Sohwa detached a finger-length little stone pillar that had been fixed to the window frame. When she split the small pillar into two, the noise outside the window became clear, as if a film had been stripped from her eardrums.After placing the sound-blocking formation piece into a wooden box, Sohwa sat down.Then the spot where Namgung Hyun had been sitting came into view.Namgung Hyun had acknowledged his identity with absurd ease and said he would help her.Sohwa let out a hollow laugh. It was because she found herself ridiculous for wondering whether she could trust Namgung Hyun.'After being that careless and suffering all that in the previous life.'Sweeping away any pity, Sohwa moved her gaze to the window.She reached out and flung the window wide open. Then she saw the guest coming to the pavilion and the gatekeeper. Because the guest was walking at a near-run, the gatekeeper with a torch was sounding an alarm.Just then, as if feeling her gaze, a Wudang late-stage prodigy snapped her head up.Sohwa put on a welcoming smile for the guest. Since she had to ask Yeon-a an unreasonable favor, she needed to keep on her good side.But the moment she set her resolve, Sohwa’s eyes knit. Yeon-a’s eyes were brimming with water.Yeon-a hurriedly wiped the corners of her eyes with her sleeve and began walking toward the pavilion at an even quicker pace.Thud thud.The sound of feet climbing the steps was so vigorous it sounded like a noise smashing the pavilion apart.Thud.At the sound of Yeon-a throwing the door open, Sohwa flinched without meaning to. Yet though Yeon-a had opened the door in haste, she did not enter and only stared fixedly at Sohwa.…She was still an overwhelming woman.After quite a while, Yeon-a pressed her hands together so hard it made a puk sound.“I pay my respects to Young Lady Tang Sohwa.”Flustered, Sohwa rose from her seat and went toward her.“...No. Commander, that kind of salute is for one’s superiors.”When Sohwa quietly eased apart the fist-and-palm salute, Yeon-a raised her eyes.“Young Lady is my superior!”“No.”Sensing that Yeon-a was about to start saying strange things, she drew the woman’s arm and brought her inside. But unaware of Sohwa’s discomfiture, Yeon-a spoke in a bright voice.“Since I’ve returned to the Tang Clan after a long time, I will pay my respects properly once more.”Bang.Sohwa hurried to shut the door.If anyone heard, they would misunderstand that she had planted a spy in Wudang. While she was entangled with the Blood Cult, she did not want to add odd rumors.Sohwa’s face turned as pale as a corpse.Tang Sohwa was not a person who flustered easily, but Yeon-a accomplished that difficult task.Watching her take a seat, Yeon-a asked in a worried voice,“Young Lady, you must have suffered a lot. Your complexion is pallid.”…Because of you.Since she was the one who had to ask a favor, Sohwa could not bring herself to say it.Yeon-a had won this year’s Duel Tournament, and Han Cheol was to be awarded to her. Because she had to persuade Yeon-a to sell Han Cheol to her, Sohwa awkwardly curved her eyes.“I’ve been thinking a lot lately, so I’ve gotten a little tired.”Yeon-a clenched her fist tight.“Do not worry about anything! I will absolutely track down the Blood Cult rats left in Hubei and tear them limb from limb.”Like a cub imitating its mother bear, Yeon-a put on a clumsy display of might. Her hearty way of speaking carried a trace of the Taeguk Sword Sovereign.Looking at a woman like a magnolia that had swallowed a bear, Sohwa felt a faint pang of guilt.It was because she thought that during this time, Yeon-a must have endured training as grueling as Tang Hak’s.Well, the Taeguk Sword Sovereign was also a close friend of Heukcheon Amgui; there was no way that Daoist would be a normal master.“...Please sit first.”Creak.Yeon-a immediately sat in the chair. It was movement so fast it was almost invisible.She straightened her posture and once more fixed Sohwa with that burdensome gaze.Sohwa deliberately ignored that limpid gleam.But Yeon-a kept her eyes shining and waited for Sohwa to speak.By instinct, Sohwa knew that if she asked what had happened so far, she would hear words too heavy to bear. So she skipped pleasantries and went straight to the point.