Gongsun Chan gripped Yeon Woo Jin’s hand tight.
“P-please. Make my son’s body healthy! If you do that, I’ll do anything I can!”
“Oh? Really? I actually ca because I had a favor to ask—this works out.”
“Whatever that favor is, if our clan can do it, we’ll do anything.”
“Alright. Then I’ll impose on you for about three days.”
“Impose? How could you say sothing so cold? You could stay a lifeti. Divine Physician, you are the Gongsun Clan’s benefactor for life.”
Just then, as Gongsun Chan clutched Yeon Woo Jin’s hand in ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) joy—
Gongsun Mingyi opened his eyes.
“Mm.”
At the sound of his voice, Gongsun Chan rushed to him.
“C-can you see ?”
“Father?”
“Yes!”
Whump—
Gongsun Chan wrapped Gongsun Mingyi in a fierce hug.
“Thank you! Thank you for being alive!”
“F-Father.”
Gongsun Mingyi was flustered.
“What happened to ?”
At his son’s question, Gongsun Chan asked in return:
“You don’t rember?”
“No. It feels like I slept a long ti and just woke up.”
“Huh...”
Gongsun Chan looked to Yeon Woo Jin.
“He won’t rember. All that ti, these things were dominating his mind and controlling him.”
Gongsun Mingyi flinched at the sight of the Vampiric Demon Parasites writhing where Yeon Woo Jin pointed.
“Gah! W-what are those?”
“Don’t concern yourself.”
“W-what did he an just now? That I was mind-controlled by those worms? Wait—did those co out of my body?”
Quick-witted, Gongsun Mingyi grasped the situation at once.
“Yes. They were inside you.”
“T-those disgusting things...”
He frantically checked over his own body.
Gongsun Chan spoke to him.
“Mingyi, this gentleman saved you. Paying respects to the benefactor who spared your life cos first.”
At his father’s words, Gongsun Mingyi lifted his head and looked at Yeon Woo Jin.
About his own age?
Or a little older?
He didn’t look very old at all.
“Mingyi, what are you doing?”
Startled to his senses by his father’s voice, Gongsun Mingyi tried to rise.
“Ugh!”
But strength wouldn’t co into his limbs.
“Ah, your body’s been under their control for a long while. You’ll need ti to readapt. Lie still.”
Hearing the explanation, Gongsun Mingyi realized this man truly was the one who had treated him.
From where he lay, he cupped his fist in salute and gave thanks.
“I will repay the grace of saving my life for as long as I live. Thank you, Doctor.”
Smiling, Yeon Woo Jin stepped closer.
“No need to repay for life. I ca with a purpose too. For today, rest well—we’ll start tomorrow.”
Start tomorrow after a good rest?
Start what?
As Gongsun Mingyi blinked, bewildered, Gongsun Chan said:
“The Divine Physician says he’ll also see to your weak body. You must follow his words well. Understood?”
“Truly?”
“Yes. Hah, your face looks brighter than usual.”
“With him, I truly feel like he can fix my weak body.”
“Hahaha. I feel the sa. The Divine Physician will surely make you strong. You focus only on recovery.”
“Yes, Father!”
Hearing his son’s vigorous answer, Gongsun Chan bead.
How long had it been since he’d seen his boy this bright?
It moved him.
Watching this, Gongsun Deok also smiled wide.
It was joy enough that the Young Clan Head was whole again—on top of that, his body might beco strong.
Yeon Woo Jin was indeed the Gongsun Clan’s benefactor.
Gongsun Deok was already thinking he should go and draft a new clan code in Yeon Woo Jin’s honor.
If anyone objected?
He would never let it pass.
Yeon Woo Jin spoke to Gongsun Chan.
“Alright—this is settled. Shall we go up and talk now?”
“Of course. You must be hungry? We’ll go up at once—I’ll have a feast of mountains and seas set out.”
“No need to go that far...”
“What are you saying? Grand Elder!”
