A Slip of the Tongue
A heavy silence swept over the room.
The moment the words left my mouth, the atmosphere turned ice-cold.
The lively chatter that had filled the air just a second ago vanished in an instant.
You would think it impossible for a banquet hall of this size to fall silent so suddenly.
But it only proved one thing: everyone in the room had been secretly keeping their eyes and ears glued to our table.
"...What?"
Seo Pyeong, the Wudang Cloud Dragon, spoke with a contorted face. He looked as if he couldn't believe his own ears.
And as for me...
Ah, shit.
I was thinking the exact same thing.
Having to deal with so many people back-to-back had temporarily fried my brain.
I actually said my inner thoughts out loud.
I had completely swapped what I was supposed to say with what I was actually thinking. This was not part of the plan.
[Bwahahaha! You crazy bastard! Hahaha!]
Yoo Chun-gil found it absolutely hilarious, clutching his stomach as he rolled around in midair.
Miserable old geezer.
I took a deep breath and quickly scanned my surroundings.
I desperately hoped that maybe, just maybe, they hadn't heard me. Unfortunately, luck was not on my side.
The expressions of the people at my table made it painfully obvious.
The Black Broadsword and the Thunder Dragon were watching with amused interest, while Cheon Hye-in stared at me with a strange, unreadable gaze.
Dongnyong was still busy glaring at the Black Broadsword.
As for the Sword Peak, she had her eyes closed, seemingly completely uninterested.
The Fighting Dog wasn't even at the table, so he didn't count.
While the Seven Great Talents all reacted in their own unique ways,
the other young geniuses watching from afar were practically buzzing with excitement.
"...What did the Young Sword Saint just say to the Cloud Dragon?"
"I didn't mishear that, did I?"
"I'm pretty sure he just called him a dumbass."
Yep, they definitely heard everything.
Goddammit.
I barely managed to swallow a sigh. Things were about to get incredibly annoying.
And why the hell is this guy picking a fight with me in the first place?
I had planned to lay low and get through this quietly, but everything had gone completely off the rails on day one. This was the price of letting my guard down for even a second.
Whew.
I sighed inwardly and racked my brain, trying to figure out a way to smooth this over.
"What did you just say?"
Seo Pyeong, the Wudang Cloud Dragon, narrowed his eyes and demanded a response.
How should I play this? I quickly took in my surroundings while weighing my options.
Every eye in the room was on me. The silence was deafening.
Could I laugh it off and dodge the question?
No way.
The conclusion came instantly.
In that case...
Plan B.
If I couldn't run, I had to double down.
"Daoist Seo Pyeong. May I ask how old you are?"
Seo Pyeong looked at me with a bewildered expression. It was understandable, given the sudden and random question.
A moment later, a smirk played on his lips.
"Twenty-two."
I could read his mind just by looking at his face.
He clearly knew how old I was and thought he was asserting his seniority.
His predictable reaction was almost funny. The moment he answered, I shot back.
"Ah, I see. You're younger than I thought. But tell me, why is that?"
"Why is what?"
"It's not like your ears are clogged with old age. Why are you asking me to repeat myself when you clearly heard me the first time?"
"...!"
The temperature in the room plummeted even further.
The collective gasp from the crowd was much sharper this time.
I could feel everyone shuddering in shock. Right then—
Clap!
I glanced to the side at the sudden loud noise and saw the Black Broadsword clapping in pure admiration.
"Oh... Oh! I knew I liked you."
What the hell was I supposed to do with this freak?
I did my best to ignore him and looked back at the Cloud Dragon. His face was flushed bright red with rage.
I smirked at the sight and spoke clearly.
"Want me to say it again? I asked what kind of dumbass you were."
If I couldn't run or take it back, my only option was to charge straight ahead.
I knew from experience that being bold was far better than hesitating.
"You bastard...!"
The Cloud Dragon bristled, trying to cut in, but I beat him to the punch.
"We've barely just met, yet you're speaking down to me and trying to start some pathetic power struggle. Is that how they teach you to treat people in your sect?"
"...!"
