Chapter 146: Dragon Phoenix Gathering. (5)

People often say silence is heavy.

How can soundless emptiness be heavy? It doesn’t make sense metaphorically, but…

This was exactly the situation now.

The disciples gathered in the banquet hall numbered easily over several dozen.

A gathering where everyone is present can’t help but be filled with noise.

So what was this silence now?

The reason was simple.

They had simply witnessed something so astonishing it overshadowed all problems and meanings.

“What the….”

“What was that just now? Did anyone see it?”

“…Who is that young master?”

Murmurs gradually returned.

Their cautious movements and hushed voices revealed just how flustered they were.

Tuduk. Tuduk.

The sound of bones cracking echoed every time I rotated my wrists.

‘I didn’t intend for it to come to this.’

Things had escalated beyond what I expected.

I had planned to stay quiet at least within the banquet hall.

Who knew this useless baggage I brought along would cause trouble.

‘…Sseueup….’

Thanks to that, things got much more troublesome than I thought.

The gazes pouring down from the disciples weren’t particularly burdensome.

I understood the meaning behind their looks, but…

My emotions had withered away long ago, making it impossible to feel any particular sentiment.

I naturally looked for Jang Seon-yeon.

‘If that guy hadn’t decided to make a move. I would have just watched.’

Besides, even if I hadn’t intervened, Gu Gyeol-yeop would have won anyway.

Since I’d trained him like that, I had to make use of him somehow.

‘He’s actually quite useful, more than I expected.’

Gu Gyeol-yeop falls into the category of geniuses that are a dime a dozen around here.

Meaning, if you teach him one thing, he’ll absorb about five.

‘Though I did push him harder because I didn’t like that.’

I’m so petty.

If Noyas-nim were here, he’d definitely say that.

‘Did he try to hit the jaw?’

Gu Gyeol-yeop’s judgment wasn’t bad.

Of course, it wouldn’t have landed. Hwangbo the pig, lying there like he’s dead, is indeed a pathetic fellow, but…

He’s not weak.

A warrior’s skill ultimately depends on mastery of martial arts and enlightenment on their realm, but…

In the end, the most crucial thing is something incredibly basic.

Gu Gyeol-yeop’s sword wouldn’t have reached him due to its slowness.

That was all.

Even if Hwangbo Cheol-wi was weaker than Gu Gyeol-yeop…

It wasn’t to the extent that Gu Gyeol-yeop could overwhelm him, so it certainly wouldn’t have ended in a single blow.

Jang Seon-yeon’s gaze, watching me from afar, was different.

The smile was gone, replaced by a calm expression.

What emotion was contained in that gaze? I couldn’t tell that far.

‘He was about to rush me just now.’

Jang Seon-yeon’s gaze, his footwork, even the ki he was gathering…

Because I caught the subtle ripple of his movements, I unintentionally stepped forward first.

What would have happened if I hadn’t stepped in?

If it had been him, what would he have done?

All this murmuring now…

The stares directed at me. The heat crawling up my back, unbecoming of my age…

Would it all have belonged to that guy?

Like back then.

The calmly met gaze was fleeting.

To others, it was just a brief moment, but I could smile looking at him.

Did he see my smile?

Jang Seon-yeon’s eyes widened slightly.

‘This is far enough.’

There’s no reason to provoke him further. Slowly, steadily.

All the way to the end.

‘Everything you were going to take.’

I will take it all, piece by piece.

I decided to do just that.

I nudged the Hwangbo pig lying beside me with my foot and said.

“Hey.”

It was the pig’s companions I spoke to.

As I called out, I could see their shoulders twitch.

“What are you doing, come clean this up.”

They didn’t seem pleased with my words, judging by their expressions.

Is it because I, who am much younger, spoke informally?

If so, I’m sorry, but I don’t feel like being nice.

I didn’t want to manage my appearance now.

“Aren’t you going to clean it up?”

After asking twice, they finally dragged Hwangbo Cheol-wi away with creaking bodies. They didn’t seem to dare challenge me.

Fortunately, they seemed to have some sense.

Hwangbo Cheol-wi, being dragged away, was drooling.

This must be his first Dragon Phoenix Gathering too.

‘He’ll probably be remembered as Drooly-pants from now on.’

It was pitiful, but what could I do?

