Chapter 19

Gu Bon-hyeon, who was leading Seopung Pyo-guk with all his heart and soul, handed his son a letter.

“Read it.”

Gu Woong, wondering what it was about, read the letter. It was from the owner of the Eunha Trading Company, the father of his friend.

The contents were brief.

“Hmm, I’ve read it all.”

“What on earth is going on? From what the messenger said, it seems the Eunha Trading Guild will refuse the Gu Yang family’s protection from now on. Though it wasn’t written in the letter, it appears the eldest young master caused the death of the Gu Yang Marquis during a martial arts contest.”

Gu Woong was startled.

“Is that so? He’s become incredibly strong.”

“They say the young master has changed.”

“Yes. We gathered for the first time in ages, but after four cups of wine, he dismissed us. He said he would henceforth devote himself solely to martial arts training.”

Gu Bon-hyeon was also startled, stroking his chin. The reason his son, who had been sneaking out every night, was now staying home had just been revealed. It seemed the catalyst was the Grand Prince of the Eunha Trading Guild.

Guwoong asked.

“Is there any decent elixir in the Bureau?”

“Yes.”

Guwoong asked with a smile.

“You won’t give me any?”

“Of course I’ll give you some. If you’re going to learn martial arts.”

“So you won’t give me any.”

“No. The elixir is yours. If you intend to learn martial arts, that is.”

“There’s no way I’d start learning martial arts now.”

“Then let’s just send it off.”

Guwoong briefly pressed his hand to his forehead. He had never learned martial arts and had no intention of doing so. He felt a twinge of regret, but no matter how much he thought about it, he didn’t see himself mastering martial arts. Guwoong studied his father’s expression before speaking.

“Father.”

“Hmm.”

“I’d rather deliver it myself. I don’t know how expensive that elixir is, but it can’t be more expensive than what my friend has spent on alcohol all this time.”

Gu Bon-hyeon handed over the seal of the national treasury and said.

“Delivering it personally is the right thing to do. It’s in the Lost and Found Warehouse for high-value items.”

“Ah, it was lost property?”

Gu Bon-hyeon said with a stern expression.

“It’s a lost item belonging to a martial artist. Both the one who tried to take it and the one who tried to keep it were killed. Still, I kept it quietly all this time because someone who claimed it as their own might come looking.”

“And if someone comes looking for it?”

“Then we’d have to bear the consequences without revealing its whereabouts. But that won’t happen. Fifteen years have passed. The custody period set by our merchant law has long since expired.”

“Then I’ll deliver it with peace of mind.”

Gu Bon-hyeon said, taking Gu Ung’s hand.

“Son.”

“Yes.”

“We are merchants. Lee Sung-min, head of the trading company, is one, and so are you. What is given must be reciprocated. I’m not telling you to take money. Consider what would be appropriate to receive from the Galaxy Trading Company in return for the valuable and precious things we give… Then go. Keep this in mind. It’s not just about taking money…”

Gu Woong looked at Gu Bon-hyeon’s serious expression and nodded.

“Understood. But I think it’s better to give things like this without expecting anything in return. Why would you expect something in return when giving a gift? Let’s just say we’re giving it because we’re friends. Isn’t that enough?”

Koo Bon-hyun crossed his arms, staring blankly as if he’d been hit by his son, then replied.

“Hmm, that’ll do.”

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“They call it a hundred-year-old He Shou Wu. Honestly, I can’t tell just by looking. Why would this be a hundred years old…?”

Right after lunch, Gu Woong came to the Eunha Trading Company and handed Dan Woo-sung the box of hundred-year-old He Shou Wu his father had secretly kept.

Danwooseong said.

“Shall we open it?”

Gu Woong held out his hand as if to say he should open it himself. Dan Woo-sung opened the box.

A considerable amount of century-old Polygonum multiflorum was contained within. Even regular Polygonum multiflorum is a medicinal herb mentioned in the Huangdi Neijing (Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon) and is highly effective. But this was definitely not ordinary Polygonum multiflorum. Dan Woo-seong examined the century-old Polygonum multiflorum and remarked.

