Chapter 230: Going to Battle. (6)

Crossing over the mountain foothills.

Passing through rough and towering terrain.

We crossed countless forest paths and the Great Mountain.

Now, at last, we can see the verdant waterside.

The once clean new shoes were torn here and there, becoming worn out.

The white, jade-like skin was covered in dust here and there.

At this moment, the Sword Master, who had been pulling the small, delicate hand,

glances back as if gauging the situation.

“…”

While traveling a considerable distance,

her usual pretty appearance was covered in leaves and dirt,

but the girl’s face still shone.

However, her beautifully colored lips wouldn’t open, no matter how closely one looked.

For nearly two months, the girl hadn’t spoken.

Considering she was a child who used to chatter incessantly, the difference felt immense.

Even seeing this, the Sword Master couldn’t bring himself to say anything.

“…If it’s too hard, shall your grandpa give you a piggyback ride?”

Shaking her head.

To the casual question, the girl, Wi Seol-ah, shook her head as if refusing.

She was a child who loved being carried since she was young,

but at some point, Wi Seol-ah stopped riding on the Sword Master’s back.

Perhaps it was after experiencing a certain boy’s back in Gugga.

The Sword Master quietly observed his granddaughter,

but Wi Seol-ah merely pretended not to notice the Sword Master’s gaze.

“…Seol-ah.”

“Hey, stop it already.”

As the Sword Master tried to call Wi Seol-ah one more time,

Shin Eui, who had been following behind with grunts, interjected.

“The child is clearly showing she dislikes it; do you think calling her will achieve anything?”

“…”

“It’s not just for a day or two. Be patient.”

How many days has it been already?

Setting aside Wi Seol-ah, who had stopped speaking,

watching the Sword Master constantly trying to talk and being clingy was quite irritating.

‘…Given his personality, he seems to be holding back a lot.’

During his prime, specifically when the Sword Master was the leader of the Alliance,

he wasn’t an old man who acted based on his granddaughter’s moods like now.

He was the sky of the Orthodox faction.

The Sword Master, Wi Hyogun, was the ‘Beyond Heaven’ who received the respect of countless alliances.

Moreover, his personality wasn’t like this either.

‘Perhaps raising a child means something like this.’

But I don’t think that’s all there is to it.

Perhaps Shin Eui’s words got through; the Sword Master ignored his slightly trembling beard and looked forward again.

Wi Seol-ah’s hand was still held tightly.

Seeing that, Shin Eui also examined the hand he was holding.

It was Je gal Hyuk, who had left Gugga with Shin Eui.

Je gal Hyuk still couldn’t speak.

Due to his long bangs covering his face, it was impossible to know what kind of eyes he had,

but Shin Eui could tell that Je gal Hyuk was also very upset.

The reason was likely due to the clansmen of Gugga.

Especially, it was highly possible it was because of the youngest daughter among them.

The pretty daughter from Hwasan who often visited while they stayed and played with his grandson.

‘…I’m sorry.’

Shin Eui knew he wasn’t in a position to say anything to the Sword Master.

Even if this was for his grandson, it was no different than ignoring his grandson’s opinion due to his own greed.

‘Is this truly the right choice?’

He kept yearning for an answer,

but couldn’t find one.

No, the old physician already knew the answer.

He was just trying to ignore it.

“Alliance Leader.”

At Shin Eui’s call, the Sword Master glanced at him.

“There’s something I want to ask.”

“Speak.”

“Why that specific place?”

“…”

The reason for leaving Gugga and heading to Cheonghae.

Shin Eui had chosen to accompany him according to the Sword Master’s wishes,

but it remained an unknown matter.

He knew well that the Nine Great Sects, especially Wudang and Shaolin, were off-limits,

but making the journey all the way to Cheonghae was incomprehensible.

Furthermore, when he heard the actual destination, he couldn’t help but harbor more questions.

A person who avoids the Shaolin and Wudang sects, distrusting the Alliance,

was now willingly heading towards the enemy lines, called the center of the current Murim Alliance.

“If there’s a specific reason, please tell me.”

If it were in the past, he wouldn’t have wanted to know,

nor would he have wanted to get involved.

But now, they were clearly companions.

If they absolutely had to head there, he needed a justifiable reason.

“…”

The Sword Master, having heard Shin Eui’s words,

met Shin Eui’s gaze for a moment,

then seemed about to open his lips, which had been moving slightly.

However.

He paused.

Wi Seol-ah, who had been diligently walking on a path that wasn’t really a path, suddenly stopped.

Following her, the Sword Master also halted his steps.

Sensing something unusual about the two, Shin Eui immediately asked the Sword Master.

“Alliance….”

“Someone is coming.”

“…!”

Hearing the Sword Master’s words, Shin Eui immediately pulled Je gal Hyuk closer and hid him behind his back.

‘…Who?’

