Episode 217: The Tang Family Manor

The boat gliding along the Yangtze River moved much slower than most people imagined. But the true advantage of traveling by boat wasn’t speed; it was the relentless, uninterrupted journey.

As you idly pass the time on a boat that sails day and night, you eventually find yourself at your destination.

Tang Mujin and his companions arrived in Chongqing without any trouble.

“Thank you for everything.”

“Thank me? We just happened to be on the same boat.”

“But you taught me quite a bit of martial arts.”

“I merely helped refine what you already knew.”

Tang Mujin stood a few steps away, watching Nam Woong bow deeply to the Blood Rain Guest.

Nam Woong had boarded the boat near Namdo. He seemed to be in his early thirties, looking every bit the part of an ordinary merchant.

Yet, Tang Mujin was suspicious of Nam Woong. No, it was more than suspicion—it was certainty.

Nam Woong, unlike a typical merchant, had mastered martial arts. And not just any martial arts, but highly practical combat skills.

That much could be explained. Merchants who travel long distances often learn martial arts for self-defense.

Though his skills were quite impressive for self-defense, it could be chalked up to natural talent. There are many people with exceptional abilities in the world.

The real issue was this:

One day, Namgung Myung, unable to resist his curiosity, secretly opened Nam Woong’s pack. Inside, he found a roughly wrapped piece of hemp cloth and a single sword. There was nothing else.

Carrying a sword made sense. If you know martial arts, having a sword is only natural.

But the roughly wrapped hemp cloth was baffling.

It was bulky, yet there wasn’t even enough hemp to make a single bolt, let alone a full roll.

Moreover, as far as Tang Mujin knew, hemp wasn’t something you could profitably sell in Chongqing after buying it near Wuchang.

Even if you found the right buyer, you’d be lucky to make a couple of silver coins in profit. No one would pay fifty taels of silver to board a boat for such a meager gain.

And the two people who boarded with Nam Woong had similar packs.

‘This guy, he’s definitely a bandit leader traveling with his men.’

However, Tang Mujin couldn’t just cut Nam Woong down. The Blood Rain Guest had grown too fond of him too quickly.

The Blood Rain Guest still saw Nam Woong as a simple merchant. Even if he discovered Nam Woong’s true identity, he seemed unlikely to cast him aside.

The Blood Rain Guest spoke to Nam Woong.

“Nam Woong, what do you plan to do once you’ve sold your goods?”

“I suppose I’ll gather more goods and head back down the Yangtze.”

“What kind of goods are you thinking of taking?”

The Blood Rain Guest asked out of pure curiosity. But Nam Woong hesitated, unable to answer immediately.

He needed to come up with a convincing story to avoid suspicion, but he had no idea what would be profitable to buy in Chengdu and sell elsewhere. After all, he wasn’t a merchant; he was a bandit.

Eventually, Nam Woong mumbled a vague response.

”…I’ll figure that out soon.”

“In that case, why not travel with us while you decide?”

Sensing their leader might be caught by the Blood Rain Guest, Nam Woong’s two subordinates quickly raised their hands. They had no desire to follow their leader into danger.

“We’re from around Chongqing, so we’ll be heading back home.”

“Oh, is that so? Take care, then.”

The two subordinates, fearing they might be caught, politely bowed and swiftly disappeared.

But Nam Woong couldn’t use the same excuse. He had already mentioned to the Blood Rain Guest that his home was on a distant southern island.

“Well, I…”

“Or perhaps you’d like to travel with me?”

“What?”

“I could teach you more martial arts. You have talent. I dare say your martial arts potential surpasses your skills as a merchant.”

The Blood Rain Guest was generous enough to consider taking someone as a disciple based on such a brief acquaintance.

And because the offer was so unexpected, Nam Woong was visibly unsure.

The Blood Rain Guest pressed on, trying to persuade him.

“Of all the people I’ve taught, none have shown as much promise as you.”

Tang Mujin was certain the Blood Rain Guest hadn’t taught many people. Nam Woong might even be the first.

But Nam Woong didn’t know that.

