Chapter 250: Return (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 250: Return (3)
The sky was a clear, cloudless blue, sharper and more vivid than ever. The sun beat down with an intensity that left no doubt—summer had arrived in full force.
This year’s heat was on another level entirely, making last summer’s weather feel like a gentle spring day by comparison. It was so intense that you could probably crack an egg on a sun-baked sword and watch it sizzle.
I’d actually gotten into serious trouble for testing that theory once back in the Abyss. I think it was with the Sleeping Dragon’s sword. It was a sweltering day, and we’d gotten our hands on a demon’s egg. I’d suggested we fry it up.
Of course, we were caught. And of course, we were chewed out.
—You idiot, I told you not to do it!
—…I didn’t think we’d get caught. I’ll have to be sneakier next time.
—The goal isn’t to not get caught, it’s to not do it at all!
—Why are you throwing a fit? You enjoyed the egg, too.
That was the gist of the conversation. I’m pretty sure it was either Moyong Hi-ah or Wi Seol-Ah who lit into me. One of them lectured me like a madwoman for a solid hour, furious that I’d used her precious sword as a frying pan.
I wasn’t even the one who did it! Why did I get an earful? Probably for not stopping him. But how was I supposed to stop that lunatic?
“…It’s so hot…”
I turned my head at the whine. Namgung Bi-ah was sprawled out beside me, drenched in sweat and looking utterly drained.
“Are you oka—…Yeah, never mind.” I started to ask if she was alright, but the answer was painfully obvious, so I let the question die.
Even as a Peak Realm martial artist who could normally use her qi to shrug off the weather, this heat was proving too much for her.
Not that it affects me.
We of the Gu Clan carry an innate fire within our bodies. Extreme cold or heat means little to us. It’s hard to feel the external heat when your internal furnace is already blazing.
Watching her struggle, I gestured vaguely. “If you’re that miserable, why not go ride in the Moyong Clan’s carriage?”
“I don’t want to.”
I’d made the suggestion because sitting next to Moyong Hi-ah, with her icy aura, would surely cool her down. But she refused outright. They really didn’t get along. She’d just have to keep sweating next to me.
Is it because they’re so similar that they clash?
Putting personalities aside, Namgung Bi-ah and Moyong Hi-ah gave off a similar vibe. Maybe they hated each other for that very reason.
That’s probably it.
I get irrationally annoyed when I meet someone like me, too. Then again, that might just be because I have a terrible personality.
Thud!
“We should arrive in a few minutes.”
The words came from Gu Jeolyub, who was leading the horse at the front.
“You can even estimate our arrival time now? You’ve become a real expert at this.”
“Haha!”
Gu Jeolyub let out a cheerful, booming laugh at my comment.
…Why is he so happy? Last time I complimented his swordsmanship, he made a face like he’d swallowed something rotten. But he’s over the moon about being praised for leading a horse? It makes no sense.
Sure enough, just as he’d said, we soon entered Shanxi and crossed into Gu Clan territory. I saw clansmen waving as they recognized the carriage of their blood relatives. I gave a slight wave back.
I wonder why they’re waving at me.
I returned the gesture, but I was puzzled. These were the same people who’d resented and cursed me in my past life. Now they were acting as if none of that had ever happened.
Not that I didn’t deserve their curses back then.
I held no grudge against those who’d resented me. In their eyes, I had been no different from a demon.
After my brief wave, I drew the carriage blinds closed again. I felt a sudden weariness, the bitter memories leaving a dull ache behind.
…I should take a nap when I get home. I must be sleep-deprived.
Not just recently, but for the past year, I couldn’t recall sleeping more than four hours at a stretch.
My body may be coursing with qi…
But I’ve been running nonstop without a break. The fatigue has to be accumulating.
This isn’t something that can be fixed by eating a big meal or a quick meditation. True rest is what I need.
Just as I resolved to get some proper rest—
Sssk
I flinched as something cold suddenly touched my cheek.
“…What are you doing?”
I looked and saw it was Namgung Bi-ah’s hand. Despite the oppressive heat, her fingers were surprisingly cold.
At my question, she tilted her head. “…You look… tired.”
“I am tired. What’s with the hand?”
“My hand is cold.”
“I can feel that. It’s very cold.”
“…Touching something cold feels better when you’re hot.”
