Chapter 16
"Sobong, you think I'm a pushover just 'cause I've been quiet lately? Want me to make some noise?"
"No, sir! Absolutely not! How could I ever take an elder like you lightly?!"
Sobong wanted to cry. This was a bolt from the blue like no other. If he'd actually crossed Jegal Yang, that'd be one thing—but he hadn't done anything. It was so unfair, he was losing his mind.
"Then why'd you tell someone to bother me while I'm playing baduk?"
What kind of lunatic?! Had someone actually interrupted that cranky old man's baduk game?! If he survived this intact, he'd make sure they paid dearly.
"...W-who dared to disturb your mood, Elder? Tell me, and I-I'll handle it personally!"
"Forget it. From now on, don't touch Mancheon or Ohae."
...Manchon? He'd heard that name before. Biyeong's little brother's kid, right? Zero interest. Never laid a finger on him. But Ohae? Who the hell was that?
"Uh... Elder, who's this Ohae?"
"Annoying little brat. Every time Mancheon and I are enjoying a game, she pops up out of nowhere to ruin it."
"???"
Sobong's face was a mask of confusion, question marks practically floating above his head. Jegal Yang clicked his tongue and elaborated.
"Tch. You idiot. I'm talking about your niece, Soyeol's daughter."
Ah, the weird kid his dead sister had popped out. Blue eyes weren't that rare—pretty common in the outer reaches of Murim, actually. But those sharp teeth hidden in that tiny mouth? Not human at all. He remembered the last time he'd seen her. Those inscrutable blue eyes staring right through him, no smile, no tears. Creepy as hell. He didn't want anything to do with her, so he'd just told the servants to toss her some food and washed his hands of it. Same as Mancheon—no interest, no meddling.
"Elder, I don't know what happened, but that's... not something I'm involved in."
BAM!!
Jegal Yang stomped right next to where Sobong had kowtowed, splintering the high-grade wooden floor. Dust billowed up, coating Sobong's face.
"You think it's a flex that the acting patriarch doesn't even know what his own family is up to?"
"No, sir! I'm sorry!"
Sobong wasn't stupid. He got it now. Jegal Yang was too lazy to hunt them down himself—he was flexing his power, telling Sobong to clean up his own house.
"Saw her briefly, but that kid's starting to look more like Soyeol lately."
"Pardon? You mean Ohae?"
"Predictable trash thinking. Scared the patriarch might change his mind and split the inheritance. Pathetic."
One wrong word here, and Sobong would look like one of those pathetic idiots. He swallowed his dust and stayed silent.
"Enough. I'm off. Get up."
Said what he needed to. Sobong would handle the rest. Ending it here? Guess I'm getting soft in my old age. Way too nice.
...He's finally leaving. Thought I was a goner. That shitty old geezer. Other family elders mellow out and get nice around that age. How's this fossil still consistent in being such a massive asshole? No wonder they call him the Jegal Mad Dragon. Makes sense.
As he silently cursed up a storm watching Jegal Yang's back head toward the wide-open main gate, the old man suddenly stopped.
'Wh-what? D-did he learn mind-reading? Am I... dead meat?'
Sobong froze mid-rise, swallowed hard amid a whirlwind of paranoia.
"Forgot to mention. Mancheon? He's my baduk buddy. Treat him like my peer."
"Y-yes, sir... I'll remember."
Baduk-crazed old fart. This messes up the hierarchy big time. Hope he ascends to immortality soon.
Sobong cursed inwardly again, but Jegal Yang ignored him, striding off to resume his game.
Once Jegal Yang was fully gone, Sobong brushed off the dust with a grim face and snarled at his approaching retainers, who were cautiously gauging his mood.
"Gather everyone under me—direct lineage, branch, no exceptions."
Jegal Sobong was the acting patriarch. That meant everyone except the real one. A purge fueled by rage.
"Elder, the tea's gone cold."
"Shut it. I like my tea cool anyway."
