The Granddaughter of the Manhyang Escort Agency Hides Her Magic - Chapter 26
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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 26
Three years ago, An Sanho, a senior escort of Biwongak who assisted pavilion master Cheonrim, had reported to him.
‘Miss Shin Ah has brought home some tiny little beggar.’
At that time, Cheonrim was pouring all his attention into Shin Ah, who would collapse at the slightest thing.
He had only given instructions not to let some beggar hang around Shin Ah, then erased it from his mind.
It seemed that the beggar Shin Ah had picked up back then was Mugyeol.
When Cheonrim, who didn’t have the capacity to take in even a young beggar at the time, was troubled, An Sanho seemed to have spoken to Chief Go and had the child taken in as a servant of the So Family Estate.
‘So that’s why Mugyeol follows Shin Ah so well. There was such a story behind it. He’s a boy who knows gratitude.’
Cheonrim, who had been thinking about Mugyeol, suddenly straightened his expression and opened his eyes wide.
“Wait, did you perhaps?”
Chifung, who had stuffed a dumpling in his mouth, looked at Cheonrim.
“Did you perhaps open all of Mugyeol’s energy channels?”
Chifung, having swallowed the dumpling, answered nonchalantly.
“It’s nothing grand. I just added a spoon to already cooked rice. That boy was born with heavenly bones and divine constitution.”
Heavenly bones and divine constitution referred to someone with exceptional comprehension, energy channels wider and more resilient than others, and a constitution that accumulated internal energy in the dantian at a rapid pace.
They also had good muscle elasticity, solid bones, and an ideal body proportion for wielding a sword.
In other words, Mugyeol was a martial prodigy sent by heaven.
However, one could only recognize the characteristics of heavenly bones and divine constitution by carefully examining the state of energy channels and dantian with internal energy.
That’s why Mugyeol, despite being born with heavenly bones and divine constitution, had not caught anyone’s attention until now.
With just a good master, Mugyeol was a once-in-a-generation talent who could achieve great accomplishments at a young age and more.
“I see! But why did you just leave the child and go?”
Cheonrim was amazed by this newly learned fact but also puzzled.
“I had urgent business to attend to at that time.”
At Chifung’s attitude of not saying more, Cheonrim closed his mouth.
If it was something he should know, Chifung would have spilled it first.
But seeing him keep his mouth firmly shut and just pick at the remaining dumplings, it was clearly either unrelated to him or something he shouldn’t know.
Cheonrim brought up his purpose for calling Chifung again in a casual tone.
“Then do you have no business now? Could you take care of our children for a while?”
“Hehe, where did my old friend who was as leisurely as an immortal go? Bring him back.”
Chifung tried to brush off this situation with a joke. Then Cheonrim corrected his posture, placed his hands on his knees, and bowed his head.
“I earnestly request this of you.”
Chifung stopped right there. Cheonrim’s expression was so solemn that he couldn’t carelessly move his mouth.
‘I should stop the jokes here.’
Chifung withdrew his plan to tease his old friend whom he’d met after a long time.
“I’ll ask.”
“Anything.”
“Your daughter has a problem, doesn’t she? Should I say she has a special talent?”
“What do you mean?”
“I saw it. Your daughter was creating fire in mid-air.”
“Our Shin Ah manifested Samadhi True Fire?”
Cheonrim waved his hand with an absurd expression.
“Are you dreaming? If so, wake up quickly. Shin Ah has been bedridden with poor health since birth. A child who barely learned an internal energy cultivation method manifesting Samadhi True Fire?”
Cheonrim was convinced that Chifung had seen an illusion.
“I’m certain. I saw it clearly with my own two eyes. As you say, it might not be Samadhi True Fire. Shin Ah clearly doesn’t have the internal energy to use Samadhi True Fire. But she definitely set fire to another girl’s sleeve. While chanting something like an incantation.”
When Chifung spoke seriously, Cheonrim could no longer simply deny his words.
“Is such a thing possible?”
A child with barely any internal energy creating fire in mid-air?
It might be possible if she used Taoist arts like the Taoists of Jinju Temple or Mosan Sect.
However, Shin Ah had never met a Taoist from birth until now. She had rarely even left the So Family Estate.
‘Could it be that Shin Ah created a new martial art?’
For that to be the case, his daughter hadn’t even properly learned the basics of martial arts.
‘Could it be related to her malformed dantian?’
Cheonrim’s mind became complicated.
Whatever assumption he made, it was impossible to understand with Cheonrim’s common sense.
“I don’t know. That’s why I want to find out.”
Chifung gulped down the alcohol in his cup. After setting down the cup with a thud, he said refreshingly.
