Chapter 47: Mount Hua (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 47: Mount Hua (1)
A full month had passed since the Gu Clan’s request landed at the Hao Clan’s doorstep. In that time, Dowoon-Chu had navigated a whirlwind of events, both major and minor.
Her first priority after Gu Yangcheon’s departure was not the task he had set, but a thorough investigation into the Gu Clan itself. She reasoned that for Gu Yangcheon to possess information about the Hao Clan Lord, he must have acquired it from his own clan. She needed to know: Had the Gu Clan orchestrated the kidnapping? If so, when and how had they done it? And why send Gu Yangcheon to deliver the news?
Alongside this clandestine research, she also had to make progress on Gu Yangcheon’s official request. A month was far too short a time to see it through to completion, but she had to try. Failure to produce results would leave her with nothing to show him.
Fortunately, the Hao Clan was uniquely positioned for such an endeavor. Nestled within territories influenced by the Gu Clan, they possessed both valuable existing intelligence and the means to acquire more. Dowoon-Chu was confident that a dedicated effort, even without mobilizing the clan's full power, would yield the necessary information.
Yet, to her surprise, her investigation hit an impenetrable wall. Beyond common knowledge, she could uncover nothing new about the Gu Clan. This was strange; even the famously secretive 'Four Noble Clans' were not this difficult to probe. It was as if a deliberate force was blocking her inquiries.
…Are they hiding the Three Venerables in their clan or something?
The thought was so absurd it almost made her laugh. But the sheer lack of information was that baffling.
Compounding her difficulties was the nature of Gu Yangcheon’s request. The individual he sought was located far away, making information-gathering inherently slow and challenging. Her operatives had reported something peculiar about the target, but details were scarce. The entire situation was a tangled web of half-answers and looming questions.
Through it all, Dowoon-Chu maintained her signature composure. Showing curiosity was a weakness, a vulnerability to be exploited by an opponent. A placid, unreadable facade had been her lifelong creed.
Yet, for the second time since meeting Gu Yangcheon, that carefully constructed mask fractured. The sight before her stirred an irresistible curiosity. After a moment of hesitation, she finally spoke.
“…Young Master Gu, might I ask you a question?”
“No.”
“What happened to your eye…?”
She gestured delicately toward his left eye. The once-pristine orb was now a startling shade of blue, overshadowed by a massive, ugly bruise.
“…I told you not to ask,” Gu Yangcheon frowned, his expression darkening the instant the words left her mouth.
* * *
Did he really have to bring this up…?
I was already irritated, having dragged my exhausted body all the way here.
Sigh…
A sigh escaped my lips unbidden.
The bruise was a souvenir from last night’s bout with that fiery boar, Gu Huibi.
That piece of…
That lunatic. I told her to calm down, over and over, but she just wouldn’t listen.
The most terrifying part was the maniacal smile plastered on her face throughout our entire "spar." What had gotten her so excited that she’d charged at me like a mad bull? She’d claimed she was helping me burn off some residual Qi, but halfway through, it was blatantly obvious she was just having fun.
In the end, I did manage to purge the lingering Qi, thanks to her… vigorous assistance. But I also gained this magnificent shiner.
“…Something happened,” I offered curtly.
“I see…”
When we finally stopped, Gu Huibi seemed to realize she’d gone overboard, her face a picture of guilt.
…What kind of person follows up a missed sword strike with an elbow to the face?
Fortunately, she’d been a bit low on Qi after whiffing her initial attack. A full-powered hit would have splattered my head like a melon.
I swear, I am never dueling her again.
Throughout my internal grumbling, Dowoon-Chu kept staring at my bruise, a look of concern etched on his face.
Is he looking for an opening to punch it?
Noticing my discomfort, Dowoon-Chu feigned a cough.
“…Ahem. I heard you had some business to attend to during your trip to Sichuan.”
“Business…?”
I paused, the cup of tea halfway to my lips. The only "business" I had in Sichuan was related to the secret vault. There was no way he knew about that… right?
“I heard you defeated the Lightning Dragon.”
“Oh.”
Immediate relief washed over me. Thankfully, he was clueless about the vault. I’d nearly forgotten the Lightning Dragon incident; it was that insignificant to me.
