Free Web Novel“You didn’t know? Your master personally fed a poison pellet to his beloved. A very merciful act, really.”
Ghost-Hand Divine Therapist’s sarcasm left me speechless.
Why would Grandfather do something like that......?
I blinked blankly, then bit my lip as a thought suddenly crossed my mind.
If Grandfather really had used a poison pellet, I had an idea why.
Either he had fed her a poison with the opposite nature of the one afflicting her, in order to neutralize the toxicity.
Or, because there had been no hope, he had given her a paralysis poison to lessen her pain, at least.
If she had been wounded so badly there was nothing anyone could do, then every breath would have been nothing but despair and agony.
If my guess was right...... I thought Grandfather might have acted to reduce his beloved’s suffering, even a little.
Ghost-Hand Divine Therapist stared into empty air, then soon murmured weakly.
“That day...... If only she had held on until this one arrived...... If she had, things might have been different.......”
His voice was soaked in self-reproach.
......Ah. This person is trapped in the past too.
I swallowed a sigh and lowered my eyes.
Only now did I understand.
Ghost-Hand Divine Therapist was caught in the lingering regret that if he had been just a little faster, he might have been able to save Okhwan.
Even though he knew it was not Tang Jung’s fault, he could only endure by resenting Tang Jung.
Enough to turn over, alone, a moment that would never return...... the warmest memory he had ever known.......
When I realized why he had placed the art over the secret cave, I felt a little sad.
No matter how old someone was, no matter how strong a martial artist he was, it seemed losing someone precious still left a scar on the heart.
What did names like one of the Ten Supremes of the Martial World or the greatest physician in the Central Plains matter?
The person he truly wanted to save was somewhere forever beyond his reach.
My stomach churned with pity. I barely managed to squeeze out my voice.
“......I did the same.”
“What do you mean?”
“I fed poison to my brother too. I knew it would be dangerous if the poison spread, and I knew my brother would suffer, but I had no choice. Rather than watch him suffer for the rest of his life, I wanted to end that pain even if I had to use lethal poison.”
Ghost-Hand Divine Therapist, who had been frowning as if listening to nonsense, flushed red and blue by turns.
“You had no choice? So this one should understand your master? Are you mocking me right now?”
“N-no! How would I dare? I only meant...... I think I can guess what that felt like. You know, don’t you? Grandfather wouldn’t have wanted to do that either.”
“That man at least could say a final farewell! This one......!”
Ghost-Hand Divine Therapist, who had met my eyes in anger, suddenly looked hollow.
“Ha. What is that expression? Are you pitying this one?”
“Th-that isn’t.......”
“Enough. To receive pity from a little child like you at this age...... It is so absurd I have lost even the will to be angry.”
Ghost-Hand Divine Therapist let out a hollow laugh and slowly withdrew his energy. I quickly composed my expression too.
After a long silence, Ghost-Hand Divine Therapist opened his mouth.
“This one hates your master.”
“Th...... yes.......”
“But I do acknowledge the part of him that silently accepted this one’s resentment for decades without making a single excuse.”
Ghost-Hand Divine Therapist, who had been speaking as if reciting to himself, scowled in irritation.
“So tell your master this. Living his whole life in chastity is enough, so he should stop rotting away shut up in the Tang estate.”
“.......”
“No, forget it. Pretend you did not hear that. I really must be near death. What am I saying to a child......?”
As if a headache had come on, he clasped his forehead, then gripped the teapot and released it. The tea that had gone cold began bubbling, and hot steam rose from it.
Only then could I properly see Ghost-Hand Divine Therapist’s face.
His smooth, wrinkleless skin was that of a young woman, but his pitch-black eyes were so deep and dark that their depth was impossible to guess.
They were eyes that carried layer upon layer of accumulated years.
Since there was no trace of aging, it seemed he had also returned to youth.
Ghost-Hand Divine Therapist poured the warmed tea into my teacup and awkwardly began speaking.
“You really do resemble Hwayeon.”
“So I’ve been told.”
“You even resemble her in the way you recklessly charge in when it concerns your brother. You seem to have met Fierce Tiger Blade Emperor as well. Where did you see him?”
“I met him once at the Tang estate.”
“I suppose the great clans still gather together and put on airs. Did your master ever mention this one?”
“When the Divine Therapist came to Sichuan, he tried to take me along to greet you.”
“Greet me, my foot. As if anyone said I would meet him.”
Ghost-Hand Divine Therapist snorted and looked at me as if asking whether that was all. I quickly added,
“And when he gave me the sable.”
“Ah, that beast. He was looking for a spirit creature to give his disciple, so I handed it over. When you came in here with some man, I thought you had picked up a sturdy laborer or something, so I put him away. Is he your companion?”
......A sturdy laborer? Is he talking about Yeon Ryang?
When my eyes widened, Ghost-Hand Divine Therapist tossed out a remark as if telling me not to worry.
“I did not kill him, so do not worry. He was looking for his younger sister. He did not look like Tang blood, but is he truly your brother?”
