That’s How I Feel Now. (1)

The destination was Sichuan Province.

It could be reached by crossing the Han River, a tributary of the Yangtze, from southern Shaanxi.

We could have used the water technique to cross, but we chose to travel by boat to savor a few days of leisure.

Yu Jinsan stood alone at the stern, staring into the river, lost in thought.

“It will be a grueling journey. But when it’s over, much will have changed.”

Those words carried weight. If he could complete this great journey and make his granddaughter the supreme force in the murim, the Yu family would rise to be the greatest house in the land.

As head of the Yu family, he could ask for no greater glory.

But how easy would it be? The road ahead would be long and perilous beyond imagination.

He had to steel himself.

It was around then, while he was deep in thought, that Yu Seol came up to him with a pouty expression.

“I was just getting some fresh air. What about the others?”

“The misters are in the cabin. They won’t play with me.”

Although the five of them had been friendly with Yu Seol, they kept their distance; they must have felt a hidden fear because of her.

Except for acquaintances from the Defeating Blade Clan or the Black Night Clan who had known her since she was a baby, no one could easily face the Yin Monster.

“It can’t be helped. Wolves may get along with tigers, but it’s hard for them to become friends.”

“Huh? Why?”

“Because there’s an uneasy feeling that one might be eaten someday. That’s instinct.”

“No. I won’t eat them. I can be friends with the misters.”

Yu Jinsan called his granddaughter softly, a faint smile on his lips.

“Hm? Why?”

“Now our Seol should consider her position in the murim world. You must show the dignity appropriate to your standing.”

Yu Seol hadn’t cared for murim rankings much—until now.

“What’s my standing?”

“In the world of the Evil factions, martial skill defines your standing and rank. So you should be equal to the leaders of most sects.”

“So I’m the best in the Evil faction?”

“Yes. Didn’t I tell you? You’re second only to Grandpa.”

As soon as he finished, Yu Seol clasped her hands behind her back and hardened her gaze.

“How is it? Do I look dignified? Scary?”

Her brow furrowed into a sharp V and her lips were pursed; she looked thoroughly angry.

Seeing his granddaughter, Yu Jinsan couldn’t help but laugh.

“Ha! That’s convincing. Other martial artists would tremble if they saw you.”

Perhaps because her grandfather laughed heartily for once, a smile bloomed on Yu Seol’s face.

“Hehe. Grandpa, try copying me once.”

Too proud to comply, Yu Jinsan waved a hand.

“No—Grandpa is dignified enough just by sitting still.”

“Aw~ who told that lie? Soso said Grandpa is cute.”

He recalled the Sword Express often whispering and giggling with his granddaughter at home. He had wondered what they talked about—now he knew; it was astonishing.

“Oh?! This brat teases her Grandpa?”

Yu Jinsan narrowed his brow and pretended to be angry, but Yu Seol laughed aloud.

“Puhuhu. See, you can do it.”

Yu Jinsan sighed and returned to watching the river’s current.

“Enough. Let’s stop.”

Perhaps his expression had turned serious; Yu Seol, who had been watching quietly, suddenly rested her chin on his shoulder, mischief still playing on her face.

“Grandpa, are you mad because I teased you? I won’t do it anymore.”

“No. I was just thinking about something.”

“What is it? Tell me too. I’m curious, curious~”

His roughness melted at her charming tone, as always.

“It’s about the Southern Edge Sect we fought earlier. They weren’t as much as we thought.”

“Yeah. They had numbers, but they were much weaker than the Defeating Blade Clan.”

“That’s right. But the ones we’ll face this time won’t be easy.”

Despite Yu Jinsan’s concern, Yu Seol seemed to welcome it—she had a strange thrill at facing strong opponents.

“Really? Sounds fun~ We’re going to the Tang Family, right?”

“Yes. They are a very powerful family in Sichuan.”

The Tang Family of Sichuan lived as a clan organized around the household; their poison arts and assassination techniques were said to be unmatched in the murim. They possessed a cruelty and persistence that hardly qualified them as part of the Justice faction.

They were heading into such a terrifying place with just the two of them. It was unprecedented in murim history.

“Worried?”

“With you here, what is there to worry about? No—actually, this time Grandpa intends to fight once.”

At that, the smile on Yu Seol’s face froze as if struck by a bolt from the blue.

“Huh? What do you mean? You said you would let me fight.”

“There’s no need to use an ox-splitting sword to kill a dog. We don’t know what strong foes we’ll meet, so it’s better to hide our true strength if possible.”

“Then what do I do?”

“Just stand behind Grandpa like a bodyguard.”

Yu Seol fell silent, her lower lip stuck out in a pout.

He had to soothe her before the sulking got worse.

“It isn’t decided yet. It’s only a plan; there’s no guarantee of a one-on-one. They might be stronger than we expect.”

