Time for Rewards (1)
“Father, have we really gone completely broke?”
Haecheol bit his lip at his son's question, unable to respond.
“Don't you have some emergency funds stashed away? If you do, hand them over. I promised the guys we'd hit the brothel today. You want to see your son humiliated like that? Would that make you happy?”
Haecheol bellowed at his son's absurd nagging.
“Shut up! Emergency funds? We don't have any such thing!”
“You really don't?”
“You hand over any emergency funds if you've got 'em!”
“Where would I have something like that?”
Like father, like son—they both squandered money without a care.
He'd raised the boy with excessive indulgence, being an only child, but as the saying goes, children are mirrors of their parents.
“There's Jisang, right? Why not ask him for some money?”
Haecheol hurriedly clamped a hand over his mouth at those words.
“Shh! Don't go around telling anyone you know Jisang.”
“Why not?”
“Just do as you're told!”
“Argh, seriously! This is so annoying!”
“I'm the one who's annoyed!”
“Hey, why are you yelling at our son like that?”
Soon his wife joined in, ganging up on him.
“Is that any way to talk? You said to trust only you! And now look at this mess?”
“Argh, damn it! Why is everyone picking on me?!”
With that shout, he stormed out of the manor.
His family still hadn't grasped the situation and were just begging him for money and pressuring him, fueling his rage to the boiling point.
But reality soon hit him.
He wanted to drown his filthy mood in a spending spree, but he had no money.
“Damn it! Damn it! Aaaargh!”
After venting his fury for a good while, his mind finally began to calm.
But the daunting question of how to survive remained unsolved.
“Oh? Who's this? Isn't it Haecheol, the clan head?”
Just then, a stranger approached him.
“Who... might you be?”
“That's hurtful. We've shared a few drinks, after all...”
“My apologies.”
In truth, he'd drunk with so many people that he couldn't remember them all. At taverns, he'd end up drinking with strangers amid the revelry.
He hadn't touched alcohol lately due to the alcohol ban, though.
“Well, no harm done.”
The man smiled nonchalantly, fanning himself with a fan.
He seemed vaguely familiar, but Haecheol couldn't recall where they'd met.
“By the way, do you live in this village?”
“No, I reside in Beijing. I came by Shaolin Temple on some business.”
“I... see.”
“Something troubling you?”
Haecheol's mind raced.
Judging by his clothes, the man was from a well-off family, and his reaction suggested they'd drunk together multiple times.
Jackpot!
He flashed a smooth smile.
“Lucky to run into you like this. About those drinks we shared before—they were actually split tabs. I covered yours too. So, shouldn't you settle up now?”
Of course, this could bruise egos and turn them into enemies.
But he desperately needed cash right now.
“What are you talking about? Every time we drank, I covered it all.”
“...Huh?”
A completely unexpected response.
“You always forgot your money pouch, so I insisted on paying. All those tabs add up to about twenty silver taels.”
“D-Did I?”
“And I still have that IOU you signed, promising to pay me back someday...”
“...!”
“If you want, I can send someone to Beijing to fetch it.”
He'd seized the chance, but this was no soft mark—it was solid iron.
He could almost hear his teeth shattering.
“N-No need for that. Must've been my mistake. Ahem.”
“Well, since fate brought us together, how about some tea?”
I led Haecheol to a nearby teahouse.
This bastard... who was he planning to fleece this time?
It was obvious he was scheming to pry money from me.
He'd probably done the same to Song Clan Head when his sister entered as a concubine—and again when she died.
Try biting me. My hide won't even dent.
Why had I disguised myself with a face veil and brought Haecheol here?
To get him out of the village.
As I subtly scratched his itch, he spilled his situation freely.
“Good grief! So all your land and house have been seized?”
“That's right. Pay back the thirty thousand taels, and the seizure lifts.”
“That's rough.”
“And I don't even have money for food right now.”
I pretended to ponder, then made a suggestion.
“Don't you have your wife's family?”
“Huh? My in-laws?”
“Yes. A clan head like you must've helped them out plenty. You could stay with them for a while.”
His eyes lit up at my words.
“Right! Of course! Look at all the money I've funneled their way!”
As expected, color returned to his face.
According to Palgap's investigation, Haecheol's in-laws were near Kaifeng—a fair distance, not too far from Shaolin but enough to deter casual visits.
Especially for a penniless man.
“Well, I should be going.”
“Thanks. Safe travels.”
With that, I left.
Farewell. Let's not meet again. And stay away from Jisang the monk.
A few days later, Palgap returned from the village with amusing news.
“Young master! Young master!”
“What?”
“Haecheol the clan head went to his in-laws.”
“Good. That's sorted.”
Thus ended the Haecheol affair.
Truth be told, I could've just eliminated him, but I didn't.
That would've been too merciful.
A live-in son-in-law who'd lived high on the hog, now broke and crawling back to his wife's family.
Who would welcome that?
Even his own wife disdained him—his in-laws wouldn't respect him either.
He'd be treated like baggage, nagged endlessly.
Just like Jisang the monk once was.
Plus, he'd made himself unpopular with them over the years. Self-inflicted.
