Overlord of Sichuan

Chapter 38: The Generous Mount Emei (2)

“Tang Clan Head. In truth, three days ago, the moment I saw this child’s grave condition, I immediately sent a message to my master and earnestly requested one particular item.”

“……!”

At Geum Hwa Sa-tae’s unusual words, Tang Muyeol perked up his ears.

“Ordinarily, even a transaction would never be permitted with outsiders. But perhaps because my message contained the desperate plea along with a detailed account of this child’s valor, my master has granted permission.”

Her explanation could only mean one thing.

A supreme elixir, incomparable to the root of the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng that had once been consumed in a medicinal broth.

A secret dan medicine that carried the very history of the Emei Sect.

“It is the Golden Small Pill.”

“……!!”

Tang Muyeol’s eyes shook violently, as if struck by an earthquake, as he gazed at the pill inside the wooden case.

Being from Sichuan, he too had heard of the Golden Small Pill.

A dan medicine said to have been created by the founder of the Emei Sect, meant to save common folk gravely injured each year by tiger attacks.

Rumors claimed its efficacy was so great that it could save all lives except those already dead.

Though in more recent times, it had been used primarily to strengthen the internal arts of martial artists.

Especially as the Divine Nun Boyeon had continually refined the Golden Small Pill, to the point that it was now said to rival Shaolin’s Great Cycle Pill.

If it was such a precious elixir, then surely it could save his son.

Realizing this truth, Tang Muyeol did not hesitate in the least.

Cheocheok—

“C-Clan Head?”

“Clan Head?”

He lowered his head deeply to Geum Hwa Sa-tae and paid his respects.

Even Geum Hwa Sa-tae looked startled at the sudden act.

Tang Muyeol spoke in a voice filled with desperation.

“Sect Leader, I shall donate as much as you wish to the Emei Sect. Please, I beg you, use that pill on my child.”

“-!”

Tang Muyeol had thrown away all pride as the head of a clan, bowing his head for the sake of saving his son.

In the heavy atmosphere, his words continued.

“This is no exaggeration. I have restructured the Ten Thousand Seas Escort Agency and recovered all the funds that Tang Hoyeol had embezzled. I can more than adequately pay any price the Sect Leader demands.”

“……”

Tang Muyeol spoke the truth.

After the battle with the Poison Demon, when he had returned to the clan, he investigated Tang Hoyeol’s past crimes and executed the traitors.

Vice-Chief Jang Dal, who had stolen escort permits, along with many others, had met their deaths.

Through that process, Tang Muyeol had managed to recover funds that far exceeded the Tang Clan’s annual budget.

And now he was declaring that all of it would be spent on giving Sewoon the Golden Small Pill.

‘Father…….’

Sewoon felt the desperate sincerity of his father’s heart. His emotions surged, but he barely held back his tears.

Seeing the situation, he had wanted to tell Tang Muyeol about his feigned illness. But since Ha Yeong and Geum Hwa Sa-tae had never once left his side, he could not.

He also could not use telepathy.

If he carelessly did so and revealed that his body was actually in perfect condition, all the reputation he had built up would collapse in an instant.

At that moment, Geum Hwa Sa-tae, who had held back her words, finally spoke.

“Hmm, this saddens me, Tang Clan Head.”

“……!”

Had he perhaps said something wrong?

Tang Muyeol waited anxiously for her next words.

“Does the Clan Head see me as a petty villain who would seek compensation from an ally?”

“-!”

But her playful tone was by no means reproachful.

Instead, Geum Hwa Sa-tae showed a bright smile.

“Surely not?”

Realizing the true meaning of her words, Tang Muyeol could not hide his surprise.

Geum Hwa Sa-tae nodded and spoke.

“Haha, this is within my authority. No—this is something that must, of course, be provided freely. The Clan Head need not worry at all.”

“……Sect Leader.”

Indeed, Geum Hwa Sa-tae had decided to grant Sewoon the Golden Small Pill without demanding any price.

Even Sewoon himself was taken aback.

The Golden Small Pill cost so much to make that fewer than two could be produced in a year. To give one away for free—

Was this not a miraculous encounter?

It was truly the selfless giving of the Emei Sect.

“Now, child. Please, swallow it well.”

Geum Hwa Sa-tae carefully opened Sewoon’s mouth and placed the Golden Small Pill inside.

But Sewoon, in his semi-conscious act, did not even need to feign discomfort at the foreign object in his mouth.

The moment the Golden Small Pill entered his mouth, it melted away instantly.

Wooong!

Saaah!

‘It’s coming—!’

As a resonant hum rang in Sewoon’s ears, the energy of the Golden Small Pill began to flow through his meridians.

“Then, let us begin.”

“Sect Leader, I beg of you.”

Geum Hwa Sa-tae propped Sewoon into a seated position and placed both hands on his back.

Closing her eyes, she began to use True Qi Guidance so that Sewoon could fully absorb the energy of the elixir.

Just like the Half-Sphere Blood Palm, Sewoon felt as if a burning fireball had entered his body.

