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Chapter 242: Listening to the Old Rat

Shinryong Temple.

After the Blood Calamity of the Blood Demon, it became an educational institution established by the Righteous Faction to train Sword Teams against Demon Beasts.

Currently, it holds every recorded characteristic and cause of all Demon Beasts.

From countermeasures to their weaknesses.

And even how to deal with situations as they arise.

Countless records exist within Shinryong Temple.

Not only are these records open to trainees, but there are also instructors who provide education on them.

From just listening to the explanations, it sounded like a pretty good place, but…

“No, it’s not like it’s actually bad…”

Whatever it may be, the current Central Plains faced situations involving Demon Beasts more often than dealing with Martial Artists.

So receiving education about that is not necessarily bad.

“But the problem is whether I need to go there.”

After all, it’s better to train in one’s own clan or sect.

Those who couldn’t do that were laughably unable to enter Shinryong Temple in the first place.

“It’s a place where they’re just having their own little feast.”

It means that without a strong background, you cannot go.

In the first place, without a recommendation letter from Shinryong Temple, you can’t enter.

Even if you have the recommendation letter, if you don’t meet specific criteria, you can’t be admitted.

This means that only well-prepared scions from prestigious or noble families can go there.

“After all… if you’re from a great house or a noble family, you could just practice your techniques on your own at home, right?”

Moreover, Shinryong Temple isn’t the only institution for Sword Team training.

There are two or three in Mount Shan alone and several educational institutions approved by the Martial Alliance in different regions.

Even knowing all of this, many blood relatives and descendants flock to Shinryong Temple for one reason.

“…It’s about connections and being a badge of honor.”

It’s an obvious story.

…

…

!…

The most important things in life are said to be blood ties, regional connections, and academic relationships.

When it comes to noble families, these three aspects are something they take very seriously.

Particularly for those from Shinryong Temple, which is an educational institution.

Mixing in with connections and small political maneuvers.

It’s a place where countless sinister objectives overlap.

This is so important that even my father, who usually doesn’t care much for such matters, sends all his blood relatives there.

“If it were me, I would have thought about Gu Huibi causing trouble there and wouldn’t send the next children.”

Yet my father seemed to not care at all and sent everyone off.

Well, I guess that’s fine.

After all, if you’re born into a prestigious family, you can’t just refuse to go.

Especially if you’re destined to be a Lesser Clan Leader, it’s even more so.

“…I should have stood out originally.”

During the early stages of my reincarnation, I had planned to stand out with thoughts of entering Shinryong Temple.

But for some reason, I ended up in a situation where I couldn’t.

It was all my karma, so it was an unavoidable part.

“Now that it’s come to this, I need to retrieve whatever is buried underground there.”

It was discovered only after the Heavenly Demon appeared.

It wouldn’t be too much for me to take a little, right?

I know it’s not allowed, but—

It’s just self-rationalization.

“…Why…?”

Did she notice my distraction?

Nangong Bi-ah, who was beside me, slowly opened her eyes and cautiously asked.

“It’s no big deal. Just a bothersome thing came to mind.”

What should I do?

Shinryong Temple is a place where one has to stay for at least a year, or at most two.

For late-stage talents, it might be a vacation.

Or perhaps a meeting place for noble bloodlines to confront each other.

But from my perspective, it was just wasting time.

“How much would the knowledge from there even help?”

I wish I could just take what I need and run away.

Of course.

“It’s not that there’s no way.”

It’s not entirely impossible.

It’s just that it’s a bit, no, very troublesome.

“Tsk.”

That aside, the question that kept crossing my mind wasn’t just this.

“Why so soon?”

I was questioning the timing of entering Shinryong Temple.

It’s not something that happens every year like the Dragon Meeting.

The admission timing for Shinryong Temple is set on a specific cycle.

And as far as I know, that time should still be a bit away.

“At least, it’s supposed to be winter…”

Ah.

While lost in thought, I glanced at Nangong Bi-ah leaning beside me.

I had recalled the reason for this progression.

“Is it because of the Engagement Ceremony?”

As soon as the battle at the front line ends, I had planned to head to the Nangong Clan in Anhui for the Engagement Ceremony.

It seems I concluded this based on the duration to consider it.

They must have deemed that they could no longer postpone it from the main family.

“…Ugh.”

Seeing Nangong Bi-ah, I had to put on somewhat of a strange expression.

Now that I think about it, I’m not reluctant about the engagement with Nangong Bi-ah.

It’s far too late for that.

And too much has changed.

“…Speaking of which…”

Is she not going to Shinryong Temple?

A fleeting thought crossed my mind.

In my previous life, it seemed Nangong Bi-ah had never attended Shinryong Temple?

Not that I could blame her, for if someone like Nangong Bi-ah had attended, her reputation would have been known around here.

