.
If it had merely been the man’s silence, he might have brushed it off; however, the entire surrounding fell quiet as well.
“What’s…?”
He started to inquire about what was happening when he looked around and saw that everyone else was just as quiet.
Someone began to ascend the wide arena stage.
Her hair danced beautifully with the mild breeze, appearing almost silk-like.
Yet that wasn’t the only alluring feature; her fair skin appeared to hold a brilliant sheen, and her eyes sparkled like jewels.
“Haa…”
“…Ho…”
She left the spectators in awe.
“Good heavens… She’s stunning…”
How could a mere human exude such beauty?
The woman possessed a face captivating enough to incite desires even among those typically unmoved.
‘…Why?’
While gazing at her, Merchant Cheon couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.
‘Why does she feel different from yesterday?’
He remembered how when he watched the duel yesterday, she didn’t present that kind of aura.
Yes, she was beautiful, but it had been nothing so memorable as this moment.
Then, who was the woman standing here now?
She looked the same, yet the essence she radiated was on a completely different level.
After all, even the mental fortitude of a seasoned merchant who had met countless people over time began to waver before her beauty.
“…She’s beautiful.”
“Namgung has treasures… If my daughter looked that good, I’d keep her hidden from the world.”
As the woman reached the top of the stage, Namgung Bi-ah adjusted her hair behind her neck, taking in the myriad gazes around her.
As her neck became visible, the murmurs only grew louder, yet Namgung Bi-ah paid them no mind.
Instead, she calmly retrieved a decorative piece from her belongings and adorned her hair with it.
A crescent moon-shaped hairpiece; a gift from that boy.
In the midst of so many people, she didn’t register any stench that made her wince.
Which meant he was most likely watching her from somewhere.
That knowledge alone brought her a sense of serenity.
After she finished tidying her hair, her opponent stepped onto the stage as well.
‘…’
Jang Seonyeon… if I recalled correctly.
There was no apparent reason, but he was the boy Gu Yangcheon vigilantly watched.
Gu Yangcheon seemed to make an effort to mask this fact, yet Namgung Bi-ah could tell.
Jang Seonyeon approached the arena with measured steps and walked toward Namgung Bi-ah.
Namgung Bi-ah didn’t flinch away.
“Pleased to meet you. I am Jang Seonyeon of the Taeryung Clan.”
He greeted her formally. Namgung Bi-ah paused briefly before responding.
“…Namgung Bi-ah.”
Strangely, Jang Seonyeon was a character who didn’t give off a strong stench at all.
It would be a stretch to say he had none whatsoever…
But it was mild enough not to be bothersome.
Remarkably, he was the second most tolerable figure for Namgung Bi-ah next to Gu Yangcheon, as his presence was casually understated.
However…
‘…I don’t wish to be anywhere near him.’
Even without any stench, a vague discomfort surged within her.
She couldn’t pinpoint why, but being around Jang Seonyeon felt utterly off.
“It’s a pleasure. I didn’t know the Lightning Dragon had such a beautiful sister.”
Namgung Bi-ah thought that his courteous smile made him rather handsome…
But at this point, she preferred a more intense gaze than his cordial grin.
It wasn’t that she ever cared for that kind of smile, to begin with.
Jang Seonyeon’s mind was also occupied with thoughts as he examined Namgung Bi-ah.
‘The Namgung Clan, huh?’
There was one detail that struck Jang Seonyeon as he looked at Namgung Bi-ah.
‘She’s beautiful. Too beautiful.’
Her beauty was something nearly indescribable,
To the extent Jang Seonyeon felt himself compelled to employ Qi to avoid falling for her allure.
As breathtaking as she was, her beauty didn’t reveal how much talent she possessed.
‘I wonder how strong she really is.’
‘The Lightning Dragon and the Poison Phoenix, whom I thought would be the most daunting opponents, have both fallen to me. No one left stands a chance against me.’
Except for one person.
‘Gu Yangcheon.’
The name stirred unease within Jang Seonyeon.
Whenever mentioned, it grated on his nerves.
His trickeries…
His underlying animosity…
And that glance he shot him; they all struck a nerve.
– Do you truly believe you can defeat that monster?
Peng Woojin’s words from all that time ago still echoed in his mind.
‘Do I believe I’ll win? How foolish to even ponder that.’
‘I will absolutely win.’
‘I’m different from him.’