"Actually, no. The Wudang Sect I know is a prestigious, refined, and gentle order. I doubt everyone there is like you. Which means..."
I stepped closer to him. We were now at point-blank range—a distance where neither of us could dodge if a sword was drawn.
Locking eyes with him at such close quarters, I whispered.
"You're just letting your ego get ahead of you. Way past what you can actually handle."
"You—!"
Furious, the Cloud Dragon immediately reached for the hilt of his sword.
Tap.
But before he could draw it, someone slipped between us.
"Whoa, whoa. What's all the fuss about, gentlemen?"
It was the Thunder Dragon.
Wearing an easygoing smile on his handsome face, he placed a hand on both of our shoulders.
"Everyone is watching, so let's calm down. Cloud Dragon, it won't look good for you if your Sect Leader finds out about this."
"..."
The moment the Thunder Dragon brought up the Wudang Sect Leader, the Cloud Dragon's fiery momentum instantly fizzled out.
With a sharp grind of his teeth, he glared at me.
"You clearly don't know who the arrogant one is here. Keep that pride of yours. I'll personally shatter it to pieces. I won't forget today."
Slapping the Thunder Dragon's hand off his shoulder, he turned on his heel. He stormed away from our table, heading toward the area where the rest of the Wudang disciples were gathered.
"Ha."
I let out a dry chuckle as I watched him go. Seriously, what was his problem?
"Why is he throwing a tantrum?"
His eyes had looked hostile from the moment I arrived, so he definitely held some sort of grudge against me.
But what did I even do to him?
No matter how hard I racked my brain, I couldn't recall ever crossing paths with the Wudang Sect, let alone him. What could it possibly be?
Oh. Wait.
Is he one of them too...?
A sudden thought struck me, and I glanced at the person standing right next to me—the Black Broadsword.
Don't tell me the Cloud Dragon...
...is also infatuated with Yeong-sun?
I wondered if he hated me because of some connection to Moyong Yeong-sun, but I couldn't be sure.
And speaking of which...
"Hahaha! Young Sword Saint. I noticed this last time, but you're surprisingly manly for someone with such pretty looks!"
Why did this guy keep trying to act like we were best friends?
Thud! Thud!
The Black Broadsword's massive hand repeatedly slammed against my shoulder.
It hurt like hell.
"Good! I really like you."
"..."
The look in his eyes was dead serious.
This bastard actually, genuinely liked me.
It gave me goosebumps.
"Black Broadsword."
"Yes?"
I looked at him and spoke very carefully.
"I like women."
"Oh? What a coincidence, so do I! Look at that, we already have something in common."
"..."
Is he telling the truth? I couldn't bring myself to believe a single word.
Then again, considering what he'd said about Moyong Yeong-sun earlier, maybe he was telling the truth. Still, it felt incredibly sketchy.
As I tried to hide my discomfort and push his heavy hand off my shoulder, he spoke again.
"Don't pay that Cloud Dragon any mind. It's nothing but the pathetic thrashing of an insignificant bug."
The cold, dry tone of his voice made me freeze for a split second.
The pathetic thrashing of an insignificant bug. His words carried a sharp, venomous edge.
I had noticed it during our first meeting, but this guy had a strangely chilling side to him.
"Those destined for the heavens shouldn't concern themselves with the buzzing of those crawling on the ground. Don't you agree?"
The Black Broadsword turned his head back.
"Sword Peak."
"..."
At his call, the Sword Peak slowly opened her eyes.
Her pitch-black eyes, resembling dark Go stones, locked onto the Black Broadsword.
There was absolutely no emotion in them.
She was completely detached. Her indifferent attitude and gaze, which seemed utterly uninterested in anything around her, made me feel uncomfortable.
"..."
"What? Say something if you're going to look at me. Ah, right! I forgot you can't speak. My bad, my bad! Hahaha!"
What a lunatic.
It was mind-boggling how he could say something so offensive with a straight face.
I wondered if the Sword Peak would take offense, but she didn't seem to care at all.
She simply stared at the Black Broadsword for a moment.
Then, slowly...
...she raised her index finger and pressed it against her lips.
