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Chapter 158: What I Wanted to Show You

What I wanted to show you. (1)

After the night of the Martial Arts Tournament passed, the Eight Strong competition concluded smoothly.

Or rather, is it correct to say it ended smoothly?

The following violent winds were stronger than anticipated.

Especially considering that this Dragon Meeting’s tournament was filled with unexpected events.

First, there was the defeat of Tang Soyeol.

No one predicted that Poison Phoenix would lose in the first round.

With both Sword Peak and Sword Dragon absent from the scene, many thought Thunder Dragon, Poison Phoenix, and Seolbong would lead this tournament.

However,

Poison Phoenix was eliminated in the first round.

Thunder Dragon, unable to touch a single thread of his opponent’s clothes, spit blood in defeat.

Seolbong was performing as expected but hadn’t made any particularly noticeable moves.

The defeat of geniuses who were supposed to be the protagonists of this era.

And the emergence of a new star.

New things always stir people’s passions.

– I heard the son of the Falling Blade defeated Poison Phoenix? Apparently, it was overwhelming.

– Poison Phoenix isn’t weak, but since he’s the son of the clan leader, is this the power of a tiger’s child?

– He’s not a poor loser!

The rumors about Jang Seonyeon spread extraordinarily fast.

There were a few more martial arts matches after that, yet Jang Seonyeon displayed an overwhelming level of skill.

Swordsmanship at a level unseen for someone of his age.

Being adept at the Sword Art of Falling Blade was also impressive.

Many began to say that the birth of a new dragon was not far off.

And it was only a day.

Only a day had passed since Jang Seonyeon began to stand out.

A bigger storm erupted like a spark bursting into flames. Jang Seonyeon’s rumors devoured all others.

The Thunder Dragon, who was expected to win, lost.

To a boy whose name had never before been known.

– I heard Thunder Dragon spat blood? Didn’t even get a chance to touch him.

– Is that really the Thunder Dragon? I heard he’s still a young boy.

– That’s right! Oh, this was supposed to be a secret even in the Beggar Clan.

– If you know what’s supposed to be a secret, then it’s no longer a secret, is it?

– You don’t want to hear it, do you?

– …Speak, speak!

After much discussion, the man took a breath and continued his words.

– They say that boy transcended the wall.

– Wall? A thief… why jump over a wall?

– Don’t you dare say that nonsense to others! I’d be too embarrassed to associate with you.

– …I might not know, why’re you getting upset?

– It’s absurd for someone living in the Central Plains to not know that! If someone talks about a wall, it means they’ve reached the peak realm!

With a frustrated shout from the man, those around him snickered.

– That’s just ridiculous. Hey! You need to bring back some decent rumors!

– Last time I heard someone from the Cheon Mountain Sect or Cheon Jin Sect had risen to a third-rate level, claiming they were geniuses, is this guy really thinking reaching the peak is as easy as that?

– No, you rotten scoundrels… I swear it’s true!

With the unbelievers finding it frustrating, the man shouted, while those listening only laughed.

It wasn’t believable that a boy who hadn’t even reached maturity could have attained such heights.

– Even among the current Three Eminent Beings, much less those from the past like the Golden Heavenly Monarch, that would be impossible.

– No… I swear it’s true!

– Today’s quite entertaining. Alright, I believe you then. Stop being angry and tell me, who is that boy?

His face showed complete disbelief, as if he was about to burst, but it really was an outrageous tale.

Reaching the peak? It was an achievement that not even the Fourth Great Sects or the Gu Paibang could claim.

The man sighed heavily and added,

– They say he’s from the Mount Shan Clan’s bloodline.

– Hmm? I feel like I’ve heard that before.

– Of course you’ve heard of it; that’s the famous house of the Beggars and Sword Peak.

– Ah, right! That’s a name I recognize.

– Do they have a son? Why didn’t I know?

– Of course you didn’t know; it’s their first time making an appearance.

