Chapter 661: Villain and Hero
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 661: Villain and Hero
I left the streets of Henan and made my way back toward our lodgings.
By then, the sun had begun its gradual descent. Finding my way back wasn't difficult; I remembered the path well enough. I had spent a bit of time picking up various snacks for us to eat on the way.
She said she wasn't hungry, but the moment I bought them, she started eating like there was no tomorrow.
She ate with such gusto that it made me wonder why she’d bothered refusing in the first place. Still, it was a relief. It was far better than her having no appetite at all.
As the sun dipped lower, the fading afterglow gave way to the encroaching night. My hands were full, the result of buying a little bit of everything I saw. Honestly, carrying it all was a hassle. I considered using the Spatial Art, but that would draw far too much attention, so I forced myself to show some restraint.
What’s more…
She’s carrying even more than I am…
Wi Seol-Ah, walking right beside me, was lugging around an even larger haul. Judging by her beaming expression, she was having the time of her life. Looking at her face, I felt like nothing else really mattered.
But right now, there’s something more important…
As we walked, I recalled the events that had just unfolded—specifically, the matter concerning Bihyeonhwa.
I was so caught off guard that I completely forgot.
Wi Seol-Ah’s sudden appearance had distracted me, and I’d missed the chance to implant Demonic Qi into Bihyeonhwa.
What a waste.
I had already planted some in Beomdong, so leaving Bihyeonhwa out wouldn't ruin the plan, but I couldn't help but feel it was a missed opportunity.
Furthermore…
…That damn woman. She ran off without even paying for her tea?
She must have been in such a rush that she bolted without settling the bill, forcing me to cover for her.
Just you wait until we meet again.
I’ll squeeze at least ten times that amount out of her. Even thinking about it now made me feel a pang of regret.
Damn it, why was that tea so expensive anyway?
It wasn't even alcohol—just tea—yet the price was astronomical. What kind of people actually pay that much? Moyong Hi-ah must have planned the pricing, but I never thought people would actually fall for it. I’d assumed no one would pay that much just for tea and snacks at an inn.
Turns out, they ate it up. Literally.
To be fair, it was delicious. So delicious that even though I knew I was being ripped off, I ended up buying a heaping pile of snacks before leaving.
I wonder if the others will like it?
Wi Seol-Ah certainly enjoyed it, but she was always like that, so she didn't count. I wondered if the rest of the group would care for them.
Then again…
If they don’t, Wi Seol-Ah will just eat it all.
There was no need to worry about leftovers. I suppose I should consider that a blessing.
As we walked slowly along the path…
Rustle.
Just as we were passing through a lantern-lit forest path, I sensed a presence. I turned my gaze toward the source.
“Uwah!”
Tang Soyeol suddenly burst out from the bushes. She must have taken a shortcut through the brush, as her hair was littered with stray leaves. I wasn't surprised by her sudden appearance; I had sensed her Qi for a while now.
“Young Master!”
Tang Soyeol smiled brightly the moment she saw me. Since my hands were full, I flicked my Qi toward her to brush the leaves off her head before speaking.
“Where have you been?”
I was certain I’d felt Tang Soyeol’s presence near the inn earlier, but her Qi had vanished at some point. I figured she had some business to attend to and didn't think much of it. It seemed she had been wandering around instead of heading straight back to the lodgings.
“Ah, I just had a little something to take care of,” Tang Soyeol replied with a grin.
I nodded, but my inner thoughts weren't quite as casual.
I smell blood.
There was a faint but distinct scent of blood clinging to Tang Soyeol. She had clearly tried to wash it off, but after reaching a higher realm and completing my Shedding, my five senses were incredibly sharp. I could pick up a scent like that with ease.
Whatever Tang Soyeol had been doing, I could tell it wasn't anything peaceful. I just didn't let it show on my face.
She must have her reasons for keeping quiet.
With that thought, I asked, “Have you eaten?”
“Not yet.”
“Why not? It’s late. What were you doing instead of eating?”
“I was going to eat with you, Young Master.”
“What kind of nonsense is that? You’re supposed to eat three meals a day. If I’m not around, are you just going to starve?”
“I might… Ouch!”
I gave her a sharp rap on the head for her ridiculous answer. Since my hands were occupied, I had to strike her with a small burst of Qi.
“Stop talking nonsense.”
“Eee…”
Tang Soyeol groaned as if she were in great pain, but I ignored her. When she realized I wasn't going to coddle her, she scrunched up her nose, straightened her clothes, and trotted over to Wi Seol-Ah.
Then, she naturally took one of the bundles Wi Seol-Ah was carrying. The gesture was so seamless that I tilted my head in confusion.
“When did you two even greet each other?”
“Pardon?”
“Huh?”
At my question, both Tang Soyeol and Wi Seol-Ah blinked in surprise. There had been no "How have you been?" or "Nice to see you." The way Tang Soyeol just grabbed the bags was far too natural. As far as I could remember, they hadn't even been in the same place today.
I stared at them, waiting for an explanation.
“…Well, I… that is…”
For some reason, Tang Soyeol looked flustered. I wondered what there was to be nervous about.
