Chapter: 21
The Ancient Gu Clan of Shanxi. This is the subordinate family of the Gu Clan, under the leadership of the elder and uncle of the Tiger Warrior, Gu Changjun.
If the Gu Clan serves as the guardians of Shanxi, then another name for the Ancient Gu Clan is simply the sword of the Gu Clan.
This is largely because most of the martial artists from the Ancient Gu Clan become affiliated with the swordsmen of the Gu Clan.
Of course, there are external recruits selected through events like the Nine Dragons Tournament, but most of the swordsmen of the Gu Clan stem from the Ancient Gu Clan.
Slap!
A sharp sound echoed throughout the room. Gu Jeolyub’s head whipped to the side with the sound.
Drip.
A drop of blood trickled down from Gu Jeolyub’s mouth. Almost immediately, a chilling reprimand fell upon him.
“You incompetent brat.”
“…I apologize.”
“You couldn’t even handle one kid and ended up making me look bad instead.”
To Gu Jeolyub, this felt somewhat unjust. He had no way of knowing that Gu Yangcheon was hiding such power.
But in the face of Gu Changjun’s outburst, Gu Jeolyub didn’t dare to say a word.
“You foolish boy… you made a mistake just by being distracted by a servant!?”
Slap! Slap!
With each slap from Gu Changjun, Gu Jeolyub’s head twisted around, but he silently endured it without a choice.
“Why did you mess up?”
He struggled to answer the question.
However, under Gu Changjun’s cold gaze, he ultimately opened his previously sealed lips.
“It’s true I got distracted by the servant, but Gu Yangcheon’s skills were real. I didn’t let my guard down.”
Gu Jeolyub clenched his fist so tightly that it trembled.
His pride was stung.
He had to admit Gu Yangcheon’s worth despite previously dismissing him. But Gu Jeolyub was serious about martial arts.
What he witnessed from Gu Yangcheon was proof; it wasn’t mere coincidence or sloppiness, it was pure skill.
How many exchanges did they have? Just three? Four?
Curiously, even though he excelled in both martial prowess and physical strength compared to Gu Yangcheon, he still couldn’t claim victory.
Gu Jeolyub bit down on his trembling lips to hide his quivering.
“Then,”
Gu Changjun began.
“Why didn’t you break something while you were at it?”
“…Grandfather?”
“This is clearly the Ancient Gu Clan. Address me by my title.”
“I’m sorry… Lord.”
The tone of Gu Changjun’s voice was eerily cold, sending chills down Gu Jeolyub’s spine. He looked over his body, examining every inch.
“You’re spotless. No internal or external wounds. I can’t find a single flaw.”
What remained on him were just small bruises from the duel.
Gu Jeolyub had suffered significantly on his face during the duel, but there weren’t any marks on his body.
This merely indicated that Gu Yangcheon had controlled his strength by disabling his Qi while still causing pain.
‘A technique likely used by the unorthodox sects to torture.’
Gu Changjun stroked his long beard thoughtfully.
According to those watching, it was said that the Second Elder intervened just as Gu Yangcheon was about to inflict more harm on Gu Jeolyub.
‘Gu Ryoon… you’re meddling again.’
What even was his problem?
The Second Elder was always like this.
He was always trying to drag Gu Yangcheon into training, neglecting his duties as an elder while focusing solely on grooming him to be the Young Lord.
Gu Changjun found this aspect of Gu Ryoon to be quite displeasing.
He took no pleasure in the thought that just because one had the blood of the Gu Clan, they would inevitably ascend to become the Lord.
How could someone mediocre in talent and character simply take a throne?
No, was it only a matter of blood and character now?
Tsk!
Gu Jeolyub flinched at the sound.
“I don’t like how this is progressing.”
Gu Yangcheon, it seemed, might desire to become the Lord if this kept going.
‘How audacious.’
Gu Changjun struggled to suppress his rage upon hearing such words.
The reason that the Lord of the Gu Clan hasn’t casually dealt with Gu Changjun, despite knowing his ambitions, was because he was the master of the Ancient Gu Clan.
The sovereign of Shanxi might be the Gu Clan, but the sword of the Gu Clan is the Ancient Gu Clan.
What can the Gu Clan do without their sword?
