Chapter 257
Chapter 257
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 257
Chapter Title: Arc 3. Time Flows Like Water (1)
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Winter days end early. Deep in the mountains, they grow dark even sooner. Yet people often overlooked this fact.
That was the case for the two men wandering through the winter mountains now. A middle-aged man who appeared to be in his late thirties and a boy who looked about sixteen or seventeen trudged through snow piled up to their knees.
An ordinary person would have exhausted their strength just pushing through the snow, but neither showed a hint of fatigue. Still, they both frowned in frustration.
"If we keep going like this, we'll be wandering these winter mountains forever."
"What should we do, Uncle? We can't spend the whole night like this."
The boy looked up at the middle-aged man.
Though his face was pale from the cold, the boy was remarkably handsome. His eyebrows were sharply defined, and his clear black-and-white eyes sparkled with intelligence. If there was a flaw, it was the slight upward tilt of his eyes, giving him an air of arrogance.
The middle-aged man shook his head.
"Let's look a bit more. There has to be somewhere nearby we can rest."
"Got it."
The boy replied with a reluctant expression. His displeasure was obvious. Seeing this, the middle-aged man gave a wry smile.
Such unexpected nights spent outdoors were commonplace for those who roamed the martial world. But the boy, raised in luxury, clearly disliked roughing it like this.
Darkness was already falling around them. Night came in the blink of an eye. If they didn't find shelter soon, they'd have to endure the night in the pitch black.
The middle-aged man, Mun Sugeol, channeled his internal energy into his eyes to sharpen his vision. As he scanned the surroundings, a glint appeared in his eyes.
He pointed in one direction with his finger.
"Over there?"
"Yes?"
"It's firelight."
The boy looked where Mun Sugeol pointed. Joy lit up his face at once. Flickering light shimmered in the distance.
"It's real. Hurry!"
"Right!"
The two quickened their pace toward the light.
It had seemed close at first glance, but it turned out to be quite a distance. Still, pressing on without pause, they soon reached the source.
"Ah!"
Disappointment flashed in the boy's eyes.
He had assumed some sturdy cabin from the glow, but a group was simply camping outside.
They had circled twenty wagons like a makeshift wall, huddling inside with their horses—about twenty people in all.
A large pot hung over a roaring bonfire, filling the air with an appetizing aroma.
"Who goes there?"
The men noticed Mun Sugeol and the boy's presence, grabbing their weapons and going on alert. Mun Sugeol stepped forward hastily.
"My apologies for disturbing your rest. I am Mun Sugeol. Fellow martial artists of the world have dubbed me Toad Fist, regrettably."
"Toad Fist Mun Sugeol? Is it really you, Hero Mun?"
One of the warriors by the fire reacted, recognizing the name. Mun Sugeol clasped his hands in greeting.
"Yes, that's me—Toad Fist Mun Sugeol. I got lost on the mountain path and ended up here. Shamelessly, might I warm myself by your fire for a bit?"
"Good heavens! You had a close call. Winter mountains are no joke. Come on in."
"Thank you."
The warrior gladly made room for Mun Sugeol. As thanks, Mun Sugeol introduced the boy at his side.
"This is my nephew, Jo Wonmyeong. Wonmyeong, give your thanks to these good people."
"I am grateful for your kindness. I am Jo Wonmyeong."
The boy, Jo Wonmyeong, clasped his hands politely. The warrior smiled.
"Ha! So you're Wild Goose Slicing Sword Jo, the young hero. What an honor to meet such famous figures in this nameless wilderness."
The lead warrior let out a hearty laugh.
Wild Goose Slicing Sword Jo Wonmyeong.
A rising star who had recently made a name for himself. Young as he was, his skills were already exceptional enough to earn that moniker.
With their identities confirmed, the wary warriors sheathed their swords.
As Mun Sugeol approached the fire, he asked,
"You're a merchant caravan, I take it."
"Sharp eyes. Yes, we're from Silver House Fortress."
The warrior's answer surprised Mun Sugeol and Jo Wonmyeong this time.
Silver House Fortress was one of the Five Great Sects of Hunan. The strongest five sects in the region.
But it was even more renowned for its wealth.
In the past three years, it had grown explosively, amassing riches rivaling Myth Merchant Group—the so-called world's greatest trading house—which had surpassed even Hunan First.
"Silver House Fortress caravan? Then you, sir, must be...?"
"I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Jeok Gyungcheon, caravan leader of Silver House Fortress."
"Ah! Iron Sword Asura Hero Jeok!"
Mun Sugeol couldn't hide his astonishment.
Jeok Gyungcheon had been a fairly famous warrior before. Everyone had been shocked when he joined Silver House Fortress as caravan leader.
"Embarrassing that anyone still remembers that old nickname."
"How could we forget? Three years ago at Wuwei Alliance, you single-handedly wiped out twenty elite demonic cult warriors. The tale's still famous in the martial world."
"I'm flattered. Sit over here."
Jeok Gyungcheon seated Mun Sugeol and Jo Wonmyeong by the fire. At his gesture, one of the caravan guards ladled porridge from the pot and brought it over.
"Have some of this to warm your bodies."
"Thank you."
"We'll dig in."
Mun Sugeol and Jo Wonmyeong accepted the bowls without hesitation.
Eating the hot porridge by the fire thawed their chilled bodies bit by bit. Only then could they breathe a sigh of relief.
"Whew! You saved us."
"All us martial world folk should help each other. No need to thank me."
