Chapter 123 Touring (1)

Chapter 123 Touring (1)

“Travel?”

Gu Yangji tilted his head slightly, looking somewhat surprised.

“Hey, I came out here because I have things to do. I don’t have time for traveling.”

At those words, Mantongzi’s lips curved into a smile.

“You never know. While traveling, you might accidentally discover a secret technique, or stumble upon some profound scripture…”

“…What?”

He countered lightly, though he had long understood the intent.

In his previous life, it was precisely Gu Yangji, the Blood Dog, who had grown with Mantongzi’s help.

If the same were to happen in this life, it would always be welcome.

Yet, for some reason, a sense of unease crept in.

‘In my previous life, he said… that altering the fate of a future karmic connection was not advisable, wasn’t it?’

That’s why in his past life, the Man Tong Zhe had only taught him the martial arts he knew himself or introduced him to recluses.

But what the Man Tong Zhe said this time was different from his past life.

‘Discovering the inner丹 by chance, or seeing the scriptures… that couldn’t just be a simple introduction.’

A sense of unease flashed through him.

How much time did the Master of Ten Thousand Arts, who had lived to seal the Black Dragon, truly have left?

Thinking of that made his current words and actions feel even more different.

Suddenly, it felt like a heavy burden had settled on his shoulders.

‘I’m not even certain yet that the Eight Palms were directly involved in the destruction of the Huashan Sect…’

So far, he only knew there was a connection.

If Palma had infiltrated the Hebei Pang Clan, that might be one thing, but otherwise, they were enemies he wanted to avoid.

He had no desire to fight and defeat such monsters out of a need to prove himself, and he certainly had no intention of seeking them out to crush them.

He would only thoroughly destroy them if they blocked the path of the Arrow Sect or his own.

Therefore, to be honest, the anticipation he felt toward Mantongzi was more a burden than a joy.

‘Still, it’s true that traveling with Mantongzi would open my eyes to many things.’

If he ever got the chance for a deep conversation, he could gauge his true intentions then.

Gu Yangji organized his thoughts that way.

“I’m not particularly close to that kind of fate.”

“You’re lying through your teeth. “

Wan Tongzi pointed at the True Manifestation and chuckled.

”You claim to have no connection to fate, yet you possess the True Manifestation. And from the martial arts you displayed when fighting the Black Dragon before, it wasn’t just from the Huashan Sect, was it?”

At those words, Gu Yangjie tensed, worried Wan Tongzi might have recognized the Heavenly Dull Sword Technique.

But the next words brought him relief.

“Especially when he displayed martial arts from the Divine Demon Fist. It was quite a sight.”

‘If it was Zhen Hui’an, Mantongzi would know… Thankfully, the sand dust created by the Black Dragon must have concealed Zhen Hui’an.’

Had the fact that he used Zhen Hui’an been discovered, he would have faced relentless interrogation from Mantongzi.

Gu Yangji let out a faint sigh and pointed at Daewoong.

“That aside, do you plan to keep that bear with you all the time? It’s far too conspicuous.”

“So what? It’s just like a dog I’m raising.”

“Do you think others will understand that?”

At Gu Yangji’s sharp retort, Mantongzi fluttered a few talismans.

“We’ll just have to make them understand.”

“……Good heavens. What am I even looking at?”

“What else? The genius sorcerer born in Mosan, Master Mantongja.”

Blatantly praising himself, Mantongja tapped Daeung’s back lightly.

Daeung then let out a huge cry.

“Waaah!”

Dae-woong, who had been standing on two feet, flopped flat onto the floor, his back fully exposed.

Man Tong-ja landed lightly on top of him.

“Can you ride?”

“I don’t know.”

Dae-woong’s dissatisfied glare was too unsettling for that. Gu Yang-jeok looked at Dae-woong with a hint of pity.

In the end, Gu Yang-jeok didn’t ride him and instead walked alongside Dae-woong as he began to move.

But that rear view was truly laughable.

