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EP.22 Why Are You Here Again…?

“Take a break already. You’ll work yourself to death.”

Those were the words Muyeon heard from the Great Lord before he joined the Hoi (Guard).

Desperate to forget his memories, Muyeon swung his sword day and night. But as it turned out, no matter how much he tried, those memories remained firmly in place.

Martial arts practiced without true heart was merely a series of motions to him.

The sword swinging in Muyeon’s hands was no different.

It carried nothing within it.

He swung, that was all. Thus, even after swinging it a hundred or a thousand times, Muyeon’s martial skill remained stuck in the same place as his memories.

Aside from Gu Jeolyub, a prodigy born from the Gu Exemplar Sect, Muyeon’s talent alone indicated he was indeed a genius.

Many said that if talent allowed, the youngest peak martial artist in the history of Gu Exemplar Sect would be born.

Reflecting on it now, those words seemed laughably insignificant.

To be overly excited about the title of a top martial artist?

Muyeon still failed to understand himself.

What had driven him here, after all?

What remained for him?

The echoes of sword team members pleading for their lives still haunted him.

What was the purpose of raising his sword? The sword team was meant to protect.

Yet, he had failed to protect.

Then what was he?

He couldn’t find an answer.

After living like a semi-recluse, he received a command from the Great Lord.

“We can’t afford to let a martial artist of your caliber just rest. This is the only place you can be sent off for now. Go take a break.”

Where he ended up was none other than the Hoi. While it was a place said to protect the Gu Clan’s bloodline, Muyeon saw it otherwise.

“Report every action taken by the Gu bloodline.”

This was the order he received as soon as he was assigned to the Hoi.

To whom, and why? Was this really about their protection?

To Muyeon, it felt like surveillance rather than guarding.

But he didn’t voice his doubts. Did he have the right to?

Then Muyeon’s target in the Hoi was determined.

The third child of the clan leader, the only son of the clan leader, Gu Yangcheong.

His first impression wasn’t great. Just like the rest of the Gu bloodline, a certain sharpness shimmered in his eyes, and his pouting mouth bore mischief.

Although they hadn’t spoken much, the kid was incredibly immature and notably rude.

“Nice to meet you, Young Master.”

“Guard?”

“Yes, my name is Muyeon.”

“Ugh, why did I have to ask for a girl to do this? You really suck at this.”

“W-What…?”

“Don’t talk to me, it annoys me. Just go stand in the corner and keep out of my sight.”

…It’s no wonder the senior sword team member who was transferring duties handed me a rice cake.

“What is this?”

“If he throws a tantrum, just let it go in one ear and out the other, and hand him one of these. It’ll help a bit.”

I was grateful to the senior sword team member at that time. Following his advice made things a little more bearable.

I didn’t know if it was truly the Great Lord’s intentions, but during the week spent with Gu Yangcheong, I started wanting to return to the sword team.

Physically, I might have been comfortable, but mentally, it was a different struggle.

Then one day.

Muyeon learned that Elder Lee was looking for Gu Yangcheong.

True to that, as soon as the news reached him, Gu Yangcheong dashed into the marketplace.

Should I have caught him? Muyeon’s internal debate was short-lived. He feared Gu Yangcheong’s outburst more than Elder Lee’s scolding.

In the marketplace, dragged along as if heading to a slaughterhouse, Muyeon silently observed Gu Yangcheong.

There, Gu Yangcheong didn’t particularly do anything.

He merely stared at the people around him.

‘….’

Coldly indifferent.

Occasionally, that boy’s eyes would seem that way.

What was he thinking? Despite his reckless nature, emotions would occasionally bubble up in Gu Yangcheong.

Muyeon understood. It was an emotion he was sick of feeling himself.

That was definitely ‘resignation.’

Gu Yangcheong wore the eyes of someone who had given up. In a position where he was practically assured to become the clan leader of a precious bloodline, what had that boy given up on?

Muyeon could not fathom how that boy wrapped himself in thorns.

To be precise, he didn’t want to pry. He lacked the energy for it.

Then suddenly.

The atmosphere surrounding Gu Yangcheong shifted.

What should I say? Without realizing it, Muyeon found his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. Even during his time with the sword team, he received compliments about his good instincts.

Muyeon quickly cast a glance around to confirm what was happening but felt no aura of killing intent.

‘What is this?’

What was this dense, eerie feeling? A chill ran down his spine.

That unnerving sensation didn’t last long.

“Potato?”

Though his face was obscured, a child around Gu Yangcheong’s age appeared with a basket brimming with potatoes.

In an instant, the oppressive feeling dissipated. Could this child be the source of that energy?

Unlikely, but who knows. Muyeon approached Gu Yangcheong, ready to draw if necessary.

“Y-Young Master…?”

