The Eldest Daughter of the Sichuan Tang Clan Protects Her Family

The room used as the Medical Hall was quiet.
The Divine Physician had gone ahead to the Alliance Leader’s residence, and Tang Hae-han had gone out to the streets with Tang Hak, saying he wanted to look around Wuhan.
Sohwa took down a basket from the medicinal shelf.
When she removed the dried medicinal ingredients, the pills contained inside were revealed.
Sohwa took out the five-colored poisons she always carried and swapped them for the five pills in the basket.
Compared to the poisons she usually carried—Sangong Poison and a paralytic—these were incomparable, extreme poisons.
Sohwa believed the Alliance Leader’s words.
There was no need to summon her and confess regression just to tell a lie.
But she did not believe the Alliance Leader when he said there was no answer.
'If the Alliance Leader cannot kill ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) the Blood Demon because he turned back time to kill him. And if I cannot protect the Tang Clan because I turned back time to save the Tang Clan……'
Closing the small chest, Sohwa’s face was calm. As if she had found an answer.
'It may be possible that I kill the Blood Demon, and the Alliance Leader prevents the Tang Clan’s tragedy.'
The Alliance Leader had said that, in this life, he would keep her at his residence so she would not meet the Blood Demon.
It sounded like consideration at a glance, but to Sohwa it did not.
Those words meant he would not let her go.
The Daoist meant to bind her not for Tang Sohwa’s sake but so that she could not change the future.
If the Alliance Leader, who knew the future, interfered with her, then all the plans she had laid would be useless.
Therefore, even if it was a dangerous opportunity that required staking her life, Sohwa could not let it pass.
'Only……'
There was one thing that weighed on her mind.
Sohwa approached the desk. The brush and ink that Tang Hae-han had neatly arranged were visible.
Sohwa took out a sheet of paper. Then she dipped the brush into the still-wet ink and began to write characters.
It was the recipe for the pill she had promised Hae-rak. The dokgo remover whose combination she had said she would change.
Having written out the entire recipe, Sohwa hesitated with the brush lifted.
In the end, she set the brush to the margin again.
[ I am unable to keep the promise. ]
Because the margin was narrow, she could not write out the circumstances.
She merely concluded by saying: make the medicine as it is and try taking it; if it seems dangerous, take the antidote pill at once.
Sohwa regretted having told Hae-rak she would not give up. That Blood Cult bastard had trusted her with his life.
Even though she had no leisure to feel anything else, guilt forced its way into the gap.
Sohwa found a small bottle and put a few drops of her own blood inside.
Then, together with the letter, she put that small bottle into the pouch as well. Do not endure the pain of the dokgo tightening your heart; lure it with blood and lessen it. She had done it once, so even without a needless explanation he would know how to use it.
Sohwa took a few fruits from the medicine chest into her hand and went to the window.
Tududuk.
When she scattered the nutty fruits before the window, a hawk’s cry came from afar.
Maehwa, crying noisily, alighted on the windowsill. As she reached out her hand when it was about to peck the fruit, Maehwa flinched and drew back.
“Why is that?”
“Keck, keck.”
The hawk opened its beak as if gagging and made a wind sound.
Sohwa knit her brows and put her nose to her own collar.
“Is it because of the fragrance.”
Suddenly, Maehwa nodded vigorously.
Sohwa set the pouch on the windowsill and stepped well back.

Understanding her intent, Maehwa reluctantly took the pouch in its beak.
Sohwa did not approach and simply watched the large hawk.
Perhaps that seemed strange—Maehwa blinked.
It was because Tang Sohwa said nothing at all.
She usually named the destination and signaled it to fly quickly, but now she only looked on in silence.
'……What’s with her?'
While Maehwa knit its brows, Sohwa went to the medicine chest and opened a drawer.
She put three medicinal herbs on the desk.
“If next time you eat something wrong, eat just this much of these three herbs. Then whatever you ate, it will clean out your insides, and you’ll recover within two days.”
“……”
“In truth, the wisest course is to break your habit of picking things up off the ground to eat. If you go to Hak and pretend to faint, he’ll bring you a heap of food on his own, so don’t pick up strange things—go lie down in Hak’s room.”
'……Does this human take me for a gutter beggar?'
Maehwa glared, but Sohwa paid it no mind. She merely stated the destination.
“If you go to Baekgeumgak, there is a person named Min Yeohong. He will probably be on the highest floor, but……”
Breaking off, Sohwa took a black hairpin from her bosom.
It was an ornament she had been absent-mindedly carrying around—she had meant to give it to Tang Min and had forgotten.
Sohwa considered dropping by Tang Min for a moment, then let it go.
Tang Min had sharp perception. If she sought him out needlessly, he might catch her thoughts.
Sohwa set the obsidian hairpin beside the medicinal herbs.
“He is the one who gave me this. If needed, follow the scent and find him. When you return, hand this hairpin to the Grand Elder.”
Having said what she had to say, Sohwa left the dispensary.
When she was gone, Maehwa came into the room, sniffed the scent of the obsidian hairpin, and—whatever it was thinking—grabbed even the hairpin and flew off, leaving the pavilion.
