[Chapter 64]
I just couldn't believe my eyes.
I mean, it was understandable considering the fact that the first thing I saw when I woke up in the morning was an old man sitting in my room. Additionally, it wasn't just any old man either.
The Celestial Plum Blossom, Dohwa.
He was the current Lord of the Mount Hua Sect as well as the most revered master among the taoist sects.
He was a sword wielder so respected, he was often compared to the Sword Venerable, Wi Hyogun.
And such a master was sitting in my room.
-Sip.
He even had a cup of tea in his hands which he got from who knows where.
Not only that but what is that...?
Is that a skewer?
"Uh."
When I tried to talk to him, the Celestial Plum Blossom stopped me with a gesture of his hand.
I was confused by his action when, all of a sudden, he took a bite off the skewer.
"I'm sorry, I still haven't had breakfast yet."
"...Pardon?"
"It's hard for me to move when I'm hungry, being old sucks."
"...Oh, right."
Huh?
What…
What is this guy?
[...What an eccentric maniac.]
I accidentally coughed at Elder Shin's words.
How could you give such a harsh evaluation of your own kind?
[Own kind my ass... When that kid was born, I was already a corpse, you little brat.]
Kid...
I guess it was true that the Celestial Plum Blossom was a very young child from Elder Shin's perspective,
But it still felt really weird.
After he had finished his tea and skewer, he wiped his mouth.
"I apologize, I was gonna come here straight but that skewer looked incredibly delicious, so I just had to buy it..."
"No... It's not a problem at all."
"Haha, you sure are a nice kid."
After finishing his tea, the Celestial Plum Blossom started to speak.
"So you are Gu Ryoon's grandson, correct?"
"...No, I'm not the grandson of the Second Elder."
"Hmm? Are you not Gu Ryoon's grandson?"
"No."
We did share the same blood.
But I wasn't his direct descendant.
"Weird, I thought you were since he told me he was sending one of his grandchildren to our sect."
"The Second Elder didn't get married."
"I know that, but who knows, maybe he could've gotten a child from somewhere else."
"Huh...?"
Was that even possible?
The more I spoke to him, the more extraordinary he looked.
[He's probably not normal considering the fact that he bet a sect's treasure on a drinking competition.]
I stopped myself from coughing out loud at Elder Shin's comment.
Right.
Isn't this the guy who lost a sect treasure over a simple bet?
He doesn't really seem like the type of person who would do such a thing though...
He really did look like a Taoist.
"Since you knew that I would be arriving here, that means that you received the Second Elder's letter, right?"
"Right, he told me to treat his grandson nicely since he was the one bringing me the stone."
Grandson huh... It felt a bit strange being called that since I wasn't used to it.
But it made sense that the Second Elder would write the letter in that way.
The Celestial Plum Blossom spoke as he looked at me.
"I apologize for coming here this early in the morning, but I couldn't wait when I heard that you arrived here."
Is that why you just barged into someone else's room while they were still asleep...?
Now that I thought about it, it was only natural since this matter involved the treasure that symbolized their sect...
"...Phew, I still remember all the scoldings I got from the other elders when they heard about what I did with the stone."
"..."
Hmm?
He does feel a sense of guilt and responsibility toward the treasure, right?
Isn't that right, Elder Shin?
[...Don't ask me.]
Elder Shin's trembling voice definitely had a hint of embarrassment in it.
"However, something like this shouldn't happen again... I would be a beast rather than a human if I drank with those guys again."
When he's referring to 'those guys,' I assume it included the Second Elder as well.
What kind of meeting was it for it to have such grand figures?
Thanks to that, however, my expectations pertaining to the Celestial Plum Blossom's elegance had been instantly shattered. Almost as badly as Elder Shins.
[Why am I suddenly included in this!?]
Think about all the things you did up until now, how am I supposed to feel any respect toward you?
[For fuck's sake... I'm not a person that should be getting this kind of treatment.]
Yeah, you aren't a person, you're a ghost.
The Celestial Plum Blossom let out a deep sigh of frustration and spoke to me.
"Right, so where is the treasure, kid?"
After speaking for a bit, he finally asked about the treasure.
"I am in possession of the treasure."
"...That's good to hear, then—"
"However, I can't give it to you just yet."
"Hmm...?"
The Celestial Plum Blossom became dumbfounded at my words as I fixed my posture.
