In the martial world, even a slight brush of sleeves on the street could lead to drawn swords. So, when someone dumps leftovers on you, the outcome is predictable.
Yet, unexpectedly, Sam Anbul paused to think for a long moment before letting out a deep sigh. It seemed even deeper than the one he had when fleeing from the Shaolin Temple.
Sam Anbul addressed Namgung Myung and Hong Geolgae.
“Bow your heads.”
The sudden command left Hong Geolgae bewildered.
“Uh… what? Our heads?”
“Yes. Let’s just take a hit and move on.”
Fortunately, Sam Anbul had no intention of killing Namgung Myung and Hong Geolgae. It seemed he was considering the relationship between Tang Mujin and the two fools.
Like the saying goes, it’s better to get it over with quickly. Hong Geolgae bravely offered his forehead.
Sam Anbul, as if preparing to unleash a powerful technique, brought his thumb and middle finger together and placed his hand in front of Hong Geolgae’s forehead. The impending strike was obvious.
Overcome with fear, Hong Geolgae instinctively closed his eyes.
Smack!
With a crisp sound, Hong Geolgae’s head snapped back.
Even without channeling inner strength, the impact was as powerful as a martial arts strike. His large build and immense strength made it possible.
“Ouch…”
Hong Geolgae staggered for a moment, rubbing his forehead to regain his balance.
A bright red mark appeared in the center of his forehead, swelling up like the white tuft on a Buddha statue.
Tang Mujin teased, “You’ve become a proper disciple under Master Sam Anbul’s guidance. Quite a sight.”
“You didn’t punch me while my eyes were closed, did you?”
“If it were a punch, you’d be dead.”
Hong Geolgae crouched down, clutching his throbbing head.
Soon after, another sharp sound echoed. Smack!
Namgung Myung’s forehead also turned a bright red.
The only difference was that Namgung Myung tried to move his head slightly to lessen the impact, only to get hit again.
Sam Anbul, now seemingly at ease, looked around with a brighter expression.
The sound of people released from the prison gathered in small groups, discussing among themselves.
“My inner strength isn’t flowing smoothly. It’s bothersome.”
“It’s probably because of the poison. It’ll get better with time.”
“I know, but the question is whether we have the luxury to wait.”
“What if we don’t wait? It’s too dangerous to leave in this state.”
“No, it’s better to move as soon as possible.”
The group was at a crossroads, their opinions split in two.
Should they hide and expel the poison for half a day before moving slowly, or should they move immediately despite the lingering poison?
Forty pairs of eyes turned to Sam Anbul. In the martial world, the strongest usually makes the decisions.
However, instead of speaking himself, Sam Anbul pointed to Tang Mujin. The crowd’s attention shifted to him.
Tang Mujin wasn’t the second strongest, nor was he an experienced, elderly martial artist.
But if someone other than Sam Anbul had to make the decision, it was Tang Mujin. After all, he was the one who freed them from the prison, and he had Sam Anbul’s approval.
Tang Mujin thought to himself.
“With so many people escaping, it’s unrealistic to remain undetected for more than half a day. Another guard will come to change shifts. We need to get as far away as possible before we’re discovered.”
Having organized his thoughts, Tang Mujin spoke decisively.
“Let’s move immediately.”
No one objected to Tang Mujin’s decision. They all began to move without a word.
There was no need to explain which path to take. Everyone here had lived in the Tian Shan region for years, if not decades. The only ones unfamiliar with the paths were Namgung Myung and Hong Geolgae.
The group moved widely around the outskirts of the Demonic Sect’s main base.
Everyone’s gaze was fixed on the leader’s hall. It was easy to guess what they were imagining. Somewhere in that hall lay the ultimate martial arts secrets.
As the group’s pace slowed, Sam Anbul sternly reminded them.
“Let go of your regrets and keep walking. Even if you obtain the ultimate martial arts manual, you won’t be able to read the Anshik script, so it’s meaningless.”
The people shook off their regrets and quickened their pace.
They needed to descend from the main base to the village outskirts and then head east. After that, each would find their own way.
As they moved, a familiar place caught Tang Mujin’s eye. It was the Poison Cave where he had spent the past few months.
With mixed feelings, Tang Mujin glanced at the cave and urged his steps forward.
At that moment, Sam Anbul asked Tang Mujin in a low voice.
“Did you take care of the young lady who was with you?”
“Are you talking about Mok Wana? And what do you mean by ‘take care’?”
Tang Mujin asked back, and Sam Anbul clicked his tongue.
“Ah, youth. You show your inexperience in unexpected ways. Are you saying you didn’t eliminate the watcher while escaping?”
“Watcher?”
“Isn’t it natural for an outsider to be assigned a watcher?”
Tang Mujin finally understood what Sam Anbul was implying.
“Mok Wana isn’t like that. She’s not cunning enough to scheme behind the scenes.”
“It’s not about wanting to or being naturally inclined. It’s about being given a choice. Either perform the role of a watcher as instructed from above and survive, or neglect your duty and die.”
Tang Mujin sighed. So that’s how it was.
Sam Anbul asked again.
“What do you think Mok Wana would have done?”
It wasn’t a difficult question. Tang Mujin knew Mok Wana’s desire for life.
She had survived longer than anyone with the poison in her body and never left the cave to live even a little longer.
Mok Wana, who thought nothing else mattered as long as she could survive.
Sam Anbul, observing Tang Mujin’s expression, instructed the others.
“Keep moving. I have something to check.”
Sam Anbul turned back towards the Poison Cave, and Tang Mujin followed him.
The two opened the wooden door of the cave. No one was inside.
Tang Mujin’s heart felt heavy. When he left the cave earlier, Mok Wana had been sleeping beside him.
