Chapter 104 - The Hellish Great Journey (3)

During our time in the Minor Orthodox Unit, we were desperate.

The missions the Murim Alliance originally assigned to the Minor Orthodox Unit were mostly at the very front lines of the battlefield or acting as bait to divert the Demonic Cult's attention.

However, we set 'survival' as our highest priority, and we used any means and methods necessary to escape the clutches of those we were strategically no match for.

The water spray at Mount Geumdan was one of them. The terraced reservoirs formed along the ridges of Mount Geumdan.

Even if a single reservoir wasn't large, bursting all of them at once was enough to fill the valley in an instant.

And in my past life, while being chased by the Blood Demon Ghost Sword Squad, I had once driven them away using this exact tactic.

"This makes no sense!"

I unfolded the World-Traversing Lone Footwork and flew toward Hyeonsu in an instant.

"You bastard!"

Discovering me amidst his shock, Hyeonsu ground his teeth and swung his sword, but there was no way a sword swung so unconsciously could carry any proper force.

CLANG.

His sword flew away powerlessly, and I gripped the defenseless guy's paralysis acupoint.

"I am Hyeonsu of the Wudang Sect..."

He seemed to be trying to say something, but without listening to the end, I filled my fist with inner qi and struck his Dantian.

THUD.

"Keuhuk!"

His body crashed into the rushing water faster than the speed he had flown at.

SPLASH.

The other Daoists of the Wudang Sect were just as out of their minds as Hyeonsu.

"What is that?!"

"Is it an array? Why is there a deluge of water in a place like this!"

"D-Dodge!"

"No! If it's an array, we shouldn't dodge!"

The Wudang Daoists, wavering between dodging and not dodging, ultimately decided not to dodge.

"Keuhuk!"

"Gurgle."

"Ah, fuck! It's real water!"

The rocks and logs we had piled up above the valley were swept up in the deluge, falling madly down the cliff.

The Wudang Sect Daoists were struck by rocks and hit by logs, unable to gather their senses.

Once the initial deluge passed, our attack began against the disoriented Wudang Daoists who were frantically gasping for the breath they had been holding.

"Throw them!"

Our group members and warriors, who had taken refuge in the trees above the valley, lifted the surrounding boulders and threw them mercilessly at the Daoists.

"Keuhuk."

"Damn it! Someone look up!"

"Run away!"

Throwing myself down alongside the falling boulders, I hurled myself at Hyeonmyeong, Hyeonhyang, and Hyeonjin in turn.

CLANG.

"Even after doing something like this, you..."

THUD.

I struck their swords away, gripped their paralysis acupoints, and fiercely slammed my fist into their Dantians.

If their Dantians received a shock of this magnitude, they would need to recuperate for at least a month.

By that time, the Murim Alliance's standard exams would be completely over.

Having beaten all the examinees to a pulp, I immediately unfolded the World-Traversing Lone Footwork and soared straight back to the top of the valley.

"What kind of footwork technique is so incredibly elusive?"

Seong Moran, who was hurling boulders the size of human heads, stared wide-eyed like a rabbit.

"It's time to go now."

"You mean it's time to run away, right?"

"Yes."

Perhaps because we had spent a long time syncing our teamwork with the Namgung Clan and the Iron Sword Sect, we clicked perfectly without needing many words.

"Won't the Wudang Sect keep chasing us?"

Seong Moran expressed regret over not being able to throw the last boulder she held in her hands.

"The operation worked out better than expected."

Half of their numbers were injured by the reservoir's water and the boulders.

Furthermore, the people in the rear guard were constantly agonizing over whether the water poured into the valley was actually part of an array.

For those who had never specifically studied arrays, being trapped in one was much more terrifying than imagined.

Even the Blood Demon Ghost Sword Squad hadn't been able to step forward easily, so there was no way the Daoists could charge in recklessly.

"But why did you suddenly go down to the bottom of the valley?"

At the question from Namgung Seonhwa, who had stuck close to my side, Seong Moran also nodded as if she were curious too.

"Shouldn't we collect our spoils of war?"

"Spoils of war?"

