Chronicles of the Northern Heavens 130 - Jin-myeong Meets Yuksoon
Whoosh!
The south wind was picking up strength. Jin-myeong, who had set out to secure a boat, knew he had to hurry before it grew any fiercer. But with no idea where the Golden Merchant Group's experts might be lurking, he had to move with caution.
I've come this far with everything I had. They must be lagging behind us— if I can just grab a boat quickly, we'll have a fighting chance.
Impatience gnawing at him, Jin-myeong quickened his pace. How much time passed? Far ahead along the riverbank, a ferry landing came into view.
Among the few boats moored at the dock, one large enough for everyone stood out. Jin-myeong hurried toward it.
Men carrying nets, others shouldering harpoons and laughing boisterously, faces blackened by the sun flashing white teeth in grins... Not one could be trusted, but convinced his group had arrived first, Jin-myeong pressed on.
Moments later, at the dock, he asked a passing fisherman about the boat's owner.
"Uh... where's the owner of that boat?"
"What about it?"
"Thinking of renting it."
"There's an inn around the corner—check there. He's been pounding drinks since morning; probably still there."
"Thanks."
Jin-myeong headed where the man pointed. The small dock had everything it needed, and turning the corner revealed a street bustling with people.
Soon, he reached the inn the fisherman mentioned. After a quick scan of the surroundings, he pushed open the door.
It was right then.
Scree!
A sharp whistle cut the air behind him. Jin-myeong's body spun like a top, his underwater sword slashing through the void.
Clang!
Sparks flew with the metallic clash, and before they faded, Jin-myeong had retreated five zhang to the side from his original spot.
Figures landed before him like falling leaves in the wind.
"Think a disguise fools us? You Taoists stink different—we spot you right away. Heh heh heh."
The cold voice belonged to a gaunt man in a blue robe, dangling a longsword far longer than usual. Behind him stood ten men in yellow robes.
They swiftly surrounded Jin-myeong, cutting off his escape.
They're already here...?
Jin-myeong bit his lip against the rising despair. His senior brother Jin-hoe and the disciples waiting for his return. Thinking of them didn't spark new strength—it only deepened his hopelessness.
That single exchange had proven the foe a top-tier expert, and with retreat blocked, survival was no sure bet.
In that case...
Jin-myeong steeled himself. He'd throw his life into luring them the wrong way.
But it wouldn't be easy. First, he'd need to break past the blue-robed leader—doubtful with his light but nagging injury.
"Hoo!"
Jin-myeong drew a deep breath, gripping his sword with both hands and letting it hang low.
The blue-robed man sneered at him. "Looks like you're here for a boat, so the others can't be far... Tell us where, and maybe we let you live— Huh?!"
He faltered mid-sentence in shock. Jin-myeong had lunged like lightning.
The strike was blindingly fast and precise—no one could dodge it. The moment he moved, his blade pierced the blue-robed man's chest.
But it was an illusion.
Clang!
The counter was faster than Jin-myeong expected. Twisting his waist, the man flicked up his dangling sword to parry, then slid left with footwork smooth as silk.
Thwack!
Blood sprayed from the blue-robed man's jaw. Jin-myeong's rebounding blade had grazed it.
And it didn't end there.
Boom!
Kicking off the ground, Jin-myeong leaped to the inn's roof. Blood poured from his chest—the successive impacts had reopened his wound.
"You dare!"
Boom!
The blue-robed man pursued. The others followed in a flash, launching a deadly chase.
But it didn't last long. Jin-myeong spotted blockers ahead and his eyes trembled.
"Ah..."
Twenty or so, all radiating feral auras, perfectly sealing his path.
No choice—he halted his lightness skill and dropped to the ground.
I'll go first. Please rebuild the sect and avenge our fallen disciples.
Whoosh!
Jin-myeong's body erupted in fierce energy. Resolved to die here, he'd summoned all his power.
That was when.
"Long time no see."
"...!"
A somewhat familiar voice slipped into his ear. A young man landed before him.
It was Yuksoon.
"You..."
Recognizing him, Jin-myeong's eyes widened.
Why is he here...!
Yuksoon flashed his signature grin at the stunned Jin-myeong. "Details later—step back for now. We'll handle them."
He strode past Jin-myeong. Just then, the blue-robed man and the Golden Merchant Group's experts landed like the wind.
