Birthday Dumplings and Hidden Truths
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The Time-Limited Elixir of the Ruined Clan
Chapter 94
"Well... of course, there are good people who wouldn't do that, but..."
Baek Ui-myeong hemmed and hawed.
"Do whatever you want. Just keep the kid around and make sure he doesn't get any funny ideas—educate him properly."
"E-Education?"
Baek Ui-myeong floundered, clearly having never considered such a thing.
The boy raised an eyebrow. "Then what were you planning to do with him just hanging around?"
"Just clothe him, feed him, let him sleep..."
"While you're at it, teach him not to pull any stupid stunts."
"How am I supposed to teach him?"
"If you really don't know, brainwash him so he doesn't mess around with the Danmok family."
"You're... crazy."
The word nearly escaped his throat. If not for the painful memory of the Interrogation Blood Point, he would have blurted it out.
Is this guy really from the White Path? Doesn't seem like it.
He'd once joked to himself that some great demonic lord had regressed in age, only to realize it was someone from the Danmok family—prompting an awkward cough. But maybe his initial hunch had been right after all?
"Elder, may I ask... your full name...?"
"I told you, Hwaryun."
"Your family name...?"
He'd heard it was Danmok Hwaryun once before, but Baek Ui-myeong asked desperately anyway.
The boy, on the verge of answering, furrowed his brow and stared at him. "Why are you suddenly curious about that?"
Why won't you just tell me!
When he'd pretended to forget and asked, if the boy had simply said "Danmok Hwaryun," he would have believed it—lie or not. But the boy offered no such help.
Gathering his last shred of courage, Baek Ui-myeong asked, "You're... really from the White Path, right?"
"You got a death wish?"
"Haha, no, no, just asking..."
Not him! He's not! Definitely not!
If not White Path, then? Black Heaven Alliance? Demon Heavenly Cult?
Who are the demonic lords with the surname Woo...?
Or maybe...
Not Blood Valley, right? No way. They're all dead anyway. And if this elder were from Blood Valley, would I even be alive?
He'd have been drained dry and found as a withered husk in some alley by now!
Either way, if he wasn't a White Path martial artist, why was he meddling in Danmok family affairs like this?
"A-Anyway... since he's from the Danmok family, it's fine for me to keep him, right? No issues?"
Knowing he was Danmok blood did ease some of the burden on his conscience. Even if the kid had followed him willingly and he had no choice...
"That branch family was struck from the family registry. He's got no ties to the Danmok family anymore."
"...!"
He'd never dreamed of a reward for taking good care of the kid, but he hadn't expected their bond to be severed so cleanly.
"Well, better than a household that beats kids... even if you're sorely lacking, you're still better."
"Why do you keep saying I'm lacking?"
"So you think you're smart?"
"Average, at least."
"That's exactly what makes you lacking."
The boy clicked his tongue and shook his head. After a brief hesitation, he pulled something from his bosom and handed it over.
"Sigh... what a shame."
"W-What's that?"
"Dumplings. Split them with the kid or whatever."
"Dumplings? Out of nowhere...?"
"They say eating something good on a good day brings good fortune. If he acts up, bring him to me or just tell me."
"Ah, yes, got it!"
The boy turned sharply to leave but paused and turned back.
"W-Why, why are you...?"
Under the boy's dissatisfied glare, Baek Ui-myeong hunched his shoulders and stammered.
"You should be grateful for your luck."
"Y-Yes, I know..."
Otherwise, how else would he stumble into such a fateful encounter with the Interrogation Blood Point just walking down the street?
Arms crossed, the boy asked, "What inner method are you cultivating?"
"Pardon?"
Caught off guard by the sudden topic, Baek Ui-myeong blinked before cautiously answering.
"S-Samjae Qigong..."
"Samjae? Hah, what?"
"Samjae Qigong..."
His voice grew small, as if deflated.
Samjae Qigong—also known as the Samjae Heart Method. A third-rate technique you could buy on the street market for the price of a few sheets of paper, complete with scribbled secrets(?). Along with Six Harmonies Fist and Samjae Swordsmanship, it was one of the "three brothers" of low-grade martial arts.
"Figures you wouldn't have access to anything better."
"W-Would you perhaps teach me something...?"
Baek Ui-myeong gazed at him earnestly, but the boy waved him off.
