831 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Title: "The Childhood Friend of the World's Greatest Martial Artist" - Chapter 831 "Welcome." As we stepped through the gate, an elderly woman greeted us. "You must have had a difficult journey." She had a genuinely kind countenance. From what I knew, she had recently taken charge of the Tang Clan’s medical division. Was she one of the surviving elders? I carefully bowed my head to her. "How have you been?" "Everything is as usual. And you, my young lord, have you been well?" "Well, it's just..." "From what I've heard, you're doing so well that it fills me with pride." "...Haha..." I laughed awkwardly. At times like this, there wasn't much I could say in response. Being overly pleased felt inappropriate, and boasting seemed even more so. This was the best I could manage. After a brief greeting, the elderly woman smiled and glanced to the side. "Miss." "Hello..." Prompted by the woman's glance, Dang So Yeol also bowed her head. Her reaction seemed a bit uncomfortable for some reason. "It's been a while. I've heard of your remarkable accomplishments." "...Thank you." The conversation didn't last long. The elderly woman seemed aware of Dang So Yeol's discomfort. Had something happened to Dang So Yeol? It was something I hadn’t heard about. I considered asking but decided against it for the moment. "You should see the workshop first. The master is waiting." After all, we needed to address the reason for our visit to the Tang Clan first. **************** I followed the elderly woman, moving through the interior of the Tang Clan's residence, which hadn’t changed much from the past. Even with the gates closed, to some extent, it was maintained. However. 'A bit worn down.' It seemed they couldn't keep up its former grandeur. The slightly dim and quiet atmosphere felt vaguely chilling. The once towering majesty of the Tang Clan, known as one of the Four Great Houses, wasn't apparent anymore. In a way, it was an inevitable result. It was also something the Tang Clan had brought upon itself. Observing this, I glanced at Dang So Yeol. Her expression wasn't particularly good either, much like before. The problem was not knowing if it was due to the current state of the Tang Clan or something else. I tried to ignore it and continued walking. After a while, we reached our destination. The Medical Hall. Seeing the name inscribed on the entrance, I gave a slight nod. The door hadn’t even been opened yet, but I felt something peculiar. 'This aura.' A strong presence emanated from within. It wasn’t just any aura. 'Poisonous energy?' A substantial amount of it at that. Not that it was a problem. With my immunity to all poisons, it couldn't affect me. Even though there was a lot, it wasn't enough to penetrate directly, so someone at a high power level could handle it. As for Dang So Yeol, having learned poison arts from the start, she certainly wouldn't have an issue. "If you feel discomfort, I can prepare some cloth..." "No, that's fine." The elderly woman cautiously offered, unaware of my immunity, but I politely declined. "I can handle it. Let's go in." I reached for the door and opened it. In that instant. Whoosh—! A wave of energy rushed from inside. The energy carried not only poisonous vapors but also the strong scent of herbs. Squinting my eyes, I checked inside. "You've arrived...?" Inside was a weary-looking middle-aged man. The master of the Tang Clan, Dokwang, greeted me. "Sorry I couldn't come out to meet you..." Speaking in a fatigued voice, Dokwang stopped short when he saw Dang So Yeol beside me. "You, you've come." "Father..." An awkward exchange followed. As Dokwang looked at his daughter with mixed emotions, Dang So Yeol sighed and spoke to him. "It's been a while." "Yes, have you been—" "I heard you visited the branch yesterday." Interrupting their conversation, Dang So Yeol cut Dokwang off. "Well, I had some business with the young lord..." "Didn't I tell you I would meet you today?" Her voice turned slightly cold, causing Dokwang to flounder. "It was an urgent matter..." "I'm sure it was very urgent. But then..." Dang So Yeol frowned and added. "But why did you not come to see me when you visited?" "…" Hearing this, Dokwang looked at me. His eyes seemed to plead for help... ‘Not that there's much I can do about it.’ There was nothing I could offer. I was genuinely curious why he would visit the branch and then leave without seeing his daughter. ‘Initially, I thought it was just to avoid scolding.’ But judging by Dang So Yeol's reaction, it seemed there was more to it. Apparently, there was something I wasn't privy to. "That is…" Dokwang hesitated to say anything further, but. "…Never mind." Dang So Yeol turned her back as if she'd had enough. "…I'll be waiting elsewhere. Let me know when the young lord's matters are settled." "Oh? Oh..." Informing me briefly, she vanished. Wow... she's gotten even better at that disappearing technique. She was gone in an instant. "…" Watching her leave, I scratched the back of my head. It was an awkward situation to react to. I looked back at Dokwang. "…" "…" Even meeting each other's gaze didn’t yield anything constructive, only prolonging the awkwardness. "…Please, come in." Dokwang spoke with a slightly sorrowful voice, so I entered without further comment. "Ahem. Then, I'll be brief." His demeanor discouraged any questions. His expression was so filled with sorrow that comforting him seemed impossible. ‘He hasn't been home for years.’ I thought it was simply for training. But perhaps there was another reason. Though curiosity was eating at me, I had to restrain myself. ‘If there's a reason they haven't spoken, then it should remain unasked.’ If Dang So Yeol hadn't said anything to me, there was no reason to pry. Moreover, Dokwang, with his eyes, was asking me. 'Please don't ask, they seemed to convey.' Perhaps it was something he wasn't eager to discuss, so I ignored it entirely. ‘Don’t ask,’ that's what they were silently pleading for, after all. After stepping into the Medical Hall, I took a moment to assess my surroundings. 'Hmm.' Chaos. The scene naturally invoked such thoughts. The place was a complete mess with no semblance of order. Unidentifiable materials were strewn about everywhere. I picked up one of the items. 'This is...' I looked closely, my eyes widening. It seemed like a simple weed, yet its form was familiar. 'Sogongcho.' It might look like a weed, but this was an expensive medicinal herb. It shouldn't be left lying around like this. 'And it's not just this.' In addition to the Sogongcho, there were other valuable ingredients visible. I chuckled to myself. 'Last time I was here, it wasn't this bad.' The last time I visited the Tang Clan, it hadn’t been like this. The chaotic state showed how much things had changed. Perhaps my disbelief was apparent on my face, as Dokwang cleared his throat awkwardly while looking at me. "Ahem. Well, things have been busy recently." "How busy do you need to be to treat herbs like this?" Especially in the Tang Clan. "As we approach the end, it’s become hard to manage everything." "I see." I let it slide, as sorting and cleanliness weren't my responsibilities. What mattered was the outcome. "So then." Dokwang addressed me. "Is there really a way to proceed?" There was a fierce determination in his eyes as he spoke. Despite his previous deference to his daughter, he could change so swiftly. Or maybe it’s because it’s an issue he has no choice but to be serious about? It's about reclaiming the long-lost prestige of the clan. It could even be an opportunity to revive the family’s status. For Dokwang, this was a matter of great importance. And, naturally, it was important to me as well. "...First, show me the situation." I needed to understand the state of affairs. Upon hearing my words, Dokwang led me deeper into the complex. At the heart of the Medical Hall was the workshop—a place where the aura was particularly intense. 'It's here.' It was unmistakable. The quantity of medicinal and poisonous herbs was far higher than outside. Boiling substances of unclear intent. Raw materials contained within, and masses of something congealed to the side. An inexplicable stench emanated from it, to the point of needing to block out the smell. Following the odor with my eyes, the source became immediately clear. Pointing at it with my hand, I asked. "Is that it?" "…" Dokwang nodded. That was the answer. Approaching closer, I could see the mysterious dough. This was the source of the stench. And also. 'The reason Dokwang is so troubled.' Failed attempts at Docheondan. This seemed to be the cause. Reaching out, I grabbed a lump of the dough. The stench intensified. Crumbly and mixed with poisonous plants, a strong malevolent energy was palpable. "Hmm..." The situation was dire. It was baffling how it had decayed to this extent. "This is supposed to be the base for Docheondan." "Not precisely. It failed even before it could become one." "Can you show me the phenomenon?" As soon as I asked, Dokwang brought over something. Unlike what I was holding, this dough appeared intact. It still had the malevolent energy, but at least it didn’t emit a foul smell. Moreover, a considerable amount of energy permeated it, suggesting it was made of potent materials. Above the dough. A vibrating sensation. My heart’s embedded energy. The object that reacted was the demonic stone. An intensely red demonic stone. A red demon stone, held by Dokwang. He picked up a tool. "Hup!" Crrrr—! With might, he grated the stone into powder over the dough, then immediately kneaded it. In that moment. Hiss—! "Huh?" The color of the dough rapidly changed upon mixing with the stone powder, and once again, it started to emit a foul odor. Real-time degradation was taking place, clearly evident.