Chapter 653

It was just past noon when I left the prison and headed toward a quiet area of the palace.

This part of the palace was unusually still, guarded by only a few sentries. It was where the few remaining physicians of the North Sea had gathered.

Passing through the tranquil corridors, I arrived at a particular room and opened the door.

Creak.

The rusty hinges groaned as I turned the knob, revealing a familiar face inside.

Namgung Bi-ah was sitting there, mid-bite, clearly in the middle of a meal. She looked up at me and spoke, though her words were muffled by the food in her mouth.

"…Hello…"

"Finish eating before you speak," I said, amused by her clumsy pronunciation.

Namgung Bi-ah chewed awkwardly as I waited, but before she could swallow, another voice chimed in.

"Indeed, one should always swallow before speaking. Isn’t that basic etiquette, as taught by your family?"

A middle-aged man inserted himself into the conversation. I turned to him, frowning.

"And what about you burping mid-sentence? Is that also part of your etiquette?"

"Ha ha, my apologies. My digestion must not be cooperating."

I sighed as I looked at the man, whose attitude was as frustratingly unserious as ever. Despite his striking white hair and sharp blue eyes, an unmistakable resemblance to Namgung Bi-ah, his demeanor always felt at odds with his appearance.

Namgung Hyung, the Hermit of Wudang and now a one-armed man, was smiling cheerfully.

"How’s your body holding up?" I asked him.

"As you can see, perfectly fine."

"Visually, you look far from fine."

Namgung Hyung had lost his arm and suffered a near-fatal wound. He had survived only because of his profound cultivation. An ordinary person would have died long ago.

"The fact that he’s even awake is miraculous."

The palace physicians had said he’d need at least a month in bed to recover consciousness, yet Namgung Hyung had awakened just two days ago. His recovery bordered on unnatural.

I glanced at his missing arm.

As a swordsman, losing an arm must have disrupted his martial arts. Yet, Namgung Hyung seemed unbothered.

"This is delicious today. Would you like some, young lord?" he offered, gesturing to his meal.

"No, thank you."

"Then I suppose I’ll have it al—"

"…Nom."

Namgung Bi-ah interrupted by stealing his food, chewing unabashedly.

"Bi-ah, what are you doing?" he asked, dumbfounded.

"You said you weren’t eating it," she replied innocently.

Namgung Hyung didn’t seem to mind much, returning to his usual quirky behavior.

"I can’t tell if he’s genuinely okay or just pretending."

Deciding it wasn’t my concern, I turned my attention back to Namgung Bi-ah.

"How’s your body?"

"I’m fine."

"…"

Her casual response didn’t convince me, so I prodded her lightly in the stomach with my finger.

"Ugh…!"

For once, Namgung Bi-ah’s expression twisted in pain. I sighed.

"Fine? Really? Stop lying."

"…"

She glared at me in resentment, but I didn’t let it bother me.

"Don’t look at me like that. You’re the one who didn’t listen when I told you not to come. Look what happened to you."

"…"

"What’s so great about being here that you had to come and get hurt? If you’d stayed in Zhongyuan, none of this would’ve happened. Did you think you could learn to swing a sword better in the cold?"

"I…"

"Don’t argue."

"…Okay."

Namgung Bi-ah lowered her head, finally realizing her mistake. I still had plenty more to say, but before I could continue—

"Young lord!"

Tang So-yeol entered the room with her ever-present bright smile, followed closely by Moyong Biyeon.

"You’re here?"

"Yeah."

Tang So-yeol approached and sat beside me without hesitation.

"Have you eaten?" she asked.

"Kind of."

That was a lie. I hadn’t eaten in two days, too preoccupied with understanding my new abilities and cultivation level.

"Hmm."

Tang So-yeol stared at me, her gaze uncomfortably sharp. I tried to subtly avoid her eyes.

"You haven’t, have you?"

"…"

I was caught immediately. Her intuition was annoyingly sharp.

"…I haven’t had much of an appetite."

"Hmm…"

She didn’t seem satisfied with my excuse, tilting her head as if contemplating something. Then she suddenly asked,

"Young lord."

"What?"

"Is something wrong?"

Her unexpected question made me pause. I looked at her and gave a faint, self-deprecating smile.

"She noticed, huh?"

How did she know? I hadn’t been in a good mood after my exchange with Woo Hyuk, and it seemed Tang So-yeol had picked up on it immediately.

It wasn’t just her, either.

"…Tsk."

I realized Namgung Bi-ah was also watching me closely.

"It’s nothing…" I started, trying to dismiss it as always, but the subtle changes in their expressions made me stop.

"...There was a situation, but it’s been dealt with," I admitted.

Their eyes softened slightly at my words, and I let out a quiet sigh of relief.

"Don’t worry about it. It’s nothing major."

