Chapter 539: The Era of Upheaval
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 539: The Era of Upheaval
As people swarmed around the carriages, I couldn't help but frown at the Heavenly Venerable's words.
“You’re seeking refuge… where?”
I was certain he’d said the Gu Clan. The Gu Clan…?
…Is there another Gu Clan I don’t know about?
I wracked my brain, but no other Gu Clan came to mind. There might be one if I searched the entire world, but I knew perfectly well there was only one Gu Clan the Heavenly Venerable could possibly mean.
“Elder.”
“Speak.”
“Why the hell… No, what is the meaning of this, all of a sudden?”
I barely managed to bite back the curse that almost slipped out.
Good job. I’ve really matured. In the past, I would have just blurted it out.
Struggling to choose my words, I did my best to remain polite.
“You have a perfectly good home. Why would you come to us?”
Who was this Heavenly Venerable standing before me? He was one of the legendary Three Venerables, the old man hailed as the true master of the Namgung Clan, whose authority surpassed even that of the Sword King, the clan’s official leader.
To put it bluntly, he was a man who could act like a king within the Namgung Clan. And yet, he wanted to seek refuge with the Gu Clan, of all places.
And on top of that…
…after getting beaten to a pulp by my father just a few days ago?
Only a few days prior, the Heavenly Venerable had been utterly shattered by my father. The memory of him engulfed in flames was still vivid in my mind.
Thankfully, he seems physically fine now.
Unlike his burning state back then, the Heavenly Venerable now appeared immaculate, with not a single trace of the ordeal remaining.
If anything…
He seems… clearer?
The dark, murky aura I used to sense from him was gone. In its place was a clean, refreshed feeling.
Should I call it crisp? What’s the right word?
It’s the same sensation I get from Father or the Dishonored Venerable.
It was a subtle sensation, distinct from his mere presence, that I could somehow perceive. The important thing was that this was an aura I had never felt from the Heavenly Venerable before.
As I studied him, I glanced at the Immortal Healer standing beside him. The Immortal Healer was looking at me with a rare, troubled expression that seemed to hold a hint of apology as well.
What is going on?
I could understand the Immortal Healer’s situation, since he was heading to the Gu Clan to fulfill his promise to me regarding the White Demonic Stone.
But what was the Heavenly Venerable’s deal?
Is this year really my year of three calamities?
Not only had I met all of the Three Venerables, whom most people would never lay eyes on in their lifetime, but it seemed all of them would now have a record of staying with the Gu Clan.
Others might call this a fortuitous encounter, a stroke of incredible luck, but…
…Luck, my ass.
To me, it just looked like a pile-up of misfortune.
I wanted to refuse outright, but…
“I’d like to hear your reason first.”
I had to at least hear him out. As I spoke, my gaze drifted elsewhere.
Toward Namgung Bi-ah.
It was obvious what she was doing. She was probably asleep in my carriage right now.
“Has the Gu Clan Lord… left?”
“Yes. He departed for Shanxi yesterday.”
“…I see. I’m too late.”
What’s this? Is he planning revenge? It would be understandable to feel wronged after what happened, but revenge…
I don’t think he can pull it off.
Having witnessed that scene, it seemed nearly impossible for the Heavenly Venerable to get revenge on my father. Maybe if they ganged up on him, but one-on-one… it would be hopeless.
Fortunately, ‘That’s not the vibe I’m getting.’
The Heavenly Venerable’s aura didn’t feel vengeful.
As I watched him with a puzzled expression, he said to me, “I wanted to express my gratitude, but it seems I’m too late.”
“Gratitude?”
Hearing that, I took a small step back.
…Gratitude after getting beaten senseless? Does he have a thing for getting hit? I’d never pegged the Heavenly Venerable as that kind of pervert.
When I made a disgusted face, the Heavenly Venerable chuckled.
“You have quite the imagination, child. Don’t worry, I have no such tastes.”
“…Well, that’s a relief, but…”
“I simply wished to convey my thanks. If not for the Gu Clan Lord, I would not have been able to open my eyes.”
He wouldn’t have been able to open his eyes? It looked more like Father was trying to make him close them for good.
Aside from his cryptic words, that wasn’t the important part.
“Are you saying that is related to your reason for wanting to go to the Gu Clan now?”
“Would that be a problem?”
“…No, it’s not about whether it’s a problem or not…. I just don’t understand why you’re doing this so suddenly. You could just return to the Namgung Clan. Besides…”
The Murim Alliance hadn’t even properly concluded its investigation into the Tang Clan incident yet. If it came out that the Heavenly Venerable was involved, he would have to be investigated by the Alliance first.
Of course, ‘If the Heavenly Venerable throws a fit, there’s not much they could do.’
