MUC 67

Chapter 67

“You two were the ones who took down the Yin-Yang Twin-Headed Serpent, right? Naturally, that means the inner core and everything else are yours.”

“Hmph, the original reward for the job was only a single inner core though.”

“But that inner core could only be obtained by defeating the Twin-Headed Serpent. By right, the spoils of the hunt belong to those who brought it down. Even if we were the ones who discovered it first, we couldn’t claim ownership. And even if we had the rights, we would’ve still had to pay you both for defeating it.”

Jaehwa then bowed deeply, apologizing for his son’s earlier wordplay.

Considering he personally dismantled the beast, it would’ve been understandable for him to get attached to the spoils… But his fairness and integrity left a strong impression.

“Hmph… You two are far too talented to remain in seclusion, suffering at the hands of a group like Mukhyangbang…”

Dang Jin-ak muttered quietly.

Eun Sowol agreed with him internally.

‘Right?! Uncle Aki thinks so too!’

Recalling her conversation with Pungnyang from yesterday, Eun Sowol’s eyes widened.

Thanks to her uncles, Jaehwa and his son had narrowly escaped this crisis, but there was no doubt that another threat would soon come their way.

“Helping them really seems like the right thing…”

“No more jobs.”

Before Dang Jin-ak could finish, Dok Goryong cut him off flatly. Dang Jin-ak pouted, displeased.

“Brother, you’re so cold. You saw their abilities too. People like them could be a huge help to us down the line.”

“The more we get involved ‘here,’ the more troublesome things get.”

“Well, that’s true, but still…”

Dang Jin-ak glanced at Jaehwa and his son with apologetic eyes. Jaehwa awkwardly waved his hands.

“No, it’s fine. You’ve already helped us enough. We can’t impose any further.”

“But, Father, if we get their help…”

“Shh, Geora. We mustn’t trouble them anymore.”

Seeing how composed the father and son were only made Dang Jin-ak soften more, while Dok Goryong stayed firm as ever.

Eun Sowol, who had been watching them quietly, suddenly voiced a question.

“Wait… Do we really need to protect them ‘here’?”

At her innocent question, the three men (except Dok Goryong) pulled sour faces.

“Sowol… you… just like your uncle, you have no heart…”

“That’s not it, Uncle! I mean, since we’re from outside, isn’t there something we can do to help that way?”

Dang Jin-ak tilted his head in confusion. Dok Goryong asked curtly.

“What exactly are you thinking?”

“Well, since those bad people told them to leave Heuksigok yesterday… why don’t they just leave?”

After all, Mukhyangbang was the one who told them to leave first, so leaving voluntarily shouldn’t cause any issues.

“And, doesn’t your family have that smart herbalist? Can’t you ask them to take these two in? You said before you needed more herbalists.”

If the Sachun Dang family took them in, Mukhyangbang wouldn’t dare harm them.

They wouldn’t want to make an enemy of the Sachun Dang family.

This way, the problem could be solved without any more fighting.

Silence lingered for a moment as everyone’s eyes darted around.

Jaehwa and Imugeol gulped nervously.

“Just to check… Is there any particular reason you must stay in Heuksigok?”

Dok Goryong finally broke the silence.

“…This place has been our ancestral home since the days of our forefathers. We’ve never once left Heuksigok or Yunnan in our entire lives.”

“So, even in a life-threatening situation, you want to honor your ancestors’ wishes?”

“No. It’s just… after living here our whole lives, moving somewhere unfamiliar feels daunting. If it were just me, I might’ve stayed… but…”

Jaehwa smiled gently as he patted Imugeol’s head.

“I can’t be stubborn when my son’s safety is at stake.”

“Father…”

Tears welled up in Imugeol’s eyes as he clung tightly to Jaehwa.

“With their talents, our main family would welcome them with open arms. Lately, we’ve been struggling to secure good medicinal herbs, so we’re actively looking for skilled herbalists. If you’re willing, I’ll send a message to the main house right away.”

Dang Jin-ak, his face flushed with excitement, began seriously preparing to recruit them.

Then he glanced sideways at Dok Goryong and whispered cautiously.

“You’re not going to object to this, right?”

“…It’s not a job request, so I don’t care. Just don’t drag me into any more trouble.”

