The situation unfolding before him was baffling in more ways than one.
How did that girl notice?
Yanghwi had not released a pulse of qi to probe her. He had merely tried to assess her by reading the qi she naturally gave off.
It was the difference between touching someone’s body and simply looking at them.
There should have been no way for Jegal Seolha to notice his attempt.
But she did.
And that was not the only strange thing.
“Seolha! What is it? Hmm? Tell your father!”
Jegal Seolha had merely parted her lips a fraction.
Yet Jegal Seon was overreacting as if something momentous had just occurred.
“Why are you so alarmed, Younger Brother? Is something troubling her?”
“No, Brother. It is simply very rare for my daughter to react this way.”
Jegal Seon examined Jegal Seolha once more and composed himself before giving a bitter smile.
“I will explain everything in due time. More importantly, Brother, would you introduce me to your family?”
“Of course, Younger Brother. You have met my wife before, so I am sure you remember her. These three children are mine.”
Jegal Seon’s gaze settled on the three Baek siblings.
Baek Heonso looked nervous, yet he could not hide his interest in Jegal Seolha, who was close to his age.
Baek Yeonyeon was simply delighted by the new faces and unfamiliar situation.
Then there was Yanghwi, whose deep eyes did not seem to belong to a child at all.
The other two are quite talented as well, but the eldest is a true prodigy. He must be the adopted son Brother mentioned in his letter.
Yanghwi’s appearance had changed beyond recognition over the past few months.
He ate well every day and never neglected his training. His martial talent had developed to the point that anyone could sense there was something extraordinary about him at a glance.
“It has been nearly eight years since I last saw Brother, so this is my first time meeting all of you. I am Jegal Seon, your sworn uncle.”
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Uncle Jegal.”
“Hello, Uncle!”
Yanghwi joined his siblings in greeting him.
All the while, he continued observing Jegal Seolha, who remained silent in her father’s arms.
We’re around the same age. You’d expect him to introduce us, but he hasn’t.
Moreover, Jegal Seolha’s entire face was concealed behind a pure white veil.
It was translucent enough that she should have had no trouble seeing through it, but he could not understand why she wore it in the first place.
It would be awkward to ask, too.
Jegal Seolha would die in the not-too-distant future.
Could the reason she dressed this way have something to do with her death?
Her gaze was still fixed on him.
Though she had not spoken a word, there was no doubt she had noticed his attempt to read her qi.
That means she either possesses some unusual extrasensory ability, or her innate senses are as sharp as mine.
And when he considered the peculiar quality of the qi he had sensed from her as well...
His thoughts abruptly became much more complicated.
*****
That night, a welcoming feast was held at Baek Family Manor.
Naturally, it was meant to honor Jegal Seon, the Clan Head’s sworn younger brother and the Young Clan Head of a great clan.
Strangely, however, Jegal Seon did not let Jegal Seolha out of his arms even during the feast.
He ate while holding his young daughter and even drank wine with her still in his embrace.
“Younger Brother Jegal, your daughter must be very fond of you.”
“Haha! Whenever Seolha finds herself in an unfamiliar place, she refuses to leave her mother’s or father’s side for even a moment.”
“I see. It would have been wonderful if she could spend some time with Hwi, So, and Yeon.”
“Indeed. More importantly, Brother, you appear to be doing far better than before.”
Just as Baek Muryang wondered about Jegal Seolha’s circumstances, Jegal Seon was curious about the Baek Family Manor, which appeared noticeably more prosperous than it had several years ago.
“Some good fortune must have visited your family recently.”
“Hmm. I cannot deny that. Hahaha.”
Baek Muryang smiled gently and stroked his beard.
“Heaven brought us together through fate, and the thread of that bond drew fortune and blessings to our door.”
As he spoke, Baek Muryang looked at Yanghwi.
That was when the hopelessly doting father began boasting about his son.
Baek Muryang proudly recounted everything Yanghwi had accomplished thus far.
Several of those achievements were so extraordinary that they bordered on the absurd, prompting spontaneous exclamations even from Jegal Seon.
“Is that truly what happened, Brother? That child did all of it?”
“To think such schemes could emerge from the mind of an eight-year-old.”
“His fearlessness may be his only flaw. You must have suffered no small amount of worry, Brother.”
Jegal Seon’s gaze settled on Yanghwi, who was putting on a humble expression.
“My clan is the one renowned for its divine ingenuity, yet judging solely by your accomplishments, you are the one who deserves such praise.”
“I could never deserve such an honor, Uncle.”
Jegal Seon’s smile deepened.
The boy remained perfectly composed even before the Young Clan Head of the Jegal Clan.
Just as his sworn elder brother had said, the child possessed extraordinary nerve.
“Never forget the kindness Brother has shown you. Continue devoting yourself to the Baek Family.”
“I intend to carve it into my bones and never forget it.”
“Hahaha! Excellent!”
Jegal Seon had the imposing build of a great hero, an exceptional love of martial arts, and outstanding martial prowess. For that reason, he was known by another name: Peerless Crouching Dragon.
Though he was the Young Clan Head of the Jegal Clan, he had also earned the rare epithet of Peerless, recalling Lü Bu Fengxian, who had been famed as unparalleled under heaven.
Yanghwi’s attitude pleased him immensely.
“Yanghwi, Heonso, Yeonyeon. Is there anything you want? I would like to give each of you a gift to commemorate our first meeting.”
“Younger Brother, there is no need for that.”
Baek Muryang tried to dissuade him, but Jegal Seon merely laughed, took another drink, and declared heartily,
“Then you can simply give my daughter a gift in return, Brother. In truth, I came because I have a request to make of you, so this works out quite nicely.”
