I walked calmly while organizing my thoughts.
How I ended up being followed is not very important. There’s a chance I was seen placing the compensation by accident, or maybe the actor who caused the ruckus is with them.
The question is what kind of expert is chasing me and for what purpose.
The opponent was likely a Peak Expert who had learned some special assassination techniques or an ordinary Peak Stage expert. Considering any chance of it being Hwa-gyeong is pointless.
The path I was walking was already a sufficiently secluded alley. It would not be strange if they showed up to harm or subdue me long ago.
So, is their goal related to my background?
I deliberately wandered through the alley. If the opponent has the intention of searching for my background, my actions shouldn’t seem odd to them.
If they have a background, then disturbing this winding route wouldn’t seem unusual either.
As I navigated the alley, I memorized the terrain in my mind.
There’s only one chance to shake off the opponent.
They probably still think I haven’t noticed they’re following me.
Even on the gambling table, where I could see their face up close, there was no one who could penetrate my psychology. At most, they could observe me from a distance and occasionally catch on to my actions; deceiving them was no trouble at all.
After sketching a getaway route in my mind, I moved to the optimal location.
Then I stood still for a moment.
The pursuer, who had been quietly following me, would have heightened their tension when I suddenly acted strangely.
“Eh…”
I lifted my face slightly and puffed out my chest.
“Ah-choo!”
A sneeze!
What would the pursuer think if I sneezed loudly? The unidentified expert, who had been tense about being discovered, would momentarily let their guard down.
“Haaa-choo!”
Then, I bounced my upper body and sneezed a second time, moving my inner energy. Instead of the common dispersion of Qi, I created a spiraled flow. Now, these impurities are just like pebbles, but it would help conceal my presence better than freely emitting my Qi.
“Haaa…”
Pretending to sneeze one last time, I bent at the waist like a bow.
Whoosh!!
And then, mimicking the technique of the Ground-Soaring Arrow, I slammed my feet into the ground!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The intense unfolding of the Propel-Wind Technique. It may look a bit frivolous, but as expected of the Poison Doctor’s direct teachings, its efficacy was outstanding.
I felt the hurried footsteps and Qi of the pursuer closing in behind me. They couldn’t have been hiding in the same situation for this long though. I tried twisting my body according to the escape route I had in mind, but it was no use against someone who was a higher level than me.
Swoosh!!
Most importantly, the opponent’s lightness of foot was extraordinary. I could feel the distance shortening even before I had run very far.
I gave up on figuring out the identity of the opponent.
I attempted to determine their identity based on how they handle this speed, but slowing down out of curiosity might get me caught by this exceptional figure in an instant.
Without dragging it out any longer, I dashed towards the point I had my eye on.
The difference in speed and skill was stark, so if I didn’t make my move, I wouldn’t be able to shake them off.
Whoosh!
I sprinted towards the tallest building nearby.
“Haah!”
And, disregarding the waste of inner energy, I poured all my strength into my legs.
Whoosh!
With all my might, I leaped. My body had reached a peak, but the impact of one move made my thighs scream.
Seeing my body rise, I bit my lip. I wasn’t even sure if I could clear this high building.
If I couldn’t jump over this building cleanly, I wouldn’t be able to shake off that pursuer, so I jumped up with everything I had!
Swoosh!!
Did my desperate prayer work? My vision suddenly cleared.
I made it over!
Bang!
Before the thrill of jumping over the building could even fade, I heard urgent footsteps ringing in my ears.
My success in clearing the tall building meant I had bought myself some time to obscure my sight from the pursuer.
They would undoubtedly feel anxious now.
Sensing the fierce momentum of the pursuer, I rolled up my left sleeve. As always, the bracelet of Qichae, which had been hanging from my left forearm, glinted in the sunlight.
Swoosh!
Ever since I obtained it from Hyeon Cheon-ja’s cave and later used it as a fishing rod in Hwa-gyeong’s cave, there hadn’t been much need for Qichae’s bracelet.
In the days when the impurities were severe, infusing Qi into the bracelet was tough, so I never had the chance to use it, but now that the impurities had been managed to some extent, I could use it in a crisis.
The thread infused with my Qi stretched out.
The line I had learned to use while fishing for Hwari in Hwa-gyeong’s cave sliced through the air powerfully and wrapped around the beam of the left building.
Then, as I released the energy, the thread abruptly retracted, swiftly pulling my body in that direction.
