Late in the afternoon at White Virtue Clan, a meeting attended only by the senior members began in secrecy. Two seats should have remained empty. One belonged to Dan Woo-Hyo, the White Virtue Clan's Grandmaster, who had been missing for ten years. The other belonged to Peng, the leader of the Flight Winged Group, who had vanished alongside him, with no way of receiving any news of them.
However, unlike before, an additional figure now occupied a seat of prominence, none other than Seol Bu-yong.
"The next search party shall be sent to Blue Sea and beyond, to Xinjiang."
The one who spoke first was seated comfortably in the chair that should have belonged to Peng, as if it had always been hers. While about half of those present seemed to agree with her, none voiced their approval outright. The rest frowned in discontent but remained silent all the same.
As the room fell into uneasy silence, a woman seated across from Seol Bu-yong finally spoke.
"I oppose this."
The martial artist who spoke carried an intent as sharp as a drawn sword. She was Namgoong Ji-yak, disciple of the previous grandmaster, Dan Baek-hoon, and the junior martial sister of Dan Woo-Hyo.
As she spoke, the room fell silent.
"It has already been ten years." Namgoong Ji-yak spat out coldly.
Perhaps she felt she had gained the room's attention because she pressed on.
"At this point, it is also time to give up."
It was something no one could say lightly. At the same time, it was something only Namgoong Ji-yak could say.
With Dan Woo-Hyo missing, Namgoong Ji-yak was practically the sole heir of the White Virtue Clan. Because of this, the authority carried in her words inevitably had a different weight compared to others.
"Give it up."
Despite the fierce opposition, Seol Bu-yong remained unbothered. She had been the one insisting on sending search parties for the past ten years, yet she did not appear to be anxiously fretting over his disappearance.
"Is White Virtue Clan truly so willing to give up on its master this easily?"
"How can you call it easy when we've poured everything into the search for over ten years? We spared no effort, no resources, yet we haven't found a single trace of him."
Ji-yak shot back sharply. She had loyalty to her senior, but she believed they had done all they could.
She respected Dan Woo-hyo as a senior. Although she secretly considered him a rival, that did not mean she was pleased about his disappearance. When she first heard the news, she had immediately left to search for him everywhere.
Yet whether he had vanished into the sky or been swallowed by the earth, all they knew was that he had last headed toward Gansu. As the years passed, disappointment piled up, turning into despair, until it finally became resignation.
With her clean, decisive personality that never looked back, Namgoong Ji-yak was now ready to end the search and move forward.
However, not everyone shared Ji-yak's thoughts. Among them, the biggest obstacle was right in front of her: Seol Bu-yong.
Ji-yak had come to White Virtue Clan as a child, but by then, Seol Bu-yong had already secluded herself in her residence after giving birth to Dan Woo-Hyo. Because of this, Ji-yak's impression of her remained nothing more than that of her master's wife.
But after her son went missing, Seol Bu-yong broke her isolation and naturally began taking hold of and steering the authority of White Virtue Clan.
At first, Ji-yak had thought of her as a useful ally. She had played a significant role in bypassing the complex procedures and unnecessary formalities involved in searching for her senior. She was remarkably adept at finding loopholes hidden within procedures and rules of propriety.
There were even rumors that in her youth, she had been involved in the imperial succession struggle and was once considered a strong candidate for the next emperor. Her administrative skills were just as impressive as those stories suggested. Every time a search party was sent out and returned with new information, her capabilities proved invaluable in organizing the findings and redeploying forces.
However, ten years had now passed. As everyone grew weary, Seol Bu-yong did not bend her will. If this were an ordinary household, her perseverance might have been praised and recorded in history as a noble tale.
But Ji-yak and Seol Bu-yong belonged to White Virtue Clan.
To Ji-yak, it was clear as day that this great martial sect, which stood at the pinnacle of the Righteous Path, was beginning to creak and falter.
It had endured far too long without its rightful master.
Internally, the cohesion among members was weakening, and externally, alliances were starting to falter. Even various minor unorthodox factions were gathering and establishing their influence within White Virtue Clan's territory.
Prominent martial families of Murim had been sending marriage proposals to Namgoong Ji-yak one after another. With Dan Woo-Hyo gone, she was the strongest candidate to become the next White Virtue Clan's Grandmaster, and they sought to secure a position by her side.
Some might even be aiming to push her aside and take the Grandmaster's seat for themselves.
With so many things weighing on her mind, what unsettled Ji-yak the most was the completely unreadable Seol Bu-yong.
As the wife of the previous Grandmaster and the mother of the current Grandmaster, Dan Woo-hyo, who was missing, Seol Bu-yong was not someone to be dismissed lightly.
Moreover, most of the martial artists occupying important positions within White Virtue Clan were those who had played major roles in the war against the Blood Cult. This also meant they were indebted to Princess Yeongrin, Seol Bu-yong, who had supported them at the time.
Seol Bu-yong's political acumen far surpassed Ji-yak's expectations, not just her administrative skills.
Even when she had barely emerged from seclusion, people had welcomed her with open arms. Now, she had taken root so deeply that removing her was nearly impossible.
Besides, all of them were part of the Righteous Path. What member of the orthodox sects would dare stand in the way of a mother searching for her son? Doing so would go completely against their sense of justice and chivalry.
