Chapter 56: Why Are You Here...?
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 56: Why Are You Here...?
Three days had passed since we began our journey with the disciples of Mount Hua.
The mountain paths grew increasingly treacherous—so rough and narrow that we were forced to abandon our carriages and continue on foot.
Wi Seol-Ah, who had been walking quietly beside me, spoke up, her voice tinged with disappointment. “…The strange grandpa is gone.”
In her hands, she clutched the box containing Mount Hua’s treasure.
Elder Shin’s voice echoed in my mind the moment her words faded.
[How curious. She doesn’t possess any special ability, yet her perception is remarkably sharp.]
She seemed completely unaware that the old man had taken residence within my body. However, before I had absorbed the treasure’s power, the elder had occasionally spoken with her.
Wi Seol-Ah’s senses were unnaturally acute. Even back when we were searching for the secret vault, she had demonstrated an intuition that set her apart from ordinary people. Was this another form of innate talent?
[She is truly gifted. To exhibit such talent at such a tender age… she may very well aim for the title of ‘World’s Greatest’ in the future.]
You reached that conclusion just from observing a little girl?
In my previous life, a fully-grown Wi Seol-Ah was more than qualified to claim such a title. But now, she was still young, her cheeks soft with baby fat.
…With all the yakgwa she eats, that fat probably isn’t going anywhere.
In my opinion, she looked better now, with that slight roundness, than she had in her leaner, adult form. Besides, being able to tease her about it was an added bonus.
“Just a little further. We should reach the valley soon,” Shinhyun called out from ahead.
Thanks to our guides from Mount Hua, the journey was considerably smoother; we no longer had to worry about finding the right path ourselves.
True to Shinhyun’s word, after another two hours of walking, we arrived at the valley. Night was approaching, so we began preparing to make camp.
“Young Master.”
I was sitting by the riverbank, sharing dumplings with Wi Seol-Ah, when Yung Pung approached.
“Yes?”
I had only recently discovered that the Sword Dragon was quite the talker. It was like looking at a more verbose version of Peng Woojin.
…How irritating.
His next words, however, took me by surprise.
“Once we arrive at our destination, would you care to share a meal?”
“A meal?”
“I rarely encounter prodigies around my own age. It… feels rather nice.”
What’s his angle?
His face betrayed no ill intent… but in my experience, those with the most innocent faces often hid the nastiest personalities. I felt a wave of caution.
“I cannot promise it will be to your taste, but it is the best dumpling restaurant in all of Shaanxi.”
“Then let’s go together.”
What a pleasant fellow.
[…You fool.]
“You mentioned you rarely see other prodigies?”
“I’ve seen them a few times, but never had much conversation… They all seemed rather difficult to approach.”
He was likely referring to the Five Dragons and Three Phoenixes. It was understandable; they were born geniuses who saw each other as rivals from the cradle.
[I sense your envy. You covet what they possess.]
Would you please just shut up?
[From my perspective, you have already achieved heights most your age cannot even dream of. What is the issue?]*
To be fair, Elder Shin’s words made sense, given that he knew nothing of my regression.
…He isn’t reacting to the thought of regression. Can he not read those specific thoughts?
He was usually lightning-fast at picking up any criticism directed at him, yet he remained silent about the regression. Thank heavens. I had no intention of telling him.
As I sorted through my thoughts, Yung Pung spoke again.
“And you also belong to the Senior’s family…”
His words reminded me of a question that had been nagging me: why did he keep referring to my younger sister as ‘Senior’? Weren’t they both third-generation disciples? Now seemed as good a time as any to ask.
“Young Master Yung Pun—”
“Young Master, now that we are friends, may I ask you something?”
My question was buried under his.
Friends? Since when had we become that close? Yung Pung seemed quick to consider people friends. Personally, I preferred to maintain a bit more distance.
“…What did you want to ask?”
“It’s nothing major, but…”
He hesitated, scratching his head. It was oddly annoying to see such a gesture on his handsome face.
After a moment’s pause, Yung Pung inquired, his tone a shy yet brave mixture.
“…Would you like to have a duel with me?”
“No.”
My refusal was instant and automatic—my standard response to such requests.
Then, a thought occurred to me: Isn’t that a bit of a violent escalation from asking me to a meal just a moment ago?
Yung Pung’s reaction was even more bewildering.
“W-Why?”
