Chapter 66: Physical Description
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Approximately two ke (about 28 minutes) earlier.
Seop Pyo had been hidden near the Thousand Snake Gang monitoring their movements when he spotted a suspicious character.
The clothing was extremely ordinary, looking like a traveler just passing through Youyang, but the repetitive behavior subtly revealed was different.
It seemed like they were pretending to sightsee the city streets while visiting here and there, casually asking about rumors related to the Thousand Snake Gang and gathering information.
Honestly, if Seop Pyo himself hadn’t been meticulously observing the Thousand Snake Gang area due to Cheol Ryu-heun’s request, he wouldn’t have paid much attention to this person.
However, since this was a matter of importance, he couldn’t lightly pass over even the smallest thing that bothered him, and so he had secretly followed behind and ended up sneaking into this forest.
‘Judging by appearances, the young man sitting on the rock seems to be the superior. Hmm… What’s his identity?’
The two people visible over there were in casual clothes, so their identities couldn’t easily be determined.
Moreover, the distance was somewhat far, making it difficult to eavesdrop on their conversation.
Well, he could guess the topic.
They were probably exchanging some kind of opinions about the Thousand Snake Gang information gathered while wandering the streets earlier.
‘Let’s see…’
Seop Pyo carefully operated a small amount of internal energy so as not to reveal his presence, heightening his hearing further.
But.
Mumble mumble…
The voices of the two unidentified people were unclear.
‘What’s this?’
Seop Pyo’s eyebrow twitched upward.
It was a remote forest with no one around, yet both were keeping their voices lowered as much as possible while conversing.
Seeing that much caution and thoroughness, their identity was even more suspicious.
Unable to gauge the skill of the youth sitting on the rock, he had deliberately kept distance and positioned himself here.
But… At this point, he was torn about whether to inch closer bit by bit using Space Concealment Stealth Technique.
‘Hmm, somehow I have a feeling they’re not ordinary.’
Even as he tried to move, the youth positioned on the rock seemed to have some kind of peculiar intangible aura, which concerned him.
No matter how subtle the profound use of the Space Concealment Stealth Technique was, its one drawback was that since the technique was optimized for surprise assassinations, its duration wasn’t long.
Approaching further to eavesdrop on the conversation was fine, but the moment he exceeded the time limit, there was a possibility of his presence being detected.
No, before that, if the youth visible there was a master beyond expectations, he might notice while closing the distance.
‘Right, since the work Sect Master Cheol planned is in its final stages, let me just observe the situation and inform him.’
Right at that moment.
From the forest path behind the old tree where he was hidden, several presences were detected.
Movement of people and horses.
‘Companions?’
Clatter, clatter, clatter…
Listening to the sound, it seemed like at least five or six pairs.
‘Ugh, how troublesome.’
Seop Pyo frowned slightly, then soon turned his head and captured the approaching group of people and horses in his sight.
One, two, three… Exactly six pairs.
Quickly steadying his breathing, he secretly operated his personal internal energy in time with when the group drew somewhat close.
His intention was to hide himself in case they looked upward.
Soon, the transparent current covering his figure rapidly absorbed the surrounding colors and hid his whole self completely.
Space Concealment Stealth Technique.
A lofty skill that made one appreciate the majesty of the alias Head-Severing Yama.
Thus, through the Space Concealment Stealth Technique displaying an extremely rare profound use, Seop Pyo perfectly assimilated with the scenery above the old tree.
Before long, the people and horses had approached within one jang’s distance.
The identity of the six holding horse reins and advancing was none other than Gale Squad Third Squad Leader Nu-heum and his subordinate squad members.
Seop Pyo, holding his breath, briefly glanced over their appearance.
‘They’re all in casual clothes.’
Just like the two at the rock over there, it was camouflage to not reveal their identities.
Clatter, clatter, clatter…
Nu-heum and company, detecting nothing at all, passed by the old tree where Seop Pyo was hidden and finally arrived at where Ximen Yue was positioned.
“Young Master, I’ve prepared temporary lodging on the outskirts of the city. I believe you can avoid people’s eyes there.”
No sooner had Nu-heum’s words ended than Ximen Yue asked suggestively.
“It’s not a slum, is it?”
“I excluded any environment that might displease you from the start.”
“Then it’s fine.”
“Yes, and the Thousand Snake Gang Leader…”
“I just heard. He hasn’t been going out lately?”
“Ah, yes. But word is going around that it’s because of illness.”
“Illness…”
“Is it really true?”
“Who knows. He has the Ghost Shadow Sword Technique. In other words, he likely recently obtained a clue to enlightenment and entered closed-door training. I’m not sure what connection it has with liquidating all his major businesses. Anything else?”
“There is one new piece of news. News unrelated to the Thousand Snake Gang.”
Ximen Yue, getting an idea of what it was, showed interest.
“Information about the spirit creature?”
“Hmm… You could say so.”
“You could say so?”
At that, Nu-heum answered with a troubled expression.
“Actually, it’s… Somewhat uncertain news…”
“Let’s hear it.”
“Yes. Not long ago, White Peak Sword Sect’s Cheol Ryu-heun made an appearance on the street where the Blue Dog Merchant Guild and the Red Cat Merchant Guild are located in Baizhou.”
“Cheol Ryu-heun?”
“You know, don’t you? The first direct disciple of the White Gate Sword Gentleman who died half a year ago who collapsed during the funeral and became a vegetable…”
Only then did Ximen Yue recognize who it was.
“I’ve heard the story at some point. The name of the one who became a vegetable was Cheol Ryu-heun. So recently he miraculously regained consciousness and recovered?”
