“Have you calmed down a little now?”
“…I seem to have caused you trouble.”
“It’s fine.”
“Things could have gone very wrong… I owe you a great debt of gratitude.”
“That’s all right. Don’t keep it in mind. If you really feel indebted, just buy me some tang later.”
“Tang?”
“For now, let me give you this.”
At the same time, Hong Ryun fumbled in her bosom and took something out.
What she pulled out was a pouch.
“Here.”
When the cap of the pouch was opened, a chicken leg bizarrely popped out.
Thud-thud.
Hong Ryun shook it slightly to remove the dust and handed it to me.
As if encouraging me to eat it right away.
“Are you just going to呆傻地 stand there? I heard through intelligence that you like chicken legs, so I hurriedly dried one and brought it here.”
“…For me?”
“Yes, for you. So don’t even think of refusing, although you said you aren’t hungry.”
“Thank you, I will eat it well.”
For my sake, she even found out my favorite food.
It’s quite touching.
…But “intelligence?”
– Have you regained your senses yet?
Just as I was trying to find something odd in Hong Ryun’s words, the voice of Woo-yong Jin echoed in my mind.
“Yes, it appears to be the case.”
– Tsk, really, I can’t let you out of my sight for a moment. You pitiful son-in-law.
“I apologize.”
– It’s not something you should apologize for since it’s your responsibility… but look for my younger brother.
“Your younger brother?”
His younger brother—isn’t that the person who killed him?
Why did the mention of this “younger brother” randomly emerge here in Mucheon Valley?
– I received word that the rascal is here.
“Is that really true? So that’s why you have been urging me since a while ago.”
– That’s right.
“Then may I ask how the person who has been solely in my inner thoughts received such information? Aren’t you supposed to be cut off from the outside world except for what I see and hear?”
– Don’t ask any more about that. I will tell you everything when the time is right.
“…”
After uttering those words, Woo-yong Jin closed his mouth tightly.
Just like the last time, he seems to be hiding some sort of secret from me. I am certain now.
Well, I don’t care. I have no hobby of forcing conversation with someone who doesn’t want to talk.
“Regardless, I fully understand. As for this so-called younger brother, I don’t know his face, so if you see him while I’m looking around, please inform me. For now, I need to continue my conversation with this person.”
In response to my words, a short nod of the head was heard.
Having received Woo-yong Jin’s approval, I shifted my focus to the old Jiangshi I had momentarily ignored.
This old man, who continued to chuckle while I had an astonishing conversation with Bin Namgung, grinned at me as my gaze turned toward him.
It’s odd again, but there is a strange sense of kinship that I cannot explain just by a mere lineage connection.
– It seems certain, looking at that guy, that Lady Young did not lie.
The troubled murmur of Woo-yong Jin could be heard.
“Guy”? Is he talking about this old man?
– You’re right. That’s exactly who I’m talking about.
“Are you familiar with him?”
– No? Indeed, I know him well. One could even boast that I know him better than anyone.
An acquaintance of Woo-yong Jin?
In that case, the least it means is that he was someone from the ancient martial arts world about five hundred years ago.
That would imply one of the martial artists from the Nan Gong family during that time…
– His name is Sword Immortal, one you should also know. He’s always mentioned when discussing the greatest heroes throughout history.
“Ah…”
Sword Immortal.
He is the one who is said to have achieved a realm surpassing even the first ancestors of the Nan Gong family. In the current martial arts world, he remains a significant role model.
For he used his great power not in arrogance but for justice—this is indeed proper behavior.
He was also a first-class contributor to stopping the peculiar invasion by the Sunmoon Sect—so it’s not surprising that I feel kinship with him.
– No, your feeling of kinship with him might not be for that reason.
“What?”
– That kinship you feel isn’t simply because you consider him as someone who practices justice.
“Then what’s the reason…”
Before I could finish, Woo-yong Jin interjected.
– He, like you, is a reincarnated soul from another world.
“…”
– Well, now I am referring to you.
My view of the old man suddenly shifted…
I encountered more than just a fellow reincarnated soul; this was an incredibly shocking meeting for me.