***
“Lady Tang!”
Leaping out from Mount Hua’s quarters, Myungdan put his hands together and offered a fist salute to Sohwa.
“I should have come to pay my respects first, but I’m sorry to have made you come. I’ve been out of my mind preparing for the duel tournament.”
With an awkward expression, Myungdan scratched the back of his head.
Sohwa shook her head and curved her lips.
“I am also of a martial family, so I know how sensitive the elders get during a duel tournament. Of course the sect’s event comes first.”
“Thank you for understanding.”
Instead of replying, Sohwa lowered her gaze.
“In truth, I saw that you were injured during the semifinals. If it is all right, may I take a look at the wound?”
“I appreciate your concern, but it has already healed.”
At Myungdan’s refusal, Sohwa smiled awkwardly.
“I apologize. It seems that even after a long time, I still think of the pavilion’s disciples as my patients.”
With an exaggerated sigh, she added:
“In fact, starting today I am to enter the residences of the Divine Physician and the Alliance Leader. Before I go, I wanted to examine the pavilion’s bodies one more time. In my haste, I forgot that this would be a nuisance to Mount Hua’s Medical Hall.”
At those words, Myungdan’s face hardened.
“……You are entering the Alliance Leader’s residence? For how long?”
“He said ten days, but I do not know exactly how long I will be staying. I have to check the Alliance Leader’s condition to know.”
“When do you enter the Alliance Leader’s residence?”
Myungdan asked in an urgent voice.
“I am already a little late. The Divine Physician has already gone in. I stopped by to see the pavilion master on my way to the Alliance Leader’s residence.”
“……”
“But, Pavilion Master…… your face is dark. Are you perhaps unwell?”
Hastily rubbing his face with his hand, Myungdan said:
“Ah, no. I’m just tired from the tension of preparing for the duel.”
“I see. Please go in and rest at once. I will be on my way.”
“Lady Tang! Just a moment!”
At Myungdan’s call, Sohwa turned back again.
Opening and closing his mouth, Myungdan spoke quickly.
“S-since you have come all the way here, you should see the Elder before you go. If he learns that I sent you off without even offering a cup of tea, he will scold me harshly later.”
Sohwa slanted her lips.
“Then I will have just a cup of tea and go.”
“Yes, please come in.”
Myungdan led Sohwa to the reception room.
But after serving her a cup of tea, he did not return to the reception room.
He had gone out with the excuse that he would inform Master Wu So of Sohwa’s visit, but in a single pavilion, there was no way it would take this long to find a person.
It was as expected.
Sohwa was merely waiting so that those Blue Blood Hall or whatever fellows would come to her.
Two hours later, Myungdan returned.
“I’m sorry. Because the Elder went out, it seems it will be difficult to see him today.”
“It’s all right. It’s my fault for not announcing my visit in advance.”
“I truly apologize.”
Though Myungdan apologized repeatedly, Sohwa curved her lips and quietly left Mount Hua’s quarters.
Before she knew it, the red sky had grown dark.
“Excuse me. Young Lady!”
Having left the quarters, Sohwa turned at the voice calling to her.
An old monk approached, scratching his head.
“Let me ask for directions. I’m looking for Shaolin’s quarters—do you know which way they are?”
Sohwa stared at him without answering.
“Ah, not all monks are from Shaolin. I belong to a different sect. But since I’m here, I was curious to see how the other monks shave their heads, so I wanted to take a look. Hee-hee, if you have time, please tell me which direction Shaolin’s quarters are.”
In a slovenly manner—likely a defrocked monk—he asked.
Sohwa blinked slowly and opened her mouth.
“If I tell you, will you be able to find it? The pavilions look similar, so you may get confused.”
The old monk slanted his lips.
“Mm, then may I ask you to guide me?”
Delaying had borne fruit.
Smelling of old coins, the old monk made Sohwa curl her hand into a fist. It was the scent of that Blood Cult man Hae-rak had made her memorize.
A Blood Cult bastard stirring up Headquarters while posing as a monk.
'Isn’t this crossing the line.'
The Martial Alliance was being properly toyed with. It was impossible to tell how far the Alliance Leader intended to keep overlooking them.
Suppressing her disappointment toward the Alliance Leader, Sohwa stepped forward.
Whatever the Alliance Leader’s counsel, Sohwa had no intention of overlooking the Blood Cult.
Grinning, the old monk watched Sohwa.
Following those wrinkled features, Sohwa also smiled.
“Please follow me. It isn’t far; I will escort you.”
“Oh my, then I’ll be in your debt.”
Footsteps sounded behind her. From her sleeve, Sohwa took out the antidote to Oseoksan and put the pill into her mouth.
She had taken no more than a few steps when a acrid smell tickled her nose.
Soon, a low transmitted voice sounded at her ear.
[ Turn right along the wall. ]
It was not the thin voice of the old man, but a rough voice. Likely the voice of the main body.
Feigning intoxication by Oseoksan, Sohwa turned as the old monk ordered.