Chapter 362: Gathering of the Orthodox Faction (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 362: Gathering of the Orthodox Faction (3)
A day had passed.
I had nearly been killed by the Dark King the night before, but thankfully, I was still breathing.
I awoke on a bare floor, without even a blanket for comfort. It wasn't the most comfortable environment, but it hardly mattered; I was long accustomed to meditating in the lotus position.
“Sigh.”
A plume of hot steam escaped my lips as I exhaled—the residual heat from channeling my energy throughout the night.
“Dammit…”
Despite the ordeal, my body felt surprisingly refreshed. I could now go days without food or sleep and still function, but there was no remedy for the worries gnawing at my mind.
It all traced back to my encounter with the Dark King.
The sheer gap in our abilities was insurmountable. He was a master who had reached the pinnacle of his art, one of the greatest martial artists in the Central Plains, a figure spoken of in the same breath as the legendary Three Venerables. Comparing myself to him felt absurd.
But I was not one to surrender after a few defeats. In truth, I was grateful just to have survived.
The real problem was our conversation.
He is a descendant of the Yeon Clan?
He hadn’t confirmed it, but his silence was answer enough. Still, there was always the chance he was lying.
It’s too sudden.
The Yeon Clan had been annihilated centuries ago, wiped out even before the Zhuge Clan fell. The idea that any descendants survived seemed far-fetched…
…It’s not impossible, but it’s hard to believe.
After all, descendants of the Zhuge Clan still wandered the land, carefully concealing their heritage. I could already name three such individuals in my circle. So, it wasn’t unthinkable that a scion of the Yeon Clan might yet live.
But what are the odds that one of them would become the King of Assassins?
Moreover, the Dark King clearly had his own agenda. I had felt it when he pinned me against the wall, his threat hanging in the air.
If the Dark King truly is a Yeon Clan descendant…
I rolled up my sleeve, studying the strange mark etched into my skin.
How is this connected to the Yeon Clan?
His threats had revolved around this mark. He had sensed the power I gained from the Yeon Clan’s secret vault.
The crucial point was that he could detect it.
I had believed the mark had vanished, yet he had perceived my secret without any outward sign. Even if he wasn’t truly a Yeon descendant, one thing was clear: he had sensed something within me.
But I had no idea what it could be. Four distinct types of Qi already flowed through my body. Could there be a fifth, lurking unnoticed?
What am I, a garbage can? My body is a dumping ground for all kinds of Qi.
How had I even reached this state?
To make matters worse, the Dark King had called it a curse.
The word alone sent a chill down my spine.
What does he mean by a curse?
I hadn’t noticed anything unusual. Several days had passed without any change in my condition. Yet, given his reaction, it was safe to assume it was nothing beneficial.
I tried to question him, but he vanished after saying his piece.
The moment our conversation ended, he was gone, leaving a torrent of questions unanswered. How unfair. Perhaps I should have been grateful he spared my life, but all I felt was simmering anger.
Why are all master martial artists so selfish?
Then again, perhaps that very selfishness—that disregard for fairness—was what allowed them to reach such heights.
Regardless, I had no means of finding him if he did not wish to be found. He was not someone who could be tracked down easily.
I glanced down at my arm again.
“Should I go see the Immortal Healer?”
I wondered if he would know anything. Given our decent relationship, he might agree to see me. But he was not an easy man to meet; it was merely a hope.
I took my first steps forward.
…I’ll eat first.
The sun was already high, and I hadn’t eaten in days. I didn’t feel particularly hungry, but I thought my mind might work better with something in my stomach.
I headed toward the area where food was being distributed, though obtaining any was not easy under the circumstances. Uninjured instructors and students were handling the distributions, but something was different this time.
There are martial artists here I haven’t seen before.
Several unfamiliar figures were scanning their surroundings with alert expressions. Judging by their attire…
They look like they’re from the Alliance.
The emblems on their swords and uniforms marked them as members of the Murim Alliance. They were speaking with the instructors, assessing the situation.
I sharpened my hearing to catch their conversation.
—“Reinforcements have been sent…”
—“I believe the Sky Dragon Army will…”
—“The Alliance Leader is…”
—“The one responsible for leading this…”
It seemed the Murim Alliance had been properly notified once the black barrier lifted. All reinforcements were likely to arrive today.
Moreover… It must have been a mess.
