116 - Sichuan, China (7) - The Heaven-Slaying Sword

The scene beyond the fog was tranquil. Perhaps it was a landscape where the footsteps of man had truly never tread, its untouched beauty plain to see. The air was crisp. The moisture touching the skin felt refreshing. The sound of water was revitalizing. Mong Riwon raised his head. Beneath the starry night, next to the gently flowing stream, there was a rock glistening where he sat. The grass peeking out between them was dainty, and the trees rising at intervals, stretching their branches elegantly, were mystical. 'This place….' The forbidden land of the Tang Clan. The mystical ground where spirits lived and breathed. Distractedly, Mong Riwon belatedly remembered his fellow members, inspecting them for their condition. “Ah! Is everyone alright?!” It was just after they had shaken off the hallucination. Considering the horrifying moments they had just recalled, he assumed the others wouldn't have been spared. And indeed, he was right. The expressions of his fellow members were far from good. Dang Hwa-seo was wiping away her cold sweat, while Namgung Jincheon seemed not quite back to reality with his vacant expression. Hyewoon and Ilwoon appeared utterly drained. However, there was something that concerned Mong Riwon even more than them. “…Jegal-hyung?” Jegal San’s demeanor was sharp. His eyes deeply sunken, the aura of murderous intent emanating from him was palpable. Though it was unclear whom it was directed at, such a fierce hostility resembled that of an enemy's wrath. Confusion took over. Mong Riwon could confidently say he had never even dreamt of Jegal San in such a state. Seemingly oblivious to the call, Jegal San brushed his face. Mong Riwon swallowed dryly and called out to him again. “Jegal-hyung…?” “…Ah.” Jegal San lifted his head. Behind the hand that was swept aside, a smile now rested on his face. Worn out as it was, it was still the smile Mong Riwon knew. Bewilderment surged. 'What did he hear…' That evoked such a violent reaction. Mong Riwon inquired. “You look quite unwell…” “Oh, seems I have caused some worry. I’m fine. Just heard some unpleasant voices.” “Are you truly alright?” “Of course, who am I? The real hero of our martial world, Jegal San!” Jegal San flashed a grin, waving his arm. Mong Riwon could finally ease his worries about him a bit. ‘Hmm… Perhaps it’s something that shouldn’t be delved into further.’ Jegal San might have his own painful past that he chose not to speak of. Mong Riwon decided not to press any further. “It seems we all made it out safely.” Dang Hwa-seo, having regained her senses, spoke. Mong Riwon turned to look at her. Her complexion still bore traces of fatigue. “Miss, are you alright?” “Yes, I’m manageable. But…” Dang Hwa-seo’s gaze swept over the members. “…it seems too strenuous to move on right away. Let’s rest for a bit.” None of the members objected. * Washing their faces in the stream to regain some alertness, sitting in a circle, the members recounted the ordeal of the sinister enchantment, with Hyewoon mainly speaking. “Wow, it was terrifying. Imagine being scolded in my master’s voice, telling me he would shave my head bald. Threatening to confine a bald me in a temple! That’s not even the end of it. Voices of all the men I’ve met started emerging, dozens overlapping, driving me nearly insane...” Her body shuddering uncharacteristically, the members didn’t quite know how to react. Amidst this, Mong Riwon expressed subtle shock, realizing she had encountered a number of men indeed. “Sister Hyewoon, you’ve suffered greatly.” Ilwoon attempted to soothe her with a chuckle. Then, Hyewoon asked, “Ah, what about Brother Ilwoon? What did you hear?” Ilwoon stiffened, his eyes rolling around suspiciously. Hyewoon’s gaze narrowed, reminiscent of a predator spotting its prey in Mong Riwon’s eyes. “Why, tell us. It’s all just hallucinations anyway.” “That, that is…” Ilwoon’s hesitation deepened. Though calming Hyewoon seemed correct, Mong Riwon, equally curious, remained silent. Dang Hwa-seo was no different, ignoring Ilwoon’s plea for help with her gaze. “Come on, tell us?” Hyewoon teasingly pressed, and after much deliberation, Ilwoon clenched his eyes shut and confessed in a low voice. “The, the Master yelled at me for eating meat… Ah! Of course, I didn’t really consume meat! It, it must’ve been the illusion making me believe I actually did eat meat. Really…!” His voice carried a note of desperation. Ilwoon looked around at the members with a gloomy face. “Le, let’s move on to the next! So, Master Namgung…” Namgung Jincheon’s eyes widened. Ilwoon’s mouth snapped shut. Mong Riwon chuckled quietly. After all, what Namgung Jincheon heard in the hallucination was something everyone here was probably aware of. The scolding must have been loud enough for all to hear. “…Mokryong, why are you laughing?” Namgung Jincheon shot a frosty voice towards Mong Riwon. Lifting his head, Mong Riwon was taken aback. “Why, why do you look at me like that!” "I have no idea what you're talking about. Not the slightest clue." Namgung Jincheon glared as if he wanted to strangle Mong Riwon. The whites of his eyes were bloodshot, did that explain the situation? Mong Riwon, feeling himself involuntarily shrinking, turned away to look at Dang Hwa-seo for any sign of support. Thankfully, Dang Hwa-seo chuckled softly and came to Mong Riwon's aid. "Alright, everyone seems to have recovered from their shock, so let's cease the chit-chat and be on our way." "Aw, and things were just getting interesting." Hyewoon grumbled as if letting off steam, and Dang Hwa-seo replied with a playful smile. "If we keep this up, we might only make it back to Bidong with tales of spirits and such, are we okay with