< Episode 653 > Back to the Central Plains.
It was just past noon.
The place I headed after leaving my quarters was an especially quiet area within the palace.
A place where a tranquil atmosphere was maintained with only a few sentries posted.
It was also where what few physicians remained in the Northern Sea had gathered.
Passing through there, I arrived at a room, opened the door, and went inside.
Creak.
When I turned the worn door handle, a familiar face was visible inside.
It seemed she had been eating, for there was Namgung Bia with something stuffed in her mouth.
She looked at me and spoke.
"...H...ey..."
"Finish chewing before you speak."
Her muffled pronunciation was rather amusing.
Just as Namgung Bia, hearing my words, was chewing her food.
"Yes, you should swallow what's in your mouth before speaking. That is basic etiquette learned in the main house. *Urp* Wouldn't you agree?"
A middle-aged man nonchalantly cut in from the side.
I looked at him and spoke with a frown.
"What do you call belching in the middle of speaking?"
Surely you have no grounds to speak of manners.
"Hehe. My apologies. Perhaps my digestion is incomplete?"
I let out a sigh as I looked at the middle-aged man trying to play it off with a sly look.
His cocky face and unbefitting attitude still made him feel distant.
White hair and blue eyes reminiscent of Namgung Bia—the representative appearance of that family name was ingrained all over the man.
Wudang Gwaeseon Namgung Hyeong.
The man who had become a one-armed man was smiling there.
I looked at him and asked.
"Are you feeling better?"
"As you can see, I'm perfectly fine."
"Going by appearances, you are anything but fine."
Gwaeseon had lost an arm and suffered a penetrating wound, putting him at death's door.
He had survived only because his cultivated realm was high; had he been an ordinary person, it would not have been strange for him to have died long ago.
'The fact that he regained consciousness is a wonder in itself.'
The physicians of the Ice Palace had said he would be bedridden without consciousness for at least another month.
Yet Gwaeseon had sprung up with bright eyes just two days ago.
It was a recovery speed bordering on miraculous.
A quick glance.
I shifted my gaze and looked at his arm.
As a swordmaster who had lost one arm, there must certainly have been problems with his martial arts as well.
"Today's fare is quite tasty. Would the young master care to try some?"
"No. I'm fine."
"Then I'll just eat it myself..."
"...Nom."
"...Niece, what do you think you're doing?"
"You... said... you weren't... going to eat it."
Gwaeseon didn't seem to care, looking as strange as ever.
'Whether he's truly fine or just pretending, I don't know.'
It wasn't my concern, so I quickly withdrew my gaze. Then I spoke to Namgung Bia.
"How's your body?"
"I'm fine."
"..."
Because she answered so nonchalantly, I poked her stomach with a finger.
At that.
"Ugh...!!"
Namgung Bia rarely scrunched up her face and let out a suppressed groan.
Seeing that, I heaved a deep sigh.
"What do you mean you're fine? Are you going to keep lying?"
"..."
Namgung Bia looked at me resentfully, perhaps because the poke had hurt.
I was not one to simply accept such a look.
"Can't you open your eyes prettily? What did you do so well to stare at me like that?"
When I spoke with a frown, Namgung Bia sulkily averted her gaze.
She was already exceptionally beautiful, so it was hard to nag her while looking at her, but by now I had developed some immunity and could manage it.
"You went despite being told not to, and now look at the state you're in."
"..."
"What do you like so much about this place that you came here and got hurt? If you had just stayed quietly in the Central Plains, this wouldn't have happened. Do you learn swordsmanship better in the cold? That's not it, is it."
"But..."
"Don't talk back."
"...Yes..."
This time, perhaps knowing she was in the wrong, Namgung Bia listened obediently.
I already had mountains of things I wanted to say.
"And since we're on the subject—"
"Ah, young master!"
Just as I was about to continue, someone cut me off and came in.
Dang Soyeol was there, and behind her was the White Lotus Sword.
"You're here?"
"Yes."
Dang Soyeol approached with her characteristically bright smile.
And then sat down nonchalantly beside me.
"Have you eaten?"
"I managed to eat something."
