Chapter 57
Chapter 57
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 57
Chapter Title: Carriage Companions
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The next morning, as Cheonhwi ate breakfast with Hyeondo, he perked up his ears to the conversations buzzing around the inn.
"What? The Western Five Evils are dead?"
"Those scoundrels?"
"But why would those thugs come all the way out here? Didn't they cause a ruckus in Xi'an and then tuck tail?"
"Heard the lecher tried to assault a girl traveling with some great hero and got his comeuppance. So he went after them for revenge and..."
The man excitedly sharing the morning's gossip narrowed his eyes and slowly drew his thumb across his throat.
"Keeled over."
"Serves 'em right! Those mangy dogs were begging for heavenly retribution, charging blindly at anything in sight, and finally met their match!"
Apparently, they had quite the notorious reputation. The inn, which had been abuzz last night with tales of Hyeondo and himself, was now aboil with this entirely new topic after just one night.
"Tough break for the owner of Silver Dragon Delicacies. They say the whole third floor got smashed to bits..."
"Pfft, tough break my foot!"
The man grumbled, pursing his lips.
"I swung by this morning, and the great hero who took down the Western Five Evils stuffed a fat stack of silver into the owner's hands to help fix up the place. Even tipped the staff handsomely. How enviable is that?"
"For real?"
The listening man gasped in surprise.
What kind of people were martial artists, anyway?
Outlaws for whom the blade was nearer than the law.
Smashing up buildings on a whim and sauntering off was par for the course, yet here one was paying for the damage!
As the two began haggling over just how much silver it had been, Cheonhwi swallowed the noodles in his mouth.
'Guess they handled it themselves.'
None of the stories floating around mentioned him at all.
The only talk was of that man and woman from last night having defeated the Western Five Evils and turned in their heads to the authorities.
'No need to worry...'
Clack!
At that moment, Hyeondo set down his chopsticks with a smack and glared.
"To think such vile scum were brazenly roaming Shaanxi..."
Hyeondo bit his lip, his face twisted in fierce outrage.
Truly wicked and insidious fiends.
"Once we're back, I must ask the Sect Leader to bolster our sect's escorts."
Cheonhwi watched Hyeondo steel his resolve with determined eyes, then returned to his meal.
A short while later, the pair finished eating, left the inn, and set foot on the long official road leading toward Hubei Province.
But their expressions weren't the happiest.
"Horses sure are pricey."
Hyeondo gave a wry smile at Cheonhwi's grumble.
"Should've bought 'em yesterday."
They had scoured the streets to buy horses today, but it was all for naught.
'Sorry, but some customers from a few days back bought up all our stock.'
Recalling the apologetic stable owner, Hyeondo shook his head.
"Next time, we'll snag some for sure."
Right then.
Clop-clop— Clop-clop—
A rattling sound and hoofbeats approached from behind. The two turned and stepped aside as a carriage drew near.
Then.
Neigh!
The advancing carriage suddenly halted.
'Huh?'
Cheonhwi stared blankly at the carriage that had kicked up dust and stopped right in front of them, then furrowed his brow.
A familiar presence emanated from inside.
Rattle—
Just then, the carriage window slid open.
A figure with her face veiled in white gauze peered out through the gap.
"You're the ones who dined at Silver Dragon Delicacies last night, aren't you?"
A clear, low voice rang out—one impossible to forget after hearing it once.
'Those two from yesterday?'
As Cheonhwi moved to look at the veiled girl.
『Silver Dragon Delicacies? What do you mean by that?』
Hyeondo's transmission made Cheonhwi wince inwardly.
'...Busted.'
『Did you sneak out or something?』
To Hyeondo's follow-up transmission, Cheonhwi shrugged and replied.
『Yeah.』
Figuring there was no point hiding it now, Cheonhwi confessed.
『Why on earth?』
『Noodles weren't enough.』
『...Sigh. Didn't I tell you to restrain yourself?』
Hyeondo shook his head with a sigh.
Above all, worry gnawed at him.
It wasn't about sneaking out.
He fretted that Cheonhwi's presence might leak out.
'Tch. Could've gotten away with it.'
As Cheonhwi smacked his lips.
"If it's not too much trouble, might I ask where you're headed?"
The girl spoke up.
"Why?"
"All roads lead to the east. We shared a brief connection last night— if our paths align, I'd like to offer to travel together."
"Travel together?"
Cheonhwi's eyes locked onto the carriage.
'Riding that would be comfy.'
"Immeasurable mercy. We appreciate the kindness, but..."
"To Hubei."
Fearing he'd miss the chance, Cheonhwi quickly cut off Hyeondo.
"Hubei? Perfect timing. We're headed to Anhui—care to join us partway?"
"Well..."
"Sure."
Hyeondo sent a flustered transmission.
『They're unknowns. You'd travel with them?』
『Better than walking, right? Carriage all the way.』
『Just for a ride? Who knows their intentions—you can't be so reckless...』
『It's fine. They're the ones who took down the Western Five Evils last night.』
Hyeondo's eyes widened.
Learning they were the heroes who'd dealt with the Western Five Evils eased his wariness.
Then he whipped his head toward Cheonhwi.
『How'd you know that?』
『Silver Dragon Delicacies.』
Creeeak—
The carriage door swung open right then.
"I'll head in first."
Seizing the moment, Cheonhwi hopped aboard.
