Chapter 327: Murim Alliance Meeting (1) |
As Hugo finished the treatment, a conversation he had at the Zhuge Clan estate flashed through his mind.
“A prince? But I heard the imperial bloodline was severed after the incident at the palace…”
“To be precise, he’s a member of the imperial clan. While it’s true that those within the palace were harmed, not all of them perished. Some managed to escape.”
And one of those survivors was the Crown Princess, who was pregnant at the time.
After the tragedy, before the world descended into complete chaos, she escaped the capital with her loyal retainers and returned to her family’s estate, seeking refuge.
She didn’t want to risk attracting unwanted attention, as both the Emperor and the Crown Prince were dead.
As she had feared, various factions and warlords began vying for power, plunging the world into chaos, and she focused on recuperating and protecting her unborn child.
“I see. So, the child born after that is…”
“Indeed. He’s the imperial descendant currently residing at the Shaolin Temple, Zhu Gang-in.”
Even with the best physicians and rare elixirs, his condition continued to deteriorate.
Eventually, after much deliberation, he was entrusted to the Shaolin Temple, where powerful monks resided.
The Shaolin Temple, renowned for its martial arts, was the safest place for him.
“Our clan has connections to the imperial family, so we learned about his situation. And that’s how we discovered that his symptoms are similar to Hyemi’s.”
“But that’s a secret, isn’t it? Is it alright for you to tell me this?”
“It was a secret, but… after twenty years, it’s practically common knowledge. The imperial bloodline doesn’t mean much in the current situation.”
Indeed, the current crisis, where the very existence of factions was at stake, couldn’t be resolved with mere legitimacy.
And there were already several warlords and self-proclaimed kings with royal blood.
‘They wouldn’t care about a sickly child with a weak claim to the throne.’
His lack of power made his lineage meaningless.
“Of course, we can’t just announce it to the world, but… you should know, since you’re treating him.”
“I understand. I’ll examine him.”
“Thank you. I’ve been feeling uneasy about it, since we’re not entirely unrelated to his family. I’ll compensate you later.”
And that was the end of their conversation.
After arriving at the Shaolin Temple, Hugo was introduced to the patient and began his treatment.
And after over a week of continuous treatment,
“He’s recovering, but his condition isn’t stable yet. Please avoid any strenuous activities.”
“Thank you, Divine Healer. I’m feeling much better now. I haven’t had any nightmares lately, and I’m sleeping well.”
“You’re welcome. Then, I’ll be going.”
“Ah, please, this way…”
Hugo left the room, escorted by Zhu Gang-in, and stroked his chin thoughtfully.
The information he had acquired during the treatment was troubling.
‘His recovery is much faster than Hyemi’s. It took her almost a month to regain her mobility, and he’s already at a similar level after just a week.’
Even with his increased proficiency, there were limits to how effective his treatment could be.
Such a significant difference in their recovery speed suggested another factor.
And that factor was probably the pre-treatment measures taken by their respective clans.
The Zhuge Clan’s medical skills were superior, yet the results were vastly different…
‘The Buddhist scriptures recited by the monks were more effective than the medical treatments.’
It seemed like a divine ailment, not a physical or constitutional one.
That’s probably why Heinrich’s holy power could only alleviate the symptoms, not cure it completely.
It would continue to worsen unless the underlying cause was addressed.
‘Should I… perform an exorcism? Or… is there even a suitable god in this world?’
There were various religions, like Buddhism and Taoism, but none of them seemed to fit the situation perfectly.
As he pondered the question, he returned to the Zhuge Clan’s quarters in the guest house.
“Ah! Young Master Ha, welcome back. You’ve worked hard today.”
Zhuge Junghyeok, the clan’s representative and the clan leader’s second son, greeted him with a bright smile.
Hugo, returning his smile, subtly observed his demeanor.
‘Why is he suddenly so friendly?’
They weren’t close, but they weren’t exactly enemies either. It was a purely professional relationship.
He wouldn't usually go out of his way to greet him like this.
And then he realized that Zhuge Junghyeok’s attention wasn’t on him.
‘It’s noisy over there.’
Another section of the guest quarters, where visitors from other factions were staying.
He hadn't noticed it before, but it seemed like another group had just arrived.
As if sensing his curiosity, Zhuge Junghyeok explained.
“The Southern Palace Clan has just arrived. Their Young Lord, Namgung Hwang, came personally. I’ve met him a few times when we were younger.”
Hugo nodded slowly.
He had heard that the Zhuge Clan in Hubei and the Southern Palace Clan in Anhui had occasional exchanges, as their territories were adjacent.
Though the distance between their strongholds was greater than the distance to the Shaolin Temple.
‘But he wouldn’t be this excited just because a childhood acquaintance arrived.’
He looked at Zhuge Junghyeok, who was constantly glancing towards the other section, his eyes narrowed.
He had been a calm and serious young man throughout their journey.
He hadn't even reacted much when they encountered the Sichuan alliance, composed of the Qingcheng Sect, Mount Emei Sect, and the Tang Clan.
And then he understood.
“Greetings, Young Hero Zhuge. It’s been a while. It’s good to see you again.”
“It’s good to see you too, Young Hero Namgung. How have you been?”
