Chapter 26
Chapter 26
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: Pilgrimage of Sincerity
-----------------------------------------------------------------
While Baek Yang-hui was lost in thought, Jegal Seon opened his mouth.
"Anyway, brother. It's about time I explained the reason for visiting the Baek Clan."
"Come to think of it, you mentioned having one request. Speak it."
"Would it be alright if I and my escort team stayed at the Baek Clan for a few months?"
Jegal Seon planned to scour Gokyeol Mountain in search of the Sound Empress.
Considering supplies and rest, they needed a base nearby.
The Baek Clan Manor was the perfect choice.
"Stay as long as you like. No need to ask."
"Thank you, brother."
"What thanks between us?"
Jegal Seon's request was actually a boon for the Baek Clan.
The young master of the Jegal Clan, bringing his escort team, offering to live as temporary guests.
'No more worrying about harassment from the Advance Teaching Gang.'
And that was just the start. With Jegal Seon staying, no faction in Akan County would dare mess with the Baek Clan.
They could expand their forces without a care.
"Ah, one more request, brother."
"What is it?"
"Could you assign someone from Baek Clan Manor who knows the way to Gokyeol Mountain well—no, someone familiar with the mountain's terrain itself—as a guide?"
As soon as Jegal Seon finished, Baek Yang-hui jumped in.
"Perfect timing since it'd feel awkward tagging along without a role. Uncle, I'll be the guide."
"Hm? You, Yang-hui?"
"Yes. As you know, before becoming Father's son, I was a beggar. I've wandered everywhere through wind and rain, and I know the lay of the land around Gokyeol Mountain like the back of my hand."
It worked out perfectly. As a guide, he could suggest directions during the search.
With his memories of his past life, he could subtly steer them away if danger loomed.
"No need to find a separate guide then. Take care of it, Yang-hui."
"The pleasure's mine, Uncle."
Baek Yang-hui then turned to Jegal Seolha and bowed.
"Seolha. Take care of me on the journey."
...
"Hm?"
"Huh?"
Baek Yang-hui flinched, and surprise flashed across Jegal Seon's face.
Jegal Seolha had reacted to Baek Yang-hui's words.
For the record, it was the first time since arriving at Baek Clan Manor that she'd responded to anyone besides Jegal Seon.
"Seolha, did you just nod?"
...
As eyes turned to her, feeling the pressure, Jegal Seolha buried her face in Jegal Seon's embrace.
And with that, the lineup was set.
A search party to find Patcheon Sound Empress, one of the Ten Venerables of the World, absolute powerhouses of the martial world.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The next day, the Sound Empress search party—Baek Yang-hui, the Jegal father-daughter pair, and ten escort warriors—finished preparations and departed Baek Clan Manor.
Instead of riding with the escorts, Baek Yang-hui volunteered as coachman for the carriage carrying Jegal Seon and Jegal Seolha.
"Yang-hui, how can I put my brother's son on the driver's seat? Come inside and sit with us."
"I'm here first as a guide, before being your nephew. To fulfill my duty properly, I think the one with talent should hold the reins."
Deeming Baek Yang-hui's words reasonable, Jegal Seon replied with a touch of pride.
"Then this uncle will sit up front too. Let's chat amiably as we go."
It was insistence on joining him outside, but Baek Yang-hui smiled faintly and bowed his head.
He'd hop inside the moment Jegal Seolha looked tired anyway.
"By the way, Uncle. Could I hear the basis for suspecting the Patcheon Sound Empress is in Gokyeol Mountain?"
"Ah, time to explain. Our clan's intelligence division worked tirelessly to uncover a clue."
Jegal Seon's explanation went like this.
First, the Sound Empress's official movements vanished after Nanchang in Jiangxi Province.
Second, during her last known activity, she'd inquired about a hidden retreat through an acquaintance.
And finally, third.
"There's a rumor that a dragon has nested in Gokyeol Mountain. They say thunder rumbles from deep within during rainstorms."
Baek Yang-hui made a plausible expression.
"Thunder follows rain as a matter of course, so nothing special if it's just loud..."
"Combined with the first and second clues, it forms a solid hypothesis."
The Sound Empress was a master of sound arts. An unusually massive thunder might be a trace of her techniques.
"So, what's the concrete plan for the search?"
"Well..."
Jegal Seon let out a small sigh.
Even he, the young master of the strategically renowned Jegal Clan, had no good method.
'No specific plan, as expected.'
It was a quest to find one of the Ten Martial Venerables, after all.
No way it'd be easy.
"First... we'll comb Gokyeol Mountain like hunting rats, looking for any traces she might have left."
As expected, no real strategy.
And... Uncle's judgment seemed a bit clouded.
With his daughter's fate on the line, it was understandable.
"Uncle, Gokyeol Mountain is too vast for ten warriors."
"Hm? How big can a mountain in Jiangxi be?"
Jiangxi was mostly plains, crisscrossed by rivers and canals, thriving on trade and transport.
So Jegal Seon's bias was forgivable, but.
"It's called Gokyeol for a reason—the terrain is profoundly deep and treacherous."
Gokyeol meant "gorgeously torn ravines."
For a mountain in Jiangxi, it was unusually massive and towering.
"Heavens. Should've brought more escorts."