She then began to gently rub my cheek with her cold hand. Her skin quickly warmed from my body heat, but Namgung Bi-ah kept fondling my cheek with no intention of stopping.
“How long are you going to keep doing that?”
“…I don’t know?”
She looked genuinely puzzled by my question. If you don’t know, then who does?
Fine, do what you want…
This wasn’t the first time Namgung Bi-ah had acted strangely. Having been acquainted with her since my past life, I’d long since resigned myself to just accepting her eccentricities.
As I lay there, my cheek captive to her touch, staring blankly at the carriage ceiling, a voice interrupted.
“We’ve arrived.”
The carriage had already reached the Gu Clan estate.
I stepped out of the carriage, trying to shake off the dizziness from the long journey. Someone greeted me immediately, as if they’d been lying in wait.
“You’ve grown a little. Not bad.”
“…You seem to have grown a bit, too, for some reason.”
“Really? I suppose I have been eating well lately.”
“You’re joking, right?”
He was well over seventy years old. What did he mean, he’d ‘grown’?
…Had he?
I was doubtful, but as I looked him over, a part of me wondered if he actually had gotten bigger.
“Anyway… Do I have to call you First Elder now?”
“Call me whatever you like. Titles aren’t that important in the end.”
The old man laughing heartily was Gu Ryoon, the former Second Elder of the Gu Clan, now promoted to First Elder. The position had been vacant, so he’d moved up, though he himself complained that he had no desire for extra work in his old age.
Does that mean the Fourth Elder position is empty now?
I’d heard the current Captain of the First Army was supposed to take that post after retirement, but the Captain had also refused the promotion. Who knew what would happen.
“Hmm.”
The First Elder, who had been chattering away, suddenly fell silent. His eyes scanned me from head to toe.
“…You’ve changed a great deal again, and in such a short time.”
…He’s as sharp as ever.
Well, I’d consumed an astronomical amount of… things. Change was inevitable. Compared to the me of a year ago, my qi reserves had expanded massively, and my body’s capacity had increased exponentially. I was no longer the weakling who would be exhausted after breathing fire a few times.
Though I’m still not ready to face that wall.
I’ve trained to the point where I could break through it if given the right opportunity.
I should reach the Fusion Realm within the next three years, at the latest.
Any longer, and it will be too late.
Progress needs to be steady yet swift, because this damned world moves much faster than I’d like.
As I stood there lost in frustrating thoughts, the First Elder approached and asked, “How long do you plan to stay this time before running off again?”
“…Why do you always assume I’ll leave? This is my home, too.”
“You’re always traveling… so I thought you’d be off somewhere again soon. Haha!”
I wondered how many of those trips had actually been my choice. And trouble seemed to find me wherever I went.
…Despite that, I do have to go somewhere again.
This time, it’s to the Namgung Clan. Maybe I’ll run into less trouble there?
I just hope there aren’t any weirdos.
But considering that family doesn’t have a single normal member, that might be wishful thinking.
…I’ll lay low and come back as soon as possible.
I feel like I always tell myself that, but I’m sincere every time. I need to stop causing trouble. Things have already spiraled far beyond my control.
“Whatever the case may be,” the First Elder said, cutting through my tangled thoughts.
Tap.
His firm hand landed on my shoulder.
“Welcome back. You’ve worked hard.”
“…Yeah, well.”
Hearing those words delivered with such a bright smile felt incredibly awkward.
“What are your plans now?”
“Nothing, for the moment…”
Moyong Hi-ah had left for Shanxi as soon as we arrived, citing business. I assumed it was related to the Tang Clan affairs.
Her involvement has really changed things around here.
I’d noticed immediately upon returning that Shanxi was far more active than before. Just the fact that the Moyong Clan had established business here had made the streets busier. They were selling items not even available in Henan or Liaoning. Wealthy households were known to go into a frenzy over such rare goods, so this meant a massive financial boon for Shanxi.
Not that it puts money in my pocket.
But still, it’s a good thing.
Moyong Hi-ah seemed more energetic than before, perhaps because she had more free time now that her condition was cured. I’d noticed it a bit at the frontlines, but maybe the change was even bigger than I thought. She was off running around as soon as we arrived, saying she had business to attend to.
In contrast, Namgung Bi-ah had gone straight to sleep, claiming she was exhausted.
