Chapter 276: Meteor Generation (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 276: Meteor Generation (5)
By the time I returned to the inn after my ‘enjoyable’ spar with Gu Jeolyub, evening had already fallen.
In the cafeteria sat Namgung Bi-ah, whom I hadn't seen since we first arrived in Henan, and Moyong Hi-ah, who appeared as busy as ever.
Moyong Hi-ah greeted me as I entered, dragging a half-conscious Gu Jeolyub behind me, while Namgung Bi-ah fixed me with a silent, piercing stare.
“You’re back.”
“I am.”
“Will you be joining us for dinner, Young Master?”
“I’m a bit hungry, so I might as well.”
I pulled out a chair next to Namgung Bi-ah and sat down. No sooner had I settled than she filled an empty cup with water and pushed it toward me. I drank it in one go, then unceremoniously dumped Gu Jeolyub in a vacant corner. If he was hungry, he’d get up and eat eventually.
My eyes scanned the inn’s common room.
“There aren’t many guests here.”
Just like yesterday, it seemed we were the only ones staying here. Had Moyong Hi-ah rented out the entire place?
“…Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked, noticing my gaze.
“You’re the only one here with both the means and the audacity to spend that much money.”
“I did no such thing.”
It was a reasonable assumption. Moyong Hi-ah struck me as the type to book an entire inn for privacy. But if she hadn't…
“So… business is just that slow?”
Moyong Hi-ah had been the one to recommend this inn, praising it as well-known and suitable for people of our status. Frankly, she could have easily rented the whole place if she wished.
It’s strange, though. There should be more people around at this hour.
With the Heavenly Dragon Academy’s entrance exam about to begin, the city should have been teeming with aspirants. The emptiness felt unnatural.
As we chatted, waiting for the food to arrive, Namgung Bi-ah, who had been quietly refilling my cup…
“…Oh.”
Suddenly widened her eyes, staring at the entrance.
“Hmm? What’s wro–”
I started to ask, but then I felt it too—a group of people approaching, one presence feeling distinctly familiar. As the group drew nearer to the inn…
Slam!
“Young Maaaster!”
The door burst open, letting in a gust of winter air along with a vibrant, energetic figure.
“Young Masteree…!”
The moment she spotted me, her voice bright and cheerful, she sprinted in my direction. She would have likely launched herself into my arms had Moyong Hi-ah and Namgung Bi-ah not swiftly moved to intercept her.
“Agh!”
The young woman collided with Namgung Bi-ah instead. She shot me a pouty, dissatisfied look, but the two women formed a firm barrier between us.
Moyong Hi-ah sighed, fan snapping open as she addressed the newcomer. “A young woman your age, trying to hug him so brazenly? Have some restraint.”
The lady turned her frustration toward Namgung Bi-ah, who was still holding her back. “Sister, after all this time apart, are you going to be this mean?”
“Even so… it’s a no.”
“…So cruel.”
Her green eyes seemed deeper than I remembered, and her dark green hair, once shoulder-length, now cascaded down to her chest. When our eyes met, she blushed, a brilliant smile spreading across her face.
“Young Master… It’s been so long. I’ve missed you terribly…!”
“…Uh, yeah. It has been a while.”
The sheer intensity of her emotion almost made me take a step back. She looked taller, more mature than the girl I remembered. This was the treasure of the Poison King, the beloved daughter of the Sichuan Tang Clan, the Poison Phoenix herself—Tang Soyeol.
Over a year had passed since we last met.
She’s grown up.
That was my immediate, succinct assessment. Tang Soyeol carried herself with a newfound maturity. Though she was older than me even back then, she now looked every bit a full-grown woman. Perhaps the longer hair contributed to the effect. Despite her overwhelming energy, I found myself genuinely glad to see her.
She sidled up close to me and asked, a hopeful glint in her eyes, “Did you read all the letters I sent you?”
“I read every one.”
“Oh, really!?” Her eyes widened dramatically, as if deeply moved. It was almost comical how large they became.
“Then… why didn’t you write back…?”
Oh.
I swallowed nervously. The truth was, I’d simply forgotten.
“Didn’t I… reply sometimes?”
“You did not.”
“Sorry.”
Her tone was uncharacteristically serious. I might have had an excuse while I was on the front lines, but after returning to the clan, there was none. A pang of guilt hit me as I watched her cheerful expression falter slightly.
“Food! Have you eaten yet?” I quickly changed the subject.
“No?”
“Good, let’s eat first.”
Tang Soyeol let out a soft sigh, recognizing my evasion. “…But since I finally get to see you,” she conceded, not pressing further, and took a seat with a smile.
Just as she was sitting down, she seemed to remember something and looked at me cautiously. “Oh, right, Young Master.”
“Hmm?”
“I’m sorry to ask, but I have some companions with me… Would it be alright if they joined us?”
“Companions? Who?”
People traveling with Tang Soyeol? It was a little surprising, but made sense. Fair enough, she isn't like Namgung Bi-ah. Tang Soyeol was sociable and carried herself with noble grace. While not as overtly political as Moyong Hi-ah, it was plausible she’d pick up travel companions. Still, it felt somewhat random.
“Ah, we met on the road here and decided to travel together. They should be here any moment.”
“Do I know them?”