"You've already learned a heart method. What more do I need to teach?"
"B-But Samjae Qigong! Not this third-rate stuff, but something from you, elder..."
"You think I'd just teach you whatever on a whim?"
Baek Ui-myeong's heart skipped a beat as he clamped his mouth shut.
Seeing this, the boy burst out laughing, scratched his forehead as if recalling something, and continued.
"Samjae Qigong... you've learned it well. It's perfect for someone in your position. Just refine the knack a bit more. First, breathe in deeply. Hold for the same duration it takes the qi to spread throughout your body, then slowly draw it up and exhale for the same time again. Got it?"
"P-Pardon? Yes... yes?"
"Your meridians twisted once and straightened, so stick to something simple to clear the channels rather than anything complex. Don't chase weird heart methods—master this first. Spread the inhaled energy through your body, gather it, and exhale only the impure qi."
"Y-Yes... yes! But could you please say it once more...?"
The boy shot him a glare, recited it quickly one more time, then spun on his heel and vanished.
Left behind, Baek Ui-myeong stood dazed for a moment before hurriedly murmuring the incantation and scurrying off.
"Breathe in deeply, throughout the body, same time, same time..."
* * *
"Whoa! This is seriously delicious. I've never had meat dumplings this good. For real!"
"But why dumplings? It's morning."
"Looks like they prepped a ton a couple days ago."
"Someone's birthday again?"
"It's Miss Ryeon's birthday."
"What?!"
Mae Sin-yu was the one who revealed Danmok Ryeon's birthday, and Danmok Wan was the one who jumped up mid-bite.
As the children huddled together, munching dumplings and whispering, Ryeon was back at her residence, making and eating her own.
Wijicheong watched Ryeon eat with a pleased smile, not forgetting to set aside some for Danmok Bi and Hwaryun.
"The dumplings taste even better this year. Maybe we should have thrown a proper party after all..."
"It's cold out—sharing dumplings like this is nicer. Besides, Seong skipped her birthday party because of me; I can't go changing my mind now."
Born in January, Danmok Seong had looked into how Ryeon usually celebrated her birthday as her own approached. Likely wanting to match her, upon hearing Ryeon just shared dumplings with everyone, Seong decided to do the same.
Even when Danmok Hyeon-yo sulked and threw herself on the floor—since it would have been the family's first big celebration—Danmok Seong stubbornly stuck to her guns and ended up making dumplings to share with all.
"That's what I mean. We should have at least held a party for Seong."
"Nah, Seong likes this better too."
Only after Ryeon insisted several times did Wijicheong smile and nod.
"Still, it's nice to share a birthday meal with your mother before heading off to a distant place."
"I like it too!"
Danmok Bi beamed, offering his share of dumplings to Ryeon with eyes full of affection.
Ryeon planted kiss after kiss on his cheeks before doubling the portion and handing it back. A massive grin spread across Danmok Bi's face.
After the meal was cleared, it was time for Ryeon and Wijicheong's Go match.
Unlike her slow progress on the flute due to stamina issues, Ryeon's Go skills had improved rapidly—thanks in large part to her mother's excellent guidance.
"Your father was good at everything else, but Go? No idea how he was that bad."
"Really?"
"Did I ever tell you how I met your father?"
"No! Tell me now!"
Ryeon's eyes sparkled.
Wijicheong lowered her gaze, elegantly placing a Go stone as she spoke.
"When your mother was in Shaanxi Province... it was probably on your father's way back to Hangzhou after visiting the Murim Alliance. We first met at a medical pavilion under Mount Hua. We were both waiting for the physician and, bored, ended up playing Go."
Meeting at a medical pavilion tugged at Ryeon's heart. By then, her father had already sustained irreversible wounds from the battle with Blood Valley, and her mother was battling her congenital illness.
"But he was so bad at it. Better than most, but even worse than you now, Ryeon."
"Really?"
"Yes. And he insisted he'd never lost before, demanding rematch after rematch."
Their rematches fizzled when the physician arrived, but over the next two months at the pavilion, they played whenever they crossed paths.
"Then one day, he said if he won, he'd have something to tell me. Even when I told him to just say it, he insisted on winning first. What could I do? I thought I'd hear it in the next life..."
"Did you let him win?"
Wijicheong winked with a smile. "It was grueling. Even when I deliberately made a bad move, he noticed like a ghost."