Chapter 44: Sword Phoenix (4)

Sword Phoenix (劍鳳) (4)

“I heard you broke Dragon Thunder’s arm.”

That’s what Father said the moment I entered the head’s chamber.

Without even a ‘long time no see’ or asking how I’d been, he just blurted it out.

‘…Of all things to ask.’

He’s always been like this, but he’s truly consistent.

What should I answer? Should I just tell him the truth?

“No, I didn’t break it, just… damaged it a little…”

After agonizing over it, that was the best I could manage to blurt out.

I felt like it was the same thing, but I figured I had to say something.

Fortunately, Father didn’t seem too bothered by my words.

“Why did you do that?”

Because that was the important part.

He must have already heard everything, so asking again meant he wanted to hear it directly from me.

I took a deep breath for a moment and then slowly began to speak.

“Dragon Thunder invited me to a duel first, so I accepted. Then, when he used a killing move, I retaliated in kind.”

It was a simple explanation, but that was really all there was to it.

I admit I provoked him a bit with my taunts, but he fell for it, so that’s his fault.

“Dragon Thunder used a killing move?”

“Yes. We agreed not to use internal energy, but he infused his wooden sword with it. I felt his killing intent, too.”

“Witnesses?”

“There were plenty of people around.”

The only one who probably felt it properly was the Young Master Dang?

Tang Soyeol was there too, but his dazed expression afterward made him unreliable.

Father nodded at my answer.

“That’s enough.”

He’s always so stoic, no matter when I see him.

This was his reaction even though his son had beaten Dragon Thunder.

I had rarely, if ever, seen my father shaken.

Whether it was when his child became a demon, when his blood relatives died one by one, or even when he himself was dying.

As I stood there enduring the heavy atmosphere, Father brought up a completely random topic.

“You must have achieved something.”

“…Yes?”

This was something Father had said to Gu Yeonseo once during a meal.

Ironically, this time, I was the one hearing it.

Even though I had suddenly risen to 3-star, Father didn’t seem particularly concerned.

He’s stoic to an excessive degree.

“Good.”

“…Thank you.”

I tried hard to suppress the corners of my mouth that kept wanting to turn up, even at such a small compliment.

How old am I to be happy over such a trivial compliment…

‘Perhaps I’ve never heard this before.’

Had I ever received praise? Probably not.

That’s probably why I’m so easily swayed by such pointless sentiments.

Father briefly assessed the situation and didn’t say anything further.

Doesn’t he think I might be lying?

He folded the letter he was reading and brought up another matter.

“If you had friction with the Namgung family, you must have met your fiancée who was there too.”

“….”

What I feared has come…

Ah… fiancée.

Why does that word send shivers down my spine?

I swallowed the saliva that pooled uncontrollably, hiding my trembling voice, and asked Father.

“May I ask what this is about?”

“About what?”

“About the engagement with the Namgung family. I’d like to know how it came about.”

No matter how I thought about it, it was such a sudden event.

Not only was it something that didn’t happen in my past life, but with the Namgung family, of all people?

Putting my bewilderment aside, Father casually blurted out.

“It was decided by the Elder Council. It shouldn’t be a bad thing for you either.”

“…”

Not a bad thing my ass…

What on earth happened to cause this ridiculous situation of an engagement with Namgung Bi-ah?

As I was racking my brain, I heard Father’s voice.

“Even if the broken engagement with the Peng family was unavoidable, I don’t think you’ll ruin this one too.”

Did he realize I wasn’t pleased with the engagement?

I could sense the unspoken message in Father’s words: he wouldn’t give me a second chance.

At this point, I had nothing I could say immediately.

For now, I had to keep my mouth shut.

Sarak.

The sound of letters being opened and folded echoed quietly in the head’s chamber.

I stood silently, waiting for his next words.

The fact that Father hadn’t told me to leave meant he still had business to discuss.

Tok tok.

