Chapter 1228: Scorched World

A bout of education. No, it was the end of education-defying violence.

“Kkeueu……”

On the floor, something that used to be Tang Cheongi writhes in agony. For starters, it wasn’t in any condition to talk to. It was at a point where its mere survival seemed miraculous.

“Are you alive……?”

Maybe you’re actually dead? Just as that worry flashed through my mind.

“Get up.”

Poison Phoenix spat out a single word. At that moment, the supposedly dead Tang Cheongi shot upright.

Ah, so you were alive? I stared at him with surprised eyes.

“What. Got nothing to say?”

“……I’m sorry.”

His pronunciation was so bad he could barely speak. Blood trickled down his lips.

“Not to me.”

“……”

Tang Cheongi flinched at Poison Phoenix’s words. Because if the apology wasn’t for him, it could only be for me.

“Noona…… that……”

“Don’t like it? Fine, I guess that can happen.”

Poison Phoenix spoke while rolling up her thin arms. Seeing that, Tang Cheongi looked at me urgently.

“I apologize, hao.”

“Hao?”

“I, I’m sorry.”

“Sorry?”

“Apologies……?”

Only then did Poison Phoenix nod.

“I am sorry…… Member Baek, please forgive my rudeness……”

“No, uh……”

“I’ll apologize too. I’m truly sorry.”

WHAM-.

“Kkuhk……”

Poison Phoenix grabbed Tang Cheongi’s head and slammed it straight into the ground. And then she bowed her head too.

“I am sorry.”

“Yes…… uh…… It’s alright.”

I had already beaten him, after all. And Tang Cheongi was broken enough that refusing his apology would have felt rude.

“……Shouldn’t we send him to the infirmary at least?”

“It’s fine.”

Poison Phoenix said with a bright smile. Her smile was so innocent, it left me speechless.

And why was the one who got hit saying it was fine?

“Your brother doesn’t look fine, though?”

“Oh no. He’s tougher than he looks; a little medicine will fix him right up.”

“……”

Was she serious? I wanted to point it out, but I held back. There was no need to.

“I will educate him properly so he never causes trouble for the Young Master again.”

“Ah…… yes. Understood.”

Watching that, I subtly increased the distance between us.

“Well then, I’ll be going……”

“Yes, yes, go home safely.”

Poison Phoenix waved me off, urging me to leave. I felt a bit uneasy, but I ignored it and started walking away.

I could feel Poison Phoenix’s gaze following me until I disappeared.

I ignored that, too.

I had to.

---

Right after confirming Baek Yangcheon had disappeared into the distance. Poison Phoenix looked at her brother.

“Cheongi-ya.”

“Kkeueu……”

Tang Cheongi shuddered at the low voice calling him. The parts he’d just been hit on ached all over.

“Why do you keep ignoring your Noona’s words? I’m genuinely curious.”

“Hao, Noona…… that guy is truly……”

“Troublesome with women?”

“……Yes. Didn’t I tell you?”

He had told her everything. About Mi Hyoran, about Hyeon Soyeong. Even about So Yi in the same unit, there were strange rumors circulating. He had even witnessed the truth behind it all.

“Why is it him?”

How could his own sister fall for that bizarre guy? He asked, unable to comprehend.

Grind.

“Kkwaaak!”

The answer was pain.

“You’re using informal speech again. Noona told you not to, remember?”

“Kkeueu……”

“And.”

Poison Phoenix spoke to Tang Cheongi with a strange smile.

“You know, historically, great men always have a history with women. Isn’t that perfect?”

“What……”

What bullshit. Tang Cheongi shut his mouth before he could say it. He realized she wouldn’t listen anyway.

‘This is insane.’

It’s acting up again. His Noona’s bizarre taste in men. That taste for filtering out all normal men and only liking the weird ones. It seemed to have flared up again. And this time, she seemed fixated on the most bizarre guy ever.

“Please, Noona. Stop. If the Family Head finds out about this……”

Sreung.

“……!”

Tang Cheongi froze at the sensation against his neck. The sharp tip of a blade touched his throat. Poison Phoenix gripped a dagger she’d produced from nowhere and looked down at Tang Cheongi.

“Cheongi-ya. Talking about the Family Head here is forbidden. We promised, didn’t we?”

“Noona……”

It was chilling. Her gaze looking down at him, framed by the sunset. It held a speed and deadliness that even he, the genius of the Tang family, couldn’t dare to perceive. Sensing it, Tang Cheongi spoke.

“As expected. You should be the Family Head, Noona.”

Poison Phoenix chuckled at his words. She then retracted the dagger and said,

“I don’t have that kind of ambition.”

