I was sent off by the Black Cat Pavilion. Standing still for a moment with the attendants, I looked over the gathered subordinates at the front gate.

Strangely enough, their expressions resembled those of the people back at Zaha Inn. More than worrying about the Pavilion, they looked like they were worrying about me. It felt fresh—these people who are far weaker than me showing concern for me.

Lately, for some reason, I often get the feeling that every farewell might be the last. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s because I’ve been entertaining too many dark thoughts.

As I committed their faces to memory, I said,

“So Pavilion Lord, Chief Byeok, Lady Son, Master Ho Yeon.”

“Yes.”

“Lead well. And the rest of you—follow them properly.”

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

I gave another reminder to the Seven Bugs.

“Support Chief Byeok well.”

“Yes.”

I guess the source of my unease came from those experts I still couldn’t defeat.

So Gunpyeong gave me a farewell message.

“...Sect Leader, please keep running well.”

“Got it.”

“If you call for us, we’ll come running.”

“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”

I locked eyes with So Gunpyeong and we nodded at the same time.

“I’m off.”

I departed for Moyong Baek’s clinic with the attendants.

***

As soon as I showed up at Moyong Baek’s place with Black Cat Pavilion attendants, he looked up from drying herbs in the yard, startled.

“...”

He looked like he’d seen a ghost, which made me pause too.

“Moyong-sensei, it’s me.”

“I know.”

“Why’re you so surprised?”

He looked at the attendants beside me.

“You always show up suddenly with new people. I can’t help but be surprised. Come in.”

“I did bring new people this time.”

As I stepped inside, the female physicians greeted me in unison. I nodded, scanning them until I found Yalu Yeon.

“Are you adjusting well?”

She smiled and answered,

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

“No bullying from Black and White Soso?”

“None at all.”

Baek So-ah and Heuk So-ryeong looked at me with surprised faces.

“Moyong Baek isn’t overworking you, is he?”

“No way.”

I then introduced the young attendants I had brought from the Pavilion.

“Yalu Yeon, I’ve brought some juniors for you. Take good care of them.”

“Waaah...”

The female physicians applauded together as they welcomed the new attendants. By now, they seemed used to me bringing new people along.

Looking at it this way, Moyong Baek had gathered enough capable and diligent young women that he could probably start his own all-women sect.

He muttered,

“...I haven’t even accepted them yet.”

Ignoring that, I told the Black Cat Pavilion attendants,

“Stay with your physician seniors for a while.”

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

I patted Moyong Baek’s shoulder.

“I went to Manjang Gorge.”

“You’ve already been there?”

“Let’s go inside.”

I sat first in his office chair and looked at him as he came in like a patient. I placed the bundle on the table.

He said,

“Sect Leader, that’s my seat.”

“Your seat, my seat—what’s the difference? If I sit, it’s mine. Sit over there.”

“Yes.”

So he sat in the patient’s chair.

Come to think of it, most of what was in the bundle belonged to him anyway. I couldn’t give away all the centennial fo-ti root, but I pulled out the largest one and asked,

“Moyong-sensei, you’re not sick, are you?”

“No.”

“What about pent-up stress? You don’t look great. You should eat regularly.”

He placed a hand on his chest.

“I think I’m about to develop it.”

“Catch it early. Are you sleeping well?”

“Yes.”

“Drink warm water often. And cut off alcohol this year.”

“Got it. I don’t really drink anyway.”

“And martial arts?”

“I’ve fully understood the theory of the Harmony of Medicine and Martial Arts. I’m steadily climbing the stages—just entered the third.”

“If you ever hit a wall, don’t struggle alone. Come to Zaha Inn. Plenty of people can help guide you.”

“Understood.”

“Brooding alone leads straight to inner deviation. Now, this here’s the centennial fo-ti I dug up under Manjang Gorge. This is {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} trumpet creeper. These are nameless poisonous herbs... What’s this?”

Moyong Baek peered into the box of herbs.

“That’s golden thread grass. Definitely a toxic herb.”

“This one? Looks like a medicinal herb, but I don’t know the name.”

“That’s yuhanch’o—also poisonous.”

“Wow, I really went and picked only poison. I’ve got great eyes. Good thing I didn’t eat anything just because I was hungry.”

Suddenly, Moyong Baek’s eyes widened.

“Sect Leader, is this really centennial fo-ti?”

“It is.”

“Why does it look like ginseng? And it’s more than a hundred years old.”