“I can’t teach you the inner energy techniques right away, so you won’t be able to master my martial arts completely. But it will help you build a solid foundation. You seem to have a knack for applying what you learn.”

For Nam Woong, it was an incredibly generous offer. How many people in the world receive an invitation to become a disciple of a martial arts master?

“Hmm.”

Tang Mujin thought this situation wasn’t bad.

Nam Woong was a particularly unsavory type of bandit. If they parted ways here, countless innocent people might fall victim to him.

It would be better for him to be caught by the Blood Rain Guest, learn martial arts, and live a decent life. Spending time with someone as kind-hearted as the Blood Rain Guest might even soften his character a bit.

Tang Mujin spoke up.

“You know this isn’t an opportunity that comes often. Why not learn martial arts properly and maybe open a martial arts school when you return to your island home? There probably won’t be much competition there.”

Tang Mujin looked at Nam Woong with a cold gaze.

If Nam Woong didn’t accept the offer, Tang Mujin planned to secretly follow and eliminate him.

Of course, Nam Woong was unaware of Tang Mujin’s intentions.

But he did understand one thing: if there was ever a chance to change his life, it was now.

“I’ll do it.”

Nam Woong decided to become the Blood Rain Guest’s disciple.

Tang Mujin considered staying in Chongqing for a few days to visit Hwayeon Shinni, but he quickly changed his mind. He had been away from Chengdu for too long.

‘I can always visit Chongqing later to say hello. There’s nothing urgent.’

Without much delay, Tang Mujin and his companions set off for Chengdu.

Having conserved their energy on the boat, they weren’t too tired even after traveling through the night. Wang Jincheong, who was still inexperienced in movement techniques, could be carried in turns.

Thanks to this, it only took them two days to travel from Chongqing back to Chengdu.

“Well, look who it is. Isn’t it Mujin?”

“I heard you went north. Looks like you’re back now. Who are these folks with you?”

“These are people I’ve met during my travels.”

The people of Chengdu naturally approached Tang Mujin, recognizing him.

Tang Mujin was well-known in the area, and he was young.

Having known him for a long time, it was easy for them to strike up a conversation. Tang Mujin was also good at responding to such greetings.

The Blood Rain Guest found the atmosphere in Chengdu to his liking.

The city felt much more prosperous and relaxed than the areas south of the Yangtze. The people, even the children, had healthy, bright expressions. The stories of Sichuan’s fertile lands seemed to be true.

Moreover, Tang Mujin appeared to be well-respected in the community, which was a good sign. If the host was popular, the guests would likely be treated well too.

‘This is promising.’

The Blood Rain Guest’s steps were filled with joy.

However, as they neared the house, Tang Mujin felt a bit embarrassed. He had confidently introduced himself as the head of the Tang Family Manor, but the Tang Family Clinic wasn’t quite grand enough to be called a manor yet.

Of course, with the money he had earned, it would be more than enough to transform the clinic into a proper manor. But for now, it was still a bit lacking.

Yet, when they arrived at the Tang Family Clinic, Tang Mujin and his friends were puzzled.

“Uh… something seems different.”

“Yeah, the atmosphere has changed quite a bit.”

When Tang Mujin had left, they were in the process of removing the old fence and building a stone wall.

He had hoped the wall would be completed by now, but the half-finished wall was gone. In its place stood a tall, sturdy stone wall, the kind you’d expect to see around a high-ranking official’s residence. It looked as if it had been rebuilt from scratch.

There was even an impressive gate in front.

“Look at that.”

Hyun Gong pointed to the top of the gate. Above it hung a plaque that read [Tang Family Manor].

The sight of it brightened the expressions of the Blood Rain Guest and Wang Jincheong.

The Blood Rain Guest began to imagine his retirement.

As far as he knew, the only martial arts master in all of Sichuan was the head of the Qingcheng Sect, Young Heoja.

Though a bit daunting since he was from a righteous sect, the Qingcheng Mountains were said to be quite a distance from Chengdu. As long as he kept a low profile, he could enjoy a peaceful retirement.

Of course, he didn’t plan to live as if he didn’t exist. While avoiding the Qingcheng Sect’s attention, he wanted to enjoy a bit of prestige among the locals.

