Light Novel: Volume 17 Episode 1
Manhwa: N/A
“It’ll be difficult.”
The physician looked at Hong Ye-seol’s condition and slowly shook his head.
Hong Ye-seol’s state was truly in the worst possible state.
She was already seriously injured, but the use of the Life-Saving Injury Healing Pill had further damaged her body.
She should have consumed the medicinal pill and focused on recovering by circulating her qi, but by moving recklessly, the medicine had become poison.
Hong Ye-seol’s internal organs were severely damaged.
The physician examining her was among the top in Poyang Lake, but after seeing Hong Ye-seol’s condition, he threw up his hands in surrender.
“To fix her damaged qi and blood, you need a physician with skills far beyond mine.”
“Is there such a physician in Jianghu?”
“As far as I know…”
The physician trailed off.
He meant there wasn’t one.
Pyo-wol looked down at Hong Ye-seol.
Hong Ye-seol was truly in a dire state. She was still breathing, but it was so faint that it could stop at any moment.
Noticing Pyo-wol’s concern, the physician carefully took something out of his possession and handed it over.
“What is it?”
“Poison.”
“Poison?”
“Yes, It’s made from the extracted venom of a Black Flower Spider1 found in Nanman. If her life is in imminent danger, administer it to her in small doses. The venom of the Black Flower Spider should trigger her innate qi.”
“Are you suggesting that we fight poison with poison?”
“That’s right. Stimulating her innate qi would temporarily activate her vital signs. However, there is a limit to the amount of innate qi a person is born with, so I don’t recommend giving it to her unless it’s a real emergency.”
“Hmm!”
“That’s all I can do with my abilities. Either you find a more skilled physician while she’s still breathing, or look for another way.”
The physician bowed his head.
He was the most skilled physician in all of Poyang Lake.
Though not a divine doctor, he had the skills to be called a renowned one.
The one who introduced him was Noh Tae-tae of the Imperial Yuan Merchant Group.
At her command, the most skilled physician in Poyang Lake had hurried over. But even with his medical skills, treating Hong Ye-seol was impossible.
The best he could do was provide the poison that would stimulate her innate qi.
Pyo-wol carefully placed the Black Flower Spider’s venom into his possession.
The physician bowed to Pyo-wol and left the room.
Pyo-wol silently looked at Hong Ye-seol.
At that moment, Hong Ye-seol’s eyebrows twitched and she opened her eyes.
She blinked as if trying to focus, and then she smiled.
“You’re still here.”
“You thought I’d leave?”
“Yes. I thought you would abandon me.”
“……”
“Hehe, just kidding.”
Hong Ye-seol grinned as if she found something funny, but she soon grimaced in pain.
It took a long while for the pain to subside a little and for her smile to return to her face.
“Hoo, this is amazing. If we’re talking about pain, I can endure my bones being broken, but this pain is really–”
“Don’t overdo it. If you hadn’t taken the emergency life-saving pill, you wouldn’t have been in such a bad shape.”
“I had no choice at that time. My only regret is not being able to thrust the blade into that bitch’s throat.”
Hong Ye-seol gritted her teeth as she thought of Namgung Seol.
“Do it when your body recovers.”
“Of course.”
Hong Ye-seol nodded.
Although her eyes were closed, she heard the doctor’s words.
Even without the doctor’s words, she knew her own condition best. It was indeed the worst situation. But Hong Ye-seol did not despair.
She had lived her whole life as an assassin.
Pain and despair were familiar to her.
So, she would not allow herself to just give up at this point.
Pyo-wol said,
“I heard there’s a divine doctor nearby.”
“A divine doctor?”
“Yes. I don’t know how skilled he is, but Yu Suhwan of the Martial Sword Alliance called him as such.”
“Young Master Yu… Suhwan? If he calls him a divine doctor, he must not be a quack.”
“I think so, too.”
“If we find him and get him to treat me, there’s at least a small chance that my body will get better.”
“And it’s better than sitting here, waiting to die.”
“Then let’s move.”
“It would be very painful for you to move in that condition.”
“Ho-ho! What are you talking about? I’m not a martial artist, I’m an assassin. Pain is as familiar to me as breathing.”
