Book 10 Chapter 22

The late Bi Ryuyeon Xinyu

- The Funeral of Na Yerin and Her Appendix

The sudden impact caused the channel to burst, and Na Yerin and Bi Ryuyeon were swept into the current.

The water was rougher than they expected, and at first they couldn't control their position.

It's been 44 days since the Hwanma-dong collapse, and no bodies have been found, let alone people. Only two people were still missing, Bi Ryuyeon and Na Yerin. Whether by divine intervention or sheer skill, there were no fatalities despite the massive explosion, which was nothing short of miraculous, but the number of injuries was staggering. Some of them were crippled after having one of their limbs crushed by falling debris.

The current tally is 321 participants, 0 deaths, 151 injuries, and 2 missing. The two missing people are Ryuyeon Bi and Na Yerin.

More than 20 people have been rescued from the cave after 10 days with their bones still intact. The most recent victim was rescued 18 days after the collapse, but no matter how hard Na Yerin and Bi Ryuyeon shoveled, the end was in sight. As the month went on, the feeling of giving up grew stronger and stronger in people's hearts.

The two empty coffins on the dressing table were also a temporary measure, as the bodies could not be found. An altar was set up to pray for their well-being and a plaque was placed with their names.

The late Bi Ryuyeon Shinwi!

The late Na Yerin Xinyue!

And the funeral was held.

Sutras were recited under the leadership of the shamanist Okhyeonjin, and faint incense burned along with the sounds of the sutras. The ceremony was crowded with people, most of whom had gathered to mourn Na Yerin's death, not Bi Ryuyeon's.

Pow!

Then the paper was consumed by fire. The burned paper turned to ash and blew in the wind. If Bi Ryuyeon had been present, she would have been furious, saying, "The paper is money, and you're burning it because you're crazy."

At first, many people were vehemently opposed to the idea of placing Bi Ryuyeon's coffin alongside Na Yerin's, especially the Bingfeng Film Guard, and many male guards were in favor of the idea. Their main argument was that it was a disrespect to the dead Na Yerin. They saw no reason why they should be cremated together when they weren't even married, but the administration overruled them, saying that two funerals would be too much trouble and cost too much money. When it comes to practical money matters, no one is free.

Na Yerin's death, determined by some to be a suicide, filled the hearts of many men with grief. Not all believed in her death; at first, they believed in her survival and actively participated in her rescue. The most capable rescue team of over a hundred first-rate adepts had been assembled since the establishment of the Heavenly Martial Academy. They dug, dug, dug, and dug like shovel-mad men. The speed of their work was dazzling. Because they were all first-rate masters, they were more than ten times as capable as ordinary laborers, meaning that a hundred first-rate masters could accomplish the same amount of work as a thousand ordinary laborers.

But it wasn't all smooth sailing; there were too many obstacles along the way. First, the rock in the collapse zone was too hard, like diamonds. So they called upon the best swordsmiths in the Academy of Heavenly Martial Arts to urgently forge pickaxes and shovels that rivaled those of the new soldiers. The rocks of the Patriarchal Valley could only be broken through with such equipment. Moreover, if you didn't use a lot of energy to pickaxe the rock, it would only drop a little powder and not leave the slightest trace on the rock. Everyone had to be very careful with each stroke of the pickaxe, as if they were trying to do something martial, and it was inevitably disruptive to nature's work.

A day passed, then two… then a week. Even as their chances of survival grew slimmer and slimmer, they refused to give up. The death of a beauty like her was a great loss to the world. Her life was none of their business. Her life was none of their concern, but Na Yerin's life must be saved, no matter what. It was their longing for her that fueled their feverish work.

People dug for blood like mad. The rescue team, comprised of the Bingfeng Film Guardians and Na Yerin's followers, worked like men who had forgotten to rest. The entire operation was directed by the Heavenly Gate's eldest grave robber, Tian Qishu, who was highly skilled at exhuming organs. Without knowing the basics of excavation, they didn't know when or where it would collapse, so the help of an expert excavator (who would have been outraged if he heard this) was essential.

Under Cheon Ki-soo's direction, they dug hard, working in three shifts, day and night.

'Alas, I'm about to tear down the hallowed halls of the kingdom that you helped to build…….'

