Chapter 179 : Reversed Positions. -02
Chapter 179: Reversed Positions. -02
At that moment, Murong Cheok poured cold water over the Second-Generation Disciples.
As if he absolutely could not introduce his younger sister to these fellows, he spoke firmly with a seriousness rarely seen on his face.
“Ah, Brother!”
“Come back when your body and mind are cleansed. Then I will consider it.”
“But by then Young Lady Murong won’t be here!”
“Oh? You understood exactly what I meant.”
Murong Cheok’s eyebrows twitched as though impressed.
Anyone could tell he was teasing them.
At that sight, Jeong Hyeon flared up.
“Y-You’re too much!”
“Isn’t the one being too much you? Who was the one scanning my sister’s body just now right in front of me?”
“I wasn’t scanning her! I know how to keep my boundaries!”
“As if. I saw those eyeballs of yours rolling nonstop.”
“I-I just happened to glance at the other Three Phoenixes naturally……”
Jeong Hyeon stammered.
He attempted an excuse in his own way, but anyone could see he looked guilty.
And the other Second-Generation Disciples were no different.
At Murong Cheok’s words, they all hurriedly withdrew their gazes.
“So in short, instinct won out?”
“I’m sorry……”
Under the relentless barrage, Jeong Hyeon lowered his head deeply.
He judged there was no way to wriggle out of it.
And as a Buddhist disciple, he could not lie, so he expressed his apology.
“Good grief. What are you shrinking for? Now it looks like I bullied you.”
“Anyone would end up like Jeong Hyeon if you said it like that.”
“Oh, is it that bad?”
He had been harsh toward Jeong Hyeon, but Murong Cheok was not at the very top of the food chain either.
As if proving that fact, Murong Cheok flinched at a single remark from Ban Hojin.
“The result is right in front of you, isn’t it?”
“Ugh!”
“Well, I do understand your position. It can’t feel good to see someone looking over your only sister’s entire body. But they’re still kids. It’s the age when blood runs hot. Didn’t you look too? If you’ve never once in your life stolen a glance at a woman’s figure, I’ll take your side. No, I’ll apologize instead.”
“…I looked too.”
Murong Cheok answered in a small voice.
Jeong Hyeon’s face brightened slightly at that.
As fellow men, he felt a sense of kinship.
“See? I look too. It’s instinct. Reason can’t do anything about it.”
“Even you, Brother?”
“Am I not a man? I’ll get married someday too.”
“Then why don’t you just pick from among them? To put it bluntly, you’re the top choice among the women here, aren’t you?”
At Murong Cheok’s words, everyone’s gaze focused on him at once.
Though they had been chatting in small groups, they had all been listening to this conversation.
Both men and women alike.
When even those standing quite far away looked over, Murong Cheok momentarily wore a flustered expression.
“You’ve just confessed your own crime.”
“I’m sorry. I’ll watch my tongue.”
Just as Jeong Hyeon had done earlier, Murong Cheok lowered his head.
It was undeniably his own mistake, so he did not offer excuses.
“I’ve never seen a scene like this before. To think I’d see it so crowded with people.”
“You look pretty overwhelmed too.”
“I’m the Young Lord of the Seonwu Family. There’s a certain image I have to show as Young Lord. Cheok here is the unusual one.”
As if truly intending to watch his words, Murong Cheok pressed his lips tightly together.
Normally he would have immediately retorted, but having committed a fault, he spoke only with his eyes.
The problem was that Seonwu Bang was not looking at him.
“Everyone has their own way.”
“That guy ran over here too. If he stays by your side, people won’t bother him.”
“Aren’t you the same?”
“Right. I was being hounded too much, so I ran away. Hahaha.”
Seonwu Bang laughed awkwardly.
At first, it felt good to be recognized and treated well, but that only lasted once or twice.
He had to keep repeating the same things and subtly put on airs he normally never used, so it was exhausting.
They were things he naturally had to do as the Young Lord of the Seonwu Family, but he was human, and fatigue was inevitable.
“Hello?”
“It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”
In place of Jeong Hyeon, who had tactfully slipped away, two figures approached the three of them.
They were the Peng sisters, Peng Hwayeong and Peng Suyeong.
Especially Peng Suyeong, the elder sister—who was in marriage talks with Seonwu Bang—naturally stood beside him.
“It’s been a while. But has it progressed that far already?”
Returning the sisters’ greeting, Ban Hojin wore a curious expression.
The way Peng Suyeong took her place next to Seonwu Bang carried significant meaning.
Murong Cheok, who had been silent, widened his eyes as well.
“I think so, but Young Master Seonwu seems to think otherwise.”
“Uh… that is, well…”
Perhaps because the remark was unexpected.
Seonwu Bang, who rarely became flustered, stammered.
He had not expected such a direct strike in front of everyone, and he did not know what to do.
In contrast, the Peng sisters chuckled.
“Not very manly.”
“If you say that too, what am I supposed to do?”
“But I’m not really in a position to say anything. Strictly speaking, I’m a third party.”
Ban Hojin shrugged.
He teased, but he did not cross the line.
At Seonwu Bang and Peng Suyeong’s level, it was a matter between families, and Ban Hojin had no right to interfere.
“Then what about you, Young Master Ban? Is there someone you like?”
“I’m not sure. I don’t intend to date anyone yet. The current situation is rather unstable.”
“You seem like you’d just smash that instability to pieces.”
Peng Hwayeong smirked.
It was true that the state of the Murim was unsettled, but it did not seem like it would affect Ban Hojin much.
“With Hojin’s personality, he absolutely would.”
“And the younger generation here can’t even approach you easily. We debated a lot before coming over. Young Master Ban was giving off such a strong ‘don’t come near me’ aura.”
