Chapter 4: It’s obvious what that guy did to me!
“Thus, leaving the injured Miryong behind, I and the Four Heavenly Flowers began our final battle against the Heavenly Demon, and together, we narrowly succeeded in defeating the great enemy of the martial world.”
“Ohh…”
In the great city of Zhongjing, where the Martial Alliance’s headquarters stood,
Namgung Taehyun concluded his ‘heroic tale’ before a crowd of countless martial artists,
And the people began showering him and his companions with unrestrained praise.
“Magnificent!”
“The title of Heavenly Dragon is truly well-earned!”
“As expected, the future leaders of the Martial Alliance are on another level!”
“A truly remarkable feat, worthy of being etched in the history of the martial world!”
The prominent figures of the martial world united in their praise for the heroes who participated in the Heavenly Demon’s subjugation.
At that moment.
“But tell me…”
Amid the flood of accolades directed at Namgung Taehyun,
The head of the Namgung Clan, also Namgung Taehyun’s great-uncle,
And the current leader of the Martial Alliance,
Thundercloud Namgung Cheongwang, spoke in his characteristic calm, cloud-like voice, addressing his nephew and heir.
“What happened to Miryong, who was said to have been injured before the battle with the Heavenly Demon? Though he’s from an unorthodox sect, according to your story, he made significant contributions to this mission, did he not?”
“Yes, Alliance Leader. Honestly, if Miryong hadn’t risked his life to take down the Demonic Cult’s key figures, the fight against the Heavenly Demon would have been far more difficult. That’s why I intended to bring him to the Martial Alliance after everything was over. Unfortunately, when we went to find him after defeating the Heavenly Demon, Miryong had already vanished somewhere.”
“Vanished? You mean he just left without a word?”
“Yes. This is my personal speculation, but I believe he left because he felt uncomfortable in such settings. The martial world has never looked kindly upon Miryong, after all.”
“Hmm… It’s true that, from our perspective, it’s hard to view someone from an unorthodox sect favorably. Still, it’s a pity that a hero who achieved such feats didn’t receive the recognition he deserved.”
Namgung Cheongwang spoke with a hint of regret.
Hearing this, the other prominent martial world figures began speaking in bright voices, as if to console him.
“Haha, well… he still got to participate in the Heavenly Demon subjugation and made his mark, didn’t he? That alone should be glory enough for him.”
“Letting someone from an unorthodox sect even attend such an event was already a great courtesy. Granting further rewards would be excessive.”
The prominent figures subtly revealed their lingering disdain for Yang Soyu.
In response, Namgung Cheongwang sipped his tea and spoke in a calm tone.
“Hmm… That’s not entirely wrong. Still, I’d like to show at least a minimum of sincerity. If Miryong reappears later, ensure he receives a reward that won’t leave him feeling slighted.”
“Understood, Alliance Leader.”
“To think you’d even care for someone from an unorthodox sect—truly, your magnanimity is unmatched, Alliance Leader.”
As the leader of the righteous sects, Namgung Cheongwang showed concern for a figure who had endured great hardship.
The others in attendance began praising him, lacing their words with slight flattery.
Meanwhile,
Observing this scene,
Namgung Taehyun began to smile inwardly with satisfaction.
‘Everything’s going according to plan. Perfect.’
A month after the events, Namgung Taehyun had returned to Zhongjing.
Filled with deep anxiety and nervousness, he boldly declared to those awaiting them:
Through the efforts of himself and the Four Heavenly Flowers, the Heavenly Demon had been defeated, and the martial world had escaped a great crisis.
Of course, in truth, it was Yang Soyu who had defeated the Heavenly Demon.
But, as agreed upon with his companions beforehand—sealed with an oath—
Namgung Taehyun downplayed Yang Soyu’s contributions to merely taking down key Demonic Cult figures before the Heavenly Demon, sustaining injuries in the process.
Just enough to paint him as a supporting figure, exactly as the Martial Alliance desired.
‘Honestly, part of me wants to brand him a traitor to ensure the truth doesn’t come out, but… that’d be too risky.’
Even they, considered the martial world’s greatest experts, couldn’t defeat the Heavenly Demon.
Yang Soyu, who had accomplished that feat, possessed strength that was obvious even without direct confrontation.
