"Does that even make sense?"
A voice as cold as ice cut through the space.
It was as if just a few words could slice the air.
Namgung Geom's (南宮劍) expression was impeccably stern.
He gave the impression of someone who wouldn't bleed a single drop even if stabbed.
He was, in fact, well over seventy, but his well-maintained appearance made him look middle-aged.
He stared intently at the Tongjin-ui (通眞醫), Sa Yuldo, as if demanding an answer.
The Tongjin-ui broke out in a cold sweat, struggling to find a suitable reply.
Although he was known as one of the most skilled doctors in Anhui Province, he cowered in front of Namgung Geom, his shoulders hunched.
In truth, it was a situation he himself found absurd.
Once more, Namgung Geom let out a voice as desolate as a desert wind.
"You said it seems the Chohonrye (招魂禮) worked... And this, after he was dead for three days. Is that something a physician should say? No, has such a case ever even existed?"
"That is..."
The Tongjin-ui couldn't bring himself to continue.
What was the Chohonrye?
It was a custom where, when a person died, someone would climb onto the roof and call for the soul of the departed, in the faint hope that the soul might return and the person might revive.
Of course, the dead don't revive just from doing that.
It was merely a funeral custom.
And yet... he had revived!
After three whole days, no less.
His breath had stopped and his pulse was gone, but he had resurrected just before the encoffining procedure, three days later.
How was he supposed to explain this?
"There is no other way to explain... My deepest apologies."
The Tongjin-ui bowed deeply.
Namgung Geom didn't press him further. How desperate must the Tongjin-ui have been to bring up the Chohonrye?
Instead, he let out a shallow sigh and continued.
"What is his current condition?"
"He is getting healthier by the day. He has now recovered to a normal state, so you no longer need to worry."
"Who said I was worried?"
Namgung Geom's eyes narrowed.
The Tongjin-ui flinched and just bowed his head.
Indeed. Though he was his grandson, wasn't he the child of the Great Killing Star?
He must be a child the Namgung Family Head found difficult to open his heart to.
Then again, seeing as he adopted him posthumously and bestowed the 'Namgung' surname upon him, it didn't seem to be all hatred.
But how could one know the heart of that ice-cold Family Head?
Soon, a voice as sharp as a blade flowed from Namgung Geom's lips.
"You've worked hard."
"I haven't done anything, in truth."
It wasn't humility; it was a fact.
The dead man had revived on his own, and he had merely watched as he took care of his own body and recovered.
"You may leave."
"In that case."
Fearing another difficult question, the Tongjin-ui quickly left the Family Head's Office.
Left alone, Namgung Geom narrowed his eyes and muttered to himself.
"Worthless fellow."
"You want to go to the ancestral shrine?"
A strange light flickered in Namgung Hwa's (南宮花) eyes.
The revived Namgung Cheon (南宮天) definitely had a different atmosphere than before.
Unlike his usual gloomy and dispirited self, it felt as if his core had hardened.
Of course, he was still a bit confused, as his memories had not fully returned, even after a fortnight had passed.
"Yes, I wish to see my mother."
"I see. After suffering such an ordeal, it is proper to visit my elder sister. But before that, you should go to the Family Head..."
Namgung Hwa trailed off, then shook her head.
"No. Follow me."
Namgung Hwa turned and led the way.
Though she acted nonchalantly, she was inwardly surprised.
This was because Namgung Cheon had always lived resenting his dead elder sister.
Naturally, he had never once visited the ancestral shrine where her memorial tablet was kept.
But now, he himself wanted to see his sister.
'They say people change when they experience death...'
Entering the ancestral shrine, Namgung Hwa stopped before Namgung Seon's memorial tablet.
"Here it is."
Namgung Cheon raised his head and looked at the memorial tablet.
His expression filled with emotion, and at the same time, his gaze deepened.
Namgung Hwa glanced at Namgung Cheon and was inwardly shaken.
'How can a child's eyes be so...'
