Chapter 157: Change (1)

The battle against the Ihwa White Sword Squad was brutal.

They absolutely refused to surrender and fought until only one of them remained.

Only after fighting for another half of a si-jin did we manage to annihilate all of them.

Because they fought to the bitter end, half of the Namgung Clan’s reinforcements were either dead or injured.

On the other hand, none of the Heavenly Central Soaring Dragon Unit lost their lives, with only four sustaining minor injuries.

Seeing this, Namgung Soomyung let out a bitter smile.

Although it was said that Yong Hwarin was outstanding, he had still unconsciously considered the Heavenly Central Sect to be far beneath them.

He had comforted himself by thinking that, compared to the Namgung Clan, they were nothing more than a small, insignificant sect.

But through this battle, he finally realized how strong the Heavenly Central Sect truly was. Despite having only ten warriors, they had stood at the very front and fought the Ihwa White Sword Squad without losing a single man.

He did not even want to imagine what the outcome would have been if these warriors had fought against the Namgung Clan’s reinforcements instead.

‘If mere disciples are at this level, just how powerful is the Heavenly Central Sect itself? It truly was a den of hidden dragons.’

The disciples of the Heavenly Central Sect had proven themselves to be superior even to the Namgung Clan’s elite warriors.

What small or medium sect could dare to surpass the Namgung Clan’s martial artists? And yet, the disciples of the Heavenly Central Sect had completely shattered that notion.

Through this realization, Namgung Soomyung gained a moment of self-reflection.

After the fierce battle, after retrieving all the bodies of their comrades, they headed toward the Namgung Clan.

It was to treat the wounded and report the incident.

Yong Hwarin became nothing short of a hero within the Namgung Clan.

The members of the Namgung Clan praised Yong Hwarin as the chivalrous hero who had saved Namgung Soomyung, Namgung Sohong, and the young lords of other clans, holding him in high regard.

Moreover, as the Namgung Clan’s martial artists spread tales of Yong Hwarin’s feats against the Ihwa White Sword Squad, the rumors grew, spreading like wildfire.

Of course, Pang Giyok and Namgung Soomyung had also fought well, but since Yong Hwarin’s exploits had been so overwhelming, they were overshadowed by the rumors surrounding him.

It wasn’t just Yong Hwarin.

Those who had stood bravely at the front were none other than the members of the Heavenly Central Soaring Dragon Unit.

In some ways, they couldn’t afford to fall behind since their young sect leader was leading the charge, and as a result, the ten members of the Soaring Dragon Unit suddenly earned a nickname.

Though it wasn’t given to each individual, the ten of them were collectively referred to as the “Ten Prodigies of the Heavenly Central Sect,” and that alone was enough to fill them with pride.

The ten of them received great respect under the name of the Ten Prodigies within the Namgung Clan.

No matter where they went, people recognized them and struck up conversations, which naturally made them feel awkward.

However, they didn’t seem to dislike it—they seemed to enjoy it.

Meanwhile, the Namgung Clan focused on calming and treating the young lords of the various clans.

Each of these individuals would one day lead their clans, so they could not be treated carelessly.

Additionally, Namgungseong took this incident as a turning point and actively pushed for the formation of the Central Alliance. Namgungseong, who had previously seemed reluctant, became even more proactive than the Jaegal Clan.

He believed that the actions of the Ihwa Palace toward the martial clans were not mere provocations.

Yong Hwarin stayed at the Namgung Clan until the injured members of the Soaring Dragon Unit had fully recovered.

He also knew very well that it would be improper to suddenly leave during such a time.

Thus, he felt it necessary to wait until things had calmed down a bit.

During this period, the young lords and ladies of the clans grew even closer.

Especially seeing Jeong Suji, who used to chatter nonstop by Yong Hwarin’s side, now sticking close to Namgung Soomyung to nurse him, made him realize once again that she was, after all, just a woman.

‘I still remember the time she sliced off Black Killer Wonho’s manhood with a sword, so seeing her like this feels surreal.’

She personally changed the bandages on Namgung Soomyung’s wounded side and even fed him despite his arms being uninjured, drawing complaints from those around them.

Additionally, Shangguan Mijong, who had always been a burden on Yong Hwarin’s mind, turned out to be an unexpectedly perfect match with Pang Giyok.

The two bickered often, but would just as quickly make up as if nothing had happened.

Yong Hwarin, however, had something on his mind and approached Pang Giyok to ask.

“Giyok, didn’t you originally have feelings for Lady Jegal Yohye?”

“I did. Does it seem strange that I’m getting along with Lady Shangguan now?”

“No, that’s not why I’m asking.”

Pang Giyok gave a faint smile and spoke to Yong Hwarin.

“Do you know why I liked Lady Jegal Yohye?”

“I have a vague idea.”

“Go on, say it.”

