Reunion at Silent Sword Forest in Chang'an
It seemed like I had never traveled a familiar road at such a leisurely pace before.
Namgung Hwi certainly possessed skills impressive for his age, but he was still lacking in far too many areas.
His internal energy and lightness techniques, especially.
The kid had obtained a fortuitous encounter with the Qing Mountain Sect after the Namgung family tragedy, but that was all. The female master of the Qing Mountain Sect could teach him martial theory and review his techniques, but she couldn’t increase the volume of his internal energy.
Well, that was only natural.
So we had no choice but to take a room at an inn near the Black Merchant Sect and stay the night.
Part of me wanted to just carry him on my back, but that wasn’t an option. No matter how much of a master I was, or how mutual our feelings were with that woman, no man wants to show weakness in front of her.
That’s why I preserved the kid’s dignity.
Though I wonder if the day will ever come when he understands this warm consideration of mine.
The inn always reserved its best rooms for me, so I took two and immediately sent the pair into one together.
They both stammered in confusion, but what did I care? I wanted them to enjoy their time. I’d already paid, so what else was there to do?
Besides, both of them were secretly pleased. Seriously. Such false modesty.
Anyway, we spent the night that way and set out again the next morning for Chang’an.
I had expected Namgung Hwi to ask all sorts of questions on the way to Chang’an.
But the kid was so busy just trying to keep up with me that he didn’t have the mental energy left for conversation.
Sigh. Just wait until we reach Silent Sword Forest. You and Yang Cheonhak are going to be running infinite laps together.
He’s Yeonhwa’s older brother and the future patriarch of the Namgung family. I can’t allow him to remain this weak. I refuse to let anything happen that would bring tears to Yeonhwa’s eyes.
What I felt during the journey was that the master from the Qing Mountain Sect was quite capable.
We had slowed down significantly to match Namgung Hwi’s pace, yet that woman never once let her breathing fall into disarray.
A clear Transformation Realm expert, and one with considerable attainment at that.
She even carried a mysterious aura. She was certainly a tempting woman, both as a martial artist and as a woman.
I found myself wondering what might have happened if, when I first visited Qing Mountain, she and Namgung Hwi had only been master and disciple.
But that was in the past now.
Besides, I don’t need to take every woman into my arms. I’m more than satisfied with what I have.
So I erased any impure thoughts entirely. She was already a woman beyond my reach.
It was fortunate that the days were now longer than the nights.
Thanks to that, I was able to reach Chang’an with Namgung Hwi before sunset.
Now it was time for the reunion. I led the two of them straight to Silent Sword Forest.
As soon as we entered, I heard sounds coming from the training ground.
Ah. They’re still training. Perfect. Everyone must be gathered.
“Follow me.”
We headed for the training ground and rounded the corner.
Seolha, Yeonhwa, Sohye, and Yang Cheonhak all turned at the presence they sensed.
Seolha’s eyes widened the moment she saw me, and she covered her mouth with her hand.
Yeonhwa’s eyes grew huge as well. Looking as if she couldn’t believe it, she quickly sheathed the Island Sun Sword she had been holding.
The two of them immediately ran to each other and embraced tightly.
Yes. In this world, only two men are allowed to hold Yeonhwa in their arms. Me and Namgung Hwi. Of course, the meaning is completely different.
Yeonhwa, seeing her brother for the first time since the tragedy, burst into loud sobs while Namgung Hwi gently comforted her.
Seolha approached the pair. When Namgung Hwi, still holding Yeonhwa, looked at her, she offered a deep bow.
“Yes. Jinhee. You survived as well. I’m so glad. Truly, I’m so glad.”
At Namgung Hwi’s words, Sohye’s eyes grew misty as she watched, while Yang Cheonhak sniffed and turned to gaze at a distant mountain, his nose apparently stinging.
The same was true for the master from the Qing Mountain Sect.
The woman with tears in her eyes turned her head away and dabbed at them with her sleeve.
Knowing the full story, this scene must have been deeply moving. It was also a good thing for Namgung Hwi.
“Alright. Let’s continue this reunion inside. Sohye? Could you go in and prepare a few things? It’s a joyous day. At the very least, let’s have some tea.”
“Yes, Great Hero. I’ll have them get everything ready.”
“Let’s head in as well. There will be plenty we need to discuss today.”
Sohye went in first, and the rest of the group followed me inside.
When we sat around the round table, I saw Yeonhwa with her eyes swollen from crying and Namgung Hwi gazing at her with deep affection.
Reunited siblings. Blood relatives who hadn’t known whether the other was alive or dead.
Then Namgung Hwi looked at me, suddenly stood up, clasped both hands together, and bowed deeply.
“Namgung Hwi of the Namgung Family! I will never forget the grace of the Forest Lord who has looked after my sister!”
“A good attitude. Now sit. That’s not the only duty you have.”
He sat back down with a puzzled expression.
Hmm. Where should I begin? How can I explain this so they’ll understand easily?
“First, let’s introduce everyone. As I said, I am Kang Jeong-un, the Forest Lord of Silent Sword Forest. This is Seolha. You knew her as Ha Jinhee, but she goes by Seolha now.”
Namgung Hwi looked at Seolha. She gave him a bright smile in return.
“Your sister, Namgung Yeonhwa. But here, she is simply Yeonhwa. This is Dang Sohye of the Sichuan Tang Clan. Here, she is Sohye. And Seolha, Yeonhwa, and Sohye are all my women.”
A hint of shock crossed Namgung Hwi’s face at my words.
Well, it was only natural. Anyone would make that face upon learning that the younger sister he hadn’t seen in four years now had a man.
