"What are you going to do today?"
As soon as breakfast was over, Hua Yunhui asked.
Everyone looked at him with interest.
"If it's okay with you, sister, I'd like to read some medical books."
"Medical books?"
"Yes. I'm going to read them again, carefully."
"Didn't you say you were going to be a martial artist?"
At Cho Myung's words, Hua Sochen interjected and asked, as if puzzled.
"Can't a martial artist learn medicine?"
"It's not that, but shouldn't you be training in martial arts?"
"I can do that in my spare time."
Unless he learned a new divine art, Cho Myung, whose overall knowledge of martial arts was extremely lacking, was in a state where he could not improve any further.
"Then what are you going to do after learning medicine?"
This time, Hua Yunhui asked.
"If I get hurt, my big brothers will treat me, but if my big brothers get hurt, who will treat them?"
"You're going to treat us?"
"There might be a 'just in case' situation."
A commendable intention.
Well, there was no law that said such a thing would not happen.
Besides, it was not something to stop him from doing since he wanted to study.
"Then after you read the medical books, come and learn from me in your spare time."
"Yes."
When Cho Myung answered, Hua Yunhui looked at Hua Sochen.
Hua Sochen did not express her opposition and just nodded.
When the situation was settled like that, Seokcheong got up.
"I'll clear the table now."
"Okay, clear it and come to Hwalsaengwon. I'll go first."
Hua Yunhui got up first and disappeared outside.
Cho Myung, after telling him to work hard, helped Seokcheong clear the dishes.
"I can do it."
"No, big brother. It's my job now, but since there are a lot of dishes, please help me."
"Okay, let's do it together."
The two cleared the empty dishes, put them on a tray, and went outside.
On the way to the kitchen, Cho Myung glanced at Seokcheong and said.
"Big brother, even if it's a bother, let's eat at Jangsaengwon for the time being."
"Okay."
"If we eat at Jangsaengwon, it feels like my master is watching."
At the unexpected words, Seokcheong stopped walking and looked back.
"Do you miss Old Man Ban a lot?"
"It just feels like one night has passed for me."
"Ah! I see! Then let's do that. I also like eating at Jangsaengwon the best. Actually, it's a little bothersome, but I'll endure it."
"Thank you."
"Okay."
Seokcheong, who had nodded his head greatly, started walking again.
"I'm really glad you're back."
"Me too. Whether it was one day or three years, I'm really glad to see you again."
"You rascal!"
When Seokcheong turned his head and grinned, Cho Myung also grinned.
The two had been like that since a long time ago.
They really liked it when they grinned at each other. It felt like they were connected just by smiling.
A moment later, after returning the dishes to the kitchen, Seokcheong headed to Hwalsaengwon, and Cho Myung went to Hua Sochen's office.
"I've taken out the medical books there."
"Ah, thank you."
Just as Cho Myung was about to sit down, the head of the pharmacy came in.
"Oh, you're here too, Myung."
When Cho Myung looked at him, wondering what was going on, the head of the pharmacy handed a simple ledger to Hua Sochen and said in a considerably excited tone.
"Does it make sense to tell me about such an important thing only now? No matter how much there is to organize. You should have thought of consulting with me first."
"I'm sorry. I suddenly changed my mind."
"This is the transaction ledger, so if you look at it, you'll be able to get a rough idea of the prices of the medicinal ingredients."
"Okay."
"I've told Old Master Jeok, so go with him, and take Myung with you."
"Myung too?"
"Didn't you cause a commotion yesterday? If you wander around alone after that, do you think those people will just stay still? Even if it's not those people, with your beauty, you could be in danger wherever you go."
"I'm going with Old Master Jeok."
"Old Master Jeok is not a martial artist."
"Ah, that's right."
After answering, Hua Sochen's gaze naturally turned to Cho Myung.
Cho Myung, who was looking at them hesitantly, asked with a curious face.
"Where are we going?"
"We're going to Chengdu to open a medicinal ingredient transaction."
The head of the pharmacy said.
"Ah, I'm sorry. Because of me..."
"It's not your fault. That person was excessive. The reason I'm angry is just that I don't like this situation. How can they not know that it's good to be good?"
It meant that if they had understood and compromised with each other, the good transaction would have continued.
At those words, Hua Sochen also felt a pang of guilt.
In fact, if you think about it, it was she who had been greedy in the first place.
As soon as she found out that Cho Myung could find herbs by smell, she had thought it was an opportunity and had thought of reducing the cost of purchasing medicinal ingredients first.
Although it was something that would have happened someday because of Yang Gatae, who was coveting the Hua Family Clinic, in the process that had been revealed so far, it could be said that it was Hua Sochen who had created the starting point.
"I'm sorry. I was greedy and it came to this."
"It's not your fault either. From your position of managing the clinic, you had to do that. And in the end, it was those people who caused trouble and crossed the line. Don't blame yourself."
