On the road to Shaolin Temple, having set a fairly generous schedule.
Tang So-wol clung tightly to my side, firmly gripping one of my hands.
It wasn't quite enough fluttering to be called the act of lovers, and a bit too much warmth… to put it plainly, it was closer to how a mother treats her child.
"Young hero Cheon. Is there any discomfort? If you need anything, please say so at any time."
"…"
"…Ah! Of course. I'll take care of it myself."
With a strange expression that was half apology and half enthusiasm, Tang So-wol straightened my collar and lightly brushed my hair into place.
That goes without saying, but there was no real need for it. I wasn't one to fuss over my appearance, but since I was going somewhere important, I had made sure to look presentable.
Now Tang So-wol had even pulled out a water canteen and was trying to put it to my lips. I turned my head away, a clear sign of refusal.
"That's enough."
"Y-Young hero Cheon…?"
She looked as if the world was crumbling. Seeing that, my firm resolve softened slightly, and my voice came out gentler than before.
"It's fine, you don't need to do anything. I only kept quiet earlier because you've asked the same question seven times today, and I wasn't sure where to begin or how to answer."
"Phew. So that's what it was. I'm relieved it wasn't a seal."
'What exactly do you think a seal is? Just act like you normally do. Like you normally do.'
"…"
Was it because the seal itself prevented me from speaking about it? Without meaning to, I had nearly hinted at the seal's scope, only to be struck by the seal and have my mouth shut tight.
It wasn't the kind of thing that activated this often, but now that Tang So-wol knew of the seal's existence and was reacting a bit excessively, it kept triggering at the slightest provocation.
I carefully organized my thoughts so as not to trip the seal, then opened my mouth.
"If you're still bothered about the cold way you treated me the other day, you truly don't need to worry about it."
"How could I not be! No matter that I didn't know the circumstances, didn't I wound young hero Cheon deeply?"
"It wasn't that bad."
"I heard everything from Hyang-i. She said you were holed up in your room, sprawled out like salted fish laid out to dry on a sunny day."
"Ah."
Seol Ri-hyang…!
As I glared at the traitor(?), aware of her guilt, she couldn't meet my eyes and whipped her head away.
I'll deal with you later.
I ground my teeth inwardly for a moment. Then Tang Jincheon, who had been walking ahead, clicked his tongue in disapproval.
"Tsk, tsk. No matter how you look at it, making So-wol squirm in front of me isn't right, is it?"
"She keeps doing this even though I tell her I'm fine…"
"Since I know that, I'll let it go at this. If you'd done it on purpose, a pleasant sparring bout between father-in-law and son-in-law would have begun."
"Oh? So poison is forbidden in a sparring bout?"
"…Honestly! The problem is that you got all sulky just because a man said something to you!"
Now that I'm a martial artist of the Harmony Realm myself, Tang Jincheon seemed unsure about a poison-free sparring bout. He shook his head and changed the subject.
He probably couldn't know the full story, but he could grasp the general gist of it. Even so, seeing his beloved daughter act as if she'd give him her very heart and liver must not sit well with him.
I understand. Yes, I do understand… but honestly, I feel a bit wronged too.
No matter how I look at it, how was I supposed to know he'd start being this overprotective all of a sudden?
With a hint of sulkiness in my heart, I whispered to Tang So-wol.
"Can you repeat the words you said to your father-in-law about ten years ago, Tang So-wol?"
"Excuse me?"
"That, you know. The kind of words full of that rebellious spirit unique to that age."
"Ah? I can think of a few, but why all of a sudden…"
"If you say a few words to him, I'll forget everything that happened that night. It was fine to begin with, but I'll just forget it entirely."
"…If that's the case."
With a resolute expression, Tang So-wol nodded and turned toward Tang Jincheon.
"Um. Father?"
"Hm? What is it, So-wol?"
Tang Jincheon's face relaxed in an instant. It didn't take long for his expression, which was practically beaming by this point, to crack.
"Please don't open my door without sending word first!"
"…!"
"It's not that I dislike Father, but at my age, a hug every morning is a bit… and your beard is scratchy too."
"Hic!"
"Hmph! I don't care about Father anymore! I won't say a single word until this evening!"
"Kyaaaah!"
I see. So Tang So-wol's defiance would dissolve by dinnertime.
As I nodded at this new knowledge, Tang So-wol came scurrying over, leaving behind Tang Jincheon, who was clutching at his chest with a pained expression as if the Simma itself had come for him.
"How was that?! That was good, wasn't it, young hero Cheon?"
Tang So-wol looked up at me, her eyes sparkling like a puppy begging for praise.
It was a face full of such pure cheer that it was hard to believe she had just stabbed (?) her own father.
I stared at her for a moment, then cupped her cheeks with both hands and started rubbing them vigorously.
"Right. Well done. With this, nothing ever happened between us, and we're still the same loving betrothed couple."
"Yay!"
Tang So-wol hopped with joy. As I watched her with a warm smile, I felt a sharp gaze from the side.
As I flashed a sly grin at Tang Jincheon, who was glaring at me, a vein bulged at his temple.
"Son-in-law… I pray you have a daughter who looks exactly like So-wol, so you can hear the same words!"
"Thank you for the kind words. But if she looks like Tang So-wol, she's bound to adore me, so your wish will never come true. My apologies."
"You brat!!"
Tang Jincheon leaped into the air, but I had already ducked behind Tang So-wol, and there was nothing he could do about it.
Seol Ri-hyang, who had been watching our noisy commotion from a step away, finally spoke up.
"Hwa-rin unni, you must never say such things to Cheon Hwi, no matter what."
"…What exactly do you take me for?!"
Seomun Hwa-rin jumped in outrage, but her leap was as harmless as Tang Jincheon's before Tang So-wol's shield.