Sam Anbul murmured.
“Looks like she’s already left. We need to hurry.”
Sam Anbul seemed to sense failure already. It was clear that as soon as they reached the village, pursuers would appear, and he wasn’t confident in evading them with his inner strength still hindered by the poison.
However, Tang Mujin held onto a sliver of hope. There was one more place to check.
“Please wait a moment.”
Tang Mujin crawled into the hidden passage inside the cave.
He knew the chances of Mok Wana being there were slim. There was no reason for her to move from where she had been sleeping outside.
Yet, contrary to his expectations, Mok Wana was lying there. The problem was the overwhelming poison in the narrow passage. His skin tingled, and his eyes stung.
Holding his breath, Tang Mujin dragged the limp Mok Wana out.
“Gasp, gasp, gasp!”
Once outside the passage, Tang Mujin took deep breaths and checked Mok Wana’s condition.
Her lips were pale, and her breathing was weak. Even her faint breaths carried traces of poison. The poison was so potent that even Sam Anbul could sense it.
Sam Anbul murmured.
“She’s been poisoned.”
Mok Wana’s body was resilient enough to withstand most poisons. For her to lose consciousness from poison meant she had consumed a significant amount.
Tang Mujin searched for the poison jars inside the cave. Most were empty.
It was easy to guess why she had ingested the poison. She had no intention of betraying Tang Mujin’s actions and plans, but she likely couldn’t bear the punishment that would follow.
So why didn’t she betray him?
“Loyalty, perhaps.”
Tang Mujin felt a pang in his heart.
They had grown quite close during their time together in the Poison Cave. To Mok Wana, Tang Mujin was her first real friend, which must have meant a lot.
But he hadn’t expected her to choose death to keep her word.
“She’s stronger than she looks.”
In any case, if the poison wasn’t removed soon, even Mok Wana’s life would be in danger.
As Tang Mujin laid Mok Wana on the ground, Sam Anbul’s voice carried urgency.
“We don’t have time for this. We need to hurry.”
“You can go ahead. I’ll handle this quickly and catch up.”
“How can I leave when you say that?”
Tang Mujin gave a faint smile and moved swiftly.
First, he pried open Mok Wana’s mouth and inserted his fingers deep into her throat. It was the first step in treating someone who had ingested poisonous herbs.
The response was immediate. Despite being unconscious, Mok Wana twisted her upper body in pain, vomiting the contents of her stomach. Dark poison flowed out, and the sharp smell of poison spread around them.
Tang Mujin repeatedly inserted his fingers into her throat until she expelled all the poison.
Sam Anbul looked on with a grim expression.
“I don’t know what kind of poison it is, but to be alive after ingesting so much? It’s remarkable.”
Tang Mujin thought the same. What courage had driven the timid girl to swallow such a quantity of poison?
Now, only the final step remained. Tang Mujin attempted to channel his inner strength to extract the poison from Mok Wana’s body. However, the poison from the Jinse was hindering his ability to control his inner strength delicately. It felt like trying to pick up a tiny grain of rice with two thick sticks.
“I guess there’s no choice but to use a crude method.”
Instead of extracting the poison from Mok Wana’s body, Dang Mujin absorbed some of the toxic energy into himself. Mok Wana’s expression visibly relaxed.
”…This should keep her from dying.”
Having completed the emergency treatment, Dang Mujin stood up. A wave of dizziness hit him, and his vision blurred.
It felt as if someone was gripping his head and shaking it from side to side.
Seeing him sway, Sam Anbul spoke up. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine. I’m used to poison, so it won’t take long to detoxify.”
When Dang Mujin attempted to carry the limp Mok Wana on his back, Sam Anbul stopped him. “Let me carry her. You just focus on walking.”
“I’m alright.”
“You’re staggering like you’re about to collapse any second.”
Dang Mujin steadied himself, planting his feet firmly on the ground. “If we run into trouble, it should be you fighting, not me. Besides, with the poison in me, I won’t be much help in a fight. It’s better if I carry her.”
“Well, if you’re that determined, I won’t stop you.”
Dang Mujin and Sam Anbul emerged from the poison-filled cave. The fresh air cleared his head a little. Even with Mok Wana on his back, he managed to walk without stumbling.
With each breath Mok Wana took, he could feel her soft skin against his back and her faint breath on his neck. As he walked briskly, he kept a close eye on her breathing.
The two of them moved quickly, almost at a jog, and soon caught up with the rest of their group. They were just leaving the outskirts of the village, heading away from the foot of the mountain.
The others, hearing footsteps behind them, turned around, tense and ready. But upon seeing Sam Anbul and Dang Mujin, they relaxed—everyone except for two.
Namgung Myung and Hong Geolgae wore expressions of shock and disgust.
“Is Dang Mujin even human?”
“While Dansoryeong worries about you, you’re off with another girl? Even animals have more decency.”
“What are you talking about? She’s just a colleague I was researching poison with.”
Hong Geolgae and Namgung Myung scrutinized Mok Wana on Dang Mujin’s back. Her face was obscured by his shoulders, but her skin was strikingly pale, more so than any noblewoman they’d ever seen.
Namgung Myung sneered. “Oh, really? So this colleague just happens to be a girl your age, and she’s so important you carry her around even in a crisis?”
“Yes. Loyalty should be met with loyalty. You wouldn’t understand.”
“Is this so-called loyalty only for women…?”
Namgung Myung trailed off, his gaze shifting skyward. Dang Mujin felt a sense of foreboding.
A bird, as large as a person, was flying toward them.
And in the distance, a cloud of dust marked the approach of more people.
“Run,” Sam Anbul said in a low voice.