Chapter v18c19

## Occupational Hazard

– The Divine Maiden’s Shock at the Legend’s Appearance

The man was dedicated to his work. In short, he was a very diligent person. The fact that he was wearing a black mask, revealing only his eyes, wasn’t a problem. After all, his colleagues had terrible fashion sense as well. His outfit was the official uniform, chosen for its flexibility, breathability, and comfort. It allowed him to perform his duties for long hours without discomfort, and it was water-resistant. Judging by the feel of the fabric, the lining was of high quality. It even had hidden compartments for concealed weapons, a testament to its meticulous design. And the best part was that it was provided free of charge by the organization. In other words, it was free.

Anyone who belonged to an organization that provided such excellent equipment for free had a duty to produce results. Therefore, he was very diligent and dedicated to his work, even though it didn’t always benefit the public good, and often involved separating people from their limbs. His job often required him to carefully open people’s flesh with sharp objects, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t dedicated.

Not only was he diligent, but he was also competent. Many claimed that such a combination was impossible, but it was true. Otherwise, how could he have risen to the high rank of Chief Commander? He was currently engaged in a pursuit, tracking down a target, and he had easily found their trail. Even the most skilled escape artist couldn’t evade him. It was pointless to run or hide. He and his men were experts at removing obstacles. Their skills in eliminating obstacles were as impressive as their skills in eliminating evidence. His profession granted him immunity from prosecution for manslaughter, and his targets always feared him like the Grim Reaper. But today was different. He had intercepted the escort the targets were hiding in, but they had welcomed him as if they had been expecting him. Even after he had clarified the misunderstanding and threatened them with his men, they showed no fear. Based on his experience, he felt the need to make an example of the two reckless youngsters who had approached him. But his attempt to reassert his authority was cut short.

It came with a gust of hot wind.

A white whirlwind, followed by a flash of white lightning. It was too fast for him to comprehend. He was flung into the air like a leaf in a storm, his feet leaving the ground, the bright sky filling his vision. And then, a warm breeze, followed by something cold and sharp, tearing at his throat.

The last thing Blood Mark saw was a red sky.

* * *

Whoosh!

A powerful gust of wind swept through the area, the aftermath of the whirlwind. They instinctively closed their eyes, their faces stinging from the force of the wind. When they opened their eyes, the masked man was gone.

“Huh?”

Jang Woo-Yang’s eyes widened.

“What just happened?”

“I have no idea, Guild Leader!”

Chief Escort Kang replied, his voice bewildered.

“Master Yoo, did you see anything?”

Jin So-Ryeong asked. Yoo Eun-Seong shook his head.

“I only caught a glimpse of a white blur.”

It had been too fast for even his sharp eyes, the Best Sword of Jeomchang, to follow.

“What was that?”

“I don’t know. But I’m sure we’ll find out soon.”

The forest was silent again, as if the incident had been a hallucination. No one spoke, as if by agreement.

Thud!

A body fell from a tree, its neck broken at an unnatural angle. It had been mostly devoured.

It was a brutal, efficient kill.

* * *

Roar!

A roar, so powerful it shook the very mountains, echoed through the air.

Roar! Roar!

Roar! Roar!

The roars reverberated through the forest, as if in response to the first.

Jin So-Ryeong’s face paled.

‘That sound… Could it be…?’

It was a primal fear, buried deep within her subconscious, that made her tremble.

No young girl in the Emei Sect could forget that sound. The king of beasts, the legendary white tiger that ruled Mount Emei. Whenever its roar echoed through the night, the girls would cower under their blankets, trembling and crying, clinging to each other or seeking comfort from their master. Some even wet their beds or stayed awake all night. Every Emei disciple had experienced this at least ten times.

“The White Martial Empress’s lament…”

There were countless names for her: the Supreme Majesty that Subdued All Beasts, the White Meteor that Stood Atop the Mountain Peak, the Pride of Pure White, the Blazing Golden Majesty, the White Lightning. Two hundred years had bestowed upon her many names. And countless legends followed in her wake. One of her most recent titles was the White Martial Empress. The fact that she shared the same title as Wu Zetian, the first female emperor of China, showed just how powerful her presence was.

The adults, amused by the children’s fear, would exaggerate the stories.

“If you misbehave, the White Martial Empress will come and get you. She loves the tender flesh of young girls.”

