Leaving Seolhwa's pavilion, Namgung Mucheon suddenly stopped and looked in one direction. A moment later, someone came running urgently from the direction he was looking. It was her father, Namgung Cheong-un, who had searched for Seolhwa beyond Hefei all through the night.
Pale-faced, Cheong-un ran up and stopped before Namgung Mucheon. He must have used his Lightness Skill, yet he was breathing heavily from how quickly he had rushed over.
"Father."
"Seolhwa is inside. I have told her to rest, so make sure she does not leave her quarters today."
Cheong-un lowered his head. The guilt of failing to prevent the child from disappearing once again weighed heavily on his heart.
"Seolhwa said so herself. That if she is told to starve, she will starve, and if she is told to be flogged, she will accept it."
"... Pardon?"
"She is a child who says such things without a second thought. It is hard to even fathom how she has lived for the past eight years."
Cheong-un clenched his fists. Namgung Mucheon placed a hand on Cheong-un's shoulder.
"But, will you live forever regretting the past? Seolhwa has returned and is by our side now. From this moment on, you must look forward."
Eight years was a long time, but the time ahead is long enough to erase those eight years and more. Even if the memories cannot be completely erased, they can be covered with good ones.
"Seolhwa is already looking ahead."
The fortunate thing was that the child was not bound by her past. No, she even seemed impatient, as if she couldn't move forward fast enough. Seolhwa's gaze was always fixed on the distant future, and that was the reason Namgung Mucheon believed in her.
"It is time you inherited the position of Family Head."
"... Father!"
"Only by becoming the Family Head can you lend at least some strength to the path the child walks."
Cheong-un was surprised. This was the first time in the eight years since Seolhwa disappeared that Namgung Mucheon had mentioned the succession of the Family Head. Although rumors had circulated within the family that he was waiting to give the position of Young Family Head to the First Young Master, this was the first time he had voiced his intention.
"Why me?"
Cheong-un had never once coveted the position of Young Family Head. That was why he was curious.
"You know of Cheonghae's wish, do you not?"
Why him, and not the second son who desired to be the Young Family Head?
"Cheonghae is too greedy."
"... Pardon?"
"Excessive greed clouds one's judgment, and with clouded judgment, one cannot possess a broad perspective."
"Then, what about Cheongsan? Cheongsan cherishes his family, so surely..."
Namgung Mucheon’s eyebrows arched as if to ask if he was being serious. At that look, Cheong-un changed his mind before he could even finish his sentence.
"Cheongsan does have a somewhat aggressive side."
"Aggressive? The problem is his temper. Do you want me to give the position of Family Head to that rascal who can't control his anger, only to see him ruin the family?"
"... But according to your own words, Father, I lack the decisiveness to become the Family Head."
"That's right. Your flaw is that you are too soft-hearted."
It was the same now. He was being offered the position of Young Family Head, yet he was worrying about his brothers first.
"However, a soft heart can be strengthened. In place of a soft heart, you are a man who would do anything for his family, are you not?"
"But... I..."
Cheong-un only lowered his head with a dark expression.
"If you had power, you could have stopped today's rumors."
"..."
On his way here, Cheong-un had also heard the rumors about Seolhwa circulating within the family. They were rumors intended to make what the child had done seem more malicious.
He knew they were intended to tarnish his own reputation by using the child, but having been away from the family for eight years, Cheong-un had no way to quell the rumors.
"Seeing what happened today alone, you must have realized your own situation."
"... Yes."
"I will give you half a year."
"...!"
"In half a year, I will arrange for the appointment of the Young Family Head. At that time, you must earn everyone's recognition. If, after half a year, your situation is the same as it is now, I intend to pass the position of Family Head to Cheonghae."
"Why half a year, of all times?"
Namgung Mucheon let out a dry laugh at Namgung Cheong-un's question. But the sentiment behind his laughter was by no means light.
"I must pass on the family's martial arts while my body is still vigorous."
In a martial family, there exists a secret technique passed down only to the Family Head. Namgung also had a unique martial art exclusive to the Family Head, containing Namgung's ultimate principles. Originally, the Young Family Head should have been appointed several years ago and the martial arts passed down.
Namgung Mucheon was still hale and his three sons were in their prime, so it was not yet too late, but dragging it out any longer was not good.