It was a lie. I hadn't put food in my mouth for nearly two days.
I had spent too much time grasping my newly acquired ability and elevated realm.
"Hmm."
Hearing my answer, Dang Soyeol looked at me quietly.
The gaze was so burdensome that I tried to subtly avoid it.
"You didn't eat, did you?"
"..."
I was caught immediately.
Her perception was sharp as ever.
"...I didn't have much of an appetite."
"Hmmm..."
She had an expression that showed she was far from pleased. After staring at me like that for a while, Dang Soyeol soon tilted her head.
"Young master."
"Hmm?"
"Is something wrong?"
She asked an unexpected question.
At those words, I opened my eyes slightly and looked at Dang Soyeol. Then I smiled faintly, feeling somewhat drained.
'She found out.'
How did she find out?
I wasn't in a very good mood because of the incident with Uhyeok, so it seemed Dang Soyeol had caught on immediately.
And it wasn't just Dang Soyeol.
'...Tch.'
I could tell that Namgung Bia's gaze was also fixed on me, whether she realized it or not.
She seemed to have noticed a long time ago.
"It's nothing..."
I was going to brush it off as always, but I could see both of their expressions change subtly at that.
Seeing that, I paused for a moment and changed my words.
"...Something happened. It's fine. I resolved it."
"..."
"..."
Saying this seemed better than saying it was nothing, and only then did the tension in Namgung Bia's and Dang Soyeol's eyes ease slightly.
Confirming this, I let out a sigh of relief inwardly.
"Really, don't worry. It's nothing serious."
At my following words, Dang Soyeol nodded.
"But you still have to eat."
"...I'll make sure to eat."
After roughly answering like that.
Grab-!
"...?"
I grabbed Namgung Bia's wrist beside me.
She looked at me as if to ask what this was.
Ignoring that, I circulated my energy.
Swoosh-!
"Huh?"
As energy suddenly surged in, Namgung Bia flinched and trembled.
Even knowing that, I continued to circulate my energy.
The heat dug into Namgung Bia's body and made a full circuit.
When I drew it back, it returned carrying a considerable amount of turbid qi.
I extracted only the turbid qi from the energy that had returned to my body and sent it to my hand.
Afterward.
Fwoosh-!!
I ignited fire at my fingertips and burned away the turbid qi.
A faint stench was felt, but fortunately, it seemed I had separated it well.
After flicking my hand clean, I looked at Namgung Bia and spoke.
"Your energy doesn't seem to have any major problems. I also eliminated the remaining turbid qi, so moving around tomorrow probably won't be a big issue... Why?"
As I was trying to explain, everyone in the room was staring at me.
What? What are those looks?
An inexplicable silence swept by for a moment.
"Just now... what did you do?"
The White Lotus Sword asked me with wide eyes.
"What do you mean, what did I do?"
"What you just did. What was that?"
"Huh? I simply extracted the turbid qi and burned it, that's all."
Since she seemed uncomfortable, I checked just in case, and sure enough, some turbid qi had seeped into Namgung Bia's body.
It seemed to be a side effect of energy aiding her regeneration, so I just extracted and burned it.
This wasn't done using the Mado Cheonheupgong or any other technique.
'I just separated it with heat and burned it. Why that reaction?'
It shouldn't have been that difficult. It was a strange reaction.
"...Separate turbid qi? And burn it?"
"Yes."
"How?"
"Huh?"
I frowned at the White Lotus Sword's repeated question.
"What do you mean how? You just separate it."
"But turbid qi is mixed within the energy."
"That's true."
The energy passing through the meridians—turbid qi is what hides minutely within it.
If left alone, it would naturally disappear, but leaving it as is was rather uncomfortable, so separating and erasing it like this was better.
However, the White Lotus Sword and Namgung Hyeong's reactions to this act were unusual.
What is it? Did I do something strange?
"You didn't extract the turbid qi from yourself, but sent energy into another's body and brought out only the turbid qi?"
"Yes."
"How can you do such a thing...?"
"No, if you keep asking how..."
You just send energy in and extract only the turbid qi from within the flow of energy, right?
