Trivial Matters. (2)
It is right before boarding the carriage to head to Shanxi.
..
Telegram's largest novel sharing room
Over 100,000 novels available for download..
....
The atmosphere, which was exceptionally bustling when we arrived, showed signs of lessening just by the fact that the martial arts tournament had ended.
That was also proof of how much interest there was in the tournament.
If the post-peak martial arts tournament is at this level, it's questionable what will happen on the day the Divine Dragon Festival is held.
‘I shouldn't come then.’
Since I don't really like crowded and bustling places.
I hoped that on that day, I would be holed up in the Gu family, training.
[Haven't people always loved watching this kind of brawl since ancient times?]
Though Shin No-ya's choice of words was somewhat crude, it was no different from saying it was a tradition passed down from ancient times.
‘Still, I didn't come to see such a sight.’
I needed to hurry and get on the carriage, but seeing those two bastards blocking the way made my head ache.
"Seol-yeop. I won't lose next time."
"I'll look forward to it."
"Yes, sometime at our Hwangbo family…."
Having heard the news that Gu Seol-yeop was leaving from somewhere, Hwangbo Cheol-wi had appeared to see him off.
The sight of them chatting and shaking hands was truly… a completely mismatched picture.
‘…Why are they doing that.’
Why are they so close?
I couldn't help but wonder.
It seemed like things had progressed quite a bit without me knowing….
No, really, why are they close?
Weren't they originally guys who fought each other?
Since it seemed like they had no intention of ending if left alone.
I finally stepped forward.
"What are you grown men hugging about for? Hurry up and get lost?"
When I appeared growling, the two flinched and separated.
In the meantime, Hwangbo Cheol-wi couldn't look my way and stiffened.
"…Ahem."
As he cleared his throat as if gauging the mood, I called out to the guy as if dumbfounded.
"Hey."
"…Yes? Ah, no. Why do you ask?"
"Why are you so scared?"
"…I'm not scared! That's nonsense."
When I slowly raised my hand at his words, Hwangbo Cheol-wi flinched.
Yeah, he's definitely not scared.
Did something happen after he got beaten by me last time?
Why has this guy become so shriveled up?
"If anyone saw you, they'd think I half-killed you? Stop being so scared, I won't hit you."
"Heh…! This Hwangbo does not succumb to fear! Back then, I was just careless…."
"Then do you want to fight properly for once?"
" "
It was a joke, but.
Hwangbo Cheol-wi's expression immediately soured.
Seeing him completely fail to live up to his large stature, a chuckle escaped me before I knew it.
"It's a joke."
I tossed a joke Peng Woo-jin had used once to Hwangbo Cheol-wi.
Perhaps it struck a nerve in a bad way, as Hwangbo Cheol-wi started to seethe.
Though it seemed he couldn't get as angry as last time.
In the meantime, perhaps because I thought of Peng Woo-jin,
"That's a familiar phrase I've heard somewhere before!"
The real Peng Woo-jin appeared.
"Perhaps, you were waiting for me too? It seems our hearts are connected."
"…When did you get here? Young Master Peng."
Peng Woo-jin appeared as if it were natural and draped his arm over my shoulder.
I immediately showed my disgust and slipped out of his arm.
Hwangbo Cheol-wi made a startled expression at Peng Woo-jin's sudden appearance.
It seemed even that arrogant guy knew who Peng Woo-jin was.
Regardless of how I reacted, Peng Woo-jin wore an expression that didn't care at all.
Rather, he spoke to me with a beaming face.
"Congratulations, Young Master Gu! Ah, should I call you True Dragon Beauty now? I certainly thought you could do it."
As if he didn't care whether Hwangbo Cheol-wi was next to him or not, Peng Woo-jin was solely looking at me.
"…I'd prefer it if you didn't call me by that nickname."
"Why? It's cool. You're a real dragon certified by the Alliance itself!"
That's exactly why it's embarrassing, you bastard.
Since he's from the Divine Dragon, he probably doesn't know, but this is incredibly embarrassing.
"This Peng hyung watched your match without missing a beat. It was so impressive…."
"Why are you casually slipping into a hyung-dongsaeng relationship? We're strangers, Young Master Peng."
"That's what I regret too…. By the way, our younger sister is pretty, do you have any thoughts on taking her again? With her eccentric personality, it looked like her marriage path would be blocked anyway…. If you take her, naturally we'd be family…."
"You crazy bastard!"
