[TS] Became a Peach Saint – Chapter 293

The first visitor, after an hour or so, starts to attract a flood of people, as if they were being swept in by a wave.

“Are you okay now?”

“No, how did I get injured all at once…?”

“If it’s up to me, everyone will get better.”

Even though it was a joke to lighten the mood, the man who received treatment nodded in agreement.

“Thank you, Shin Yi. I heard that the treatment fee is being covered by this…”

The man reached into his pocket and pulled out a wooden plaque.

I need to catch it quickly.

Two wooden plaques are briefly visible in his half-pulled-out hand.

“Please give me three.”

“Here… yes?”

“Three undefeated plaques.”

“Uh…”

The man, who belatedly held two undefeated plaques, made an awkward expression.

“If it’s not enough, I can restore it for free.”

“…”

“Or would you like to earn the rest?”

The man’s stiff face finally relaxed.

“Is that possible?”

“Of course. In that case, you’ll get one more undefeated plaque, but since you’re strong, it shouldn’t matter, right?”

“Haha, of course! If that cunning guy hadn’t used dirty tricks, he would have been here.”

“Wow, warrior, you’re so cool.”

Clap clap clap clap.

“Hahaha!”

As I clapped, the treated man laughed heartily.

“If you bring one participant to the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering, I’ll deduct one.”

“Hmm, good.”

“Yep. You can go now. There are a lot of patients waiting behind you.”

Hearing my words, the man stood up.

Then, he made a sound with a fist greeting and slightly bowed his head.

“Shin Yi, I owe you a debt I can never repay.”

“Don’t mention it. Take care!”

As the man left, the person standing right behind him stepped forward with a swagger.

“I waited as you said! Now treat me!”

Whoosh—!

Bang bang bang!

“What a strike…!”

“I didn’t even see it…”

“Neither did I.”

“Shin Yi, your martial arts are truly unparalleled.”

Thanks to sending off one uninvited guest, murmurs erupted among the people in line.

“Next.”

“Han So-jeo, it’s already late at night.”

As I waited for the next patient, a familiar voice came.

It seems the absorption of the spiritual medicine is finally complete.

“Jeon Ho, are you done now?”

“Yes. But…”

Jeon Ho’s gaze turned to the person who had just been slapped and rolled away.

“Why?”

“That guy whose jaw you just shattered is the eldest son of the Akga family, a prominent figure in Shandong.”

“I’m practicing controlling my strength whenever I get the chance, but it’s not going well. Maybe I should use a weapon.”

Jeon Ho let out a shallow sigh.

“Making enemies with a major family isn’t a good choice.”

“Then should I erase them before they become a nuisance?”

At the same time, the murmuring around us suddenly stopped.

“…I think they’ve heard enough.”

“Right?”

“Yep…”

The answer wasn’t very satisfying.

“So, did the absorption go well?”

“Of course. I’m not so incompetent that I can’t absorb it even with Shin Yi’s direct help.”

“That’s good.”

Jeon Ho clenched and unclenched his fist, then smiled deeply.

His satisfaction was evident even here.

“Normally, the absorption rate of spiritual medicine is around 30 to 40 percent…”

“Wow. You’re throwing away more than half?”

“Yes. That’s even with the help I received. But thanks to Han So-jeo’s assistance, I absorbed it all.”

“That’s nothing special.”

Jeon Ho shakes his head as if it’s no big deal.

“Unraveling energy like a thread is almost divine. Even if you scoured the entire martial world, no one but Han So-jeo could do such a thing.”

As Jeon Ho looks around for agreement, the people lined up behind him nod in unison.

“I’ve never even heard of something like that being possible.”

“I came here half-doubting, but it seems like it’s really Shin Yi.”

“If he can reattach a severed arm, who else could it be but Shin Yi?”

Jeon Ho looks back at me, his eyes asking if I understood.

“Alright. If you’ve got nothing else to do, go dump that Akga or whatever over there.”

“It’s the Shandong Akga. A family famous for their domineering spear techniques.”

“Yeah, Akga. I got it.”

“Impressive.”

