The return of the granddaughter of the Namgoong family

***

Ding— Ding—

From within the foggy view, the sound of bells reached her ears.

The sound clung to her feet like congealed blood, sticky and pulling her in, dragging her down.

At that moment, it felt like she might be swallowed whole by the sound, just like a frog caught in a swamp.

With her hands and feet tightly bound, unable to move, Seolhwa grabbed onto it.

At that moment, she opened her eyes.

“Ha… ha…”

A cool breeze blew through the open window. A soft sunset glow spread across, gently easing her blurry vision.

Looking down at her hands, she saw blood seeping from her small hands.

‘This…’

Seolhwa looked down at the shattered vase near her feet. Then, she heard someone hastily running toward her.

“Miss, I heard a loud noise. Are you okay? What happened?”

It was the panicked voice of Sibi.

Seolhwa, staring at the blood on her hands, hastily wrapped them in a cloth nearby and opened the door.

“Oh my…!”

Sibi quickly assessed the situation in the room.

The broken vase, the bloodstains near it, and the red-stained cloth the child was holding caused Sibi to gasp.

“I accidentally broke the vase.”

“Oh, I’ll go get the medic right away!”

As Sibi hurried to leave, Seolhwa asked, “Where’s Father?”

It was obvious she was worried, and she didn’t want to show her disorderly state.

Perhaps she might think it strange that she was injured repeatedly.

“Lord Il Gong went to the family head’s summons. I’ll send someone to him right away!”

“No. Don’t tell him.”

“Pardon?”

Seolhwa looked around the disordered room.

“Did he say when he would be back?”

“He said he would be back before dinner…”

“Okay. Then, clean up the room before he returns.”

“But…”

She would be worried if she knew…

A wound that made her bleed wasn’t a minor one. Was it really okay not to tell her?

‘I can see exactly what you’re thinking.’

Now that she thought about it, the child had cried profusely when Seolhwa was hurt last time. She had also explained food to her before.

‘She’s an emotional child.’

Quite different from herself, who was dull to emotions.

Sibi was a little too interested in other people’s business, but it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

“What are you doing? I’m bleeding.”

“Ah! Yes! I’ll be right back!”

Sibi, looking worried, hesitated but finally rushed out when Seolhwa extended her hand.

Seeing her run off, Seolhwa chuckled and sat down in a chair, waiting for the medic.

The teacup on the table was warm.

It didn’t seem like it had been long since Namgung Cheongun had left for the family head’s residence.

‘When did I fall asleep?’

She remembered having a light chat with Namgung Cheongun after their outing, but at some point, she had fallen asleep.

Perhaps it was because of the child’s body, or maybe she had trouble sleeping after learning about the presence of the suggestion.

‘The body of a child… it’s more troublesome than I thought.’

“This can’t keep going, Miss.”

Cholyeon, the medic, said as she wrapped a clean cloth around Seolhwa’s palm.

Her voice was firm.

“I’ve been keeping the suggestion a secret at your request, but if you keep getting injured like this, I’ll have to tell someone.”

“Then I’ll tell them.”

— Blood King Poison.

“Miss!”

Cholyeon, startled, looked around anxiously and whispered in a low voice, “What if someone overhears?!”

“That’s why I’m speaking quietly.”

“…Did you?”

Cholyeon, so used to it, hadn’t even realized.

She tilted her head, then straightened her face again, looking serious.

“Really… I don’t know what goes through your little head. Are you a kitten, or a tiger cub?”

“Well, I guess I’ll know once I grow up?”

Whether she’s a kitten or a tiger cub?

Seolhwa smiled playfully, and Cholyeon let out a short sigh.

“Sometimes, you don’t seem like a child at all. I’m not the kind of person who gets swayed and used like this…”

The treatment for Choryeon has just finished.

“Alright, all done. Please be careful for a while so the wound doesn’t reopen.”

“Thank you.”

“By the way, how long are you going to keep hiding this?”

Seolhwa, who had been inspecting the tightly bound cloth, turned to look at her.

Her indifferent expression made it hard to tell what she was thinking. Choryeon, glancing at her, continued speaking.

“How about telling the master? If it’s the master… maybe he knows a solution…”

“Maybe.”

Namgung Mucheon’s Heavenly Dragon Sword Monarch.

‘He might know something.’

He was one of the ten greatest masters of the world.