The idea of imprisoning a person's spirit, rather than their body, is what led to the planning of this pavilion. Originally, the pavilion was a collaborative effort between Zhao Ehuan, the former head of the T'ien Chi Gate, Tang Yugi, the former head of the Tang family, and Zhao Qianwu, the former head of the T'ien Chi Gate's Mantong School.

But it was too late to save the city, which had already been completely destroyed. The speed of the rescue operations, which were moving at the speed of light, gave people a vague sense of hope. Their hopes grew even brighter as the eighth, tenth, and twelfth days went by, and more and more trapped people were found alive.

But their hopes were short-lived. The heavens were quite indifferent. Perhaps men's devotion was slower than women's to reach the Divine Spirit of Heaven and Earth, and it was almost as if the heavens were discriminating against the sexes, for there was no sign of her. They had gone through a long series of collapsed caves, but strangely enough, neither she nor her trembling companion, Bi Ryuyeon, were anywhere to be found.

It's been a month and 14 days since the accident, and the sun has risen and set forty-four times. At that point, after a month, any hope of her survival had been lost. How could she survive in there with no food? Now they had to accept the reality that she was dead. As much as it pained him, he couldn't help it.

There is a limit to human physical strength, and they had already passed it. The weight of the rescue effort was beginning to lift off their shoulders.

Though they didn't say it, they all had to agree that the chances of Bi Ryuyeon and Na Yerin's survival were now slim. Realizing that their idols had disappeared overnight, they had to feel the emptiness and woe of life together.

Finally, a fire was set on the dressing table on which the two coffins were placed. The flames grew quickly, engulfing the two coffins and shedding a reddish glow darker than the setting sun. On one side of the searing flames, the White Sword Martial Lord Nie Baiqian was weeping and wailing, forgetting his body and dignity.

"Yerin, Yerin, Yerin……. Who made you like this, darling? Yerin……."

Marjinga tried to comfort her, but she was helpless to do anything but return Nabaxian's icy gaze. This was his only daughter, whom he had only acquired when he was old. She was so precious that it wouldn't hurt to put her in his eyes.

Zhang Zhongjiajie! I've been nurturing her like a jewel in my hand… and now she's dead. No words can describe my grief and anger.

"Did I say it was the work of a celestial coward?"

Gradually, a terrifying life force emanated from Bai Xiaochun's entire body. It was so powerful that even a supreme spirit of the Magus level trembled.

"That's the most likely explanation. It's the only place where they can use the forbidden weapon, the Heavenly Frightening Poison Thunderbolt. If not them, who else would dare to commit such a heinous act? Someone must have detonated it inside the Phantom Pavilion."

"Doesn't that mean that some of the participants may have been cheating?"

"Of course they are, they're all under surveillance right now!"

True to his word, all of the participants in the Hwanmadong trial were being closely monitored by a non-spirit, but they hadn't found any clues yet.

A tremendous amount of flesh exploded from Nie Bai Tian's eyes.

"I swear to you that I will wipe them out of this world. And with their blood I will avenge my daughter's death!"

He had the power to do so, and his words would rouse the mighty to their feet.

"I get it, you deserve it."

Maginga replied. Would those who plotted in the darkness be able to withstand the wrath of this giant? It remained to be seen.

"Ryuyeon, I can't believe that someone like you, who never seemed to die no matter how many times I killed you, died. I can't believe that someone like you, who seemed to come back to life no matter how many times I killed you, died in such a ridiculous way……."

Jang Hong sat by the roaring fire, gulping down his drink. Everyone was drowning their sorrows in their own ways. Mo Yonghui was staring into the flames with a stoic expression, and beside him, Eunseulan was wiping away tears. Mo Yonghui stood stiff with embarrassment, unable to even think about comforting her. Hyorong, on the other hand, was busy soothing a wailing Yi Jinxue, her tear ducts bursting like a dike in the rainy season.

"Aaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

The sight of her sobbing was pitiful, but all he could do was stand by her side and protect her. Bloodshot tears flowed from her single eye, and she swore over her empty coffin that she would get her revenge. Blood dripped from her clenched hands. The cast members stared at the vanity table in disbelief. They still couldn't believe that Bi Ryuyeon was dead. Disbelief was a better word for it.

"I'll make sure to get to the bottom of this and settle your score. So rest in peace in the beyond!"

