Chapter 143: Dragon Phoenix Gathering. (2)

Kuaaak!

The grip on my hand gradually tightened.

That was because Jang Seon-yeon had started applying force as well.

His expression was still smiling, but I could feel a subtle killing intent rising.

‘…!’

The strength I felt from Jang Seon-yeon was greater than I expected. Had I been staring at the wall around this time?

Just as I felt that and considered applying more force, Jang Seon-yeon released his grip first.

“Your greeting is a bit more aggressive than expected.”

He said, lightly dusting off his hand.

“My apologies. I’m not great at controlling my strength.”

I smiled back, matching Jang Seon-yeon’s smile.

I heard Tang Soyeol quietly whisper, ‘How…!’ but I deliberately pretended not to notice.

“It’s alright. It happens sometimes. The Gu family, huh? It’s an honor to meet a blood relative of such a prestigious family.”

What a load of crap. With three of the Four Great Families gathered around, and he’s bringing up the Gu family as if there’s nothing else noteworthy?

I knew it was meant as a compliment, but hearing it from him, it didn’t sit well. I didn’t know what lay hidden behind that smile.

“I wish we could talk a bit more, but I regret that time is short.”

I didn’t reply to Jang Seon-yeon’s words.

I couldn’t bring myself to say ‘See you later’.

After finishing the greetings, I moved to my seat.

There was nothing more I could do right there.

There was also the reason I couldn’t stand Jang Seon-yeon’s gaze any longer.

It felt like my hands might lash out if I wasn’t careful.

I wanted to snap his neck right then and there.

Finally managing to sit down, I took a sip of the tea placed before me.

But it did nothing to calm the burning sensation inside.

The murmuring noise of the banquet hall, the heated air mixed with the tension from the numerous martial artists gathered.

None of it mattered to me right now.

‘I feel disgusted.’

The feeling of being unable to do anything, even with him right in front of my eyes, is truly foul.

“Young Master Gu…?”

Tang Soyeol, beside me, seemed to have read my expression and spoke with concern.

I forced a smile.

“I’m fine. I think my stomach is a bit upset.”

“No, when you make that handsome face, there’s definitely something wrong….”

“…?”

At Tang Soyeol’s firm statement, Moyong Hi-ah next to me let out a series of coughs.

Handsome… No, never mind.

I had confirmed Tang Soyeol’s strange taste in eyes during my last encounter with Namgung Cheon-jun.

That guy’s eyes are messed up, very messed up.

As Namgung Bi-ah casually refilled my empty teacup, I glanced back at Wi Seol-ah, who was standing behind me. Wi Seol-ah looked as tired as before.

Is standing that difficult for her?

‘I can’t exactly have her sit down here, though.’

It couldn’t be helped, so I just hoped she could endure it a little longer.

Wi Seol-ah didn’t seem to mind, waving at me whenever our eyes met.

Even setting that aside, I had to keep monitoring Wi Seol-ah’s condition.

More accurately, I was worried if anything might happen during her encounter with Jang Seon-yeon.

‘What am I even worrying about?’

So much has changed, and only I know it.

Why would I worry like this, thinking the current Wi Seol-ah would know anything?

Even as I thought that, I couldn’t help but keep my eyes on her.

Wi Seol-ah probably isn’t thinking about any of this…

“A son of the Alliance Leader…”

“Isn’t this the first time the Jang family’s bloodline has appeared at the Dragon Phoenix Gathering?”

“I think so. I’d never seen him before.”

“What do you think? He looks kind of frail.”

“Are you still judging by appearances? You know better than anyone that looks aren’t everything. Take Poison Fang for example, knowing what we know, tsk tsk…”

“If it’s a member of the Jang family, not someone else, we can have expectations.”

“Perhaps a new Dragon will be born.”

“Ah, did you know? This time, from the Gu family too….”

Conversations about Jang Seon-yeon were happening all around me.

It just went to show how extraordinary Jang Seon-yeon’s background was.

The Alliance Leader’s son, whose details were not widely known, and a blood relative of the Jang family.

In other words, this meant he was a successor of Nakgeom.

Meanwhile, I kept wiping the dirty feeling on my hand onto my clothes.

The hand I had shaken with Jang Seon-yeon.

That fleeting sensation lingered on my body for so long.

‘What should I do?’

I hadn’t thought I wouldn’t meet him.

I just didn’t think it would be this year.

‘…Was it now?’

I already knew Jang Seon-yeon would distinguish himself at the Dragon Phoenix Gathering and establish himself as an outstanding successor.

He did so in my previous life.

But was it this year?

In my memory, it seemed like it was supposed to happen a little later.

‘If that’s not my mistake, does it mean the future has changed?’

Just as my small steps had already altered countless futures, this too could be different.

Leaving the meeting behind, I looked at Jang Seon-yeon sitting far away.

He had the same expression as before.

I forced myself to suppress the urge to clench my fist.

Because I couldn’t do anything about it right now.

Damn it.

“Young Master Gu.”

As my mind raced, I turned my head at Tang Soyeol’s call.

Tang Soyeol was pointing towards the entrance of the banquet hall with his fingertip.