News of this incident was sure to spread across the Central Plains. The Unorthodox Faction had attacked the Heavenly Dragon Academy, and disciples of noble clans and sects had perished. Even with the Beggar’s Sect trying to suppress rumors, they wouldn’t be able to contain everything.
With the Ten Sect Alliance and the Four Noble Clans involved, there were bound to be factions within the Orthodox Faction who were less than friendly toward the Murim Alliance. The Alliance was undoubtedly struggling to manage the fallout. That explained the grim expressions on the reinforcements’ faces. Even to them, the situation was clearly dire.
On top of that, they had to notify each clan and sect about the students who had been harmed.
Maybe they’re already aware.
I couldn’t speak for others, but I was certain the Ten Sect Alliance and the Four Noble Clans had been informed even before the Murim Alliance made contact.
With that in mind, I walked over and took a portion of food. I couldn’t tell if it was a rice ball or some kind of medicinal pill, but I didn’t care as long as it filled my stomach.
“Thank you…”
As I turned to leave, the student handing out the food spoke to me.
Surprised, I responded with a hint of confusion. “Are you talking to me?”
“Yes. I am speaking to the True Dragon.”
True Dragon? Who is that?
His face was unfamiliar. I knew he was a fellow student and a close-combat practitioner, but this was our first meeting.
“Sorry, but have we met before?”
The young man offered a bitter smile. “It’s understandable that you don’t recognize me. You were quite busy back then.”
“Hmm?”
“Just before the Unorthodox Faction members nearly killed me… you saved my life.”
“Oh.”
That must have been when I was roaming the forest, cutting down every enemy in sight after my confrontation with the Heavenly Demon. I had targeted only those who attacked the Academy, but in the process, I had occasionally saved a few people.
“I wanted to thank you.”
“I just happened to be there. No need.”
It had been purely coincidental. He happened to be where I was passing through, and that was all.
“That may be true, but you saved my life. That’s not something I can ignore.”
“…”
“I felt so powerless. I trained so hard, yet I was almost killed without a chance to defend myself. I was lucky to be saved, and now I’m helping others… but it still makes me feel worthless.”
I looked into his eyes as he spoke. His spirit was waning; the fire of a martial artist was fading from him.
“I…”
“I misjudged you because of the rumors at the Academy, even though you were the one saving others. I’m sorry for that as well.”
His words made it hard to breathe, and a wave of nausea twisted my stomach. I didn’t feel deserving of his gratitude.
“Strange rumors may be going around, but I didn’t really do much.”
I believed I was responsible for causing the entire incident. Events that occurred in this timeline, but not in my past life, were ultimately my fault.
The young man only smiled, assuming I was being humble. I began to understand why the other students had been looking at me differently after the ambush. Why were their gazes so altered now, when they had once regarded me with fear?
I didn’t like it.
…Don’t look at me like that.
I was not worthy of praise.
Another headache crept in.
“…Thank you.”
“…”
Another apology. But I remained silent.
I turned away without another word after taking my food. That young man would never live as a martial artist again. His spirit had died, and there was no reigniting it. His gratitude unsettled me too deeply to look at him any longer. I didn’t want to hear any more.
I walked away, food in hand. I hadn’t taken a single bite, yet my stomach felt heavy and full.
The stares directed at me felt more piercing than ever. I ignored them, scanning the crowd as I searched for a familiar face.
Fortunately, I found her quickly. She stood out, after all.
A young woman sat on a rock, eyes closed, as people passed by. It was Wi Seol-Ah.
“What are you doing?” I walked up to her.
Sensing my presence, Wi Seol-Ah shifted slightly, gesturing for me to sit beside her. I took the seat.
“How are you feeling?”
“…I feel fine.” Her voice was weary.
She opened her eyes and looked directly at me. “What about you…?”
“I’m fine as well.” I took a bite of the food as I replied. As expected, it was tasteless.
Then, I held out the remainder to Wi Seol-Ah. “Ah…”
“Go ahead, eat it. You haven’t had anything, have you?”
“…”
She seemed about to refuse, but eventually accepted it. She took a careful bite, then immediately frowned.
It must have tasted terrible to her.
“You still have a sweet tooth, huh? Is it that bad?”
“N-No, it’s not that… I was just… surprised.”
Her embarrassed reaction was oddly endearing, and I had to stifle a laugh. “Sorry.”