Perhaps the coaxing worked—her stiff expression softened little by little.

“So I might have to fight?”

“Right. We’ll decide by the situation. Whoever fights and wins, as long as our Yin Yang Twin Monster becomes the best in the murim.”

“…I hope they’re strong.”

She genuinely wished for strong opponents; her expression was sincere.

As Yu Jinsan shook his head, Cheon Woo-hwan came from the pavilion and called out.

“Elder, a meal has been prepared in the inn!”

It was the last meal aboard the ship.

Yu Seol sniffed and tugged at his sleeve.

“Hurry up, Grandpa. It smells like grilled fish and stir-fried eggplant!”

She truly could sniff out food like a demon and seemed pleased her favorite dishes were ready.

Yu Jinsan rose with a contented smile.

“Yes, let’s go quickly.”

Their boat reached the pier before sunset.

They moved to a quiet clearing to avoid the bustling crowd and to say their goodbyes.

“From here we shall each go our separate ways.”

Led by Cheon Woo-hwan, the five pressed their hands together at once.

“It was an honor to be with you all this time.”

Yu Jinsan nodded slightly.

“You all worked hard. Where do you plan to go?”

“We’ll go to Cheonho Mountain In near Deokyang Mountain. It’s where our master stayed until he passed.”

“I see. It’s best to hide out somewhere until the Murim Alliance’s pursuit dies down. Take care.”

“Yes, sir. Stay safe until we meet again.”

Yu Seol smiled brightly and waved.

“Farewell, warriors!”

The five Evil faction members, easing their regret, gave Yu Seol a hearty final salute.

“Take care, Yin Monster warrior!”

“Be sure to become the supreme being of the world!”

“I wish you luck in battle!”

After farewells, the two groups parted in different directions.

Even after leaving, Yu Seol kept glancing back.

Yu Jinsan knew his granddaughter well—she was unusually affectionate.

“You’re looking regretful about saying goodbye to them like this.”

“…Yeah. But it can’t be helped. It’s too dangerous to keep bringing them along.”

Yu Jinsan glanced at her with pride—she had become so thoughtful.

“Don’t be too sad. Where there are meetings, there are partings; that’s the way of the world.”

“Still, I’ll miss them sometimes. I won’t see them again, right?”

“No matter how vast the murim, fate ties those who must meet again.”

“Yeah. But Grandpa, where is the Tang family?”

The approximate location had been confirmed: within four hours by light footwork from here.

“It’s on the outskirts of Chengdu. It’s the Tang family sect.”

“Are we going right now?”

“Hmm. We’ll arrive at bedtime, but it’s not polite for guests to show up late.”

“Hehe. We’re bad guests, after all.”

Yu Jinsan opened his eyes wide.

“Bad guests? We’re going to confront the ones who set our house on fire.”

“Then we should get money from the Tang Family.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Yu Seol shook her empty pouch.

“We’re beggars now. I know you don’t have money either, Grandpa.”

He couldn’t argue—his granddaughter always knew the state of his pockets.

Only a few coins remained—money that would disappear after a bowl of noodles.

Yu Jinsan, having no material greed, hadn’t paid attention. If he’d known, he could have borrowed from the Five.

He couldn’t go back now and lose face by begging.

After a moment, he assumed a solemn expression.

“A true warrior must view money like a stone. The moment you become a slave to money, you cease to be a warrior and become a ruffian.”

“Hmm, is that so? Then where will we sleep tonight?”

After a short pause, Yu Jinsan answered seriously.

“Don’t worry. Grandpa has it all planned.”

A nearby hill about three kilometers from the destination.

Among the gaps of felled trees, he had created an artificial basin.

“How is it? Do you like Grandpa’s handiwork?”

Yu Seol lay on the makeshift bed he had hastily made, hanging like a monkey from woven tree ropes.

“I knew you’d do this.”

“It’s not because we have no money. It’s close, and we can scout the village—how convenient is that?”

“Still, this is a bit uncomfortable.”

Yu Jinsan rocked the bed side to side like a swing.

“Actually it has this feature too. Fun, isn’t it?”

Yu Seol snorted.

“I’m going to collect house-destruction payments from the Tang Family tomorrow. Don’t stop me, Grandpa.”

“Ahem. That’s for Grandpa to handle. You just do as you’re told.”

She turned onto her side without answering. Still, he believed she understood.

“Rest for a while. I’ll go look around and come back.”

Yu Jinsan left his granddaughter and moved deeper into the trees.

His steps stopped after finding a suitable clearing.

He looked up; the full moon shone brightly.

Now that the time was ripe, he decided to test it.

He inhaled the clear night air and rolled up his left sleeve.

The evil qi sealed in his left hand—he intended to see if he could control it with the power of the Muscle Changing Technique.