However, even as of now, no one had been able to ascertain the location of their headquarters.
Even in the situation when a worker of theirs was captured, it was impossible to obtain any information from them.
This was because they themselves were unaware of what potions they were manufacturing.
Even capturing a high-ranking member of theirs would be in utter vain, because as witnessed multiple times, their brain would have melted before they had a chance to speak.
The mastermind behind his recent encounter with Chang Il-mun was confirmed to be the Blood King Valley, but in the following days, no clue was able to be found.
In the end, Kang-hyuk focused on completely blocking the circulation of their substances, so that at least in Nakyang, their drugs couldn't be purchased.
'How did they get their hands on Sleep Smoke?'
If the Dark Medicine Valley's potions had really begun re-circulating throughout Nakyang, there's a big problem.
Even Kang-hyuk's encountering of a member of the family, Chang Il-mun, was unusual.
'I'll have to warn Mu-jin.'
He felt as though what he had done thus far was quite sufficient. The rest would be up to the current Leader, Mu-jin.
Baek-gap poked the still sleeping man, then looked up at Kang-hyuk.
"Seonsaengnim, what shall we do with him?"
To leave the man stranded on the streets at this time of night would be a risk to his life.
Kang-hyuk felt that there was no other option. He sighed, and responded to Baek-gap, "Carry him on your back."
"Sorry?"
"We're going to bring him back to my residence."
Baek-gap lifted the man on his back while Kang-hyuk picked up his sword.
It was extremely ice cold.
The Silver Ice Sword couldn't be lifted by anyone that wasn't a member of the family of its ownership.
If anyone else attempted it, they would be frozen by the coldness of the sword.
This was one of the unique features of the sword.
Kang-hyuk exclaimed at the sword.
"Hey! Calm down! This fellow! I'm only trying to help your owner!"
The sword's chill seemed to dissipate upon his scolding. But in truth, Kang-hyuk's fierce Qi had overpowered the sword's energy.
He began to examine the sword and saw that its legendary silver shine was completely covered in charcoal.
'If the deceased head of the Cheon Family knew about this, they would be extremely upset. The silver shine of the sword was his pride!"
He decided that the Silver Ice Sword would need a good cleaning, no matter what.
'Well, I'm sure Baek-gap can help restore its glory.'
***
"Seonsaengnim, who is this man?"
Byeok Ae-rin tilted her head at the unknown man on Baek-gap's back that was being brought into the residence.
"He's the owner of this sword."
She caught a glimpse of the sword that Kang-hyuk was holding, and let out a cry of exclamation.
"The Silver Ice Sword! So, he's the lost son of the Silver Ice Sword's master?"
"I think so."
"Let's lie him down first."
"You can put him on my bed."
"There's also my bed!"
Kang-hyuk shook his head at Baek-gap's offer.
"No, you need to sleep."
"Seonsaengnim…."
Baek-gap was touched by Kang-hyuk's consideration. Kang-hyuk continued as Baek-gap was immersed in his emotion, "I have a lot of things for you to do tomorrow."
"...."
"I'm joking."
Byeok Ae-rin smiled, and laid Cheon Hae-gw.a.n.g on Kang-hyuk's bed and together with Baek-gap, proceeded to change his blood-stained clothing. They then applied a medicine Kang-hyuk had given them onto his wounds.
Before they had realized, the night had pa.s.sed, with the sun beginning to rise.
***
After inspecting the students' progress on their flowerbed cultivation, Kang-hyuk returned to his residence, and whilst leaning on the wall, gazed upon the young man lying on his bed.
"Father…Fa….ther…."
The man was crying.
He seemed to be dreaming of the time his family had been attacked.
The 'White Snow' Cheon Family, a warrior family, located to the north of Seomsoseong, was famed for its use of Ice Energy. The head of the family, Cheon Dae-wan, was well-known for his cool-headed yet benevolent nature.
However, five years earlier, the family had encountered a terrible tragedy.
They had been attacked for what seemed to be no reason at all.
The Clan Leader, Mu-jin, had ordered an immediate investigation to find out who was behind the attack, and found the signature of the Hw.a.n.gbo Family, a famed and distinguished warrior family.
He then began to investigate further into that lead with the help of the Jimilgak and found that the signature of the Hw.a.n.gbo Family had been left on the site on purpose by the true attackers.
The true attackers were none other than...
