Chapter 33
Leaving the unwelcome encounter behind, Xi Xichang and the escorts of the Seo Won Escort Agency soon arrived at the entrance of a mountain village with the Kunlun Mountains at its back.
This place, shrouded in clouds and fog, felt desolate, and even considering that it was a mountain village, it was quite dilapidated, and the burnt and collapsed house sites were hideously revealing themselves.
The few residents who were occasionally seen were also very wary of outsiders.
"Hmm... it seems something has happened."
Huang Feihu, who had been visiting this place regularly, could not hide his flustered expression at the sight of the ruined village.
"Where did you say this place was?"
"It's a village called Xiaolun Village."
"Are there any other villages?"
"If you leave this place, you will immediately enter the Kunlun Mountains, so this is the only place where you can relieve your journey's fatigue."
Xi Xichang, as if disappointed by Huang Feihu's answer, looked around a little more.
It seemed that the comfortable rest she had hoped for was out of the question.
"Was the village in this state before?"
Huang Feihu shook his head at Jin Tianxiang's question.
"It was a small but not too difficult village to stay in. Let's go to the tavern for now."
The party, who had hurried their way under Huang Feihu's guidance, stopped their steps when they found a half-collapsed tavern.
"Open for business?"
Whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, a flag with the words 'Open for business' was proudly erected in front of the door of the miserable tavern.
Since it was the only tavern where those who climbed the Kunlun Mountains could stay, customers were also coming and going, although it was rare.
"Let's find out the reason later and relieve our journey's fatigue here for now."
Following the words of Huang Feihu, who could be said to be the leader of the party, Xi Xichang and the rest of the party entered the tavern for now.
After they went up to the second floor of the tavern, a waiter appeared with slow steps after a little while.
"Welcome."
The waiter who greeted them was an elderly man who was too old for a waiter.
"Old man Wu, it's been a long time."
"Oh my~ isn't this Head Escort Huang!"
The two greeted each other warmly, as if they knew each other.
"Old man Wu is the owner of this tavern. But why are you working as a waiter? And where is the boy who used to work here?"
"A few years after you last visited, a great disaster struck the village."
"A disaster?"
"A child who lived on the big tree hill went missing, and after that, some rascals set fire to the village in the dead of night and killed countless people. The boy who worked as a waiter here also died then."
"My goodness... what did the authorities do?"
"How can the power of the authorities reach such a remote place... I heard that the one who came to investigate said it was the work of martial artists, but since the identity and reason are unknown, we have no choice but to live thinking that we were struck by lightning from a clear sky."
"Such a tragedy..."
Xi Xichang and Liu Yezhi also could not easily relax their stiff expressions.
If they were martial artists of the righteous path, they would have to find the evil masters who had committed such a terrible act and surely realize justice.
But after the rise of the Black Contemplation Fortress, Sichuan and Qinghai were no different from the strongholds of the evil path masters.
Moreover, in a remote place like this, no one would step forward to solve the case.
Since there was a powerful force, the martial artists of the righteous path were also driven to the center, like the Martial Arts Alliance, and the number of righteous heroes who had taken on the role of a vigilante group had also greatly decreased.
And since it was unlikely that the Martial Arts Alliance, which was keeping the demonic cult in check, would send people to a place like this, in the end, the damage had become a homework that the authorities and civilians had to bear.
"Fortunately, no tragedy has occurred again since then. Oh my, I've been talking for too long..."
The owner of the tavern, after calculating the lodging fees for Huang Feihu and the people of the escort agency, and Xi Xichang, slowly disappeared somewhere.
"Hmm... we will depart in the morning, so please rest well today. I will get up first to check if there is anything the authorities have missed."
"Yes."
As Huang Feihu and Jin Tianxiang left, Liu Yezhi also could not stay still and left the tavern, saying that he would follow them and investigate separately.
As everyone left, Xi Xichang sat down in a chair and placed the sword at her waist on the table. She had not slept properly for a single breath since she had left the Qingcheng Sect.