– Even if the peak rumors are absurd, it seems he’s not a poor loser like the clan leader’s son.

– Look here, if he truly is at the level of a peak martial artist as the rumors say, then he wouldn’t just be a poor loser but rather a top player, wouldn’t he?

– You’re right! Hah!

In an instant, laughter filled the cheap tavern.

The man who started the story was likely dying inside from the laughter of others.

Thus, the rumors about Gu Yangcheong were slowly, yet swiftly, spreading.

Meanwhile, the subject of the rumor, who wasn’t particularly interested, muttered.

“Look at you, all high and mighty.”

“…”

“I heard you went down in one blow? Aren’t you embarrassed? Why don’t you change your last name instead? I can’t show my face around you.”

“…Grrrgh.”

He was in the middle of being tormented.

Squatting down, the top of his head was in full view.

Whether he had a lot of hair or not, the dense black hair felt heavy with gloom.

That made sense; it could hardly be otherwise.

“Hey, are you crying? Crying?”

“Not at all.”

“Get the snot out of your nose and talk, buddy.”

“Grrrgh…”

Gu Jeolyub’s whimpering voice was truly unpleasant to hear.

Why’s he crying like that?

“Why are you crying for no good reason?”

As I clicked my tongue and spoke, Gu Jeolyub shouted in response.

“Because I made a mistake!”

Smack!

“Crack!”

“Why are you yelling? For what did you cry?”

When I finally arrived, Gu Jeolyub was already sulking in the corner.

I understood.

Gu Jeolyub had been defeated by Nangong Bi-ah in the martial arts competition yesterday.

Falling in one blow must have been embarrassing.

‘That’s that.’

Anyone seeing this might say it’s both sad to have lost and ask why I’m scolding him, but I had my reasons.

“Did you trip?”

At my words, Gu Jeolyub’s shoulders shook.

After hearing about last night’s martial arts match, I was filled with disbelief.

Gu Jeolyub’s defeat was expected.

Nangong Bi-ah was bound to win easily; that was a given.

The issue was, she had won too easily.

No matter how much Nangong Bi-ah’s level exceeded Gu Jeolyub’s, it shouldn’t have been a gap wide enough to end things in one strike.

Had he focused, he probably could have lasted at least a few exchanges.

Excuses like ‘I was careless’ wouldn’t fly here.

Gu Jeolyub had faced Nangong Bi-ah before, and surely had been tense because he knew her skill.

‘So he was too nervous and tripped over his own feet?’

Gu Jeolyub had been so tense from the beginning that he was stiff, and his footwork had gotten tangled.

This was what he had heard from Nangong Bi-ah.

“I can’t walk around with my head held high because I’m embarrassed.”

“…I’ve handled everything from the start, so why do you keep saying about the First Prince’s face…”

“You brat, I told you before, our family isn’t big enough like the Hwasan Sect with hundreds of martial artists, right?”

“…Isn’t that too far?”

“So how many with the Gu surname are there among them? Are they all you?”

“Not really…”

“Knowing that, how could you trip and lose like that!?”

“Grrg…!”

In a martial artist’s fight, a neat defeat was a disgrace.

It meant he hadn’t put up a fight at all, which was even worse.

For Gu Jeolyub, this defeat was personal because it was caused by his own mistake.

“I didn’t want it to happen like that…”

“Are you looking for excuses?”

“…”

“Got anything to say?”

With my incessant poking, Gu Jeolyub clamped his lips shut.

There was nothing he could say.

It had to be all his fault.

His lips, which had been mumbling, stopped, and Gu Jeolyub buried his head between his knees again.

I watched that and scoffed.

‘Luckily, he’s not adding any more to his rant.’

If he had started talking nonsense about how he was bound to lose, I would have gone off on him.

Gu Jeolyub was simply engaging in self-deprecation without excuses or blaming others.

‘He’s not bad at all.’

If one disregarded the fact that his grandfather was Elder Lee, he was at a pretty decent level.

