Chapter 129: Lord of the West (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 129: Lord of the West (2)
He was one of the Three Venerables, martial sovereigns who presided over all martial artists in the world.
The Dishonored Venerable Bijuu, the Lord of the West.
His title was not given lightly. True to his name, he was a man who had tasted defeat hundreds of times. Many called him fortunate, and the man himself admitted it. After all his defeats, his limbs remained fully functional. For these achievements, he was granted the title "Man of Might."
Yet, the Dishonored Venerable preferred another moniker: "Man of Defeat," the dishonored one. He stood here today because of those losses. He wished to be called that so he would never forget the path that brought him here.
Thus, his title was officially changed to the Dishonored Venerable. But that did not change one undeniable fact: his strength was still immense enough to warrant his place among the Three Venerables. Aside from the Sword Venerable, he was one of the most powerful individuals, renowned for massacring clans of the Unorthodox Faction. A famous story told of him erasing an entire mountain from the world during his battle with the Lord of Heaven.
…So then why?
I was taken aback. Not only was the letter written by the Dishonored Venerable himself, but like the Sword Venerable, this man had vanished from the world for years. In my past life, he likely would not have reappeared if not for the Heavenly Demon's descent.
So how did the Second Elder obtain a letter from such a person?
"Second Elder, may I ask where you got this?"
"What do you mean, 'where'? I got it directly from him."
"From… the Dishonored Venerable himself?"
"Yes."
I couldn't help but be shocked. While I didn't know why the Sword Venerable hid from the world, I knew the Dishonored Venerable's reason. He had to hide himself, and I was certain he had severed all ties with others.
"How did you two even come to know each other?"
"Is it so unusual for martial artists to be acquainted?"
It wasn't entirely strange. The Second Elder had been active in his prime as the Flaming Fist. "But… even so, the Dishonored Venerable is…" I stopped speaking. It would seem odd that I knew such details. After a brief pause, I changed the subject.
"How exactly do you want me to use this?"
"What do you mean, 'how'? The recommendation letter is there for you to show it."
Did he truly expect someone like me, an unknown child of the Gu Clan, to suddenly appear at the Dragons and Phoenixes Tournament and produce a letter written by the Dishonored Venerable out of nowhere?
Oh… my god.
"What are you hesitating for? I gave it to you happily, seeing you were ready to cause some trouble."
"Yeah… I guess you did give me something that would help with just that."
It would certainly attract attention. Though I needed to think carefully about how to wield that attention. "Thank you," I said, feeling genuinely thankful. He had given it for my sake. I put the recommendation letter in my pocket for now.
As I patted Wi Seol-Ah's head beside me, I began to think. The best way to use this…
* * *
Just as the sun began to rise, Namgung Bi-ah's eyes fluttered open.
She moved slowly. "Oof…" It was still early morning, far too early for Namgung Bi-ah, who loved her sleep. Yet, she forced herself awake, knowing she wouldn't be able to fall back asleep even if she tried.
She turned to face the window. Outside, basking in the sunlight, was the white flower she had picked and transplanted. It was still going strong; it must have been a resilient specimen.
She began to make her bed and arrange her pillows—tasks normally left to the servants. But Namgung Bi-ah insisted on doing this herself. The pillow she hugged and sniffed while sleeping was… a problem.
…It doesn't smell as strongly anymore.
She was sleeping on the pillow she had taken from Gu Yangcheon's room. They say that losing a luxury is harder than never having it at all. As she grew distant from Gu Yangcheon, the horrendous stench that had plagued her life returned with a vengeance, bringing everything to a halt. She was already regretting her decision.
Why had she chosen to distance herself from him?
…How embarrassing.
After learning new things from Tang Soyeol, Namgung Bi-ah felt too embarrassed to even look at Gu Yangcheon's face. His breathing when he drew near, his stare, his fingers, his lips… everything about him made her feel flustered.
