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Chapter 323: The Workshop (2)

Was it after a meal that made me feel like I might explode for some reason?

Or was it from the moment Wi Seol-Ah dropped that bombshell on me?

For some unknown reason, Wi Seol-Ah began to change.

It was around the time we started afternoon training.

After finishing the painfully boring theoretical education.

During a brief break.

I felt a gaze from somewhere.

Curious, I looked around, and there was something peeking out from the door.

A person’s head.

“Hmm?”

99

I squinted, thinking about what kind of scary sight that was.

It was a familiar face.

Of course, it was Wi Seol-Ah.

I momentarily panicked, thinking I must have seen wrong, but nope, it was really Wi Seol-Ah.

Why on earth was she acting like that?

It seemed I wasn’t the only one who noticed her.

My team members inside the room were casting strange glances at her.

After all, she was known as the Sword Sovereign’s successor among the Three Eminent Beings.

Wi Seol-Ah was drawing attention from all over.

She was blossoming as she grew up, and I heard she was especially getting a lot of attention from the guys.

I totally understood.

If she looked like that, who wouldn’t stare?

I preferred her when her cheeks were chubby back then.

“Brother?” It seemed Paewoocheol noticed Wi Seol-Ah too and called out to me right away.

“I know.”

Drrrk.

As soon as I made eye contact with Wi Seol-Ah, I stood up.

It was obvious she had come to see me.

If I said otherwise, that would still sting a bit… but well, it must be true.

As I moved closer, Wi Seol-Ah flinched in surprise, but thankfully, she didn’t run away.

Recently, she had always run away when I got close.

Was she really planning to stop running away now?

‘What is she, some wild animal?’

Just getting close had become that much of a challenge.

With that fleeting thought, I chuckled and asked Wi Seol-Ah.

“What are you doing here?”

“Ah…!”

“What’s with the ‘ah’?” Now that I was almost there, why was she surprised again?

Her widened eyes were a clear indication of her reaction.

Even though her slightly sharper gaze resembled her past life self more and more, the reactions she was showing now seemed to indicate she was a different person from the Divine Sword wielder.

“Do you have something to say?”

“No, not really…”

Every time Wi Seol-Ah shook her head, her hair flicked about.

Her hair, which hadn’t been very long, had grown a lot over the years.

I thought it probably reached down to her waist.

Seeing her golden strands peeking through.

Wi Seol-Ah’s voice echoed in my ears.

“I just wanted to see you…”

That statement sank deep.

I never expected to hear such words from her.

“”

Was that the reason? I lost my words for a moment.

While I was caught off guard by what I heard, Wi Seol-Ah seemed to finish her sentence and vanished as if startled, just like before.

What was with her and disappearing every time she tried to say something?

Is she seriously some wild animal?

Her odd behavior didn’t stop there.

In between training sessions, she peeked at me repeatedly, and whenever I approached to exchange a few words, she would dart off.

Despite this, it was evident that Wi Seol-Ah was at least trying to do something.

The silver lining was that she didn’t run away right away like she used to.

But the way she peeked constantly was unnervingly distracting.

What on earth was she doing?

Usually, my head was confused in the morning due to work.

And with her acting like that…

Did she plan to complicate things for me?

If that was her goal, she’d succeeded.

I felt quite complicated.

After all the scheduled training for the day was over.

Personal training time had arrived.

Normally, we would eat together around this time, but since I heard everyone had their own plans, I decided to skip dinner.

Just then, I was feeling like my mind was cloudy these days.

I had been thinking it was because I hadn’t trained enough, so maybe skipping dinner was a good call.

Anyhow, the time to eat was when everyone usually gathered, and I had made an effort to attend dinner.

I didn’t realize how long it had been since we had been in a situation like this where everyone had different circumstances.

Lately, I had noticed that Mo Yong-hee had been busy.

Tang Soyeol said she had plans with Peng Ah-Hee.

And Nangong Bi mentioned casually that she was having dinner separately with Gu Yeonseo.

When did they become so close?

Was it really a friendship?

I heard they were assigned to the same group, but it seemed like they often stuck together.

I had already been paying a bit of attention to Gu Yeonseo, and now with Nangong Bi around, I felt relieved.

I heard rumors that Nangong Bi had quite a big voice in their group.

Since the most outstanding individuals in each group stood out, I could see Nangong Bi being that kind.

The same went for the others.

Hooow…

The heat escaping from my body was wafting away with the wind.

I was at the training grounds behind the Shinryong Temple.

Of course, the training ground would be buzzing.

If I went there, I’d just be watching Paewoocheol practice or rolling around with Gu Jeolyub.

