After finishing her sparring match, Tang So-wol collected the hidden weapons scattered on the ground and immediately returned to the spectator seats where our group was sitting.
Then she shoved her way past Tang Jincheon's spot, claimed the seat beside me, and without a word planted her hands on her hips and thrust out her chest.
"Ahem!"
Her eyes were closed in a satisfied arc, as if she were looking forward to what was to come. Her lips twitched as if she had much more to say but was holding it in for now. Her chin was tilted up in a way that was less arrogant and more playful.
Perhaps because of the hands-on-hips posture, she naturally leaned her upper body toward me. My gaze kept drifting to the curves that even her loose martial robes couldn't quite conceal.
Had she noticed that I was distracted without realizing it? Tang So-wol narrowed her closed eyes and spoke again.
"Ahem!"
"What the…"
At that blatant display, I let out a hollow laugh, then clapped my hands loudly as if to make a point.
"Well done."
"More, if you please!"
"I knew your poison art was accomplished, but I didn't expect your Hidden Weapon Art to be on this level either."
"A little more!"
"Though this is your first sparring match in the main tournament, you've raised the Tang Clan's standing at this Dragon Phoenix Gathering, watched by countless eyes. The rumors that had been spreading because of his lack of activity will come to an end today."
"Hmm… not bad, but something's missing."
Tang So-wol tilted her head, still resting her hands on her hips. Her neatly tied hair had loosened slightly from the intense movements, and a few stray strands swayed gently.
Watching her quietly, a thought that had suddenly come to mind found its way to his lips.
"…As expected, my betrothed is the best?"
"Eek! That's exactly it! I'm the best for young hero Cheon, right? Yes. I know it well!"
She wiggled her shoulders.
Tang So-wol was happier than when she had won the sparring match, puffing out her chest.
Meanwhile, Tang Jincheon, who had been pushed one seat away, watched this with a sulky expression, and Seomun Hwa-rin's eyes on the other side began to fill with gloom.
…Tang Jincheon was understandable, but why Seomun Hwa-rin?
While I blinked in bewilderment, Tang So-wol, who had been sitting beside me, stretched her body toward me.
Her upper body naturally pressed down on my stomach. I froze, unable to breathe properly under that soft yet weighty sensation.
But Tang So-wol, completely unconcerned, reached out and grabbed Seomun Hwa-rin's fingertips, shaking them vigorously.
"Sister Hwa-rin! You saw it too, didn't you? How was it?"
"Eh, uh, what?"
Seomun Hwa-rin, who had been floundering with strange sounds, cleared her throat after a moment.
"Ahem. Of course I saw it. The Tang Clan's true strength is revealed in life-and-death duels. It's well known that sparring matches with rules carry many restrictions, so I didn't expect much… but it was more impressive than I imagined."
"Hehe. Thank you, Sister Hwa-rin."
Tang So-wol smiled brightly at Seomun Hwa-rin's smooth answer, as if she had prepared it in advance. She gently patted the small hand she was holding and turned her body back to its original position.
Ever since the three of them had talked together once with Seol Ri-hyang included, something about the atmosphere had changed.
It was a bit bothersome that no matter how much he asked, they wouldn't tell him what they had talked about… but it wasn't as if their relationship had worsened—rather, it had improved.
Even accounting for a slight awkwardness, it was a good direction.
He nodded inwardly for a moment. Perhaps because the sensation he had felt from his lap suddenly disappeared. Feeling a slight sense of loss, he swallowed pointlessly and brought up a completely different topic.
"By the way, it's almost Seol Ri-hyang's turn. You said her opponent, Miss Wi, is your friend, Tang So-wol. Would you tell me what kind of person she is?"
"…"
Tang So-wol, with her cheeks puffed out lightly, said nothing. After a moment, he replayed his previous words and corrected his question.
"Can you tell me about the martial arts of Miss Wi, your friend?"
"Pfft."
Only then did Tang So-wol, letting the air out of her puffed cheeks, nod.
"Well. I don't precisely know the martial level of Suryeon either. I was going to see her face once while traveling to Shaanxi Province, but in the end, problems arose and she stayed briefly at the Zhongnan Sect before returning home, right?"
"That's right."
"After that, we exchanged letters to check on each other, and after just arriving in Muhan City, we couldn't meet because the timing didn't work out… Ah! I did see her briefly when young hero Cheon was kidnapped, but at that time I was pretending to be in despair… no, I was in despair, so I couldn't have a long conversation."
"I-I see."
Hearing it put that way, I felt anew that I had been acting too stubbornly. With gratitude and apology, I gently grasped Tang So-wol's hand…
"Hm. Hmm. Ahem."
Even so, I could feel Tang Jincheon's gaze boring into me from earlier, so I only gently traced the back of her hand.
Fortunately, Tang So-wol seemed satisfied with just that, letting out a giggle with her eyes curving like crescent moons.
"Hehe. Once the Dragon Phoenix Gathering is settled, I plan to properly arrange a meeting as I mentioned before, so don't worry. And while I don't know the exact details of your martial level, I have a rough idea."
"A rough idea?"
"Yes. I saw your face briefly, there are rumors floating around, and my Qi Sense has developed as my realm has risen."
Saying that, Tang So-wol looked down at the training ground, where preparations for the next sparring match were nearly complete.
"Your realm itself is first-rate… but it felt like you were half a step into the Peak Realm."
"You said she was among the top rising talents of Mount Hua Sect. If she's called that, it's only natural."
Generally, reaching the first-rate realm before the Age of Twenty earns one the title of prodigy, and reaching the Peak Realm before thirty years old earns one the title of genius.
