Chapter 102. Lure (2)

Once they passed the wall, the old monk moved ahead of So-hwa.

『From here on, follow the path I walk.』

The monk began walking northward. It seemed he intended to leave through the north gate.

The gatekeeper met the monk’s gaze, then turned his eyes away.

Whether he was under the influence of Five Minerals Powder or was a spy from the Blood Sect was unclear, but it was certain the monk had made preparations to smuggle So-hwa out. It really did seem that Myungdan was aiding the Blue Blood Hall.

So-hwa recalled the swordsmen of Mount Hua who had devoted themselves to saving their disciple and junior.

‘Myungdan probably doesn’t know that he has become a spy for the Blood Sect.’

It seemed highly likely that another internal conflict would break out in Mount Hua in this life, too.

Even after entering the mountain path, the monk walked for quite a while. When they reached the mid-mountain area, he finally spoke in his own voice rather than through mental transmission.

“Stop.”

The old monk moved a small stone by performing a strange footwork.

Tuk.

So-hwa flinched for a moment. The rock before her had split open. A meadow appeared through the gap in the rocks.

“A-oh.”

The monk took off his face. Beneath the mask was the face of a middle-aged man.

“I thought I was going to die from suffocation!”

Scratching his short hair vigorously, he took a deep breath.

“Haah—finally out of the hound’s territory!”

The man let out a hearty laugh and turned back to look at her.

“Come on now. I’ll take you to the esteemed one who’s waiting for you.”

The Blood Sect member began humming as he walked forward.

So-hwa followed him, quietly stepping into the bushes.

Aside from the weeds brushing her ankles, there was nothing else.

With nothing obstructing her sight, she could see far ahead.

As she gazed at the sunlight resting on the meadow, So-hwa realized this place was not Hubei.

Walking through the green sea, she kept a measured distance from the monk.

“Your steps are too slow—it’s frustrating. Come on, let’s run.”

The man suddenly ordered her to run. Though he said “run,” he used qinggong and disappeared in an instant.

So-hwa also moved quickly, but it wasn’t a speed that could match his.

However, before long, the distance between them began to shrink.

It seemed he had slowed down since he could no longer sense her presence.

Only after running for about half a shichen (1 hour) did the man come to a stop.

As So-hwa reached him, the Blood Sect member turned and clicked his tongue.

“Tsk tsk, I guess the Tang Clan of Sichuan only trains in hidden weapons. Don’t they teach qinggong? So slow. Anyone would think you’re a martial artist who hasn’t even formed a dantian. And what kind of martial artist has legs like that?”

At the mention of the Tang Clan, So-hwa’s expression turned cold. But since it was their first meeting, the man couldn’t tell the difference in her usual blank face.

Then, as if by some trick, an entrance appeared in what had been empty air.

“Let’s get moving. Otherwise, we’ll both have a rough time.”

The man grinned and crossed over the boundary. So-hwa followed him into a new formation.

As before, the location changed.

They repeated this process two more times.

On the third crossing, the man cursed and rubbed his arms.

“Ugh, it’s damn freezing. We got here at night ’cause you were slow! I prefer the Jin (golden) mountain over the Yin (silver) mountain, damn it.”

So-hwa, who had also crossed the boundary, hunched her shoulders.

A biting cold tore through her entire body.

She looked around the world, filled with cold.

Beneath the black night sky—

The moonlight illuminated everything in a pale white glow.

The snowy field, holding both darkness and light, looked gray.

“Ugh, I’m gonna freeze to death.”

The Blood Sect member kept swearing nonstop. So-hwa ignored him and followed quietly.

On the silver world, black footprints formed dotted lines.

As the line grew longer, the sensation in her feet began to disappear.

The Blood Sect member turned his head back.

“Aren’t you cold?”

“……”

“Five Minerals Powder must really be something. You don’t seem to feel a thing. Maybe I should try it too.”

The Blood Sect member, possibly driven mad by the cold, was spouting nonsense.

Though he kept complaining about the cold, he didn’t run ahead using qinggong, nor did he try to strengthen his body with internal energy.

‘Is martial arts forbidden in this place?’

Watching the man trembling ahead of her, So-hwa tried to gauge where they were.

A place where golden sand sparkles during the day, and ice glows softly at night—

‘Is this the Jin Yin Mountain the Alliance Leader spoke of?’

Judging by how cautiously the Blood Sect member was acting, it must be the Blood Demon’s fortress.

So-hwa stared intently at the silver snowy field, pressed down by darkness.

***

Wuhan’s streets were particularly noisy today, perhaps due to the impending finals of the Martial Arts Tournament. However, Platinum Pavilion, nestled in an alleyway, remained quiet as usual.

Staring out at the Yangtze River under the setting sun, Haerak held a snow lotus pipe. Its strangely peaceful atmosphere was slightly unsettling, but not so peaceful as to raise suspicion.

As Haerak filled the end of the pipe with sleep lotus, his eyes narrowed.

Thud, thud, thud, thud.

The hurried footsteps of Doyu climbing the stairs could be heard.

He wasn’t surprised. Every time he bought precious sleep lotus, this man would barge in and ruin it, making him waste money.

“Young Master!”