Be it her appearance or her skills.

There should have been a story or two about it.

“Considering her age, it should have passed a while ago.”

Nangong Bi-ah has surpassed her youth this year.

Thus, she should have been old enough to enter during the last admission cycle at Shinryong Temple.

“Did the Nangong Clan put it off?”

More appropriately, it should be said they didn’t send her at all.

In my past life, Nangong Bi-ah never attended up until the very end.

This suddenly became quite a puzzling story.

Nangong Bi-ah being revealed late and even her clan being annihilated by her.

I didn’t pay much attention back then.

A sane human wouldn’t belong to a Demonic Sect.

Moreover, when any Righteous Martial Artist plunges into the Demonic Sect,

They usually erase their own clan from existence.

Only the fact that it was one of the Four Great Clans made it surprising.

“What kind of experiences did she go through?”

The woman leaning against my shoulder with her eyes closed.

What could she have faced in her past life,

That led her to kill all her blood relatives and live in insanity?

Now, I was genuinely curious about such events.

“In my previous life, I didn’t even care a bit about this.”

Like it or not, I had to stick with her.

Astonishingly, I truly had no curiosity about what kind of life the Demon Sword Queen had.

My life was miserable, and I didn’t want to think about another similarly miserable life.

I looked at Nangong Bi-ah and then at the moon hanging in the night sky.

Neither a full moon nor a crescent moon.

The half-filled moon shone brightly, making it feel wistful.

“What kind of life did you have?”

At that moment, I regretted not asking her about it.

After briefly staring at the moon, I let out a cough.

“Why am I being so dramatic again?”

It was just pointless dramatics.

There’s nothing different about being dramatic.

It’s just pulling up unnecessary memories that should be buried.

“Hey, you should wake up now… uh?”

As I was about to wake her up, Nangong Bi-ah, who had been leaning on me, was now wide awake and staring ahead.

“…What, what are you doing?”

I called Nangong Bi-ah while feeling bewildered.

But she continued to gaze straight ahead.

I could feel the Qi being drawn up from her.

Crackle.

“…Huh!?”

Just as proof of this, a faint Thunder Qi crackled.

Beside me, Bi Yeonseong, who had been silent, startled and trembled.

“What are you doing all of a sudden…!”

I was going to ask her again, but it seemed my words didn’t reach her.

In an instant, Nangong Bi-ah drew her sword and swung it forward.

Whoosh!

“Ugh!”

The Sword Energy, infused with Thunder Qi, swept through the air.

The condensed Qi mercilessly cut through the trees surrounding me.

In one strike.

With a single swing of her sword, dozens of trees fell, creating space.

This did show how much Nangong Bi-ah had grown since yesterday.

“Hey! What are you doing so suddenly at night!”

I couldn’t comprehend why Nangong Bi-ah was doing this.

I checked around to see if there were any Demon Beasts nearby.

Yet, there was no presence detected.

It wouldn’t make sense for me to realize the presence of a Demon Beast later than Nangong Bi-ah.

Could it be she had a nightmare or something?

As I looked at her with that doubt, she didn’t shift her gaze but replied while continuing to stare ahead.

“…I smelt something.”

“What?”

“I smelled something….”

Something smelled?

I sniffed the air around me as per Nangong Bi-ah’s words.

“What smell? I don’t smell anything.”

If anything, the only scents in the forest come from the grass and dirt, right?

It was a forest filled with Demon Beasts, yet ironically the scent of night grass smelled pleasant.

Nangong Bi-ah didn’t respond.

She kept looking ahead and tilted her head slightly.

“…Was it an illusion…?”

“What do you mean?”

All of a sudden, she stood up and split all the trees, and now she’s saying it was an illusion?

As I looked at her in disbelief, Nangong Bi-ah returned to a neutral expression and plopped down back in her original seat.

Tap, tap.

Then she seemed to motion for me to sit beside her again.

“…This is ridiculous.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle at the absurdity.

As I resumed my seat, Nangong Bi-ah rested her head back on my shoulder as if nothing had happened and closed her eyes again.

Once more, the atmosphere blended into the quiet night.

Tremble, tremble…

Bi Yeonseong, who had just witnessed Nangong Bi-ah’s actions, seemed quite astonished and trembled in shock.

Rather than surprise, it seemed she was scared…

“Guess she’ll manage it herself.”

I didn’t need to concern myself with that.

“And then.”

I looked towards the direction where Nangong Bi-ah had swung her sword.

Though she may appear clumsy and scatterbrained,

…Actually, she is genuinely clumsy and scatterbrained.

But concerning this matter, she possessed a remarkable sense and sharp instincts.

Her instincts as a Martial Artist and her five senses were quite extraordinary.

Could it have just been an illusion?

No matter how much I think about it, my perception now surpasses hers.