Zhuge Junghyeok exchanged greetings with Namgung Hwang, the Southern Palace Clan’s Young Lord, then turned his head, his face slightly flushed.
His gaze was fixed on a beautiful young woman, who was looking around curiously.
“Ahem, greetings, Young Miss. I’ve heard much about you, but this is our first time meeting. I am Zhuge Junghyeok, the second son of the Zhuge Clan Leader.”
“Oh! Hello. I’m Namgung So-ran. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Young Master.”
Zhuge Junghyeok’s lips twitched slightly as she smiled brightly, her voice cheerful and clear.
Hugo sighed inwardly, shaking his head.
‘So that’s why he was so excited.’
He had clearly been smitten by her.
Her beautiful black hair, styled in a traditional updo, her healthy and energetic aura, befitting a martial artist, her large, curious eyes, and her elegant features…
She was undeniably beautiful, attractive enough to capture the attention of a young man in his prime… but it was still an unprofessional display for a clan representative.
‘Well, this is a social gathering, so I can’t really blame him. But I didn’t expect the clan leader’s daughter to come personally. And the Young Lord as well…’
Even if the purpose of this meeting was to promote harmony and cooperation between factions, it was still a dangerous journey.
Perhaps they were confident in their ability to handle any situation…
“Oh, it’s been a while.”
…And then he saw an elderly man approaching, his physique impressive, and realized that his assumption was correct.
“Namgung Woo! What brings you here?”
“Hahaha, I was getting bored staying at the estate, so I decided to tag along. And I wanted to show the youngsters the world. How’s Gunak doing these days?”
“The Grand Elder is doing well. He’s taken up orchid cultivation as a hobby.”
The elderly man casually addressed the Zhuge Clan’s Grand Elder by name.
His gaze swept over the crowd, then settled on Hugo, his eyes gleaming.
‘Ah, this is it.’
Hugo bowed slightly, forcing an awkward smile, and averted his gaze.
The pressure emanating from the elderly man was far more intense than what he had felt from Elder Yunhyeon of the Wudang Sect.
Even though he hadn’t done anything.
“Hmm, and who’s that young man? Is he from the Zhuge Clan? I should introduce myself to the future leaders of the younger generation. Forgive this old man’s impertinence, but may I ask for an introduction?”
But it seemed like he wasn't going to let him off so easily.
Hugo forced a smile as he felt the gazes of the others turning towards him, following the elderly man’s line of sight.
“Ahahaha…”
Namgung Woo, the retired Grand Elder of the Southern Palace Clan.
One of the strongest warriors in Ganghwange, known as the Sword Saint, a Mysterious Realm expert, had taken a personal interest in him.
____________________
“Grandfather, why were you acting so strange earlier?”
As they were returning to their quarters after exchanging greetings with the other factions,
Namgung So-ran, walking next to Sword Saint Namgung Woo, asked in an innocent voice.
“Hmm? What do you mean?”
“When you were greeting the Zhuge Clan. Was there something special about that young man? You don’t usually act like that!”
“I was also surprised. It’s the first time I’ve seen Grandfather take such an interest in someone. And he was so young! Barely older than So-ran.”
“Hahaha…”
The Sword Saint stroked his beard thoughtfully, his granddaughter’s playful question and his grandson’s serious tone amusing him.
How should he explain it?
He decided to just tell them the truth.
“It might be helpful for you to know as well. That young man… he’s an otherworlder.”
“…Huh?”
“…What?”
As expected, his grandchildren’s faces turned blank with surprise, and he chuckled, pleased with their reaction.
He had already erected a sound barrier, so their conversation wouldn’t be overheard.
“An otherworlder… You mean… someone from another dimension? Like… those with special abilities?”
“…That’s… surprising. Now I understand why you were so interested. They say otherworlders can become incredibly powerful under the right conditions. He’s definitely a variable to consider.”
Of course, they had never met an otherworlder before.
They had only heard stories.
And most of those stories were about the most infamous otherworlder, the Heavenly Demon Emperor, who had vanished without a trace.
“Wow! They actually exist? I thought it was just a story!”
“So-ran, we’re not at the estate. Please behave…”
Namgung So-ran, ignoring her brother’s warning, bounced excitedly, her eyes sparkling.
‘An otherworlder! I wonder what kind of abilities he has! I want to see!’
It had been worth all the effort, all the whining and pleading and tantrums she had thrown to get her grandfather to bring her on this trip!
She had been slightly regretting it after witnessing the harsh realities of the outside world… but this unexpected development had rekindled her excitement.
The Sword Saint, smiling at his grandchildren’s reactions, stroked his beard and continued.
“He was… right on the border. If he had been weaker, or if he had been a master-level expert, concealing his presence, it would have been difficult to detect him. But at his current level, the discrepancy between his physical abilities, internal energy, aura, and overall power… it’s not easy to hide.”
Of course, only someone of his level could detect such subtle differences.
He puffed out his chest slightly, proud of his sharp senses.
He expected his grandchildren to be impressed.
But their reactions were different.
“…He looked younger than me. You’re saying he’s already at my level?”
Namgung Hwang, who had been listening intently, frowned.
He was the heir to the Southern Palace Clan, the next Clan Leader.
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