Looking at Chae Ga-ryeong’s expression, Cheon Mubaeck was convinced. That old man was Tang Jun-pa. The reason Chae Ga-ryeong had made such an expression was not just because Tang Jun-pa was alive.

If it were just that, she would not have had such an expression.

Neung-heo lowered his voice.

“Tang Jun-pa, that guy seems to be the fortress master.”

“It’s obvious, isn’t it?”

“Yes. His presence is no joke. Looking at the guys standing behind him, it’s obvious. The underlings are all tensed up in front of their boss.”

“I have a lot of faith in the insight of a 30-year black-way veteran.”

It was as Neung-heo had said.

The Water Dragon Fortress’s presence was so high that it was hard to see it as a mere river bandit fortress.

The pier, where boats could be docked like a prosperous port, was packed with boats.

Above the riverbank, a solid fortress, well-built with wooden fences and stones, stood alone.

It was so sturdy that it looked like a fortress built by the government.

The fact that they had their lights on brightly on this late night showed that their power was not to be taken lightly.

And the sight of Tang Jun-pa standing proudly in the lead with that as a background was overwhelming.

A green robe fluttering wildly in the river wind. No matter how you looked at it, he did not look like an old man who had been kidnapped and exploited.

As Neung-heo had said, it was a sight that carried the full weight of the Water Dragon Fortress on its back.

So Chae Ga-ryeong had that expression.

“My goodness…”

The joy that her master, whom she had thought was dead, was alive, the excitement at the fact that she had met him again, but the shock at the fact that he might be an enemy.

Such emotions were mixed and revealed in a complex way.

‘Unexpected.’

In fact, Cheon Mubaeck had not expected Tang Jun-pa to look like that.

‘The river bandits are not easy guys, and a mere physician has not only subdued them but has also become the fortress master?’

Although there were all sorts of things in the martial world, how could that be an easy thing?

Of course, since he was a poisoner who used poison, he might have used some tricks, but it was not an easy thing.

And why on earth would he become the master of the Water Dragon Fortress?

Before he had disappeared, he had been the most famous physician at The Odorless Medical Hall, and it was said that there were numerous prestigious families and sects that had requested him.

He was not a great person who would become the master of a mere river bandit fortress.

At least just by looking at his skill in handling the stone poison, hadn’t even Cheon Mubaeck been impressed?

‘I thought he was just making poison with his qi veins all cut and tied up.’

If so, the work would have been easy.

Because he could just beat up all the river bandits, rescue Tang Jun-pa, and then dig into what had happened one by one.

But since Tang Jun-pa looked like that, Cheon Mubaeck’s original plan had become useless.

But even so, there was no reason to back down after coming this far.

Failure was a common occurrence in the martial world.

Cheon Mubaeck had also become accustomed to failure, having lived through numerous past lives.

And he was also very skilled at overcoming failure again.

Cheon Mubaeck’s head spun.

‘First, the possibility that Tang Jun-pa became the master of the Water Dragon Fortress with a purpose, or second, the possibility that he was actually kidnapped and his personality was twisted and he became the master of the river bandit fortress, or third, the possibility that he took on the role of the fortress master on someone’s orders.’

There was only one thing to do for a judgment now.

To face Tang Jun-pa directly.

He couldn’t tell at all just by looking at his expression from afar on this boat.

Cheon Mubaeck moved right away.

“Neung-heo, you guard the boat here. I’m going over there with Ga-ryeong.”

First, to check Tang Jun-pa’s condition and for a conversation, his disciple, Chae Ga-ryeong, had to accompany him.

What conversation would Cheon Mubaeck have if he went alone?

It would be a relief if he didn’t fight with the river bandits.

Cheon Mubaeck’s gaze fell on Chae Ga-ryeong. At that, Yeon So-un suddenly stepped forward.

“I’ll go with you. I’m the young lady’s escort.”

“Do you need an escort when I’m next to you?”

At the calm words, Yeon So-un was at a loss for words. She had watched Cheon Mubaeck’s martial power so far. If that great person could not stop it, it would be the same even if she went.

Yeon So-un, who had keenly felt that fact, looked at Chae Ga-ryeong with a rather worried gaze.

Chae Ga-ryeong soon nodded with a resolute face.

