Chapter 53. The Trial
"I think I understand why Jeom-chil spoke so highly of you."
So-hwa received a rare compliment from the Tai Chi Sword Saint, but instead of feeling touched, she narrowed her eyes slightly.
"... Is the young lady still being called Jeom-chil? Isn't it time for her to receive her Taoist name?"
Uncomfortable with the name, she asked, and the Sword Saint sighed and chuckled.
"I promised to give her a name, but I can't seem to think of a good one, so I've been putting it off."
"Shouldn't you decide soon? I heard she’s participating in the Martial Arts Tournament. Being known as Jeom-chil in the world would be a bit regrettable."
"That's why I've been troubled. But perhaps because of my own desires, it's hard to settle on one. Haha, would you help me?"
"I'm not sure if I can be of help, but I'll think about it. What is the generation character for the name?"
So-hwa didn't want to hear the name Jeom-chil anymore and was offering her help, though she wasn't confident in recommending a proper Taoist name. She just hoped something would be decided quickly.
Anything would be better than Jeom-chil.
However, the unexpected answer came in reply to her question.
"For the third-generation disciple, the character 'Yeon' is used."
"... Yeon?"
The Tai Chi Sword Saint nodded and, with a serious expression, continued.
"The Sect Master said that Jeom-chil has the spirit of a tiger, so he wanted to give her the name Yeonho, but I didn't see any tiger-like qualities in her, so I opposed it. If we're to call her a tiger, wouldn't a dragon be more fitting? I suggested Yeonryong, but then an elder proposed that for a woman, it would be better to use phoenix, suggesting Yeonbong instead. That wasn't a bad suggestion, so now I'm still undecided."
As the Sword Saint's words continued, So-hwa's face darkened.
What could be better than Jeom-chil with names like Yeonryong and Yeonbong?
They were names that were too grand and didn't suit her.
So-hwa quietly listened to his words and then expressed her opinion.
"I understand that you intend to give a name that signifies severing ties with the mortal world, but isn't the Yeonju Group more of a legendary group passed down through tales, like the Phoenix and Dragon, rather than something from the mortal realm? The reverence they have for life resonates with the Taoist, so it wouldn't be a bad idea to incorporate their connection into the name."
"Oh, do you have a name you'd recommend?"
It's said that a name carries destiny.
So-hwa, who was about to suggest a Taoist name, paused for a moment.
'Could it be that Yeon-ah's destiny is to find its true owner?'
A strange feeling came over her, but she thought that if she regained her name, that too would be Yeon-ah's destiny, and she tentatively offered the name.
She had become curious about whether fate truly existed in this world.
"Since Jeom-chil is the last disciple of the Yeonju Group, how about the Taoist name Yeon-ah?"
"Yeon-ah. Meaning a child of the Yeonju Group... Hmm, as you say, that name has a deep connection with Jeom-chil's past, so the Sect Master probably wouldn't like it. Still, I'll offer my opinion. It seems more fitting for the child than a Dragon or a Phoenix."
The Tai Chi Sword Saint chuckled to himself, then took a step back.
So-hwa, seeing him about to leave, cupped her hands in greeting.
"Then I'll take my leave now."
"Ah, I've kept you too long. Go and rest well."
"Thank you."
So-hwa finished her greetings and entered the building.
***
The East Quarter's interior was lavish, but it didn't catch So-hwa's attention.
She simply wiped her body with a cloth soaked in warm water and changed into the clothes that a maidservant had prepared for her. When the maidservant tried to pack away her discarded clothes, So-hwa stopped her.
"Leave it. We're leaving tomorrow, so there's no need to pack."
"Ah, yes. Understood."
The maidservant folded her clothes again and then left the room.
So-hwa picked up her discarded clothes and retrieved a small box that had been tucked inside her sleeve.
Inside the box were five pills.
Blue, red, white, black, and yellow. Five different colors of detoxification pills, each corresponding to its respective poison powder and poison liquid. After checking her supplies, So-hwa placed the poison and the antidote pills on the desk for a moment.