As one of the Three Venerables, if he decided to be difficult, they couldn’t touch him. Which meant he wasn’t seeking refuge with the Gu Clan out of fear of that.
So I had to ask.
“Is there a reason you aren’t going to the Namgung Clan?”
“...”
The reason why the Heavenly Venerable wouldn’t go to the Namgung Clan. That’s what I wanted to hear.
After a moment of silence, the Heavenly Venerable’s gaze drifted somewhere. It was in the direction of the other Namgung blood relatives.
“…Because I cannot go back yet.”
As he spoke, the Heavenly Venerable’s eyes were trembling noticeably.
“Until I have righted my past wrongs, I will not return to the Namgung Clan.”
Past wrongs?
It was a rather uncomfortable thing to hear.
…Did getting burned by those flames change him somehow?
Did he have some kind of epiphany on the verge of death? I didn’t fully understand what he was saying, but I could tell he was determined to do something.
“So, at our house…”
You’re saying you want to freeload?
I stopped myself from saying that.
“You mean… you wish to stay for a while?”
“Would that be a problem? I will do my part as a guest. I may be an old man, but I’m still confident in my strength.”
I had to let out a dry laugh inwardly at his words.
If that’s the role you mean, what are you planning to do? Are you going to act as a servant like the Sword Venerable did? I, for one, would have to refuse.
…The pressure was killing me.
The Sword Venerable cleaning my room, chopping firewood, and helping prepare meals. Do you have any idea how burdensome that was?
I thought I was going to throw up every day.
What’s more, I couldn’t let on that I knew who he was, so pretending to be oblivious was also difficult.
And now the Heavenly Venerable wants to do that?
Just imagining it was exhausting.
Forcing my crumbling expression back into place, I said to the Heavenly Venerable, “…Before that. First, will you be okay?”
“With what?”
“Separate from your decision not to return to the Namgung Clan, there are other members of the Namgung Clan in our party. Are you okay with that as well?”
Was he treating his refusal to go to the Namgung Clan and the presence of Namgung members in our party as two separate issues? That’s what I was curious about.
Hearing my question, the Heavenly Venerable flinched for a moment, then met my eyes and said, “It’s fine. That, too, is something I must endure…”
“No. That’s not what I mean.”
I cut the Heavenly Venerable off. It seemed this old man had misunderstood something.
“This isn’t about whether you are okay with it. It’s about whether they will be. What will you do if they say they are not okay with it?”
“…!”
His eyes widened at my blunt words.
I didn’t know a thing about the Namgung Clan’s affairs, nor did I have any intention of finding out, but at the very least, Namgung Bi-ah was important.
I didn’t know what her relationship with the Heavenly Venerable was, but if his presence would make her uncomfortable, ‘I have no intention of accepting him, Heavenly Venerable or not.’
Even if it led to a rough situation, I wouldn’t back down.
Because I’ve got some solid backup on my side.
The Heavenly Venerable may have lost to my father, but he was by no means a weak martial artist. But right now, I had reinforcements who could stop him.
…The Dishonored Venerable might not get involved, but wouldn’t the Dark King help me?
Basically, I was acting defiant because I had powerful backing.
I tensed up and watched the Heavenly Venerable. His expression was unusual.
Were my words offensive? It was possible. He probably hadn’t heard such things from anyone else.
As I watched him with that slight worry, “I see. I have shown my shameful side again.”
The words that came from his mouth were an unexpected reaction. He nodded his head as if he’d realized something he hadn’t known before.
His blue eyes were clear, and his breathing was calm.
…Could it be that this old man, not the Poison King, was the one who took the wrong medicine? The thought suddenly crossed my mind.
“Thank you, child. You have given me enlightenment.”
“…No, uh… yes…”
“I almost made another grave mistake. I’m glad I realized it now…. If those children say they are against it, I will not impose.”
“...”
The corners of his eyes crinkled as he smiled faintly.
Is this man really the Heavenly Venerable? Could he be another assassin in disguise? The suspicion even crossed my mind.
“…Uh.”
I was about to say something more but closed my mouth. I rubbed my forehead slightly and looked at the Immortal Healer.
I could tell from his eyes. They were pleading with me for something.
“Tsk.”
I had to click my tongue.
“I understand what you’re saying. However, the permission for this is not mine to give, but the Lord’s. I will send a letter to the clan first.”
It wasn’t a clear sign of permission. Even if Namgung Bi-ah was okay with it and I was okay with it, in the end, the decision to accept him or not was up to my father.
For the record, I planned to subtly write the letter in a way that would make him refuse.
“Thank you.”
As if that alone was enough, the Heavenly Venerable smiled at me. I don’t know why that benevolent-looking face felt so burdensome.
He looked so damn scary when I saw him in the other world.
Wrapped in a chilling killing intent. Where was the Heavenly Venerable from back then, the one who didn’t hide his sharp impression? A benevolent grandfather stood before me now.
