Chapter 23
Chapter 23
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: Chang'an Ink Sword Grove Bedroom (1)
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"Alright. Today, I'm going to shatter all your dantians."
"Yes, sir."
Namgung Yeonhwa wore a resolute expression, as if steeling herself, and lay prone on the bed just like always.
I pressed my palms to her back and gathered my internal energy. I carefully enveloped her remaining dantians with my own energy and took a deep breath.
"Here goes."
Namgung Yeonhwa clenched her teeth and answered with a strained "Yes."
I slammed my energy into hers, completely pulverizing her dantian.
"Hng...!"
Even protected by my energy, the shock rippled through.
But Namgung Yeonhwa endured it well.
Thanks to that, she no longer had any damaged dantians. She was now just like an ordinary person with a slightly sturdy body.
"Now, I'm going to clear out all the impurities from your major and minor meridians. It usually takes a while, but this time I'll do it differently to finish quickly, so bear with it."
Namgung Yeonhwa glanced at me with unease.
She was probably holding back from speaking, not yet convinced it was truly over.
"You can talk."
"Y-you didn't mention anything like that."
"I just did."
She shot me a glare, but she was in no position to complain.
Not when she should be bowing in gratitude.
"Um... what... what kind of method?"
"I'm going to draw every impurity out of your body completely."
"Pardon?"
"With Seolha, we burned the impurities inside, which took about ten days. That was slow to avoid straining the body. But with you, I'll just extract them outright. Who knows? We might need them later to make an antidote or something."
"Ah..."
"So stay prone. It won't take long. Seolha?"
"Yes, sir."
"Hold that and stand here. Press it against her finger."
Seolha came to Namgung Yeonhwa's side and placed her vial against the tip of her finger. I pressed my palms to her back again.
"Don't open your mouth."
Then, my qi flooded into Namgung Yeonhwa's body.
A massive amount, enough to fill her entirely.
This qi coursed through all her major and minor meridians, pushing out the impurities.
Far easier than burning them. I gathered the impurities and directed them to her finger.
Black liquid pooled at Namgung Yeonhwa's fingertip and dripped into the vial.
Good, it was working. I'd been a bit unsure.
Namgung Yeonhwa grimaced slightly in discomfort but kept her mouth shut.
So I kept drawing out the impurities.
Might as well finish it all at once. I didn't want to do this again.
Over the course of an hour, I expelled every impurity from her body and cleansed her major and minor meridians thoroughly.
With everything done, the woman collapsed in utter exhaustion.
"You did well. Rest up today. Once you're fully recovered, I'll remake your dantian then."
"C-couldn't you... do it now?"
"What are you saying? I said rest. What's the rush?"
I gave her back a light smack and stood up.
Seolha sealed her vial tight and handed it to me with both hands.
"Hm. The best place to appraise this would be the Tang Clan, right? Sichuan Tang Clan?"
"Yes, sir."
"Sichuan, huh. Even that's just a day's trip."
The distance from the Central Plains to Sichuan was immense, but from Chang'an, it wasn't that far.
About one-and-a-half times the distance to Mount Qing?
Either way, a day trip.
No matter how vast the land, I could ignore terrain and dash at high speed, so distance wasn't a big issue.
I should visit the Tang Clan sometime. Or maybe find a skilled expert from there?
The next day.
I woke in the morning but had no intention of getting out of bed. Instead, I toyed with Seolha's body.
No need to do anything specific. Just touching her was enjoyable.
A woman's body was like that.
Dizzying curves, overwhelming softness, that warmth, smooth skin.
Caress it, grip it, embrace it, tease it with fingertips—whatever felt good.
Best of all was Seolha's reaction, twitching delightedly every time.
And while I did this, Seolha didn't just take it lying down.
Techniques learned at the Jade Radiance Pavilion. Hand movements to please a man.
Since I was her first customer, she'd never used them on another man. Now she lavished them on me.
Practice only through theory and tools, yet her skill was superb. Ecstatic.
Anyway, as Seolha and I played around in bed, I sensed someone approaching.
Unfamiliar footsteps. Not a maid or servant.
Namgung Yeonhwa.
Unable to walk even once since her dantian shattered, now with all dantians gone and no more pain, she was walking here on her own.
"Namgung Yeonhwa's coming."
At my words, Seolha startled and sat up.
She hurriedly dressed herself, then fetched my clothes.
I took them and draped them on casually, leaving the front loosely open to expose my chest.
"Sir... your clothes..."
"It's fine. Too much hassle."
As I said that, the presence at the door hesitated before making a sound.
"Sir. It's Namgung Yeonhwa."
"Come in."
Seolha grew flustered at my invitation.
She tried to wrap my clothes properly, but I grabbed her instead and pulled her into an embrace.
"S-sir!?"
The door opened, and Namgung Yeonhwa entered.
Seeing me holding Seolha with disheveled clothes, she whipped her head away.
