The world was abuzz with the sudden kidnapping that had taken place in the middle of the Dragon Phoenix Gathering.
And why wouldn't it be? An absolute master who had reached Rejuvenation had kidnapped the Tang Clan's live-in son-in-law.
There was hardly a more interesting story to be had. …Of course, the Murim Alliance's internal affairs had been thrown into complete chaos.
"Is this even remotely acceptable?! In the middle of an event hosted by the Murim Alliance! In the very heart of the Murim Alliance! A member of the Five Great Families gets kidnapped by some Unorthodox Sect riffraff!"
A middle-aged man shot to his feet in fury. His hair, streaked with grey in places, and his impeccably groomed beard trembled, giving voice to his rage.
As he stood there, a woman in a monk's robe watched him and spoke in a calm voice.
"Namu Amitabha… Lord Eon, it would be best for you to calm yourself for a moment. Everyone gathered here knows the gravity of the situation and has come to discuss a solution. Besides, there is a child more grieved than either you or I."
"Th-that…!"
The middle-aged man swallowed the words that had been about to burst out. Eon Sa-hu, born into a collateral branch of the Jinzhou Eon Clan and currently serving as captain of the Cheongpung Unit, one of the Murim Alliance's Martial Force Units, discreetly glanced around.
He was a man of good nature, but with a fiery temper and fierce pride—and, on top of that, genuinely capable—so he rarely paid heed to others' opinions. But this moment was the exception.
And for good reason. He was the sole exception in this gathering where every vice-captain and above of the Murim Alliance had assembled. Because Tang So-wol, who had just lost her betrothed, was present.
Eon Sa-hu, who rarely watched his words but wasn't entirely oblivious, pounded his chest in a somewhat gentler tone.
"Don't worry! Your betrothed—the Murim Alliance will search for him with everything we've got, so we'll have news before you know it! Isn't that right, everyone?"
Eon Sa-hu looked around as if seeking agreement. At his question, the others either murmured quiet assent or nodded silently.
They simply hadn't voiced it since Eon Sa-hu was reacting so vehemently, but everyone was furious about this kidnapping—as if they'd been robbed right under their open eyes.
This happened in the Murim Alliance of all places—and during the Dragon Phoenix Gathering, no less—right in front of a crowd of onlookers.
Naturally, the martial artists, sensitive about their pride, were incensed, and some even gnashed their teeth at the fact that the culprit was none other than Seomun Hwa-rin, the Baekbal Nachal, infamous among the Unorthodox Sects.
After all, the grudge between the Orthodox and Unorthodox Sects was as old and ingrained as it was inevitable.
Feeling the pitying gazes directed at her and the resolute atmosphere around her, Tang So-wol offered a faint smile and gave a fist-and-palm salute.
"Captain Cheongpung. And to everyone gathered here, I offer my thanks in advance. I am truly grateful that you would step forward like this."
"Hoh."
The fact that the person who should have been the most beside herself was the calmest of all drew curious looks from a few of those present.
Of course, the reason Tang So-wol could maintain such composure was simple.
"You said he'd be back within a month at the latest, didn't you? How do you plan to handle things back home when you go starting trouble like this…"
Though she was sighing deeply on the inside, she had been told beforehand that she would be kidnapped by Cheon Hwi for a while.
To her, who trusted Cheon Hwi's words absolutely, this incident was absurd and tiring, but not dangerous.
'I told Hyang-i about it last night too, but what am I supposed to tell Father…'
"Hah."
In the end, a small sigh escaped her, unable to hold back her frustration. A middle-aged man in white robes, who had been watching her, slowly rose to his feet.
He was short. Of slight build. His hair was half-gray, making him look old, but his eyes were clear and bright, his entire body was packed with muscle, and his skin bore not a single wrinkle.
Uicheon-singae Gwak Hu.
In the past, he had spread his chivalrous spirit far and wide as the Beggars' Sect Leader, and having retired by passing his position to a disciple, he was now a great elder of the Orthodox Sects who had ascended to the seat of Murim Alliance Leader.
Even so, facing the Murim Alliance Leader was nerve-wracking, and Tang So-wol swallowed hard. At that moment, Uicheon-singae's mouth slowly opened.
"Do not worry too much. Baekbal Nachal is not a man of violent temperament—he is called the Demonic Head because his revenge is too cruel. When he took you away, I think he was more flustered than hostile, so he likely has a suspicion but no certainty. I ask just in case—does your betrothed have any connection to the Seomun Clan's extermination?"
"No. I don't believe so. Young hero Cheon is from Zhejiang Province, but the only sect he was connected to was at most a small unorthodox sect in the countryside. And he took care of that himself."
Uicheon-singae chewed over Tang So-wol's words for a moment, then gave a bitter smile and nodded.
"Born in Zhejiang Province, with a conflict against a rural unorthodox sect. I can picture the situation without even seeing it. However, that alone is not enough. Is there anything else you know? That killing intent you showed earlier is a bit concerning."
"…That killing intent is likely due to the nature of his martial art. He never told me the details, but he often spoke of having had a master. Perhaps it is related to that."
"Would you tell me even what you know? It is difficult to catch a Harmony Realm martial artist who is determined to flee, but if Baekbal Nachal is still hesitating without certainty, we can use that to make him come to us on his own."
"I understand. First…"
Tang So-wol carefully continued, recalling what Cheon Hwi had said.
And so, while Tang So-wol did her utmost to avoid being caught in her act, and the Murim Alliance, which had been peaceful for a while, united in righteous spirit to plan how to chase him down…
What were the two most important people, Cheon Hwi and Seomun Hwa-rin, doing?