I was even curious about how Elder Lee met his end in his previous life and what became of Gu Jeolyub.

His talent wasn’t bad, and his personality seemed decent enough.

‘Should I raise him?’

If I had the time and mental energy, I felt I could manage him well enough.

Though, obviously, I had neither time nor the mental stamina to spare.

“Hey.”

“…Yes.”

His reply was full of moisture. Hearing that, I adjusted my voice slightly and said,

“Tell him this.”

“Eh?”

“‘Next time, I want to give it a proper go.’”

At my words, Gu Jeolyub swiftly lifted his head and locked eyes with me.

His eyes were swollen, and snot hung suspended from his nose, sticking to his knees.

“…Wow, you really look terrible right now.”

“”

There was no need to clarify who I was trying to convey that message to.

Gu Jeolyub certainly knew it was about Nangong Bi-ah.

“Instead of wasting time crying, swing your sword once more. That way, next time you won’t be like this.”

“”

It wasn’t exactly something to comfort him. But that was also decent in its own way. Acknowledging one’s own unfairness also indicated he had long since accepted his defeat.

“Answer.”

“I get it….”

“If something like this happens again, I’ll burn your legs, okay?”

“…Yes, sir!”

After saying that, I gave the still sobbing guy one last hit on the head and headed outside.

As I stepped out of the barracks, Nangong Bi-ah was waiting.

She hadn’t come with me, so had she arrived late and was waiting?

Her gaze as it fell on me was strange.

“What’s with that look?”

When I asked as if she was displeased, Nangong Bi-ah’s lips curled slightly as she replied,

“…I never said anything like that…”

“ ”

So she heard.

It was a mistake to leave my comment on the shelf. In reality, Nangong Bi-ah hadn’t said anything like wanting to have a proper match with Gu Jeolyub.

I had just made that up.

‘Of all times, why did she have to hear that?’

It was embarrassing, to be caught slipping in such a way.

“…I didn’t say you did.”

In the end, my choice was to escape in a petty manner.

Wasn’t that the case? I hadn’t said that Nangong Bi-ah said it.

Though it was a statement that wouldn’t carry any weight.

Realizing it was a low move, Nangong Bi-ah looked back at me, smiling sweetly.

“…It’s okay.”

“What’s okay?”

“…It’s not like it’s entirely a lie.”

With a smile like a blooming flower, she spoke.

‘Was she not here to find me?’

Thinking along those lines, I pityingly assumed she was looking for me.

In reality, it seemed Nangong Bi-ah had come to look for Gu Jeolyub.

“Are you going in now?”

When I asked if I was heading to see Gu Jeolyub, Nangong Bi-ah shook her head.

“…No, it’s fine now.”

As if she had lost interest, her expression turned quite bland again.

After finishing her own business, I intended to return to the barracks, but suddenly, Nangong Bi-ah, who was following me as if it was natural, spoke up.

“…That’s surprising.”

“What is?”

“…I thought you wouldn’t care about that sort of thing…”

“That’s what I wanted to say.”

I too wanted to voice that sentiment.

It was unthinkable for Nangong Bi-ah to pay attention and seek out someone else like this.

Yet here she was, showing interest in Gu Jeolyub since morning.

It was quite unusual to me.

Hearing my words, Nangong Bi-ah tilted her head as if she didn’t understand.

“Is it strange?”

“Would it not be?”

“…Why?”

The fact that she didn’t realize that was funny.

Of course, she had been like that back then too.

Although she must have changed quite a bit, maybe even a lot…

As we walked slowly together, it seemed Nangong Bi-ah still had something more to say.

“Hey.”

Nangong Bi-ah’s voice drew my attention. It was a clear tone I hadn’t heard in a while.

“Did you promise Soyeol something?”

“…Huh?”

I frowned slightly, not understanding what she meant.

Promised? What had I promised?

“She said you agreed to do her a favor if you met at the tournament.”

“Ah.”

Now I recalled.

