Chapter 111
111
Yeon-ryang looked at me with a sly smile, as if he found the situation amusing.
"Oh, dear. This isn't the picture our sister drew. What are you going to do now?"
"Just a minute, Brother. Let me think."
Think, think... Damn it, what is there to think about!
How did Namgung Hwi find the cave with the Jade Marrow Stone Oil here? I'm not just envious of his luck, I'm downright resentful.
After agonizing, I pulled out my secret weapon.
"Hey, Ju-ryeong! You find it!"
"Krrrk."
"You're a spirit beast, aren't you? Have you ever seen Jade Marrow Stone Oil? Doesn't it smell familiar? Don't you feel anything?"
"Krrrk!"
Ju-ryeong, looking disgusted as if I were talking nonsense, thumped his tail. He looked as if I had entrusted him with an Elixir.
"Our furball doesn't know how to do that. All he knows is how to eat meat."
Yeon-ryang, holding the creature who was expressing his dissatisfaction with his whole body, chuckled. He kneaded Ju-ryeong's belly and said.
"Just give up and go. Sister. You can't find it."
"Instead of that, let's just look for half a day. We might get lucky and find it."
"Jade Marrow Stone Oil is an Elixir that is only created in caves where the harmony of Yin and Yang is perfectly balanced. It takes hundreds of years to melt the Qi of all things in the universe to create even a single drop. How can you find that one drop in this vast place?"
"That's why we need it even more. Since it's an Elixir with a perfect harmony of Yin and Yang, it can restore your True energy without affecting you in any way."
Namgung Hwi found it and drank it in every cave he went to as if it were water. It's definitely here somewhere.
"If that's what Sister wants."
Yeon-ryang waved his hand as if telling me to do as I pleased. His face showed no expectation.
Being careful not to run into any Namgung family Martial Artists, we searched the deep cave for a long time, but the Jade Marrow Stone Oil was nowhere to be found.
Frustrated, I stomped my feet, then my eyes widened.
Wait a minute. It's only created in caves where the harmony of Yin and Yang is perfectly balanced?
"So-hye, where are you going? You can't just wander around Mt. Cheonju."
"Brother, do you remember the cave we passed earlier that had a lake inside?"
"You mean the cave where the sun shone in from the ceiling and trees grew?"
"Yeah, yeah! That one! The place that looked like a mountain god would appear! I have a feeling there's something there. It just feels right. The wind flows well, there's water, there's grass, it's harmonious. Wouldn't that be a cave where the harmony of Yin and Yang is achieved?"
"I don't know. Sounds far-fetched..."
Yeon-ryang scratched his head, tilted his head, and began to follow me.
I retraced my steps through the caves that were connected like an ant tunnel, searching for the lake.
And then I found it.
"Brother! There! Look there!"
From the end of a large stalactite, where the sunlight reflected on the lake, a milky white liquid was dripping.
I couldn't help but shout with joy.
"I found it! I found it!"
Yeon-ryang narrowed his eyes as he checked the place my fingertip was pointing to. He had a dumbfounded look on his face.
"Huh? Really? You can find Jade Marrow Stone Oil this easily? I'm taken aback..."
"Brother, now is not the time to be taken aback. It's time to eat it and circulate your Qi. Hurry up and get it."
I smiled and pushed Yeon-ryang's back.
\ \ \
"See? Brother. What did I tell you? I told you it would be there, didn't I?"
"Yes, yes. Good job. My sister is the best."
Yeon-ryang, patting his stomach, seemed to be in a good mood.
And for good reason. He had achieved such a great accomplishment during his Qi circulation that his body floated up, so he couldn't help but be excited.
I was proud of the clearly different Qi.
"But So-hye, why aren't you eating it? Even a single drop would change the amount of your Inner Energy."
"I'm trying to save it."
"Why don't you just eat it now? I'll be your Guardian."
"I'll ask you later, Brother. Not now."
Yeon-ryang had a puzzled look on his face, but when I said that, he didn't ask any further.
