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Chapter 162: What I Want to Show

It seems I’ve heard the phrase about getting lost in the flow.

Rather than moving where I think, my sword automatically follows the path it desires.

Some say this is the realm of enlightenment.

Before I can lock my gaze on it, my sword stretches forward first.

The bet contained within the sword beautifully spreads along the flowing current.

Like a gentle drift across a serene lake.

The reasoning of nature?

Nangong Bi-ah doesn’t understand such difficult talk.

I just let my body succumb to it.

I kept thinking something was odd.

Why doesn’t the path of Nangong’s sword connect properly?

Only when I place my bet does a genuine sword path finally unroll before me.

Each time I wield my sword, the feeling of disharmony grows.

But all Nangong Bi-ah does is swing it.

There’s no answer, or maybe I don’t know the answer.

Yet now, it feels like I understand.

For the path has revealed itself.

Woo Hyeok.

The sword cried.

As though answering that it was indeed correct.

The flowing line welcomed me, showing me the way I should go.

Should I go there?

Shouldn’t I go?

The contemplation was brief.

Hesitation didn’t match Nangong Bi-ah’s nature.

Let’s regret it after going.

As always, there was no need to harbor fear about the paths not taken.

The sword tip lightly rested on the path’s foot.

Like it had waited, it stretched out along the path.

It was smooth.

Was the sword path originally this gentle?

There was no obstruction, and the sword blade cutting through the air fluttered.

Crack! As the current flowed, Thunder Qi mixed in.

It wasn’t intentional from Nangong Bi-ah.

It seeped naturally as I flowed along the path.

Is this assimilation?

It’s a strange feeling.

But not in a bad way.

In fact, it felt much more comfortable as the knots untied.

Nangong Bi-ah beheld the flow’s end.

Not an opponent in the sparring arena, but a deeper end to speak of.

Standing at the farthest end of the flowing path was someone.

‘Who could it be…?’

It was hard to see.

The clothes barely visible seemed to belong to someone from the Nangong Clan.

Who could it be?

Could it be my father, or perhaps my grandfather?

Or maybe… my great-grandfather?

Yet it had a different atmosphere.

At least, it didn’t seem to be someone Nangong Bi-ah knew.

As I wielded my sword, the distance closed in.

Very slowly, so slowly that without focus, you wouldn’t even notice.

Yet it was clearly getting closer.

Is that why I felt this path was not wrong?

‘…Just a bit more.’

I don’t know why, but I wanted to reach that place a little faster.

It felt like I should.

If I could reach there, or perhaps staying away was my path.

I hurried my steps, but somehow it felt like I would stray from the path.

Nangong Bi-ah thought.

Ah, I shouldn’t be impatient.

In that fleeting moment of clarity, Nangong Bi-ah slowed her steps.

And there was no hesitation in it.

The once shaky path became resolute again.

As soon as that happened—

– Hmm.

A voice was heard.

– Not bad.

Beyond Nangong Bi-ah’s line of sight, a man standing with his hands behind his back continued.

– Come slowly.

– If you rush, you might fall.

– Don’t fall. Take it easy.

– And then come to where you are meant to be.

The man’s face still wasn’t visible.

Yet, for some reason, Nangong Bi-ah felt she should go there.

Leisurely, yet with arrogance.

But the arrogance suited him far too well.

– Then I shall give you a gift.

With a whisper that seemed pleased, a smile danced in the man’s words.

Nangong Bi-ah, who had kept her eyes shut for a long time, opened them.

“Sister…? Sister!”

“Ah…! Bi-ah, you’re awake!”

Through the blurry vision, I saw green and black hair.

Next, my eyes caught the sight of two adorable girls.

“…Ah.”

Nangong Bi-ah let out a humble sigh.

She realized it was just a dream.

A dream so vivid it wouldn’t be strange to call it reality.

“How does your body feel…?”

“…It hurts.”

A throbbing pain radiated from my head to my toes.

“Of course it hurts… Is your chest okay?”

“…My chest?”

Nangong Bi-ah looked down at her chest as Tang Soyeol spoke.

Instead of a pressure bandage, I could see a healing band tightly wrapped around it.

“Fortunately, it wasn’t a deep cut, so resting for a while should do the trick, and they say there won’t be a scar.”

“…Yeah.”

It seemed the chest was the only injury, yet my whole body ached.

