Chapter 428: It’s been a long time.

Around the time I arrived at my assigned quarters.

The first thing I blurted out was annoyance.

“Ah, why am I in the same quarters as you.”

These were the words I spat out while unpacking.

Behind me, a tall fellow was diligently unpacking his luggage with me.

It was Woohyeok.

I was in the same room as Woohyeok.

“Haha, what can we do if they say there are no rooms?”

“Ah, screw this.”

The Tang Clan had crammed Woohyeok and me into one room, claiming a shortage of quarters.

What kind of dog-like situation is a shortage of quarters in a major clan like the Tang Clan?

When I first heard it, I thought they were spouting bullshit because they didn’t want to give us rooms.

But the servants’ expressions and Tang Soyeol’s words, which conveyed such deep apologies, left me no choice.

For reference, Cheol Jiseon also came along.

Right now, she’s probably unpacking in a small room next door. As I kept grumbling irritably, Woohyeok chuckled and said,

“Well, I know it’s unfortunate that she’s not your sister-in-law, but try to bear with it a little.”

“What are you talking about, you crazy bastard? Who is this sister-in-law?”

“Well. There are so many, it’s hard to pick just one…”

Bbaak-!

“Kkyaak-!”

Woohyeok, who finally spewed nonsense, screamed after getting hit on the back of his head.

“You’re asking for a beating. You really are.”

I only grazed him, but ignoring Woohyeok, who was rolling on the floor as if spasming, I resumed unpacking.

I had only one thought right now.

I should unpack roughly and get some sleep first.

That was the only thing on my mind.

I could have used my inner energy to relieve fatigue, but sometimes, I just needed to rest properly like this.

When I had finished unpacking to some extent, I spoke to Woohyeok, who was still rolling on the floor.

“They say the banquet is at night. Are you going out?”

“Go out? Where?”

Perhaps it was just dramatics, as Woohyeok stopped rolling upon my question.

“Ah…”

Mentioning the ‘Wudang Ghostly Sword’ instantly stiffened Woohyeok’s expression.

It’s novel seeing him make that kind of face.

“It’s probably fine if you go a little later…”

Why the sour face when you came all this way to meet him?

He clearly doesn’t want to go. If even Woohyeok, who isn’t picky about people, dislikes it this much, I wonder what kind of person he is.

I’ve never met a martial artist called the Wudang Ghostly Sword, so I don’t know what to expect.

‘I’ll know when I meet him.’

Besides, I needed to meet him regarding the ‘Brain Sword’ anyway.

I was curious why a martial artist from Wudang would suddenly possess the Namgung Clan’s treasured sword.

My purpose for meeting the Wudang Ghostly Sword was simple.

I intended to hand the Brain Sword over to Namgung Bi-ah.

Marquis Sword Master was originally a martial artist who held a high position as a sword expert, but the way she looked wielding the Brain Sword was truly monstrous.

The Brain Sword was the sword best capable of digesting Thunder Qi.

I don’t know if she’ll give it just because I ask… but if she refuses.

‘I’ll deal with it then.’

Since it’s not like I have no other methods, I decided to see what happens first.

As I was organizing my thoughts, Woohyeok asked,

“What are you going to do until the banquet?”

What am I going to do? Obviously…

“Rest.”

“Rest…? You?”

Hearing my answer, Woohyeok wore a look of disbelief.

“…What’s with that reaction? I’m just going to rest. Do you have a problem with that?”

“I do.”

“Do you want to die, seriously?”

His lame joke, which wouldn’t even fool a junior elder, made my neck throb.

Ah, this guy…

If you want to be folded in half, you should just say so beforehand.

Just as I was loosening my hands with a ‘ppadeuk’ sound to approach him, Woohyeok quickly interjected,

“No, I just meant that ‘rest’ and ‘you’ seem like such an unlikely combination.”

“What are you talking about? Why wouldn’t I suit ‘rest’?”

Where else can you find someone as lazy and fond of lying around as me?

As I said that, utterly bewildered, Woohyeok let out a huff and said,

“You train all day. And when you’re not training, you’re always wandering off somewhere. I’ve never seen you rest?”

“…”

Hearing Woohyeok’s words, it seemed plausible.

Throughout the journey, I was either training or handling business, and if not, I’d go out nearby, kill monsters, and absorb their energy.

Come to think of it?

Now that I think about it, I haven’t rested a single day.

Come to think of it, it’s not strange that Woohyeok sees me that way.

‘I wasn’t this diligent a person.’

How did I end up like this?

“Ah, whatever. I’m resting today, anyway.”

Just as I exclaimed that and was about to pull out the bedding to lie down,

I sensed someone outside the door.

-Young Master-nim!

“…”

Judging by the voice, it was Tang Soyeol. Why did she suddenly show up?

A sense of foreboding flashed through me.

-Are you there?

As the presence grew closer, I opened the door and peeked my head out.

“Ah!”

Tang Soyeol, spotting me, approached with a bright smile.

“Why…”

Feeling an inexplicable sense of unease, I asked, and Tang Soyeol cheerfully told me,

“My father is looking for you! Something seems to have come up!”

“…”

At Tang Soyeol’s words, I ran a hand down my face.

I was just about to rest… As expected, the world seems to have no intention of leaving me alone.

Fucking world.

