“Divine Maiden.”

“Is it finished?”

“Yes. We’ve removed most of the moisture from indoors. I think it should be all right to move the patients now.”

“You’ve worked hard.”

“It was nothing. Then I’ll have the patients transported right away.”

“The Gong couple still shouldn’t be moved. We got rid of all the pus, but their fever still hasn’t come down enough. Thankfully, they’re both young, so they’re recovering quickly. Let’s watch them another day or two before moving them.”

“Understood.”

“Yes, please bear with it just a little longer.”

“Of course. Then I’ll be going.”

When the man withdrew, the woman moved her brush again.

SCRITCH, SCRITCH.

Her brushwork was art itself. It had reached the pinnacle of the Eight Principles, yet the script held both delicacy and mystery at once.

Her handwriting was so perfect that even someone who could not read would gasp in admiration, and it resembled her face.

Skin so white it was hard to compare her to any woman of the Central Plains. Hair brighter than gold fell all the way to her waist, so soft that it looked like a river of molten metal.

She was tall for a woman, and the curves of her figure were pronounced. Her pupils were blue, her frame fairly solid, and her features strikingly clear.

It was the appearance of the peoples who lived far west of the Central Plains, beyond even the Heavenly Bamboo Kingdom.

Seen kindly, her beauty was profoundly mysterious. Seen badly, it was almost bewitching. She was an exotic beauty rarely found in the Central Plains.

“This should be enough.”

She gently fanned her sleeve to dry the ink.

Though she looked like a woman of the Western Regions, her handwriting and manner showed that the etiquette of the Central Plains was ingrained in her. If anything, she seemed even more refined in its customs than a native of the Central Plains.

After thoroughly drying the ink, she carefully folded the letters.

Then she let out a sigh.

“They’ll have to arrive within five days. I’m worried.”

She rose from her seat and headed into the next room.

SKREEE!

Inside, three hawks were flapping their wings.

She tied one of the letters to the ankle of one of the hawks. The paper was fairly small, but the hawk itself was not very large, so both ankles ended up covered.

“I’m sorry for always making you suffer. There, off you go.”

FLAP-FLAP-FLAP!

After sending the messenger hawk away, she lifted deep eyes toward the sky outside the window.

It was a night sky with almost no clouds. The starlight looked ready to spill down, and the not-quite-full moon shone in silence.

“It’s terribly cold. Dry too.”

White breath drifted from her lips.

“Why is the Central Plains so cold? They say the south feels like spring even in winter. Once this is all over, I’d like to go there.”

There was a faint longing in her voice.

As she quietly stared at the sky, a mischievous little smile suddenly touched her lips.

“There must be all kinds of herbs there that I’ve never seen before. Ah, how exciting.”

Leaning her elbow on the window frame and resting her chin on her hand, she wore an oddly thrilled expression.

“The medicine of the Central Plains really is mysterious. Those blood channels and qi meridians too. Then again, those people handled qi well too.”

She stroked her lower abdomen.

“Inner Qi is truly mysterious. Who would have thought that simply forming a dantian would make me feel this warm and this secure? If I’d known, I would have learned from them sooner...”

Her voice gradually faded.

“...”

Silence fell for a moment.

The other two hawks turned their eyes toward her.

After gazing outside for a long while with unreadable eyes, she slowly closed them.

“When will I finally be free?”

When she opened them again, she smiled and stroked one hawk beneath the chin.

“You two have it good. You’ve got wings. Even if you’re stuck like this for now, the moment you want to, you can just fly away.”

She spoke as if sighing.

“Isn’t that right, Hidden Shadow One?”

SHHHK.

From a dark corner swallowed in shadow, a man wrapped head to toe in black bandages revealed himself.

His pupils, like the woman’s, were blue. The difference was that her eyes were clear and deep, while his were cold.

The man dropped to one knee.

“My greetings to the Saintess. Have you been well?”

