Chapter 142: Dragon Phoenix Gathering. (1)

Yongbongjihye. (1)

“This is bullshit.”

I thought, flicking off the loose threads stuck to the ring.

What should I do with this?

Is this the price of carelessness?

I was paying the price for underestimating Elder Lee.

To think he’d use me in such a sneaky way, despite his huge frame.

It was an unexpected twist.

“No, think about it. Maybe this isn’t a precious item?”

What kind of precious item would be this rusty and lying around looking so shabby?

The precious item from Mount Hua I touched last time, while treated like crap, still had the appearance befitting a precious item.

The faint, rich aura of plum blossoms was proof of that.

“But this is just an antique.”

A ring so rusted you couldn’t tell its original color at all.

Moreover, the center where a jewel likely sat was empty, so it must be far from its original form.

Wasn’t it just Elder Lee’s mistake?

He must have accidentally put this in while putting in silver coins. That’s definitely it.

[Isn’t that just what you want to believe?]

“Objectively speaking, does this look like a precious item to you, Noyah?”

A junk ring that gave off no scent or energy.

It looked like it would crumble with just a little force, there was no way this was a precious item.

It couldn’t be.

[Wouldn’t it be better to show it to the Alliance Leader first.]

“I am considering that.”

Going straight to the Alliance Leader and asking directly, ‘Is this really a precious item?’ would be one way, but…

‘First, I need to go to the banquet.’

Looking at the floor, time was too tight to cry out about the injustice of being tricked.

Because it was already quite past the time the banquet was supposed to start.

For now, I put the ring back in my pouch, hid it deep in my clothes, and hurried my steps.

Fortunately, the attendant outside told me I wasn’t too late yet, and guided me as I opened the banquet hall door.

The inside of the banquet hall was filled with murmuring sounds.

It was already packed with martial artists of similar ages.

While some who looked like they were just shy of twenty were noticeable, most were filled with individuals who had just passed the age of twenty.

So, if you were to count me, I’d be in the last generation of the later period martial artists.

It was a subtle thing to recall how the last generation, not these younger ones, had made names for themselves in the Blood Massacre.

There were plenty of people seated, from those whose families were recognizable to those whose identities were unknown.

As I walked past the large banquet hall, I saw figures from well-known families.

This was an intentional seating arrangement.

Starting from the accommodations at Bachonmaru, to the waiting room, and then to the seats in the banquet hall.

Noticeable, clear preferential treatment.

It was filled with the mentality of ‘If you don’t want to face discrimination, climb up here yourself.’

‘Either be born into a noble bloodline, or make myself noble.’

Isn’t that truly ironic?

They should know better than anyone that surpassing those born into prestigious families is nearly impossible.

‘Where is it.’

The seat assigned to me was in the very front row.

This must also be due to the influence of my recommendation letter.

As I walked, looking around, I saw Gu Jeolyeop’s seat.

Gu Jeolyeop must have spotted me too, as our eyes met.

‘Did we not get the same seating assignment?’

A seat that was relatively high up, but not in the very front row.

It was a position from which one could gauge the public’s perception of the Gu family.

‘Normally, since we’re supposed to be companions, they should have seated us together.’

It felt like they deliberately separated Gu Jeolyeop and me.

If there was one small issue.

“You, you’re a child of the Gu family.”

The problem was that Hwangbo Cheolwi, whom I had a run-in with last time, happened to be sitting with Gu Jeolyeop.

Judging by Hwangbo Cheolwi’s growling expression, and Gu Jeolyeop frowning with a look that said ‘I’m screwed,’ the atmosphere didn’t seem good.

‘Just hold on until the speech is over.’

No matter how ignorant and foolish I expected Hwangbo Cheolwi to be, the Alliance Leader would appear soon and start the speech.

Once that’s over, everyone will mingle to enjoy the banquet, so it should be somewhat better.

I averted my gaze and moved on.

Passing a certain point, I could feel the atmosphere change slightly.

Descendants of prestigious clans, noble families, or merchant guilds that provide huge annual donations to the Murim Alliance.

The very front row, where the descendants of those who are the pillars supporting the current Murim Alliance gathered, felt different from the start.

The place I was heading was the very front among them.

I spotted Wi Seol-ah and Namgung Bi-ah in the distance.

Those two had apparently spotted me earlier, as they were gesturing to me.

Suppressing the smile that was naturally creeping up, I quickened my pace.

