Chapter : 78
Yeonhwa stood at the main gate of the Namgung residence and looked up at the signboard.
The feeling she had now, standing here to leave, was completely different from the feeling she had a short while ago when she returned after a long absence.
Yeonhwa didn’t linger to give a long farewell to Seong Yeontaek and Seong Haran, who had come to see her off.
She turned and rode off on Jeokryeok.
“Cold as ever…”
Seong Haran approached Seong Yeontaek, murmuring, trying to comfort him.
“Are you really worried? The carriage carrying those people is reinforced all around and even plated with iron. Extra precautions have been taken, so they won’t even dare try to escape.”
Mentioning the Namgung family, Seong Yeontaek said:
“Not them. I don’t even think of those guys anymore. Even if they went wild, they’d still be under the little lord’s feet.”
Could Samryeong have accomplished so much at that age?
Of course, Samryeong had also earned tremendous fame as a prodigy of the Martial Alliance at her age…
And then she had used Namgung Seonyu’s death as a stepping stone to build a new legend.
Even considering all that, she couldn’t be compared to her lord.
“Samryeong had a huge backing. The Nangam Gate of Muryoung was somewhat different and a mid-sized sect, but in terms of sheer martial power, it was stronger than the Namgung family. Moreover, the three of them each grew by emphasizing their strongest traits, helping each other to grow even more. But our little lord does everything alone.”
“That’s true. She is amazing.”
“Exactly. Seeing our little lord, I’m no longer afraid of Samryeong.”
“…Dad, that’s a bit…”
“I mean it. That doesn’t mean we can deliberately fight or get involved just because we aren’t afraid. It just means that even if they were in front of us, we wouldn’t freeze up or be powerless.”
Haran understood why her father said that and nodded.
“I’m still afraid. But with you and the little lord here, I’ll try my best.”
“I’m as proud of you as I am of the little lord.”
“Thank you, Dad.”
As father and daughter shared a proud look, some people hurriedly rode toward them from across the gate.
Seong Yeontaek tensed up, wary of what was happening, but Seong Haran held him back.
“Isn’t that the Danli Banner?”
As she spoke, the flag unfurled, revealing the characters “Danli Pyohaeng.”
With only two horses, there seemed to be no malicious intent.
When they reached the main gate, the two people dismounted.
They were siblings from the Danli Pyo Bureau.
“What brings you here?” Haran asked, and Danli Cheong hesitated.
Danli Sang pushed her older brother aside and stepped forward.
“Has the little lord already left? She kindly resolved all the issues regarding damaged goods at the customs office in Hyeonah! I came to thank her, but I just heard she’s leaving, so I hurried here!”
It seemed they had arrived a bit too late.
Danli Sang looked disappointed, and Haran comforted her.
“It was something the Namgung family should handle anyway. And when you two met before, you already showed so much goodwill that the little lord must have known without needing separate thanks.”
“Ah… sister, how do you always speak so nicely?”
Danli Sang’s eyes brightened.
“Sang-ah, what rude behavior is this?”
Danli Cheong quickly tried to stop her, his face turning red.
“Anyway, since you’re here, come in and have a cup of tea.”
As the conversation grew, Seong Yeontaek intervened.
“No, really, we’re fine!”
Danli Cheong politely declined, but Danli Sang did not.
“Really? Thank you! The people we met before were just weird, right? Everyone we’ve met here and with the little lord is so wonderful!”
Danli Sang quickly stuck close to Haran.
Haran, unsure how to handle her excessively enthusiastic personality, felt a little awkward but smiled soon enough.
Though they had been involved in unpleasant matters before, everything had been resolved. With the customs office tasks completed and having built ties with a competent and strong faction despite previous conflicts with the Namgung family, there was no harm in this.
Here was someone completely transparent, with no malice, filled only with goodwill.
As Haran entered the main gate with Danli Sang, she called to Danli Cheong, who had lingered behind.
“Aren’t you coming?”
Danli Cheong shook his head and quickly followed.
