Chapter 19

“What should we do?”

It’s fine to just ignore it.

After all, Namgung Woo had no business with the Paeng Family. He acted solely out of a natural sense of compassion as a human being, unable to leave the injured behind. If they refused his help, there was no reason for Namgung Woo to force himself to assist.

“If they had drawn their swords, I wouldn’t have let it slide.”

The three Paeng Family martial artists who arrived late were merely standing in the way, blocking with their bodies.

Sword faction, they use the Dao, so perhaps they could be called Dao wielders. Though they had their hands on their hilts, ready to draw at any moment, it was only a warning.

Namgung Woo stepped back to show he had no intention of confrontation, but Paeng Mu-ho spoke first.

“Everyone, step back. This is not someone you can handle.”

“Huh?”

“Vice Leader, what do you mean…?”

The Paeng Family martial artists, Paeng Wi and Paeng Sa-beon, asked in shock. Who was Paeng Mu-ho? Within the Paeng Family, he was ranked fifth in pure martial prowess, a peak master.

Yet here he was, addressing a young man barely past his twenties with honorifics. It was enough to turn the Hapbuk martial world upside down.

However, unlike the other two, the last martial artist, Paeng U-chaek, nodded silently, confirming his suspicions.

“Vice Leader, could it be that the energy wave just now was…?”

“Yes. It wasn’t me.”

The Paeng Family martial artists had also sensed the intense energy wave from the battle between the Soul-Stealing Ghost Phantom and Namgung Woo.

That’s why they hurriedly left the other martial artists behind and rushed here alone.

But they had mistaken the source of the energy wave as Paeng Mu-ho. Namgung Woo had unleashed his internal energy on the Soul-Stealing Ghost Phantom with almost no loss.

The minimal energy leakage made it impossible to gauge Namgung Woo’s true strength, like a blind man feeling an elephant’s leg.

Unaware of this, the Paeng Family martial artists naturally assumed their Vice Leader was fighting with all his might.

And when they arrived, the sight of someone so young only deepened their misunderstanding. Humans, after all, think within the boundaries of their own common sense.

Rather than believing a young man in his twenties could be a Supreme Peak Master, it was more natural to think that the renowned master Paeng Mu-ho was unleashing his full power.

“But still…”

“He’s a Supreme Peak Master.”

Paeng Mu-ho firmly cut off the Paeng Family martial artists’ doubts.

“I saw it with my own eyes.”

What could be more convincing than that?

At Paeng Mu-ho’s declaration, the Paeng Family martial artists’ gazes toward Namgung Woo shifted.

“Just a young man in his twenties…”

“It’s the Vice Leader’s word. It must be true.”

The Paeng Family martial artists backed down.

After entrusting the unconscious Paeng Ha-ryeong to the three martial artists, Paeng Mu-ho struggled to move his heavily injured body.

Without hesitation, Paeng Mu-ho bent his waist. Not a casual bow, but a deep bow of respect. Regardless of age, it was the proper attitude toward a benefactor.

“I apologize for my rudeness, young hero. No, given your martial prowess, it’s more fitting to call you a grand hero.”

It was still awkward for Namgung Woo to receive such respect from an elder.

In the martial world, age was secondary to skill and martial prowess, but Namgung Woo’s mindset was closer to that of a modern, rational person than a martial artist.

“No need for apologies. And ‘grand hero’ is a bit too much for me.”

“If that’s your wish. I owe you my life. I won’t forget this debt. If you ever visit the Paeng Family, mention my name, and you’ll be treated as an honored guest.”

Namgung Woo smiled awkwardly.

Song Chaeji had been the same, and now Paeng Mu-ho too. Was this how righteous martial artists were?

Feeling a bit embarrassed, Namgung Woo changed the subject, looking at Paeng Mu-ho’s condition.

“By the way, are you alright? You seem to have serious internal injuries.”

“Hah… Your insight is impressive, young hero. But don’t worry about me. Those born into the Paeng Family are naturally strong. I can endure this level of injury. However…”

A look of worry and regret spread across Paeng Mu-ho’s face.

As he lowered his head, a sense of despair emanated from him.

“How did it come to this?”

Namgung Woo could roughly guess the situation from the energy wave he felt before arriving, but it was still just speculation.

But Paeng Mu-ho couldn’t answer that question.

“I’m sorry, benefactor, but the family can’t afford to delay any longer.”

Paeng Mu-ho was suppressing the urge to leave immediately, forcing himself to show proper etiquette to his benefactor.

He was filled with self-reproach. It was his mistake. He had been blinded by the information about the red aura and the danger of the ghost phantom.

Even though Paeng Ha-ryeong, as a direct descendant of the Paeng Family, had higher authority than Paeng Mu-ho, as a more experienced martial artist, he had the duty to judge the situation more coldly.

No one expected the Soul-Stealing Ghost Phantom to appear? But Paeng Ha-ryeong had seen it with her own eyes and still chose to fight. She thought she could win against one.

But there were two Soul-Stealing Ghost Phantoms. The two of them realized too late that they had been too hasty. In the end, Paeng Mu-ho’s focus was divided, and both were exposed to the demonic energy released upon the ghost phantom’s death.

If not for the Paeng Family’s innate toughness and the inherited protective qi technique refined over generations, Paeng Ha-ryeong wouldn’t be alive now.

‘But if left like this, it’s only a matter of time before she dies, either quickly or slowly in agony.’

Though still fatigued, Namgung Woo used his Azure Tranquility Eyes to observe the two once more.

Like a bird in the sky looking down at its prey on the ground.

