Chapter 103

Chapter 103

Swish!

Youngho’s body silhouette, cutting through the wind as he flew forward, looked livelier than ever before.

“Isn’t it great traveling like this using only Lightness Skill instead of riding horses? It’s way faster than a horse, isn’t it?”

Kang Chowon spoke to Youngho with a pout.

“Back then, we were too weak. Our internal energy was severely lacking.”

“That’s true.”

Swish!

Kang Hosan avoided a branch flying toward him by merely tilting his head and spoke expressionlessly.

“Now we can even dodge the branches Young Master throws.”

“If you can’t even dodge that, you’re not human.”

Youngho let out a snicker.

“Anyway, we should probably rest soon.”

He glanced at Hyeon-gang, who was gasping with his breath up to his chin.

“At this rate, I might witness the first person in the world to die from running.”

“Let’s do that.”

Soon, Kang Hosan headed off to hunt.

The moment Youngho’s group stopped, they swiftly prepared a campsite.

When Kang Hosan returned with a deer, Muyeon and Kang Chowon skillfully began butchering it.

“Roasting it whole would be best, right?”

“Probably.”

While Muyeon and Kang Chowon discussed how to cook the meat, Youngho scanned the surroundings.

“It’s quiet.”

It was unnaturally quiet. There should have been at least the sound of birds chirping, but the forest was filled with nothing but stillness.

Sensing something amiss, Youngho gathered his Qi Sense to its limit.

‘Strange. I can’t feel the presence of any living creature at all.’

Something was wrong. Horyeung, too, seemed to have sensed the anomaly and began guarding the surroundings.

“Horyeung. We’ve entered Hubei by now, haven’t we?”

“Yes. At our current speed, we would reach the Wudang Sect in four shijin.”

“Hmm….”

After a brief hum of thought, Youngho spoke.

“Mad Dog.”

“How many times do I have to tell you it’s Stench Ghost?!”

“Whatever. Check whether a formation has been laid out nearby.”

“What? I don’t even sense the slightest trace of a formation. Even if there’s no sign of life, it could just be a coincidence.”

Youngho smirked.

“Coincidence? There’s a saying in the Jianghu. Everything has cause and effect—there is no such thing as coincidence.”

Muyeon groaned and let her shoulders slump.

“Fine. I’ll scout around for a bit.”

“Good.”

With a deep sigh, Muyeon moved forward.

And one dakyung later.

“…Huh?”

Muyeon witnessed something strange.

“What? Why are you like that?”

She couldn’t hide her shock as Youngho suddenly appeared in her field of vision.

“Huh? Wait—hold on a second.”

Muyeon immediately dashed in the opposite direction from Youngho.

This time, before even a full dakyung had passed, she returned again to where Youngho stood.

Youngho, who had also sensed something unusual, spoke with a hardened expression.

“What happened?”

“I’m not sure either….”

Youngho abruptly spun around. It was a sudden action, but no one present bothered reacting.

There was always a reason behind his movements.

Sharpening his sensory perception, Youngho said,

“Wait here for a moment.”

At the same time, his body silhouette vanished.

As she grilled the venison, Kang Chowon asked,

“Is it serious?”

Muyeon sat down and let out a low groan.

“I hope so. But one thing’s certain—this place is strange.”

“Is it?”

“Yeah. Well, Young Master will handle it.”

Muyeon stared in the direction Youngho had run. And indeed, Youngho was already seeking his own answer.

Arriving at his destination in an instant, Youngho focused on the presence he felt ahead.

‘I’ll meet him in less than a dakyung.’

It was clearly the presence of a person—the only human presence detectable in this forest that had felt utterly empty moments ago.

As expected, a human figure soon came into view.

Youngho slowly approached and spoke.

“I would like to ask you something.”

At the sound of his voice, the man startled.

“W-When did you…? No, more importantly, how?!”

Seeing the man’s flustered reaction, Youngho offered a genial smile.

“Calm yourself. I merely wish to have a brief conversation.”

“Ah, yes. But rather than that—how did you come here?”

“I ended up here while walking. It seems I lost my way.”

The man fell into brief contemplation before asking,

“…Where were you headed?”

“To a nearby inn.”

“Do you have companions?”

“Yes. They are resting not far from here.”

“I see… In that case, please return to your companions for now.”

Youngho nodded and took the lead.

As he walked forward slowly, he thought,

‘He’s strong?’

Though the man appeared as if he had learned no martial arts at all, he possessed absurd Martial Might.

‘This feeling… is he from the Wudang Sect?’

There was the subtle profundity of the Wudang movement technique in his steps. Most likely.

‘Why is someone from the Wudang Sect here?’

Youngho was still quite far from Mount Wudang. And yet, a Wudang Taoist was here?

There were more than one or two strange points. Not only was he not wearing martial robes embroidered with the Taiji symbol that represented the Wudang Sect, but above all, his attitude was peculiar.

Though he thought he was being subtle, Youngho had already noticed the man glancing repeatedly at his face.

