Chapter 8
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Because Giving Just One Feels Heartless, Three!
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I propped my chin on my hand and stared blankly down at the steep staircase that looked like a slide, lost in thought.
If I just rolled down these stairs like a ball, I'd end up not at the dorms, but straight to the afterlife, right?
Better to just sit here and wait. If I don't show up by dinner, Uihyeon or Uiseong or someone will come looking for me.
I plopped down comfortably on the steps and let out a lazy yawn—only for a shadow to slide over my head.
Knew it. Someone's been watching me the whole time instead of going down without me?
“Hey, kiddo. Didn't you say you could go down by yourself? Looks like it'll take you a whole six hours. Sun's gonna set.”
“Nuh-uh. If my legs were just a wittle longer, I could do it meself.”
I let out deep sighs like I'd seen it all, and Uiseong choked back a laugh. My short legs that funny to you?
“So, you planning to sit here forever? By dinner, a spirit tiger the size of a house will come down to Jade Maiden Spring for a drink. Whoa, our little kiddo would be a single bite.”
“Nope. The Sect Leader grandpa tamed the tigers.”
“Hey, Mount Hua's huge. You think the Sect Leader knows every wild beast on the mountain?”
What're you talking about? I've grown up hearing the Mount Hua Sect disciples lament how all the spirit beasts are gone because they scoured the mountain red-eyed looking for inner pills.
I snorted, and Uiseong scratched the back of his head before bending at the waist and spreading his arms wide.
“Hurry up and get on if you wanna eat. I'm starving too.”
“No piggyback. Hand.”
I shot to my feet, and Uiseong sighed as he straightened up from his bent position and offered me a hand.
“Whew, who'd you get this stubborn streak from?”
“From who?”
Wonder who I take after—the one who skips training all steadfast while getting scolded and chewed out.
Uihyeon, who faithfully practices miracle mornings every day and lives that godly life, was way too diligent to emulate.
I grabbed his big hand and proudly stepped onto the stairs.
It felt way more stable than going down on my own two feet.
Thanks to his firm grip on me, I didn't have to worry about tripping and tumbling down the steps.
“Faster!”
At my excited shout, Uiseong's steps picked up speed. I couldn't keep up and slipped—my foot swinging out into empty air.
Huh, this is kinda comfy?
I pretended to flail my feet in the air, and Uiseong slyly lowered his arm to plop me back down on the steps.
“Stop scheming and walk on your own feet, kiddo.”
“Tch.”
“Hey, what's with the 'tch'? No, seriously—Uihyeon-hyung's the one raising you, so why do you keep turning out like me?”
“Put your hand on your heart and think. Uihyeon-sasuk leaves me to go train, but Uiseong-sasuk skips and babysits me instead. Handing out candy's tiring too, y'know?”
Couldn't call my uncle- or grandparent-aged elders by their names or "you," so for now, I lumped first-gen to third-gen disciples as sasuk and sago.
They probably figured titles like sabak, sasuk, sago, sabakjo, sasukjo, sagojo were too hard for a kid like me to get. Plus, I didn't have a master yet.
Once I'm formally initiated and get a master, I can switch to the right terms.
He let go of my hand and grumbled while pressing down on my head.
“You're not playing with me—I'm the one playing with you. You have any idea how tough it is wrangling a kid who barely listens? Aigoo, no good deed goes unpunished.”
“Nuh-uh. Your mental age is the same as mine, so that's why we have fun together.”
“Who said that? Which bastard spread that nonsense!”
“Uigang-sasuk. He called you a bastard, so tell Uigang-sasuk that.”
“What? Hey!”
I hummed a tune and hopped down the stairs two-footed like a bunny, leaving Uiseong—who yelled and lunged for me—behind.
“Hey! You'll fall!”
“I won't faww!”
I shot back and safely reached the bottom.
Uiseong had carried me down most of the way anyway, so there weren't many steps left.
Even if I tripped and rolled, it'd just be a little bruise at worst. Geez, acting all protective while pretending not to.
I clutched my rumbling stomach and headed for the dorm gates, spotting a familiar face just about to push them open.
“Uigang-sasuuk!”
I waved and shouted his name loud. Uigang turned, flashed a sunset smile, and spread his arms wide.
“Aigoo, there's my Biyeon! Back from Jade Maiden Spring?”
I nodded and toddled over. Instead of jumping into his arms, I planted myself in front of him and pointed at Uiseong.
“Listen to this—Uiseong-sasuk—”
“Hey, kiddo, look here. Candy. Candy.”
Uiseong cut me off and snatched the candy bundle from Uigang's hand, shaking it to distract me.
“Wanna eat? Want one?”
