Zhuge Yeon had to admit that her thoughts had been shallow. She had come simply because Dan Woo-hyun called her, thinking it was a good opportunity to improve her skills by accompanying him.
She was utterly exhausted.
As soon as they left Yueyang, they headed northward recklessly. At a glance, it seemed they were going to Hubei, but he wouldn’t tell her exactly where or why they were going.
Up to that point, it was fine.
Since Dan Woo-hyun was leading, there must be a destination, and she thought that by following, she would eventually find out where they were going.
She also hadn’t said goodbye to Dan Somi, so she assumed the journey wouldn’t be that long.
But the process was the problem.
“……”
Kwon Mujin was just a man, and a fool who knew nothing but how to wield a sword.
Being such a person by nature, he didn’t know how to cook, and Dan Woo-hyun was just standing by and watching with his hands off.
If Zhuge Yeon doesn’t do it, everyone goes hungry.
Dan Woo-hyun seemed to have no thought of preparing meals, and if no one prepared food, he just walked aimlessly.
“Damn it…”
Bang!
Zhuge Yeon slammed the cutting board she took out from the large bundle. It didn’t break, but it was clear how she felt at the moment.
She had to cook.
While she could leave the task of preparing the caught game to Kwon Mujin, cooking it and serving it herself was not a pleasant situation.
If she cooked carelessly, Dan Woo-hyun would notice like a ghost and give her a look.
“I should have brought Sam-tae instead. You’re not as useful as I thought.”
Hearing such words several times made her feel indignant.
For Namgung Sohye, being compared since childhood might have been something she was used to, but being compared to Jang Sam-tae was nothing short of torture for her.
So she ended up having to take care of everything herself.
All sorts of items, including knives for preparing food, had to be bought in the village, and she had to embark on this endless journey burdened with a bundle.
“Martial arts training, my foot….”
Zhuge Yeon sighed deeply, lamenting her situation.
“Need some help?”
“Get lost.”
“……”
Kwon Mujin, who had been watching Zhuge Yeon’s mood, closed his mouth. Though he had spoken with some thought, the response was not kind, and he seemed upset as well.
Knowing that arguing would lead to nothing good, he cautiously stepped back and approached Dan Woo-hyun.
“A bit…prickly.”
“Ha ha.”
Dan Woo-hyun, who was leaning against a tree, burst into laughter.
At that sound, Zhuge Yeon’s sharp gaze returned, but Dan Woo-hyun spoke without a care.
“Don’t get too worked up. It’s an experience, after all.”
“I don’t particularly want this kind of experience.”
Zhuge Yeon had practically lived in the mountains even before joining the Hunan Dan family. Unwanted memories kept resurfacing, making her even more irritated for no reason.
“Sigh… Well, it doesn’t really matter… But is it really okay? Leaving Yueyang at a time like this?”
“What do you mean by ‘a time like this’?”
“Of course, at a time like this. The Tons of Gold Merchant Union is trying to cut off the family head’s financial resources.”
Zhuge Yeon responded with an even more annoyed expression at Dan Woo-hyun’s feigned ignorance. Her sharp tone, like a voice with thorns, made people flinch every time she spoke.
Kwon Mujin broke out in a cold sweat.
It was Dan Woo-hyun, and not just anyone. There are few in the world who could speak to such a person like that.
“Don’t worry. The affairs of the Tons of Gold Merchant Union will be resolved well.”
“Are you trusting in Father?”
“Not exactly…but surely, they are not incapable of handling such matters.”
“……”
Zhuge Yeon nodded absentmindedly without realizing it. In truth, they were talents capable of overcoming any situation that might arise.
However, Zhuge Yeon could not shake off her anxiousness.
The Tons of Gold Merchant Union must have been watching the Hunan Dan family from the beginning.
So they would have gathered all information about the Hunan Dan family and devised countermeasures. Thus, it was inevitable to feel uneasy for no reason.
“Even if they are different from those we’ve dealt with so far?”
“In the end, they’re still people, aren’t they?”
At Dan Woo-hyun’s words, Zhuge Yeon seemed to swallow a sigh of disbelief. People are said to be scarier than ghosts or wild beasts, yet Dan Woo-hyun seemed not to consider such things at all.
Zhuge Yeon unknowingly grabbed her throbbing forehead. Then she eventually sighed and focused on cooking. If she spoke any more, it felt like she would only explode with anger.
“You seem to have a lot of complaints.”
“No way—how could I? Me? There’s no way! There can’t possibly be anyone who would have complaints against the head of the Dan family, right?”
As she brought the finished dish, Zhuge Yeon smiled brightly. That radiant smile was like looking at a flower, enough to make any man blush.
However, Kwon Mujin was not affected. It only seemed as if a demon or evil spirit was smiling.
He turned his head, a cold sweat running down. Even the meat Zhuge Yeon brought was uncomfortable to eat.
But Dan Woo-hyun laughed nonchalantly.
Even the laughter of a demon seemed like child’s play to him.
Kwon Mujin genuinely respected Dan Woo-hyun.
“It’s delicious.”
“This is the only thing I know how to do.”
