Chapter 281: Entrance Exams (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 281: Entrance Exams (1)
The rain had ceased, leaving the sky clear, but by the time I returned to the inn, the sun had long since set and night had fallen.
“Ah, Young Master Gu!”
Even though I was late, Tang Soyeol was there to greet me. Had she been waiting?
“You’re back late today.”
“I had some business to attend to.”
“I see… Have you eaten?”
“I had a light meal.”
Truthfully, I hadn't eaten anything, but I told her I had. I just didn't have an appetite.
I listened for a short while as Tang Soyeol cheerfully recounted her day.
“You need to wake up early tomorrow, so you should get some rest.”
“Ah, right.”
That was correct. I had to leave early tomorrow. That damned Academy. The reminder instantly soured my fairly good mood.
As I struggled to maintain my composure, Tang Soyeol changed the subject.
“Young Master.”
“Hmm?”
“Did something good happen? You seem to be in rather high spirits.”
“All of a sudden?”
“Yes… You just seem… happier than usual.”
“…Hmm.”
A good mood, huh.
-I wanted to see you.
Was it because of what she said right before we parted?
I forcefully suppressed the smile threatening to lift the corners of my mouth.
“Something like that.”
My words came out more blunt than usual as I tried to hide my expression.
Tang Soyeol tilted her head in confusion, but I left her behind and headed to my room, lost in thought.
Where did she go?
I hadn't seen Moyong Hi-ah for the last few days. She often disappeared, so I was sure she'd return on her own this time as well. Though she did need to come back before her heat ran out.
Slide.
“Hmm?”
When I opened the door to my room, I found the lights already on. Thinking a servant might have left them on, I stepped inside, still preoccupied. It was only then I realized someone was sitting on my bed.
“…You scared me…”
I took a step back. It was none other than Namgung Bi-ah.
“What are you doing here? You scared the hell out of me.”
“You weren’t… coming back…”
“What does me returning late have to do with you lying in my bed?”
When I spoke in a tone of disbelief, Namgung Bi-ah slowly rose. Judging by her messy hair, she had been lying down for quite some time. It looked like she’d even taken a nap.
“Did you eat?”
“…Mhm.”
“Good.”
I took off my outer garments and tossed them aside. As I moved to change…
“Why aren’t you leaving? Go out so I can change.”
“…”
But for some reason, Namgung Bi-ah remained seated on my bed, simply staring at me. With only a single candle illuminating the dark room, her blue eyes seemed to shine more radiantly than usual.
Her persistent gaze suggested she had something to say. Finally, she parted her pink lips.
“…Did you meet her?”
“…!”
I couldn't hide my shock at her question. I didn't need to ask who she meant; Namgung Bi-ah’s gaze said it all. She knew I had met Wi Seol-Ah outside.
How did she know?
How could she possibly know, when she hardly ever went out herself? Shock and curiosity warred within me, but I wasn't in a position to question her. She was demanding an answer.
I met her eyes squarely. “…That’s right. I did.”
I didn't lie. I didn't want to lie to Namgung Bi-ah about this.
Hearing my response, Namgung Bi-ah simply continued staring, her expression unreadable. I couldn't decipher the emotions behind that look.
Then, she closed her eyes, turned away, and with a somewhat weary expression, wrapped herself in the blanket and lay down again.
“Why did you return alone…?”
Her soft question from under the blanket made me recall Wi Seol-Ah’s words.
-I’ll come see you later.
-You aren’t coming with me.
-Yes.
Even after our long-awaited reunion, her refusal was firm.
-I’m very happy… that we were able to see each other today.
-…
-See you tomorrow… Young Mas… no…
Tidying her hair, fluttering in the winter breeze, Wi Seol-Ah spoke to me with a gentle smile.
-Young Master Gu.
Hearing her gentle voice, I could only remain silent.
Tomorrow, huh.
Wi Seol-Ah said she would see me the next day. That meant she was also going to attend the Heavenly Dragon Academy.
She hadn’t changed.
