Book 13 Chapter 15

Long night!

A silvery, glittering constellation of stars lit up the darkness of the volcanic night sky. The incandescent glow was awe-inspiring, but even the beauty of Mother Nature was nothing compared to Na Yerin.

An ice-cold, pure white phoenix!

Na Yerin stood silently, starlight as an ornament.

Her upturned black hair was darker than the color of the night and glistened on top. Starlight and moonlight raced through her hair, cascading down to the ground.

The starlight of the night's constellation, the North Star at its center, gradually lost its glow, as if it were being absorbed by her. Only Na Yerin seemed to shine in the midst of the night.

If there was one thing I didn't like, it was the distance and coldness that radiated from her entire body, as if she was trying to isolate herself from the world.

Her mysterious eyes exuded a sense of nonchalance. It was as if she was gazing out at a colorless world overlaid with gray.

Na Yerin turned and looked at the group of people.

I could see Dokgo-ryung, the master, and I could see Lee Jin-sul, and I could see Hyo-ryong next to him, and there were a few others.

Being able to socialize with so many people is something I never would have imagined, but it's possible now. Why?

Na Yerin's gaze settled on one place, the center of the group.

Today marks my second day here in Hongmaegok.

As the sun set and darkness set in, people gathered in small groups of people with whom they were familiar, of course, with people from the Temple of Heaven and the Museum of Heaven and Earth kept at a strict distance.

Harmony and coexistence were far, far away. Even yesterday, they had a fight on sight. The grudge was by no means completely resolved. Each was looking for an opportunity to settle the score. Of course, it would be a very non-peaceful and non-confrontational way.

They were born with only two colors: black and white, black and white. Gray, the color between black and white, did not exist. Moreover, hoping for gray to shine with silver was an idealism that could only be achieved in dreams.

It is said that the foundations of the human ego are fixed by the age of 8. Therefore, it would be unreasonable to ask you to destroy the common sense you've been indoctrinated with for more than 20 years and accept a new one overnight.

After the inspection, they were free to do whatever they wanted. Up above, the young men of the Black and White Islands were sitting in a circle around a bonfire, hoping to understand and harmonize through conversation, but as it was, it would be a miracle if they didn't fight.

They were told that their current accommodations were temporary, implying that they would soon be reassigned to something else.

Somehow, the old man hadn't been seen since he'd entered the trance. Bi Ryuyeon didn't pay much attention to that fact.

People were also gathered around Bi Ryuyeon. Jang Hong, Hyo-ryong, Lee Jin-sul, Dok Go-ryung, Mo Yong-hui, Nam Gung-sang, Jin-ryung……. and Na Yerin. Mo Yonghui's presence here was quite surprising. Probably, if Lee Jin-sul hadn't woken him up, he would have been alone with his cultivation. Just like he always did.

However, Mo Yonghui and no one else in the room had the slightest idea that this would be the beginning of a long night.

"The wind is carrying the scent of blood."

Bi Ryuyeon flicked the campfire once. Embers flew like falling petals. Even though the content was not serious, the tone was like, "Oh, it's windy.

The gazes of the natural people turned toward Bi Ryuyeon, but he remained calm.

"Mountain nights are cold, and guests come here for a fire."

Then the grass stirred about five sheets away. The tension instantly increased. No one had noticed until Bi Ryuyeon pointed it out. Avoiding their attention at a distance of only five sheets was impossible with ordinary skill.

Ryu-yeon Bi was still nonchalant.

Boom!

An old man staggered out of the woods, his branches swaying slightly. The old man's gaunt form was not a horse. His forearms, thighs, and legs were all riddled with gaping wounds, and dozens of them were oozing blood. Fortunately, however, none of the wounds seemed to be fatal. I clutched my abdomen with my left hand, which was bleeding heavily through the gash. The fetid scent of blood tickled my nose. His complexion was ashen, but his eyes burned as brightly as torches.

"The old man!"

Na Yerin was the first to recognize the old man, and when Bi Ryuyeon understood the resonance in her voice, she lifted her head to see her guest's face.

"Hiking at night sounds like a great hobby, but where did you put your wagon? "

It took a day to climb the mountain. It took all night to fend off a dozen pursuers, and then another day.

Already wounded, he was not well, but the dozen or so hounds were not unharmed. In exchange for the wounds on his limbs and shoulders, they had to give up all their lives. The old man dragged his wounded body all the way up to Hongmae Valley. It was an act of superhuman willpower.

The uninvited guest was none other than Hanno, the coachman of the Silver Snowflake.

