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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Wjin
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Her eyes may have been a little moist, but it was a relief that she seemed okay.
I pointed to the cart filled with Bigu Dan.
“Remember, you must practice Qi circulation after using your internal energy every day when taking Bigu Dan.”
“Hmm… that’s not difficult.”
“And you must not consume any other food.”
Hongryeon’s eyes widened, and she tilted her head in confusion. But this was non-negotiable, so I remained firm.
“I plan to sell this Bigu Dan to other Taoist sects in the future. Some Taoists, like those in the Wudang Sect, abstain from cooked food.”
“I see…”
“This trial also aims to confirm whether it’s possible to live solely on Bigu Dan. As you know, in Taoist martial arts, consuming cooked food can hinder the accumulation of pure internal energy.”
She nodded, seemingly aware of this fact, and didn’t argue.
“Of course, Hongseong Divine Art is an exception… But you know that consuming only raw food purifies both your blood and internal energy, right? It’s just for a month or so, so I’d appreciate your understanding. If it’s too much, you can refuse.”
“Ah, no, I wouldn’t refuse. Alright, I understand. It actually coincides with our disciples’ intensive training period, so I’ll let them know.”
“I hope there won’t be any complaints. Again, I’ll treat you all to a feast once it’s over, so I’m counting on you.”
As I said this with a smile, Hongryeon hesitated for a moment.
Then, she sighed deeply and averted her gaze.
“Well then, I’ll go on patrol now. Let’s talk more later.”
She stood up abruptly and left the inn. As she quickly disappeared, I smiled.
Good. Now I could be a little more at ease about the potential addiction.
I couldn’t completely eliminate the risk, but at least we were prepared.
“Hmm… Is that the Setting Sun Sword? I’ve heard stories… quite skilled indeed. His strong energy lives up to his reputation.”
Old Man Gi emerged from the inner room, stroking his beard leisurely as he approached me. He frowned at the sight of the jar in front of me.
“Tsk, so this dreadful thing has finally been unleashed upon the world.”
“Haha, you know about it, Elder?”
“Of course. Only horse-faced fools could eat this disgustingly tasteless thing with a smile. Anyway… I feel bad just idling around here. Could you give me something to do?”
“Please, just rest.”
“It’s a bit boring to just sit here with that silent fellow… Ah, right.”
He snapped his fingers, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
“I heard from the waiters that Master Yoo practices martial arts. Shall I teach you a thing or two?”
As if teaching Chae Jin Taekwondo wasn’t hard enough…
I shook my head, and he nodded, looking disappointed.
“Well, can’t force you. Then…”
“If you’re willing, could you participate in the patrol? There have been disturbing rumors lately, and the villagers are worried.”
“Oh, patrol duty? Sounds good. That stoic fellow and I could easily cover Mount Hongseong. Plus, with Moonlight Swordsman Yoo by your side, your safety is guaranteed.”
Old Man Gi chuckled, then left the inn with Wi Yeol, their figures disappearing in a blur of motion. They were gone in a flash. Did they just use Light Footwork?
Anyway.
The pieces were falling into place for our defense against the Iron Blood Clan.
I hoped it would all work out…
Even if a chicken’s head was twisted, the sun would still rise. Even with the Iron Blood Clan’s attack looming, my workload only seemed to increase.
Several merchants, sensing the impending danger after witnessing the movements of the Gohwa Group and the Jugyeong Squad, had come to Seomhwachon with the ridiculous proposition of buying up all my assets, including the barley harvest and my property in the village.
Merchants were always the first to sense danger.
To them, crisis was an opportunity for profit.
If bandits attacked a village, they would plunder its valuables or burn it to the ground. To avoid losing everything, some villagers would be desperate to sell their assets at low prices and flee.
Of course, they would suffer losses if the attack never came. But if it did, they could save their lives and whatever remained of their wealth by selling off their assets and escaping quickly.
It was a gamble.
But since I intended to defend the village, their attempts to exploit the situation were met with a sneer.
Of course, they resorted to threats when they realized I wouldn’t budge. But my trusty club always knew the answer.
Aside from those pesky merchants, there was a mountain of tasks: preparing special offerings for the magistrate, mapping out patrol routes for Chae Jin and the other two masters staying at the inn, planning a festival to boost morale in the village, which was in a state of panic…
The list went on and on.
Buried under a mountain of paperwork, I worked tirelessly, only coming up for air when the sun began to set.
A knock on my door.
“Come in,” I said without looking up from the documents.
Footsteps. But no words followed. What was it?
