Chapter 193
Chapter 193
Until the fiery red sun rose and the world brightened, the unidentified Martial Artist persistently chased us.
We were relieved when the two presences dwindled to one, but our relief was short-lived as the lone pursuer picked up speed and stuck close.
He seemed clever, noticing our attempts to leave no trace and our misleading diversions.
Frustration mounted as the distance, seemingly widening, repeatedly narrowed.
“This is driving me crazy. Why does he keep chasing us?”
“He doesn’t seem to have any murderous intent, so perhaps he has business with Young Miss. I think he’s the one who sent the letter.”
Yeon-ryang peeked out and looked back. I pushed Yeon-ryang’s head down and grumbled.
“Brother, don’t lift your head, it’s heavy. You’ll strain yourself.”
“180 geun is like a feather to our Young Miss. She’s a great hero who can even pull up masts with her strength.”
Yeon-ryang chuckled and relaxed, dangling in the air.
“Whoever he is, we need to shake him off. It’ll be a headache if that leech asks the Alliance to accompany us.”
“That’s true. I don’t want to go back to that stinky prison without Beopgong. So-hye, how about jumping off that cliff over there?”
Yeon-ryang replied cheerfully, shielding his eyes with his hand and suggesting a route to lose the pursuer.
Unlike me, who was on edge, Yeon-ryang, folded up in my arms, seemed to be enjoying himself.
“Wow, this brings back memories.”
“When? The day your back was torn apart?”
“Yeah. It was so funny to see a little Young Miss who couldn’t even take care of herself struggling to run away with me. I wondered where such a kid came from.”
“What? You thought it was funny? It was awful, Brother. I thought you were really going to die.”
Yeon-ryang only chuckled at my dismay. He spoke casually about the days we spent in the hermitage.
He kept making me anxious with everything he did, and now he was talking like an old man, saying I was all grown up and didn’t need to worry because I could beat everyone up on my own. Soon, Yeon-ryang corrected my course.
“The location of the last safehouse we stayed at must have been discovered. So they’ll be lying in wait and spreading rumors around there. Let’s go to another safehouse.”
“Okay. Then, we should head south.”
“Will you contact Clan Lord Jang separately? She’ll be worried since you disappeared after taking the letter.”
“…Um, no. It’s better not to.”
I felt sorry for Jang Mi-ryeo, but it was better not to send word for the time being. There was no need to create a loophole for information to leak.
Yeon-ryang replied as if he expected it.
“Okay. She’ll figure it out. By the way, your leech seems to have fallen off? His presence is fading.”
As he said, the blue light that had been chasing us was growing faint. Whether he was exhausted or had taken the wrong path, it was definitely a favorable situation for me.
“Really? Let’s widen the gap now so he can’t follow us anymore. Hold on tight, Brother.”
I tightened my grip on Yeon-ryang and increased my speed.
\ \ \
The ankles, damp with morning dew, tickled.
Namgung Hwi, wiping the sweat from his brow, stared at the traces of his diversion with a look of frustration.
He had lost them.
He had been completely fooled by Dang So-hye’s scheme.
Acknowledging his mistake, he retraced the path he had run all night.
He had thought they were moving north, but now he saw that he had come far south from the starting point. Dang So-hye’s destination seemed to be south.
At first, he had noticed the strangeness and immediately turned back, but as the same thing happened repeatedly, it became increasingly difficult to distinguish the truth. His concentration had also been affected by running for four hours straight.
Who would have thought that a Young lady not yet of age would be so skilled at escaping?
He was amazed at her ability to devise plans to shake off pursuers while running for four hours without rest, and at her skill in neutralizing Poison.
Recalling the traces left on the Demonic Cultist’s blood points, Namgung Hwi had to admit that Dang So-hye was not the innocent Young lady he had known.
She had reached a level that Martial Artists of her age could not even dare to aspire to.
But that did not mean she could wander the dangerous Rivers and Lakes alone.
‘What’s in the south?’
Namgung Hwi tried to guess where Dang So-hye was trying to hide.
Who was the person she was traveling with that made her pursued by the Demonic Sect? Why was she going south, and how could he convey that he wanted to help without malice?
He bit his lip and looked at the footprints Dang So-hye had deliberately left behind.
Perhaps he could find a clue to the things Namgung Hwi had been secretly investigating.
\ \ \
The land where the Mount Hua Sect, a mainstay of the Nine Sects and One Gang, had established itself… or rather, had once established itself.
