The Youngest Daughter of the Hebei Peng Clan Is a Truly a Very Famous Little Heavenly Demon - Chapter 43
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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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43.
“Yes. He hasn’t been seen since yesterday, so I’ve been searching everywhere for him… By any chance, has Young Master Peng heard anything?”
“Well. We didn’t really have any particular conversation.”
“I see. Understood.”
The Elite Guard who had come to ask me bowed his head and let out a deep sigh.
He must have struggled quite a bit searching for Eon Muhyeok, as his eyes were dark with fatigue.
“Excuse me.”
I stopped the man.
“Wouldn’t it be faster to ask the Patriarch if you want to find Young Master Eon?”
For a Hyeongyeong master, it would be simple to survey a city and find the desired energy. Though it becomes difficult to find someone when the distance grows too great since Zhongyuan is so vast, if he disappeared yesterday, he probably hasn’t left Shanxi yet.
But when the Elite Guard heard my suggestion, he looked troubled.
“We, we don’t want to inform the Patriarch if possible.”
“Why not?”
“…Since Young Master Peng is asking, I’ll show you.”
Rustle.
He pulled out a small piece of paper from his chest.
Written there in neat handwriting was:
[I will set out alone on a journey through the martial world for training, so don’t bother telling Father and Grandfather. -Eon Muhyeok-]
‘Is this some kind of teenage rebellion?’
He had written a runaway letter quite earnestly.
“Young Master Peng must have a special relationship with our young master…! Don’t you have any idea where he might be?”
“Pardon?”
That nonsensical talk again.
When I blinked my eyes in bewilderment, the Elite Guard looked equally puzzled and asked.
“Aren’t you his fiancée?”
“Who?”
“…Young Master Peng?”
“I’m not.”
“Pardon?”
“Pardon?”
We stood there stupidly looking at each other, becoming “pardon?” robots for a moment.
“I don’t know why such rumors spread, but it’s absolutely not true.”
Having grasped the situation, I firmly denied the absurd romance rumors with Eon Muhyeok.
‘Romance rumors with a seventeen-year-old!’
…Of course, I’m the same age now too!
But still!
“Are you really sure it’s not true?”
“I said it’s not.”
The Elite Guard asked again with a dubious expression, but seeing my resolute face, he seemed to give up his questioning.
“Understood. Thank you for your cooperation…”
Anyway, that ended the conversation.
The Elite Guard, having gained no useful information, trudged away from Cheonbindan.
And the next evening.
“Elder.”
I asked Eon Yeonhyeok, who had come to my quarters to oversee my training.
“I heard Young Master Eon ran away from home. Aren’t you concerned?”
“You mean Muhyeok?”
But contrary to my expectations, his expression was calm.
“When a man comes of age, it’s natural for him to leave home and experience the world.”
“…Aren’t you worried?”
“That boy is also a master of the Absolute Peak level. He’s not at a level where he’d get stabbed and die suddenly just from traveling alone, so should I coddle my child forever? If he wants to leave, then he leaves.”
Eon Yeonhyeok, who had helped organize the disrupted energy flowing through my meridians, spoke in a calm tone.
“Adults like me just need to warmly welcome the child when he returns. Even if he wanders Zhongyuan aimlessly, having a home to return to versus not having one makes a completely different psychological impact, doesn’t it? You must have felt that too.”
“That’s…”
It was similar to what Ju Sohui had told me.
The story about how the Peng Family of Hebei would always be waiting for me in the same place, so I could always return whenever I grew tired of wandering the martial world.
‘…I was wondering whether I should help search for Eon Muhyeok.’
But since his guardian had this attitude, I figured there was no need to worry.
“More importantly, you’ve become quite accustomed to handling ghostly energy now.”
Eon Yeonhyeok, having finished today’s lesson, sat before me and declared.
“Now you’ll probably learn more by enlightening yourself alone rather than having me guide you directly. If you want, you can stay longer and continue training.”
“Hmm.”
I pondered for a moment.
‘My development has stagnated.’
I’m not talking about the Ghost Path.
Martial arts.
Especially the threshold from mid-stage to late-stage Absolute Peak.
To cross that threshold, I needed deep enlightenment or some kind of catalyst.
But even if I stayed longer at the Jinzhu Eon Family, all I could gain was proficiency in ghostly energy, while my main martial arts would remain the same.
Having reached a conclusion, I said.
“Thank you for everything, Elder.”
“Very well.”