"No, I mean it—this debt I'll repay. Thank you, Hero Jeok."
Mun Sugeol clasped his hands to Jeok Gyungcheon once more. Jeok looked troubled.
"Don't thank me. If you must, thank our young miss. Without her say-so, we wouldn't have let you in."
"Young miss?"
Just as question marks appeared on Mun Sugeol and Jo Wonmyeong's faces, the door of a nearby wagon opened. Out stepped a girl of marriageable age.
The moment he saw her, Jo Wonmyeong's eyes widened.
Dressed in splendid silk, the girl was dazzlingly beautiful. Her eyes were black as obsidian, her features delicately sculpted like a doll's. Her sparkling eyes shone like morning stars.
Jo Wonmyeong had never seen a girl with such radiant eyes. His heart trembled.
The girl greeted Mun Sugeol and Jo Wonmyeong.
"It's a pleasure to meet heroes of the martial world. I am Eun So-cheong of Silver House Fortress."
"Ah! I'm Mun Sugeol, Miss Eun."
"J-Jo Wonmyeong."
"I've heard so much about you. Hero Mun, young Hero Jo."
Eun So-cheong smiled brightly. Jo Wonmyeong felt his mind reel.
He had met many girls, but none as beautiful as Eun So-cheong. She had an innate nobility the others lacked, backed by the immense prestige of Silver House Fortress.
Unthinkingly, Jo Wonmyeong swallowed hard.
Eun So-cheong sat across from him, the fire between them. This let him see her face even more clearly.
Bathed in the firelight, her faint smile looked utterly ethereal.
Without realizing it, Jo Wonmyeong blurted out loudly,
"Y-You're beautiful, Miss Eun."
"Thank you."
At her reply, Jo Wonmyeong stared blankly for a moment before snapping back to reality.
'What an idiot...'
He wanted to smack himself. He felt like a complete fool.
Mun Sugeol smoothed things over.
"Our thanks for your kindness, Miss Eun. We caught our breath thanks to you."
"Oh, no need. We're all one family in the martial world. Think nothing of it."
"You're personally leading this trading trip, Miss Eun? Must be quite the deal."
"Not really."
Eun So-cheong shook her head slightly. Mun Sugeol looked puzzled.
"Not a big deal, yet you're out here yourself?"
"There's someone I want to meet."
"Pardon?"
"He's not coming out, so I have no choice but to go to him."
A faint longing filled Eun So-cheong's eyes. Jo Wonmyeong felt jealousy surge within him.
'Who the hell is this guy?'
It wasn't the look of missing family. It was longing for a man.
Jo Wonmyeong burned with envy for someone he'd never even seen. That's how smitten he was with Eun So-cheong at first sight.
Feigning calm, Jo Wonmyeong asked,
"Th-Then where are you headed, Miss Eun?"
"Hwasan County."
"Hwasan County?"
"Yes! Where Mount Hua Sect is."
"But didn't Mount Hua Sect close its gates long ago?"
"Exactly."
Eun So-cheong answered nonchalantly. But Jo Wonmyeong and Mun Sugeol's faces hardened like stone statues.
Mount Hua Sect.
Who in the martial world hadn't heard the name?
One of the Nine Great Sects with the world's mightiest power, twin pillars of Taoism alongside Wudang.
That was the old Mount Hua people remembered. But the current one was different.
A powerless giant clinging to past glory, or an outdated sect that locked its doors to hide its decline.
That was Mount Hua as young warriors like Jo Wonmyeong knew it. It barely held its place among the Nine Great Sects thanks to one absolute warrior.
'Mount Hua Fist Demon Dam Ho.'
The demonic genius produced by prestigious Mount Hua.
A man with might to single-handedly turn the tide of war. So formidable that three years ago, the demonic cult retreated from Mount Hua under his pressure alone.
His existence alone kept Mount Hua clinging to the fringes of the Nine Great Sects. It spoke to his greatness—and Mount Hua's dire fall.
'Three years since they sealed the gates?'
Mount Hua had locked itself away, ceasing all outside activity. Once, you'd see their Taoists often, but now even in Hwasan County, their base, none appeared.
With the closure, Hwasan County lost its vitality. Many left or moved, and outsiders cut ties with Mount Hua.
In three long years, Mount Hua never reemerged. People lost interest. Even Dam Ho halted his activities alongside the sect. Mount Hua faded from memory.
Mun Sugeol eyed the wagons.
"By any chance, are the goods in these wagons headed into Mount Hua?"
"Yes."
"Hmm!"
"Surprised?"
"Frankly, yes. I heard Mount Hua sealed itself off completely."
"Even so, they're people who need to eat. We've traded staples like grain steadily from before."
Mun Sugeol's eyes gleamed at Eun So-cheong's words.
'It might've been great once, but Mount Hua's forgotten now. And Silver House trades with them?'
News to him.
Probably few in the world knew. Mount Hua was that far from attention.
Mun Sugeol's eyes narrowed.
Then Eun So-cheong asked,
"But where are you two headed, Hero Mun, young Hero Jo?"
"Us?"
"Yes!"
"Hmm."
Mun Sugeol and Jo Wonmyeong exchanged subtle glances, confirming each other's intent in an instant.
"We're... going to Hwasan County."
"Really?"
"Yes! We have someone to meet there."
"What a coincidence."
Eun So-cheong furrowed her brow slightly.
Jo Wonmyeong looked at her and said,
"Given the circumstances, please let us travel with you to Hwasan County, Miss Eun."