Chapter 235: Battlefront (5)
As the sun set and the twilight faded, night crept into the forest.
Rustle—
A gentle breeze weaved its way through the trees.
As the shallow moon rose high, drenching the ground below, Moyong Hi-ah strolled down the forest path.
Despite the warming weather, she still wore thick clothing.
And while her fair skin remained cool to the touch, unlike last year, she had learned the warmth of the sun.
Even the chill of the night breeze felt pleasant now.
Slowly, very slowly, while Moyong Hi-ah closed her eyes to feel the wind—
“I heard you were looking for me.”
Someone carefully approached her from nearby, speaking up.
To her surprise, it was Gu Jeolyub.
Opening her eyes, Moyong Hi-ah took in his appearance.
Gu Jeolyub looked somewhat fatigued, a sheen of sweat faintly clinging to him.
“You must’ve been training.”
“Just… stretching a bit…” he replied, a hint of discomfort in his tone as he subtly averted his gaze from her sharp eyes.
If Gu Jeolyub were to select the toughest individuals in this place, he’d rank the devil first, followed by the First Lady of the household, and right in front of him, the Snow Phoenix would take the third spot.
…Sigh.
Even now, look at her.
With a fan covering her mouth, the moonlight revealed her icy blue eyes gleaming ominously from behind the shadows.
Gu Jeolyub couldn’t shake the unease as he met the gaze of the Snow Phoenix.
Does the Young Master realize?
Typically, her eyes hold a different glint when she looks at others.
She is always assessing others’ worth, determining whether they could help or hinder her.
One might question her authority in judging another’s value, but her unique aura made such judgments appear rather natural.
Among all the members of the noble clans, Gu Jeolyub thought the Snow Phoenix exemplified nobility.
But what confuses me is why she acts so differently around the Young Master.
Strangely enough, the koud aura and piercing gaze that usually warded off others vanished before the Young Master, as if it never existed.
Seems like only the Young Master fails to realize that…
With a quiet sigh, Gu Jeolyub tidied up his disheveled clothing, remnants of his training.
“May I ask why Lady Moyong was looking for me?”
“Ah, it’s nothing major,” she replied, a small smile creeping across her lips.
A charming smile that might have once enchanted him now only felt ominous.
“We have matters to discuss, you know?”
The Snow Phoenix spoke in an unusually soft tone, which could only mean trouble for Gu Jeolyub.
“Um… what do you mean by that…?”
“I saved you, didn’t I?”
…!
Gu Jeolyub became mute at her words.
Moyong Hi-ah continued, unfazed.
“That martial artist from the Alliance— you left him there intentionally, knowing I would come, right?”
“Um… about that…”
“The Sword of Heroic Flame seems to be sneakier than I anticipated.”
He was caught red-handed.
What he thought was clever had been immediately seen through by Moyong Hi-ah.
Did she come to help me knowing that?
It felt only fair that he acknowledge her assistance after being saved by her.
As he concealed his trembling gaze and cold sweat, Gu Jeolyub cautiously replied, “I happened to have free time and thought it would be nice to see the Young Master’s face.”
Flutter—
Moyong Hi-ah waved her fan and walked closer to him.
“But now that I think about it, if there’s giving, there should also be receiving, don’t you agree?”
“Huh? I’m not sure what you mean…”
“Oh, is that so? Then, shall I inform the Young Master about your little escapade?”
“I’ll risk my life to fulfill what you wish!”
“I always liked that enthusiasm of yours, Sword of Heroic Flame.”
With another glimpse of her bewitching smile, Gu Jeolyub gulped down a lump in his throat.
“What exactly do you want me to do?”
“Oh, it’s nothing complicated. At first… I thought I wouldn’t need this, but given what happened earlier, I’ve changed my mind.”
“Huh?”
“I knew he was a bit slow on the uptake, but spending time with him showed me he was worse than I thought.”
Crack—!
Though her face was hidden by her fan, Gu Jeolyub could definitely hear something shattering from the other side.
Naturally, he pretended not to hear.
Moyong Hi-ah swiftly changed her expression and spoke with the same alluring smile.
“I want the Sword of Heroic Flame to assist me. It’s nothing too difficult—something you can manage.”
“Um, what if I were to… perhaps… refuse your request…?”
“Oh? Are you curious?”
With his curiosity piqued, Gu Jeolyub felt a chill run down his spine.
The atmosphere turned icy enough that even he, with less internal heat than Gu Yangcheon, felt it.
“I sincerely hope you don’t harbor that curiosity.”
As Moyong Hi-ah grinned mischievously, Gu Jeolyub couldn’t help but nod along.
…I need to switch up my priorities.
He felt certain that she posed a greater threat than the devil.
The past year at the front lines was hardly an enjoyable time.
