Chapter 73: Jaseung, Hears About Hainan Sect

Lee Jaseung returned to the campsite with Baek Seolyoung and sent Ma Young-gi to the waterfall to retrieve the bodies.

Of course, in reality, Mook Young would be the one to handle the cleanup. Since she still did not know of Mook Young’s existence, he sent Ma Young-gi.

He then seated Baek Seolyoung in front of the campfire. Sitting before the warm fire after being soaked, she began to feel at ease.

Lee Jaseung stirred his Yang inner Qi.

Swoosh-

A warm energy gently wrapped around Baek Seolyoung’s body.

As the warmth from the campfire and his energy combined, her clothes dried quickly.

She lifted her head and looked around. She could feel the warmth enveloping her entire body.

But since Lee Jaseung was pretending to simply look at the fire, she did not realize that the warmth had come from him.

“Are you alright?”

His tone was gentle. She had been through life-threatening crises repeatedly in recent days.

“Just enough to not want to get into water for a while?”

After finishing her words, she smiled. Normally, it would have been a great shock. Having someone’s arm coil around her neck underwater was not an experience she ever wanted again.

What had softened that shock was Lee Jaseung.

She remembered the moment their eyes met underwater. In that moment, she was certain he would save her no matter what.

So it had not been so frightening, even as she lost consciousness from lack of air.

She vaguely remembered him pressing his mouth to hers and breathing air into her, even while half-unconscious.

Her cheeks flushed slightly.

Then Dan Woobin approached and asked.

“You said it was the Water Ghosts?”

“Yes, it was definitely them.”

Dan Woobin’s expression grew grave.

“The fact that they brought in Water Ghosts says a lot. Even if they could somehow make contact with the Undying Ghouls, bringing in Water Ghosts is another matter.”

Lee Jaseung nodded.

The Undying Ghouls and the Water Ghosts were both mercenary groups, but not the type to rush in blindly for money. The Water Ghosts in particular were known for their eccentric and difficult personalities.

Since no one could match them underwater, they were famous for never bowing their heads to anyone.

For such people to be involved, the mastermind behind this ambush clearly possessed great power.

Mujin glanced at Baek Seolyoung and spoke.  

“Our sister-in-law sure has a formidable enemy.”

Baek Seolyoung looked apologetic.

“I am sorry, all because of me.”

Dan Woobin immediately barked at Mujin.

“How can you say it is her fault?”

“Then is it the Senior Brother’s fault? He is such a good man he could live without laws.”

Dan Woobin looked incredulous. Of course, Mujin was teasing for Lee Jaseung to hear.

“That does not mean we can just say it is her fault.”

“I suppose not. There is no way our fairy-like sister-in-law would have such vicious enemies.”

It was just banter to shift her attention, but everyone, including Lee Jaseung, suspected that the mastermind was not simply trying to kill Baek Seolyoung to take her position.

The enemy’s power was already surpassing that of the Northern Sky Clan. In other words, this was not an internal matter.

After listening to Mujin and Dan Woobin’s exchange, Lee Jaseung spoke.

“They were aiming for both of us couples.”

At the word “fairy” once, and again at “couples,” Baek Seolyoung’s face turned red. She could stand proudly before thousands of warriors, yet she was weak to such small things.

“How can you be so sure?”

Mujin asked, and Lee Jaseung replied.

“The Undying Ghouls and the Water Ghosts both struck when we were together. If they were after only one of us, they would have attacked when that person was alone.”

“That’s a good point.”

Mujin nodded in agreement, and Dan Woobin stroked his chin and added his own thoughts.

“That means it is not personal vengeance. They are after a position, not a person. They targeted the Lord of the Northern Sky Clan and her husband. Even if you were not the Lord, and even if the Senior Brother was not her husband, this ambush still would have happened.”

Baek Seolyoung understood the gist, but Lee Jaseung and Mujin fully grasped the deeper meaning.

It was not a personal grudge or a bid for the Lord’s position.

It meant that the mastermind had a grander scheme and needed to remove the Northern Sky Lord and her husband in the process.

Lee Jaseung went a step further in thought.

Perhaps when the curtain was pulled back, they would see an unexpected monster crouching behind it.

It meant keeping in mind the possibility that the current mastermind might not be the only one behind it.

Dan Woobin said cautiously.

“In any case, since the Water Ghosts have shown up, who knows what else might appear. We should be careful.”

* * *

Three days after the Water Ghosts ambush, the group entered a fairly large village.

“It would be best to stay here for the night.”

It was too dark to continue traveling.

The carriage stopped in front of an inn, and the five dismounted with Mujin leading.

Mujin and Dan Woobin rented rooms while Mook Young and the escort warriors checked the area around the inn.

Fortunately, there had been no further ambushes on the way.

They rented four rooms in total, centering on the one for Lee Jaseung and Baek Seolyoung, with the adjacent and opposite rooms included. This was the fallback method when renting an entire floor was not possible.

After days of camping in the forest, everyone was quietly pleased.

