SWNOVELXO Ch. 6
Episode 6: Winning the Right to Gather Herbs in the Thousand-Mile Gorge
Makjang and Jang So-cheon went to the market together at first. Then Makjang went off to buy talismans, while Jang So-cheon headed to the herb vendors to browse the spirit herbs.
As he looked around, Jang So-cheon was once again amazed at the special ability he’d gained. No matter what herb he saw, he could instantly discern its age and properties. The same went for medicinal ingredients—even if they were dried and powdered, he could identify their components and effects at a glance.
Caught up in this newfound power, Jang So-cheon lost track of time as he wandered from stall to stall.
“Oh! What’s that?”
In front of an old herbalist’s shop, Jang So-cheon spotted a peculiar spirit herb. It resembled an orchid, but its stem was streaked with a silver line, and a single golden flower bloomed delicately at the top. Despite its unusual appearance, the herb looked rather shabby—its leaves were withered, suggesting the owner didn’t realize its value.
After negotiating with the shopkeeper, Jang So-cheon bought the potted herb for a single spirit stone and set off to meet Makjang as planned.
But then, someone took an interest in the pot he was carrying. That led to a confrontation with a master at the 4-Star Qi Refiner level.
The challenger was a disciple from the White Herb Pavilion, with a face as pretty as a courtesan.
“Hey! I’ll give you two spirit stones for that item. Hand it over!”
Jang So-cheon declined politely. “I’m not selling. Not for two spirit stones, or even ten.”
“What? I saw you buy it for just one spirit stone! Are you saying you wouldn’t sell it for ten?”
“I’ve paid for it, so it’s mine now. Why are you making a fuss when I say I won’t sell?”
“A fuss? Maybe you’ve never been on the receiving end before. If you don’t hand over that pot right now, you’ll face more than just a quarrel.”
“Daylight robbery, huh? Who do you think you’re dealing with? I’m a disciple of the Wuji Perfected One at Present Ghost Peak.”
“Present Ghost Peak? So what? I’m Takbi from the White Herb Pavilion under the Heavenly Medicine Hall at Golden Lotus Peak. If you’ve heard my name, you’d best hand over that orchid right now.”
No sooner had he finished speaking than Takbi drew his sword and pointed it at Jang So-cheon, trying to intimidate him with his reputation and presence.
But Jang So-cheon was not the kind of man to be cowed by such pressure.
Clang!
Jang So-cheon quickly stowed the pot in his Heaven and Earth Pouch, drew the Blue Silver Sword, and assumed the opening stance of the Carefree Sword Technique.
“I never imagined the White Herb Pavilion would have someone as rude as you. I’ll be lodging a formal complaint with my master.”
“A complaint? Do you think the Heavenly Medicine Hall will even blink? Enough talk. I’ll have to teach you a lesson for your insolence.”
Shhhk!
Takbi was outrageously arrogant. As if being from the Heavenly Medicine Hall were some sort of privilege, he tried to snatch Jang So-cheon’s possession, and when that failed, he drew his sword.
The real problem was the group backing him. At some point, a crowd had gathered, blocking Jang So-cheon and Takbi’s fight.
Then Makjang came running, only to be attacked by one of the masters in the group.
Enraged, Jang So-cheon fought back against Takbi with all his might.
But Takbi’s swordsmanship was surprisingly poor. Though he used a technique ranked higher than the Carefree Sword Technique, his moves were completely transparent to Jang So-cheon.
Tap.
Predicting the direction of Takbi’s attack, Jang So-cheon shifted his back foot half a step to the side, twisted his body, and thrust his sword forward.
“Gah!”
Takbi leapt back in fright as Jang So-cheon’s sword flashed before his eyes. Then, using the Flying Dragon Transformation, he flipped in midair and created several sword shadows, indistinguishable from the real thing.
But Takbi’s triumphant smile vanished in shock as Jang So-cheon blurred like a moonlit shadow and reappeared right in front of him—completely unraveling his sword technique.
Rip!
Takbi dodged desperately, but his robe was sliced open. It was a complete defeat.
Still, Takbi refused to back down.
“You—how dare you use sorcery here? I’ll never forgive you!”
Face flushed with rage, Takbi charged at Jang So-cheon with murderous intent.
Meanwhile, Makjang, who had been knocked down, suddenly flung a talisman and took out his distracted opponent. The two then got tangled up in a wild brawl.
*
When the White Herb Pavilion’s masters blocked his way, Gwak Mu-jin stepped back and sent a message talisman. Watching Jang So-cheon fight, he offered Gogak one last piece of advice.
“Senior Go! If you don’t back off now, you’ll regret it. The consequences won’t end with the White Herb Pavilion—so pull that madman out of there right now.”