Of course, since energy flows ceaselessly like a current without stopping, extracting only the turbid qi from it was not exactly easy.
"But it's not that difficult, is it?"
"...What? It's not difficult?"
"Huh?"
Perhaps shocked by my answer, the White Lotus Sword's eyes grew huge.
I couldn't understand that expression at all and let out a final remark.
"Is it difficult for you, senior?"
"..."
"Why would it be difficult... It's not very hard, is it?"
I don't know why they're making such a fuss over something like this.
"Hu...h...ah."
Hearing my answer, the White Lotus Sword creaked as if something had broken.
Behind her, Namgung Hyeong had forgotten his haughty face and was looking at me with a blank, stupefied expression.
Why are they really acting like this?
Since it was starting to feel suffocating, I abruptly stood up.
Dang Soyeol sent me a look of regret, but she had to nurse Namgung Bia so she wouldn't be moving with me.
"I'll be taking my leave first. Please rest well. As I mentioned before, I will be returning to the Central Plains tomorrow."
I said this while looking at the White Lotus Sword and Namgung Hyeong.
"Will you be coming with me?"
I didn't even bother asking for their agreement.
I only needed to take Namgung Bia and Dang Soyeol, along with that would-be Sword Demon bastard and the mad Hegemon.
Since the White Lotus Sword and Gwaeseon seemed to have separate business here, I spoke as if saying it didn't matter if they didn't come.
"We should go together. There's no point staying here in this state..."
Gwaeseon glanced at the White Lotus Sword and continued.
"Wouldn't the same apply to you, noona?"
"..."
At Gwaeseon's words, the White Lotus Sword made a somewhat bitter expression.
There seemed to be some circumstances.
But this too was none of my business, nor something I cared much about.
"If so, please do. If you intend to return, I believe it would be good to come by noon tomorrow."
"Noon... That seems a bit tight on time. Wouldn't it be better to leave at dawn?"
"Dawn? Ah."
I wondered what he meant. Then I realized the White Lotus Sword and Namgung Hyeong probably didn't know what I had ridden here.
"It's fine. We're flying there anyway."
"I see. Flying... Hmm? Flying?"
"Then, I shall see you tomorrow."
Without further explanation, I simply turned my back and walked away.
They would find out everything tomorrow anyway; explaining was too bothersome.
'The number of people is a bit of an issue. But it should be fine.'
If it were before, even five would have been the limit and dangerous.
But looking at Ttoltoli's size and my energy now, such things seemed like no big problem.
Creak. Thud-!
I closed the door and walked away.
Afterward, I looked up at the sky for a moment.
The cold wave had vanished, but a chill remained; still, the sky was clear and sunny.
I looked at the drifting clouds and tilted my head.
'Is it time to go back soon?'
There was a pile of work waiting to be done where I was going.
For that sake, it was time to return to the Central Plains quickly.
******************
Baekhwa Merchant Guild Hanam Branch.
Inside a room located on the upper floor of that place.
There was a beauty frowning at the endlessly piling documents.
Black hair and flawless white skin.
A woman of striking beauty with uniquely cold eyes was, as always, furrowing her brow.
Because there was too much accumulated work.
If people saw the current situation, they would pick this woman as the busiest person in Hanam, even ahead of the Lord.
Her work was piled up like a mountain.
In that situation, the woman, no.
Branch manager of the Baekhwa Merchant Guild's Hanam Branch.
Xuefeng Moyong Huia had to click her tongue inwardly at the person before her.
It couldn't be shown outwardly.
Because the other party was an important figure. And above all, it was quite a frightening matter.
Moyong Huia managed her expression with effort and greeted the woman before her with courtesy.
"It's been a while."
At her greeting, the woman before her broke into a grin.
It was a ferocious smile that reminded one of someone.
"Nice to see you, Xuefeng. How many years has it been?"
At the light greeting, her characteristic black hair swayed.
"Well... I think it has been about three years."
"Your face still looks like death. Aren't they feeding you well? I know very well that the master here wouldn't do such a thing..."
"I am eating well, so you needn't worry about me. So... to what do I owe this visit?"
A cold gaze was directed at the woman.
"Jianfeng."