Eon Yeonhyeok, reading my determination from my eyes alone, smiled kindly.
“When you venture into Zhongyuan, make sure to visit Sichuan at least once. Patriarch Dang lost his youngest daughter over ten years ago, so he must miss that child terribly.”
“I’ll do that.”
I figured I’d have to visit Sichuan anyway because of Dangsoso’s matter.
Besides, I had another goal.
‘Cheonma.’
My Foster Mother, whom I had left at Hyeolhon Chong and fled from half a year ago.
I needed her for my next stage of growth.
‘…I also need to deal with that ticking time bomb.’
Honestly, throughout my stay at the Jinzhu Eon Family, I was anxious that Cheonma might come attacking.
Of course, Zhongyuan is far too vast to find one specific person.
It’s not like the 21st century with developed internet, but an era where you have to rely on carrier pigeons or fleet-footed martial artists to contact someone far away.
Still, the reason I felt I needed to resolve the Cheonma problem was because I never knew when or where this bomb might explode.
What if I encountered Cheonma in front of Ju Sohui?
‘How terrible.’
Well, one way or another, it meant I had to visit Hyeolhon Chong again eventually.
After giving Eon Yeonhyeok a deep bow, I slept one more night and prepared to depart.
I didn’t forget to stop by the patriarch’s hall before leaving.
“I owe you a great debt.”
“Yes. Travel safely.”
He waved his hand with a subtly uncomfortable expression.
Actually, he seemed to have no interest in anything at all. I was about to ask him about Eon Muhyeok but decided against it.
“The sky is clear.”
Dangsoso, who was lightly carrying my share of luggage as well, squinted at the sun.
“It’s dazzling.”
“But you’re not being purified, are you?”
“Ahem. I’m an excellent Gangsi, you know. I can’t be compared to low-grade blood demons who are affected by sunlight.”
Dangsoso puffed out her chest and boasted about herself.
‘He’s definitely excellent.’
Dangsoso played a large part in reducing my fear toward Makyō compared to before.
The combat power of one or two supreme masters is on a completely different level.
Even more so if those two function properly as partners.
Moreover, unlike other martial artists, Dangsoso could revive just by receiving internal energy even if her head was cut off or limbs severed, making her value as a companion truly infinite.
“Well done. My little kitty.”
“I’m not a cat.”
“But your body is honest, isn’t it?”
“…Hah.”
Dangsoso, who had been rubbing her head against my touch, belatedly came to her senses.
Standing alone again, she cleared her throat with a rather coy expression.
“Let’s hurry and depart.”
“Right.”
Our travel plan was as follows.
Shanxi (Eon Family) → Hebei (Peng Family)
Shaanxi (Huashan) → Henan (Shaolin) → Anhui
Sichuan (House of Dang) → Hubei (Wudang)
Hunan (Hyeolhon Chong)
Since each region was spread out as above,
1. Shanxi → Shaanxi → Sichuan
After that, we’d stop by the House of Dang in Sichuan, and on the way back:
2. Guangzhou → Hunan (Hyeolhon Chong) → Hubei → Henan → Hebei
Following this route.
This way, we could even search for traces of Makyō at Hyeolhon Chong in Hunan.
And here’s the good part!
“A ship, a ship! This time it’s really a ship!”
From Shanxi to Shaanxi and Henan, we could go at super speed by taking the long-flowing Yellow River downstream.
Of course, there’s no such luck on the way back.
Unlike the excellent aviation civilization of the 21st century, Ming Dynasty ships could only go one way, riding the current.
In other words, we could enjoy a comfortable boat ride for one way only.
“Last time you sank because you chose the wrong ship, didn’t you?”
“Hehe. This time I’ll definitely choose a ship that won’t do that.”
At the dock in Shanxi.
The Yellow River was always a major logistics hub where government troops were stationed. Among them, Shaanxi was close to the capital Beijing, so naturally the Naval Commandery of the Yellow River was nearby too.
I approached a nearby government vessel with confident steps.
A soldier holding a musket became wary seeing the sword at my side.
“What’s your business?”
“Ah, I’d like to board the ship.”
This must be how an Undercover Inspector feels when pulling out their badge.
With a slightly excited heart, I pulled out the brilliant golden phoenix medallion.
The soldier’s eyes bulged at the sight of the item symbolizing someone from the Imperial Court.
About one gyeong later.
“We’ll serve you comfortably!”
The field commander, the Commander of the Yellow River Navy, came rushing out and knelt before me.
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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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