Chapter 44

Severed Meridians (3)

When Tang Yeojin's faint voice echoed through the cave, Tang Boseon immediately sprang to his feet and rushed over.

"Yeojin, are you awake? How do you feel?"

"Yes. It's been a long time since my body felt this light."

"Is that so? Thank goodness. We didn't even have time to prepare your medicine."

"Huh? Then why do I feel so much better?"

Supported by her brother, Tang Yeojin slowly sat up.

Then she noticed Namgung Jun and Lee Seha sitting some distance away.

"Who are they?"

"They're our benefactors."

Tang Boseon calmly explained everything.

As she listened, Tang Yeojin's eyes widened.

In particular, she found herself unable to take her eyes off Namgung Jun after learning that he suffered from the same kind of affliction.

"It seems I've incurred a tremendous debt."

Slowly rising to her feet, Tang Yeojin bowed deeply.

"Our clan's rule is to repay kindness twice over and grudges tenfold. I will never forget the names of you two."

The unexpectedly fierce family creed drew a wry smile from Namgung Jun.

"What are your plans now, Young Hero Tang?"

"If we continue a little farther south from here, we'll reach Anqing. From there, we intend to travel by water and cross into Hubei Province."

Lee Seha picked up the conversation.

"If you transfer ships in Wuhan, Hubei Province, you'll be able to head directly to Sichuan."

Tang Boseon nodded, having apparently planned the same route.

After glancing at his sister, he cautiously asked,

"I hope you won't mind the question, but are you truly the Black Cloud Wanderer?"

"You know me?"

"How could I not? The Black Cloud Wanderer's reputation has spread even to Sichuan."

Lee Seha nudged Namgung Jun with her elbow.

A smug smile hung on her face.

Perhaps she wanted to show off a little in front of her disciple.

Namgung Jun chuckled and nodded.

"You really answered that, Master."

"My disciple, your words have no soul in them."

Listening to their exchange, Tang Boseon muttered quietly,

"So it really is true. By sheer fortune, we've encountered heroes of the Changcheon Association."

Then he bowed deeply.

"The reason the Gyeongmu Sect is pursuing us so desperately is because once we leave Anhui Province by water, they won't be able to chase us easily. Could you help us reach Anqing safely?"

Namgung Jun turned toward Lee Seha.

"Master, what do you think?"

"Of course we should help them."

Namgung Jun seemed to share the same opinion as he lightly stroked his scabbard.

"The Gyeongmu Sect won't simply leave us alone either. We interfered with their plans."

"Exactly. Those Eight Great Evil sects are full of useless pride. They'll find a way to clash with us eventually. They might even be after my head."

"Why is that?"

A cold smile appeared on Lee Seha's face.

"The Second Young Master recently suffered devastating losses in the succession struggle. He lost all of his elite subordinates. The reason he's after the Fire Ginseng is probably to rebuild his foundation."

"So if he fails to obtain the Fire Ginseng, he'll try to claim merit with your head instead?"

Lee Seha brushed her hair back, revealing the flawless curve of her pale neck.

Even the greatest artisan in the world would struggle to create such smooth lines.

Namgung Jun's eyes turned icy.

A sharp edge seemed to rise along his eyelashes.

"Whether the Second Young Master is capable of such a thing is questionable. But even if he is, I won't allow it."

"Jun, I didn't know you could make such a scary face. That's rather frightening."

Realizing that she was teasing him again, Namgung Jun naturally shifted the topic.

"Young Hero Tang, why not have Miss Tang consume the Red Pattern Fire Ginseng immediately?"

If they did that, there would be no reason to worry about it being stolen.

Tang Boseon shook his head without hesitation.

"A single Red Pattern Fire Ginseng isn't enough to cure the Triple Yin Severed Meridians. Our family has been gathering numerous extreme-yang spiritual medicines. The Red Pattern Fire Ginseng is only one of them."

