Mok Yu-cheon approached with quick steps, as if he had something to say. However, once he was close, he couldn't immediately say what he wanted to, perhaps because the two inner hall guards who had come to fetch him were nearby. At this, Mok Gyeong-un smiled gently and spoke first.
“It’s been four days.”
“Don't speak so casually. You...”
“You?”
Mok Yu-cheon mumbled, unable to finish his sentence. Why is he acting like this? As he wondered, Mok Yu-cheon gestured with his head, indicating they should go to the main hall for now.
So, they walked towards the main hall. As the inner hall guards tactfully walked ahead, Mok Yu-cheon spoke in a quiet voice.
“Have you... perhaps tried practicing it?”
“It?”
“Speak quietly.”
Mok Yu-cheon chided softly. Mok Gyeong-un chuckled and said in a low voice, “What are you talking about?”
“Are you really asking because you don’t know?”
“Ah! Could it be the Lotuswood...”
“Shh.”
Mok Yu-cheon cut Mok Gyeong-un off. Glancing at the inner hall guards walking ahead, Mok Yu-cheon whispered even more softly.
“Don’t mention it by name. Just answer my question.”
What Mok Yu-cheon was asking about was none other than the Lotuswood Heart Transformation Technique, the secret manual reserved for the Manor Lord. In truth, seeing that Mok Yu-cheon's complexion had become considerably darker and redder than it was four days ago, Mok Gyeong-un immediately understood what he was talking about.
He had only pretended not to know. -It's amazing he hasn't suffered qi deviation yet.
Hmph.
Blue Spirit, who was beside him, said while puffing out smoke. She too knew that Mok Yu-cheon had practiced the flawed heart technique. Since Mok Gyeong-un had not given him the heart technique properly and had arbitrarily changed some characters in the incantation, side effects were inevitable.
“Is there a problem?”
Although it was intentional, Mok Gyeong-un spoke as if he knew nothing. At this, Mok Yu-cheon's brow furrowed menacingly.
“How can you say that after seeing my face...”
His voice started to rise, but Mok Yu-cheon glanced ahead and cut himself off. He seemed to be calming his anger. Mok Yu-cheon, having barely composed himself, spoke quietly.
“Have you tried it? Or not? Just tell me that.”
To that question, Mok Gyeong-un answered nonchalantly.
“If you were me, would you say you hadn't practiced it?”
At those words, Mok Yu-cheon narrowed his eyes and stared intently at Mok Gyeong-un.
‘... Right. There’s no way he wouldn’t have practiced it.’
Even if he claimed not to covet the position of Manor Lord, it was a profound martial art's secret manual. Any martial artist would be curious.
‘But why are you perfectly fine?’
For four days, Mok Yu-cheon had practiced the energy circulation technique of the Lotuswood Heart Transformation Technique with overflowing enthusiasm. But the more he did, the more he felt the qi inside his body change, becoming strangely different.
On the first day, he dismissed it, thinking it could be because it was the heart technique of a profound martial art, but after four days, his skin turned dark red, and something felt strange.
‘... Did he deceive me?’
Because of the phenomenon occurring in his body, his suspicion was not easily dispelled. On the spot, at his request, Mok Gyeong-un had recited the incantation identically nine times from memory, so it was difficult to accuse him of having taught a fake.
‘If this fellow taught me the correct version, then that means the problem is with me.’
That, in its own way, was hard to accept. Even he, who had reached the Peak Realm, was struggling to learn the heart technique, yet this fellow showed no side effects like his own. That would mean that he had either misunderstood or incorrectly practiced the incantation of the heart technique. -Grip!
Mok Yu-cheon’s fist tightened. No, that can’t be. There was no way this fellow, who was merely third-rate due to his lack of martial genius, could have a greater understanding of a profound martial art than he, who was called a genius.
He didn't know what the problem was, but he would surely overcome it. Just then, Mok Gyeong-un spoke to Mok Yu-cheon.
“I don’t know what the problem is, but now that the Manor Lord has awakened, won’t the situation change?”
At these words, the corners of Mok Yu-cheon's mouth lifted slightly this time. It was true; the Manor Lord waking up was a godsend for him. He had started learning the Manor Lord's exclusive martial arts through a deal, but a significant number of the vassals still did not trust him, the son of a concubine.
Thus, he had been very anxious. But now that the Manor Lord, who cherished him, had awakened, the succession structure had once again become favorable to him.
‘The heavens are helping me.’
