"W-what is that?"
Jeok Yorap woke up at the sudden commotion.
At that moment, the snake-shaped Immortal Demonic Aura shot towards Jeok Yorap. Jeok Yorap, who was terrified, gasped and was flustered.
"......!"
The Immortal Demonic Aura stopped right in front of Jeok Yorap's face.
Then, as if it knew Jeok Yorap, it circled around him as if swimming, and then approached the bed of Seokcheong, who was still snoring without a care in the world, and peeked at him. Then it returned to Cho Myung, plunged into the top of his head, and disappeared.
"Big brother, what on earth was that just now?"
Jeok Yorap asked with wide eyes.
"The identity of the energy inside Myung's body."
"What?"
Jeok Yorap made a greatly surprised face at Old Man Ban's words and then looked at Cho Myung with a very worried face.
To think that something that looked like a snake was living inside Cho Myung's body was truly a shocking thing.
"A-a demon... Myung..."
"Immortal Demonic Aura."
"......?"
"It's not a demon, but a rare divine art called the Immortal Demonic Aura."
"Immortal Demonic Aura?"
"That's right. I can't say for sure because he hasn't become one with it yet, but if he does become one with it, I think he might have the power of immortality."
"The power of immortality?"
"That's right. Because the original owner of the Immortal Demonic Aura was called the Immortal Divine Demon."
"Who is the Immortal Divine Demon?"
"You heard it too. The person the old men who did terrible things to Myung were trying to kill with Myung."
"Ah!"
Only then did a look of understanding appear on Jeok Yorap's face.
How the energy called the Immortal Demonic Aura, which looked so bizarre, had entered Cho Myung's body. And the reason why the beasts were afraid of Cho Myung, and the reason why he was fine even after falling from the sky.
"I realized it right away when I heard that story from Myung, but I didn't think you needed to know, so I didn't say anything. The energy you just saw is the original internal energy of the Immortal Divine Demon, Dugu Wujung, who was the best in the world."
Old Man Ban had no other way to explain the Immortal Demonic Aura, so he called it original internal energy. Fortunately, Jeok Yorap was a layman in martial arts, so he just let it go.
"The best in the world?"
"That's right. Our Myung has inherited the legacy of the best in the world."
"The best in the world..."
Although he didn't know much about martial arts, how could he not know the words "the best in a world"?
A look of joy spread across Jeok Yorap's face.
"It's too early to be happy yet."
"You said he was the best in the world?"
"The Immortal Divine Demon, Dugu Wujung, was the supreme venerable of the Demonic Path, so he was like a demon to the Orthodox Faction."
"A-a demon?"
"How bad must it have been for them to try to get rid of Dugu Wujung by sacrificing a child as young as Myung?"
"......!"
Jeok Yorap understood what Old Man Ban was trying to say.
"So what you're saying, big brother... is that the vicious old men who tried to kill our Myung were actually figures of the Orthodox Faction?"
"When Myung was talking, he mentioned the Ten Orthodox Heavens, didn't he?"
"Ah! That's right. He did."
When he heard that story, he felt sorry for Cho Myung because he had gone through such a terrible thing, and he was so angry at the demon-like old men that he didn't pay attention to the names.
Jeok Yorap gritted his teeth as he recalled the terrible thing he had heard from Cho Myung at that time.
But his expression soon hardened.
The Ten Orthodox Heavens.
Although he didn't know who they were, he could feel the weight of their names.
"So what you're saying, big brother, is that we have to keep the fact that Myung has inherited the legacy of the person called the best in the world a secret?"
"That's right. I heard that the followers of the Demonic Path betrayed Dugu Wujung."
"What?"
Jeok Yorap's eyes widened even more.
It wasn't just because of the story of betrayal.
There are things that one naturally comes to know even if one is not involved in the world of martial arts.
One of them is that a master's grudge is passed down to the disciple.
In other words, all of Dugu Wujung's enemies would become Cho Myung's enemies.
"So it's not just the Orthodox Faction that that child has to be wary of. He has to be wary of the whole world."
"Good heavens!"
Jeok Yorap's face turned pale.
He couldn't ask any more and just looked back and forth between Old Man Ban and Cho Myung with wide eyes. He was so surprised that he couldn't even breathe properly, and his frustration was only growing.
"Ugh! What... what happened?"
Hua Yunhui got up, making a groaning sound from one side.
"Are you okay?"
Old Man Ban asked with a worried face.