If Namgung Taehyun slandered Yang Soyu, diminished his achievements too much, or provoked him with insults,
It could awaken a monster with power rivaling the Heavenly Demon, who might come after him.
‘There’s no need to take the risk of plucking a tiger’s whiskers. Since he’s declared his break with the Martial Alliance, as long as he doesn’t harm us, he’s unlikely to bother us.’
Though stealing the credit for defeating the Heavenly Demon was a concern, Yang Soyu had essentially forfeited that by declaring his departure, so it wasn’t a major issue.
Believing that showing minimal sincerity would be enough to placate the monster that was Yang Soyu,
Namgung Taehyun began to revel in the adulation he was receiving from everyone.
*
The dazzling sight of Chang’an’s central market unfolded before the eyes.
With news of the Heavenly Demon’s death, who had long plagued the Central Plains, the area was brimming with a festive atmosphere.
Even though the sun had set, the streets were illuminated with bright lanterns, as if it were broad daylight.
The streets overflowed with lively crowds, and the clamor of laughter from the inns was almost deafening.
However,
“Sigh…”
Despite witnessing such a vibrant scene,
At this moment, sitting in a private room at the top of the clan’s residence,
Jang Seonhwa let out a deep sigh.
“What’s wrong, Young Lady? You don’t look well.”
“…I’m fine, it’s nothing.”
“The Clan Leader is worried. If something’s bothering you, please tell us.”
“Is it perhaps lingering injuries from the fight with the Heavenly Demon? If so, we should call a physician again…”
Clink!
At that moment, a teacup split cleanly in two without anyone touching it.
Considering only one person in the room could do such a thing,
There was no need to guess what it meant.
“I said… it’s nothing.”
“S-sorry, Young Lady…”
“My apologies.”
Jang Seonhwa spoke in a cold voice for a moment.
Then,
Turning away from the maids, who were frozen stiff,
She spoke again in a quiet tone.
“Leave me. All of you. I want to be alone.”
“Y-yes… Understood.”
Sending away all the attendants, Jang Seonhwa was left alone in the room.
Then, she slowly moved her hand to gently touch her cheek.
‘Why is it… Why can’t I forget that sensation from that moment?’
Even after so much time, the strange feeling lingered.
It was the sensation left by that man’s hand—Yang Soyu’s—when he struck her cheek in anger.
A feeling that was painful yet somehow profoundly striking.
As a martial artist, Jang Seonhwa had endured countless injuries.
Her body, hidden beneath her clothes, bore numerous scars that would never fully heal.
Those scars often made her feel uneasy as a woman.
Yet,
Despite that,
Her cheek bore no scar from that day, nor had she sustained any internal injury.
Still, the invisible wound Yang Soyu had left on her throbbed vividly, as if it were alive.
It wasn’t mere pain.
It was something different…
An utterly unfamiliar and strange sensation.
‘All the physicians I’ve seen said there’s nothing wrong with my body… But even so, this strange feeling… Could Yang Soyu have done something to me in that final moment?’
There were diseases in this world that even physicians couldn’t easily detect.
Especially those related to inner energy, which came in countless varieties, some only removable by the one who inflicted them.
And in that sense, perhaps this ‘ailment’ troubling Jang Seonhwa was something similar.
‘Honestly, while working together, that man always caught my attention somehow. But to think he’d do something to me like this. Tsk… Was it a mistake to get close to someone from an unorthodox sect after all?’
At that moment when Yang Soyu defeated the Heavenly Demon,
Instead of acting on her usual calculated judgment,
She had impulsively embraced him, driven by some unknown emotion buried deep within her—a choice she now regretted.
Feeling intense frustration, Jang Seonhwa decided she couldn’t stay like this.
‘I have no choice but to find him. Wherever he is, whatever he’s doing… I need to track him down and make him cure this ailment.’
With that decision, Jang Seonhwa rose from her seat and hurriedly left the room.
To find a single person in the vast Central Plains, whose whereabouts and appearance were unknown, required significant effort.
Judging she couldn’t waste a single moment, she began to act immediately.
However, at that moment, Jang Seonhwa didn’t realize.
At the corners of her mouth,
There was a faint smile she wasn’t even aware of…