The Sting of Poison

The gentle blinking of the stars, the quiet murmur of cicadas, and the rhythmic trickling of water in the pond.

He'd thought all this tranquility would be enough to calm his mind as he strolled out the garden behind his mansion, but his mind was far from calm.

His thoughts were all over the place as he took light steps in the direction of the training grounds.

He occasionally looked up at the stars and wondered how he found himself here. Why did he suddenly remember who he was? What was the system? And how was he in the world of a novel he'd read?

He usually pushed these thoughts out of his mind when they surfaces, but today he was a bit more restless than he normally was.

Perhaps it was his conversation with elder Beom this afternoon that left him uneasy.

It was like he was missing important information that was staring him in the face. Why couldn't he remember it?

This question aggravated him the more he thought about. Regardless, he knew what he had to do. All he had to do was play the role of a proper master to his students. Both to Yan Bohai, and to Yong Kyubok.

"Master?"

Speaking of his student...

"Is master taking a night stroll as well?"

Yan Bohai called out to him, trudging out from the path that led to armory.

'Had he just finished training?' Roh Ki wondered, as he gazed at his student intently.

"Yes I am. It seems you are doing the same?"

"Yes master. I just finished training and thought I would relax my muscles with a light stroll around the grounds."

"I see..."

Roh Ki muttered, still a bit lost in his thoughts.

Studying his master's frustrated face for a few seconds, he spoke.

"Forgive this disciple's forwardness master, but perhaps there is something that troubles you? If it is not too much to ask, I am willing to listen."

Roh Ki took a moment to process what his student had just said before releasing a small sigh.

"I see I am still going around worrying my disciples like this. Please pay it no mind, I simply have some thoughts I need to sort through."

"I see,"

Yan Bohai hummed, taking light steps behind his master before asking.

"Could it maybe have something to do with the Raishu mountain sect?"

Hearing this, Roh Ki stopped in his tracks for a moment, before picking up his pace with a sigh.

"It seems the news has already reached the ears of our sect members."

"I have not heard much. Just that the Raishu mountain cultivation sect has stolen something important that belongs to the Plum Blossom sect, and now they are on the edge of war."

Yan Bohai stated, reciting the bits of information he had picked up from the chatter of the sect members throughout the day.

Letting out a stifled chortle, Roh Ki uttered.

"Then you have heard everything, yet you say you have not heard much. It is true. The Raishu sect has crossed a line, and I fear what comes next will not be welcoming for any side."

After Roh Ki punctuated his statement with a sigh, Yan Bohai leaned in closer to his master to whisper.

"Does master happen to know what exactly they stole from the Plum Blossom sect?"

Turning to gaze at his disciple, he tipped his head into a small shrug before responding.

"So far, all we know is that it is a newly distilled potion of some kind. As you know, the Plum Blossom sect is most known for their apothecary, and potion refining arts. Apparently, the potion that was stolen from them was newly created by their gifted third elder."

"If it is the third elder, then is it elder Bai Mingli?"

Yan Bohai asked, grasping his chin in thought, trailing closely behind Roh Ki as the training grounds came within view.

"Mn."

Roh Ki hummed in response, turning off the stone path and onto the grass, something sparkling in his peripheral vision catching his attention.

Yan Bohai let out a sigh as he pondered.

"First the incident with the Faltang amulet with us, and now this potion incident with the Plum Blossom sect. I wonder what their goal is. Do you think the incidents are related master?"

"Seeing as I am not aware of what their intentions for either are, I can not say, but it would seem unlikely that they are not related."

Roh Ki answered, as his eyes wandered the area, blankly looking for the sparkling object that caught his eye.

This was a lie. Roh Ki knew what their intentions for both items were. He could not quite remember the reason as to why they needed it, but he could come up with a reasonable guess. 

He was truthful in the fact that their sect was not aware of the details about the potion that was stolen, however, because he somewhat knew the future, he had guessed the potion stolen was the 'potion of internal balance' finely crafted by the third elder of the Plum Blossom sect, elder Bai Mingli.

Alone the potion didn't do much, but when paired with a divine level endurance pill directly crafted by the Plum Blossom sect, the effects allowed for the smooth circulation of internal qi, no matter its quantity in the body.

He had surmised that the Raishu mountain sect had stolen this potion in preparation to obtain the amulet of restoration. It was the only way the wielder could even manage to stay half sane as he used the amulet. This meant that they hadn't given up on obtaining the amulet, just as he'd thought.

Stealing a glance at his disciple that remained in a deep ponder, he opted against disclosing this information to him. He didn't want him to needlessly worry over it, and he thought it wouldn't be a good idea for anyone to know that he had information about events in the future that hadn't happened yet.

"It is rare for master to come out for a stroll at night. This matter must have been weighing heavily on your mind. I may be unreliable, but I still wish to do all I can to ease your worries master."

