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Chapter 192: Old Dog

Thud—

Blackened ashes scattered around, crumbling to dust.

The flames, which I intentionally hadn’t controlled, swept through the area.

“Kill… kill me… please…”

The last remaining one whimpered pathetically.

I granted their wish.

Crunch.

The one with a broken neck simply ceased to breathe.

They were already dead in the first place.

‘It’s been a while; maybe that’s why I’m struggling to control things.’

If it had been back in the day, I would’ve dragged it out and given sufficient pain before ending it.

But regrettably, that was impossible now.

[…You’ve created a small purgatory here.]

Seeing the scorched surroundings, Shin Noya commented.

Purgatory, huh.

‘It does feel kind of similar.’

The lingering flames consumed the surrounding greenery.

An unidentifiable odor wafted from the bodies that had burned to death.

One turned to dust and vanished as it absorbed Qi.

The remaining five turned to ash and ended their lives.

The one I encountered before also turned to dust.

Exactly seven in total.

‘…Just how many of these things are there?’

I didn’t think there was just one.

Yet here were two individuals who could peel off the skins and flesh of others.

This was something I hadn’t known in my previous life.

‘First, have I dealt with them all?’

Given they were toasted by flames, it wasn’t exactly a pleasant death.

Meanwhile, my furrowed brow showed no signs of easing.

This wasn’t due to my feelings about those I’d killed.

That time had long passed.

‘There wasn’t much gained here.’

The reason for my displeasure lay in this fact.

I had detained a total of five, but the information I obtained was minimal.

Of course, it wasn’t that they didn’t speak up.

The information I hoped for simply wasn’t disclosed.

‘Close to saying I couldn’t get anything.’

The Golden Binding of that fellow.

Those who engaged in secret maneuvers surely held onto it.

But it was far too complicated, and unraveling it was impossible for now.

‘What I have confirmed is that these guys truly belong to the Gu Clan.’

Though the faces weren’t ones I recognized, that was not the crucial point.

After all, it wasn’t likely I’d know every martial artist of the Gu Clan.

‘But the specific energy they radiated was definitely from the Gu Exemplar Sect.’

It was the distinctive Qi technique characteristic of the Gu Exemplar Sect held by Gu Jeolyub and Elder Lee.

This energy differed from the Gu Clan’s mainline Gu Yeomhwa technique.

This was information obtained when I burned the second and moved on to the third.

It wasn’t surprising, so it wasn’t particularly helpful.

‘As for the other thing, wondering why they were operating with those odd folks.’

That too, I concluded they merely didn’t have the details about it.

They only obeyed orders, thinking nothing of the implications.

‘The chance of that statement being a lie is…’

Not impossible, but highly unlikely.

I didn’t care why they were doing this to someone of my bloodline.

With trust already dead, I couldn’t possibly rely on a martial artist from my own home clan.

‘What’s crucial is that I ultimately didn’t gather any real information.’

Some of the necessary facts had been obtained, yet the most vital point remained elusive.

That there was Elder Lee behind all of this.

‘It might have gone better if I could have unraveled the Golden Binding.’

To dissolve the Golden Binding cast on the enemy, I had to be of a higher level than the one who placed it.

It required a level of finesse that was absurd.

At my current level, I shouldn’t even think of attempting it.

Though I had a habit of fighting with unrealistic amounts of gambling from my past life,

I had completely strayed from finesse.

‘This was something that fellow excelled at.’

The crazy Wudang character who showed interest in creating or maneuvering the Golden Binding.

It was something a Sleeping Dragon from Wudang might attempt.

“Tch…”

I clicked my tongue once and got to my feet.

As I rose, I retrieved my scattered Qi that had been strewn around.

Whoosh!

A faint gust of wind blew as my Qi returned to me, putting out the flames that were raging nearby.

I hadn’t obtained meaningful justification, but it didn’t matter.

“If there’s no justification, I can create one.”

What mattered was ultimately how he had dared to cross me.

“I thought he had nicely given me a warning.”

What happens when you show your teeth to the master, I should have said before leaving.

The old fox seemed not to have comprehended it.

[Were you thinking of getting rid of that elder?]

To answer Noya’s question, I had to ponder for a moment.

