Chapter 52: To Peerless Fortress (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 52: To Peerless Fortress (2)
I sat in front of the private room inside the infirmary, waiting.
My mind was a bit of a mess.
I was at a loss as to how I should explain everything to my maternal grandfather, Ha Seong-un.
[Did you truly learn the martial arts of the Yikyang So Family?]
Because I had struck down a notorious expert of the Black Path in a single blow, my grandfather had become curious about the source of my martial arts.
At first, I thought about simply saying I had inherited the martial arts of the Namcheon Sword Guest. However, I wondered if there was any reason to hide the truth about the Blood Cult from my grandfather, who himself carried the lineage of the Flying Moon Hero Sect.
The Lesser Conversation Sword was right.
It was just that it weighed on my mind that my grandfather had been cast out of Peerless Fortress simply because he carried the lineage of the Blood Cult. He might very well loathe the Blood Cult, which could be considered his roots.
The Blood Demon Sword was always like this.
For now, I had brushed it off by saying we should talk after he received a diagnosis from the physician, but I was genuinely worried.
'Ah!'
A middle-aged physician stepped out from behind the bamboo screen.
Through the gaps in the screen, I could see my grandfather and the one-armed man, Kang Bu, lying on the beds in the private room. Both were covered in acupuncture needles and moxibustion.
Anxious, I asked the physician, "How are they?"
"It is a miracle that both of them are still alive, having gone this long without treatment in such a state."
It wasn't my fault, yet I felt responsible.
"Is it that bad?"
"Your grandfather’s heart is weak due to old age, but his condition should improve if we manage it with medicinal herbs using the Evil Fire Herb."
So the Evil Fire Herb really was helpful. It was a good thing I went to such lengths to obtain it; otherwise, things could have turned out disastrously.
"What about his eyes?"
"It seems he hasn't seen sunlight for a long time. If he keeps his eyes covered with cloth soaked in medicinal fluids during the day and receives steady treatment for five to six days, there should be no problem."
Ah. What a relief. I had been worried he might have lost his sight permanently.
"However, as for the one-armed man, I cannot say whether he will live or die at this point."
"What do you mean by that?"
"The wound is severely festered, and the flesh has become necrotic and started to rot. I will treat him with both external and internal medicines, but his life is in the hands of the heavens now."
"Sigh."
Not everything was going according to plan. I knew the wound looked serious, but I hadn't expected it to be a matter of life and death. My grandfather would be devastated.
"…Is there really no way to save him?"
"I have cut away the parts that cannot be revived, but the infection has penetrated his internal organs. It all depends on how much the patient can endure."
"So we won't know for now."
"That is correct."
"May I go inside the room?"
"Both have fallen asleep after taking Paralysis Powder, so it would be best to leave them be for now."
"I understand."
After the physician left, Sama Yeong spoke up to comfort me.
"Young Master. It will be alright."
"I certainly hope so."
He was the man who had stayed by my grandfather's side until the very end. I didn't want him to die such a hollow death.
"You haven't eaten anything yet. Shall we go get a meal? The medical assistant mentioned an inn nearby that makes excellent noodles."
"Let's do that."
I hadn't eaten a single thing all day.
"Hehe. Let's go."
Sama Yeong grabbed my wrist and tried to lead me out of the infirmary.
"!?"
Miyeom, who had been sitting with us, widened his eyes as she tried to leave without even asking him. He followed behind with a grumpy expression.
Just as we were about to head out, someone walked out of another private room, offering a fist-and-palm salute to the physician.
It was a young man dressed as a scholar.
After greeting the physician, the youth spotted me and rushed over.
"Great Hero. Thank you. I don't know how I can ever repay this debt…"
The youth bowed repeatedly in gratitude. It made sense; he had almost been unable to even enter the infirmary because of Eun Baek-ho-ri and her gang. Thanks to me defeating her, he had overcome the crisis and received a diagnosis.
I am not.
