Book 13 Chapter 3

Hot friendships

As he approached his friend, who was about to face one of life's great trials, Hyun-woon quietly extended his hand. His friend looked puzzled.

"What?"

Hyunwoon shook his head in silence.

"What is it?"

Once again, Namgungsang asked.

"Give it to me!"

Hyunwoon replied.

"What? "

I asked with a puzzled look on my face, but Hyun-woon's expression didn't change. It was blunt, as if he was wearing a mask.

"What do you want?"

In frustration, Namgungsang raised his voice once more, and Hyun-woon answered in an even tone.

"Wills!"

Hyun-woon was acting as if it was the last friendship he could offer.

"Will?"

"I'll pass it on! "

Hyunwoon said in a blunt voice.

"Lest you steal it from me!"

"Don't believe it!"

"Of course! "

With that, Namgungsang placed the enclosed letter in his friend's (if he could still call him that) outstretched hand. The members of the Zhu Jia Clan had all been carrying a will in their hearts ever since they had begun to associate with Bi Ryuyeon.

Namgungsang asked.

"Where did you walk?"

"……."

Hyun-woon chose to remain silent. He didn't want to hurt his friend's feelings on his final journey, but in this case, his silence was an affirmation.

"Are you… on the fail side?"

Gongsang's shoulders drooped as if he had dislocated them, and Hyun-woon coughed.

"Uh-huh, Moo-Liang-Subul, sometimes people need to act with reason rather than emotion, but I have good news!"

"How dare anything be good news in this situation?"

Namgungsang replied in a very frustrated voice.

"Hehe! Don't be so discouraged, and frankly, be happy! Jean Sojaeman has bet on you succeeding. So she'll be thrilled when you do!"

"…only?"

The southern courtier's modest eyebrows rose slightly. His voice was filled with anger.

Hyun-woon looked up, longing for the blue sky.

"Gosh, it's a beautiful day!"

But despite Hyun-woon's words, the sky was filled with dark clouds that seemed to reflect the mood of the Southern Palace. Long shadows fell around them.

"…I have no property to give you."

Namgungsang said in a voice of suppressed anger.

"Don't worry. As long as I have the original, I can always forge it. I'll split it among my friends and remember you forever."

He was determined to make it back alive, even if it meant feeding them.

"That's a nice friendship, it's good to be young!"

The old man watching Hyun-woon and Juguni on the southern palace floor nodded and smiled wryly.

"Uh, where are you going?

"That can't be right!

The cast members let out a soundless roar and stared at the old man with eyes like they were looking at a monstrous creature. Beside him, Bi Ryuyeon nodded in agreement.

"Oh, and that old man was with us!

Suddenly, Yeomdo attention tilted toward the skeptical old man. A mysterious old man who knew a part of their past. During their momentary lapse in attention, the old man had stood between them, quite imposingly.

"Hmm, and him?"

Zongqing had finally noticed the old man's presence. He was at a loss for words.

"Eh…, so that's me……."

I was sweating profusely and my Yeomdo was gibberish.

"You must be one of the Insolnosas who came with us."

It was the end of the day that saved him. Apparently, the details of the formation hadn't arrived. Yeomdo answered quickly.

"Well, yeah, I guess you could say that, I really do……. Hahahaha!"

As Yeomdo broke out in a cold sweat and breathed a sigh of relief, an unceremonious bell rang, and he inclined his head toward the old man. It was clearly a gesture of courtesy. The old man cocked his head slightly.

"Huh?

For a moment, I was puzzled, but I quickly forgot about the Yeomdo. A rare spectacle was unfolding before my eyes that made my hands sweat.

Now Namgungsang knows, and the delegation knows, that there is nowhere else under the heavens to run.

You've finally reached the ideal state of being cornered.

"But…, but…, but……. Are you sure you can cross this or not?"

Again, I was stumped.

"I am a watcher, not your advisor. Apparently you're not a headless creature, so squat down and think it over yourself, and I won't tell you that you have to pass it in a ridiculously short time."

"How kind of you! "

"You're welcome!"

Zongqiong's kind words were of little help or comfort to Namgungsang.

"Well, at least there's one thing I'm comfortable with!

Thanks to her, I have quite a few pre-written wills, so I was fortunate to be able to save myself the trouble of struggling to think of a sentence.

