Chapter 656

The sun was beginning to rise.

Between the gentle gusts of wind, the waking birds, and the stirring of hesitant insects, the calm of the early morning was palpable.

High above Zhongyuan, specifically over the skies of Hanan, a massive object was soaring at remarkable speed.

Whooosh!

For something of such size, its velocity was astonishing.

One would think its enormous figure would immediately catch the attention of the people below.

Yet, for some reason, the inhabitants of Hanan seemed utterly disinterested in the sky.

In fact, it appeared as though they were entirely unaware of what loomed above.

For such a colossal object to pass unnoticed was perplexing.

Atop the central building of the Martial Alliance in the heart of Hanan City,

a man was intently observing the anomaly.

“Hm.”

“Is something the matter, sir?”

The man, Bumdong, gestured towards the sky with a finger.

“Vice Leader.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Can’t you see that?”

Bumdong’s words prompted the vice leader to squint at the sky. He even extended his senses, yet the sky remained empty to him.

“…I’m sorry, but I see nothing.”

“No need to apologize. Hmm…”

Bumdong nodded at the response.

‘The vice leader cannot see it.’

Focusing on the sky, Bumdong infused energy into his eyes.

As he concentrated, the space high above warped slightly, revealing something.

A dark cloud?

No, that couldn’t be it.

‘A dark cloud that requires energy to see? That would be far stranger.’

It wasn’t nighttime, so even heightened senses would struggle to discern anything more.

Although the sun was rising, it wasn’t yet enough to clarify the situation.

Still, once the sunlight brightened fully, he believed he’d be able to see it clearly.

So Bumdong quietly sat and continued to watch the anomaly.

However—

“Hm?”

Bumdong’s expression stiffened as he noticed something.

The massive object appeared to be drawn towards the ground somewhere.

To Bumdong’s eyes, it looked like black smoke rapidly being sucked downwards.

Watching this, Bumdong rose to his feet.

“Vice Leader.”

“Yes, sir.”

Bumdong pointed with his finger, directing attention to a specific location below.

“There. Do you recall what’s in that area?”

“That area…?”

The vice leader followed the direction of Bumdong’s gesture.

It was to the west, towards a forested area and partially undeveloped land.

Remembering the details, the vice leader responded.

“It’s currently under development.”

“Development?”

“Yes. As for the ownership, I believe…”

The vice leader hesitated for a moment before continuing.

“It belongs to the Baekhwa Trading Company.”

“The Baekhwa Trading Company.”

Bumdong was well-acquainted with the name.

Among the top trading companies in Zhongyuan,

it funded the Martial Alliance but couldn’t be labeled as fully aligned with it.

Moreover—

‘It’s tied to the Gu family.’

The head of the Baekhwa Trading Company was the wife of Ho Hyeop, the patriarch of the Gu family in Shanxi.

So, perhaps—

‘There might be a connection.’

It could potentially be linked to the “troublemakers” who had been stirring up Hanan in recent months.

The anomaly’s descent and its proximity to Baekhwa Trading Company’s territory—

this odd coincidence caught Bumdong’s attention.

Turning on his heel, he began walking away.

“I’ll investigate. Remain here and wait.”

“Sir? Where are you planning to go…? Leader? Leader!”

By the time the vice leader called out,

Bumdong had already vanished.

******************

Three days after departing the Northern Sea, in the early hours of dawn, we finally reached our destination.

The speed this time was significantly faster.

As I gazed at the forest below, I turned my attention inward to assess my condition.

‘Looks like I’ve used up about half of my inner energy.’

Half of what had been a considerable reserve.

By volume, it was a lot, but in terms of efficiency, it wasn’t unreasonable.

‘Traveling at this speed while maintaining stealth… this is acceptable.’

Because Dol-Dol’s size was so enormous, flying openly would have drawn far too much attention.

Thus, we deliberately avoided heavily populated areas, enveloping ourselves in energy to suppress our presence as much as possible.

After three days of maintaining this effort, half my energy had been depleted.

‘Not bad.’

It was a result that highlighted my recent advancements, and I found it satisfying.

Hoo.

Feeling the wind on my face, I looked up.

I could sense the change in the air.

Unlike the sharp, biting chill of the Northern Sea, Zhongyuan’s air had a familiar quality to it.

Perhaps it was because this was where I was born and raised, or perhaps the Northern Sea was simply foreign to me.

Either way, breathing in this familiar air brought a sense of ease.

Looking around, I ran my hand over Dol-Dol’s scales.