It was the sound of him tapping the table with his ring finger.

A habit that naturally surfaced when he was contemplating something.

Seeing Father like that made me frown.

The same habit as me. A trait I inherited.

Whenever this happened, I felt a pang of realization that I was truly Father’s son, which made me feel a little dizzy.

“Summer will be here soon.”

Father’s words snapped me back to attention.

What was he talking about all of a sudden?

“Yes, it’s summer.”

I had already been feeling the increasing heat.

But why was he suddenly mentioning it?

Summer…?

“Soon, the Flower Refining Competition (Je Hwa Jeon) will begin at Mount Hua.”

Father’s words made my heart drop.

The mention of Mount Hua made me feel breathless.

Because I remembered Mount Hua burning down in my past life.

‘…Don’t think about it.’

I took deep breaths, trying to calm my racing heart.

Seeing me like that, Father asked.

“Is something wrong?”

“…No. What about it?”

Father didn’t answer my question and handed me the letter he was holding.

I carefully took the letter and opened it.

And seeing the words written there, I couldn’t help but frown.

I immediately asked Father.

“…Why are you giving this to me?”

“Bring them back.”

“Why me…?”

“Because you have to.”

What kind of nonsensical talk is this?

Without relaxing my frown, I asked Father again.

“You know I just came from Sichuan, right?”

“I’ll allow you to depart in about a week.”

“So, there’s no option to refuse…?”

What kind of dog-like situation is this, being told to go far away again right after returning from Sichuan?

I wondered if he had heatstroke, but a martial artist practicing fire arts wouldn’t be bothered by the heat, what nonsense…

‘Did something change his mind?’

The Gu family doesn’t let blood relatives wander outside carelessly.

Gu Huibi, of course, was bound to stand out due to her exceptional talent.

I was different.

While it’s not uncommon for young masters of noble families to travel to experience the world.

My apparent age was still young, and I hadn’t even become the Young Master yet, so I couldn’t understand the intention behind easily letting me go out.

Moreover, if I were to roam outside, those above wouldn’t approve.

I thought Father felt the same way, but now he’s telling me to go all the way there?

“Family Head, even so, telling me to go all the way to Mount Hua out of the blue is a bit…”

“If you don’t like it, you don’t have to go.”

“Huh? Oh, then I won’t go…”

“However, if you go and come back, I’ll open the Hidden Treasury and give you the Heaven Immortality Pill (Tae Seon Dan).”

“…Of course, as your son, I must go. I’ll go and come back. Should I leave right now?”

When a divine medicine was mentioned, I answered immediately without thinking.

…Was that too materialistic?

Father’s slightly frowning gaze stung my heart a little.

But if it’s the Heaven Immortality Pill, it can’t be helped.

It’s a divine medicine said to be just below Shaolin’s Summoning Pill; if consumed and absorbed properly, one could gain 20 years’ worth of internal energy.

That meant he would even open the Gu family’s Hidden Treasury to give it to me if necessary.

My internal energy has certainly increased a lot thanks to a fortunate encounter, but that’s only compared to my insignificant past. In absolute terms, it’s still not much.

In the end, my body aside, my internal energy was still urgently needed.

“…So I just need to go and come back in a week?”

I thought a week might be a bit short, considering the matters I needed to handle.

“Do you need more time?”

“Could I go ten days later?”

Father nodded as if agreeing to my request.

And then he shifted his gaze back to the letter.

What could be written in there that required so much reading?

‘Ten days.’

Fortunately, I got the permission.

This meant I could stay in Shanxi for ten days. It hurt to leave again so soon after arriving, but for the Heaven Immortality Pill, it was worth it.

It was strange that Father would even bring up the Heaven Immortality Pill for something like this.

He wasn’t one to speak in vain, so it wasn’t a lie, but was this matter important enough to warrant the Heaven Immortality Pill?

Father gestured towards the door with his hand as I stood there silently.