‘That a spirit beast, of which fewer than a hundred remain across all of Zhonghua, is being wielded like a horse… really…’

It was amusing, yet it made one feel that Mantongja’s abilities had reached the heavens.

His sorcery might not be combat-oriented, but if he so desired, he could easily starve an entire village into poverty.

In terms of the caliber of his sorcery or magic, he surpassed even the Great Heavenly Water he had faced last.

Perhaps in his past life, his compatibility with the Black Dragon was extremely poor, leading to his defeat.

Gu Yangji secretly suspected as much.

‘Even a sword imbued with the subtleties of Heaven’s Dullness was deflected without hesitation. He must have physically nullified ordinary sorcery as well.’

Unless the remaining Palma possessed Black Dragon-like, monstrous physical prowess.

Even if it wasn’t Palma, if the opponent was a martial artist, Mantongzi possessed value surpassing most peak masters.

To recruit him as an ally would be the absolute best choice.

Gu Yangji inwardly pondered how to lure Mantongzi into the Huashan Sect and persuade the Dharma Protector.

Just then, Mantongzi suddenly opened his mouth.

“If a person is born and never visits Zhangjiajie, how can they claim to have truly lived even at a hundred years old?”

“What on earth are you talking about…”

“Haha, unfortunately, I haven’t been to that Zhangjiajie yet. I’ve been stuck in Mount Mo my entire life.”

Though usually gentle and smiling, his expression darkened momentarily as he spoke.

But he quickly regained his bright demeanor.

“I have someone to meet in Zhangjiajie, and some goods to receive while I’m there. Won’t you come along?”

At those words, Gu Yangjie realized his mistake.

“…Ah. Come to think of it, I never answered your question about joining the trip.”

His mind was so cluttered he hadn’t answered Mantongja’s question.

Gu Yangjeok watched the clearly troubled Mantongja and chuckled softly.

“Can’t you tell by the way you’re walking with me now?”

“I, I guess so?”

Uncharacteristically stumbling over his words, Mantongja laughed heartily to cover his awkwardness.

Daewoong growled as if picking up on that.

Just before leaving Mihyeon, Gu Yangjeok briefly separated from Mantongja and approached a villager.

“I am Gu Yangjeok, a Taoist of the Huashan Sect, sent by Jang Ilguk, the commander of the Western Gate in Chang’an.”

Upon hearing this, the villager’s eyes lit up and he clasped his hands together.

“Ah, ahh…! You’ve finally come!”

“The matter is settled.”

“…Huh?”

When the villager asked again, “What did you say?”, Gu Yangjeok silently turned his back.

‘Chatting about this and that here only diminishes one’s dignity.’

The fame of a wandering sage comes like the wind; it rises greatly only when one resolves matters and departs.

Gu Yangjeok left Mihyeon, his Huashan Sect robe fluttering behind him.

* * *

“Avoid the main road.”

Upon reaching the three-way intersection in the capital, Gu Yangji suggested an alternate route to Mantongzi.

This caused a frown to appear on Mantongzi’s face.

“I wish to see a bit more of the world. Why must we avoid the main road?”

“You’re not… joking, are you?”

Gu Yangji gritted his teeth.

“You want to ride a bear down a highway teeming with caravans and patrols? Have you truly lost your mind, holed up in the mountains all this time?”

“…Is that not allowed?”

When Mantongzi asked with a blank expression, Guyangji bellowed.

“Damn it! How did you manage things like sending out the Chanhyeon before?!”

“Sometimes I’d ask visiting guests… or use magic to charm the woodcutters…”

“No, this is insane.”

Gyu Yang-jeok muttered curses under his breath, meeting Dae-woong’s sullen face and gaze.

He wondered if bears even had such expressions to begin with, but as a spirit being, there must be a way to communicate with humans.

A long sigh escaped Gyu Yang-jeok’s chest.

‘Wrong… He’s worse than Brother Yu…’

Yu Zhangming was just naturally gentle, but he had basic common sense. Man Tongzi, however, had lived hundreds of years and still had nothing in his head.

