The master said,
“You did well to harvest the Ten-Thousand Fire Carp’s flesh too. While not as potent as the internal core, it’s still trendously helpful for improving internal energy. Especially when combined with our family’s dicinal cuisine techniques, the effects are doubled.”
When Jin Cheon-hee paused eating and prepared to take notes, Zhuge Rin burst out laughing.
“Let’s eat first. Today, let’s both do nothing and just rest.”
Jin Cheon-hee nodded.
His throat was choked up, making it difficult to swallow.
But it was true.
It was the most delicious breakfast of his life.
***
The dical pavilion disciples, including Jin Cheon-hee, rested for a full day.
‘Though we say we rested fully, the ergency doctors on duty still worked.’
That’s right. Whether it’s a modern hospital or a martial arts dical pavilion, there’s never complete rest. Even if a public holiday cos when everyone rests, those on duty that day still have to work.
Instead, the doctors who worked that day get to rest the next day.
In any case, the dical pavilion was quiet that day. Jin Cheon-hee climbed up to the pavilion and poured a drink.
It didn’t contain alcohol. It’s called gamju (sweet rice wine) in this region.
He didn’t know exactly how old his physical body was, but ntally he was already an adult over forty.
Through bone lting and body transformation, he appeared to be in his late teens externally. By this era’s standards, he was an adult.
‘If not on a day like this, when else would I drink?’
The fact that he didn’t drink alcohol even in this situation was because he still didn’t like the taste of alcohol.
He didn’t understand the taste of alcohol when he was young, and he still didn’t understand it as an adult.
Even in this second round of life, alcohol still didn’t taste good.
He preferred non-alcoholic drinks like gamju that only had “ju” (alcohol) in the na.
He lay on the roof, sipping dicinal gamju made in the herb hall.
‘It’s over.’
Although he had just woken up, he felt sleepy again.
It wasn’t strange.
The fatigue that had been building up all this ti ca flooding in like a broken dam now that the work was done. It wasn’t physical fatigue. It was ntal exhaustion.
Jin Cheon-hee fell asleep while looking at the blue sky.
When he opened his eyes, his master’s outer robe was covering his body.
He must have co by briefly.
Hearing boisterous noise, he looked down to see a banquet in progress.
***
“Hee-ya, you’re awake. You were sleeping so soundly, I didn’t wake you.”
The master smiled brightly.
“What’s all this?”
Musicians and perforrs had been invited to dance and sing. It was a full-scale banquet.
The master said with a troubled expression:
“The four hall masters seed to have been waiting to throw a banquet.”
What?
Surprised, Jin Cheon-hee turned to see the four hall masters waving their wine cups with flushed faces.
They all looked quite tipsy, as if they had already had a fair amount to drink.
Even Sama Byeong, the Acupuncture Hall Master known for being the strictest, was sipping alcohol with a reddened face.
“That’s right. The master’s body is the heart of the White Dragon dical Pavilion. We’ve finally resolved that sorrow.”
“Yoo Ho.”
“What is it?”
Yoo Ho was distributing wine bottles to the dical pavilion disciples and hall masters.
The difference was that, unlike the others, Yoo Ho’s face wasn’t flushed red, and he didn’t sll of alcohol.
Man Pagok, the dicinal Herbs Hall Master, waved a wine bottle.
“Chief Yoo, stop working and have a drink!”
At those words, Yoo Ho shook his head.
“I don’t like alcohol.”
“How can you not even touch it at such a joyous occasion? You’re too strict. Too strict.”
Man Pagok clicked her tongue and approached Jin Cheon-hee.
“Will our young hall master have a drink?”
Man Pagok emphasized the words “young hall master.” Until now, she had called him young master or young lord in private, though she used young hall master in official matters.
“Hahaha. Since this is a casual gathering, please speak comfortably.”
“How can I do that now? You’re our esteed young hall master.”
Realizing she truly acknowledged him as the young hall master, Jin Cheon-hee was montarily speechless.
