It was clear that all sorts of idle chatter had been coming from every direction until just a moment ago.
Then, in an instant, the surroundings fell silent.
No—the sounds had died down, but perhaps there were even more eyes on me now.
It felt as though countless gazes were piling up, all directed this way.
‘Fuck.’
I had run straight into the damn situation I had most wanted to avoid.
I had come on the very first day so I wouldn’t have to deal with this. And now I had completely screwed it up.
‘That bastard, seriously.’
I had no choice but to glare at the bastard who had created this situation and frown.
A handsome young man with black hair and black eyes came into view.
For a family known as ‘that side’s’ clan, filled with burly men, his normal physique and refined features were particularly striking.
Someone once said that this man was a mutant.
They were right.
For someone with such an appearance to be born into the ‘Peng Clan,’ a family full of rough and eccentric martial artists, he was undoubtedly a mutation.
‘Peng Wujin.’
The young man was the Peng Clan’s heir.
The former Divine Dragon, Peng Wujin.
‘No, should I call him the Pisheng Saber now?’
What was it again? I had heard that Peng Wujin’s title changed after he solved some incident.
I didn’t know the details.
It wasn’t something I had been particularly interested in.
The problem was that the Pisheng Saber was now approaching me with a bright smile.
“It’s been a long time!”
“…”
“I don’t know how long it’s been since we last met. It feels like three or four years. Isn’t that right, Young Master Gu?”
Goddammit.
His voice was loud enough to crush all the surrounding noise.
Thanks to him, the idle chatter disappeared, only to be replaced by faint whispers.
“The Pisheng Saber…. Isn’t he the current heir of the Peng Clan?”
“To think we’d get to see the heir of a prestigious clan on the very first day. What good luck.”
“But whom did the Pisheng Saber just greet? Does anyone know him?”
“From what the Pisheng Saber just said, I think he mentioned the Shanxi Gu Clan….”
The voices expressing their doubts soon changed.
“If he’s from the Shanxi Gu Clan, isn’t that the clan of the Heroic Knight? Then…. Ah!”
One of the men seemed to realize something and shouted as he looked at me.
“The Little Yama!”
Fuck.
“If he’s a young man from the Gu Clan, then it must be the Little Yama!”
“The Little Yama? If it’s the Little Yama…!”
“You mean the young hero who stopped the massacre at the Divine Dragon Pavilion?”
“That young man is the Little Yama?”
Perhaps they had remembered the discussion that had only just quieted down. Every gaze that had been directed at Peng Wujin now turned toward me.
It wasn’t just ordinary people—even the martial artists registering for the Martial Competition were looking this way.
Was my title really that famous?
I had heard no rumors, so I thought it had simply faded away.
‘But titles like Flash-Whatever and Wind Forest-Whatever are famous too, so I suppose it’s possible.’
They even recognized titles I had never heard or seen before, after all.
“That man is…. The Little Yama?”
“He doesn’t look all that strong…. No, wait. His face looks strong.”
“He’s not just strong. He’s scary. Very scary, actually.”
“Why do his eyes look like that?”
“Hey! Who said that last one?”
I growled, and the onlookers flinched and scattered.
Why the hell did they have to ask why someone’s face looked like that? Just let me get my hands on you.
‘I’ll remember your faces.’
I ground my teeth and sighed.
Then I looked at the bastard who had created this situation.
“Hahahaha.”
He let out his characteristic laugh, looking pleased about something.
That bastard hadn’t sat right with me from the moment we first met, and now he had gone and fed me one hell of a humiliation.
I lifted the corner of my mouth—which barely wanted to rise—and managed to put on a smile.
“Eek!”
“That’s such a terrifying smile…!”
‘Goddammit.’
Trying to smile had only made things worse. So I decided to act as I normally did.
“Young Master Peng.”
“It truly is good to see you. I never expected to meet you here.”
“Are you participating in the Martial Competition as well, Young Master Peng…?”
“I am. I heard that such a grand festival was being held, and I simply couldn’t resist.”
Who would have thought Peng Wujin would participate in the Martial Competition?
‘I thought he wouldn’t be interested in something like this.’
He couldn’t resist because it was a festival?
‘Come to think of it, considering our first meeting, it wasn’t particularly strange for that bastard to do something odd.’
The heir of a prestigious clan had suddenly joined the Nine Dragons Association and declared that he would become a sword unit member.
That alone had made it immediately clear that he wasn’t a normal person.
Besides, Peng Wujin was a martial artist, so in a way, it was only natural for him to participate in the Martial Competition.
However.
‘The problem is that he’s the heir of the Peng Clan.’
Being the heir of a clan meant, quite literally, that he was the person who would become its clan head in the next generation.
‘That’s why if the heir showed weakness, it would damage the clan itself.’
The clan head went without saying, and the heir was no different.
As the man who would one day become the face of the clan, the heir’s competence and strength—or lack thereof—would have a major impact on the clan.
‘Does this mean he’s confident enough to act so recklessly?’
Or perhaps, like me in my previous life, he had simply thrown that sort of dignity to the dogs.
For a man like him, that seemed entirely possible.
