Chapter 143
One day, a friend from the hometown suddenly arrived.
This friend handed the servant a massive sum of money, a fortune they could only dream of, and asked them to switch the tea for something else.
The servant wasn’t foolish.
They could sense the suspicious nature of the situation.
However, the sheer amount of money in their hand was hard to resist, especially since the friend promised to provide a monthly stipend.
Having struggled with a lavish lifestyle and financial troubles, the servant couldn’t dismiss the temptation.
Thus, they accepted the offer but first ensured the safety of the tea by having others try it beforehand to see if there were any adverse effects.
In the end, the servants who drank the tea showed no immediate ill effects.
‘Still, how can I possibly drink such a suspicious tea?’
The servant clenched their lips tightly.
“You’re ignoring us now?!”
“How could a person do this!”
The atmosphere grew tense as if a fight was imminent.
Unable to stand it any longer, the commander raised his voice.
“Can’t everyone stay quiet!!”
“….”
“….”
Despite their reluctance, the servants reluctantly fell silent under his firm command.
“The tea you were given is not the same as what the Lord drinks. So don’t act recklessly….”
As the commander tried to calm the situation, Yerin fell deep into thought.
‘Come to think of it, the tea the Lord drank.’
Yerin furrowed her brows tightly.
‘There was something similar about another tea I heard of before….’
Suddenly, Lord Jang’s voice came to mind.
‘Drinking that tea would allow you to work longer and not get fatigued. It prevents exhaustion.’
‘The chengja-su are always sitting around for hours on end at the Daru.’
Chengja-su.
That term, which had been thoughtlessly dismissed before, now drilled itself deep into her mind.
The common thread between chengja-su and servants was their lack of martial skills.
‘What about the health of those chengja-su who drank that tea? Were there any issues?’
‘Visually, they all seemed fine.’
As Yerin reflected on this, her gaze turned cold.
According to Lord Jang, the chengja-su who drank the tea were doing well.
But the Wulin Lord….
‘A peak martial expert among warriors.’
At the same time, Yerin turned sharply to Ho, the physician.
“Hoi-won, that tea the Lord drinks—does it really have the effects that servant mentioned?”
“For non-martial individuals, yes. At least for now.”
The physician nodded solemnly.
‘At least for now?’
That hesitant response caused the head servant’s face to turn pale.
“Earlier, I explicitly said I would never use that tea… I mean, that medicine. Do you remember?”
“Yes, you said that.”
“My reason for going to such extremes was simple—this medicine causes adverse effects on both martial artists and non-martial individuals alike.”
The servants’ faces tightened with tension, as they had all consumed that tea at least once.
“For non-martial people, consuming this medicine might seem beneficial temporarily. It provides a cold energy that the body resists, causing a temporary boost in strength and energy.”
The physician glanced briefly at the servants.
“But over time, that cold energy accumulates, damaging the internal organs.”
The chilling explanation left the servants breathless, each drawing sharp breaths.
“If consumed continuously, your limbs grow cold, sensations fade, and most dangerously, prolonged use leads to addiction.”
“Addiction?”
“Yes. Those who crave that ‘non-fatiguing’ state will keep consuming the medicine. This causes their health to deteriorate over time….”
The servants’ faces became pale as they gaped in horror at the head servant.
“You gave us that thing?!”
“How could you do this!”
The servants shouted in outrage.
The pale head servant, frozen in shock, soon snapped back with anger.
“I only drank it a few times!”
“That’s your excuse?!”
“What are we supposed to do now…!”
Just as the servants began to descend into chaos, the commander’s thunderous voice rang out once more.
“Who gave you permission to speak freely?!”
The servants, now visibly shaken, closed their mouths tightly.
“…….”
“…….”
Tension hung heavy in the air, but not a single servant dared to speak further.
The commander swiftly turned to the physician.
“So, will their health be affected?”
The physician shook his head dismissively.
“Consuming it a few times isn’t a problem.”
“Really?”
“Are we really fine?”
The servants, teary-eyed, asked anxiously.
“Yes. As long as you’re careful, there shouldn’t be any serious issues.”
The physician tried to reassure them, but the unease remained.
However, the commander couldn’t ignore the fact that Yerin had been unusually quiet.
“Lady Yerin?”
But Yerin didn’t respond.
More accurately, she couldn’t find the words to respond.
