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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: Chapter 56
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Inside the head of the turtle-shaped carving at the end of the rainbow, there was a fragment of a jade tablet inscribed with words, along with a divine medicine.
The inscription on the jade tablet fragment, which seemed to be split into three, read as follows.
[I have obtained the first fragment of the world.]
The divine medicine found with the jade tablet fragment was called Geumryongokyeolbo.
This elixir, said to be found only once every hundred years in deserts, was renowned for its detoxification properties.
It was also a precious ingredient said to be able to detoxify any poison, and if consumed while not poisoned, one could master the martial art of Bipdungganggi, which could block any poison by cultivating a special internal cultivation method.
Regardless of its detoxification or martial art properties, simply consuming it could grant immense internal energy.
For this reason, the Tang Family, who specialized in hidden weapons and poisons more than any other faction, valued it even more highly than the Daehwandan.
Having obtained the Geumryongokyeolbo, the two immediately returned to the Namgung.
It was late at night when they arrived at the Namgung.
The next day.
Upon hearing that Seolhwa had emerged from the training cave, Hwasan immediately requested a meeting.
After finishing breakfast, Seolhwa and Namgung Cheongun immediately went to Un-Gaekwon.
"Still, it's fortunate we found a divine medicine comparable to the Daehwandan."
Seolhwa silently nodded.
"Geumryongokyeolbo... It's a shame, but it's better than having Hwasan, a major sect, find fault with us."
Seolhwa abruptly stopped.
She turned to Cheongun, as if asking what he meant.
"Why is it a shame?"
"It's certainly not easy to obtain a divine medicine of this caliber, is it? It would naturally be a waste to hand it over to Hwasan."
"I'm not handing it over to Hwasan."
Why would I hand over something this precious to Hwasan?
"Weren't you going to give it to Hwasan in place of the Daehwandan?"
Seolhwa shook her head.
"No."
"Then?"
"It's merely a negotiating tool. Talking without anything in hand is different from talking with something in your grasp."
Namgung Cheongun raised an eyebrow.
"So you weren't planning to use this to gain Hwasan's cooperation?"
"Do you really think Hwasan would cooperate with the Namgung?"
"...What?"
"Hwasan is a sect that can be said to hold the peak among countless sword sects. When considering all sects, they are said to be second only to the Shaolin Temple. What would a Hwasan, so powerful, lack that would make them cooperate with the Namgung?"
If we grant them what they want and hand over the divine medicine, they might at least pretend to cooperate for a while.
But that would be all.
"With such superficial cooperation, we won't be able to achieve what we want."
It means we'd give them what they want and gain nothing in return.
"What could we gain by extending a hand to those who have no intention of cooperating in the first place?"
"Then why did you retrieve the divine medicine?"
"If they have no intention of cooperating, there's only one way."
"One?"
"Yes."
Seolhwa's eyes grew cold.
A subtle killing intent began to emanate from Seolhwa.
"Blackmail."
The corners of her lips curved with a chilling softness, matching the rising killing intent.
* * *
Clink, clink. Trickle...
The silence continued as teacups were exchanged and tea was poured.
Seolhwa gazed for a moment at the white steam rising from the teacup placed before her.
She felt an intense gaze from the side of her face.
The one shooting fervent glances at her ever since Seolhwa entered the room was Yugang.
'Acknowledge me! Why won't you acknowledge me? You know us! We've met before!'
...Because such words were pouring out of his eyes, Seolhwa didn't even glance in his direction.
"The Namgung has been searching for this child for so long that I was truly curious who it might be. It is good to meet you like this. I congratulate you on your safe return."
"For Hwasan's eminent one to come all the way to the Namgung to offer congratulations, I am truly honored."
"Hmph. I heard you are thirteen years old, and indeed, you are quite precocious. The Namgung's First Young Master must be truly delighted to have found such an outstanding daughter."
"I am merely grateful to have met her alive again."
Haha.
Nohun let out a benevolent smile.
"I hear you've met our Yugang before?"
Only then did Seolhwa give Yugang a glance.
Yugang was practically buzzing, ready to blurt out the events of that day.
Seolhwa averted her gaze again and replied indifferently.
"While out for a stroll, I happened to encounter him by chance. I recall it as nothing special."
"..."
It was truly strange how she could tell his expression without even looking.
"So that's how it was."
Nohun glanced at his disciple.
Knowing the nature of the Namgung child's internal energy, he had thought there was quite a connection. Yet, compared to Yugang's reaction, the Namgung child showed no interest whatsoever.
The plan to inquire about the Daehwandan using that as leverage had fallen through.
'Still, is there really a need to beat around the bush?'
