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Chapter 264: Anhui (4)

Guided by the Nangong Clan’s attendants, I arrived at the banquet hall.

It was a grand building right at the center.

Compared to the banquet hall in the Gu Clan, this one honestly looked about five times bigger.

‘Isn’t it too big for so few people?’

Thinking about the sparse attendance inside, the building indeed felt unnecessarily colossal.

By the time I reached the banquet hall, not only was the table set, but the two clan leaders and Lady Mi were already present.

They seemed to have arrived quite early …

What made them come so fast?

It looked like the food was still being served.

On Nangong Jin’s side, I noticed unfamiliar faces sitting there.

‘Elders, perhaps?’

Two elderly men looked to be of considerable age.

Moreover, the aura each exuded seemed quite exceptional, indicating they were likely skilled sword masters.

They must be the elders of the Nangong Clan.

Did they attend because it was a banquet?

As I pondered, the gazes of the elders shifted toward me.

Their blue eyes radiated a calm intensity.

Could that be the unique aura of the Nangong Clan?

Enduring their stares, I walked forward.

Slowly, making sure to appear honest as I walked.

I soon came to a stop in front of Nangong Jin and my father.

“Thank you for inviting me to the banquet.”

I slightly bowed my head to show my respect.

It was just a formality, really.

It was utterly annoying that they were even holding a banquet.

“You must have had a tough journey. Make yourself comfortable.”

“Thank you for your words.”

Upon hearing Nangong Jin’s statement, I raised my head.

We were exchanging phrases that held no true meaning, making the atmosphere quite uncomfortable.

Especially with Nangong Jin, who could clearly be seen harboring a longing in his eyes that contradicted his words.

It seemed like he wanted this banquet to end even more than I did.

Perhaps it was Nangong Jin who was more desperate than I was.

What on earth had he gained enlightenment from Noya that made him wear such looks?

‘I know that for a martial artist, enlightenment can be like quenching a thirst.’

Being a martial artist myself, I understood that much.

Just like I did.

In my case, if someone could resolve what I felt was lacking,

I might display that kind of demeanor as well.

‘Still, annoying is annoying.’

Knowing the situation didn’t make the annoyance disappear.

Nonetheless.

‘Since I can’t resolve this right now…’

Even if I understood Nangong Jin’s yearning,

that didn’t mean I could help.

That old man didn’t seem inclined to get up anytime soon.

Without Shin Noya, no teaching or anything else mattered.

The sword techniques I witnessed from the Nangong Clan were only those of the Demon Sword Queen from my past life.

‘Though they were exceptional.’

Ultimately, they were different from the Thunder-Sky Sword that Shin Noya had seen.

For now, after greeting my father and Lady Mi, I headed to a somewhat empty seat.

It looked like it was meant for me.

With the opposite seat vacant, it seemed likely that Nangong Bi-ah would sit there.

‘Has she not arrived yet?’

Nangong Bi-ah didn’t seem to have shown up.

Surely, she isn’t asleep?

Given her character, that could very well be the case.

In the meantime.

I tried to act indifferent, but I felt eyes on me from all around.

I didn’t specifically look up to confirm, but I sensed an evaluating aura.

‘Elders? Or perhaps someone else?’

It was uncertain what they were watching for, but still, as a member of the Nangong Clan, it was uncomfortable.

Perhaps they didn’t realize I was aware of their stares.

That could be possible.

If it were last year, I might not have noticed at all.

I felt uneasy, but I didn’t want to react and draw attention.

If I did, it seemed likely that various troubles would erupt.

Gingerly, I picked up the tea in front of me.

Maybe sipping it would calm me down.

Just then, I felt someone approaching from outside the banquet hall.

An attendant waiting by the door announced,

“First Prince is entering.”

Glancing towards the door at the mention of the First Prince.

The First Prince… that must refer exclusively to Nangong Cheonjun.

Since I hadn’t seen him when I searched for the Nangong Clan, I thought he was absent.

But it seems he had been here all along.

His sister had come to the main house, but he hadn’t appeared.

That was quite unlike him.

‘Has it been a year?’

I hadn’t seen him since the Martial Arts Tournament, so it had definitely been over a year.

Someone entered the banquet hall.

Immediately, I shifted my gaze.

It was the handsome First Prince who resembled the younger Nangong Jin, with white hair and blue eyes.

His pretty face was still as irritating as ever.

‘Not impressed.’

