Chapter 30: Red Dragon Corps (2)

The Council of Elders’ meeting continued in this manner.

Baek Jin-tae, the commander of the Red Dragon Corps, explained the plans moving forward. The discussion centered on following the clues obtained from Big Tree House to uncover the identities of the assassins.

In truth, the gathered information might not have been significant enough to cause such a commotion among everyone present. The identities of the assassins were still unknown, after all. It was merely indicative of the lack of progress in their investigations so far.

The meeting’s agenda proceeded in various directions thereafter. Topics included exchanges with the Tang Clan of Sichuan, deciding who to send to the Murim Alliance’s Assembly, and minor power struggles with the Unorthodox Union.

However, Yi-gang could not focus properly, all because of the secret message his uncle had sent him.

‘He said he had a hidden truth?’

And that he would reveal it only to Yi-gang.

He had no choice but to wait until the end of the Council of Elders’ meeting since Yi-gang could not use the secret voice transmission technique himself.

“And when Yi-gang is sent to the Azure Forest, let’s have the Biyeon Squad and Squad Leader Neung accompany him.”

“Snicker, since those assassins were after Yi-gang, we should ensure he’s thoroughly guarded.”

Should he be grateful? There was no opposition to Yi-gang’s visit to the Azure Forest.

Even the elders who had always insisted that it should be Yi-gang, not Ha-jun, to be the Young Clan Head were silent.

If Yi-gang were to return from the Azure Forest with his health improved, it would be beneficial for them.

As the meeting concluded, Yi-gang respectfully bowed out and left the Council of Elders.

‘Wait for me in the back garden, Yi-gang.’

Yi-gang headed towards the garden located in the outer quarters, a tranquil place with a serene pond and a birch tree that was nearly 200 years old.

This was where his uncle had asked to meet him.

Since Baek Jin-tae was not yet in sight, Yi-gang stood under the shade cast by the birch tree.

The weather had turned pleasantly cool as they had entered the season of autumn.

「This is a tree I planted a long time ago,」 the voice of the Immortal Divine Sword, audible only to Yi-gang, sounded from behind him.

Somehow, the Immortal Divine Sword had emerged from the sword.

Yi-gang examined the birch tree with renewed curiosity.

Indeed, that would explain the tree’s immense size.

It seemed as tall as a two-story building, and its branches were lush with abundant leaves.

From the outside, Yi-gang, who might be standing amidst the leaves of the birch, would likely be hard to spot.

「Back then, it was a sapling, even smaller than the descendant. How relentless the flow of time is,」 the Immortal Divine Sword muttered, walking slowly to stand by the water’s edge.

“…!”

Yi-gang’s eyes widened in surprise.

The Immortal Divine Sword, gazing into the pond, seemed as if he were truly alive.

However, his reflection did not appear on the water’s surface. After blinking several times, he returned to his original semi-transparent form.

「When a birch tree dies, it’s said to harbor souls within its body,」 the Immortal Divine Sword suddenly commented, seemingly out of context.

「They say a dead royal birch emits a dark light at night. It’s will-o’-wisps. Seeing those flashes convinced me in my past life that souls do exist.」

‘It’s nothing special, really.’

「…What do you mean?」

‘Birch trees by the water, laden with moisture, have their trunks infested by insects which eventually die inside. Then, creatures like shrews enter to consume the carcasses but end up dying inside as well,’ explained Yi-gang, understanding the Immortal Divine Sword’s narrative.

‘In the bodies of these dead animals, a substance called phosphine is produced. It glows blue in the dark of night, and that’s probably why there are rumors about will-o’-wisps coming from birch trees,’ Yi-gang added, his explanation decidedly modern, a piece of knowledge from his previous life.

The Immortal Divine Sword’s expression turned gloomy.

「What a starkly pragmatic young man you are.」

‘More importantly, why did you suddenly hide within the sword earlier?’

「Cough.」

‘I had many questions to ask you, but you didn’t respond when I called. I had a hard time on my own.’

At Yi-gang’s remark, the Immortal Divine Sword coughed awkwardly and avoided eye contact, seemingly reluctant to answer Yi-gang’s question.

「Since ancient times, the willows by the water have been loved by poets and writers for their serene atmosphere,」 he deflected, even reciting a poem and blatantly changing the topic.

Of course, his recitation was hesitant, perhaps indicating a lack of poetic talent.

Yi-gang, glaring at him for stubbornly dodging the topic, broke off a small branch from the birch tree.

「With its green jade-like hue, the birch tree adorns itself…」

‘But it’s said that birch trees possess the power of exorcising evil. That’s why shamans used birch branches to flog those who were possessed by spirits.’

「Hmm, the leaves fluttering in the sky as if…」

‘Like this!’

Yi-gang swung the birch branch broadly, smacking it against the Immortal Divine Sword’s back.

「Argh!」

The Immortal Divine Sword writhed as if it stung terribly.

