The Guest of Silent Sword Forest in Chang'an
After the matter was settled, the reunited siblings met again and shared everything that had happened to each of them.
The ordeals Seolha and Yeon-ha had faced after fleeing Anhui Province and reaching Chang'an, their suffering from the Formless Poison, the restoration of their dantians, and all that had transpired since.
Upon hearing their story, Namgung Hwi glanced at me several times. Whenever our eyes met, his gaze brimmed with sincere gratitude.
At least that's a relief.
No matter that I had saved them, I had revealed my true age after all.
If it had become "This decrepit old man is shamelessly pursuing my little sister!?" the situation would have been beyond saving. And it was entirely possible.
Had that happened, even I wouldn't have been able to simply crush the objection.
A person's heart cannot be subdued by force. Namgung Hwi would never be able to do so, either.
It was probably because this was a martial world. The effects of Ban-ro-hwan-dong must have played a significant part as well.
In any case, my outward appearance was youthful, wasn't it?
If I had looked like a shriveled, wrinkle-covered old man on the verge of collapse and claimed Yeon-ha as my woman, I wouldn't have escaped being branded a repulsive old lecher.
Regardless, the atmosphere was pleasant. Everyone's expressions were bright.
When Namgung Hwi's story began, they all leaned in to listen with rapt attention. I did the same.
"Haha. I really was quite naive back then. My dantian was in bad shape, my body felt heavy, and pursuers could have caught up at any moment. Yet in that situation, the only thing I could think of was the Azure Mountain legend. So even while looking like a beggar, I kept moving. I endured every hardship imaginable to reach Qing Mountain. I still remember that day clearly."
Namgung Hwi took a sip of tea before continuing.
"I'd reached the mountain range where I believed Qing Mountain might be, so I no longer worried about pursuers. The real problem was my dantian, which grew worse by the day. Still, I felt strangely at peace. Back then, I never once considered that I might fail to find it. It's quite amusing, really. Anyway... after wandering for days on end, I discovered a promising terrain. There were clear traces of flowing water, yet no water flowed. It was unmistakably the remnants of a waterfall."
Ah. So this is the story of that Blue Stream Waterfall I saw before.
"I waited in the area, hoping for rain. Several more days passed like that. Then the rain finally came—a downpour so fierce it seemed it would wash the entire world clean."
Seolha, Yeon-ha, So-hye, and even Yang Cheon-hak were completely absorbed in the tale.
Well, Namgung Hwi did have a way with words. The content itself was fascinating, too.
"At first it was just a trickle. Then the flow gradually increased. Before even one hour had passed, it had become something worthy of being called a waterfall. After two hours, it was a roaring cascade. If I'd been anywhere nearby, the sound alone would have drawn me to it. Ah, it's a shame I can't show you what it looked like. If we get the chance later, let's go see it together. It was truly... such a magnificent sight."
Another sip of tea. The women's eyes urged him to continue the story quickly.
"Anyway... with the stream now a proper waterfall, I clutched my aching dantian and stepped into it. As the falling water pounded against my head, I prayed desperately. Let this be the Azure Mountain legend I know. Please let me find the Azure Mountain Sect. And then... as my body grew cold and my consciousness began to fade, a person appeared before my eyes. It was Won-ah, who's here with us now."
At that, the Azure Mountain Sect Master became extremely shy and spoke in a voice barely above a whisper.
"H-Hwi. I'm your master, so please... stop calling me Won-ah in front of other people...."
"I don't want to? I'll call you that no matter where we are. Anyway, I thought a celestial fairy had descended from heaven, you know? The sight of her in blue robes, gently alighting upon the rainy waterfall... how fantastical it was. So I was saved by Won-ah. She used the Azure Mountain spiritual water on me, which finally allowed my dantian to return to normal. After that, I stayed at the Azure Mountain Sect and trained in martial arts."
Seolha, Yeon-ha, and So-hye watched the pair with keen interest.
To those girls, the romance between those two must have felt like a vivid drama come to life. How exciting it must have been for them.
Once the story ended, the three women's gazes turned toward the Azure Mountain Sect Master.
Receiving those looks, she seemed slightly burdened.
However, once the three women set their minds on something, they weren't easily deterred.
Seolha, Yeon-ha, and So-hye even switched seats to sit beside her. Soon the four women lowered their voices and began whispering.
At first the sect master was flustered, but she soon responded normally. Before long the four of them were laughing together, occasionally bursting into giggles.
They really got along well. It must have been because they all had kind natures.
Thanks to that, the women became engrossed in their own conversation, leaving me, Namgung Hwi, and Yang Cheon-hak to sit quietly and sip our tea.
Then Namgung Hwi glanced at me cautiously, cleared his throat, and spoke.
"Grove Master. There's something I'd like to ask...."
"Go ahead."
"Is it true... that you are ninety-six years old?"
"It somehow turned out that way."
"Then you must have undergone Ban-ro-hwan-dong, right? And Hwan-gol-tal-tae as well?"
"That's right."
"That is... was such a realm truly attainable? I've never seen it before. When I was young I saw elders from the Nine Great Schools, and I've met a few who were called peerless masters or reclusive experts, but this is the first time I've seen someone who has actually achieved it."
"You never know. Perhaps among those you met, some had undergone Ban-ro-hwan-dong but kept it quiet."
