Translator: RaidenTL

Chapter 137: Saving Tang Ja-seong (1)

The Fist King watched Eo Ja-seo collapse and turned to the Phoenix King.

"Didn't you say he was just a fledgling?"

The Fist King and the Phoenix King had fought their way through the Guardians and elders blocking them to reach Eo Ja-seo’s side. They had rushed there out of concern, but by the time they arrived, even more elders lay dead. They were profoundly shocked by the martial prowess Eo Ja-seo had displayed.

"I did. He’s improved quite a bit since I last saw him," the Phoenix King replied.

The Fist King spoke as if he couldn't believe it. "Right now, that boy is stronger than Jegal Mujeon was in his youth. In a few years, the Murim might belong to him."

The Fist King shook his head in wonder.

The Phoenix King knew the truth. Eo Ja-seo had completed his martial arts by studying the manual he had given him. Above all, he felt a sense of deep satisfaction, suspecting that the boy had achieved the Circulating Dantian—a feat he himself had yet to master.

On the other hand, Han Wol-baek tasted the bitterness of despair.

He had barely managed to keep his life while fighting the Guardians and elders who formed the backbone of the Divine Light Sect. Yet, this man named Eo Ja-seo had driven elders—whom even his master had struggled ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to defeat—to their deaths in just a few moves.

How is that possible? He’s even younger than I am.

Han Wol-baek clenched his fists.

He had grown complacent, having been called a genius all his life. But standing before a true genius, he realized his own talent was nothing more than the meager aptitude of an ordinary man.

Now, for the first time, I truly want to train.

A fierce spirit began to stir and writhe in Han Wol-baek’s eyes.

*

I opened my eyes feeling as though I had just woken up from a long, deep sleep.

Huh? Am I still dreaming?

Why was I seeing Tang Bin’s face?

Confused, I lifted my head and looked around.

"Are you awake?"

I saw Dan-yeong’s face. She looked at me and said, "We are at the government office."

Ah, they must have come straight here because staying anywhere else would have invited another attack from the Divine Light Sect.

With Dan-yeong’s status, entering a government office would have been a simple matter. But why was Tang Bin here?

As I glanced around curiously, Dan-yeong explained.

"Lady Tang Bin, whom I invited because of the medicinal herbs, was waiting here at the office. She was able to treat you."

It seemed Dan-yeong had invited Tang Bin in advance, confident that she would definitely find the Thousand-Year Snow Blossom Fruit.

But the Tang Clan has many excellent physicians; why did she invite Tang Bin specifically? I know Tang Bin is rumored to be quite skilled in medicine, but she’s still a step behind Tang Ja-seong.

I turned to Tang Bin and asked, "How is the Young Master doing?"

Tang Bin spoke in a somber voice. "My brother is currently..."

She trailed off, her throat tightening as she fell silent.

To see that feisty cat Tang Bin so dejected... something serious must have happened.

I shifted my gaze from Tang Bin back to Dan-yeong. She had a bandage wrapped around one shoulder.

"How is your wound?"

"I’m fine."

Suddenly, Dan-yeong’s face flushed red. She seemed embarrassed that her identity as the Silver Dragon had been revealed.

As I looked around, I realized I was forgetting something.

"By the way, where is Lady Chu?"

Since I couldn't call her by name in front of others, I referred to Chu Bong-hwa as "Lady Chu," though the name made my skin crawl.

"Lady Chu went out with the Shadowless Fighting Ghost."

Ah, she must have gone to retrieve what was stolen by that thief.

"Why did she take him with her? What if he escapes?"

If Chu Bong-hwa moved more than thirty zhang away from me, she would lose her internal energy, which could lead to the Shadowless Fighting Ghost getting away.

"She said he can't even run because his Achilles tendons are severed, and she placed a restriction on him, so he won't be able to flee."

That made sense. This was Chu Bong-hwa, after all.

I asked again, "Are the others here?"

Knowing I was asking about the Phoenix King and the Fist King, Dan-yeong gave a small smile.

"They said they had urgent business to attend to and left. But they mentioned they would return in two hours, so you’ll be able to see them then."

I nodded, then looked at Dan-yeong. "But is it alright for you to stay here, Lady Dan?"

Dan-yeong let out a long sigh.

"I need to get the herbs to my brother as soon as possible, but if I leave now, I might fall into danger again. So, I sent word for my brother to come here instead. I think it’s safer for him to move than for me."

I agreed with her reasoning. "I think you made the right choice."

