Chapter 119
Chapter 119
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 119
Chapter Title: Actually, My Master Is (1)
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The day dawned, and the moment Yang Ha-jeong visited the physician, had her pulse taken, and received confirmation of her full recovery, she began directing the household servants.
As a bonus, she shot a glare at the quack doctor who had stubbornly refused to declare her fully cured until finally giving her the injection.
As expected from the lady of the house who had managed the Peng Family all these years, her adept instructions sent the subordinates scurrying busily this way and that.
Come to think of it, it was refreshing to see a concubine from a major clan actually working properly for the first time, even though I'd bedded three such women from great families.
"Cool."
"...If you interrupt her now, she'll put you to work too."
Helping out a bit wouldn't have been a problem, but if I flirted clumsily, Yang Ha-jeong looked like she'd really lose her temper, so I backed off for now.
Fortunately, Yang Ha-jeong had made a full recovery, but the Peng Family's situation was dire.
With so many disciples dead or injured, they'd have to hunker down for a while.
As a guest visiting their home, now in such hardship, was it right for me to return straight to the Tang Family, or to stay?
I pondered.
"Brother Kang, there you are."
Peng Wol approached from across the way, waving at me. The usually cheeky expression on his face was thoroughly dejected.
"Brother, are you all right?"
A major clan that had been fine one day was reeling from the Demonic Cult's trap the next—it was no wonder his face was grim.
Besides, Peng Wol had never been thrilled about cozying up to the government officials in the first place...
"I'm fine. After all, wasn't it I who brought you here? Thanks to you, we drove off the Demonic Cult, and even Mother got treated..."
For someone saying that, his expression remained dark.
"Ah, this isn't the time for talk like this. Father is looking for you."
It turned out Peng Wol had been sent by the Peng Family head to fetch me.
He could have just sent a servant with a message, so dispatching Peng Wol himself must mean it was to express gratitude?
"I won't be able to get out of bed for the time being."
But Peng Mu-do's story had less to do with thanks and more with what lay ahead.
"Pardon? But back then, clearly..."
He'd burst through the wall and immediately brought things to a lull, so I hadn't seen Peng Mu-do's skills in action, but he'd clearly battled Young Ho-kyeong for quite some time.
Even so, he only had some sword grazes here and there—no sign of the heavy demonic qi buildup like Yang Ha-jeong's—so why?
"Overcoming the Scattering Energy Poison didn't come free."
Peng Mu-do had been hit by the Scattering Energy Poison. With his internal energy control faltering and his qi itself dispersing, he'd opened his True Essence Qi.
Internal energy is generally divided into the kind that recovers easily and the kind that doesn't.
The latter is True Essence Qi, and even if you drain your normal internal energy to the bottom, you don't touch it.
Because if your True Essence Qi is damaged, restoring your original cultivation right away is next to impossible.
"Th-then...!"
"Ah, it's not irreversible. I didn't use it recklessly. Still, it'll be like this for at least a few months."
Peng Mu-do denied my guess. He denied my question about whether he'd merely survived while one of the Five Elders was gone forever.
"I revealed this to you, young hero, because I have a favor to ask."
Of course. There'd be no gain in telling a guest who might leave anytime that the family head was laid up.
"Who else but blood ties in times like these? You and Yeon-hwa share a bond, so when you return to the Tang Family, deliver this letter to her."
"Lady Peng...?"
I took the letter from Peng Mu-do. He let out a displeased groan.
"That fool Tang Jo-myeong will never let Yeon-hwa go if he's involved. So I want you to deliver it to her personally."
"Ah...!"
I didn't know what Peng Mu-do thought of my exclamation, but one thing was clear.
He didn't know. Tang Jo-myeong, Yeon-hwa's husband and Tang Family head, now had less influence over her than a pile of dog shit.
That's why he'd handed the letter to me. Afraid Tang Jo-myeong would reject the request outright if sent to him.
"Then, Lady Peng to here...?"
"I'm not demanding she come right away. It won't be easy for the Demonic Cult in Xinjiang to strike our home base immediately anyway."
It was just a promise to tighten coordination and aid each other in emergencies, or so he said?
'The Tang Family probably won't get much help from the Pengs.'
The Demonic Cult's stronghold in Xinjiang was the remote frontier of Chinese territory, land of non-Han ethnic groups.
Sichuan was barely considered Chinese soil itself—a southern fringe with no major sects besides Emei, really.
If the Demonic Cult launched a sudden raid, the Tang Family would take the hit and that'd be it. The Pengs, short on forces now, lacked the manpower or time for reinforcements.
Conversely, if the inland Pengs in Hebei got hit? The martial forces of Xi'an, Shaanxi, and Sichuan would already have detected the Demonic Cult's movements and be prepared.
