40 - Dragon Phoenix Assembly (13) - The Heaven-Slaying Sword

The following day, while the twilight had not yet completely lifted in the early morning, Dang Hwa-Seo opened her eyes in her bedroom. Gazing at the ceiling with a dazed look and blinking for a moment, soon she shuddered and covered her face with her hands. "...I must be crazy." It was only after the sleepiness had somewhat faded that the events of the previous day came to her mind. Her encounter with her half-brother the night before and his sharp words, up to the moment when her heart was cleansed by Mok Riwon's smile as he held her from crumbling. Despite the complexity of emotions such events should stir, a surprisingly distinct emotion dominated Dang Hwa-Seo's heart. "I...” ...have fallen in love. I've come to look at someone with affection. The novelty of this realization, as well as the embarrassment it brought, made Dang Hwa-Seo tremble. It was a strange feeling. Though it is said that when one falls in love, the heart races, one's face heats up, and one becomes mindless, her reactions were slightly different. Instead of her heart racing, it squeezed tight. Instead of her face, it was her chest that filled with warmth, with each breath coming out hotter than the last. Only in terms of feeling mindless did it match what she had heard. Dang Hwa-Seo examined her body and suddenly let out a snort of laughter. "Such a peculiar feeling." Despite the complex situation she was currently in, and the many challenges that needed to be resolved, her inability to focus on such matters. That these worries should trouble her, yet they didn’t. Before those concerns, joy bubbled up first. It was truly strange. Dang Hwa-Seo got up. Deeply inhaling while her hands still pressed against her chest, she then pressed down on her hot cheeks to cool the heat before finally getting out of bed. Suddenly. - Lady! Did you cough?! Mok Riwon's voice came from outside the door. Probably, the events of the past day worried him, prompting his visit. At that thought, the corners of Dang Hwa-Seo's mouth lifted into a smile for a moment, then quickly returned to normal. "Yes, I'm up." Thinking it would appear ungraceful to step out smiling after she had cried so much yesterday, Dang Hwa-Seo left the room with an unwarranted pride fitting her character. * “Did you sleep well?” As always, Mok Riwon was beaming brightly, his smile free of any creases, also serving once more to convey his intention of pretending "as if yesterday never happened." It was a thoughtful gesture for which Dang Hwa-Seo felt both grateful and sorry, replying while feeling a tight sensation in her chest. “Yes, thank you. And you?” “Oh, yes! Well, not particularly well, to be honest. You see, Siegal hyung visited last night with fascinating news. It was about a merchant from Seohyeon…” Mok Riwon started to chatter away. Dang Hwa-Seo listened attentively, laughing and expressing surprise at his stories as they walked. "...can I leave?" Can I leave this man behind? Now that I've finally become aware of this affection, will I truly be able to let him go in those moments? The answer came easily. The thought of distancing herself from him brought an indescribably intense rejection, making it hard for Dang Hwa-Seo even to entertain the thought. Such a troublesome emotion. To think that my long-held resolve could be shaken by something as frivolous as fluttery feelings. Dang Hwa-Seo pondered why she had developed these feelings. It was, in a way, an obvious matter of concern. Every moment of Dang Hwa-Seo's life had been a sequence of endurance and hardship, with no room to spare for others. Affection seemed a luxury to someone so accustomed to relegating such feelings. That is to say, Dang Hwa-Seo needed a reason even to love. Why had she come to like him? At that thought, Dang Hwa-Seo inadvertently let out a rather materialistic answer. “His face...?” The thought brought immediate self-loathing. She wondered if she had always been so shallow when it came to appearances, or if her standards were simply that high, to be swayed by someone like Mok Riwon. Suddenly, her face flushed. Mok Riwon cocked his head in confusion. "Lady?” "It's nothing. Just remembered something embarrassing." "What