If one were to mention the changes in the Central Plains over the past year.
A few major things could be pointed out.
The first was the annihilation of the Heukya Palace.
Although the exact details were not announced.
News spread throughout the Central Plains that the Murim Alliance and the Gu Family had joined forces to drive out the Heukya Palace.
It was an incident that many rejoiced over, as the Heukya Palace, one of the massive forces of the Demonic Path, had disappeared.
However.
Why the Murim Alliance suddenly engaged in battle with the Heukya Palace.
And why the participating clan had to be the Gu Family of all clans—these details were not well known.
Moreover, although the Heukya Palace had fallen.
What happened to the Heukya Palace Lord, the master of the faction.
And the other martial artists of the Heukya Palace... the exact inner details of their fates remained unrevealed.
It was merely because the Alliance had said so.
And because the Beggars' Sect had further spread the word.
The people simply believed it.
Regardless of the truth, the destruction of a Demonic Path faction was a good thing.
No matter what circumstances lay beneath the surface.
It wouldn't be of much importance to others.
The second was the return of the Plum Blossom Sword Empress.
The Plum Blossom Sword Empress, the heroine of the Central Plains who had been missing and vanished without a trace for the past few years, had finally made an appearance.
Even looking as beautiful and strong as she did in the past.
As for why the Sword Empress had not shown herself until now, the Huashan Sect...
-"It was her choice, so we merely respect it."
Offered these incomprehensible words.
And the Sword Empress herself seemed to accept this.
Additionally, just as the Huashan Sect had always been.
Even if they made somewhat peculiar statements, the trend was to just let it slide.
Besides, the conclusion was that the Sword Empress had returned.
The third was.
The issue with the martial arts tournament held last time.
If one were to ask what the problem was.
It was the fact that the Six Dragons and Three Phoenixes, the leading figures of the current rising stars, mostly did not attend the tournament.
The Gathering of Dragons and Phoenixes, where dozens to hundreds of rising stars participated.
It was an unspoken rule that the dragons and phoenixes of the current generation would attend this annual banquet.
Starting from the year before last, when half of them were absent.
Last year, the situation was even more severe.
True to the saying that they were the highest caliber of dragons and phoenixes in history.
Perhaps it was because each of them had such distinct personalities.
The Hidden Dragon sent word that the distance was too far and he was too tired to attend.
The Sword Phoenix sent a letter stating he was too busy to attend.
The Snow Phoenix also sent word that she would be absent due to clan matters.
As for the Sword Dragon, the Huashan Sect conveyed the news on his behalf that he had attained enlightenment during his training and entered closed-door cultivation.
The Fighting Dragon and the True Dragon didn't even bother sending a letter.
As a result, the only dragon and phoenix who attended the Gathering of Dragons and Phoenixes were the Thunder Dragon and the Poison Phoenix.
The Divine Prodigy, who had gained a great harvest from the tournament the year before last, also participated.
But the majority opinion was: what meaning was there in a festival where all the jewels were missing?
'Thanks to that, it seems everyone will be dragged to the Gathering of Dragons and Phoenixes this time.'
Still, just two people? Two people?
It's not my place to talk since I didn't even send a letter, but I still didn't expect only two of them to go.
'I should have realized when Moyong Hui-a also said she wouldn't go.'
The reason the Snow Phoenix didn't go was probably largely because of me.
....
....
But I didn't know the other guys wouldn't go either.
Because of that, taking into account the Murim Alliance's stance as well, this year's Gathering of Dragons and Phoenixes would likely enforce mandatory attendance.
'Though I probably won't go even then.'
Mandatory attendance or not, since when has the Gu Family ever cared about such things?
*Swish.*
As I opened the entrance of the tent and stepped out, the subtle fragrance unique to dawn filled the air.
It seemed the sun hadn't been up for long.
"Ummm..."
Amidst this, a sound tickled my ears from the far end of the tent.
Turning my head to find the culprit of the sound.
"...When did she crawl back in here?"
Curled up and sleeping in the corner was definitely Nangong Bia.
I had fed her dinner last night and even sent her back to her own tent.
Why on earth was Nangong Bia here?
'...'
I thought it was absurd, but I was now half-giving up.