"I was tasked to give the treasure directly to the Lord of the Mount Hua Sect."
"Right, and that Lord of the Sect is right in front of you."
"Wouldn't it be possible that you aren't actually the Lord of the Sect?"
The Celestial Plum Blossom zoned out for a bit at my response, he was clearly stupefied.
He suddenly burst out into laughter in the middle of the room.
"Do I look fake to you?"
"Not at all. I may be young and still have plenty of room for growth, but I am certain that I am looking at the head of the Mount Hua Sect."
The scent of plum flowers wafting through the air despite him remaining perfectly still, and the Qi inside me which began to move around when I saw him...
I could tell that this person was the Celestial Plum Blossom just by looking at him
The Celestial Plum Blossom asked,
"Then why?"
"Because I must do this in the right way unlike him. I, Gu Yangcheon, came here representing the Gu Clan to return the treasure of the Mount Hua Sect."
Even while I was speaking, I gulped without realizing it.
I couldn't believe I have to do such a thing this early in the morning.
What a hassle…
[Why don't you just give it to him here and now?]
Don't act like you don't know, it's already been set up ever since the start...
[Your senses only work at times like these... Even though your senses suck when it comes to a certain other thing.]
It wasn't like I knew that this guy would appear out of nowhere in the morning.
The Celestial Plum Blossom just looked at me without cutting me off.
It seemed like he was going to let me finish.
"Therefore, I can't just give you the treasure when we aren't even in Mount Hua."
"I see... But child, I think you are forgetting something."
I was going to ask what that was, but my mouth couldn't move.
My body trembled from the overwhelming pressure that was suppressing my shoulders.
Despite that small body of his, he put out so much Qi that it instantly filled up the whole room.
"Did you forget that I could just take it away by force without listening to you?"
I withstood the pressure and started to circulate my Qi.
It was probably not the best decision, but I had to do it in order to breathe.
I was able to see that this was the Celestial Plum Blossom's intention from the start.
The first proof was that Elder Shin, who was usually so talkative, was quiet now.
And the second,
I can still use my Qi.
The Celestial Plum Blossom gave me just enough room to use my Qi in order to see what I'm capable of.
I didn't know why all this was happening, but if he wants me to, I would do it.
If you were weak in this god-forsaken world, you couldn't do anything about it.
After slowly circulating my Qi around my body, my shoulders that were being suppressed were now able to move.
"...Woah."
The Celestial Plum Blossom seemed to be impressed.
While I was barely able to withstand it, my voice came out weakly.
"...I don't think you will."
"How come."
-Pressssss!
The pressure became heavier.
This crazy guy, why did he make it harder for me to answer after he had asked a question?
"Ouff..."
I decided to use more of my Qi while groaning.
I thought that maybe this was the right answer after all.
[Not too much, it might rampage again.]
I know that...!
An aura of flames started to linger around my shoulders.
But I didn't let the flames get any bigger and compressed them instead.
Thanks to that, I felt stable enough to speak clearly.
"As I said before, I am certain that you are the Lord of the Mount Hua Sect."
The Celestial Plum Blossom's eyes lit up.
"Even so, what would you do if I just took the treasure anyway because I didn't like your actions?"
"If that's the case, then I wouldn't be able to do anything about it. I won't die... so I would just report about what happened after returning to the clan."
"Haha... Not thinking about the consequences, I see. You are very similar to Gu Ryoon."
Pardon...?
That's the biggest insult I've heard all year...
But I couldn't afford to show that I was annoyed, so I forcefully smiled.
[...What is that, that monstrous face of yours...]
. . .
Along with the Celestial Plum Blossom's words, the Qi that filled up the whole room instantly vanished.
"Are you out there?"
The man that came inside my room after hearing the Celestial Plum Blossom was Shinhyun who left for Mount Hua last night.
"Yes, My Lord."
Did he just call him inside?
...Don't they know that this is my room?
"Once the guests of the Gu Clan finish their preparation, we will slowly go up so tell that to the elders."
"Yes, My Lord."
After Shinhyun left,
The Celestial Plum Blossom looked at me, who was slightly exhausted, and spoke.
"In the past, Gu Ryoon told me about you."
"The Second Elder?"
"Yes, he always said that you were a hard one to deal with because you caused so much trouble."
"...Haha."
That old man talked shit about me to an outsider...?
"And that guy was now using words he had never used before to brag about you."
