I Didn’t Realize, Elder (3)

Yu Jinsan hurriedly chased after the light, desperate to see what it was.

After running around the mountain for about 30 minutes, the bluish light came to a stop and gradually took shape.

It was a massive creature, resembling a tiger, with sharp fangs. And its blue fur swayed in the night breeze.

Yu Jinsan’s heart sank at the sight.

“…Blue Wolf?”

The Blue Wolf was a notorious man-eating wolf whose name was well-known in Shaanxi.

In the past 30 years, over a thousand people have been devoured by it. Many warriors who sought fame tried to capture it, but none had returned alive.

Who could have expected that this Blue Wolf would reside in this mountain?

Its deep, abyss-like eyes were already fixed on him.

Faced with this, Yu Jinsan felt his body stiffen. He had never experienced such overwhelming pressure from anyone in his entire life. But there was only one thought dominating his mind.

‘It must be killed.’

He had to capture it for the safety of his granddaughter.

He scanned the area for something he could use as a weapon. And he cursed himself for not bringing his spear.

Carefully, he crouched down and picked up a stone from the ground.

The Blue Wolf seemed to be searching for an opening as it moved to the side. Yu Jinsan gulped as he infused internal qi into the stone.

Grrrr!

In an instant, the Blue Wolf kicked the ground and charged forward. It was as if lightning was in motion.

Yu Jinsan immediately hurled the stone at its head.

Pang!

The sound of the stone cutting through the air resonated, but it was a failure.

What was absurd was that the Blue Wolf had suddenly appeared right before his eyes, sending a shiver down his spine.

Surprisingly, the Blue Wolf, which had been charging towards him, was momentarily stunned.

“What now?!”

Yu Jinsan had no time to panic and extended both hands.

The Yu family’s Heaven and Land Palm, second form: Flaring Dragon Face Hit.

A technique that resembled the face of a fierce dragon.

Then his two hands, moving like waves, struck the approaching Blue Wolf right on its snout.

Kwaang!

With this dull sound, its jaw moved to the side and flew out.

This technique was known for its softness and heavy palm strikes, which controlled the flow of movement and strength. However, it wasn’t known for its destructive power.

As expected, the Blue Wolf seemed unimpressed and looked for another opportunity to attack.

“He is truly tough to deal with using only my bare hands.”

His wrist felt stuck, as if he had hit a rock. However, he couldn’t show any signs of pain in front of this ferocious beast.

The two continued their intense stare-down, refusing to back down.

After a while, something unexpected happened. The Blue Wolf suddenly turned and quietly disappeared.

“The Blue Wolf is said to relentlessly hunt its target once it sets its sights on it. Something feels off here.”

It was an incredibly intelligent beast. Yu Jinsan felt a chill run down his spine and rushed back home.

He tried to get a view of the house, which appeared small in the distance, until he could see it clearly. As the distance shortened, his eyes widened in shock.

As expected, the Blue Wolf was charging towards his home.

“This beast!!”

Yu Jinsan’s eyes widened, and he ran with all his might.

Paaang!

Stepping on fallen leaves, he ran as fast as lightning.

The joints of his entire body screamed from the light footwork he was using, pushing his body beyond its limits.

But he didn’t care about that. The moment he got within three feet, his form shifted.

And he kicked in anger.

Kwak!

The Blue Wolf, which was running towards his house, fell to the side.

It was a fleeting moment. As the wolf was about to regain its balance, Yu Jinsan grabbed its waist and quickly entered the living room.

“Kuak”!

While kicking the animal very hard, he ended up spraining his back. And when he came out of the house again, he had the spear in his hand.

The moment he extended the tip of the spear diagonally, his force changed.

“How dare you try to eat my child?! I will get revenge.”

A brilliant qi shone brightly from the tip of his spear, aimed at the wolf. Originally, qi had to be clear and intangible, but the qi from the spear was now spear qi, which was red in color.

Roar!

The Blue Wolf now held a certain distance and bared its fangs.

Did it sense the change in Yu Jinsan and decide not to act recklessly like before?

“Come forward.”

Yu Jinsan couldn’t attack either. If he stepped away from the entrance, the wolf might target the child again.

The two continued to glare at each other without moving.

There was this tension, and neither of them breathed.

Only after a couple of moments had passed did the Blue Wolf lower its tail and step back.

A sigh burst out from Yu Jinsan’s mouth as he realized he didn’t have to fight the wolf now.

“Phew. Such an evil thing.”

“Grapa!”

Before he knew it, Yu Seol was holding onto his leg.

“Don’t worry now. Grandpa is here to protect you no matter what.”

As long as the Blue Wolf was alive, he couldn’t take his eyes off his granddaughter. He had to hold onto the Fire Dragon Divine Spear, his family’s heirloom.

Several days had passed, and the wolf still hadn’t come back.

No, the wolf was probably looking for a chance to attack. Wasn’t it known to be the most vicious wolf that attacked humans, never leaving its target alone until it devoured it?

Even if he moved to another mountain now, he wouldn’t be safe. He would have to live an uncertain and fearful life.

“Now, now, hurry up and eat. You need to eat a lot to grow well.”