I handed Namgung Seonhwa and Seong Moran two Admission Tokens each.

Receiving the First Gate and Second Gate admission tokens taken from the Wudang Sect Daoists, the two women looked at me with expressions of utter disbelief.

"Wouldn't it be unfair for the two of you to be chased for no reason?"

"..."

Namgung Seonhwa was speechless.

"Crazy. Truly..."

Seong Moran clicked her tongue.

* * *

"Young Master, what are you practicing?"

Baek Wongak couldn't hide his bewilderment.

"It's a sword array personally modified by Brother Sowoon."

Baek Wongak felt an 'as expected' sentiment. He must want to do anything as long as it's related to Jin Sowoon.

If not for that, why would the Young Master, who usually neglected the clan's swordsmanship, be learning a sword array at this point when they lacked even the time to sleep?

'Should I be happy about this...'

Moyong Jaehwa seemed like he would blindly copy anything Jin Sowoon did.

Seeing him show enthusiasm for martial arts, he debated whether he should be pleased or not.

Since he was young, Moyong Jaehwa had never really liked swordsmanship.

Even though he was the eldest son who had to lead the next generation of the Moyong Noble Clan, he spent more time learning miscellaneous skills than the sword.

He wondered if he should consider it a relief that he hadn't fallen into wine and women like the twisted scions of other prestigious noble clans, but he couldn't do so because his sister was Moyong Seol.

Compared to her—who had formed her own Dantian using breathing methods taught early on for her health, and who had learned swordsmanship on her own by watching the clan's warriors train—Moyong Jaehwa had always been too frivolous.

When he said he wouldn't take the Murim Alliance's standard exams, the Jincheon Pavilion had been turned completely upside down, to the point where Patriarch Breaking Sword had personally grabbed a club and gone out looking for Moyong Jaehwa.

It was the open opinion of the noble clan that it would have been so much better if Moyong Seol and Moyong Jaehwa had been born with their genders swapped.

Then, was it after returning from being dragged into the Patriarch's eccentric wandering? From that point on, Moyong Jaehwa began to change little by little.

He made time on his own to practice the sword, and without hesitation, he came on his own two feet to spar with the Moyong Noble Clan's warriors.

He still practiced his miscellaneous skills alone, but seeing him seriously ponder and train in the sword, everyone in the family couldn't help but feel proud of him.

However, he also made the family's blood run cold by talking about Jin Sowoon and the Taiyi Sect every day, occasionally mentioning that he wanted to become a lay disciple of the Taiyi Sect.

'He's the hero in his heart.'

Doesn't everyone harbor a hero in their hearts during their childhood? For Moyong Jaehwa, that hero was Jin Sowoon.

When he first said he wanted to give up his own exam to join Jin Sowoon's group, they couldn't hide their disappointment. But he acknowledged that he lacked the skill to steal a Third Gate token, and furthermore, he said that if he couldn't do at least this much for the person who saved his father's life, he would be too ashamed as the eldest son of the Moyong Noble Clan. In the end, they had no choice but to agree.

"Practicing martial arts is so enjoyable these days."

Looking at the Young Master's brightly smiling face, he felt that it would be okay even if he were scolded by the Patriarch or Minor Patriarch later on.

Isn't life long?

Even if he couldn't enter the Murim Academy, he wouldn't cease being the eldest son of the Moyong Noble Clan. If he could use this as a foundation to grow further, then that would be a good thing too.

But no matter how enthusiastic he was, wasn't the White Tiger Sword Array a bit too much?

"Young Master, haven't you already learned the clan's excellent array, the Heavy Wave Blazing Fire Sword Array? So please get at least a little sleep now."

"The warriors of the Namgung Clan and the Iron Sword Sect have all learned it too."

"They learned that? Why would they do that?"

"They said that if you learn this, you can eat warm meals."

"Who said that?"

"The Captain of the Namgung Clan's Cangqiong Squad."

Kang Seopyo of the Namgung Clan was someone he had interacted with during mandatory service in the Murim Alliance. He thought he was a serious and prudent person with a sense of weight, but to think he would make such a trivial joke on the naive Young Master.

