TSBIRBV Ch 39

Chapter 39 Namgung Un (4)

Thus, Yegyeol’s journey to Chongqing was decided.

Before departure, he sent word to the Yipseon Sect and Okhyeong Sect, requesting their disciples accompany the caravan. Okhyeong eagerly dispatched people, while Yipseon, clearly reluctant, barely sent a token force to save appearances.

Sitting in the carriage, watching guild workers stack goods neatly, Yegyeol turned his eyes to the martial escorts arriving last.

“I heard Okhyeong Sect has more women?”

As they were an affiliate branch of the Emei Sect, women indeed predominated. But the escort he saw was nearly half men.

“Their dress looks different… Outsiders perhaps?”

Samrang had already told him of a special guest residing with Okhyeong. Today, her gaze — usually fixed on him — was glued to them.

“They do look unusual.”

“Not good expressions.”

“They seem even more extraordinary than I suspected.”

A martial artist of that caliber — one could count on one hand the people of Sichuan who matched it, and she recalled no rumors of any such person entering the province. The slower flow of information since she had stepped back from field work was gnawing at her.

“Best stay away from them for now.”

“Understood.”

Yegyeol nodded sweetly, smiling like a good child. But Samrang felt restless, as though an ominous shadow trailed the smile.

“This trip… won’t be peaceful.”

Then came Sichuan Tang Clan, banners of green waving. They arrived a step behind Yipseon and Okhyeong. All in Tang’s green robes, their shoulders were stiff with pride, though clearly smarting from their previous failure to protect. Anger only deepened as they glanced at the other sects.

“Tense, aren’t they?”

“As mainline Tang, to have to guard a caravan with branch-sect juniors — and after failing so recently! Their pride is cut deep.”

“Martial artist pride…”

Yegyeol shook his head. It was as petty as espers bickering over who got to guide first.

Samrang gave him a strange look.

“You speak as if you’re not a martial artist yourself.”

“Ah.”

The words had slipped. You can’t take them back. Lowering his eyes, Yegyeol muttered:

“My master said I’m just a hollow stalk now. No dantian — how can I be a martial artist?”

He smiled weakly. If Baekyang Jin-in had heard, he’d faint from fury at being maligned so. But Yegyeol’s goal was fixed: to ensure Haryang distrusted his old master.

Samrang clicked her tongue, her face unfeeling. She filed the remark silently into her mental report on 곤륜파 (Kunlun Sect).

While they spoke, Qinghai’s appointed caravan head addressed the gathered warriors.

“Thank you all for joining us here today.”

With three groups escorting, roles had to be divided.

“Where will you stand on the line?”

“Tang will take the vanguard.”

It was Tang Eonbo again. Yegyeol reflected that her cousin Tang Seoak never appeared outside negotiations.

“Assuring indeed. Tang excels at spotting ambushes.”

The Yipseon disciple’s flattery backfired — all were reminded too well of the last escort’s humiliating failure. Silence fell like frost.

Eonbo only nodded tersely and stepped back.

“Then we’ll cover the rear.”

Yipseon, few in number, moved quickly to claim the least demanding post.

“Okhyeong will guard the main body of the caravan.”

Thus, the decision was set.

“Departure in one tea’s time! Prepare yourselves.”

Activity surged. Yegyeol shut the carriage curtains, laying down in advance of the bone-rattling roads.

“I’m going to sleep. Don’t wake me. And make sure Baembeam gets water.”

From within his sleeve, the snake peeked its golden head at the sound of its name.

“Yes, yes,” Samrang muttered, cast him a look filled with envy at that easy trust, and reached a hand toward the snake. But Baembeam slithered back beneath the young master’s robes.

Yegyeol chuckled, hugged the little body against his chest, and closed his eyes.

Relaxed in slumber, he never noticed another gaze watching the caravan from afar.

“Move out!”

The team set off. On a hill above Qinghai’s estate, Tang Seoak’s lips curved.

“They’ll taste ruin.”

“Are we there?”

As soon as the carriage halted, Yegyeol stirred, blinking sleep out of his eyes.

“Unbelievable,” Samrang muttered. “You slept through it all? Not even waking once?”

He hadn’t just slept; somehow he never slid an inch, lying steady in the rocking carriage. She was half in awe.

“Motion sickness. Easier that way.”

Without a guide, espers endured oversensitivity like illness — headaches, hallucinations… Even carriage rides became nausea.

“When I crossed from Hangzhou to Kunlun as a child, it wasn’t this bad…”

He shook his head. Sometimes it felt being born esper brought more loss than gain.

Samrang narrowed her eyes at the comment.

“…From the far east of the plains to the far west. Why?”

“…To meet my Senior Brother?”

“Stop joking.”

“It’s the truth.”

Yegyeol changed subject.

“So — we arrived?”

As he reached to lift the curtain, Samrang caught his hand.

“We’ve just reached the Yangtze. Waiting for the boat.”

“So I must ride the boat too…”

His face soured. He had managed to avoid boats all his life: if even land travel made him sick, why add sea-sickness?

“Afraid so. This is faster.”

From Sichuan, four to five days on horseback toward Chongqing. But by water it was much quicker; trade converged here.

And as mountains had bandits, rivers had pirates. The Yangtze’s pirates styled themselves the Yangtze Waterway Alliance, passing their title down generations.

“We have toll silver prepared. But if they learn you’re Guild Master, they may demand ransom. Be cautious.”

Yegyeol nodded.

“As long as my life isn’t threatened, I’ll hold back. Using lightning on water makes it impossible to control who it strikes.”

He paused, then smirked.

“…Do you think Tang and the Waterway Alliance might have joined hands?”

“Perhaps.”

Samrang only smiled faintly.

Footnotes:

• Dantian (단전) — energy center in martial arts, its absence renders someone incapable of cultivating martial power. 
• Kunlun Sect (곤륜파) — great orthodox sect, destroyed in massacre; Baekyang Jin-in was Yegyeol’s teacher there. 
• Yangtze Waterway Alliance (장강수로맹) — loose confederacy of pirates dominating the Yangtze River, traditional threat to river trade.