Chapter 3-4

Only after answering the woman’s question did Bai Shixuan realize that he had not even introduced himself. He expressed his gratitude and gave his name, but the door suddenly opened. Startled, Bai Shixuan looked toward it and saw the man staring at him with astonished eyes. Confused, he turned toward the woman, only to find that she too was looking at him in surprise.

“Is something wrong?”

“What did you say your name was? Did you say Bai Shixuan?”

“Yes.”

“Write it!”

The man waved his hand as he spoke, and a brush and sheet of paper from one side of the room flew toward Bai Shixuan. Bai Shixuan reflexively caught them and stared blankly at the man.

“Hurry!”

“Ah, yes!”

When the cold-looking man urgently shouted, Bai Shixuan flinched and picked up the brush. He at least knew how to write his own name. Over the years, Xuelan had taught him how to write both his name and hers.

-帛弑泫 (Bai Shixuan)

Xuelan had once said that his name looked extremely ominous. That was especially true because it contained the character shi, meaning “to kill.” But when the man took the sheet of paper from Bai Shixuan, his hands began to tremble.

“Dear.”

“Is this fate as well? Is this a connection that Hyung sent to me?”

The man sighed as he spoke. A moment later, the sheet of paper in his hand burst into flames and vanished without leaving even ashes behind, while Bai Shixuan continued staring at the sight.

“How long do you think it will take for him to recover?”

“If I use medicinal herbs, two days.”

“I’ll leave it to you.”

At the man’s words, the woman nodded, while Shixuan looked back and forth between the two of them, completely unable to understand what was happening.

“As soon as your body recovers, I will teach you martial arts.”

“Really? Thank you!”

At the man’s words, Bai Shixuan hurriedly tried to get up and bow to him. But some unknown force prevented his body from bending. Bai Shixuan looked at the man in surprise, and the man shook his head.

“There is no need for such formalities. Focus on recovering.”

“Thank you! Um, may I ask your honored name…….”

Bai Shixuan bowed his head again toward the man as he was about to leave the room, only then realizing that he still did not know his name. At the question, the man stopped walking and turned toward the woman. She smiled and nodded.

“I am Jin Yuha. And the beautiful woman beside you is my wife, Dan Yeryeong. She is my woman, so don’t even dream about it.”

After saying that to Bai Shixuan, Jin Yuha closed the door and left.

“Pfft.”

At Jin Yuha’s words, Bai Shixuan stared blankly at the door through which he had left, while Dan Yeryeong finally burst into laughter.

“Um…….”

“Are you wondering why he suddenly decided to teach you martial arts?”

“Yes.”

In truth, he was curious. The man had suddenly entered, told him to write his name, and then said he would teach him martial arts. When Bai Shixuan nodded, Dan Yeryeong smiled gently, helped him lie back down on the bed, and began to speak.

“It’s just an old story, so listen comfortably. Long ago, when his martial arts had stopped progressing, there was someone who helped him. That person ascended long ago, but thanks to the martial arts he received from him, my husband was able to bring his own martial arts to great completion. Even so, back when my husband was still active in the Murim, he was never able to defeat that person even once. And my husband was quite confident in his martial arts, you know. Later, that man stood in our way. In the end, we were defeated by him. After everything was over, they became sworn brothers and spent their days comparing martial arts with one another. The reason is that man’s name was the same as yours.”

Ascended? Had he achieved feathered ascension? Become an immortal? But Bai Shixuan assumed she was simply using “ascended” as a euphemism for dying and did not think much of it.

“So that’s why he’s going to teach me martial arts?”

“Yes. Since there is a martial art that came from Bai Shixuan, it will now return to Bai Shixuan. He believes this is a connection his Hyung sent him.”

As Dan Yeryeong spoke with a smile, Bai Shixuan could only nod. Dan Yeryeong gently closed Bai Shixuan’s eyes with her soft hand, then rose from her seat.

“Madam, thank you very much.”

“Oh my? Madam, you say……. That sounds so stiff. Just call me Mother.”

“But I couldn’t possibly…….”

Bai Shixuan looked at her in shock when Dan Yeryeong told him to call her Mother. She merely smiled gently and nodded.

“Go ahead. It’s all right. Now get some rest. I’ll bring you something to eat a little later.”

“Ah. Yes. Thank you, Mo… ther.”

“Hoho.”

The word Mother felt unfamiliar. In all sixteen years of Bai Shixuan’s life, he had never once spoken that word to anyone, so it felt incredibly strange on his tongue. For some reason, embarrassment made his face grow hot. Watching him, Dan Yeryeong murmured, “What an adorable child,” and left the room. Bai Shixuan watched her retreating back before closing his eyes.

“Are you sure about this?”

“Yes. Our children died a long time ago as well. For some reason, looking at that child reminds me of them.”

“Whew. Even so, I will not have him calling me Father.”

Jin Yuha spoke after Dan Yeryeong came outside. Looking at him, Dan Yeryeong smiled gently and placed a hand on his arm.

“Are you going to teach that child?”

“I am.”

“That martial art, and your own as well?”

Jin Yuha nodded at Dan Yeryeong’s question. His martial art. If word of it spread, things would probably become quite troublesome. So much time had passed that few people would still remember it, but records of it surely remained.

“That child’s life will become difficult from now on.”

“But if he has Hyung’s martial art and mine, it should be possible. Neither Hyung nor I ever cultivated both martial arts together. If a single person were to learn both of them, something truly extraordinary might happen. Perhaps the Murim itself could be drowned in a sea of blood.”

When Jin Yuha spoke with a worried expression, Dan Yeryeong took his hand. Jin Yuha felt the warmth and softness of both of Dan Yeryeong’s hands around his.

“It will be fine. He didn’t seem like a bad-hearted child.”

“I sincerely hope your intuition is right. I am worried. This martial art—the Heavenly Demon Divine Art—appears to be a demonic art without any side effects, but it is a demonic art that makes one kill without even realizing it. Worse, it leaves one feeling no guilt whatsoever. I worry whether that child will truly be able to keep his word.”

“It will be fine. You managed it, and so did I.”

Dan Yeryeong spoke with a gentle smile, and Jin Yuha finally gave a faint chuckle before wrapping his left arm around her slender waist. When Jin Yuha embraced her, Dan Yeryeong kissed him on the cheek.

“Shixuan must be hungry, so I’m going to prepare some food for him.”

“Ahem. What a shame.”

Dan Yeryeong smiled at Jin Yuha, who looked genuinely disappointed, then headed toward the kitchen.