As soon as Namgung Hyeong saw Gu Cheolwoon standing with his hands clasped behind his back, he had one immediate thought.
“This is trouble.”
It had been over a decade since he last saw both White Lotus Sword and Gu Cheolwoon. Not that their past encounter was particularly memorable—they’d only briefly crossed paths in the midst of fighting enemies from the Unorthodox Faction. It could hardly be called a proper meeting.
What’s he doing here?
Namgung Hyeong swallowed hard as he watched Gu Cheolwoon. It wasn’t just the surprise of seeing him here in Sichuan, and especially at the same time he was around. More than that…
There’s nothing. I can’t feel a thing from him?
He looked away, struggling to process this. He could sense absolutely nothing from Gu Cheolwoon, and that was a problem.
Recalling the past, he remembered the time when that ill-tempered old man had pushed him into a duel of life and death with Hyeok Eochun.
What about Gu Cheolwoon back then?
In Namgung Hyeong’s memory…
He was terrifyingly powerful.
The overwhelming heat he radiated and the sheer presence that seemed to crush everything around him made Namgung Hyeong instinctively realize he would lose.
Namgung Myung had even advised him to flee immediately if Gu Cheolwoon turned out to be an enemy. That’s how overwhelming his presence was."
But now, there was nothing.
What did that mean?
Had Gu Cheolwoon weakened to the point where Namgung Hyeong couldn’t feel anything?
That couldn’t be it. Namgung Hyeong understood why Gu Cheolwoon’s presence felt so muted.
It was the opposite.
It was Namgung Hyeong who couldn’t sense it—the gap between them was so vast that he couldn’t feel anything at all.
Sigh…
Thinking of this, he let out a quiet, shaky breath. There was a hint of competitiveness bubbling up inside him, but fear suppressed it before it could grow.
The sensation he felt now was one he’d only experienced from his own grandfather.
As Namgung Hyeong continued to stare at Gu Cheolwoon, swallowing down his anxiety, Gu Cheolwoon, noticing his gaze, turned to look at him as well.
When those fierce red eyes met his, Namgung Hyeong’s body trembled involuntarily.
“Namgung Hyeong, it’s been a while.”
Gu Cheolwoon’s words made his eyes widen.
“…You remember me?”
It had only been a fleeting encounter. They’d crossed paths a few times in his youth, but they hadn’t had a significant relationship. Their last meeting had been one-sided, with Gu Cheolwoon’s overwhelming presence leaving a lasting impression on him.
While Namgung Hyeong remembered Gu Cheolwoon because of that impression, it was surprising that Gu Cheolwoon remembered him.
As he expressed his surprise, Gu Cheolwoon tilted his head slightly and replied.
“You weren’t insignificant enough to be forgotten.”
“…”
It was a simple statement, but it conveyed a sense of acknowledgment. Namgung Hyeong gave him an odd look in response.
Interesting.
Hearing firsthand what he’d only ever heard in rumors was strangely surreal.
If I were a woman, I might have fallen for him.
He chuckled softly, feeling as if he’d confirmed one of those old, peculiar rumors.
Then, he glanced to his side. After all, the main concern wasn’t him.
Next to him was someone who looked like they might break from fear, shaking as though in the aftermath of an earthquake.
Where had that mighty warrior gone? In her place was a fragile woman who seemed overwhelmed by the situation.
Ah…
White Lotus Sword couldn’t believe this.
Why was that man here, and why was he standing in front of her? She had tried so hard to avoid this encounter, too fearful to face him.
How many days had it been since she last saw his face? There were too many to count.
He has wrinkles now.
He had changed.
She thought so to herself.
The young man who had once carried an air of loneliness and responsibility on his broad shoulders had grown into a middle-aged man.
Wrinkles creased the corners of his eyes and scattered across his face.
But—
…
White Lotus Sword immediately realized that these things didn’t matter.
The look in his eyes, the warm gaze that watched over the world with a subtle intensity—those eyes, now carrying years of life, had grown deeper, more profound.
Perhaps it was because she was meeting those eyes once again that—
Thump…
White Lotus Sword felt her heart begin to pound intensely. It was already too late to stop it.
“…Ah…”
What could she say? A thousand thoughts surfaced, but none found their way out. It was inevitable.
White Lotus Sword could barely maintain her composure.
What do I do?
This was dangerous. The feelings she had worked so hard to distance herself from were surging back with just one glance. She had left precisely because she didn’t want this to happen, and just when she thought she was moving forward…
Had being around his son, recalling memories of those past days, made her more vulnerable? The impact was stronger than she could bear.