“I figured you believed that if you married Lady Jegal Yohye and had children, they would inherit exceptional talent, and that thought heavily influenced your feelings.”

“As expected, it’s hard to fool you. You’re right. I had long wished that the genius Lady Jegal Yohye would become my wife. But over time, I realized something.”

“What made you change your mind?”

Yong Hwarin wanted to know if Pang Giyok truly had feelings for Shangguan Mijong.

“You probably have an idea too. Why do I like intelligent women? I once thought I might not be able to perfect the Five Tigers Blade Art in my generation. I believed my talent was lacking. In fact, it was only thanks to you that I managed to perfect it, wasn’t it? Had I not met you, I would’ve spent my whole life struggling to complete the Five Tigers Blade Art. That’s how lacking the Pang Clan’s intellect is.”

He spoke of his clan’s shortcomings without any hint of shame.

Once one fully accepted their true self, shame disappeared and confidence followed.

Such traits could only be found in true men.

“That’s why I wanted to marry a genius like Jegal Yohye and have exceptional descendants. I hoped that my offspring would one day complete the Five Tigers Blade Art. But now that I’ve completed it in my generation, I no longer need to marry a woman just for her intellect. Thanks to you, I’ve crossed a threshold and my values have changed a lot. It’s like I’ve shattered a small world within myself. And with that, my perspective on women has completely changed.”

Yong Hwarin could understand what he meant.

It struck a chord that Pang Giyok had carried such a heavy responsibility to perfect his clan’s martial art, and had thus sought an intelligent wife.

“From what I can see, Lady Shangguan is an outstanding woman. She will certainly be a great help to you.”

“Thank you for saying that. You know I trust your words more than anything else.”

“Hahaha. You’d give me your liver just because I complimented your woman.”

“If you asked, I’d give you anything.”

Seeing how seriously Pang Giyok said that, Yong Hwarin laughed again.

“I mean it. I believe loyalty is the greatest virtue of a man.”

“I know, I know.”

Yong Hwarin truly liked Pang Giyok for his simplicity, honesty, and loyalty.

In all his fifty years living in the Upper World, he had never met anyone who actually lived by loyalty, which made this young friend even more precious to him.

Thanks to these pairs spending time together, Yong Hwarin had some quiet moments to reflect.

But there were also women by Yong Hwarin’s side.

Jegal Cheongyeong and Jeong Minji constantly followed him around.

Originally, Jeong Minji had not been the kind of woman to stick to Yong Hwarin in such a way, but seeing Jegal Cheongyeong cling so closely to him had sparked a sense of competition within her, causing her to stay by his side without even realizing it.

Through this, Jeong Minji finally came to understand her feelings clearly.

‘I started following Young Master Yong just to prove that he was the true owner of the Black Silk Celestial Silkworm. But before I knew it, he had entered my heart and taken root there.’

However, the expressions of the two women were not bright.

It was because Yong Hwarin did not see them as women, and more than anything, because Yong Hwarin had recently shown interest in another woman.

“Miss Seok, how did you get kidnapped by Ihwa Fairy?”

Seok Unjeong explained to Yong Hwarin in detail how she had fallen into the hands of Ihwa Fairy.

To Jegal Cheongyeong and Jeong Minji, it was nothing but a terribly boring story.

Even in such an urgent situation, she spoke in a calm tone, making listeners yawn.

But Yong Hwarin listened with an expression as if he were hearing the most precious story in the world.

“I originally went to the place where I was supposed to meet my father, and there I met a man called Third Young Master, who said he knew my father, so I followed him.”

“What? You followed someone you didn’t know just because he said that?”

When Yong Hwarin asked, Seok Unjeong gave a sad smile.

“I waited there for three days, but my father didn’t come, so I had no choice but to believe his words.”

“By any chance, was the place you waited for him the manor in Nampyeong County?”

“Huh? How do you know, Young Master Yong? My father said hardly anyone knew about that place.”

Without answering Seok Unjeong’s words, Yong Hwarin fell deep into thought.

‘As I thought, that manor was purchased for his daughter.’

He recalled how the Demonic Master had once mentioned buying a manor for someone.

Originally, that manor had not been used as a meeting place for the Demonic Master.

However, somehow, this so-called Third Young Master had heard that the Demonic Master’s daughter would come there and had gone ahead to wait, luring Seok Unjeong.

In a way, it felt as if Yong Hwarin and the Demonic Master were bound by some kind of inevitable fate that kept bringing them together.

“I know the area around Yongjung Mountain quite well.”

Even though he brushed it off with such a vague reply, Seok Unjeong believed it without suspicion.

Having been ill for a long time, Seok Unjeong had little interaction with people, and she tended to believe that everyone told the truth.

That was why she had believed and followed the Third Young Master’s words.

Yong Hwarin, now seeing the Demonic Master’s daughter in front of him, wondered why they had gone out of their way to buy a manor in Nampyeong County.

