Chapter 215: Omen (2)
The sky was painted with the hues of sunset.
As the sky slowly turned a reddish hue, the bright sunset light reflected off her hair.
It looked almost golden, like a blonde.
The reason I was startled was not just that.
Her gaze was unusually cold, and the way she addressed me felt all too familiar yet different from usual.
– Young Master Gu.
It was as if she was calling me the same way she did in a past life.
Did I misunderstand?
But it was too clear for me to think that.
And it was certainly not a dream.
I was simply staring at Wi Seol-Ah with trembling eyes.
“Y-You… what did you just say…?”
My words stumbled out, tangled up in my emotions.
What if, just what if, Wi Seol-Ah had also traveled through time like I did? My heart raced at the thought.
If that’s true, what am I supposed to do about it?
Just as I was about to question her, my mind spiraled with those thoughts.
If that were the case, what could I do?
What would change?
I felt my body go rigid, as if it had turned to stone.
The emotion that bloomed in my heart was unmistakably fear.
I was afraid she might remember my past life.
Yeah.
All the sins I committed.
What if she remembered it all? I feared that we wouldn’t be able to maintain our current relationship if that were true.
That was the depth of my fear.
What an idiot I am.
Here I am worrying about something so trivial after everything that’s happened.
With a young body as my excuse, I couldn’t justify my feelings.
I was simply a pathetic human being, and I didn’t want to admit it.
My breath came in shallow gasps, and I found myself unable to voice my thoughts.
Silently, I peered into Wi Seol-Ah’s eyes.
What should I say to her?
If my suspicions were right, what should I say?
A thousand thoughts sprawled across my mind at once, but ultimately, I couldn’t utter a single word.
Only silence lingered in the air.
Then—
Drip…
A tear rolled down from one of Wi Seol-Ah’s eyes.
Curiously, the tear flowed only from one eye, enhancing her beauty and creating a peculiar atmosphere around her.
“What… why are you crying all of a sudden…?!”
Of course, I was taken aback and had no choice but to feel overwhelmed.
Why was she crying unexpectedly?
Even after spending so much time together, tears were always difficult to handle.
This was especially true when it came to Wi Seol-Ah.
What can I do?
With no idea about whether she had regressed or not, I stood there, flustered, as Wi Seol-Ah looked at me.
“… Why did you leave me behind…?”
Her voice was tinged with sorrow.
But oddly enough, that thought relieved me a bit. It didn’t seem like she’d regressed like I had.
Is she just heartbroken?
Watching her sob and see her expression crumble little by little, I recognized the current Wi Seol-Ah in front of me.
“My sister came with you, right…?”
Her pouty expression mirrored that of someone who felt mistreated, unmistakably that of the present Wi Seol-Ah.
Was I to feel relieved about this?
Or should I feel troubled because I’d have to comfort her?
“I didn’t bring her! She followed me by herself!”
“How could you! In the end, you went with her!”
Who would’ve guessed she would chase after me?
The most shocked one here is me!
How was I supposed to predict that she’d trail me all the way to the Black Palace after suddenly reaching the Peak Realm?
Truthfully, I had so many excuses at the ready but…
“Seriously… this is unfair.”
Yet in front of the crying Wi Seol-Ah, I could express none of them. I couldn’t just blurt it out like that.
Ugh.
I had run away at the last moment, leaving Wi Seol-Ah behind.
I had somewhat expected that something like this would spring up when I returned.
[So you expected it, but didn’t worry?]
I did worry!
But the worry had been pushed aside by all the chaos surrounding me.
“Why… aren’t you scolding me?”
“Huh?”
Wi Seol-Ah said, wiping her tears, leaving me confused. Scold her for what?
“For calling you Young Master Gu… why aren’t you saying anything about that?!”
“Huh?”
That title was different from before.
– Young Master Gu.
Did she want me to scold her for that?
“What is it? Do you want me to yell at you?!”
Was Wi Seol-Ah into that kind of thing? She didn’t seem like it.
Pouting slightly, she said, “It’s not like that…”
“Then what is it?”
Without answering, she turned her head away. She looked like she was sulking again.
“Uh…”
I pondered briefly on what to say. But seeing her wiping away her tears, the words that came to mind were simply one thing:
“I’m sorry.”
With a voice that sounded calm yet not, I spoke to Wi Seol-Ah.
“I’m sorry for leaving you behind.”
I repeated it just in case she hadn’t heard me the first time.
“It wasn’t for any special reason. It was dangerous, and I didn’t know if I could take you along.”
The reason I managed to bring Namgung Bi-ah wasn’t just because she followed me; she had reached the Peak Realm.