While those left behind focused on their tasks, new bonds were forming.
Yeonhwa’s group crossed Anhui into Hubei.
The shortest route was through Muan County directly to Yichang.
Yeonhwa pushed for maximum speed.
After passing Muan County, perhaps thinking the destination was near, the group noticeably relaxed.
“We will pass through Xiandu County to reach Xingzhou. From Xingzhou to Yichang, it won’t take more than a day if we move quickly. So far, nothing has gone wrong, and I expect the same until the end. Give it your all.”
As Yeonhwa looked at the group, they immediately straightened up, tension returning.
She checked on the captives in the carriage and rode to the front with Jeokryeok.
At the front, Yu Geonmyeong waited for her atop a black steed.
“The Changsudae has never operated outside, nor do they have escort experience. They try hard, but they are clumsy.”
Yeonhwa spoke. Yu Geonmyeong had thought the same all along, but they were still her subordinates.
No need to speak harshly; he changed the topic.
“Will they switch positions with the Changyoung Unit upon reaching the Alliance?”
“That’s the plan. I ordered the Changyoung Unit Leader to assist the Foreign Affairs Leader. Without anyone to help, efficiency would drop too much.”
Thus, they left the Changyoung Unit leader behind, taking over the Changsoo Unit, whose leader had been lost in the recent incident…
The Changyoung Unit would promote Haran to Unit Leader to assist her.
“Will the Changyoung Unit leader accept willingly?”
“It seems the Changyoung Unit leader is uncomfortable with the rise of your influence, Haran, so offering to swap positions might actually please him.”
If not, they could find another way.
Yu Geonmyeong looked back at the group.
Even during their brief conversation, the disciplined atmosphere maintained by Yeonhwa’s presence did not relax.
The group arrived at Xingzhou before sunset.
Now, Yichang, home of the Martial Alliance, was just ahead.
But from the moment they reached Xingzhou, a sense of foreboding didn’t leave until the group reorganized and prepared to move again.
Sure enough.
Wham!
As Yeonhwa’s group climbed a low, deserted ridge, hidden projectiles flew toward them.
“Heehing, heeheeing!”
Jeokryeok reared, lifting its front legs high.
Although the slope was gentle, it was enough to throw the rider off balance, yet the agile steed quickly stabilized with its hind legs.
Not all horses were as capable as Jeokryeok.
A single ambush broke the formation.
Thud, thud, thud-thud!
The following horses wavered.
Slipping and panicking, they tangled together as shouts and neighs echoed across the ridge.
Fortunately, their slow pace prevented serious injury, but chaos reigned.
“Who are you?!”
Yeonhwa shouted at the group blocking their path, the Martial Alliance so near.
“I am the Little Lord of the Namgung family! Reveal yourselves!”
Yeonhwa did not assume her attackers didn’t know her.
She only intended to buy time.
She hoped anyone could use even a short moment to regain composure and protect themselves.
Then she checked.
“Are you from the Demon Sect?”
Few in the current martial world would openly oppose her like this.
In truth, there was no need for doubt.
Swish!
Without waiting for an answer, Yeonhwa drew her sword, and lethal intent flared from both sides.
Chaeng, chaeng!
The Changsudae members and elite fighters assigned by Seong Yeontaek formed a defensive line.
“Encircle them! No hypocrites from the Martial Alliance escape from here!”
Enemies appeared not only on the sides but also behind them, closing the net.
The restricted space inevitably put them at a disadvantage.
Even with chaos behind her, Yeonhwa never looked back.
Her sword pointed only forward.
As if signaling she would go first, someone leaped from the highest branch of a tree on her left.
“Did you see me?”
First, a bluish hand caught the eye.
Then, a somewhat ordinary face with dark, intense killing intent.
The woman standing in the middle of the path, facing Yeonhwa, was anything but normal.
“It’s a Demon Sect member,” Yeonhwa murmured under her breath.
Her voice carried not fear but a strange excitement.
Surprised by this unexpected reaction, the woman instinctively took a step back.
