Chapter 85
Chapter 85
Udu-du-duk!
As I lay down on the bed, the sound of my bones cracking echoed throughout my body.
My muscles, stiff from days of sleeping outdoors, ached so much that it felt like I had been beaten.
I whined and buried my face in the pillow.
Lying on a bed instead of the dirt floor was a blessing, but my whole body was in excruciating pain.
"Ju-ryeong. Come here and step on my back."
"Kieek!"
Annoyed by my call, Ju-ryeong jumped onto the bed. He grumbled as if he was bothered, but soon began to pat my back and waist with his small paws.
"Uh. A little lower. Yeah. There."
His massage was better than nothing, but it felt as empty as brushing teeth without toothpaste.
As I received the clumsy massage, I longed for my grandfather's massage, no, Thrusting Palace Acupressure.
Is this how it feels to go from a five-star hotel spa massage every day to tapping your shoulder with a thousand-won massage stick?
I enjoyed the luxury of receiving Thrusting Palace Acupressure from such a master every day, yet I didn't realize how amazing it was.
I felt like punching my past self.
Grandfather. I'll be good to you later.
I sniffled and listlessly tapped the bed.
"Okay. Ju-ryeong. Stop and come down."
"Kie."
"Good job. Do you want jerky?"
"Ggyuuuuuu!"
Ju-ryeong, who had been grumbling, sparkled his eyes at the word jerky and jumped in front of my face.
Excited, he took the jerky and climbed onto the table, lying down with something propped under his head.
I chuckled at the sight of him lying on his back and chewing on the jerky, but when I checked his pillow, my eyes widened.
"What? Ju-ryeong. Where did you get this?"
"Kiee."
He was lying on the Beneficence Jade with a vivid tiger engraved on it.
It was the Beneficence Jade that Paengrak had given me once.
"Why is this here? Did you bring it?"
"Gyuu!"
Ju-ryeong nodded and adjusted his position.
It wasn't the first time he had slept with his neck in the groove shaped like a tiger's head.
When did he bring this? I had completely forgotten about it.
Out of all the things in the detached palace, he picked Paengrak's Beneficence Jade. He really seemed to be a divine creature.
That Ju-ryeong is secretly useful. He recognizes valuable things like a ghost.
"Ju-ryeong. Take good care of that. Don't lose it. Got it?"
"Kiee."
He turned away with a look of annoyance, as if I was saying something obvious.
I took my eyes off Ju-ryeong and threw myself back onto the bed.
Tomorrow, I'll buy dried rations at the store, find a carriage and coachman to go to Wuhan...
Should I buy some oil for grooming my Hidden Weapons? I don't have much left.
As I pondered and estimated the amount of oil and Poison I had left, I suddenly remembered the old Taoists comforting Jin-sung and hiding alcohol.
I couldn't help but laugh when I thought of Jin-sung, who insisted on keeping the precepts.
So stiff, he's totally a male Deokju, a male Deokju.
As I giggled and rolled around on the blanket, I naturally thought of Jin-sung's story as described in the novel.
Jin-sung was a disciple taken in by the Supreme Sword Immortal, who had been leisurely wandering the Jianghu before returning to Wudang.
To be exact, he had given up his travels and returned to Wudang Mountain because he was struggling with childcare.
He couldn't pass by a newborn baby abandoned in the snow, but he didn't have the confidence to raise it himself.
What would a Martial Artist who had spent his life fighting know about childcare?
The Sword Immortal, confused about why the baby was crying, why it wasn't sleeping, when to feed it, and when to change its diapers, returned to Wudang Mountain with the baby.
Then he entrusted the baby to his fellow disciples.
'This is my disciple. He is your youngest junior brother, so take good care of him.'
From the disciples' point of view, it was an absurd request, but they couldn't disobey the orders of the Sect's elder.
As soon as they took off the Three Great Disciples title, they had to juggle training and childcare.
The old Taoist group I saw earlier had raised Jin-sung since he was a baby.
That's Jin-sung's growth process so far...
In , Jin-sung was first mentioned in the Later Generation's World's Greatest Martial Arts Tournament.
He was the first Later Generation mentioned when enthusiasts discussed the potential winners of the Martial Arts Tournament.
Disciple of the Supreme Sword Immortal, the World's Greatest Swordsman, Wudang Sword Dragon Jin-sung.
Just hearing the fancy modifiers makes you feel like, 'That guy must be strong.'
A Sword Dragon appearing before the protagonist, the Divine Dragon, anyone would see him as the protagonist's rival.
Namgung Hwi and Jin-sung, who met in the semi-finals of the Martial Arts Tournament, put on a spectacular match that made the audience sweat.
The duel, which seemed to favor Jin-sung, gradually tilted towards Namgung Hwi, and in the final exchange, both of their swords broke simultaneously, resulting in a draw.
The first duel was a draw.
The second duel was also a draw.
In the third duel, Namgung Hwi narrowly won.
After that, they reunited in the Murim Alliance and had a shonen manga-like development where rivals became comrades... I don't remember well.
Anyway, it was amazing to meet the future Wudang's Greatest Swordsman as soon as I came near Wudang Mountain.
The world is surprisingly small at times like this.
As I stared at the ceiling with a carefree thought, I suddenly realized something and jumped up from my seat.
...Wait a minute.
My first impression was completely ruined? He kept glancing at me while I was eating, and then he became a weirdo asking for my Taoist name, saying my face was amazing?
Ah, Yeon-ryang! This guy, really!