“Let’s descend slowly.”

Grr.

Dol-Dol began to lower its altitude, understanding my words as if it could truly comprehend them.

A suitable landing spot came into view, perfectly aligned with what I had hoped for.

Dol-Dol seemed to anticipate this, adjusting its speed and descending precisely where I wanted.

Ssssshh.

Dol-Dol’s massive body touched the ground gently. This time, there was no disruptive gust of wind or damage to the earth.

After all my scolding, it seemed to have learned to behave better.

Once we landed safely, the passengers began stepping onto solid ground.

“Urgh…!”

The first to disembark was Yuri, who immediately darted into the nearby bushes.

Perhaps it was due to her lower cultivation level, but she had clearly struggled the most during the flight.

Given that we traveled even faster this time, it wasn’t surprising that she had reached her limit.

Fortunately—

‘If she had vomited mid-flight, I would have thrown her off.’

Still, she managed to endure. That much spared her life.

Had she not, I would have ended it myself.

“Wow… That was quite the ride. Never thought I’d get to experience something like that again.”

Goeseon and the White Lotus Sword followed her down.

While the White Lotus Sword looked a bit sullen yet intrigued, Goeseon was visibly delighted, his eyes gleaming with fascination as he studied Dol-Dol.

“Riding a demonic beast… who would’ve thought?”

Grrr!

The term "demonic beast" must have irked Dol-Dol, as it growled at Goeseon.

Startled, Goeseon waved his hands apologetically.

“My bad. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

Grr…

Dol-Dol turned its head away as if appeased.

Such a simple creature.

Goeseon chuckled at this, turning to someone nearby.

“This one’s pretty amusing, don’t you think?”

“…Yes.”

The response came hesitantly, this time from Woo Hyuk.

He flinched slightly at his master addressing him directly.

Clicking my tongue, I shook my head.

‘Tch.’

Woo Hyuk’s guilty, hesitant demeanor reminded me far too much of my former self.

It irritated me, but I didn’t interfere.

This was a burden Woo Hyuk needed to resolve on his own, and Goeseon likely understood that.

That’s probably why he kept talking to Woo Hyuk.

Though, given his missing arm, it couldn’t have been easy for Woo Hyuk to face him.

‘Idiot.’

This thought was directed at both Woo Hyuk and myself.

Suppressing the urge to dwell on it, I waved my hand.

Whoosh.

Energy flowed from my fingertips, gently enveloping Namgung Bi-ah and Tang So-yeol as they dismounted.

They floated softly to the ground.

Tang So-yeol appeared momentarily surprised before smiling, while Namgung Bi-ah, half-asleep, remained unfazed.

“You really go all out, don’t you?”

Paejon’s tone carried a hint of exasperation, but I ignored him.

‘We’ve arrived safely.’

The next step would be heading to the Baekhwa Trading Company to report.

“This way… If we head roughly east—Hey, catch her!”

As Namgung Bi-ah wandered off in a random direction, Tang So-yeol quickly grabbed her.

Perfect. If Namgung Bi-ah was heading that way, we probably needed to go in the opposite direction.

Confident in this logic, I began leading the group when—

Crunch.

“Hm?”

I sensed movement in the distance.

I didn’t feel tense; it was just one person, and their energy level was low.

I assumed it was a passing herb gatherer, but—

“Excuse me.”

The figure that emerged turned out to be someone from the Baekhwa Trading Company.

“My name is Seok Hon, from the Baekhwa Trading Company. Would you happen to be Young Master Gu Yangcheon of the Shanxi Gu family?”

Hearing my name, I stepped forward, intrigued by the precise identification.

“Yes, that’s me… How did you know to come here?”

I hadn’t sent word ahead.

Curious, I asked, and Seok Hon replied,

“The branch manager sent me.”

“…The branch manager?”

If the branch manager here was—

‘Moyong Hee-ah.’

How had she known to send someone?

Confused, I listened as Seok Hon explained further.

“She predicted your return and identified likely landing spots, assigning personnel to each. She instructed us to greet you respectfully upon arrival.”

“…Hah.”

A dry laugh escaped me.

Not only had she anticipated when I’d return, but also where I’d land?

Her meticulousness was as terrifying as it was impressive.

‘Honestly…’

The sheer precision left me astounded.

If anyone deserved to be called "ghost-like," it was her.

“May I guide you?”

Suppressing a chuckle, I nodded.

“Lead the way.”

Hearing Moyong Hee-ah’s name brought clarity.

