“It is an honor to meet you, Great Hero Seven Star Sword. I am Lim Sa-yeong, captain of the Resolute Rat Gang under Hao Sect. I was so shaken by your sudden visit that I’ve failed to compose myself, and I have shown disgraceful behavior from our very first meeting.”

“…No. The responsibility lies with us for coming without notice. I am only grateful for your hospitality.”

His eyes kept getting drawn to the bow slung over her shoulder rather than her smiling face. Moyong Dan took a reciprocal fist-and-palm salute even while his bewilderment hadn’t fully faded. Sa-yeong, not missing the gap, spoke in a cheerful voice.

“If we talk responsibility, wouldn’t it lie with the source who failed to fulfill their duty, Great Hero? We ended up giving you inexperienced treatment due to the Hao Sect member who failed to send even a single line of contact throughout the journey, but I hope you will show generous tolerance with the punishment just now.”

“…Treatment is too strong a word.”

Moyong Dan, who had never been pushed back in words thanks to his innate perception, closed his mouth after a short reply. Even Moyong Seo, who respected no one except his half-brother, somehow stiffened obediently and only rolled his eyes. It was because the ability of the person standing before them was quite formidable.

Even if they were a family always treated as outliers in the Central Plains and strangers from the edge of the land who were ostracized, the Moyong Clan was a proud member of the Five Great Clans. They had reached this place leading warriors who were prominent even though reduced to a minimum, and the group included the person who would become the family head of the next generation and his brother.

The rudeness of aiming a bow boldly at such people and even shooting an arrow right there was a problem that couldn’t be overlooked at all. Since she belonged to the Hao Sect, which was closely related to the Orthodox Factions but whose work was closer to the Unorthodox Factions, this was a sensitive incident that could be seen as a hostile act between forces.

However, Lim Sa-yeong covered this with a few simple words.

By packaging the event just now as ‘a rebuke toward the Hao Sect member who failed to fulfill their duty’ or ‘older sister Lim Sa-yeong scolding her younger brother Lim Sa-hyeon,’ she implicitly implied the meaning, ‘I know you guys deliberately interfered so he couldn’t send word, so let’s move on with this much.’

Moyong Dan and Moyong Seo had reached this place with undeniable impure intentions. Having already committed acts, they couldn’t say anything even to the one who pulled the bowstring in front of their eyes.

Jiangxi Group… I’ve never heard of them in Liaoning. It’s a regret we didn’t have a proper intelligence organization.

In this situation, letting them talk inside the threshold of the Hao Sect so they wouldn’t become a spectacle was even considered consideration. Moyong Dan, swallowing a sigh quietly, spoke.

“We came to visit urgently like this because we have a matter regarding which we wish to request a face-to-face consultation with the Sect Leader. Excuse me, but could you convey our urgent business?”

“Of course, Great Hero. However, the Sect Leader is currently unavailable due to prior schedules, so I think we can arrange a seat around evening. Is that acceptable?”

“Since we made a shameless visit, we will not rush you. We are grateful just for you making time.”

“We are overwhelmed with gratitude for your understanding. Jang-wi here will guide you to where you will stay.”

The man behind Sa-yeong bowed his head with disciplined motion and took a fist-and-palm salute. Moyong Dan bowed lightly to him and turned first.

Sa-yeong’s two eyes, watching the group leave, lingered on Moyong Seo with a strange look. Moyong Seo, who looked back reflexively, turned his head awkwardly at the unknown pressure when his eyes met Sa-yeong’s.

And Lim Sa-hyeon was left alone in front of his sister. If he wanted to live, he should have fled following the group, but his feet wouldn’t move. The passing Hao Sect members only glanced this way with not a shred of intention to help, and the close friend who said he would talk nicely to his sister had already left quickly.

It was his sister whom he met after a long four years, but he didn’t know what to say. Sweat seeped into the hand holding the wooden arrow, making it damp.

As he was sweating profusely and looking only at his sister’s feet, Sa-yeong spoke bluntly.

“You grew a lot?”

“Uh… uh, huh?”

Startled, Sa-hyeon raised his head. His sister, who had become much smaller than him while they hadn’t seen each other, was looking up at him disapprovingly with the bow on her shoulder and her arms crossed.

No, Lim Sa-hyeon had grown up. Much more than before he left.

“What on earth did you learn in that distant land all this time that you can’t even shake off a brat like that? Did Hero Peng take you and neglect you?”

“N-No, that’s not it…”

Is she okay? Is she not angry? Sa-hyeon examined his sister diligently with his dull wits. The shock of the arrow flying abruptly was too big to relax completely. The words coming out of his mouth were intimidated in a pathetic way unfitting for the renowned name of Heavenly Treasure Blade.

