Chapter 69: It Was Summer
After learning martial arts, Jin Seong-un was able to see and sense much more.
For example, when judging a person, he did not just look at outward impressions but observed the color, flow, and atmosphere of their Qi.
Or he distinguished the truth of words through breathing and pulse.
From such a perspective, the Chief Steward of Myriad Gold Manor was an exceedingly peculiar figure.
‘It doesn’t seem like he has learned martial arts.’
Yet the flow of his energy was more solid than any martial artist Jin Seong-un had ever seen—more so than Wudang Sect’s Hyeon-un, Tang Clan’s Tang Tae-san, or Heavenly Poison Alliance’s Sa Ryeong-geuk.
Ordinarily, people who had not trained in martial arts had energy that wavered here and there like young leaves blown about by the wind.
Above all, from the depths of instinct, a sense of vigilance against him arose. The very reason Jin Seong-un had woken from sleep was because of that alien and unfamiliar sensation.
While Jin Seong-un was observing him with curiosity, the Chief Steward smiled faintly and spoke.
“Myriad Gold Manor has always known much.”
He did not deny Jin Seong-un’s unspoken question.
Myriad Gold Manor knew everything.
The affairs within Hwa-un Trading Company, the ambitions of the Heavenly Poison Alliance, the young monsters appearing in Deyang, the intervention of the Tang Clan—and even the consequences these would bring.
The eyes and ears of Myriad Gold Manor were spread across all under heaven.
“In ‘Murim,’ the ones most renowned for information are often said to be the Beggars’ Union and the Hao Sect, yes?”
Jin Seong-un nodded.
Even someone like him, who had little interest in murim history, knew this as common knowledge.
Smiling, the Chief Steward continued.
“But if one were to expand the scope to the ‘world,’ the story would be different.”
With that, he deliberately formed a mysterious smile and rose from his seat.
He acted as though all his business was finished, and as though it was only natural that Hwa Yeon-seol accepted his gift.
“Haha, you all must be tired. It would be shameless of me to sit for too long. I shall visit again soon—both the Hwa-un Trading Company and the Tang Clan. Ah, and the Seong-un Inn as well.”
Soon after, the Chief Steward exchanged brief farewells with everyone and left. It felt as though he had swiftly handled only his own matters and then departed.
Hwa Yeon-seol forced an awkward smile.
“Because it’s Myriad Gold Manor.”
It was a statement filled with meaning.
Yet Tang Tae-san and Seo Yu-gyeom both nodded as if they understood.
For that was precisely the nature of Myriad Gold Manor—an unquestioned, unrivaled trading house under heaven.
‘The atmosphere is quite different from the Merchant King.’
Though Jin Seong-un had seen only one Chief Steward, not the whole of Myriad Gold Manor.
Still, he thought its image was somewhat different from what he had expected.
At dawn, Tang Tae-san returned to the Tang Clan. Having gained new conviction about Jin Seong-un and Seo Yu-gyeom, he wished to return to the clan as soon as possible and report to the Clan Head.
Jin Seong-un, Seo Yu-gyeom, and Hwa Yeon-seol remained awake through the night.
Jin Seong-un had fully recovered from fatigue with just a short drunken nap, and Seo Yu-gyeom naturally needed little sleep.
But for Hwa Yeon-seol, it was a night in which she could not possibly sleep. She still felt dazed, as if dreaming.
Several empty bottles of wine lay between the three of them.
It was understandable for martial artists like Jin Seong-un and Seo Yu-gyeom to hold their liquor, but Hwa Yeon-seol also showed no signs of drunkenness, suggesting she had quite a tolerance herself.
The atmosphere was somewhat awkward.
Though misunderstandings had been cleared and favors exchanged, they had kept their distance for too long.
Still, because there was no trace of hostility, that alone was enough for Seo Yu-gyeom and Hwa Yeon-seol.
Rather, there was something else the two found more concerning.
“……”
That something was Jin Seong-un.
Both of them kept glancing at him.
Since earlier, he had been pursing his lips as if about to speak, only to sigh heavily instead.
He had been doing so for over a quarter of an hour, and the two were beginning to feel stifled.
