READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 45 - Stay Quiet
Chapter 45: Stay Quiet
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Needle Master and the Heavenly Divine Healer made their way toward the place where Seomun Jehak’s group had taken Byeok Taesan.
The trail led to a small forest behind the Golden Moon Inn.
Although some time had passed since the group had left, the Heavenly Divine Healer had tracked the trail as if guided by ghosts.
“You’re quite useful, aren’t you?”
Needle Master looked at the Heavenly Divine Healer with a slightly surprised expression.
“I may be known for my exceptional medical skills and treated as a physician, but my other abilities are not to be underestimated. Not that I’m asking for recognition; it’s just the way it is.”
“Keep your shoulders still. Why puff yourself up over something like that? Bragging without admitting it takes talent too.”
“I’m not bragging, really. People naturally come to know my skills without me having to say anything. A needle always pierces through the pouch.”
“Enough. Let’s stop talking. What could I possibly discuss with you? Let’s hurry before the Young Master kills them all.”
With that, Needle Master quickened his pace.
At the forest entrance, a few armed men were standing guard.
Judging by their attire, they were warriors from the Seomun Clan.
As soon as they saw the Heavenly Divine Healer and Needle Master, they tensed up and blocked the path leading into the forest.
“Apologies, but you cannot enter here today.”
The Heavenly Divine Healer chuckled.
“Do you own this forest? I’ve never heard of the Seomun Clan owning land in Xing Province.”
The mention of the Seomun Clan caused the guards’ faces to harden.
“So, you came here knowing who we are. Should we assume your intentions are hostile?”
“If you want to keep secrets, perhaps consider changing your attire. You’re broadcasting your affiliation with the Seomun Clan loud and clear; why even bother asking if I know who you are?”
At that, the faces of the Seomun Clan warriors turned slightly red.
“Regardless, we need to go in. How about stepping aside?”
“We have our orders, so please understand. We cannot let you pass. Kindly wait until we’ve finished our business here.”
“And when will you be done with your business?”
“That… I’m not certain. But it shouldn’t take long.”
The Heavenly Divine Healer smirked.
“You’re just here to beat someone up, so I guess it wouldn’t take long. But your calculations are off.”
The warriors’ expressions turned cold at his words.
“You’re contradicting yourself. Earlier, you implied you didn’t know who we were. Now you act like you do.”
“Did I?”
The Heavenly Divine Healer turned to Needle Master with a puzzled expression.
“Did I say that?”
“Not exactly, but you worded it ambiguously enough to be misunderstood.”
“Whose side are you on? Our Young Master’s or the Seomun Clan’s?”
Needle Master stared at the Heavenly Divine Healer in disbelief.
“Don’t you think your question is a little absurd? Enough talk. Move aside. How long do you plan to stall?”
Needle Master stepped forward, standing directly in front of the Seomun Clan warriors, and scanned them with a sharp gaze.
Suddenly, an overwhelming aura, which had been completely concealed until now, surged forth.
It was the explosive release of restrained energy.
The sheer force of it caused the Seomun warriors to tighten their grip on their swords in panic.
They contemplated drawing their weapons, but the idea of defeating the elderly man before them felt almost laughable.
They had already lost before a single blow was exchanged.
“I’m known as the Needle Master, the physician. Have you heard of me?”
“I… Needle Master?”
Of course, they had. But why would someone like Needle Master be here?
“I was invited by the Hubei Martial Alliance. Haven’t you heard about that?”
“N-no, we haven’t.”
“I’m already in a foul mood because of the Seomun Clan’s brat insulting me earlier. Are you planning to add to my irritation?”
The Seomun warriors’ faces turned pale at those words.
Finally, they recalled the incident at the Golden Moon Inn earlier.
This old man standing before them had indeed been there.
Memories of Seomun Jehak’s words and actions toward Needle Master came flooding back.
“Think of this as a chance to redeem your tarnished reputation. You won’t get another opportunity to restore the Seomun Clan’s standing, unlike the Gu Clan or the Chu Family.”
“P-please, go ahead. However…”
“However, what?”
