Chapter 18. Chengdu (2)
This happened back when I was part of the Black Lotus Sect, working under the alias Blood Wolf.
My direct superior at the time, the Ironblood Hall Leader, was, in many ways, the worst. But occasionally, she did share some useful advice.
One of the things she said was that people live their entire lives learning something.
How to walk, how to speak, how to make friends, how to wield a sword, how to work, how to maintain relationships, how to care for one's family, how to find wisdom in the words of the ancients, and so on.
There are countless things to learn in this world—so many that one lifetime isn't enough to master them all. Naturally, some people will learn things that others won't, and even when learning the same things, some will progress faster or slower than others.
But despite that, people must never give up and must continue to learn. Especially if they are dissatisfied with their current situation.
'Only by doing so can you become a better person.'
The Ironblood Hall Leader's voice, when she said that, was filled with regret.
What could have left such a powerful warrior, who had reached the Flowering Stage, with such a deep sense of regret? At the time, I was merely a wretched swordsman who knew nothing, so I couldn't understand.
I only remember being moved by her words, urging me not to repeat her mistakes.
That's how I came to learn reading and writing for the first time. Thanks to that, I was able to read martial arts manuals and learn more techniques.
Next, I learned arithmetic, so I could avoid being scammed when trading. After that, I stopped chasing down and killing swindlers who had cheated me.
In addition, I learned how to drink while keeping pace with my comrades, how the Black Lotus Sect operated, and occasionally, I even picked up new martial arts.
While my swordsmanship was honed through real combat, and my inner cultivation was something I developed by reflecting on my own life, my movement technique was something I had learned from the Ironblood Hall Leader.
Yes, our final moments together had been the worst, but the process leading up to it wasn't entirely bad.
From her, I didn't just learn how to wield a sword—I learned how to live in this world. Though she would have vehemently denied it, the Ironblood Hall Leader had been something akin to both a parent and a mentor to me.
However, one thing I didn't learn from her was what to do when you go out on a date with your fiancée to a bustling marketplace.
She had lived her whole life as a single woman and died that way, so even if I had asked, she wouldn't have been able to teach me.
For that reason, I found myself feeling a bit lost and uncertain as I looked at Tang Sowol.
"Do you have a specific place in mind that you want to go to?"
"Nope! But this is just like taking a stroll in front of our house, so why overthink it? Let's just start by getting something to eat, then we can walk around and sightsee."
"Well, that works."
Nodding, I walked alongside Tang Sowol. After passing through the main gate of the Tang Clan estate, it didn't take long before we found ourselves amidst a bustling and lively scene.
After walking a bit further, we entered a quiet and relatively empty main street.
It wasn't that the street was in a bad area—on the contrary, it seemed to be in a high-end district.
The people walking around were all dressed in expensive-looking clothes, the carriages passing by were luxurious, and the buildings on both sides of the street were tall and imposing.
"Looks expensive."
"It's fine. I wasn't planning on asking Brother Cheon to pay anyway. Besides, the place we're going to is run by the Tang Clan, so as long as you're with me, everything will be free."
"I wasn't planning on paying either. I already spent my entire fortune on buying you those dumplings."
"Oh my, are you still upset about that? But my stance hasn't changed. Those pills were not food."
"If it fills your stomach, it's food."
"Coming from someone who eagerly devoured the meals prepared by the Tang Clan's chef, that's not very convincing."
"I only ate because I was hungry. Because I was hungry."
"You said it was because you're still growing, right? Hehe. That's true—you still have a lot of growing to do, Brother Cheon."
Tang Sowol smirked as she placed her hand on the top of her own head, pretending to measure her height against mine.
Sure, I might be a little shorter than her at the moment. But that's only a temporary setback. Before my regression, I had been at least a hand's width taller than her.
No, this time, I would grow even taller. I had started learning proper martial arts at an earlier age and hadn't been skipping meals, so it was only natural.
"Wait five years, and we'll see."
"So, you mean we'll still be going out together like this in five years? I'm looking forward to it."
"Honestly, I think I preferred it when you treated me like an old geezer."
"Come on. It wouldn't have made much of a difference. There are several reasons why I'm so comfortable around you, and it's not just because of your age."
Saying that, Tang Sowol clasped her hands behind her back and walked ahead of me, only to suddenly spin around and face me while walking backward.
"First of all, I realized you're not as scary as you looked when I first met you, Brother Cheon."
"I'd love to tell that to the people who died by my hand."
"Even if you exude killing intent toward others, I'm an exception, aren't I? That's enough for me."
"Haah..."
Tang Sowol answered without hesitation, speaking in a calm tone.
"And second, it's probably because you're head over heels for me, isn't it?"
"It's not to that extent."
"Most people don't risk their lives for someone unless they're deeply in love. And it's even rarer for someone to refuse all other rewards just to ask for the person they saved. Honestly, for a moment, I felt like I was the heroine of a romance story."
"If you look hard enough, I'm sure you'll find a few people like that. Men are simpler creatures than you think, Tang Sowol."
"Maybe there are others like that. After all, I'm pretty, and I'm the daughter of the Tang Clan. But the important thing is, you were the first."
"I won't bother asking whether you feel embarrassed saying you're pretty out loud, since you clearly don't look embarrassed in the slightest."
"Chit."
Tang Sowol clicked her tongue lightly, then turned back around to face the road ahead as she continued speaking.
"And lastly... No, on second thought, maybe I shouldn't say it."
"Once you start, stopping halfway only makes me more curious."
"It's just that, now that I think about it, it might come across as rude to you, Brother Cheon."
"Tang Sowol, what could you possibly say that would offend me? Did you forget that I'm from Zhejiang Province?"
Hearing that, Tang Sowol tilted her head in confusion and asked,
"I don't mean anything by this—I'm just genuinely curious. What kind of place is Zhejiang Province that you say things like that?"
