Chapter 269: Winter Is Coming (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 269: Winter Is Coming (3)
Time flowed onward until the day of the engagement finally arrived.
Though only a few days had passed, they felt interminably long and tedious, made worse by my inability to train. My activities were limited to occasional walks with Namgung Bi-ah and brief exchanges with Lady Mi during her visits.
Sitting through tea parties where she didn't utter a single word was a special kind of torture. The discomfort was so profound I thought I might perish from it.
At least messing with the Pissing Dragon was fun.
The more I thought about Namgung Cheonjun, the more absurd he seemed. The power he gained through the Blood Qi enhancement of his body and martial arts was substantial. In my case, my flame had turned blue, but his transformation was different. I'd had to smack some sense into him when he started forgetting even that much.
The power granted by Demonic Qi was visibly apparent. His Lightning Qi now glowed with a violet hue, and he claimed it felt more destructive. This change had driven Namgung Cheonjun half-mad, seemingly intoxicated by the Demonic Qi. He was desperate to wield that power.
Crazy fucker.
To be fair, he had accepted the Blood Qi willingly, so his desperation for the Demonic Qi—which brought such noticeable changes—was predictable. Still, it was staggering to see a blood relative of an Orthodox noble clan so thoroughly seduced by such power.
Of course, the bastard wasn't right in the head to begin with, harboring such nasty desires for his own sister.
Even so, his behavior was frightening. One day, he grabbed my pants, begging to use the power. I told him to screw off for the day and not come back, and he actually listened.
…I should’ve just killed him.
Sigh.
I really should have gotten rid of him. Perhaps I still should, instead of waiting to see what becomes of him. That thought crossed my mind every time I saw his face. I had learned what I wanted; there was no need to keep him alive.
Sigh.
The bastard's thirst for honor was blatant. That was the problem with the scions of noble clans. What did they truly gain by achieving so much? Nothing. They could never reach the pinnacle because honor was all they desired. As proof, the ones currently thriving at the top were all maniacs obsessed solely with martial arts.
Clack.
The clear sound of a teacup being set down broke my reverie. I had to set aside my thoughts about Namgung Cheonjun for now.
How frustrating.
I had to endure my current situation. It was far more important than Demonic Qi or that fool.
“I, the Lord of the Namgung Clan, am deeply pleased by this engagement with the Gu Clan,” a voice declared.
My gaze shifted. It wasn't directed at Namgung Jin, who was speaking, or my father, who was listening, but at the girl seated before me.
They put in a lot of effort, huh.
The beautified Namgung Bi-ah was as stunning as ever. Her gaze remained fixed on me from start to finish, making the whole situation feel surreal.
I’m really doing this.
Our engagement. The fact that I was to be formally engaged to her felt utterly unreal. I knew the events of this life were bound to change, but this was the most significant shift I was experiencing.
I wonder how you feel about it.
My thoughts drifted to the lady who lingered like a ghost behind Namgung Bi-ah. She looked just like her, yet could never live the same life. I wondered what that girl, the one who died for me, would say if she saw this. I was a little curious.
Namgung Bi-ah was looking at me with subtle eyes, her expression mostly the same as always. Perhaps there was a slight difference, but honestly, I couldn't tell. Whichever it was, the entire affair felt dreamlike.
What kind of emotion is this?
What was I feeling in my heart? It certainly wasn't excitement or hope. This was an engagement, but that was all it was. I would not marry her. I had far too many things to handle from now on.
Then, will I do it after I’m finished with everything?
I asked myself.
I’m not sure.
I had no answer. It was far too early for such peaceful thoughts; I needed to remember my place.
I just hope that the future is a little different.
For the rest of my life to be unlike the last, and for the life ahead to be more peaceful than the past. That was all I wanted.
“Stop staring at me like that; it makes me uncomfortable.”
“…”
Hearing my words, Namgung Bi-ah smiled.
The engagement concluded peacefully. It was even quieter than the banquet had been. The clan lords gave their agreement, and Namgung Bi-ah and I held each other's hands. With that, our engagement was officially sealed.
It ended far too peacefully, despite my long avoidance and excessive worrying. For a moment, this quiet resolution allowed me to set aside my conflicted thoughts.
And yet,
-Young Master!
A certain person's face surfaced in my mind, making it a difficult time.
* * *
The engagement ceremony itself was brief. Its sole purpose was to formalize the event. The Gu Clan had arrived at the Namgung Clan, and the deed was done. All that remained was the official reporting.
