If he was disappointed because he didn't do it properly just now, I could understand.
But it didn't seem like that was the case.
'He can't lie, can he?'
In a way, he seemed pure.
To be so honest with one's emotions.
"Speak clearly, you're still immature."
Shin Noya's words made me cough.
It was more surprising because he said it.
'Can someone who was the head of Huashan say such things?'
"You only do this when it suits you."
Shin Noya chuckled.
"Being honest with one's emotions isn't a good trait in this world. Even if you're young, you have the demeanor of an old man. Don't you understand that, at least a little?"
A little?
Shin Noya's words resonated with me the most.
In fact, anyone who has experienced the martial world of Zhongyuan even a little would realize this.
This also showed how well Yeongpung had grown up in the embrace of Huashan.
"Wrapping someone in your arms isn't always right. For someone with his level of talent, you should have been more firm."
Shin Noya's disapproving expression was surprisingly unexpected.
There was a difference in how he cared, and perhaps because he was a person of the Dao, his methods were rougher and more brutal, having experienced war.
"Of course, with that face, whether he's introverted or not, he would still captivate many."
Shin Noya's words made me look at Nangong Bia.
Her silver-white hair, illuminated by the moonlight, shone particularly bright.
Her slightly flushed face, perhaps due to the campfire in front, carried a shy and refined air.
Beautiful.
Unlike Weixuea, who still had baby fat.
Nangong Bia, already physically mature, had a presence that made one wonder if they were the same person.
Even in her previous life, with such a face, it wouldn't be strange if her beauty spread not just in Anhui but throughout Zhongyuan.
Oddly, despite her already outstanding skills for her age, she was known neither by a nickname nor by her appearance.
Was this also due to the Nangong family?
Given her level, it wasn't hard to understand why Yeongpung, who had fallen for her at first sight, was so flustered.
"Having such a fiancée and not being affected is more surprising."
Shin Noya's words made me laugh.
Would I have been different?
The current Nangong Bia is undoubtedly beautiful, but compared to Makenhou, there was a sense of regret.
Makenhou's unique cold demeanor, mixed with the supreme realm of a martial artist, created a dreamlike atmosphere.
Even the madmen, driven by malice, would hesitate when they saw Makenhou.
Still...
Still, the reason I found her intimidating was different.
Makenhou was a martial artist among madmen, specialized in massacres.
Even the sword demon (劍魔), known for enjoying slaughter and battle, avoided Makenhou.
Not just in her own family, the Nangong.
In the war with Kunlun.
Even when facing other madmen.
Makenhou had an extreme hatred of humanity.
Her combat style and results were cruel and brutal.
She chose methods to inflict more pain, not just to kill.
For example, I once saw her cut off a man's genitals during a battle.
And it wasn't just once or twice.
The Heavenly Demon even said it was too disgusting and told her to stop.
Though she didn't listen.
No, if the Heavenly Demon himself had told her, and she still ignored it, what kind of madman was she?
'Crazy woman...'
What was terrifying was that despite countless battles, I had never seen Makenhou express any killing intent.
Could anything be more frightening?
Thinking about the trouble I had to go through to clean up after her reckless actions made me shudder.
"...What are you thinking that makes you feel so uneasy?"
'Nothing much.'
However, recently, I have had a different thought.
This life's Nangong Bia is a different person from Makenhou. That's what I've been trying to think.
While Zhuge Ge tried to find and deal with Makenhou, I just tried to avoid Nangong Bia, a contradiction...
Perhaps because of the last moment I saw her, I hesitated.
Noticing my gaze, Nangong Bia lifted her head and our eyes met.
She resembled Makenhou, but the atmosphere was different.
She seemed like a different person.
She looked somewhat dull and slow.
What happened in her previous life that turned her into such a madman?
The mystery I had tried to avoid in her previous life now piqued my curiosity.
"Sir."
I snapped out of my thoughts at Yeongpeng's call.
"Yes?"
I wondered why he called me.
...Oh, right, the sparring match.
I asked Yeongpeng.
"Your waist seemed injured just now. Are you okay?"
"It's nothing."
I could see his determination, but he seemed a bit distracted.
Seeing Yeongpeng's actions, the Huashan disciples watching from a distance frowned and approached to mediate.
I looked at Yeongpeng and said.
"Let's do it."
[What?]
My concise answer made the people around me slightly surprised.
Is that so surprising?
[You were thinking of refusing just now. What changed?]
'...It's not some grand change.'
It wasn't a significant shift in thinking.
I didn't intend to accept the sparring match, as Shin Noya said, but seeing Yeongpeng, I felt a bit moved.
Shin Noya laughed, finding something amusing.
[You try to hide it, but you're not good at lying.]
'Can't you just let it go?'
[It will pass. I shouldn't interfere, but I was just curious how a boy who looks younger than you feels guilty about Huashan.]
I couldn't say anything to Shin Noya.
Agreeing to Yeongpeng's proposal, the disciples who were about to scold him stopped, looking embarrassed.
Seeing Shinhyun's glaring eyes, it seemed Yeongpeng was going to be scolded later.
As I tried to stand up to follow Yeongpeng, someone grabbed my wrist tightly.
It was Nangong Bia.
I tried to pull my arm free, but it didn't budge.
She was holding on very tightly.
"Why are you doing this, Miss Nangong...?"
"Sparring...?"
"...Yes, as you can see, I'm on my way to a sparring match."
Nangong Bia's eyes widened at my answer.
This was the first time I saw her eyes so clear, including her previous life.
Nangong Bia said.
"...With me?"
"Ah."
Her voice, slowly spoken, carried a hint of betrayal.
Is this so shocking?