“Gwak Mu-jin! You still don’t know your place. Do you realize how high the Heavenly Medicine Hall stands? Frankly, even if we killed one of your Present Ghost Peak disciples, we’d get off with just a few days’ pretense at reflection.”
“What kind of nonsense is that?”
“Nonsense? Maybe you need a taste of it yourself. Takbi! Why aren’t you taking him down? Didn’t you hear the young lady’s order to seize the pot?”
At the mention of “young lady,” Gwak Mu-jin glanced behind Gogak. There stood the woman at the center of the trouble—Neung Yeonhwa, the cherished daughter of the Heavenly Medicine Hall Lord. Beautiful as a flower, but known for her fierce temper and greed.
Gwak Mu-jin realized she was behind the incident, but couldn’t guess the exact circumstances. His top priority was Jang So-cheon’s safety.
Even though Gogak and his team of Twelfth Star Level masters blocked the way, Gwak Mu-jin struck his Heaven and Earth Pouch and drew a weapon shaped like the Blue Dragon Crescent Moon Saber.
Do or die—that was how Gwak Mu-jin faced those who threatened his team.
Yah!
As Gwak Mu-jin leapt into the air, Gogak raised his massive iron mace to block the attack. The team moved to surround Gwak Mu-jin, but—
“Enough!”
A low, commanding voice rang out from above.
Boom!
The shock of a blow to his chest sent Gogak staggering back several steps.
Cough!
Gogak, now on the ground and spitting blood, looked up.
Smack!
A palm struck his cheek, sending him flying.
“Ugh… P-Patriarch!”
Gogak, his face twisted in pain, trembled like a leaf when he saw who had arrived.
Thud!
Patriarch Gwang-eum kicked aside another disciple who tried to defend Gogak, then reached out toward Takbi in the distance.
Takbi, who was attacking Jang So-cheon, was suddenly yanked into the air and slammed to the ground.
Whoosh!
Whap.
Just then, the Wuji Perfected One arrived and turned to Gwak Mu-jin for an explanation, but Patriarch Gwang-eum spoke first.
“Elder Mun! Summon Elder Jang Mun and the Heavenly Medicine Hall Lord here at once.”
“Yes, sir.”
Sensing the gravity of the situation, the Wuji Perfected One sent a message talisman to the two.
Soon, Elder Jang Mun and the Heavenly Medicine Hall Lord arrived—both looking pale.
Patriarch Gwang-eum looked at Gogak and spoke in a voice brimming with anger.
“Repeat what you just said to the Present Ghost Peak team leader. If you change even a single word, I’ll consider it an insult to the Patriarch and punish you severely.”
Gogak’s mind went blank at the threat of punishment for insulting the Patriarch. He’d only been showing off—he never imagined things would escalate like this.
Looking around, he saw Neung Yeonhwa had already slipped away.
He began to tremble uncontrollably. Just as Gwak Mu-jin had warned, the consequences were now beyond his ability to bear. But he couldn’t insult the Patriarch. In the end, Gogak had no choice but to repeat every word he’d said.
The Heavenly Medicine Hall Lord bowed and apologized to Patriarch Gwang-eum for failing to properly educate his disciples. He then ordered Gogak and Takbi to apologize to the Wuji Perfected One and the Herb Gathering Hall team.
But Takbi protested.
“Patriarch! The Heavenly Medicine Hall is the pillar of the Extreme Heaven Sect, and we’ve always taken great pride in our work. Present Ghost Peak, on the other hand, hardly contributes to the sect. Their elixir offerings are few, and their individual abilities are lacking. Why should we be treated the same as them?”
The Hall Lord’s face turned crimson at Takbi’s words. Just as he was about to strike Takbi, Patriarch Gwang-eum stopped him.
“Listening to you, I have a question. You say the Heavenly Medicine Hall’s disciples are outstanding, so you must be as well?”
“Of course.”
“Then who are you better than? Team Leader Gwak Mu-jin? Or the newcomer Jang So-cheon? I want to see for myself—point to the one you want to challenge.”
This time, Takbi’s face turned bright red. Gwak Mu-jin was far above him in cultivation and skill, especially in herb gathering and identification. Naturally, he should point to Jang So-cheon, but he was too ashamed.
The Hall Lord’s face darkened, hoping Takbi would at least have the decency to challenge Gwak Mu-jin, even if it meant losing.
But—
Trembling, Takbi pointed at Jang So-cheon.
The Hall Lord coughed up blood in frustration.
Patriarch Gwang-eum let out a dry chuckle and asked Takbi, “So you claim you’re better than Jang So-cheon?”
“What can you expect from someone like him? I’m recognized as a talent even in the White Herb Pavilion.”
“In the White Herb Pavilion, huh? So you think your judgment is superior. Did you not hear that he recently gathered the Nine-leaf Immortal Herb?”
“That was pure luck. If I’d gone, I would have found it too.”