As I got closer, I could also see Moyong Hi-ah and Tang Soyeol.

As I walked on, I saw the person Tang Soyeol was talking to and stopped breathing for a moment.

In the distance, I saw a boy talking with a smiling face.

For a moment, I mistakenly thought the surroundings had gone silent.

Starting from my frozen toes, a hot breath surged up through my dantian and along my back.

As I exhaled the breath I was holding, heat mixed with it.

Reason tried desperately to calm the raging beast within me, but seeing the guy standing before my eyes, reason was gradually being consumed by the heat.

‘Meteor Sword.’

In the past, Wi Seol-ah’s fiancé.

The man who betrayed the Alliance.

And.

The younger version of the man I wanted to kill the most was standing there.

How could I possibly endure this?

With those disgusting eyes and touch visible before me.

-Do not keep forgetting your role. Do not forget where you belong.

I remember him speaking with that same smiling gaze as now.

-You crawl on the ground, and hand over the dazzling world to her? What a great hero. Aren’t you just a demon anyway?

-Do not be mistaken. Neither she, nor the world, nor even time itself belongs to you.

-It all belongs to me. Because I decided it would.

These were the last words the guy I faced right before the Heavenly Demon and the Divine Sword clashed spoke to me.

It’s still vivid.

The look in his eyes back then.

His burning ambition.

Myself, who couldn’t do anything despite feeling all that.

All of this was still vivid.

One step.

I took just one step towards him.

I didn’t even know myself what I intended to do to him.

Just then.

“What are you doing?”

Thump-!

Someone’s hand grabbed my wrist, and the heat that had been surging instantly subsided.

I immediately looked at the person who had grabbed me.

Shoulder-length bobbed hair caught my eye first.

And I met the same black eyes.

The girl who met my gaze flinched.

Then the girl, Peng Ah-hee, asked me.

“You. What were you trying to do just now?”

“…I wasn’t doing anything.”

“Fix your expression first, then talk. Do you even know what kind of look you have right now?”

What must my eyes have looked like? Seeing the slight fear on Peng Ah-hee’s face, it definitely wasn’t good.

I didn’t show any killing intent.

Fortunately, it seemed I managed to control it to that extent.

“Is it someone you know?”

Peng Ah-hee asked.

She was asking about Jang Seon-yeon, who was at the end of my gaze.

I calmed the remaining heat within me and shook my head.

“No, someone I don’t know.”

“You approach a stranger with a look like that?”

“He resembles someone I hate, so I couldn’t help it.”

“Because of something like that…? You still have a bad temper.”

Seeing Peng Ah-hee grimace as if disgusted, I felt my senses returning slightly.

Peng Ah-hee looked at me and said.

“We meet after so long, and instead of asking how I am, you try to cause trouble first. Should I say it’s typical of you?”

“It’s been a while.”

“That’s just fishing for compliments. Forget it.”

The Peng Woojin I met last time mentioned that Peng Ah-hee would be coming too. And here we are, running into each other.

“I met Young Master Peng last time.”

“Anyway, I’ve heard so much about you at the clan that I figured I’d come find you… Just don’t mention that damn guy. It already makes me furious.”

Peng Ah-hee shuddered as if disgusted, seemingly still exhausted from managing Peng Woojin.

I felt the cold sweat soaking my back and calmed myself internally.

‘That was close.’

Whatever that action was just now, I almost caused trouble without thinking.

‘Noyah.’

I took a breath and called for Shin Noyah, but Noyah didn’t answer.

I bit my lip slightly. I had a feeling this might happen.

Last time at Mount Hua, my connection with Noyah was cut off whenever I lost emotional control.

Ever since I ate the flower brought from Mount Hua, I hadn’t spiraled out of control like this, but…

‘Is it because my demonic energy has waned?’

I know I need to consume demonic energy to soothe the clashing energies in my body, but…

Could this possibly affect my emotions too?

I thought I could hold out for several months, but somehow the cycle felt shorter.

“Where’s your seat?”

In response to Peng Ah-hee’s question, I gestured with my eyes.

Peng Ah-hee also looked towards where the group was gathered and showed a slightly surprised expression.

“For some reason, everyone around you is a woman?”

“It’s a coincidence…”

“That’s probably true, you don’t exactly have the face to go around charming women.”

“Why are you picking a fight right after meeting after so long?”

