The Eldest Daughter of the Tang Clan of Sichuan Protects the Family

Chapter 256

She had said that if gathering them was difficult, he could pretend to dig up and ruin the nearby soil, but in truth, whether one pulverized the ground or harvested the roots, the time it took was much the same.'If I'm going to do it anyway, it's better to dig them up properly and take them.'

Min Doyu walked while checking the sketch map Tang So-hwa had drawn for him.

The medicinal ingredients she mentioned were items that could be obtained even in the Central Plains. Some were occasionally rare, but as long as one paid the proper price, they could be purchased without much trouble.

Before long, however, Min Doyu understood why Tang So-hwa had coveted the garden's medicinal plants.

'How in the world did they cultivate them for them to grow like this?'

The condition of the garden's herbs was excellent.

Even with the same medicinal ingredient, efficacy varied depending on size and condition, making the garden's flora difficult to appraise in value.

He wandered through the expansive garden, gathering as many herbs as he could. Just as he finished collecting everything Tang So-hwa had asked for, a sound like the sky collapsing rang out.

Kwaaaang.

When thunder roared once more, people emerged from the Black Pavilion.

Confirming who they were, Min Doyu narrowed his eyes.

"What is that behind you?"

The Ice Palace disciple following behind the Fourth Seat was carrying a lump of ice. Looking closer, it had the outline of a human body.

"S-surely that isn't the secret manual administrator?"

Min Doyu asked in shock, but the Ice Palace disciple remained calm.

"We sealed his blood first, so his life is not in danger."

"No, this person has a different constitution from the Ice Palace disciples. If you freeze him like this, he could die!"

Min Doyu gathered heat in his hand. As he moved to thaw the frozen man, the Fourth Seat blocked his hand.

"If you do that, he really might die. We'll handle it ourselves, so you worry about the ones coming from behind."

Min Doyu turned around.

He could see Ice Palace disciples and Red Blood Hall members approaching from that direction.

Under normal circumstances, neither the Red Blood Hall nor the Blue Blood Hall would dare cross into the Blood Demon's pavilion.

But perhaps because people from the Central Plains had recently assaulted Jin Yin Mountain, the Red Blood Hall members were now rushing toward the Black Pavilion.

Their numbers were not large.

Now, one of those people would have to be sent to the Blood Demon.

Min Doyu was about to say that he would take care of this side.

However, there was no need to say it aloud. Before he could even open his mouth, the presence had already vanished into the distance.

"Fast......."

He had felt it ever since seeing them in the North Sea, but the Ice Palace people truly had a knack for escaping.

Rather than feeling disappointed, Min Doyu let out a hollow laugh.

"Fine. Then let's each go our own way."

It wasn't as if they were on particularly good terms anyway.

It was enough that they had accompanied each other this far; there was no need for him to cross over to the North Sea as well.

He tucked the herbs into his robes and loosened his hands.

Tang So-hwa had said he did not need to overexert himself gathering the herbs. Even seeing the traces left behind would be enough for the Blood Demon to guess that it was she who had ordered it.

'If she's thinking of luring the Blood Demon, that woman isn't exactly in her right mind either.'

At the time, things had been too hectic for him to dwell on that remark, but as time passed, he grew embarrassed by his own reaction.

Min Doyu now intended to head for Sichuan.

When a woman far younger than him was preparing alone to face the Blood Demon, he could not simply stand by and watch.

'And if just seeing the traces is enough for the Blood Demon to realize this was Tang So-hwa's doing, doesn't that mean these herbs are that important to her?'

A flower of heat bloomed at Min Doyu's fingertips. Scorching warmth flowed through his blood.

'Unlike the people of the North Sea, the Great Desert does not turn its back on ties.'

With a body cleansed of the Blood Demon's blood, he prepared himself to face the Red Blood Hall's members.

* * *

The second floor was a place where water channels had been artificially drawn in, so in truth, the Solar Palace was effectively a single-story structure. However, perhaps because it stood at a high elevation, once the drapes were drawn back, the vast desert spread out before the eyes at a glance.

Gazing at the desert now swallowed by darkness, Haerak muttered to himself.

“It wouldn't take that long if those Ice Palace fellows had left alone... but since Doyu accompanied them, it will take some time.”

Perhaps he had grown tired of talking to himself. Despite having promised not to interfere, he stood up and approached So-hwa. She had been scribbling something for a while now.

Sitting down across from her, Haerak peeked at her doodling and said casually,

"Do you know how fast those North Sea guys are? They vanish in the blink of an eye. I usually don't lose track of people, but those guys run so fast that the number I've actually caught is easier to count."

"I see."

So-hwa replied, but it didn't seem like she was really listening.

Unable to endure the boredom, Haerak placed his palm over the paper.

"You could just say it out loud. Why go through all this trouble and hurt your hand?"

"I'm uneasy. The barrier might open."

She was writing down materials, apparently planning to make something once they returned.

"I don't even know what that old geezer is doing right now, so how would he know what's going on in here?"

"The Blood Demon's senses are sharper. Isn't it only natural that even if we don't know, he might?"

Haerak shook his head.

"You and I are dealing with matters of survival, so it's normal for us to keep our senses sharpened to that old geezer's movements. But that old geezer thinks he can kill us anytime he wants, so he won't care much about what we're doing. If there's a tiger outside, you hold your breath and listen closely to its approach. But if it's just a rabbit making noise outside, wouldn't you simply wish it would quiet down?"

