Book 15 Chapter 4

The Five Elements (五行), First Gate: Wood Day Gate (木曜關)

- The Hatching of a Young Boy

When we speak of Wood (木) in the Five Elements, that 'Wood' is not simply a tree. If we confine Wood to a substance possessing the 'form' of a mere 'tree,' it would be regrettable, as we would only be seeing a tiny facet of Wood.

In the Five Elements, Wood also symbolizes spring and the essential human virtue of 'benevolence' (仁), but its most encompassing property can be described as 'production' (生產).

What, then, is production? Is it not a kind of continuous, unending activity of life?

Look at the fruit of a plant. That fruit is not kindly made by nature to delight the human palate as a dessert or snack after a meal (if anyone thinks so, they clearly possess an arrogant worldview, mistaking humans for the supreme beings in the natural world). A fruit is a seed to propagate the species and continue life, that is to say, it is the womb of the plant for spreading its offspring.

Just as a tree receives sunlight with its leaves and absorbs water and nutrients through its roots, gathers these fragments of life, and bears the fruit of fruition (結實), we can finally call 'the act of continuing a certain value by gathering something and creating something else' as production.

Therefore, to engage in production, the act of gathering scattered things and 'connecting' them into one must precede it. Simply put, the essence of production can be said to be the continuous, unbroken continuation.

For this reason, the 'Cheonryulsimryeong' (천율십령), the pinnacle of the Yulryeongja (율령자), decreed that this 'continuity' (綿綿不絕), which is unbroken and ceaseless, is the attribute that best represents Wood (木) in the Five Elements. And to embody that attribute, they chose a very avant-garde method.

That method was a relay race, the Light Skill Relay Run (輕功繼走).

When this unique competition method, the Light Skill Relay Run, was proposed, the first question asked was:

"Then, aren't we fighting?"

The answer was:

"Aren't we fighting?"

When they retorted, "What? Aren't we not fighting?"…

"A relay race is also a means of struggle (鬪爭) to compete for victory and defeat. Therefore, it's still fighting. Surely you don't think that 'fighting' only involves wielding swords and kicks to injure others, do you?"

The young man, who had naturally been thinking so, felt ashamed and immediately shut his mouth.

"This is truly unexpected… deciding the winner with something as simple as a race."

Jang Hong muttered.

This tournament was unfolding in a completely different way from the past Volcanic Convention he knew. Where this capricious, wind-like tournament would head towards, with what purpose, and in what manner, was beyond his conjecture.

"Is it truly simple? It might surprisingly be difficult, this gate!"

Bi Ryuyeon seemed to think Jang Hong's hasty conclusion was premature.

"Difficult?"

"Yes, this Mount Hua is famous as the most treacherous among the Five Great Mountains. Just looking at Cheonmu Peak here, it's full of rugged rocks and cliffs everywhere. And we're having a relay race using the entire mountain!"

That's right. This Wood Day Gate was to be run across the entire peaks of the Five Peaks of Mount Hua, divided into nine sections. The running path was free; there was no need to strictly follow a given route. If one had the ability, they could leap through trees like a monkey or fly between cliffs, it didn't matter. However, the Yulryeongja side determined where the next runners would gather.

That point was what kept bothering Bi Ryuyeon.

"If you just want to run a long distance, you can conserve your stamina and inner energy according to your abilities. It might take some time, but you can reach the destination safely. Conversely, if you want to cover a short distance in a short time, you must explosively release your stored stamina and inner energy. However, this Light Skill Relay Run requires you to run as fast as a short-distance race while also covering a long distance. Moreover, the place you have to run is the Five Peaks of Mount Hua, where there are no proper roads. It will absolutely not be a simple task! My premonition is that this competition will take at least two days and one night. Which means…"

"We have to run… at night, too."

Bi Ryuyeon nodded at Jang Hong's choked response.

"That's right. But I don't think they're so kind as to give us torches for the night journey."

Jang Hong agreed with that point.

