Time passed, and the day of the engagement ceremony arrived.
Though only a few days had passed.
It was a tedious time for me, as I couldn't even train properly.
At best, I went for walks with Namgung Bia.
Or had stressful tea parties with Madam Mi, who occasionally visited.
No, having a tea party without a single word of conversation—what was I supposed to do?
It was so stressful I thought I would die.
'At least taunting that Nyeoryong bastard was somewhat entertaining.'
Thinking of Namgung Cheonjun, he was undeniably a ridiculous fellow.
The power gained from blood energy.
Was at most the evolution of the physical body and the strengthening of martial arts.
In my case, the flames changed to blue flames.
But it seemed that guy didn't achieve that.
Of course, since he was bullshitting that even his memories were hazy.
I had to smack him on the head.
The power gained from demonic energy is blatantly visible.
Immediately, a purple tint appeared in his thunder energy.
Even he himself could feel that his destructive power had thickened.
Was that the cause?
Namgung Cheonjun felt half-mad.
Should I say he was drunk on demonic energy?
He seemed anxious to use it somehow.
'Crazy bastard.'
Well, he accepted blood energy as good too.
Being unable to resist such glaring demonic energy can happen.
Still, for a blood relative of the orthodox faction.
To be so drawn to a power that anyone could see is a dark art was outrageous.
'Then again, anyone who would harbor disgusting desires toward his own sister wouldn't be in his right mind.'
Even so, his appearance was terrifying.
Once, he grabbed me by the pant legs and begged me to let him use it.
Only after I told him to shut up all day and not come near me did he finally leave.
'...I should have just killed him.'
Hah.
I really should have just disposed of him.
Should I just get rid of him instead of watching to see what happens?
Every time I saw his face, such thoughts filled my mind.
I had found out what I needed to find out.
So there was no need to keep watching him.
'Hoo.'
From him, the desire for honor and the urge to climb higher were felt so vividly.
Seriously, this is the problem with kids from prestigious families.
They think they can gain something by climbing up there.
No, wait.
Because they covet only such things, they can't climb high.
In reality, those playing in the skies right now are all entirely mad about martial arts.
Clack-
The sound of the teacup being lifted is clear.
For now, I had to put aside thoughts of Namgung Cheonjun.
'It's stifling.'
I was in a hurry to endure the current situation right now.
Demonic energy and Namgung Cheonjun aside.
There was a more important situation right now.
"As the head of this Namgung family, I gladly accept this engagement with the Gu family."
I move my gaze at the voice.
Not toward Namgung Jin, who was speaking.
Nor toward my father, who was listening to him.
But toward the woman in front of me.
'She gave me a lot of strength.'
Namgung Bia, dressed up to the nines, was as beautiful as ever.
Her gaze was also fixed on me from beginning to end.
That was quite a curious thing.
'She looks like she means it.'
The engagement.
That I was truly getting engaged to her.
Was in many ways a wondrous thing to me.
...
In the time I've lived, I knew that a considerable amount of the future I was to experience had changed.
But it was only now that it felt the most real.
'What are you thinking?'
I still recall the woman lingering behind Namgung Bia.
She looked exactly like Namgung Bia.
But she couldn't live the same life. You, who died for me.
What would you say looking at this?
I was just a little curious.
Namgung Bia was looking at me with soft eyes.
A different expression from usual.
Or is it? It seemed a little different.
I'm not sure.
Whatever it is.
It is an extraordinary thing for me.
'What is this emotion?'
What is the emotion contained in my heart?
It wouldn't be excitement.
It wouldn't be anticipation.
Even if it's an engagement, it's just an engagement, literally.
I won't marry.
Because I have too many things left to do for that.
'Then, will I do it after I finish everything?'
I asked myself.
'Well.'
I couldn't give an answer.
To think of such peace.
It's too early.
And it didn't suit my current situation.
'I just hope it's a little different.'
That the rest of your life will be different from before.
And that the life laid out before me will be lighter than before.
I was only hoping for that.
"So stop staring, it's burdensome."
Did she understand my words?
Namgung Bia just smiled at my words.
The engagement ceremony ended quietly.
Would it be understood if I said it was quieter than a banquet?
Each family head said their words of acceptance.
Namgung Bia and I held each other's hands.
With this, the engagement was fulfilled.
For something I had tried so hard to avoid, it was an incredibly calm conclusion.
It was a moment where I could let go of my complicated thoughts, even if just a little.
Along with that.
-Young Master!
A certain person's face came to mind.
It was a somewhat difficult time.
The engagement ceremony didn't take very long.
A formality for show was enough.
The Gu family arrived at the Namgung family and engaged.
Spreading just that to the world was enough.
The commercial exchanges or implicit trading relationships that would follow.
Were for the family heads to resolve, not me, so I decided not to worry about it.
'What I'm curious about is.'
The noisy atmosphere of the past few days.
The reason the engagement had to be postponed.
I was somewhat curious about this.
