Chapter 682: Bongsun
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 682: Bongsun
A cool sensation brushed past my cheek.
My lips curled into a smirk at the sensation my instincts immediately recognized.
“Look at this bastard.”
I could feel the raw hostility radiating from him.
I met his yellow eyes through his scowl and tilted my head.
“So you knew?”
“...”
“How did you find out?”
I asked, but the Heavenly Dragon just bit his lip in silence, offering no answer. I didn’t know why I bothered asking if he was just going to stay quiet.
I stared at him for a moment before asking something else.
“So, why do I have to refute it?”
The claim that the rumor about the ‘youngest to reach the Fusion Realm’ was false. Was there really a need to deny it? I didn’t think so.
“That’s…”
At my words, the Heavenly Dragon finally, slowly, opened his mouth.
“...Because that rumor is false.”
The officially recognized youngest to reach the Fusion Realm by the Murim Alliance was the Heavenly Dragon standing before me. However, that was just the official story.
Then who was the real youngest?
Me?
Perhaps. Reaching the Fusion Realm before turning twenty was indeed an incredible feat. However, could I say it with absolute certainty?
Well.
I didn’t know. ‘Unofficial’ meant it was information that wasn't publicly known. And even if I really was the youngest to reach the Fusion Realm, it didn’t matter.
“I don’t really care.”
I didn’t bother with such trivial things; frankly, it held no meaning for me.
What value is there in something I gained like this?
My current level was nothing more than something I had obtained through regression. The youngest to reach the Fusion Realm? To me, it was a completely useless title. How would something like that help me? It wasn’t important at all.
“You can have it. I'm leaving.”
Take it if you want it. I had something much greater to obtain. I didn’t know how the Heavenly Dragon had found out, but that didn’t matter either. If he wanted a rumor like that, he could have it.
I said as much and was about to turn away when…
“...Sir.”
The Heavenly Dragon’s scowl deepened as he spoke.
“Are you pitying me?”
Hmm.
Hearing his words, I studied him. Especially his eyes. The emotion swirling in those yellow depths was clearly…
An inferiority complex?
It was an emotion I knew all too well. It was the look I had in my past life, and one I still caught myself making from time to time.
The Heavenly Dragon is looking at me like that?
I couldn’t believe that damn monk had any reason to look at me that way. Staring into those eyes, I asked him, “You—have we met somewhere before?”
“...”
He wouldn’t look at me like that for no reason. There had to be a catalyst. But I had no idea what it was.
This is strange.
First Sword Dragon Yung Pung, and now the Heavenly Dragon? I had no idea why these so-called geniuses of the age were giving me that look. Seeing the Heavenly Dragon remain silent again, I clicked my tongue.
“I don’t know what your deal is, but is it right for a monk who believes in Buddha to have eyes like that?”
“...!”
At my pointed question, the Heavenly Dragon’s eyes widened slightly. Then, his expression began to shift. It seemed he realized that something was off about his own behavior.
Watching him, I narrowed my eyes.
“What’s the problem? What the hell are you so unhappy about?”
What was his issue?
“I told you to just carry on as you were, didn’t I? I don’t give a damn about that rumor, so just do what you’ve been doing. What’s this about pity?”
Who was I to pity anyone? I was too busy trying to survive. I spoke, my voice laced with annoyance, but the Heavenly Dragon’s reaction remained the same.
“...I do not understand.”
“What?”
“With these stories circulating, why do you not reveal yourself, Sir?”
Just as his words suggested, his face was a mask of utter confusion.
“You could correct this at any time, could you not?”
“Correct what?”
Was he telling me to correct the rumor? What, was I supposed to shout that he was a fake and I was the real deal?
“If I say I won’t, then I won’t. Who are you to tell me otherwise?”
If I chose not to prove it, that should be a good thing for him, so why was he picking a fight? And besides…
“When did I say I wouldn’t?”
“...Pardon?”
My response made the Heavenly Dragon’s expression falter.
“Reveal myself, my ass. There's no need for it right now, so I'm just not doing it for now.”
I wasn’t correcting the rumors and was refraining from showing my power. Just as the Heavenly Dragon said, I was holding back even though I could easily set the record straight.
So don’t worry.
“It won’t be long anyway.”
It wouldn’t be long until I showed them.
“...Are you saying that if you wished to show it, you could do so at any time?”
“It wouldn’t be too difficult.”
