EP.19 What Must Not Be Touched (1)
What Must Not Be Touched (1)
Look at this bastard.
His annoyingly flushed cheeks, his annoyingly shaking pupils, his annoyingly averted gaze.
Seeing the annoying behavior of this handsome bastard, it feels like he's fallen in love at first sight.
It's no wonder, considering Wi Seol-ah's appearance—her slightly damp hair and anxious eyes—carries such a devastating charm.
It was a dangerous appearance that could instantly break down one's walls and pierce their heart, unless they were a *Xuanren* (儇人) whose heart had solidified over the years, or someone who had layered Daoist or Buddhist training.
Even I felt my head floating, so how could that bastard possibly hold out? In the end, he was instantly captivated by Wi Seol-ah.
"Tsk."
Not understanding the situation, Wi Seol-ah looks at me with a blank stare.
Feeling inexplicably displeased, I grabbed Wi Seol-ah and pulled her a bit further back.
Seeing that, Gu Jueye hastily managed his expressions, putting on airs as a blood relative, but he couldn't hide his reddened cheeks.
Second Elder, standing nearby, was also looking at Gu Jueye, unable to hide the twitching corners of his mouth.
'Look at him forcing himself to hold back from teasing.'
A sour-tempered old man, as always.
"Ahem! Ahem!"
Perhaps finding the atmosphere awkward, Gu Jueye repeatedly cleared his throat. Though it didn't seem like it would make the mood any better.
"I-I will say it again. I, Gu Jueye, request a spar with the blood relative of the main house."
'Look me in the eyes when you speak, you bastard...'
It was completely obvious that his eyes kept sneakily drifting toward Wi Seol-ah. I casually waved my hand dismissively, showing an attitude telling him to leave.
"A spar, my ass. I'm not interested, so scram."
It was obviously a bothersome affair. Dropping by out of nowhere to demand a spar wasn't exactly polite in the first place.
It was closer to an act of disrespect.
I held plenty of justifications to refuse. Displeased with my attitude, Gu Jueye's tone changed.
"Are you afraid?"
"Yes, I'm extremely afraid."
"You are as weak as ever, running away from something so trivial..."
"Yes, yes, I'm so terribly weak. Absolutely. Absolutely."
Using the ultimate technique of letting words in one ear and out the other, the corners of Gu Jueye's eyes trembled increasingly. His harsh breathing showed he was quite enraged.
So what? I said I won't do it.
A relative bastard who comes to the main house first thing in the morning demanding a spar; the moral high ground was firmly mine.
As if reaching his limit, Second Elder approached the seething bastard and asked.
"Jueye, what is the reason you are demanding a spar like this? Is it because of First Elder?"
'First Elder?'
Gu Jueye hesitated at Second Elder's question, but didn't answer.
However, the words I drew from Gu Jueye's silence were enough of an answer.
'It was just petty politics.'
I wondered why something so out of the blue was happening, so that was it.
'I really shouldn't have caused an incident during the spar with Gu Yeonseo.'
Anyone in the clan knew that First Elder was an ambitious man. Yet, the reason the main house couldn't do anything about First Elder's ambition was none other than me.
A blood relative of the main house with a vile temperament and no talent.
Raising him to the position of Clan Head simply because he is a male was severely lacking in many ways. Not to mention, he's the bloodline of a concubine.
First Elder's ambition was a sort of reservation for the clan. First Elder was steadily trying to turn that reservation into certainty.
But that reservation had begun to waver.
It was because of the rumor that I had won the spar against Gu Yeonseo.
While the majority dismissed it as mere luck, the ripple effect of "what if" wouldn't have been welcome to First Elder.
"So that's why you're doing something so childish."
Feeling it was pathetic, I tried to just ignore him and go back into the training ground, but Second Elder spoke to me.
"It's quite something for him to come all the way here, why not just do it once?"
At those absurd words, I looked at Second Elder, and his face was filled with the word 'interest'. It seemed he was thinking of something strange again.
"Second Elder, do you wish to see me get beaten and lie on the ground? Why do you keep doing this to me?"
Second Elder slowly alternated his gaze between Gu Jueye and me at my words, then said with a smile.
"This old man doesn't think you, Yang Tian, will lie on the ground so easily."
This slippery old man.
I glared at Gu Jueye with furrowed eyes.
I could tell just from our brief encounter.
'This is going to be a bit tough.'
I was certain. This annoying bastard was stronger than Gu Yeonseo.
Because I lacked the means, I couldn't properly grasp how much qi he possessed or what level his martial arts were at.