“This must be expensive. Doesn’t seem like century-old He Shou Wu.”

“Then what is it?”

“Three or four hundred? Five hundred?”

“Did you come back from gathering herbs on Gu Huashan?”

“It’s not just one root, but a hundred-year-old He Shou Wu harvested from five or six roots. That’s quite a lot.”

It meant that consuming everything in the box would be like taking a thousand-year-old Polygonum multiflorum root—a potent elixir with the efficacy of two or more roots.

Dan Woo-sung closed the box again and asked.

“Why did you suddenly bring this?”

Danwooseong had no idea. It was something his father and second son had done.

Gu-woong chuckled.

“Did I come here to swap out your candy? I brought it for you. Seems your father’s been sending letters everywhere begging for elixirs. Didn’t you know?”

“Hmm, I didn’t.”

Dan Wooseong had only asked Lee Hwa-eon to buy the elixir. He hadn’t known his father had gotten involved too. And certainly hadn’t expected Gu Woong to personally bring such a precious elixir. The world was full of surprises. Just as Dan Wooseong was about to say something, Gu Woong stood up and said.

“I’m leaving. Storing that stuff costs a pretty penny. What’s that about needing cool air and all that? I forgot everything. So just eat it already.”

“What? You’re leaving already? What about the potion money? Hold on there.”

Guung hurried out as if fleeing, giving a half-hearted reply to his friend’s words.

“Our esteemed Guwoong here is busy with urgent matters.”

“You crazy bastard, you have nothing better to do.”

Gu-woong turned around.

“Ah, right.”

“Why? What?”

“If anyone messes with our Pyo Bureau, you’ll help us out?”

“Who’s messing with us?”

When Danwooseong spoke as if he were about to smash it to pieces right now, Guwoong burst out laughing again.

“Who’s going to touch it? Just saying. I’m off.”

As Guwoong left the Galaxy Trading Company, he thought to himself. Somehow, the atmosphere at Galaxy Trading was quite different from before. It felt like it had changed for the better, and somehow, he sensed that the friend who used to be called a good-for-nothing alongside him was at the heart of that change.

Gu-woong, who had been walking with a sullen expression, suddenly smiled as he headed home.

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Those without even a shred of inner strength who wish to consume this century-old Polygonum multiflorum should grind it into powder and mix it with water or liquor. Even then, it is safest to consume it in appropriate amounts, spread out over a long period. This is because a weak body cannot properly absorb the inherent power of such a potent elixir.

Why else would martial artists typically practice qigong and breathing exercises after consuming elixirs? Whether the elixir possesses yang or yin properties, it is necessary to properly regulate its effects.

Therefore, from Danwooseong’s perspective, it wasn’t something to give to anyone, nor was it a tonic to be ground into powder and consumed over a long period.

Danwooseong immediately brought it to his room and, determined to forgo dinner that evening, chewed and swallowed it raw.

Sitting on his bedding, the more he chewed and swallowed the century-old Polygonum multiflorum, the more a fiery heat spread throughout his body, as if a fire had been lit within him. Finding it strange that he hadn’t come out to the training grounds while chewing and swallowing, the twin brothers came to his room and asked.

“Brother, are you there?”

Danwooseong replied while chewing the century-old Polygonum multiflorum.

“Today I think I’ll just do qigong and breathing exercises. You two do yours, and if anyone tries to come into my room, block them. I’ll come out on my own around evening.”

“Understood. I’ll practice nearby.”

The Ssangbo brothers took their positions, guarding Danwooseong’s quarters as they began their training. Danwooseong chewed and swallowed the century-old Polygonum multiflorum packed into the box. The quantity was substantial, like eating two meals at once.

The taste was bitter, the scent nonexistent.

Thus, it tasted much like martial arts cultivation itself.

Just as the training process was painful and devoid of any glamour.

