Chapter 98: Tournament (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 98: Tournament (3)
I had been about to demand what they were saying about Gu Ryunghwa behind her back. But from their reactions, it seemed I had been laboring under a misunderstanding all this time. Furthermore, Shinhyun appeared to have questions for me instead.
He recounted Gu Ryunghwa’s behavior from the moment she arrived at the Mount Hua Sect up to the present. He asked why such a young girl would come to their sect looking as if her soul had been snatched away. The eldest second-generation disciple questioned me while explaining what had happened to my little sister over the years. He asked if it was, in fact, my fault that she had ended up like this.
I had only one answer.
“Yes, it is my fault.”
He had conveyed a rather profound story to me, especially considering how abruptly he’d spoken. This was the first time I’d heard anything about Gu Ryunghwa’s experiences within the Mount Hua Sect. About how she had cried while searching for me. About how she had developed a fear of men.
I hadn’t dwelled on her issues much before, but now it seemed her condition was worse than I had expected. It appeared Gu Ryunghwa had yet to fully overcome her circumstances. It was plausible that she had merely been enduring everything until now.
Silence fell after Shinhyun heard my words. Yet, from the frown on his face and his rough breathing, I could sense the negative emotions churning within him. He seemed to be forcing himself to accept what I had said.
I had feared Gu Ryunghwa might be getting bullied in the sect, but thankfully, that didn’t seem to be the case, judging from this scene. It even seemed like she was being spoiled by them.
If anyone ever bullied her, it would be me.
I couldn’t deny that fact.
Since Shinhyun remained silent, I decided to ask him instead. “Aren’t you going to ask why I did such a thing?”
He visibly frowned at my question. “…I thought I wouldn’t get an answer even if I asked.”
As he said, I was unable to answer. This was my business, after all, and I felt no need to inform others about it.
“Moreover,” Shinhyun continued, “I still believe in my eyes.”
“…”
I couldn’t fathom what he had seen in me to think that way. I remained silent as he kept looking at me. While his gaze wasn’t entirely decipherable, one thing was clear: the faint shimmer of resentment in his eyes stemmed from his concern for my little sister. I didn’t harbor any ill will toward him for that.
I hadn’t thought Yung Pung brought me here to show me something like this…
Speaking of the devil, Yung Pung approached from behind and respectfully greeted the second-generation disciples.
“Hello, Seniors.”
“Junior Yung Pung.”
“Yes…”
“Did you bring Young Master Gu here?”
“Yes, I did.”
“This area is explicitly reserved for the martial artists of the Mount Hua Sect. Outsiders are not permitted here. You know that, don’t you?”
“…I’m sorry. He was asking about Senior Sister Gu, so I thought it best for him to speak with you directly.”
“About Senior Sister Gu?”
Shinhyun looked at me, his expression slightly different from before, likely due to my earlier admission. From his exchange with Yung Pung, I gathered I wasn’t allowed in this place. Yet, Yung Pung had brought me here anyway.
He really is a daring one.
Though not as strict as the Murim Alliance, the Mount Hua Sect’s disciples were known for obeying their superiors unconditionally. Despite this, Yung Pung had disregarded clear orders and brought me here.
Letting out a tired sigh, I spoke. “I wanted to ask why my sister is fighting against the third-generation disciples.”
“Oh… that’s—” Shinhyun began to explain, but his words were cut short.
“Brother?”
I turned toward the familiar voice and saw Gu Ryunghwa standing there, shock evident on her face upon seeing me. When she noticed the group of second-generation disciples, she instantly frowned.
“…Guys.”
“Oh, we’ve been caught.”
“It’s all Eldest Senior Brother’s fault… Who talks to someone out in the open when they’re trying to hide?”
“Gu Ryunghwa… Eldest Senior Brother told us all to come here! We didn’t do anything on our own!”
“…You’re going to sell out your Eldest Senior Brother? You pieces of dog shit!”
Shinhyun spoke with utter embarrassment, looking like someone already accustomed to such antics.