As my conversation with Dan-yeong stretched on, Tang Bin stood up.

"I will go brew the medicine."

Seeing her quietly excuse herself, it seemed she had matured since I last saw her. When we first met, she was a woman who didn't possess a shred of consideration for others. Truly, one only matures after weathering the hardships of life.

"It seems Lady Tang doesn't know that you are the Silver Dragon."

"Yes, I didn't see the need to tell her."

I grinned. I still found it hard to believe she was the Silver Dragon.

"I’ve ended up owing you twice now, Young Hero Eo."

She was referring to the time I helped transport the Thousand-Year Snow Blossom Fruit and the time I helped find it. Strictly speaking, it was only once. The first time, I had simply used her.

In truth, it was that lingering guilt that had ultimately saved her. Had it not been for that, I might have just looked the other way.

As I continued to smile, Dan-yeong realized the reason and let out a sigh.

"Being named one of the Four Dragons of Sichuan caused me a lot of heartache. I only wanted to do good deeds, but I never expected it to turn out like that. Please, don't tease me too much."

"No, I’m not teasing. It’s just that meeting the famous, mysterious Silver Dragon face-to-face like this brings up a lot of emotions. I might be the first person to have met all of the Four Dragons of Sichuan."

"To be honest, being the Silver Dragon wasn't something I wanted to do," Dan-yeong said with a bittersweet smile, her voice trailing off as if lost in memory. "My younger brother has been frail since he was a child, so he always admired healthy people. He especially loved martial artists, so I learned martial arts and showed them to him. He loved it so much that I just kept learning. As he grew older, he became obsessed with tales of Murim heroes. Since he couldn't run and play, he lived through the heroic deeds of the righteous. Eventually, my stories reached their limit, so I started acting the part of a hero myself. That was the beginning of the Silver Dragon. At first, I just punished common thugs, but later I started catching notorious villains. By telling him stories of how the Silver Dragon punished the wicked, my brother could forget the pain of his severed meridians, even if only for a moment."

Hearing Dan-yeong’s story, I couldn't help but feel the profound affection between the siblings. To dive into such danger just to tell her sick brother interesting stories...

Having lived alone in the Murim for so long, I felt a lump in my throat.

"You are a truly wonderful sister, Lady Dan. Your brother must be very happy to have someone like you."

Dan-yeong blushed at my words. Then, she suddenly asked me a question.

"But... who exactly are you, Young Hero Eo?"

Where did that come from?

"Seeing you handle those old monsters that I couldn't even touch... I started wondering if you were actually a master who had achieved Youthful Restoration. You haven't, have you?"

She stared at me with wide, curious eyes. I was dying of embarrassment.

"No, not at all. That day, I only managed because of Lady Chu’s help."

I tried to brush it off vaguely, but Dan-yeong didn't seem inclined to let it go.

"It’s not just that..."

Just as Dan-yeong was about to press me further, Chu Bong-hwa’s voice drifted in from outside.

"I’m coming in."

Dan-yeong fell silent.

Perfect timing. That could have been awkward.

Chu Bong-hwa entered, holding something in her hand. It was a small box that fit in her palm.

"Where is the Shadowless Fighting Ghost?"

"I left him standing outside."

Chu Bong-hwa spoke informally to almost everyone. Those who knew she was actually a grandmother nearly sixty years old tended to overlook it without much offense.

"I’ll go see to it that the Shadowless Fighting Ghost is imprisoned in the jail. You two ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠should continue your talk."

Dan-yeong also quietly excused herself.

What a virtuous lady. Martial arts, looks, background, and heart—she has it all.

I smacked my lips. It was a shame she was a woman far beyond my reach. She was the first woman I had ever looked at and felt a sense of greed for.

"Did you find it?" I asked as Chu Bong-hwa sat down beside me.

"I found it. I went to his hideout and tracked it down."

"Wait, you only brought that back? If it was his hideout, there must have been all sorts of treasures."

Chu Bong-hwa smirked. "I already pocketed a few valuable things. Even a master has to make a living."

I smirked back. "Shouldn't the 'Greatest Hero Under Heaven' scold you for saying that? Why do you look even happier than I do?"

"Heroes have to make a living, too."

"But did he just spill the beans about where the treasure was?"

Men like him usually had a habit of refusing to talk about their treasure even if it meant death.

"I found out using Mind Control."

As expected of a witch who had lived a long time, Chu Bong-hwa was well-versed in such methods.

"Don't you ever use Mind Control on me."

