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Chapter 236: The Front Line. (5)

As the sun set and dusk faded away, night came creeping in.

A gentle breeze swayed through the forest along the front line.

The shallow moon rose into the sky, slowly drenching the ground below.

Under the dense light, Moyong Hi-ah strolled down the forest path.

Even with the weather gradually warming up,

Moyong Hi-ah’s attire remained thick and heavy.

Her once pale skin, contrasting with the warmth of the last year, was still cold,

though her physique had transformed into one familiar with warmth.

The once chilling night wind now felt like a pleasant breeze.

Little by little, she could sense the change.

As Moyong Hi-ah closed her eyes to feel the wind,

“I heard you called for me.”

Someone approached cautiously, speaking as they neared.

Surprisingly, it was Gu Jeolyub.

In response, Moyong Hi-ah opened her eyes and looked at Gu Jeolyub.

He appeared somewhat fatigued and slightly damp with sweat.

“Looks like you were training.”

“Just doing some light stretches… getting my body moving.”

As he answered, Gu Jeolyub subtly avoided her sharp gaze.

If one were to pick the toughest person around here for Gu Jeolyub,

the first would be the demon.

The second would be the lady lord.

And the third would certainly be Seolbong, right in front of him.

‘…Hmph.’

Just look at her now.

Covering her mouth with a fan.

Amidst the darkness filtering through the moonlight, Seolbong’s sky-blue eyes glimmered coldly.

For some reason, Gu Jeolyub felt a surge of fear as he faced Seolbong’s eyes.

‘Does the lady lord realize this?’

When Seolbong gazed at others, it usually carried such a vibe.

Constantly judging the value of others,

assessing whether they were beneficial or harmful to her at every turn.

While one might wonder by what right she judged others’ worth,

her unique presence made it seem entirely normal.

Among the noble bloodlines known to Gu Jeolyub,

Seolbong was the one who truly embodied the name of a noble house.

‘Why such treatment towards the lady lord, though?’

Ironically,

her chilly gaze, along with that lofty aura of hers, seemed to completely vanish in front of the lady lord.

‘Only the lady lord remains oblivious to this.’

With a quiet sigh, Gu Jeolyub adjusted his disheveled clothes from the sparring practice.

“…May I ask why young miss Moyong sought me?”

“Oh, it’s nothing significant.”

She smiled.

Moyong Hi-ah shot a light smile at Gu Jeolyub.

What once would have been an alluring smile now somehow felt frightening.

“We have some important matters we need to discuss, don’t we?”

Seolbong’s tone was unusually sweet and gentle.

Gu Jeolyub understood.

The very fact that she spoke like that indicated,

that this was a far more threatening situation.

“What do you… mean by that?”

“I got it for you, didn’t I?”

“…!”

At Seolbong’s words, Gu Jeolyub’s mouth snapped shut.

Yet, Seolbong continued speaking.

“It’s about the martial artist from the alliance. You purposely left it behind, right? Thinking I would come.”

“…That…”

“The Heat Blade has its weaknesses, you know.”

Caught.

That was something he had been trying to hide.

It appeared Moyong Hi-ah had realized it instantly.

‘Did she come knowing that?’

Thanks to Moyong Hi-ah’s assistance, he escaped, so

it must be right to say she came, knowing.

As Gu Jeolyub concealed his cold sweat and shaky eyes,

“Since I had time, and I wanted to see your face, I came over.”

Fluttering her fan, Moyong Hi-ah approached Gu Jeolyub slowly.

“Now that I think about it, if something goes out, something else must come to balance it, right?”

“I’m not quite sure what you mean….”

“If you don’t get it, should I go to the prince and tell him what the Heat Blade did?”

“I’ll risk my life to fulfill your wish.”

“The Heat Blade is always so eager; it’s quite delightful.”

With one more beaming smile, Gu Jeolyub found himself swallowing hard.

“…What exactly do you want from me?”

“Oh, it’s nothing much. Had it not been for earlier… I wouldn’t have needed all this, but, seeing earlier, I thought it wouldn’t work out.”

“Eh?”

“I knew you were oblivious, but living with you made it worse.”

Teasingly.

Though her face was covered by the fan, he was sure he heard a crunching noise from behind it.

Of course, Gu Jeolyub pretended not to hear, but…

Moyong Hi-ah’s expression shifted back to the charming grin she had worn before.

“Honestly, I would like the Heat Blade to help me out with something. It’s not a difficult task, really; something you can definitely manage?”

“…If I refuse… what happens?”

“Curious?”

He asked out of caution.

From somewhere, a chilling sensation washed over him.

Even if it wasn’t as intense as Gu Yangcheong, Gu Jeolyub felt a terrifying cold lurking within him.

“I hope you aren’t curious at all.”

Watching Moyong Hi-ah, who spoke with an air of laughter,

Gu Jeolyub nodded slightly.

‘…I need to adjust my rankings.’

He was convinced.

That woman was more dangerous than a demon.

The past year along the front line wasn’t exactly the best of times.

