Chapter 027
Achoo!
"Teacher, have you caught a cold...?"
"Hmm. It's not that bad. It feels like someone is talking about me somewhere."
Baek Sugyeong wiped his nose with the handkerchief he had received from Namgung Somin.
"...The weather is getting colder now. Summer felt so long, but now it's over."
"It's October already."
The ninth lunar month corresponds to October in the solar calendar. Soon the mosquitoes would retreat, and it was time for them to flee as autumn approached. The weather was getting chilly, and it wouldn't be strange for Baek Sugyeong to catch a cold given his fatigue from the long journey. Yet he adamantly denied having a cold.
"The Double Ninth Festival is in two days. Won't Luoyang be even more crowded if we visit then?"
"You're right, my lady. And since the Ming Wang Society has said they'll send someone directly, we should consider the possibility that the Drunken Moon Pavilion might be fully booked."
Baek Sugyeong nodded at Namgung Somin and Jin Ming's words.
"Honestly, I didn't think the Ming Wang Society would swallow their pride and come to us."
"Yes, it is surprising."
Namgung Somin was shocked when she received the message from the Ming Wang Society on their way to Luoyang. Despite being martial artists known for their pride... Their determination to meet Baek Sugyeong was even more surprising.
Namgung Somin said:
"But considering the influence you have on the martial world, Teacher... it seems like the right choice."
"I suppose so..."
"Your influence on the martial world is not small at all. You made people knock on Wudang's closed doors, prompted the Murim Alliance to voluntarily hold a martial arts competition, and even got the unorthodox factions moving. The elders of the Murim Alliance have already shown their true colors before you, so this is a natural consequence."
"That's what surprises me more. No matter what, shouldn't an organization like the Ming Wang Society be able to ignore me if they tried hard enough?"
Namgung Somin shook her head in disagreement with Baek Sugyeong's words. Jin Ming's expression also showed agreement with Namgung Somin.
"Teacher, you're underestimating yourself too much."
"Hmm..."
"A single piece of your writing can determine the rise or fall of martial arts sects. Before we left Luoyang, I heard that as soon as rumors spread about Shaolin Temple being featured next, people started trying to become lay disciples of Shaolin..."
Baek Sugyeong grimaced at Namgung Somin's words. It was hard enough to believe that "Wudang Sword Hero" was contributing to Wudang's prosperity, but now people were increasing their efforts to become lay disciples of Shaolin just because rumors spread that it would be featured in his next work. He couldn't even imagine what kind of incident might occur if he held a signing event.
"Let's hurry for now. We'll stop by the Dragon Gate Escort Agency to see if the Agency Master is there. Then we need to meet the Ming Wang Society people at the Drunken Moon Pavilion before returning to Wuhan."
"Oh, I also heard that Guild Leader So is coming to Luoyang..."
"Guild Leader So, you say?"
So Ssanga coming to Luoyang—could something have happened? Baek Sugyeong suppressed his growing anxiety.
"It's going to be quite a gathering, quite a gathering indeed..."
Baek Sugyeong moved toward the carriage. His deep sigh seemed to trail behind him like white smoke.
...
Xixia County was busy preparing for the Double Ninth Festival. As one of the major holidays celebrated throughout the Central Plains, Xixia County was hurrying with preparations. The county magistrate personally supervised the upcoming festival, and officials were busy moving about.
Those staying at Bang Soran's mountain residence were also busy decorating the house and preparing for the people who would come up from Xixia County. Bang Soran was busy helping with the work. While most adults had gone down to the county, only some adults and children remained to guard the mountain residence.
"I want to read the next volume..."
So Seonha opened the first volume of "Little Immortal's Chivalrous Journey" again, which she had read so many times in the past few days that she had nearly memorized it. She wanted to read the next volume quickly.
The protagonist of "Little Immortal's Chivalrous Journey" was too similar to herself. Meeting Ban Yuran, gradually opening her heart, learning martial arts and slowly standing up—everything resembled her own journey.
"Did Master tell the teacher about me?"
It was so similar that such thoughts crossed her mind.
So Seonha lay on her bed, lifted "Little Immortal's Chivalrous Journey" and then hugged it tightly to her chest.
"A book written just for me by Teacher Sugyeong... the only one of its kind in the world..."
The fact alone that Baek Sugyeong had written this book for her made So Seonha happy.
"Can I become as strong as the character in this book?"
The protagonist of "Little Immortal's Chivalrous Journey", So Yuhyeon, wasn't lacking in talent. He just had the wrong method. He had a congenital condition where his meridian structure differed from ordinary martial artists, making it impossible to learn cultivation methods in the traditional way. This condition was known as the Reversed Acupoint Body.
Because the locations of his meridians differed from normal people, acupressure was difficult, and even when acupressure points were struck, they recovered faster than others—an advantage, but with the disadvantage of having to learn cultivation methods differently from the orthodox way.
So Seonha looked up at the ceiling while hugging "Little Immortal's Chivalrous Journey" to her chest.
"Do I... also have a Reversed Acupoint Body?"