Compared to the Nine Yin Severed Meridians, the Triple Yin Severed Meridians was less severe.

Yet it was clearly still an extraordinarily difficult condition to cure.

When Namgung Jun looked at Tang Yeojin, she merely offered a faint smile.

It was a bittersweet smile carrying the sympathy of someone who shared the same suffering.

There was no room for compromise.

Master and disciple exchanged a glance.

That alone settled their course of action.

"Jun. How's your condition?"

"I'm at my best."

"Then let's get moving."

The Tang siblings once again cupped their fists in gratitude.

"We truly thank you both for your help."

"Thank you so much."

Led by Lee Seha, the group set off.

They immediately began traveling using lightness techniques, and their speed was anything but ordinary.

Lee Seha's movement skills, as a top expert, went without saying.

But the Tang siblings' footwork had also surpassed the level of ordinary rising talents.

Among the group, Namgung Jun's movement art was actually the least accomplished.

Yet merely keeping pace with the others felt like training in itself.

Looking at the Tang siblings' backs as they sped ahead, Namgung Jun narrowed his eyes.

Their movement art is no ordinary technique. Their personal attainments are impressive, but this is also a high-level martial art rarely seen. It's not something that would belong to an unknown sect.

From what he could tell, Tang Yeojin's martial attainment was actually higher than Tang Boseon's.

Given her extensive knowledge of medicine and herbs, it made sense that she had personally come searching for the Red Pattern Fire Ginseng despite suffering from Severed Meridians.

"Miss Tang, your movements contain traces of an exceptionally rare high-level art."

At his observation, Tang Yeojin smiled faintly.

"Our founding ancestor was once known as the Fastest Under Heaven."

Hearing her words, Tang Boseon proudly added, his voice filled with admiration.

"You two must know the name as well—the Ascendant Sword God of Kunlun."

Tang Boseon spoke proudly.

"Our founding patriarch was a close friend of the Ascendant Sword God. They even studied movement arts together."

The Ascendant Sword God, Yong Myeong.

Naturally, Namgung Jun knew the name.

One of the martial gods mentioned whenever people discussed the greatest warriors in history.

The reason the Kunlun Sect had earned the lofty reputation of Western Kunlun was because it had produced the Ascendant Sword God.

"So the Tang Clan's founding patriarch had ties to the Ascendant Sword God. That's quite an interesting story."

Even Lee Seha seemed intrigued, as though hearing it for the first time.

At that moment, Namgung Jun suddenly placed a hand on his sword hilt.

Without breaking stride, he drew his sword.

A long sword path carved through the air.

A powerful gale erupted along its trajectory.

It was a technique from the Heavenly Wind Sword Art.

The horizontal sword wind swept through the nearby grassland in a single stroke.

Fwoooosh!

The grass was torn apart, revealing the martial artists hiding behind it.

Two failed to react in time and were blasted backward with their chests split open.

The remaining three leapt into the air.

"Attack!"

"Hand over the Fire Ginseng!"

Crackle!

Before they could even complete their attacks—

Lee Seha's sleeves fluttered.

Seven bolts of lightning shot upward.

Blue sword energy slashed through the airborne martial artists, cutting and grazing them before soaring endlessly into the sky and fading away.

Blood sprayed in all directions.

Yet Lee Seha's group never slowed down.

They continued charging forward.

"There are more approaching from the southeast."

"Jun, your sensory range has grown quite a bit."

"I'll handle the ones coming from the west."

As they traveled, clashes with martial artists seeking the Red Pattern Fire Ginseng broke out one after another.

Naturally, this left traces and created noise.

Every martial artist in the surrounding area was being drawn toward them.

As groans sounded from the enemies behind them, Tang Boseon fired hidden weapons while speaking.

"Miss Lee! May I ask why you aren't killing them?"

"I want as many people as possible to know that I'm here."

"I see!"

Among the martial artists gathered to seize the Red Pattern Fire Ginseng, none appeared capable of handling Lee Seha.