For a martial artist from a righteous faction, the front line was possibly the last place they wanted to be.

Especially where the Gu Family’s Five Sword Team was most active, right in the heart of it.

Spending a year rolling around there was hardly a pleasant time, no matter how nice one tried to put it.

Crumble.

As night fell, he walked gently through the woods.

The forest, once wrapped in impurity, had now become a tolerable place for his body.

Rather, the specific energy emitted by the demon beasts had transformed it into a more vigorous atmosphere.

One shouldn’t grow accustomed to such power;

however, it indeed helped him adjust in a way.

[Growl….]

Especially lately, with sleep decreasing,

he found handling that wretched beast that kept waking him up for food immensely easier now.

‘Why is it always hungry right after waking up? I fed you just earlier.’

[Growl….]

With the demonic gate opened just around the forest,

he had caught some demonic beasts and fed them all at once.

Now, it seemed they had digested it, and it was throwing a fit for being hungry.

‘No, it’s not hunger; it wants to overeat, right? Isn’t that it?’

[….Grrr.]

A creature that could last weeks, even months, if fed just once,

was now acting up after having been given ample food recently.

‘If you keep whining like that, I might just stop giving you food.’

Feeling a bit irritated, he spoke.

Instantly, the whining sound of the annoying beast fell eerily silent.

He inwardly clicked his tongue at it.

‘Only when I get angry does it understand.’

People or beasts alike.

Tough love was the answer.

Thud!

Stepping lightly on a branch, he soared through the air.

Though time had passed and his physique had solidified, the energy within him had changed.

His body now felt infinitely lighter.

“After eating that much, this is only natural.”

Having absorbed the energy from countless demon beasts along the front line,

such a situation would have been impossible before. Of course.

Although, it wasn’t just the energy.

If he were to find anything different now,

the purification of demon energy had gotten significantly faster than before.

Preventing the demon energy entering his body from rampaging,

and purifying it to be used as energy was

the power of the Technique of the Flame Wheel flowing within him.

With the considerable amount of demon energy he had consumed lately,

the rate at which he purified demon energy within him had drastically increased.

‘Is this the essence of martial arts? The more you practice, the stronger you get?’

Even if he thought so, it still sounded utterly ridiculous.

Aside from that, he couldn’t think of anything particular.

‘It’s a mystery.’

Putting aside the beast lurking within him,

the fact remained he didn’t understand how the Technique of the Flame Wheel could purify demon energy.

“Better than nothing, but still ungraspable…”

With the flowing energy bursting from within and being refined into his body,

completing the cycle through endless repetition, he refined his martial skills.

During that tiresome and arduous process,

one thing became clear.

‘…The constantly hungry tenant is…’

Lurking deep within the lower Dantian,

it was not in a certain space,

or lurking in the Demonic Absorption Technique, assumed to be the power of a Heavenly Demon.

No, perhaps it availed itself within the Technique of the Flame Wheel.

Altering his perception of the minuscule presence lurking amidst his energy,

for some reason, it made him draw that conclusion.

[Growl…?]

‘It seems like you know I am talking about you. Seriously…’

His knowledge of it wasn’t vast.

On the day he entered closed training last year,

all he learned was the creature’s ‘name’.

What had led it into his body?

Was it adjusting the energy seeping in at its own leisure,

and subtly regulating to ensure his body wouldn’t get damaged?

It was all still unknowable.

Thus, he felt the need to end this wretched coexistence quickly.

‘When will Shin Noya wake up from his slumber?’

It had already been over a year,

and summer would soon arrive.

The period Shin Noya intended to sleep was nearing its end.

“Hmm… now, it might be time to finally leave the front.”

‘I could’ve turned back ages ago.’

Ironically, though he had managed to suppress the incident that erupted half a year ago,

he had sent a letter to his father asking to remain on the front line.

‘There are still matters to address.’

Back then, he had justified it, sending the letter as it was his duty as part of the Gu Family’s Bloodline.

He nearly died of embarrassment while writing it.

Responsibilities as a bloodline? Please.

He was barely hanging on by a thread; what did the Gu Family matter to him?

Even though he could have escaped the front line long ago, he stuck it out because of him.

Well, it was true that rolling Gu Jeolyub around was more entertaining than he had expected.

‘This too shall pass soon.’

In a month, or maybe even shorter,

if his estimation were correct.

Thud!

As he swiftly leaped through the air, he felt the presence of others from a distance.

Roughly around ten people.

Each one appeared well-trained martial artists in a grouped formation.

Two especially powerful energies caught his attention.

One radiated like a roaring flame,

and the other felt eerily sharp with a vibe of Thunder Qi.

‘Looks like everything’s alright.’

Confirming the stability of the energies, he sighed lightly.

It seemed like none were injured.

He gathered his expression and lightly jumped towards the approaching group.

Thud!

“Oh.”

Upon seeing him arrive, the individual at the front let out a greeting.

“Little brother! Sister must have missed you so much, you came running in such a hurry.”

With a cheeky smile, she playfully jabbed at him.

