Chapter 187: Trivial Act. (2)

Trivial Matters. (2)

I’m just about to board the carriage to head to Shanxi.

The atmosphere, which had been particularly bustling when I arrived, seemed to have calmed down just because the martial arts tournament had ended. That just goes to show how much interest there was in the tournament.

If the martial arts tournament for the later generation disciples is this much, I wonder what it’ll be like on the day the Dragon God Tournament is held.

‘I shouldn’t come then.’

Since I don’t really like crowded, bustling places. I figured it would be best to just hole up in my family’s estate and train on that day.

[Haven’t people always enjoyed watching these brawls since ancient times?]

Shin No-ya’s choice of words is a bit crude, but it’s true that it’s like a tradition passed down since long, long ago.

‘Still, I didn’t come here just to see that.’

I needed to get on the carriage quickly, but seeing those two scoundrels blocking the path like that gave me a headache.

“Jeolyeop. I won’t lose next time.”

“I’ll be looking forward to it.”

“Yes, perhaps one day at our Hwangbo family estate…”

Somehow, Hwangbo Cheolwi had heard that Gu Jeolyeop was leaving and appeared to see him off. The sight of them patting each other on the back and shaking hands was truly… a picture that didn’t fit at all.

‘…Why are they acting like that.’

Why are they friends?

It feels like the story has progressed quite a bit without my knowledge…

No, seriously, why are they friends?

Weren’t they the guys who used to beat each other up?

Since they seemed like they had no intention of stopping if left alone. In the end, I stepped in.

“What are you two grown men hugging each other for? Get lost, quickly!”

When I showed up growling, the two startled and pulled apart. Meanwhile, Hwangbo Cheolwi couldn’t look my way, his head stiffening.

“…Ahem.”

He let out a nervous cough, so I called out to him, bewildered.

“Hey.”

“…Yes? Ah, no. What is it?”

“Why are you so scared?”

“…I’m not scared! What nonsense are you talking about.”

At his words, I casually raised my hand, and Hwangbo Cheolwi flinched. Yeah, right, not scared at all.

Did something happen to him after I beat him up last time? Why has he become so withered?

“Anyone would think I half-killed you? Stop being scared, I’m not going to hit you.”

“Hmph…! This Hwangbo doesn’t get scared! That time, I was just careless….”

“Then, want to have a proper fight?”

“…”

I said it as a joke. Hwangbo Cheolwi’s expression immediately soured. Seeing him completely fail to live up to his size, I couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Just kidding.”

I casually threw a joke that Peng Woojin once used at Hwangbo Cheolwi. Maybe it was taken the wrong way, because Hwangbo Cheolwi started sputtering. Of course, he didn’t seem able to get angry like last time, though.

Meanwhile, perhaps because I thought of Peng Woojin.

“That sounds familiar!”

Peng Woojin actually appeared.

“Perhaps, Young Master, you were waiting for me too? It seems our hearts are connected.”

“…When did you arrive? Gongja Peng.”

Peng Woojin appeared as if it were the most natural thing in the world and slung an arm around my shoulder. I immediately recoiled and pulled away from Peng Woojin’s arm.

Hwangbo Cheolwi looked startled upon seeing the suddenly appearing Peng Woojin. It seems even that arrogant punk knows who Peng Woojin is.

Peng Woojin, who seemed unfazed by whatever reaction I showed, instead spoke to me with a wide smile.

“Congratulations, Gu Gongja! Ah, should I call you the Dragon God now? I definitely thought you could do it.”

Peng Woojin, seemingly paying no mind to Hwangbo Cheolwi standing nearby, focused solely on me.

“…I’d prefer you didn’t use that nickname.”

“Why not? Isn’t it cool? They say you’re a real dragon certified by the Alliance!”

That’s embarrassing, you bastard. He probably doesn’t know well since he’s from the Dragon God lineage, but this is actually quite embarrassing.

“This hyung Peng watched every single one of your matches, dongsaeng. How amazing it was….”

“Why are you casually crossing the line into calling each other hyung and dongsaeng? We’re strangers, Gongja Peng.”

“That’s what I find regrettable too… Perhaps you’d consider taking my pretty younger sister again? Her eccentric personality is already blocking her marriage prospects… If you took her, we’d naturally become family…”

“You crazy bastard!”

“Oof!”