Seeing this, Gu Ryunghwa said, “I told you not to come here…”
He quickly tried to explain. “I’m sorry, these guys were begging me so much…”
“What the…? He accused us of selling him out, and now he sells us out immediately…”
“What are you surprised about? This isn’t the first time he’s done this.”
The disciples whispering behind his back fell silent when Shinhyun growled at them menacingly. Gu Ryunghwa watched without a word, seemingly holding back much. Soon, she sighed and lowered her head.
“…Thank you for worrying about me. But I hope you won’t worry so much.”
Her voice was cold and rigid, a tone that could be seen as disrespectful toward her seniors. I glanced at the other disciples’ faces.
Huh…
They didn’t seem angry or displeased. Instead, they looked… shocked? Touched?
“W-Woah, she thanked us.”
“She didn’t look away or step back.”
“Huh? What’s going on? Am I going to die tomorrow or something?”
…Their reactions were starting to seem frightening.
What’s with these insane responses?
Shinhyun kicked away the seemingly delirious disciples and approached Gu Ryunghwa. “…Will you be alright?”
She simply nodded.
“As always, I will respect whatever choice my family makes.”
“Yes… Thank you.”
“I think this is the first time you’ve thanked me. It feels strange.”
“…I’m sorry.”
“No need for an apology. Whether you thank us or apologize, we haven’t done anything to deserve it.”
A faint smile graced his lips as he looked at her. Gu Ryunghwa turned her head away, unable to bear his gaze any longer.
“I’ll take these idiots away now. There isn’t much time left. I hope you achieve a satisfactory outcome.”
The other disciples began muttering behind Shinhyun’s back again, but the moment he made a fierce, tiger-like face, they immediately shut their mouths. I hadn’t known he was capable of such an expression… It even scared me a little.
“What are you doing here, brother?”
I turned to Gu Ryunghwa at her question. It seemed she had grown accustomed to calling me ‘brother’ by now. And that fact… was problematic for me.
Do I really deserve to be called that?
That was the only thought in my mind.
Pushing the thought aside, I spoke to her. “I heard you are fighting against the third-generation disciples.”
“Oh.”
“I was wondering why, and somehow ended up here.”
Shinhyun had already left with the others, and Yung Pung was nowhere to be seen—likely taken along with them.
After a moment, Gu Ryunghwa responded. “I just thought I should fight where I belong.”
I understood her meaning. The current Gu Ryunghwa was nowhere near the skill level of the second-generation disciples. Most of the Mount Hua Sect’s fighting force consisted of them, and she definitely didn’t belong in that category.
Though even the third-generation disciples might give her a hard time.
Gu Ryunghwa had trained consistently, but so had the other third-generation disciples. I had only seen Yung Pung among them, so I couldn’t be sure… But if she had chosen to fight the third-generation disciples for this reason, I had nothing left to ask. Moreover, the sect’s higher-ups had already approved her participation.
Yung Pung against the second-generation disciples, and Gu Ryunghwa against the third-generation disciples, huh…
It seemed they had switched places. Just as Yung Pung relied on force to overcome his circumstances, Gu Ryunghwa relied on her determination.
“…Good luck.”
Her head lifted at my words, a sliver of surprise marking her face.
“Why are you making that face?”
“I… didn’t expect to hear that from you, brother.”
“Don’t you hear it often? It seems you get spoiled a little.”
I was referring to how her second-generation seniors constantly cheered her on.
“…They’re just weirdos.”
It seemed their enthusiasm made her uncomfortable. Thinking about it, I would feel the same if a group of muscular men started chanting ‘Our Yangcheon is the best!’ daily. I’d probably be so weirded out I’d hide from them. Still, she didn’t seem to dislike it—just pressured by their kindness.
“Anyway, I’m done here. I’ll be going now.”
“Wait.”
I stopped at Gu Ryunghwa’s words. As I looked at her, wondering why she’d stopped me, she stepped closer and grabbed my clothes. I was shocked; she used to struggle to even look in my direction.
“You…”
“Are you coming to watch the tournament?”
“That’s why I’m here.”
“Is Sis… here too?”
I assumed she meant Namgung Bi-ah, who was likely in the stands with Wi Seol-Ah.
