Chapter 2 –

His condition wasn’t great.

Because the poison had built up slowly over a long time, the toxins inside his body were quite severe.

He had no intention of seeking treatment from a physician. There were hardly any doctors skilled enough to cure him anyway.

Of course, one capable physician did come to mind, but he had no idea where that person might be at this time.

So, there was only one option available to him.

Use internal energy circulation to stop the poison from worsening.

Cheon-woo sat down in a meditative pose.

He had learned martial arts from a young age.

But it was never in earnest, and being family techniques, they weren’t particularly impressive.

Even the faint, grain-sized energy he felt in his danjeon (energy core) told him that much.

He let out a wry laugh.

“You’ll die doing that, idiot.”

He recalled the face of someone who had taught him many things in a short time.

That person had recognized Chuhyung’s talent and wanted to take him as a disciple, which had brought Cheon-woo unexpected benefits.

Although most of his attention had gone to Chuhyung, Cheon-woo had picked up clues from occasional remarks, broken through barriers, and even succeeded in reconstructing the Jin Family’s martial arts.

Where would he be now?

As he thought this far, he chuckled again.

No need to think too hard—it was obvious.

He pushed aside distracting thoughts and focused again on circulating his energy.

Water Moon Heart Technique.

Following its flow, he slowly began to meditate.

Though his internal energy was weak, it was enough to prevent the poison from spreading further, even if he couldn’t detoxify it right away.

He concentrated as much as possible, finished the energy flow, and opened his eyes.

In that moment—

A familiar face appeared in front of him.

“What are you doing?”

Jang Chuhyung was staring at him, sitting cross-legged.

The fact that he had entered without permission was absurd enough, but the fact that he had apparently been watching for quite some time was even more so.

“You scared me. Move your face.”

“Do I look like a ghost? Scared? And what are you even doing?”

“Meditating. Anyway, what do you want?”

“Well… it’s time for a meal, but you weren’t responding when I called.”

“Not really hungry. More importantly… where’s Father? I need to see him briefly.”

“Oh, come on, you already know. Didn’t he leave on a big trade expedition? Took Mother and most of the top swordsmen from the family too.”

Cheon-woo nodded.

He’d suspected as much, and now his memory confirmed it.

His father had left with the Jin Family’s top warriors on a merchant expedition.

No doubt his elder siblings were out with separate trade or escort missions too.

That’s why his condition had continued to deteriorate.

With only the head steward left to guard the household, there were barely any capable protectors around him now.

And yet, the reason he had survived this long despite being poisoned… was thanks to a woman who would soon arrive in Luoyang.

But he couldn’t afford to sit and wait until then.

“Chuhyung! I told you to bring the young master—what took you so long!”

A loud voice bellowed once again.

The half-open door burst wide, and an old man walked in.

His eye was bruised and swollen—Hong Kuhyeon, the man in charge of the servants in the Luoyang Jin Family.

Cheon-woo awkwardly smiled as he looked at him.

“Don’t blame me, he just got up.”

“Then you should’ve woken him!”

“I thought I shouldn’t!”

“There’s no such thing as someone you shouldn’t wake up!”

Their shouting voices echoed in the room. It was so noisy, Cheon-woo almost wanted to plug his ears.

As he frowned involuntarily, Hong Kuhyeon finally turned to him.

“Ahem! …Forgive me, young master. I failed to educate this brat properly.”

“No, I should be the one apologizing. That eye—it’s because of me.”

“Haha! It’s nothing. Compared to the time I took a blade for you, this is a scratch.”

“Ah, yes. That did happen.”

Cheon-woo recalled the past as he looked at Hong Kuhyeon.

There was a time in his youth when he was reckless and arrogant.

With everything handed to him, and always in a position to command others, he believed everyone else was beneath him.

One time, he got into a fight with a wandering swordsman. The man, enraged, swung his sword without hesitation.

It was Hong Kuhyeon who had taken the blow in Cheon-woo’s place.

Cheon-woo smiled at the memory.

“You saved me. I’m grateful.”

“Haha, hearing you say that makes me grateful too. But you must eat. All that coughing lately—it’s because you haven’t been eating properly.”

“No, there’s something more important than food right now. We’re heading out, so get ready, Chuhyung.”

“Wait… we’re not eating? But I’m starving!”

“We’ll eat outside. Let’s go to an inn for a change.”

“Say no more!”

Sigh…

Chuhyung’s eyes sparkled as he eagerly got ready, while Hong Kuhyeon let out a long sigh from the side.

There were quite a few famous inns in Luoyang.

Among them, one of the top five was Unryong Inn.

It was operated by the Luoyang Jin Family and well-known for combining exceptional food with a refined atmosphere. Though expensive, it was a favored spot for the wealthy to show off their affluence.