For the children, the adults’ words were truth, and the White Martial Empress became their greatest fear. How could children, still unable to distinguish between fact and fiction, resist the fear instilled in them by adults? They trembled in fear whenever the roar echoed through the night.

She thought she had outgrown her childhood fears. She thought she could laugh off the occasional roar.

But she was wrong. She had only been hearing a faint echo from a distant mountain.

The Empress’s roar, so close and powerful, was enough to trigger her childhood trauma. She instinctively cowered, overwhelmed by fear. It wasn’t a physical scar, but a mental one, inflicted by the adults’ thoughtlessness. It was invisible, but the wound remained, unhealed, buried deep within her soul.

Yoo Eun-Seong was shocked. He had never seen Jin So-Ryeong, always so composed, tremble like this. It was rare for her, a master swordsman, to show such fear. He didn’t understand what was happening, but he knew he had to stay alert.

But the White Tiger’s roar had already frozen everything in place.

A strong, metallic scent filled the air.

* * *

Rustle.

The bushes on both sides of the path rustled simultaneously, as if stirred by an invisible wind.

“Don’t move!”

Jin So-Ryeong shouted, her hand tightening around her sword hilt.

“Gasp!”

They held their breath as the creatures emerged. Proud steps, as if claiming ownership of the mountain, snow-white fur, emerald eyes. Giant white tigers emerged from the bushes. Not just one, but two. They were larger than horses. Imagine two of those creatures, emerging from both sides of a narrow path!

“One, two, three, four, five, six, seven… And eight.”

Someone, still coherent, counted. There were eight of them. Eight massive white tigers, filling the path.

They watched in silence, a mixture of fear, awe, and disbelief.

“The Eight Island Winds!”

Jin So-Ryeong murmured. She had heard rumors, but she hadn’t believed they actually existed. But now, seeing them with her own eyes, she couldn’t deny it.

And then, the white mountains that had filled the path parted.

“What’s happening?”

Yoo Eun-Seong asked. Jin So-Ryeong swallowed, her voice tense.

“The true Empress is about to make her appearance.”

A shiver ran down her spine. No one had witnessed the legend in person for fifty years.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Two golden torches emerged from the shadows of the forest, carried by a creature twice the size of the other white tigers. It walked with a slow, majestic gait, its golden eyes surveying its subjects. Golden eyes, dazzling white fur, a flowing mane, black stripes covering its massive body. It was a magnificent creature, its presence overwhelming.

It was the White Martial Empress, the White Lightning, the king of all beasts.

* * *

Her golden eyes, like two suns, blazed with an intense light. Jin So-Ryeong, her heart pounding, stared into those two suns.

A chilling aura, freezing time itself, filled the air. Even the most courageous man would have succumbed to fear, his heart stopping at the sight of such power.

Jin So-Ryeong, overwhelmed by the pure, primal killing intent of a beast, trembled.

Her hand instinctively reached for her sword, the cold steel already drawn an inch from its scabbard.

Clatter!

The scabbard rattled, a testament to her struggle to maintain control.

‘Can I even dodge that speed?’

She had missed the first movement. There was no excuse. But what about the second?

‘Fifty-fifty.’

It was a gamble. And then…

“Don’t. If you draw that sword, she’ll attack.”

A calm voice whispered in her ear. It was the old man, the one who had been sleeping in the cart since they had entered the mountains. Jin So-Ryeong, her gaze fixed on her greatest enemy, turned her head. It was an unthinkable act under normal circumstances. Fortunately, the white tigers didn’t seem interested in exploiting this opportunity. They remained motionless.

“Yawn…”

The old man stretched and yawned.

* * *

He looked well-rested, his face still drowsy. He slowly got out of the cart and stood on the ground. And then, with a casual expression, he walked towards the center of the white tigers.

“Old Master…!”

Jin So-Ryeong called out, her voice urgent, trying to stop him. It was suicide, as far as she was concerned. But Old Master waved his hand dismissively and continued walking.

The white tigers, lined up on both sides of the path, watched him pass without moving a muscle. The onlookers held their breath, their gazes fixed on the scene. Old Master finally stopped in front of the White Martial Empress. Her golden eyes met his.

Growl!

The White Martial Empress growled. Old Master chuckled. And then, they witnessed something truly terrifying.

“Gasp!”

Jin So-Ryeong gasped. She had achieved a level of mental fortitude that made her immune to most shocks, but this was too much.

