Chapter 4
Her dantian wasn’t shattered—it was merely blocked.
‘Someone deliberately sealed the meridians with extreme precision.’
If I knew how to open the meridians, I could retrieve the scattered internal energy.
My heart began to pound.
If anyone could do this, it was me—the former head of Cheonhomeng’s intelligence network, the one who had stood at the center of all information in the martial world.
I hurriedly began combing through the solutions stored in my mind.
Four days passed.
During that time, the physician came and went several more times, and my body recovered smoothly.
As expected, they said my memories still hadn’t returned.
“That’s all there is for breakfast?”
“Yes… the young lady rarely ate breakfast to begin with.”
“No wonder you’re so thin. You need to eat more. Is there any more?”
I finished the extra bowl of white porridge the maid brought and added,
“Do you know anything about me? I’ve lost most of my memories.”
“Ah… I haven’t been your personal maid for very long.”
She said she had only been assigned here after my accident. There was little information about Heerin she could give me.
For two days, I focused solely on recovery.
The meals were extremely simple—mostly grains and vegetables—but for recuperating the body and restoring internal energy, such easily digestible food was actually better.
After eating, I checked my physical condition, then went for walks.
The area I was allowed to move around in was limited to this residence, the rear garden, and the forest path.
There were barely any people coming or going inside or around the residence.
“They must have heard that I lost my memory. Why hasn’t anyone come?”
“Lady Riri visited a few times. She came while you were ill, so you probably don’t remember.”
She meant Yeom Riri, the youngest daughter of Yeomjo.
“The tonics you received recently were all sent by Lady Riri as well. When she heard you’d lost your memory and were resting, she said she’d come later so you could rest properly.”
I had assumed that aside from Yeom Hopyeong and Yeom Horyeong, no one would care whether Jeok Heerin lived or died—but it seemed there was at least someone who thought of her.
As I sipped tea brewed from cheap leaves, the sound of multiple footsteps came from outside.
“Lady Yeom Riri has arrived.”
Before I could give permission, a woman in a flamboyant red outfit entered.
With upturned eyes, she had a sharp, fiery impression.
Yeom Riri.
The cherished youngest daughter of the Yeomhwa Clan head, and twenty-four years old—two years older than Heerin.
“Miss Jeok, you look healthier than I expected. Have your memories returned?”
“No.”
“Is that so?”
She replied lightly and gestured toward the door.
Three maids entered, carrying red garments and jewelry.
“The wedding day isn’t far off. The bridal clothes need to be tailored to Miss Jeok’s body, and embroidery added, so hurry.”
“Yes, my lady.”
The maids swarmed around me and began dressing me in the red wedding robe.
At the word wedding, my body trembled.
Heerin’s emotions were overwhelming me. I forcibly straightened my hunched shoulders and asked Yeom Riri,
“I’m getting married? When?”
“Yes. To be exact, in twenty-one days. Even if you’ve lost your memory, the wedding will proceed as scheduled.”
Even though I spoke informally, she merely glanced at me and didn’t seem to mind.
Judging by how she busily examined the jewelry box, she seemed to dislike wasting time.
Hm?
On the hand that picked up a piece of jewelry, I saw fresh calluses. True to being of the Yeomhwa Clan’s direct line, she appeared to devote herself to swordsmanship.
Then one of the maids removed the cloth wrapped around my neck.
The marks Yeom Hopyeong had left when he strangled me two days ago were exposed.
“…It must have been Brother Pyeong.”
A flicker of contempt for Yeom Hopyeong crossed Yeom Riri’s face before disappearing.
It was the reaction of someone who knew how he had treated Heerin.
She averted her gaze briefly. There was pity in her eyes, but also discomfort.
A look that said she didn’t want to get involved.
“Lady Yeom. May I ask one more thing?”
“What is it?”
“That ‘mad dog’…”
The moment the title left my mouth, Yeom Riri’s brows knit together, and a sudden silence fell.
The maids’ abrupt stillness was no coincidence.
“He’s the one who saved me, isn’t he?”
Tap.
Yeom Riri froze. Even the air seemed to congeal.
At her gesture, the maids withdrew.
Only Yeom Riri and I remained in the room.
“Miss Jeok. You mustn’t speak that title carelessly.”
Her previously confident lips wavered slightly. Wariness flashed in the eyes she turned toward me.
“Who is he…?”
“Wi Cheonso. The Third Young Master of the Cheonmu Cult.”
