Chapter 93
Chapter 93
Beom Jung let out a quiet sigh.
Grit.
Though he deliberately kept his head facing forward, from just to his left came the sound of teeth grinding hard enough to shatter gums.
What a spectacle.
Add to that the Gate Master of Hangryong glaring at them as if she might kill someone, and it was chaos upon chaos.
Grrrk—
At this rate, her teeth will crumble.
At this point, should she not realize that reacting to every unpredictable action of their lord was a loss?
…Even so, Beom Jung could not deny that when he saw the look of utter revulsion on the face of the false Namgung Soyo—Yeo Il—his own irritation simmered.
What did his lord lack that he should be treated so by that woman? If the Jin Clan learned of this, they would draw their swords at once.
“I refuse—”
See! That face of blatant displeasure rejecting their lord’s proposal (though even Beom Jung was unsure whether it counted as one)! And moreover—
“Ah, but of course, the lady’s opinion matters—though the permission of the family elders is important as well. Sir, would you grant me the chance to become the husband of your eldest daughter, Namgung Soyo?”
As though ignoring her rejection entirely, their lord shifted the conversation.
Beom Jung flicked his eyes toward him. Just moments ago, had he not declared they were strangers?
Yeo Il’s expression turned even more appalled as she watched him brush aside her refusal.
Beom Jung found himself caught in conflicting emotions.
Though I would give my life for my lord, even I must admit he can be infuriating at times.
It could not be helped. The world that surrounded him had made him so.
A lazy genius who could not become a true genius precisely because he was lazy.
Light in all things, lacking gravity. Possessing neither ambition nor desire for power. Though exceptionally gifted as a martial artist, he cast aside his talent without interest.
Endowed with everything, yet in the end, possessing nothing.
That was Jin Cheong-ak, Second Young Master of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
“Soyo cannot see. Does the Young Master know this?”
At those words, Yeo Il rolled her eyes briefly before closing them gently, as though she had never opened them. Truly a farce.
Namgung Pae’s calm question was met with an equally matter-of-fact reply.
“What of it if she lacks sight? I can carry her.”
“Your heart is admirable, but I alone cannot decide Soyo’s marriage. Seek the permission of the Lesser Cult Leader.”
“Must we go to such lengths? I may simply lift her and take her as she is. The lady does not seem to dislike me.”
Yeo Il cut in, even more exasperated.
“I dis—”
“Still, I would prefer a proper opportunity to court her. Is there anything in particular you would require of a future husband?”
His gaze flowed naturally to one place.
Soon Yeo Il’s gaze followed.
There, drenched in rain, crouched pitifully—
Seol Yeong.
The blood relative of the Master of Chwihyang Garden, the boy Yeo Il had picked up at the entrance to Xinjiang.
He had heard that the Gate Master of Hangryong was obsessively attached to Yeo Il, but he had not imagined she would drag in even her close aide and torment him into such a bloody state.
It seems she has grown attached to that one as well over the years.
It struck Beom Jung anew how deeply his lord’s unintended journey through the Jianghu had altered his life.
Ah… what a moving wave of sentiment.
To witness such loyalty outside the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
Dang Hong, however, merely glared at Seol Yeong with naked jealousy.
Yeo Il spoke.
“Gate Master.”
The Gate Master, who had been standing in anxious agitation, responded at once like a dog spotting its master.
“Yes.”
“Summon a physician.”
Reluctantly, she drew a breath and glanced at Jin Cheong-ak before signaling to a woman behind her.
“Take him away.”
“No. Bring the physician here.”
“…Bring him.”
If the Gate Master’s stubborn expression conveyed I would rather die than agree, Yeo Il was even more resolute.
She handles the Gate Master—known as the Ice Mace—with remarkable ease.
Beom Jung already knew from years of investigating Yeo Il’s past that her role in elevating Yuyu to Gate Master had been significant.
Then was it truly only gratitude that made Yuyu powerless before her? It seemed excessive, even violent.
Before long, seeing the physician running from afar, Yeo Il finally met Jin Cheong-ak’s eyes.
“Truly anything?”
He laughed openly.
“Of course.”
“This is separate from any wish.”
His smile deepened.
“Of course.”
Beom Jung considered what she might demand.
She seeks the Sal-saeng-bu.
Perhaps she would inquire about Yeonghwang Yuse.
What Cho Iryang truly desired, or why his lord had reappeared as a Young Master after years of absence—
“I will place a dog’s collar around your neck.”
“…A what?”
“A dog’s collar. The leash that keeps a dog from running away.”
Indeed.
As unpredictable as my lord.
Surely she was not speaking out of wounded pride. Did she truly not know why he had appeared in this guise?
Beom Jung clicked his tongue inwardly.
Even his lord seemed taken aback, stepping forward to ask,
“Why?”
“So that you will not toss a scrap of nonsense and disappear again.”
Hmm.
As Jin Cheong-ak slowly stroked his chin, closing his eyes as if in contemplation, Beom Jung recognized a subtle shift in emotion that only one who had stood beside him for fifteen years could detect.
It did not please him.
“I shall consider it. Seriously.”
There was no need to elaborate why.
“Then shall I send the marriage proposal?”
“No. I permitted courtship. I did not permit a proposal.”
“What is lacking that you refuse—”
“Young Master.”
A low call halted him.
“I do not have much time. I would not have your steps wasted. Shall we proceed inside?”
The Gate Master gestured toward the bridge leading into the shrine. She did not wish them left alone.
Her demeanor resembled Dang Hong’s restrained possessiveness.
“Oh… very well. I cannot detain one so busy. For the sake of our Gate Master, I shall reluctantly withdraw.”
He took a slow step forward.
“By the way, Gate Master. Are you familiar with those who dream of immortality?”
Another step.
“Who does not?”
“No. I mean those who, under the command of the First Emperor, roamed for centuries seeking the legend of eternal life.”
Another step.
“They crossed Danju and reached Iju, yet failed to find the herb of immortality. They even reached the distant land of Cheonju, only to confirm that no origin of immortality existed anywhere. Pitiful.”
Again.
“Yet not all gave up. The descendants of a fallen state persisted and, as reward for their relentless search, discovered several hopes upon the land once ruled by Qin Shi Huang.”
Silence.
“Elixirs. Ascension. And the extreme demonic realm.”
He passed by Namgung Pae.
Their gazes tangled briefly in the air. The chill in Namgung Pae’s eyes was unmistakable.
“They began sweeping up the treasures of the Jianghu. It did not take long. And among those treasures… were people.”
Suddenly he turned to look at Yeo Il before stopping before the Gate Master.
“Which brings me to this. I have heard that some of their treasures are stored within Heukryong Garden (Black Dragon Garden), one of Hangryong’s Four Branches. Is this true, Gate Master?”