“Fine. Let’s test your skills right here. I’ll give you half an incense stick’s time. Within a hundred-zhang radius, bring me the most valuable medicinal ingredient you can find.”
“Yes, sir.”
Whoosh!
Takbi shot off into the air as soon as Patriarch Gwang-eum finished speaking. The area wasn’t large—especially for someone like Takbi, who could scan fifty zhang with Divine Sight. After a few passes, he returned with an item in hand.
Jang So-cheon, on the other hand, didn’t rush. He used the full time to browse the market, finally returning with a small, unimpressive medicinal root.
“Place your items in front of you,” Patriarch Gwang-eum ordered.
Takbi confidently set down his find—a rare herb, seldom seen in the market, worth nine spirit stones. It was top-tier among herbs.
By contrast, Jang So-cheon’s purchase looked like a rotten bellflower, seemingly worthless.
“How much did you pay for it?”
“One low-grade spirit stone.”
“Did it look worth even that much?”
“No.”
Takbi smirked, agreeing that it looked worthless. But his jaw dropped at Jang So-cheon’s next words.
“This item is actually worth a medium-grade spirit stone. But to preserve its medicinal properties, it needs to be steamed and dried quickly.”
“Is that true?” Patriarch Gwang-eum asked both the Wuji Perfected One and the Heavenly Medicine Hall Lord, who were both experts at identifying herbs.
The Wuji Perfected One answered first. “Jang So-cheon wins. As he said, that root is worth a medium-grade spirit stone, or a hundred low-grade ones.”
“And Takbi’s?”
“That’s worth only seven low-grade spirit stones. And since it’s stolen, it’s not even worth that.”
“Stolen? Now that you mention it, you’re right. Hall Lord, what do you think?”
The Hall Lord glared silently at Takbi, then suddenly strode over and slapped him repeatedly.
“Ow! Master! Why are you doing this?”
“Why am I your master? And why does someone with no ability make such a scene? I never had a disciple like you.”
Whack!
He smacked Takbi on the back of the head and ordered him to apologize to Jang So-cheon immediately.
Takbi tried to make excuses. “Why should I apologize? It was all because of your daughter, Lady Yeonhwa, who—ow!”
Gogak, standing beside him, kicked Takbi hard in the knee, making him hop around clutching his leg. He tried to bring up the Hall Lord’s daughter again, but the Hall Lord cut him off.
“You disgrace! Isn’t it enough that you’ve shamed the Heavenly Medicine Hall? Now you won’t even obey me? Apologize at once!”
Only then did Takbi realize something was wrong—no one was on his side. Even the White Herb Pavilion’s vice leader glared at him murderously. Reluctantly, Takbi apologized to Jang So-cheon.
“I admit I was wrong to try to take your item. But it wasn’t my idea from the start—”
“You call that an apology? Get on your knees and do it properly!”
Startled, Takbi dropped to his knees and, trembling with fear, apologized.
“Brother Jang, I was wrong. Please forgive me.”
“What exactly are you apologizing for?”
“For looking down on you and trying to steal your possession. For threatening you with a weapon, and for my harsh words. Please, forgive me.”
Though he wasn’t completely appeased, Jang So-cheon decided to forgive Takbi. After all, his master would bear the consequences of his actions.
“Very well. Just don’t look down on the weak so easily next time.”
“I understand.”
As Takbi finished, Patriarch Gwang-eum turned to the Hall Lord, who then apologized to the Wuji Perfected One and offered compensation in spirit stones.
But the Wuji Perfected One was not so cold-hearted.
“Forget the spirit stones. Instead, let our disciples gather herbs in the Thousand-Mile Gorge.”
“The Thousand-Mile Gorge? Haven’t you heard that demons often appear there?”
“I have.”
“And you still want to gather herbs there? I won’t stop you, but don’t take my warning lightly.”
The Thousand-Mile Gorge was a border zone between humans and demons, governed by a non-aggression pact. With both sides restricting access, rare herbs had flourished there. Now, only a minimum number of gatherers were secretly allowed entry, and accidental clashes were not uncommon.
It was a place of both opportunity and danger. Now, Present Ghost Peak would share access.
“The Hall Lord has agreed. From now on, Present Ghost Peak’s disciples may also gather herbs in the Thousand-Mile Gorge. Is that correct, Hall Lord?” Elder Jang Mun asked.
The Hall Lord nodded reluctantly, then shot Takbi a fierce glare.
With Elder Jang Mun mediating, the negotiations concluded. Patriarch Gwang-eum led the Wuji Perfected One and his disciples away toward Present Ghost Peak.
Whack!
As soon as Patriarch Gwang-eum was out of sight, the Hall Lord kicked Takbi in the stomach again, then ordered Gogak to send Takbi to the city of Hoguok to join the patrol.
Takbi’s face turned ashen at the command—he’d heard that many had died there at the hands of demons.