Chapter 128
I wanted to leave immediately, but though I was fine, Seol Lihyang’s condition was still too serious, so we decided to rest for a few more days.
…It’s absolutely not because the time to face Tang Jincheon again is getting close.
Instead, Yeon Ga-hye sent a letter to her clan asking them to send an escort, so we wouldn’t be staying long anyway.
“But hey, where did you get all banged up like that?”
He only swung his sword using pure physical strength without internal energy for a moment, but my gaze naturally shifted to Peng Woojin, who was silently stretching nearby.
His impressively muscular frame remained as enviable as ever, but unusually, thick bandages were wrapped all around his body.
“Well, it wasn’t as bad as what you two went through, but I did have my own run-in with Demonic Cult members and got these wounds from that fight.”
“Hm. Maybe they were the sorcerer and guards the Blood Flame Fist Demon had on standby.”
“I don’t know their exact identities.”
“What do you mean?” “I thought I had sealed his blood channels and suppressed him, but the guy suddenly went berserk, as if he fell into Qi Deviation. He went straight for Ga-hye, so I blocked him with my body in the heat of the moment. This is the result.”
“Huh...”
Demonic Explosive Pills... Maybe it was a kind of delayed-trigger technique.
But one thing was clear—when Yeon Ga-hye was in danger, Peng Woojin didn’t hesitate to throw himself in front of her.
As a fellow man, I had no choice but to respect that.
...Though what he said next left me a bit speechless.
“After that, the Elder didn’t care about gathering intel or anything. He just made sure not a single one of them got out alive. So we still don’t know who they were.”
Maybe he was frustrated about losing sight of Seol Lihyang and me right in front of him. Seo Mun-Hwarin probably has a lot pent up inside.
“A-anyway, I’m glad you’re okay. Since you’re out and about, your shoulder injury must not be too serious?”
“It was serious. If it had gone even a little deeper, I might’ve lost the use of one arm for life.”
“But you look fine now?”
“That’s thanks to how effective the emergency treatment was. The Tang Clan’s medicine lives up to its name.”
He must be referring to the Golden Wound Salve Tang Sowol always carried.
Considering how much Tang Jincheon cares for her, it’s likely filled with the Tang Clan’s secret formulas.
It might not help internal injuries, but for external wounds, you’d be hard-pressed to find anything better.
“Of course, only the surface wounds healed. I still can’t perform martial arts properly, and I’ll have to avoid intense movement for a while.”
“Then why come all the way out here? Wouldn’t it be better to rest by Yeon Ga-hye’s side?”
“I stayed so still trying not to tear the wound open that it was making me restless. I just wanted to move around a bit, avoiding the injured arm.”
“Well... since you say you’re okay, I guess there’s no point in me nagging. I won’t say more.”
“There’s also something I wanted to thank you for in person.”
“Mm?”
I stopped swinging my sword and turned around, confused by his sudden tone.
There stood Peng Woojin, bowing deeply toward me.
“Thank you. The method may have been a little aggressive, but thanks to you, Ga-hye and I are alive, and our clans avoided falling into the Demonic Cult’s trap.”
“Well... Tang Sowol and I have our own history with the Demonic Cult, so we may have been meddling a bit. Like I said, the method was pretty extreme, so don’t worry too much about it.”
Still, the outcome was good, so that’s what matters.
Though technically, we kidnapped the successors of the Peng and Yeon clans and ran away with them—
Under normal circumstances, we’d be severely reprimanded. It was also a stain on the Tang Clan’s reputation.
That’s why I brushed it off as no big deal since it worked out well... but Peng Woojin still kept his head bowed.
“Even with all that in mind, I’m sincerely grateful. I know it’s not much, but would you visit the Peng Clan sometime? I’ll do everything I can to repay you.”
“Are you serious about that?”
“Of course I’m serious.”
I couldn’t help the smile creeping up my face. I casually covered my mouth with a hand and gave his shoulder a pat.
“I had sworn brotherhood with Namgung Jong, and I was always a bit reluctant to call his close friend ‘Brother Peng.’”
“Wait, suddenly...??”
The ever-serious Peng Woojin twitched at the abrupt change in tone from me, who had never changed facial expressions and only spoke casually before.
But considering I was eighteen, and if he was Namgung Jong’s age, he’d be at least seven years older than me.
Peng Woojin inherited a strong physique thanks to his clan’s bloodline and cultivation methods, but the downside was a prematurely aged appearance.
Honestly, his face could easily pass for someone in their early thirties.
More importantly, considering what I plan to get from him, calling him “brother” was hardly a loss.
“How long are you going to keep bowing in front of your younger brother? Raise your head.”
“You call me younger brother, but you talk just like before.”
“Kuhem. That’s not important. You said you'd give anything you could in return. If that’s true, could you provide an elixir?”
“Of course. Judging from the fact you brought it up right away, I take it you’re having a hard time with internal energy cultivation?”
“Unfortunately, most of the Tang Clan’s elixirs are tailored for poison techniques. To me, they’re more like toxins. But the Peng Clan’s should be different.”
“Kuhem. It’s not for me to brag, but Peng Clan’s elixirs are known for being widely applicable. A wise choice.”
Just like how the Wudang Sect pursues Taiji, and the Namgung Clan seeks the Azure Sky, the Peng Clan of Hebei pursues Origin.
They aim for something more fundamental than yin and yang, or the five elements.
I’m not too versed in such philosophical stuff, but I know they’re obsessed with the fundamentals.
Their secret martial art, only taught to the clan head, is even called Origin Thunder Saber.
They believe that before becoming a martial artist, one is human, and the foundation of a human is the body.
