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Chapter 120: The Sword Tip Is Not Upright.

As I stepped out of my residence and moved with quick strides, I soon reached my destination.

It was the detached house where Nangong Bi-ah was staying.

To my knowledge, Nangong Jin was likely staying here as well.

At first, I contemplated heading to Gu Exemplar Sect to have a discussion after hearing the elder’s words.

I thought that might maximize the reactions a little more.

However, after a brief moment of consideration, I concluded that it would be better to check on Nangong Bi-ah’s condition first and then head to the detached house.

When we spoke about the engagement schedule, the sun was still up, but now the moon had risen in the sky.

Walking along the path lined with fallen leaves, I found myself at the door of the detached house before I knew it.

As I was about to enter, someone blocked my way.

“You may not enter.”

Checking who it was with the cold voice, I saw it was a Nangong martial artist.

I looked at the man and asked, “Do you not know who I am?”

“I know.”

“Then what’s going on here?”

“It’s the clan leader’s order.”

“I’m pretty sure I sent word ahead…”

As I mentioned earlier, I had no intention of barging in unannounced, so I had certainly arranged for someone to relay my message.

“Didn’t our attendant come?”

“They did.”

“But…?”

The man didn’t answer my question.

Oh… Is he ignoring me? I felt a bit annoyed, but I thought it wasn’t a major issue.

This was indeed a detached house owned by the Gu Clan, but currently, it was occupied by guests, and if a member of the Gu bloodline didn’t wish for visitors, I wouldn’t make a fuss about it.

If it had been another clan, I would have made a fuss, but at least there wasn’t enough pride left in this esteemed house to warrant such a reaction.

The only issue was—

“If you had spoken, I would have known. You said the attendant came.”

“…The clan leader’s order was to refuse.”

“Well, if you refused, then that’s why you’re blocking me, right? In that case…”

As I slightly moved to enter through the open door, the martial artist grabbed my shoulder.

There was no hesitation in holding my body back.

I looked at the man and asked, “Then where is our attendant?”

I felt his grip tremble at my words. If he had refused me, the attendant should have come down to give me the message.

However, the attendant hadn’t returned until dusk.

Of course, it was possible that the Nangong side forgot to inform me about their refusal.

If that were the case, I could just scold them for that.

But somehow, I didn’t think it was that simple.

The Nangong martial artist hesitated for a moment before answering me.

“…We don’t know that.”

“Hey.”

“…!”

When I changed my tone and interrupted our conversation, the man looked at me with surprise.

I forced the smile I had been wearing to vanish.

“If you’re going to lie, you shouldn’t tremble. Do you take me for a fool?”

Growling, I immediately channeled my energy. The man hurriedly placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, but it was too late for such a move at this distance.

Crack—!

The man’s hand, which was holding my shoulder, twisted grotesquely, and my punch struck against his ribs hard.

As the shock and pain surged through him, he was about to scream, but I followed up by hitting his jaw, knocking him unconscious.

Thud.

The man collapsed disgracefully to the ground. I tossed the fallen man into the detached house.

Just then, others came out from inside, brandishing their swords.

I heightened my Qi perception and scanned the surroundings.

‘Looks like there’s no one who has crossed the walls.’

Among about a dozen martial artists, there didn’t seem to be anyone who had surpassed the peak.

Isn’t that strange? The Thunder Dragon’s guard must have been a martial artist who crossed the walls, yet the clan leader’s men were not.

‘Is this carelessness or arrogance?’

Either way, it was quite an appropriate saying.

There’s also a chance they’re hiding their presence, but I needed to see something else. Outside, the presence shifted, and Nangong Bi-ah rushed out of the detached house.

But as it stood, Nangong Bi-ah was not part of what I wanted to witness.

The energy I unleashed began to capture what I desired. The location was a latrine tucked away in a corner.

Suppressing my emotions, I moved my feet. It seemed the Nangong martial artists were shouting something at me, but I couldn’t hear them.

Ignoring their words, they reached out to block me, but when I shattered the jaw of the one who came closer, silence returned in an instant.

I opened the latrine door without hindrance.

“Ugh… Oh my…”

Inside, there was an attendant.

Her face was so swollen I couldn’t recognize her, and she was unable to move properly. She couldn’t even pronounce her words right.

Perhaps due to pain, tears streamed down her face.

She was the one I had sent to the Nangong earlier in the day.