Encouraged by Seonwu Bang’s agreement, Peng Hwayeong cautiously revealed her true thoughts, carefully choosing each word.
“Was it that obvious?”
“Of course. Even though men are more oblivious than women, no one dared approach you.”
“That’s why we’re the ones suffering. You may be intimidating, but we’re relatively easier to approach.”
Seonwu Bang gestured with his eyes toward the others.
Aside from Murong Cheok, Seo Joun, Jeong Iryong, and Sama Uiseong were all surrounded by Rising Juniors.
Not just one or two, but around a dozen each.
Some were familiar faces; many were meeting them for the first time.
“It will all become medicine and money for you.”
“The way you said that just now sounded exactly like an old man.”
“I thought so too.”
“Totally.”
He had meant it sincerely, but Seonwu Bang, Peng Suyeong, and Peng Hwayeong recoiled in shock.
Watching them, Ban Hojin realized once again that even good advice was useless if the listener did not truly hear it.
“If you dislike it, you’re free to leave. I need some time alone.”
“How much time do you need exactly?”
“A lot.”
Peng Hwayeong asked as if genuinely curious.
So Ban Hojin answered sincerely.
“Pardon?”
“Spending idle time leisurely is what makes me happiest.”
“Goodness.”
Both Peng Hwayeong and Peng Suyeong looked dumbfounded.
It was hard to believe such words came from a martial artist who had earned the epithet Shaolin Sword Star.
Yet judging by his expression, he was not joking.
“An Absolute Master is bound to be lonely. I wish to become like you, Brother!”
“Are you already breaking your silence?”
“Gasp!”
Unlike the sisters, Murong Cheok shouted with eyes full of admiration, only to hurriedly cover his mouth with both hands.
He had belatedly remembered he was observing a vow of silence.
“That’s enough.”
“Thank you!”
“More importantly, shouldn’t you go check on your sister?”
“It’s fine. It’s not as if this is the first time she’s experienced this. And you can see her clearly from here.”
“That’s true.”
From childhood, Murong Heesu’s beauty had made her famous not just in her town but throughout the world.
Naturally, she would be adept at handling men.
‘The atmosphere over there isn’t bad either.’
Ban Hojin’s gaze shifted toward Sama Uiseong.
Thanks to his performance in the recent war against Ironblood Fortress, the attention he received was considerable.
Not as much as the others, but quite a few Rising Juniors surrounded him.
Among them was even the Zhuge Family.
‘The Zhuge Family.’
They had once been rivals, but now the gap between their two families was so wide that comparison was meaningless.
Yet Sama Uiseong’s expression was bright.
There was not a trace of inferiority.
Rather, even with a scion of his former rival family present, his face was filled with confidence.
‘That’s good to see.’
Watching Sama Uiseong speak proudly rather than shrinking back, Ban Hojin unconsciously smiled.
It felt as though he had discovered and polished a gem.
Not quite like a son, but like a nephew who had grown up well.
‘As for Joun and Iryong…’
It hardly needed mentioning.
As the Blazing Dragon and the Hidden Dragon, they were surrounded by flowers.
Especially since Sang Il-gi had become one of the Ten Great Masters Under Heaven, Jeong Iryong was receiving attention no less than Seo Joun.
“You really are remarkable, Young Master Ban.”
“All of a sudden?”
“Pfft! No, I’ve thought so from the beginning. First Young Master Seonwu, then Young Master Seo. Up until then, it didn’t feel that special. Relationships don’t depend much on time if hearts align. Sometimes even after a long time, no affection forms. As for Young Master Seo, since he suffered from Nine Yang Severed Meridians, I assumed he must have exceptional talent. But after Young Master Jeong, Young Master Murong, and even Young Master Sama, my thoughts changed. Young Master Ban truly has remarkable discernment.”
“I was simply fortunate.”
“I don’t think that’s the case.”
Though Ban Hojin spoke humbly, Peng Hwayeong shook her head meaningfully.
It was difficult to believe it was mere luck that gathered them.
“They worked very hard. Saying it was because of me diminishes their efforts.”
“Ah, I didn’t mean it that way.”
Peng Hwayeong waved her hands in haste.
That was not her intention at all.
Ban Hojin knew that and smiled faintly.
“I know. I just wanted to say it once. To be honest, there is a sense that we met because fate brought us together. Bang and Joun, as you said, I sought out myself.”
“It feels like you’re getting farther away.”
“Hm. Was there ever a time we were particularly close?”
At Peng Hwayeong’s slightly dejected tone, Ban Hojin responded playfully.
But he did not cross the line.
He had no intention of binding himself to anyone yet.
“That makes it more upsetting.”
“Still, the atmosphere between those two isn’t bad.”
“They suit each other quite well, don’t they?”
Peng Hwayeong admitted with a hint of surprise.
They seemed mismatched, yet strangely fitting.
Especially seeing her elder sister acting coy—it was the most shocking part, though she wisely kept that to herself.
“They seem to match in personality too. Bang is very easygoing.”
“So you’re saying my sister is picky?”
Peng Hwayeong shot Ban Hojin a sideways glare.
But such a thing would not shake him.
“That’s not what I meant. I meant Bang gets along well with anyone. And everyone has a temperament. Bang gets angry too.”
“Really?”
Having never seen Seonwu Bang lose his temper, Peng Hwayeong looked slightly surprised.
But at the same time, she felt relieved.
Being too good-natured was not necessarily good for living.
A person needed some edge.
“Yes. He’s like this now, but who knows how he’ll be later.”
“My father has been very worried. He says Young Master Seonwu’s value has risen too much.”
“Hahaha.”
“The Head of the Seonwu Family hasn’t given a definite answer either. But I understand. There must be marriage proposals coming in from everywhere.”