Chapter 148: Friendly Martial Arts Competition (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 148: Friendly Martial Arts Competition (1)
Within the Orthodox Faction, three great tournaments stood above all others.
The first was the Dragons and Phoenixes Tournament, hosted by the Murim Alliance. Its purpose was to single out the brightest rising star of the younger generation.
The second, also organized by the Murim Alliance, was the Heavenly Dragon Tournament. This was the grandest event the Orthodox Faction had to offer. Unlike the regularly scheduled Dragons and Phoenixes Tournament, its timing was unpredictable, making it all the more anticipated by martial artists.
As for the third…
I’ll ignore that one. It’s never going to happen.
By the time that tournament would theoretically occur, the world would already be in chaos due to the appearance of the Heavenly Demon, anyway.
The Heavenly Dragon Tournament was still a few years away…
And its timing isn’t ideal, either.
But in the grand scheme of things, neither of those major tournaments really mattered to me right now.
What mattered was that I had to step into the arena for this tournament.
A tournament crafted for young prodigies.
A stage to see which stars shone the brightest.
A platform to introduce the world to newly emerging talents.
That was its purpose.
To be honest, it wasn't without its flaws. The era of the Orthodox Faction's purely honorable generation had long since passed.
"Gu Clan's Gu Yangcheon of Shanxi, third group."
After checking the slip of paper I had drawn from the box, I tucked it into my pocket.
Third group… It's going to be a wait.
I'd gotten unlucky. Any hope of finishing my match quickly and taking an early break evaporated.
Ugh—
When I stepped outside, it seemed everyone else had already drawn their lots as well.
Tang Soyeol approached me immediately. "Young Master Gu, have you seen your group assignment yet?"
"Yes."
"What group are you in? I'm in the second group!"
Fortunately, it seemed I wouldn't have to face her right away.
"I am in the third… What's she doing?"
In the middle of my conversation with Tang Soyeol, I noticed someone sitting forlornly in a corner, leaning against the wall. Others were glancing her way, but completely unconcerned, Namgung Bi-ah continued to repeatedly bang her head against the wall.
What was her problem now?
Tang Soyeol responded with an awkward smile. "Big sister said she got placed in the first group…"
"What's wrong with that?" Wasn't it a good thing we were all in different groups?
"She said it won't be any fun because she'll have to wait so long before she can fight us…"
"…"
That crazy… No, I needed to watch my language.
She'd been relatively calm lately, but had a battle-obsessed ghost suddenly possessed her? Why was she depressed about something like that?
It was so absurd I almost smiled. I walked over to Namgung Bi-ah.
"…What group…?" she asked, having noticed my presence without turning around.
I found myself answering the back of her head. "Third."
"…Ughhhh…" She groaned as if she were ill.
"Do you hate it that much?" I moved closer and placed a hand on her head.
She flinched at the touch. After sitting perfectly still for a moment, Namgung Bi-ah eventually nodded.
Watching her, I turned to Gu Jeolyub, who was observing nearby. "You."
"Yes?"
"What group are you in?"
"I-I'm in the first group."
"Hey, he said he's in the first group, too," I told her, hoping it might cheer her up.
"…Lame."
Gu Jeolyub faltered, visibly shocked by Namgung Bi-ah's icy tone.
"…Sorry." Gu Jeolyub's face was so pathetic I felt compelled to apologize to him.
Meanwhile, Namgung Bi-ah, still emanating a gloomy aura, began to lift herself from her distressed position.
Is she feeling better already? That was awfully fast.
"Are you okay?"
Namgung Bi-ah nodded in response. "…I thought about it."
I was genuinely taken aback. She had actually engaged in the phenomenon called thinking?
Noticing my reaction, Namgung Bi-ah frowned slightly.
She's way too perceptive… She always seemed a bit numb, but she possessed a sharp intuition for things like this.
"Go on. What did you think about?"
"…Isn't it okay as long as I win?"
"What?"
"…If I win all my battles, then I'll get to see you, right?"
She was saying that winning all her fights would inevitably lead her to cross paths with us in the later rounds. That was obviously the case, but…
"Have you never even considered the possibility of losing?"
"…Who?"
Whether it was her, me, or anyone else, Namgung Bi-ah didn't seem to entertain the slightest thought of any of us losing.
Also, I thought she was only fixated on swordsmen?
I could have sworn her obsession was reserved for those who wielded swords. Now, however, it seemed her focus had broadened to any martial artist, so long as they were strong. Had she changed without me noticing?
"You could always lose before you ever get to see me, you know," I responded. There was always room for a plot twist, even if I doubted it would happen here.
Namgung Bi-ah locked her gaze onto my eyes before speaking. "It's obvious… that I won't lose."
She spoke with absolute confidence.
"Or, are you going to lose?"
Her stare was overwhelming. I couldn't fathom what I had done to earn such unwavering belief. I had to avert my eyes from their burdensome intensity; for some reason, it was hard to meet her gaze directly.
"Nope."
Namgung Bi-ah smiled, her eyes expressing clear satisfaction with my answer.
* * *
I returned to my barracks for the time being. The process of preparing the full tournament bracket would take a while. Since I needed to save my strength, I couldn't train.
Well, I couldn't, but that rule was really for the others. My body itched for movement, having skipped training both yesterday and today. I restlessly circulated my qi internally to strengthen my body, but without full focus, the results were less than impressive.
It felt strange to be going crazy over missing training when, in my past life, the thing I detested most was cultivation.
"Should I go train?"
"Where are you thinking of doing it, Young Master?" It was Muyeon's voice; he was waiting outside the barracks.
"Surely there's a training area somewhere, right?"
"Young Master, don't you have a fight today?"
