Chapter 209: Chapter 209
The Hidden Form Flying Guest and Tang Jeok narrowed their brows.
As members of the Sichuan Tang Clan, they were bound to receive welcomes and attention whenever and wherever they went.
But what was this right now.
The muscular young man who appeared after opening the main gate did not even give them a single glance, but ran towards those two and welcomed them.
‘How dare they ignore us?’
With a coldly stiffened face, Tang Jeok asked the martial artist of the Zhuge Clan standing next to him.
“Who is that person?”
The martial artist who looked at Zhuge Seong-hyeon, where Tang Jeok’s fingertips were pointing, answered.
“He is the Third Young Master of our clan.”
“Third Young Master……?”
Tang Jeok’s eyes widened.
If it was the Third Young Master of the Zhuge Clan, he was a figure who had not been well known in the Jianghu until now.
He had been absent from every banquet, and he was someone who had never left for a journey in the Jianghu.
It was only vaguely known that the Zhuge Clan hid the Third Young Master in order to protect him.
‘But he had such an appearance?’
Embarrassment colored his eyes.
Who on earth would think that person was the Third Young Master of the Zhuge Clan.
His copper skin and the bulky muscles that even his loose clothes couldn’t hide.
In addition, his unparalleled hearty voice rang out loudly all the way to here.
‘……It isn’t a lie, right?’
He looked at the martial artist of the Zhuge Clan with suspicion, finding it completely hard to believe.
However, the eyes that looked at Zhuge Seong-hyeon were deeply imbued with pride.
Just when his brows were furrowing.
“Then who are those two?”
A sunken voice was heard.
The Hidden Form Flying Guest, who had approached at some point, looked at Cheon-hwi and Danmok Rin with sharp eyes.
“I apologize.”
The martial artist of the Zhuge Clan bowed his head.
“I do not know about those two.”
“Is that so?”
The Hidden Form Flying Guest closed his eyes and opened them.
Having cleanly erased his killing intent, he gestured to his subordinates, and soon gave an order.
“Put the items down.”
“Understood.”
The martial artists of the Tang Clan moved in perfect order and took out the items from the carriage.
Silk and colorful wooden boxes.
The Hidden Form Flying Guest checked the various items and spat out words to the martial artist of the Zhuge Clan who was busy writing in the register.
“Then we will come in three days.”
Surprised by the unexpected words, the martial artist of the Zhuge Clan stopped moving his brush and opened his mouth.
“Will you not stay in our clan?”
“Isn’t it still in the middle of preparations?”
“That is true, but…… still, a detached pavilion for guests to stay in……”
“There is no need to care that much. We will stay in an inn nearby.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
“Then we will be going.”
The Hidden Form Flying Guest got on the carriage with those words as his last.
Following him, Tang Jeok, who got on the carriage, spoke with a frown.
“Uncle. If we just move on like this again……”
“Then are you saying we should fight.”
The Hidden Form Flying Guest flowed out a low voice.
“This place is the Zhuge Clan. Furthermore, there is a sixtieth birthday banquet soon, so how would others view it if we caused a needless disturbance.”
When Tang Jeok’s expression became displeased at those words, the Hidden Form Flying Guest added his words.
“However, if it is in another place other than the Zhuge Clan, it won’t matter what you do.”
In an instant, Tang Jeok’s eyes sank coldly.
It was because he understood the Hidden Form Flying Guest’s words.
“I understand.”
Tang Jeok’s lips slowly twisted.
He thought of Cheon-hwi and Danmok Rin who would remain in the back, and wore a cold smile.
‘Let’s see later.’
A moment later, the Tang Clan’s carriage left.
However, Zhuge Seong-hyeon and Cheon-hwi were busy talking regardless of whether they left or not.
“I found it hard to think that the young hero would really come.”
Zhuge Seong-hyeon could not hide his excitement.
Cheon-hwi, whom he had seen so far, absolutely hated troublesome things, so he thought there was a high possibility he wouldn’t come even though he sent an invitation.
But to think he readily came like this.
Looking at Zhuge Seong-hyeon who was repeatedly bowing his head with his huge build, Cheon-hwi chuckled.
“I was thinking of coming at least once anyway. I wanted to look around because I was curious about what kind of place the Zhuge Clan was since a long time ago.”
“Is that so?”
Zhuge Seong-hyeon’s expression, having loosened his grip from the held hands, brightened.
He was delighted that Cheon-hwi paid attention to the Zhuge Clan.
“If it’s looking around our clan, do not worry. I will treat you with the utmost sincerity just as I promised last time.”
Speaking firmly, he turned his eyes to Danmok Rin who was wearing a veil, and asked casually.
“But who might the young lady be……”
Danmok Rin lightly cupped her fists.
