“What are you thinking about?”

Byeoktaesan lifted his gaze slightly and looked at Yeonharin sitting in front of him.

“It is nothing.”

As soon as he came back, she didn’t think of leaving his side.

It seemed that she was worried that he would get into trouble.

Yoo Seo-yeon has been escorting her after she joined the party. It seemed like she felt something was wrong.

She was still escorting her from a distance behind her, but she was watching her and Byeoktaesan with a very happy expression.

Now Byeoktaesan was having dinner with Yeon Ha-rin.

He had already finished eating, and he was thinking about the previous entanglement that happened earlier.

‘It’s still so weird.’

Today, he pulled and burned the spirits of three people, including Seomunjaehak.

He used the method he found out and trained through Il Chim Gui.

As much as possible, the outer part of the spirit was burned and only those that were not mixed with the existing spirit was extracted.

It was a little different from the spirit of Il Chim Gui, but it wasn’t very difficult because he had done it often.

The spiritual power that he had burnt and extracted was accepted through the Spirit Absorption skill.

However, the power he accepted was very different from the existing power.

No, more precisely, it had a different nature from the one extracted from the spirit of Il Chim Gui.

The spiritual power extracted from the spirit of Il Chim Gui was really excellent. In particular, it showed great power to the extent that there was nothing better than that in treating the life force.

He thought that was because it was a different usage of Spirit Absorption, but it was not.

Seeing that the spiritual power extracted in the same way from Seomunjaehak gang was so poor in quality.

Of course, it was that the treatment effect was poor compared to the spirit of Il Chim Gui, not that the spiritual power itself was weak.

Rather, it seemed to be more effective if he used this in a different way.

‘Come to think of it… … .’

Spiritual power extracted from the prostitutes brought a change to his body. Other women described it as a peculiar sex appeal.

In fact, after that, the gaze of women has changed strangely.

‘I think I know a little… … .’

He was not sure yet, but it seemed that the nature of the spiritual power of the spirit was different depending on the way the time was accumulated in the spirit.

Of course, the basic spiritual power itself was powerful no matter what kind of spirit it was extracted from.

Moreover, since this can’t be said to be inner power, others can’t even see his true power.

They will never find out unless they have built a similar strength.

Even Il Chim Gui couldn’t figure out from his diagnosis.

“Then does it have to be a doctor?”

He had found a way to heal his life force faster. The answer was, doctor.

There was a limit to holding onto just Il Chim Gui.

Perhaps the first time the spirit is burned would be the most effective.

The effect gradually declines. If he burns all the dirt off the spirit and absorbs it, it will be difficult to expect any more effects.

Of course, if he had left it alone for a while, it will build up over time, but that will take a lot of time.

So he had to find a new doctor. It would be better he had a lot of time to build up dirt on his spirit and have excellent ability as a doctor.

There happened to be one fitting that description nearby.

Byeoktaesan finished his thoughts with a pleasant expression.

“My lord, there isn’t something you are worried about right? Did the people who came with me say anything weird to you?”

Yeon Ha-rin looked at Byeoktaesan with an anxious expression.

This was because Byeoktaesan was locked in his thoughts without saying anything for a while even after eating all the food.

“Worry? no. Rather, it’s the opposite.”

“Pardon?”

“It seems like a good thing will happen.”

“Ah… I see. That good thing… I wish it had something to do with me.”

Yeon Ha-rin laughed slightly embarrassingly as she said so.

‘I thought you were pretty, but you are really pretty.’

Byeoktaesan thought like that while watching Yeon ha-rin smile.

Wouldn’t it be close to the best of all the beauties he’s seen so far?

‘Still, is she a bit worse than her? No, is it similar?’

Suddenly one person came to mind, but soon he let that thought go. It wasn’t a person he wouldn’t meet again anyway.

Because she will be in Cheonma Shinkyo by now.

He would never see her again unless Hyun Woljin was eliminated.

Even she left Cheonma Shinkyo, his chances of meeting her were infinitely low.

Whatever happened he was now the second son of the Gold Wall merchants after all.

“Since we finished eating, should we go for a light walk?”

At Byeoktaesan’s words, Yeon Ha-rin smiled brightly and nodded without hesitation.

How long was it since Byeoktaesan approached her first like this?

“Yes please.”

The two went outside by side.

And Yu Seo-yeon and Cheon Gyeong-wan quietly followed from a distance.

