Chapter 94. The Taiyi Secret (5)

Lee Jin-ho, the son of Lee Geon-chul, was named Lee Jin-ho. As expected, he was about 15 years old. After briefly introducing ourselves, we decided to take him to Aksan County together.

"Staying in Musan Village is dangerous."

Although I lied earlier, saying I was from the Saha Gate to save Lee Jin-ho, the Goryeong Bang isn't stupid and won't be fooled for long. They must have seen me at the inn, fighting with Baek Beom. Even if we can deceive them for a moment, they will quickly figure out who broke the heads of the kidnappers after examining the wounds.

"I wish we could fool them for at least half a day."

But that was just my hope. We needed to leave Musan Village as soon as possible and head to Aksan County to seek help from Seocheon Sword Maiden.

I looked at Lee Jin-ho, who had a somewhat scrawny build, and asked, "Can you use lightness skills?"

"Um... Yes, I can."

Lee Jin-ho hesitated for a moment, then nodded and answered. It was fortunate.

"Great. Baek Beom, let's head to Aksan County right away."

"That sounds good."

So, we started running towards Aksan County in the middle of the night. There was no time to waste.

However...

"Ugh! Ugh!"

Less than an hour into our run, Lee Jin-ho started vomiting and writhing in agony. At first, he seemed to be keeping up, but he gradually fell behind and eventually stopped, vomiting yellow bile.

I patted his back, wondering what was wrong with him, and asked, "What's wrong? Did you not eat?"

Lee Jin-ho shook his head weakly and replied, "N-no... Ugh!"

Before he could finish, he vomited again, so violently that he soon fainted, foaming at the mouth and rolling his eyes.

I turned to Baek Beom and asked, "What do we do now?"

"I don't know. Why is he like this?"

Baek Beom looked at Lee Jin-ho with a bewildered expression and asked me. But I'm not a doctor... I had no idea what was happening.

Surely, the descendant of the Taiyi Sword Sage wouldn't faint from just an hour of running due to lack of stamina.

'Maybe it's due to the psychological trauma from losing his father.'

It was a plausible explanation. After all, he's just a middle school-aged kid. Thinking about it, I felt a surge of sympathy deep within me.

'Tsk, tsk...'

I sighed inwardly, feeling sorry for the fallen Lee Jin-ho, then turned to Baek Beom and said, "Perhaps he's suffering from a mental demon due to the loss of his father."

"Hmm... A mental demon. That could be it."

Baek Beom nodded, understanding my point. After all, his only family member died today; how could he remain calm?

I examined Lee Jin-ho and, seeing that he wouldn't wake up soon, said to Baek Beom, "Given the situation, could you carry this young man, Baek Beom?"

There was no time to waste. We needed to get to Aksan County as soon as possible to plan our next move. However, Baek Beom resisted.

"What? Why should I carry him? You should do it!"

Really, at such a critical moment, we had to argue about this. I replied with a genuinely frustrated expression, "If I, a mere third-rate practitioner, carry him, we'll both fall. It's best if you carry him, Baek Beom."

If I were at least a second-rate practitioner, I could have carried and run, but it was a pity. I needed to practice harder from tomorrow.

Baek Beom, hearing this, spat, "What kind of realm is that? You were second-rate yesterday!"

"I'm just inconsistent."

Even top athletes have off days. Today was one of those days for me.

'It's like a slump.'

But Baek Beom continued to resist, so after a long period of persuasion and negotiation, we finally decided that I would carry one-third of Lee Jin-ho, and Baek Beom would carry two-thirds.

'Now, we need to get to Aksan County quickly.'

My mind was filled with worries about what to do next. This martial world was anything but easy.

***

The next day, when we arrived in Aksan County at noon, I finally breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the sweat from my face.

"Now, we need to go to the Aksan branch of the Ami Sect and ask for help."

"Hmm, right."

Baek Beom also looked quite tired. After two intense battles and carrying a child all night, it was natural. He seemed quite exhausted, though he didn't show it.

'I'm in a similar state.'

I was extremely tired, but I couldn't hesitate. We needed to meet Seocheon Sword Maiden as soon as possible and ask for protection.

