Chapter 550
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 550
Chapter Title: Found It
Three people crossed the training grounds toward the main gate.
At first, their faces were full of wariness, but they soon sensed the presence of the one knocking at the door and relaxed somewhat.
No internal energy could be felt.
In other words, an ordinary commoner had come secretly knocking at this late hour.
They were tapping lightly, as if afraid the sound might carry.
Yu Gwi-gwang stood before the door and asked in a quiet voice.
"Who is it?"
"It's me."
Yu Gwi-gwang cracked the door open to check the face at the sound of the familiar voice.
It was the owner.
Elder Kang.
The former head of the Kang Trading House.
"What brings you here, Elder?"
"May I come in for a moment?"
Yu Gwi-gwang nodded and opened the door a bit wider before stepping aside.
Elder Kang passed through the main gate and nodded upon spotting Pung Geon and Gwan Ha-kyeong inside.
"These must be the ones."
He shot Yu Gwi-gwang a look asking who this old man was.
"He's the head of the Kang Trading House. He has ties to our martial hall, and we've been in his debt before."
With the man himself present, he gave only a brief explanation.
"I heard you managed to survive one crisis."
"Yes. We were lucky."
"But you know this isn't the end of it, don't you, Gwi-gwang?"
Yu Gwi-gwang nodded at Elder Kang's words.
"With Maehyang Gate involved, they'll come after our martial hall again."
"Exactly. Word is their sect leader has already summoned their three corps leaders."
As the owner of Sangnam's Kang Trading House—a fixture in the local scene—Elder Kang was always well-informed.
And remarkably quick about it.
One couldn't help but wonder what kind of intelligence network he had built.
Elder Kang met Yu Gwi-gwang's gaze and answered nonchalantly.
"In Sangnam, how many people have borrowed my money? Whenever they bring me news that piques my interest, I cut their interest or reduce the principal. They fetch the information on their own."
Indeed, Yu Gwi-gwang thought.
Money makes the world go round, as they say.
Those indebted to Elder Kang brought him news of their own accord.
"Two peak experts?"
"Yes."
"Maehyang Gate has four."
Yu Gwi-gwang, Pung Geon, and Gwan Ha-kyeong's faces hardened at those words.
"And Black Face Branch has one."
The three were stunned by what came next.
The branch leader was barely second-rate, so a peak expert there?
It was utterly unbelievable.
"Well, there seem to be circumstances. Apparently, their vice branch leader is the peak expert."
"Hah..."
Yu Gwi-gwang let out a sigh of disbelief.
"They're coming for this place in five days."
This was a conversation that had taken place secretly within Maehyang Gate just recently.
And it had already reached Elder Kang's ears.
Though it was five days away, with the sect leader and three corps leaders moving together, Seo Hon had immediately begun preparations, and news had leaked in the process.
Even Seo Hon hadn't known, but one of his closest aides had borrowed a hefty sum from the Kang Trading House.
"Can you hold them off?"
The three faces grew grave at Elder Kang's question.
"Why risk coming here to tell us this?"
"Didn't I say it before? Ties bind us, so I'm helping. I figured you'd best cut your losses here, so I hurried with the news. Judge wisely and act accordingly."
With that, Elder Kang opened the main gate and slipped out quietly, as if his duty was done.
"Thank you, Elder."
Yu Gwi-gwang bowed deeply toward his retreating back.
Once Elder Kang was gone, the three gazes met.
"Five peak experts coming in five days..."
Pung Geon muttered lowly.
"..."
Yu Gwi-gwang fell silent, lost in thought.
"Wouldn't it be better to leave, as he said? It's a shame to abandon the foundation here, but... Squad Leader Yu, you have a family to protect."
Gwan Ha-kyeong spoke cautiously.
Pung Geon looked at her in surprise.
"I thought you'd say to fight to the end."
Given her temperament so far, that's what he'd expected.
"This isn't Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest. If there's a way to survive, we should take it. That place killed you for struggling alone."
Pung Geon and Yu Gwi-gwang nodded at Gwan Ha-kyeong's words.
They'd been through it too.
"We should send the families out of Sangnam. Five days gives us time."
That was the value of Elder Kang's advance warning.
Knowing the buffer before the enemy struck allowed preparations.
"Gwi-gwang. You?"
"I'll fight."
Yu Gwi-gwang's eyes blazed fiercely.
"Five peak experts?"
"Doesn't matter."
He answered firmly.
"They're the family you barely survived to reunite with, Squad Leader Yu."
Gwan Ha-kyeong tried to dissuade him.
His gaze wavered briefly.
"And what if something happens to them outside Sangnam without someone to watch over? You need protectors."
Yu Gwi-gwang tilted his head at Pung Geon's words.
"You lead the families out. Gwan Ha-kyeong and I will hold here somehow."
"You said it yourself earlier—five peak experts."
"Right. And we're two peak experts."
"No chance of winning."
"Better than you staying."
Yu Gwi-gwang bit his lip.
"He's right, Squad Leader Yu."
"Huh? Pavilion Lord Pung?"
Yu Gwi-gwang echoed Gwan Ha-kyeong's words.
"Oh, you didn't know? Squad Leader Pung returned to his sect and became pavilion lord of their martial hall. Same as you now?"
