Another Bloodline?
"Aah!"
I grabbed her hand and sprinted out of the training hall.
"Sojin, wait! I’m coming too!!"
"Let go and run, would you?! Yes, you!!"
I could hear Ju Yeonhwa and Paeng Gayeon frantically calling after us, but I ignored them and kept going.
We’d already said our goodbyes and agreed to meet again later, so it was ridiculous to keep talking now.
Besides, if I stayed any longer, I had a feeling something annoying would happen.
No, scratch that.
It was certain.
"Please wait!"
"Who is that woman?"
I glanced back and gave them a little wave.
Paeng Gayeon and Ju Yeonhwa together...
Anything could happen with those two.
Since Namgung Hye had come all the way here in person, she must have brought the promised elixirs too. Rather than waste time standing around here, it was better to move quickly.
And while I was at it, I might as well hear what she wanted to talk about.
...Hmm.
I’d already opened ten flowers and even bloomed an eleventh, so now I had to train my finishing moves and higher-level techniques too. There was a lot to do.
With so little time left before the Martial Tournament, I’d have to make several more trips to Zhongyuan.
Since the whole point was the Yin-Yang Pill, the tournament mattered to me as well.
It has to be somewhere in the academy, but I’ve got no clue where.
In stories like this, it was usually stored in some underground vault or secret chamber in the academy, but I didn’t have a single solid lead.
There was still a fair amount of time before the Blood Cult began to run wild in Zhongyuan, but between the existence of the Heavenly Jade and the movements of the Blood-Devouring Castle, things were already looking bad.
I needed to reach the level where I could protect myself as soon as possible.
If I wanted to stay alive, that was.
Still, there shouldn’t be any problem with beating the bastards who stabbed me in the back.
Just wait.
My current realm wasn’t all that satisfying, but at least by reaching the tenth flower, I’d gained a sliver of hope that I could run if I ran into an expert at the Transcendent / Grandmaster level.
Lost in thought, I turned my head and glanced at her, quiet as ever beside me.
"…."
Her face was flushed red like the evening glow, and she followed me silently with one hand covering her mouth.
Was she always like this?
She seemed so obedient that I almost wondered if I was looking at a different person from the one I’d first met.
So this was why education mattered?
"Sojin-niim… it really isn’t like that!"
"Pleaase wait!!"
Their footsteps were growing farther and farther away.
Still, I’m glad those two don’t seem to hate each other too much.
Even if they bickered, there was a strange sort of chemistry between them. Should I call it the closeness that built up while waiting? Or a fated bad relationship?
Either way, since I might run into them again from time to time, it was convenient if they at least knew each other’s faces.
"…Jin!!"
"…!"
Before long, their voices faded to a murmur.
"Haa."
I let out a light sigh and gradually slowed my pace.
It wasn’t that they’d given up chasing us; they’d probably realized I wanted to speak with Namgung Hye alone.
Ju Yeonhwa might have followed me all the way if she were on her own, but with the perceptive Paeng Gayeon there, she could make the right call.
"This should be far enough."
When I let go of her hand, the dull haze in her eyes cleared at once.
"…Ahh."
Then she made a small, disappointed sound and looked oddly crestfallen.
What’s with that reaction?
I hadn’t even used some peerless footwork like Pungsinbo. I’d just run at a reasonable pace.
"Namgung Sojeo, are you all right?"
She looked up at me with the expression of a puppy begging for scraps.
"Ah, I-I'm fine! I was just thinking about something for a moment…."
"…?"
Was she sick or something?
Unlike the confident girl I’d seen in front of the training room, she had her head bowed and seemed flustered.
He held my hand already? ...Heheh... this is my chance.
"Namgung Sojeo?"
Only then did she snap out of it, jerking her head up and waving both hands wildly.
"Y-yes?! Did you call for me, Sojin-nim?!!"
She had good lungs, at least.
She didn’t need to answer that loudly; I could hear her just fine.
Come to think of it, she had been injured in the battle against the Blood-Devouring Castle, hadn’t she? Internal injuries were more dangerous than external ones.
Even if she looked fine on the outside, her condition might still be bad.
"...Sojeo, if you’re not feeling well, we can talk another time."
It was a little strange to send her back after coming all this way, but she was favorable toward me. Waiting a few days was nothing.
Namgung Hye waved her hands and answered vigorously.
"N-no, I’m fine! I’m perfectly fine!!"
"...."
"Ahem, I can understand why you’d worry. I really am fine, Sojin-nim."
It looked nothing like her usual self, but I decided to respect her wishes.
"Then, Sojeo... may I hear what you came to tell me?"
"Yes, I do have something to tell you, but before that…."
She nodded, then lowered her head as if thinking hard.
Was she choosing her words?
The silence lasted longer than I expected, and when about one jeong of time had passed—
*=15 minutes
"...."
"Sojin-nim, I don’t know what you may think of me, but I hope you won’t think I’m rude."
She looked straight into my eyes with her clear gaze and slowly began to speak.
I could faintly feel her desire to say this sincerely.
I had a rough idea of what she was going to say, but there was no harm in hearing her out first.
"If it’s Namgung Sojeo saying it, how could I worry? Don’t concern yourself."
Tears gathered in her transparent eyes, like dew clinging to leaves at dawn.
She really was an emotional girl.
"Yes. Then I’ll say it, Cheon Sojin-nim. Would you come to our Namgung Family?"
"…Hmm."
