"Hmm, well said. You have this lady as a mother, Cheon Hwi. If things get difficult, you may lean on me."
At Seomun Hwa-rin's words, everyone except her flinched for a moment.
To what extent? Even Tang Jincheon and the Murim Alliance Leader, who had clearly heard all sorts of stories but deliberately refrained from butting in and merely chuckled, stopped in their tracks and turned around to look.
Tang Jincheon's expression in particular was a sight to behold. Eyes wide open, mouth agape. And a breath he had momentarily forgotten.
The Tang Clan had a rule that the family must eat together at least once a day, no matter what. I had always been included in those meals, so I had seen him quite often over the years…
But I had never seen Tang Jincheon look this shocked, except for the time when Tang So-wol claimed her stomach felt bloated and looked at me while rubbing her belly.
For the record, that was because we had eaten too much late-night food while strolling through the Chengdu night market together.
I had nothing to show for myself but my hands, so I felt unfairly treated the entire time I was explaining myself.
Anyway, Tang Jincheon, who had received a shock almost as great as that one, looked back and forth between me and Seomun Hwa-rin before asking in a trembling voice.
"Wh-what do you mean by that? Surely you're not saying my son-in-law is some hidden son?"
"That is not the case. This woman has lived consumed by revenge, and afterwards, buried in regret. I had no leisure to meet men."
"Then what is all this nonsense about a mother and such…?"
"Regardless, it is true that Cheon Hwi has learned the martial arts of the Seomun Clan. It seems he learned them from a legitimate person through legitimate means, so I have no intention of making an issue of it, but I cannot simply pretend not to know either."
"…"
Perhaps because he knew of Seomun Hwa-rin's circumstances, Tang Jincheon chose his words carefully before speaking.
"Do you intend to rebuild the Seomun Clan? By taking your son-in-law as an adopted son?"
"If Cheon Hwi is willing to follow my wishes."
"That sounds like you're prioritizing your son-in-law's wishes."
"That is correct. This is, after all, merely my own stubbornness. I have already been rejected by Cheon Hwi several times…"
Seomun Hwa-rin's shoulders drooped. She glanced once in my direction before continuing.
"And yet, I cannot easily give up. How could I pretend not to see the last traces of the Seomun Clan in this world, traces that would vanish entirely if not for me?"
"…I understand. However, I hope you also understand that this is an extremely sensitive matter for the Tang Clan."
"Of course I know. My son-in-law would suddenly have a family bearing the name of the Seomun Clan. If that were all, it might be fine, but the fact that I, known by the infamous name of Baekbal Nachal, would be his adoptive mother would not reflect well on his reputation."
After saying that much, Seomun Hwa-rin looked this way and spoke in a cautious voice.
"So I intend to prioritize Cheon Hwi's opinion above all else. That doesn't mean I'm giving up, though."
"Ah."
The moment I saw that look in her eyes, I understood. I knew why Seomun Hwa-rin had brought this up so deliberately.
Most of what we had discussed so far had been about Seomun Hwa-rin's own future.
She hadn't joined the Black Alliance like in her previous life, but that didn't mean she was welcomed by the Orthodox Sects either.
For now, helping out with the Murim Alliance's affairs had smoothed things over at the Dragon Phoenix Gathering, but… actually joining the Murim Alliance and operating under its banner would be difficult in many ways.
There was the matter of how others would look at her, the constant suspicion she'd have to endure, and on top of that, she wouldn't know a single person there.
That was why I was inwardly hoping for it too, and I had already proposed an option that could be a good choice for Seomun Hwa-rin as well.
That option was entrusting myself to the Tang Clan.
Everything I had said up until now was all preparation for this.
I nodded once at Seomun Hwa-rin's earnest gaze, which seemed to say she would leave it to me, and then opened my mouth.
"Father-in-law. I have a decent idea in mind—would you care to hear it?"
"What is it?"
