Chapter 65
Chapter 65
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: crow
Chapter Title: 65. Fox
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“By any chance, is something wrong? You seem a bit different from usual.”
Nangong Yurin hesitated briefly at Yuseong’s question but decided to be honest.
She had already shared more than that with him anyway.
She whispered just loud enough for Yuseong to hear.
“It’s just… Grandfather told me to return to the family, so I’m sneaking away. He’s been away for a few days now, but if he comes back early, he’ll take me with him.”
“Is that okay? This mission is already taking a long time.”
Yuseong had heard that the Sword King was strict.
If he found out she had left secretly like this, wouldn’t there be hell to pay?
“I don’t have the confidence to go back right now. A few months from now… well, somehow it’ll work out.”
She’s more of a go-with-the-flow type than I thought.
“Alright, now that everyone’s introduced themselves, gather around. I’ll explain the mission.”
The Cheongun Elder called the group together.
As a Kunlun Sect elder with extensive experience traveling the world, he was well-suited to lead a long journey.
His martial prowess was also exceptional, at the Peak Realm.
With the other Murim Alliance experts, he could handle most situations.
“As you all know, this mission is to safely escort the Medical Pavilion Leader to the Qingcheng Sect in Chengdu.”
The Murim Alliance warriors nodded as if they already knew, but Nangong Yurin seemed unaware.
Her eyes widened.
The look she gave Yuseong seemed to ask:
-This whole thing is just to escort the Medical Pavilion Leader?
Yuseong nodded in confirmation.
The Cheongun Elder now explained the route.
“We’ll pass through Chang’an and follow the Guanzhong Plains along the northern path through the Qinling Mountains.”
Jeongu Taoist, the Qingcheng Sect elder, nodded.
“You’re going through the checkpoint. Good thinking. It’s the most suitable route for a group this size.”
“Exactly. We can rest at Murim Alliance branches along the way. Depending on the situation, we might stay at inns or camp for a few days, but it’s the fastest path.”
With the leader having set the route, all that remained was to move diligently.
The group divided among several carriages and departed from the Murim Alliance.
Yuseong ended up sharing a carriage with the Cheongun Elder.
He was the highest expert here, and the one who absolutely needed protection, so it was only natural.
A total of eight people, including Jeongu Taoist and Nangong Yurin, boarded the large carriage.
The Cheongun Elder asked Nangong Yurin,
“I didn’t have a chance to ask earlier amid the rush, but has the Sword King returned to the family?”
It seemed he was unaware of the conversation Yuseong and Nangong Yurin had about the Sword King.
He had been busy tending to the other members just before.
“No, he said he had other matters to attend to.”
“Then does the Sword King know that you, Young Lady Nangong, are joining this mission?”
“It was a sudden assignment, so I haven’t had a chance to tell him.”
“Then he’ll be surprised when he finishes his business and stops by the Murim Academy.”
“Yes, but if he finds out I’m gone, he’ll head back to the family, so don’t worry.”
The Cheongun Elder also chatted with Yuseong, saying he’d heard good things about the Medical Pavilion.
He set the tone inside the carriage.
Yuseong had sensed it from their first meeting—he was the type who loved showing off his knowledge.
“I’ve been to Sichuan three times. The food you must try there is—”
He shared various stories from his travels.
Jeongu Taoist was a quiet man, but thanks to the Cheongun Elder, the carriage ride wasn’t boring.
***
After finishing her reports, Jegal Yeongyeong brewed a cup of tea and flung open the window.
In the distance, one building caught her eye.
Gazing at it while sipping tea had become a recent habit.
It somehow brought her a sense of calm, so even in her busy schedule, she made time for a few cups a day.
“...”
That had been the case.
‘But today, it’s not doing that.’
Jegal Yeongyeong knew why.
The distant building was the Medical Pavilion.
Its master was away.
He wouldn’t return for several months.
“Haah…”
She sighed and closed the window.
‘If I’d known it’d be like this, I should’ve put off some work and at least seen off the group heading to Qingcheng Sect.’
She had received headache treatment and said goodbye that morning,
but not being able to see them off properly due to urgent matters nagged at her.
She quickly downed the rest of her tea and sat back down.
At that moment.
Deputy Strategist Tae Jeongheon arrived.
“Chief Strategist, I’ll report on the status of Murim Academy cadets’ missions.”
“The Murim Academy? Is there something special?”
Due to the nature of the Strategy Department, where reports big and small flooded in, unremarkable matters didn’t reach Chief Strategist Jegal Yeongyeong.
For the Deputy Strategist to come report on Murim Academy cadet missions meant something special had occurred.
“Yes, there’s one case. A cadet is joining the long-term mission to escort the Medical Pavilion Leader to Sichuan.”
“How intriguing. A long-term mission put together in a rush, and there was a volunteer? Wait, who is it? Which cadet?”