Chu Bong-hwa replied bluntly, "If Mind Control goes wrong, you can go insane. I don't use it unless it’s absolutely necessary."

I made a mental note to be careful when looking into her eyes. Then, something occurred to me.

"By the way, why did the Shadowless Fighting Ghost steal the elixir? Did you find out?"

"Of course. He said he stole it because the Heavenly Lord’s son needed it."

I only half-listened to her words, my mind busy imagining what could be inside the small box in her hand.

"Is what’s in your hand the inner dantian of some spirit beast? If it’s your treasure, I have high expectations."

Chu Bong-hwa’s expression turned somber at my question.

"To me, it is a treasure like no other in this world."

I was intrigued. A treasure stolen by the Shadowless Fighting Ghost couldn't be anything simple.

"Can I see it?"

When I asked, Chu Bong-hwa readily opened the small box. I found it strange that she showed it to me without any wariness, but I was curious to see what rare item would emerge.

Click!

The box opened, revealing a small jade ring.

"What? It’s just a ring."

Wait, that wasn't right. The Golden Qi-Poisoning Bracelet I wore also looked like a simple gold bracelet at first glance. This might be an artifact similar to that.

"You’re right. It’s just a simple jade ring."

I was disappointed by her answer.

Chu Bong-hwa stared at the jade ring and, much like Dan-yeong had, began to tell her story.

"I was originally an orphan."

I looked at her face, surprised by the unexpected revelation.

"When I was seven, I happened to catch the eye of the Sect Leader of the Hyeon-mu Sect and became a disciple there. The Sect Leader had a son around my age. The Young Lord and I grew up like siblings, and by the time we were older, we had fallen in love. The Sect Leader cherished me like a daughter and gave us his blessing, so we spent many happy days together. But then, the Jeon-do Sect, our rival, poisoned our sect and slaughtered everyone."

Hearing this, I recalled an incident from long ago. I had heard a rumor that the Jeon-do Sect had been wiped out; I never imagined it was Chu Bong-hwa’s doing.

"Why did the Jeon-do Sect attack the Hyeon-mu Sect?"

"They did it because they heard a rumor that the Sect Leader had obtained the Small Hand Skill."

"I barely managed to escape thanks to the Young Lord’s protection, but not a single member of the Hyeon-mu Sect survived. After that, I spent decades obsessively pursuing the Small Hand Skill. However, the Small Hand Skill was a divine art that required at least three Jiazi of internal energy ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to perform. That is why I began practicing the Yang-Stealing Yin-Supplementing Art on villains."

That made sense. Although Chu Bong-hwa had become a public enemy of the Murim because of that art, she had only targeted villains, which was why the prestigious orthodox sects hadn't put much effort into capturing her.

But then, why did she try to take Mok Seon-hwa’s innate energy?

"I’ve never heard that you took the energy of an innocent person. So why did you try to take Mok Seon-hwa’s?"

Chu Bong-hwa looked at me for a moment before continuing.

"The Yang-Stealing Yin-Supplementing Art has a major flaw. If you don't refine the absorbed internal energy into your own within a month, it dissipates on its own. So, I had to keep using the art to maintain my power. But recently, I discovered that if I absorbed the innate energy of someone with a Pure Yin Body, the energy I took wouldn't dissipate."

"Mok Seon-hwa has a Pure Yin Body?"

"It’s a constitution I’ve been searching for for a long time, so I recognized it immediately. And I only intended to take half of her innate energy. I had no desire to kill her. But because of you, all of that went up in smoke."

"What are you talking about? You used the Small Hand Skill just fine when you were fighting the elders of the Divine Light Sect."

Chu Bong-hwa nodded. "That is the strange part. For some reason, ever since that Gu parasite lodged itself in my dantian, my internal energy has stopped dissipating and remains stable. In a way, the Gu is serving the same purpose as the innate energy of a Pure Yin Body. Because of that, I no longer have any need to use the Yang-Stealing Yin-Supplementing Art. For that, I feel grateful to you. Using that art was a painful thing for me as well."

As Chu Bong-hwa brushed back her hair, I saw for the first time the sword scars on her wrist. They were the marks of someone who had slashed their wrists with a sharp dagger.

"Did you try to kill yourself?"

When I asked, looking at her wrist, Chu Bong-hwa gave a hollow laugh.

"You’re digging up memories I’d rather not remember."

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I’m only asking out of curiosity because I want to know what kind of person is by my side. Even if you ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠don't speak, it doesn't change the fact that you’re here with me."

At my words, Chu Bong-hwa smiled.