So this time, I searched for a quiet spot and started my personal training.

Guuuuuh.

I moved my Dantian around and checked my condition.

The amount of inner strength remained the same.

Considering how much I had focused on meditation, my growth felt slow.

Of course, right now my inner strength was at a level comparable to an average Transformation Realm Martial Artist.

And it was evident that my opportunities weren’t limited to just a couple.

I had surpassed the level of simply increasing from here.

How about my physique?

‘Empty.’

With the intention of solidifying my foundation.

I kept tearing and regenerating, so while I had a stronger body than my peers, it was still only within that comparison.

When compared to other peak masters, it seemed somewhat lacking.

The realm I had attained was basically.

A tall building made up of the application of my past life experience and my impressive outer shell built of my inner strength.

It was a structure difficult to bring down, but that didn’t mean it was built well.

‘Tsk.’

If the support for my inner strength were to collapse,

There was a high risk of it crumbling at any time.

I wanted to reinforce my body to fill those gaps, but that would take too long.

Training external martial arts required so much time.

Even if I thought about my opportunities,

It was only the Transformation of the Body technique. Yet even that wasn’t perfected.

I wasn’t even in a state where I could dream of a complete Transformation of the Body.

‘What should I do?’

The inner strength mixed with heat was still circulating throughout my body.

It swelled up in the Lower Dantian.

And steadily made its way back and forth towards the Upper Dantian.

‘The pathway seems a bit clearer.’

Unlike when I first tried to access the Upper Dantian.

Now, it felt a little cleaner.

Still, it hadn’t changed that I was just touching it.

‘Why?’

I couldn’t understand.

Why was I still just touching it?

I couldn’t break through it regardless of increasing my inner strength.

It made no sense as I barely reached that far as it was a close call with my inner strength.

That’s why it was even more mysterious.

‘It’s not a lack of inner strength.’

My inner strength was definitely not lacking.

But feeling like I was deficient to reach the Upper Dantian meant something else was wrong.

I thought it might be a problem of my mind.

Some tangled thoughts tying up and blocking my inner strength from reaching the Upper Dantian.

What was the problem?

There were so many things hanging in my mind that I couldn’t pinpoint a single one.

When I first returned, the problem was the pitiful body and the tiny amount of inner strength.

….

..

…

..

Now that thought had lifted, was it my mind instead?

I couldn’t fathom why it felt like there were so many issues.

“Whew…”

Letting out a deep sigh, I pulled back my inner strength into the Dantian.

As my hot body quickly cooled down,

I finally felt the winter wind a bit.

As a faint mist formed with my breath,

I turned my head and spoke.

“It’s cold, come over here.”

“•••!”

Amidst the trees that stretched out, I spotted something flinching.

“Stop peeking and come here quickly.”

As I gestured,

Only then did the person who had been hiding behind the trees cautiously reveal herself.

Sure enough, the culprit was Wi Seol-Ah.

The way she approached stealthily was quite impressive.

Watching her, I swirled my inner strength a bit and enveloped the warmth around me.

“Is peeking your hobby?”

“Yes…?”

“I’m asking if peeking has become your hobby.”

“Ah, no…”

“Then what’s going on from earlier?”

“ ”

“Why do you keep glancing over like that?”

While speaking, I grabbed Wi Seol-Ah’s cheeks with both hands and stretched them.

“Ugh…!?”

It seemed she didn’t expect that I would grab her, and her eyes bulged wide.

Unlike before, her cheeks had slimmed down, but there was no problem grabbing them.

Her face was slim, but pulling on it was oddly fascinating.

“Like you said this morning. Are you trying to make me suffer?”

At my words, Wi Seol-Ah’s gaze trembled.

Seeing that, I released her cheeks.

I hadn’t held them tightly, but there must’ve been some sensation because she started touching her cheek.

“What are you doing?”

What’s her intention?

I didn’t know what Wi Seol-Ah was thinking, but she must have some reason behind her actions.

I wanted to know that. In response to my question, Wi Seol-Ah opened her lips and stuttered.

“•••I, I was told that this would work.”

“This would work? Who said?”

“•••If I keep staring, the temptation will succeed….”

What temptation?

Did she just use the word “temptation”?

That came from Wi Seol-Ah’s mouth?

“•••Temptation?”

Even after thinking over it three times, I couldn’t understand, and I let it slip out.

That word simply didn’t seem to fit with Wi Seol-Ah.

Did she know that too, or was she too embarrassed?

She turned her head away quickly.

“Do you mean you were staring at me all day in the name of temptation?”

“ ”

“•••How is that supposed to be tempting?”

