Unexpected Movement (4)
At Jang Ja-myeong's flinch, Hanbin swept his gaze around the room.
He was checking if anyone else was nearby.
The servant had stepped out briefly to tidy up.
Hanbin continued with a serious expression.
"Doctor Jang."
"Yes."
"In your opinion, what's so evil about it?"
"Ah, well..."
"Just spit it out."
"It's not exactly evil, just a bit... off."
"Off how?"
"To be frank, it looks like a deal between the Henan Jeong Family and the Hebei Paeng Family, but really, it's between the Jeong Family and you, Young Master. All the profits go to you, not the Paeng Family."
Finishing his words, Jang Ja-myeong sneaked a glance at Hanbin's reaction.
Hanbin grinned as if it were no big deal.
"Of course. Why would I share the fruits of my hard labor? Right?"
Hanbin glanced at Seol-hwa.
"You think so too, Seol-hwa?"
Seol-hwa, holding a tanghwa candy in one hand, nodded vigorously like a bobblehead.
Then, with the candy still in her mouth, she looked at Jang Ja-myeong.
"Of course. Why share it? Imagine holding tanghwa in both hands, Doctor."
At Seol-hwa's unexpected question, Jang Ja-myeong scratched the back of his head.
"What do you mean by that, Seol-hwa?"
"If you don't grip these candies tight, someone'll come snatch 'em eventually. If there are two enemies, they might even split you in half to get them."
Seol-hwa clutched her tanghwa even tighter.
At the sight, Jang Ja-myeong waved his hand dismissively.
"Nah, no way."
"'No way' is what gets people killed. That's just how the jianghu works, Doc."
With that, Seol-hwa bit into her candy and glared at Jang Ja-myeong.
Jang Ja-myeong flinched and turned his gaze to Hanbin.
He couldn't handle the killing intent Seol-hwa was shooting his way.
She was just a kid staring, sure, but sometimes her aura felt scarier than Hanbin's.
Meeting Hanbin's eyes, Jang Ja-myeong pressed on.
"Anyway, that clause at the end about the contract passing to heirs—what's up with that? Young Master, this is basically a slavery contract."
This was genuine concern from Jang Ja-myeong.
No matter how far back you dug in history, a clause like "the contract binds successors" would be unprecedented.
But Hanbin responded indifferently, as always.
"That's standard."
"Standard?"
"Think about it, Doctor. With a mess this big, the family head's probably changing soon, right?"
"Could be. Given the current head's condition, he might step down any day."
"Exactly. What if the next head tries to weasel out of the deal? You gonna take responsibility?"
"Why me...?"
"Hmm, three years was too short now that I think about it. Should've made it lifetime or hereditary..."
Jang Ja-myeong waved his hands frantically at Hanbin's mutterings.
"N-no, Young Master!"
"Get it now, Doc?"
"Get what?"
"How much I treasure you?"
"Y-yes, I get it. So no misunderstandings, please."
The doctor nodded vigorously.
Satisfied, Hanbin smiled warmly.
"Good. Rest up while you're at the Jeong Family. You'll be way busier once we hit Cheonsu Manor."
"Y-Young Master, did you say way busier?"
"You thought you'd keep lounging around? Time to work now that you're settled. Know why people are born, Doc?"
"What...?"
"To earn their keep. Shape up before we head back to Cheonsu Manor."
With that, Hanbin spotted the servant's signal that the room was tidy and vanished.
Staring at Hanbin's retreating back, Jang Ja-myeong's face drained of color.
How many brushes with death had there been lately?
It wasn't like he'd enlisted in some frontier army, but marching a thousand li felt like yesterday.
The blisters on his feet still hadn't healed.
And pulling all-nighters treating Family Head Jeong Muryong had gone on until this morning.
Had he lived like a human since arriving at Cheonsu Manor?
But a strange smile crept onto Jang Ja-myeong's lips.
Seol-hwa tilted her head.
"Why the face, Doc?"
"Feels good now that I've thought it through."
At his proud expression, Seol-hwa cocked her head again.
"What feels good? You looked like you were gonna die a minute ago."
"Think about it: mine's three years. The Jeong Family's forever. Comparing makes me happy."
"Mine's three years too, old man."