He figured that by teaching Nam Woong martial arts and perhaps instructing some local youths, he could achieve that.

”…Let’s go in.”

When Tang Mujin opened the gate, the interior of the Tang Family Manor was revealed.

Unlike the impressive wall, there weren’t many buildings inside.

There was one moderately sized but slightly shabby building, and a couple of newly constructed ones nearby.

But with so much open space, adding a few more buildings wouldn’t be a problem if they set their minds to it.

Tang Mujin called out.

“I’m back.”

A person squatting in the yard turned around.

It was a monk, covered in scars. That alone was unusual, but even more striking was his gray skin, which seemed almost inhuman.

It wasn’t the kind of face you’d expect to see twice in a lifetime, so Hyeolwugaek immediately recognized him.

”…The Three-Eyed Buddha of the Demon Sect?”

Hyeolwugaek involuntarily shrank back a little. The aura of a top master from the Demon Sect was unmistakable. If they were to fight, he figured there was a seventy to eighty percent chance he’d lose.

”…Was this all a trap to ensnare me?”

His eyes filled with betrayal and sorrow, and he felt on the verge of tears.

As if to confirm his suspicions, the Three-Eyed Buddha began to walk toward him with a steady gait.

Just as Hyeolwugaek flinched and reached for his sword, the Three-Eyed Buddha spread his arms wide and embraced Dang Mujin.

“Took you a while to get back this time. And you brought three people with you?”

“Bringing people… that’s a bit…”

The Three-Eyed Buddha chuckled.

“I heard from Dan Seol-yeong that every time you went out, you brought people back. Never failed, did you?”

“It just happened that way.”

“Let’s see. This friend here… what’s his name again?”

The Three-Eyed Buddha pondered for a moment, then clapped his hands as if he remembered.

“Hyeolwugaek, right? Welcome to the Tang family.”

He extended a hand as large as a pot lid and gave Hyeolwugaek a friendly pat on the back.

“There’s an empty room next door. Why don’t you stay there?”

“Ah… yes.”

Before he knew it, the hierarchy between Hyeolwugaek and the Three-Eyed Buddha had been established. Not that Hyeolwugaek minded much.

The Three-Eyed Buddha turned back to Dang Mujin.

“By the way, do you know how eagerly Dan Seol-yeong has been waiting for you?”

Dang Mujin tensed up.

“Is Seol-yeong here now?”

“She’s over there… oh, here she comes.”

Just then, Dan Seol-yeong appeared, her eyes widening at the sight of Dang Mujin.

She must have been in the middle of work, as sweat beaded on her forehead and neck.

“Dang Mujin!”

Unable to hide her joy, Dan Seol-yeong ran straight to him and embraced him.

Her skin was damp with sweat, and a strong scent of it lingered, but it wasn’t unpleasant. It felt like he was finally home.

Hyeon Gong, Namgung Myeong, and Hong Geolgae watched their emotional reunion with a mix of envy and disdain.

After a moment, as if realizing something, they discreetly stepped back from Dang Mujin. Meanwhile, Hyeolwugaek, Nam Woong, and Wang Jincheong, who were seeing Dan Seol-yeong for the first time, showed no particular reaction.

Still in Dang Mujin’s arms, Dan Seol-yeong wrapped her arms around his waist and took a deep breath, inhaling his scent.

After a while, the overwhelming joy began to subside.

In a corner of Dan Seol-yeong’s mind, reason slowly crept in.

“When did Mujin leave again?”

It was last autumn. Hong Geolgae, who had gone north first, returned to the capital around that time, and Dang Mujin had packed up and left for the north soon after.

Now it was late summer. Nearly a year had passed.

“He said he’d be back in a couple of months when he left.”

Dan Seol-yeong released her arms from around his waist.

A small distance formed between them, allowing them to finally meet each other’s eyes again.

Dang Mujin noticed something different in Dan Seol-yeong’s gaze.

She stared at him intently, then pointed to the door.

“Get out.”

“Yes.”

Without a word, Dang Mujin stepped outside.