Namgung Heavenly Demon - Chapter 87

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 87

On the road heading west from Luoyang.

Dozens of carriages were lined up in a row, kicking up clouds of dust, while escort warriors surrounded them with tense expressions.

At the rear of the procession, Namgung Cheon and Mujin rode side by side without saying a word.

Of course, that was only on the surface—inwardly, they were engaged in constant conversation.

―So, saying you were going to find your master was a lie?

Mujin shrugged his shoulders in response to Namgung Cheon’s suspicious telepathic message.

―A lie? It’s true. I heard rumors that my master is near Kunlun, so I’m going there. That old man is always here and there, you know.

―…Rumors. Something not even certain.

―Isn’t that what a wanderer’s life is like? Going with the wind, following whatever rumors come your way. But what about you, young master?

―I have business. In Kunlun.

When Namgung Cheon answered briefly, Mujin’s eyes widened.

―Kunlun? Ha, who would have thought we’d have the same destination.

Mujin let out a hollow laugh.

He rode for a moment, observing Namgung Cheon’s indifferent profile, then added in a sly voice.

―This is quite the coincidence, isn’t it? Not only did we both join the same caravan as escorts, but we even ended up with the same alias.

―It’s not fate, it’s coincidence.

Mujin grinned at Namgung Cheon’s sharp retort.

―Using my name as an alias—you must have missed me. Well, there probably weren’t many people willing to talk to a guy like you. I figured as much.

“Be quiet.”

Namgung Cheon glared and spoke aloud.

The suddenly blunt voice made the other escort warriors around them glance at the two men.

Then Gwak U, the caravan’s assistant leader, rode his horse over to them.

“Finally opening up to each other, I see. You have the same name but were so quiet, I was wondering what was going on.”

Mujin opened his mouth with a good-natured smile, as if he’d been waiting for this.

“Haha, that’s right. But since we have the same name, it seems like it’ll cause quite a bit of confusion going forward. What should we do about it…?”

“Hmm, that’s true.”

As Gwak U scratched his chin in thought, Mujin made a suggestion with a cheeky smile.

“Since I seem to be a bit older than this younger brother here, how about I be the elder brother Ilmu, and this Jin fellow be Imu? How does that sound? It’s easy to call, and it falls perfectly in order, doesn’t it?”

Gwak U slapped his knee and nodded.

“Oh, good! Ilmu and Imu. It’s like you’re brothers, and it rolls off the tongue nicely. I’ll call you that from now on.”

Gwak U laughed heartily with satisfaction and moved forward again.

Mujin looked at Namgung Cheon with a triumphant smile and shrugged his shoulders.

“Did you hear that, little brother? From now on, I’m your elder brother. If you listen well to your elder brother, good fortune will come even in your sleep.”

Namgung Cheon let out a hollow laugh as if dumbfounded and turned his head away sharply.

However, a faint smile that no one could notice lingered at the corners of Namgung Cheon’s mouth for a long time.

* * *

Two weeks after leaving Luoyang.

The caravan procession had left Hannam and was crossing the Guanzhong Plain in Shaanxi.

Endless golden wheat fields, green vegetation, and inns scattered here and there.

Every night, the wanderers would pour strong liquor and burst into laughter, gambling with their travel money and enjoying their leisure.

“This journey to the Western Regions isn’t as bad as I thought?”

“That’s right. At this rate, earning money is pretty easy, isn’t it.”

But that complacent thinking was shattered the moment they passed Xi’an and entered deeper west, into the borders of Gansu.

The green colors of the world disappeared as if by magic.

Instead, what filled their vision was nothing but suffocatingly yellow, dusty earth.

The Loess Plateau.

Dry dust that seemed ready to devour all of Tianxia rose white on the wind and struck the procession.

“Ptui! Ptui! Damn it, I can feel sand grinding in my mouth!”

Every time they spoke a word, yellow dust burrowed into their mouths and grated between their teeth.

The cutting wind that swept through the gorges pierced through their collars, sharp enough to carve flesh.

During the day it was so hot their heads felt like they would burn, but once the sun set, a bone-chilling cold would strike as if the heat had never existed.

The memory of the fertile Guanzhong Plain became a distant dream in just a few days.

Caravan leader Cheolsan held up a map with a cloth covering his nose and mouth.

Worry dripped onto the yellowed map.

“At this pace, it’ll take at least five more days to reach Lanzhou.”

