EP.44 Sword Phoenix (Jianfeng). (4)
Sword Phoenix (Jianfeng) (4)
"I heard you crushed Lei Long's arm."
Those were the words my father spat out as soon as I entered the Patriarch's office.
No greeting about how long it's been, no asking about my well-being—just straight to the point.
'...Of all things to ask about.'
He was always this kind of person, but he's truly consistent.
How should I answer? Should I just tell it like it is?
"No, I didn't crush it. I just broke it a little…."
After all that contemplation, the words that slipped out were merely this.
I wondered if it was practically the same thing, but I felt like I had to say something.
Fortunately, my father didn't seem to care much about my phrasing.
"Why did you do such a thing?"
Because this was what mattered.
He must have already heard everything, so asking again meant he wanted to hear it directly from me.
I took a brief, deep breath before slowly speaking.
"Lei Long suggested a spar first, so I accepted. Then he mixed in lethal techniques, so I retaliated accordingly."
A rather simple explanation, but that was honestly the entirety of it.
I did mix in some provocation because he kept acting cocky, but the one who crossed the line is at fault, isn't he?
"Lei Long mixed in lethal techniques?"
"Yes. We agreed not to use internal energy, but he imbued his wooden sword with qi. I felt his killing intent too."
"Witnesses?"
"There were plenty of people around."
Someone who would have felt it properly would be the Young Master of the Tang Clan?
Tang So-yeol was also there, but with that dazed look on his face after it ended, I couldn't really trust him.
My father nodded at my answer.
"That is enough."
Truly, he is an unfazed man no matter when I look at him.
Even hearing that his son defeated Lei Long, this was the extent of his reaction.
I had almost never seen this kind of father waver.
Not when his child became a demonic cultivator, not when his blood relatives died one by one, not even when he himself was dying.
Enduring the heavy atmosphere and standing quietly, my father suddenly brought something up.
"It seems you've made some progress."
"...Pardon?"
These were the words my father had once said to Gu Yeon-seo at the dining table.
Ironically, this time I was the one hearing those words.
Even though I abruptly reached the 3rd star, my father didn't seem particularly concerned.
He is detached to an excessive degree.
"Good."
"...Thank you."
Even at those measly words, I struggled to suppress the corners of my mouth from curling up.
How old am I, to be so happy over a mere compliment like this…?
'Come to think of it, isn't this the first time I've heard such a thing?'
Had I ever received a compliment? Probably not.
That must be why I so easily succumb to these useless sentiments.
After briefly grasping the circumstances, my father brought up no further topics.
Does he not think I might be lying?
Folding the letter he was reading, he brought up another matter.
"If there was a conflict with the Nangong, you must have met your fiancée, who was reportedly there as well."
"...."
What was bound to come has come….
Ah…. Fiancée.
Why does that word send such chills down my spine?
I gulped down the saliva pooling unbidden in my mouth, then asked my father while hiding my trembling voice.
"May I ask what this is about?"
"About what?"
"About the engagement with the Nangong. I would like to ask how this came to be."
No matter how much I thought about it, it was far too abrupt.
Not to mention it wasn't in my past life, but Nangong of all clans?
Setting my bewilderment aside, my father lightly threw out his words.
"It is a decision made by the Council of Elders. It shouldn't be a bad thing for you either."
"..."
The hell it isn't….
Just what on earth happened for such an absurd situation like an engagement with Nangong Bi-ah to arise?
As I was racking my brain, my father's voice reached me.
"Even if breaking off the engagement with the Peng Clan was unavoidable, I do not believe you will ruin this matter as well."
Did he notice I was displeased with the engagement?
I could sense the underlying message in my father's words: he wouldn't give me a second chance.
If it had come to this, there was nothing I could say right now.
For now, I had to keep my mouth shut.
Rustle.
The sound of the letter being unfolded and folded echoed quietly in the Patriarch's office.
I stood in silence and waited for his next words.
The fact that my father hadn't told me to leave meant he still had business to discuss.