***
Though we had our share of troubles among ourselves, the road to Mount Song itself was smooth.
Perhaps the troublemakers of the martial world were keeping their distance since my subjugation of the Green Forest had ended successfully not long ago.
Whatever the reason, I was able to reach Mount Song at the end of a journey that was, in a good way, uneventful.
The stairs, which I hadn't seen in a long time, were still excessively tall and stretched on endlessly. After climbing the mountain along them and arriving at the main gate, shaven-headed monks were waiting.
Two stood guard on either side of the gate. After confirming our faces and the attire of the Tang Clan martial artists we'd brought along for minimal convenience, they immediately offered their respects.
"Amitabha. Might you be the guests from the Tang Clan?"
"That's right. We have an appointment—we came at the invitation of the abbot."
"I see! I've heard about it. Please, head inside."
"Hm."
After exchanging a few words with Tang Jincheon, who had stepped forward as our representative, the martial monk immediately stepped aside to let us pass.
Well, I suppose it's only natural that gatekeepers at a place like the Shaolin Temple would memorize the faces of famous figures. They must have been informed in advance, too.
Back then, even though I was carrying the unconscious Gakjeong on my back and held the Tang Clan's token, the verification still took a bit of time. Quite a difference.
I let out a small chuckle at the comparison with my past memories—but only for a moment. It was just then that I passed through the gate, right in front of the gatekeepers.
One of the gatekeepers drew in a sharp breath.
"Gasp!"
"Hm? Something the matter?"
"Ah, n-nothing at all!"
"It doesn't seem like nothing."
"Well… it's just that…"
After hesitating for a moment, the warrior monk cautiously continued.
"Are you not the White Moon Sword Lord, the Great Hero?"
"I am indeed that White Moon Sword Lord."
"Indeed!"
The warrior monk's eyes sparkled as he offered a more respectful fist-and-palm salute.
"It is an honor to meet you!"
"Hm."
Though slightly taken aback, I returned the greeting with a light fist-and-palm salute of my own. At that, the fellow began trembling with emotion.
…What is this?
But these strange occurrences continued even after I entered the Shaolin Temple grounds.
Young novice monks peeked their heads out from here and there, as if they had come out just to catch a glimpse of me. And scholar monks shooed them back to their places.
There were also martial monks drenched in sweat as if they had been training until just moments ago, and even elderly monks who seemed to hold fairly high positions.
The difference was only in how blatant they were, but every single one of them was showing interest in me.
So I asked Tang So-wol, who had improved compared to a few days ago but still refused to leave my side.
"The stares are rather burdensome. Is something going on?"
"Oh my. Have you still not noticed, young hero Cheon?"
"What do you mean?"
"All of them came out to see your face after hearing of your fame, isn't that so?"
"Hoh?"
"Hehe. That's only because the young hero Cheon has been meeting with the Black Alliance and other elders of sect leader rank—had you mingled with the common folk, you would have received such praise long ago."
Tang So-wol seemed somehow prouder of him than he was of himself. Wondering if her words were true, he focused his internal energy and lent his ears to the sounds around him.
The faint chirping of insects that had been mere background noise grew louder, the scraping of dirt and sand beneath his feet began to grate on his nerves, and through it all, distinct whispers reached him.
"Is that the White Moon Sword Lord?"
"He looks young as the rumors say, but they say he took down the Green Forest's chief, who was a real headache…"
"Eh, the monks just look old—their ages are about the same."
"…Ages may be similar, but their realms are different."
Conversations of similar content could be heard from all around.
Even before the regression, I had held a position of some standing, so I'd heard plenty of flattery, but this felt different from that kind of praise.
It also felt a bit different from the looks I received within the Tang Clan.
Usually, within the Tang Clan, the looks were mostly a mix of warmth and gratitude—as if I were the benefactor who saved Tang So-wol, or a lucky charm who brought about the clan's revival.
But now, the looks were a mix of admiration, awe, and a hint of envy, which made me feel a bit more tickled.
"In truth, the reaction was similar even after the young hero Cheon defeated the Poison Demon, but…"
"Back then, as you said, Tang So-wol, I was busy running around here and there. Even though everyone I met was surprised by my martial level, they didn't exactly look at me with longing in their eyes."
"Yes. To add a bit more, the Poison Demon was an unforgettable enemy to our Tang Clan, but… in the Central Plains, he was a master of a bygone era, somewhat forgotten."
"On the other hand, the White Peak Mountain King is someone who is making his name known with infamy right now, is that it."
Since information about the Sword Demon or the Heavenly Demon could cause chaos among the people, they were controlling the flow of it, so it probably hadn't spread widely.
Still, perhaps it was thanks to learning the reason. With a slightly more at-ease heart, the itchiness lessened, and I nodded.
"Hehe. In that sense, I suppose it's fortunate that this place is the Shaolin Temple."
"I doubt it would be any different anywhere else."
"Oh my. Isn't the Shaolin Temple a forbidden zone for women, where they cannot enter unless there is a special reason?"
"Hm?"
"If this were the Murim Alliance, troublesome flies would surely have swarmed in. I don't suspect the young hero Cheon, but how bothersome would it be to swat them away one by one?"
"So that was the reason? Then Seol Ri-hyang and Senior Seomun Hwa-rin…"
"They're fine since I gave them permission. Besides, they're all good kids."
Was it really right to call Seomun Hwa-rin a kid?
That thought lingered only for a moment. Then I remembered how Tang Jincheon had crumbled at just a few words, and how I myself had been sprawled out like a dried fish, and I shuddered.
Perhaps the real hidden power behind the Sichuan Tang Clan was Tang So-wol, after all.
Stealing a glance at Tang So-wol, I headed toward the Main Hall where the Shaolin abbot was waiting.