Not being able to have an open heart-to-heart conversation with such a person is truly regrettable.
However, there’s something I need to ask him right away.
“Do you, by chance, know the reason why I came to this Muchuan Valley today?”
“I do know, but let you say it.”
“Alright then. I heard a rare and wondrous medicine called Isheng Pill is here.”
“Is that so.”
Jian Xian nodded slightly.
I asked straightforwardly.
“Is there an Isheng Pill?”
“There is.”
“How many are there?”
“Two. That should be sufficient.”
“?…”
I only asked how many pills there were, and sufficient? What does he mean by that?
“Do you also know why I need the Isheng Pill?”
“No, I’m not that wise.”
“If so, then how…?”
“Huh, there are ways to know everything. But I’m not entirely confident, so… is two what you need?”
“…I only need one pill.”
The Isheng Pill is an unparalleled medicine that the world may never see again.
Even one pill would be enough to revive Gayoung Jin.
Certainly, having an extra just in case wouldn’t hurt…
“Hey, will you give me the leftover one?”
From afar, Tang Sobaek, who had been eavesdropping, butted in on our conversation.
“Do you also need the Isheng Pill?”
“Yes, well… it’s not absolutely necessary, but, I guess it would be sort of helpful.”
“Well, then let her have one. Ancestor, is it alright?”
“Feel free to take it. Everything here is prepared for your use.”
With an intention to agree readily, a sudden word in my ear sparked my curiosity.
“Prepared?”
“That’s right…”
“This is Xin Tou’s hidden treasure vault.”
“No problem.”
“Could it be…?”
The true identity of Xin Tou…
“Ancestor?”
“One of my other names. As you might know, when one wants to conduct a great event, one needs many resources, right?”
That the identity of the great hero of the era, Xin Tou, was actually Sword Immortal, the greatest swordsman ever, was something I never could have imagined.
As I learned this, slowly, pieces of questions I harbored about the past began to fit together.
How could Xin Tou possess such excellent concealment skills and lightness kung fu? The reason is that Xin Tou himself was a peerless grandmaster.
“Is that so? However…”
I glanced around.
The dazzling scenery of the hidden chamber hurt my eyes.
“A little overwhelming, don’t you think?”
“No, these things I collected weren’t for the great event.”
“Then what were they for?”
“All for you. An offspring five hundred years later with the destiny of a hero…”
Sword Immortal raised an arm that seemed like it would collapse at any moment to point at me.
It was an emaciated finger that would crumble if you poked it.
“You’ve mistaken the person.”
“Hm?”
“I’ve surpassed that era. I’m not into anything grandiose anymore.”
In response to that, he answered with a wry grin.
“Well, we’ll see about that.”
Sword Immortal wore an enigmatic expression.
“And, I don’t need all this wealth either.”
“They’re not ordinary treasures. There are plenty of spirit medicines, precious swords, and valuable items.”
“Therefore, I need them even less. What use would I have for such things?”
“Could the day come when you might need them? No one knows, right? You can forget about them now, if you prefer. But when the day comes when you need these treasures, don’t hesitate to come.”
“…They’re stolen goods.”
“The original owners are all dead. Their descendants have even forgotten about the existence of these treasures.”
Why is he trying to saddle me with burdens like this?
Since he says there’s no hurry to take them now, I have no intention of touching them anyway.
“You can come anytime it suits your fancy. This Muchuan Valley will always be open to you, no matter if it rains or snows.”
Sword Immortal spread his gaunt winter branch-like arms and said.
Even if I am a descendant, I can’t think why he’s being so good to me.
Unconditional generosity, no matter how virtuous the person, is hard to believe.
“Nevertheless, leaving that aside.”
“Is there another question?”
“Exactly how did you know about me five hundred years ago? And why did you choose to use this Muchuan Valley as your treasure vault?”
Above all, the most important question.
“An ancestor like you or someone like me… we’re the kind of people who only know about the ‘experienced future,’ right? Surely, you couldn’t have experienced the future five hundred years later too?”
The question about his actions, cannot be explained by coincidence at all.
In response to this, Sword Immortal happily opened his mouth as if he had been waiting for it.
“That…”