Only relentless repetition remains. As the heat intensified and his throat grew dry, Danwooseong slowly sipped small amounts of water to soothe it.

Perhaps because it was a premium grade approaching thousand-year-old Polygonum multiflorum rather than mere hundred-year-old, its inherent spiritual energy was potent. He found himself wondering just how much this elixir could elevate his Hundred Battles Ten-Segment Gong. Even a rapid ascent to the Fourth Stage would be a huge success. If its efficacy exceeded expectations and reached the Fifth Stage, it meant this elixir was worth at least a million nyang.

Gu Woong had essentially left behind a rather expensive gift.

Of course, to become an immortal, one must not only rely on the power of elixirs but also possess the skill of qigong cultivation.

Dan Woo-seong chewed and swallowed every single piece of century-old Polygonum multiflorum stuffed into the box before taking a deep breath. He then swiftly assumed the lotus position and focused his mind.

Strangely enough, this thought crossed his mind.

It seemed the fact that this crappy friend had given him the elixir, rather than its high cost, was what made Dan Wooseong tense.

‘I’ll absorb every last bit of its essence with my inner strength.’

He entered the qi circulation and breath control of the Tenfold Battle Technique, transferring the essence of the absorbed elixir into his extreme yang inner energy.

He steeled his resolve completely.

His target: the fifth rank.

Once the power of the elixir stopped at the fourth stage, I planned to focus solely on qigong and breathing exercises until I reached the fifth stage.

The opportunity had arrived; it was time to strike.

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“It seems Brother Guwoong gave you the elixir during the day.”

Chief Officer Lee Hwa-eon reported to his father. Lee Seong-min smiled.

“That was quick. Where is your brother?”

“He’s holed up in his room and won’t come out. The twin brothers he brought with him are blocking anyone from entering.”

“To receive Gu Bon-hyeon’s gift before I die? The sun must be rising in the west.”

Lee Hwa-eon said.

“What should we do?”

They were merchants. Having received something, they were thinking of repaying the favor. Lee Sung-min was also troubled.

“Money won’t be necessary. Since they’re our original business partners, they probably won’t be short on work either.”

“Yes.”

“Then there’s really nothing to give. Nothing.”

“Huh?”

“If something major happens, I’ll have to send the entire escort unit or ask your brother for help… What else could I possibly give? I’m just grateful. We just need to remember.”

“Understood. I’ll let the escort team know.”

After a moment of thought, Lee Sung-min said this.

“It’s the messenger pigeons used by martial artists. They say these are different from ordinary ones. Find out how to use them and where to buy them. Figure out a way to contact the Seopung Post Office and the martial arts-style messenger pigeons, then implement it immediately. If you’re busy, have the third son do it.”

“Should the third son do it? He doesn’t listen to me very well.”

He was asking to borrow his father’s authority, but Lee Sung-min retorted:

“He’ll do it. Just emphasize that it’s ‘a matter of the martial world’.”

Lee Hwa-eon understood immediately.

“Ah, I see.”

The father and son stared blankly at each other for a moment before bursting into laughter simultaneously. They, too, knew all too well that their youngest son was Kang Ho-chung.

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“Third brother, I have a task for you. It’s important.”

With an expression that suggested he found everything in the world bothersome, Yi Ja-eon sheathed his sword and turned to look at his second brother. Before Yi Ja-eon could say anything, Yi Hwa-eon beat him to it.

“Well, it’s about the martial world, you see.”

Lee Ja-eon narrowed his eyes and replied in a low, hushed tone.

“What is it?”

Lee Hwa-eon continued calmly, his expression serious.

“We plan to establish a close emergency communication network with the West Wind Trading Company going forward. As you know, our Galaxy Trading Company has become entangled in the affairs of the martial world. So, about that…”

Seeing Lee Ja-eon listen with a consistently grave expression, Lee Hwa-eon also mustered every ounce of strength to maintain his own serious demeanor.

ⓒ Yoo Jin-seong

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