“I was excited at the thought that I might get to see Young Master Gu. It’s wonderful to meet you like this.”
“You don’t have to be that excited.”
“How could I not be? Just seeing you makes the whole world seem this bright!”
At Peng Wujin’s words, which bordered on praise, the surrounding people began to murmur.
“…Excited? That’s a strange thing for two men to say to each other.”
“I heard the Pisheng Saber isn’t engaged. Could it be…?”
“You crazy bastards!? No!”
It seemed like some utterly shitty misunderstanding was taking shape, so I shouted.
What the hell were they pairing together, and with whom!?
At my furious yell, Peng Wujin, who was standing before me, tilted his head.
“What’s the matter?”
“Nothing. I just heard some bullshit.”
While speaking with Peng Wujin, I waved one hand behind my back.
It was a signal telling the receptionist to hurry up and give me whatever I needed.
The receptionist seemed to understand and hurriedly placed something in my hand.
It was a wooden plaque set with a small jewel.
A mark indicating that my registration had been completed.
“Um…regarding the plaque…”
“I know about it, so it’s fine.”
“Pardon?”
I put the plaque into my robes without listening to the explanation.
“The plaque was only recently created by the Alliance, so you really should hear the explanation…!”
“I know. It’s for verifying my identity, isn’t it?”
I deliberately infused the jewel embedded in the plaque with inner energy.
The jewel began to glow faintly.
At the same time, the jewel lying on the desk lit up as well.
“That’s enough, right?”
“Ah, yes…yes.”
The jewel in the plaque had been linked to the one on the desk.
It was an item created by the Alliance to verify a person’s identity more securely.
‘The fact that an item that should have appeared a year or two from now has already been made…’
This was probably one of the changes caused by the Wudang Sword Immortal becoming Alliance Leader.
Most things like this were manufactured by Wudang, after all.
‘Better finish up and get the hell out of here. Tsk.’
Since things had turned out this way, I should escape before any more conversation could take place.
With that in mind, I moved to leave after wrapping things up.
“Then, Young Master Peng. It was nice meeting you. I’ll see you next time.”
I gave Peng Wujin a perfunctory farewell and was about to leave the place at a brisk pace when—
Grip—!
Peng Wujin caught hold of me as I passed by.
“Young Master Gu, where are you going? Meeting again like this must be fate!”
“No…. I have somewhere I need to be—”
I was about to shake off his bothersome hand and leave when—
‘Hm?’
The hand gripping my sleeve didn’t come loose properly.
He had quite a bit of strength.
I could break free by force if I wanted to, but considering that I wasn’t using much strength on my side either—
‘Oh?’
I sensed something strange.
‘Just like Gu Huibi, and now this man too….’
It seemed Peng Wujin had advanced quite a bit as well.
He had already been a seasoned peak expert, but judging by the sensation, he wasn’t merely at that level anymore.
Had he even reached the Manifestation Realm?
The thought brought a hollow laugh from deep within me.
‘Everyone and their dog is advancing.’
If that was true, this situation was utterly ridiculous.
The Manifestation Realm wasn’t a place one could reach easily. It was a realm that even talented martial artists might or might not reach after cultivating for their entire lives.
So why was everyone I met at this level?
The faster I grew stronger in this life, the more it felt as if everyone else’s level was rising as well.
‘This is fucking unfair.’
I was the one cultivating until my bones ached, devouring every fortuitous opportunity I could find, and climbing upward.
Damn geniuses.
“Haa…”
I sighed and applied a little strength.
Pop—!
Though I could feel the resistance, I easily broke free of his grip.
“Oh…?”
Peng Wujin let out a brief exclamation.
It seemed he hadn’t expected me to break free so easily.
“It’s good to see you again, but I have somewhere I need to be.”
“Even so, it’s just about lunchtime. Why don’t we have a meal together?”
The moment I heard that, I had to grimace.
‘A meal, you say? You idiot.’
Why would I eat alone with some man I wasn’t even close to?
‘I’d get indigestion. I’d rather not eat at all.’
It was out of the question, so I tried to walk past him.
“No, that won’t be necess—”
“There’s a restaurant nearby that’s famous for its dumplings. I’d be happy if you joined me.”
“…Dumplings?”
I stopped the words I had been about to say and looked at Peng Wujin.
…Dumplings?
‘No…. Get a hold of yourself.’
I shook my head, wiping away the desire that had arisen for an instant.
No matter how much I liked dumplings, this was not right.
“I’m sorry, but I’ll eat with you next time….”
“The dumplings are here!”
“…Huh?”
I was forcing myself to refuse when—
By the time I came to my senses, my body was already inside some inn.
“…”
Had my body refused to listen to me and followed him on its own?
Unable to resist the temptation of dumplings?
What kind of absurdity was this?
And to make matters worse—
“You seem to like them. That’s a relief.”
“Damn it.”
My hand was already picking up dumplings and eating them.
They were delicious. Disgustingly delicious.
‘Of all places, it had to be this one.’
I realized it as I tasted the dumplings. I knew this place.
How could I not? This was one of my favorite restaurants in Henan.
