“Are you feeling alright now?”
Yung Pung was the one asking me that, which was peculiar…
Shouldn’t it be me asking that question?
He looked so cheerful, which was quite the contrast to the fact that he was being treated like a criminal.
For some reason, I felt like Yung Pung resembled Peng Woojin at that moment.
…I can smell the lunatic in him.
It definitely wasn’t a pleasant feeling.
Still, I needed to find out why he was in this situation, so I approached him.
“What happened for such a beautiful outfit to get covered in dirt…?”
I ignored the words from the so-called Divine Sword of Mount Hua.
“So, why are you in this situation?”
“Haha, um… Something happened.”
“Young Master…!”
Muyeon, who looked shocked to see me, hurried over.
“Are you alright?”
“Yeah, I am. I was just a little dizzy earlier.”
I glanced at the members of Mount Hua who were glaring at us from the opposite side.
Who are those guys?
They were dressed in white attire, and some of them had the same plum blossom embroidery on their sleeves just like Yung Pung.
They were the plum blossom swordsmen of Mount Hua.
These were the talented martial artists who had blossomed through relentless training.
At the very least, they were first-rate martial artists, if not even higher.
“What’s going on?”
Upon hearing my question, Muyeon sheathed his sword and stepped closer to answer.
“You fainted while speaking with that man, so we captured him before things got ugly.”
“Captured him…? That guy?”
While it was understandable to seize someone when I fainted mid-conversation, it was surprising that Yung Pung had been captured so easily.
Didn’t he want to ask me something?
Judging by his face, he must have let himself be caught without a fight.
Yung Pung noticed my thoughts and smile as if he understood.
“I figured things would resolve nicely once you woke up, so there was no point in fighting back.”
“Even though you forced our carriage to stop beforehand?”
Yung Pung chuckled awkwardly in response.
“Well… I apologize for that. We had our reasons as well.”
“We…?”
Yung Pung and his companions, along with the plum blossom swordsmen of Mount Hua.
The title ‘Plum Blossom Swordsmen’ was quite renowned, but the numbers who held that title were relatively low.
This was mainly because no clan in the world had an abundance of martial artists ranked first-class or above.
Yet for them to group together like this indicated something was seriously amiss.
“Do those guys also have a reason for stopping us here?”
Yung Pung smiled bitterly at my inquiry.
I turned to Muyeon and requested he release Yung Pung, as we had no issues with him, before I moved toward his companions.
As I walked, a thought struck me, causing me to slow my pace;
…Wait, won’t they notice the Qi if I get closer?
Now that I considered it, the Qi within my body could pose a significant problem.
If Yung Pung could notice it, wouldn’t those seasoned plum blossom swordsmen be able to do the same?
The ghost, sensing my unease, chimed in.
“Do not worry and just go.”
…You can even read my mind?
That was slightly annoying.
“Just barely. It became easier to hear because your worry made it stronger. Anyway, just go; I have a solution.”
I didn’t want to believe it, but since I had already taken a step forward, I decided to trust him.
“Now that I think about it, I also have a question for you.”
What is it?
“I’ll ask it later; aren’t you in more of a hurry than I am?”
I soon reached the man who appeared to be the leader of their group.
“The fact that Mount Hua still exists in the world… is enough.”
“I am Gu Yangcheon from the Gu clan.”
“I am Shinhyun, the second-generation disciple of Mount Hua.”
“I see, Lord Shinhyun, may I inquire about the current situation?”
Shinhyun looked troubled as he glanced at Yung Pung.
It seemed there was an issue on their side as well.
Yung Pung, having been released, quickly ran over, scratching the back of his head nervously while chuckling.
“…Hehe.”
– Pow!
“Owww!”
His laughter was abruptly interrupted as Shinhyun swiftly thumped him on the head.
…I expected a bonk sound, but it was a pow instead?
Yung Pung started rolling on the ground while screaming after a sound that definitely shouldn’t have come from a human’s head.
“Oooh… that hurt so much, master…”
“Did it hurt? I’m hurt more.”
“It’s because you hit your beloved disciple, right?”
“Want another smack?”
“Sorry!”
Shinhyun sighed as if the weight of the world had just landed on his shoulders.
“Do you realize it hasn’t even been a month since I told you not to cause any trouble?”
“…Yes.”
“Then why did you still act on your own like this?”
“…I apologize. But considering the circumstances…”
“Right, we must think of the situation—but in reality, this is our situation alone. Do you think others will understand that?”
