Chapter 183: Bukri Sogun’s Secret

When the full moon rose, Seok Unjeong felt her consciousness grow faint.

However, having just endured a fierce battle, she found it difficult to ask Yong Hwarin for help and instead forced herself to endure the pain.

“Miss Seok.”

Just then, Yong Hwarin’s voice came from outside.

“Young Master Yong, please come in.”

As he entered the room, Yong Hwarin noticed the sweat beading on Seok Unjeong’s forehead and spoke.

“I will begin the qi guidance, so do not resist my energy.”

“I’m sorry for troubling you.”

Seok Unjeong felt nothing but guilt toward Yong Hwarin.

“It’s nothing. Please sit.”

As Yong Hwarin placed his palm over her Center of Palm, the pain already seemed to lessen.

Bukri Sogun quietly stood up upon seeing Yong Hwarin head to Seok Unjeong’s room.

He could have left then when Bukri So suggested they depart immediately. But there was a reason he insisted on leaving the following morning.

He could not bring himself to leave behind those injured because of him.

Jeong Minji hadn’t said anything, but she had suffered considerable wounds and internal injuries while executing the Vermilion Bird Soaring Through Heaven. Moreover, most of the Ten Prodigies of the Heavenly Central Sect were now lying side by side in the infirmary as patients.

Bukri Sogun stared at them in silence before heading to the herb room where decoctions were being prepared.

He spoke to the physician who was brewing medicine for the patients.

“I’ll keep an eye on it.”

The female physician, overwhelmed with too many patients to monitor the decoction kettle, felt inwardly thankful that Bukri Sogun offered to help.

“Young Master, then would you lower the kettle once the charcoal turns white?”

“Yes.”

After she left, Bukri Sogun, now alone, muttered softly.

“This is the only thing I can do for you.”

He picked up a medicine bowl and pulled a dagger from his robe.

Then he extended his tongue outward.

The act was strange, but Bukri Sogun’s expression was resolute, almost solemn.

He lightly slit the underside of his tongue with the dagger and held the medicine bowl underneath.

Blood streamed into the bowl.

Once the bowl was filled to the brim with his blood, Bukri Sogun took out a small porcelain container from his robe and applied a white powder to the wound.

“Kh…!”

A burning sensation surged through him, but the bleeding quickly stopped.

Then, something strange occurred.

From the medicine bowl filled with blood, instead of the usual metallic scent, a fragrant floral aroma rose.

Bukri Sogun quickly poured it into the decoction kettle and stirred it.

He then strained the decoction and divided it into fourteen medicine bowls. The floral scent vanished, replaced by the natural aroma of medicinal broth.

He sent three bowls to the Three Chivalrous Sisters and carried the rest himself into the room where Yong Hwarin and the Ten Prodigies of the Heavenly Central Sect were.

At that moment, Yong Hwarin had just finished guiding qi for Seok Unjeong and returned to tend to the Ten Prodigies.

Among them, disciples who had sustained internal injuries fighting Heaven-Cleaving Saber Gu Hyeong were recovering with the aid of the Tai Chi Dantian.

His expression showed clear signs of exhaustion. He had depleted his internal energy while suppressing Seok Unjeong’s Moon Yin Energy and healing the Ten Prodigies’ internal injuries.

“It’s because you’ve all steadily advanced your martial arts that you survived Gu Hyeong’s overwhelming attacks. Had your cultivation been just a bit weaker, you would all have perished.”

The Ten Prodigies felt proud to have survived a battle against Heaven-Cleaving Saber Gu Hyeong, who had reached the Transcendent Stage.

Though they hadn’t even managed to touch his robe, the fight itself would become a valuable experience for their future training.

“It’s all thanks to Young Master. If we were our former selves, we wouldn’t have lasted a second against him.”

Mu Iso, wrapped in bandages all over, sat up and said.

“Hyung-nim, it’s me, Sogun.”

Bukri Sogun entered, carrying a tray filled with medicine bowls.

“Why are you bringing the medicine?”

“The physicians are busy tending to the women and the warriors of the Namgung Clan.”