I didn’t even know her name. She was just an attendant who belonged to me. I vaguely remembered her coming to bring me food sometimes.

When I said I was grateful, she would startle and tremble, and surprisingly, she would smile back.

She was someone I had no emotional attachment to.

Nevertheless, seeing someone who was mine in such a state felt eerily unsettling.

“What do I do?”

I covered my mouth with my hand, not knowing what expression to wear.

The attendant struggled to speak to me with her barely moving lips.

“E-air…”

I couldn’t understand what she was saying. There was no way she could form words. Still, it seemed like her emotions conveyed something, making it even worse.

“What should I really do?”

Gu Gongja… This is.

I must have looked overwhelmed; I struck the person trying to explain the situation. With a loud smack, her teeth scattered to the floor. As she tried to stop the flowing blood with her hands, I twisted her joints.

A chilling sound echoed as the bone protruded from her broken arm. That was when the martial artists finally realized the situation had changed dramatically, drawing their swords and taking their stances.

Whoa…

A quiet flame began to rise.

I needed to calm down. She was just someone I didn’t know very well. This wasn’t something to be angry over.

I had to think that way.

Otherwise, I would kill everyone.

“Wait…!”

“Don’t come any closer.”

Seeing Nangong Bi-ah attempt to approach me, I held my breath, trying to be restrained.

“If you come now, I might end up hating you dearly.”

At my words, Nangong Bi-ah froze as if she had turned to stone. Her eyes trembled, and while she wanted to say something, she ultimately did nothing.

Nangong Bi-ah probably didn’t know about this situation. If she had known, such a thing wouldn’t have happened.

In some sense, this was the result of my indifference. I hadn’t anticipated that something like this could occur.

It wasn’t that I couldn’t do anything—I simply didn’t.

‘Shit.’

The area surrounding the detached house filled with heat. Without my intention, the rings of the Technique of the Flame Wheel began spinning wildly. The speed increased gradually, and the flames that were about to explode swirled within my body, trapped.

Martial arts represent the emotions of a martial artist.

That was true for the realm of martial artists; no matter how high they rose, the same principle applied.

That’s why one must always remain calm. As one crosses walls, the vessel of the heart widens, and thus the lake deepens and expands alongside it.

That was the reason martial artists seek enlightenment and cross walls.

I was still inexperienced.

That’s why I was angry like this.

“Hey.”

“…Huh?”

“Could you take that person to the medical room?”

I asked Nangong Bi-ah. I couldn’t allow her to remain as she was. The previously still Nangong Bi-ah rushed to the latrine and lifted the blood-soaked attendant.

She quickly wrapped the girl in my energy and dashed toward the medical room.

“Stop! The lady mustn’t go outside…!”

The martial artist, who was about to shout, trembled in fear. The surroundings were suddenly enveloped in flames. The suffocating heat was already dominating the space.

I spoke to them amidst the heat.

“I’m not going to ask why you did it; after all, the reasons will be utterly absurd.”

If I asked why they did such a thing, the reasons would be nothing more than baseless excuses. An attendant getting too cocky, and daring to cross the line. Simply put, it was because I didn’t like them.

Did they have an order from the clan leader? Those kinds of reasons would surely follow. Yet, none of it would matter much.

“Calm… Calm down, Gu Gongja.”

“Indeed… this is all…”

“Don’t ask why I’m doing this.”

I laughed. Though I didn’t mean to smile, I found it increasingly difficult to hold back the corners of my mouth rising against my will. Was it some residual emotion from the past? When my anger flared, my lips unconsciously curled upward.

“I also did it for a stupid reason.”

With my last words, flames erupted, engulfing them from all sides.

A faint scent of blood and the smell of burning human flesh filled the air. As Nangong Jin entered the detached house, he glared at Gu Yangcheong but couldn’t find the words.

The martial artists guarding the detached house, even if they weren’t on fire, were clearly unstable. Some had bones broken or were severely injured.

“Dare you treat those carrying the name of Nangong like this, and say nothing? You claim my talent is noteworthy, yet you run amok without fearing retribution. Do you wish to die?”

Even under Nangong Jin’s fierce outburst, Gu Yangcheong didn’t flinch.

In fact, the sight of him smiling even in this situation looked extremely unsettling.

What was the true identity of that guy? Nangong Jin knew that Gu Yangcheong had become a martial artist who crossed the walls, despite having that small body and youthful mind.