“I heard you won the Duel Tournament. Congratulations.”“It is nothing. I still have a very long way to go. Please wait just a little longer.”Pretending not to hear the words tacked on at the end, Sohwa asked,“I heard the prize was Han Cheol. Have you received the prize?”At that, Yeon-a’s expression darkened.“No. Given the circumstances, they likely won’t hold an award ceremony this year.”“Even if they do not hold the ceremony, do they not still give the prize?”“Yes, they say the headquarters has plenty of money, so I doubt they will act stingy with Han Cheol. If they don’t give it, I will lie down right there and get it out of them.”Yeon-a spoke fiercely with a face full of distrust.Sohwa shrank a little at that answer.'What to do. It seems Han Cheol is necessary for Yeon-a as well.'Well, since Yeon-a wielded the sword, she would feel the value of Han Cheol keenly.Besides, how great must the meaning be, for Han Cheol granted once in a lifetime as a Martial Alliance late-stage prodigy.But ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) Han Cheol was also an item she desperately needed.With difficulty, Sohwa opened.“In truth, I wished to see you because I have a favor to ask of you, Commander.”“...At last the time has come.”“Pardon?”“Nothing. Please, speak.”Shaking off her misgivings, Sohwa continued.“It is difficult to tell you the reason, but I need Han Cheol. Perhaps…”Scrape.Yeon-a rose from her seat.“Please wait just a moment. I will go to headquarters now and fetch it.”“Now?”“Ah, is it too late at this hour? Then tell me a convenient time. I will match it and bring it.”Sohwa stared quietly at Yeon-a and asked,“...What do you want in return?”“In return?”“Is there not something you want from me? So I thought you accepted so readily because you had been waiting for this.”At Sohwa’s words, Yeon-a lowered the tips of her brows. She moved her lips as if aggrieved and said,“What do you mean, something I want! It is nothing like that. I already intended that, if I received Han Cheol, I would present it to you, Young Lady.”Yeon-a, who had opened her mouth wide as if to pour out her grievance, suddenly lowered her voice.“Ah, but—how much Han Cheol do you need? If you don’t mind, could you shave off just a little and share it with Senior Physician Jin-cheol? A piece about the size of a small blade would do…”“I won’t be using it continuously; after using it, I intended to melt it back down and return it. So you needn’t worry about that.”“Ah! What a relief! Then please wait juuuust a moment, Young Lady. I will hurry to the chief administrator and lie dow— no, request the prize and return.”Yeon-a turned her body.“You won’t have to wait long. I will do my utmost to bring it! If headquarters drags its feet about giving it, I’ll even sneak over the wall…”“...You must not go over the wall.”“Yes, then I won’t go over the wall.”It made one uneasy to see Yeon-a put on a grave expression as if pondering some other method, but Sohwa could not stop her.She was in no position to be choosy.“Then let us speak again when you return.”Before leaving through the door, Yeon-a offered the fist-and-palm salute once more.If anyone saw, she would look like a loyal cultist paying respects to the cult leader before setting out to perform a mission.Yeon-a left the pavilion as quickly as she had entered. Perhaps the household servants were running after her; the torchlight beading at the window was swaying even more violently than before.The moment Sohwa let out a deep sigh, a light wind blew in from the window.The hand that had been sweeping her tired face stopped at her lips.Whoosh.Hardly had the wind, scented with pine resin, blown in again before warmth brushed past her side.Slowly, Sohwa brought her gaze forward.Someone else was sitting where Yeon-a had sat.Unwinding the cloth that concealed his face, Namgung Jin asked in a relaxed, almost feminine tone,“I did not know you were on such good terms with Commander Yeon-a.”Namgung Jin lifted his gaze and met her eyes.“What are you going to use Han Cheol for?”

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