‘There’s no way I’ll lose to someone without anything to show for it.’
‘Even if he scales the wall and approaches the peak, it means nothing without the ‘energy’ coursing through him.’
‘The Lightning Dragon wasn’t able to utilize it properly due to the energy failing to seep into his body, hence his loss.’
‘But me, I’m on a different level.’
Even his excessive arrogance…
‘It’ll all crumble when he faces me.’
That was Jang Seonyeon’s resolve.
Thus, the highest position would belong to him.
‘Even if I can’t become the Heavenly Dragon.’
Jang Seonyeon understood he couldn’t attain the title of Heavenly Dragon, given the deal struck between the Alliance and Shaolin…
Yet he was already satisfied with that.
This would be the start that would eventually lead him to the apex.
He was a person capable of stepping into such shoes.
Jang Seonyeon’s gaze landed on the woman before him.
She had become the most beautiful woman he had ever encountered in his life.
And he also heard rumors that she was engaged to Gu Yangcheon.
With that reminder, a smirk crept onto Jang Seonyeon’s face.
‘He should be aware of his place.’
It seemed Gu Yangcheon attracted good fortune in women he wasn’t quite deserving of.
Seeing how Namgung Bi-ah’s beauty alone ignited a wild longing inside Jang Seonyeon.
But oddly enough, despite her alluring eyes, her expression remained somewhat vacant.
This led Jang Seonyeon to question if she truly belonged to the Namgung Clan.
There was a sense about her that screamed nobility yet possessed an inexplicable emptiness.
“Semifinals.”
At the referee’s declaration, Jang Seonyeon calmly raised his sword.
He needed to shake off his thoughts and focus.
‘I don’t wish to exert too much power, so I should wrap this up quickly.’
In Jang Seonyeon’s eyes, Namgung Bi-ah had plenty of weaknesses.
Holding her sword like that also made her appear as though she were resigned.
‘What’s her plan, I wonder.’
If her tactic was to beckon for carelessness, she had already failed.
‘I never lower my guard.’
Jang Seonyeon charged his Qi and concentrated on Namgung Bi-ah.
“Namgung Clan’s Namgung Bi-ah vs. Taeryung Clan’s Jang Seonyeon.”
As the match was about to commence, Namgung Bi-ah’s posture remained unchanged.
She stood holding her sword down, merely observing Jang Seonyeon with her usual vacant expression.
‘Maybe she really has given up.’
Just as Jang Seonyeon was contemplating how placid she seemed,
“Begin!”
Wanting to finish quickly, he didn’t waste a moment.
As soon as the referee announced, Jang Seonyeon unleashed his Qi and lunged forward.
“…!”
No, he tried to move.
“…What.”
But Jang Seonyeon found himself unable to move as he had intended.
His sword, charged with his Qi, began to tremble unsteadily.
His once calm breaths now turned erratic in an instant.
And his firmly planted legs refused to budge, as though they were stuck in place.
“Huff… Huff.”
Struggling to recalibrate his breathing while stabilizing his Qi, the trembling of his sword refused to relent.
Then, Jang Seonyeon looked at Namgung Bi-ah with wide eyes, astonishment written all over his face.
Crack.
A harsh grinding noise resonated as his teeth ground against one another.
Of course.
If he wished to face the impending aura, he had no choice but to endure it.
Cold sweat streamed down his face, and the chills running down his spine were bone-deep.
There was a crushing weight holding him immobile.
‘That’s where it’s coming from…’
Jang Seonyeon’s gaze zeroed in on the figure.
It was Namgung Bi-ah standing there with her sword pointing downward, unmoving as before.
The aura radiating from her was so overpowering that it rendered his body rigid.
How could this possibly be?
“…No.”
He flinched.
The whispering voice, soft as silk, caused his eyes to widen in surprise.
His body tensed at the unexpectedness of it all.
He wondered what she planned to say.
Then, Namgung Bi-ah continued, her unwavering gaze aflame as she faced Jang Seonyeon.
“Aren’t you… coming…?”
These were the words Gu Yangcheon often uttered to his contenders.
And also what Namgung Bi-ah yearned to say someday.
My site has received a lot of DMCA notices, lol. From now on, I will update the MTL on https://darkmtl.com/.
The site is fast and lightweight because there are no ads yet. However, the theme is different from Cybor-TL, so take some time to familiarize yourself.
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.