What do you mean, ‘why’?… Did he genuinely not understand why I would refuse? His confusion left me speechless.
“Why are you asking for a duel so suddenly?”
“I was told that to become closer to someone, a duel is necessary. Is that not true?”
“…Who told you such an absurd thing?”
“The Lord of the Sect.”
“…”
[Ahem… Ahehem!]
Elder Shin seemed to choke on his own spiritual energy at Yung Pung’s revelation.
The person who told him such nonsense was none other than the Lord of Mount Hua? Is that true…?
Are they really a Taoist sect?
[…Ahem. Well, he’s not entirely wrong, is he?]
No matter how you look at it, he absolutely is.
The old man tried to defend the idea, but it was still fundamentally wrong. Preaching that friendship was forged through duels made them sound more like bandits than a revered martial arts sect.
[H-How dare you compare us to bandits!? There is no other sect in the world that possesses the dignity and pride of Mount Hua!]
At least say that without stuttering…
Meanwhile, Yung Pung was looking at me with a peculiar, hopeful glint in his eyes. I was becoming certain: this guy was just another version of Peng Woojin.
“So… we are not having a duel?”
“…Why do you sound so sad about it?”
Stop talking like you’re about to cry. It was irritating to hear a young man speak that way.
“Just duel with the other disciples.” It wasn’t as if he was the only third-generation student. And there were surely many more martial artists within the Ten Sect Alliance.
Yung Pung offered a bitter smile at my suggestion.
“The other disciples… don’t really enjoy sparring with me.”
“Ah.”
I understood immediately. His monstrous talent undoubtedly left the average martial artist trembling with fear. This generation was particularly abundant with such disparities.
The Sword Dragon. Bearing such a title, it was likely that none of his Mount Hua peers could truly compete with him. If not for the existence of Gu Huibi, he would probably be hailed as the greatest prodigy of his generation. Comparing him to someone like the Lightning Sword would be a sin.
He was the youngest talent of Mount Hua, a genius swordsman who had learned to manifest the plum blossom technique at an age when most could only hope to achieve it by thirty. The other third-generation disciples who trained alongside him must have felt as if they were facing an insurmountable wall. While they were still learning to concentrate Qi into their blades, he was already materializing blossoms with his sword.
And no matter how hard they try, they cannot close the gap.
When the outcome is a foregone conclusion, only someone overflowing with martial pride would still issue a challenge. Would I have been any different in their place? My own past life, constantly compared to my sisters, was a similar experience—though I suspected their situation was even more frustrating.
“Why do you want to duel me, anyway?”
“I had a feeling… that you would be a worthy opponent.”
I could feel the eagerness radiating from him, an intensity focused through his sword. He had likely asked for the duel because he sensed we were on a similar level.
[The boy has a good eye.]
Even Elder Shin, who could directly observe the state of my body, agreed.
But still, asking for a duel out of the blue?
Elder Shin, sensing my deep-seated aversion to duels, chimed in again.
[Why not just once?]
It’s easy for you to say when it’s not your problem.
[It’s not as if you have anything to lose.]
…Elder Shin was right. I had no real reason to refuse a simple sparring match. It was just a duel. I wasn’t afraid of losing, either. If I were, my spirit would have shattered long ago from all my previous defeats.
However…
I did not want to raise my hand against anyone from Mount Hua.
That was all.
[For what reason do you carry such guilt toward them?]
…I told you to stop reading my mind.
“Young Master?” Yung Pung called out, his face etched with confusion. I hesitated to respond.
No one knew what I had done to Mount Hua in my past life. It was a secret known only to me, and it would remain that way. Yet, that knowledge was not something I could simply ignore.
As I stood in silence, Elder Shin spoke again.
[I do not know why you harbor such guilt toward Mount Hua, but you can still accept his challenge. Holding yourself back will not absolve you.]
“Hmm…”
[A true martial artist should be delighted when challenged! I don’t understand why a young man like you hesitates; tsk, tsk. You might as well cut off your manhood at this rate.]
What the hell did he just say about cutting off?
Such aggressive words felt out of place coming from a revered hero of the past… but he wasn’t entirely wrong.
I let out a calm breath and stood up, addressing Yung Pung directly.
“…Fine. Let’s have the duel.”
I supposed it wouldn’t hurt to indulge him just this once.
“Woah!”
“Young Master… are you going to fight?”