“At the very least, I wanted to keep him alive until next year… but given how it turned out, I guess I have no choice.”

As long as he stayed beneath the threshold of nuisance, I had considered simply overlooking him.

Had he gone further and touched me, I might have let it slide.

‘But this went beyond such a level. Elder Lee.’

Making a move on Nangong Bi-ah meant it had crossed the line.

[…So, you were willing to overlook it, but now that it’s hurt your precious one, you can’t let it go?]

‘What makes this a matter of crossing boundaries with others?’

[So, you don’t deny that she’s precious to you, huh?]

Whatever I said, it would only turn into twisted words, so I decided to ignore it.

After brushing off the dust on my body, I scanned the surroundings.

‘At this level, even a demon beast wouldn’t be interested.’

The charred remains were at a level that even a demon beast would skip.

Just to be sure, I reduced the spread of my Qi again. As I prepared to hurry back to the campsite,

I sensed a presence from behind.

“Ah.”

Turning around, I saw Nangong Bi-ah, who had gone down to the campsite earlier.

Returning as promised, it seemed she really had come back.

I spoke gruffly at her.

“Why are you here? I was just about to leave.”

Upon my words, Nangong Bi-ah merely gasped quietly, not responding.

How hurriedly had she come back that her beautiful hair, neatly arranged by the servants during the day, was now a mess.

Not to mention the leaves stuck in her hair.

It reminded me of the first time we met.

‘Did she rush back?’

Just as this thought crossed my mind, Nangong Bi-ah asked me.

“…Are you… alright?”

I nodded at her question.

I looked fine, without a single wound, didn’t I?

“It’s a bit too late to worry about me getting hurt.”

I let that joke slip, but perhaps doubting me, she came closer and started probing me.

“Ah, why are you doing this?”

“…You could be hurt…”

“I’m perfectly fine. You’re the one who should be guarding, remember?”

And if you’re going to check if I’m hurt, why are you poking me?

As I subtly tried to create some distance while speaking, Nangong Bi-ah averted her gaze slightly and replied.

“Nothing happened… at all.”

Well, that was somewhat comforting.

Given that I was certain her objective hadn’t been the campsite.

‘Looks like assassination wasn’t on the agenda after all.’

It didn’t fit the criteria for a hit.

The first point was that their level didn’t match the criteria for assassination.

If they had followed from Hanam,

They must have had the information regarding my conduct at the Martial Arts Tournament.

It wouldn’t be acceptable to have a team composed of amateurs masquerading as professionals.

Of course, they seemed proficient in tailing, but that was separate from assassination.

If it was intended for ambush, they would have needed far more preparation.

‘They likely didn’t realize either of us would notice.’

I could understand it, but it was amazing Nangong Bi-ah caught on.

Sure, I had the power of treasures aiding me,

But I couldn’t fathom how she alone discerned this process.

“How did you notice it wasn’t Muyeon?”

“Hmm…?”

“I’m just surprised at how confidently you can say that.”

Her outfit and outward appearance were the same down to the last detail.

The energy within could differ, but unless you physically touched someone, or had reached a transcendental level, it would’ve been impossible to judge.

At my question, Nangong Bi-ah turned her jewel-like eyes around and replied.

“The smell was different.”

‘The smell…?’

Her completely nonsensical answer got me to stare, and she was looking at the surroundings rather than me.

The blackened world and the dead I had killed, she glanced at once before finally looking my way.

Though it seemed her eyes were void of emotion at first glance, there were subtle hints of feelings hiding within.

So tiny I couldn’t grasp what they meant, though.

“It’s cold.”

“Hmm?”

Suddenly?

“Let’s head down now.”

As Nangong Bi-ah drew closer, she took my hand and began to lead me down.

Caught off-guard by the sudden contact, I didn’t resist.

“Where are you going?”

At my question, Nangong Bi-ah halted her steps.

“…To where the people are…?”

What an obvious question to ask. I sighed heavily.

“…Then we should be going the other way, you fool.”

“…Ah!”

As soon as she heard my words, Nangong Bi-ah changed direction.

The problem was she was heading in the wrong direction again. In the end, I had to pull her back and guide her to the campsite.

“Young Master!”

Once we arrived back at the campsite, Wi Seol-Ah rushed over and hugged me.