I wasn't sure how much influence Seocheon Sword Maiden had in the Ami Sect, but I believed she could protect us for a few days.

First, I thought we should ask Lee Jin-ho if there was any place where we could get help and send him there.

'The Taiyi Sword Sage was from the Wudang Sect, so maybe there's a connection there.'

If all else fails, we might have to consider negotiating with the Goryeong Bang using the Moonlight Secret.

After that, we could bring Seocheon Sword Maiden to Maeyang County, depending on the situation.

With this plan in mind, we headed to the Aksan branch of the Ami Sect.

"What is this?"

"I'm not sure."

The gate of the Aksan branch was firmly closed, and a sign prohibiting entry by outsiders was hung.

"Let me see what it says."

I started reading the content on the sign. It was filled with various adjectives and phrases, making it somewhat difficult to read, but in summary, it said, "Due to a serious incident, we will not be receiving visitors for a while."

'What a coincidence. Just when we need them, they're closed.'

I couldn't hide my bewilderment as I looked at Baek Beom and asked, "Is it common for them to refuse visitors due to some incident?"

"I've never seen this before... What could have happened?"

Baek Beom also looked puzzled. I felt quite stuck.

'Without the Aksan branch, we can't communicate with the Ami Sect.'

The Aksan branch, while a branch of the Ami Sect, was more like a gateway to the main mountain. Since the Ami Sect is a male-free zone, they established the branch in Aksan County, just below the mountain, and placed lay disciples there to act as a gateway.

'I need to know how long this will last before we can decide whether to return.'

With no other choice, I decided to ask the people doing business around the branch.

After asking around for a while, I finally learned the truth about the Aksan branch's closure from the innkeeper.

"Really? A murder case?"

"Shh! Quiet, quiet!"

The innkeeper put his hand to his mouth and looked around to see if anyone was listening, then lowered his voice and said, "Yes. I don't know the details, but a murder case happened within the Ami Sect. They've closed the gates to find the culprit. It might not open until the case is solved."

"Wow... That's serious."

It was indeed a serious matter.

Surprised, I opened my mouth, and the innkeeper sighed and clicked his tongue.

"We're also in a bind. Our business has dropped significantly."

"That's understandable."

I comforted the innkeeper while thinking to myself, 'A murder case within the sect.'

It's a rare occurrence, especially for a major sect like the Ami Sect. Sects are like extended families, bound by strong ties beyond blood.

'If it's an internal crime, it's a serious problem.'

It's almost like a family murder. I could understand why the Ami Sect locked the gates and was determined to find the culprit.

"By the way, do you know who the victim was?"

Worried that it might be Seocheon Sword Maiden, I cautiously asked. The innkeeper shook his head.

"Someone with a title, I think, but I don't know the details. Many Ami Sect members never leave the mountain, so I don't recognize many of them."

Fortunately, it didn't seem to be Seocheon Sword Maiden. I thanked the innkeeper for the information and paid the agreed four days' lodging fee in advance, then went up to my room.

Lee Jin-ho was already awake.

"Oh, you're up?"

"Yes, yes..."

Lee Jin-ho, looking a bit awkward, made a bow and thanked us.

"I deeply appreciate your help, Sir Seong. I heard from Sir Baek earlier. If it weren't for the two of you, I would have met the same fate as my father at the hands of the Goryeong Bang."

"Umm..."

Seeing Lee Jin-ho express his gratitude so formally, I felt a slight pang in my heart.

'Finally hearing the title 'Sir'.'

I closed my eyes for a moment, savoring the feeling, when Baek Beom, who had been staring at me, said, "Why are you closing your eyes? Are you sleepy?"

"That's not it... Never mind."

The mood was ruined.

I grumbled to myself and started explaining to the two of them.

"Let me explain why the Aksan branch is closed."

"Hmm. What happened exactly?"

"It's like this..."

I told them what I had learned, including the murder case in the Ami Sect and the uncertainty about when the gates would open. After hearing the story, Baek Beom frowned and said, "This is a headache. We don't know how long the gates will remain closed."

"That's right."

It would be fortunate if the gates opened in a few days, but for now, we could only wait until the culprit was caught.

"Hmm..."

