Kang Sogun

Jungrang stared at the Great Natural Will Art on the table for a long time.

'Because he knows the heart of one who wants to protect?'

A strange sense of pride made it difficult for him to readily open the Great Natural Will Art.

'No! I must have strength. Haven't I already received the essence of the Heavenly Star Sword Art from him?'

Jungrang hardened his heart and opened the Great Natural Will Art.

Judging by the fresh ink, it was clear that Kang Sogun had written it himself.

'How deep are his martial arts that he can write down an internal energy manual in one go?'

Jungrang misunderstood the Great Natural Will Art as Kang Sogun's martial art.

In fact, the Great Natural Will Art was one of the legacies left by the former master of Wudang, Hyeonchija.

Although it was not known in the martial world because it was stored in the imperial martial library, it was a profound internal energy manual that Hyeonchija had devised based on the Taiqing Heart Art of Wudang.

Jungrang, who was silently reading the Great Natural Will Art, was suddenly startled.

It was no exaggeration to say that the Great Natural Will Art was an internal energy manual for the Heavenly Star Sixty-Four Forms.

'What on earth is going on?'

Jungrang could not help but have doubts. It was surprising that Kang Sogun knew the Heavenly Star Sixty-Four Forms, but for him to know a suitable internal energy manual for it as well. It seemed there was some connection.

The Great Natural Will Art was a unique internal energy manual. It embraced everything like nature.

Usually, once one learned an internal energy manual, it was not easy to learn another type of internal energy. The energies would clash, and one could easily fall into qi deviation.

This was also one of the reasons why Jungrang had hesitated to open the Great Natural Will Art.

But the Great Natural Will Art embraced the Six Harmonies Heart Art that Jungrang had learned as it was.

It could be said to be the master of all internal energy. The Great Natural Will Art was as wide and deep as the great sea.

'With the Great Natural Will Art, I can surpass the pinnacle of the Heavenly Star Sixty-Four Forms!'

Jungrang's heart pounded. His Heavenly Star Sixty-Four Forms had already reached the peak.

Although he himself felt that he had to surpass the Heavenly Star Sixty-Four Forms, he had not dared to do so.

In the midst of that, he had obtained the Great Natural Will Art.

The Great Natural Will Art was not just a simple internal energy manual, but it contained the principles of martial arts.

Jungrang had the hope that the moment he obtained that principle, he could surpass the Heavenly Star Sword Art and enter the path to the ultimate of the sword.

Jungrang stayed in his residence without going out and circulated his qi according to the Great Natural Will Art.

The internal energy he had accumulated with the Six Harmonies Heart Art changed to the energy of the Great Natural Will Art, and his internal injuries also healed quickly.

The more Jungrang trained in the Great Natural Will Art, the more he could understand the reason why the great sects and famous families were strong.

He once again realized that the true strength of the famous great sects came from the righteous and great internal energy system that had been built up over a long period of time.

When Yeon Hwasim was able to sit in a meditative posture, Jungrang passed on the Great Natural Will Art.

The Great Natural Will Art, as a heart art that embraced great nature, had the effect of making the mind of the one who trained it flexible yet firm.

Yeon Hwasim had been taught the Revolving Heaven Heart Art from her father, Yeon Seongyeol, and had been practicing it.

Since Yeon Seongyeol had put his heart into it since she was young, the frame of her internal energy was wider and deeper than Jungrang's.

As Yeon Hwasim trained in the Great Natural Will Art, the internal energy from the Revolving Heaven Heart Art was converted to the energy of the Great Natural Will Art.

Not only her injuries, but also her depressed and twisted mind were being corrected.

***

Internal injuries were more difficult to treat and lasted longer than flesh wounds. This was especially true in cases where one was hit by a yin and soft, yet complex energy like the Blood Flute's.

Although Sim Mabaek had taken a step back from death thanks to Jo Unryong's panacea, his other foot was still on that side.

For Jang Mugang and Wi Eunghwan, who were watching this, each day felt like a year.

When about half a month had passed, No Ichil came to the residence of the Three Tigers of Shandong with a person.

"Haha. The divine doctor has come. Now your little brother is saved."

The person who had been brought was a short old man who looked to be about sixty, and he looked like a mountain villager. He was carrying a bundle of luggage on his back, and the faint smell of medicinal herbs emanated from it.

