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What did he just say? I stood up straight at the words spat out by the man behind me.

Kaboom!

As I got up with a loud noise, everyone around stared at me.

Ignoring their gaze, I approached the one who just spoke.

“Hmm?”

The man looked flustered as I approached, but I seized him by the collar.

“What did you just say?”

“Ugh!? Why are you doing this?”

“I’m asking what you just said!?”

“W-Wait a minute. Just let go of my hand…!”

He struggled, but couldn’t shake off my grip.

I glared at him with fiery eyes and asked again.

“Spit out what you just said!”

“What do you mean…?”

“The thing you just said!”

“Are you talking about the Blue Dragon?”

“And then?”

“The Deputy Lord…?”

“Right. That one.”

“No, what does it matter that Shin Ryong became the Deputy Lord…!?”

He spoke, sounding aggrieved. I frowned and asked again.

“The Deputy Lord of the Blue Dragon, Shin Ryong hails from the Mount Shan Clan. Is that true?”

“Ugh… Yes… that’s well-known!”

“Known what?”

There’s nothing notable about that. My grip on him loosened in disbelief.

Gack!

The man slumped to the ground.

Cough, cough!

“Jang Hyung…! Are you okay?”

His friends rushed to him, worried.

“What kind of rudeness is this!? It’s uncalled for!”

“Baek Ah, calm down… He’s a martial artist, after all…!”

“Ugh…”

A martial artist could easily lift an adult male. Even while feeling wronged, they couldn’t utter a word.

Seeing this, I tossed something aside.

Ting!

A coin rolled to him.

“I’m… sorry. I was in a bit of a hurry.”

“Eh…?”

The expression of the man who picked up the money quickly turned soft.

“Ah, it’s nothing to worry about…”

He was grinning broadly.

“Those things happen in life, don’t they? Hahaha.”

“…”

He seemed to have completely forgotten the wrong he had just faced.

Though the money was conjured from the power of the wind, it did the trick nicely.

“Ah, it seems you’ve come to take the entry exam for the sect as well.”

“…Exam?”

“Why, wasn’t today the day of the exam? Seems like the number of applicants has increased due to Shin Ryong’s appearance.”

“…”

I felt light-headed. Too many strange words were flying around.

“…Phew. In any case, I apologize.”

It felt overwhelming to stay there, so I turned to leave.

Just then, I saw Jeomsosoi coming towards me with my dumplings.

“Eh? Guest?”

“The payment will be handled by that guest over there.”

I pointed to the man I just tossed the money to.

I rushed out of the store. I needed to step outside and think things over again. As I moved, suddenly—

Bam!

“Ugh!?”

I collided with someone.

The person I bumped into fell to the ground.

Crap.

I’m lost in my thoughts…

Normally, I would’ve sensed someone approaching and reacted right away, but my mind was clouded, and I ended up hitting someone.

“Damn it… Who are you!?”

The fallen person yelled in anger. Since it was my fault, I was about to apologize but—

“Sorry! I was just in a hurry… huh?”

I squinted, looking at the fallen individual. What the heck?

A handsome young man with white hair and blue eyes. He had that brazen look, and his face jogged a memory.

“Nangong jerk?”

“…What?”

The despicable scion of the Nangong Clan. He looked very much like Nangong Cheonjun. But it didn’t seem to be him.

Even though I recognized him, it was a familiar face for another reason. If he wasn’t a jerk, then where had I seen this face before… oh.

Suddenly, it hit me.

“Nangong Jin.”

“…Hah.”

The handsome young man raised his body, then smirked while addressing me.

“Was this rude act done knowing who I am?”

“…”

It was Nangong Jin. Wang of the Azure Sky Sword, Nangong Jin. The father of Nangong Bi-ah and Nangong Cheonjun.

I knew that the leader of the Nangong Clan was exactly him.

“This can’t be, unless I’ve gone insane?”

He was glaring at me with a much younger face.

“You’re trying to pick a fight even knowing I’m the Sword Dragon Nangong Jin?”

Not the Sword King, but the Sword Dragon.

On top of that, he looked significantly younger. He appeared to be only a few years older than me now.

While I was panicking over this, someone next to him spoke.

“Calm down, Sword Dragon.”

I had to brace myself at whom I was looking at.

“Are you causing trouble here? There won’t be any good coming from it.”

In a composed manner, this person was stopping Nangong Jin.

“Mu Yong… Mu Yong Tae?”

“…”

At my words, another young man looked my way.

