Chapter 226: Going To Battle (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 226: Going To Battle (2)
Two months had passed.
Spring gave way to the encroaching heat of summer. The vibrant blossoms of the season wilted, preparing for their final bow.
Swoosh-! Swoosh!
A young man practiced his sword forms in a field beneath the scorching sun. Sweat streamed down his face, dripping from his chin.
“Ha…!”
The wooden sword in his hand trembled with the strain. He had been training relentlessly for a long time, pushing through the burning protest in his legs. Ignoring the fatigue, he swung the sword once more.
Slam!
A stomp on the ground sent a wave of force outward. His Qi, now fully harmonized with his body, amplified his movements. Having reached the Peak Realm, his swordplay felt limitless, as vast as the sky itself.
Swish!
A blade of energy sliced through the air.
Ccgggck!
He concluded his training by cleanly severing a few more trees with his Qi.
“…Sigh…”
He let out a deep breath as he finally stilled his movements.
Swoosh.
He drew his Qi back into his dantian, calming his body as his chest heaved.
How difficult.
The young man, Muyeon, reflected inwardly. He had broken through to the Peak Realm two months prior. The joy of overcoming his bottleneck and the thrill of entering a new world of martial arts remained vivid.
Yet, the world beyond the First-Rate realm was far grander and more profound than he had ever imagined. While he had reached a stage he deeply desired, the path to the next level seemed immeasurably long, demanding training and enlightenment beyond his current comprehension.
Muyeon shook off these thoughts, focusing instead on his breathing.
There is a lot of time. Let’s not be impatient.
He recalled advice given to him repeatedly. Though, the one who’d said it hadn’t been particularly gentle.
-Just do what you can. A person has to know their place. If you squirm around without knowing your place, you won’t get anywhere.
The words came from a boy with a fierce gaze, someone Muyeon served—the boy who would become the greatest pillar of the Gu Clan, Gu Yangcheon.
…Has the Young Master been living in such a world this whole time?
Reaching the Peak Realm himself had only deepened Muyeon’s respect for Gu Yangcheon.
The Young Master must have talent given by the heavens.
He had first met Gu Yangcheon a year ago. Back then, the young master was a poor martial artist barely at the Third-Rate level. But he had transformed, his talent blooming spectacularly. He advanced to Second-Rate, then First-Rate, and finally broke through to the Peak Realm, all in the span of a single year. An absurd, heaven-defying rate of progression.
…There are tons of people who can’t reach the Peak Realm even if they train for a lifetime.
Muyeon had once felt a pang of jealousy, but now a sense of peace settled over him. It likely stemmed from words exchanged with the servant Wi that night—a turning point.
Wipe-
Having finished his training, he put away his wooden sword and wiped his sweat. Just then, someone approached.
“Good work.”
Muyeon turned toward the voice. “…Oh, Miss Hong.”
The servant, Hongwa, offered him a bowl of water. Muyeon gave a slight nod of thanks and drank deeply, relieved to quench his thirst.
Hongwa watched him for a moment before asking, “Are you making any progress?”
“It’s always the same as ever.”
“Judging by your expression, you seem pretty fine.”
“…Haha.”
Hongwa spoke with evident relief, and Muyeon responded with an embarrassed smile. He had informed the clan of his breakthrough to the Peak Realm, causing another stir within Gu Sunmoon and the Swordsmen Army. The birth of a new, youngest Peak Realm expert in Gu Sunmoon was monumental.
Furthermore, the former Head, the First Elder, had died. The schemes he had orchestrated behind the scenes were being exposed one by one. With Gu Jeolyub's position as heir becoming precarious, many began to whisper that Muyeon was capable enough to lead Gu Sunmoon. Given his background in the Swordsmen Army, voices rose suggesting he should be promoted to a Vice-Captain position and removed from mere escort duties.
Yet, Muyeon rejected all such offers. He didn't feel he deserved them.
-There is something I want to do. Before I’m finished with that, I don’t want to be given any position.
With that single statement, he silenced all further discussion. Of course, many captains and members still wished to persuade him, but they held their tongues upon seeing the Second Elder's firm support.
“Muyeon.”
“Yes.”
