Chapter 115: Let’s Make a Bet. (1)

Did I hear that wrong?

No matter how I look at it, it doesn’t seem like something that should be said in the current situation.

I keep looking at Father with bewildered eyes, but as soon as he finishes speaking, Father averts his gaze from me.

“Family Head.”

“I’m listening. Speak.”

“Perhaps, are you on bad terms with the Namgung Family Head?”

My words made Father react again. His gaze shifted from the stacks of letters piled high on the desk back to me.

“Why do you think that?”

“It just gives me that kind of feeling.”

Namgung Jin’s reaction, and the reaction Father is showing me now, somehow gave me that impression.

‘Did something happen between those two?’

Father didn’t answer my question. He merely looked at me quietly before shifting his gaze again.

He didn’t confirm it, but conversely, he didn’t deny it either.

“Originally, I intended to discuss this at night, but since things have turned out this way, it should be fine to bring it up now.”

‘…Is he planning to ignore what I just asked?’

I didn’t get an answer, but my gut told me he wouldn’t tell me until the very end. Besides, asking further didn’t seem likely to yield a positive response.

Father speaks to me.

“First, let’s talk about the Tae Seon Dan we promised.”

“Yes.”

Come to think of it, I was supposed to receive something like that.

There was a deal where I’d receive a spirit pill if I went to the Hua San Sect and brought back Gu Ling Hwa.

‘…I’d eaten so many other things that I’d completely forgotten.’

From the demonic beast of Hua San to the Sword Empress’s demonic energy, and yesterday’s flower. I’d gained too many fortuitous encounters in less than half a year.

Thanks to that, my body was currently quite saturated.

I’d even received another spirit pill from Mae Hwa Seon.

“It would be poison to you now.”

And it seemed Father knew that too.

On top of that, consuming the flower’s energy last night had further increased the amount of demonic energy within me.

Because of that, the process of organizing the circulating energy hadn’t even finished yet.

Therefore, taking the spirit pill now and adding more energy felt burdensome.

As I was agonizing over what to do, Father suddenly asked me.

“Have you overcome the wall?”

At Father’s sudden question, I straightened my back.

Although he wasn’t looking at me, I could tell instinctively. Father had scanned my body in that instant.

Lies wouldn’t work. It felt like everything was already exposed. Besides, it wasn’t something worth lying about in the first place.

Finally, after a moment’s hesitation, I gave my answer.

“…I have.”

“Mm.”

Father nodded at my words.

“Good.”

As he spoke, the corners of Father’s lips turned up slightly. It was the first time I’d ever seen him make such an expression, and I was taken aback.

‘Is he pleased?’

It’s too scary a look to be considered pleased.

“While your cultivation is outstanding for your age, do not fall into arrogance and continue to strive,”

“Yes, I understand.”

“If you wish, I can give you the Tae Seon Dan as originally promised, but is there perhaps something else you desire?”

Knowing it wouldn’t be very helpful right now, it would be better to receive something else. Or I could just take it and consume it later.

“I think I’ll need a little time to think.”

Father nodded again at my words. It meant he would give me time to think.

And Father said nothing more to me.

I waited, thinking he might be organizing his thoughts, but no further words came.

‘…What is it?’

This couldn’t be the end of the conversation. Why wasn’t he saying anything?

Things like fighting the Blood Fiends after arriving at the Hua San Sect, or treating the Sword Empress, were arguably more important than me reaching the peak.

I’d even written them down appropriately in the letters, and had prepared excuses in case this time came.

Father didn’t ask anything.

Instead, he looked at me as if asking why I was still here.

“Is there anything else you wish to say?”

“…It’s what I wanted to say, but why aren’t you asking more?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I wrote various things in the letters you received.”

It was a matter I’d spent over three days contemplating with Shin No Ya on how best to phrase it. I’d written it after much deliberation, yet Father seemed completely uninterested.

As if to prove it, Father said indifferently.

“As you said, it was all written in the letters, so what’s the problem?”

“…Is that sufficient for you?”

“That’s trivial talk. It seems all the important matters are concluded, so you may leave now.”

Instead of asking further, he firmly told me to leave. He really isn’t going to ask, is he?

It was actually a relief not to have to deliver the story I’d prepared, though.

This left me feeling rather unsettled.

I hadn’t expected him to ask absolutely nothing.

