Chapter 319
Chapter 319
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 319
Chapter Title: Wanted Order
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Dang Mujin's group buried Yeom Physician in a sunny spot and set off on their journey.
In his heart, Dang Mujin wanted to take Yeom Physician's body back to his hometown or to the Dang family estate instead of leaving him in Suk-song, but the corpse's condition was too poor to allow it.
Yeom Physician said brightly, feigning cheer.
"We need to take a boat, so we should head to Wuchang now, right?"
"Yes, we should."
Yeom Physician showed signs of gloom, feeling the empty space left by his lifelong friend.
But at the same time, Yeom Physician tried not to show his melancholy mood. In a journey like this, one person's depression could drag down the whole group's atmosphere.
Yeom Physician had a deep heart worthy of an elder.
To soothe Yeom Physician's heavy heart, Dang Mujin began teaching him about poisons.
"This is ma-huang, or ephedra. Have you seen it before?"
"It's an herb used to dispel cold qi, isn't it? I've only seen processed versions, though..."
"As you know, ephedra is full of yang energy, so taking it unprocessed makes the pulse race, bringing damp-heat and chest pain. Its own toxicity can't be ignored either, but when used with warm poisons, its effects double—that's the true value of ephedra as a poison."
He started with the poisons and mushrooms most familiar to a physician.
As he taught Yeom Physician about poisons, Dang Mujin realized just how much there was to share on the subject.
If it had been someone other than a physician, he could have simply explained the effects and usage and been done. But with Yeom Physician, Dang Mujin started from the basics: names, forms, properties, and how to distinguish them from similar plants, teaching everything step by step. All of it would form the foundation for poison arts.
Yeom Physician diligently memorized the poisons.
Since poison arts overlapped greatly with medicine, he learned at an astonishing speed. For weaker poisons, he even tested them on his own body to feel their nature.
'If Wan-ah were here, he could learn even more.'
While teaching Yeom Physician, Dang Mujin finally realized how much he had neglected poisons until now.
He had thought the poison arts compiled by Ma-ui were sufficient. But talking with Yeom Physician opened up endless possibilities.
Just as apothecaries processed herbs to enhance efficacy and reduce toxicity, one could remove the medicinal effects from poisons and amplify only the toxic essence.
Or mix poisons retaining only specific properties to create new ones.
The field of poison arts was like a vast, untouched snowy plain with no footprints. Few had researched it, leaving infinite potential untapped.
'I wielded poison arts knowing so little about poisons themselves.'
Dang Mujin grew eager to return to the Dang family estate as soon as possible.
*
Three days later, Dang Mujin's group arrived near Wuchang late in the evening.
"We can rest in Wuchang tonight and take a boat tomorrow or the day after."
"Yeah."
Then the group witnessed a strange sight. Several people were patrolling the outskirts of Wuchang.
With swords proudly at their waists and a haughty air, they were clearly martial artists.
Hong Geolgae spoke.
"Something happen?"
"What?"
"Like southern unorthodox groups attacking Wuchang or something."
"Could be."
As Dang Mujin's group chatted idly like spectators across the river and headed into Wuchang, someone called out to them.
"Hey, you there!"
It was only natural to stop when called. Dang Mujin's group halted and looked at the man.
It was a young man and woman.
The man had a stylish hero's band tied around his forehead. His hair was meticulously arranged without a strand out of place, suggesting he had feelings for the woman beside him.
The man had called out confidently, but upon seeing the swords at Dang Mujin's group's waists, he showed slight tension.
But few men could show weakness in front of a woman they liked. Just like Nangong Myeong on the boat long ago.
Dang Mujin asked.
"What's the matter?"
Balancing confidence and courtesy, the man with the hero's band replied.
"There's a wanted order out, so we need to check your appearances. We'd appreciate your cooperation."
"Ah, go ahead."
As Dang Mujin straightened his shoulders, the man scrutinized his face closely.
The man held a paper with descriptions of appearances. He alternated between Dang Mujin and the paper with a suspicious look.
Dang Mujin glanced sideways to peek at the content.
[A man in his late twenties. A lively martial artist. Clear eyes, cautious movements, subtle refinement. High status, so treat with respect.]
[A physician around the same age, neat appearance. Uses Sichuan dialect.]
