EP.58 Mei Long Luo Xia (Plum Dragon Descent). (1)
Mei Long Luo Xia (1)
"Right now?"
Yingfeng nodded at my question.
I couldn't help but frown slightly at Yingfeng's words.
If it was simply lingering regret about not performing properly earlier, I could understand.
But anyone could see that his intentions weren't that pure.
'I guess he's the type who can't tell a lie.'
Should I call it pure, in a way?
To be so honest with his emotions.
[Speak properly, you lack maturity.]
I cleared my throat at Elder Shin's words.
It was especially so because he was the one who said it.
'Is it right for someone who was the Huashan Sect Leader to say such things?'
[You only act like this when it suits you, even though you don't truly believe it.]
Elder Shin let out a chuckle.
[Being honest with your emotions isn't much of an advantage in this land. Even if you are young, you possess the demeanor of an old soul, so you should know a thing or two about this.]
A thing or two?
Elder Shin's words resonated with me more than anything.
It was something you could vividly realize with just a little experience in the Central Plains' Murim.
Looking at it this way, it also showed how sheltered Yingfeng had grown up in the bosom of Huashan.
[Wrapping them in your embrace isn't always the right thing to do. Rather, for a child with that level of talent, they should have been raised more strictly.]
Elder Shin clicking his tongue in disapproval was rather unexpected.
Was it the difference in how one shows affection? And since he was a man of the Daoist path, was the reason he was so rough and fierce because he had experienced war?
[Of course, with looks like that, whether she's introverted or not, she's more than enough to bewitch anyone.]
At Elder Shin's words, I looked toward Nangong Bia.
Her bluish-silver hair bathed in the moonlight seemed to shine exceptionally bright.
Perhaps due to the campfire in front of her, her slightly flushed face held a hint of bashfulness within its pure and elegant atmosphere.
Beautiful.
Unlike Wei Xueya, who hadn't yet lost her baby fat.
Nangong Bia, who was already physically mature, possessed an appearance that made one wonder if she was even the same species as the rest of us.
Just like in my past life, with a face like that, it wouldn't be strange if her fame spread not only throughout Anhui Province but across the entire Central Plains.
Rather, it was strange that despite having outstanding skills far beyond her age, not only did she lack a moniker, but even her physical appearance was largely unknown.
Was this also the Nangong Family's doing?
Given her level, it wasn't hard to understand Yingfeng losing his mind and falling for her at first sight.
[You're even more peculiar for having such a girl as your fiancée and acting so nonchalant about it.]
I let out a hollow laugh at Elder Shin's words.
Would I be any different?
Nangong Bia right now was certainly beautiful, but if compared to the Demon Sword Empress, she fell short in some aspects.
The uniquely cold aura the Demon Sword Empress possessed intertwined with the supreme realm of a martial artist, creating a dreamlike atmosphere.
Even the fiends, filled with madness from receiving demonic energy, would flinch when they saw the Demon Sword Empress.
And yet….
And yet, the reason I found her so overwhelming was nothing else.
The Demon Sword Empress was a martial artist specialized in slaughter even among fiends.
Why else would even the Sword Demon, who enjoyed killing and battle, avoid the Demon Sword Empress?
Not only against her own Nangong Family.
But also in the war against the Kunlun Sect.
And even when facing fellow fiends.
The Demon Sword Empress held an extreme hatred for humanity.
Her combat style and its results were atrocious and cruel.
She didn't choose methods merely to kill, but rather to inflict as much pain as possible.
To give just one representative example, I had seen her slice off a man's manhood in the middle of a fight.
And it wasn't just once or twice, either.
Why else would the Heavenly Demon tell her to tone it down, saying it was unsightly?
Not that she listened, of course.
No, what fiend in this world would ignore the direct words of the Heavenly Demon?
'Crazy bitch….'
The terrifying part was that despite being in countless battles, I had never seen the Demon Sword Empress display any killing intent.
Was there anything as frightening as that?
Thinking back on how I had to run around cleaning up her messes because she caused incidents as she pleased, I was sick and tired of it.
[...What were you thinking of to make your aura so gloomy?]
'It's nothing.'
However, if there was one thought I had slightly differently as of late.
Nangong Bia in this life is a different person from the Demon Sword Empress. I tried to tell myself that in my head.
The contradiction of seeking out and dealing with Zhuge He in the end, while merely trying to avoid Nangong Bia...
I was hesitating because of the sight I had seen in her final moments.
Did she notice my gaze? Nangong Bia raised her head and met my eyes.
She resembled the Demon Sword Empress, but the atmosphere itself was completely different.
I wondered if she was a different person entirely.
She looked somewhat naive and dull.
What happened in her past life for such a naive person to become a fiend?
Bound by that discrepancy, I had tried hard to avoid finding out, but now I found myself curious again.
"Young Hero."
Lost in thought, I snapped back to reality at Yingfeng's call.
"Yes?"
I wondered why he was calling me and thought about it for a moment.
...Ah right, the duel.
I looked at Yingfeng and asked.
"It looked like you hurt your back earlier, will you be alright?"
"This is nothing at all."
