Tell Them We’ll Be There Soon. (2)

The grandfather and granddaughter walked arm in arm down the path.

Yu Seol looked so listless that even walking was an effort.

Her face said she had lost everything.

“Grandpa, we’re beggars now. This was the house I saved up money to buy…”

With the house burned to ashes, it felt like everything was gone.

Yu Jinsan felt just as low.

He could still picture her joy at buying the house, as fresh as if it had been yesterday.

To think such misfortune would strike just as they were settling in.

The loss of the vegetable plot—everything but the Jinsan Ginseng—made his blood boil.

“Damn those Murim Alliance bastards. How dare they set our house on fire?”

Behind them trailed the Extreme Killer Five, each shouldering a huge sack—the Jinsan Ginseng they’d harvested earlier.

Cheon Woo-hwan stepped forward and clasped his hands.

“Of the six, three are from the Southern Edge Sect. Two are from the Tang Family, and the bald woman is from Mount Emei.”

That was the lineup of Murim Alliance members who’d burned their house.

Yu Jinsan had recognized their sects at a glance.

‘I had been wondering where to start Seol on the path to becoming the Supreme warrior; this just gives me the order to follow. Let’s think of it as for the best.’

At least they had a clear justification now.

The Southern Edge Sect wasn’t far from here.

Cross the Han River south into Sichuan and they’d reach the Tang Sect; a bit farther would be Mount Emei.

“Good work. First we’ll deal with the Southern Edge Sect.”

“Yes, elder. Among the three, that’s probably the easiest. It’s also close by.”

“That’s true. But how far do you plan to follow us?”

Cheon Woo-hwan flinched, hesitated.

Then, glancing cautiously at Yu Jinsan, he spoke.

“…Could you allow us to accompany you only as far as Sichuan?”

“You plan to go to Sichuan too?”

“Yes. There’s someone we can rely on there.”

There were too many Murim Alliance experts in Shaanxi hunting the five of them.

In Sichuan they’d have some breathing room.

After a moment, Yu Jinsan allowed them to accompany him for a few more days; their efforts had been admirable.

“Then once we reach Sichuan, we’ll part ways.”

“Yes, elder. Thank you!”

There were stops to make before then.

First they had to deliver the Jinsan Ginseng to the Defeating Blade Clan, then pass the Southern Edge Sect.

Yu Jinsan, strolling near the Defeating Blade Clan, glanced around.

Not far off, his granddaughter sobbed as she explained the incident to friends; her sorrowful face begged for comfort.

On one side, the Extreme Killer Five could be seen handing over the Jinsan Ginseng to the Defeating Blade Clan’s gatekeepers.

At that moment, a familiar booming voice rang out.

“Hyung, what on earth happened!? Did the house catch fire?”

Baek Gyu arrived at a run, eyes wide.

“It was the Murim Alliance. A petty revenge, it seems.”

“What scoundrels… If you have nowhere to go, stay here. I won’t let you lack for anything.”

“I’ll gratefully accept the sentiment, but once this is over we’ll return to our original home.”

“You mean the Yu family in Jinyang County? Didn’t they say the whole estate was seized by the local governor’s office?”

“We’ll get it back when the time comes.”

There were ways to do it, but now was not the time; if they abandoned their post they could be targeted again.

“But what do you mean by finishing a task?”

“The Sword Empress visited our place. All thanks to your arrangements.”

Baek Gyu puffed up, smug.

“I put in a word with our Alliance Leader. By the way, how did the talk go?”

“You probably heard the situation. The Sword Empress asked me to do something before she left.”

“May I ask what it was?”

Baek Gyu was one of Yu Jinsan’s closer acquaintances; there was no reason to hide it from him.

“She asked me to subdue all the powerful figures of the murim world and become the Supreme, to unify the murim world.”

“You mean you, as in hyung?”

Yu Jinsan snorted and laughed.

“You’ve gotten a lot better at joking.”

“Puahaha. You don’t have the same instinct as before. Besides, even if you did that, the Justice Faction wouldn’t bow their heads, would they?”

“They said they’d shape the situation. Since it was about smashing those Murim Alliance scoundrels we can’t bear to look at, I couldn’t refuse. Thanks to that, Seol learned a few of the Sword Empress’s techniques.”

“Hmm. I just hope it goes well. In any case, tell me if there’s anything I can do to help.”

Yu Jinsan replied with a quiet smile.

For now, there was nothing he needed the Defeating Blade Clan’s help with.

A little later, as they passed the clan’s main training ground, something happened.

Yu Jinsan glanced over, eyes gleaming.

“What on earth is that sight?”

An unbelievable sight unfolded.

The renegade monk Jeong Hye was surrounded by dozens of children.

It was the first time they’d seen him in the training ground.

“Ah, the monk? I don’t know the full reason, but he’s been instructing the Ghost Head Troops’ training for the past few days.”

Jeong Hye using his powerful martial arts to teach the Ghost Head Troops’ kids?

If so, it was like giving them wings.

“It seems he felt a sense of crisis after fighting the Blood Death Guest.”

“I think so too. And since that day, he appears to regard our Defeating Blade Clan as a true ally.”

The more powerful allies willing to fight at your side, the better.

Besides, Jeong Hye needed the Ghost Head Troops to help keep his condition stable.

“Even if the monk’s mind isn’t entirely sound, he has a knack for teaching.”

Yu Jinsan knew this well—he’d learned martial arts from him.

Once a pillar of the Shaolin Temple, his talent was extraordinary.

Aside from his unpredictability, he was undoubtedly the best ally.

“Aren’t you excited to see how our Defeating Blade Clan’s Ghost Head Troops will grow?”

“As a single organization, they might become the strongest in the murim world. Seeing that eases my mind.”