"Senior Seomun Hwa-rin. Your smell is too strong."
"Wh-what rude words are these! This lady washed herself properly this morning!"
They were arguing over whether her scalp smelled or not, with Cheon Hwi pressing his face close to the top of Seomun Hwa-rin's head.
Was it because of the height difference? When I leaned in, my nose naturally ended up pressed against the top of Seomun Hwa-rin's head.
Startled, Seomun Hwa-rin covered her crown and shuffled back with a hiss.
"This lady is clean! It's you who's strange for sniffing so close…!"
"Being clean and smelling are two different things, are they not?"
"Nyuaaah!"
She was angry, but not enough to actually hit me, so she just stomped her feet in frustration.
Still, even that lacked real force, so it felt like no more than a cat's warning hiss.
I watched her for a moment, then shook my head.
"I suppose I phrased that strangely. It's not a smell—it's a fragrance."
"Isn't that the same thing!"
"I've heard that those who achieve Bone-Exchange Rebirth have their deepest desires manifested in their bodies."
Tang Jincheon, who had mastered the poison art, had become a complete Poison Human through Bone-Exchange Rebirth. Now he would be able to create and combine poisons within his body just like Tang So-wol.
And Seomun Hwa-rin had achieved Rejuvenation through Bone-Exchange Rebirth. Her wish was to return to her childhood days.
The body's reconstruction—capable of turning an ordinary person into a Poison Human, and in some cases even regenerating a limb or two with ease.
It was hardly strange that a body made young through Rejuvenation would carry the scent of a baby.
"It's not an unpleasant smell. If anything, it's a scent that calms you when you breathe it in. That said, whether it's a smell or a scent, it's certainly too strong. At this rate, we'd be easy to track, wouldn't we?"
"So that was what you meant? Well, that makes sense. I've heard that those who seriously train in tracking arts learn martial arts that sharpen not just their Qi Sense but all five senses to an extreme degree."
Seomun Hwa-rin let out a relieved breath, smoothing a hand over her chest, but then tilted her head and asked.
"But if it's not a smell from not washing, just a fragrance that comes from the body itself, how do you erase something like that?"
"There's one way to get rid of the scent. Let's try it."
I took out the scent-removing poison Tang So-wol had given me in advance. As far as I knew, it had the most potent effect of anything available, so if this didn't work, we'd have no choice but to let ourselves be tracked.
First, I sprinkled a little of the poison around the cave entrance, and finally let a few drops fall onto Seomun Hwa-rin's hand as well.
"It's a poison that's safe as long as you don't swallow it, so you can rest easy."
"At any rate, my body doesn't let most poisons through, so it's fine."
"So Rejuvenation had that effect as well?"
"It did not. It was simply because my internal energy is profound."
I scratched my head sheepishly and looked around.
By now, the pursuit would have begun in earnest. In any case, we couldn't stay long in this cave.
So I was surveying the area to decide our next destination…
No matter how far I looked, there was truly nothing but mountains. Even climbing to a high vantage point, no village came into view.
"Where exactly are we?"
"I do not know either. I simply ran while spreading my Qi Sense and found the most suitable cave."
"???"
I was so dumbfounded that I blinked blankly, and Seomun Hwa-rin hurriedly added a word.
"Still, I do know that we're in Anhui Province!"
"Pardon?"
We'd already crossed into another province in that time?
"How many days has it been since I lost consciousness?"
"A little over a day."
And yet we were already in Anhui. Still, when I thought about it carefully, I could understand right away.
After all, even a Peak Realm martial artist can run faster than words. The only problem is that, being human, they tire quickly.
However, once one reaches Transcendent Peak, that stamina issue half disappears. In fact, before my regression, I once ran all day without rest to escape the Demonic Cult.
So what about a Harmony Realm martial artist? Even carrying a person on their back, they could cross an entire city in a single night.
"…So it's not that the pursuit squad can't find us, but that they can't catch up?"
"It would seem so."
"Hah."
I felt a little foolish for fussing internally about erasing our scent and leaving the area quickly.
Right. Such petty tricks are dulled in the face of overwhelming power.
As I nodded with a hollow feeling, Seomun Hwa-rin let out a small laugh.
"I was wondering if you were just playing tricks on me, but it turns out you were being sincere."
"I have always been sincere."
"Then won't you tell me now?"
"You mean why I asked you to kidnap me, Senior Seomun Hwa-rin? As I said at the start, it was to help me defect to the Orthodox Sects…"
"No. I mean why you call me 'Mother.'"
"…"
I had brushed it off casually, but I never expected her to bring it up again.
Seomun Hwa-rin continued speaking with a serious expression as I hesitated.
"During our time together, I have heard a little about you. They said you lost your parents at a young age."
"Well, that's right."
"And I have lost my entire family. Not just those bound by blood, but even the people I shared meals with—all of them."
"That is also true."
Hearing this much, I began to understand what Seomun Hwa-rin was trying to say.
She had always wanted a place where she could stay, and before the regression, she had chosen the Iron Blood Faction as that place.
I knew this well because I had once lived under Seomun Hwa-rin.
I suppose this is still an extension of that story.
"Now that we are the only two who have legitimately learned the Seomun Clan's martial arts, what problem could there possibly be in my taking you as an adopted son?"
"…"
Seomun Hwa-rin wants to rebuild the Seomun Clan—more precisely, the 'home' she once lost.
And she hopes I will help her do it.
After a moment of deliberation, I finally managed to open my mouth.
"I'm afraid that won't be possible."