Chapter 197
197
His blue eyes, like the vast sky, reflected the Demonic Cultist's corpse sprawled on the ground.
Namgung Hwi nonchalantly flicked the blood off his sword.
He stared at the deceased for a moment, then muttered to himself.
"...Strange."
Were Demonic Cultists this common?
Even the slightest trace of Demonic Bloom would prompt the Alliance to form an investigation team. They were not beings who revealed themselves easily.
Yet today alone, Namgung Hwi had encountered three Demons already.
He had been searching high and low, unable to even catch a glimpse of their tails, but ever since he started pursuing Dang So-hye, he had been encountering them with bizarre frequency.
A sense of unease washed over Namgung Hwi's face.
Their Martial Prowess was pathetic, suggesting they were mere scouts, but that only made him more concerned.
As far as Namgung Hwi knew, Demonic Cultists rarely left Xinjiang, save for a select few. Only those who had reached the pinnacle of skill were dispatched to the Central Plains as Spies.
But here were individuals who couldn't even properly conceal their Demonic Energy, wandering the Central Plains.
It was an ominous sign.
It meant the situation within the Demonic Sect had changed.
Were they so desperate that they were sending even inept Martial Artists to the Central Plains?
Or had they decided to actively intervene in the affairs of the Central Plains?
Namgung Hwi hoped it wasn't the latter as he fiddled with the hilt of his sword. There could be another reason he hadn't anticipated.
'If it's neither of those... Did they come to capture a traitor? But unless it's a high-ranking member of the Demonic Sect, there's no reason to deploy Heaven's net, Earth's web to chase after them... Damn it.'
He swallowed a curse as the thought crossed his mind, and he whipped his head around.
"Jeokroe. The Demonic Sect's Martial Artists, I mean. There must be more who were kidnapped and dragged there than those born in Xinjiang, right?"
"Most likely. Xinjiang isn't exactly a pleasant place to live. I've heard that the kidnapping of infants and young children is rampant in Sichuan and Xi'an, which are relatively close."
"So-hye's brother, who was with us in the Alliance, shared the same mother, right?"
"I believe so. I heard she was a famous courtesan at Moon Scent Pavilion."
"...Haa."
Namgung Hwi sighed deeply and rubbed his eyes roughly.
Kidnapped infants. A courtesan's child. Suspiciously clean background. Vague identity. The Demonic Sect's Heaven's net, Earth's web.
All the clues pointed to one conclusion.
Dang So-hye's companion is a Demonic Cultist. And someone important enough for the sect to mobilize its forces to pursue.
This was a scenario he hadn't considered.
Namgung Hwi pressed his temples and looked up, issuing an order.
"Jeokroe. Send someone to Moon Scent Pavilion and find out what happened to So-hye's mother's other children. All of them, if there are many."
"Yes? Understood. But why that..."
Jeokroe, who had been asking back with a dumbfounded expression, widened his eyes.
"Young Patriarch. What are you thinking? Don't tell me..."
"It's not certain, so don't say it out loud. It might just be my paranoia. But it would make everything fall into place."
Jeokroe's face turned pale at Namgung Hwi's words. He said it was paranoia, but his intelligent master's predictions had never been wrong.
If Namgung Hwi's hunch was correct, this was no ordinary matter.
They had been staying near the mountain pass where Dang So-hye had disappeared for four days, eliminating any Demonic Cultists they encountered.
But if Dang So-hye was involved with the Demonic Sect, then his master and Namgung were essentially protecting a Demonic Cultist and their companion.
Horrified, Jeokroe raised his voice without realizing it.
"Young Patriarch, we must return immediately! If we knowingly help a Demonic Cultist, both you and Namgung will be in trouble."
"I told you not to say it out loud. And it's not So-hye."
"We can't be sure of that!"
"Of course we can. The Poison King's disciple is a Demonic Cultist? Even a dog would laugh at that."
"Regardless, you know it's dangerous to get involved with those fanatics. We must return and report to the Alliance immediately."
Jeokroe spoke firmly, but Namgung Hwi didn't seem to care at all.
"It's dangerous, so I have to stay here. If a Bishop-Class Demon shows up, how can So-hye handle it alone?"
"No, can you handle it, Young Patriarch? I'm going crazy. Even the Patriarch would struggle against a Bishop-Class Demon. You could die!"
"Uh-huh. Sure."
"Young Patriarch... This is not a joke. Please reconsider seriously. You usually make such rational judgments, but why do you become so stubborn when Dang Sojeo is involved? What is the reason for your blind devotion? Did you eat something strange without me knowing?"
"It's my heart. What do you want me to do if I want to?"
"Young Patriarch!"
Jeokroe pounded his chest in frustration, but Namgung Hwi pretended not to hear and picked at his ear.
Jeokroe, who had been distorting his face and opening his mouth, composed himself at the approaching footsteps and turned around.
One of the search party was running towards them urgently.
He knelt on one knee before Namgung Hwi and reported quickly.
