"Ugh, I can't live like this."
Wei Yan-ho was currently lying sprawled on a hillside, rolling around thump thump.
"When exactly are we leaving?"
According to the plan, they were supposed to depart today, but their departure was being delayed. Wei Jeong-han also faced an unexpected problem. He had thought that when it came time to leave, he could just give some casual farewells and set off, but once he actually mentioned they were leaving, Mount Hua was half turned upside down.
This was caused by failing to consider that the status of the Guangdong Wei Family when they first arrived here was completely different from the Guangdong Wei Family's current status.
In the end, Wei Jeong-han was caught and dragged away by the hands of dignitaries from various regions who came rushing over and Mount Hua's elders, while those who remained had no choice but to wait around blankly without even being able to unpack their already-packed luggage.
And…
"Why me! Why me!"
The devil's claws didn't only reach toward Wei Jeong-han.
Tormented by visitors who came calling incessantly, Wei Yan-ho eventually had no choice but to abandon his room and take refuge.
"They won't let a person rest! Let a person rest!"
Now that his family members were bothering him a bit less, others were making an even bigger fuss. Especially since yesterday, Jin Ye-ran and Lee Seol-hwa showed no intention of leaving his room.
Grown women were camping out in a man's room with nothing to do, and when the adults saw this, rather than saying a word as adults should, they instead turned their anger on Wei Yan-ho.
Even if it was unfair, it couldn't be this unfair.
"Why are they all dying to torment people?"
He couldn't understand why they kept coming to him just to greet him and see his face, as if something would change from that.
"Isn't it the fate of the strong?"
"Eh?"
Wei Yan-ho turned his head at the voice that came from behind him.
There stood a handsome man in white robes that even Wei Yan-ho had to admire, smiling broadly as he looked at him.
"Oh? Seeing you here?"
Baek Geom-yeong smiled broadly.
"It's not a coincidence. I came looking for Young Hero Wei Yan-ho."
"I thought as much. This is a remote place that's secluded and doesn't catch people's attention."
"Hahaha."
"…Now that I think about it, that's strange. You're not planning some kind of ambush, are you? If that weren't the case, you wouldn't have sought someone out in such an out-of-the-way place."
"I didn't bring you here…"
When Baek Geom-yeong shrugged his shoulders, Wei Yan-ho clicked his tongue.
"So what's this about?"
"I stopped by to say hello."
"Hello?"
"Yes. I'm leaving Mount Hua today. I was going to just go, but I wanted to see your face at least once before leaving."
"That doesn't sound like something a man should say to another man."
"You don't have those kinds of preferences?"
"No, absolutely not."
"Don't worry. I'm also not interested in men."
Wei Yan-ho said in a bored tone.
"But you seem very interested in women."
Baek Geom-yeong didn't answer and his eyes gleamed.
"But perhaps the interest I have in Young Hero Wei Yan-ho might be greater than the interest I'd have in a peerless beauty."
"…What are you talking about?"
Baek Geom-yeong's eyes sharpened.
"No matter how beautiful a woman might be, no matter how much I might love a woman, how long would my connection with her last? Even if we married and lived together, how long would we live together? But you're different, Young Hero Wei. As long as I'm alive, and as long as Young Hero Wei is alive, we must always see each other, feel each other's presence, and keep each other in check. So how could I say my interest in you is less than what I'd give to a mere woman?"
"You speak in an incredibly complicated way."
Wei Yan-ho scratched his head vigorously.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Yes. Ask away."
Wei Yan-ho spoke in a tone slightly tinged with irritation.
"Isn't it awkward using honorifics you don't usually use and doing things you don't usually do? When you were the chubby guy, I still had some favorable feelings toward you, but seeing you act like this now feels slimy and really puts me off."
"Kuk kuk kuk kuk."
Baek Geom-yeong's voice completely changed.
"Still, isn't this appearance better as a shell?"
"Well, that's an undeniable fact. This seems like your real face?"
"That's right."
"I can imagine how hard it must have been to live with this face. But if you had revealed this face from the start, you wouldn't have needed to struggle so desperately to get married. If you had, she probably would have thought differently too."
"Huhu, that might be so. But I wanted a woman who wouldn't be swayed by my outward appearance. I thought Moon Eun-ji was that kind of woman."
"Nah, you read her wrong. She's a complete materialist."
"Hmm, our views seem a bit different, but… well, let's move on. That's not what's important right now."
Baek Geom-yeong quietly looked at Wei Yan-ho and then spoke.
"It's not that we lack connection, so it seemed improper to leave just like this, so I stopped by. I also have something I want to say."
"Something you want to say?"
"You will fall to me."
Baek Geom-yeong spoke in an utterly serious tone.
"I know, I'm aware. That the current me cannot face you. But that's only for now. I too will complete my sword, and someday I will defeat you. So don't break until that time comes."
Wei Yan-ho quietly looked at Baek Geom-yeong and said.
"As a martial artist, and as a human being, I'm probably not a suitable person to set as a goal."
"But it can't be helped. In this generation, I cannot become the greatest without surpassing you."
"Hmm…"
Wei Yan-ho said in a bored tone.
"Certainly, if someone else had said these words, they wouldn't have sounded particularly threatening, but hearing these words from you makes me think I should be careful. Someone who could deceive their surroundings even while wearing that thick disguise – what couldn't they do? You're someone who lived with that handsome face made like that, enduring being ignored. Isn't that right, Mister Nok Mok-pung?"