Man Pagok said,
“What are you all doing! Shouldn’t the four hall masters each pour a drink for the young hall master?”
At those words, the four hall masters all stood up at once.
Surprisingly, the first to pour a drink for Jin Cheon-hee was Saima Byeong, the Acupuncture Hall Master.
Glug glug-
“This Acupuncture Hall Master offers a drink to the young hall master.”
It hadn’t been a day or two since I’d seen Man Pagok grumbling about what a strict old man he was. Joo Danha, the Acupuncture Hall Master, also had cursed that Sama Byeong was an old man who rarely praised others.
He was soone who rarely smiled.
The sweet and strong alcohol slled of bamboo and herbs.
It was the scent of the White Dragon dical Pavilion.
Surprisingly, after drinking the alcohol, Acupuncture Hall Master Sima Byeong let out a hearty laugh. The wrinkles on the old man’s face deepened even more. They were valleys of happiness.
Next, Chiropractic Hall Master Joo Danha filled Jin Cheon-hee’s cup.
“That old man stole the first drink from . Chiropractic Hall Master Joo Danha offers this to the young hall master.”
And so, one more drink.
“They say the quiet cat climbs onto the kitchen counter first, but the acupuncture old man was the first in line? Martial Arts Hall Master Dokgo Junghu offers a drink to the young hall master.”
Another cup was filled.
Lastly, dicinal Herbs Hall Master Man Pagok stood before Jin Cheon-hee.
“I’ve believed in you since I first saw you. Among the four hall masters, please rember that this old woman was the first to serve the young hall master. Hohoho.”
She covered her mouth with her sleeve and laughed slyly.
It was the smooth-talking typical of a Zhuge family retainer.
Though she joked, Man Pagok was actually the one who had given Jin Cheon-hee the most support.
From Jin Cheon-hee’s post-operative care to the creation of the White Dragon Divine Pill, she had assisted Jin Cheon-hee without lacking in anything.
She was soone to be grateful for.
Glug glug-
The cup was filled.
With that as a signal, the four hall masters spoke simultaneously.
“Hall Master, Young Hall Master. Congratulations! May you have longevity and good health!”
Waaah-!
The cheers and applause of the dical pavilion disciples rang out.
After the four hall masters poured first, now the other dical pavilion disciples each filled Jin Cheon-hee’s cup.
This ti it was non-alcoholic gamju.
They seed to be offering that since he said he liked it.
“We heard from Chief Yoo that the young hall master succeeded in bone lting and body transformation!”
“As expected of the young hall master! Creating the White Dragon Divine Pill was amazing enough, but to succeed in treating the hall master is a blessing for the White Dragon dical Pavilion!”
“It was tough learning, but thanks to that, we’ve been able to save many patients. Thank you.”
Jin Cheon-hee exchanged cups back and forth.
Eventually, Wang Gak-yeon, who had been in the corner, approached Jin Cheon-hee.
“Hey, why am I the only one getting barley tea? They won’t even give gamju because of Dad.”
She grumbled as she approached Jin Cheon-hee. Jin Cheon-hee answered slyly:
“I prefer barley tea too.”
“You’re so annoying.”
She chuckled. Jin Cheon-hee asked:
“You’ve grown quite tall too?”
“Yeah. It’s my growth spurt. When I’m fully grown, my build will be larger than most girls my age.”
Co to think of it, both Wang-ya Ju and Gongsun Yeong were quite tall.
They had long limbs and thick bones. Their muscles were also elastic and firm.
“There are short martial artists too.”
“You can’t completely change what you’re born with. It just helps you grow a chi or a chi and a half more.”
Isn’t that quite a lot already?
“Uncle Phantom Archer is quite tall, right?”
“Yeah. Mom is tall too. So I’ll be tall too. Don’t get complacent just because you’ve undergone bone lting and body transformation if you don’t want to look up at later.”
Wang Gak-yeon’s words were sincere.
She had declared that she would definitely look down on Jin Cheon-hee soday.
“Co to think of it, where’s Uncle Phantom Archer?”