However, ten years was not a trivial matter. Even within White Virtue Clan's leadership, opinions were beginning to divide.
The conflict between those insisting on continuing the search led by Seol Bu-yong, and those led by Namgoong Ji-yak who believed further searching was pointless, had been ongoing for years.
After repeated discussions, a compromise was proposed: continue searching for Dan Woo-hyo while appointing a new Grandmaster to fill his absence. However, Seol Bu-yong refused to accept this.
Ji-yak repeatedly chose to step back from conflicts with her. Because she was a disciple of Dan Baek-hoon, it was not proper for her to oppose Seol Bu-yong, her master's wife.
At least thinking that way, she endured it again and again. In that way, ten years passed.
Yet, Seol Bu-yong refused to give up on either Dan Woo-Hyo or his position.
"I'm not giving up on finding my senior martial brother. I'm simply saying that it's time to make a decision for the White Virtue Clan. How much longer must we leave the Grandmaster's seat empty?"
At Ji-yak's words, Seol Bu-yong's eyes narrowed. She remained silent for a moment before slightly parting her lips.
"…You're right. As Namgoong Ji-yak says, appointing a new Grandmaster might be a solution."
Finally!
Ji-yak silently cheered in relief. But it was still far too early to celebrate.
"However, there's no guarantee that the next Grandmaster won't go missing as well. In that case, the search costs would double."
Seol Bu-yong's added remark, because then they would have to find two people, carried a meaningful implication.
"Is that a threat?"
Namgoong Ji-yak barely succeeded in using a polite tone, but the content was truly precarious.
Right now, she was the most likely candidate for the next Grandmaster. Wasn't it like saying that if she took that position, she would be shoved away somewhere where no one could find her for about ten years, just like her senior martial brother?
"Of course not."
Seol Bu-yong lightly covered her mouth with her sleeve as if startled. Every movement was graceful and refined. For someone like Namgoong Ji-yak, a warrior through and through, there was a delicate elegance there that she could never hope to imitate.
Only those who had experienced it could understand the immense power wielded by hands that had never held a sword.
Namgoong Ji-yak, who had tried and failed multiple times to halt the search efforts, furrowed her brows deeply.
She had learned from her master that there are all kinds of powers in the world beyond martial arts. It would have been nice if he had at least given her a heads-up that Seol Bu-yong, the Princess Yeongrin and his wife, was a prime example of that…
The meeting ultimately concluded with the decision to dispatch additional search parties.
"Oh, and I was thinking of requesting cooperation from the Black Sky Clan. If anyone has a differing opinion, speak now."
"Do you really think they'll help so easily? This is about the disappearance of the White Virtue Clan's Grandmaster. They're people of the Demonic Path, they will likely openly mock us and not properly help at all."
Chu ha-dong, the head of the law enforcement division, spoke with skepticism. He was relatively young among the members of the White Virtue Clan.
"The Black Sky Clan is White Virtue Clan's ally. That hasn't changed since we fought against the Blood Cult together thirty years ago."
Seol Bu-yong cut off his doubts decisively. Though she possessed an ageless beauty that seemed untouched by time, the weight of the ties she spoke of was not to be taken lightly.
She wasn't even seated in the Grandmaster's position, yet when she swept her gaze across the room, the masters lowered their heads in submission to her authority.
"That concludes today's meeting. I believe it would be best to send one of the Grandmaster's closest aides…"
Only after finalizing the details of the envoy to be sent to the Black Sky Clan did the meeting finally come to an end.
Namgoong Ji-yak sprang to her feet and followed after Seol Bu-yong, who had already stepped outside. She made no effort to conceal her presence, yet Seol Bu-yong showed no sign of turning back, seemingly aware that Namgoong Ji-yak was trailing behind.
In the end, Ji-yak was the first to speak.
"Seol... Bu-yong-nim."
She hesitated over the title but managed to utter it. She had originally called her "Madam," but Seol Bu-yong rejected it, saying she had no reason to be addressed that way. When he tried calling her "Lady Seol," she was equally displeased and simply asked to be addressed by name.
However, for Namgoong Ji-yak, who was rather rigid about formalities, calling her master's wife by name felt far too improper.
"Do you have something to say to me?"
Seol Bu-yong's question broke the silence. Ji-yak rolled her words around in her mouth for a moment before finally lifting her head and speaking.
"…I understand that you miss him. But can you think about White Virtue Clan's future? It has been ten years. Internally, we must maintain order; externally, we must guard against those with wicked intentions. Yet White Virtue Clan has remained stagnant for a full decade."
To convince Seol Bu-yong to stop the search, Ji-yak knew she had to persuade her. If one attempt failed, she would confront her a hundred times if necessary.
Seol Bu-yong, once of the imperial family, should understand the importance of efficiency better than anyone. Ji-yak herself had once been unable to let go of her senior martial brother.
However, through loss, struggle, and hardship, Ji-yak had grown into an adult.
"Lady Namgoong, you may not believe me easily, but I care about White Virtue Clan's future more than anyone." Seol Bu-yong spoke in a gentle and endlessly patient tone.
"There's no need to repeat the same formalities you used to persuade the other faction leaders."
"I mean it. White Virtue Clan is the legacy of someone dear to me."
