Chapter 125: The Shinmu Murim Excursion (4)

“Even so, you want to take a carriage?”

“Ugh.”

“I might as well carry the horse on my back.”

A horse gets better treatment than a low-ranking instructor.

If it weren’t for my fiancée, I’d seriously consider becoming a horse and finding a new job.

But Mo Yong So-hye didn’t give up easily.

“Then how about using lightness skills? Instead of walking like this, we can just swoosh.”

“Jegal.”

Instead of answering, he gestured to Jegal Tan, who stepped forward.

“It’s impossible. On public roads managed by the government, you can’t use martial arts unless it’s an emergency.”

“That doesn’t make sense.”

“Of course it does.”

Cho Un-hwi clicked his tongue at Mo Yong So-hye.

“You don’t seem to know because you’ve been at Shinmu Academy, but how many martial artists do you think there are in the world?”

“Quite a few, right? The Murim Alliance’s registry alone lists thirty thousand, and the Beggars’ Sect has a hundred thousand members.”

So maybe around two hundred thousand?

Cho Un-hwi shook his head.

“The registry includes all sorts of riffraff and third-rate martial artists.”

If you count only those who have formally trained in martial arts, it’s less than half.

“Among them, true martial artists are even rarer.”

They are extremely rare.

“Most martial artists are concentrated in places like the Murim Alliance or the Iron Thread Alliance.”

So what that means is.

Even if you wander the world, it’s rare to meet wild martial artists.

“Indeed. In the village we visited earlier, there were no real martial artists.”

Only third-rate warriors who used poison.

“The fact that Shinmu Academy is teeming with swordsmen is abnormal.”

“Ugh. I understand.”

Baek Ri Seol, who had been listening, tilted her head.

“So what happens if you get caught using martial arts?”

At Baek Ri Seol’s question, Cho Un-hwi shrugged.

“Follow me. I’ll show you.”

***

Cho Un-hwi led the group to a small wooden house along the public road.

It was an occasional temporary wooden building where government guards were stationed.

As they approached, the guards, who initially looked wary but stern, relaxed when they recognized the uniforms of Shinmu Academy.

“Ah, you must be from Shinmu Academy.”

“Yes, we’re on the Murim Excursion.”

“The higher-ups requested our cooperation.”

“You all look very reliable.”

When the guard captain asked what the matter was, Cho Un-hwi whispered to him.

The guard captain’s eyes lit up.

“For something like that.”

He went inside and brought out a few wanted posters.

Returning lightly, Cho Un-hwi said.

“If you’re unlucky and get caught using martial arts.”

“This is what happens.”

He showed them a poster with large letters.

Wanted Criminal

Used martial arts on the main road and fled from government soldiers.

Suspected to be a martial artist of the unorthodox sects.

Reward: Fifty iron coins.

“No way.”

Seeing Baek Ri Seol’s shaken eyes, Cho Un-hwi nodded.

“Yes. If you’re unlucky, you become a cheap wanted criminal.”

***

The moon was high in the sky.

The group settled by the roadside.

As travelers stopped for the night and set up camps, Mo Yong So-hye squatted with her face buried in her knees.

“Is this really the only way?”

Traveling on foot with heavy luggage, without a carriage or martial arts, was not only boring but also painful.

The only one still energetic was Namgung Yun-ho, who was as strong as an ox.

Finally, Jegal Tan made a suggestion he had been holding back.

“Instructor, I brought some money.”

“Really?”

“We could rent a carriage.”

*Whoosh!*

Before they knew it, the money pouch in Jegal Tan’s hand was gone.

Jegal Tan, now empty-handed, looked at the instructor.

Stuffing the familiar pouch into his clothes, Cho Un-hwi feigned ignorance.

“If you had that, you should have said so.”

Jegal Tan realized.

The money that went into his pouch was as good as gone.

“What? You said you had money.”

“I was mistaken.”

“Why? If you have some, let’s use it together.”

At the instructor’s innocent question, Jegal Tan bowed his head.

“I must have left my pouch behind. My mistake.”

“Really? That’s unfortunate.”

Others, who had thought they had a clever plan, quickly checked their own pouches.

They were desperate to protect their money from the greedy instructor.

*Tap. Tap.*

If money couldn’t solve the problem.

Mo Yong So-hye, who had been sulking, shouted bravely.

“Tomorrow, we’ll definitely rent a carriage!”

Trust me.

***

At the break of dawn, Mo Yong So-hye stood in the middle of the main road.

She blocked the path of passing carriages, waving her arms.

Her face radiated liveliness.

“Excuse me, I have a favor to ask!”

She seemed to be trying to use the same charm tactics she used at the academy.

But the reaction was different.

“Eek!”

The driver of a small cart, seeing Mo Yong So-hye blocking the road with a sword, was terrified.

“Please spare me!”

Mo Yong So-hye, whose charm tactics had failed, was shocked.

“I didn’t even get to speak.”

“Isn’t it normal to be scared when someone with a sword blocks the road?”

“But to look like they’ve seen a ghost.”

“They recognized you as the Bloody Fist of Dongcheon Hall.”

