Chapter 258

Gongson Yo-ye’s deer-like eyes started to glisten with big, round tears.

Just when they seemed like they wouldn’t fall, they eventually trickled down along her facial curves.

Then, like a heavy downpour, she unleashed a torrent of thick tears.

“Sometimes. No, almost always, I wanted to throw it all away and live like an ordinary woman. *Sniff*, I endured for my ambition, I really did, but how could they crush it so mercilessly…?”

It felt like someone had seriously touched her sore spot.

The sore spot refers to a dragon’s inverted scale, said to be a single scale that grows backward on a dragon’s jaw. Even a dragon that has cultivated for thousands of years can reach its limits of patience; once that spot is pricked, it becomes uncontrollable rage, turning into the absolute enemy even if it means reverting to a mere dragon.

So, to mention touching the sore spot means something significant.

In this case, Gongson Yo-ye’s sore spot was being disregarded as a martial artist.

Her life was solely composed of time spent sharpening her martial skills.

To be looked down upon as a martial artist was perfectly equivalent to disregarding her entire life.

Qing was deeply startled.

Why is she crying? Is there really a reason to cry?

“Y-Yeah. Just wait a moment. Let’s take a deep breath, okay?”

“That kind of—”

“Here! Take this!”

Qing shouted loudly to stop Gongson Yo-ye from exploding once more and handed her a box.

“Hey. Stop crying. Here, this. They say it’s good to take an elixir when True Energy gets damaged. I specially brought this for you?”

“I don’t need this kind of thing—”

“Oh, this is the Great Elixir, you know? The one from Shaolin Temple. It’s no joke.”

Gongson Yo-ye froze at that.

Of course, she was still sobbing, letting out a *hic* as her body reflexively inhaled.

“The Great Elixir? Are you kidding me? Or is it really… *sniff*, the Great Elixir?”

“It’s really the Great Elixir. Great Master Muhak personally prepared it for you.”

“Why would Great Master Muhak…?”

“I told him there’s a friend whose True Energy is damaged, and he readily gave it. It’s not like I went through some huge ordeal to get it, so don’t feel too burdened.”

At that, Gongson Yo-ye’s mind suddenly cleared up.

It felt like a bucket of cold water had been thrown over her.

“You’re giving this to me? Such a precious, invaluable thing…”

“I brought it just for you!”

At that, Gongson Yo-ye had a major realization.

This person, to him, the martial competition and all worldly riches and honors are nothing much. Just the life of a friend, since True Energy is too precious.

The Great Elixir is a treasure that counts as an extra life; simply having it known could put her life at risk. Yet here he was, casually pulling it out and handing it over. More valuable than such a treasure is the life of a friend, which he thinks is too precious to waste on the martial competition.

So, like explosive gunpowder, Gongson Yo-ye’s outrage ultimately just blew up her own house.

And now came the overwhelming embarrassment.

“Uh, um, Young Lady Seomun? I’m so sorry. I said such harsh things. What should I do? I guess I don’t even deserve to be your friend. While Young Lady Seomun cares for me like this, I’m doubting you, so how can I even be a friend, I’m just a worthless person—”

“Oh, it’s normal for friends to argue sometimes. Hmm, honestly, I did think you were pitiable. But that’s not why we became friends, right? If so, wouldn’t everyone who’s pitiable be your friend?”

“No, it’s precisely because I’m like this that I have no friends. I’m so sorry, I’m sorry…”

“No, it’s okay.”

Qing continued to console Gongson Yo-ye, who seemed ready to burrow into the ground in her shame.

In fact, Gongson Yo-ye had exploded three times already. Normally she was well-behaved, but once she lost her temper, she went off like a firecracker.

The first time was when Qing handed her the hairpin. The second was just now. And before Qing arrived, it was the first explosion where she had lashed out at the Phoenix Association members who were just playing games and flirting during the tournament held by the Dragon and Phoenix Association. She had scolded them angrily for acting like fools just trying to attract men, completely at a loss as to whether they were martial artists or courtesans.

The members of the Phoenix Association had treated Gongson Yo-ye as though she were invisible, held back by their misplaced pride.

Anyway, Gongson Yo-ye was thoroughly broken by shame, remorse, and fear.

It took quite a while for her to finally calm down from what felt like a very serious crime against Qing.

“I can’t accept this. I appreciate it, but it’s a treasure I can’t handle. Young Lady Seomun knows this too, right? We say that treasures we can’t handle bring bloodshed.”

“Then can’t you just take it now?”

Gongson Yo-ye smiled brightly at that.

Her eyes were swollen and puffy, making her look rather unpresentable.

“Once I reach supreme mastery, I’ll be fine. Besides, my family has some elixirs prepared, so I won’t just use any True Energy carelessly.”

“Ah. That makes sense. But still, if you keep it until it’s needed later—”

“No. I won’t accept it.”

She then firmly grasped Qing’s hand and said seriously.

“I want you, Young Lady Seomun, to give your best in the finals.”

“If you’re using up your lifespan like this, how am I supposed to treat you like a friend?”

“Young Lady Seomun, I was genuinely looking forward to competing in the finals. I really wanted to share the stage with you, giving it my all. I’ve been waiting for this moment so eagerly. I got angry when you said you’d look out for me.”

“But knowing you’re burning through your lifespan, how can I do that?”

Then Gongson Yo-ye looked straight into Qing’s eyes. As someone who usually avoided eye contact, it was clear that she was being sincere.

