Book 16 Chapter 10

Authentication after the fact

"Disciples Dokgo Ling and Na Yerin greet Master Samga.

Most importantly, I'm glad you're healthy."

Dokgoryeong and Nayarin kneeled down on one knee on the ground.

I bow before the sword with the utmost respect.

"Was it that one, or the one you chose?"

Swordhu's calm voice was directed at Na Yerin.

"Master… I, I'm……."

Na Yerin was at a loss for words in the presence of her master, who stared down at her with a stern gaze. It didn't change the fact that, for whatever reason, she had forgotten who she was as a disciple of the Sword Gak. She was ready for any rebuke, any criticism. But to her surprise, what she received was not a slap on the cheek, but a gentle hand stroking her hair.

Startled, Na Yerin lifted her gaze to meet Swordhu's face. There was a gentle smile on her master's face. It was the motherly, benevolent smile she had always seen since she was a child.

"You've changed a lot since then, don't you think it's time for you to be honest with your heart?"

The swordsman spoke in a voice of compassion. There was a warmth and compassion in it that enveloped Na Yerin's entire body.

"That… is that so? I don't think much has changed, but……."

Na Yerin's face was slightly flushed as she answered, and her voice was crawling. At the sight of it, Swordhu smirked, and then shook his head.

"No! Once upon a time, you were a doll with your heart closed. You were afraid of the world, so you kept trying to go back inside. With no contact with the outside world, you decided to become a cold ice doll, because you didn't want to be hurt anymore. Interacting with the outside world was painful. But it seems you've opened your eyes to the human heart again, and that's a good thing. Maybe now you'll be able to break new ground."

"Sa… Master……."

Gum Hu smiled warmly and patted Na Yerin on the back as she cried.

"Onya onya, how can I not bow and thank him for bringing spring to the winter fields!"

Sword Hu's gaze rested on Bi Ryuyeon for a moment. She chuckled and waved her hand, the fleshiness that had cut him in two a moment ago washed away from her face. Instead, a warmth had taken its place.

"I was worried that you were pretty much defenseless in that direction, but you look like me and have a man's eye. I'm relieved!"

At his words, Na Yerin blushed shyly and hung her head low. Steam threatened to rise from her heated cheeks.

"Ohhhhhhhh, so you're just a normal girl with no talent!"

Sword Hu let out a cool laugh, seemingly amused by his disciple's rarely seen cuteness.

"No, don't tease me, Master!"

Now Na Yerin's face was as bright red as a ripe saffron, making her even more pleasing to her master's eyes.

Watching from the sidelines, Dokgo Ling looked at his sibling with envy for a moment, and then was horrified to find himself chasing someone's shadow.

And then, coincidentally, her gaze caught the man. He was talking to his men about something serious, and then he walked away, leaving her in a state of shock she couldn't quite get out of.

'Grand Duke Bi… Why am I paying attention to that man…….'

She quickly shook her head from side to side. As if to shake off his impression. Her padded left eye stung and ached again.

"Bam!"

Guan Xunzi gave a short scream. Known more as the Ice Sword's Daughter than the Ice Jade Fairy, her father's fame was too bright for her to shine on her own, but she was definitely a member of the Seven Peaks. She had always thought that the Seven Fengs shouldn't all be labeled with a star, but that wasn't the point right now. Someone walked past her, hitting her roughly on the shoulder as she looked away from the market. Not a word of apology. It was downright rude.

"Hey, hey, hey! Why……."

Her head snapped up and her lips closed in protest. Her eyes met a man's for an instant and then dropped. The eyes of the same man who had just bumped into her.

"Seolji, what's wrong? What happened to you? You don't look well……."

Qing Shui, who had been with her only moments before, noticed the anomaly and approached her, asking if she could hear him, but she continued to stare at the pale-faced man's back as he faded away.

"What? What about him?!"

I saw an unforgettable back view, and even without seeing the face, I knew who it was. It was the back of someone who had once been my best friend. But it was also the back of someone who was now a liar. It was the back of Wei Zichen.

"Seolji, what's wrong, you don't look well."

"That guy… he was definitely a friend of yours, wasn't he? He's the owner of the Bingfeng Movie Guard?"

"Really? Is there a problem?"

Her fine brow was slightly furrowed, and everyone was moving out of the way as the life force radiated from her body. She didn't know why, but this wasn't normal. A cold sweat dampened her palms, and her body was shaking.

"It was like a ghostly face, and I've never seen a face so filled with hatred and anger in my life. It was just… horrifying."

Her face was pale as if she had seen a ghost, and she was trembling slightly.

"What was filling his mind was an endless darkness."

Lightless……. It was an ominous eye that made me feel very dangerous.

She shuddered, not wanting to see those eyes again.

He looked at his friend's back in bewilderment as he threw away what he remembered of his past. His back grew farther and farther away, until he was out of sight. He felt a sudden pang of sadness as he realized that the distance between them might never be closed again.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Gum Hu. You could have been in trouble!"

When everyone else had retreated, and only the three of them were left, the man spoke to Sword Hu.

"Whoops, yeah, I didn't think you'd push me that far… I almost meant it."

"But you're happy to keep it to yourself, aren't you?"

She smiled broadly at his words.

"Yeah, it's been a long time since I've sweated like this, and I'm honestly jealous, right?"

She seemed to be in a really good mood, and so was he. It had been a long time since he'd shed a good sweat. Normally, he never got a chance to do that. When he was on the island, he had no one else to sweat and fight for. It had been a long time since she'd felt so refreshed. She was enjoying a kind of liberation.

"No… I don't think I'm envious… more like……."

Tosheng trailed off. He must have been really envious.

"In any case, this was an unexpected outcome for me as well, so I'm glad you held on, it's not like you're going to get anyone killed."

"To be that good at that age… I know I didn't give it my all, but to be that good… who the hell raised him?"

He was clearly saying that he hadn't shown his true colors.

"We haven't figured out his lineage yet."

"You must be very secretive indeed… to have a secret that even the eyes of a swordsman couldn't figure out."

"I still don't know who he studied with or where his gate is, but he's a real badass."

"I agree!"

"I agree."

"So you've given me permission?"

"You have to admit, it's a promise made in the name of the heavens and the earth, and it would be a laughingstock if you broke it."

I couldn't let that happen.

"What do you mean, 'for now'… and then there's the after?"

"Of course, I'm not going to hand over my favorite pupil just yet, am I?"

"So what do you think it should be?"

"Hmmm… I don't know, shouldn't it at least be good enough to beat me?"

Gongsheng watched with a slightly dumbfounded expression as Gum Hu innocently laughed at him for using the expression 'at least' where it shouldn't have been used.

"That kid… did I mention Bi Ryuyeon? I hope she's okay……."

"Why, but Gongsheng, are you worried about something?"

"No, when you're in the spotlight to this extent, you're bound to attract jealousy, whether you like it or not. Besides, if you're Na Yerin, the disciple of Sword Hu, aren't you the one who's the Forbidden Jade Leaf of the Hundred Thousand, the one who's rumored to be so beautiful?"

"Yes, that child, whose beauty and ethereal charm brought her misfortune at a young age……. It would have been irreparable if Meng Zhu had been any later."

His complexion darkened a bit as he recalled the incident.

"I hope nothing happens to you, for envy and jealousy sometimes bring anger, and I hope my worries are for naught."

"I agree."