Dang Xiaoyue had always been different from others since she was young.
While the children of the three families chased after puppies and kittens, she chased after reptiles like snakes.
Later, she began to chase after beasts like wolves and tigers.
The fierce eyes and growling charm of these predators, the predatory aura they exuded in front of weak animals, were simply irresistible.
That was why she had resisted so strongly when the engagement talks with the Nangong family came up.
Dang Xiaoyue didn't like Nangong Tianjun.
No matter how many people said he was handsome and a genius.
'He looks like a courtesan's brother.'
Every time she saw him, he looked so sleazy.
She wasn't enchanted by his appearance, and the inexplicable, damp feeling he gave off was also unpleasant.
He was strange.
Even when he was kind, it felt alien.
She couldn't understand why other young ladies were so infatuated with Nangong Tianjun.
In contrast, Nangong Bia was a good person.
Though she spoke little and her expressions were hard to read, her genuine care was evident in her actions. Even when she was harsh, Dang Xiaoyue accepted it.
Dang Xiaoyue liked Nangong Bia, who accepted her flaws without hesitation.
When Nangong Bia kept her promise to attend the next Dang Bingzhuan meeting, Dang Xiaoyue was deeply moved.
But when she saw Nangong Tianjun following behind, she wondered why he was there again.
Wherever Nangong Bia went, Nangong Tianjun was there.
Why?
From what she could see, Nangong Bia didn't seem to particularly like Nangong Tianjun.
But given her sister's lack of expression, it was hard to tell. It didn't seem like something she could ask about either.
"Hey, Danglang."
*Grrr.*
A giant wolf with a black mane, Danglang, was the mountain wolf Dang Xiaoyue raised.
How could such a fierce face be so adorable? Dang Xiaoyue gently stroked Danglang.
"...If all men were like you, it would be great."
Dang Xiaoyue wished it were true, but she knew it wasn't.
Just looking at Nangong Tianjun, the young master of the Murong family, and Pang Wujin of the Pang family, they were all soft and delicate.
How could all three of them be so much like courtesan's brothers?
Even the sons of the Nangong and Murong families had an unsettling quality.
'...Pang Wujin is just strange.'
Thinking about the trouble she and Dang Zhuyi had caused together made her head hurt.
No wonder she became friends with Pang Yaxi the moment they met. It was the bond of sisters with strange brothers.
The last time they met was right after Pang Yaxi's engagement was broken off.
She couldn't remember the details, but she remembered thinking it was fortunate.
"...Is there a handsome man anywhere?"
Dang Xiaoyue, the only daughter of the Dang family, was in the throes of teenage love.
That night.
Dang Xiaoyue was walking by the lake with Nangong Bia.
The lotus lake, a work of art in the Dang family, was a place that could not be entered without the permission and accompaniment of a blood relative.
The lotuses floating on the lake looked ordinary but were all spirit herbs containing spiritual energy.
The lake itself and the fish living in it were also special.
According to Dang Zhuyi, the old artisans of the Dang family had created this luxury item out of sheer enthusiasm.
Dang Xiaoyue agreed with this assessment.
It was incredibly beautiful... but that was about it.
As they slowly strolled along the night path, Dang Xiaoyue asked Nangong Bia.
"Bia, was the journey here okay?"
"...Yeah, I got a bit lost..."
"...You got lost again?"
Nangong Bia was incredibly directionally challenged.
Even when she was on the right path, she would often veer off on her own. Dang Xiaoyue thought her seemingly innocent personality might be part of the reason.
"But you managed to find your way... I was worried."
"I had company."
"Company?"
"Yeah."
Was she talking about the other people from the Nangong family who came today?
She had heard they were from the Gu family. Dang Xiaoyue didn't know much about them.
All she knew was that they had a famous superhuman as their patriarch and that the Sword Peak was part of their bloodline.
They were also known as the best in Shanxi.
Since they rarely engaged in external activities, Dang Xiaoyue knew very little about them.
It was unusual for a member of the Gu family to attend this Dang Bingzhuan meeting.
Dang Zhuyi, being the young master, might know more.
"Are you talking about the Gu family?"
"Yeah..."
Dang Xiaoyue thought she saw Nangong Bia smile slightly.
She had never seen Nangong Bia smile before.
