Time passed, and the day of the engagement arrived.

Though only a few days had passed, for someone like me who couldn’t even train, it felt like an eternity.

The most I could do was take walks with Namgung Bi-ah or endure the occasional, uncomfortable tea time with Lady Mi.

Honestly, what am I supposed to do when there’s no conversation during a tea gathering? It was unbearably awkward.

'At least tormenting Nyoryong was somewhat fun.'

When I thought of Namgung Cheonjun, I couldn't help but chuckle. He was a ridiculous fool.

The power he gained from blood energy amounted to little more than physical enhancement and strengthening his martial arts.

In my case, my flames had evolved into blue flames, but it seemed that hadn’t happened for him.

Of course, he kept claiming his memories were hazy, which led me to smack him upside the head.

The effects of the demonic energy were immediately apparent.

His lightning energy had taken on a purple hue, and even he could feel the heightened destructive power it carried.

Perhaps because of this, Namgung Cheonjun seemed half-crazed. It was as if he had become addicted to the demonic energy, desperate to use it.

‘What a lunatic.’

Sure, he had accepted the blood energy readily enough, but it was pathetic how he was so eager to use the obvious dark arts of demonic energy.

It was laughable. A scion of a righteous martial clan, openly yearning to wield a power so clearly malevolent.

'Then again, considering the vile desires he harbored for his own sister, I guess it's not surprising his mind isn’t exactly sound.'

Still, it was terrifying to see him in this state.

At one point, he even clung to my leg, begging to be allowed to use the demonic energy. I had to order him to stay silent and not come near me for an entire day before he finally left.

'...Maybe I should have just killed him.'

Sigh.

I really should have dealt with him back then.

There’s no point in watching him any further. I should just get rid of him now.

Every time I see his face, I feel that urge more strongly.

I've already learned everything I could from him. There's no need to keep him around any longer.

'Phew.'

The desire for honor and the ambition to rise to the top were painfully obvious in him.

That’s always the problem with noble families.

What do they think they'll gain by climbing that high?

Or maybe that’s why they can’t reach the top in the first place.

The people who truly stand at the pinnacle are the ones who are completely obsessed with martial arts, nothing else.

Clink.

The sound of the teacup being set down was crisp and clear.

For now, I had to set aside thoughts of Namgung Cheonjun.

'This is suffocating.'

Right now, I had to endure the situation at hand.

Demonic energy, Namgung Cheonjun—all of that was irrelevant compared to what was happening now.

"I, Namgung Jin, head of the Namgung family, accept this engagement with great joy."

I turned my gaze towards the voice. It wasn't towards Namgung Jin, who was speaking, or my father, who was listening.

It was towards the woman standing before me.

'She looks radiant.'

Namgung Bi-ah was beautifully adorned, and her gaze remained fixed on me the entire time.

It was such a strange feeling.

'This is really happening.'

The engagement.

The fact that I was actually going through with this engagement with her felt surreal.

I had known for a long time that the future I was supposed to experience had changed drastically, but now it felt real.

'I wonder what you're thinking.'

I couldn’t help but think of the woman who still lingered in the shadows of my mind.

The woman who looked exactly like Namgung Bi-ah but had lived a very different life.

The woman who died for me.

What would she say if she could see this moment?

I was a little curious.

Namgung Bi-ah continued to look at me with gentle eyes, her expression the same as always.

Or maybe a little different. I couldn’t be sure.

Whatever it was, this was something special for me.

'What is this feeling?'

What is this emotion stirring within me?

It wasn’t excitement.

It wasn’t anticipation.

An engagement is just that—an engagement. Nothing more.

There would be no marriage.

I had too many things left to do before I could even think about that.

'So, will you consider it once everything is done?'

I asked myself.

'Who knows.'

I didn’t have an answer.

Thinking about such peace was too premature.

It wasn’t the right time for me to dwell on such things.

'I just hope things will be different.'

I hoped that the life ahead of her would be different from what it had been before.

And that my own life, too, would be lighter than it had been in the past.

That was all I wished for.

"So stop staring at me. It’s making me uncomfortable."

"...."

Did she understand? Namgung Bi-ah just smiled in response to my words.

The engagement ceremony quietly came to an end.

It felt more subdued than a banquet, if that makes any sense.

The heads of each family voiced their acceptance, and Namgung Bi-ah and I clasped hands.

With that, the engagement was official.

For something I had tried so hard to avoid, it ended surprisingly quietly.

And for a brief moment, I could let go of the complex thoughts that had weighed me down.

But then—

Young master!

A certain face flashed across my mind.

And the moment became just a bit more difficult.

______________________

 

The engagement ceremony didn’t take long. It was merely a formal display.

The announcement that the Gu Clan and the Namgung Clan were officially engaged was all that needed to be shared with the public.

