My Younger Siblings Are the Greatest Masters in the World - Chapter 159
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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159.
Honestly, he hadn’t lived a particularly clean life.
In such circumstances, when Seol Mujin visited and he actually met him, he turned out to be an outstanding talent.
Having such talent under his command meant that the Third Prince’s chances of becoming emperor were that much higher.
So just as his heart was beginning to lean that way, Seol Mujin subtly cast his line.
“His Highness the Third Prince might want to meet you to express his gratitude. Would you be willing to see him?”
Jeong Chansong eagerly took the bait that Seol Mujin had dangled.
“How could I refuse such a glorious opportunity? If you arrange such a meeting, Lord Seol would be my benefactor. Hahaha!”
Jeong Chansong’s laughter came easily.
He had come to obtain Fire Yang Grass, but felt like he had caught an even bigger fish.
The two hours that Jeong Chansong had promised passed like that.
Though they were clearly awkward with each other, the time didn’t feel particularly long.
When he heard news that the adjutant he had sent had returned, tension appeared on Jeong Chansong’s face.
There was no way Wang Baekgang would refuse his request.
However, he couldn’t let go of his worry since the Fire Yang Grass might have already gone into someone else’s stomach.
But then the adjutant pulled out a wooden box from his chest.
“Lord Wang gladly gave it up.”
If he didn’t have the Fire Yang Grass that would be one thing, but Wang Baekgang wasn’t the type to refuse to give it when he had it.
Jeong Chansong handed the wooden box he received from his adjutant directly to Seol Mujin.
“Fortunately, the Fire Yang Grass was still with my in-law.”
“Thank you.”
Seol Mujin also politely received the Fire Yang Grass with both hands.
“I’ll arrange an appointment with His Highness the Third Prince within a few days.”
“I’ll be ready to go to Beijing at any time.”
With that, Seol Mujin left the Shaanxi Provincial Command and headed toward Jongnampa.
On his trip to investigate the relationship between Jongnampa and the Fourth Prince, he had gained an unexpected harvest.
Using his light body technique to the fullest, he was able to arrive at Jongnampa around sunset.
Jang Homyeong, who heard news that Seol Mujin had come, rushed over at full speed.
“How did it go?”
Mixed with his anxious expression was disappointment, because Seol Mujin had returned too quickly.
The time was barely enough for a round trip to Bupung County, so could he have actually obtained the Fire Yang Grass?
“I was lucky.”
“What? Don’t tell me…”
Seol Mujin pulled out the wooden box from his chest and held it out to Jang Homyeong.
“I’m ignorant about medicinal herbs, so I don’t know if this is really Fire Yang Grass. Please check.”
Jang Homyeong hastily opened the lid of the wooden box.
He had never seen Fire Yang Grass either, but he knew from hearing about it what its appearance and fragrance should be like.
On the leaves that had begun to wither and fade to brown, three red fruits that looked like miniature apples were hanging.
It didn’t matter if the leaves withered, but the fruits had to maintain their vivid red color.
Jang Homyeong’s eyes trembled as he looked at the glossy red fruits.
“This, this really is Fire Yang Grass.”
“Please use it for your daughter quickly.”
“Yes, I should! I should! Thank you! Thank you so much!”
Jang Homyeong went inside looking for the master of Yaksudang.
Hwangbo Cheonak and the other two watched Jang Homyeong’s retreating figure with pleased gazes.
“That’s a relief.”
Namgung Hyemin muttered this, and Hwangbo Cheonak patted Seol Mujin’s shoulder.
“Good work.”
“What work? I just went and got treated well.”
“Wang Baekgang treated you well?”
“No, I didn’t even go near Wang Baekgang.”
“Then where did you get that?”
“I went to the Shaanxi Provincial Command. The Commandant is Wang Baekgang’s in-law. Between Wang Baekgang who runs a not-so-large business and the Commandant of a province, who would have more power? Especially since he married off his daughter.”
“So you used the Commandant?”
“I used His Highness the Third Prince too. When I said His Highness the Third Prince would take it, the Commandant went and got it for me first.”
“What will you do if His Highness the Third Prince finds out later?”
Seol Mujin waved his hands dismissively.