Jang Hong seemed to find a way to drown his sorrows in alcohol. Again and again the liquor slid down his throat and into his stomach, but somehow he never got drunk.

"Damn it, there's no point in drinking, does that mean I can't drink and get drunk anymore……."

He put the calabash in his mouth and blew on it.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

The liquor flowed down his throat in a steady stream. As he drank, his mind became clearer, and he began to feel a little drunker. Then a shadow appeared behind him. The shadow asked, "What are you doing?

"Whose funeral is this?"

"Your funeral!"

Jang Hong replied unconsciously, and yet he seemed to have no clue who he was answering or how the situation was working, perhaps because he was drunk.

"Uh, yeah? Did you collect much in the way of condolences(弔意金)?"

The Shadow's interest seemed to be more in the condolence money than the funeral. Perhaps that was what he was most curious about.

"I'm afraid we didn't get that much. Just a little. Na Yerin Sojae, on the other hand, is not having a field day."

The procession of mourners seemed to go on forever as Na Yerin's coffin lay in state.

"You need to do some work on your students. It's not a matter of ability, it's a matter of sincerity."

Thud! Thud!

The shadow snapped its fingers. The shadow was Bi Ryuyeon. Apparently, he was planning to blame his disciples' lack of salesmanship for the scanty condolence money. He had been searching for a place to dry his wet clothes when he came across this place with flames rising.

"Yeah… right. Huh?"

Jang Hong's eyes widened as he spoke to Bi Ryuyeon for a long time. He turned around and shouted.

"Liu… Ryuyeon!"

His voice was so loud that it vibrated through the funeral home. His astonishment and shock were immense. Jang Hong couldn't believe his eyes.

"What?"

"What?"

"Mueh?"

"No. Why?"

"Shit!"

Unexpected exclamations of horror erupted from the room.

The gazes of the people scattered everywhere, all of whom were grieving in their own ways, suddenly focused on Jang Hong, first on the source of the voice, and then on Bi Ryuyeon, who was looking at him with a piercing, intense gaze. Fifty thousand thoughts flashed through their minds.

"No. Why is he alive?

"What? I thought you were dead, how did you survive?

'O God! why hast thou brought this upon me!

"Fuck the sky, fuck you!

Most of the people who responded were Na Yerin's followers.

"What's all the fuss about, Ryuyeon?"

At the sound of her voice, which sounded like heavenly notes, everyone's eyes immediately turned to the darkness behind Bi Ryuyeon's back.

Bam, bam, bam!

Pale cheeks glistening in the moonlight, ebony hair that hadn't yet dried, graceful curves showing through the damp clothes clinging to her body. People's eyes could not believe their eyes when they saw this mysterious sight. It was Bingbai Peak Na Yerin who stepped out from behind the veil and revealed her beautiful form with graceful steps. It seemed that more than a month of isolation and the harsh environment had failed to take away the dazzling radiance of her beauty. Moreover, the clothes clinging to her body were exquisite.

"Waaaaaah! Waaaaah!"

At once, shouts erupted from all directions. It was a world of difference from the reaction when they realized she was alive. The people were in a frenzy.

"Oooh, Yerin, this can't be a dream, can it?"

Bai Xiaochun stroked Na Yerin's cheek with an expression of disbelief. It was definitely not a ghost.

"Yes, Father, I'm back."

Na Yerin runs into her father's arms.

"Oh, heaven and earth! I thank thee!"

Bai Chen shed tears of joy. This was an emotional reunion between father and daughter. Bi Ryuyeon looked at her with envy for a moment, but that envy quickly faded.

When Na Yerin awoke from her unconsciousness, she needed to dry her and Na Yerin's clothes, so she looked around and saw the flames of this place. So she hid the Mulin Blood Net in a secret place and came to this place with Na Yerin. Little did she know, however, that the flames were the flames that would burn her and Na Yerin's coffins.

Ryu-yeon Bi had people to welcome him.

"I'm glad you're back safely, Master!"

Yeomdo said with a peculiar smile.

"It's a shame I didn't die, isn't it?"

Bi Ryuyeon squinted one eye.

"Oh, no……."

His mind was very complicated right now. He couldn't decide whether he was happy or sad.

'After all he's been through and what he's been subjected to, he should be jumping for joy at his death…….'

