Sword God Reborn

Chapter 224 : Do you have a thing for younger women?

"So, you're saying that young lady is the niece of Head Escort Jang?"

It was a pleasant voice. If one were to recite a poem with such a voice, it would be quite worth listening to.

But Neung-heo was now thoroughly sick of that voice.

"How many times are you going to ask? I told you she's Jang No's niece, and since she was going to meet Jang No anyway, the Lord brought her along."

"Is that true?"

As Zhuge Seola thrust her face forward and widened her eyes, Neung-heo was inwardly flustered.

In fact, Neung-heo did not believe all of Cheon Mubaeck's words either.

Where would Neung-heo's intuition go? He had sufficiently guessed that there was more to the story hidden within.

'Seeing how he aimed his sword and his expression turned serious, there must be another reason.'

Since he had blocked the sound, there was no way he could have heard anything.

"I told you it's true."

"Hmm. Then well..."

When Cheon Mubaeck suddenly brought a young woman from the ironworks, Zhuge Seola's mind was complicated in many ways.

A pretty appearance with an exotic feel, as if she had mixed blood from the Western Regions.

How busy had she been, giving the closing speech at the World Debate as Cheon Mubaeck had requested?

But when Cheon Mubaeck, who had gone to the ironworks, brought Yu Seoryeong, she felt a strange emotion for some reason.

Fortunately, upon hearing that she was the niece of Jang No, whom Zhuge Seola had also seen while staying at the Azure Star Escort Agency, her emotions subsided to some extent.

Still, she felt a strange feeling that kept poking at her nerves.

'There's something to it.'

Should she call it a woman's intuition?

She had seen Cheon Mubaeck taking care of Yu Seoryeong without realizing it. For example, ordering Neung-heo not to leave Yu Seoryeong's side.

In fact, it was not protection, but he had given Neung-heo the role of surveillance.

Then, she suddenly remembered a young girl named Chae Garyeong who was in the Righteous Alliance.

There was a friend named Chae Garyeong who was an excellent physician and had great skills in making medicine.

While staying in the Righteous Alliance, Zhuge Seola had realized that Chae Garyeong had a deeper connection with Cheon Mubaeck than she had thought.

'He saved her, and he didn't kill her master who had become a Bidara, but helped him?'

It could be that she simply admired him as her savior.

But seeing her face turn red whenever Cheon Mubaeck was mentioned, it did not seem like that.

Perhaps the embroidery on the bundle of medicine she had seen when she first met Cheon Mubaeck was also done by Chae Garyeong.

Zhuge Seola felt a sense of crisis anew.

The common point between Chae Garyeong and Yu Seoryeong.

'......Does he have a thing for younger women?'

Zhuge Seola's expression darkened as she became newly aware that she was four years older than Cheon Mubaeck.

"......What are you so serious about by yourself?"

"Why was I born so early?"

Neung-heo made a dumbfounded expression as he looked at the sighing Zhuge Seola.

* * *

Although the World Debate was not over, a certain direction had been set.

However, it would take a long time for a definite public consensus to emerge.

Cheon Mubaeck slowly prepared to go to Henan.

"My, my, the number of companions has increased more than I thought."

"What can you do? They say the father-in-law loves his daughter-in-law."

"Ahem. Well, thank you."

Neung-heo expressed his gratitude awkwardly.

If it were just Cheon Mubaeck and Neung-heo, they would have already left, but the reason for the slight delay was where his gaze was directed.

"Father, I am worried that you will ruin your health by going all the way to Henan for your hard work. I will accompany my brother."

"You brat, Gok-ah! You look down on your father! I am the one who wandered the world to find a teacher to learn academics! What's so hard about going to Henan!"

Neung-heo's father, Neung Jo, and his younger brother, Neung Gok, also joined the journey to Henan.

Neung Gok might be young, but Neung Jo was an old man who had long since passed his sixtieth birthday.

But he insisted on going to Henan, showing off his old age, and Cheon Mubaeck could not stop him.

First, he had received help to participate in the World Debate, and he could not win against the justification that he had to visit his daughter-in-law who was about to give birth.

"There's no need to rush. Sometimes you have to go back."

Cheon Mubaeck said it as if it were no big deal.