Yung Pung fell silent after hearing Shinhyun’s words.
But Shinhyun was relentless, continuing his lecture.
“Before being a martial artist, you’re a taoist. Everyone knows of your talent, but that’s exactly why I warned you against arrogance.”
“Yes…”
“Those words came from no one other than the Lord himself. You should understand that just because you’re called the Sword Dragon, it doesn’t mean everyone in the world is on your side.”
“I apologize.”
“…Alright.”
Shinhyun then turned away from the now gloomy Yung Pung and approached us, bowing slightly.
“Our disciple has caused you significant trouble.”
…I can hardly say anything after such a thorough scolding.
He probably did this intentionally to prevent me from voicing any complaints.
Is this some sort of mindset where he thinks, ‘I’d rather beat him up myself’?
“Not bad.”
What? What’s not bad?
Releasing a sigh to ease the awkward situation, I addressed Shinhyun.
“…If you’re done, could you please explain the situation to me as well?”
I sensed something was about to happen, but I had to understand what it was.
They had abruptly stopped our carriage, so it was only fair they explained themselves.
Shinhyun seemed stunned for a moment but soon started sharing as he collected his thoughts.
“…Lately, there have been numerous disappearances among the people of Mount Hua.”
“The people of Mount Hua?”
“Yes, more specifically, the swordsmen of Mount Hua who operate outside the clan.”
Swordsmen of Mount Hua, huh?
…Why are such people disappearing?
It wasn’t uncommon for swordsmen to die while defending against the demon gates, but the fact that Mount Hua had sent their swordsmen against the demons indicated a serious problem.
Sending some plum blossom swordsmen along made it an even larger issue.
“We were searching for danger as the situation was dire.”
“Even though Mount Hua is quite far from here?”
We still had a long way to go to reach Mount Hua.
But Mount Hua was conducting a search all the way out here?
Shinhyun gave a bitter smile at my comment.
“…I’m afraid I can’t disclose the reasons to outsiders.”
“If that’s the case, then I understand.”
Something clearly happened, but I didn’t feel like digging further.
It probably wasn’t anything too alarming, considering I hadn’t heard about it in my past life.
“…Anyway, while we were returning from our task here, our disciple sensed something and suddenly rushed off, causing this situation.”
Hmm…
He felt the Qi of Mount Hua from an unfamiliar carriage and decided to stop us without considering the potential consequences.
I understood that desperation drove him, given their circumstances, but his rash actions merited admonishment.
I turned to Shinhyun and asked.
“What do you think about this situation?”
Shinhyun cautiously replied to my query.
“Now that I’m this close, I can confidently say it wasn’t a mistake. I definitely sense it.”
Shinhyun gestured toward the carriage I had been riding.
“I would like to search it, if permitted.”
“You sense it coming from that carriage?”
“Yes.”
“…Yung Pung mentioned he sensed something within me as well. Don’t you feel anything?”
“Something from you?”
Shinhyun scrutinized me thoroughly after hearing my question.
I felt his Qi probing my body, but I didn’t resist, as it posed no threat.
Shinhyun then turned to Yung Pung. It appeared he sensed nothing.
“Yung Pung, what did you detect from him?”
Yung Pung looked at me, frowning.
“Wha, why can’t I sense it…? I distinctly felt it earlier—”
“Don’t make excuses.”
Yung Pung flinched at Shinhyun’s reprimand.
He squeaked out, “I apologize; I must have been mistaken.”
“You shouldn’t be apologizing to me.”
Yung Pung, after hearing Shinhyun’s words, straightened up and bowed his head.
“I’m sorry, Young Master, I acted quite rudely.”
“It’s fine.”
As I spoke, I pondered why the Qi, which had been quite prominent before, was now undetectable.
The ghost interjected again to address my query.
“Didn’t I mention it earlier? I have a method.”
Those were indeed his words.
I wasn’t sure what he did to resolve this, but the Qi that had previously lingered around me had now withdrawn into my body.
I felt relieved that the source of my anxiety was settled so smoothly.
I took a deep breath before addressing Shinhyun once more.
“There’s no need to search the carriage.”
“…What do you mean?”
“I already know what kind of Qi you sensed. Please wait a moment.”
Muyeon, quick-witted as always, had already brought the box from the carriage and handed it to me.
Upon receiving it, I opened the box and revealed the treasure inside.
“This is…!”
The most immediate reaction came from Yung Pung, followed closely by Shinhyun.
Other members of Mount Hua, who had been standing behind, reacted similarly, though a little later.