A supreme expert who had reached the Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown.

The name Black Cloud Wanderer alone was enough to strike fear into martial artists.

Lee Seha was intentionally leaving some enemies alive.

She wanted word of her involvement to spread as widely as possible.

"Jun. I'm thinking of increasing the pace. You'll be alright, won't you?"

While crushing a charging martial artist's collarbone with the Heavenly Thunder Palm Art, Lee Seha raised her voice.

"I'll be fine."

Lee Seha caught the slight roughness hidden in his reply and smiled.

"When we get back to headquarters, we're going to focus on movement-art training!"

Namgung Jun could not refute that.

He had not neglected his movement-art training, but if he had one weakness, his movement techniques were always the first thing to stand out.

BOOM! RUMBLE!

A thunderous noise erupted beyond a ridgeline.

Several massive boulders began rolling down the mountainside.

If they continued descending, they would smash directly into the group's flank.

Avoiding them would require changing direction and making a detour.

But that was obviously what the enemy wanted.

As the Tang siblings' expressions stiffened after realizing the situation—

"Do not panic. Keep moving."

While continuing his rapid movement technique, Namgung Jun raised his sword high overhead.

Heavenly Wind Sword Art.

One Scene Across the Wilderness.

A thin blue streak extended from his blade.

The sword wind curved gracefully through the air.

Then it sliced through every descending boulder.

KRAAAASH!

The enormous rocks split cleanly in two.

Yet the shattered pieces did not stop.

Countless fragments erupted outward and rained down from above.

"Young Hero Namgung! Leave the rest to us!"

"Catch your breath!"

The Tang siblings, who had been staring blankly at Namgung Jun's terrifying swordsmanship, quickly came to their senses and thrust both hands forward.

Hidden weapons burst from their green sleeves.

Every falling rock fragment was intercepted and destroyed.

Thanks to them, the group maintained its course without changing direction.

After clearing away the remaining debris, the Tang siblings looked toward the master and disciple running ahead.

They could not help but marvel.

Lee Seha displayed martial prowess worthy of the title Black Cloud Wanderer.

Yet her disciple, Namgung Jun, was unleashing sword strikes that far exceeded his years.

They're both incredible.

Could they really defeat the Gyeongmu Sect?

Hope swelled within the Tang siblings' hearts.

The two swordsmen protecting their path possessed exactly that kind of power.

***

As four days passed, the pursuit by wandering martial artists gradually dwindled.

Curiously, actual members of the Gyeongmu Sect appeared only rarely.

Even when they did appear, they retreated before the distance could close.

Rather than engaging directly, they merely observed the group's movements.

They were likely minimizing casualties and concentrating their strength.

Even if they obtained the Red Pattern Fire Ginseng, losing all their subordinates would make it impossible to compete in the succession struggle.

The wandering martial artists who had charged in like wolves had merely been used to exhaust Namgung Jun's group.

"It's quiet."

"Be wary of traps and ambushes."

Before long, the group reached the ferry at Anqing.

Yet the ferry terminal was strangely deserted.

Anqing's docks were normally one of Anhui Province's busiest waterways.

People should have been everywhere.

Instead, nobody could be seen.

The ships that should have been bustling with activity were all anchored motionlessly.

Apart from the sound of water lapping against the shore and the footsteps of Namgung Jun's group, the area was silent.

Even so, they did not stop.

This much had been expected.

As they entered deeper into the ferry terminal, a middle-aged martial artist wearing the uniform of the Gyeongmu Sect stood waiting.

Upon spotting them, he approached with a slightly tense expression.

"Black Cloud Wanderer. The Second Young Master is waiting for you."

Lee Seha let out a cold laugh.

"I knew this would happen."

Without hesitation, she gripped her sword hilt with a lightning-wreathed hand.

In an instant, the atmosphere across the entire dock grew heavy and oppressive.