Chapter 197
Direct Confrontation
Twiiiing! Thud!
An arrow sliced through the air, piercing the iron plate instantly.
Mok Bi's face lit up with joy.
“It worked.”
No matter how powerful the tension of the Hongryong Bow was, it couldn't penetrate iron without properly infused internal energy.
But this time was different. She had only infused a minimal amount of internal energy into the arrow.
In the past, the arrow would have bounced off, but this time it pierced through the iron plate. Instead of increasing the amount of internal energy, she had changed the way it was applied.
“Martial arts really are boundless.”
With just a change in mindset, the power of the arrow had changed as well.
It was a diversity in martial arts implementation that she had never learned in Gwanil Valley. Countless battles, relentless effort, and deep contemplation had finally led to the blossoming of her own archery technique.
"Impressive."
"Ah! Father, you're here."
"Yes."
Yeon Wi smiled with satisfaction as he looked at the pierced iron plate.
"You managed to pierce the iron plate with just half the energy you used to put into it. This means your focus and internal energy control have reached a new level."
Mok Bi’s face lit up with genuine happiness. Though she was aware of her progress, having Yeon Wi confirm it brought her relief.
"It's all thanks to you, Father. If you hadn't advised me in time, I wouldn't have realized it."
"Anyone can give advice. The real question is how you accept it."
Yeon Wi patted her shoulder.
"Your greatest strength isn't your natural talent. It's your ability to seriously reflect on any advice you receive. In the realm of martial arts, there’s no greater talent than being open-minded."
Mok Bi’s face flushed.
Yeon Wi was known for being clear in both praise and criticism, though he usually leaned more towards the latter. Success was often left at that, but failure could lead to death in real combat.
In other words, the fact that he was praising her now meant her attitude had deeply impressed him. Mok Bi understood this, which is why she felt particularly elated.
Yeon Wi asked calmly.
"Did you know?"
"About what?"
"Yeon Hojeong left the alliance earlier."
Surprisingly, Mok Bi’s expression remained calm.
"Yes, he told me before he left."
Yeon Wi, who had been quietly observing her, spoke again.
"Are you not disappointed?"
Mok Bi smiled wryly.
"I was at first. I thought I was at least somewhat helpful, even if I wasn't the best. It made me wonder how unreliable I must have seemed for him not to take me along."
She was able to share such thoughts naturally in front of Yeon Wi now, showing that she was becoming more comfortable around him.
"So, you've come to think differently now?"
"Yes."
Mok Bi looked up at the sky.
The weather had turned chilly. The clouds were scattered just right.
"When I think about it, he’s never once looked down on me since we first met. He joked around a lot, but even that had clear boundaries."
"Is that so?"
"Even when he seemed rough on the outside, if he considered someone his own, he would never do anything to hurt their feelings."
Yeon Wi smiled.
Mok Bi was kind, but she rarely revealed her true feelings unless it was necessary. For her to say such words meant that she fully trusted her son.
“It’s a relief that the first person I met in this world was Yeon Gongja.”
“That’s good to hear.”
Mok Bi slung the Hongryong Bow over her back.
“Those who were meant to leave have left, and those who remain must begin the tasks meant for them.”
Yeon Wi nodded in agreement.
“You’re right. Without Hojeong, the battle on our side will become even more intense.”
Whether it was a political struggle or training for the Myeolsagun, things would get significantly tougher. That’s how vast and deep the shadow cast by Yeon Hojeong was. Before they knew it, his presence had left a powerful impact not only on Mok Bi but also on his father, Yeon Wi, the strategist Jegal Munho, and even the top brass of the Wulin Alliance.
“Are you heading off to train the Myeolsagun?”
“Yes. I also need to deliver the light armor.”
“I understand.”
As Yeon Wi was about to leave Pagun Pavilion, he suddenly remembered something and asked,
“Are you free this evening?”
“Sorry? Ah, yes! I am.”
“I should be done with my work around sunset. If our times match, let’s have a meal together.”
Mok Bi smiled brightly.
“Yes!”