“Yes. Let’s go together. I also want to see my master.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll send you back safely.”

Cheon Mubaeck said so and ordered Neung-heo.

“We might have to run away, so you have to guard the boat. Got it?”

“Yes, yes. Don’t worry.”

Unlike the tense Chae Ga-ryeong and Yeon So-un, Neung-heo was calm. Because this was not the first or second time.

Hadn’t he just recently gone through a chilling experience at the Red Dragon Faction?

“As I travel with you, I think my guts have really swollen.”

“You were born with them swollen.”

“Hehehe.”

Cheon Mubaeck immediately held his sword and moved.

Seogeok!

Cheon Mubaeck cut the rope connecting the boats.

“What’s going on! We haven’t docked the boat at the pier yet!”

The eyes of the river bandit who had been pulling Cheon Mubaeck’s boat to the Water Dragon Fortress with a rope widened.

He had set off a firework in advance and had sent a signal to the Water Dragon Fortress. To prepare, as he was bringing a formidable master.

If he pulled the boat like this, it was obvious that the guy would be killed by the fortress master and the river bandits.

But did he notice that and cut the rope and run away?

Of course, that was the river bandits’ misunderstanding. Cheon Mubaeck moved according to a new plan.

The river bandits’ large boat and the boat that Cheon Mubaeck was on quickly moved away from each other.

“Guard the boat and raise the sail as soon as I give the signal.”

“I don’t know how to handle it.”

“I know, so just spread the sail.”

“How are you going to go? We still have to go further to the pier.”

It was an action instead of an answer.

“Relax your body. We’re going to jump in one go.”

“P-Pardon? Kkeuak!”

Chae Ga-ryeong, who had been tilting her head at Cheon Mubaeck’s incomprehensible words, let out a scream without even realizing it at the feeling of her body being lifted.

Soon, when she realized what the situation was, her face flushed.

Cheon Mubaeck’s scent that pricked the tip of her nose.

“…!”

The river bandits who had been pulling Cheon Mubaeck’s boat here looked up with their mouths wide open.

Kwang!

“C-Crazy!”

The river bandits’ faces turned pale. He had jumped over the bow in one go and had jumped onto the boat that the river bandits were on, and then, without stopping, he had made a big leap towards the pier.

He had used the two boats in front of him as a means for a running start.

But even so, the distance to the pier was still eight zhang.

To jump over that with a running start?

And with a person, albeit a small one, tucked under his arm?

The moment disbelief appeared in their eyes.

Cheon Mubaeck’s feet walked as if he were stepping on the air a few times.

“…!”

A movement as if he were walking on the sky. When the Heaven-Earth Eagle Steps unfolded, not only the river bandits on the boat, but also the river bandits who had come out to the pier all opened their mouths and were dumbfounded.

“A master…!”

“He’s a master!”

Receiving their trembling gazes, Cheon Mubaeck landed right on the pier.

Kwang!

“…”

It was a perfect way to take the initiative.

When Cheon Mubaeck straightened his bent knees, the river bandits stepped back with a fearful gaze.

Only one person.

Tang Jun-pa was standing with a look of knowing and not knowing.

Chae Ga-ryeong, who had a dazed face, quickly shouted at Tang Jun-pa.

“Master!”

Cheon Mubaeck did not take his eyes off Tang Jun-pa for a moment.

He did not miss the subtly changing expression.

“It’s Ga-ryeong.”

Tang Jun-pa smiled.

The corners of his mouth that slowly drew an arc.

Chae Ga-ryeong, at the soft voice, thought that he was the master she knew. She flinched as if she would run to him at any moment. But Cheon Mubaeck stood in between and blocked her.

Cheon Mubaeck saw.

“Young Master?”

“Be calm and focus and look. Does he look like your master?”

“Pardon?”

“His mouth is smiling, isn’t it?”

Cheon Mubaeck’s calm voice and atmosphere had a strange power to calm a person’s mind and body. Chae Ga-ryeong barely calmed her mind and looked at Tang Jun-pa.

“Uh…?”

Only then did Chae Ga-ryeong seem to understand a little of what Cheon Mubaeck meant.

Although the corners of his mouth drew a smile, it was stiff. As if he were forcing a smile, his muscles moved awkwardly. And his eyes were not smiling. On the contrary, they were indifferent. In his eyes, there was no sign of welcome, no warmth, no softness, nothing.