He’s treating me like a kid let loose by the water.

Jeon Ho seems to want me to adapt to this world already.

“It’s night. Are you really going to keep going?”

“Yeah, I have to.”

***

“Thank you, Shin Yi.”

“Yep. Try to eat lots of fruits and focus on a diet with fish and eggs. You lost too much blood.”

After sending off the last customer, the pocket of my robe moves as two little heads peek out. It must already be morning.

“Did you sleep well?”

“Baap.”

“Pii.”

Only their arms and heads are sticking out of the pocket, hanging like laundry.

As I stroke their heads, they close their eyes completely, already half-asleep.

They’re becoming more alike as time goes on.

Ding!

“Alright, it’s mealtime. Open your eyes and eat.”

“Okay.”

I hand Baekseol a flower and put Danpung’s sunflower seeds back in the pocket, and the two retreat inside.

“Han So-jeo, you’ve worked hard.”

—Chik, chik.

“Haa— Yeah. You’ve worked hard too, helping out beside me.”

In the vast Central Plains, everyone’s flocking to this slapdash tournament with an age limit of 20s, leaving no time to breathe.

Even though I’ve been treating people every second, it only calms down after sunrise.

“Ugh, my body’s killing me.”

“But a lot of undefeated fighters have gathered.”

“How many?”

“Three hundred and eighty-four.”

384.

People call people, and those people call more people.

It’s a lot, but after spending hours nonstop all night, it feels surprisingly small.

“How many participate in the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering?”

“It varies. Last time, I heard around 3,000 people participated.”

“Well, the land is vast.”

Walking from one end to the other would take years, and even by car, it takes days to reach the nearest city.

“If you disregard honor like Han So-jeo said, most restrictions are lifted. The Dragon and Phoenix Gathering happens once every five years, so that number might even be considered small.”

“Still, that’s quite a lot.”

“The martial world is filled with warriors like grains of sand.”

If you’re not aiming for success through commerce, martial prowess is almost the only way to rise in status.

As a skill that requires physical mastery, its prime doesn’t last long. With participants in their 20s to 30s, most active fighters are gathered here.

It should be fine to see.

However, due to the characteristics of martial arts, it’s generally believed that older people are more dangerous until a certain age.

“Let’s see.”

Rummaging through my pocket, a note I had tucked away falls out.

What could be so busy? The note is densely packed with writing.

Most of the big tasks seem to be done.

“I’ve already been to Shaolin Temple.”

“Correct.”

“Hmm, building friendships with the younger generation from the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering. That’s done too.”

“Yes?”

“What.”

“They probably feel the same way.”

Making friends with the younger generation is also complete.

Rather than the importance of the tasks, I think it’s more about wanting to see the world.

“Once I finish the Murim Alliance’s tasks, I’ll have completed everything Grandmother and Grandfather asked for.”

“I’ve been curious for a while, but who exactly are the grandmother and grandfather you refer to as ‘Grandmother’ and ‘Grandfather’?”

“Grandmother? Her name is Hyanghyang. As for Grandfather…”

“Hyanghyang?”

Jeon Ho suddenly grabs my shoulder.

“What, what’s wrong?”

“Han So-jeo! Did you just say Hyanghyang?”

“Yes, Hyanghyang.”

“Han So-jeo, are you seriously saying this without knowing?”

“So what is it?”

Jeon Ho’s face is so serious it looks like it’s about to rot.

“She is a notorious villain who mastered the forbidden technique, Blood Jade Shattering Palm.”

“A villain?”

“She’s known as the Blood Jade Empress, and even now, after years of disappearance, she remains a figure of terror.”

“She just called herself Blood Mara. You must be mistaken.”

“She is indeed a villain. Enthusiasts consider her one of the greatest in history, and martial artists are even reluctant to mention her nickname. So, there’s no way it’s a case of mistaken identity.”

On a day when the rain was drizzling, I met an old grandmother in a deserted, run-down cabin while seeking shelter from the rain.

At our first meeting, we ate ramen together, and I cured her of a chronic illness caused by old age.