*
Yeon Hojeong's party left the Wulin Alliance and headed straight through Hubei, setting their course for Guizhou.
The place where Yangcheon was presumed to be was Changsha, the capital of Hunan Province.
The shortest route would be to descend through Hubei, cross the river, and directly enter Hunan. However, from the moment they left the Wulin Alliance, Yeon Hojeong insisted on moving discreetly.
When Tang Sang-ah asked why, Yeon Hojeong replied,
“They’re watching the Wulin Alliance closely. They might even be investigating those who come and go. If that’s the case, they’ll be even more concerned with those heading towards the main camp.”
It was a simple yet reasonable explanation. Though it meant taking a longer route, it was clearly necessary.
Yeon Hojeong trusted his judgment, and Gadeuk Sang and Jegal Ahyeon deemed his words reliable.
“And, senior.”
“Speak.”
“Please enter the western part of Hunan ahead of us.”
Pae Yul raised an eyebrow.
“Alone?”
“To reduce suspicion. If you go ahead and secure a position, we’ll follow at a distance.”
“Does that even make sense?”
“Of course.”
“Well, alright then. I’m not sure why you’re going to such lengths, but I’ll do it.”
With Pae Yul heading off separately, the rest of the group took nearly a month to pass through the southwestern part of Hubei and finally entered Guizhou.
Had they pushed themselves with martial arts techniques, they would have arrived several days earlier. However, the careful movement had delayed them.
The group eventually entered a modest inn at the northernmost point of Guizhou.
“Phew, I can finally relax a bit.”
Gadeuk Sang scratched his head vigorously.
“You’ve all done well. This inn is operated by our main house, so you can rest easy.”
The group, eager to relieve their accumulated fatigue, started with a hot bath. What was surprising was that Gadeuk Sang was the first to head to the bath.
Jegal Ahyeon asked mischievously.
"Aren't you worried that you'll actually get kicked out of your position as Hu Gae?"
"Hmph, that's exactly what I want."
To infiltrate the enemy's camp directly, it was crucial that Gadeuk Sang didn’t reveal his identity as a member of the Beggars' Sect. In the end, he had no choice but to violate the Sect’s rules.
After thoroughly scrubbing off all the grime and donning perfectly fitting martial attire with a white robe over it, Gadeuk Sang’s appearance was truly astonishing.
Jegal Ahyeon gaped like a fish.
"Wow! Are you really Hu Gae?"
"Who else would I be?"
"My goodness, how could you hide such a face under all that dirt? You should wash up regularly!"
"Why would a beggar waste water on bathing?"
Gadeuk Sang grumbled, but it was understandable that someone would say such a thing.
Not only was he quite tall and well-built, but Gadeuk Sang's distinct features were impressive enough to draw admiration. He had such a youthful appearance that, when dressed up, he could easily be mistaken for a nobleman.
Tang Sang-ah cautiously asked Yeon Hojeong.
"Is Hu Gae going into the enemy's camp too?"
"He has to. We need someone to quickly relay information between both sides. Besides that, it's hard to find someone as quick-witted as him."
"I see."
"Why? Is there something bothering you?"
"There is something significant."
Yeon Hojeong blinked.
"What is it?"
"The disconnect between his appearance and his manner of speech."
It was a sharp observation.
His appearance was nothing short of a nobleman's, but his speech was crude enough to make even street thugs cringe. This was a much more serious problem than one might think.
Gadeuk Sang looked at Yeon Hojeong with sorrowful eyes.
"Don't tell me I have to change the way I talk too? No, right? Tell me I don't."
Yeon Hojeong responded in an awkward voice.
"There are many people in the world with strong personalities. In fact, that might make you seem more genuine."
"Hehe, I knew you would understand me, Yeon Gongja!"
"But still, I'd recommend you stay as quiet as possible…."
With everyone now cleaned up, they gathered in one room after finishing their meal.
Gadeuk Sang smacked his lips.
"Guiyang sure is humid. Even though it's almost winter."
Jegal Ahyeon chimed in.