Mujin, who had been listening to their conversation, threw a dry branch into the campfire and spoke bluntly.

“At least this is still land where people live, so that’s fortunate. Once we pass Lanzhou, there’s really nothing.”

Mujin’s gaze turned toward the distant western darkness.

“…Ilmu, you seem quite familiar with the western roads.”

“When you’ve lived as a wanderer for a long time, is there anywhere you haven’t been?”

Mujin laughed heartily as he chewed and swallowed some jerky.

After another week passed like this.

The caravan finally passed through Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu Province.

The scenery changed once again.

The tiresome loess dust had settled, but instead, a piercing cold that stabbed the lungs greeted them.

“Kugh, I can’t… breathe…”

One of the escorts clutched his chest and gasped.

It was because the air had become thin as the altitude increased.

Steps that would normally be easy now left them breathless, and even the horses staggered while puffing white breath.

But more difficult than the physical pain was the mental fatigue.

The bleak, colorless scenery with no end in sight.

The landscape where nothing living could be seen was slowly gnawing at people’s hearts.

“When exactly are we going to arrive…?”

“I want to go back…”

Complaints and sighs weighed heavily on the procession.

But Namgung Cheon and Mujin were exceptions.

Namgung Cheon maintained his posture even on the swaying horse.

His body, trained through the Righteous Heaven Reverse Muscle Method, accepted even this extreme environment as part of his training.

He breathed deeply of the thin air and slowly exhaled.

Breathing that cleansed deep into his lungs.

He used the clear, cold energy of the plateau to filter out even the remaining impurities in his body.

Mujin also comforted the weary caravan members with his characteristic cheerfulness.

“Come on, everyone cheer up! Once we get over this hurdle, hot mutton soup from Xining will be waiting! And the taste of liquor that the women there brew is absolutely amazing, isn’t it?”

At his jest, people forced themselves to smile and gathered strength.

Then came one particular night.

Mujin approached Namgung Cheon, who was standing night watch.

“…What are you doing instead of sleeping?”

“Wouldn’t it be a waste to sleep with these stars above us?”

Mujin plopped down next to Namgung Cheon and looked up at the night sky.

The night sky of the plateau was exceptionally clear and transparent.

The Milky Way, dense enough to seem like it would pour down, flowed overhead, and stars that seemed within reach if you stretched out your hand shone with piercing coldness.

Instead of answering, Namgung Cheon took out jerky from his chest and handed it over.

Mujin silently accepted the jerky and put it in his mouth.

Crackle, crackle.

Only the sound of dry firewood burning filled the silence between the two men.

“Young master.”

“Speak.”

“Are you really going to Kunlun… on business?”

Mujin’s voice had lost all its usual playfulness.

His eyes, illuminated by the firelight, gleamed with gravity.

“That’s right.”

“Hmm, I smell something.”

“Smell?”

“The smell of blood. Well, it seems like that’s always the case with the path you take.”

Mujin grinned as he looked at Namgung Cheon.

Namgung Cheon fell silent for a moment.

How much should he tell this perceptive man?

After pondering, Namgung Cheon spoke with measured words.

“There’s something I need to confirm. It’s also a request from the League.”

Namgung Cheon answered briefly.

Though he hid the specific details, that alone seemed sufficient for Mujin to understand.

“A request from the League… Ha, this matter seems bigger than I thought.”

“…”

“This should be interesting. I’ll get to see the Taoist masters of Kunlun too.”

Mujin grinned and patted Namgung Cheon’s shoulder.

But soon his voice dropped low again.

His gaze pierced through the western mountain range shrouded in ominous darkness.

“More importantly, we really need to be careful from here on.”

Mujin lowered his voice.

“Once we cross this mountain range, we’ll reach Xining, and then Qinghai Lake. From there, even where there are people, the atmosphere is different. Do you know why?”

Namgung Cheon didn’t answer.

Not because he didn’t know, but rather because he knew all too well.

Mujin continued.

“Because that’s where the breath of the Makyō bastards begins to reach. Isn’t there a saying? One out of every five people in Qinghai is either a member of Makyō or has connections to them.”

Namgung Cheon simply nodded silently.

That night, Mujin talked endlessly about everything he knew regarding Qinghai.

And so, several more days passed.

Beyond the desolate rocky mountains, magnificent snow-capped peaks revealed themselves.

“Xining is right ahead! Keep your spirits up!”

The end of the long journey.

At Gwak U’s words, relief crossed everyone’s faces.

