Chronicles of the Northern Heavens - Chapter 115: The Mysterious White-Robed Youth
Yeon-hoo slowly turned his head. His gaze fixed straight on a white-robed man at the opposite table, tilting back his cup despite the early hour.
Mid-twenties, perhaps? The youth cut a striking figure with his blade-sharp features and unusually dark eyes.
Not bad. To deploy Six Harmonies Voice Transmission at such a young age.
Six Harmonies Voice Transmission. An pinnacle-level sound transmission technique that scattered the voice in all directions to conceal the speaker's presence. Even peak experts would struggle to pinpoint the source, yet Yeon-hoo pierced it instantly.
Perhaps that's why the white-robed youth's eyes flickered subtly. He must have been shocked that Yeon-hoo had spotted him at a glance.
Setting down his chopsticks, the youth met Yeon-hoo's stare head-on. Their gazes clashed across the empty air.
Not bad yourself. Piercing Six Harmonies Voice Transmission at your age.
The white-robed youth threw Yeon-hoo's words right back at him. He soon turned away and lifted his cup again.
Yeon-hoo, noting the peculiar glint in the youth's eyes, asked, Were you tailing us?
Just happened to spot you passing by. You don't seem like an ordinary fellow... Let's keep our consciences clear.
That's rich coming from someone hiding behind that ridiculous getup.
The youth's chopsticks froze mid-air as he reached for a bite.
He whipped his gaze back to Yeon-hoo. Meeting the youth's wide-eyed shock head-on, Yeon-hoo continued.
Don't meddle in others' affairs. You should know by now that in the jianghu, even that can cost you your life.
Sounds like you're saying you could kill me.
I don't kill monks or Taoists. Feels off somehow.
The youth's eyes trembled violently, like a man caught red-handed—the strongest reaction yet.
He shot to his feet, clutching his liquor bottle, then strode to Yeon-hoo's table and plopped down opposite.
"Hey, who the hell are you?"
Yuksoon scowled.
"An acquaintance. Give him some leeway."
"An... acquaintance?"
Yeon-hoo couldn't help but be bemused by the youth's brazen move, though it didn't grate on him for some reason.
"Let's call it that."
"Pardon?"
As Yuksoon blinked in confusion, Yeon-hoo set down his chopsticks and took a sip of cold water.
Thud!
The white-robed youth demanded, "How did you know?"
"Know what?"
"That I'm a Taoist."
"Didn't. But I do now."
"...You guessed?"
Yeon-hoo nodded silently and snatched the youth's bottle, taking a swig.
Thud!
"Your comrades could get pinned as the culprits. You really got time to sit here yapping?"
"Come with us."
"Why should I?"
"Because you're the culprit."
"What the—?"
As Yuksoon stepped forward again, Yeon-hoo drained another mouthful and rose.
"My lord, you're really going?"
"Finish up and follow. No backtalk."
Yeon-hoo led the way out of the inn. The white-robed youth trailed behind, eyes gleaming.
'My lord?'
* * *
They'd tracked the Golden Merchant Group's warriors for about two hours when the northern city's rugged mountains came into view. Hundreds of the group's fighters plunged into the hills.
"We go that way."
The white-robed youth pointed left—utterly unrelated to the merchants' path.
"You know something."
"You'll see when we get there."
Whoosh!
The youth leaped ahead. Yeon-hoo and Yuksoon followed wordlessly.
How long had they run? After cresting two ridges, a dense forest veiled the mouth of a narrow gorge. Without hesitation, the youth dove in.
"Senior brother!"
Figures emerged from the sulfur-scented gorge shadows. Clad in varied robes, but Yeon-hoo recognized them as Mudan Sect Taoists.
"Gah!"
Someone gasped in shock. Yeon-hoo instantly pegged him as one of the Mudan Sect Taoists who'd ambushed the Golden Merchant Group's escort.
The white-robed youth asked the group, "Everyone safe?"
"Yes. The rest escaped west safely. But why is he here...?"
All eyes turned to Yeon-hoo. Some tensed, recalling his brutal handiwork against the Golden Merchant Group.
