Martial Arts Ain't That Big of a Deal

Chapter 116

Adolescent Chun-bong: A Name to Be Reckoned With

Seo-jun couldn’t fathom how to navigate this terrifying situation.

"From now on, we’re sleeping separately."

"What...! Wait, Geum! Why suddenly?"

"It was weird for a man and a woman who aren't married to sleep together in the first place."

"But siblings usually sleep together!"

"Pfft, only when they’re little."

With a snort of dismissal, Chun-bong packed her things and moved. Next door.

In the guesthouse that the Namgung Family had allocated for Seo-jun, multiple rooms were available, so just five steps from his door led to Chun-bong’s new room.

Peeking into Chun-bong's room, Seo-jun grumbled.

"I can’t sleep without my Chun-bong...."

"You slept just fine without me before, didn’t you? And you sure were up to plenty."

"That... That was back then...."

"Well, keep it in mind."

Claiming her own room, Chun-bong slammed the door shut.

"I’m changing, so don’t come in."

"...My Chun-bong’s all grown up. So I don’t have to dress you anymore?"

"Try it, and I won’t sit still!"

Peeking through a slightly cracked door, Chun-bong stuck her tongue out at him before quickly closing it again, trying to calm her pounding heart.

'This is how it should be.'

They’d been too casual all this time. If things continued this way, she would never break out of the “sibling” role.

So, this was a single step back to take ten steps forward... something she just had to endure.

“Hee-hee.”

Now, she had nothing to be ashamed of. This “menstrual” thing came with unpleasant cramps and bleeding, but it also proved that she could become pregnant.

The adult Chun-bong...!

Having already pre-named about twelve hypothetical grandchildren, Chun-bong spread her bedding with a hearty laugh.

The Namgung Clan’s rebirth was not far off.

Chun-bong slowly opened her eyes, groggily sitting up.

“Haahm... Water...”

“There you go, Chun-bong. Water’s right here.”

Tipping her head back, she found the water reaching her lips. Drinking deeply, Chun-bong stretched her arms high with a loud yawn.

“Well done.”

Her body moved instinctively. Still half-asleep, Chun-bong allowed herself to be quickly dressed by skillful hands.

As she stood, her hair was gently pulled and tidied. The soft touch made her sleepy again, and she yawned once more, habitually counting the days.

'Today is...'

What day of the week was it?

After five minutes of deliberation, she finally remembered with a sense of accomplishment, giggling to herself until she suddenly jolted awake.

“Wait, what? What’s going on?!”

“What’s wrong?” Seo-jun, standing right in front of her, tilted his head.

Frantically glancing around, Chun-bong realized she was in Seo-jun’s slightly barren room. Why was she here?

Chun-bong’s eyes grew wide.

“Hey! Did you kidnap me in my sleep?!”

“Nope.”

Seo-jun’s face looked genuinely innocent as he shook his hand, leaving Chun-bong bewildered.

“Then why am I here...?”

“You opened the door, came in, and lay down next to me last night?”

“I definitely went to sleep in my room!”

“Well, I wouldn’t know about that.”

Seo-jun shrugged.

Chun-bong, looking serious, tried to piece together the events of the previous night.

After struggling for a while, a vague fragment of memory surfaced.

‘Haahm... what...’

Cold weather. An unusually empty space beside her.

‘Where’s that Seo-jun...’

She remembered getting up groggily, stumbling toward her brother’s room, and throwing open the door...!

“No way...”

“Hey! I told you not to wash our clothes together!”“Get away; you stink!”“Want to sleep together? Perv. Why don’t you just die?”“I can’t live with someone like you. Don’t bother looking for me if I leave.”

“Well, then surpass me in strength.”

“Oh yeah? Want to go again?”

“Uh, the training ground will be wrecked again! Really?!”

The power difference between Seo-jun and Pae Jin-gwang had narrowed, but to settle the score, they’d both have to fight with the intent to kill.

And the one most likely to fall would still be Seo-jun.

One solid punch from Pae Jin-gwang would shatter him to pieces.

If his body shattered, even he might not survive.

Seo-jun pondered seriously.

Or would he survive?

The thought occurred, but he dared not test it.

If he actually died, he’d go down as the greatest fool in the Central Plains.

When he asked Pae Jin-gwang, his mentor also pondered seriously.

“I don’t know. If you fought while running away, maybe I couldn’t catch you.”

“But if I’m caught, I’d die, right?”

“That Heaven-Reversing Sun and Moon Art you used against the Qi Sword Master... That would slice me deep, even if I couldn’t guarantee survival.”

“Pretty sure it wouldn’t cut through even half my neck.”

“Most people die when their necks are half cut through.”

“I don’t think you would die.”

“I wouldn’t know... I’ve never been cut.”

Listening to their debate, Chun-bong’s face twisted.

Why were these two fighting when they thought they’d lose?

She sidled up to Namgung Su-a, whom she thought was relatively sane, but Namgung Su-a spoke first.

“Hey, Geum.”

“Huh?”

“Doesn’t Seo-jun’s arm look really solid?”

“Oh, yeah. I guess.”

“Would it feel good if he choked me?”

Chun-bong backed away. This sister was also starting to lose her mind.

‘Maybe we’ve all become too close...?’

At first, she’d shown some decorum, but now, they’d shed all pretense.

Chun-bong suddenly had an epiphany.

Were there no sane martial artists at the highest levels?

Then again, reaching such a level was impossible with an ordinary mindset.

‘Could it be...me too?’

She took a moment for self-reflection.

But no matter how she thought about it, she was still the sanest one here.

“Fine, I’ll just keep doing my best.”

It was then that Namgung Jin-cheon appeared, cutting across the sky.

“Son-in-law....”

“Oh, Father-in-law!”

“The grand-uncle has set a date. It’ll be in a week....”

“A date? You mean the test, right?”

“Yes....”

Namgung Jin-cheon explained that Namgung Hyeok’s proposed test involved three challenges.

The first was trust.

The second was swordsmanship.

The third was martial arts.

“Passing just two will earn the grand-uncle’s recognition of your qualifications. If you succeed, he’ll support you, eliminating any concerns about other opposition....”

“What if I fail?”

Namgung Jin-cheon merely smiled faintly.

“There won’t be any need to worry about that....”

If anyone dared try crippling his martial energy or cutting his tongue and wrists, he’d stop them himself, but he doubted it would come to that.

Even in failure, the grand-uncle didn’t seem inclined to harm his son-in-law.

Leaving Seo-jun with a word of encouragement, Namgung Jin-cheon departed.

“Take this chance to secure your place....”

It wouldn’t be a difficult task for his son-in-law.

.