Chapter 67

Chapter 67
The carriage rolled steadily forward across the unfamiliar paths, carrying them toward a destination that remained unknown.

“Have you ever set foot here in the past?” Cheon-geuk inquired, turning toward her companion.

Baek So-cheon responded with a shake of his head. Despite having fought countless bitter, brutal engagements against the Black Heaven Alliance, their forces had never managed to push this deep into the heart of enemy territory. This visit was entirely new to him as well.

In his thoughts, he had envisioned a grim stronghold teeming with crude, bloodthirsty barbarians. Yet the people moving back and forth throughout the compound looked remarkably common. Groups of martial artists strolled past, engaged in boisterous conversations, while others laughed openly at shared quips or gathered in loose circles to trade idle gossip. If not for the context of their location, they could have easily blended in with the warriors of the Murim Alliance without drawing a single suspicious glance.

Beneath that outward facade, however, the distinction was sharp and absolute. These people were devoted entirely to the brutal law of the jungle, dismissed chivalric ideals as empty hypocrisy, felt zero hesitation whenever taking a life became convenient, and lived solely to satisfy their own personal desires. Naturally, across an organization of such immense size, exceptions were bound to exist; after all, not every warrior within the Murim Alliance placed righteousness above all else either.

Rather than delivering them to the central manor of the alliance lord, the carriage drew to a halt before a guesthouse situated deep within the compound’s inner living quarters.

Yeom Hwa-sin did not bother to dismount. Remaining atop his mount, he looked down and addressed Na-sa-rin.

“The journey must have been demanding. Take today to rest, and we shall commence the medical procedure tomorrow.”

“I am grateful for your consideration,” Na-sa-rin replied with measured courtesy.

Once the three companions stepped down onto the stones, the carriage turned and rolled away once more.

An attendant who had been waiting nearby came forward to guide them into the lodging quarters. There was an individual chamber set aside for Baek So-cheon, while the two women were provided two separate adjacent rooms. Suited for esteemed guests, the accommodations were exceptionally lavish. The beds were broad, deep, and plush, inviting immediate slumber upon immaculate bedding, while the surrounding furniture had been constructed with elegant, exquisite craftsmanship.

“I shall retire for the night,” Na-sa-rin announced quietly.

“Rest well, Elder,” Baek So-cheon said with respect.

Since it was still far too early to sleep, Baek So-cheon and Cheon-geuk decided to sit down and share a drink together. They made a request to the servant attending the guest pavilion, who quickly returned bearing premium liquor alongside an assortment of dishes to Baek So-cheon’s room. It was an offering of rare, aged vintages accompanied by the finest side dishes available.

Cheon-geuk immediately brought out a silver needle to test both the beverages and the platters for deadly poisons. Given that they had been brought here specifically to administer medical aid, an assassination attempt made little practical sense, yet she refused to let her guard down.

“There is no poison,” she confirmed.

“Yeom Hwa-sin is hardly the type of man to rely on poison. He possesses far too much pride in his own martial power,” Baek So-cheon observed.

“Even so, taking precautions is always the wiser path.”

Baek So-cheon nodded in agreement and raised his cup.

“A toast.”

“Indeed.”

Their cups met with a soft clink, and they drank together.

“Phew. Without you beside me, I might not have been able to endure these past few days,” she confessed, exhaling a soft breath.

“You would have managed far better on your own,” he assured her. The Cheon-geuk he was familiar with was never one to lean on others for support; had it been solely her and Na-sa-rin making the trip, her focus would have been even sharper.

“My apologies for dragging you into my own mess.”

“Do not flatter yourself. I am investing my efforts into you purely for myself and for my alliance,” Baek So-cheon replied.

A quiet chuckle escaped his lips.

Cheon-geuk turned her gaze toward the window, looking out into the night sky where a brilliant full moon hung suspended.

“I had assumed the moon hanging above this vile place would summon forth ghosts or dreadful horrors… but it is just as radiant and lovely as anywhere else.”

—

When dawn arrived the following day, the three visitors were escorted into a quiet, secluded chamber.

Waiting within was Yeom Sa-won.

