Chapter 32: To The Azure Forest (1)
The Azure Forest was located in the mountains of the Hunan Province.
Considering the vastness of the Central Plains, it was not too far from Xi’an, but it still required at least a month of travel. They could not just use well-maintained official roads, so a two-horse carriage was the limit.
It was Yi-gang who hurried to depart. He had a reason to seek treatment for his body as soon as possible.
On the day Yi-gang left the clan’s gate with Jin Ri-yeon, the crowd seeing them off was sparse. He had said his goodbyes to the Clan Head the night before, and the other retainers of the clan did not show up. Except for Baek Ha-jun, everyone else was an outsider. There were three in total, including Moyong Jin and Peng Mu-ah.
“Have a safe journey!”
Yi-gang responded with a smile to Moyong Jin’s greeting.
“Don’t fight with Ha-jun. Get along well.”
“Yes…”
“I plan to return as soon as possible, but by then, you won’t be here anymore.”
Moyong Jin tightly closed his mouth. Somehow, he seemed emotionally charged.
“We’ll meet again, later.”
“Yes.”
Yi-gang’s gaze shifted behind him.
There, Peng Mu-ah was standing with her arms crossed and her chin turned away. She seemed to be sulking quite hard with her mouth tightly shut.
Peng Mu-ah seemed to be expressing her disappointment with her whole body, but if she truly detested Yi-gang, she would not have appeared here in the first place.
Yi-gang waited patiently for Peng Mu-ah. And it did not require much patience.
“Promise me. When the Seven Stars Conference starts, you’ll come.”
Peng Mu-ah eventually looked back at Yi-gang.
“I’m not a member of the Seven Stars Conference. Ha-jun will probably go instead.”
“Still! You can come to visit.”
The members of the Seven Stars Conference regularly hold gatherings in the Murim Alliance. It would not be impossible to visit them, but it was obvious what would happen if Yi-gang, who was neither a member of the Seven Stars Conference nor strong in martial arts, were to go.
“Uhm.”
He would definitely receive a cold reception. But Yi-gang made a promise to Peng Mu-ah.
“Okay, I promise.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
Peng Mu-ah finally eased her mind after securing Yi-gang’s promise. She approached Jin Ri-yeon, gave her a hug, and her eyes reddened.
Then Yi-gang went to Ha-jun for the last time.
Ha-jun also had a complicated expression.
“Have a… safe journey.”
“I’m not worried since you’re always diligent.”
Yi-gang brought his mouth close to Ha-jun’s ear.
“Don’t forget what I asked you to do.”
Yi-gang had previously instructed his younger brother on his responsibilities during his absence.
“Keep an eye on whether Geumhwa and Jeong Gu are doing their jobs properly. Write down the important things. Make sure the clan doesn’t know you’re managing the Low Down Sect members.”
“Yes…”
Before leaving today, Yi-gang had stopped by the Low Down Sect and initiated investigations into the Big Tree House and several pieces of information.
Having entrusted their management to Ha-jun, he expected some results upon his return.
“It’s time to leave now. The journey is long, Young Master.”
Neung Ji-pyeong, acting as the coachman, urged Yi-gang.
“Yes.”
Yi-gang immediately boarded the carriage. He was bound to return to the clan, so he did not prefer to fuss over farewells.
“Let’s go!”
As Neung Ji-pyeong set the horses in motion, the carriage began to move slowly. Two warriors from Biyeon Squad rode their horses, following as if to escort them.
The carriage was very luxurious, befitting the prestige of the Baek Clan. Inside, there were soft seats and little jostling.
The journey ahead was long. Unconsciously, Yi-gang fiddled with the Pixiu necklace. Next to the purple gem, there was a ring that had not been there before. It was the ring enclosed in Sohwa’s letter.
“After we leave the city gates, the road will become a bit rough. It’s still early morning, so you might want to rest a bit.”
Sitting on the coachman’s seat, Neung Ji-pyeong said so.
Yi-gang expressed his gratitude but did not close his eyes.
