The Return of the Sw Chapter 60 : The Sleeping Dragon. -03

Chapter 60: The Sleeping Dragon. -03

At the word “promise,” not only Peng Hwayeong but also Peng Suyeong, Seo Joun, and Murong Gung, the owner of this room, showed interest.

It was only natural, since none of them had heard anything about it.

“Whether it is a light promise or a heavy promise, if one has made a promise, one should keep it. If you could not keep it in the first place, would it not have been proper to say from the beginning that it would be difficult?”

“Does that mean you already had plans to come to the main house ever since the last time you met me?”

“Yes.”

“So you didn’t come because of me after all.”

Murong Heesu put on a slightly sulky expression.

It wasn’t that she hadn’t expected it, but she hadn’t thought he would say it so bluntly, so she looked at Ban Hojin as if she were deliberately hurt.

However, Ban Hojin was surprised for a different reason.

He hadn’t expected her to grasp his intentions so accurately.

“When Young Hero Ban says it like that, I’m curious as well. For what reason did you come to the main house?”

“I came to meet the Young Lord.”

“To see Cheok?”

“Yes.”

Murong Gung blinked his eyes.

Words he had never anticipated flowed from Ban Hojin’s mouth.

And the same was true for everyone else.

“Do you know my son?”

“I have never met him. But I have heard of him. There are things that become known, whether one wants them to or not.”

“Hmm.”

Murong Gung let out a heavy hum.

His only son and heir certainly had talent, but regrettably, Murong Cheok had not grown up as he had hoped.

In the past, he had tried by any means to change his son, but now he was in a state of half-given-up resignation.

Thus, when Ban Hojin said he had come all the way here to meet Murong Cheok, Murong Gung found it puzzling.

“I would like to meet him privately, once.”

“May I ask the reason?”

“Rather than explaining it, would it not be better for you to see for yourself?”

“Right now?”

“Yes.”

Ban Hojin wore a meaningful expression.

At that strange, unreadable look, not only Murong Gung but also Murong Heesu looked flustered.

They had no idea what they should do.

Still, Ban Hojin was a guest, and letting him meet his son was not particularly a big matter, so Murong Gung soon nodded.

“Very well. Let us go now.”

“Thank you.”

“There’s no need for thanks. Rather, I should be the one thanking you for coming to see my useless son.”

“Let’s go.”

“Us too?”

As Ban Hojin stood up to follow Murong Gung, he spoke toward Seo Joun and Seonwu Bang.

As if it were the most natural thing in the world.

At that sight, Seonwu Bang let out a hollow chuckle and asked back,

“If you don’t want to, you don’t have to go.”

“That means I have to go, right?”

“Yes. You’re the key. If you weren’t here, I would have had to step in myself, but since you’re here now.”

“I don’t know what it is, but please leave it to me!”

At the words that he was needed, Seo Joun’s face lit up with joy.

If he could be of help to Ban Hojin in any way, that alone was enough.

Certain that there must be a reason he was needed, Seo Joun rose from his seat without complaint.

“May we come along as well?”

“I don’t mind.”

No sooner had Seo Joun stood up than Peng Hwayeong also rose to her feet.

Then she looked at Ban Hojin with eyes full of curiosity.

“Seeing his face won’t be difficult. Cheok likes meeting people, after all. In fact, it’s been years since someone last came looking for Cheok.”

“I see.”

Murong Gung granted permission surprisingly readily.

There was no reason to refuse when it wasn’t about fighting and was merely about seeing his face.

And as a father, he also hoped that Murong Cheok would start mingling with people now.

For nearly ten years he had stayed alone in his room, doing nothing but reading books, and he desperately wished his son would come outside.

“I’m going too.”

“Alright.”

Since everyone was going, Seonwu Bang also stood up.

From the beginning, he had intended to go along as well.

He was curious about Murong Cheok, too.

Seonwu Bang had only heard about Murong Cheok before; this was his first time meeting him in person.

“Hello. I am Murong Cheok.”