---

Hearing Tang Soyeol’s words, I headed towards the Poison King.

Honestly, I didn’t want to go, but if they were calling me so urgently, I figured something must be up.

‘I hope it’s nothing.’

If it wasn’t urgent, I intended to show some temper.

Regardless of the Tang Clan or whatever.

Since a direct family member was accompanying me, no one stopped me as I wandered freely through the clan grounds.

“Where are we going?”

I asked Tang Soyeol.

Because the place we were heading wasn’t where the Clan Head was staying.

“Ah, Father is staying in the guest quarters.”

“Guest?”

A guest? Who could they be referring to?

Could it be towards Moyong Hi-ah, who has the White Lotus Sword?

As soon as the slight doubt arose, Tang Soyeol seemed to offer a solution, saying,

“Ah, besides the Young Masters, another guest arrived a few days ago.”

“Huh?”

Arrived a few days ago?

Ah?

‘No way, is that why they said they were short on rooms?’

Now I understood why they had asked us to share a room.

It seems the unexpected guest’s arrival caused the shortage of rooms.

The slightly odd thing is, even so, they are from a prestigious family and renowned lineage.

I question whether they are important enough to be crammed into one room like this.

It’s just that my companions aren’t the type to care much about such things; if there were someone a bit more difficult, they might have argued about it.

Of course, I wonder if there’s anyone bold enough to argue with the prestigious Tang Clan.

‘Just who could it be.’

Moreover, this guest arrived when the Poison King wasn’t present.

That means they are quite an important figure.

As we neared the quarters, I saw the Poison King standing in front.

I bowed my head to him, showing respect.

“I heard you summoned me.”

The Poison King smiled slightly at my words.

“I apologize for summoning you just as your journey is ending.”

“…It’s nothing.”

If you know that, why summon me?

I barely managed to suppress what I wanted to blurt out.

My already poor emotional control felt even worse due to fatigue.

It’s been particularly like this lately.

Straining to suppress my emotions, I asked the Poison King,

“For what reason did you seek me out?”

How urgent must it be to specifically summon me?

Perhaps sensing my displeasure, the Poison King replied with a somewhat awkward expression.

“The guest… requested that Young Master Gu be brought here, which is why I summoned you urgently.”

“What?”

I had to frown at the Poison King’s words.

A guest is looking for me?

…A guest of the Tang Clan is looking for me?

It was completely baffling. Why would a guest be looking for me?

“Who is this guest that they are looking for me?”

“First, please follow me.”

The Poison King said that, turned his back, and walked into the quarters.

Just walking in without giving a proper explanation…

Frowning deeply, I followed his lead.

If there wasn’t a justifiable reason, I might just explode soon.

This is beyond my personality’s limits.

Tang Soyeol, noticing my darkening expression, cautiously followed behind.

The quarters we entered were quite large.

Compared to my own quarters, they were about twice the size.

It was a building comparable to the Clan Head’s chambers where the Poison King was staying.

Seeing it, I recalled,

‘What kind of extraordinary person is staying here to warrant such quarters?’

Just looking at it, the building was clearly extraordinary.

I could guess it was a space meant for hosting a guest who required utmost hospitality.

Someone worthy of such hospitality from the Tang Clan is looking for me?

No matter how much I thought about it, no suitable person came to mind.

Following the Poison King further, I saw that it even had a small garden inside.

It seemed a considerable amount of money had been poured into it.

After walking for quite some time, the Poison King stopped before a certain door.

Then, looking inside, he said,

“Elder, I have brought Young Master Gu.”

‘Elder…?’

I widened my eyes at the Poison King’s attitude.

For the Poison King, the head of one of the Four Great Clans, to show such deference to someone…

After finishing his announcement of bringing me, the Poison King shifted slightly to the side.

And looked at me.

“…”

It was a gesture indicating I should enter the room.

With that, I moved towards the room, holding a bit of tension.

Just as Tang Soyeol tried to follow me, the Poison King raised his hand to stop her.

It was a signal not to enter.

I cautiously approached the room and peered inside.

Just who could it be….

“Hm?”

The moment I saw the figure drinking tea inside, question marks popped up above my head.

What I saw first was a boy whose bangs covered half his face, obscuring his features.

The boy acknowledged me and gave a slight nod.

It’s a familiar face.

“You…”

The boy’s identity was none other than Zhuge Hyuk, who would later be known as the mastermind and chief strategist of the Demonic Cult.

I wondered why Zhuge Hyuk was suddenly here, but something else was more important.

‘If this guy is here…?’

I whipped my head around to look at the person sitting opposite Zhuge Hyuk.

The old man’s gaze was already fixed on me.

A white-haired elder covered in the wrinkles of time, so thin his bones were clearly visible.

Though he looked shabby and frail, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say there was no one in the Central Plains who could afford to ignore him.

“It’s been a while.”

It was a high-pitched, dry, and sharp voice.

Despite his accomplishments and supposedly deep affection, his cold eyes remained striking.

“Elder…?”

“Hmph.”

A renowned physician said to have reached the pinnacle of medical arts, capable of saving anyone as long as they were breathing.

With reverence for his great medical skills, many people called the old man this.

“It seems you’ve had quite a rough time since I last saw you. Judging by your disheveled state.”

The Divine Doctor (Shin-ui).