My experience with that strange word was almost non-existent.

However, just staring could hardly be considered tempting.

Only if you had a captivating gaze like Mo Yong-hee’s or were exceptionally alluring could one draw such feelings just from looking.

At least Wi Seol-Ah wasn’t from that side.

Where on earth did she pick up such a method?

It felt like she was off track from the beginning.

‘No way.’

Given Wi Seol-Ah’s level, it was possible to entice a man merely by looking at him.

If she had used that to do all this,

‘…That couldn’t be it.’

Yeah, that didn’t seem likely.

‘And temptation.’)

Regardless of the process or conclusion, if Wi Seol-Ah really had attempted to tempt me,

‘…’

Ah, my brain just short-circuited.

It felt like time had stopped for me.

How did it get to this point?

While I was fumbling for a response,

“•••This time it didn’t work, so I’ll try something different next time.”

“What?”

I snapped back to reality at Wi Seol-Ah’s words.

Something different next time…?

“What are you trying? No, what are you doing right now?”

I had no idea what Wi Seol-Ah was up to.

From morning she mentioned feelings, and now she was about “temptation.”

What was she after?

As if realizing something, Wi Seol-Ah’s previously trembling eyes steadied as she looked at me.

“Effort.”

“Effort?”

“Yeah. Effort. I can’t just do nothing. So I’m trying like this. So… please don’t hate me too much.”

She spoke with a slight smile that oddly stabbed at my heart.

And so I couldn’t spit out the words, saying how could I possibly hate her.

If I had said it instead, perhaps it would have been easier.

Was that the reason? As my mind, which had been foggy, became somewhat clear.

I felt a slight headache creeping in.

It wasn’t to the point of being unbearable.

Just a little numbing sensation.

As I noticed that,

“Prince.”

“Hmm?”

Wi Seol-Ah spoke to me.

“Is it okay if I hug you?”

She said that carefully, hesitating for some time.

I couldn’t help but be surprised.

It was unexpected, but it also reminded me of something I had heard from her once before.

– At times like this, just… please hug me once.

She probably didn’t remember, but I certainly did.

Regardless of whether I would refuse or accept her request,

I found myself speechless.

Before I could react, Wi Seol-Ah moved first.

She slipped into my arms.

Despite having grown taller, she was still petite, making her fit perfectly into my embrace.

Should I wrap my arms around her back?

That thought flashed through my mind as I felt her body slightly trembling against me.

Unable to withstand that shivering, I gently patted Wi Seol-Ah’s back.

That was about all I could do right now.

Funny how I knew I had so many things to say that I should have said.

In the end, I chose to keep my mouth tightly shut.

Until everything piled upon me was resolved,

I had no choice but to refrain from saying anything.

This was something I needed to choose for myself.

And it was also a choice I had to make for the sake of those important to me.

Thinking about that, I managed to force out a single sentence.

“…could you loosen your grip a bit? I’m going to suffocate.”

Just like before.

Wi Seol-Ah’s grip was too strong, making it a bit hard to breathe.

“•••No way.”

My poorly expressed request was firmly denied.

It felt awkward to ask her again, so I just held back.

The situation, making me helplessly overwhelmed,

Lasted until several minutes later when Wi Seol-Ah finally released her grip and dashed off.

As the moon hung in the sky,

Among the bloodlines of the Four Great Clans and the descendant of the Peng Clan, Peng Ah-Hee moved on.

Holding a cup of warm tea, she walked to where her friend was.

Arriving at her destination with the warm tea in hand,

She gazed outside the window where the wind was unrestricted.

Tang Soyeol was casting her eyes at her.

“What are you doing?”

‘Coo, you’re here?’

Tang Soyeol grinned as she noticed Peng Ah-Hee brought the tea.

“Is there something outside?”

“Hmm? No, it’s just that the night is beautiful.”

Saying the night was beautiful? The stars were sparse, so it wasn’t even that pretty.

Peng Ah-Hee looked at Tang Soyeol weirdly as she placed the tea in front of her.

“You didn’t eat much. Are you alright?”

“I haven’t really had an appetite lately.”

Tang Soyeol replied casually while sipping her tea.

As Peng Ah-Hee observed her bizarrely,

Suddenly, she blurted out.

“What was Gu Gongja doing?”

Chhap…

At Peng Ah-Hee’s words, Tang Soyeol spat out her tea.

It seemed she was very used to this as Peng Ah-Hee quickly wiped the spilled tea from the table.

“What… What do you mean Ah-Hee?”

“Looking at your face, which seems so lost in admiration, I figured unless there’s something else, I must be right. Was I mistaken?”

