Chapter 246

The White Tiger Earth Emperor Pavilion and Sword Hero Squad warriors immediately formed a circular formation to secure their retreat route from the stairs.

The Evil Sect members also observed the situation and temporarily stopped their attacks.

Soon Ye Jin-gyeong and four warriors came down from the main mountain with difficulty. Ye Jin-gyeong’s expression was devastated.

The White Tiger Earth Emperor Pavilion and Sword Hero Squad waiting at the mountain gate had also lost nearly fifty men. About five White Tiger Earth Emperor Pavilion warriors, and the rest were Sword Hero Squad casualties.

While it was fortunate that the White Tiger Earth Emperor Pavilion warrior casualties were relatively few, the numbers already lost to Jin Ja-gang were too great.

In comparison, among the nearly thirty Evil Sect members, only ten casualties had occurred.

Ye Jin-gyeong’s face hardened greatly.

Remnant Wind Guest shouldered his axe and sneered.

“Running away with your tail between your legs?”

Ye Jin-gyeong didn’t even look at Remnant Wind Guest, clenching his jaw and swallowing his anger.

From up the stairs, Gu Ryun signaled to the Evil Sect members to let them pass.

The Evil Sect members split left and right to clear a path.

Even during this, the Evil Sect members threw mocking words at Ye Jin-gyeong and his warriors.

“Look, these guys can’t even make eye contact?”

“Heh heh heh, where’s their guts? Can they even perform as men at night?”

Ye Jin-gyeong and his remaining men’s faces contorted. However, since they didn’t want any more confrontation, they endured and left the mountain gate. It was clear they intended to return soon for a life-or-death battle.

Tang Ha-ran, who had gotten up, felt relieved seeing Jin Ja-gang coming down.

Jin Ja-gang felt the same way.

“Are you alright?”

Jin Ja-gang helped Tang Ha-ran stand up. Tang Ha-ran couldn’t walk properly with her legs extended, seemingly due to stomach pain.

“I’m fine, it’ll get better in a little while.”

Tang Ha-ran wiped the blood from her lips while grimacing.

“What about you?”

“I’m fine.”

Soso, who had been hiding, came out to tend to the injured and then came to check on Tang Ha-ran’s condition. After feeling Tang Ha-ran’s pulse, Soso looked at Tang Ha-ran with surprised eyes.

Soso examined her pulse more carefully for a moment, then nodded. Then she went to check on other injured people.

Gam Chung, who came down afterward, patted his belly and said.

“Never worry about Poison Dragon again. It’s a luxury. Poison Dragon alone killed three times the number you guys killed of those White Tiger Earth Emperor Pavilion dogs.”

Only four White Tiger Earth Emperor Pavilion warriors had survived and come down.

The Evil Sect members looked at Jin Ja-gang with new eyes.

Remnant Wind Guest scratched his head.

“What? Was Poison Dragon really that good? Hmm.”

Since he had struggled against just six men, there was already an objective difference. There was nothing more to argue about.

A little later, Flower Snake Divine Woman came to see Jin Ja-gang and Tang Ha-ran.

“You were a great help. Without you two, we would have been in some danger too. But as of today, you two have completely made enemies of the Orthodox Path.”

Jin Ja-gang was indifferent while Tang Ha-ran showed a bitter expression.

For Jin Ja-gang it was familiar business, but not for Tang Ha-ran. Though she had been prepared for this from the moment she chose her current actions, the anxiety she actually felt was greater.

Flower Snake Divine Woman said.

“Then leave quickly now.”

“Right now?”

“As I said, the Martial Alliance won’t give up here. As soon as they replenish their forces, they’ll come rushing in with even greater numbers than now. Perhaps… even this evening?”

Gam Chung said.

“That’s right. So when your limbs are intact, why delay? Just leave now.”

“Then what about all of you…”

Gu Ryun answered.

“We have to wait since we need to protect Fairy Maiden. You’ve fulfilled your role as promised. There’s no reason for you to stay with us longer. Fairy Maiden will be grateful too.”

Jin Ja-gang looked at Bian Bu and Soso.

Bian Bu bid farewell to Jin Ja-gang.

“We’re in the same boat with Fairy Maiden, so we have to act together. We can’t escape Sichuan on our own anyway.”

Soso also greeted with her eyes.