When Gongsun Chan called, Gongsun Deok hurried off.
“I’ll see to it at once, Clan Head.”
Seeing Gongsun Chan’s radiant smile, Yeon Woo Jin shook his head.
It seed the important discussion would have to wait until after the al.
Only after tasting an amount of food so great it felt almost improper did the banquet end.
At the news that the Young Clan Head was fully cured, the retainers had thrown themselves into the preparations with glee.
It was plain that in the Gongsun Clan everyone truly lived like one family.
With full stomachs, Yeon Woo Jin and the three others entered the Clan Head’s office.
Inside were Gongsun Chan and Gongsun Deok.
Gongsun Chan asked:
“You said you had a request of our clan—what is it?”
“Yes. But first, there’s sothing to show you.”
“What is it?”
Yeon Woo Jin looked to Su Cheon Kang.
“You can drop the disguise now.”
“Understood.”
Disguise?
Had he been in disguise?
Why?
Their eyes went to Su Cheon Kang.
As Su Cheon Kang’s face gradually returned to its true form, both n’s pupils widened.
A face they knew all too well.
“Alliance Leader?”
Recognized, Su Cheon Kang saluted with a cupped fist.
“Hahaha. Have you been well? My apologies for hiding my identity.”
“Are you truly the Alliance Leader?”
“I am.”
“H-how are you here?”
“We ca because we were concerned about you. And no—did the Alliance Leader bring the Divine Physician as well?”
“No. He is indeed a Divine Physician, but he holds a far greater station.”
“A greater... station?”
“Yes. Ah—and don’t call Alliance Leader. I am no longer that.”
“Ah! I heard. The Martial Alliance and the Four Evils Alliance rged to form the Central Plains Alliance.”
“Correct. And the Lord of that Alliance is this gentleman.”
“Allow to introduce myself formally. I am Yeon Woo Jin, Alliance Lord of the Central Plains Alliance.”
At Yeon Woo Jin’s formal introduction, the two n stared, astonished.
“Then the request is—surely?”
“Yes. Join the Central Plains Alliance. And take charge of the General Staff.”
“Huh...”
“Together with the Zhuge Clan.”
“Huh...”
“You mustn’t lose to the Zhuge Clan. The honor of the unorthodox is at stake.”
“Huh...”
What was this?
To ask them to head the Alliance’s General Staff.
And the ones sharing the table would be the Zhuge Clan?
They were to compete with the Zhuge Clan?
Above all, the man they had thought a divine physician was the Alliance Lord of the Central Plains Alliance.
He wasn’t of an age to sit that throne.
“A-are you truly the Alliance Lord?”
“I am. Everyone acclaid to the post.”
“Everyone?”
To Gongsun Chan’s curiosity, Su Cheon Kang replied:
“The Nine Schools and One Gang, the Five Great Clans, the Twelve Branch Gates, and many more sects desired it earnestly.”
The Gongsun Clan was not among the Twelve Branch Gates.
Because their martial power was peculiarly weak.
“You’ve shut your gates so tight we had to co in person.”
Su Cheon Kang even explained why they had co.
Gongsun Chan looked at Yeon Woo Jin.
Had he not already promised?
That the clan would do whatever it could.
Joining the Alliance and leading the General Staff was sothing the clan could do.
Working alongside the Zhuge Clan was the only part that gave him pause.
“Then who will be the Strategist?”
“That too will be for the Alliance Lord to decide.”
At the words that Yeon Woo Jin would decide, Gongsun Chan nodded.
Better that way—simpler on the mind.
He had another question.
“Divine—no, Alliance Lord, you don’t seem to be of years enough to ascend to that seat. How...?”
Su Cheon Kang answered with bold pride.
“Our Alliance Lord must not be asured by age! Did you not see him practice dicine? It isn’t only dicine that is great! The Alliance Lord’s true might is martial! The Alliance Lord is a Martial God!”
The two n stared at him, dumbfounded.
Was this the Su Cheon Kang they knew?