“Must be nice, walking alone into a flower garden. You were already drawing everyone’s attention anyway.”

Looking around at Peng Ah-hee’s words, it was indeed true. Everywhere you looked, there were multiple people with eye-catching appearances gathered, not just one.

“Your seat is…”

Peng Ah-hee answered with a gesture.

As expected, Peng Ah-hee was also in the front row.

“You’re late, so go sit down for now. We can talk later.”

At Peng Ah-hee’s words, I had to make a strange expression. Talk again later?

Perhaps sensing my expression, Peng Ah-hee chuckled.

“I heard you got engaged, but that doesn’t mean we have to get embarrassed, right?”

The broken engagement happened when we were younger than now. We just wrapped things up amicably a few months ago.

Besides, we never harbored any affection for each other.

Does she mean it’s actually more comfortable now that the lingering bad feelings are gone?

It was a statement difficult to understand with simple reasoning.

“And like I said last time, I’m older. Don’t speak casually.”

Peng Ah-hee threw in a joke and started walking towards her seat.

The Alliance Leader would arrive soon, so I also needed to take my seat first.

‘Thanks to her, I’ve calmed down.’

Watching Peng Ah-hee’s back, my gaze naturally turned back towards him.

The emotions that had boiled up in an instant cooled down easily over something trivial like this.

The anger, resentment, contempt, and murderous intent were still there, but not enough to shake my mind like before.

I could maintain my reason. Was it because I met Peng Ah-hee? While she might have had some influence, it didn’t feel like the sole reason.

I walked on, managing my expression in case any of it showed.

‘I’m worried about Noyah.’

It’s possible he might be absent for a long period like last time.

Because it wouldn’t be strange if he disappeared at any moment.

As I approached the seats where the group was gathered, Tang Soyeol spotted me too.

Tang Soyeol’s coldly stiff expression quickly relaxed, returning to his usual cheerful look.

“Young Master Gu…!”

“I apologize. I’m late.”

“W-we were worried.”

As I approached, Jang Seon-yeon’s gaze naturally turned towards me.

I spoke to Jang Seon-yeon first.

“Who are you?”

Trying hard to suppress the rough voice trying to burst out, I couldn’t possibly smile.

Conversely, Jang Seon-yeon smiled brightly at my words.

“I am Jang Seon-yeon of the Tae-ryeong Jang family.”

“If it’s the Tae-ryeong Jang family…”

At Jang Seon-yeon’s introduction, Tang Soyeol and Moyong Hi-ah’s gazes changed.

Of course. That was the family of the current Murim Alliance Leader, Jang Cheon.

‘Why did it have to be now?’

I bit my lip slightly.

Now I understood why there was more consideration than usual from the Alliance, regarding the accommodations and everything for the later period martial artists.

This was the day Jang Seon-yeon first showed her face as a later period martial artist.

Showcasing unbelievable talent, the starting point where she immediately began making a name for herself.

“Yes, it seemed like my father was being discussed… so I couldn’t help but join the young lady’s conversation.”

Tang Soyeol pursed his lips at Jang Seon-yeon’s embarrassed smile.

It seemed they were indeed talking about the Alliance Leader.

I glanced over at Wi Seol-ah.

Fortunately, Wi Seol-ah merely yawned subtly, showing no interaction with Jang Seon-yeon.

“Please take care of me. This is my first time in such a setting, so I’m a bit embarrassed.”

Saying so, Jang Seon-yeon extended her hand to me.

I stared at the offered hand for a moment before slowly taking it.

Squeeze.

“…!”

The pressure applied to our clasped hands. Jang Seon-yeon looked at me with a surprised expression.

“Yes. Please take care of me.”

The murderous intent about to burst forth was pushed to a corner.

The hatred was driven below my dantian.

I suppressed my rough voice and put reason into my burning gaze.

“I am Gu Yangcheon of the Shanxi Gu family.”

When I encountered the martial artist named Na-chal at Mount Hua, he said something.

-You should at least let me know the name of the person I’m going to kill.

Why is it?

That I suddenly remembered that conversation.

I forced a smile while looking at Jang Seon-yeon.

“Oh. My.”

I deliberately ignored Tang Soyeol’s strange reaction that followed.

And perhaps because I was enduring various emotions while facing her, I didn’t realize.

The cold gaze Wi Seol-ah cast towards Jang Seon-yeon from behind.