Were the merchants back? Had someone arrived from Hongseong Sect? Or the government office? Or perhaps the village headman?
I continued working, my focus unwavering, and said,
“Report.”
Then, I returned to the document in front of me.
It was a request from a few villagers who, sensing the impending danger, were trying to liquidate their assets and move to Yangwiseong. They were asking if I could purchase their land.
It wasn’t a bad piece of property. The harvest yield was decent, so acquiring it wouldn’t be a problem.
There was a bit of wasteland included, which was annoying, but it was located near a stream and had a well, so… it wouldn’t be too difficult to cultivate.
I finished reviewing that document and started working on a solution to a dispute among the tenant farmers regarding water usage. As I pondered a fair compromise, I realized the servant who had entered earlier hadn’t said a word.
I looked up, curious… and found Hongryeon staring at me, her face flushed.
“Oh, I, I just got back from patrol.”
“Goodness.”
Was it the setting sun shining through the window? Or was her face actually that red?
“Forgive me. I should have offered you a seat.”
I got up and gestured to a chair, intending to prepare some tea. But she stopped me.
“No, it’s fine. I’ll just rest for a bit.”
“If you’re going to rest, I’ll have them prepare some refreshments downstairs…”
“I, I just wanted to sit here for a bit… Oh! I-is it okay if I drink this water?”
“Of course.”
“…You can continue working. I don’t mind.”
“Hmm… Then allow me to finish this document.”
The government office had sent a request, asking if I would be willing to provide funding for the construction of a separate sword workshop in Seomhwachon.
The village already had a blacksmith, but his skills were… lacking. Well, it was understandable.
Seomhwachon was just a starting area in the game.
It disappeared at the end of Part 1, so it made sense that they wouldn’t bother with high-quality equipment.
The magistrate had a connection with a skilled artisan he knew from his time in the military, and he wanted to invite him to the village. But there wasn’t a suitable location, so he was asking for my assistance.
This kind of workshop needed to be located away from the bustling marketplace. And I just happened to have a suitable piece of land.
It was clear that the magistrate had his eye on it. And I had no reason to refuse, so I stamped the document with my seal of approval.
“Alright, done.”
“Oh… oh. Yeah, yeah. You were focused, weren’t you? What was it about?”
“Nothing important. The magistrate wants to build a sword workshop, and he needs a plot of land. He’s asking for my cooperation.”
“Oh. So we can make better weapons now… huh?”
“It’s… a possibility.”
But only if we managed to repel the Iron Blood Clan’s attack.
The thought of failure sent a shiver down my spine. I subconsciously reached for my pipe, needing a distraction.
“Ah, that.”
“You gave this to me. Did you really carve this yourself, Hong Sojeo?”
She nodded, her face still flushed.
Her eyes were filled with… anticipation. I realized I hadn’t said anything to her about the pipe she had gifted me. I twirled the pipe between my fingers and brought it to my lips.
“Oh.”
“I’m using it well. Thank you. You’re quite skilled.”
Maybe I should ask her to design the patterns for the pouch I was planning on making for the incense. She seemed good at this kind of thing.
“…Y-you’re welcome.”
She watched, mesmerized, as I took a puff from my pipe.
Then, she stood up abruptly.
Was it time for her to leave?
I stood up to see her off, but she waved her hands frantically.
“No! You don’t have to get up!”
“But I should at least escort you to…”
“Really, it’s fine. You’re busy, aren’t you?”
I couldn’t argue with that. I sat back down and said to her,
“Then at least take some sweets with you.”
“…Sure. Thank you.”
She looked… unwell. Was she already addicted to the Bigu Dan? But judging by her expression, that didn’t seem to be the case…
She hesitated, then agreed, a stark contrast to her usual self. Then she quickly left. Glancing out the window, I saw her leaving empty-handed. She must have felt awkward refusing my offer and decided to pretend she hadn’t heard me.
But then, she stopped and looked back at me. I waved at her.
Was she feeling guilty about not taking the sweets?
She stood there, frozen, staring at me. Then, she hesitantly waved back and, with a burst of Light Footwork, disappeared.
Tsk. I’d have to send some sweets to her later.
I lit another pipe and returned to my work. After finishing a few more documents, it was time for my Five Animal Frolics exercises. As I was heading downstairs,
“I’m back~!”
Chae Jin skipped towards me, her face bright with a smile. She must not have encountered Old Man Gi, Wi Yeol, or Hongryeon during her patrol.
Well, I had tasked her with patrolling the outskirts of the village. Hongryeon was in charge of the village and the main road. And Old Man Gi patrolled Mount Hongseong.