The two were faithful to their mission as bodyguards.

At least at this very moment.

* * *

The short walk lasted a bit longer than normal.

Byeoktaesan and Yeon Ha rin roamed the river for a long time even after the sun went down.

In fact, for Byeok Tae-san, he used this as an opportunity to accept the new spiritual power he had gained today.

Rather than sitting still and absorbing the spiritual power gained today like usual, it was more effective to move like this.

Somehow, this also seemed to follow the characteristics of the spirit.

In the meantime, it was an area that he rarely thought about or tried.

Not only did he not yet have a full grasp on the newly enlightened Spirit Absorption, he had no room to turn his attention to things other than healing his body.

Anyway, thanks to that the walk lasted longer than usual, but it seems that Yeon Ha-rin took it in as a different meaning.

By the time they returned, she was very happy.

So, like that, they arrived at Geumwol hostel again and tried to go inside, but they noticed the inside was very busy.

“What could it be?”

As Byeoktaesan’s muttered, Cheon Gyeong-wan first went into the hostel.

“I will find out.”

Cheon Gyeong-wan went inside and came out again almost immediately.

“I think it would be better to wait a bit before entering.”

“Huh?”

“They are… in the process of removing the smell.”

The moment he heard that, Byeoktaesan could roughly guess what happened.

Byeoktaesan turned around without hesitation.

“Let’s go another lap.”

Isn’t there no need to smell someone else’s shit?

It was just a matter of putting up with it for a while as they went to the annex buildings, but it must be really awful if Cheon Gyeong-wan talked like that.

So he rather preferred to inhale fresh air while walking.

* * *

Seomunjaehak, Gu Yang-su, and Chu Young-hak gathered in one room with their heads down.

They sat around with a small table in between, but everyone didn’t say a word.

The more he thought about it, the more gloomy he felt.

“Fuck, I… … .”

He couldn’t say anything. He had shit in his pants.

It wasn’t just a little bit, he really all out. While sleeping too.

Because of how bad the smell was, no matter how much he washed, the smell did not go away enough.

Probably, if they weren’t the sons of prestigious families, they would have been kicked out of the hostel.

No, maybe it would have been better to get kicked out.

“I should have run away.”

The rest of the people nodded at the same time as someone muttered.

However, it was not a situation that they could escape.

It was something they did while sleeping.

By the time they woke up, it was already too late.

The three have to sleep together in this room today. It was a sort of quarantine measure.

They took it humbly. They had to do that.

They said they would try to block all the rumors as much as possible in the hostel from spreading.

He didn’t know how effective that will be.

“I think it would be better to endure today and leave tomorrow. What do you think?”

Gu Yang-si asked with red eyes as if he would shed tears at any moment.

Seomunjaehak sighed.

“Haah. Tomorrow… A person from Homuryun is supposed to arrive in the afternoon to meet us.”

A man from Seomun household, who was the patrol leader of Homu-ryun, said he will come all the way to Jingzhou for Seomunjaehak, so how could he refuse it?

He could never do that for his future.

Rather than strengthening his position in the family, Seomunjaehak planned to advance in life outside like this.

It wasn’t easy to settle in the family because he was the third son anyway.

In the future, he was planning to settle in Homuryun, so he had to pay respects to the head of the family, who was the patrol leader of Homuryun.

Gu Yang-su and Chu Young-hak’s eyes shook.

It was too gloomy to think that they had to endure this shame tomorrow as well.

However, they couldn’t say they would go there alone.

“First… When he arrives tomorrow, I’m going to tell him a little bit about Byeoktaesan.”

The moment the name Byeoktaesan came out, the three were bodies froze at the same time.

Even Seomunjaehak, who said his name first, was like that.

Momentary silence hovered.

A deep sense of self-destruction crushed the three.

To get out of here, they had to whatever means necessary. And if it was the patrol leader of Homuryun, he will be of great help.

In the eyes of the three, a strange light of fear and hope shimmered.

* * *

It turned to night.

The annex of Geumwol hostel was really well decorated.

A small stream and a pond, the trees and rocks surrounding it, and a small pavilion in between created a natural beauty.

And while being in the center of all that, there was a large and beautiful pavilion where you could see everything at a glance.

Byeoktaesan stayed on the top floor of the pavilion, and standing by the window gave a panoramic view of the annex.

“It’s not bad.”

He had various experiences when he was Cheonma, but he didn’t see many hostels that had this level of quality.