"The Blood King Valley."
They were a sect practising Dark Cultivation that had become active once more after Kang-hyuk's retirement. Whilst he had slayed the head of the Sect, it was clear that the other members of the Sect were still in booming operation.
"Uhhh…"
The young man had opened his eyes. He looked around the room until his gaze met Kang-hyuk's.
"Who, who are you!"
His eyes widened in surprise as he sprang to his feet.
He recalled that he had been heavily beaten to mere inches near death the night before, but when he examined his body, there was no sign of any wound.
"Are you Cheon Dae-wan's son?"
"...!"
The young man went into a defensive stance at the unexpected question.
Kang-hyuk nodded his head. This stance he had taken up was a known martial stance of the Cheon Family.
"I see you've learned the martial skills of your family well, but there's no need to put up defense."
"Who, who are you!?"
"I'm…."
Kang-hyuk was about to answer with 'I'm Cheon Dae-wan's friend', but stopped himself in time, factoring in his youthful exterior.
He would most likely be accused of being mad if he claimed to be his fathers' friend, whilst outerly looking twenty four.
Thus, he changed his answer.
"I've had a past connection with the Cheon Family, so I've seen the stance before. And seeing your Silver Ice Sword confirmed my suspicion that you were his son."
"Huh, the Silver Ice Sword!"
He looked around the room in search of the sword. His face could not help but pale when he couldn't seem to find it anywhere.
"You must be wondering where your sword is, right?"
"If so, don't worry. My servant is currently cleaning it."
The young man was startled.
"Sorry? But the Silver Ice Sword…"
"I know. It's a sword that one can't touch wantonly."
Kang-hyuk stopped, while Cheon Hae-gw.a.n.g seemed to have a question.
"...?"
The door opened, as someone pushed their head through. It was Baek-gap.
"Seonsaengnim, I've finished cleaning the Silver Ice Sword."
"Bring it over."
"Yes! It's right here."
Baek-gap hurried over to Kang-hyuk and handed him the sword.
Baek-gap's efforts had restored the charcoal-covered sword to its true glory.
The young man suddenly cried out, "Is, is your servant wearing the Eternal Fire Ring on his arm?"
"So you know what it is."
The young man cried out again.
"Who, who on earth are you?"
He was aware that the Eternal Fire Ring was a treasure of the Chuk-yung Palace, and it also wasn't an artifact that anyone could have in their possession.
Kang-hyuk responded, "My name is Kang-hyuk, and I'm a Hwacheon Academy teacher."
"...."
Cheon Hae-gw.a.n.g then noticed that Kang-hyuk was dressed in a blue teacher's uniform.
"I don't know why you're so frightened, you can rest a.s.sured that I'm not from the Blood King Valley."
"What has the Blood King Valley Sect got to do with this?"
Kang-hyuk tilted his head.
"The people who attacked your family were the Blood King Valley."
"It wasn't the Baekdo Family….?"
"No, the b.a.s.t.a.r.ds were from the Blood King Valley. They framed the Hw.a.n.g-bo family, but were the real culprits. This is confidential information, but I'm letting you know, seeing as you are the sole son of the family."
The young man clenched his fists.
He had finally found out who was behind the death of his family, in a way he would have never imagined.
Cheon Hae-gw.a.n.g looked at the young man standing in front of him. He had a handsome appearance, and looked around twenty four. Nonetheless, he found this rather bizarre.
The man seemed to be too young to have a treasure like the Eternal Fire Ring in his possession, and the knowledge of who was behind the attack on his family.
Suddenly, there were sounds of a person moving around outside. It was the high-pitched voice of a woman.
"Seonsaengnim, it's me. Ae-rin."
"Come in."
The door opened, and a woman clothed in red with red hair came in.
It was Byeok Ae-rin.
She smiled brightly after noticing that Cheon Hae-gw.a.n.g was finally conscious. Cheon Hae-gw.a.n.g however, was left a little dazed at her beautiful smile.
She handed Kang-hyuk a piece of paper.
"Thank you."
"It's no problem, I hope this will help you."
On the paper was detailed information on Cheon Hae-gw.a.n.g that Kang-hyuk had requested.
