Chapter 142: Dragons and Phoenixes Tournament (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 142: Dragons and Phoenixes Tournament (1)
“Damn it all.”
I shook the remnants of thread from the ring and cursed under my breath.
What was I supposed to do with this?
I’d let my guard down.
Now I was paying the price for underestimating the Second Elder.
Who would have thought someone with such a hulking frame could be so slippery?
I never saw that twist coming.
“No, look on the bright side. There’s a chance this isn’t actually a treasure, right?”
A real treasure wouldn’t look this cheap and rusted.
The last treasure I got from Mount Hua was a pain, but it definitely had the hallmarks of one. The lingering scent of plum blossoms was proof enough of its value.
“But this is just junk.”
The ring was so corroded I couldn’t even tell its original colour. There was a hollow in the centre where a gem might have sat, but now it was just an empty socket.
Maybe the Second Elder had made a mistake. Perhaps he’d accidentally tossed this ring in with the silver coins. That had to be it.
[Are you sure you’re not just trying to convince yourself?]
“Let’s be objective, Elder Shin. Does this look like a treasure to you?”
No scent, no aura. It felt so fragile it might shatter with the slightest pressure. There was no way this was a treasure. It couldn’t be.
[Wouldn’t it be better to show this to the Alliance Leader first?]
“I thought about that.”
I could go to him directly and ask, ‘Is this a treasure?’
But I have to get to the gathering first.
I didn’t have time to dwell on it. The event had already started a while ago.
So I carefully placed the ring back into my pouch, tucked it deep into my pocket, and headed for the banquet hall.
Thankfully, the guide outside assured me I wasn’t late as I opened the door. The place was buzzing with conversation.
The hall was packed with martial artists around my age. While a few appeared to be in their thirties, the majority were in their twenties. I was among the last generation of young prodigies to make a name for themselves during the recent war.
I recognized some faces from familiar clans, but many were complete strangers. As I moved deeper into the hall, I saw more people from clans I knew.
The seating arrangement was intentional. From Bacheonmaru to the waiting room and now this banquet hall, the disparity in treatment between the clans was blatant. If you wanted to avoid discrimination, you had to climb the ranks—either by being born into a prestigious clan or by rising through your own efforts.
Wasn’t that cruel? They all knew that surpassing those born into noble clans was nearly impossible.
Where is it?
My assigned seat was all the way in the front row. This, too, was likely because of the recommendation letter I’d presented.
As I walked, scanning the room, I locked eyes with Gu Jeolyub, who was already seated.
So we weren’t assigned seats together.
He was seated closer to the front, but not in the very first row. It was a clear indicator of the Gu Clan’s standing relative to the others. He probably could have sat with us since we were in the same group, but it seemed he and I had been purposely separated.
However, a problem was brewing nearby.
“You bastard, so you’re from the Gu Clan.”
Gu Jeolyub was sitting right next to Hwangbo Cheolwi, the hothead he’d fought last time. Hwangbo Cheolwi was scowling, while Gu Jeolyub looked like he was cursing his luck. Not an ideal situation.
Just endure until the gathering is over.
Even if Hwangbo Cheolwi was reckless, the Alliance Leader would arrive soon to start the event. Once it ended, everyone would disperse, and things would improve.
I looked away and continued walking. When I passed a certain point, the atmosphere shifted completely.
The front row was reserved for the noble clans, their blood relatives, or those who made substantial annual donations to the Murim Alliance—the pillars of the martial world. The air here was different.
My destination was that very front row.
In the distance, I spotted Wi Seol-Ah and Namgung Bi-ah standing together. They had noticed me already, their eyes fixed on me. I suppressed a smile and made my way toward them.
As I drew closer, I saw Moyong Hi-ah and Tang Soyeol as well. But then my breath hitched. The person talking to Tang Soyeol…
A boy was speaking to her with a smile on his face.
The world seemed to fall silent around me.
A heat began to rise from my feet, climbing up through my dantian. When I finally released the breath I was holding, it came out as a searing gust.