I’m not afraid.

If I knew who was standing before Shin Eui, there would be no reason to fear this situation.

The Number One Sword Under Heaven.

The Sword Master, Wi Hyogun.

Among the countless martial artists spread throughout the Central Plains.

The strongest being when it came to wielding a sword.

A superhuman who could cleave the steep Great Mountain with a single sword strike was right before us, so there was no need for fear.

‘…Just who could it be.’

Shin Eui, not being a martial artist, couldn’t sense what the Sword Master felt.

After all, it was something entirely different from the senses martial artists experienced.

However.

‘Just now, that girl seemed to sense something too.’

The reason the Sword Master was heading to Cheonghae,

and the being who could be called his life’s purpose.

In Shin Eui’s eyes, the girl, who appeared as something wearing a human guise,

was clearly looking somewhere long before the Sword Master stopped.

As if she could see something approaching from afar.

‘I can’t figure it out.’

The more I observe, the less I understand.

Just how far do the possibilities within that small body extend?

And can Shin Eui himself even foresee it?

And.

Even whether he can close that endlessly unfolding ‘something’ as the Sword Master wishes.

These were things Shin Eui couldn’t be sure of.

As the tense silence continued,

Kuguguguk.

the footsteps of numerous people began to faintly reach Shin Eui’s ears.

And with that.

‘They’re martial artists.’

A thick aura, discernible even to Shin Eui, who possessed only a shallow amount of inner energy, mixed into the air.

It meant that all the approaching individuals were martial artists.

Even amidst this, the Sword Master merely stood watching, hands clasped behind his back.

The only change was that he had briefly let go of Wi Seol-ah’s hand.

Kugugugugu-!

As the footsteps grew closer,

Shin Eui could also start seeing the figures of the approaching individuals.

‘Who are they?’

Those figures, appearing gradually even from a distance,

were people Shin Eui also knew.

Or rather than knowing the people themselves,

he knew the clothes they were wearing.

‘White martial attire with navy blue trim.’

It was impossible not to know.

That style of clothing was identical to the martial attire worn by Nakgeom Jang Cheon, the current head of the Murim Alliance.

‘Which means…’

Following that, Shin Eui could ascertain their identities.

The martial artists, numbering about a dozen, approached with stiff, neat steps,

and stopped simultaneously before the Sword Master.

The synchronized movements were so precise,

they were like well-trained soldiers.

And surprisingly, standing at the forefront of them all was a boy who still looked young.

The handsome boy, with calm movements, slowly bowed to the Sword Master.

“It is an honor to meet the Sword Master of ‘Beyond Heaven’.”

The movement, devoid of any hesitation or tremor,

revealed how well-educated the boy was, a descendant of a prestigious family.

Facing the boy, the Sword Master, seemingly already knowing his identity, asked him,

“It seems the Alliance Leader did not come.”

At the Sword Master’s words, the boy put on a friendly smile.

“Yes… My father is in a situation where he cannot leave Hanam, so regrettably, I have come to meet you, elder.”

“…Why have you come here? It should still be quite a distance until you arrive.”

“How could we dare just wait for you to arrive? We came to escort you comfortably.”

Shin Eui found it astonishing how the boy spoke so uprightly and intelligently for his age.

However, Wi Seol-ah’s face beside the Sword Master was not looking good.

Although her expression had faded, Wi Seol-ah, who hadn’t shown any frowns or displeasure,

was somehow wearing a distinctly uncomfortable expression.

Swooosh.

As if confirming this wasn’t a mistake, Wi Seol-ah hid herself behind the Sword Master’s back.

Then, the Sword Master asked the boy,

“What is your name?”

In response to the Sword Master’s question, the boy slowly raised his head, meeting the Sword Master’s gaze.

“My name is Jang Seonyeon.”

His voice still held no tremor.

Even though he knew the identity of the person before him.

Amidst the neat atmosphere.

The boy continued his final words.

“I am undeservedly called the ‘Divine’.”

---

“…Jangga.”

After reading the contents of the letter, I had to bite my lip slightly.

The letter Elder Yi handed me.

It only stated that the Sword Master would be heading to Jangga.

‘If it’s Jangga…’

That was where he was.

Jang Seonyeon, who was now called the ‘Divine’ in the Central Plains.

“…”

I recalled the location in my mind.

Then, I let out a sigh inwardly.

It was information that told me where the Sword Master and Wi Seol-ah were heading, but

the reason I showed such deepening worry was none other than this.

‘It’s the same?’

In my past life, the place Wi Seol-ah belonged to when she started showing prominence was also Jangga, and

if the Sword Master is now heading to Jangga with Wi Seol-ah,

even if countless futures have changed due to the mess I caused,

it ultimately meant this hadn’t changed.

‘Everything else changed, but this hasn’t?’

It’s unfair.