"…"
At those words, Ji-yak hesitated. She had never truly considered Seol Bu-yong's feelings, how she had lost not only her husband but also her son.
The animosity that had built over the years wavered ever so slightly.
"Of course, I do not doubt that your intentions for the White Virtue Clan are genuine, Lady Namgoong. We simply have different ways of doing so."
Seol Bu-yong was right. Ji-yak and she were separate individuals who saw different things and made different choices.
"If you were to suggest giving up the search for my son, it would raise significant suspicions about you, as the most likely candidate for the next Grandmaster. Yet, your insistence on pushing forward shows how much you care for the White Virtue Clan. It is also the confidence of someone who has never once considered using dishonest schemes to bring down a rival."
If someone else had said it, or if Seol Bu-yong had said it at another time, she would have thought it was mockery. But in this moment, she felt like she understood what Seol Bu-yong was trying to say.
"…"
"I like you quite a bit. That mindset of yours, where as long as you're confident in yourself, you don't care about other people's gazes, reminds me of someone."
Seol Bu-yong smiled, as if she had sensed Ji-yak's inner thoughts. Though her gaze drifted through the air, her eyes gleamed vividly as if she were looking at a living person.
"My son is alive."
She declared it as if she had seen Dan Woo-Hyo with her own eyes.
"How can you be so sure?"
Namgoong Ji-yak swallowed a sigh, realizing the conversation had inevitably circled back to this.
"There's no corpse, is there?"
Seol Bu-yong's voice was eerily chilling, as if it could cut through flesh. The intensity emanating from her was anything but ordinary, causing Ji-yak's heart to sink with unease.
"If anyone intended to make use of his body, I would have heard about it."
It carried a deeper meaning than the words hinting at making the next White Virtue Clan's Grandmaster disappear.
Could it be that Seol Bu-yong had ties to the black market? However, until her son's disappearance, the Yeongrin Princess had remained in seclusion. Even after that, her record remained spotless, with nothing suspicious in her actions.
How could someone like Seol Bu-yong, whose record had always been clean and untainted, possibly have any connection to the black market?
An organization that sold warriors' corpses, illegal and dangerous, would be secretive. To deal with them, one would have to get involved in shady dealings, where even talking properly required getting one's hands dirty. But listening to Seol Bu-yong now, it felt like she knew everything about the darkest corners of the central plains.
Just as Ji-yak was about to ask what Seol Bu-yong meant, a warm and gentle smile spread across her face. It was so soft and kind that words like blade, death, or blood felt completely out of place coming from that mouth.
For that reason, Ji-yak judged Seol Bu-yong to be a frightening person.
"I too... hope for my senior's return."
Ji-yak managed to stammer out the words.
Seol Bu-yong smiled kindly.
A smile that reminded her of Dan Woo-hyo, who was no longer here.
***
Woo sat up on the bed. As he slowly blinked, the hazy world around him gradually came into focus.
His body felt sluggish, an unusual sensation. Wandering around late at night was one thing, but after being heavily tormented by Solitary Poison and even having his neck choked, it wouldn't have been strange if he had fallen ill and been bedridden immediately.
His gaze drifted toward the window, settling on the withered peony and the golden wound salve placed beside it. Staring at them for a moment, Woo absentmindedly touched his neck.
The spot where Kang-oh's hand had been still carried a lingering sensation, as if a brand had been left there. He had a feeling it wouldn't be easy to forget that cautious yet worried touch.
A single blanket, a withered flower, and a jar of golden wound salve.
He had always believed he could leave without hesitation, without anything holding him back—but before he knew it, he had things he couldn't simply walk away from.
Kang-oh, who remembered nothing, kept offering him things for reasons Woo couldn't fathom. At the same time, he even found himself imagining just how much weight his own kindness must have carried for that young boy.
"Excuse me."
A voice from outside the door made Woo turn. Si-bi entered, setting the table.
Realizing he would be having another meal with Kang-oh, just like yesterday, Woo's eyes trembled slightly.
He had wished so desperately to avoid facing Kang-oh after their awkward parting, but the man walked into Woo's room with the face of someone who had completely forgotten about what happened last night.
Even though they met under the morning sun rather than the moonlight, Woo's heart sank the moment their eyes met.
"Good morning."
Perhaps noticing Woo's silence, Kang-oh greeted him first. Woo lowered his head in response.
"Did you have a peaceful night?"
Kang-oh swallowed a bitter smile at the sight of Woo acting as if nothing had happened the night before. He hadn't expected anything in the first place, yet even so, finding himself disappointed felt almost ridiculous.
As he keenly observed Woo, Kang-oh noticed that his complexion was redder than usual.
"You have a fever," he murmured.
Woo flinched. He had felt unwell since waking up, but now he had been found out.
Though he detected a faint sense of resistance, Kang-oh wasn't the type to back off because of it.
"Go to the Medical Hall."
He also figured it wouldn't be a bad idea to get Woo's throat properly checked while he was at it.
At her master's command, the servant standing furthest back bowed and stepped away. She quickly made her way to the Medical Hall, a place she had been visiting quite often lately.
The Medical Hall was busier than usual, with more patients than on a typical day. This was because, over the past few days, there had been mock bouts among warriors who had been in Black Sky Clan for less than three months.
Some had broken noses, others had splints on their arms or legs, and a few had their heads wrapped in thick bandages.