“The story about the Gu Clan’s son breaking the Lightning Dragon’s arm in a duel… that was you, was it not?”
“I didn’t break it… I just… gave it a love tap.”
There were only so many witnesses at the Military Exhibition of Tang. Who's spreading these exaggerated rumors?
“Where there are eyes, there will be mouths,” Dowoon-Chu said, as if he’d read my mind.
Honestly, I’d expected the story to spread like wildfire—the humiliation of the Lightning Dragon was juicy gossip. Surprisingly, it hadn’t gained much traction.
“The Namgung Clan is actively suppressing the rumors to prevent them from spreading further.”
Yeah, that sounds like them.
But to successfully quash a rumor already loose in the world… that’s harder than spreading one.
They probably threw a sack of gold at the Beggar’s Sect.
They must have spent a fortune.
What was more shocking was that Dowoon-Chu seemed far less interested in this story than in my black eye.
…So he’s more surprised by my bruise than by me beating the Lightning Dragon?
What kind of bullshit priority is that…?
“Anyway, how is my request progressing?” I asked, changing the subject.
Dowoon-Chu produced a letter, as if he’d been waiting for the question. I took it and opened it without hesitation; I’d been waiting a month for this.
“…What is this?”
But something was off. I frowned after reading just the first few lines.
The brief letter contained information on the boy I was searching for. According to it, the boy had already left the area with his grandfather around the time I gave Dowoon-Chu the request.
It was absurd. The boy leaving was one thing, but leaving with a grandfather? That was another oddity entirely. I’d been told he was an orphan. And furthermore…
“He’s already left the area?”
“Yes. That is all we were able to ascertain.”
The description was specific: a boy around ten years old with half-gray hair, last seen living in a remote mountainous region. With such unique characteristics, a mistake was unlikely.
This left three possibilities: The Hao Clan was lying to me. The information I had on the boy was incorrect from the start. Or… history had changed once again.
What a drag.
If the Hao Clan was lying, I wondered about their motive. Perhaps they were trying to string me along to extract more information. Or maybe they’d already kidnapped the boy, believing him to be important to me.
Neither scenario was particularly bad for me. In fact, either would make it easier to achieve my goal. But if my original information was flawed… that was problematic.
If he lied to me even in a situation like that…
After all, the information had come directly from the person in question. If he’d lied to me on his deathbed… the thought sent a chill down my spine.
Would someone really lie with their final breath? I couldn't be sure. He was a man who, despite having no Qi, had schemed his way through thousands of martial artists using only his intellect. He was certainly capable of it.
Even then…
Whatever the truth, there was nothing I could do about it now. I didn’t have the luxury to run around investigating this. I needed to leave for Mount Hua soon.
…Problems are piling up all at once.
“Young Master.”
“…What should I do about this?”
“Young Master…!”
“…What?”
I was walking through the streets after leaving the Hao Clan. With nothing left to discuss, I’d told them I’d return in a few days. As had become my habit, I headed out to buy some yakgwa.
As I received a box of the honey cakes from the vendor, I noticed Muyeon behind me, his face a picture of despair.
“…What’s wrong? Why that face?”
“…I don’t have any money, Young Master,” he blurted out.
What is he on about?
Why does he automatically assume he’s paying?
Feeling mischievous, I decided to mess with him.
“What!? Why are you telling me this now!?”
At my outburst, Muyeon’s expression plunged into utter despair, as if he’d been expecting this very moment. Amused, I pulled a few silver coins from my pocket. His face shifted comically from despair to shock.
“Hey, I was just joking. Did you really think you were going to pay?” I laughed.
“No… It’s just.”
“No? Then why the act?”
“…If you have money, then could I please have the money you borrowed from me a while back—”
“Here is your yakgwa!” the vendor announced.
“Oh! My yakgwa is here. Let’s go home.”
I snatched the perfectly timed box of sweets and started walking back toward the clan residence. Muyeon’s sorrowful calls followed me, but I ignored them for now.
I’m sorry… I swear I’ll pay you back next time.
* * *
The most noticeable change in Gu Yangcheon’s residence was the proliferation of wooden sculptures. The once bland and austere quarters had been brightened up considerably, thanks largely to the shared hobby of Wi Seol-Ah and the Sword Venerable.
The Second Elder contemplated this as he admired a recently completed eagle sculpture.
