141 - Blue Dragon Rain Dance Society (11)

Dang Hwa-seo was in a notably foul mood. The atmosphere in the office had sharpened in accordance with her temperament, and Dang Hwa-seo's expression was indescribably fierce. This level of displeasure was unprecedented. Normally, Dang Hwa-seo would never intimidate others simply because she was in a bad mood. By nature, she was rational and tended to show leniency toward others even when she was seething with anger. But what about now? Today, anyone who caused trouble in the halls of Yongbong Peak ended up collapsing with their legs giving out beneath them. Even those who didn't cause trouble but somehow managed to irritate Dang Hwa-seo had their share of repercussions. Take Namgung Jincheon for example. Oblivious to Dang Hwa-seo’s dark mood, he approached her saying, "My sword is named 'Celestial',” only to receive a punch to the stomach. Jegal San swallowed hard before speaking. "Th-they're still coming. No, it seems the number has increased." "Talk of marriage proposals is resonating across the entire alliance." "I-I tried to handle it..." Jegal San’s shoulders slumped, and Dang Hwa-seo clicked her tongue, unable to comprehend. "Such wild creatures run rampant all over." She hadn't expected the heads of the warrior families vying for Mok Riwon's hand in marriage to be so numerous. After all, her relationship with Mok Riwon was widely perceived, albeit embarrassingly on her part, as that of lovers. It was not merely a misunderstanding. Especially after the last meeting at Yongbong, when rumors had spread across Anhui about her duel with White Phoenix for Mok Riwon. She had won. Mok Riwon was hers. It was shameless of them to come forward now. Dang Hwa-seo judged that personally dealing with these warrior family heads was only right. Even if she were to poison them, no one could argue. Her fist clenched, her teeth gritted. Jegal San gasped in shock, yet she paid him no heed. "Jegal San, my mood is quite unpleasant." "I-I understand!" Jegal San nodded frantically. "White Phoenix, am I wrong?" Hyewon emphatically shook her head. "Then, this is self-defense," she asserted. Both nodded in agreement. Dang Hwa-seo rose from her seat. "Mok Senior must be feeling quite suffocated confined to the training grounds. I should allow him an outing, but too many are causing trouble. It's time for me to 'personally' deal with the situation." Hearing this, the two had to swallow the words that reached the tips of their tongues. They were about to say that she was the one who had confined Mok Riwon, after all. --- At the Yongbong Peak's first training ground, Mok Riwon had just finished his training session and sheathed his sword. His body was drenched in sweat, his senses sharpened from reflecting on his sparring session with the fire swords. Such a brief moment, but the intense contest of wills within it couldn't be considered short. Rubbing his temples, he turned at an approaching presence. "Hm? Lady Dang?" Dang Hwa-seo was there with a bright smile. Mok Riwon greeted her warmly. "What brings you here? I heard you were busy today." "Busy as I might be, could I ever be busier than Senior Mok, dedicating himself to preparing for the dueling competition?" "That's quite flattering." Mok Riwon blushed, scratching the back of his head while smiling at Dang Hwa-seo. Perhaps her unusually bright smile was the result of having vented her frustrations elsewhere. Regardless, seeing her in a good mood made him feel joyous as well. "Have you eaten?" "That's actually why I'm here." "Ah? You wish to dine together! Excellent! Let's head to the dining hall…." "No." Dang Hwa-seo's smile deepened. "How about we go out for a change? The main competition of the dueling event has attracted many street stalls." Street stalls. Mok Riwon, who particularly enjoyed snacks from the market, felt his mouth watering at the thought. "That sounds wonderful!" "Let's go, then." Mok Riwon rushed to Dang Hwa-seo's side. --- Shortly after, the two stepped outside. Mok Riwon tilted his head, confused. "Hm? Strange." "What seems to be the matter?" "I felt a commotion near the entrance but there’s no one here. And there’s a peculiar smell…" Sniffing around, Mok Riwon frowned. Dang Hwa-seo’s smile widened as she thought to herself. 'Of course. I've spread laxative poison.' The area was swarming with pests. Spreading the poison had been quite an ordeal, even leading to anemia from the effort of mixing antidotes for those with substantial cultivation. 'All that is in the past now.' To Dang Hwa-seo, what happened just a moment ago felt like ancient history as she grabbed Mok Riwon's arm, causing him to jump slightly. His reaction was endearingly stiff. "Shall we go?" "Y-yes!" Dang Hwa-seo set out onto the streets with Mok Riwon. "Come on, this way! Fresh and hot!" "Grandmaster! Try some dumplings here!" Peddlers were hawking their wares all around. The air was thick with the scent of all kinds of food, making one's head spin, as martial artists milled about in small groups. There were penetrating gazes all around; half on Mok Riwon, half on herself. Dang Hwa-seo didn't show any displeasure at those stares. On the contrary, she wished for more attention. It was a statement. Mok Riwon was with her, so dare not overstep. Yet, as always, there were fools who wouldn't heed the warning. A middle-aged man gasping for air, his chest emblazoned with the name of his martial arts school, fixated his gaze on Mok Riwon from a distance, about to shout. "Wait! Mu..." In an instant, Jegal San leaped from hiding and sealed the man's acupuncture point before disappearing with a thumbs-up. Dang Hwa-seo's smile carried a contented satisfaction. 