Kang Sogun

Yeon Hwasim had no confidence in breaking through the Heaven's Mandate Brigade. Moreover, Jungrang's injury was not minor.

"I have no reason to follow the people of the Heavenly Martial Faction. If you have business, tell the Third Young Master to come find me. I will be staying at White Dragon Temple."

Yeon Hwasim supported Jungrang and crossed the mountain gate towards the temple.

Bang Geon could not stop Yeon Hwasim. He knew well that Gu Yangun had feelings for her.

If she married Gu Yangun, Yeon Hwasim would become his superior in that moment. Since she was as good as caught, there was no reason to make an enemy of her.

"You all surround White Dragon Temple. If even a single rat escapes, I will hold you responsible."

Bang Geon deployed the warriors and ordered a messenger.

"Find the Third Young Master and bring him here."

As the Heaven's Mandate Brigade warriors dispersed, Bang Geon sat down in front of the mountain gate.

Fatigue washed over him as the several-day chase came to an end.

'What a mess. Chasing after a girl.'

Considering his position as the first team leader of the Heavenly Martial Faction's vanguard, the Heaven's Mandate Brigade, it was a pathetic mission.

***

As Yeon Hwasim supported Jungrang and entered White Dragon Temple, an old monk was standing there.

Cheoludae, the abbot of White Dragon Temple, had a thin, slightly long face that gave a stern impression.

Upon seeing the blood-soaked Jungrang, Cheoludae chanted a Buddhist prayer.

"Namu Gwanseeum Bosal. If you lay down your sword, that place is nirvana. Why do you wander in a hell of blood?"

Yeon Hwasim was burning with impatience.

"Great Monk, is there a place to rest first?"

"This temple does not admit those who hold swords. Please discard your sword and come."

"I cannot do that."

Jungrang staggered and stood up, leaning on his sword.

"Jungrang, the enemy is too numerous, we are outnumbered. It's the same whether you have a sword or not, isn't it?"

"For a warrior, being without a sword is the same as being without a life."

Yeon Hwasim also could not part with her weapon.

She had said it because she thought there was no other choice due to the severity of Jungrang's injury.

"There will come a day when you realize that even if you live with a sword in your hand, you are not truly alive. Namu Gwanseeum Bosal."

Cheoludae chanted a Buddhist prayer and turned around, saying.

"There is a thatched hut behind the temple, it should be empty."

Yeon Hwasim's ears perked up at the words he muttered as if to himself.

"Thank you, Great Monk!"

Yeon Hwasim knew where the thatched hut Cheoludae was talking about was. She had just been there.

"For now, it's best to recuperate here and think of a way to escape."

Yeon Hwasim supported Jungrang and went to the thatched hut.

The thatched hut was well-organized, but dust had settled on the bed and table. It meant that the owner had been gone for a long time.

Yeon Hwasim's heart was bitter.

'To come to meet him, only to stay in the empty house he left behind.'

She untied the cloth wrapped around Jungrang's wound. The wound was so deep that the shoulder bone was visible.

Seeing the gaping wound, Yeon Hwasim's hands trembled and tears welled up on their own.

"I'm sorry. Because of me..."

"What are you talking about. For someone who lives by the sword, this is nothing."

Yeon Hwasim applied wound medicine again, carefully stitched the wound, and wrapped it tightly with a cloth.

"In the end, we've fallen into the hands of the Heavenly Martial Faction. What do we do now?"

Yeon Hwasim muttered as if complaining.

"There is still time. There will be a way."

Jungrang tried to stand up but staggered for a moment.

He had lost too much blood and had been caught in the rain.

Jungrang gritted his teeth, stood up, and went outside the thatched hut.

Jungrang surveyed the terrain. The hill where the thatched hut was located was not high, but it offered a clear view of the White Dragon Temple buildings.

Beyond the courtyard of White Dragon Temple, the vast Dongting Lake spread out.

Behind the thatched hut was a mountain.

'If only we had a boat.'

The Heavenly Martial Faction bastards would have already blocked all the roads.

The only way left was the lake.

As Jungrang was surveying the surroundings, Gu Yangun and a man from the Heavenly Martial Faction came up.

"Miss, please go inside."

Jungrang urged Yeon Hwasim to go into the thatched hut.

"No. I brought this upon myself, so you should go inside, Jungrang."

Before Yeon Hwasim could finish her words, Gu Yangun entered the courtyard of the thatched hut. Laughter echoed.