He had been thinking too carelessly, just because there was no bloodshed. At first, his surprisingly sensible words had confused and flustered him – this was probably something Yoon Junho and Lee Jinseol, also in the same Group 7, would agree with – but upon further reflection, Bi Ryuyeon was indeed correct. There was no room to refute his opinion.

Jang Hong felt he should be ashamed for underestimating this gate.

"I must apologize for thinking this Wood Day Gate was easy. So, what should we do now?"

Jang Hong asked. Did he realize that he was now earnestly listening to Bi Ryuyeon's opinions?

However, there was no doubt that such an action would provoke fierce opposition and strong resistance from the majority.

"Hmm… first, shouldn't we decide the order?"

Bi Ryuyeon said.

The scenery of Mount Hua is breathtaking, as it is called the Western Sacred Mountain (西嶽) among the Five Great Mountains. Especially in autumn, the entire mountain is adorned with a colorful robe dyed red and yellow. The towering, sharp peaks, like inverted swords piercing through the plains of clouds, make viewers feel the grandeur of nature with their whole bodies. Because of this, many people travel from afar, dividing their journeys across the seasons, to come here and see this magnificent and beautiful scenery (of course, such lavish trips are only possible for wealthy individuals; ordinary people cannot afford them).

It was Mount Hua after a long time. Two years had passed since leaving the sect. Furthermore, he was now not at Cheonmu Peak, but at Oknyeobong (옥녀봉), where the Hua Mountain Sect was located. However, for Yoon Junho, there was no leisure to calmly appreciate the natural scenery, as if created by the unrestrained brushstroke of a divine being. He had no time to feel the subtlety and vastness of nature, the tranquility of dusk, the twilight dyeing the plains of clouds, or the wind blowing through the leaves, playfully caressing flowers against his cheek.

Mount Hua was passing by him at a breakneck speed. What seemed to be in front of him a moment ago was already beside him, and what was beside him was already far behind. It never stopped to wait for him patiently.

This was because he was currently traversing Mount Hua at full speed. But he could not slow down even a little. His left and right feet vied with each other, kicking the ground of Mount Hua. As if they were jealous and competing for the ground, both feet never touched the ground simultaneously.

He was continuously discovering anew, through ongoing experience, the limits of how difficult the act of 'running' could be. The pursuit of knowledge always came with a corresponding price. The price for this discovery was enduring extreme pain, as if his violently beating heart would burst, breathlessness so severe that he worried his lungs, lacking air, might burst out of his mouth, and muscle soreness that was rarely experienced.

He was now being chased like a fox cornered by hunters. Moreover, there were four people he had to overtake.

"You understand, right? I don't expect you to overtake anyone. There's no need to push yourself so hard. Just do your best to maintain your current rank! That's enough. So, don't overexert yourself."

From beside him, the annoying Wi Jicheon uttered a few words of insult, such as "Can we really trust this simpleton? Give up," but others ignored the offensive swordsman and sided with him.

"Don't mind the words of such a petty person. We believe in you. The dangerous paths you've navigated so far were by no means ordinary. Believe in yourself more. Otherwise, that would be a betrayal of us who believe in you. We believe you are a man of integrity."

He was so grateful that tears welled up. He could still feel the firm and warm grip of Jang Hong's dependable hand on his shoulder. It was trust in the name of friendship.

These were precious people who believed in and supported him, who had always been an outcast. Therefore, he did not want to disappoint them.

'I need to be more proactive!'

Maintaining his rank was not enough. He had always been too passive in everything. He hadn't believed in himself. He had always been ridiculed. But there were people who believed in him and supported him. For their sake, he had to believe in himself more.

A bird, about to hatch, was struggling to break through its shell. The shell was the world. The world that surrounded him, infinitely strong yet infinitely weak; he could not reach a wider world without breaking this world that surrounded him. The desperate beak of the bird persistently targeted one spot, and it eventually created the starting point of the crack. Centered on this first point of contact, the shell began to split radially.

"What? You're asking how to run faster?"

Yoon Junho nodded at Bi Ryuyeon's question, which had a hint of a smirk.