"Fortunately, he was in the capital, so the message reached him. If he had gone into the mountains to look for medicinal herbs, I don't know how long it would have taken."

No Ichil said, stroking his chest.

The old man cleared his throat, looked at Sim Mabaek lying on the bed, and then glared at No Ichil.

"What is this?"

The old man had rushed over after receiving a message that No Ichil had been seriously injured and was on the verge of life and death.

But as soon as he entered the Jeongha Martial Hall, No Ichil, who had come out, had dragged him here without a word.

"You must save him. Or this little brother will die."

No Ichil clung to the old man.

"Tsk, you wicked bastard."

As if he knew No Ichil's temperament well, he did not say anything more and approached Sim Mabaek.

Jang Mugang and Wi Eunghwan moved aside with reluctant expressions.

No Ichil approached and gestured with his eyes.

"This brother is the Eastern Doctor. You've heard of the Western Doctor and the Eastern Doctor, right?"

At No Ichil's words, Jang Mugang and Wi Eunghwan were greatly surprised.

The Western Doctor and the Eastern Doctor.

It was a nickname that referred to the two divine doctors in the martial world.

The Eastern Doctor, Jung Yuseon, was a divine doctor who was said to have no illness that he could not cure with medicine.

Few knew that his other identity was the master of the third hall of the Great Righteous Martial Hall.

Jang Mugang cupped his fists in a salute.

"This junior greets the Eastern Doctor. It seems my little brother's life is not yet meant to end."

Jung Yuseon waved his hand.

"Don't believe the exaggerated rumors of the martial world too much."

Jung Yuseon closed his eyes and took Sim Mabaek's pulse.

"It's a very yin and soft energy. It wouldn't have been strange if he had died on the spot... Aha, he was fed a panacea. Thanks to that, he is still breathing."

Jung Yuseon nodded and muttered about Sim Mabaek's condition.

Jang Mugang and Wi Eunghwan's insides were burning.

Jung Yuseon let go of Sim Mabaek's hand and stood up from his seat.

"You said he was your little brother. This person's injuries are not light. If he had not taken the panacea in time, he would have already been a person of the other world. I can keep him alive for now, but to completely heal him, I need a few hard-to-get medicinal herbs."

"What are they? I will get whatever it is."

Wi Eunghwan stepped up.

Jung Yuseon's expression was troubled.

"A few medicinal herbs can be obtained with just money. But the Earth Spirit Blood Replenishing Herb will be difficult to obtain in the Central Plains."

"What is the Earth Spirit Blood Replenishing Herb?"

"It is a medicinal herb that grows wild in the high mountain areas of Yunnan. Since it has to be collected from a very high place, it will not be easy to obtain even in Yunnan."

"Is it that rare?"

"It can't be said to be rare. It's just that the Earth Spirit Blood Replenishing Herb contains poison, and the symptoms for which it is used as a medicinal herb are very limited, so it is not collected."

Jung Yuseon finished his words and wrote two prescriptions.

"The first prescription can be obtained in the market, so have him take it as it is for now. Then he will be able to move."

Jang Mugang took the prescription.

"He will be completely healed only after taking the medicine containing the Earth Spirit Blood Replenishing Herb according to the second prescription."

Jang Mugang was moved and repeatedly expressed his gratitude to Jung Yuseon.

Jung Yuseon was quick-witted. Since he thought that the Three Tigers of Shandong were very important to what No Ichil was doing, he waved his hand magnanimously.

"No. It is a request from my little brother No, how can I receive such excessive etiquette?"

With this, No Ichil's face was saved.

***

On the endlessly stretching desolate plain, bodies were lined up.

Broken banners, spears, swords, and sabers were scattered in disarray, and the ground was completely soaked red with the blood that had flowed out.

He saw himself, covered in blood.

"Ugh..."

Kang Sogun was startled and woke up.

It was clear that he had fallen asleep while circulating his qi. Although it was a dream, it was as vivid as reality.

It was something that had definitely happened. It was a scene of slaughter different from the Martial Tomb.

After the blood dragon energy had awakened again, he had started to have strange dreams, but today it was as vivid as reality.

Kang Sogun tried to recall the dream, but he could not remember it.

Kang Sogun released his meditative posture and stood up from his seat. The outside of the window was already getting dark.

