The Owner Of The Thousand Gold Coins Is A Military Official - Chapter 12

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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 12

I definitely saw something.

And felt something too.

“…Hey. Hye-ya?”

“Ah, yes. Brother.”

“Are you that curious about Cheongeumjang’s Young Patriarch?”

“No. I just thought I saw something strange.”

“It would be good to familiarize ourselves with his face.”

If he was Cheongeumjang’s Young Patriarch, it meant he would become Cheongeumjang’s Patriarch unless there were major problems.

Jegalhyun approached Cheongun with confident steps and showed proper courtesy first.

“Nice to meet you. I am Jegalhyun of the Jegal Family.”

It was an ambiguous greeting.

He showed courtesy, but revealing himself first could be interpreted differently depending on the person.

Heukjeon, who had been briefly reading Cheongun’s mood, immediately responded to his signal.

“…I am called Heukjeon. Do you have business with us, young master?”

“Since this is our first time at Gonlun Inn, we don’t know what’s delicious. Did you have anything good?”

It was a question anyone could ask, so Heukjeon selected and told him about several decent menu items.

“By any chance, was there nothing to your liking, young master?”

“Ah, this is my attendant.”

“…I see. Thank you. I have companions waiting, so I’ll be going now.”

Jegalhyun turned back without saying anything else.

“He knows me.”

“Hmm? Is that so?”

“Yes. And it seems he knows you too.”

“The Jegal Family is indeed a place with excellent intelligence gathering. There’s a high possibility of that.”

“He probably came over directly after making eye contact with that child. Let’s just finish our meal.”

“Yes. But about that thug…”

“Just leave him. No blood will flow.”

Checking again, literally no blood was flowing on the floor.

“How did you do it? Normally when the pressure point is severed, blood should overflow.”

“I gave it some heat.”

“Heat…?”

Heukjeon checked the thug’s corpse again.

After examining it with his internal energy enhancing even his vision.

‘The wooden pillow used as a hidden weapon has disappeared…’

“Sammai… True Fire?”

“That’s impossible.”

It was a simple method.

If there was a difference from Sammai True Fire, it was that it couldn’t be maintained.

It cooled quickly once it left his hand.

“Why. Do you want to know?”

“…Are you truly at the Peak realm, Young Patriarch…?”

“Yes. Definitely Peak realm. Though just at the beginning stage.”

“No, but how…”

“Internal energy. It depends on how you interpret this true energy.”

Having his dantian broken seemed to actually help him now.

Because of that, he had struggled to somehow utilize an extremely small amount of internal energy.

Cheongun had even researched ways to operate internal energy outside his body.

Part of those achievements were things like this.

“May I report this to the Patriarch?”

“You are Father’s person, not mine. The decision is yours to make.”

“…I understand.”

“Let’s finish eating. I should rest now.”

“Yes, Young Patriarch.”

They filled their stomachs with the remaining dishes, and Cheongun and Heukjeon got up from their seats first.

And there was a gaze that continued to follow them.

“Hye-ya. What do you see?”

“Brother. Did you happen to confirm that Young Patriarch’s martial prowess?”

“…He was at Peak realm. Though he seemed to be just at the beginning stage.”

“Peak realm at my age…”

“What, what did you say? Peak realm?”

Namgungjeyon, who had been quickly eating the dishes recommended by Heukjeon, choked on his food at the mention of Peak realm.

‘Pe, Peak realm? Does that… make sense?’

He looked to be a similar age.

Peak realm?

He himself was currently at first-class level.

He was confident it was talent that wouldn’t fall behind anywhere, but Peak realm.

Of course, it was just the beginning stage, but the difference between first-class and Peak realm was enormous.

Usually, each time you crossed that wall, you became twice as strong.

And to cross that wall required enlightenment.

‘I can’t accept it…’

He couldn’t and wouldn’t.

The moment he accepted it, he would also be accepting that he was falling behind.

As the second son of the great Namgung Family, it was absolutely unacceptable.

“Brother.”

“Yes.”

“Isn’t there a competition hosted by the Martial Arts Alliance in a month?”

