NOVEL NEXT Chapter 5
Ilhwa and Seom Mu-gwang arrived in the Anhui Province area at a rapid pace.
Since Ilhwa would be expelling her internal energy, she wouldn’t be able to use light footwork techniques, so they decided to move near Hefei first, and then proceed with the Qi circulation and breath control techniques.
The place they stopped was a valley in the eastern part of Anhui Province, near the Huangshan Mountains.
Seom Mu-gwang brought Ilhwa to a cave.
“This is the place where I’ve been training. There’s no path here, so it’s hard to get to, and the vegetation is so thick that it’s not easy to find. This is the perfect spot!”
Ilhwa looked around.
It was indeed a place that fit all the conditions she had been looking for. The lack of animal tracks nearby suggested that even the animals avoided coming here.
“Alright, little brat. It’s time for you to be reborn.”
Ilhwa looked up at him.
After spending the past few days together, she realized that Seom Mu-gwang was more thoughtful than she had initially assumed.
He was always concerned about her comfort—whether she was resting well, if she was in pain, or if she needed anything.
Though he occasionally grumbled, he made sure she was safe, and every time, he would hunt some beast, build a fire, and roast it for her.
He also knew the shortest routes to Anhui, allowing Ilhwa to arrive faster and more comfortably than expected.
“Thank you.”
Ilhwa sincerely expressed her gratitude.
Seom Mu-gwang seemed to sense her sincerity, and his eyes widened. He grinned and ruffled her head.
“Don’t die, little brat. It won’t be easy, but just focus on your Qi.”
Ilhwa nodded.
Seom Mu-gwang continued to stare at her.
“Need any help?”
Ilhwa shook her head.
“I can do it on my own.”
Seom Mu-gwang shrugged and lowered his hand.
“Yeah, I thought you’d say that…”
Although his words sounded casual, his gaze still held a lot of concern.
Seeing the child’s calm demeanor in front of something potentially life-threatening, he sighed briefly before walking over to a nearby rock and plopping down.
“When you’re reborn, try to fix that stiff way of speaking. You look like a thirteen-year-old, but there’s nothing cute about how you talk.”
He pulled out a tuft of dogtail grass and chewed on it as he continued.
“When you go back to your hometown, you’ll meet your parents, right? If you speak all stiffly to them after so long, they’ll only worry about you.”
Seom Mu-gwang’s words were true.
After suddenly returning to a child’s body at the age of thirty, Ilhwa realized that she had unconsciously adopted a manner of speaking that wasn’t that of a typical thirteen-year-old.
‘It might seem strange, so I should fix it.’
Ilhwa nodded in agreement.
“Yes, I understand.”
Seom Mu-gwang smiled contentedly.
“Good. Let’s see you alive and well, little brat.”
Ilhwa respectfully bowed to him before heading into the cave.
Just as her figure disappeared into the shadows of the cave…
“Do you have a favorite food?”
After a brief silence, her lips parted.
“…Tanghulu.”
Though her voice was soft, Seom Mu-gwang clearly heard it. He waved his hand as if telling her to go ahead.
Ilhwa’s figure soon disappeared completely into the cave’s shadow.
Once the child’s presence had completely faded…
Seom Mu-gwang’s smiling expression immediately turned cold.
Behind him, a group of people dressed in black robes and wearing blue headbands appeared.
They were from the secret martial force of the Nangong family, the Bi Feng Sword Sect.
“Have you dealt with all the rats?”
“Yes, Lord.”
One of the men handed Seom Mu-gwang a torn headband.
It was a headband embroidered with a red crow, the symbol of Huāo Lóu.
“Take this and go back to the family head. Tell them the child has arrived in Anhui.”
“Understood!”
Just as the man was about to use his light-footwork technique…
“Ah, by the way, get some tanghulu on your way back.”
“…Tanghulu, you say?”
“Yeah.”
Seom Mu-gwang’s expression softened into a smile again.
“Since you’re going, get all kinds from the street vendors.”
***
Inside the cave, there was a mat large enough for one person to sit on.
It seemed that Seom Mu-gwang had indeed used this place to train his internal energy.
Ilhwa sat cross-legged on the mat.
She took a pouch from her robe and opened it, releasing an intense energy so powerful that it almost took her breath away.
It felt as though a brilliant golden light was radiating from it.
‘This is… the Great Elixir.’
A legendary elixir that could heal deadly wounds and provide immense internal energy with just a single dose.
It was a treasure so rare that even in Shaolin Temple, it was only used under special circumstances.
“The gratitude should come from me.”
For staying alive.
When Ilhwa tilted her head, not understanding his words, Seom Mu-gwang lightly patted her on the head.
“Let’s go. You haven’t bathed in three days, so the first thing we’ll do is soak you in some warm water. You reek of a terrible stench.”
During the process of operating her internal energy, Ilhwa’s body had expelled built-up impurities.
A sticky black liquid had oozed out of her, giving off an unbearable smell.
“Three days?”
“Yes. It’s been three days since you entered the cave. Didn’t you notice?”
Ilhwa nodded.
Since she had been wholly engrossed in manipulating her energy, it was only natural that she lost track of time.
Three days, though.
So he stood guard for three days?
Staying still in this desolate place for three whole days couldn’t have been easy.
She owed Seom Mu-gwang a debt.
Just then, Ilhwa’s stomach let out a soft growl.
As she rubbed her belly in embarrassment, Seom Mu-gwang burst into hearty laughter.
“Hah! No wonder you’re hungry! Since we’re back near your homeland, I’ll personally introduce you to the specialties of Hefei!”
Seom Mu-gwang suddenly picked Ilhwa up in his arms.
The child’s body, having gone without food or sleep for three days, felt as light as a feather.
“…!”
Startled, Ilhwa looked up at him with wide eyes.
“Hold on tight, little one, or you might fall.”
With a chuckle, Seom Mu-gwang activated his lightfoot technique and sped away.
In his arms, Ilhwa felt the cool wind on her face and gazed out at the distant, moonlit Yangtze River, its waters rushing beneath them.
Beyond the river, the bright city lights sparkled, as if welcoming her.
Finally… Hefei.
It was a night where the sweet scent of tanghulu tickled her nose.