One physician had been tending to the wounded since morning.
As the servant from House of Joy appeared, the physician, having just finished treating the last patient, approached her.
"You're a servant from House of Joy. What brings you here?"
The servant, dressed in pale green, bowed politely before responding.
"The guest has a fever so Master urgently requested that you come at once."
"Let me gather what I need, and I'll be there shortly."
"I will wait."
As the physician gathered medicinal herbs and other supplies before stepping out of the Medical Hall, the previously quiet room suddenly filled with murmurs. It was reminiscent of the hum of bees' wings.
"Did you see that?"
"Yes, I did."
The new recruits receiving treatment exchanged hushed whispers.
"The physician who went there last time said he was nothing special to look at."
"How did the Third Disciple know he had a fever this morning?"
"Could it be... that they spent the night together...?"
One of them muttered with a sly expression. His arm was wrapped in a splint, and though he was speaking to himself, the others eagerly chimed in.
Lately, the Third Disciple and his guest had become one of the most popular topics of conversation. Several factors contributed to this.
First, House of Joy was a highly significant place within the Black Sky Clan. It was where Jin-rang's most cherished disciple resided. Normally, with the Third Disciple frequently away from the clan, there wouldn't be much attention on him. But this time was different.
Kang-oh, who fought as though possessed by a battle-crazed spirit, would send challenge letters to famous figures of the martial world and leave the Black Sky Clan before the ink on them had even dried, was now staying put in House of Joy. Day after day, he visited Honamgak to give instruction, leading to speculation that the Third Disciple had gained some insights from his duels and was taking time to organize them. Some quietly whispered that perhaps he coveted the position of the next Grandmaster of Black Sky Clan and was strengthening his foundations for it.
Then, the arrival of House of Joy's first guest added fuel to the fire. Rumors spread that the real reason the Third Disciple wasn't leaving the Black Sky Clan was because of this guest. Those who had assumed the guest would be a woman were surprised to find out that the guest was, in fact, a man.
What was even more shocking was that this man was a servant.
Like blacksmiths hammering away at freshly heated iron, people couldn't stop gossiping about this unexpected revelation.
That man must have saved the Third Disciple's life… The servant turned out to be a hidden expert, brought along for a sparring match… The Third Disciple just has unusual tastes… And so on.
Some of the rumors were ridiculous and spread purely for entertainment, while others were so crude that no one would dare voice them in front of those involved.
"Enough. Better not speak like that so carelessly."
"Did I make something up? I just said it's a possibility."
The man who had suggested that the Third Disciple and his servant might have shared a bed grumbled in response to someone's cautious warning.
"That servant is lucky. As long as he shuts his eyes and endures at night, he gets to feast on all the delicacies of House of Joy and wear silk robes."
"You're going too far."
The man, who was once again asked to restrain himself, frowned deeply.
"Come on, can't I even make a joke?"
"Right? He's going too far."
A light yet undeniably imposing voice cut through the murmuring, casting a chilling silence over the warriors gathered in the Medical Hall. Slowly, they turned their heads toward the entrance.
A man stood there, watching them with a bright, amused smile.
It was Yeom Seung-han, the Second Disciple of the Black Sky Clan.
"S-Second Disciple!"
"That's right. At least your eyes are working properly."
A man, built like a rugged warrior, strode inside with long strides.
The person on the bed, who had only his arm in a splint but otherwise had no injuries to his legs, sprang up and dropped to his knees.
"I-I have committed an unforgivable sin!"
The First Disciple was not one to be lenient with punishment. He had never been excessively cruel, but expecting leniency from him was difficult. The Third Disciple, on the other hand, rarely handed out punishments. From the beginning, he rarely stayed in the Black Sky Clan and rarely interacted with others. However, once someone fell out of his favor, they were decisively dealt with. Just like that officer who took a bribe, got caught by the Third Disciple, and then disappeared without a trace.
But among the three disciples of the Grandmaster of Black Sky Clan, the one person no one could afford to offend was the Second Disciple, Yeom Seung-han.
"Why? You said it was a joke, didn't you?"
His tone was endlessly light, yet those who caught the sarcasm turned pale and bowed their heads.
"I-I am just an ignorant fool who lost my sense of judgment for a moment. P-please punish me."
"That goes without saying."
Yeom Seung-han replied indifferently, grabbing the man's face and turning it from side to side.
"This young master was simply thinking… your eyes seems to be working just fine, but your tongue doesn't seem to be in good condition."
"...!"
"Hey, bring me a knife."
Yeom Seung-han, still holding the man's face in place, gestured toward the man who had been trying to stop him. He was pointing at a small knife used by physicians to prepare medicinal herbs.
While it was kept sharp for medical purposes, it was hardly suitable for cutting out a person's tongue. Nevertheless, Yeom Seung-han's insistence on bringing it was clearly meant to inflict pain on this warrior and serve as a lesson.
The man who had been pleading on his comrade's behalf trembled as he brought the knife over. Yeom Seung-han took it from him.
"Now, let's take a look."
The Second Disciple murmured as he grabbed the head of the man who had dared to wag his tongue recklessly. He was only holding him by the hair with one hand, but the man couldn't move at all, let alone escape.
Tears streamed down his face as the terror of the pain that was about to come overwhelmed him.