Rough, yet deep.
Did he not possess a gaze that seemed to have experienced all the hardships of life over decades?
Namgung Cheon's eyes held countless words.
But his lips, clamped shut in a firm line, didn't let a single one out.
A silent conversation.
What could he be saying?
She suddenly found herself curious about the conversation between her sister and Namgung Cheon.
After a long while, Namgung Cheon looked back.
"May I be alone for a moment?"
Again, that strange light flickered in Namgung Hwa's eyes.
This was a child who couldn't even meet her eyes properly before.
But now, he was confidently requesting what he wanted.
"Yes, stay as long as you like."
Her voice was stiff, but it held a trace of warmth.
Once Namgung Hwa left, Jin Cheonrang, now alone, looked at the memorial tablet and spoke in an incredibly soft voice.
"I was surprised at how much she resembles you."
He was speaking of Namgung Hwa.
She truly resembled Namgung Seon.
When he first saw her, he had mistaken her for Namgung Seon.
To think she was the younger sister he had only ever heard about.
Over the past fortnight, Jin Cheonrang had found out many facts.
Somehow, he, who should have died, had revived in Namgung Cheon's body.
What was even more shocking was that Namgung Cheon was his own biological son, who had died three days before him.
The cause of death was suicide.
The deep wound carved into his wrist proved it.
When he realized that fact, he had been immensely shocked.
He regretted deliberately avoiding any news from this side after parting with Namgung Seon.
He also thought it might be a punishment from the heavens for killing too many people.
But now, his thoughts had changed.
"Perhaps... the ones who called me here were you and our son?"
Jin Cheonrang, in Namgung Cheon's form, paused for a moment before continuing.
"Why didn't you tell me? Was it because of this child that you left me back then?"
If so, she had done the right thing.
She couldn't have given birth to and raised a child while following the Great Killing Star of the World.
Staying at the Namgung Family, even if it meant being scorned by the world, would have been far safer.
But, as it turned out, the world was crueler than he thought.
And the reason he was here now.
Perhaps it was their fervent wish for him to take revenge on that world.
The Namgung Family, which once stood tall as the Jungwon's Number One Family, was now branded as a family that betrayed the Murim and was on the path to ruin.
The merchant groups they managed left one by one, trade had been cut off long ago, and their influence had shrunk so drastically they were worse off than a local small-to-medium faction.
It was a stark example of how vile the world could become once it turned its back on you.
'All of this is because of me.'
But it will be different now.
"I, Jin Cheonrang, in the name of Namgung Cheon, will set everything right. I will use this chance you and our son gave me to restore the fallen Namgung Family and seize control of this Jianghu. So watch me."
Especially that Murim Alliance Lord, that old bastard who is the source of all this, he would crush him without fail.
Huuuuuung!
An aura of a raging tempest rose from Namgung Cheon's entire body.
It was still faint, but it was an energy clearly laden with venomous fury.
But at that very moment, he felt something warm envelop his body.
Was it as if the souls of the dead were embracing him?
It might have been a delusion.
But thanks to it, Namgung Cheon soon regained his calm composure.
Despite the humid early summer weather, the atmosphere in the room was ice-cold.
Namgung Geom's expression wasn't just cold; the word "heartless" suited it better.
Even as he faced his grandson, who had miraculously returned to life, after a fortnight, he didn't twitch a single eyebrow.
Looking at Namgung Geom, Namgung Cheon grumbled inwardly.
'This old man is still the same.'
He had met Namgung Geom once in his previous life.
It was a long time ago, but it was an unforgettable memory.
He was the first person who could have killed him, but didn't.
He was probably nineteen at the time.
Namgung Geom, who had aimed the cold, blue blade at his neck, had spoken in a frigid voice.
"You are not the Great Killing Star. But the world will not leave you be. From now on, master only Gyeonggong and run for your life. It is the only way to escape your fate."
But he hadn't listened.
He didn't want to lose to the world.