“Yes, she’s here. I think they’re in the spectator seats right now.”
“What about you, brother?”
“I…”
I had come specifically to watch her fight, but admitting it outright felt embarrassing. I coughed softly and spoke in a low tone. “…I’ll be watching.”
She immediately released my clothes. Her hands trembled slightly as she pulled them away, a sign she still found it difficult to be near me.
Why did she grab my clothes if it’s so hard for her?
She held her trembling hands and smiled bitterly. “It seems I still have a hard time, huh.”
I’m sorry. Don’t push yourself. You don’t have to go that far.
I desperately held back those words. The young Gu Ryunghwa was trying to overcome her trauma on her own. Her story had already diverged far from the one I knew in my past life.
“…Right. I’ll be watching.”
Every time I saw her like this, I felt only guilt and regret. The kind of regret that made me think I should never have done those things to her and that I should treat her differently from now on.
She soon left, saying she needed to prepare for her fight. I watched her back as she disappeared into the building before turning away myself.
I returned to the crowded streets, a host of complicated thoughts accompanying me, and reunited with my party. Finding them was easy; I just had to look for Namgung Bi-ah. As expected, she was in a spot where many eyes were trained on her. Though her face was covered, her unique presence and aura still drew attention.
Namgung Bi-ah was leaning against Wi Seol-Ah, looking exhausted, but she perked up and began searching for something. Her eyes scanned the surroundings until they landed on me. Once she confirmed it was me, she waved. Wi Seol-Ah, seated beside her, waved as well.
How did she spot me from this distance? Did she use her qi? Probably not. Just a coincidence? Most likely.
Shaking off the pointless thoughts, I approached and noticed an empty seat saved for me next to them.
Wi Seol-Ah looked at me and asked, “Young Master, where were you?”
“I went to see my sister. I heard she’s fighting today.”
Namgung Bi-ah reacted immediately. “She’s… fighting today?”
“That’s what I heard.”
Her lips twitched as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she simply turned her head toward the arena. I didn’t need to ask why she was looking there.
The noisy crowd began to quiet down. Everyone’s eyes were fixed on the arena. In the quiet, desolate space, a few light pink leaves materialized in the air just above the ground. The leaves, glowing with an odd light, drifted down as if carried by an unseen breeze. The moment they touched the ground—
-Swooosh-!
A light pink aura instantly swept over and enveloped the entire arena. At a glance, I could tell an immense amount of qi was billowing within. The aura raged like a tempest before exploding and vanishing, leaving only faint traces of its havoc.
When the aura dissipated, the leader of the Mount Hua Sect, the Celestial Plum Blossom, stood at the forefront of the arena. Behind him were the third-generation disciples participating today. The crowd erupted into cheers at their appearance.
“…Jeez.”
The Celestial Plum Blossom had likely made this grand entrance for the spectators who had trekked up Mount Hua. Yet, it was shocking that he showed no sign of fatigue after unleashing such a staggering amount of qi merely for his appearance.
When the Celestial Plum Blossom raised his hand, the crowd fell silent as if on cue.
“Every year, you people make the long journey up this tall mountain for our humble event… I thank you all immensely for your participation.”
With each step he took, an unknown wind seemed to blow from nowhere.
Is he using his qi even now?
“There’s nothing more boring than an old man talking without reason, so I’ll take my leave now. Please watch as our disciples give their all in this festival of swords.”
After those brief words, the Celestial Plum Blossom left the arena. While the Sword Dragon, Yung Pung, was a prodigy, the Celestial Plum Blossom was a master famous throughout the world. Many seemed disappointed not to hear more from him. For me, it was better this way—the tournament could proceed faster.
Once the Celestial Plum Blossom took his seat in the elders’ area, the third-generation disciples on stage began their preparations. Two disciples stepped out from their formation and stood opposite each other, wooden swords in hand.
Wooden swords, huh.
I’d heard the second-generation disciples would use real swords.
The man acting as judge looked at both disciples, ensuring they were ready.
“…Begin!”
With that qi-enhanced shout, the two charged at each other, swords drawn.