Chapter 122
“Grandfather!”
Jaheon burst in, panting, and looked at Yu Daeseung.
Yu, the sect leader, stared at his grandson with a bewildered expression.
“How long are you going to keep calling me that? You’re fully grown, and yet you keep calling me that.”
“Ah, I’m sorry, Sect Leader. But it’s just the two of us here.”
Yu Daeseung opened his mouth to scold him further but stopped. As Jaheon had said, he always showed proper respect in front of others.
Yu Daeseung was the leader of Cheonhwasan Sect. Even if Jaheon was his grandson, he could not allow him to call him “grandfather” casually in front of other disciples forever.
“So, what brings you here?”
In response, Jaheon held out his hand. He had grown considerably, and his palm was broad and strong.
“I came to collect what’s mine.”
“What is it?”
“My letter! I know that Lady Tang has sent me a letter this time, so I came straight here!”
Jaheon spoke with excitement. Only then did Yu Daeseung say, “Ah.”
“So that’s why you ran all the way here?”
“I didn’t run.”
“Wipe off your sweat first and then speak.”
“…Yes, sir.”
Yu Daeseung clicked his tongue and handed Jaheon the letter that had arrived at the Tang gate a few days ago.
The sealed letter bore the image of a serpent, which looked almost like a celestial dragon.
“Thank you, Grandfather!”
Jaheon bowed politely like a well-mannered young man and dashed off with the letter.
Inside, Pang Simyeong, who had been entering the compound, stopped in surprise at the sight of her son running and then looked at Yu Daeseung.
“Sect Leader?”
“The Tang family sent a letter, and he’s just so happy he ran off. Just leave him be.”
Before Pang Simyeong could ask what was going on, Yu Daeseung explained in detail why his grandson had run off so excitedly.
“Oh my.”
Pang Simyeong covered her mouth with her sleeve.
But that was all. She cared about her son’s heart and his growth, but not about trivial things like the letters he received.
Every living creature needs to eat. Otherwise, it cannot survive.
But I didn’t even feed Jarin…
How hungry must Jarin have been back then?
The thought made me feel guilty.
I slipped my hand inside my sleeve and gently stroked Jarin. The good little viper was puzzled but did not bite.
“Auntie! I’m here!”
I stepped briskly into the Saihwa Garden.
Today was a day without training, and Master Ju’s class was also canceled, so I could come to the garden.
I usually can’t come because I’m busy.
Many of the garden’s serpents greeted me warmly after a long time. The shi-vis smiled brightly and approached one by one.
“Miss! What brings you to Saihwa Garden?”
“Is Jarin’s food running low?”
“Mm, I came to feed Jarin properly and take care of the poisonous creatures too.”
The serpents spoke to me affectionately. I didn’t mind their attention.
At that moment, the serpents parted like a river, and through the gap, the assistant head of Saihwa Garden, Tang Soyong, walked gracefully.
“Via!”
“Auntie!”
“It’s hard to see your face after you went into the Dragon Pavilion, isn’t it?”
My aunt embraced me warmly, and her scent was pleasant—probably the fragrance sachet at her waist.
“Hehe, did you miss me?”
“Of course! Aseon said she missed you too, but where has she gone this time…”
My aunt sighed and looked around.
I actually knew where Seonseon had gone. Her hobby was sneaking out of the Tang family compound to explore the outside.
“Via! It’s a secret! Okay? Don’t tell Mom or Dad!”
Seonseon’s last words before slipping out through a loosened spot in the wall.
But… my sister didn’t say she was sneaking away while helping in the garden…
If I had known, I would have stopped her this time. Hands were scarce in the garden these days.
But we had already promised to keep it secret, so I just smiled awkwardly.
“Really? Seonseon?”
“Yes. Anyway, why are you here at Saihwa Garden? Aren’t you busy today?”
“Today there’s no Dragon Squad training, so I wanted to go to the Celestial Poison Forest.”
All living creatures need food, including the poisonous creatures in the Dragon Pavilion.
So I sometimes brought food to the creatures in the Dragon Pavilion. They were normally under Grandfather’s care, but he happily allowed me to feed them.
Perhaps it made things easier for him, reducing his workload.
“Jarin must be ready to eat already.”
My aunt chuckled.
“Good. I’ll take you to the Celestial Poison Forest. The fastest route is through the back gate of Saihwa Garden.”
“Can I ride a horse?”
“That’s fine. Are you going alone?”
“Choyo is with me. If I go, the guards will follow. And the people managing the Celestial Poison Forest are there too, so it’s okay.”
The Tang family never neglected the forest. Outsiders were strictly prohibited.
Even if an outsider entered, they wouldn’t know the layout, so they’d likely be found dead before reaching me.
Thus, in the forest, the real threat was not outsiders, but the poisonous creatures living there.
I was fine.
“I’ll be back soon. Please give me the forest pass.”
“Here.”
My aunt handed me the pass for the Celestial Poison Forest.
The pass was required to enter. Without it, even Tang family members could not pass.
I tucked the pass into my sleeve and took the bundle the serpents had brought.
“Then I’ll be off, Auntie!”
“Do you want me to come with you?”
“No, I’m fine!”
It wasn’t my first time going to the forest, and I was friendly enough with the guards to speak casually.
Moreover, the Celestial Poison Forest wasn’t that far. I fidgeted with the pass in my sleeve and spun around.
The only things to watch out for are Tang Paejin and the Blood Demon Sect.
Nothing else, as always.
I recalled Tang Paejin, who had quietly entered and left the Tang family mausoleum over the past three years.
He seemed unaware that we had destroyed the cornerstone of the poison law back then.
Is he planning to keep sneaking in until he finds out? Could it be…
Of course, it wasn’t my concern. And thanks to it…
I discovered Tang Paejin’s communication with the Blood Demon Sect.
Exposing that he was colluding with the Blood Demon Sect and expelling him from the Tang family wouldn’t be far off.
I hadn’t been idle for three years either.
My martial skills had improved immensely, and I had accumulated quite a bit of poison in the Dragon Pavilion.
After joining the Dragon Squad, I received guidance from Father and my elder brother Dangrip, training in martial arts, and also received separate training from Grandfather…
“Ugh.”
Just recalling that hellish training made me dizzy.
Anyway, the solution was close.
My biggest worry now was that Father’s poison still hadn’t been neutralized.
The antidote from my uncle is taking longer than expected.
He had said three years ago that it would be ready soon—what could be the issue?
The only saving grace was that Father’s poison would not strike for another four years, and that my uncle, who should have been expelled, was still in the Tang family.
The delay was due to expanding the Tang family compound and building a consultation office disguised as a hall. Only after it was built would Tang Paejin act.
The future is slowly changing.
Sometimes drastically, sometimes subtly, diverging from my memories of the past. It was a good sign.
But it also meant I couldn’t let my guard down.
If the future was changing, it meant I could no longer predict what would happen.
I hopped onto the horse I had been waiting for. Choyo mounted another horse beside me.
“Let’s go, Choyo!”
“Yes, Miss.”
Exiting through the back gate of Saihwa Garden and following the path behind the Tang family compound led to the Celestial Poison Forest, carefully maintained by the Tang family.
A few guards quietly followed us.