I had truly returned to Zhongyuan.

‘It didn’t take that long.’

Yet, for some reason, it felt like an eternity had passed.

******************

Under Seok Hon’s guidance, we arrived at the Baekhwa Trading Company.

As it was early dawn, there were few people around. Thanks to Seok Hon deliberately leading us through less populated areas, we managed to arrive unnoticed.

Ssss…

A sensation tickled my forearm.

Ssss…

A blackish-blue snake slithered up my sleeve, poking its head out and flicking its tongue.

Surprisingly, the snake was none other than Dol-Dol.

The once mountainous figure had shrunk to a size reminiscent of its earlier form.

Previously, no matter how much Dol-Dol compressed its size, there were limits, forcing me to keep it outside. But with its cultivation improving, it had managed to shrink enough to stay concealed on my person.

‘I’ll still end up letting it roam freely; it’s too much trouble to manage otherwise.’

In the past, Dol-Dol might have been more dependent, but now it hunted on its own and fed itself.

It was also annoyingly chatty when nearby, so tossing it aside was usually more convenient.

For now, I was keeping it close due to the excessive energy consumption and to check on a few things.

“Tea has been prepared.”

While I waited, a servant entered and placed a tray of tea before me.

Since Goeseon and Namgung Bi-ah needed treatment, they were sent ahead to a lodging where the Divine Doctor was supposedly staying.

Meanwhile, I waited in the branch manager’s office with the rest of the group.

I glanced around the room.

As expected of a branch manager, the office was spacious.

The room was neat and orderly, but the piles of scrolls and documents betrayed the sheer workload.

It was unmistakably a reflection of Moyong Hee-ah’s character.

However—

‘Where is she?’

The branch manager herself, Moyong Hee-ah, was nowhere to be seen.

I hadn’t been waiting long, but the fact that it was Moyong Hee-ah kept nagging at me.

‘It’s odd for her to keep someone waiting.’

Normally, she would arrive late on purpose to unnerve her opponent or as part of some business strategy.

But situations like this were rare.

Curious, I turned to Seok Hon beside me and asked,

“Why isn’t she here yet? What’s she doing?”

Seok Hon hesitated before answering with an awkward expression.

“The branch manager suddenly had some business to attend to… She might be a bit late.”

“Business?”

“Yes.”

After that, Seok Hon didn’t elaborate further.

It was clear he was deliberately withholding details.

Watching him closely for a moment, I stood up.

Seok Hon, clearly flustered, called out to me.

“Young Master?”

“Oh, just heading to the restroom.”

“Then let me guide you—”

“Why? Planning to watch me take a dump or something?”

“…”

Seok Hon froze, unsure how to respond.

I chuckled and slipped out of the room quickly. At least this time, he didn’t try to stop me.

Of course—

I did genuinely intend to use the restroom.

So technically, I wasn’t lying.

‘However…’

I figured I might as well look for Moyong Hee-ah while I was at it.

Yes.

This was simply killing two birds with one stone.

****************

On the first floor of the trading company, in the guest reception area, a single teacup sat on the table.

Steam still rose gently from the tea, indicating it hadn’t cooled yet.

Strangely, though there was only one teacup, there were two people present.

Across the empty table sat a strikingly beautiful woman with an icy demeanor—Moyong Hee-ah.

Her sharp, characteristic gaze was fixed on the man opposite her.

Despite Moyong Hee-ah’s piercing eyes, the man seemed completely unaffected as he took a sip of tea.

Slurp.

As the man moved, the insignia on his shoulder gleamed faintly.

This subtle detail caused Moyong Hee-ah’s eyes to narrow slightly.

She quickly erased the expression and parted her lips to speak.

“I apologize for the inadequate hospitality.”

“No need to apologize. Offering tea alone is more than enough. If anything, I should apologize for the sudden visit.”

“…Thank you for understanding. If I may ask…”

Moyong Hee-ah’s aquamarine eyes bore into the man as she continued.

“What brings the Leader of the Martial Alliance’s Flying Dragon Unit to my humble office?”

The man was Bumdong, the commander of the Flying Dragon Unit, a direct division of the Martial Alliance.

He nodded slightly in response to her question.

“It’s nothing serious. I’ve received reports of an anomaly nearby.”

“An anomaly? In this area?”

“Oh, not exactly here… but in the area your company is developing.”

At Bumdong’s words, Moyong Hee-ah’s brows furrowed slightly.

“And that led you to visit us?”

“Well, not entirely. I was also curious to see how your trading company is faring.”