“He’s a bit… fast.”

A master who appeared suddenly, a tournament decided suddenly, a destination decided suddenly, and a close friend who approached suddenly.

As soon as he resolved to become a person who could stand alone, a person who could protect, how much chaos had struck in succession?

The reason Sa-hyeon hadn’t visited Guangdong even once in the past 4 years wasn’t simply because he feared Sa-yeong. It was because of the greed to meet her after becoming a little stronger, a little harder.

But for this… to be ruined in so many ways like this. Sa-hyeon couldn’t hide his mood becoming uncontrollably gloomy.

At that moment, Sa-yeong, who was observing her brother’s ever-changing face closely, clicked her tongue tsk and spoke.

“Idiot, I’m not angry, so don’t get scared in advance. I shot it to suppress the spirit of that rude brat. Do you still not know your sister that well?”

“…Really?”

“You, who got swept up in that saying ‘that’s right’, are also very frustrating, but what can we do. It can’t be helped since your nature is too gentle.”

Actually, until yesterday I wanted to beat you up, but the more I thought about it, the more despicable that side seemed. I know best that my brother is kind.

The words thrown indifferently pierced Sa-hyeon’s chest deeply. Tears that weren’t sorrowful stung the tip of his nose, and his throat choked up stiffly. He couldn’t even know why he felt like crying.

Sa-yeong took a big step forward and spread her arms. Embracing her brother who had grown so big it was burdensome to hold in her arms, she patted his broad back.

“Welcome back, Hyeon-ah. Master is waiting inside too.”

She thought he had changed a lot while they hadn’t seen him, but the habit of burying his face in his sister’s shoulder and sniffling seemed unchanged. Sa-yeong couldn’t hold back the laughter leaking out continuously.

***

The residence prepared by Hao Sect Leader Hui fit Cho Yoon’s taste perfectly.

The furniture, which was surely new, smelled faintly of wood as if used for a long time, and the simple but sturdy furnishings were placed elegantly. Well-dried medicinal herbs and scented candles hung on the loess-plastered walls, and bustling noises were far away.

Cho Yoon rested his elbows on the window frame made of cypress wood and looked outside quietly. Several boats were flowing slowly on the large river leading to the sea. The humid wind mixed with saltiness tickled his cheeks and scattered his white hair. His neat eyelashes lowered gently.

Cho Yoon, who had been sitting calmly and elegantly, thought.

What do I do…

It seemed he was hopelessly wrong about calming down.

It was understandable; it had been a long 8 years.

He hadn’t seen the face of the child he sent to study abroad for nearly ten years and was barely meeting him now, so he couldn’t help but be excited. When he reunited with Sa-yeong, he even hugged her in the marketplace with this solemn body.

As Sa-hyeon’s presence, harboring internal energy of the same nature, was felt from afar, he began to feel anxious beyond excitement. It was fortunate he was ‘Cho Yoon,’ who was static as if living inside an oriental painting always; if he followed his heart, he would have run out barefoot and then some.

While he was struggling to calm his mood staring at the distant river, Cheon-oh, who was tending to medicinal herbs, raised his head.

“It seems Senior Brother has come, Master.”

“Right.”

“Shall we go out to meet him?”

“…That would be good.”

If our youngest says so, I can’t help it!

Cho Yoon, who worried about being seen by others if he went outside Sea Fog Hall, used Cheon-oh as an excuse and rose from his seat holding the window frame. It seemed okay if it was just to the garden visible as soon as one entered, or just to the front of the door.

He had no intention of stepping over the wall, but he naturally accepted and wore the bamboo hat Cheon-oh, who rose following him, offered politely.

The steps pressing down on the earthen floor were light as if flying. Even at this moment, the two familiar presences were getting closer. A thin sharpness like a blade honed sharply for a long time, and a massive weight accumulated by adding steel to steel.

Cheon-oh, who approached quietly before he knew it and stood by his side, spoke low.

“It seems Senior Brother has changed a lot.”

Cho Yoon couldn’t deny this.

The tightly closed door opened slowly.

A scene from long ago was overlaid before Cho Yoon’s eyes. Back then, two small children opened the door from inside a shabby hut and ran out to jump into Cho Yoon. A smaller child was held unconscious in Cho Yoon’s arms, and he was greatly flustered by the unexpected event.

However, the child who was held now guarded his side fully grown, and the two siblings who went out to the wide world returned to Cho Yoon vying with each other through the gap of the open door. Crossing the threshold, bright expectation sparkled on the faces brightening upon seeing the person in their eyes.

Cho Yoon didn’t doubt that he would be smiling at this moment.

Lim Sa-hyeon had returned home.