“It’s fine. It’s not something he needs, and he won’t say anything just because I used his name a bit. Did you find out about the relationship between Jongnampa and the Fourth Prince while I was gone?”
“It’s not certain yet, but it doesn’t seem like Jongnampa and the Fourth Prince have formed an alliance. The Fourth Prince’s side did come to visit, but it seems they haven’t given a definite answer.”
Jegal Jaeryeong spoke.
“Brother, you should talk with the sect leader. Since you saved his daughter’s life, he’ll probably grant most reasonable requests.”
“From how he handled his daughter’s problem, he seems like someone who clearly separates public and private matters.”
“Of course that’s true, but it should still have some influence on his decision.”
“Let’s hope the treatment goes well for now.”
Jang Homyeong didn’t return until late into the night.
Seol Mujin, who spent the night at the lodging, woke up early the next morning.
The normally quiet morning of the Daoist priests held even more stillness due to Jang Taeyeon’s treatment.
Seol Mujin didn’t ask how the treatment went and just waited for Jang Homyeong to tell him.
Hwangbo Cheonak and the others gathered one by one at Seol Mujin’s quarters.
Jegal Jaeryeong, brewing tea she had obtained from somewhere, said.
“It seems the treatment results haven’t come out yet.”
Hwangbo Cheonak asked.
“Is Absolute Yin Meridian originally a difficult disease to treat?”
“For ordinary women, it’s a constitution that doesn’t even need treatment. It would just end with being a bit cold. But it’s different when you learn martial arts. Internal energy touches some part of the Absolute Yin Meridian and leads to death.”
“What part?”
“That hasn’t been figured out. That’s why it’s an incurable disease.”
Jang Homyeong only appeared after they had finished their early morning meal.
From his bright smile, they could tell the treatment had gone well.
Jang Homyeong bowed deeply to Seol Mujin, who let out a sigh of relief.
“Thank you so much for saving my daughter’s life.”
“I’m glad the results were good.”
“I don’t know how to repay this kindness.”
He had even thought about leaving Jongnampa, where he had spent his entire life.
He had even considered doing things that he shouldn’t do as a righteous sect’s hero.
If Seol Mujin hadn’t come, Jang Homyeong’s forehead would have been branded with the mark of a criminal.
And there was no guarantee that his daughter’s life would have been saved.
In that sense, Seol Mujin had saved two lives – both Jang Homyeong and Jang Taeyeon.
Even in this situation, Seol Mujin couldn’t easily bring up the Third Prince.
So Jegal Jaeryeong, who was more shameless than Seol Mujin, stepped forward.
“I’m sure the sect leader can guess why we came.”
When she brought up the main topic, Jang Homyeong’s smile disappeared.
Personally, he was endlessly happy, but the matter with the Third Prince was something the safety of Jongnampa depended on.
He couldn’t just consider personal favors.
“Honestly, His Highness the Fourth Prince’s messenger came by about two months ago. But I didn’t give him a definite answer.”
Seol Mujin asked.
“Did you not answer, or did you refuse?”
“It was a gentle refusal, but I don’t know how they took it.”
Jang Homyeong sighed and continued.
“Our Jongnampa has been keeping well to the principle of non-interference between government and martial arts until now, and we don’t want to break that principle in the future.”
“It’s good to stick to principles, but those principles might bring disaster upon you.”
“Aren’t principles something you must uphold even while accepting disadvantages?”
Jegal Jaeryeong spoke.
“We Odaesega thought the same way. But those principles only have value if you’re alive to uphold them. A wolf separated from its pack cannot survive alone.”
“Then become a tiger instead of a wolf.”
Seol Mujin asked.
“What would you do if dozens of other tigers were attacking that tiger?”
“Not following the current doesn’t create that many enemies.”
“It will. Soon there will only be two types left in this world.”
“Two types…?”
“Enemy or friend. There’s no gray area. No matter who becomes emperor, bystanders will be treated the same as those on the opposite side.”
“Is that Samhwangja Jeonha’s thinking?”
Seol Mujin shook his head.
“Samhwangja Jeonha probably isn’t even thinking such thoughts.”
“Then whose thinking is it?”
“My own thinking.”