"I'd like to hear your advice… to be honest, I'm not confident…"

Yoon Junho trailed off. If Jang Hong or Hyo Ryong knew that he dared to seek advice from Bi Ryuyeon, they would have tried to dissuade him, saying, "What audacity to seek advice from this embodiment of the abnormal!" How could he follow the advice of someone who could be called a collection of abnormalities!

However…

"Well, if you want to hear advice, you've come to the right place! Now that I see it, you have quite discerning taste!"

With a pleased smile, Bi Ryuyeon readily nodded. Even though refusing might have been more beneficial to Yoon Junho's life, he moved his spine in the direction of affirmation.

"Then… how do I run fast?"

To him, who still used polite language with his peer (a habit that didn't easily change), Bi Ryuyeon clicked his tongue and waved his finger.

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

"Forgetting what?"

"This Wood Day Gate requires you to run fast, but also to run for a long time!"

Only then did Yoon Junho realize something.

"Ah, that's certainly true."

It was not a short distance. For some reason, the nine divided sections varied erratically in length. According to Na Yerin, it seemed to be to see how appropriately talented individuals could be placed in each section. Many agreed with her opinion, and he was one of them. The section he was assigned was Oknyeobong, the central peak among the Five Peaks of Mount Hua.

"You lived on Mount Hua before, didn't you?"

"Rather than lived, I was a disciple of the Hua Mountain Sect…?

"You 'were'? So, you're not now?"

"Ah, no! I'm still a disciple of the Hua Mountain Sect, of course."

"Okay, then it's decided!"

It was a hastily decided order. From the entrance of Oknyeobong to the summit of Oknyeobong – it was still the shortest section among the nine – Bi Ryuyeon, the final runner who had to run the longest and most arduous path there – from the summit of Oknyeobong to the summit of Cheonmu Peak – was to receive the relay baton. His mission was to pass it to Bi Ryuyeon.

In fact, it was not easy to determine the order for his Group 7. This was because he, of all people, was in their group. Na Yerin of Bingbaek Peak, a man who wanted to rip apart Bi Ryuyeon out of hatred, the leader of the group of crazy men, the Great Commander of the Ice Peak Flower Guardian, Wi Jicheon.

"Hey Ryuyeon, why is that guy here?"

Jang Hong, with a displeased expression, whispered into his ear.

"Who knows…"

"Who knows? Such an irresponsible remark! Isn't he here to devour you? He's been fidgeting since earlier, like an opium addict. Look there, look! His eyes are bloodshot, he's not in his right mind."

"Perhaps it's because you're within a certain range, Ryuyeon. It's never happened before, right? He can't control his own killing intent."

Hyo Ryong, also in Group 7, chimed in from beside them.

"Ryong, your words… make sense! I'm completely convinced! So, it wasn't because of drug use, then."

Jang Hong nodded and said.

"Ryuyeon, what's going on? I was actually very surprised that things turned out as you predicted. You, and I, were also surprised to be in the same group as this young lady. Ah, of course, don't misunderstand regarding that matter…"

Hyo Ryong added a word that should not have been attached.

Even when Bi Ryuyeon had confidently predicted the future group assignments during the draw, they had been skeptical. But surprisingly, it turned out as he said. Bi Ryuyeon was in the same group as Na Yerin, and he was in the same group as Lee Jinseol. Of course, all four of them ended up in the same group. It was a very strange experience. When asked what excuse he would have made if they hadn't been in the same group, he said he had never thought about it, as it assumed failure. The more he saw him, the stranger he became.

"Is it a side effect…?"

Hyo Ryong asked in a low voice. He wondered if he had paid the price for manipulating probabilities to be in a group with the desired person – though he didn't know how he had done it.

"That's not it!"

Bi Ryuyeon shook his head.

"Then?"

"Actually…"

"Actually?"

"Hmm… Actually, I only focused my consciousness on the people I wanted to be in the same group with. It's better to have fewer targets for concentration. If it gets too large, the power is dispersed, and the effect is reduced… the success rate also decreases…"

"So?"

"So, I didn't pay any attention to the rest. Not even a tiny bit."

"Hmm…, so?"

