Chapter 2. The Prodigal Returns (1)

"Damn."

Yeon Ho-jeong, confined in the Ancestor Hall, grumbled.

"You're still as merciless as ever."

After the ancestral rites, his father, who had come to the office, decided the punishment with just one sentence.

"Go to the Ancestor Hall for four days and offer your apologies to the ancestors."

With those words, his father immediately returned to his work, not even making eye contact with Yeon Ho-jeong.

In a way, this made him even happier. As time passes, memories tend to shrink or inflate, but his father was exactly as he remembered.

This made the situation feel real, confirming that he had indeed returned to the past.

...Although, he didn't like the idea of being locked up for three days.

Leaning against the wall, a question arose on Yeon Ho-jeong's face once again.

"How is this even possible?"

During the half day he had been locked in the Ancestor Hall, this was the question he pondered the most.

While he didn't know if there was an afterlife, he was certain that one couldn't return to the past. If everyone who died returned to the past, the world would be in chaos.

Thus, his return was far from ordinary.

"I need to find out the reason. Unexplained phenomena will inevitably cause problems in the future."

The same applied to martial arts. Achievements beyond one's efforts always have a reason, and ignoring it could be fatal.

This was why he couldn't simply be happy about returning to the past.

After a long while of deep thought, he sighed.

"Damn, this isn't a problem that can be solved by just thinking about it."

You need a foundation of knowledge to even make an inference.

After thinking for a bit longer, Yeon Ho-jeong eventually gave up on his musings.

"At least there's nothing suspicious, so I should be content for now."

Since he had returned to the past, his body was also that of his younger self.

However, his well-trained soul was still that of Hei Jiechengzhu, the Great Master of the Black Path and the Dark Emperor.

His heightened senses told him it was fine. Thinking about it wouldn't yield an answer, so he should forget it for now.

Letting go of his worries, he felt much better.

"Being able to live a life that has already passed... to shed past regrets and sorrows."

His heart raced.

He had made many mistakes in his youth. They were more like the outbursts of a timid person struggling to adapt to his environment.

Thus, he had many regrets.

If he had been a bit calmer, a bit more cautious, a bit braver...

His past would have been very different.

Feeling bitter, Yeon Ho-jeong suddenly had a thought.

"Wait, this isn't normal, is it?"

It wasn't just about the mystery of his return.

Yeon Ho-jeong involuntarily stood up.

"How old am I now?"

It must be at least twenty-six years before, given that the family is still intact and peaceful.

So, he must be younger than twenty?

'Based on Jiping's appearance, he's around fifteen or sixteen. So, I must be around eighteen or nineteen.'

Even with his remarkable martial arts, it was too far back in the past. It was hard to pinpoint the exact time just by looking at his father and brother's faces.

He had run so far forward, forgetting the past, that it was difficult to recall.

'So...?'

Judging by the weather, it's autumn.

That means the family's destruction is only half a year to a year and a half away.

'Damn!'

His heart raced. This wasn't the time to sit around and relax.

Yeon Ho-jeong hurriedly opened the door of the Ancestor Hall.

Creak!

"Huh?!"

Yeon Ho-jeong looked at the boy standing outside the door with surprise.

Pale skin. He was quite tall, but his clear eyes and cute appearance made him look very young.

"Jiping?"

"Brother? Where are you going?"

"Huh? Uh... well..."

Thinking about it, he realized he had nowhere to go. He had just reacted instinctively upon realizing the urgency of the situation.

Yeon Ji-ping blinked repeatedly.

"You can't leave the Ancestor Hall, right? Father gave you a four-day punishment, didn't he?"

"...Right."

"Ah! No way. The Flying Eagle Squad is patrolling around here. If you get caught, Father will know right away."

Yeon Ji-ping made a slashing motion across his neck with his hand. It was a rather menacing gesture, but his innocent expression made it hard not to laugh.

"By the way, why are you here?"

"Hehe, there's a shortcut from my quarters to the forest behind the Ancestor Hall. I dug a small hole."

"A small hole?"

"Yes."

"Why...?"

Yeon Ji-ping pulled out a thick bundle from his robes and proudly presented it.

"Here!"

"...?"

"..."

"What is it?"

Yeon Ji-ping scratched his head, embarrassed.

"Rice balls."

"Rice balls?"

"Even if it's a punishment, starving is a bit much, don't you think? Four days of just drinking water is too much."

"What if Father finds out and scolds you?"

"Pfft, he wouldn't scold me for something like this."

He's the kind of person who would.

Regardless, it was impossible to turn away someone who had brought rice balls.

"Come in."

"Okay!"

Yeon Ji-ping entered the Ancestor Hall with a smile and quickly unwrapped the bundle. Three steaming rice balls appeared.

Yeon Ho-jeong picked up one of the rice balls. It was almost as big as his face.

"Are you hungry? Eat a lot. I'll bring more tomorrow."

Yeon Ho-jeong looked at the rice ball, then at Yeon Ji-ping.

Yeon Ji-ping was smiling, but Yeon Ho-jeong could sense a strange anxiety in his brother's smile.

And he knew better than anyone what that anxiety was about.

"Jiping."

"Yes?"

Yeon Ho-jeong paused.

What should he say first? He was conflicted.

Facing his brother like this, the past mistakes became even more vivid. While a regret-free life is impossible, what he regretted the most was his treatment of his brother.

This was not something to delay.

After some thought, Yeon Ho-jeong spoke honestly.

