The Looming Threat and a Breathless Warning

“Are you truly feeling alright now?” he asked, his face awash with caution.

“Yes.”

“Since when have you been staying here? I heard a rumor that you had arrived with the Family Head.”

“I have been here ever since then.”

“That long? Before that, didn’t you reside in Sichuan and only visit during the winters? I was always curious because I had only heard stories but never actually seen you, and to think we are meeting like this.”

“You heard stories about me?”

I found it fascinating that he had heard of me.

“You were incredibly famous. There were so many people who eagerly awaited winter just to catch a glimpse of you, Junior Brother. Without exception, some said you looked like a child deity descended from the heavens, others claimed you looked like a figure walking out of a painting, and some even called you a beauty capable of toppling kingdoms…”

Gwang-yeon blurted out whatever came to his mind, but mid-sentence, he suddenly shut his mouth, seemingly realizing that last remark was a bit inappropriate.

“You must have been disappointed. Please find the people who said those things and give them a thorough scolding for lying. Ah… actually, you mustn’t. You cannot mention that I am here.”

“Even if that weren’t the case, would I have any reason to do that? My only regret is that I cannot brag to others that I have met you, Junior Brother Sorin.”

“Pardon?”

“I feel like I finally understand why people said those things. It would have been wonderful to see you back then, but I think seeing you now is even better. Back then, you probably were just cute. They say the Tang Family possesses three sculpted beauties, and that the younger they are, the more exceptional their appearance. It seems those rumors were not wrong.”

“What on earth do you mean by that?”

When I pressed him on the mention of the ‘three beauties,’ Gwang-yeon readily answered.

“The Family Head, the First Young Master, and the Second Young Master.”

I burst into laughter at the fact that people had completely excluded the Step-Mother when making up such tales. However, knowing firsthand how magnificent the features of the Family Head and Muri were, I could not dispute the claim.

At least, that held true if I excluded myself.

‘Wait, is that so? It’s not my original face anyway, so there’s no need to play modest, right? But is Tang Sorin truly that handsome?’

“I am certain you have grown thoroughly tired of hearing how beautiful you are throughout your life, but I genuinely cannot help but speak it, Junior Brother Sorin. It is as though someone breathed life into a painting meticulously crafted by a master artist.”

Gwang-yeon delivered these words without a single shred of embarrassment. Because his admiration felt entirely pure, I found myself unable to either thank him or tell him to stop, and simply sat there in silence.

After thoroughly admiring my appearance, Gwang-yeon finally brought up the question. He asked if I, too, had ever seen the baby snake, and whether that serpent truly was a spiritual beast.

What was I supposed to say in a moment like this? Should I say I had seen it, since I technically caught my own reflection in the bronze mirror?

Seeing how Gwang-yeon was already being fiercely blackmailed by Venerable Won-hyun, I felt terribly guilty about joining in on the deception. Besides, it would be strange to claim I had never seen it when Venerable Won-hyun had explicitly claimed ownership of it.

“I… have seen it.”

“Then why is it nowhere to be seen? It didn’t run away, did it? If it gets caught by the elders, it could be in grave danger. Did it slip away? Should I look around for it?”

So he had been worrying about it.

“Is that why you came back today?”

“Not quite. I just suspected that Grand-Grand-Uncle was hiding it away and refusing to show it to me.”

To think he would speak so candidly.

“It vanishes frequently. But it always returns shortly after. There are times when it takes a bit longer to come back, but it always returns without fail.”

“Well, that is a relief, but it even managed to sneak into the temple grounds before and get caught by me. I truly thought it was just an ordinary snake back then. Though, it did look remarkably unique. I had never seen such a beautifully patterned snake before. Its coloring looked as though it had been delicately painted with a brush, but above all, I cannot forget its eyes. In all my life, I have never seen such beautiful snake eyes.”

I was profoundly grateful, yet I couldn’t bring myself to say thank you.

“I see…”

“It feels a bit wrong of me to say this, but my Master is truly a terrifying individual. I dislike speaking about him in this manner, but I am deeply worried. His convictions are strong to a frightening degree. He worries immensely about Shaolin. My Master believes that if it isn’t him at the helm, Shaolin will go terribly astray. That is why he has resolved to sacrifice and dedicate himself entirely for the sake of Shaolin.”

Just listening to those words for a brief moment sent a shiver down my spine. Having nearly suffered a catastrophic ordeal at his hands in my past life, the impact was doubled.

In truth, it was entirely possible that I knew Hyeon-geon far better than Gwang-yeon did.

“Which brings me to my point. Junior Brother Sorin. Do you absolutely have to stay here?”

“…Pardon?”

“Can you not return to Sichuan? I am deeply worried for you. Grand-Grand-Uncle seems to believe he can act as a protective shield for you, but I highly doubt it. If word gets out that you are here, and my Master rallies the Grandmasters of the ‘Hyeon’ generation with a firm determination to punish you, there is no telling what might happen.”

I involuntarily swallowed hard.

“I really shouldn’t be revealing this, but they say my Master has shattered the dantians of dozens of people in the Disciplinary Hall, leaving them permanently crippled.”

