Chapter 207
My body had felt as heavy as a mountain, but after I took the precious medicine Grandfather had found, it finally began to obey me again once another season had passed.
Strength returned to my arms and legs, and I could manage everyday life without anyone’s help.
Once I stopped suddenly coughing up blood or collapsing unconscious while gasping for breath, the Ghost-Hand Divine Physician began preparing to leave.
She said Grandfather could take care of me on his own now.
“Your essence, energy, and spirit are back in balance, so you’re out of danger. You can handle the rest yourself.”
“All right. You’ve done more than enough.”
Grandfather looked a little reluctant to see her go, but he didn’t try to stop someone who had already made up her mind.
Instead, he asked about Tang Un.
“When are you sending Un back to the Tang Clan?”
“I’ll have to go back and see first. It shouldn’t take much longer. He’s finally built up about as much stamina as other children his age. He’s eating well, too.”
“Him? That picky little bastard who eats like a bird isn’t fussing over his food anymore? What did you do?”
“I stripped the secluded cave bare. I’ll send the boy back when the time comes, so stop worrying.”
“Fine. Take good care of him.”
From the way she and Grandfather were talking, it sounded as though she intended to return to the Bamboo Sea and continue treating Brother Un.
As the Ghost-Hand Divine Physician discussed Tang Un’s condition with Grandfather, her expression was no different from usual.
Her matter-of-fact tone put me at ease.
Right. Gyeonga must have misunderstood. There’s no way.
I had just started reassuring myself that I must have gotten the wrong idea when I met Tang Geunmyeong’s eyes. He was conspicuously pretending not to notice anything while doing his best to hide how uncomfortable he looked.
“......”
“......”
......No. Grandfather’s the only one who doesn’t know.
“Um, Uncle.”
“Ahem. Don’t say a word.”
The moment I cautiously tried to broach the subject, Tang Geunmyeong cleared his throat and shut his eyes as though he knew absolutely nothing.
His entire body had gone rigid, practically screaming that whatever relationship those two had was none of his business.
Better not get caught in the crossfire. I should pretend I don’t know anything either.
“Okay.”
I awkwardly licked my lips, only to feel the Ghost-Hand Divine Physician’s sharp gaze settle on me.
I instinctively shrank under that peculiar look. She let out a quiet sigh and swept back her hair.
After watching my obvious tension for a moment, she spoke evenly.
[Do not walk the same path as your teacher. You are far too young to burn away the rest of your life for revenge.]
The voice transmission crashed through my mind like a bolt of lightning, making my whole body tremble.
At the same time, Yeon Ryang’s voice flashed through my memory.
Don’t ruin yourself because of your brother. Don’t pile up debts of vengeance because of me.
But...... But......!
I couldn’t force the words out. All that escaped me was a low groan.
The Ghost-Hand Divine Physician clicked her tongue and turned away.
Grandfather followed after her with his hands clasped behind his back.
“What did you say to her?”
“Nothing you need to know.”
“Always so damn cryptic.”
Grandfather seemed to mutter something else under his breath, but I barely heard him.
I stared blankly at their receding backs, then let my head fall.
******
Red maple leaves fluttered through the air.
Tang Jung walked soundlessly through the thick carpet of fallen leaves before speaking in a low voice.
“Seoryak. About the inner core you used—”
“Enough. I told you I don’t need anything.”
Seoryak cut him off flatly and kept walking without even looking at him.
Tang Jung studied her profile for a moment, then narrowed his eyes as if something didn’t add up.
“You really are acting strange. Normally, you’d claw every last thing out of my pockets. Why do you keep saying you don’t need anything?”
“Maybe it’s finally time for me to die.”
“An old monster guaranteed to live another hundred years, talking nonsense like—”
Tang Jung snorted, then abruptly changed expression and jabbed a finger at her.
“You—don’t tell me that’s why you gave me the secluded cave...!”
“I’m merely moving elsewhere, so don’t get your hopes up. Who said I was going to die quietly for anyone?”
Seoryak cut him off as though the idea were ridiculous. Yet there was a strange lack of force behind her chilly voice.
“Where are you going?”
“I have no reason to tell you.”
“Well, that’s true enough. Fine. I won’t pry. But once you move, at least send word that you’ve moved. Even the Beggars’ Sect couldn’t find you if you decided to disappear.”
“I’ll see how things are.”
Seoryak answered distractedly, but something clearly bothered her. She kept glancing back toward the safe house.
At last, she sighed and met Tang Jung’s eyes.
“She’s your disciple, so I’m sure you’ll handle it as you see fit, but...... even if you learn something that makes you angry, don’t corner the child. That little one has suffered a terrible shock too.”
“What are you talking about, Seoryak?”
Tang Jung’s voice trembled faintly as he asked.
Seoryak looked at him with pity.