“That concludes our business. Go rest.”

“Yes.”

I also felt burdened staying longer and was eager to leave.

I had to visit the Hao Moon Sect within a few days, and also train, so I needed to move busily.

‘Mount Hua.’

The plum blossoms that bloomed brilliantly across Mancheon remain in a corner of my memory.

The sight of them all burning also remained in my memory.

Still, could I dare set foot on Mount Hua?

‘Don’t think about it.’

It wasn’t good.

If I start thinking like this, there’s no end.

It’s something that won’t happen now.

As always, I had to bear it alone.

‘I just need to finish the task I was given and come back.’

The task assigned to me, let’s focus only on that.

Closing the door to the head’s chamber, I thought about the task Father had assigned me.

It was to bring back the youngest one at Mount Hua.

******************

When I returned to my quarters, Elder Yi and Gu Huibi had already left.

They caused such a ruckus right after I arrived, and then disappeared by the time I returned.

Of course, I was glad to have returned to peaceful quarters.

As I headed to my room to change, I saw Sword Master Geom-jon in the distance, holding a broom.

Geom-jon must have spotted me too, as he cautiously paid his respects.

…It’s been a while, but seeing Geom-jon like that always makes me feel uneasy.

“Hiiing…”

…Huh?

Hearing a familiar whimpering sound, I shifted my gaze behind Geom-jon to see Wi Seol-ah kneeling, arms raised, being punished.

It resembled my own posture when I was instinctively taking punishment in front of Gu Huibi earlier.

“Why is she doing that again…?”

Apparently upset, tears streamed down from her eyes.

Despite that, Geom-jon continued his work silently, paying no mind to the crying Wi Seol-ah.

I wondered why she was like that, but I quickly remembered.

Ah, she secretly followed me to Sichuan.

Since I had been gone for a month without saying anything, it seemed she was caught and being scolded the moment I returned.

“Young Master…”

Oh no, I tried to pass by without incident, but my eyes met Wi Seol-ah’s.

Wi Seol-ah looked at me with a plea for help, but I couldn’t do anything about this.

‘…Running away from home was a bit much.’

It was a situation where I couldn’t help even normally, but the one scolding her was Geom-jon…?

Rescuing her here would be asking too much.

“…Well, it gets cold at night, so you two should stop and go inside.”

That’s what I said to Geom-jon. I felt I had to say something.

Geom-jon responded with a good-natured smile.

“Yes, thank you for your concern, Young Master.”

“…Oh, it’s nothing.”

It’s summer, cold my ass.

Wi Seol-ah wore a shocked expression at my lame excuse.

“Young Master…!”

“Whoa! Who told you to raise your voice while being punished?!”

At Geom-jon’s reprimand, Wi Seol-ah whined pitifully like a puppy.

I’m sorry.

But I can’t help it. You chose this, so bear it diligently…

In the end, I pretended not to see and went into my room.

Wi Seol-ah called out to me pitifully from outside again, but I deliberately pretended not to hear and covered my ears.

First, I was tired and wanted to lie down.

I was utterly exhausted from dealing with engagements, Mount Hua, Gu Huibi, and other matters since midday.

Night would fall soon, so it would be fine to fall asleep early.

As I laid my tired head on the floor to rest a bit, I sensed someone outside.

“This is your attendant Hong-hwa.”

“What is it?”

“I came to ask what you would like for dinner.”

“….Ah, I don’t really have an appetite, so I won’t eat.”

The attendant acknowledged my words and disappeared.

I considered grabbing a dumpling or two, but I truly had no appetite.

Right now, I just wanted to sleep.

Maybe I’d wake up later and eat something late at night, or perhaps train under the moonlight.

After sending the attendant away and lying down, I regretted it less than half an hour later.

Because someone suddenly flung my door open and shouted while I was sleeping soundly.

“Brother! You said you weren’t eating dinner!?”

It was Gu Huibi, holding dumplings.