As a result of investigating Yu Seoryeong a little more in the meantime, he had learned that his guess was almost close to the truth.

'Jang No must be in an important position in the Sword Sect.'

Listening to the story of Yu Seoryeong's master, he seemed to be in the upper echelon among the few remaining demons of the Sword Sect.

It was presumed that such a person's senior brother was Jang No.

He was almost certain.

A demon with the surname Jang who belonged to the Sword Sect in Henan Province.

No matter how he thought about it, Cheon Mubaeck could not help but think of Jang No.

Especially, he must have a great influence to the extent that he was entrusted with the decision of whether the Sword Sect would join hands with the Blood Demon Valley this time.

It was a fact that was beyond his expectations, but there was no big problem.

The important thing was that the direction of the Sword Sect had not yet been decided.

Unlike other demons, Cheon Mubaeck could not help but treat the Sword Sect a little differently.

'Foolish bastards. It's all my fault. My fault.'

He had no intention of creating a religious order, but the Sword Sect was naturally created as martial artists who followed him gathered.

Cheon Mubaeck did not have much awareness of being the leader of the Sword Sect.

At that time, he was just annoyed.

Because he had unavoidably learned demonic arts and had become a demon due to the incompleteness of the Heaven-Shaking Soul Art.

When one becomes a demon, one is bound to be tainted by the demonic nature itself, and one's original personality is bound to become evil.

Since he had numerous heart demons in his heart, he could not think of helping the group that followed him.

He could not particularly help the Sword Sect, which was branded as a traitor in the Demonic Path and was persecuted.

Because in his subsequent lives, the Demonic Path was always the enemy.

Cheon Mubaeck, who had a considerable sense of debt, was thinking of leaving it to Jang No's choice.

'Will you stay within my fence, or will you leave?'

After that, it would become clear how to treat the Sword Sect.

Anyway, since the direction of the Sword Sect depended on Jang No, there was still time to be leisurely.

Cheon Mubaeck slyly followed Neung-heo and turned his gaze.

"This kind of hairpin is also nice. Sister Seolyeong will like this kind of feeling."

"Is that so? Hoho. This old man has to have given a gift to his daughter-in-law to know."

"I don't know much about Sister Seolyeong either, but let's see. Aren't these things also very pretty? They are accessories with a feeling that women would definitely like."

Zhuge Seola, who was stuck next to Neung Jo who had come to the market to buy a gift for his daughter-in-law, chattered and gave advice.

Seeing the smile on her face, she was happily stepping forward as if it were her own business.

"Mister. You have to come and choose yourself, things like this."

"Huh? What..."

"Mister, you've never given a proper gift to Sister Seolyeong, have you? You have to score points at times like this. Hurry up."

Neung-heo, who had been just watching from beside Cheon Mubaeck, walked to the stall with an awkward look.

In fact, it was Zhuge Seola's one-man show. The three Neung father and sons had never given a proper gift to a woman, so they had no choice but to rely on Zhuge Seola's advice.

"Wow. Isn't this hairpin so pretty?"

At that moment, Zhuge Seola's eyes sparkled as she discovered a butterfly-shaped hairpin made of jade at the stall.

At that, Neung-heo tilted his head.

"Well. That has a very pure and clean feeling. And our Seolyeong usually uses a chae rather than a jam."

There were two types of hairpins.

Jam and chae, the jam had a long body and a round head, and the chae had a semicircular round body with decorations.

"Hmph. This is really pretty."

As Neung-heo shook his head more firmly than expected, Zhuge Seola put down the butterfly hairpin with a disappointed look.

Then, at a sudden thought, Zhuge Seola said.

"She likes to play musical instruments, right? If you give her a musical instrument as a gift, wouldn't she like it?"

At those words, the three Neung father and sons' faces brightened, but Neung Gok made a somewhat reluctant expression.

"Actually, a musical instrument is not that easy to give as a gift if you're an outsider..."

At that, Zhuge Seola's eyes sparkled.

"Young Master Cheon! You play musical instruments well..."

The gazes were focused on Cheon Mubaeck, who was watching from a step away.

At Zhuge Seola's sparkling eyes and Neung-heo's subtly expectant gaze, and in addition, the gazes of the three Neung father and sons, Cheon Mubaeck sighed.