I couldn’t know everything in the world, but her proposal was well within the range of predictability.
Strip away the arrogant bastards like Cheongmyeong or Namgung Jin, and people like this had all said something similar at least once.
My skill was good enough that anyone with an eye for talent would covet it.
For anyone who dreamed of making a name for themselves, it was inevitable.
However—
"I’m sorry to say this, but I looked into you a little, Sojin-nim.... After you were expelled from the Jin Family, you never once received support from your clan...."
"...?"
What followed was a little unusual.
"I don’t know how hard it must have been for you.... We’re thinking of treating you not as hired help, but as an honored guest."
She wasn’t after my strength; she simply wanted to help me.
...
She stared at me as if she were a child waiting for Santa Claus on Christmas morning.
It was obvious how desperate she was. That’s putting pressure on me, you know.
"Wouldn’t you consider coming?"
Her earnest expression and gentle tone made me waver a little, but...
"Namgung Sojeo, I appreciate the thought, but I’ll have to decline."
I had no intention of belonging to anyone.
And I wasn’t short on money, either.
"Haah.... I thought you’d say that, Sojin-nim. You’re someone who can shine all on your own...."
Wasn’t she overrating me a little?
"...."
"If you ever need help, please tell me anytime. I, um... th-that is, I’m on your side, Sojin-nim...."
The way she couldn’t even meet my eyes was rather cute.
"Thank you. And if you ever run into trouble, please feel free to tell me as well."
Namgung Hye nodded once, then stepped back neatly.
"Master Raeji said that once you finish training, you should come see him right away."
What was this about?
"Understood. I’ll go see him right away."
"And also...."
She drew out the end of the sentence and glanced sideways at me, and I could tell instinctively that this was the real point.
"Sojeo, please speak freely. I don’t mind."
Then she cleared her throat with an awkward cough.
"Ahem, all right. I’ll tell you now.... The academy head wants to meet you, Cheon Dae-hyeop."
"...?"
Why would the academy head want to see me?
We had nothing to do with each other, did we…?
Wait. Is it that?
There was one possibility that came to mind.
Wei Shiyun, the son of the Martial Alliance Leader. It had to be something related to him.
He was probably desperate to get information on the Blood-Devouring Castle.
But even if my guess was right, I had no idea why Namgung Hye was the one delivering the message.
The head of Jeongdo Academy was one of the highest experts in all of Murim.
He would have his own guards and instructors under him, so why bother sending Namgung Hye for something like this?
"...."
"I’m sorry.... I didn’t explain it well enough."
She seemed to notice my reaction and apologized before adding more.
What she said next definitely included some details that would have been awkward and troublesome for anyone else to hear.
"The academy head is my maternal grandfather."
What…?
Another bloodline?
I’d just learned a piece of backstory I really didn’t need to know.
Now that I thought about it, it wasn’t all that strange.
Even though the Namgung Family was powerful, Jeongdo Academy was a place that gathered the young heirs of famous families from across Zhongyuan, as well as disciples of sects on the level of the Nine Great Sects.
The reason Namgung Jin, who was only at the latter half of the Peak / Expert realm, could act so boldly at the academy....
A fox borrowing a tiger's might. That phrase fits him perfectly.
"When do I need to go see him?"
"That... whenever you’d like to go, please let me know. I have to go with you."
"...?"
Why would you need to come with me?
When I looked at her in confusion, Namgung Hye averted her eyes without a word.
"It looks like it’s time to water the vegetable garden already? I should get going, Sojin-nim! See you next time!"
With a whoosh, she dashed off like an arrow. It was flawless Heavenly Vault Step.
*
*
*
This is my chance.
If things went well, I might even find out the location of the Yin-Yang Pill, or at least a route to obtain it.
I couldn’t pass up an elixir.
I’d been worried because I had no leads, and then this happened at just the right time....
Once I’d taken care of my immediate tasks, I’d go.
"This disciple, Cheon Sojin, greets Master Raeji."
I gave a polite martial salute to my teacher, who stood with his hands behind his back, looking solemn.
"Oh! Sojin, is that you? Long time no see. Have you been well?"
"Thanks to you, I was able to finish my training and come out."
That wasn’t just lip service.
On the way up here, I’d heard from the martial arts instructor that an investigator had been sent from the Martial Alliance after my last mission ended.
Being able to focus solely on training without that investigator interfering had a lot to do with Master Raeji.
"Heh heh... it was nothing. From the fact that you came here like this, I suppose you heard from Hye or Jinwon."
He really was the type to treasure his own people to a ridiculous degree.
"I heard you were calling for me, so I came running first thing."
"Good. Have you made any progress in your martial arts? Have you reached mastery in the Midnight Moon Great Sword Art?"
Master still thought I was using the Midnight Moon Great Sword Art and the True Essence One Law.
Anyone who knew me would probably think the same.
After all, those were the Jin Family’s signature techniques.
Just in case, I should learn a little of it.
"Mastery may be possible if I’m lucky. I’ve only made modest progress."
I kept my words vague because if he learned about the Heavenly Jade or my current realm, he’d likely be so shocked he’d keel over.
There was no need to tell him, anyway.
"Hahaha! It’s a relief to hear you’re brimming with confidence."
"Isn’t that all thanks to you, Master?"
"Ahem, Sojin, I have something important to tell you...."
Master Raeji’s face turned solemn.
"Yes, Master. Please speak."
"The academy head wants to see you."
"...."
No.
But this was too fast.
##