"Remember. In half a year, the one who earns everyone's recognition will lead the family."
"... I will keep that in mind."
Cheong-un cupped his fist towards Namgung Mucheon.
"Tomorrow morning, I will enter the Celestial Comprehension Cave with Seolhwa, so prepare her well."
"The Celestial Comprehension Cave... you said?"
The Celestial Comprehension Cave, meaning the cave for comprehending the will of the heavens, was the name for Namgung's secluded training grotto.
"Could it be..."
Are you really going to perform the Bone Marrow Cleansing? Color returned to Namgung Cheong-un's face, but his expression quickly darkened.
"... I apologize, Father. This son is unfilial and cannot bring myself to stop you."
"Enough. That's better than empty words. I won't die from doing it once, so don't you worry."
Namgung Mucheon waved his hand dismissively.
"Go on in and take good care of Seolhwa. I'll be on my way now."
With those words, Namgung Mucheon left the pavilion with indifferent steps. Namgung Cheong-un stood rooted to the spot until his father's receding back was no longer visible. Namgung Cheong-un returned not long after Namgung Mucheon left, but he did not say much.
He personally applied the golden wound salve brought by a maidservant, and even infused a little Inner Energy into Seolhwa's body to help her fall asleep easily. Thanks to him, as she drifted into a comfortable sleep for the first time in a long while, Seolhwa thought.
She had been prepared to starve for a few days for what she did, but this was unexpected. Is the orthodox Martial World always this soft? To think she had tricked the Sword Sovereign, one of the ten great masters under the heavens, and climbed a wall in the middle of the night, yet received no punishment.
It was a night that made her feel just a little bit better about returning to the family. Even as darkness fell, the lakeside by the Family Head's Hall was not dark. The brilliant moon in the sky and its reflection in the lake illuminated the surroundings, making it an impeccably clear and bright night.
A wind from somewhere fluttered the hem of Namgung Mucheon's clothes as he stood beneath the long, drooping branches of a willow tree, gazing at the moon in the lake. With a serene expression, Namgung Mucheon opened his mouth.
"It seems news has arrived."
Behind him, under the shadow of the willow tree, Seop Mugwang, the Secret Wind Sword Unit Leader, had appeared at some point. He gave a slight nod to Namgung Mucheon before answering.
"I am told they met with the Beggars' Sect branch leader in Yunnan, but they could not obtain any noteworthy information. On the surface, it appears to be nothing more than a low-quality tavern... It seems they are not letting anything slip at all."
"What of the Beggars' Sect's movements?"
"Those sly dogs haven't said much. But it seems they don't have any information either."
Seop Mugwang stroked his chin.
"Could it be that the little one is mistaken about something?"
Were they barking up the wrong tree, trying to find something in a place of no consequence?
"As long as the Beggars' Sect is hiding something, it means there is something there."
"That may be true, but... Hmmm... how can there not be a single trace? Is this even possible?"
"It is. All they had to do was erase every trace."
"...!"
Namgung Mucheon's gaze deepened. The child's eyes as she clutched his hand and asked for help had been precarious. 'I am under hypnosis.
I don't know when this hypnosis will run rampant. Please help me.' It was the first time he had seen such vulnerability from a child who had only ever shown an unshakeable demeanor.
The moment he heard those words, Namgung Mucheon felt his blood boil, but he controlled his energy as he was in front of the child. That was why he had said he would perform the Bone Marrow Cleansing as soon as tomorrow.
"I must summon Mugang."
"... Mugang... You mean Elder Brother Mugang?"
Seop Mugwang asked back in a shocked voice.
Namgung Mugang.
Namgung Mucheon's younger brother, the one with the greatest martial strength in Namgung after Namgung Mucheon himself. He was the Hall Master of the Martial Studies Hall, overseeing Namgung's martial division and researching martial arts, but he was currently away from Namgung.
"Will Elder Brother Mugang come?"
"If I tell him to come, he must come. Does he think he can refuse?"
"I suppose so..."
He was hot-tempered and self-willed, but he was not one to defy the will of the family. But more importantly...
"Summoning Elder Brother Mugang... does this mean you are thinking of waging a war?"
At Seop Mugwang's question, Namgung Mucheon's expression darkened. A cold energy emanated from his eyes as he gazed at the crooked moon reflected on the lake.
"If it must be done, then it must be done."