Now, famous not as a martial artist but as the coachman of the Bicheongmacha, Tang Do-yeon opened the window of the inn. A refreshing breeze brought a glimpse of the spectacular scenery of Yeo-ga Mountain Villa.
It looked absolutely impeccable compared to any sect or clan in the Martial World. With the hustle and bustle of those preparing for the wedding ceremony in the background, Tang Do-yeon felt nostalgic.
Soon, a wedding ceremony for Ho Cheon-an and his companions would take place here.
The once Sacheon Outcast, Iryu, who had desperately knocked on the door of the Bicheongmacha, was now a well-known expert, soon to become the clan head. As someone who had traveled alongside Ho Cheon-an on his journey, Tang Do-yeon was filled with mixed emotions.
When will he ever mature?
It was a constant nagging from the elders of the Tang Clan. Every time Tang Do-yeon heard those complaints, she thought, if giving up the pace of the Bicheongmacha means growing up, then she would live forever as a child.
In Tang Do-yeon’s eyes, Ho Cheon-an appeared to be similar to herself.
A troublemaker who couldn’t stand still for even a moment without causing a ruckus. Although he pretended to be composed on the outside, he couldn’t survive without eventually spilling his innermost feelings.
Despite having different paths, Ho Cheon-an, whom she regarded as a comrade, was about to get married and become the clan head, which left her feeling a bit disheartened.
However, when she thought of the companions who had shared adventures together, her thoughts changed. They may not have been sitting at the same table, but they had shared the same views, eaten together, and sometimes sweated together while stargazing. Thinking back on the oblivious Ho Cheon-an, who had no idea of their hardships, it truly was a joyous day.
“Let’s accept it.”
Standing by the window, breathing in the fresh air, Tang Do-yeon nodded. As a coachman, it was only natural to guide the passengers safely to their destination before they departed from the journey.
Just then, amidst the chaos in her heart, there came a loud bang!
With the sound of the door opening, a sharp voice pierced through.
“Elder sister! Wake this mess up!”
“Grrr…”
It was Tang Rye-ah dragging along Tang So-yeol, who was drooling as he had fallen asleep. Seeing Tang So-yeol like that, Tang Do-yeon sighed.
Having stayed up late last night with the Heavenly Demon Wi Seoryeon, this was the outcome.
Tang Do-yeon took a pipe from Tang So-yeol and hit the top of his head.
Whack!
“Gyaaah!!!”
Even Rye-ah, who looked like she might eat Tang So-yeol alive, flinched at the resolve. As Tang Do-yeon lifted the drooling Tang So-yeol off the ground by the scruff of his neck, she spoke.
“Are you really going to miss the wedding of Ho Cheon-an and his companions because of a hangover? If so, I will ensure you sleep forever.”
“I-I’m up! I’m up!”
Having laid back on the reputation of being a Martial World Hero, Tang So-yeol’s lazy habits had to change, and he jolted awake.
Tang Do-yeon typically avoided touching Tang So-yeol since he handled the maintenance of the Bicheongmacha. But seeing that he hadn’t even arrived on the Bicheongmacha this time, Tang Do-yeon felt no need to spare him at all.
Realizing that Tang Do-yeon really would hit him with the pipe again, Tang So-yeol sprang up.
“Let’s go! Let’s go!”
With Tang So-yeol rubbing his head while grumbling, Tang Rye-ah and Tang Do-yeon headed towards the banquet hall. As they entered, greetings began pouring in from all around. Friends formed through traveling the world while carrying the amulets of the Mosan Sect.
“Oh, it’s Miss Tang Do-yeon!”
“Good morning.”
“Do-yeon, it’s been a while.”
“Have you been well?”
Rye-ah’s eyes turned wide. The guests invited by Ho Cheon-an were all big names in the world, except for Ho Cheon-an’s personal acquaintances. How could Tang Do-yeon know most of these significant figures?
In Rye-ah’s mind, Tang Do-yeon’s status abruptly skyrocketed from being a distracted coachman to a renowned female martial artist.
Unaware of Rye-ah’s thoughts, Tang Do-yeon greeted the prominent figures with a polite nod, pondering where to sit.
First, she noticed the Poison Doctor Tang speaking with Master Cheongheo. After a moment of hesitation, she shook her head. It wouldn’t be right to interrupt the gathering where Tang Do-gyeong had been cooped up due to the rebuilding of the Tang Clan.
Ignoring the growling Sabok Seol and Ak Gyeong-cheol, she searched for another place to sit.
Her gaze landed on the strikingly present Heavenly Demon Wi Seoryeon. The banquet hall was crowded with guests, but surprisingly, there was only Tang Do-gyeong sitting next to Wi Seoryeon, leaving the space largely vacant, making it seem like a pretty decent spot.