"You can call me Baek Geom-yeong now."
Baek Geom-yeong smiled gently and said.
"In the past, when I was defeated by you, I think I said I'd repay this debt next time, but in the end, I couldn't repay the debt this time either. But that's fine. They say a gentleman's revenge is not too late even after ten years. Someday there will be a day when I return the humiliation I received."
"I hope you can manage that."
"The Plum Blossom Sword Master is looking for you."
"Yes?"
"He seems to have trouble moving around. Still, since he's a respected elder, it would be good to go see him once."
"Yes, well."
"Then."
Watching Baek Geom-yeong walk away calmly, Wei Yan-ho narrowed his eyes.
'Why was the White Sword Castle infiltrating the imperial court?'
He had known that something unusual was happening since someone who had built their body through the Bone-Shrinking Technique was hiding their identity and infiltrating, but the fact that the infiltrator was from White Sword Castle had significant implications.
It meant White Sword Castle was plotting something.
Why would White Sword Castle, a martial world organization, extend their reach even to the imperial court?
Wei Yan-ho made a face full of deep contemplation, then suddenly stood up with an extremely refreshed expression.
"There's no way I'd figure it out just by thinking about it."
That's something only smart people should do. If even Wei Yan-ho himself stepped forward trying to rack his brains, what would all the strategists eat and live on?
If Jang-il knew that Wei Yan-ho was pondering this matter, he would have been furious, saying he was stealing a beggar's rice bowl.
Wei Yan-ho decided to do what he could do.
"I should just roll around."
Trudge trudge, Wei Yan-ho moved his steps while whistling.
"You called for me?"
The Plum Blossom Sword Master looked at Wei Yan-ho, who wasn't hiding his extremely annoyed expression at all, and trembled brrr.
'Damn brat.'
"I don't know why you're calling busy people to come and go."
"Busy? You?"
"I'm saying I didn't get enough sleep today."
"…Sleep? You're saying sleep is important for someone who calls himself a martial artist?"
"You don't know what you're talking about!"
Wei Yan-ho spoke in a tone that wouldn't yield at all.
"Rest is truly what's needed to move forward! Looking at things these days, there seem to be many people who torment and torment kids to death trying to teach them, but that's all pointless. Sufficient rest creates a healthy body, and a healthy body creates a healthy mind."
"…So that's why you weren't coming even though people called for you?"
"I came, didn't I?"
Veins popped on the Plum Blossom Sword Master's forehead.
"The sun is setting, you brat! The sun is setting! I've been looking for you since lunch time, and several people said they delivered the message to you, yet you come now and that's what you have to say!"
"That's a strange thing to say?"
"Strange?"
"Yes. You said to come, but you didn't say when to come."
Tremble tremble tremble.
The Plum Blossom Sword Master's beard shook as if wind was blowing.
"And since you've lived only in these mountains, Grandfather, you seem to not know much about worldly principles, but originally it's the person with business who comes to find you. Not calling you to come."
"…"
"Since you got hurt and all, I specially came today, so I hope this kind of thing doesn't happen again next time."
The Plum Blossom Sword Master quietly looked up at the ceiling.
He was told he needed absolute rest, but his heart felt like it was pounding.
'I might not die a natural death.'
To him, who was born in Mount Hua, grew up in Mount Hua, and had only seen Mount Hua's children, Wei Yan-ho seemed like some other creature wearing human skin.
How could such a breed be allowed to wander around in the world?
"…Yan-ho."
"Yes?"
"You need to become a model for others."
"Nah, that won't work. You can't make people do impossible things."
From the way he spoke, he seemed to have some awareness that he had problems…
"But that's not why you called me, right? Pleasant words are nice too, but the sun is setting and I need to go to bed soon, so I'd like you to get to the main point quickly."
"…Weren't you the one who came after the sun set?"
"Then you should have called earlier."
Where did my sword go?
Whether his wound burst open or not, he felt like he'd have no regrets if he could just stab that brat's side once.
"Grrrrr."
But he had to endure it.
That brat wasn't someone who would overlook it once out of respect for an elder if he drew his sword and went wild. He would retaliate mercilessly.
And that skill level…
'Honestly, I can't win.'
It was something he couldn't say in front of others even if his mouth twisted, but Wei Yan-ho's sword far exceeded his abilities. To think that he, who was Mount Hua's Sword Master and called one of the candidates for the world's greatest swordsman, couldn't handle a young brat with such skill.
"…If I cancel the duel, would you return the gold plaque I gave you before?"
"No returns after purchase."
"I figured as much, yeah."
The Plum Blossom Sword Master shook his head and sighed. It seemed like the wise choice for his health and peace would be to just quickly get to the main point.
"The reason I called you is nothing else – I have something to ask you."
"Yes, please ask."
The Plum Blossom Sword Master, who had been quietly looking at Wei Yan-ho, carefully opened his mouth.
"Who is your master?"
"You wouldn't know even if I told you."
"Tell me. No matter how I look at it, your sword resembles something I've heard of."
"It's a ghost called Baek Mu-han."
In that moment, the Plum Blossom Sword Master's pupils shook as if an earthquake had struck.
"Wha, what did you just say? Baek Mu-han?"
"Yes. Do you know him?"
"Th-that… that!"
The Plum Blossom Sword Master shouted as if he was about to die.
"The Sword Emperor?"