Hearing what was practically permission, the three faces lit up.

As they began discussing how to leave Heuksigok safely, Eun Sowol sneakily glanced at Dok Goryong.

“Hehe, see? Uncle, you’re actually nice.”

“Quiet.”

Eun Sowol’s bright, cheerful laughter echoed through the mountain valley.

Later

“Is this all your luggage?”

“Yes, we can get anything else later if needed.”

Having lived in a rural hut, Jaehwa and his son had very little baggage.

Though it had been their ancestral home for generations, they were now ready to start fresh with the Sachun Dang family.

This wasn’t just a good thing for the father and son—it was also a major benefit for both the Sachun Dang family and for Eun Sowol and Dok Goryong.

“We’ve never left Yunnan before, but we do know a lot of herbalists working in other regions.”

“Also, we tend to hear rumors about spiritual herbs circulating in the Central Plains faster than most. If you ever need anything, feel free to ask us. We’ll help however we can.”

‘I just got myself a living elixir detector!’

Eun Sowol had only expected to get the Yin-Yang Twin-Headed Serpent’s inner core, but ended up making a priceless connection.

Looking up at the two, she smiled so wide her cheeks twitched.

“Hehe, then… do you happen to know about any of these?”

Suppressing her rising grin, she pulled out a list of spiritual herbs from Dok Goryong’s pocket and handed it to them.

After carefully reviewing the list, Jaehwa frowned and looked at her.

“…Do you have Meridian Blockage Syndrome?”

“Huh? How did you know?”

“The things listed here are all used to treat that condition.”

“Wow…”

He figured that out just by looking at a list of herbs? Truly impressive.

“You’re amazing, mister! Were you really the disciple of the Herbal Saint?”

“Herbal Saint? Where’d you hear that?”

“Uncle Pungnyang told me yesterday! Said you’re so smart people call you the disciple of the Herbal Saint.”

Jaehwa made an awkward face.

“Rumors are just rumors. I don’t actually consider myself his disciple.”

Seeing that Jaehwa might feel burdened by unnecessary expectations, Dok Goryong quickly added.

But Jaehwa’s expression remained complicated. Imugeol tugged at his father’s clothes.

“Father, with these people… wouldn’t it be okay? They saved our lives and helped us so much already.”

“Hmm, you’re right.”

After a short moment of hesitation, Jaehwa finally spoke.

“…Yes.”

“Yes to what?”

“To being the disciple of the Herbal Saint. My master… was the Herbal Saint himself.”

At that, Eun Sowol’s jaw dropped, Dang Jin-ak looked utterly shocked, and even the normally stoic Dok Goryong’s eyes widened.

Seeing them all freeze, Jaehwa spoke again, a little embarrassed.

“Well, to be precise… it was my father who was called the Herbal Saint. I learned everything from him. Now I’m passing it all down to Geora.”

Not just a disciple—his actual son!

“In truth, I had such a hard time growing up with people constantly seeking my father out that I’m not too fond of the title ‘Herbal Saint.’”

“We’re only telling you because you’re trustworthy! Don’t tell anyone else!”

Imugeol sternly warned them, and everyone nodded dumbly.

‘If Mukhyangbang found out about this, they’d probably lock them up and never let them go…’

An unexpected treasure had practically fallen into their laps. Eun Sowol couldn’t suppress her growing grin.

As she pressed her puffy cheeks with both hands to push her smile down, Jaehwa opened his mouth again.

“There’s at least one herb on this list that I’ve recently heard rumors about.”

Bringing the conversation back on track, Jaehwa opened the herbal list and pointed at one entry.

Millennium Fire Carp (Cheonnyeonhwari, 千年火鯉).

“The Millennium Fire Carp and the Myriad-Year Fire Carp are both famous spiritual herbs known for their powerful Yang energy. Many desire them, but they’re incredibly hard to find and catch. However, there have been recent reports of Fire Carp sightings around Haenam Island.”

“We’re not sure if it’s the Millennium or the Myriad-Year one, but the information came from a reliable source, so it should be trustworthy.”

Imugeol confidently said he’d later give them the exact location.

Even ten years later, he’d provide the main character with invaluable herb locations, so this information was definitely legit.