Chapter 217: Setting Off for the North Sea-1
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 217: Setting Off for the North Sea-1
Having finished his preparations, Sun-woo slowly pushed himself up.
Beside him, Ok-ryeong lay fast asleep. He leaned down and pressed his lips to the corner of her mouth.
Mwah.
He then turned and began to walk away with quiet steps.
"Are you leaving now?"
Ok-ryeong’s voice drifted from behind him. It seemed he had woken her after all.
"Sorry. Did I wake you?"
"No. Actually, I was already awake."
At his question, Ok-ryeong answered with a bright smile.
"You should have said something if you were awake... I would have gone for one more round."
Sun-woo looked back at her, a playful smirk tugging at his lips.
"It’s not too late even now," Ok-ryeong replied, her eyes shimmering with a suggestive light.
"It’s tempting, but I’d better not."
Sun-woo shook his head at her invitation.
"Why? Are you tired of me already? Sniff, sniff."
Ok-ryeong feigned a sob, putting on a dramatic act.
"You know why. Even if I leave right now, I’m already pushing it."
Sun-woo let out a soft chuckle at her antics. He wasn't lying. The search party was scheduled to depart first thing in the morning. If he didn't wash up and head out immediately, he would be late.
"Then let’s wash together."
"Didn't you say you hated it because the bath was too small?"
Sun-woo asked, feeling puzzled. Whenever he had suggested bathing together before, she had always refused, complaining that the tub was too cramped. He wondered what had brought on this sudden change of heart.
"I won't... be able to see you for half a year... and I can't even see you off properly."
Ok-ryeong’s voice trailed off, thick with genuine sorrow. It was a stark contrast to her playful fake-crying from moments ago.
Sun-woo felt a pang of heartache. Because her existence had to remain a secret, Ok-ryeong couldn't go out to see him off. It was unlikely, but if anyone in the search party recognized her, her presence would be revealed to the world. And if Ok-ryeong’s identity were exposed, it would bring disaster upon the Tang Clan.
To prevent such a catastrophe, Sun-woo had told her beforehand that she wouldn't be able to see him off. Though she had wailed in sorrow at the news, spending their final night together seemed to have soothed her grief to some extent.
Step, step.
Sun-woo walked back to her.
Grab.
He pulled her into a tight embrace, feeling the comforting warmth of her body.
"Ok-ryeong, I’ll be back as fast as I can. So don't worry too much."
Sun-woo pulled her even closer as he spoke.
"Please... don't make me wait too long..."
Ok-ryeong replied, her eyes welling with tears. The two of them stood there for a long time, locked in each other's arms.
*
"Just when is he coming?!"
Un-jeok-ja barked, glaring at the rising sun. His face was twisted in a deep scowl. He was furious that Jang Sun-woo had yet to show his face, even though the assembly time had long since passed.
"I will send someone to check on him."
Tang Seo-yoon replied with a composed expression.
That absolute bastard, seriously.
Internally, however, she was unleashing a torrent of curses at Sun-woo. She had repeatedly warned him that as the disciple of the Poison King and her fiancé, his every action represented the face of the Tang Clan, but it seemed he hadn't taken it to heart.
Sigh.
But soon, she let out a deep, silent sigh. She couldn't bring herself to stay truly angry. She knew that once he left, she wouldn't see his face for six months—it was only natural that saying goodbye wouldn't be easy.
I give up.
She shook her head dismissively.
Meanwhile, Seol-hyang was busy scanning the surroundings, her eyes darting back and forth. She was searching for any sign of Sun-woo.
"Saje, what are you doing?"
Un-hye, a third-generation disciple standing next to her, spoke up.
"Don't talk to me, I'm busy."
Seol-hyang cut Un-hye off bluntly and resumed her frantic search. She had no idea when or where Jang Sun-woo might appear.
Thud, thud, thud.
Just then, the sound of hurried footsteps reached her ears. Seol-hyang quickly turned her head toward the source.
There, she saw a young man sprinting toward the search party.
"I'm sorry! I'm late!"
The man apologized breathlessly as he reached the search party's carriages.
"Are you perhaps Young Master Jang Sun-woo?"
Un-jeok-ja asked cautiously after hearing the apology.
