Episode 4.
The Return of the Prodigal Son (3)
The wind was quite cool.
But even the cold autumn wind could not cool down the liveliness of the street. Numerous people were soliciting customers to enter their store.
‘long time no see.’
As soon as I came out, thoughts about Byeokna Jin-gyeol entered my mind.
This is my first time writing about it since returning to the past. The feeling was new.
‘It’s still the same.’
This street I walked around a lot when I was young.
It was a street I had never visited since the family went extinct. Because I felt like I would think of my dead family every time I came here.
“Good.”
“Hehe, right?”
Yeon Ji-pyeong’s face was completely flushed. This is because it is the first time that my brother and I have been out on the street alone.
“Brother, are you uncomfortable?”
“hmm?”
“Your walking is a little strange?”
“Oh just a little.”
Suddenly, the quality of my energy increased by two levels.
In addition, it cleared up quite a few blocked blood vessels. As I repeatedly passed the energy back and forth to that place, my body naturally gained strength.
A discrepancy between the body and true energy. Even if I tried to walk slowly, the pace automatically picked up. It was a discrepancy that occurred because the muscles and bones were not perfectly trimmed.
‘I’m going to have a hard time from now on.’
Just as important as internal strength is the strength of the body. To train a body that has not yet matured to the level of the Emperor of Darkness, hellish training will be necessary.
When Yeon Ho-jeong twirled his shoulders for a while.
“Oh there! “Go there!”
The place Yeon Ji-pyeong pointed to was a base with a clean exterior.
“It’s Goyangru (古陽樓).”
Goyang Tower was a very famous building in southern Jiangsu Province. Although the price was quite high, it was famous for the taste of the food and the good view.
“Have you been there too?”
“how many.”
It wasn’t a place I had very good memories of.
Was it about half a year before Yeonga disappeared? I felt desperate and drank quite a lot. Among them, the number of times I drank at Goyangru was quite high.
‘I lived such a stupid life.’
Because I was drunk, I broke a lot of property, got into a fight, and got beaten up a lot.
It was a place where both body and mind were completely destroyed.
“They say the fish dishes over there are very famous. “Go and eat fish. Fish.”
“It’s good.”
“uh? But do you eat fish too? “You didn’t like it that much?”
Yeon Ho-jeong shrugged his shoulders.
“You should eat it while you can. By the way, is this your first time here?”
“Hehe, I actually went there once. “With my friends.”
“A friend… of Cheonggang Seowon?”
“yes! “They are all good friends.”
Byeoksan Yeonga emphasized literary and martial arts more than other martial arts schools. Although they did not want to become outstanding scholars, their ancestors thought that they should at least be better than others.
That teaching remained the same even now that he had ascended to the ranks of the Seven Great Emperors. That was the reason why Yeon Ji-pyeong studied writing while attending Cheonggang Seowon.
Yeon Ho-jeong smiled.
“Make sure you learn it well. “There’s nothing wrong with learning.”
Yeon Ji-pyeong asked with an innocent expression.
“But you won’t come out again?”
“To Cheonggang Seowon?”
“yes!”
“I’m not going out.”
Yeon Ho-jeong first went to Cheonggang Seowon and learned. But two years ago, I stopped writing to focus on martial arts.
A faint disappointment appeared on Yeon Ji-pyeong’s face.
“That’s right.”
He’s such an honest guy.
It’s a pity, but I still have no intention of leaving. It’s not because I don’t like writing, but because I don’t think I need to learn more.
“You seem to get along well with your friends, right?”
“sure. ah! Now that I think about it, short-term audit students have come to Seowon this time!”
“Short-term audit student?”
“yes! They are from a famous shaman family in Anhui. Among them, there are children of the Namgung family!”
He spoke with a bright expression, as if he had never done that before.
Yeon Ho-jeong frowned.
“At Namgung?”
“yes! “Isn’t it amazing?”
Was it like that?
I don’t remember about that part. At this time, I was only interested in myself.
‘Namgoong… Namgoong.’
Anhui’s most famous street, adjacent to Jiangsu.
Although it is a family that is considered one of the seven major families along with the Yeonga, it is a family with a much older history than the Yeonga.
