Chapter 172
Uncle's story flowed on relentlessly, oblivious to how hard she was trying to compose herself.
“But the real headache is something else. They say a place called the Nine Nether Demon Palace snuck into the Cloud Sea secret realm and hauled away a huge haul of rare treasures. Biyun Sect is reportedly furious and has even posted a bounty.”
Baek Cheong almost dropped the chopsticks in her hand.
'H-hold on. If we're talking about treasures from the Cloud Sea secret realm...'
She had swept up every rare item in the Cloud Sea secret realm.
She'd taken Cloud Spirit Beads and Cloud Spirit Fruit, enough to make her storage pouch bulge.
And yet it had been made to look as though the Nine Nether Demon Palace had been the ones who looted it.
If you thought about it, Biyun Sect had basically posted a bounty to catch some poor phantom.
'I took everything, and they're searching in the wrong place.'
She didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Meanwhile, Uncle showed no sign of stopping.
“And the Eastern Continent is no less unusual. For some reason, the mountain cultivators there have been busier than usual.”
Baek Cheong quietly swallowed hard.
If it was the cultivators of the Eastern Continent, she had a guess.
The ones who had rushed at her in the Cloud Sea secret realm for the Cloud Spirit Bead had also come from the Eastern Continent.
Behind them lurked a major force called the Dongcheon Mountain Cultivator Alliance.
They were even plotting a sinister scheme to gather the lords of the various continents.
'That's something I know about too...'
Of all things, the truth behind every topic they mentioned was tangled up with her.
The family traded remarks about the tension hanging over the continents, utterly unaware of the real circumstances.
They said demonic forces were running rampant and grim rumors were spreading across every continent, making for a chaotic time.
Baek Cheong sat there alone, palms damp with cold sweat, and kept sipping her tea as if she knew nothing.
'I just wanted to browse the forum...'
It was Mother who changed the subject before it could turn heavier.
“Now, now, stop talking about such gloomy things when the whole family has rarely gathered together.”
Mother piled a generous helping of greens onto her side plate.
Then Uncle gave an awkward laugh and changed the subject too.
“Indeed, it is a joyous occasion. Come to think of it, I heard Gyu has recently taken on an important position at Biyun Sect.”
At the mention of her eldest brother, Baek Cheong pricked up her ears.
“My eldest brother?”
“Yes. Even among inner disciples, it's rare to be entrusted with important sect matters. It means the sect master trusts him that much.”
Father nodded with satisfaction.
Uncle added another comment.
“Sang-i will be returning soon as well. I heard he has nearly finished studying formations, so we should be seeing him before long.”
At the news that her second older brother was returning too, Baek Cheong's eyes went wide.
It had been a long time since her second older brother had last come to the main house.
He had gone off to study formations at the obscure place called Hyeonjin Sect.
'I think the last time I saw him was almost ten years ago.'
Before she could even finish that thought,
Grandfather, who had been silently nursing his wine cup the whole time, looked at her steadily.
“Cheong-ah.”
“Yes, Grandfather?”
“While I was looking around near the Eastern Continent, I found traces of a formation I'd never seen before being laid out.”
Baek Cheong flinched inwardly.
Grandfather stroked his beard and went on.
“Could it have been you who laid it out?”
But she didn't show any sign of panic on the outside.
She had long since prepared a pretext for a day like this.
“Ah, before I went into closed-door cultivation, I got a beginner's jade slip on formations from Biyun Sect's Jinmun Peak. I was bored during seclusion, so I tried laying it out once, and I guess it left traces.”
Baek Cheong pretended to be embarrassed and modest.
Grandfather looked at her for a moment, then clicked his tongue.
“Heh, so with just a beginner's jade slip, you've reached the point where you can lay out a formation like that. Alchemy, talismans, and now formations. Among the hundred arts of cultivation, you've already dabbled in three and shown talent in each one; I'm so used to being surprised that I'm almost numb to it.”
The rest of the family nodded in agreement.
Seeing that, she took a careful sip of tea and swallowed her dry saliva as naturally as she could.
'Good thing I got that jade slip after all.'
Thanks to the jade slip she'd prepared in advance, the pretext for the formation was neatly set.
The card she'd prepared in anticipation of a day like this was finally paying off.
Yak-seon, who had been watching with satisfaction, also spoke up a little later.
“About those alchemy lessons you'd been putting off because your cultivation wasn't enough—now that you've entered Foundation Establishment, we can start them up again.”
At the mention of alchemy lessons, Baek Cheong actually brightened.
Normally she would have recoiled, but not this time.
“Great! I actually came up with a new pill formula while I was in seclusion in the East. I really wanted to show it to Grandpa Yak-seon.”
She wanted to show him the new Longevity Pill formula she had picked up at the market.
So that she could hand Grandfather and Yak-seon the Longevity Pill and wish them long life.
“W-what? You've already gotten to the point where you can come up with a new formula?”
At the words “new formula,” Yak-seon's eyes went as wide as lanterns.