Even the Namgung's Second Master already knew the purpose of their visit to the Namgung.
It was only a matter of time before the rumors spreading in Shaanxi reached Anhui Province.
Moreover, they had no more time to waste at the Namgung.
"There is something I wish to ask you."
Seolhwa picked up her teacup and nodded.
"I thought you would."
"..."
Nohun raised an eyebrow.
She thought he would? Not even asking what it was, but taking it as a matter of course?
"...What do you mean by that?"
"Those who visit for the purpose of congratulation do not come empty-handed. Even if Hwasan is a Daoist sect that does not covet wealth, they would know that much etiquette, wouldn't they?"
"..."
At Seolhwa's extremely sharp words, Nohun and Yupyo flinched.
"Young Lady Namgung. Are you not insulting the teachings of our Hwasan with those words?"
Yupyo threatened in a low, menacing voice.
From his body, Hwasan's aura began to rise like a heat haze.
"I was merely speaking about etiquette. I simply stated that I anticipated your purpose was different from the start, seeing that you didn't even observe basic etiquette. Which part of that insulted Hwasan's teachings?"
"Yupyo, restrain your aura."
"..."
At Nohun's words, Yupyo's aura slowly faded away. However, his fierce gaze upon Seolhwa remained.
Nohun gave a short nod and spoke.
"I apologize for coming empty-handed. As you said, I came in such haste, eager to confirm the facts, that I didn't have the leisure to prepare a gift. I hope you understand."
Seolhwa gave a brief nod.
Yupyo, thinking her nod was rude, flared up and tried to release his aura again, but Nohun raised a hand and stopped him.
"Since it has come to this, I will ask directly."
It was better this way.
Nohun didn't think the child would honestly reveal the Daehwandan's whereabouts right away.
She would surely deny taking it, and say she didn't have it.
From now on, it was a situation where he had to press her, so a harmonious atmosphere would be poison.
"I heard rumors that you possess the Daehwandan. Did you perhaps seize it from a Heukdo faction in Shaanxi?"
"That's right."
"It's no use denying it... What did you say?"
"I seized it. From a faction called the Heugunbang."
"..."
Nohun's jaw dropped.
The child readily admitted it. And shamelessly so.
"You... took it...?"
"Yes."
Nohun cleared his throat loudly and composed himself.
In any case, since she had readily admitted it, he just needed to state his next point.
"That Daehwandan originally belonged to Hwasan. Therefore, return it."
"Why should I?"
"You... seem to be too young to understand fully. The Daehwandan you took originally belonged to Hwasan. That means you have seized Hwasan's property. Do you understand?"
"Strictly speaking, I didn't seize Hwasan's property. I seized the Heugunbang's property."
"But that originally belonged to Hwasan...!"
"If you're going to be so strict, didn't the Daehwandan originally belong to the Shaolin Temple?"
"..."
There was no one in the world who didn't know the Daehwandan was a secret treasure of the Shaolin Temple.
If it belonged to Hwasan just because Hwasan had it seized by the Heugunbang, then the claim that it originally belonged to the Shaolin Temple was also correct.
It was correct, but!
'This young brat is talking back so brazenly to me, old enough to be her grandfather. The environment she grew up in at the tavern has poisoned the Namgung's virtuous character!'
Nohun barely managed to suppress his rising anger.
"Hwasan paid the price for it."
"Can you prove that?"
"Of course...!"
Nohun's words burst out, but he couldn't finish them.
Because, of course, he couldn't prove it.
'The transaction between Hwasan and the Shaolin Temple was conducted in utmost secrecy.'
'For some reason, Hwasan and the Shaolin Temple didn't make an issue of it.'
That was certainly the case in Seolhwa's previous life.
In her previous life, when the Daehwandan fell into the hands of a Heukdo faction and then flowed to Hyeolma, Hwasan didn't pursue it.
No, it would be more accurate to say they couldn't pursue it.
'If they had obtained the Daehwandan for a legitimate reason, they should have desperately searched for it in the previous life as well.'
But in her previous life, they gave up as soon as it fell into the hands of the Heukdo, even though it was the Daehwandan.
'There's something holding them back. Or something that must never be revealed.'
And Seolhwa already knew what Hwasan was trying so hard to hide.
Anyway.
'This is quite outrageous.'
Didn't they change their attitude in this life, when she brought the Daehwandan to the Namgung, something they had given up on in her previous life?
Did they think the Namgung was easy prey for Hwasan?
The orthodox sects value honesty, integrity, reputation, and morality, so they must have believed the Namgung would return it if they insisted it was theirs.
'But I have no intention of doing so.'
Unfortunately, their opponent was Seolhwa, who had survived in the Heukdo for thirty years.