"Honestly, becoming Seomun Hwa-rin's adopted son is hard to imagine. But setting that aside, it's true that the Seomun Clan's martial arts form one pillar of my own martial foundation. So, with that in mind…"
I paused for a moment to build suspense, then continued in a subtle tone.
"How about taking Seomun Hwa-rin in as a retainer of the Tang Clan for the time being?"
"As a retainer?"
"Yes. I get to learn martial arts from Seomun Hwa-rin, Seomun Hwa-rin gets a chance to persuade me, and the Tang Clan gains a retainer who can lend strength when needed. Isn't it a good deal for everyone?"
"A good deal for everyone, you say…"
Tang Jincheon stroked his chin, lost in thought for a moment. Then he let out a small chuckle and nodded.
"Son-in-law. Be honest with me. Did the two of you plan this out beforehand?"
"I hadn't intended to bring it up this way, but I did plan to ask you separately."
"Hmph. What a sly one. Fine. There might be some talk about it for now, but compared to having a Harmony Realm martial artist as an ally, it's a trivial matter. However, from now on, there's no need to beat around the bush—just say it directly."
"Thank you. And I'll keep that in mind."
"Good. Let's do well together."
Tang Jincheon laughed heartily as he patted my shoulder. Then, as if it had just occurred to him, he asked in a calm voice.
"Ah, so the talk of taking you in as an adopted son was just a formality, then. There's no need for that. The elders might hesitate at first, but I can persuade them soon enough."
"Uh, well. About that…"
Tang Jincheon looked at me with a curious gaze as I trailed off. Beside him, Seomun Hwa-rin cleared her throat with her hands on her hips.
"Ahem. This lady is quite sincere."
"…Son-in-law?"
"Yes, well. That's how it turned out."
As I subtly averted my gaze, Seomun Hwa-rin let out a deep sigh.
"In the first place, you, Cheon Hwi, need to take more responsibility for your own words. You told this lady, ha, that we should be happy together, and now you cast me aside so coldly—what am I supposed to make of that?"
"Son-in-law?! What in the world have you been saying?!"
Shock. And then, anger rising in stages. I flinched at Tang Jincheon's sharp aura and shook my head.
"It's a misunderstanding. I did say something like that, but I meant it literally—there was no other strange intention…"
In the middle of my hurried explanation, Tang So-wol approached and pressed her index finger to my lips.
"Shh. It's all right, young hero Cheon. …Anyway, I've already agreed to discuss the details with Sister Hwa-rin separately."
"…"
From the moment she said she had something to discuss separately, she must have already had a plan in mind.
No, wait. If I had come all this way only to see her getting her feet stomped on by another woman while asking for more, I'd have made an excuse to leave too.
I didn't know what she wanted to talk about with Seomun Hwa-rin, but clearly I'd be next in line.
But even knowing that, what could I possibly do about it?
Gulp.
I swallowed dryly and nodded.
"Th-Thank you."
"Heh heh. Think nothing of it. Aren't you my one and only betrothed?"
"…"
Why, I wonder. A cold sweat began to trickle down my back.
***
Muhan City, which I reached by carriage from a nearby town.
As expected, when Seomun Hwa-rin returned, there was considerable backlash… but.
Once they heard that she wished to leave the life of the Unorthodox Sects behind, and that as an apology for this incident she would definitely assist the Murim Alliance at least once, the opposition subsided.
Of course, among those who had gathered to see the Dragon Phoenix Gathering, all sorts of rumors were circulating…
The fact that the opponent was none other than Seomun Hwa-rin, known as Baekbal Nachal, and the news that she was in Muhan City, made people watch their tongues on their own.
Above all, the news that the Dragon Phoenix Gathering would be held once again drew their attention elsewhere.
And I…
"Young hero Cheon. Is your body feeling any better now?"
"Hmm. It's still a bit difficult, but I can manage a light Qi Circulation Cultivation."
I was still ailing from my internal injury.
In the meantime, Geum Don-ui's medicine had run out, so I was taking the Tang Clan's medicine that Tang Jincheon had given me.