Being one of the rare masters in the world, even if he didn’t know a method, his power alone could neutralize any hint or suggestion.

It wasn’t that she hadn’t thought about it.

However,

‘This is something I have to solve myself.’

The tangled fate with the Blood Cult, a bond that she needed to sever with her own hands before returning to Namgung, was a burden she had to bear.

She knew that if she asked, Namgung Mucheon would help her. But she didn’t want to appear weak, swayed by the Blood Cult while proclaiming to live for Namgung.

‘This is something I must resolve myself.’

“Ah, there’s some good news.”

Seeing Seolhwa’s expression become more serious, Choryeon quickly changed the subject. Seolhwa finally snapped out of her thoughts and looked at her.

Choryeon spoke in a brighter tone.

“The master is going to perform Beolmo Sesu on you.”

“…Beolmo Sesu?”

“It seems he noticed there’s an issue with your bloodline and has been worrying about it. He even checked if there was any problem with me earlier today! You’re loved by him.”

Choryeon chuckled softly.

Seolhwa was stunned.

Beolmo Sesu is a great technique where a highly skilled person uses their internal energy to expel impurities and clear the blood vessels, improving the body’s condition for martial arts cultivation.

In other words, a master uses their internal energy to purify and adjust the body, making it more suitable for martial arts. However, performing Beolmo Sesu consumes a lot of energy, and even the most skilled masters rarely offer it lightly.

If done incorrectly, both the one receiving the treatment and the one performing it could fall into a dangerous state, possibly even losing their internal energy forever.

Manipulating someone’s blood vessels is an advanced skill that requires incredible control over energy, and it’s considered a rare blessing or fortune among martial artists.

‘I heard that if you receive Beolmo Sesu as a child, it’s more effective than any elixir.’

Turning an ordinary body into that of a martial artist before fully growing—would enhance martial achievements exponentially over time.

Moreover, if the person performing Beolmo Sesu is a blood relative, the effects are even better, which applies to Seolhwa.

Her heart began to race uncontrollably, and she gently placed her hand over her chest.

After returning to the past, for the first time, she understood the feeling that came with this sensation.

‘Anticipation.’

Not just anyone, but the Heavenly Dragon Sword Monarch himself was going to perform Beolmo Sesu.

It would purify her bloodline far better than any internal energy expulsion she had done with the Great Return Elixir.

Perhaps her current, merely second-rate internal energy could immediately rise to first-rate. And with Beolmo Sesu…

‘I could become much stronger than in my previous life.’

Seolhwa recalled the aura of Namgung Mucheon that she briefly felt during dinner.

It felt like a blue dragon was coursing through her blood vessels, and every place his energy passed through felt refreshing.

Even though it was brief, it was the aura of an unparalleled master, and she couldn’t help but admire it.

“Are you that excited? Just earlier, you seemed to not want any help at all.”

Seeing Seolhwa’s eyes widen and sparkle, Choryeon stifled a chuckle.

“You’re kind of cute for the cub of a tiger.”

It was hard to believe that someone who wielded others’ weaknesses so easily could be so endearing.

***

Before dinner, Namgung Cheongun was supposed to arrive, but instead, a group of troublemakers suddenly showed up.

The troublemakers began preparing Seolhwa for the dinner with the master.

Although she couldn’t understand why she had to be dressed up for dinner, Seolhwa allowed them to handle her without resistance.

She was thoroughly cleaned, her hair neatly combed, adorned with a pretty hairpin, and even wore a yukon (traditional robe).

It was her first time wearing a skirt, and the vibrant colors of the clothes were unlike anything she had worn before, so it felt quite unusual.

The sensation of the silk fabric gently brushing against her body was as soft as being enveloped by clouds.

The skirt, which barely covered her ankles, was more comfortable than she expected.

“How… How are you so beautiful, Miss!”

The young troublemaker was on the verge of tears, moved by Seolhwa’s appearance.

Since she didn’t understand the standard of beauty, Seolhwa couldn’t tell if it was sincere or not.

“Thank you. Is my father there too?”

“Yes. Lord Il is also present.”

‘That’s good.’

She had been planning to ask to learn Namgung’s martial arts.

At the very least, she wanted to learn his mental techniques to tidy up her blood vessels a little before receiving Beolmo Sesu.

“Oh, and.”

Just as Seolhwa was about to suggest they leave, the troublemaker continued speaking.

“Not just Lord Il, but also direct family members are present.”