Chapter 377: White Heavenly Sword (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 377: White Heavenly Sword (1)
Our family had rented out an entire inn for the occasion, and the meal finally began.
As expected, Father occupied the seat of honor, with Lady Mi and the First Elder flanking him on either side. Gu Huibi and Gu Yeonseo were also seated, though Gu Yeonseo’s red-rimmed eyes suggested she had been crying. That part, at least, was unsurprising. Whether her tears were from the long-awaited reunion with Lady Mi or for some other reason, I didn’t particularly care. My attention was fixed on a more pressing issue.
Why are they here?
This was supposed to be a family meal, yet the room held several unexpected faces—people who had no business being present.
First, why is Namgung Jin here…?
Namgung Jin, Lord of the Namgung Clan and the Azure Heavenly Sword, was seated near Father. For a moment, I thought I was seeing things. What was that man doing here? To make matters stranger, Namgung Bi-ah was sitting right beside him. She offered a slight wave as I entered the room.
Whatever, this much is fine.
Given our engagement, it was understandable. Sure, we could share a meal with them; they were technically family now. While unexpected, it was at least acceptable.
…But why is she here too?
Seated next to Namgung Bi-ah was Wi Seol-Ah, her expression a clear mirror of her confusion. She seemed just as unsure about her presence as I was. Our eyes met, and her trembling pupils silently pleaded for help.
She’s been dragged here against her will, that much is obvious.
But by whom? And even if she had been coerced, why would Father allow it?
…Oh.
Was it because Father knew Wi Seol-Ah was the Sword Emperor’s granddaughter? Still, I doubted he would have personally invited her.
Just then, a telepathic voice whispered in my ear. - …I brought her… myself.
It was Namgung Bi-ah.
- You did? You brought Wi Seol-Ah?
- Mhm…
- Why?
- Can I… not?
Her tone was genuinely puzzled, as if she saw nothing wrong with her actions. What shocked me more was her apparent belief that it was perfectly normal.
- …But this is…
- I… got approval.
- Approval? From who?
- Mother-in-law…
I frowned slightly. Lady Mi had allowed this? But why?
My gaze immediately shifted to Lady Mi. She met my eyes without hesitation, and before I could voice my question, she spoke first.
“Are you just going to stand there?”
“…I was about to sit down.”
I walked over and took the only empty seat left, directly across from Namgung Bi-ah. Oddly enough, Wi Seol-Ah had been placed next to Gu Huibi, who was already leaning in, interrogating her.
“You…”
“Y-Yes?”
“Have we met?”
Wi Seol-Ah flinched. Understandable, since she had indeed met Gu Huibi before. It was around the time I returned to the Gu Clan from Sichuan, which coincided with Gu Huibi’s own return—less than a year after my regression. Back then, after seeing Wi Seol-Ah, Gu Huibi had said to me:
- Give her to me.
She had demanded I hand over my own servant. I’d dismissed it as nonsense and nearly lost my hair to her flames in retaliation. A horrifying memory, to say the least.
Gu Huibi, clearly recalling the encounter, stared intently at Wi Seol-Ah. “You little cutie. Do you not remember this big sis?”
“W-Wait…”
“I’m glad to see you again, but I wonder why you are here, hmm?”
Gu Huibi hugged Wi Seol-Ah and began patting her head as if she had found a new plaything. Wi Seol-Ah shot me another desperate look, silently begging for rescue, but there was nothing I could do.
Then, Namgung Bi-ah spoke up. “…Um.”
“Hmm?” Gu Huibi frowned, her dislike for Namgung Bi-ah evident. Or perhaps it was more a feeling of discomfort. During my time on the frontlines, Namgung Bi-ah had often been around Gu Huibi. Though Gu Huibi openly displayed her aversion, Namgung Bi-ah never complained, persistently following her on missions and dealing with Demons. Did Namgung Bi-ah actually like Gu Huibi? But why? I couldn’t fathom it.
“…Me too, please.”
“What?”