Yong Hwarin nodded and received the bowl, distributing the medicine to the Ten Prodigies.

“Why aren’t you drinking, hyung-nim?”

While the Ten Prodigies all grimaced as they downed the medicine, Yong Hwarin hadn’t touched his.

“I’ll drink it later.”

“Please drink it now. They say it’s most effective while warm. And I brewed it myself. It has my heartfelt sincerity—please have it now.”

“Is that so? Thank you.”

Yong Hwarin patted Bukri Sogun on the head and drank the medicine.

He simply thought Bukri Sogun had brewed and brought it himself out of guilt.

As the Ten Prodigies of the Heavenly Central Sect grimaced, suffering more from the medicine than from sword wounds, Mu Iso muttered,

“Can’t believe warriors like us are pulling faces over drinking medicine.”

At the teasing, Wi Sook put down her medicine bowl and replied.

“Today’s medicine is a little different. There’s a slight sweetness at the tip of my tongue.”

“Where in the world is there such a thing as sweet medicine?”

At Mu Iso’s scolding, Wi Sook gave an awkward smile.

The other Ten Prodigies of the Heavenly Central Sect also noticed the same taste, but kept their thoughts to themselves.

Bukri Sogun gathered up the empty bowls and was about to leave when she turned her head.

“Hwarin hyung.”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you so much for everything. You’re the one who saved my life.”

But the way she said it felt far too forlorn.

“Yeah, since I saved your life, you better serve me well for the rest of it.”

Yong Hwarin, sensing that Bukri Sogun might feel burdened, chose to joke instead.

“Hyung, just in case.”

“Yeah.”

“If my sister ever comes looking for you because of me… please be good to her.”

Yong Hwarin nodded.

“Got it. Don’t worry.”

Mu Iso chuckled and spoke.

“Young Master, how will we know it’s your sister if she comes? We don’t even know her face.”

To that, Bukri Sogun replied with a soft smile.

“She looks very much like me. You might even say we’re like twins.”

“Really? Then we’ll recognize her right away. If she resembles you, she must be quite the beauty.”

Mu Iso, sensing Bukri Sogun’s sorrow, intentionally kept the conversation going to comfort her.

“Yes, she’s very beautiful. And even more so in heart.”

After saying that, Bukri Sogun blushed as if embarrassed.

Then she glanced around at Yong Hwarin and the Ten Prodigies of the Heavenly Central Sect, bowed her head, and left the room.

“Young Master, I think Young Master Bukri is planning to introduce his sister to you. Should I ask him to introduce me to another sister too?”

Mu Iso, seeing Yong Hwarin look at Bukri Sogun’s back with pity, brought it up to lighten the mood.

“Squad Leader, you already have Pang Sojeo and Jeong Sojeo. Isn’t that a bit greedy?”

Son Yang muttered, remembering how Jeong Daji had recently shown interest in Mu Iso.

In response, Mu Iso smacked the back of Son Yang’s head.

Smack!

“You clueless fool.”

Despite the commotion, Yong Hwarin silently stared at Bukri Sogun’s retreating figure.

Bukri Sogun headed straight to Bukri So.

“Uncle, let’s leave tonight.”

Bukri So looked surprised.

“Didn’t you say we’d leave tomorrow morning?”

“Just like you said, there’s no reason to waste time here. And I’ve already said my farewells, so I think it’s better to leave tonight than in the morning.”

At her words, Bukri So narrowed his eyes.

“Alright. You thought this through. But may I examine your body?”

At that, Bukri Sogun lifted his head.

“What do you mean by that?”

“You know, don’t you? How important this is.”

Bukri So shouted toward the back.

“Nanny, come in.”

Soon, a middle-aged woman entered.

“You brought Nanny too?”

She had taken care of Bukri Sogun since he was young.

“It’s to be prepared for any possibility.”

“I didn’t think that ‘any possibility’ would be this thorough.”

Bukri Sogun gave a forlorn smile and nodded.

“Alright.”

Bukri So muttered as he looked at her.