He was the offspring of Yeom Hwa-sin and the recognized successor to the Black Heaven Alliance. Although his physical build was not quite as colossal as his father’s, the family resemblance was unmistakable.

Their inner temperaments, however, were entirely different. Where Yeom Hwa-sin projected a bold, domineering, and wicked charisma, Yeom Sa-won radiated a murky, sinister malice, reminiscent of a foul beast creeping up through the dark shadows. His frigid gaze brought to mind the unblinking eyes of a serpent.

One could easily discern this simply from his outward demeanor. While his father kept his wicked nature carefully concealed under a calm presence, this young man made a point of flaunting it openly.

His conduct toward the arriving trio eliminated any lingering doubt.

“There is no need for empty pleasantries. Let us get started immediately.”

Neither Baek So-cheon nor his companions had the slightest desire to trade courtesies either.

Na-sa-rin took up a brush and recorded a list of medicinal herbs across a sheet of paper.

“To begin, brew a decoction following the formula written here. Ensure you prepare an amount sufficient for two people.”

Yeom Hwa-sin promptly instructed a trusted subordinate to boil the medicine without delay.

The group was forced to wait together in the chamber while the medicinal broth was prepared.

Yeom Sa-won shifted his cold attention directly onto Baek So-cheon.

“So you are Baek So-cheon?” he sneered.

“That is correct.”

“The miserable wretch who ruined our alliance’s foundation and obstructed my father’s grand ambition.”

“That depends entirely on whose perspective you choose to adopt, does it not?” Baek So-cheon answered calmly.

“Word has reached me that you lost all your internal energy, yet your tongue remains as full of insolence as ever.”

The blatant scorn hung thick in the air of the chamber. Under normal conditions, no sensible person would go out of their way to provoke someone who was about to administer critical medical care. Yet Yeom Sa-won cared nothing for prudence, and Yeom Hwa-sin made not the slightest gesture to rein in his son. This silence alone spoke volumes about the dynamic between them, shedding light on the manner in which Yeom Hwa-sin raised his heir.

“I am well aware that my father holds you in high regard. I, however, see nothing worthy of respect.”

Baek So-cheon instantly perceived the root of the young man’s bitter hatred: pure, unadulterated jealousy. Baek So-cheon quietly averted his gaze and ignored him completely. Yeom Sa-won offered a harsh, derisive snort, but mercifully decided to let the matter rest for the moment.

Baek So-cheon took no offense from the juvenile display; if anything, the sight pleased him. Powerful organizations frequently collapsed from within due to foolish leaders or their reckless offspring.

*Go ahead, puff out your chest while you still have the breath to do so.*

*Once your head is severed from your shoulders, there will be no more strutting left in you.*

Before long, the medicinal brew was finished and brought into the room.

Yeom Hwa-sin turned to Na-sa-rin and commanded,

“Treat my son first.”

He was deliberately placing his successor first in line to ensure no deadly tricks or hidden traps had been laid.

Na-sa-rin stepped forward and extended the prepared medicinal bowl to Yeom Sa-won.

“Drink this.”

Yeom Sa-won hesitated, casting an uneasy, distrustful glance in his father’s direction. Yeom Hwa-sin responded with a firm, reassuring nod.

Swallowing the liquid down, Yeom Sa-won stretched out across the couch as directed.

Na-sa-rin moved with practiced efficiency, inserting silver needles and applying focused pressure to his acupoints in a meticulous sequence.

As the treatment drew to a close, Yeom Sa-won suddenly bolted upright and vomited violently onto the floor.

“Keurgh!”

Following that harsh retch, he slumped backward, immediately losing consciousness.

With calm precision, Na-sa-rin used a pair of chopsticks to pluck a squirming worm straight out of the discharged bile.

“It is Cheon-oe Won-go.”

Yeom Hwa-sin, who had already anticipated the nature of the parasite, nodded with absolute composure. He stepped forward without delay and roused his son from slumber.

“He ought to rest for an entire day to recover,” Na-sa-rin cautioned firmly.

Her medical warning was cast aside without consideration.