The gesture meant only one thing.
"Ah. Shut up?"
The Sword Peak nodded in response to his question.
"Well, I suppose I do talk a lot. But don't you think everyone else is being way too quiet? At such a wonderful gathering, no less."
The guy just wouldn't shut up.
Was everyone with the Heavenly Martial Body this talkative? Or was this guy just uniquely insane?
"I always appreciate your lively energy, Brother Paeng. Hahaha!"
Meanwhile, the Thunder Dragon was busy playing along with the Black Broadsword.
The Black Broadsword grinned, clearly pleased with the response.
"See? Only the Thunder Dragon truly understands me."
"Haha, of course, of course."
"Haha."
"..."
I wanted to go home.
Despite the lingering tension in the air, these two idiots were the only ones making a racket.
Sigh.
I seriously wanted to go home.
That was my sole takeaway from the first day of the banquet.
The banquet finally wound down in the late afternoon.
Although alcohol was served, most of the attendees refrained from drinking. With the preliminary rounds of the martial tournament—the highlight of the Yongbong Association—starting the very next day, no one wanted to ruin their condition.
There was no reason to jeopardize their performance for a few drinks.
Well, except for a couple of exceptions.
"Hahaha! Bring more alcohol!"
"Over here too!"
The weirdo from the Namgung Clan and the lunatic from the Paeng Clan didn't seem to care about the tournament in the slightest.
Leaving the two of them to drink themselves into a stupor, I slipped outside.
I had already accomplished everything I needed to at the banquet, so there was no point in lingering.
...And Cheon Hye-in had already bailed.
She had vanished halfway through the event.
She had probably stormed out early to avoid watching the antics of those two idiots.
Seo Pyeong didn't even come back to the table of the Seven Great Talents, choosing instead to stay with the Wudang Sect and glare at me from a distance.
Meanwhile, Dongnyong was chugging drinks alongside the Black Broadsword, determined not to lose to him in a drinking contest.
It was an absolute circus.
And this is supposed to be a prestigious banquet?
A gathering of the young geniuses who would lead the future of the Central Plains.
In terms of prestige and reputation, there was no event more significant than the Yongbong Association.
But man, this is exhausting.
Experiencing it firsthand was far from pleasant.
No matter how powerful their backgrounds or how high their reputations were, at the end of the day...
...they were still just kids.
Most of them were terrible at navigating the subtle political maneuvering and power plays.
And I certainly didn't have the mental energy to get dragged into their petty, childish posturing.
[So you're leaving without enjoying yourself a bit more?]
"Yeah. There's no reason to stay."
As I said, I had already done everything I set out to do.
I had introduced myself to the other young geniuses. The only problem was...
...I've just added another weird rumor to my name.
Perhaps because of the insult I threw at Seo Pyeong,
whispers were already circulating that the Young Sword Saint had a nasty temper.
Well, whatever.
It wasn't a big deal. I figured the rumors would die down soon enough.
I kept walking, lost in thought.
I needed to head back to my quarters, but a short stroll wouldn't hurt.
Who knew when I'd ever get to walk around the Martial Alliance headquarters again?
With that lighthearted thought, I leisurely took in the scenery.
[Kid.]
Yoo Chun-gil called out to me.
"What is it?"
[Over there. Go check out that path.]
"Huh?"
Over there? The direction Yoo Chun-gil pointed to was the left fork of a split path.
"Is there something there?"
[Indeed.]
"...Then I definitely don't want to go."
[Now, now. It is nothing dangerous, so get moving.]
Usually, when this old man said there was "something" somewhere, it meant I should run in the opposite direction.
A sense of unease washed over me, but I decided to follow his instructions anyway.
I walked down the path for a short while.
"Huh?"
At the end of the path stood a massive, ancient tree.
The moon hung directly above it, casting a soft, ethereal glow over its branches and giving it a mystical appearance.
Wait, who is that?
Beneath the tree...
...stood a familiar figure.
"Sword Peak?"
"..."
The Plum Blossom Sword Peak.
She stood quietly under the branches, her eyes fixed on me.