Chapter 12. Operating the Body Protection Art

After finishing his walk, Hugong went to the family head and conveyed his intentions.

As soon as he heard, the family head’s eyes widened.

“Spiritual medicine, you say?”

Joy was greater than surprise, and the family head’s pupils wavered with excitement, so Hugong firmly nodded his head.

“Yes, now that my body and mind have become strong, I want to spur myself on.”

“Oh yes, yes, don’t worry about a thing. I will do my best to get it for you. For now, let’s make do with the wild ginseng and fleeceflower root stored in the treasury. They are about a hundred years old, so they are not bad.”

“Yes.”

The family head was ready to pour out his wealth without reservation, so Hugong also withdrew, satisfied.

Then, he returned to his quarters and summoned Yun and Bumong.

It was to begin the normalization of the Cheonhwa Library, which had been deteriorating without anyone knowing.

First, he instructed Yun.

“Yun.”

“Yes, brother.”

“From today, for three days, you are to thoroughly investigate the current status of the main library, document it, and report to me. This includes not only the inside but also the outside businesses, as well as the reputable families and sects in the vicinity.”

Yun burst out laughing and waved his hands.

“Haha, brother, there’s no need for that. It will all be resolved when the chief steward comes.”

“Hmm…”

Hugong was also aware of the chief steward.

Chief Steward Gwak Do.

He found out that the chief steward had been running and supporting the Cheonhwa Library while the direct family line, including the family head, was broken. Also, the Chief Steward Gwak in Beomhang’s memory was a trustworthy person.

‘Within the scope of what Beomhang remembers…’

Yun continued.

“The chief steward is currently out managing the external businesses, but when he returns, you will know everything clearly. There was a report that he would return to the library in ten days.”

“…”

“More than that, brother, if you don’t mind, I would like to compete with you in Geumnasu. I’m curious to what extent you have trained your martial arts in your mind…”

“Yun.”

“Yes, brother.”

“Lie down.”

“Pardon?”

He had only said that, but the quick-witted Songhwa handed him a club as if she had prepared it.

And,

Thwaaaaack! Thwack!

Yun, who had just started to be able to move around a bit, was once again reduced to a limping state.

“Who is the master of the Cheonhwa Library? You, or the chief steward? Have you forgotten who you are after pouring down alcohol all this time?”

“I-I will report to you directly.”

“Pathetic fool. Get out.”

Next was Bumong.

Bumong was tense, and his eyes were full of strength.

“You’ve shown an excellent talent for formations since you were a child. Bumong, how many formations are there in our family in total?”

“Pardon?”

“How many?”

“Well… if you include the mechanisms, I think there were over a hundred…”

Bumong trailed off. He was anxious, and his pupils wavered.

As expected.

“Bumong.”

“Yes.”

“Lie down.”

Instead of lying down, Bumong knelt and begged.

“Brother, please forgive me just this once. I will do well from now on.”

“Our youngest was busy spinning his nunchucks. So lie down.”

Then, a series of piercing blows erupted, and Bumong wriggled like a worm.

“Bumong, there are a total of one hundred and twenty-four.”

“I-I’m sorry.”

“Even if you are the youngest, how can you be so uninterested in the family? What on earth are you carrying that brilliant head of yours for? I’ll give you three days too. You select the necessary personnel and inspect all the formations and mechanisms, both external and internal, of the main family. If repairs are needed, take immediate action, and if it will take time, report it. And not only check if they are working, but also carefully examine if they have been modified.”

“Yes, eldest brother.”

After Bumong crawled out, Songhwa stepped forward cheerfully.

“Young master! I am confident I can do well. Please give me any orders!”

“Songhwa, you.”

“Yes!”

“Bring me some tea. Longjing tea. Let’s talk after that.”

“Yes!”

A little while later, when Songhwa brought the tea, Hugong savored a sip and pointed to the brush.

“Take the brush and write down what I say.”