"I'm sorry for everything."

It was an unexpected apology. Yeon Ho-jeong was taken aback.

"What? For what?"

"I'm a wretched person. I envied you because of my petty pride. I should have supported your growth, but I didn't."

Yeon Ho-jeong bowed his head.

"I'm sorry. I won't do that anymore."

"Hey, Brother! Why are you saying this all of a sudden?"

"I'm not asking for forgiveness. I just want to acknowledge my mistakes and promise not to repeat them. That's all."

Before the family's destruction.

Yeon Ho-jeong had intensely hated Yeon Ji-ping.

It wasn't because of any other reason. Yeon Ji-ping's talent was unprecedented in the family's history.

While Yeon Ho-jeong's talent wasn't lacking, it couldn't compare to his brother's. What took Yeon Ho-jeong five years of hard work, Yeon Ji-ping could achieve in less than three years.

Despite this, they had a good relationship in their younger years, even closer than most brothers.

However, when Yeon Ho-jeong was fifteen, and the family was unsure who should become the young master.

At that moment, Yeon Ho-jeong closed his heart. He envied, hated, and even ignored his brother.

'Stupid kid.'

What was so important about being the young master?

It wasn't until the family fell and his kin died that he realized the futility of placing importance on titles within a family.

He also realized that, despite his lack of self-awareness, he still loved his father and brother.

He realized this too late. But regret is always too late, and he missed the chance to apologize to his family.

This was the truth he had carried in his heart all his life.

"I won't say much. I'm just sorry, and I'll be sorry again. Even if you hate me until the day you die, I won't be resentful or blame you."

"Brother."

Yeon Ji-ping's eyes welled up.

He had brought the rice balls with courage, sensing a change in his brother's eyes during the ancestral rites. He had come with a hopeful heart, wondering if his brother had forgiven him.

Fortunately, his brother no longer disliked or hated him.

"Sniff."

Overwhelmed, Yeon Ji-ping burst into tears.

Yeon Ho-jeong felt a mix of sympathy and confusion at his brother's tears.

His brother was a good kid. This reaction was natural.

However, as someone who had lived as a ruler of the Black Path, such a reaction was extremely rare.

The weak are pitied? Nonsense.

In the Black Path, the weak are trampled, killed, and used to gain power. They are prey, not objects of pity.

This gap in time and emotion reaffirmed that he had indeed returned to the past.

After a while, Yeon Ji-ping composed himself.

"I'm sorry. I acted disgracefully in front of you."

"No, I'm the one who's sorry."

"No, it's my fault. Why are you apologizing?"

He knew it wasn't empty words. This made him even more sorry and grateful.

Yeon Ji-ping smiled, now more at ease. Regardless of how it happened, their bond had been restored, and he was happy.

Yeon Ho-jeong said without thinking.

"They say if you cry and then laugh, you'll grow hair on your butt."

"Huh?"

"..."

"..."

Yeon Ho-jeong wasn't good at jokes.

Indeed, one shouldn't do things they're not used to. He awkwardly cleared his throat, then his expression suddenly hardened.

This change in expression made Yeon Ji-ping tense.

"Jiping."

"Yes?"

"How old are you now?"

Why the sudden question about age?

Confused, Yeon Ji-ping answered honestly.

"Fifteen."

"So, I must be eighteen, then?"

"Yes? Y-Yes, that's right."

A slight sense of relief washed over him. It wasn't just half a year but a year and a half more.

Of course, this didn't mean he had time to spare.

"You, how much of the Flying Swallow Heart Method have you...?"

At that moment, a sound came from outside the Ancestor Hall.

"Master Lee."

A stern, official voice. Yeon Ji-ping's face turned pale.

"I know you're inside. I'm coming in."

Creak.

The door of the Ancestor Hall opened, and a sturdy man appeared.

He had a long sword on his left hip and a heavy saber on his back. His eyes were sharp, and his aura was strict.

He was Jiang Lun, the leader of the Flying Eagle Squad.

"Let's go."

Jiang Lun didn't even look at Yeon Ho-jeong.

Yeon Ho-jeong nodded.

"Go."

"See you in four days, Brother."

"Understood."

Yeon Ji-ping stood up.

Jiang Lun said.

"You must take everything you brought with you."

"Huh?"

Jiang Lun didn't say more. He just stared at Yeon Ji-ping with unwavering eyes.

Yeon Ji-ping bit his lip.

"I brought these rice balls with effort. You need strength to apologize, don't you?"

"I don't know about that. I only know that the rewards and punishments of the Yeon family apply equally to family members. This is a direct order from the family head, so it must be followed."

His voice was firm, allowing no argument.

Yeon Ho-jeong wrapped the rice balls and handed them to Yeon Ji-ping. Yeon Ji-ping bowed deeply.

"I'll bring you something delicious in four days."

"Understood."

Jiang Lun's eyes widened.

Everyone in the Yeon family knew the brothers didn't get along, but today seemed different.

"Let's go."

"Okay."

Yeon Ji-ping's steps were slow, as if his feet were stuck to the ground.

As Jiang Lun was about to close the door of the Ancestor Hall,

"Commander Jiang."

"Do you have something to say?"

"The rice balls were my idea. When you report, please mention that."

Jiang Lun's eyes widened again.

"I will take that into account."

Thud.

The door of the Ancestor Hall closed.

Yeon Ho-jeong smiled.

"I didn't expect such a rigid atmosphere to be so exhilarating."