[TS] Became a Peach Saint – Chapter 180

Without a word, Grandma got off first, and I followed her out of the cart. A place lush with bamboo appeared.

Behind us was a cliff, and on the opposite side, there was what seemed to be the entrance to a cave where the cart must have come from.

“Follow me carefully.”

“Yup.”

I thought we were here to sightsee the cliff, but Grandma, who was walking ahead, started feeling the wall next to the cliff with her hand.

*Creak, creak, creak!*

Soon, the rock split open, revealing another cave entrance.

“Whoa.”

“Hold my hand. We’ll arrive in an instant, so don’t worry.”

When I grabbed Grandma’s outstretched hand, I felt her rough but warm body heat.

Holding her hand and stepping into the cave, the scenery changed in an instant.

After pushing through bushes as tall as people, a magnificent sight unfolded before us.

“Wow.”

Massive buildings were spread out in all directions, and unlike the dirt ground from earlier, the floor was paved with stones, clearly well-maintained.

“This is the Cheonma Shin Guild, located in Cheonsan.”

“It’s so cool.”

“Hehe. You must be tired from riding the cart all day, so we’ll start the treatment tomorrow.”

“Yup.”

*Click, click.*

“Phew—”

When the air is fresh, I always feel like smoking a cigarette.

“Han So-jeo, let me show you where you’ll stay.”

“Yes, thank you. But where are you going, Grandma?”

“I need to go meet the boss here.”

After finishing her sentence, Grandma disappeared in an instant.

“She’s referring to Cheonma, the leader of this guild.”

“Hmm.”

As I followed Uncle Daeju and looked around, I realized this was the highest point.

From here, a ridiculously long staircase stretched down, and what looked like a village was formed below.

“Han So-jeo, you can stay here tonight.”

“Yes, thank you.”

The place Uncle Daeju guided me to was a pitch-black building.

“Then I’ll take my leave now.”

Just like Grandma, Uncle Daeju disappeared in an instant.

“Phew— Heukryong Hall?”

“Whoa!”

“Right? It’s disgustingly huge.”

In front of the enormous, towering hall, the words “Heukryong Hall” were written in majestic calligraphy.

“Phew—”

While admiring the hall and smoking a cigarette, a loud noise came from behind.

I turned around, and they were already right in front of me.

The people in this town must have eaten ghosts for breakfast.

“Huh? Who might you be, miss?”

The people who appeared were all white-haired old men.

I must have misread “Heukryong Silver Town” as “Heukryong Hall.”

“I’m, uh…”

Maybe they thought I was scared, so they smiled with their scar-covered, intimidating faces.

That’s even scarier.

“This old man is called Geomma.”

“Dokma.”

“Gwonma.”

“The Divine Teaching’s General.”

“Ah, right.”

As I pulled out the jade that Grandma had given me from my pocket, the mouths of the gathered elders gaped wide.

“I came here with the grandma who gave me this.”

“Ha, grandma?”

“What is your relationship with the Grand Elder, young lady?”

“I’m something like a doctor. Grandma was having trouble with her back, so I fixed it for her.”

The elders, looking confused, exchanged glances and silently communicated with their eyes.

***

*Thud!*

“Ugh.”

“Ah, geez. Grandpa, stop making weird noises and just exhale.”

“Whew—”

*Thud!*

“Ughhh. Ah, that feels good.”

“Grandpa Grim Sword, how many hours a day do you train?”

“All day.”

“Ugh, Grandpa. That’s breathing technique addiction. That’s what caused your scoliosis, you know.”

“Huh?”

“If you sit with your legs twisted like that, your spine has no choice but to bend. Starting tomorrow, don’t sit while training. Change your posture to lying down for the lying-down technique. And only do the breathing technique until midday.”

“Huh!?”

*Crash!!!*

Even in the midst of this, a deafening sound erupted from the side.

“Hahaha! Gwonma, has your body gotten lighter? Did you hit your late prime or something?”

“Hah! My body doesn’t even feel like my own anymore, yeah.”

*Crash!!!*

“Grim Sword!”

The grandpas, who had been causing chaos by smashing the floor around them, all turned to look at me at once.

“Grandpas, you’ve been drinking, right? I’ll make you some spicy hangover soup, so stop that and come over here.”

Finally, the grandpas gathered around.

What I noticed here is that the food has no flavor.

Maybe because even the most basic ingredient, salt, is expensive, but most of the food is unbearably bland.

The only decent ones were soy sauce-based dishes, and even those were limited to expensive meals.

***

A massive gate, towering high into the sky, creaked open with a loud noise.

The gazes of the people lined up below, led by the dark figure of Cheonma sitting on a black chair, turned toward the person who had just opened the door and entered.

