The Blood Demon asked with a faint, unreadable smile."Why do you think there’s a medicine I want?""You used to send me medical texts. I didn’t realize in my previous life that they were Blood Cult records. Only after learning of the Cult’s existence did I realize they came from you."The Blood Demon’s eyes gleamed, as if intrigued. His reaction was favorable."It must be something that happened later in time. I’m still debating whether to seek a solution from those Central Plains fools, but I haven’t yet sent any texts there.""I know."The Blood Demon’s lips curved crookedly."So what did you create?""I asked first. What is it that you’re trying to make?""Child of Geumso, you should learn to show respect to your elders."Sohwa closed her mouth."Will you keep silent until I give you an answer?""…….""Haha, what a troublesome one you are."A long silence followed.In the end, it was the Blood Demon who yielded first.As if conceding defeat, he spoke."You must have tried to recreate Blood Jade. It was an elixir I once consumed long ago. It was lost because of one of the Outland Palace Lords."He gave the answer willingly.Sohwa’s eyes narrowed slightly. Catching that faint change in her expression, the Blood Demon suddenly smiled."So, did you recreate the Blood Jade?"Sohwa smirked and countered."This is the first time I’ve ever heard of Blood Jade. And even if I said I’d completed it, would you believe me?""No."At his honest reply, Sohwa answered,"I didn’t complete the Blood Jade you mentioned. I did make something, but I don’t think it’s the same Blood Jade you wanted."It wasn’t an elixir that would stop one’s breath.In this life, the Blood Demon had hurried to meet her in his impatience to find the sorcerer—but in her previous life, that hadn’t been the case. Back then, he had simply sent Namgung Hyun to observe her.She couldn’t compare herself to a sorcerer, but the Blood Demon’s purpose in that life must not have been light either.For her to have fallen within his line of sight in the vast Central Plains…Sohwa kept her eyes on him and spoke."This time, I’m thinking of making that Blood Jade you mentioned. Are you interested?"The Blood Demon let out a short laugh."So this was your true proposal."Sohwa didn’t deny it.The only information that would draw his interest—and that wouldn’t make him wary of her knowledge of the future—was about the medicine that could transform the body.Feeling the Blood Demon listening closely, Sohwa gave him exactly the story he wanted to /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ hear."I didn’t read many volumes, but thanks to the texts you sent, I was able to make a medicine that changes the body. So now, show me all the texts you possess. Then perhaps I can complete what you seek."She added calmly,"Of course, if you don’t wish to, you may refuse."After a long pause, the Blood Demon’s lips twisted."So Hae-rak was right. He said that if I forced your mouth open, I’d be dragged along by some strange proposal."Clicking his tongue, he added,"I’ll give you the best room in the Black Pavilion."His low voice pierced her eardrums."But once you’ve read the manuals, you won’t be able to return to the Central Plains."Sohwa’s lips tilted crookedly."We’ll discuss that later.""Haha."The Blood Demon threw his head back in loud laughter and shook his head."Arrogant thing."Though he said it, there was no real rebuke in his tone.When he turned his back, the gatekeepers appeared. Five Blood Cult men dressed in white opened the heavy doors.As the Blood Demon stepped into the Black Pavilion, Sohwa spoke."One more thing."The Blood Demon’s gaze drifted toward the garden.Meeting those crimson eyes, Sohwa said,"Send the Red Blood Hall Lord to the Black Pavilion as well.""Why? Do you plan to share a night of passion with him?""No. I think he’ll cause trouble if he stays in your pavilion."Amusement filled the Blood Demon’s face. Sohwa didn’t smile back and asked in a cold tone,"Wouldn’t you also feel more at ease having him here?""True. Either way, I did say I’d entrust him to your guidance, so I should send him."Turning back toward the pavilion, the Blood Demon sighed."Such is the weight of a ruler’s word.""Didn’t ask.""Haha."His laughter echoed through the hall.One of the gatekeepers who hadn’t gone inside approached Sohwa."I’ll show you to your quarters."His black eyes met hers."And afterward, I’ll guide you to the archive."His gaze held a warning, but Sohwa didn’t avoid it and looked down at him instead.After a brief standoff, the gatekeeper turned away."Please, follow me."Sohwa looked at his small back and stepped into the Black Pavilion.***"Tch, all dried up."The Divine Physician sighed as he sorted the medicinal herbs.The Alliance Leader’s pavilion had only three rooms. One for Miss Sohwa to rest, one for himself, and that left him wondering where to store the medicines.He had told the Alliance Leader that he would keep the herbs at the Tang Clan and come and go, but for some reason, the Leader had forbidden him to leave and instead assigned him a tower—to store the medicines there.The Divine Physician sighed again as he picked up the herbs, now completely dried by the wind."This will reduce their efficacy."Looking at the basket piled high, he swallowed a bitter sigh.They couldn’t be used as medicine anymore, so he planned to brew them as tea.'The headquarters must have its own Medical Hall, so why call Miss Sohwa and me here personally?'Besides, it would’ve been better to stay outside and conduct the daily consultations there—he couldn’t understand why they were being told to live inside together.Could it be that the illness must not leak beyond these walls?Well, it was true that a leader’s health in any organization was a top secret. If word got out, the entire system could shake.So the Tang Clan Head hadn’t found it strange when he was asked to send his daughter and the Divine Physician to serve within the pavilion. He too had