Chapter 4
The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Trading Company Chapter 4
Chapter 4. Fifteen Again (4)
Pal-gap nodded in response to my question.
“Yes, I see it.”
“Can you see something transparent hanging from the third branch below?”
Fortunately, Pal-gap's eyesight was not bad, and he immediately noticed it.
“Huh? You mean something transparent? What is that?”
“I'll explain later, so hurry up and pick it!”
Pal-gap ran quickly without knowing what was going on and picked the fruit.
“Here you are.”
I took it and said,
“This is a secret.”
“What? What is it?”
“It's a magic potion.”
Pal-gap was startled by my words and asked, “What?”
I put my index finger to my lips, and he nodded.
I could trust Pal-gap.
In the future, I gave Pal-gap, who had become an old man, a house, land, and money so that he could live a comfortable life in his old age.
However, Pal-gap continued to serve me until the end.
And when we were attacked by the Baekcheon Trading Company, he died protecting me.
How could I ever forget how he told me to run away, saying that he would be fine, even as he was dying?
Even after seeing Pal-gap die like that, if I couldn't trust him, I would be a fool.
I said to him in my heart,
“So don't die for me this time.”
Soon, the bodyguard returned.
“There was nothing. It seems that it was just a wild animal hiding in the bushes.”
“That's good. Let's go back.”
“Can you walk?”
“I'm fine after resting for a while.”
.
.
.
We were able to return to the Trading Company without being late.
After climbing the snow-covered mountain, we headed to the restaurant to wash up and have breakfast.
There was a separate space in the restaurant for our family.
It was exactly as I remembered it.
A red round table.
And six chairs around it.
Those were the seats for my grandfather, my parents, my two brothers, and me.
Over time, the number of chairs had increased and decreased.
I came to the dining room a little early on purpose.
I wanted to touch each of the chairs and tables where my family had sat.
I reached out my hand.
My fingertips trembled.
Tap
Soon, I could feel the chairs in my hands.
The future I had experienced and the nightmare I had had last night continued to speak to me.
To keep this happiness, I must gain strength.
I will definitely do that.
As I was making that resolution, I heard someone approaching.
“You're early.”
I turned around and froze.
It was my second brother.
My second brother was standing right in front of me, alive. I was overwhelmed with emotion.
“Huh? Why do you look like you're seeing a dead person come back to life?”
“Um...”
My second brother, Eun Jin-ho, made me realize what kind of expression I was making.
“Are you still sick?”
I turned my head at the voice. It was my eldest brother, Eun Jung-ho.
Looking into their worried eyes, I swallowed hard and calmed myself before saying,
“No, I went for a walk in the mountains early this morning, and I'm tired.”
“A walk?”
“It was cold with the snow.”
“I heard that climbing a mountain in the early morning is good for your health.”
“Oh...”
“I see.”
At that moment, my father, mother, and grandfather entered the dining room.
My grandfather's name was Eun Ji-bong.
Despite his white hair, his eyes were still sharp.
My father was Eun Gil-sang.
And my mother, who loved orchids, was called Mrs. Orchid.
“Everyone, please sit down.”
At my grandfather's words, we all sat down on chairs, and the maids began to set food on the table.
“Today, we have mung bean porridge.”
It was my first family meal since I had returned.
Seeing that, my last memory suddenly came back to me.
“They said they had prepared a feast for me...”
But I couldn't go.
I imagined what had happened to my family.
My fists clenched unconsciously.
“I will never lose them again in this life.”
.
.
.
After breakfast, I returned to my room and sat in front of the table.
Now I had to take the elixir in earnest.
According to my memory, I had to practice mental techniques for at least three hours after taking the elixir.
That was the only way to digest the energy of the elixir.
Of course, it would take a few more days to absorb it completely, but I had five days off, so it wasn't a problem.
That was, as long as nothing happened while I was taking the elixir and controlling my energy with mental techniques.
That was why I needed someone to stand guard.
If someone disturbed me while I was practicing Mental Technique, my qi would flow backwards and I would fall into qi deviation.
In the future, the warriors of my family would stand guard at my request.
But now, I couldn't count on that.
I had to explain everything to my father, but where would I even begin?
In the end, there was only one person I could ask to stand guard.
I called Pal-gap.
“Pal-gap!”
Hearing me call, Pal-gap opened the door and entered.
“Yes, young master. Did you call me?”
“I'm going to lock the door and not go outside from now on.”
Pal-gap was quick to understand what I meant.
“Are you planning to eat what you got this morning?”
“Yes.”
“Are you sure? To be honest, I have my doubts.”
I replied firmly to Pal-gap's worried words.
“Yes. I must eat it to live.”
“...”
Despite my firm attitude, Pal-gap did not avert his eyes.
He meant that he would not let it go without an explanation.
I told him the story I had prepared.
“Actually, an immortal appeared in my dream.”
“What? An immortal?”
“Yes, and he told me to eat it and practice mental techniques. He said that my frequent illnesses were a sign that I would die young.”
I continued.
“So he told me where to find the elixir that would save my life and the mental technique I should practice after eating it.”
“Is that true?”
“Think about it. How else could I have found it so easily?”
“Now that you mention it, you're right.”
Only then did Pal-gap nod his head.
Even to the deeply loyal Pal-gap, I couldn't tell him that I had returned from the future.
Not only did I not know the reason yet, but I also didn't know how it would affect Pal-gap if he found out.
It would be hard for him to believe.
Pal-gap asked, “Then why didn't you tell the Captain?”
“The immortal who appeared in my dream told me to keep it a secret. He said that if the secret was revealed, it would cause a great disaster.”
“The immortal who appeared in my dream told me to keep it a secret. He said that if the secret got out, there would be a great bloodshed.”
