EP.56 What is it this time...? (1)
What is it this time...? (1)
Three more days had passed since we started traveling together.
The mountain path was exceptionally rugged and narrow, making it impossible to ride a carriage, so we had no choice but to walk.
"...Grandfather disappeared."
Wi Seol-ah, who was walking quietly beside me, spoke softly.
In Wi Seol-ah's arms was a box containing the Huashan Sect's demonic relic.
At Wi Seol-ah's words, spoken as if she were upset, Old Man Shin appeared.
[How curious. I don't particularly sense any spiritual aura, yet...]
After transferring to me, it seemed Wi Seol-ah couldn't see him, but he said he often conversed with her before I absorbed the relic's energy.
Wi Seol-ah has an outstanding intuition, whether she realizes it or not.
It was the same when finding the secret vault; she displays an extraordinary aptitude in peculiar aspects.
Is this also a form of talent?
[She is exceedingly pretty. For a child to be at that level, she might just aim for the title of the Number One Beauty Under Heaven in the future.]
'Why are you evaluating a mere child?'
Certainly, if I were to recall Wi Seol-ah when she's fully grown, it would be more than possible.
But right now, she still looked very much like a child. Her baby fat hadn't even melted away.
'I kept feeding her medicinal sweets, and it shows no signs of going away.'
Of course, from my perspective, she seemed to have gained weight in a much healthier-looking way compared to the past.
Which made it fun to tease her, too.
"A valley will appear shortly."
It was Shenxian, who was walking ahead.
Thanks to the Huashan Sect's guidance, the journey had become somewhat easier.
Finding the path was much smoother, after all.
Walking for about one shichen just as Shenxian said, a valley appeared.
Since night would soon fall again, we stopped our journey and prepared to camp.
"Young Hero."
While I was sitting with Wi Seol-ah, eating buns and looking at the river, Yingfeng approached.
"Yes."
It was a fact I realized over the past few days, but the Sword Dragon was a talkative person.
Looking at it slightly differently, he gave off the vibe of a talkative Peng Woo-jin.
Ugh... a bit annoying?
What Yingfeng said to me was far more unexpected than I thought.
"When we go to Shaanxi, would you care to share a meal with me?"
"Out of nowhere?"
"I've rarely seen young rising stars of my age, so I was just happy to see one."
What could be his intention?
Looking at his face, I didn't feel any grand intention...
But the kinder the impression, the more often they had something foul backing them, so I couldn't easily accept it.
"I don't know if you'll like it, but it's the place that makes the best buns in Shaanxi."
"Let's go together sometime later."
What a good person.
[...Crazy bastard.]
"But what do you mean you haven't seen other rising stars?"
"I've seen them a few times, but... we didn't really talk much. It feels like everyone has their own clear territory."
If it's the rising stars Yingfeng saw, it would definitely be the Wulong Sanfeng.
Those forged by talent from birth would have firm boundaries.
[Somehow, I sense the patheticness of one who lacks something.]
'Can't you please just stay quiet?'
[From what I see, you too have reached a realm unattainable for someone your age, so what is so displeasing about it?]
Just as Old Man Shin said, setting aside regression and fortuitous encounters, it could certainly appear that way.
'Seeing how there's no reaction to my thoughts of regression, is this not being read?'
He catches insults directed at him faster than anyone in the world, yet he hadn't said a word about this part.
That was a relief.
Because I didn't want to talk about this.
As I was organizing my thoughts, Yingfeng continued speaking.
"Since you are also Sago's family..."
At Yingfeng's words, something I'd been curious about since before came to mind.
Why did Yingfeng call his younger brother Sago?
Were they not third-generation disciples of the same sect? Since we were in the middle of a conversation anyway, it was the perfect situation to ask.
"Daoist Yingfeng..."
"Young Hero, now that we've become close, could I ask you a favor?"
I was trying hard to bring it up, but my words were buried by Yingfeng's.
But close?
I don't think we've gotten that close?
Yingfeng's approaching friendliness was astonishingly fast.
Of course, from my perspective, I felt like keeping some distance.
"...What favor are you trying to ask out of the blue?"
"No, it's nothing much..."
Why is he scratching the back of his head so shyly to ask a favor?
A handsome guy doing that fit so strangely well that it put me in a really bad mood.
Yingfeng, who hesitated for a moment, brought it up.
As if he truly mustered up courage shyly.
"...Would you spar with me?"
"No?"
A habitual answer popped out first at the sudden remark.
And then, belatedly, an absurd feeling rushed in.
For someone who approached in a friendly manner just to share a meal, wasn't this too violent of a favor?
