Peng Jong Heon looked at Mo Yong Hak beside him and smiled coldly.

“Mo Yong Hak, have you heard the rumors?”

Mo Yong Hak’s gaze turned to him.

“I hear that woman is coming this time?”

“Yes.”

“Well, I’m looking forward to seeing Hwa Su get a taste of his own medicine.”

Mo Yong Hak shrugged his shoulders.

He and Peng Jong Heon had not participated in the Heavenly Festival and had never seen Nam Gung Lin.

Peng Jong Heon spoke pompously to Mo Yong Hak.

“If we had gone to the Heavenly Festival, that one wouldn’t have won.”

“Is that so?”

Peng Jong Heon clicked his tongue.

Mo Yong Hak’s reaction was as uninteresting as always.

‘He didn’t used to be like this in the past. How boring he’s become.’

At some point, Mo Yong Hak had become blunt and uninteresting. Peng Jong Heon changed the subject.

“They say the Demon Sect’s Ak Wi Cheon, Ak Wi Cheon is singing, but these days it doesn’t seem like it.”

“I’ve heard the Demon Sect’s second young master has been making quite a name for himself lately.”

“Nam Gung Lin won the Heavenly Festival. I hear Ak Wi Cheon might be overtaken by some nobody named Ji Cheon Wu. What do you think this means?”

“Are you saying the Demon Sect has weakened?”

“That’s right!”

Peng Jong Heon said with a smirk.

“Well, we’ll find out when we meet Nam Gung Lin…”

Peng Jong Heon said, looking to his side.

“Oh, by the way, when is your elder brother coming?”

The one who answered his question was Dang Feng, who had been listening quietly.

“Well, my elder brother likes to act separately. He’s probably on his way back after leaving the family on his own.”

“He must know about the Five Great Families’ gathering, so why did he do that?”

“I’m not sure of my elder brother’s intentions either.”

“You must have a hard time because of your troublemaker elder brother.”

Peng Jong Heon clicked his tongue. Dang Feng didn’t deny it and smiled faintly at his words.

“So, when did that troublemaker elder brother of yours say he’d arrive? I wonder if he’ll show up at the gathering.”

Dang Feng’s eyes sparkled at Peng Jong Heon’s question.

“I’m not sure if he can come. There have been many disturbing incidents in Sichuan lately.”

“That’s right, isn’t that why we came here because of the Sichuan Incident?”

Dang Feng sighed.

“No one knows what the Blood Sect leaders who caused the incident might do.”

“You mean he could disappear without a trace?”

“Isn’t that how the martial world works? Nothing would be surprising.”

“Hahaha!”

Peng Jong Heon burst out laughing, amused by Dang Feng’s answer. Only Mo Yong Hak sat there with a stiff face.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Young lady Nam Gung, are you really going to travel with that person?”

Shin So Gyeong glared at Dang Hwa Ryeong with displeasure.

She seemed very displeased with Dang Hwa Ryeong.

Dang Hwa Ryeong stood there with an indifferent expression despite receiving such looks.

Our companionship happened very naturally.

“Well, he apologized, so…”

Dang Hwa Ryeong apologized after hearing my words. Perhaps due to my childhood experiences, I was very quick to pick up on things, including whether there was sincerity in people’s words.

“I’m sorry. You’re right. I was foolish. It was a pathetic thing to do.”

Dang Hwa Ryeong apologized sincerely. He said his actions had been rude. I accepted his apology, so I wasn’t particularly angry.

Shin So Gyeong, however, seemed unable to contain her anger.

‘How strange.’

Shin So Gyeong was usually someone who didn’t care much about any insults directed at her.

Yet she was getting angry as if she herself had been insulted over what happened to me.

She wasn’t the only one who was angry.

[I don’t like him either!]

Uncle Dagger also muttered in my ear.

[I dislike that fellow even more than Ji Cheon Wu.]

‘Really?’

[At least Ji Cheon Wu knew how to be grateful.]

I patted Uncle Dagger.

‘I’m not angry because everyone is getting angry on my behalf.’

[Dumpling, you’re too kind!]

‘I don’t really do the dumpling hairstyle these days. I usually wear my hair in a single braid now.’

[Hmph, that’s not the important part. The point is I don’t like that guy!]

I patted Uncle Dagger and changed the subject.

‘Come to think of it, we’ll be able to meet Ji Cheon Wu soon.’

Before departing for this place, I had left a letter for Ji Cheon Wu.

In the original story, Ji Cheon Wu appears at the Five Great Families’ gathering. Thinking of this, I had sent a message to Ji Cheon Wu saying that my seclusion had ended and I would be attending the Five Great Families’ gathering.

