Chapter 109: Oops (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 109: Oops (1)
By the time we began our return journey to the clan, the seasons had already turned.
The blistering summer heat had vanished, and the green leaves were already beginning to change color. A calm, cool breeze lingered in the air, heralding the arrival of autumn.
I had been resurrected in the spring, meaning two full seasons had passed since then.
“Finally, we’re here…”
My back ached from sitting in the carriage for so long.
-Crack-!
A slight shift in my position sent a series of cracks echoing through my joints.
The streets were crowded with people.
[So this is Shanxi?]
Is it your first time seeing it?
[Of course not. It’s just… very different from what I remember.]*
Had it changed that much since Elder Shin’s time? He spoke as if he were seeing it for the first time.
A great deal of time has passed.
Namgung Bi-ah, who had been sleeping against Wi Seol-Ah’s shoulder, stirred as we arrived, saving me the trouble of waking her. The girl stretched her arms and twisted her body a few times.
“You must have slept well. Feeling refreshed?” I asked, half-joking.
“I am,” she replied with complete seriousness.
I smirked at her earnest response and glanced out the carriage window. Wi Seol-Ah, who had also been sleeping, would be waking soon.
“I think we’ll arrive shortly,” Muyeon called from beside the carriage.
Looking into the distance, I saw the massive wall surrounding the Gu Clan headquarters. The sight of that immense fortification finally made me feel truly home.
“I’m really back.”
I had finally returned after months away.
* * *
As our carriage passed through the clan gates, I saw a sizable crowd had gathered. I’d expected as much, having sent a letter ahead.
Gu Ryunghwa’s return was news enough, but the arrival of the Sword Queen and the Immortal Healer made it an event.
When I stepped down from the carriage, I saw a middle-aged man with a fierce expression standing at the front of the crowd. It was my father, the Tiger Warrior Gu Cheolun.
[That man must be your father.]*
You can tell?
[It would be strange if I couldn’t. The resemblance is… striking.]*
Do we really look that much alike? I’ve been told I take after him since I was young. And I heard it more often as I grew older.
[You look even fiercer than him. That’s honestly impressive.]*
…That’s not much of a compliment.
I stepped forward and met my father’s gaze. His eyes, which emitted a dense red light, still made me slightly uncomfortable.
“Hm.”
After a moment of silent appraisal, my father’s eyebrow twitched slightly. His crimson gaze swept over me. He had noticed the change in me.
Even though I tried to hide it.
It hadn’t taken long for me to purify all the Demonic Qi absorbed from Nachal and calm the energy swirling around my middle dantian. I had reached a state where I could essentially conceal my martial arts level, yet I still couldn’t escape my father’s perception.
“I received the items you sent from Mount Hua, along with your letter. It seems a great deal happened there,” he said after a moment.
“…There were some incidents,” I replied.
He simply nodded, his reaction utterly mundane. I had gone merely to return a treasure and bring back Gu Ryunghwa, but fate had other plans. How was I to know all that would occur?
“Since you have just returned, rest today. Come to my room tomorrow.”
“Understood.”
And with that, our conversation ended, brief despite our long separation. Father then walked past me and approached the Sword Queen and the Immortal Healer. He bowed his head to the latter.
“Long time no see, Senior Immortal Healer.”
“Indeed, it has been decades, Lord Gu.”
“I hope you have been well.”
“Do you think old age agrees with one’s health? I’m just living because I can’t die. Still, I’m glad to see you looking no worse for wear.”
It seemed my father and the Immortal Healer were acquainted. Given my father’s long and active career, it wasn’t surprising.
“We have prepared accommodations for you.”
“What sort of accommodations?”
“As you requested nothing grand, we have prepared a building for your stay.”
“Tsk. I already dislike this special treatment. I recall saying a simple room would suffice,” the Immortal Healer grumbled, though my father’s expression remained unchanged.
He then turned to the Sword Queen. Gu Ryunghwa stood behind the woman, and when the imposing man’s gaze fell upon them, her shoulders flinched slightly. The Sword Queen bowed respectfully.