“Phew……”
Just as Jin Seong-un sighed again, Seo Yu-gyeom finally lost his patience and burst out.
“Hey! If you’ve got something to say, then say it!”
Beside him, Hwa Yeon-seol nodded vigorously in agreement.
Jin Seong-un looked startled.
“…How did you know?”
The two stared at him in disbelief.
Even if the most oblivious person under heaven were sitting there, they would have realized Jin Seong-un wanted to say something.
“Perhaps… do you have something to say to me?”
Hwa Yeon-seol’s tone was cautious.
To her, Jin Seong-un was not merely Seo Yu-gyeom’s friend.
He was the benefactor who had saved the Hwa-un Trading Company, and even a Great Elder of the Tang Clan sought his favor.
Jin Seong-un looked at Hwa Yeon-seol with a grave expression.
“In truth, I do.”
“Please, speak freely.”
“There’s a favor I wish to ask…”
Because Jin Seong-un’s manner was so serious, Hwa Yeon-seol could not help but grow tense as well.
If a man like him hesitated this much, what kind of request could it be—something too heavy to bear?
After a brief silence, Jin Seong-un seemed to make up his mind and opened his mouth.
“Yangha Daegu.”
“…Pardon?”
“It would be wonderful if it could also be sold at the Seong-un Inn. I’d like the people of Yichang to enjoy such fine wine as well…”
Jin Seong-un scratched his head awkwardly.
Hwa Yeon-seol, on the other hand, burst into laughter. Seo Yu-gyeom, who had been tense with her, did the same.
“That was what you were hesitating to say?”
“Yes.”
Hwa Yeon-seol looked at him with wonder.
In truth, not just Yangha Daegu but even a monopoly over every wine distributed by the Hwa-un Trading Company would have been understandable.
After all, without him, they could never have reclaimed the company.
“I’ll do it.”
“Oh.”
Jin Seong-un showed a rare, bright expression.
He already felt delighted, imagining the faces of No Sang-won and Hyeon-un, who could not resist fine wine.
Smiling back, Hwa Yeon-seol continued.
“From now on, aside from here in Deyang, Yangha Daegu will be available only at the Seong-un Inn.”
Jin Seong-un’s eyes widened.
He hadn’t hoped for so much.
It felt like excessive generosity, and he tried to refuse—but the words caught in his throat.
Anyway, Jin Seong-un was also a merchant who ran an inn.
If the Seong-un Inn became one of the few inns where Yangha Daegu could be drunk, its name would surely rise in prestige.
“Mm…”
Perhaps all of Jin Seong-un’s thoughts had shown plainly on his face, for Seo Yu-gyeom and Hwa Yeon-seol both let out a laugh at the same time.
Their laughter was strikingly similar. It reminded them that the two had grown up under the same roof as children.
Seo Yu-gyeom and Hwa Yeon-seol glanced at each other, coughing awkwardly.
Then, Hwa Yeon-seol suddenly rose from her seat and retrieved something from the safe in one corner of the office.
It was a small wooden case.
Though unopened, both Jin Seong-un and Seo Yu-gyeom’s expressions immediately changed.
The energy seeping from within was anything but ordinary.
“What is it?”
Seo Yu-gyeom asked.
Without a word, Hwa Yeon-seol opened the wooden case.
Inside lay a pill that shone with a radiant blue glow. She gently slid the case toward Seo Yu-gyeom.
“For me to take?”
“I’ve heard that medicines with strong yin energy are good for assassins. If I’m mistaken…”
Before she even finished speaking, Seo Yu-gyeom had already picked up the pill and was examining it closely, turning it this way and that.
Hwa Yeon-seol’s words were correct. A medicine imbued with yin energy suited the martial arts of an assassin. Moreover, at a time when his bloodlust surged more fiercely than ever, it would surely prove effective.
Seo Yu-gyeom’s expression grew stranger by the moment.
“This isn’t an ordinary medicine.”
Jin Seong-un gave a faint nod. Though he had never seen such a medicine before, he could tell from its energy alone that it was priceless.
If such elixirs were common in the jianghu, then nearly every martial artist would have become a great master.