Trade and business matters between the clans fell to the lords, so I decided not to concern myself with them.
I am curious about a few things, though.
The atmosphere over the past few days and the reason for the delay had piqued my curiosity. I was quite interested, but I heard nothing about it. Father might have been informed, but he didn't react much because…
He understood the condition.
There must have been a valid reason, which was why Father accepted it without a fuss.
I just hope I’m not involved in anything pointless.
I was already swamped with my own problems; I couldn't afford to be entangled in matters between the two clans. Of course, I trusted that my father had handled it.
For now, I must focus on this.
I looked around with a sour expression. Could this be called a storage room? I supposed so, as it was filled with a vast quantity of stored items. This was the treasure vault of the Namgung Clan.
I had gained entry by requesting permission from Namgung Jin. I had expected a denial, but to my surprise, he let me in easily. To be fair, I had helped him achieve enlightenment, and I promised only to look, not to touch. Of course, I was made to wear a shackle to prevent theft, but I had no intention of stealing anyway.
It's not like I have just one or two treasures on me… I have enough. I'll pass on acquiring more.
I scanned the vault, examining each treasure.
Most seem to be swords.
As befitting a clan of swords, the majority of the treasures were blade-shaped. However, their forms were often too strange to be practical weapons. They seemed more like decorative pieces meant for display. The vault was filled with objects whose value as "treasures" I didn't understand.
Then again, the very nature of treasures was inherently mysterious. They weren't created by anyone.
To be more accurate, their origins are unknowable.
Where they came from, who made them—they were fundamentally incomprehensible objects. That described most treasures. The majority of the Namgung Clan's collection felt that way. They were simply maintaining possession of items handed down through generations.
The only treasure of the Namgung Clan that was both genuinely revered and used as a weapon was the Thunder Fang.
Though I didn’t know if there were others.
As far as I knew, that was the case.
With that thought, I continued my inspection.
I don’t feel anything peculiar.
Given these were Namgung treasures, I could sense the faint thrum of Lightning Qi from them, but I detected no unique signatures.
…As expected, it’s not here then?
There was only one reason I had gone through the hassle of coming here. It was because of what the Light of Might back in Shaolin had told me.
-Go find Myung.
He had said that the soul of the Thunderous Sword, Namgung Myung, was also contained within a treasure. I had come here on the off chance that one of the Namgung Clan's treasures housed him.
But as I expected,
He didn't seem to be here. Even if the Thunderous Sword's soul was present, I could do nothing if I couldn't identify it.
But considering the Light of Might told me to look for him, wouldn't he show a reaction if he saw me?
Just like Cheolyoung had, I believed Namgung Myung would also react.
If he’s not here… then…
It was highly likely that Namgung Myung was inside the Thunder Fang, which was currently outside the clan. Considering he had wielded that treasure his entire life, it wasn't strange for his soul to reside within it. I had expected this outcome. I had just hoped for an easier path.
“Unfortunate.”
With Elder Shin currently asleep, I was trying to accomplish as much as I could on my own, but my circumstances were far from ideal. In the end, it seemed I would have to travel all the way to Wudang Mountain to find Namgung Myung.
Moreover, the Thunder Fang was currently in the possession of the Monster of Wudang. That meant not only did I have to go to Wudang, but I also had to find that specific individual.
“Can I catch a break?”
It felt like the world was telling me I had to work tirelessly if I wanted any semblance of a peaceful life. How annoying.
I began to walk away, my steps heavy with frustration. There was nothing left for me here.
Then.
-…cheol.
I turned sharply toward the sound. An instinctive chill ran down my spine.
-Shincheol.
From far away, behind a pile of treasures, a voice emanated from a section of wall where something was written.
“…No way.”
I walked cautiously toward the voice. On the wall, the characters for ‘The Greatest Sword of South Heaven’ were inscribed, with a scroll of text hanging beside it. As I stared, dumbfounded,
-Shincheol…
To confirm I hadn't misheard, the voice came again. It was the cold, deep voice of a man.
Is it… really the Thunderous Sword?
Was Namgung Myung’s soul contained in this shabby writing, when I had assumed he would be inside a physical treasure?
“…Are you… the Thunderous Sword?” I asked hesitantly.
There was no immediate response. After a moment of silence, the voice began to speak again, ignoring me.
“Hey…”
-Shincheol… no, it might be Il-Cheon.
“Hello?”
“Hey, hello!”
-How long has it been… I wonder, but nothing matters anymore.
I shouted, but the voice continued its monologue, unable to hear me.
