Chapter 180
Chapter 180
The midnight of the waning moon, devoid of even moonlight, was so dark that it was difficult to distinguish objects right in front of one's eyes.
It was almost better to close one's eyes and focus on one's senses to move.
Following Jin-sung, who advanced without hesitation, we wandered through the damp night fog for a long time, eventually stopping at the entrance of a certain canyon.
I could sense a unique flow of Qi, indicating that the place was protected by a Formation.
Jin-sung turned to me and said calmly.
"Only Young Miss is permitted to enter by my master. I will wait outside."
"Okay. Do I just go straight in?"
"Yes."
Jin-sung nodded.
I didn't have good memories of places with Formations, so I was a little uneasy, but I figured I could rest assured that Jin-sung wasn't the type to play tricks.
He was someone who couldn't even tell a simple lie, let alone play tricks.
Looking at Jin-sung standing quietly, I raised the corners of my lips and impulsively opened my mouth.
"Disciple Jin-sung, do you know?"
"Yes?"
"Jinseong disciple is the only person I can trust among those I've met in Jianghu. At least, I don't think Disciple would stab me in the back."
Yeon-ryang was an exception.
I had never seen anyone who kept their word as precisely as Jin-sung.
One way or another, it was certain that he wasn't someone who would harm me.
He's a good person.
I was feeling proud and smiling to myself for a moment, but then I saw Jin-sung's slightly surprised expression, and I hurriedly waved my hands.
"I'm just saying. Don't make that face, Disciple. I didn't mean to put any pressure on you."
"......"
"Um... Disciple? Did I perhaps say something rude? If so, please forget it. I really just said it."
"No. You were not rude."
Jin-sung answered calmly, his face unreadable as he moved his lips, then slowly nodded.
"......Come back safely. I will be waiting."
I nodded back and hurriedly turned around, plunging into the canyon.
Damn it. I shouldn't have said anything unnecessary. I mistakenly thought we were close and made him uncomfortable.
Clicking my tongue, I stepped into the Formation, and a strange flow of Qi enveloped my entire body.
The intense Qi made me gasp for breath, almost making me dizzy.
The moment I widened my eyes, panting roughly, the eerily quiet scenery of the canyon disappeared, and an unfamiliar landscape unfolded.
I was now standing in a cave, brightly lit by torches on both walls.
As I was about to look around, feeling hesitant, a familiar voice came from behind me.
"You have found your way well."
Turning my head, I saw the Supreme Sword Master of Taegeuk with a gentle smile.
"Hello. Sword Master, have you been well..."
"Enough with the pleasantries. You must be anxious; I wouldn't want the Old Taoist to hold you back. Go and see your brother. I will return in half an hour."
The Supreme Sword Master of Taegeuk cut me off, stroking his beard and laughing heartily.
"Yes. Then, excuse me. Thank you, Elder."
I bowed respectfully, and when I raised my head, I was alone. Swallowing hard, I began to move deeper into the cave.
One step. Another step. As I nervously moved my feet, I felt a familiar presence. The welcome Qi made me quicken my pace.
"Oh, my sister's here?"
A smile broke out on my face at the sight of Yeon-ryang waving his hand casually.
I smiled brightly and ran to Yeon-ryang, hugging him.
"Brother!"
"Yes, yes. Brother is here."
Yeon-ryang easily lifted me up and patted my back. I hugged Yeon-ryang's neck tightly and buried my face in his shoulder.
The sound of his heart beating at a steady rhythm made my nose tingle for no reason.
It's okay. He's alive.
It's okay...
Yeon-ryang chuckled and said playfully.
"So-hye. Anyone would think your brother died and came back to life."
"Why are you so thin? You've become half your size. Let me see."
"I've only been eating Grain-avoidance pill to reduce the Demonic Energy. There's nothing wrong with my body."
His nonchalant reply didn't reassure me. I pulled away from Yeon-ryang and hurriedly checked his pulse.
Yeon-ryang chuckled as my expression brightened.
"I'm okay, right?"
"You're really okay?"
The tangled Qi and Blood Points were returning to their original places. The Supreme Sword Master of Taegeuk's method seemed to have worked.
I felt relieved by the much more stable flow than before. Relieved, I turned Yeon-ryang's body this way and that, checking his condition.
"Still, you've lost some muscle, Brother. Are your hands and feet numb? Are you sleeping well?"
"Yes. I definitely feel lighter. I'm fine except for not being able to circulate Energy. The Old Man said that if I tried to use Inner Energy, my meridians would be torn."
"Ugh, don't ever do that, Brother."
"Haha, it's a little frustrating. At this rate, I'll really become a cripple without any Inner Energy, just like Beopgong said."
