Namgung Cheon pondered for a moment.
Should he respond to the compliment about being "amusing," reply to the thanks for the meal, or answer the question about getting stronger?
Was this, too, a new way of tormenting the Hogu?
As Namgung Cheon remained silent, trying to sort out her incoherent words, Baek Rihyang gave that same refreshing smile and asked.
"What's your secret?"
"What secret?"
As Namgung Cheon replied bluntly, her fine brow furrowed slightly.
But it was only for a moment. She soon put on a captivating smile and asked.
"Your secret to getting stronger, of course. Was it an elixir? I don't think so. The Namgung Family can't afford that anymore."
Look at this.
She's subtly mocking me. No, is she openly mocking me?
Perhaps this crooked way of speaking has become second nature to her, even in a normal conversation.
Namgung Cheon smirked.
"I was always strong."
"What? Ah… Pfft!"
She's laughing in my face.
She has no basic manners.
Baek Rihyang lightly covered her mouth and continued.
"Namgung Gongja is really amusing. Then why did you hide your skills until now?"
"That's just how the Jianghu is. If you reveal everything you have, you're just asking to be killed."
"And now?"
"Now that I've died once, I figured I should reveal a certain amount."
An unreserved way of speaking, a fearless gaze.
Namgung Cheon had definitely changed in many ways.
But Baek Rihyang didn't care.
In fact, the more confidently he acted, the higher the chance her plan would work.
"Hogu Gongja hides his power. Is it something like that?"
"Well, something like that."
Now that I see her, this girl definitely has a crazy streak, too.
Baek Rihyang continued with an intrigued expression.
"Then… could you perhaps teach me a lesson? Tonight, in the Hoyeongak's rear garden, how about it?"
"A spar request?"
"Ah, please don't misunderstand. I'm not trying to pull a prank like before. I truly, as a martial artist, want to learn even a little of your secret to getting stronger."
Now that she says it like this, she sounds like a sane woman.
"I'm asking you, Namgung Gongja."
Cheok!
She even performed a Pogwon (fist-in-palm salute), asking politely.
The other students just stared, as if wondering what in the world was going on.
Of course, that didn't mean he planned to waste his precious time helping this crazy woman. This was undoubtedly some strange plot.
Just as Namgung Cheon was about to refuse flatly, the door burst open and a middle-aged man strode in.
Baek Rihyang stopped talking, gave him a quick wink, and returned to her seat.
The middle-aged man was an instructor.
He briefly introduced himself as Gyepllyang (桂平亮), but the students already seemed to know him.
Gyepllyang opened his book, then paused and looked at the filthy Yun Jongseung.
"What happened?"
Instead of Yun Jongseung, Song Wongyo sneered and replied.
"He missed a step in the Cheukgan (latrine) and fell into the shit-pit."
"Puhahaha!"
"Kekeke…!"
The students clutched their stomachs and laughed, as if it were the funniest thing in the world.
Yun Jongseung, his face burning red, just ground his teeth.
Of course, there was no way the instructor would... believe Song Wongyo's ridiculous story?
"Tsk tsk. You should have been more careful. Go wash up and come back."
Only then did Yun Jongseung get up and leave.
They must have threatened him not to leave his seat before the instructor saw him.
Anyway, to think an instructor would believe such nonsense.
No. That expression... the instructor clearly knows but is just letting it slide.
Either he's intimidated by the students' family or sect affiliations, or he's pretending not to know to avoid the hassle.
Aigoo, and that's an instructor.
It was appalling, but since it wasn't happening to him, Namgung Cheon just watched.
"Alright, alright, the academy's atmosphere is unsettled, so don't act rashly. Thankfully, the Great Killing Star is dead, but as you all know, several of our academy's instructors also lost their precious lives. So, don't cause a disturbance and behave yourselves."
As he spoke of the instructors losing their lives, Gyepllyang pointedly shot Namgung Cheon a displeased look.
Namgung Cheon inwardly bristled.
'What are you looking at? Did I kill them? Ah... I did kill them.'
Still, in that instructor's eyes, he would only be seen as the Great Killing Star's son. Wasn't he sending him a murderous look, as if applying Yeonjwaje (guilt by association)?
Gyepllyang opened his book and continued.
"Well then, today we will study the structure and main duties of the Murim Alliance's Jeongcheongdang (Administrative Hall)."
