Day by Day Renewal
Supervisor Gang Ryong and Chief Steward Gwak Yeonyong had successfully collected the debt from Yeom Dal. More than the targeted amount, even. From what he'd heard, the two had perfectly divided the roles of good cop and bad cop.
"It wasn't even hard!" Gang Ryong shouted, especially excited today.
"Gwak the Chief Steward really laid into him with those buckteeth of his. He said Chwi Hwa Bang only got involved in the business after they'd already owed money to Yi Gajang, so they had no say in the debts from before that. Apparently, even if the Chwi Hwa Bang leader's grandpa himself showed up, he couldn't argue with that fact... And after seeing those three bastards get stripped clean just now, can you imagine how terrified Yeom Dal must've been?"
The bucktoothed Chief Steward scratched his head and grinned sheepishly. This seventeen-year-old kid really had a knack for squeezing out owed money. He was sharp at scheming and handling all sorts of tasks.
And it wasn't just that. He didn't simply follow orders passively. He even made suggestions on how to move forward, taking into account Yi Jinpyeong's temperament and Yi Gajang's current military strength...
One day, when Yi Gajang grows bigger, I could use him as a strategist.
Yi Jinpyeong liked that. It was still a distant dream to grow Yi Gajang to that scale, but that day would surely come. The day he'd claim the entire Dongjeong Lake area as Yi Gajang territory and extend their influence across Hunan Province into the entire Central Plains.
"Just so the young master doesn't misunderstand—I definitely played my part too! I threatened that if he didn't cough up enough silver to satisfy us, I'd go around blabbing to the whole world about how he'd borrowed money from Yi Gajang under the pretense of paying back wages to his old employees. He hated that idea, so he flung open his secret storeroom in a panic. Damn. How much silver did that bastard hoard? We stripped it all, but... looks like he'd been raking it in pretty good up till now!"
"Hrm..."
Yi Jinpyeong's stomach suddenly hurt. Brothel business really did pay well, huh. Should he have swallowed up the entire Pung Gaekru stake after all?
For a moment, lost in that massive temptation, Yi Jinpyeong soon shook his head. Changing a decision once made wasn't his style. Plus, diving into an unfamiliar field—one so far from Yi Gajang's core pursuits—could backfire spectacularly. Better to be satisfied with hitting the target amount. That was the smart conclusion.
"Now I'm curious how Chwi Hwa Bang will react. Will they try talking first, since we've avoided outright conflict? Or will they come charging for revenge no matter what?"
Worry clouded the Chief Steward's face. Yi Jinpyeong smiled at him.
"Chief Steward. Are you giving me advice on how to act when you can't even predict what the Chwi Hwa Bang leader will do?"
"Th-that's... I was just trying to minimize the risks..."
"Don't sweat it. The past is gone, and the future's unknown. Your job is just to suggest the best path in each situation. What happens after is all on me. If you're that worried, why not storm Chwi Hwa Bang right now? That way you'd know exactly how they'll react. I think that would be more fun, personally."
"N-no, sir!"
The bucktoothed Chief Steward waved his hands frantically. He still needed time to grow.
Yi Jinpyeong laughed heartily and gave orders to his two subordinates.
"Anyway, we've hit one goal, so time for the next step. Pool the assets we've recovered so far with the silver from Pung Gaekru and procure four spirit elixirs. Something like Yiqi Pills, Pure Qi Pills, or Essence-Nourishing Marrow Enhancers would be ideal. They won't match True Origin Vitality Pills, but they'll do plenty to build inner power."
"Spirit elixirs—one, two, three, four... Got it!"
Gang Ryong counted on his fingers, his face lighting up, then hurried off, prodding the Chief Steward along. His body was covered in wounds, yet he didn't seem to feel a thing. The guy was born tough as nails.
"Hey. Let's go."
"My ankles are broken, so it'd be great if you carried me."
"...You forgetting you're a prisoner?"
Yi Jinpyeong's frame wasn't exactly built for carrying women anyway. To ensure she didn't try any tricks, he meticulously sealed her acupoints before slinging her over his shoulder like baggage and heading back to Yi Gajang.
***
It was late afternoon by the time they returned to Yi Gajang. He flung the front gate open wide.
Ready to turn the place upside down if his subordinates were still lounging around. But...
"Hrm..."
Yi Jinpyeong nodded in satisfaction. No trace remained of last night's festival chaos. The messy training ground was spotless, and every warrior was out there sweating buckets, fully immersed in training.
Without anyone supervising or ordering them to.
The subordinates finally spotted him, whistling at the sight of their young master showing up with a courtesan-dressed woman in tow.
"We were wondering where our young master went at dawn...!"