Wi Seol-Ah, who had been quietly munching on dumplings beside me, looked up with tears welling in her eyes. I gently patted her head.
“It’s not a fight. Apparently, it’s just a way to become friends.”
[Yes, precisely!]
Of course, that was Mount Hua’s… and only Mount Hua’s… peculiar way.
Wi Seol-Ah, comforted by my head pats, cheered up immediately. “Go and win!”
“…I’ll do my best.”
* * *
I found a relatively flat area suitable for our duel. While I was preparing, Yung Pung said he needed to inform Shinhyun. When he returned, there was a large, fresh lump on his head, and Shinhyun was following close behind, his expression stern.
Shinhyun stepped forward and bowed to me. “My deepest apologies… He is still rather immature.”
“It’s fine. It’s only a sparring match, after all.”
To be perfectly honest, this was probably the most ‘normal’ duel I would experience since my regression. The previous ones could hardly be called duels; my opponents had all been lunatics.
To spectate, Muyeon, Shinhyun, and a few other Mount Hua disciples gathered around.
“Huh? What’s happening here?”
“Apparently, Young Master Yung Pung is having a duel with Young Master Gu.”
“…Right here? Right now? That guy is truly insane.”
“After this is over, we should tie him up to prevent him from acting on his own.”
“We might as well cover his mouth so he can’t breathe, too.”
“Won’t that kill him?”
“I’m sure there’s a way to revive him if he dies.”
…I was hearing some truly terrifying comments.
“Are you alright with them saying such things?” I asked Yung Pung, concerned by the brutal conversation.
He simply shrugged, completely unfazed. “It’s fine. I’m used to having to run away.”
Oh, so this isn’t his first time.
The presence of spectators made me slightly anxious, but I did my best to remain calm.
Yung Pung took a wooden sword and settled into his stance.
[Hey, not bad at all. His foundation is excellent.]
A swordsman’s posture reveals the depth and rigor of their training. Yung Pung’s stance was nearly flawless, demonstrating not only monstrous talent but also immense dedication and effort.
“…”
I released a slow sigh and wrapped my body in Qi. A faint red aura began to shimmer around me—the pink hue I used to manifest had returned to its original crimson, thanks to Elder Shin’s influence.
I saw the light in Yung Pung’s eyes intensify. Simultaneously, a subtle aura enveloped his wooden sword. It was faint, but unmistakable: the silhouette of a plum blossom.
It seems he has no intention of holding back.
He was skipping the appetizers and going straight for the main course, immediately invoking the Plum Blossom Sword Technique. I offered a wry smile; I hadn’t expected him to be this serious.
If I don’t take this seriously, I’m going to get completely wrecked.
“Begin!”
Once we were both ready, Shinhyun gave the signal.
Yung Pung’s sword shot forward instantly. I focused Qi into my feet, preparing to evade his opening strike.
But the moment I moved, the match was over.
Pow!
A sharp sound echoed through the forest, and a cloud of dust erupted.
“Uuughh!”
A pained cry followed as Yung Pung was sent flying through the air.
Yet, I stood frozen, utterly dumbfounded.
Because I hadn’t done that.
I hadn’t even gotten close to him.
Someone else had struck him down mid-charge.
…A surprise attack?
But I hadn’t sensed any other Qi in the vicinity.
Through the settling dust, I could make out a figure standing where Yung Pung had been just a moment before.
“Huh…?”
The sound escaped my lips involuntarily.
The presence was familiar. Terribly familiar.
“What the…?”
It was a presence that should not have been here. Why could I feel the aura of a woman who should have been thousands of li away, practicing her sword arts in Anhui?
As the wind picked up, the dust began to clear.
“…Oh.”
The owner of the presence let out a short, breathy sound.
She stood precisely where Yung Pung had been poised to strike. Her clothes were disheveled, her hair a mess, as if she had just fought her way through a warzone. Yet, despite the disarray, her pale skin and striking beauty remained undiminished.
Her piercing blue eyes locked onto me the moment she found me in the crowd.
Then, she smiled.
A brilliantly bright, terrifyingly intense smile.
“I found you…”
Her beautiful, melodic voice drilled directly into my ears.
I had been hoping it was someone I would welcome. The reality was the complete opposite.
“Finally, I found you.”
The person who spoke those words with a radiant smile was none other than Namgung Bi-ah.