Into the Plum Blossoms 2
A day had passed. Shin Gi-woon told Sama Yul about the matter of the Gongcheongseogyu, along with the insistence that they had to secure it no matter the risk.
Thanks to the inn that had kept their confidence well, there had been no nighttime raid. They had still posted watches in three-hour shifts just to be safe, and that caution had proven fortunate.
The problem was that the atmosphere in Shaanxi had changed completely from the day before. Martial artists in Mount Hua Sect robes thronged every corner.
Among them were even Transcendent experts who appeared to be Plum Blossom Swordmasters. Their presence was unmistakably unsettling.
If those people deliberately tried to read qi signatures, Shin Gi-woon and Sama Yul might slip through — but Bi So-hyang stood a real chance of being caught.
So the plan to head straight for Mount Hua was scrapped. They returned to the inn and convened an emergency strategy meeting.
"Security is airtight. Looks like they're out to root the Demonic Cult out completely."
"With things like this, do we really have to go in?"
"Of course we do. Just letting the Gongcheongseogyu fall into Mount Hua's hands would be an incalculable loss."
He answered Sama Yul's question. Bi So-hyang had already had her doubts resolved, so she hadn't asked.
But it was nowhere near as easy as it sounded. Even Plum Blossom Swordmasters were patrolling the area. He had no confidence they could slip past those eyes and climb the mountain.
There was an old saying about the guilty party being the first to lose their temper. It didn't quite fit the situation, but coming from the Demonic Cult, they couldn't help but shrink back on instinct.
"My original plan was for us to scout the perimeter one at a time."
"With security this tight, that won't work."
"But if all three of us climb Mount Hua fully armed, that's a problem in its own right, isn't it?"
"So nothing works either way. This is driving me insane."
All three of them had a point. Too many people was conspicuous; too few was just as bad. The number of ways to safely get their hands on the Gongcheongseogyu was shrinking by the minute.
Ryu-jin. You said you don't know the exact location, right?
I'd know once we get close — but I can't give you a pinpoint the way I did when we entered the secret branch.
What a pain...
The ones who sabotaged my ascension were Cheongung. Give me a little more time and I might be able to find the Gongcheongseogyu.
Ryu-jin's words made sense. The group that had located an Imugi's ascension site and interfered was Cheongung — their intelligence network rivaled even the Beggars' Guild and the Hao Clan. It was no exaggeration.
It was fortunate the Gongcheongseogyu was still there, but it could be snatched at any moment. They had to prevent the worst-case scenario at all costs.
"What if we just barge in? Three of us wipe out the entire Mount Hua Sect?"
"Gi-woon. Don't say things that aren't going to happen."
"We've got no options. Move as a group and the Plum Blossom Swordmasters will notice. Look for high-level backup and we're the only ones available."
He wanted nothing more than to send a support request to the squad leader. The problem was that Shindogun only had one body.
The Thousand Transformations Soul Chasing Squad was already being ground down as it was, and Shindogun was currently deep undercover in Henan. Even if Gi-woon wanted to call him, he couldn't. Wait any longer and the Demonic Cult might catch the scent of their presence here. They were stuck between a rock and a hard place.
"...Sitting here thinking won't produce an answer. We climb Mount Hua. Avoid friction as much as possible, find the Gongcheongseogyu, and get out."
At Shin Gi-woon's words, the other two nodded. No amount of brainstorming had produced a good strategy. A diversion was impossible when they didn't even know the destination.
In truth, walking in boldly was the only option left. Having reached a decision, Shin Gi-woon left the inn with a grim expression.
From here on, it was all or nothing. Act like ordinary travelers.
If our identities get exposed on the way to Mount Hua, there's nothing we can do. We run straight for Cheon-san. Got it?
He used sound transmission to keep spoken words to a minimum. When the two gave faint nods, Shin Gi-woon started walking toward Mount Hua.
His heart hammered wildly in his chest, but he ignored it. Hoping no expert sharp enough to hear a heartbeat was waiting ahead, he took the shortest route and arrived at the foot of the mountain.
As expected, countless Mount Hua disciples maintained a tight perimeter. This level of security was what you'd expect after a sect leader had been murdered.
Just as that thought crossed his mind—
Five armed Plum Blossom Swordmasters dropped to the ground. Judging by their ragged breathing, something major had happened somewhere.
Don't react. We haven't been spotted, so keep walking naturally. Focus your ears on them.
The Plum Blossom Swordmasters spoke urgently to the disciples on watch, their faces grave.
Shin Gi-woon strained his hearing but couldn't make out the words. One thing was certain, though: something big enough had happened to send Plum Blossom Swordmasters scrambling. Whether it counted as good fortune or not — every martial artist on watch followed the Plum Blossom Swordmasters somewhere else.