I could tell his willpower was strong, but he seemed to be slightly losing his grip on reality.
Perhaps frowning at Yingfeng's behavior, the Huashan Sect disciples who were watching from afar approached to mediate.
I quietly looked at Yingfeng and spoke.
"Let's do it."
[What?]
The people around made slightly surprised expressions at my concise answer.
Was it really that surprising?
[You were just thinking of refusing until a moment ago, what sudden change of heart occurred?]
'...It's not some grand change of heart like a miracle.'
It wasn't that great of a shift in thought.
As Elder Shin said, I had no intention of accepting the duel, but looking at Yingfeng, my heart moved just a little.
Not knowing what was so funny, Elder Shin burst into loud laughter.
[You try hard to hide it, but you're not good at lying.]
'Can't you just let it slide?'
[I will. It doesn't seem like my place to interfere, I was just a little curious as to how you, who looks younger than that child, could harbor guilt toward Huashan.]
It was something I absolutely couldn't say, especially to Elder Shin.
Since I had agreed to Yingfeng's proposal, the disciples who were approaching to scold him had no choice but to stop with awkward expressions.
Ah, but looking at Shenxian's burning eyes, it seemed a foregone conclusion that Yingfeng would get a scolding later.
As I tried to stand up following Yingfeng, someone grabbed my wrist tightly.
I looked to see who it was, and it was Nangong Bia.
I tried to pull my arm out with force, but it wouldn't budge.
She must be holding on pretty tight...?
"Why are you doing this, Miss Nangong...?"
"Duel... me?"
"...Yes, as you can see, I'm on my way to a duel."
At my answer, Nangong Bia's eyes widened.
Including my past life, this was the first time I had seen Nangong Bia with such clear eyes.
Nangong Bia spoke.
"...What about with me?"
"Ah."
A slight sense of betrayal was mixed in Nangong Bia's voice, which slowly slipped out of her mouth.
Was it that shocking of a thing?
"...Then do you wish to fight Daoist Yingfeng, Miss?"
There was a purpose behind my decision to duel Yingfeng.
Looking at it now, it was a situation where Nangong Bia could step up.
At my suggestion, Yingfeng's face became inexplicably excited.
"I'm also fine with th…!"
"I don't want to."
It was a rarely firm voice for Nangong Bia.
Because of that, Yingfeng's face turned pale as if he had suffered an internal injury.
A guy who couldn't control himself around regular swordswomen, let alone strong ones his age, was rejected by a sword dragon?
I'm not even a swordswoman.
I felt something strange from Nangong Bia's slightly turned head.
Was she possibly pouting?
'....Pouting?'
Pouting because I wouldn't duel her? There was no reason for that Nangong Bia to pout...?
[You really are a son of a bitch.]
Elder Shin's curse struck me as if he had been waiting for this.
Moreover, it was the most violent curse I had heard lately, right after the Mantis.
'Is it okay for a Daoist to use such language...?'
[I'm already dead, what does it matter? Such prejudices were the problem to begin with.]
'Is this a matter of prejudice?'
[Of course, the Shaolin Abbot back then almost got kicked out for getting caught eating meat in secret when he was young. What's the problem with a Daoist cursing a little?]
Wow, this is a story I really didn't want to know...?
A dark history of a historical figure....
Moreover, hearing such words from a ghost who was a former Huashan Sect Leader made it even more absurd.
Not wanting to think about it anymore, I spoke to Yingfeng, whose soul seemed to have escaped his body.
"Daoist, can you still do the duel?"
When I asked, a little vitality returned to Yingfeng's eyes.
"Yes, of course... I can. I must."
The heat in his eyes seemed to have intensified compared to before. This guy was much more annoying than I thought.
[Originally, when one is blinded by jealousy, they cannot see anything else.]
I didn't deny Elder Shin's words.
It was the most relatable thing he had ever said.
Snap.
A sound was heard from underfoot, as if I had stepped on an old branch.
The weather wasn't great since it was midsummer, but thanks to the calm night air, the heat wasn't felt.
We stood facing each other at a certain distance. Shenxian stood in the center.
It was the same situation as before.
Shenxian's face vividly showed his determination to not let Yingfeng off the hook later.
Yingfeng right now couldn't bear to feel... / Ah, no, that guy is deliberately not looking at Shenxian, so he must know it too.
That he'll be smashed to pieces once this duel is over.
As we stared at each other for a while, Yingfeng's expression seemed to change slightly from before.
"...I feel apologetic toward you, Young Hero."
It was Yingfeng's voice.
His previous demeanor was gone, and his voice had shrunk significantly.
I looked at Yingfeng with a questioning expression.
"Suddenly?"
"...Yes, I was told not to act recklessly driven by emotions, yet I committed another shameful act."
Did the night breeze bring him to his senses? Even so, he came to his senses way too fast.
[It's a relief that he's not completely hopeless.]
'Does it look that way to you?'
[It means he can view himself objectively. That is something a martial artist must absolutely possess.]
Is a Daoist a Daoist after all?
Even so, Yingfeng's gaze was still glancing at Nangong Bia.
