Chapter 65: Immortal Healer (2)
Thud—!
Thud—!
Deep within a cave, the harsh sound of metal clashing echoed.
The nauseating odor pierced the air, making him involuntarily frown.
Baechong entered the cave with trembling legs.
Following the torches mounted on the cave walls, he walked a bit further and spotted a gigantic man seated on an equally massive chair.
Next to the chair lay a greatsword that was as large as an average adult male.
As Baechong approached the man, he slowly knelt down on one knee.
The wielder of the sword regarded Baechong with a lackluster expression and spoke.
“We got our tails caught?”
His voice dripped with annoyance.
Baechong swallowed a dry gulp and replied.
“Yes… It seems the Mount Hua Sect has caught on to us.”
“Hmm… Was it too ambitious to bring along the Tidal Sword?”
The Plum Blossom Swordsman, Shinchung.
They had gone to great lengths to capture him, only to embarrassingly have their tails spotted.
It turned out that the Mount Hua Sect’s instincts were sharper than expected.
“At this point, it’s impossible to pull anyone else out without attracting more attention.”
“I’ll report it to the main palace.”
“Just don’t be late—remember the guy who lost his arm for being tardy?”
“…Yes, sir!”
The man, still munching on fried scorpions, pulled a scroll from his coat and tossed it at Baechong.
“Baechong.”
“…Yes, Branch Chief.”
“I heard there’s been a stir in Yeoncheon. Do you know what it’s about?”
“…I heard the raccoons have shown up.”
“Raccoons? How do they know?”
The term “raccoon” was a derogatory label for the Hao Clan.
To catch on in that far-off place? Even considering the Hao Clan’s prowess in intelligence, it was hard to comprehend how they had pieced everything together this time.
“Hmm… Could there be a spy among us?”
While he couldn’t be absolutely sure, it was hard to imagine that a traitor would emerge from their ranks to work for a clan like the Hao Clan instead of the Murim Alliance.
The munching hands stopped.
There were simply no more fried scorpions left.
Observing Baechong’s realization, he quickly spoke up.
“I’ll send some of the kids to bring more.”
“I like that you’re quick on your feet.”
The man rose with a grin.
His towering physique emanated an overwhelming aura.
Seeing this, Baechong hurriedly added,
“A command has come down from the main palace.”
“Go on, I’m all ears.”
“The Immortal Healer has been spotted in Shaanxi.”
Baechong’s announcement made the man’s eyes widen.
“The Immortal Healer?”
“Yes.”
“Last I heard, he was in Anhui, and now he’s in Shaanxi? That old man really has some energy for his age.”
“We’re currently sending some to ascertain his exact location.”
At Baechong’s words, the man revealed yellowed teeth.
A heavy killing intent radiated from him, shaking the very cave.
“Baechong.”
“Y-Yes, sir…!”
“I don’t recall giving anyone the order to send out our people to find him?”
His hand was inching toward Baechong’s heart.
Before it could land, Baechong hurriedly spoke.
“T-That order came directly from the leader himself…!”
Upon hearing Baechong’s words, the man halted, and the oppressive atmosphere slowly receded.
“Really?”
“Yes… Here is the letter that was directly sent to me.”
Baechong handed over the letter with trembling hands, and the man snatched it open.
The letter bore the Lord’s direct seal.
Consequently, the man’s expression turned slightly sour.
“To send a letter without informing the branch manager… I understand the leader is quite busy, but that stings a bit.”
“…I understand, sir! He must have been tied up.”
…Because you’re so terrible at your job, you idiot!
Baechong silently grumbled inside his head.
He swallowed the words back down, unwilling to utter them aloud.
“So, what should I do? Just kill him?”
All the details and instructions were neatly outlined in the letter, and it genuinely bothered him how little the man comprehended it.
However, there was no way for Baechong to rectify this.
“…The order is to capture and imprison him.”
“…Hmm. Just imprisoning him again, huh?”
“Yes, the order strictly states not to harm his eyes or hands, no matter what happens.”
“Boring.”
The man wore a discontented expression after hearing Baechong.
Baechong stifled the mounting anger inside him.
It baffled him how someone with such poor management skills was still a branch chief.
Yet from the perspective of sheer strength, it made sense why he held the position.
The Great Oni, Ya Hyeoljeok.
In terms of power alone, he should have belonged to the main palace.
Still, due to his excessive brutality and heedless fighting style, he was pushed to the outskirts.