For martial artists from Orthodox Sects like myself, the front lines were arguably one of the least desirable places to be.
In particular, the gu’s Fifth Swordsmen Army was active right near the action.
Thus, my year here was anything but harmonious.
Rustle—
As night fell, I walked through the forest with light steps.
The poisonous aura surrounding me no longer affected my current state.
In fact, I absorbed the unique energy emanating from the demons, energizing my body in the process.
I knew I shouldn’t get used to this power, yet it surprisingly assisted in controlling the beast within me.
Grr…
Especially in handling this damned creature that woke up constantly, demanding food.
Why are you whining for food just after waking up? I fed you earlier, you know!
Grr…
An opening to the demon realm had appeared nearby, so I hunted down a few demons just to stuff this creature, but it seemed it had already digested its meal and was angrily seeking more food.
No, you’re not hungry. You just want to gorge yourself, right?
…Grr.
This beast could easily survive weeks or even months on a single meal, yet here it was demanding more as if I’d starved it.
If you keep this up, I might just stop feeding you altogether.
When I mentioned that with a hint of annoyance, the whining stopped almost instantly.
With that, I clicked my tongue.
They always learn the lesson after I give them a scolding.
Whether it’s with people or beasts— a good beating is always the answer.
Tap—!
I lightly stepped on a tree branch, vaulting into the air.
As time passed, my body had grown stronger and larger, yet thanks to the energy within, I felt as light as ever.
“Well, that’s to be expected with the ridiculous amount I’ve consumed.”
Since stepping onto the front lines, I had devoured every form of energy from demons, so of course, I had changed.
In addition to energy, one significant change had occurred with my purification process.
It had become much faster than before.
Thanks to my Destructive Flame Arts, I could prevent the demonic energy from rampaging and cleanse it for my own use.
Having devoured so much demonic energy over the past year, the purification speed had indeed improved drastically.
I wonder if it benefits from being a martial art?
Even if that sounded absurd, it was the only rationale I could offer.
I just can’t wrap my mind around this.
Putting aside the beast in me for a moment, I was still puzzled why my Destructive Flame Arts could purify demonic energy.
It was definitely better than being unable to do so; however, I remained completely clueless.
As one’s level rises, their capacity to absorb energy increases. Once that energy hit its limit and started overflowing, the same process would iterate as time went by in pursuit of higher realms.
After enduring such an excruciatingly dull process repeatedly, I found one conclusion—
…My endlessly hungry tenant.
The beast asleep deep in my Dantian wasn’t stuck in one particular spot, nor was it residing in my Demonic Absorption Arts. Rather, it might be within my Destructive Flame Arts.
The faint sensation I could identify from the energy within me led me to that theory for some reason.
Grr…?
It always notices when I mention it.
I didn’t grasp much about this little monster.
That fateful day when confinement came about a year ago, the only thing I discerned was its “name.”
I still had no idea why it resided within my body, why it commandeered my energy without permission, or whether it was curbing my body from harm.
This means I needed to wrap up this cohabitation soon.
When is Elder Shin going to wake up anyway?
A year had already passed, and summer was right around the corner.
This meant the time Elder Shin had slumbered was nearing its end.
“Tsk.”
Moreover, I was approaching a point where I needed to leave the front lines and return to the clan.
Well, I could’ve returned long ago.
Ironically, after cleaning up the mess from half a year ago, I could have left the front lines right then. Yet, I had penned a letter to my father saying I wanted to remain.
There was still business to take care of.
Upon sending that letter, I claimed a duty remained as a member of the Gu Clan.
I had nearly died from embarrassment drafting that letter.
Duty as a member of the clan? Please…
I was already struggling to survive; the clan’s affairs weren’t my worry.
Ultimately, my choice to stick around the front lines, even as I’d been given the chance to escape, stemmed from a personal motive.
Of course, it was fun watching Gu Jeolyub squirm more than I expected.
But that too was nearing an end.
In a month or maybe even shorter, if my expectations were right.
Tap-tap!
As I leaped through the air a while longer, I sensed the presence of others from a distance.
Around ten individuals in total.
From their stances, it was clear they were well-trained martial artists. However, two specific presences stood out among the rest.
One radiated energy so fiery it felt like it could ignite the air, while the other emitted a sharp energy that sent shivers down the spine.
No signs of trouble, it seems.
I let out a relieved sigh, confirming there was no sign of injuries.
Adjusting my expression accordingly, I took a light leap toward the approaching group.
Tap—!
“Whoa.”
The moment they noticed my presence, the one at the front greeted me with apparent excitement.
“Little brother! It seems you missed your sister terribly, running here in a hurry like that!”
She smiled, spouting her usual nonsense.
The eldest daughter of the Gu Clan, referred to as the Sword Phoenix, Gu Huibi, stood before me.