“Y-you might be too late. We’ve been hearing screams from inside for a while now…”
Needle Master chuckled.
“Screams? Then that’s fine. It means they’re not dead yet. Once we’re inside, let no one else enter. You understand what I mean, don’t you?”
“Y-yes, of course.”
Needle Master strode into the forest alongside the Heavenly Divine Healer.
As they disappeared, one of the Seomun warriors muttered nervously.
“Was that… really Needle Master? Should we have verified it?”
A sense of unease began to grow among them.
But the deed was done.
There was no turning back.
In truth, they hadn’t neglected verification out of carelessness.
Needle Master’s sheer aura had left them too overwhelmed to act rationally.
Despite their lingering unease, the Seomun warriors forced themselves to remain vigilant.
“So, this is why having a reputation matters. Just one nickname, and we’re through.”
“You think we got through because of the name? Naive fool.”
“Pressuring them with aura works because of the name’s weight. So yes, it was the name. Without it, we’d have ended up crossing swords.”
“That wouldn’t have happened. Before they drew their swords, my needle would’ve been lodged in their crown.”
“Are you here to stop the Young Master from killing people, or are you planning to kill them yourself? Let’s keep things consistent, shall we?”
Needle Master paused to glare at the Heavenly Divine Healer.
Just as he opened his mouth to speak, the latter suddenly sped up and passed him.
Needle Master sighed, tilting his head toward the sky before muttering under his breath.
“Should I stitch his mouth shut? The Young Master might actually approve.”
If the Heavenly Divine Healer heard this, he showed it only by quickening his steps further.
“Ah, Young Master!”
The Heavenly Divine Healer had spotted Byeok Taesan.
Needle Master chuckled and followed quickly.
“Young Master, what are you doing here?”
Byeok Taesan stood still, while the three people he had been scuffling with lay face down on the ground.
The Heavenly Divine Healer stared at Byeok Taesan with wide eyes.
“Don’t tell me—!”
“One more word, and I’ll make you join them.”
The Heavenly Divine Healer clamped his mouth shut.
“But… why are they lying like that?”
“I pressed a few pressure points. Pulled some qi out, and they foamed at the mouth a little. Their bodies are fine.”
He wasn’t sure exactly what had been done, but a closer look was necessary.
“May I examine them?”
Byeok Taesan nodded, and the Heavenly Divine Healer and Needle Master quickly approached Seomun Jehak’s group.
After taking the pulse for a moment, he nodded.
It was just as Byeok Taesan had said. Although the body was slightly stiff, perhaps from being startled, there was no significant harm to survival.
“What should we do now?”
“What else? Wake them up. We haven’t had a proper conversation yet.”
The Heavenly Divine Healer looked at Byeok Taesan with a startled expression.
“Did you do this to them without even speaking with them first?”
Byeok Taesan quietly stared at the Heavenly Divine Healer.
The Heavenly Divine Healer sheepishly averted his gaze and stimulated several pressure points on Seomun Jehak’s body.
“Ughhh…”
Seomun Jehak slowly regained consciousness.
Soon, the other two also came to their senses one after another.
“Gasp!”
The three of them immediately jumped to their feet, trembling violently when they spotted Byeok Taesan.
“They’re about to soil themself. Stop it.”
As soon as Byeok Taesan finished speaking, the Heavenly Divine Healer leapt into action.
Thud-thud-thud!
With lightning-fast movements, he pressed several pressure points on all three of them.
These pressure points halted bowel movements, effectively inducing temporary constipation.
Being a physician, he knew exactly which points to target with precision.
The Needle Master watched the scene in a daze, wondering what on earth this man was doing.
However, the Heavenly Divine Healer had been through this kind of situation before and knew it was a necessary measure.
There was no need to endure a foul smell if it could be avoided.
Byeok Taesan slowly approached the trio.
The closer he got, the paler their faces became.
Cold sweat poured from their bodies, as if they might collapse from dehydration at any moment.
“You said it earlier, didn’t you?”
“Huh? Wh-what do you mean?”
