Chapter 123
"Ah, why!"
Wei Yan-ho burst out in anger.
"Is that something to say to a sick person right now?"
"What if I get caught up in this mess – who's going to take responsibility!"
"I'm going to watch all of this and tell everything to Great Hero WeiJeong-han."
"My father has already given up on me anyway."
Though it wasn't actually giving up, he was just someone who wouldn't ask for much as long as he could walk around on his own two feet. The future of the Guangdong Wei Family depended not on him, but on his older brother.
"Please treat her quickly. Her complexion looks terrible."
"Hmm…"
Even from Wei Yan-ho's perspective, the situation didn't look good. As time passed, Lee Seol-hwa's face was turning darker and darker.
"Let's go over there."
"What?"
"Just a moment."
Seomun Da-yeon nodded and dragged the unconscious Seo Ju-ak by the legs, moving away from the two.
'It seems like I keep dragging around unconscious people these days… '
It was also peculiar that the person doing the knocking out was the same.
As Seomun Da-yeon created distance, Wei Yan-ho cleared his throat and said:
"I'll begin."
The playfulness from before had already disappeared.
'I wonder if this will go well.'
Baek Mu-han had taught Wei Yan-ho everything.
From how to deal with poison to how to perform emergency treatment in crisis situations. He had heard it hammered into his ears that in the treacherous martial world, having high martial arts alone wasn't enough to survive.
He would beat people until they suffered internal injuries, then make them heal themselves.
'That damned old man.'
Recalling those memories made his anger flare up again.
But thanks to that, Wei Yan-ho had reached a level where he was practically an expert when it came to internal injuries. Though he knew nothing about external wounds.
Wei Yan-ho slowly brought his hand toward Lee Seol-hwa's lower abdomen. Lee Seol-hwa's eyebrows trembled. Though she had made up her mind, this situation still made her nervous.
Lee Seol-hwa's body shivered at the clear sensation of the touch on her lower abdomen.
But that was only for a moment.
Suddenly, an indescribably hot energy began penetrating into Lee Seol-hwa's lower abdomen.
Her whole body trembled from the shock, as if her entire dantian was melting away.
"Ahh…"
Lee Seol-hwa opened her mouth and began to moan.
"Don't speak. Your energy will leak out."
At Wei Yan-ho's words, she pressed her lips tightly shut. Sweat beaded on her forehead. More than pain, it was difficult to endure the strange sensation she couldn't describe.
"It's done."
Though it was actually just a brief moment, it was an instantaneously intense shock that could make one's soul leave their body.
Lee Seol-hwa slowly opened her tightly closed eyes.
Under the moonlight, Wei Yan-ho was looking at her with a grin.
"Now if you just take care of yourself properly, there shouldn't be any major problems."
"…Thank you, Young Hero."
"Don't mention it."
Wei Yan-ho smiled limply, then turned and headed toward Seo Ju-ak.
"It should be about time for him to wake up, right?"
Seo Ju-ak's body flinched.
"Oh?"
Wei Yan-ho grinned mischievously at the sight.
"Then you'll have to get beaten again."
Screams echoed through the remote mountain.
Lee Seol-hwa followed the three people, quietly observing them. Normally, she should have parted ways after being treated, but due to Seomun Da-yeon's insistence that they couldn't leave an injured person stranded on a remote mountain, Lee Seol-hwa ended up following them.
She thought it made sense when they said they had prepared lodging nearby, and to descend the mountain after sunrise.
Though she had received treatment, with her internal injuries, if even one tiger appeared, she would have no choice but to satisfy the tiger's hunger with her own body.
So that's why she followed them, but…
'What exactly is that person?'
Lee Seol-hwa's eyes were fixed on Wei Yan-ho's back.
"Kaaak!"
"I'm dying! I'm going to die!"
Even while heading to their lodging, Wei Yan-ho would intermittently kick the Flower-Obsessed Scholar with a face that couldn't contain his anger.
Of course, the Flower-Obsessed Scholar Seo Ju-ak was a criminal who had committed such evil deeds that killing him a hundred times wouldn't be enough to quell one's anger.
'He's strangely pitiful.'
Seeing a person get beaten to that extent made even that sex demon seem pitiful.
'To have the skill to subdue Seo Ju-ak in one move.'
She already knew from personal experience what level of martial prowess Seo Ju-ak possessed. Though she might be considered the lowest among Huashan's second-generation disciples, she was still a second-generation disciple in name.
She had thought she had no peers among those her age, but the Flower-Obsessed Scholar had subdued her with a single strike.
Though Seo Ju-ak was known to have high martial arts for a sex demon, he was stronger than known. But how strong was this young man who had caught such a Seo Ju-ak like a cat catching a mouse?
And…
"Argh! This is infuriating!"
"Stop hitting me already!"
'How persistent is he?'
At this point, he could have left him alone and beaten him later, but Wei Yan-ho kept picking up stones and throwing them, unable to contain his anger.
And why was this man so obsessed with stones?
"Do you know how much stone fists hurt?"
He said strange things too.
'He's unique.'
He was certainly a unique person.
"But what exactly is your grudge?"
Seomun Da-yeon asked carefully.
"Ugh…"
When Wei Yan-ho's body trembled, people's faces darkened. After all, wasn't it obvious what kind of grudge one might have with a sex demon?
"I met a devil."
"What?"
"I met a devil because of that bastard."
"…What are you talking about?"
Seomun Da-yeon fell into confusion.
"Perhaps you had a sister who was violated…"
"I only have a younger sister. I wonder how old she is now?"