Yan Bohai's sudden tone of affection caught Roh Ki of guard for a moment, causing him to tear his eyes off the silhouette he had been silently watching.

Thinking for a moment, Roh Ki let out a small sigh.

"I understand. I am grateful to know I have such a devoted disciple, though you need not worry about me for now. I am still very capable regardless of the current state of my body."

"Hahh."

Yan Bohai let out a playful sigh, and a slight shrug.

"It seems master still does not understand the context of which I mean. It is my fault. I forgot my master is a man who can not pick up subtle social cues."

His change in attitude caused Roh Ki to cock an eyebrow, his temples wrinkling in confusion.

"What?"

Quickly closing the distance between himself and Roh Ki, he grabbed his master's hand, pinning it to the tree behind him, his other hand firmly placed on his small waist.

It was only after coming close that he'd noticed the person staring at them from the training grounds, but he chose not to mind them, after all, he had to be quick.

Roh Ki, pinned to a tree was too shocked and confused at the situation to mind the fierce gaze of his new core disciple from a distance away.

"...what?"

Before a proper sentence can be formed on his lips, Yan Bohai leaned in closer, the space between their faces getting smaller as he approached.

Reflexively retreating, he was reminded of the tree behind him as his back was held firmly in place.

"Yan Bohai what are you...?"

"Master, if only you had thought about me a bit more..."

Before he could hear the rest of Yan Bohai's statement, the cold sensation caused by the bit of paper slipped behind his neck caused his vision to go blurry.

"A s-submission... talis...man..."

He stuttered, before he slumped into the arms of his smiling first disciple, losing consciousness.

"M-master!"

A familiar voice called out, rushing over to his master at the sight of him falling over.

"What happened to master?"

"Ah, you're the new disciple aren't you? Yong Kyubok was it? Please alert elder Namgung Ji immediately. Master Roh Ki suddenly slumped after his stroll. He must have exerted himself a lot."

Yong Kyubok took Roh Ki in his arms, ignoring the words of Yan Bohai, as he tucked his stray hair behind his ear, and checked for a steady pulse.

"Did you not hear what I said? I said go and call..."

Yong Kyubok did not let Yan Bohai finish his sentence, standing up suddenly while carrying his master in his arms.

"Rather than calling the head doctor here, it will be faster to take him there."

After giving a simple answer, he began to head towards the sect sick bay. He hardly cared about the other disciples in the sect, but Yan Bohai was giving him an especially bad feeling.

Letting out a lengthy loud sigh, Yan Bohai clicked his tongue before speaking.

"Hahh. It's always one thing or the other. It makes sense that master would favor another bastard who also can't pick up on social cues."

"..."

Unsheathing the sword that hung at his side, he continued.

"Leave him here and go, and I'll pretend you weren't even here."

Yong Kyubok stood silently for a few seconds, staring blankly at him before murmuring,

"What did you do to master?"

"Ah, I remember you now. Aren't you that bastard that the sect leader forced onto master? You're still here? I could have bet my limbs that master would've gotten rid of you by now, or that you'd have run away."

Yan Bohai mused aloud, twirling his sword in front of him as he spoke.

"Well? What do you think you're doing? Isn't he the master that has ignored you all this time? Why are you suddenly feigning concern over him?"

Yan Bohai continued, curling the edges of his lips into a twisted smirk.

At Yong Kyubok's silence, he paused, looking him up and down for a second as his grip on Roh Ki's limp body tightened.

"...Or don't tell me... you are actually concerned for him?"

"..."

The further silence that served as an answer to his question caused him to burst out into a fit of laughter. 

"Are you serious? Don't tell me he's caught you too. Say, you've heard the rumors too right?"

"If this is all, I will be taking my leave."

Yong Kyubok stated, ignoring the sword held at his neck, and passing Yan Bohai by, towards the sect med bay.

"Tsk tsk! Kids these days are so disrespectful huh?"

Yan Bohai spoke, moving in a swift movement to block Yong Kyubok's path back, placing his sword even closer to his neck.

"It really is a pity. It seems you really have been caught by him too. It's okay, don't feel bad. There was a time I was entrapped by him too."

The only response from Yong Kyubok to his statement was the visible confusion visible in the knots that formed on his eyebrows.

"Ah, have you really not heard the rumors about our dear master here?"

Saying this, Yan Bohai moved his sword from Yong Kyubok's neck, and planted it in front of Roh Ki's face.

"Have you never wondered why our master is the only peak lord in the sect who practices the 'way of abstinence' as his focus path?"

Noticing Yong Kyubok's expression change from curiosity, he continued, smiling as he hummed.

"You must have heard, even if only once. People like to gossip after all. About how our dear master is so beautiful and enchanting that he can bend the hearts of both men and women. Isn't that what has happened to you?"