It felt like muscle pain.

‘Muscle pain…?’

It was something I hadn’t felt once I reached a certain level.

But why was I feeling this now?

Nangong Bi-ah tried to rise, but Tang Soyeol and Wi Seol-Ah urgently stopped her.

“Stay lying down.”

“You can’t get up!”

“Uh…”

“An injured person shouldn’t be so thoughtless.”

“…Soyeol also… just got up last time…”

“That’s that and this is this!”

Tang Soyeol either found no proper retort or simply chose to change the subject.

Certainly, Tang Soyeol also moved recklessly last time.

Regardless of that.

Nangong Bi-ah wanted to move immediately.

Because she wanted to recall the sensations she felt in the dream and in the sparring arena.

Sensations that should never be forgotten.

‘Ah, the sparring…’

As I thought that far, Nangong Bi-ah came to a realization.

“…I lost.”

It was the memory of losing in the sparring. Remembering it made her heart heavy.

Having boldly promised to show something and then losing.

Tang Soyeol, observing Nangong Bi-ah, remained silent, unsure of what to say.

She herself had lost, so what could she say to comfort her?

“Your sister…”

“Where is he…? Where did he go…?”

Tang Soyeol felt a strange sensation from Nangong Bi-ah’s words.

Nangong Bi-ah was clearly not asking ‘where is he’ but rather, she was inquiring where he had gone.

There was a certainty that Gu Yangcheong had been here.

‘…The power of belief is terrifying.’

And she was envious.

The bond they both shared was abruptly felt.

Most importantly, Gu Yangcheong had actually been here just until a moment ago.

Tang Soyeol replied to Nangong Bi-ah.

“…He left a little while ago. He had to go to the Martial Arts Tournament.”

Saying that, she unconsciously came off a bit curt, realizing she was being rude.

“Ah.”

To Tang Soyeol’s response, Nangong Bi-ah uttered a short word.

Nangong Bi-ah did think that Gu Yangcheong had been here.

‘…There is no foul smell.’

It seemed there was a slight odor still, but it was almost imperceptible.

The lingering heat also indicated that he had just been by her side moments ago.

‘Thank goodness…’

Nangong Bi-ah felt that warmth and was relieved at the same time.

The terrible foul odor that resurfaced in the sparring arena was now gone.

At that moment, she wasn’t sure why it had resurfaced again.

What if, it miraculously comes back?

For a moment, fear washed over her.

‘…I need to see him.’

I wanted to confirm. Wishing it would end in harmless anxiety.

In the end, Nangong Bi-ah tried to rise again.

But Wi Seol-Ah stopped her.

“Sister, I told you not to move!”

“…”

At Wi Seol-Ah’s words, Nangong Bi-ah made a stubborn expression, and Tang Soyeol immediately added in wait.

“They said you need to rest for now. Not only are your injuries concerning, but your body is a bit out of balance…”

“Ugh….”

“Gu Gongja told me to stop you if you tried to get up.”

“ ”

As soon as she heard Tang Soyeol’s words, Nangong Bi-ah obediently laid back down.

Even the stubbornness she had almost disappeared upon hearing Gu Yangcheong’s name.

To Tang Soyeol, it appeared both cute and slightly unpleasant at the same time.

“And… He said to tell you something when you wake up.”

Nangong Bi-ah’s eyes lit up at Tang Soyeol’s words.

“Sister, isn’t your reaction a bit too different?!”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean you just don’t listen…?”

Tang Soyeol couldn’t help but smile at that absurdity.

That being said, this sister had to acknowledge that something was odd about her.

“Good job.”

At Tang Soyeol’s words, Nangong Bi-ah’s hair gently swayed.

“Rest easy, now I’ll show you.”

With those continued words, Nangong Bi-ah’s hazy gaze became a bit clearer.

“He says to transmit this message.”

With a surprised expression, Nangong Bi-ah opened her eyes slowly.

“Sister, why are you suddenly closing your eyes?”

“…Because he told me to rest?”

“ ”

Tang Soyeol swept her face.

How did that lovely and cold sister become like this?

Of course, she was indeed that handsome… but… could I really live just off of looks?

Is it worth it?

It sounded extreme, but as she thought, it might just be possible.

“By the way, Soyeol.”

“Yes?”

“You’ve mimicked him quite well…?”