"Okay."
"It's right that I should go, but since this is an opportunity, it would be good to find out for yourself how the medicinal ingredient market is going, so look around and come back."
"Okay."
"Myung, stick to your sister's side until you come back."
"Yes."
When the two answered, the head of the pharmacy, whose excitement had completely subsided, told them to be careful and then closed his mouth.
***
On the way to Chengdu.
Hua Sochen, Cho Myung, and Jeok Yorap were traveling in a small carriage.
Of course, the carriage was pulled by horses.
So when Cho Myung appeared to get on the carriage, it was normal for the horses to be scared and tremble or to run wild to escape. They had to show some kind of reaction. But the horses were as calm as if they were seeing an ordinary person.
It was not that they could not feel the energy of the Immortal Demonic Aura.
It was because the energy of the Immortal Demonic Aura had changed. The Immortal Demonic Aura, which had absorbed the essence of the Taoist power left by Taoist Yoryo, had changed considerably from when Cho Myung had received it from the Immortal Divine Demon, Dugu Wujung.
The ferocious momentum had been refined by the Taoist power of Taoist Yoryo.
The reason why the emotions that had been so enraged by his master's death had calmed down when he returned to the Hua Family Clinic was also because of that influence.
Cho Myung read a medical book in the carriage, and Jeok Yorap examined the medicinal ingredient transaction ledger that Hua Sochen had given him.
"The amount traded every month is considerable."
Jeok Yorap said, closing the ledger.
"When my grandfather was here, we bought twice as much as this."
"We have to make it like that again."
Jeok Yorap said with a slightly pitiful face.
"Yes."
"After reading it, I have a rough idea of the price range. As you know, head of the family, it's important to buy good medicinal ingredients, but it's also something to be very careful about when transporting and storing them."
"Ah, so about that. The Eun Family Merchant Guild came to visit last time. If what Old Master Jeok said is true, they seem to be very good people, so I was wondering what you think about entrusting the transportation of the medicinal ingredients to them."
Transportation and escort are usually done by escort agencies, but in some cases, merchant guilds also handle them.
"Well, I don't know if we should reveal that we are at the clinic..."
Jeok Yorap had no choice but to hesitate.
To borrow Old Man Ban's words, since the people who were looking for Cho Myung were the entire world, no one other than the people of the Hua Family Clinic who already knew should know.
"I don't know if they'll be able to recognize Old Master Jeok, but they'll never recognize Myung."
At Hua Sochen's words, Jeok Yorap had no choice but to nod.
Two days later.
Medicinal Ingredient Street, Chengdu, Sichuan Province.
Since it was a street where medicinal ingredient wholesalers and retailers formed a market, all sorts of medicinal scents vibrated.
Hua Sochen, Cho Myung, and Jeok Yorap walked slowly down the medicinal ingredient street.
Cho Myung, who was not an expert on medicinal ingredients, walked one step behind the two, and Hua Sochen and Jeok Yorap, who were walking side by side in front, examined the medicinal ingredients that lined the market and exchanged opinions.
"The medicinal ingredients of the Ming Family seem to be good."
"I thought the medicinal ingredients of the Lin Family's medicinal ingredient store were better."
"Then how about we take another look?"
"I was hoping we would."
The two, who had gone to the end of the medicinal ingredient street, went back the way they had come and carefully examined the medicinal ingredients.
The shouts of the merchants soliciting customers were loud, and there were many merchants who grabbed their clothes.
Hua Sochen and Jeok Yorap shook off all of that and just looked carefully with their own eyes.
It was when they had reached the entrance of the medicinal ingredient street.
"Ouch! It hurts!"
A girl of about twelve years old, who was running in a hurry, bumped into Hua Sochen and fell on her bottom.
"Are you okay?"
Hua Sochen took her hand and helped her up.
"I'm sorry!"
The girl bowed her head and then disappeared in a hurry.
"Hey! Are you hurt?"
Hua Sochen shouted and asked, but the girl disappeared into the crowd in an instant.
"She bumped into me quite hard, but she just left."
Hua Sochen muttered with worry.
"Seeing her run so well, she seems to be fine."
Even at Jeok Yorap's words, Hua Sochen could not turn around.
But it was at that moment.
"Tsk, tsk! That kid is fine. The ones who are not fine are you."
A nearby merchant clicked his tongue and said.
"What do you mean by that?"
Jeok Yorap asked.
Hua Sochen also looked back with a questioning face.
"Pretty young lady, check your bosom."
At the merchant's words, Hua Sochen made a face as if to say "oops!" and checked her bosom.
"......!"
"What's wrong?"
"It's gone."
"What?"
"My purse is gone."
Hua Sochen frowned and was flustered.
"That kid from before is a pretty famous pickpocket here. They say she's so quick that they haven't been able to catch her even though they know. She hides somewhere, suddenly pops out, and after a quick job like just now, she disappears."