There was nothing particularly unusual about her; she just enjoyed the delicious soup noodles, which was quite unlike an elder.

“You brat. You dare say anything to Grandmother.”

*Smack!*

“Ugh!”

Jeon Ho, who got a flick on the forehead, clutches his head and rolls on the ground.

“My head! My head is cracked!”

“It’s not cracked, kid. Get up.”

“Ugh! My head!”

“Ugh, Jeon Ho, you’ll live there forever. I’m going to the Murim Alliance.”

I’ve gathered about 10% of the undefeated titles from the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering participants.

In a society where the strong prey on the weak, this might seem fair, but there are over three thousand participants.

So, with this level of rumor, my story should have definitely reached the top brass of the Murim Alliance. Yet, there’s no sign of them coming.

Judging by Jeon Ho’s reaction, who’s been fussing over urgent matters, they should have come by now.

“Why haven’t they come yet? I deliberately spread the rumor.”

“Hmm… Han So-jeo, didn’t you destroy the Murim Alliance’s buildings? They must be in chaos.”

Jeon Ho rubs his forehead and gets up. Tears are still welling up in his eyes.

“Hmm, is it just because of that?”

“Who in the world would call the partial destruction of the Murim Alliance simple? The Murim Alliance holds immense symbolic significance in the martial world.”

“It’s just a few buildings. We’ll know once we go. Let’s go, Jeon Ho.”

“Yes…”

The kid is too frail. I should feed him more good stuff.

***

Walking out with Jeon Ho, a huge sign reading “Murim Alliance” comes into view.

A signboard begins to come into view.

From the entrance, it looks grand.

As we approach, the martial artists guarding the door beneath it shoot us suspicious glances.

“State your identity!”

“It’s me.”

Jeon Ho, who was still rubbing his forehead, pulls out a token from his pocket.

“Deputy Inspector, at your service!”

“Haha, our Jeon Ho is so cool. Even my shoulders are rising, man.”

Despite the compliment, he looks at me with sleepy eyes.

“This person is vouched for by me. And Han So-jeo, you really can’t cause any trouble here. From now on, it’s beyond my ability to cover for you.”

“When did I ever cause trouble?”

As I try to move forward, Jeon Ho urgently blocks my path.

“This is where a group called the Great Gate Faction has formed an alliance. Many here don’t know me, so absolutely no, no, no. Really, no. Please.”

“Got it.”

“…Really?”

“Yes.”

He still looks at me with a strange gaze.

“Fine, understood. Open the gate. Why is it locked in broad daylight?”

“Deputy Inspector, the person beside you has not been verified and cannot enter.”

“I said I’m vouching for them, didn’t I?”

“Sorry, but no. The guest must record their name and origin in the entry log and show their identity token.”

A vein pops on Jeon Ho’s forehead.

It seems like this is his first time experiencing such a thing in a place with such clear hierarchy.

“Explain the reason.”

“Yesterday, the Murim Alliance was ambushed. Because of that, strict orders have been given to thoroughly manage all entries.”

Jeon Ho looks back at me with a silent gaze.

“I have an identity token.”

“Really?”

Until now, Jeon Ho had handled everything, so I never had a reason to take it out.

“Yes. Grandmother gave it to me.”

I had hung the jade token Grandmother gave me around my neck. When I pull it out, Jeon Ho’s eyes widen like lanterns.

“Gasp! H-Han So-jeo, put that away quickly!”

“Why? Grandmother said to use this as an identity token. Here, look.”

“No, no…!”

As I wave the token at the gatekeeper, suddenly, urgent bell sounds start ringing.

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!

“It’s the Blood Jade Token!!”

“Alert!!”

“Fire the signal arrow!!”

The gatekeeper pulls out a strangely shaped arrow and shoots it into the sky.

Whoosh—!

Then, a loud whistling sound, like wind tearing through, echoes all around.

“Wow, what a grand welcome.”

“….”

“Didn’t I say I wouldn’t cause trouble?”

I shrug at Jeon Ho, who stands there with a hopeless expression, and he covers his face with his palm.