Tap tap.
The sound of him tapping the desk with his ring finger.
A habit that naturally surfaced when he had something on his mind.
Seeing my father like that made me frown.
The same habit as mine. A trait I had inherited.
Whenever this happened, the realization that I was ultimately my father's son hit me, making me feel a bit dizzy.
"It will soon be the height of summer."
My father's words brought me back to my senses.
What is this about all of a sudden?
"Yes, it is summer."
I was already feeling it getting hotter anyway.
But why bring that up so suddenly?
Summer…?
"Soon, the Di Hua Zhan (First Blossom Battle) will begin at Mount Hua."
My heart dropped at my father's words.
Just hearing the words Mount Hua made me feel like I couldn't breathe.
Because it reminded me of Mount Hua burning to ashes in my past life.
'...Don't think about it.'
I calmed my racing heart and repeatedly took deep breaths.
Looking at my state, my father asked,
"Is something the matter?"
"...No. What do you mean by that?"
Instead of answering, my father handed me the letter he was holding.
I carefully received the letter and unfolded it.
And upon reading the words written within, I couldn't help but frown.
I immediately asked my father.
"...Why are you giving this to me?"
"Bring them back."
"Why should I…?"
"Because you have to."
What kind of nonsense is this?
Without relaxing my furrowed brow, I asked my father again.
"You know I just came from Sichuan, right?"
"I will allow you to depart in about a week."
"I suppose there's no option to decline…?"
Telling me to go far away again right after returning from Sichuan—what kind of bullshit situation was this?
I wondered if he had caught a heatstroke, but why would a martial artist who practices fire arts catch a heatstroke…?
'Did he have a change of heart or something?'
The Gu Clan does not let its blood relatives wander outside recklessly.
Gu Hui-bi was an exception only because her talents were so outstanding that she inevitably attracted attention.
I was different.
They say it isn't rare for children of prominent families to travel to experience the world.
My apparent age was still young, and I hadn't even become the Young Master, so I couldn't quite grasp his intentions in trying to send me out so easily.
Moreover, if I were to roam outside, the higher-ups certainly wouldn't be pleased.
I thought my father shared the same sentiment, yet he's telling me to go all the way there and back?
"Patriarch, no matter how you look at it, suddenly telling me to go all the way to Mount Hua is a bit…."
"If you don't want to, you don't have to go."
"Huh? Oh, then I won't go…."
"Instead, if you go and return, I will open the secret vault and give you a Taixian Dan."
"...Of course your son should go! I will go and return. Should I leave right now?"
At the mention of a spiritual pill, I instinctively gave an immediate answer.
...Was I too materialistic?
My heart stung a little at my father's slightly furrowed gaze.
But if it's a Taixian Dan, it can't be helped.
It was a spiritual pill said to rank right below Shaolin's Xiaohuan Dan; if consumed and properly absorbed, one could gain twenty years' worth of internal energy.
Those words meant that if push came to shove, he really would open the Gu Clan's secret vault to give it to me.
Thanks to fortuitous encounters, my internal energy had certainly increased significantly, but that was only when compared to my pathetic past which was worth less than rat droppings; objectively, it wasn't much.
Ultimately, while my physical body was important, my internal energy was equally urgent.
"...So I just need to go and return in a week?"
I thought a week might be a bit short to take care of all the things I needed to handle.
"Do you need more time?"
"Would it be alright if I leave in ten days instead?"
My father nodded as if telling me to do so.
And then he shifted his gaze back to the letter.
How could there be so much to read?
'Ten days, huh.'
Fortunately, I managed to get his permission.
With this, the time I could spend in Shanxi would be ten days. It was a pain to set off on another long journey right after returning, but it was worth it for a Taixian Dan.
Rather, it was stranger that my father would bring out a Taixian Dan for something like this.
He wasn't the type to spout empty words, so it wasn't a lie, but was this really important enough to bring out a Taixian Dan?
To me, who was standing quietly, my father pointed towards the door with his hand.