Hong Ye-seol forced herself to get up.
Even though she had only moved her upper body slightly, she was already gasping for breath, with sweat dripping down her body like rain.
It was painful for anyone to watch.
But Pyo-wol watched Hong Ye-seol without any intervention.
He knew that an assassin of Hong Ye-seol’s caliber would find receiving someone else’s help extremely humiliating.
“Keuk!”
Eventually, Hong Ye-seol got up on her own.
She leaned against the wall, panting heavily.
She had never experienced such pain in her life. Even when she was training to become an assassin, she had never felt this much pain. Still, she gritted her teeth and endured.
She was burning with vengeance toward Namgung Seol and Lee Geumhan, and the mere thought of their faces eased the pain somewhat.
“Hoo!”
Hong Ye-seol let out the breath she had been holding.
Pyo-wol said nonchalantly,
“Let’s leave now. We have to hurry if we want to find the so-called divine doctor before he leaves.”
“Got… it.”
Hong Ye-seol nodded and followed Pyo-wol.
When they stepped outside, they saw an old woman with so many wrinkles on her face that made it impossible to guess her age.
It was Noh Tae-tae, the owner of the Imperial Yuan Merchant Group.
By her side was Ju Seolpung, supporting her.
Noh Tae-tae asked,
“I heard from the doctor. Considering her condition, wouldn’t it be better for her to stay here?”
“I know someone who can treat her. We need to find him.”
“Well, that’s a good thing then.”
“Thank you for your help.”
“Hehe! It’s embarrassing to hear that from the Reaper.”
“We must leave now.”
“Be careful.”
Noh Tae-tae said with a smile.
Pyo-wol looked at Noh Tae-tae’s face for a long while.
Noh Tae-tae was very old. It would not be strange for her to pass away at any moment.
If they parted ways now, there was a good chance they would never see each other again.
“I hope to see you again.”
“Hehe! If the heavens keep this old woman alive until then, it might be possible. Everything depends on the will of the heavens.”
Noh Tae-tae laughed brightly.
Pyo-wol nodded and looked at Ju Seolpung standing next to No Tae-tae.
“Take care until we meet again.”
“Will you be returning to Poyang Lake?”
“Someday.”
“Be sure to stop by.”
“I will.”
“Then…”
Ju Seolpung cupped his fist, bowing in front of Pyo-wol.
Pyo-wol did the same before going outside.
His horse was already waiting outside. A small cart was attached to the horse.
Pyo-wol loaded Hong Ye-seol onto the cart and drove the horse.
Noh Tae-tae and Ju Seolpung watched Pyo-wol’s receding figure for a long while.
Finally, when Pyo-wol was finally out of sight, Noh Tae-tae spoke up,
“Seolpung!”
“Yes, great-grandmother.”
“Leave the Imperial Yuan Merchant Group. The Imperial Yuan Merchant Group will treat you as if you do not exist from now on.”
“I understand.”
Despite the unexpected words, Ju Seolpung answered without any sign of surprise.
Looking in the direction where Pyo-wol had disappeared, Noh Tae-tae continued,
“Now that he’s gone, both the Golden Heaven Society and Silver Lotus Society will start to move in earnest. There will surely be bloodshed along the shores of Poyang Lake, and to protect the Imperial Yuan Merchant Group, we would have to lock our gates.”
To the people along the shores of Poyang Lake, Pyo-wol was perceived as a disaster of some sort. Even Jang Hoyeon had to provoke a third-party martial artist to deal with Pyo-wol instead of facing him directly.
Yong Hasang, the master of the Silver Lotus Society, was also equally displeased with Pyo-wol. This was because he was unable to run the Silver Lotus Society, afraid of Pyo-wol’s prying eyes.
But now that the person who had been suppressing them was gone, it was clear how they would move.
The problem was that Ju Seolpung was associated with the Silver Lotus Society.
Ju Seolpung had made that choice for the future of the Imperial Yuan Merchant Group, but if he makes a mistake, his choice could also bring about the downfall of the Imperial Yuan Merchant Group.
“I have entrusted 100,000 gold under your name in the Silver Lotus Society. That should be enough for you to move as you wish.”
