The Patriarch of the Northern Heavens - Chapter 60

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Master of the Bukcheon Sword Family – Chapter 60

Of course, I couldn’t be certain that this incident was connected to Black Night Fortress.
Even if this was indeed poisoning, there was no guarantee it was related to Black Night Fortress.
Still, I felt an instinctive sense of suspicion.
‘The method is far too identical. When they poisoned Father and me, they used a toxin that physicians couldn’t easily detect, just like this.’
The Shadowless Poison Spider who created that poison was already dead, but…
Perhaps the poison he made still remained somewhere.
Or it was entirely possible this was a different poison altogether.
While I was lost in such thoughts, the Medicine King and Gye Wol-hyang’s conversation continued.
“Then what should we do?”
“We must drive out the poison qi with medicinal qi. However, we cannot use just any medicine. If used incorrectly, your mother’s condition could worsen. There’s no choice but…”
The Medicine King sighed and withdrew a single pill from his robes.
“I have no choice. I must use the Medicine King Divine Pill.”
“…!”
Gye Wol-hyang’s expression shifted to one of shock.
She understood the Medicine King’s status and the value of the Medicine King Divine Pill.
A precious medicine that even the most renowned masters of the Central Plains struggled to obtain.
That was what the Medicine King Divine Pill was.
Yet he would use such a thing…
“I… I don’t know how to repay such kindness…”
“If you wish to repay it, do so to that fellow, not this old man. Had it not been for him who brought such grace to our family, I would never have come to this place in the first place.”
The Medicine King gestured toward me as he spoke.
Upon hearing this, Gye Wol-hyang bowed deeply to me.
“I’m truly grateful. Without you, I wouldn’t have received this help, as the elder said.”
“Not at all. It is merely the work of fate.”
I shook my head modestly and then spoke to the Medicine King.
“However, Elder, even if we use the Medicine King Divine Pill, a problem still remains.”
“Hmm? A problem remains?”
“Even if we detoxify her now, if she becomes poisoned again, there will be no solution.”
Gye Wol-hyang’s Mother, who had been listening to the conversation, spoke.
I nodded in agreement.
“Correct. Unless we eliminate the root cause, this problem has no true solution.”
“Indeed…!”
“Of course, I can help with that aspect to some degree. Madam, have you studied martial arts?”
“A little, yes.”
Gye Wol-hyang’s Mother nodded.
“Then after consuming the Medicine King Divine Pill, practice circulating your qi daily according to the technique I teach you. Even if you become poisoned again, this martial art will expel the toxin and protect your body.”
“Such a martial art exists?”
“Yes. Her name is Jeong Hwa-gyeol.”
I demonstrated Jeong Hwa-gyeol’s Nine-Fold Technique to the three gathered here.
The Medicine King, who had personally tested it, expressed his admiration.
“An excellent martial art. I always thought martial techniques were only meant for killing people, but…”
“That’s not entirely wrong. In any case, with this method, even if she were to be poisoned again, there would be no problem.”
I said this and continued.
“However, the problem doesn’t end here. We still haven’t caught the culprit who poisoned her.”
“…!”
“From here on, this is merely my speculation, but… I suspect the culprit didn’t actually intend to kill her.”
“What’s your evidence?”
I answered the Medicine King’s question with a serious expression.
“If they had wanted to kill her with poison, they would have used a potent toxin from the start. There would be no reason to accumulate a weak poison over time to kill the target.”
“That’s true…”
“It would have been the cleanest approach.”
“The culprit likely wanted her condition to be misdiagnosed as a natural illness. That’s why they administered a mild poison over an extended period, gradually worsening her state.”
Gye Wol-hyang tilted her head at my words.
“I don’t understand. Why would anyone do such a thing? What benefit could they possibly gain from it?”
“There would be considerable benefit. Wouldn’t you agree?”
I spoke toward the figure listening outside the door.
“Tribal Chief.”
“…!”
Everyone turned their gaze toward the outside with startled expressions.
Moments later, the door opened, and a muscular man with a physique as solid as stone entered.
Gye Wol-hyang’s father and the leader of this tribe.
The God of Battle had appeared.
‘His presence is truly formidable. By Central Plains standards, he ranks among the strongest.’
Compared to the Martial Alliance Master and the Namgung Clan Head I had seen before, he was in no way inferior.
Clearly, he was on par with the Thirteen Venerables.
It made sense that the character for “God” was included in his epithet.
“Father!”
“You…”
Gye Wol-hyang and her mother gazed at the God of Battle with startled expressions.
However, I was not surprised.
The flow of the wind had long since informed me of his approach.
The God of Battle regarded me with an expression of mild surprise. It seemed he had assumed I wouldn’t have noticed.
“How did you know I had come?”
“I have rather keen intuition.”
“It seems so. In any case, I apologize for eavesdropping. I know it’s impolite, but since it concerns my wife, I couldn’t help but listen.”
“It’s no matter. In fact, I’m glad you heard. Now there’s no need for separate explanations, is there?”
“That’s true.”
The Tribal Chief spoke thus, assuming a Central Plains martial stance with his fists toward the Medicine King and me.
“I am Gye Mu-seon. I offer my greetings to the benefactors of my wife.”
“I am Yu Ho-seon of the Shanxi Yu Clan.”
“I am Jin Muyeol, Young Master of the Bukcheon Sword Family.”
We exchanged brief introductions.
The Tribal Chief looked at me again and spoke.
“So then, could you explain again? Why did those bastards poison my wife in such a manner?”
“Yes. You likely suspected as much already, but there is a high probability they intended to create a debt of gratitude toward you.”
“A debt of gratitude.”
“Precisely—they poisoned her with toxins, and then by curing her afterward, they sought to erase the debt they owed?”
The Medicine King’s eyes brightened with understanding.
I nodded and answered.
“Exactly so. Of course, this remains within the realm of possibility, but…”