“Are you saying Seol Podoo would consider all those who didn’t stand on your side as enemies?”
“If you think anyone wouldn’t do that, then you’re being naive, Sect Leader. Of course, even if Samhwangja Jeonha becomes emperor, he won’t attack Jongnampa.”
“Really?”
“But you’ll become obsolete. Sects in Shaanxi Province or elsewhere will grow stronger, and Jongnampa will shrink. The Gudaemunpa haven’t always had the same names, have they?”
That was true.
There were sects that were once part of the Gudaemunpa but had now fallen to insignificant regional existences.
Ami Sect was like that, and so was Hengshan Sect.
Unless Jongnampa was an irreplaceable sect in Murim like Shaolin, Huashan, or Wudang, it could decline at any time.
“That’s a bone-cutting threat.”
“It’s not a threat, but reality.”
Jang Homyeong, who had been pondering something, looked straight into Seol Mujin’s eyes and asked.
“Is Samhwangja Jeonha an excellent person?”
“Well. If you lined up people more excellent than Samhwangja Jeonha in these Central Plains, the line would stretch for ten li. He’s just slightly better than ordinary. But someone once said that for a member of the imperial family, that level is like a sage ruler. One thing is certain – among the imperial family members who could become emperor, there’s no one better than the Third Prince.”
Hwangbo Cheonak spoke.
“I don’t know much about the Third Prince, but I trust this friend Mujin-i. The person Mujin-i assists couldn’t be a bad person.”
Namgung Hyemin also supported Hwangbo Cheonak’s words.
“I’ve never seen anyone more excellent than Seol Podoo either.”
No, how embarrassing to say such things.
Even Jegal Jaeryeong added a word.
“Isn’t the fact that even the Odaesega united around Seol Podoo proof of that? The Odaesega who still pursue righteousness and chivalry.”
Jang Homyeong couldn’t help but waver.
He had tried not to take either side while maintaining the principle of non-interference between government and martial arts.
Of course, his personal gratitude toward Seol Mujin played a part in that wavering.
“There must be a reason why the Odaesega evaluate Seol Podoo so highly.”
“I’m merely a podoo.”
To think the words “merely a podoo” would come from his own mouth.
“Would you give me time to think?”
“Of course.”
“I’ll inform you of Jongnampa’s decision when Jeongmujeonghoo returns.”
Since there wasn’t much time left, Seol Mujin nodded.
“Understood.”
Jegal Jaeryeong said to Seol Mujin.
“You’ll have to attend Jeongmujeonghoo too, won’t you, oppa?”
“Huh? Why me? I’m not even a Martial Artist.”
“You need to hear the Sect Leader’s answer. And why aren’t you a Martial Artist, oppa? You’re so deeply involved in Murim affairs.”
“That just happened by chance.”
“Then you’d be the first Martial Artist who became one by chance.”
At Jegal Jaeryeong’s words, the room was covered with laughter.
After chatting with Jang Homyeong for about half a hour, they left Jongnampa.
“The Sect Leader’s final reaction seemed good.”
At Jegal Jaeryeong’s words, Hwangbo Cheonak asked.
“Did you read his mind?”
“Do I need to read minds? It was clearly showing on his face. Like how oppa likes Hyemin unnie.”
When Namgung Hyemin hit her arm saying ‘This child says all sorts of things,’ Jegal Jaeryeong said ‘Unnie’s face looks similar to Cheonag oppa’s too.’
Seol Mujin’s gaze turned toward Sichuan Province where Qingcheng Sect was located.
“I ended up going to Sichuan Province again.”
Jegal Jaeryeong asked.
“Will you stop by Sichuan Dang Clan?”
“Well. It’s not that far from Qingcheng Sect…”
“You’re not coveting the position of son-in-law, are you?”
At those words, Hwangbo Cheonak’s eyes sparkled.
“Son-in-law? Mujin-i is becoming Sichuan Dang Clan’s son-in-law?”
Seol Mujin waved his hands frantically.
“What nonsense are you talking about!”
“Choin unnie was drooling over Mujin oppa. It was like a complete flood.”
Namgung Hyemin said.
“Seol Podoo as Sichuan Dang Clan’s son-in-law… It somehow seems fitting…”
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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