"I'm sore and aching here and there, but I don't think I'm hurt."
Hua Yunhui said after moving his body here and there.
It seemed that the Immortal Demonic Aura had not recognized Hua Yunhui as an enemy and had just sent him flying.
Old Man Ban, feeling surprised at the greatness of the Immortal Demonic Aura, looked back at the sleeping Cho Myung.
"Yes, since this power is so amazing, the ones who stand on the opposite side must also be that great. Myung, but don't be afraid. Even if the whole world comes at you, trust this master's Hundred Strikes Art and the Immortal Demonic Aura. You will surely stand tall above the world."
Old Man Ban's face, as he spoke in a low but firm voice, had a feeling of firm resolve, so Jeok Yorap and Hua Yunhui just watched.
***
The next day.
The morning dawned, not much different from usual.
Old Man Ban, Jeok Yorap, and even Hua Yunhui, thinking of the young Cho Myung, did not show any sign of the events of the previous night and acted as they did on any other day.
But Seokcheong was different.
Although he did not know about the events of the previous night, he not only vividly remembered what had happened to him the day before, but the traces of it also remained.
"Look at this. I've become a soggy dumpling."
Seokcheong grumbled, pointing to his swollen face.
As he said, his face was swollen and bruised like a soggy dumpling.
"Yes, I know, so rest well today."
Hua Yunhui said with a pitiful expression.
"Will it be okay tomorrow?"
"If it's not okay, you can rest tomorrow too."
"What about the day after tomorrow?"
"Rest the day after tomorrow too."
"If it's the day after that..."
"Just rest. Rest the day after that, and the day after that, and keep resting. In fact, I'll hit you more so you can rest for a long, long time."
Hua Yunhui rolled up his sleeves and made a fist.
Seokcheong, who was startled, quickly got out of bed and ran outside.
"I'm going to get breakfast!"
"I'll go with you."
Cho Myung, who was massaging Old Man Ban's legs, quickly got up to follow.
Then Old Man Ban stopped him.
"Myung, you stay here."
"But big brother Cheong is very sick right now."
"That's right. Big brother Cheong is very sick. But he's not so sick that he can't move, so it's okay."
"Since he's sick, it would be good if I helped him, right?"
"It's good to help, but what if bad people come again like yesterday?"
"......?"
"Myung, you haven't forgotten that there are people looking for you, have you?"
"...I haven't forgotten."
"Yes, you shouldn't forget. Until you learn the martial art this master teaches you and can protect your two big brothers and grandfather, don't wander around carelessly and don't show your face. Do you understand?"
"Yes."
Although he answered immediately as always, Cho Myung's expression was noticeably sullen.
Old Man Ban felt sorry for Cho Myung's situation. But the current situation could not be helped.
There would be nothing safer than not showing his face even to the family members of the clinic.
"Are you sad?"
Cho Myung looked at him.
Then he soon shook his head.
"Then why are you like that?"
It was a question of why he was so sullen.
Cho Myung hesitated for a moment and then said.
"I'm sorry to big brother Cheong. To grandfather, master, and big brother Yunhui too..."
"Myung."
It was Jeok Yorap who cut off Cho Myung's words.
When Cho Myung looked back, Jeok Yorap said with a smiling face.
"The words the head of the family's sister said yesterday were right, weren't they? As she said, your master woke up right away, didn't he?"
"Yes."
"What else did she say?"
"She said it wasn't my fault."
"Yes, she said that. Then was she wrong?"
"No. But..."
"Myung."
"Yes."
"The reason Myung is so concerned is because he is that kind. That is a very admirable thing. Grandfather and master are very happy that Myung is kind. But Myung. How about you try to trust your grandfather and master? How about you trust your older big brothers and sister and just live happily every day with a comfortable mind?"
"I can't be the only one who's happy when my big brother is so sick."
"If your big brother looks sick, you can just go and cheer him up. If he still says he's sick, ask him what you can do for him. When your big brother comes back, bring him some water first. Then that alone will be enough to make him happy."
"You think so?"
"Of course. He definitely will. And for your grandfather and master, just seeing you happy is more than enough. So don't worry too much."
"Okay."
Cho Myung, who smiled at the same time as he answered.
Seeing him smile, even if it was awkward and forced, it seemed he had understood properly.
But where would one's nature go? If the same thing happened again, he would be concerned and hurt just like now, but he had to keep telling him that it wasn't Cho Myung's fault. That way, his heart would not become twisted or broken.
Jeok Yorap deliberately smiled brightly.