"Perhaps the rest were picked by the law of randomness. Or maybe that guy also wished for something similar."

"So, you're saying…"

Bi Ryuyeon pointed to the sky with his finger and said.

"Well, it's the playfulness of a god. Or the machinations of some damn 'existence'!"

"What is that…!"

Jang Hong and Hyo Ryong replied simultaneously. Their expressions showed complete disbelief.

"Will we be able to do well?"

Jang Hong said with an expression of anxiety.

"Who knows…"

It was a question no one could guarantee.

"This is really unsettling…"

Jang Hong grumbled, his face contorted. It was understandable.

"Don't worry!"

Bi Ryuyeon said, and Hyo Ryong retorted with displeasure.

"How can you say something so nonchalant? You're the biggest problem. And even deciding the order for this Light Skill Relay Run… will it even go smoothly…"

"I told you not to worry! It'll work out somehow. Somehow."

"How!"

Jang Hong and Hyo Ryong raised their voices and retorted. Then Bi Ryuyeon raised one finger and said.

"We only need one word!"

"One word?"

"Yes, her word!"

Bi Ryuyeon's fingertip pointed directly at Na Yerin's face.

Seeing this, she pointed to her chin with her index finger and tilted her head slightly with a puzzled expression. Bi Ryuyeon, seeing this, smiled and waved his hand playfully. Her expression became more confused, and Wi Jicheon, watching this, was seized with an inexplicable sense of displeasure.

"Indeed!"

Jang Hong and Hyo Ryong, the two of them, slapped their palms with their fists and exclaimed. With that, it would be effective.

The section assigned to Yoon Junho, while relatively short compared to the nine sections, was by no means actually short. Moreover, the path was neither flat nor ordinary. It was clear that it would consume an enormous amount of stamina and inner energy. He knew this better than anyone, as he had lived on Mount Hua.

Yoon Junho readily admitted that he had overlooked that part.

"But now, worry is futile! Just follow my advice, and it will be foolproof! In that regard, fortunately, you are in a very advantageous position!"

Bi Ryuyeon said with a confident face.

"How…?"

Yoon Junho's body, swallowing dryly, naturally leaned forward. He felt as if he were being pulled by a strange force generated by excessive confidence – though the basis for it was somewhat uncertain.

"That is…"

Bi Ryuyeon began to whisper in a low tone, as if revealing the secret of the creation of heaven and earth.

"Whisper! Murmur! Blah blah blah…!"

"Oh! Indeed! Hmm, hmm! Heh…"

Yoon Junho's expression, listening to Bi Ryuyeon's words, began to change like the seasons on Mount Hua.

"Become one with Mount Hua!"

Yoon Junho said in a firm voice, looking at the goal he had to pursue.

"The basic principle of Light Skill is to lighten one's body and achieve maximum speed with minimal inner energy. The important thing here is to make the body as light as possible, to its limit! Like this!"

Bi Ryuyeon said, spreading his arms wide to the sky. But to Yoon Junho, there was no change.

"How?"

To him, it was simply a change in the position of his arms. Of course, that didn't even count as a change.

"Like this, then!"

Once again, Bi Ryuyeon spread his arms wide as if celebrating. However, in Yoon Junho's perception, it was the same as before.

"…???"

Seeing his blank expression, Bi Ryuyeon sighed.

"Sigh… alright. I'll let you experience it directly. That will be faster."

It seemed it was still too early. So, he decided to use a more direct means of information transfer.

"Okay, stand still, and try to push me lightly!"

As Yoon Junho said, he lightly pushed Bi Ryuyeon's chest. Although he said 'pushed,' it was merely a slow extension of his elbow. However…

"Huh?!"

Something amazing happened. It was like magic. Despite that light and small movement, Bi Ryuyeon's body, with his heels together, was pushed back a yard without any resistance. It was as if a transparent ice rink had been laid in mid-air.

It was clear that he hadn't suddenly gained immense strength. The timid boy stared intently at his fingertips in disbelief and muttered.

"There's no resistance!"