“You know, how much I hate people talking about me behind my back.”
Suddenly, the words and actions they had exchanged at the Golden Moon Inn came rushing back to their minds.
“Y-yes, we did!”
Byeok Taesan nodded.
“I feel the same way. I really hate people gossiping about me. So from now on, stay quiet. Do you understand?”
“O-of course! We won’t tell anyone!”
Byeok Taesan grinned.
“I doubt that, but I’ll try trusting you for now. If you want to gossip… go ahead. That is, if you’re ready to bear the consequences.”
He glanced over the three of them.
“If, by any chance, even one in a million, you get caught talking behind my back… ask yourselves whether you can handle what comes next.”
With those words, Byeok Taesan turned abruptly and walked away.
“Let’s go.”
As Byeok Taesan led the way, the Heavenly Divine Healer and the Needle Master quickly followed behind him.
The Heavenly Divine Healer paused mid-stride, turned to the trio, and said, “The pressure points I blocked earlier will release naturally later. So don’t worry about it.”
With that, he disappeared.
The three of them stood in a daze before their legs gave out, and they collapsed onto the ground.
“W-what just happened? What on earth was that?”
“I… I don’t know either.”
“It feels like we were possessed by a ghost. What in the world…”
It was hard to believe that Byeok Taesan was truly that powerful.
They couldn’t even begin to comprehend what they had just experienced.
One thing was clear: the suffering they endured was real.
The memory of that pain lingered in their minds, causing their bodies to tremble uncontrollably.
They couldn’t even muster anger; there was only fear and dread.
It seemed like it would take a long time to recover from this.
‘But eventually, we’ll overcome it. When that time comes…’
Seomun Jehak quietly ground his teeth, cautious not to let it be noticed.
Realizing his own behavior, he let out a hollow laugh.
It felt futile.
“Sigh. Let’s go for now. We should probably rest today.”
They slowly picked themselves up and left the forest.
However, the news they encountered outside only added to their misery.
“That old man was the Needle Master? Is that true?”
Seomun Jehak asked, aghast.
“Well… it hasn’t been confirmed. He merely said so himself. But his skills were undeniably extraordinary.”
“Extraordinary skills? From what I saw, he seemed like just an ordinary old man.”
“That’s what I thought at first, too. But then, in an instant, his energy surged like an explosion…”
Seomun Jehak stared blankly at the warrior.
“Still, he did say that he’d sort out his feelings towards the Seomun Clan.”
Hearing this, Seomun Jehak’s eyes regained some focus.
“Really? Did he say that for certain?”
“Yes.”
That was at least some relief. But for the other two, Gu Yangsoo and Chu Yeonghak, there was no such comfort.
Saying he’d sort out his feelings towards the Seomun Clan didn’t mean he felt the same about their own families.
Their heads already throbbed with worry.
The Needle Master was an extremely troublesome opponent if they were to become enemies.
Maintaining a good relationship or avoiding him entirely was always the best option.
But now, having tangled with him in such a way, what could they possibly say when they returned to their clans?
There was no way they could admit they got into this mess trying to crush Yeon Harin’s fiancé.
‘But still… Still, we can’t just let this slide, can we?’
As some time passed, those thoughts began creeping into their minds.
Seomun Jehak looked at Gu Yangsoo and Chu Yeonghak.
Judging by their hardened expressions, they seemed to share the same thoughts.
Something unspoken passed between the three of them. They nodded in unison.
“Anyway, for now… I just want to rest. What about accommodations?”
“Well…”
They considered going to another inn but quickly shook their heads.
It would look too much like they were running away.
“How about returning to the Golden Moon Inn? We probably don’t need the annex anymore…”
“Sounds good.”
“I agree.”
The three of them regrouped and headed back to the Golden Moon Inn.
Of course, they were extremely cautious, constantly checking their surroundings.
They had no desire to run into Byeok Taesan or the Needle Master.
Fortunately, they managed to secure a room without being noticed.
Exhausted, they fell into a deep sleep.
They didn’t even realize when the blocked pressure points were finally released.