"...Are you going to spar with Yeongpeng, then?"
I had a purpose for deciding to spar with Yeongpeng.
Looking at the situation, it seemed Nangong Bia could step in.
At my suggestion, Yeongpeng's face lit up.
"I think that would be good...!"
"No."
Nangong Bia's voice was unusually firm.
Because of this, Yeongpeng's face turned pale, as if he had been injured.
Not just any swordsman, but a strong swordsman of his age, refusing to fight a sword dragon?
I'm not even a swordsman.
I felt something odd from Nangong Bia's slightly turned head.
Is she pouting?
'...Pouting?'
Pouting because I didn't spar with her? There's nothing for that Nangong Bia to pout about...
[You're really a bastard.]
Shin Noya's curse, as if he had been waiting for it, hit me.
It was the most intense language I had heard recently, after Simagui.
'Can a Daoist use such language...?'
[Since I'm already dead, what does it matter? The prejudice is the problem.]
'Is this a matter of prejudice?'
[Yes, the former Shaolin abbot was almost expelled for secretly eating meat as a child. What's the problem with a Daoist using some foul language?]
I really didn't want to know this...
The black history of a historical figure...
Especially coming from a ghost of Huashan's head, it was even more absurd.
Not wanting to think about it anymore, I spoke to Yeongpeng, who looked like his soul had left his body.
"Master, can you spar?"
At my question, some life returned to Yeongpeng's eyes.
"Yes, of course... I can. I must."
His eyes seemed more passionate than before. He was more troublesome than I thought.
[When jealousy clouds your vision, you can't see anything.]
I didn't deny Shin Noya's words.
It was the most resonant thing he had said.
Crack.
A sound came from under my feet, as if I had stepped on an old branch.
The weather wasn't good, being mid-summer, but the cool night air made the heat less noticeable.
We stood facing each other at a certain distance, with Shinhyun in the middle.
The same situation as before.
Shinhyun's face clearly showed his intention to scold Yeongpeng later.
Yeongpeng, however, seemed to be...
No, he was deliberately not looking at Shinhyun, knowing what would happen after the sparring match.
After a while, Yeongpeng's expression seemed a bit different from before.
"...I feel sorry for you, Sir."
It was Yeongpeng's voice.
The confident tone from before was gone, replaced by a meek one.
I looked at him, puzzled.
"Suddenly?"
"...I heard that one shouldn't act rashly when emotional, but I ended up doing something embarrassing again."
Did the night breeze clear his head? Even so, he seemed to have regained his senses too quickly.
[At least he's not a complete fool, which is fortunate.]
'Is that how you see it?'
[Being able to view oneself objectively is essential for a martial artist.]
Is that the Daoist way?
Even so, Yeongpeng's gaze still occasionally flicked to Nangong Bia.
Where's Weixuea? I thought she would be by Nangong Bia's side, but I couldn't see her.
'She's probably playing somewhere.'
I decided to think that.
[He's still young, so he might be weak for women.]
'Suddenly, you're defending him? In that case, I'm younger than Master Yeongpeng.'
[Hmm... A person's arm naturally bends inward. And no matter how you look at it, you don't seem younger mentally.]
I didn't respond to Shin Noya's words.
I couldn't argue that I was younger, in good conscience.
I loosened up a bit, and Shinhyun said.
"Begin the sparring match."
I thought Yeongpeng would charge at me immediately, but he didn't. Instead, he observed my situation.
[You must have felt something in that moment.]
Before being hit by Nangong Bia and flying away, he felt something in the brief moment we clashed.
[His observational skills are remarkable. If he continues to grow this way, he will be the future of Huashan.]
Shin Noya praised him.
Perhaps because he was from Huashan, he could see more accurately.
Rustle.
Something fell around Yeongpeng.
It crumbled upon touching the ground, resembling plum blossoms.
One, two, the petals fell and slowly circled around Yeongpeng, as if carried by the wind.
The inner energy emitted from his sword, resembling plum blossoms, gradually filled the air.
This was the dream of a Huashan disciple and the first goal of a martial artist.
A plum blossom swordsman.
It was the first time I saw the appearance of a plum blossom swordsman in Yeongpeng after meeting him.
[...To be proficient in the plum blossom realm at his age, he truly has monstrous talent.]
Shin Noya's voice was heated, as if he was amazed.
As I watched Yeongpeng, Shin Noya spoke.
[Do you want me to teach you a counter?]
I almost laughed at the absurd suggestion.
'You said your arm bends inward, didn't you?'
[If you continue like this, you'll be beaten up embarrassingly and won't achieve your goal of accepting the sparring match.]
That was the goal...
'Shin Noya.'
[What is it?]
'How much can you see?'
I was asking how much he could sense by looking at Yeongpeng and me.
Shin Noya was silent for a moment.
Perhaps he was trying to observe more carefully.
[I can't feel it clearly in my spiritual state.]
He couldn't fully sense it.
I nodded slightly at Shin Noya's words.
If it had been fully revealed, it would have been awkward.
The inner energy resembling plum blossoms, emitted from Yeongpeng, filled the air.
Though it looked beautiful and warm, each petal carried a sharp inner energy, like a sword strike.
It was impressive that he could produce so many plum blossoms and imbue them with his will.
Indeed, he was the top talent of Huashan.
"I will begin, Sir."
"Is there a rule to let the weaker one attack first?"
"I don't consider you weak."
"...Oh."
He's different from the others.
Comparing him to Juyeol or Nangong Tianjun, who were mediocre, would be embarrassing.
"I will... go...?"
Yeongpeng stopped his movement as he was about to leap.
His widened eyes and distorted breathing revealed his emotions.