"Crack!"
While Peng Woo-jin was spouting nonsense, someone approached at high speed and kicked Peng Woo-jin away.
There was no need to even think about who the culprit was; it was Peng A-hee.
"I should have known when he ran off first! How could he spout nonsense the moment he arrives?"
"Ah…. A-hee, it seems your brother has been hit in a bad place…!"
"What does it matter if he gets hit there! He won't have any use for it anyway!"
Wow…. That's a bit harsh.
Peng Woo-jin, knocked down by Peng A-hee's kicking, barely got up.
Seeing him groan, it seemed he really was hit in an injured spot.
"…My treatment as a brother is truly delightful."
"Are you unaware that you treated your sister like garbage?"
"Hey, I'm saying I'll set her up with a fine man! What's the problem? As the winner of the martial arts tournament, he's more than qualified!"
"I guess he's really a crazy bastard…. What should I do?"
"It's just a broken engagement, what's the big deal if they meet again…."
"Brother, next time instead of kicking, I might just stomp and shatter it."
" "
To make Peng Woo-jin shut his mouth. I thought Peng A-hee really gets things done when she needs to.
As Peng Woo-jin kept his mouth shut, Peng A-hee sighed and spoke to me.
"I'm sorry, it seems our family's crazy bastard caused trouble again."
"Uh, yeah…."
The situation was already a mess, so it was awkward for me to say anything.
Even so, he's the young master of the family, yet she directly called him a crazy bastard.
It seemed Peng A-hee had quite a lot of pent-up emotions.
"You're going back now, right?"
"I have to. Aren't you planning to go back too?"
At my question, Peng A-hee looked at the Peng crazy bastard next to her and shook her head.
"It seems that man has a lot of business left in Henan, so I don't think we can leave right away."
Her words reminded me of what Peng Woo-jin said last time about coming to the Alliance for business.
Back then, I just brushed it off with an 'I see'.
Considering the Alliance might be connected to the Blood Demon.
Furthermore, having heard about an organization called Yuseong, it was a bit ambiguous to just let it slide.
'He doesn't seem to have Blood Qi.'
Blood Qi was the energy Jang Seon-yeon and Namgung Cheon-jun possessed.
It was hard to name, so I decided to call it Blood Qi since it was the Blood Demon's energy.
Fortunately, it seemed Peng Woo-jin didn't possess Blood Qi.
'Considering he was a figure who didn't fall to corruption even in the future.'
Could I consider Peng Woo-jin as someone who didn't associate with those guys?
But I couldn't end it with such a simple thought.
"Oh right, you still have the Black Token, right?"
"Black Token?"
"The one my brother gave you."
Ah, is she talking about that black plaque.
The one Peng Woo-jin gave me around the end of the Nine Dragons Gathering.
"…I have it. It should be somewhere in my room?"
I probably tossed it somewhere in the corner of a drawer.
I didn't remember well.
At my blunt words, Peng A-hee smiled as if dumbfounded.
"That's not something that should receive that kind of treatment…."
"If you miss it, do you want it back?"
"I told you that's not something easily given and taken? Seeing you try to brush it off, you're a bit like our brother too."
"You're getting on my nerves, want to fight? I can hit women too."
How can I say that so casually?
The little favorability I had for Peng A-hee crumbled away.
"…Listen here, I'm listening."
"Why are you listening? Please cover your ears."
Peng Woo-jin's words, spoken as if hurt, were immediately dismissed.
"Anyway, later with that…. Ah, no, come with Namgung So-jeo and So-ryeol."
Peng A-hee, who brought it up as if to invite me, suddenly changed her words after seeing something behind her.
I looked back wondering why she was doing that, but.
There was nothing particularly noticeable.
Other than the fact that Namgung Bi-a was dozing off with her chin resting on Wi Seol-a's shoulder?
I looked back at Peng A-hee and answered.
"I'll see."
I didn't know if a day to visit the Peng family would come in my busy situation.
"Saying 'I'll see' means you'll come, right? I'm good at waiting. Young Master Gu."
"…Even if I go once in a blue moon, it won't be to see you, Young Master Peng."
"So you're saying you'll come!"
I felt a headache coming on after just a few words of conversation with this guy.
The Blade Emperor I saw from afar in my past life didn't seem like this kind of person.
'Maybe this guy actually rolled around in the demonic realm once and came to his senses.'
How extreme must it be for me to think this.