'Sanitation must be thorough.' Nothing was more infuriating than having a good time disrupted. "Lady Dang! Let's start with chicken!" "Yes, sounds good. Chicken." Led by the radiant Mok Riwon, Dang Hwa-seo headed toward a food stall. Her craftiness seemed to deepen with each passing day, possibly even outpacing her martial arts progress. --- Namgung Jincheon expressed surprise at the unusually deserted halls of Yongbong Peak today. "Kwon Ryong." "Yes?" "It's rather empty." Ilwoon nodded in response to the observation made with arms crossed. "Hyewon and Grandmaster Jegal have been busy outside lately. Master Mok went to look at stalls with Grandmaster Dang…" Namgung Jincheon flinched at the mention. Not for any other reason than the memory of this morning's encounter with Dang Hwa-seo, when his mention of his sword's name earned him a punch in the stomach. It still felt like his stomach was growling. Namgung Jincheon, to this day, had no understanding of why he was hit, cradling only a deep sense of injustice. If anyone dared to say that an ultimate master was being struck by a peak master, Namgung Jincheon would give him a piece of his mind. There was a peculiar pressure in Dang Hwa-seo's punch, an instinctive warning that dodging it would bring serious consequences. Namgung Jincheon shook his head vigorously. Now was not the time to dwell on it. "Then, I should also head out." "Going outside?" "Yes." Namgung Jincheon planned to browse the stalls as well during the main competition period, having heard rumors of a stall auctioning off a rare spiritual elixir. "Please be careful." "Aren't you coming?" "I have more training left." His diligence was undeniable. Namgung Jincheon thought it to be Ilwoon's most commendable trait. Their eyes met briefly, and Namgung Jincheon, almost embarrassed to encourage him verbally, chose to say something else instead. "Celestial." "Excuse me?" "The name of my sword is Celestial." With that, he turned away, leaving Ilwoon merely tilting his head in confusion. --- The street was bustling to the point of dizziness. Namgung Jincheon, arms crossed, scanned his surroundings until he spotted something. '...Gae Ryong?' Jegal San was hidden in an alley, watching something intently. Not only him, but Hyewon was doing the same beside him. What ridiculous thing were they planning now? Following their gaze, he saw Mok Riwon and Dang Hwa-seo. For a moment, Namgung Jincheon wondered if they had all secretly planned an outing without him, but he quickly dismissed the thought. There was no reason for him to be left out. There must be something going on. Deciding not to pry further, Namgung Jincheon continued on his way, having heard that the elixir auction was in a hidden spot at the very end of the street. Then he felt it—a presence shadowing him. '...Being followed?' He discreetly surveyed his surroundings. Shrouded in the bamboo forest's shade, the figure was slightly built and undoubtedly a martial artist, judging by the visible cultivation aura. However, their face remained hidden, their identity unknown. He pondered for a moment. 'A spy?' It was possible. Passing by Dang Hwa-seo's office earlier, he had heard that spies might infiltrate the tournament. To apprehend or to ignore? It was a no-brainer. 'I'll capture them.' Namgung Jincheon couldn't neglect a chance to build his achievements. He abruptly changed direction toward an alley. The shadow continued to follow, even as he intentionally circled the same block. Clearly being tailed. Realizing this, Namgung Jincheon sprinted forward. Thump! With barely a sound, he launched himself lightning-fast toward the pursuer. Drawing his sword, he swiftly bifurcated the bamboo, eliminating the threat. And immediately afterwards, Namgung Jincheon stiffened. "...You remain the same?" There stood a face he couldn't forget. A soft voice, a small frame, and a fragile smile that invoked a protective instinct. "When do you plan to break the habit of drawing your sword first?" It was Seo Ye, the leader of the Hao faction. Realizing this, Namgung Jincheon felt as if his heart had stopped dead. "Hello?" Seo Ye waved her hand in front of Namgung Jincheon's face. He didn't respond immediately. The sudden encounter and his initial reaction of drawing his sword left him feeling embarrassed and flustered. Thus, without thinking, Namgung Jincheon blurted out, "...Celestial." Recently, Namgung Jincheon had taken to boasting about the name of his sword. Seo Ye tilted her head in confusion. "Excuse me?" "The name of this sword is Celestial. That's why I drew it, to tell you." It seemed like a good enough excuse had swiftly come to him. Namgung Jincheon inwardly felt pleased with himself, if only Seo Ye's reaction hadn’t been what it was. "...Are you five years old? Naming swords and playing with them?" Namgung Jincheon was profoundly shocked.