In the midst of the bright sunlight that fell upon the sword and made it shine, Lang Biol gripped the sword's handle tightly, anger drawn across his face. Each time he tightened his grip, his gaze grew sharper. He attacked directly and swiftly, but the old man stood calmly and easily avoided the strike. Lang Biol did not give up. With the same speed, he turned and attacked again with greater force, yet the old man managed to evade the sword once more. Lang Biol attacked a third time, but this time the old man caught the sword with the tips of his fingers and, with utmost calmness, struck him hard in the stomach with his other hand. The blow caused severe pain to Lang Biol.
"Wait, I surrender."
After he said that, the old man stopped and smiled.
"If you cannot win against me, why did you decide to duel me?"
Lang Biol turned his gaze away angrily but remained silent. Perhaps he thought he would be able to win after all his training, but in the end he failed. The old man smiled and looked at him.
"Sometimes it is better not to rush. Acting hastily may bring you trouble without you realizing it. Take things slowly. You are still young and have plenty of time. Think carefully about matters. Perhaps this was a bad decision, but because of your haste you thought it was right. That is why you must be.."
The old man could not finish his advice because he saw Lang Biol eating a bowl of hot noodles, staring at him as if he were watching a dramatic play. The old man fell completely silent, then the veins on his face bulged with anger.
"Haha, look at yourself! You look like a red pepper! Hahaha."
He stopped laughing when he saw the old man take out his wooden stick. Lang Biol immediately placed the bowl of noodles on the ground and ran like a leopard. Although he pretended not to hear, he memorized everything the old man said, even if he did not understand it at the time. He knew that one day he would. And indeed, after causing trouble because of his impatience and failure to think seriously, he learned and understood everything the old man had said.
However, he knew that even if he returned in time, he would still be impatient. The difference was that he would only rush in unimportant matters, but regarding decisive matters, he would think a thousand times before acting. He learned to distinguish between what matters and what does not matter.
Lang Biol, now in his twenties, sat on the edge of a mountain watching the waves below. His face was as cold as ice, and his gaze empty of emotion. In the end, the world is gains and losses. That is what the old man said before his death.
Wherever he listened, he found nothing but silence. The sound of the waves made him feel lonely and depressed, far from the world and from any joyful thoughts. Completely alone, thinking of nothing, his mind empty, staring at the rise and fall of the waves. Silence. Silence. My silence.
At that exact moment, while he was closing his eyes, lightning appeared and thunder roared.
"Revenge."
"Young master? Young master? Young master?!"
"Huh? What?"
Lang Biol woke up to the annoying voice of the maid, his eyes widening in fear, sweat covering his entire body.
"Young master, are you alright? Was it a nightmare?"
"I am fine. I am fine. I want some water."
The maid went to bring a cup of water. Lang Biol looked around his room and tried to calm himself.
"Everything is fine. I returned in time. It is alright. But why did I see that dream? Am I truly impatient? But if I do not do this, I will not become strong, and the events will repeat. So no matter what happens, I must become stronger. Yes. It is alright. What I did was right."
He fell silent for a moment and lowered his head quietly. The maid returned with the cup of water. Lang Biol drank, and after finishing he asked,
"What time is it now?"
"Young master, it is nine in the morning. Shall I prepare the bath?"
The maid thought he would refuse, because he always woke up late, perhaps because he had nothing to do. She felt sad, but she heard Lang Biol say,
"Alright."
She could not believe it and hurried to prepare the bath.
Lang Biol sat calmly in the spacious bath, eyes closed, trying to remember whether he had done something wrong. It was simply that he took lotus herbs and mixed them with the tea. That was supposed to make the taste much better. But why did he feel as if he had forgotten something? Should he have hidden the fact that he wanted to punish his brother? After thinking, he found no mistake. When he lost hope in thinking, he slowly submerged his head and body into the water. Although returning in time has many benefits, he misses his friends who used to listen to his problems.
After finishing and checking his body, he got out of the water, dressed himself, and left. The maid looked at him in shock. How could he dress himself without help? Is this really Lang Biol?
"Young master, breakfast is ready. Will you go?"
"Yes, and what about it?"
This reply confirmed to the maid that he had truly changed, and for the better, but there was still something strange in his behavior. Why does he act like a thief or a bandit, not like someone from a noble family? She looked at him again, hoping to see a change, but his face was tightened with anger.
Lang Biol went to eat breakfast with his brothers and his father. He sat beside his older brother and began eating angrily. For the second time, he did not greet his father. Everyone was shocked by his behavior, which made Lang Liu so annoyed that he said what he should not have said.
"No respect, no talent. What use are you then?"
Their father became angry and was about to scold his son, but Lang Biol spoke before him. His eyes were terrifying like those of a bandit, and his voice was filled with threat.
"Shut your mouth and mind your own business. It is enough that you embarrassed the family. Do not speak about me when you are worse than me. Do you understand? Huh?"
No one spoke. The silence was so deep that the sound of the birds was clear. Everything Lang Biol said came from his heart. His brother causes problems, yet tells him that he is the worst? What did Lang Biol even do? His brother is the one who brought shame to the family, and because of him Lang Biol had to apologize to the leader of the Golden Tiger Sect, the man who was once his equal, and perhaps weaker than him.
That thought made Lang Biol even angrier, and he could not restrain himself.
"You shameless fool, troublemaker, and pathetic!"
His father thought he was dreaming, but the dream was far too real. He could not help but ask again.
"Biol, are you sure you are alright?"
But Lang Biol's angry glare silenced him completely. Silence and shock spread over everyone, especially Lang Liu, who could not believe what his gentle and polite younger brother, the White Lotus Flower, had just said. He looked at him again and saw Lang Biol eating, clearly in a very bad mood.
It seems that the White Lotus Flower has shown its thorns.