Even as I grew older and continued to cause trouble, there was a point where even I thought I had gone too far.
It was a major incident where my usually expressionless father, who rarely showed anger, and the lenient overseer of the clan, who was always indulgent with the clan members, scolded me directly.
As a result, I was sent to the Five Swords Hall, where my eldest sister was the head, to serve a punishment for more than half a year.
Of course, my damn personality didn't change because of that.
It was there that I first properly met Wixia.
It must have been a cursed encounter for her.
And such a meeting should have happened at least half a year later.
But why is Wixia in front of me, and in my quarters, no less?
I nearly fainted when I saw her face as soon as I opened the door after the sun came up.
Is this a dream? Is this a dream? Yeah, this must be a dream.
"Yeah, I went to bed late yesterday."
It must be because I'm tired.
That's why people need to sleep.
Just as I was about to turn back and enter my quarters without a second thought, I felt someone pull me back.
I turned around to see Wixia pulling my clothes with her frail hand.
...Could it be real?
"I... I..."
Wixia was about to say something, stammering, when someone appeared and slapped her hand.
"Ouch!"
Wixia, who let out a short scream, retreated and held her injured hand.
My eyes widened when I saw the person who appeared.
It was already shocking enough to see Wixia, but Sword Venerable Wei Xiaojun was there.
'...Shit, what a surprise.'
I almost let out a curse without realizing it.
If I had, I might have died of a heart attack on the spot.
Wei Xiaojun, with a stern expression, scolded Wixia.
"Wixia, you brat! Your grandfather clearly told you not to be disrespectful to Young Master!"
...What?
What did he just say?
"Apologize right away."
"Sorry, Grandpa…."
"Ah! You should apologize to Young Master!"
"S-Sorry, Young Master!"
"...."
What the hell... What the hell is going on here?
As I was still reeling from the storm of events, Wei Xiaojun bowed to me. Why are you doing this, really...?
"I am Wei Wen, who has been entrusted to assist Young Master due to the kindness of the Clan Head. I may be a weak old man, but I will do my best, so please take care of me."
Wei Wen? Not Wei Xiaojun?
Wei Xiaojun glanced at Wixia, who quickly assumed a modest posture.
"I am Wixia, who will be assisting Young Master alongside Grandpa from now on. Please take care of me."
Assist? Who is assisting whom...?
"Me...?"
A sudden dizziness washed over me, blurring my vision. I felt like I was about to lose my mind.
How am I supposed to understand this crazy situation?
Who is Sword Venerable Wei Xiaojun?
He is one of the Three Venerables of the World. They are the strongest among countless martial artists in the Central Plains.
Sword Venerable's achievements are so numerous that it would be hard to list them all.
The Black Dragon Sword, known as the Overlord of the Evil Sect, could not even last ten rounds against Sword Venerable and died.
He was a wandering swordsman who built up his achievements and eventually became the leader of the righteous sect, the Wulin Alliance.
He surpassed famous sword sects like the Southern Palace, Murong, Huashan, and Wudang.
A lone swordsman known as the First Sword of the Central Plains.
At this point, with the Heavenly Demon not appearing in the Central Plains, he might be the best in the world.
'But why does he suddenly want to assist me?'
Why?
Even using an alias to hide his identity, why go through all this trouble?
As one of the Three Venerables, he could be welcomed with open arms by any of the Four Great Clans at any time.
There was no need for him to hide his identity and work as a servant here.
He must have received a favor from Gou Chelyun, who sent him here.
'Does Father know about this?'
This didn't happen in my previous life.
Back then, I only had a brief encounter with Wei Xiaojun.
Even then, I doubt he thought highly of me because of the trouble I caused.
My head hurt.
I had planned to maintain the original flow of events and endure until the end of the Zhengma Battle.
But as soon as I made that decision, the future I knew began to twist.
I cautiously looked at Wei Xiaojun.
He looked like a kind old man with a gentle smile. If I hadn't seen him in my previous life, I would have thought he was just an ordinary old man.
Even now, if Wixia weren't here, I might have thought he was just an old man who looked like him.
'What should I do?'
What should I ask?
Should I question why he's here? That might be a bit strange.
Pretending to know his identity would be even stranger. Should I pretend not to know even though I do?
The most frightening thing is that with these people here, many things might change.
'Shit, where did it all go wrong?'
The only difference is that I was nicer to Wixia in the marketplace this time.
But could such a small thing lead to this situation?
Should I revert to my old personality and cause a commotion, saying I don't need an old man and a kid?
As countless thoughts filled my mind, Wei Xiaojun spoke.
"My granddaughter."
While I was still confused, Wei Xiaojun continued.
"My granddaughter, though still naive and may seem inadequate to you, is a quick learner. I will ensure she quickly earns your favor."
I saw Wixia holding onto Wei Xiaojun's sleeve.
Her trembling eyes were visible through her messy hair.
What is the source of the anxiety I see in Wixia? She said, meeting my eyes.
"I'll try my best... I'll really try my best..."
What is she so desperate about? Why did she come to me instead of staying with her father or Gou Lianxu?