I screamed silently and tore at my hair.
I probably won't run into him again, right? Yeah, what reason would I have to meet the protagonist's rival again?
It's ridiculous to care about my first impression when there's a wanted poster out for me, but still...
I kicked the blanket in embarrassment, and then I was startled by a cracking sound and gaped my mouth.
There were holes in the spots where I had kicked with my heels.
I rubbed my face dry.
The bed is broken. Damn it.
The next day, I had a refreshing morning for the first time in a while.
The emotion of sleeping without the cold air rising from the floor and without being startled awake by the sounds of wild animals.
I had to curl up on the edge of the bed, but I was satisfied just to have slept under a roof.
As I stretched my smoothly moving shoulder and prepared to go out, Yeon-ryang knocked on the door.
"Sister. Are you awake?"
"Yes. I'm up. Come in."
Yeon-ryang opened the door at my answer and strode into the room.
"I was going to find a carriage. Is it okay to go out now...? Why is the bed like that? Did a night visitor come?"
"Don't ask. I'm going to get them to pay for it later."
I smacked my lips and subtly covered the hole in the bed with the blanket.
Yeon-ryang looked puzzled, but didn't ask further and sat down on a chair.
Then Ju-ryeong came running and rubbed his face against Yeon-ryang's hand as if asking to be petted.
"Gguruk."
"Okay. Fur ball. Did you sleep well too?"
"Ggururuk."
"Haha, yeah. Let's eat."
I tilted my head as I watched their conversation.
"When I see this, it seems like brother can communicate with Ju-ryeong."
"Huh? This guy speaks well. Sister, can't you understand what he's saying?"
"Pardon?"
He was really communicating?
Surprised, I asked back, and Yeon-ryang playfully raised the corners of his mouth.
"I'm joking. You didn't believe me, did you? I'm not a Taoist, how would I understand animal language?"
"......"
Yeon-ryang chuckled and rubbed Ju-ryeong's belly.
This guy seems to be enjoying teasing me.
I glared at him and left the room.
The weather was nice.
Laundry lined up in front of the houses was drying fluffy, and the people walking around the streets seemed relaxed.
Yeon-ryang, who was looking around, grabbed a passerby and asked.
"Excuse me. Where is the store that sells dried rations?"
"Yes? It's, it's over there...!"
The man, startled by Yeon-ryang's size, shrank back and pointed to the shopping district.
Yeon-ryang realized that he had startled the person and belatedly smiled, but the man had already run away.
"Brother's impression isn't good, is it?"
"That can't be. Where else can you find a Unorthodox... no, a man with a good personality like me?"
Yeon-ryang stroked his chin as if it was nothing. He didn't seem to know how intimidating his size was.
I lightly ignored his words and asked.
"Is there anything you want to buy, brother? I'm going to buy some oil and cotton cloth."
"Me? I just need dried rations and jerky to eat. I wish I could buy a lot of jerky if possible."
"I wasn't planning on buying jerky."
"Uh-uh? You're not going to give jerky to a person when the fur beast carries it around every day? Isn't that too much, sister?"
Yeon-ryang pointed at Ju-ryeong as if he was wronged.
It was like a child complaining about why only his younger sibling was getting snacks.
"Yes, yes. I'll buy a lot. I'll buy a lot, so please carry it around, brother."
I waved my hand with a bothered expression.
This guy seems to be getting more childish.
After buying the necessary items, we set out to find a coachman. Finding a coachman wasn't difficult.
"I'm looking for a carriage to go to Wuhan. Are you going?"
"Yes? Yes, hero. I'm going. Of course. I'm going."
"Can you leave right now?"
"Right now? That's a bit... Yes. I can. Please give me just an hour. Hero. I'll check the wheels."
As soon as Yeon-ryang stepped forward, the coachman hurriedly prepared to leave.
"How much is the carriage fare?"
"It's thirty copper coins a day. Hero. When we stop at a village to rest, just provide me with one dinner."
Yeon-ryang nodded and cut off a small piece of silver for the coachman.
"I'll give you half more when we arrive in Wuhan."
"Yes, yes. Oh my. Thank you. Hero."
The coachman's lips were about to tear at the generous fare.
He quickly checked the wheels and reins of the carriage, and then opened the door wide so that we could get on the carriage.
The carriage, which was said to be a four-seater, didn't feel that big. It seemed to be because Yeon-ryang was taking up two seats.
As Yeon-ryang, who was sitting across from me, opened the carriage window, Ju-ryeong peeked his face out of the window.
"You're going to fall. Hold on tight."
"Kiee."
Startled by the warning, Ju-ryeong firmly grabbed the edge of the window.
I heard the sound of the coachman getting on the driver's seat after closing the door.
"Then we'll depart. Hyah!"
Then, with the sound of hooves, the carriage began to move slowly.
"How long will it take?"
"It'll take about ten days. Maybe a day or two more."
"That's quite a long time? I thought the carriage would be much faster."
"It's better than walking, right?"
"That's true."
I replied and looked at the quickly receding scenery of Gyunhyeon.
The tall trees seemed to cover the buildings, but soon we were driving on a wide forest path.
"Get some sleep, sister. The coachman knows the way well, so until the next village..."
Chaeng!
Yeon-ryang, who had been smiling brightly, hardened his expression and knocked something away with his scabbard.
An arrow, cut in half by the sword energy, fell into the carriage.
What? An arrow?
As I panicked and reached for my sleeve, a rain of arrows began to pour down on the carriage.