So the Peng Clan focused on finding a way to pass down exceptional physical qualities and developed external martial arts to maximize them.
As a result, like Shaolin’s elixirs, the Peng Clan’s medicines are effective on anyone.
They may not raise internal energy as much as Shaolin’s, but they significantly strengthen the body, which suits me better right now.
The reason I know all this is simple.
In my past life, the last place I was driven into was Hebei Province.
We from the Orthodox Alliance all made sure to learn everything we could about the fallen Peng Clan, hoping we could salvage something.
All we found were some undiscovered remains, but still...
That old hope resurfaced as I asked:
“Then could I possibly get a Honyondan?”
“Th-that’s a bit much for me to decide...”
Tsk.
Clicking my tongue reflexively, I saw Peng Woojin look at me with a sour expression. I shook my head and spoke.
“Then what can you offer, Brother Peng?”
“I’m pretty sure you just called me that earlier...”
“How about a Heavenly Tiger Pill?”
“That, at least, should be possible.”
He nodded reluctantly, as if seeing something outrageous.
Too much? Maybe. But for a Heavenly Tiger Pill, I’ll let it slide.
The Heavenly Tiger Pill, Earth Tiger Pill, and Human Tiger Pill are symbolic elixirs of the Peng Clan, ranked by power.
Human Tiger Pills are low-grade, helpful for second- and first-class martial artists.
Earth Tiger Pills are mid-grade, helpful even to Peak Stage warriors.
Heavenly Tiger Pills are high-grade, given only to blood relatives or those who’ve done great service to the Peng Clan.
For reference, the Honyondan is a top-tier secret elixir reserved only for the Clan Head or the Young Master.
I asked knowing I wouldn’t get it, just to try.
In my past life, I couldn’t even get a Human Tiger Pill.
But now I’m getting a Heavenly Tiger Pill?
Satisfied, I nodded and added,
“Make it two, please. One for Seol Lihyang too.”
“What?”
“She helped me take down the Blood Flame Fist Demon. If you’re thanking me, you should be thanking her equally.”
“But two is—”
“Oh, and if possible, I’d like one for Tang Sowol as well. She’s the one who suggested we get involved, even if it meant running away.”
Still sweating from his lingering injuries, Peng Woojin groaned and replied in a crawling voice.
“F-fine. But I can’t promise. I’ll speak to the Clan Head.”
“Mm. That’s good enough. By the way, Brother Peng, it’s almost mealtime. Shall we head in together?”
Peng Woojin gave me a look that said, What even are you?
But I had nothing to be ashamed of.
It’s not every day you get a high-grade elixir from one of the Five Supreme Clans.
“Cheon Hwi! When Sister gets to the Yeon Clan, she said she’ll make sure we each get an elixir!”
“I—I said I’d bring it up, not that it’s certain, so don’t get your hopes up too high...”
“I’m still excited! Aren’t you?!”
Even while still recovering, Seol Lihyang’s radiant smile was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.
Whoever taught her—she learned well.
Three days later, martial artists from the Yeon Clan arrived with carriages.
Seol Lihyang had mostly recovered by then, but since the carriage was already here, we decided to ride comfortably.
When we arrived at Jinju Yeon Clan, my first thought was—
“It’s... eerie.”
“Shhh! They might hear you, Cheon Sohyeop!”
I muttered unconsciously, and Tang Sowol whispered urgently.
I glanced toward Yeon Ga-hye.
“It’s fine. I feel the same way. But once you get used to it, it’s actually quite a nice place. Don’t worry.”
“I-I didn’t mean anything bad. It’s just so different from typical martial clans, I was surprised.”
“It’s really fine. To begin with, our Yeon Clan only became a martial family a little over a hundred years ago. As Sky-Winged Poison Phoenix once said, the different atmosphere is inevitable, and it means our ancestors were remarkable. It’s something to be proud of.”
“Thinking that way makes me feel better.”
Tang Sowol finally relaxed a little and smiled faintly.
Though she still kept jabbing my side, which I accepted quietly since it was my fault.
Still, saying it aloud may have been rude, but I wasn’t wrong to feel it.
Jinju Yeon Clan is originally a family renowned for Zombie arts.
That art is now practically extinct, just like Taoist spellcasters disappeared from the Daoist sects.
But back then, the Yeon Clan developed various martial arts based on jiangshi techniques, building a strong lineage.
In other words, jiangshi arts are the root of the Yeon Clan, and it's only natural that they give off demonic aura.
Even if that’s understandable, the discomfort that Demonic Aura causes is real.
Except for one person—Seol Lihyang.
She looked more lively than usual, as if the place energized her.
Demonic Aura falls under yin energy, so it makes sense for someone with a Pure Yin Physique like her to feel at home.
Yeon Ga-hye noticed something unusual in Seol Lihyang and watched her with interest for a moment, then turned her gaze and stood beside Peng Woojin, who had a bandaged shoulder.
Then she leaned gently against his thick arm—about as wide as her waist.
Shocked and disbelieving gazes poured in from all around.
Regardless, Yeon Ga-hye calmly declared:
“I’ll explain everything once the Clan Head arrives, but these guests provided great help to the Yeon Clan. Treat them as honored guests, and see that they lack nothing. Shall we go, Peng Clan?”
“…Mm.”
Peng Woojin nodded with a hardened expression. Seems like they’d already agreed to make their relationship public.
While I was admiring the situation internally, Tang Sowol latched onto me and locked arms.
The soft pressure at my elbow warmed my heart… but the words that followed were anything but sweet.
“I think we should make it obvious too… that we’re also engaged, like those two.”
I couldn’t say a single word.