Chapter 115: Do You Know That Story
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Chapter 115 – Do You Know That Story?
The woman in white gently swept her sideburns aside and wore a faint smile.
“Hoho. I was joking, joking. Sorry for teasing.”
Was it just his imagination for a moment?
With just one smile brushing past the corner of her lips, a floral fragrance seemed to spread as if attracting bees and butterflies.
Namgung Sang-rin was newly impressed by her beauty.
He felt like he somewhat understood what it meant to bewitch people with just a light laugh or glance or gesture.
It was said that Mong Ye, the ancient female master who was the first in martial world history to earn the title Sword Empress, boasted breathtaking beauty that made the moon and flowers hide in shame – and the woman in white before him right now seemed comparable to that.
Yes, it probably wasn’t an exaggeration.
Even calling her the second coming of Sword Empress Mong Ye across the vast ages…
But beautiful was beautiful, and what needed addressing needed addressing.
“Yes, I know. That it was wordplay.”
Namgung Sang-rin, having composed his expression, approached close to her and spoke seriously.
“You know what I was about to say, don’t you?”
“Why do I keep following you?”
“Yes.”
“……”
The woman in white closed her lips and seemed to think about something for a moment before answering simply.
“I can’t reveal it yet. I’m sorry about that too.”
It was an unexpectedly clean admission.
‘Huh…?’
Namgung Sang-rin wore a somewhat unexpected expression.
Honestly, he had expected her to evade.
The woman in white smiled gently once more and said.
“Heh. I didn’t approach with bad intentions. You must feel that too.”
True to her words.
Namgung Sang-rin also sensed that there was no hostility.
“That’s what makes it even stranger.”
It would be one thing if she showed hostility or killing intent – he could respond somehow – but with her continuously just following behind like a shadow, it only made the questions in his heart grow.
However, the woman in white didn’t readily give the answer he wanted.
“Actually, there are circumstances.”
“Hmm……”
When Namgung Sang-rin let out a sound similar to a sigh, the woman in white’s eyes sparkled as she added.
“Young Master, let’s make a promise. That I will definitely reveal everything later.”
Then she stroked the bright red sword hanging at her slender waist and continued in her lovely voice.
“This is a precious memento from the one who was both my life’s savior and master. Something I cannot exchange for anything in the world… I shall swear upon this.”
Her following action was completely unexpected.
She unfastened the sword tied at her waist and offered it to him.
“Here, take it. A pledge token is more trustworthy than a thousand words.”
Namgung Sang-rin looked quite flustered.
Setting aside the truth of the story, for a swordsman of the martial world to hand their own blade to another was essentially an act no different from entrusting their life.
‘Ha, to go this far to prove her intent – it seems there really are some sort of circumstances…’
He soon accepted the woman in white’s sword.
‘How beautiful.’
Covered entirely in red from scabbard to hilt, it gave a dazzling, even bewitching feeling.
Moreover.
The flower-shaped patterns elaborately engraved along the surface of the scabbard, of unknown material, were dizzying to behold.
And what about the pommel?
The small flower peak adorning it was the finishing touch – so extremely delicate like a real flower that it seemed like the work of a master craftsman.
‘She said it was a precious memento from her master, and indeed… Just from these characteristics, it’s clearly no ordinary weapon.’
But he had experienced all sorts of things since childhood.
He wasn’t naïve enough to let down his guard against someone over just something like this.
There was a need to confirm her intentions one last time.
“For now, I’ll try believing your words. And it would be better to put this away again.”
When Namgung Sang-rin held out the sword, the woman in white lightly waved her hand.
“It’s fine. Just keep it, and when you reach your destination, I’ll take it back then. You won’t steal someone’s precious memento and run away, will you? Hoho.”
“No. I’m the one who feels uncomfortable.”
When Namgung Sang-rin firmly shook his head, the woman in white shrugged her shoulders.
“If you insist, alright.”
The moment she moved her hand to receive the sword.
FLASH-
Namgung Sang-rin’s right hand moved at lightning speed and snatched! the woman in white’s wrist.
“Ouch!”
A brief sound.
When the woman in white furrowed her brow as if in pain, Namgung Sang-rin flinched instead.
‘Huh…?’
He was quite surprised.
Actually, he had expected some resistance, but when the woman in white gave up her pulse point in a defenseless state, he was flustered.
It was a move deliberately done with room to dodge in that split second.
Yet the woman in white showed not even the smallest movement, let alone a reflexive response.
If Namgung Sang-rin had seriously moved to execute energy-based acupoint sealing, she would have been helplessly struck.
‘This isn’t something that can be done without extraordinary courage. What on earth is that woman thinking…’
At that moment, the woman in white quietly said.
“I understand what you mean. Go ahead. I don’t mind.”
Meaning she wouldn’t care even if he pressed her acupoints.
Only then did Namgung Sang-rin somewhat relax the strong wariness in his heart.
“I… didn’t expect you to just stay still.”
“I fully understand. Is it easy to gain the trust of a stranger?”
“That’s true. Yes, alright. I’ll be frank about what’s inside. My suspicions about you haven’t completely disappeared yet. But since you don’t seem to intend any threat to me, I’ll permit you to accompany me to my destination.”
“Yes. Thank you for the consideration.”
“By the way… Do you know where I’m going?”
“No. Goodness, hoho. How would I know that? I’m just following behind you blindly.”
As soon as he heard the woman in white’s words, Namgung Sang-rin’s vague conjecture turned to certainty.
