The Farmer Who Ended Up Teaching the World’s Greatest Martial Artist - Chapter 107
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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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| Chapter 107
“Where else would it be? To see our dad.”
At Ju Yu-ryeon’s words, Yoo Eun-hyun was startled and asked back.
“Uncle? Uncle came here?”
“Just follow me for now.”
Yoo Eun-hyun asked in bewilderment, unable to properly grasp the situation. However, since Ju Yu-ryeon looked quite urgent, and as she said, asking questions while following would be sufficient, he started moving while speaking.
“What? Did something happen?”
“It’s not something you need to worry about. The greetings went well and ended quickly. There wasn’t time to leisurely chat anyway.”
“But? Isn’t Uncle resting here too?”
Yoo Eun-hyun’s question made sense. Ju Won-gong, Yeo U-hui, and Ju Yu-ryeon were family. There was no need to separate the family, so Yoo Eun-hyun’s question was quite reasonable.
“He probably would… but it doesn’t seem like he’ll come.”
“Why?”
“He headed straight to Doryeon-won.”
“Doryeon-won, you mean…”
“Right. Nominally, it’s a place for poison research where Dang Eun-seon serves as the director… but I’m sure you can guess what they’re researching right now without me having to say it?”
At Ju Yu-ryeon’s question, Yoo Eun-hyun nodded silently. Given the recent situation, it was obvious without asking that they were currently devoted to researching Jeokgang Doksi, as Ju Yu-ryeon said.
“He just headed there? Without even unpacking?”
“Sigh. Dad’s always like that. He’s a medical maniac.”
“You have to be somewhat obsessed to be good at anything. I can understand that.”
Yoo Eun-hyun probably nodded because he was confident he would prioritize everything else if he could see and experience new crops or farming methods with his own eyes, but Ju Yu-ryeon frowned.
“What’s that supposed to mean? Even so, that’s too much.”
“They say people can’t see themselves objectively. Looking at how you wander around at night, you’re similar.”
“Is, is that so?”
Ju Yu-ryeon fell into thought at Yoo Eun-hyun’s words, then hung her head low thinking there really wasn’t much difference, and during that time, the two arrived at their destination.
“This is Doryeon-won? Where’s Aunt?”
“Mom still had things to discuss with the family head. She’s having detailed conversations with other staff members.”
“Really? But is it okay to just enter here? Isn’t this a top-secret area?”
“It should be fine? I did mention it beforehand. Surely there wouldn’t be any traps or anything?”
At Yoo Eun-hyun’s words, Ju Yu-ryeon hesitated while trying to open the door, then just opened it, and as soon as the door opened, both unconsciously frowned at the strange fragrance that wafted out.
It was a peculiar scent that somehow felt nauseating, yet also seemed refreshing in a way, but what was certain was that it didn’t look particularly good for one’s health.
“Good day. Are you Ju Yu-ryeon and Yoo Eun-hyun?”
“That’s right.”
“Yes. I heard from the director that you two would be coming. Please come inside.”
A man who looked thoroughly exhausted by something, similar to Dang Eun-seon, came out and greeted the two, and Yoo Eun-hyun muttered to himself about the man.
‘For someone working in a place like this, he looks weak. Maybe he’s not someone who fights directly?’
And while Yoo Eun-hyun was thinking this, as they entered inside, the fragrance became thicker, and Ju Yu-ryeon, unable to contain her curiosity, asked back.
“This… is this perhaps poison?”
“Yes. That’s correct. Martial artists who have learned internal energy should be fine, but ordinary people would die within one hour of entering this outer courtyard.”
“So it’s that much of a top-secret facility.”
“Yes. And even martial artists who have learned internal energy would suffer serious internal injuries if they stayed in the outer courtyard for more than two weeks. This is to guard against potential spies.”
Hearing the man’s words, Yoo Eun-hyun and Ju Yu-ryeon closed their mouths and looked at each other’s faces for a moment. They had no intention of staying for two weeks so they should be fine, but hearing that poison was circulating didn’t feel very pleasant. And they could sense how much the Dang Family treated this place as top secret.
