Chapter 232
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 232
Chapter Title: I Think You've Got Something Wrong
< I Think You've Got Something Wrong >
After entering Shaanxi, the group switched to traveling by carriage.
The moment Go Bokyang boarded the carriage, he collapsed and fell asleep.
Seeing this, the Divine Doctor of the Ages and the One-Needle Eccentric clicked their tongues softly.
"How is he going to manage, being so frail..."
"Brother, don't say that. This man is the Three-Section Sword Virtuoso. If we hadn't met the Young Master, our situations would be reversed."
"That may be true for you, but I'm a bit different. You know I was quite skilled in martial arts myself."
"Come on, could you really take on the Three-Section Sword Virtuoso?"
"Hah, listen to this guy. Should we really get into it?"
The Divine Doctor of the Ages waved his hand dismissively.
"Let's not waste our energy on pointless things. By the way, I've had a very important realization."
"An important realization? What, do you need us to stand guard while you meditate?"
"No, not that. I'm talking about when we travel with the Young Master, like now."
The One-Needle Eccentric frowned, looking at the Divine Doctor.
The Divine Doctor continued, his eyes holding a profound meaning.
"Wouldn't it be great if we brought along a fellow like this every time?"
"What?"
The One-Needle Eccentric's eyes widened. He stared down at Go Bokyang, who was now snoring on the carriage floor.
"Come to think of it, this trip hasn't been very tiring, has it?"
"And why do you think that is? Isn't it all because of this fellow and that formation user, Seung Doheung?"
"Exactly."
The One-Needle Eccentric, looking as if he too had a grand epiphany, nodded and looked at the Divine Doctor.
"You, you rascal. You're quite something."
The Divine Doctor grinned.
"When it comes to using my head, I'm second to none."
"Right, right. I have to admit that. So what if your martial arts are a bit weak and your medical skills are lacking? And even if your performance at night is a little disappointing, it's fine if you're that smart. Of course."
The Divine Doctor's face scrunched into a deep frown.
"Brother, I think you've got a couple of things wrong."
"Impossible."
"I'll grant you the rest, but I can't concede on medicine and my performance in bed. I'll be generous and say we're equals in medicine, but I'm twice the man you are at night. Where do you get off trying to pull a fast one on me?"
"Ha, this rascal is getting my competitive spirit all fired up again. Shall we see who's really on top?"
"Bring it on anytime. I'll wipe the floor with you."
"Now that we're in Shaanxi, we'll probably head to Xi'an first, right?"
"Of course. From the looks of it, our destination isn't too far from Xi'an."
When the destination was not far, it was more convenient to stay in a large city.
For that reason, Byeok Taesan preferred to stay in major cities or prefectures.
Having traveled with Byeok Taesan so often, the Divine Doctor and the One-Needle Eccentric were well aware of this preference.
"What are the famous brothels in Xi'an?"
"In Xi'an... the Azure Flower Pavilion would be the finest."
"Good. Let's have a proper showdown there."
As the two chattered away, Go Bokyang, lying on the floor, kept his eyes squeezed shut, unable to reveal that he was, in fact, awake.
He had never imagined that two renowned doctors would have such a conversation.
He felt second-hand embarrassment.
* * *
Byeok Taesan's party entered Xi'an.
Despite traveling by carriage, their speed had been incredible.
Traveling with Byeok Taesan was convenient because no one could detect their movements, allowing them to speed along paths just off the main roads.
Furthermore, whatever had been done to the carriage, its speed was anything but ordinary.
The Underworld Sect members driving the carriage had grown accustomed to such surreal situations and simply focused on their duties as if it were normal.
Finding lodging for the party in Xi'an was also handled entirely by the Underworld Sect members.
In a large and important city like Xi'an, the Underworld Sect's base was naturally much larger than elsewhere, with a greater number of members.
They moved with such passion and efficiency that arranging a single inn was a trivial matter.
The carriage carrying Byeok Taesan's party arrived at a massive inn near the most bustling part of Xi'an.