He was entirely correct. That was precisely the kind of realistic advice I needed. However, it wasn’t as though Venerable Won-hyun hadn’t considered exactly what Gwang-yeon was thinking. The issue was that if I returned to Sichuan, people far more terrifying than Hyeon-geon were waiting for me.

Right now, because I was ensconced deep within the inner sanctuaries of Shaolin, my Step-Mother could not lay a finger on me. But if I were to return to Sichuan, I would likely have to face assassins every single night.

In fact, it wasn’t a matter of ‘likely’; it was practically a guaranteed certainty.

Since Gwang-yeon could not possibly know such facts, it was only natural that he couldn’t comprehend why I remained here, to the point where he seemed to harbor resentment toward Venerable Won-hyun.

“I believe Grand-Grand-Uncle is making a grave mistake. It is a decision that places you in severe jeopardy.”

Hearing those words, I felt a wave of genuine gratitude toward him. Still, I couldn’t allow Venerable Won-hyun to bear the blame without cause, so I addressed Gwang-yeon.

“There are circumstances that I cannot disclose to you, Brother. Therefore, no matter how dangerous this place may be, for the time being, staying here is far safer than returning to my family estate.”

At that, Gwang-yeon’s expression shifted rapidly. At first, his face was filled with incomprehension, but soon, his thoughts seemed to pivot toward a succession feud.

Subterranean struggles to seize the position of Young Family Head, which frequently culminated in brothers slaughtering one another, were a common occurrence in the Jianghu. If such brutal conflicts erupted even within minor escort bureaus or merchant guilds, he likely imagined how much worse it must be within a powerhouse like the Sichuan Tang Family.

A look of deep sorrow carved into his face. He looked at me as though I were an utterly pitiful soul to be trapped in such a tragic predicament.

“By the way, Brother… even if Grandmaster is outside, he will be able to hear everything we say in here.”

Though he spoke out of pure concern for me, I mentioned it because I worried his words might cause Venerable Won-hyun to dislike him. Gwang-yeon simply nodded. Seeing that he wasn’t caught off guard, it appeared he had spoken with full awareness of that fact.

The realization that he had chosen to deliver the warning for my sake despite knowing the risk caused my gratitude toward him to grow even greater.

A moment later, Venerable Won-hyun stepped inside.

“I have nothing but tea to offer you. I doubt a youth like you has much fondness for tea. Seeing as the only people who have visited my quarters over the years have been old men, I failed to prepare any snacks that children might enjoy.”

“I am perfectly fine, but…”

With that, Gwang-yeon turned his gaze toward me.

His expression asked whether I had ever been able to properly eat anything appetizing while hidden away here for such a long time.

Finding it utterly heartbreaking that the Second Young Master of the prestigious Tang Family—who had once lived a life wanting for nothing in Sichuan—was now hiding here away from the eyes of the world, tears finally welled up in Gwang-yeon’s eyes.

Venerable Won-hyun watched Gwang-yeon and adopted a thoroughly pleased expression. Until that moment, he had seemed to suspend his judgment regarding the youth, but seeing him genuinely worry and feel compassion for me, the Grandmaster appeared to have taken a true liking to him.

“I did not plan on staying long today, so I must head back down now. I shall visit again soon, Grand-Grand-Uncle.”

“Indeed. Do not fret too heavily. I am no toothless tiger. It is merely that I wish to prevent matters from escalating to such a point, but should Hyeon-geon attempt any rash actions, I possess measures of my own.”

Gwang-yeon looked at Venerable Won-hyun, but his face did not register much relief. He clearly found it difficult to believe. The fact that Venerable Won-hyun had somehow lost all credibility with him was rather amusing in its own right.

Forcing himself to take steps away when his heart clearly wanted to stay, Gwang-yeon finally departed. Even after retiring to bed, sleep eluded me for a long time.

I had finally conversed with Gwang-yeon. It was only after such a vast stretch of time since our first encounter that we were finally able to share a proper conversation.

If I waited, he would surely come again.

The mere thought sent the corners of my lips curving relentlessly upward.

Gwang-yeon returned far sooner than I had anticipated. Seeing him approach, a surge of joy washed over me, and I called out his name as I ran toward him.

His form closed the distance as swiftly as the wind. I had been astonished by his movement technique before, but within this short span, he had achieved yet another breakthrough.

To unleash a movement technique with such mastery at his age made it unequivocally clear that he had consumed spiritual medicine and amassed immense internal energy. That alone spoke volumes of the staggering expectations Hyeon-geon harbored for him.

While these thoughts raced through my mind, Gwang-yeon arrived right before me in the blink of an eye. Only then did I realize that there wasn’t a single shred of a smile on his face.

“Brother?”

Snatching a tight grip around my wrist, he gasped out:

“My Master is on his way! You must hide immediately!”

Hearing the frantic shout from within, Venerable Won-hyun flung the door open and emerged, his eyes wide with alarm. He looked as though he was about to demand what on earth was happening, but without granting him even a moment’s pause, Gwang-yeon spoke with breathless urgency.