To be precise, the knowledge needed to live among people.

Gu Yangjie had a strong premonition that Yu Lan’s journey would be extremely arduous.

“Hey, Man Tongzi.”

“…Hm?”

“You can’t ride a bear on a path people walk. Even if it were possible, others would mistake it for the Green Forest Road.”

“Well, of course, with talisman magic…”

Gu Yangji cut him off immediately.

“Do you think everyone you meet will do that? Haha, if everyone passing this way loses half their mind, that’d make for quite the good rumor.”

As Mantongzi’s face stiffened, Gu Yangji smirked and sneered.

“Since Mantongzi is effectively retired now, how about the nickname ‘Soul-Lost Sorcerer’?”

At those words, Mantongzi shuddered and waved his hands.

“I get it! I understand what you’re saying now!”

“So you’ll follow my lead completely, then?”

“I can’t leave Woong behind, so I have no choice.”

Though his words seemed to show affection for Dae-woong, his true feelings appeared to be simply that he disliked walking.

Gu Yang-jeok pointed to the treacherous path winding along the mountain’s edge.

“To reach Zhangjiajie’s Wulingyuan… we’ll have to walk diligently, using both the narrow path and the mountain trail.”

“…Understood.”

Man Tong-ja, apparently furious at being scolded, could be seen thumping Dae-woong repeatedly.

Dae-woong suddenly seemed pitiful.

* * *

Until they reached Zhangjiajie, Gu Yang-jeok used mountain paths as their main routes, avoiding people’s gaze as much as possible.

Whenever supplies seemed likely to run low, he acted alone to seek help from merchants connected to the Golden Ring Trading Company.

In doing so, he also gained a new realization.

‘I knew Baekcheon was diligent, but it seems his business acumen is also outstanding.’

Just as in Jiangsu, the name of the Golden Ring Trading Company carried weight even in the bustling, densely populated Huoguang, teeming with countless merchants and trading houses.

This meant Baekcheon’s abilities were not only beyond imagination but also adept enough to navigate regional rivalries.

And yet, Mantongja…

“Our Woong says dried fruit isn’t much to speak of.”

“If he wants to complain, shouldn’t he do it somewhere we can’t hear?”

“Then you wouldn’t be able to hear it. Better to voice grievances than let them fester.”

How he could string together such perfectly justified complaints, Gu Yangjeok thought, truly impressed by Mantongja’s gift of gab.

Kwaaak.

His fist clenched involuntarily.

Seeing this, Mantongja chuckled.

“A disciple of the Huashan Sect trying to hit someone who hasn’t even mastered martial arts? Oh dear, my goodness. Not a single bone would be left intact!”

“Couldn’t you just hit him once? Just once? If it’s a silver coin, I’ll gladly pay.”

“If that’s the case, our Daewoong will take the hit for you.”

At those words, Daewoong lifted his head sharply.

“Kwoo-ooh!”

“You bastard, can’t you take a joke?”

Feeling uncomfortable with the commotion, Mantongja swung his pipe and hit Dae-woong’s nose.

Watching this, Gu Yang-ji gaped.

“Really… the more I see, the more my illusions shatter. Isn’t it a waste of your age?”

Mantongja immediately responded.

“I think people become gentle and kind after living a hundred years because their bodies are uncomfortable, so they try to look good.”

The hermits he’d seen so far were like that.

Man Tong-ja recalled a few close friends he’d known in the past.

“When they were young, they acted like dogs, but after losing an arm and starting to age, they finally understood their place. That guy was quite the remarkable hermit too.”

“…So you’re saying you’re healthy?”

At that, Mantong-ja thumped his own knee.

“That’s exactly what I’m saying!”

“You’re something else. The closer we get, the more frivolous you seem.”

This side of him had shown in his past life too, but somehow it seemed even more lighthearted in this one.

‘Is it because he dealt with the Black Dragon…?’

Gu Yangji gazed up at the distant Wulingyuan.