I was happy to see her again, but my feelings weren't entirely positive. History had shifted due to my regression, twisting events I knew and didn't know about without my knowledge. Yet, in the end, Wi Seol-Ah’s path hadn't deviated much.
Will I be able to change it?
And if I did, would I dare to take responsibility?
My anxiety remained, but I could no longer afford to run away. This was no longer a question of whether I could do it, but a situation where I simply had to.
Namgung Bi-ah turned, stared at me for a moment, then turned away again. It made sense for her to be curious about Wi Seol-Ah, given their past friendship, but she seemed to decide against further questions after seeing my expression.
They are all so perceptive.
Tang Soyeol, Namgung Bi-ah, even Moyong Hi-ah. They noticed immediately if something was off with me, even though I couldn't do the same for them. It made me feel undeserving, yet also thankful and guilty at the same time.
I watched Namgung Bi-ah’s back for a while before speaking softly.
“Hey, I need to ask you something.”
“…Hmm?”
“Why are you trying to sleep here like it’s the most natural thing in the world?”
“…”
“Get up.”
Tsk.
Namgung Bi-ah clicked her tongue as she rose from my bed. Her expression suggested she’d been trying to play it off as perfectly normal.
The top floor of the inn was notably more spacious than the others.
A young man sipped his drink while gazing down at the people on the street below.
Moonlit Rice Wine. An expensive liquor sold only in Henan. Others might have balked at the price, but the young man drank without a care, the sight of the passing crowds serving as his side dish.
One cup followed another. He was halfway through the bottle when…
“Brother!”
An uninvited guest barged in, throwing the door open.
The young man sighed inwardly. He’d thought he might finally get some peace today.
As he fixed the girl with a blunt stare, she asked the same question she had yesterday. “Are you really the elder’s disciple?”
“…Sigh. This is the fourth time you’ve asked me that today.”
Despite getting the same answer, the girl insisted on repeating the question. It was a hassle.
“It’s just… no matter how many times I hear it, it’s hard to believe.”
“I told you… I am indeed his disciple.”
She finally fell silent upon seeing Bi Eejin’s sour expression, but her sulky pout indicated she still wasn't satisfied.
Bi Eejin sighed again. This has truly become a hassle. It had been a mistake to mention it in front of her.
“What’s so wrong with that?”
“…There’s nothing wrong. I just finally understand why you’re so strong even though you’re so lazy.”
“Since when was I lazy…?”
He was busier than anyone. It was understandable that Bibi would think that, ignorant of his true circumstances as she was.
Tsk.
Even so, he couldn't explain things to her, so he remained silent once more.
“Then, how did you meet the elder?”
“…By chance?”
“You met one of the great Heavenly Venerables… by chance?”
“Life is full of surprises.”
“Brother, you talk like you’ve lived seventy years, not twenty.”
“…”
Twenty, my ass. I’ve lived at least triple that.
Bi Eejin smiled bitterly to himself. He hadn't expected to end up in this situation either. It was a regret—a regret that led him to do something he shouldn't have.
“But I’m glad.”
“About what?”
“You know that rumor? The one about Elder Bi taking a disciple.”
“Oh.”
So that was it? Bi Eejin couldn't remember how much he'd laughed when he first heard that particular rumor.
“I was honestly a bit disappointed.”
“Why?”
“It would have been a shame if he’d taken someone from another clan as his disciple… instead of you or brother Cheol.”
The Cheol she mentioned was the first son of the current head of the Bi Clan.
Bi Eejin smiled faintly. Despite her immaturity, she was still thinking of her brothers.
However…
I can’t afford to take that idiot as my disciple.
In Bi Eejin’s eyes, Bi Cheol was utterly incompetent. He had his father's hot temper and the martial talent that came with his bloodline, but that wasn't enough for Bi Eejin. He’d tried his best to beat some decency into him since they were young, but he wanted nothing to do with teaching him martial arts.
In the first place, I wouldn’t have cared if I hadn’t ended up in this situation.