As the Heavenly Dragon himself had mentioned, showing them wouldn’t be hard if I wanted to. I was just choosing not to.
The reason being…
The impact will be greater if I endure and endure before finally revealing it.
I wasn’t an idiot. I hadn’t been sitting idly by while hearing these ridiculous rumors. I was just waiting for the right time. And that time was now.
I didn’t know why the Heavenly Dragon was so concerned with me, but even so, there was only one thing to say.
“So if you want to see it, wait. And don’t do anything stupid.”
“...”
I would show him soon enough. After all, wasn’t the stage already set?
“I don’t care about anything else.”
I would simply show them.
The Meteor Generation, was it? An era where stars fell like rain. Peace was shattered, but hope was not lost, largely because of them. There were an unusual number of stars to protect the people, so they could breathe, believing in that light.
Amidst all that, I had never once thought of myself as a star. I only ever looked up from below at the falling meteors. I never thought of myself as a descending meteor, but…
But now, there are so many stars. Their value seems too low.
In fact, I thought that was a good thing. If countless stars descend, I will gather the light of the falling stars and burn a flame of my own. And so, I will shine alone in the end. This is merely preparation for igniting that flame.
As I thought this and calmly watched the Heavenly Dragon… he lowered his gaze slightly and opened his mouth.
“...I heard that you will also be participating in the tournament, Sir.”
“That’s right.”
As I nodded, the Heavenly Dragon carefully brought his fist and palm together. I thought he was about to show his respects, but…
“Then, I will see you there.”
The Heavenly Dragon added the words with a calm demeanor. However, unlike his attitude, his words were nothing short of a declaration of war.
Hearing this, I tilted my head. “You don’t like me?”
I didn’t think I had any connection to the Heavenly Dragon, so why was he acting like this from our very first meeting?
“That is not it.”
“Bullshit.”
His entire body screamed that he disliked me. Look at him now—his words were a clear challenge, weren’t they?
Then again.
It’s not like I have a very likable personality. It didn’t really matter if he disliked me. As I came to that conclusion and nodded…
“It is simply because I must prove my worth through you, Sir. That is why I say this.”
The Heavenly Dragon added, shaking his head.
“Worth, huh.”
Proving one’s worth. Such a curious phrase.
“Does beating me prove your worth?”
“I do not know. However—”
“If that’s the case, you’re going to lose to me.”
“...!”
I cut off whatever the Heavenly Dragon was about to say. Hearing my words, his face hardened.
“...Such arrogant words.”
He clearly didn’t like that. My sudden declaration that he would lose must have wounded his pride.
That wasn’t really my intention.
But there was no need to correct myself, so I decided to stay quiet. It wouldn’t change much even if I did. I just stared at the Heavenly Dragon.
“Words are meaningless, so I will show you. I will personally show you just how complacent your arrogance is.”
The Heavenly Dragon spat out the words, then turned his back with blazing eyes and walked away. He seemed pretty pissed off.
“Hmm.”
I watched his back, debating whether to stop him, but I held back on that as well. I wasn’t bothered by what he said… the problem was…
That… shouldn’t I tell him?
The grease smeared all over his mouth. Traces of him having enthusiastically eaten meat were all over his face. Should I just let him go like that?
...Nah, he’ll figure it out.
I was going to stop him and tell him, but seeing his shitty attitude, I figured it was fine to just let him go.
What was it he said? ‘I will see you there?’
Pfft.
I recalled the Heavenly Dragon’s words and let out a small laugh.
Interesting.
Let’s remember that he’s the one who started this. So, whatever happened from now on was his responsibility. Licking my lips, I also turned to head back to my residence.
And watching the two of them…
“...”
Peng Woojin was watching from the roof of a nearby building. His eyes were now completely different—ice-cold.
Some time had passed since I returned.
By the time the sun was setting, I had finished my afternoon training and arrived at the Immortal Healer’s residence. I was there to see Namgung Bi-ah, who was receiving treatment.
“Are you okay?”
“...Yeah...”
Namgung Bi-ah, who was quietly peeling and eating an apple, nodded. As she said, she did look fine. I looked at what was in her hand and asked, “...Don’t you usually peel that with a knife?”
“...Too much trouble...”
Slice.
To my surprise, Namgung Bi-ah was peeling the apple using her sword aura. I couldn’t understand why she was using that when there was a perfectly good fruit knife right next to her, but if she found it more comfortable, then so be it.
“That much should be fine.”
As I was watching, the Immortal Healer spoke to me.