"Oh my!"
Seolha scrambled off my lap and straightened her own attire.
"What is it?"
I spoke as if nothing was amiss, but Namgung Yeonhwa still couldn't look straight at me, her voice meek.
"I-I wanted to... properly thank you, sir..."
"How do you thank someone without even looking at them?"
She glanced at me, then shyly lowered her eyes again.
Sheesh, what was this? Just because my robe was open?
Wasn't she a martial artist? In summer, half-naked trainees were everywhere.
Then it hit me why she was acting this way.
Right. She saw me as different from ordinary men.
Might be my self-importance talking, but it felt right.
Sigh. This damn popularity.
Well, after Rejuvenation to Youth and Bone Transformation and Marrow Shedding, my looks had improved dramatically.
I buttoned my robe, and only then did Namgung Yeonhwa look at me properly.
"No need for thanks. You'll have plenty more to be grateful for ahead, so skip the formalities every time. Ah, right. Since you're here, let's remake your dantian. That's what you want too, isn't it? To return to normal as soon as possible?"
Joy lit up Namgung Yeonhwa's face; she couldn't hide it.
Easy to read. She was just a young girl who'd spent three of her prime years bedridden—practically still a child.
"Seolha."
"Yes, sir."
"Go get the Celestial Bow Pill."
"Yes, sir."
At my words, Namgung Yeonhwa's eyes widened, and she stammered.
"Th-the Celestial Bow Pill? How could you have such a thing, sir...?"
"Surprised? I don't just have that. I've got plenty of Shaolin Great Return Pills and Lesser Recovery Pills too. Those would work, but since you're a Namgung girl, we'll use the Celestial Bow Pill."
The Celestial Bow Pill was the Namgung Family's spirit medicine.
According to Seolha, it rarely leaked outside and was produced only sparingly.
Well, that's a great clan for you.
Even the heir wouldn't get such treasures often.
Seolha quickly fetched the Celestial Bow Pill, and Namgung Yeonhwa gazed at it wistfully.
Not from her family, but seeing it stirred memories of home.
Hence the expression.
"What are you doing? Don't just stare—come sit."
After that, it went just like with Seolha.
Namgung Yeonhwa sat cross-legged on the bed, and I popped the Celestial Bow Pill into my mouth.
She startled the same way, then nodded in understanding at the explanation.
Seolha stood a bit apart, watching with a faint smile.
The senior who'd been through it first. Must be amusing.
My qi mixed with the Celestial Bow Pill entered Namgung Yeonhwa's body and took root, forming a small hollow.
Qi surged out. I gathered it into a tiny orb.
Thus, Namgung Yeonhwa gained a new dantian.
Feeling the changes in her body clearly, the shadow finally lifted from her face.
Disaster at the clan, escape, injury, sickbed, friend's sacrifice, worsening condition.
She'd always worn a gloomy expression through it all.
But no longer.
The clan tragedy couldn't be helped, but her personal misfortunes were over.
Plus, though I hadn't shared details, she knew her missing brother was safe.
No more misfortune for this girl.
"Sir... truly... I thank you from the bottom of my heart."
Tears streaming, she kowtowed deeply to me.
I watched impassively, then spoke flatly.
"Namgung Yeonhwa."
"Yes... sir."
"Just one question."
"Ask away."
"No telling when, but Namgung Hwi will rebuild your family someday. Not right now, but it will happen. I guarantee it."
She lifted her head, gazing at me brightly.
Shadow gone, vitality returned—this girl was beautiful.
Even emaciated, her beauty had shone through.
Now healthy and worry-free, it bloomed fully.
"When your brother rebuilds the family, will you go to him and help?"
My question was simple.
About her future treatment. My decision on it.
I'd given much.
But I had no intention of demanding full repayment.
That wouldn't be fate—it'd be a transaction.
"Sir."
"Speak."
"I've entered the martial world, but I'm still a woman. A woman... once married, becomes part of another family. What I've received from you is immense, so even if lacking, I wish to repay that grace at your side."
Her voice trembled faintly.
Hearing that firm resolve made me feel good.
"You know what it means to stay by my side?"
I asked teasingly, and Namgung Yeonhwa swallowed hard, nodding slightly.
"Yes."
It thrilled me. No man would dislike this feeling.
So I relaxed my posture and spoke gently.
"Good. From now on, I'll call you not Namgung Yeonhwa, but just Yeonhwa. I don't deny you're a Namgung woman. But you're Yeonhwa now, and my woman. You get it?"
"...Yes."
"Perfect. I like it. Seolha?"
"Yes, sir."
"Sorry, but I'm craving spicy noodles for lunch today. Tell the chef?"
"Got it, sir."
Seolha wasn't oblivious. She understood what I'd said.
She smiled faintly, gave Yeonhwa a relieved look, and left.
"Good. Now get up. And come here."
At my words, Yeonhwa rose.
She licked her dry lips and approached me slowly.