That fact allowed me to worry less.
“Is it because I’m weak?”
“Yeah.”
I responded straightforwardly.
I couldn’t protect Wi Seol-Ah at all times, and I didn’t want to drag her into a situation where anything could happen.
She didn’t seem too shocked by my answer. Simply wiping away her tears, she didn’t really react further.
After a moment’s hesitation, she softly said,
“You know, I wish Young Master wouldn’t get hurt.”
“I’m healthy. Can’t you tell just by looking?”
“But then why do you always come back injured…?”
“…”
Did I? I thought I’d gotten through this time without injury.
Though I nearly did get hurt.
“I’ll try my best!”
“Why do you keep saying that? You’re already working hard!”
That was how it appeared to me.
Disgruntled with my response, Wi Seol-Ah lashed out.
“You don’t know anything!”
She acted as if I was completely clueless.
Could it be about practicing her sword skills?
She was holding a wooden sword, but her swordplay didn’t look very promising.
I wasn’t an expert on swords, yet I didn’t think that was the right way to handle one.
Which suggests that the Sword Venerable isn’t the one training her.
If it had been the Sword Venerable, he definitely wouldn’t have taught her like that.
Her current technique was far too different from what I’d observed in my past life.
Well, it was similar, yet hard to put into words.
Something about it felt… off.
“It means you could be training her better, right?”
Eventually, it became apparent that the words she really wanted to say were:
“Don’t leave me behind again.”
I was so scared…
I didn’t ask what she was scared of.
Because for some reason, that felt uncomfortable.
“I’m sorry.”
I didn’t promise I wouldn’t do it again.
That would have been a lie.
I didn’t plan on dragging Wi Seol-Ah into dangerous situations in the future, but
I can’t let her just sit there and do nothing.
I’d learned that the Heavenly Demon already existed in this world, and having let the Palace Lord and the Heavenly Demon slip through my fingers,
I couldn’t allow Wi Seol-Ah to think we were living in a peaceful world.
Even if I don’t want her to take up a sword…
I thought she needed to be strong enough to protect herself.
Not as burdened as the Celestial Sword was in my past life, having to carry everyone’s expectations, but just strong enough to defend herself.
The Sword Venerable would have been the best person for training her, yet he hadn’t taken action.
What is he thinking?
I had no idea what was going on in his mind.
I truly didn’t believe the Sword Venerable intended to live his life as a servant to the Gu Clan forever.
I didn’t grasp why he was staying in the Gu Clan or why he hadn’t passed a sword to Wi Seol-Ah.
There must be something going on with him.
I always figured that one of the Three Venerables must have some personal matters.
But now, I needed to understand those circumstances in detail, especially after encountering the Heavenly Demon in the Misty Mountains.
As I recalled that shadowy child, I gazed at Wi Seol-Ah, who continued to weep before me.
They are different.
There was no doubt they were different people.
Sure, their smiles might look alike, and their strange aura might feel a bit similar, but she and that guy were entirely different creatures.
I can’t say there’s no connection between them…
But that point was something I needed to clarify.
“Young Master.”
“Hmm?”
“You’re thinking of something else again, aren’t you?”
“…No, I’m not.”
She caught me.
My habit of drifting into thought during battle could have caused me significant trouble, and I needed to correct it.
But that wasn’t an easy feat.
“Really? You’re not lying?”
“Of course not.”
“That can’t be true. Your face right now says you’re lying.”
Wha- what expression is that?
“You have a really strange face right now.”
“…?”
Though her voice broke slightly, there was a firm tone behind it.
Wow, that’s harsh.
Afterward, amid the sounds of her sniffles, I noticed the sky darkening.
And it was getting chilly.
While I didn’t feel the cold much, Wi Seol-Ah would be affected by it.
We had to head down soon.
“Let’s go down now, it’s getting cold…”
Grab.
I tried to suggest that we leave, but before I could finish my sentence, Wi Seol-Ah snuggled into my arms.
I wanted to urge her to leave, but the soft sound of her sniffles hindered my words, and I found myself gently running my hand down her small back for comfort.
I even infused a bit of warmth into her to stave off the cold.
She gripped me tighter, as if she wouldn’t easily let go.
But she’s stronger than I thought?
It felt like if I resisted her hold much longer, my ribs might just snap.
If I were an Ordinary person without any Qi, I might actually have been crushed.
“Let’s seriously go. Hongwa is going to be angry.”
Not at me, but at her.
Wuguhh…
“That’s a yes, right?”
Wi Seol-Ah nodded as if to affirm in my embrace.
Would this suffice?
I sincerely hoped so.
“Let’s go.”
“…Okay.”