It seemed that Geum Don-ui was the better pharmacist, though—the Tang Clan's medicine worked well, but it was a bit less effective compared to his.
Well, the Tang Clan's medical arts were, after all, merely a byproduct of their poison research. Even if it was a bit mercenary, it was only natural that they might fall short of Geum Don-ui, who had devoted himself solely to medicine.
The fact that I hadn't been able to receive meridian cleansing from Seomun Hwa-rin because I was wary of what others might think probably played a part too.
It didn't matter much, though—my recovery was just a bit slower, but I was steadily improving.
"I've heard that when one's internal injuries are severe, it's best to refrain even from Qi Circulation Cultivation. There's no need to push yourself needlessly."
"That saying only applies to those who are in such a mess that they can't even manage Qi Circulation Cultivation. This much is fine."
"Still, I can't help but worry. I've already requested that the Tang Clan send over a few Spiritual Medicines good for internal injuries, so you'll be better in no time. Until then, please stay quiet and rest."
"It's not like I enjoy getting caught up in trouble. Even if that weren't the case, I plan on staying especially quiet today."
"Oh? And why is that?"
"You ask when you already know. Isn't Tang So-wol's sparring match with Seol Ri-hyang today? I'll be cheering alongside your father-in-law."
Right. At the resumed Dragon Phoenix Gathering, I had withdrawn due to injury, and Seomun Hwa-rin had been disqualified. The competition had continued on, and finally, it was Tang So-wol and Seol Ri-hyang's turn.
Of course, even if it was the main bracket, it was still early on… but still, these were those who had passed the preliminaries. A fair number of formidable rising talents were bound to be gathered.
"Tang So-wol, who is your opponent?"
"She's a Pyo-du of the Cheonpung Merchant Group, with an alias called Seomjeondo… I don't know who she is exactly."
"I've never heard of either name."
Perhaps they were using the Dragon Phoenix Gathering as an opportunity to spread the merchant group's name far and wide.
If a Pyo-du proved her skill, then more people would entrust her with work.
As I nodded, Tang So-wol shrugged her shoulders and spoke.
"No matter who my opponent is, I plan to give it my all, so it doesn't matter to me."
"A good attitude. …So the real problem is Seol Ri-hyang."
"Yes, Hyang-i is… well, she's a bit unlucky with the draw."
Seol Ri-hyang's opponent was Wi Ji-suryeon, a rising talent of the Mount Hua Sect. She was a friend of Tang So-wol's who was said to be at Mount Hua when they had planned to meet during their earlier excursion through Shaanxi Province.
What they had actually encountered, however, was Gwiyeong Sin-tu on the brink of death.
"Ji-suryeon is a promising rising talent even within the Mount Hua Sect, and she's been training in martial arts since childhood, so she'll be a tough opponent for Hyang-i as she is now."
"That may be so. But it will still be a good experience for her. After all, it's a chance to properly witness the martial arts of the Mount Hua Sect, which you won't find anywhere else."
"That's true, but what bothers me is that I was half-jokingly hyping her up, telling her she'd win the whole thing in my place."
"…Well, that's on you, Tang So-wol. Sending a girl with hardly any sparring experience into a big tournament like this, and then piling all that pressure on her."
"But Hyang-i's reaction was just too cute, I couldn't help myself."
Their bickering along those lines lasted only a moment before the door suddenly swung open and Seol Ri-hyang poked her head in.
"Sister Tang. Cheon Hwi. What are you two talking about so intently? It's about to start, so we should get going!"
Seol Ri-hyang's face was taut with determination, her will burning bright. At the sight of it, I exchanged a glance with Tang So-wol, and we both let out a small laugh.
"Right. We should get going."
"Then Hyang-i and I will head to the waiting room first. Father, please watch with Sister Hwa-rin."
Tang So-wol gave Seol Ri-hyang's shoulder a light push and hurried away with quick, short steps.
This was the true beginning of the Dragon Phoenix Gathering.