"Forgive me, but this old man would like a word."
Heavenly Roc Divine Fist stepped in and met Hyeol-u's eyes.
"The first and second conditions are reasonable enough — anyone joining a party should follow its rules. But whose orders do we follow?"
"The Third Young Master's orders, naturally."
At Namgung Pil-su's reply, Heavenly Roc Divine Fist nodded readily and continued.
"However, the third condition is something we cannot ignore. We are here under the clan head's express orders to protect the Young Lady."
Hyeol-u waved his hand dismissively.
"Ah, don't worry about that. You are not members of our party, so you may act independently."
In truth, the third condition had been deliberately designed to draw the Jegal Twin Gods in.
Having two pinnacle-class masters along for the ride would make the prisoner escort that much safer.
"Very well. Then how much should the participation fee be?"
"The fee is......"
A rough calculation of room and board showed it would be pocket change to the Jegal Clan.
Instead, Hyeol-u racked his brain for a more worthy price.
"Rather than money, something befitting the Jegal Clan's name would suffice."
A somewhat vague proposal.
What could possibly be "befitting" of the Jegal Clan?
The clan was famed for mechanical formations, medicine, and hidden weapon arts.
While everyone puzzled over the answer, Heavenly Roc Divine Fist nodded as though he understood.
"Very well. I shall give you several Hundred Wonders Pills. They were intended for the Young Lady in case of injury or poisoning, but since you will be closest to her at all times — consider it a dual purpose."
In other words: if Jegal Su-ran was in danger, use one on her.
The cunning wisdom of an old hand.
The small case, shaped like a needle tube, contained five Hundred Wonders Pills.
Hundred Wonders Pills!
He gave them away so easily they seemed commonplace — but they were anything but.
During the Great Phoenix Mountain Bloodbath, Jegal Dae-hwi had survived in no small part thanks to the Jegal Twin Gods — and the very thing that had made their rescue possible was the Hundred Wonders Pill.
A miraculous medicine whose effects grew more potent the higher one's inner arts.
With Jegal Su-ran's participation in the Namgung escort now confirmed, Sanggwan Hyeok sidled up hesitantly.
"I'm Sanggwan Hyeok of the Sanggwan Clan. Would it be...... possible for me to join as well?"
'That one is persistent.'
The way he tailed Jegal Su-ran everywhere, he clearly had an agenda.
Given his usual manner of speaking, Hyeol-u wanted nothing more than to refuse on the spot, but—
"And what will you offer?"
'What a presumptuous, lowborn brat, using banmal to his betters......!'
A flash of displeasure crossed Sanggwan Hyeok's face, but the handle of the situation was firmly in Hyeol-u's grip — no point in making a fuss.
"Five Spirit Vitality Pills, our clan's closely guarded elixir. They restore vitality and replenish energy......"
"Oh, wonderful!"
The moment Sanggwan Hyeok mentioned the Spirit Vitality Pills, Hyeol-u agreed and snatched the medicine case from his outstretched hand.
Then another figure shuffled forward.
"Um, I-I'm Danri Myeong of the Danri Clan......"
"And what are you?"
Danri Myeong fumbled nervously in his robes and produced an iron object the size of half a palm, shaped like a toad.
"This is called a Flash Thunder Bomb. It was created during the Warring States period by the Thunderbolt Master......"
"Enough. Hand over everything you've got."
"What? But there are only three in total......"
"All of them!"
'An absolute bandit!'
But it was too late for anyone to intervene.
Sanggwan Hyeok silently seethed, feeling swindled.
Meanwhile, Namgung Byeok's stomach had begun to churn.
'Why on earth are they handing over such treasures just to tag along?'
Debasing themselves to that extent.
He recalled the rumors surrounding the "Absolute Invincible Martial World Travelogue."
'It might...... actually be real.'
Why had he not finished reading the book when he had the chance?
The regret was beyond remedy now.
***
Moments later.
RUMBLE.
The grind of wheels shook the earth.
The cart moved, and horses and carriage followed.
As the procession drew near, the spectators parted to either side.
Cresting the hill and arriving at the ferry landing beside the river village, the party stared blankly across the water.
The river was not particularly wide.
But heavy rains upstream had turned the water a turbid yellow, flowing fast and rough.
