98. Hebei (2)
Hebei (2)
98. Hebei (2)
"W-wait! Hold on! Gang is the Clan Head's grandson! We've lost! So stop that sword!"
The fallen middle-aged man shouted. I couldn't be certain, but perhaps the clash with the Flame Emperor and Geo Am had given him internal injuries; blood ran from the corner of his mouth as he cried out desperately.
"We clearly identified our sect from the beginning. Honestly, I admit we're not well known, which is why we even cited the Murong Clan so you could verify who we are. I'll grant that we looked suspicious, and I won't hold it against you that you tried to subdue us as part of a patrol. But Peng Gang insulted my master and my sect in front of me. If I insulted your Clan Head, would the Peng Clan smile and send me on my way?"
The middle-aged man fell silent at the cold remark. His nephew still mattered to him, however, and he strained to rise, using his saber as a cane.
"Don't worry. I'll finish this with just one arm. Unlike the Peng Clan, we at Yeongsan Sect study the Dao.
"Now. Hold out your arm. As you can see, it's imbued with Extreme Yang Qi, so bleeding won't be a concern."
"J-just... just a moment..."
Peng Gang's eyes were now swimming with tears as he barely managed to speak. He'd likely always stood in the victor's position as a direct descendant of a prestigious clan. That was how he'd grown so arrogant. But the moment his fine martial arts and his clan failed to protect him, this was the ludicrous sight he presented. That was your true face.
"What do you think you're doing, Yeongmok! Stop that sword this instant!"
No one else had been able to step forward. Not the precious direct grandson of the Peng Clan, not his first-rate martial uncle. Not warriors who couldn't do a thing, couldn't even swing a blade. But piercing that silence came my master's sharp voice.
"Master."
"Can you not hear me?"
Her cute face hardened with authority as she spoke firmly. Somehow she'd switched from startled rabbit to Sect Leader mode. Well, this brat wasn't my mortal enemy, and earning notoriety was all well and good, but the Peng Clan was a massive clan right on our doorstep. This was exactly the right place to stop. I released the sword threads and sheathed my blade, but my master was still speaking to me with an angry face.
"Apologize, Yeongmok. That man is a senior of the martial world. A martial artist of the Hebei Peng Clan, who have guarded Hebei for a long time."
"But Master and my senior sisters were insulted."
"Yeongmok."
Her eyes would not relent. In truth, this was what I'd hoped for. Once we arrived in Henan, my master would have to face the leaders of the martial world as an equal. Yeongsan Sect could no longer struggle through the martial world on my efforts alone. I needed to earn a fearsome reputation; Son Yeong had to raise her martial prowess; and my master, as our Sect Leader, had to cultivate just that kind of dignified, towering authority.
"My apologies. I overstepped."
When I politely apologized to the middle-aged man, the Peng Clan warriors stared in utter shock. My martial prowess was one thing, but apparently it had made a deep impression that I apologized immediately at the word of her—someone who looked far weaker than me, with her small frame and youthful face.
"No. The fault was ours. I apologize on behalf of the Peng Clan. We fell into arrogance and offered grave discourtesy."
The middle-aged man offered a cupped-fist salute with respectful words.
"We thank the Sect Leader for her mercy."
"Not at all. Our sect is a small, obscure one from the outskirts, and that led to an unnecessary misunderstanding."
My master returned the cupped-fist salute. In an instant the tension dissolved, and the atmosphere of combat gave way to an atmosphere of conversation. But everyone present knew: the Peng Clan had been defeated, and pardoned only by my master's magnanimity.
"A small sect? That's excessive humility. When I first saw the young Daoist's Sword Threads, I thought he was merely a reckless genius barely setting foot in the realm of Sword Aura. But then came a Qi-Guided Sword infused with Sword Aura—and carrying two entirely different energies. When he became serious, I was surrounded by a high-level use of Transforming Force rarely seen even at Wudang and could do nothing. Truthfully, the contest was already over at that point, even without the Qi-Guided Sword."
With a bitter laugh, the middle-aged man cleanly admitted defeat. It did look admirable, I'll grant that, but it was the natural posture of the loser, since not doing so would've gotten him killed.
"You've sustained internal injuries. Eunha."
At my master's words, Lee Eun-ha took a small restorative pill from her bundle and presented it to him. The middle-aged man swallowed the medicinal pill without a shred of hesitation, immediately sat cross-legged, and entered qi circulation and breath regulation.
"Huh... this is an incredible pill! I assumed it was an ordinary pill for internal injuries, but I've never encountered one of this quality! My injury was hardly minor—how in the world is this possible?"
The moment he finished regulating his breathing, the middle-aged man marveled in genuine admiration. Lee Eun-ha slipped back behind my master with a sheepish expression.
