Chapter 573

Chapter 573 - Side Story 7

Tang Yu-jeong and Tang Gyeong went to Mount Qingcheng and wandered around nearby teahouses and inns inquiring about Woon-jeong.

"I heard a disciple of Sect Leader Bok-cheon who used to go by the Taoist name Woon-jeong lives around here? Could you tell us where he is?"

"Is he still around here?"

"Sorry to disturb you, we'd like to ask you something."

Tang Yu-jeong stirred up a hornet's nest with her inquiries while Tang Gyeong concentrated and listened carefully.

「Look, those two are looking for Senior Brother Woon-jeong. Do you recognize them?」

「Never seen them before...」

Tang Gyeong's ears perked up. Finally, the voice transmission sound he'd been waiting days for was heard.

They'd been caught by the Qingcheng Sect's surveillance network.

'Yes!'

Tang Gyeong focused even more on the voice transmission.

「They seem to have learned martial arts but I can't tell what level, hmm. You report to the main mountain. I should inform Senior Brother Woon-jeong as well.」

Tang Gyeong had eavesdropped on the conversation the Qingcheng Sect Taoists exchanged via voice transmission. Tang Gyeong was delighted.

It was worth using his head.

Tang Yu-jeong and Tang Gyeong exchanged glances.

'Let's follow him!'

***

The Qingcheng Sect Taoist who appeared to be in his thirties climbed the mountain with quick steps. A small trail continued as if people occasionally passed through.

Tang Yu-jeong had experience tracking from external missions. Therefore, she warned Tang Gyeong not to go too fast, but Tang Gyeong, worried about losing him, would anxiously run ahead whenever the Qingcheng Sect Taoist was out of sight.

The two barely maintained an appropriate distance to avoid being caught and continued following.

However, as they crossed the fourth mountain, Tang Yu-jeong felt something was strange.

'Hey, stop for a moment.'

She grabbed Tang Gyeong. Tang Gyeong, without taking his eyes off the Qingcheng Sect Taoist, replied with his lips.

'Ah, why! We'll lose him!'

'I think we've been going in circles.'

'What?'

When the two stopped walking, the Qingcheng Sect Taoist ahead suddenly turned around. His eyes met theirs directly.

"Ah!"

The Qingcheng Sect Taoist squinted his eyes.

"You two have been following me since the teahouse. How did you know to follow me?"

The Qingcheng Sect Taoist never thought Tang Gyeong had eavesdropped on the voice transmission he exchanged with his colleague and followed him.

On the other hand, Tang Yu-jeong and Tang Gyeong had also been complacent. There was no way the Qingcheng Sect Taoists, famous for being meticulous, wouldn't notice the sloppy tracking of novices.

"Hehe, well, that is..."

The Qingcheng Sect Taoist glared fiercely.

"Why are you looking for Senior Brother Woon-jeong?"

Tang Yu-jeong tried to answer somehow to avoid the crisis, but Tang Gyeong stopped her. Then he spoke as if this was what Dad Jin Ja-gang would have done.

"It's none of the Taoist's business. Don't worry about it and go your way."

The Qingcheng Sect Taoist frowned.

"A man in women's clothing?"

"...Oops."

Tang Yu-jeong looked down at Tang Gyeong pathetically, dumbfounded. Tang Gyeong had used a man's voice trying to imitate Jin Ja-gang.

The Qingcheng Sect Taoist made an expression like he'd seen something he shouldn't have.

"You guys are definitely suspicious!"

From "you two" to "you guys" and finally degraded to "bastards" at the end.

Seurureong. The Qingcheng Sect Taoist drew his sword.

From Tang Yu-jeong and Tang Gyeong's standpoint, they didn't want their identities exposed, not that they had any intention of killing anyone.

"Hehehe, let's not do this."

Tang Yu-jeong said desperately, hiding her bewilderment. But the Qingcheng Sect Taoist naturally ignored Tang Yu-jeong's words and charged. Tang Yu-jeong grabbed Tang Gyeong's ear and said urgently.

"Subdue him without using our family's martial arts."

"Like Dad?"

Jin Ja-gang's Life and Death Combat that clung viciously at minimum distance was legendary. It was separately researched and called Asura Absolute Form.

"Even more impossible!"

"Huh? Then what should I do!"

The Qingcheng Sect Taoist quickly closed the distance and attacked Tang Gyeong first.

Ppit, sword energy slightly rose and aimed for Tang Gyeong's Shoulder Well acupoint. Tang Gyeong unconsciously tried to deflect the Qingcheng Sect Taoist's sword with the Tang Family's Grappling Technique, then remembered Tang Yu-jeong's words and stopped. Though his martial arts were advanced, this was his first real combat, so he panicked and his movements became confused.

The Qingcheng Sect Taoist's sword struck Tang Gyeong's Shoulder Well acupoint. However, it couldn't penetrate and caught. It pierced his clothes but couldn't break through his internal energy. Tang Gyeong was pushed back and staggered.

"Uh-uh-uh?"

The Qingcheng Sect Taoist's eyes widened. He blocked the sword energy with just internal energy without using any special protective energy technique!

The Qingcheng Sect Taoist rapidly aimed his swift sword at Tang Gyeong's vital acupoints all over his body. The sword light flashed frantically. Tang Gyeong panicked and threw a punch. Buuuuuu! Unable to control his strength, too much internal energy was loaded into his fist. His fist appeared hazy. The Qingcheng Sect Taoist's sword energy was affected and distorted.