Yi-gang, who had swung the branch, was actually the most surprised. It was meant to be a joke; he had not expected the birch branch to genuinely affect a spirit.

“So this is the power of exorcising evil…”

Yi-gang said, his hand trembling in awe of the branch’s efficacy.

「Do you think that’s possible! It must have been because you, who have trained in the Great Yin Flow and wear the Pixiu necklace, wielded it. I’ve even raised a tiger cub.」

“Did it hurt a lot? I thought it would just pass right through you.”

「Enough. Get rid of that branch right now.」

“Yes, understood.”

Instead of throwing the branch away, Yi-gang tucked it into his bosom.

Just as Immortal Divine Sword was about to express significant anger, someone called Yi-gang’s name.

“What are you doing, Yi-gang!”

“Ah, Uncle.”

“What is it that those old fogies from the council are so curious about? Hehehe.”

Baek Jin-tae suddenly appeared and gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder.

“Oh, when did you grow so tall? At this rate, it’ll be uncomfortable to pat your shoulder soon. You’re going to grow taller than me.”

“Is that so?”

Yi-gang was still of a boyish height, but Baek Jin-tae made a fuss. No one else showed this side to Yi-gang except his uncle.

That was why, when explaining to the Immortal Divine Sword, Yi-gang had said his uncle was one of the few people he respected.

“I’ve brought a gift for our Yi-gang this time too. Heh, go ahead, open it.”

“What’s this!”

Every time he met Yi-gang, he brought a gift. Yi-gang cautiously opened the wooden box his uncle had handed him.

Inside the box, there was a layer of soft moss, and three roots of an herb with purple flowers were placed.

“It’s a medicinal herb called the Purple Spirit Phantom Herb! The purple color is splendid, isn’t it? You can’t buy this even with money.”

And most of those gifts were things good for the body. Yi-gang’s face brightened.

“Wow! Thank you!”

“Be sure to stop by the pharmacy before you take them and listen to the instructions. They’re herbs rich in Yang energy, so you need to consume them with medicinal ingredients that contain Yin energy to create harmony, or something like that.”

A person who gave good things was indeed a good person. There were things in the world that money could not buy, and these sorts of remedies were among them.

In that respect, Baek Jin-tae was certainly a person of character, at least to Yi-gang.

The Immortal Divine Sword was also impressed.

「Ho! The Purple Spirit Phantom Herb was originally hard to come by in the Central Plains. How did he get the thing when you need to cross Heilongjiang in the far northeast!」

“Is it precious?”

「It’s precious, indeed. You’re really fortunate. A remedy abundant in Yang energy is invaluable for the body of the descendant, I will personally oversee your intake.」

Yi-gang’s lips twitched in amusement. The item his uncle had brought today was even more valuable than usual.

“Thank you so much, Uncle!”

“Yi-gang, you have to be healthy. That’s because…”

Baek Jin-tae’s reason for taking such care of Yi-gang was not unknown to Yi-gang.

“…so you can become the Young Clan Head. Hahah!”

Yi-gang smiled broadly. On the surface, it was a fresh smile without a single crease to be seen.

“Ah, how could I possibly become the Young Clan Head? I’m frail, and Ha-jun would do much better in my stead.”

“Uh? That again? Lineage is important. You, being the eldest, should become the Young Clan Head. I respect your father, but how could Ha-jun, the second child, surpass you and become the Young Clan Head? Don’t worry about your health. Am I not making all this effort to keep you healthy?” Baek Jin-tae said so adamantly.

Indeed, it was a warm gesture of concern for his nephew.

「He’s transparent.」

‘It’s hard to blame him.’

Even if Yi-gang became the Young Clan Head, he would not live long. His father, Baek Ryu-san, was also not going to last long due to his lung disease.

If that happened, instead of the title passing to young Ha-jun, one of the elders or senior members would act as the Clan Head. That was the tradition.

Baek Jin-tae, who could be considered in the prime of his life in his 40s, would become an elder. At the same time, he would become the actual leader of the clan.

Being born as the younger brother of the Clan Head and living as the second-in-command, the only way for him to take the top spot was through this route.

「In other words.」

‘Yes.’

Baek Jin-tae ruffled Yi-gang’s hair.

“There’s no one who cares for you as much as this uncle does. Hehehe.”

At the very least, Baek Jin-tae would not wish for Yi-gang’s premature death. Upon hearing news of Yi-gang’s ambush, it was his uncle who immediately led the Red Dragon Corps to rescue him, or so he heard.

“I’m always grateful, Uncle. But… what did you mean by what you said to me at the Council of Elders?”

“Ah, that!”

Yi-gang brought up the main issue. What was it that he wanted to tell only Yi-gang, keeping it hidden even from the elders?

“It’s nothing major. It’s just that the carpenter from the Bug Tree House heard a strange tale.”

“What story?”