When he heard the news of Bi Ryuyeon's death, he felt a pang of emptiness in his heart. It was a complicated and nuanced feeling that was hard to describe in words. Next to me was Binggum Do, an alumnus of the school who was wearing a blank expression on his face.

"You've come back very well. Congratulations again on your survival. I'm glad you're okay."

You'll only know if you're really happy when you open it, but…….

It couldn't be, and Bi Ryuyeon decided to assume that they were indeed rejoicing in his return. No sooner had Yeomdo and Bing Sword finished greeting him than his friends, including Hyorong and Jang Hong, gathered around him, and then there was a group of people rushing toward him from the distance. They were the members of the Zhu Jia Troupe, rushing toward him with various expressions of joy, sadness, resentment, and bitterness on their faces.

Bi Ryuyeon looked at them and smiled. Then she decided that she had to press the issue of the condolence money.

"What was it like in the cave?"

Mazinga asked. He wanted to speak directly to the miraculously revived Bi Ryuyeon.

"I'd say it was pretty comfortable. It was a fun experience. Being able to be in a closed space for that amount of time with a gorgeous woman is not something you can do easily, and I'm sure some people would pay a million golden nickels to have that experience."

It was a sound that made the men who had been straining their ears to hear turn their clothes inside out. The men cringed and fidgeted as they tried to imagine what she was talking about. They clutched at their slipping sanity, trying to suppress their jealousy and their desire to see her martial arts skills. Still, the flames of the vanity were fierce. In their hearts, they would have loved to throw her into the blazing flames. But who would dare to throw her into the flames?

"I can only say that your survival is a miracle. The heavens have favored you. Nobu must bow to the heavens dozens of times, and now that his beloved niece has returned safely, he has you to thank for that!"

Majinga said in wonder.

"You're being generous. I was lucky, but I was better than that."

Bi Ryuyeon replied with a smile.

"But can I ask you a question?"

"Of course. Ask me anything!"

"Do we pass?"

It had been quite a while since the test, and she was curious about it. Taking the test too late, and in a completely different way than everyone else, could be disqualifying, so she wanted to check. After all, if she passed the test, she wanted to see the big boys.

"What did you see in it?"

Mazinger asked before telling them whether they had been accepted or rejected.

"That which I must surpass, and that is myself."

Bi Ryuyeon replied without hesitation. Mazinger nodded. But that wasn't the end of it. She had seen something else. After a moment of thought, she spoke again.

"Oh, and one more thing, I met a beautiful maiden in it, a cold maiden who smiled at me."

Mazinga smiled with satisfaction and nodded.

"You pass, and so does Na Yerin, of course!"

Then, after a long pause, Mazinger asked cautiously.

"But ask me one thing!"

"Yes! Ask me anything."

Then Mazinger put on a serious face and whispered in his ear.

"Did nothing really happen in there?"

"Yerin!"

"Yes, father!"

Na Yerin politely answered Nabaxian's call.

"I want to ask you a question!"

Bai Xiaochun's words were very careful, like a man walking on thin ice.

"Can I help you?"

"Did something happen to him while he was trapped in there?"

Na Yerin's face hardened as she understood the meaning behind her father's question.

"……."

Na Yerin couldn't find the words to answer right away, so Bai Chen didn't wait for her to respond to his daughter's stiff reaction and instead made his own assumptions.

"Hmmm… did that Horo bastard just happen to have a crush on you, or did something happen to him?"

That was all he cared about, and he knew all too well what men had done in the past when they were mesmerized by his daughter's beauty and lost control, even if it was only for a moment. His concern was understandable.

Na Yerin replied, blushing slightly.

"Nothing happened, father!"

But Bai Chen was not easily convinced. His suspicions were only amplified. Na Yerin blushed as she answered……. It was as if a layer of ice had melted off her face. A parent's senses were unexpectedly sharp.

"If you have been insulted, tell this father without concealment, and I will tear you limb from limb and throw you to the wolves."

It was a moment that proved once again that Meng Hao was an immortal father who was blinded by love for his daughter.

"Nothing happened, father! Don't trouble me anymore. I'll take my leave."

Angrily, Na Yerin turned and disappeared in front of Nabaxian.

"Something must have happened to……."

The father was using his parental intuition, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was, but the best part was that his daughter was safe and sound.

It was a miraculous survival after 44 days.