About an hour later, Mihyo and I entered a deserted path and rested. Mihyo, using her supernatural powers, could move as quickly as I could, and we managed to cover a distance of over 140 li in that time. It was safe to say we had left Kaegyeong far behind. Since coming to Goryeo, I had never moved at such a speed.
Mihyo said,
"Idiot. We can't relax yet. If possible, it's better to move along the water."
"Why is that?"
"Moving along the water leaves fewer traces of qi. Itâs a basic principle of tracking."
"But footprints will still be left."
"Move over fallen leaves or rocks with the minimum amount of lightness. Can't you do that?"
"I can."
Following Mihyoâs advice, I started moving along the streams and rivers. I followed her instructions, but I didnât know where she was leading us. However, with no other choice, I just followed her.
After another hour of winding our way, Mihyo finally suggested we rest. We were on a hillside overlooking a village. As I sat down, Mihyo said,
"Now, you have two options left. Either flee to a foreign country or hide somewhere in Goryeo."
"... Can I return to the Central Plains?"
"Of course not. The White Lotus Sectâs influence extends throughout the Central Plains. Youâre asking an obvious question."
"What about Dongyeong?"
Dongyeong, a country further east of Goryeo, was known for its short-statured people, the Wae, who were naturally inclined to piracy and were rumored to be inherently cruel and fond of swordplay. Mihyo then said,
"That could work, but first, we need to understand the root of the problem."
"The root of the problem?"
"Think carefully. The reason the White Lotus Sect is chasing you and their obsession with it. There must be something only you know. We have bought some time, so think about it until I return."
Whirl!
With that, Mihyo used her transformation technique and headed down to the village. She seemed to have some plan in mind. The situation was too sudden for her as well, and she wanted me to think about it.
' Hmm... Why is the White Lotus Sect chasing me?'
I thought deeply. The reason the White Lotus Sect was chasing me was because the root of the Black and White Lotus I gave to Huaxueming had cured the young leader. They were chasing me to repay that favor. But as I thought about it, I shook my head.
' No, thatâs not it. They wouldnât mobilize such a large force just to repay a favor. I need to think more carefully...'
Their goal wasnât to repay a favor. Then why would they mobilize such a massive force, even risking a conflict with the Twelve Laws, to chase me? After much contemplation, I reached a conclusion.
They want to know the location of the Black and White Lotus!
I am the only one in the world who knows its location.
' Mihyo must have realized this when she talked to Huaxueming yesterday.'
I donât know why they want the Black and White Lotus, but it must be a crucial secret. Otherwise, the Enforcer, a symbol of the White Lotus Sectâs strongest power, wouldnât have led the Fengxin Army all the way to Goryeo by boat.
At the same time, this also means that the White Lotus Sect is determined to capture me, no matter how long it takes. Mihyo mentioned a foreign country because she had noticed their obsession. Hiding clumsily in Goryeo would only mean being caught eventually, as Goryeo is much smaller compared to the Central Plains.
The Enforcer with the black fox mask, who came with the Fengxin Army, was a different person from the silver-fox-masked Enforcer who visited Huaxueming in the past.
I kept this in mind as I thought deeply.
' Somethingâs off.'
What Iâve thought so far is something Mihyo, as a third party, could have guessed with a little observation. When Mihyo told me to sense something only I could know, she meant something deeper.
Suddenly, a thought flashed through my mind.
' Thatâs right... Yes!'
I remembered the incident from my past life when I faced the commander of the Jinwei and died.
At that time, I charged at him despite knowing I couldnât win, and I recalled what the Jinwei commander said.
[The more I investigated, the more interesting it became. Pretending to be a White Lotus Sect Enforcer from the Huangshan Sect? Hahaha.]
[Ha, pretending! How do you know if Iâm a White Lotus Sect Enforcer or not?]