In simpler terms, despite his foolishness, he was so powerful that he could sit in the branch chief’s seat, even after being ousted from the main palace.
“Oh, can I tear apart anyone who gets in the way?”
“…Yes, he just said to capture the Immortal Healer.”
“Yeah, yeah. It would be great to find him soon… Even better if those Mount Hua guys decided to pay us a visit.”
Saying that, Ya Hyeoljeok hefted his enormous sword.
While it looked colossal, it appeared relatively small compared to Ya Hyeoljeok.
Whoosh!
…!
The wind from his casual sword swing brushed past Baechong’s head.
Crash!
The next moment, the sound of destruction resonated behind Baechong, who had to calm his quaking heart.
Unbothered by Baechong’s fright, Ya Hyeoljeok revealed a grin showcasing his yellowed teeth.
“Did I hear Dragon Sword? I heard that kid has some skills… It’d be nice to encounter him; I find such delights in crushing little brats.”
Ya Hyeoljeok chuckled.
Creak.
Baechong clenched his eyes shut at the sound made by the huge sword dragging along the ground.
It wasn’t until Ya Hyeoljeok faded into the shadows of the cave that Baechong could finally exhale the breath he had been holding in.
“Damn…”
He realized he needed to get out of there soon.
He couldn’t withstand the lunatic pig’s presence any longer.
After finishing breakfast with the Celestial Plum Blossom, I headed towards Mount Hua.
Due to its sky-high elevation, we couldn’t take our entire entourage, so I only brought along a few guards, including Muyeon.
Namgung Bi-ah also seemed determined to follow me to Mount Hua, so I told her to do as she wished.
I knew she wouldn’t heed my warning to stay behind anyway.
We began the arduous climb up the seemingly endless Lotus Peak of Mount Hua.
Had it been my past self, I would have fainted before even covering a quarter of the distance.
But thanks to the consistent training over the last few months, I managed to endure it better than I expected.
Of course, halfway through, it became so exhausting I had to start using Qi.
“Master! We’re almost there!”
Yung Pung’s words made me frown.
“…You said that before.”
“We’re almost there this time for real!”
Why is he so energetic?
Yung Pung climbed all those stairs without even sweating.
Also, Namgung Bi-ah, who trailed behind me, seemed completely unperturbed as well.
She had a bead of sweat trickling down her cheek, but it didn’t seem too bad.
Am I just weak?
[Shut up if you’re going to start with your “Back in my day” stories.]
[…]
I quickly cut off Elder Shin before he could voice his thoughts.
He remained silent as I correctly guessed his intentions.
After countless steps of climbing without a break, the sect’s main gate finally came into view.
“We’re here…!”
“…Wow.”
After trudging up what felt like a hellish mountain, I turned back to take in the breathtaking view sprawled below us.
Seeing such a magnificent sight from this altitude was undeniably stunning.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
I nodded at Yung Pung’s remark.
It seemed I wasn’t the only one swept away by the stunning panorama.
[…It’s still… Still beautiful. I’m so relieved…]
Elder Shin’s voice broke the moment in a softened tone I rarely heard.
While gazing over the impressive view, I heard a door creaking open from behind.
Creek.
“What are you doing over there?”
Startled by the voice, Yung Pung quickly showed proper respect.
The figure who emerged was none other than the Celestial Plum Blossom.
What kind of clan master comes to welcome guests at the gate?
“G-Greetings, Master.”
“Oh, Yung Pung, well done.”
The Celestial Plum Blossom affectionately patted Yung Pung’s head.
The escorts from the Gu Clan froze at the sight of the Celestial Plum Blossom.
Even Namgung Bi-ah and Muyeon, usually impassive, appeared visibly surprised.
I quickly bowed to express my respect as well.
“I am Gu Yangcheon of the Gu Clan.”
“You already gave a rather intense greeting this morning, so why repeat it?”
The Celestial Plum Blossom chuckled.
“Come in, but don’t be too disappointed; there isn’t much here to see.”
We proceeded into the Mount Hua Sect with the Celestial Plum Blossom.
Inside the sect, plummy blossoms bloomed as if it were the peak of spring, despite the fact that it was late summer. This made me question if we had indeed entered spring.
I heard that this phenomenon was due to their Qi.
The Qi of Mount Hua is referred to as the Spirit Qi.
At this point, it meant they could influence nature to such an extent that only then could it rightfully earn the name Spirit Qi.
While walking through the fragrant paths of blossoming plum trees, I noticed several buildings scattered around.