"Open your mouth. If you don't, I'll break your jaw myself so you'll never be able to close it again."
Yeom Seung-han, who was widely known for his easygoing nature, spoke in a tone so cold that any last hope for mercy disappeared.
"Ugh, ugh..."
The cold touch of the blade against his tongue made him sob. As they looked at their comrade's grotesquely twisted face, those who had gathered in small groups in the medical hall, twisting rumors however they pleased, felt their blood run cold.
Terror spread through the room as they realized that if the Second Disciple had arrived just a little sooner or later, that very blade might have torn through their own mouths.
"Hmm, seeing it in person is indeed a bit grotesque," Yeom Seung-han muttered nonchalantly. He took a step back as if he might set the knife down.
"...!"
The man who had been silently praying to the heavens in relief didn't even have the chance to scream when pain suddenly shot through him.
The knife, which had not fully withdrawn, had sliced the tip of his tongue in half, resembling a snake's forked tongue.
"Ugh, ugh..."
A sound that could have been either a sob or a groan, perhaps both, spilled from the man's throat. The moment the Second Disciple let go, he crumpled pathetically to the floor, trembling violently. Blood seeped from the corners of his mouth.
"Anyone else have something to say about the youngest disciple?"
Yeom Seung-han, holding the blood-stained knife, asked the question. Though his lips curved into a faint smile, no one in the Medical Hall dared raise their head to meet the Second Disciple's eyes.
He dropped the knife next to the sobbing man on the floor and muttered, "You've ruined my mood this morning."
At the Second Disciple's words, after he had displayed the skill of slicing off only the tip of the tongue with a knife meant for cutting herbs rather than flesh, everyone lowered their heads deeply.
"Listen closely. If I hear any more baseless rumors about the Black Sky Clan's Third Disciple coming from your mouths, I won't overlook it like I did this time."
"Understood!"
Yeom Seung-han turned and strode out of the Medical Hall, his brow deeply furrowed.
"We're heading to House of Joy."
"Yes, sir."
The subordinate waiting outside lowered his head and followed closely behind. Seeing Yeom Seung-han leave with such a furious expression, he quickly deduced that something had gone wrong.
The Second Disciple usually wore an easygoing face, but among the martial siblings, Yeom Seung-han was the one closest to a practitioner of the Demonic Path.
If Ye Jin-rang had taken in his first disciple out of sympathy, then the reason he accepted Yeom Seung-han, his second disciple, was because of a request from an old friend.
Originally, Yeom Seung-han was part of the Heavenly Demon Cult, which had collapsed during the Blood Cult Rebellion. Jo Mo was a Supreme Elder of the Heavenly Demon Cult, and his father had once been considered a potential successor to the aging cult leader. The Blood Cult Rebellion began as an attack on the Heavenly Demon Cult. This fanatical group had taken root within the demonic cult, biding its time until its influence grew strong enough.
Yeom Seung-han's family fought against the Blood Cult and perished. Only the young Yeom Seung-han was smuggled away. He was entrusted to the Blood Shadow Patriarch of the Sama Clan, who had ties to his grandfather and took him in. The problem was that the Blood Cult Rebellion didn't stop at Xinjiang, it spread throughout the entirety of the Central Plains.
Even the Sama Clan couldn't escape their grasp. As the Blood Shadow Patriarch Geum Jeok-yo lay dying at the hands of the Blood Cult, he entrusted Yeom Seung-han, a descendant of the Supreme Elder of the Heavenly Demon Cult, to Ye Jin-rang at the time. Honoring the request of his fallen friend, Ye Jin-rang accepted Seung-han as his second disciple, but kept his true identity a secret.
Thus, Yeom Seung-han was officially registered as the son of a moderately well-off family under Ye Jin-rang's command.
Had Seung-han's lineage been revealed, Ye Jin-rang could have more easily gathered the Black Sky Clan's forces. With the cult leader dead and no heir left, taking in the Supreme Elder's grandson as a disciple would have been the perfect excuse to gather the scattered remnants of the Heavenly Demon Cult.
However, Ye Jin-rang wanted the boy who had endured a harsh childhood to live his own life. There had already been significant friction when he took Mo Yong-yu-woon, a noble scion of the Righteous Path, as his first disciple. To prevent Seung-han from suffering the same struggles, he took measures to protect him.
As a child, Seung-han had resented Jin-rang for it. But now, he was deeply grateful to his master.
A disciple was like the master's possession, so however he was used, it must have been Jin-rang's intention. However, the Grandmaster of Black Sky Clan had endured hardship to avoid using Seung-han.
Seung-han liked his master and everything he had built in Black Sky Clan. Though a bit irritable, he admired the First Disciple for doing his best to uphold his position. He also liked the youngest disciple, who, despite his blunt nature, worked hard to maintain harmony among them. Their relationships were somewhat precarious, but to Seung-han, they were no different from family.
And to protect them, he would not hesitate to reveal the claws he had kept hidden.
So it was only natural that he found the new recruit from the Medical Hall displeasing when he tried to throw filth at Kang-oh.
Even as House of Joy drew closer into view, Yeom Seung-han's expression remained rigid. Then, through his sharp gaze, he caught sight of a physician stepping out of House of Joy.
"Greetings, Second Disciple."
"Are you a physician from the Medical Hall?"