A young man with skin so pale it was almost white, as though he had not received sunlight for a long time, greeted them politely.

Despite the sudden visit, the scholarly-looking youth, Murong Cheok, showed not the slightest sign of panic.

Rather, with eyes full of curiosity, he examined the group one by one.

“I am Ban Hojin of Shaolin.”

“I am Seonwu Bang of the Seonwu Family.”

“I am Seo Joun of the Seo Family Manor.”

“It’s been a very long time, hasn’t it? Do you happen to remember me?”

“It’s been a long time, Young Master Murong.”

As Murong Cheok met each greeting one by one, he broke into a gentle smile.

Peng Suyeong’s words had amused him.

“Of course. I remember both of you. It was a very long time ago, but since you grew up just as you were as children, it wasn’t difficult to recognize you.”

“Is that a compliment?”

“It is a compliment to me, though I suppose it depends on how you take it?”

“Your personality hasn’t changed.”

“People don’t change easily. Hahaha.”

His physique was so slender it was excessive for the heir of a martial family, and doubt filled Peng Hwayeong’s eyes.

Just by looking at his build, it was clear that Murong Cheok had neglected martial training.

It would have been one thing if there were other siblings, but Murong Gung had only one son, Murong Cheok.

Because of that, Peng Hwayeong secretly glanced at Murong Heesu and Murong Gung with an expression that said she could not understand.

“Did you become a scholar?”

“Not exactly. I do train in martial arts in my own way. It’s just that I also practice calligraphy and painting, and there are various things I research and study.”

“Well, you’ve been multi-talented since you were young.”

“One only lives once, does one not? Time that has passed cannot be reclaimed, so one should enjoy it while one can.”

Murong Cheok smiled brazenly.

Despite being the heir of the Murong Family, which possessed a considerable history, he felt no shame about neglecting his martial training.

Murong Gung and his younger daughter could not lift their heads at all.

“……Oppa.”

“Why? It’s not like I said anything wrong, is it?”

“Haah.”

In the end, unable to bear it any longer, Murong Heesu quietly called Murong Cheok’s name, but the person in question remained unabashedly confident.

At the sight of Murong Cheok speaking with a face so shameless it was almost irritating, Murong Heesu let out a deep sigh.

“Then why did you come looking for me?”

After glancing once at his father and younger sister, who were both sighing heavily with identical expressions, Murong Cheok turned his head toward Ban Hojin.

Even though no one had said outright that Ban Hojin was the reason this gathering had come about, he grasped it immediately.

“I thought it was about time you stopped wasting your days.”

“Yes?”

Murong Cheok blinked both eyes with a bewildered expression.

He could not understand what that meant at all.

“Isn’t the world boring? That’s why I came to tell you. That the world is actually quite interesting. Of course, it won’t be just simple fun. Jo-woon.”

“Yes, Hyung-nim.”

“Have a sparring match with Young Master Murong.”

“I understand.”

Murong Cheok’s expression grew even more confused.

Being told out of nowhere to spar left him dumbfounded.

Yet Seo Joun, the other party involved, rose from his seat without a single complaint.

Without even asking why he had to do it, he simply said he understood and stood up, making Murong Cheok wonder what on earth this situation was.

“Please stand up.”

“……Why do I have to spar?”

“You’ll find out once you try.”

“Do you realize that you’re being rude to me right now?”

“Please stop acting spoiled.”

Paaaat!

Ban Hojin smiled faintly as he slightly revealed the presence he had been keeping contained.

Only so that Murong Cheok could feel it.

The reaction was immediate.

Shock filled Murong Cheok’s eyes.

“Huh-up!”

“I guarantee you won’t be disappointed. It won’t be a waste of time either.”

After drawing in a breath as if startled and failing to let it out properly, Murong Cheok heard Ban Hojin say that one line before Ban Hojin rose to his feet.

It was a clear sign that there would be no further explanation.

“What? What’s going on here?”

“I don’t know.”

“That’s not like him at all.”

“Right? But doesn’t it sound interesting? A clash between a forgotten genius and a genius whose talent has just begun to bloom.”