A gust of wind blew. The black veil fluttered away, revealing her face. Charred, cracked skin. A grotesquely twisted nose...
"Our young master..."
The warriors trailed off, turning away to resume their training. Yi Jinpyeong passed them and headed deep into the compound.
The woman slung over his side muttered.
"The world's harsh on ugly women, huh."
"Just as harsh on ugly men. And aren't you just disguising yourself with that hideous face? Devious trick."
"Should I take off the human-skin mask?"
"Don't even think about it."
"You want to keep me all to yourself, then."
"Cut the nonsense. If you try Ma An Seop Hon Gong on my brothers or subordinates, I'll tear your body apart."
"Eek. Scary."
She shuddered theatrically, as if he'd seen right through her.
"I heard you'd absorbed nearly all of Hwang Sabang's forces. It's true—the faces of some I recognized from the gambling den, nearly didn't place them. Were they always this hardworking?"
"Their master's just that great."
"You're so impressive. Ever heard of humility?"
"Never been in a situation where I needed it. Speaking of, what's your name?"
"Does it matter when I'm just a prisoner?"
"Fair enough. I'll call you whatever. Pick from dog, pig, or cow."
"Dongbeonhoe calls me Un Sa-nang."
"Not your nickname. Your real name?"
"We're not that close yet, are we?"
Yi Jinpyeong opened the door to a building. Not far from Mugunjeon. It used to be stuffed with iron tools and weapons, but now it was an empty space.
"You're not planning to leave me here alone in this barren place, are you?"
Yi Jinpyeong said nothing. Un Sa-nang let out a hollow laugh as he fetched not just acupoint-sealing tools but rope too.
"If I'd known I'd get this kind of treatment, I wouldn't have come along."
"You think you had a choice?"
He bound her tight with the rope. When he reached for her ankle, the ever-talkative Un Sa-nang flinched.
Yi Jinpyeong casually realigned her broken ankle bone and infused a bit of qi to speed healing.
He stood. Meeting her gaze, he said,
"I won't let you starve. Speak when you're ready."
"I made my conditions clear. I won't say a word until you speak first."
"Then rot here forever."
"Then why bring me here at all? You could've just killed me."
"You still don't get it. I'm giving you a chance."
A chance? Un Sa-nang's face filled with doubt.
Yi Jinpyeong said no more.
Bam! The warehouse door slammed shut.
***
He passed through the bamboo grove toward Mugunjeon. Where his brothers—Jingang and Jinun—were immersed in training.
As he neared the hall, rough kiais, heavy breaths, and sword swings mixed in the air.
He quietly opened the door. Even without hiding his presence, his brothers didn't notice him at all.
The two White Bone Heroes swung their swords in a trance. Still skinny as rails. They'd rake in alms for sure begging like that. Out in the morning, pockets full by evening.
But the energy blooming from their hands, feet, and sword tips was utterly different now. No more wobbly frailty—their movements had precision, their steps carried rhythm.
Repeating boring forms endlessly, yet their faces burned with passion. They must be thrilled. Having felt the changes from qi circulation firsthand.
What talent...
Day by day renewal. He could feel it—their transformation happening daily.
The Hwang Sabang warriors who'd joined Yi Gajang were progressing impressively too, but nothing compared to his brothers' pace. They absorbed everything like monsters, food or knowledge alike.
Yi Jinpyeong was exasperated that such gifts had been wasted and rotting past twenty. If he hadn't reincarnated, what fate would've befallen them?
He sat quietly in a corner without disturbing their training. The space he'd once claimed alone was now shared by the three brothers. He yielded the center to them, taking the edge himself... His body had been pushed hard recently, and insights overflowed. Now, focus solely on inner power.
Cross-legged, eyes closed. Yi Jinpyeong sank into calm qi circulation.
A spark from his dantian warmed his body. Sometimes scorching, sometimes cool, qi coursed through his whole frame. It hungered for growth. Urging him higher, wider.
Soon. Just wait.
The Cheonryu stage of Gwi Hwa Yeon Cheon Gong was near.
***
"Young master."
A soft voice opened his eyes. Dusk had fallen outside. His brothers had stopped swinging swords and now sat beside him, qi-circulating. When had they arrived? Why sit right next to him in such a big space?
He rose quietly and stepped out. Gang Ryong and Gwak Yeonyong waited, carrying wooden boxes.
"We got the spirit elixirs."
"Good work."
He opened the box. A sharp, herbal scent from the four round elixirs stung his nose. Today too, his subordinates had fulfilled their roles perfectly.
Glancing back, his brothers were still deep in meditation. No time for chit-chat with day-and-night training.
He asked the hairy one with shining eyes.
"Gang Ryong. You ready?"