[You seem to know nothing. One of the three White Lotus Sect Enforcers is working with us. We have a significant amount of information on the White Lotus Sect. Your appearance doesnât match any of the Enforcers.]
"......!!"
I shuddered as I recalled the memory. It had been so long that it didnât come to mind immediately, but now it did. The Jinwei commander had detailed information on the White Lotus Sect and was working with one of the Enforcers. This means one of the three White Lotus Sect Enforcers is a traitor working with the Jinwei.
According to the Jinwei commander, this betrayal didnât happen overnight but had been ongoing for at least a few years. Otherwise, he wouldnât have been confident about the information at that point.
As I thought about this, my palms grew sweaty.
' Thatâs right... Thereâs no guarantee that the White Lotus Sect Enforcer in this life isnât working with the Jinwei. The one chasing me might be colluding with the Jinwei!!'
I know that the issue isnât whether the White Lotus Sect dominates the Central Plains. The real obstacle is the Fumaden (äŒéæźż), which manipulates the Central Plains imperial court from behind, unlike the Jinwei. If the Enforcer is aware of this, thereâs a high possibility that he is working with the Jinwei in this life as well.
If thatâs the case, the situation changes. I felt there might be a way out that only I could choose. After much deliberation, I calmed my mind and waited for Mihyo.
Mihyo returned about an hour later. She hopped down from the trees and said,
"Iâve set up a hiding place in that village. Letâs rest there."
"Mihyo, I have a question."
"What is it?"
"Why are you helping me so much? I thought youâd be angry about bringing my friend last time."
"Hmph... You do know."
Mihyo chuckled and touched my chin. Then, in an instant, she transformed into a mesmerizingly beautiful woman and approached me closely. She stared at me with her luminous eyes and said,
"Lord, I have a broad heart and can overlook such trivial matters. The important thing is that you are useful to me."
"Useful?"
"This isnât the place to discuss it. Follow me."
I followed Mihyo down to the village. Strangely, the villagers, who are usually very closed and wary of outsiders, showed no reaction to us. They treated us as if we didnât exist. I immediately understood.
' She must have cast a charm spell over the entire village.'
She must have altered their perception and brainwashed them so they wouldnât notice us. This method made setting up a hiding place as easy as pie. Mihyo boldly entered a large, wealthy house and confidently ordered the servants,
"Prepare a meal and light the hearth."
"Yes, my lord..."
Ironically, the original owner of the house and the servants were all diligently tending to the hearth. They were all under the charm spell. I watched this incredible scene and realized that Mihyoâs charm spell was at a level that humans couldnât even imitate. She had brainwashed the entire village in just an hour.
Mihyo entered the main room and sat down. She picked up an expensive pipe and said,
"I didnât save you for free. You need to do something for me."
"What is it?"
"We need to go to the Zhenxing Altar on Mount Mani and deal with the Guardian there."
"......?"
This seemed out of the blue. But the word "Guardian" gave me a clue, and I quickly responded,
"You donât mean the Seven Luminaries are there, do you?"
"Itâs just a guess. If theyâre not there, weâll head to Dongyeong."
"Thatâs ridiculous. The Moon Luminous Sword is in Gumi, Baek Mountain."
"......"
Mihyo didnât respond and lit her pipe. I instinctively knew that this was a sign of a significant secret. Why was she so confident that the Moon Luminous Sword was in Mani Mountain?
I eventually realized something and asked in a trembling voice,
"Is there another of the Seven Luminaries...?"
"Youâre quick. Use your brain in other areas too."
Mihyo lightly scolded me and put the pipe in her mouth. Smoke slowly seeped out, and she had transformed into a voluptuous, beautiful woman. She seemed to prefer this form over the childâs.
"Yes. The Zhenxing Altar on Mount Mani is likely the enshrinement site of another of the Seven Luminaries. This information was gathered while you were wandering around Goryeo for the Twelve Laws duel. I secretly charmed the Twelve Lawsâ experts to obtain it."