Something's off, right?
For five Transcendent experts to move at a time like this... And right now, several Plum Blossom Swordmasters and Mount Hua's elite fighters are also on the move in Huayin County, aren't they?
It's an excessive deployment of force. Unless they're starting a war with the unorthodox factions.
Looking at how frantic the Plum Blossom Swordmasters were, war seemed unlikely. If it were war, they would have dragged every disciple along.
Something bigger had clearly gone down. Of course, for Shin Gi-woon's group, it was a stroke of heavenly luck. All they needed to do was find the Gongcheongseogyu in the gap.
Full speed into Mount Hua. Conceal your presence among the plum trees.
At Shin Gi-woon's command, Sama Yul and Bi So-hyang became streaks of light and vanished into the mountain. After scanning the surroundings, Shin Gi-woon followed.
With the perimeter gone, hiding was easy. Once they confirmed no one had seen them, Shin Gi-woon's group buried themselves deeper and deeper among the plum blossoms.
It was a race against time. Find the Gongcheongseogyu before the Plum Blossom Swordmasters returned, and they won.
If not — total annihilation.
"Elder! Roughly ten Plum Blossom Swordmasters have descended below the main mountain."
"We must move as quickly as possible. Those Demonic Cult dogs are cunning — if they escape, we'll never catch them."
"Don't worry. Among the Plum Blossom Swordmasters who went down the mountain is Seol-i. As you well know, Elder, he's the strongest of them all — called the next Greatest Sword of Mount Hua. He will not fail this mission."
"That is a great relief. You should go attend to your own duties as well."
"Yes, sir!"
The moment Hwaseon Jinin sent the disciple from the room with a kindly smile, the smile vanished without a trace. A frigid gaze fixed on empty air.
At the same time, the air shimmered, and a voice began to speak.
Fifth Apostle. How did it go?
"Most of the Plum Blossom Swordmasters have gone down the mountain. The rest are under my command."
If I happen to encounter any Mount Hua disciples, I will kill them. Will that be a problem?
"Not my concern. More importantly — we made a deal, so keep it. One drop of the Gongcheongseogyu is mine."
Hwaseon Jinin's face twisted. The greedy old man's smile stirred a dread deeper than any demon's.
Did he even know his own face had contorted like that?
The owner of the voice — Cheongung Messenger Gon Ryung — continued as if nothing were amiss.
Your share as Fifth Apostle will be set aside. The Gongcheongseogyu we found this time is quite a substantial amount.
"If that's all you have to say, get out. If residual sorcery energy lingers, it becomes my problem."
...Be careful of the Demonic Cult's Thousand Transformations Soul Chasing Squad. Especially that spear-wielding brat — he could become a variable.
"One mere brat. What of it?"
Don't take him lightly. You of all people should know how detestable spear-wielders are to the Palace.
Gon Ryung still remembered it clearly. How many times had those damned spear-wielding bastards delayed the Great Plan?
Cheongung had always been unable to properly set things in motion because of a single spear-wielder. When one grew old, a new young spear-wielder would appear and block the path ahead.
From the moment Cheongung first infiltrated the Murim, it had been that way without end.
That was why, when Cheongung prepared to begin its full-scale operations, it had wiped out every spear-wielder active in the martial world.
With the self-proclaimed Greatest Spear Under Heaven — the Ghost Spear — as the last of them, no spear-wielder remained in the Murim who could threaten Cheongung.
Save for the one who had appeared from the Demonic Cult.
"I know that well enough. So get out. I have nothing more to say to you."
...The Gongcheongseogyu must be secured. This is the Lord of Cheongung's command. Fifth Apostle — you will join as well.
"What?"
Hwaseon Jinin's brows shot up. The Lord of Cheongung rarely issued direct commands. The twelve Apostles belonged to Cheongung, yes — but the Lord's true identity was known only to the Cheongung Messengers who relayed his orders and to the Heavenly Brain that served as the organization's mind.
Hwaseon Jinin did not know who the Lord of Cheongung was. And yet a figure whose face he had never seen had just issued him a command.
He had no right to refuse. An Apostle was bound to absolute obedience to the Lord of Cheongung's will. More precisely, every member of Cheongung was bound to obey the Lord's commands.
That was the condition of standing with Cheongung — the equal exchange for all the benefits received by joining its ranks.
Hwaseon Jinin rose, swallowing his irritation. Putting effort into a matter like this already sat poorly with him, but—
Since he was going out anyway, he intended to claim not one drop of the Gongcheongseogyu — but dozens.