“I think I’ll take a nap, too.”
Even though I’d rushed back upon hearing that Mi Hyoran had arrived, I was told I’d need to wait about two hours as she was currently in a meeting with my father.
A nap sounds perfect right now.
I couldn’t even remember the last time I’d taken one. Ever since my regression, I hadn’t had a proper rest. It seemed everyone had scattered to their own tasks, so I decided to head inside and get some sleep.
“Rest, huh? Not a bad idea. Rest is important for a martial artist.”
“Weren’t you the one who always said, ‘A martial artist should sleep less and train more!?’”
“…I only said that because you used to skip training to run off.”
Fair point. It made sense he’d say that back then.
Meanwhile, the First Elder kept staring at me intently, as if he had something on his mind.
“Do you have something to say?”
“Hmm, it’s nothing. I shouldn’t bother you now since you want to rest. I’ll tell you later.”
“Huh…?”
That was an unsettling thing to say. Whenever the First Elder spoke like that, he usually dropped some kind of problem on me, which made me deeply nervous.
“Just tell me now.”
“This old man will find you later. Rest well, okay?”
“…No, tell me now— Hey! Where are you going?!”
After that ambiguous reply, the First Elder swiftly leaped away and vanished. Why was a man with no work running off as if he were busy!
“…Dammit…!”
In the end, the First Elder disappeared, leaving me stricken with anxiety. I had no choice but to head home, my mind seething with irritation. It had been a while since we’d last met, but that old man was exactly the same as ever.
…Whatever. I’ll sleep for now.
I instructed a servant to wake me in a couple of hours. It was difficult for me to fall into a deep sleep, so I’d probably wake up on my own anyway, but I gave the order just in case.
I closed my eyes and began to slowly circulate my qi, a technique to help myself fall asleep faster. Thanks to this, my body relaxed, and I drifted off.
I didn’t dream at all. That was for the best. Any dreams I had were bound to be nightmares. Because of that, I preferred not to dream.
Then.
—Ah, wait…! I’ll wake him up right away!
—Leave him be. There’s no need to wake him when he looks so tired.
—But…!
Who was that? My servant? I felt like I’d just closed my eyes. Had two hours already passed?
—I’ll inform him myself later, so don’t worry.
The voice tickled my ear. In the end, I pushed myself up.
When I sat up, the owner of the voice spoke, sounding surprised. “Oh my, it seems I’ve woken you.”
“…Is it time already?”
“Yes, unfortunately, it is time.”
“Then I should get ready before I… Hm?”
It wasn’t a familiar voice. It didn’t sound like Hongwa… was it Gu Huibi?
I looked up, wondering who it was.
“…Huh?”
Standing there was someone I never expected to see.
“It must have been years. I believe it has been around five.”
She was dressed neatly, her hair tied up elegantly. Her face showed slight signs of aging, but her demeanor was still graceful. Her features, which bore a resemblance to Gu Huibi and Gu Yeonseo, gave her an elegant yet resilient aura.
I knew who she was, but she was the last person I expected to see in my room.
“…Lady Mi?”
She was the legal wife of the Clan Lord, the current Lady of the Gu Clan.
The Lady of White Flowers, Mi Hyoran.
It was her.
“It has been a while.”
Even after mumbling the words, it still didn’t feel real. My eyes were still heavy with sleep, but as the scene before me refused to change, I nodded and spoke.
“So it’s a dream.”
Every time I dreamed, it was a nightmare. This was probably no different.
“I must be so sleep-deprived I’m having crazy dreams like this.”
Muttering to myself, I lay back down and fell asleep. When I woke up again, finally sensing that something was off, about fifteen minutes had passed.
Step.
A man as handsome as a sculpted statue walked slowly down a corridor. The sword at his waist hung perfectly straight, and his every step exuded the elegance of a young noble.
As he passed, a servant working nearby greeted him with a wide, earnest smile.
“Hello, Young Master…!”
“Hello. Thank you for your hard work. Have you eaten?”
“Y-Yes…!”
“You must work on a full stomach. If you falter, our clan falters with you.”
“A-Ah…! Th-Thank you…!”
The young man continued on his way.
—Goodness, even his voice is so gentle. He’s perfect.
—I know, right? That’s why they call him the miracle of the Taeryung Clan…!