But the difference was—it was not painful in the least.

Rather, wherever the energy of the Golden Small Pill passed, tranquility remained.

The energy swimming through his body caressed and embraced every wounded spot within.

‘This is the Golden Small Pill……!’

Sewoon was truly astonished.

Before his regression, the only elixirs he had consumed were the Blood Cult’s Demonic Pills.

Those pills carried extreme side effects along with extreme effects. Compared to those, the Golden Small Pill was beyond comparison.

Now he understood why people compared it to Shaolin’s Great Cycle Pill.

At that moment, the energy of the Golden Small Pill, after traveling through all his meridians, finally made its way toward his dantian.

Saaah!

It passed through one of the narrow qi channels that Sewoon had barely managed to open.

And then—

“-Kuhp!”

Suddenly, Geum Hwa Sa-tae, who was performing True Qi Guidance, gasped and let out a strained moan.

‘W-What is this?’

She could not hide her shock.

The anomaly began the moment the energy of the Golden Small Pill entered the dantian.

Kwa-gaga!

Kwaaah!

The mysterious energy already coiled inside Sewoon’s dantian began to rampage wildly.

She struggled to maintain her composure, but it was anything but easy.

‘Even my Golden Summit Divine Art is being pulled in!’

The energy of her Golden Summit Divine Art, which she had been channeling to assist the True Qi Guidance, was being sucked in as well.

Sewoon’s Divine Poison Qi was gnawing away at the energy of the Golden Small Pill and the Golden Summit Divine Art alike.

For a moment, Geum Hwa Sa-tae mistook it for Demonic Qi, but there was no Evil Qi to be felt.

No—rather, it was pure.

A paradoxical purity of savagery.

‘……So this is this child’s Heavenly Punishment!’

At last, she realized the nature of the mysterious energy.

An unspeakable ferocity.

It was as if a beast had been sealed inside his body.

And yet, in spite of this, the fact that Sewoon had managed to cultivate his martial arts to such a degree only made him seem all the more remarkable.

Crack!

Crunch!

Geum Hwa Sa-tae struggled desperately to push even a little more energy into Sewoon’s dantian.

‘No, no more. I can’t.’

In the end, the raging Divine Poison Qi even began tormenting her interference, forcing her to retreat.

Her entire body was drenched in sweat as she pulled her hands away from him.

“Huu, huu.”

“H-How did it go?”

“……I have done everything I can. From here on, it depends on the child.”

“Aah……”

Now, all that remained was the will of Heaven.

As Tang Muyeol’s face filled with worry at the helpless waiting—

‘Good, now’s the time—!’

Sewoon, on the other hand, was gathering all his strength.

When Geum Hwa Sa-tae had been observing his internal state, he had no choice but to let her guide the flow of energy.

But now that she had stepped back, he could circulate it freely as he wished.

Saaah!

Kwa-ga!

Sewoon began to rebirth both the energy of the Golden Small Pill and the Golden Summit Divine Art within his dantian as Divine Poison Qi.

When he had absorbed the roots of Angshin Tears, he had gained merely ‘one year’ of true qi.

It was a disappointing amount for the effort.

But there had been no choice. Compared to its toxic nature, the qi contained within Angshin Tears itself was not vast.

‘But the Golden Small Pill is different……!’

Its very nature was that of a spiritual medicine—its entire essence akin to inner qi.

And finally—

Chwaaah!

An entire ‘five years’ worth of Divine Poison Qi, five times more than what Angshin Tears had granted, filled Sewoon’s possession.

For the first time in his life, he felt the strange sensation of his lower dantian brimming with energy.

Of course, compared to others who had consumed the Golden Small Pill, this absorption rate was poor.

Even ordinary martial artists would absorb at least ten to fifteen years’ worth of qi.

But Sewoon did not care in the slightest.

He knew that this five years of inner strength, reborn as his Divine Poison Qi, was worth at least an entire decade or more.

‘Phew, I’ve claimed it all.’

Having achieved his purpose, Sewoon rejoiced inwardly.

Now, it was time to awaken.

“Uuugh.”

“-!”

Sewoon groaned and stirred.

In that instant, everyone’s eyes turned toward his sickbed.

Feigning recovery, Sewoon slowly opened his eyes.

“……F-Father?”

“Sewoon!”

“Young Clan Head!”

And once again—

Everyone was deceived by Sewoon’s act.

A short while later, Sewoon was explaining the truth of what had happened when he encountered the Poison Demon to Geum Hwa Sa-tae and Tang Muyeol.

“So after I parted ways with Heroine Do……”

When he entered the cave, the Poison Demon seemed to be suffering, as though he had fallen victim to side effects while cultivating his poison arts.

The fiend had not noticed his infiltration at all.

He had intended to kill the fiend with a surprise attack, but in the end, he failed.

By sheer luck, he managed to sever one of the Poison Demon’s arms, but at the last moment, the fiend used a hidden formation to escape.

Left alone inside the formation, Sewoon barely succeeded in escaping thanks to its imperfection—an act of Heaven’s fortune.