At Peng Ah-Hee’s question, Tang Soyeol bit her lip.

“…Partly right.”

“I knew it. Should I go and give him a beating?”

“Ah, no…! Our Prince doesn’t see girls that way…!”

“Our Soyeol seems quite certain that I would lose, huh? That stings a bit…”

Saying that, she already knew the truth.

Gu Yangcheong was now known as Jin Ryong and had risen to the highest position among his peers.

Compared to that, Peng Ah-Hee, who didn’t have any nicknames and was merely referred to as a Late-Stage Talent,

How could she ever win in a fight?

“•••I just feel a bit shabby nowadays.”

“Suddenly?”

Tang Soyeol’s words lit a spark in Peng Ah-Hee’s eyes.

Being called the Poison Phoenix and the greatest work of the Tang Clan, how could Tang Soyeol feel shabby?

That was completely absurd.

“Why do you think that?”

“Something just feels off.”

Although she smiled while saying that about Tang Soyeol, her half-moon shaped eyes looked somewhat pitiful.

“•••Um, yes.” While Peng Ah-Hee couldn’t understand it, she had to admit that Gu Yangcheong did have a bit too much luck in his favor.

All the women surrounding him, one by one, were all impossibly exceptional individuals.

“Even Bi-ah, who is called one of the candidates for the next Sword Dance Hero.”

“And Mo Yong-soja as well.”

While her martial prowess might be somewhat lacking, she wasn’t just about her martial arts talent; Seolbong was well-known for being incredibly capable.

“…And there’s Seol-Ah too.”

Not to mention Wi Seol-Ah, who was also hailed as the Sword Sovereign’s successor.

‘•••This is just bizarre.’

Every time she recalled one after another, Peng Ah-Hee couldn’t help but exhale internally.

What was so great about Gu Yangcheong that such fantastic women stuck around him?

It was a mystery to her.

‘Still, I understand a bit more these days…’

If it had been the past Gu Yangcheong, who was a notorious troublemaker, it would have been impossible for him to be surrounded by such talented women.

If Tang Soyeol said she liked him, she would have dissuaded him immediately.

But now, Gu Yangcheong looked a bit different.

Though his personality was still quite flawed,

At the very least, he didn’t behave that way around the women who approached him.

To begin with, the realm of a martial artist was equivalent to honor.

Being the youngest peak martial artist was a title desired in every clan.

Which meant that he could be a figure who would excel and become the strongest in the future.

Even the Poison King, who deeply valued Tang Soyeol,

Might weep blood over losing him in the future.

‘•••If there are other women besides Soyeol, it would be different.’

If anything, they might try to poison him right away.

It was definitely possible.

But amid such competition,

Tang Soyeol herself felt shabby.

“Why do you think that? You also…”

“I know. That I shouldn’t be thinking like that. But it’s what I see, you know?”

Tang Soyeol continued to smile.

“I know I shouldn’t compare, but I just keep feeling that way. Without the name Poison Phoenix, I’m nothing.”

Spouting out such a despondent sentiment while maintaining her calm expression, she took another sip of tea.

Peng Ah-Hee found Tang Soyeol’s composed demeanor as she evaluated herself strange.

If she had been in Tang Soyeol’s position,

She would have been utterly devastated.

“Then… are you considering giving up on Gu Gongja?”

“Hmm?”

At Peng Ah-Hee’s question, Tang Soyeol tilted her head in confusion.

That reaction made Peng Ah-Hee feel awkward for some reason.

Wasn’t that the impression she was giving off?

“Why would I give up on Gu Gongja?”

“Isn’t it because you feel lesser compared to him and the others, and you want to quit?”

At Peng Ah-Hee’s words, Tang Soyeol burst into laughter.

“Looks like that’s not the case, huh?”

“Yeah, not at all.”

After laughing for a while, Tang Soyeol looked up at the night sky.

“Give up? If I wanted to do that, I would have done it much earlier. I already knew I was lacking compared to Seol-Ah and the others.”

“And then?”

“Since I feel lacking, I try to find different methods.”

“Different methods?”

“Yeah. If I feel lacking, I need to find ways to fill those gaps.”

What did she mean by filling the gaps? As Peng Ah-Hee blinked, she caught a glimpse of Tang Soyeol’s face.

The way she spoke with a smile hinted that something was remarkably different from her usual self.

Wasn’t she just complaining about being unworthy?

“Ah-Hee.”

“Hmm?”

As she looked at Peng Ah-Hee, Tang Soyeol spoke.

“Can you help me?”

The calmness in Tang Soyeol’s eyes at that moment was striking.

 

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