Chapter 342: Chapter 342

“Then did you just leave those children behind?”

“Left behind… That is a bit of a harsh way to put it.”

Dan Woo-hyun frowned at Namgung Cheon’s words.

He had only said he would be back, not that he had abandoned them. By now, they were surely holding out well somewhere.

“There was no need to go to Mount Yongzhong in the first place…”

He had heard belatedly that the Green Forest bandits had all been killed. Since it was said that even the stolen goods had been burned, there had been no need for Dan Woo-hyun to step forward at all.

“Then they should be returning soon…”

Namgung Cheon nodded with an awkward smile. Since they would have found the Green Forest mountain stronghold on Mount Yongzhong completely in ruins, they would not stay there and would head back.

If so, there was nothing to worry about.

Just as that thought crossed his mind, Dan Woo-hyun quietly rose from his seat.

“They probably went to Wudang.”

“Huh? Wudang? For what reason?”

“I heard that those bastards from the Blood Heaven are planning to capture someone named Seonjin and behead him in front of Wudang Mountain.”

“What?!”

Namgung Cheon sprang to his feet.

Seonjin was someone who had traveled the Jianghu with him since childhood.

Although he had not been able to bring glory to the name of Shaolin due to being surpassed by many others, numerous martial artists still respected and followed him.

Was he not a pillar of the Orthodox Martial World in the absence of the Sword Emperor?

To behead such a person at the mountain gate of Wudang was equivalent to declaring they would tear out the very roots of the Orthodox Faction.

Namgung Cheon reached out his hand.

The sword he had kept in the room flew into his grip like an arrow.

He looked ready to dash toward Wudang Mountain this very instant.

“Stop. Even if you run now, you will be too late.”

“Then what do you expect me to do? Just sit here and fold my hands?”

Namgung Cheon glared at Dan Woo-hyun.

He looked as if he would grab him by the collar at any moment. This showed how great Namgung Cheon’s anger was.

At that sight, Sa Do-hak spoke up while picking his ear.

“That fellow Seonjin is also a martial artist. He will find his own place to die. Seeing as he hasn’t died yet, maybe he has some trick up his sleeve.”

“You do not know him! That fellow is not one to rely on others!”

“Then what are you going to do by running there now? Retrieve his corpse?”

In Hunan, Wudang could by no means be considered a short distance.

At the very least, it would take a month, and if one could not find the way properly, it was a distance that would take a month and a half. Even for Jang Sam-tae, it would only shorten the trip by a few days, so would it be any different for Namgung Cheon?

If he went now, he would only see the ruined Wudang and Seonjin’s rotting corpse.

If that was the case, it was rather better not to see it.

“Even those children will die!”

Zhuge Un closed his eyes tightly at Namgung Cheon’s words.

Those who possessed the capability to capture Seonjin. Against such people, no matter how much they struggled, they would not be able to escape death.

Since Dan Woo-hyun was missing in such a situation, saving Seonjin was also out of the question.

Yet, Dan Woo-hyun was quite calm.

He stood up with an expression that said he could not care less.

“I should get going.”

“What? For real?”

Sa Do-hak looked at Dan Woo-hyun in surprise.

Since he was a guy who repeatedly appeared and disappeared in an instant here and there, it would not feel strange even if he ended up in Hubei in a single breath.

“Please… save Seonjin.”

At that moment, Namgung Cheon murmured.

He knew they could not go together. Even if he was the Sword Emperor, chasing after Dan Woo-hyun was an extremely difficult task.

Therefore, he had to entrust it to him.

Before he knew it, Namgung Cheon approached Dan Woo-hyun and gripped his hand tightly.

“He is my last remaining friend.”

“Is that so?”

“It is indeed…”

Although Bang No-baek’s death had not been confirmed, no rumors had been heard and he had not come to visit. Even if he had not died, there was a possibility that he had become a crippled person, so no matter what, he wanted to save Seonjin intact.

Standing beside them, Sa Do-hak clicked his tongue.

He no longer had anyone left whom he wished to save so desperately.

Therefore, while he could not understand Namgung Cheon’s heart, on the other hand, he felt envious.

“I will keep him alive if possible. If it is feasible, that is.”

Dan Woo-hyun turned around.

Right in front of him, Dan So-mi was staring at him with anxious eyes. Realizing that he was about to leave, her pupils trembled violently.

This was because she had already painfully realized how bad the situation became when Dan Woo-hyun was absent.

“A-Are you leaving?”

“Yes, I will be out for a bit.”

“Will you come back soon?”

“Of course. Keep a good eye on the house.”

Slowly walking up to Dan So-mi, Dan Woo-hyun gently stroked her head. As if trying to shake off the anxiety in her heart, his face, which was smiling broadly, looked extremely benevolent.

In an instant, Dan So-mi’s expression relaxed without her realizing it.

The little child grinned widely.

“Then… have a safe trip!”

* * *

“The traces are this way.”

Zhuge Yeon nodded as she searched for the faint tracks. Finding the presence of those on the move was no easy task.

They were either an exceptional expert or extremely cautious, as they could hardly be found.

The fact that they moved through places rarely frequented by people was also a reason. In such a situation, what made it even harder for Zhuge Yeon was that she had to track the traces of people whose identities she did not even know.

“How on earth did you find this?”

“The footprints of those who practice martial arts are different from ordinary people. That is how I know. Isn’t this basic common sense?”

“Common sense…”

Gwon Mu-jin shook his head from side to side.