“Your attitude is quite different from earlier. You were bursting with spirit just a while ago.”

He was clearly pointing out how he had rebelled before, and Bukri Sogun bowed his head.

“I wasn’t mentally prepared earlier, and I must’ve lost my senses for a moment. Please forgive me, Uncle.”

Bukri So stared at him for a moment before speaking to the nanny.

“Inspect his body carefully. Not even a scratch should be missed. If you lie, you won’t keep your head.”

“Yes, sir.”

The nanny trembled and bowed deeply.

“Chuhwa, go in with the nanny and check thoroughly.”

Chuhwa was one of Bukri So’s most trusted female guards.

Bukri So had even assigned a trusted subordinate because he could not bring himself to trust the nanny.

“Yes, Chief Administrator.”

Once Bukri So closed the door and left, Bukri Sogun stood and slowly undressed.

“I’m sorry, Young Master.”

“It’s alright, Nanny.”

The nanny examined Bukri Sogun’s body with an apologetic expression.

After two hours had passed, the nanny and Chuhwa came out.

“There are no wounds on his body.”

“You inspected thoroughly? Even the hidden areas?”

“Yes, sir.”

When Bukri So looked toward Chuhwa, she gave a small nod, confirming there was nothing wrong.

“When you asked to stay one more day, I worried you might be up to something else. Please understand that.”

Saying this, Bukri So turned away.

Bukri Sogun let out a quiet sigh of relief.

Had he thoughtlessly cut his finger or wrist to draw blood, it would have been discovered—and that would have endangered Yong Hwarin and the rest of the group.

Bukri Sogun stared blankly at the retreating medical room.

Even in this brief journey, he felt he had spent the happiest time of his life.

If not for Great-Grandfather Lee Geuk’s death and the assassins’ ambush, it would have been remembered as his most joyful journey.

‘I’ll see you again someday, won’t I?’

Stifling the sting in her nose, Bukri Sogun shut the carriage window.

Yong Hwarin sensed the presence of Bukri Clan’s warriors departing and quietly murmured to himself.

‘Farewell, Sogun.’

Whatever it was, Bukri Clan and Bukri Sogun did not seem to belong together.

But one couldn’t pry into another sect’s circumstances.

Still, the sorrowful expression Bukri Sogun had shown when leaving the room lingered in his mind.

Then it happened.

“This is strange. There’s an unfamiliar energy rising from around my dantian.”

As Mu Iso spoke, the other Ten Prodigies of the Heavenly Central Sect expressed surprise, saying they felt the same.

Yong Hwarin sensed the strange energy surging from his own dantian and quickly began qi circulation.

A refreshingly pure energy swirled violently within him.

‘Sogun…?’

Only then did Yong Hwarin realize why Bukri Sogun had brought the medicine bowls herself.

Opening his eyes, Yong Hwarin spoke quietly.

“It seems Sogun mixed an elixir into the decoction. Everyone, circulate your qi and refine the medicinal energy into inner power. If it goes well, you may gain twenty to thirty years’ worth of accumulated qi.”

“Oh! Just what kind of elixir has such effects? Don’t tell me… it wasn’t Millennium Snow Ginseng, was it?”

Overjoyed by a miraculous encounter that may only come once in a lifetime, the Ten Prodigies of the Heavenly Central Sect quickly assumed the cross-legged posture and began qi circulation.

“And this must not be told to others. If it gets out, Sogun will be in danger.”

Yong Hwarin, too, hastily began circulating his qi, recalling the bright smile that Bukri Sogun had always worn beside him.

At that moment, the Three Chivalrous Sisters also felt the rising energy from their dantians and entered qi circulation training.

Later, when they heard the full story from Yong Hwarin, they longed for Bukri Sogun, whom they had let go without even a word of thanks.

However, upon realizing that Namgung Yoo and the escorts had received no such benefit, they chose to keep it as a secret known only to them.

Still, whenever Namgung Yoo gave Jeong Minji—who had gained considerable power—a curious look, they felt guilty for hiding the truth and simply turned their heads away.

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