Chapter – 04
The sparkle of anticipation in Mokryeon’s eyes seemed to be interpreted in some way by Dan Mok Cheongi, because his aura quietly stirred.
“What are you thinking about that has you sticking your lips out like a baby duck?”
Startled, Mokryeon quickly covered her mouth with both hands.
But inwardly, she smiled a little.
So he really is a grandfather after all. It seems he does find his granddaughter adorable.
“Hmph. Would you like to come closer?”
Dan Mok Cheongi spoke as though he were assigning her some difficult task.
To Mokryeon, however, it was welcome news.
Though she tilted her head slightly in confusion, she approached without hesitation.
Dan Mok Cheongi, seated in his grand chair, looked somewhat flustered. He had invited her closer, but apparently hadn’t expected her to walk right up to him so boldly.
“Well… since you’ve come all this way to thank me sincerely, I can’t very well send you away empty-handed.”
As he spoke, he untied a jade ornament hanging from his waist and handed it to the chief steward beside him.
The steward immediately recognized it.
His eyes widened for a brief moment before he regained his composure.
Carefully holding the jade ornament with both hands, he presented it to Mokryeon.
“Thank you, Grandfather!”
The ornament had been carved from high-quality jade.
Perhaps because someone of Dan Mok Cheongi’s stature had kept it by his side for so many years, it seemed to radiate a refreshing aura.
Mokryeon accepted it without hesitation and quickly hung it from her waist.
At that moment—
Huh?
A strange sensation passed through her mind, as though she had reached into an empty basket.
At the same time, words appeared above the jade ornament.
[Yang Jade handled by a First-Class Martial Artist for many years: Spiritual Capacity 14]
Spiritual Capacity? What’s that supposed to mean?
As soon as the thought crossed her mind, the text changed.
Would you like to store Spiritual Energy?
Tip: Good stones naturally retain spiritual energy. The higher the quality of the stone, the more spiritual energy it can store.
Store it? Yes! I’ll store it!
Spiritual Energy: 49/100 (-14)
Instantly, she felt spiritual energy flowing out through her fingertips.
The red warning color vanished from her Spiritual Energy stat.
Her body felt noticeably lighter.
You can store spiritual energy in precious stones?
This was the first she’d ever learned of it.
Mokryeon stared once more at the jade ornament Dan Mok Cheongi had given her.
Ah… In my previous life, our family was already declining. I never had many opportunities to handle treasures like this…
Nor had she ever spent time this close to her grandfather.
Suddenly, the jade seemed to shine more brilliantly than diamonds.
And naturally, the man who had given it to her appeared almost haloed in divine light.
Mokryeon’s face lit up so brightly while staring at the ornament that Dan Mok Cheongi became the one feeling awkward.
“Ahem. D-Do you like it that much?”
“Yes! Grandfather! I love it! I really, really love it! Thank you so much! Thank you… really…”
Overwhelmed with joy, she nearly burst into tears.
She had been agonizing over how to reduce her Spiritual Energy below fifty.
Yet the problem had been solved almost instantly.
“If you like it, then you like it! Why are you crying about it? You’re the eldest grandchild of this clan! Stop being so undignified!”
“N-No! I’m not crying!”
Dan Mok Cheongi looked at his teary-eyed granddaughter and cleared his throat.
“Fine then. Is there anything else you need?”
“No, Father. You’ve already given Ryeon medicine, and now this as well—”
Wi Jicheong tried to politely decline on her daughter’s behalf.
But Mokryeon’s mind worked faster.
There was something she urgently needed.
“Ah! Grandfather! There is!”
“Hmph. What is it? And you, stop interrupting.”
He gestured toward Wi Jicheong.
“If she is the eldest grandchild of the clan, then she should have the courage to speak openly about what she wants.”
Apparently, her boldness seemed admirable rather than rude.
Wi Jicheong looked troubled, but she couldn’t bring herself to scold her daughter.
“Grandfather, I want to learn martial arts!”
The instant the words left her mouth, a chilly silence settled over the room.
Nobody answered.
W-What?
She had thought they would be pleased that the clan’s eldest grandchild wanted to learn martial arts as soon as she awakened.
“…You want to learn martial arts?”
“Yes. I’m already eight years old, but I still don’t know anything…”
Before Dan Mok Cheongi could answer, Wi Jicheong pulled Mokryeon closer.
“Ryeon, wouldn’t it be better to wait until you’re a little healthier before learning martial arts?”
“Huh? But I’m already—”
When her Spiritual Energy wasn’t overflowing, she felt perfectly fine.
Wasn’t she practically healthy now?
But the words died on her lips.
Wi Jicheong’s eyes were filled with tears.
“M-Mother? Why…? Please don’t cry…”
“No, I’m not crying.”
