Chapter 31

The shocking statement that turned the hall upside down made people doubt their own ears.

“Why are you alive? How can you say that to the benefactor of our family?”

Even though the Hapbuk Paeng Family’s tradition is known for being bold and not overly concerned with etiquette, there should still be limits.

Though no voice was heard, people felt as if they could hear a scream-like sigh, like an auditory hallucination.

“Did I really hear that correctly? As I age, my ears must be failing me!”

“They said the Ghost Gate has opened and sorcery has reached its peak, and it seems to be true!”

“They said those born with a constitution where the Heavenly Gate doesn’t close are destined to become fools, and it seems heaven is truly indifferent!”

The same reaction was reflected on everyone’s faces, but deep down, they understood it was just an escape from reality.

The third child of the family head, the eldest daughter Paeng Ha-ryeong, and the family head’s younger brother Paeng Mu-ho had their lives saved by the family’s benefactor, yet such insolent words were spoken towards them.

“How on earth are we supposed to handle this situation? My head is spinning.”

However, the thoughts of Namgung Woo, who was on the receiving end of the insulting remarks, were completely different.

“What is this?”

A strange sense of déjà vu washed over him.

Those words weren’t just malicious remarks aimed at removing a nuisance clinging to his beloved sister.

It was closer to a fundamental question.

Just as Namgung Woo himself used Azure Tranquility Eyes to dissect and examine the essence of a person’s energy, spirit, and mind, the girl, Paeng Ye-ryeong, also saw something in him. Or rather, felt something, since she likely didn’t possess Azure Tranquility Eyes.

Yes. That girl recognized something incomprehensible in Namgung Woo. And there were many such incomprehensible aspects about him.

“What did she sense? That I’m from another world? The strange knowledge even I don’t fully understand? This body? Or perhaps my greatest ability, my eyes?”

Whatever it was, Paeng Ye-ryeong was extraordinary.

Namgung Woo released his clasped hands, knelt on one knee, and brought himself to eye level with Paeng Ye-ryeong.

“What did you mean by that?”

It wasn’t Paeng Ye-ryeong who answered Namgung Woo’s question, but Moyong Hye.

“Benefactor, please forgive the rudeness. Ye-ryeong sometimes says things that are hard to understand…”

Moyong Hye, who was defending Paeng Ye-ryeong while exuding an apologetic aura, suddenly felt her clothes being tugged and turned to look at Paeng Ye-ryeong.

“Ye-ryeong?”

“We’re the same.”

“Huh?”

Moyong Hye furrowed her brows, wondering what that meant. But Paeng Ye-ryeong’s interest in her mother ended there. Paeng Ye-ryeong faced Namgung Woo and answered his question.

“What do I mean? You… my sister’s benefactor, you noticed too, right?”

We’re the same.

You noticed too, didn’t you?

At Paeng Ye-ryeong’s counter-question, Namgung Woo’s eyes took on a faint blue hue.

Azure Tranquility Eyes revealed themselves, visualizing the ascending dimension connected to Paeng Ye-ryeong’s wide-open Heavenly Gate.

“…Yes.”

Moyong Hye, who was alternating her gaze between Namgung Woo and Paeng Ye-ryeong as they exchanged cryptic dialogue, couldn’t understand the meaning behind their words despite them speaking the same language.

“Benefactor? Ye-ryeong? What on earth are you talking about? Please explain it in a way that’s easier to understand.”

“Easier? Hmm… it’s just as it is. We’re the same. Our constitution. It touches the heavens.”

“What?”

Moyong Hye’s face turned pale, and her eyelids fluttered.

The same? That can’t be. Those whose Heavenly Gates are open and connected to the heavens have only three possible fates.

If they follow the path of obedience, they may be fortunate enough to receive a divine descent and become shamans. If they follow the path of defiance, they must quickly learn the left-hand path’s sorcery and become sorcerers.

If they cannot follow either path, their only future is to become fools.

But Paeng Ye-ryeong had not walked either of those paths. It was said that she was already too close to the heavens for humans to intervene, and since no divine descent had come, she should have taken the path of defiance, but now it was too late.

Thus, the Paeng Family had sought a solution from the external power of the Ghost Gate.

And now, Paeng Ye-ryeong was saying that the man before her was the same as her.

Born under the cursed Heavenly Punishment, where one would go mad before reaching adulthood, yet here he was, alive and well, moving past his twenties.

This meant that this man was living proof that Paeng Ye-ryeong could survive, a sudden lifeline of hope that had appeared out of nowhere.

It was too sudden, without any warning. Moyong Hye couldn’t even feel joy properly because she doubted whether what she was seeing and hearing was real.

And the others felt the same.

Even Paeng Ha-ryeong, who had held onto the hope that Namgung Woo might somehow improve Paeng Ye-ryeong’s condition with some miraculous method, was left speechless, let alone the others.

But as if the state of the others didn’t matter, Paeng Ye-ryeong spoke nonchalantly.

“I asked the wrong question earlier. How are you alive?”

“…That.”

Namgung Woo paused for a moment, realizing that he himself didn’t fully understand his own body.

He had been observing himself intermittently, but he had never truly exerted all his strength, fully utilizing the three types of divine energy stored in his Three Dantians and all his martial and spiritual abilities.