“It has been a while.”
“Indeed.”
“I understand you will be staying here with my daughter.”
“If you would permit it.”
“I have no reason to refuse. I hope you find your stay pleasant.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
Finally, he looked at Gu Ryunghwa but said little. “Good work.” That was all.
It felt somewhat cold for a father greeting a daughter he hadn’t seen in so long, but Gu Ryunghwa herself seemed relieved by the brevity.
Just as I thought the greetings were over and we could head inside, someone emerged from the crowd and approached my father.
“Huh??”
It was Namgung Bi-ah, who had just gotten off the carriage.
“I greet the Lord of the Gu Clan of Shanxi. I am Bi-ah of the Namgung Clan.”
She spoke respectfully with her head bowed, but her tone was completely different. I had never heard her speak so clearly and formally. The scatterbrained girl was gone, replaced by a woman standing straight-backed with perfectly tidied hair. Her usual blunt manner of speech had vanished; she now sounded mature and elegant.
“Who is that girl?”
[I can barely believe it’s the same one who was drooling in her sleep in the carriage…]*
The transformation was genuinely shocking.
After giving her a quick once-over, my father nodded. “I am Gu Cheolun. I was informed you traveled with my son.”
“Thanks to Young Master Gu’s kindness, I was able to accompany him.”
“I see. However, I must inform you that the Namgung Clan is searching for you. Now that your location is confirmed, I will have to contact them.”
Namgung Bi-ah nodded at his words. After exchanging a few more formalities, she came to my side.
“What gives?” I asked.
“Hmm…?”
The moment I spoke to her, her usual expression and way of speaking instantly returned.
What the… This is really scary.
I never knew she could act like that.
“What… I mean, what did you talk about?”
“He told me to stay here… until my clan sends someone.”
The contrast was so stark I almost doubted my earlier perception. It seemed they would indeed contact the Namgung Clan, as the circumstances of her traveling with me were highly irregular. I’d half-expected her clansmen to be waiting for us already; thankfully, that wasn’t the case.
“Will you be okay?” I asked reflexively.
I wasn’t even sure what I meant—whether it was okay for her to return, or okay for her to stay. The words just slipped out.
Namgung Bi-ah looked slightly startled by the question, but then she smiled. And her smile, in turn, shocked me.
“I’m okay,” she replied calmly. “There’s nothing I’m scared of anymore.”
Before I could ponder her meaning, she walked away with a servant assigned to guide her.
What did she mean by that?
Her words seemed laden with significance, but it was her smile that stuck in my mind.
[That girl really knows how to charm people.]*
I knew he wasn’t referring to her appearance. The longer I stayed with her, the more I realized there were many sides to Namgung Bi-ah I knew nothing about. Specifically, she was different from the Demonic Sword I remembered. They were the same person, yet utterly changed. Her eyes, once so empty, were now different, and her recent smiles made her seem like a completely new person.
[You seem disappointed.]*
I nodded at Elder Shin’s words. It wasn’t wrong to say I was disappointed. I was. It had taken me far too long to realize she was capable of such a smile.
As I stared vacantly into space, a warm, soft hand grabbed mine.
“Young Master! Let’s go in!” It was Wi Seol-Ah.
“Right, we should head inside.”
My father was also leading the guests into the clan, their conversation concluded.
He told me to rest for the day. That’s why he wanted me to come tomorrow. I truly needed rest after the long journey.
But the problem is the flower.
Months had passed since I obtained the flower from the Black Palace’s hideout after killing Nachal, and I still hadn’t consumed it. I’d thought a week would be enough to adjust, but acclimating my body to a new realm had taken much longer.
[You also delayed it yourself, saying you weren’t yet accustomed to the sensation.]*
I wanted to master the sensation Elder Shin had shown me—the result of blending calm Taoist Qi with my explosive energies, allowing for more efficient control.
I thought it would do more harm than good to introduce more energy before I was ready.
I could have consumed the flower during the trip, but I prioritized stabilizing my foundation. Since the flower showed no signs of withering or losing its potency, I could postpone it indefinitely.