Just looking at his arrogant countenance annoyed me to no end.

I cast a sidelong glance at him.

There was no specific reason; I just wanted to see if anything had changed.

As I observed him, surprisingly, there was a noticeable change.

‘Looks stable.’

At the moment he unleashed his Qi before, he had been rather unstable.

Moreover.

He had been trying to control a different aura that had been erratic around him.

Now, those chaotic energies appeared to have stabilized significantly.

The gaze of Nangong Cheonjun, who had entered the banquet hall, also turned in my direction.

!

Upon noticing me, his expression stiffened, and it was quite amusing.

Though his energy had changed, it seemed his personality remained unchanged.

But that stiff expression of his quickly turned into that same old arrogant smile as if nothing had happened.

He even dared to address me as he walked by.

“It’s been a while, Gu So-hyeob.”

“Indeed. It’s been a while, brother-in-law.”

I spoke teasingly,

yet Nangong Cheonjun’s expression didn’t budge.

‘Oh…?’

He managed to endure that.

Had he trained himself in that regard over the past year?

Sporting a smirk, Nangong Cheonjun continued toward his seat of honor.

He, too, aimed to display his decorum to the clan leader.

I quietly watched his back.

More accurately, I observed his physique closely.

‘Where did the Blood Qi go…?’

I had felt the aura of the Blood Demon from Nangong Cheonjun during the last Martial Arts Tournament.

At that time, I had forcefully absorbed that Qi.

Because of that incident, I couldn’t sense any trace of Blood Qi from his body now.

‘Has it completely vanished… hmm?’

Just as I was about to turn my head, thinking it might have dissipated entirely,

a subtle difference caught my attention.

If Nangong Cheonjun retained Blood Qi, I should have felt it in the lower Dantian.

‘What’s going on?’

Something felt different.

As I sensed the change, the transformation appeared to be within my own body.

Heat surged within my lower Dantian.

[•••Grr… grrr…]

Along with that, the fat bum who wasn’t displaying any intention to get up all this time also reacted.

I watched Nangong Cheonjun’s back.

I quickly understood why my body was reacting this way.

‘That bastard…?’

As I widened my eyes while gazing at him.

Suddenly, another voice echoed in my ears.

“The First Princess is entering.”

Nangong Bi-ah had finally arrived.

I turned my head to look at the entrance.

With a gentle breeze, someone stepped inside.

Her footsteps were light and graceful.

With her hands clasped modestly and her gaze lowered slightly, she created a captivating atmosphere.

Her hair, beautifully braided, swayed with her movement.

Her beauty, already remarkable, seemed to ascend to another level with just a bit of adornment.

‘Unbelievable.’

I had grown somewhat accustomed to her face after seeing it every day, but now all that familiarity shattered.

The surge of warmth I had felt just from glancing at Nangong Cheonjun was suddenly eclipsed by the sight of Nangong Bi-ah.

This feeling wasn’t just mine alone.

All the eyes in the banquet hall turned toward Nangong Bi-ah.

Especially Lady Mi, who seemed rather shocked, her eyes nearly doubled in size.

Approaching the seat of honor gracefully, Nangong Bi-ah slowly bowed her head.

“I’m sorry for being late.”

She hadn’t really arrived late.

Not much time had passed, after all.

Even so, Nangong Bi-ah showed her respect.

Watching her, Nangong Jin gestures subtly to signal that everything is fine.

As expected, Nangong Bi-ah seated herself directly across from me.

On any other day, she would have thrown herself onto the chair at once.

But today, she maintained a surprisingly composed posture.

‘She must be painfully uncomfortable inside.’

Glimpsing her slightly trembling pupils said as much.

Not having anyone to lean against must have made her very uneasy.

On a side note.

‘This is extreme.’

Yeah, that would be the fitting word for it.

She was excessively beautiful.

With a light makeup accentuating her already radiant face,

the end result felt a bit overwhelming.

If she were to stroll about like that, anything could happen.

After all, her last name was Nangong.

In an ordinary situation, she would become a calamity.

There’s a saying that the presence of a beautiful woman can ruin an entire nation, and it’s not without reason.

Right now, Nangong Bi-ah was truly at that level.

Comparing her to the Demon Sword Queen from my past life,

her appearance wasn’t too different from now,

but the empty look in her eyes as she stared vacantly at the world

and the lifelessness she had displayed then were a stark contrast to her current self.