Rustle—
What came out from his pocket was Sohwa’s letter. He had already read it several times, but Yi-gang began to read the letter again.
[ …That’s how it was. Well, I was really surprised. I thought the Young Master had gotten up without a sound. It was still before dawn. I said it smelled burnt somewhere, and there he was, in the room, making rice cakes. He’s not someone with a big appetite.
So I asked quietly, are you hungry? Do you need anything?
Young Master definitely answered. Though his tone was a bit vacant. ‘It’s fine. Sit down and eat too.’
Well, as Soryu knows, he likes late-night snacks. The rice cakes Young Master made were really extraordinary. Dipping them in the honey that Mister Jang had hidden, they were truly delicious.
And then I went back to sleep because I was sleepy, but the next day, I told Young Master. The rice cakes at dawn were delicious. But do you know what he said?
‘What nonsense are you spouting all of a sudden? Did you have a dream?’ ]
The corners of Yi-gang’s mouth lifted. It was because he remembered when Sohwa imitated his way of speaking.
However, his expression hardened again.
[ Of course, I thought Young Master was joking. He’s someone who subtly likes to play pranks.
But no, he was dead serious, saying he had no such memory.
I wondered if I really had a dream?
But it wasn’t.
My goodness, who would’ve thought Young Master had somnambulism. ]
Somnambulism. Yi-gang was suffering from sleepwalking.
Perhaps it was because he had suffered from it in his previous life as well. In this life, where he was born frail, it seemed like the somnambulism came on more severely.
「I don’t understand. Somnambulism? I’d rather believe you were possessed by a ghost,」 said the Immortal Divine Sword, who was reading the letter with Yi-gang.
‘What’s so hard to believe?’
「Isn’t somnambulism a symptom where children walk around while they’re asleep? I can understand that much. But baking rice cakes and having a conversation?」
‘There are indeed such cases.’
Yi-gang, too, would not have understood if he had not experienced it himself. But in severe cases of somnambulism, such things were possible.
They walked around with their eyes open and even talked. In his previous life, there were instances where sleepwalkers drove vehicles or even killed people.
‘I’ve had such experiences myself.’
Above all, Yi-gang had his own experiences.
It was one morning. He habitually got up and washed his face first thing, but the water was too cold. Normally, warm water was always prepared, so it was strange. When he came out after hastily wiping the water from his eyes, he was greatly surprised.
It was the dead of night.
In the early dawn, he had awoken due to his somnambulism, and the cold water had jolted him awake as he washed his face in his sleep.
「That, that’s quite a frightening incident.」
The letter Yi-gang was reading contained such an anecdote.
However, that was not what was important. Yi-gang read another letter he had opened. It was one sent before the anecdote about the sleepwalking. In other words, it was from when Sohwa did not know about Yi-gang’s somnambulism.
[…This ring, it seems like a really old item, doesn’t it? But it doesn’t seem to be to Young Master’s taste. I wonder where he got it from? I was totally surprised when Young Master, who supposedly went to take a nap, came back with that ring.
I thought he had secretly kept it to give it to me as a present, but it seemed too big, so I guess that wasn’t the case. Even when I asked in detail, he just gave incoherent replies.
He said to throw it away if it’s not needed, but there’s no need to go that far, right? I’ll just send it to you, Soryu. If you run out of pocket money, take it to the market and buy something delicious.
I’ll send another letter.
Loving you, Sohwa.]
Yi-gang felt a sudden pang in his heart. He could feel Sohwa’s warm heart, who was living peacefully as a maid, worrying about Soryu, who might be living a rough life as a warrior.
At the same time, he became curious.
‘I definitely don’t even remember seeing such a ring.’
「Are you suggesting that your somnambulism has worsened?」
‘If I wasn’t really possessed by ghosts, then that must be it. I have no idea where I picked up this old-fashioned ring.’
Yi-gang fiddled with the ring as he spoke.
「Hmm, well, calling it old-fashioned… That is a silver ring set with a precious yellow jade.」
‘It’s so tacky I wouldn’t wear it even if it were given to me.’