However.

‘Now the real thing begins.’

Namgung Cheon’s eyes, conversely, grew cold.

* * *

Xining, the capital city of Qinghai and the largest city before departing for the Western Regions.

The city walls of Xining, nestled among rough rocky mountains, were worn and crude from enduring sandstorms for countless years.

But their majesty was as grand as any city in Junghwon.

“We’ve finally arrived.”

Caravan leader Cheolsan let out a sigh of relief.

Color finally returned to the faces of the others as well.

Warm food and alcohol, and an inn where they could rest their weary bodies awaited within those city walls.

But that sense of relief gradually turned to bewilderment as they drew closer to the city gate.

“…Why is the atmosphere like this?”

Gwak U, who was at the front, frowned and muttered.

As befitting a trading hub, the area in front of the city gate should have been bustling with caravans and travelers coming and going.

Of course, there was still a long line now, but the atmosphere was quite different.

The reason was because of those guarding the city gate.

“That’s… not the government army?”

Mujin narrowed his eyes and spoke.

Among the spear-wielding government soldiers, a group in incongruous attire caught the eye.

Pure white Taoist robes with taiji cloud patterns embroidered on the chest.

It was the Kunlun Sect.

“Ha, I’m seeing all sorts of things in my lifetime.”

Mujin let out a hollow laugh as if dumbfounded.

“Kunlun’s Taoist masters conducting inspections?”

Namgung Cheon also couldn’t hide his bewilderment.

Kunlun was the most reclusive and independent sect among the Nine Sects.

Not only was their main mountain located in such a remote place, but as a deeply rooted Taoist sect, they rarely involved themselves in worldly affairs.

And such people were conducting inspections at a mere city gate?

It was an absurd situation.

“Next!”

A shout erupted from in front of the city gate.

The inspection was thorough to the point of being harsh.

Removing the covers of cargo wagons was routine, and they even searched through merchants’ belongings, examining everything meticulously.

“What is this! We’re a legitimate caravan with proper permits!”

“Be quiet. If you don’t cooperate, we’ll deny you passage.”

A Kunlun disciple coldly rebuked the protesting merchant.

The surrounding area fell silent instantly at that high-handed attitude.

“…This doesn’t look good.”

Gwak U swallowed nervously.

Namgung Cheon pulled his bamboo hat down low.

His eyes, visible beneath the bamboo hat, swept over the Kunlun disciples.

‘Is it anxiety?’

They seemed anxious, as if being chased by something.

Moreover, if the other party was a martial artist, they showed even more blatant hostility.

No matter how reclusive they were, this was excessive conduct and reaction.

While Namgung Cheon quietly observed this, the Iron Flying Merchant Guild’s turn soon approached.

A government soldier approached and demanded travel permits, and Cheolsan bowed obsequiously as he handed over the documents.

“Iron Flying Merchant Guild… from Luoyang.”

“Yes, yes. We’ve brought some goods to trade with Western Region merchants.”

“Let’s see the cargo.”

The government soldiers began rummaging through the wagon’s cargo.

That’s when it happened.

A disciple who had been watching with arms crossed from the shadows of the city wall slowly stood up.

His Taoist robe was of much higher quality than the other disciples, and the jade-colored tassel ornament hanging from his waist suggested his rank.

His gaze passed over the Iron Flying Merchant Guild’s wagons and headed toward the very back of the procession.

Specifically, toward the two bodyguards on horseback.

“…Hmm.”

Mujin let out a small groan.

Their eyes met simultaneously.

The disciple glared at the two men for a moment, then seemed to make up his mind and strode forward with determined steps.

The government soldiers blocking the surrounding area immediately cleared a path for him.

“D-Daoist?”

Cheolsan called out in confusion, but the disciple walked forward without hesitation and stopped firmly right in front of Namgung Cheon’s horse.

“….”

“….”

His piercing blue eyes turned toward Namgung Cheon.

“What brings you….”

Just as Mujin sensed the unusual atmosphere and cautiously smiled while opening his mouth.

“I am Yang So, first disciple of Kunlun.”

Yang So, the disciple of Kunlun, struck first.

Yang So continued speaking toward Namgung Cheon without averting his gaze.

“If it wouldn’t be rude.”

Despite his words, his voice was endlessly cold.

Swoooosh—.

At the same time, sharp energy burst forth from his entire body.

“Could you lift up that bamboo hat you’re wearing for a moment?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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