Old Master had raised his hand and was petting the White Martial Empress’s head. The White Martial Empress, the White Lightning, the king of all beasts, the Empress who had ruled Mount Emei for two hundred years, didn’t lash out in anger. Instead, she purred, her dignity forgotten.

“Well, well, Whitey! Come to say hello?”

The White Martial Empress, as if she understood human speech, nodded, lowering her head so he could pet her more easily. She was so large that most people would have to look up at her.

And then, something even more shocking happened.

The White Tiger rolled over on her back, acting playful. The onlookers stared in disbelief.

“This is impossible! The White Martial Empress, the ruler of the mountain, is acting like a house cat…?”

Old Master, knowing what she wanted, scratched her chest. Her fur was surprisingly soft. No wonder people used to use tiger fur as blankets.

“Are you worried about me, Whitey?”

The White Martial Empress nodded again, still lying on her back.

Perhaps she was more worried about her own safety than his. She had left her territory to come here.

“Do you want to come with me, Whitey?”

The White Martial Empress nodded. She probably enjoyed the occasional outing. And expanding her territory nationwide was a tempting proposition.

“But there are too many of you to travel together.”

The moment he finished speaking, the White Martial Empress roared.

Roar!

The eight white tigers turned to face her and bowed simultaneously.

“What’s that?”

Jin So-Ryeong asked. Yoo Eun-Seong replied, his face bewildered.

“It looks like they’re bowing.”

Old Master, receiving the homage of the Eight Island Winds, said,

“That’s enough. You may go.”

Another whirlwind swept through the area. When they opened their eyes, only the old man and the White Martial Empress remained. The Eight Island Winds were gone.

“You’ll scare the horses if you walk beside me, so you’ll have to follow behind.”

The White Martial Empress lowered her head. Old Master patted her head again. Another gust of wind, and she vanished.

* * *

“Old Master, who are you?”

Jin So-Ryeong asked respectfully, her face still pale with shock. His answer was brief.

“Me? I’m just me.”

“That’s a bit too short. My comprehension can’t keep up with your brevity.”

She pressed for a more detailed explanation.

“Hmm.”

He grunted, as if in thought.

It was difficult to summarize oneself in a few words. The limitations of language were as clear as the rising and setting of the sun. Words were inadequate to express the entirety of one’s being. He would have to omit many details.

But unfortunately, language was the only tool humans had for communication.

He spoke again, his answer longer this time. But also more complex.

“Well, to elaborate, I’m a man without thoughts or worries, without a fixed abode or allegiance, without a path or a doctrine.”

“…?”

It was even more confusing. But he raised his hand, silencing her before she could ask another question. He wanted her to figure it out herself.

But her confusion only deepened.

“Master, that sounds familiar.”

Ryu-Ran said.

“Ah, I know!”

Yoo Un-Bi spoke up.

This was his chance to show off! He couldn’t let this opportunity pass.

“What do you know?”

His uncle, Yoo Eun-Seong, looked at him skeptically.

“…That’s called being a lazy good-for-nothing!”

Crash!

An invisible sound echoed twice in their minds. But Old Master’s expression remained unchanged.

“It’s called ‘effortless action,’ you fool.”

Yoo Eun-Seong sighed.

“Isn’t it the same thing?”

“No, it’s not!”

Crack!

Something snapped, and Yoo Eun-Seong bowed apologetically.

“I-I apologize, Old Master.”

He glared at his nephew.

“Don’t ever call yourself a Taoist again. You’re an embarrassment.”

“…”

“Are you a Taoist, Old Master?”

“No!”

He answered Jin So-Ryeong’s question firmly.

“…?”

“I’m pretty sure that’s a quote from Zhuangzi.”

Unlike Yoo Un-Bi, she knew the source of the quote, and she knew that it referred to “spontaneity.”

“I don’t have to be a Taoist to agree with that statement.”

“Then are you a Buddhist?”

“I’m quite interested in Buddhism, but my hair is still intact.”

He proudly displayed his snow-white hair.

“I don’t believe the value of that teaching is worth sacrificing my hair.”

So he wasn’t a Buddhist either.

“Then are you a Confucian?”

He shook his head.

“Didn’t I just say I have no fixed abode or allegiance, no path or doctrine? I don’t belong to any school of thought. And just because I don’t belong to a particular school doesn’t mean I disagree with its teachings.”

“Th-that…”

No one could answer.

It went against common sense.

“Would you reject truth just because it contradicts your beliefs? It might not seem strange to you, considering how often it happens, but there’s nothing more foolish than killing in the name of truth. It only proves your own ignorance.”