I'd planned to head back for snack time, but since the old man had jumped in on something that wasn't even his business, I felt bad and offered one more game.
Clack.
"I've noticed it before, but you're damn good at hiding your qi. Must've had a solid master. Who's the teacher?"
"Huh? Outta nowhere? What?"
I fumbled in surprise, but Jegal Yang snatched my wrist and checked my pulse.
"Quanzhen Orthodox Inner Cultivation Method. Wudang disciple? Nah. More primal Daoist neigong."
Jegal Yang picked up a baduk stone, infused it with inner energy, and flicked it at me. The stone, practically a hidden weapon now, rocketed straight at my forehead. One hit, and it'd be concussion city at minimum.
No more hiding. I unleashed Empty Brightness Fist, deflecting the stone and sending it flying elsewhere.
Thwack! It embedded in a pavilion pillar.
Would've been lights out for sure.
"Empty Brightness Fist at seventy percent mastery. Quanzhen disciple, huh? Explains why you won't name your master."
I'd planned to cuss him out, veins bulging, but this could spin in my favor if I played it right. Kept my mouth shut.
"Daoist sects implode over inheritance fights all the time. Too embarrassed to admit Quanzhen."
...Perfect. Let him think that. Neither my master nor I were from Quanzhen. We just found their arts useful. But denying it would lead to an interrogation about who did teach me. Better to let the misunderstanding ride.
"No living master to worry about if the sect's already toast. Be my disciple."
"...Me?"
"Yeah, you."
Taking a disciple meant teaching everything. Did that mean Jegal secrets? Jackpot?
I was nodding like a bobblehead, ready to seal the deal, when my cynical inner Mancheon piped up.
'Snap out of it! No way something this sweet happens without strings. Obvious trap!'
Then my good inner Mancheon chimed in from the other side.
'Right! That geezer's trash! Total scumbag!'
Thanks, pals. Almost let greed cloud my judgment. Always read the fine print before signing.
"Elder, you mean you'll take me as disciple and teach me the Jegal family's secret arts? Right?"
I'd hoped for a pumped-up 'Hell yeah!', but Jegal Yang raised one eyebrow in disbelief and pointed at my right leg.
"What arts for a gimpy kid? No idea what nonsense your master filled your head with—forget it."
My face twisted in fury at the savage insult, but he ignored it and kept talking like always.
"Baduk suits you better than martial arts. We'll aim for best in the world together."
"...Elder, you serious?"
"Dead serious. Your baduk has heart and flair. Skill's a bit raw, but I can fix that."
Jegal Yang's eyes gleamed with greedy madness. Like Cao Cao eyeing Guan Yu. Not normal at all.
...Well, no madman admits they're mad. I like baduk fine—as a hobby. Wouldn't trade yutnori for it, but living off baduk? No thanks. Had to bail.
Nod here, and I'd be the baduk slave dragged around by Jegal goons forever.
"Manchon~ Snack time~ Let's play~!"
Perfect timing—Ohae came to fetch me. Nice assist. All that feeding, tucking in, and teaching paid off.
"Y'know, I just remembered—I promised to teach Ohae origami today. Gotta run. Fun game; let's do it again sometime."
"What?! You ditching our match for paper-folding with that milky-scented brat?!"
"Yep."
No hesitation in my nod. Jegal Yang froze in shock, and I grabbed Ohae's hand, unleashed lightness skill, and bolted—no need to hide anymore.
Time passed, and festival day arrived. Not some grand event—just celebrating winter and spring gone, full summer here. Eat, drink, and hype yourself for the grind ahead.
But for Ohae, experiencing her first festival ever, today outshone any worldly bash.
She fiddled nervously with her unfamiliar silk robes and hair ornaments, face uneasy.
"...I look weird?"
"Not at all. Cutest thing in the world, honestly."
"...Don't tease."
No lie—she was adorable. The wild kid who romped like an animal was now prim and proper like a lady. A sight to behold. Every move was pure cuteness.