But my intuition was telling me so.
The internal energy he possessed or the proficiency of his martial arts was likely higher in Gu Yeonseo.
But that didn't mean Gu Yeonseo was stronger.
That was precisely the reason I was able to dodge Gu Yeonseo's attacks and win.
"Regardless, I will not spar. I don't want to get tangled up in annoying politics."
Saying this, Second Elder pouted his lips as if disappointed.
Seeing an old man with a mountain-sized physique making such a face was slightly—no, extremely—creepy.
Not getting his way, Gu Jueye also pouted. It was an expression that suited his punchable face perfectly.
Then, the bastard spoke to Wi Seol-ah.
"Next to him, are you a servant of the main house?"
He definitely didn't stutter, but he couldn't hide his slightly trembling voice. At Gu Jueye's words, Wi Seol-ah, who was wrapped in a blanket, tilted her head.
At that gesture, Gu Jueye stumbled as if struck by a heavy blow.
Why is that bastard suddenly sparring with himself?
"That's right! I am a servant."
At Wi Seol-ah's answer, Gu Jueye straightened his stumbling posture. Then, looking at me, he said.
"Young Miss, rather than serving such a weakling, how about coming to me? I can treat you much better in a far superior environment."
What kind of fucked up proposition is that in this situation?
How well could he treat her? Annoyed by his cheeks growing increasingly red, apparently out of his own embarrassment in the meantime.
Even I thought this was a bit too much, so I cut him off to intervene.
"What kind of dogshi—"
"I like the Young Master."
It was the first time since my regression that I heard such a resolute tone from Wi Seol-ah. Not only I, but Second Elder and Gu Jueye's eyes widened in shock.
"I won't go to anyone but the Young Master."
My chest pricked at Wi Seol-ah's words.
'....This isn't good.'
It was a bad situation. I vigorously rubbed my chest with my hand. It was definitely a bad situation.
This was a curse different from the one the Heavenly Demon had placed on me, and in some ways, an even more vicious one.
I thought I could escape it through death, but I couldn't let it end up like this again.
Wi Seol-ah was looking at me. What emotions were in those eyes? What I did know for certain was that I shouldn't look into Wi Seol-ah's eyes for long right now.
I shifted my gaze to Gu Jueye. The bastard seemed to have taken an unseen shock, completely failing to manage his expressions that he had barely maintained.
It was a very awkward atmosphere.
I let out a deep sigh and stood up. Dragging my stiff body, I walked past Gu Jueye.
"Follow me. I'll give you your spar or whatever."
From behind, I heard a strange "Oh-ho!" sound. It was obviously Second Elder without even looking.
Gu Jueye gritted his teeth and followed me. Was he happy to have a target to vent his anger on?
'Why do I always get caught up in annoying things?'
Why? Because I bring it all upon myself, that's why. Right! That was it.
....Fuck.
******************
"Did I do this for nothing?"
It was the thought that crossed my mind as soon as I entered the training ground for the spar. Why do I always regret it after doing it?
I was always displeased with myself.
Crackle, crackle-
As I stretched my body this way and that, sounds came from my joints. While stretching, I asked Second Elder, who was watching me with strange eyes.
"Why did you tell me to spar?"
"I didn't. You said you would, Yang Tian."
"Didn't you persuade me in the beginning? And seeing how you came along without stopping me and looking pleased, it's partly the Elder's fault too."
This was me returning the exact words Second Elder had said to me after I beat up the Peng family bastard at the Nine Dragons Assembly.
Knowing this, Second Elder laughed heartily.
"Right! That's right, this old man is also at fault."
"So why did you persuade me?"
[It's because of First Elder.]
Perhaps it was something not so good to say aloud, Second Elder used Sound Transmission. Maybe because it was my first time hearing a Sound Transmission in a while, my head ached slightly.
"What do you mean?"
Since I wasn't at the level to answer via Sound Transmission yet, I just answered out loud. So Second Elder spoke, looking dumbfounded.
[No, if I used Sound Transmission, shouldn't you at least answer cautiously?]
"It doesn't matter anyway."
...Ugh.
Second Elder let out a small groan.
[First Elder is a man of great ambition. You must already know this as well. While a certain degree of ambition is fine, using even his own bloodline for that end doesn't seem good for the clan.]
Just as Second Elder said, this spar was clearly a piece of politics no matter how you looked at it.
If I were to lose here, Gu Jueye's standing in the clan would rise. Conversely, if Gu Jueye were to lose to me—
'The blow would be massive.'
