Chapter 180 : Reversed Positions. -02
Chapter 180: Reversed Positions. -02
At that moment, Murong Cheok poured cold water over the Second-Generation Disciples.
As if he could not possibly introduce his younger sister to these brats, he spoke firmly with an unusually serious expression.
“Ah, hyung!”
“Come back after you’ve cleansed both body and mind. Then I’ll consider it.”
“But Young Lady Murong won’t be here by then!”
“Oh? You understood exactly what I meant.”
Murong Cheok’s eyebrows twitched as though impressed.
To anyone watching, he was clearly teasing them.
At that sight, Jeong Hyeon flared up.
“Th-that’s too much!”
“Is it really? Who do you think was the one sweeping his gaze over my sister’s body right in front of me?”
“I wasn’t sweeping it! I know my limits!”
“As if. I saw those eyeballs rolling nonstop.”
“I-I just happened to glance at the other Three Phoenixes naturally as well……”
Jeong Hyeon stammered.
He tried to make excuses in his own way, but anyone could see how guilty he looked.
And the same went for the other Second-Generation Disciples.
At Murong Cheok’s words, they all hastily withdrew their gazes.
“So in short, instinct won, is that it?”
“I’m sorry……”
Under the relentless barrage, Jeong Hyeon lowered his head deeply.
He judged there was no way to wriggle out of it any further.
And as a Buddhist disciple, he could not lie, so he offered an apology.
“Good grief. But why are you so deflated? 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 with Jeong Hyeon, but Murong Cheok was not at the very top of the food chain either.
As if proving that fact, he flinched at a single remark from Ban Hojin.
“The result is right in front of you, isn’t it?”
“Ugh!”
“Well, I understand your position. Watching someone sweep their eyes over your one and only younger sister’s entire body wouldn’t feel great. But they’re still kids. They’re at that age when their 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.”
“…I did look.”
Murong Cheok answered in a small voice.
Jeong Hyeon’s face brightened slightly.
As fellow men, he felt a sense of kinship.
“See? I look too. It’s instinct. Reason can’t do anything about it.”
“Hyung too?”
“Am I not a man? I’ll get married someday too.”
“Then why not pick from among those here? To be frank, the number one choice among the women here is you, hyung.”
At Murong Cheok’s words, everyone’s gaze instantly focused on them.
Though they had been chatting in small groups, they had all been listening in on this conversation.
Men and women alike.
Even from quite a distance, people were looking over, and Murong Cheok briefly showed a flustered expression.
“You just announced your own crime.”
“I’m sorry. I’ll watch my mouth.”
Just as Jeong Hyeon had done earlier, Murong Cheok lowered his head.
It was undeniably his mistake, so he did not make excuses.
“I’ve never seen a sight like this before. To think I’d see this place so crowded.”
“You look pretty overwhelmed too.”
“I’m the Young Lord of the Seonwu Family. There’s an image I have to maintain as the Young Lord. Cheok here is just the unusual one.”
As if determined to watch his tongue, Murong Cheok pressed his lips tightly together.
Normally he would have immediately retorted, but since he had 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 brat Cheok ran over here to escape too. If he stays by your side, people won’t bother him.”
“Aren’t you the same?”
“That’s right. I was so hounded that I ran away. Hahaha.”
Seonwu Bang laughed awkwardly.
At first, it had felt good to be acknowledged and treated with respect, but that only lasted so long.
He had to repeat the same things over and over and subtly put on airs he normally never would, so it was exhausting.
As the Young Lord of the Seonwu Family, these were things he naturally had to do, but he was still human—he could not help but grow tired.
“Hello.”
“It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”
In place of Jeong Hyeon, who tactfully slipped away, two figures approached the three of them.
They were the Peng sisters, Peng Hwayeong and Peng Suyeong.
In particular, the elder sister, Peng Suyeong, naturally stood beside Seonwu Bang, as befitted someone whose marriage talks with him were ongoing.
“It has been a while. But has it already progressed that far?”
Accepting the sisters’ greeting, Ban Hojin wore a curious expression.
Peng Suyeong taking a place beside Seonwu Bang carried significant meaning.
Murong Cheok, who had been silent, also widened his eyes.
“I think so, but Young Master Seonwu seems to think differently.”
“Uh… well, that is…”
Perhaps because the remark had caught him off guard.
Seonwu Bang, who was rarely flustered, stammered.
He had not expected her to come at him so directly in front of everyone, and he did not know what to do.
In contrast, Peng Suyeong and Peng Hwayeong quietly laughed.
“That’s not very manly.”
“What am I supposed to do if even you say that?”
“But I’m not really in a position to say much. Strictly speaking, I’m a third party.”
Ban Hojin shrugged.
He teased them, but did not cross the line.
At Seonwu Bang and Peng Suyeong’s level, this was a matter between families, so he had no right to interfere.
“Then what about you, Young Master Ban? Is there someone you fancy?”
“Well. I have no thoughts of courting anyone yet. The situation is unsettled as it is.”
“It feels like you’d just smash any unrest to pieces.”
Peng Hwayeong smirked.
The state of the martial world was indeed unstable, but it did not seem like something that would greatly affect Ban Hojin.
“With Hojin’s personality, he absolutely would.”
“Even the rising juniors here can’t approach you carelessly. We hesitated a lot before coming over. Young Master Ban was giving off an aura that clearly said, ‘Don’t come.’”
Encouraged by Seonwu Bang’s agreement, Peng Hwayeong cautiously revealed her thoughts, choosing each word carefully.
“Was it that obvious?”