“Right? I think it turned out pretty good.”

“Indeed… it was incredibly identical.”

Wi Seol-Ah brushed down her arm as if she had gotten goosebumps.

Was she that similar?

It was quite an impressive impersonation after all.

It was more about the tone of voice than the words.

The characteristic blunt delivery that seemed emotionless.

To be exact, it was an incredibly rude tone lacking any form of politeness.

Yet that in itself was charm.

‘It feels like only we think this way.’

Perhaps that was fortunate.

After all, there were many tangled relationships with women. Knowing Gu Yangcheong’s true self was enough for just three people.

‘…But it might be four.’

The reason she thought of four was because the face of Peng Ah-Hee momentarily flashed in her mind.

Although their engagement was broken, they had once been betrothed.

And Peng Ah-Hee didn’t seem to hold any serious grudge against Gu Yangcheong.

Of course, it also seemed like neither had any particular romantic interest, but she couldn’t help worrying.

The issue was that she also had no authority to make any assertion.

‘Hmm…’

There was another face that crossed her mind.

Seolbong.

For some reason, Tang Soyeol felt concerned about her.

To Tang Soyeol, she was someone who felt guilt as the Tang Clan member.

‘…It can’t be.’

…

…

It might just be a mix of anxiety and bad hunch.

After all, there haven’t been any incidents that would lead Seolbong to grow fond of Gu Yangcheong, so it should just be senseless worry.

Tang Soyeol settled on that thought.

“Anyways, you should rest easy for a while, sister.”

Nangong Bi-ah seemed to have already fallen asleep, as there was no reply.

She looked so hasty, yet with just a single word telling her to rest, a person could behave like this…

As much as Tang Soyeol found her behavior strange, she couldn’t say anything since, strangely enough, she felt like she would do the same if faced with that situation.

As she quietly watched Nangong Bi-ah, Tang Soyeol turned to Wi Seol-Ah.

“Are you sure it’s fine not to go?”

“Yeah? I mean…”

“Isn’t it right to go watch Gu Gongja’s sparring?”

Although it seemed fair for Tang Soyeol, Wi Seol-Ah smiled gently as if everything was all right.

At that sight, Tang Soyeol cleared her throat lightly and turned away.

‘…What is it with her? It’s hard to deal with her.’

Although she knew Wi Seol-Ah was Gu Yangcheong’s personal attendant, it was just difficult to find a way to handle her.

Why is it? She didn’t know the reason, but Tang Soyeol felt that way.

“It’s fine. He said he’ll be here soon.”

At Wi Seol-Ah’s words, Tang Soyeol tilted her head.

Did Gu Yangcheong say something like that? Although Wi Seol-Ah’s expression was hidden behind her long hair, her tone sounded slightly lower.

What kind of face could she possibly have?

“I’m hungry. Want to eat?”

Wi Seol-Ah shouted brightly with a bright smile towards Tang Soyeol.

“…Oh, okay.”

“What should we eat… Soyeol unnie, what do you like?”

“Hmm? I’m fine with anything… Ah, I might have some leftover poison herb from yesterday, should I…”

“Then we need to eat!”

“…Sure.”

99

Is she really not fond of medicinal herbs?

Why doesn’t she like them… poison herbs are delicious.

Tang Soyeol secretly made a slight sulky face.

The sparring arena in the Sagan Martial Arts Tournament.

Perhaps the heat from earlier hadn’t cooled down, as the murmurs of the crowd showed no signs of fading.

After all, in a tournament of late-stage talents, such levels of competition were bound to stir conversation among the crowd.

To Moyong Hi-ah, this was not a pleasant scenario.

This attention may prove beneficial in the future, but Moyong Hi-ah could not present herself at the level they expected.

‘The level was different.’

Jang Seonyeon, the son of the clan leader.

The power he demonstrated far surpassed that of late-stage talents.

How he pushed back to the middle was unexplainable.

It couldn’t merely be said that he was being lenient.

‘…That woman too.’

Nangong Bi-ah, was it? The sister of the Thunder Dragon.

If it was just about beauty, it could take one’s breath away.

If we look at skill, it was equally pressing.

The sword dance.

Moyong Hi-ah couldn’t forget the sword dance she had performed.

So beautiful, though the victor was Jang Seonyeon, what remained in memory was Nangong Bi-ah.