“I’m telling you not to create something you’ll regret when you don’t have that many years left to live.”
“Explain yourself. What in the world—”
“Ask the child yourself. It isn’t something you should hear from someone else.”
As though she wanted no part in it, she gave that curt answer and vanished.
Left alone, Tang Jung frowned deeply and pressed his fingers against his temples.
She suffered a terrible shock?
What had happened?
As he turned Seoryak’s words over in his mind, Tang Jung’s face twisted horribly.
******
As though all those days Grandfather had spent constantly bickering with the Ghost-Hand Divine Physician had been a lie, he became much quieter after she left.
Instead, he often sat with his long pipe between his lips, staring vacantly into space.
A heavy shadow hung over his face whenever he sank into thought.
The Ghost-Hand Divine Physician must have hinted at something before she left.
Even so, Grandfather only devoted himself to caring for me. He never asked what had happened.
The longer his silence stretched on, the more anxious I became, like a child terrified that her wrongdoing was about to be discovered.
What am I supposed to do if Grandfather brings up Yeon Ryang?
If I beg him, will he help me?
No. I can’t drive a nail into Grandfather’s heart.
......But I have to bring Brother back soon. I’m already too late.
My heart swung wildly back and forth dozens of times a day.
Whenever I started leaning toward asking Grandfather for help, the Ghost-Hand Divine Physician’s sharp shout rang in my ears.
If the Poison King learns that the disciple he’d gladly tear out his own liver for ended up like this because she protected a demonic practitioner, do you really think he’ll stay sane?
Then, whenever I resolved to become stronger and bring Yeon Ryang back myself, I saw his blood-soaked back staggering away from me.
......I’m sorry.
Every time I hated myself for weighing the two of them against each other, my stomach twisted as though someone were wringing out my insides.
I clenched the blanket in both hands and tried to steady my breathing.
Cane, who had been watching me, hopped onto the bed.
“Kyuu.”
It gave a sweet, coaxing cry and rubbed its head against the back of my hand.
The adorable attempt at comfort tugged the corners of my mouth upward.
“Want some meat?”
“Kit!”
At the word meat, Cane answered vigorously, shot away like an arrow, then returned carrying its own pouch of dried meat in its mouth.
I tucked a small piece of jerky between its jaws.
It had grown oddly timid, and its coat had lost some of its old sheen. Judging by that, the Ghost-Hand Divine Physician and Grandfather must have given it a hard time in one way or another while I was ill.
The person who used to give it treats whenever it begged was gone, after all.
Usually, Yeon Ryang was the one who gave it snacks......
......
The moment my expression darkened, Cane wrapped both front paws tightly around one of my fingers.
I stroked its fur and forced myself to breathe evenly.
There was no sound of someone swinging a sword.
No bustling clatter of breakfast being prepared.
The world was unbearably quiet.
At the first light of dawn, I stepped outside.
Grandfather sensed me from the room across the way and came over.
His face was full of worry, so I deliberately gave him my brightest smile.
“Did you sleep well, Grandfather?”
“You were awake again last night, weren’t you?”
“Ahaha, no. I slept really well.”
“You’ve got dark circles under your eyes. Don’t lie to me.”
Suppressing a sigh, Grandfather gently brushed his fingers beneath my eyes.
“You barely sleep at all. Is it the pain? I told you to call your grandfather immediately if anything hurts.”
Clicking his tongue, Grandfather scooped me up and set me down on the wooden platform.
Then he fed a stream of dark blue inner force into me, strengthening my weakened body.
Once the guided circulation was over, I quietly turned my attention toward my core.
Grandfather’s guidance had left my body feeling much better.
My heart, however, was anything but at ease.
The inner force inside me had changed color, and the difference from Grandfather’s made it feel strangely foreign, as though it didn’t belong to me.
Poisonous energy had seeped into it, muddying it somewhat compared to before, but even so, that clear radiance was something my own inner cultivation method could never have produced.
Where did this blue inner force circulating through my energy channels come from?
Why has the nature of my inner force changed?
The energy was so clean and refreshing it almost hurt to look at.
Simply absorbing the spiritual energy of some precious medicine could never have built up anything like this.
It was pure enough that I could have believed someone had used a great transference art to pour it into me.
Grandfather. This inner force......
Don’t worry about it. Your poisonous energy will replenish itself with time.
But no matter how many times I asked, all Grandfather would say was not to worry about it.
He clearly had no intention of explaining.
He seemed to want me to think about nothing except recovering.
......Right. He’ll tell me once I’m better.
I reassured myself and forced down my curiosity about the mysterious blue energy.
When I stopped asking, Grandfather likewise tried to clear the troubled look from his face and spoke to me gently.
“After breakfast, would you like to take a walk in the mountains with your grandfather? You should start getting used to climbing again if you want to regain your old strength.”
“Yes.”
I gave him a faint smile and nodded.