When it comes to Namgung, it means sword. In the past and present, the most famous swordsman was the Namgung family.
It was the same even after the appearance of a highly distinguished swordsman from the Moyong family.
“older brother?”
“hmm?”
“Why are you doing this? “You don’t look well?”
“no. “Let’s go now.”
“yes!”
The two finally entered Goyangru.
Goyangru was unexpectedly quiet. It seemed like there were not even ten people on the four-story base.
“You’re lucky, brother. Let’s go to the fourth floor!”
“okay.”
When I got up to the fourth floor, the view was very nice. Because the window was open, the wind was refreshing rather than cold.
“Good, right? “It’s good, right?”
“Yes, I think I came well.”
Although I’ve been to this place many times in the past, it felt like it was my first time.
When she sat down at the window seat, Yeon Ji-pyeong excitedly ordered food. I ordered a fish dish and a couple of stir-fried vegetables and the price was quite high.
“Isn’t it too expensive?”
“I saved up a lot of pocket money!”
“Are you going to buy it?”
“sure! “I said I would buy it for you!”
Well, you didn’t even bring any money.
Yeon Ho-jeong quenched his appetite.
“I hope you enjoy it.”
“As much as you want!”
I was ready to buy all of Goyangru’s dishes. There was no other puppy whose eyes were bright and excited.
Yeon Ho-jeong thought that kind of younger brother was cute. And at the same time, it was burdensome.
‘He’s such a bright kid.’
I was jealous of this child and behaved badly. I didn’t use verbal abuse or assault, but sometimes indifference is much crueler.
So even though I felt burdened, I tried my best to smile in front of Yeon Ji-pyeong. The regret from my past mistakes was that great.
Yeon Ji-pyeong, who was looking at Yeon Ho-jeong with a smile, cautiously asked.
“Hey…”
“Huh?”
“You’re not upset or anything like that, are you?”
“what?”
“no. “It’s just… there’s something that bothers me or something like that.”
Yeon Ho-jeong tilted his head.
“Well, that’s it? “That didn’t happen.”
“I see.”
“why? “Does your face look that bad?”
“no! “Just in case.”
“Bland guy.”
Yeon Ho-jeong turned his head to the window. I wanted to see the scenery.
Seeing his older brother like that, Yeon Ji-pyeong internally sighed with relief.
‘I guess you’re okay.’
As a person from the Yeon family, I could fully understand the behavior of Kang Yoon, the non-reply owner at the time. But wasn’t it in front of my younger brother? Anyone would be embarrassed.
Fortunately, my brother didn’t seem to mind too much. Rather, Yeon Ji-pyeong felt so sorry that something like that had happened because of him.
Yeon Ji-pyeong, who was looking at Yeon Ho-jeong with a smile, tilted her head for a moment.
“But brother.”
“huh?”
“Uh… I don’t know if I can say this.”
“What?”
“Your rain smoke energy has become more active?”
Hoo?
“Would you like to know?”
“yes? Ah yes. “It’s been a while, but it seems like you’ve definitely changed from before.”
Yeon Ho-jeong looked at Yeon Ji-pyeong with new eyes.
‘You felt that?’
Danjeon has become active and non-yeonsimbeop has become popular, but it is a change that is difficult to notice without looking at the pulse.
This is because Yeonhojeong is good at constantly conserving energy. Moreover, since the non-yeonsimbeop itself is not a high-level martial study, the scope of change is not large. From the outside, it is inevitable that it will be difficult to notice changes in true energy.
My younger brother saw through it. Even though my skills are not yet top-notch.
“I succeeded in the law of non-relationship.”
Yeon Ji-pyeong jumped up without realizing it.
“Really me?!”
“okay.”
It’s so unexpected that you can’t believe it?
“congratulations! Really congratulations, brother!”
I believe it.
Yeon Ji-pyeong sincerely congratulated her as if it were her own. He looked very excited as he clenched his fists and shook them wildly.
I was grateful for my younger brother, but my surprise was greater than my gratitude.
‘I knew you were talented, but…’
A subtle admiration appeared on Yeon Ho-jeong’s face.
‘This guy was a complete monster, wasn’t he?’