Guys like that only realize the truth after getting thoroughly wrecked once.

Just like me.

Only after Hwangbo Cheol-wi disappeared could I turn my attention to Gu Gyeol-yeop.

Gu Gyeol-yeop seemed to be shrinking himself up for some reason.

Why is he acting like that?

“Gyeol-yeop-ah.”

“Yes. Ah-!”

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing….”

As I took a step closer, he flinched.

Seeing that, I gave him a displeased look and said.

“What’s with that reaction? Anyone would think I hit you.”

“…”

“…”

Oh right, I did hit him.

His awkward reaction made me cough awkwardly.

That aside.

“Why do you keep causing trouble?”

“…I’m sorry.”

“What kind of idiot starts a brawl in a banquet hall, especially while throwing out bets?”

…I guess I did something similar in my past life.

No one knows now, right? So it’s like it never happened.

Perhaps because of my words, Gu Gyeol-yeop wore a thoroughly crestfallen expression.

Seeing such a face on a handsome guy just annoyed me more.

Kwang!

“Gkeok!”

I disguised it as a knuckle tap and punched him on the head.

I didn’t put any ki into it, but it landed properly, as Gu Gyeol-yeop staggered and collapsed.

“What are you, Elder Lee-nim? Why do you keep crashing into things! Are you going to crash carriages into walls next?”

“Ah. It’s not…”

“Not what, you punk… Weren’t you supposed to be watching me? Why are you the one causing trouble?”

“Watching… is not it.”

“Do you have nothing else to say besides ‘it’s not’?”

“…Not…”

Somehow, I felt like Gu Gyeol-yeop kept stealing the initiative.

More precisely, it felt like I was only cleaning up his messes.

Gu Gyeol-yeop seemed to realize that too, as he couldn’t meet my eyes.

‘Was he always like this?’

My perception of him had changed significantly from the beginning, but regardless, the situation was unfolding somewhat strangely.

Fortunately, I could clean up the mess before a fight broke out, so it wouldn’t be a problem.

It would have been troublesome if he had broken anything.

Should I say it’s fortunate I ended it before that happened?

Of course, even if an accident had occurred, Gu Gyeol-yeop would have been the one to handle it.

As I clicked my tongue in exasperation, voices gradually reached my ears.

“They said he was the son of Ho-hyeop….”

“Just now… that was….”

“The sword tip….”

The voices piqued my interest, so I looked around.

The surroundings were filled with gazes different from before.

They hadn’t even seemed inclined to approach me earlier.

It seems the recent incident made me noticeable.

‘They’ve become wary.’

What was reflected in their eyes was shock and wariness.

Was it because I showed too much?

Honestly, I hadn’t really shown that much.

In the first place, fewer people could have seen it. The disciples’ level isn’t that high, after all.

‘At best, four… five?’

About that much. That’s how it seemed to me.

“As expected, it’s a bit bothersome.”

Having to use force in a place where kids play, like some neighborhood bully.

The creeping sense of futility continued to dampen my mood.

Still, I have to do it. What else can I do?

This is the easiest method right now.

Feeling the following gazes, I returned to my original spot in the corner.

“M-Master…”

When I returned to my seat, Tang Soyeol was hugging his shoulder and trembling.

Did he catch a cold? Why is he acting like that?

“Why are you acting like that?”

“…I can’t stop trembling because Master is so cool.”

“What?”

Tang Soyeol said this with a flushed face, and I felt a considerable awkwardness, causing me to step back involuntarily.

At that, Tang Soyeol froze as if shocked.

“Master?”

“No, uh, I apologize. I was just momentarily flustered….”

He wore a subtle expression, as if he’d consumed a large amount of opium, so how could I not be scared?

Tang Soyeol’s pitiful face, looking like he’d been caught in the rain, concerned me, but there was nothing I could do.

Namgung Bi-ah, who had been enjoying the breeze by the window, approached Tang Soyeol and patted his shoulder.

Is that supposed to be comforting?

While I was watching that, someone tugged at my collar.

A faint floral scent brushed past my nose.

“Young Master! You were amazing…!”

It turned out to be Wi Seol-ah, playfully lifting her veil.

Her smiling lips and slight dimples… I looked at Wi Seol-ah like that and grinned.