“Dad’s standing guard in place of the martial arts hall master. Soone has to protect the dical pavilion.”
“He must be working hard.”
“What hard work? It’s not as dangerous as before, the pay cos in regularly, and since it’s in the na of the White Dragon dical Pavilion, there’s less chance of making enemies in the martial world. It’s so comfortable. Plus, unlike before, the family isn’t separated for a month or two. He sees us every day after work.”
He seems to have high job satisfaction.
Co to think of it, Uncle Phantom Archer’s expression has been bright lately.
“That’s good.”
“Not just good, it’s sothing to be grateful for. Dad says eting Little White Dragon was the best decision of his life. He tells to treat you well.”
“Hehehe.”
“But I’m already treating you well on my own, so this big sister doesn’t know what else she can do to help.”
“There is sothing.”
Woof!
Hwanggu crawled out from between Jin Cheon-hee’s legs.
“Oh, Hwanggu, you’re awake?”
Hwanggu had been alternating between eating and sleeping throughout the banquet.
Despite appearances, as the Beggar’s Sect Leader’s ssenger dog, all the food given to it was of high quality.
A dog’s life is a good life.
Wang Gak-yeon scratched the back of Hwanggu’s neck.
“Our Hwanggu. Did you miss ?”
Pant pant pant pant.
Hwanggu licked Wang Gak-yeon’s face frantically.
Wang Gak-yeon laughed brightly and hugged Hwanggu tightly.
“So cute. So cute. You’ve gotten bigger too? It’s okay. It’s okay. You’re cute even if you get bigger. You’re so big, so you’re so cute!”
Hwanggu and Wang Gak-yeon played together, hugging like a family reunited after separation.
Jin Cheon-hee watched them happily while sipping his drink.
“Young master, you look like an old man who’s seen it all.”
It was Yoo Ho.
He ca to Jin Cheon-hee’s side with a new bottle of alcohol.
“Are you not going to call ‘young rascal’ anymore?”
“If you want, I can call you Young Hall Master.”
“Anything but young rascal is fine.”
Jin Cheon-hee poured a drink.
Then he suddenly picked up another empty cup and handed it to Yoo Ho.
“How about it, Chief Yoo, care for a drink?”
“I don’t like alcohol.”
“Why?”
“It doesn’t taste good. I don’t understand why humans drink that tasteless stuff.”
“Not even gamju?”
“I don’t like it.”
It seed he genuinely disliked it, not just declining for work reasons.
“Then how about so barley tea?”
He shook the water bottle Wang Gak-yeon had brought. Yoo Ho replied to that:
“I’ll pass on that too.”
“You don’t like barley tea?”
“…”
Yoo Ho didn’t answer.
Instead, he set down the new bottle of alcohol with a thud. Then he turned his back and walked away before Jin Cheon-hee could say anything.
“Strange guy.”
Jin Cheon-hee poured a drink from the bottle Yoo Ho had brought.
As he poured, a strong aroma wafted up.
“Wow, Young Hall Master, what kind of alcohol is that?”
“I don’t know. Chief Yoo just left it here.”
One sip filled his mouth with a deep and sweet flavor that made his mind hazy. But after swallowing, it burned from his throat to his stomach, so strong he could trace its path.
It was an aged alcohol.
One that a considerable master had brewed for a long ti.
The scent of flowers filled his nostrils.
“I’m curious about the na of this alcohol too.”
The musicians’ performance filled the night air.
The master, who had been sitting next to Jin Cheon-hee, stood up.
“Today, I’d like to offer a small gesture of thanks to the dical pavilion disciples and my disciple Little White Dragon for celebrating this old Zhuge’s recovery.”
The master headed to the center of the banquet hall.
At the pavilion master’s appearance, the musicians briefly paused their performance.
When the master waved his hand as if to say not to mind him, they resud playing.
Zing-
This ti, atmospheric music filled the hall.
As the master raised his hand and focused his internal energy, his long silver-white hair swelled up, forming an arc.
Then sothing flew towards him.
It was an iron sword that had been stuck sowhere.
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