"Yes. As fellow pavilion lords, I can't just stand by. Take your family and go. We'll manage here."
"You'll be outnumbered."
Yu Gwi-gwang protested to Pung Geon.
This was his clan and hall at stake, not Pung Geon's.
He'd only come to see his face, and now this?
"Not that outnumbered. Not without shields."
Gwan Ha-kyeong cut in.
She mentioned shields naturally, after they'd moved to Fierce Dragon Corps.
"Pavilion Lord Yu has trained a bit in shield arts too. And we have Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest experience."
"The hall might get wrecked."
Gwan Ha-kyeong and Pung Geon traded words.
"If it's bad, we'll bail. This isn't Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest. No need to fight to the death. There, running got you killed. Not here."
Gwan Ha-kyeong nodded vigorously at Pung Geon's words.
"..."
Yu Gwi-gwang watched them silently for a moment.
"Thank you. Truly..."
He bowed deeply, offering a fist salute full of sincerity.
"We should hurry. If Maehyang Gate scouts come at dawn, better to leave now."
Pung Geon and Yu Gwi-gwang nodded at Gwan Ha-kyeong's point.
The Yuun Martial Hall buzzed with activity once more.
Dawn broke.
Ha Mu-baek had stayed up all night.
Thinking about Sangnam's situation.
Just then, Squad Seven passed by after breakfast.
"Hold up."
The seven disciples approached at Ha Mu-baek's call.
With their squad leader absent, Dang Jin-san had filled in as acting leader without issue.
"Let me pose a question."
He spun a suitably fabricated tale of Sangnam's events.
"Now, how would the major sect there respond?"
The squad members pondered deeply at Ha Mu-baek's question.
Soon, Yeon Ha-min spoke up.
"They'd strike the martial hall again with their strongest lineup. One that ensures total suppression."
"Why?"
"Now that their ties to the unorthodox have been exposed, they have no more face to lose—they need gains. And they must show their power remains intact."
"I agree."
Dang Jin-san chimed in.
"Likely."
Baek Ri-pyeong added.
He found Yeon Ha-min's reasoning sound.
"Um... did we get it right?"
Dan Mok Un-roe asked timidly.
Ha Mu-baek chuckled.
"Probably?"
He shared her view. Han Seol-bing did too.
That's why Han Seol-bing was sure he'd leave, and Ha Mu-baek focused on Gwan Ha-kyeong's shields.
From prior intel via the Beggars' Sect and Hao Clan, he knew Maehyang Gate and Black Face Branch could muster five peak experts.
"Dismissed. Get to work."
The seven moved off at Ha Mu-baek's words.
It was free time after breakfast, so they scattered—until Yeon Ha-min turned back.
"Are you going? No, you have to."
"Hm?"
Ha Mu-baek turned at her sudden words.
"Squad Leader Gwan said so."
Impressive.
"We'll see."
But Ha Mu-baek gave no clear answer.
"Get to work."
He just repeated himself.
"Found it."
Three days lingering in Kaifeng.
Ho Gae came rushing to the inn where Plum Blossom Sword Immortal Gyu Hwi and Wi Su-yeon were staying, panting as he shouted.
Unlike last time, he was in full beggar garb, so he yelled from outside without entering.
By chance, Gyu Hwi had come down to the first floor for breakfast and heard at once.
"Grateful for the early news. Wait a moment."
He spoke to Ho Gae at the entrance, then ascended to the third floor.
Wi Su-yeon's room was there.
She was dining alone in comfort.
[He says they've found it.]
His transmission reached her.
She soon emerged, face veiled in thick cotton cloth.
"Let's go."
"Yes."
The two exited the inn and headed with Ho Gae to the shrine where they'd spoken before.
"Where?"
"Shaanxi Province."
"Shaanxi?"
Gyu Hwi frowned at the answer.
He hadn't expected Shaanxi.
Exiled from Huashan, he'd assumed they'd fled far from Shaanxi.
"Yes. Near the Shaanxi-Henan border, west side—Sangnam city in Shaanxi. Their Yuun Martial Hall matches your description perfectly."
Ho Gae answered carefully.
He couldn't help glancing at Wi Su-yeon.
But the two focused solely on his news, showing no reaction.
"Anywhere else?"
"Yuun Martial Hall, with a century of history. Strangely, only that one."
What a coincidence.
Yuun Martial Hall—a common name, scattered across the land. And so it was.
Yet only one had about a hundred years: others were over two centuries or just thirty-odd.
Truly remarkable.
"Sangnam, huh..."
And Sangnam, no less.
Too coincidental, almost deflating.
For they'd rested a day in Sangnam en route to Kaifeng.
They'd passed it right by, oblivious.
"Th-that said, Sangnam's situation is a bit odd right now."
Ho Gae could mention the situation thanks to Ha Mu-baek.
Ha Mu-baek's scrutiny had elevated Sangnam intel, catching Ho Gae's eye quickly.
"Odd?"
"Yes. There's an unorthodox branch called Black Face Branch there... and they're scheming against Yuun Martial Hall."
But collision was imminent, so no clash news yet.
This very evening, Black Face Branch would strike Yuun Martial Hall.
"Let's go."
Plum Blossom Sword Immortal rose abruptly.
"Yes."
No time to delay; they leaped into motion.
Every moment counted now.