Relieved by that smile, Seolhwa pulled a chair closer and sat at the bedside.
“How do you feel?”
“Good. The Medicine Hall Master just applied some medicine to my back, and whatever it was, it feels refreshing. I’ll have to ask later what kind of medicine it was.”
Yu Kang laughed softly, a bright laugh, yet not as radiant as before. Pain still lingered in his body, dulling the light of his laughter. The smile gradually faded, and his face darkened.
Though his lips curved into a small smile, his expression was shadowed.
“Are you worried?”
“…Huh?”
“Your sect.”
“Ah….”
Yu Kang fidgeted with his hands for a moment, lowering his gaze, then slowly nodded.
“Yeah. I worry whether the Sect Leader is all right, whether Master is anxious about me, whether my disappearance has thrown the sect into chaos.”
Before leaving Mount Hua, he wished at least to bid farewell to his master, Daoist No Mun. Yet he hadn’t done so. Because Seolhwa’s words rang in his mind—never trust anyone.
Thus, Mount Hua must have erupted into turmoil, believing he had vanished without a trace.
‘I need to return to Mount Hua soon.’