Chapter 45: Resonance of Hidden Echoes (5)

Inside the Blood Spirit Cave, Yun Seoha let out a small laugh.

“Truly foolish. Who would ignore the back path just because they didn’t know it existed?”

Yeon Sohye chimed in.

“She really doesn’t know how the world works. Just a big child, that’s all.”

“Yet I can’t bring myself to hate her.”

Yun Seoha scratched her head with her hand.

“She charges forward as she thinks, without even being able to read such an obvious move. What should I even call that?”

“In a word, foolish.”

The two looked at each other and laughed softly.

The Blood Spirit Cave was a cavern where soul energy condensed. It was also the final line of defense for the Soul-Summoners of the Cold Wolf Sect. Naturally, this path was strewn with Spirit Powder—blue dust condensed from energy.

On the floor of the cave where they gazed, blue powder was scattered about.

It was the trace left behind by Gugwi.

Yun Seoha picked up some of the powder and rubbed it between her fingers.

Her face turned grave.

“Someone will surely chase this Spirit Powder… Sister Samma the Spirit Summoner will be able to follow it, and the Blue Blood Unit will recognize it and give chase. As for the Heavenly Sound Cult, we might be able to fool them.”

The two women wore troubled expressions.

Originally, this Spirit Powder was meant to be used by the pursued to signal for rescue, marking the path they had taken. If they needed to avoid even the Cold Wolf Sect, then this path should not have been used at all.

Yeon Sohye checked her own hem. A fine dusting of blue powder clung to it.

“It’s true. Once it sticks to your clothes, it makes your direction crystal clear. For him to be carrying this around like this… Could it already be too late to save him?”

She brushed the powder off her garment.

“Half and half. I can’t say for sure.”

“Truly a fool.”

Yeon Sohye frowned.

“Are you going to look after him? He probably left on his own, thinking he was protecting us.”

“We have no choice but to follow. He’s leaving such a clear trail.”

“What? You really intend to go?”

Yun Seoha asked with a serious look.

“What else can we do? If we leave him, he’ll surely become prey for the Blue Blood Unit. Knowing that, how could we simply let him go?”

“If you follow Gugwi now, you’ll be expelled. It means becoming an enemy of the Blue Blood Unit.”

At Yun Seoha’s warning, Yeon Sohye answered calmly.

“I’m already a heretic within the Cold Wolf Sect.”

“Even so…”

“That’s why they only sent me on external errands. I’ve long felt the stares on my back. Even if they throw me into the wilderness, I can endure.”

A gleam of determination shone in Yeon Sohye’s eyes.

“They’ll attach a tail to me too. Don’t contact me.”

“Of course. Do you think I wouldn’t know that much? I’m the Captain of the Shadow Moon Unit.”

Yeon Sohye declared with confidence.

“Then go. I’ll open the way.”

Yun Seoha drew out her spiritual threads.

“Thank you, Lady Leader. Stay safe.”

“You too.”

The two exchanged their final words. Yun Seoha briefly placed her hand on Yeon Sohye’s shoulder.

“Let’s meet again alive.”

“Yes.”

Yun Seoha left the Blood Spirit Cave at a run.

Whoosh!

She swung her spiritual threads, stirring the wind. Her footwork was already swift, but she pressed for even more speed. As though daring anyone able to catch up, she ran at an incredible pace.

Tat-tat-tat!

Her toes kicked off the ground, propelling her forward.

Her figure tore through the underbrush.

“Come then, follow me.”

Yun Seoha muttered.

Shaa-shaa-shak! Shaa-shaa-shaa-shak!

Black shadows appeared on both sides, closing in.

They were martial artists of the Black Blood Unit of the Heavenly Sound Cult. At the front, Heuk Yeomjo’s figure came into view.

“They’re coming. More! Closer!”

Their black robes whipped in the wind as they pursued. Yun Seoha did not slow.

She continued to lead them, never once looking back.

“Faster. This isn’t enough.”

She pushed her speed even further. Yet as time passed, her expression darkened.

‘Mounting Formation… the Eleventh True Army hasn’t been dragged in. Tch!’

She had confirmed it through Baek Soryeong. The Eleventh True Army had not moved. Only a portion of the Black Blood Unit was pursuing her. The main force had not stirred.

The moment it became clear that Gugwi was their target.

They chased no women. Only men.

“In that case, the decoy failed. Hah! I couldn’t even help at the end.”

Yun Seoha let out a bitter sigh.

Meanwhile, Yeon Sohye observed the Heavenly Sound Cult’s camp. Most of their martial artists had not moved.

“The Lady Leader has failed.”

The bait had not worked.

“Then I’ll do it.”

Yeon Sohye invoked So Ryeonghwa’s Silver Spirit Technique. Mist coiled around her body. If they ignored women and only pursued men… she would make it so they could not tell who was fleeing.

Ssshh!

Her form blurred and merged with the mist.

“Now then, let’s move.”

Ssshhiii!

She began to move in silence.

At that moment, a group rushed toward her.

“Who goes there!”

“Check it out!”

The martial artists of the Heavenly Sound Cult shouted.

Yeon Sohye’s thought had been correct. They had ignored Yun Seoha, who had been in plain sight, but for someone shrouded in mist, they needed to confirm who it was. They tried to draw near, to see if it was Gugwi.

“It won’t be so easy.”

Yeon Sohye spread the mist even thicker.

Whoosh!

Almost simultaneously, she unfolded Gale Spirit Guest’s supreme movement technique, darting away. Her black robes grew heavy as they flapped against the wind.

“They’ll find it hard to keep up.”

But the Heavenly Sound Cult was relentless. Like hunters, they encircled her in a crescent formation as they chased.

Ssshhiii!

