Volcanic Age - Chapter 18

Translator: Subak

Editor: Summerstood, Imagine

Hubei at the east, Sichuan at the west, Guizhou at the south and Shaanxi at the north. Chongqing was the place that was surrounded by all of these forces.

And the treasury of the Three Eyed Immoral God was located here, in Chongqing.

Gu Pung’s group came down from Shaanxi in a straight line and after arriving at Chongqing, they continued to head south to Guizhou.

Ju Seo Cheon couldn’t even get near the treasury. Part of it was because of his group and also because he wouldn’t be able to enter it anyways even if he did go there.

It wasn’t the treasury of the Three Eyed Immoral God for nothing. It contained all kinds of traps in it and Ju Seo Cheon wasn’t able to break through them yet.

Even if he did get through, moving that huge amount of treasures was also another problem.

The Yangtze river that continued from Hubei and Chongqing, ended in Sichuan. The provinces of Chongqing were also separated by the Yangtze river.

They had a path they could use to return but that would take them dozens of days. It wasn’t that there was a time limit on this expedition but there was no need to do that.

They headed to an estuary to take on a boat. For reference, they had to walk and even swim to reach this place.

In the case of training in swimming, moving long distances for a long time was the most efficient thing to do.

Usually, they just had to run in circles in a designated place as they had nowhere to train inside in Mount Hua.

But compared to that, the Midlands was an open field so it was nice to run as much as they wished. They didn’t ride on horses and only moved by their feet.

“Ho, your internal energy is amazing just like I heard.”

Gu pung looked at Ju Seo Cheon while they were travelling and got surprised.

Ju Seo Cheon didn’t show exhaustion and didn’t even drip any sweat while Jang Hong or Jang Seo Eun collapsed in exhaustion.

He was quite famous for the miraculous medicine so Gu Pung knew about him, but it was still marvelous as he witnessed that strength with his two eyes.

An internal energy that you couldn’t think of it belonging to a twelve year old kid.

The overwhelming due to the fact was that he was still undergoing puberty.

“It’s not much. I was just lucky. Senior brother and senior sister are much more impressive than beings like me.”

Ju Seo Cheon held out a bottle of water to the tired brothers. He lowered his posture and put himself on their eye levels.

He didn’t want to create unnecessary fights between the members of the Lotus Peak.

The evaluation people had on him had already degraded and it couldn’t sink lower so it wouldn’t inflict much damage on him if he lowered his pride.

And actually, those actions were a wise decision.

It would hurt the pride of the sect if the disciple that was famous for being useless acted like nothing when it was this exhausting for them.

Jang Hong and Jang Seo Eun didn’t have a bad personality or weren’t narrow minded but they were still kids in the end.

Even if they were wiser than normal disciples, it wasn’t at a level where they could understand everything and embrace it.

His seventy years of experience hadn’t disappeared. Even if he was lacking compared to others, he had experience that was above them.

When they arrived at the estuary they were able to see skiffs lined up infinitely. The place was also filled with people that had come to see the Yangtze river, maybe because the sun was at its peak.

As the group got near the estuary, the ship owners wearing bamboo hats came to escort the group.

“I will tend to you as best as i can.”

“So what if it is comfortable? It becomes boring then. Even if I look like this, I was famous as a bard in my times.”

“Who are you trying to speak to without manners at the first encounter? It’s just a passing relationship, so just serve them as best you can!”

‘For me to be able to see the Yangtze river like this…’

Ju Seo Cheon checked his surroundings as if it was a new feeling. The emotions flashing in his eyes were that of longing.

After the treasury gets discovered two years later, the Yangtze river changes into an unapproachable place.

It was because of the age of war that would happen not long after.

If people passed near the Yangtze river, rather than sightseeing the good view they had to be aware of the enemies that were crossing the river.

When the war ended and he became one of the Five Elders of Mount Hua, he had to prove his fidelity so he couldn’t even get close to the Yangtze river.

The only time he got to appreciate the river properly was at the ceasefire. But even that moment was so short that he didn’t remember it clearly.

“Are there some seats?”

His thoughts that continued for some while ended at Gu Pung’s voice.

“Of course.”

The shipowner that was biting a long pipe nodded.

He was a white haired old man that had some trained arms. It was proof of having rowed for a long time.

Gu Pung gave some coins to the ship owner.

“I think that the old man will be satisfied by this remuneration. What do you guys think of the scenery?”

“They say that martial artists have a heart as broad as the Yangtze river and it seems like those words were true. It’s plentily satisfying to take a seat and just enjoy the view.”

Jang Hong and Jang Seo Eun followed his back hastily. It was the first time they rode on a boat so it was awkward yet marvelous.

Ju Seo Cheon also acted like a kid as if riding on a boat was marvelous and then got on the boat.

The ship owner rowed with all his strength and left the estuary.

“When you don’t know what kind of boat to get on, check the arm muscles of this old captain. You can check how much they have rowed this way.”

The Yangtze river was so big that it took a considerable amount of time to cross it. A long conversation followed naturally after that.

Gu Pung mostly taught them about things that would help them in the expedition of Kang Ho. Jang Hong and Jang Seo Eun perked their ears.

Ju Seo Cheon also had no experience about skiffs or ship owners so he listened attentively.

After about an hour passed they got able to see the other boats crossing the river. But they weren’t normal ones.

“Senior Gu Pung, what is that ship?”

Jang Hong asked curiously.