"Then a lover?"
"I rotted in a cave for five years – where would I have a woman?"
Then why was he acting like this?
People looked at Wei Yan-ho with blank eyes. The deep-rooted grudge between Wei Yan-ho and Seo Ju-ak was a matter that other people simply couldn't understand.
"Sigh…"
Wei Yan-ho shook his head.
It would be long to explain, and even if he explained, it didn't seem like they would believe him. If he said he met a ghost and learned martial arts, everyone would treat him like a madman.
"Over there."
When the group arrived at the carriage, those warming themselves by the fire looked up at them in surprise.
"Did you really bring him back?"
Their gazes turned to Seo Ju-ak being dragged along.
"Seo Ju-ak?"
No matter how they looked, they couldn't recognize his face. Seo Ju-ak's originally handsome face had become like a well-swollen dumpling, so naturally they couldn't identify him no matter how wide they opened their eyes.
But the clothing was definitely that of the Seo Ju-ak they knew.
Seomun Da-yeon took a rope from the carriage and tied up Seo Ju-ak. Since Wei Yan-ho had already crushed his dantian with stones, there was no risk of escape.
"To think that Seo Ju-ak would be caught so pathetically."
The men looked at Seo Ju-ak with disbelieving faces.
"You!"
One of the three men stood up with his sword. The other two stopped him as he approached with a face ready to hack Seo Ju-ak to pieces with his blade.
"Calm down. You're not the one who caught him!"
"Hana!"
"Calm down. What kind of rudeness is this?"
Seomun Da-yeon looked at the man with a face full of resentment and asked:
"Why are you doing this?"
Jwa-yang looked at the man with a pitying expression.
"This fellow's lover…"
"…"
Just from those words, everyone could guess what had happened. Lee Seol-hwa realized how foolish she had been to feel sympathy for Seo Ju-ak, even briefly.
"Is that so?"
But Wei Yan-ho was calm.
"Then why don't you kill him?"
"What?"
"If your anger isn't resolved, that's also a method. Actually, wouldn't it be fine for anyone to kill that bastard?"
'What is with this man?'
Lee Seol-hwa felt a strange unease.
Though that was true, openly saying such things in front of other people was something one couldn't help but be reluctant about.
But Wei Yan-ho was speaking as naturally as if discussing what to have for dinner.
"How about it?"
The man was looking at Seo Ju-ak with a hesitant face.
The man who had bitten his lip firmly shook his head.
"I won't kill him."
"Hmm."
When Wei Yan-ho looked at him as if surprised, the man ground his teeth.
"Killing him now would be too comfortable a death for that bastard."
"I agree."
Wei Yan-ho grinned.
"He needs to suffer more and regret more."
Though she thought she heard something like "while we're at it, my grudge too," Seomun Da-yeon deliberately ignored those words.
"It's dawn. I'm sleepy."
As Wei Yan-ho began trudging toward the carriage, Seomun Da-yeon blocked his way.
"Hm?"
"You can't."
"Why?"
"You're not thinking of making a patient sleep outdoors, are you?"
"She won't die, she won't die."
"Young Hero Wei, this is basic courtesy. You wouldn't think of tarnishing the name of the Guangdong Wei Family, would you?"
"It's fine though?"
"What?"
Wei Yan-ho grinned and said:
"Actually, my family doesn't have much expectation of me, so even if I go around tarnishing their name, they probably won't care. It's fine, it's fine."
"…"
"Come on, so…"
Wei Yan-ho pushed Seomun Da-yeon aside and headed into the carriage.
"Young Hero!"
As Seomun Da-yeon tried to say something, Lee Seol-hwa grabbed her sleeve. When she turned her head, Lee Seol-hwa silently shook her head.
"Will you be alright?"
"I've already received a lot of help. If I were to take away my benefactor's sleeping place on top of that, people would curse me as shameless. I'm fine, so please allow my benefactor to sleep comfortably."
"…Yes."
Seomun Da-yeon had shown no complaints when she herself slept outdoors. But seeing her demand sleeping quarters from Wei Yan-ho as soon as she saw an injured person showed she had her own sense of courtesy.
The problem was that it didn't work on Wei Yan-ho.
Snore.
Though Wei Yan-ho had only just entered the carriage, the sound of snoring could already be heard.
"Really amazing."
How could he fall asleep the moment his head touched the ground?
"The fireside would be better than on top of the carriage. I'll prepare a bed for you."
"I can't cause such trouble."
"You're a patient. Even if it's burdensome, it's better for you to rest now. If you really think you're causing trouble, you can help me later."
Looking at Seomun Da-yeon speaking with a bright smile, Lee Seol-hwa had no choice but to smile back.
'There are many good people in this world.'
It seemed she had done well to come out into the martial world. Though she had experienced danger, thanks to that she was able to meet good people.
"Thank you."
"Don't mention it."
Seomun Da-yeon spread straw from the carriage on the ground and covered it with a blanket. When a decent makeshift bed was prepared, Seomun Da-yeon had Lee Seol-hwa sit on the bed.
"You can't move until sunrise, so rest for now. When the sun rises, I'll escort you down to the village."
"Such trouble…"
"You can't cause it? That seems to be your habit, Young Lady. I don't think of it as trouble, so don't worry."
Lee Seol-hwa obediently covered herself with the blanket Seomun Da-yeon put over her and lay down.
'What a strange day.'
Today has truly been eventful.
Lee Seol-hwa's gaze slowly turned toward the carriage.
She who had been quietly looking at the carriage blushed and pulled the blanket over her head.