“Hmmm.”
However, Tang Do-yeon took her eyes off Wi Seoryeon and searched for another seat. The presence of Tang So-yeol, who was magnetically drawn to Wi Seoryeon, made staying close seem dangerous as it was likely he would drink too much and collapse right there.
Tightly grasping the back of Tang So-yeol’s neck, who was trying to sneak toward Wi Seoryeon, Tang Do-yeon began to look for the next spot. Should she squeeze in with the Nine Great Sects or the Five Great Clans? Or how about sitting near Sacheon Governor Samayeom? After a moment’s thought, Tang Do-yeon shook her head internally.
While she had a slight acquaintance with Samayeom, boasting her status as a martial artist among officials and being surrounded by them didn’t sit well with her, either.
Being with the Sacheon Outcasts didn’t seem too bad, either. She thought this briefly but noted that the Black Rib, one of the outcasts, was scattered throughout the banquet hall.
Finally, her gaze shifted to a group of young men gathered in one area. Spotting someone among them, Tang Do-yeon pulled Tang So-yeol over there without hesitation.
“Miss, I am the Master of the Gold Wall Clan, Jang Yong-jeong. Meeting such a beautiful woman from a foreign land like you, my heart feels like it’s about to burst.”
“I’ve always had great interest in your martial arts. If you don’t mind, could you satisfy my curiosity about your martial techniques?”
“I-I…”
Before she could register romantic feelings, Rano Sara was caught off guard by the onslaught of attention from the youth. The person blocking the way for Rano Sara was none other than Seo Gong.
Smack!
Zap!
Snuggling up satisfyingly in Sara’s arms, Seo Gong glared intimidatingly, shooing away the advances of the eager young men. While some of the boys felt uncomfortable, they couldn’t provoke the ethereal being and could do nothing but endure.
Tang Do-yeon pushed through the standoff to interject.
“Is this where you are?”
“Ah, Elder Sister!”
Rano Sara’s face lit up. Rye-ah’s mouth dropped open when she saw Rano Sara for the first time. If she hadn’t met the Black Cat, she might have thought, “How could anyone be this beautiful?”
Even though she had heard whispers about the Nine Yin’s beauty guarantee, seeing it in real life was something else entirely.
Seeing Rano Sara smiling so radiantly was enough to leave even fellow women like Rye-ah speechless, while the young men stood there dumbfounded, unable to recover from their giddy state.
Just then, Tang Do-yeon’s voice rang clear over the oblivious youth’s mumbles.
“By the way, what are the young masters of noble clans doing surrounding a guest from afar?”
“Ah, no, no. That’s not it.”
“We were merely making conversation since the guest appeared to be alone…”
Tang Do-yeon’s polite words, laced with an underlying determination akin to a whip, made the eager youth flinch.
“W-what!?”
But before one of the young men could retort, stumbling for words in an attempt at confrontation, his mouth clamped shut as he locked eyes with Tang Do-yeon.
The difference in their experiences was stark. The boy, who had just recently entered the Martial World, stood before Tang Do-yeon, who had roamed the world to become a significant figure.
People might assess both as stars in an ever-rotating sky, but the chasm between them was unbridgeable.
Realizing this, the young man bit his lip and stepped back. Any show of bravado would only lead to chaos, and the aftermath would likely include an embarrassing defeat.
As Tang Do-yeon chased away the young men with just her gaze, Tang Rye-ah blinked in amazement.
…When did my elder sister become this cool?
It seemed that Tang Rye-ah wasn’t the only one with such thoughts; Rano Sara lit up and ran towards Tang Do-yeon.
“Elder Sister! You’re so amazing!”
“Hehe, you’ve become incredibly beautiful while I’ve been away. You’ve really grown up.”
“Oh, please… I have a long way to go to be as wonderful as you.”
As they happily engaged in conversation, Seo Gong threw up its paws and exclaimed, “Has it come to this again, familiar human!”
“It has been a while, Seo Gong.”
After finishing her reunion with Sara and Seo Gong, Tang Do-yeon remembered Rye-ah and introduced her to Sara.
“This is my younger sister, Rye-ah.”
“Oh, you’re the one with the Ho-cheon relic…”
Tang Rye-ah pondered while facing Sara. Ego and competitive spirit are not limited to just men. Having become aware of Sara’s presence through Ho Cheon-an and his entourage, Rye-ah unconsciously viewed her as a rival.
Just like herself, Sara enjoyed the attention of the elder sisters and possessed the Ho-cheon relic. In particular, Rye-ah disliked that Sara had the lower tier of the Ho-cheon relic.