There was a little, but it was so negligible that it could be ignored. It felt like pushing a small paper boat floating on water. The expression 'slid' was more accurate than 'pushed' for Bi Ryuyeon's movement.

Bi Ryuyeon smiled and said.

"How? Do you understand clearly now?"

However, Yoon Junho shook his head without hesitation. So, Bi Ryuyeon decided to add a little more effort.

"Why do you think a human body floats in water?"

He couldn't possibly know. So, he shook his head again.

"It's because more than nine-tenths of a person's body is made of water. It's almost the same consistency as water, so it's easily buoyant. Add to that the air in the lungs, which is lighter than water, and the human body floats. And you can swim in the water by paddling your arms and legs. Light Skill is the same principle."

Bi Ryuyeon's words became like invisible ropes, binding his mind. After catching his breath for a moment, he continued.

"As you know, this world is made up of the aggregation and dispersion of Qi (氣). Everything is Qi. You and I, and the entire world, can be called Qi! Qi that moves according to principle (理), that is the existence realm. Hardness or softness is merely a matter of density difference."

Bi Ryuyeon continued to speak.

"Running, or exhibiting Light Skill, is the same as swimming in the sea of Qi. However, the density of the human body is initially greater than that of the atmosphere. Therefore, it is attracted to the ground, which has a closer density and 'attribute.' The force of attraction between these two, that is, gravity, acts. But a martial artist should not be so. We draw in the scattered Qi in the atmosphere into our bodies through breathing, and by preserving and managing it more effectively, we make our internal density, its nature, its attribute, closer to that of the atmosphere, closer to the fundamental state of existence of Qi. To swim in the sea of Qi, the body needs to be more 'Qi-ified.' This is the most basic and first secret to studying Light Skill. Everyone learns this properly. However, they seem to forget the 'reason' why they do it. Even if they don't know the reason, it's effective in its own way, so it might not be much of a problem… But even that is not enough to completely escape the constraints of the earth, of gravity."

Bi Ryuyeon said in a firm voice.

Yoon Junho was engrossed in the dizzying story. It was an exceptionally dizzying teaching, even for what Bi Ryuyeon said. He felt it instinctively.

"That's why we need to assimilate (同化)!"

"Assimilation?"

Assimilation means separate things merging into one.

"The closer the attributes of the two are, the better! The less resistance there will be."

"So, Junho, do you know what you need to do now? You only need to do one thing!"

"One thing?"

"Yes, become one with this Mount Hua!"

For a moment, Yoon Junho could not properly understand Bi Ryuyeon's words. Only after mulling it over for a while could he grasp the full picture. However, the words did not resonate with him directly.

"C-can that be possible?"

"Sigh… are you limiting yourself again? Aren't you tired of it? Isn't it time to wake up from that boring world? Otherwise, you can never improve!"

"S-sorry…"

Yoon Junho apologized.

"Shouldn't you be apologizing to yourself, not to me?"

"S-sorry…"

A groan came from somewhere.

No one can break another person's shell for them. One's own world must be broken by oneself. Others can only create the opportunity. Anything more is useless meddling. In severe cases, it can even be harmful…

"Imagine becoming one with Mount Hua after taking in plenty of Qi. Inhale Mount Hua into yourself. Forget yourself, and in a state of no-self, become one with nature and this Mount Hua. Then, just as the ripples of a lake move with a small breeze, your body will move lightly with a gentle gust without any effort. How easy is that?"

Easy? It was an incredibly difficult incantation that made one's eyes spin.

At first, he thought it would be impossible. But to him, his friend said.

"If you keep limiting your own boundaries, you can never go beyond them! The moment you decide that, it becomes your limit. Don't impose restrictions on yourself. No one has reached the end yet."

The body cutting through the wind was light, and the mind was as clear as the blue sky. This was the homeland where he had grown up. Every tree, every stone… everything around him was familiar. It had been two years since Mount Hua, but his homeland welcomed him unchanged. Now, somehow, it felt possible. Bi Ryuyeon's words, which he had not understood at all, now seemed understandable.

"Yes, let's try it!"