I tried to calm my qi, but it only grew worse as I stared at that boy.
The Meteor Sword.
Wi Seol-Ah’s fiancé from my past life.
The man who betrayed the Murim Alliance.
And…
The man I wanted to kill more than any other was standing there in his youthful form.
How could I possibly hold back?
When his disgusting eyes and hands were right there in front of me?
-Do not forget your role. I’m saying you shouldn’t forget where you belong.
His smile now reminded me of the way he had spoken to me then.
-You crawl on the floor, while you give the shining world to her? What a hero you are. But so what? You’re still a demonic human in the end.
-Don’t be mistaken. Whether it’s her, the world, or even time, you have nothing.
-It doesn’t even belong to the Heavenly Demon.
Flames flickered behind my back. This life was different from my last. I knew that better than anyone.
But I realised it all over again. I could never forget what happened in that life.
-All of it is mine. After all, I swore to myself that it would be.
That was what he’d said to me the last time I saw him, right before the battle between the Heavenly Demon and the Celestial Sword.
It was still crystal clear.
His eyes from back then.
The blazing desire within them.
And me, powerless to do anything despite seeing it all.
It was all still vivid.
I took a single step toward him.
I didn’t even know what I would do.
Just then,
“What are you doing?”
Tap-!
Someone grabbed my wrist, and my boiling anger began to recede.
I looked at the person who had stopped me.
First, I noticed her short hair, barely reaching her shoulders.
Then, her black eyes met mine.
The girl flinched slightly when our gazes connected.
It was Peng Ah-hee.
“You. What were you about to do just now?”
“…I wasn’t going to do anything.”
“At least say that after you fix your eyes. Do you have any idea how you look right now?”
I wondered. Judging by the faint fear in Peng Ah-hee’s eyes, I must have looked terrifying. I hadn’t released any killing intent, thankfully. I’d controlled that much.
“Do you know him?” Peng Ah-hee asked, referring to Jang Seonyeon, the object of my stare.
After calming the heat inside me, I shook my head. “No, I don’t know him.”
“You look at someone you don’t know with eyes like that?”
“He happens to look like someone I hated. I couldn’t help it.”
“Just because of that…? You really don’t have a very good personality, do you?”
Seeing the clear disgust on Peng Ah-hee’s face, I felt myself slowly returning to my senses.
“It’s been a while since we last met, but instead of a greeting, your first instinct is to cause trouble. I guess that’s just the way you are.”
“It has been a while. How have you been?”
“I practically had to drag that out of you. Just forget it.”
Peng Woojin had mentioned Peng Ah-hee was coming when I last spoke to him. Running into her here was unexpected.
“I did see Young Lord Peng earlier.”
“I had a feeling he’d seek you out. All he does is talk about you back at the clan… But stop talking about that bastard. It pisses me off just hearing about him.”
It seemed Peng Ah-hee was still busy keeping Peng Woojin in line.
I focused on calming down, noticing the cold sweat on my back.
That was too close.
Whatever I’d been about to do, I’d nearly acted without thinking.
Elder Shin.
I called out mentally, but there was no response.
I bit my lip. I’d known something like this might happen.
Back on Mount Hua, when I’d lost control of my anger, my connection with Elder Shin had also severed. Since consuming that flower, I hadn’t had an outburst like this.
Is it because my Demonic Qi is running low again?
It was clear I needed to consume more to keep the energy inside me stable. But did it affect my emotions this much? I’d expected it to last for months, but it seemed to be depleting faster than I’d thought.
“Where’s your seat?” Peng Ah-hee asked.
I glanced toward my assigned spot. When Peng Ah-hee followed my gaze to where my group was seated, she made a slightly shocked expression.
“For some reason, it’s all women over there?”
“Just a coincidence…”
“Yeah, it would be. You don’t exactly have a face that charms girls.”
“Why insult me when we’ve just met again after so long?”
“How lucky for you to be surrounded by a garden of flowers all by yourself. Those girls already have plenty of eyes on them.”
