"No, that..."
"How is it?" "There is a sequence to things."
"Isn't this the most urgent matter?" "I traveled a long way and I'm hungry."
"Once the treatment is over, I will prepare a feast for you."
"I... I have no strength."
"Shall I prepare some tonic?" Cheongmyeong glanced at Hwang Jong-ui.
His eyes were ablaze.
Right now, Hwang Jong-ui was like a drowning man clinging to a straw.
And that straw was Cheongmyeong.
There was a strong will in his eyes that he would not let it go if he could not save Hwang Daerin.
Cheongmyeong licked his lips.
"Then let's start with the pulse check..."
"Hurry!" "…Alright. Please don't rush me."
Cheongmyeong turned his head to look at the bed.
A person was lying under a thick silk blanket.
"Hmm."
Upon confirming the face of the person lying down, Cheongmyeong slightly furrowed his brows. 'It definitely looks like the symptoms of demonic transformation.' To be sure, he needed to take a closer look.
Cheongmyeong approached and pulled back the blanket.
Without realizing it, he frowned slightly.
Although the person was dressed, there was no way to hide the emaciated body.
It was as if a withered old man, like a mummy, was barely holding onto life with a breath that seemed ready to break at any moment. 'The condition is worse than I thought.' Cheongmyeong stroked his chin. 'It is demonic transformation, but it is not the proper kind.' If it were the result of a high-level demonic technique, it would be impossible to endure for a year.
Even those who have spent their lives studying the arts could not withstand demonic transformation for more than three days.
This old man could not have endured such symptoms.
Then...
"Let me check your pulse."
"Yes."
Cheongmyeong reached out and grabbed Hwang Daerin's wrist.
He gently pushed his energy into him.
As Cheongmyeong's pure energy entered Hwang Daerin's body, the stagnant energy that filled him suddenly recoiled in shock. 'Clumsy.' Cheongmyeong narrowed his brows.
The symptoms were definitely of demonic transformation.
However, it was clear that it was not caused by a properly cultivated demonic technique.
After pulling his hand away from Hwang Daerin's body, Cheongmyeong rested his chin on his hand, lost in thought.
Hwang Jong-ui could not hide his anxiety as he watched Cheongmyeong's serious expression after the pulse check.
Anyone would feel the same if the person who checked their pulse wore such a grave face.
Unable to hold back any longer, Hwang Jong-ui spoke up. "…How is it?" "Uh, well..."
Cheongmyeong scratched the back of his head.
"Is it difficult?" "No. The treatment itself doesn't seem too difficult."
"As expected. That's good. Everyone... Huh?" Hwang Jong-ui's body trembled.
"What did you just say...?" "I said the treatment isn't too difficult."
"Are you serious?" "Yes. But I can't start right away. I need to prepare a few things."
"What kind of preparations...?" "First!" Cheongmyeong grinned.
"Let's eat first." "..."
Chomp, chomp, chomp.
Cheongmyeong crushed and sliced everything that entered his mouth.
Hwang Jong-ui stared at the scene in utter disbelief.
He had seen many cultivators while forming relationships with various sects, but he could confidently say that he had never seen a cultivator eat meat so voraciously in his life.
Even now, the long-shredded duck leg was being sucked into Cheongmyeong's mouth, disappearing as if it had never existed.
That was not all.
Gulp, gulp, gulp.
As soon as he filled his cup with expensive liquor, he hurriedly poured it into his mouth.
"Kuhuhuhuh! This is it! This!" "..."
It was the first time he had seen a cultivator enjoy drinking so much.
If it weren't for the current situation, Hwang Jong-ui would have laughed, thinking, 'Today, I met a truly carefree cultivator,' but the present circumstances did not allow him to smile.
"Um... So, Master Cheongmyeong."
"Huh? Why?" Cheongmyeong asked, his mouth full of meat.
Hwang Jong-ui took a deep breath to calm himself.
"The... preparations for the treatment?" "I'm doing that right now."
"What do you mean by that?" "Oh, it's nothing special."
Cheongmyeong set down his chopsticks.
"Since the treatment requires a lot of physical strength, it's important to eat well beforehand. And this chef is really good at cooking."
Of course, he would be good.
He was the best chef in the region.
"After eating nothing but terrible food on Mount Hwasan, my stomach is finally feeling better."
Cheongmyeong patted his belly.
"Have you finished eating?" "No. I'm just getting started." "..."
Was there a bottomless pit in his stomach? Hwasan had been struggling lately, so it seemed he was quite hungry...
No, even if one were hungry, could they eat that much? A person's stomach must have its limits, right? He was a cultivator who surprised people in many ways.
"You didn't come here just to eat, did you?" "Well, it's a bit of both."
"But there should be a main purpose."
"Those who cultivate the way live according to the flow."
"You're flowing too much..."
"I am maintaining a proper balance."
Where do you see that? Hwang Jong-ui could not suppress a sigh of frustration.
"Master Cheongmyeong, I know it is not right to rush someone who has traveled a long way. But you should also consider the feelings of a son whose father is lying sick."
"I understand your feelings well."
Hwang Jong-ui suddenly stood up.
"Listen! Master Cheongmyeong! My father!" "He won't die." "…What did you just say?" "I said he won't die. Sit down."
Cheongmyeong casually poured himself another drink and downed it in one go.
He showed no sign of being disturbed by Hwang Jong-ui's angry expression.