‘The tea drunk by the chengja-su and the tea the head servant gave to the Lord….’
The characteristics of both teas matched perfectly.
And the Daru, mentioned by the chengja-su as a frequent spot for visits….
‘Hongyeon Daru.’
Yerin suddenly raised her head sharply.
“Who supplied that swapped tea?”
“W-well, it was my hometown friend. They came to Hangzhou looking for work….”
The head servant shrank under Yerin’s icy gaze.
“They said it was a tea good for recovery, and urged the Lord to drink it regularly.”
Judging by the guilty look, it was clear that they had accepted bribes in exchange for switching the tea.
But Yerin didn’t focus on that part for now. There were more urgent matters to address.
“Where exactly is that worker working?”
“Eh?”
“Lady Yerin is concerned enough to have had others try the tea beforehand. They wouldn’t have accepted such an offer just because they’re a hometown friend, right?”
Yerin’s piercing gaze locked onto the head servant.
“At least they must have had a reliable background for you to trust that offer. Am I wrong?”
“My… my friend….”
The head servant’s lips quivered in fear.
“They’re working at Hongyeon Daru.”
Yerin clenched her teeth tightly.
‘If Doyul is at Hongyeon Daru…’
If things go wrong, Doyul could be in serious danger.
The mere thought of it tightened Yerin’s chest in a suffocating fear.
‘I need to see Doyul immediately.’
Just then, a messenger burst into the room, sliding in hurriedly.
“T-Trouble!”
“What is it?”
The commander asked urgently.
“There’s a fight at Hongyeon Daru!”
The messenger gasped for breath as he spoke.
“One of the miners has gone berserk, and a child has been taken hostage!”
Instantly, Yerin’s mind turned blank.
‘Doyul!’
Without a second thought, Yerin dashed out of the room.
—
This can’t be happening.
The Blood Wolf Sect Master was currently feeling a sense of urgency.
‘How am I… losing to this boy?’
The Blood Wolf Sect Master’s eyes burned with determination.
Throughout his life, he had faced countless martial artists.
Masters who had gained renown across the Jianghu, disciples nurtured by influential sects and families.
Yet, every single one of them had bowed to the Blood Wolf Sect Master.
‘The only person I couldn’t overcome was the former Northern Sea Ice Palace Lord!’
But the young man before him was far stronger than the former Northern Sea Ice Palace Lord, whom the Vice-Sect Master himself had taken down.
‘Not “a step beyond,” but something more profound.’
Living as the Blood Wolf Sect Master, the right-hand of the Vice-Sect Master, he had accumulated unparalleled combat experience, physical prowess, and inner strength over the years.
Yet, the overwhelming power Doyul possessed felt otherworldly, even to him.
‘…His inner strength is unmatched.’
Blood Wolf Sect Master ground his teeth in frustration as he watched Doyul effortlessly deflect his blade.
‘That strength shouldn’t be possible for someone of his age!’
Suddenly, a thought struck his mind.
Blood Wolf Sect Master’s eyes widened in realization.
‘Could it be… Thousand-Year Snow Blossom Pill?’
If that were the case, the sheer force behind Doyul’s strength would make sense.
The Northern Sea Ice Palace had reclaimed the secret of the Thousand-Year Snow Blossom Pill after a long struggle.
Among all legendary elixirs, the Thousand-Year Snow Blossom Pill was one of the rarest, capable of surpassing decades of accumulated inner strength effortlessly.
“Damn it!”
The Blood Wolf Sect Master spat curses, his frustration rising.
The cumbersome Northern Sea Ice Palace meddling one last time!
Cornered, the Blood Wolf Sect Master leaped upward, breaking through the ceiling with a loud crash.
The roof caved in, dust and debris raining down around him.
The Blood Wolf Sect Master emerged from the rubble, his body covered in dirt and dust.
The patrons of the Daru stared in shock, their faces blank as they witnessed the scene unfold.
“What—what is happening?”
“This can’t be real!”
Ignoring their stunned expressions, the Blood Wolf Sect Master looked around with burning eyes.
Then…
“AHHH!”
A thick hand grabbed the hair of a young maid tightly.
The Blood Wolf Sect Master pressed his blade firmly against the girl’s neck.
At that moment, Doyul, who had been trailing behind, arrived at the scene.
“…What is this madness?”
Doyul stared coldly at the Blood Wolf Sect Master.
