Chapter 91: Daoist Yin-Yang Manual (42)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 91: Daoist Yin-Yang Manual (42)
We cautiously approached the source of the fighting.
"I see them over there."
At Seo Ryeo-hwa's low voice, our party held their breath. In the clearing ahead, a dozen or so martial artists were locked in a fierce battle.
One group wore blue robes, while the other consisted of men in black masks. Several of the blue-robed fighters had already fallen and were groaning in pain.
"It looks like they're being ambushed. We should help them right now," Jin Myeong-woo said urgently, looking at Seo Ryeo-hwa.
Seo Ryeo-hwa assessed the situation for a moment before nodding.
"Young Master Jin, take your companions and circle around to cut off the enemy's escape route. Myeong-woo and I will attack from this side."
"Understood."
I led Jang Seo-young, Jin So-hee, and Seol-hee to circle around to the masked fighters' rear.
The masked fighters, unaware of our presence, were cornering the group in blue.
Their skills are average. They're just overwhelming them with numbers.
Seo Ryeo-hwa and Jin Myeong-woo also began their attack from the opposite side. Just then, one of the masked men spotted us and shouted.
"Who's there?!"
Their panicked shouts threw their formation into disarray. Seizing the opportunity, the blue-robed fighters launched a counterattack.
"Thank you so much!" one of the blue-robed men shouted, breathing heavily.
The masked fighters were thrown into confusion by the sudden attack. They were easily pushed back by our party's overwhelming skill.
"Retreat!" one of the masked men yelled, and they scattered, beginning to flee.
Seo Ryeo-hwa's sword cut down a few of them, but she didn't give chase and sheathed her weapon.
As the situation settled, I turned to the fallen men in blue.
"Are you all right?"
"Thank you, truly. I am Baek Myeong of the Cheongpung Sect."
The man who introduced himself as Baek Myeong bowed respectfully. His companions beside him also bowed their heads.
"To meet such benefactors deep in these mountains... We were fortunate. We were carrying out a mission for the Murim Alliance when we were suddenly attacked."
"I am Jin Seo-yun. My party and I were on our way to Beijing."
"Ah, so you are Great Hero Jin. Thank you so much for your help. And that lady warrior over there... could she be... the Sword Empress?"
Baek Myeong nodded at my introduction, then his gaze shifted to Seo Ryeo-hwa. The look in his eyes changed subtly.
"That's right."
At my answer, Baek Myeong's attitude became drastically more deferential.
"I knew it. I once had the honor of seeing you from a distance. It truly is the Sword Empress."
Baek Myeong looked at Seo Ryeo-hwa with an expression of awe. His companions bowed their heads toward her once more.
Seo Ryeo-hwa spoke with a calm expression.
"I didn't expect to find a sect of the Murim Alliance here. What mission were you on?"
Baek Myeong hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"We received a report of suspicious activity around Phoenix Mountain and were investigating."
At Baek Myeong's answer, Seo Ryeo-hwa fell into thought for a moment.
"Suspicious activity..."
"Yes. For the past two months, reports have been coming in about people disappearing from small villages all over the Central Plains. The Murim Alliance requested that the local sects investigate, and our Cheongpung Sect was doing its part."
Seo Ryeo-hwa's brow furrowed slightly at his words.
"Has the identity of those who attacked the villages been reported to the Murim Alliance? For instance, did the attackers have a black lotus symbol on their clothing...?"
"There were no such reports. However, the ones who attacked us today are suspicious..."
Just as Baek Myeong was about to continue, one of the blue-robed men who had been tending to the wounded approached.
"Senior Brother Baek! Thankfully, none of the injured have life-threatening wounds."
"That's a relief. Thanks to you all, we avoided greater harm."
Baek Myeong bowed deeply to our party once more. His gaze lingered on Seo Ryeo-hwa for a moment before he spoke again.
"For now, we must take our wounded back to the mountain villa. It's called Cheonjang Mountain Villa, a place we're staying at nearby..."
Baek Myeong paused for a moment, then added, "The sun is setting. Would the Sword Empress and her party consider joining us? You'll be able to rest safely there."
Seo Ryeo-hwa seemed to consider it for a moment. Then she looked at our party and asked, "What do you all think? It's too late to continue up the mountain. It would be best to rest for the night."
Jang Seo-young nodded and said, "That's a good idea. The mountain path will be dangerous after dark, so it's better to stop for a while."
Jin Myeong-woo added, "Master, I agree. It will be safer if we travel with the wounded."
She looked at me and asked quietly, "Young Master Jin, what are your thoughts?"
I was lost in thought for a moment.
Something felt off. It could have just been my imagination, but a strange sense of unease wouldn't go away.