"Excuse me, what did you just say? "

It was very surprising that Mo Yonghui was the first to voice his urgency. For him to react in this way to something like this - albeit an urgent one - was very much out of character for him, given the way he had been acting all along. I'm sure he was embarrassed, too.

"I told you that Mr. Silver Sojae was kidnapped."

Hanno explained once more. For a moment, everyone's eyes were drawn to the old man's bleeding abdomen and limbs as if by promise. Suddenly, a terrible worst-case scenario flashed through their minds, making several people shudder.

"Who did this?"

The calmest of the bunch was Bi Ryuyeon, who was surprisingly often called gyeongjo bubak (foolish and frivolous).

"We don't know yet."

Hanno answered honestly.

"Where were they taken?"

"It's a wind chime."

"Uh, if it's a fortune teller's cup……."

Yoon Jun-ho knew what it was like to be in Fengmae Guest House. And now there was…….

"It's the home of the Zhongyuan marker!"

Hanno replied on behalf of Yoon.

Poof!

Blood dripped from the wound again and fell to the floor, but the old man stood stiffly, unmoving, with an expression of unconcern. There were no words for it.

"Hmmmm……."

If it's Zhongyuan Peking, Bi Ryuyeon knows, because he was pretty loud a few days ago.

"Ho-ho, so you're saying that Grandpa is suspicious of the Zhongyuan Bureau?"

"That can't be right, the Jungwon Beacon is more famous as the Jungwon First Beacon, that's ridiculous."

Namgungsang countered.

"You don't know what's in the pot until you take the lid off, so let's hear it for now."

Only then did Hanno begin to describe his own struggles.

And so began a long night.

Sulshicho (戌時初 : ca. 1900) Volcano Tianmubong Hongmae Valley

"You're not going to go get him, are you?"

"Huh?"

At Jang Hong's question, Bi Ryuyeon gave him a puzzled glance.

"Is there a problem?"

"Whoa, I didn't think so, but it looks like you're really going to go get it."

At his sigh, she nodded.

"The life of a beauty is a heavy law!"

Jang Hong was about to ask, "Then what is a life that is not beautiful?" but he stopped himself. There was no time to argue.

"Why but? Is there a problem?"

Bi Ryuyeon asked again.

"In case you didn't know, members of the Volcano Covenant are not allowed to leave Hongmae Valley unless there is a special circumstance. That's the rule, and you heard it yesterday!"

Jang Hong's words were true.

"Since you have already ascended to the Tenebrous Peak, you are not allowed to have any contact with the outside world until the Volcano Covenant Retreat is over. Please keep this in mind and do not leave the boundaries of Tianmu Peak. There will be consequences for those who violate this taboo. The sunrise check will be at 0600 hours and the sunset check will be at 1800 hours. Please do your best to ensure that there are no abnormalities in the personnel check.

It was only yesterday that I heard these words. Participants of the volcano conference are not allowed to leave the area. If you do, the organizers will make you pay an unknown price. In the worst case scenario, you could be disqualified.

But she didn't seem to think much of it.

"A special job? What could be more special than this? A beautiful woman's life is at stake. It's the most extraordinary of extraordinary things. Am I wrong?"

Of course, there was nothing wrong with what he said. A beautiful woman's life is precious! He was stating the obvious.

Jang Hong could not help but be dumb with honey.

"There should always be an exception for emergencies!"

Bi Ryuyeon said with conviction in her voice.

Is it possible? Just getting up and down the mountain at night is no easy feat, but she's up for it.

"You don't have to follow me if you don't want to, and who am I to compel you when the life of a beauty and the friendship of a friend are less important than the security of a god!"

"Wimpy!"

An offer you can't refuse!

Bi Ryuyeon chuckled at Jang Hong's grumbling.

"Yerin, will you come with me? "

Bi Ryuyeon asked in a different tone from the one she had used with Jang Hong. But she wasn't that serious. There was no reason for her to be so serious and serious about something she didn't take seriously.

To my surprise, Na Yerin nodded without hesitation.

"You can't see your friend's risk and walk away."

At that answer, Dokgo Ling looked at his sister-in-law with wide eyes.

It's changed!

That much was certain. A friend, that is, a black figure…….

Friends!

It was something Na Yerin hadn't said in a while.

"I'm coming too! "

The Dictator declared.

"Buy?"

Na Yerin looked at the poisonous spirit. She knew his personality well. The one-eyed phoenix had never been one for this kind of behavior, for breaking the rules.