“The Great Plum Blossom Stone!”
As I gently removed the cloth, the fragrance of plums wafted through the air, and the stone gleamed in a radiant pink hue.
Shinhyun’s voice, now filled with confusion, rose in pitch as he asked, “H-How do you have this stone?”
He seemed to abandon any idea of it being a fake… which was understandable, given that no artisan could replicate such a rare treasure perfectly.
It was called a treasure for a reason.
“…I was on my way to return the stone to Mount Hua, as our clan was temporarily managing it.”
“From… your clan?”
How could I explain this…?
I couldn’t just say that our Elder won it through a drinking bet.
Yung Pung interrupted, “This… so this is the very thing our Lord lost in that drinking bet—”
“Shut your mouth!”
“Yes, master.”
…
Oh, so they all knew the full story.
That made it simpler for me, as I wouldn’t have to explain anything.
Shinhyun’s ears were noticeably flushed with embarrassment.
It made sense since this incident involved a figure representing the head of Mount Hua.
…While the same could be said for us.
I wondered what kind of gathering our Second Elder could have attended to cause such a debacle.
I was curious but refrained from prying deeper.
“…Anyway, that’s one reason why we were headed to Mount Hua.”
“…I see.”
We both seemed to have plenty to discuss, but none of it could be voiced out loud.
It would just be embarrassing, considering the circumstances.
Shinhyun cleared his throat multiple times.
He probably intended to ease the awkwardness.
“Anyhow… If that’s the reason you’re here, we’ve finished our search. You can let us take the treasure—”
“That’s not going to happen.”
Shinhyun’s eyes widened at my swift rejection.
While I wanted to hand him the treasure and leave without further ado, that was just a minor reason for my visit.
My main goal was to retrieve my little sibling.
Moreover,
“I was instructed to return the treasure directly to the clan leader, so even if you hail from Mount Hua, I doubt I can simply hand it over to you.”
“Hmm.”
Shinhyun groaned over my answer.
I couldn’t tell if he found my response unexpected or if he had too much to contemplate; it remained unclear.
However, he swiftly composed himself and continued.
“…I understand. But since we all witnessed the treasure, we can’t easily walk away now. Given that our paths seem to coincide, please allow us to accompany you.”
In essence, he was saying, ‘If you won’t give it, then we’ll follow you.’
I nodded at Shinhyun.
It made sense since we were discussing their clan’s treasure.
…I’m satisfied enough that I managed to absorb some Qi from the treasure without getting caught.
If I had been found out, I could only imagine the mess I’d be in.
“Haha, I knew this would happen the moment you started devouring it like a pig. What would you have done without me? Tsk tsk.”
…Those were the first words he had uttered after such a long silence. I genuinely wished he’d remain quiet, but it seemed he had no intention of doing so.
“Mount Hua, huh… With how strong the juniors are, I can only assume the elders are just as formidable.”
He spoke with a tone that suggested he was reflective.
It felt incredibly frustrating to hear him ramble on while I dealt with this mounting headache.
“May I ask you something?”
The one who interrupted our ‘conversation’ was Yung Pung, who had been quietly sitting next to me.
Shinhyun shot Yung Pung an annoyed glance for interrupting my train of thought, but Yung Pung disregarded it entirely.
As a result, a fiery annoyance ignited in Shinhyun’s eyes.
“You little—”
“No, it’s genuinely important, so please hear me out…!”
I turned to Yung Pung and asked, “What is it that you want?”
“You said you come from the Gu Clan, right?”
“Yes.”
“…You’re referring to the Gu Clan from Shanxi, correct?”
“…Yes.”
Yung Pung’s expression shifted to something quite bizarre at my confirmation.
…Why does he keep asking about my clan?
“…Master.”
“What…?”
Shinhyun’s tone became anxious, as if he sensed that Yung Pung was about to stir up trouble again.
But upon hearing what followed, Shinhyun’s face mirrored Yung Pung’s astonishment.
“Isn’t the Gu Clan of Shanxi the clan to which our esteemed elder belongs?”
…!
With Yung Pung’s declaration, Shinhyun, along with the other members of Mount Hua, turned their gazes toward me.
Their looks were far more intense than when they had seen the treasure.
…What’s going on? Why are they acting like this?
My site has received a lot of DMCA notices, lol. From now on, I will update the MTL on https://darkmtl.com/.
The site is fast and lightweight because there are no ads yet. However, the theme is different from Cybor-TL, so take some time to familiarize yourself.
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.