What I wished hadn’t changed were things I didn’t know were all tied together, or

things that changed so drastically they became unmanageable.

Yet, matters related to Wi Seol-ah were proceeding creepily according to the original timeline.

As I bit my lip in frustration,

Elder Yi, standing before me, spoke with a voice full of questions.

“You don’t seem very surprised.”

“…Yes?”

“As if you already knew.”

“There’s no way that’s true.”

“…Hmm.”

Elder Yi looked at me as if suspicious,

but there was nothing he could do if I played dumb.

“It was quite valuable information, but Yangcheon, you had such a sour expression, so I decided to mention it.”

“…I was just surprised. Nothing else.”

“Yes, that can happen. Then, may I ask something else?”

Wondering what on earth he was going to ask, I observed Elder Yi.

“Do you know about Seol-ah’s grandpa?”

“…!”

At Elder Yi’s words, I swallowed hard for a moment.

Because his question was filled with certainty rather than inquiry.

“…What is this suddenly…”

“Judging by your reaction, you know what kind of person that man is.”

“…”

It seemed I couldn’t escape this.

Elder Yi was currently

asking if I knew that Wi Hyogun, who had lived as a servant, was actually the Sword Master.

It was more of a confirmation than a question, as expected.

I was even caught.

Damn it.

“How did you know?”

“…I figured it out based on a hunch.”

“A hunch, you say. Yes, Yangcheon, you seem to have the intuition of a mouse, yet you have good hunches in strange places.”

No matter how I looked at it, it sounded like an insult disguised as praise.

“However, you know as well as I do that a hunch isn’t enough explanation.”

“…”

And it seemed this wasn’t something that could be brushed aside.

While I was thinking of excuses that weren’t really excuses,

“However, I won’t ask any further.”

“Yes…?”

“If you say so, then so be it. It’ll be easier to think that way.”

Elder Yi finished speaking and laughed heartily.

Then, he patted my back forcefully with his large palm.

“Ugh… cough!”

He clearly wasn’t putting any inner energy into the hits,

but for some reason, they felt incredibly heavy.

“It’s just my affectionate touch, why are you being so dramatic?”

“Dramatic…? This is dramatic?”

If I act dramatic twice more, I’ll really die?

As I rubbed my stinging back, trying to soothe it,

Elder Yi continued speaking.

“I don’t know what you’ll do after seeing this, but for now, have a good trip.”

“…Thank you.”

“The young ladies from other families are going too, so take good care of them.”

“They’ll take care of themselves just fine.”

They were people who could secure their own place even without my help.

Or maybe not; Moyong Hi-ah could probably manage, but Namgung Bi-ah might not.

“…Tsk, tsk. I can already see what kind of future awaits you, Yangcheon.”

“Why are you suddenly saying strange things?”

“It’s nothing. Regretting it later will be your burden.”

“Yes…?”

“Hurry up and go. Aren’t people waiting?.”

Saying this, Elder Yi forcibly pushed my back.

Who was it that stopped me from leaving in the first place…!

“Oh, and one more thing.”

“What else is there…?”

“It’s a message from the Family Head.”

At Elder Yi’s words, my eyes narrowed unconsciously.

A message from my father, that was indeed strange.

“Endure the hardship. He told me to deliver this.”

“…”

It was a mere four characters, incredibly brief.

Moreover, it was words I had never heard from my father before.

After giving Elder Yi a response with a thoroughly displeased expression,

I moved my feet and got into the carriage.

Once inside the carriage, Namgung Bi-ah was already fast asleep.

As if sensing my presence, she naturally leaned her head towards me.

I thought about perhaps waving goodbye out the window, but

Elder Yi was already gone.

What an impatient old man.

After confirming that, I sighed and spoke to the driver.

“…We can depart now… Why are you sitting there?”

Just as I was about to tell him to start,

Gu Jeolyeop, sitting in the driver’s seat, caught my eye.

When I asked incredulously, Gu Jeolyeop looked at me with a strange expression instead.

“…Isn’t this my role?”

“No, that was for back then… Never mind. Do as you please.”

I almost said, ‘Back then, I made you do it to annoy you.’

But thinking this might be okay too, I decided to let it be.

For some reason, I don’t know why, but Gu Jeolyeop seemed comfortable in that position.

“Giddy up!”

Hee-heeng-!

The carriage slowly started moving.

The Red Horse, breathing powerfully, galloped towards Jeonseon.

As the scenery changed in an instant, I couldn’t help but think in my mind.

‘…Thinking about the hardship awaiting me there makes my stomach churn.’

About the hardships I’d face there.

Gu Huibi’s face, who would surely torment me, also came to mind simultaneously, making my appetite vanish.

“If I endure this too… it’ll pass on its own.”

It was said jokingly, but it wasn’t wrong.

Time would flow if one endured it.

As it always did.

And so.

A year truly passed by quickly.