Where did Wei Xueya go? I thought she would be stuck next to Nangong Bia, but she was nowhere to be seen.
'She's probably playing well on her own.'
I decided to think that way.
[He's still young, so he can be weak to feminine charms.]
'You're defending him too suddenly, Elder. If you look at it that way, I'm younger than Daoist Yingfeng.'
[Ahem... Arms naturally bend inward. And no matter how I look at it, even if your exterior looks young, you don't look younger mentally.]
I didn't answer Elder Shin.
Out of the little conscience I had left, I couldn't insist that I was younger.
As I finished warming up, Shenxian spoke.
"The duel begins."
I thought he would charge in as soon as the words left his mouth, but Yingfeng didn't do that this time and observed my situation instead.
[It seems he felt something in that brief moment earlier.]
Did he mean he felt something in the short situation where we were about to clash, right before he was sent flying by Nangong Bia?
[What remarkable observation. If he grows up like this, that child will be the future of Huashan.]
Elder Shin praised him highly.
I wondered if he was doing that because they were from the same Huashan, but rather, because they were from the same Huashan, he would be able to see it more accurately.
Rustle.
Something fell around Yingfeng.
Crumbling as soon as it touched the ground, its shape was like a plum blossom petal.
The petals falling one by one slowly circled around Yingfeng as if riding the wind.
Blooming plum blossoms from the tip of the sword, and the aura emanating gradually resembling the plum blossoms.
It is the dream of Huashan Sect disciples, and the first goal they wish to achieve as martial artists.
Plum Blossom Swordsman.
It was the first time I felt the presence of a Plum Blossom Swordsman from Yingfeng since we met.
[...To be this proficient in the Plum Blossom Realm at that age, what monstrous talent.]
It was a heated voice, sounding amazed anew.
As I quietly watched Yingfeng's figure, Elder Shin spoke.
[Shall I teach you how to counter him?]
It was such a ridiculous suggestion that I almost laughed without realizing it.
'Didn't you say earlier that arms bend inward?'
[If it goes on like this, won't you be beaten ugly and laid out? Then you won't even achieve the goal of accepting the duel, will you?]
So that was the purpose....
'Elder Shin.'
[What is it.]
'How far can you see?'
I meant how far he could feel while looking at me and Yingfeng.
Elder Shin fell silent for a moment.
Was it to examine properly?
[In my spiritual state, I cannot feel it in detail.]
Did he mean he couldn't feel it completely?
I nodded slightly at Elder Shin's words.
If it worked out, then it worked out.
Rather, it would have been uncomfortable if he could see everything.
The plum blossom-like aura emanating from Yingfeng filled the surroundings.
It was a beautiful and warm-looking sight, but the sharp aura contained within each petal was like a sword strike imbued with intimidation.
It was amazing that he could bloom so many plum blossoms, but to be able to contain his will in each and every one of them.
As expected of Huashan's greatest genius.
"I'm coming, Young Hero."
"Do you not offer the first strike to the weak?"
"I do not consider the Young Hero to be weak."
"...Oh."
He's of a different caliber than those other bastards.
It was almost unfair to compare him to those pathetic ones like Gu Jueye or Nangong Chunjun.
"I'm com...ing...?"
Yingfeng was about to leap but stopped his motion.
I could feel his emotions from his widened eyes and twisted breathing.
[W-What is this?]
Elder Shin's voice could be heard.
Elder Shin must have been quite surprised, as he even stuttered.
Whoosh-!
The Gu Yan Hua Lun Gong spinning in my dantian used my body as an exit, spewing out aura like crazy.
It wasn't a difficult method like containing it in the body or focusing it somewhere, it was simply spewing it out.
The escaping heat gradually expanded its range.
The fire energy, growing without knowing how to extinguish, swallowed the plum blossoms floating in the air.
Making the aura contained in the petals meaningless, the flame-engulfed petals burned away and disappeared.
The flames that had swallowed all the aura began to circle around me without stopping.
'With my internal energy increased, I can do things like this now.'
In the past, the cost-effectiveness was so poor that I didn't even dare to attempt it.
Now I could bring it out so easily.
Gu Yan Tai Lun Ya.
It wasn't a particularly difficult martial art.
It was simply circulating the mental method and wrapping the body largely in flames.
True to the Gu Family's martial arts, it had a beast-like, violent tendency and consumed too much aura, so it wasn't a technique I used often.
I was controlling it well now, but if I kept using it, I wouldn't be able to for long.
[...I must have gone blind, for I didn't know there was a real monster right here.]
That's excessive praise.
Elder Shin's praise was welcome but also a bit uncomfortable.
Actually, I hadn't intended to bring it out this far, but it was also partly because I was slightly excited for the first time in a while.
Yingfeng in front of me was making a look of horror as he watched the plum blossoms burning away.
The expression of Shenxian, who was watching the duel next to him, was exactly the same.
"Daoist Yingfeng."
The guy flinched at my call.
He realized he had fallen into his thoughts.
"I'm coming."
I didn't listen to Yingfeng's answer.
I leaped forward with flames wrapped around my body.
In an instant, a massive flame engulfed Yingfeng.