She found herself acting ridiculous. She had once believed that holding his hands while sleeping would lead to having a child. And the fact that she hadn't thought that would be so bad… To escape the stench, she had pushed her sword training to higher levels. But she quickly changed her mind upon discovering another escape route. All of this left Namgung Bi-ah deeply embarrassed.
She thought of her father, kneeling on the ground in the dead of night. That careless father she hated was still the same. Her mother, who had passed away from an illness worsened by his negligence, had never once resented him, even in her final moments.
How could she be like that? If that was love, wasn't it terrifying?
Thrown back into a world of stench all alone, Namgung Bi-ah endured.
-Please be happy, my daughter.
She hadn't forgotten her mother's words. Her mother wanted her to be happy, so she decided to endure until she found that happiness. She didn't know when it would come, but she endured hellish times by herself.
And now, in the present, she wondered if this current feeling was the happiness she had been enduring her whole life for.
She remembered her father—dense and frightening just days ago—kneeling before that boy. How was that possible? What was she feeling, seeing her father so humiliated? Was it refreshing? No, that was too strong. Was it fear? But she didn't feel the frustration to call it that.
Human emotions were complicated, and Namgung Bi-ah was just beginning to learn about them.
She left the guesthouse to take a walk outside. "…I'm tired." Having slept poorly, she was still drowsy. She was used to sleeping amidst the stench; she had done it all her life. But after finding peace for a few months, she had changed.
Namgung Bi-ah liked going to new places. It was her way of escaping the stench, and she found she enjoyed wandering more than she'd expected. As she walked, she noticed a direction where the stench was weaker. Following that route would lead to him.
"…!"
She realized she was unconsciously trying to go to him. "Not yet…" She turned back. There was something she needed to take care of first.
She headed toward the training area, but not to practice her sword.
-Swish! Swiiiish! Swiswoosh!
The sharp sounds of a swinging sword came from the training area. It was Namgung Jin. Lately, he seemed to be training with unusual intensity. She had seen him practice at the clan a few times, but this was the first time he seemed so fired up. It was strange.
I wonder what happened.
As Namgung Bi-ah approached, Namgung Jin turned, sensing her presence. His gaze was as cold as ever. "I wanted to ask you something," she said.
"You have a question for me?" Namgung Jin was taken aback. His daughter rarely spoke to him unless spoken to first. "If this is about your future plans, that's up to y—"
"Did you ever love Mother?"
Namgung Jin's mouth snapped shut. His eyes widened as he stared at his daughter. "You're asking a nonsensical question all of a sudden."
"Did you not love her?"
Namgung Jin couldn't fathom why she was asking this. A woman's face surfaced in his mind—a woman who looked much like Namgung Bi-ah, the top beauty in Anhui. Despite her status, she had a kind personality. Beautiful and kind, yet Namgung Jin had never held a place for her in his heart. He hadn't thought of her in decades.
They hadn't been affectionate; he had never shown her a husband's warmth. Obsessed with his image as Lord of the clan, all he felt now was guilt. He hadn't taken any concubines, not out of guilt for his dead wife—he didn't care enough for that—but simply because he never had a reason to. That was all.
That was all Namgung Jin could feel about her.
"…"
Sometimes, silence speaks louder than words. For Namgung Bi-ah, this was one of those times. "I'll… be going now." Without waiting for a response, she bowed slightly and turned to leave.
Her father's expression, his breathing, the way he stared at her—it was all the answer she needed.
How many years had it been since she felt like crying? Namgung Bi-ah was confused. Why had she finally asked the question she had avoided for so long, fearing the answer? She had known it in her heart all along. It was because of a faint, pointless hope. Something she thought she had let go of had still been nestled in her heart.
"How exhausting…" She hated this feeling.
Having lost her desire to practice the sword, she continued walking. The horrendous stench of the world still remained. Flowers bloomed beautifully, but they seemed terrifying. Pretty birds chirped, but they sounded like screams. This life of hers was hell. That was what life was like for Namgung Bi-ah.