Before the youth could respond, Yeon-hoo spoke first. "Waging war on the Golden Merchant Group?"
"You must know some of it already—they've committed atrocities that outrage heaven and man. Taoist or not, no human could stand by."
"The Golden Merchant Group is beyond what your Mudan Sect can handle."
"Hundreds already weep blood for lost children. If we cower in fear, more will suffer. Even if it means death in battle, Mudan Sect will never ignore injustice."
The earlier sleazy glint was gone from the youth's eyes, now burning with stern resolve. The others matched it.
"What do you want from me?"
"Not a request—a deal."
"Knew it. That's why you approached me on purpose."
"I won't deny it."
"Speak. What's the deal?"
"My juniors told me you're a master who felled the Golden Merchant Group's leader in one strike. So I propose this."
The youth paused, then continued. "Tomorrow, a Golden Merchant Group escort returning from Northwest Murim will pass twenty ri from here. We plan to hit them. But we're short-handed—borrow your blade?"
"You want my help?"
"I said it's a deal."
Yeon-hoo smirked.
"Don't tell me you're offering to keep quiet about me wiping out their escort in exchange for fighting alongside."
"Exactly."
Yeon-hoo was dumbfounded. Watching Yuksoon slapped his waist in incredulous laughter.
Should I just poison them all? Got plenty left for that.
Stay out of it.
Yeon-hoo pressed, "For self-proclaimed Taoists to stoop this low, their escort must be no small force."
"Watch your tongue!"
"Fine, just answer."
"Twenty wagons of goods, three hundred guards, five deputy leaders, and one division head leading."
"That's serious firepower. Think your Mudan Sect can manage alone? You didn't plan around me from the start."
"We have allies of like mind. Understand we can't reveal them."
"Fine, I'll buy that. But it's not just about ruining the escort... What are you really after?"
"Wang-jeok's son rides with the escort. Intel says he's overseeing the slave trade, not Wang-jeok. We want his head."
The plot thickened. Wang-jeok had only one son—the future lord of the empire called Golden Merchant Group.
Wang-jeok's son...
Yeon-hoo suppressed a strange impulse rising from his depths and asked, "Out of petty chivalry?"
"What?"
"I'm asking if you're risking sect annihilation over some minor sense of justice."
"Minor? Is there anything more vital to a martial artist than chivalry?"
Flames blazed in the youth's eyes. Yeon-hoo read the sincerity there.
He smirked. "Now you sound like a proper Taoist."
"Need time to think?"
"And if I refuse?"
"We have people inside Golden Merchant Group. One word from them, and you'll be hunted forever."
"Blackmail?"
"Yes."
"These damn Taoists got no shame! All talk, no limits!"
Yuksoon burst out, but Yeon-hoo held him back.
"My turn for blackmail?"
"Go ahead."
"What if I run to Golden Merchant Group right now and tell them you're Mudan Sect? You won't catch me."
The youth's face twitched. He hadn't expected that counter.
Shing! Shing!
The surrounding Mudan Taoists drew swords en masse, blocking the gorge exit.
"Screw this crap. My lord, best to just kill 'em all."
Yuksoon raised his hands, palms tinting blue.
The youth barked coldly, "Stand down!"
"Senior brother!"
"I said stand down!"
As they retreated, the youth fixed on Yeon-hoo. "What do you want?"
"Wang-jeok's son."
"...What?"
"I'll take him. You get your 'kidnapping' success—mutual satisfaction, no?"
"My lord! You're serious?!"
"Quiet."
Yeon-hoo waited. The youth, deep in thought, soon spoke.
"What are you?"
"Don't ask. Don't wonder. You just wanted my help, regardless of who I am."
"..."
The youth pondered again, then nodded. "Fine. But one question?"
"Ask."
"Why Wang-jeok's son?"
"Got a debt to collect from Wang-jeok."
"So that's why you came here?"
"No. Learned about it after arriving. Was gonna collect, but thanks to you, found a better way. Help your best, and call it thanks."
The youth furrowed his brow at Yeon-hoo's cryptic words. Yeon-hoo perched on a rear boulder.
"Deal's on. Now, what's the plan?"