Tang So-yeol nodded but added, "You still need to eat."

"…I will."

That seemed to satisfy her for now.

Suddenly, I reached out and grabbed Namgung Bi-ah’s wrist.

"…What are you doing?" she asked, startled.

Without responding, I channeled my energy into her body.

Sssss—

"Ah?"

Namgung Bi-ah flinched as the energy coursed through her, but I didn’t stop.

My energy flowed through her body, completing a circuit before returning to me, carrying a faint impurity.

I isolated the tainted energy and expelled it through my hand.

Whoosh!

A flame ignited at my fingertips, burning away the impurity. A faint stench lingered, but it seemed the process had worked.

Dusting off my hands, I turned to Namgung Bi-ah.

"Your energy flow looks fine. I’ve removed the remaining impurities, so you should be okay to move tomorrow. Why are you looking at me like that?"

Everyone in the room was staring at me in silence.

"What? What’s with those looks?"

After a brief pause, Moyong Biyeon asked, "What… did you just do?"

"What do you mean? I just extracted and burned off the impurities in her energy."

Moyong Biyeon’s astonishment didn’t fade.

"You separated the impurities? And burned them?"

"Yeah. Why?"

It hadn’t seemed particularly difficult to me. Namgung Bi-ah’s body had retained some impurities from her energy recovery, so I’d just removed them with heat.

"Why are they acting so surprised?"

It wasn’t as if I’d done anything extraordinary. Or so I thought.

"Yes."

"How?"

"Excuse me?"

Moyong Biyeon's follow-up question made me frown.

"What do you mean 'how'? You just separate it."

"But the impurities are embedded within the energy flow."

"That's correct."

Impurities, or takgi, reside subtly within the flow of energy coursing through meridians. Left alone, they eventually dissipate naturally, but removing them directly makes things much more comfortable.

Despite this straightforward logic, Moyong Biyeon and Namgung Hyung’s reactions were unusually intense.

What’s their problem? Did I do something strange without realizing it?

"You’re telling me you not only extracted the takgi but also sent your energy into someone else’s body and pulled it out?"

"Yes."

"How is that even possible?"

"If you’re going to keep asking 'how,' I’m not sure what to tell you…"

Isn’t it just a matter of sending energy, identifying the takgi in the flow, and isolating it? Sure, it’s not trivial—energy moves constantly like flowing water—but it’s not exactly impossible either.

"Besides, it’s not all that difficult, is it?"

"…Not difficult?"

"Yes?"

At my response, Moyong Biyeon’s eyes widened as if I’d said something utterly incomprehensible. Her expression was so exaggerated I couldn’t help but add,

"Is it really that hard for you?"

"…"

"Why would it be? It’s not particularly hard, is it?"

What was the big deal? I couldn’t understand why she was reacting like this.

"Ha… ha… ha…"

Moyong Biyeon seemed to malfunction, her voice trailing off like a broken machine. Behind her, Namgung Hyung looked equally baffled, his usually composed face twisted into something unrecognizable.

What the hell was wrong with them?

Feeling stifled, I got to my feet.

Tang So-yeol shot me a regretful glance but didn’t follow, as she still had to care for Namgung Bi-ah.

"Well, I’ll be heading off now. Rest up, and as I mentioned earlier, I’ll be returning to Zhongyuan tomorrow."

I glanced at Moyong Biyeon and Namgung Hyung.

"Will you be coming along?"

I wasn’t seeking their approval. My priority was Namgung Bi-ah, Tang So-yeol, and a few others. Whether these two joined or not was irrelevant.

"If I stay here in this condition, it won’t do me any good… I’ll come," Namgung Hyung said, looking at Moyong Biyeon.

"It’s the same for you, isn’t it?"

"…"

Moyong Biyeon’s face darkened slightly. There seemed to be some underlying issue, but it wasn’t my concern.

"In that case, be ready by noon tomorrow," I said casually.

"Noon, huh… That’s cutting it close. Why not leave at dawn instead?"

"Dawn? Oh."

I realized neither Moyong Biyeon nor Namgung Hyung knew how I had arrived.

"It’s fine. I’ll be flying anyway."

"Flying? Wait, what—"

"See you tomorrow."

Without bothering to elaborate, I turned and walked out. They’d find out soon enough tomorrow, so I didn’t feel the need to explain further.

"It’s a bit crowded, but it should be fine."

In the past, carrying five people might have been pushing it, but considering my current energy levels and my companion’s size, it wouldn’t be an issue.

Creak. Bang!

I closed the door and stepped outside.

Looking up at the sky, I noticed the harsh cold had subsided, leaving a crisp chill and a bright blue sky.

The clouds drifted lazily overhead as I tilted my head slightly.

"It’s about time to go back."

There was work to be done.

For that reason, it was time to return to Zhongyuan without delay.