“Are you talking about the Rising Stars?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“That’s right. There are those like us who have reached adulthood, but there are also younger rising stars like you.”

The Rising Stars competition usually granted participation rights once you passed your teens.

His older brother Namgungjo and Jegalhyun of the Jegal Family had also participated in the competition before.

Since it was a competition directly hosted by the Martial Arts Alliance, which could be called the center of the Righteous Sect, it drew much attention.

If you were outstanding, to that extent.

You could receive treatment accordingly.

It was formally announcing that you had made your name in Gangho and making your mark.

“Won’t Cheongeumjang’s Young Patriarch come?”

“Hmm… I don’t know about that. As far as I know, no one from Cheongeumjang has ever come. Isn’t that right, Brother Yun?”

“That’s right. Cheongeumjang itself hasn’t been this huge for very long, and they haven’t shown much interest in this direction.”

While Cheongeumjang’s history itself was long, its rise to prominence was largely due to the previous Patriarch Cheongin’s power.

He was a person called a heaven-sent commercial talent.

“How about inviting the Young Patriarch to the competition on this occasion?”

“However, I don’t have that kind of authority.”

“Ah…”

“But it would work if you spoke directly to Father.”

Everyone knew that Namgungjeyon had other ulterior motives.

“Haha… this younger brother feels embarrassed.”

“Not at all. The head of the Namgung Family is such a fair and strict person, isn’t he?”

“Then, I’ll ask you for this favor, Brother.”

“It’s not even something worth asking a favor for.”

It would be enough to send a letter to Cheongeumjang.

Since the Jegal Family also has connections with Cheongeumjang anyway, it wouldn’t look strange.

And above all, he was more curious about Jegalhyun.

Perhaps he could see what Hye had seen.

That strange method of circulating internal energy was so peculiar yet mystical that it made him want to ask for instruction.

“Come, finish eating. We can’t let such delicious food go cold.”

“Yes, elder brother.”

* * *

After leaving the inn, Cheongun briefly looked at the alley where people had gathered, then continued on his way.

Most of them didn’t even know how they had died.

At least a peak-level master would need to come to determine the direct cause of death.

After spending several days resting at the inn and devoting himself to training, the day to return had approached.

And along with that day, a guest also came to the inn looking for Cheongun.

“It’s me.”

“I’ve been waiting.”

Now he could tell just by sensing the energy.

Such aggressive and sharp offensive energy was a typical characteristic of the Kunlun Sect.

“I’ll step outside.”

“Alright.”

As Heukjeon left, the Patriarch of the Kunlun Sect entered.

His expression looked serious.

Yes, things must be complicated for him right now too.

“Our Young Patriarch wouldn’t be a member of the Demonic Sect, would he.”

Just like the Kunlun Sect, very direct.

“Yes. I am not.”

His gaze didn’t waver in the slightest.

Those eyes held the look of one who spoke only the truth.

But that was beside the point.

The Demonic Sect was more vicious than one could imagine.

“May I confirm just one thing?”

“What do you mean?”

“I need to examine your body, Young Patriarch.”

The Patriarch also showed no wavering whatsoever.

This wasn’t a request.

It was a notification that if he couldn’t do this, he would interpret it as he pleased.

For a martial artist to entrust their entire body to another meant handing over the power of life and death.

“What will you give me?”

“Hehe, how arrogant.”

“I’m demanding fair compensation.”

“You don’t need to know in advance. Turn around.”

“If I don’t know, I have no obligation.”

“Really!”

As upright as he was, strong and solid energy came pressing down on his body.

It felt as if something massive was crushing his entire body.

However, Cheongun endured that pressure by biting the inside of his lips.

“I am… someone who could become a benefactor to Kunlun.”

From biting so hard, fresh red blood flowed down the corner of his mouth.

The Patriarch’s gaze seemed to pierce even through his heart, but Cheongun didn’t care in the slightest.

“…If that’s the case, I’ll give you something befitting that, so don’t be stubborn and turn around.”

In the end, it was the Patriarch who backed down first.