He wanted to fight this despicable world and win.
Of course, the result was a crushing defeat.
But to think their paths would cross again like this, decades later.
'Thinking about the beating I got back then, I don't have the best feelings, but anyway, right now he's my... father-in-law... no, I must treat him as my maternal grandfather.'
Having sorted out his feelings, Namgung Cheon spoke with a placid expression.
"If you have something to say, please say it."
"What did you say?"
Namgung Geom's brow furrowed slightly.
Namgung Hwa, who was sitting with them, flinched and warily watched them.
Namgung Geom had already heard from his second daughter that his grandson's personality seemed to have changed.
But he had dismissed it.
Wasn't he a worthless fellow who couldn't even handle his own fate and chose suicide?
But seeing him now, he understood his daughter's reaction.
The kid who couldn't even breathe loudly in front of him was now looking him straight in the eyes and saying what?
'If you have something to say, say it'?
Does one's personality change after visiting the afterlife?
Before his surprise could even fade, Namgung Cheon asked again.
"Did you not call me here because you had something to say?"
At Namgung Cheon's bold question, Namgung Geom replied in a calm but sharp tone.
"It is a matter you should have come to see me about first, before being called."
"I assumed you would be uncomfortable."
"Uncomfortable?"
Namgung Hwa was now fidgeting as if sitting on a bed of thorns.
It seemed she was the most uncomfortable person in the room.
She shot Namgung Cheon a look that practically screamed, "What are you doing, saying such a thing?" but he was undeterred.
This was also due to the brash personality of Jin Cheonrang, who had lived a rough life.
"I assumed you would want to keep your distance because I am the son of the Great Killing Star."
Namgung Hwa's jaw dropped.
'What on earth is that child doing!'
Namgung Geom, his face still like ice, asked.
"Who told you that?"
"What do you mean?"
"Who told you that I would want to keep my distance?"
"..."
"Do not recklessly judge another's inner thoughts. It is the first step to making a mistake in a relationship."
"I apologize."
Namgung Cheon bowed his head in apology.
A definite, strange change could be felt.
Namgung Geom stared directly into Namgung Cheon's eyes and continued.
"If I was uncomfortable with that, I would not have given you the 'Namgung' surname."
"Then why have you kept your distance from me until now?"
"Has your memory returned?"
"I merely heard about it."
Namgung Geom flicked his gaze briefly toward Namgung Hwa.
A trace of panic crossed Namgung Hwa's face.
In that moment, Namgung Cheon continued.
"You gave me the Namgung name, but I am the child who inherited the Great Killing Star's blood. It must have been difficult to erase the resentment from your heart... the resentment for the grandson who drove your daughter to her death."
"...!"
"Am I wrong?"
"Is that why you made such a foolish choice?"
"Perhaps. It is an age difficult to bear alone."
"You speak as if you are all grown up now."
"It seems I've matured after experiencing death."
"So what will you do from now on? Do you plan to make that choice again?"
"I will not make the same mistake twice."
Namgung Cheon replied, looking Namgung Geom straight in the eyes.
After staring at that gaze for a long moment, Namgung Geom gave a faint nod.
"Understood. You may leave."
"Then I will take my leave."
Namgung Cheon bowed and rose from his seat.
He was just about to leave the Family Head's Office.
"You're wrong."
Namgung Cheon paused and looked back.
Namgung Geom didn't even glance at him, but opened a book and continued.
"One thing was wrong, therefore everything you said was wrong."
"What was wrong?"
Sarak.
Namgung Geom flipped a page and replied in an indifferent voice.
"Your father was not the Great Killing Star."
"...!"
Not just Namgung Cheon, but Namgung Hwa also turned to him with a flushed expression.
At last, Namgung Geom raised his head and met Namgung Cheon's eyes.
"No matter what the world says, you can believe those words. Because I saw it myself."
"...Thank you."
Namgung Cheon bowed deeply.
Old man, you really know how to hit someone in the feels at the end.
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