Spanning it, a wooden bridge — clearly well-traveled, broad enough for two carriages side by side — had water slopping over its planks.
But disaster.
Sections of the bridge had boards torn away. A nimble person might cross on foot, but for a cart or carriage, it was utterly impassable.
Hyeol-u climbed slowly from the cart and approached the bridge.
Months ago, during his days as Hyeol-u, he had crossed this very bridge while chasing the Blood Sand Wind.
That was precisely why he had chosen this route.
If so — had someone deliberately sabotaged it?
"Hmm, strange. The timbers are thick and sturdy — not the sort of bridge that collapses easily."
"Someone may have done this to obstruct our path."
"Is there another way around......?"
Hyeol-u let Jegal Su-ran's question pass through one ear and out the other, whipping around to check behind them.
Something felt wrong — and he launched himself.
"GYAAAH!"
At that instant.
A blood-curdling scream split the air, and the rear cart lurched.
Dozens of needle-thin hidden weapons had punched through the gaps of the iron cage.
A vicious tactic aimed not at the Namgung Clan members, but at the prisoners.
CLATTER—!
The dark cane Hyeol-u had hurled spun at blinding speed, deflecting every needle.
He immediately traced the trajectory and sprinted in that direction.
"Phew, almost died."
Wang Gyeong-jong clicked his tongue and surveyed the scene.
Meanwhile, Hyeol-u — who had plunged into the water chasing the assailant — returned, soaking wet.
"Just one person, but their diving skill was almost supernatural."
"Can't be helped. We'll need to be more vigilant against ambushes."
Namgung Pil-su nodded and used a twig to inspect a red Ox-Hair Needle that had fallen to the ground.
The lurid color made it obvious — poison-coated.
"This appears to be a Soul-Stealing Poison Needle."
"As in the Soul-Stealing Ghost Hand's signature hidden weapon?"
Namgung Pil-su's eyes widened slightly at Namgung Seong's words.
The three greatest hidden weapon masters under heaven were Five Poisons Divine Lord Tang Mu-gi of the Sichuan Tang Clan, Whirlwind Demon Monk of the Tibetan Potala Palace, and the Soul-Stealing Ghost Hand.
Any martial world veteran would know these names like the back of their hand — but that Namgung Seong knew them was apparently still surprising.
Old prejudices died hard, it seemed.
"Tch, all that fame and nothing to show for it."
Namgung Byeok grumbled.
The remark was a backhanded swipe at Hyeol-u.
By calling the assassin unremarkable, he diminished the credit Hyeol-u had earned by stopping the attack.
But then what did that make Golden Swordhand So Se-gi, who had been riding shotgun on the cart and failed to lift a finger?
The bright flush creeping up So Se-gi's face made his thoughts transparent enough.
"A single ambush followed by retreat — that's a warning. A message that they can strike at the prisoners anytime, so watch your step."
It was now clear: not only the Namgung Clan's people but the prisoners themselves were targets.
From here on, the entire escort had to protect not only themselves but the very prisoners they were transporting.
Shackled in chains with their qi centers sealed.
"Am I supposed to just sit here and die?!"
Wang Gyeong-jong shuddered dramatically and stared at Hyeol-u.
"Listen, I know a good route."
Golden Swordhand So Se-gi, seizing the moment, glared at Wang Gyeong-jong and barked.
"Shut your mouth! You're a prisoner. One more word and a piece of your body will be dangling from the outside of that cage."
"Ah, wait. I'm curious why he suddenly offered that up."
At Hyeol-u's words, Wang Gyeong-jong spat on the ground and said:
"You saw it. I have to look out for my own skin."
Fair point.
But as the saying went — the crow flies off just as the pear drops. If this was a trap, what then?
There was nothing to stop Wang Gyeong-jong from luring them straight into an ambush prepared by his own allies.
"Spit it out."
"Well, the closest route is east through Wuwei, but that's deep in Huizhou Merchant Guild territory, so scratch that. If you go southwest about a hundred li, cross Heavenly Pillar Mountain, then follow the An River to the Yangtze bridge — that'll work."
"Easy to say."
Heavenly Pillar Mountain — famed for its towering, treacherous crags.
One wrong turn could plunge you into a deep ravine, lost at best, dead at worst.