While Peng Woojin was spouting nonsense, someone approached rapidly and kicked him flying. There was no need to think about who the culprit was; it was Peng Ah-hee.

“I should have known from the moment you ran ahead! How can you spout nonsense right after arriving?”

“Ah… Ah-hee-ya, it seems your brother got hit in a sensitive spot…!”

“Who cares where you got hit! You won’t be using it anyway!”

Wow… Those words are a bit harsh.

Peng Woojin, knocked down by Peng Ah-hee’s kick, barely managed to get up. Hearing him groan, it really seemed like he got hit somewhere unfortunate.

“…The way you treat your brother is quite flavorful.”

“And you don’t care how you treated your sister like dirt?”

“Hey, I was trying to set you up with a great guy! What’s the problem? A martial arts tournament winner is more than enough!”

“He really is a crazy bastard… What should I do?”

“What’s a broken engagement anyway? If you meet again…”

“Oppa, next time I might not just kick you, I might stomp on you until you break.”

“…”

To shut up that Peng Woojin. I realized Peng Ah-hee really means business when she wants to.

When Peng Woojin shut his mouth tightly, Peng Ah-hee sighed and said to me.

“…Sorry, it seems my family’s crazy bastard caused trouble again.”

“Uh, yeah…”

The situation was already a mess, so it was awkward for me to say anything. Even so, to call the young master of the family a crazy bastard so directly. It seemed Peng Ah-hee had quite a lot of pent-up feelings.

“You’re heading back now, right?”

“I should. Aren’t you planning to head back too?”

At my question, Peng Ah-hee glanced at the Peng crazy bastard next to her and shook her head.

“It seems this guy has quite a bit of unfinished business in Hanam, so I don’t think he can leave right away.”

Her words reminded me of when Peng Woojin mentioned he came because of business with the Alliance. At the time, I just brushed it off, thinking ‘oh, okay.’

I wondered if the Alliance might somehow be connected to the Blood Demon. Especially since I had heard about an organization called ‘Meteor’, it felt a bit ambiguous to just let it slide.

‘He doesn’t seem to have the Blood Qi.’

Blood Qi is the energy that Jang Seonyeon and Namgung Cheonjun possessed. It was awkward to call it anything else, so I decided to refer to it as the Blood Demon’s energy, or Blood Qi. Fortunately, Peng Woojin doesn’t seem to possess Blood Qi.

‘Considering he was someone who didn’t fall into corruption even later on.’

Can I assume Peng Woojin is someone not involved with those guys? But I can’t just end it with such a simple thought.

“Oh right, you still have the Black Pass, don’t you?”

“The Black Pass?”

“The one my brother gave you.”

Ah, you mean that black token. The one Peng Woojin gave me around the end of the Nine Dragons Assembly.

“…I have it. It’s somewhere in my room?”

Did I put it somewhere in a corner of a drawer? I couldn’t quite remember.

At my curt reply, Peng Ah-hee laughed incredulously.

“That’s not something that should be treated like that…”

“If it’s so precious, should I give it back?”

“It’s not something you just give and take lightly! Seeing how casually you’re treating it, you’re a bit like my brother.”

“You’re being harsh, want to fight? I can hit women too.”

How can she say something like that so casually? My already minimal positive feelings towards Peng Ah-hee completely crumbled.

“…Hey, you two, I can hear you.”

“Why are you listening? You should cover your ears.”

Peng Woojin’s hurt words were immediately dismissed.

“Anyway, with that, come later with Soyeol… Ah, no, with Miss Namgung and Soyeol.”

Peng Ah-hee, who seemed about to extend an invitation, suddenly saw something behind me and quickly changed her words. I looked back, wondering what was up, but there was nothing particularly noticeable. Except maybe Namgung Bi-ah dozing off with her chin resting on Wi Seol-ah’s shoulder?

I turned back to Peng Ah-hee and replied.

“Maybe.”

Given how busy I am, I don’t know if I’ll find time to visit the Peng family.

“Does ‘maybe’ mean you’ll come? I’m good at waiting, Gu Gongja.”

“…Even if I do come, it won’t be to see Gongja Peng.”

“So you admit you’ll come!”

Just a few words with this guy gave me a headache. The Sword Emperor (刀帝) I saw from afar in my past life didn’t seem like this kind of person.

‘Maybe this guy also rolled around in the Demonic Realm once and then came to his senses.’