He didn't want to be involved with the Bi Clan. He had never intended to become its lord.
Bi Eejin—no, Bijuu’s—only goal was to perfect his own martial arts. If the current clan lord hadn't gotten down on his knees and begged him to stay, Bi Eejin wouldn't have remained, even in his current circumstances.
Moreover…
“Why are you staring at me like that?”
“You’re as ugly as ever today.”
“…Brother, have you ever been hit by a liquor bottle?”
“No, but I’ve used one to hit plenty of people.”
“Then how about you experience it today?”
If it weren't for this chatterbox, Bi Eejin would have left the clan, pleas from the lord notwithstanding.
Bibi tried to swing the bottle at him, but Bi Eejin caught her arm effortlessly. Even restrained, she had plenty more to say.
“If it’s true that you’re Elder Bi’s disciple, then that rumor about Young Master Gu must be false, right?”
Pop.
As Bi Eejin opened another bottle, he made a strange face at her question.
“I don’t know.”
“Huh?”
“It’s possible I’m not his only disciple.”
“What are you talking about? You just said you were his disciple.”
“There’s no rule saying a man can only have one disciple.”
Chuckle.
Bi Eejin simply chuckled. Bibi, unable to understand him, grew frustrated, but he had no intention of telling her the truth. In fact, he found her frustrated look rather cute and planned to watch her squirm a while longer.
As he did, his thoughts turned to the young man Bibi had mentioned.
That bastard Gu Ryoon hid him for this long.
The young man he’d met at the inn. The one his friend cherished like a grandson. His face was the spitting image of his father’s. And it wasn't just his face.
You can’t lie about blood.
When Bi Eejin first saw Gu Yangcheon, he was deeply impressed. His well-trained physique was near-perfect for close combat, suggesting diligent training, and the Qi within him was so dense that even Bi Eejin found it difficult to gauge its depths. It was so remarkable that he briefly wondered if Gu Yangcheon had undergone the same process he had.
Eternal Youth. A process that required sacrificing everything for mere time. Bi Eejin pondered if Gu Yangcheon had also experienced it.
But if he had, he wouldn’t possess such a body.
The process weakened one's blood and body to the point of near-irreparable damage. Bi Eejin himself had struggled immensely just to return his pathetic form to a normal state.
But Gu Yangcheon was different. His body was perfect for martial arts. While it was unfortunate that his smaller stature gave him a shorter reach, his control over his body was flawless.
There were only two ways someone his age could achieve such a physique. One was for a martial artist at the Peak or Fusion realm to revert to youth and regain their strength through endless training.
The second…
…Is to possess talent higher than the heavens.
The first option was impossible, which left only the second.
'To begin with, he’s reached this level because he was born with such talent.'
When they first met, Bi Eejin knew that Gu Yangcheon’s peak wasn't merely the Peak realm. His body held a perfect balance of Qi, his senses were sharp enough to anticipate any situation, and the flow of his energy showed he knew the path he must take. It was as if he had already reached the Fusion realm before.
He hid it so well it even took me a while to perceive.
Gu Yangcheon’s Qi was so impeccably concealed that even the Dishonored Venerable needed days to see through him. From what he’d heard, Gu Yangcheon wasn't even twenty, yet he was already preparing to ascend to the Fusion realm? He was on the very cusp.
The Dishonored Venerable himself had reached the Peak Realm just after turning twenty. Considering that only two others in the entire Central Plains had reached it two years earlier than him, Gu Yangcheon was already far beyond their level, even accounting for the talent of this generation's so-called Meteors.
If his talent continued to grow at this rate, it was obvious he would become one of the Heavenly Venerables in the near future.
It’s possible.
That was why the Dishonored Venerable was so interested in Gu Yangcheon. It was certainly possible.
Bi Eejin smiled as he looked out the window. Initially, he’d wanted to see him because of how much Gu Ryoon talked about him. It felt like an indirect request to teach the boy, so he’d ignored it.
