Chapter 42
Sword Phoenix (2)
The Dishonored Venerable, one of the Heavenly Venerables, directly remarked,
“Right now, we are in the Era of Shooting Stars.”
This statement emerged because geniuses of the century were popping up like mushrooms after the rain, as if stars were falling from the sky.
Truly, this is an absurd era.
With so many endowed talents around, outstanding geniuses become prodigies.
Those prodigies become mediocre,
while the mediocre are perceived as slow-witted.
What an outrageous time we live in!
From the perspective of the Central Plains, it might be a golden age full of exceptional martial artists, but for me, not at all.
“I must have been born in the wrong generation.”
How many times had I heard that phrase?
“You aren’t talentless… just a bit peculiar.”
I had heard that thousands of times.
“It’s quite disappointing compared to your elder sisters.”
I had certainly heard that tens of thousands of times.
The time when I was filled with indignation about my situation was probably around now.
In a world flooded with stars, I was just one of many,
and at that time, I blamed the absurdity of this world.
It felt wrong to blame my bloodline when others shone so brightly.
But yet, in contrast to my not becoming a star,
there are still stars that shine brighter among countless others.
Just like the Lightning Sword of Namgung,
and the Poison Queen of the Tang Clan.
While the Dragon Sword of Mount Hua is quiet now, not long from now, it will bloom plum blossoms at the tip of his sword.
And it won’t be long before Mudang’s sleeping dragon awakens.
Among the countless young martial artists of today, those who seize the titles of Dragon and Phoenix through talent and effort are the bright stars of this era.
It’s almost a certainty that the future champion will arise from among them.
The Sword Phoenix was an exceptionally dazzling woman even in that crowd.
The greatest prodigy of late bloomers.
A distinct presence stood out among the twisting dragons.
It was at the moment when Peng Woojin had stepped down from being the greatest prodigy and took his place as the younger lord of the clan,
that the title of greatest prodigy naturally fell to the Sword Phoenix.
Surprisingly, no one voiced any objections.
The prideful and confident young heirs didn’t dare to say a word against it.
This indicated just how formidable the Sword Phoenix was.
And it was the reason I disliked her.
Despite being siblings, she possessed talents I couldn’t even dream of.
I hated how her name always preceded my own, wherever I went.
To me, the Sword Phoenix was an insurmountable wall.
No matter how hard I rowed, she felt like an ocean I couldn’t cross.
That’s why I felt that way.
She always stood so far ahead of me that it made me want to run away whenever her name was mentioned.
After an internal lament for so long, another thought hit me.
Is this really the truth?
No answer was forthcoming.
I already knew the answer without needing to think.
…The biggest problem is—
That no matter how many reasons I conjured up to hate her, one undeniable fact remained:
Even with all the reasons to dislike her, I couldn’t genuinely hate her.
That was what irked me—until now, at least…
“Little brother.”
“…Yes?”
“Huh? ‘Yes’!?!”
“Yes… I meant; Yes, sister…?”
“Exactly, that’s how it should be. Hey, your hands are dropping again. Lift them up properly.”
“…Yes.”
As I shakily raised my arms once more above my head, I thought,
…Hate her? Yeah right, I could hate her all I want right now.
Still, this cruel woman…
*
My plan to flee, initiated as soon as I heard the news, was thwarted far too easily.
It was because the Second Elder standing in front of me stopped me in my tracks.
“Where are you off to?”
“…Lord Second Elder, could you please look the other way just this once?”
“What nonsense is that? Not just about the engagement – your sister has returned!”
“Yes, one would be enough, but I’m running away since I’ve got two reasons to do so!”
“…I cannot comprehend your logic. Your sister returned after months, and you wish to leave without even seeing her?”
“How can I face her not knowing what she might do to me…! I’ll just hide in the mountains for a few months, please don’t look for me.”
“…Have you fallen ill during your time in Sichuan? Why on earth are you acting like this? You’re driving me to want to knock you out!”
