Chapter 48: Mount Hua (2)
As I always say, time never heeds my circumstances.
It moves at its own pace, leaving me to adapt accordingly.
In that sense, ten days was far too swift a passage of time.
I had to make up for my lack of training while desperately jotting down the fragmented memories of upcoming events.
On top of that, I had to also contend with the Second Elder and Gu Huibi visiting me every day, draining my energy.
If I wanted to find some stability, it would be in teasing Wi Seol-Ah after she had finished all her chores, sitting next to her.
The sheer amusement of watching her expression turn to one of despair, as if the world were collapsing, whenever I snatched her yakgwa was priceless.
Plus, when you think about it, it’s my money anyways, right?
Servants occasionally spent their own coin to buy her snacks, but most of the time, it came from me.
To be precise, it was the clan’s money, but it’s pretty much the same thing…
It’s my money until I’m out of the clan.
I had always toyed with the idea of leaving the clan, but that remained a distant thought.
At the very least, I planned to enjoy the clan’s resources for another five years.
Thud! Thud!
After my training session, I released the sandbags.
The weight of them was unmistakable as they thunked onto the floor.
“Not enough yet, huh?”
Reaching the 4th rank of my flame arts in just ten days was undoubtedly an impossibility.
I was barely scraping the surface of the 3rd rank, yet the barrier to reach 4th was astoundingly high.
To wield such destructive abilities fluidly, my body needed to be equally robust.
In that respect, while the Gu Clan’s destructive martial arts were relatively easy to learn, the Qi control required was utterly demanding.
The hellish flames that curled around the martial artist would voraciously consume massive amounts of Qi, thus reinforcing the necessity for a powerful physique.
Drawing from my past life’s experiences, I understood, more than anyone, the importance of physical strength.
“…And that’s why I couldn’t break through to the highest realm.”
The highest realm.
The pinnacle of the destructive flame art.
The stage that embodied complete mastery over the art.
Some likened it to mastering one’s very will.
Yet, having never reached that realm, I remained in the dark.
In my previous life, the Demon Sword had already attained unity with her blade.
In terms of realms, she may very well have been on a higher level than I.
When I once inquired about her feelings upon reaching that point, she replied simply,
“Nothing.”
I hadn’t been disappointed; I had anticipated she wouldn’t provide a clearer explanation anyhow.
If I must decipher that response, it would be akin to transcending to a new level.
It was rather elusive to articulate.
As one ascended to new heights, they grew increasingly attuned to it, allowing for a sharper perception.
Currently, my level was so insignificant that I couldn’t feel such subtleties, but were I in front of the martial artist before me, it would be an entirely different narrative.
“I’m quite good at driving carriages, Young Master!”
“…No need; we already have drivers prepared for our carriage.”
Why was he even here acting like this…?
I constantly found myself mulling over that question…
Before I realized it, the promised ten days had vanished.
I barely felt I had a chance to rest, yet here was the day I was to leave for Mount Hua, as discussed with my father.
Damn it… To head to Shaanxi right after returning from Sichuan?
I pondered how long the trip would take; by the time I returned, it would likely be autumn.
“…How long do you think this trip will take?”
“I think it’ll take longer than you expect.”
“That’s harsh—are you still upset with me?”
After I had teased Muyeon with money last time, it seemed he was still sulking.
Well… I didn’t actually pay him back, did I?
Ah, perhaps that’s the reason he’s in a mood? I had intended to reimburse him with my pay for this trip.
Setting that aside, I glanced toward the carriage being prepared for our departure.
Various goods were being loaded into the carriage.
Compared to when I went to Sichuan, this looked far more abundant.
Since this was a carriage sent directly by the Lord, it made sense that they were paying more attention.
Amidst all this, I spotted Wi Seol-Ah struggling to walk forward, laden with heavy items that obscured her view.
She was casually hauling loads that even burly men might struggle with.
…Could she already harbor some Qi?
There seemed to be no other explanation for her extraordinary strength.
Neigh!
My gaze unconsciously shifted towards the sound of the horse.
While Wi Seol-Ah was another story, the Sword Emperor was busy conversing with the horse…
…How am I supposed to interpret this situation?
…What exactly led to their decision to come with me?
When I first learned that the Sword Emperor and Wi Seol-Ah were accompanying me on this journey, I had been utterly taken aback.
Moreover, the Sword Emperor insisted on taking the reins himself.
I recalled looking for the original driver only to find out that he had taken a vacation after being compensated for the Sichuan trip.