The current Lord was powerful. The Tiger Warrior had entered his prime age, a peak in his martial career.
However, the identity of the Lord of the Gu Clan, the Tiger Warrior Gu Cheolun, was of a different matter altogether.
He should know that.
Gu Changjun also refrained from recklessly acting for the same reason; he too was a member of the Gu Clan.
Yet, a mere brat possessing only half of the Gu Clan’s blood dares to deliver me a warning?
“What should I do?”
Gu Changjun fixed his gaze firmly on Gu Jeolyub.
His grandson… there was no denying he was a talented boy.
The resemblance to the Sword Phoenix made sense.
He even reminded Gu Changjun of his deceased son.
Thus, it was imperative for Gu Yangcheon to remain in a contemptible state so that Gu Changjun could smoothly achieve his long-desired goal.
When he first heard that Gu Yangcheon had beaten Gu Yeonseo, he considered it a mere stroke of luck—both talented individuals still had room to err.
However, the shift in people’s perceptions could become problematic.
Especially during times like the present.
This was why he deployed Gu Jeolyub to challenge Gu Yangcheon.
Should Gu Yangcheon accept the duel, it merely exposes his foolishness. Should he decline? That offers a different advantage for Gu Changjun.
But now, he regretted his oversight; Gu Yangcheon had already turned into a nuisance.
A rather significant one nonetheless.
“Jeolyub.”
“Yes, My Lord?”
“What do you do if you come across a massive boulder while trying to reach your destination?”
“I would probably look for another way.”
“Wrong. You won’t achieve anything that way. You’ll only find yourself at a wrong destination.”
Gu Jeolyub couldn’t bring himself to meet Gu Changjun’s cold, piercing gaze.
“It’s good if you can shove it out of the way. But if you can’t, you’ll just have to break through it.”
But now isn’t the time. It’s too soon for action. Nothing is set in place.
If this persists, I may have no choice but to break it down.
Gu Jeolyub clenched his trembling body, trying not to reveal his fear.
“That was excessive.”
After the duel concluded and I finished bathing, the Second Elder said to me.
“What are you talking about?”
“At the end, what did you intend to do to Jeolyub?”
“I was planning to break his arm.”
Just enough to put him out of action for a month.
Martial artists regenerate quickly because of the Qi in their bodies, so this wouldn’t be an issue.
Upon hearing this, the Second Elder gasped.
“If you’d done that, the First Elder surely would have gone ballistic.”
“Then so what? I have no ambition to become the Lord anyway.”
“Oh no! How can you say such a thing? You are of the bloodline of the Lord. The only—”
“Yeah, the only son. That’s the only reason I can even exist in this clan.”
More aware than anyone, I had felt this while living my past life.
No matter what I did, no matter how I lived, I ended up being fated to become the Young Lord.
But would this life be different? I hoped it might be just a little.
“And in the end, you didn’t do it, right?”
I wanted to give that fool of a Lordship to that brat Gu Jeolyub.
I recognized the position of a Lord meant nothing to me; I knew well what that responsibility entailed.
Under no circumstance would my father grant the position to Gu Heebi or Gu Yeonseo. I understood that fully.
It wasn’t because I was the son; it was simply how the world worked.
I found it amusing how the First Elder was so oblivious to me, my ambitions, my desires, and yet attempted to claim a position I never wanted in the first place.
Strangely, the one yearning to flee was me.
Nevertheless,
‘I still need the name of the clan.’
When will I finally let this go?
There are so many issues piled up that I’ve buried this dilemma deep in the recesses of my mind.
“Young Master! Here’s your outfit!”
Wi Seol-ah brought over clothes as if she had been waiting.
While I was putting them on, I glanced at Wi Seol-ah.
When will she begin training with a sword?
As the direct disciple of the Sword Emperor, I assumed she would train under him…
Yet, she was stuck with servants the entire day, learning household chores and cooking.
Is it truly wise to teach a heavenly prodigy the ways of domestic labor…?
“Where did your grandfather go?”
“My grandpa said he was going to craft a bear.”
“A bear…? What sort of bear?”
If she was talking about bears, there’s one near us already.
The Second Elder.