Shockingly, Gu Yangcheong was eating the potatoes the child handed him. The kid who always flipped the table… eating potatoes?

Looking at the child only added to the problems. The clothes were tattered, clearly in poor condition.

Gu Yangcheong, who often tossed out his clothes after wearing them once, might explode at the sight of this.

I had to send that child away quickly.

“How dare you….”

“Do you have rice cakes?”

“Excuse me?”

“Do you have rice cakes or not?”

My plan failed, cut short by Gu Yangcheong’s abrupt inquiry.

But out of the blue, he asks for rice cakes? Muyeon couldn’t quite articulate that he had seen him devour all they had on the way here.

Searching his pockets, thankfully, he found one rice cake left.

Haha, am I really carrying rice cakes around while on guard duty? What a moment of doubt.

Gu Yangcheong accepted the rice cake from Muyeon.

Instead of eating it himself to wash away the taste of potatoes, he said.

“Want this?”

‘…What?’

I naturally thought he would insult the child after eating the rice cake.

That’s how Gu Yangcheong had always behaved.

What had changed?

He even apologized, saying he’d like to give more, but there was none left. Muyeon found the situation incomprehensible.

‘Tomorrow, I should check where the sun rises.’

East, west, or south… I needed to verify.

Soon, the child happily accepted the rice cake and left with the elderly man who appeared shortly after.

Interestingly, a little later, that girl from the marketplace was seen working at Gu Yangcheong’s residence alongside that old man.

That day marked a turning point. Gu Yangcheong had changed.

Gu Yangcheong began training. It was surprising that he even pursued such rigorous physical training.

Muyeon had witnessed it a few times himself.

His attitude towards the servants shifted. It wasn’t that he treated them well; he had grown completely indifferent.

Whether they worked hard or made mistakes, he didn’t care. The servants were delighted, calling it heaven compared to before.

So many things had transformed.

‘Has he actually changed…?’

Muyeon recollected the eyes Gu Yangcheong sometimes possessed. That gaze lingered in his mind.

It seemed he was living with something concealed. What could a mere boy in his mid-teens possibly hide?

‘Maybe it’s not a change, but a revelation.’

Revealing what for?

That, Muyeon couldn’t ascertain.

The day Muyeon once again stepped into the marketplace with Gu Yangcheong, they quietly sought out the Hao Gate hidden deep in the alleyway.

How could a scion of the righteous faction have any ties to the demonic faction? Moreover, how did he find its location?

It was all so baffling.

Even more surprising was the mention of the Hao Gate Master slipping from Gu Yangcheong’s mouth.

Muyeon gasped as he almost drew his sword at the speed of that revelation.

The sword of the Hao Gate Master was faster than expected.

Even while watching the rain of sword blades, Gu Yangcheong didn’t flinch.

How could he remain composed?

Suddenly, Muyeon recalled the stories the Great Lord would often tell when drinking.

“The Gu Clan isn’t as bright as it seems; whatever you see, don’t delve too deeply.”

Remembering this caused Muyeon’s mind to swirl.

After exiting the Hao Gate, Gu Yangcheong bought a ton of rice cakes as if nothing had happened.

And he paid for them himself…. That money hasn’t reached him yet.

After returning to the clan, Gu Yangcheong requested that this matter be kept confidential since it concerned the bloodline. Muyeon agreed to keep it under wraps.

But afterwards, he still needed to submit a report.

As Muyeon returned to the Hoi and began to draft his report, he couldn’t shake his hesitation.

It was simple; he just needed to write it down. That was his job. So why couldn’t he articulate this?

Finding an answer led back to instinct. His instincts told him to leave this incident unwritten.

Why was that? What was the issue? The thoughts mulled over and tangled within him.

Ultimately, Muyeon, struggling to find his footing, noted only that he had gone to the Hao Gate and left out anything about the Hao Gate Master.

What a frustrating night. Not understanding himself felt overwhelmingly suffocating.

Suddenly, Muyeon craved to swing his sword. So, he stepped outside and grasped his sword.

How long had it been since he felt the urge to swing his sword? It was distinctly different from the moments he had swung his sword to forget his worries.

Who am I?

Who is Gu Yangcheong?

What does the Gu Clan even mean?

As he poured these unanswered questions into his sword, it felt as though his sword provided the answer.

That day, Muyeon achieved a breakthrough in his martial arts after several months.

Filled with childlike joy, he ran to share the news with the old man sweeping Gu Yangcheong’s residence.

It felt as though the fog clouding his mind was finally beginning to lift.

“…I think I can return now.”

At this point, he felt that he could return to the sword team. This, too, could be attributed to Gu Yangcheong.

Despite knowing he had a sense of his own purpose, Muyeon felt grateful that Gu Yangcheong remained silent regarding his own matters.