"It's the heartland of the unorthodox world. But that probably doesn't mean much to you, does it? Hmm, how should I explain this?"
After thinking for a moment, I recalled a fitting story and began to speak.
"First of all, I'm an orphan."
"Huh... Oh..."
"There's no need to look so concerned. Both of my parents passed away when I was too young to remember their faces."
"That just makes it harder to know how to react."
"It's fine. Things are about to get even more difficult."
I chuckled as I said that, and Tang Sowol slowed her pace to walk beside me again, as if signaling her intent to listen carefully.
"It's not that remarkable of a story. In Zhejiang Province, it's common for ordinary civilians to be ruined by rising unorthodox martial artists."
A husband working outside was killed by a rogue martial artist over a trivial matter. Unable to let her child starve, the grieving wife gritted her teeth and began working as a lowly servant for the man who had killed her husband. Unfortunately, she was later beaten to death by a drunken customer.
The orphaned child, left alone in the world, survived by begging in the streets until, after growing up a little, they sought a way to make a living. Eventually, they ended up serving the very people who had killed their parents.
"What do you think that child would have heard while working for those people?"
Tang Sowol's face had gone pale, and she kept her lips tightly sealed. I patted her on the shoulder to comfort her.
"Ah, I shouldn't have shared such a grim story during our outing. Don't worry. In the end, I killed them all myself."
"Was it... revenge?"
"No. It was survival. As I said, I don't even remember my parents' faces."
Had I stayed there any longer, I would have been worked to death, or used as a disposable pawn in a dangerous mission.
Before my regression, there had indeed been several times when I came dangerously close to dying.
While talent played a part in how quickly I grew stronger, my environment was undoubtedly a significant factor.
If I didn't want to die, I had no choice but to become stronger.
"That's why I said it's fine. At the very least, I know you, Tang Sowol, don't speak out of malice."
Tang Sowol bit her lip briefly, then looked up at me with glistening eyes.
"Brother Cheon, may I continue what I was about to say earlier?"
"Of course."
"Actually, I was wondering if I could teach Brother Cheon things you don't know."
"Huh?"
"Not the ways of the unorthodox, but the ways of the orthodox... No, that sounds too grand. I just wanted to show you a normal way of life."
"What's the point of a martial artist seeking normalcy? That'll only dull the sword."
"A sword doesn't always have to be sharp, does it? The way I see it, you always keep your edge up, except when it comes to me. You feel like an unsheathed blade."
"I won't deny that. But can something like that even be taught? I've lived this way my whole life, and I don't see anything wrong with it."
"I'm not saying I'm absolutely right, or that I want to change you. That would be too presumptuous. I simply want to show you."
"Show me?"
"Yes. If the reason you don't know another way of life is because you've always walked your path, then I'd like to show you that there are other paths—and that they aren't so bad. And if possible, I want to be the one to show you."
Suddenly, I remembered the Ironblood Hall Leader, who had once taught me even trivial things.
'Live a life for yourself, not just a life of survival, whenever you get the chance.'
I hadn't understood what she meant until I was on the verge of death.
And now, Tang Sowol was saying something very similar.
I found myself staring blankly at her side profile. Her face was slightly redder than usual, and her breathing was uneven, as if she was nervous after making such a bold statement.
I couldn't help but smile.
"Haha!"
"What's so funny? I was being serious!"
"Nothing. I was just surprised by how unexpectedly sentimental your words were. Did you rehearse that in advance?"
"N-no!"
Tang Sowol averted her gaze, flustered. That reaction was unexpected.
Imagining her practicing her words alone, mumbling to herself, made me feel amused.
"Is that so? You didn't rehearse it?"
"Ugh! That expression... It's annoying, you know? Let's just go inside. We're eating here!"
Tang Sowol stopped in front of a large tavern with a signboard that read Myeongwolru (Bright Moon Pavilion).
"Since it's still daytime, I was planning to order food without alcohol. That's fine, right?"
"I don't mind. But this place looks quite fancy. Were you planning to show me the life of a wealthy person, rather than a normal one?"
"You're trying to tease me, aren't you? But Brother Cheon, since the moment you became my fiancé, you've already ensured that you'll never have to worry about money. At least, not as long as you can spend as much as I do."
"Is that true?"
"Probably? Even if I have to share the money I receive with you, it won't be a problem. There's more than enough."
After touring the Tang Clan estate, I had realized that the wealth of the Five Great Clans was beyond imagination.
Unlike the unorthodox sects, which desperately hoarded wealth, they didn't seem to lack funds.
Now that I thought about it, I wouldn't need to hoard money either.
If I ever needed a large sum of money, I could use it to buy martial arts techniques, swords, and elixirs... But those were all things I could already get from the Tang Clan.
"...Now that I think about it, having money seems pointless."
"Then how about we figure that part out together? Let's start by having a meal."
"Alright."
Tang Sowol took my arm and led me into the tavern.
Feeling the warmth of her hand, I decided that, for today at least, I would forget about martial arts and the Heavenly Demon.
We enjoyed a meal of spicy Sichuan cuisine while chatting, and afterward, we wandered through the marketplace, snacking on treats and watching street performers display their skills.
We continued to explore various parts of Chengdu, purely enjoying ourselves.
Who knows how much time passed?
Before we knew it, the sun had set, and the streets grew dark as the shops began to light their lanterns.
Though neither of us said anything, we both began retracing our steps back to the Tang Clan, walking a little closer than before.
Upon arriving at the Tang Clan, unexpected news was waiting for us.
"Sowol, we've identified the mastermind behind those who tried to harm you."
"What?"
"What do you mean...?"
There was a mastermind?
Something was beginning to unfold differently from what I remembered before my regression.