When secret texts are divided into upper and lower categories, the upper generally contains foundational knowledge while the actual profound secrets are found in the lower category, which naturally made her feel inferior.
Rye-ah recalled this, analyzing their abilities coldly. Level of martial arts? Higher with Sara. The absurd power of the Nine Yin? She had it too. Beauty? Sara was definitely more attractive than herself. Is the exchange value of the Ho-cheon relic? Sara’s was higher.
In an instant, the decision was made.
“May I call you older sister?”
With a friendly expression, Rye-ah boldly took Sara’s hand. Tang Do-yeon momentarily imagined a fox tail sprouting out from Rye-ah’s backside and swaying with delight.
Though surprised by Rye-ah’s proactive attitude, Sara quickly accepted her since she had also shared a bond of familiarity through Black Cat and Miss Yeo Il-ye.
Tang Do-yeon smiled wryly at the rapidly befriending pair and beckoned towards the two Black Ribs who had been eyeing the situation. Seizing the chance, Seo I-ryeong dashed over, while Jo Yong-sang shuffled over awkwardly.
“Please, both of you take your seats comfortably.”
“Thank you! Miss Do-yeon!”
While they exchanged salutations, Seo I-ryeong’s eyes remained glued to Seo Gong, showcasing her clear intent. Tang Do-yeon couldn’t help but think this person had quite the objective.
As Rye-ah clung to Sara, Seo Gong, who had been sidelined, settled near Tang Do-yeon.
“Would you like to pet it?”
“Can I really?”
Before finishing her words, Seo I-ryeong placed her hands on Seo Gong’s body. Tang Do-yeon chuckled while offering friendly advice to Seo I-ryeong.
“Seo Gong generally dislikes people who annoy him. The more attention you pay, the harder it becomes to get close. So instead of fussing over it, give it a gentle and relaxed petting, and it’ll appreciate it.”
“Oh, I see.”
With a diminished energy level, Seo Gong remained still, while Seo I-ryeong’s face began to glow with joy. Noticing this, Tang Do-yeon turned her attention to Jo Yong-sang.
“Would you like to give it a try too, Young Hero?”
“Um… is that alright?”
Jo Yong-sang’s demeanor suggested he understood there was no reason to decline the suggestion. Yet Tang Do-yeon had questions—was Jo Yong-sang not interested in Seo Gong since he was with Seo I-ryeong?
Her question was soon answered.
Blocking Jo Yong-sang’s approach like an overprotective guardian, Seo I-ryeong’s eyes widened as she reacted.
“Hey, wasn’t Young Hero here to express interest in Sara? Now that you have no competitor, why not strike up a conversation?”
“W-what do you mean by that…!”
Stammering, Jo Yong-sang’s voice brimmed with indignation rather than embarrassment. Tang Do-yeon observed Jo Yong-sang’s pleading gaze toward Seo I-ryeong and quickly understood the situation.
It seemed Jo Yong-sang’s target was not Seo Gong but rather Seo I-ryeong.
‘Oh dear… this is quite the predicament.’
Tang Do-yeon shot a sympathetic glance toward Jo Yong-sang, who had been instructed to fawn over another woman in front of the woman he liked, making Jo Yong-sang’s face redden in an instant.
As Jo Yong-sang and Tang Do-yeon exchanged glances, Seo I-ryeong gasped.
“Ah! Was this your intention? I’m so sorry I didn’t catch on sooner.”
“No! Absolutely not!”
“Tut tut, what a fuss you’re making.”
Watching the commotion, Tang So-yeol rolled his eyes and shook his head, filling the air with his smoke. As expected from Ho Cheon-an’s acquaintances, they were all rowdy and didn’t quite seem right.
But while it ensured he wasn’t bored during the gatherings, it wasn’t without its merits.
Lost in thought, Tang So-yeol took a deep breath of the smoke. Yes, it was definitely fun, but sitting comfortably at the Tang Clan, now that he thought about it, was also a fine life.
He exhaled the smoke reflectively. One has to travel occasionally to savor true adventure. If one wanders around forever, is it really an adventure?
Therefore, perhaps it was finally time to rest.
The one who had been rampaging around the world had finally settled down, so what more could he ask for?
“Oh! It seems the meal is starting soon!”
At Tang Rye-ah’s shout, Tang So-yeol shifted his gaze to the center of the banquet hall. Ho Cheon-an entered, dressed in lavish ceremonial attire. Tang So-yeol couldn’t help mumbling under his breath.
“I don’t know whose disciple he is, but he’s really quite inept.”
Applause erupted loudly, drowning out Tang So-yeol’s mutterings as the wedding ceremony began.
