Chapter 378: Chapter 378

“Wow! Sister!”

Looking at Namgung So-hye whom she met after a long time, Dan So-mi ran over gladly and hugged her. Namgung So-hye, who naturally embraced So-mi in her arms, also did not look strange doing so in the slightest.

To the point that if people who didn’t know saw them, it would not be strange to mistake them for mother and daughter.

Dan So-mi, who was in her arms, sniffed and smelled, then soon raised her head.

“A good smell comes out! More than before!”

“What did I smell like before?”

Namgung So-hye let out an awkward smile at Dan So-mi’s words. She was curious just what kind of smell she had had, that she now smelled better than before.

Because she had not particularly sprayed perfume or anything.

“Your skin also seems to have gotten better. You look younger. Did something happen?”

At Dan So-mi’s spoken words, Ma Jang-gang and Gwon Mu-jin turned their heads and looked at Namgung So-hye.

‘With the Lord… the two of them…’

‘Something happened?’

In the heads of the two men, insidious thoughts brushed past. Perhaps that Namgung So-hye had finally fallen into Dan Woo-hyun’s grasp.

At that moment, Namgung So-hye glared with a sharp gaze as if she had read the thoughts of the two.

Just how fierce it was, the moment they looked, goosebumps broke out.

The two men lowered their heads as quiet as a dead mouse.

“So-hye!”

At that moment, a loudly ringing voice was heard.

Namgung So-hye hurriedly covered Dan So-mi’s ears. Because Dan Woo-hyun had shouted while infusing his internal energy, it might harm a young child.

Namgung So-hye frowned, glaring at the approaching Namgung Cheon.

“What on earth is it? Why do you shout like that?”

Namgung Cheon, who had approached before long, stood in front of So-hye. Whether her sharply bristled figure did not enter his eyes, he extended his hand and grabbed her pulse gate.

At the force squeezing tightly, Namgung So-hye frowned.

“What are you doing…”

At that moment, Namgung Cheon injected true qi as if taking her pulse.

The energy digging inside roamed her qi channels without hesitation.

Her not resisting even though a different energy invaded inside was because such a thing was not once or twice, and Namgung So-hye naturally accepted all of those situations.

“Have you… really undergone marrow cleansing?”

At that moment, Namgung Cheon checked the pulses, which were unblocked anywhere, one by one and then spoke.

His words coming from his mouth soon gave a shock to everyone.

Marrow cleansing.

It is a realm rumored to be possible only for the Five Emperors now. Thus, there are also people who hold doubts about whether such a thing actually exists.

Yet, Namgung So-hye accomplished that?

Especially, the shock of Gwon Mu-jin and Ma Jang-gang was beyond description.

“T-That is a lie, right?”

“One does not tell such lies.”

“…I have not said anything yet, though?”

Namgung So-hye looked at the two with a dumbfounded expression. She had neither denied nor affirmed, so why drive a person to be a liar?

Namgung So-hye’s expression changed somewhat crookedly.

Soon, folding her arms, she spoke confidently.

“I underwent marrow cleansing.”

At her shout, Gwon Mu-jin and Ma Jang-gang gasped.

However, they soon shook their heads as if there was absolutely no way.

Because in any case, right now it was nothing more than her one-sided claim.

Nothing had been confirmed.

“Is it… truly real?”

“It is true. Do you still say you cannot believe my words?”

At that moment, Dan Woo-hyun revealed himself and muttered. The single statement coming from his mouth literally drove everyone into a greater shock.

Whether the appearances of such people were amusing, Dan Woo-hyun chuckled and encouraged Namgung So-hye.

“Perform a sword dance after a long time. That would be most certain.”

“…I do not know what relation a sword dance has to marrow cleansing.”

Namgung So-hye wore a dumbfounded expression.

Even if she performed a sword dance, where was the proof that she underwent marrow cleansing?

However, Namgung Cheon in front of her had a gaze that highly wanted to see it, and Dan Woo-hyun also had such a mischievous smile hung on his face, indicating he would surely see it.

“I understand. I understand!”

In the end, the one who raised both hands was none other than Namgung So-hye.

Namgung So-hye, who was swinging her sword in the training ground, felt even more nimble than before. The movements of the sword had also changed considerably; if they felt somewhat dull before, they were now sharp and evoked the illusion that one’s flesh would be sliced just by looking.

Whether her gongfu had also increased, the force gathered in the thrusting sword transcended imagination.

All those watching could not hide their astonishment.

Especially, Ma Jang-gang and Gwon Mu-jin, who had covertly envied Namgung So-hye’s genius and felt jealous of her rapid growth, clenched their fists as they stared.

“Heh, remarkable. Truly…”

Namgung Cheon chuckled, laughing in disbelief.

It could not be described by the simple word of genius. Because undergoing marrow cleansing at such a young age was something that could not exist.

Thus, if this fact became known, the Namgung Family might see an even greater light.

Whether just thinking of it made his heart throb, Namgung Cheon’s face flushed even more.

However, there was bound to be someone who was casual even while watching that sight. There was no jealousy, nor even a feeling of it being remarkable.

Dan So-mi.

This tiny child sat down in a corner of the training ground and let out a large yawn.

‘I do not know what is amusing…’

At first, there was a flavor in watching.

When she knew nothing of martial arts, that is. However, at some point, her interest in it cooled down, and she no longer cared about it, so no matter how brilliant a sword form Namgung So-hye displayed, to Dan So-mi, it was merely a sword dance.