They walked a bit more in the night breeze.
From Dang Xiaoyue's perspective, it seemed Nangong Bia didn't want to leave.
Then she stopped.
She sensed someone nearby.
"...It's not my brother's presence."
There were two presences.
They were hidden in the shadows, but they were definitely not from the Dang family.
"Who's there?"
Dang Xiaoyue asked.
They seemed startled by her voice.
They didn't seem to be intruders or enemies, so they were probably guests who had wandered in by mistake.
"This place is not for outsiders to enter freely."
As the moonlight slowly revealed their faces, Dang Xiaoyue's breath caught in her throat.
No, had time itself stopped?
*Thump! Thump!*
Her heart was pounding so hard she could feel it in real-time.
A boy with jet-black hair, slightly furrowed eyes, and a scowl that added to his fierce aura.
"If you don't answer, I'll... "
Her voice trembled, and she stumbled over her words. She was worried if it was noticeable. Dang Xiaoyue couldn't understand why she was so anxious.
Nangong Bia quietly whispered in her ear about the boy.
He was from the Gu family.
-My name is Gou Jieye.
Gou Jieye... His name sounded cool too.
Ah, no, that's not the point. What was she saying?
What did he say, and what did she reply?
She couldn't remember.
She wished her heart would calm down.
Dang Xiaoyue realized she was in trouble.
This was not good. She needed to leave quickly.
The boy eventually turned and left, and Dang Xiaoyue tried to act calm for the rest of the night.
But she couldn't sleep at all.
The next day, Dang Zhuyi had arranged a meal with the young disciples who attended the Dang Bingzhuan meeting.
Her tired body suddenly came alive at the news.
"...Pull yourself together, please."
She told her heart, but it started pounding again.
What if he comes?
What if he doesn't?
It was a ridiculous contradiction, even to her.
Eventually, the boy from yesterday entered.
For some reason, he was walking shoulder to shoulder with Nangong Tianjun.
Were they close? The atmosphere didn't quite suggest that.
The meal started quickly, but Dang Xiaoyue couldn't tell if the food was going in her nose or her mouth.
Her gaze was fixed on the boy.
'His eyes are slanted. How... cool.'
'He can't handle spicy food, cool.'
'Ah, he's coughing. Cute.'
Before she knew it, she was sitting next to him.
'Am I crazy...? What kind of initiative is this?'
Her spontaneous action was impressive, but her voice was trembling.
He frowned, as if he couldn't understand her.
She remembered an old saying that when you like someone too much, you tremble.
She needed to say something.
What should she say...?
Do you have a favorite poison? I'm good with daggers. Do you want to practice dagger skills with me...?
'...No, that's not right.'
Favorite food? Yes, a cliché question.
"Mr. Gu... Do you have a favorite..."
"Miss Dang, is that a training ground below?"
Dang Xiaoyue's bravest words were cut off by Nangong Tianjun.
"Miss Dang, what did you say?"
The boy, with a kind heart, asked Dang Xiaoyue, but she couldn't repeat her broken sentence.
She just vowed to poison Nangong Tianjun's tea one day.
The oblivious boy continued to interfere, even as they went to the training ground.
Suddenly, Nangong Tianjun challenged the boy to a sparring match.
Dang Xiaoyue instinctively objected.
"No!"
What was wrong?
The age difference, the skill gap, if she had to find a reason.
'His face... What if it gets hurt!'
That was Dang Xiaoyue's main concern.
If that precious face got a scratch, what would happen?
If that wild, untouchable face got a scar.
Dang Xiaoyue felt like she would do something terrible to Nangong Tianjun.
But despite her objections, the boy accepted Nangong Tianjun's challenge.
Nangong Tianjun wouldn't use his inner energy or his dominant leg, but he was still the Thunder Dragon.
Even without using her inner energy, Dang Xiaoyue, known as the Poison Peak, doubted she could even touch Nangong Tianjun's clothes.
Nangong Tianjun's reputation among the young disciples was that high.
Only a Sword Peak from the Gu family, the best among the young disciples, could challenge the Thunder Dragon.
Dang Xiaoyue could only watch anxiously.
Should she intervene if he got hurt? What was her relationship with him?
'...What is my relationship with him?'
Not knowing what to do, she looked at Nangong Bia.