It's not like I wasn't tempted by the Elixir. I, too, wanted to increase my Inner Energy right away.
The reason I didn't was to prepare for the worst.
My body doesn't respond to medicine, so I needed an Elixir to absorb Spiritual energy when I got injured.
I didn't want to suffer from Qi Deviation again by ignorantly picking up any Elixir and eating it like last time.
Jade Marrow Stone Oil wouldn't tangle my Qi and Blood Points, so I could reduce the risk factors.
It was awkward to explain these inner thoughts to Yeon-ryang, so I just fiddled with the bottle containing the Jade Marrow Stone Oil.
This is my lifeline, my lifeline.
After obtaining the Jade Marrow Stone Oil and restoring Yeon-ryang's health, we headed straight for Yookan.
The small village we stopped by on the way to Yookan was peaceful.
It seemed to be the height of the autumn harvest, as the sound of threshing rice could be heard from all directions, and the children of the village were gathered under the persimmon trees, picking persimmons.
The women, with headscarves wrapped around their heads, were threshing tirelessly.
In one house, there was a savory smell as if they were steaming rice cakes.
We strolled leisurely through the rural scenery.
"Wow, it's so quiet."
"I know. There wouldn't be any brawls in a village like this."
"There shouldn't be any brawls. Sister. Don't say such scary things. You've become a Wanderer."
Yeon-ryang let out a burst of laughter as if to say, what are you talking about?
At that moment, a story I couldn't ignore caught my ear.
"I heard there's a strange cave in the lake."
"Wasn't it a pit, not a cave?"
"Was it a pit? I can't quite remember."
"Mr. Jo saw it. He said that when the full moon rose, the water receded and a deep pit appeared, and he heard ghostly cries from below."
Surprised, I turned my head and saw farmers sitting by the river, drinking turbid rice wine.
A cave whose entrance is revealed when the full moon rises? Isn't that the Hidden Cave of Ghost God Shin-ui?
When I stopped abruptly, Yeon-ryang turned to me as if asking what was wrong.
"Sister. What's wrong?"
"Shhh. Be quiet."
I put my finger to my lips and listened to the farmers' conversation.
"Are you talking about the lake in the east? That lake has an ominous side to it, so everyone avoids it. Didn't someone commit suicide there?"
"Didn't Mr. Jo go down there?"
"He was so scared that he ran away right away. He said the pit was very deep? He said it wasn't a height that a person could go down."
"Let's not go near there. And keep a close eye on the children. It would be a disaster if the children fell in."
I crept closer and handed them a coin, asking.
"Excuse me, elders. Could you tell me more about that story?"
\ \ \
We bought a lot of food in the village and camped near the lake until the full moon.
There were no inns, and the villagers were curious about outsiders, so we had no choice.
If we stayed in the village, all the children in the village would follow us around.
Finally, when the full moon arrived, we circled around the lake, waiting for the full moon to rise.
The entrance to the Hidden Cave is said to be on the west side of the lake... Why can't I see it?
"Brother. Do you see anything?"
"I don't know. I only see water."
"That's strange. There should be a place where the water is receding..."
I strained my eyes and looked around, but the lake was calm. Yeon-ryang, who was following behind me, tapped a rock with his toe.
"So-hye. This rock is strange."
"What's strange about it?"
"You'll know if you cut it open."
Yeon-ryang drew his sword with a swish and struck the rock. The hard rock was neatly cut in half as if it were tofu.
He pushed the cut rock away with his foot, and a hole appeared that could fit three or four people.
"It's very deep, isn't it?"
"It seems so."
Judging from the sharp wind sound, it seemed to be at least ten Jang deep. I pushed a small piece of stone into the hole.
"...There's no sound."
"Hmm. Wait a little longer."
"It's still not coming."
...Tap.
After a long time, the sound of a small piece of stone hitting the ground was heard.
"Wow. It's so deep..."
I clicked my tongue. Judging from the circumstances, this must be the entrance, but I didn't dare to go down.
