The One Who Lights the Sacred Fire (4)
“No wonder it felt off.”
Yeon Hojeong nodded as he scanned the surroundings upon arriving near the first intelligence outpost.
“Aigoo, my back. What’s that supposed to mean?”
Yeon Hojeong’s Sky Soaring Cloud Step had pushed Jegal A-yeon to her limits. Powered by the explosive divine energy of the Yeon Family Divine Pellet, its speed was already beyond what a sect leader could hope to match. She’d practically been carried the whole way, but they’d pushed too hard. It was no surprise her back was aching.
Yeon Hojeong pointed around with his hand.
“What do you think?”
“Think about what?”
“Tell me your impressions of this terrain.”
Jegal A-yeon’s eyes sparkled. Yeon Hojeong wouldn’t ask something so pointless without reason.
“Let’s see.”
She seriously surveyed the area, then tilted her head.
“Hmm? Nothing stands out as weird. The first outpost is in those woods over there, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Good spot. They clearly put thought into it. Unless you’re suspicious from the start and inspecting closely, even a top expert from the central plains would just pass by.”
“Anything else?”
“It makes great use of the geography for concealment and cover. Far enough from the village but close enough to monitor it easily. But...”
Jegal A-yeon’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
“There sure are a lot of trees.”
“Exactly.”
The winter chill hadn’t fully lifted yet. Bare trees wouldn’t sprout new leaves for at least two more months. Yet the Sinhwa Church’s outpost remained hidden from view. The trees were simply too dense.
“I doubt they chose this terrain just for basic concealment and cover. Realistically, there are plenty of more secretive spots available.”
“So that means?”
“There must be another reason they specifically needed a place like this.”
Jegal A-yeon’s eyes gleamed again, sparkling with the curiosity of a girl who’d spotted something intriguing.
“Are the other outposts like this too?”
“Yeah. I felt an odd vibe, but every single one was surrounded by thick woods. Hard to spot unless you’re really looking.”
“Hmm.”
Yeon Hojeong’s gaze burned fiercely.
He’d clashed with Sinhwa Church forces before but never fought their true experts. Those he’d battled were mostly Saneumgyo’s demonic cultists. Still, he knew the traits of Sinhwa Church’s elites.
They worship fire.
Divine Fire, and Sacred Fire. Their cult leader was seen as the proxy of the god who first bestowed fire upon humanity, commanding absolute faith from the followers. Like Saneumgyo or Blood Madness Cult, that faith bordered on fanaticism.
Thus, their martial arts were all rooted in fire qi. Not ordinary fire, of course. Rumor had it their Heat Yang Gong diverged sharply from central plains versions, with overwhelmingly potent fire qi.
According to Saneumgyo captives, a master who’d reached great accomplishment in Sinhwa arts emitted heat rivaling molten lava. At that level, elemental affinities became irrelevant.
At the same time, to cultivate fire-based arts, they train in places rich in wood qi as fuel for their growth. Once they’ve built a solid foundation, they shift to water-rich areas to suppress the affinity and refine their Heat Yang Gong.
Like how a fierce blaze roars hotter when splashed with a few drops of water.
Yeon Hojeong scanned the surroundings once more.
This place brims with wood qi. All the outposts do. It’s not just for cultivation—it’s for escape and hiding if discovered. Plus, even a superior foe attacking here wouldn’t overpower them easily.
There was a saying: iron fortress. It meant an impregnable defensive position. For the outpost leaders, spots like this were just that. Concentrate their fire power, and the whole area would become a sea of flames in moments.
“These enemies all train in extreme yang arts. Hundreds of years honing nothing but Heat Yang Gong means their mastery surpasses even central plains techniques.”
Jegal A-yeon’s face grew grave.
“That explains why they’d set up in a wood-rich place like this.”
“Yeah.”
Yeon Hojeong sighed inwardly.
I should’ve noticed sooner.
Now he understood why his father had ordered him to rest. Normally, he’d have spotted this anomaly instantly. But thick excitement and mounting fatigue had made him treat Sinhwa Church like Saneumgyo rabble. That delayed his insight.
An uncharacteristic lapse.
“Of the formations you found, how many are based on water qi?”
“Two out of fifteen total.”
“Few.”
“Formations drawing on the five elements are rare to begin with. They’re top-tier difficulty.”
“Hm.”
“Plus, formations that control and manipulate qi go against natural flow, so they degrade over time inevitably.”
“How long do they last?”
“Assuming proper setup, at least two months. Maintaining them isn’t too hard if someone’s assigned.”
“Good.”
“But they need a water source to complete. Without it, everything outside the formation would dry out massively.”
Yeon Hojeong glanced north. A narrow river stretched along the village’s northeast edge.
Jegal A-yeon nodded.
“It’s far, but linkable via formation axes. Would take half a month, though. Sneaking it in would add five days.”