It was hard to tell if he was managing his energy well, as with the situation escalating, it became even harder to discern.

This is truly absurd. The fact that someone with such talent is Gu Cheolun’s son. Moreover, his son is of a similar age as this boy.

‘Why doesn’t the world support me?’

More than the Nangong martial artists rolling on the ground drenched in blood, it was Nangong Jin who was far more furious about this.

“Indeed, I didn’t plan to rampage like this, but the world isn’t assisting me.”

With a casual kick, Gu Yangcheong tapped the head of a fainted martial artist.

Seeing that, Nangong Jin squinted.

‘Something must have happened.’

It meant this wasn’t an accident without justification. Through that, Nangong Jin clicked his tongue. It would have been better if it had been that way all along.

Hiding his inner thoughts, Nangong Jin continued, almost scolding, “So you’re flaunting around in Gu Clan’s territory, huh?”

“Not particularly. I’m actually more polite than you think.”

Not even a single word of rebuttal.

Did that bloodied little punk truly not understand who he was facing? Nangong Jin curled his lips and inflated his pride.

The bet transformed instantly into pressure. The overwhelming aura emanating from Nangong Jin pressed heavily upon Gu Yangcheong’s shoulders.

Nangong Clan’s martial arts, Imperial Sword Form.

The Nangong Clan bestowed the spirit of a king upon him, which is something that struck fear beyond just its appearance.

This energy was flung towards the boy. Even having crossed the peak, he surely wouldn’t be able to last for more than a few seconds before collapsing. It would be easier to simply teach him that there’s a difference and adjust the conversation appropriately.

Nangong Jin thought so.

“…What!?”

However, contrary to his expectations, Gu Yangcheong managed to handle the energy without issue.

He should have been struggling to even breathe right now.

As if unbothered, he stepped forward calmly toward Nangong Jin.

Gu Yangcheong, having arrived directly in front of Nangong Jin, looked up and said, “As I mentioned before.”

It seemed as though he wasn’t under any pressure at all as he continued speaking.

“Would you like to bet with me?”

“How ridiculous, just because you’re engaged to my daughter, you think you can do something with me…?”

“If I lose to you in this bet, I will give you my left arm.”

In that detached calmness, Nangong Jin momentarily lost his words, hardly believing what he had just heard.

“What did you just say?”

“Is it not necessary? I can offer you my left arm.”

Nangong Jin scoffed at Gu Yangcheong’s words and let out a breath. Realizing that despite his remarkable talent or level, he was still just a child once more.

“Do you expect me to use your arm for something?”

It seemed utterly ridiculous, and Gu Yangcheong gazed directly into Nangong Jin’s eyes, responding.

“You might need it for your son’s future. Isn’t that the reason you’re here?”

At those words, Nangong Jin’s smile vanished. Only then did he start to seriously reevaluate Gu Yangcheong.

That was a misjudgment. This kid was not merely a child.

How far did he project his words? Nangong Jin felt an overwhelming realization from Gu Yangcheong’s words.

Words layered with meaning yet hollow inside.

“…You’re.”

“If you find the situation unbearable, feel free to speak of something else.”

Nangong Jin nodded unknowingly at his words.

It would clearly be unreasonable to take the arm of someone who was guaranteed to become the lesser clan’s leader within the Gu Clan’s territory.

No matter how much Gu Yangcheong said it was fine, this was a matter of contention.

Snap.

As the situation began to spiral out of control, Nangong Jin asked Gu Yangcheong, “No matter how trivial it is, I must hear what you want that pushes you this far.”

“I desire one thing.”

Gu Yangcheong picked up a sword lying nearby.

A sword out of nowhere? For a moment, I was taken aback, but as Gu Yangcheong continued, Nangong Jin had no choice but to draw his sword in response.

“If I win this bet against the clan leader, I wish for your daughter to be mine.”

Splash! Crack—!

Before Gu Yangcheong even finished speaking, blood spattered from his cheek as a loud explosion sounded from behind. Nangong Jin’s sword wind swept past.

“You’re looking down on me just because I’m a little boy, huh?”

The voice that had been dripping with emotion had vanished, replaced by the cold, heavy tone of Nangong Jin. It was a sign of extreme rage.

“Your head is still attached only because you are solely a part of the Gu bloodline. I will warn you—do not cross the line any further.”