So he didn’t merely stop by because he happened to be nearby. He came for a more important reason.
The fact that he had brought along a daughter who refused to leave her parents’ side for even a moment...
There was a strong chance his reason for coming was connected to Jegal Seolha herself.
While Yanghwi considered this, Baek Heonso and Baek Yeonyeon looked at him with faintly nervous expressions.
“Since Uncle has made such a generous offer, So and Yeon should each tell him what you want.”
Their faces brightened at Yanghwi’s words.
They had been wondering how to respond to Jegal Seon’s hearty proposal without being rude, and Yanghwi’s permission resolved their uncertainty.
“Uncle, I would like a sword of the kind used for training in the Jegal Clan! I’ll train hard and become a powerful martial artist!”
“Uncle, Yeon wants to try a treat that’s much prettier and sweeter than candy!”
“Hahaha! Neither request is difficult for this uncle. You shall both have what you ask! Now, Yanghwi, what do you want?”
Everyone at the feast turned toward Yanghwi.
Yanghwi considered the question for a moment.
He would have liked to ask for the Jegal Clan’s protection, but quite apart from how mercenary that would sound, Jegal Seon was unlikely to grant it.
What could I ask for that sounds childish while still benefiting me?
The Yuhang Gathering and martial competition organized by the Suho Association.
The reason Jegal Seon had brought Jegal Seolha to Baek Family Manor.
Jegal Seolha’s unusual nature and the peculiar quality of her qi.
In the end, information would be the most valuable thing I could gain.
Yanghwi deliberately brightened his voice, making himself sound even more childlike.
“Uncle, how should I address your daughter?”
“She is the same age as you, so simply call her Seolha.”
“So it turns out I have a friend my own age! May I see my friend’s face?”
Jegal Seon’s expression immediately stiffened.
It was not the anger of someone preparing to rebuke an unforgivable act of rudeness. Rather, he looked as though his heart ached so badly for his daughter that he could scarcely bear it.
“I am sorry, but that will not be possible. My Seolha cannot reveal her face carelessly.”
It was a gentle refusal, but Yanghwi did not give up.
“Doesn’t ‘sharing the same robe’ mean that friends should be close enough to need no reserve between them? Why does Seolha hide her face from everyone? I would at least like to know the reason.”
“...”
“Sharing the Same Robe with a Friend” was a four-character saying from the Classic of Poetry, one of the Four Books and Five Classics.
It referred to friends so close and unguarded with one another that they would share a single garment.
Of all the martial factions, the Jegal Clan placed the greatest importance on scholarly attainment. Jegal Seon was both impressed and delighted that an eight-year-old could already quote the Classic of Poetry.
That, combined with the wine he had consumed, led him to speak of something he normally would not have mentioned so readily.
“Seolha does not hide her face. She is unable to reveal it. Ask no more.”
It seemed he had no intention whatsoever of explaining the situation in detail.
Still, this is enough. She’s being forced to keep her face covered by that veil.
“Yanghwi, I shall grant you a different request. Tell me what else you want.”
Yanghwi had already achieved his objective, and none of the things he currently desired were requests that could reasonably come from a child’s mouth.
Since the opportunity had presented itself, he decided to use it for his father’s sake.
“Then, Uncle, could you watch my younger brother and me during the martial competition in a few days?”
The Baek Family had decided to accept the Suho Association’s invitation to the Yuhang Gathering.
With the Young Clan Head of the Jegal Clan and Baek Muryang’s sworn younger brother staying as a guest, they could hardly leave him behind at the manor. It was inevitable that he would accompany them.
Yanghwi had simply spoken first, before Baek Muryang found himself having to ask his sworn younger brother.
They may be close enough to dispense with formalities, but from my perspective, it would be better if Father never had to put himself in the position of asking.
Both Baek Muryang and Jegal Seon saw through Yanghwi’s intentions.
“Brother, does what you wrote in your letter still stand?”
Baek Muryang shook his head firmly.
“Absolutely not, Younger Brother. Find your disciple among those who bear the Jegal name.”
“He is so intelligent and devoted to you that I cannot help wanting him for myself.”
Jegal Seon laughed heartily.
“Very well! You said it was called the Yuhang Gathering? I was already planning to stay for a few days and find something with which to occupy myself, so this works out perfectly. I shall go with you, Brother. On one condition!”
Jegal Seon slapped the table once for emphasis before continuing.
“Since it is a martial competition, they will naturally divide the participants by age. Win the division you enter. If you do, this uncle will reward you handsomely!”
A faint smile tugged at Yanghwi’s lips.
What a windfall.
“When you say a reward, Uncle, how far might your generosity extend?”
He was not asking what the reward would be.
He was asking where the limit lay.
Jegal Seon clicked his tongue in amazement.
The boy before him—his sworn elder brother’s adopted son—was so shrewd and calculating that it was difficult to believe he was truly eight years old.
That remained true even by the standards of children raised in the Jegal Clan.
“Are you sounding this uncle out? There is no need! My reward will be more than enough to satisfy even you, Yanghwi, with those bold ambitions far beyond your years!”
Yanghwi grinned at Jegal Seon’s confident declaration.
He is the Young Clan Head of the Jegal Clan, after all. Surely he’ll be that generous.
Of course, free things were always welcome...
But this did not seem like the time to angle for an immediate prize.
His priority was learning more about Jegal Seon and Jegal Seolha.
With that in mind, Yanghwi revealed what he wanted, a smile curling at the corners of his mouth.
“The reward I want... is to accompany you wherever you intend to go for Seolha’s sake.”
Jegal Seon’s eyes widened.
“Hahahaha! Now this is interesting!”