Yeon Sohye lured them toward the Blue Blood Unit.

She would use anything available. No matter what it was.

The martial artists of the Blue Blood Unit sensed something unusual.

“Someone is running this way!”

They turned around.

The forces of the Heavenly Sound Cult hesitated. Unless it was the Eleventh True Army, they were no match for the Blue Blood Unit. Martial artists capable of breaking Soul-Summoning Arts… the strongest enemies stood before them.

The Heavenly Sound Cult pursuers faltered, then withdrew.

Yeon Sohye appeared with confidence.

“We meet again.”

The eyes of the Captain of the Blue Blood Unit narrowed.

“And you are?”

“I am Yeon Sohye, Captain of the Shadow Moon Unit of the Cold Wolf Sect.”

“Skip the formalities. Speak your business. Gugwi?”

“He escaped.”

“Escaped?”

The voice of the Captain of the Blue Blood Unit sharpened.

“When?”

“Just now.”

“Where to?”

“I’m pursuing him right now. Will you join me in capturing him?”

The Captain of the Blue Blood Unit sneered.

“Ridiculous. He didn’t come this way.”

“Is that so?”

Yeon Sohye shrugged.

“What can I say? To me, it seemed he fled this way.”

“Are you certain?”

“No. I could be mistaken. He fled like a sly fox. I have to hurry to catch him… so excuse me.”

Yeon Sohye moved to pass through the Blue Blood Unit.

“Wait.”

The Captain of the Blue Blood Unit called out.

“Did he really flee?”

“Yes. Truly.”

“He’s not in the Blood Spirit Cave?”

“No. Go see for yourself.”

“If you’re deceiving us…”

“Why would I? I know better than anyone what happens if I get dragged to the Murim Alliance. Now, I’ll be going.”

Yeon Sohye rushed past the Blue Blood Unit.

They did not chase her. Their target was Gugwi as well. They were certain Gugwi had not yet left the Blood Spirit Cave.

‘Fools.’

Yeon Sohye laughed inwardly.

Gugwi had not taken this path. Yet, Gugwi was covered in Spirit Powder. Wherever he went, he could be found. It was a longer detour, but it was possible.

The Heavenly Sound Cult and the Blue Blood Unit did not move. They were convinced that Yun Seoha and Yeon Sohye moving in opposite directions had been a decoy. The two women were gone. The only one left was Gugwi.

“Now then, what will you do?”

The Captain of the Blue Blood Unit murmured toward the Blood Spirit Cave.

Both organizations knew the other was there. Yet they did not strike. Normally, the Blue Blood Unit would have attacked the Heavenly Sound Cult immediately, but not this time. Securing Gugwi took precedence over killing wicked Soul-Summoners.

The Captain of the Blue Blood Unit gave his subordinates low instructions.

“They’ll interfere.”

“Yes, Captain.”

“When they do, kill them all!”

“Yes, sir!”

His killing intent scattered the mist.

Meanwhile, Ma Un’gyeol of the Eleventh True Army also gave orders to his men on the perimeter.

“When Gugwi appears, the situation will change.”

“Yes, Lord of the Army.”

“They’ll attack us first. A few will go after Gugwi, the rest will target us.”

Ma Un’gyeol gripped his Red Blood Spear.

“Block them with everything you have. Don’t count on my help.”

“Yes, sir!”

His Red Blood Spear glowed crimson.

“If I seize Gugwi, withdraw immediately. First, cover my retreat. Second, survive and fall back.”

“Yes, sir.”

The mist of Silver Moon Valley wrapped around the killing intent of the two forces. It was like a powder keg, ready to explode at any moment.

Ssshhh!

Gugwi moved, evading both the Blue Blood Unit and the Heavenly Sound Cult.

“Un Serim.”

‘Give me the exact positions.’

The command came through the Realm of the Threshold. Even while possessing him, Un Serim could receive commands through the Realm.

Hhhrrmm!

Un Serim grasped the positions of the Blue Blood Unit and the Heavenly Sound Cult’s martial artists.

The Spirit Flow Core lent its power to Un Serim, expanding his sensing ability dozens of times.

“The Blue Blood Unit’s position?”

“Fifty paces to the west.”

“Their energy?”

“Extremely high.”

“The Heavenly Sound Cult?”

“Stationed to the north and east.”

“The Eleventh True Army?”

“Detected at the center.”

After gathering all the information, Gugwi crouched low and slipped through a gap in the southern rocks. Following Un Serim’s lead… matching his steps to Un Serim’s movement technique, he moved like a ghost, soundless.

He escaped between the two forces.

Silent as the wind.

In the end, the Blue Blood Unit found no trace inside the Blood Spirit Cave. Gugwi should have been there, but he had vanished without a trace.

“Well, what’s this?”

Am Ilho pressed deeper into the cave. There, he found blue powder. So faint that only someone familiar with soul energy could detect it.

“This is… Spirit Powder.”

He rubbed the powder between his fingers.

“If Gugwi left with this clinging to him… hehe! Then he can be tracked.”

Am Ilho immediately led two men deeper into the cave.

The Captain of the Blue Blood Unit blocked the entrance in preparation for the Heavenly Sound Cult. A few entered the cave, but for now there was no commotion.

‘Did they not notice the Spirit Powder? If they had, the uproar would’ve already started. I hope they didn’t.’

Yeon Sohye watched the scene unfold.

She thought to herself that it would be best if they stayed put for at least another two hours. But… the Spirit Powder was far too easy for the Blue Blood Unit to notice.

‘He’s scattering Spirit Powder everywhere he goes. How could they not find it?’

She too confirmed the trail left by Gugwi. A fine dust of blue remained along his path.

“Just follow this.”

Yeon Sohye darted forward, chasing the trail of Spirit Powder.

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