Bumdong smiled slyly, his tone overly casual, but Moyong Hee-ah’s expression grew colder.

“If the Alliance does not hold the proper investigative rights, am I to interpret this visit as a disregard for our company?”

“Haha, so sharp. Let me reiterate: this isn’t an investigation. I was merely passing by and decided to stop in for a visit.”

Despite his words, the underlying suspicion was clear to anyone listening.

“Even without an investigation or evidence, your visit alone suggests your intent.”

Bumdong was a well-known figure to Moyong Hee-ah.

Second in strength among the Martial Alliance’s five commanders, he ranked among the top martial artists of the world’s elite.

Rumor had it that he was relentless in his investigations, often resorting to ruthless methods to achieve his goals.

A difficult and prickly individual, especially in sensitive times like these.

Moyong Hee-ah quickly ran through various thoughts, carefully calculating her response.

Meanwhile, Bumdong waved his hand dismissively, as if to brush off her concerns.

“Coming here isn’t such a big deal. It’s perfectly reasonable, don’t you think?”

“The fact that the Martial Alliance’s commander made a personal visit makes it quite difficult for us to accept it as casual,” she replied coolly.

“Hmm. This is a bit troublesome, then.”

Bumdong stared intently at Moyong Hee-ah.

“You must understand, Branch Manager,” he said, emphasizing her title after her earlier correction.

Moyong Hee-ah had been quick to interject earlier.

“Please address me properly. I am the Branch Manager.”

His eyebrow twitched slightly at her insistence, a reaction Moyong Hee-ah didn’t miss.

“…Very well, Branch Manager. Surely, you’re aware of how noisy things have been recently?”

“I am aware.”

The past month had been rife with rumors, not just in Hanan but throughout the region.

They were rumors that the Martial Alliance, in particular, would be highly sensitive to.

“As such, we’re a bit on edge. I hope you’ll understand.”

Bumdong smiled as he spoke, and Moyong Hee-ah matched his smile with her own.

“Of course. I may not know the specifics of this anomaly, but if you obtain proper investigative rights, we’ll be more than happy to cooperate. Until then, however, you’re merely a guest.”

“Haha, is that so?”

“Yes, indeed.”

The brief exchange ended in a tense silence.

Moyong Hee-ah unfolded a fan, hiding half her face behind it, while Bumdong continued to smile, though his amusement didn’t reach his eyes.

Beneath the surface, both were measuring each other.

‘How bothersome.’

Bumdong clicked his tongue inwardly.

For someone who couldn’t be much older than thirty, she was remarkably sharp.

Her reputation for brilliance, it seemed, wasn’t undeserved.

‘What to do…’

Bumdong had sensed something unusual.

Whether it was related to the rumors or something else, he couldn’t say.

It likely wasn’t connected to the rumors, but—

‘Something smells off.’

The anomaly he had seen in the sky earlier…

The fact that it seemed tied to this trading company added to the unease.

A trading company that wasn’t fully aligned with the Martial Alliance.

‘It reeks.’

Subtle, but the stench of something foul was there.

‘Perhaps I should dig a bit more.’

No matter how clever she was, Moyong Hee-ah was still young.

If he pressed enough, a crack might appear.

If necessary—

‘I could apply a bit of pressure.’

For someone like Bumdong, this was the easiest approach when dealing with less experienced opponents.

Even a slight show of force could destabilize them.

Thinking this, Bumdong began to gather energy in his dantian.

Ssssss.

A faint, nearly imperceptible stream of energy leaked out, directed toward Moyong Hee-ah.

It was subtle enough to be deniable if she called him out on it.

Just as the energy was about to reach her—

Snap.

“…!”

The energy was crushed instantly, disappearing without a trace.

Before Bumdong could react—

Crack! Clink!

The teacup on the table shattered in half, spilling hot tea across the surface.

Boom!

An immense pressure filled the room, slamming down on Bumdong’s shoulders.

“Urgh…!”

At that moment—

“Well, well. I was wondering why the dogs were barking so loudly on my way here.”

The door to the guest reception room swung open, and a voice cut through the tension.

“Oh my,” Moyong Hee-ah murmured, her eyes widening as she saw the newcomer.

A young man with sharp eyes and a cocky smile stepped in.

His expression carried an air of arrogance that was infuriatingly fitting.

The man glanced at Bumdong, still seated, and casually remarked,

“So this is where the noisy dog is. Quite the loud one, aren’t you?”

Bumdong’s expression twisted with rage at the insult.