-Whoever you are, go find the Thunder Fa- no, go find me. I…
The voice cut off abruptly mid-sentence, and silence returned. It felt as if only an echo of his voice was trapped within.
Regardless of whether that was actually possible,
“Go find the Thunder Fang?”
I pondered the words Namgung Myung had likely left for me. If the voice was correct, it meant he truly was contained within the Thunder Fang.
“Also…”
[It might be Il-Cheon.]
That phrase concerned me as well. Cheolyoung had also seemed to expect that Elder Shin would still be alive in this world. But Il-Cheon…
‘The Iron Fist, Yeon Il-Cheon…’
He was the hero who fought the Blood Demon, the Zenith of his era. According to Cheolyoung, he was a martial artist who, like me, had traveled through time.
What about him though…?
Why had Namgung Myung mentioned his name? It bothered me strangely.
* * *
A man entered the darkened room.
“Young Lady, a letter has arrived.”
Inside the Moyong Clan’s compound in Anhui, lights still burned despite the late hour. Moyong Hi-ah was in her room, reading a letter.
“Did it come from the Namgung Clan?”
“Yes.”
“Give me a summary.”
Despite addressing the man, Moyong Hi-ah’s gaze remained fixed on the letter in her hands.
“…It seems the engagement has been finalized,” the man reported.
In response, Moyong Hi-ah paused for a second and looked up at him. “They didn’t say anything about it?”
“No, they did not.”
“They must have run into serious trouble. For them to not take advantage of this situation…”
The engagement between her and the Lightning Dragon hadn't been official, but it would have become so if proceedings had continued. It was the Moyong Clan that had been pushing for it. Now that the Moyong Clan had backed out, it was expected that the Namgung Clan would have something to say.
‘But they are letting this pass so easily.’
It was unexpected for Moyong Hi-ah.
“Anyway, I’m glad it worked out well.”
“Yes.”
“Prepare for our departure; we are heading for the central plains tomorrow.”
“Understood.”
After the man left, Moyong Hi-ah let out a mental sigh. Their engagement should have ended by now, and thinking about that left a faint dissatisfaction within her.
It doesn’t matter.
Even so, she calmed herself. She had expected this.
…There is plenty of time.
The old Moyong Hi-ah would never have thought this way. For her to say she had plenty of time was quite uncharacteristic. She had once believed she didn't have much time left, but that changed after meeting him.
Gently, the letter in Moyong Hi-ah’s hand slipped from her fingers and fluttered slowly to the floor.
“…It’s not over just because they’re engaged, you know?”
“Young Lady?”
“It’s nothing.”
Brushing her hair aside, Moyong Hi-ah picked up the letter once more. She would be able to see him tomorrow. That was enough for her, for now.
“Father didn’t say anything at all?”
“The Lord didn’t really… Ah, he did mention that he would like to meet the True Dragon, if possible.”
“You are dismissed. I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.”
“Understood.”
Moyong Hi-ah gave a firm response. She didn't know what would happen if her father, who valued her life above his own, were to meet Gu Yangcheon. It was obvious he was only holding back because Gu Yangcheon's unique heat had, miraculously, saved her life.
…I cannot let such a thing happen.
She didn't know what would happen to Gu Yangcheon if her father went after him, especially now that he had a fiancée.
“Young Lady.”
“You may speak.”
“What should we do about the captives?”
“Ah.”
Upon hearing the man, Moyong Hi-ah turned her head, as if she had forgotten. This was the reason for her trip to Anhui: the silk business partners who had embezzled funds. It had been easy to confirm their guilt and track them down. Their incompetence made them simple to find.
After stretching lightly, Moyong Hi-ah gave a calm, cold response. “Kill them. Don’t leave a single one alive.”
“Understood.”
After the man left, Moyong Hi-ah finally stretched her sore body now that she was alone. It felt heavier than usual, a consequence of avoiding training to maintain the illusion that her condition required a cure. In reality, she was already capable of training, but she was deliberately refraining.
…He’ll find out if I do.
If he discovered her body was gradually improving, it would mean they would see each other less. She couldn't allow that. She planned to use him for a few more years. To Moyong Hi-ah, getting closer to him as a woman was more important than improving as a martial artist.
“Now, then…”
After stretching, Moyong Hi-ah picked up another letter. This one contained intelligence from the Moyong Clan, including information on the troubles currently plaguing the Namgung Clan.
-The Heavenly Venerable’s whereabouts are unknown.
After reading that short line, Moyong Hi-ah’s eyes widened.