The Heavenly Demon’s Request (2)
Throughout the flight to Gansu, the Heavenly Demon remained silent.
I, too, focused quietly on my martial arts.
Whoosh.
As we sped through the air, my Demonic Wind Step advanced to the fifth level. While my Demonic Core had reached the eighth level, the Demonic Wind Step had been stuck at the fourth.
With this progress, our speed increased even more. Given the long distance we had to cover, I relied solely on the Demonic Flight. Mixing in the Demonic Ground Step could provide a temporary speed boost, but it would drain my energy faster, ultimately slowing us down.
I speculated that once the Demonic Wind Step reached its peak, using the Demonic Ground Step might be faster. However, by then, the speed of the Demonic Flight would also have improved significantly, so I couldn’t be sure.
For now, even the Demonic Flight alone was incredibly fast. I guessed it would continue to grow quickly until the seventh level, after which progress might slow.
I flew tirelessly, landing only when my energy was depleted to meditate and recharge before taking off again. I didn’t even stop to eat.
After repeating this cycle several times, I finally arrived in Gansu.
“Where in Gansu is your son?” I asked.
“Xihe,” the Heavenly Demon replied.
“Got it.”
I flew swiftly towards Xihe.
If not for the Demonic Flight, it would have taken much longer to get here. Even I was surprised at how quickly I arrived.
The Heavenly Demon knew well how urgently I had rushed.
“Thank you,” he said.
“Thank me? We’re practically one and the same. This is nothing.”
“One and the same? Ha ha.”
The Heavenly Demon, who had been silent, laughed, seemingly in a good mood.
“Isn’t your family my family too? Why are we only talking about this now?”
“There was never time.”
“Still.”
Honestly, I hadn’t expected the Heavenly Demon’s request to be about meeting his son.
Having never had children myself, I couldn’t fully grasp the Heavenly Demon’s feelings. But considering he had passed on his Demonic Core to me in exchange for this request, it was clear how much he longed to see his son.
“How old is your son now?”
“Over fifty.”
It made sense, given that it had been over thirty years since the Heavenly Demon died by my hand.
“He might have grandchildren by now.”
“Possibly.”
Not having children myself, the concept of grandchildren was foreign to me.
We arrived in Xihe.
“This place has changed a lot,” the Heavenly Demon noted.
“Of course, it’s been a long time.”
The Heavenly Demon recalled where his son used to work and led me there. It was the largest escort agency in Xihe, the Xihe Escort Agency.
“The last time I was here, my son had just joined as an escort.”
“You didn’t help him out?”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Why not?”
“The moment I offered any help, he’d be tied to me. I didn’t want that.”
I understood his sentiment. He wanted his son to live a normal life. If he had brought him into the Blood Heaven Sect, he would have been caught up in the succession battles and likely killed.
“If he’s anything like you, he’s doing well.”
I knocked on the agency’s door.
“What’s your son’s name?”
“Sungwon. Baek Sungwon.”
A man opened the door, giving me a once-over before asking gruffly, “What do you want?”
His demeanor and tone were unpleasant, suggesting the agency wasn’t in great shape.
“Is there someone named Baek Sungwon here?”
I noticed the man’s face twitch slightly, a clear sign of displeasure.
“Why are you looking for Escort Chief Baek?”
Escort Chief Baek. It seemed he had worked his way up to a chief position.
“Impressive,” I commented.
The Heavenly Demon said nothing. He must have felt the same unease I did, perhaps even more so since it concerned his son.
“I’d like to see Escort Chief Baek.”
“What’s your relationship with him?”
The Heavenly Demon interjected, “Let’s just kill this bastard and go in.”
“Maybe in the next life when I come looking for your son.”
I spoke to the man in a pleasant tone.
“I’ve come a long way to deliver a message to Escort Chief Baek. Could you let him know?”
“Who are you, exactly?”
“I’d prefer to tell him in person.”
The man’s face showed displeasure again.
“Escort Chief Baek isn’t here.”
“Then where is he?”
“Try his home.”
“Where does he live?”
But the man shut the door without answering.
“See, I told you to kill him!” the Heavenly Demon fumed.
“He’s not worth it. Let’s find out more first. Later.”
I asked around and found out where Baek Sungwon lived.
His house was about ten li from the agency. I stood silently in front of it for a moment.
It was a shabby cottage.
He was supposed to be an escort chief. Having worked at the agency for so long, he should be better off than this.
Something was clearly wrong. The Heavenly Demon must have realized it too. He was silent, simmering with tension, worry, and anger.
Instead of going in immediately, I headed to a nearby tavern in the marketplace.
It was still early, so there were few customers.
I ordered some drinks and snacks, and after a couple of drinks, I called over the server.
“I have a question.”
“Ask away.”
“I’m curious about Baek Sungwon, the escort chief from the Xihe Escort Agency.”
The server flinched at the mention of his name. That reaction confirmed there was indeed an issue involving Baek Sungwon.
“I don’t know much about him.”
As he turned to leave, I placed five nyang on the table.
The server hesitated. It was a lot of money for just a few words. I felt a bit guilty for tempting the young man with money, but I needed to hear the story.
The server spoke quickly and quietly.
“About six months ago, Escort Chief Baek was severely injured during the test to become the head escort.”
He reached for the money.
I stopped him and asked, “Who was his opponent?”
“The new head escort, Chief Joo.”
“What’s his name?”
“Joo Yang.”
“Why is everyone so hush-hush? Why are you scared?”
“W-what do you mean?”
He was already stammering and trembling. I gave him a cold stare and moved to take back the money.
The server quickly said, “There were rumors that Chief Joo did something underhanded to beat Escort Chief Baek. Everyone expected Baek to become the head escort because he was more skilled.”
“Is Baek badly hurt?”