Namgungsang silently recited the will in his mind.

'Alas, at last I, Namgung Sang, am ending my short life here today! If I die here today, how much will she mourn my death? Alas, my dear one……. Do not grieve if I am not by your side when you open your eyes tomorrow morning. Father, mother, all-powerful, all-powerful, all-powerful, all-powerful, all-powerful, all-powerful, all-powerful, all-powerful, all-powerful, all-powerful, all-powerful. Black, black, black!'

[Hey, dude, archer!]

"Yes…, yes!"

Startled by the thunderous sound of the music, Namgung Sang snapped out of his trance and looked around. In his panic, even his voice jumped out.

The first note was a fairly ridiculous sound.

[What do you think you're doing, trying to make a name for yourself? What are you doing doing something so simple, racing with a slug? I'm so bored waiting, I'm yawning all the way to the bank!]

At the sound of Bi Ryuyeon's foreplay, Namgung Sang cringed and craned his neck. But he couldn't help but feel resentful.

'Simple things?

I was appalled. When did the word "simple" lose its original meaning and become so perverted, distorted, and corrupted?

But dissent was not tolerated, and there was no room for it.

Once again, the full sound hit my ears.

[You idiot, there's a staircase right in front of you, what are you so worried about? Are your dong-dong eyes ornaments, do you think they're there to remind you to close them when you sleep? Over there…….]

A thunderbolt of electricity shot through my spine as I listened to the sound of Bi Ryuyeon's voice, which I couldn't tell if it was a call or an explanation. Suddenly, my fingernail-sized vision became as bright as broad daylight (actually, it was broad daylight now).

'I don't care how you do it, except by tying it up!'

That's what Jonghyun had said.

"Yes, I could have done that!"

'Why didn't I think of that before? '

Namgung-sang was awakened to the darkness and became the mind of a monk who had attained liberation.

He wondered why he hadn't thought of that, and yet he had come up with an idea on a subject he had no skill in, one that would never reach the other side. The solution was wrong, and there was no way it could be right.

But as Daehyung said, it was difficult, but not impossible. It was definitely worth the challenge.

Rains of hope fell and sprouts of courage sprouted on a barren, desolate land where there was only despair and abandonment.

"Great!"

His fists balled up, his eyes shining like a hawk's, he began to run, his every step brimming with hope and courage.

…but that run didn't last long.

Voila!

A million stars lit up his vision with their brilliant white radiance.

Namgung Sang's body, which had been running like a swift deer to cut through the wind, suddenly tilted forward and smashed into the ground with his face. It was an unexpected accident that made the viewer's eyes glaze over.

With his head neatly bowed to the ground, Namgungsang stood motionless for a while, his round, firm buttocks pointing majestically to the sky.

At that moment, a strange silence reigned in the room. No one spoke, as if everyone had made a promise.

"He's dead!

'He's dead!'

"Goodbye.

"Amitabha!

'무량수불!

'Yuan xian zhen (may everything be smooth and peaceful)!'

Already, everyone had already transcended life and death in the Southern Palace, and they could only wish for their own paradise rebirth in their hearts, which originated from their own values and religions.

"…I'm not dead yet……."

But no one listened to his voice, which was no louder than a mosquito's, not even the trusted spirit.

Hey, what are you doing, do you want to fall to your death like a sledgehammer thrown off a cliff].

Bi Ryuyeon's glare was as ferocious as it was devouring. Even from this far away, the sharpness, ferocity, and anger tingled the skin of his face, a brazenness that didn't seem to belong to someone who had just thrown something at the back of the Southern Palace Master's head.

[big brother…, what's that…….]

Ryuyeon's sudden violence and inexplicable hunger left Namgungsang feeling frustrated. The back of his head still 'burned' like it was on fire. The same was true for his face, which had done the hard work of digging furrows in the ground.

Apparently, he threw it with intent.

I had barely gotten myself together and was running with determination, but now it was over. The resolve that had been forged just a moment ago with a single blow had been shattered like a white porcelain vase on a stone floor. Still, the reason for Bi Ryuyeon's anger was beyond his learned mind.

But whatever the situation in the Southern Palace, Bi Ryuyeon's venom was unrelenting.