always kept his own health issues secret, so he understood the reasoning.Naturally, the Martial Alliance was no different—a place where people gathered and ranks of power formed, bound to have political struggles.The Divine Physician wanted no part in those intrigues.The old man’s expression darkened as he tidied the tower.'It seems something is wrong with the Alliance Leader.'He assumed the Alliance Leader must be in conflict with those at headquarters and tried to be understanding.Just then—"Divine Physician."From below the tower came Tang Sohwa’s voice.He leaned out over the railing."Ah, you’re here?""Yes, I’m sorry for being late. I should have organized this first.""It’s fine."Before he knew it, Tang Sohwa had climbed the tower, taking the basket from his hands with a faint smile."I’ll dispose of these.""No, no. I can make them into tea."With an awkward smile, the Divine Physician took the basket back.'How strange…'She had occasionally smiled faintly during conversations before, but she had never shown such bright eyes over something so trivial.Feeling as if he were seeing a different person, the Divine Physician rubbed the back of his neck and returned to his room to gather his tools.Not long after, Sohwa came to his room again."Divine Physician.""Ah, please, come in."He stood with his back to the door, holding the prepared medical kit. He was about to visit the Alliance Leader for the daily consultation.When he turned toward the door, he flinched.Sohwa stood there smiling and took the wooden case from his hands."I’ll carry it.""A-ah, no, it’s heavy. Give it here.""It’s just nearby."Sohwa replied politely, like an assistant physician, her strange smiling eyes still fixed on him.It was truly odd.Though she belonged to the Medical Division, she was, after all, from the Oral Transmission Pavilion—she was not his subordinate, nor his student.Some who only half knew the rumors believed the Tang Clan’s eldest daughter was learning medicine from him, but that wasn’t true.Tang Sohwa already possessed vast medical knowledge, as if she had studied for decades. When it came to herbs, it was often he who learned from her.So she had never acted toward him with such deference.'And why is she smiling like that…'The Divine Physician was the type to observe even the smallest changes in patients. Mental conditions, too.And lately, he had been studying Oseoksan, so he couldn’t overlook Sohwa’s change.Silently watching her, he followed Sohwa toward the room where the Alliance Leader awaited.Inside, the Alliance Leader sat waiting. The Divine Physician clasped his hands together respectfully."I greet the Alliance Leader.""Truly diligent. Not a day late, ever."The Alliance Leader smiled and gestured for them to enter.He rolled up his sleeves and placed his arm on the desk."Go ahead.""Yes."With the Leader’s permission, the Divine Physician began pulse diagnosis and examination at once."Have you been eating well?""I have.""Sleeping well?""Sleeping fine."The Alliance Leader answered quickly, seemingly focused on the conversation. But his eyes remained fixed on Tang Sohwa.He gave a soft, bitter laugh and turned his head toward the Divine Physician."You must find it exhausting trying to diagnose a man who looks healthy.""No, I don’t doubt you, Alliance Leader. I’m just lacking, so it takes me time to discern the illness."The Alliance Leader spoke in a quiet, self-deprecating tone."Forgive me for dragging you into this.""Sir?""Headquarters keeps accusing me of feigning illness—what else could I do? To make them believe, I had to bring you in. But thinking about it, perhaps it’s fortune, isn’t it?"The Alliance Leader spoke half in jest."That you happened to come to headquarters at just this time."The Divine Physician couldn’t answer.Though the Leader spoke to him, the words hung oddly in the air, as if addressed to someone else.Lowering his gaze, the Divine Physician placed his fingers on the Leader’s wrist again.After finishing the pulse reading, instead of further questions, he asked something else."Alliance Leader, may I step out for a moment?""Hmm? Why, is something wrong?""You said your digestion was fine, but the qi meridian leading to your stomach is tightly blocked. I need to fetch some medicinal ingredients from the Tang Clan’s quarters.""Ah, so even lying is useless before you. In truth, I haven’t been able to eat for several days. My stomach’s been tight and painful.""Alliance Leader… please don’t lie to me."The Divine Physician’s voice was low."Haha, fine."The Alliance Leader laughed and accepted the rebuke."But it’s difficult for you to go out. If word of my illness spreads, it’ll cause trouble. I hope you understand."Gently refusing, the Alliance Leader turned the conversation elsewhere, glancing at Tang Sohwa."But why are you so quiet? Were you always this way? Haha, the rumors said you were quite the prodigy."Sohwa bowed her head and answered softly,"It seems you’ve heard exaggerated rumors. With the Divine Physician here, what need could there be for me?"Her tone was humble.The Alliance Leader gave a soft laugh, while the Divine Physician looked troubled, his face shadowed.Then, uncharacteristically stubborn, the Divine Physician said,"Alliance Leader, I must bring the herbs. You haven’t eaten for days, your body is weakening—you need at least a temporary remedy.""Forgive me, but…""If it troubles you for me to be seen going in and out, then I won’t. There’s still another physician left in the Tang Clan’s Medical Hall. I’ll write down the needed ingredients—please have the list delivered."He spoke firmly.The Alliance Leader looked down at the Divine Physician’s tightly clenched fists, then nodded."The Four Seasons Pavilion Master will visit tomorrow. I’ll have it delivered then, so prepare the list.""Yes, thank you."The Alliance Leader gave him a strange look, then hid it behind a faint smile.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.