Haerak looked down at the pipe and sighed.

“Is this how the Blood Demon feels? As if you’re reading my mind—you always interrupt just when I’m starting to feel good.”

“This is no time for calmly insulting me!”

“Yes, yes. I haven’t even lit it yet, so I suppose it’s not worth cursing over.”

Haerak set the pipe down and smiled faintly.

Today, no matter what news Doyu brought, he felt he could take it in relatively good spirits.

Even if the Blue Blood Hall bastards caused some kind of incident, he was ready to forgive half of it.

After all, they stirred up trouble before the Martial Arts Tournament ended, which suited his purpose. If they drew the Murim Alliance’s attention and took the fall, the Blood Demon would retreat into the shadows again.

But the news Doyu brought was something else entirely.

“Young Lady Tang seems to have disappeared!”

The sound behind the thin door vanished.

Clack.

A moment later, the door opened slowly.

Haerak returned the sleep lotus into its box and asked.

“You said not even half a shichen (1 hour) ago that she entered the Alliance Leader’s quarters.”

“Yes, it’s true that the Alliance Leader asked for the Divine Physician and Young Lady Tang to come to his quarters. We also received a report that Tang So-hwa entered the Alliance Leader’s residence.”

“And?”

The Hall Lord’s voice remained calm. The deputy quickly opened his mouth again.

“Before Young Lady Tang entered the Alliance Leader’s quarters, she met with Myungdan of Mount Hua. It’s said she drank tea with him in one of Mount Hua’s pavilions before heading to the Alliance Leader’s quarters…”

As he trailed off, Doyu cautiously added more.

“It just so happens that at that same time, word came that the Blue Blood Hall Lord entered the headquarters.”

Haerak, having just closed the sleep lotus box, lifted his head. Only then did his gaze fall on Doyu. Ignoring the pressure of Haerak’s presence, Doyu calmly continued his report.

“So I immediately sent a reply to the bastards at Profound Emptiness Pavilion, asking where the Blue Blood Hall Lord went. But I just received word back that they have no memory of sending a messenger bird, nor do they recall ever reporting seeing the Blue Blood Hall Lord.”

“Did they already tamper with his memory? They’ve been wandering around without a care, even when we had people on them… but this time, they responded suspiciously fast.”

“My thoughts exactly!”

Doyu couldn’t help but raise his voice. But the one receiving the report remained composed.

“So what you’re saying is that the Blue Blood Hall Lord kidnapped Tang So-hwa?”

“Yes.”

Doyu added, unable to hold back.

“If it’s alright, may I frankly speak my mind?”

Haerak granted silent permission.

“I think it wasn’t the Blue Blood Hall Lord who lured Tang So-hwa—Tang So-hwa lured him.”

Doyu’s voice rose.

“She’s the one who lured you in the first place, isn’t she? If she knew the Blue Blood Hall was targeting her, she’s clever enough to turn that around and make her way to Jin Yin Mountain. Didn’t you say she’s someone we can’t read?”

“True. But what’s with your expression?”

Doyu’s gaze was insolent.

He didn’t deny it and replied in a blunt tone.

“You’re the only one I can think of who would’ve told her the Blue Blood Hall was after her. If I’m wrong, I’ll apologize.”

Haerak said nothing—his gaze merely slid toward the window.

That leisurely attitude made Doyu’s face flush red.

“Why..!”

His breath quickened.

“Why did you tell her?! Tang So-hwa is not someone to be trusted!”

“I didn’t tell her because she’s trustworthy.”

Haerak let out a dry laugh.

“I told her because she’s necessary.”

Doyu suppressed his anger and asked again.

“So what will you do if she really went to meet the Blood Demon?”

His expression darkened. He lowered his voice to a whisper, full of urgency.

“What if she actually knows who the sorcerer is? If the Blood Demon puts his mind to it, he’ll get her to talk in less than a day. If the Blood Demon regains that sorcerer again…”

Haerak raised his hand, and Doyu fell silent.

It wasn’t because he was displeased with Doyu’s words.

Something strange had interrupted them.

Doyu’s gaze followed Haerak’s to the window.

Flap, flap.

Suddenly, a hawk landed on the windowsill.

It held a strange pouch in its beak and clutched an obsidian hairpin tightly between its talons—a most unusual bird.

“Hm?”

Recognizing the hairpin, Haerak reached out to take it, but the hawk backed away warily, dropping only the pouch. Its huffing attitude was sharp and fierce.

It seemed to say: Look, but don’t touch.

Haerak gave a hollow laugh.

“Judging by that temper, I know exactly who your owner is.”

He picked up the pouch from the floor. Inside was a small vial and a note.

As Haerak unfolded the note, the smile slowly vanished from his face.

Seeing his expression change, Doyu tensed, but the Main Blood Hall Lord didn’t show anger. Instead, he fell into brief silence, deep in thought.

After a pause, he sighed.

“This is all my fault.”

“Pardon?”

“I forgot that she’s someone who plays tricks with her life on the line.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I thought she had a plan, but she’s doing something as if she had no sense at all.”

Haerak put on his long coat, suppressing the fury rising inside him.

“If I want to find her before she dies, I’d better hurry.”

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