Since it had been discussed even before the fighting began, the parting was a predicted event.

Jin Ja-gang had business to do in Guizhou, and now that the Sword Hero Squad from Guizhou had taken a hit was the best time.

Jin Ja-gang cupped his fists and bid farewell to the remaining Evil Sect members.

The Evil Sect members also casually greeted Jin Ja-gang.

“See you again, Poison Dragon.”

Remnant Wind Guest in particular added one more thing.

“I’m glad we didn’t meet as enemies.”

Jin Ja-gang smiled at Remnant Wind Guest, said farewell to Bian Bu and Soso once more, and descended Qingcheng Mountain with Tang Ha-ran.

* * *

There would certainly be surveillance from various groups at the bottom of Qingcheng Mountain. However, Jin Ja-gang actually followed the same path the Martial Alliance warriors had taken down.

“Your courage is really something.”

Tang Ha-ran laughed.

However, it wasn’t just a matter of courage. He was exploiting a psychological blind spot.

The two walked the path affectionately as if leisurely strolling. Tang Ha-ran was even holding Jin Ja-gang’s arm.

They came down to the village at the bottom of the mountain without any interference.

The Martial Alliance warriors were not visible in the village below the mountain. Perhaps worried about being ambushed by the Evil Sect, they seemed to have retreated to villages further away.

However, Jin Ja-gang and Tang Ha-ran couldn’t follow them that far.

Jin Ja-gang looked around the village and said.

“The surveillance network is tight.”

Jin Ja-gang had developed a habit of constantly watching and observing his surroundings. Thanks to Venerable Woo-am, his internal energy achievement had increased, making his energy perception much more sensitive, but his survival instincts cultivated through training and habit were even more developed.

Jin Ja-gang changed paths and wandered around the Qingcheng Mountain area. However, something seemed unsatisfactory as he couldn’t open a path and proceed further.

“Wouldn’t this path be okay?”

“I don’t hear bird sounds.”

Jin Ja-gang circled around the mountain base again and stopped on a small path.

Caw caw.

A crow’s cry was heard. A single crow was sitting on a high tree branch crying.

However, Jin Ja-gang didn’t proceed forward even from there.

“The crow is crying?”

“Crows are curious, so when people are nearby, they follow and cry. On the other hand, sparrows stop crying when you approach closely. Insects that make bell-like sounds behave similarly to sparrows.”

“Ah, where on earth did you learn such things?”

“I learned while traveling through forests. Anyway, this way won’t work. Let’s go back.”

Even after circling nearly half the mountain and wandering for more than half a day, Jin Ja-gang couldn’t find a way out.

“The wind direction isn’t helping either.”

When wind blows from the front and you go against it, you leave scent behind. Trackers could follow. However, even when it blows from behind, you similarly can’t smell the watchers.

When finding a path, Jin Ja-gang tried to consider all situations and choose a route that could avoid surveillance as much as possible. However, it wasn’t going as well as he thought.

Tang Ha-ran hadn’t received tracking education, but her high internal energy allowed her to smell well and sense human presence.

As Jin Ja-gang said, Qingcheng Mountain was almost surrounded.

“It’s not just one or two sects. They seem to have completely encircled the Qingcheng sect.”

Looking at the traces or energy left by hidden watchers, it definitely wasn’t just one sect. Among them, the Tang family would certainly be included.

Jin Ja-gang was worried about Venerable Woo-am and the Evil Sect members. Bian Bu and Soso were also in very dangerous situations.

However, even if he went and informed them, they wouldn’t abandon Dan Ryeong-gyeong and come down. Seeing how they said they couldn’t escape Sichuan on their own, they probably predicted the current situation to some degree.

Jin Ja-gang and Tang Ha-ran wandered until night but found no passable path.

“It seems we’ll have to break through by force.”

The wider the encirclement spread, the thinner the net itself had to be. Since the entire encirclement couldn’t be composed only of masters, many with low martial arts skills would also be included.

If breaking through by force, they would need to flee as quickly as possible before the encirclement tightened.

But then Jin Ja-gang quietly smelled the wind.

As night fell, the grass scent became thicker. It was much easier to smell than during the day.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s a direction where headwind is blowing and grass insects are crying, but unlike other places, almost no sweat smell is coming from there.”