That’s how much I thought that. If that were true, I figured it would be best if he quickly went and rolled around again.

“Gongja Peng.”

“What is it?”

“I’m asking now, but did you come to see me off?”

“Then why else would I have come?”

That’s true. The problem was why the young master was acting like this. He said he saw the martial arts tournament I participated in. But where did he see it when he wasn’t visible during the event?

“Ah, I did have something I wanted to ask.”

“What is it?”

“I think I asked you the same thing around this time last year, but do you plan on going to the Dragon God Temple?”

It felt like a rather random question to bring up now. The Dragon God Temple, I know the admission period is definitely the year after next, but…

“Well…”

I didn’t really feel the need to go. It’s a place martial artists who live wrestling with monsters in the Central Plains should go, but…

‘I don’t think I need to specifically seek it out and waste my time.’

My goal wasn’t catching monsters. From my family’s perspective, they’d likely send me for the sake of justification, but I just needed to solidify my position enough to refuse by then. Enough standing to throw a tantrum and say I’ll go later.

“Judging by your expression, you don’t seem too keen.”

“It’s not exactly like that, but…”

He’s quick to pick up on things. As I subtly avoided his gaze, Peng Woojin grinned and continued.

“Indeed, Gu Gongja wouldn’t gain anything by going there.”

“…”

“It seems Gu Gongja knows that more clearly. Fortunately.”

“What do you mean?”

“It means I’m glad you seem to know your own worth so well.”

His smiling face inexplicably gave me chills. Ugh, creepy.

“Setting that aside, I really wish Gongja would go to the Dragon God Temple.”

It was a contradictory statement to what he just said.

“You just said I wouldn’t gain anything. What do you mean?”

“Just a hunch, perhaps? I know Gu Gongja isn’t someone who listens to me anyway, so just take it as a passing remark.”

I was already dismissing most of what Peng Woojin said to me like that. It’s like the phrase ‘not listening at all’ fits perfectly. Still, I felt the need to reconsider this particular topic.

‘The Dragon God Temple.’

In the current situation, it’s an unnecessary place to go, but it’s not entirely without potential gains. Beneath it. Lay objects called treasures, similar to demonic artifacts. Things that could only be discovered later through the war with the Demonic Cult. The problem was whether those were things I absolutely needed. More precisely, it was about comparing that to the time I’d save by not going to the Dragon God Temple.

‘I don’t need to think about it right now.’

Since the admission period is still some time away, there’s no need to worry about it now.

“Young Master.”

Hong-hwa approached cautiously from behind and whispered to me.

“It’s about time to depart.”

“Got it.”

Peng Woojin seemed to have heard Hong-hwa too, as he stepped back slightly. Fortunately, even though a servant interrupted our conversation, Peng Woojin didn’t seem particularly displeased.

“It seems I’ve taken up too much of Gu Gongja’s time.”

Instead, he smiled and waved. As if telling me to go ahead.

“Perhaps we’ll be even closer next time we meet. I look forward to it.”

“What a creepy thing to say… Please don’t look forward to it.”

Why is he assuming we’ll meet again?

“Oppa, you should get moving too. You said you don’t have much time.”

At Peng Ah-hee’s words, Peng Woojin nodded.

“Ah, right. I’ll be going ahead then. Gu Gongja. Travel safely.”

“Yes, please be careful going back.”

“You’re not even trying to stop me! How heartless!”

At my words, Peng Woojin slowly departed. More accurately, rather than leaving on his own, he was unceremoniously dragged away by Peng Ah-hee’s hand. It felt like a typhoon had just passed through.

[There’s quite a peculiar fellow living in the Peng family.]

Shin No-ya, who had been quiet until now, spoke. This time, I couldn’t agree more.

“Let’s get going too. You should leave now.”

I said this to Hwangbo Cheolwi, who was watching us from the side. Hwangbo Cheolwi, along with Gu Jeolyeop, was watching Peng Woojin with fascination.

“What are you looking at so intently?”

“…First Young Master, that’s Peng Woojin. Isn’t it stranger that First Young Master is talking to him like that?”

“The previous Dragon God… His presence alone is different.”

Hearing their words, I clicked my tongue. The name ‘Dragon God’ seemed quite imposing to those two. Or maybe I’m just too insensitive.

“Stop talking nonsense and get in.”