“Of course. Even though men are dull compared to women, no one can approach you.”
“That’s why we’re the ones suffering. You’re burdensome, but we’re relatively comfortable.”
Seonwu Bang gestured toward the others.
Aside from Murong Cheok here, Seo Joun, Jeong Iryong, and Sama Uiseong were all surrounded by rising juniors.
Not just one or two—each of them had over a dozen gathered around.
Some were familiar faces, but many were meeting them for the first time.
“All of this will become medicine and money for you in the future.”
“That tone just now was completely like an old man.”
“I thought so too.”
“Totally.”
He had meant it sincerely, but Seonwu Bang, Peng Suyeong, and Peng Hwayeong looked horrified.
Seeing them, Ban Hojin once again realized that even good advice was useless if the listener did not truly hear it.
“If you don’t like it, you can all leave. I need time alone.”
“How much time do you possibly need?”
“A lot.”
Peng Hwayeong asked with genuine curiosity.
So Ban Hojin answered with equal sincerity.
“What?”
“I’m happiest when I’m idly passing the time.”
“Goodness.”
Not only Peng Hwayeong but Peng Suyeong as well looked dumbfounded.
It was hard to believe such words had come from a martial artist known as the Shaolin Sword Star.
Yet judging from his expression, he was not joking—he meant it.
“An Absolute Master is destined to be lonely. I want to be like you, hyung!”
“Are you speaking already?”
“Gah!”
Unlike the sisters, Murong Cheok had shouted with eyes full of admiration, only to hurriedly clap both hands over his mouth.
He had belatedly realized he was in the middle of 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 like this is the first time. And she’s clearly visible from here.”
“That’s true.”
From a young age, Murong Heesu had been renowned not just in her neighborhood but throughout the world for her beauty.
As such, she was likely well-versed in dealing with men.
‘The atmosphere over there isn’t bad either.’
Ban Hojin’s gaze shifted to Sama Uiseong.
Thanks to his exploits in the war against Ironblood Fortress, Sama Uiseong was also receiving considerable attention.
Not as much as the others, but there were quite a few rising juniors around him.
And among them was the Zhuge Family.
‘The Zhuge Family.’
They had once been rivals, but now the difference between the two families was so vast that it was hard even to mention comparison.
Yet Sama Uiseong’s expression was bright.
There was not a trace of inferiority on his face.
Rather, even with a young master of a former rival family present, he was full of confidence.
‘Good to see.’
Watching Sama Uiseong converse boldly instead of shrinking back, Ban Hojin unconsciously smiled in satisfaction.
It felt like he had unearthed and polished a gem.
Not quite like a son growing well—but like a nephew.
‘As for Joun and Iryong…’
It almost hurt his mouth to speak of them.
Both were called the Blazing Dragon and the Hidden Dragon, and around them was practically a garden of flowers.
Especially after Sang Il-gi became one of the Ten Great Masters Under Heaven, Jeong Iryong was receiving attention comparable to Seo Joun’s.
“You’re truly remarkable, Young Master Ban.”
“All of a sudden?”
“Hehe! No. I’ve thought so from the beginning. First Young Master Seonwu, then Young Master Seo. Up to that point, it didn’t feel like much. In relationships, as long as hearts align, time isn’t all that important. Sometimes even after a long time, affection doesn’t grow. With Young Master Seo, since he suffered from the Nine Yang Severed Meridians, I thought he must secretly have tremendous talent. But when you discovered Young Master Jeong, Young Master Murong, and now even Young Master Sama, my thoughts changed. Your discernment is remarkable.”
“I was fortunate.”
“I don’t think that’s it.”
Though Ban Hojin spoke modestly, Peng Hwayeong shook her head with a meaningful expression.
It was hard to believe they had gathered by mere luck.
“The boys worked very hard. To say it was because of me would diminish their efforts.”
“Ah, I didn’t mean it that way.”
Peng Hwayeong hurriedly waved her hands.
She had not meant it like that at all.
Ban Hojin knew that, so he smiled.
“I know. I just wanted to say it once. To be honest, there’s a sense that we met because of fate. Bang and Joun, as you said, I personally sought them out.”
“It feels like you’re getting further and further away.”
“Hm. Were we ever that close?”
At Peng Hwayeong’s slightly dejected tone, Ban Hojin laughed playfully.
But he never crossed the line.
He still had no intention of binding himself anywhere.
“That makes it even more disappointing.”
“But surprisingly, the atmosphere between those two isn’t bad.”
“They suit each other quite well, don’t they?”
Peng Hwayeong agreed, as if she too was inwardly surprised.
They seemed mismatched at first glance, yet somehow harmonized.
Especially her elder sister’s coy demeanor—it shocked her the most, but she wisely kept that to herself.
“They seem compatible in personality too. Bang is very easygoing.”
“You’re saying my sister is prickly?”
Peng Hwayeong shot Ban Hojin a sidelong glare.
But someone like Ban Hojin would not be shaken by that.
“That’s not what I meant. I meant Bang adjusts well to anyone. And everyone has a temperament. Bang gets angry too.”
“Really?”
Having never seen Seonwu Bang lose his temper, Peng Hwayeong looked slightly surprised.
At the same time, she felt relieved.
Being too kind was not always good in life.
A person needed at least some edge.
“Yes. He’s like this now, but who knows what he’ll be like later.”
“Even now, Father is quite worried. He says Young Master Seonwu’s value has risen too much.”
“Hahaha.”
“The Seonwu Family Head hasn’t given a definite answer either. But I understand. There must be many marriage proposals coming in.”