So stifled that he blurted a word he shouldn’t, Shin Dogwang let it slip.Of all of them, the one most shocked by the word “lord” was Dong Baekdan.“W-what did you just say? L-lord? W-who are you talking about?”Unlike Dong Baekdan, who was aghast, Dong Yeohae—who had already heard it by sound transmission—did ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ not look all that surprised.So Dong Baekdan turned to Dong Yeohae and asked,“F-father, did you not hear what he just said?”“I heard.”“And you’re not surprised?”“I already heard it earlier.”“What?”Leaving a stammering Dong Baekdan behind, Dong Yeohae spoke to Shin Dogwang.“Haah. Put yourself in our position. How could we not react like this?”At his words, Shin Dogwang nodded.“I understand completely. But our lord is in the middle of treatment. You must not interfere.”“You truly believe that is treatment?”“I do. I trust our lord.”Eyes without a trace of doubt.The sight made Dong Yeohae’s expression change to one of surprise.Who was Shin Dogwang?He followed the Lord of Martial Deity Heaven, but he was not a man who pledged fealty.And the reason he “followed” was simple.It was to bask in the halo of Martial Deity Heaven—nothing more, nothing less.Frankly, the Shin Family, ranked seventh, was so dominant in its region that even without Martial Deity Heaven’s halo there were no sects that would dare meddle.For that reason, they might follow, but they were a house that could leave at any time without great regret.For such a man to look that loyal?Dong Yeohae looked at Yeon Woojin.What on earth had he done to make Shin Dogwang so devoted?Could he truly be trusted?In the meantime, heedless of those around him, Yeon Woojin was diligently twisting and contorting the child’s body this way and that.Strangely enough, though it should have hurt, the child did not cry; he only looked at Yeon Woojin.Shin Dogwang’s voice came.“Do you see? If the child were truly in pain, would he be lying so still? He’d be wailing.”“…You’re right.”“And look there as well. Our lord is sweating.”In Dong Yeohae’s eyes, beads of sweat glistened on Yeon Woojin’s brow.“He is a man who does not shed a single drop of sweat in any situation. If he is sweating like that, it means he is focusing every bit of his mind and doing his utmost. And yet you would not trust such a lord and tried to hinder him.”Now that “lord” had been revealed, it seemed Shin Dogwang no longer meant to hide anything; he openly addressed Yeon Woojin as lord.Regaining her wits at last, Dong Baekdan asked,“S-so he is truly the lord you serve, Uncle?”“Yes.”“Didn’t you say he was a physician?”“I did.”“Then how…?”“He is a physician—and also the greatest of past and present.”“…What?”What was that supposed to mean?Was there not already a “greatest of past and present”?Yeon Cheonbaek, the Lord of Martial Deity Heaven.He was that very man.Yet Shin Dogwang was calling the young man before them the greatest of past and present.Did he mean the greatest of the future?Had he seen unfathomable potential?“Is now the time to worry about me? Worry about your child.”At Shin Dogwang’s words, Dong Baekdan snapped to and turned her eyes to her son.Yeon Woojin was carefully lifting his hands away and rising to his feet.Then he turned his head to look at Dong Yeohae and Dong Baekdan.“The preparations are finished. Fortunately, because the child’s body is supple, it seems there is no pain.”“I-is that so?”“Yes. Now I will activate the formation.”“What happens then?”“In that state, by the power of the formation, the muscles and joints will move to find their rightful places. In the process, the muscles will strengthen and the skeleton will firm up. When the muscles grow strong, the heart muscle will naturally grow strong as well—and then the child will be healthy.”“Have you performed this treatment before?”“No. Today is the first time.”At the word “first,” Dong Yeohae and Dong Baekdan swallowed hard.Their eyes turned to the child.“Then, I will begin.”When Yeon Woojin inscribed the remaining characters into the formation, light began to blaze up from the floor.The light soon wrapped the child and slowly lifted him into the air.With anxious eyes, Dong Yeohae and Dong Baekdan watched.There was no turning back now.In this state, it looked like something that must not be disturbed.Like how distorting someone’s breathing when they circulated qi could lead to disaster.All they could do was pray that it would go well.