The Elder’s frightful words made me momentarily halt.
This crazy old man…!
He had to grab me right by the nape of my neck –there was no escape.
Even though my Qi had improved, it was still pointless in front of the Second Elder.
Even so, my eyes darted for an escape route, my mind fixating on how to flee.
Then, I felt a presence I dreaded the most.
It’s coming… It’s approaching…!!
I thought she was supposed to be in the Clan Lord’s quarters…!
I felt the energy from a distance drawing nearer.
Thanks to the newly enhanced sense of my Qi, I noticed it from far away.
As the presence advanced, I could feel my body heating up.
What the hell? What is this?
The raw power radiating from her was overwhelming.
Honestly, did she manifest flames around herself or something?
How could a human approach, exuding such intensity without a hint of restraint?
At least try to conceal it…!
That crazy woman didn’t even bother to hide her energy, as if planning to melt everything around her.
The gargantuan presence made the Second Elder drop me on the ground as if it were nothing.
Because let’s be real; there was no point in attempting to escape at this juncture.
I had barely finished that line of thought when someone gracefully landed before us from beyond the door.
I took a deep breath and absorbed the appearance of the intruder.
Her energy contrasting sharply with her surprisingly delicate physique.
She descended with long black hair tinged with a hint of red. Her eyes were a deep crimson.
This signified she had broken past the fifth realm in the destructive flame martial arts,
indicating that she graduated to a martial artist of notable strength in the Central Plains.
She inherited the fierce gaze characteristic of the Gu Clan,
yet paired with strong features that brought out her beauty.
If my second sister, Gu Yeonseo, had a relatively gentle face,
this terrifying individual overshadowed her, resembling our father’s features closely.
The vibrant red robe that fluttered amid her intensity bore golden embroidery featuring a dazzling tiger.
That cape belonged to the leader of the Gu Clan’s swordsmen.
She scrutinized me for what felt like an eternity before casually sweeping her hair back.
Only then did I feel the oppressive energy dissipate.
Finally able to breathe normally, her scarlet lips began to move.
“Little brother.”
“…Yeah?”
“You ought to greet your sister appropriately upon seeing her.”
“…”
Cold sweat trickled down my spine.
…What exactly should I say?
In a fleeting moment, I ran through hundreds of conversations in my head before finally saying…
“Um, hello…?”
“…”
Silence—she merely tilted her head.
Something seemed amiss, so I added,
“Hello, eldest sister…?”
Nod.
She instantly nodded, clearly satisfied by my response.
…I think I’m losing my mind.
The Sword Phoenix, Gu Huibi.
She was my eldest sister, whom I hadn’t seen in years.
What can I say? She looks just like before?
Gu Huibi continued to look down at me with those burning eyes.
…Why is she looking at me like that?
Indeed, we shouldn’t be that different in height.
Wait, am I… kneeling?
…Huh?
Did my instincts compel me to bow?
To my surprise, it seemed like the fear I had felt influenced me to act in this manner.
“I appreciate your swift action.”
Gu Huibi smiled ominously, aroused by my current state.
Her smile is absolutely terrifying.
“You also need to raise your hands.”
“…Huh? Why my hands?”
“Not going to lift them?”
At her words, I immediately raised my arms again.
This too was outside my will.
What a horrendous way to educate…!
“Little brother.”
“…Yeah.”
“Huh? ‘Yeah’!?”
“Yes… I mean, yes, sister…?”
“Yes, that’s exactly right. Oh, your arms are dropping again. Keep them up properly.”
“…Yes.”
Why was it that she decided to act this way after we hadn’t seen each other for so long?
When I subtly glanced at the Second Elder for help, I found him grinning at me with satisfaction.
“You two appear to have such great sibling affection.”
“…Does this look affectionate to you?”
“Hehehe!”