Like the pupils of a dead person.

Chae Ga-ryeong flinched and took a step back.

“Is he… not my master?”

“No. It seems he is.”

Cheon Mubaeck clearly felt the poisonous qi coming from Tang Jun-pa. A natural poisonous qi that only flowed from those who had handled poison for a long time.

Especially the poisonous qi that he had smelled and tasted at the Seopjin-mun was caught by Cheon Mubaeck’s super sense.

If the owner of the stone poison was Tang Jun-pa, then the person in front of him was Tang Jun-pa.

Since Chae Ga-ryeong had not suspected him at first, his appearance was also the same.

But even so, could that person be called the Tang Jun-pa of the past that Chae Ga-ryeong knew?

“Let’s talk. Vitality Physician.”

“Who are you?”

There was no tone in his voice. A person’s voice would naturally have a high and low rhythm like a melody. But it was as stiff as if he were reading a book.

Cheon Mubaeck felt a strange feeling.

A sense that only Cheon Mubaeck could feel.

Another super sense beyond the five senses, which was felt in his head right after he had learned the Heaven-Shaking Soul Art.

“You don’t need to know that, but did you use poison on the Seopjin-mun?”

“…”

This time, there was no change in his expression. No, there was.

A question appeared on his face as if to ask how he knew that. But even that was as stiff and awkward as if it were made up.

It seemed Chae Ga-ryeong also felt the sense of unease, and she flinched as if she were slightly scared.

When Cheon Mubaeck looked at her, Chae Ga-ryeong stepped forward with a sense of tact.

“Master, it’s Chae Ga-ryeong. Can you explain what on earth happened?”

“It’s nothing. I’m just leading the Water Dragon Fortress.”

“That’s absurd…”

“Were you threatened?”

“Threatened? Me?”

At that, Cheon Mubaeck folded several possibilities.

He was not forced to sit on the throne of the master of the Water Dragon Fortress by someone’s threat.

Cheon Mubaeck’s eyes fell on his wrist.

“Master, you weren’t kidnapped by the Water Dragon Fortress and threatened, were you? That can’t be. How could my master become the leader of the river bandits…”

“Chae Ga-ryeong.”

Cheon Mubaeck’s low voice stopped her. Cheon Mubaeck, as if he finally understood, smiled with relief.

“The person you knew is already dead.”

“…Pardon?”

Cheon Mubaeck looked at Tang Jun-pa.

What was left on his wrist was a trace of a cut qi vein. But he was using his hand as if nothing had happened. Was it just the qi vein of his wrist?

“He died and came back to life, so should I say he was revived…”

“Revived? How do you know that?”

Although Tang Jun-pa’s voice still had no high or low, a sense of bewilderment was felt.

Cheon Mubaeck was now convinced.

Tang Jun-pa was a physician, and he was not a person who would become the leader of a group of river bandits. But he had become the fortress master, had used poison to destroy a sect, and behind that was the Blood Ghost Valley.

It was clear that Tang Jun-pa was connected to the Blood Ghost Valley.

Cheon Mubaeck fumbled through his memory.

The most fundamental cause that had entangled him with Shaolin before.

It was the Blood Ghost Valley that had plundered the goods that the Azure Star Escort Agency had been transporting.

The goods that the Blood Ghost Valley had plundered at that time was a kind of Buddhist scripture.

A Buddhist scripture that had existed since Bodhidharma had crossed over to the Central Plains and had established Shaolin.

A secret art that had been passed down from the esoteric Buddhism of ancient India.

A Buddhist scripture with numerous strange secret arts written in it.

If the Blood Ghost Valley had interpreted that Buddhist scripture and had finally succeeded.

Cheon Mubaeck understood all the situations so far.

The fact that Tang Jun-pa had become the master of the Water Dragon Fortress, the fact that he had used poison to annihilate a sect, and the fact that among the five culprits was the Ho-seon-ja, a famous master of the orthodox sects.

Although the consciousness and the memory were there, it was not the same being.

Finally, everything was solved.

“You… are that, aren’t you?”

A white smile appeared on Cheon Mubaeck’s lips as he looked at Tang Jun-pa.

(End of Chapter)

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep