Chapter 14. Sparring Match (1)
"Sowol-ah!!!"
"...!"
Tang Sowol, who had been about to say something, froze with her mouth slightly agape. The timing of the shout was so impeccable that it completely cut her off.
Turning toward the source of the voice, I saw a man in green martial robes running toward us, waving enthusiastically.
His face closely resembled Tang Sowol's.
"Sowol-ah! Sowol-ah! Sowol-ah!"
The man, repeatedly calling out her name, rapidly closed the distance between them.
Judging by his attire and appearance, I could roughly guess who he was, so I subtly increased the distance between myself and Tang Sowol.
"Ah…"
Perhaps predicting what was about to happen, Tang Sowol tightly shut her eyes. Meanwhile, the approaching man's eyes gleamed as he executed a light body movement technique, rapidly reducing the distance.
Pabat!
In the blink of an eye, he was standing right in front of Tang Sowol, tears welling up in his eyes.
"Oh no! Your face has become so thin! How much hardship must you have endured for this to happen?"
"I didn't lose that much weight, though…"
"My dear sister! I've heard everything. Thank goodness you're safe! Are you sure you're all right? Just to be safe, shouldn't you visit the medical hall for a check-up?"
"I'm a little tired, but I wasn't injured. You don't need to worry, brother."
"All right. If you say so, I'll believe you. I don't know which scoundrels dared to lay a hand on the bloodline of the Tang Clan, but don't worry—I'll make sure they live to regret it!"
"Um, it wasn't scoundrels; they were martial artists from an unorthodox sect. And they're all dead already, thanks to Cheon Hwi-da here."
"Unorthodox martial artists, scoundrels—it's all the same. But if he saved you, then this young hero isn't just your benefactor, but mine, and the Tang Clan's as well. Forgive my delayed greeting. I'm Tang Cheong. Ever since the Yongbong Gathering, I've been called the Dark Dragon."
With a bright smile befitting the description of a cheerful young man, Tang Cheong cupped his hands in greeting.
For someone who hailed from a prestigious family and had earned the moniker of 'Dragon,' indicating his considerable martial prowess, he seemed refreshingly approachable.
Just as I was about to return the gesture and introduce myself, Tang Sowol cautiously interrupted in a hesitant tone.
"Um, brother, actually, there's something else I need to tell you…"
"Haha! Are you talking about snacks? Of course, I brought some! Even though I just returned from a mission, I made sure to buy your favorite snacks on the way back. You always pester me for sweets whenever I return from somewhere, so… here."
Tang Cheong pulled out a small pouch from his sleeve. Seeing how nonchalant he was, Tang Sowol jumped in place out of frustration.
"That's from ages ago! That's not what I was trying to say! Brother! What I meant to tell you is that Cheon Hwi-da isn't just my benefactor—he's also my fiancé, appointed by Father!"
"Haha! Enough with the jokes. Fiancé? That's ridiculous…"
"It's true."
"...?"
Tang Cheong turned to me with a creaking motion, like a rusty sword being drawn from its scabbard.
"F-fiancé?"
"Pleased to meet you, brother."
"B-brother?!"
Tang Cheong's voice rose in disbelief. Facing him, I cupped my hands in a polite greeting.
"My name is Cheon Hwi. I am honored to have formed a meaningful bond with Tang Sowol. I look forward to your guidance."
"What did you just say?! A meaningful bond?! Don't tell me…"
"What did you just say? Did you just call me Sowol-soja (young lady)?" Tang Sowol cut in.
"I didn't say that, Tang Sowol."
Tang Cheong gave his sister a bewildered look, as if to ask whether that was really important right now, while Tang Sowol tilted her head in confusion.
I felt a bit guilty, but there was no helping it. Since this was my first meeting with my future brother-in-law, I had tried to maintain proper decorum, but that proved to be easier said than done.
Just as the awkward tension between us seemed to stretch endlessly, the surrounding area began to buzz with onlookers, prompting me to speak first.
"Let's move to a different place. There are too many people here."
Both Tang Sowol and Tang Cheong nodded, still wearing similarly dazed expressions.
Even though I had regressed twenty years into the past, Tang Sowol was still only in her early twenties at this point in time.
After the Tang Clan's destruction in my previous life, her hair had turned white from grief, and her mastery of poison arts had advanced to the point where her eyes gleamed green.
Yet, beneath the loose robes of the Tang Clan, I could still see the familiar soft curves, her distinctive features, and even the sound of her voice—all of it was almost identical to the image of her I remembered.
However, just because I was familiar with the Tang Sowol of my previous life didn't mean I knew everything about her.
After all, what I knew was only the version of Tang Sowol who had lost everything to the demonic sects.
Naturally, I knew almost nothing about her family.
At most, I had only heard bits and pieces—stories about how the Poison King had met a tragic end, and vague mentions of how her brothers cherished her.
But now, standing face-to-face with Tang Cheong, I realized something.
They cared for her far more than I had imagined.
***
As we retraced our steps back the way we came, Tang Cheong, who had been smiling warmly at me earlier, now wore a wary expression, as if he were facing a thief.
"Was what you said earlier true? Are you really Sowol's fiancé?"
"It's hard to believe. Did Father really approve of this?"
Why is it so hard for him to believe? Feeling slightly exasperated, I nodded.
"Yes. While the engagement ceremony hasn't taken place yet, it was the Poison King himself who brought it up."
"I see. I suppose it must be because of her Heavenly Poison Body… Anyway, let me properly introduce myself again. I'm Tang Cheong, the young master of the Sichuan Tang Clan and Sowol's older brother."
"I've heard a lot about you. My name is Cheon Hwi."
"Oh! Sowol talked about me?"
"That's actually not true."
"Eh…"
Tang Cheong clicked his tongue and kicked a pebble on the ground. The stone flew in an oddly precise trajectory, embedding itself deeply into a nearby tree.
The power and accuracy of the strike were impressive—almost as if he were subtly showing off his martial prowess.
Judging by the energy I felt, Tang Cheong's level was that of a fully matured master at the peak stage. Naturally, he would be far stronger than the centenarian swordmaster I had fought before.
After all, since he had reached this stage through orthodox martial arts, there would be few, if any, flaws in his technique. And at the peak level, there was a significant gap in skill between those who had just entered the stage and those who had fully mastered it.
Tang Cheong, who had been grumbling for a while, suddenly smiled brightly.
"Well, if Father personally brought it up, there must have been a good reason. And it's true that our clan owes you a great debt."
"That's correct. Thanks to this situation, I've received an offer beyond my expectations."
"Haha! No matter who it is, anyone would be lucky to have my sister, so don't feel too self-conscious!"
Without a word, I turned to look at Tang Sowol. My expression was meant to convey, Is he always like this?
Sensing my gaze, Tang Sowol, who seemed unable to bear the situation any longer, quickly covered her face with both hands and gave a small nod. Her plump cheeks peeked out between her fingers, and her ears, which had partially emerged from her hair, had turned bright red in the short span of time.
So he's always like this, huh…
"Anyway, can you tell me exactly what happened to my sister? I rushed back as soon as I received the urgent message, so I don't know the full details."
"That's not difficult. Let's start with how I… uh… kidnapped Tang Sowol."
"Wait. What did you just say?"
"Young lady?"
"No, not that! Did you just say you kidnapped her?! Why are you talking about something so outrageous so casually?!"
"It couldn't be helped. Tang Sowol wouldn't listen to me."
"Explain everything from the beginning—leave nothing out!"
"Understood. In that case, I'll begin with the reason I left my hometown…"
"You can skip that part! Start from the moment you first met Sowol!"
Tang Cheong raised his voice, shouting in frustration. I shrugged my shoulders slightly in response.
Man, he's got a lot of demands.
I began recounting the story as he requested, starting from when I first encountered Tang Sowol.
***
"…And that's how it happened."
"You subdued Sowol and kidnapped her? Found a Purple Flower Poison Enhancing Grass by chance? Fought thirty unorthodox martial artists? And one of them was even a peak-level master?"