“Her external injuries were the bigger problem to begin with... The girl's body is so sturdy that there were no issues with her Qi.”
“Is that so?”
Hearing the Immortal Healer’s words, I looked at Namgung Bi-ah with a sense of wonder. Normally, external injuries would cause problems with one’s Qi as well. But it seemed Namgung Bi-ah had no such issues.
“Even aside from being a martial artist, her recovery rate is exceptionally high. I said it would take three months... but from the looks of it, she'll be fully healed much sooner than that.”
“...That’s a relief.”
The Immortal Healer’s words put my mind at ease. I looked around and asked him, “Where did the Monster of Wudang go?”
“Who knows. I saw him leave with that disciple of his earlier. Aren’t they probably just out for a walk?”
I nodded at his words.
Looks like he went to try again.
That Woo Hyuk bastard must have gone to try using his power on the Monster of Wudang. I hadn’t heard if there’d been any progress, but seeing them keep at it, it seemed like something was working.
It’d be good if it does.
Then if I got hurt, I could just go to him for treatment. He’d become very useful. The Immortal Healer’s treatments were the best in the Central Plains, but…
After all, even he couldn’t reattach a severed arm.
I thought positively of this and glanced around. I was looking for someone.
“...Those two went out...”
This time, Namgung Bi-ah answered me. Hearing her, I let out a slight cough.
“Ahem, what are you talking about?”
“...Soyeol... and Seol-Ah... Weren’t you looking for them...?”
She said nonchalantly, quietly chewing her apple.
…She was right. I had been wondering where they were, and it seemed I’d been caught immediately. I scratched my cheek awkwardly.
“Not really…”
Why was it? For some reason, I felt a pang of guilt for looking for the other girls in front of Namgung Bi-ah. Because of that, I avoided her gaze, and then I heard a ‘Pfft!’ of laughter from somewhere.
I turned my head to look at Namgung Bi-ah.
“...What...?”
When I looked again, Namgung Bi-ah had her usual expressionless face.
“Wasn’t that you?”
“...What was...?”
“The one who just laughed.”
“...I don’t know...”
It wasn’t Namgung Bi-ah? Then the only one left was the Immortal Healer.
“What are you looking at?”
“...No, it’s nothing.”
Strange. I was sure the laugh belonged to a woman.
“Was it really not you?”
“...I don’t know...”
I questioned Namgung Bi-ah as if interrogating her, but she just shook her head and replied. The important thing here wasn’t a ‘yes’ or ‘no,’ but the fact that her answer was ‘I don’t know.’
I’m pretty sure it was her.
Should I press her a little more? Just as I was contemplating it…
“...Ah... right...”
Clap!
Namgung Bi-ah clapped her hands and put on a terrible act of realization. Seeing it, a dry laugh escaped me. I decided to just let it go.
But then.
“...Tomorrow... the Lord is coming.”
“Hmm?”
The words that followed were quite important.
“The Sword King is coming?”
“...Yeah.”
The Lord of the Namgung Clan and Namgung Bi-ah's father, the Azure Heavenly Sword, was coming to Henan. This was rather important information. Furthermore…
“My little brother is coming too...”
“...Is that so?”
This meant that one of the Namgung Clan's geniuses, the Pissing Dragon... no, the Lightning Dragon, Namgung Cheonjun, was also coming. Hearing his name, I tilted my head.
It’s been a while since I’ve heard that name.
I hadn’t seen the bastard since we met at the engagement ceremony.
I turned him into a Demonic Human and then just left him.
He was the first human I ever transformed into a Demonic Human. At first, I planned to use him and then discard him someday, but… I’d completely forgotten about him. He had been completely erased from my memory.
He’s coming too…?
This was a bit strange. Namgung Cheonjun coming to Henan was more than a little bothersome. Because…
I’m sure I placed shackles on him, right?
The shackles I placed on him should have forbidden him from ever leaving Anhui, as well as from approaching his sister.
How did he get out of Anhui?
And the fact that he was coming here was also a problem. If what Namgung Bi-ah said was true, this shouldn’t be possible…
Is there a problem with the shackles?
I didn’t sense any such thing. How could this have happened? Just as I was pondering this question…
[Master.]
A small telepathic voice reached me. It was Nahee.
[‘The Spear’ has awoken.]
“...”
Hearing Nahee’s words, my face crumpled into a deep frown. Of all times, why now? I had planned to stay a little longer. I suppressed a sigh and said to Nahee.