I gave Gu Jeolyeop, who was still standing awkwardly, a kick in the butt before boarding the carriage. I heard Gu Jeolyeop scream from behind, followed by grumbling, but I was too tired to care. Oh, but that’s beside the point.

“Where are you going?”

“…Huh?”

I called out to Gu Jeolyeop as he was about to board a different carriage. At my call, Gu Jeolyeop looked at me quizzically, as if asking why.

“You have to drive the carriage, why are you getting in there?”

At my words, Gu Jeolyeop’s expression soured.

“You didn’t forget, did you?”

“No, uh…”

“Did you miss that part? I should make you roll like last time…”

“Waaah…! I have to drive the carriage…!”

Gu Jeolyeop hastily scrambled over and took his seat at the driver’s bench. He should have done that earlier instead of trying to sneak away. After confirming everything, I leaned back fully in my seat.

“Young Master, are you tired?”

Wi Seol-ah, who was already seated beside me, asked, looking at me. Namgung Bi-ah had already gotten into the carriage and was fast asleep, burying her face in Wi Seol-ah’s shoulder.

“A little tired.”

“Didn’t you sleep much?”

“It’s just that talking to an insane person always drains my mental energy.”

“Then! Young Master, lean over here too!”

Wi Seol-ah cheerfully shifted her position, offering her shoulder for me to lean on. Even though Namgung Bi-ah was already weighing down her other side. I watched her for a moment before pretending to reluctantly lean over and rest my head on her shoulder. I was strangely exhausted, making it hard to refuse.

“It’s soft.”

Wi Seol-ah’s shoulder was softer than I expected. I felt like I could fall asleep easily like this. Leaning slightly against Wi Seol-ah’s shoulder, I closed my eyes. And soon, the carriage heading back to Shanxi began to move.

---

Around the time the carriage heading back to Gu Family began to depart. There were people observing the carriage from the rooftops of buildings.

-The target has started moving. The operation will proceed as planned.

At the words of a man whose face was covered by a black mask, those hidden nearby moved simultaneously, suppressing their presence. It was suspicious behavior at first glance, but the countless people in Hanam seemed oblivious. That means they were highly skilled. The movements of such individuals.

Peng Woojin was watching from a distance.

‘Who are they.’

With a languid expression, different from when he faced Gu Yangcheon.

‘I wonder who.’

It was a group I’d never seen before. They were the ones who had caught my attention since I was talking to Gu Yangcheon just before. It was difficult to find them due to their faint presence, but it was easy with Peng Woojin’s ‘eyes’. Those kinds of people usually possess a murky and dirty aura.

‘Hmm….’

Judging by their reactions and movements, they seem to be targeting Gu Yangcheon.

‘How dare they.’

I don’t know where or why they’re targeting that young man, but it’s quite bothersome for Peng Woojin. So much so that I want to catch and kill them right now. As his thoughts reached that point, killing intent began to surge within Peng Woojin. I wanted to rush at them right now and slice them up before they could do anything foolish.

But.

Peng Woojin quickly suppressed his killing intent, turned his back, and walked away without hesitation. As if he had no interest at all. His expression changed quickly. At first, I considered dealing with them myself, but Peng Woojin could tell from his conversation with Gu Yangcheon. Just like myself. Gu Yangcheon was already aware of their existence. This was a certainty. I could see Gu Yangcheon’s gaze and attention subtly shifting in a specific direction. I don’t know why he wasn’t showing any reaction, but…

‘Then it’s not my place to interfere.’

If Gu Yangcheon had a plan, I had to hold back. He was bound to shine brighter, so there was no need for me to interfere and cast a shadow. There was no need for firewood for a flame that would burn brightly on its own.

‘However, it’s a bit disappointing.’

I was curious about the reason Gu Yangcheon was leaving them alone, and it was a shame I couldn’t see it through to the end. If I had my way, I would have secretly followed them, but if I acted rashly, I didn’t know what Peng Ah-hee, who had been holding back, might do this time, so I had to endure.

‘This meeting was short and regrettable, but I sincerely hope you shine even brighter next time, Gu Gongja.’

Hoping the Gu Yangcheon I meet next time shines with an even more brilliant aura. With that thought, Peng Woojin disappeared like a black wind. The wind headed towards the Murim Alliance. The place where the Abbot of Shaolin was waiting.