I gave a fleeting glance at the Second Elder, who seemed to catch my thoughts as his eyebrow lifted slightly.
I quickly diverted my gaze.
“He also mentioned making an eagle, a chick, and a bear.”
“…Are you referring to those wooden sculptures outside?”
“Exactly!”
One day I noticed animal-shaped wooden sculptures appearing outside.
The Sword Emperor carved all of that…?
It was so skillfully done I assumed he had bought them from elsewhere.
The future pinnacle of the world learns household tasks, while the current pinnacle unknowingly whittles away my days carving sculptures.
Is this truly acceptable?
It doesn’t seem right to me in any sense.
“Grandpa carved them beautifully!”
I looked at Wi Seol-ah’s beaming face as she pointed at the wooden horse sculpture.
Then a thought crossed my mind.
Did she always have this kind of personality?
Her demeanor contrasted starkly with the Wi Seol-ah I had known in my past life.
I convinced myself that her youthful age explained it, yet there was still something strangely off about it.
My first true encounter with Wi Seol-ah in my previous life had been in this very winter.
How was she back then?
Was it similar to how she is now?
Why can’t I recall?
Uncertain, I was unable to pinpoint the nature of this hazy memory.
At the very least, she was significantly different from the Wi Seol-ah I had seen later.
Should a sharp sword ever take on human form, it would resemble her—someone who seemed ready to cleave anyone nearby in half with her icy glare.
“Are you crying, Young Master?”
At Wi Seol-ah’s words, I jolted and hastily wiped my eyes.
There were no tears present.
“What do you mean crying? You startled me.”
“No… it looked like you were crying.”
“Not at all. Now go on and eat some yakgwa.”
With a light punch on her head, Wi Seol-ah let out a squeak and dashed away.
I sighed, watching her retreating figure. In response, the Second Elder chuckled.
“You two seem to be enjoying yourselves.”
“Does this look like enjoying to you?”
“Isn’t it?”
“…Now that you mention it, it might look that way.”
I didn’t particularly care for how the Second Elder viewed us as little grandkids.
“Lord Second Elder, will you fulfill my request as promised?”
Upon hearing this, the Second Elder wore a sour expression.
“…I suppose I have to, since I gave you my word. What is it you wish to ask?”
I had only one request.
I planned to visit Sichuan within a month, and was going to ask for his assistance.
If anyone could devise a plan, it would be an Elder-level figure like him.
Of course, I’d need to spin a yarn, but this was the quickest way forward.
Yet, the Second Elder’s face looked bizarre after hearing my plea; almost as if he didn’t comprehend.
Was it because of my intent to journey to Sichuan?
“I find it hard to explain my reason for going to Sich—”
“No, that’s of no concern…”
“Huh? That’s not an issue?”
Is that not relevant? Why isn’t he curious at all…?
Without paying mind to my stunned expression, the Second Elder continued.
“Hmm… this old man is having trouble understanding your request.”
The follow-up statement was even more shocking.
“Why not just run away? Why look for a way around it…?”
“…”
This made me realize so much about how this old man lived during his younger days.
Slice, slice.
An elderly man was carving something from wood.
This man was, undoubtedly, the Sword Emperor; carving served as one of his small hobbies.
“Have you come? Lord Gu.”
“How have you been, Senior?”
The one seeking out the Sword Emperor was none other than the lord of the Gu Clan, Gu Cheolun.
“I have news regarding the task you requested. The Beggar’s Sect found a clue.”
The Sword Emperor’s hands froze at Gu Cheolun’s words. It should have been joyful news for him.
Yet, upon reading Gu Cheolun’s expression, he asked,
“…What has happened, Lord Gu?”
Gu Cheolun’s face bore a look of misfortune. After a brief pause, he uttered,
“…The Immortal Healer is currently in Anhui.”
Crack.
The carving knife in the Sword Emperor’s hand shattered at Gu Cheolun’s declaration.
Immediately, an aura began to seep from the Sword Emperor’s body.
Recognizing the potential danger, Gu Cheolun hastily surrounded the area with a Qi barrier.
“So…”
The Sword Emperor’s voice trembled significantly.
“…Does this mean we have no choice, Heaven Lord?”
Gu Cheolun closed his eyes. The Sword Emperor was in tears.
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