In the end, I had no choice but to speak.
"No... Yes, please take care of me."
I can't see a way out. This life feels like it's off to a bad start.
Even when I asked Wei Xiaojun to speak more formally, it was too much to ask.
******************
"Are you sure you're okay with this?"
While Gou Yan was cultivating the Gouyan Huolun Gong in his quarters,
Gou Chelyun was having a conversation in his quarters, lit by a single candle.
"There's no reason it shouldn't be, given our situation."
"Sir, if you wish, the Four Great Clans and even the Wulin Alliance leader would be willing to help. There's no need for you to go through this trouble..."
"I don't consider it trouble, Gou Clan Head."
Wei Xiaojun, holding a cold teacup, slowly sipped from it.
"This is nothing compared to what I would do for my granddaughter. If I can avoid it this way, I should consider myself lucky."
"Sir."
"Instead, I feel guilty for imposing such a heavy request on you because of my connection with this useless old man."
"Sir, I—"
"I heard that Shaolin and Wudang are looking for Xia. You've taken on a heavy burden for me."
Gou Chelyun couldn't continue when he saw the look in Wei Xiaojun's eyes.
"To be honest, Gou Clan Head, I didn't plan to come to you. Whether it's Shaolin or Wudang, if I decide to hide in the mountains, even a fortune-teller with Heavenly Eyes couldn't find me."
"...But why?"
"It's the selfish desire of an old man. I didn't think living alone with an old man would make Xia happy, so I wanted her to experience the world a little."
"If that's the case, why not stay at my place? My son, though my child, is still a flawed one."
Gou Chelyun couldn't understand why Wei Xiaojun wanted to stay in his son Gou Yan's quarters.
Unlike his daughters, Gou Yan was still immature. As a father, he wanted to correct his twisted nature, but the constant events left him no time.
When he heard that they met in the marketplace, he immediately apologized to Wei Xiaojun, fearing Gou Yan might have said something terrible.
Gou Chelyun laughed.
"I was worried about the rumors, but he seemed much more composed. Gou Clan Head, you seem to have high expectations for your children."
Wei Xiaojun had heard rumors about Gou Chelyun's third child in Shanxi.
How could the rumors of Gou Clan's young master being so violent spread throughout Shanxi?
Wei Xiaojun wondered if a clan head with so many daughters lacked a son's luck.
Their meeting in the marketplace was purely coincidental.
He couldn't stop his excited granddaughter from running, and he saw her talking to a boy.
It was easy to tell the boy was from the Gou Clan.
The aura in his body was the same as the Gou Clan Head's.
While the aura was weaker compared to the Gou Clan Head's, it was clearly the Gouyan Huolun Gong.
Gou Yan's first impression was that his sharp, narrow eyes suggested a sharp personality.
His granddaughter happily gave the Gou Clan's child a potato.
If the child was as violent as the rumors, what would he do?
Wei Xiaojun didn't plan to intervene unless his granddaughter's life was in danger.
It was also a learning experience for her to realize not everyone is kind.
However, the boy didn't say anything mean or act aggressively.
Instead, he stopped his guard from pushing his granddaughter away and gave her a fruit.
Even when Wei Xiaojun approached and greeted him, the boy treated him with respect despite his shabby clothes.
'Xiaojun, you still lack self-cultivation.'
Hearing the title of Sword Venerable, did you think you were a perfect human?
Wei Xiaojun scolded himself.
Judging by the child's face and the rumors was foolish.
"That child is enough. It's the Gou Clan Head's child who should be happy with us."
What if the rumors were true?
If Gou Yan had mistreated Wixia, would he have made a different choice?
"...I understand, Sir. If there are any problems, please let me know."
Gou Chelyun couldn't understand why Wei Xiaojun liked Gou Yan, but he didn't press further.
As the conversation was ending, Gou Chelyun asked again.
"Are you really sure about this?"
It was a different question from the first one.
Wei Xiaojun, understanding the underlying meaning, hesitated to answer.
"If the Abbot had mentioned it..."
The Abbot of Shaolin was said to have Heavenly Eyes, allowing him to read the flow of cause and effect.
Wei Xiaojun smiled bitterly.
"Yes, if he mentioned it, something must be happening. But you wouldn't understand easily."
At that moment, a breeze from the window extinguished the small candle.
"The center of the upcoming bloodbath is Xia. She must wield a sword to survive the bloodbath."
Wei Xiaojun chuckled.
As he spoke, the deep wrinkles on his face seemed to deepen.
"That's why I ran away. I don't care if it's selfish. Why must it be Xia? Isn't it cruel? There are old men revered as the Three Venerables and prestigious families who uphold the righteous path."
"Sir..."
In Wei Xiaojun's exhausted appearance, Gou Chelyun sensed a demon of the mind.
"I can't give her a sword, even if they say a bloodbath is coming."
Wei Xiaojun repeatedly wiped his face with his wrinkled hands.
"I will never give Xia a sword, even if it means I have to die as a monk."
If Gou Yan had heard this, he would have despaired.