“A hybrid, maybe? A slightly smaller one was eaten by So Gunpyeong and it brightened him up. You should take this one. The rest are already spoken for.”

He looked at me.

“What about you, Sect Leader?”

“I ate mine right under Manjang Gorge.”

“Thank you, Sect Leader. I’ll make good use of the poisonous herbs too.”

I tightened the bundle again and added,

“Oh, those two girls—absolute top-tier talent from the Black Cat Pavilion. I brought them here personally.”

“Sect Leader.”

“What?”

“I don’t mean this in a bad way, but one of them is way too pretty.”

“Oh, so that’s what surprised you?”

“Yes. If someone that beautiful takes care of patients, I’ll have trouble too. Especially when it comes to Jianghu men. They’ll keep showing up even when they’re not sick. If someone like Lord Mong shows up, I wouldn’t be able to handle it.”

He had a point.

“Hmm. Then train her to manage herbs and toxins instead. Teach her well. She doesn’t need to be a physician. Also, just give the female physicians light veils. You know, those translucent ones that make them look mysterious. You get what I mean, right?”

“I do. But isn’t Zaha Inn short on hands?”

“There’s a Lecher there. Can’t prescribe ‘beauty’ to a critical patient. If the Lecher starts acting out, Sword Demon might beat him to death. Getting beaten to death would be merciful—he’s the type to flee mid-beating.”

“To where?”

“Anywhere, really. But not yet. Let’s give that side more time. Can’t stir up unstable patients too soon.”

“Understood.”

Suddenly, Moyong Baek looked at my hand and called out,

“So-ryeong.”

“Yes, sir.”

Heuk So-ryeong entered.

“Sect Leader hurt his hand. Disinfect it and apply the healing balm.”

“Yes, sir.”

As she applied the balm, I said,

“Martial cultivation is slow by nature, so don’t rush. Instead, prepare a wide variety of toxins for when you face off with Jianghu types or unruly attendants.”

“Like what?”

“For someone reasonable, something like paralysis powder. For perverts like the Lecher, go for deadly poison. Coat your fan with toxins too. Ask Yeon Ja-seong or Yongdu Cheolbang to make hidden weapons that can launch poison needles. You know the kind.”

“What kind?”

“A small mechanical launcher. Like a mini crossbow or needle cannon?”

“If I fire a poison-coated needle, they’ll die.”

“Well, it’s meant to kill. It’s not acupuncture, who cares. Make it strong enough that even Lord Mong can’t block it. Then you’ll be fine against most Jianghu people. Right, So-ryeong?”

She nodded.

“Yes. The wound’s almost healed.”

I looked at her rubbing my hand.

“Stop fondling it already.”

“Yes.”

“Anyway, rest for a few days after taking the fo-ti. If you’re uneasy, take it at Zaha Inn.”

Moyong Baek nodded.

“I’ll think about it.”

I lifted the now-lighter bundle and said,

“I’m entrusting you with these two girls. So-ryeong, take care of your juniors too.”

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

As I turned to leave, Moyong Baek asked,

“How’s your stress condition?”

“It’s up and down—but in a positive way. And...”

“Yes?”

“When certain psychological triggers hit, this uncontrollable martial art activates. I’ve named it Zaha Divine Art for now. Because of that, I think it’s best not to treat my condition yet.”

“You can treat it?”

“It’s incurable?”

“It’s psychological. Unless your environment changes, it technically is incurable.”

“My environment?”

“Meaning Jianghu.”

I looked him in the eye and answered,

“Even better. If I unify Jianghu with power, maybe the incurable becomes curable.”

He shook his head.

“Why not just get married before that?”

“Not a chance.”

I paused at the door and glanced back at him. He looked me over and said,

“Still, you look better than before.”

I nodded.

“I’ve gotten stronger, and everything’s gotten a bit easier. In the end, strength is everything. You understand, don’t you, Sensei? With this centennial fo-ti, you can master the mid-stages of the Harmony Technique. But that won’t be enough. Until you reach greatness, stay humble and never slack on your poison research.”

“Understood.”

Moyong Baek followed me out to see me off.

“Sect Leader, you’ve been through a lot on your long journey.”

This damn physician patted my back and sighed. Whether at the Black Cat Pavilion or Moyong Baek’s place, they all looked at me like some helpless kid going out into danger.

Not surprising, considering how often I stir up trouble.

I headed back to Zaha Inn.