Grrr…

Leaving behind the sleeping Nangong Bi-ah and trembling Bi Yeonseong,

I amplify the Qi coiling around my body.

I’d keep it subtle.

Tap.

Energy that flows out through the Lower Dantian transforms into a gentle wind.

If I lose focus even for a moment, it would dissipate into thin air.

I controlled the shallow energy carefully, flying over the fallen trees towards a more distant location.

Snap.

In the dark night.

A mysterious figure stepped lightly over the branches, traversing the forest at a rapid speed.

Despite speeding continuously, the shadow’s mind was far from simple.

“What a perplexing situation.”

The strike from the girl.

Just recalling that ferocious yet precise attack made beads of sweat form on my back.

“…The Thunder Qi was definitely from the Nangong Clan.”

At first, the girl’s appearance surprised me.

But as I sensed my presence, I was stunned by her judgment and quick reflexes to draw her sword.

Maybe it’s because I increased the distance significantly.

The shadow stopped moving and switched thoughts.

“How intriguing.”

I was confident in hiding my presence and blending into the surroundings.

For all the countless crises I had survived, it was also the reason I held a position in my clan.

My skills were the foundation behind all that.

“To have almost been seen by a mere girl.”

While that thought twisted my emotions, I felt a mix of shock and frustration.

At her age, to have crossed the barriers and become a peak Martial Artist was indeed astonishing.

But this was a different matter altogether.

My presence should not have been detected.

For some reason, it seemed as if that girl guessed my presence.

“It’s not that she noticed me… rather…”

There was something other.

The conclusion remained the same.

“To think this Hidden Dark Tiger would… be detected by a mere girl of late-stage talent!”

Rather than surprise, a chilly feeling arose.

“Since it’s a request from the First Prince…”

Given the current situation, the bloodline of my clan was cautious about relying on someone else.

To ask for help from others meant giving them a reason to demand repayment later.

And that window would be when the First Prince ascended as the Lesser Clan Leader or as the Clan Leader.

“Even more so to ask me for help.”

I had often engaged in undercover missions, and I was seen as a disgrace among the Righteous Faction.

With my backing slowly fading from the background, for the First Prince to approach me for personal help was—

Surely it suggested that I would receive some form of return for it.

That’s why I reluctantly accepted such a tedious request.

“I thought it wouldn’t be too difficult to scare someone at late-stage talent.”

It wasn’t about killing, but merely intimidation by suppressing them to generate fear.

Especially since it’s supposed to be done while concealing identity on the front lines.

“This must be an unexpected problem.”

Rather than immediately progressing, I just wanted to check briefly.

“The woman who perceived my presence is one issue, but…”

The real pressing issue was regarding that Jin Ryong fellow that the First Prince spoke of.

Just how powerful could he be if even the First Prince deemed him formidable enough to send guards?

“…I don’t know.”

What he possesses or to what extent.

It was too elusive to grasp.

While I could immediately recognize the girl as a peak Martial Artist beyond the barriers,

To comprehend Jin Ryong merely by seeing him was unattainable.

“…That can’t be.”

In such cases, there are two possibilities.

One, they possess exceptional skill in hiding and utilizing their Qi to the extent I cannot catch on.

Or two, their level exceeds mine.

As that thought flitted across my mind, a dry laugh escaped my lips.

It was utterly absurd.

“Hah. I think I’m going senile in my old age.”

The first possibility was that of a mere child lacking the ability to conceal their presence to evade my detection.

The second was even more impossible.

“Perhaps it’s been a long time since I took on a task, so my mind is growing hazy.”

Indeed, it had been quite a while since I had ventured out in this fashion.

Rusty as I was, bits of confusion could occur.

“…First I need to go back and find a suitable timing…”

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“That’s obviously back to the barracks…!”

A voice rang from behind.

The shadow’s eyes widened as he swung their arms without hesitation.

In a movement as swift as the wind, imbued with my Qi.

Thud!

Before they could reach their target, their arms were caught by someone else’s grasp.

Woosh!

As a result, the Qi entwined around their arm made it ineffective and dispersed into the air.

“How could you…?”

The shadow, now looking at the person who held his arm tightly, began to sweat coldly.

While the person had an expressionless face, words flowed out.

“Didn’t expect to see an old rat wandering about on such a dark night?”

EE C G.

The pressure on the captured arm increased gradually.

‘…This guy…!’

The pressure felt much stronger than anticipated.

Surprised, the shadow looked into the black eyes of the youth.

They began to gradually glow red.

The color was so vivid that it became almost frightening.

The subtle smile curling at the corners of his lips was ferociously twisted.

As the shadow realized something was amiss, the youth merely kept asking, unfazed.

“What business does the old rat from the Huangbo Clan have with me?”

With the question, flames ignited around them.

 

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