“Me?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Lie down…, ahem… I think you said to give you any orders.”

“Ah, right.”

Songhwa giggled and took the brush.

“Since you’re pretty, let’s see if your handwriting is as pretty as you are.”

“Pretty handwriting coming right up, young master.”

“Hehe, let’s begin. The first sentence is ‘To Juyang,’ write that down.”

“Pardon? To Young Master Ju?”

Songhwa’s eyes widened.

“Yes.”

“If it’s a letter to Young Master Ju, wouldn’t it be better for you to write it yourself, young master? If the handwriting is different, he won’t believe whatever you write.”

‘My handwriting is different too.’

Hugong had already tried writing it as a test, but he couldn’t produce Beomhang’s handwriting no matter what. It was similar, but if you looked closely, it was different. Handwriting was like a fingerprint, and there was a limit to how much you could imitate it.

Juyang, who would receive it, was one thing, but before sending the letter, Songhwa would report to the family head, and the contents would be inspected, so he didn’t want to waste time explaining the handwriting.

In that case, dictation was better.

“Didn’t I say I wanted to see your handwriting?”

“But…”

“It’s alright. The content of the letter is just to invite Juyang to the Cheonhwa Library anyway.”

“R-really? Wow, to see Young Master Ju again is like a dream.”

“You like Juyang, don’t you?”

“Of course. Not because he’s your friend, young master, but because Young Master Ju is manly, loyal, and the coolest person in every way.”

“Well, it’s no exaggeration to say that the phrase ‘a man’s word is worth a thousand pieces of gold’ was made for Juyang.”

“That’s right. That’s exactly it. Young master, please hurry up and dictate. I’ll write it the prettiest in the world.”

After finishing the letter, Songhwa left, humming a tune, and Hugong frowned as much as he could.

‘Juyang is cool?’

If you only considered his appearance, you could say he was cool.

But the Juyang revealed in the letters exchanged between Beomhang and Juyang was not in his right mind. If she knew the secret of those absurd and terrifying madmen, she would never say he was cool.

‘By the way, the chief steward is coming in ten days… What a funny guy. Is it even appropriate to be so relaxed?’

***

Somewhere.

The orchid on the windowsill is beautiful.

A middle-aged man with straight and affectionate eyes gently wiped the orchid with a wet towel, as if caressing a beloved woman.

Behind him stood two middle-aged martial artists.

One of them reported.

“The Eldest Young Master has changed. After losing his memory after the Blood Rain Poison and then regaining it, he has personally started a major overhaul, and the Cheonhwa Library is regaining its vitality.”

“That’s good. That’s a good thing.”

“Chief Steward, are you going to just watch?”

Chief Steward Gwak Do smiled, still facing the orchid.

“Of course not.”

Chief Steward Gwak’s voice was deep and clear, and it flowed pleasantly.

“But how…”

“You two may not know. The Eldest Young Master’s viciousness is beyond words. Hehe, even if everyone in the world changes, the Eldest Young Master will not. And I am on the side of supporting the Eldest Young Master.”

“Then are you saying that even the current change is an act by the Eldest Young Master?”

“Of course. The Eldest Young Master is that kind of person.”

The chief steward’s laughing face was full of leisure.

“With all due respect, how should we understand the Eldest Young Master’s refusal of the Blood Rain Poison?”

“How could a lowly person like me know his profound intentions?”

“…”

“…”

“Perhaps he was disappointed to take only one family head with him to the afterlife.”

Chief Steward Gwak looked at the orchid with satisfaction and then turned around.

“So, in my opinion, it’s a good thing. If the Eldest Young Master were to die in this atmosphere, what would happen to the Cheonhwa Library?”

“Th-that’s.”

“Yes, it’s the abyss. Everyone will fall into the abyss. Hehehe!”

“Then are you going to wait until the Eldest Young Master makes his move?”

Chief Steward Gwak shook his head.