“I accept your proposal.”
“You’ll take care of my children?”
“Only until they meet a good master later. I’ll just establish their foundation.”
Chifung was dying of curiosity about Shin Ah. And he also felt responsible for Mugyeol, whom he had irresponsibly left behind.
‘If I had just a little more time back then, I would have at least left letters for Cheonrim like when I entrusted other children to people.’
A slight desire arose to accept Mugyeol, who had heavenly bones and divine constitution, as a disciple, but Chifung knew himself well.
Having secret tasks to perform under the Sect Leader’s orders, he couldn’t stay in one place for long to teach a child.
But he also couldn’t take such a young child to wander Gangho, nor could he just dump him on Mount Hua saying he’d accept him as a True Mountain Disciple.
‘Mugyeol’s opinion is important too.’
So for now, he planned to take responsibility only up to solidly building the foundation of the two children.
‘That alone should be fun.’
Chifung’s eyes sparkled.
Reading the positive energy from Chifung, Cheonrim felt relieved. Even if it was temporary acceptance, if Chifung took care of the children, he could be at ease.
The mention that Shin Ah had manifested Samadhi True Fire bothered him, but he decided to bury the detailed circumstances. Just the fact that the child had gotten up from her sickbed and was living energetically was grateful and overwhelming enough.
Moreover, it wasn’t as if he had no inkling at all.
‘The strange phenomenon must be happening because of her malformed dantian.’
However, Cheonrim thought he should be careful not to let the child attract attention because of it.
* * *
Shin Ah stubbornly brought Mugyeol to her private quarters. Though Cheonrim was troubled, she threw a tantrum saying she didn’t want to be alone.
After Cheonrim reluctantly gave permission and left, the doctor rushed over to examine Shin Ah and Mugyeol’s condition.
He was a doctor stationed at the escort agency who, while not as skilled as Doctor Ju, could sufficiently treat minor external injuries or simple internal injuries.
He felt Mugyeol’s pulse.
“He’s just shocked, but there are no injuries. Don’t worry.”
“Please prepare medicine.”
Shin Ah said.
“Pardon?”
“You know, medicine for when you’re shocked. Add plenty of medicinal herbs that make you healthy and strong too.”
The doctor couldn’t readily answer. Only when Shin Ah stared at him intently did he finally open his mouth.
“I’m moved by Miss’s silk-like heart, but the escort agency’s medicinal herbs aren’t prepared for such lowly things.”
While Manhyang Express was considerate of its members’ convenience in many ways, that was only limited to escort leaders, escorts, and armed guards.
The treatment of other laborers was no different from other places, except that their wages were more generous compared to elsewhere and they were provided with sufficient meals. They couldn’t receive treatment even when sick.
“Who said to use the escort agency’s medicinal herbs? I can just use my medicinal herbs.”
“Oh my, Miss! That won’t do.”
Danmi, who had been listening quietly, interjected.
“Those are medicinal herbs the pavilion master gave for Miss to take.”
“That’s why I can do as I please with them. Since grandfather gave them to me.”
An argument continued between Danmi saying it wasn’t allowed and Shin Ah saying she would do as she pleased.
The doctor listened intently to their conversation, rolling his eyes back and forth.
‘Was the rumor that the Escort Agency master wants to make the Biwongak master his successor again true? He even sent precious medicinal herbs to Biwongak? I should choose the right side in this situation.’
Having finished his thoughts, the doctor quietly raised his hand.
“Miss.”
Shin Ah, who was getting increasingly annoyed by Danmi’s constant interference, whipped her head around.
“What?”
“Though it’s not normally allowed, I’ll secretly prepare it out of consideration for your feelings, Miss. Even if I gather and boil the leftovers from making medicine for the escorts, it would be more than adequate medicine for that fellow.”
“You want to make medicine from scraps?”
“No! The medicinal herbs are too valuable to throw away after one use, so people fight over them when we put them outside.”
Though the doctor’s words were true, Shin Ah wanted to give Mugyeol proper medicine.
And something had been bothering her for a while now.
“You keep saying ‘lowborn, lowborn,’ but who exactly is lowborn? Mugyeol is no longer a servant of the Escort Agency. He’s staying at Biwongak as my friend.”
The doctor blinked as if he had heard something utterly absurd.
Shin Ah let out a deep sigh.
People’s thoughts didn’t change easily.
Her heart felt heavy thinking about how many mountains Mugyeol would have to cross before being accepted as her friend.
She heard rustling sounds from behind.
Shin Ah, who had been sitting on the edge of the bed, turned around.
Mugyeol had regained consciousness at some point and was sitting up, looking at Shin Ah. His large eyes were brimming with tears.
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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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