Namgung Bi-ah leaned her head toward Gu Huibi’s hands, silently asking for the same treatment. Gu Huibi looked stunned for a moment, and I was equally dumbfounded. I never imagined Namgung Bi-ah would make such a request.
Gu Huibi immediately frowned and bluntly refused. “No, you are not cute because you’re too big.”
Having flatly rejected her, she resumed patting Wi Seol-Ah. Namgung Bi-ah’s expression became indescribable, her face pale with shock.
Seeing her reaction, I couldn’t help but wonder: By “big,” she meant Namgung Bi-ah’s height… right? Definitely.
Wait, that’s not what’s important here.
The absurdity of the situation had momentarily distracted me. I quickly sent a telepathic message to Namgung Bi-ah.
- Then… you called him here too?
She looked at me with a vacant expression, confused. Her eyes questioned who I meant. In response, I gestured toward the far end of the table.
There, a handsome young man sat with a bright smile, utterly unconcerned by the tense atmosphere—the last person I expected to see.
“I was so hungry, I’m really grateful to be invited to this meal.”
It was Woo Hyuk, the Sleeping Dragon. I was utterly shocked. He was supposed to be with the Wudang Sect; what was he doing here?
As I wondered, Lady Mi noticed my confusion and explained. “I called Master Woo here.”
“You did?” She had invited that Sleeping Dragon bastard?
“He said that you were his friend. Is that not true?”
“…Well… it is.”
So that was how he ended up here. And Father had allowed it? Well, he had permitted Cheol Jiseon to come, so maybe it wasn’t so strange. But with the Lord of the Namgung Clan present, could he really afford to invite all these people?
“The Lord of Namgung readily approved when I mentioned he was your friend.”
“Ah, I see…”
Lady Mi’s prompt answer cleared things up. That man was trying to stay on my good side, so he wouldn’t object. By now, this had stopped being a family meal altogether.
Slide—
The door behind us opened, and the First Elder entered. “Whew, I almost showed up late.”
“…First Elder?”
“Hmm?” He gave me a puzzled look.
There was only one reason for my call. …Why does he have that on his shoulder?
Draped over the First Elder’s shoulder like a sack of laundry was Cheol Jiseon.
“Why is he… never mind.” I shut my mouth mid-question.
At this point, I gave up trying to understand and decided to go with the flow. There was no use puzzling over everything; I might as well focus on filling my stomach.
The meal proceeded without incident. Of course, with so many people present, multiple conversations unfolded at once.
Namgung Jin and the First Elder did most of the talking. The First Elder asked after the Heavenly Venerable and wondered why Namgung Cheonjun hadn’t come. Namgung Cheonjun’s absence, both from the meal and the Academy, was due to my order forbidding him from approaching Namgung Bi-ah. He couldn’t come to Henan even if he wanted to.
Gu Huibi remained busy squishing Wi Seol-Ah. She had taken quite a liking to her, undeterred even after learning Wi Seol-Ah was the Sword Emperor’s descendant.
The Sleeping Dragon also caught my attention. While Cheol Jiseon could barely eat, overwhelmed by the tension, this bastard was devouring everything in sight without a care.
…Please, you bastard…
Since when did a Taoist have chicken legs in both hands? Even Father, who rarely paid attention to anyone, kept glancing his way.
I didn’t call him out because he didn’t seem well. Normally, he wore a cheerful, sleepy expression, but today felt different. It was strange for him to be here at all, given he should have been with the Wudang Sect. Though it’s also strange how my family allowed him to come.
Something had happened; the Sleeping Dragon wasn’t in good shape. I had been worried ever since seeing his reaction to his fallen companions during the incident. He would smile whenever I spoke to him, but I knew it was forced—the same smile he had worn in the Abyss in my past life.
Even during the meal, he acted fine when I talked to him, but I’m still bothered by it. I couldn’t shake my concern.
The Sleeping Dragon did nothing but eat. When the meal ended, he offered a brief farewell and vanished. Wait, did he really come just to eat? How absurd. Maybe I had worried for nothing. I had assumed he wanted to talk.