“Yes. He is my brother.”
We were not connected by blood, but I already considered him my family. I did not know what Yeon Ryang thought, but that was how I felt.
At my answer, Ghost-Hand Divine Therapist blinked as if surprised.
“You seem to trust and follow him quite a bit. You are different from your master. Your master was someone who would not give his heart even to his blood kin.”
Then he murmured softly,
“Though he was different in the distant past.”
Ghost-Hand Divine Therapist’s expression turned sulky again. He tapped the table for a long while, then asked hesitantly,
“Have you...... ever heard about Okhwan?”
“He told me only once. He said she was kind, considerate, and beautiful.......”
“He said that?”
“Yes. He also said she was such a good person that he would never meet anyone like her again.”
As he toyed with his teacup, a faint smile touched Ghost-Hand Divine Therapist’s lips.
“I did not know there was still some part of me that agreed with that old monster.”
“I understand why he said that. She is a good person.”
“I am glad you felt the same. Everyone who has met Okhwan says the same thing. That she is a good person.”
His expression grew much gentler. To Ghost-Hand Divine Therapist, Okhwan seemed to be someone whose memory alone could make him happy.
Resting his chin on his hand as he looked at me, Ghost-Hand Divine Therapist asked again,
“By the way, if the Poison King did not send you, how did you find this one’s secret cave? Even the Poison King should only have a guess. He should not know this place’s exact location.”
“Ahaha, well, by coincidence.......”
“Martial artists rarely come around this area. You happened to stop by this village, happened to find this one’s secret cave on the full moon? Am I supposed to believe that?”
You definitely won’t believe me if I say I read it in a book.......
While I was wondering whether I should say that a rumor about the pit had spread through the village, Ghost-Hand Divine Therapist waved his hand.
“Forget it. It must be information the Poison King leaked, so I will ask the Poison King directly. That old man is always shut up in the Tang estate anyway.”
Ghost-Hand Divine Therapist looked as if he had no idea Grandfather had entered seclusion.
After watching his mood, I cautiously asked,
“Um, when did you receive Grandfather’s letter?”
“Was it last winter......? It has been long enough that my memory is hazy. I burned it without reading it, so I do not know what it said.”
“......Ah.”
So you burned the news about his seclusion to ashes. Of course you wouldn’t know, then.
“I think he probably told you in the letter...... Even if you go to the Tang estate, he won’t be there. He entered seclusion last winter.”
“Seclusion? I did not expect that.”
Ghost-Hand Divine Therapist grumbled with a displeased face.
“He should just enter a coffin. What seclusion does he think he is doing?”
I pretended I had not heard and stared at the ceiling.
This person really hates Grandfather.
“At any rate, the fact that you found this one’s secret cave means you need something. What were you trying to steal?”
The question pricked sharply at my conscience, so I avoided his gaze and struggled to come up with an excuse.
“Well...... that is...... I, um...... I’m sorry. I needed spiritual medicine to save my brother.”
“Who are you trying to save? That brother of yours I put away in the corner merely carries demonic qi and otherwise seems perfectly fine. As for your half brothers, they are all trying to kill you, are they not?”
A chill ran over my skin at his sharp observation.
He saw through Yeon Ryang’s demonic qi at a glance. Is it impossible to deceive the eyes of a supreme master?
I tried not to show my shock as I answered.
“I mean my second brother. Brother Un.”
Ghost-Hand Divine Therapist nodded as if he remembered.
“......Ah. The one with the terminal meridian disorder? Hearing the name brings it back. The Poison King came to me several times, asking me to at least take a look.”
Then he muttered with an unpleasant expression,
“No doubt he looks just like that man and gives one a foul feeling. Tang blood never goes anywhere.”
He sounded ready to throw a punch if Grandfather had been standing in front of him, so I could not make a sound and only rolled my eyes.
As if he found my reaction funny, Ghost-Hand Divine Therapist let out a breathy chuckle.
“There is no need to be frightened. This one is not so petty as to vent his anger on a child in someone else’s place. Your feelings for your brother are admirable, so I will overlook today’s matter. I will give you usable spiritual medicine as well, so take it with you.”
“R-really? Thank you, Divine Therapist! Thank you.”
With an exclamation, I grabbed Ghost-Hand Divine Therapist’s hand and shook it up and down.
Ghost-Hand Divine Therapist flinched as if surprised by my behavior, then laughed softly.
“How adorable. I see why the Poison King treasured you so dearly.”
After lightly patting my head, his face twisted for an instant.
“That damned old man. I thought he was rotting away shut up in his quarters, but he was off enjoying raising a disciple by himself, was he? Perhaps this one should take in a disciple too.......”
His manner had softened beyond comparison to the beginning, and I felt relieved.
I gulped and worked my lips.
“Um, then......!” ƒrēewebnovel.com
“What is it?”
“If it isn’t too rude, could the Divine Therapist take the spiritual medicine to my brother?”