‘I knew Father had that kind of personality, but…’

Isn’t this excessive, showing too much lack of interest?

It’s almost absurd.

Regardless, thinking it was better this way, I was about to leave the Family Head’s study when a thought occurred to me, and I spoke to Father.

“Family Head, you know about the Dragon Phoenix Gathering.”

There was no answer. But I started speaking anyway. It was because I remembered Tang So Yeol saying she wanted to go to the Dragon Phoenix Gathering together.

Honestly, I brought it up thinking I’d definitely be rejected.

“Miss Tang mentioned she wants to go together, would it be alright if I went?”

“A young lady from the Tang Clan?”

“Yes.”

I’d already gone out and returned from outside the clan twice this year alone.

Considering how I was kept confined within the clan like a leashed dog before becoming the Young Master in my past life, this was already a significant difference.

And yet, sending me to the Dragon Phoenix Gathering at this time, where there were so many notable people around? That seemed highly unlikely…

“Go ahead.”

“As expected, it won’t work, I’ll go and refuse… What did you say?”

“The invitation to the conference has already arrived, so I will send it through the Steward.”

“…Why?”

“Hm?”

When I asked again, Father made a strange expression.

No, why are you making that expression?

“Why are you allowing this?”

“You ask strange things. I’m merely agreeing because you asked me to.”

“Because it’s strange! Do you not care if I roam outside?”

“If that’s what you desire, then do so.”

“…What is this.”

Something was flowing strangely; this conversation shouldn’t be going this way? Why on earth was he allowing it?

His attitude was drastically different from my past life. That change made me even more confused.

‘What could be the problem?’

It wasn’t something that would change just because I reached the peak; Father’s face remained expressionless, just like before.

Something seemed to have changed, but I couldn’t figure out what.

“Is there anything else to discuss?”

“…No.”

“Then you may leave now.”

With the firm dismissal, I finally stood up. In that moment, Shin No Ya asked me.

[You’re not saying you won’t go.]

‘You mean the Dragon Phoenix Gathering?’

[Yes, you said you disliked long distances anymore.]

‘Hmm….’

As No Ya said, I wasn’t keen on leaving the clan again, and I disliked long-distance travel even more.

What was important was that the Dragon Phoenix Gathering was being held in Ha Nam.

It wasn’t particularly far compared to other places, and coincidentally, there was someone I needed to meet.

I was waiting for the right time as I lacked a proper excuse, and this was a good enough pretext.

Although there were still a few years left according to the timeline, it was better to mention it sooner rather than later.

The fact that I’d be going with Tang So Yeol was a slight concern, but that was manageable.

As I was thinking that, No Ya asked me.

[Ha Nam, you say. Is Shaolin still in Ha Nam?]

‘Shaolin, of course, it’s in Ha Nam.’

Shaolin of Ha Nam.

It’s one of the Nine Great Sects and the most influential orthodox sect.

Considering that the Martial Alliance is located in Ha Nam, that’s quite telling.

And speaking of Shaolin, although they currently lack a suitable successor, in a few years, they would produce a successor who would take the position of the Divine Dragon, which had been vacant for several years after Peng Wu Jin.

He was also someone with whom I had a deep connection in my past life.

[If you go to Ha Nam, could you perhaps visit Shaolin?]

‘To Shaolin? Why?’

[There’s something I’d like to look into slightly. It’s truly just about looking, so please, I ask of you.]

‘So I just need to go and look, without doing anything else?’

[Yes, just looking is enough, so don’t worry.]

The Martial Alliance and Shaolin weren’t far apart, and it was the first time No Ya had asked me for something like this. If it really was just about looking, there shouldn’t be any major issues.

As I was roughly organizing my thoughts and about to leave the Family Head’s study, Father spoke to me from behind.

“Wait a moment.”

At Father’s voice, I turned around.

“You have an appointment in an hour, so tidy yourself up. I’ll send you the location separately.”

“An appointment, suddenly?”

What appointment could it be? I had planned to visit Shin Ui afterward.

As I wondered, Father added something. Upon hearing it, my expression changed instantly.

“We have a discussion regarding your engagement, so don’t be late.”

‘Ugh.’

Just hearing about it made it sound like a tedious and tiring meeting.

---

Leaving the Family Head’s study, I went to the annex where Tang So Yeol was staying.

Around the area, martial artists who seemed to belong to the Tang Clan were stationed.