However, the Nine Great Sects and One Gang and the Five Great Families have outstanding martial arts and support based on the wealth they've accumulated over the years.
Because they train from a young age under conditions on a completely different level from ordinary martial artists, at least one or two prodigies or geniuses per generation emerge from their ranks.
Indeed, Tang So-wol reached the tail end of the first-rate realm around the Age of Twenty and reached the Peak Realm at twenty-three.
Her older brother Tang Cheong, though not yet thirty, has already been in the mature Peak Realm for quite some time.
While not quite matching Tang So-wol, Tang Cheong's talent is hardly lacking—if he continues training like this, he'll eventually reach the Harmony Realm like Tang Jincheon.
That will be the day the Tang Clan's generation truly changes.
Well, at any rate, that's why it wouldn't be strange for a promising rising talent of Mount Hua Sect to have already reached the Peak Realm by now.
Of course, she would have surpassed Seol Ri-hyang's current martial level long ago.
"I hope she doesn't get too frustrated."
"Huh? Ah. So that's what you were worried about, young hero Cheon?"
Tang So-wol widened her eyes as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing, then let out a small laugh.
"Hyang-i isn't as weak as you think, young hero. Of course, winning a sparring match would be difficult for her. But."
Tang So-wol turned her gaze toward the training ground. Looking now, the cleanup was nearly finished, and the referee was calling out the names of Seol Ri-hyang and Wi Ji-suryeon for the next match.
What I saw was Seol Ri-hyang, her face tense with nervousness, taking a deep breath as she stepped up onto the training ground.
The contrast was stark—Wi Ji-suryeon climbed onto the training ground with a relaxed expression, waving toward the cluster of Mount Hua Sect martial artists.
But Tang So-wol seemed to see something else entirely. Propping her chin against the back of one hand, she continued in a low voice.
"He won't break so easily. Regardless of who wins or loses, he'll show us something."
"As long as he doesn't lose his spirit, that's a relief."
"Yes. And this is the most important part."
Tang So-wol paused for a moment, then brought her lips close to my ear and whispered.
"Both I and Hyang-i—if we show something unexpected at this Dragon Phoenix Gathering… it's all to show you, young hero."
"…"
Tang So-wol, who had flinched at my reaction, lowered her gaze and broke into a gentle smile.
At that same moment, Seol Ri-hyang and Wi Ji-suryeon on the training ground exchanged fist-and-palm salutes with each other.
***
"Ah! I thought you looked familiar. You're the female hero who was with So-wol the other day!"
"Ah, yes. That's right. My name is Seol Ri-hyang."
"Oh my. I am Wi Ji-suryeon, an eleventh-generation disciple of the Mount Hua Sect. Whatever the outcome, let's both give our best so this can be a sparring match without regrets!"
Wi Ji-suryeon offered her fist-and-palm salute with a smile so clear it held not a single speck of dust. Seol Ri-hyang returned the salute in kind, but her expression was far from pleasant.
'She said she was a friend of Sister Tang's.'
Black hair bound up in a single neat knot. A uniform of white and red, with an elegant plum blossom embroidered on its sleeves.
And what of that gentle way of speaking, that composure that never wavered?
Seol Ri-hyang's assessment was that Wi Ji-suryeon was a refined person.
Of course, she was not merely refined.
Seol Ri-hyang had begun training in earnest, awakening the potential of her Pure Yin Constitution. Gifted with a natural talent for internal energy, she could sense it, faintly.
The sharp Aura hidden beneath Wi Ji-suryeon's soft demeanor.
'Not as much as Sister Tang, but… she's certainly strong.'
A beautiful and powerful woman.
They say friends resemble one another. Wi Ji-suryeon was a person much like Tang So-wol—the very woman Seol Ri-hyang had so admired and striven to emulate.
And now, Seol Ri-hyang stood on the training ground, ready to spar with that very Wi Ji-suryeon.
'I know. If we fight, I'll surely lose.'
It wasn't as if Seol Ri-hyang had slacked off in her martial training over the past three years. Collapsing into sleep from sheer exhaustion was a daily occurrence, and calluses never had a chance to fade from her hands.
The intensity was such that, though it was a bit embarrassing to admit, she surely would have struggled to endure it without Cheon Hwi's meridian cleansing.
However, the same held true for her opponent. No—her opponent's training was likely even harsher.
The training Seol Ri-hyang had received from her master, the Deputy Commander of the Dark Soul Unit, was not something that could be overcome in a short span of time.
It was called training and discipline precisely because it demanded time and effort, honing and polishing one's skills.
Wi Ji-suryeon's training, accumulated since childhood, would surely far surpass the weight of Seol Ri-hyang's past three years.
'But.'
Seol Ri-hyang, having finished her fist-and-palm salute, raised her head for a moment. There were faces clearly visible even among the countless spectators.
Cheon Hwi wore his usual impassive expression, and Tang So-wol was smiling faintly as if to encourage her.
'I have to show them.'
That she, who had received help back then, had grown this much. That even if she was still lacking now, she would grow stronger in the future and one day repay more than what she had received.
If that day ever came…
Tang So-wol swallowed the rest of her words and took her stance.
One foot forward, the opposite foot turned sideways and planted behind.
She let the whip she had unfastened from her waist hang long, gripping its handle firmly.
The most basic stance, one from which she could strike at any moment or throw her body in any direction.
In response, Wi Ji-suryeon also took a ready stance, pointing her loosely hanging sword toward Seol Ri-hyang.
Before long, the bell signaling the start of the sparring match rang out.
At the same moment, a biting cold surged through Seol Ri-hyang's meridians.