[Are you out of your mind? How did you forget what you're wearing? I'm suddenly suspicious of your memory!]

"Huh!"

Hearing Bi Ryuyeon's point, Namgungsang gulped down the air in vain.

I forgot. He had forgotten. For too long, they had been a part of her body. Now, when he moved, he didn't feel any discomfort, like rainwater in a stream, but that didn't change the fact that they were stuffed into his wrists and ankles.

'If I had run with this on, I would have run with…….'

He would have disappeared into the dark shadows, like a small pebble tossed into the blue, churning sea of clouds.

He squared his shoulders at the creepy sensation of every hair on his body standing on end in unison. Cold sweat trickled down his damp back.

"No way!"

Namgungsang couldn't believe it.

"When did my body feel this light?

When I finally released the shackles, which totaled 200 muscles, my whole body felt light as a feather. He felt a little disconcerted by the foreign feeling of his body not being his own.

"When was the last time you broke the silence?

It must have been a long time ago because I don't remember it, but the unfamiliarity soon became an adjustment, which in turn turned into confidence.

'Maybe you can do it now……!'

His timid heart was filled with confidence and courage. He felt as if he could leap over the cliffs in a single bound, leap over the clouds with ease, and chase the wind away.

Apparently, shackles are shackles.

How can your perspective change so much based on your mindset?

Just a moment ago, he had thought of it as an infinite distance that could never be crossed. But now it seemed as if he could take a single step and reach the other side in an instant. The tumbling, soft sand that had been the entrance to hell had turned into the sound of water, the monstrous roar of the gatekeepers of hell, and the cool breeze that drove away the autumn heat. Even the birdsong, which had been the chatter of demons, sounded like the beautiful music of Cain.

The heart of a true man is a simple thing.

"You'll be running this time next year!"

Jong-Hyeon, who had been watching from afar, tapped the ground with his crutches.

"This time!

Nangong Shang clenched his fists and chanted in his mind.

Again his feet pounded the ground and he began to run. His legs felt so light, it was like he was running on the wind. It was a blindingly fast pace that couldn't be compared to what he'd been doing a moment ago.

A gust of wind whipped past his face, and the gusts began to grow faster and stronger.

Namgung Sang realized that he was literally running against the wind.

This time it was real.

With a burst of energy, Namgungsang's legs kicked off the edge of the canyon. Like a bow shot, I flew like a bird, his toned body breaking through the wall of wind. It was like the majestic leap of the most agile and valiant ram.

But the gap was too far for human strength to cross. He was currently at the limit of his abilities. To put it bluntly, this trial was too much, and it was about to come to an ugly end.

Was Namgungsang's belief that he could leap over this cliff his own delusion and outrageous arrogance, and could he only pay for it with the end of his life?

The man who had been a soaring bird of prey, untethered by gravity for so long, became once again a quadruped, a beast of burden, and began his descent into the dark abyss that gaped like the gills of an abyss. There was not enough momentum to reach the other side.

"Uhhhhhh!"

"Kaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

"No! "

His friends let out an urgent shout of alarm, and the innkeepers screamed themselves to sleep. Qin Lie covered her face with her hands, squeezing her eyes shut so hard she couldn't see anymore, her heart pounding in her chest. She didn't even have the presence of mind to resent her big brother for putting her through this test.

But only Bi Ryuyeon had her arms crossed, her calm gaze following the falling body of Namgung Sang as it parabolized to the end.

"Now!

Bi Ryuyeon exclaimed to herself.

"Tahat!"

The sound of a spear bursting in the middle of a canyon.

With that, the tip of Namgungsang's spiked boot caught the head of a bird as small as a bird's egg flying through the gorge. The recoil sent Namgungsang's body flying even higher.

It was nothing short of a miraculous feat.

There is a kung fu skill called Chosangbi (草上飛), which involves running on blades of grass. There is also a kung fu skill called "snowlessness," which involves walking on snow and leaving no footprints. There is also a path of supreme transcendence, called Equilibrium Water, which involves running on water, and a mythical path called Void Emptiness, which involves running on empty air with no place to step.

But everyone else stepped on the bandwagon and I never heard the end of it.

This would not have been possible without an extraordinary mastery of one of the fundamentals of kung fu: making the body as light as a feather.

One, two, three, four, five, six……?

