Chapter 66. Those Who Smelled (1)

Bang!

The front gate swung open, and Wei Honglian entered.

"Master! I'm here! Let's have some wine... Huh?"

She blinked her eyes.

"Oh, you were cleaning?"

"..."

"Why are you so surprised all of a sudden?"

"Hic."

Anghwa's face was pale. The broom in her hand was trembling, indicating that she was more than just startled.

Wei Honglian smacked her lips.

"Where is the Master?"

"..."

"Hey, maid!"

"Yes, yes!"

"Where is the Master? Hey? Why can't I sense his presence? Is he not here?"

Being startled was secondary. Anghwa was at a loss on how to deal with the other's rudeness.

To enter the residence of the sect leader's disciple so casually? Without prior notice, and without even knocking on the door.

"The Master... is not here right now..."

"Who doesn't know that? I said I can't sense his presence!"

"…Hic."

"Stop hiccupping and tell me. Where is the Master?"

"He... went to practice."

"Practice? What kind of practice?"

"I don't really know..."

Wei Honglian grumbled.

"Damn, what a fuss. Not only is he strong, but he's also holed up to practice? Really."

Anghwa was pondering. Should she curse the Master for the rudeness, or should she hit the other with the broom?

Snap.

Her grip on the broom tightened.

At that moment, Wei Honglian leaned in close to Anghwa's nose.

"Hey."

"…Yes?"

"Tell the Master that the Great Demon Master came. Got it?"

"…"

"Got it? Why aren't you answering... Huh?"

Thud.

Anghwa fainted on the spot. She was so startled that it only just dawned on her that the other was the Great Demon Master.

Wei Honglian frowned.

"What a mess. That guy has such a strange maid in his service?"

She grumbled and moved Anghwa to the room. No matter what, she couldn't leave her lying on the ground.

After roughly placing Anghwa on Xuliang's bed, Wei Honglian dusted off her hands and came out.

At that moment, a sword caught her eye.

'Huh?'

A four-foot-long sword leaning against the wall. It was clearly the sword Xuliang used.

"Look at this guy? He said he's practicing but left his sword?"

Hmm.

She stared at the sword intently and shrugged.

"Maybe he went to practice his punches. Damn! I came all this way after a long time."

Wei Honglian grumbled as she left the residence. She had planned to watch the disciples practice and have a drink.

If she had come half an hour earlier, Xuliang would have been quite troubled. He would have surely chased after her, insisting on practicing together.

At that moment, the transport team of Huanyuan was crossing the boundary between the inner and outer courts.

* * *

Knock, knock, knock.

The carriage moved neither too fast nor too slow.

They don't speed up within the sect unless it's an emergency. Especially in the inner court, where the palace of the gods is located, utmost silence is required.

Thus, it took some time to reach the boundary between the inner and outer courts from Huanyuan.

'Slow.'

Perhaps it feels particularly slow because he wants to leave as soon as possible.

Xuliang didn't notice that his face was flushed. Of course, with half his face covered by a mask, no one could see it.

'Finally leaving.'

His lips curled up involuntarily. Before getting into the carriage, Anghwa and Madong were annoying, but now he couldn't think of anything else.

He just wanted to leave this place as quickly as possible.

While he was looking out the window, trying to calm his racing heart, he heard a voice.

"I'm sorry."

Xuliang turned to Zhuhua.

Zhuhua was bowing. Even though she was seated, her posture was very respectful.

"I was rude to you, not knowing you were the Third Master."

"Did you hear that from the sect leader?"

"Yes."

"Still, when were you rude?"

"On the first day."

Xuliang chuckled.

"You people make a big fuss over nothing. It's fine, forget about it. I didn't even notice. I should be the one apologizing for entering your room without permission."

"That's too much to bear."

Whether you can handle it or not.

Xuliang didn't care about her at all. He would keep his promise to check on her condition during the journey, but he was busy managing his own emotions.

'How long has it been?'

It had been almost a year since he woke up as the Third Master of the Heavenly Horse Sect.

A short time or a long time. To Xuliang, it felt like ten years before he could finally breathe the outside air.

And not just a casual outing, but a possible permanent escape.

'I'm sorry to the sect leader, but...'

What can you do? Ultimately, the world is worthless unless 'I' exist.

I must live for the world to exist. If I keep feeling guilty, I won't be able to live the life I truly want.

Xuliang rubbed his hands.

'They said the destination is near Jiangxi?'

