They'll Be in for a Surprise
I sat on the floor with my arms crossed, staring intently at the "low-grade mixed lump" placed on the table. It was something made by mixing blood spilled while inflicting pain on people in True Truth Village with herbal extracts. It looked like red clay and exuded a suspicious energy.
A low-grade mixture whose purpose and the identity of that suspicious energy were unknown.
But after Heavenly Wood just ate the mixture and spat it back out, the energy it was giving off now was clear as day. Because I could sense a part of Heavenly Wood's energy in it.
[Benefactor. What is this?]
The child squatting beside me asked.
Hmm. If I had to put a name to it...
[Adsorbent.]
[Adsorbent?]
I explained to the child, who tilted her head in confusion, not knowing what it meant.
[Normally, an adsorbent refers to a substance that adsorbs gases or liquids. It sticks to the surface to remove impurities. But in this case, it's adsorbing something that's neither gas nor liquid—a specific kind of energy.]
[A specific energy...]
[Not chemical toxins, but mental toxins. Harmful energy to both humans and spirits.]
[Ah! Like the energy that weakens humans and spirits?]
[Exactly.]
The child, having seen all sorts of things here and encountered plenty of harmful energies, understood immediately and clapped her hands lightly.
Hmm... Though it's all in the past now, it was a bit regrettable. If we'd had something like this back in the Dark Heavenly Realm when making the aberration bane pellets, things would have been much easier.
Aberrations kill lives, corrupt spirits, consume spirits, and gain power by mixing with them. The aberration bane pellet is a drug that touches those spirits and decomposes the aberration from the inside out, starting from where it fused.
To make it, we had to enter the aberration's mind to gather ingredients. The Heart Immortal worried my mind might be damaged, and it was.
A problem I don't remember. I didn't remember it at the time it happened, and I still don't know what occurred.
The moment when the immortals, used as meat shields by aberrations to bind my limbs, ended their own lives for my sake.
In that moment I can't remember, what the hell did I do?
The Heart Immortal, who never flinched no matter how I tore aberrations apart in every way imaginable, turned pale and looked at me with eyes full of fear...
[Benefactor? Are you okay?]
Oh. My contemplation must have shown on my face. I quickly shook my head with a smiling expression.
[Just thinking of an old event. Not a pleasant one.]
[Ah... I see.]
The child nodded in understanding. Before the shadow could deepen on her face, I quickly formed a honey candy and offered it. She took it with a beaming smile.
I interlaced my fingers, stretched my hands out straight, then lowered them.
Alright, I don't know exactly how it happened, but thanks to this popping out, we've saved a ton of time. Good thing.
With the adsorbent, no need to capture someone from True Truth Village or enter their mind to extract ingredients.
Just feed them this, let it absorb the energy over time, then pull it out again. Gwangjeong and Sujeong can handle that easily.
Hmm. After successfully recruiting the woman, I was planning to lure away a missionary or believer under the pretext of long-term undercover evangelism or something. One less step now.
As I organized my thoughts, I gazed down at my right palm.
Did Heavenly Wood make this for me? Did it know I needed it?
I waited for Heavenly Wood's response, but as expected, no answer came.
Hmm... Yeah. Like last time when it lent me its qi. Anyway, it seems to understand somehow.
This isn't the first time, I suspect.
I conveyed my thanks and a request for continued cooperation to Heavenly Wood, then focused on the next task.
Carving the inner core shell to make gifts for Mom and Bin-i—spirit artifacts to protect their bodies and spirits.
I cleared the Heavenly Wood-altered mixture under the table and placed the inner core shell on top.
[You're making gifts for your family with this?]
[Yeah.]
Let's see. Since it's a spirit artifact invisible to ordinary eyes, the form doesn't matter much, but it is visible to me...
Yeah. The most unassuming choice is rings. Easier for occasional checks and maintenance.
Like whether the qi infused in it is still sufficient, or if any minor issues have arisen.