Gu Yangcheong wiped the blood trickling down his cheek with his fingertips. It was impossible to see when he had drawn his sword and swung it.

That implied he was incredibly skilled in applying his energy.

Indeed, when facing me, there was no chance of victory; Gu Yangcheong mulled over that within himself.

“What’s got you riled up?”

“Because of that brat…”

“Is it about my daughter? Or perhaps because I asked to spar? Or maybe… are you afraid?”

The sword tip in Gu Yangcheong’s hand now faced Nangong Jin. This was the first time he had directly faced such an arrogant expression.

The last time he encountered this was when Nangong Bi-ah held the head of Nangong Jin in a previous life.

Boom.

Thunder Qi rippled around Nangong Jin’s body. The energy of a martial artist who had surpassed the Transformation Realm was indeed suffocating and constricting. This was the first time Gu Yangcheong felt such energy in this life.

Nangong Jin stared at Gu Yangcheong with a serious gaze, saying, “You’re asking me to accept your bet at this moment?”

“Indeed, as you can see, that is the case. I’ve become quite good at wielding a sword, you know?”

Gu Yangcheong’s words brought a loud laugh from Nangong Jin. However, it was laughter that no one would mistake for happiness.

“It’s my first time feeling this insult in nearly a decade. Being treated like this by a tiny brat who might only have lived a fraction of my life.”

“You’re providing me with a fair reasoning, aren’t you?”

“Shut up for a moment. I’m trying to stifle the urge to rip your mouth open right now.”

Stemming my irritation.

But in reality, why was I holding back? The thought of slicing his neck in an instant wasn’t far-fetched as Nangong Jin tempered his emotions.

Was this natural behavior? It shouldn’t be. It was mere observation if anything. He could be gauging Gu Cheolun or perhaps scrutinizing the land itself.

…

…

…

For whatever reason, Gu Yangcheong found this aspect agreeable. After all, it allowed him to engage in this farce.

Ultimately, Nangong Jin’s eyes held a vacant expression, and with a crooked smile, he said to Gu Yangcheong.

“Fine, I will grant your request. It seems I’ll also need to take your arm back to your father to ease my own grievances.”

Amid all this, Nangong Jin didn’t even once mention Nangong Bi-ah’s name. He seemed entirely uninterested in the meaning behind Gu Yangcheong’s energy.

Whether he didn’t think he’d lose or if he simply didn’t care from the start.

Gu Yangcheong suspected it was a mix of both.

“The people lying on the ground seem to be dying; shouldn’t you treat them before anything else?”

Though it looked odd for him to sound concerned after laying them down, Nangong Jin pretended to be unconcerned.

“It doesn’t matter. It won’t take long.”

Those were cold and heartless words.

It was understandable since these were the words from the Holy King himself, filled with confidence.

Indeed, he had intended to infuriate them to this degree, but since it turned out easier than he anticipated, Gu Yangcheong felt a slight sense of delight in his heart.

‘Perhaps his mental strength is weaker than expected.’

[Considering your ridiculous way of speaking, that Nangong child would be akin to a bodhisattva.]

‘…What do you mean by that?’

[What a load of bull! It’s a miracle you’re still attached; what the hell are you doing?]

The notion of a spar with the leader of the Nangong clan seemed utterly insane in Shin Noya’s eyes.

In Shin Noya’s view, this was an incomprehensible scenario altogether. Even if a rule had been established against using energy, that was a different matter.

How could one wield a sword and full-blown bet?

[What are you trying to do…?]

As he was about to question why such a ridiculous situation had been created, Shin Noya suddenly paused in his thoughts.

What if it was that he wasn’t considered an attendant?

Shin Noya had never seen Gu Yangcheong practice wielding a sword. Thus, this bet was one meant to be lost from the beginning.

It only became valid if someone else stepped in to fight for him.

[…You little brat.]

‘Yes?’

[This place is meant for you to fight in… isn’t it?]

Faced with Shin Noya’s absurd question, Gu Yangcheong could only reply with a hint of disbelief.

‘What kind of ridiculous question is that?’

[Isn’t it? I thought it was too much…?]

‘It’s obvious that Shin Noya must fight for me. I do not know how to use a sword.’

[Truly, you’re one cocky little punk.]

Eventually, Gu Yangcheong’s unabashed words forced Shin Noya to spit out a string of curses.

 

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