"Yes."
As the physician stepped forward and bowed, Yeom Seung-han came to an abrupt stop and asked,
"What brings you to House of Joy? Is the youngest disciple unwell?"
"The Third Disciple is fine. However, the guest at House of Joy seems to have flu-like symptoms…"
"Flu?"
The Second Disciple's eyelid twitched. He had just thoroughly dealt with the ones in the Medical Hall spouting nonsense and came here to ask his junior martial brother about it directly.
Since he knew well how indifferent Kang-oh was to others, there was a high chance it was just a baseless rumor. At least, that's what he thought as he made his way over… Only to find out that his junior disciple had summoned a physician over something as trivial as a slight fever.
"Yes. I've prescribed some medicine, so he should be fine soon."
"Got it. You're dismissed."
Yeom Seung-han waved his hand dismissively. The physician would probably be horrified to return to the Medical Hall and find a patient with half their tongue cut off, but he wasn't the type to concern himself with that.
Beyond the wall of House of Joy, a plain-looking man was being helped outside by Kang-oh.
About to step in, the Second Disciple briefly paused and observed the so-called 'guest.'
The man was neither handsome nor dressed in finery, and his movements were filled with hesitation. There was a cautiousness in his gaze as he looked at Kang Oh, but that was all. There was nothing particularly noteworthy about him.
To think they'd link someone like that with the Black Sky Clan's Third Disciple, truly, those who loved spreading those rumors were so despicable that even cutting out their tongues wouldn't be enough.
For no particular reason, Seunghan, who had been feeling heated-up since the morning, stopped as he was about to turn away right then. He noticed the man, whom he had heard was a servant, subtly pulling away from Kang oh's support. The servant, perhaps intending to assert he could walk on his own, took a few quick steps ahead. The youngest disciple followed behind him and even steadied him when he staggered.
It was strange. To be more specific, it was Kang-oh's actions that were strange.
Wasn't this like someone clinging to someone who was rejecting them? The way he moved cautiously, as if treating something precious. It wasn't a servant doing this, but a disciple.
For Seung-han, who remembered how the youngest disciple would take a step back, feeling awkward whenever their master showered Kang-oh with affection, this scene felt entirely unfamiliar.
Although Kang-oh let go calmly, Seung-han could tell he was still watching anxiously from a distance. At the end of Kang-oh's gaze was that ragged-looking man.
'Seriously?'
Seung-han found himself covering his mouth in disbelief.
They say that waves do not rise without wind, but since this involved Kang-oh, he did not believe it at all. Yet what he was seeing now was enough to confirm at least part of the rumors he had heard from Medical Hall.
Being someone possessing beast-like instincts, Seung-han couldn't doubt what his eyes were showing him. The youngest disciple he knew wasn't someone who would change easily.
If such a person had changed, there must have been a reason for it.
Someone who viewed the world with an emotionless gaze was focused on just one person.
With only a brief moment of observation, it was impossible to discern the emotions or origins behind that gaze. However, knowing how carefully Ye Kang-oh usually acts, it was hard to believe that this change was merely the result of a fleeting whim.
'A storm is coming…'
Seung-han frowned as he turned away.
Given how things were unfolding, it was only natural that, regardless of others, his master would become uncomfortable with the situation, and the eldest disciple, Mo yong Yu-woon, would likely seize the opportunity to plot something. The balance that had been maintained by the youngest disciple wandering outside while pretending not to know and still trying to foster harmony was now about to be broken.
His subordinate swallowed his concerns tightly when he saw the master, who had acted like a gust of wind at House of Joy, retreating without a word.
When someone like Seung-han, who typically acted on his thoughts immediately, hesitated, there was always a significant reason behind it. Fortunately, Seok-ah was a skilled navigator, adept at steering his ship through rough waters without capsizing. So, even someone like him, lacking insight, could at least follow behind and stay alive.
"Seok-ah."
It was only after leaving House of Joy that Seung-han spoke, calling for his subordinate.
"Yes?"
"I need you to keep your ears open regarding matters at House of Joy from now on. Can you do that?"
"I will do my best."
"Good. Make sure to bring even unfiltered rumors directly to me."
The Second Disciple's eyes, which seemed to gauge not just the present but perhaps the future beyond, sank deeply.
"Understood."
***
"Um."
"Is someone coming?"
Kang-oh turned his head and looked outside, and Woo asked. Kang-oh had been trying to make Woo lie down on the bed after he received treatment from the physician, but Woo had begged to at least be allowed outside for some fresh air because he felt stifled. At least it was nice to escape from Kang-oh's constant attempts to support him as though he were a feather that might blow away with a single breath.
However, he suddenly stopped and looked outside the House of Joy.
"No."
Kang-oh shook his head. Woo felt somewhat frustrated by the fact that he had no way of confirming whether Kang-oh's words were true. In the past, he would have easily sensed someone's presence at this distance, but now that was impossible.
It was like losing one of the arms he had always used so well. Perhaps, he was even more restricted than that.
"Are you really okay not going back to rest?"
"I'm fine."
Woo nodded. In truth, his physical condition wasn't very good. He had been surprised when Kang-oh perceptively noticed it and even summoned a physician, who had advised him to rest.