[A Daoist in his late twenties. Serious demeanor, weighty aura. Habit of smirking sinisterly at times.]
[A beggar.]
[A woman with yellowish hair.]
'···.'
The descriptions felt oddly familiar.
Even on the paper, simple portraits were sketched with a fine brush—Nangong Myeong's especially detailed and somewhat idealized.
What was interesting was the omission of the group's most crucial info, like names or aliases.
The man with the hero's band was nonchalant until Dang Mujin, tensed a bit at Hong Geolgae, relaxed at Yeom Physician, then stiffened at Seolhwa.
Anyone else might blend in, but a woman with yellowish hair like Seolhwa was rare across the Central Plains.
The man with the hero's band said.
"Uh, hmm. You're not who I'm looking for. Pass on through."
His tone grew subtly more polite. At the same moment, Hyeon-gong's transmission voice pierced Dang Mujin's ear.
- That guy's lying.
Dang Mujin's mind raced. The descriptions clearly matched their group.
Nangong Myeong's was at the top, most favorably described, and most carefully drawn—key clues.
All pointed to one conclusion.
'Nangong Jinya is hunting Nangong Myeong.'
So why was the man pretending not to recognize them?
Simple. He lacked confidence to capture them alone, so he was feigning ignorance to call for backup. People were stealthily approaching from afar, likely signaled somehow.
Dang Mujin organized his thoughts, turned, and shouted.
"Run!"
With that cry, the group scattered each in their own way.
Dang Mujin hoisted Yeom Physician on his back and unleashed Floating Shadow Light Steps, Nangong Myeong melted into the darkness, and Hyeon-gong grabbed Seolhwa's hand to deploy Cloud Covering Palm.
Hong Geolgae, caught off guard, stumbled through Drunken Eight Immortals Steps before regaining his wits and fleeing with the Beggars' Sect's Thousand-Mile Pursuing Wind Divine Technique.
The man with the hero's band bellowed.
"Catch them—you have to catch them! Let the others go, just get that one!"
But riffraff couldn't match Dang Mujin's group's lightness skills.
Soon, the group vanished from the pursuers' sight, leaving the man with the hero's band looking crestfallen.
*
About half a gak later, Dang Mujin's group regrouped on Wuchang's outskirts.
Yeom Physician cautiously asked.
"...What's going on? Did something big happen?"
Yeom Physician looked deeply uneasy. A man who had lived his whole life without crime found fleeing utterly alien.
Hyeon-gong shook his head.
"I haven't mentioned it till now, but there's actually a fugitive in our group."
"...Who?"
"Nangong Myeong. He's on the run from the Nangong family."
Yeom Physician paled, his imagination running wild. For an ordinary physician, the Nangong family name carried crushing weight.
Dang Mujin interjected to explain.
"No need to worry that much. He didn't commit some heinous crime. The description even said to treat Nangong Myeong respectfully."
"...Could you explain what happened?"
"Just think of it as trouble from being immature."
Nangong Myeong glared at Dang Mujin. But it was undeniable fact, so he couldn't retort.
Hyeon-gong sank into thought.
'Earlier, that hero-band guy yelled, "Just get that one!"'
'Contextually, "that one" means Nangong Myeong. The others' descriptions were just because they're likely traveling with him. The Nangong family wants only Nangong Myeong.'
'How to handle?'
'Ditch Nangong Myeong.'
'Fallout?'
'He'll sulk short-term, but being simple-minded, sweet-talk and excuses will smooth it over.'
'Bonus: I score points with Nangong Jinya.'
The faint worries lingering in Hyeon-gong's chest vanished cleanly.
As Hyeon-gong prepared to voice his opinion, Dang Mujin spoke first.
"We can't just abandon Nangong Myeong. What now?"
Hyeon-gong glanced around. Everyone seemed to agree with Dang Mujin.
Hyeon-gong decided not to reveal his inner scheme.
Then Nangong Myeong spoke.
"Wuchang's a huge city—not everyone's hunting me. First, we need to check how far our descriptions have spread."
"How?"
"We have face-changing techniques."
"Ah, right!"
All eyes turned to Hong Geolgae, most skilled in face-changing.
Face-changing used internal energy to fix facial muscles.
Those unskilled in energy control or the technique couldn't maintain it long.
But Hong Geolgae's was stable—even held through the tournament arena.