「I-isn’t that a bit harsh? It was fashionable in my time.」
The ring belonged to none other than the Immortal Divine Sword.
‘Last time, you complained about my lack of taste. Please refrain from making such comments again.’
The Immortal Divine Sword grumbled. Even in his view, the ring he used to wear was overly old-fashioned.
‘Anyway, it’s just an ordinary ring.’
「As far as I know, yes. Hmm, I do feel some spiritual energy, though. Naturally, jade stones tend to harbor such energy.」
Uncle Baek Jin-tae had asked if he had ever seen any old jewels or ornaments in the manor. Therefore, when Soryu gave him the ring, he was extremely nervous.
But the truth was mundane. The yellow jade ring was just an ordinary one that the Immortal Divine Sword had worn in the past. He had shown it to Jin Ri-yeon, but she merely shrugged it off. Whether this old ring was what Baek Jin-tae was looking for remained unknown.
「Still, if it feels unsettling, you should show it to the Azure Forest Lord.」
‘That should do it. More importantly, the fact that Soryu secretly gave me this ring.’
Soryu was a member of the Red Dragon Corps. She would know what the commander, Uncle, is looking for.
Despite that, the meaning behind Soryu giving Yi-gang this ring…
「Surely, that Jin-tae fellow is someone to be suspicious of.」
‘Hmm.’
Uncle had no reason to harm Yi-gang.
But it was also true that something felt off.
And there was someone watching Yi-gang in his dilemma.
“Are you okay?”
Jin Ri-yeon wore a look of concern.
“Yes?”
Yi-gang had been looking at the letter and laughing, then becoming serious, and again looking at the ring and sighing repeatedly.
Thankfully, he had not been talking out loud with the Immortal Divine Sword, but it must have seemed strange to onlookers.
“It seems you’re quite scared to leave the clan.”
“No, no, I’m fine.”
“Then you’re not feeling unwell or anything?”
Yi-gang waved his hands, reassuring Jin Ri-yeon.
It seemed he would have to be careful about his behavior on the way to the Azure Forest.
It was only after several reassurances that Jin Ri-yeon nodded. Yi-gang thought she must have understood well and leaned his back against the wall, pretending to sleep with his eyes closed.
“Uh, Squad Leader Neung.”
However, Jin Ri-yeon opened the window and called for Neung Ji-pyeong.
“Ah, yes, Miss Jin.”
“It seems Yi-gang is quite troubled in his heart. His physical condition doesn’t seem to be that good either.”
Worried by Jin Ri-yeon’s words, Neung Ji-pyeong also wore a serious expression.
“Well, it must be his first time embarking on such a long journey.”
Yi-gang himself had not realized it lately, but he was strictly a patient suffering from the Great Yin Meridian Blockage.
Neung Ji-pyeong and Jin Ri-yeon thought of him as fragile as a piece of glass, prone to breaking.
“The journey ahead is concerning.”
“…Indeed.”
They exchanged worried glances.
The Central Plains were vast.
Xi’an was a big city, but even so, beyond the city walls, there were more forests and plains than residential areas. Further on, it became difficult to find any houses at all.
Therefore, for a long journey, it was inevitable to have to camp out.
“We hurried this morning, so we should arrive at Lantian County by tomorrow, but it seems we will need to camp out for the night, Young Master.”
“Yes, well.”
“You should sleep inside the carriage, Young Master. We will remove the seats and lay down thick cotton blankets.”
“Yes? No, there’s no need for that.”
Yi-gang looked at Neung Ji-pyeong. Neung Ji-pyeong was a strict person. He had not expected him to be so considerate.
Trying to smile, Yi-gang took a sip of tea that the Biyeon Squad member had brewed. But perhaps because Neung Ji-pyeong’s gaze was burdensome, he suddenly choked.
“Cough, cough!”
“Oh dear, the weather is indeed cold.”
Jin Ri-yeon wrapped a blanket around Yi-gang’s shoulders.
“It’s just a simple cough…”
“We have a long journey ahead, so we need to be careful.”