Perhaps being summoned by his father as soon as he awoke was related to this. To definitively decide on a successor. Seeing Mok Yu-cheon filled with such anticipation, Mok Gyeong-un chuckled and then turned his gaze away as if uninterested. -Oh?
Just then, Blue Spirit looked somewhere and showed interest. At this, Mok Gyeong-un glanced at her with a puzzled expression. Then, she said. -It seems they’ve entered.
‘Entered?’ -Quite bold.
To step into this master’s ghost domain without fear after seeing it.
‘Ahhh.’
At her words, Mok Gyeong-un nodded as if he understood. It seemed what he had been waiting for had arrived. Mok Gyeong-un had been anticipating that colleagues associated with Occultist Sak would surely arrive soon. -This master shall greet them first. -Swoosh!
With those words, Blue Spirit, whose red eyes gleamed, disappeared over the wall beside the path.
In front of the main hall. Another of the Mok family bloodline had already arrived. He was the first young master, Mok Yeong-ho.
Although he had circulated his internal energy to alleviate his hangover to some extent, he still reeked of alcohol, so Great Madam Seok's expression was not very pleasant. His debauchery was not a one or two-day affair, so while it was frustrating, she had grown somewhat accustomed to it. But not today.
‘Of all times.’
She was already wracking her brain over the variable that was Mok Gyeong-un. However, this variable was a problem that could be solved by either dealing with Mok Gyeong-un or taking the Manor Lord's secret manual from him, so she was contemplating other methods. But the Manor Lord, whom she had assumed would surely pass away, had awakened.
She was seized by anxiety more than joy at her husband's awakening.
‘... Could it be?’
Why did he summon his children as soon as he woke up? No matter how much she pondered, only one thought came to her mind.
‘A successor.’
Perhaps since the Manor Lord had just woken from a long coma, he was trying to appoint a successor in case of an emergency. If her prediction was correct, this was a big problem. Everyone knew that the Manor Lord had cherished the youngest, Mok Yu-cheon.
If Yeong-ho went in looking like this, then— -Gnash! Even though he was her son, at times like this, he was truly an enemy. Just two years ago, he wasn’t a genius, but he was sensible enough to be called clever.
Then, at some point, he started indulging in wine and women. This was all because of that brat, Mok Yu-cheon. But now was not the time to be hating him.
“Yeong-ho.”
“Yes, Mother.”
“Refrain from speaking nonsense in front of the Manor Lord. This mother will take care of everything, so you just stay quiet.”
There was nothing to be gained by opening his mouth reeking of alcohol. For now, it was a meeting only for the children, but she believed he wouldn't stop her, his wife, from entering. If he tried to confirm the succession right away, she had to stop it somehow.
As she was thinking, she saw Madam Jang and the Mok family's second son, Mok Eun-pyeong, approaching from the entrance of the left pavilion.
‘Hmph.’
Those two were also detestable. Madam Jang, from the Northern Huai Jang Clan, acted sweet in front of her, calling her ‘big sister,’ but behind her back, she did everything she could to get her own son on the Manor Lord's seat, including trying to win over the vassals.
‘The hypocrite.’
That brat Mok Eun-pyeong was the same. Like mother, like son, he was a thief coveting the position of the eldest son, Mok Yeong-ho. I’m not sure what the Manor Lord will say today, but things will not go your way.
Because I will stop it, no matter what. As she was dwelling on this, the last of the Mok family's young masters arrived from the entrance of the southern pavilion. It was the third son, Mok Gyeong-un, and the youngest, Mok Yu-cheon.
Seeing this, Inner Hall Master Jang Myeong-in went up to the veranda and announced to the paper-covered door.
“All the young masters have gathered.”
The four half-brothers of the Mok family stood in a line. From the left were the first young master Mok Yeong-ho, the second Mok Eun-pyeong, the third Mok Gyeong-un, and the youngest Mok Yu-cheon. Only these four had entered the Manor Lord's room.
Great Madam Seok and the second wife, Madam Jang, had insisted on coming inside, but they could not due to the Manor Lord's firmness. They were waiting anxiously outside.
‘Hmm?’
Mok Gyeong-un was inwardly puzzled. The reason was the reaction of the Mok brothers. He had expected them to show joy and welcome their father, the Manor Lord, who had returned from the brink of death, but surprisingly, they all looked extremely tense.
Even Mok Yu-cheon, who was said to have been so cherished, was the same. Thanks to that, the atmosphere was quite heavy.
‘... So this was why.’
