The old man in the hemp robe smiled warmly at Kwak Yeon and spoke.

“Didn’t expect my guest to arrive so soon. This old man is called Seol Jung-hyu.”

“It’s an honor to meet you, Elder Seol.”

“Elder, nothing. Just call me Nodae.”

Nodae—an old-fashioned but respectful term for an elder often used in common speech.

“I couldn’t possibly. You’ve even served as the Grand Academician.”

More than that, the man radiated the faint presence of hyun-gi, just like Senior Brother Hyeonhae.

“If it truly troubles you, at least call me Noya.”

Noya—not quite as {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} formal as Nodaeya, but still a respectful address for elders.

“Understood.”

“And this young lady...?”

“I’m Ju Yeoryeong,” she answered with a polite dip of her head.

“Welcome, Lady Ju.”

After greeting her, Seol Jung-hyu gestured apologetically.

“Forgive my appearance. It’s the peak of the farming season—I haven’t had time to tidy up for guests.”

“Noya, do you tend to the fields yourself?”

“I’ve long lost interest in scholarly pursuits. With little else to do, I while away my days farming.”

“...!”

“Come now, sit wherever you like. My house is in no state to properly host guests—those village friends of mine have turned it upside down. Ah, the stone steps there might be the cleanest spot.”

Ju Yeoryeong immediately guessed who those “friends” were—likely the members of the self-defense patrol—and asked cautiously.

“Noya, why did those people ransack your house?”

She assumed they were searching for hidden treasure.

Of course, no one in this world hands out rice from their stores without keeping some buried away. I knew it—their ‘self-defense patrol’ is just a front to loot the place...

Ju Yeoryeong was convinced the so-called patrol had finally found an excuse to take what they wanted.

“In two days, it’s this old man’s birthday. Told them it wasn’t necessary, but they refuse to let me skip my seventieth. So they’re cleaning, repainting, preparing things I didn’t ask for. As a result, I’m squeezed into a corner room and left inconveniencing guests.”

Ju Yeoryeong was momentarily disappointed, yet slightly surprised.

This old man... he’s for real?

“Noya, we’re perfectly comfortable anywhere,” Kwak Yeon said, sitting on the stone steps Seol Jung-hyu indicated.

Once seated, he asked respectfully, “What guidance might you wish to offer us, Noya?”

It was a courteous way of asking why they had been summoned.

Even Ju Yeoryeong, who normally bristled at flowery language, remained politely quiet this time.

“No, no,” Seol Jung-hyu waved his hand dismissively.

“This old fool has no business offering guidance to a Daoist of Mount Wudang. On the contrary, I hoped to receive some from you.”

Kwak Yeon offered a formal bow.

“I’m hardly worthy of that. I’ve yet to walk the Daoist path for long.”

“Even modesty becomes you, Daoist Kwak.”

“...”

“I heard you’ve been blessing the households here. I invited you to express my gratitude.”

“I happened to cross paths with some displaced folk near Pyo Un Ferry. If I’ve been of the slightest help, the thanks are mine to give.”

“As expected of a Daoist from Samnyeonggung. The Grandmaster once said the truest immortal spirit within Wudang resides at Three Spirits Palace—seems he spoke the truth.”

Kwak Yeon’s eyes lit up.

“You’ve met the Grandmaster?”

“During my time as a scholar at the Hanlin Academy in Hwangseong, I had the honor. Is the Grandmaster well?”

Then it was a long time ago...

“He is well.”

It would only cause needless worry to say they’d lost contact. Besides, with the Grandmaster’s skill, his well-being was all but certain.

Seol Jung-hyu smiled warmly.

“With a figure like the Grandmaster in this world, all under heaven enjoys great fortune.”

“Noya, you’re no less important.”

Seol Jung-hyu shook his head.

“Compared to his wisdom, I don’t even reach his heels. In truth, my desire to cultivate virtue came from being moved by him.”

“...?”

“I spent my life looking no further than my own nose. Thought reading a few more books elevated me.”

Seol Jung-hyu smiled faintly and continued.

“Once, during the Grandmaster’s lectures as Imperial Preceptor in Bukpyeong Province, I dared ask him—was there a way to bring peace to the world? The Grandmaster responded by asking how high my garden wall stood. Then he asked if raising the wall to the heavens would grant me peace of mind.”

Hearing the Grandmaster’s teachings in such an unexpected place, Kwak Yeon focused intently.

“I should have understood his meaning then.”

Seol Jung-hyu’s smile turned somber.

“Not long after, a rebellion broke out in my hometown. The locust plague devastated the land, but factional strife prevented relief efforts. My manor was burned to the ground, my family... all gone.”

“...Ah...”

“All of it was meaningless. The wealth piled inside those walls only invited disaster. Who could I blame? The starving people were simply seeking a way to survive. If I were in their place, watching my own child starve, I’d have scaled any wall—even one that reached the heavens. Only then did I grasp the Grandmaster’s words.”

“...”

“My vow to cultivate virtue came from remorse for my greed and lack of integrity—and for the family that paid the price. They say good deeds in this life ease the suffering of the dead.”

Kwak Yeon now fully understood why the Grand Academician named his manor Deokseonjang—Manor of Virtuous Accumulation—and why no walls stood around it.

“Ah, look at me, rambling on and burdening my guest with the complaints of an old man.”

“Not at all. I’ve received invaluable guidance.”

