Chapter 4: Why Are You Here? (2)
One day, even as I grew older, I found myself causing a ruckus.
Reflecting on it now, I realize there was a moment when I crossed the line with my mischief.
For once, my usually expressionless father showed a rare look of anger, and the typically indulgent Grandmaster of the clan had to personally scold me for a significant wrongdoing.
As a result, my punishment from the clan was to be sent to the Five Sword Guard led by my eldest sister, where I had to endure for over half a year.
Of course, this damn personality of mine wasn’t going to change just because of that.
It was there that I first properly faced Wi Seol-ah.
It must have been a calamity for her.
And this meeting was something that shouldn’t have happened for at least another six months.
But here she was, right in front of me, in my own living space?
I was absolutely floored when I opened the door to find her face staring back at me.
What? Is this a dream? It has to be a dream!
“Right, I did stay up late last night…”
It must have been due to my exhaustion.
This is why people need their sleep.
Sighing, I was about to turn back and retreat into my house when I suddenly felt a tug on my clothes.
I turned around to see Wi Seol-ah tugging at the hem of my shirt with her delicate little hands.
…Wait, could this be real?
“I… I…”
Just then, someone else popped up and swiftly slapped her hand away.
“Ow!”
She let out a short yelp as she recoiled, and I was left staring wide-eyed at the scene unfolding.
Not only was Wi Seol-ah here, but the Sword Emperor, Wi Hyogun, was also present!
What the hell?!
I almost cursed out loud in that moment, and thankfully I held back or I might have dropped dead from a heart attack right there.
With a stern expression, Wi Hyogun turned to Wi Seol-ah.
“Wi-ah, you little brat! Didn’t I tell you not to act recklessly in front of the young master?!”
…Huh?
‘Young master?’
“Apologize immediately!”
“I’m sorry, Grandpa…”
“No! Apologize to the young master!”
“S-Sorry, young master!”
…What the heck is going on here?
While I struggled to make sense of the whirlwind situation, Wi Hyogun bowed to me, startling me even more.
Wait a minute… Why is the Sword Emperor bowing to me?
Can someone please explain this circus?
“From today onward, I, Wi Moon, will be serving you. I don’t know if you’ll like having an old man like me, but I’ll do my best.”
Wi Moon? Not Wi Hyogun?
When Wi Hyogun glanced over at Wi Seol-ah, she quickly lowered herself, taking a modest stance.
“S-Starting today, I, W-Wi Seol-ah, will also serve the young master alongside my grandpa. I l-look forward to your kindness.”
Serve? Who?
“Me…?”
Suddenly, a wave of dizziness swept over me, blurring my vision. I instinctively reached for my head, grappling with the absurdity of this scenario…
Now, you might not grasp my predicament without knowing precisely who Wi Hyogun is.
He’s one of the Heavenly Venerables.
These Heavenly Venerables comprise the three most formidable martial artists in all of Murim.
The feats of the Sword Emperor are too numerous to recount.
For instance, the Black Dragon, known as the King of the Outlaws, could barely withstand him in battle before he met his end. And shortly after, WI Hyogun became the head of the Murim Alliance.
His title, “First Sword,” was granted solely due to his overwhelming strength.
Before the emergence of the Heavenly Demon, he was very likely the strongest being alive.
And now he’s saying he wants to serve me?
Why?
What could possibly motivate the strongest entity to mask his identity under a false name?
Even the four noble clans would roll out the red carpet upon his arrival without any need for subterfuge.
I was unable to conceive of any possible reason for him being here or hiding his identity.
If he was indebted to my father, Gu Cheolun, it meant my father had summoned him. So…
Does my father even know about this?
This had never happened in my prior life.
The one time I encountered the Sword Emperor before, nothing came of it. And I likely left an unfavorable impression due to my past antics.
My head is pounding…
I had initially planned on maintaining the status quo while steadily amassing my own strength, waiting for the Orthodox-Malignant War to conclude.
But the future has unmistakably shifted.
I carefully scrutinized Wi Hyogun, who appeared at first glance to be a benign old man with a gentle smile. I might have dismissed him as an ordinary old man if I hadn’t seen his true form in my previous life.
Moreover, without Wi Seol-ah present, I probably wouldn’t have connected his appearance to that of the Sword Emperor.
What am I supposed to do?
What on earth should I ask?
Am I supposed to ask him why he’s here? That would be bizarre since there’s no reason I should be even vaguely aware of his true identity.
Then am I to simply act oblivious and accept that the Sword Emperor and his granddaughter are now serving me?
What terrified me the most was how their presence might dramatically alter the course of events.
Damn it, where did it all go wrong?
The singular ‘significant’ thing I seemingly changed was treating Wi Seol-ah differently than I had in the past.
Can such a minor action cause such major disruptions in history?
Or… should I just revert to my old arrogant self and kick them out, declaring I don’t need an old man and a little girl?
As a storm of thoughts swirled chaotically in my mind,
“My granddaughter,” Wi Hyogun remarked.
“She’s still innocent to the world, and while she may not meet your expectations initially, I assure you she is a fast learner. I’ll ensure she’s well educated so she can align with your standards.”
I cast a glance at Wi Seol-ah, who was clutching onto Wi Hyogun’s clothing, her eyes shimmering with uncertainty.
What’s causing her to be so anxious? Do I really come off that harsh?
As soon as our gazes intertwined, Wi Seol-ah exclaimed, “I’ll do my best… I’ll truly give it my all…”
What is so crucial about this? Why did she come to me instead of staying with her grandfather or Gu Yeonseo?
What’s the plan behind these two showing up to serve me?
