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◈ Xianxia Cultivation with a Dragon Heart ◈

Chapter 73: The Courtesy Name Baekneung

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The atmosphere at Gold Lotus Manor grew deeply gloomy.

The grief was as great as Eun Miryeong's happiness had been over the past couple of months, and as great as the joy with which everyone around them, including Han Yujin himself, had celebrated.

What she had looked like when she was happy. What she had been preparing with her own sewing skills for the child who would soon be born.

Going over those memories one by one would only tear open the wound.

If there was one small consolation amid the misfortune, it was that both of them were cultivators with strong bodies and minds, so their grief did not lead to deteriorating health. Death was also commonplace in this world, which gave them at least a little resistance to it.

Late at night.

Han Yujin sat in a pavilion on one side of the garden, lost in thought as he watched the moon reflected on the pond's surface. He had come out after confirming that Eun Miryeong was sound asleep.

‘It cannot simply be because this world is a simulation.’

At first, he had suspected that might be one cause, but as the days passed, he became increasingly certain it was not.

If that were the reason, there would be no reason their child could not be born healthy. If everything in this world was a simulation, it would not fail to implement something as simple as the birth of a new life.

‘Is it because I am an outsider who came to this world through my awakening ability?’

That seemed somewhat possible.

To his eyes, he appeared no different from the people here, but perhaps there were slight genetic differences that caused a problem in the process of conceiving a child.

Among the many bits of miscellaneous knowledge from Earth was the fact that human and chimpanzee genes matched by as much as 98.8 percent. A difference of merely 1.2 percent was enough to make humans and chimpanzees so different.

So even if his own genes differed from those of people in this world by less than 0.1 percent, something could still go wrong during the process of creating a child.

But there was another factor that seemed even more suspicious.

‘Because I am refining the Dragon Heart.’

More precisely, because he had begun that process and was no longer entirely human.

First, there was one obvious fact that needed to be addressed.

The soul and body were not separate. In this context, the soul was heart and Qi, while the body was form and Qi.

In other words, heart, Qi, and body were not separate. From the moment he began refining the Dragon Heart with the Threefold Harmonization Formula, even at the first Heart Stage, it had been affecting his Qi and body while laying the foundation for the stages that followed.

Otherwise, how could he have sensed an increase in dharma power and lifespan from the Heart Stage alone?

That brought one thing to mind.

When he obtained Casarnox's Dragon Heart, the Archmage and Casarnox had exchanged words to provoke and mock each other while he watched.

‘When one of them said, “You creatures born from human souls and bodies,” the response had been that it merely increased the eggs' survival rate.’

In other words, without human souls and bodies, the eggs' survival rate was extremely low.

‘Is that the weakness of a powerful species like dragons...?’

And Han Yujin had been refining the Dragon Heart of such a species, undergoing a process of assimilation.

As much as he had received positive effects, some negative effects might have come with them. The ways of the world could not be entirely good.

As always, fortune and misfortune were two sides of the same coin.

‘Then it will be difficult for me to have children in the ordinary way.’

He sighed without realizing it and closed his eyes for a moment.

It seemed this had been unavoidable.

He had known nothing of the side effects. Even if he had somehow vaguely suspected them, he could not have been certain. How could he have continued avoiding having a child with Eun Miryeong under those circumstances?

‘I came to this world to refine the Dragon Heart in the first place, so I could not have delayed it either.’

It meant he could not have foreseen that his relationship with Eun Miryeong would develop this far and made plans accordingly.

In short, this was not a mistake or wrongdoing. It was simply an unfortunate accident.

How long had he remained quietly wrapped in the stillness of the night?

Suddenly, he opened his eyes at the sound of someone approaching from afar. It was the steward, accompanied by one of Eun Miryeong's personal maids. They carried a modest spread of food and drink.

“...”

As Han Yujin waited in silence, they soon arrived, bowed quietly, and set it down.

“I appreciate the thought, but I don't feel like eating.”

The steward lowered their head.

“My lady sent it.”

“...Now?”

“No. She summoned me yesterday and gave me her instructions.”