At the same time, I playfully pinched and pressed Wi Seol-ah’s nose.

“Kkwing….”

“I told you not to lift your veil.”

“But… it’s stuffy.”

I understood.

“Still, you can’t.”

My firm words made Wi Seol-ah pout for a moment, but she seemed willing to listen, lowering her veil again.

“There are only a few days left, so bear with it a little longer.”

“…Okay.”

I do feel sorry.

While part of the reason for this measure was Wi Seol-ah’s appearance…

It was precisely because of my own anxiety.

‘…If possible, I don’t want to catch his eye.’

It wasn’t that I thought something would happen just from facing each other continuously, but…

There was also no guarantee that nothing would happen.

‘Just a little.’

For the next few days.

With a somewhat sordid heart, I wanted to ask this of Wi Seol-ah for just a few days.

If I put it the other way around…

It also meant that the remaining few days would be enough to resolve my anxiety.

The gaze I kept feeling on my back.

He was clearly looking elsewhere.

He was probably conversing with the other disciples like before.

Yet, feeling his gaze on my back like this, was he paying attention to me?

‘Not bad.’

It didn’t feel entirely unpleasant.

In fact, it was something I had hoped for.

Please keep looking at me like that.

That way, I can feel more.

---

After Hwangbo Cheol-wi left the banquet and Gu Yangcheon returned to his seat.

“…What on earth happened?”

“Wasn’t the person who just collapsed a blood relative of the Hwangbo family? How could they be so powerless….”

The topics they had been discussing with laughter moments ago suddenly shifted.

Smiles vanished, and the conversation turned serious.

It was indeed a shocking sight.

Seeing such a giant fall so easily.

Especially since he was defeated by a boy who, generously speaking, barely exceeded half his size.

“I heard he’s a blood relative of the Gu family.”

“The Gu family… you mean Ho-hyeop’s?”

Everyone’s gaze flickered towards the boy standing in the corner of the banquet hall.

A boy with black hair tinged with red, fierce eyes, and a frightening smile.

He was completely different from before.

More accurately, it felt like an aura had formed around him.

His presence hadn’t been that strong earlier.

Compared to the dazzling people around him, his comparatively low presence had made him stand out, but…

That was a different matter. That’s why this was even more surprising.

“I couldn’t see his movements at all.”

“…Well, that’s possible since we were focused on the person in front…”

“Indeed… There’s no way that young boy could have avoided our eyes, so it must have just been a miraculously successful surprise attack…”

However, they seemed to find it hard to fully believe even after seeing it with their own eyes.

‘Idiotic bastards.’

Jang Seon-yeon, who was listening to the disciples’ chatter with a smile, thought.

Do they really think it was a surprise attack?

And that he couldn’t have avoided their eyes? Arrogant trash who don’t know their place.

‘He was simply fast.’

Just fast enough that their eyes couldn’t follow.

A surprise attack?

Approaching him openly like that and hitting him on the jaw – and they call it a surprise attack?

Jang Seon-yeon could see it.

The clean movements, devoid of any wasted motion.

And the unbelievable precision contained within them.

To have such a conversation after witnessing those movements? It was a base excuse typical of low-level thinkers.

“What do you think, Young Master Jang?”

This time, the arrows flew towards me.

Their intention was clear: they wanted me to agree with their opinion.

Jang Seon-yeon forced a smile and replied.

“…Well, I didn’t get a close look either.”

I didn’t see it. That was true.

Jang Seon-yeon hadn’t properly seen how Gu Yangcheon moved to reach that spot.

Even though his ki sense was focused entirely on Hwangbo Cheol-wi.

‘To miss someone who isn’t even a Dragon or a Phoenix.’

I had only considered the Five Dragons and Three Peaks as potential threats coming to the Dragon Phoenix Gathering.

He was an unexpected variable.

I had already received word about Gu Yangcheon from my father.

-He apparently brought a recommendation letter from Pae-jon.

A recommendation letter from the Three Venerables. I had wondered if the boy named Gu Yangcheon might be a disciple of Bi-ju, the master of the West, but…

From what I heard, that didn’t seem to be the case.

Jang Seon-yeon recalled the moment he shook hands with Gu Yangcheon earlier.

It was a subtle feeling.

‘He seemed wary of me.’