“Really?”

“When you drink a lot of alcohol, sweat smell faintly carries alcohol fragrance, and when you eat meat and other cooked foods, body scent becomes thick. This direction seems to have almost no such smell.”

“That means.”

Tang Ha-ran thought for a moment and said.

“Either luckily there’s a hole in the encirclement or there’s an incredible master there.”

“That’s probably it.”

“Anyway, we have no choice but to gamble.”

Jin Ja-gang and Tang Ha-ran killed their presence and carefully proceeded through the grass.

However, as soon as they entered the forest, they stopped. Under a tree ahead, a nun from Mount Emei was sitting in meditation waiting for them!

In the darkness, the nun’s thin lips were smiling in the moonlight.

“That was good insight. But you missed one thing. We at Mount Emei don’t eat cooked food or drink alcohol, so our bodies always smell of tea fragrance. Tea fragrance is fragrant grass smell.”

The nun had even been listening to Jin Ja-gang and Tang Ha-ran’s conversation.

Tang Ha-ran’s eyes widened.

“Mount Emei’s Sect Leader Divine Nun!”

It was Divine Nun. Why was Divine Nun here?

Divine Nun looked at the two with a bewitching smile.

“You look happy, which is good. Young people bloom flowers even on battlefields. But think of your luck as bad…”

Suddenly Divine Nun’s gaze changed. Divine Nun suddenly stopped talking and approached. Divine Nun reached toward Tang Ha-ran. She had suddenly attacked without any fighting spirit or killing intent.

Tang Ha-ran used the Tang family’s Golden Thread Hand to deflect Divine Nun’s hand. Divine Nun’s hand skillfully penetrated and grabbed Tang Ha-ran’s wrist. When caught by a master’s wrist, internal energy penetrates and subdues you.

Already from the moment of being caught, Divine Nun’s pure internal energy was entering through the pulse points.

Tang Ha-ran gritted her teeth. She pulled her hand out accepting that her wrist might break. While doing so, she kicked at Divine Nun. Divine Nun grabbed and bent Tang Ha-ran’s fingers while blocking Tang Ha-ran’s foot with Tang Ha-ran’s back of hand.

Jin Ja-gang was also greatly surprised, raised his internal energy, and immediately threw his body toward Divine Nun. For Jin Ja-gang, this might have been the first time he rushed at someone without regard for consequences.

Divine Nun bent and pressed Tang Ha-ran’s fingers while using Tang Ha-ran’s body as a shield to interfere with Jin Ja-gang.

“Kugh!”

Jin Ja-gang nearly lost his reason to anger. Killing intent stretched out in streams.

However, Divine Nun’s actions went only that far.

Divine Nun immediately released Tang Ha-ran and stepped back.

Then she exclaimed and recited a Buddhist invocation.

“Ah! Namo Amitabha Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva. While it was your excellent insight that brought you to where I was waiting, what happened afterward was Buddha’s will.”

Tang Ha-ran grimaced and rubbed her wrist.

Jin Ja-gang ground his teeth and spoke in a low voice almost like a cry.

“What nonsense is this!”

Divine Nun asked Jin Ja-gang.

“Have you found the answer to the question I asked?”

Jin Ja-gang didn’t answer. However, Divine Nun confirmed that Jin Ja-gang’s gaze had changed briefly.

“Are you searching for it? Then it’s not yet time for you to die here.”

“Do you mean to let us pass? What do you want from us?”

“Seeking the Way is my only mission in this world of suffering. Though I don’t want to let you two pass, as a seeker of the Way, I cannot go against Buddha’s will to stop you.”

However, more surprising than Divine Nun was Tang Ha-ran’s action.

Tang Ha-ran pulled Jin Ja-gang’s collar to urge him to just pass by.

“Miss Tang?”

Jin Ja-gang looked at Tang Ha-ran in surprise. Tang Ha-ran kept her mouth firmly shut and led Jin Ja-gang.

Divine Nun didn’t block them but stepped aside and quietly put her palms together.

“Namo Amitabha.”

Tang Ha-ran didn’t thank Divine Nun and pulled Jin Ja-gang away from the spot. Behind such Tang Ha-ran, Divine Nun left a transmission.

‘You know better than anyone. If you don’t want to leave regrets, I hope you won’t act recklessly.’