"Let's go to the musical instrument store."

* * *

It was a very strange feeling.

Cheon Mubaeck was feeling a comfort that he had not felt recently.

'Come to think of it, I've been quite busy.'

He had gone to Zhejiang and had experienced quite a big incident at the Black Society, and after that, he had participated in the World Debate and had used his head a lot.

In addition, he had finally obtained the sacred object and had become able to freely handle immortal energy.

He had done more things than he had thought.

Was that why?

The moment he entered the musical instrument store, Cheon Mubaeck felt a strange comfort.

It was a peculiarity that he could only feel in this life among his numerous reincarnations.

He, who had felt comfort in a place surrounded by all sorts of swords, now felt comfort in a musical instrument store.

"What kind of musical instrument would be good?"

Neung-heo had told Zhuge Seola to go with him, saying that he would take his father and younger brother to share some family affection.

Cheon Mubaeck looked around and suddenly stopped in front of a pipa.

"This would be good."

"Hmm? You know just by looking?"

"Doesn't the young lady also have a certain feeling when she just looks at a sword?"

"Aha. You mean that a sword and a musical instrument are similar to you, Young Master."

"Well, I don't know if it's to that extent... This one feels the best."

"Still, shouldn't you listen to the sound of the instrument once?"

Cheon Mubaeck glanced at her sparkling eyes. He could clearly see her intention.

Come to think of it, he had not let her hear him play recently.

Because he had been so busy recently, he had not played any musical instruments.

Now that the realm of the Heaven-Shaking Soul Art had risen, the flow of his internal energy was smooth even if he did not play a musical instrument.

In the first place, the reason for accumulating internal energy by playing a musical instrument was that the speed and amount were superior.

However, Cheon Mubaeck's current realm had surpassed the level where he could grow just by increasing the total amount of accumulated internal energy.

Now was the time to move forward with intense enlightenment.

Cheon Mubaeck slowly picked up the pipa.

With Zhuge Seola's expectant gaze behind him, Cheon Mubaeck closed his eyes.

'What would be good?'

Various melodies came to mind.

Then, suddenly, the image of the three Neung father and sons flickered in Cheon Mubaeck's mind.

The sight of the three father and sons, who were not close, sticking together because of a gift for the daughter-in-law looked very peaceful.

It was a peaceful sight that Cheon Mubaeck could not dream of in his numerous reincarnations.

In every life, he had held a sword, fought fiercely, and had only looked at the pinnacle of swordsmanship.

Somehow, Cheon Mubaeck suddenly felt a feeling of envy for such an ordinary scene.

Naturally, Cheon Mubaeck's long, slender fingers plucked the strings of the pipa.

Jing-!

"......!"

The moment the clear sound rang out. Zhuge Seola held her breath without realizing it and listened intently.

It was a quite famous tune.

A tune with lyrics that contained the meaning of finding joy in poverty.

A cheerful and pleasant melody brushed past like the wind.

It was soft and bouncy. It was a beautiful melody that naturally brought a smile to one's lips.

But Zhuge Seola's face gradually darkened. Something was strange.

'Was this... a sad song?'

It was strange.

A heaviness was felt in the cheerful and pleasant melody. It was as if it contained a lament for something she could not reach.

How much time had passed like that?

Cheon Mubaeck lightly finished his performance.

"This would be a good gift."

Cheon Mubaeck said so and put down the pipa. Seeing the tired look on his face, Zhuge Seola felt an emotion that was hard to describe.

'He looks tired.'

At the deep fatigue felt on Cheon Mubaeck's face, which was always confident and full of confidence, a surge of pity rose in Zhuge Seola's heart.

'That's right. Young Master Cheon is fighting alone against the demons for the sake of the martial world. A terribly difficult fight.'

Only then did Zhuge Seola, who had newly remembered Cheon Mubaeck's situation, open her mouth without realizing it.

"I will continue to go with you by your side."

"......?"

"I will be with you by your side, Young Master Cheon, so don't be too tired."

Cheon Mubaeck opened his eyes wide and was silent for a moment, then he smiled lightly.

"Thank you. It is quite a great strength and comfort."

(End of Chapter)