She was likely referring to the casual speech thing.

Had Soyeol told Nangong Bi-ah that?

“Just that I asked her to speak casually, nothing more.”

Was that really a favor?

To me, it felt more like a pretext.

Meanwhile, Nangong Bi-ah’s expression held a hint of dissatisfaction.

Her lips, which had been slightly smiling just previously, were now completely downturned.

“What’s wrong?”

“…Nothing.”

Her expression was certainly not one of ‘nothing.’

“Do you want to do something too?”

I asked, just in case.

I wondered if Nangong Bi-ah was also looking for a chance to do something after this.

Luckily, that was not the case. Nangong Bi-ah shook her head.

“That… sounds petty, so I won’t do it.”

Why did they keep saying it was petty?

From the start, it looked like they were deciding everything themselves without any input from me.

Though I also had no excuse for not saying anything.

“Well, still… I feel like I want something in return.”

With a half-hearted addition from her, I replied, bewildered.

“Just ask for it… That would be better.”

Feigning ignorance, it was still a request for something to be done.

Nangong Bi-ah seemed aware of her own pettiness, her face turning red out of embarrassment.

Then, as if recalling something, she shot a sour look at me and grumbled.

“…Martial arts… you never do it for me…”

“…”

I had no retort for that.

I had said I’d do it but had hardly ever trained with her. There wasn’t any particular reason behind it.

Well, it was slightly uncomfortable to practice martial arts with Nangong Bi-ah.

‘…Is it because of memories from my previous life, or my present feelings?’

Perhaps the sense of incongruity I felt there was the issue.

Regardless, it was something women would naturally bring up feelings of sadness about.

So, she must be bringing it up with such an expression.

“Mi…”

“Don’t worry about it…”

I was going to try to apologize late, but Nangong Bi-ah interrupted.

“Whether it’s a favor… or martial arts…”

Nangong Bi-ah’s eyes on me held a clarity that was different from usual.

Her jewel-like blue eyes sparkled. They held a burdening gaze.

As if the look was reminiscent of when she had sought comfort in my embrace.

It wasn’t exactly something I desired to look at.

Knowing that or not, Nangong Bi-ah continued speaking earnestly without averting her gaze.

“This time, you won’t be able to avoid it.”

Somehow, the determination in her words made my breath falter.

It felt like I was beginning to understand why Nangong Bi-ah, who had hesitated so much, had attended the tournament.

My response seemingly didn’t matter, as she finished speaking and began walking ahead.

After taking several steps, she turned around suddenly and flicked her gaze back at me.

Caught off guard, I inhaled deeply as I looked at Nangong Bi-ah.

She wore a beaming expression as if she had just landed a significant hit.

Had she learned to express such playful expressions now?

Perhaps it was the sudden rush of emotions that made my heart race.

“…Let’s go.”

After soon dropping her smile, Nangong Bi-ah whispered softly.

It was a bonus that she reached out her hand toward me.

A white, delicate hand.

I quietly observed Nangong Bi-ah’s hand before slowly moving forward to grasp it.

“…Huh?”

Nangong Bi-ah widened her eyes in surprise as if she hadn’t expected me to hold her hand.

At that, my previously stiff countenance loosened slightly.

The reason for holding her hand was simply to keep her warm.

That was all there was to it.

Just that.

Or at least, that was what I tried to convince myself.

Returning to the barracks, a short time passed until it was around noon.

As if waiting for it, the great announcement of the martial arts matches was posted outside.

As I stepped out to read the notice, sure enough, Tang Soyeol had already come out to see it.

However, Tang Soyeol’s expression was quite tense.

From that alone, I felt I understood the situation.

And indeed,

– Gu Yangcheong from the Mount Shan Clan vs. Moyong Hi-ah from the Moyong Clan.

– Nangong Bi-ah from the Nangong Clan vs. Jang Seonyeon from the Taeryeong Clan.

What I had half-expected was written right there.

 

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