"I took some measures a little while ago, so he won't be going anywhere. It just needs some time for a complete recovery, but the urgent crisis has passed."
You treated him? When? "The more urgent it is, the more you should take your time. Right now, treating Yeong-jun is not the most important thing. The real question is why he collapsed in the first place." "…Did you really treat him?" "Have you been living in ignorance?" Cheongmyeong shrugged.
"If you're in doubt, go see Yeong-jun. The dark energy on his forehead should have diminished significantly."
Hwang Jong-ui stared at Cheongmyeong for a moment before nodding.
"I don't doubt you, Master Cheongmyeong. But I believe it's better to have certainty in everything, so I will check right away."
"Go ahead."
Hwang Jong-ui quickly rushed outside.
After a short while, he burst through the door, looking at Cheongmyeong with disbelief.
"W-What did you do?" "I told you I treated him."
"When exactly?" Cheongmyeong did not answer and pointed to the seat across from him with a calm expression.
"Aren't you going to sit down?" "..."
Hwang Jong-ui looked at Cheongmyeong with suspicion.
Having lived as a merchant, he had seen countless people, but he could confidently say he had never met anyone like this in his life.
At times, he seemed like a child, yet at other times, he exuded the air of a seasoned veteran. 'It's as if an old man is trapped in a child's body.' That couldn't be true, so it meant this child had experienced countless things beyond his years. 'Can I trust him?' But he had no choice but to believe.
If what he had confirmed was true, then Hwang Mun-yak was clearly showing signs of improvement.
Knowing Hwang Jong-ui's complicated thoughts, Cheongmyeong poured himself another drink and spoke.
"If you don't want to sit, you can stand and answer. I have a few questions..."
Hwang Jong-ui sat back down.
"Who is the closest person to Yeong-jun?" "The closest person, you say?" "Yes. Someone who has been by Hwang Daerin's side, following him everywhere, from sleeping to daily activities. If not, at least someone who would not be suspected no matter what they did." "…Why do you ask that?" "Let's just say it's necessary for the treatment."
Hwang Jong-ui tilted his head and replied, "That would naturally be me. It's my job to take care of my father."
"Exclude yourself."
"If you exclude me..."
Hwang Jong-ui, deep in thought, shook his head.
"I don't know. My father was a person who did many things. So naturally, there were many people who assisted him. There are at least five people who fit the criteria you mentioned."
"That's more than I expected. Hmm. Is that so?" Cheongmyeong scratched his cheek as if troubled.
But then he shrugged and chuckled.
"If there are five, it won't be easy to find one among them."
"What do you mean by 'find'?" "You aren't asking because you don't know, are you? No way?" "..."
Hwang Jong-ui's face hardened.
Of course, he wasn't asking because he didn't know.
He just didn't want to admit it.
"Are you saying the danger is internal?" "I originally thought it was an external attack, but after examining Hwang Daerin's details, it doesn't seem to be the case. From what I see, it looks like the work of an insider."
Hwang Jong-ui's face stiffened.
"Watch your words, Master Cheongmyeong! The members of the Eunha Guild are all like family! They have spent their lives with the Eunha Guild, and they all respect my father!" "Or not." "…Huh?" Cheongmyeong casually patted his belly.
"If you suspect them and find out they're innocent, then that's a relief, isn't it?" "…That may be true."
Cheongmyeong yawned lazily.
"So don't worry. Everything will come to light once we investigate."
Hwang Jong-ui nodded heavily.
Seeing Hwang Jong-ui like this, Cheongmyeong secretly clicked his tongue. 'This merchant is surprisingly naive.' Few people know how cunning humans can be as well as Cheongmyeong does.
He had witnessed a monk preaching compassion while losing his mind and a cultivator pondering how to behead someone more cleanly.
Humans are two-faced beings.
They can be a saint to one person and a villain to another. 'But that's not what's important.' What matters is that there is someone within the Eunha Guild who tried to kill Hwang Mun-yak.
Judging by the symptoms, it is clear that someone with a clumsy grasp of demonic techniques has been continuously injecting demonic energy into Hwang Mun-yak.
At first, there may not have been any problems, but after prolonged exposure, he began to suffer from demonic transformation.
Even someone who knows a bit about demonic transformation would not understand how these symptoms arose unless they have seen it firsthand and experienced it like Cheongmyeong. 'It seems the old man lived a good life.' Luck had aligned.
If Cheongmyeong had not seen the contents of the letter...
No, if he had not taken an interest in Hwang Daerin, Hwang Mun-yak would have been destined to suffer and die like this. 'Kuh.
This is what good deeds are.' Saving lives and making money.
Killing two birds with one stone...
Ah, but not the stone.
"But how do you plan to investigate?" "I'm already doing it." "…Huh?" Hwang Jong-ui asked with a blank expression.
"You are investigating right now?" "Yes."
"Eating is part of the investigation? Or is it the chef?" "No, that's not it. What I'm doing right now, talking with you in this room, is the investigation."
Hwang Jong-ui tilted his head.
He couldn't understand what he was saying at all.
"Just watch. Something interesting will happen soon. Master Cheongmyeong, you just need to observe. Oh, there is one thing I need you to do."
"What is it? I will do it with all my heart."
Cheongmyeong picked up the bottle of liquor beside him.
"One more bottle." "..."
"Hurry." "..."
A deep sense of worry settled in Hwang Jong-ui's heart.