It was probably for the best. They would only bicker if they met, and a fight between them would be a pointless waste of energy. Both were formidable martial artists, after all.
Anyway.
With this, I had fulfilled all the conditions for the Hongseong Sect’s “Happy Ending” route that I had devised using the collective intelligence of all those bored players.
We had a defense force capable of battling the demonic cult, equipped with new weapons from the Cheonghoe Merchant Group!
Two renowned masters from the military!
Moonlight Swordsman Chae Jin!
Stronger Hongseong Sect disciples!
I had also eliminated the risk of Bigu Dan addiction and provided additional support to the Hongseong Sect.
According to my calculations, this should be enough to repel the Iron Blood Clan’s attack with minimal casualties.
And if things went well, we might even be able to capture the Iron Blood Swordsman, the leader of the attack and a high-ranking member of the Iron Blood Clan.
Good.
Come and get it.
I’ll crush you all.
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When did her heart start malfunctioning?
Perhaps this morning. Or maybe yesterday.
No.
It must have been when Master announced that he would be taking on new disciples.
Yes, it must have been then that her heart malfunctioned.
The moment she realized she would have to take over the tasks that other disciples had been handling while she received personal instruction from Master.
Patrolling Seomhwachon was a task assigned to her by the Hongseong Sect.
Of course, it wasn’t difficult. As a member of a righteous sect, and one with a long-standing connection to the village, the Hongseong Sect was obligated to assist with maintaining the village’s safety.
The Way could be found everywhere. It was possible to gain enlightenment even while on patrol. Hongryeon didn’t mind the task.
But there was one reason why her heart wouldn’t stop pounding.
She had to go there to carry out her patrol.
To that place.
She tried not to think about it, to push it out of her mind.
But how could she?
As she trudged toward the inn, her heart racing, she saw him.
He was barking orders at the servants, his face as stoic as ever.
And her heart… it malfunctioned. Again.
She needed to calm down. He might be someone she admired, someone she considered worthy of respect, but… she had to compose herself.
She somehow managed to engage in a normal conversation with him, then quickly left for her patrol, hoping to calm her pounding heart.
But it continued to race, uncontrollably, as if it had a mind of its own.
Oh, what was she going to do?
She knew the answer.
It had been whispering to her ever since that night. The night the demonic cult attacked, the night her heart first began to betray her. She had simply been ignoring it, pretending she didn’t hear it.
She deliberately turned away from that voice, pushing it aside. But after finishing her patrol, she found herself drawn back to the inn, unable to resist the urge any longer.
If he was the one who broke her heart, then he was the one who had to fix it.
And then, she lost her voice.
No, she forgot how to breathe.
He had stopped her heart, the one that had been beating so erratically, in a single instant.
The air was thick with the scent of his pipe tobacco, a bitter, earthy aroma, masked by a hint of men’s cologne.
Mixed with it, the musk of a man’s sweat.
The scent of ink and paper, a familiar smell to those who spent their days buried in work.
The scent, a blend of various aromas, was intoxicating, overwhelmingly appealing.
And at the center of it all… was him.
His face, shadowed by the setting sun, had matured, etched with the weariness of adulthood.
His arms were strong, his large hand holding a stack of documents.
His eyes, burning with intensity, were focused on the papers in front of him. He hadn’t even noticed her.
Oh, she wished he would look at her.
To see her reflected in those captivating eyes.
The silent plea of her heart sent a shiver down her spine.
What is wrong with you? I’m not in a relationship with Innkeeper Yoo, so please calm down!
She pleaded with her traitorous heart.
As if hearing her pleas, he finally looked up.
He met her gaze, just as her heart had so desperately desired.
And then it started beating again.
Faster than before.
Out of control, defying all attempts to restrain it.
She couldn’t remember what they talked about. She only knew she had to leave, to get away before her composure crumbled completely.
She rushed back to the sect, her breath ragged, her heart pounding in her chest.
Her beloved sisters greeted her.
“Did you have a good training session today?”
She forced a smile, but something felt off.
Ryuhyeon looked… upset.
She was about to ask what was wrong when their master approached them, her expression grim.
“Sayun’s ‘uncle’ has sent a letter.”
That was good news, wasn’t it? So why the somber atmosphere?
Confused, she followed her master, Ryuhyeon, and Sayun to a private room.
She took the letter from her master, a knot forming in her stomach.
Sayun’s ‘uncle’, who had been so helpful to the Hongseong Sect…
His letter contained a warning.
“…The Hongseong Sect may be attacked soon. Prepare yourselves, according to the following instructions…”
He was warning them of an impending danger.
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