The interior was spacious. The girl who had poked her head out sat beside the middle-aged man from last night.
Hyeondo followed suit, and the carriage lurched forward as if waiting.
How long had they traveled?
Seated, Cheonhwi stared at the girl, who seemed to peer piercingly at him through her veil.
'Still as bizarre as ever.'
Even now, her body was off.
To the point where dying on the spot wouldn't surprise him.
Meanwhile, the girl eyed Cheonhwi as well.
'It's definitely him from last night...'
Even with him right there, the youth's aura was faint beyond belief.
No—faint didn't cover it; it was transparent.
'More like he's perfectly blended with the world itself.'
Her senses hadn't been wrong.
But it sparked questions.
'Daoist robes, though?'
Her piercing gaze shifted to the robes Cheonhwi wore.
An incomprehensible outfit.
Hadn't he been guzzling liquor and devouring meat last night?
'A real Daoist...?'
As she scrutinized the rare black-and-red robes, she flinched. A familiar emblem adorned the sleeve.
'Plum blossoms?!'
Spotting the faint red plum blossoms on the black silk, she glanced sideways at Hyeondo.
Quickly scanning his crimson-and-white robes, she found matching plum blossoms on the sleeve.
'How did I miss that?'
She bit her lip hard.
Only one sect in the world embroidered plum blossoms on their Daoist robes.
What an oversight.
Having pieced together their identities, she bowed her head respectfully.
"An honor to meet you. I am Danmok Rin."
Hyeondo's eyebrow twitched.
"Danmok Family?"
"Yes."
"You know who we are?"
"Who in the world doesn't recognize robes emblazoned with crimson plum blossoms?"
"...Bold one. Willing to travel with the enemy."
"Even if the righteous sects are divided, we know the true foe is the unorthodox."
Hyeondo's eyes narrowed.
Gazing at her unflinching demeanor, he spoke softly.
"I am Hyeondo."
But the one who reacted wasn't the girl.
"Mount Hua Divine Sword!"
The middle-aged man beside Danmok Rin exclaimed in shock.
He had silently observed their exchange but now couldn't tear his eyes from Hyeondo.
Disbelief washed over him.
The youth was already an enigma, and now his companion was the Mount Hua Divine Sword—the eye of the storm in the current jianghu.
'Thought they were just playing Daoist.'
Truth be told, he had been wary.
With good reason: Daoist robes or not, the youth had relished meat and wine.
More than suspicious enough, and his companion—also in robes—looked every bit the bandit.
Growing doubts were only natural.
But now they evaporated.
'Matches the rumored Mount Hua Divine Sword perfectly.'
The upturned eyes, stubby nose, and patchy beard.
His features aligned flawlessly with the tales. The man's rigid expression melted away like thawing ice.
What he'd taken for bandit ruggedness now struck him as refined dignity.
"Hahaha. Never dreamed I'd encounter the great hero shaking the heavens right here."
The middle-aged man beamed.
"I am Danmok Jingang."
"Iron Sword Chivalrous Hero?!"
This time, Hyeondo startled.
"Haha, immeasurable mercy. Nor did I expect to meet the Iron Sword Chivalrous Hero here."
A broad grin spread across Hyeondo's face.
The Iron Sword Chivalrous Hero was famed enough to reach even Hyeondo, long holed up in Mount Hua Sect.
"An honor."
Hyeondo showed unreserved fondness.
He had long despised merchant clans that tallied every gain and loss, but the Iron Sword Chivalrous Hero was different.
"I was truly impressed by how you exposed the Black Sand Sect's human trafficking last year and wiped them out single-handedly."
"I, in turn, admire your campaign against White Ghost Castle."
"Haha, Immortal is too grand a title."
"If not you, then who deserves it?"
As praise flowed between them and conversation bloomed, Cheonhwi watched with a dumbfounded look.
"What is the young hero's Dao title?"
The woman's voice drew his attention.
He turned with a sour expression, only to find the veil swaying right before his eyes.
"Cheonhwi."
She mulled over the name "Cheonhwi," then asked cautiously.
"If it's not rude, may I ask one thing?"
"Perfect. I had a question for you too. Let's each ask one."
"Alright..."
As she began to reply.
"So you've roamed the jianghu for a full year searching for the Divine Physician whose whereabouts are unknown?!"
Hyeondo's outburst cut her off.
"Yes. But we heard a rumor of a sighting in Sichuan a few days ago—a thread of hope."
"Haha. Mind if I ask why you're seeking the Divine Physician?"
"Well..."
As Danmok Jingang trailed off, Danmok Rin interjected on his behalf.
"It's for me."
Hyeondo's pupils quivered.
His heart stirred at the plight of such a young girl.
"What's wrong?"
"My inner power."
Danmok Jingang explained with a troubled face.
"...About two years ago, Rin's inner power began scattering out of nowhere."
"That's absurd..."
Hyeondo's eyes widened.
Inner power was the culmination of lifelong cultivation.
It didn't just scatter—unless one was dying.
"Fortunately, our family physician has extended her life with periodic spirit elixirs. But three months ago, even those lost effect, and now..."
Shadows darkened beneath Danmok Jingang's eyes.
"Ah, so that's it."
The sudden interruption drew all three gazes to Cheonhwi.
But he paid no heed, gazing at Danmok Rin with a bored, disinterested expression.
"I wondered how you'd survived with a Taiyin Qi Storage Body. Turns out you just endured on elixirs."