Crash!
Having been yanked tightly in midair, my left arm bore considerable strain, but instead of protecting it, I halted all Qi manipulation and let all my inner energy go.
No matter how adept the opponent’s sensitivity was, detecting suppressed Qi ultimately relies on sensing moving Qi.
Since I had halted the flow of my inner method, even if the opponent was an expert, they wouldn’t find me with just their sensitivity.
However, until I successfully regained my inner method with the Circular Qigong, I couldn’t properly use my inner energy!
Just before falling, I shook my left arm to release the wrapped Qichae and tumbled head over heels to the ground. In a state where I couldn’t use my inner energy, I had to roll and absorb the sound to land silently.
The moment I had rolled and hidden behind the building.
Swoosh!!
Thud!
With a sharp sound of impact, I heard the footsteps of the pursuer landing on the ground. The pursuer seemed momentarily bewildered by the complete absence of my presence.
Looking around, it was apparent that there were two or more paths for escape nearby, so they must’ve felt confused about which way I had gone.
Pitter-patter!
But the pursuer’s deliberation didn’t last long. They quickly chose a path and I could hear their footsteps receding.
Phew.
I miraculously escaped.
Once I didn’t hear the pursuer’s footsteps in my ears, I counted to thirty in my mind before starting to move stealthily.
I moved toward the direction I had just jumped over the building.
After arriving on the opposite side of the building, I let out a slight breath.
I shook them off.
My thighs felt tight, and my left arm was sore, but this much muscle pain is just a symptom of a more intense training session. While it is critical that I can’t use my energy right now, I can recover it in a nearby inn and restore the flow. After meditating, my muscle pain should vanish as well.
Getting rid of a Peak Expert with such a minor setback was a profitable trade.
I left the scene briskly while smiling to myself.
I am Ho Cheon-an.
Even though I borrowed the strength of an item, escaping gracefully from the clutches of a Peak Expert made me feel good.
My purpose was to run away, and the mysterious pursuer’s goal was to catch me, so wouldn’t it be fair to say I claimed victory in this duel with the Peak Expert?
A sense of achievement that is hard to express filled my chest. It felt like my efforts up to now were finally being rewarded.
Hey! I just broke free from the grasp of a Peak Expert!
I felt like shouting and bragging about it all over the neighborhood.
“Cough!”
The pursuing opponent must have completely stumbled as they took a direction away from me. However, there was no need to cause a ruckus, so quietly slipping away was the better choice.
But…
It would be fine to celebrate a little, right?
“Cough! Cough! Cough!”
Hahaha! Silly pursuer! How do you feel being completely duped by Ho Cheon-an’s mobility and wits? Frustrated? Annoyed? You won’t be able to sleep tonight! You’ll keep thinking about this and toss and turn in your blanket!
“Whew…?”
As I chuckled softly and strolled forward, something brushed against my left shoulder.
…A chilling, heavy sensation.
It was a blade.
My feet stopped, and of course, my laughter ceased. My whole body froze.
The pursuer had returned.
…Caught.
I didn’t know how the pursuer saw through my trick. But they had anticipated my move and acted as if they were traversing to one side while suppressing their presence to return to this spot.
And to hide their presence, they halted their inner method, closing in behind me with a normal person’s pace and aimed a sword at me.
The opponent had completely seen through my move.
It was a clever distraction using the Qichae technique at a perfect moment, but how they figured it out made no sense, yet the outcome was harsh.
Slowly raising my hands, I spoke.
“…I surrender.”
Swish!
At my words, the sword that had touched my shoulder fell.
This is bad.
Caught by a Peak Expert in a state where I can’t use my inner energy, I can only imagine what’s in store for me. I tightly shut my eyes as visions of Ho Cheon-an starving in prison, being locked up, being hung upside down, or becoming a gambling slave flashed before me.
“Do you surrender? This is quite entertaining.”
What? That voice sounded familiar.
As I racked my brain, it seemed incredibly similar to Hyeok Gi-rin’s voice. But there was no way Hyeok Gi-rin would be here! They’re busy battling nobles under the guise of Princess Yuya right now!
“Please turn around.”
…What?
With a confused mind, I slowly turned my body.
“It’s been a long time. Senior Ho.”
There stood Hyeok Gi-rin, smiling widely, wearing the common attire of women in the Central Plains without a solar cap.