He had been certain she was deeply asleep before leaving. It seemed she must have woken at some point yesterday or earlier, realized he had gone outside, and made preparations.

‘She is looking after me when she is the one in greater pain.’

The tray surely contained more than simple comfort. It must also mean that she herself would endure and find the strength to move on, since neither of them could remain gloomy forever.

“Then I can't refuse. I will thank her myself.”

“Please call for us whenever you need anything.”

As he watched the steward and the maid leave, Han Yujin suddenly realized that he had barely paid them any attention.

It was neither strange nor clearly a problem. Still, considering how much they helped him and Eun Miryeong in so many ways, he felt he should show them at least some consideration.

The more he thought back on it, the more he saw that their conduct held far too much sincerity for people who merely worked for wages.

It was a night filled with many thoughts.

* * *

The gloom at the manor naturally faded as time passed. There was a reason people said time was medicine.

Two or three years later.

Seogwang Gahu reached the Peak Realm, becoming a master who could no longer be called a rising talent. Because his accomplishments came through the Origin Power Heart Method, his skill far exceeded that of an ordinary Peak Realm master.

Around that time, Han Yujin sent him into the martial world. As a member of the Seogwang Clan, he could not remain at Gold Lotus Manor forever.

Whenever news of Seogwang Gahu reached him afterward, Han Yujin felt deeply satisfied. Eun Miryeong, who had once been something like his fellow disciple but was now his master's wife, seemed to feel much the same.

Dok Junseong still trained diligently while managing Okhan City. As expected, judging by his Dharma Soul sublimation rate, he seemed more than capable of reaching the Dharma Soul Stage before he died.

Unlike Eun Miryeong, he possessed a True Spiritual Root in the middle tier.

Eun Miryeong, on the other hand, still made almost no progress in cultivation. Even so, she did not seem particularly discouraged. She also showed no desire to have another child, having learned roughly what had happened through a serious conversation with Han Yujin.

Perhaps because of that, she began making clothes for Muyong more often and in greater numbers. Muyong also spent so much time attached to her that Han Yujin, her original owner, gradually began to sense a vague threat.

Then, on a fine day.

As they spent time in the garden enjoying light refreshments, Han Yujin casually spoke.

“I don't know when it will happen, but Muyong will be able to take human form someday.”

“...What? Is that really true?”

Eun Miryeong, who had been playing with Muyong in her arms, looked at him in surprise.

“The cultivation realms for beasts like Muyong are slightly different from those of human cultivators.”

In particular, what humans called the Nascent Soul Stage was called the Transformation Stage for them. The same was true for the Yao Tribe.

The meaning of the Transformation Stage was exactly that they could transform into human form.

For a moment, Eun Miryeong seemed dazed at the thought that Muyong would need to reach the Nascent Soul Stage to do so. Then she smiled at Han Yujin's confident manner.

“You are certain she can reach that realm.”

“It is only a matter of time.”

And he had more than enough time. By then, even Eun Miryeong knew that.

“Husband.”

She suddenly called to him, sounding slightly stern.

“...What?”

“Does Muyong's name really mean martial prowess and bravery?”

“...That is right.”

“Really?”

“In part.”

Eun Miryeong let out a short sigh.

“I know you find Muyong very cute and cherish her. But sometimes you say... that she is useless. Would Muyong not be hurt when she learns what that means?”

“Um...”

Han Yujin looked slightly troubled, unable to simply deny it.

“I did not give her that name with a bad meaning. I named her that because it means it is all right even if she is completely useless to me.”

At last, he voiced the name's true meaning for the first time. Fortunately, Eun Miryeong seemed even more surprised and moved than he had expected.

But only for a moment.

“The sentiment is very good, but still...”

“But?”

“When I think of Muyong being called that even after she takes human form...”

“Hmm.”

“May I give her a courtesy name?”

Simply put, a courtesy name was another name used besides one's given name.

Perhaps because people held their given names so dear, such a custom had existed on Earth as well. Even in the famous Romance of the Three Kingdoms, every character had a courtesy name.

Liu Bei's was Xuande, Guan Yu's was Yunchang, and Zhang Fei's was Yide.

