Chapter 24 The carriage stopped at a village near Xiangyang in Hubei Province.
However, calling it a village hardly seemed fitting—it was scarcely different from the central districts of Hubei they had passed over the past few days.
"I could have sworn I heard it was a village… In Hubei, do they call places like this villages?"
"This region has long been the heart of the continent. And with Xiangyang nearby, it's larger than most."
After finishing a light meal at a nearby inn, Yulim decided to depart first to hasten toward Mount Hua.
"Young Master Namgung, Miss Namgung. I feel as though I have received far too much help to simply leave like this… Is there truly no way for me to repay this kindness?"
Yeo Il understood the sentiment, but this matter was too deeply tied to the Namgung Clan's internal affairs to involve Yulim.
If she answered honestly—that they were searching for traces of her birth mother, whose identity remained uncertain—it would inevitably damage the Namgung Clan's prestige. At least, the real Namgung Soyo would have thought so.
"Your words alone are enough. But you must transport the treasure as swiftly as possible, so it is best that we part ways here. If fate permits, we will meet again."
"Hoho. Miss Namgung is more resolute than she appears."
They bid farewell to Yulim, who looked reluctant.
Not long after, Jin Cheong-ak excused himself to survey the surroundings, and Namgung Hui-myeong led the remaining three to the largest inn to check the guest registry.
"You there, server. We were to meet companions here. Has anyone by the name of Anhui checked in?"
"Anhui, you say? Just a moment."
As the server left to check—
A man wearing a black bamboo hat approached and tapped Namgung Hui-myeong on the shoulder.
"Hui-myeong."
Because Yeo Il could only open her eyes slightly, all she saw was the man's right arm tightly wrapped in plain cloth, reddish blood seeping through.
But that was enough.
"And Soyo as well. You both arrived safely. That is a relief."
The voice confirmed it.
"…Huh."
Namgung Hui-myeong's eyes widened.
"Elder Brother Jeok-myeong?"
The one waiting for them was none other than the Sogaju (Clan Heir), Namgung Jeok-myeong.
Namgung Jeok-myeong moved personally?
While Yeo Il was inwardly surprised, Namgung Hui-myeong demanded loudly,
"Weren't you in Anhui Province? What brings you here… and what happened to your arm?"
"Shh."
Covering his younger brother's mouth and glancing around, Namgung Jeok-myeong led them outside.
"Don't make such a foolish face. It's not a serious wound. Were the two of you unharmed?"
"Even combining Soyo's and my injuries, we're in better shape than you! What exactly happened? And why are you in Hubei?"
With a faint smirk, Namgung Jeok-myeong patted his shoulder.
"Calm yourself, you fool. I intended from the beginning to follow you this far."
"Pardon? Follow us?"
"That aside. Soyo, how were you?"
The same gentle concern he showed Namgung Hui-myeong extended to Yeo Il. She turned toward his voice and smiled softly.
"I was unharmed, Lord Jeok-myeong. I heard your arm was injured… Are you truly all right?"
"Is that so? Strange. There should have been some trouble."
The faint amusement in his murmur dissipated into the air.
Namgung Hui-myeong pressed on.
"I don't understand, Brother. If you meant to move from the start, why travel separately?"
"Why else? Because I kept it from Chu-myeong."
At that unhesitating reply, Yeo Il sharpened her hearing. As expected, Namgung Hui-myeong's breathing grew slightly uneven.
"…Brother, your arm—is it possible—"
"I was ambushed on the way. I believed I moved without anyone knowing. It appears I was mistaken."
Anyone with sense could understand. Namgung Jeok-myeong was implying his life had been threatened by his second brother, Namgung Chu-myeong.
Sending assassins… Have their ties twisted further than expected?
No—it was not truly a brotherly bond. Just as Yeo Il herself was an impostor, was not the current Namgung Chu-myeong also false?
If the impostor's objective was the Namgung Clan itself, then attempting to remove the Sogaju (Clan Heir) would not be strange.
"If they injured you to that extent, they could not have been ordinary opponents. …Was it one of the Eight Ghosts?"
"The Eight Ghosts?"
Namgung Jeok-myeong looked incredulous.
"You encountered one of the Eight Ghosts?"
"To be precise, Yulim of the Mount Hua Sect—who traveled with us briefly—was being pursued by one of them."
"I find that difficult to believe. Yet you all stand before me with both legs intact."
"Yes, well… we were fortunate. Hero Jin assisted us."
"Hero Jin?"
Yeo Il answered quickly.
"He stepped away briefly. If we proceed, he will rejoin us."
After hearing a short account from his younger brother, Namgung Jeok-myeong murmured thoughtfully,
"…One of the Eight Ghosts pursued Gongcheongseokyu, the spiritual medicine hidden by the Mount Hua Sect. At a critical moment, a master traveling with Yulim appeared and saved you—and that man turned out to be the same benefactor who once saved Soyo?"
Namgung Hui-myeong nodded obediently.
Namgung Jeok-myeong stared at him coldly, then suddenly struck him atop the head with his fist.
"Ugh."
"Namgung Hui-myeong. Who told you to throw yourself into such danger? Could you not even see Soyo? Have you lost your senses?"
Namgung Hui-myeong whimpered, eyes watering.
"No, Brother… even so… using internal qi in your punch…"
"Act brave only when your skill matches your courage. If you return as a corpse, how am I to face Father?"
"…I'm sorry."
If she was not mistaken, Namgung Hui-myeong seemed oddly exhilarated. There was a faint trace of laughter in his apologetic voice rather than gloom.
Though he grumbled that the Sogaju (Clan Heir) was infatuated with Cho-hong of Giyeonru, whenever asked about him, pride always colored his tone.
"Let us move. Since we have come as far as Hubei, we must accomplish our purpose."
"Yes."
Namgung Jeok-myeong led them far from the inn onto a secluded path.
He stopped before a house standing apart from the others. No matter how loudly they called, no one came.
While waiting at the door, they received unexpected news from a passerby.
"…Dead, you say?"
"That's right."
Namgung Hui-myeong asked again, disbelief evident.
"Truly? Just days ago I confirmed the owner's condition. And now you say he has died?"
"Tsk, tsk. Such a pity. It wasn't long ago—today makes it… three days, perhaps?"
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