Of all times! Just as I am set to go to Mount Hua?
I smell a rat.
It felt as though the Lord had orchestrated this peculiar setup.
Caught in this ludicrous situation, I trudged on into the impending storm.
Was this truly okay?
“Little brother.”
It was Gu Huibi’s voice.
Turning toward the sound, I spotted Gu Huibi holding a familiar plate of dumplings.
“Why are you holding that?”
“Little brother, I heard you skipped a meal again.”
“Nah… I had a bit, just snack food.”
“Are you insane, little brother? How can you miss meals when you’re still growing?”
“Honestly, I’m doing just fin- Ough!”
Without letting me finish, Gu Huibi unceremoniously shoved a dumpling into my mouth.
As much as I wanted to spit it out, it was utterly impossible to discard a precious dumpling.
I managed to chew and swallow it down, then accepted the water she graciously gave afterward.
“…”
Once I swallowed, Gu Huibi wore a pleased smile, watching me finish the dumplings.
That expression only stoked my irritation further.
“Sister, when are you leaving next?”
“Why? Do you wish I’d stay longer?”
“No, please leave quickly… Wuah!”
I barely dodged a punch that came whirling toward me.
This crazy woman has taken to violence instead of words!
“No! Can we discuss this verbally, please?”
“I knew you’d dodge it anyway! You really have a way with words.”
With each shake of her hand, a little red Qi burst forth.
Wow, she packed Qi into that punch?
Setting aside her shocking action, Gu Huibi grinned and said,
“I’ll likely be leaving the clan in about ten days.”
Ten days, huh? That means she would end up being here for a total of twenty days… an exceptionally long time for a swordsman to be off duty.
Was it because they had just wrapped up a lengthy mission? Given the lengthy assignments the Five Swordsmen Squad usually had, this mission must have been particularly grueling.
“Once your rest is over, where are you headed next?”
“Oh, what’s this? Are you worried about me?”
Annoying—should I have just kept quiet?
Gu Huibi chuckled, finding amusement in my reaction.
“It’s a bit disappointing, though, to only see you for this short time.”
With an affectionate ruffle of my hair, every motion of Gu Huibi’s made my head wobble around, reminding me of the Second Elder.
Oh how unfortunate that she resembled him…
“When I set off this time, it’ll be longer than usual. I’m heading into the Abyss.”
“The Abyss?”
The Abyss is a domain where numerous demonic gates appear.
It’s an area actively managed by the Murim Alliance, and an agreement among the orthodox factions allows the clans to take turns sending their forces there.
Now it seemed it was the Gu Clan’s turn.
“That’s gonna be a long endeavor for you.”
“Isn’t it going to be fun? I hear a ton of monsters show up… I’m already excited!”
“…Enjoy yourself then.”
I had worried for no reason… She was thrilled about this?
The Mad Flaming Sword… truly, she was a handful.
While we were chatting, Muyeon approached and relayed,
“Young Master, we are completely ready to set off.”
“Are we heading out now?”
“Not exactly right now, but in about 5 to 15 minutes. The Second Elder mentioned he has something for you…”
“…What on earth could it be this time?”
Anything concerning the Second Elder filled me with anxiety.
It wouldn’t be surprising if he asked me to deliver something like, ‘Bring this to the Lord of the Clan.’
“Please deliver this to the Lord of the clan.”
…I hadn’t anticipated he would actually go ahead and say it.
“…What did you just say?”
Doubting my hearing, I asked again, having believed I misheard since the Second Elder appeared out of nowhere and said those words.
The Second Elder casually responded as if it were trivial.
“Hmm…? Oh, just deliver this to that Do-Hua brat-”
“No…! Hold on! I wasn’t asking for the nickname you’ve given their Lord.”
“What? Then why did you even ask about it?”
This lunatic just referred to the Lord of Mount Hua as a brat? How on earth did he dare…?
“Anyway, they’ll let you meet him if you mention my name, so just hand this over.”
What is this exactly?
“It’s nothing much. I meant to pass this to him a while ago, but the old man simply forgot.”
What the Second Elder handed me was lightly wrapped in cloth, giving off the impression that it wasn’t anything substantial.
As I fidgeted with it, the Second Elder offered nonchalantly,
“It’s known as the Great Plum Blossom Stone, one of the four treasures of Mount Hua.”
Upon hearing the Second Elder’s words, my fingers froze.
Moreover, I noticed Muyeon hiccup beside me.
…What did he just say? Surely I must have misheard him this time?
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