Although it was just for a moment, Jang Seon-yeon could clearly feel it. The sense that Gu Yangcheon was wary of him.

What could be the reason?

‘I haven’t done anything to give myself away.’

I could act better than anyone.

Jang Seon-yeon’s own father, Nakgeom Jangcheon, didn’t know his true nature. That’s why this inexplicable unease lingered.

‘It must just be my imagination.’

It must be. If not…

‘Just in case, I should look into it.’

It would be better than letting this unease fester.

While Jang Seon-yeon pondered his doubts, others were still discussing the incident involving Gu Yangcheon.

“Or perhaps the Hwangbo family member was weaker than expected?”

After one person voiced this, the others fell silent for a moment before nodding slightly.

It felt less like they had found the answer and more like they were forcing themselves to believe it.

“As Young Master Bi said… perhaps that’s the case.”

“Right. Speaking of the Gu family, I’ve heard rumors too. They say he’s called a good-for-nothing. Lazy and wicked by nature, with pathetic talent in martial arts…”

Tsk-

Unable to stand the whispers, Jang Seon-yeon clicked his tongue unconsciously.

Fortunately, it was mid-conversation, so the sound was drowned out by others.

‘How much uglier can they get?’

Is this the future generation that will represent the orthodox sects?

If so, I would be greatly disappointed.

Not only was their level incredibly low, but their judgment was also rotten.

It made me feel pathetic, acting with a forced smile.

‘Disappointing.’

I could understand their low level. In fact, it was better.

Because it allowed me to shine brighter. I even hoped they would remain foolish like this until the end.

‘What is their level?’

While sharing tea with others with a smile, I thought about Gu Yangcheon.

Not being able to grasp him properly meant he was similar to me, or perhaps even higher level.

‘How could that be?’

That’s why it’s incomprehensible. The Gu family, surely…

‘They don’t belong to Yuseong.’

Jang Seon-yeon’s eyes shone quietly.

Judging by his physique, he didn’t seem to have received any baptism.

Whether he was hiding it or not, I couldn’t properly sense his ki, but it seemed like ordinary ki.

If that’s the case, did he really reach the wall solely through his own power?

‘He wouldn’t have crossed the wall.’

He wouldn’t have reached the peak; in the history of Zhongyuan, no martial artist his age has ever crossed the wall.

So, does that mean he’s facing the wall?

Even that would be astonishing.

‘I definitely need to find out.’

Jang Seon-yeon formulated a plan behind his smile.

This was something he excelled at more than anyone else.

“Haha, that’s…!”

Seureung-

Jang Seon-yeon, who had been acting oblivious, suddenly shut his mouth.

He felt like every hair on his body stood on end.

The sensation of long, sharp needles piercing the back of his neck.

He couldn’t move a single fingertip under the chilling sensation, as if hundreds of sharp swords were aimed at him from all directions.

‘Killing intent?’

Rolling his eyes, he scanned his companions, but since they showed no reaction, it seemed only he could feel it.

‘Who is it?’

Could someone unleash such killing intent solely on one person?

Fortunately, the killing intent pressing down on Jang Seon-yeon vanished quickly.

It was such a short time, perhaps only enough to take two breaths.

Jang Seon-yeon immediately placed his hand on his sword hilt and looked around, but…

The surroundings were merely filled with disciples chatting. There was nothing unusual.

Feeling a dampness, I checked my palm.

My palm was already covered in cold sweat.

Although he examined his surroundings meticulously, Jang Seon-yeon could find nothing related to the killing intent.

As if it were merely his own delusion.

Jang Seon-yeon, looking around anxiously like that…

Wi Seol-ah was secretly watching him quietly from afar.

Wi Seol-ah had an unnervingly blank expression.

“What are you doing?”

At the voice coming from beside her, Wi Seol-ah’s expression immediately brightened.

As if nothing had happened.

“N-No…! I didn’t do anything!”

At Wi Seol-ah’s cheerful voice, Gu Yangcheon grinned and stroked her hair.

Wi Seol-ah let him stroke her hair, accustomed to his rough yet careful touch.

The first day ended with the three letters of Gu Yangcheon’s name being etched into the minds of the disciples.

The next day arrived.

The day the friendly sparring matches, known as the ‘flower’ of the Dragon Phoenix Gathering, were to be held.