[Benefactor. Do you need a craftsman? I can bring one right away.]
[A craftsman?]
[Yes. There's one who made jewelry and ornaments for the palace. They even sent tributes to other countries sometimes.]
Ho. For the palace and tributes to other countries?
[They lament every day that they couldn't fully teach their apprentice before ending up like this, but they say their hands can't stay idle, so they make things occasionally. Everyone who sees them is amazed by how exquisite the works are.]
Jewelry made by a craftsman. I was tempted for a moment, but after thinking it over, I shook my head.
[No. I want to make this entirely with my own power from start to finish. It's a gift for my family.]
[Ah. Understood.]
The child smiled sweetly in acknowledgment.
Alright, let's get started. I rotated my wrists and wiggled my fingers to loosen up my hands.
Back when I was deep into battles in the Dark Heavenly Realm, I made weapons perfectly suited to me. Before that, as training, I made ornaments.
The immortals suggested it because crafting small things is harder than big ones.
And they stuck by my side, insisting on doing it properly, constantly giving advice. Like how to decorate and engrave, what inscriptions to add for mental cultivation, to improve wealth luck, ensure family peace and safety, things like that.
At first, fiddling with tiny things and decorating felt annoying compared to weapons, but as I completed them one by one, it got fun, and I made all sorts of ornaments.
Some turned out so well anyone would be satisfied. I gave them to the immortals and Great Immortals as thanks for their guidance and care; they were delighted and cherished them.
One immortal blushed deeply with joy...
Ah. Right. There were aberrations too. One snatched an ornament I made for another immortal and bolted.
That guy. Among the aberrations that approached me in rapture upon seeing me, it was the craziest one.
Even mangled by attacks, it stole a bracelet and fled. Covered in holes, bleeding profusely, but grinning as it ran. The immortals shook their heads, saying it wasn't your average crazy aberration...
No, no. Not the time to think about aberrations. I placed both hands overlapping on the inner core shell and slowly infused qi.
It's already empty, hollow shell with contents removed. Fill it with my qi, and it becomes something I can control at will.
Of course, not easy for just anyone. Need to distribute qi evenly everywhere—requires delicate control. Mess up, and it shatters or turns to powder.
Even if shattered or powdered, I could mix with qi to shape it, but adds an extra step, wastes time, and weakens durability once broken.
Can't have that for gifts to Mom and Bin-i.
If I pursue perfection too much, it'll become a spirit artifact too powerful for them to handle, so restraint needed... but within bearable limits, I'll make them perfect.
Hoo— Hooo— I closed my eyes tightly, repeated deep breaths, and slowly infused qi throughout the entire inner core shell.
[Wow...]
As I concentrated, the silent child suddenly let out a small exclamation.
Without opening my eyes, I knew from the feel in my palm. The inner core shell was softening, turning pliable and gooey.
No letting up here—focus more, infuse even deeper... until the moment it can't accept more of my qi—
[Hup!]
I snapped my eyes open and swiftly tore apart the softened inner core shell.
Like handling molten glass. Blow air when soft, shape with tongs. Must finish shaping right at this instant for perfection!
[Whoaaa!]
「Whoaaa!」
While the child and the now-approaching Earth Spirit exclaimed in awe, I divided the shell into five lumps, not stopping there, hands moving ceaselessly.
Mom and Bin-i are coming this afternoon, so finish now. Oh, right—got one thing to give today, and one to show. They'll be surprised, huh?
* * *
"Hahahahaha! Hahahahahaha!"
On the uphill road to the hospital. Park Young-sook shook her head at her daughter, who caught her breath briefly, placed hands on hips, and burst into loud laughter.
"Bin-i. How long are you gonna laugh like that?"
"Forever! Mom, try it! Feels so refreshing and good!"
"Aigoo, Mom's not doing it. Laugh all you want."
"Argh, seriously. Mom, everything's falling perfectly into place at home now, right? Perfectly!"
"What perfectly."