"I didn't think of that gentleman that way, but he sure spouted some useless nonsense."

Baek Wongak clicked his tongue like that, but it didn't take long for him to confirm that those words were no joke.

After five days, the carriages finally came to a halt. Jin Sowoon gave them an entire half-shichen to eat, and the people rejoiced at the reality of being able to boil warm porridge instead of enduring tiresome dry rations and jerky.

"It's an ambush—!"

Right at the moment when they were about to put a spoonful of porridge into their mouths—porridge roughly flavored like meat by soaking jerky in the bubbling brew.

The damn pursuers swarmed in from all directions.

The spiteful Moyong Noble Clan warriors used all their strength to fend off the enemies, and fortunately, they managed to drive them back without suffering any casualties.

However, upon returning to their meal spots, they couldn't help but despair.

"My meal...!"

"Damn it!"

In the chaos of the melee, the pots had tipped over, and the white porridge was entirely mixed with dirt.

"See? I told you that if you learn it, you can eat warm meals."

Turning his head, he saw Moyong Jaehwa eating steaming hot porridge with Geumpyo's group.

"..."

No, it wasn't just Moyong Jaehwa. The porridge of the warriors from the Namgung Clan and the Iron Sword Sect was all completely intact. Only the Moyong Noble Clan's porridge had been mixed with dirt.

"..."

"Are you alright?"

Kang Seopyo and Cho Mubin approached, each holding a pot that was still half full.

"Why were only our noble clan's pots overturned?"

"That... is just how it is. We used the White Tiger Sword Array's escort formation to prioritize protecting our meals."

"..."

The words, *'You learned an escort array just for something like a meal?' * were about to pop out, but seeing the steaming porridge, he swallowed his words down.

From that day on, the warriors of the Moyong Noble Clan gave up even their brief rest periods in order to learn the White Tiger Sword Array.

* * *

"W-We've arrived!"

"I can't believe I actually made it! Buddha! Jade Emperor! Taishang Laojun! Thank you!"

As soon as they arrived at the Cangqiong Merchant Group in Zhengzhou, Jin Sowoon's group collapsed across the grand stable yard.

The merchant group members, who had expected the dignified figures of proud warriors upon hearing that the Namgung Clan, Moyong Noble Clan, and Iron Sword Sect were coming, were left dumbfounded by their appearance, which resembled defeated soldiers.

"..."

"Branch Chief, it's been a while, hasn't it?"

"Lady Seonhwa... It looks like you've been through a lot of hardship..."

"Tell me about it. I heard Brother San didn't look like this."

"Yes, yes. There is indeed a verrrry big difference."

"Haha."

"Since we heard you were coming, my lady, we had a banquet prepared, but..."

The Branch Chief glanced sideways at the warriors, who were sprawled out spreadeagle in the grand stable yard as if they couldn't move an inch.

"If you don't mind, could you prepare it here? Everyone has been running for a whole week without sleeping a wink."

"Huh... I was wondering why you arrived a bit early. You haven't slept a single day?"

"Yes."

The shocked Branch Chief immediately ordered the servants to prepare food in the grand stable yard.

As pots were hung in the yard and food began sizzling on the pot lids, those who had collapsed got up one by one and frantically began grabbing and eating the food.

"I can't tell if these are Beggars' Sect disciples or warriors of the Five Great Noble Clans..."

"Shh, will you be quiet?"

Having expected the appearance of the elite warriors of the Five Great Noble Clans of the World in name, they were appalled by the primal sight of warriors who made Beggars' Sect disciples look dignified.

"What on earth happened?"

"It's a long story..."

Even Namgung Seonhwa's eyes seemed to droop heavily as she spoke.

"Ah! I've talked for too long. Please, get some rest for now."

"Yes... And..."

"Please speak."

"Could you bring some food to the rooms as well?"

"... Ah, of course, I will do that."

After entering their room, Namgung Seonhwa and Seong Moran, just like the other warriors, repeated the cycle of eating, passing out, waking up, practicing their qi circulation method, and then eating and passing out again.

"Now, my senses are returning a bit."

"Right? On the final day, the thought that it'd be better to just give up the exam crossed my mind about ten thousand times."

"... I felt the same way."

Being born as daughters of prestigious families didn't mean they had never experienced hardship.

In fact, because they were daughters of martial families, they had grown up undergoing grueling training from a young age that ordinary women of their age would never experience.

However, they had tasted the very limits of their limits, to the point where all that pride had been completely shattered.

Still, the reason they could avoid feeling ashamed of themselves was the fact that even the male warriors approaching their thirties had all struggled just as much.

"... Will we be able to continue?"

Once their resupply and maintenance were finished, they had to set off again. And they would end up experiencing what they had gone through over the past seven days stretched out over a full month.

"I wonder if we're just being an unnecessary hindrance..."

At Namgung Seonhwa's hesitant words, Seong Moran unknowingly nodded.

For some reason, Jin Sowoon didn't seem much different from when they had departed the Southern Peak Branch.

He even took on watch duty in place of others, conducted reconnaissance, and went far out to stand guard alone during meal times.

The Great Journey generally required choosing one of two methods: moving stealthily as an elite squad, or moving as a large group.

However, right now, because of Namgung Seonhwa and Seong Moran joining him, Jin Sowoon seemed to have been forced into an awkward, indecisive state.

They had joined to help Jin Sowoon and the Taiyi Sect, but at this point, they were clearly becoming a hindrance to Jin Sowoon.

"Should we tell him we want to split up and move separately now?"

"..."

Namgung Seonhwa brought it up, but Seong Moran didn't answer.

If they moved separately from Jin Sowoon now, there was a high chance they wouldn't be able to finish the Great Journey.

Knowing this, Namgung Seonhwa couldn't press Seong Moran for an answer either.

While the two maintained their silence with their heads bowed, a servant girl knocked on the door from outside.

"My lady, you have a guest."

"A guest?"

* * *

Twenty of the Moyong Noble Clan's warriors were entirely knocked out.

None of them had major external injuries, but because they were moving so frantically, they didn't even realize they were injured. Leaving their wounds unattended caused their condition to worsen.

"What should we do, Brother?"

Moyong Jaehwa kept his head bowed low as if he had committed a crime.

"Of course, they need to rest. If they were to die while helping us, how could I face Elder Breaking Sword?"

"... I'm sorry."

"It's nothing for you to be sorry about. More importantly, check carefully to see if any of the other warriors are injured."

"Yes."

Moyong Jaehwa ran off to check on the Moyong Noble Clan's warriors, and along that same path, Namgung Seonhwa and Seong Moran approached.

Washed cleanly and dressed in new clothes, their appearance was completely different from yesterday.

However, Namgung Seonhwa was staring piercingly at me.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Young Master Jin, did you sleep?"

"Yes. I slept."

I had also slept for about two shichen last night and woke up. I couldn't sleep any longer than that because I had to check the new information that came in from Haomun in the morning.

"You didn't sleep properly because you were checking information again, did you?"

A pursuit was a battle of information.

Grasping the enemy's movements was more important than merely running away well.

Having eaten and slept together for the past week, it seemed she was now beginning to easily see right through my daily routine.

Seong Moran let out a long sigh.

"So, how does it look?"

"Not very good."

I spoke honestly.

Even though we were just crossing a single province, the difficulty couldn't even be compared to a regular escort mission.

The only thing we could do was keep moving without rest, just like the method we used to get to Zhengzhou, but it was questionable whether the people could endure it.

"..."

Wondering if my words had become an unnecessary burden, I spoke with a smile.

"Don't worry. There are various other methods."

Even though I said that, the two women's faces didn't brighten much.

After hesitating for a long while with an expression that looked like she had something to say, Namgung Seonhwa finally brought it up.

"There are people who want to meet you, Young Master Jin."

"Me?"

At this point, I had absolutely no idea who would want to meet me. After all, there was no way we could find companions in Zhengzhou that we couldn't find at the Southern Peak Branch anyway.

"You know about the Twelve Peak Castles, right?"

"...?"

The Twelve Peak Castles was the most powerful sect alliance of the 108 Peaks.

"They want to meet you, Young Master Jin."