that?" "Let's hurry." Hyewoon stood up abruptly, followed invariably by Namgung Jincheon. "…We're in a rush, I see." Though he was still irritable, Mong Riwon was relieved his attention had shifted elsewhere. Little did he know, forever unknowing of the words Namgung Jincheon heard amidst the enchantment. "-Gumryong brother, truly pathetic. Gumryong brother is a fool who can only swing a broadsword. An idiot that would be startled from Changgeum to Kwaigeum change. Fool! Pathetic! Loser!" How much that taunting, laugh-tinged voice had incited his fury. * The forbidden land was indeed tranquil and mystical, simply walking through it evoked a certain charm and splendor. How magnificent was nature under the star-studded night sky? Apart from Dang Hwa-seo, every member had to stop occasionally to marvel at the scenery. “…It really is beautiful.” Hyewoon's voice found agreement in Mong Riwon, who nodded in empathy. “It truly is splendid. To practice swordsmanship in such a place would be so refreshing.” His hand instinctively reached for the sword at his waist. Practicing under the starlight was Mong Riwon's dear hobby, his heart always stirred by the thought. If only they weren't pressed for time, he would have liked to practice until dawn, but alas, circumstances would not permit. “Master Mong, don't space out, please follow.” Dang Hwa-seo called out with a gentle smile, prompting an embarrassed grin from Mong Riwon. “Sorry.” “No need for apologies.” As Mong Riwon resumed walking, he glanced at Namgung Jincheon, who was scanning the surroundings with squinted eyes. He probably was the most earnest about finding spirits here. It was then. “…Found it.” Namgung Jincheon announced, attracting the members' attention. “Northeast, not too far.” Whoosh! Namgung Jincheon unleashed his Qi energy, then darted off without a word. “Oh, oh! Gumryong brother! Wait…!” “…He's gone.” Jegal San chuckled lightly. “Sister, shouldn't we follow?” “We must. What worse misfortune could there be than getting lost?” Dang Hwa-seo sighed, touching her forehead, and the members laughed. “Let's go.” The members released their Qi energy and sprinted forth. Fortunately, it didn't take long to locate Namgung Jincheon. In a valley with two large rocks side by side, Namgung Jincheon was sheathing his sword. Koo-woong! A massive body fell with a thunderous crash. Mong Riwon's eyes widened as he murmured. “Human-faced Centipede…” A giant centipede lay there, but what was peculiar was its human-like face. “Ew… Disgusting.” Hyewoon recoiled in horror, while Jegal San leaned in with interest. “It's a big one. Looks to be about 25 Cheok in length.” 25 Cheok. Not a small measurement by any metric; it would require over twenty adult men laid end to end to match its length. Namgung Jincheon, exhaling deeply, said. “It seemed to carry poison, so I ended it quickly.” Indeed, so it would seem. The Human-faced Centipede was cleanly split from its human-like face down to the middle of its body. Evidence of swift defeat. “Poison.” “Yes?" “Retrieve the inner elixir for me.” Namgung Jincheon spoke quite authoritatively. “There could be corpse poison contamination.” Dang Hwa-seo narrowed her eyes. The members began to glance around subtly. Indeed, if there were corpse poison, none but Dang Hwa-seo could approach the body here. But... even considering that, wasn't Namgung Jincheon's demeanor too blunt? Amidst a tense standoff, Namgung Jincheon added. "...Take the poison gland as well." Namgung Jincheon avoided Dang Hwa-seo's gaze as he spoke. Dang Hwa-seo let out a dry laugh. "Since you're offering, I'll accept graciously." The incident concluded without further drama. * The Human-faced Centipede's inner elixir was the size of Mong Riwon's fist. Though not exceptionally large, its concentration and color spoke volumes. As Mong Riwon curiously inspected the elixir, Namgung Jincheon tucked it away. "We've found a spirit so quickly. We might find a few more." Excitement was palpable in his voice. Joy was also evident, as this was the most excited voice Mong Riwon had ever heard from Namgung Jincheon. "Ah, Namgung-hyung. Could you spare one or two for us?" Jegal San laughed heartily as he teased. The other two members felt the same. Having seen the spirit and its inner elixir firsthand, their bodies seem to heat up with enthusiasm. "Wow, the Tang Clan could become rich just by selling these spirits in the land of Sacheon." "There’s no need for that. These spirits serve the purpose of protecting the forbidden land to begin with." "That important to Bitdong, then?" At Hyewoon's words, Dang Hwa-seo nodded. "That's why we decided to come here." Listening to the conversation, Mong Riwon hummed thoughtfully. 'With that, the Tang Clan would have no reason to trouble her.' Mong Riwon clenched his fist. While the spirits were important, Dang Hwa-seo's freedom was more so to him. 'Everyone seems distracted by the spirits. It's up to me to assist her.' He reaffirmed his determination. Then, suddenly. Swish-swish-swish― Such a sound reached Mong Riwon's ears. He turned his head. The sound came from the direction of Bitdong they had been heading toward. Glancing around at the members, it seemed no one else had heard it. Mong Riwon's expression grew serious. '…Was I the only one who heard it?' It was strange. The members were not so dull in their senses, and for it to be mere noise caused by murderous intent, it was just a simple sound. A sound resembling something crawling. There was another unusual aspect. Thump― thump― Mong Riwon placed his hand over his chest where his heart began to beat loudly, looking towards the direction of Bitdong. For some reason, Mong Riwon felt a sense of longing, as if he had returned to a place of comfort.