When I appeared, they merely bowed their heads in respect, without blocking or stopping me.

Even as a member of the Gu family, one wouldn’t normally be able to move around this freely, so perhaps Tang So Yeol had given prior notice?

As I approached the annex, someone ran towards me.

“Young Master Gu!”

“Hello.”

I hadn’t even entered the annex yet, but somehow Tang So Yeol knew and ran out barefoot.

“Ah, Miss! You should put something on your feet!”

“Ah… Right.”

Tang So Yeol’s attendant shouted urgently from behind. Only then did Tang So Yeol realize how she appeared, and with a flushed face, she quickly went back inside and reappeared.

Tang So Yeol reappeared looking much calmer and neater than before. However, having just seen her flustered state, I wasn’t sure how to react.

[Just accept it as it is. That would be the most comfortable.]

Following No Ya’s advice, I just gave an awkward smile.

“Thank you for coming to see me.”

“Not at all. I had something to tell you.”

“If it’s something to tell, what…?”

When I told her I accepted the invitation to the Dragon Phoenix Gathering she’d offered last time, Tang So Yeol was startled and started jumping for joy.

“Wh-what? Really? Truly?”

“Yes? Yes… The Family Head said it was alright.”

Is this something to be so happy about? It was rare to see someone from a prestigious family acting like this.

‘I think Namgung Bi-ah also said she was going.’

She had said she would go with me if I went, but now that Namgung Jin had appeared at the Gu clan, it was uncertain what would happen.

“When should we leave? What should I wear? What should I wear, what should I pack…?”

“Miss Dang, please calm down a bit first…”

“Since I came in a hurry, I couldn’t pack much, but do you perhaps like poison… Ah, you said you don’t.”

The smile I was forcing myself to maintain almost broke.

Normal people don’t like poison in the first place, Miss…

Do people from the Tang Clan carry poison to drink? No, do poisons even have different flavors?

In my past life, I’d met someone from the Tang Clan who became a demon, but I don’t think they carried poison around like that.

They just had a higher resistance to poison than other martial artists?

Could Tang So Yeol have achieved immunity to all poisons due to such obsession?

Seeing Tang So Yeol holding her flushed cheeks and giggling made me feel conflicted.

‘…It seems she does have feelings for me.’

With such an obvious reaction, it would be harder not to notice.

[…Indeed. It takes such an obvious reaction for you to notice.]

‘…’

Shin No Ya, trying to needle me even amidst this, was quite annoying.

‘Why on earth did she develop feelings for me?’

No matter how I thought about it, it was a mystery. In this life, the only times I’d seen her were for a few days during the Tang Clan’s martial arts tournament.

We never spoke alone, nor did we meet privately. There was clearly not a single point where feelings could have developed.

I looked at Tang So Yeol quietly and then spoke.

“Miss Dang.”

“Yes? Yes?”

“You know I’m engaged, right…?”

“…Ah.”

[You crazy bastard…! How can you say that so directly!]

Shin No Ya yelled furiously, but there was no other way to put it. The engagement with Namgung was a done deal, and saying I had no feelings for Wi Seol-ah, let alone Namgung Bi-ah, at this point would be lying to myself.

Certainly, Tang So Yeol’s invitation was a good excuse to go to the Dragon Phoenix Gathering, but if Tang So Yeol did have other feelings for me, leaving it unaddressed would cause too many problems.

[To act so rationally only at times like this… It’s truly quite irritating.]

‘Shin No Ya… You just don’t like me, do you?’

[…Your perceptiveness only kicks in at times like this… Tsk!]

It was something that might upset Tang So Yeol. If she didn’t have feelings for me, my assumption would be offensive. And even if she did, it wasn’t something to say to her face. However, I didn’t want to beat around the bush, hence my choice.

Tang So Yeol looked directly into my eyes. Her eyes seemed somewhat sad, or perhaps regretful.

She chewed her lip for a moment before finally speaking to me.

“It’s… okay.”

“What?”

Before I could even ask what was okay, another sentence burst out.

“I can do it. I can.”

“…Do what, what?”

Tang So Yeol spoke resolutely, even clenching her fists as if steeling her resolve. The problem was, she never finished saying what she could do.

And then.

[…What is this damn world trying to show me.]

A Taoist priest behind me felt a quiet sense of betrayal from the world.