“Did your father have a particular reason for buying a manor in Nampyeong County?”

“There is an unavoidable reason.”

Seok Unjeong looked at Yong Hwarin, Jegal Cheongyeong, and Jeong Minji with sad eyes. Seeing those eyes, the two women felt guilty for having envied her.

Seok Unjeong had that kind of strange charm that evoked sympathy from people.

“If I tell you this, I’ll have to talk about myself as well…”

Yong Hwarin sensed that Seok Unjeong was hesitant to reveal that she suffered from Moon Yin Pulse Disorder.

“Oh, if you feel uncomfortable, you don’t have to say it.”

When Yong Hwarin spoke with a serious expression, Seok Unjeong lowered her head, thinking he was disappointed by her reluctance.

“No, it’s alright. I’ll tell you. I feel like I can trust you, Young Master Yong.”

But Jegal Cheongyeong snorted inwardly.

‘Hmph! How long has it even been since you met Brother Hwarin, and you’re already saying you trust him? What a sly fox, acting all frail while seducing people’s hearts.’

Jegal Cheongyeong’s gaze turned sharp for a moment.

“I was born with Moon Yin Pulse Disorder.”

“Ah…!”

“What!”

At those words, Jegal Cheongyeong’s sharp expression softened again.

Jeong Minji even grabbed Seok Unjeong’s hand.

“How painful that must be…”

All of them were martial artists, and since they had studied meridians, they knew what Moon Yin Pulse Disorder was.

When the full moon rose, the whole body would be consumed by unbearable pain, and because of that agony, most people didn’t live long.

Moon Yin Pulse Disorder didn’t destroy the body and cause early death.

The problem was that the pain became unbearable whenever the full moon rose, driving most to take their own lives.

In truth, all congenital meridian disorders were like that. It wasn’t that they were diseases that killed by the age of twenty; rather, the unbearable pain drove people to end their own lives before reaching twenty.

That was why it was said that those born with such disorders rarely lived past twenty.

Jegal Cheongyeong and Jeong Minji felt a deep sense of sorrow upon realizing that Seok Unjeong had survived all the way to nearly twenty years old, enduring all that pain.

It was easy to say one endured pain, but there was a saying that the suffering of those with meridian disorders was beyond what any human could imagine.

“Sister Seok, how hard must it have been for you?”

When Jeong Minji called Seok Unjeong “sister” and gently patted her back, Seok Unjeong, feeling warmth for the first time in a long while, began to shed tears.

“It’s alright. You don’t have to tell us.”

But Seok Unjeong shook her head.

“No, I’ll tell you. I think it might help my benefactor, Young Master Yong. After I was born with Moon Yin Pulse Disorder, my father spent years searching for herbs that could help with my condition. Recently, he discovered that the Red Immortal Herb (仙遊紅花草), which grows only in Yongjung Mountain, was beneficial for my disorder.”

“Ah, so that’s what happened.”

Yong Hwarin nodded in understanding.

The Demonic Master had traveled across the continent and learned that certain herbs that helped with Moon Yin Pulse Disorder grew wild in Yongjung Mountain. That was why he had purchased a manor in Nampyeong County, where herbs from Yongjung Mountain were most actively traded.

The Red Immortal Herb, which only grew in Yongjung Mountain, could ease his daughter’s pain and slow the progression of her condition.

Moreover, this herb was particularly effective at stopping bleeding, making it highly sought after. However, it was also extremely difficult to obtain, making it a high-priced commodity.

“But Sister Seok, if it’s just because of the herb, there’s no need to live in Nampyeong County. You could just buy the herb when you need it, right?”

Jeong Minji asked the question that Yong Hwarin had overlooked, smiling as she did.

“My father said he found a way to cultivate the herb not only in Yongjung Mountain but through other methods as well. However, he mentioned that due to the soil conditions, it couldn’t be grown anywhere but around Yongjung Mountain.”

Yong Hwarin thought to himself.

‘So the Demonic Master in his later years was trying to cultivate the Red Immortal Herb, since it only grows deep in Yongjung Mountain.’

That thought triggered his merchant’s instincts.

‘Ah, if it’s possible to properly cultivate this herb, it could be an incredible source of income. Since the Red Immortal Herb only grows in Yongjung Mountain and is already traded at a high price, mass cultivating and selling it would eliminate any financial worries.’

Just thinking about it, Yong Hwarin could already envision the money flowing in.

Perhaps because of his long years as a merchant, his mind had already started calculating the profits the moment he sensed a lucrative opportunity.

‘If I succeed in this, I could stably fund the main household’s expenses.’

With that thought, Seok Unjeong felt even more precious to him.

‘Wait, the Demonic Master living in my Upper Dantian also knew about the manor in Nampyeong County. Then he might also know how to cultivate the Red Immortal Herb in large quantities.’

Yong Hwarin awakened the Demonic Master in his Upper Dantian.

‘Elder.’

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