Unless they were professionals specializing in tracking, there was no way they would notice such things. Therefore, Zhuge Yeon appeared even more remarkable.

“Don’t fall for me.”

“I’ve heard that ninety-nine times already. I told you I’m not interested, didn’t I?”

Gwon Mu-jin grumbled with an exasperated expression.

Seeing Zhuge Yeon smirk, he thought she said it in jest, but it was still not entirely pleasant.

“I heard the Zhuge Family is skilled in strategy, but there is nothing you cannot do, from mechanical traps to tracking techniques.”

“I did not learn tracking because I liked it.”

“Then why?”

At that single question, Zhuge Yeon glanced at Gwon Mu-jin.

Soon, she gave a broad smile and spoke.

“A certain person from the Unorthodox Faction once went out of his way to cause trouble down in Henan. I had to track him down, but since I didn’t know how, I went to the Beggars’ Sect and asked for help. That is when I learned it.”

“I… I see…”

Gwon Mu-jin broke into a cold sweat and turned his head.

When he was in the Martial Sovereign Castle, someone had committed a crime and fled to Henan. Gwon Mu-jin and a few subordinates had been dispatched under Ma Cheol-Gwon’s orders, and she was likely referring to that time.

“It was extremely hard. I even injured my arm…”

“S-Such a thing happened.”

Zhuge Yeon grinned and rolled up her sleeve. Though faint, a sword scar was visible.

“Look. This is the wound from fighting that person.”

“…”

Gwon Mu-jin broke into a cold sweat.

Judging by the scar, it had undoubtedly been inflicted by Gwon Mu-jin.

However, he had no intention of apologizing. At that time, Gwon Mu-jin had been fleeing after completing his mission, and Zhuge Yeon and Namgung So-hye, namely, the Phoenix Squadron, had been pursuing him.

It should rather be considered a relief that she had not died.

“That is the difference between Orthodox and Unortho, ”

“Well, whatever. It is in the past anyway.”

‘Then you shouldn’t have brought it up in the first place!’

Gwon Mu-jin frowned as he looked at Zhuge Yeon, who cut him off. He felt a surge of irritation at her behavior of saying everything she wanted and then stepping back as if it did not matter anymore.

Yet, the words that came out of his mouth were different.

“Y-Yes, it is already in the past, so what can we do.”

“What is wrong? You are sweating quite a bit.”

“I-It is nothing.”

“Really? Hoho, it is almost like someone with a guilty conscience.”

Poke, poke…

Zhuge Yeon poked Gwon Mu-jin’s chest with her finger.

That smiling face made it impossible for him to even get angry. Instead, his face turned bright red with embarrassment, and he turned his head away without realizing it.

‘A… A vixen.’

He recalled how Ma Jang-gang had been absurdly defeated by Zhuge Yeon during the last Martial Assembly.

He conjectured that Ma Jang-gang’s feelings at that time must have been similar.

The more he thought about it, the more he felt like he was falling into Zhuge Yeon’s pace, which made him feel unpleasant.

“By the way.”

“Yes?”

“Have you ever heard the term ‘vixen’ before?”

“Aha, .”

Zhuge Yeon let out a small smile.

It was a rather charming face, as if she were smiling with amusement. With a moist gaze, she slowly leaned in close to Gwon Mu-jin. Then she whispered sweetly into his ear.

“Do you want to die?”

“…”

Left speechless, Gwon Mu-jin shook his head without realizing it.

It was because he felt that Zhuge Yeon might actually kill him. But she did not even care and let out a sigh.

“For now, let’s just keep following. Judging by the traces, it seems there is a difference of about a day or two.”

“Then isn’t it already too late?”

Even if she said a day or two difference, it had already been several days since they met Muho, and they were only pursuing now after spending time on Mount Yongzhong.

He even wondered if the traces were misleading and they had already arrived at Wudang Mountain.

“I do not think so.”

Zhuge Yeon checked the surroundings here and there. After examining each trace minutely, she glanced up at Gwon Mu-jin.

“They said Buddhist Master Seonjin was being dragged away, but we did not hear when or where he was captured. Which means they might have been quite close.”

‘We did not hear…? Isn’t it that we didn’t hear because you just abandoned him and left?’

Gwon Mu-jin wanted to point that out, but he held it in.

“Still, it does not look like we have time to delay.”

Zhuge Yeon shrugged her shoulders and looked away.

Judging by the traces, the distance was considerable, and she was worried about Seonjin’s safety.

“Let’s pursue for now. It is not the time to hesitate.”

“Right. But… what about the Lord?”

“Since he abandoned us, we will abandon him too!”

Zhuge Yeon muttered with a frown.

She was a woman who would smile no matter what happened, but the moment Dan Woo-hyun was mentioned, she scowled fiercely and made a disgruntled face.

Watching that, Gwon Mu-jin smiled awkwardly.

‘Even a bold vixen cannot do anything about the Lord.’

Indeed, who on earth would dare say anything to Dan Woo-hyun?

Even those called the Five Emperors of the world tucked their tails.

Thinking of this, Gwon Mu-jin slumped his shoulders.

Despite staying by the side of someone so great that no one could handle him, Gwon Mu-jin himself could not be of any help and even struggled just to follow him properly.

‘Moreover, to be pushed aside even by Jang Sam-tae…’

At the moment Gwon Mu-jin let out a bitter smile.

Tap!

Zhuge Yeon patted his shoulder.

“Save those thoughts about slumping shoulders for when you’re at home, and just look ahead for now.”

The sudden remark snapped him back to his senses.

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