‘First, I need to regroup with the others.’

There would be time to ask the rest later.

Soon, Youngho and the man arrived where the others were.

Horyeung, who had tilted his head back to glance behind, widened his eyes. His hand instinctively moved to the sword hilt.

The man who met Horyeung’s gaze also swallowed dryly, his face tense.

As the entire group sensed the strange standoff and began to rise—

Clap—!

Youngho struck his palms together once, his internal energy imbued within the sound.

The clear yet pleasant resonance of the clap drew everyone’s gaze to him.

“Calm down. It seems we’ve found someone who can guide us out of this forest.”

“You don’t sound very certain.”

At Kang Chowon’s words, Youngho nodded.

“That’s because I’m not. In any case, just know that he’s a master in the Transformation Realm. Don’t do anything foolish.”

At that, everyone except Horyeung and Youngho widened their eyes.

“A master in the Transformation Realm?”

“The Transformation Realm? The one I know?”

And it was not only Youngho’s group who was startled. The man’s voice trembled uncontrollably as he spoke.

“H-How did you know that I’m in the Transformation Realm…?”

“Well, I am a Martial Artist as well. Your level is quite clear to my eyes.”

A chill rose from the man’s spine, and his body trembled.

‘He’s far stronger than I am…!’

That his realm had been seen through… and that he had failed to gauge the being before him—it was almost laughable.

‘My training is insufficient.’

He hated to admit it, but the one before him was a master he could never hope to reach.

Swallowing hard, the man said,

“If you intend to cause trouble here….”

“We merely wish to leave this forest. It seems a peculiar formation has been laid out.”

“I-Is that so. Then please follow me. I have never left this place myself, so I will need to ask my Master.”

“You have a Master?”

“Yes. I am inheriting all of my Master’s martial arts.”

“To think I would meet a reclusive master. By the way, may I ask your name?”

“My name is Hyeonu.”

“I suppose I should ask your Master’s name in person. If he raised a Martial Artist as strong as Dojang Hyeonu, proper courtesy is required.”

“Thank you—?”

For a brief instant, Hyeonu’s expression shifted strangely. Soon, it turned to shock, and his complexion steadily worsened.

Staring wide-eyed at Youngho, he asked,

“Did you just call me Dojang?”

“Yes. As for your Master, I should address you as a True Person.”

Hyeonu stared blankly at Youngho before speaking again.

“H-How did you know I was a Taoist…?”

“I glimpsed the profundity of the Wudang Movement Technique in your steps. Was that an offense?”

“N-No, not at all.”

Hyeonu turned his head forward, but his thoughts continued racing.

‘An incredible master!’

He always concealed his realm completely, even in a remote mountain valley like this.

‘And yet he saw that I am a Taoist of the Wudang Sect?’

It was incomprehensible. Seeing through his realm was one thing—but to deduce the Wudang Sect from a single step…

‘Master will be able to handle this, won’t he?’

For now, he had no choice but to believe so.

Hyeonu and Youngho’s group climbed the mountain swiftly, befitting Martial Artists.

Looking around, Youngho thought,

‘Do they make or gather everything they need themselves?’

He glanced at potatoes and sweet potatoes growing nearby and said,

“You plant crops.”

“Yes. It is my Master’s hobby. We will arrive shortly.”

At Hyeonu’s words, Youngho looked ahead—and could not help but show surprise.

Where there had been nothing but trees moments ago, a small house suddenly appeared.

‘A formation?’

Most likely. Nothing was more suitable for concealment than a formation.

Youngho glanced at Muyeon. But Muyeon shook his head as if to say he had never seen anything like this before.

“Please wait in the yard for a moment. I will bring my Master out shortly.”

After speaking to them, Hyeonu entered the house. Perhaps because the space was small, the conversation inside was clearly audible to the Martial Artists whose senses were abnormally developed.

“Master, we have a guest.”

“A guest?”

“Yes. It seems they have lost their way.”

“What a coincidence. How did they enter this place? I should step out and see.”

The moment the door opened, Youngho sensed Immortal Energy.

It was similar to the Immortal who had briefly possessed the White Tiger.

Clear, yet heavy. If Youngho was an abyss without a bottom, then the one before him possessed the weight of Mount Tai.

It was a force of nature far too excessive for an ordinary human.

Youngho gazed steadily toward the room.

A man who appeared around the age of forty stepped out with a genial laugh.

“You have lost your way—!”

His pleasant smile lasted only an instant.

Boom—!

At the overwhelming pressure that seemed capable of crushing their bodies, everyone except Youngho involuntarily kicked off the ground.

As Horyeung’s hand instantly moved to the sword hilt, Youngho raised his hand to stop him.

Boom—!

Though it was merely the release of aura, Youngho’s feet had already sunk into the ground.

With a faintly savage smile, Youngho spoke.

“If I were an ordinary person, I would already be dead from what you are doing. Isn’t it time you withdrew your Martial Presence?”

The young-looking man let out a sigh.

“You are strong.”

Youngho smiled.

“You are simply weak.”