Bang Soran had never told So Seonha about her constitution. A master of her caliber couldn't possibly be unaware of So Seonha's physical condition, but perhaps because So Seonha had never specifically asked about it, she had never mentioned it. She had only said that So Seonha's progress was a bit slower than other children.
So Seonha thought that perhaps her master had said this because she didn't have enough time to properly look after her.
"Huh?"
So Seonha, who had been lost in thought while hugging "Little Immortal's Chivalrous Journey" to her chest, got up from her bed.
There was a commotion outside.
Crash!
Just as So Seonha rose from her bed, there was a terrifying sound as the door of the house was broken down, and burly bandits rushed in.
"W-who are you?!"
The burly bandits surrounded So Seonha. They didn't immediately brandish their weapons, but each one had at least a little blood on the weapons they held.
Through the broken door, So Seonha could see the mountain residences burning brightly.
"Found her, boss!"
"You idiot. I told you to call me Stronghold Leader in situations like this!"
"Ugh!"
One of the bandits who was kicked by the man who appeared from behind crumpled to the ground.
Among the burly men who snickered at the fallen bandit, a man with a scar on his forehead appeared, tapping his shoulder with a broad sword.
The man, Jang Yu, looked down at So Seonha with eyes overflowing with a cold, venomous aura.
"Is this girl that bitch's disciple?"
"W-who are you?"
"Me?"
Jang Yu smiled kindly at So Seonha.
"Well, who do you think I am? Guess. If you guess correctly, I'll tell you."
"That doesn't make any sense!"
"Did you think there was meaning in this conversation? Tie her up!"
He never intended to reveal his name from the beginning.
Jang Yu tapped his shoulder with his broad sword and looked down at So Seonha, who was being tightly bound by his bandit subordinates.
His eyes, flowing with cold venom, made So Seonha tremble.
"So you're the disciple of Bang Soran, that bitch. You might be useful."
A cold smile spread across Jang Yu's face.
"Take her alive. If she's that woman's weakness, she'll have no choice but to come!"
"Yes, boss!"
"I told you to call me Stronghold Leader, you idiot!"
Jang Yu turned around after kicking the stupid subordinate in the buttocks.
Jang Yu and the bandits he led walked through the raging flames.
This happened on Mount Funiu, three days before the Double Ninth Festival.
...
"What?!"
"L-Lady Bang!"
Bang Soran nearly collapsed as her legs suddenly gave way, barely managing to support herself. She felt dizzy.
While she was briefly away from Mount Funiu, bandits from the Green Forest had stormed in, burned down the mountain residence, and killed people.
She couldn't help but be shocked.
Her thoughts immediately turned to So Seonha as she was about to half-collapse.
"S-Seonha. What about Seonha and the children?!"
"W-well..."
The man who brought the news avoided her gaze.
Bang Soran realized.
Something terrible had happened to the child.
"Please tell me! What happened to Seonha? What happened to the children?!"
"Seonha... disappeared. It seems she was taken by the bandits."
"...Ah."
"Lady Bang!"
Her body, which she had been forcibly supporting, collapsed like a falling tower. Others caught her as she staggered, but they couldn't prevent her from sinking to her knees.
Perhaps because the shock was too great, Bang Soran put her hand to her head and shook it, a chilling sound escaping through her clenched teeth.
"Who is the culprit?"
"This book and note were left at Lady Bang's house."
The man who had visited the mountain residence handed over "Little Immortal's Chivalrous Journey" along with a small note.
Bang Soran's eyes grew fierce as she received them.
So Seonha had never once let "Little Immortal's Chivalrous Journey" out of her possession. If she had left even this behind, it was certain she had been taken away.
The man continued:
"By the time we went up, the village had already burned down. We saw the fire spreading nearby and hurried up to put it out, but it was already too late... we couldn't save the people."
"Because I was down in Xixia County..."
Crunch.
Bang Soran gritted her teeth.
"Despite the fire, Lady Bang's house was not touched by the flames. The book is slightly damaged from the heat, but its condition is generally good. I think leaving this behind was meant as a provocation against Lady Bang."
"Nine dragons..."
The emblem of nine dragons left on the note.
Such emblems are not commonly used by martial arts sects. As an unspoken rule, most avoid using dragon emblems so as not to offend the imperial court.
But Bang Soran recognized this Nine Dragon Emblem.
It was the emblem of the Nine Dragons Stronghold, a bandit stronghold she had eradicated three years ago.
Bang Soran's eyes gleamed coldly as she raised her head.
"Coiled Dragon Jang Yu...!"
Has he rebuilt his stronghold and gathered his subordinates again?
Bang Soran rose to her feet, crumpling the note as if about to tear it.
People gasped in surprise as they saw her face contort as though she had seen a vengeful ghost.
"Lady Bang?!"
"Lady Bang, where are you going!"
"Lady Bang!"
Bang Soran paused briefly at the voices calling her and answered:
"Nine Dragons Stronghold."
Bang Soran's eyes held fierce anger as she left this brief answer.
"I'm going to wipe out those Green Forest bandits."
Thud!
Bang Soran's figure shot through the night, unleashing her movement technique as she struck the ground.
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📚 Author's Note:
Big thanks to Ilaube for the 2 shiny Power Stones!
🐧