"Perfectly fitting together! Ever since Oppa woke up, only good things happen!"
"Mm. True. True..."
Park Young-sook smiled faintly too. If not for the news she heard on the phone at dawn, she'd be laughing purely like her joyful daughter.
I knew it'd end like that someday from the drinking. Knew it...
But what good news is that to call so frantically early morning? Ruined her mood right away.
"Hahahahahahaha!"
Watching her daughter laugh heartily on purpose, Park Young-sook shook her head lightly to shake off her complicated feelings.
Then again, maybe she called it good news from her side.
Meaning, no more worries about that side now.
Now he's truly beyond saving as a human. The woman who started a new life with him ran off recently, no kids between them...
Stumbled drunk alone, no compensation anywhere, hit his head, wasting away in some rundown facility hospital—might die soon. Stuff like that.
Kept saying marriages don't end without one dying, creepy talk. And finally.
What she spat while grabbing her hair and shaking at the hospital. Breath caught for a moment, then she flipped out and lunged, ready to die together, and the woman backed off. But still anxious.
Like carrying a time bomb that could explode anytime. Felt like she'd burst into the room any second for a rampage.
Yeah... it's over now. Done. Finished.
She didn't want to think about her ex-husband, didn't pray for heavenly punishment or anything. But anyway, it's ended like this, she murmured inwardly.
"Mom! Something wrong?"
"Huh? Oh, no. Nothing. Just thinking about the contract."
"Right! Auntie Kyung-hee pulled some strings, huh? Invite her for a meal at that place I went last time! Food's so good there!"
"Sure."
"Woo! If Mom's shop blows up too, it'd be perfect. Totally!"
"Aigoo. Enough with the perfect."
"Argh why. Perfect perfect perfect!"
At the top of the hill, ignoring onlookers, dancing and fooling around. Park Young-sook finally laughed freely.
Yeah. It's over now. Really just us three laughing and living happily left.
Chatting joyfully about laughing, promotional ambassador duties, new shop interior, they entered the room.
"-!"
"!!"
Both froze at the doorway.
Not leaning against the bed as always, but sitting up straight, waist erect, gazing out the window.
"San-a?"
"Oppa?"
To their calls, he slowly turned. A slightly stiff smile, slowly raised both hands above his head...
And shook them stiffly.
How many seconds—or minutes—passed like that?
"...What. That's my signature pose."
Kang Seol-bin grumbled in a slightly trembling voice and stepped forward.
"Mom. Look at that. Oppa's eyeing my stuff again? Always stealing my drumsticks too!"
"San-a."
Park Young-sook took a few steps, then rushed forward, grabbing her son's arm.
"San-a. Aigoo. Our San... already moving this much?"
"Already? It's 11 years! 11 years! After lying that long, he should stand right up!"
Kang Seol-bin, pretending to pout, gently grasped her brother's hand.
"Good. Now just walking left! Yeah! Till then, I'll be your shuttle. Wheelchair shuttle! Even wheeling around looks better! Travel after 11 years, fly on a plane. Yeah?"
"Anywhere. Anywhere. Yeah. Now we can go anywhere. San-a, where did you wanna go before?"
"Arms like this now, but eat protein well, intense rehab, it'll get better. Uncle Il-sik said. Oppa's basically zero fat now, so bulk up with strength training! Protein essential! Meat meat!"
"Aigoo. First normal food through mouth. Can't eat meat through nose tube. No."
Talking future plans, both sparkled with hope.
Watching closely, Hwa-jeong eyed the spirit artifacts' transfer with twinkling eyes.
「Master's. Gift. Spirit artifact.」
Invisible and unfelt by them, but clear to Hwa-jeong.
Spirit artifacts brimming with master's qi, leaving his side to settle on their fingers.
Won't come off without master's command.
「Curious. Truly. If some. Foolish fool. Touches. Those two. What will. Happen.」
Not hoping for it, but anticipating the spectacle, Hwa-jeong grinned.