Nangong Myeong asked him.
"You can do it, right?"
*
Moments later, a beggar appeared on Wuchang's outskirts.
A normal beggar might draw suspicion—their descriptions included one.
But even the hero-band man and woman who'd just met Dang Mujin's group didn't suspect this beggar. His face was quite famous.
"Hey, you!"
The woman shrieked, and the beggar glanced sideways with a gentle expression.
The hero-band man couldn't hide his shock.
"C-Could you be!"
"...Do you know me?"
"How could I not! The tournament champion, Great Hero Hong Gyeon!"
Hong Geolgae savored his fame with a pleased smile.
Even as his expression shifted, the face-changing held.
Leisurely, Hong Geolgae asked.
"You recognize me—I'm embarrassed. Anyway, what brings you two out to these deserted outskirts?"
"We were cooperating with the Nangong family's wanted order."
Hong Geolgae feigned ignorance.
"Oh? A Nangong wanted order. Must be some grave offender."
"Not a criminal—seems they're searching for someone important. We actually spotted them by luck just now but let them slip away."
"How unfortunate. My sympathies. Hope it turns out well."
"Yes."
Hong Geolgae casually brushed them off and entered Wuchang.
Now, check inside for Nangong Myeong hunters and report back. Outskirts patrols could be dodged using the dark.
But touring inside, Hong Geolgae's face hardened. Posters describing Nangong Myeong were plastered around.
'This won't be easy.'
If only Nangong Myeong were described, teaching him face-changing would suffice. He learned martial arts fast.
But the problem was the whole group was listed. Excluding omitted Yeom Physician, everyone needed face-changing to avoid suspicion.
'...No, even that won't work.'
Seolhwa was described. Face-changing couldn't hide her distinctive yellowish hair.
For a moment, ditching Seolhwa seemed a simple fix, but Hong Geolgae shook his head, banishing the wicked thought. It wasn't the way of a righteous warrior.
As Hong Geolgae headed back with bad news, he noticed people's gazes on him weren't ordinary.
Precisely, not everyone's—only one group's stared meaningfully: beggars.
'Why are they looking like that?'
As Hong Geolgae made a subtle face, a three-knot beggar approached.
A Three-Knot Elder. Branch leader level.
He seemed over forty, yet bowed respectfully before Hong Geolgae.
It looked odd to anyone. Hong Geolgae had five knots, while 'Hong Gyeon' had two.
'...Because I'm the tournament winner? No, unlikely. He's higher in sect status. Did he see through me?'
If word spread he'd faked weakness, posed as a two-knot, and won—dizzying to imagine.
Deeply flustered, Hong Geolgae asked.
"Br-Branch Leader, what is it?"
Hong Geolgae steeled himself.
Ready to play dumb if called "Central Chief Branch Leader, Five-Knot Hong Jusam."
The branch leader replied.
"It's proper to lower oneself before a superior."
"Superior? I'm just a two-knot—"
"No. You've earned six more knots to become an Eight-Knot Elder."
Utterly unexpected, Hong Geolgae blankly asked.
"...Pardon?"
The branch leader explained.
"Rumors say Sect Leader Flower-Faced Mad Beggar will make Hero Hong Gyeon his successor elder. Indeed, he's come to Wuchang seeking you."
Dizzying even to hear. Hong Geolgae hastily stammered.
"Successor elder? First I've heard! Besides, me... wouldn't Great Hero Hong Geolgae of Gui Island suit it better? Word is he broke past peak supreme at such youth!"
Hong Geolgae was truly grateful no friends were nearby.
They'd tease him for thirty years over such self-praise.
The branch leader shook his head.
"Of course, Gui Island Hero is the sect's top hero. But Sect Leader seems reluctant to name a superior martial artist as successor. A successor is heir, but also disciple."
"···."
"It's secondhand, but... Sect Leader plans to elevate you to successor, then pass leadership straight to Gui Island Hero."
This would make him Sect Leader, forced to take himself as disciple.
His ruse would be exposed to the world in a flash.
Of course, the oblivious Wuchang branch leader extended a hand.
"Come with me. Sect Leader Flower-Faced Mad Beggar anxiously seeks Great Hero Hong Gyeon."
Hong Geolgae stared at the hand, trembling in fear.