By Zephyria Gift (2)
Bang Gyeom hurriedly wiped his tear-filled face with his hand and turned his head. Seong Mu-yeon gave an awkward smile and ushered him inside.
“Oh, where have you been?”
“I told you, I went to the kitchen. But something strange happened! While I was going to the kitchen, about ten people glared at me, and I was scared to death.”
“I, is that so.”
Seomun Yuha, who was placing the sweet snacks on the table, complained.
“Ah, of course! I know people are upset because enemies attacked and people died and got hurt, but they shouldn’t take it out on me, whom they met for the first time today. Don’t you think?”
It seemed that people thought that the entire Hwasan Sect was protecting Seong Mu-yeon just by looking at Baek Ryeo-il’s actions. In the meantime, Seomun Yuha was wearing martial uniform with the Hwasan Sect emblem, so he received all the sharp gazes.
“Ugh, unbelievable! I’ve never been treated like this before in my life!”
He fanned his flushed face wildly with his palm as if he was dumbfounded. Then, he suddenly pointed at Bang Gyeom, who was huddled in the corner, exuding a gloomy aura.
“Why is that person like that again?”
“Just leave him alone. Something bad happened.”
“I see. Anyway, I went to the kitchen and used all my charm to get these. Even those who are troubled should eat! Eating something delicious will make you feel better.”
Seomun Yuha dragged Bang Gyeom over and sat him down. He picked up a piece of colorful rice cake, took a bite, and then tears streamed down his face.
“Is Sixth Young Master… at least eating properly…? Sniff!”
“Oh dear.”
Seomun Yuha handed him a handkerchief with a pitiful expression. Seong Mu-yeon stared silently at Bang Gyeom’s injured hand, which was wrapped in bandages.
“An outstanding person has emerged from the Peng family.”
Sang-geol, who had returned after finishing the meeting, occupied the table with a satisfied expression and said. Baek Ryeo-il, as if uninterested, said he would do Qi circulation and went into his room.
“What happened?”
When the name of the Twin Extremes of Hebei came up, Seong Mu-yeon felt interested and asked. Sang-geol stared at him for a moment, then ordered his disciple to bring tea. Seong Mu-yeon stopped Jang Han-soo, who was about to prepare tea, and made tea himself and handed it to Sang-geol.
“Perhaps because of the death of his disciple, Wudang seemed unwilling to cooperate. They were picking fights and splitting hairs over everything.”
After taking a sip, Sang-geol’s attitude softened, as if he liked it.
“And what about those ronin who came out of nowhere? They were so eager to grab a seat that they rushed in with their eyes wide open, turning the conference hall into a chaotic mess in an instant. That’s when the Eldest Young Master of the Peng family stepped forward.”
“Young Master Peng Yuan-jin?”
Sang-geol nodded.
“Even if they are called the Twin Extremes of Hebei, isn’t the Eldest Young Master’s martial arts insignificant compared to the Younger Young Master? I was curious as to how he managed to win over the stubborn Peng family head and seize the position of Young Family Head, but I found out this time. The way he led people with his excellent eloquence was truly amazing.”
He blushed as if he himself had been praised. His head nodded involuntarily. Peng Yuan-jin’s true value was not in martial arts. He was the next martial alliance lord material who would reintegrate and revive the devastated martial world in the future.
And he was also one of the few people who were friendly to Seong Mu-yeon. That alone was proof of how broad-minded Peng Yuan-jin was.
“And Jegal Young Family Head is undoubtedly an outstanding person as well. On the night of the attack, he seemed to have implanted a tracking technique on the enemy even in that chaos.”
“Is that true?”
“Moreover, while cleaning up the devastated manor, he also sent out reconnaissance teams several times to directly confirm. He decided to form a coalition force immediately once a strategy to strike the enemies is established.”
As if they had been waiting for Hwasan Sect to join, the coalition began to gain momentum rapidly.
The people gathered in the manor also became busy.
Thanks to this, it became easier for Seong Mu-yeon to stay in the manor. People didn’t have the leisure to waste their time harassing the suspicious Demonic Cult Young master who was wandering around the manor, and unlike before when Seong Mu-yeon had to get what he needed himself, he could ask Baek Ryeo-il or Hwasan Sect.
Seong Mu-yeon watched his chance and quietly got up.