Now he seemed to understand. Why they were so interested in the life and death of the bedridden Manor Lord. It turned out they seemed to be wary of the Manor Lord.
How strict must he be for them to be this tense? Mok Gyeong-un stealthily glanced at the face of the Manor Lord, who was sitting half-upright on the bed. Despite having been unconscious for a very long time due to the killing curse, his gaze was so sharp it felt alive.
‘Was this man said to be the strongest in the Lotuswood Sword Manor?’
It was written so in the information left by the real Mok Gyeong-un. Manor Lord Mok In-dan. The strongest in the Lotuswood Sword Manor and a master of the sword ranked among the top ten in all of Anhui Province.
He remembered asking the late Guard Gam about this out of curiosity.
[How skilled is being in the top ten?]
[Do you think it's so easy to be a sword master ranked in the top ten of an entire province?]
Guard Gam had said that Manor Lord Mok In-dan was a martial artist who had reached the Supreme Realm. At the time, he hadn't really grasped how amazing that was.
But after experiencing the skills of the youngest, Mok Yu-cheon, who had reached the initial Peak Realm, he could now somewhat guess how strong a master of that level would be. However, that raised a question.
‘How did he get hit by a killing curse?’
A master of the Supreme Realm is said to handle qi as naturally as breathing. He couldn't understand how such a formidable person had been struck by a killing curse, a type of curse. The question was even greater because he was studying the occult arts.
Just then, Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes met with Manor Lord Mok In-dan’s. He considered looking down like his other brothers but decided against it. He thought there was no reason to do so between a father and son, no matter how strict.
“.........”
At this sight, a glimmer of interest appeared in Manor Lord Mok In-dan's eyes. The reason was simple. The boy, who had never made proper eye contact with him since his mother died of illness, did not avert his gaze.
But that was the only strange thing. Mok In-dan opened his mouth.
“Do you know why I have summoned you?”
“..........”
Everyone was silent at this question. Of course, everyone was guessing one thing.
‘A successor.’
But they could not say it out loud. Here, they had to avoid showing any excitement. But then someone broke the silence and spoke.
“Summoning all of us as soon as you have risen from your long illness, is it not to discuss the matter of a successor?”
Everyone looked with slightly surprised eyes at the person who spoke. It was Mok Gyeong-un.
‘You?’
‘He said it out loud?’
Those who had glanced at Mok Gyeong-un cautiously watched Manor Lord Mok In-dan’s reaction. It was to check if he was displeased. But surprisingly, Manor Lord Mok In-dan showed no sign of displeasure at all.
Rather, “Yes.
It is to decide the successor.” He readily admitted it. At this, everyone looked tense.
Before he awoke from his sickbed, the Manor Lord had never once mentioned a successor with his own lips. But this was the first time he had brought it up.
‘Is he going to decide right here?’
‘Could he have gathered all of us to pass the successor position to that brat Mok Yu-cheon?’
‘Is Father trying to give me a chance?’
It was a moment of complex thoughts for each of them. Of course, Mok Gyeong-un had no lingering attachment to the Manor Lord's seat, so he just planned to go along with the mood. Perhaps that's why he was more at ease than anyone else.
But this appearance came as a surprise to the Manor Lord.
‘Do you have no expectations? Or have you changed?’
His reaction, so different from his other children, sparked his interest. The Manor Lord had already heard about the recent events from the Inner Hall Master.
[That child, Mok Gyeong-un, saved me?]
[That is correct. This subordinate also found it hard to believe at first, but the third young master stopped the Occultist who was possessed by an anomaly and tried to harm you, my lord.]
It was quite unexpected. He would have believed it if it were the youngest, Mok Yu-cheon. But for this child, of all people, the one he had considered the most timid and least promising due to his lack of martial genius, to have saved him.
[However, that is merely the third young master's opinion, and the exact details...]
[That’s enough. That’s sufficient.]
[Pardon?]
[Summon all the children.]
[You mean the young masters?]
[Yes.]
The Manor Lord had summoned all the young masters not even two hours after waking up. For the first time, he thought. That the time he had been given might not be long.
Lying in bed for a long time had exhausted much of his true energy, and this incident had nearly caused him to close his eyes forever. If that had happened, the Lotuswood Sword Manor would have been ruined by a war among his children. He could clearly see that future without having to experience it.
So he made a decision.
“I will decide who is qualified to be this Manor Lord's successor through a test.”
‘!!!!!’
With those words, the Manor Lord glanced at Mok Gyeong-un.
‘I shall give you a chance as well.’