"I think so." I hadn't bothered to learn the specific details. All I had to do was show up when called. I wasn't so complacent that I'd mess up, but there was no need to be overly nervous, either.
"Do you want to go up on the stage in my place, Muyeon?"
"Haha… Thank you for your kind words."
Huh, I hadn't said that to earn thanks. I was genuinely considering if he might be interested, since I was feeling lazy, but it seemed Muyeon had taken it as a gesture of trust.
Or maybe he wants to participate in the tournament himself?
Muyeon was still young, but some of the so-called "young prodigies" here were older than him. As a martial artist, it made sense he might harbor some ambition to join.
I'll ask him about it later. This was something I needed to discuss with the clan, not just Muyeon. I doubted there would be a problem—they had sent Gu Jeolyub, after all—but since Muyeon wasn't a blood relative, it might not be allowed.
I knew the Gu Clan had high hopes for him. I had been discreetly preventing the swordsmen from reclaiming him.
You're not taking him from me.
It sometimes felt like his role as my escort was temporary, but it was hard to let go of such a person. A good mind, remarkable talent, and most importantly, he was someone whose future I didn't know.
Muyeon seemed to want to return to his swordsmen brethren eventually. But not yet. In my eyes, his desire stemmed from unfinished business there. I needed to create an incentive for him to return to my side after he resolved his affairs.
Maybe I have to dig around the family storage.
I was only half-joking. There were definitely items in my house that could aid Muyeon, but I didn't think they were enough to truly bind him to me. At least, that was my impression of his character.
"Muyeon."
"Yes, Young Master."
"Is there anything you want?"
"Pardon…?" Muyeon appeared bewildered by the unexpected question, turning from where he had been gazing outside the barracks.
"I just thought you might need something."
"Young Master."
"Hmm?"
"I don't think that's something you say to someone of the same sex… Are you perhaps—"
"You piece of…?"
A glint of playfulness shone in Muyeon's eyes. When had he become so comfortable with me that he felt free to joke around? I could almost relate, remembering what Peng Woojin had said to me last time—though that guy was a true maniac.
"I'm not sure why you're asking, but I'm fine."
"Really?"
"Yes. What I have right now is already more than enough."
I nodded. As expected, I couldn't win him over with mere material things.
"Young Master, Young Master!"
"Hmm?"
"Do you want to eat dumplings?"
"…When did you get those?" I was starting to feel hungry. Wi Seol-Ah had brought food at precisely the right moment, as if she'd been waiting for it.
"I went to the market with Sister Hongwa this morning."
"Oh… For the clothes she mentioned last time?"
"Yeah! We bought dumplings along the way!"
I took a dumpling, split it in half, and offered part to Wi Seol-Ah. She hesitated for a moment before finally accepting it. Perhaps because of what I'd said to her previously, she seemed reluctant to take food from me.
"Young Master!"
"Hmm?"
"Can I go out later?"
"Where to?"
"Running an errand with Sister Hongwa!"
An errand? I hadn't assigned her anything. Is something running out? We might need to restock food, but did we really need to when we still had days left here?
I stared into Wi Seol-Ah's eyes. They seemed as round and innocent as ever.
"Go ahead. And make sure you do what I told you last time."
"Okay! Wear a cover! Listen to Sister Hongwa!"
"And the last one?"
"If there are no escorts, then take Brother Muyeon!"
"Pardon…!?"
"Yes, you remembered it all."
Muyeon, clueless about the context, tried to interject, but I ignored him.
"Have a safe trip."
When I patted her head out of habit, Wi Seol-Ah smiled brightly. "Yup! I'll do my best! Young Master needs to win too, okay? I'll be cheering you on!"
What did she mean by 'do my best'? I felt she was already doing more than enough for me.
Just this much is enough.
Wi Seol-Ah probably wouldn't have a normal childhood regardless. Even in the best-case scenario, her current lifestyle might only last a few more years. Besides, I had created this situation selfishly, for my own sake, more than for hers.
Will you resent me for it in the future?
Unlike my worries, Wi Seol-Ah would probably not resent me. After all, I was the only one carrying memories of my past life. And even if she did come to resent me someday, it wouldn't change anything.
"Right, I'll do my best, too."
I stood up after our conversation ended. I could hear people talking outside my barracks. It seemed the moment I'd been waiting for had arrived.
I pinched Namgung Bi-ah's cheek to rouse her from her slumber, then took her with me outside.
Approaching the crowd, I saw a large wooden board filled with names.
"Young Master Gu."
Just as before, Tang Soyeol approached after spotting me. It seemed she had been waiting.
"The bracket came out faster than expected."
I nodded to Tang Soyeol, but my eyes were fixed elsewhere.
Third group… Bi Clan's Bi Yeonsum.
That seemed to be my opponent, but the name didn't ring any bells. Given that I couldn't recall the name or the clan, this Bi Yeonsum likely wasn't a significant figure.
…Hmm.
But that wasn't the important thing. I scanned the bracket to check the others. It seemed I didn't need to worry about them. Judging by their assigned opponents, we would likely only meet in the tournament's later rounds.
It's statistically quite difficult for all of us to end up in different groups. Did the Murim Alliance do this on purpose?
All the direct descendants of the Four Noble Clans had been placed in separate groups. Other well-known names had also been carefully separated.
Not that the participants themselves seem to care much.
This kind of bracket manipulation wasn't shocking; it wasn't the first or second time the Murim Alliance had pulled such a stunt. All my hopes for the Orthodox Faction had long since turned to ash, so from my perspective, they didn't possess a shred of credibility.
However…
There was one matchup that made me frown.
The second group.
-Tang Clan's Tang Soyeol of Sichuan vs. Taeryung Clan's Jang Seonyeon
As soon as those words caught my eye…
My expression turned serious.