"Dang Sojeo came down to the market and then hurriedly returned, Young Patriarch. She was dressed in shabby clothes, but her Qi Movement Skill confirms that it was Dang Sojeo."
"When?"
"About an hour ago."
"Lead the way."
At Namgung Hwi's gesture, the search party member rose and led the way.
Jeokroe, who had been gaping at his master's back as he walked away without listening to him, tore at his hair and hurriedly followed him.
If he couldn't stop his master's will, he had no choice but to stay by his side.
Jeokroe gripped his sword hilt tightly, hoping that his anxiety was just needless worry.
\ \ *
Was it because of the news that Grandfather was coming? I couldn't stop smiling, even when I was still.
Yeon-ryang giggled as he watched me happily preparing to go to the market, hiding my Green Robe under a shabby Cape.
"Are you that happy that the Poison King is coming?"
"Of course! I'm going to tell him everything when Grandfather comes. I'm going to tell him that Dang Gak suddenly broke into my residence and threw me into the Brain prison, and that Third Madam put a bounty on my head. And that Father threatened me never to set foot in Sichuan again, and that Wi Ji-gok pretended to help but was actually being a jerk..."
I should also tell him that I escaped thanks to Elder Paenglak's Gratitude Token. And that Paengrak Ji-yoon gave me pocket money.
Yeon-ryang quietly watched me counting on my fingers and chattering away, and finally burst out laughing.
"Yes, yes. But at this rate, the sun will set, So-hye. Hurry up and come back before your grandfather arrives. Seeing that the Letter Eagle came today, I think the Poison King will arrive tomorrow or the day after."
"Okay. I'll be back soon, so take good care of the house, Brother. Ju-ryeong, you know, right? You have to protect Brother if anything happens."
"Kit!"
Ju-ryeong, who had answered bravely, straightened his body on Yeon-ryang's shoulder.
I left the house with their farewells and started to happily descend the mountain.
There were so many things I wanted to say when I met Grandfather.
I wanted to tell him that I missed him so much, that I had made new friends, and I wanted to show him that I had improved a lot while he was gone.
But the joy was fleeting, and my throat became parched as I imagined Grandfather's reaction to meeting Yeon-ryang.
...How should I explain Yeon-ryang so that Grandfather would understand? Would saying that he was my savior be enough?
Everyone unanimously said that Grandfather would grind his teeth at the mention of the Demonic Sect.
Yeon-ryang also said that the Orthodox Faction Martial Artist that the Demonic Sect feared the most was Grandfather, didn't he?
It was only natural for Grandfather, who had longed for his beloved for the rest of his life, to hate the Demonic Sect, but my heart felt heavy as if a stone had been placed on it when I thought that hatred would be directed at Yeon-ryang.
Regardless of how much Grandfather cherished me, he probably wouldn't easily accept Yeon-ryang's existence.
Maybe he would be disappointed in me.
But I had no intention of leaving Yeon-ryang.
If I left him alone, unable to wield a sword, I knew what would happen, so there was no way I could leave him behind.
Even if Grandfather was angry, I had to take Yeon-ryang to the Bamboo Sea and show him to the Ghost Hand Divine Doctor.
I bit my lip and quickened my pace.
Instead of worrying about something that hadn't happened yet, it was better to quickly go to the market and come back to protect Yeon-ryang.
When I finally arrived at the market below the mountain, after trying hard to clear my head, the sun was high in the sky.
I bought a bag of salt and five chickens, and then slowly looked around the stalls.
Perhaps it was because a merchant had come from out of town, but there were quite a few items that were hard to find in the small village market.
There were also many snacks that Yeon-ryang would like.
Should I buy some snacks? Yeon-ryang likes spicy stir-fried gizzards.
As I stared intently at the stir-fried gizzards, the merchant cheerfully spoke to me.
"Why don't you try some, Young lady? It doesn't smell and it's very chewy."
"Should I?"
Just as I was about to take the chopsticks that the merchant was offering me, feeling tempted, I felt a suspicious presence behind me.
I put strength into my toes and nonchalantly put the gizzard in my mouth, sharpening my Energy Perception.
Four or so Martial Artists with pure Qi were watching me near the market.
They weren't Martial Artists with high Martial Prowess, but they seemed to be at the level of Wudang's Three Great Disciples.
Who are they? Are they related to the guys who were persistently following me?
I paid for the gizzards as if I hadn't noticed anything, and then mixed into the crowd, pretending to be an ordinary commoner.
But the Martial Artists continued to follow me, keeping a certain distance. It seemed like they were trying to monitor me.
I couldn't go back to the hideout with those stragglers in tow.
Just as I was about to slow down to go to the next village and shake them off, a stream of nauseating Qi brushed past me.
It was only for a moment, but the identity of the Qi that had made the hairs on my body stand on end was clear.
It was Demonic Energy.
Much thicker and much more wicked than Yeon-ryang's.
My heart pounded with an instinctive sense of revulsion.
Something was wrong. I had to go back to Yeon-ryang right away.
I threw down the luggage I was carrying haphazardly, gritted my teeth, and started running towards the hideout.