The problem was Kang-oh. He had sent Yeon-jin back. This was essentially the same as saying that he would stay behind to take care of Woo himself.
Woo, who had been conscious of Kang-oh because of what happened last night, let his gaze wander uncertainly before landing on the window. The ointment was placed side by side with the withered flower.
Right now, Kang-oh was only focused on him out of concern, but there was a chance that he would eventually notice it as he looked around the room later.
In truth, these were nothing special. The withered flower could be explained as something he hadn't bothered to clean up, and the ointment could be dismissed as something he had carelessly thrown after receiving it. However, he still didn't want Kang-oh to see that he had kept these two things together
It was unnecessary. It was fine. Don't worry about it. Despite repeatedly pushing those thoughts away, the idea that Kang-oh might see him holding onto the things Kang-oh had given him without discarding any of them made him anxious.
That was why he had said he wanted to go for a walk.
Saying that even a slight fever was still an illness, Kang-oh urged him to rest, but at the sight of Woo, who rarely voiced what he wanted, he relented in his stubbornness and followed after him.
He pushed Kang-oh back, insisting that he could walk alone. However, Kang-oh noticed Woo's gait, more unsteady than usual. He couldn't keep his balance as he normally did, and with every step he took, his body swayed, looking distinctly precarious.
"Your face is pale."
Kang-oh murmured. Woo turned his head to avoid his gaze.
"How about going back now and opening the window?"
"I'm fine. Cough. "
A small cough escaped from Woo's lips. As he covered his mouth, Kang-oh's expression became more serious.
"I don't understand why you're pushing yourself so much."
"…"
Pushing himself…
With no other words to say, Woo glanced sideways, taking in the view of House of Joy's beautiful garden. He was becoming familiar with this splendid garden without even realizing it.
Even though he had lost all his memories, it seemed that Kang-oh's love for flowers was a part of his nature that could not be overshadowed by any magic.
The relationship between them was deeply unbalanced, with Woo carrying far more weight. The time they spent remembering each other, the conversations they had, and the emotions they shared in certain moments— all of that was something Woo held onto, while Kang-oh had forgotten.
Thus, he had to be even more careful not to be discovered.
When he first saw Kang-oh not recognizing him, Woo had felt quite shaken.
He had intended to endure everything while staying in Black Sky Clan, but seeing the boy who used to trail closely behind him like a little black chick grow into a young man and look at him with indifferent eyes, as though he were a stranger, was something he could never have imagined without experiencing it himself.
Cough... cough, cough.
The sudden chill in the air made him cover his mouth and cough. Perhaps it was because his neck had been strangled by Ye Jin-rang, but the pain was worse than a regular cough.
His throat burned, but he raised his head calmly, only to find Kang-oh's face had turned stiff with a terrifying expression.
"Third... Disciple?"
He immediately picked Woo up in his arms.
"P-put me down!"
"You… are you seriously saying that after coughing up blood?"
Kang-oh scolded sharply as he stormed out of House of Joy. The physician had just been here moments ago, so how could his condition suddenly worsen like this?
'I... coughed up blood?'
Woo looked down at his palm. He could see red blood staining it. The vivid color made him feel a bit dizzy, and he closed his eyes. He had thought that if he lived quietly, he could just disappear without anyone noticing, but he couldn't understand why he kept showing such a side of himself only in front of Kang-oh.
No matter how much the Third Internal Officer tormented him, his body, which had barely managed to survive for the last eight years, began to deteriorate the moment he entered House of Joy.
There was something that clicked. It must have been due to the internal injury caused by Jin-rang making the Solitary Poison run wild last night.
As an ordinary physician, it would be impossible to guess the presence of Solitary Poison within Woo's body. No matter how skilled someone was, they wouldn't be able to detect the existence of Solitary Poison. That was the terrifying nature of it. It secretly infiltrates the host's body, coils within, and when the one who sets it gives the command, it causes pain in the body.
Since the physician had no way of knowing this fact, he simply diagnosed Woo's condition as a case of fatigue.
It had become Woo's habit to suppress his pain, so he didn't realize how bad it had gotten until he started coughing up blood. Ironically, the very patience that had kept him hidden until now had caused the situation to escalate.
Seeing Woo suddenly coughing up blood, Kang-oh didn't even have the leisure to summon attendants or question what was happening, he used qinggong and rushed toward the Medical Hall. Witnessing this, several martial artists of Black Sky Clan were puzzled by the sight of the Third Disciple, who usually wore an indifferent expression, turning pale. At the same time, they were also curious about the person he was holding in his arms.
Woo curled his body as much as he could, but he knew that this wouldn't prevent rumors from spreading, so he merely bit down on his lips.
Kang-oh reached the Medical Hall in an instant. Just then, two men were helping a patient out. The eyes of those who saw Kang-oh and Woo in his arms widened in surprise.
However, Kang-oh was not one to be concerned about such reactions.
"Where is the physician?!"
As the door to the clinic swung open with a bang, the physician who had just returned from House of Joy rushed to greet the Third Disciple. Holding a blood-stained knife, he was already pale, and when he saw Kang-oh's fierce demeanor, his legs began to tremble.
"Th-Third Disciple!"
"This man has coughed up blood. Examine him."