“This outer courtyard is where we exchange opinions and transcribe or store research-related materials. The actual poison research is conducted in the inner courtyard.”
“It looked quite spacious from the outside, but this is still the outer area. Does the inner courtyard have the same poison as here?”
“No. The poison in the inner courtyard is different from the outer courtyard’s poison – ordinary people who haven’t learned martial arts would be fine, but anyone with even a little internal energy would be poisoned unless they have immunity to all poisons.”
Hearing this, Yoo Eun-hyun and Ju Yu-ryeon hesitated. Indeed, among poisons that affect blood vessels or internal energy, there are many that only apply to martial artists.
But ultimately, this meant they couldn’t enter the inner courtyard just like that, and sure enough, the man took out white pills the size of fingernails from his chest and offered them to the two.
“Is this an antidote?”
“No. If there were antidotes, that could be exploited as a weakness. The poison spread in the inner courtyard is a mixture of dozens of poisons as well as medicines, so there is no antidote.”
“Then what is this?”
“This is not an antidote, but a medicine that temporarily narrows the blood vessels to restrict the flow of internal energy. If you take this medicine, you’ll barely be able to use internal energy, and you won’t be affected by the poison spread in the inner courtyard.”
The man’s words made perfect sense. Since it was poison that affected internal energy, restricting internal energy would certainly make it ineffective, and separately from that, Yoo Eun-hyun was impressed by the Dang Family’s meticulous security.
‘So he’s saying antidotes simply don’t exist. The outside blocks people who haven’t learned martial arts, and the inside blocks people who have learned martial arts?’
Anyway, since they couldn’t enter the inner courtyard without taking the medicine the man offered, Yoo Eun-hyun and Ju Yu-ryeon accepted and swallowed the medicine without complaint.
Then, indeed, they felt their blood vessels throbbing and the flow of internal energy circulating through their bodies rapidly weakening. It wasn’t completely blocked since that would kill them before the poison could, but it had weakened to almost the level of ordinary people.
“The internal energy hasn’t disappeared, so if you forcefully push strong internal energy through, the medicine’s effect will disappear. However, I recommend you don’t do that in the inner courtyard. You’ll be poisoned immediately.”
While listening to the man’s words, Yoo Eun-hyun was trying to move while sensing the flow of natural energy around him instead of internal energy. Since natural energy was the core of Yoo Eun-hyun’s martial arts anyway, as long as he could feel the flow of natural energy, it would be better even if he couldn’t use internal energy.
‘It seems a bit uncomfortable, but I can feel and move natural energy well… Hmm?’
While trying to move by sensing the flow of natural energy, Yoo Eun-hyun noticed that the movement of natural energy and the flow of poison spread around were similar. And when he subtly moved the natural energy around him, he felt the poison weakening and chuckled inwardly, but didn’t show it outwardly.
“What’s wrong? Are you okay? It’s not a side effect, is it?”
Seeing this, Ju Yu-ryeon asked as if wondering if he was alright, but Yoo Eun-hyun shook his head.
“No. It’s just a feeling I’ve never experienced before. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, but I feel a bit anxious since I can’t use internal energy properly. Well, everyone would be similar… So, may we head to the inner courtyard now?”
At Ju Yu-ryeon’s question, the man nodded.
“Yes. The medicine seems to have taken sufficient effect. I’ll guide you.”
And Yoo Eun-hyun followed behind him, thinking that the reason the man in front of him didn’t look very strong might be because he had taken this medicine. Although it was originally divided into outer and inner courtyards, since it was the same building, the two who were visiting for the first time couldn’t distinguish whether this was the inner or outer courtyard just by looking.
“Hmm…”
But even without distinguishing by sight, Yoo Eun-hyun could feel that the air had suddenly changed the moment they entered the inner courtyard.
“The air has changed.”
“The color too.”
Ju Yu-ryeon whispered softly in Yoo Eun-hyun’s ear, and Yoo Eun-hyun also nodded and added a word. Indeed, upon entering the inner courtyard, not only the fragrance but also the color seemed to have become somewhat murky.
“You’ll get used to it quickly.”