It was an inn run by the Underworld Sect, and it was also the largest and finest in the city.
The inn's detached villa, in particular, was so popular that it was impossible to get a room without booking a month in advance.
Of course, Byeok Taesan's party was slated to stay in the villa.
In fact, the reservation had been adjusted to prepare the villa for them ever since they had departed from Wuhan.
From the moment they arrived in Xi'an, Hwaok managed the group's entire schedule and movements.
After assigning rooms to the party, Hwaok reported the situation to Byeok Taesan and then went to see Go Bokyang.
She had to relay the information she had gathered. Of course, this was all done with Byeok Taesan's permission.
Go Bokyang tensed slightly as Hwaok entered his room. He knew why she was here.
"Have you... found Hidden Moon Valley?"
Hwaok nodded.
"I have. It's not far from Xi'an."
Hwaok spread out a map detailing Xi'an and its surrounding areas.
Go Bokyang's eyes widened as he looked at the map.
Possessing a map of such detail was a measure of one's capability.
Maps were not easily obtained, nor were they easily made.
Hwaok pointed to a spot on the map.
"Hidden Moon Valley is here."
Hidden Moon Valley was situated in a region with rugged mountains, making it extremely difficult to access.
This also made it difficult for outside forces to infiltrate.
Since they lived a very reclusive life, it was likely of little inconvenience to them.
Though it must have been tough for those who procured their daily necessities and food.
"And I've looked into the situation at the time. Based on the circumstances, it doesn't seem to have been a kidnapping. Also, there were witnesses who saw her interacting with beautiful women."
A considerable amount of time had passed, making it difficult to ascertain the exact situation.
Go Bokyang nodded. He had confirmed the witnesses back then as well. That was why he had suspected Hidden Moon Valley.
In fact, before she disappeared, the two of them had spoken about Hidden Moon Valley.
Her attitude when she spoke of it had been strange, and soon after, she vanished, making him even more suspicious of the valley.
"After a more thorough investigation, we were able to roughly identify the attire and ornaments of the women who were witnessed at the time. It's highly likely they bear the crest used by the disciples of Hidden Moon Valley."
Go Bokyang's eyes widened.
"To find out even that much, it's incredible."
In truth, Go Bokyang had investigated as much as he could at the time, but he had never found anything as clear as this.
It was Hidden Moon Valley, but it wasn't a kidnapping. What could it be then? If she had gone along willingly, why hadn't she told him?
Frankly, there were many ways she could have let him know if she had wanted to.
She could have left a note or asked someone to deliver a message.
But she had done none of those things.
"It seems we'll have to visit Hidden Moon Valley. We can talk to her directly for more details."
Go Bokyang offered a formal cupped fist salute.
"Thank you so much. Honestly, if I had done this alone, I wouldn't have even been able to find the valley properly."
Hwaok smiled faintly.
"I am only doing as the Young Master commanded. So, you should direct your thanks to him."
"I will be sure to express my gratitude to Young Master Byeok."
Go Bokyang bowed several times.
Hwaok left him and exited the room.
Her work for the day was now finished.
All that remained was her training.
Hwaok had more duties than the others, which left her with far less time to train.
She saved every spare moment, dedicating it to her practice.
If she hadn't, she would never have reached such a high level in such a short time.
Hwaok's strength was due to the excellence of the Moon Shadow Demonic Arts and her exceptional compatibility with it, but the biggest reason was her relentless dedication to training, seizing every possible moment.
Strength was not necessarily gained by training for long hours.
What mattered far more was the mindset, the method, and the level of focus one brought to their training, even in short bursts.
As she was heading to the training grounds, an Underworld Sect member approached her, moving stealthily and swiftly.
He was a member of the leadership class.
His role was to relay orders between the lower-ranking members and Hwaok, submit compiled information, and report any changes.
"I've compiled the recent trends in Xi'an."
"Trends in Xi'an? Didn't I receive that report a short while ago?"
"There have been some changes in the last few days."
Hwaok's expression hardened slightly. She extended her hand, took the report, and reviewed it.