“Twenty days.”
Yeon Hojeong nodded.
“We’ve got forty-five days till they send more intel anyway. Down to forty-two now.”
“Shall we start?”
“Of course.”
“Just this one?”
“No. This one, Heochang, and the final two outposts...”
It was then.
Flash!
Yeon Hojeong clamped Jegal A-yeon’s mouth and retreated behind them in a breath. She transmitted urgently.
[What’s wrong?!]
[Quiet.]
His reply carried immense gravity. Jegal A-yeon instinctively sealed her lips.
Hiding behind a massive boulder, Yeon Hojeong peered far north.
An expert?!
Whoosh.
A blazing aura flickered like an illusion. The unnamed master had suppressed his presence masterfully, but it couldn’t fool Yeon Hojeong’s senses—honed by rest, the Yeon Family Divine Pellet, and balanced Four Gods Martial Arts.
Yeon Hojeong’s eyes wavered.
What the hell, out of nowhere?
An extraordinary expert. His true energy’s purity and density rivaled a Six Great Families patriarch. Hard to compare to his father or Moyong Gun, but at least on par with Paeng family head or Namgung In.
No ordinary transcendent master. For one of this caliber to enter territory mere dozens of li from the Martial Alliance...
Yeon Hojeong’s eyelids twitched faintly.
These bastards have no fear.
Equivalent to a vanguard general from Saneumgyo appearing.
Why now, of all times? Are they that careless? Or that confident?
Questions piled up. But when the foe’s aura reached the outpost, Yeon Hojeong halted his thoughts.
He circulated his inner energy subtly, amplifying his hearing to the max.
“Has the Twelfth General arrived?”
Yeon Hojeong’s eyes flashed. A familiar voice—from the beehive two days prior. The middle-aged man, no doubt.
Moments later, the unnamed master spoke.
“I heard that half-wit sent word.”
Deep and resonant. His voice was somewhat high but carried an oddly low, echoing timbre. Immense dignity.
It exuded the stature of a generational grandmaster. Beyond purity or density, his sheer warrior’s pressure was overwhelming.
“Yes.”
“What intel?”
“D-didn’t you hear?”
“...”
“Gasp! Forgive me! This lowly one has committed a grave offense...!”
“It’s fine. I’m not the Eleventh General. I’m not so petty as to punish delayed answers.”
“My deepest apologies.”
“So, what was it?”
“Intel on Yeon Hojeong, the young leader of the Alliance’s reserve forces.”
“Yeon Hojeong—the rising star who’s been making waves lately?”
“Yes.”
“Not even Alliance merits, just intel on some green kid?”
“Yes, but if true, it’s shocking enough to warrant attention.”
“Hand over the letter.”
Yeon Hojeong’s gaze deepened. He’d tossed that fake intel built on truths himself. But hearing his name from the enemies’ mouths felt strangely surreal.
Grip.
His fist clenched involuntarily. Rage surged to charge out and decapitate them, but greater calm held him back.
Slide.
Jegal A-yeon gently gripped his shoulder. A signal to stay cool, whatever it was.
Yeon Hojeong steadied his breath discreetly.
Moments later.
“Is this real?”
“We dispatched separate scouts to verify. It’ll take time, but we can thoroughly investigate this Yeon Hojeong.”
“...True or false, it’s intel worth handling carefully.”
“Yes.”
“They haven’t sniffed us out, have they? Could be bait, leaking something this outrageous openly?”
Yeon Hojeong’s chest twinged oddly.
“As of now... no chance at all. But just in case, we’re extra cautious.”
“Heard Jam Yeong-il-ho’s attached to the half-wit. Where’s he now?”
“Unlocated.”
“What?”
“H-he has the Sacred Fire Token and an Elder Council writ! Authorized direct contact with superiors, so he’s ignoring our orders!”
“Elder Council...”
Yeon Hojeong caught a faint mocking lilt in the Twelfth General’s voice.
“Toothless old fogeys. Senile fools always cling to useless traditions and bloodlines. Even our sacred cult’s just a world of mortals.”
“My regrets.”
“Fine. He’s just a power-hungry dog anyway. Loathsome company, but too self-serving to betray.”
“Y-yes.”
“Got it. I’ll drop by later. Guard properly.”
“Understood!”
Slide!
The Twelfth General’s presence vanished in an instant.
“Whew, close call. Why’d a general-class bigshot show up out of the blue?”
The grumbling voice retreated into the beehive.
Yeon Hojeong’s eyes gleamed.
[A-yeon. Return to the Alliance like this. Maintain the aura. Can’t get caught.]
[You?]
[I’m pursuing.]
Jegal A-yeon sensed unyielding resolve in his transmission. No point stopping him.
[Be careful. Don’t overdo it.]
[Got it.]
Rustle!
Yeon Hojeong vanished from sight in a flash.