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Chapter 501 – Just Hand It Over Once.

“Isn’t it kinda hot?”

As soon as we returned to the Tang Clan, Woo Hyeok spat that out.

I glanced around, hearing his words.

‘Hoth?’

Sure enough, I could feel a bit of warmth.

With summer here, it’s only natural for the air to get hotter, but—

‘What’s going on?’

Something felt a bit off.

I couldn’t pinpoint what was different, but there was a subtle difference that I sensed.

Maybe it was due to practicing fire techniques, making me more sensitive to temperature variations.

I considered raising my Qi Perception to investigate, but for now, I decided to let it go.

‘It’s just temperature.’

Maybe it’s just because it’s particularly hot today. That’s what I thought.

After all, there was something more pressing at hand.

[… damn it… damn it….]

The annoyed voice echoing through my ears was the real issue.

As we returned to the Tang Clan, I couldn’t help but furrow my brow at the nagging voice.

[What the hell….]

[Hey, can you quiet down a bit?]

Shin Noya, unable to hold back any longer, let out a retort. For some reason, there was amusement in his voice.

[Do I look like I’m calm right now!]

The owner of that cold voice, Nangong Ming, burst out at Shin Noya, yet Shin Noya only laughed in response.

[Huh… as awkward as it is to say, Ming.]

[What?]

[You look pretty good. I like it.]

[You little punk…!]

‘Oh, can you all just be quiet already? It’s driving me crazy!’

Thanks to these old folks bickering childishly all day long, I felt like blocking my ears.

But blocking my ears wouldn’t make the noise any quieter.

Damn it.

I had to close my eyes against the headache-inducing situation.

In my arms was Noya, the Thunder Fang. Originally, it should have belonged to Gwaeseon.

And it wasn’t even with Nangong Bi-ah!

Why on earth did I have this in my hands?

I couldn’t understand how this unexpected situation had happened.

… How did it end up like this?

Thinking about the source of this situation, I recalled the reason.

It was simple.

‘I just picked up the Thunder Fang.’

That was probably where the problem lay.

With the best intentions, I had picked up the fallen Thunder Fang to give it to Gwaeseon.

I had no idea it would turn into an issue.

As Gwaeseon looked at me, seeing me casually pick up the Thunder Fang, he asked with a shocked expression.

-… How… did you pick that up?

-What?

I had to respond, taken aback by Gwaeseon’s words.

How did I pick it up? I just grabbed it with my hand. What do you mean how?

On top of that, it wasn’t just Gwaeseon; Nangong Ming had a problem too.

[What… What is this?!]

His reaction seemed even more alarming than Gwaeseon’s shock.

I merely picked up the Thunder Fang. What could possibly be wrong with that?

As I tilted my head in confusion, he continued.

[… Why can you, someone not related to the Nangong Clan, pick up the Thunder Fang?]

-What did you say?

I widened my eyes at Nangong Ming’s next statement.

Are you saying that only the bloodline of the Nangong can touch the Thunder Fang?

-What do you mean by that…?

[You should have been fried by the Thunder Qi right away…. Why are you unharmed?]

What the hell is that terrifying notion? I should have been fried by the Thunder Qi?

Only then did I recall the brief flicker of light the moment I grabbed the Thunder Fang.

Could that light have had some meaning?

Thinking this, I suddenly wanted to throw this damned stick away.

But then—

-… Why did nothing happen?

Unlike Gwaeseon and Nangong Ming’s reactions.

The Thunder Fang merely shone for a moment but nothing else occurred.

In fact, the sensation of it fitting perfectly in my hand felt rather nice.

[Put it down immediately.]

Nangong Ming’s deadly voice rang in my ears. For some reason, I didn’t know why, but it was fortunate that I wasn’t fried; I decided to let it go for now.

I should just hand it back to Gwaeseon and think about the rest later.

Just as I was thinking that and about to walk over to Gwaeseon—

-Wait…!

-…?

Suddenly, Gwaeseon reached out toward me and stopped me.

-You said there’d be no problem, right?

-No…

-So you’re saying it doesn’t hurt or anything?