On the other hand, another of Luoyang’s proud establishments was Hwasun Inn.

In terms of tradition alone, it might be the oldest in the entire Henan region. Being hundreds of years old, it still carried the weight of its long history.

Its food was decent and its prices low, making it a popular place for those who simply wanted a good meal without breaking the bank.

Cheon-woo stepped into the Hwasun Inn.

The place was crowded, packed with people. With affordable and tasty food, it wasn’t easy to find a seat.

But something felt off.

He could feel the eyes of others on him as he entered.

“Hey, isn’t that the young master of the Luoyang Jin Family?”

“Yeah, the youngest one. What’s he doing here…?”

“Unryong Inn is just around the corner. Weird.”

He could hear murmurs from around the room.

It made sense—why would the young master of the Jin Family, whose family ran the Unryong Inn nearby, choose Hwasun instead?

“Wait… this is the Hwasun Inn?” Chuhyung asked.

“Cough cough! Hwasun is still an inn.”

“Well, sure, but Unryong is fancier and tastes better! I thought we were going there…”

At Chuhyung’s words, many nearby patrons frowned.

True, Unryong might be the better place for luxury dining.

But most people came to Hwasun because Unryong was too expensive, and now it sounded like the boy was bragging about money.

Cheon-woo shook his head and went upstairs.

Even the second floor was full.

Still not giving up, he went up to the third floor.

As he climbed the stairs, a shadow fell across his path. He looked up.

A burly man stood blocking the entrance to the third floor.

“This area is off-limits, young master. Please go back.”

“I’m here to meet someone inside.”

“…Do you have an appointment?”

“Of course not.”

“Then I’m afraid I can’t let you through.”

The man’s tone was firm; he had no intention of stepping aside.

What now?

Cheon-woo coughed, reached into his pouch, and tossed the man a silver coin.

The man’s eyes widened in surprise.

Cheon-woo smiled faintly and spoke again.

“Cough! Go tell them I’m here.”

“…Understood.”

As the saying goes, money can even make ghosts dance.

A man working in a place like this for a few coins would certainly be swayed by silver.

Gone was the earlier tough guy act—he now bowed politely and hurried inside.

“Who are we here to meet?” Chuhyung asked.

“You’ll see.”

“But… who’s worth all that money? You didn’t even set up a meeting.”

“Someone worth it.”

“Huh?”

Chuhyung looked confused.

He tried to guess, then gave up and shook his head.

At that moment, the man returned and bowed deeply.

“They will see you. Please follow me.”

“Thanks.”

Cheon-woo smiled and followed him down the long corridor.

At the far end of the third floor, a large ornate door swung open.

What lay beyond was almost dazzling. The word “luxurious” barely did it justice.

At the far end of the grand room sat a woman.

She wore a radiant black court gown, fitting perfectly with the lavish decor, and looked at Cheon-woo with a mysterious smile.

She stood up with a graceful smile and motioned to the empty seat beside her.

As Cheon-woo sat down, she took her place across from him.

“What brings you to such a humble place, young master?”

“Humble? This could rival Unryong Inn.”

“Hoho, I’ll take that as a compliment. But truly, what brings you to see me?”

This woman was the owner of Hwasun Inn.

She was also one of the top three beauties in all of Henan.

Though never officially registered as a courtesan, her beauty alone attracted countless guests to the inn.

Her presence alone had made Hwasun Inn famous.

Cheon-woo gave a small smile and spoke:

“I’m looking for someone.”

“Hoho, young master, this is an inn—we only serve food…”

Clink.

Before she could finish, Cheon-woo tossed a silver bar onto the table.

Not just a coin—an entire silver bar.

Her eyes widened at the sight.

“I’m looking for a physician. One who travels throughout the Central Plains healing people. His appearance…”

“Young master, please—”

Clink.

Another silver bar hit the table before she could protest again.

Worth about five taels of gold.

“His face is marred with burn scars and pockmarks. Rather than treating the wealthy, he helps the poor and the sick in the shadows.”

“Young master… you’re not listening to me.”

“I want to know where he is and what he’s doing. If you find out, I’ll pay double.”

COUGH!

“…!”

Chuhyung made a fuss beside him, but Cheon-woo ignored him and stood up.

He had said what needed to be said.

He saw it—the way her eyes trembled at the sight of silver.

She would definitely get that information for him.

Especially with the promise of a bigger reward on success.

Even as he turned his back and left, she said nothing.

He could feel her gaze on him.

Cheon-woo chuckled softly and turned back.

Their eyes met.

She flinched.

“By the way, after spending so much… is the meal on the house?”

“Huh? Hohoho, of course! Prepare a table!”

At her command, the man waiting outside bowed politely.