embarrassing thing?" "It's a secret." Curiosity deepened on Mok Riwon's face. He looked like he wanted to probe further, but a promise from the previous day held him back, and he struggled, making him all the more endearing. "I'll tell you later." "Oh! You promised!" "Of course." Dang Hwa-Seo chuckled and entered the inn. Instantly, all eyes in the crowded inn turned toward Mok Riwon. -A sword without equal. -Isn’t it remarkable? To challenge the Sword Dragon at his age. -I wonder how it will turn out… considering the swordsmanship he demonstrated against the Divine Dragon… -Oh, come on. But he couldn’t really defeat the Sword Dragon, could he? Whispers floated from every direction. Dang Hwa-Seo glanced at Mok Riwon, but he was preoccupied with his meal, humming a tune. “Right, of course.” It was something she came to realize anew. Mok Riwon was a man who had reached the finals of the Yongbong Branch Assembly. A martial artist who, despite his youth, demonstrates overwhelming strength and exceptional talent, making the entire martial arts world of Zhongyuan swallow their envy. “Compared to that...” What about herself? A runaway from the Tang Sect. Her martial arts stagnant for six years. And a body that cannot bear a child. Despite knowing such comparisons to be meaningless, Dang Hwa-Seo couldn’t stop herself from comparing herself to Mok Riwon. "Your match is already tomorrow!" "...Yes." "How about it? Any secret strategy prepared? If you share it with me..." There was no special strategy. And she had no confidence in winning either. Probably going to lose. And horribly so. It was to be expected. Namgung Jincheon, the Sword Dragon, was exceptional. He had always been great and would only become greater. A person seeking nothing but peace, like herself, could hardly compare. Even if it was inevitable. "...Now that it comes to this." Dang Hwa-Seo suddenly felt aggrieved. She was a martial artist destined for the heavens. No matter if she fled from her clan, or sought peace and hid herself away, she was a woman who desired excellence in martial arts. But that couldn’t be the only reason. Dang Hwa-Seo added another reason to her thoughts. She wanted to stand at the same level as Mok Riwon. To, thus, become a more dignified person in her own eyes. An irrepressible desire, that was. Dang Hwa-Seo did not suppress her rising emotions but looked at Mok Riwon. "...I will do what I can." "You will surely succeed!" "I hope so." Dang Hwa-Seo's fist tightened. "I don't want to leave." She wanted to stand by his side. Or, to be precise, she wanted to keep him by her side. However, the situation was not favorable. Even if Mok Riwon had dissuaded them, the Tang Sect would continue to pursue her. Knowing that persuasion wouldn't work, they would resort to threats or force. What could she do against that? Dang Hwa-Seo pondered. Soaked in newfound affection and putting it before all else, she finally made a nearly forced resolution. "If…" If she could achieve a dignified result against Namgung Jincheon in this martial contest. If she could, without relying on Shaolin, rightfully knock on the doors of the Martial Alliance with her own strength. Perhaps, then, she could alter her plans. A small smile appeared on Dang Hwa-Seo's lips. "It's a gamble. And it's forced." But, what does that matter? Dang Hwa-Seo had finally learned something. A clichéd truth realized through the man before her. “One who has done no wrong need not run.” There's no need to fear the troubles that arise, nor to hide from them prematurely in fear. "Mok Xiānshēng." "Speak!" "If, in this martial contest, I manage to achieve a good result..." "If you do?" "Would you grant me just one request?" Mok Riwon blinked. For a moment, his mouth hung open, then he burst into a hearty laugh. "Of course! If it's within my means, I’ll do anything!" "Anything." It was a good response. Dang Hwa-Seo wanted to bank on that answer. To ask him, if she wins this match, to head to the Martial Alliance with her. "A promise is worth its weight in gold." Thus, Dang Hwa-Seo suppressed the rising anxiety and fear within her, laying Mok Riwon's assurance on top of it as she said, "You must keep it." Dang Hwa-Seo laughed with determination. However, being inherently