Courtesy names were used in Joseon as well. As Han Yujin recalled, Yi Hwang's was Gyeongho, while Yi I's was Sukheon.

Of course, that did not mean courtesy names were as common here as they had been in those places. What mattered was that, though rare, they did exist.

“Do you have one in mind?”

Eun Miryeong must have brought this up because she had already prepared one. Sure enough, she nodded at once.

“I was thinking Baekneung might be suitable.”

“Baekneung...”

It roughly meant someone with bright, pure talent and clear ability. It also shared meaning with Eun Miryeong's epithet, Clear Stream White Phoenix.

It felt completely opposed to Muyong's original name, but perhaps that was why it was not bad.

‘By the time she starts using that courtesy name in earnest... she will be at the Transformation Stage. Surely she will have at least one clear ability by then.’

Even if she did not, that would be fine. Was cuteness not an ability too? Considering how many animals survived with cuteness alone, it certainly was an ability.

“Sounds good. Let's use that.”

At Han Yujin's agreement, Eun Miryeong looked at Muyong with great delight and spoke gently.

“Did you hear? Your courtesy name has been decided.”

Squeak! Squeak!

Whether Muyong properly understood was unclear, but she simply cried happily and twitched her nose.

The little creature seemed to possess at least some intelligence. Even without being connected to Eun Miryeong through the Spirit Beast Training Formula, she understood many words and acted accordingly. She sometimes did strange things, but they were always funny and adorable.

It was truly a peaceful and happy time.

* * *

As he diligently cultivated each day and spent happy times with those around him, time flew by.

Around seven or eight years passed.

Through many exploits, Seogwang Gahu came to be called the Jade-Faced Sword Saint rather than the Jade-Faced Sword Dragon. He had proven his Supreme Peak Realm strength again and again in various situations, earning more than enough renown for the title.

Dok Junseong came to be called the Okhan Azure Guardian instead of the Flash Thunder Sword. It was a new epithet gained by effectively ruling the entire region around Okhan City in place of the Supreme Martial Extremity Venerable, who rarely moved. He no longer used swordsmanship resembling lightning either.

Meanwhile, people who had learned martial arts through the Origin Power Heart Method created by Han Yujin began appearing throughout the martial world and displaying its power.

It was a slow but distinct shock that made every martial artist's realm seem to have received a half-step power-up, shaking the martial world.

As the effects of that shock became clearer, more people came to Gold Lotus Manor.

Han Yujin had already visited the Imperial House Secret Treasury years earlier, raising his standards greatly, yet he did not particularly raise the terms of trade for the Origin Power Heart Method. Considering many factors, he believed that was the safest way to conduct himself.

If he had raised the threshold for exchanges according to his newfound standards, he had no idea how the resulting dissatisfaction might erupt.

There was no reason to knowingly invite such trouble when being a little more generous caused neither loss nor danger.

It was at that time.

Han Yujin suddenly declared that he and Eun Miryeong would go traveling. It would not be a brief trip of only a few days, but a long journey across the entire martial world.

Since it was not for any urgent purpose, but solely for enjoyment and making memories, there was much to prepare.

However, once the capable people of Gold Lotus Manor, including the steward, all pitched in, it was not particularly complicated.

At first, they moved very quietly. No one expected the Supreme Martial Extremity Venerable, who had not moved in nearly ten years, to suddenly set out like this.

Before long, however, news of their movements spread rapidly because Han Yujin continued refining the Dragon Heart even while traveling.

Of course, the rumors only made things a little troublesome. There was no danger at all. In fact, the rumors led to several amusing incidents, making the journey, which might otherwise have become boring, somewhat more lively.

Like now.

“Supreme Martial Extremity Venerable! I, Taegeon, the Azure Cloud Dragon Sword of the Unhae Sect, challenge you to a martial contest!”

As they were about to leave after resting at the best inn in a small village, a young person stepped forward, shouted those words, then drew their sword and aimed it at them.

Footnotes:

“Muyong” plays on two Korean words pronounced the same: one means “useless,” while the other means “martial prowess and bravery.”

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