It was Gu Huibi, the eldest daughter of the Gu Clan, renowned as the ‘So Sword Peak’ among the Six Dragons and Three Peaks.

“Guess I should feel goosebumps from that greeting.”

As her raven-black hair danced in the wind, it still retained its glossy sheen.

The energy within her physique had thickened over time,

and even though she walked casually, there was a hint of intimidation in her steps.

This was proof that Gu Huibi had grown stronger over the past year.

“Everything alright while I was away, sister?”

“Everything’s been fine! But I hear you found someone while you were out, correct?”

Having understood the implication behind his words, a wrinkle appeared between Gu Huibi’s brows.

“…Again?”

“Again…”

“Did he pick up another one? He’s quite the handful, isn’t he? Might I discuss a few words with this individual the next time we meet?”

Seeing Gu Huibi speak with joy made Gu Jeolyub send a silent encouragement to Gu Jeolyub.

It might be more distressing for him,

but it was clear that Gu Huibi was not personally dealing with Gu Jeolyub in the way she could have been.

‘If he knows that, perhaps he’d act less timidly around me.’

As Gu Jeolyub observed, Gu Jeolyub was a fool who lacked gratitude.

Tsk tsk…

Tasked with raising their martial skills directly,

to stave off loneliness for a while,

and intervening whenever any trouble arose,

yet Gu Jeolyub still looked scared of him.

‘What’s up with that?’

In my time, treating one’s benefactor like that was unacceptable…

Thinking of it made him unreasonably angry.

‘Looks like I need to raise the ante.’

When he returned, it was time to double the intensity.

“Sister was truly moved. Little brother came this late at night to welcome me, after all.”

“Of course, it’s my duty.”

“How embarrassing.”

“…Sister, did you hit your head or something?”

She seemed fine, yet he felt that she had suffered a severe blow to her head.

“Let me reiterate… I’m just on duty…”

Thump.

Just as he was about to voice his annoyance, a silence settled in the air.

Even the wind that had been blowing halted.

All due to the sound made by the woman’s feet.

The group parted, creating a path for the woman to walk comfortably.

It was as if they were making a way for her.

The wind that had been still began to blow once again.

Moonlight bathed the approaching figure in warmth,

and the silver hair glimmering in the moonlight seemed to glow brightly.

How beautiful.

As if designed to embody the essence of beauty itself in human form.

Coo…

He found himself quietly gazing at her.

He shifted his gaze to scan from her head to her toes.

Despite having been through a battle, her hair was unscathed and shined even brighter,

and the Gu Clan Martial Robe she wore showed no sign of wear.

It was as if she hadn’t fought at all.

Yet, the subtle energy that brushed against him from her shoulders signaled she had indeed fought with full intensity.

‘That must be it.’

That’s how everyone could return unscathed.

Approaching him with a stoic expression, when she met his sea-blue eyes,

he too finally opened his mouth.

With palm-deep emotions concealed, his questions came out rather clumsily.

Even he thought it was a bland question.

Responding to him, she took a step closer.

Their gazes leveled, and suddenly, he found himself looking down at her.

Slowly, she opened her mouth to answer.

“…I didn’t eat…”

A short and somewhat awkward reply.

“I told you to eat while moving, didn’t I?”

“…I’m sorry…”

“Let’s eat when we get back; I saved some for you.”

“Okay…”

She stepped closer.

So lightly, it was almost ethereal.

With an unknown floral scent brushing against his nose.

For some reason,

that flower, which he’d thought should have already bloomed,

seemed to glow even brighter as time rolled on.

A fragrance far beyond what he was capable of handling.

She finally came near enough for him to reach her.

With a slight bow of her head, her hair flowed softly, revealing the top of her head to his view.

Coo…

A sudden movement,

but he understood the reason behind her action.

It had become a habit to deepen it over the last few months.

Consciously aware of the peculiar gazes from those behind him,

he cautiously raised his hand to pat her head.

The feeling of her soft hair was still there at his fingertips.

“You’ve worked hard.”

“…Mm.”

Having added in a simple compliment,

he felt a bit awkward as he withdrew his hand.

The moment they met eyes again, he had to swallow his breath lightly.

Moyong Hi-ah wore a smile as she locked eyes with him.

“I told you not to smile so casually.”

“Mm…?”

“Didn’t I tell you to refrain from such carelessly? It’s a weapon.”

With a beauty like Moyong Hi-ah, that smile could indeed be a weapon.

A potent one at that.

In response to his words, Moyong Hi-ah appeared somewhat wronged.

“…I didn’t smile anywhere…”

“Then what is this right now?”

“…It’s just in front of you…”

He regretted asking.

Heat creeped to his ears, making him look away towards the path he came.

“…Let’s head back.”

It felt awkward standing there.

He scratched the back of his head as an uncomfortable sensation arose.

-What the heck, seriously.

Someone behind started muttering again.

He was sure it was Gu Huibi’s voice.

He heard every word but chose to ignore it as he continued walking.

 

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