Though they appeared ancient, they exhibited no signs of wear, suggesting they were well-maintained.
As our group trekked past several smaller structures, we arrived at a singular building at the very end.
“Step on in.”
This was the clan leader’s residence.
“Oh, everyone else, please stay outside except for that kid.”
Pointing at me, the Celestial Plum Blossom momentarily caught me off guard.
I lingered for a brief moment, but after assuring my escorts I would be fine, I followed the clan leader inside.
Namgung Bi-ah seemed a bit disappointed, but there was nothing to be done; it was the leader’s orders.
Inside the residence, the simple decor was surprisingly minimalist for a prominent figure of the Ten Sect Alliance.
Nothing seemed excessive; everything felt just right.
In the center, the Celestial Plum Blossom began to brew tea.
Oh dear, this was far more awkward than I anticipated…
“This old man has nothing to offer you besides this plum tea…”
“I like plum tea.”
“Oh… That’s a relief; young folks nowadays seem to shy away from it.”
While not particularly fond of plum tea, I didn’t despise it either.
The plum tea brewed by the Celestial Plum Blossom carried a rich aroma.
Taking a sip, I found it far sweeter and tangier than I had expected—quite a delightful taste.
I reckon Wi Seol-Ah would enjoy this too.
Even at this moment…
With the mere sweetness, Wi Seol-Ah’s face popped into mind.
I felt increasingly aware of how often I thought of her.
“It seems to suit your taste,” said the Celestial Plum Blossom with a smile.
Have I really been sipping it that much?
“I’d love to share a snack, but there’s nothing else in here.”
“That’s perfectly fine. The tea alone is generous enough.”
After a few more sips, I cautiously presented the box I had brought along.
Inside was a treasure.
The Celestial Plum Blossom opened the box and unwrapped its contents.
Immediately, a dazzling light and floral fragrance filled the room.
“Phew…”
Seeing that, the Celestial Plum Blossom let out a sigh of relief.
He wrapped it up again, and in a sudden motion—
He threw it!?
Thud!
The treasure box soared past him, landing in some corner of the room.
“What the…?”
“Now that you’ve brought it back, I guess the Elders won’t badger me anymore… This is a load off my shoulders.”
Wait, is he really treating it like that? Isn’t that the treasure of his sect?
Elder Shin, is this really—
Elder Shin?
I kept calling for him, yet Elder Shin didn’t respond.
Huh?
When did this silence start? He hadn’t said a word for the last few minutes.
It didn’t seem like he was purposely quiet, either.
“First…”
I was yanked back to reality by the Celestial Plum Blossom’s voice, as he had something important to say.
“Thank you for bringing me the treasure, child of the Gu Clan.”
His tone bore the weight of sincere respect.
I too adjusted my posture, trying to mirror his seriousness.
“Traveling such a long road must have been difficult for you.”
“Not at all, Master.”
“I have expressed my gratitude to the Lord of the Gu Clan already, but please let him know once more that this old man is truly appreciative.”
“Yes, I will make sure to convey that message when I return.”
The Celestial Plum Blossom produced a letter, marking it with a plum blossom insignia.
This marked the formal conclusion of the treasure handover.
As I carefully stored the letter, the Celestial Plum Blossom addressed me again.
“Child.”
His tone fell back into its familiar rhythm after the formality was over.
“Yes, Master.”
“Now that we’ve finished discussing the treasure, it’s time we talked about the matter within you.”
“…”
Looks like the moment had finally arrived.
Cold sweat trickled down my back.
I knew I’d get caught… but being caught this quickly was unexpected.
While I glanced at the Celestial Plum Blossom with my heart racing, he simply sipped tea at his leisure.
Was he letting me have the first word?
What should I say? Should I just act oblivious?
Caught up in my thoughts, the Celestial Plum Blossom broke the silence.
“The energy I sense within you undoubtedly belongs to Mount Hua.”
Shit, I think I can’t lie anymore.
Even with Elder Shin suppressing its power, it seemed inadequate to fool the Celestial Plum Blossom after all.
“I’m curious why it resides within you.”
I really wished Elder Shin was around right now to aid me…
But I couldn’t hear him at all. Perhaps it had something to do with the Celestial Plum Blossom’s presence.
My mind was blank as I struggled to form a response.
I lacked the confidence needed to dupe the piercing gaze of the Celestial Plum Blossom.
At last, I took a deep breath and slowly began to relay everything that had transpired on my journey to Mount Hua.
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