“It has been a while. Young Master Zhuge.”
“Ah! It was Miss Rin.”
As soon as he heard her voice, Zhuge Seong-hyeon, who immediately realized who she was, hastily cupped his fists in return and greeted her.
“It has been a while since I saw you.”
Zhuge Seong-hyeon offered his greetings with a calm expression, but he was inwardly surprised.
If Cheon-hwi was coming, he thought he would come alone, or perhaps come with Jeok-geom or Seol Ran.
But to think he would be accompanied by her of all people.
“Seeing that you came together, it seems the two of you have gotten quite close.”
“I-Is that so?”
Hearing the answer, Zhuge Seong-hyeon laughed inwardly.
It was because brightness could be felt from Danmok Rin’s voice that spoke stutteringly.
His eyes turned towards Danmok Rin once again.
Due to the veil that came down to her shoulders, her face could not be seen at all, but her appearance of wearing a pleasant smile inside it was vivid in his eyes.
‘That’s a relief.’
Zhuge Seong-hyeon spontaneously wore a smile.
Even he, who lacked tact, knew that she was interested in Cheon-hwi.
It wasn’t just him.
If one were to see the two of them back then, anyone would have had no choice but to realize it.
That was how blatant the gaze and interest she sent towards Cheon-hwi were.
‘In contrast, the young hero didn’t seem interested at all, to the point she looked pitiful.’
The appearance of the two back then was to the point of being pitiful to watch.
Unlike Danmok Rin who kept trying to stick to him because she wanted to be with him even for a moment, Cheon-hwi had consistently ignored her.
Zhuge Seong-hyeon, who recalled that time, smacked his lips while looking at the two who had grown noticeably closer.
“More than that, young hero. How about going inside first and finishing the conversation?”
“That would be better.”
Cheon-hwi nodded his head.
Perhaps because of Zhuge Seong-hyeon’s unconventional appearance, the surrounding gazes were all focused on them.
“Then I will carry the luggage.”
Zhuge Seong-hyeon lifted the luggage that Danmok Rin was holding instead in a flash, and slung it over his shoulder.
Holding the luggage like a carpenter, he looked down at Cheon-hwi and gave a pleasant smile.
“Then let’s quickly go inside. There is someone I want to introduce to the young hero as soon as possible.”
“Who is that?”
At Cheon-hwi’s question, Zhuge Seong-hyeon, who recalled someone, smiled and answered.
“It is my older brother.”
* * *
One of the detached pavilions of the Zhuge Clan.
Zhuge Seung-ho, who was sitting on a chair, scratched his head with the folding fan held in one hand.
“A person he wants to introduce.”
It was something he couldn’t have even dreamed of in the past.
It was understandable, as Zhuge Seong-hyeon had never gone outside until before, so as for his personal connections, the people within the clan were all there was.
“To think that such a guy is now introducing an outsider to me, he really has changed a lot. No, did he already change a long time ago.”
The one speaking chuckled.
It was because he remembered the time when Zhuge Seong-hyeon returned after leaving for a mission.
‘Because no one recognized him back then.’
When Zhuge Seong-hyeon first returned, no one within the clan had been able to recognize him.
Not only himself, but even his father.
That was to be expected, how ordinarily had he changed?
His skin, which had been pale due to not getting sunlight for a long time, had become tanned, and his body, which had lacked a single muscle, had become burly.
At first, they even thought he was a bandit.
‘It was confusing, but thinking about it now, it was quite an interesting event.’
Laughing while recalling the past, he soon put down the folding fan.
“But I am curious who it might be.”
In the past, Zhuge Seong-hyeon’s departure was done in secret, so it was never properly known when or where he went.
“It must be a person related to the place he went.”
At that moment.
Clack…
The door of the closed detached pavilion opened, and Zhuge Seong-hyeon, holding a bunch of luggage on his shoulders, strode inside.
“Older brother! You were waiting.”
Zhuge Seung-ho, who looked at Zhuge Seong-hyeon’s completely excited appearance, chuckled.
His build had grown enormously, but his expression and inner thoughts were no different from before.
“Didn’t you tell me to wait. More than that, where is the person you said you wanted to introduce…… g-great hero?”
The one who raised his head while speaking looked at the man and woman behind Zhuge Seong-hyeon, forgot what he was saying, and opened his mouth wide.
“Uh? Older brother? Why are you……”
When Zhuge Seong-hyeon, flustered by that appearance of him blankly opening his mouth as if he would drool right away, was about to approach him.
Step… Step…
There was someone who passed by him.
It was exactly Cheon-hwi.
‘As expected, my prediction was right.’
Cheon-hwi, who had been roughly guessing his opponent from the time Zhuge Seong-hyeon said ‘older brother’, looked at Zhuge Seung-ho and spoke.