Wondering why, I focused, and saw someone entering.

It was Namgung Cheon-jun, the Thunder Dragon.

‘I thought I was going to be the last one.’

Separate from the immediate attention drawn by the Thunder Dragon’s entrance.

Namgung Cheon-jun’s expression seemed much more refreshed than last time.

Did something good happen?

That wasn’t the only strange thing.

I thought he would definitely come over here and throw a tantrum about sitting together.

Namgung Cheon-jun glanced at Namgung Bi-ah once, then moved to a seat a little further away.

Coincidence or not, it was towards where Jang Seon-yeon was sitting.

Buld-eok-

I wasn’t the only one reacting to Tang Soyeol’s movement.

Moyong Hi-ah, right beside me, saw it and stood up as if she had been waiting.

“…I think I need to move seats.”

I was slightly taken aback by her words.

‘Why is she asking me this?’

It wasn’t like I could deny it, as Moyong Hi-ah’s sky-blue eyes were looking directly at me.

“Yes. Please do.”

Seats at the Dragon Phoenix Gathering are assigned in advance, but…

If people already in the same seating area wanted to move, they probably wouldn’t stop them.

Though, if someone of lower standing wanted to move to a higher area, that might be another story.

Hoo.

I heard a sigh near my ear.

A low, cold breath; it was definitely Moyong Hi-ah’s.

It’s baffling.

Why is she reacting like that?

It felt like she was reluctant to go. What reason could Moyong Hi-ah have to avoid Namgung Cheon-jun?

Well, if you think about it, there could be many reasons, but considering how persistently he clung to her in my past life, this was strange.

‘Now is not the time to worry about that.’

Even while maintaining a normal expression, I had to constantly suppress the emotions boiling inside me.

Controlling the killing intent that felt like it could burst out any second was, amusingly, helped by the methods I practiced with Noyah.

Should I consider emotions as a form of energy flow?

Even if I couldn’t block everything, it seemed possible to redirect and calm them.

‘Is this enlightenment too?’

No way. It wasn’t some grand revelation; I just realized something I could do but hadn’t known I could.

Noyah would have appeared by now, spitting out some harsh words.

‘He’ll be back soon.’

I had to believe that. I couldn’t search for him or anything right now.

To think my mind would be this shaken just from a brief encounter.

‘What should I do….’

It was a similar dilemma to the one with Zhuge Hyuk, but the core issue was different.

I will kill him. That much hasn’t changed.

It’s just a question of how.

There was no way to do it right now. It meant there was no way to act with him right before my eyes.

‘Fucking hell, I always feel like this.’

I knew this wasn’t the opportunity.

I also knew that acting rashly would only be detrimental to me.

But killing intent is like a fog that blurs all of that.

I suppressed the thorny killing intent that was trying to burst out.

Don’t forget the main objective.

I had to remind myself that he wasn’t my objective right now.

Srrrrik.

I felt a touch on my shoulder and hand.

Wi Seol-ah, who had approached at some point, had placed her hand on my shoulder. Looking at her with slightly surprised eyes, Wi Seol-ah wore her characteristic bright smile.

The hand holding mine felt somewhat cold; it belonged to Namgung Bi-ah.

Namgung Bi-ah was gripping my hand tightly.

She wasn’t smiling like Wi Seol-ah, but she looked at me with her typically indifferent yet clear eyes.

‘Is she worried?’

It seemed she had sensed something unusual about me.

It was amusing how my emotions subsided slightly with this simple gesture, yet paradoxically, I felt a sense of greatness from it too.

I spoke to her.

“I’m okay.”

“You don’t look okay….”

“What’s not okay about me?”

“That’s why… why aren’t you okay…?”

Even though I said I was fine, Namgung Bi-ah seemed completely unconvinced.

In fact, she tightened her grip on my hand.

After warming Namgung Bi-ah’s cold hand, I calmly pulled mine away.

“I’m okay now. Really, I’m okay.”

“Young Master, are you hungry?”

“…You know, I think I might be a bit hungry.”

I took a breath.

Only then did my head start working properly.

‘Calm down.’

This wasn’t the only chance, and it wasn’t even a chance at all.

Rather than taking a gamble that could ruin everything, it would be better to wait for or create an opportunity.

Tuk tuk… Tuk… Tuk.

My fingers, tapping impatiently on the table, gradually slowed.

I quietly closed my eyes.

Closing my eyes blocked my vision, allowing me to feel the touch of Wi Seol-ah’s hand on my shoulder more distinctly.

And because of that, I could repeat it to myself.

For you.

And for me.

These two lines were enough.

Opening my closed eyes, I looked at Jang Seon-yeon, who was sitting a little distance away.

Was it coincidence? Our eyes met again.

His smile as he greeted me was still disgusting.

But this time, I could smile back.

Even if he has no sins in this life.

I’m not the kind of person with such a deep heart that I can just let things go. I don’t think I can easily overlook this.

Even if it’s not this time, I won’t be waiting too long.

Most importantly.

-The Alliance Leader has entered.

Even if I had no immediate way to deal with him.

I had no intention of doing nothing.

Coincidentally, everything that he would gain from this banquet.

I intended to take it for myself.