Was he asking about my condition?

-Yeah… it doesn’t really hurt or anything….

-Good.

What does he mean by good?

When Gwaeseon heard my answer, his expression changed dramatically.

It was filled with excitement, almost as if something good had happened.

Why was he suddenly making that face?

As I watched, I wasn’t the only one who found Gwaeseon’s expression odd.

[Wait… descendant, what are you trying to do?]

Nangong Ming seemed to sense Gwaeseon’s intentions, and urgency seeped into his voice.

What’s going on? What is happening here?!

As I stood there, confused and dazed, suddenly—

[Seize that guy immediately!]

Nangong Ming screamed, and my ears hurt from the yelling.

I grimaced as I tried to look back at Gwaeseon.

Fwoosh-!

-Huh?

A tremendous pressure emanated from Gwaeseon.

It was at a level comparable to when he seriously tried to fight me just recently.

Why on earth was he acting like that?

At that moment.

-Then, I’ll just need a few days.

-What?

Gwaeseon said that out of the blue.

[Seize that guy!]

Boom-!

Banggggg—!

With a tremendous force, he vanished before my eyes.

Huh…?

In the wake of Flame Jade, a deep crater formed. Right after Gwaeseon disappeared, I stood dumbfounded, shocked by the unfolding events.

-What the…?

[You idiot!]

Nangong Ming shouted in despair upon seeing this.

I looked over at Woo Hyeok, trying to comprehend the situation.

As if seeking an explanation, I gazed at him, seeing him with one finger in his nose, smirking as if he was familiar with the scene.

Is he picking his nose in a moment like this?

Just like looking at a crazy person, I watched Woo Hyeok mumble as he looked at the spot where Gwaeseon had vanished.

-He’s back at it again.

Finally, with Woo Hyeok’s bored statement, realization dawned on me about the outrageous situation.

I glanced at the Thunder Fang in my hands, along with the incessant, drowning sound of Nangong Ming.

And I thought.

Could it be…?

-… Did I get sent off again?

It seemed like that was indeed the case.

After a series of incidents, I finally returned to my room.

The sun was just about to set, a time when I originally planned to visit Pejon, using the pretense of training to have some fun, but with things being this way, that was out of the question.

[You flaunted about your skills! Haha!]

[Ughhh….]

[… Damn it….]

Now back in the present, I needed to think about the Thunder Fang lying on the floor.

‘What do I do with this?’

It felt like Gwaeseon had passed the Thunder Fang to me.

Should I be happy about this?

Of course, it was a good thing.

‘But it turned out as I hoped….’

I had originally sought the Thunder Fang, and now that it was in my hands, it seemed I should be celebrating.

‘But… this isn’t right…’

I couldn’t shake off the lingering uneasiness.

I planned to prepare something to say but never got the chance before Gwaeseon threw this at me.

‘A few days…? What does that mean?’

He just leaves this with me for a few days and then takes off somewhere?

Gwaeseon’s actions were rather hard to understand.

Considering Woo Hyeok’s familiarity with all this, it seemed like it happened regularly.

[That bastard… really…!]

Watching Nangong Ming’s reaction, it felt like this was something that had never happened before.

[Put him back, now!]

Nangong Ming seemed really upset, continuously repeating that line.

“… How can I return him? I have no idea where he is.”

There was no way I could catch Gwaeseon, who had dashed off at full speed.

[Find him and put him back!]

Nangong Ming began to grind his teeth and throw a tantrum.

[Hey! Who do you think you’re yelling at?]

Shin Noya was not one to sit back and watch.

Who does he think he is calling someone a brat? If you didn’t know better, you’d think he was Shin Noya’s grandson.

[Well, you’ve held onto a worthless person!]

[What the? A worthless person?]

[By the looks of it, it seems your boy doesn’t like you very much. If he dislikes it that much, then he should just leave, all stubbornly holding on.]

[What do you know…!]

Oh, great. Another argument.

Just as I was fearing that tiresome verbal battle would start again, my patience ran thin.

[I know enough, seeing how the Nangong Clan has been struggling.]

[… grrr.]