"I've heard that even seasoned martial artists can fall ill here. The humidity is high, and the vegetation is dense, so there are a lot of insects."
"Insects are just good enough to be a meal when you're hungry."
“Ugh.”
"What's the matter? Would you rather starve to death? You have to chew on insects to survive. Isn't that right, Tang Sojeo?"
Tang Sang-ah responded with an awkward expression.
"I've never tried it before…."
"Huh?"
Gadeuk Sang tilted his head.
"But Tang Sojeo, didn’t you learn the Poison Arts? Didn’t you eat them while training? There are so many poisonous insects in the world."
"Just because I learned the Poison Arts doesn't mean I eat bugs. Though I don’t really have an aversion to them…."
"Haha, is that so?"
Tang Sang-ah cleared her throat. Though she wasn’t the type to feel shy, she couldn't help but be overwhelmed by Gadeuk Sang’s overwhelming sociability.
“Alright, let’s start wrapping things up.”
Yeon Hojeong clapped his hands to grab everyone’s attention before continuing.
“As you’ve already been informed, from now on, we are members of Mujongmun.”
Mujongmun was a mysterious sect that was said to have been annihilated over a hundred years ago.
Surprisingly, their martial arts were regarded as nearly on par with the Nine Great Schools. This was because none of the warriors who claimed to be from Mujongmun were weak.
However, it was often noted that their martial arts lacked consistency.
Just as Shaolin had its own distinctive style and Huashan Sect had its own martial arts flow, each sect pursued its unique characteristics. But Mujongmun lacked such a unified approach. Their martial arts were as varied and profound as if masters from various sects had come together to form this one sect.
However, for some unknown reason, Mujongmun had walked the path of destruction over a hundred years ago, and its name had since vanished from the world.
“It has been forgotten by the world, and since there are so many different types of martial arts associated with it, no one will be suspicious if we each use different techniques.”
The three men and women nodded in agreement.
Yeon Hojeong pointed at Gadeuk Sang.
“However, we should be mindful of our titles. From now on, Hu Gae will be the eldest brother of this group.”
“Do I really have to take that role?”
“You’re the oldest.”
“Then what about Hero Pae Yul?”
“The senior is our master.”
“But I look young; how about I be the youngest?”
“Let’s move on to the next topic.”
“Che.”
Yeon Hojeong turned to Tang Sang-ah.
“Tang Sang-ah Gunbyeong will be the second. The reason is the same.”
“Yes.”
“And I will be the third. Ahyeon will be the fourth.”
Jegal Ahyeon protested.
“Hey, why am I the youngest? I’m a year older than you! This is what I get for treating you as a friend, and now you don’t even recognize your elder sister.”
“I’m the one who has to move around the most. Besides, anyone sharp enough would realize that my martial arts are the deepest among us. I could be the third, but if I introduce myself as the youngest, it would feel off.”
“Grr.”
Jegal Ahyeon couldn’t argue with that logic, but she still pouted in dissatisfaction.
Yeon Hojeong’s eyes took on a serious glint.
“Based on the information we have so far, Yangcheon is most likely in Changsha, Hunan Province. However, considering the scale of the Black Path under his control, we should assume that his eyes are spread across the entire Hunan Province.”
Gadeuk Sang nodded.
“The reports from the disciples at the main sect are similar. The moment we enter Hunan Province, eyes will be on us.”
“Even so, we won’t take mountain paths or water routes.”
“You mean we should take the main road openly to avoid suspicion?”
“Exactly.”
Yeon Hojeong turned to Tang Sang-ah.
“In other words, the moment we enter Hunan Province, we’ll need your skills.”
“My skills?”
Now that she thought about it, she hadn’t yet been told her role in this mission.
Tang Sang-ah was startled. The fact that she hadn’t even considered this until now was baffling even to herself.
“What do I need to do?”
Yeon Hojeong smiled coldly.
A chilling smile. Gadeuk Sang clicked his tongue, thinking, "Here we go again," while Jegal Ahyeon shuddered.
“When the eyes of the Black Path focus on us, kill them immediately with your hidden weapons.”