“You sound like you’re giving me nightmares as soon as I see you.”
Her black hair danced in the breeze, maintaining its beautiful sheen.
The intensity of her energy had increased, even as she moved lightly.
This was evident—Gu Huibi had grown even stronger over the past year.
“Nothing major went down while sis was away, right?”
“Nothing major, just that some guy brought back another person or two, you know?”
Recognizing the meaning in my words, Gu Huibi’s brows furrowed slightly.
“…Again?”
“Again.”
“This guy is quite persistent, huh? Picking someone up every single time he goes out. Hmm, should I have a one-on-one with him after a while?”
Hearing her words made me silently pray for Gu Jeolyub.
Admittedly, I had bullied him, but he should appreciate that it’s thanks to me Gu Huibi wasn’t personally making his life hell.
If he realized that, perhaps he’d feel less nervous around me.
Honestly, that guy simply didn’t know how to show gratitude.
Tsk, tsk…
I personally boosted his level, entertained him to stave off loneliness, and even handled his mess for him.
So why does he tremble in fear every time he sees me?
Back in my day, no one would dare treat their benefactor like this…
Now that I think about it, I’m rather frustrated.
I should make him suffer a bit more.
When I return, I’ll double the difficulty.
“Big Sister is so touched! My little brother braved the night to come see her.”
“Just happened to be on duty.”
“You’re just embarrassed to admit it, aren’t you?”
…Did you suffer a blow to your head, sister?
To all appearances, Gu Huibi seemed perfectly fine, but her odd behavior made me wonder if she had suffered head trauma.
“I’ll say it again… I just happened to be on duty…”
Step.
I instinctively fell silent mid-sentence.
For a brief moment, it felt like the wind itself had paused, as if it too was captivated by her footsteps.
Those around us shifted, making way for her to walk through effortlessly.
Hush…
The breeze returned once more.
Moonlight cascaded down, enveloping the oncoming woman in its luminous glory, hers bluish-white hair shimmering almost as if cradling the moon.
How stunning.
It was like witnessing the personification of beauty itself.
“…”
I found myself captivated, staring at her without a word.
I surveyed her from top to bottom, taking in every feature.
Her hair remained pristine despite what was clearly a battle just fought, glowing even brighter.
The attire she wore for comfort showed no signs of wear.
It even made me question if she had entered combat at all, but the crackling energy I sensed revealed her commitment to the fight.
That makes sense.
With her skill, it was no wonder they all returned unharmed.
The woman approached me with an impassive expression, her deep blue eyes glimmering like the ocean. Finally, I spoke up.
“Did you eat?”
My blunt inquiry contradicted my feelings.
Even I noticed how lacking my question sounded.
After hearing my question, she stepped closer.
Our gazes, which had been level now seemed to have me looking down at her.
Slowly, she opened her mouth to reply.
“…I didn’t eat.”
Her response was short and somewhat shy.
“I said to eat if you’re going to be out and about.”
“……I’m sorry…”
“Make sure to eat when you return. I’ve set some aside for you.”
“Okay…”
She took another soft step forward.
Her movement was so gentle; it felt as though she might float away.
Along with her approach came an unfamiliar floral scent.
Why was that?
The flowers I had assumed had already bloomed to their fullest seemed to glow more vibrantly with time.
It reached a point where I felt I could never pluck them at all.
She drew near enough for me to touch her.
Slightly lowering her head, her hair waved gently, revealing the crown of her head to me.
“…”
What might seem like a random gesture held its reason.
It was a habit she had nurtured over the last several months.
Though the watching gazes behind her felt intrusive, I cautiously reached out and stroked her hair.
It felt just as soft as ever.
“Good work.”
“…Yeah.”
After I uttered a meaningless compliment, the awkwardness washed over me as I withdrew my hand. Namgung Bi-ah lifted her head, meeting my gaze.
“…Hm.”
A flutter of surprise hit me when our eyes met because Namgung Bi-ah was smiling.
“I told you not to smile like that.”
“Hmm…?”
“I said not to smile in public. That’s a weapon.”
Namgung Bi-ah’s beauty indeed was a weapon— a formidable one at that.
She responded with a note of indignation, “…I wasn’t smiling in public…”
“What about now?”
“…It’s only because I’m in front of you…”
…
I shouldn’t have asked.
Feeling heat rise within my ears, I turned away to look back at the path I had come from.
“…Let’s head back.”
Standing still was an awkward endeavor.
As I scratched the back of my head, an irritating sensation coursed through me.
-Oh, the two of you are quite the show.
“…”
I caught someone mumbling from behind.
It was unmistakably Gu Huibi’s voice.
While I heard every word, I chose to ignore it, continuing to move forward.
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