"I cannot leave a beautiful flower alone with a pack of wolves. My sword will protect you."

Dokgo Ling said, sheathing his love sword.

It was then.

"I'm in! "

Suddenly, it was Lee Jin-sul who burst into the room, leaving everyone with a puzzled look on their faces.

"Seol-ah! We're not going to play. This is dangerous work, and I cannot take you, young and inexperienced."

Said the dogmatic monarch in an admonition. But it's no use. This young lady was also stubborn. Lee Jin-sul opened her eyes, stiffened her back, and spoke in a gruff voice.

"Of course, I know how dangerous this job is, but I like Lan, and now that she's in danger, I want to help. I won't do anything to hold her back. Please take me with you! If you don't take me, I'll go after her by force."

Brash.

He knew that if she said it, she would do it. Suddenly, his bones ached with pain.

"Come on, I'll take you with me."

"But……."

With an ugly gaze, Dokgo Ling looked at Qin Lie. Qin Lie was staring at her with eyes full of excited anticipation. She was like a squirrel.

Tomboy.

Neither he nor his siblings were too strong for this creature. A sigh poured out of him.

"Yeah, let's go!"

Reluctant answer.

"Waaaaaaaaaah!"

Cheers erupted, and he jumped up and down like a puppy on his first sighting. Dok Goryeong couldn't help but smile bitterly at his cheerfulness.

"You need people to do the work! "

She was careful to let others do the work instead of herself. It's not a borrowed knife killing system, but a borrowed knife cooking system (cooking with a knife in someone else's hand)……. It was always his opinion that it was a huge waste to go out on a limb when it wasn't necessary.

"Fool!"

"Yes, Big Brother!"

"Where's the old man?"

"Shouldn't they be eating dinner and sleeping? "

"Already?"

"The beggar said that you should go to bed right after you eat, because it's a waste of food."

Beggars are beggars, and open is open. Even open rooms are not for everyone.

"Get it!"

She only had one thing to say.

Namgungsang hurried back to his quarters. From now on, the old man would have to use up the food he had conserved through sleep.

"Then I'll go too! "

She headed in the direction of the inn where Yeomdo and Bingum were staying.

Finally, we have all the people we need.

Of these, Namgungsang and Qinling had been forced to join the group, unwillingly but for the crime of being there. Next to them was the figure of Noh Hak, who had been dragged out of necessity. There was also Yun Junho, who was needed to know the geography of the village. He seemed to have summoned up considerable courage for such a timid man.

The most surprising of them all was Yeomdo. This large, red-haired, middle-aged man stood among the crowd with a trembling expression on his face.

When Bi Ryuyeon suddenly dragged the salt, everyone wondered why she would commit suicide without anyone's permission. They thought all their plans had been crushed.

The same was true when Bi Ryuyeon said that she had agreed to help them after explaining her situation. That grim face couldn't have been the face of someone who had just agreed to help, but to Yeomdo's surprise, she was actually willing to act with them. It wasn't unreasonable to think he was joking at first.

"What time is it?"

"It's between drunk and sober."

Bi Ryuyeon asked, and Namgungsang replied.

People couldn't understand why Namgung-san would be so deferential to his junior, Bi Ryuyeon, but then again, neither could Qinling. It was clear that there was a connection between them that no one else knew. And it might be the kind of truth that is happier not to know than to know.

"Hmmm, sushichora……."

There were less than six hours left. Time is running out, but Bi Ryuyeon is not impatient.

"Great, I'll be back by sunrise tomorrow!"

He sounded like he was going for a walk. Hanno suddenly wondered if he realized the difficulty of this job.

"Can you move? "

"Of course! "

Hanno was quick to answer the question.

"I don't want the old man to get overwhelmed."

"I'm fine! "

There was a sharp retort. But the sight of his limbs dripping wasteful blood onto the ground was not convincing.

The old man's objections were reckless.

"That's your grandfather's claim! "

At that moment, Bi Ryuyeon's body moved quickly.

Pavabat!

At the same time, his finger traced Hanno's transfusion.

"Nothing, what……."

But the old man couldn't finish and collapsed. Namgungsang quickly picked him up from behind and laid him on the ground.

"I'm a no-luggage state."

It was a chilling statement.

A vacant lot at the volcanic Tianmubong in Sulshizheng (ca. 2000)

There are two roads to the Mountain of Heaven. One was the path they had taken up through the three gateways, and the other was a man-made path that had been paved to bring in supplies. These roads were guarded by the Volcano Sect and personnel from each of the other clans in pairs and groups. It was impossible to get out of here quietly.