Zhuge Yeon stabbed her chopsticks into the bowl in front of her. The way the chopsticks plunged into the well-cooked meat gave off a murderous aura, as if she was stabbing Dan Woo-hyun to death.
Dan Woo-hyun made an awkward expression.
“Is it really something to get so angry about?”
“I didn’t come here to work as a maid! Lord Dan!”
“I never specifically asked you to make it, though?”
“…Ugh.”
At Dan Woo-hyun’s words, Zhuge Yeon fell silent.
Indeed, as he said, hungry people naturally seek out food. Zhuge Yeon was hungry, and since no one else knew how to cook, she ended up doing it herself. No one forced or demanded it.
Pointing that out left her speechless.
“It seems to me you’d rather embark on a martial adventure than do this.”
“Isn’t that obvious?”
“Hahaha.”
Dan Woo-hyun burst into laughter again. Soon, he put down the chopsticks he was holding and turned his head.
“Going on a martial adventure might not be as exciting as you think…”
As he said those words, his eyes sparkled as he observed one side. It seemed as if he was looking at something, prompting not only Kwon Mujin but also Zhuge Yeon to turn their gaze in that direction.
Soon, sounds began to be heard.
Ka-ka-ka-kang-!
It was the sound of swords clashing fiercely.
It felt as if multiple people were moving against a single person.
Startled, Zhuge Yeon jumped up from her seat.
Before anyone realized, she grasped a sword in her hand and dashed towards the source of the sound. Her swift lightness skill made her disappear in an instant, and Dan Woo-hyun just smiled.
“Will she be alright?”
“Don’t worry. She must have joined because she’s confident in herself.”
“……”
Kwon Mujin nodded.
If Zhuge Yeon has the skills of that level, she won’t be knocked down easily wherever she goes. However, the sounds coming through were not from low-level people, which meant that considerable experts were gathering.
“Are you worried?”
“May I…go and have a look?”
“Hmm… This is also an experience, so shall we take a look?”
Dan Woo-hyun slowly rose from his seat.
For some reason, a smile lingered on his lips as if he found something amusing.
That smile made Kwon Mujin inexplicably anxious.
Kaka-kang-!
“Ugh!”
A man in a Shaolin monk’s robes wielded a staff. The staff imbued with domineering force seemed to strike the opponent, but the agile opponent evaded it with light movements.
The sword came in.
A move that perfectly targeted the gap was quite fast.
Swoosh!
The Shaolin monk frowned. It was a situation where he might have had to expose his neck. However, with strong mental fortitude, he endured and advanced.
Boom!
A heavy sound was heard, and the air trembled. It wasn’t enough to create a pit like Dan Woo-hyun or Sa Dohak, or to knock down an opponent with the aftermath, but it was sufficient to subdue the enemy’s momentum.
“You scoundrels! Do not underestimate me, Muho!”
The Nine Great Sects.
Now, Shaolin Temple had closed its gates and sealed itself off.
Only a few had managed to survive in Shaolin Temple, which was no longer a cardinal sect in the Central Plains Murim world. However, their spirit was still alive, and their martial arts were formidable enough to resonate throughout Central Plains.
Even someone who once stood shoulder to shoulder with Namgung Sohye.
If it was Muho, the leader of the Eighteen Arhats, the opponents couldn’t help but be tense.
Crash!
The staff wielded by Muho struck in all directions.
There was an implication that if anyone approached, they would not be tolerated.
However, the opponent’s sword was also fierce, fast, and relentless.
Puk puk puk puk-!
He dodged the incoming staff and extended his sword.
Not just one, but several blades thrust forward, piercing Muho’s entire body. The once powerful spirit of Muho slowly faded, and his imposing figure fell helplessly.
Thud!
A loud sound was heard.
Muho, who had once elevated the prestige of Shaolin, coughed up blood and looked at the sky. The blue sky appeared unusually red today.
“Causing trouble, are you.”
The men slowly approached Muho.
They raised their swords without hesitation. Considering they had been pursuing him from Henan to here in Hubei, it was not enough to kill him in one stroke.
At that moment.
“Can’t you stop there?!”
A sharp voice was heard.
Startled, they turned their gaze.
Swoosh-!
Something sliced through the air, flying swiftly. From the sound, they realized it was a hidden weapon and swung their swords.
Clang!
The blocked weapon bounced off absurdly and embedded itself in the ground. The men frowned as they stared at it. This technique was unmistakably.
“Sichuan Tang family?”
Apart from the Namgung family, the most troublesome ones had arrived.
In a moment of tense anticipation, they gazed ahead intently.
Upon seeing the person who appeared, they involuntarily let out a small laugh.
Clang-!
Zhuge Yeon, who revealed herself, drew her sword. Then she aimed her sword at those before her, catching her breath.
Her aura spread in all directions, pressing down on them.
However, the men in front of her simply let out a ridiculous sneer, casting crooked glances.
“Wasn’t it the Sichuan Tang family? Aren’t you surprised?”
The men squinted and glared at Zhuge Yeon.
Not even the Sichuan Tang family, just a mere woman.
If it’s just one person, and not a group, she doesn’t even stand a chance against them.
