Yu Hwayeon was greatly startled by Jeok Rihyeon’s completely changed appearance.
“Ha ha. You seem quite surprised.”
“Is that really you?”
“It is.”
“H-how?”
“I attained enlightenment and underwent Bone-and-Body Rebirth. I suppose that is why my body has grown a little younger as well.”
Yu Hwayeon beamed as she looked at her rejuvenated husband.
“My dear husband. I love seeing you returned to how you looked when you were young!”
“Ha ha. Do you?”
“Yes!”
Jeok Rihyeon had not yet taken a proper look at how much younger he had become.
Fortunately, there was a large bronze mirror in the room.
But as he stood before it, he saw Yu Hwayeon smiling brightly beside him.
Unlike him, the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes and mouth made his heart ache.
When Jeok Rihyeon stared at her, Yu Hwayeon tilted her head.
“What is it? Is there something on my face?”
“No, no. I had something to say to Wigang, but I forgot.”
“Is that so? Then go before you forget again.”
“All right.”
*****
Jeok Wigang tilted his head as Jeok Rihyeon came rushing in, out of breath.
“Father. Is something wrong?”
Jeok Rihyeon tightly clasped Jeok Wigang’s hands and pleaded with him.
“Wigang, could you do it for your mother too?”
“What?”
“Because of you, I have become young like this... but your mother has not changed. Could you do the same for her?”
Jeok Wigang reproached himself.
“Ah! I did not think it through...”
What must she have felt when she saw her husband become young again?
He had not considered it.
“I will go speak with Mother myself.”
“Will you?”
“Yes.”
“Then I am counting on you. I do not want to be the only one who is happy. I want to share every happiness with your mother.”
Jeok Wigang gave a small laugh and nodded.
His father truly did love his mother more than anyone in the world.
“Do not worry. I will make her the most beautiful woman in the world.”
“You brat! What are you saying? She is already the most beautiful woman in the world!”
“Ah! Of course. I misspoke again.”
“Remember it! There is no one more beautiful in this world than your mother!”
“Of course not!”
*****
Yu Hwayeon greeted Jeok Wigang with a radiant smile.
“Son! Did you come because you missed your mother?”
“Yes, Mother.”
Yu Hwayeon tightly clasped both of Jeok Wigang’s hands and thanked him.
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For your father. I heard you were the one who performed Bone-and-Body Rebirth on him.”
“Yes.”
“I am so happy to think that your father will finally be able to hold his head high as a martial artist. And he has even grown younger.”
“Mother, are you not disappointed?”
“Hmm? About what?”
“Father becoming young while you remain the same.”
“Why would I be disappointed? I should be happy. Your father’s realm has risen, and now I get to live with a younger husband. What could be better?”
“I will make you young too, Mother.”
“Hm? Me too?”
“Of course. Though... hmm.”
Jeok Wigang hesitated.
If her energy grew stronger, her clothes would burn away.
Ah.
He could reinforce them so they would not burn.
Having found the solution, he immediately put it into action.
“You do not need to overexert yourself. This mother of yours is already perfectly content.”
“No. Please sit comfortably over there.”
“You are doing it right now?”
“Yes. From now on, Mother, you will fall into a deep sleep. When you wake after resting well, everything will be finished.”
Yu Hwayeon considered it for a moment, then smiled and nodded.
“If my son says so, then it must be so.”
She lay down comfortably and closed her eyes.
As Jeok Wigang murmured a mantra, she immediately fell into a deep sleep.
*****
“Mother.”
Yu Hwayeon opened her eyes at the sound of Jeok ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) Wigang calling her.
“Yes?”
“Wake up. It is finished.”
“Finished? Ah!”
Yu Hwayeon sprang upright and quickly inspected her body.
The fine wrinkles covering the backs of her hands had vanished, replaced by skin as smooth and pale as jade.
Jeok Wigang brought her a bronze mirror and held it out to her.
The moment she saw her reflection, Yu Hwayeon gasped.
She looked at least twenty years younger.
Her skin was flawless, without a single blemish.
“Is... is this really me?”
“Yes. It is you, Mother.”
“My goodness...”
Yu Hwayeon continued admiring herself as she touched her face.
Though she tried not to show it, she was still a woman.
There was no way she could dislike seeing herself young and beautiful again.
“Do you like it?”
“I do! Of course I do!”
Yu Hwayeon looked at Jeok Wigang with loving eyes, then suddenly pulled him into an embrace.
“My son is the best!”
His mother’s warm embrace felt good.
“Is there anything you want to eat? Just say the word. Mom will make it all for you.”
“Everything you make is delicious, Mom.”
“Really? Then I will make only your favorite dishes. Look forward to dinner tonight.”
Humming cheerfully, Yu Hwayeon ran out of the room.
Jeok Wigang smiled contentedly.
This was happiness.
The happiness of waiting for the meal his mother would make him.
Home truly was the best.
That was why he had to protect this happiness.
*****
“Family Head, this trading run has failed as well.”
Bad news reached Jeok Rihyeon just as he was feeling extraordinarily happy after his Bone-and-Body Rebirth.
“Failed? Again?”
“This is already the third time.”
“Could you not identify who was behind it this time either?”
“No.”
“Hmm...”
The True Martial Sect’s primary source of income came from the True Martial Merchant Company.
Yet lately, one problem after another had arisen within the merchant company.
It felt as though someone was deliberately disrupting its trading runs, but they had not even managed to identify the culprit.
“There is a more serious problem.”
“What is it?”
“We are short on escort guards available for trading runs.”
“Because of these incidents?”
“Yes. Too many have been injured.”
“Hmm.”