After preparing some food on the desk, she picked up a brush.
It seemed she would need to write down one more treatment method before going to bed.
Listening to Tai Chi Sword Saint's words, it appeared there was a possibility that the treatment method would not be shared with the West Quarter. While it wasn't certain, it wouldn't hurt to prepare just in case.
If she were to be asked to write another treatment method tomorrow, it would delay their departure, so it was better to prepare it in advance and rest.
As she recalled the scene where elder Muso had extracted the heat, she began to detail the process.
Each time she filled a page, she had to wait for the ink to dry, and it took quite a bit of time.
"There's no time to rest..."
So-hwa muttered to herself, overwhelmed with fatigue. When she finished the last page, she closed her tired eyes, waiting for the ink to dry.
However, an unusual energy suddenly filled the air outside.
Slowly opening her eyes, she gazed at the window frame glistening under the moonlight.
But there was nothing at the window.
Only the chill night air mingled with an unnatural warmth that flowed in.
Tap.
So-hwa instinctively pressed her back against the wall as the heat suddenly surged, rushing toward her like an arrow.
Yet, nothing entered the room.
The heat seemed to have stopped somewhere, lingering in the immediate vicinity.
So-hwa, still staring at the window, reached for the desk. Gripping the poison powder, she furrowed her brow.
'This is strange...'
At the Hubei branch, there are powerful martial artists from both the Wudang sect and the Zhuge clan.
'Are you telling me no one noticed this intruder?'
Even the Zhuge clan claimed that more than ten people at their side were skilled in controlling their internal energy.
'... Could it be someone from the East Quarter?'
If it were someone from the East Quarter, they would be from the Zhuge clan. So-hwa, rolling the poison powder in her hand, placed it on the desk as if making a decision, then approached the window.
She could feel the heat coming from the roof across the way.
So-hwa, carefully watching the roof, waited patiently. She hoped the intruder would reveal themselves, whether they threw a dart, brandished a blade, or made some other move.
However, the heat suddenly dissipated. It didn't fade slowly, nor did it dissipate as if moving away; it abruptly stopped.
"Do not move."
A soft voice came from behind.
It was Han-won's voice, who had entered without making a sound.
So-hwa didn't turn around.
As the Black Tiger Unit began to move into position, a faint scent drifted into the room. They were coming from both the left and right sides of the window.
So-hwa, sensing their movement, felt uneasy. Perhaps Han-won had sensed her tension, as the guard on the right whispered softly.
"Cheolho and Ranhee have gone to track him. He'll be caught soon."
So-hwa was puzzled as to why the intruder had suddenly stopped their actions, but it seemed they had sensed the Black Tiger Unit's movements.
With a sigh, So-hwa spoke.
"If the East Quarter people are being this quiet, it might be one of them. We don't want Cheolho and Ranhee to be blamed, so tell them to come back."
"No. Right now, all the East Quarter martial artists are away, so they probably didn't notice the intrusion."
"Away, you say?"
Han-won answered in place of the guard.
"Yes, a fire broke out at the East Quarter Medical Hall. They've all been summoned to put out the flames, so that person might be the arsonist."
"Why didn't you say anything earlier?"
"We only just heard about it. They told us it wasn't a big fire, so there was no need to worry. We've just been raising our vigilance."
Since they had to leave on a long journey the next day, the guards hoped So-hwa would conserve her energy. It wasn't an entirely unreasonable decision, so So-hwa didn't dwell on it.
Without saying another word, So-hwa shifted her gaze to Han-won.
"Young Lady, it might be better if you remain still for now..."
"Did you say the Medical Hall?"
"Yes."
The guard standing on So-hwa's right answered calmly.
He added in a low voice.
"Seems like the suspicion of the Sword Saint was not an unfounded worry."
A brief silence followed. They did not believe the fire was just a coincidence.
So-hwa turned towards the door. As she faced the window, Han-won, startled, raised his voice.
"Young Lady, it's dangerous. Please stay here."