The second time, he became curious about the boy's talent due to the rumor claiming he was Bi Eejin’s disciple. Hearing the rumor didn't anger him. More than anyone, he genuinely wished to take on a disciple.
However, if the person claiming to be his disciple was some talentless fool who didn't know their place…
…I was going to fold him in half.
He had planned to punish the impostor, but upon meeting Gu Yangcheon, he found him not just acceptable, but exceptional.
I found it.
This was the moment he had been waiting for. A prodigy with a perfect physique and flawless Qi control. This was what Bijuu had sought for so long. It was only because of this that Bi Eejin had offered Gu Yangcheon a handshake first.
But why did he make such an expression?
Bi Eejin wondered. When he extended his hand, Gu Yangcheon’s guard was raised so high it was strange. He was looking around as if expecting an ambush, prepared to deflect any attack aimed at himself or his companions should a fight break out.
There was just one problem.
Why?
Bi Eejin had no clue.
Does he know who I am?
That would explain everything, but it seemed unlikely. Gu Ryoon might have told him, but despite his eccentric personality, he wasn't the type to share his friend's secrets.
So what had Gu Yangcheon sensed that put him on edge? Was it pure instinct?
If that’s the case, then it’s even better.
A true martial artist needed sharp instincts.
How nice.
The Dishonored Venerable took another sip. The more he thought about the young man, the more fascinated he became. Perhaps, just perhaps…
…I might be able to perfect him.
Through Gu Yangcheon, Bi Eejin might finally witness the perfection of martial arts. And as this thought crossed his mind, the liquor slid down his throat as if it were water.
As he drank, Bibi, who had been standing there dumbfounded, finally walked over and pointed.
“Uh, brother. Over there…”
She was pointing in the direction Bi Eejin was already looking.
“Brother, it’s them… right?”
Bi Eejin nodded.
It’s the Harmonic Sword’s contingent.
A group of people marched through the night streets. Given the importance of the following day, their presence was required, filling the streets with crowds.
Hmm…
Among them was a figure wearing white robes with a dark symbol of light emblazoned upon it—the attire of the Taeryung Clan, to which the current Murim Alliance Leader, the Harmonic Sword Jang Cheon, belonged.
Now that I think about it, I wonder if the treasure was delivered without issue.
There was a treasure Bi Eejin had borrowed from the Murim Alliance. He’d meant to return it during the Dragons and Phoenixes Tournament, but forgot and failed to do so, even writing a letter as an excuse. Then that bastard Gu Ryoon took it, promising to deliver it safely.
I’m sure he took care of it.
Trusting his friend, Bi Eejin dismissed the thought.
“Then, is the person at the front the Meteor Sword?”
At Bibi’s words, Bi Eejin shifted his gaze slightly. He saw the handsome face of the young man leading the group.
“He’s handsome…” Bibi murmured.
The young man was indeed good-looking, with features sharp enough to be called princely.
“That must be the Meteor Sword.”
The new martial artist who had recently become the talk of the town. The son of the current Alliance Leader, the Meteor Sword.
“He’s so handsome…”
Bibi seemed utterly charmed, unable to tear her eyes away. He has those looks and martial talent? Perfect… simply perfect. She could only nod in awe.
Bi Eejin, however, paid the Meteor Sword no mind. He seemed talented enough, but nothing special.
Hmm.
Instead, Bi Eejin’s interest was piqued by the figure walking behind the Meteor Sword. Her face was obscured by a low hood, but her silhouette was clearly female, and the sword at her waist marked her as a swordswoman.
And additionally…
…Oh?
Her faint aura felt familiar. The reason was obvious. It resembled the aura of the one who had made him roll in the dirt more than once. The sword that held the moon and cleaved the sky. He was reminded of the old man who once stood alone at the pinnacle of the sword path, one of the Heavenly Venerables.
The Dishonored Venerable broke into a wide smile at the memory. The aura the young woman possessed was unmistakably…
That old man.
The same as the one who created the Moonlight Dance.
He raised a monster.
It was the aura of Wi Hyogun, the Sword Emperor.