The 'master' turned his face towards Jin, as if he could see him even though he had a cloth over his eyes. He was amiably smiling as he said: "Jin, right? Welcome to Sarhjin. I am Min-Su's Master, Hae Hyuk. You probably have a lot of questions but it would be better to keep them for after we've left the camp, ok?"

Jin pondered for a moment and nodded. This place was dangerous. This 'master' was likely dangerous too. But he didn't have any better choice. If that identificator was real, he would be killed here. And right now, there was someone who was willing to help him get away. It was a bet. It seemed better to take it.

The 'master' nodded and got up. He said "Let's go" and the trio began to walk towards the edge of the camp. As they reached it, some guards stopped them. They didn't stop them for long as they fell to their knees right as they came close to Hae Hyuk.

Without even granting them a word, that guy walked past them. Min-Su followed him as if it was normal. Jin could only helplessly follow while keeping his questions to himself. It was true however that he was leaving the dangerous camp.

After walking for a dozen minutes and still seeing no one following them, Jin finally asked: "Can you answer my questions now?" Hae-Hyuk did not even turn around as he began to speak: "Of course" and Jin did exactly that:

"How come Min-Su's Master is on this side to pick him up?"

"Wanderers aren't bound by any factions. Since the Empire was losing, Min-Su switched sides and, as his Master, I went to wait for him here"

"How did you know he would switch sides and come out here?"

"I saw it, how else? We can't enter the Area but we can see what happens in it"

"... How did he recognize me?"

"I saw you being with Min-Su in the Empire camp and I found you interesting. I kept an eye on you and had Min-Su go get you"

So Min-Su did lie. Relief slightly washed over Jin's feelings. It was much better than being tricked by Min-Su. He did send a glare the kid's way though. He had lied after all. The truth did bring out more questions though.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

"Why?"

"It's rare to see someone with such great insights at such a young age. And now that I see you from up-close, it seems that your talent for cultivation is impressive as well. It would have been a shame for you to die"

"There's no way that's it"

"Quite the suspicious one aren't you? But you are right. I am not selfless and generous. Not even monks are...I want to take you in as my disciple"

This shocked both Jin and Min-Su. Jin certainly did not expect the discussion to go this way. He thought that maybe the guy wanted something from his sect or someone from his sect and would use him as a bargaining chip. But nope. He wanted to take him in as a disciple.

Min-Su was even more baffled. Not because he found it weird that his master wanted to take in another disciple but because he wanted Jin. After all, Jin was a guy. His master should have picked a girl! A girl that would have become, someday, his wife. That was the way of the wandering cultivators after all! That's how they left their names in history!

And as such, the first to react was Min-Su: "Master! Didn't you say you would take in a girl next?!" Hae-Hyuk lifted his palm towards Min-Su, a gesture for him to calm down, before he explained: "I told you that if you found a cute girl you liked, I wouldn't mind taking her in. Now, where is that girl? I don't see her. Just because I am taking in Jin doesn't mean that promise is voided. ...Oh, Jin, that promise is true for you too as my new disciple"

But Jin wasn't that easy. He said: "I don't want to be your disciple"

It made Hae-Hyuk stop for a moment before he returned to his usual walking pace. And he asked Jin: "Why not?"to which Jin answered: "Can you bring me more benefits than the Twenty-Two Suns Sect?" yet, unexpectedly, not a second after he asked his rethorical question, he was answered by Hae-Hyuk: "Yes"

It was Jin's turn to stop. With skepticism, he asked him: "How so?" and Hae-Hyuk answered him: "Let me ask you something instead, little Jin. What is your goal?" to which Jin answered easily: "To be the strongest"

Hae-Hyuk then told him with a smile: "And how will you become the strongest if you stay at home? If you don't see the world, how could you consider yourself the strongest inside of it?"

It wasn't a wrong argument per se. It wasn't entirely true either. Jin retorted: "How could I be the strongest if I am not even the strongest at home? At the sect, I can safely grow"

Hae-Hyuk wasn't one to give up "True but what about resources? You will soon become a spiritual warrior and will need a lot. The sect isn't generous enough to gift you those things. You would need to work for it" and Jin snickered: "And you would gift them to me?"

Hae-Hyuk smiled as he said honestly: "As much as I can, to my disciple, yes"

Jin couldn't help but shake his head sideways. This guy was truly a shameless con artist. Could a wandering cultivator ever rival the greatest sect in wealth and nurturing capabilities? It was obviously one big scam. Jin's experience was greater than a kid his age and he wasn't tricked so easily. He gave the cold shoulder to Hae-Hyuk and the man noticed it. So he said: "Why don't you join us on our travels until we reach border and experience it for yourself? You can become my disciple at that time"

Jin agreed. He wouldn't lose anything. A free and safe ride to the border was exactly what he needed.