They did what they could to find a way around the beasts. It was stealthy, but rough.

"Can we use those places to make sure we're on time?

It was the same question on everyone's mind.

The woman's presence there was a coincidence, as it always is. She just happened to be working a little harder, not resting when others were resting.

Stunning beauty, perfect body, and unrivaled martial arts prowess.

But she's not one for complacency. Of course, her endeavors took place out of the public eye.

A woman as perfect as she was would be the envy of many, but she was never conceited. She was well aware that there were many people in the world who were better than her.

That night was no different.

But that day, she made a contact that would change her life forever.

She loved the intense color of the roaring flames, so she wore red. Like a firebird, her body was always wrapped in crimson silk.

Her curiosity about the sword was insatiable, and her sword techniques were said to be the best of the female late-stage swordsmen. In terms of martial prowess alone, not even the Quadruple Flame Silver Snow Lan, the greatest of the Black Sword Martial Artists, was a match for her.

Pomegranate hearts in crimson!

That's what they called her.

It was flattering to be called that, but not enough to give me a sense of unknowable superiority.

She was such a woman.

It must have been a coincidence that she was on the descending path of Bi Ryuyeon's group.

"Who are you!"

With a loud clang, a sword was drawn from its scabbard and a red longbow fluttered. The momentum stopped Bi Ryuyeon's group in their tracks.

"Oops!

This was unexpected for both Seokryuha and the rest of us. Contingencies. These variables always throw things off.

[How do we do that?]

Yeomdo has sent a message.

"You are……."

Before she could finish her sentence, Bi Ryuyeon gave a short signal.

A must-win!

In times like these, it's the quick who win. On cue, the Yeomdo moved at breakneck speed.

He was very fast.

Of course, Sukiyou never thought his sword was unbeatable. The realm of power is vast, and its proponents are as numerous as grains of sand. She knew that there were countless others who possessed far greater sword skills than she did. But she was confident that she would not be easily defeated by any of them. Her sword was not the strongest, but it was not ordinary. More accurately, it was extraordinary. Moreover, she had always been confident.

You are always ready. Like a sharp sword that can be drawn from its sheath at any time!

But that was a big mistake.

"What about them?!

She remembered seeing them. Yesterday, she had watched them enter Hongmae Gok. She didn't remember most of them, let alone their names. But there were some she recognized. Mo Yonghui of the Seven Deadly Divine Sword. He was quite a famous figure in the Heavenly Palace. She had only heard of him through rumors and had never seen him in person, but after yesterday, she could even remember his face.

Even Pomegranate could feel the hot gaze of the men focused on her. Already, there seemed to be a strange undercurrent among the men of the Temple of Heaven centered around her story.

In fact, Na Yerin's followers had a vocal presence within the Tower. It was a small group of people who happened to be in contact with the Heavenly Martial Academy. It was said that they had grown into a fairly large force these days. And most of all, Sword Hu, a disciple of his, that was something to be truly jealous of. Only this part of her couldn't help but feel jealous. Sword Fu Yi was the person she admired the most.

And finally, the one who makes the biggest impression.

Kwak Young Hee!

Ice Sword Kwan Chul-su, the first master of the Heavenly Five Swords, and Salt Sword Kwak Young-hee, the first master of the Heavenly Five Daoists, were celebrities in both black and white. Even she couldn't help but be noticed.

Of course, she was more inclined to look at Binggong as the one who had mastered the sword, but Yin Dao had such a distinctive personality that it was hard not to.

Red, red, red, red of arrest!

If you were to look at their clothes, you'd think they were father and daughter. Of course, one look at their faces would quickly prove otherwise, but they were both clad in striking red silk. They wouldn't be blamed for the misunderstanding.

My honest first impression of the Yeomdo was that it didn't look very strong, a stark contrast to the sharp, hilt-like ice sword.

The new, not-so-strong Yeomdo flashed before her eyes. Her reaction was slow.

It wasn't until he stepped in front of her seat that she sensed the movement she'd missed.

Shi Yuha quickly swung her sword to block his path, but it was faster for him to jump into her arms than for her sword to block his path. You can't cut someone if you're too far away, but you can't cut someone if you're too close.

"Oops!

But Sukiuha was not to be trifled with. With his free left arm, he drew the dagger from his back and slashed with a reverse motion. Red molars sliced through the air, spitting out flesh.

Chin!

But as if she had anticipated it, she parried it so effortlessly that her left fist was completely wrapped in his thick hand.

"Sorry! "

Pah-bah-bah-bah!