“Where are you going?”
Baek Ryeo-il and Sang-geol were away because Jegal Un had been calling meetings frequently, and the rest were lazing around in the living room with nothing to do.
When he showed signs of going out, Gang Woong, Bang Gyeom, and Seomun Yuha jumped up.
“I have a place to go for a while. I’ll be back soon, so don’t worry and take a rest.”
“Please take me with you!”
Seomun Yuha hurriedly followed him.
“I’m going crazy from boredom…”
Not only Seomun Yuha, but even Gang Woong was looking at him desperately with a gaunt face.
As non-combat personnel, they had nothing to do and nothing they could do, so they were twisting their bodies from boredom. Gang Woong and Seomun Yuha competed to volunteer to be his escort.
“I only need one person. I’m going to be quiet, so it’s a problem if I attract too much attention.”
The two had a fierce argument over who would follow Seong Mu-yeon. And finally, Seomun Yuha won. Gang Woong was too young and his martial arts were too weak to be an escort.
“Haha! Let’s go, Young master! You incompetent people, stay here and rest! Hahaha!”
As soon as they left the manor, Seomun Yuha was visibly excited, saying that it was the first time in a while that he was breathing in the outside air. It had only been three days.
“But where are we going?”
“I’m going to pick up something I ordered from a merchant guild.”
When the merchant guild, which he had visited again after the promised date, took out the item they had prepared, Seomun Yuha’s eyes widened.
“It’s alcohol?”
“It’s a gift for Master Baek. I owe him a lot… and I promised to buy it for him before.”
Seong Mu-yeon coughed, unnecessarily saying things he wasn’t asked about.
“…This is a secret from Master Baek.”
Seomun Yuha’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t press further. He carefully wrapped the Wine Jar so that it wouldn’t break, and shared it with Seomun Yuha as they left the merchant guild.
“Are you leaving already? Can’t we play a little longer? Huh? Huh? It feels like time stops in that room…”
It’s not that bad.
Seong Mu-yeon was caught by Seomun Yuha and wandered around the market for a while. He complained non-stop, saying that if he had known it would be this boring, he would have stayed in Hwasan Sect, and how did they manage to endure in a place like this without going crazy? Even so, his eyes were busy looking around. It felt like he was taking care of a seven-year-old child.
While Seomun Yuha was distracted by an accessory to wear on his belt, someone approached him and spoke to him.
“Young master? I see you in a place like this.”
Peng Yuan-jin greeted him in a soft voice. Seong Mu-yeon’s heart sank at the sudden encounter. It was the first time he had faced Peng Yuan-jin since that incident. His shocked expression as he stared blankly at himself was vivid in his mind.
“Who are you?”
Seomun Yuha ran over and stood as if subtly protecting Seong Mu-yeon. He had not forgotten his duty to escort him.
“Nice to meet you. I am Peng Yuan-jin from the Hebei Peng family. May I ask who you are…?”
“Ah, you were the Twin Extremes of Hebei. I’ve heard a lot about you! I am Seomun Yuha from the Seomun Clan. I am currently training in Hwasan Sect.”
Seomun Yuha bowed politely.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Young Master Seomun.”
While the two were shaking hands, Seong Mu-yeon quickly regained his composure. He couldn’t show any more disgraceful behavior.
“If you’re on your way back to the manor, would you like to join us?”
They naturally accompanied each other on the way home, but a strange silence lingered. Seomun Yuha, with his keen senses, seemed to notice the uncomfortable atmosphere, tilting his head as he looked back and forth between the two.
In the end, it was Peng Yuan-jin who spoke first.
“…I wanted to visit you earlier, but I couldn’t find the time. I’ve been feeling uneasy. How are you? Are you still upset?”
He gave a apologetic smile. Seong Mu-yeon shook his head quickly.
“Ah, no. It’s not like you made up something that wasn’t there, and things like that happen in life…”
Peng Yuan-jin’s attitude still contained goodwill, but Seong Mu-yeon couldn’t dare to look at him. Who knew what he was really thinking deep down? Peng Yuan-jin was a person with a broad capacity who could live without ever showing it on the outside, even if he was greatly disappointed in him.
Another strange silence flowed. Strangely, he felt like he was shrinking whenever he stood in front of him. It was as if he had become a child who was desperate to look good to his favorite teacher.