“Yes, so it seems. Didn’t I hire people a while ago and deploy them here and there? One of them happened to relay that news through a contact. His report was that at the time, Cheol Ryu-heun visited the Red Cat Merchant Guild carrying a bundle containing an enormous amount of treasure. He said he heard it directly from a local witness…”
Ximen Yue abruptly cut off those words and asked.
“Wait, what does Cheol Ryu-heun’s appearance there have to do with a spirit creature?”
“It’s been confirmed that the physical description of Cheol Ryu-heun closely matches that of the spirit creature’s owner who put your carriage in that state.”
“…!”
“Moreover, Cheol Ryu-heun didn’t visit the Red Cat Merchant Guild alone. He brought another person. And that person’s physical description was also quite similar to the middle-aged man who was bound in a prone position at the back of the spirit creature’s saddle.”
A peculiar light gathered in Ximen Yue’s eyes.
The interest that had sunk down seemed to rise again.
“That’s exactly why I said it was somewhat uncertain news earlier.”
No sooner had Nu-heum’s words ended than Ximen Yue opened his mouth.
“Assuming for now that the spirit creature’s owner is Cheol Ryu-heun, so you’re saying he visited the Red Cat Merchant Guild with the wanted criminal he had gone to such trouble to capture?”
“Hmm, that’s what I’m saying. It doesn’t add up.”
If he really was Cheol Ryu-heun, the direct disciple of White Peak Sword Sect, his actions until now were too strange.
What was someone who possessed such treasures and a spirit creature lacking that he would capture wanted criminals and raid bandit groups?
White Peak Sword Sect’s situation was also a mystery.
It was incomprehensible when and where such a thoroughly declined place had obtained so many treasures.
Nu-heum continued in a quiet voice.
“Anyway, putting other things aside, the physical descriptions are said to be similar, so I believe we need to investigate separately soon. I…”
“Shh.”
Suddenly, Ximen Yue gave a warning and put on his mask.
Along with him, Nu-heum and the Gale Squad personnel were startled and quickly covered their faces.
In an instant.
STOMP!
Ximen Yue’s figure, having kicked off the ground, moved like a ray of light.
Truly swift lightness technique.
Reaching the front of a distant old tree, Ximen Yue immediately heightened his energy sense to the maximum and rolled his jet-black eyes.
“…”
Having thoroughly examined above and below the old tree like that, he soon turned around and approached where his group was.
“Young Master, what’s the matter?”
When the slightly tense Nu-heum asked in a whisper, a wry laugh leaked from between Ximen Yue’s lips beneath the mask.
“Heh, never mind. I thought I somehow sensed a presence, so I just went to check.”
“Ah… I see. Don’t worry too much. There was no presence following behind us.”
“Am I being sensitive today? Still, no letting your guard down.”
“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.”
Immediately after, Ximen Yue connected the briefly interrupted topic.
“Anyway, the most certain method would be to go to White Peak Sword Sect and see Cheol Ryu-heun’s face with my own eyes.”
“Correct.”
“I didn’t see his face at that time. I leave it entirely to you.”
“Yes, Young Master. Leave it to me. For now, I’ll gather a bit more information and make a plan for whether to visit or whatever.”
“Right. No need to rush. What we need to focus on right now is the Thousand Snake Gang.”
“Understood. But if the spirit creature’s owner really is Cheol Ryu-heun… He should be taught a lesson. A successor of some trivial martial sect that’s fallen to nothing dared to put the honored Young Master’s carriage roof in that state.”
“Heh… I have a feeling something interesting is about to happen. Well then, let’s move to a different location.”
With that, Ximen Yue and the Ximen Family contingent each mounted their horses and disappeared beyond the forest path.
Just then.
Seop Pyo stored the energy of Space Concealment Stealth Technique and revealed his true form, then watched the direction the people and horses had gone.
‘That young fellow – his personal energy sense is truly keen. Though it was only a moment, he did read my presence.’
It was an admirable talent.
It seemed he had probably set foot in a realm of martial prowess that was hard to achieve at such a young age, like Cheol Ryu-heun.
‘I was going to take one more look at the Dark Hall side before returning… But I’ll need to change my plans.’
His eyes flashing, he soon lightly kicked off a tree branch and disappeared like a ghost.
* * *
Time flowed and flowed until the sky began to be tinged with purple sunset.
Seop Pyo arrived ahead of the promised time at the hillside on the southern outskirts of Youyang where Cheol Ryu-heun and company were hiding.
Having traversed the steep uphill path quickly with lightness technique, the moment he set foot in the abandoned temple courtyard, his expression became utterly flabbergasted.
What in the world is that…
It couldn’t be helped.
It was because he witnessed Yeop Hwon and Hyeop Mu-geuk on the other side of the courtyard laboriously calling out counts while repeating a bizarre posture he had never seen before.
He even sensed an energy as if they were repeatedly executing sword forms while operating internal energy.
“Four hundred… Eighty… One…”
“Four… Hundred… Eighty… Two… Huff, huff…”
Currently, the two were performing the arm-motion trunk support posture while progressing toward the final goal of five hundred repetitions.
‘Good heavens, they’ve already done more than four hundred in that manner…? It’s amazing their energy meridians and blood vessels are holding up.’
Seop Pyo stuck out his tongue in amazement and turned his head, whereupon he saw Cheol Ryu-heun putting ginseng into Divine Wind’s mouth one at a time.
Crunch, crunch, crunch…
A horse that had developed a liking for ginseng after its constitution and taste changed from consuming thousand-year ginseng – no matter how many times he saw it, it wasn’t easy to adapt to.
My, he sure chews it deliciously.
Does he not know how precious ginseng is?
You’d better appreciate that you met the right master, you rascal.
At that moment, Cheol Ryu-heun looked at Seop Pyo expressionlessly and said.
“You’re not coveting horse food too after dog food, are you?”
“…”
I want to go home.
Just throw in everything and.