"No, Uncle. That wouldn't be wise."
"Why not?"
"Because we shouldn't aim to 'find' the Sound Empress."
Though momentarily clouded, he was still the young master of the Divine Strategist Black Dragon.
Jegal Seon instantly grasped Baek Yang-hui's meaning.
"Heavens. Thank you, Yang-hui. This uncle nearly committed a grave offense against her."
"Not at all, Uncle."
The Patcheon Sound Empress was one of the Ten Martial Venerables, said to transcend human limits.
If they scoured her mountain to "find" her, how would she feel?
No one likes uninvited guests hopping their fence.
"Frankly, I think it's impossible for anyone not of the Ten Martial Venerables to track her down."
"Quite right. If our search revealed her, she wouldn't be one."
The key to finding the Sound Empress was singular.
Not traces, but opening her heart.
Thus, their approach had to differ from ordinary searches.
'Nothing comes to mind right now.'
He racked his past life's memories, but knew little of the Sound Empress.
At best, a young expert claiming to be her disciple would appear about twenty years from now?
'At least it's certain she'll take a disciple.'
They were heading out to beg her to accept Seolha, so he knew the most crucial info.
If they found her after hardship only for her to refuse a disciple, it'd all be for naught.
"No ideas coming to mind."
"Same here."
As they pondered winning her favor, they reached the base of Gokyeol Mountain.
Jegal Seon adjusted the dozing Jegal Seolha more comfortably and looked at Baek Yang-hui.
"If there's an inn nearby, head there. Let's ease Seolha's travel fatigue and sate our hunger."
"There's a village not far, but even closer on the pass is an inn."
"Then the pass it is."
"Understood."
About fifteen minutes after steering toward the widening mountain path.
A building with a sign reading "Wailing Valley Inn" came into view.
"Uncle, we've arrived at the inn."
Jegal Seon emerged carrying Jegal Seolha and glanced at the inn before commenting.
"Wailing Valley? Odd name for an inn."
As they entered, a waiter greeted the group.
"Welcome. Here for a meal?"
The sudden influx of martial artists tensed the waiter's face.
Reminded of his beggar days cowering from warriors, Baek Yang-hui stepped forward.
"Brother waiter, I'll order."
"Brother? Too kind for a mere waiter, young master."
"The five bonds include respect for elders—how could it be too much? What's good here, brother?"
Baek Yang-hui's friendly banter eased the waiter, who replied.
"Dumplings and thin noodles are inn staples. Our chef doesn't skimp on basics."
"Then one plate of dumplings and one bowl of noodles per two people, all around."
Baek Yang-hui glanced at Jegal Seon, who tossed a silver coin worth ten taels from his pouch.
"No change needed. Keep it."
"Th-thank you, sir!"
The meal cost about five taels, a windfall for the waiter.
But Jegal Seon hadn't been extravagant without thought—he grilled the hovering waiter with questions throughout the meal.
The result.
"Finding the Sound Empress won't be easy at all."
The pass waiter's ignorance meant no quick gains from inquiries.
"As expected, isn't it?"
"True, but regrets are regrets."
Jegal Seon gazed pityingly at Jegal Seolha nibbling dumplings in his lap.
Watching briefly, Baek Yang-hui spoke up.
"How about this, Uncle? Like offering devotions to a deity, we devote ourselves to the Sound Empress."
Jegal Seon needed no further explanation.
"Not a bad idea. First, send the escorts to clear out all nearby bandits and black path scum."
They were convinced she was nearby.
"Show sincerity by protecting the people, then daily climb Gokyeol Mountain with Seolha to offer prayers."
"As your guide, I'll accompany you, Uncle."
Show devotion by ascending an unfamiliar mountain with two children.
The goal: earn her admiration or at least open her heart.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Ten days passed.
After sweeping the black path foes clean, they climbed the mountain daily, yet the Sound Empress showed no sign.
Today, after wandering all day carrying Seolha, Jegal Seon sighed as they descended.
"Hoo. No word from the Sound Empress—I can't even tell if this is working."
"Devotions start at a hundred days, don't they? Keep at it until something better comes up."
"Right you are. To the inn."
Lately, they slept at Baek Clan Manor but ate lunch at Wailing Valley Inn daily.
The round trip took four hours even if close—far easier to eat there first.
"Brother waiter, we're back tod—hm?"
Baek Yang-hui, calling out boldly upon entering, paused.
Instead of the now-familiar waiter, a girl was handling duties.
"Are you Brother Wang Pal's friend? Welcome. Brother Pal's under the weather and resting today."
A girl who looked about fifteen bowed to Baek Yang-hui.
Unusual for a boyish waiter job...
"Hm?"
At that point, Baek Yang-hui realized something.
'Ha, our devotions paid off.'
Baek Yang-hui was born with senses sharp enough to be called world-perceptive.
For example, he could gauge a warrior's inner energy from its lingering aura.
No—beyond that.
He could even detect the innate essence everyone with a pulse carried.
But.
'This girl... no qi at all.'
That meant one thing.
'No matter how we searched or inquired for traces, we'd never succeed.'
The reason was simple. Their assumptions about the Sound Empress's appearance were dead wrong.
'They say beware women, elders, and children in the martial world.'
A monster fitting all three—a rejuvenated absolute being—stood before him.