Chapter 89
"Yes! These books all came from Manshin-ui's alchemy room, right? Most of them are about medicine, aren't they?"
"That's right."
The reply came from my father. I paused for a moment before asking,
"Father, have you read them all?"
He nodded faintly. The steward added an explanation.
"The Divine Physician helped sort through the books."
Of course he did. No one was more passionate about treating my dantian than him. There was no way he hadn't pored over Manshin-ui's medical texts.
But as I'd discovered myself, none of them offered anything particularly helpful for my shattered dantian.
I pressed on. "If we have these books at Baek Ri Clan, we could heal anyone who falls ill, don't you think?"
"Falls ill?"
"Yes! So no one else ends up like me if something like that happens again."
"……."
"……."
Everyone's reactions were a bit odd to my haphazard words, but in the end, it was decided they'd take the books.
And besides the books, I picked out a few more things. Golden Wound Salve that looked like Manshin-ui had made it himself. A few pills for treating internal injuries, and even Taecheong Pills to purify one's inner energy. I handed them all to my father.
I also grabbed one spirit elixir with inner energy enhancement effects. Baekil Dan—a renowned elixir from the Ju Clan of the apothecary world, recognized across the jianghu. It had a mild nature that meshed well with most cultivation methods, good enough to call mid-grade but not quite high-grade.
My father came out to see me off as I prepared to leave.
"Ri-yeon."
I turned, and he continued cautiously. "You know you can't take spirit elixirs, right?"
"Huh? Oh, yes."
I answered, puzzled. Why bring up something so obvious?
As a crippled martial artist with a shattered dantian, taking an elixir would trigger qi deviation for sure—and this time, I'd be on a one-way trip to the afterlife.
"Then why did you ask for one?"
"Ah! It's for Ha-ryeong!"
What martial artist hated spirit elixirs? Even if Baekil Dan was ambiguously mid-grade, that only mattered to Namgung Clan. Suhyangmun wasn't a small sect, but it couldn't compare to Namgung. And elixirs were rare treasures to begin with—something like Baekil Dan, vouched for by a famous apothecary clan, was hard to buy even with money.
To Namgung Clan, it might be a mere reward for underlings, but to Suhyangmun, it'd be treated like a premium elixir.
Namgung Clan had been kind to me, but so had Seo Ha-ryeong.
And……
Better it go to someone closer to me!
There were plenty of other elixirs anyway— even better ones. But I had no idea if they'd mesh with the Suhyangmun cultivation method Ha-ryeong practiced, so I passed on them.
"……For young lady Seo?"
"Yes!"
For a moment, Father looked relieved.
"What's wrong?"
"……No, nothing."
I tilted my head, staring at him, and then it hit me.
Did he think I asked for it to eat myself?
That explained the careful tone. He must've been worried I'd get hurt if he bluntly asked why a crippled martial artist like me wanted an elixir.
Ah, really. He could just ask straight out.
Every time he was this cautious, some inexplicable emotion welled up in me. Suddenly, I threw my arms around Father's waist as we walked.
He touched my shoulders in mild surprise. "Ri-yeon?"
"Just because."
He chuckled softly and scooped me up into his arms.
"You've grown so much. Soon, I won't even be able to carry you like this."
I hugged his neck tightly. "I don't want to grow up."
He looked at me curiously. "That's unusual. At your age, I wished to grow up faster. Most kids say the same."
"I like things as they are now."
I let out a deep sigh and continued. "Growing up just means more responsibilities. Sigh."
Father gave me a strange look. "Where'd you learn to say that?"
"I just want to play and eat with you forever, Father."
"……I don't care much for a lazy life."
"Father, the important part is 'with you forever'."
"When the time comes, one must leave their parents' embrace and stand on their own."
"……."
Did you hear that? The sound of heartwarming vibes shattering……
I admired and loved my father, but why did moments like this make the back of my neck prickle and my chest tighten……?
I patted his shoulder. "Put me down."
"Hm?"
"I'm independent now."
Father burst out laughing—a rare sound I heard only occasionally, though it wasn't all that touching right now.
"Haha, are you mad?"
"I'm not!"
He set me down. I brushed off my clothes and said, "I'm going to Ha-ryeong's."
"Now?"
"Yes."
He thought for a moment, then advised earnestly. "Even if you give it to young lady Seo, tell her not to take it right away. She's young, so she needs a guardian or protector to guide the elixir's energy. Hand it over, but tell her to consume it back at Suhyangmun."
"Got it!"
As I walked toward Seo Ha-ryeong's quarters for a good while, I stopped and glanced back.
Father was still watching me. I took a deep breath, steeling my resolve.
"I'm never becoming independent!"
Before he could respond, I bolted away.
Fleeing like that, I hurried to Seo Ha-ryeong's quarters—then suddenly halted as something occurred to me.
Oh right! I forgot to tell Father about Yahul.
Well…… turning back now would be awkward……
"Young lady?"
The maid guiding me turned when I didn't follow.
"Ah, no. Let's go."
First things first—Ha-ryeong. Following the maid for about fifteen minutes, we reached her quarters.
But Ha-ryeong wasn't there.
"Oh, right……"
It was her training time. The servant who greeted us, broom in hand, said,
"Young lady Seo is at the training ground to the left from here. Why don't you go see? The Suhyangmun folks will be thrilled to hear young lady Baek Ri has come."
"Hmm……."
I mentally checked the date. Fortunately, it wasn't a joint training day with Namgung Clan and Suhyangmun.
"I'll ask first, and if it's no, I'll head back."
I worried about interrupting, but since I'd come this far, I wanted to hand it over personally.
I want to take credit for it!
I'd been to a Suhyangmun training ground before, led by Ha-ryeong's hand among the disciples. It was close to the quarters. The servant led the way in.
Waiting briefly at the entrance, the servant returned. "You can come in."
In the spacious training ground, about ten boys and girls were diligently swinging their swords. Of course, Seo Ha-ryeong was among them.
My eyes met those of Seo Ha-ryeong, the eldest disciple of Suhyangmun. She gave me a quiet nod of greeting.
I nodded back and moved to the side to watch quietly.
……Everyone's working hard.
Inner energy didn't directly equal skill. But more inner energy generally gave an edge over less.
Most prestigious sect disciples started cultivation young and trained consistently, so inner energy depth scaled with age.
Barring massive fortunes like pure blue stone oil, you could predict a teen's accumulation versus a thirty- or sixty-something's.
That was why elixirs mattered. It also meant the Suhyangmun disciples here had similar inner energy depths.
Ha-ryeong had quite a bit for her age. She'd probably taken a little elixir before, but not enough to overwhelmingly surpass her elders.
Seeing her train alongside them confirmed it.
Baekil Dan will be a big help.