[Though I can understand your descendants’ struggle, as I said earlier, we, who have already perished, seeking to interfere further would be greedy….]

[What do you know about it?]

Nangong Ming’s voice changed from exasperation to calmness.

As if his anger had dissipated, what remained was a feeling of certainty.

However.

That calmness was laced with enough anger to elicit an involuntary flinch from me.

[As long as the plum blossoms of Hwasan still bloom brightly, you can say that.]

[Ming.]

[After centuries, how can you presume to say anything? You know nothing about the hearts of me, of ‘us’, during that long, dreary time. Can you comprehend that?]

[…]

Nangong Ming’s heavy words caused Shin Noya to momentarily fall silent.

The resentment contained in that voice felt suffocating to me.

[Everyone worked hard, keeping their eyes on the same goal. You did, and so did we. But.]

[Ming….]

[While your Hwasan sleeps peacefully, the sacrifices we willingly made have all withered away. Is it a belief to watch impassively? Is putting a stop to it greed?]

[…]

I swallowed at Nangong Ming’s words.

Thinking back, he didn’t have a point.

Nangong Ming’s Nangong Clan was gradually weakening, forgetting the essence of martial arts.

Tang Je-mun’s Tang Clan had decayed to the extent that she had to directly ask for it to be removed.

What about Shaolin of Huang Abureng? I didn’t see things any differently.

Yeon Ilcheon’s legacy already faded into history.

What about Hwasan?

Even leading up to our demise with the Heavenly Demon in the previous life, it was a firm legendary clan protecting the province of Shensi.

The plum blossoms that bloomed from their swords were still breathtakingly beautiful.

Knowing this, Shin Noya also found nothing more to say.

[Is your plan to wake up now, carrying the original beliefs, and begin cursing at me? If that’s so, why didn’t you show up sooner?]

His sharply spoken words, mixed with sarcasm, clearly expressed Nangong Ming’s leaking fury.

[…] So, is this why you refuse to see me?

[I have forgotten. I don’t recall what I endured for all this time. All that I wish to do now is to set right the twisted sword of the Nangong Clan.]

A mess left unresolved after the Blood Demon War.

The traces of sacrifices and their beliefs, designed to help that aim.

Nangong Ming claimed to have forgotten everything.

Hearing that, I pondered.

Could I really consider him selfish? No, I couldn’t.

He’s stating that he would no longer make unreciprocated sacrifices and instead take it upon himself to heal his deeply flawed clan.

If it were me, I wouldn’t have even started to sacrifice.

However.

‘What about Noya?’

I figured Noya’s stance might differ.

The Shin Noya I had seen until now was indeed a figure deserving to be called a hero, as long as I set aside that irritating personality.

As I anxiously awaited Noya’s response.

[… I see.]

Finally, Noya spoke.

Does that mean he’s affirming Nangong Ming’s intentions?

Thinking that, I awaited him to follow up with more words.

[Indeed, you are not Ming.]

[…!]

‘… What?’

Shin Noya suddenly spoke out. It sounded like something he had said before.

What does that mean?

Just as I was about to ask Noya what he meant, a knock came from outside the door.

Engrossed in conversation, I hadn’t even noticed someone drawing near.

I frowned and looked at the door.

“Who is it?”

‘…’

I called out, but there was no answer. It seemed someone was definitely outside.

‘What’s going on?’

With no reply, could it be Nahi?

I had called Nahi earlier, needing to ask her something before the day ended, so she shouldn’t be ignoring me.

If not her, then who could it be? I stood up.

I could see a shadow outside. It was way too large to be Nahi.

Then is it Tang Deok?

Creak.

With that doubt, I opened the door.

“… Huh…?”

I froze as I saw the figure standing outside.

A massively built figure in a red martial robe adorned with golden patterns.

Dust clung to him, indicating he had come in a hurry, and his black horse looked rather messy too.

And those fierce red eyes. I could never mistake that appearance.

Looking down at me, his composed gaze made me unwittingly speak.

“Clan Leader…?”

“…”

Yes.

The figure standing at the doorway was, surprisingly, my father.

 

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