“Huh?”
“I mean… I’m sorry for leaving you alone after everything that happened.”
“…”
I had been preoccupied with the Dark King’s visit, but that’s just an excuse. If I had truly tried, I could have found time to see her. It wouldn’t have taken a whole day.
“…It’s okay.”
After a moment, she took another bite, frowning again. Why was she forcing herself to eat it if she hated it so much? Wait.
“When did you finish that?”
“Huh? What do you… Ah! Where did it all go?”
I could have sworn she had only taken a couple of bites, but the food was gone from her hand. It had taken me several bites to make a dent in it. Thankfully, it seemed her usual appetite was intact, even now. Not that it was normal for me to find relief in that.
I barely contained my laughter. If I laughed now, she would surely scold me.
Hiding her ears, which had turned red with embarrassment, Wi Seol-Ah spoke after swallowing. “Sis… did she pass away peacefully?”
“…”
I smiled bitterly. I wondered how long she had hesitated before asking. I remained silent, lost in thought. How much did she know? How much had been shared with her?
“Peacefully, huh… I’m not sure.” I couldn’t give her a proper answer.
Hearing my response, Wi Seol-Ah lowered her head. “Do you… know who she is?”
“…Vaguely.”
Did that mean she didn’t know everything?
“Then… do you know about me?”
“I… don’t know the details.”
So, she hadn’t been told? That made sense. Even if she had been, it wouldn’t have done her any good.
“Do you want me to tell you?”
My question held many layers. I was prepared to share my secrets, my history with her, everything—if she wished to know.
But Wi Seol-Ah shook her head. It was unexpected; I had assumed she would be curious.
“But that’s not what you want, is it?”
“…”
“That’s what sis would have said.”
“But you are not her. You can do as you—”
“You’re right, I’m not her. But I won’t ask, because I know you don’t want me to. And that’s what I want, too.”
I was taken aback by the firmness in her tone.
“I will be different from her.”
“…”
Her words stirred new questions in my mind. Could they truly be different when they both wanted the same thing?
“That’s what sis wanted, and I want that as well.”
For some reason, knowing that the Celestial Sword had wanted this weighed heavily on my heart.
“But we have one thing in common… both Sis and I see you in the same way.”
Sadness lingered on Wi Seol-Ah’s face, yet there was a confidence in her expression, as if she had won some small victory.
“Thank you, Master Gu, for visiting me.”
She smiled. I couldn’t bring myself to smile back. Instead, I took another bite of the leftover food.
“Will I be able to see her again?”
“Yes, you will.” I answered without hesitation.
Wi Seol-Ah’s eyes widened in surprise.
“I’ll make that happen.”
I stood and took her hand. She flinched slightly at the contact.
Looking down at her, I spoke. “Let’s go.”
“W-Where are we going?”
She seemed excited, and I thought I knew what she hoped for, but that wasn’t my intention.
“Let’s go see the others.”
Her expression fell at my answer.
* * *
I led Wi Seol-Ah to the medical room I had visited before. From what I knew, Namgung Bi-ah still needed a few more days of treatment. Her regenerative abilities were impressive, but her condition was far from good. Thankfully, I had been told she wouldn’t bear any lasting scars.
The same went for Tang Soyeol.
I felt it was necessary to visit them at least once a day. I hadn’t been able to yesterday, though.
Wi Seol-Ah looked somewhat dissatisfied but remained silent. She understood the situation, so she didn’t complain.
“Hmm?”
When we arrived, I sensed something different. The room was noisier than usual.
What’s going on?
Setting the thought aside, I stepped forward. When I reached my destination, I found Tang Soyeol, Namgung Bi-ah, Peng Ah-hee, and even Moyong Hi-ah all gathered with unusually serious expressions.
At the sound of my voice, they all flinched in unison.
What the…? Why are they reacting like that?
As I looked at them in confusion, Peng Ah-hee, who seemed the most composed, spoke up. While the others wore strained expressions, she appeared to be enjoying herself.
“Hey.”
“Huh?”
“You’re in big trouble.”
“What?”
Peng Ah-hee smiled. “I think all of our fathers are coming here.”
“…What did you say?”
“Maybe it’s not too late for you to run away?”
I frowned at her words. That could only mean one thing: the Lords of all Four Noble Clans were gathering here.