The problem was Yingfeng's reaction afterward.
"Huh? Why?"
'What do you mean why, you bastard...'
It was an innocent face that truly didn't understand why I was refusing.
That made it even more absurd.
"Why are you suddenly asking to spar?"
"I heard that to get close, you have to exchange blows. Is that not true?"
"...Who told you such crazy nonsense?"
"Our Sect Leader."
"....."
[Cough... Cough cough!]
At Yingfeng's shocking remark, Old Man Shin had a fit.
Such eccentric words were said by none other than the Sect Leader of Huashan? Is that right...?
Is that place really a proper Daoist sect?
[...Cough, it's not exactly wrong, is it?]
'It looks wrong no matter how I see it.'
The old man tried his best to defend it, but it was clearly wrong.
Such a combat-oriented method of friendship from a Daoist sect of all places... They aren't a bandit gang, what is this?
[B-bandit gang! Where else is there a Daoist sect as dignified and proud as Huashan?]
'Please stop raising your voice...'
Yingfeng staring at me with clear eyes, wondering what was so strange, was even scarier.
It was clear; this bastard was just like Peng Woo-jin.
"Then, are we not sparring...?"
"...Why are you saying that as if you're so disappointed?"
Drop the whine from your voice while I'm asking nicely.
A guy speaking like that gave me goosebumps.
"You can just do it with the other disciples."
It wasn't like Yingfeng was the only third-generation disciple in Huashan.
True to the symbol of the Nine Sects One Faction, the number of disciples would be immense.
Yingfeng smiled bitterly at my words.
"The other disciples don't really enjoy sparring with me."
"Ah."
It wasn't hard to realize the meaning from his shadowed face and meaningful words.
Monstrous talent is inherently akin to terror for ordinary martial artists.
Especially in a current era overflowing with geniuses.
Sword Dragon (Jianlong).
Thinking of the name he possessed, it must be an arduous trial for the Huashan disciples living in the same era.
If it weren't for Gu Huibi right now, he would have taken the title of the foremost rising star.
I could tell just by looking.
Because comparing him to the Thunder Dragon itself felt like an apology.
Huashan's youngest Plum Blossom Swordsman.
He was a genius swordsman who bloomed the plum blossom at a very young age, a blossom that one could barely manage to bloom only when reaching the age of thirty.
For the third-generation disciples training with him at a similar age, he would be the greatest wall and burden.
They would probably be struggling just to infuse their swords with qi, while another guy has already bloomed the plum blossom.
'The problem is that it's a gap that will never close even as time passes.'
It's obvious just looking from the sidelines, and they're supposed to spar with Yingfeng?
This meant voluntarily stepping onto the path of inferiority complex and demonic deviation that a martial artist should never possess.
If I were in their shoes, would I have been able to endure it?
Thinking of my past life where I lived being trampled by my sisters, it would be about the same, but honestly, wouldn't it be harder from the sect's standpoint?
"That reason aside, why are you asking me to spar?"
"I thought it would be fine if it's you, Young Hero."
At Yingfeng's words, I made a reluctant face.
I could feel his conviction and confidence in his skill and talent.
I also felt his longing for the sword.
The reason he asked me to spar meant that when he gauged my realm, he thought I stood on the same level as him.
[The child has a good eye.]
It seemed so from my perspective, and it would be the same from Old Man Shin's perspective, who could objectively observe my body.
Still, a spar out of nowhere.
As if reading my thoughts of not wanting to do it, Old Man Shin spoke up.
[Just do it for him.]
'You speak so easily because it's not your problem.'
[There's no reason to hesitate, is there?]
Old Man Shin was right.
If it was a light spar, there was no need to distance myself anymore.
Simply because it's a spar.
There was no fear of defeat, either.
Because I had experienced far too many defeats for my emotions to be shaken by such a thing.
Just.
Truly just.
I didn't want to cross hands with the people of Huashan.
That was all.
[What are you feeling so guilty about?]
'...I told you not to read my mind recklessly.'
"Young Hero?"
Yingfeng called out to me with a puzzled expression. I hesitated to answer.
It was something no one would know now.
It was something only I needed to know.
But the problem was that it couldn't be seen simply.
As I stood there blankly, Old Man Shin spoke.
[I don't know what you feel so sorry to Huashan for, but if you're really that sorry, you could just grant his request.]
"....Hmm."
[When someone asks for a spar as a martial artist, it's a good thing, so why are you hesitating? Tsk tsk, if you're going to be like that, just cut off your dick.]
Crazy, what do you mean cut it off.