Her voice trembled.
“I’m not crying. It’s just that Ryeon…”
How could she continue talking about martial arts when her mother looked ready to cry and her grandfather seemed unable to say a word?
Are they really that worried?
She came to her own conclusion.
After all, their daughter had been little different from a living corpse and had only recently awakened.
Naturally, they would worry over every step she took.
“Then… I’ll learn martial arts later!”
“Yes. Let’s do that. Our Ryeon is such a good girl.”
“…When the time comes, I will personally teach you.”
Dan Mok Cheongi finally spoke.
“So neither you nor your mother should be impatient. Focus on restoring your health.”
“Yes, Supreme Clan Head.”
Wi Jicheong immediately bowed and wrapped an arm around Mokryeon.
Seeing that, Dan Mok Cheongi waved his hand dismissively.
It was a clear signal that the meeting was over.
Yet there was no harshness in the gesture.
“The child walks quite well now.”
“She still needs to be careful. Physician Heo says her body hasn’t fully developed yet and her vitality remains weak.”
Chief Steward Kang Rip quickly responded.
“But aside from that, there are no abnormalities. In fact, he was amazed by how intelligent she is.”
“Hmph.”
“For the past seven—nearly eight—years, the Inner Madam has sacrificed everything for her.”
Kang Rip’s voice thickened with emotion.
Raising a child who never responded when called, never cried when in pain, and never reacted at all…
The only reason they had endured was because of Wi Jicheong’s dedication.
Before giving birth to Dan Mokryeon, she herself had been frail and constantly dependent on medicine.
Yet despite everyone’s objections, she had carried the child to term.
Then she had miraculously become healthier than anyone expected and devoted her entire life to caring for her daughter.
“Well, from hearing her speak, she doesn’t seem foolish.”
“Oh, come now. Physician Heo said he was astonished by how bright she is.”
“Hmph. I suppose it was impressive that she looked directly at my face and spoke so clearly.”
Twenty-five years ago, during the battle against the Blood Luo Valley, Dan Mok Cheongi had been splashed with their poison.
The resulting wounds had never healed.
The scars remained permanently.
Even before then, he had possessed a fierce appearance.
After the scars, no one dared look him directly in the face.
“Exactly.”
“But Hyeonseong was the same.”
“Sir, that’s—”
“Supreme Clan Head!”
Kang Rip hurriedly corrected himself.
He stared blankly at Dan Mok Cheongi.
The old man had just compared his recently awakened granddaughter to his deceased son, once renowned as a peerless genius.
Seeing the dangerous look in Dan Mok Cheongi’s eyes, Kang Rip quickly lowered his gaze.
“If speaking clearly and walking properly are enough to call someone intelligent, then what child in Hangzhou wouldn’t be intelligent?”
“Well… that’s true, but…”
Kang Rip trailed off.
But Young Miss has only been awake for a few months…
Even so, Dan Mok Cheongi’s mood had improved dramatically compared to before.
The difference was like heaven and earth.
He was genuinely delighted that his granddaughter had awakened.
After all, she was his own flesh and blood.
“As for martial arts… we will decide after observing the child’s condition.”
His expression hardened.
“Make sure no one discusses martial arts around her first.”
“Yes!”
Kang Rip bowed deeply.
Dan Mok Cheongi’s gaze drifted toward the window.
Toward the direction his daughter-in-law and granddaughter had departed.
Jeon was a servant assigned to the Danmok Clan’s kitchen.
Since he had joined the clan only recently and there weren’t many workers available, he handled all sorts of miscellaneous duties.
Every morning he inspected and organized fresh ingredients.
He swept and cleaned the kitchen.
And he collected fresh eggs each day from the small chicken coop behind the courtyard.
Yet deep within his heart burned a long-nurtured dream.
At present, he was merely a kitchen servant working for a declining clan.
But one day, he intended to become the greatest chef in all of Zhejiang Province.
“So I mix it like this?”
At this rate, I might lose my head before I become the greatest chef under heaven.
It was just before noon.
A small girl dressed in white had appeared before the chicken coop he managed.
The moment he saw her, he knew exactly who she was.
The pristine white robes, neatly finished all the way to the sleeves, were reserved exclusively for members of the Danmok bloodline.
Long ago, such garments had been embroidered with silver thread on fine silk.
The clan could no longer afford such luxuries.
Even so, pure white clothing remained a rare sight.
While Jeon stood frozen in panic, the little young lady confidently asked:
“When do the chickens get fed?”
In other words, she had come all the way here because she wanted to help feed the chickens.
From Jeon’s perspective, standing beside the clan’s eldest granddaughter while mixing chicken feed made the future look utterly dark.
And judging from her expression, the nursemaid responsible for watching over the young miss felt much the same way.