“And the rumor we spread is circulating naturally.”
“Ah... is it?”
I'd recently started a new rumor.
That Haecheol spat at the sacred remains of Great Master Hyejin (Blood Karma Sage Monk) en route to Shaolin Temple—and went bust for it.
Rumors are half fabrication.
But pile them up, and you can conjure a real tiger.
Already showing effect: letters from worshippers were flooding in.
Yes, better to publicize it fully—for security's sake.
.
.
.
A few days later, the novice attendant to the abbot came for me.
Finally summoning me.
I followed him to the abbot's quarters.
“Amitabha. Sorry to call you so late.”
“No matter.”
“Did you enjoy yourself?”
Ah... as expected of the abbot. He knows everything.
I sipped my tea, feigning ignorance.
“Horok.”
“I appreciate it.”
“Cough, what?”
Frankly... I'd braced for a scolding for going too far.
A faint smile played on the abbot's lips.
“Jisang is a fine disciple. But his karma weighed so heavily it pained even me to watch.”
“Then why didn't you intervene?”
The abbot could have resolved it easily.
But he hadn't.
“All things have their time. And your arrival marks that time.”
The abbot sipped his tea and continued calmly.
“Even if I had intervened, the root issue wouldn't have been settled.”
“...”
True enough.
“And thanks to you, Great Master Hyejin's remains are safe. Jisang said as much—your doing.”
“Did Jisang confess everything?”
He nodded at my question.
Honestly, that story is burdensome and tough to tell straight.
Yet Jisang had laid it all bare.
Deeper cultivation than I'd thought.
“That's why I'm even more grateful. You helped Jisang avoid committing that sin.”
“...I just didn't like the situation.”
“Is that so?”
“May I ask why you call Great Master Blood Karma Sage by his dharma name, Hyejin?”
Oddly, only the abbot used “Hyejin” instead of his honorific title.
“Isn't it natural? He is Shaolin's disciple. Is it strange to address a Shaolin monk by his dharma name?”
In other words, the abbot respected his identity as a Shaolin disciple.
“A foolish question.”
“Not at all. Natural curiosity.”
Then from now on, should I call him Hyejin too?
Nah—for me, he's a martial world senior, so Blood Karma Sage Monk it is.
“Anyway, I called you for the reward I mentioned before.”
Yes! Reward time!
The abbot took a box from beside him and offered it.
“Take it.”
I opened it. Inside were six pills.
“Just to be clear, not Great Return Pills or Small Return Pills.”
“Of course. I wouldn't dream of that.”
Those are Shaolin treasures.
“But these are elixirs in their own right. Great aid to inner energy cultivation. With one condition.”
“What is it?”
“They don't suit chilling inner energy.”
“I see.”
I understood why the abbot was giving me these.
Thinking of my future.
“What's their name?”
“Gold Diamond Essence Pills.”
“Cough!”
The name caught in my throat.
Gold Diamond Essence Pills—right below Small Return Pills.
No matter how great my deeds, six of them?
“You alright?”
“F-Fine. But isn't this too much?”
“Nonsense. You saved countless disciples' lives and upheld Shaolin's honor. What’s this worth?”
Put like that, it felt right to accept... still.
I resolved: when giving to my guards, no revealing what they are.
Don't want them choking on them.
Calming myself, I said to the abbot,
“If I may be so bold, one request?”
“What?”
I pulled out my box and opened it for him.
“Nine-Leaves Purple Ginseng.”
Surprise flickered in the abbot's eyes.
But why keep glancing at my face instead of the ginseng?
“Never thought you'd show me this.”
Ah, he knew I'd acquired it. Just assumed I'd keep it.
Sigh, Abbot.
I don't consume what's not mine.
Smiling, I continued.
“This belongs to Jisang the monk. It's the tangible fruit of his mother's sacrifice.”
“I see.”
“Yes. I'd like to give it to him. And if you could help guide his inner energy after he consumes it.”
“That's your request?”
“Yes.”
“And if I refuse?”
Without hesitation, I offered back the Gold Diamond Essence Pills.
“In exchange for these, I ask.”
The abbot cleared his throat at my reply.
“You have a knack for embarrassing people. Just a jest.”
“I see. You seemed so serious.”
But he'd tested me, for sure.
To gauge my sincerity.
“Very well. As you wish.”
“Thank you.”
“But someone else will guide Jisang's inner energy.”
“Pardon?”
I reflexively questioned, then realized who.
Shaolin had another Transcendent Realm master besides the abbot.
Currently in voluntary seclusion in the repentance cave.
“One more question.”
“Yes?”
“What of Great Master Blood Karma Sage—no, Hyejin's remains?”
“We'll leave them as is. Thanks to you, we'll learn who Shaolin's enemies are.”
The abbot's gaze turned icy.
“That answers it. Thank you for indulging my questions. I'll take my leave. Seems I've overstayed.”
“It was enjoyable, thanks to you. Go safely.”
I withdrew from the abbot's room.
Now, time to prepare for Beijing.
Wonder how Haecheol and his family are faring at the in-laws by now?