“…You are still going to speak to me formally?”
“…I just can’t get used to it.”
Hongwa sighed and gave up, changing the subject. “I heard that Young Master Jeolyub came yesterday.”
“Oh, yes. That’s right.”
“Was he okay?”
Muyeon offered a bitter smile. “He will be fine soon.” That was all he could say. In his eyes, Gu Jeolyub possessed a will of steel. Though the boy still looked haggard, Muyeon was confident he would recover. He changed the topic. “Oh right, it’s today, right?”
“The day that the Young Master comes out?”
“Yes.”
“Correct. Though I’m not sure when he’ll come out…”
Two months had passed since Gu Yangcheon entered closed-door training as punishment. The time had veritably flown by, contrary to Muyeon's expectations.
…Do I just give it to him as soon as he comes out?
Before entering seclusion, Gu Yangcheon had made several requests of Muyeon. None were particularly difficult, so Muyeon had completed them easily. But, as always, he wondered about the young master's motives.
The Young Master must always have a reason.
That was Muyeon's conclusion. After all, someone like him could hardly hope to understand the mind of a genius like Gu Yangcheon.
“Oh, did you hear the news?” Hongwa asked.
“About what?”
“The business that the Moyong Clan will open this time around…”
“Oh, yes, I heard that they are working with the Tang Clan…”
“Yes. They are going to sell accessories and clothing, so people from outside of Shanxi will visit.”
“Oh, I see.”
Muyeon recalled hearing about it briefly. The Moyong Clan's blood relative, the Snow Phoenix Moyong Hi-ah, was currently residing with the Gu Clan. He had seen her up close during her visits to Gu Yangcheon.
She was a beautiful person.
She was a lady who knew how to wield her beauty, captivating men with her every gesture and smile. Yet, Gu Yangcheon had always seemed uncomfortable under her gaze, avoiding eye contact.
How come?
Muyeon couldn't understand. He always believed everyone appreciated beauty.
Perhaps, it’s because of Lady Namgung?
While Moyong Hi-ah was beautiful, the most stunning person Muyeon had ever seen was Namgung Bi-ah. She rarely adorned herself, often wearing simple, comfortable clothes with her hair tied back for training. Despite her lack of ornamentation, her beauty was on an entirely different level. For a moment, even Muyeon had felt a twinge of jealousy toward Gu Yangcheon for being engaged to her.
“…So I’d like to ask,” Hongwa began again.
“Huh?”
“If you are okay with it… how about we…”
“Oh! You are here!”
Just as Hongwa was about to say something, her words were cut off by a new arrival. Muyeon saw who it was and immediately bowed respectfully.
“I-I greet the Second Elder.”
“Yes yes, it’s been a while.”
“Yes.” They had, in fact, seen each other only a few days prior.
“Oh, Hongwa’s here too.”
“…”
“Hmm? What’s with your expression?”
“It is nothing. I greet the Second Elder.”
“I, I see…”
Hongwa's expression seemed darker than usual. Perhaps she was feeling unwell.
“It’s nothing special, but I heard that he’ll be out in a bit,” the Second Elder said.
“Oh…! The Young Master?”
“Yes. Would you like to go together?”
“Yes.”
Muyeon nodded. He had been waiting for this moment for two months.
Hongwa bowed to the Second Elder. “Then, I shall be going to prepare a meal.” Hearing that Gu Yangcheon would emerge soon, she hurried off. But her still-troubled expression lingered in Muyeon's mind.
“…Hmm, did this old man do something wrong?”
“No. It seems that servant Hong isn’t feeling too well.”
“Oh no, I should’ve sent her to the medical room.”
Muyeon smiled faintly at the Second Elder's response, then fell into step beside him as they walked.
* * *
Many events had unfolded over the past two months. Chief among them was the discovery of the secret vault hidden by the First Elder. Just as Gu Yangcheon had predicted, it was found at the First Elder's residence, filled with ill-gotten wealth and concrete evidence of his collusion with external forces.
This discovery vindicated Gu Yangcheon's actions. The First Elder was posthumously stripped of his position and denied a burial in the Gu Clan's ancestral grave.
