Chapter 234: Chun-bu-i Oppa (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 234: Chun-bu-i Oppa (3)
“Revenge is all well and good, but you have to be clear about its scope. Otherwise, you might be the one who ends up getting consumed.”
At Chun-bong’s words, Seo-jun looked at her with an unreadable expression.
“Did I kill too many?”
“No.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. If you’re going to do it, it’s better to be thorough. Being looked down upon is worse.”
Chun-bong’s eyes took on a strange light as she gazed at Seo-jun—a mysterious platinum radiance blending with the hues of the setting sun.
“But you should think about how things will be moving forward. You said it yourself before: it’s easier to crush those who bare their fangs than it is to protect something.”
“I did say that.”
“You really need to think that through. Even if you completely annihilate a sect, human connections don’t just stay within that sect. If you keep cutting and cutting, you might eventually turn the whole world against you.”
Chun-bong poked his arm with the empty skewer she had been using to point at him.
“The Black Lotus Union is no different. Even if you somehow manage to tear them apart, as long as humans exist, you can’t eradicate the ‘Evil Path’ itself.”
“…Is that so?”
Seo-jun leaned back, resting his hands on the bench. Above them, the sunset sky bled into a deep crimson.
“Then do you think it’s right to stop now?”
His thoughts deepened. He took it seriously precisely because it was Chun-bong saying it.
Though she often showed a childlike side, she was wise. Seo-jun trusted Chun-bong’s judgment more than anyone else’s.
When he shifted his gaze toward her, she blinked.
“How should I know?”
“What?”
“I’m just saying. The choice is yours. It’s not like you’re a kid.”
Chun-bong busily tucked her last tanghulu skewer into her sleeve.
“I just thought it would be good to mention it at least once. I’m sure Su-ah wouldn’t stop you from doing whatever you want anyway.”
“Su-ah Nuna… yeah, probably.”
She was the sort of person who would shyly nod even if he suggested they go for a naked stroll.
‘If that’s what you want, Seo-jun…’
The scene played out in his mind with startling clarity.
“Oh…”
“You little… what kind of trashy thoughts are running through your head right now?”
“A naked stroll.”
“…Are you insane?”
Chun-bong subtly inched away, increasing the distance between them. Seo-jun didn’t let her escape. He stood up abruptly and scooped her up.
“H-Hey, stop it…! I told you not to…!?”
He hoisted the protesting Chun-bong onto his shoulders. As she clung tightly to the back of his head for fear of falling, Seo-jun burst into a mischievous laugh.
“This Oppa is not a crazy person.”
“I’m not so sure about that…”
“Besides, I’m the one who wouldn’t want to go on a naked stroll anyway.”
“Hmm. Well, that’s a relief.”
With Chun-bong on his shoulders, Seo-jun began walking toward the Namgung Clan estate. It was about time to head back.
“Anyway, that’s the gist of it.”
“Huh?”
Was she not finished? He tilted his head back, meeting Chun-bong’s eyes as she peered down at him.
“I believe in you, Oppa. But every once in a while, just stop and think. Ask yourself if this is truly the path you intended to take.”
“Fair enough.”
“If you’re certain, then I’ll be with you until the end. No matter what anyone says, there’s nothing in this Central Plains more precious to me than you.”
Her eyes were dead serious.
He felt that those words were far more embarrassing than a simple ‘I love you’ or any other expression of affection. But he didn't mind.
“I’m so happy that you’re my Chun-bu-i Oppa.”
“Since you know that, make sure you treat me well.”
“I always do.”
His footsteps back to the Namgung Clan estate were so light that a hum naturally escaped his lips.
* * *
Seo-jun was a man who knew how to put what he learned into practice.
“I love you.”
“Mmm…?”
Namgung Su-ah’s face flushed bright red as she was pulled into a tight embrace.
“What’s this all of a sudden…?”
“You don’t like it?”
“Of course I do…”
Namgung Su-ah buried her face in his chest and looked up slightly.
“…I love you too.”