Xi Xichang, who was left alone, calmly stroked her chest.
This item was no different from the last way to save the endangered Qingcheng.
The sword manual of the Ten Thousand Sword Master.
She was also a martial artist.
Sometimes, she had the urge to open the wooden box and learn the sword manual of the Ten Thousand Sword Master, who was called the number one person in the world of the previous generation.
But even if she opened the wooden box and learned the sword manual now, she did not have the ability to change the tide.
The fact that the Ten Thousand Sword Master had left for the forbidden zone, the Hermit's Valley, was a secret that only the sect leader knew within the Qingcheng Sect.
Only the Ten Thousand Sword Master would be a preparation for the threat that was approaching Qingcheng at every moment, and moreover, he would be the light that would clear the dark clouds of the Sichuan martial world.
"That person..."
Xi Xichang, who was looking out the window, hurriedly grabbed her sword that was on the table.
Someone from below the window was waving his hand and greeting her.
Thwack!
As Xi Xichang, who had flown out of the window on the second floor in one go, looked around, he was already about three zhang away.
"Tu Xingsun!"
Tu Xingsun was sneering and provoking her.
It was clear that he had business with her, as she had unpleasantly expected when they had first met.
'Could it be that the information has leaked to other places as well...?'
Regardless of righteousness or evil, the secret manual of a peerless master was enough to be the object of greed.
Perhaps the man in front of her was a person who had been instigated by other people. An enemy whose identity was unknown was the most dangerous opponent.
'I must find out his identity.'
As Xi Xichang took a stance to draw her sword, Tu Xingsun turned his head and showed his back to Xi Xichang.
"Stop right there!"
Seeing Tu Xingsun who was turning his body in a hurry and running away as if to flee, Xi Xichang felt an urgent heart and displayed her lightness skill to chase him.
Even though she had flown her body like an arrow and had displayed her lightness skill with all her might, Tu Xingsun was running around here and there, as if he could be caught but not caught.
'What a ghostly lightness skill!'
Xi Xichang, who had been chasing him for a long time, realized that Tu Xingsun was deliberately maintaining a distance and luring her, even though he could have escaped long ago if he had wanted to.
But by the time she realized that, she had already left Xiaolun Village and had come out to a remote forest path.
As she stopped, Tu Xingsun, who had been running around, also stopped his steps.
It would have been better if he had lured her deeper, but even just this much distance was enough to buy the time he wanted.
"What on earth is your identity?"
"If I am a nuisance to you, there is a way to chase me away at once. It's not even difficult."
"I'd really like to know."
"You just need to hand over the item in your pocket to me."
"How dare you!"
Xi Xichang, who thought that Tu Xingsun had revealed his true colors, immediately took a ready stance and took a stance to draw her sword.
But Tu Xingsun was still looking at such a Xi Xichang, grinning.
But he was cheering inwardly.
He had only tested her once, but seeing her reaction, it was clear that the item called the 'sword manual' actually existed.
This alone was no different from a great harvest.
"If you don't like that, there is also a way to go back now. What kind of trouble is this, coming all this way?"
"You bastard, don't tell me... are you from the Black Contemplation Fortress!"
"I am the leader of the Book Burning Squad of the Black Contemplation Fortress. Please put that sword away and let's talk peacefully."
"How did you follow me?"
"There is no place in the world where the eyes of the Black Contemplation Fortress do not reach, and there is no place where the information of the Black Contemplation Fortress does not reach."
A desolate, ghostly energy was in the face of Tu Xingsun, who had been smiling until now.
"Ah... those are the words of the adult I serve. Actually, there are many places that are not visible, and there are mountains of information that are not known."
"Stop joking!"
"To speak seriously, if the item you possess is a 'genuine article', wouldn't it be difficult to handle? If you obediently follow the trend, it is the generosity of our fortress to not treat you poorly."
"You bastard!"
"Now, give me the item. Or will you really see blood?"
In a touch-and-go situation, someone's voice echoed.