If I'm right, it'd be nice if he went and rolled around quickly.
"Young Master Peng."
"Why do you ask?"
"I'm asking now, but did you come to see me off?"
"Why else would I have come."
That's true.
The problem was why a young master of a family was acting like this.
He said he watched the martial arts tournament I participated in.
Where on earth did he watch it, when he wasn't seen during the tournament.
"Ah, I actually had something to ask."
"What is it?"
"I think I asked you around this time last year, but do you have any thoughts on going to the Divine Dragon Pavilion?"
It was too abrupt a topic to bring up right now.
The Divine Dragon Pavilion… I know the time to enter is the year after next, but.
"Well."
I didn't feel much need to go.
As a martial artist who lives rolling around with demonic beasts in the Central Plains, it's a place I must come out of, but.
'I don't think I need to go out of my way to waste time.'
My purpose wasn't to catch demonic beasts.
From the family's standpoint, they'd try to send me for the sake of justification, but.
I just had to solidify my position so I could refuse by then.
A position strong enough to throw a tantrum and say I'll go later.
"Looking at your expression, it seems you don't really want to."
"It's not necessarily like that."
He's quick to notice again.
As I slightly averted my gaze, Peng Woo-jin grinned and continued.
"Certainly, there's nothing to be gained even if Young Master Gu goes there."
" "
"It seems Young Master Gu knows that more certainly. Fortunately."
"What do you mean?"
"I'm saying it's good that you seem to know your own value so well."
Something about his smiling face gave me chills.
Ugh, creepy.
"Apart from that, I do wish Young Master would definitely visit the Divine Dragon Pavilion."
It was a contradictory opinion to what he just spat out.
"You said there's nothing to gain. What do you mean?"
"Just a gut feeling, perhaps? Since I know Young Master Gu isn't someone who will listen to me anyway, just let it go in one ear."
I was already letting most of what Peng Woo-jin said to me pass like that.
Or rather, it was a perfect way to say I wasn't listening at all.
Still, I needed to think a little differently about this topic.
'The Divine Dragon Pavilion.'
In the current situation, it was an unnecessary place with no need to go, but it wasn't like there was absolutely nothing to gain.
Beneath that place.
Slept things called precious artifacts, similar to ghost items.
Things that could only be discovered through the war with the Demonic Cult in the future.
The problem was the concern over whether those were absolutely necessary for me.
To be exact, it was about comparing it to the time I would gain by not going to the Divine Dragon Pavilion.
'No need to think about it right now.'
Since there was still time left before the entry period, there was no need to trouble myself with worrying now.
"Young Master."
From behind, Hong-wa approached carefully and whispered to me.
"It's about time to depart."
"Got it."
Perhaps Peng Woo-jin heard Hong-wa's words too, as he stepped back slightly.
Even though a servant interrupted the conversation, fortunately, Peng Woo-jin didn't show any signs of being offended.
"It seems I took up too much of Young Master Gu's time."
He rather smiled and waved his hand.
As if telling me to hurry and go.
"We might be closer the next time we meet. I'll look forward to it."
"What kind of creepy statement is that…. Please don't look forward to it."
Why is he speaking on the assumption we'll meet again?
"Brother, you need to move too. You said you didn't have much time."
At Peng A-hee's words, Peng Woo-jin nodded.
"Ah, right. I'll go first. Young Master Gu. Have a safe trip."
"Yes, please go back safely."
"You don't even try to stop me! How cold!"
At my words, Peng Woo-jin slowly left.
To be precise, rather than walking on his own two feet, it was an unsightly sight of him being dragged away by Peng A-hee's hand.
It felt like a typhoon had passed through.
[A quite eccentric fellow lives in the Peng family.]
Shin No-ya's words, who had been quiet the whole time.
This time, it was a remark I highly agreed with.
"Let's go slowly too, you should go now too."
This was said to Hwangbo Cheol-wi, who was watching from the corner of his eye.
Hwangbo Cheol-wi was looking at Peng Woo-jin with fascination, along with Gu Seol-yeop.
"What are you looking at so intently."
"…First Young Master, that's Peng Woo-jin. Isn't the First Young Master who converses with him the stranger one?"
"A former Divine Dragon…. The pressure itself is different."
I clicked my tongue at their words.
The title of Divine Dragon seemed to weigh heavily on these two.
Or maybe I'm just too dull.
"Stop saying weird things and get on."