Namgung Woo’s gaze pierced through their conditions in an instant.

“May I take a look?”

“Young hero, you mean?”

“You know how serious her condition is. Most doctors wouldn’t be able to help. Do you have any other plans?”

“…No. You’re right. We’ll use the Mysterious Medicine for emergency treatment and return to the family as quickly as possible.”

If they sent a message to the family and met halfway between Tianjin, where the Paeng Family was based, and Muan County, they could rendezvous within two or three days.

With the Mysterious Medicine and Paeng Mu-ho’s innate life force aiding her, Paeng Ha-ryeong could hold on until then. That’s what Paeng Mu-ho believed. What he wanted to believe.

But Namgung Woo thought differently.

‘If left like this, she might not make it through the day.’

It was bad luck. If Paeng Ha-ryeong had even half her usual internal energy, she might have endured the internal injuries from the clash of energies, but now, there was almost no internal energy left in her body.

Namgung Woo didn’t know how much internal energy she usually had, but it was clear that without it, her body would be completely eroded by the evil energy.

By observing Paeng Ha-ryeong’s condition, Namgung Woo could deduce how she had handled the explosion.

‘She tried to block with her right hand. Using her hand was faster than drawing her weapon. The three meridians in her right arm—the Lung, Large Intestine, and Heart meridians—are tainted by the evil energy. To prolong her life, the arm would have to be amputated. Did Paeng Mu-ho consider that?’

The three meridians Namgung Woo recalled all flowed through the right arm.

Amputating the right arm. Whether right-handed or left-handed, it would completely disrupt the body’s balance. For a martial artist, it would effectively mean the end of their career.

Paeng Mu-ho knew this too. Anyone who had spent decades in the martial world would instinctively know what measures to take, even without formal medical training.

Of course, Paeng Mu-ho knew. To save her, the right arm, most severely tainted by the evil energy, would have to be amputated to prevent further spread, and his own life force would be used to expel the corrupting energy from her organs.

But there was something Paeng Mu-ho still couldn’t understand.

Why was Namgung Woo trying to help them?

From a desperate standpoint, it might sound ridiculous, but it was a valid question.

He was already the Paeng Family’s benefactor. If he hadn’t shown up, Paeng Ha-ryeong and Paeng Mu-ho would have died long before any talk of saving her.

That alone was a life-saving favor. Was he aiming to become the Paeng Family’s son-in-law? But the Paeng Family’s reputation wasn’t lacking.

A Supreme Peak Master in his twenties could easily aim for a position in the more powerful Heonwon Family or even the Imperial Family. With his talent, he could even aspire to be the Martial Governor, the pinnacle of the Imperial martial forces.

So why was he going out of his way to help Paeng Ha-ryeong, tainted by the Soul-Stealing Ghost Phantom’s evil energy?

‘Is it arrogance, or ignorance?’

If he thought everything in the world would go his way just because he became a Supreme Peak Master at a young age, he was mistaken. Though his internal energy might surpass Paeng Mu-ho’s, transferring energy to someone with a different internal energy technique was no easy task, even for a Supreme Peak Master.

Perhaps he didn’t know the dangers of energy transfer. Young people often overlook the risks of things they haven’t experienced.

Moreover, aiding someone tainted by the evil energy of a Soul-Stealing Ghost Phantom was far more dangerous than a typical energy transfer.

If it was the former, it was problematic, but if it was the latter, he should be stopped for his own safety.

Though the thought process was long, the exchange between Paeng Mu-ho’s question and Namgung Woo’s answer happened in a brief moment.

And Namgung Woo’s answer dispelled all of Paeng Mu-ho’s worries and fears.

“Because I can.”

That was Namgung Woo’s true intention.

The Paeng Family had apologized for their rudeness. And Paeng Ha-ryeong had ended up like this because she fought to protect the weak.

If she had been evil, Namgung Woo wouldn’t have stepped forward, but since she acted with good intentions, his heart was moved.

Above all.

Namgung Woo had the ability.

That’s why he stepped forward. That was all.

Namgung Woo’s feelings were conveyed through his voice.

He wasn’t seeking any special reward.

He simply knew he could help, so he would.

Namgung Woo’s calm voice held no arrogance. It was filled with strong self-assurance, assuring that there was no need to worry.

“If…”

Thus, Paeng Mu-ho couldn’t help but grasp the lifeline of hope before him.

“If you can treat, or even improve Ha-ryeong’s condition…”

Thud.

Paeng Mu-ho’s knees hit the ground. The knees of a hero who had shaken the Hapbuk martial world, the Vice Leader of the Paeng Family’s Northern Sky Unit.

“I, Paeng Mu-ho, even if it costs my life, will fulfill three of your requests.”

He owed Namgung Woo two lives—his own and Paeng Ha-ryeong’s.

And now, if Namgung Woo could treat Paeng Ha-ryeong, that would make three.

For Paeng Mu-ho, it was a solemn vow, but Namgung Woo’s reaction was indifferent, almost bored.

‘Really…?’

Weaker than me…

‘I’d rather get a closer look at her condition.’

Fortunately, Namgung Woo had common sense and the restraint not to voice his thoughts easily.

“Let’s see what we can do.”

Brushing off Paeng Mu-ho’s solemn vow, Namgung Woo approached Paeng Ha-ryeong.

But the backlash came from an unexpected place.

Even as the Paeng Family martial artists remained silent during Namgung Woo and Paeng Mu-ho’s conversation, someone voiced opposition.

“Young hero, you can’t!”

“Brother, think again!”

It was none other than the Yang Brothers.