"I am also interested in that item that Sect Leader Xi is said to have. Can't you let me in on it too?"
"Lion Escort King!"
Huang Feihu had been observing Tu Xingsun's actions carefully since he had discovered him.
But Xi Xichang had moved, chasing Tu Xingsun, and Huang Feihu, who had been trying to watch the situation from a distance, had no choice but to step forward when she seemed to be in danger.
If the reason the Black Contemplation Fortress was chasing them so much was because of the item they possessed, Huang Feihu could also roughly guess what kind of item it was.
'The sword manual of the Ten Thousand Sword Master...'
The mere fact that the sword manual of the Ten Thousand Sword Master had reappeared in the martial world was enough to cause a bloodbath.
And yet, the fact that she was heading to the Hermit's Valley with it meant that the matter of using the sword manual in the Hermit's Valley was important enough to risk the danger.
'I'm not in a position to say anything to Head Escort Jin.'
Huang Feihu was glad that Jin Tianxiang was not there.
"Even if you are the king of head escorts, you are still an escort. Are you saying you will interfere even though you know I am a person from the Black Contemplation Fortress?"
"Hmph..."
"Why are you laughing?"
"No... I think I've heard similar words somewhere."
As Huang Feihu set his crescent moon blade at an angle, a tiger-like momentum soon assailed Tu Xingsun.
"Lion Heart...!"
Tu Xingsun let out a low groan.
Although he had belittled Huang Feihu as a mere escort, he knew well how great his martial prowess was.
The Book Burning Squad of the Black Contemplation Fortress was a group whose main purpose was to collect information under the overall supervision of Shiyue.
It was unlikely that Tu Xingsun, who was the leader of such a Book Burning Squad, did not know about Huang Feihu's information.
The frivolity from until now disappeared, and a tension flowed. Soon, Tu Xingsun raised both his hands and retorted lightly.
"This... how can I compete with the king of escorts?"
"If you have no intention of fighting, go back immediately!"
At Xi Xichang's sharp voice, Tu Xingsun made a sad expression.
"I've grown quite fond of you, but you're so heartless."
"You...!"
"Even if you find the Hermit's Valley, if you think you will get what you want, you are greatly mistaken. I am worried that you will only get a greater despair."
"...!"
As Xi Xichang was about to retort, Tu Xingsun this time opened his mouth with a desolate voice towards Huang Feihu.
"I know well that the Seo Won Escort Agency is supplying goods to the Hermit's Valley... but you should know well that the Black Contemplation Fortress is not so lenient as to turn a blind eye to this matter."
Huang Feihu's sword-like eyebrows twitched. He tore off the band wrapped around his forearm in one go.
"After this escort mission, I will no longer be an escort."
"That is a matter for our fortress to decide. In any case, I hope you both achieve what you want..."
Tu Xingsun, after finishing his words, which were not known if they were a blessing or a curse, disappeared from the sight of the two as if he had sunk into the ground.
Xi Xichichang looked around the spot where Tu Xingsun had disappeared, but there was no trace of Tu Xingsun to be found anywhere.
It was a ghostly lightness skill.
"Hmm..."
A mournful groan came from Huang Feihu's mouth.
"I'm sorry... for interfering in my affairs..."
"It was my choice. Before I became an escort, I was also a martial artist who had received the teachings of the righteous path martial arts. It is natural for martial arts comrades to help each other."
The fact that Huang Feihu, who was even called the Escort King, had declared that he would quit being an escort because he had made an enemy of the Black Contemplation Fortress was surely not a small matter for him.
Xi Xichang was greatly impressed by the sense of righteousness he had displayed to help her, and she could not hide her gratitude and apology.
"Now, since I've decided to help, I will help you to your destination, Sect Leader Xi. If so, isn't it time for you to tell me the reason for heading to the Hermit's Valley?"
"It's a bit of a long story. Let's go to the tavern."
Xi Xichang quietly nodded and moved her feet towards the lodging of the tavern with Huang Feihu.
(End of Chapter)