“It’s not ambition. You know that well.”

“Oh my. Why are you acting like this? Is it because you don’t want to get scolded more?”

“……Noona.”

“If so, you’ve succeeded. Don’t do it next time.”

Tap tap.

Poison Phoenix tapped Tang Cheongi’s nose a few times and stood up. Watching her walk away lightly, Tang Cheongi couldn’t help but sigh.

“……Seriously.”

A lament escaped him. He disliked that his Noona, who was several times more capable than him, kept acting like this.

“I shouldn’t be the Family Head; you should be.”

Although the Tang family was pushing him as the Young Family Head, Tang Cheongi didn’t think so. His Noona should be the new head of the Tang family. Who was his Noona, after all?

‘They called her the reincarnation of Dokjeolcheon.’

Dokjeolcheon Tang Jemun. An ancestor of the Tang family, hailed as a hero who stopped the Blood Calamity. Yet his own sister, called his reincarnation, reacted as if she had no interest whatsoever.

Or perhaps.

‘……Is it because of Grandfather?’

The current de facto head of the Tang family, the one everyone in the clan feared. Dokgun. He wondered if she was acting this way because of their grandfather.

“……It was like this when she left, too.”

When she left the Tang family and headed towards Hannam. Noona, the Family Head, and Grandfather had talked about something. He knew she had headed here after making some kind of promise back then. Though he didn’t know what that was.

“……”

Tang Cheongi frowned. Whatever promise was made, whatever Noona thought. He only wished for his Noona’s happiness. Which means.

‘That guy is a no-go.’

He absolutely cannot be the one. Baek Yangcheon. A newly admitted member of the Azure Dragon Dormitory, known as the disciple of the Hegemon. He was said to possess immense skill, but few had actually seen him fight. Moreover, he was rumored to be quite fond of women; all the gossip was about women.

‘He looks the part.’

With his fierce face, he looked like a womanizer. I don’t like him.

“I just don’t like him, for some reason.”

It’s been like that since the first time I saw him. Something about him irks me. It’s strange. Normally, I wouldn’t hate someone this much. It’s just… something.

It feels like…

‘Losing a daughter I never had.’

---

A day passed. I spent time gathering information about the Divine Dragon Dormitory. Then, time flew by as I went around checking various things. As it approached dawn.

“Everyone’s gathered.”

Several people stood before the Azure Dragon Dormitory Head, who was seated on the wooden porch.

“I apologize for the sudden selection, but you’ve heard the news, right?”

Yes!

Hearing the reply, the Azure Dragon Dormitory Head chuckled.

“You don’t need to answer so loudly; I can hear you fine. Anyway, the Alliance is holding a martial arts tournament this time, and we’ll be participating.”

Swoosh. The Azure Dragon Dormitory Head rested his chin on his hand. He looked tired at first glance, but the coolness emanating from him somehow felt palpable.

“You all will be representing our unit. I don’t expect any objections.”

At his words, I, standing nearby, looked around. The number of participants was four to five. The Azure Dragon Dormitory Head seemed intent on sending the maximum of five. The first person I saw was Sword Phoenix So Yi. She was meeting the Dormitory Head’s gaze with a firm look. It seemed she was participating in the tournament too. Of course. She wasn’t weak by any means in terms of combat power. As I watched her.

Flick.

Our eyes met. As soon as So Yi’s eyes met mine, she scowled intensely. I felt slightly hurt. Why is she looking at me like I’m some kind of bug? How disappointing.

I didn’t recognize the other two. They seemed to be fellow unit members, but I couldn’t recall them.

And then.

‘Father.’

Father was there.

“Fortunately, the Unit Leader can participate this time. I’m counting on you to do well.”

“Understood.”

Father replied with an expressionless face. The Unit Leader can participate, huh… The intention seemed rather obvious.

‘Are they trying to see the Divine Dragon?’

Perhaps they wanted to witness the power of Father, whose reputation was currently soaring. That’s what I thought. Otherwise, letting the Unit Leader participate wouldn’t make any sense. Father would likely be overwhelming.

“Furthermore, we originally intended to have Geom Ryong participate… but given the circumstances…”

The Dormitory Head’s gaze turned towards me. Seeing that, I avoided his gaze.

“It’s because of… well, you know. Right?”

“……Ahem.”

“I expect you to do your best.”

The Dormitory Head cut off further explanation and nodded.

“Whatever happens, come back victorious. That’s all that matters.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

Time that felt like I hadn’t even begun to figure things out. I ended up participating in the martial arts tournament with my depleted body. All to embark on the journey to Sichuan.