From Gu Jueye's standpoint, it would be something he couldn't even dare to imagine.
The reason First Elder knew this yet still sent him to me, forcing Gu Jueye into such an awkward task, was probably because he thought he would absolutely not lose.
'It's just that he's very anxious.'
I didn't understand why First Elder would commit such a clumsy and forced act.
Was there something that urgent? I quietly listened to Second Elder's words and opened my mouth again.
"...Hmm, if I'm doing such an annoying task, shouldn't I get something out of it too?"
[What...?]
"If I beat that bastard, grant me one request."
[If you win, why should this old man grant your request...?]
"If you don't want to, I'll just roll around on the dirt floor and lose right now."
[You spout strange words. If you, Yang Tian, lose after coming all the way here, it will be a blemish on your future path to becoming Clan Head...]
"Second Elder, why do you keep assuming I want to be the Clan Head?"
Feeling my body was roughly stretched, I slowly rotated my wrists and approached Gu Jueye.
"I have no particular desire to become Clan Head."
[...!]
Second Elder gasped at my shocking declaration. Did everyone think I wanted to be Clan Head?
'I left such petty greed behind in my past life.'
I repeated inwardly. Was it really greed? Was it because I thought it was above me? No, it was simply useless to me.
What exactly a Clan Head is, and what they must harbor to live.
The current me knew it well enough to be sick to my stomach.
"Have you finished stretching?"
"More or less."
Gu Jueye held a wooden sword and met me. As expected, facing him directly made it more certain.
This bastard was far stronger than Gu Yeonseo.
As I prepared for the spar, Gu Jueye abruptly apologized.
"I feel apologetic towards the First Young Master."
"What are you suddenly talking about?"
"Last year, I went too far in the spar with the First Young Master."
"We've fought before?"
"Yes, because of that, the First Young Master was bedridden for a month."
Bedridden for a long time... Why don't I have such a memory?
"The First Young Master is too weak."
"Now you're even picking a fight."
"I heard you defeated the Second Young Miss, but that was merely a coincidence."
"Right, I think so too."
"However, the problem is that my grandfather doesn't seem to think so."
"Right, right, I think so too."
At my answers, Gu Jueye stared at me with wide, unblinking eyes. Oops, was I caught answering so half-heartedly?
Gu Jueye quickly shook his head left and right and continued speaking.
"I do not wish to torment the weak, but I hate it even more when a weak person rises to the position of Clan Head."
"You know you're bringing that up right in front of the direct descendant of the Clan Head, right?"
It was quite a dangerous statement to make so carelessly.
Hoo!
A wave of heat brushed past my cheek. It was emanating from Gu Jueye. It was different from the *Gu Yan Hua Lun Gong*, which was only passed down to the direct line of the Clan Head.
The mental cultivation method Gu Jueye inherited was the *Gu Xian Yan Gong*.
While it shared the trait of harboring heat, it was a cultivation method focused on compression and speed rather than the destructive power gained from *Gu Yan Hua Lun Gong*.
'His martial arts... 3rd Star?'
A level equal to Gu Yeonseo; the intense heat Gu Jueye radiated was clearly saying so. Ah, should I just forfeit right now?
[The words you said earlier.]
As if he had been waiting for this moment, Second Elder's Sound Transmission rang out.
[If you win this spar, I will put this old man's name on the line and definitely grant your request.]
'Now I can't easily forfeit either.'
...My situation is always like this.
Making a resignation that wasn't quite a resignation, I also began to circulate the *Gu Yan Hua Lun Gong* within me.
The cultivation method that started to circulate in my body slowly pushed back Gu Jueye's qi.
A distinct glint appeared in Gu Jueye's eyes.
"Second Elder."
It was none other than Gu Jueye who called Second Elder.
"Why are you calling me?"
"If I take the victory in this spar, I too have something I wish to obtain."
This bastard must have heard what we were talking about earlier.
He has sharp ears anyway...
Second Elder glanced at me and replied to Gu Jueye.
"Alright, the conditions must be equal. Jueye, what do you want?"
Only then did Gu Jueye point with his hand.
Over there was Wi Seol-ah, who had just popped a snack into her mouth.
"I want that servant."
What was in Gu Jueye's eyes was clearly desire. Though it might be closer to lustful attachment rather than simple lust of the flesh.
At those words, I...
"Haha."
Found it incredibly fucked up.
"This motherfucker, seriously."
Immediately after, it felt as if a line inside me had sharply snapped.