“Unfortunately, yes.”

“That is a relief.”

The woman, Gi Uhui, smiled bitterly.

“Did you come to check on me? To see whether I’ve wavered?”

“Additional orders have come down from above.”

“...”

“You are to remain in the Martial Alliance as long as possible.”

Gi Uhui’s eyes trembled.

“Is that all?”

“Yes. If another order comes down, I will contact you separately at that time.”

“I understand. Is there anything else?”

“I heard you recently learned an Inner Qi heart method.”

Gi Uhui’s face hardened.

As expected, they had been watching her all along.

The problem was that she had not sensed the slightest trace of it.

Gi Uhui had been born with extraordinary instincts, and even before learning a shred of martial arts, she had survived countless assassination attempts through those instincts alone.

Those instincts had only grown ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) sharper with time, to the point that now, if she chose, she could even catch the presence of someone watching her from two hundred zhang away.

A prime example was how she had noticed Hidden Shadow One’s presence the instant he appeared. Hidden Shadow One’s concealment art was so formidable that even the greatest assassin in the Central Plains would have had to give ground before it.

And yet she had failed to notice that someone had been monitoring her.

“Who was it?”

“The Inner Qi heart method you learned is third-rate. If you wish, word has been sent that the Cult’s martial arts may be bestowed upon you.”

“Who did you send? I never sensed a presence or even a gaze.”

“The Cult Leader said it personally. If you wish it, you need only say the word.”

The Cult Leader.

Gi Uhui let out a sigh.

“The Cult Leader... is he doing well?”

“Of course.”

“He isn’t ill anywhere, is he?”

“The Cult Leader is a divine being. The sicknesses of this mortal world cannot touch his sacred body.”

“...”

“I brought two Inner Qi manuals just in case. They combine the Cult’s heart formulas with martial arts from the Central Plains, so even if someone familiar with our cult sees them, that person will not know whether your martial arts are connected to the teachings of the Cult.”

SHHK.

Hidden Shadow One set two manuals on the table.

“Once you have memorized them, you must burn them immediately.”

Gi Uhui stared at the manuals for a moment, then sighed.

“Since you’re here anyway, please grant me one request too.”

“Speak.”

“We’re badly short on medicinal ingredients. A merchant company has been helping us until now, but that company has had a difficult time lately as well, so securing ingredients has become hard.”

“...”

“The ingredients I asked for. Can you get them to me within five days?”

“That is impossible.”

“...”

“We received a report that an escort party has departed from the Martial Alliance. It probably won’t happen, but if by some chance they try to verify where the ingredients came from, it could become troublesome.”

Gi Uhui clenched her teeth.

“Then give me money. I’ll procure them myself. If the ingredients are delayed, the patients could be in danger—”

“The Saintess is not someone meant to bestow grace upon wretches in a place like this.”

“...!”

“Nor is infiltrating the Martial Alliance something you should be doing. And yet the reason you are suffering through this trial is because of your original sin.”

Though the gap in their status was untouchable, Hidden Shadow One’s words were cold and sharp as daggers.

Gi Uhui knew. Hidden Shadow One pitied her.

And the reason he spoke this harshly was because he worried about her.

“Even that original sin would vanish the moment you set your heart on it. You know very well how dearly the Cult Leader cherishes you.”

“...”

“So please cut off these ties with such lowly people and set your heart right. The Cult Leader is not someone who would give up just because you behave this way.”

“Hidden Shadow One.”

“Yes, Saintess.”

Fire flashed in Gi Uhui’s eyes.

“They are not lowly people. They’re human beings of blood and flesh, just like us.”

“It is precisely because their blood is different and their flesh is different that they are lowly.”

“...”

Gi Uhui sighed.

“You may leave now. I heard the order from above.”

“Saintess.”

“I don’t want to talk anymore.”

Hidden Shadow One stared at her for a moment, then bowed his head.

“Then I will take my leave.”

