Chapter 352 : Obtaining All Three Azure Dragon Marbles (2)

Chapter 352: Obtaining All Three Azure Dragon Marbles (2)

‘First, I must remove the Moonlight Demonic Qi for him to regain consciousness.’

Seeing the boy’s condition, Yong Hwarin understood why they were so anxious.

If the treatment was delayed even a little, the boy would die.

Yong Hwarin placed his hand on the boy’s crown point and operated the Nine Dragons Heavenly Ascent Technique, awakening the Azure Dragon Three Marbles.

Unlike when Dong-o had infused his qi, a completely different intensity of azure light burst forth from the Azure Dragon Three Marbles.

“Mm!”

It was as if auspicious light filled the entire room.

Then, the boy’s body began twitching like a freshly caught fish.

However, Yong Hwarin did not withdraw his hand and instead operated the Nine Dragons Heavenly Ascent Technique even more strongly, drawing out Banryong’s spiritual energy.

Both demonic qi and demonic energy had the property of extending toward any spiritual body capable of absorbing them.

With that force, the Moonlight Demonic Qi was sucked into the Azure Dragon Three Marbles, and the boy’s body gradually calmed.

After a short while, Yong Hwarin removed his hand and observed the boy’s interior through his pulse.

The Moonlight Demonic Qi that had been devouring the boy’s body had completely disappeared.

Without hesitation, Yong Hwarin removed the Azure Dragon Three Marbles from the boy’s mouth.

At that moment, as if to comfort Hong Ayul, a wind rushed into the room and swirled around once.

The wind blew away the hair covering the boy’s face, revealing it.

Yong Hwarin, who had been looking at the face absentmindedly, furrowed his brows deeply.

‘This can’t be!’

He stared intently at the boy’s face, recalling another person’s visage.

Yong Hwarin turned to Hong Ayul and asked.

“Is this boy truly your younger brother?”

Hong Ayul, her eyes brimming with tears, nodded.

“Yes, he’s my biological younger brother, whom I was separated from before I entered the Heavenly Demon Sect.”

There was no reason for Hong Ayul to lie.

‘Hong Ayul’s face is completely different from the boy’s. The boy’s face resembles Deung Hwaun’s far too much.’

After a brief thought, Yong Hwarin realized that the boy had trained in Moonlight Demon Art at Ihwa Palace.

“By any chance, are you also from Ihwa Palace?”

Hong Ayul, still dazed as she looked at her brother’s face, finally spoke.

“Judging by the memories of growing up there as a child, I believe my parents were from Ihwa Palace. After my brother was taken there to train in its martial arts, my mother fled Ihwa Palace with me not long after. But we were attacked by some people, and I was separated from her. I’ve not known whether she was alive or dead since. From then on, I wandered alone until I joined the Heavenly Demon Sect.”

Her account differed from Deung Hwaun’s story.

‘It’s possible that Il Taegong manipulated those memories. Now I understand why the Three Fiends of Firebugs, Il Taegong’s loyal subordinates, became Hong Ayul’s guards. Il Taegong arranged it to ensure his daughter’s safety. The reason the Three Fiends cherished her like a granddaughter was because they knew she was Il Taegong’s daughter. And the reason Il Taegong favored Hong Ayul over other outstanding disciples was also due to this.’

Even though Sam Taegong had violated other female disciples of the Heavenly Demon Sect, he never dared lay a hand on Hong Ayul because Il Taegong had given a stern warning.

Once all the facts became clear, Yong Hwarin asked Hong Ayul.

“Judging by the resemblance, are you two twins?”

“Huh? We don’t look alike, so I didn’t know we were twins.”

“I just said it because you feel similar.”

Yong Hwarin pondered for a moment.

‘Should I tell Hong Ayul that her mother is Deung Hwaun? If I say her mother is alive, will she believe me? She’ll probably think I’m deceiving her. And if she does find out, will the Heavenly Demon Sect just leave her be?’

He decided that now was not the time to reveal the truth, so he didn’t press further.

Prying too much into personal matters could arouse suspicion.

“The Moonlight Demonic Qi has been completely removed. Now, as long as he rests well, the boy will recover quickly.”

At those words, Dong-o entered the room and checked the boy’s pulse.

When Hong Ayul looked at him, Dong-o smiled faintly and nodded.

“What Young Master Yong says is correct. The Moonlight Demonic Qi is gone. There’s nothing abnormal.”

At this, Hong Ayul let out the tears she had been holding back.

She had worried endlessly for so long to save her brother.

After learning that Eum Sajeok had obtained the Azure Dragon Three Marbles, she had coaxed him into handing them over, forming a plan to rescue her brother.

From then until she traded again with Man Inhwa and rescued her brother, she had been filled with anxiety.

If Il Taegong found out she had used the Azure Dragon Three Marbles in such a way, he would never let it pass—but for Hong Ayul, saving her brother came first.

Yong Hwarin understood this.

So he said to Dong-o.

“Master Dong, I will tell people that I took the Azure Dragon Three Marbles from the late Master Guk.”

Dong-o, puzzled at first, soon exclaimed.

“Ah, if Young Master Yong says that, we’ll have an excuse for Il Taegong.”

Dong-o was grateful that Yong Hwarin was willing to say he had taken the Azure Dragon Three Marbles from Guk Ingeol for their sake.

“Although we once fought with our lives on the line, I will remember Young Master Yong’s consideration.”

“In Murim, there are not only life-and-death enemies and comrades. Even if the paths are different, if our goals align, why would we only reject one another?”

Dong-o smiled at that.

“If both the Orthodox and Demonic factions thought like Young Master Yong, would there be so much bloodshed? It is foolish that Murim thinks differing paths make one an enemy.”