"Yes. I am Jang Sun-woo."
Sun-woo nodded as he answered. Immediately, every eye in the search party fixed on him. The greatest of the Rising Stars, whom they had only heard of in rumors, had finally appeared.
Seol-hyang’s eyes sparkled as she stared at him. Sun-woo, feeling the weight of the collective gaze, simply scratched his head awkwardly.
*
Seol-hyang scrutinized Sun-woo with gleaming eyes. It was only natural, given that the man she had been waiting for had finally arrived.
First, she checked his face to estimate his age.
Well, he’s not bad-looking.
She studied his features intently. He wasn't a peerless beauty, but there wasn't a single flaw to be found. After confirming his face, her gaze slowly drifted down to his neck.
As her eyes reached his chest, his well-developed ribcage caught her eye. She felt her face flush involuntarily. His torso looked incredibly solid, and it commanded her attention.
She shook her head to clear her stray thoughts and moved on to his arms. Sun-woo’s arms were corded with muscles that looked like twisted steel cables. The sharp definition of his physique made her heart throb.
Thump, thump.
I told you to behave!
She mentally scolded her heart and continued her downward scan. This time, his sturdy thighs caught her eye. They were neither too thick nor too thin, but perfectly toned. The power exploding from that lower body was surely immense.
Gulp.
Seol-hyang swallowed hard without realizing it. She thought he was a man who had reached near-physical perfection.
Haaa...
She sighed inwardly. Her mind was now filled with images of Sun-woo’s body.
*
Meanwhile, Sun-woo noticed a woman staring at him as if she were scanning his entire body.
She was exceptionally beautiful. She had playful, slightly upturned eyes, silky ink-colored hair, a sharp, well-defined nose, and lips that glistened like ripe apples. Even Sun-woo, whose standards had reached the ceiling, found her stunning.
She was looking him up and down with a rather lecherous gaze. Feeling her stare, Sun-woo tilted his head in confusion.
Soon, their eyes met directly. Sun-woo gave her a bright smile and a slight bow. She returned the bow, her earlobes turning a deep, burning red.
*
"Now that everyone is here, we shall depart."
Once he saw that Sun-woo had finished greeting the members of the search party, Un-jeok-ja made the announcement and turned around. He had no intention of delaying any further.
"Yes, sir."
Sun-woo replied and turned back one last time. He intended to say his final goodbyes to everyone.
Waiting near the carriage were Tang Seo-yoon, Yorang, Geum Jeok-hwa, and Madam Tang.
"I'm heading out."
Sun-woo said, looking at them. Yorang slowly raised her hand and gave him a gentle wave. Since Sun-woo was publicly known as Tang Seo-yoon’s fiancé, the other women had to refrain from any excessive displays of affection.
Sun-woo had strictly warned Yorang and Madam Tang about this. He told them they absolutely could not act like they usually did. Fortunately, Yorang seemed to remember her promise from the night before; instead of lunging for a hug, she just waved her hand vigorously.
Sun-woo felt a pang of regret. He knew how much she loved physical affection. It pained him to think he couldn't even give her a proper hug before leaving.
Next, he turned to Madam Tang. Though she didn't show it outwardly, her eyes were filled with profound sadness as she looked at him. He suspected she was crying rivers in her heart.
Sigh.
Sun-woo sighed inwardly. It felt wrong not to be able to say a proper goodbye.
Then, he looked at Geum Jeok-hwa. She was also waving at him. Sun-woo nodded to her—a silent signal asking her to look after the others while he was gone. She nodded back slightly, meeting his gaze. Only then did Sun-woo feel at ease. He knew Geum Jeok-hwa would be able to comfort the grieving Madam Tang.
Finally, Sun-woo turned to Tang Seo-yoon. His only friend, the one he had felt a true bond of affection with since falling into the Murim. The friend who had always been his strength when things were difficult.
Sun-woo looked at her with a gaze full of fondness.
"What are you looking at?"
Tang Seo-yoon snapped in a grumpy voice, clearly embarrassed by his gaze.
Chuckles.
Sun-woo couldn't help but let out a small laugh. He realized she hadn't changed one bit.
"Because you're pretty."
Sun-woo said with a smile.
"I know," Tang Seo-yoon replied primly.
