Episode 230: Spring

Dang Mujin wasn’t particularly surprised.

In fact, he’d been wondering if Namgung Myung had finally come to his senses, given how unusually quiet he’d been lately.

But having known Namgung Myung for several years, Dang Mujin was well aware that he wasn’t exactly the most upstanding character.

He was simply lying low because there weren’t many targets left in Sichuan.

Still, just in case it was all a joke, Dang Mujin decided to probe Namgung Myung a bit.

“Got your eyes on any sects?”

A simple, straightforward question.

As expected, Namgung Myung launched into an excited explanation.

“Well, the Namgung family probably won’t be attending, and even if my father does show up, he won’t leave the Xuanyuan Sword behind. Without that sword, infiltrating the Namgung family would be pointless.”

“Is that so?”

“The next best target would be the Shaolin Temple, the leader of the martial world. Their martial arts are renowned for their variety and high level. But realistically, Shaolin would be tough.”

“Really?”

“Shaolin has a high average skill level and a lot of people, making it hard to avoid detection. Even without the divine monks, the senior monks would still be there. I doubt I could handle them. Even if I managed to escape, I’d likely get caught.”

“Hmm.”

Dang Mujin nodded absentmindedly.

Stealing martial arts from Shaolin without a master would result in severe punishment.

But Namgung Myung seemed completely unfazed by that fact.

After all, what thief ever climbs a wall expecting to get caught?

“In the end, the most feasible target is the Zhongnan Sect. It’s got a long history, and the grounds are spacious compared to the number of people, making it easier to hide. If I’m lucky, I might even find the treasure left by the Eight Immortals. Plus, it’s not far from Wudang Mountain.”

Namgung Myung rattled off his plan without hesitation.

It was clear he’d been planning this for quite some time.

Dang Mujin placed a serious hand on Namgung Myung’s shoulder.

“Namgung Myung, I support your plan.”

Namgung Myung looked a bit surprised.

Dang Mujin was usually the sensible one, always trying to stop Namgung Myung in situations like this.

“What’s with the sudden enthusiasm?”

“Just promise me one thing.”

“What is it?”

“If you get caught raiding the Zhongnan Sect, you return to the Namgung family, not the Tang family. You become someone with no ties to the Tang family. Got it?”

Namgung Myung gave a knowing smile.

Some time later, on a spring day when the snow had yet to melt, a visitor Dang Mujin wasn’t particularly fond of arrived at the Tang family estate. It was Hwayeon Shinni.

Dang Mujin tried to pass by with just a nod of acknowledgment.

Hwayeon Shinni often visited the Tang estate, and it was a bit tedious to greet her formally every time.

Besides, despite her actual age, she looked like a girl in her mid-teens, making formal greetings feel awkward.

Moreover, Dang Mujin knew that Hwayeon Shinni was filling Mok Wana’s head with strange ideas under the guise of romantic advice.

It would have been fine if it were just romantic advice. But Hwayeon Shinni was influencing Mok Wana in other ways too, like getting her into romance novels.

Namgung Myung had discreetly informed him that a few romance novels were hidden in a corner of Mok Wana’s room.

What was more concerning was that some of those novels were authored by Hwayeon Shinni herself.

This wasn’t a baseless suspicion. The initial source of this intel was Hongmyeon Nogae, Hwayeon Shinni’s right-hand man.

Namgung Myung even confirmed that a couple of the novels in Mok Wana’s room were penned under the pseudonym “Haryeong.”

‘Why would someone who could be considered the best in the world write romance novels instead of martial arts manuals?’

It would be great if the head of the Emei Sect, Hyangbaek Satae, would offer some insight into advancing to the next level, but she seemed completely uninterested in such matters.

Dang Mujin couldn’t understand Hwayeon Shinni.

In any case, Dang Mujin tried to slip past Hwayeon Shinni as usual.

But today, Hwayeon Shinni walked straight toward him, making it impossible to avoid her.

Dang Mujin responded with a hint of annoyance.

“What brings you here? Weren’t you looking for Wana?”

“Well… it does involve Wana, but not for the reason you’re thinking.”

“Then what is it?”

“There’s been an issue near Nogunsan. I’d like you to check it out.”

“What kind of issue?”

“Apparently, a lot of people have fallen ill in that area.”

“Since they’re not isolated anymore, can’t they just visit a nearby doctor?”

Hwayeon Shinni shook her head.

“They’ve seen doctors, but there’s been no improvement. They thought it would pass quickly, but it hasn’t.”

“So it’s been going on for quite some time.”

“It started around the end of last autumn.”

Dang Mujin found himself stroking his chin. The end of autumn, huh.

Epidemics spread quickly in warm regions but tend to die down in the cold winter. Most diseases subside in winter.

He had a hunch.

“Is it tuberculosis?”

Hwayeon Shinni shook her head, her white hair swaying gently.

“I haven’t heard of any coughing. It doesn’t seem to be tuberculosis.”

A disease spreading through the winter without being tuberculosis was unusual.

Dang Mujin’s curiosity as a physician was piqued. He had enough reason to investigate.

He’d been meaning to visit Nogunsan anyway, to check on the people he’d met there and to gather some herbs.

Unlike other places he’d traveled to, Nogunsan wasn’t far, so time wouldn’t be an issue.

“I have to leave for Wudang Mountain in the summer, so I can’t stay long. Is that alright?”

“Of course. A skilled physician’s single visit is worth more than a hundred visits from mediocre ones. If you can’t handle it, who in the world can?”

Hwayeon Shinni’s voice was full of trust.

Dang Mujin felt more pleased by compliments about his medical skills than about his swordsmanship, poison techniques, or metallurgy.

“By the way, you mentioned it involves Wana. What did you mean by that?”