“Bloodshed?”
Pal-gap seemed to tense up at the word ‘bloodshed’ and swallowed hard.
“It's a powerful elixir, so bandits will try to get their hands on it.”
“I see…”
“If your father and family find out, there's a high possibility that the secret will be leaked.”
Pal-gap nodded.
He probably understood that the thugs I was referring to were members of the black society, but in fact, the thugs I was referring to included both members of the black society and the white society.
This was because it was something that actually happened in the future I had experienced.
And the fact that this could lead to a blood feud if it became known was both an excuse and the real reason.
If the existence of the blue plum tree became known, and if it became known that I had eaten it, the Eunhae Trading Company would suffer the full brunt of the blood feud.
“Is that why you were so careful?”
“Yes.”
“But why me...?”
I smiled faintly and replied.
“Pal-gap is the person I trust most after my family.”
Pal-gap seemed moved by my words, and his eyes reddened.
“Kuhung! You had everything planned out. By the way, you're an immortal! It must be because of the good deeds of your late wife.”
Come to think of it, my late grandmother said that she helped many poor and needy people.
“Anyway, you must not come in before I open the door, and you must not let anyone else in either.”
“Yes, sir. I won't let even an ant in.”
Pal-gap left with a determined look on his face, and I locked the door just in case.
Then I sat cross-legged in the middle of the room.
“Hoo.”
I exhaled deeply and closed my eyes.
Then, searching my memory, I calmly practiced my mental technique.
Mankidae Rae Simbeop (萬氣大羅心法).
This is the mental technique that Heukjeok told me in the future I experienced.
As the name suggests, it was a mental technique that trapped all energy like a net, allowing the energy that entered the body of the practitioner to be absorbed into the body without loss.
Furthermore, it did not conflict with other mental techniques.
This was because it only applied to specific energy that entered the body.
“There is no problem with my memory.”
I stopped moving my energy and took out the Cheongbingseolmae-sil hidden in a secret space under the bed.
It still glowed with a clear, transparent blue light.
“Hoo.”
I took a deep breath again and put it in my mouth.
“Huh?”
I was startled.
If what I had just put in my mouth wasn't the blue plum, I would have thought I had put ice in my mouth.
It was that cold.
And as soon as I put it in my mouth, it melted away.
A subtle plum aroma lingered in my mouth.
I stood up straight and closed my eyes.
Then I practiced the mental technique again.
“...”
Gradually, I began to feel the energy of the elixir.
It was more than just cold; it was a chilling energy.
“This is strange.”
It was different from when I had taken the elixir and practiced mental techniques before.
At that time, it was bearable.
But not now.
“Something is wrong. Why is it so cold?”
The cold energy began to squeeze my heart.
The coldness penetrated my bones, and my whole body began to shake.
The pain grew worse, but I calmly assessed the situation.
Just as I usually remained calm when I was confused or angry.
“My mental technique isn't wrong. Then what is it?”
The problem must be the spiritual herbs.
The only difference between then and now is the spiritual medicine I took.
The spiritual medicine I took in the future was called Cold Spirit Ten Herbs.
It looked like grass, but it was completely white.
Come to think of it... Cold Spirit Ten Grass was a potion that could give you ten years of inner arts training, wasn't it?
And Heukjeok said that was enough.
One pill of Cheongbing Seolmaesil could give you sixty years of inner arts training.
Damn it. Eating such a good potion caused problems.
It was ridiculous.
He had a miraculous encounter, but it turned out to be harmful.
Some of the spiritual energy was absorbed into his body, but most of it remained unabsorbed and was moving around randomly.
Furthermore, due to the Mangdae Mental Technique, the remaining energy could not escape from his body.
Cold sweat poured down his back.
It was certain that he would lose his life if this continued.
“I can't die like this.”
He had to take revenge on Baek Cheon Sangdan, who had trampled on him, his family, and Eunhae Trading Company, and on the Martial Alliance.
Furthermore, if he died now, how heartbroken would his family be, and how sad would Pal-gap be?
He didn't even have to think about it to know the answer.
He calmed his emotions and gathered his thoughts.
“The best way is to gather the remaining energy of the Blue Pine Room in my qi center...”
Martial artists gather their inner energy in their qi center through mental techniques.
However, the Man-gi Dae-ra Mental Technique is not a mental technique, so it does not circulate throughout the body.
The purpose of the Man-gi Dae-ra Mental Technique is not to accumulate the energy of the elixir in the qi center, but to allow the body itself to absorb that energy.
The original plan was to use the elixir to restore my health and then slowly accumulate my inner arts.
Accumulating inner arts with a sickly body could have caused problems.
And at that time, it was okay because all of the spiritual energy of the Cold and Hot Ten Seconds had been used up, leaving not a single grain behind.
But now, it was not okay.
I thought of one inner arts mental technique that I knew.
“There's no other choice now. Let's give it a try.”
I shouldn't have done this, but I had no choice.
Especially when my body was still incomplete and my inner arts were not yet solidified.
My body was still weak, with acupoints that were not yet properly connected.
It was like a huge river trying to squeeze through a narrow gap blocked by rocks.
In that case, it was obvious what would happen to my body.
However, this was the only option I had left.
I had no choice but to give it my all.
The moment I made that decision, something unexpected happened.
“Huh?”
Something huge began to move.
It was an energy that I didn't even know I had inside me.
The moment that energy moved, I intuitively realized what it was.
“Is this a dragon?”
I had thought it was a metaphorical description, but what I was feeling now was the real Hyunryong.
Hyunryong devoured all the energy from the blue plum blossom I had swallowed.
But the movements that followed were strange.