“Those who briefly went through the blueprints asked again. They asked if those blueprints were indeed the authentic ones, or if there might be another set.”

“Hmm.”

“It’s strange. Whether there was something wrong with the blueprints. If so, how did they figure that out?”

Yi-gang immediately noticed something odd.

“It seems they had something specific in mind from the beginning. Perhaps information regarding the structure of the Divine Sword Manor.”

“Right, didn’t you say you found a secretive place in the warehouse of the Divine Sword Manor, huhu.”

Yi-gang had hidden in the warehouse with Sohwa, where he discovered Shooting Star Fang and met the spirit of the Immortal Divine Sword.

“That’s… right.”

Suddenly, Yi-gang felt the sword strapped to his waist grow heavy.

“According to the carpenters, those assassins seemed to be looking for something. Did you by any chance see any suspicious objects? Haha.”

“I wonder. An object, you say?”

“Something ancient.”

Seeing Baek Jin-tae’s eyes soften, Yi-gang instinctively shifted his stance.

The sword hidden behind him — Could it be referring to the meteorite sword that once reigned supreme in the hand of the Immortal Divine Sword?

What did his uncle know?

“I’m not sure what you’re referring to.”

Yi-gang shook off his uncertainty.

“Well, I heard that…”

Baek Jin-tae pointed at the rings on Yi-gang’s hand.

“They’re talking about some kind of jewel or ornament.”

The tension abruptly dissolved. It did not seem like his uncle knew about the Shooting Star Fang’s identity and coveted it.

To begin with, the meteorite sword known as the Shooting Star Fang had been hanging in the Council of Elders. Rusty and worn, no one had recognized the Shooting Star Fang’s identity so far, and there was no way his uncle could have.

Yi-gang checked with the Immortal Divine Sword.

‘Was there any jewelry there?’

「I don’t think so. It didn’t seem like it.」

The Immortal Divine Sword also shrugged.

“I don’t recall seeing anything like that. The same goes for that space underground.”

“Is that so… Well, that’s disappointing. That was what I wanted to ask about.”

It was certainly a story that piqued curiosity about the details, but upon hearing it, there was nothing significant.

Baek Jin-tae tightly grasped Yi-gang’s hand and said, “Don’t worry about anything, just focus on taking care of your health. I will take care of those villains.”

“I’ll rely on you, Uncle!”

“You said you’re going to the Azure Forest to recuperate, right?”

“Yes.”

“The Forest Lord of the Azure Forest is an expert in Qi technique. Hopefully, he can fully heal your body.”

“Haha, I’m trying not to get my hopes up too much.”

Yi-gang responded with a smile to Baek Jin-tae’s laughing remark.

At that moment, the Immortal Divine Sword quietly spoke, 「If the descendant’s body fully recovers, your uncle’s ambitions will crumble.」

Yi-gang did not bother to respond.

Because it was true.

As Baek Jin-tae was about to leave the garden, he suddenly seemed to remember something and said to Yi-gang, “Oh, also, there’s someone in my corps who wants to meet you, Yi-gang.”

“Ah.”

A little distance away, a member of the Red Dragon Corps under Baek Jin-tae was quietly waiting.

Yi-gang realized who Baek Jin-tae was talking about.

“That girl’s sister died while serving you, I heard. Tsk, tsk, how pitiful.”

“Yes, I’m aware.”

“Is that so? Then make sure to comfort her well. Haha.”

It was not something to laugh about, but Baek Jin-tae left with a laugh nonetheless.

And a figure dressed in the Red Dragon Corps’s uniform slowly approached Yi-gang.

She was a young woman in her late teens, still with a youthful face. She was also the Red Dragon Corps member who had brought the tortured carpenter.

She respectfully bowed her head and lifted her gaze.

“Young Master.”

“It’s been a while.”

Yi-gang also recognized her.

“There were flowers on my sister’s grave.”

“Yes.”

“Could it be, it was you, Young Master?”

“…Yes, it was.”

“Thank you. Thanks to you, my sister Sohwa has been laid to rest in a good place.”

While expressing gratitude, her voice was heavy with a profound sense of emptiness.

Yi-gang looked into her eyes.

Her grey pupils seemed utterly hollow. Unlike Sohwa, her face was unaccustomed to smiling. There was also a long scar stretching from her cheek to her jaw.

Sohwa and her were both orphans. They certainly were not blood-related sisters, but their relationship was stronger than that.

While Sohwa became a personal maid, she, with her talent in martial arts, was raised as a warrior, and their destinies diverged.

According to Yi-gang’s memory, Sohwa, who was about the same age, had always worried about her, calling her a younger sister.

“Did you want to see me?”

Yi-gang, too, having heard her name incessantly from Sohwa, knew who she was.

“…Soryu.”

Soryu.

The girl, bearing the name of a small willow leaf, lifted her head at Yi-gang’s call.

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