“No, we’ve dragged it on for too long. I thought he would die tomorrow, or the day after, and we’ve come this far, but it’s boring to wait again. You don’t know how hard I tried to shed tears in front of the family head on the day he decided on a joint suicide. When I think of that time… haha, I’m very angry that the two of them are still alive, and I’m also sorry for being impatient when the Eldest Young Master would have done it himself if I had waited a little longer. But.”

Chief Steward Gwak lifted the orchid pot he had been carefully tending.

Not knowing what it meant, the two martial artists looked at the pot, and when Chief Steward Gwak dropped the pot, it shattered with a crack, and the orchid became a hideous sight.

“We have to kill him. We have to help the Eldest Young Master.”

“There is one thing that bothers me.”

“There are many things.”

As Chief Steward Gwak’s eyes shone sinisterly, the two martial artists flinched.

Chief Steward Gwak grinned.

“Please speak.”

“The Second Young Master said something strange. He said it wasn’t that he took the beating, but that the Eldest Young Master seemed to have learned martial arts.”

Chief Steward Gwak tilted his head.

“That’s a strange thing to say.”

“Yes, it was a very strange thing to say.”

“No, what I said was strange was the story I told you two.”

“Pardon?”

“Even if the Eldest Young Master has learned martial arts, is he an obstacle to you two, the captain and vice-captain of the guards?”

It was a point about the gap in martial arts. The captain and vice-captain, who could be called the heads of the Cheonhwa Library’s guards, laughed awkwardly.

“Ah, no.”

“Good, that’s good. It seems you two believe that the Eldest Young Master has changed. It couldn’t be better. If you two believe it, then the guards of the Eldest Young Master must have also loosened their guard. Of course, that bitch Songhwa is a bit of a problem, but hahaha!”

“We will handle it without any problems.”

“Whoa, whoa… what you must keep in mind is that the Eldest Young Master’s death must be a suicide. Remember that. It’s troublesome to kill him openly. One of you two should arrange a private meeting with the Eldest Young Master. First, offer him a knife. He will kill himself. It’s unlikely, but if he resists by any chance, you can just slit his throat. And then?”

“We will announce it as a suicide.”

“That’s right. It’s easy, isn’t it?”

Chief Steward Gwak grinned.

***

Hugong frowned in the morning.

‘Ugh… what on earth is this stench.’

It was a sudden stench.

One day, two days, and then the third day.

As the younger brothers, who had been given their tasks, moved busily, the Cheonhwa Library was also filled with vitality.

In the meantime, he had been devoted to his training, taking wild ginseng and fleeceflower root at the right times, but this morning, a smell so foul that it was hard to even sit calmly wafted in. It had been tolerable until a little while ago, but it was getting worse and worse, and now it was so bad that it was difficult to breathe.

It had been a long time since he had smelled such a vile stench.

It was a stench that could rival that of the Beggars’ Sect’s elder, the Stinky Breath Divine Beggar. The Stinky Breath Divine Beggar’s bad breath was unparalleled, and he could knock out an opponent with just his bad breath. In the past, when Hugong had smelled the Divine Beggar’s breath, he had almost beaten him to death on the spot.

No, that’s not it.

This surpassed the stench from the corpse of the Black Killing Gate’s Number 7, who had died from being pickled in poison after hiding in a cesspool for three days to kill someone. No, why on earth did he crawl in there?

It was impossible to sit in meditation any longer.

Hugong was satisfied with his achievement of one of his three major body protection arts, Jeonhyeol (Revolving Acupoints), and withdrew his cultivation.

He had only confirmed the achievement of Jeonhyeol for now.

Jeonhyeol literally meant the movement of acupoints.

As he operated the body protection art, a change appeared in his eyes.

The whites of his eyes disappeared, and his entire eyes were dyed black as if they had been submerged in ink.

This was a precursor to Jeonhyeol.

At the same time, his internal meridians swirled, and the positions of his acupoints changed.