The same went for Azure Tranquility Eyes. The most he had ever pushed its abilities was when he treated Paeng Ha-ryeong. But even that was far from fully unleashing its potential.

If he didn’t fully understand himself, how could he fully understand others?

It was still too early to answer confidently.

And above all, unlike Paeng Ye-ryeong, Namgung Woo had the leisure and consideration to look around.

“It seems too early to discuss this here.”

Namgung Woo stood up, releasing his knee from the ground.

“Ah…”

Paeng Ye-ryeong’s expression clearly showed her disappointment. Namgung Woo lifted his gaze and met eyes filled with a more intense and profound desire than anyone he had ever seen.

“It seems you have many questions, but perhaps it would be better to take it slow?”

“……Benefactor…”

Moyong Hye’s voice was choked with emotion.

He didn’t know. Namgung Woo didn’t know.

Could he even guess? The pain of a mother who couldn’t protect her child? And the joy of finally finding hope?

Every minute and second felt precious. She wanted to give Paeng Ye-ryeong a future right away.

Had she used too much mental strength? Just taking a step, not even half a stride, made Moyong Hye’s body sway.

“Mother, it would be best to follow the benefactor’s words for now.”

“Yes, let’s go inside first. The benefactor must be tired after arriving in Beijing and coming straight to Tianjin the next day.”

Paeng Ja-ryeong and Paeng Ha-ryeong supported Moyong Hye’s unsteady body from both sides.

Even Paeng Ye-ryeong, who usually acted without much thought, was different this time. She wrapped her arms around Moyong Hye and leaned into her, as if trying to comfort her.

With all three children trying to calm her, Moyong Hye took a deep breath and suppressed her excitement. It had been so overwhelming that even her lifelong training in mental techniques had faltered.

“…I’ve made a fool of myself.”

“Not at all.”

“As the hostess, I should personally guide you, but I don’t think I can. Ha-ryeong, could you guide the benefactor to the guest room instead? Would that be alright, benefactor?”

“Of course.”

As Moyong Hye bowed her head, Namgung Woo also bowed in return.

After Paeng Ja-ryeong gave a silent nod to Namgung Woo and helped Moyong Hye away, Paeng Ha-ryeong took Namgung Woo’s arm.

“Please come this way. I’ll give you a brief tour of the estate.”

§

When the commotion finally subsided and they entered the guest room, the Yang Brothers couldn’t hold back their questions any longer.

“Boss, what on earth just happened?”

“Can you really treat her? It sounded like you have the same constitution as her, but what does that mean? Some kind of special connection?”

“Both of you, calm down. I’m not entirely sure myself.”

Yang Kwae and Yang Jeong, realizing they might have been too excited, coughed awkwardly and sat down.

“But seriously, we were shocked. We heard that Paeng Ye-ryeong, the golden child of the Paeng Family, was sick, but boss, are you some kind of immortal? There’s nothing you can’t do.”

“Exactly. The Paeng Family’s young master is said to never show any emotional disturbance, but did you see him earlier? He was completely out of it when you were talking to the youngest princess.”

“Ah, that. I saw it too. They call him the Unyielding Lord, but I wonder if that’s accurate.”

Paeng Ja-ryeong, who was known as the Unyielding Lord for his calm and unshakable demeanor, had failed to maintain his composure during the earlier incident.

But Namgung Woo wasn’t entirely pleased with such a reaction.

“This is troublesome. Expectations have gotten too high.”

“Well, if you end up not being able to cure her, it’ll be a disaster.”

“Brother, what are you talking about? Didn’t they say you have the same constitution? That means you’ve overcome it, so what’s the problem?”

“Are you an idiot? The boss is a once-in-a-generation genius. He hasn’t said it outright, but he’s at least at the mid-level of the Transcendent Peak, right? Twenty-six and already at the mid-level of the Transcendent Peak? I only know two such monsters. But look at that Paeng Family girl. Her martial arts? I could knock her out with a flick.”

“Watch your words. Do you know where we are…?”

“Ah, the boss isn’t saying anything, so obviously no one’s eavesdropping. Don’t you trust the boss? Huh?”

Yang Jeong once again lost to Yang Kwae’s sharp tongue.

Though annoyed, Yang Kwae’s words always had a plausible basis, making it hard to argue back.

“Don’t worry. It seems there are no watchers around.”

“The Paeng Family is generally quite open. Other families would have assigned guards or helpers to assist with the tour.”

“The Huangbo Family might be similar to the Paeng Family.”

The Seven Great Families that dominate the Orthodox Martial World.

It used to be the Eight Great Families, including the Namgung Family, but anyway, the Huangbo Family is known for its boldness, much like the Paeng Family.

“More than the families, I’m curious about what you said earlier. You know two people who reached the mid-level of the Transcendent Peak in their twenties?”

“Ah, that? There’s one in the Orthodox faction and one in the Heterodox faction. In the Orthodox faction, there’s Hagyeong Jinin from the Cheongseong Sect, and in the Heterodox faction, there’s Dan Un-ak, the leader of the Black Martial Alliance…”

In the guest room, Yang Kwae’s impromptu lecture on martial world knowledge echoed.

Meanwhile.

After finishing the tour and entering the inner quarters, Paeng Ha-ryeong was immediately approached by two people.

“Ha-ryeong, come sit here for a moment.”