Baek Gyu grinned in agreement.

“So don’t worry about this place and go in peace.”

As Yu Jinsan nodded, his gaze fell on the Extreme Killer Five.

They had delivered the Jinsan Ginseng and were resting together, likely waiting to be received.

“Those fellows handed the Jinsan Ginseng to your men. Fortunately, they harvested it before it burned.”

“Thank you, hyung. It will surely help the Ghost Head Troops increase their internal qi.”

“There are about five hundred roots—distribute them as you see fit. However, the taste is nasty; I’m not sure it can be eaten.”

Baek Gyu widened his eyes and stared at Yu Jinsan.

“What does taste matter for a beneficial Spiritual item? We’d be grateful just to receive it.”

Still, Yu Jinsan couldn’t shake his worry—he knew that pain from experience.

“As I see it, it should be crushed into powder and downed at once with water. One root per dose.”

“Don’t say that, hyung. Do you still not know our Defeating Blade Clan?”

“How could I not? It’s a clan of men who charge forward, eyes only on the front.”

Baek Gyu thumped his chest.

“Don’t worry. My lads will chew it all up at once.”

It was the response he expected.

Baek Gyu—bolder than anyone Yu Jinsan knew.

Yu Jinsan nodded and put his hand into his breast.

He withdrew something wrapped in a handkerchief and handed it to Baek Gyu.

“Do as you please. And this was specially kept for you by Seol. She personally picked the three fattest roots for you.”

“Hahaha! That’s my niece for you. She even took care of her uncle like this.”

Baek Gyu was overjoyed, as if he could fly.

Who in the murim world would refuse such a beneficial Spiritual item? Especially three roots.

Above all, he was touched that his niece had chosen them herself.

“Just in case, taste it first and decide. Or divide it when no one’s around…”

But Yu Jinsan’s warning came a moment too late.

As if to prove him, Baek Gyu began gobbling down the Jinsan Ginseng.

It was astonishing to watch him eat three roots at once.

The three plump roots vanished in the blink of an eye.

Yu Jinsan couldn’t hide his astonishment.

‘Strange—how could he just eat them? Had the taste changed?’

He himself had faced life and death with a single root; it was a mystery.

Having finished all three, Baek Gyu didn’t even groan.

Aside from veins bulging on his shiny bald head, he seemed fine.

“…All gone, hyung. Having taken a good Spiritual item, I should hurry back to perform my circulation cultivation.”

“Mm, that’s right. That’s just like you.”

“Didn’t I say it was nothing? Anyway, wait a bit and have a meal before you go.”

It was likely the food he’d bought at the market hadn’t even digested.

More than anything, their appetites had vanished after the house had burned.

“No need. I’ve seen your face, that’s enough. We have a long way to go, so I must be off.”

“Then regrettably there’s nothing I can do. Bring back a bottle of liquor when you return, brother.”

After saying his goodbyes, Baek Gyu turned and walked away.

Yu Jinsan watched him go for a moment.

‘How peculiar this is…’

Was his endurance extraordinary? It was incomprehensible.

He turned again and began walking toward where his granddaughter was.

Soon a whistle echoed from nearby.

Piiiiik-!

It came from around the corner behind the pavilion where Baek Gyu had vanished.

An urgent shout rang out.

“Warrior— the Clan Leader has been poisoned!”

To think a Supreme, whose body resists poisons, could be poisoned.

By common sense it was impossible.

Yet clan members nearby were in an uproar.

“What!? Why was the Clan Leader poisoned?”

“Quick, come! He’s foaming at the mouth and collapsed!”

Yu Jinsan shook his head in disbelief.

If he’d eaten three roots, the pain must be intense.

After leaving them behind and walking a short distance, Yu Seol appeared from somewhere, holding back laughter as she teased him.

“Grandpa, did you poison uncle?”

“Because you gave him three roots at once. If uncle dies, it’ll be your fault, Seol.”

“Pft. No. I only picked them. Grandpa was the one who gave them.”

His granddaughter was right; in the end he had handed them over himself.

In any case, you couldn’t scold her for offering a beneficial Spiritual item.

“Anyway, let’s hurry. Before uncle wakes up and scolds you.”

A group began ascending Southern Edge Mountain as if on a stroll.

The two at the front were the Yin-Yang Twin Monsters.

Behind them, at a distance, trailed the five of them.

“We’ll help as well, elder.”

Yu Jinsan laid a hand on his shoulder.

“You’re free to watch from afar, but don’t get involved.”

The first step toward being recognized as the Supreme in the murim world was the Southern Edge Sect.

It couldn’t be accomplished by borrowing others’ hands.

When they reached mid-mountain, a signpost stood planted.

‘From this point on is the Southern Edge Sect territory; outsiders are forbidden to enter.’

The sight wasn’t unfamiliar to Yu Jinsan; this was his third visit to the Southern Edge Sect.

The first time he had sneaked in alone and barely escaped after being discovered by elders; the second time he lured and fought a few at the entrance with his granddaughter.

This was the first time the grandfather and granddaughter climbed toward the summit together.

A little further, they could see a mountain path leading through a cleft in a sheer cliff.

It was the best location to block the pass with only a small number of people.

After a moment, a shout warned them from nearby.

“Who goes there!? Stop at once and state your identity!”

Yu Jinsan precisely identified the position of the shouting Taoist.

He was perched in a tree about five lengths ahead—the same spot as before.

Before, he couldn’t have recognized them; now he could even make out the ambushers’ faces—such had been the rise in his martial skill.

“Tsk tsk. It’s the one I saw here last time. With such poor observation, you’ve been guarding the entrance for years.”

The ambushing Taoist, recognizing the voice, swallowed hard, startled.