“He’s been bedridden for a year. The medical expenses have drained his family. That’s all I know.”
I removed my hand, and the server quickly pocketed the money and scurried away.
The Heavenly Demon remained silent.
I left the tavern and headed straight to Baek Sungwon’s house.
“Is anyone home?”
A woman holding a baby came out.
“Who are you?”
“I’m here to see Escort Chief Baek.”
The woman seemed startled by the unexpected visitor but relaxed when she saw I wasn’t threatening.
“Oh, you’re here to see my father-in-law.”
Father-in-law meant she was his daughter-in-law.
“That’s your granddaughter-in-law,” I told the Heavenly Demon.
Overcome with emotion, the Heavenly Demon couldn’t speak.
The woman seemed gentle and virtuous.
“Then this baby must be your great-grandchild. I think he resembles you a bit.”
“Hmm.”
The Heavenly Demon made a choked sound.
“Who should I say is visiting?”
I asked the Heavenly Demon just in case.
“Do you have a name to give?”
“No.”
“Understood.”
I told the woman, “I’m Ha Gwang, someone who owes a debt to Escort Chief Baek from the past. I’d like to thank him in person.”
“Ah, I see. Please come in.”
“Thank you.”
I entered the room.
The small room was cluttered with belongings, the remnants of a life reduced to essentials.
In one corner, Baek Sungwon lay on a bed.
His face was gaunt, marked by illness.
Even so.
“He looks like you.”
It wasn’t just a polite comment; he truly resembled the Heavenly Demon.
“Damn it!”
Seeing his son lying there, the Heavenly Demon couldn’t help but curse.
“At least we arrived in time.”
The woman looked at Baek Sungwon with concern and said, “He’s been on medication since his injury a year ago, but there’s been no improvement.”
“May I check his pulse? I have some medical training.”
“Please do.”
“Thank you.”
I took Baek Sungwon’s wrist to assess his condition.
“His internal injuries are severe.”
“Can you heal him?”
“I can. But there’s a problem.”
“What problem?”
“He’s been poisoned.”
“Poisoned? You mean he was poisoned?”
The Heavenly Demon was shocked by the unexpected revelation.
“It seems like they used other medicines without treating the poison first. That’s why his condition worsened. It’s malpractice.”
The Heavenly Demon responded coldly, “Or it could be intentional.”
If he was poisoned, someone must have administered it. They might have bribed the doctor to ensure Baek Sungwon’s demise.
I stood up, and the woman said, “I’ll let him know you visited when he wakes.”
“I’ll return later.”
“Take care.”
Leaving the house, I took to the sky, flying swiftly with the Demonic Flight.
“Where are you going?”
“To get medicine.”
“You should see a doctor.”
“I can’t trust the local doctors. Besides, there’s no need.”
I arrived in Lanzhou, the largest city in Gansu.
I headed straight to the Lanzhou branch of the Gansu Black Market.
I bought the best internal medicine and antidotes available, along with remedies to restore a weakened body. Finally, I purchased a root of the rare and powerful perennial herb, He Shou Wu, known to enhance one’s inner strength.
[Don’t buy it, Yeongcho.]
[It’s a gift from me.]
[I know, but don’t buy it.]
[It’s not your destiny with it, it’s mine.]
[I’m telling you, don’t buy it.]
[Fine, I understand.]
It was clear that this wasn’t just a matter of fate.
Increasing one’s inner strength meant enhancing martial skills, and both Cheonma and I knew that becoming stronger without proper control could invite danger.
After purchasing everything except the He Shou Wu, I headed straight back to Baek Seong-won’s house.
When I arrived, a commotion was unfolding at the entrance.
“I don’t need it! Just leave!”
The visitor was the same man who had greeted us at the escort agency earlier.
“You’re being quite stingy. How can a young man be so stubborn? Take this money and at least use it for medicine.”
The young man was Baek Seong-won’s son. He resembled his father, and even more so, Cheonma.
[That’s your grandson.]
[Hmm.]
Cheonma made a strange noise, overwhelmed with emotion. His voice choked with sentiment, and I felt a lump in my throat as well.
As the visitor turned to leave, he asked slyly, “Did anyone come by today?”
I could tell his real purpose wasn’t to hand over a few coins but to uncover my identity. This alone suggested that Baek Seong-won’s poisoning was linked to this man or those behind him. Given his age, he couldn’t be the new leader of the Ju Yang faction.
“What does it matter to you who visits?”
“I’m just concerned.”
“Regardless, please leave.”
“Understood.”
I watched from above as the man walked away.
A woman emerged from the house.
The man called out to her, “Who was the visitor earlier?”
“Someone who owed a debt to Father,” she replied.
“I told you not to let just anyone into the house.”
“I’m sorry. He didn’t seem like a bad person.”
The man, perhaps feeling guilty for raising his voice, softened his tone.
“You’re too kind-hearted and naive about the world. Most villains wear friendly faces.”
“Yes, I’ll remember that.”
“Let’s go inside.”
“Yes. You must be tired from work today.”
“No, I’m fine.”
The two of them went back inside.
[You’ve raised your son well, and your daughter-in-law seems lovely too.]
[Doesn’t it seem that way?]
[I’m envious.]
[Heh.]
Cheonma was genuinely proud.
[How’s your son’s condition? Does he need immediate treatment?]
[He’s not in immediate danger. I infused a bit of my inner strength during the pulse check, so he’ll be stable for now.]
[Then let’s uncover the truth first. If he suddenly recovers, those responsible might try to silence him.]
[Good idea.]
Whatever the truth may be, if all this was the result of someone’s scheme, I should offer my condolences in advance.
Unfortunately for them, they picked the wrong target.
Even if it weren’t for Cheonma, I wouldn’t forgive them.