Even if it was only three Jang, I could somehow manage with a fall-breaking technique, but this depth was impossible.
Would it be better if I tied a rope around my waist and went down?
As I was wondering how to get down into the cave, Yeon-ryang nudged me.
"Let's just jump."
"Jump? Here?"
"Yeah. You said the entrance fills with water after the full moon, right? You shouldn't waste time in a place like this. You might go in and not be able to get out."
"But it's too deep. If I jump from here, my legs will break."
"Don't worry. They won't break."
Yeon-ryang smiled slyly and grabbed my arm tightly. Then he jumped into the hole.
Huh?
Huh?
A scream erupted from the feeling of plummeting down the cliff.
"Kkyuuuuuuuuuk!"
"Aaaaaaak! Yeon-ryang, you crazy bastard!"
"Watch your language with your brother!"
Yeon-ryang chuckled and plunged his sword into the wall.
Kigigigik!
Sparks flew from the stone wall where the sword blade was embedded, making a chilling sound.
I clung to Yeon-ryang's shoulder and screamed.
"Brother is crazy! Who jumps from this height!"
"Isn't it thrilling?"
"How much longer are we going down! Aaaaaaak!"
The sound of stone fragments carved out by Yeon-ryang's sword pouring down to the ground was heard.
Dust that bloomed like clouds obscured the view.
Just when I was starting to worry that I was going to die, the speed slowed down and my feet touched the ground.
I fell away from Yeon-ryang and brushed my pounding chest.
"Aaaa, does Brother have two lives? Ju-ryeong. Are you okay?"
"Kkiiiiii..."
"The sword? Isn't the blade all chipped?"
"It's a sword made of Star Iron, it should be able to withstand this much."
Yeon-ryang, who replied, lightly shook off the stone powder on the sword and put it back into its scabbard.
Unlike me, who was exhausted, Yeon-ryang was full of energy.
He looked around and licked his lips with an interested look.
Dozens of fist-sized night-shining pearls were embedded in the ceiling of the cave connected to the pit.
"Wow... This is no ordinary Hidden Cave."
Yeon-ryang, stroking his chin, strode forward, following the direction where the night-shining pearls were embedded. I followed behind Yeon-ryang and whispered.
"Is it okay to go in? Brother, I'm a little uneasy."
I came in because I was blinded by the word Hidden Cave, but I was suddenly scared by the eerie atmosphere.
Namgung Hwi came in after Ghost God Shin-ui died, but we didn't.
What if Ghost God Shin-ui is still alive with his eyes wide open and we get caught wandering around without permission?
"What can we do, we're already in here? Let's take a look at what the Hidden Cave of one of the Ten Supreme Warriors of the Murim is like."
"You were so careful in Mt. Cheonju."
"There are many Namgung bastards, and there's only one Ghost God Shin-ui. The Hidden Cave is a place he only comes to occasionally, so how could we possibly run into him?"
Yeon-ryang said leisurely, clasping his hands behind his head. He seemed confident that he wouldn't run into Ghost God Shin-ui.
At that moment, Ju-ryeong, who had jumped out of my arms, began to run somewhere.
"Ju-ryeong, where are you going?"
"Kkii!"
The creature answered loudly and turned to me.
"It looks like he's telling us to follow him?"
"Brother. You can communicate with Ju-ryeong after all, right?"
"Just by looking at his face, you can tell he's telling us to follow him. Let's go."
Yeon-ryang chuckled and pushed my back. We started walking, following Ju-ryeong.
The creature led us to the deepest part of the cave and stopped in front of a large stone door.
A strange Qi emanated from the crack in the open door.
"So-hye. It seems like there's magic cast here."
"I know. There must be something important inside."
As I replied and put my hand on the stone door, a familiar tone of voice was heard.
"...Hwa-yeon?"
I raised my head and opened my mouth wide in bewilderment.
Grandfather?
Standing before my eyes was Dang Jung, who had grown up, no, Dang Jung in his youth.