Gu Huibi, who had, for some unknown reason, turned my punishment into a game, completely disregarded me and bowed her head to the Second Elder.
“It’s been a long time, Lord Second Elder.”
“Indeed, and how have you been, Huibi?”
“Same as always, Elder.”
“Same indeed. I’ve heard excellent reports about you leading the swordsmen.”
“It’s all thanks to everyone supporting me.”
While the Second Elder and Gu Huibi shared warm greetings, I couldn’t help but think,
How long must I keep my hands up like this?
…Especially at my age.
My arms trembled—not from exertion, but from sheer embarrassment.
I swear.
“This just isn’t right…!”
I couldn’t bear it any longer.
Here I was, reborn, yet reduced to this humiliation.
Unable to maintain my composure, I lowered my arms to confront Gu Huibi.
“At my age, why must I endure this…!?”
“Lift them again.”
“…Yes.”
For crying out loud…
Gu Huibi moved away from the Elder and approached me, locking eyes.
Her irises, which glowed red due to her qi, exuded both mystery and dread.
“Little brother.”
“…Yes?”
“Do you realize what you’ve done wrong?”
“Um, the fact that I tried to run away upon hearing of your arrival…?”
“…Were you trying to escape?”
This is a nightmare…!
As I coughed awkwardly and attempted to divert my gaze, Gu Huibi poked my cheek with her finger, forcibly redirecting my attention.
What the hell? Why am I being punished right now?
They say people get smarter under duress, and I swiftly thought of another reason.
“…Is it about the second sister?”
“Yeonseo?”
“Yes, if it’s because I slapped her, then…”
“Yeonseo got slapped by you?”
…This isn’t it either?
I felt as if I were confessing to all the wrongs.
Yet, strangely enough, Gu Huibi showed no signs of caring about her younger sister getting hit.
“That’s odd; it didn’t seem like Yeonseo would take a hit from someone like you.”
“If that’s not it, then what’s with this punishment?”
Seemingly displeased by my inquiry, Gu Huibi glared at me with fierce, penetrating eyes.
The energy radiating from her prickled against my skin.
“You.”
“Yes?”
“I heard you’re arranging another engagement.”
“…What?”
Before I could help it, a blank expression formed on my face.
What did I just hear?
Did she say engagement?
That word made no sense in this context—what does my engagement have to do with her ire?
Gu Huibi continued her tirade, oblivious to my confusion.
“Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”
“I only found out today…?”
Even if I had known beforehand, why did I owe her an explanation about my engagement?
Wait a second, is she genuinely angry about this?
“Is this why you’re upset with me?”
“Of course! How dare you arrange another engagement without my permission!?”
“What in the world are you saying? Have you lost your mind!?”
I felt laughter bubbling up at this oddly absurd scenario.
What kind of nonsense was she spouting? Had she been drinking all day?
When I raised my voice to her, Gu Huibi furrowed her brows.
That expression was an unmistakable sign of her being genuinely angry.
Oh no, this could be dangerous…
Whoosh!
As I predicted, heat radiated from Gu Huibi.
I could tell how much Qi she had just by observing her cape flutter chaotically.
…I think I’m doomed?
The instincts I honed while being beaten as a younger brother screamed at me to bow my head now.
But rationality countered,
It’s too late for that now.
What the hell… What am I supposed to do in this situation?
As I subtly began to back away to flee, Gu Huibi’s fierce voice boomed,
“Crazy? You dare say that—”
“Younger Master…?”
At that moment, an unexpected voice interjected.
Gu Huibi’s suffocating Qi, which seemed ready to explode, vanished in an instant.
I turned toward the voice and found Wi Seol-Ah carrying a dish piled high with steaming dumplings, staring at me.
“What…?”
I glanced at Wi Seol-Ah, feeling an icy chill run through me, and then shifted my gaze back to Gu Huibi.
Her once burning, fierce gaze had now fixated on Wi Seol-Ah.
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