Even I was hearing the name for the first time. It seemed the Demonic Cult had undergone great changes during the ten years I didn’t know.
“Before he caught the Cheonjon’s eye and became the Third Young Master, he had no notable background. Because of that, some young masters called him ‘mad dog’ as an insult. My brother was among them.”
To those from prestigious clans, he must have seemed lowborn.
Did Yeom Horyeong feel inferior to a Third Young Master who had suddenly gained authority?
“I don’t know what whim made him save you, Miss Jeok, but he’s dangerous. And as for how he’s dangerous… it’s better not to ask.”
Drawing that line, Yeom Riri clapped her hands.
The maids reentered and resumed dressing me and trying on jewelry.
Why did he save Heerin…?
Was it because, as Yeom Hopyeong said, the two of them knew each other?
No. Heerin’s journal mentioned nothing about him. It was more likely they were strangers.
Perhaps, as Yeom Riri said, it really was a whim.
I’d need to look into this further.
With a serious expression, Yeom Riri had the maids measure me again, then gestured for them to remove the clothes.
“When the wedding robe is finished, bring it again.”
Leaving those words, Yeom Riri departed, followed by the maids.
As one maid brushed past me, she slipped something into my hand.
A small note.
I quickly hid it in my sleeve.
After my personal maid left and I was alone, I returned to the bedchamber and unfolded the note.
Written on it was the exact same cipher I had once used.
Tonight, at the Hour of the Dog (7–9 p.m), Sohongru.
Whoever had seen my cipher was calling me out.
It was also a test.
I intended to accept the invitation.
To do that, I would have to leave this residence and go to Sohongru…
‘Before that, I need to fix this body.’
From what I’d observed over three days, it seemed I could recover to some extent by using a few internal cultivation techniques.
First, I needed to analyze this body’s meridian system, so I spent the initial two days recuperating.
Now it was time to put my plan into action.
I sat in the lotus position and activated a special cultivation method.
It was a technique that drew up true energy and condensed internal power in the dantian.
If applied precisely, it might remove one of the needles sealing the meridians.
Following the incantations, I guided my energy toward the empty dantian.
With shallow breathing, the true energy slowly spread through the meridians, gathering enough force to pierce a taut barrier.
…Just a little more.
Clang.
A tiny black needle shot out and embedded itself in the wall.
In that brief moment, a liberating sensation surged through me, as if my breathways had opened.
With just one needle removed, the faint internal energy began to settle in my dantian.
There were still eight needles left inside this body.
Each removal required sufficient recovery time, so removing them all would take a while.
‘About fifteen days per needle… so at least four months for the rest.’
I still had a long way to go.
The current state was slightly disappointing, but compared to being a cripple, it was an extremely satisfying result.
And with such a small amount, there was little risk of anyone discovering that my internal energy had returned.
Now I was ready to go out.
As soon as the sun began to set, I told my personal maid I would burn sleep incense.
“I plan to sleep soundly until tomorrow. Don’t wake me until morning.”
Her quarters were far from here—intentionally arranged to isolate Heerin—but that suited me fine. She wouldn’t go out of her way to check on me from so far away.
After she left, I secretly burned incense made from blended herbs.
It would blur the interior so that even if someone peeked inside, they wouldn’t see clearly.
I piled clothes and blankets on the bed to make it look like I was lying there.
Then I took out a wind-cloak and pulled it low to hide my hair and face. Thankfully, among my few belongings, there was at least one such cloak.
Because Jeok Heerin had always behaved so quietly, the watchers didn’t even stand guard at the door at night.
‘As long as I return before dawn, I won’t be discovered.’
The moment I stepped outside, a cold wind seeped into my lungs.
‘I really want to run away like this.’
Even if ten years had passed, I still possessed the intelligence of the Sangcheon Hall. Hiding my identity wouldn’t be difficult.
Still, I would return to the Yeomhwa Clan.
If I disappeared without a word, who knew what harm might come to Heerin’s family.
Having decided to repay my debt to Heerin, I had no intention of fleeing in my current state.
Using minimal internal energy, I employed the light-foot technique Sangcheonseong (Ascending Heaven Star), which concealed one’s presence.
Thanks to it, I swiftly passed through the Yeomhwa Clan grounds.
Then, using passages preserved in Heerin’s memory, I exited the estate.
It was my first outing since deciding to become Jeok Heerin.
My destination was Sohongru on the northern road.
There, someone who remembered me—“Cheongrin”—would be waiting.