It wasn’t a small ship like the skiff but a proper ship. It was like a battleship that seemed like it would operate in the sea.

Although it was not exact, it seemed to be about forty feet in length and ten feet in width.

“Senior brother, look at its sail.”

Jang Seo Eun’s hands moved to the hilt of her sword and her eyes were looking at a sail with characters engraved in it.

“That is called an arc ship and is a kind of battleship. Also, settle down your killing intent and calm down.”

Gu Pung answered and tapped Jang Seo Eun’s wrists.

“But…”

Jang Hong’s words dimmed as his face got stiff. There was a lingering attachment in his face that he couldn’t understand it.

“You should follow my words calmly. It’s an order.”

Jang Hong and Jang Seo Eun retrieved their killing intent at Gu Pung’s strict words.

The captain that was rowing by their side, let out a sigh of relief.

He rowed to the opposite side and made the boat stop for a moment.

And then, the arc ship that was far away came to them. There were several men with rough appearances riding it.

They had messy beards, a big physique and scars filling up their faces. And all of them were holding weapons.

If there was a common point between them was that they were all wearing blue clothes.

“I’m sorry for having stopped you when you were enjoying your sightseeing on a bright day such as this one.”

The man with the messiest beard of all came out and saluted by gathering his fist into his palm. His fierce eyes headed to the sleeves of the group.

The man checked the plum blossom engraved in their sleeves and spoke with the calmest tone possible.

“We are martial artists of the Nine Fleets of the Water Forest that protect the Yangtze river. Originally we protected this Yangtze river for compensation…no, for no compensation but recently we are having some financial troubles. If it’s fine with you will you be able to spare us some money instead of protection?”

Awkwardness could be felt at the words of the man.

It seemed like he was wearing clothes that didn’t fit him.

“Of course we can pay that much when you are protecting the Yangtze river. But I don’t have that much money so spare us with this much.”

Gu Pung placed a silver coin in his thumb and flicked it.

The silver coin spun in the air and flew off.

The man that spoke first snatched away the silver coin as if he was accustomed to it and saluted again.

“It was an honor having met the martial artists of the great Mount Hua. Please, pass through.”

“Thank you.”

Gu Pung signaled the boat captain with his eyes. He greeted the men in blue and advanced by rowing.

Jang Hong’s and Jang Seo Eun’s were completely red as if they were enraged not being able to understand.

The two of them seemed like they wanted to stand up and say something but Gu Pung stopped them.

The boat owner saw that and started to row with more strength. The skiff gained speed and got farther from the arc ship.

“Senior!”

When they got so far they couldn’t even see the arc ship, Jang Hong couldn’t endure his anger and raised his voice.

“Why are you complying with the pillaging of those pirates! On top of that aren’t they enemies that belong to the Eighteen Strongholds of the Monsoon Rain!”

“That’s right. They have also said that they belong to the Nine Fleets of the Water Forest. We can’t ignore this as martial artists of the Righteous Faction!”

Even though this place had forces of the Righteous Faction in it, it was also a place where their influence didn’t reach.

A part of the nine factions and the fifth generations powerful families were taking position nearby but there existed a force that was able to stop them.

It was the Eighteen Strongholds of the Monsoon Rain. An alliance between the Nine Camps of the Green Forest and the Nine Fleets of the Water Forest.

For reference the Nine Camps of the Green Forest was an association of mountain bandits and the Nine Fleets of the Water Forest an association of pirates.

That was a place where the mountain bandits and pirates joined a few dozens of years ago to resist against the persecutions and subjugations of the officers or the martial artists of the Righteous Faction.

That strength and scale was quite considerable that not even the officials or the martial artists could touch easily.

The words Water Forest were engraved on the sail that Jang Seo Eun discovered.

“How can a member of the Righteous Faction be scared of a pirate!”

“Even if we haven’t learned the water arts, they are nothing in front of Mount Hua’s sword…”

“Silence!”

Gu Pung raised his voice for the first time. His eyes and voice contained a lot of strength.

The boat owner flinched at that force and stopped rowing.

“I’m sorry elder. It’s just that the two of them are too energetic. Don’t mind us and keep rowing.”

Gu Pung spoke to the boat owner and he pressed down his bamboo hat and focused on rowing again.

“Do you really think i’m scared of pirates?”

Gu Pung was a pinnacle expert. Even if they were above water, mere pirates that weren’t even first rate couldn’t become his opponents.

He was confident on being able to kill all of them after jumping to the arc ship and sharing a few exchanges with the sword.

“The reason I gave them money without fighting is that something really troublesome will happen if I didn’t.”

“Trouble…?”

Jang Hong and Jang Seo Eun tilted their heads.

“First, even if it’s me I can’t assert that I won’t miss even one of them. Do you know why?”

Gu Pung asked Ju Seo Cheon, that was listening calmly.

Ju Seo Cheon got flustered at the beginning when the question was redirected at him but then spoke clearly with a calm tone.

“Pirates are proficient at swimming and they also practice water arts that give them the edge on water.”

“Right.”

Pirates didn’t only have the ability to move freely underwater. They had lots of other favorable powers.

They could endure their breath for a long time and their speed moving in the water wasn’t to be compared.

It would be hard to face them if you were not an expert that could unleash the Water Walking Technique.

This was also in the case they didn’t dive down. It was close to impossible to catch them if they dived without showing themselves above water and escaped.

Gu Pung also excelled in his footwork techniques so he would be able to chase them but it was up to a coin toss if he could catch every single one of them.