For the words of a Daoist recorded in history, it was quite rough and low-class.
But it wasn't wrong.
Eventually, I calmly stood up and said to Yingfeng.
"...Let's spar."
Maybe I could play along once in a while.
"Ooh!"
"Young Master... are you fighting?"
It was Wi Seol-ah, who was eating buns beside me while reading the room.
Seeing her looking worried enough to have tears in her eyes, I gently stroked Wi Seol-ah's head.
"We're not fighting, this is how you get close."
[Exactly, exactly!]
Of course, the standard is the Huashan Sect's standard...
Wi Seol-ah, who was leaving her head to my touch, said in a pleased voice.
"Win and come back!"
"...I'll try my best."
******************
We found a reasonably flat piece of land for the spar.
In the meantime, Yingfeng said he'd go to Shenxian to report and come back.
When Yingfeng returned, there was a large bump on his head.
Shenxian, who appeared with him, bowed slightly to me.
"I apologize... Our junior disciple is still lacking in maturity."
"It's fine. It's just a spar, isn't it?"
It was practically the first 'normal' spar I'd had since my regression.
Having been entangled with so many crazy bastards, calling those brawls 'spars' might be a bit ambiguous.
Separate from Wuyuan and Shenxian coming to observe the spar, the disciples of the Huashan Sect also flocked towards us.
"What's going on? What are they doing?"
"They say Junior Brother Yingfeng is sparring with the Young Hero of the Gu Family."
"...In this situation? He must really be a crazy bastard."
"When he comes back, we need to tie his limbs and take him away so he can't do anything stupid next time."
"Block his mouth too, so he can't even breathe."
"Won't he die then?"
"Well, if he dies, we'll find a way to revive him."
...I think I'm hearing some terrifying conversations.
"Is that okay?"
I asked Yingfeng at the bloodthirsty talk, but Yingfeng didn't seem to mind at all.
"It's fine. I've attained the Dao of running away."
Ah, he had just resigned himself to it.
Somehow the growing number of spectators bothered me, but I tried to maintain a calm state.
Yingfeng took the wooden sword he received and assumed a stance.
[Oh, neat. Well-trained.]
For a swordsman, a stance is the most common indicator of how many years they've trained and how well they've built their basics.
In that regard, Yingfeng was already on the verge of completion.
It was a section that showed he hadn't rested his efforts, let alone his talent.
"Hoo..."
I too slowly exhaled and circulated my qi. The red haze that gradually clad my body was impressive.
The light color that had been there returning once again was likely thanks to Old Man Shin.
A strange light appeared in Yingfeng's eyes.
At the same time, something fluctuated at the tip of his wooden sword.
It looked very small and fragile, but that was definitely a plum blossom.
'He's not planning to go easy?'
Not even thinking of testing the waters from the start, bringing out the plum blossom right away.
A hollow laugh escaped me at his seemingly serious attitude.
If I took it lightly, I'd probably get cursed at.
"Begin."
When the preparations seemed roughly finished, Shenxian said in a low voice.
Yingfeng immediately swung his sword.
I also gathered qi at the tip of my foot and leaped.
Separate from the time I gathered my senses, the match was a fleeting moment.
Boom!
With a roar echoing through the forest, dust swirled around.
"Ugh!"
With a bizarre scream, Yingfeng flew far away.
Standing on the flat ground, I had no choice but to stop my movement with a bewildered expression.
I didn't do this.
I hadn't even gotten close to Yingfeng.
But suddenly, Yingfeng flew far away.
'...An ambush?'
I hadn't felt any killing intent in the first place.
I couldn't see ahead through the dense dust, but someone's presence was felt at the spot where Yingfeng was standing.
"Uh...?"
A flustered sound came from the one whose presence I felt.
It was a familiar presence.
"What...?"
It was a presence that shouldn't be here.
Why was I feeling the presence of a human who should be swinging a sword in Anhui Province?
The dust blew far away on the wind.
"...Ah."
The owner of the presence spat out a short word.
She was standing in the empty spot where Yingfeng had flown away from.
Looking as if she had just been in a war, her tattered martial uniform and messy hair caught my eye.
Even in the barren and filthy situation, her fair skin and beautiful appearance that hadn't lost its elegance remained the same.
Perhaps noticing me soon after, her blue eyes turned toward me.
Meeting my gaze, she smiled.
Very brightly, at that.
"Found you..."
Her beautiful voice pierced my ears.
I tried hoping it was an illusion, but her presence was too real for that.
"Finally, I found you."
Saying so and smiling was none other than Nangong Bia.