She seemed so eager that I had to be cautious not to hurt her while receiving her embrace.

“Are you okay…?”

“As you can see.”

While holding Wi Seol-Ah, I surveyed the area.

I was curious if anything had gone awry, but thankfully, there seemed to be no issues as I had expected.

Just the perimeter seemed to be much more fortified than before.

‘Probably because Nangong Bi-ah mentioned it.’

The Tang Clan’s martial artists and my guards had greatly heightened their senses.

While observing that, I noticed Tang Soyeol approaching from a distance.

“Gu Gongja! I heard you were ambushed… are you alright?”

“It wasn’t that dangerous, really. Everything alright on your end?”

“Yes, I only heard reports. No issues. But… those who attacked…”

“I killed them. Attempting torture was tough with the Golden Binding in place.”

As I bluntly mentioned having killed them, those around me visibly flinched.

Looking young like me, it seemed odd to them that I had taken lives.

“…This is unexpected.”

Tang Soyeol slightly frowned, looking troubled.

“What’s wrong?”

“If I had been there, it might have been easier… What a shame. Next time, if you manage to subdue them, please bring me along.”

“…What are you planning to do if you bring them along?”

“Pardon…?”

Something felt strange about what she was saying, so I asked back, but Tang Soyeol merely wore a bright smile.

“Oh dear… why ask such things? It’s a secret… a secret.”

Her shy, giggling demeanor sent shivers down my spine.

With her mentioning secrecy, there was no further room for questions.

‘…Is it because I’ve been around her long enough? I completely forgot what bloodline Tang Soyeol belonged to.’

The Tang Clan of Sichuan Tang Gate.

A prestigious sect handling poison and iron.

And, furthermore, they were highly specialized in covert operations and torture, more than anywhere else.

Though people claimed that with entry into a peaceful era, such customs had disappeared,

Anyone living in this world of martial artists would know better.

The younger brother of Tang Soyeol, who was a Lesser Clan Leader, was involved in secretive dealings in the name of ‘peace,’ and most of those were inhuman acts disguised under that name.

‘…Could Tang Soyeol also be involved in such things?’

I hadn’t known in my previous life, but now it felt utterly dissonant that Tang Soyeol was entwined with that line of work.

I ignored Tang Soyeol, who was munching on something unrecognizable, as I started contemplating how to proceed with our journey ahead.

“Young Master…!”

“Hmm?”

Muyeon came rushing towards me in a panic.

This was the real Muyeon, not a fake.

Swish—!

As Muyeon appeared at the campsite, those around quickly drew their swords, assuming a defensive posture.

Likely because Nangong Bi-ah had explained things beforehand, they were on high alert.

“…!”

Muyeon appeared surprised by the sudden situation.

I approached her as if everything were normal.

“Young Master, please…!”

My guards were poised, seemingly ready to warn me, but before they could catch me, I reached Muyeon first.

Thankfully, Muyeon didn’t appear to have faced any separate ambush like Nangong Bi-ah.

I asked her.

“Where have you been?”

“Uh?”

Muyeon looked puzzled at my question.

What kind of expression is that?

As I demanded an answer by staring, she started replying, sounding like she didn’t understand.

“Elder Lee said he had something to discuss. You went up the mountain with me.”

“I did?”

I furrowed my brow at Muyeon’s words.

Of course, I hadn’t done anything of the kind.

“Yes… but you disappeared momentarily after saying to wait, and then I searched everywhere for you…”

“Ha.”

Muyeon’s words caused me to chuckle unintentionally.

Now I began to grasp why Elder Lee had gone through this troublesome endeavor.

“Wow, that insane old man.”

Young Master?”

The reason for something that looked like me had separated Muyeon was now clearer.

The reason behind his impersonation to pull a meaningless stunt on me.

That he had led a failed ambush against someone—Nangong Bi-ah—who was certain to fail.

Having pieced it together, a bitter taste rose within me.

After all, it seemed he aimed to slowly isolate me, centering around suspicion about myself.

If this expectation were true, Elder Lee was an even more dangerous old man than I had anticipated.

In turn, I felt oddly more at ease.

The minuscule hesitation I held was slipping away.

“I need to kill him.”

The old dog who revealed his teeth to the master had to be dealt with accordingly.

 

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