“There is no need for that.”

As his senses returned, Yeom Sa-won stared blankly for a moment before his vision locked onto the writhing creature. A surge of rage overcame him; he lunged forward, grabbed the repulsive thing, threw it against the stone ground, and stomped upon it with vicious fury.

Splat.

He whirled around and bellowed at Na-sa-rin, his voice harsh with venom.

“You disgusting freak! Do not just stand there like an idiot—extract that filthy pest from my father this instant!”

Cheon-geuk felt a surge of wrath boiling within her.

*What an utterly insolent, ill-mannered brat!*

This unchecked arrogance was precisely why this entire environment was so perilous—a reckless successor devoid of basic decency, paired with an alliance lord who indulged his outrageous behavior.

*I do not care if you truly reign as the absolute strongest warrior in Murim… your parenting is an utter catastrophe.*

Yet perhaps cultivating such viciousness was an inescapable necessity if one hoped to survive as an heir in this cutthroat faction.

Now, the moment came for Yeom Hwa-sin’s treatment.

He swallowed the prepared draught, and Na-sa-rin proceeded to apply pressure to his acupoints.

As her hands made contact, a deep sense of shock rippled through her. Across all eighty-four years of her life, she had never felt flesh like this. It went far beyond ordinary muscular hardness—it possessed a profound, eerie unnaturalness. She momentarily wondered if even her sharp needles could penetrate the surface, yet they slid smoothly into his flesh without the slightest resistance, leaving her all the more astonished.

Following the identical procedure, she worked to draw the parasite out.

Moments later, Yeom Hwa-sin heaved and vomited the creature onto the floor.

Where almost any other person would have fallen into a deep coma from the strain, he did not even appear drowsy. His constitution was nothing short of miraculous, displaying peerless resilience even during recovery.

Splat.

Yeom Sa-won rushed forward once more and obliterated the expelled parasite under his heel.

His lingering fury quickly spilled over toward the guests.

“Father, butcher all three of them on the spot! If the outside world ever discovers that we were brought low by mere bugs, it will be the ultimate humiliation for our alliance!”

Yeom Hwa-sin looked toward Baek So-cheon with a glint of amusement in his eyes.

“What are your thoughts on that? You surely must have anticipated this sort of development.”

Baek So-cheon remained entirely unperturbed.

“Did I?”

“You may have trusted that I would keep my word, but my son is a different matter. You should have prepared a measure to account for him.”

“To be honest, I worried my precaution was excessive, but seeing the way your son conducts himself, it proved entirely necessary,” Baek So-cheon answered calmly.

Na-sa-rin took her cue without missing a beat, speaking in accordance with Baek So-cheon’s prior telepathic communication.

“While I was extracting the worm from your son, I planted the technique of Seop-hon-sul within his mind. Should any of our three lives end within the next five days, he will take his own life by his own hands.”

Her calm, measured words caused the amusement on Yeom Hwa-sin’s face to instantly freeze into a murderous chill.

“You dare inflict Seop-hon-sul upon my son?” he growled, his voice dropping low.

Na-sa-rin’s aura turned just as frigid, and an uncharacteristic, thunderous shout broke from her lips.

“And did you not dare conspire to take the life of our alliance lord?”

“You miserable old hag…!”

“Look at me carefully. See for yourself precisely what this ‘miserable old hag’ is capable of carrying out.”

Her sudden fury was an unprecedented, terrifying sight, her spiritual presence expanding so fiercely that it matched Yeom Hwa-sin’s overwhelming pressure.

“I only need to keep you captive here for five days—”

“Release us right this instant, or I shall end my own breath here and now. Once my soul is resolved to die, there is no one alive who can stop me.”

Her conviction was total and unshakeable.

“If you harbor any doubts, go ahead and test my resolve.”

A suffocating, tense silence enveloped the entire room as their wills collided. In the end, it was Yeom Hwa-sin who chose to yield first.

“Hahaha! Truly, older ginger carries the sharpest spice! It was merely a lighthearted prank from my foolish boy—forgive his indiscretion.”

He cast a stern, reproving glare toward Yeom Sa-won.