I shook my head at his voice, which was half joking and half serious.
"It's okay if you don't have it. It's not like you'll die just because you don't have Inner Energy. As long as you're healthy. I'll protect you, Brother."
"Wow, my sister has really grown up. She's even thinking of protecting her brother."
Yeon-ryang, who was stroking my head as if I were admirable, had one eye reddened. Although he was better, it seemed he was not yet at the stage where he could control the Demonic Energy as before.
I tried to hide my worry and scolded him.
"More than that, what's with this beard, Brother? Are you trying to become a hairy bandit? Clean it up."
"It's normal to grow one at my age. My sister especially hates beards. Is it that strange?"
"It's strange. You look like an old man. Shave it off."
"I am an old man. If your brother had married at my age, he would have a daughter as old as you."
Yeon-ryang shrugged and replied nonchalantly. I swallowed a sigh and pulled on Yeon-ryang's beard.
"Ouch, ouch. I'll shave it. I said I'll shave it."
"Shave it now. Lend me a Flying Dagger?"
"That would be good. The Old Man took away all the sharp objects, so I'm empty-handed."
As I handed a Flying Dagger to the chuckling Yeon-ryang, he fetched a basin of water from somewhere, crouched his large body, and began to trim his beard.
I stood still and looked around the cave. There were hardly any signs of life, except for some straw spread out to lie on and a jar containing Grain-avoidance pill.
"Have you been in the Secret cave the whole time? It must have been stuffy."
"I'm used to caves, so it's okay. Rather, I'm curious about how my sister has been. Have the Wudang people been treating you well?"
"Yes. They've been treating me well."
"But why does my sister's face look so dark? It looks like you haven't been sleeping well either. Did something happen?"
Yeon-ryang, who had only shaved half his beard, turned to me and asked kindly. I burst out laughing at his ridiculous appearance with only half a beard.
"Pfft, take care of your beard first, Brother. Nothing happened."
"That's not the face of someone who's okay?"
"It's just... I think I understand a little why you can't sleep without a sword."
Yeon-ryang's lips tightened at my answer. He rubbed his eyes as if he couldn't speak, then quietly finished shaving.
"See, it's clean now, right?"
"Yes. You look much better now. You look handsome without the beard."
At my flattery, Yeon-ryang chuckled, approached me, lifted me up, and laid me down on the soft straw.
As I blinked in confusion, he sat down next to my head and gave me a lap pillow.
He poked my bewildered cheek and stroked my hair with a gentle touch.
"Lie down. You're too tense."
"Huh? No. I'm okay, Brother."
"Lie down. Even if you're a Martial Artist with good bones, you'll get sick if you don't rest properly. Our doctor should know that."
"......"
"Too much is as bad as too little, Young Miss. It's good to be vigilant, but if you overdo it, you'll get tired quickly. You can let go a little."
My tension melted away at his voice, which soothed me as if he saw right through me. As I willingly relaxed my body, Yeon-ryang stroked my forehead as if lulling a child.
"Why is my sister so sensitive? Were you anxious being alone?"
"Yes. I guess so."
"Oh dear. It's my fault then."
Yeon-ryang clicked his tongue and smiled bitterly with a sigh. Seeing his self-reproaching expression, I quickly changed the subject.
"Oh, Brother. I've been sparring with Jinseong disciple every day lately. At first, I couldn't last even fifty moves, but now I can last over three hundred?"
"Sparring?"
"Yes. I was the one who challenged him to a match first..."
Then Yeon-ryang stretched my cheeks out.
"Aigoo, what? Young Miss, what kind of way is that to talk? You have to speak politely. You've learned Beopgong's habit of speaking."
"You use it too!"
"So-hye, you can't talk like those old men."
Yeon-ryang said sternly, raising his eyes. As I glanced away, watching his expression, Yeon-ryang chuckled and muttered, resting his chin on his hand.
"My sister, you must have gotten very close to Disciple So. Brother is a little sad."
"What? It's not like that."
"What relationship is closer to a Martial Artist than competing every day? So, is Disciple So treating you well?"
"I told you it's not like that. What are you saying to a Taoist?"
As I jumped up from my seat and protested, Yeon-ryang, who had a mischievous look in his eyes, poked my forehead.
"My sister, you really don't know men's hearts, do you?"
"Stop saying strange things. It's rude to Jinseong disciple."
"I don't know. Originally, those stone-like guys are the scariest when they lose their minds."
Yeon-ryang, who grinned as if he understood my frowning and shaking head, changed the subject.
"Take this opportunity to learn how to use a sword from Disciple So."