I grinned slyly at Uiseong's smug face, and Uigang—who'd pulled back his arms—snatched the bundle away with a shout.
“Uiseong-ah. You bought these?”
“Haha, even big bro...”
At my sparkling eyes, Uigang beamed and held out one piece. Man, junk food after all this time?
The taste of the secular world hit different. Probably 'cause I was starving.
I wolfed it down in a flash and slyly looked up at Uigang.
You know giving just one is heartless, right? He ruffled my hair at my silent plea and held up two fingers.
“Say 'please,' and you get two more.”
“Three.”
“Fine, three.”
Uiseong grumbled from behind about stuffing a kid who was about to eat dinner with four candies, but I ignored him, stuck out my hand, and said as clearly as I could.
“Please.”
Luckily, no lispy slip-up. Uigang burst out laughing and placed three more in my hand.
Had to scarf them before Uihyeon—who was super strict about pre-dinner snacks—saw, so I popped one right away.
The second Uigang stepped inside, Uiseong scooped me up and earnestly warned.
“Top secret from Uigang-hyung, got it? No, not the bastard thing I said to big bro...”
I swallowed the candy crammed in my mouth and opened up.
“Teach me all the Plum Blossoms by the Roadside forms, and I'll keep your secret.”
Uiseong had only taught me the first five moves of Plum Blossoms by the Roadside before chickening out.
Pathetic doesn't even cover it.
What were those elder gramps thinking, making a fuss over a kid swinging a sword like some Plum Blossom Sword prodigy?
The little wooden sword I'd gotten as a toy grew with me, but all I could do with it was overhead chops and the first five forms of Plum Blossoms by the Roadside.
Sneak into the training ground? They'd just make me sit and stand, nitpick my chop angles!
If you wanna raise me as a genius swordsman, cram me with supreme arts from the crib!
Uiseong, carrying me loosely as he pushed open the dorm door, patted my back while I shoved the second candy in.
“Knowing the forms is useless without the incantations. Just mimicking moves without understanding? Might as well be swinging your arms.”
“Then teach me the incantations.”
“You can't even circulate qi yet—how're you gonna use 'em? Now eat quick. Before Uihyeon-hyung catches us.”
“'m eatin' fas' enuff.”
I mumbled around the last one crammed in my mouth.
Worried someone might see me chewing, I buried my forehead in Uiseong's shoulder and gulped hard.
“Throat... stuck!”
I hacked and pounded my chest at the lump, and Uiseong quickened his pace.
He set me down by a huge water jar taller than me and scooped a ladleful into a gourd dipper.
I chugged it down gratefully and felt alive again.
Uiseong took the empty dipper, bent at the waist, and whispered like it was top secret.
“Your master here's feeling generous. Learn an inner art, and I'll teach you the incantations.”
“You're not my master. And that's the third time today you've said you're my master—three times.”
I brushed the crumbs off my mouth and hands, then jabbed three fingers up at him.
Of course, with him straightened up, my outstretched arm fell short of his face.
Plan B, then. I grabbed his sleeve with my extended arm and shook.
“My legs hurt. Carry me.”
“You just wanna yank my hair again. You know it's falling out lately 'cause of you?”
“Why's that my fault? Must be your fate to go bald. If you're gonna blame someone, blame your ancestors, not me.”
“You little devil... Cursing me like that.”
Uiseong grumbled and kneaded my scalp. I clicked my tongue at my foiled plan and walked beside him.
But... did I forget something? Nah, probably nothing. How'd inner arts even come up?
“Hey, kid. You scarfed four candies—won't be able to eat dinner. What're you gonna tell Uihyeon-hyung?”
“No pwob. I got it all figured out.”
We reached my room, and the door flew open—Uihyeon must've sensed us. He gently scolded me.
“Biyeon-ah, you gotta be back for meals on time.”
“Uiseong-sasuk was playing with me, so I was a wittle late.”
Uiseong, standing beside me, let out a hollow chuckle at my bold excuse.
Uihyeon neatly fixed the hair Uigang had mussed, took both my hands, and met my eyes.
“Always tell this sasuk before you go anywhere. Everyone worries.”
“Yeees.”
I answered soullessly.
This Mount Hua's nothing but sheer cliffs anyway. Where else am I gonna go but the stairs to Jade Maiden Spring or Harmony Peak?
I've said it a million times: overprotective. Overprotective.
I kicked off my shoes, wiped my hands roughly with the wet cloth Uihyeon handed me, and headed inside.
“Uhmm...”
Uiseong's groan carried a hint of dismay, and my gaze followed his. He was staring at the meal already set on the table.
The food on the table made me freeze solid. No way—this is...!