Yoon Junho finally decided to embody his understanding. A person can achieve what they believe in, and only to the extent they believe. Belief is a declaration that it 'exists' in reality. One cannot explore and pursue what does not exist. For that, one must first believe in oneself. Someone had taught him that.

"I swear as a man to overtake them by any means necessary!"

Finally, the shell was broken, and the bird hatched.

For the first time since crawling towards the light of life from his mother's womb, Yoon Junho began to move with a proactive mindset. As the bellows of will were applied to the furnace of his soul, his innate flame began to burn fiercely.

"W-what is that?"

Ma Haryeong exclaimed in shock.

Suddenly, something approached from behind her, passed her, and moved ahead.

At first, she thought it was the wind. But at this speed – she was running at her top speed – could it be the wind blowing from behind her? However, she soon realized it was a person. Someone had audaciously overtaken the Iron Jade Butterfly, Ma Haryeong.

She could not tolerate the fact that not one, but two people were daring to run ahead of her. Before that, the person running ahead of her was a wretch named Ma Geomik Chumyeong. But that should be seen not as her own incompetence, but as the incompetence of Group 2 to which she belonged. The vast distance that had been reduced to this point was due to Ma Haryeong's own ability. However, the act of running from behind and being overtaken were fundamentally different dimensions.

"How dare you…"

She was about to erupt in anger, but it was not easy. Caught off guard by the unexpectedness, she was bewildered before she could even get angry. The reason was that she recognized who the being that had just overtaken her was.

'Is this some kind of joke?'

It was a face she knew. It wasn't that she knew it particularly well. As she harbored resentment towards that scoundrel Bi Ryuyeon, this person naturally caught her eye. A person who felt like a 'bonus.' It was the Hua Mountain prodigy, Yoon Junho.

"I-impossible…"

To be overtaken by such a person would be a disgrace to her entire family, unable to face her ancestors. Thinking so, Ma Haryeong burned her inner energy even more and increased her speed.

"Light! My body is lighter than a feather!"

It was as if the heavy shackles that bound her ego had fallen off, and her body felt infinitely light. It was as if she could fly. She ran swiftly, like an arrow cutting through the wind. It felt like being born anew. The sensation of her ego, confined, bound, and crushed by countless preconceptions, being released was a more overwhelming feeling than any ecstasy she had ever experienced.

Had she ever been this true to herself before? Only after waking from the stupor of delusion did she realize how much she had deceived, ignored, and mistreated herself while walking through life with her eyes closed. From now on, she would cherish and love the self she had ignored and neglected. Such a will reached every nerve ending through the meridians of her entire body. An overwhelming sense of fullness dominated her entire being.

However, that will might have been too much.

The bird had just broken free from its shell and hatched, and its wings were still too weak to soar in a new world.

"It seems to be proceeding safely. Elder Yeom!"

Eun Seollan said, looking around the vicinity of Mount Hua from a vantage point with a clear view. Despite her title being Yeomdo (염도), she used it as a name. In fact, it was a much wiser action than directly uttering his real name, so many people did so.

"Hmm…"

Yeomdo grunted a reply that was too brief to be called a reply, and nodded.

"A Light Skill Relay Race… it's unique and individualistic, but I was relieved that it seemed to be a competition with little danger."

It was certainly safer than wielding swords and kicks. But Yeomdo did not seem to think so.

"Who knows? We'll have to wait and see."

"What do you mean?"

Yeomdo turned his gaze and looked at this beautiful young lady.

Even his fierce eyes, which were constantly swirling with anger and resentment, had now softened considerably, gaining depth. It might have been due to the numerous hardships he had endured after getting entangled with some bad karma in recent years. He himself thought he had significantly calmed his temper. Therefore, he was now able to think more rationally than in the past.

"Miss Eun, accidents are not caused by nature, but by people."

Both creating the environment and responding to it are done by people. Therefore, most accidents arise from the 'distortion of relationships' between people. Problems would not arise from proper human relationships. If problems did arise, they would likely solve them together. In that regard, the rate of distortion in the human relationships intertwined here could be considered the worst.