“Is it even possible to live without being bound by anything, without following any path? What do you gain from that?”

“Well, you might gain the Tao.”

He answered casually.

“Have you gained it?”

“Hmm, I wonder?”

He didn’t answer.

‘Who is this old man?’

The more they learned about him, the more enigmatic he became.

* * *

“Come out now!”

Old Master said without turning around.

“Huh?”

At first, no one understood what he meant.

“How long are you going to hide?”

He asked again.

Rustling sounds came from one of the carts at the back of the escort. The straw mat covering it twitched. The rustling and squirming grew louder, and then someone emerged. It was a little girl, no older than seven. She was followed by her brother, a young boy.

“Come here!”

Old Master beckoned, and the two siblings approached cautiously, their shoulders hunched in fear. They looked exhausted and unkempt, as if they hadn’t eaten or slept properly in days. These were the children the masked men had been after.

“Poor things…”

Jin So-Ryeong’s face softened with pity. But Old Master was curious about something else.

“Why were you hiding in that cart?”

“Because it wasn’t carrying valuables.”

The boy answered immediately.

“Well, I’ll be damned.”

Jang Woo-Yang exclaimed.

“They’re quite clever, aren’t they?”

He said, looking at the cart where the children had been hiding. It was a cart carrying food and supplies for the escorts.

“How did you know?”

Ryu-Ran asked, unable to contain her curiosity.

“When we transport valuables, the carts are sealed with paper. The seal bears the escort leader’s personal stamp, so it can’t be removed without leaving a trace. And there’s another seal inside, placed by the client. It’s a security measure to prevent theft. We rarely break these seals. Even in an emergency, it’s only done under the supervision of the escort leader. So if they had hidden in one of those carts, they would have been discovered immediately. But the food carts aren’t sealed. They’re used daily. And for a large-scale escort like this, there’s more than one food cart. We don’t open the next cart until the previous one is empty. They were hiding in the last cart, not the one currently in use. Do you think that’s a coincidence?”

“I see!”

Ryu-Ran was impressed by his explanation.

“Hmm, impressive. To think they would use an escort agency as their shield at such a young age.”

Old Master’s words made Jang Woo-Yang’s eyes widen.

“Is that true?”

“…”

The boy didn’t answer. But his silence was answer enough.

“Well, I’ll be damned. The greatest escort agency in Sichuan, reduced to being a shield for a child…”

Jang Woo-Yang was speechless. But he wasn’t angry. He was more amazed than anything else.

“What are your names?”

“My name is Yoo Gyeong-Yeong.”

“Yoo…?!”

He was familiar with the Blue Dragon Manor, one of the most prominent families in the area. He just hadn’t met the children before, as his interactions with the manor had always been business-related. But he remembered the owner’s son’s name.

“What? You’re the heir to the Blue Dragon Manor?”

The boy nodded sadly. The manor he was supposed to inherit no longer existed, except in his heart.

Old Master was also interested in this story. He had painful memories associated with the Blue Dragon Manor.

“What should we do, Guild Leader?”

Chief Escort Kang asked.

Jang Woo-Yang was the leader of this escort. It would be disrespectful to interfere with his decision. Of course, they couldn’t ignore the opinions of Jin So-Ryeong and Yoo Eun-Seong, given their status in Jianghu, but they had to be careful not to overstep their boundaries. And Jin So-Ryeong and Yoo Eun-Seong understood that.

“What else can we do? We have to protect them. They’re the only survivors of the Blue Dragon Manor massacre. It’s our duty as fellow Sichuan merchants. You didn’t tell them who those masked men were, did you?”

“My father didn’t know either.”

“Hmm, where were you headed?”

“Nanchang.”

“Nanchang? You were planning to travel all the way to Nanchang at your age?”

Jin So-Ryeong asked, surprised. Everyone else was equally astonished.

The boy nodded.

“My father told us to find Master Majinga of Cheonmu Academy.”

“If Owner Yoo said that, it must be important. Don’t worry, the Middle Heaven Merchant Guild will protect you.”

“Thank you, Guild Leader Jang!”

Yoo Gyeong-Yeong bowed respectfully. Jang Woo-Yang smiled at the boy’s maturity. He mounted his horse, and Old Master returned to his nap.

“Let’s go!”

Jang Woo-Yang shouted, and the escort, back in formation, resumed their journey.

And a month later…

They arrived in Nanchang safe and sound.