At the sight of the patient he had just examined at House of Joy being held in Kang-oh's arms, the physician felt like fainting on the spot. Having just returned from an emergency visit, he found the medical hall in chaos. He heard that the Second Disciple had visited and casually cut out the tongue of someone who had carelessly spread rumors using a knife used for handling herbs, and he had just finished cleaning the scene.
Though the martial artist had fallen out of favor with the Second Disciple, he was still a patient, so he had treated him. He was contemplating how to dispose of the knife, which felt too unsanitary to use again, when suddenly the Third Disciple appeared at his doorstep.
It was only natural for the physician to be startled by that ominous gaze. After all, the patient he had just examined had suddenly vomited blood, and it wouldn't be strange for the Third Disciple to hold him responsible for it.
"F-First, this way..."
The physician, trembling, guided Kang-oh toward the bed. Fortunately, the room was still fairly empty, as the patients had fled right after Yeom Seung-han had left.
He took Woo's wrist where Kang-oh had set him down and checked his pulse. It was still relatively stable, nothing particularly unusual. His internal energy was indeed somewhat weak, but not to the extent that it would cause him to vomit blood...
As the physician tilted his head in confusion, who was standing beside him, growled.
"Are you going to say it's just fatigue again?"
"Th-that is..."
It is only natural that when someone who normally does not wield authority suddenly exerts it, it becomes twice as terrifying.
"M-My diagnosis remains the same. The pulse is somewhat weak, but I don't detect any particular illness. The fact that he coughed up blood suggests that there may be damage to the lungs, but the patient doesn't seem to have any chest pain. Furthermore, his complexion doesn't appear dull, and judging by the wound on his neck, it seems like the esophagus might be damaged"
The physician fumbled, feeling pressured to say something, but could not keep track of his thoughts, making his explanation a mess. At first, Kang-oh patiently listened, but his expression grew increasingly colder.
"So, you're saying that being strangled is the cause?"
Kang-oh's words were so cold they felt like they could cut across one's cheek, and the physician could only bow his head deeply in silence.
One person was angry, and the other was terrified, making it difficult for the conversation to proceed smoothly. Moreover, Kang-oh's anger wasn't directed at the physician for the misdiagnosis.
Sensing this keenly, Woo tugged gently at Kang-oh's sleeve. When Kang-oh turned to look at him, Woo subtly shook his head.
"…"
Kang-oh's mood slowly calmed down, although his brows were still furrowed. Woo, having confirmed that he had calmed down to some extent, turned his head toward the physician.
"My... my throat hurts when I cough. Could you... could you prescribe something for it?"
"Y-Yes! I'll go get it right away!"
The physician hurriedly left, almost as if fleeing. Kang-oh, hands clasped, silently watched Woo, who was sitting quietly on the bed.
"Why did you protect that man?"
"Third Disciple... I thought... I thought you would regret it."
Kang-oh raised an eyebrow at the unexpected response.
"Regret? On what basis?"
He believed that Woo had drawn attention to himself to protect the physician. But now, he was saying he was worried that Kang-oh would regret it?
"Because the Third Disciple is of such a kind nature. So even if you threaten the physician now, I thought later on you might feel guilty."
"…"
Kind nature…
It wasn't that. Kang-oh could have easily retorted that it was ridiculous to label him with such an embarrassing word, but for some reason, he kept his mouth shut. It wasn't because someone had noticed an aspect of him that no one else had seen. To be honest, Kang-oh was more of a dry person than a warm one and he had never been particularly attached to the concept of affection.
It was just that he realized that to that man, he appeared to be a kind person... And that somehow made him lose the will to refute it.
Whether he knew it or not, Woo had silenced one of the most skilled martial artists in Black Sky Clan with just a single word. He exchanged a few words with the returning physician, received his medicine, and got up from the bed.
Kang-oh, who had been anxious the entire time as he carried Woo all the way here, became calm once again, just like his usual self. Rising from his seat in his usual blunt manner, he wrapped one of the garments that had been on the bed around Woo's body. It was because he was worried that using his qinggong on the way back would make the wind colder than usual. He had been so frantic on the way here that he brought him out in only a single layer, but on the way back, he had finally regained enough composure to pay attention to such things.
Kang-oh turned to the physician and said, "I'll borrow this. I will have it returned later."
He made no mention of the initial misdiagnosis.
"Of course. Please take care," the physician replied.
Without even glancing back, Kang-oh stepped over the threshold of the Medical Hall, carrying Woo with him as he disappeared outside.
As the Third Disciple let it slide without mentioning punishment, the physician let out a silent sigh of relief.
Though the physician had been working at Black Sky Clan for quite some time, today was the first day that felt truly eventful. Thinking he should at least ward off bad luck, he staggered to his feet and he watched the patient being carried away in Kang-oh's arms, just like how they had entered earlier, enveloped in a strange emotion.
He had often visited House Of Joy for treatment and considered himself to be relatively insignificant, but he hadn't expected Woo to protect him. Thinking that there must be a reason why the Third Disciple cherished him so much, the physician shook his head in disbelief.
He couldn't believe that he, even for a moment, had thought that the servant and the Third Disciple were a fitting pair. If the Second Disciple were to find out about this, the physician was certain that he would suffer the same miserable fate as the patient whose tongue had been severed in half.
"I need to get to work. I need to work."
The physician muttered to himself, moving to dispose of the knife stained with the patient's blood.