******************

Baekhwa Trading Company, Hanam Branch.

On the upper floors of its grand building, a woman sat in her office, frowning at the seemingly endless stack of documents.

Her raven-black hair framed flawless white skin, unmarred by blemishes, while her cool, sharp gaze gave her an air of authority. She was stunning, but her furrowed brows hinted at her constant frustration.

The sheer volume of work before her explained it all.

If anyone were to judge the busiest person in Hanam right now, it wouldn’t be the faction leader but this woman.

Her name was Moyong Hee-ah, known as Seolbong, the head of the Hanam branch of the Baekhwa Trading Company. She glanced at her guest and silently clicked her tongue.

Of course, she didn’t let it show.

The guest was an important figure, and more importantly, she wasn’t someone you could afford to offend.

Keeping her expression neutral, Moyong Hee-ah greeted her with a polite bow.

"It’s been a while."

Her guest responded with a sharp smile, a grin that reminded Moyong Hee-ah of someone else entirely.

"Good to see you, Seolbong. How many years has it been?"

Her black hair shimmered as she spoke casually.

"Let me think… It’s been about three years, hasn’t it?"

"You still look half-dead. Are they not feeding you well? I find that hard to believe, knowing your hosts here."

"I’m eating fine, thank you. So, what brings you here?"

Moyong Hee-ah’s cold gaze fixed on the guest, a woman whose name carried weight: Gu Heebi, the eldest daughter of the Gu family, also known as the Sword Phoenix.

Gu Heebi smiled faintly at the question.

"Am I not allowed to visit?"

"Of course, you’re welcome here. As the daughter of the trading company’s leader, you’re free to come and go as you please. I’m merely curious as to why you sought me out instead of my superior."

Setting aside her documents, Moyong Hee-ah met Gu Heebi’s gaze.

"Why seek me out instead of the company leader? That’s all I’m wondering."

"Ah, well… Mother’s not here today, so I thought I’d start with you—"

"My sources tell me you came straight to me the moment you arrived."

"…You’ve got quick ears."

"Thank you for the compliment."

With a professional smile, Moyong Hee-ah continued, "You didn’t even inquire about the company leader’s whereabouts before coming to see me. If you knew she was away, then your intention was to visit me from the start, wasn’t it?"

Her words left no room for escape, cornering Gu Heebi with each sentence.

Gu Heebi’s eyebrow twitched in annoyance.

"Still as sharp as ever. It’s really irritating."

"Should I thank you for the praise again?"

"That was an insult."

"I’m aware. But I’m choosing to let it slide, so don’t worry."

"Hah."

"Haha."

A cold breeze seemed to pass through the room as the two women exchanged pleasantries that felt more like daggers.

Eventually, Moyong Hee-ah broke the tension.

"What brings you here?"

She didn’t particularly enjoy asking, especially considering her past experiences with Gu Heebi. Moyong Hee-ah’s instincts told her to either run or lash out, but she held herself back.

"Why now, of all times…"

After all, Gu Heebi was technically her future sister-in-law—or something close to it.

In any family, relationships with in-laws were notoriously tricky, and Moyong Hee-ah wasn’t exempt from this age-old dynamic.

Besides, she couldn’t deny a twinge of curiosity.

"For someone like the Sword Phoenix to come looking for me… What could it be?"

Gu Heebi was infamous for her arrogance and domineering personality, yet she carried undeniable talent that silenced critics.

For her to seek out Moyong Hee-ah personally was unusual.

"Come to think of it, she’s a lot like him."

Was it a family trait?

Moyong Hee-ah couldn’t help but recall the eldest son of the Gu family and chuckled softly.

"What’s with that expression?"

"Excuse me?"

"You looked like you were thinking of someone else just now. Didn’t know you could make a face like that."

"…Ahem."

Caught off guard, Moyong Hee-ah quickly straightened her expression. It had been a mistake.

Fortunately, Gu Heebi didn’t seem too interested in pursuing the matter, likely preoccupied with her own agenda.

"Anyway, I came to ask a favor."

"A favor?"

Moyong Hee-ah’s brows furrowed in confusion. She hadn’t expected the Sword Phoenix to ask for anything, let alone from her.

"A favor? From me? Why not your mother?"

Gu Heebi hesitated before responding, fiddling with her lip.

"Could you… arrange a job?"

"…What?"

Moyong Hee-ah blinked, certain she had misheard.

"A job?"

"Not for me, obviously," Gu Heebi clarified quickly, waving her hands.

That was a relief, at least.

"Then for whom?"

"My… younger sibling needs one."

"…?"

Moyong Hee-ah’s confusion deepened.

"A sibling? Which one?"

The Gu family wasn’t small, and Moyong Hee-ah couldn’t immediately guess which sibling Gu Heebi was referring to.