I had also learned something else…
You can’t sense this flower’s energy unless you possess Demonic Qi.
This was more of an assumption, but I was fairly certain. Neither the Sword Venerable nor Muyeon had noticed it during our long journey. It was wrapped in cloth, but if it were an ordinary spiritual herb, they surely would have sensed it. Namgung Bi-ah seemed to catch a faint scent, but she didn’t pinpoint its source, which was a relief.
[Do you think you’re ready now?]*
Elder Shin was asking if I could finally consume the flower.
Yes. At this point, I believe I’ve prepared enough.
I couldn’t say I was completely certain, but I felt I was in a satisfactory state.
I plan to consume it tonight.
Elder Shin offered no further comment, which I took as assent to proceed as I saw fit.
My quarters, which I hadn’t seen in so long, looked exactly the same. Of course, servants had maintained the place in my absence. Those who had traveled with me to Shaanxi were surely as tired as I was, yet they began working again as soon as they put away their belongings. Their dedication was impressive.
I washed my exhausted body and changed into fresh clothes. I thought I’d relax for a while before sunset.
“Young Master.”
A servant arrived, disrupting my peace.
“What is it?”
“A guest has arrived. They are waiting in the guest house.”
“A guest? Already? For me?” I asked, standing up. “Who is it?”
When the servant gave me the answer, I knew I had to move quickly.
* * *
Ten days.
The guest had been waiting at the Gu Clan for ten whole days.
That was an excessively long time for a visitor to stay, especially when the person they sought wasn’t even present. At that point, most would have accepted their bad luck and returned home to try again later. Furthermore, a young lady from a noble clan would surely feel uncomfortable staying in a place like this for so long.
Yet, she had waited ten days.
“…Why are you here?” I asked, looking at the girl.
I tried to meet her eyes, but she avoided my gaze, silently sipping her tea with a slightly blushed face.
“Lady Tang.”
The girl flinched when I called her name.
“Yes…?”
“I heard you came here looking for me.”
Sitting before me was the precious daughter of the Tang Clan, whom I had met at the military exhibition. The girl currently known as the Poison Phoenix, who would one day be called the Poison Queen.
Tang Soyeol took a deep breath and finally spoke.
“Y…Yes! I came for… you.”
She seemed to be trying her best to sound confident, but her voice trailed off at the end.
“All the way from Sichuan? That’s quite a distance.”
“It… probably isn’t that far?” Her tone made it sound like she was questioning herself. Of course it was far—I’d made the trip myself!
I only went there for the secret vault. What is this girl doing here?
When I first heard of her presence, I honestly thought she might have come for Namgung Bi-ah, not me. Of course, that made little sense given our location, but her presence was so unexpected that even wild guesses seemed plausible.
[…You piece of shit.]*
P-Pardon?
For a second, I thought I’d misheard him. I called out to Elder Shin again, but was met with pure silence.
Setting the old man’s harsh words aside, I focused on Tang Soyeol.
“So it’s true? You came here for me?”
“Y-Yes! I came here to see you…”
“Why?”
“Because I wanted to see y—Blahhh!”
She suddenly stopped, having bitten her tongue, and began gulping down her tea, her face turning a vibrant red.
Isn’t that tea too hot to drink like that? Even with my body tempered by the clan’s Flame Arts, I couldn’t drink something that hot so quickly. I supposed it wasn’t a problem for Tang Soyeol, though.
When she finished, she opened her mouth again, steam puffing out. “Young Master Gu…”
“Yes?”
“I came here because I wanted to ask you something.”
Someone from the Tang Clan had traveled all the way from Sichuan to Shanxi. Just how important is this matter that she came personally?
“Please, speak.”
“Um… Before that, I want to ask you something…”
“What is it?”
Tang Soyeol seemed to have calmed down somewhat, but I detected a hint of resentment in her eyes as she looked at me. I wondered what she could possibly ask to warrant such a look. The question mark forming in my mind vanished the moment I heard her question.
“You told me that your name was Gu Jeolyub… What was that about?”
Oh… Oh.
I had completely forgotten about that.