An ominous premonition gripped Jegal Yeongyeong.
There had been a cadet who volunteered alone for a Medical Pavilion guard mission too…
“Cadet Nangong Yurin.”
Crumple—!
“...!”
Tae Jeongheon jumped in surprise as the Chief Strategist crumpled the report.
“Ah, sorry. I got lost in thought. I’ve got that one. Anything else?”
Jegal Yeongyeong instantly regained her composure, smoothed out the crumpled report, and spoke calmly.
However.
While reporting the other matters, Tae Jeongheon clearly saw Jegal Yeongyeong’s brow furrow slightly.
‘She must be on edge lately. I need to be careful.’
Jegal Yeongyeong, who had unintentionally tensed up the Strategy Department, changed clothes after work and lay down on her bed.
Someone’s face came to mind.
Not the handsome man’s face that appeared every day.
A woman who pretended to be innocent, blinking her big eyes, floated into her thoughts.
In her imagination, the woman suddenly smirked on one side of her mouth and spoke.
‘It’s a secret story just between you and Yuseong.’
Jegal Yeongyeong’s eyes sharpened.
“That fox-like…”
***
The next day.
Jegal Yeongyeong woke early in the morning.
Despite falling asleep late from all sorts of ominous imaginings, habits were terrifyingly powerful.
She sat at her desk and picked up a book.
[Comprehensive Analysis of Celestial Divination Formations]
She had mastered two parts, but eight more remained.
According to legend, the ancestor who created the Comprehensive Analysis of Celestial Divination Formations showed no particular talent elsewhere.
There were many formation families at the time, but the ancestor’s feats elevated the Zhuge Family to the world’s foremost formation house.
They had taken on formation-related commissions and earned astronomical sums of money.
‘There are even stories of commissions from the imperial court.’
If she hadn’t started studying, she might not care, but now she wanted to master the entire book.
She aspired to be the greatest formation master.
Of course, without Yuseong right now, actively studying was difficult.
But.
‘Doing nothing feels awkward. Should I just glance at the third stage?’
The impulse struck her.
She had the holy water Yuseong left; a little would relieve her headache.
‘The second stage was harder than the first. The third will naturally be tougher. I’ll just gauge how bad it is.’
Having decided, Jegal Yeongyeong opened the book.
A blue aura rose like a mirage from the pages and burrowed into her mind.
Too focused on grasping the third-stage formations, she didn’t notice.
‘It’s more complex, sure, but not unsolvable. If it keeps getting harder, how tough is the tenth stage?’
How much time passed?
Jegal Yeongyeong closed the book.
Unknowingly, as if entranced, she had covered a full day’s progress.
Her head throbbed.
From experience, the second day was agonizingly hard to endure.
She had tested it by pushing through: from the third day, the headache gradually lessened, fully gone by the fifth.
Without Yuseong’s treatment, advancing one day’s worth meant resting for five days.
‘It’s brutally difficult. No wonder even the ancestors couldn’t master it properly.’
She shook her head and took a sip of holy water.
The headache vanished, and her mind cleared refreshingly.
‘It’s precious, so I should ration it. No studying for a while.’
But the next day.
A subtle headache emerged.
She soon pinpointed the cause.
‘From the third stage, if you don’t study steadily, a persistent subtle headache sets in?’
Of course, knowing the cause didn’t solve everything.
It wasn’t as severe as during study, but the nagging ache sharpened her nerves without fading.
There was a side effect.
The holy water wasn’t enough for daily use.
“I’m screwed…”
From that day on.
Jegal Yeongyeong’s nerves grew exceedingly sharp, and the strategists had to be even more on edge.
The Deputy Strategist gathered them and said,
“As you all know, with all the unusual events lately, the Chief Strategist seems a bit sensitive. Let’s be careful for a few days.”
Unaware of the true cause, he couldn’t know her sharp mood would last not days, but months.
***
The road from Luoyang to Chang’an was well-maintained.
Yuseong’s group raced toward Chang’an, swapping out only the fatigued horses pulling the carriages midway.
When they reached streams, they let the horses drink; during meals, they grazed.
“The road’s so well-kept that the carriages are flying.”
“It’s like that now, but it’ll slow down considerably once we hit the Qinling Mountains.”
If the Cheongun Elder, who’d been to Sichuan multiple times, said so, it must be true.
Just as they thought things were going smoothly.
Hiiing—!
Thud—!
A loud neigh from the horses was followed by a massive noise.
“What’s going on?”
At the Cheongun Elder’s question, a warrior outside answered.
“The lead carriage’s horses suddenly collapsed.”
“No one’s hurt?”
“The people seem fine, but the horses’ legs look broken.”
“Damn, how many?”
“Three are injured.”
Each carriage was pulled by four horses.
With three injured, it would seriously hinder the other carriages too.