It was also the place Moyong Hee-ah would occasionally buy food from whenever I had no appetite.
When I had nothing to do, I would come here alone to eat as well—and Peng Wujin had brought me here.
“I’ve been here a few times. The food here is truly excellent.”
Bastard…. Separate from the fact that I disliked him, at least he knew how to choose dumplings. I liked him a little more now.
“Yes, they are good.”
“If you like them, I’ll have some packed for you when we leave. I can at least buy that much for you, Young Master Gu.”
“Then please have ten packed.”
“…That’s somewhat more than I expected.”
Peng Wujin wore a bitter expression when he heard the number.
The man had plenty of money, so why was he acting like this over something so minor?
‘I only cut the number in half because he said he’d buy them for me.’
If I had been alone, ten? I probably would have had twenty packed up to take home.
Saying ten was an act of pure consideration.
“Would you like some alcohol as well?”
“No. I don’t really like alcohol.”
“Oh, that’s somewhat unexpected.”
Was it?
“Do I look like I enjoy drinking?”
“No, not particularly. But it’s rare to see someone refuse so decisively.”
“I don’t want to ruin my appetite with something that doesn’t even taste good.”
I had been like that even in my previous life.
There were days when I craved alcohol, but I had never drunk for the sake of enjoying it.
I only drank when the Heavenly Demon gave me some, or when the day was so unbearable that I couldn’t stand not drinking. I had rarely drunk alone.
“Then let us simply enjoy our meal.”
“You may drink if you wish, Young Master Peng.”
“Oh, I don’t like alcohol either.”
Huh?
“Then why did you say you would drink…?”
“If you drank, I was willing to have at least a glass to match you. But since you don’t drink, I’m very pleased. Perhaps even our tastes are alike?”
“That’s the most disgusting thing I’ve heard all day.”
That made my appetite drop even more than alcohol would have.
As I took another bite of dumpling with my face thoroughly scrunched up, Peng Wujin asked me a question.
“It seems the Hidden Dragon isn’t with you. I heard you traveled together.”
“Is that a rumor?”
“It’s not quite a rumor, but that’s what I heard.”
What kind of ridiculous statement was that? It wasn’t a rumor, but he had heard it somewhere?
“I thought I might see him after all this time. It’s a shame.”
There was genuine regret in Peng Wujin’s expression.
Seeing that, I thought:
‘Come to think of it, they said the two of them knew each other.’
I vaguely remembered hearing that.
I didn’t know how close they were, but I had heard that Peng Wujin and Wuhyuk knew each other.
“Then again, he’s a Daoist, so he probably can’t eat dumplings. There’d be no point in calling him if all he could do was regretfully watch.”
“…”
Judging by that, they didn’t seem particularly close.
‘He doesn’t even know that bastard eats meat.’
Although Wuhyuk was a Daoist, he had no problem devouring all kinds of delicacies.
Considering that the Strange Immortal was the same, he had probably learned it from his master.
‘…No matter how I think about it, not a single person around me is normal.’
Just thinking about the people I called friends was enough to give me a headache.
As expected, this was a world where a normal person like me couldn’t survive while remaining sane.
I needed to stay sharp. At this rate, I might become a weirdo too.
With that thought, I gave a slight nod.
While taking another bite of dumpling, I said,
“Would it really be a problem to call him? A Daoist can eat a few dumplings.”
“…Hm?”
Even Peng Wujin seemed to find those words strange, and his expression subtly changed.
Right. Even Peng Wujin found it strange for a Daoist to eat meat, which meant that Wuhyuk and the Strange Immortal, who actually did so, really were insane.
Besides—
“Even monks eat meat these days…. What’s wrong with a Daoist eating it?”
The person eating at the other side of the room was no different.
Clatter—!
At my words, someone who had been quietly eating in the corner flinched.
Peng Wujin’s head turned at the reaction.
There was an awkward look on his face.
“…This is awkward…. I was trying to pretend I hadn’t seen him.”
Peng Wujin seemed to be forcing himself to act as though he hadn’t noticed, but I had no intention of doing the same.
Once I had seen him, how could I resist taking a jab?
“It’s more considerate to acknowledge someone in a situation like this. It makes things easier for them.”
“…Is that so?”
Peng Wujin widened his eyes as though I had taught him something he hadn’t known.
“I’ll have to do that from now on. Thank you for the valuable lesson.”
“Think nothing of it.”
I waved a hand as though it were nothing, then looked over and said,
“Don’t pretend you didn’t hear us. Just come over here.”
“…Kgh…cough!”
A loud, dry cough rang out, as though he had choked on something.
Then, at last, a young man turned his head toward us.
He must have been eating quite diligently, for grease glistened around his mouth. Beneath the cloak he seemed to have hurriedly pulled up, a pair of golden eyes shone clearly.
I gave a faint chuckle when I saw him.
“Look at us, meeting again.”
“…”
The Shaolin’s rising star, the strongest young martial artist of his generation, and the current youngest person said to have reached the Manifestation Realm.
Yuyeon, the Divine Dragon, fiercely knitted his brows at my words.