In such a situation, even the most powerful figures in the vast martial world would find it hard to breathe under the pressure.

But as if their stares meant nothing, a woman walked in with lively steps.

“Hello.”

Hearing the woman’s voice, Cheonma immediately…

A guest whose identity could be known.

The voice was so captivating that anyone who heard it would be enchanted. Just as the Grand Elder had said, this person was exactly as described.

The hair color resembled a beautiful peach blossom, so much so that if the Volcano Sect saw it, they’d think plum blossoms had bloomed and their eyes would roll back in awe.

Her beauty was so extraordinary that even the phrase “a beauty that could topple nations” felt insufficient.

Wherever she went, the title of “the most beautiful woman” that was often attached to any lady would surely wither in her presence.

She was a bewitching creature.

“Ugh. Oh my, I ate too much for breakfast.”

This too matched the Grand Elder’s description.

If she didn’t open her mouth, she was no different from a celestial maiden.

“Baekseol, are you full too? Oh my, our Pposiraegi’s belly is so round!”

Even though the baby rabbit sitting on her shoulder only licked its cheek, she kept talking to it.

Though unsure of the guest she had summoned, everything matched the Grand Elder’s words.

“Shin Yi, I called you here to treat the Young Master.”

“Yes. Is he in a lot of pain?”

“····You must never speak of this to anyone.”

“Okay. So where does it hurt? If you keep dragging this out, the Young Master—or should I say the little brat—will be doing the tap dance on the road to the underworld.”

*Snap.*

I must endure.

According to the Grand Elder, this woman is the Young Master’s only lifeline.

‘Grand Elder. Your words must be true.’

“*Sigh*.”

A deep sigh escaped Cheonma as the image of his child’s condition flashed through his mind.

“His body is melting.”

“Melting? Hmm····. Necrosis? Muscle liquefaction?”

The playful demeanor of the woman vanished in an instant, leaving only Shin Yi with a serious expression, deep in thought.

After staring into the void for a while, the woman raised her head and met Cheonma’s gaze.

“I can’t tell just by hearing about it. I need to see it for myself.”

“Wise words. However, let me warn you in advance—those who nursed the Young Master all melted as if infected by something.”

“Yes. It’s fine.”

Despite delivering the horrifying news that a melting disease was contagious, the woman named Shin Yi didn’t even blink and answered calmly.

“If you can save the Young Master····.”

“Yes.”

After a brief pause, Cheonma spoke again in a heavy voice.

“I will grant you access to the Cheonma Shin Guild’s treasure vault.”

“Oh.”

“You can take whatever you—”

“—want?”

Shin Yi’s jewel-like eyes sparkled in front of Cheonma.

Seeing the madness in those eyes, Cheonma felt a chill run down his spine.

If he continued, he felt the Cheonma Shin Guild, with its long history, might be uprooted entirely.

“One thing of your choice····.”

“Tsk. Baekseol, don’t grow up to be someone who changes their words like that, okay? In this day and age, acting like that will get you fired from the guild leader position for abuse of power.”

Woo-woo…

Cheonma wondered for a moment if he had misheard.

“Two things…”

─Woo-woo.

He hadn’t misheard.

He definitely heard it.

‘Have these old folks collectively lost their minds?’

The ones who had jeered at him were the elders, standing in a row.

Cheonma almost lost his temper and nearly unleashed his Cheonryeonggae on the elders.

But, frustratingly, no matter how much his heart raged like a chimney, he couldn’t do it.

Those guys are the pillars holding up the Cheonma Shin Guild.

The reason they’re standing here with their bent backs is simple.

They’re ridiculously strong.

In the Cheonma Shin Guild, the strong are revered beyond measure, while the weak are despised.

The Cheonma Shin Guild strives for absolute supremacy, a place even the martial world, which operates on the logic of strength, marvels at.

And here, the grand elders of such a place were winking at Shin Yi and giggling like schoolgirls.

‘How on earth did he manage to sweet-talk those stubborn old men?’

Upon closer inspection, their bent backs were now straight, and their eyes, which always seemed weary, were now glowing with a fierce red light.

Cheonma, who had never envied anyone, wanted to ask Shin Yi for his secret at this very moment.

They were already too strong, making generational change impossible, and now they’ve become even more ridiculously powerful.

“Three things. No more.”

─Ohh!

Cheonma seriously considered asking Shin Yi to treat his high blood pressure first.

“Kya, Grandfather Cheonma is the best.”

“Ha, Grandfather?”

If you searched through the ancient martial world’s secret records, you’d find that the words “Cheonma” and “Grandfather” had never been combined before.

***

“My babies, Merry Christmas♡♡”