‘There were people who performed such sword dances in the marketplace too, though…?’

Dan So-mi was at most comparing her to people performing sword dances in the marketplace.

She slowly stood up. While everyone was absorbed in Namgung So-hye’s sword dance, she carefully stood up and left the place.

Going out to the yard, she saw Dan Woo-hyun.

He was seen sitting leisurely and maintaining his sword.

“What are you doing?”

“I am maintaining the sword.”

“To make it slice a bit better?”

“Y-Yes.”

Dan Woo-hyun was flustered.

Although a sword is a tool meant for slicing, saying such words as if it were some kitchen knife gave him a strange sense of mismatch.

Did it not seem as if she knew all too well what he sliced with this sword?

As Dan Woo-hyun let out an awkward smile, Dan So-mi extended her hand.

“Stop doing that and play with So-mi.”

“It only takes a moment. A sword must be maintained every single day…”

“Forget it, let’s go quickly!”

Dan So-mi extended both hands, grabbed Dan Woo-hyun’s hand, and pulled. Since she was filled with the will to take him even by force, Dan Woo-hyun, as if having no choice, set down the sword as it was and stood up.

It was the moment the Martial God’s sword was discarded casually.

“Yes, where are we going?”

“Umm, there are many places I want to go, but… right now, I want to go to Changsha!”

“Changsha?”

Was it merely such a place?

She could have talked about a slightly further place, or a better place, but Dan So-mi seemed happy just by sightseeing Chengdu.

The broad smile hanging on the corners of Dan So-mi’s mouth proved it.

“Yes, Changsha… since it has been a while, let’s go there.”

“Wow!”

* * *

Changsha was still noisy.

Especially because the martial artists who fled the Blood Heaven flocked to Hunan, perhaps due to that, martial artists were seen fully wherever they went. At that sight, which looked as if a festival had broken out, many wore expressions of not adapting.

Except for Dan So-mi, however.

Whether there were martial artists or not, whether they wore swords or not, she was playing while running around here and there.

Dan Woo-hyun laughed in disbelief at that sight and asked.

“Are you not afraid?”

“Of what?”

“Are there not so many martial artists wearing swords.”

“Ah…”

Instantly, Dan So-mi let out a short groan.

Wondering if she had lost track of what to say, she scratched her head for a brief moment, then looked at Dan Woo-hyun’s face and spoke.

“It’s what I see every time, anyway.”

“I-Is that so?”

“Yes. It’s not just once or twice, is it?”

“That… is true.”

The one who was rather flustered by the heard reply was Dan Woo-hyun.

It was not once or twice.

Once, due to rumors about the Martial God’s Secret Treasure, there was a time when martial artists filled Changsha, not to mention Yueyang, and the Martial World Tournament was also like that.

Since there were quite many other events, Dan So-mi’s courage also seemed to have grown a lot.

“And wearing a sword doesn’t make everyone scary.”

“Indeed…”

“Dad also carries a sword sometimes. So do Grandpa and the sisters.”

“Haha.”

Dan Woo-hyun let out a laugh.

Certainly, putting it that way, it was not a particularly wrong statement.

At that moment, Dan So-mi stared up at Dan Woo-hyun.

“What do you do carrying that sword?”

“Hmm?”

“Do you carry it for style?”

Dan So-mi wore an expression of genuinely not knowing. Although Namgung So-hye performing a sword dance certainly looked beautiful and cool, she would not be carrying it around merely to perform a sword dance.

Moreover, Ma Jang-gang’s sword looked larger and heavier, not suitable for performing a sword dance.

“Well… is it to protect oneself?”

“Umm… I do not know well.”

Dan So-mi folded her arms and swallowed a groan. Carrying a sword meant one could harm someone.

When she thought of Dan Woo-hyun carrying the sword he was maintaining just earlier to harm someone, a quite depressed feeling along with loneliness and fear suddenly arose.

Therefore, Dan So-mi did not want a sword to be in Dan Woo-hyun’s hand.

“Has Dad also harmed people with a sword?”

At the casually asked question, Dan Woo-hyun wore a perplexed expression.

How should he answer this?

Looking at that pure and innocent expression, he felt he could not lie. However, because he could not speak of things exactly as they were, Dan Woo-hyun also could not hide his frustration.

“Ah, over there. Over there!”

At that moment, Dan So-mi shouted while turning her head, as if she had discovered something. Running with quick steps, she quietly stared at something.

In that place, there were people performing a mask dance.

Since they performed a mask dance while letting off firecrackers in the middle of the large marketplace, even passing people were busy watching with their steps stopped tall.

Dan Woo-hyun also slowly approached and looked at that sight.

Those wearing lion masks moved nimbly and boasted brilliant body movements. At the same time, a woman came carrying a sword and danced as if reminiscent of fighting a lion.

Exclamations burst out here and there.

“Waaaa!”

Even Dan So-mi clapped her hands in delight.

Even though Namgung So-hye’s sword dance would have been more beautiful than that, perhaps because she knew her sword was meant to harm people, she had looked indifferent.

Right now, however, she was enjoying it.

She shined her eyes brightly as if it was fun.

Dan Woo-hyun quietly watched that sight.

‘If it is for you… I might perhaps be able to lay down the sword.’

For some reason, it was a day that gave rise to such thoughts.

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