The more Sewoon spoke, the more gasps and sighs escaped everyone’s mouths.

Yet he carefully twisted his words, deliberately leaving out details.

It was in case Ha Yeong’s Spirit Eyes might detect something amiss.

Thus, he omitted what (Invisible Dagger) he had used to ambush the Poison Demon.

He concealed how (Reverse Flawless Heavenly Garment) he had cut off the fiend’s arm.

And he never mentioned why Heaven’s fortune (Angshin Tears) had aided his escape.

“……In the end, I could not kill the Poison Demon. I am deeply ashamed.”

Sewoon lowered his head, speaking in a guilt-ridden voice.

At this, Geum Hwa Sa-tae waved her hand dismissively.

“Shame? What nonsense. You inflicted a crippling wound, robbing the Poison Demon of an arm.”

“No. If only my martial arts had been stronger, I could have ended his life……”

“Even rescuing the hostages he had taken is worth far more than what was expected of you. The Alliance will surely bestow you with a great reward.”

“……I am not certain I deserve it.”

“Come now, don’t say such things.”

When Sewoon spoke words he didn’t mean, Geum Hwa Sa-tae’s voice softened.

Her gaze upon Sewoon carried boundless trust and pride—like a mother bird gazing fondly at her chick.

To shift the slightly heavy atmosphere, Geum Hwa Sa-tae suddenly spoke.

“Hmm, since matters are more or less settled, let us speak of something else.”

“Yes?”

Sewoon tilted his head.

“Ha Yeong, lend me something for a moment.”

“Yes?”

Geum Hwa Sa-tae reached out and plucked a hairpin from Ha Yeong’s hair.

Chwarak!

Ha Yeong’s ebony hair scattered in the breeze, gleaming as it swayed.

The beauty of Do Ha Yeong, famed not only as the Greatest Beauty of Sichuan but even as the Greatest Beauty of Jiangnan, shone brilliantly.

‘Ah.’

Unconsciously dazed by her sight, Sewoon quickly regained his composure.

Swaaah.

Calmly closing her eyes, Geum Hwa Sa-tae held the hairpin like a sword in one hand.

And then—

As she infused it with qi and drew sword paths in the air—

The wind that had been brushing through Ha Yeong’s hair suddenly shifted in its flow.

Chwarara!

It was a sword art he had seen before.

Sewoon instantly recognized the identity of the sword technique Geum Hwa Sa-tae was displaying.

‘The Burning Blood Sword Technique!’

The very technique Ha Yeong and Cheong Yeon had used against Tang Hoyeol.

But as Geum Hwa Sa-tae’s sword forms continued, Sewoon began to doubt his own judgment.

‘No, it’s entirely different!’

It was utterly unlike what the disciples had displayed.

To most of the martial world, the Burning Blood Sword Technique of the Emei Sect was known as a flamboyant art that emphasized the mystery of swiftness.

But the true essence Geum Hwa Sa-tae was revealing through her hairpin sword was entirely different.

‘A sword that blocks the raging wind (亂) in place of others (披風).’

Swaaah!

The hairpin sword deflected every gust that struck against it.

And the rebounded winds extinguished the incoming ones.

The Burning Blood Sword Technique was not merely a sword of swiftness.

It was a sword that stood at the front, shielding others from the storm.

And in turn, it subdued the storm, making its force one’s own.

‘To subjugate the opponent’s strength and reflect it back—what an unimaginable sword art!’

The true essence of ‘Reversal’ lay at its core.

Sewoon felt his chest surge with exhilaration at the revelation of a martial truth he had never known, even before his regression.

Even if not with this technique, he realized that applying the principle of reversal to his own martial arts would create countless new possibilities.

Time passed as she demonstrated.

“Huuuh.”

“Master, are you all right?”

“……Yes, I am fine.”

At last, Geum Hwa Sa-tae lowered the hairpin.

Her face was even paler now, perhaps from overexertion.

Cheocheok!

At once, Sewoon clasped his fists and bowed.

“Even witnessing this sword art will be of immense help to me. I thank you, Sect Leader!”

“Hehe, good. I hope that one day, it truly aids you.”

Looking at him, Geum Hwa Sa-tae smiled brightly once more.

“But… may I ask why you have revealed such a precious truth to me, who is not a disciple of Emei?”

“Yes, that is precisely the meaning behind showing you this sword.”

“Yes?”

As Sewoon blinked in confusion at her cryptic words, Geum Hwa Sa-tae continued.

“Would you consider coming with me to meet my master?”

“……The Divine Physician?”

By that, she surely meant the former Sect Leader of the Emei Sect, the Boyeon Divine Nun, who had once stood alongside the Sword Emperor.

But why did Geum Hwa Sa-tae wish to take him to the Boyeon Divine Nun?

Could it be she had sensed the falsehoods in his tale?

“But for what reason would I meet the Divine Physician?”

Sewoon asked cautiously.

“If you are willing, I intend to beg my master to take you as her disciple.”

“-!”

With a gentle smile, Geum Hwa Sa-tae dropped her bombshell.