It was a statement that was hard to tell if it was a compliment or an insult.
Hua Sochen, who was experiencing this for the first time, did not know what to do and just sighed.
"The money is one thing, but it was a purse my mom made for me..."
"I'll go and get it."
Cho Myung, who had been silent, stepped forward.
"How can you...!"
"Did you smell it?"
Hua Sochen and Jeok Yorap said at the same time.
At that, Cho Myung grinned.
"It seems it's about lunchtime, so if you go to an inn, I'll go and find you."
"You rascal, you must be hungry."
"Yes."
"I understand. Go ahead."
When Jeok Yorap said with a smile, Cho Myung headed into the crowd where the girl had disappeared.
Seeing Cho Myung disappear in an instant, Jeok Yorap said.
"Let's go. Since Myung will come and find us, let's go and order something delicious."
"Yes. Let's do that."
Hua Sochen, who was answering, was also smiling with relief.
"Thank you for telling us."
Jeok Yorap expressed his gratitude to the merchant and then left with Hua Sochen. When the two had also disappeared, the merchant muttered as if bewildered.
"How can he catch her when even the martial artists can't? They're really funny people."
***
He had not smelled and remembered the scent of that child.
The scent that Cho Myung was chasing was Sochen's scent.
He was chasing the scent of Hua Sochen that was soaked in the purse.
If the wind was in the same direction as the child's movement or if another scent had invaded the scent of Hua Sochen that was soaked in the purse, there was a risk of losing it.
Cho Myung moved quickly.
Although the market was crowded with people, it was not a big obstacle.
The training of running through the dense forest in the mountains like a storm was a great help.
He passed through the spaces between people, between people and things, and between buildings like a storm.
After running like that for about a moment, the child came into view.
But the child was not alone.
The outskirts of the city.
The so-called slums.
And the most remote place among them.
An inn building that looked as if it would collapse at once if the wind just blew, as it had been closed for so long, the child was there.
With a burly man with a fierce impression and a bushy beard.
"What? Why are you crawling back already?"
When the burly man with the bushy beard twitched his eyebrows like a caterpillar, the child made a scared face and hurriedly took out the purse she had snatched from Hua Sochen's bosom and held it out.
"Huh? You've already done a job? Give it here."
The burly man reached out and snatched the purse.
"Ooh? There's a lot!"
The burly man shouted without realizing it.
"Then can I stop for today?"
The child made a hopeful face.
Slap!
As soon as the words were out, the burly man's hand slapped the child's cheek.
He had hit her so hard that the child was sent flying.
As if she had been hit once or twice, the child did not cry and shot up.
The child looked at the burly man with a scared face.
But the burly man was different from usual.
He should have hit her once more with a curse, but he did not and was looking at the child, to be precise, at the back of the child.
"Who are you?"
The burly man was wary.
A good person does not come, and a person who has come is not good!
It meant that it was not good that someone had come without being invited. Besides, he now had a purse full of silver coins.
The burly man quietly hid the purse behind his back.
Cho Myung turned his gaze from the burly man and looked down at the child. The child, who had noticed Cho Myung's presence late, looked back.
The child, who was startled and froze.
Cho Myung reached out and stroked the child's head.
It was because he knew well that just that would be a great comfort and relief.
The child also just blinked her eyes and did not run away.
Cho Myung turned his gaze back to the burly man.
"Give it to me."
"Who are you to ask for what?"
The burly man stepped back and was even more wary.
Cho Myung frowned and approached with a swagger.
"I don't want to cause trouble, so just go back."
"Give it to me."
"Do you know who's behind me?"
"Give me that purse."
"It's the Ten Thousand Iron Sect. Big brother Iron Chopper of the Ten Thousand Iron Sect...!"
The burly man stopped talking.
It was because Cho Myung had come up to him and held out his hand.
"Please return the purse you hid behind your back."
The purse contained the contract money to purchase the medicinal ingredients. So it was a considerable amount of money. The burly man's eyes had already gone crazy over it. He could never return it.
"Take this!"
The burly man shouted and swung something.
It was a broadsword he had drawn from behind his back.
Thwack!
The broadsword stopped.
No blood spurted out.
"Huh?"
The flustered burly man.
Cho Myung was holding the blade of the broadsword with his bare hands.
"Do you want to get hit and give it to me?"
The moment Cho Myung's words ended, the purse was held out.
Cho Myung, who had taken the purse, let go of the blade he had been gripping and turned his back.
At that moment, the burly man, who had been dumbfounded, made a vicious face and swung his sword.
Thwack!
The burly man was sent flying.
He broke the wall of the collapsing building, flew inside, hit a pillar, and the building soon collapsed.
Cho Myung, who had sent the burly man flying with one punch, approached the child. And after looking down for a moment, he took the child's hand and walked. The child, who had been taken by the hand in a daze, followed as Cho Myung pulled.
(End of Chapter)