But what mattered more to Hyeol-u was the fact that reaching Heavenly Pillar Mountain meant first crossing the mountain trails of Phoenix Form Mountain.
And on Phoenix Form Mountain stood his former sect — Black Dragon Temple.
A place he desperately wanted to erase from memory yet could not leave unvisited.
Setting aside his other martial brothers, if only he could confirm the wellbeing of his master, Zen Master Mucho—
"You forgot to mention the mountain bandits and river pirates holding the area."
"Don't worry about that either. There's a bypass that avoids their territory."
"Try anything clever and you'll be crossing that bypass as a corpse."
Hyeol-u issued the warning.
***
Namgung Pil-su found himself newly astonished by the changes in Namgung Seong.
"My, I prided myself on knowing the Third Young Master, but it turns out I was a blind man feeling an elephant."
'You and me both.'
That was the very reason So-i — who had grown up inseparable from Namgung Seong — kept tilting his head in bewilderment.
"It's in the Travelogue. Shall we move on?"
Whenever the Travelogue came up, So-i's doubts folded shut like a clam, and the questioning look in his eyes vanished.
Against the backdrop of Heavenly Pillar Mountain's stone peaks, thrusting skyward as though propping up the firmament—
Phoenix Form Mountain came into view as the sun leaned toward the west, nearing the Hour of the Rooster.
True to its name, the mountain looked like a phoenix spreading its wings. Bathed in the setting sun, it blazed red as an erupting volcano.
Along its flank, the Huan River flowed from west to east, its currents rolling in waves white as jade.
Following this river, crossing Phoenix Form Mountain's trails, then passing through Heavenly Pillar Mountain's dry gorge to reach the An River — that was the escort's first route.
The second was to use the third passage in case mountain and river bandits blocked the way.
"The river looks like a curtain of white jade beads, and the mountain burns red as fire."
Jegal Su-ran exclaimed, mouth agape.
She had planted herself right beside Hyeol-u on the cart and chattered endlessly on the way here.
From the outside, one might mistake them for lovers or a married couple.
But that was only the view from afar.
The responses came not from Hyeol-u but from Sanggwan Hyeok, who was driving the horse beside her.
"A truly poetic and beautiful description."
"Hoho, you flatter me."
The compliment seemed to embarrass her slightly, though she did not dislike it.
"Oh, speaking of which — Miss Ran mentioning fire reminds me. In the old days, Phoenix Form Mountain was also called Fire Spirit Mountain. Forest fires were genuinely frequent, and since it marks the boundary between the northern plains and the southern highlands of Southern Zhili, the flora on each side is quite different. That's why it serves as a major route for goods moving between the two regions."
"Oh my? How do you know all that?"
She stole a glance at Hyeol-u and stuck out her tongue.
'See? You're not the only one who knows things — Sanggwan Hyeok is well-informed too.'
That was roughly the message Hyeol-u's ears caught.
"Well, our family's main businesses are exchange houses and escort agencies. I've occasionally tagged along on escort runs because of that."
"Escort runs...... do you go all the way beyond the border too, via the Silk Road?"
"No, I don't believe so. Long-distance caravans typically handle that."
Danri Myeong jumped in the moment Sanggwan Hyeok hesitated.
Watching the two men vie for one woman's favor was like watching a courtship competition.
"By the way, do you know this? This area is a stronghold for powerful mountain bandits and river pirates. Stray bands of brigands turn up from time to time too."
At Hyeol-u's words, the party stiffened mid-step.
Mountain bandits meant the Green Forest Alliance. River pirates meant the Yangtze Waterway Strongholds.
Heavenly Pillar Mountain's territory was squarely within the Dabie Mountain range — Green Forest domain — and the Huan River, a tributary of the Yangtze, meant the river gangs could be here too.
As for brigands — roving horse bandits. With years of famine ravaging the entire continent, local villagers turning to banditry to survive was all too common.
"Please. What bandits? I don't see so much as an ant......"
WHINNY—!
At that moment, the sound of horses braying erupted from beyond the ridge, filling the air from every direction. Hoofbeats drummed closer and closer.
And then.
"HALT!"
The burly man at the head of the approaching band raised his spear high and reined in his horse.