Kunlun’s strong and fierce swordsmanship was ultimately meant to be directed at the Demonic Sect, not shown to the heir of a trading company who still hadn’t shed his childish nature.

“…I understand.”

Cheongun also didn’t push for more.

There was nothing more to push for anyway.

As he turned around, he felt the Patriarch’s hand come to rest on his back.

That fierce energy seemed to tear through his body’s interior, examining everything one by one.

It was merely a process of confirmation, yet it was painful in itself.

“…”

Before long, the Patriarch’s power that he had been feeling was no longer perceptible.

“That’s enough.”

Internal energy that felt pure to the point of being noble.

Anyone asked would absolutely answer that it wasn’t the internal energy of the Demonic Sect.

“Take this.”

A wooden box that was old, but whose age gave it an antique feeling.

“What is it?”

“See for yourself. You’ll like it.”

At those words, he opened the wooden box to check, and inside was a single pill that retained its blue-green color while emitting a brilliant light.

“Could it be…”

“It’s the Azure Pine Divine Pill.”

A pill containing the essence of the Kunlun Sect.

Not only was the pill itself difficult to manufacture, but the process of preparing it was also arduous.

A pill that even those of elder rank would find difficult to make.

“Thanks to our Young Patriarch, I’ll have to make one more pill in my old age.”

“Originally it was for that…”

At Cheongun’s hesitation, the Patriarch showed a surprised expression for a moment, then began laughing heartily.

“Hahaha! You can’t even remember his name.”

“I have a good memory, you see.”

“Hmm? You say it’s good?”

“Because I remember even useless things, I’ve developed the habit of forgetting unimportant ones.”

“Haha, that’s good too. A human mind is endlessly insufficient for containing principles.”

If someone else had said it, he would have dismissed it as boasting or a joke, but it didn’t sound that way.

“His name is Juhyeokjo. The original owner of this pill.”

“I’ll remember.”

“Haha. That’s settled then. Now, let’s do what needs to be done.”

“What needs to be done?”

Was there something more left to do?

At Cheongun’s puzzled expression, the Patriarch smiled again.

“It’s quite precious, so shouldn’t you absorb it completely?”

“Are you going to personally help with the energy circulation?”

“That’s right. Consider it compensation for having doubted you.”

“I understand.”

He had lived a life eating only fasting pills instead of meals, yet he would get to eat something so precious already.

The Azure Pine Divine Pill, emitting its brilliant blue-green light, made his mind feel clearer just by holding it.

Even though he hadn’t eaten it yet, he could feel it.

How much internal energy was contained within this small pill.

He felt the Patriarch’s hand behind his back as he sat in position.

“Please take it.”

“Yes.”

As he pushed the Azure Pine Divine Pill into his mouth, he began to feel the energy of the Kunlun Sect.

At the same time, he could feel the Patriarch’s internal energy as well.

I can feel pain that seems like it will tear apart my Five Viscera and Six Bowels at any moment.

This must be thanks to that spirit that has blocked the Demonic Sect for all those long years being embedded within it.

‘Hm?’

However, the Patriarch’s energy, which I thought would control this, was instead stimulating it as if to start a fight.

“Kuk…!”

“You must not lose consciousness.”

If it had simply been tearing pain, now it feels like being torn and scraped with a red-hot sword.

I had never felt such pain even in my previous life.

Blood begins to burst from my lips that I’ve bitten down hard.

In this situation where I feel like I’ll lose consciousness from the overwhelming pain, this contradictory moment where I must hold onto my consciousness with different pain.

The Patriarch’s internal energy that had been stimulating the elixir’s energy was gradually approaching Cheongun’s dantian.

Ah, I feel like I’m experiencing that pain from back then again.

That pain when my dantian was shattered.

It was a sensation far too similar to the pain I never wanted to feel again, but this time it’s actually the opposite.

The Patriarch’s internal energy that had greatly surrounded the area around my dantian soon began to collide with the elixir’s energy.

Though my mind has long passed the age of twenty, my body is still that of a frail child.

The moment the two energies collided, Cheongun’s vision instantly became blurred.

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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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