As she fumed, Baek Ri Seol frowned.

“It seems getting a carriage isn’t easy.”

Wearing swords only scares ordinary people.

“Maybe we should reveal our identities to a well-known merchant group and ask for help.”

Seeing the group come up with a decent answer, Cho Un-hwi raised his index finger.

“Caution is key.”

Seekers are not good.

Those who come are not good.

“Isn’t that from the ‘Haiyu Congkao’?”

It means to always be cautious.

“Why are you saying that?”

Because.

“It’s the first lesson of the Murim Excursion.”

“Using common sense to get a carriage.”

“Huh?”

How?

Everyone was puzzled.

***

In a secret room at Cheongbyeok Pavilion.

Yo-ran looked at the paper between her fingers and sighed deeply.

– The Shadow Sovereign has left.

“He’s gone beyond the forbidden area.”

No matter how powerful the Murim Alliance is, they couldn’t contain such an enigmatic figure.

‘It means he can easily enter and leave even the forbidden areas of the Murim Alliance.’

At first, she felt relieved.

– Can you welcome me with a smile anytime, anywhere?

A promise with such an unpredictable being was a shackle.

But then she felt a sense of emptiness.

“Now I’m alone.”

Even though she was surrounded by countless people, she felt like she was standing alone in a vast wilderness.

‘I didn’t realize how much I relied on him.’

It was strange.

She had managed the affairs of Muhan City well on her own, but the absence of one person left her feeling so empty.

As he realized her feelings, a dark figure suddenly fell from the sky.

*Flap!*

With the sound of fluttering fabric, black bandages surged into the air.

“Did you call?”

A rough voice spoke.

Emerging from the darkness was Danya, the master of the desert who ruled six months of night and six months of day.

“If it’s not important, it’s troublesome. I was in the middle of enjoying myself.”

“The minions of the Heavenly Destruction Society…”

“Hehe. They’re all dead. At least in this area, you won’t find anything similar.”

Seeing his eyes filled with madness, Yo-ran wanted to look away in fear.

But she endured.

‘This beast can’t harm me.’

Just thinking of the Shadow Sovereign steadied her gaze and straightened her back.

Seeing this, Danya chuckled.

“Well, that’s how it should be.”

*Whoosh.*

In an instant, the bandages moved, and Danya, who had been at the other end of the room, was now sitting across the small table.

‘Incredible footwork.’

It was as if he moved with the shadows.

Pouring tea.

A black bandage reached up from under the table and grabbed the teacup.

From the writhing shadows, Danya tilted his chin.

“What’s the matter?”

“…”

After catching her breath, Yo-ran answered.

“The Shadow Sovereign has left the Alliance.”

As soon as she spoke.

Danya’s face twisted with a mix of madness and joy.

He looked like a crazed man on drugs.

“Khahahaha!”

*Boom!*

“Ugh!”

The entire room shook.

Just from his shout.

“Finally! Finally!”

The bandages around Danya danced in joy.

‘This is just a part of his power.’

Yo-ran realized.

The power she had seen so far was just a fragment of this desert monster.

– The master has entered the Jianghu!

This man, who alone could be called an army, was an even more unfathomable monster than she had thought.

Only now did Yo-ran understand how sharp a sword the Shadow Sovereign had given her.

The sword was howling.

Like a famous sword responding passionately to its master’s touch.

Suddenly.

Danya’s laughter stopped.

“Indeed. You’re worth calling.”

“The Shadow Sovereign is now…”

“No need to tell me. Now that the master is in the Jianghu.”

“My nose is sensitive.”

*Whoosh.*

The bandages gathered around Danya, swallowing him.

Forming a black cocoon.

In an instant, he was gone from the table.

“Haa.”

Exhausted, Yo-ran collapsed against the wall.

***

“Heaven helps those who help themselves.”

For once, the instructor said something sensible.

But what followed was baffling.

He hung the pouch he took from Jegal Tan on his side.

Jegal Tan recognized his kidnapped money pouch but said nothing.

It had his name embroidered on it, but there was no proof it was his.

Arguing with the instructor would only end in defeat.

The teachings of the Jegal Clan were different, but the lessons of the wild were clear.

“Why the sudden mountain climbing?”

“Who knows? Maybe he wants to meditate in the mountains?”

They pondered but soon gave up.

If thinking could solve it, they wouldn’t be in this situation.

Struggling with blistered feet, they climbed the mountain trail until they reached a small clearing.

“No people, nice and quiet.”

Let’s camp here.

‘Camping already?’

He never let us rest after walking all night, so why now?

But they were relieved.

The long marches day and night had been exhausting.

“We’re saved.”

“My shoulders are sore.”

They unloaded their heavy camping gear.

“We have time, so let’s cook a proper meal.”

“Good idea. Dry rations aren’t satisfying.”

They unpacked and rested, even taking out grains.

“A hot meal. It’s been a while.”

“We’ve been chewing on dried meat for almost a week.”

“Making porridge to warm up sounds good.”

They glanced at the instructor, but he didn’t object.

Encouraged, Baek Ri Seol overturned her grain pouch.

“Add more.”

The savory smell spread through the campsite.