“Are you certain—truly certain—the child will be all right?”“Yes.”Yeon Woojin answered with confidence, but the anxiety would not quite leave them.Their only solace was the peaceful expression on the child’s face as he floated—As if he were in his mother’s arms.“Surely he’s not going to remain like that for several days?”“Yes.”“Then what about meals?”“I’ll feed him at intervals. So please don’t worry too much. It will go well.”What was done was done.There was nothing for it but to trust and leave it in his hands.Since it had come to this, Dong Yeohae decided to ask what he was curious about.“Dogwang said he was this friend’s lord. Is that true?”Focused, Yeon Woojin had not been listening; he looked toward Shin Dogwang.Shin Dogwang bowed his head and apologized.“I beg your pardon, my lord. It slipped out before I knew it. Please forgive me.”Dong Yeohae and Dong Baekdan were appalled at his behavior.They had suspected—but was it truly real?The sight of Shin Dogwang watching Yeon Woojin’s face for a reaction and begging forgiveness was utterly unfamiliar.“Haah… what’s said is said.”“I’m sorry. I will be more careful henceforth.”“You understand my identity must not become known.”“I understand.”Listening to the two converse, Dong Yeohae asked,“Forgive me for interrupting… but then—what is your identity, sir?”At the question, Yeon Woojin looked at him and said,“Allow me to introduce myself properly. I am Yeom Woojin, a candidate for Little Heaven Lord.”“Ah! I’ve heard of you! I certainly remember hearing that name. Our clan’s circumstances being what they are, it slipped my mind for a moment. My apologies. So you are Young Master Yeom Woojin, the one who joined the Little Heaven Lord Contest late.”“That’s correct.”Amazing.He had heard Yeom Woojin was the disciple of the Strategist of Martial Deity Heaven.Even so, for the head of the rank-seven Shin Family to follow the Strategist’s disciple—He could not make sense of it.What in the world had he seen to follow him?Just then, Shin Dogwang wore a frustrated look.He looked as though he had something to say but was holding it in.Seeing that face, it seemed the Yeom Woojin before them was hiding something.Dong Yeohae asked again,“Judging by Shin Dogwang’s face, it seems there’s something you’re hiding from me.”At those words, Shin Dogwang hurried to school his expression, but it was too late.Yeon Woojin sighed and shook his head.“If you keep this up, we can’t move around together.”“M-my apologies, my lord.”“Haah… Then let me introduce myself again.”At that, Shin Dogwang stepped forward.“My lord! Allow this humble one to introduce you to them.”At his words, Yeon Woojin looked uneasy.But soon he nodded.“Thank you. I will introduce our lord to them with all my heart and soul.”“There’s no need to go that far.”“There is!”Then, turning to Dong Yeohae and Dong Baekdan—with a look like he had finally been given the chance to relieve his pent-up frustration—he said,“Listen closely, both of you. I’m going to tell you who this man is.”Just who could he be, for Shin Dogwang to go this far?“Our lord’s name is Yeon—Woo—jin.”Yeon Woojin.“He is the one and only grandson of the man in Martial Deity Heaven who bears the surname Yeon.”At once, Dong Yeohae—who knew exactly whom that meant—spoke in a voice of disbelief.“T-that… what nonsense is this? T-that man has no blood kin!”“That’s what everyone thinks. But it’s not true. His one and only blood kin is our lord.”“I-is that the truth?”Dong Yeohae turned to Yeon Woojin.When Yeon Woojin nodded, he was even more thunderstruck.Into the ears of the stunned Dong Yeohae, Shin Dogwang’s voice flowed.“At first, he had no interest in the position of Lord of Martial Deity Heaven. But while attending the academy here, affection for Martial Deity Heaven took root in him. So he changed his mind—to become the Lord. That is why he entered the Little Heaven Lord Contest.”“T-then… to win that contest, an ordinary realm of strength would never suffice.”