The Qingcheng Sect Taoist urgently stepped back using footwork. Tang Gyeong swung at air. Wondering until the end whether to strike or not made his hand slow.

The Qingcheng Sect Taoist realized he was outmatched and gave up fighting further. He immediately retreated and blew a long whistle.

Piiiiiiik!

Then he turned and fled. In the direction of the Qingcheng Sect's main mountain.

"Can't let him get away!"

Tang Gyeong panicked and kicked the ground. Kwang! Dirt scattered and the ground caved in. Tang Gyeong flew like a flash. Flying forward faster than the Qingcheng Sect Taoist's escape speed, he crashed into a tree ahead. He'd originally planned to land gently on the tree but couldn't control his strength.

Kwajeok! The large tree was completely smashed to pieces. The Qingcheng Sect Taoist twisted his body in surprise and leaped up.

Tang Yu-jeong appeared above the Qingcheng Sect Taoist's head and struck down with clasped fists.

Kwang! The Qingcheng Sect Taoist rapidly crashed and was slammed into the ground. He wriggled but wasn't dead.

"Whew."

Both Tang Yu-jeong and Tang Gyeong breathed a sigh of relief.

Tang Yu-jeong felt something strange and turned her head. Because Tang Gyeong was too excited, a green tint was showing around his eyes.

"In real combat, composure is more important. Got it?"

"Y-yeah."

For once, Tang Gyeong obediently listened to Tang Yu-jeong.

Tang Yu-jeong looked down at the unconscious Qingcheng Sect Taoist and scratched her head.

"Anyway, it's all ruined. What do we do now?"

Then a whistle sound was heard.

Piiiii!

As if someone blew a whistle from a distance, an echo rang out.

"Huh?"

Tang Yu-jeong and Tang Gyeong simultaneously opened their eyes wide and raised their heads. Their ears perked up.

Piiiii!

A moment later, the whistle sound was heard again.

What that signal meant...

***

Chyeok! Chyeok! Chyeok!

The sound of splitting firewood continuously echoed.

A kind-looking man who appeared to be in his mid-thirties was making firewood. However, no axe was visible. He was gripping the end of thick wood with his hand and tearing it to make firewood.

Piiiiiiik…!

From somewhere, a sound like a mountain bird's long cry was heard. The man stopped tearing firewood and raised his head.

The man also blew a whistle.

Piiiii!

And waited.

"..."

He blew the whistle once more. And waited, but no answer came.

"Hmm."

The man glanced at the firewood he'd made. Already a considerable amount had accumulated. The man piled the firewood like a mountain on an A-frame carrier, tied it, and shouted toward the house.

"Honey, I'm going to the village to sell firewood!"

The door opened from inside the house and his wife stuck her head out. She had a plain but sharp impression. The wife gestured to wait a moment, came outside, and went to the chicken coop.

Kkokkokkol

Dozens of chickens thought she was giving feed and flocked to her, flapping. The wife came out with eggs from the nesting area in a basket. Then she bundled the eggs with straw and handed them to the man.

"Sell these too? You finished faster than I thought. Got it. What should I buy when I come back? Should I buy the sweets my honey likes?"

The wife shook her head but the man grinned knowingly.

"Ey, I know what you want to eat. I'll buy meat and what we need."

The wife pointed at herself with her finger and then at the man.

"No no. I'll go alone today. I have a place to stop by. And it's too far for our child."

At the man's words, the wife touched her slightly swollen belly and blushed.

Nod nod.

"Then... I'll be..."

But the man couldn't finish his farewell. He put down the A-frame carrier he'd been shouldering and gestured to his wife.

"Honey, go inside. It seems we have visitors."

The wife worriedly grabbed the man's hand.

The man smiled to show it was okay and urged her to go inside.

Then he turned his head and turned around, no longer with a gentle expression. The man's eyes became serious.

Twelve years had passed since Jin Ja-gang stepped down from Murim Alliance Leader. Though there were small incidents, there hadn't been any major events significant enough to affect the Qingcheng Sect.

Yet someone had broken that peace and touched a disciple of the Qingcheng Sect. On Mount Qingcheng at that!

The man cracked his neck left and right and loosened his finger joints.

An old person and a maiden could be seen walking up the trail to the man's house with strange, sneaking movements.

The old person suddenly said something odd.

"Hehe, cold winds blow alone, yet the traveler's heart is only lonely. Sideburns turn white, tomorrow another year will be added, and home grows ever more distant."

The maiden who appeared to be about eighteen matched the rhythm.

"One cup of wine to forget worries, one verse of poetry to forget the years."

"Hehehe."

"Hohoho."

They seemed to leisurely enjoy a mountain trip. However, there was no killing intent at all, but their behavior was somehow unnatural. It seemed like an attitude of forcing composure. They'd been strangely avoiding eye contact with the man.

"..."

Eventually their eyes met. There was only one path, so they couldn't help but make eye contact.

The old person suddenly brightened and greeted with cupped fists.

"Hehehe, there's a house in these mountains? We got lost on our way, and to meet people in such deep mountains. How delightful."

The maiden also greeted.

"Greetings. It is our first meeting."

The old person was seen glancing at the maiden with an uncomfortable look.

"..."

The old person and maiden looked at the man's darkly tanned, sturdy arms.

Goosebumps ran along the man's arms.

"..."

How awkward was it that even the tense man was trembling with goosebumps!

Everyone became embarrassed.

The man grimaced heavily and asked while scratching his goosebumped arms.

"Ugh... who are you?"

The old person and maiden glared at each other with frowns. They seemed to blame each other with expressions asking why they had to do this.