Chapter 195
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 195
Chapter Title: Reunion at the Changed Mok Clan
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The Mok Family Clan, which I'd returned to after so long, had changed dramatically in countless ways.
It had always been fairly well-off, but now it was on an entirely different level.
The main gate had undergone a major expansion, now at least twice its former size, and the plaque reading Mok Family Clan had been replaced with one crafted from finer wood and elegant calligraphy.
The existing buildings had all been repaired as well, everything gleaming with a fresh polish.
'Huh? What's going on at that construction site?'
It looked like they were erecting a new building, with laborers swarming one corner of the grounds, digging away at the earth.
Hard to believe this was possible—I'd only been away from the Mok Family Clan for less than a year.
As I was admiring all these transformations, a welcoming voice rang out.
"Jimyeong, it's been too long."
It was Mok Jicheon, the young clan head of the Mok Family Clan and my one and only brother.
Catching sight of Mok Jicheon after so long, my voice naturally rose in excitement.
"Brother! How have you been?"
This was my way of showing how glad I was to see him.
But Mok Jicheon just snorted derisively.
"As if I don't know you—never bothering with a single letter all this time, and now you show up pretending otherwise."
"Come on, Brother. Pretending? I'm genuinely happy to see you..."
"Save it. Go spit on your tongue before lying like that. Anyway, who's this with you?"
Mok Jicheon, ignoring me after our long separation, turned his attention to Baek Iryeong.
Somehow, that irked me.
"Huh? Didn't I mention her in the letter I sent? Did you even bother reading it properly?"
"Ahem, she's a stranger to me—you should at least introduce us."
Baek Iryeong slipped into our brotherly banter with a light laugh.
"I'm Baek Iryeong, a disciple of the Mount Hua Sect."
"Haha, to think I get to meet the renowned Crimson Peak of the martial world like this. A pleasure—I'm Jimyeong's older brother, Mok Jicheon."
Watching the two of them chat so amiably left me with a strange feeling in my gut.
Mok Jicheon was a man, after all.
'No way my own brother becomes my rival...'
If she were already drunk and all over me, no worries—but with Baek Iryeong, I hadn't even held her hand properly yet.
The last thing I needed was extra competition popping up here.
'If he dares go after my woman, even if he's my brother...!'
Of course, I wouldn't kill him or anything serious, but maybe a friendly spar to rough him up a bit...
As if sensing my lecherous inner thoughts, Mok Jicheon was just then excusing himself to Baek Iryeong.
"Well then, I'll take my leave for now and properly greet you later. Come on, Jimyeong—let's go."
"Huh? Go where?"
"To see Father, obviously."
True enough.
I'd gotten so lost in nonsense that I'd forgotten the obvious.
"Then rest easy, Senior Baek."
"Sure, go ahead."
Leaving Baek Iryeong behind, I followed Mok Jicheon to the clan head's quarters.
This place I'd visited right before leaving the clan was also drastically changed.
'They relaid the entire floor with lapis lazuli tiles? And what's up with that porcelain over there?'
Having stopped by just before departing, the differences stood out starkly.
To top it off, Father—whom I hadn't seen in ages—was polishing an ornate sword with a cloth.
"You're back."
Father greeted me without taking his eyes off the sword, his focus entirely on wiping it down with the cloth.
The sight struck me as utterly absurd.
"Father, your son returns after so long, and you won't even look at me?"
"You said you'd be staying a while, so I can see your face anytime."
"Then why'd you call me here?"
Only then did Father—Mok Taehyeon—finally glance my way.
A pleased smile spread across his face as he lifted the sword he'd just been buffing.
"What do you think? Isn't she a beauty?"
We weren't on the same wavelength at all.
Frustrated, I glanced at Mok Jicheon beside me, who let out a small sigh.
"It's Father's new hobby. Ever since he got that sword as a gift, he's been like this every day."
"A gift? Who'd give him something like that?"
Judging by its dark blade, it was a sword forged from solid dark iron.
And even from this distance, its sharpness was palpable—a priceless treasure beyond easy valuation.
And he'd received it as a gift?
Catching my gaze, Mok Jicheon looked surprised instead.
"You haven't heard? It was a gift from the Eun Merchant Group."
"The Eun Merchant Group?"
I'd known Eun Garyeon wanted to do business with our Mok Family Clan, but handing over something this valuable as a gift? No idea.
'...and not to me!'
For the record, the sword I used was so ordinary it felt embarrassing to compare to a masterpiece like that.
The kind of common iron sword you could find in any village smithy.
After admiring the dark iron sword for a good while, Father carefully sheathed it.
And only then did he turn to look at me properly.
"You look healthy—must be doing well."
"...That's rich coming from you, Father."
He looked better than ever—his face practically glowed.
Even seemed like a few wrinkles had vanished.
'Did he get younger somehow?'
Comparing to the last time I'd seen him.
"So, when's the wedding?"
"...Pardon?"
The question came out of nowhere.
But Father followed up casually, as if it were nothing.
"That Eun Garyeon girl—she's quite the catch."
"..."
At this point, I had to wonder just how much "bribe money" the Eun Merchant Group had shoveled our way.
Explained why the clan suddenly had so much cash flowing...
'If they had that kind of money to burn, they should've given it to me.'
I grumbled inwardly, picturing Eun Garyeon.
'Marriage, though...'
It was something I'd completely given up on in my previous life, so it felt weird.
Especially since I never expected my family to bring it up first.
That said,
'Not yet.'
It wasn't about liking or disliking Eun Garyeon.
No matter who it was, I wasn't ready for marriage.
'With all the women I'll meet from here on out.'
But I couldn't exactly confess that to my family.
So I came up with a more reasonable excuse.
"I think marriage is still too early for me. Brother hasn't even wed yet—how could I go first?"
I'd thrown my older brother under the bus.
But Father just snorted, as if I'd told a bad joke.
"Since when have you ever cared about things like that?"
"What do you mean? I've always placed great importance on such matters."
Maybe I overdid the shamelessness.
Even Mok Jicheon shot me a baffled look.
Father watched us, then suddenly grinned.
"Come to think of it, that Crimson Peak girl who came with you—she's 26 this year, right? Just three years older than Jicheon. Maybe I should meet her and see if she'd be interested in our young clan head."
"Father, Senior Baek is a Daoist of the Mount Hua Sect! It's a pointless endeavor and a huge nuisance!"
My voice rose without thinking, words tumbling out fast.
Father furrowed his brow and clicked his tongue.
"Tsk. Wonder who he takes after, so greedy... Never mind, I was joking."
We'd nearly strained brotherly bonds for real.
I ignored Mok Jicheon's sidelong glare.
After some more casual family chit-chat, we finally got down to business.
"So, what do you need us to do?"
"First, borrow strength from the other clans around here. There are plenty of families friendly with the Mok Clan in the Shanxi region, aren't there?"
"As you know, the Mount Hua Sect's reputation rings loud in Shanxi. Even friendly clans—how many would dare speak ill of them?"
"Any that refuse, I'll go persuade them personally."
A brief silence fell.
Father spoke gravely, his expression solemn.
"You sure about that?"
"Father, didn't you hear? I'm the New Dragon—the New Dragon."
"Tsk, a punk like you getting the title of New Dragon... The Central Plains martial world has its problems."
"..."
Father was still Father.
Truth be told, I'd worried my rising fame might create distance before coming here—but it was all for naught.
"Father, enough joking. Jimyeong's flustered after so long apart. And don't worry, Jimyeong—we wouldn't sit idle with Yeon-i in danger. We've already sent letters to all the other clans in Shanxi. Just waiting on replies now."
Mok Jicheon beside me was the same as ever.
Father shook his head with a light tsk.
"Having our young clan head so protective of his siblings... the clan's future looks bleak."
Yet a pleased smile tugged at his lips—completely at odds with his words.
"Leave that matter to the young clan head, then. You two, you're dismissed."
For all his words, he'd surely help from various angles behind the scenes.
That was Father, after all.
As we bid Father farewell and stepped out of the clan head's quarters with Mok Jicheon,
opening the door revealed a familiar face.
"You done talking with Father?"
Even her drab gray martial robe couldn't hide her radiant beauty.
It was my second sister, Mok Jieun.