"Heh, you got off easy too."
"Yeah." Seol-hwa nodded, and Jang Ja-myeong beamed up at the moon.
To him, it shone brighter than usual tonight.
Seol-hwa sneaked a glance at the smiling doctor, stifling a hollow chuckle.
Happiness is relative, huh?
It was a question for herself too.
A short while later, in the Henan Jeong Family head's private training chamber.
Hanbin sat cross-legged, eyes closed, focusing on adding a new page to the basic manual.
He carefully removed the necklace from his neck.
Concentrating on the manual with eyes shut, the strokes began breaking down one by one.
[Strokes decompose and reform repeatedly.]
The title of the basic manual vanished, leaving empty space.
Strokes whirl below the space.
What Hanbin saw was a simple process.
But to an onlooker, the scene around his body would be jaw-dropping.
Transparent energy rippled around him, forming a dragon shape.
Up close, it resembled water droplets or dragon scales.
Closer still, one would recognize them as the formulas Hanbin had absorbed so far.
They swirled, creating a spectacular sight.
Different from the five energies gathering at origin or three flowers gathering at peak of the jianghu tales.
Hanbin simply kept his eyes closed, focused on the visions in his mind.
He now understood "adding a page."
To add a page to a book, first untie the binding strings.
In other words, decompose it.
This was that process.
How much time passed?
The rippling energy around Hanbin sank into his skin.
A message appeared before his eyes.
A page has been added.
Looking back at the Yongrin Sword Art manual, the basic manual's title had subtly changed.
The stage has advanced.
What came next?
No matter.
Another message appeared.
Basic Manual advanced from Basic Manual to Basic Manual II (two). The basic manual can now hold thirty formulas.
Confirming the message, Hanbin smiled inwardly.
His innate 30 years of inner power, plus 30 more in the Yongrin Sword Art's basic manual.
Total: 100 years of skills.
Of course, detectable power was still 30 years—hiding at least 70%.
Another message popped up as he smiled.
Basic Manual II (two) activated. Yongrin Sword Art forms usable simultaneously increased to three.
"Oh ho!"
Hanbin grinned widely.
Somehow, even better news than the formula capacity boost.
All Yongrin Sword Art rewards confirmed.
Hanbin quietly picked up the necklace beside him.
He opened it with a soft click.
A oil-treated paper scroll unfurled inside.
Hanbin unrolled it carefully.
A plain-looking pill, like a lump of cheap medicine, appeared.
"Ahem."
Hanbin cleared his throat at the sight.
This was the coveted Qingming Pill, desired by all martial artists.
After staring briefly, Hanbin popped it into his mouth.
To an onlooker, it looked like chowing down on street-vendor junk.
He closed his eyes.
Feeling the pill's energy flow naturally, without forcing it through his meridians.
Why no advanced breathing method since regression? One reason.
To learn the Heaven and Earth Unity Art, which no one had mastered before.
Darma's Heaven and Earth Unity Art had two traits.
Those with artificially forged meridians couldn't learn it.
Advanced breathing users were out.
Plus, required 100+ years of power.
Reach 100 years without advanced breathing? Pure elixirs only.
Even elixirs needed breathing methods for full absorption.
Thus, the Heaven and Earth Unity Art tormented all martial artists despite its fame.
Discovered, it sparked bloodbaths in the jianghu.
Once deemed unlearnable, it gathered dust in the Justice Alliance's archive corner.
Now, with the Heavenly Blood Wolf's neidan and this Qingming Pill, the path opened.
Why obsess over Heaven and Earth Unity Art?
It allowed circulation just by breathing.
While others cultivated hours daily, this yielded 24-hour effects.
How long with eyes closed?
Opening them, the chamber brightened.
No illusion—his inner power had surged.
Standing, Hanbin shrugged and muttered.
"A bit short."
True.
Nearly 100 years, but shy.
Precisely 20 more, totaling 50.
Ten years left.
As expected.
Using past-life methods, he'd have gained 30+ from the pill.
Telling Jang Ja-myeong to prepare meant the grueling elixir production.
Back at Cheonsu Manor, planted herbs and crops would rival elixirs.
Fill the last ten years.
If not?
Simple: keep making and eating till it works.
Better if some sect or family footed the bill.