Whether he heard Ju Yu-ryeon’s whisper, which she spoke to his ear but had no intention of hiding, the man spoke without even turning around, and indeed, their sight and smell quickly adapted to the surrounding situation.
Since there was no hindrance to their activities other than weakened internal energy, the two soon looked around the inner courtyard as if sightseeing, but each room was tightly closed so they couldn’t properly grasp the atmosphere.
“This is it. Please go inside…”
And when the two were guided to one of the rooms that all looked identical, as if they were copies, and entered inside, three people inside looked up at Yoo Eun-hyun and Ju Yu-ryeon.
“Ah. You’re here.”
Tang Zi-sheng, who had been leaning back in his chair with a bored expression, brightened up seeing the two arrive and got up from his seat to guide them to empty chairs.
“You’ve arrived. Welcome.”
And Dang Eun-seon also looked up and gave a light greeting to the two, and the remaining person, a man who had been staring intently at Yoo Eun-hyun in particular, approached Yoo Eun-hyun and extended his hand with a grin.
“You must be Yoo Eun-hyun. I’m Ju Won-gong.”
Yeo U-hui’s husband and Ju Yu-ryeon’s father, Ju Won-gong was a handsome man with a splendidly grown thick mustache, thick eyebrows, strong-looking eyes, and a prominent nose that made him look like a gallant gentleman.
Moreover, the fine wrinkles carved here and there, the glimpses of white hair, and his skin that was tanned by the sun but without a single blemish, exuded a neat maturity that made one feel the passage of time.
“I’m called Yoo Eun-hyun.”
“Right. Feel free to be comfortable. If you’re Hwa-seon’s son and Yu-ryeon’s friend, you’re no different from my own child.”
And while Yoo Eun-hyun responded to Ju Won-gong’s greeting, he was greatly surprised inwardly. Actually, Yoo Eun-hyun had been imagining what kind of person he might be after hearing stories from Yeo U-hui and Ju Yu-ryeon. But seeing Ju Won-gong in person, he was completely different from what Yoo Eun-hyun had been thinking, so he couldn’t help but be surprised.
“Hey. Dad, aren’t you interested in your daughter at all?”
“How could that be? However, there’s such a thing as priorities in work, isn’t there? It’s natural to prioritize a newly met guest over you whom I saw just a moment ago.”
“Geez. Always following priorities like that. Only interested in important things and no interest in anything else?”
“Priorities can change at any time. And Yoo Gong-ja is a marriage candidate, right? Naturally, shouldn’t he be the most important person at this moment?”
“Oh my. Really, Dad. A marriage candidate.”
At Ju Won-gong’s words, Ju Yu-ryeon blushed and squirmed, but Yoo Eun-hyun just chuckled as if dumbfounded and didn’t respond at all.
“Wait. Since when have you two been in that kind of relationship?”
Rather, Tang Zi-sheng looked surprised and asked Yoo Eun-hyun back, and Dang Eun-seon also began looking at Yoo Eun-hyun with intrigued eyes.
“She goes around saying all the decent men in the world are candidates, so just ignore her. You’re probably buried somewhere on that candidate list too.”
“Is, is that so?”
And at Yoo Eun-hyun’s retort, Ju Yu-ryeon shouted loudly.
“Hey! How can you expose secrets like that?”
“Wait. That was a secret? You’re saying there are that many marriage candidates?”
“Dad found out!”
“It’s fine. The more the merrier. Having more of anything is never bad.”
“Right?”
Somehow thinking that if Yeo U-hui were here, she would probably nag them to quickly pick one and get married since there were so many, he looked at the father and daughter.
‘He’s certainly a tremendously handsome middle-aged man, but at first glance, there doesn’t seem to be anything particularly special about him… There must be some reason why Aunt and Yu-ryeon are so disgusted by him.’
At a glance, they looked like a harmonious father and daughter – a doting father and a daughter who had him wrapped around her finger – so Yoo Eun-hyun couldn’t understand why Yeo U-hui and Ju Yu-ryeon were so disgusted by Ju Won-gwang.
However, precisely because he couldn’t understand the reason yet felt there must be some cause, Yoo Eun-hyun found himself becoming even more interested in him.
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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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