Kang Sogun went out to the inn's restaurant.

The waiter, seeing him, ran to a window seat on the second floor. He went to the seat that Kang Sogun always sat at, removed the "reserved" sign, and waited.

As Kang Sogun sat down, he said with a face expecting praise, as if to say, "Didn't I do well?"

"What dish shall I serve you today? The soup boiled with fresh red-finned fish is good."

The Qinghua Guest House in Nanjing.

Although it had only been three days since he had come to this inn, the waiter had seen through Kang Sogun's tastes.

He had quickly noticed that the somewhat mysterious guest, who seemed indifferent to the affairs of the world and was unpretentious, was actually from a famous noble family.

Kang Sogun nodded.

"I will add a few vegetables to that. And the wine will be the usual."

The waiter reeled off the good dishes of the day.

"One more person will be coming. I would like the portions to be sufficient."

Kang Sogun took out a silver nyang from his bosom and handed it to him.

The waiter quickly took it and disappeared. It would probably be more than enough to cover the cost of the food.

Since he knew that Kang Sogun did not accept change, he had been so friendly.

A faint darkness had already seeped outside the window. Lanterns were lit in every shop, and the number of passersby holding lanterns was increasing.

It was the bustling street of Nanjing.

The people walking on the street were of all kinds. Officials and scholars, merchants and women, young and old, all mixed together and moved in a wave.

The sound of loud fireworks was heard from somewhere. Come to think of it, today was the beginning of spring.

Children who looked to be just over ten years old came into Kang Sogun's eyes.

The children, in a group of boys and girls, were very noisy, as if they were from a famous family.

As Kang Sogun was blankly looking at the children, he felt the sign of a person approaching the table.

It was a man of about forty, from whose well-built body the energy of a sharp sword was felt. Judging by the clothes he was wearing, he was clearly a constable.

As the constable approached, Kang Sogun stood up. The two exchanged greetings and sat down.

"Young Master Kang, I heard you have returned. How have you been?"

The news that the only son of the Kang Residence, who was thought to be dead, had returned had been a topic of conversation for a while in the famous families of Nanjing.

The tragedy of the Kang Residence was occasionally mentioned in the famous families of Nanjing.

After Duke Kang of the state had died of illness, his only son had died on the battlefield, and even his wife had passed away.

Since the entire family had died in a few years, it was natural for them to be the subject of people's gossip.

But the son who was said to be dead had come back alive. There was no way the sparrows would be quiet.

Moreover, since he was the maternal grandson of the imperial family, who had received the previous emperor's favor, it was even more so. Around the time the talk had died down, that son had suddenly disappeared, and a suspicious rumor had circulated once more.

The most plausible rumor was related to the downfall of General Jang Hong's family.

'Believing in the previous emperor's favor, he had protested the downfall of General Jang Hong's family and had been disposed of without a trace.'

The constable of Nanjing, Jin Uncho, did not believe the rumor. But he also could not believe that the Kang Sogun in front of him was the child he had seen when he had been the captain of the guards of the Kang Residence in the past.

The boy he had known was cheerful and affectionate. He had not lost his etiquette even to his subordinates, so everyone in the Kang Residence, high and low, had sincerely liked and cherished him.

He also vividly remembered the image of the boy who had clung to his arm and had asked for a sparring match.

But the Kang Sogun in front of him today was different. An unknown killing intent flowed from his entire body.

Although Kang Sogun tried to hide it, he, who lived by smelling the scent of blood, could tell at once.

Above all, he was silent.

"Chief Steward Mo has also aged a lot."

Jin Uncho tried to break the awkward atmosphere. Jin Uncho was close to the chief steward of the Kang Residence, Mo Sang, and they occasionally visited each other.

Although Kang Sogun had come to Nanjing, he had not looked for the Kang Residence.

Jin Uncho seemed to be puzzled that Kang Sogun was staying at an inn, leaving his own house, the Kang Residence. He had used Mo Sang as an excuse to ask for the reason.

Just then, the wine and food came out.

Kang Sogun offered Jin Uncho a drink and drank himself.

Kang Sogun put down his wine cup and said.

"I have asked you here because I want to know the identities of two people."

Kang Sogun took out an identification tag and a military tag from his bosom.

(End of Chapter)