Her shy, smiling eyes were captivating. Seo-jun chuckled, resting his chin on the crown of her head as her muffled voice reached his ears.
“…What about Geum Mae?”
“Huh?”
“Surprisingly, you don’t say things like that to her very often.”
“Ah, the newly reborn Lee Seo-jun is a changed man.”
It was Chun-bong who had told him he should express his affection more often.
If he left her out, even the most merciful Geum Chun-bong might fly into a rage, hug her pillow, and cry her eyes out.
“I already did.”
Even though a bright-red Geum Chun-bong had simply thrown a few flustered punches at him before running away.
“Hmm… I wonder what you two talked about yesterday.”
Namgung Su-ah let out a playful hum and tapped Seo-jun’s chest. When he released her, she straightened her disheveled hair and spoke.
“Anyway, it’s almost time for the mourners to start arriving.”
“Time flies when you’re just staying at home.”
Quite a bit of time had passed since the Sword Sect was annihilated. Naturally, rumors about the event had already spread far and wide.
‘The Evil-Annihilating Heavenly Lord destroyed the Sword Sect single-handedly!’
Although the Sect Leader, Geom-yul, had died at the hands of Namgung Jin-cheon, the former Sect Leader Geom-hyeon, who had been guarding the sect, was also a renowned master of the previous generation.
While being a master of a previous generation didn't necessarily guarantee being stronger than one of the current generation, time itself was a form of power.
Since no one doubted the Heavenly Sword Lord Geom-hyeon's skill, it was only natural for the Evil-Annihilating Heavenly Lord’s reputation to skyrocket.
“But looking at it now, I realized that fame isn't really necessary.”
Seo-jun walked with Chun-bong—who had fled earlier out of embarrassment—now riding on his back. Namgung Su-ah, naturally tucking her arm into his, tilted her head.
“Isn't it good to have?”
“I don’t know. It doesn't mean much.”
Once one steps into the Transcendent Realm, fame is nothing more than a hollow shell.
In the end, the only one who can face someone in the Transcendent Realm is another of the same rank. Ordinary people below that level have no real influence.
To put it simply, no matter how high your reputation is among ordinary people, to someone in the Transcendent Realm, it’s no different than being popular among the local stray cats.
Of course, if an ordinary person has a connection to a Transcendent master, the story changes slightly. They become more like a pet cat than a stray.
And as everyone knows, if you mess with a pet cat, you might end up in a fight with its owner.
“Well, I suppose it depends on the person, but that’s how it usually feels.”
The reason the Hwangbo Clan Leader didn't immediately permit the marriage to Namgung Myeong was exactly the same.
The Hwangbo Clan Leader and the Namgung Clan Leader.
On the surface, they seemed to hold similar positions, but such hollow titles meant nothing.
Hwangbo Ryung was in the Transcendent Realm, while Namgung Myeong was in the Peak Realm.
The reason Hwangbo Ryung eventually took back his words was that a Transcendent master named the Evil-Annihilating Heavenly Lord, Lee Seo-jun, had personally protested to him.
To put it bluntly, it was only then that a conversation between ‘humans’ could finally take place.
Ssh— Chun-bong, still riding on his back, poked her head forward to meet Seo-jun’s eyes.
“You better not start treating me poorly just because you’re in the Transcendent Realm, okay?”
“If anyone else does that, just call me. I’ll crack their head open, Transcendent or not.”
“I’m talking about you! You!”
“Talk sense, Geum Chun-bong.”
Transcendent masters were still human. No matter the circumstances, they generally didn't view their own family as anything less than human.
“Probably.”
“Hey… should I call off this marriage?”
“Really?”
When he looked at Chun-bong, she shook her head in a panic.
“I-It’s a joke! I’m not calling it off! I won’t let you call it off!”
“Good, Geum Chun-bong. If you ever see a Lee Seo-jun who treats you poorly in the future, that’s not me, so run away immediately.”
“If it’s not Lee Seo-jun, then what is it?”
“A ghost?”
“I can beat a ghost.”
“Excuse me?”
As they walked along laughing, Namgung Su-ah pressed herself close to him and whispered.