Any commercial exchanges or implicit agreements that would arise from the union were matters for the respective clan heads to handle, not something I needed to concern myself with.

'What’s curious, though...'

The bustling atmosphere of the past few days, and the reason for the delay in the engagement—those were things I found somewhat intriguing.

However, there wasn’t much information going around.

Perhaps my father had heard something, but he wasn’t reacting, which could only mean one thing.

'It must have been a reason that made sense to him.'

If it were something significant enough, my father would have reacted. The fact that he hadn’t meant he accepted it without question.

'I just hope I don’t get caught up in anything unnecessary.'

I had enough on my plate as it was. I didn’t need to be entangled in any more complications. My father likely drew a line to prevent that, but still, I hoped to steer clear of it.

'For now, let’s focus on this.'

I glanced around with a slightly sour expression.

Calling it a storage room would be accurate enough.

And why not? That’s precisely what it was—a storage room filled with the treasures of the Namgung Clan.

I was here because I had asked Namgung Jin for permission to enter.

To be honest, I had expected him to refuse, but his response had been surprisingly agreeable.

Of course, I had to agree to certain restrictions to prevent me from doing anything reckless, like stealing something.

Not that I had any intention of taking anything. My body was already weighed down by the treasures I carried—why would I want to add more to the burden?

As I inspected the various items in the room, one by one, I noticed a pattern.

'Most of them are swords.'

As one would expect from a family known for their swordsmanship, the majority of the treasures being kept here were swords.

However, most of them seemed rather unusual for practical use.

They looked more like ornaments or decorations, something meant to be displayed rather than wielded in battle.

It was hard to understand why they were categorized as treasures, but then again, treasures themselves are often strange and unexplainable.

'Rather than saying there’s no creator, it’s more accurate to say we don’t know who made them.'

Where they came from, or who made them—most of the time, we have no idea. That’s the nature of most treasures.

The Namgung Clan’s collection of treasures was no different in that respect.

They were simply items passed down through generations, kept under the family’s care because of their significance.

The only treasure used as a weapon in the Namgung Clan was the Thunderbolt sword, Rai-a.

'At least, that’s what I know.'

As far as I was aware, that was the only exception.

As I continued to inspect my surroundings, I couldn’t help but feel a bit underwhelmed.

'Nothing seems particularly unusual.'

There were traces of lightning energy, as expected from treasures of the Namgung Clan, but nothing stood out.

'...It’s not here, after all?'

The reason I’d bothered to ask to come here was simple—something I’d heard from Huang Yabulyeong at Shaolin.

“Find Myeong-i.”

He had referred to Namgung Myeong, the Thunderbolt Sword, as being contained within a treasure. I had hoped it might be stored among the Namgung Clan’s treasures.

There was a good excuse to come, so I decided to investigate.

'As expected, though.'

It seemed like it wasn’t here.

Even if the Thunderbolt Sword was here, there wasn’t much I could do if I couldn’t recognize it.

'I figured that if it was really the Thunderbolt Sword, there’d be some kind of reaction.'

Much like how the Iron Shadow responded, I expected the Thunderbolt Sword to show some sign if it recognized me.

'If it’s not here, then...'

It was highly likely that Namgung Myeong’s soul was contained within the Rai-a, the famous sword that was passed down within the Namgung Clan.

After all, it was his lifelong weapon and a treasure of the clan. It wouldn’t be surprising if his soul resided there.

I had anticipated this outcome, but I had hoped for an easier solution.

"Too bad."

With Shin Noya currently dormant, I had hoped to figure something out on my own, but things weren’t going my way.

Ultimately, if I wanted to find Namgung Myeong, I’d have to go to Wudang Mountain.

Moreover, the Rai-a was currently in the possession of Wudang’s Sword Saint. Not only would I need to go to Wudang, but I’d also have to find him.

"They won’t let me rest for even a moment."

It felt as though I was being told that if I wanted a peaceful life, I’d need to keep moving constantly.

How annoying.

I let out an irritated sigh and started to leave the storage room. I had no more reason to stay.

That’s when—

Clang.

I froze at the sound of a voice.

Every hair on my body stood on end.

Shin-cheol...

From somewhere deep within the room, beyond the rows of treasures, a voice echoed from a calligraphy scroll hanging on the wall.

"...No way."

I turned back and approached the source of the sound.

The scroll on the wall bore the words Nantian’s Greatest Sword.

The meaning was unclear, and the brushstrokes were haphazard, as if the writer had scrawled them in a hurry.

As I stared at the words in confusion, the voice came again.

Shin-cheol... No, it could be Ilcheon.

"...Excuse me?"

I called out hesitantly, but there was no reply.

Just a moment of silence.

"...Hey...?"

It doesn’t matter how much time has passed. What matters now is finding me... Find the Rai-a.

The voice ignored my calls and continued speaking.