“Thank you for your consideration, Great-grandmother!”
“It’s all this old lady can do for you.”
“That is more than enough.”
“I hope you will spread your will under the heavens.”
“Thank you.”
Noh Tae-tae firmly grasped Ju Seolpung’s hand.
Ju Seolpung closed his eyes, feeling Noh Tae-tae’s warmth for the last time.
* * *
“He has left, Master–!”
Deung Chol-ung frowned at the sight of his subordinate, who had run towards him in a fluster.
“Who are you talking about?”
“That man, the Reaper!”
“Reaper? Pyo-wol?”
“Yes! He has left Poyang Lake.”
“Really?”
Deung Chol-ung involuntarily shouted as he rose from his seat.
His ferocious momentum was enough to make all of the nearby Blood Ant Gang martial artists flinch.
“I confirmed it with my own eyes. I clearly saw him leave from the manor of the Imperial Yuan Merchant Group.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. I followed him to be sure and saw him leave Poyang Lake.”
“So he really has left Poyang Lake?”
Deung Chol-ung stroked his chin with his hand.
His lips involuntarily parted, revealing his yellow teeth.
He unintentionally broke into a smile.
“Heh heh! If that inhuman thing has left Poyang Lake, isn’t this the perfect opportunity?”
Just knowing that Pyo-wol was in Poyang Lake was enough to make him breathe heavily. The fear of not knowing when Pyo-wol would come looking for him made him shrink.
And it wasn’t just Deung Chol-ung.
Many factions and martial artists around Poyang Lake had been monitoring Pyo-wol’s actions really closely.
To any outsider who doesn’t know any better, the situation where so many people were afraid of a single individual might seem ridiculous, but if they were in their shoes, they would not be able to laugh.
“Gather all our men immediately.”
“What? Why?”
“Have them keep a close eye on the Silver Lotus Society. I will issue the command when I return from Cheonhae Manor.”
“Understood.”
Cheonhae Manor was a large manor located to the south of Poyang Lake.
The people currently staying in the manor were Jang Hoyeon, the warriors of the Rain Sword Mountain Manor, and the support troops of the Golden Heaven Association.
It was of a size that could be considered a small martial arts alliance.
Deung Chol-ung went to Cheonhae Manor with some close confidants.
He looked around the manor.
‘The number of their forces seems to have grown since I last saw them.’
The number of troops in Cheonhae Manor had at least doubled since his previous visit.
With this much power, they should be able to wipe out the Silver Lotus Society in one go, as long as there were no unexpected variables.
“Why is he here?”
“What’s this scum doing here?”
The martial artists mumbled at the sight of Deung Chol-ung’s haughty demeanor.
Deung Chol-ung’s face twisted with humiliation for a moment.
‘Damn it! For these fools to dare ignore me. Just wait and see if you can still mock me after I become the ruler of Poyang Lake.’
Deung Chol-ung continued to walk, keeping his thoughts to himself.
Finding Jang Hoyeon was not difficult.
The problem was that there was a woman by his side whom Deung Chol-ung had never seen before.
The beautiful woman with a faint hue of blue in her eyes, as if she were of mixed race, was none other than Um Soso.
Um Soso and the Sea Mist Squad had followed the trace of Yu Suhwan to Poyang Lake and learned that Jang Hoyeon and the Golden Heaven Society’s martial artists were staying in Cheonhae Manor.
Since the Golden Heaven Society’s matter was also Dok Gohyang’s matter, they had come to Cheonhae Manor.
Jang Hoyeon, who had been chatting with Um Soso for some time, turned to Deung Chol-ung.
“What’s the matter?”
“I’ve come to tell you something urgent.”
“What is it?”
“Pyo-wol has left Poyang Lake.”
“Really?”
“Yes! My subordinate confirmed it himself.”
“What about the Silver Lotus Society?”
“We have them monitored.”
“Oho! Is that so?”
“It’s a golden opportunity that will never come again. Hehehe!”
Deung Chol-ung chuckled ominously.
A few days later, the Golden Heaven Society and Silver Lotus Society clashed in Poyang Lake.
LUNACAVE
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