It wasn't the first or second time she had done that.
"...Wake her up a bit later."
The only thing I could do was grab Hongwa as she passed by and ask her to wake her up.
"Oh my...!"
At my words, Hongwa peeked inside the tent.
Then she looked at me with an expression that seemed to say, *Is she in there again?*
But I couldn't give her an answer just because she gave me that look.
"I saw Miss Moyong leaving earlier... But I didn't know Miss Nangong would be here too..."
"What?"
"Yes?"
"Moyong... She left from here?"
"Yes..."
"But how come I didn't know?"
Moyong Hui-a came out of my tent?
When did she even come in, and when did she leave?
'No, do they think they're actual cats? Why do they just come and go as they please?'
Anyone looking would think they had nowhere else to sleep.
'I was so dumbfounded.'
The best tent in this sector was none other than the one Moyong Hui-a stayed in.
The place I slept was on the larger side in terms of size.
But at best, it was just a regular tent.
Being of the bloodline, it was at the level where I could sleep alone and didn't have to stand night watch.
Other than that, the condition of the bed and the tent itself wasn't very good.
Originally, since I could sleep just fine even on the bare ground, it didn't matter much to me.
'Even if I make a hundred concessions for Nangong Bia, what about Moyong Hui-a?'
Nangong Bia had been stealthily taking over my bed and feigning innocence as she slept since before.
Even if I let that slide with a hundred concessions.
The fact that even Moyong Hui-a was coming and going was an incomprehensible matter.
'Is she not feeling well?' Given how excessively fastidious Moyong Hui-a was.
I couldn't understand why she would bother coming and going from such a tent.
"Did I give her less heat energy?"
That wasn't it.
I was giving it to her strictly once a week.
Moreover, unlike before, she was taking in slightly more heat energy each time.
It made me think that Moyong Hui-a's constitution was almost completely healed.
'Seeing how good her complexion has been lately, it really did seem that way.'
Her circulation was almost *too* good.
If her skin used to lean toward the pale side in the past.
Now it was a vibrant, fair complexion, so she must have improved significantly.
'Lately, it feels like her body has been running a bit hot too.'
At that rate, wasn't she practically fully healed?
Probably not.
If she were fully healed, why would she still receive heat energy?
Anyway.
Leaving Hongwa behind, I set off to find Moyong Hui-a.
It was to confirm why she was coming and going from my tent.
As I walked, I spotted someone trudging along in the distance.
It was none other than Gu Jeolyeop.
Gu Jeolyeop, who was walking towards me, seemed to have spotted me as well, as he flinched and shuddered.
He also subtly tried to change his direction.
Look at this bastard.
"Where are you going?"
"...!"
"We made eye contact. I asked where you're going."
At my words, Gu Jeolyeop approached with an utterly sour expression, shuffling his feet.
It seemed he no longer bothered to hide his expressions.
That guy had changed a lot too.
How wonderful.
"...I greet the First Young Master."
"Yes, I too greet the Great Hero Yeohyeopgeom. Have you been well during this time?"
"Ugh..."
At my words dripping with mockery, Gu Jeolyeop swallowed a groan.
He was so happy when he first heard his nickname, too.
"Where are you coming back from?"
"I'm on my way to rest after my shift change."
Seeing him, it seemed he was returning after standing night watch.
I listened to that quietly and nodded.
"Then you can go train with me."
"Excuse me?"
"You said you have free time, didn't you? Right?"
I was also on my way to see Moyong Hui-a.
But I could just see Moyong Hui-a later.
At my words, Gu Jeolyeop continued speaking with a thoroughly flustered expression.
"No, First Young Master...?"
"Yeah."
"I just told you I'm on my way back after my night watch ended..."
"I heard you. Heard you loud and clear."
"...But then what was that you just said...?"
"Your night watch is over, so that means you have a lot of time now."
"How does that make any sense?"
"What are you going to do when you get back?"
"...I plan to sleep."
That was right. When night watch was over, one should sleep.
But my thoughts were a bit different.
"Are you never going to sleep again for the rest of your life after you take that nap?"
"Excuse me?"
"You can sleep all you want after you die."