Grudgingly, the son raised his hands and saluted with clenched fists.

“It was nothing more than youthful mischief. If I overstepped my bounds, you have my apologies. I shall ensure this debt is repaid in the future.”

The venom in his tone made the parting words sound like an open declaration of vengeance.

Na-sa-rin gave an indifferent nod, allowing the tense atmosphere to soften.

Without offering a single word of appreciation, Yeom Sa-won stormed out of the chamber.

Yeom Hwa-sin, on the other hand, voiced his gratitude.

“You have my thanks.”

“It was no trouble at all,” she answered evenly.

He then shifted his gaze toward Baek So-cheon.

“You will remain behind. There are matters you and I must discuss. The rest of you, step outside.”

Yeom Hwa-sin turned and strode out of the hall first.

Finding herself alone with Cheon-geuk and Baek So-cheon for a brief moment, Cheon-geuk vented her bottled anger regarding Yeom Sa-won.

“Do not try to stop me when the day comes. I swear I will sever that brat’s head with my own hands someday.”

The insolent heir had treated even Na-sa-rin, the savior who had just spared his life, with utter contempt, daring to call her a freak.

Baek So-cheon looked toward the elderly woman and voiced his gratitude.

“It is solely thanks to you that every one of us is still alive.”

“That matter is trivial. There is something far more critical you must hear,” Na-sa-rin interrupted, her tone grave.

Her urgent warning stunned both of them.

“When I touched Yeom Hwa-sin’s body… his physiology was entirely unnatural. It is very likely that he has attained the realm of Geum-gang Bul-goe Ji-che.”

Both Baek So-cheon and Cheon-geuk stood frozen in place.

Geum-gang Bul-goe.

It represented the absolute pinnacle of external physical mastery—an invincible defense completely impervious to blades, flames, water, or any worldly physical impact. Even sharp sword qi or sword gang could not pierce or cut through such flesh, delivering nothing beyond blunt shock.

If her assessment proved accurate, the consequences were terrifying. This was Yeom Hwa-sin, of all people.

He was already an insurmountable titan to bring down; now it was as if an unstoppable monster had sprouted wings.

A three or four out of ten chance of defeating him? Such an estimation was no longer realistic; their chances had plunged to less than one. The paramount position within the Murim Seol-yeol-log had undeniably returned to his hands.

Was this the true wellspring of his audacity?

The unshakeable conviction that he was utterly untouchable—boldly approaching the very doorstep of the Murim Alliance headquarters, declaring that a hundred martial artists would have to sacrifice their lives just to subdue him.

“I shall step outside,” Baek So-cheon said quietly.

“Go ahead,” Na-sa-rin replied.

Baek So-cheon departed, following after the alliance lord.

Left alone in the chamber, Cheon-geuk tended to Na-sa-rin. Her concern was focused not on the invincible giant who had just walked out, but on the frail, aging frame before her eyes.

“Are you holding up well?” she inquired gently.

“I am fine,” the elder responded softly.

Cheon-geuk bowed her head with heartfelt appreciation.

“Every one of us survived this ordeal thanks to your actions, Elder.”

“It was not my doing.”

“Pardon?”

Na-sa-rin turned her gaze toward the window. Across the wide open courtyard, Baek So-cheon could be seen walking toward Yeom Hwa-sin, carrying his hands casually behind his back.

Only in that moment did Cheon-geuk realize that the entire bluff and countermeasure had been devised by Baek So-cheon and coordinated with Na-sa-rin long before they ever arrived.

Watching his retreating silhouette, she repeated the exact vow she had voiced earlier regarding Yeom Sa-won, but imbued with an entirely opposite meaning.

“…Do not stop me when the time arrives.”

She did not specify her intentions aloud, yet Na-sa-rin understood her heart without need for clarification: it was not a promise of bloodshed, but a quiet declaration of affection.

*Indeed, I will not stand in your way. Love with complete freedom.*

She truly hoped her lord would live a vibrant, passionate life, and she resolved to stand as his unyielding shield until the very end.

Her only lingering hope was that her frail body would endure for as long as possible.