A perfectly normal reaction for an older brother.
“This guy is Yang Cheonhak, my disciple. Well… there’s no real need to explain much about him.”
“Master!?”
“What? Is your story the important one right now?”
“Ah, no. I’ll stay quiet.”
I glanced at him, let out a small chuckle, then turned to the woman from the Qing Mountain Sect.
“Namgung Hwi needs no introduction, so I believe it’s your turn?”
The master of the Qing Mountain Sect opened her mouth with a calm, composed expression.
“This one is Seo Yo-won, who carries on the legacy of the Qing Mountain Sect.”
“Thank you for the introduction, Sect Leader Seo.”
She seemed slightly embarrassed at being addressed as sect leader.
With the introductions finished, I pondered for a moment before speaking again.
“This may seem abrupt, but I turned ninety-six years old this year.”
Both Namgung Hwi and Sect Leader Seo looked genuinely shocked.
“What!?”
Yang Cheonhak looked even more stunned than they did.
Ah. I suppose I never properly told him my age. That reaction makes sense then.
“Tsk. You don’t even know your master’s age?”
“Th-that’s because you never told me!”
“Enough. Just stay quiet for now.”
Yang Cheonhak closed his mouth. I continued while looking at the two people who were still wearing expressions of shock.
“There was no need for me to reveal my age, but I did so because I have many requests to make of you two.”
“What… sort of requests do you mean?”
Having heard my age, the already polite Namgung Hwi became even more respectful.
A well-mannered kid. That must be the power of early education.
“You will become the patriarch of the Namgung Family. Of course, that’s something you would do even if I didn’t say it. Isn’t that right?”
“Naturally!”
“Yes, it is natural. The reason I’m telling you all this is because what I’m doing has a deep connection to both of you. Tell me, why do you think the tragedy befell the Namgung Family?”
At the word “tragedy,” Namgung Hwi clenched his teeth.
He probably hadn’t forgotten it for even a moment over the past four years. It must have been that traumatic for him.
“On the day of that tragedy, your sister and Seolha escaped the family while poisoned. I call it Formless Poison. Those afflicted by it suffer damage to their dantian and have their meridians clogged with impurities.”
Namgung Hwi’s eyes widened at my explanation, and he glanced at Sect Leader Seo.
She did the same, looking at him before turning her gaze toward me.
“Hm? You already knew? From the look on your faces, it seems so?”
“When this one first met Hwi, he was in that very condition. This one cured him.”
“Is that so? That’s surprising. That wasn’t a condition easily cured. How did you manage it?”
“This one used a secret transmission passed down in our sect…”
“Ah. If it’s a secret, there’s no need to explain.”
“No, it is fine. Although it is a secret technique, it is not something that needs to be hidden in this setting. Our sect possesses something called Blue Mountain Medicinal Water. It is a medicine that gathers slowly, drop by drop, over a long period deep within the mountains. We used that to cure him.”
“Is it perhaps similar to Empty Clarity Stone Milk?”
“You could say they are similar.”
“That is truly remarkable. That is not something that can be cured so easily.”
“That is precisely why our sect exists. Protecting that Blue Mountain Medicinal Water is the long-cherished wish of the Qing Mountain Sect.”
“I understand. That makes sense. Then you have certainly received a great opportunity. That is fortunate.”
Namgung Hwi gazed at Sect Leader Seo with deep affection, and she returned the same look.
Sigh. Yes, they suit each other perfectly. They really are fated partners.
I was right not to interfere. I’m glad I chose to support them instead.
“In any case, the Namgung Family was not a place that should have fallen so easily. Behind the incident was this unidentified Formless Poison. The same is true for the Sichuan Tang Clan over there. And the same goes for the Demonic Cult.”
“The Demonic Cult?”
This time even Seolha, Yeonhwa, and Sohye—who already knew most of the story—looked startled.
“The Demonic Cult. In other words, the leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult and the current Heavenly Demon, the Heavenly Demon Divine Lord, also died from the Formless Poison.”
Everyone’s faces filled with shock at my words.
It was understandable. To them, the name Heavenly Demon Divine Lord carried enormous weight.
“It hasn’t been clearly revealed yet, but part of the Demonic Cult was behind the Righteous-Demonic Great War. I’ll explain more about that later… Anyway, what I’m saying is this. The Formless Poison has brought harm to many places and caused countless people to suffer. I am currently investigating it. That is why I am asking you, Namgung Hwi, and Sect Leader Seo. I want you to help me with this task.”
Having learned such a shocking truth, everyone sat there in a daze.
It was only natural. This story could be seen as a vast conspiracy encompassing the entire murim world.
“If this matter is connected to the tragedy that befell my family! This Namgung Hwi will follow the Forest Lord’s will no matter what happens!”
Namgung Hwi shot to his feet and declared it loudly. I turned my gaze to Sect Leader Seo.
“Although involving ourselves in the affairs of the kangho is not the original duty of our sect, this one shares the same will as Hwi. Therefore, we shall combine our strength.”
Sect Leader Seo answered calmly. Namgung Hwi looked at her with deep emotion.
“Good. Thank you for saying so. Then… both of you will need to become stronger. You’ll have to endure some hardship from now on. Since you’ve agreed to share my purpose, I hope you won’t consider running away. Understood?”
When I smiled with a satisfied expression, both Namgung Hwi’s and Sect Leader Seo’s faces stiffened slightly.
This was excellent. A superb instructor and sparring partner had just rolled into my lap.
This was truly a great blessing for Silent Sword Forest. Things had worked out perfectly.