…Couldn’t he have aged badly?
It wasn’t fair. Most people had lost a bit of their charm with age. But this man, he hadn’t changed a bit.
White Lotus Sword hated that about him.
Even with the passage of time, he was still as captivating as ever. She hated it so much.
“White Lotus Sword.”
“…!”
The deep, resonant voice that called her name made her flinch. She bit her lip, ashamed of her instinctive reaction.
She felt so small and weak, but she couldn’t let it show. Gathering herself, White Lotus Sword managed to stammer a response.
“It… It’s been a… a long time.”
Why was her voice trembling so much? She was a grown woman now; why did she sound like a timid girl?
Feeling embarrassed by her own behavior, White Lotus Sword shut her eyes tightly. Yet, Gu Cheolwoon seemed unbothered by her awkwardness.
“Have you been well?”
“…Y-Yes, I… I’ve been well.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
Crunch.
Gu Cheolwoon took a step toward her, slowly closing the distance.
To White Lotus Sword, the sound of his footsteps seemed deafening.
“I heard from my wife. She mentioned you visited Hanan once.”
“…”
So Mi Horan told him.
Hearing this, White Lotus Sword silently cursed Mi Horan.
She had specifically asked her not to mention it.
“…I was just busy with something… so I only saw Lady Mi.”
“Lady Mi, you say?”
There was a slight reaction from Gu Cheolwoon at the mention of the title. Had he taken offense at her calling Mi Horan that?
Just as she considered correcting herself—
“It’s a title I hold dear.”
The faint smile in his voice made White Lotus Sword bite her lip once more.
It was a warning to herself.
Don’t let this sway you.
Not again.
“I heard that you’ve been serving as my son’s protector.”
“Oh, well, that’s…”
“Thank you.”
“…!”
Gu Cheolwoon’s words of gratitude made her stumble. The fact that he was thanking her—it was so unexpected that her mind wavered.
Seeing her sway, Namgung Hyeong quickly stepped in to support her.
“What’s wrong with her all of a sudden?”
“…I’m fine.”
White Lotus Sword steadied herself and gently pushed Namgung Hyeong’s arm away.
“…There’s no need to thank me. It was only due to a certain situation.”
“Whatever the reason, as his father, I’m grateful to you.”
“…You… seem different. You’ve changed.”
Hearing her words, Gu Cheolwoon narrowed his eyes.
“Do you think so?”
“Yes. You feel… very different.”
He seemed to talk more. His characteristic deep voice was still the same, but there was now a subtle warmth in it.
As someone who had often thought of the past, White Lotus Sword could sense the difference clearly.
“Then I’m glad.”
Step.
Gu Cheolwoon took another step forward.
As he drew closer, White Lotus Sword instinctively wanted to step back.
The wall she thought she had built up over the years—the emotions she’d locked away, unable to let go—she thought they’d grown stronger with time. But in this brief reunion, that wall cracked and crumbled.
She needed to run.
This was dangerous. Staying here any longer would be a disaster.
Forget decorum; she had to leave now. If she stayed, she knew she’d be in serious trouble.
Ignoring Namgung Hyeong, she prepared to release her qi and flee.
Stop.
But at that moment, she felt a weight at her toes, rooting her to the spot.
It was as though someone had physically held her back.
No…
White Lotus Sword quickly realized that it was her own reluctance holding her in place.
But by the time she understood this, it was too late.
Gu Cheolwoon was already standing directly in front of her.
“Hm.”
His gaze was slightly off, not looking directly into her eyes but somewhere near her ear.
Swipe.
Gu Cheolwoon’s large hand reached out toward the spot he was focused on.
Watching his hand come closer, White Lotus Sword wanted to twist away, but her frozen body wouldn’t respond.
Rustle.
His fingertips brushed a lock of her hair, revealing a small leaf caught in it.
“Excuse me.”
“…”
“This was stuck here.”
Without a second thought, Gu Cheolwoon burned the leaf to ash.
That small gesture, somehow, was the breaking point.
Watching the leaf turn to ash, White Lotus Sword felt a sound resound within her.
Crack!
The thick wall of emotions she had painstakingly built crumbled all at once.
In that instant, all the feelings she’d kept sealed away came flooding out, overwhelming her.
It was like a massive wave.
Perhaps it was even stronger after all those years of being bottled up.
The wave crashed, forming an ocean within her in a matter of moments.
“…”
Feeling this, White Lotus Sword came to a bitter realization.
…I’m done for.
There was no going back now.
******************
The sun was setting, casting a warm glow over the sky.