Even for me, such a title is burdensome. To be called a Great Hero, one must be recognized as a chivalrous expert of the Orthodox Faction. Of course, these days, it was often used simply as a respectful way to address someone.
The Blood Demon Sword clicked its tongue. I did my best to ignore it and spoke to the youth.
"I only did it because I had business at the infirmary as well, so please don't give it another thought. Besides, I am still young and lacking in many ways to be called a Great Hero."
At my words, the youth replied with a bright smile.
"What does age matter? Even Confucius said there is something to be learned even from a three-year-old child. Furthermore, you possess such outstanding martial talent; it is only right that you be respected."
It seemed he wasn't a scholar in appearance only. Although his words were thick with flattery, they felt sincere, so I didn't feel bad. He had a cheerful, smiling face that made him quite likable.
"Thank you for saying so. I hope your consultation went well."
At my remark, the youth shook his head with a bitter expression.
"The physician said there is nothing he can do."
"Is it that bad?"
I asked, wondering if something was seriously wrong, and the youth hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"You'll find out eventually anyway, so I suppose it's fine to tell you. He said we have no choice but to wait until all the needles used for the restriction seal have dissolved."
"Restriction seal?"
I didn't understand what he meant. At my questioning look, the youth let out a deep sigh.
"It's only natural that you wouldn't know. If you fail the exam, you are placed under a restriction seal. I expected it to some extent, but it looks like I'll be tied to Peerless Fortress for three years."
"Tied down? What do you mean by that?"
The youth asked back, looking puzzled.
"Didn't you also come here to become the successor of the Merciless Wind God?"
"Pardon?"
For a moment, I doubted my ears. The successor of the Merciless Wind God?
That's right.
One of the Eight Great Masters, the Merciless Wind God Jin Seong-baek.
But what did he mean by me coming here to become his successor?
"If it's not too much trouble, may I ask what you mean by that?"
"Huh. I thought you were also heading to Peerless Fortress to become the successor of the Merciless Wind God, but I guess that's not the case."
"As you can see, my grandfather is ill…"
"Ah. My apologies. I suppose I jumped to conclusions on my own."
With those words, the youth pointed toward the infirmary window. Through the window, I could see martial artists passing by on the street. One or two out of every five were carrying weapons.
"The reason there are so many martial artists in this town is that they have all gathered to become the successor of the Wind Shadow Eight Streams Sect."
"The successor of the Wind Shadow Eight Streams Sect?"
"Yes. Peerless Fortress made a public announcement fifteen days ago. They stated that regardless of whether one belongs to the Orthodox or Evil factions, anyone who passes the Merciless Wind God's test will be taught all the martial arts of the Wind Shadow Eight Streams Sect and be named his successor."
'Ha!'
It was an incredibly unconventional offer. It meant that anyone who passed the test would not only become the disciple of one of the Eight Great Masters but also the next leader of the Wind Shadow Eight Streams Sect, one of the Four Great Martial Sects of Peerless Fortress.
"Without any conditions?"
Sama Yeong, seemingly quite surprised, suddenly chimed in. As she spoke, the scholar youth's face flushed slightly. He had already been stealing glances at her because of her beauty, and her speaking to him directly seemed to make him shy.
Just then, the voice of the Namcheon Iron Sword echoed in my head.
'What?'
'.......'
If it were going to waver like that, it would have happened a long time ago. Lately, I've been wondering if these are really the Namcheon Sword Guest's thoughts or yours.
In any case, the youth in scholar's robes, who couldn't take his eyes off Sama Yeong's face, finally managed to speak, perhaps conscious of my gaze.
"There are no restrictions on participation. They announced that age and faction do not matter."
So that's why so many martial artists had gathered. Looking at the people on the street, I realized it wasn't just young rising stars; there were quite a few middle-aged and older people as well. Seeing as even the notorious Eun Baek-ho-ri of the Black Path was here, it seemed they truly hadn't placed any restrictions on participation.
"However, there is a condition."
"A condition?"