"...Hey! Excuse me, hello?!"

Find me, no matter who you are. I am...

The voice abruptly cut off, as if it had never existed.

The words faded away, leaving me standing alone.

"Find the Rai-a?"

I pondered the words left behind by the figure who I assumed was Namgung Myeong.

If his words were true, then his soul was indeed inside the Rai-a.

"And then..."

[It could be Ilcheon,]

That phrase stuck in my mind.

Shin Noya had speculated about this, and Iron Shadow seemed to have expected it too.

Ilcheon—could it be referring to...

'Kwoncheol Geumwang Yeon Ilcheon...'

The legendary warrior who had fought against the Blood Demon, hailed as the greatest warrior of his time.

Iron Shadow had once told me that he, too, had defied time, just like me.

'Why would his name come up...?'

I couldn’t shake the unsettling feeling that lingered.

 

_______________

In the dimly lit room, a man entered quietly.

"Lady, the letter has arrived."

It was the interior of the Moyong merchant group in Anhui. Though night had fallen, a lamp illuminated the room, and Moyong Hee-a was reviewing a letter.

"Is it from the Namgung family?"

"Yes, it is."

"Summarize it for me."

Even as she spoke, Moyong Hee-a’s eyes remained fixed on the letter she was holding.

"...It seems the engagement has been settled."

At those words, Moyong Hee-a paused for a moment and then directed her gaze toward the man.

"There’s no other mention?"

"None."

"It must have been quite the commotion for them to let this opportunity pass."

Though the engagement with the Thunder Dragon wasn’t fully solidified, it was an arrangement that could have been formalized with a little more effort.

The Moyong family had been steering this potential alliance from the start. Given how far things had progressed, one would expect them to at least mention something out of courtesy.

'To let it go this easily...'

From Moyong Hee-a’s perspective, it was a bit puzzling.

"Well, it worked out fine in the end."

"Yes, it did."

"Prepare everything for tomorrow. It seems we’ll be heading to the center."

"Understood."

Moyong Hee-a sighed quietly to herself as she gave her orders. By now, the engagement ceremony must have already ended.

The thought left a bitter taste in her mouth.

'It doesn’t matter.'

She forced herself to calm her thoughts. After all, this was something she had anticipated.

'...Time is on my side.'

A thought she never would have had before.

Time is on my side. How out of character for someone like her to think such a thing.

There was once a time when she believed she didn’t have much time left. But meeting him had changed all that.

With a gentle rustling, the letter slipped from Moyong Hee-a’s hand and fluttered down to the floor.

"...The engagement doesn’t mean it’s over, right?"

"My lady?"

"It’s nothing."

Moyong Hee-a brushed her hair back and picked up the letter again, suppressing a sigh.

Tomorrow, she would see him.

And for Moyong Hee-a, that was enough.

"Did my father have anything to say?"

"The patriarch didn’t say much, though... Ah, he did mention he would like to meet Jinryong if possible."

"That won’t be happening. Let’s pretend we didn’t hear that."

"As you wish."

Moyong Hee-a answered firmly.

Her father adored and cherished her more than his own life. If he were to meet Gu Yangcheon, there was no telling what might happen.

He was barely restraining himself as it was, thanks to the miracle of Gu Yangcheon’s presence, which seemed to hold the promise of saving her.

'This is one thing I cannot allow.'

If her father were to witness her chasing after an already engaged man, who knew what might unfold for Gu Yangcheon afterward.

"My lady."

"Yes, what is it?"

"What should we do about the people we’ve apprehended?"

"Oh."

Moyong Hee-a lifted her head as if she had forgotten about the matter.

The reason she had come to Anhui in the first place was due to a joint merchant group that had embezzled funds meant for silk procurement for their business.

Finding and confirming the culprits had been simple enough. The culprits had handled the matter incompetently, making them easy to track down.

After stretching her body slightly, Moyong Hee-a gave her orders calmly.

"Kill them. Don’t leave anyone connected to them alive."

Her response was cold and unfeeling.

"Understood."

The man left the room after receiving his orders.

Once she was alone, Moyong Hee-a finally relaxed, stretching her stiff body. Due to her illness, she hadn’t been able to train properly, and her body felt heavy.

Truthfully, she was well enough now to resume her training, but she chose not to.

'If I start training again, he’ll notice.'

If he realized that her condition was improving, their meetings would likely become less frequent.

She couldn’t allow that. She needed this situation to last for a few more years at least.

For Moyong Hee-a, advancing as a martial artist was less important than drawing closer to him as a woman.

"Now then..."

After a brief stretch, she picked up another letter.

This one contained information from the Moyong family, detailing why the Namgung family had been in such disarray lately.

• The Heavenly Master’s whereabouts are unknown.

 

Her eyes gleamed with interest as she read that single line.