At Moyong Huia's words, the eldest daughter of the Gu family, Jianfeng Gu Huibi, smiled slightly.
"Was this a place I shouldn't have come to?"
"That is not the case. Since you are the Guild Leader's daughter, it is only natural that you may come and go. This was simply a question."
Moyong Huia set down the documents she was holding and looked at Gu Huibi.
"I was merely curious why you would seek me out rather than the Guild Leader."
"Ah, that... Mother is away today, so I thought I'd come to Xuefeng, the branch manager, first..."
"To inquire, or so I heard that you came to me immediately upon arriving at the guild?"
"...Your information is fast?"
"Thank you for the compliment."
Moyong Huia also formed a business smile and continued.
"Moreover, I heard you didn't even ask about the Guild Leader... If you knew she was away under these circumstances, wouldn't it be correct to assume you sought me out from the beginning?"
Her words cornered all escape routes as if leaving nowhere to run.
Hearing that, Gu Huibi's eyebrows trembled slightly.
"Still as sharp as ever. Annoyingly so."
"Should I say thank you again this time?"
"How positive. That was an insult."
"Yes, I am letting it slide knowingly, so please don't mind too much."
"Haha."
"Hoho."
A cold wind swept through the room.
Amidst layers upon layers of freezing air, Moyong Huia broached the subject again with Gu Huibi.
"What is it that brought you here?"
Honestly, asking such a question was not very welcome.
If she recalled what Gu Huibi had done to her in the past, she wanted to run away or curse her out immediately.
Moyong Huia had to endure it.
'Of all people.'
Because the woman before her was her sister-in-law (?).
She had often heard that in any family, relations with one's sister-in-law were never very good, so she could tolerate this much.
Also.
'Since she sought me out specifically, I'm a little curious.'
It was none other than Jianfeng.
She was a figure who, despite being called arrogant and overbearing, crushed all evaluations with her sheer talent.
The fact that such a woman had come looking for her was quite a fresh occurrence.
'...Seen this way, they really are alike.'
Was it the unique disposition of that household?
Moyong Huia was able to hold back a smile as she recalled the eldest son of that household.
"What is that expression?"
"Pardon? What do you mean?"
"I thought you were looking at someone else. You can make expressions like that?"
"...Ahem."
At the comment about her expression, Moyong Huia hurriedly tensed her face.
It was a mistake.
Fortunately, Gu Huibi didn't seem to pay much attention to such a Moyong Huia.
Perhaps because her own matters were more urgent, they didn't enter her eyes.
"...Anyway, I came because I have a favor to ask."
"A favor?"
At Gu Huibi's words, Moyong Huia's brow furrowed.
She was bewildered.
She never would have imagined Jianfeng would say such a thing.
And to none other than herself.
'A favor?'
Without going to her own mother, the Baekhwa Guild Leader. A favor that she had to come find her specifically?
Recalling that, Moyong Huia's mind raced.
"What is this favor?"
Even so, her mouth didn't stop. She couldn't let it show that she was thinking.
"Will you hear me out?"
"First, let me hear it. If it's something I can do... I can think about it."
"...Hmm."
At Moyong Huia's words, Gu Huibi pondered briefly and touched her lips.
She had a foul temper, but she took after her mother in her striking beauty, making such an action look rather cute.
Even a beast looks cute when it stays still.
After hesitating like that for a while, Gu Huibi soon spoke to Moyong Huia.
"Well... A... job... I wish you could give me a position..."
"...Excuse me?"
Moyong Huia asked back as if she had misheard Gu Huibi.
"...A position?"
Had she really misheard?
What in the world had Jianfeng of all people just said to her?
Seeing Moyong Huia's expression, Gu Huibi hurriedly waved her hand and added an explanation.
"Ah, I'm not asking for a position for myself..."
Fortunately, it seemed it wasn't for Gu Huibi.
But.
"Then for whom are you asking?"
"Well... It seems my younger sibling needs a position."
"...?"
At Gu Huibi's following words, Moyong Huia was engulfed in even greater doubt.
And for good reason.
'Younger sibling?'
Which young lady was she talking about?
That was a question for Moyong Huia.