His nostrils flared. His lips had been curled up for a while, his neck tingled, and goosebumps ran down his body.

He almost wet himself.

'Not a bad destination.'

He had two safe houses in Jiangxi.

Of course, both were quite far from the adjacent regions of Guangdong.

As he moved further south, he would get closer to the territory of the martial arts world, so there was no reason to go further south.

But it wasn't too far. With his current skills, he could reach the adjacent regions in four days and nights without rest.

Once he got there...

"Master."

"Huh? Why?"

"Allow me to express my gratitude again. If it weren't for you, I would have been trapped in the swamp of demonic possession for life."

Xuliang snorted.

"There's no need to thank me. I just knew the method, and it was Sect Leader Xiao who saved you using that method."

"Still..."

"Enough, stop it."

Zhuhua closed her mouth. She could tell from Xuliang's tone that he was genuinely annoyed.

'...He's hard to read.'

She knew there was something hidden. She also realized that the current Third Master was much more terrifying than in the past.

But it was hard to grasp anything more. A person's character can't be understood from just a few meetings, but the Third Master was particularly ambiguous.

Knock, knock, knock.

"..."

The carriage's sound was the only noise in the silence.

How much time had passed?

"Huh?"

Zhuhua looked up at Xuliang's sudden, dazed voice.

His eyes were hidden by the mask, but it was clear he was very surprised.

"What, what is it?"

"Master? Why are you like that?"

Xuliang didn't hear her. His senses were focused on the window of the carriage.

'Huh? Huh?'

What is this familiar aura? This heavy, yet honest aura...

'Can't be... right?'

A moment later.

"I am Lian Er, the leader of this transport team."

"I am the Third Squad Leader. We will escort you to the destination and back."

"I received the official notice four days ago. Please take care of us."

"Of course. I will open the way."

Rumble!

A huge sound echoed as the gate to the outer court opened.

At the same time, voices could be heard. The guards were checking the final permissions as the gate opened.

Xuliang's mouth opened like a fish.

'What? Third Squad Leader? Third Squad?'

Was the transport team originally supposed to be escorted by the Law Enforcement Hall? If so, why have a transport team? The transport team is a temporary organization of skilled people.

No, leaving that aside.

"Why Madong?!"

"Excuse me?"

Xuliang, startled, looked at Zhuhua. She was looking at him with a puzzled expression.

"Never mind. By the way, how is your body, Chief?"

"Oh, it's fine."

"Did you practice today?"

"I practiced for about an hour this morning."

"Let's do it one more time, just in case."

"Wh-What?!"

"Come on!"

Xuliang quickly grabbed Zhuhua's wrist.

It was natural, but it was so fast that she couldn't avoid it. Of course, avoiding the Third Master's hand was an impossible feat.

"Sleep is the best medicine. Just rest a bit. Got it?"

"S-Sir..."

Thud!

Zhuhua fainted. The carriage was spacious enough for a person to lie down comfortably.

At the same time, Xuliang's face, filled with urgency, secretly gathered his inner energy.

[Hey!]

Madong, startled by the sharp mental voice, flinched.

'Hmm?'

What is this familiar voice?

'...Master?'

He shook his head inwardly.

'Maybe I'm hearing things.'

After all, he had been practicing too much lately. He was so engrossed in martial arts that he didn't sleep and just swung his sword.

He rested yesterday, but his fatigue might not have fully recovered.

"The transport team of Huanyuan, thirty-one people, and the Third Squad of the Law Enforcement Hall, fifty-one people, a total of eighty-two people have been confirmed. Please have a safe trip."

"Thank you."

Knock, knock, knock.

Many carriages and horsemen passed through the outer court.

Madong was about to lead the way at the front when...

[You bastard! Are you ignoring me?]

"Ah!"

Madong, startled, looked around again.

'What, what is this?'

Is it just my imagination again? No, this is definitely the Master's mental voice.

But I can't tell where it's coming from. I can't sense the Master's aura at all.

At that moment, the window of the last carriage opened.

[You idiot, what are you looking at? Here, here!]

[What? Master?]

[Yeah, man!]

[Master, how are you here...? Could you be part of this transport team?]

[...Something like that. But what about you? Why is the Law Enforcement Hall escorting the transport team?]

[That, that can't be... According to the documents, your name wasn't listed. But why...?]

[You bastard, when someone asks you a question, don't just babble. Hey, man! Why is the Law Enforcement Hall escorting