"So, it is possible that problems might arise…"

Upon hearing this, it was quite understandable. The human relationships entangled on Mount Hua now were such that it would not be strange for problems to arise at any time.

"I can't be sure, of course. But there are those who think that being caught cheating is a foolish mistake due to carelessness!"

Sadly, there are people in this world who consider 'fair play' to be the longest and most tedious, foolish journey to satisfy their own desires. Such people believe that breaking rules and not getting caught is wiser than following them. The fact that they have always maintained a majority over the minority throughout history is a great misfortune for humanity.

Of course, there are sometimes ridiculous rules… At least in competitions like this, rules must be observed for fair competition. Even though this is the obvious principle, there are too many people in this world who do not understand the obvious as obvious. This can only be called the worst tragedy created by the ignorant masses.

"Carelessness is forbidden. We won't know until the very end!"

He seemed not only rational but also cautious. Of course, his fundamental nature had not completely changed, but even this was a surprising change.

"I hope nothing happens…"

He was skeptical about that point.

"Who knows… he has too many enemies… He's proud that nothing he's ever done has ended quietly!"

"Perhaps he thinks being quiet is a sin?"

"That guy is probably utterly hated by the god of peace, I'm sure!"

Yeomdo said with a strangely confident tone.

"It's the complete opposite of Young Master Moyong. He acts as if the heavens would fall if he broke a rule! That part is cute, though… They are such contrasting people, *kuh kuh*!"

It was truly mysterious that two people with such opposite natures were associating together. Perhaps that was the charm of the human being named Bi Ryuyeon.

"Cute? That stiff, dry, hard-as-hard-tack guy? Ho oh?"

As he stared with a suspicious gaze, prolonging the end of his words, Eun Seollan flinched and waved her hand.

"Ah, no… I… I just… That is… Well…"

Her embarrassment was evident.

"Hmm…?"

Yeomdo continued to tease Eun Seollan with his mischievous gaze.

"Oh, honestly! It's not that… it's just…"

However, this time too, she could not find a suitable excuse.

"Then do you dislike that guy? Well, he only knows rules and manners, so he's boring, so it's understandable if you dislike him."

Yeomdo said in a voice that seemed to express regret – a voice that was clearly altered. His sunken gaze was filled with infinite pity for Moyong Hwi – clearly fabricated pity.

"Ah, n-no! I absolutely don't dislike him, absolutely not!"

Eun Seollan's reply was louder than she herself had expected.

"You don't dislike him?"

Eun Seollan nodded.

"Then you like him!"

He suddenly concluded. She didn't even have a chance to ask, "W-why!"

"No, he's not only my benefactor… he saved me… and I was carried on his back…"

And so, she was permanently deprived of her chance to argue. It was clear that this would now be confirmed in Yeomdo's mind and stored in his memory bank. Eun Seollan's shoulders drooped. It seemed she had given up.

Come to think of it, what did she think of him? She realized that she had never pondered that question. Suddenly, his existence began to feel special.

"Still, that goody-two-shoes Hui has changed a lot since getting involved with him."

"That person?"

"The one hated by the god of peace!"

"Ah! That person!"

Only then did Eun Seollan nod.

"Since meeting that guy, he has more leeway now. He was much more terrible in the past."

"Oh, really?"

Yeomdo nodded firmly.

"Now, you could say he has a bit of breathing room. In the past, he looked like he was strangling himself with a leather strap!"

The image was somewhat easy to imagine, and she laughed.

"It's like that when that guy gets involved. Even the most ordinary things don't end quietly. Something always happens. It's not boring, which is good, but…"

He always lacked the concept of 'moderation.'

It was the same at Mudang Mountain, and also at Hwanmadong.

Based on past experiences, it would be more unusual if an accident did not occur. A storm was always raging around him. No, it would be more accurate to say he was drawing it in. His existence, whether intentional or unintentional, caused distortions in his relationships. Those around him also needed to be extremely cautious, as they could easily be swept away.

"Will this time really end quietly…?"

Yeomdo's ominous premonition proved true.