“Realm? Puhahaha! Is it ‘realm’ you’re worried about? You need not fret over such things! I, Shin Dogwang, cannot last even a single move before our lord!”What was this now?“Not even a single move”?He could not survive a single strike?Unbelievable.“You find it hard to believe. But know this: even the Lord acknowledges our lord’s strength.”“E-even the Lord?”“Indeed. Our lord already possesses the power to rule the world.”It was unbelievable.So young—and yet so strong?A powerhouse acknowledged by Yeon Cheonbaek?How could one believe that?“Wait… then what you’re saying is—the grandson of the Lord of Martial Deity Heaven is participating in the Little Heaven Lord Contest.”At Dong Baekdan’s words, Dong Yeohae started.Come to think of it, his son was right.Strong—and with impeccable legitimacy.Moreover, the information they had received said this contest would choose the Little Heaven Lord by who could bring more sects under their banner.Just looking at how the Five Guardian Clans were moving, the answer was clear.They were competing to reel in the sects friendly to them and the surrounding ones.Dong Yeohae looked at Yeon Woojin.He had not entered the contest as the grandson of the Lord of Martial Deity Heaven.He had entered as the disciple of the Strategist, Sama Cheon.He had even changed his surname.Why?“Why enter the contest under a different surname?”“To be recognized. To truly become the master, one must seize Martial Deity Heaven starting from a base that is nearly nothing.”Yeon Woojin’s answer was astonishing.It was there in his tone.He spoke as someone certain that Martial Deity Heaven was already his.Then was Shin Dogwang aware of that, and serving him as lord for the future?No.That was not the gaze of a man calculating gains before bowing.It came from the heart.That meant he had not invested for the future—he had fallen for the person named Yeon Woojin himself and served him as lord.If the Shin Family helped, it would be easier.If Yanghwa Palace joined in as well, all the easier.If ranks seven and eight combined their strength to assist him, they would rival the Five Guardian Clans.Catching his look, Shin Dogwang gave a faint laugh.He could guess what Dong Yeohae was thinking.Shin Dogwang led Dong Yeohae and Dong Baekdan outside.It seemed he ought to tell them more in detail about their lord.“My lord, I will step out with them for a moment to speak.”“All right, go ahead.”With Yeon Woojin’s permission, Shin Dogwang took the two out to a quiet place and said,“You just now thought that if Yanghwa Palace helps our lord, we could stand against the Five Guardian Clans, didn’t you?”“I did.”“Our lord came here to heal your grandson with that in mind.”“To speak frankly… yes, that’s what I thought. Isn’t that why you sought me out? To make my strength serve your lord?”“No. I came for you. To introduce you to our lord. To give you an opportunity.”“An opportunity?”“Yes. Do you think our lord has no base of support?”“Frankly, no one knows he is the Lord’s blood. No sect would follow him.”“Wrong. There are already a multitude of sects following our lord.”“Is that true?”“Of course. The Hall of Life and Death, which recently became rank ten, is under our lord. Rank eleven, the Snow Mountain Sect, is under our lord, and rank thirteen, the Yang Family Manor, is under our lord. The Fist King Sect, the Dragon-Tiger Sect, the Gentlemen Sect, the Hundred Rivers Sect—many top-tier sects have already come under our lord.”“Heh…”“And that’s not all. The Nine Schools and One Gang of the Central Plains, the Five Great Clans, and the Twelve Branch Gates are under our lord.”“What? I-is that true?”“Come now. Do you think I would make jokes about our lord? And that’s still not the end.”“There’s more?”“There is. The Hell Darkness Shadow Lord and the Heavenly Martial Grandmaster are under our lord.”“What?”“On top of that, the Hall of the Heaven Lord, the General Staff, the Medicine King Hall, and the Hall of Appointments are already in our lord’s hands. At this point, it’s as good as decided, isn’t it? Even if you do not help, our lord is already as good as the Lord of Martial Deity Heaven.”

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