"Ah...."
"That's why you must always be cautious. There's a saying in the gangho, isn't there? Beware the elderly and the young."
"Ah! I've heard that one."
"It's not necessarily bad to put yourself forward and seek fame and attention. Entering the world and making a name for oneself is what every man desires, but it doesn't always bring only good things."
"So is that why you live in seclusion like this, Grove Master? I'm ashamed to admit I've never heard of the Silent Sword Forest until now. Nor your name."
"That's not something for you to be ashamed of. This place was only established less than a year ago. However, it's true that I'm in seclusion. I have my own work to do, so there's no need to spread my name throughout the world."
"I see."
"And in this gangho, there are definitely others like me."
"...Pardon?"
"The Formless Poison. The one I mentioned earlier."
"Ah...."
"I'm not certain. That's why I've been holding back. But in my opinion, the Formless Poison isn't something that can be created easily. Even the Tang Family couldn't cure it."
"I was shocked when I heard that story earlier. That even the prestigious Tang Family fell victim to poison...."
"That's why you must always remain humble. You shouldn't make enemies, and if you do get caught up in something, you need the strength to break free with dignity. Don't you agree?"
"I'll keep that in mind."
"Good. That's the right attitude. So starting tomorrow, you'll train with this kid here."
"Huh?"
"Huh? Master? Me?"
Yang Cheon-hak, who had been listening quietly, suddenly interjected when he was mentioned.
"It'll be good training. Their realms are at similar levels. Oh, and for reference, this kid was only at the third-rate level at the beginning of this year."
Surprise flickered in Namgung Hwi's eyes.
That was understandable. No matter how you looked at it, Yang Cheon-hak was now at least Peak Realm, possibly even Super Peak.
Namgung Hwi would surely be able to sense it. Their internal energy levels were roughly similar.
"You're fortunate to have met the Azure Mountain Sect Master. Thanks to that, you've been able to steadily learn martial arts and build a solid foundation. Anyway, you can look forward to it."
"Understood. Thank you, Grove Master."
In truth, the relationship between Namgung Hwi and me was rather ambiguous.
If you thought about it, Namgung Hwi was essentially my brother-in-law.
Of course, I hadn't formally married Yeon-ha. However, since I cherished her deeply, the relationship with Namgung Hwi was the same.
No matter how old I was, it wasn't a relationship where I could casually speak informally.
Fortunately, since Namgung Hwi was still young, he didn't try to act as an equal, which was a relief.
"Azure Mountain Sect Master."
"Yes."
When I called her, the sect master—who had been talking with the women—turned to look at me and replied. The other women focused their attention as well.
"You are a woman of the Azure Mountain Sect. So, are there things that prevent you from leaving Qing Mountain? Any restrictions or rules?"
"There originally were, but since I have taken a liking to Hwi, that won't be an issue."
"Is that so? That's fortunate. Then it means you can leave Qing Mountain and get involved in the affairs of the gangho without problem?"
"As long as it doesn't go against my principles and those of the Azure Mountain Sect, it should be fine."
"This might be rude to ask as it's a personal matter, but since it's necessary, I'll inquire. When you accepted Namgung Hwi, you must have had the reconstruction of the Namgung Family in mind as well, right?"
The sect master looked at Namgung Hwi with incredibly warm eyes and answered calmly.
"Yes, that's correct."
"And you're also accepting becoming a guest of the Silent Sword Forest."
Once again the sect master looked at Namgung Hwi. He nodded. She replied with a faint smile.
"Yes. Let's do that."
"Good. That's a good thing. Seolha. Could you go get some elixirs? The Celestial Vault Pill and... hmm. The Clear Spirit Divine Pill should be there. That would be good."
"Understood, Great Hero."
Seolha immediately stood up and gracefully walked off to fetch the elixirs.
"Th-the Celestial Vault Pill!?"
Namgung Hwi's eyes widened. It was a natural reaction. Yeon-ha had been the same.
Seolha returned quickly, and a wooden box was placed before each of them.
"The Celestial Vault Pill belongs to the Namgung Family, so it should be perfect for you. And the Clear Spirit Divine Pill is the elixir that suits the Azure Mountain Sect Master best. Consider it a gift from me. I recommend not consuming it immediately."
"How could we... accept something like this."
"Didn't I say it? It's the elixir that matches the Azure Mountain Sect Master the most. If you open it, you'll understand why I thought so."
The sect master opened the box, and at that moment the space around us felt as if it had transformed into a forest.
The scent of trees. The smell of grass. The aroma of moss on rocks. The fragrance of water from somewhere. The scent of the wind.
"Ah...."
"You can't refuse it now, can you?"
"...I've understood the Grove Master's intention. In that case, I will accept it without refusing."
"Good. If you didn't accept it, that elixir would be saddened instead. So please make good use of it. After all, good items should find good owners."
Watching the sect master close the box again, I felt pleased.
Finding people trustworthy enough to give elixirs to was difficult.
Especially for someone like me who pursued a small elite group, it was even more so. I was quite picky, after all.
So it was natural to feel good.
Human connections—yeon—were like that. They were bonds hard to give carelessly and hard to receive carelessly.
To me, this was harder than martial arts.
Compared to relationships with people, martial arts was nothing. This was truly such a difficult thing.