Chapter 221
221
Ju-ryeong led me to a secluded forest on the outskirts of Seongdo.
Judging by how he skillfully chose paths where we wouldn't encounter anyone, it seemed he had often ventured out of Seongdo.
Ju-ryeong stopped where a faint Demonic Energy leaked out and shouted into the darkness.
"Ki!"
Then, a boy peeked his face out from the bushes.
Recognizing the face, I subtly loosened my grip on the Flying Dagger. It was Baekya.
He glanced between Ju-ryeong and me, rolled his eyes, and then hurriedly pulled out Yeon-ryang's hair tie from his chest and waved it.
"……!"
Baekya, showing Yeon-ryang's belonging and watching my reaction, looked utterly intimidated.
Looking at him now, his face was even younger than I remembered. He seemed younger than Song Myung.
Is he acting like that because he thinks I'll get angry?
Feeling a little sorry for the harsh words I had thrown at him last time, I softened my voice and asked.
"Did Yeon-ryang send you?"
"……."
"If not, is Yeon-ryang okay?"
Baekya, hesitant, nodded. That put my mind at ease a little.
It didn't seem like a boy who had trouble dealing with people would lie.
As I let out a sigh of relief, Baekya, blinking his red eyes, put the string back into his chest and mumbled.
"Be careful."
"Be careful? Of what?"
"Be careful."
He repeated the same words and stretched his hand towards the inside of Seongdo.
Following Baekya's fingertip, I saw the towering walls of the Tang Clan far away.
Be careful of the Tang Clan? Or is there something inside Seongdo?
I tried to figure it out, but it was hard to guess what he meant.
If he risked coming near Seongdo to warn me, it must be about the Demonic Sect...
"Can you tell me more?"
Frowning, I asked again, and Baekya rubbed his forehead and groaned.
He seemed to want to tell me something, but it was difficult for him to complete a sentence.
I counted my fingers and slowly called out words.
"If it's hard to say, choose from here. Bishop. Moon Scent Pavilion. Spy. Gu Poison..."
"Spy."
Baekya, choosing a word without hesitation, pointed directly at me and said.
"Spy. Want."
"A spy wants me? ...Could it be that there is a Demonic Sect Spy inside the Tang Clan?"
Then Baekya nodded wildly.
"Do you know who it is?"
Baekya's nod became even more intense. He opened his mouth wide, then grabbed his head and staggered.
Seeing him in pain, I waved my hand.
"It's because of the Geumje, right? Don't say it. You don't have to force yourself."
"Be careful."
"Yeah. I'll be careful."
"Careful."
Baekya, muttering with a worried face, began to slowly back away.
Seeing that he was about to leave, I urgently grabbed Baekya.
"Wait, Baekya. Just a moment!"
Baekya blinked his big eyes as if asking why.
I released the sword, put it on the floor, and stepped back.
"Give this sword to Yeon-ryang."
"……."
"Please. Be sure to give it to him. This sword is Yeon-ryang's."
After hesitating for a moment, Baekya looked around, quickly snatched the sword, and disappeared into the darkness.
Looking down at my empty waist, I clenched my fist tightly.
Hwahong and Baekya said he was okay. So he'll be okay for a while.
"Kyoo."
As I stood there biting my lip, Ju-ryeong climbed onto my shoulder as if telling me to go back now.
After tapping my cheek lightly, I turned around. It had been quite a while, so I had to hurry back.
Hiding under the shadows, crossing the walls, and entering the back gate of the Tang Clan, I felt an unpleasant sensation that made the hairs on my body stand on end.
I hurriedly looked around, but I couldn't feel anyone. But something was wrong.
It's not Demonic Energy, nor murderous intent.
A more primal, unpleasant energy than that...
What was that just now?
As I pondered and rolled my eyes, I bit my tongue in surprise at the low voice.
"I told you not to go poking around, didn't I? Should I put a shackle on you to make you listen?"
Grandfather, who had approached without a sound, was glaring at me.
"Ahaha, sorry... Ah! It hurts. Grandfather!"
"You wild horse! Why do you worry your Grandfather so much! Why did you go out this time?"
His face was full of anger as he roughly pulled my earlobe.
Knowing that I would be scolded if I made a clumsy excuse, I bit my lip, and Grandfather's eyebrows shot up.
"It seems I can't talk to you. So-hye, you are not allowed to go out even one step until the tournament."
After snapping at me, he touched my Blood Point before I could resist and slung me over his shoulder.
While I was panicking, Grandfather reached the Thousand Poisons Forest in one step and shoved me into an empty cave.
"You were away for two hours, so reflect for four days. Grandfather will be guarding you, so don't think about running away. If you go out again, I will tie you up with Hancheol!"