[Put her back to sleep.]
I said it, thinking I could just knock her out again and go later.
[...With all due respect.]
Hearing this, Nahee replied in a slightly troubled voice.
[She has already been knocked out four times... Any more and it looks like the Spear will go berserk.]
“...”
Damn it.
“Haa.”
Hearing Nahee’s words, I couldn’t hold back a sigh. As I furrowed my brow with a look of utter annoyance…
Stroke.
Namgung Bi-ah caressed my cheek.
“...What is it?”
I looked at her, wondering what she was doing, and she popped the last piece of apple into her mouth and said, “Have a safe trip...”
“...”
Hearing that, my eyes widened slightly. Did she hear the telepathic message? That shouldn’t be possible, right?
“How did you know? That I have to go now?”
“Because your eyes are saying it...”
My eyes weren’t a mouth; what could they possibly be saying? I looked at Namgung Bi-ah with a dumbfounded expression.
Then.
“...Go on...”
Namgung Bi-ah pulled back the hand that was caressing me and gave a little wave, as if urging me to hurry. At that sight, I couldn’t help but smile slightly. Funnily enough, a sight like this seemed to put me at ease.
“Alright. I’ll be back.”
“Okay.”
After speaking, I stood up. I didn’t want to go, but it seemed I had to. I bid farewell to the Immortal Healer, who was preparing medicine nearby, and stepped out the door.
I headed for my residence, and the moment I stepped inside…
KABOOOOM—!!!
An explosion sounded from within.
“Tsk.”
I clicked my tongue and immediately spread my Qi in all directions, forming a sound barrier around the residence. The sound had come from the back of the residence. It was a rather secluded space, and when I arrived, I had to squeeze my eyes shut at the sight.
Not only was the area a complete mess…
“...Guh...”
Far off by the rocks, Seong Yul was lying collapsed, groaning in pain.
Why is he here?
Putting aside the random presence of Seong Yul, Nahee was in front of him, aiming a dagger at someone.
“Grrr...”
A sound came from where a thick cloud of dust had risen. It sounded almost like the cry of a beast.
“...Cult Leader... Where is the Cult Leader!!”
WHOOOOSH—!!
A gust of wind erupted at the shrill, sharp cry. The dust was swept away in an instant. Seeing the person left standing there, I slowly approached.
“Where is the Cult Leader!! Where is he!! Come out right now! If you don’t—!!”
“And if I don’t come out, what are you going to do, you crazy bitch?”
“Oh!”
The woman who had been rampaging while exuding her Qi flinched and looked my way. She was a woman with short black hair and violet eyes. At a glance, she was pretty, but she had a shitty personality that completely overshadowed her looks.
The woman’s expression changed upon confirming it was me.
“It’s the Cult Leader! The Cult Leader! The Cult Leader is over there!”
As if excited, the woman looked around. Soon, she reached her hand out into the empty air. At that moment…
SHWIIIIK—!!
A staff flew from somewhere in the forest and landed in the woman’s hand. It was a long, black-painted staff.
“Liar Cult Leader! You called me but didn’t even mate with me, you just tied me up and locked me away! You didn’t even play with me!”
GOOOOOH—!!
An immense Combat Qi began to flow from the woman holding the staff. It was truly rough and vast. The Qi alone was enough to make the surrounding trees vibrate.
“You need to be punished for this! I can’t stand it!”
Then, the woman aimed the staff at me.
BOOM—!!
She kicked off the ground and charged at me. My eyebrows twitched slightly at the chilling killing intent. I have no choice.
“I’ll punish—”
[Down.]
Vwoom!
“Gack!”
CRUUUNCH—!!
The woman, who had been charging at full speed, tripped and slammed face-first into the ground. The momentum must have been considerable, as she rolled to a stop in front of me, her face still embedded in the dirt.
Seeing that, I moved my foot.
Stomp!
“Gguuueeegh...!”
I stomped on the groaning woman's head. I applied pressure to keep her from moving, and the pinned woman began to squirm.
“Gwaaah... you're so mean... Ah, or maybe not? This might feel good...”
A pathetic voice drifted up. Hearing it, I had to pinch the bridge of my nose.
I really shouldn’t have called her.
The more I looked at her, the more I thought I had made a mistake. The woman's name was Bongsun. She was the Demonic Human who would one day be called the Ghost Spear and sweep across battlefields.
She was also the sole blood relative of the previous Sword Queen.