From her expression, it seemed I might, but her reaction was oddly hesitant. “N…o? Maybe not? I feel like you might know them… but considering it's you, Young Master, it's also possible you don't.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I almost smiled at her playful, cryptic words.
But that smile died instantly.
Every nerve in my body snapped taut at the presence I felt approaching from beyond the door.
“About that…” Tang Soyeol began to explain, but her words became meaningless noise.
…It can’t be.
I focused all my energy into my gaze, staring intently at the entrance.
Thump.
Thump.
My heart hammered in my chest, a loud, nervous rhythm that made my body tremble.
Creak.
The inn door swung open slowly.
Step-
The figure who entered wasn't large, and their footsteps were whisper-quiet, yet to my heightened senses, they echoed deafeningly. It was a martial artist who seemed around the same age as the Sleeping Dragon, with jet-black hair and clad entirely in black. But that wasn't what held my attention.
Despite his youthful appearance, his mind was an unreadable void.
The moment he stepped inside, our eyes met.
…Fuck.
The curse escaped my lips unbidden. I was staring into the same dull, lifeless black pupils I had seen in my past life—horrifying eyes I would never forget.
He had noticed me, too, holding my gaze without a flicker of emotion.
It was terrifying. A cold sweat threatened to break out as a wave of nervousness crawled up my spine to the crown of my head. How long had it been? Not that long, objectively, but it felt like an eternity.
Just as my breath was catching in my throat…
“Ugh… Brother! Why are you just standing there?” A girl’s voice came from behind him.
The man in black turned his head slightly.
“Seriously… We should at least thank Sister Tang properly.”
A girl, dressed in matching black attire, pushed him forward with a frown—though he barely moved from the gentle shove.
“Ah, they're here. It's them,” Tang Soyeol said brightly.
I started coughing. “…Them?”
“That's right. I take it you know who they are?”
“…”
Know them? I certainly did.
I knew that man in black far too well. He had nearly killed me once. How could I not know him?
As the girl tugged the young man toward our table, his gaze returned to me. I had no idea what he was thinking, but remembering what lurked behind those eyes, I fought to conceal my terror.
Goddammit…
I never thought we'd meet like this. No, I knew a confrontation was inevitable, but not here, not now. I hadn't expected him to come to the Heavenly Dragon Academy.
He was the prodigy known currently as the Dragon Warrior.
The Dragon Warrior, Bi Eejin.
He paraded around in that youthful body, playing the part of a rising star, but I knew his true identity. He was a monster wearing the skin of a young dragon.
One of the Three Heavenly Venerables of the Central Plains, a peak expert in close-quarters combat. Before the Heavenly Demon's rise, he was one of the strongest individuals alive, capable of scattering an entire army of Demonic Humans with a single fist.
The master of the western territories, the Dishonored Venerable, Bijuu.
The terrifying man who had once promised to 'come see me one day' was now standing right before me.
Chirp– Chirp.
Birdsong filtered through the trees. On a forest path leading to Henan, a lone figure sat by a riverbank, the chirping providing a serene soundtrack.
Her face was completely concealed, but her silhouette suggested she was a woman. After quenching her thirst with the cold river water, she picked up her sword and continued her journey.
The harsh winter wind blew relentlessly, but a warm excitement bubbling within her kept the cold at bay.
A little more.
Just a little further, and she would reach him. That belief alone was enough to ward off the chill.
She knew it was an irrational thought, but she didn't care. The only thing that mattered was that the man she longed to see was within the distant palace she could now glimpse.
Walking with light, swift steps, she retrieved a charm pouch and took something from it: a piece of black jade the size of a fingernail. She placed it in her mouth and swallowed it whole. The Immortal Healer had said she could chew it, but she couldn't stand the bitterness. No matter how much time passed, she still hated bitter things and loved sweets—though it had been ages since she'd last tasted the sweet yakgwa he had once given her.
After swallowing the jade…
Step.
She resumed her journey. As she walked through the brisk, cool breeze…
“…”
Her gaze swept across the forest. Her radiant golden eyes scanned the surroundings as if searching for something. She stared into the middle distance for a long moment.
Shing.
Then, in one fluid motion, she drew her sword.
Swish–
With a slow, deliberate movement, she traced a line through the air. Though her motion seemed languid, a faint golden light lingered in its wake.
Then…
Snap–!
Something fell from the trees with a crash.
Step–
The woman walked calmly toward the source of the sound.
There…
Cough–! Huff–!
A man lay on the ground, struggling to breathe.
Despite his sudden appearance, her eyes remained perfectly calm—as if she had known he was there all along. No, not just calm; they were cold.
“Who are you?” she asked, holding the tip of her sword to his throat. Her voice was clear, devoid of overt killing intent, but a palpable aura of pressure radiated from her.
Seeing that aura, the man stopped coughing and stammered out a reply. “K-Kunlun! N-No, I’m from the Heavenly Dragon Academy!”
Hearing the man—Jo Wiseok—speak, the woman’s expression shifted subtly…
Shing– Click.
She sheathed her sword.
“Heavenly Dragon Academy…”
Whispering the words, she closed her eyes. In that moment, she felt her long, yet strangely short, journey was finally reaching its end. Only one thought occupied her mind now.
She wanted to see him, as soon as possible.