“You can treat me a little poorly if you want.”
“I can’t do that; it would break my heart.”
“Mmm, well, I guess it can’t be helped then.”
Namgung Su-ah pouted. He’d have to give her a playful swat on the behind later.
Seo-jun arrived at the Clan Leader’s hall and let Chun-bong down from his back. Upon entering, Namgung Myeong and Hwangbo Hye-ji greeted them.
“Ah, Brother. You’re here? The mourners are starting to arrive one by one.”
“Yeah, I heard from Nuna. Will there be a lot of people?”
“Most likely. Between the Sixteen Major Sects and Clans and various small to medium sects, the numbers will be quite significant.”
Just as Namgung Myeong said, countless mourners visited the Namgung Clan every day.
Given the sheer vastness of the Central Plains, everyone seemed to have departed early, arriving with plenty of time to spare before the actual funeral.
The Namgung Clan also recalled all its members who had been away. Fortunately, the Black Lotus Union’s power had been significantly weakened, so there were no major issues.
“Ah, True Human Heo-do.”
“It has been a while, Evil-Annihilating Heavenly Lord.”
“Why so formal? It’s disappointing. Please, speak comfortably.”
“Then I shall do so.”
Perhaps conscious of the Evil-Annihilating Heavenly Lord—the current strongest master of the Namgung Clan—many of those visiting from the Sixteen Major Sects were people Seo-jun was already acquainted with.
True Human Heo-do of the Wudang Sect, whom he had met at the Yongbong Gathering, also visited Namgung.
“Have you had lunch?”
“Not yet.”
“Would you like to join us?”
“Then I shall gladly accept some lunch recs.”
The atmosphere during mourning is heavy. True Human Heo-do also continued the conversation in a low, quiet tone.
Seo-jun bit his lip at the sight of the old Daoist saying things like "lunch recs" with such a deadpan, serious expression.
‘Should I have explained it to him in more detail?’
It seemed the old man thought it was just common language used by young people.
Geum Chun-bong, who was well-versed in modern slang, was staring at True Human Heo-do with a bizarre expression.
Over the next few days, people from the Sixteen Major Sects began to arrive at the Namgung Clan one after another.
Mount Hua, Jongnam, Diancang, Qingcheng, Kunlun, Emei, Kongtong, Shaolin, the Beggar Sect, the Tang Clan, Jegal, and Peng.
And finally, even the Imperial Family.
In particular, countless eyes were fixed on the Imperial party, which arrived with a massive procession.
At the front was the Third Prince, Ju Yang-il. Chun-bong, who was staring at him, clicked her tongue.
“Why bring such a huge procession to someone else’s funeral? You really have to hand it to the Imperial Family when it comes to sheer vanity.”
She wasn't speaking loudly. Since Namgung Jin-cheon’s funeral was imminent, neither Seo-jun nor Chun-bong had any intention of causing friction with the mourners if they could help it.
“Aigo, I apologize for that.”
But had he heard her? A man suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Chun-bong couldn't even react in time. Her eyes widened in surprise.
The man spoke with a smirk.
“Easy now, easy. I’m too scared to even strike up a conversation. Sorry about the procession. Everyone kept going on about the Emperor this and dignity that.”
The man took a step back. The Qi that had subtly flared to guard against him in response to Seo-jun’s will quietly dissipated.
Seo-jun studied the man with narrowed eyes. Even without a close look, his identity was plain to see.
A golden dragon embroidered on a black background. An aura that was one with the space around him.
His identity was beyond obvious; it was undeniable.
‘He’s a bit different from what I expected.’
A silly smile hung on his lips, and his demeanor was light. The dragon robes he wore were loosely draped and quite disheveled.
The man suddenly leaned his face in close.
“You’re the one, right? The Evil-Annihilating Heavenly Lord. I’ve heard a lot of rumors. Nice to meet ya.”
“And you are?”
“Ju Won-jang.”
The master of the Imperial Family, the Emperor, wore a mysterious smile.
“I’ll be in your care.”