"Understood. I'll make sure to deliver this letter to Lady Peng Yeon-hwa."
"...I leave it to you."
But I promised to deliver the letter.
It wasn't like I had to convince Yeon-hwa unconditionally; Peng Mu-do must have written it with good terms.
If he'd foolishly made unreasonable demands without grasping the situation, Yeon-hwa and I could just brush him off then.
"Then, will you depart today?"
"...Yes, I'll do that."
That seemed included in Peng Mu-do's business. With the clan in such shape, better to send the guest on his way.
No choice when the host said so.
I readily agreed, explained my situation, and informed Yang Ha-jeong and Peng Wol that I'd leave that day.
With nothing much to pack, I saddled my horse with simple baggage and prepared to set off immediately.
[I'll come back later.]
[No need.]
Yang Ha-jeong, seeing me off nominally as the lady of the house, filled her sound transmission with reluctance when no one else could hear.
[It was something I shouldn't have done from the start. Who can I blame when it was my own fault?]
[I'll come again. Stay pretty until then.]
[I said no need.]
For an instant amid the perfunctory smile, I sensed a real one, but you never know what's in a person's heart.
I bowed politely once more, sent one last sound-transmitted "see you," and turned away.
The route would go through Shanxi and Shaanxi to Sichuan.
I'd left in a hurry and missed our appointment, so I didn't know if Mother, planning to go via Shaanxi to Sichuan, had headed to the Tang Family or stayed at the Go Escort Agency.
First, I'd stop by the Go Escort Agency to find out where she was.
'She's probably pregnant by now...?'
Unlikely they'd confirmed it based on her cycle alone. It'd take some time.
But once it was certain she was pregnant, I wanted to be by her side.
I had to go to Sichuan anyway, which meant dragging Mother along on the journey...
'But it's time to tell her.'
Now that I'd hidden my Sword Saint identity once, there'd be more and more things about me Mother wouldn't understand.
If I didn't reveal that my master was the Blood Demon, one of the Three Supremes Beyond Heaven, our relationship could sour someday.
Better to gather everyone and tell them at once than scatter the revelations.
'Actually, knowing Tang Hye-won is pregnant, she probably went straight to Sichuan...'
I rode slowly for several days.
Hebei's fertile plains teemed with merchants coming and going; asking them for directions, I made it through Shanxi to Shaanxi.
From there, I worried a bit about locating the Go Escort Agency.
If the Five Great Clans or Nine Sects were megacorporations, the Go Escort Agency was, at best, a modestly known mid-sized firm.
"Yun!"
But it was needless worry. The Go Escort Agency was surprisingly well-known.
Being the Zhuge Family's son-in-law apparently wasn't something to take lightly, even if it offered no real help.
Mother had indeed gone ahead to the Tang Family.
I rested a day at the Go Escort Agency, then rode on toward the Tang Family.
'I played calculator before bed, but I did rest.'
Thus, in about half a month, I returned to Sichuan soil.
Tailored entirely to my pace, the trip left me less fatigued than most, but spending nearly the whole day on horseback was still tiring.
Thinking I'd hurry into the city and rest at the Tang Family, I urged my horse onward—damn it.
Weapons clashed somewhere. Fight among yourselves if you want, I wanted to say, but that never works out.
'Why of all places in Sichuan?'
Sichuan alone hosted three major powers: Tang Family, Qingcheng Sect, Emei Sect. Including Pointchang Sect in Yunnan made four.
With such giants crammed into one province, smaller factions had no room—Sichuan was that kind of place.
Conversely, this fight wasn't likely between small fry; a major power was probably involved.
Tsking my tongue, I tethered my horse in the brush and flashed forward.
"You bastard, who sent you—urk!"
"None of your business!"
Yes, crystal clear. Two lines announcing someone under attack by unknown assailants.
Glancing at the scene, six masked figures were taking turns in a wheel tactic against two opponents.
'Hey, isn't that...'
One of the two under siege was a familiar face. With a sigh, I burst out with a surprise palm strike.
"Ugh!"
Fortunately, they weren't top-tier; the masked man took my palm full-on, gasping as he dropped to one knee.
Seizing the gap, one of the two snapped his fingers, fully neutralizing the man.
"Who the hell are you?!"
"Just a nameless passerby!"
Already outnumbered six-to-two and encircled, my rear attack threw them into chaos.
While they dealt with the groaning fallen one or fled ignominiously, I greeted one of the attacked pair.
"Long time no see, Senior Nun. Still as sharp as ever."
Did my inner thought—what did you do wrong today to get ambushed?—come through? Mong-a made a bitter face as she pressed her palms together.
"Young hero, it's been a while."
But true to form, Mong-a never said thanks for the help.