I was seated in my quarters, facing Tang Deok. He was kneeling on one knee, his head bowed. Though he had lowered his head out of compliance, the veins in his neck stood out, showing he wasn’t doing so willingly.
I looked at him and asked, “So? What happened?”
“…The elder has… left for now.”
“Without a word?”
“…Yes…”
Tang Deok’s eyes were brimming with dissatisfaction. He clearly hated using honorifics with me.
Not that I cared.
So, he just… left.
Tang Deok had stopped him, and yet the elder of the Tang Clan had simply turned back and left? I couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of curiosity.
I turned my gaze toward the object on the table—a pouch of tea leaves that the elder had left behind.
He even handed those over without any issue.
Apparently, he’d intended to give these to Tang So-yeol, but Tang Deok had brought them to me instead. Tang So-yeol, delighted to pass them on to me, didn’t seem to suspect anything when Tang Deok used me as an excuse.
Hm.
A lot of things didn’t make sense.
I extended my hand.
Buzz. A small vibration filled the air as the pouch of tea leaves floated up and drifted toward me.
Object Summoning.
It was a skill I could use now that I’d reached the Flowering stage, though it consumed an absurd amount of qi and wasn’t exactly efficient.
I grabbed the pouch and inspected the tea leaves carefully.
Is this not it?
Before I left for my solo training, I had instructed Tang Deok to stay by Tang So-yeol’s side and stop any suspicious characters from getting too close.
The condition was simple: block any approach that didn’t have my approval. Over the past few days, I had carefully selected a few trustworthy individuals within the Tang Clan and excluded all others from getting near her.
I thought it might be a coincidence when I heard from Nahi.
The elder had approached Tang So-yeol as soon as the paralytic poison was created. And he handed her these tea leaves.
Could it really be a coincidence?
I didn’t think so.
Tang Jemun’s words continued to bother me as well.
Tang So-yeol is involved in this.
Did this mean the elder planned to use Tang So-yeol to achieve something?
“…”
I put a tea leaf into my mouth and chewed.
Crunch.
The dry texture spread an unpleasant taste through my mouth. Ignoring it, I chewed and swallowed.
…Strange.
I grew more puzzled. I couldn’t detect any poison in the tea leaves. Had he not added the paralytic poison? Or was Tang So-yeol not his target after all?
I felt a hint of disappointment.
If the tea leaves had contained poison, it would have given me a solid reason to eliminate him right then.
So, he’s not that foolish, is he?
Of course, if he had mixed in poison, he wouldn’t have been stupid enough to deliver the leaves himself.
Meanwhile…
I wondered how much the elder knew about Nahi. I still had use for her, so I planned to keep her around for now.
But if she started causing problems…
Maybe I should take care of her in advance.
It might be better that way. Not immediately, but if she was going to be a nuisance, it would be best to eliminate her before she could cause trouble.
Deciding this, I looked over at Tang Deok.
He was glaring at me with a twisted expression. Smiling, I asked, “What’s with that look?”
“…What are you planning to do?”
“Hmm?”
“You placed me under the care of that wretched woman from the Tang Clan. What is your… goal…?”
“What goal? I told you exactly what to do—protect her.”
“…Grr…”
Tang Deok grit his teeth, and I inwardly admired his defiance.
Still resisting?
Even with the power I’d used to suppress him, he could still look at me with that level of resentment. Impressive.
Maybe it was because he was fused with a beast’s body; it seemed like control over him wasn’t as tight as with others.
Guess I’ll have to crush that attitude of his a bit.
This one was useful to me. Unlike Nahi, I didn’t plan to discard him.
Eventually, I’d kill him, but for now, I needed him to be more compliant, which meant breaking his spirit a little.
I should start putting pressure on him soon.
I thought about doing it right then. After all, I was a bit bored.
With that thought, I stood up and gathered my energy, stepping toward Tang Deok.
Bang!
The door to the quarters suddenly burst open as someone barged in.
“…Huh?”
I widened my eyes as I saw who it was. It was none other than White Lotus Sword.
That aunt of Moyong Hee-ah’s—wasn’t she supposed to be out wandering around? What was she doing here?
And—
…Why does her face look like that?
Her face was bright red, like a ripe apple. Had she been drinking since midday? I squinted at her, but as soon as she saw me, she rushed over.
“Hey!”
“…What’s the matter?”
Caught off guard by her rough approach, I was even more startled when she grabbed my shoulders tightly.
“Do you… need another mother?”
“…What, what?”
She spouted the most absurd words I could have imagined.