In particular, the movements in that final moment were beyond any description.

Despite having become a complete wreck, the sight of her dancing with a sword made one forget everything.

Among so many people, the sense of her standing alone represented a shocking contrast to Moyong Hi-ah.

The problem was.

‘After all these people witnessed it…’

Having already seen the sparring, people were starting to speak about the Sword Dancer from the Nangong Clan and about the holy one from the Jang Clan.

Moyong Hi-ah lightly sighed.

‘…With the Thunder Dragon having lost…’

Was there even a need to step up here?

Moyong Hi-ah had never been particularly eager to participate in the sparring tournament.

The banquet was unavoidable, however.

But participating in the tournament and exerting herself was something she had no desire to do.

Despite that, here she was, attending this pointless spectacle because of the.

‘…Father.’

It was due to her father.

Amidst a crowd of extraordinary talents like Sword Phoenix, Sleeping Dragon, and Thunder Dragon, she felt pressured not to be absent.

The agreement made in the beginning must have been just that.

‘Sigh…’

The name Seolbong felt utterly insignificant.

Just how far would I have to go with such a fake name?

‘I feel tired.’

Or perhaps, she was already tired.

Even still, she couldn’t express any dissatisfaction.

Knowing how much hardship her father and the entire Tang Clan has to endure for her sake.

Moyong Hi-ah quietly drew her sword.

The opponent was already there.

‘Gu Yangcheong.’

The boy standing silently on the other side. Just before the sparring was about to begin, he was gazing somewhere.

Where was he looking?

Following her gaze, the topmost point of the clan came into view.

The clan leader and the high-ranking members of the clan were gathered there.

‘Why is he looking there?’

Moyong Hi-ah didn’t know the boy well.

She only vaguely sensed one thing.

That boy was hiding his strength completely.

Could “hiding” be even the right word?

Likely, there just hadn’t been an opponent worthy enough to reveal it.

Her instincts told her as such.

Jang Seonyeon, now already regarded as the holy one.

Nangong Bi-ah, the Sword Dancer.

Whether it was the Thunder Dragon, Poison Phoenix, or even herself.

None of them seemed to appear within the boy’s field of view.

Was that what felt odd?

“Where are you looking so intently?”

Moyong Hi-ah suddenly spoke to Gu Yangcheong.

She didn’t know why she prompted him, nor did she understand why she had the urge to do so.

Gu Yangcheong’s gaze turned toward Moyong Hi-ah after hearing her words.

“…Just. Lost in thought.”

Though they had exchanged but a few words, she noted that it wasn’t his usual relaxed and blunt style.

His tone was detached.

A voice so devoid of emotion seemed entirely disinterested.

As their eyes remained locked, Gu Yangcheong suddenly spoke to Moyong Hi-ah.

“I’m sorry.”

An apology.

Suddenly…?

That was far too abrupt.

Had there been any reason for Gu Yangcheong to apologize to Moyong Hi-ah?

Moyong Hi-ah tried to recall, but she couldn’t think of any such instance where Gu Yangcheong had acted in such a manner toward her.

Of course, his seemingly half-hearted dismissiveness did annoy her.

Yet there was no clear reason to emphasize such annoyance.

“Why are you suddenly apologizing?”

As Moyong Hi-ah asked, Gu Yangcheong attempted to respond.

“The Sagan Tournament, the Mount Shan Clan Gu Yangcheong, the Tang Clan Moyong Hi-ah.”

The judge’s announcement cut in, rendering their conversation lost.

However, at that moment, Moyong Hi-ah came to understand why Gu Yangcheong had apologized.

“Begin.”

Flame Burst—

“…Wow.”

An exclamation unintentionally escaped Moyong Hi-ah’s lips.

In an instant, she found herself breathless.

An intensity of heat that shouldn’t be possible during winter consumed the sparring arena.

The winter wind was blocked by the heat, stealing her breath away.

The massive flames spiraled endlessly around her.

Before long, a small sun had formed above the sparring arena.

Inside it, Gu Yangcheong gazed at Moyong Hi-ah with a calm expression.

Seeing that made Moyong Hi-ah exclaim in a hollow tone.

“…Isn’t this a bit too much?”

The levels were on a different scale.

Words could hardly encompass the enormity of the difference.

To suddenly bring a sun in a place where stars roam was nothing less than a cruel overindulgence.

 

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