As she walked further, the stench grew weaker. The urge to cry, which had risen to her throat, instantly receded. Namgung Bi-ah knew where she was heading now, and she tried her best to school her expression. She didn't want to show that face in front of him, after all.
She walked for a long time with slow, deliberate steps. As expected, she began to feel warmer as she drew nearer, despite the cold weather. Perhaps he was using fire, but for Namgung Bi-ah, it was a gentle, softening warmth.
When she arrived in front of his quarters, someone quickly approached her. "Hello, Lady Namgung!" She thought it might be Wi Seol-Ah, but it was a different woman wearing the same servant uniform.
"Who is it?"
"Thank you for last time…!"
"Oh…" She remembered. It was the servant who had looked on the verge of tears when Namgung Bi-ah had sneaked the pillows out. Feeling sorry, Namgung Bi-ah had paid her twice the original amount. The servant had promised never to tell anyone, even though Namgung Bi-ah had never asked her to.
"…Hello." Namgung Bi-ah slightly lowered her head, doing her best to return the greeting. The servant woman seemed shocked by the gesture. Was it really so surprising for a descendant of the Namgung Clan to greet someone? Namgung Bi-ah wondered.
"Are you here to see the Young Master?"
Namgung Bi-ah nodded.
"Oh, the Young Master is likely training right now; he always trains around this time." The servant happily told her his location, but Namgung Bi-ah already knew where he was.
After leaving the servant, she moved slowly. One step, then a second. On her third step, all the stench around her instantly vanished.
It's… much vaster than before.
When she had first met him, the stench would return if she moved even a little away. But now, she felt fine even when he was somewhat distant. What had caused this change? Was he growing stronger? If so, there was hope for Namgung Bi-ah. If he reached even higher levels, perhaps the stench would disappear completely?
Having finally escaped the stench, she breathed in the pleasant scent and walked toward his location. The heat grew stronger as she approached.
Has he gotten stronger than before?
Lost in thought, she suddenly halted. The intense heat that usually surrounded the training area had vanished. Then the door opened, and a sweat-covered Gu Yangcheon appeared. He didn't seem surprised to see her there, as if he had known she would be waiting.
"Huh, what brings you here so early in the mor—… Why do you look like that?" Gu Yangcheon asked, his expression shifting to one of shock.
He was always like this. Even when others missed it, he always noticed the subtlest shifts in her expression. Namgung Bi-ah believed his concern was genuinely different from anyone else's.
"Did you not get enough sleep?"
She gave a slight nod in response.
Why are you here? Stop bothering me. The boy who used to push her away with those words was gone.
"Then you should sleep more; what brought you here so early?" He still didn't seem entirely honest with himself, but Namgung Bi-ah was fine with that. Because the way her father had looked at her mother and the way this boy looked at her were completely different. She knew that better than anyone, and she found herself smiling unknowingly.
"…See you."
"Hmm…?"
"…I wanted to… see you…."
She gave him her complete honesty, without any lies. She had just wanted to see him.
…
Hearing that, Gu Yangcheon fell silent, as if turned to stone. It was similar to her father's silence earlier, but Namgung Bi-ah felt that his silence held more than it revealed.
After a short while, Gu Yangcheon spoke. "…Eat."
"Hmm…?"
"Have you eaten yet?"
"No."
"Then let's go eat."
Saying that, he walked past her. Namgung Bi-ah was then overcome with a fit of quiet, uncontrollable laughter.
"Why are you laughing?" Gu Yangcheon complained, but Namgung Bi-ah just continued to giggle softly, as if to say it was nothing.
"…Lame."
He didn't get an answer, but he seemed to understand nonetheless. Despite his bothered face, the tips of his ears were red. Namgung Bi-ah saw him start walking a few steps ahead by himself, but then he slowed down, his back waiting for her to catch up.
That was enough. For now, that much was enough.
Feeling as if all her frustrations had been washed away, Namgung Bi-ah followed Gu Yangcheon.