Time crept by, and I sensed that Wi Hyogun and Wi Seol-ah were awaiting my response, jolting me out of my trance.
“Uh… Yes, it would be my pleasure.”
A solution escaped me, and as those words escaped my lips, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this second chance had already gone off the rails…
Why… why has this whole debacle happened so suddenly?
“Are you certain about this?”
During the time Gu Yangcheon spent training his fire Qi, Gu Cheolun was engaged in conversation within his own residence, a candle flickering before him.
“I see no reason not to. I’m not in a position to be choosy about my tasks.”
“But, Great Elder, you know that, if you wanted, you would easily be accepted into any of the four noble clans. Why go through all this trouble…?”
“I don’t consider it troublesome at all, Lord Gu.”
Wi Hyogun slowly lifted a now-cold teacup and took a sip.
“This is hardly what one would deem a hardship. If it’s for my granddaughter’s sake, I would endure anything. Instead, I feel guilty for imposing such a weighty request on you due to my relationship as this useless old man.”
“Sir…”
“Furthermore, I have heard that the Shaolin and shamans are searching for Seol-ah. Now, I owe you even more.”
Gu Cheolun was rendered speechless.
“To be candid, Lord Gu, I hadn’t intended to come to you for assistance. Regardless of the Shaolin or the shamans, they wouldn’t have located me if I simply took refuge in the mountains.”
“…Then why?”
“You could call it the selfish desire of a fading old man. I doubt living side by side with someone as decrepit as me would bring much happiness to Seol-ah, so I hoped to let her see the world a bit more.”
“If that’s the case, you should absolutely stay at my home. Gu Yangcheon is my child, yes, but he is still a child with many gaps.”
Gu Cheolun struggled to fathom why Wi Hyogun wished to reside in his son’s quarters.
Unlike his daughters, Gu Yangcheon was still an immature boy. As a father, he wished fervently to correct his son’s flawed nature, yet overwhelming circumstances had left him little time to rectify it.
Moreover, upon hearing that they had met on the street, he couldn’t help but worry if Gu Yangcheon had said something inappropriate, prompting him to extend his apologies to Wi Hyogun.
Wi Hyogun chuckled in response to Gu Cheolun’s words.
“I have heard the gossip, and while I was concerned, did I not tell you he was a reasonable child? Rather, it appears you have an excessive desire to keep all your children with you.”
After arriving in Shanxi, Wi Hyogun had readily learned tales of the Gu clan’s youngest child’s reputation, prompting him to wonder just how terrible this boy was for rumors to spread so widely that he, a newcomer, had heard them all.
He pondered why the daughters were bestowed with luck while the son seemed to lack it.
When Wi Hyogun’s and his granddaughter’s paths fortuitously crossed with Gu Yangcheon on that day, he reflected on the inheritance linking them.
He’d simply allowed his granddaughter to frolic about without interference, and it soon became evident that she had engaged in conversation with a nearby boy her age.
It was immediately clear the boy was from the Gu clan; the energy coursing through him mirrored that of his father. While it was weaker in comparison, it undeniably represented flame arts.
Instantly, Gu Yangcheon’s features revealed much about his volatile temperament as he glared sharply with his eyes.
Upon observing his granddaughter offering a cheerful potato to the boy,
What do I do if he acts in line with the rumors? I had no intention of rescuing her unless her life was in jeopardy.
He believed she needed to realize that not everyone in the world was kindhearted.
However, contrary to his expectations, the boy neither spoke poorly nor acted out against his granddaughter. Instead, he intervened to protect her from the rude actions of his escort by gifting her with a yakgwa.
When Wi Hyogun approached Gu Yangcheon, he treated him with respect, despite assuming he would only regard him as a simple villager, given his tattered clothes.
The title of Sword Emperor had given him a false sense of confidence, convincing him that he had achieved perfection. Yet…
Hyogun, you still lack training.
He internally chastised himself for letting a boy’s appearance and rumors sway his judgment.
“I find this child satisfactory. In fact, I hope he finds joy in our company.”
What if it had gone as per the narratives?
If Gu Yangcheon had mistreated Wi Seol-ah, would I have made a different decision?
“…Yes, sir, please inform me if any issues arise.”
Gu Cheolun failed to understand why Wi Hyogun viewed Gu Yangcheon as a good child but opted not to press further.
As their discussion wrapped up, Gu Cheolun prodded once more.
“But are you truly alright with this?”
This question felt distinctly different from the first.
Wi Hyogun understood the deeper implications behind it, hence he found it challenging to respond.
“If the Lord declared it…”
His reply was accompanied by a bittersweet smile.
It was rumored that the Shaolin Master possessed the power to discern the currents of fate.
Wi Hyogun smiled wryly as he replied, “Yes, something is bound to happen if it is indeed him who foresaw it. However, one ought to be able to comprehend….”
In that moment, a gentle breeze blew through the window, extinguishing the flickering candle reflection.
“Seol-ah stands at the center of the impending turmoil; she must wield a sword to face that chaos.”
Wi Hyogun chuckled with a hint of bitterness as the wrinkles on his face deepened with the seriousness of the reality laid out.
“That’s why I fled. Call it selfish if you like, but why did it have to be Seol-ah? Isn’t this cruel? Here I stand, branded as the Sword Emperor, while others capable sit comfortably.”
“Elder…”
Wi Hyogun appeared exhausted from the burdens of this world.
“I cannot allow her to wield a sword because of a disaster, especially not when the most I could offer her is a flower.”
With creased hands, he shielded his face from view.
“I vow never to put a sword in her hands, even if it costs my life and turns my soul to ashes.”
Had Gu Yangcheon overheard this, devastation would have surely followed.
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