But there were no particular rumors.
I'm not sure if Father heard, but the reason for his lack of response.
'Would be because he understood.'
Since it was a reason enough for that, Father must have accepted it, hence no reaction.
'I just hope I don't get tangled up in useless matters.'
I was already overwhelmed with my own affairs, so I shouldn't get swept up in this.
Of course, I assumed Father would draw the line himself.
'Now, for this first.'
I surveyed my surroundings with an uneasy expression.
Would it be right to call it a warehouse filled with objects?
It wouldn't be different, as that was practically its purpose.
This place.
Was a warehouse where the Namgung family's cursed objects gathered.
The reason I was here.
Was because I asked Namgung Jin to let me in.
Honestly, I did ask, but.
Unlike my expectation that he would refuse to some extent, Namgung Jin's reaction was compliant.
Well, I did give him an enlightenment.
And I wasn't trying to take anything, just to look.
Of course, for this, a restriction spell had to be placed to restrict my actions.
That was within my expectations.
I had no intention of stealing anything anyway.
Having one or two cursed objects on my body was enough... I was already overwhelmed with just this, why would I add more?
I looked around the warehouse, examining each one.
'It seems most of them are swords.'
As the saying goes, the Namgung family is a renowned sword family; the managed cursed objects all took the form of swords.
However, most of them had somewhat strange shapes to be practically used as weapons.
Should I call them decorations that seemed to exist solely for viewing?
There were plenty of things I couldn't understand why they were classified as cursed objects.
Originally, considering the existence of cursed objects themselves, it was natural for there to be incomprehensible objects.
Cursed objects are objects without a creator.
'Rather than saying there isn't one, it's more accurate to say it's unknown.'
Where they flowed from.
And who made them, obscure objects that couldn't be known.
That was the majority of cursed objects.
The cursed objects stored in the Namgung family also mostly gave off that feeling.
They were merely managing them because they had been passed down from previous generations.
The only cursed object in the Namgung family that was used as a weapon was solely Lei Ya.
'I might not know.'
At least, as far as I knew, that was the case.
Thinking of that, I surveyed the surroundings.
'There's no particularly strange feeling.'
As they are cursed objects of the Namgung family.
Thunder energy can be felt to some extent, but I don't see any distinction.
'...Is it really not here either?'
The reason I came all the way here, making a bothersome request, was none other than.
Because of the story I heard from Hwangabulyeong at Shaolin.
-Find Myeong.
It was a phrase implying that the Thunder Heaven Sword, Namgung Myeong, was also contained within a cursed object.
I wondered if he might be contained within one of the cursed objects inside the Namgung family.
I came here since I had an excuse, but.
'As expected.'
It seemed he wasn't here.
Even if the Thunder Heaven Sword was here, if I didn't know, it couldn't be helped.
'Since Hwangabulyeong told me to find him, wouldn't it show some reaction when it sees me?'
I thought there would be some reaction, just like Cheolyeong.
'If it's not here... as expected.'
The probability was high that Namgung Myeong was contained in the famous sword Lei Ya, a cursed object wandering outside.
As it was his beloved sword he used his entire life and a cursed object.
It wouldn't be strange if Namgung Myeong's soul was in Lei Ya.
This was also a story I had anticipated.
I just hoped for an easy path.
"What a shame."
Now that Shin Noya was asleep.
I tried to do something even by myself, but the situation didn't support it.
In the end, it meant I had to go all the way to Wudang Mountain to find Namgung Myeong.
Furthermore, the current Lei Ya was in the possession of Wudang's Guaiseon.
It meant I had to find not only Wudang but also him.
"It makes me unable to stay still for even a moment."
It was like saying I had to run like my feet were on fire to live a peaceful life.
Fucking hell.
Filled with annoyance, I moved my steps.
I had no more business here, so I had to leave.
Then.
----Clang.
I turned around at the sound of a voice.
It was instinct that made goosebumps rise on my back.
-Shincheol.
Far away, beyond the signed cursed objects.
The ink calligraphy hanging on the warehouse wall.
The sound was coming from there.
"...No way."
I turned my steps and approached the direction the sound came from.
The writing hanging on the wall was Nancheonjeilgeom (南天第仔劍).
It was a phrase with an unknown meaning.
A paper with words scribbled roughly was hanging on the wall.
As I stared at it quietly with bewildered eyes.
-Shincheol...
A voice was heard, as if to prove it wasn't an illusion.
It was a cold and very low male voice.
'No way... is it really the Thunder Heaven Sword?'
Namgung Myeong's soul, which I naturally thought would be in a cursed object.
Did this mean it was contained in such a crude-looking handwriting?
"...Thunder Heaven Sword... is that you?"
I called out to him hesitantly, but.
The person didn't answer.
A brief silence passed by like that.
"Um..."
-Shincheol... no, it could be that bastard Ilcheon.
"Excuse me?"
The voice began to spew words.
"Um, no, excuse me!"