"Look. Isn't it nice to smile? Seeing you smile makes your grandfather smile too."
"Yes."
At Jeok Yorap's words and smile, Cho Myung's face also relaxed.
At that, Old Man Ban approached and stroked his head, and when Cho Myung looked back, Hua Yunhui grinned and opened his mouth.
"From now on, there's one more thing Myung has to do."
"What is it?"
"Before big brother Cheong brings the meal, you have to bring a wet towel to your grandfather and master. What do you think, can you do it?"
"Of course."
Cho Myung, who ran out as soon as he answered.
Just as Hua Yunhui had done every morning, he carefully wet a towel with water, wrung it out, and then brought it back.
"Here you go."
When he handed it to his grandfather, master, and Hua Yunhui respectively, they all smiled and received it.
In the meantime, Seokcheong returned.
"Breakfast is served."
After breakfast.
"I'm going to the mountains."
Seokcheong said.
"You said you were going to rest?"
Hua Yunhui asked, glaring at him.
"Even if I rest, I'll rest in the mountains."
"......?"
"Please give me a medical book. While Myung is looking for herbs, I'll just study."
"You can't do that. Myung will be in danger!"
"What do you mean, dangerous? When we go to the mountains, I'm just a burden. It's been a few days since Myung has been digging for herbs alone."
"You stonehead! Myung is still young!"
"He's faster than me. And the beasts are afraid of him, so what's there to worry about?"
"Are there only beasts in the mountains? What if he missteps and falls?"
"I told him not to go to dangerous places."
"You idiot! Everything is dangerous for a kid!"
At that moment, Old Man Ban, who had been listening, called Hua Yunhui.
"Doctor Hua."
"I'm sorry. I'll teach him thoroughly so he understands."
"No, just leave him be."
"What?"
"You saw it with your own two eyes last night, didn't you? What Myung's body is like."
"......!"
A body that is not injured even by a blade.
Hua Yunhui, who had understood Old Man Ban's words, looked back at Cho Myung.
At this time, Old Man Ban added.
"His bones are probably hard too. Very."
"Ah!"
Hua Yunhui just opened his mouth.
Since it was a power that protected the skin from being injured, it would also protect the bones firmly.
In other words, it meant that he would be fine even if he fell from a decent height.
Even if he were to break a bone or get injured, Old Man Ban's prediction was that it would heal quickly.
And Hua Yunhui had read such a thought of Old Man Ban.
"Will he really be okay?"
"If you're really worried, try experimenting."
"No, I believe you."
Hua Yunhui quickly waved his hand and strongly refused.
He didn't want to be sent flying by the energy in Cho Myung's body.
"Is there no worry of getting lost?"
Old Man Ban asked, looking back and forth between Cho Myung and Seokcheong.
"He said he has memorized my smell."
At Seokcheong's answer, not only Old Man Ban but also Hua Yunhui and Jeok Yorap nodded.
"The clinic smells a lot like medicine. I could smell it even when we crossed two mountains."
Cho Myung said.
Old Man Ban nodded.
"Do as you think. Myung has to train, so he has to run around, so it will be hard for Cheong."
When Old Man Ban said that, Hua Yunhui also had no choice but to allow it.
"Wait. I'll bring a medical book you can read now."
"Yes, young master."
Seokcheong smiled broadly.
***
Seokcheong and Cho Myung went up the mountain.
"Big brother."
"Yeah?"
"Do you also think it's not because of me?"
"What?"
"That you got hit."
"What does that mean? What does me getting hit have to do with you?"
"It has nothing to do with me? You hid me behind you so I wouldn't get hit."
"Did I do that?"
"Yeah, you did. And then you got hit a few more times."
"You idiot! I don't know how I got hit a few more times, but it's definitely not because of you. They're just bad guys. And it's natural for a big brother to protect his younger brother."
"Ah, is that so?"
"Yeah, of course it is."
When Cho Myung looked at him with round eyes, Seokcheong nodded vigorously. At that sight, Cho Myung decided that he would also protect his younger brother if he had one.
"By the way, big brother."
"Yeah?"
"I'm not an idiot."
"I know, you idiot."
"I said I'm not an idiot!"
"I said I know... you idiot."
"Hmph... Stonehead big brother, you're a fool!"
"Oh-ho! Our Myung, you know how to get angry too?"
"Hmph... it's because you keep teasing me by calling me an idiot."
"Okay, I'm sorry."
(End of Chapter)