"If you participate in the exam and fail, you must become a guest of the Wind Shadow Eight Streams Sect for three years. They call it being a 'guest,' but it really means serving under the Wind Shadow Eight Streams Sect for three years."
"And you can't refuse?"
"If that were an option, people wouldn't have participated in the first place."
"So it's not exactly free, then."
At Sama Yeong's words, the youth pointed to various pressure points on his body.
"Needles were driven into a total of eight acupoints, placing me under a restriction seal. I heard they will slowly dissolve within the body, but having them inside makes me feel uneasy."
So that's why he had come to the infirmary. In that case, was Eun Baek-ho-ri also trying to pressure the physicians into breaking her restriction seal? That seemed highly likely.
'What on earth are they thinking?'
Publicly announcing the selection of a successor in this manner was rare, regardless of faction. Sama Yeong also seemed confused as she muttered.
"Does the Merciless Wind God have no disciples or children? I don't understand why he's using this method. Or is the 'successor' just a pretext to increase their strength?"
Well.
That child is standing right here. Though I don't know if Jin Seong-baek even knows I'm his son.
"Regardless of whether they're trying to increase their strength, who would pass up such a golden opportunity? How many times in a lifetime do you get the chance to become the disciple of one of the Eight Great Masters?"
He had a point. He was one of the Twelve Superhumans, the pinnacle of the martial world. Even if Jin Seong-baek, one of the Eight Great Masters, were only offering a small lesson, people would flock to him. To be named the successor of the Wind Shadow Eight Streams Sect made the crowd inevitable. Three years of service as a guest was a condition many were willing to accept.
I offered a fist-and-palm salute to the scholar youth.
"Thank you for letting me know."
"Don't mention it. You would have heard the rumors eventually anyway. By the way, it's a bit of a shame."
"What is?"
"I thought that an expert with such outstanding martial talent as yourself might actually be able to pass the Merciless Wind God's test, but I guess I was wrong."
With those words, the youth reached into his robes and pulled something out. It was a sect token with his name engraved on it.
"This is?"
"There is a code of honor in the Jianghu; how could I just walk away after receiving such a favor? If there is ever anything I can help you with in the future, please seek me out."
When I saw the name on the token the youth gave me, I couldn't hide my internal shock.
[Zhu Yebin (朱睿彬)]
'The Smiling Young Master?'
The Smiling Young Master, Zhu Yebin. He was given that nickname because he always walked around with a smile on his face. He was a rising star who would later gain great fame within the Orthodox Faction, but the real reason I was surprised was that this youth was destined to become the arch-rival of the Twin Heroes, the brothers Song Jwa-baek and Song Woo-hyeon.
If my memories from before the regression are correct, it's certain. Looking at his current skill level, Song Jwa-baek seems far superior, but you really never know with people.
'You've met your true rival, Jwa-baek.'
"May I also have the honor of knowing your name?"
I hesitated for a moment at Zhu Yebin's question. However, since he was friendly enough to give me his token, I didn't want to deceive him. I offered a polite fist-and-palm salute and spoke.
"I am So Woon-hwi."
"So Woon-hwi? So Woon-hwi!?"
Zhu Yebin's eyes went wide. Does he know me? As I stood there puzzled, Zhu Yebin suddenly grabbed my hands and said with sparkling eyes.
"It is truly an honor!"
"…What do you mean?"
"To think I would meet one of the Twin Heroes of the Orthodox Martial World here!"
"Pardon?"
Twin Heroes? What on earth was he talking about? I forced my hands away from the overexcited Zhu Yebin and said, "I think there's been some misunderstanding…"
"Are you not the Great Hero So Woon-hwi, the successor of the Namcheon Sword Guest?"
"…I am his successor, but—"
"It is you! It really is! Did you not appear like a comet at the Grand Martial Assembly as the successor of the vanished Namcheon Sword Guest, and together with the other of the Twin Heroes, Lee Jeong-gyeom—the joint successor of the Eight Great Masters—uncover the plot of the Blood Cult remnants and save countless martial artists?"
'!!!'
…That’s exactly what I want to know.