When he thought he was surely on his sixth, Namgungsang found himself stepping firmly on dry, hard ground.

I turned my head to look back over my right shoulder and saw the deep cliffs of the darkened abyss, still standing tall and imposing. A cold breeze blew from the shadows below, stroking his forehead and ruffling his hair. Birds fluttered their feathers, dizzying my vision. His friends on the other side looked as small as live squirrels, and it was only then that he realized he'd made it across the bridge to the other side safely on his own.

It was an exhilarating thrill that gave me goosebumps.

"Ooohhhhhh!"

A roar erupted from deep in my chest.

The first test was a pass.

The bridge was lowered. But it was a bridge that made me feel very sorry for the bridges that had existed before.

When Namgungsang arrived on the other side of the heavens, all he saw were two simple bundles of rope.

The purpose was obvious. It was ridiculous, but Namgungsang knew what he was supposed to do with it. If he hadn't been told beforehand, he would never have realized what it was for.

Two ropes of different heights hung from a pair of beautiful trees, separated by a cliff face. The gap was about the height of an average person.

I didn't have to ask what the two strands of rope meant or what they were for. When asked how this could be a bridge, Zhongqing hesitantly replied, "It can be! His argument was that bridges were originally just a way to get from one side of the world to the other, and that it was an anachronism to be concerned with their shape and material.

There were no bells and whistles, of course. They were kind enough to explain that they would not be held liable if I fell off. I was tearfully grateful.

There were two options. You can either use this rope to cross over to the other side, or you can step on the sae-dae-ri like a staircase, although it's a bit more difficult.

The choice was already made.

"Old man, it's dangerous from here on out. Why don't you go home now?"

In an uncharacteristically respectful and calm voice, Yeomdo spoke to the mysterious old man. For some reason, even the incomparable Yeomdo, in his arrogance and arrogance, was strangely unable to treat the old man as he had treated his master.

"Don't worry, you won't die an ugly death in a place like this. I still have some unfinished business in this world. Too bad I'm not comfortable enough to die already!"

The old man ranted and raved. For a moment, the old man looked very dignified and solemn in Yi Yun's eyes, and when he rubbed his eyes again, the momentary giant was back to his dwarf self.

"But from now on, the old man can't go there. I won't allow it."

"Who? Oh, you mean him?"

The old man's finger pointed to Zhongqing, who stood on two crutches not far away. The wind was ruffling his empty pants.

Yeomdo nodded.

Then the old man cried out.

"Look here, old servant, do you mind if this person passes through here?"

'Of course not!

Yeomdo was expecting this answer, but…….

"Sure! "

The Yeomdo was so ridiculously high, I couldn't even get the words out.

"That, that simple?! "

"Is there a problem?"

But Jonghyun didn't seem to have a problem with that. Rather, it was as if he couldn't understand the Yeomdo's reaction.

"Oh, wait, we were just talking about Insolnosa!

Even though I told myself that, I had forgotten about it because of the Namgungsang.

The old man was single-minded because he was not authorized.

"Phew, whatever."

Finally, the Yeomdo was whitewashed.

People began to cross the barely tensioned rope bridge. Since they were all martial artists, they crossed the bridge in a short time without much difficulty. Hyo-ryong, who hadn't yet regained his senses, was carried across the rope bridge by Jang Hong, and Lee Jin-sul, who had been worried that he might be abandoned, breathed a sigh of relief.

The only ones left were Bi Ryuyeon, Na Yerin, and Hui-nao.

At that moment, Bi Ryuyeon looked back at Jong-hee and asked.

"So, Grandpa, what happened next?"

Bi Ryuyeon is probably curious about the backstory. Zhongqing replied.

"That's something you'll learn as you go up. The higher you go, the more stories you'll hear. And…, and if you want to know the end of this story, go to……."

Zhongqing paused to catch his breath. It was a mystery even to himself why he was telling the young man this. There seemed to be no hope for the young man. But he was determined to speak.

"If you are able, you will climb to the top of the Heavenly Peak and win the Volcano Covenant! Then you will know the end of this story. No, anyone who stands in your place will know the whole story, but maybe it's better that you don't. ……."

The last word was so small, like a babble, that I couldn't understand it.

She remembered the story and never forgot it. But the journey wasn't as easy as she thought it would be.