"Hahaha. I am so glad to meet Miss Yeon, the treasured jewel of the Three Blade Sect, like this."

Gu Yangun cupped his fists in a salute.

Gu Yangun could not hide his satisfaction.

Yeon Hwasim was a peerless beauty, even more so than he had heard.

When he was told about the marriage alliance with the Three Blade Sect, Gu Yangun could not accept it.

Gu Yangun had been with many women. An ordinary woman would not even catch his eye.

Moreover, Gu Yangun's ambitions were great.

He harbored the dream of one day surpassing his brothers and becoming the master of the Heavenly Martial Faction. Therefore, he might have been interested in the daughter of a large faction or a prestigious family, but the daughter of a insignificant sect in Wuhan was not to his liking.

He secretly believed that his brothers, who were wary of him, had arranged it, and he had gone to the Three Blade Sect to kill Yeon Hwasim and eliminate the pretext.

Coincidentally, as soon as he arrived, he heard that Yeon Hwasim had left the Three Blade Sect and gave chase.

But after chasing her for a few days, he thought she had a knack for escaping. And when he finally saw her, her appearance was also beyond his expectations.

'There aren't many women who have both talent and beauty.'

Gu Yangun nodded his head without realizing it.

Yeon Hwasim, who didn't know what Gu Yangun was thinking, felt as if he was mocking her.

"Are you Gu Yangun? Why are you chasing people?"

"Haha. Chasing you, miss? It seems you have misunderstood. Surely you don't mean to say you don't know that our faction has sent a marriage proposal to the Three Blade Sect? How can a man just stand by and watch when the woman who will be his future wife is out in the harsh martial world."

Gu Yangun's words were smooth.

"Marriage! Who gave you the right to talk about marriage? Then go back. The Three Blade Sect will never have a marriage with the Heavenly Martial Faction."

"That is for the elders to decide. Surely Miss Yeon, who is skilled in both literature and martial arts, would not go against the will of her family?"

Yeon Hwasim flared up and shouted, but Gu Yangun responded slyly.

Yeon Hwasim suppressed her anger and thought. She could not ruin a great matter because she could not endure a moment of humiliation.

If the enemy did not intend to harm her right away, she might be able to get a chance.

"I came all this way without even resting because of you people. If that is really the reason, then please leave. I need to rest well for a long time."

"Aha. I see. You have suffered hardships you didn't have to because I failed to convey my intentions properly. This is all my fault, so I must take responsibility. The warriors of our faction will stand guard, so you two please rest well. I will come again tomorrow."

Gu Yangun knew how to use his head.

'Hehe. You bitch are already in the palm of my hand. Do you think you can escape?'

There was no need to provoke Yeon Hwasim, who was already caught.

He pretended to retreat cleanly, but left four warriors behind, effectively putting Yeon Hwasim under house arrest.

"Let's go. You all need to rest too."

Having achieved his goal, Gu Yangun was generous to his subordinates as well.

Gu Yangun's party occupied White Dragon Temple.

Cheoludae had told them to discard their swords, but they didn't even pretend to listen.

They even brought in alcohol and meat and ate and drank to their heart's content.

***

Jungrang's wound was deep.

He fainted as soon as the tension was released and only woke up after two days. And even then, it was another week before he could move.

Fortunately, the abbot of White Dragon Temple, Cheoludae, was well-versed in medicine.

Cheoludae prepared medicine for him, and after taking it, Jungrang recovered quickly.

In the meantime, Gu Yangun visited Yeon Hwasim every day. He visited Yeon Hwasim during the day and played at the brothels of Yueyang at night. Perhaps tired of that life, he began to rush Yeon Hwasim one day.

"How about returning to the Three Blade Sect with me. The deadline is approaching, so I will personally obtain Sect Master Yeon's consent."

The Heavenly Martial Faction had given a deadline of three months when they sent the marriage proposal.

Gu Yangun emphasized that there was less than a month left to answer and pressured Yeon Hwasim daily.

Yeon Hwasim kept her distance, but because of Jungrang's injury, she could not flatly refuse.

She was burning with anxiety. It was as if she was in the palm of the enemy's hand.

***

Clear days continued for several days.

The memory of the dreadful downpour had already faded.

The water of Dongting Lake, visible in the distance, was blue, and the wind was cool.