Yu Jinsan was feeding his granddaughter mushroom porridge inside the house. She looked adorable as she ate it with a hearty appetite.

As he moved the spoon with a happy smile, a thought crossed his mind.

“Now that I think about it, I’m not sure if the kids in the bandit group are doing okay.”

They may have been unpleasant, but they were still neighbors who lived on the same mountain.

Since he had received a gift from them, he thought it would be right to at least tell them to be careful in return.

After finishing his meal, he took out a cloth to wrap his granddaughter on his back and didn’t forget to bring his spear.

Since he already knew the route by heart, he walked without hesitation.

However, the atmosphere was different from the last time he visited. There was no one standing guard until he arrived near the lodge.

Only when he reached the entrance did he come across a couple of bandits. And as soon as they spotted him, they put on awkward smiles.

“Hello, Elder.”

Seeing their polite greetings, Yu Jinsan felt relieved.

“It seems like you’ve received good discipline in the meantime. I’m here to see the leader.”

As soon as he said that, one of the bandits ran off somewhere. The other bandit guided Yu Jinsan slowly.

The moment he entered the place, a strong smell of blood hit his nose. His sharp eyes noticed signs of chaos.

‘Does this mean I was too late?’

There were a few log cabins and two sunken watchtowers. In addition, there were claw marks around the area. They were signs that the Blue Wolf had been in this place.

At that moment, someone familiar jumped out of the innermost hall. The bandit leader came out to meet him in person.

“I knew you would come. Hurry up.”

“I came to warn you, but it seems like I was too late.”

“It seems like the elder also encountered him. It looks like he’s claiming this land as his own. His actions are becoming bolder and bolder.”

“To break into a house of bandits and commit a massacre. This is truly shocking.”

“At first, I thought it was just to fill its stomach, but after watching all this, I think it is having fun by killing. Wolves never act like this. It isn’t a beast. It is the devil.”

Yu Jinsan had a good understanding of this beast’s attitude.

It wasn’t a spiritual beast that could be understood in a normal sense. It would annihilate the entire bandit force before the Wudang could even rush here.

But there was no reason for the old man to get involved with this.

“Anyway, just be careful. I came to warn you, and since I said everything I had to, I’ll leave now.”

When Yu Jinsan tried to leave, the bandit leader stopped him.

“You came all this way. How can I just let you go? It doesn’t sit well with our Black Mountain Blade troops to let a guest go like this. It might be shabby, but I want to at least treat you to a cup of tea.”

Yu Jinsan thought for a moment and nodded his head.

“Let’s do that.”

The two entered the place facing each other, and the bandit leader put his hands together and handed him an official bow.

“Let me formally introduce myself. I am the bandit leader Pungho of the Black Mountain Blade.”

“I am just a neighborhood old man.”

Since he was being chased, he felt there was no benefit in speaking his name.

Then Pungho asked, filling the teacup.

“I know. You are the only surviving member of the Yu family.”

Yu Jinsan looked visibly surprised at this. He didn’t expect the bandits to know him.

“…How did you know?”

“Although we are in the mountains, we know what is happening in the world outside. The Murim Alliance is chasing after the elder.”

“Looks like you saw the wanted poster the alliance put up. Then why didn’t you report me? The bounty must surely be huge, right?”

Pungho had a bitter smile on his face at the question.

“We are not familiar with all that. A bounty sure is nice, but I don’t want to do anything for the Justice sects.”

“Honestly, it’s good. Aren’t they the forces that try to subjugate you?”

This time, Pungho looked surprised.

“You knew about it?”

Yu Jinsan, holding the teacup, cleared his throat and then spoke.

“I happened to overhear the conversation of the bandits. Even if one doesn’t do righteous things, live without sin. Everything comes back to us in the end.”

“What can I say now? But our Black Mountain Blade has its own rules. We never harm civilians who aren’t part of a group, except for those who try to take our land.”

“So, is conscience involved then?”

“The world is for the strong, where people either take or get taken away, and the strong rule all. Looking at the Murim Alliance’s poster, it was said that a normal old man fell into madness and turned insane. What’s the difference between those people hiding in the shadows and doing wrong, and the unpretentious Black Sects?”

“I heard that too. Maybe we have similar enemies?”

Pungho bowed his head with a serious look and said,

“Elder, please help us out.”

“I know the situation of the Black Sects well, but I am in a position where I cannot jump into an unnecessary fight now. I need to survive at all costs for the sake of the child behind me.”

“We will handle the fight against Wudang’s punitive forces, but the Blue Wolf is…”

For the safety of his granddaughter, Yu Jinsan had to kill the beast too. There was no reason for him to refuse the offer.

“If it’s the Blue Wolf, then it’s a different story. I will help you with that.”

“Thank you. Even if I cannot die with honor, I don’t want to die from an animal bite, at least.”

“I understand that. What plans have you come up with so far to catch him?”

There was no way for Pungho to find a way. If there was a way, he would have used it immediately, or else he wouldn’t have approached Yu Jinsan for help.

“…just teach us.”

Yu Jinsan cleared his throat and smiled at that.

“How about digging a trap inside the forest and attempting to lure it in?”

“A trap, in what manner…?”