IJWTGO 04

Cheonrang frowned as he looked at Baekseon, who was sleeping deeply.

He had already driven away the intruders and checked Baekseon’s body for injuries, but this guy kept acting like he was his master. It was annoying.

‘Should I just kill him?’

Cheonrang was already in a bad mood. Last night, he had failed his eighty-seventh attempt to bring Manyugang back to life.

He had always failed, so he knew this one wouldn’t work either.
But this time was worse. After the failure, strangers suddenly came to the cave that had been empty for five years—Baekseon and some thugs with pickaxes.

Cheonrang’s mood turned from bad to murderous.

“Anyway, I do need more sacrifices…”

Maybe he should really kill Baekseon.
The more powerful the sacrifice, the higher the chance of calling back Manyugang’s soul.

So using Baekseon might not be a bad idea.
Cheonrang’s eyes gleamed, and he grabbed Baekseon by the collar—

“Mm… Rang-ah…”

Baekseon murmured softly, rubbing his cheek against Cheonrang’s rough palm as if seeking warmth.

The soft feeling of skin against his calloused hand made Cheonrang freeze.

“You… You…!”

No one but his master had ever touched him before. Shocked, Cheonrang quickly pulled his hand back, his face turning red.

And then, a memory surfaced.

“One day, Rang, when you’re all alone… you’ll meet someone very kind.”

It was something Manyugang had told him long ago.

“When that day comes… don’t push that person away. Accept them as if they were me. They will be your new connection.”

Back then, Manyugang had gently patted the young Cheonrang’s head.

“A new connection…”

Cheonrang whispered, glancing down at Baekseon.

After the great war five years ago, he had truly been alone. And now, for the first time in years, he had met someone he could talk to.

‘Could Baekseon be… the one Master spoke of?’

“If that’s true…”

But why did it take five years for this person to appear?
And why was he pretending to be Master? Did Manyugang tell him to?

Questions swirled in Cheonrang’s mind, and he sighed deeply.

He didn’t know that back then, Manyugang was actually talking about someone named Song Jeokrim.
Cheonrang misunderstood everything.

“I really don’t understand Master’s will…”

Baekseon kept acting like his Master.
If Master had sent him, why did he fight so hard to stop the intruders?

Cheonrang thought deeply and suddenly realized something.

If Baekseon was the eldest son of the Tang family, he must know martial arts secrets that Cheonrang didn’t. Maybe he even knew how to make the failed ritual work.

‘Could that be why Master sent him?’

The thought made Cheonrang smile faintly.

“If that’s the case…”

He placed his hand on Baekseon’s abdomen, where cold energy leaked from his twisted qi. Cheonrang sent his own energy to fix it.

Baekseon’s painful breathing calmed instantly.

“If you’re here to help me…”

“If Master sent you to me…”

“Then I’ll keep you by my side for a while.”

Maybe then he could find a way to bring his Master back.

“Ugh…”

Baekseon groaned as he woke up.

Last night, his body had been in terrible pain.
But today, he could at least move.

He sat up and looked down at his abdomen.
His qi was still twisted, but not as bad as before.

‘I was an idiot…’

He had forgotten that the body he was in now used a completely different cultivation method.

He had accidentally used Manyugang’s demonic technique inside Tang Baekseon’s righteous body.

It was like forcing a river into the wrong path—dangerous and stupid.

“It’s a miracle I didn’t go mad and die.”

And to make matters worse, there had been enemies nearby.
If Cheonrang had been a little late, his body might have exploded.

‘I think I said something weird while I was out of it…’

But since there were no bruises, maybe he hadn’t angered Cheonrang.

As Baekseon gently touched his sore abdomen, he felt a strange cold energy spread through his body. Clearly, something was wrong.

“I guess I have one more reason to visit the Tang family…”

He muttered just as someone walked in.

“You’re not dead.”

It was Cheonrang, returning with a rabbit he had hunted.

Baekseon noticed the blankets piled around him, the sunlight, and even a small fire nearby.

“Thank you. I must’ve been a burden.”

“You.”

“…?”

“Stop talking like that.”

Cheonrang’s firm tone made Baekseon blink.
Then he realized—he had been speaking exactly like Manyugang again.

“When you first came, you acted all polite, saying you were being chased. But now you’re already talking down to me?”

Baekseon held his breath.

“Uh, well… I mean…”

“If you imitate my Master again, I’ll rip out your tongue and braid it.”

At least it was just his tongue this time, not his arms and legs.

“I’ll… be careful.”

Baekseon quickly changed his tone, trying to sound like someone Manyugang would never sound like.

Cheonrang finally nodded, satisfied, and began skinning the rabbit.

“But what happened to you? Your qi was all messed up.”

Baekseon hesitated, then mumbled:

“It was just… a mistake.”

“Mistake?”

“Yes.”

“What kind of mistake?”

“Do you really need to know that…?”

“Don’t make me repeat myself, Baekseon.”

Sighing, Baekseon finally confessed, voice low:

“I tried to use my martial arts… but it’s been so long, I forgot the right technique.”

Cheonrang looked at him in disbelief.

Then he asked seriously:

“Were you kicked out of the Tang family?”

“…What?”

“I thought so. It was strange that the eldest son of the Tang family was being chased in the first place.”

Baekseon blinked, completely confused.
But Cheonrang just clicked his tongue.

“Forget it. Life is full of hard truths.”

“No, wait, that’s not—!”

Baekseon tried to explain, but Cheonrang raised his hand to stop him.

“No need. I don’t want to dig into your wounds.”

His tone was mocking, but he still looked away.

“I’ve never heard of a martial artist forgetting their own cultivation method. Not unless they’re a fool.”

Baekseon averted his eyes, embarrassed.

“…What a disgrace to my Master’s name.”

He swore he would never let Cheonrang find out he was Manyugang.