‘Good thing I made sure to tell her a few things.’

Whether by hiding her presence or putting on a veil, I had made sure she had some methods to rely on. That much was better.

At that moment.

“Hey…”

I received a thought transmission from across the table.

It was from Nangong Bi-ah.

What could bring about a thought transmission like that?

Curious, I looked at her face and saw that she was casting an anxious glance my way.

“…How do I look?”

“What?”

“…D-do I look pretty?”

She averted her gaze slightly, unable to meet my eyes.

Startled by the sudden question, I examined her closely.

It was a question she had asked me before.

Only, back then, she hadn’t hesitated or avoided my gaze.

Now, it seemed different.

Filled with bashfulness,

her face held an anxious energy that was palpable.

I… um…

In comparison, I remained as clueless as ever.

Maybe I just didn’t realize she would ask such a thing.

In the end, I was at a loss for words.

What profound insight could I possibly offer?

With my lips stammering, I struggled to think, but only one option rose to the surface.

“…You’re pretty.”

As I had no way to say anything else, I blurted it out.

Thankfully, it seemed I wasn’t wrong.

Upon hearing my words, Nangong Bi-ah beamed with joy.

As if relieved, she displayed a sense of comfort.

Warmth spread within me upon witnessing her smile.

Unintentionally, I smiled back.

I didn’t know why, but it happened naturally.

And Nangong Bi-ah was quietly observing me.

The banquet ended without any significant incidents.

The clan leaders enjoyed their drinks, but those at the martial artist level seldom got influenced by alcohol.

It was merely a gathering to celebrate the arrivals of the Gu Clan.

It didn’t last long.

It wasn’t particularly enjoyable.

‘Maybe it’s because of the stares; my skin feels prickly.’

I brushed my shoulders lightly.

Was it the gazes from all around?

I felt somewhat tired from it all.

‘Why don’t they just look away? They’re staring outright now.’

Perhaps it was because I had tried to ignore it earlier.

Not only the elders present but also several martial artists were staring right at me.

What they hoped to discover from that, I had no idea,

but it certainly wasn’t a pleasant experience.

•••Whoa—

As soon as it was over, I cheekily slipped out and started walking.

As I strolled in the refreshing breeze,

someone remarked beside me.

“Are you tired…?”

“I’m fine.”

Nangong Bi-ah was with me.

I was on my way to the residence when she had followed me out to walk together.

Thanks to her, I was able to dodge Nangong Jin’s approaching arms.

Normally, I would have decided to flee saying I was tired.

This was better.

Taking in the striking braid adorning Nangong Bi-ah’s head, I noticed the hairpin I had gifted her.

Perhaps it was visible for a fleeting moment.

I asked her,

“Are you going to keep wearing that?”

“I can always toss it and use something else if need be.”

Her hairpin was significantly cheaper than the one she was currently wearing.

I meant to ask if it wouldn’t be better to use something that matched the price, but then—

Nangong Bi-ah suddenly gave me a wounded expression.

Huh?

“…I’m sorry.”

Seeing that, I unconsciously apologized.

That was the first time I had seen such a look on her face.

“…Yeah.”

My quick apology seemed to have worked, and thankfully her expression returned to normal.

However, there was an awkward atmosphere thereafter.

Did I do something wrong?

The moonlight glimmered along the beautifully illuminated path,

but due to the awkward vibe that developed, it was hard to appreciate its beauty.

“I feel like I might have misspoken…”

I tried to add some sort of explanation hastily.

Nangong Bi-ah’s expression kept lingering in my mind.

As I began to speak, a voice pierced through my thoughts.

“It’s a brilliantly bright night.”

I had to stop speaking at the sound of the voice that came from the opposite side of the road.

Just barely blocking the faint light from the darkness.

The figure spoke.

“I felt like I didn’t greet you properly earlier, so I came to see you.”

The uninvited guest stated.

Though polite in tone, a notably thick mask felt oppressive.

“I hope you have been well.”

Turning to face him, I shifted my body.

Looking into his eyes, he stared at me with bright blue eyes peering through the darkness.

He soon began speaking again.

“Brother-in-law.”

Even as he spoke, it felt as though I bit into a blade, yet the uninvited guest, Nangong Cheonjun, maintained his smile.

Upon seeing that, I unintentionally let these words slip from my mouth.

“What the hell is that little brat saying.”

Oh no.

That was a slip-up.

 

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