For a moment, Sun-woo felt his mood lift. Talking to her brought back the memories of how lost he had felt when he first arrived at the Tang Clan.
"Seo-yoon."
"What?"
"Thanks for everything."
"If you're going to talk nonsense, just get lost."
"Why are you so cold?"
"Why are you so frivolous?"
Tang Seo-yoon fired back without missing a beat.
"I'm going now."
"Don't get hurt."
"Yeah."
With that final answer, Sun-woo turned around. He felt that if he kept talking, it would only get harder to leave.
Sigh.
Sun-woo let out a breath and walked toward the carriage. Tang Seo-yoon watched his retreating back with sad eyes.
*
The carriages carrying the search party began to race down the main road. Un-jeok-ja had issued a stern order to make up for the lost time. The coachmen drove the horses with everything they had, and the carriages sped toward the North Sea.
Rattle, rattle.
"Ugh..."
Un-hye, the third-generation disciple, began to gag, clearly unaccustomed to the jolting carriage. Having spent her entire life in the mountains, she had never had a reason to ride in such a vehicle.
"Ack! If you're going to throw up, do it outside!"
Seol-hyang, watching Un-hye, recoiled in horror and scrambled away, terrified that she might get vomit on her clothes.
"Uuu... Saje, you're so mean..."
Un-hye’s eyes welled with tears, hurt by Seol-hyang’s extreme reaction. Normally, a senior should pat their junior's back when they're suffering from motion sickness, but Seol-hyang was too busy maintaining her distance.
"You're the one who's too much! How little have you traveled that you're getting sick after just one ride?"
"Ugh... I've... never ridden one before..."
"Really!?"
Seol-hyang asked, genuinely shocked. Born as the precious daughter of the Seol Clan—one of the Five Great Merchants—she had spent more time in carriages than on her own two feet before joining the Emei Sect. Her childhood nickname had even been 'Three-Step Carriage' because she refused to walk even three steps without one.
To her, Un-hye’s claim of never having ridden a carriage was beyond belief. Hearing that, she began to feel a bit of pity for the nauseous girl.
Poor thing, she didn't even have an eight-horse carriage... If you don't have an eight-horse one, you should at least ride a six-horse one...
Feeling a wave of sympathy, she slowly approached Un-hye and began to pat her back.
"Th-thank you, Saje."
Un-hye expressed her gratitude with teary eyes, clearly moved by the gesture.
Pat, pat, pat.
The rhythmic patting continued until Un-hye’s condition finally stabilized.
*
Meanwhile, in the Qingcheng carriage, Cheongsu—the youngest of the third-generation disciples—was giggling to himself.
"Hehehehe."
Cheongsong, the eldest of the generation, shook his head at the sight. He wondered if the boy could really be that happy.
"Is it really that good?"
"Of course, Sahyung! Didn't you see? Girls! Real girls!"
Cheongsu spoke excitedly, looking at Cheongsong.
"Maintain your dignity as a Taoist, Cheongsu."
Cheonggil, known for his prickly personality, scolded him from the side.
"Even if Qingcheng has a strong secular leaning, we are still a Taoist sect. How can a Taoist, who should distance himself from worldly lusts, lose his mind over women!"
Cheonggil’s glare was sharp and unforgiving.
"......Yes, sir..."
Dejected by the scolding, Cheongsu hung his head. His excitement vanished in an instant.
"Cheonggil, don't be so hard on him. It’s his first time leaving the main sect in ten years. How could he not be in high spirits?"
Cheongsong spoke up, taking Cheongsu’s side.
"But Sahyung, how can a Taoist be so undignified as to fall for women? We are the face of Qingcheng. Every action and every word must be carefully considered."
Cheonggil replied to Cheongsong with a serious expression.
"Is that so? Then why were you stealing glances at the Emei disciples earlier?"
Cheongsong asked with a mischievous grin.
"I... I did no such thing! When did I ever do that!?"
Cheonggil reacted as if he’d been stung.
"The way you're getting angry makes it even more suspicious."
Cheongsong teased him further, his expression growing even more playful. Seeing this, Cheongsu’s face broke into a wide grin again, his gloom forgotten.
A warm, jovial atmosphere filled the carriage.