That thing, actually—it was just a plain internal injury pill we'd roughed out from medicinal herbs growing along the roadside... While we were training our martial arts at camp, this senior sister with nothing to do had gathered wild greens and mushrooms, and on the side she'd made it from herbs she picked along the way.
"My disciple is skilled in medicine. Eunha. The great hero Peng is pleased with the pill, so give him a few more."
"Yes, Master."
Though Lee Eun-ha was a miser, these were merely test batches—failed pills far below the Medicine Immortal's standards—so she pulled out five without hesitation. They were remarkable medicines, yet she carried them in an ordinary cloth pouch rather than a proper wooden case. It was very much like the Yeongsan Sect.
"It is shameless of me, but I'll accept them gratefully. Even the lowest-grade internal-injury pill is precious to a martial artist. My father lies bedridden with internal injuries, so I'll receive them with gratitude and never forget this kindness."
Huh. He's cooler about it than I expected. I thought he'd cling to his pride.
"Your father? Surely not Clan Head Peng?"
"No. I've been remiss in introducing myself. I am Peng Mu, nephew of the Clan Head. My father is the Clan Head's younger brother, Peng Seok. Last month, he suffered qi deviation during closed-door training and has yet to rise. We visited the Medical Immortal Sect in search of the Medicine Immortal, but she was away. Perhaps an internal-injury pill from your esteemed sect might help him."
"Oh dear... I will pray for his swift recovery."
There was no pretense in my master's words. Her innocent face carried the sincerity plainly, and Peng Mu was genuinely moved.
"Reverend. Please accept my deepest gratitude for forgiving my reckless insolence."
Belatedly, Peng Gang stood and apologized. For an arrogant scion of a prestigious clan, why was he so quick to accept defeat? In these situations, aren't you supposed to inwardly grind your teeth and mutter, How dare these lowly wretches?
"I also went too far. My master and Great Hero Peng have already concluded the matter, so let's speak no more of it, either."
"Reverend. Rather than stand here, won't you come to the Peng Clan? A Peng Clan estate is nearby, and I'd like to repay your kindness, if only a little."
"That's a fine idea, Gang. Sect Leader. It would be an embarrassment to call it repayment, but we cannot simply send our benefactors on their way. Please, come to the Peng Clan. On Peng Mu's name, I guarantee you a grand welcome."
Watching Peng Mu speak with his head bowed, my master's expression turned slightly troubled.
—Will it be all right? If we go to the Peng Clan like this, won't they ambush us?—
Lee Eun-ha's voice transmission, laced with worry.
—It doesn't feel like a trap, but they do seem to have an ulterior motive. For instance, Senior Sister, they might be secretly hoping you'll cure the patient. As long as the price is right, it wouldn't be a bad deal.—
Even if it was a trap, I didn't care. On their home ground, they had far more to lose. The Spirit-Binding Art was weak in defense, but ambushes were my specialty. If I truly ignored the consequences, I was confident I could wreck even the Murong Clan.
—Price? How much could we get?—
—It is hard to say. Even the Clan Head's brother belongs to a branch line, so I doubt it will be a fortune. Still, Peng Seok is one of the Top Hundred Masters. At minimum, fifty taels of gold. If the negotiation goes well, perhaps as much as one hundred.—
—F-Fifty taels?! Junior Brother, that's gold, not silver, right? Let's do it! Let's go to the Peng Clan! I'm terrible at negotiation, so you handle it, Junior Brother!—
Lee Eun-ha was instantly fired up. She was always desperate for money, but it seemed she'd never really considered what enormous economic value lay in the pharmaceutical knowledge she'd accumulated. Even if the era was different, even if the world was different, human life was precious. Especially the lives of the wealthy were even more precious. Most people who'd lived in poverty like Lee Eun-ha herself simply endured the pain when they fell ill and died if they couldn't endure it—that was the way of things. But rich households never spared any expense to seek treatment. That was why physicians and apothecaries were top-tier, high-income professionals. That was a self-evident truth that held just as true in the 21st century.
Traditional medicine involved almost none of the surgery found in Western medicine. Most treatment relied on acupuncture and herbal decoctions, with little separation between physician and apothecary, so her value was beyond imagination. As Moon Immortal had once complained, masters of earlier generations might be forgotten, but the names of the Medical Immortal and Medicine Immortal would survive for centuries.
—Master. This is a moneymaking opportunity. Let's treat the Peng Clan Head's younger brother and earn a generous reward.—
At the voice transmission, my master's eyes changed. Even now that we had plenty of money, seeing her react so keenly to the mention of it was a little funny, but these women had genuinely come close to dying for lack of money, so we never treated the value of money lightly, as martial artists tended to do.
"We're grateful for the offer, but we are traveling to Henan while continuing our training. However, my disciple is talented in medicine, so if it's possible, I'd like to examine Great Hero Peng Seok's condition. We might be able to offer some help."