“I thought it might be related to poison. I’ve heard Wana’s knowledge of poisons rivals yours.”

“Poison, huh.”

Nogunsan was known for its poisonous creatures. Even insects and plants that were harmless elsewhere often carried mild toxins there.

The locals had developed a certain resistance to poisons, so they usually shrugged off mild toxins.

It seemed unlikely they’d suffer from poison, but the idea of a disease spreading through the winter was strange. It was a plausible theory.

“Alright. We’ll go together.”

Traveling with Mok Wana was beneficial for Dang Mujin too.

He’d been teaching Mok Wana martial arts lately, so it would be an efficient use of time.

There were two main reasons Dang Mujin was teaching Mok Wana martial arts.

First, Mok Wana’s internal energy contained poison, and she had medical knowledge. Once she reached a certain level, they could research poison techniques together.

Second, Mok Wana was incredibly uncoordinated.

During her time with the Demonic Cult, she’d learned some internal energy techniques, but her lack of coordination made physical martial arts training a serious challenge.

She was often compared to Dan Seol-young, who had easily mastered movement techniques while following the strange.

Normally, Dang Mujin wouldn’t have considered teaching martial arts, but Mok Wana’s clumsiness was actually a good thing. He was searching for a foundational martial art for the Tang family.

Dang Mujin was teaching Mok Wana various basic martial arts.

If Mok Wana could learn them, then anyone in the Tang family could, making them ideal foundational techniques.

If he could find a martial art that could be linked with poison techniques, it would be perfect as the Tang family’s foundational martial art.

Hwayeon Shinni asked, “When will you leave?”

“No need to delay. We’ll leave as soon as we’re ready.”

“Understood.”

The very next day, Dang Mujin was ready to set off for Nogunsan.

Initially, the plan was for him, Mok Wana, and three friends to head to Nogunsan, but each friend had their own reasons for declining.

Hong Geolgae refused, saying he had to teach martial arts to Wang Jincheong, and Namgung Myung had already left for the area around Mount Emei, planning to target the Emei Sect before infiltrating the Zhongnan Sect.

Hyeon Gong didn’t seem particularly busy, but Sam Anbul claimed he needed Hyeon Gong for something, so he stayed behind.

Hyeon Gong looked at Dang Mujin and Mok Wana with eyes full of sorrow.

Dang Mujin went to bid farewell to Tang Jeseon and then spoke with Dan Seol-young.

“It won’t take long.”

“Hmm… It won’t be dangerous, right?”

“Don’t worry. It’s not far, and I’ve been there before.”

“Alright.”

Perhaps because it was just Dang Mujin and Mok Wana setting off together, Dan Seol-young’s expression was a bit complicated.

Her gaze held a mix of emotions: a hint of regret and concern for Dang Mujin, a touch of dissatisfaction toward Mok Wana, and a subtle sense of encouragement.

Of course, Dang Mujin couldn’t fully grasp the complex emotions in Dan Seol-young’s eyes.

He opened his arms and gave Dan Seol-young a warm hug.

“I’ll be back.”

“Okay. Don’t take too long.”

As Mok Wana set off with Dang Mujin, she glanced back at Dan Seolyeong. Unlike Dang Mujin, Mok Wana could somewhat grasp the emotions in Dan Seolyeong’s gaze. The two women exchanged a small nod of understanding.

Had she been with her friends, Mok Wana would have sprinted freely using her martial arts skills. However, her abilities weren’t reliable enough for such a journey. So, she and Dang Mujin opted for a carriage to head to Nogunsan.

Though both methods involved horses, the speed of riding directly was worlds apart from the leisurely pace of a carriage. Neither Mok Wana nor Dang Mujin knew how to ride, so they had no choice but to endure the slower journey. It took them nearly three times the usual duration to reach Nogunsan.

Upon seeing the village, Mok Wana couldn’t help but exclaim, “Oh… Is this the village?”

“Yes,” Dang Mujin replied, also quietly impressed by the sight. The village had grown significantly since their last visit. Yet, despite its expansion, there were few people around, and the absence of merchants gave the place a somewhat desolate feel. It was likely due to the villagers’ poor conditions.

A few villagers recognized Dang Mujin and approached to greet him. Leading them was Pyo Chung, who looked healthier than the others, likely because his martial arts training helped him fend off common ailments.

“Dang So-hyeop, it’s been a while!”

“Yes, it has,” Dang Mujin responded politely.

Pyo Chung’s face held a playful glint. “I haven’t met the young lady beside you, but I can guess who she is. Isn’t she the Dan Sojeo you mentioned before? I heard you got married.”

Dang Mujin shook his head. “No, this is Mok Wana.”

Mok Wana nodded shyly. The villagers, including Pyo Chung, seemed to realize they had made a faux pas, their expressions turning awkward.

“Uh…”

Pyo Chung hesitated, his eyes darting around before he clapped his hands in exaggerated realization. “Ah, right! I got mixed up. You said your wife was Mok Sojeo, not Dan Sojeo. My mistake. It’s been three years since the wedding, hasn’t it?”

”…No, I married Dan Seolyeong. Our daughter is already running around. It’s been about two and a half years since the wedding.”

The atmosphere grew tense. Pyo Chung struggled to smooth things over, continuing with difficulty. “Then, what is the young lady’s relation to you?”

Dang Mujin pondered how to explain Mok Wana. There wasn’t a simple way to describe their relationship. Just then, Mok Wana murmured softly, “Concubine…”

“Not even three years, and already a concubine?” A flash of disdain crossed a village woman’s face as she looked at Dang Mujin.

Dang Mujin waved his hands dismissively. “Oh no, she’s not a concubine. We’re just close friends.”

The villagers’ expressions turned even more serious.