It was none other than Moyong Tae, the father of Moyong Hi-ah.

“Correct. I am Moyong Tae. Seeing as we both know each other, what is your name, Prince?”

“…”

Without meaning to, I took a step back.

‘Oh freak, this can’t be happening.’

My thoughts tangled up in confusion. My head just wasn’t processing.

Gulp.

I bit my teeth, then quickly turned and leapt away.

“Hey!! Stop right there!!”

Seeing me accelerate away, Nangong Jin rushed to grab me, but my body was already airborne.

“Ha!! That little brat dares to run away!?”

Nangong Jin gnashed his teeth at my vanishing figure. Just as he was fuming,

“…Wait, what’s this?”

Nangong Jin tilted his head in sudden confusion.

“What is it?”

Moyong Tae asked, puzzled, and Nangong Jin responded with a disgruntled expression.

“It’s just that he looks so much like someone I know.”

“Who?”

“…Someone.”

Nangong Jin avoided the question and clicked his tongue.

That savage look in his eyes, and the distinct aura he gave off.

Though this one’s looks were layers above the person he was thinking of.

Still, they resembled each other.

As Nangong Jin recalled the one he despised the most, irritation bubbled up.

*

I finally escaped to the forest and was completely disoriented. I took a breath, feeling lightheaded.

“Huff… huff….”

What just happened? I grabbed a tree and rolled my eyes.

Not just Nangong Jin but Moyong Tae too.

And what was that about the Mount Shan Clan?

I couldn’t help but feel that something had gone horribly wrong.

‘…What if this isn’t just an alternate world?’

It wasn’t merely a case of different worlds. This was…

‘…Not good at all.’

Even when I ruminated over it, the situation remained bizarre.

It had been a world from my previous life, but if this place was…

‘…A location I shouldn’t be in…’

What do I do now?

Why did I suddenly end up in this place?

Even just being in the Central Plains was already problematic, but this was no ordinary Central Plains situation.

“Hah.”

I narrowed my brow, recalling something my ancestor had once said.

“Is this part of some scheme?”

How could this be considered a setup?

What on earth was I supposed to do here?

“Damn it!”

I slapped my cheek. It hurt. I had hoped it was just a dream, but of course, it was not.

The pain only reminded me of reality.

‘Shit…’

What do I really do? If it’s not a dream, what am I supposed to do?

Both Nangong Jin and Moyong Tae.

Why did I end up here of all places? Why now?

‘What does fate want from me?’

What did my mother expect, throwing me into a place like this?

After thinking a hundred times, I remained confused.

“….”

Given the situation, what should I do now?

It felt like there was something expected of me, yet I had no clue what it could be, leaving me bewildered.

“Damn.”

I wiped my face with my hand.

There was no time for this.

Schemes and whatnots, it wasn’t the time for these things.

I repeated my face wash over and over again.

‘I’ve got to get out of here.’

The conclusion was one: I absolutely needed to escape this place, no matter what.

But how should I go about it?

Having experienced a similar situation before, I knew failing to achieve what was desired led to futility.

So, ultimately, it meant I had to fulfill whatever I wanted.

‘How?’

I didn’t even know what was expected of me here. What was I supposed to do?

Struggling to shake off my anxiety, I forced my brain into motion.

‘During this Mount Shan Clan….’

‘Ah, it looks like you’re here for the sect’s entry exam.’

‘Shin Ryong….’

“….”

Not long after, I lowered my hands from washing my face and raised my head.

“…Damn it.”

Surely, it can’t be that.

I thought and thought again, but somehow, it seems the answer wasn’t anything else. If it wasn’t that, I wouldn’t be sent to such a place.

“…”

Besides, it wasn’t the time to quarrel over what could be true or false.

Now was the time to take action. If a choice had emerged, it was no time for hesitation.

‘Remember that well.’

My ancestor’s words filled my head.

‘Nothing changes.’

Thinking back on why he had said that.

“Damn it.”

There seemed to be only one answer. It felt futile to think of anything else.

Honestly, whether it was Nangong Jin or Moyong Tae. Regardless, I’d recognized it as soon as I heard the man’s words.

I might not know what I was supposed to do here,

but I knew precisely who I had to meet.

With a strained resolution, I turned my head.

To the location I had just left, a huge, magnificent building that loomed afar.

I bit my lip while staring at where the Main Sect was.

It appeared that heading there was my best bet.

At the same time, I gulped as someone came to mind. The one person I absolutely needed to meet in this world.

My father would be there.

 

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