-How much time has passed... I'm curious, but right now, nothing, right now nothing is important.
No matter how hard I called out, the voice only spat out its own words.
It seemed my voice couldn't be heard.
-Whoever you are, first find Lei Ya, no. Find me. I...
The voice that was speaking suddenly cut off, and no more sound could be heard.
It felt as if only a voice had been contained.
Leaving aside whether that was possible.
"Find Lei Ya?"
I had to recall the words left by the presumed Namgung Myeong.
If these words were true, it really meant Namgung Myeong was contained in Lei Ya.
"And..."
[It could be that bastard Ilcheon.]
These words also caught in my mind.
Cheolyeong also seemed to have expected that Shin Noya would remain in this timeline.
If it's Ilcheon...
'Gwoncheolgeumwang Yeonilcheon...'
The world's strongest at the time who fought against the previous Blood Demon.
Cheolyeong said.
A martial artist who was said to have reversed time like me.
'Why him...?'
Why would Namgung Myeong mention his name?
That strangely bothered me.
A room shrouded in a dark atmosphere.
A man enters the room.
"Miss, a letter has arrived."
Inside the Moyong family's merchant guild in Anhui.
Even around the time night fell, the lamp in the room was lit.
Inside the room, Moyong Huia was examining a letter.
"Is it from the Namgung family?"
"Yes."
"Summarize it for me."
Even while speaking, Moyong Huia's gaze was directed at the letter in her hand.
"...It seems the engagement matter has been resolved.”
At those words, Moyong Huia paused for a moment.
And sent her gaze toward the man.
"And no other talk?"
"Yes."
"Something significant must have happened. To not use this."
The talk of an engagement with the Nyeoryong wasn't a fully confirmed story.
But it was a story that would have been clearly confirmed with a little more progress.
And the one leading it was none other than the Moyong family.
As much, now that they were mentioning they wouldn't do it.
Even if it was a story of the murim, the Moyong family should have said something.
'It passes over this easily.'
From Moyong Huia's perspective, it was a somewhat dubious matter.
"Anyway, it went well."
"Yes."
"Tomorrow, we'll probably have to go to the center, so please prepare."
"Yes, understood."
Moyong Huia spoke and let out a sigh inwardly.
The engagement ceremony was probably over by now.
Thinking about it made her stomach feel heavy.
'It doesn't matter.'
Yet she tried hard to distract herself.
Because it was a part she had expected.
'...There is plenty of time.'
It was a thought the former Moyong Huia wouldn't have had.
Plenty of time.
How much this didn't suit her.
The time she had clearly judged to be running out.
Changed as she met him.
Rustle.
The letter she was holding slipped from Moyong Huia's hand and slowly settled on the floor.
"...Just because you're engaged doesn't mean it's over, right?"
"Miss?"
"It's nothing."
Moyong Huia brushed her hair up and struggled to pick up the letter again.
Tomorrow, she could see him.
For Moyong Huia, that was enough right now.
"Did my father say anything else?"
"The family head didn't particularly... Ah, he said he'd like to meet the True Dragon if possible."
"Dismissed, pretend I didn't hear that."
"Understood."
Moyong Huia firmly replied to the man's words.
Her father, who cherished and loved her more than his own life.
If he were to see Gu Yangcheon, there was no telling what he would do.
Even now, it was obvious he was barely holding back because of the miracle that his heat could save her.
'...I can't tolerate this.'
Especially if he saw her chasing after a man who already had a fiancée.
There was no telling what would happen to Gu Yangcheon that very day.
"Miss."
"Go ahead."
"Then, how should we deal with the ones we caught?"
"Ah."
At the man's words, Moyong Huia raised her head as if she had forgotten.
The reason Moyong Huia came to Anhui.
Was because the collaborative merchant group that received silk and used it for business had embezzled back funds.
Confirming and finding them was simple.
Because they had handled things so incompetently that they were easy to find.
Moyong Huia, who was slightly stretching her body.
"Kill them. Everyone involved, without exception."
Gave a calm, cold answer.
"Understood."
The man who heard the answer soon turned his back and left the room.
Moyong Huia, left alone, could finally relax her heavy body.
Because she was treating her chronic illness and couldn't train properly, her body felt somewhat heavy.
Actually, she was past the level where she could train.
But Moyong Huia was intentionally not doing so.
'...If I train in secret, he'll notice.'
Because of that, if he found out her body was getting better.
The points of contact they had would probably decrease.
She couldn't let that happen, so she had to use this for the next few years.
For Moyong Huia, rather than advancing as a martial artist.
Getting closer as a woman was more important.
"Then now..."
After moving for a moment and stretching her body.
Moyong Huia picked up another letter.
There was the information the Moyong family had provided to Moyong Huia.
And it wrote about the reason the Namgung family was somewhat chaotic right now.
-The whereabouts of Cheonjon are obscure.
A strange light flickered in Moyong Huia's eyes as she read the short line.