“At least no one has died. We will suffer losses for the time being, but it seems we will have to limit our escort runs to safe regions.”
“There is no helping it. If we enter austerity, how long can we endure?”
“We can last six months, but after that, I cannot say. We must solve the problem before then.”
“Honestly... They say money is the most frightening thing in the world. Very well. I will find a way.”
“I apologize for bringing you such news, Gate Master.”
“No. Where else could I find someone who works as hard as you? The Merchant Master position is vacant, yet you have suffered greatly.”
“Not at all. I will also do my utmost to find a solution.”
“Thank you.”
“Then I will take my leave.”
“Very well.”
Jeok Rihyeon sank into deep thought as he watched the deputy Merchant Master of the True Martial Merchant Company depart.
There was the option of using the True Martial Sect’s martial artists.
But that truly had to be the final fallback.
Telling the elites to become escort guards would wound their pride.
To them, becoming escort guards would mean being relegated to an insignificant position.
Most would obey despite their dissatisfaction, but their loyalty would diminish considerably.
There was nothing more dangerous than keeping subordinates whose loyalty had waned.
He had returned home after hearing so much good news that he thought only good things would happen from now on.
But fortune and misfortune truly did come together.
Clap, clap.
Jeok Rihyeon slapped his cheeks a few times and pulled himself together.
“Get a hold of yourself.”
He looked into the bronze mirror and forced a bright expression onto his face.
He did not want his family to see any trace of worry.
Just as he was about to rise, the door opened and Jeok Wigang entered.
“What brings you here at this hour?”
“I am sorry.”
“For what?”
“I heard everything Father said.”
“What? You were outside the door?”
“No. I was in my room.”
“Your room is quite far from here.”
“My hearing is a little sharp.”
“A little?”
There was no way someone could hear that far away with merely sharp hearing.
But since it was Jeok Wigang, Jeok Rihyeon thought it might be possible.
In the past, he would never have believed it.
But if Jeok Wigang could perform Bone-and-Body Rebirth, how difficult could hearing something from afar be?
“You are right. I was not going to tell you because I did not want you to worry.”
“From now on, whenever something like this happens, you must tell me. Understood?”
“Do you have a solution?”
“I do. Though I do not know whether those people have already settled in this area.”
“Hmm? Those people?”
“I should go take a look. Father, do not worry. Prepare to send escort runs through dangerous areas again.”
Jeok Rihyeon had no idea what he was talking about.
“All right. I understand.”
Still, since it was Jeok Wigang, Jeok Rihyeon trusted him.
*****
Another sect had appeared in Yullyang County, Hunan, where the True Martial Sect was located.
The other sects of Yullyang County, already overshadowed by the True Martial Sect, did not welcome the new arrival.
The new faction was called the Escort Sect.
The three-sect alliance gathered in one place.
Azure River Sect, Fire Sword Sect, and Iron Mountain Sect.
“What sort of name is that? The Escort Sect?”
“They certainly look like they would be good at escort work.”
“We cannot hand over our territory to people who came up with a sect name that carelessly. We must drive them out at once.”
“As the True Martial Sect’s influence keeps growing, our own footing grows narrower by the day. If yet another sect appears here, even the little we have left to divide among ourselves will shrink.”
“There is no need to delay. Strike while the iron is hot. Let us choose our elites and drive them out immediately!”
“Agreed! We must protect our territory ourselves!”
The three-sect alliance immediately gathered their elites and decided to attack the Escort Sect.
When they arrived, they were taken aback by how large the Escort Sect was.
“What? I expected a small sect with a name thrown together like that.”
“It is larger than I expected.”
“It is only dressed up to look impressive. It must be empty inside.”
A man emerged from the Escort Sect after seeing the martial artists arrive in a crowd.
“Where have you come from?”
“We are from the Yullyang County Sect Alliance.”
“Then you must be the heroes of the Yullyang County Sect Alliance. Have you come to welcome us?”
“Welcome?”
They were dumbfounded.
Could he not read the situation?
“Does it look to you as though we have come to welcome you?”
“It does. You also brought so many gifts.”
“Gifts? What gifts?”
The Gate Master of Azure River Sect looked at the Gate Master of Fire Sword Sect.
“Did you bring anything?”
“Why would I bring anything? I brought nothing.”
“Then what in the world is he talking about?”
“They seem to have lost their minds.”
“Well, that explains why they are called the Escort Sect. Did they gather nothing but escort guards and call themselves the Escort Sect? Ha ha ha!”
At the Gate Master of Azure River Sect’s words, the others laughed.
The martial artist who had come out to greet them gave a fist salute and chimed in.
“Ha ha ha! You have us exactly right. That is correct. Our sect is composed entirely of escort guards. Do you happen to need protection? We also provide caravan escorts. If there is anything you need, we will gladly consult with you.”
“Really?”
He had only said it to insult them.
But it was true?
If it was true, then there was no reason for the other side to be offended.
“Really? This is a place made entirely of escort guards?”
“That is correct. We accept commissions from those who need protection.”
“Even so, this is against the rules of the trade. There are already five sects in Yullyang County. How can you establish another sect in a place like this?”
“I apologize. But our Gate Master insisted that we establish ourselves here. If we have offended you, please accept my apologies.”
“Enough. I want to meet your Gate Master.”
“I apologize, but the Gate Master has entrusted me with full authority. You may speak with me.”
“What? You expect us to deal with someone who is not even the Gate Master?”
“What exactly do you want?”
“For you to leave this place. I will give you until tomorrow. If you have not left by then, you will learn what pain tastes like.”
“I am sorry, but I cannot agree to that. Then how about this?”
“What?”
“Join our sect. You look like you would make excellent escort guards.”