Watching Murong Cheok’s back as he followed after Ban Hojin, Seo Joun, and Sunwoo Bang with a dazed expression, Peng Hwayeong’s eyes shone brightly.

Just hearing Ban Hojin’s words had been enough to stir her expectations.

At the same time, however, a question arose.

There was no reason for Ban Hojin to go this far.

“A sparring match all of a sudden.”

“What do you think he’s planning?”

“I don’t know either. For now, all we can do is watch.”

Just as Peng Hwayeong was curious about Ban Hojin’s intentions, Murong Gung and Murong Heesu, father and daughter, also could not understand Ban Hojin’s actions.

Everything was shrouded in questions.

Still, they decided to watch for the time being.

After a short while, everyone gathered at the training grounds.

‘This time, he needs to come to his senses early.’

Standing with arms crossed, Ban Hojin watched Murong Cheok and Seo Joun facing each other at a suitable distance in the center of the training grounds.

His gaze was directed not at Seo Joun, but at Murong Cheok.

Although he was forgotten now, Murong Cheok had once been famous as a genius.

Not just a prodigy, but someone whose genius had been known throughout the entire Central Plains.

However, that fame had become poison to Murong Cheok.

His talent had been so outstanding that instead of being cultivated, it had been buried.

‘Even after wasting a long time, he still showed an astonishing rate of growth.’

Ban Hojin’s focus blurred.

He was recalling a past life that could no longer be returned to.

The Murong Cheok of that time had been older than he was now, and the power he wielded had been different.

After awakening from the shock of surviving alone after suffering the destruction of his entire family, Murong Cheok had become a killing demon, and at that time his martial might had not fallen far short even when compared to the overlords of the Four Tyrants of the World.

‘Jo-woon’s talent is incredible, but Murong Cheok’s talent is just as monstrous.’

Murong Cheok had not even suffered from severed meridians, yet he had been born with tremendous talent.

However, as the saying went that heaven never gives everything, Murong Cheok had been mentally weak in exchange for that immense talent.

On top of that, having been given a wide variety of talents, he had been unable to focus on any single one.

‘But if he comes to his senses starting now, he’ll become far stronger than the Murong Cheok of my previous life.’

That was precisely why Ban Hojin had come to the Murong Family.

In his past life, Murong Cheok’s awakening had come too late, placing a limit on his growth.

He had let the most important period of a martial artist simply slip by, leaving him severely lacking both in fundamentals and physically.

But now, at nieen years old, it was not too late.

‘And he won’t lose his family either.’

Ban Hojin’s gaze shifted toward Murong Gung and Murong Heesu, who were watching Murong Cheok with slightly hopeful expressions.

As the price of Murong Cheok’s wasted years, those two had met truly miserable deaths.

Murong Heesu especially so.

For that reason, Ban Hojin wanted to change the future of the Murong Family if possible.

‘This life has to be different. While I’m at it, I’ll help myself a bit too.’

To do that, Murong Cheok had to come to his senses.

For Ban Hojin’s sake, and for his family’s as well.

“Well then. This is awkward. A sparring match out of the blue. But Young Master Seo, aren’t you displeased? Being told to spar so suddenly.”

“There must be a reason Hyung-nim told us to do it.”

“You trust him a lot.”

“There’s a reason I have no choice but to. I’m actually more surprised that Young Hero Murong accepted the sparring so readily.”

“I didn’t really have a choice either. And my curiosity was piqued.”

Murong Cheok narrowed his brows.

He was replaying the presence he had felt from Ban Hojin earlier.

Faced with that overwhelming presence that was hard to believe came from someone his own age, Murong Cheok felt a competitive spirit he had long forgotten begin to stir.

If his heart had its way, he wanted to cross hands with Ban Hojin immediately, but first he had to deal with Seo Joun standing before him.

“You’re planning to challenge Hyung-nim?”

“Yes.”

“You’re going to get completely crushed.”

“You don’t know which is longer or shorter until you actually measure.”