Yuksoon instantly pegged the blue-robed leader.
"From the Golden Merchant Group?"
"And who the hell are you?!"
Twitch.
"Tch, old man's got a mouth on him."
"Don't stick your nose in and get your head chopped off, kid!"
"Not someone else's business, so here I am."
"...What?"
"Our lord ordered me to send you back to the Golden Merchant Group nice and clean. If you spill more blood here, it'll be seen as a challenge to the North... That's the message."
The blue-robed man's face twisted. Anyone present could guess "our lord" meant the North's lord.
Jin-myeong was equally stunned.
The North's lord...
Yeon-hoo's face naturally came to mind. Yuksoon had called him "lord" back then.
"If you won't accept?"
"Then we fight."
"Cross us, and the North's money dries up... Still wanna fight? Knowing that, back off now. We're not here for the North—we're after Mudang's Taoists. Catch them, and we'll leave even if you beg us to stay!"
"You're mistaken... We don't deal with your piggy cartel anymore. And I just said—it's not someone else's business."
Yuksoon's eyes shifted, a glow flickering in his right hand.
With the wind shifting unpredictably, poison was out—he'd summoned the Golden Diamond Formation from the start.
Was that the signal? The warriors behind him spread left and right, drawing weapons.
Shing! Sring!
"Gotta rip moneybugs apart to savor 'em."
"Nah! Smash their skulls flat!"
"Kekeke!"
"Hehehe!"
Feral energy whipped through the air in an instant. They weren't ordinary warriors—they were Demon Corps elites.
The clueless blue-robed man recoiled inwardly at the sudden thick demonic pressure.
Swish!
Golden Merchant Group experts flanked him left and right. Even they faltered under the Demon Corps' aura.
Yuksoon warned again. "Fair heads-up: I take after our lord—once I start, I see it through. Meaning... once the fight kicks off, begging and crying won't save you."
Chirrr.
His right hand fully transformed into the Golden Diamond.
Not recognizing it, the blue-robed man hesitated. Retreat meant reprimands; fight, and the foes' vibe was off.
More unnerving than the boyish Yuksoon were the Demon Corps men, like yakshas fresh from hell.
Colleagues are chasing anyway—no need to push here.
Hesitation didn't last. Lowering his raised sword, he smirked coldly at Yuksoon.
"Scared stiff—how could I swing properly? Fine! Since it's your lord's will, we'll withdraw."
He turned to Jin-myeong. "Don't celebrate surviving alone. Thousands of our comrades are combing those mountains like rats for your friends. Who knows—maybe they've been found and slaughtered by now. Heh heh heh."
As Jin-myeong opened his mouth to retort, Yuksoon cut in.
"Tell your comrades too: If you don't wanna taste hell, go home. Ignore this... and you'll regret it for real."
"Y-yes, sir."
Miming a deep bow, the blue-robed man turned to his men.
"We're leaving!"
As the Golden Merchant Group experts vanished in unison, Yuksoon turned to Jin-myeong.
"Where are your companions?"
"In those mountains."
"How many?"
"About fifty."
Yuksoon almost asked if that was all but held back. If fifty were all the survivors, they'd suffered worse than rumored.
Jin-myeong urged, "We must fetch them quickly. Help us."
"Understood. Let's go."
* * *
Jin-myeong flew toward where Jin-hoe and the disciples hid. Safe spot or not, unease lingered.
Thousands chasing us...
He believed the blue-robed man's words no bluff. Amid the flight, rumors tied to Hwasan Sect's tragedy had reached them.
Wang-jeok's son, Wang-ho. Kidnapped, returned ill, and recently dead. The Golden Merchant Group blamed his sect and Hwasan, launching bloody revenge.
Yeon-hoo surfaced again unbidden. He'd kidnapped Wang-ho.
But it wasn't solely his fault. Hadn't they and Hwasan targeted the slave-trading culprit too?
Still, resentment toward Yeon-hoo lingered. Jin-myeong believed he'd used them.
Whoosh!
Pouring all his strength, Jin-myeong raced on. Blood trailed his path—the reopened wound still bled.
Yuksoon noticed and called, "Can you hold?"
"I'm fine."
How long did they run? Crossing two ridges revealed a densely wooded area, beyond which a narrow, steep gorge appeared.
"There?"
"Yes."
Bam!
Yuksoon shot ahead, plunging straight into the gorge.