He outright took the brush from So-hwa's hand.

"The Blood Demon has lived a long time and is excellent at reading people. You said he threatened not to let you make a vessel if you tried to spy on him, right? Even I, who haven't lived that long, can tell your personality at a glance. The Blood Demon won't bother testing your temper."

"......."

"Besides, I'm even cooperating in this dream-like situation. Right now, that old geezer is more worried about messing things up than spying on what's happening in here."

So-hwa lifted her head. But the gaze that met his didn't look particularly convinced.

A warm heat settled over So-hwa's sharp eyes.

"If you've got time for this, just get some sleep."

When he moved his hand away, So-hwa gestured toward what she had written.

"If you're bored, read this."

Perhaps he was curious anyway, because Haerak turned the paper toward himself and read it.

"Myeongcheon Merchant Group?"

"It's the closest place to Sichuan, so it'd be best to get things from there. And since you have ties with them, wouldn't you be able to divert things quietly?"

"You remember this is the place where I said I'd let you send a betrothal letter, right?"

So-hwa nodded. It stuck in her memory because Haerak himself had confirmed that Ye-hwa's husband was connected to the Blood Sect.

"Mm, getting goods from the Myeongcheon Merchant Group won't be difficult, but word might leak. It's been months since we last dealt with them, and during that time, you turned the sect upside down, so internal cohesion has weakened a lot."

Tilting his head, Haerak added,

"Well, aside from that, it's not far from the Tang Clan estate, so this much should be doable within a day."

"That's enough."

So-hwa began laying out the plan aloud.

"As soon as you cross into Sichuan, go to the Myeongcheon Merchant Group. We need to get the items as quickly as possible, so it'd be best if you moved personally."

Haerak nodded readily without asking for a reason.

"Anything else you need?"

"For the time being, the Black Pavilion's administrator will be staying in the North Sea. If possible, later bring Zhuge Ji-hwi to the North Sea and let him meet that person."

"Zhuge Ji-hwi? Why does that name suddenly come up?"

"He covets the Blood Demon's secret manual to restore the Four Seasons Hall Lord's eyesight. And the Black Pavilion's administrator isn't in good condition. We don't know when he might die, so let him hear the answer while he's still alive. If possible."

"So what do we gain from this?"

So-hwa closed her mouth for a moment, then said,

"If there's something you want from him, ask. He'll probably grant it."

"What, so you're saying this has nothing to do with what we're doing now?"

Haerak narrowed his eyes.

"Is it really unrelated? The Four Seasons Hall Lord will try to eliminate the remaining remnants even after the Blood Demon is gone. If he regains his eyesight and grows stronger, wouldn't that be good for you, too?"

"Well, I don't know why I'd go all the way to the North Sea for something unrelated to killing the Blood Demon. As you know, I'm not on great terms with those North Sea people."

"Even if the Blood Demon disappears, the Blood Sect won't vanish overnight. Building allies in both the Outer Regions and the Central Plains will help you, too."

"If it's about what comes after the Blood Demon is gone, there's only one thing I care about."

He had expected an indifferent or cold reply, but So-hwa curved her lips.

Since he'd said it half in jest, Haerak looked puzzled.

"...... What, is it so good that just thinking about it makes you smile?"

"No. It's just like you, having the leisure to think that far ahead."

"And you talk as if you're someone without leisure."

When So-hwa averted her gaze, Haerak reached out, pulled her chin up, and forced her to meet his eyes.

“After we cross this great mountain, won't you also have plenty of time?”

Yet So-hwa did not answer.

She wasn't particularly talkative to begin with, but she usually responded to questions.

As the silence dragged on, Haerak opened his mouth again. But just as he was about to speak, he turned toward the door and lifted the barrier.

A voice they had never heard before drifted in from beyond the door.

"I came because I have something to say."

It was a strangely provoking tone. It didn't sound like someone from the Solar Palace.

And there was a familiar scent. So-hwa also realized who it was.

It was brief, but her eyes met Haerak's. Both had guessed why a Red Blood Hall member had come.

A peculiar voice, tinged with both self-deprecation and confidence, followed.

"My senses are dull, so I don't notice most things. Please don't concern yourselves with me. And I was told to attend to you if you need anything, so call for me if you do. I haven't done this before, so I won't be very good at it, but since it's an order from the Blood Demon, I won't be negligent."

"That old geezer sent you to wait on us?"

At the disparaging remark about the Blood Demon, a choking sound was heard.

"...... Yes."

"If he's that worried, he should attend to us himself."

An uneasy, wavering energy could be felt.

Yet the one doing the teasing didn't care and continued questioning.

"Did he really summon you to the Great Desert just to ask for something like that?"

As if trying not to engage, the man swallowed his words.

"In any case, please continue what you were doing. If you need anything, there's no need to come out—just call for me."

Haerak's eyes rolled toward So-hwa. She nodded in response.

While he spoke, the Blood Demon's presence could no longer be felt.

It seemed news of Jin Yin Mountain had reached him, and the Blood Demon had left his seat.

So-hwa drew out the passage from her sleeve. Haerak took it in her stead.

It was time to return to the Central Plains.

Now that they had confirmed the Blood Demon had left for Jin Yin Mountain, they needed to hasten and bring things to an end.