“As I thought… You came knowing who I am.”
“Yes, Young Master Namgung.”
When the woman in white again spoke honest words, Namgung Sang-rin couldn’t help but let out a wry smile.
“But are you planning to keep holding my wrist like this?”
“Ah.”
When Namgung Sang-rin quickly withdrew his hand, the woman in white fastened the red sword back at her waist while speaking playfully.
“Did you like holding my wrist?”
“Sigh… Lady, please stop such mischievous wordplay…”
Immediately, clear laughter burst from the woman in white’s lips.
“Hohoho! You have quite a cute side. Young Master.”
Then she winked with one eye and patted the space next to her on the boulder with her palm.
“You said you’d rest a bit before going. Here, sit. There’s plenty of room.”
But Namgung Sang-rin demurely sat down not on the boulder, but on the ground in the tree shade beside it.
The woman in white asked with a meaningful gaze.
“There’s someone you like, isn’t there? And you’ve kept them deep in your heart for quite a long time…”
“My, does it show?”
“Well, a little.”
“……”
Suddenly, one woman’s face crossed Namgung Sang-rin’s mind.
‘Come to think of it, it’s been a year since I last saw her.’
Unrequited love.
The object of his affection was none other than Murong Seol – a childhood friend he’d made when visiting the Murong Family, and the current family head’s eldest daughter.
Having erased his thoughts, Namgung Sang-rin continued the topic at hand.
“By the way, do you know where my destination is that you’re so fearlessly trying to follow?”
“Young Master Namgung is an orthodox martial artist with a good reputation, isn’t he? Then that’s enough. But now that you mention it, I am curious. If I ask… Will you tell me where?”
As soon as the woman in white let out a suggestive voice, Namgung Sang-rin grinned and lightly waved his hand.
“I won’t tell you. That way it’s fair between us, isn’t it?”
At that, the woman in white also smiled and nodded.
“Yes, that’s fair. No direct questions to each other until we reach the destination – do you agree?”
“Yes, let’s do that. But you can at least reveal your name, can’t you?”
“Yes, of course. This is a connection too, so names at least, hoho.”
Namgung Sang-rin let out another wry laugh.
“Connection… Yes, well, it’s a bit forced.”
“I’m Hae Su-yeon.”
“Hmm, that’s a very pretty name.”
“Thank you. Ah, and I’m the same age as you.”
“I had a feeling. When did you start learning martial arts?”
“At thirteen. I started a bit late compared to others.”
“Then your sect… No, let’s stop here. We agreed to refrain from direct questions.”
Immediately after, the two gazed at the blue sky without a single cloud in silence and rested.
Before long, Namgung Sang-rin muttered as if to himself.
“I… Don’t really like looking at the stars in the night sky.”
“Why?”
“As Lady Hae probably knows well, the past tragedy of my family keeps being drawn in my mind…”
“……”
“On that night, the pitch-black sky I looked up at had an unusually large number of stars studded in it.”
Hae Su-yeon, who had been quietly listening, quietly spoke as if in comfort.
“I can’t carelessly say I understand that feeling, but since you, Young Master, are alive like this, the history and tradition of the Namgung Family hasn’t been cut off. It’s just… A process of resting briefly because you collapsed from exhaustion. Like we’re sitting here in the forest shade.”
Namgung Sang-rin felt his heart swell at the warm words he hadn’t expected.
At that moment, Hae Su-yeon opened her mouth as if something occurred to her.
“Oh, do you know that story?”
“Pardon?”
“Speaking of stars, it suddenly came to mind. They say the martial world produces a flood of powerful figures like the many stars in the night sky roughly every two hundred years, and among them, one shining brightest like a star leaves behind tremendous traces. Particularly compared to other eras…”
“Ah, I’ve heard of it. Such talk does circulate around.”
“What do you think, isn’t it quite a credible story? In fact, the five counted as the unparalleled powerful figures throughout martial arts history all appeared roughly every two hundred years and left behind fearsome martial achievements.”
The five that Hae Su-yeon just mentioned referred to the Heavenly Demon, Sword Emperor, Evil Emperor, Martial Immortal, and Blood God.
“Ha, I don’t know. Isn’t it just a coincidence?”
“All five times, though?”
“If you combine everything from a thousand years and piece this and that together, what wouldn’t seem mystical?”
“Well, that’s true.”
Hae Su-yeon soon raised one foot, removed her shoe, and tapped it against the boulder beside her to shake off the dust.
“If it’s not a coincidence, this current era would be quite dangerous.”
“Pardon?”
“It’s been about two hundred years since the Blood God’s active period.”
“Ah…”
“Hoho, so let’s hope it’s just a coincidence. A chaotic era in the martial world – how grueling would it be to survive that? Ugh, I don’t want that.”
When Hae Su-yeon playfully shivered, Namgung Sang-rin wore a faint smile and spoke in passing.
“Well… If by some chance it’s not a coincidence, I wonder who would rise as the unparalleled powerful figure of this generation.”
“Hmm, who does Young Master think is most likely?”
“I…”
Suddenly, one man’s face flashed through Namgung Sang-rin’s mind.
Cheol Ryu-heun.
For some reason.
He soon shook his head slightly and opened his mouth.
“Ha… I’m not sure. Shall we get going now? I’m planning to run a bit faster from here – will you be alright?”
At that, Hae Su-yeon swept her hair back with her slender jade hands and wore an alluring smile.
“Yes, as much as you like.”