'Name is Cheon Hae-gw.a.n.g. Age is twenty two. The youngest son of the 'White Snow' Cheon Family. His family were attacked and wiped out by the Blood King Valley when he was sixteen years of age. He was a.s.sumed to have survived, but as he was unable to be found, he was registered as missing in the clan records. After this ordered investigation however, he was found to have been working as a guard at a brothel known as Hyangwooru, under the pseudonym of 'Ilgw.a.n.g'.'
After reading the information on Cheon Hae-gw.a.n.g, Kang-hyuk spoke, "Tsk, how could the son of the 'White Snow' Cheon Family be working as the guard of a brothel! It must have been quite a stain on your pride…."
"That, how do you know?"
"I know everything."
"...."
Cheon Hae-gw.a.n.g had barely survived the past five years.
He wished he didn't have to endure such a difficult experience.
Kang-hyuk sighed.
He felt sorry for him, and felt as though his family's unfortunate demise was partially caused by him because he hadn't fully uprooted the Blood King Valley.
Taking that, and his past connections with the family into consideration, Kang-hyuk wanted to help Cheon Hae-gw.a.n.g in some way.
"Anyways, are you intending to continue working as a guard for the brothel?"
"That, well…"
At that moment, a voice came in from outside the residence.
"Kang Seonsaeng, are you in?"
It was the voice of the Princ.i.p.al, Eun Myeong-myeong. Oh-Tae's voice could also be heard.
"Kang Seonsaeng, come out quickly. The Princ.i.p.al has come."
Baek-gap also urgently called out.
"Seonsaengnim! I think you'll need to come out quickly!"
"The Princ.i.p.al? This early in the morning?"
Byeok Ae-rin then spoke up.
"Isn't it because of that?"
"What do you mean?"
"It's not permitted for anyone to be in a teacher's residence other than their servant, maid, or teaching a.s.sistant."
"Oh yes! That's true. How annoying."
Byeok Ae-rin then continued seeing the slight frown on Kang-hyuk's face.
"I have a good idea. How about you make Cheon Hae-gw.a.n.g So-Hyeop your teaching a.s.sistant? It's permitted for a teaching a.s.sistant to lodge at your residence, right?"
Kang-hyuk turned around and looked at Cheon Hae-gw.a.n.g anxiously.
"Well, could you be my teaching a.s.sistant?"
"What? An a.s.sistant?"
"I won't be stingy with the salary."
Kang-hyuk continued as he saw Cheon Hae-gw.a.n.g's hesitation.
"If you don't become my a.s.sistant, I'm going to be reprimanded."
There was nothing else that could be done.
Kang-hyuk had saved his life, and retrieved his Silver Ice Sword.
"Alright, I'll be your a.s.sistant."
"Ahem, in that case I'll officially introduce myself. I'm Kang-hyuk, Hwacheon Academy's Horticulture Teacher."
"Sorry?"
Cheon Hae-gw.a.n.g blinked in surprise.
He was a man whose servant was wearing the Eternal Fire Ring on his arm, who had a woman that was able to thoroughly investigate into his background, and even knew the truth behind who had attacked his family.
This was why he had a.s.sumed that Kang-hyuk was a four-year teacher at the Academy.
But...he had guessed wrong.
"Did you say…horticulture?"
"Why? Is there a problem?"
"No, not at all! There's no problem."
In this way, Kang-hyuk had finally found himself an a.s.sistant.
Oh-Tae sang out in elation.
In the morning, he had been informed of something by a close gatekeeper friend of his.
It was a piece of news that Kang-hyuk had brought in a man with blood stained clothing in the early hours.
There was a rule that no one other than those qualified could stay in a teacher's residence. This rule was to be applied, regardless of the situation.
Oh-Tae hated Kang-hyuk.
His particular dislike for him wasn't even due to Kang-hyuk's behaviour of causing him damage, but the sole fact that he just didn't like him.
He wasn't happy that someone weaker than him thought that they were able to threaten him.
Therefore, the real reason why Oh-Tae didn't like Kang-hyuk was due to his own self-pride.
He was proclaimed as a genius from the moment he first held a sword.
When he first entered the Academy as a student, he outshined his peers in talent and graduated with top grades.
One of the Hwacheon Clan affiliated groups he had joined was a military group known as Sky Thunder.
The missions of Sky Thunder mostly consisted of battles against Dark Cultivating Sects, and required great force. Therefore, Oh-Tae felt that joining the group would be his true time to shine.
However, his pride had crumbled into pieces from the very first mission he was a.s.signed to.