"...Brag about me?"
"Yes, he looked so different that I couldn't forget about it."
"...Ahem."
The Celestial Plum Blossom laughed.
"I apologize. Not only did I come here early in the morning, but I even roughed you up a bit."
I let out a cough to fix my voice after hearing him.
"...I know I'm lacking a lot right now, so I couldn't understand why you chose to do this, but you must have a good reason."
[Did you coat your tongue with sugar or something, you really know how to use your mouth...]
I had to do something since the guy in front of me was a superhuman who could easily erase a mountain if he so wanted.
"Gu Ryoon, that guy never listened when I begged him for the past few years to give the treasure back, so do you know what deal we made for him to give it back?"
"I do not know."
"He told me to guide you."
"...Huh?"
I was dumbfounded.
The Second Elder said what? I thought that he just gave me the treasure because he was too lazy to go himself.
...It was also scary to hear that he didn't give back the treasure he won from a drinking bet for a few years.
The Celestial Plum Blossom kept speaking while laughing as if to neglect my thoughts.
"...It doesn't seem like you need it in my eyes though."
"Not at all, how can I—"
"Child, too much humbleness can be poison, I was also certain that the Sword Dragon of Mount Hua was going to be the greatest prodigy of this generation, but after seeing you, I have changed my mind."
I didn't have anything to say to that.
I wouldn't dare to hear such a thing in my past life, so it was completely new to me,
But I also felt slightly guilty because I was now able to hear this only after my regression.
What can I do about it though...
I basically gave up.
Since I decided to just receive all these compliments shamelessly.
"Then, what should I do?"
"...What do you mean?"
"No matter how I look at it, it doesn't seem like you need any guidance... but a marble of Qi wouldn't be enough."
"No, I think a marble of Qi would be en—"
"Oh! Yes, we can do that."
"Huh?"
"Right, we can talk about it after we go up."
What is it for god's sake...!
Why decide for yourself while not even telling me what it is...?
"Right... I'll see you later."
[You aren't even talking back to him though.]
...Ahem.
"Right, come find me when you go up, as it seems like both of us have much to talk about. For example, a reward."
After saying that, the Celestial Plum Blossom pointed toward my lower dantian.
"And that Qi you are harboring inside your body."
"...!"
I couldn't help but tremble at the words that the Celestial Plum Blossom said while smiling.
Perhaps, he noticed?
"Yes, Lord."
"Right, come see me after you eat breakfast. Starving won't do you any good."
After saying that, the Celestial Plum Blossom went out the window—
Wait, why go out the window and not the door...?
[...What a maniac... Truly.]
…
...I had to agree with Elder Shin this time.
****************
After the storm, I went outside with a hollow face.
Muyeon was waiting for me with a frozen look on his face.
"What's up?"
"No... thing."
It looked like he had seen a ghost or something.
I ignored Muyeon for now and looked for Wi Seol-Ah.
Usually, that girl would knock on my door first thing in the morning, but she didn't today.
"Where is she?"
"Are... you talking about Wi Seol-Ah?"
"Yeah, and why are you so stiff?"
"...I was able to shake hands with Lord Celestial Plum Blossom."
"...Huh?"
"I can die happy now."
"...Uh, right."
I shook my head as I saw my escort zoning out.
What kind of face would he make if he found out that he had shared many conversations and meals with the Sword Venerable who was known to be the greatest swordsman in the world?
The thought intrigued me.
"Anyway, where did she go?"
"I heard that she went somewhere as she had something to do with Elder Wi."
"Elder Wi?"
She went somewhere with the Sword Venerable? In Shaanxi?
Where can it be?
Muyeon handed me something.
"It's the seal of approval from the clan."
Since it had the symbol of the Gu clan on the paper, it clearly wasn't fake.
And I don't think the Sword Venerable would lie about something like this.
She'll be fine since she's with the Sword Venerable.
When I was about to go to the dining room for breakfast after having thought that, someone walked out of the room nearby.
The person who came out while rubbing her sleepy eyes was Namgung Bi-ah.
"...Oh."
Namgung Bi-ah slowly waved her hand when she found me.
Is that her way of greeting me in the morning...?
She appeared to be very peaceful, it seems like she didn't know what happened this morning.
After I stared at her for a bit, I spoke up.
"Want to have breakfast?"
Namgung Bi-ah slightly nodded her head upon hearing my question.