I looked around and saw she was right. It made sense; there wasn’t just one, but several young women whose beauty naturally drew attention.
“What about your seat?”
Peng Ah-hee pointed with her finger. As expected, she was also seated in the front row.
“You’re already late, so go sit down for now. We’ll talk later.”
I couldn’t help but make a strange face at her words. What did she mean, ‘we’ll talk later’?
Peng Ah-hee smirked, reading my expression. “I heard you got engaged, but that doesn’t mean things have to be awkward between us, right?”
Our childhood engagement had been broken, and we’d settled things amicably when we met a few months ago. It wasn’t like there were real feelings involved anyway. After resolving our past issues, our relationship had become more comfortable. It was hard to explain.
“And I said this last time, but I’m older than you. So stop talking so informally,” Peng Ah-hee said before walking off to her seat.
The Alliance Leader would arrive soon, so I needed to find my own seat and sit down.
I feel calmer, thanks to her.
As I watched Peng Ah-hee walk away, my eyes naturally drifted back toward that bastard.
The emotions that had boiled over so instantly were now cooling. My anger, resentment, contempt, and desire to kill were still there, but they no longer controlled my mind.
I was able to regain control. Was it just because I talked with Peng Ah-hee? She helped, but I doubted that was the only reason.
I carefully approached my group, composing my expression to avoid drawing attention.
I’m worried about Elder Shin.
There was a good chance he’d be gone for a long time, like last time. It wasn’t strange for him to disappear at any moment.
As I drew nearer, Tang Soyeol noticed me. Her usual cold expression instantly melted into a cheerful smile.
“Young Master Gu…!”
“Sorry I’m late.”
“I-I was getting worried.”
As I arrived, Jang Seonyeon also turned his gaze toward me.
I spoke to him first. “And you are?”
I’d barely managed to tone down my aggression; attempting a smile was out of the question.
In contrast, Jang Seonyeon smiled warmly at my words. “I am Jang Seonyeon of the Taeryung Clan.”
“The Taeryung Clan…”
Upon hearing his introduction, the way Tang Soyeol and Moyong Hi-ah looked at him changed. It was understandable; that clan was led by the current Alliance Leader.
Of course, it had to be around this time.
I bit my lip slightly.
Now I understood why the young prodigies were receiving such preferential treatment from the Murim Alliance, from their accommodations onward.
This was the moment Jang Seonyeon debuted as a young prodigy. The beginning of his rise to fame, where he would showcase his genius.
“Yes, I happened to overhear a conversation about my father… so I couldn’t help but join this lady’s conversation,” Jang Seonyeon explained.
Tang Soyeol fell silent under his polite smile. It seemed she had been discussing the Alliance Leader.
I glanced at Wi Seol-Ah. Thankfully, she was yawning in the background, unnoticed. It didn’t look like she had spoken to Jang Seonyeon.
“It’s nice to meet you. I’m quite embarrassed, as it’s my first time in a place like this,” Jang Seonyeon said, extending his hand toward me.
I stared at his hand for a moment before slowly taking it.
“…!”
Jang Seonyeon’s expression shifted to shock as he felt the pressure from my grip.
“Yes, it’s nice to meet you as well.”
I kept my explosive killing intent confined within my body, hiding my hatred beneath a calm surface. I did my best to speak evenly, softening my rough tone, and channeling all my emotion into my blazing gaze.
“I am Gu Yangcheon of the Shanxi Gu Clan.”
Back when I met Nachal on Mount Hua, he had said to me:
-You should at least know the name of the person who’s going to kill you.
I wondered…
Why did those words suddenly come to mind now?
As I stared at Jang Seonyeon, I deliberately curved my lips into a smile.
“Oh, uh… I see,” he stammered.
I noticed Tang Soyeol reacting strangely out of the corner of my eye, but I ignored it.
My attention was solely on Jang Seonyeon, as I held back a torrent of feelings…
I failed to notice.
Wi Seol-Ah, standing at the back, was staring at Jang Seonyeon with a chilling gaze.