Gu Jeolyub, as his grandson, was inevitably affected. However, thanks to prearranged plans by Gu Yangcheon and the Second Elder, Gu Jeolyub's dantian was protected, and he was allowed to remain an active member of the clan, albeit stripped of his position as Young Lord of Gu Sunmoon and many associated privileges. Gu Jeolyub accepted this without complaint, privately telling Muyeon he was grateful to retain even that much.
Many other things happened other than this…
But all that could be discussed after meeting Gu Yangcheon.
When they arrived at the training ground entrance, several familiar faces were already waiting. A lady stood at a distance, wearing a veil.
So the Snow Phoenix also came.
Moyong Hi-ah, the Moyong Clan relative who had stayed behind due to business. And standing next to her…
“…!”
Muyeon gasped inwardly.
Namgung Bi-ah stood beside Moyong Hi-ah. In hindsight, it was obvious; her absence would have been more surprising. But Muyeon's shock wasn't due to her presence alone.
“…Wow.”
Even the Second Elder beside him uttered an admiring sound.
Namgung Bi-ah, standing with perfect posture, was breathtakingly beautiful. The girl who usually went about with her hair tied simply, wearing comfortable training clothes, had made an effort today. Her makeup was light, far less pronounced than the usual styles of Moyong Hi-ah or Tang Soyeol, but it was more than enough to render onlookers speechless. Her beauty was so staggering it could daze a person with a single glance.
She seems so different just because she decorated herself a little.
Namgung Bi-ah turned her head and made eye contact with Muyeon.
“…”
Nod.
She gave him a slight, acknowledging nod. Muyeon returned the respect, though he couldn't calm the frantic thumping of his heart.
…Do I have to use my Qi?
He considered it for a moment, then dismissed the thought.
“A lot of people have gathered here. My Yangcheon must have luck in making friends unlike his personality,” the Second Elder remarked proudly, as if it were his own achievement. The crowd was larger than when Gu Yangcheon had entered seclusion. It was strange, in a way, that so many had gathered just to witness someone emerge from punishment.
“It’s almost time, so he should be out soon—”
As soon as the Second Elder spoke…
Slaaam.
A heavy impact sounded from behind the entrance.
Dddddk.
The impact caused dust to shake loose from the doorway. Then, the massive stone door began to grind open slowly…
Swooosh!
An immense wave of heat erupted from within, carrying away the dust. Mixed within that heat was something else entirely.
…This is…
It was Qi. Pure, dense, incredibly potent Qi saturated the air. As the wave of heat subsided…
From the darkness within…
Step.
A footstep echoed.
“Ugh, dammit.”
A familiar voice, laden with complaint, reached their ears. It was a voice Muyeon knew well, one he trusted so deeply its familiarity felt strange and comforting.
“Now I feel a little better.”
As the footsteps drew nearer, a figure gradually became visible from the shadows. He wore the same uniform as when he entered.
…Did he grow a little?
He seemed taller. Boys his age grew quickly, but his growth seemed exceptionally rapid.
“Hmm? What the.”
The boy pushed his hair aside as he looked around, his eyes still holding their characteristic fierce intensity. For an instant, Muyeon shuddered.
Violet…?
He could have sworn Gu Yangcheon's eyes flashed with a violet light. But in the blink of an eye, they returned to their normal color.
Was I mistaken?
It must have been a trick of the light. As Muyeon dismissed the thought, Gu Yangcheon spoke with his usual expression of mild absurdity.
“Why are you all gathered here?”
“We were waiting for you, bastard.”
“…I mean, why are you all waiting for a person who’s coming out of his punishment?”
The Second Elder moved to clap Gu Yangcheon on the shoulder but stopped mid-step. Everyone looked at him, puzzled.
“What’s wrong?”
“Yangcheon.”
“Yes.”
“You smell.”
“…”
Gu Yangcheon sniffed his own clothes and made a disgusted face. “…Holy fuck, what kind of smell is this?” The odor was apparently truly foul.
“You smell worse than shit, so let’s talk after you wash yourself.”
“Yes…”
Muyeon watched the exchange, unsure what expression to make. The long-awaited reunion was far messier than he had anticipated.