SHHHK.

Hidden Shadow One disappeared. Just like when he appeared, she had no idea what kind of martial art he used when he vanished.

Looking out the window with sorrowful eyes, Gi Uhui suddenly turned her gaze toward the table.

Bathed in moonlight, the two manuals somehow looked chilling.

Gi Uhui muttered in a self-mocking voice,

“Saintess? Divine Maiden? Ridiculous. The only thing I know how to do is medicine, and yet I ask for money as if it were mine to claim.”

Tears streamed down her face.

She picked up the manuals.

“Hidden Shadow One. They are not lowly. If anyone is lowly, it’s me.”

*****

NEEEEIGH!

The four horses let out rough cries, each in its own way.

“Should we stop here for the night?”

At Yeon Hojeong’s words, Mookbi clicked her tongue.

“There’s something I’ve been curious about for a while.”

“Hm?”

“Why do you like sleeping outdoors so much? We could just head to the nearest inn.”

“What’s wrong with this? The scenery’s nice. It’s good to spend time with nature once in a while.”

“It’s way too cold for you to be talking about scenery!”

It was winter, and there had been heavy snow. They had brought fur clothing and wind cloaks just in case, but no matter how prepared they were, the weather still was not fit for spending a night in a snow-covered forest.

Yeon Hojeong snorted.

“What do you think your Inner Qi is for? Besides, if you just focus a little, you don’t have to feel the cold at all.”

“We’re one thing, but what about the horses?”

“They’re horses raised on the finest bloodline and fed spiritual medicines. They’re probably more cold-resistant than you are.”

“I shouldn’t have said anything.”

Mookbi got down from her horse in disgust.

Mo Yong-woo said with a laugh,

“Vice Commander Mook has a point. Do we really need to sleep in the forest?”

“Isn’t it romantic?”

Mo Yong-woo gave up trying to persuade this mad sworn younger brother.

Then again, even Gangryang already possessed powerful Inner Qi as a Peak master. As long as he paid a little attention, this level of cold was never going to affect him.

In the end, unable to break Yeon Hojeong’s stubborn streak, the group had no choice but to spend the night in the snow-covered forest.

SHIIIIIIK!

They chopped down damp wood, dried it, and set it alight right away, and in an instant a campfire was blazing.

“Hoo, that’s warm.”

Gangryang spread both hands toward the campfire.

Yeon Hojeong asked him,

“Aren’t you hungry?”

“No, Brother. It’s only been two hours since we ate.”

“Riding a horse isn’t exactly easy work.”

“I may not look it, but I can swing a blade. It just doesn’t work on you, Brother.”

“That’s true enough. Anyway, if your stomach’s full, bring your sword and come with me.”

“Huh? My sword? Why?”

“You said you aren’t hungry.”

“I did.”

“Then you should train while you’ve got the time. If not now, when? Come on. Father told me to shape you up properly and bring you back.”

Gangryang’s eyes turned serious in an instant.

“Sounds good.”

He did act a little empty-headed at times, but his desire to grow stronger was genuine. Gangryang quickly grabbed his greatsword and followed after Yeon Hojeong.

Mo Yong-woo said,

“Don’t wear yourself out too much. You’re only just getting— he’s already gone.”

Mo Yong-woo glanced at Mookbi.

Mookbi awkwardly smiled and lowered her head. Mo Yong-woo lowered his as well with an equally awkward smile.

“...”

The awkwardness was so suffocating it felt as if even the blazing campfire might go out.

A quarter hour later.

Mo Yong-woo carefully opened his mouth.

“If you’re not tired, should we spar too—”

HSSS... HSSS...

Before he knew it, Mookbi had already fallen asleep. Judging by how even her breathing was, she had gone under quite deeply.

“...She complained that much, and she still fell asleep fast.”

In the end, Mo Yong-woo spent the next four hours doing nothing but poking at the campfire.

Alone.