Of course, with her eyelids so red, it subtly marred her expression.

“Will you truly do that for me? Even in my short lifetime, I want to think I lived for it. Please, join me for the moment I’m most looking forward to in life, okay?”

With such yearning, Qing could only reluctantly nod.

—-

Qing was not from the Central Plain.

He came from a world where the community’s values placed roots far below that of the individual, suddenly finding himself in a foreign land.

So to Qing, Gongson Yo-ye’s outburst was merely a blip.

However, objectively speaking, Qing was in the wrong.

If Seomun Sulin had heard this conversation, she would have brought down tears and made him feel the consequences of his harsh words.

What Qing had said roughly boiled down to this.

Why risk your life for just a martial competition?

With that silly strategy, don’t waste your life; I’d rather just let you win.

But Gongson Yo-ye truly risked her life.

All her training, all her life, was preparation for moments like these.

So, Qing essentially denied her entire existence.

Moreover, having believed and relied on him as her only friend made the betrayal even more painful.

If it weren’t for something as precious as the Great Elixir, she might not have even considered Qing’s sincerity.

It was a betrayal painfully bitter and hurtful.

Yet, Qing still couldn’t understand.

What’s so significant about the martial competition? No, even more fundamentally, what’s so important about clinging to family?

Why sacrifice precious life for the family?

What’s so important about family?

Shouldn’t family exist for the sake of the people? Why should people be ground down for the family?

Even if the Gongson Family were a fallen, crumbling slum, maybe that would be different, but they weren’t.

It was a well-known, prominent family in the Central Plain, just lacking in top-tier prestige.

Even if they were officially noted as “Gong,” everyone calls them Gongson as long as there’s no dispute.

In fact, it’s more like a martial sect than a family. Qing felt this difference deeply.

“You mean Gongson Yo-ye not drawing her sword is a huge display of restraint? Don’t speak such nonsense unless you’re trying to make an enemy.”

“This time, Qing Ah was in the wrong. Making that kind of comment to someone who’s willing to put their life on the line in the tournament is downright absurd. She’s worked hard for her family’s ambition.”

“Hmm. I was disappointed; I never thought of you as a swordsman. Maybe I should consider demoting you to swordsman.”

That was Pang Dae-san and Tang Nan-ah, along with Namgoong Shin-jae’s responses.

When they asked if that was such a big deal to be mad about, they all expressed the same sentiment: why would you say such nonsense?

And what was that about being demoted?

Honestly, Qing had no idea.

Was it really such an outrageous thing? If she genuinely wanted to fulfill the family ambition, wouldn’t it be better to just let her win gracefully? Qing didn’t have to use True Energy, did he?

As a martial artist?

What even is a martial artist? What do they do? A martial artist simply wields a sword and acts independently, opposing the government while proudly strutting about.

Hmm. Isn’t that like a cartel?

Anyway.

Would I be able to wield my sword sincerely in the finals? Knowing she’s clearly risking her life?

What does it even mean to wield my sword sincerely?

Isn’t martial arts meant to cut down enemies?

So unless it’s for taking lives or a Life and Death Match, how could there even be such a thing as sincerity?

The sword is for cutting.

It’s for self-defense.

A shield to protect those I care for.

A means to take down villains and gain enjoyment.

But how could a sincere martial competition even exist?

Shouldn’t using lethal techniques in a duel be the very definition of sincerity? If there’s no lethal intention in a duel, does it make it insincere?

This was a dilemma he had never encountered before in his life.

It felt like an unresolvable conundrum.

However, Qing had a small advantage.

He wasn’t shy about asking others when he didn’t understand something, while being quite used to failure at figuring things out on his own.

If no one around him could provide insight, he’d simply put off the question until later.

And that often led to forgetting, which stunted his growth.

Anyway, Qing decided to ask.

“Master, what is martial arts?”

“…? You’re only asking this now?”

Seomun Sulin was taken aback.

Every martial artist harbors their own sword in their heart. Though Seomun Sulin expresses this through her swordsmanship, each person defines their martial arts uniquely.

This is why martial artists infuse their personal meaning into the world with their blades.

This is thus training in martial arts.

But is that truly a question a top-tier master should be asking at the peak of their craft?

Someone incapable of mastering their own swordwork couldn’t possibly cross the threshold of mastery, meaning this question came far too late.

Yet, it was fortunate and admirable that someone still sought answers, no matter how late it was.

Seomun Sulin saw him as still so young, almost like a little child just learning to walk.

“Hundreds of people have hundreds of martial arts, which means this teacher can’t carelessly impose on you. But disciple, why must you train in martial arts?”

Qing pondered a moment before replying.

“Um. To survive?”

Qing’s martial arts were merely a means of survival.

Even now, they were still a work in progress.

When he attained that peak mastery, he felt pompous like a great master, yet there were always scholars who had managed to leap to supreme levels popping up here and there, alongside cultivators at the realm of transformation appearing out of nowhere.

“I see. You said you come from a long line of Ronins.”

Seomun Sulin nodded in agreement.

“Given how you are, it’s no wonder your mastery isn’t progressing. It’s truly a pleasure to see you finally questioning this.”

“Um. Is it really that important?”

“Absolutely. It is a big deal. You must define what martial arts mean to you, and why you wield your sword. Otherwise, aren’t you just mindlessly wandering a rough road with your eyes closed?”

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