I believed this was the most probable explanation.
Otherwise, there would be no reason to use such a weak poison, nor would they have targeted the Tribal Chief’s wife in the first place.
‘Unlike our Bukcheon Sword Family, the Tribal Chief’s clan is difficult for external forces to control directly. Thus, they likely employed this stratagem rather than acting openly—creating a debt and compelling him to grant their requests.’
If that were true, then the Tribal Chief’s inexplicable attempt to attack the Central Plains in my previous life made sense.
The enemies had manipulated them to create tension, further destabilizing the Central Plains’ already chaotic situation amid the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult’s invasion.
The goal was naturally to create an environment where Black Night City could operate with greater ease.
“Reasonable indeed.”
The Tribal Chief nodded as he spoke.
It seemed he harbored similar thoughts.
“Then we must not reveal that my wife has been cured immediately. Only then will those bastards take the bait.”
“Do you have a suspicion of who the culprits are?”
“No, I do not. But I cannot forgive anyone who dares attempt such treachery against my wife.”
The Tribal Chief’s eyes flickered with barely contained rage.
I spoke to him with measured calm.
“Then, should you ever capture the perpetrators’ trail in the future, might you inform me as well? The culprits may belong to the same organization I have been pursuing.”
“The organization you pursue?”
“Yes. They call themselves Black Night City. They once nearly seized my family, the Bukcheon Sword Family.”
I recounted the schemes Black Night City had employed in their attempt to claim the Bukcheon Sword Family.
Shock registered on their faces as they listened.
They had never imagined such a force could operate in the shadows.
The Tribal Chief soon nodded with a grave expression.
“Understood. If we capture the mastermind’s trail as you say, I shall send word to you. As you mentioned, they may well be the same organization.”
“I am grateful.”
“Then can you begin the treatment? Please, rid my wife’s body of the poison.”
The Tribal Chief spoke, looking toward the Medicine King.
The Medicine King nodded and ground the Medicine King Divine Elixir finely, then dissolved it in water.
“Drink this down. The medicinal essence of the Medicine King Divine Elixir will suppress and expel the poison.”
Gye Wol-hyang’s Mother did as instructed.
At the same time, she showed signs of discomfort.
It seemed the toxic qi within her body was struggling and writhing.
“I’ll need to prepare a separate medicinal tonic to fortify your body. Please wait a moment.”
Medicine King spoke thus and began extracting various medicinal ingredients to brew a remedy.
I observed the process for a time.
‘I can leave this matter in Medicine King’s capable hands.’
As an expert, there was nothing for me to add.
As for Gye Wol-hyang, I had already imparted the Nine-Heavens Purification Method earlier, so there was no need to teach her anything further.
At this point, I had done all that was necessary.
While observing the treatment process with that thought in mind.
[Come here.]
The Chieftain transmitted his voice to me through spiritual resonance.
I followed the Chieftain out of the main tent where everyone had gathered and headed toward a smaller pavilion.
The Chieftain offered me a seat and served me their traditional tea and refreshments.
“Thank you once more for saving my wife.”
“I did nothing of great consequence. In truth, Medicine King performed the actual treatment.”
“Of course that’s true. But I suspect that Medicine King would never have come this far without you. After all, didn’t he say so himself?”
Since his words held merit, I nodded without false modesty.
The Chieftain observed my response and asked me calmly.
“Is there perhaps a reward you desire?”
“A reward?”
“Yes. If it’s something I can provide, I’ll do my utmost to grant it.”
I fell into considerable deliberation.
What should I request of the Chieftain?
After much thought, I answered.
“I had been hoping that your tribe and the Bukcheon Sword Family might form an alliance.”
“An alliance, you say.”
The Chieftain fell silent for a moment, lost in thought.
But soon enough, he nodded readily.
“Of course, I can form an alliance with those who saved my wife. However, it would be best to keep this secret for now, wouldn’t it?”
“Yes. Should our enemies learn of this alliance, they might grow suspicious.”
The intelligence network of Black Night City was more formidable than I had anticipated.
If this fact were to leak, those enemies would learn of it in no time.
Should that happen, they would move with greater cunning.
Then it would become harder to thwart their schemes, and harder still to catch them in the act.
“Is there nothing else you desire? From our tribe or from me?”
“The alliance alone is already sufficient.”
“It is my principle to repay any debt of gratitude fully. I cannot consider such a debt settled with merely this. So speak truly—what is it you truly wish for? In fact, don’t you have something you desire from our tribe?”
His tone was as though he could see straight through my heart.
Perhaps he already knew what I would ask for?
After all, he was the leader of a tribe of this scale.
If he understood the situation of our Bukcheon Sword Family, it would be as clear as day.
I didn’t hesitate and answered him directly.
“Then please allow our Bukcheon Sword Family to trade horses with the Central Plains through you.”
If only that could be arranged, we would be able to resolve our chronic financial problems.
Tushin nodded readily.
“Very well. After all, I don’t have any special relationship with the places I’m currently trading with.”
“Is that truly so?”
“Yes. But that alone is insufficient. It’s not enough to repay the benefactor who saved my wife’s life.”
Tushin said this and pulled something from his bosom, handing it to me.
“Instead, I’ll give you this.”
“This is….”
“It’s the personal seal of Overwhelming Force Divine Fist, one of the Thirteen Venerables. With this alone, it could provide you with more direct assistance.”
“…!”
The personal seal of Overwhelming Force Divine Fist?

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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