"If all the branch's martial artists are at the Medical Hall, wouldn't it be safer to be over there?"
So-hwa stepped outside and turned to face the hesitant ones.
"Since no one's watching, this place seems like the best spot to launch an attack if they wanted to."
It was true. The Black Tiger Unit followed closely behind So-hwa.
The smoke from the fire hadn't been extinguished, as dark smoke was rising from the roof. Since it wasn't too far, they quickly arrived in front of the Medical Hall.
The Medical Hall was in chaos.
"Bring more water!"
"Did you request support from the West Quarter?"
"Great Warrior! Have you seen Juhyung? She hasn't been seen since earlier!"
The smoke continued to pour out of the Medical Hall, which had been engulfed by the fire.
At that moment, a martial artist from the Zhuge Clan approached them.
"The medicinal herbs have all burned, and the smoke is unbearable. If you breathe too much, you could lose consciousness. Please, return to the pavilion."
He pointed to a place far from the Medical Hall, where several unconscious people were lying on the ground. Most of them were maidservants. It seemed they had suffocated from the smoke while trying to put out the fire.
So-hwa felt a tightness in her chest as she watched the collapsed maidservant.
Though it was unsettling, the smoke wasn't toxic enough to cause fainting from this distance. Amid the commotion, So-hwa focused on her body's reaction.
Then, a martial artist standing in the front row collapsed.
"Jung-ho! Wake up!"
"Is the support here yet?"
"Great Warrior! Please, find Juhyung!"
The frightened people were losing their composure.
Amidst the chaos, the number of those who were fainting increased, and the flames grew stronger.
So-hwa approached a fallen martial artist. The martial artist's face was calm, as if they had fallen into a deep sleep. The physician, who had been checking their pulse, spoke in a serious tone.
"This is bad. We should move them to the Western Hall Medical Hall immediately."
So-hwa closed her eyes and took a deep breath of the smoke.
The sensation spread quickly, following her breath, and it felt strange. She didn't feel any pain, but her head seemed to melt, and a chill spread across her entire body.
To think she could feel cold in front of a blazing fire.
Gradually, as her shoulders relaxed, So-hwa pondered the cause of her reaction.
It felt like poppy, which relaxes the whole body, or perhaps like a sedative inducing sleep, but neither poppy nor sedative was the cause.
The speed of the reaction was different.
It was much faster and more intense than those substances, quickly taking control of her entire body.
This wasn't a medicinal herb, but something that disturbed the mind, like Mihonsan.
It was something she didn't recognize, despite having seen countless herbs and poisons over the years.
So-hwa opened her eyes and stared at the burning Medical Hall.
She couldn't simply pass over this situation. Having learned from her past that the unknown can lead to disastrous consequences, ignorance always made her uneasy.
She searched for the source of the smoke with her eyes. Her gaze reached the second floor, where movement stopped.
Fixing her eyes on that spot, So-hwa spoke.
"Han-won."
"Yes."
"I'll come out within one gak (15 minutes)."
"Yes?"
"If you follow me in and faint, the Tang Clan might unfairly take responsibility, so make sure to block the entrance properly."
"What do you mean by that?"
Han-won asked, not understanding, but So-hwa didn't provide a clear answer.
Shk.
So-hwa grabbed a nearby bucket of water from a martial artist and poured it over herself before rushing inside.
"What are you doing?!"
A martial artist, startled, tried to stop her, but So-hwa had already disappeared inside.
"Young Lady! Come back! It's dangerous!"
A martial artist reflexively tried to follow, but he couldn't move forward. One of the Black Tiger Unit had grabbed his shoulder.
"Please wait for just one gak."
"Are you insane? The person who went in is a direct descendant, isn't she? You should be rushing in first!"
“Please wait.”
Although the Black Tiger Unit spoke firmly, they were actually uneasy. But they knew So-hwa well enough to trust that she wouldn't recklessly take risks without a reason.
They silently counted the minutes, hoping that So-hwa would return soon.
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Mihonsan = Mihon + san (mind disturbance + powder)