‘Ji Cheon Wu will appear at the Five Great Families’ gathering and have conflicts with them.’

The Nam Gung Family, Sichuan Dang Family, Hebei Peng Family, Mo Yong Family, and Je Gal Family.

There were good people in each family, but there were also arrogant ones like Nam Gung Hwa Su.

‘Dang Hwa Ryeong’s younger sibling will appear there too.’

I looked at Dang Hwa Ryeong.

‘Dang Hwa Ryeong was being chased. And the one who sent those assassins must be Dang Hwa Ryeong’s stepmother.’

Just seeing that, I could tell what state the Dang family was in.

‘It seems like it’s going to be a complete mess…’

There was a high probability that the Five Great Families’ gathering would turn into a battleground.

‘My head is already throbbing…’

Regardless of my worries, we were getting closer to Sichuan.

And soon after, we were able to arrive at a village. I spoke to my companions.

“Let’s rest at an inn for a while.”

[This is the timeline separator] [I’ve been thinking, this village seems strange.]

Sitting in the inn, I observed my surroundings. People’s clothes were very shabby and their faces were gaunt.

In short, they looked like they hadn’t been eating properly.

‘You’re right. I’ve never seen a place this impoverished before.’

[Look over there.]

I quietly looked out the inn’s window. The village was a mess, it was surprising that there was even an inn.

There were a few who looked well-off, but they all appeared to be martial artists.

[That’s the strange part.]

I nodded.

The ordinary residents look poor, but the martial artists look fine?

The martial artists must be up to something.

‘We’ll find out if we wait and watch.’

Shin So Gyeong and I were wearing shabby clothes, but Dang Hwa Ryeong wasn’t.

He was wearing clothes that were obviously expensive.

‘His original clothes had become rags and he only had the clothes he was planning to wear to the gathering, so that’s how it turned out.’

So his attire naturally stood out.

Moreover, Shin So Gyeong and I are very pretty.

This meant we were in a state that made us good prey for extra villains.

Sure enough, a group swaggered up to us.

“Are you martial artists heading to Sichuan?”

The suddenly appeared group glanced at the sword at Dang Hwa Ryeong’s waist. They were clearly only wary of Dang Hwa Ryeong.

Shin So Gyeong was the one who answered.

“What is it?”

The group that suddenly appeared sneered at Shin So Gyeong and me. They were ignoring us.

‘It’s quite convenient to look weak on the outside.’

As always, being underestimated in the martial world was actually an advantage.

“We are martial artists of the Red Dragon Faction. We’re the most prominent group in this area.”

The man continued, making a fist and palm salute.

“My name is Maeng Rip.”

Maeng Rip’s voice was full of pride.

[I don’t like that guy.]

Uncle Dagger had a sharp eye for people.

‘Though you’re quite harsh in your judgment of Ji Cheon Wu and Dang Hwa Ryeong.’

Except for them, his judgments were quite accurate.

‘Actually, it seems like you dislike most people.’

Shin So Gyeong replied to Maeng Rip’s words.

“And?”

“We’d like to join your table and have a chat with the young ladies, if that’s alright?”

“Why do you want to join us?”

“We’d like to hear your thoughts on the recent Sichuan Incident. Well, seeing as you’re carrying swords, you must be martial artists.”

“…”

“And most martial artists visiting this place now are heading to Sichuan.”

I looked at Shin So Gyeong.

She was dealing with his nonsense with a faint smile, even in this situation.

‘The Divine Medical Sect is safe now. They’ve even become the largest medical sect in the area with support from the Nam Gung Family.’

So Shin So Gyeong had become different from the Shin So Gyeong in the original story.

In other words, she was still very kind.

“We were heading to Sichuan to help with the aftermath of the Sichuan Incident. If we’re going the same way, wouldn’t it be good to travel together?”

The man said with a lewd smile.

I quietly watched what they were doing. I was curious about their true purpose.

Actually, it wouldn’t be bad. Having companions is usually a good thing.

‘But there’s no need to travel with such unsavory characters.’

Shin So Gyeong looked at me with a troubled expression, unable to answer. The same was true for Dang Hwa Ryeong.

He was busy eating his noodles, as if leaving the decision to me.

That’s when it happened.

A boy ran towards the men claiming to be Red Dragon Faction martial artists.

“You villains!”

The boy, his face flushed red, pointed a seemingly worthless dagger at Maeng Rip.

“I’ll avenge my father!”

The boy’s eyes were red with anger and his hands were trembling.

Maeng Rip’s gaze, which had been on us, turned to the boy.

“What’s this?”

“Do you know him?”

“No, never seen him before.”

Maeng Rip kicked the boy who was rushing at him hard.

The boy, thrown back in an instant, seemed to be barely breathing.