Then, before I could say anything, he blocked the entrance of the cave.
Thump!
Trapped in the dark cave, I let out an awkward laugh.
...He's very angry. I'll have to apologize when he comes back.
46. A Gem in a Sack
Grandfather thoroughly kept his word that I would not be allowed to go out even one step until the tournament.
I couldn't go outside the Tang Clan, let alone outside the Thousand Poisons Forest, and I couldn't even see any food other than Grain-avoidance pill all year round.
All I had was the noodles with eggs that Grandfather personally cooked on my birthday when I turned twenty.
I could freely go around the training cave, but since I had committed a sin, this was more comfortable.
I was used to sleeping outdoors, so there was nothing to worry about, and I liked that I didn't have to worry about anything other than eating, sleeping, and training.
There was only one thing that bothered me.
The Demonic Sect Spy that Baekya warned about.
I recalled each face one by one, but there was no one I could guess.
Is it a direct line? Is it a collateral line?
Why are they targeting me?
Are they trying to repay the grudge they have against Grandfather? Or did they find out about my relationship with Yeon-ryang?
Since I couldn't reveal the source of the information, I couldn't tell Grandfather that there seemed to be a Spy.
Maybe it's a good thing I'm trapped in the training cave.
Since the Thousand Poisons Forest is a place where you can't enter without the Patriarch's permission, the Spy wouldn't be able to do anything.
Who the hell is it?
As I was fiddling with the Hidden Weapons and pondering, Ju-ryeong, who had run over, spat something on my lap.
It was a bamboo tube containing a letter.
"Is it mine? Thank you, Ju-ryeong."
Wondering who sent it, I opened the letter and burst out laughing as soon as I read the first sentence.
Dang Sojeo's personal letter.
The letter, written powerfully in a pointed handwriting, was covered with stiff vocabulary that would only be used in congratulatory messages.
There is only one person who would write a letter like this.
It was Jin-sung.
It's not like we're on difficult terms, who would ask how I'm doing with such courtesy?
I couldn't help but laugh at his unwavering steadfastness that didn't deviate from my expectations.
The letter, which began with polite greetings, stated that he had recently finished his closed-door training, was planning to descend from Wudang Mountain soon, and would be participating in the Martial Arts Tournament with the Songjae Disciples.
Judging by the greeting that he would see me soon in Wuhan, Jin-sung seemed to be sure that I would participate in the tournament.
I was a little happy at the thought of seeing a welcome face after a long time.
The desire to beat Jin-sung this time welled up.
As I folded the letter and put it in my chest, Grandfather, who had approached, asked as if it was nothing.
"Who sent the letter that makes you so happy?"
"Have you arrived? It's nothing. Jinseong disciple said he's also participating in this Martial Arts Tournament."
"That Taoist guy? I'll have to take a closer look to see if he's a useful guy."
Grandfather, muttering, crossed his arms and gestured down the mountain.
"Hwa-yeop left ten days ago anyway. We should start soon to get to Wuhan on time."
I also nodded. As expected, the family seemed to have sent Dang Hwa-yeop to Wuhan as a representative.
"Who else is going besides Hwa-yeop?"
"Everyone else is unmotivated, so I heard that the remaining Invitation letter went to the collateral line children. Those who grew up in the Martial Arts World are all so weak... Tsk."
Grandfather, clicking his tongue, cursed the Patriarch for a long time, saying that if the father is useless, the children are all useless.
I, who had suddenly become one of the useless children, scratched the back of my neck.
In fact, there was no one else to go to the Martial Arts Tournament besides Dang Hwa-yeop.
Dang Young-ho simply had no talent, and Dang-un was far from Martial Arts due to health problems.
Dang Juhee and Dang Cho-hui had no intention of going outside the Tang Clan at all, and Dang Juyeop had no interest in anything other than Poison skill, so there was no way he would go to a tournament where he couldn't use Poison.
Dang Seho is... let's not talk about him.
I smacked my lips and changed the subject.
"Shall I prepare too?"
"Yes. Go down today, wash up, and sleep in bed. Let's leave at dawn tomorrow."
"Yes. Ah, then do you have the Invitation letter, Grandfather?"
Then Grandfather stared at me as if asking what I was talking about.
"So-hye, you don't have an Invitation letter."
"Yes?"
"You decided to prove it yourself. You have to get to the main round without an Invitation letter to prove it. Grandfather has no intention of helping you, so take care of the registration when you arrive in Wuhan."
"……Yes?"
I opened my mouth wide at the thunderbolt from the blue.
If I have to start with the registration, it's already too late to leave right now!
