Chapter 40
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: Lying on Brushwood and Tasting Gall
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Namgung Seheon fiddled with the hair tie bound around his wrist.
The sturdy new tie felt unfamiliar against his skin compared to the worn-out old one, but he’d get used to it soon enough if he kept wearing it.
He could have stayed back at the main house, but he’d stubbornly insisted on coming along because of that shabby hair tie that had been on his wrist until just moments ago.
All for the excuse of returning it, so he could see that girl’s face from Mount Hua one more time.
The faint memories of his first love had shattered the moment they reunited, but it didn’t matter—he’d gained a great sparring partner in her stead.
Especially since his first love and sparring partner turned out to be the same person.
‘How does someone go from fairy princess to thug...?’
No matter how much he thought about it, Namgung Seheon couldn’t wrap his head around this bizarre phenomenon.
Biyeon’s features were still delicate, but the sharpening intensity in her eyes as she grew and that crooked smirk she flashed so often made her look even fiercer than four years ago.
Recalling Biyeon grinding her teeth, vowing to beat him next time, Namgung Seheon grinned as he toyed with the hair tie on his wrist.
“Hope next time’s just as fun.”
The new hair tie even gave him another excuse to meet up.
He looked forward to their reunion in a whole different way from this visit.
What ruined Namgung Seheon’s good mood in an instant was the voice coming from beside him.
“Mind sharing that hair tie?”
Namgung Seheon frowned at the ruby-red eyes peeking through the translucent veil.
The terminally ill youngest of the Hubei Peng Clan, just a year older than him, was the one person he found most uncomfortable to deal with.
Once, when he’d scolded Peng Haran for sneaking into the Namgung family’s secret repository and pulling out a manual, he’d ended up getting the scolding of his life instead.
That’s when it started, probably.
Her willful antics were excused by everyone because of her “limited time.”
Namgung Seheon had grown up spoiled as the baby of the family too, but not to that extent.
“Can’t you see my hair’s too short?”
He wanted to snap at her—Are you blind?—but given who she was, he toned it down and tapped his short hair instead.
Peng Haran didn’t back off, though. She tilted her head with a hum and pointed at his left wrist.
“It’s right there on your wrist. The one you stole from that girl.”
At her words, Namgung Seheon reflexively clutched his wrist with his other hand, hiding the tie.
“Don’t be ridiculous! No way!”
The commotion drew everyone’s attention to the two facing off.
Peng Haran, who’d wanted exactly this kind of situation in her favor, smirked to herself.
Trying to grab attention by snatching a hair tie—what an idiot. The Namgung family’s youngest.
As expected, everyone around them urged Namgung Seheon to yield.
“Seheon, your big sis will get you an even prettier one back home, so just give in this once.”
Namgung Se-eun’s gaze turned icy for a split second as she looked down at her stubborn little brother, lips pressed tight and shaking his head.
No one noticed the chill in her eyes before she slipped back into her doting big sister role.
Peng Haran was stubborn too, but Namgung Seheon had a reputation for being just as bullheaded.
And what was the Namgung family? Leaders among the Five Great Clans.
In the end, Peng Haran backed down first.
No matter how unruly she was, she knew exactly where the line was.
And she knew that sticking to it was why everyone listened to her.
Starting a clan feud over a single hair tie would cross that line.
“I hope you keep acting like a fool in front of her.”
Namgung Seheon’s eyes sharpened at her soft, smiling words.
Undeterred by his fierce glare, Peng Haran continued with a grin.
“That way, I won’t have my precious little time with her stolen by an idiot like you.”
“You like Biyeon?”
The childish question burst out of him.
Peng Haran shook her head briefly at the sarcasm dripping from it.
“Who knows. If you mean romantic feelings... no?”
“Then what is it?”
“For the first time, being around her lets me breathe easy.”
Namgung Seheon blinked at the incomprehensible answer.
“Isn’t that what liking someone is?”
“I do like her, but not in the way you’re asking.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You’re still just a kid.”
Peng Haran chuckled at Namgung Seheon’s curt retort.
“What, we’re only a year apart.”
Snorting, Namgung Seheon wrapped his hand around his wrist—just in case she went after the hair tie again—and turned away.
He couldn’t tell if the wave of relief came from keeping the tie safe or from hearing her denial.
* * *
“Master, I’ve made up my mind.”
Uihyeon looked down at me with a puzzled expression at my resolute declaration.
“I’m going into secluded training!”
Uiseong snickered beside us at my bold shout.
“Wow, secluded training at the beginner stage of Falling Petals Sword? Not even 24 Plum Blossom Sword Techniques?”