And he twitched as if he were about to spring to his feet.
“Let's see, if we go to the alchemy room right now...”
“Gok-cheon.”
Grandfather called his name softly and shot him a look.
It was a silent rebuke, reminding him that this was a rare occasion with the whole family gathered.
Only then did Yak-seon clear his throat and sit back down, suppressing his restlessness.
“Ahem. Yes, there are many days besides today, so let us look forward to next time.”
His voice dripped with disappointment.
Once the topic had changed direction, Father spoke up this time.
“Cheong-ah, though you're only at Foundation Establishment, first stage, the spiritual power you emit is so deep and solid that your true essence should be more than sufficient. I'll get you new, better flying artifacts and robes.”
Baek Cheong's eyes widened at the unexpected gift.
If the escape art she had learned at Biyun Sect was good for short distances,
then a flying artifact would make long-distance travel easy as long as she had spirit stones.
'I wonder if I'll ever actually need it.'
Still, it was better than having nothing, so she couldn't help but be happy.
Then Uncle, not wanting to be left out, added his own gift.
“Then I'll give you a spatial artifact. The storage pouch you're using is a fine item, but I'll pick out something more convenient to carry around.”
“I've also prepared a poison-dispelling needle.”
Mother, who had been listening quietly, joined in as well.
Mother gently smoothed her hair.
“When you work in alchemy, you're bound to be exposed to toxic qi, so if you carry it with you, I'll feel much more at ease.”
Even her third older brother joined in.
“I can't be the only one with nothing to give. I happened to get my hands on a usable second-rank brush, ink, and paper set, so I'll give it to you.”
Baek Cheong's eyes went wide at the endless flood of gifts.
Taken together, they were rare items worth dozens of top-grade spirit stones.
Just sitting there and listening made it feel as though her fortune were swelling on its own.
Most of all, Father added the finishing touch.
“Oh, and I also cleaned up the cave abode, which had been ruined by the heavenly tribulation, and raised its spirit vein one level as well. It's a second-grade spirit vein, so feel free to come and go as you please.”
The family's overwhelming affection warmed a corner of her small heart.
Their generosity was warmth beyond what she deserved.
“...I'm really grateful to all of you. Since you care for me this much, I'll do even better.”
Baek Cheong said as she slowly looked around at the family seated around the table.
Her heartfelt thanks brought satisfied smiles to the family's faces.
Only after they had talked to their hearts' content did they finally break up the gathering.
Her stomach was full, and she'd received plenty of gifts.
Now there was only one thing left for her.
'Finally, forum time!'
It was time to log into the Nameless Forum, which she'd been putting off for ages while frantically getting through Foundation Establishment and the heavenly tribulation.
She was curious how much her backlog of posts had piled up, and how much the top-grade Cloud Tribulation Pill she'd put up for auction had sold for.
She headed toward her quarters in high spirits.
***
It wasn't long after Baek Cheong left.
A brief silence fell over the harmonious inner hall.
Baek Mu-jin was the first to speak.
“Woo-ya. I only feel sorry for you. Even though you're my child too, it seems like I'm pouring all my care only into Cheong.”
Baek Woo quietly shook his head.
“Father, please don't say that. Cheong is the Yeonha Baek Clan's heavenly genius. The clan's future rests on Cheong, so this much devotion is only natural. As for me, I'll simply keep walking my own path in silence.”
At Baek Woo's words, Baek Mu-ae slowly nodded.
Baek Mu-ae lifted his wine cup, moistened his lips, and said,
“Though it's Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment, the heavenly tribulation struck three times. Even I can't gauge how deep Cheong's potential really is.”
A resolute light suddenly flashed in Baek Mu-ae's eyes.
“I need to enter Nascent Soul as soon as possible. Only then will I be able to firmly support the future of the Yeonha Baek Clan.”
“I'm not sitting idle either. Over the past few days, I've also firmed up our relations with other powers, and I'm pushing ahead with organizing the Southern Alliance among the clans.”
Baek Mu-jin added, as if sharing the burden.
Then Baek Mu-yeong also joined in.
“Father, the trading company is the same. I'm planning to push the Baek Family Trading Company aggressively while the other continents are in disarray. The more turbulent the times, the more opportunities there are.”
“These days, the Baek family alchemists have also become quite adept at refining the Five-Elements Pill. If it's only lower-grade stuff, mass production won't be difficult anymore.”
Yak-seon also joined in on the talk about the trading company.
Finally, following their mother's lead, Baek Woo spoke cautiously.
“The rest of the family is under my watch, so don't worry.”
“My master is also such a taciturn person that he'd let it slide even if three thousand tribulations were to pass.”
Though no one had agreed on it beforehand, everyone's hearts were in the same place.
It was simply the desire to support the clan's heavenly genius, their youngest child.
In this way, all of the family quietly stood up to support her in every possible way.
Thanks to that, Baek Cheong had been able to grow up seeing only the good side of things.
Yet she herself had been so absorbed in forum browsing that she had no idea.