The class began.
The class was more interesting than he'd thought. To learn the inner workings of the Murim Alliance, his mortal enemy in his past life, so clearly... it gave him a strange sense of pleasure.
During the short breaks between classes, the childish game of tormenting Yun Jongseung continued.
Using him as a target for archery practice, tripping him and then covering him with a Pungui (cloak) for a group beating, and even putting poisonous insects like Jine (centipedes) down the back of his neck.
It was childish, yet vicious, torment.
Despite it all, Yun Jongseung grit his teeth and endured.
'Considering how he came to me crying in the middle of the night, I thought he'd have run off by now. He has more grit than I thought.'
Wait, could it be... he's enduring because of what I said last night?
Because I said he'd get stronger if he endured hell?
Aigoo, there's no way Yun Jongseung is that stupid.
And yet…
No matter how I look at him, he looks exactly that stupid right now.
In any case, this was a new side to him.
After finishing dinner, Namgung Cheon completed his energy circulation in his room and went outside.
As he was taking a walk, he saw the battered Yun Jongseung staggering toward him. It seemed he had been tormented by the students without even getting to eat dinner.
Yun Jongseung glanced at Namgung Cheon and asked in a hoarse voice.
"You... going to meet Baek Rihyang?"
"Hm?"
Come to think of it, I did make that promise, didn't I?
He had completely forgotten to refuse, so she was probably waiting in the Hoyeongak's rear garden right now.
"I wasn't really planning on it, but now that you mention it, I should probably go."
"Don't."
As Namgung Cheon stared at him, Yun Jongseung winced, his split lip apparently hurting, and continued.
"I get that you've gotten stronger, somehow. But taking them on is reckless. No matter how strong your martial arts are, those bastards won't leave you alone. They'll use all sorts of methods to make your life difficult. Because you're different. Right, because you're the Great Killing Star's son!"
It's confirmed. This guy enjoys getting beaten.
Ttaak!
Namgung Cheon smacked him on the back of the head. Yun Jongseung, his eyes burning red, glared fiercely.
"You sshyang (bastard)!"
"Oho? A heart of steel that gets stronger with every blow. Is that it? Shall we see just how strong it can get?"
"Dammit, I said that for your own good!"
"Stop it. Why are you acting so out of character? Act like you normally do. Did you have a change of heart or something now that you're the official Hogu?"
"I was just trying to help, and..."
"Shut up. I'll take care of my own business. I don't want advice from the official Hogu bastard."
"…"
As Namgung Cheon waved his hand dismissively and walked off, Yun Jongseung, who had been standing there for a long time, muttered in a barely audible voice.
"I said it for old time's sake, you byeongshin. I said it because I remembered those shitty days when we were young and stupid... when we were friends."
"What are you muttering? Speak up."
"It's nothing."
Yun Jongseung looked at the ground, sighed, and walked away.
Pathetic bastard. We were friends back in the day, but did he turn his back on me because I became the official Hogu?
I'll have to beat that guy up some more later.
Baek Rihyang stood in the Hoyeongak's rear garden, smiling softly under the bright moonlight.
"You really came, Namgung Gongja."
"You told me to."
As Namgung Cheon replied indifferently, Baek Rihyang gave a smile as bright as the moonlight.
Inwardly, however, she was seething.
No one had ever treated her so carelessly.
Everyone who saw her fell all over themselves, fawning and flattering, trying to win her favor. There were also many men who trembled or made ridiculous mistakes because they were so nervous.
In this harsh world, superior beauty was a weapon in itself. An innate ability that required no effort. Because of this, Baek Rihyang had even come to think that her very existence might be nobler than others.
But what was Namgung Cheon?
Wasn't he looking at her as if she were a common stone on the side of the road?
Namgung Cheon had been like that from the beginning. But now that he'd died and come back, that indifferent gaze had only gotten worse.
How dare he, the official Hogu of Yongcheongwan.
"Yun Gongja was praising you highly. Saying your martial prowess had improved by leaps and bounds."
"So? Why did you call me here?"
"You're surprisingly impatient."
"And you're surprisingly weird. You switch between banmal (informal speech) and jondaemal."
"A woman's change of heart is her prerogative, no?"
"In the Jianghu, there are no 'men' or 'women.' Only those who hold a sword hilt and those who don't. Just state your business."