“You said he has left Anhui?” the Sword Venerable asked.
The Second Elder carefully set the wooden eagle down, handling it with utmost care to avoid damage.
“That is what I heard.”
“…Has something happened?”
The Immortal Healer was a man who moved like the wind, never lingering long in one place. But for him to have been in Anhui carried a weighty significance. Anhui was the domain of the Heavenly Venerable, Namgung Jeolcheon—and Jeolcheon was searching for him. For the Immortal Healer to have been in Anhui while Jeolcheon was there… the Sword Venerable sensed trouble brewing on the horizon.
…But why?
If Jeolcheon had somehow learned that the Sword Venerable was seeking the Immortal Healer, he would never have let the man slip away. Yet, he had already departed Anhui?
“Do you know where he went, Gu Ryoon?”
The Second Elder pondered the question. His trip to the Namgung region had been on the Lord’s orders, concerning both Gu Yangcheon’s marriage arrangements and matters related to the Immortal Healer. The work had piled up ever since he sent Gu Yangcheon to Sichuan, and he felt the young master deserved a solid thumping the next time they met.
By the time the Second Elder reached Anhui, the Immortal Healer was already gone. Most claimed ignorance of his destination, but a few sources suggested he was headed toward Shaanxi Province.
“Shaanxi… Is it Mount Hua?”
The location was familiar. It was also where Gu Yangcheon was destined to go in a few days.
“What will you do?”
“If necessary, I will search for him myself.”
The Sword Venerable would search personally? For a man who had lowered himself to the status of a servant to hide from the world to say such a thing… it meant he was truly desperate. The Second Elder couldn't fully grasp the Sword Venerable’s situation. He had asked for a plan, but the Sword Venerable had remained silent.
Then, a few days later, the Second Elder discovered the truth. On the travel roster for the expedition to Mount Hua, the names of Wi Seol-Ah and the Sword Venerable were clearly written.
* * *
For a farmer, summer was hell.
The scorching sun dried the fields, threatening the harvest and their livelihood, while the oppressive heat sapped their strength. One could argue every season had its hardships, but for a young man helping his mother with the farm work, summer was undeniably the worst.
“Mother! I don’t think we can sell this one!” I shouted in disappointment, tossing a withered crop onto the dry earth.
This dogshit season.
I wondered how much longer this misery would last. Every year, I worked until I was drenched in sweat, and every year, nothing changed.
Just then, the relentless sunlight was suddenly blotted out.
“What the…?”
Hoping for rain-bearing clouds, I looked up at the sky.
It wasn't rain. But I was stunned by what I saw casting the shadow.
“…Whaaaa…!”
I fell onto my backside with a shocked scream.
A girl with hair like azure-white silk, shining in the sun, and skin so pale it seemed she had lived in eternal darkness. She looked like the angels my drunken father always rambled about.
“Hello…” the girl spoke.
Gods, even her voice is beautiful.
My heart hammered wildly in my chest, refusing to calm down.
“Ye-Yes!?”
“Which way must I go to reach Shanxi…?”
Shanxi? Why Shanxi?
My addled mind wondered if she lived there. I barely managed to regain my senses.
“Y-You can reach Shanxi if you just head east…”
“Thank you.”
She seemed to be in a hurry. The moment I answered, she flew off…
Sh-She flew! Right up into the sky!
I screamed, my voice trembling.
“What! What are you screaming for!?” my mother yelled.
“M-Mother, it was an angel!”
“…You crazy child, you haven't been right since that girl rejected you.”
“No, I swear, look—!”
But no matter how much I argued, she ignored me and went back to work. I had no evidence to back up my incredible story.
“…What’s this?”
I suddenly noticed a silver coin on the ground where the girl had been standing. It was enough to feed my family for months.
“H-Holy…”
Did the angel leave this for me? I quickly pocketed the coin.
But one thing bothered me. The angel had asked for directions to Shanxi. I had told her it was to the east.
“…So why did she fly west?”
I had even pointed with my finger…
I would never learn the answer, not even on the day I died.
* * *
Footnotes
1. Shaanxi and Shanxi are adjacent provinces in China. The Gu Clan is from Shanxi, and Mount Hua is in Shaanxi. Their spellings are similar, but their pronunciations are different.