At my words, Gu Jeolyeop crumpled his face as if I were spouting absolute nonsense.
But I had already made up my mind.
"Or would you prefer I make you sleep forever? I'm quite good at that."
I said with a bright smile.
Gu Jeolyeop's face crumpled to the point where it couldn't crumple any further.
Time passed from dawn to noon.
The training that had started lightly could also be roughly wrapped up.
*Thud!*
A heavy sound dropped in the middle of the forest.
*Flap flap!*
The birds that had been holding their breath in the trees flew up, their cries echoing.
It was the sound of me setting down the boulder I had been holding.
"Hah... Haaaah..."
Gu Jeolyeop lay sprawled flat on the ground, panting heavily.
His martial uniform was already soaked with sweat.
His hands and feet were trembling violently; it seemed he had gone through considerable suffering.
Seeing that, I also casually tossed the boulder I was holding onto the ground.
*Boom!*
It was a sound twice as loud as the one Gu Jeolyeop had made when he set his down.
That was only natural, considering the boulder I was holding was already twice the size.
Unlike Gu Jeolyeop, who was drenched in sweat like a drowned rat.
I only had a moderate amount of sweat beads on my forehead.
Looking at the practically dying Gu Jeolyeop, I asked.
"You managed to endure it all today?" "Hah... Hah, hah..."
He seemed like he wanted to say something.
But it seemed he wasn't in any condition to answer.
I examined Gu Jeolyeop's body up and down and nodded.
'The vessel seems to be almost ready.'
The vessel required for Gu Jeolyeop to reach the Pinnacle as a martial artist was roughly prepared.
Well, after rolling him like that for a year, it would be stranger if it hadn't.
'At this rate, he'll break through before summer ends.'
For a martial artist to break through the wall, internal energy delving into the middle dantian was necessary.
But more importantly, a physical body capable of enduring that process was crucial.
Of course, if one had the power to control their internal energy to the extreme, it was possible to break through the wall without the physical body collapsing.
For example, even if the preparation of their physical vessels was lacking, like Nangong Bia or Gu Huibi.
They could still break through the wall based on their innate talents.
'That guy could do it too if he wanted to.'
Since Gu Jeolyeop was also at the level where he could be called a genius.
In a way, this method was feasible for him.
But for the sake of safety and building a solid foundation for the future, tempering the physical body first was important.
'Shortcuts like mine aren't really good in the long run.'
That was why I rolled him every time I saw him.
Yet this bastard didn't understand his kind older brother's heart and kept trying to avoid me every time he saw me, which really pissed me off.
"Come to think of it, it's annoying... Should I increase the training hours?"
"Eek...?"
"This is all for your own good, from your older brother."
To call myself his older brother was a bit much since Gu Jeolyeop was actually older, but it didn't seem like Gu Jeolyeop cared about that either.
It seemed he was keeping his mouth shut for fear of getting hit if he talked back.
Anyway.
'If I push him any further, he might actually die.'
If I rolled him to train a little more here.
Gu Jeolyeop might really lose his mind.
I decided to let it go for now.
"It's a shame, but we'll have to stop here for today."
At my words, Gu Jeolyeop let out a long breath of relief.
Could a martial artist really be that happy to take a break from training?
'I used to hate training horrifyingly much in the past too.'
On this point, I wasn't really in a position to say anything to Gu Jeolyeop.
I watched the relieved Gu Jeolyeop and added one last thing.
"Ah, my sister said she plans to train with you later."
"...Excuse me? What do you mean..."
"Just saying. I'm heading out first."
"Y-Young Master!"
Gu Jeolyeop called out to me desperately, but I had no intention of stopping.
The reason he was making such a desperate expression was probably because training with Gu Huibi was even more grueling than training with me.
Gu Huibi was the type to truly roll a person until they dropped dead.
Gu Jeolyeop knew this as well, so he called out to me as if begging for his life.
Unfortunately, since it was past noon, I had things to do.
'If I knew she was going to put him through this again later, maybe I should have gone easier on him.'
While such a thought briefly crossed my mind.
'Well, he'll endure it somehow.'
With utmost faith in Gu Jeolyeop, I wiped the thought from my mind.
Hang in there, Gu Jeolyeop.