"Young Master?"
When Seo Ryeo-hwa asked again, I forced a smile and nodded.
"Alright. Let's go together."
Baek Myeong smiled in relief and bowed his head.
"Thank you. Cheonjang Mountain Villa isn't far, so you don't need to worry."
But I still couldn't shake the strange sense of discord I felt from their attitude.
And so, we followed Baek Myeong's group toward the villa.
The path to the villa was shorter than I expected. We managed to arrive before the sun had completely set.
It was a small establishment with about ten buildings, but it looked more than sufficient for martial artists to rest.
Baek Myeong led us to the largest building.
"This is where we are staying. The wounded will be treated in another building. The Sword Empress and her party can rest comfortably here."
We went inside and chose our rooms. They were larger and cleaner than I'd expected. However, I found the atmosphere of the place to be somehow unnatural. It felt too orderly for a mountain villa, and the movements of the martial artists were also somewhat awkward.
Could this be a trap?
I couldn't rule out the possibility. Just like the Celestial Sphere Assembly's attack in Liaoning, danger could be lurking here as well. The fact that the group that attacked Baek Myeong's party had retreated so easily was also unsettling.
But with the Sword Empress on our side, they wouldn't dare attack us recklessly.
Still, I couldn't let my guard down. I left my room and decided to look around the building.
As dinnertime approached, preparations were in full swing on the first floor. The bedrooms were all on the second floor, while the first floor consisted of a large guest hall and a dining area. The building's layout seemed easy to defend if something were to happen at night.
"Sword Empress, dinner is ready."
Baek Myeong led us to the dining hall. A wide table was already laden with a lavish spread of food.
For a villa in the mountains, this is an awfully rich feast.
I sat at the table and carefully examined the dishes. Baek Myeong poured a cup of wine and said, "Thanks to the Sword Empress and her party, we averted a great crisis. This small gathering is a token of our gratitude."
Seo Ryeo-hwa raised her cup and nodded. I carefully inspected the wine they poured. I checked its smell and color, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
It doesn't seem like there's a problem, at least on the surface...
Still, I didn't let my guard down. Before the meal, I had already warned my women not to touch the food if they could help it.
Seo Ryeo-hwa raised her cup and looked at Baek Myeong.
"You've prepared fine wine and food. We accept your gratitude. However, this villa is more systematically managed than I expected. It's surprising for a simple mountain villa."
Baek Myeong replied with a slight smile. "To receive such praise from the Sword Empress is an undeserved honor. We maintain this place with the help of the Murim Alliance."
Seo Ryeo-hwa slowly set down her cup and looked around.
"Is that so? Still, it's strange that the Murim Alliance would invest resources in such a remote place."
Baek Myeong gave a shallow laugh at Seo Ryeo-hwa's words.
"This villa was established at the request of the Murim Alliance. It provides a safe shelter for passing martial artists."
"I see. The Murim Alliance must have very deep pockets."
At Seo Ryeo-hwa's calm remark, Baek Myeong laughed lightly and rose from his seat.
"We hope the Sword Empress and her party will rest easy here. We will do our utmost to provide for your comfort."
Baek Myeong bowed respectfully and left first. His companions also rose quietly and followed him.
Am I overreacting?
I watched Jin Myeong-woo wolfing down the food and fell into thought. Judging by his attitude and reaction, it didn't seem like anything was wrong with the meal.
The Sword Empress had also picked up her chopsticks and was eating slowly. Her expression was unchanged.
Am I worrying for nothing?
I slowly picked up my chopsticks and took a bite. I tasted it carefully, checking for any unusual flavors or energies, but there was nothing out of the ordinary.
The Sword Empress glanced at me and asked quietly, "Young Master Jin, is the food not to your liking?"
I met her gaze and shook my head lightly.
"No, not at all. I'm just eating slowly."
The Sword Empress nodded and picked up another piece of food. She seemed to be continuing her meal without any suspicion.
If even the Sword Empress doesn't sense anything... it should be fine.
I gave a subtle signal to my women, letting them know it was okay to eat.
Jang Seo-young looked at me for a moment before nodding and picking up her chopsticks. Jin So-hee and Seol-hee also began to eat cautiously.
After finishing the meal, our party went to their respective rooms to sleep.
I entered my room, leaned against the bed, and closed my eyes for a moment.
I could sense my women had gone to their room. Seol-hee, Jang Seo-young, and Jin So-hee were sharing one. The Sword Empress had taken the room at the very end of the hall.
The room was quiet. But in my mind, that strange sense of unease continued to linger. I slowly circulated my energy, scanning my surroundings.
Outside the window, I could only hear the sound of the wind and the rustling of tree branches.