stern, her smile seemed strangely threatening. "Of...of course!" Mok Riwon was somewhat frightened. * The day of the martial contest arrived. Just like Mok Riwon’s match in Hyeongong, today, the duel arena was again teeming with a sea of people. The same swelling heat and humidity, and the same shouts. Mok Riwon sat in a relatively quiet spot allocated for him, watching Dang Hwa-Seo ascend the stage. And then, he watched Namgung Jincheon, her opponent. The ever-young appearance. Sharp features and an aura emitting pressure. “Clearly, there is a difference in their levels.” During his time in Seohyeon, Mok Riwon had heard a story from Siegal San about Namgung Jincheon's upbringing. -Mok brother, did you know? Just the elixirs Namgung hyung consumed while growing up would be enough to build a castle in Anhui. There are rumors that the unabsorbed elixirs within Namgung hyung’s body are forming an inner pill. The amount of elixirs he had consumed to gain such inner strength. -Ah, there’s also this. While Namgung hyung was growing up, you know, from around age 10 to 17, masters from the previous generation took turns visiting Anhui to spar with him. The wealth of experience he gained from sparring with so many masters. -So you see, it's inevitable. For Namgung hyung, this Yongbong branch assembly is merely child's play. To what extent he might regard this Yongbong branch assembly. "What are you thinking about so deeply?" In the midst of his contemplation, Mok Riwon heard a woman's voice from behind him. He jolted in surprise and turned around. "Baekbong Hyewun?" There was Baekbong Hyewun, accompanied by a man with a silly expression, staring blankly at the sky. Mok Riwon swallowed hard. 'The rumors were true!' He had heard about him always bringing that man along to the Yongbong branch assembly, now he understood what that meant. "Why are you looking at me so unpleasantly?" Hyewun glared at Mok Riwon, who immediately shrank back, shaking, and bowed his head. "Nothing, nothing at all..." "Hmm..." Hyewun glanced at Mok Riwon for a moment before settling beside him. The man beside him seemed uninterested in their conversation, merely grinning to himself, as if under some soul enchantment. "Are you supporting the Lonewolf?" "Of course! The lady will surely show us something splendid." "You don't say that she will win, though." Mok Riwon's lips sealed shut. A sheepish smile crossed his face. "...I am indeed hoping for her to win." It was a roundabout answer. Hyewun looked at his smile indifferently before shifting his gaze toward the martial stage. "...So you do understand the reality of it." "What do you mean?" "Talking to myself." Hyewun looked at Dang Hwa-Seo standing on the martial stage. 'She is indeed remarkable.' Dang Hwa-Seo was someone to be admired as a martial artist–her mindset, her tenacity, and even the finesse with which she wielded her strategies. But, that was all there was to it. "The outcome is obvious." Her opponent was Namgung Jincheon. And the winner would also be Namgung Jincheon. "I wonder how many moves she could withstand." Three seconds. That would be stretching it, at most. Mok Riwon blinked at Hyewun's confident assertion before asking, "Why do you think like that?" "Eh? What do you mean?" "Why do you think the lady will only endure?" Mok Riwon's inquiry expressed his genuine bewilderment. To Hyewun, it was an incredulous moment. "Don't you know, Mr. Sect Leader? Lonewolf can't beat the Sword Dragon." "I'm not disputing that. But that doesn’t mean she'll be disastrously defeated." It was an utter nonsensical statement to Hyewun. He even wondered if Mok Riwon, blinded by love, was harboring vain hopes. Amidst the rising headache, "Ah! The lady saw us here!" Mok Riwon enthusiastically waved at Dang Hwa-Seo. Hyewun also turned to look at her. 'Ah, that's sharp.' To kill someone with a look, it had to be at least that fierce. Hyewun chuckled at Dang Hwa-Seo's glaring gaze before initiating an action. If one were to look for a reason, it was a mix of mischief and a desire to annoy this foolish man. Chin-. Hyewun rested his head on Mok Riwon's shoulder. Mok Riwon froze, and Dang Hwa-Seo's eyes flared with fury. 'Interesting.' Truly, they were a pair with a taste for mockery.