Holding onto Wi Seol-Ah’s hand to prevent her from tripping, I noticed it felt unusually cold.
Perhaps it was the weather.
As we slowly made our way down the mountain before darkness fell, Wi Seol-Ah remained silent.
She only sniffled quietly.
All the while, I was preoccupied with the fact that her hand was growing warmer, even without me providing any warmth.
By the time Wi Seol-Ah had returned from the mountain and was scolded by Hongwa, Tang Soyeol was still outside the clan.
She had many things she wanted to say to Gu Yangcheon upon his return, yet she had other matters to attend to first.
She found herself in the streets of Shanxi, a place where Gu Yangcheon would often bring back snacks.
Phew…
Although it was a bustling place all year round, it wasn’t the biggest street in Shanxi.
Being so close to the Gu Clan made it one of the safer places, but…
The construction in the center caught Tang Soyeol’s attention.
Are they really building it?
It used to be a bar, now shutdown.
But they were now erecting an even bigger building—one intended for a well-known business.
Tang Soyeol knew very well about that establishment.
She had received a letter about it and couldn’t have been more familiar with its repute in the world.
That building belonged to the Moyong Clan from Liaoning.
As she stood there, observing the burgeoning construction, someone called out to her.
“You’re here early.”
“You summoned me here…”
“True, I did.”
A woman who matched the chilly spring night.
The Snow Phoenix of the Moyong Clan, Moyong Hi-ah, approached Tang Soyeol.
With a smile that didn’t quite fit the cold weather, she covered her face with an elegant fan.
“Even so, I didn’t mean for you to come immediately.”
“Is that true?”
“Though I might’ve felt a nibble of that desire hidden in my heart…”
With the subtle sway of her body, even Tang Soyeol, who was also a girl, found her captivating.
Once you fall into that swamp, escaping becomes quite the challenge.
That’s how Moyong Hi-ah appeared to Tang Soyeol.
“So, can I ask why Lady Moyong called me here?”
Tang Soyeol had been taken aback when she received the letter, but encountering Moyong Hi-ah made her not want to refuse.
Yet the fact that she hadn’t seen Gu Yangcheon left her feeling a little awkward.
Moyong Hi-ah noticed that and her eyes slanted into crescent shapes.
“Let’s step inside. It’s cold out here.”
“Can we?”
“Of course! I’ve heard the first floor is already completed.”
As she finished speaking, Moyong Hi-ah glided into the building.
As Tang Soyeol watched her, Moyong paused and turned to Tang with an additional comment.
“Don’t worry. I believe it will be good news for you as well.”
“Huh?”
She implied that the remaining details would be shared once inside, before stepping through the doorway.
Briefly hesitating, Tang Soyeol then followed her into the building.
And thus, the conversation between the two ladies extended well into the night.
By the time it passed midnight, the room of the Gu Clan’s Lord remained illuminated.
Gu Cheolun had plenty of inquiries and matters to tackle.
The mess that Gu Yangcheon created.
The Murim Alliance’s actions toward resolving the situation with the Black Palace.
The whereabouts of the missing Palace Lord.
The incident surrounding Gu Huibi.
And dealings involving the Moyong Clan.
The letters strewn across his desk were piled higher than ever before.
Though one could guess Gu Cheolun would be tired after moving back and forth for an extended period outside the clan.
His expression, however, remained as stoic as a blank canvas.
He continued to work with unwavering silence.
Rustle—Rustle—
The room was rife with the candle’s light and the sound of rustling letters.
Having indulged in the same motion tirelessly for that long,
he suddenly froze.
With resolute intent, he set aside everything on his desk and straightened up.
A visitor had arrived.
“Come in.”
Click—
The door to the Lord’s chamber creaked open, and someone stepped inside.
“I apologize for disturbing you at such a late hour.”
“It’s alright.”
The midnight guest was none other than the Sword Venerable.
Gu Cheolun turned to him. The Sword Master appeared fatigued and distressed, and the mighty presence he usually exuded seemed somewhat diminished.
Gu Cheolun could guess why he had shown up so late.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t support you with the recent events.”
“It’s fine.”
He was already aware that the Sword Venerable wouldn’t take action just for Gu Huibi.
Indeed, there was more afoot.
Curiously, he inquired of the Venerable.
“Did you come to see me because the preparation is complete?”
He asked calmly.
The Sword Venerable nodded slowly, exhibiting signs of tiredness.
“Correct.”
In that eerie quiet night—strikingly tranquil—
without even a single cricket to chirp in the silent midnight,
the Sword Venerable spoke without opening his eyes.
“Once the Immortal Healer has completed their preparations, I intend to depart.”
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