While Baek Seolyoung unpacked and changed clothes, Lee Jaseung met briefly with Dan Woobin in his room.

“The Great Ant has sent word.”

Nam Seohyang, leader of the Golden Ants, had already pledged loyalty and agreed to cooperate with Lee Jaseung.

“What news?”

“It seems someone has hired them to investigate you.”

Nam Seohyang had instead investigated the client and reported back.

“The one who commissioned the job is Yang Jo.”

“Yang Jo?”

He was a name on the list Dan Woobin had told Lee Jaseung to remember.

“Yes, he is the right-hand man of Ban Yeo, the number two in the Murim Alliance. Here is the information on him.”

Yang Jo would have been furious if he knew that this was happening.  

“They asked how much to reveal about you.”

Lee Jaseung thought for a moment. This was someone who had tried to dig into his background through the Golden Ants. It wasn’t someone to be taken lightly.

“Could he be behind the recent ambushes?”

“That’s unlikely. Someone capable of mobilizing Undying Ghouls and Water Ghosts would have first commissioned the Golden Ants to investigate you, or not made such a request at all.”

Lee Jaseung agreed.

“How much should we reveal?”

“It would be best to throw them bait to lead their attention elsewhere.”

“Do you have something in mind?”

Dan Woobin nodded.

“Do you know of the Hainan Sect?”

At the mention of Hainan, Lee Jaseung was inwardly surprised.

Nam Seohyang had once told him about the origin of the Limitless Iron Chest, saying it came from Hainan Island. Though he had not shared that with Dan Woobin.

“The Hainan Sect was once as strong as any in the Central Plains, but about thirty years ago they were attacked by an unknown group and destroyed overnight. There were many rumors, but one strong one claimed the Murim Alliance was involved.”

Lee Jaseung was shocked.

“The Murim Alliance? Were they so corrupt even then?”

Even so, it was hard to believe they would wipe out a fellow sect of the Orthodox.

“It was speculated that they gained a precious treasure from the Hainan Sect, but nothing was confirmed.”

“And so?”

“We will make Seop Mu-pyeong a descendant of the Hainan Sect.”

Lee Jaseung’s eyes gleamed.

“Saying he came forth for revenge?”

“We will make him out to be someone who believes the Orthodox Faction committed the deed.”

“Is that possible?”

“If the Golden Ants say so, they will believe it. Why wouldn’t they?”

Lee Jaseung nodded.

The great disciple of the fallen Flying Dagger Sect was actually of the Hainan Sect’s bloodline? They returned to the Murim Alliance to seek revenge? That would explain his victory in the marriage martial tournament at such a young age.

Commissioning the Golden Ants meant they did not trust him. If they learned this instead, they would likely stop probing his identity.

“Good. Do it.”

When Lee Jaseung returned to his room, Baek Seolyoung had just finished unpacking.

“I left yours as they were.”

His belongings, just one large leather pack, sat to the side. The escort warriors handled other needs.

He unpacked it. Inside were a few changes of clothes, bottles of golden wound medicine and internal injury medicine, and three boxes each containing twenty daggers.

“I will put them away for you.”

She shook out his clothes and hung them by the window.

“It feels nice to wear clothes dried in sunlight.”

He watched her for a moment. Noticing his gaze, she smiled.

“I have never done this myself. Servants always do it for me. You’re honored, right?”

“I am.”

She smiled again.

Since the Water Ghosts incident, they had not discussed it and he had not brought it up. She too had nothing to say about it.

She felt guilty, believing she had been the target. This kindness was partly because of that guilt.

He sensed her feelings and did not feel entirely at ease either.

Right as he was about to thank her for putting away his clothes, the servant called from outside.

“The meal is ready. Please come down.”

The long-awaited meal was excellent.

Since leaving Heaven's Gate, most of their meals had been dried meat or hunted rabbit and boar. That grew tiresome after days.

The cook’s skill was impressive, and with good food and drinks, the fatigue seemed to melt away.

Of course, Mujin and Ma Young-gi had checked the kitchen, cook, and ingredients beforehand. They found nothing suspicious, and there was no poison in the food or drink.

As they were finishing, a young man and woman entered, looking around nervously as if they were being pursued.

They sat in a corner.

Lee Jaseung clicked his tongue inwardly. If they were being chased, that was the worst place to sit. It was far from the exit, with a pillar blocking the view of the entrance.

It might have felt hidden, but it was like sticking one’s head into a hole while leaving one’s rear exposed.

Looking famished, they ordered noodles and began eating hastily.

He felt something was about to happen, and as expected, five men burst through the door before they could finish.

Their sharp eyes marked them as no good people.

One grabbed a diner near the entrance by the hair to check his face.

“What do you think you are doing?”

As the man’s group protested,

Wham!

Another kicked one of them hard, sending him rolling on the floor.

Nearby diners stood up immediately.

“You scoundrels!”

As they reached for their swords, the man who kicked shouted.

“We are the great men of the Black Way Alliance! Do you still want to fight!?”

His voice boomed, and the room fell into cold silence.

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