There are usually two types of cases where a person is considered to be talented in martial arts. When the body is excellent and when the brain is excellent.
But Yeon Ji-pyeong’s talent was not at that level.
‘I feel good.’
The thing that is more difficult to have than the superiority of the body and excellent eyesight is feeling.
A power that overwhelms logic and reason. In other words, it is an ability that one is born with. I don’t know about other fields, but it was clear that Yeon Ji-pyeong’s sense of martial arts was better than anyone else’s.
Moreover, his physical talent is also said to be the best in Yeonga.
‘If I practice it properly, I will make a name for myself in the near future.’
Yeon Ji-pyeong said with a very excited face.
“Brother, you will get stronger quickly! “Obviously!”
“Yes, that’s right.”
In any case, it was a moment that surprised both of us.
After a while, the food came out.
The two people laughed and chatted while eating. Yeon Ji-pyeong was usually the one who spoke, but Yeon-ho was also not very talkative.
After finishing their meal in an instant, the two also ordered tea. There was a nice scent from the rising steam.
“Brother, since you have achieved great success in meditation, let’s practice together!”
“no.”
It was a more resolute refusal than expected. Yeon Ji-pyeong shrank his neck.
“why?”
“You and I have different ways of training. “I don’t know if it will be later, but for now, let’s all do it separately… hmm?”
Yeon Ho-jeong turned his attention to the stairs.
“Why are you doing this, brother?”
“….”
“older brother?”
“Is it significant?”
Significant? what?
Yeon Ji-pyeong, who was tilting her head, suddenly felt a faint prayer coming from the first floor in the distance.
Yeon Ji-pyeong’s eyes widened.
“master?!”
No, I’m not an expert.
A true expert must be able to demonstrate the level he has achieved in practice. Only then can you be qualified to be called an expert.
In that respect, there were no experts among these people who came up from the first floor. At least Yeon Ho-jeong thought so.
However, the level of achievement was significant.
‘Compared to his age.’
The vitality emanating from the energy was very refreshing. It was clear that he was not old enough to have aged.
“ah!”
Yeon Ji-pyeong exclaimed.
“why? “Do you know someone?”
“yes! I don’t know who Go Soo is, but I feel a familiar prayer. “He must be Seowon’s friend.”
Are you a Seowon friend?
“Please come and say hello.”
“oh?! may I?”
“If you don’t know, you don’t know, but you can’t just pass by without saying hello. “Go and come back.”
Yeon Ji-pyeong quietly woke up.
“Then, brother, I’ll be back soon. “Please wait a moment.”
“Speak slowly.”
Yeon Ji-pyeong quickly went down the stairs.
Yeon Ho-jeong smiled and rested his chin.
‘You’re cheerful.’
Is it because it grew so dark?
By uniting the Black Island, he developed some social skills, but he was not as bright as Yeon Ji-pyeong. There were many times when talking to someone was a hassle.
So I liked seeing my younger brother like that. Because it’s a personality I don’t have.
‘Grow up brightly. ‘You don’t have to be serious every moment just because the world is rough.’
I hope you grow up better than anyone else. Now, that was the only thing Yeon Ho-jeong wanted from his younger brother.
Yeonhojeong drinking tea and looking at the scenery outside the window.
I don’t think this is the time to enjoy this kind of leisure, but what can you do? Isn’t this the first time I came to eat out with my younger brother?
Although preparing for extinction is the most important thing, there are some things that cannot be overlooked.
It was when Yeon Ho-jeong was enjoying a short break.
“Are you here?”
“oh! Even just on the third floor, it’s definitely different!”
A mumbling voice was heard from the third floor.
And Yeon Ji-pyeong’s embarrassed voice.
“Now wait a minute. First, let’s talk to my brother…”
“Uh-huh! Why do you say you just want to say hello? Besides, you haven’t rented out the fourth floor. Let’s take a look.”
“Ah…”
An unknown embarrassment was evident in Yeon Ji-pyeong’s voice.
After a while.
“Wow, the view is killer!”
“Good thing you came up!”
Yeon Ho-jeong turned his gaze towards that place.
Yeon Ji-pyeong, caught between two men and one woman whom she was seeing for the first time, looked very embarrassed.