"We are done with our business. Go and rest."
"Yes."
I also found it burdensome to stay any longer and was just about to leave.
With this settled, I had to visit the Hao Men within a few days, and since I also needed to train, I had to move a bit busily.
'Mount Hua, huh.'
The plum blossoms that had bloomed so splendidly across the heavens lingered in a corner of my memory.
The sight of it all burning to ashes also remained in my memories.
Even so, did I dare to set foot on Mount Hua?
'Don't think about it.'
It wasn't good.
Once I started thinking like this, there was no end to it.
It was something that wouldn't happen again.
As always, I had to digest it alone.
'I just need to finish the task given to me and come back.'
The task given to me—I should only think about that.
Closing the door to the Patriarch's office behind me, I thought about the task my father had given me.
It was an order to bring back the youngest, who was at Mount Hua.
******************
When I returned to my quarters, Elder Yi and Gu Hui-bi had already left.
To cause such a ruckus right after arriving, only to disappear when I actually returned.
Of course, it was a relief for me to return to peaceful quarters.
As I headed to my room to change clothes, I spotted Jianzun holding a broom in the distance.
Jianzun also seemed to have noticed me, as he carefully offered a bow.
...It's been a while, but Jianzun's demeanor was always burdensome.
"Heeing…."
...Hmm?
Hearing a familiar whimper, I shifted my gaze behind Jianzun and saw Wi Seol-ah kneeling with both arms raised, serving a punishment.
It resembled my posture earlier, when I was instinctively serving a punishment in front of Gu Hui-bi.
"Why is she doing that again…?"
Feeling wronged, tears streamed down from her eyes.
Even so, Jianzun didn't pay any mind to the crying Wi Seol-ah and silently went about his work.
I wondered why she was being punished, but I soon figured it out.
Ah, she had secretly followed me to Sichuan.
It seemed she had been caught and scolded as soon as we returned because she had left her post without a word for a month.
"Young Maaaaster…."
Oh no, I was trying to just walk past, but my eyes met Wi Seol-ah's.
Wi Seol-ah looked at me with eyes begging for help, but this was out of my hands.
'...Running away from home was a bit extreme.'
I couldn't have saved her even if I wanted to, but the one scolding her was Jianzun…?
It was too much to try and bail her out of this.
"...Um, it gets cold at night, so please finish up and come inside."
That was what I said to Jianzun. I felt like I had to say something.
Then, Jianzun also replied with a good-natured smile.
"Yes, thank you for your concern, Young Master."
"...No problem."
It's summer, cold my ass.
Wi Seol-ah wore a shocked expression at my pathetic excuse.
"Young Maaaaaster…!"
"Hey! Who raises their voice while being punished!"
At Jianzun's shout, Wi Seol-ah whimpered sorrowfully like a puppy.
I'm sorry.
But this is unavoidable. This is what you chose, so endure it well….
I ultimately pretended not to see her and entered my room.
Outside, Wi Seol-ah sorrowfully called out to me again, but I tried hard to ignore it and covered my ears.
First off, my body was exhausted, so I wanted to lie down.
From the middle of the day, things like the engagement, Mount Hua, and Gu Hui-bi had drained me far too much.
Night would soon fall, so it should be fine to fall asleep early.
As I laid my tired head down to rest a little, I sensed a presence outside.
"Young Master, this is your attendant, Hong Wa."
"What is it?"
"I have come to ask what you would like to do for dinner."
"....Ah, I don't have much of an appetite, so I'll skip it."
The attendant acknowledged my words and disappeared.
I thought about grabbing some dumplings, but I truly had no appetite.
Right now, I just wanted to sleep.
I could eat something in the middle of the night when I woke up later, and it would be fine to train under the moonlight as well.
After sending the attendant away and lying down, I had to regret it immediately, not even half a shichen later.
Because someone suddenly threw open my door and shouted while I was sleeping soundly.
"Little brother! You're not eating dinner!?"
It was Gu Hui-bi, holding dumplings in her hand.