I didn’t expect the life of an herb collector to be so busy and exhausting. But the results were real. Raising So Gunpyeong and Moyong Baek into masters would help Haomun in the long run.

It was good for their lives, too.

That, I had confirmed.

Being strong makes everything easier.

If I want peace later, I have to suffer now.

***

When I suddenly showed up at Zaha Inn in my black robes, Sword Demon and the Drunk sheathed their swords mid-duel, and the Lecher, who had been watching from the bench, looked at me.

“You’re back?”

The Lecher sniffed and asked,

“You smell like herbs.”

“Only fo-ti.”

“How many?”

“Not some—enough to give to Deuk-soo so he can cook. Ever heard of fo-ti salad?”

“No.”

“Well, there’s a lot. We’ll eat it with rice later.”

There’s no way little Yoran could chew through a big centennial fo-ti root. Especially not one with such potent medicinal energy. Some people turn white-haired if they take the wrong medicine. I wasn’t about to do that to her.

I dropped my bundle on the platform and sat down, finally relaxing.

“Whew... being an herb collector is no joke.”

Sword Demon and the Drunk approached and each offered a word.

“You’ve had a rough trip.”

Looking at the Drunk, I noticed his robes were torn. I grabbed the torn fabric and examined it.

“Impressive.”

He looked at me.

“I almost died fighting the eldest, and that’s impressive?”

“I meant the synergy between you two. An offensive and a defensive swordsman clashing day after day without anything better to do—that’ll polish your swordsmanship.”

He tilted his head.

“Sounds like a compliment, but also like you’re mocking me. Yeah... You’re definitely back.”

Finally, all three of the Four Great Villains laughed.

Looking back toward the inn, I called out,

“Deuk-soo hyung! Food!”

A second-floor window burst open with a bang as Jang Deuk-soo stuck his head out.

“You’re back?”

“Yup.”

“Good job.”

The window slammed shut again, and soon I heard the pounding of feet. Yoran came bursting out of Zaha Inn with a bright face and bowed deeply in front of me.

“Third Master, you’re back?”

“Yeah.”

I looked her over. It hadn’t been that long, but she seemed taller.

“Have you been doing well with the other masters?”

“Of course.”

“What about Chief Cha?”

“Lately he eats breakfast, then trains until dinner. Sometimes he comes and gets beaten up badly by the youngest master. They call it a sparring match, right?”

“Yeah. It’s not fighting—it’s sparring.”

“Well, he keeps getting hit and rolling on the ground.”

“That’s the youngest master helping him. A real fight would be harsher.”

“Anyway, the Chief is doing well.”

I suddenly got goosebumps. Yoran was way more articulate than when she first arrived. She’s naturally cheerful, but how she ended up in that mess still baffles me.

I handed her the bundle.

“Tell Head Cook Jang it’s centennial fo-ti. Ask him to make a salad or steam dish for us. And tell him the small one is especially for you. He’ll know what that means.”

“Yes, sir!”

She took the bundle and dashed off like lightning. A puff of dust rose in front of the inn as she ran.

I waved away the dust and muttered,

“Man...”

The Lecher asked beside me,

“What? What ‘man’? Speak properly. Don’t stop mid-thought like an old man. It’s a bad habit. Like cutting off a shit.”

“Stop with the shit talk. That’s your bad habit.”

For the first time in a while, I sat on the platform with the Four Great Villains and looked up at the normal sky.

As I took in the quiet scenery, I muttered,

“This must be how all fathers become daughter-obsessed fools.”

“...”

I glanced sideways at them.

“I thought we four, with no plans to marry, would never feel this kind of emotion.”

The Lecher whipped his head around to glare at me.

“You crazy? I am going to get married. Why are you deciding my life? Freak. At the very least, my bride has to be on the level of the Phoenix and Two Immortals.”

“Ambitious dreams.”

The Drunk looked at me.

“If I meet someone good, I’ll get married.”

I pointed at myself.

“Me?”

He shook his head.

“No, me.”

“What a delusion. What about you, eldest?”

All three of us looked at Sword Demon. He crossed his arms and answered in a serious tone.

“I have no thoughts about it yet.”

The Lecher asked,

“What about later?”

Sword Demon cleared his throat and replied,

“We’ll see.”

I turned away and stared ahead.

‘Wow... am I the only one who finds this hilarious?’

No one laughed, so I couldn’t either. They were all lunatics—no way any of them were getting married. You never know in life, but for now, that’s how it is.