Anyway, the meal concluded without fanfare. As I said, it was just a meal—nothing too important—
Oh.
Actually, there was one thing.
During the meal, Namgung Jin asked my father a question. - When should the wedding take place?
I nearly choked. I hadn’t expected that. It wasn’t inherently problematic—we were old enough to marry. Had Namgung Bi-ah not been a martial artist, she might have been married off earlier. Namgung Jin’s question was reasonable, but he hadn’t anticipated the awkward atmosphere that followed.
Wi Seol-Ah’s pupils trembled as if struck by an earthquake, while Gu Huibi’s glare toward Namgung Bi-ah sharpened. Namgung Bi-ah, however, simply stared at me, showing no visible reaction. Her gaze made me feel pressured. Though she didn’t seem to expect an answer, I felt uneasy under her scrutiny.
Then, Father responded. - My son still has many things to care for. How about we discuss it when he is free?
Thankfully, Father delayed the matter, citing my upcoming plans for Sichuan.
But one day, they would properly discuss it. What would I do then?
Moreover… my Young Lord position.
In my past life, I became the Young Lord of the Gu Clan shortly after turning twenty. Unless something major changed, I would become the Young Lord again—perhaps even sooner.
I had planned on running away because I didn’t want that to happen.
But now, too many things had become tangled. I had uncovered truths I never knew, and learned my clan was entangled in countless problems. Running away was no longer an option.
Did that mean I had to embrace it? If I had another choice, I would’ve taken it already. But I saw no alternatives. I only had a few years left. In that short time, I had to resolve many issues.
Is it just me, or are the problems piling up with each passing day? I wished I were mistaken, but sadly, I was not.
“Sigh.”
I drew a deep breath of fresh air and slowly exhaled. The night view of Henan remained as bright as ever.
“Ough…”
Someone emerged from the inn behind me. It was Wi Seol-Ah, her face etched with exhaustion.
Noticing her, I asked, “Are you… you aren’t okay, huh.”
“…I am fine.”
She looked utterly defeated after spending the entire day with Gu Huibi.
“You didn’t even seem to eat much.”
“That’s not true. I ate… a lot.”
“Stop lying to me.” I had seen her finish only a single dish. If she were her usual self, she would have cleaned out at least five.
“That girl… No, Namgung Bi-ah invited you?”
“Ah, yes. Sis… she said we had to go somewhere and brought me here. I’m sorry, I must’ve caused trouble.”
“…It wasn’t any trouble, so don’t worry.” I couldn’t speak for others, but at least I didn’t think her presence was an issue.
Hearing my answer, Wi Seol-Ah’s eyes widened in surprise. “I’m glad you feel that way.”
She smiled brightly, clearly pleased. I gazed at her smile for a moment before turning away. Like Namgung Bi-ah’s, Wi Seol-Ah’s smile was hard to look at for long.
“I’m curious about something.”
“Yes?”
“Did your grandfather not come?”
Wi Seol-Ah fell silent at the mention of her grandfather. I had noticed before: her expression darkened whenever he came up. It seems she doesn’t know what he’s doing either.
The Black Dragon had ambushed the Academy. Given his history with the Sword Emperor, I thought the Sword Emperor might attend the meeting, but he hadn’t.
I decided to ask another question. “What are you going to do now?”
“I…”
“Are you going back? Or…” I wanted to ask if she wanted to come with me, but I hesitated.
Wi Seol-Ah also hesitated, unable to answer immediately. She might have been hoping for an invitation.
“Take your time to think about it.” But it would be meaningless if I invited her. Her own decision was what mattered.
After a long pause, Wi Seol-Ah opened her mouth to speak—
- Where did the cutie go?
“Eek…! I’ll be leaving first, Master Gu…!”
“Oh, okay, let’s meet aga—” At the sound of Gu Huibi’s voice, Wi Seol-Ah bolted before I could finish. She must have had a tough time indeed.