That proud man, humbling himself to extol another?
Impossible.
“I, Su Cheon Kang as I am now, cannot endure even a breath against the Alliance Lord.”
“...”
“As I am now, I am stronger than in the past. I stand on the verge of the Mythic Realm.”
“M-Mythic Realm! Then your current realm is...?”
“Manifestation Realm, Twelfth Star!”
“T-Twelfth Star!”
They gaped.
At Manifestation Twelfth Star, Su Cheon Kang alone possessed the force to annihilate the Gongsun Clan.
And yet such a one said he would fall in a single exchange?
Then how strong must his opponent be?
Their eyes turned to Yeon Woo Jin.
At that age, surely not Mythic Realm?
And yet sohow it felt likely.
“And our Alliance Lord is the only grandson of the Martial Deity Heaven Lord.”
“Gasp!”
“Ghk!”
Why was the Martial Deity Heaven coming up here?
And the Alliance Lord was the Heaven Lord’s only grandson?
Did that not an he could be the next Heaven Lord?
Wait—surely the Martial Deity Heaven was preparing to select a Little Heavenly Lord right now?
With such a powerful grandson, why bother...?
Thinking of the Martial Deity Heaven called to mind the secret manual stolen from them in the past.
Had they kept that manual, the clan would be stronger now.
As both Gongsun Chan and Gongsun Deok sighed at the sa thought—
Yeon Woo Jin smiled and held out a booklet.
“Is that what made you sigh?”
Their eyes fixed on the booklet in his hand.
Heaven-Thunder Storm Fist.
Tremble—
Gongsun Chan’s hand shook as he took it.
“W-why is this here?”
He cracked the book to see if it was genuine.
It was.
Beside him, Gongsun Deok asked:
“Clan Head! Is it genuine?”
“Yes. It’s the original.”
“H-how do you have it?”
At their expectant looks, Yeon Woo Jin said:
“I’m returning it.”
“R-really?”
“Yes, really. That manual again belongs to the Gongsun Clan.”
At his words, the two stared at the manual with faces full of feeling.
And then sighed.
What good was a manual?
They had no ans to master it.
It was the Gongsun Clan’s chronic ailnt—
They were weak at martial arts.
Brilliant with the head, but hopeless with the body.
As if they lacked the sense for martial arts entirely.
Gongsun Chan and Gongsun Deok had suffered hellish hours to learn even what they had.
Because of their excellent minds, their comprehension of martial arts was high; that alone let them attain a certain level.
Knowing better than anyone what they feared, Su Cheon Kang smiled.
“It seems you’re wondering how to master it.”
“Yes.”
“The Alliance Lord will instruct you.”
“What do you an?”
As they looked at him, Yeon Woo Jin said he had read the manual—and learned it.
They were not shocked that he had seen it, but that he had learned it after reading it once.
He learned this after a single read?
Not morized—learned?
Gongsun Chan quickly opened the booklet and began to read.
He leafed through swiftly, then closed it.
Even reading plainly, it wasn’t sothing one could grasp in a pass. He had understood and learned it after one reading?
Unbelievable.
And yet—if it was Yeon Woo Jin, it sohow felt possible.
Not only in dicine and martial arts, but in intellect, he far surpassed them.
A perfect being with everything.
That was Yeon Woo Jin.
“Then, without sha, we will learn.”
“What are you saying? It is the Gongsun Clan’s martial art. I’m the one at fault for learning it without permission.”
“No. Whatever our benefactor does is right. Even if you mastered every martial art of the Gongsun Clan, we would receive it with joy.”
“Those words put at ease. I’ll teach you with everything I have.”
“Thank you.”
“But can that be done in three days? Shouldn’t we extend the ti?”
“Yes. We’ll need at least five months.”
At their words, Yeon Woo Jin considered.
“Let’s try first. If it proves impossible, we’ll extend.”
“Understood.”
Even answering so, both n wondered if it could truly be done in three days.
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