Despite my sincere explanation, Tang Cheong stared at me with an expression that could only be described as that of someone looking at a con artist.
"This is unbelievable. Do you seriously expect me to believe all that? You might as well claim that you learned about her Heavenly Poison Body from a dream or something!"
"How did you know? One night, I had a terrible nightmare, and when I woke up, the breathing technique for dealing with the Heavenly Poison Body was stuck in my head."
"…What?"
Tang Cheong frowned deeply, his expression becoming visibly displeased. Seeing his reaction, I quickly jabbed Tang Sowol in the side with my elbow.
Poke, poke.
Although Tang Cheong's glare grew sharper, it didn't last long, as Tang Sowol opened her mouth to speak.
"Haa… That last part was nonsense, but the rest of what he said is true, brother. It all sounds absurd, but I experienced every part of it myself. Even Father arrived just as the fight ended, so he can confirm it."
"That must have been incredibly dangerous. I'm relieved you're okay—truly."
Tang Cheong heaved a sigh of relief. Then, after a moment's pause, he added in a slightly annoyed tone.
"I did ask him to explain what happened, but somehow, he makes it sound like I didn't believe a word of it when he said it. Funny, since I got a different vibe when you were talking."
"That's probably because your attitude toward me seemed… a little different."
"Well, of course. If you can't trust your own family, who can you trust? Anyway, since you've been calling me 'brother,' I'll call you 'little brother.' But keep in mind, we're not close enough for me to call you 'brother-in-law' just yet."
His boldness was so overwhelming that instead of feeling slighted, I found it amusing. Tang Cheong nodded approvingly, looking rather pleased with himself, before cautiously asking,
"So, little brother, do you belong to any particular sect? What about your family? You seem quite young—how old are you? And where are you headed now?"
Despite his careful tone, he made sure to ask all the questions he wanted.
"When I came to my senses, I found myself thrown into the world with nothing but my own body. I have no family, nor do I belong to any sect. As for my age, I turned fifteen this year. Right now, I'm heading to the training grounds assigned to me."
I responded without hesitation, and it wasn't Tang Cheong who reacted—it was Tang Sowol.
"Huh? The training grounds assigned to you?"
"Yes. Just a little while ago, you were about to ask me for a sparring match, weren't you? This works out perfectly."
"Um… That's true, but that was only because I wanted to…"
"Only because you wanted to be alone with me? I didn't realize you had such impure intentions."
"I wasn't planning anything inappropriate!"
"Then what were you planning to do?"
"Everything except anything inappropriate!"
As we walked, exchanging lighthearted banter, Tang Cheong alternated between looking at us with pride and a tinge of melancholy, his expression complex.
"So, this day has finally come. It's only natural—she can't remain a child forever."
"Brother? I was only thinking of having a sparring match."
"A sparring match! Of course! I can't believe I didn't think of that!"
Tang Cheong's slumped shoulders straightened, and his half-lidded eyes lit up with renewed vigor. He turned to me with a sharp yet eager gaze.
"Little brother, how about a sparring match with me?"
"No thanks. I don't believe you'll end it with just a sparring match."
"What kind of person do you take me for?! I am Tang Cheong, the young master of the Sichuan Tang Clan, known as the Dark Dragon!"
"Impressive. I'm just a prospective son-in-law of the Tang Clan with no title of my own."
"Kuh! Fine! If you spar with me, I'll reward you with an elixir regardless of the outcome. How about that?"
"Tempting offer, but I've already received a Hundred Poisons Pure Blood Pill recently, so I won't need another elixir for a while."
"What?! You already got one? Who… No, never mind. If elixirs won't entice you, how about a new sword? Our blacksmiths are among the best."
"A sword?"
I glanced down at the weapon hanging from my waist.
It was a sword I had taken from the leader of the Red Sand Gang. While it wasn't a bad weapon, it couldn't compare to a blade crafted by the Tang Clan.
On top of that, the sword had seen plenty of use and was beginning to dull from lack of proper maintenance.
"All right, I'll do it."
Already, I was looking forward to it.