Xi’an, the ancient capital where the streets never went dark even late at night.
The stronghold of the Righteous Martial Arts World, where suspicious individuals once dared not even set foot, had now become a gloomy city where everyone locked their doors tightly and did not come out after sunset.
Even if screams echoed through the streets, even if terrible things happened, everyone turned a blind eye to the callous city.
The vitality of the metropolis had disappeared, and the footsteps of merchants who had dreamed of making a fortune by pulling small carts had also ceased.
Unless it was a trading company backed by a Black Road Clan that had newly established itself in Xi’an, it was impossible to even set foot in the city, so even the remaining trading companies took advantage of the situation.
The wealth they accumulated returned to the clutches of the Black Road Clan, so the entire city was maintained by squeezing the blood of the common people.
Everyone in Xi’an was having a hard time, but there was one place that seemed to have escaped the disaster and had not lost its splendor.
It was the Hwawol Pavilion, a brothel standing tall in the north of Xi’an.
The world said that it was thanks to the convenience provided by the cadres of the Evil Faction Alliance, who were captivated by the beauty of Pavilion Lord Nanhyang.
But the reality was different.
Pavilion Lord Nanhyang of the Hwawol Pavilion was a key cadre of the Alliance who had created an opening for the Evil Faction Alliance to penetrate Xi’an.
At the same time, she was a follower of the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect.
Nanhyang, who had neatly arranged her hair, lifted the silk painting hanging on the wall.
As her beautiful hand groped the wall, a passage to a secret chamber appeared with a loud noise.
Entering the passage, Nanhyang gracefully lowered the painting and began to walk down the long corridor.
Reaching the end of the corridor, she stopped in front of a small door and respectfully folded her hands. A chilling Energy Flow emanated from the crack in the door.
“Enter.”
At the low call, Nanhyang opened the door, revealing an Old man standing in front of a table with two small lamps placed on either side.
Nanhyang slowly moved forward, knelt down, and placed her forehead on the floor.
It was a somewhat excessive etiquette, but the person receiving the courtesy did not seem to be moved. He was only diligently wiping a silver cup with his wrinkled hands.
Despite the indifferent attitude, Nanhyang remained kneeling without moving, waiting for the Old man’s permission. Finally, the Old man put down the silver cup and raised his head.
“Speak.”
“Reporting to Third Guardian. As you commanded, I have dispatched ten reconnaissance teams to the Hubei and Hunan areas. There were no special reports during the regular reports, but the team led by Number 17 has disappeared.”
“Number 17?”
“Yes. There has been no news from Number 17 and the five others sent with him.”
“They must have stumbled and died somewhere. Such trash is not important. Have you still not found Number 24?”
“We have not found him. Should we look for Number 17…”
“There is no need to find and dispose of them. Just leave them be. The time has come to announce the reappearance of our Sect to the Central Plains.”
“I obey your words. And…”
Nanhyang, who had replied kindly, recounted the information that the reconnaissance team had brought.
Her melodious voice, like jade beads rolling, echoed in the secret chamber.
However, among the many pieces of information, there was not a single piece of news that Third Guardian was waiting for. Displeasure appeared on Third Guardian’s face.
“There is nothing useful. Number 40, must I get involved in such trivial matters?”
“…I will increase the number of reconnaissance teams.”
Third Guardian’s expression did not soften even at Nanhyang’s reply.
He crumpled the cloth he had been wiping the silver cup with and sharply ordered.
“Summon Number 88 to the Central Plains. Number 24 cherished it, so showing it will bring a bite. If necessary, use Number 88 to bring him back.”
“Yes.”
“It does not matter what happens to the others. But Number 24 must not be broken. Number 24 is the last piece of the great work. He must be kept alive at all costs.”
“Yes.”
“Now, bring what I desire.”
“Understood.”
Nanhyang, who had answered respectfully, struck her forehead against the floor.
Thud!
Blood dripped from her torn forehead, but neither Nanhyang nor Third Guardian wavered.
At Third Guardian’s dismissal, Nanhyang bowed once more and backed out of the secret chamber.
Left alone, Third Guardian ran his fingertips along the edge of the silver cup. His eyes were bloodshot.
“The blood of the Heavenly Star of Massacre… it will lead us to the truth.”
Third Guardian, who had murmured in a monotonous voice, lowered his gaze to the old paper on the table.
The faded paper contained the completed manufacturing method of the Demonic Spirit Return Pill.