Jungrang felt the autumn wind brush past his ears and looked at Dongting Lake in the distance.

Boats were coming and going near the horizon.

Jungrang looked at White Dragon Temple below the hill and the pavilion below the cliff.

'If I run at full speed, it will take about a quarter of an hour to the pier? It might take a little more than a quarter of an hour.'

There was a small pier below the pavilion. Almost no one visited White Dragon Temple by boat.

According to the young monk, a ferry that brought food ingredients came and went once every half a month.

Jungrang planned to use that boat to escape from Gu Yangun's grasp.

It would not even take a quarter of an hour to get from White Dragon Temple, which was occupied by the enemies, to the pavilion.

The path from the pavilion to the pier was a single path.

If he blocked that path and held on, he could buy time for Yeon Hwasim to get on the boat.

The ferry would come in ten days. He had to be able to use his sword by then.

Jungrang drew his sword and slowly unfolded his sword forms. Movements that used his shoulder a lot were still difficult.

"Jungrang, it has just barely healed. You shouldn't overdo it."

Yeon Hwasim, who had approached at some point, stopped him.

"Moving helps with recovery. Don't worry."

Jungrang thought about telling Yeon Hwasim his plan but decided against it.

The Yeon Hwasim he knew was not good at deceiving people.

If Yeon Hwasim knew the plan, there was a high possibility that Gu Yangun would find out.

Also, there were too many variables in the future. Clinging to a vain hope could lead to danger instead.

The variable that Jungrang was worried about came right away.

In the afternoon, Gu Yangun came up. His face was quite serious.

"Miss, I have received an order from the faction to return. I can't wait any longer. You must come with me."

Gu Yangun said as if giving a notice. Gu Yangun was ready to drag her away by force if necessary.

"Why do I have to go to the Heavenly Martial Faction?"

"The world is a dangerous place, how can I leave the woman I'm going to marry alone. A great turmoil will soon befall the martial world."

"A turmoil?"

"The master of the Yocheon Pavilion is dead."

"The Yocheon Pavilion Master?"

Yeon Hwasim asked back in surprise.

If the Heavenly Martial Faction was the powerhouse of the Hubei martial world, the Yocheon Pavilion was a force that held sway over the Hunan martial world and its surroundings.

"The Yocheon Pavilion, one of the Four Great Powers of the world, has lost its master. A storm of blood will surely blow."

Yeon Hwasim was gloomy.

If the Yocheon Pavilion lost its power, the Heavenly Martial Faction would become even more arrogant and run wild.

The reason Gu Yangun was trying to return right away was probably because of that.

"We will leave tomorrow. Be prepared."

Gu Yangun finished his words one-sidedly and went down the hill.

"If we are to escape, we only have tonight."

Jungrang muttered as he looked at Gu Yangun's back.

"Can you move?"

There was no strength in her voice as she asked.

"There is a small path over the mountain. Please leave tonight. I will block them."

This was the second plan that Jungrang had set up.

"I can't do that. Even if I go alone, it will be difficult to shake off their pursuit. It would be better to pretend to follow them and escape on the way."

Jungrang shook his head.

"Once we fall into their hands, it will be difficult to get out. Tonight is the chance."

"Jungrang's safety is also important to me. Shouldn't we buy as much time as possible?"

The two were heavy-hearted.

Even if Yeon Hwasim escaped alone as Jungrang said, there was no guarantee that she could return to the Three Blade Sect safely.

"I wish we had a boat..."

Yeon Hwasim muttered as she looked at a boat approaching from Dongting Lake in the distance. Then she said to Jungrang.

"Doesn't that boat seem to be coming this way?"

Jungrang also looked towards Dongting Lake.

Indeed, a small ferry was coming towards White Dragon Temple.

Yeon Hwasim jumped up. Her large, round eyes were suddenly full of life.

"Let's go! We just need to shake off the Heavenly Martial Faction bastards."

Jungrang looked at the fence surrounding the front of the thatched hut.

Outside the fence, two Heavenly Martial Faction warriors were standing guard. At first there were four, but as time passed, it had been reduced to two.

"There's no need to think anymore."

Yeon Hwasim packed her luggage and sword.

The warriors were on guard as Yeon Hwasim and Jungrang came out with their belongings packed.

"Where are you going?"

"Your young master told me to go to the Heavenly Martial Faction. Let's go down."

Yeon Hwasim said nonchalantly.

(End of Chapter)