They say people mature after getting beaten up. Could that really be it?
I have no idea.
After giving the Heavenly Venerable a fist-and-palm salute, I headed to the carriage. It wasn’t far. As I walked, I whispered quietly.
“Elder.”
-Yes.
A telepathic voice responded as soon as I called. I turned my head, searching for the source of the voice. I felt something among the servants who were diligently carrying luggage.
That must be the Dark King.
Normally, I wouldn’t have been able to sense him, so the fact that I could probably meant the Dark King was intentionally revealing a hint of his presence.
-I have a favor to ask.
-Please, speak.
-Could you send a letter for me?
-Understood.
The Dark King accepted immediately. I planned to write about the Heavenly Venerable and send it to the Gu Clan. To do that, I knew borrowing the Dark King’s power would be the fastest way.
-I will dispatch someone immediately.
He probably meant he would send a member of the Night Reapers.
…Using people whose names alone make the Central Plains tremble as carrier pigeons. It was an indescribable feeling.
Forcibly hiding that feeling, I asked about something else.
-And… what about the favor I asked of you yesterday?
This was the main reason I had called him. The favor I had asked of the Dark King. I had asked him to take Tang Soyeol as his disciple.
Regarding that, the Dark King had said that rather than accepting immediately, he needed to confirm whether it was possible or not. Like the Dishonored Venerable’s Fist that Destroys Heaven, the Dark King’s unique martial art also seemed to have some kind of condition.
-It seems possible.
I nodded at the Dark King’s reply. Thankfully, it seemed Tang Soyeol had passed the Dark King’s criteria.
In that case.
-Please proceed according to the conditions we discussed.
-Yes.
The conversation ended there.
The conditions I had presented to the Dark King were simple. He would offer to take Tang Soyeol as his disciple, but he also had to respect her decision if she refused or chose to give up.
I only wanted to give her a path. Whether she takes it or not is ultimately her decision.
I don’t know if this will actually help. Is having her train under the Dark King truly the right thing to do?
I’m not sure. But I saw it as the fastest way.
If you only walk the righteous path, you won’t survive.
The Poison King’s conviction had made me think about many things, but I knew I couldn’t follow that alone.
Creeak.
I opened the carriage door. The first person I saw inside was Namgung Bi-ah. She was lying with her head on Wi Seol-Ah’s lap, her eyes half-closed with sleep.
Dozing, Namgung Bi-ah saw me and gave a small wave.
“You’re back…?”
“So carefree, aren’t you.”
No matter what had happened before, Namgung Bi-ah’s attitude was the same. It was subtly annoying.
It feels like I’m the only one who cares.
Feeling a bit spiteful, I flicked Namgung Bi-ah on the forehead.
Thwack!
“…Ah…”
Hit out of nowhere, Namgung Bi-ah let out a pathetic response.
Was that supposed to be a scream?
She even made that noise and then fell right back to sleep.
Unbelievable. Truly.
Wi Seol-Ah, who was stroking Namgung Bi-ah’s hair, asked me, “Are you all done?”
It used to feel like the opposite, but these days, Wi Seol-Ah somehow seems more like the older sister.
…Is it because she’s gotten bigger?
Is it because her height, body, and appearance have all matured so much? It could also be because of the new aura she faintly exuded.
“No, I have to go out again.”
The preparations for departure weren’t finished yet. Moyong Hi-ah was outside directing the preparations, so I had to go help out a bit.
The reason I’d come in for a moment was because I had something to say to Namgung Bi-ah.
-Hey.
I called to Namgung Bi-ah telepathically.
Her eyes fluttered open.
-Your great-grandfather came to see me.
“...”
At those words, Namgung Bi-ah, who had been about to fall asleep, staggered upright. Seeing her messy hair, she must have been quite comfortable.
Was it because I mentioned the Heavenly Venerable? Namgung Bi-ah stared at me.
-He says he wants to come with us. What should I do? Should I refuse?
“…?”
Her eyes said she didn’t understand.
Of course.
The Heavenly Venerable suddenly wanting to accompany us—it was a story I wouldn’t have understood either if I were in her shoes.
-If you say you don’t want him to, I’ll refuse. He said he wouldn’t go in that case either.
“...”
The relationship between Namgung Bi-ah and the Heavenly Venerable could be uncomfortable. Recalling my past life, I knew that was still a possibility, which was why I asked.
“It doesn’t matter…”
Namgung Bi-ah replied as such and laid her head back down on Wi Seol-Ah’s lap.
“…Damn it.”
I was secretly hoping she would refuse, but even that didn’t work.
Damn it.
So in the end, I have to hope Father refuses.
It seemed that was the only option left.
Just a fortnight later, I would learn that my father, too, had betrayed my expectations.