“It has been a while.”
“It has been a while since I saw you, great hero!”
Zhuge Seung-ho jumped up.
He, who greeted by bowing his head to Cheon-hwi, opened his mouth with a flustered face.
“How did the great hero come here……”
“Why? Can’t I come? You told me to visit the Zhuge Clan later.”
As Cheon-hwi recalled the words Zhuge Seung-ho had said in the past and spat out the words.
“That wasn’t the meaning of my words.”
Zhuge Seung-ho spoke while being startled.
“It is because I was amazed that the great hero, who was reluctant to reveal your identity, visited our clan in person.”
“That is my choice.”
“Hahaha, that is true too.”
Seeing the attitude that was unparalleled in confidence just like in the past, Zhuge Seung-ho laughed.
“……Were older brother and the young hero acquainted with each other?”
Zhuge Seong-hyeon intervened between the two of them.
He alternately looked at Zhuge Seung-ho and Cheon-hwi with a bewildered expression.
It was a bizarre matter.
To think that Cheon-hwi and Zhuge Seung-ho, who seemed to have no point of contact at all no matter how one looked at it, were acquainted.
At that question, Zhuge Seung-ho nodded his head.
“Do you remember the matter I mentioned before? When I was chased by the Sun Moon Sect……”
“We had a brief connection.”
When Zhuge Seung-ho was about to speak at length about the past event, Cheon-hwi cut in the middle.
“Isn’t that right?”
“The great hero’s words are correct.”
Zhuge Seung-ho, who read Cheon-hwi’s tone and expression of finding it troublesome, flowed out a low voice into Zhuge Seong-hyeon’s ears.
“I will tell you the details later.”
When Zhuge Seong-hyeon nodded his head.
“But isn’t there any food? Due to continuously waiting inside the carriage, I also skipped a meal.”
Cheon-hwi spoke as if grumbling.
He had been eating abundantly during his journey. But this time, he had been waiting in line since dawn, so it had been quite a while since he couldn’t eat, and he was in a hungry state.
At Cheon-hwi’s complaint, Zhuge Seong-hyeon swiftly put down the luggage and turned his body.
“I will prepare a meal right away.”
“No, wait a moment.”
Soon, as Zhuge Seong-hyeon tried to go outside, Zhuge Seung-ho urgently spoke.
“Isn’t it past mealtime. We are preparing for the banquet right now, so it will take time if you want to prepare a separate meal.”
“Then what should I……”
Zhuge Seong-hyeon expressed difficulty.
He said he would treat Cheon-hwi with utmost sincerity, but it was in a state of being blocked from the start.
At that time, Zhuge Seung-ho smiled.
“Is there a law that says you must eat only in the clan?”
Along with his words, he looked at Cheon-hwi.
“Great hero. How about perhaps eating outside? Young Master Peng Cheol-wi and Miss Hwangbo So-hyeon are also staying in a nearby inn to attend this banquet anyway, so having a meal together would also……”
“Let’s do that.”
Cheon-hwi spoke without even listening to it all.
“Then I will guide you.”
Zhuge Seung-ho got up from his seat right away.
“It will be tasty, right?”
“It falls short of our clan’s chef, but it is a place counted on one’s fingers in this vicinity.”
“Then I am looking forward to it a bit.”
When Cheon-hwi was about to get up and follow.
“Senior Brother.”
Danmok Rin, who had kept silent all this time after arriving at the detached pavilion, opened her mouth for the first time.
“Since we have arrived at the Zhuge Clan, shouldn’t we change our clothes first?”
Ah, didn’t the Sect Leader say to wear our Taoist robes and act when we arrive at the clan?
Cheon-hwi, who recalled the Sect Leader’s request that he had briefly forgotten, scratched his head.
It’s bothersome. But it can’t be helped.
“Let’s go change our clothes and come back.”
A short while later, the two who entered the room with their luggage came out wearing their Taoist robes.
“This Taoist robe is definitely better than the original Taoist robe.”
“Since there is no veil, it feels a bit awkward.”
Meanwhile, Zhuge Seung-ho, who saw the two returning after changing their clothes, had stiffened.
‘W-What is this……?’
Taoist robes of contrasting colors, black and white.
And it was because the pattern engraved on those Taoist robes caught his eyes.
‘That is a plum blossom……? Could it be!’
Opening his two eyes wide, he moved his slightly trembling lips and asked Cheon-hwi.
“Um…… Great hero. Were you perhaps Taoists of the Mount Hua Sect?”
“That’s right. You didn’t know?”
Hearing Cheon-hwi’s nonchalant answer, Zhuge Seung-ho inwardly shouted loudly.
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