Chapter 11

Runaway Daughter and the Merchant of Gold

When the time came, he had promised himself that he would teach Yeonji the secret formulas of the Ilwol Divine Arts.
Of course, that “time” kept being delayed again and again.

Yeonji’s hunger for martial arts was exceptional—it had been only a matter of time before something like this happened.
Yet, the thought of his precious daughter, the apple of his eye, touching dangerous martial techniques made Wi Yeongang’s heart ache.

Once you step into the martial world, you must live your entire life with a sword in hand—that is the fate of those who walk the wulin path.
And his daughter, simply by being his child, was destined to live under constant watch, pursued and challenged by countless warriors until her last breath.

‘So this is Yeonji’s fate after all…’

Wi Yeongang looked up at the night sky for a moment.
He had once avoided learning the Ilwol Divine Arts himself, forever slipping away from training, giving his father endless headaches.

And yet his daughter turned out the exact opposite.

“You must find the item the Captain took.
You can use the help of our sect’s branch in the Central Plains.”

Wi Yeongang handed Ji Sejun a small bronze token.

Engraved upon it were four characters:
— Manifestation of Fire, Wi Yeongang.

“C–Church Leader! This token…!”

Ji Sejun trembled with awe. Wi Yeongang’s expression hardened with solemn dignity.

“Do everything in your power to bring the Captain back.”
“Yes, sir!”

“And remember this—she must not suffer even a single scratch.”

Wi Yeongang knew how contradictory that sounded: ordering the capture of a fugitive, yet forbidding any harm to her.
Still, he had to say it. The thought of a wound marring his daughter’s skin was unbearable.

“Understood!”

Ji Sejun replied boldly and vanished into the distance.
Wi Yeongang sighed deeply.

The sun had already set, and moonlight spilled softly over the ground.
He leaned against the wall and whispered,

“Yeonji…”

His hands soon covered his face, shoulders trembling.

“My daughter… ran away from home. Hic!”

He cried—loudly and pathetically.
The majestic authority he’d shown before Ji Sejun was gone without a trace.

“Ran away! Ran away!”

People passing by slowed their steps. As he kept muttering the same words over and over, they quietly crossed to the other side of the street.

“How is a father supposed to live like this!”

Three days later.

After running nearly without rest, Wi Yeonji finally arrived at the entrance to Qinghai Fortress.

Her journey had taken longer because she’d zigzagged through side roads to shake off pursuit.
When Ji Sejun appeared out of nowhere, she’d nearly panicked—but two days had passed without sign of anyone following her.

She had succeeded in her great escape!

A triumphant smile bloomed on her face.
Clenching her fist, she caught a few curious stares and quickly cleared her throat in embarrassment.

After straightening her clothes, she reached inside her robe for the identification token used for missions in Qinghai territory.

“Huh? My ID token…”

The token bearing the name Seo Ryeon was gone.

All she found was the one engraved with her real name—Wi Yeonji—alongside the sigil of the Ilwol Divine Sect.

She must have dropped the forged one somewhere along the way.

“D–Do I have to climb over the wall?”

She looked up at the fortress wall.
Even for someone with her martial skill, it was far too high to leap over unnoticed.

She needed another way inside without presenting an ID.

“Aren’t you the lady warrior I met before?”

A voice spoke from beside her. Yeonji turned her head—and her eyes widened.

That familiar face!

“I never expected to see you again!”

It was the merchant she had met after descending Mount Tianshan, the one who had been traveling with the monk Il-oh.
Behind the merchant stood a line of porters carrying loads of cargo.

There was something oddly androgynous about the merchant’s appearance—middle-aged, perhaps, but hard to tell if male or female.

“Are you heading to Qinghai Fortress as well?”
“Y–Yes.”

Yeonji nodded before she could think. She decided to be careful with her words—no need to mention her sect or rank.

“Seems you’re in a bit of trouble.”

The merchant smiled pleasantly.

“Come with me.”

“With your caravan?”

“I’m the head of the Geumhwa Trading Guild—my name is Lee Geumhwa.
You don’t have your official sect token, do you?”

“Ah—yes, I lost it!”

Yeonji tried to sound calm, hiding her alarm.

Members of the sect who worked outside its headquarters usually carried two identification tokens:
one official sect token, and one issued by the local government to blend in with the world.

“Many wandering martial artists don’t have proper IDs.
Once they join our guild, we help them get new ones issued through official channels.”

“Really?”

Hope lit up Yeonji’s face. Lee Geumhwa seemed to understand everything already, but her tone was gentle.

“Thank you so much.”

“You saved me from bandits once—this is just repayment.
And don’t worry, I won’t report anything to the sect.”

As they chatted, the line in front of the gate grew shorter.

“What name shall I give for you?”
“Ah—Seo Ryeon.”

“All right. Leave it to me.”

Soon they stood before the fortress gate, where guards inspected each entrant.

“Ah, Guildmaster Lee! Where are you coming from this time?”

“From Mount Tianshan,” Lee Geumhwa replied smoothly.

“Tianshan? You’re a brave one! What kind of merchant risks that place?
What’s the Geumhwa Guild doing trading up there?”

Only then did Yeonji realize—Lee Geumhwa was a woman.

“Perhaps, but merchants go wherever profit lies,” she said with a laugh.
“There are many who desire the fine tea that grows only on Tianshan.
Even the lord of Qinghai enjoys it, doesn’t he?”

The guard coughed awkwardly.

“Well… I suppose that’s true. All right, you may pass!”

As they started walking, the guard suddenly stopped them.

“Wait! I don’t recognize this young lady.”

He gave Yeonji a suspicious once-over.

“She looks too young. Guildmaster, who’s this? A secret daughter of yours?”

“Ah, my new bodyguard,” Lee Geumhwa said smoothly.
“She may look young, but she’s a formidable warrior.
With all the bandits lately, I needed extra protection.”

Then Lee Geumhwa leaned in and whispered something to the guard.

The guard looked around quickly, then reached into his uniform as if by reflex.

“Oh—my only son, I almost forgot!
Ahem. Anyway, go on through. Make sure to get her an ID once you’re inside.”

“Of course,” Lee Geumhwa replied cheerfully.

The guard stepped aside, letting them pass.

Once inside the fortress, Yeonji turned to her benefactor.

“Thank you, Guildmaster.”

“Think nothing of it. I’ll help you get your ID reissued as well.”

Yeonji knew Lee Geumhwa dealt with her sect—but she couldn’t help trusting her somehow.

“I don’t know how to repay you. Someday, I promise I’ll return this favor.”

“Nonsense. You saved my life—this is a small thing.
For now, let’s go to the inn we use for lodging.”

“All right.”

And with that, the runaway daughter of the Ilwol Divine Sect entered Qinghai Fortress—
completely unaware that her every step would soon shake the martial world itself.