“Geumwol Hostel huh, Geumwol hostel… … .”

No matter how much he tried recalling the name, nothing came to his mind. The same was true for the Geumwol merchants.

In other words, when he was Cheonma, they weren’t worth his attention.

It also meant that the Cheonma Shinkyo did not pay much attention to them either.

But as he thought about it, he felt it a little strange.

The Geumwol merchants were considered top-class merchants.

Wouldn’t someone like Cheonma frequently hear about them?

While looking out thinking of that, Cheon Gyeong-wan, who was standing outside the room, saying that he would guard the door said.

“My lord, would you like me to bring elder Il Chim Gui?”

Coming this far, he called for Il Chim Gui every night.

That’s why he felt the sign of Il Chim Gui in the vicinity. He was probably already preparing his mind.

“It’s all right today, go and get Chun Chu Shin Ui.”

“Pardon?”

Byeoktaesan turned his head and looked at the door. Although it was not visible, Gyeong-wan Chun probably felt his aura.

And that would be why he was so surprised.

“Yes. I will bring him right away.”

After a while, Chun Chu Shin Ui with a confused expression came into the room.

“My lord, why did you call me on this ambitious night?”

Fear fluttered deep in the eyes of Chun Chu Shin Ui. Meanwhile, on the one hand, he approached Byeoktaesan carefully to confirm his suspicions.

“I found out a very important fact today.”

“Pardon?”

“That, for me, I need a doctor.”

“Pardon?”

Byeoktaesan waved at him as if beckoning him to come closer.

As if he had been possessed by something, Chun Chu Shin Ui approached Byeoktaesan.

Byeoktaesan laughed and hovered his hand over the head of Chun Chu Shin Ui.

“I’ll just pull a little.”

* * *

“Ahhhhhhhh!”

From somewhere, a desperate scream was heard.

Seomunjaehak, who had barely fallen asleep, opened his eyes.

The horror he wanted to forget came up from deep inside.

He remembered clearly the moment when he was lying with his face on the floor, and he heard the same scream as he did from his side.

His whole body froze. In that state, he couldn’t sleep, trembling until the screaming was over.

No, he couldn’t sleep even after the scream was over and he had to fight his fear.

And during that time, Gu Yang su and Chu Young-hak were having the very same experience with Seomunjaehak.

The three of them stayed up together all night long.

* * *

“Ahahaha.”

At the sound of laughter from the side, Chun Chu Shin Ui turned his head and stared at Il Chim Gui.

“Don’t laugh.”

“Ahahahah! Why does it matter whether I laugh or not? Hahahaha!”

Il Chim Gui burst into laughter.

It was worth it. It felt like a decade-old congestion had gone down.

“Yes, how do you feel when our lord gave you his interest? It feels good enough to die, right?”

Chun Chu Shin Ui’s body trembled and glared at Il Chim Gui.

“Hey, you look like you are going to kill someone. You are a stare master. Hahahaha.”

“Were you so frivolous in the first place?”

Il Chim Gui laughed.

“Say whatever you want. I don’t even know what I was like. I want to fully enjoy this moment. You were screaming quite a bit, how was it? Did it hurt quite a bit?”

“No. I won’t say it.”

Chun Chu Shin Ui’s head turned around.

Il Chim Gui who saw that giggled again and laughed.

They saw Byeoktaesan coming down the stairs.

They both went silent.

Chun Chu Shin Ui ran to Byeok Tae-san and said politely.

“My lord, have you just woke up? Shall I tell them to prepare a meal?”

Byeoktaesan stared at Chun Chu Shin Ui with his eyes suddenly wondering why this guy was acting like this.

Then he turned his gaze and looked at Il Chim Gui sitting far away.

Byeoktaesan squinted his eyes when he read the shock that floated on the face of Il Chim Gui.

“You guys didn’t cause some trouble did you?”

“Of course not. I am a very quiet person.”

Byeoktaesan waved his hand.

“Then nevermind. Ask them to prepare a meal.”

“Yes, my lord.”

When Chun Chu Shin Ui replied that and then tried to withdraw, he raised his hand as if something suddenly came to mind.

“Wait.”

“Yes?”

Chun Chu Sin Ui and Il Chim Gui looked at Byeoktaesan with the same expression and swallowed dry saliva.

There was a feeling of tension.

“Do you know of any doctors around here?”

“Pardon?”

The two blankly looked at Byeoktaesan.