After watching her flee, I heard a cough behind me. Someone else was approaching, clearly wanting something.
“Have you… been well?”
It was Namgung Jin. I had noticed him staring at me earlier but had pretended not to see.
“Ah… Yes. It’s been a long time.”
“Ahem…” For some reason, Namgung Jin seemed slightly different. Though his arrogant demeanor remained, he appeared more mature. …Or maybe he’s just acting, hoping for another lesson from me.
If so, that was a problem. I wasn’t the right person to teach him. Elder Shin had taught him the first time, and the second time, I had merely relayed what the Demonic Sword told me in my past life. I had nothing left to offer.
Namgung Jin finally broke the silence. “First, I would like to congratulate you.”
“About what?”
“I heard you earned yourself a new title.”
“…Ah, yes.” He was congratulating me, right? It almost felt like an indirect insult.
Feeling somewhat slighted, I watched as he stepped closer. “So…”
“I have plans with the Lord, so I shall see you in the future.” Before he could finish, I quickly made my escape. Being caught would have been troublesome. I would likely face the same issue again, but now was not the time. Using Father as an excuse, I hurried away.
I glanced back; thankfully, he wasn’t following. Staying on high alert, I headed toward the spot where I was to meet Father.
After Gu Yangcheon left, Namgung Jin turned his gaze from the retreating figure to the inn’s entrance. He spoke quietly.
“Are you sure you don’t want to go with him?”
As he finished, someone stepped forward: his daughter, Namgung Bi-ah.
She approached and parted her lips to speak. “…He… has some business to take care of.”
“I see.”
Silence hung between them. Father and daughter had made little progress in mending their strained relationship. It was likely too late to start now. Not that either seemed to care.
“First daughter.”
“Yes.”
Namgung Bi-ah responded to Namgung Jin’s call.
“…As you wanted, I delivered your message to him.”
Her eyes widened slightly.
“He gave me an answer before I came to Henan.”
Who was Namgung Jin referring to? It was…
“Your great-grandfather would like to see you.”
One of the Three Venerables: the Heavenly Venerable, Namgung Jeolcheon. He was looking for Namgung Bi-ah.
After parting with Namgung Jin, I headed to an open field in Henan. I had arranged to meet Father here; all that remained was to wait.
When would he arrive? He was unlikely to be late. Once our conversation began, what should I ask first? Should I begin with my mother’s whereabouts?
For now, that was the most pressing question. The beast inside my body, the advice to absorb the Celestial Sword’s soul—it all tied back to her.
Moreover… - The ruler of the Abyss inside your body.
That was what the Blood Demon had said. Was the beast truly significant enough to warrant such a title? What had my mother intended by placing it within me? To uncover these truths, I needed to find my mother, who was still alive somewhere.
Furthermore, the Blood Demon is a problem as well.
The Blood Demon had appeared periodically using Jang Seonyeon’s body, but the last encounter felt different. Moreover… there seemed to be a connection between the Blood Demon and the scale on my right arm.
He said the pain I felt was due to its hatred? According to him, the pain stemmed from the scale’s hatred toward him. This meant the Blood Demon knew about the scale. He mentioned altering his plans after noticing the change in me.
What was the Blood Demon plotting?
As questions swirled in my mind, Swish… I sensed a presence behind me. Father is here. He had arrived earlier than expected.
With that thought, I turned around.
“Huh…?”
But it wasn’t Father. The presence was so subdued I had mistaken it for his concealment, but the figure before me was entirely unexpected.
The man wore a light blue outfit adorned with delicate, beautiful embroidery. A sword hung at his waist, and his accessories appeared expensive. The middle-aged man in worn clothes was gone, replaced by someone tidy and composed.
“It’s good to see you,” he said.
“…How did you—”
Shing—
Moyong Tae, the White Heavenly Sword, quietly drew his sword, his gaze fixed on me.
“Now, do you have any intention of telling me your name?”
I frowned instinctively. Great. Now this guy wanted a piece of me too…