Without missing a beat, Yeomdo's sword swiftly sliced through her systemic blood pressure. Her body stiffened, and the excellent sword she was pointing at her opponent fell to the ground.

With a swift motion of his left hand, he grabbed it and threw it toward her scabbard.

Tsk!

Without missing a beat, the sword was sucked into its scabbard, as if it were being sucked in. Her dagger did the same.

Subdued (制壓完了)!

It was a clean, uncluttered move.

Pomegranate could only blink, unable to say anything, as even his blood was subdued.

Anger, embarrassment, and bewilderment.

It was impossible to think straight on the impact.

"Off……."

Yeomdo rolled his eyes. He was holding a shapely, wide-eyed beauty, but he wasn't in a very good mood.

The problem was the aftermath. If you snitch afterward, you're dead in the water.

"What should I do, just leave it here?"

I had no idea what I was doing to the Yeomdo.

"How could you say something so cruel? "

Blaming tone.

As if that were too much, Bi Ryuyeon glared at Yeomdo.

"Do you know how cold it is in the mountains at night? My master said beauty is not for the cold!"

There was a sense of unacceptable behavior.

"So……?"

"Let's go!"

Seokryuha's bloodshot eyes widened. Bi Ryuyeon added another word.

"Besides, once you're in it together, you're an accomplice, and sins have a mysterious magic of making the mouths of those with whom you share them weigh heavier the more you share them."

A thin smile appeared on Bi Ryuyeon's face.

I didn't bother to add, "Besides, that would make it harder to snitch!

But that wasn't the only problem: another one had come along, unbeknownst to them.

It was at a time when everyone's attention was focused on Seokryuha. Lee suddenly realized that someone was standing behind her. At first, she thought it was a coworker. But the next moment, she was stunned. She recognized the entire group that had gathered around the now subdued Pomegranate.

Bi Ryuyeon, Yerin, Dokgo, Nan-gung Confucius, Jin-ryung, Yin-do Nosa, No-hak, Mo-yong Confucius, Chang-heung, Yoon Jun-ho, and myself, Jin-sul. I counted them off one by one on my fingers, but there was no one missing. Suddenly, I felt chilled, as if I had been doused with cold water on the top of my head.

'Hee hee! Seo, are you a ghost?

A chill ran down my spine and goosebumps rose.

She was a girl who hadn't quite grown out of her younger self yet. No girl favors ghosts. They are instinctively repulsed, shunned, and avoided. Lee Jin-sul was no different. There was no denying that the place where they stood now was a perfect place for a haunting. Suddenly, Sophie felt terribly hungry.

'Yo, be brave, Jinshen!'

I pushed myself hard. But I couldn't muster up the courage to look back. She was sure she wasn't mistaken. Even now, she could feel the heavy presence of an adult behind her.

Her tongue was stiff and the words wouldn't come out. This was a different matter from martial arts; she needed to summon up more courage to call for the others.

"Hey, hey, hey……."

His teeth chattered and clicked. The voice was as small as a mosquito.

But a few people heard the sound and looked in her direction. They saw her standing there in a cold sweat with a pale face. Their eyes were filled with question marks.

"What, what's behind my, my, my back? "

Lee Jin-sul asked, his voice trembling like an aspen tree.

A slightly shifting gaze. Now they could see it.

People's eyes widened.

Sporadic black hair blowing in the cold mountain breeze. The hem of his robe fluttering. The shadowy figure standing there, looking like a ghost, was Hyo-Ryong.

"Uh, how did I get here?"

Lee Jin-sul turned around and exclaimed in a voice full of wonder.

There was no way she could take him on such a dangerous and important mission when he hadn't even come to his senses yet. Not even Bi Ryuyeon, whose recklessness was unparalleled. So he had left him at the inn. He thought she would be asleep by now, but he was wrong.

He had unknowingly followed behind them. Even more surprising was the fact that no one had noticed his presence until they got this far. Of course, they had been distracted by Pomegranate.

'You mean the body remembers martial arts even when you're not thinking straight?'

It's a fascinating fact, to be sure, but the important thing now is that the group now has one more burden to carry.

"How do I do that? "

Jin-sul asked in a puzzled voice.

"It's too late to go back!"

Jang Hong said. "Besides, there's no law that says you can't go back and put it back. Even if it's a hassle, they have no choice but to carry this burden with them now. For them, it was a waste of time to even think about it now.

"You've made it this far, so you'll be able to keep up."

And finally, she concluded.

"I'll take him! "

And so began a late-night mountain run.