Jin Ri-yeon was also worried about Yi-gang. He seemed to be under special protection, no matter how you looked at it.
「The descendant is frail, perhaps they are worried you might collapse.」
‘Is that so? It’s not good to be worried about it too much.’
That was what Yi-gang thought.
Still, with them being so considerate, it seemed he would be able to comfortably undertake the journey that would take about a month.
However, Yi-gang had no intention of wasting that month.
‘I have to learn swordsmanship from Squad Leader Neung.’
Yi-gang was on a journey accompanied by none other than the Squad Leader of Biyeon Squad, Neung Ji-pyeong, and Jin Ri-yeon of the Azure Forest. He wanted to consistently practice martial arts and sought their help along the way.
“The meal is modest, but please have some, Young Master.”
“Not at all, I am more than thankful for this.”
They had lit a campfire in front of a rock that blocked the wind. The evening meal was contained in a pot hung over the fire.
Neung Ji-pyeong scooped a serving of watery porridge into a bowl with a ladle.
Although they were from the famously wealthy Baek Clan, they could not afford to have lavish meals while sleeping outdoors.
Instead, they cooked with rice and water, adding salt, sesame oil, and simple ingredients like wild berries. They would tear up some jerky and boil it thoroughly, creating a decent meal. In fact, it was a luxury that ordinary travelers could hardly afford.
“Hmm.”
Yi-gang took a spoonful of the porridge. The rice was cooked until it was soft, and the porridge had just the right amount of saltiness.
“It’s delicious.”
Of course, it would be better with some meat.
As Yi-gang said this, Neung Ji-pyeong and the Biyeon Squad warrior glanced at each other. For some reason, their expressions seemed slightly surprised.
“You will be able to have a proper meal tomorrow, better than today’s.”
The Biyeon Squad warrior said so.
“Isn’t it really delicious?”
“Ah… Th-thank you. Hehe.”
The Biyeon Squad warrior who had cooked the porridge himself scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. A smile he could not hide appeared on his face. It seemed he had never imagined Yi-gang would enjoy the porridge so much.
「How picky must he have been usually to react like that.」
As the Immortal Divine Sword said, it appeared that everyone, including Neung Ji-pyeong, thought Yi-gang would not be able to handle sleeping outdoors.
And they had good reason to think so. When Yi-gang was at the peak of his wayward ways, he would find fault with anything and everything.
He had often thrown fits over the side dishes or sleeping arrangements, as those were the easiest things to complain about.
Of course, that was all in the past. He had no intention of acting unpleasantly with his current travel companions.
To change the atmosphere, Yi-gang spoke up, “It’s quite scenic and nice to be out like this. But isn’t lighting a fire in the forest like this an invitation for bandits to appear?”
Even if bandits from Green Forest appeared, they would not dare to draw their swords in front of the Baek Clan’s carriage, but it was an uncertainty.
Neung Ji-pyeong also smiled broadly in response.
“Haha, the law enforcement officers in Xi’an manage the public safety well. At least for a while, we won’t encounter any bandits.”
“Is that so? That’s a relief.”
“Yes, moreover, there are no bandits who would dare to attack a carriage bearing the emblem of the Baek Clan. If anything were to appear, it would rather be…”
In a forest like this, during such a night.
“Wild animals, I suppose.”
And then, the howl of a beast resonated.
Kkurruck—
It was not nearby, but for some reason, the howl carried a dreadfully foul stench.
Neung Ji-pyeong murmured nervously, “Haha, animals tend to be even more cautious. With so many people around and even a fire lit, they wouldn’t dare come close.”
“Yes, well…”
No sooner had Neung Ji-pyeong said this — a rustling sound was heard nearby.
“Kweeeek!”
A wild boar the size of a house burst through the bushes.
“Damn it!”
Neung Ji-pyeong cursed under his breath. He and the Biyeon Squad members were already on their feet, swords drawn.
Yi-gang also naturally stood up, the Shooting Star Fang in hand.
And then, he thought, ‘I’ve been wanting to eat meat, anyway.’
And here it was, meat had appeared.
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