The servants whispered excitedly amongst themselves. However, the bright smile the young man had worn moments before had vanished, replaced by an expressionless, stiff mask.
How bothersome.
Being forced to be polite to those commoners.
The young man, Jang Seonyeon, quietly touched his lips and quickened his pace. When he felt frustrated like this, there was only one thing that made him feel better: seeing what he desired. Or doing what he wanted.
After walking briskly for a while, Jang Seonyeon arrived before a massive building. The doors in front of him were easily twice his height. Without hesitation, he reached out.
Creak.
He pushed with all his might, and the heavy door began to swing open.
Swoosh!
A gust of wind blew outward as the door opened, carrying with it a dense, palpable qi.
…She’s gotten stronger.
The aura he felt now was far more formidable than the last time. She was different yesterday, and she would be different tomorrow. She was growing at a monstrous rate. One could rightly call her a monster.
All in the span of a single year. Despite having trained with the sword for less than a year, her list of achievements was already unbelievable.
I get that she’s the Sword Venerable’s disciple, but this is just cruel.
Slam!
Once the door was fully open, Jang Seonyeon stepped inside.
Kwaaak-!
He couldn’t take more than a few steps before a sword wave shot past, striking the ground right at his feet. The spot still glowed with the residual light of her sword qi. Jang Seonyeon looked forward with an awkward expression.
“Isn’t your greeting a bit too violent?”
He hadn’t spoken softly, yet she gave no response. It was as if she hadn’t heard him at all.
“I came here hoping to hear your voice… but you’re as silent as ever.”
Further in, much further in, he could see a girl setting her sword down and tying up her hair. When Jang Seonyeon’s eyes met hers, he swallowed hard without realizing it.
How beautiful.
Though drenched in sweat from intense training, the girl possessed a beauty that outshone anyone else. She looked completely different from the first time he had met her.
As Jang Seonyeon cautiously took another step forward, the girl finally spoke.
“…Stop right there.”
He could finally hear her voice. A happy smile touched Jang Seonyeon’s lips.
“You’ll only speak if I come this close?”
“I have no desire to look at you for long. State your business.”
Her response was cold and sharp. While her voice itself was soft and warm, the emotion behind it was colder than ice.
“I still don’t understand.”
He truly didn’t. He couldn’t comprehend why this girl despised him so intensely.
“I don’t understand why you hold such hatred for me. I truly don’t. Please, tell me.”
Again, there was no response. Her silence made it clear she wanted no further conversation.
Sighing, Jang Seonyeon took out a letter and held it up. “This is for you. I received one as well, of course.” He infused the letter with a wisp of qi and sent it sailing through the air toward her.
Clap.
The girl caught the letter and opened it, her eyes scanning the contents.
“…”
Had she read something unexpected? Watching her expression, Jang Seonyeon continued slowly.
“As much as you despise me, this cannot be avoided. You are to go there in the winter. The Sword Venerable has already approved it, so don’t even think of running away.”
“…”
“Ah, but you probably won’t run away.”
She frowned, clearly displeased by his words. Even that frown seemed beautiful to him.
“He will be there as well, so there’s no way you wouldn’t—”
Kwagk!
Before he could finish his sentence, a vast sword wave of golden light swept across the ground right beside him. It happened in an instant.
“Do not—”
The girl’s voice now held a palpable killing intent. Jang Seonyeon felt a chill run down his spine from its intensity.
“—speak another word.”
Smiling, he raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, indicating he would say no more.
“I’ll take my leave, then. That was all. It was nice to see your face again.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Jang Seonyeon turned and walked away. His smile didn’t fade as he left.
It’s nice to see that she’s as fortified as ever.
He didn’t know why she hated him, but he didn’t particularly care.
That side of her isn’t bad, either.
When something you want is hard to get, the desire only grows stronger. And Jang Seonyeon preferred it that way.
“…”
Left alone after Jang Seonyeon’s departure, the girl quietly looked down at the letter in her hand. The contents weren’t long, and reading it a second time changed nothing, but her mind was now preoccupied with something else entirely.
— ‘He’ will be there.
Jang Seonyeon’s words echoed in her ears, conflicting her thoughts. The face and voice that filled her mind compelled her to speak aloud, as if she could no longer contain it.
“…Young Master.”
As the girl uttered those brief words, her face, for some reason, was filled with deep regret.