“That’s why I’ve been treating Master Jo. Once he recovers, I’ll send him back. But he has suffered a severe spinal injury, so moving will be difficult for him.”

Dong-o closed his eyes briefly.

It pained him to hear unfortunate news about someone who had been like a brother to him for so long.

“I understand. Still, I won’t forget that you saved Jo.”

Yong Hwarin put the Azure Dragon Three Marbles away in his robe and stood up.

“By the way, how did you know to come here?”

He thought that if he mentioned the woman who resembled her mother, the story would get too long, so he gave a vague answer.

“Do you know how much I ran around trying to track you two down?”

With that, he cleared up the two people’s doubts.

Yong Hwarin’s mind drifted to Deung Hwaun’s face, and he stared at Hong Ayul for a moment.

“Take care of yourself.”

When he said that kindly as he turned away, Hong Ayul gave him a puzzled look.

She could feel that his voice carried genuine concern for her.

‘Does Young Master Yong… like me?’

At the sudden thought, her face flushed red.

Leaving those words behind, Yong Hwarin stepped out of the bamboo house and vanished the moment he exited.

After he disappeared, Dong-o muttered.

“He’s like a flying dragon itself.

I used to be that dashing when I was young.”

Hong Ayul replied with a smile.

“Grandpa Dong, you’re still dashing even now.”

When Yong Hwarin returned to the Sky Ocean Merchant Union, he was greatly encouraged by having obtained all the Azure Dragon Three Marbles.

He had invested a lot of time trying to get them, but all his efforts had come to nothing before.

Something that he could not obtain no matter how he tried had come into his hands in just a single day when luck followed him.

‘Indeed, everything has its time.’

Yong Hwarin immediately summoned Seok Unjeong and Jeong Minji to his residence.

They had been so focused on training that they hadn’t even noticed he had been away for a while.

Seeing them immersed in martial arts training, Yong Hwarin decided not to take them to Shaolin Temple.

‘If I want to strengthen the main house’s power, these people need to become strong. If they become as strong as I am, they can withstand whoever might come when I’m not here.’

If Jeong Minji completed the Vermilion Bird Great Flame Heaven Bow, and Seok Unjeong mastered the Black Tortoise Supreme Yin Art even without the Black Silk Celestial Silkworm, it would be the same as Yong Hwarin possessing three of the Four Great Divine Arts.

On top of that, Bukri Sehee had recently immersed herself in sound arts.

By learning the Royal Consort Record’s music from Musician Urak and releasing her vast stored qi through sound, she was showing tremendous power.

She was now fully apprenticing under Demonic Master to learn sound arts.

Meanwhile, Ha Cheolryeong had entered the stage of refining his qi with the Tai Chi Dantian, greatly increasing the power of the Soaring Dragon Emperor Sword.

When Jeong Minji and Seok Unjeong entered the room, Yong Hwarin took out the Azure Dragon Three Marbles from his robe.

“These are necessary to truly master the Four Great Divine Arts. They let you control that energy and draw out the artifact’s full power. Especially for Min-mae, you’ll need this more. It’s essential for using the Vermilion Bird Wing Dagger. I think once the Azure Dragon Three Marbles’ energy is infused into the Vermilion Bird Wing Dagger with Banryong’s energy, you won’t need them anymore. The Royal Consort Record also says so. So once Banryong’s spiritual energy is embedded in the Vermilion Bird Wing Dagger, keep these safe.”

“You’re speaking like someone who’s going far away and leaving us behind.”

When Jeong Minji said that, Yong Hwarin calmly replied.

“For Unjeong and Min-mae, I think it’s better to continue your martial arts training than to go to the Shaolin meeting. Hee-mae will also stay here to train. And Cheolryeong will remain too—he’s at an important stage right now, and moving around won’t help his cultivation. Min-mae, I want you to take care of them.”

Since his tone made it clear the decision had already been made, Jeong Minji didn’t want to argue.

Of course she wanted to follow Yong Hwarin, but she understood why he told them to complete their martial arts.

With so many factions owing him favors or debts, there was no telling when enemies would attack.

Even just the Heavenly Demon Sect and Blood Demon Castle alone were factions that wanted him dead.

Dealing with them alone was already taxing, and there were countless other grudges, big and small.

Knowing this, Jeong Minji could only follow his instructions.

“Don’t worry. I’ll look after them. And both the Second and I will work hard to complete our martial arts.”

“Thank you for understanding my intent.”

There was no need to give Jeong Minji a lengthy explanation.

She was wise enough to grasp his intention and consider his feelings from just one sentence.

“Unjeong, make sure to learn as much of the Black Tortoise Supreme Yin Art as you can.”

“Yes, Orabeoni. Young Master Geum is teaching me generously, so I’m improving quickly.”

“Good. Treat him well—he seems to be forgetting the pain of losing his father by teaching you martial arts.”

“Yes, Orabeoni.”

Jeong Minji asked.

“Then will you be going to Shaolin with Instructor Mo and Young Master Jong? Will you also take the Ten Prodigies of the Heavenly Central Sect?”

“I’ll only take Instructor Mo and my sworn brother. The more that go, the more cumbersome it’ll be. The Ten Prodigies will stay here since they’re currently establishing the main house’s martial arts. This is an important time, so they can’t waste it at the Shaolin meeting.”

“Understood.”

Yong Hwarin gave the Azure Dragon Three Marbles to Seok Unjeong and Jeong Minji, then headed to Bukri Sehee’s quarters.

From her room came the sound of a pipa.

Qi was infused into the music, and a strong energy spread outward.

‘Impressive. She’s already at this level? Sound arts may be martial arts without forms, but I didn’t expect her to learn this quickly. In some ways, this is the most suitable martial art for Hee-mae—it lets her use her immense power.’

As Yong Hwarin approached, the pipa’s music stopped.

“Gaga, come in.”