It wasn’t empty politeness.

The Grandmaster’s teachings aligned with the insights gained through his Primordial Harmonious Art—breaking the barriers within oneself and uniting with the world was the true path to harmony.

The Dao of cultivation and the governance of the world... they flow together as one!

Now he understood why Patriarch Jang Sam-bong urged his disciples to venture into the world to seek heaven’s will.

“Daoist Kwak, as I mentioned, though I tried to refuse, my friends insisted we hold a seventieth birthday celebration. It would mean much if a Wudang Daoist like yourself attended.”

Kwak Yeon realized now why Seol Jung-hyu had summoned him, why he had shared stories of the Grandmaster.

Unable to have the Grandmaster present, he wished to sit with his disciple instead.

“It would be my honor. I will attend.”

Seol Jung-hyu looked to Ju Yeoryeong.

“Lady Ju, I hope you’ll grace the occasion as well.”

“No need to worry—I follow along wherever he goes.”

****

Clatter...

Chasing after a rolling marble, So Cheong came to a sudden stop.

The marble had rolled into the shadow of a tall figure.

“Well now, that’s quite a shiny, new marble.”

Lifting her gaze, So Cheong’s face turned deathly pale.

Hurk! Guk!

The man with a long scar running down his right cheek smirked.

“Well, well... Good to see you again, kid.”

The moment the scar on his cheek twitched like a writhing worm—

Crack!

The sound of a marble shattering echoed beneath the man’s foot.

So Cheong collapsed to the ground, reaching desperately toward the scattered marbles. But the man barked like thunder.

“Kid! Move that hand unless you want it shattered too.”

Trembling, So Cheong quickly withdrew her hand, and the man stepped forward toward the pile of marbles.

Crunch! Crack!

With deliberate pressure, he ground the marbles into dust beneath his foot.

“No!”

By the time Wang Cheolgo burst out of the shed and sprinted over, the marbles were already crushed beyond recognition.

Wang Cheolgo hastily pulled So Cheong into his arms.

“How... How did you find this place...?”

Jin Go-cheok of the Flame King Society smiled faintly.

“Come on, Wang Cheolgo. I told you, didn’t I? No matter how far you run, you’re still in the palm of our hand. The Flame King Society’s eyes are everywhere—you can’t escape.”

“...”

“By the looks of it, things are going well for you. You’ve even got the spare coin to buy your boy some shiny new marbles. Lovely.”

Jin Go-cheok strolled leisurely around the yard.

“Hmph... building a shed too? So you have been hiding away money. What a cruel bastard, stashing it away while your kid had a blade to his throat.”

Wang Cheolgo cried out in anguish.

“I borrowed to build this! Please... don’t hurt the child again...”

Jin Go-cheok clicked his tongue.

“Aw, poor thing. So your kid matters, but our money doesn’t?”

“I swear, I couldn’t pay because I didn’t have it!”

Boom!

Jin Go-cheok slammed his foot into the shed’s wall, sending the hastily stacked mud bricks crumbling to the ground.

“Spare me the lies.”

“Please... I’ll repay it, I promise. Just, not the child... I beg you.”

“Relax. I won’t lay a finger on your boy today.”

“Truly...?”

“Truly. And after today, you won’t see me again. That is... unless you borrow from the Flame King Society again.”

“What do you mean...?”

“I’ve come with a very generous offer today. You get rid of your debt, and I get my missing money.”

“...?”

“Not to worry—I’ve brought someone to guarantee the fairness of it all.”

Jin Go-cheok turned toward the yard entrance and called out.

“You can come in now.”

Stepping into the yard, the magistrate’s constable, Gu Chun-yang, appeared.

“Hey now, I told you to keep it reasonable.”

“I did keep it reasonable. No one’s hurt, after all.”

Recognizing him from the riverbank, Wang Cheolgo’s face turned pale.

“Constable... why are you here...?”

Gu Chun-yang replied coolly.

“A formal complaint was filed to Gihyeon Prefecture regarding unpaid debts. The magistrate issued an order for arbitration. I’m here to enforce that order.”

“Sir... that man is from the Flame King Society. They’re... loan sharks—”

“They’ve agreed to take no more interest than what the prefecture allows. So don’t fret.”

“Sir, I... we have no money...”

“That won’t be a problem.”

Gu Chun-yang unfolded a document and continued.

“You likely can’t read, so I’ll explain the magistrate’s arbitration.”

“...”

“Ahem! By this agreement, the debtor Wang Cheolgo’s outstanding debt to Jin Go-cheok is considered resolved. Jin Go-cheok will collect the owed amount from Cheongu Trading House. Wang Cheolgo will mortgage his land, newly registered under his name, to Cheongu Trading House as collateral. Cheongu Trading House will claim thirty percent of the land’s yield as payment. However, if the debtor repays the principal and the interest set by the magistrate, the collateral contract is nullified and the land deed returned.”

Wang Cheolgo’s face drained of color.

“Sir... I only just received that land from the Grand Academician...”

“But it’s your property now, isn’t it?”

“But still... thirty percent of the yield is... far too much...”

“Tenant farmers lose half. Thirty percent is more than fair. Besides, you can reclaim the deed anytime by repaying the debt. It’s a reasonable contract.”

“Sir... after paying taxes and expenses, there’ll be nothing left... how could I possibly save enough to...”

Before Wang Cheolgo could finish, a deafening crash shook the yard.

Boom!