“Thousand-Year Ice Crystal.”
Hwa Yeon-seol spoke briefly.
Seo Yu-gyeom reacted as though the thing in his hand had turned into a burning coal, hastily setting it down.
Lowering his voice, he muttered,
“A-are you insane?”
It was rare to see Seo Yu-gyeom this shaken.
The Thousand-Year Ice Crystal was a treasure of the Northern Sea Ice Palace. To possess such a thing would require more lives than one had.
“Where did you get this?”
“……”
Hwa Yeon-seol could not answer.
Soon, Seo Yu-gyeom nodded knowingly. Though he hadn’t intended to say it before her, he felt that killing that bastard Hwa Yun-tak had been the right decision.
Seo Yu-gyeom glared at the ice crystal as though he could kill it with his eyes, then said,
“Did you think I’d gladly accept this? From you, who put in ten separate assassination requests to Deathshroud just to kill me?”
“W-well, it can’t be sold, and I can’t take it myself. Besides, you’ve helped me this time, so I just thought…”
Though she tried to hide it, her expression grew bleak.
Seo Yu-gyeom continued, his tone still firm, though his words were completely different.
“If you thought I was that kind of man, then that’s some impressive insight.”
“?”
Just as Hwa Yeon-seol’s face twisted in disbelief—
Seo Yu-gyeom, without the slightest hesitation, swallowed the Thousand-Year Ice Crystal whole.
Ordinarily, when taking an elixir, one did so in the safest place possible, with the most trustworthy guardians at their side.
For Seo Yu-gyeom, that place was here. Because Jin Seong-un was beside him.
At once, a chilling cold surged from Seo Yu-gyeom’s body as he sat cross-legged.
.
.
.
Jin Seong-un shielded Hwa Yeon-seol from the frost while quietly observing.
His qi-sense was already spread at all times, but now he pushed it even wider, sharpening his perception.
How much time passed?
Suddenly, the cold pouring from Seo Yu-gyeom’s body grew chaotic.
He let out a faint groan. Even a Five-Star like the Heaven-Slaying Star would struggle to fully absorb the energy of the Thousand-Year Ice Crystal.
Watching closely, Jin Seong-un placed his hand lightly on Seo Yu-gyeom’s back. With a gentle flow of energy, Seo Yu-gyeom’s expression instantly eased.
Meanwhile, Hwa Yeon-seol fidgeted nervously, glancing around. If even Jin Seong-un was occupied like this, would she need to stand guard herself?
But despite her worries, Jin Seong-un continued spreading his qi-sense throughout.
After about half an incense stick of time—
The cold that had filled the room slowly drew back into Seo Yu-gyeom’s body.
His eyes suddenly snapped open. For an instant, a pale blue energy flickered in his gaze before vanishing.
Hwa Yeon-seol, her face tense, stared at him. It was her first time witnessing a martial artist consume an elixir.
“How is it?”
Jin Seong-un asked.
Without a word, Seo Yu-gyeom stood and abruptly picked up a wine cup.
As he stared at it, Jin Seong-un and Hwa Yeon-seol watched in anticipation.
In that moment, a chill swept the room. At the same time, the wine within the cup froze solid white.
Crack-crack-crack!
Ecstasy shone in Seo Yu-gyeom’s eyes.
The assassin arts he had practiced now bore extreme cold, transforming into the form of Ice Arts.
Masters of Ice Arts were exceedingly rare—so rare that most martial artists would never encounter one in their entire lives.
Thus, one who wielded Ice Arts always held advantage against opponents of the same level.
“For me to wield Ice Arts means…”
With a grave expression, Seo Yu-gyeom looked at Jin Seong-un and continued.
“The Seong-un Inn is now the only inn under heaven that can serve both Yangha Daegu and bing’gua (frozen dessert).”
“…You’re insane.”
Bing’gua was a treat made by finely crushing ice and topping it with honey or fruit.
Since ice was as precious as gold, only royals or high officials could usually enjoy it.
Jin Seong-un and Seo Yu-gyeom both nodded in awe, as though they had just received all the miraculous fortunes of the world.
It was summer.