"Sis...?"
Nangong Bia's expression was the same, but she was holding her sword hilt with one hand.
Or maybe her expression was a bit different. Her breathing seemed a bit faster.
Was she watching her brother's sparring match?
But her gaze seemed to be on Nangong Tianjun.
"...!"
Nangong Bia's eyes suddenly widened. Dang Xiaoyue turned her gaze to the sparring area.
"Uh...?"
Dang Xiaoyue couldn't understand what she was seeing.
The wooden sword on the ground, Nangong Tianjun sitting and holding his wrist.
And the boy looking down at Nangong Tianjun with a lazy expression.
She didn't understand.
But it was exhilarating.
A shiver ran down her spine, and Dang Xiaoyue involuntarily exhaled a hot breath.
The predator she had always dreamed of.
So what if he was weak? His face was that good.
Dang Xiaoyue's thoughts were turned upside down.
The boy looked at Nangong Tianjun and said,
"Aren't you going to pick it up?"
As he took a step towards Nangong Tianjun,
Dang Xiaoyue collapsed.
******************
It was an incomprehensible situation.
Nangong Tianjun thought so.
Why did I drop my sword...?
I was going to hit his shoulder, then his leg.
How could I torment this guy? It was an amusing thought.
But why did I drop my wooden sword?
My arm ached.
My wrist was already red and swollen.
Did he hit my wrist in that short moment? Why didn't I see it?
"Quite a surprising thing, isn't it?"
Nangong Tianjun looked up at the voice.
The guy was standing close, looking down at him.
"Geniuses tend to have distracting thoughts during sparring. If this were a real fight, you'd be dead three times already. Got it?"
Nangong Tianjun tried to move quickly in response.
Ouyang Tian had swung his arm.
He managed to dodge, but his compromised stance made it impossible to avoid the next attack.
A kick to the chest sent Nangong Tianjun rolling a few times, gasping for breath.
"Ugh..."
As he groaned, the wooden sword fell to the ground.
"Pick it up quickly, it's a guided sparring, remember?"
Ouyang Tian clapped his hands.
"Ah, am I supposed to teach you? I'm not sure I can do that."
*Crunch.*
Nangong Tianjun's teeth ground together at the provocation.
He picked up the wooden sword and stood up.
"...You were complacent..."
"Complacency? There's no uglier excuse for a martial artist."
Nangong Tianjun shut his mouth.
He thought it was a nasty thing to say.
He quietly adjusted his stance.
'...He's not bad, after all.'
He had underestimated him.
As the brother of the Sword Peak, he should have expected him to have some skills.
Nangong Tianjun took a half-step and thrust his sword straight.
He wanted to do it properly.
The next move was a circular motion, a bit slower, thrusting, slashing, and retracting the sword, then another thrust, another slash.
He had practiced his footwork for years to apply power along the sword's path.
This would make his speed sword, which the Nangong family was famous for, even sharper.
The best swordsman in the world.
Currently, it was a title held by the Sword Sage, but Nangong Tianjun was confident he would inherit it one day.
In swordsmanship, even the patriarch, his father, said Nangong Tianjun was more talented.
So it would definitely happen.
He was a genius.
But why...
'Why can't I hit him?'
How many times had he swung? How many rounds had they gone?
His sword was definitely fast.
There were no gaps in his techniques, and no breaks in his flow.
He had regained his breathing rhythm while swinging his sword.
There was no reason for him to lose to this guy.
But why??
How could his sword predict where and how to move?
Ouyang Tian was narrowly dodging Nangong Tianjun's sword.
His clothes and hair were brushed by the sword.
But he wasn't hit.
His breathing was steady.
He was only making minimal movements, so he must have had plenty of energy left.
This was impossible unless he was more familiar with Nangong's sword techniques than Nangong himself.
So what was the answer?
'That guy... is stronger than me?'
His pride and self-esteem were crumbling, and his thoughts were twisted.
...I want to kill him.
The guy who was getting attention from his beautiful sister.
The guy who could dodge his sword so easily.
I want to kill him.
With uncontrollable killing intent, the inner energy in his dantian surrounded his sword.
Almost imperceptibly.
Nangong Tianjun, using his powerful legs, swung his sword at Ouyang Tian's head.