Then, she tilted her head.
"Unfamiliar beauties have appeared?"
"Yes."
"And you suspect they're from Hidden Moon Valley?"
"The circumstances suggest a high probability. They are acting normally while gradually approaching other women."
Hwaok's eyes glinted.
Seeing this, the Underworld Sect member added an explanation.
"They are only targeting beautiful women."
In truth, while Hidden Moon Valley was known to be a place where beautiful women gathered, that wasn't strictly the case.
It was simply composed entirely of women, and the martial arts practiced there offered a slight benefit to one's appearance.
However, because many of the members who operated outside were beautiful, this reputation had spread.
The activities of Hidden Moon Valley consisted of two things: procuring daily necessities and food, and finding disciples.
They also engaged in activities to settle grudges, but that was very rare.
What these women were doing now seemed, at a glance, to be a recruitment activity.
However, many aspects of it were different from how Hidden Moon Valley usually operated.
"Have they ever recruited disciples on such a large scale before?"
"To my knowledge, this is the first time. However, I haven't checked the records from the distant past, so I cannot say for certain."
"We don't need to go that far back. A few decades will be sufficient."
"There has been nothing like this in the past few decades. I am certain of that."
Hidden Moon Valley's recruitment of disciples mostly took place in Xi'an. It wasn't a frequent occurrence, and given Xi'an's large population, it was enough.
Therefore, checking the records of their activities in Xi'an would suffice. The Underworld Sect member had already checked those records before coming.
"Is this also the first time they've recruited only beauties?"
"Yes. Hidden Moon Valley's criterion for recruiting disciples is talent, not appearance."
"This is not a normal situation."
"No. I have assigned men to keep an eye on them for now."
Hwaok nodded.
"Maintain that level of surveillance. We plan to visit Hidden Moon Valley soon anyway."
"Yes. Understood."
"Report immediately if anything happens, no matter how trivial."
"Yes. I will do so."
The Underworld Sect member bowed respectfully and quietly withdrew.
Hwaok took a moment to organize her thoughts, then headed towards Byeok Taesan to report what she had just heard.
It seemed her martial arts training would have to wait until much later in the night.
* * *
"Hey, should we really be doing this?"
"Doing what?"
"It's our first day here. Is it really okay to head straight to a brothel like this?"
"Brother, are you getting cold feet?"
"Hey! Who's getting cold feet! Dammit, I'm the One-Needle Eccentric!"
"Then let's just go. The Azure Flower Pavilion is right ahead. I caught a glimpse of the girls in front of it on my way here, and they were absolutely stunning."
"Really? Then let's hurry. What are you doing? Run!"
"Goodness, maintain some decorum. Decorum."
Bickering, the two arrived at the Azure Flower Pavilion.
But the atmosphere of the brothel was rather strange.
"Is this place... even open for business?"
The mood inside was subdued. There were hardly any courtesans in sight.
Even though two customers had entered, no one came to greet them.
"What is this? It's completely different from what I expected."
As the two were looking around, a courtesan approached them.
But as they saw her, the gazes of the Divine Doctor and the One-Needle Eccentric sharpened slightly.
'She's practiced martial arts.'
The courtesan approached the two and bowed respectfully.
"As of today, the Azure Flower Pavilion has decided to close its doors. I'm sorry, but I must ask you two gentlemen to leave."
The Divine Doctor let out a smirk.
"I don't think I can do that."
"Pardon?"
"Do you have any idea how much I was looking forward to this? Just stay open for one more day."
The courtesan wore a look of disbelief.
What kind of ridiculous demand was this?
As she was about to say something, the Divine Doctor cut her off.
"Don't bother saying you don't have anyone to work. I confirmed you did before I came in."
The courtesan's eyes turned icy.
But in the next instant, her gaze transformed, becoming alluring as if nothing had happened.
"Very well. Please, come inside."
"You should have just done that from the start."
The Divine Doctor and the One-Needle Eccentric strode inside.
The courtesan glared at their backs with murderous eyes.
< I Think You've Got Something Wrong > End