“I’ll come out strong enough to beat Namgung Seheon in one strike!”
“Hey, you ignoring me?”
Uihyeon, visibly flustered, shoved Uiseong aside and knelt down in front of me to meet my eyes.
“Yeon, isn’t it a bit early for secluded training?”
“No! I’m eight—I’m basically grown!”
I shook my head desperately. Secluded training required my master’s permission, so I had to convince Uihyeon no matter what.
“Even so, eight years old for secluded training is...”
“Senior brother, that won’t convince him. Gotta do it like this.”
Grinning wickedly, Uiseong bent down and whispered in my ear like he was sharing some grave secret.
“If you go into secluded training, you’ll live on nothing but Wall-Grain Pills every day.”
Wall-Grain Pills were made by mixing grain flour and pine nut powder with honey and forming them into pills—basically energy bars in modern terms.
One a day kept starvation at bay.
They’re for survival, not taste, or so I’d heard. Never tried one myself.
“I can handle it.”
“Oh yeah? For real?”
Uiseong grinned, dashed off somewhere, and came back with a round pill in hand.
“Ahh, ahh.”
I opened my mouth, took it, and chewed once. A thick, bitter taste flooded my mouth. I froze, mouth agape, unable to chew or swallow more.
Damn, it’s awful! Thought it was an energy bar—what is this, tree bark?
Swinging a sword on just this would be true mental discipline.
I’d emerge enlightened in Buddhism, Taoism, and Manichaeism all at once.
“Tastes bad, right? Spit it out if you can’t handle it. Just remember—in secluded training, this replaces every meal, every day.”
“I’th can do ith.”
I mumbled through it and finally forced the Wall-Grain Pill down.
The thick aftertaste lingered.
Should I say I ate it, so approve now?
But, but...! I already lacked the confidence to eat this daily as meals!
I might sneak out and make the youngest, Biyeong, secretly fetch me food behind the adults’ backs! Then secluded training loses all meaning.
I’d just be some kid ordering delivery to his closed-off room.
But I’d already said it—taking it back now would be embarrassing. And filling my growing body’s meals with these...
My eyes shook with indecision, and Uiseong whispered in my ear like a devil tempting a soul.
“If you start secluded training now, you won’t even get a real sword, and you’ll miss the Dragon-Tiger Assembly in a few months.”
Oh yeah, the Dragon-Tiger Assembly was coming up soon.
And this time, Mount Hua Sect was heading to Wudang Mountain.
For me, who’d lived on Mount Hua since opening my eyes in this world, it was my first chance to leave and see the outside.
“Oops, while all the other junior brothers swing real swords, you’ll be stuck with a wooden one.”
I declared confidently to Uiseong, who smirked behind his hand, and Uihyeon, who still looked worried.
“Fine, no secluded training.”
“Good thinking, Yeon. Let’s train diligently from now on, no skipping. A child’s victories can flip in an instant.”
I shot a sulky glare at Uiseong, who was doubled over laughing in Uihyeon’s arms as my master patted me.
I’d only suggested it once because I knew that guy would tease me into backing down.
“Not because the Wall-Grain Pill tastes bad—I’m skipping it for the sword and the Dragon-Tiger Assembly.”
“Sure, sure. Think of it that way.”
Ignoring Uiseong, who’d finally stopped laughing and was wiping tears from his eyes, I slipped out of Uihyeon’s embrace.
Hmph, gonna ditch that jerk.
Grabbing Uihyeon’s hand and tugging, he instantly understood and walked off, leaving Uiseong behind.
“Little kid, mad? Wanna go get some candy?”
Uiseong caught up without a care, grabbing my other hand and giggling. I nodded reluctantly.
The Wall-Grain Pill’s taste still haunted my mouth.
‘Pride < Wall-Grain Pill taste.’
* * *
In the end, I failed my goal and just got more training time instead. I took a few Wall-Grain Pills in a coin pouch and trudged back to the hall.
Sitting in the hall’s room, I smashed the pills with the hilt of my wooden sword until they broke into smaller pieces.
“What’re you doing now?”
Biyeong asked, eyeing me as I pulverized the pills. Her gaze screamed, “What weird nonsense is this?”
Sweeping the crumbled pieces back into the pouch, I replied.
“Gonna eat one piece a day.”
“What...? Change in snack tastes?”
“Nah. This isn’t a snack. It’s bile.”
“What’s that even mean?”
Lying on brushwood and tasting gall.
My way of never forgetting this defeat’s humiliation or my burning drive for victory until we meet again—by choking down these godawful Wall-Grain Pills daily.
It’s supposed to be bile, but actually licking a gallbladder would be kinda gross.