Wow. Well done, Master. She'd even tacked on that last bit as a fine disclaimer: if we can't cure him, it's not our fault. At those words, Peng Mu and Peng Gang's faces instantly brightened. And the Peng Clan warriors' faces too. I'd heard the name: Peng Seok, one of the Top Hundred Masters. The Peng Clan Head's younger brother, a man famous for his outstanding character. Judging by the warriors' faces, the rumors were probably true.
"Thank you. Then please, follow this way."
Peng Gang spoke with an excited face. The bastard who'd been on the verge of death moments ago was remarkably thick-skinned. No, not just thick-skinned—he'd apparently decided to go all-in with it, because he stuck to my side chattering away the entire journey.
"Reverend, what kinds of food do your Sect Leader and senior sisters enjoy?"
"They eat anything. We were a dying sect, living on millet gruel."
"That must be a thing of the past. It's not the same now, is it?"
Even when my answers tried to keep some distance, Peng Gang clung persistently. This bastard—you sure you're a scion of the Five Great Clans? I didn't think I had been even this bad back in my Baek Clan Estate days.
"They like sweet fruit."
"I see. It is winter, but I'll have some prepared the moment we arrive. And what about you, Reverend? To my eyes, you look like a typical hero who enjoys his wine."
Ah... this feeling. It wasn't a customer-service-center feeling. It was something I'd experienced before—the feeling of an obsequious army junior?
"And Reverend. Please, speak casually. Are you not the benefactor who forgave my rudeness?"
"May I call you Little Brother Peng?"
"Of course, Yeongmok hyung."
"Don't attach hyung to my Daoist name. My name is Baek Eun-hyeok."
"Ah, so it's Big Brother Baek. I look forward to knowing you."
They say the martial world is a world of strength, but this was the first time I'd seen such a rapid change in attitude. And seeing Peng Mu and the other warriors take Peng Gang's behavior as perfectly ordinary, the Hebei Peng Clan as a group seemed a little different from the average martial artists.
At last, we arrived at the Peng Clan estate. It was smaller than I'd expected, not ornate like the Murong Clan estate—just a scaled-up version of the Baek Clan Estate.
"Ah. This is not the main house; it's Seungdeok Manor. The main house is far grander and more magnificent than this."
One of the Peng men must have noticed my expression, because he hurriedly explained. Right, that made sense. How could one of the Five Great Clans amount to only this? After the gatekeeper greeted us, we entered the manor, and its strangely familiar atmosphere stirred my nostalgia.
Simple buildings designed for pure functionality. Warriors moving busily about, and absurdly, even just walking around the manor, they moved in ranks and files, making perfect right-angle turns. Horrific memories were stirring, and I nearly gagged. Goddamn it. This was exactly like the military.
"The Clan Head is making his entrance."
At one warrior's command, everyone snapped to attention. From behind them strode a vigorous old man around Murong Hyeok-jung's age, his muscles ready to burst and a saber on his back even larger than Geo Am's iron plate.
"We greet the Clan Head!!!"
In an instant, the Peng Clan warriors roared as if a bomb had gone off. Our Yeongsan Sect group flinched and drew back in startlement.
"Well done. Peng Mu. But who are these women?"
"Yeongsan Sect, from Liaoning. This is the Yeongsan Sect Leader, and this young Daoist is called Yeongmok. He possesses martial prowess beyond imagination."
"Huh? What's that mean? Wait! Pfft! Peng Mu! So you lost to this young brat? Puhahaha! Forgive me. I thought you were talking nonsense, too.
"Ah. I've already been rude, and I may continue to be rude. I'm a somewhat ignorant old man who knows no manners, so I hope the young and lovely Yeongsan Sect Leader will be understanding."
"Not at all. I am Chae Yeong-ok, Sect Leader of Yeongsan Sect. I'm sincerely grateful that the Clan Head would come out himself to welcome us."
Having been through Murong Hyeok-jung already, Master greeted him with poised courtesy.
"So you're the brat Murong Hyeok-jung talked about. That snake of an old codger. If you're going to tell someone something, tell them properly.
"I've wanted to meet you. I was dying of curiosity. Were you the one who killed Heuk Cheon-gyeon and the Black Heaven Association Leader, or not?"
"Did the Murong Clan Head tell you?"
"No. But if you think about it, it has to be you. Two unorthodox bastards went to Liaoning and vanished overnight. Closed-door training? Don't make me laugh. Why would the Black Heaven Association seal its gates and enter closed-door training? I assumed Old Man Murong had quietly dealt with them, but he denied it. He said some young brat who'd soon shock the world was about to emerge from Liaoning. Who'd have guessed he meant a martial artist from another Liaoning sect rather than a Murong? So—was it you or not?"
"Yes. I am."
At that short reply, the Peng Clan Head burst into roaring laughter. The warriors who'd escorted us here, including Peng Mu, and the Peng Clan warriors already present, all forgot even their rigid postures and stared in uncontainable shock.