Thus, he believed that he, too, couldn’t bring himself to speak about what Gu Yangcheong had been hiding.

Why did he wear a reckless facade only to throw it off now? He decided not to ponder what secrets Gu Yangcheong had about the Gu Clan.

As he was about to apply for his return to the sword team—

“…Sichuan?”

They wanted him to go to Sichuan.

….Why me?

“Are you talking about the Tangbing Tournament?”

It had been a day since Elder Lee suggested such an absurd method as running away.

When I questioned whether running away even made sense, Elder Lee put on a disappointed expression and said he would look for an alternative.

What he ultimately brought forth was attending the Tangbing Tournament.

“I receive invitations every year, but it’s never felt worthwhile to attend.”

The Tangbing Tournament was one of the gatherings where the Tang Clan invited various clans.

True to their nature, the Tang Clan displayed manufactured weapons crafted by skilled artisans.

“Is it even happening now…?”

Had it been just once? In my previous life, I had attended exactly once as the Lesser Clan Leader.

I remembered seeing exquisite weapons displayed all around.

“It’s going to take place in about two weeks, so if we leave now, we’ll arrive just in time.”

Considering the time, it was indeed a tight schedule, but would they even be able to search for Geumcheon Clan’s Biwaegun in that limited time?

“How did you even gain permission for this?”

The reason for attending was fundamentally because he had become the Lesser Clan Leader to leave his mark on the Tang Clan’s face.

It was surprising that they allowed a bloodline member to be away for almost a month. Such leniency was rare for the Gu Clan.

It was possible only because I had become the Lesser Clan Leader back then.

Elder Lee chuckled.

“I simply agreed to fulfill a request from the clan leader.”

“Did he really go that far?”

What kind of request had been made for things to proceed so smoothly?

Honestly, I half expected him to throw me into a carriage and send me off somewhere.

Anything was better than this absurd runaway plan… or was it a runaway plan?

Suddenly, the realization that I had the same thoughts as Elder Lee sent chills down my spine.

‘No matter how much I think about it, I’m still better than that bear-like old man….’

Yes! Exactly.

“Since I promised, what can be done? And you, Yangcheon.”

“Yes?”

“I don’t know what your reasons are for wanting to set foot in Sichuan, but you are undeniably part of the Gu bloodline. Always keep that in mind and maintain proper conduct.”

“….”

In simpler terms, it meant “don’t get into trouble.”

I glanced at Elder Lee with a slight grimace. While it would be a glorious and prideful statement coming from anyone else, it seemed entirely unrealistic coming from him.

“If that expression continues, I’ll want to give you a smack on the head.”

“…It’s just that it sounds so cool.”

Regardless, it was a fortunate situation. Even if I were to arrive in Sichuan and fail to find the Biwaegun of the Geumcheon Clan, I could just find another way to ensure that the Gyecheon Sect wouldn’t gain anything.

“When do we leave?”

‘When do we leave?’ didn’t apply to me at all.

“We are leaving now.”

“I’m sorry, what…?”

What on earth is this person saying?

How can we leave immediately without any preparation…?

“I told my attendants to pack your things, so leave right away.”

In an embarrassing manner, he pushed me in, and the door closed immediately.

“What kind of departure is this…?”

I couldn’t finish my sentence; the carriage was already moving.

In an instant, we were leaving the clan territory.

Once the carriage set off, Elder Lee relaxed his posture, loosening his hands which had previously been clasped behind his back. He then turned and walked back towards Gu Yangcheong’s residence.

“Now, shall we talk? Senior.”

In a place that had been silent until then, the Sword Sovereign had taken his seat.

His eyes, once always wearing a gentle smile, were now filled with chilling intensity.

“What do you wish to say?”

“I want to know why the clan leader asked me to fulfill such a request.”

Elder Lee sat across from the Sword Sovereign. The stark contrast between Elder Lee’s large frame and the Sword Sovereign’s small stature was striking.

It was a size difference that could signify Elder Lee’s ability to easily overpower him, but Elder Lee knew better.

One shouldn’t judge based on appearances.

Inside that petite physique, he held the weight of the skies. The Sword Sovereign had already ascended to a realm where one no longer needed a sword.

“Why do you insist on overturning the Central Plains in search of the righteous faction? That’s what I’m curious about.”

The Sword Sovereign stared silently at Elder Lee. Observing this, Elder Lee let out a sigh.

He understood that he wouldn’t receive an answer.

“Then, I’ll ask something else.”

Elder Lee seemed parched, taking a sip of tea. He swallowed slowly before making a statement.

“Your granddaughter… what exactly is that child?”

The Sword Sovereign’s icy gaze fell upon Elder Lee.

“That child.”

Elder Lee met the Sword Sovereign’s eyes.

“Is she really human?”

The intensity of Elder Lee’s words swirled within the room like a storm.

 

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