After kicking the butt of Gu Seol-yeop, who was standing awkwardly, I boarded the carriage.
I heard Gu Seol-yeop shriek behind me and then grumble, but I was tired, so I decided to let it slide.
Of course, that was that.
"Where are you going?"
"…Yes?"
Gu Seol-yeop was about to board another carriage, so I stopped him.
At my call, Gu Seol-yeop made a questioning expression as if asking why.
"You have to drive the horses, why are you boarding there."
At my words, the expression on Gu Seol-yeop's face soured.
"Don't tell me you forgot?"
"No, that…."
"You've lost it, this guy? Should I roll you like last time…."
"Waaah…! I have to drive the horses…!"
Gu Seol-yeop hurriedly ran over and took his seat in the coachman's box.
He should have done that from the start, trying to sneak away.
After finishing checking, I leaned back deeply into the chair.
"Young Master, are you tired?"
Wi Seol-a, who was already sitting next to me, looked at me and asked.
Namgung Bi-a had already boarded the carriage and was sleeping with her face buried in Wi Seol-a's shoulder.
"I'm a little tired."
"Didn't you sleep much?"
"Just, talking to someone who isn't in their right mind always makes my mind tired."
"Then! Come over here too, Young Master!"
Wi Seol-a brightly took a posture, telling me to lean on her shoulder.
Even though it must be heavy with Namgung Bi-a on the other side.
I watched that for a moment, then reluctantly leaned on her a little.
I was tired enough that it felt strange to refuse.
'It's soft.'
Wi Seol-a's shoulder was softer than I thought.
With this, I felt like I could fall asleep quickly.
I leaned slightly on Wi Seol-a's shoulder and closed my eyes just like that.
And presently, the carriage returning to Shanxi began to move.
Around the time the carriage returning to the Gu family began to leave.
There were people observing the carriage from the roof of a building.
-The target has started moving. Proceed with the operation as planned.
At the words of a man whose face was covered with a black mask, the people hiding around began moving all at once, killing their presence.
It was a suspicious-looking action at a glance, but the countless people in Henan didn't seem to notice.
It meant they were that skilled.
The movement of such people.
Peng Woo-jin was watching from afar.
'Who are they.'
With an expression completely relaxed, unlike when dealing with Gu Yang-cheon.
'Who could they be.'
It was an organization he was seeing for the first time.
They were the guys who had caught his attention since he conversed with Gu Yang-cheon just before.
Because of their faint presence, it was hard to find them, but.
With Peng Woo-jin's 'eyes', it was easy to find them.
Because guys like that always carried a turbid and dirty color.
'Hmm….'
Looking at their reactions and movements, they seemed to be targeting Gu Yang-cheon.
'How dare they.'
He didn't know where or why they were targeting that boy, but.
To Peng Woo-jin, it was highly displeasing.
So much that he wanted to catch and kill them right away.
Reaching that thought, murderous intent began to swirl around Peng Woo-jin's body.
He wanted to charge at the guys right now and slice them up so they couldn't do anything rash.
However.
Peng Woo-jin soon killed his murderous intent, turned his back, and walked away without any lingering attachments.
As if he had no interest at all. His expression changed quickly.
At first, he thought about cleaning them up himself, but.
Peng Woo-jin could tell from his conversation with Gu Yang-cheon.
Just like himself.
That Gu Yang-cheon was already aware of their existence.
This was a conviction.
He could see that Gu Yang-cheon's gaze and inner energy were subtly moving in a certain direction.
He didn't know why he wasn't showing any reaction, though.
'Then it's not a problem for me to interfere in.'
If Gu Yang-cheon had a plan, he had to endure it.
Since he would shine even brighter, he shouldn't stubbornly intervene and create a shadow.
A fire that burns brightly on its own doesn't need firewood.
'But, it's a bit regrettable.'
He was curious about what purpose Gu Yang-cheon had for leaving them alone, but.
It was highly regrettable that he couldn't see it to the end.
He would have liked to secretly follow and watch, but if he did that in a fit of passion.
Since Peng A-hee, who had been enduring all this time, might do something this time, he had to hold back once.
'This meeting was short and regrettable, but I pray that you shine even brighter next time. Young Master Gu.'
May the Gu Yang-cheon I meet next time shine with an even more brilliant color.
Peng Woo-jin, ending his thoughts, became a black wind and disappeared.
The destination of the wind was the Murim Alliance.
The place where the Abbot of Shaolin was waiting.