Baek Beom let out a long sigh. Lee Jin-ho, sensing the tension, hesitantly asked me, "Why is this a problem?"

"Well, it's like this... It's..."

After a long explanation, Lee Jin-ho finally nodded.

"I see... That's the reason."

"Right. We came here for that reason, and now with the gates closed, we're at a loss."

If things didn't improve, we might have to return to Maeyang County.

As I thought this, Baek Beom, who had been listening to our conversation, yawned and waved his hand, saying, "Let's just get some sleep. Worrying won't solve anything."

"Hmm... You're right."

Sometimes, taking a break when you're stuck is a good strategy. We decided to stop thinking and get some rest.

***

After a long sleep, we decided on a plan of action while waiting for the Aksan branch to open. I would be the only one going out, while the two of them would stay in the room.

'I'm the least exposed.'

Baek Beom was somewhat famous, and Lee Jin-ho was a target of the Goryeong Bang, so they could be recognized if they went out. But I was just a low-level bodyguard, so I could move around freely without being noticed.

In the end, I would have to do all the legwork.

We followed this plan, but even after three days, there was no sign of the gates opening.

'Is this going to last for months?'

We hadn't planned for a long stay, so it was a bit of a dilemma. By the fourth day, we were seriously considering returning to Maeyang County.

Today, after visiting the Aksan branch and returning to the inn, I saw a waiter peeking at our door, as if trying to eavesdrop.

I had clearly told the innkeeper not to let anyone into our room.

"What are you doing?"

"A, customer..."

"What is it?"

I lightly pressed him, and the waiter, looking embarrassed, said, "Well, the snoring from this room is so loud that other guests have complained."

"..."

─Rumble, grind... Rumble, grind...

Sure enough, the loud snoring could be heard from outside the room. The culprit was obvious. I sighed and told the waiter I would take care of it.

When I entered the room, Baek Beom was sound asleep.

'I wish he would either snore or grind his teeth, but not both.'

Perhaps the impressive figure he showed a few days ago was just a brief moment of glory, like a last burst of energy before death.

I sighed and adjusted the position of the pillow Baek Beom was using. This made him quieter for a while.

'Good. It's quieter now.'

I sighed deeply and turned around to see Lee Jin-ho sitting at the table, reading the Analects of Confucius in front of the memorial tablets of his parents and the servant he had seen in the hut.

I had asked him before why he was studying the Analects and placing the memorial tablets, and he said it made him more motivated. That's what he said.

I patted his shoulder and asked, "How's your studying going?"

"Ah, brother. You're back?"

I had him call me 'brother' instead of 'Sir' because hearing 'Sir' all the time made me feel awkward. He tried to stand up to greet me, but I stopped him and asked, "No, stay seated. How's your studying?"

"Yes, it... is going well."

When I asked this, like an uncle checking on his nephew, Lee Jin-ho hesitated and said it was going well. We had become quite close over the past few days, but he still seemed a bit awkward and hesitant when speaking.

I grumbled, seeing Baek Beom start snoring again, "That guy is snoring while you're studying. What a nuisance."

"No, it doesn't bother me much."

"Alright. I understand."

I patted his back lightly, encouraging him to work hard, and kept the rest to myself.

'Work hard, kid. Don't use shortcuts like I did for the 100-day study plan.'

I was lost in thought for a moment. It was a regret I still had.

'I should have used the 200-day study plan.'

That would have changed my college experience.

To explain why Lee Jin-ho was suddenly studying the Analects, we need to go back to the first day we arrived.

***

After a long nap, Baek Beom woke up and, seeing that Lee Jin-ho was still weak, used his internal energy to check his condition. To his surprise, Lee Jin-ho's internal energy was at a level far below three years of practice.

I finally understood why Lee Jin-ho had fainted. It wasn't due to a mental demon but simply from exhaustion due to a lack of internal energy.

Running for an hour with such weak internal energy was bound to cause this. Baek Beom provided some basic first aid and then asked Lee Jin-ho, "Why is your internal energy so weak?"

Lee Jin-ho, though from a renowned martial family, had internal energy that was barely at a three-year level. It was understandable why Baek Beom was bewildered.

Lee Jin-ho, looking