"As I said, I just wanted to witness your martial arts and learn a lesson."
"So you want to spar?"
"Yes. A proper spar. It's dangerous, so we won't use weapons. Only Gweon-gaksul (fist and kick arts)."
Is this, too, just a way to torment the Hogu?
It doesn't matter.
If that's the case, I'll just teach her a proper lesson.
'But she seems pretty confident. To think she'd try to face me alone. Or is this really just for show?'
Well, the Baekri Family had grown powerful enough to be one of the Gangho Chil-dae-sega, so her skills were probably not to be ignored.
Namgung Cheon flicked his fingers.
"Come on. I'll give you the first move."
"Gladly."
As soon as her words fell, Baek Rihyang used her footwork and closed the distance with incredible speed.
Pabat!
In an instant, a red light bloomed from Baek Rihyang's Danjeon in Namgung Cheon's vision.
'I can see it.'
The flow of Qi through her Gyeongmaek (meridians) and the path it would follow were laid bare.
Pat!
A white, fine fist followed the red path, striking straight.
'She's better than I thought.'
Namgung Cheon, dodging the fist by a hair's breadth, was inwardly impressed.
They're not one of the Seven Great Families for nothing.
Is this the level of an early-stage Ill-ryu (First-rate)?
To reach the cusp of the first-rate at the young age of eighteen... she definitely has talent.
'Well, not enough to be called a genius like me, of course.'
Namgung Cheon feigned matching her movements, analyzing her martial arts.
Baek Rihyang, on the other hand, was inwardly shocked.
'Namgung Cheon's martial arts were at this level?'
In the Blue Dragon Class, she was confident that only two or three students, including Paeng Suhyeok, could stand against her. Namgung Cheon, of course, was not even in the running.
But what was this?
Pabat! Pabababat!
She continuously used dazzling footwork, unleashing a flurry of fists and kicks, but she kept missing by a razor-thin margin.
She hadn't planned on a real spar, but her opponent's skill was so grating that she'd begun to fight seriously without realizing it.
'No. I don't need to get drawn in. No matter how much this bastard has grown, if I get serious, I can break him. But that's not what's important right now.'
Suppressing her rising Hoseungsim (competitive spirit), she recalled her plan and smiled deviously.
'This is even better. If this Hogu bastard has this much skill, it makes even more sense!'
In an instant, Baek Rihyang, who had been extending her hand, suddenly twisted its direction, as if performing Geumnasul (seizing arts).
'Hm?'
This time, even Namgung Cheon couldn't understand it and quickly retreated. The flow of Qi had suddenly vanished, and the path was cut off.
'A hidden move?'
Immediately, Baek Rihyang's hand twisted in an unexpected direction.
Tadat, Pabat!
'What is this...?'
An attack that was completely incomprehensible. She was using Geumnasul, but he couldn't even guess the purpose of the movement. Because of this, Namgung Cheon didn't react, even as Baek Rihyang snatched his sleeve. He intended to watch and see her true intentions.
Immediately after, Baek Rihyang hooked his leg and fell backward.
'Was that a mistake...?'
It had to be. That wasn't the posture of an attacker. If anything, wasn't it an action that put herself in more danger?
Kwadang! Teolseok!
In an instant, the two fell over, with Baek Rihyang on the bottom and Namgung Cheon on top.
What the hell is this situation?
In that moment, a beautiful but wicked smile bloomed on Baek Rihyang's face.
And then,
Chwaaaaak!
Incredibly, Baek Rihyang began to tear her own clothes.
'Heol?'
Namgung Cheon's eyes shot wide open.
Baek Rihyang, her Sokgot (undergarments) now completely exposed, began to scream loud enough to shatter the heavens.
"Kyaaaaaaaaaak!"
What is this…
Paying no mind to the bewildered Namgung Cheon, Baek Rihyang shrieked.
"Namgung Gongja! Please, don't! Get a hold of yourself! You can't do this! Someone help me! Heuk heuk! We just agreed to a spar! Didn't we!?"
Namgung Cheon stared down at Baek Rihyang with a dumbfounded expression.
Wow, in all my life, I've truly never seen a psycho like this.
But what to do?
I'm an even bigger psycho.
In that instant, the corners of Namgung Cheon's mouth twisted strangely.
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