“We said hello earlier,” Wi Seol-Ah answered in a calm, steady voice.
“When?”
“Hmm. Before I went to the inn where you were, Young Master.”
“…Huh?”
By "inn," she meant the place where I’d met Bihyeonhwa. When could they have possibly met then? No matter how I racked my brain, it didn't make sense. As I tilted my head, Wi Seol-Ah gave me a wide, beaming smile.
“We said hello then.”
It was a smile that clearly signaled: Don't ask any more questions.
“Oh, uh, right. Sure. I guess that happened.”
My instincts were screaming at me. I shouldn't dig any deeper into this. I decided to let it go. I was sure nothing bad had happened… probably.
* * *
After returning to our lodgings, I immediately changed my clothes and had a quick meal.
The moment I arrived, I had been looking for a way to avoid the Dishonored Venerable, but funnily enough, he wasn't even there. Apparently, he’d mentioned having some business and would return later. I felt like my life had been extended by a few years.
A few people were surprised to see Wi Seol-Ah suddenly joining us, but since she was a familiar face, they accepted it without much fuss. Furthermore, the merchant association seemed to have anticipated her arrival, as they had already prepared an extra room.
Since we also had the group from the North Sea with us, we had to reorganize the sleeping arrangements. However, the patients—Namgung Bi-ah and the Monster of Wudang—had to be moved to the Immortal Healer’s quarters.
“Showing up after a month and putting an old man to work immediately. Are you in your right mind?”
The Immortal Healer, suddenly forced back into labor, looked thoroughly annoyed.
“You’ve been a bit lonely lately, haven’t you? It’s good to have some work to do.”
“That’s what people call enjoying one’s leisure, you fool…!”
“Wouldn’t it be better to stay busy in your twilight years? I heard you do nothing but play Go all day.”
“This damned brat…!”
The Immortal Healer fumed because I wouldn't back down an inch, but I knew that, true to his nature, he would do his absolute best to treat them.
“How are they?” I asked.
“What do you mean, how are they?”
Grind, grind.
The Immortal Healer spoke while vigorously grinding herbs in a mortar.
“They’re both martial artists, so their regenerative abilities are high. There are no major problems. They might have some scars, but they were treated well initially, so there’s not much for me to worry about.”
“…I see.”
I had helped their recovery by circulating my internal energy on the way here, and they had received emergency treatment before we left the North Sea, so it seemed there were no lasting issues.
“It’ll probably take three months for both of them to fully recover… but they should be able to move around without issue after just one.”
“Thank you.”
Three months? It felt both short and long. For a martial artist to need that much time meant their injuries had been truly severe.
…Hmph.
Should I have beaten that guy more? I probably should have.
As I clenched my fist, thinking about Woo Hyuk, the Immortal Healer called out to me.
“By the way, child.”
“Pardon?”
“Your body, I mean.”
“Ah.”
Right. I remembered that my body had been in terrible shape before I left. I had thought it would be a close call to recover fully by the time the Dragons and Phoenixes tournament began. But now, not only was I completely healed, I was even healthier than before. It was natural for the Immortal Healer to be curious.
“I just had a bit of a fortunate encounter.”
“Every time something happens, you come back all healed up after stumbling into some ‘fortunate encounter’… Tsk, tsk. Is this why all the healers are dying out?”
I highly doubted healers would die out no matter how ruined the world became… and hearing that from a man who barely worked and only took patients when he felt like it was just absurd.
It’s not like fortunate encounters happen that often.
A fortunate encounter is something that might happen once in a lifetime, if at all. I was the strange one for consuming them as if they were air.
“Ahem, anyway… was everything alright while I was gone?”
“That’s a rather strange question coming from someone who just disappeared to the North Sea.”
“...”
I scratched my cheek awkwardly. The Immortal Healer had asked a favor of me, but something had come up, and I’d had to rush off to the North Sea. It wasn't strange for him to be dissatisfied.
“Still, I did put some measures in place before I left, didn’t I?”
“...”
The Immortal Healer didn't say anything more.
“…That’s what I’m curious about. What exactly did you do?”
“Nothing much. I just blocked it in my own way.”
“Ha.”
The Immortal Healer had told me that the descendants of the Zhuge Clan were plotting a rebellion and asked me to stop them. And I had granted his request—at least, that’s how it appeared on the surface.
“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure what you’re worried about doesn’t happen.”
As I spoke, I slowly rose to my feet.
“Please take good care of them.”
After brushing myself off and giving a final nod regarding Namgung Bi-ah, the Immortal Healer looked at me.
“Are you leaving?”
“Yes. I have to go get some work done now.”
“Work?”
It was about time.
Honestly, I’d like to rest a bit more.
It had been a while since I’d had such a leisurely day. It had only been twenty-four hours since I returned. I wanted to melt away my fatigue and spend some time being lazy, but…
I have to move.
I couldn't afford to wait. I knew my situation too well to waste time being idle. To protect what I cared about, I had to act. That thought alone was enough to get me on my feet.
“Well then, I’ll be taking my leave.”
I bowed respectfully to the Immortal Healer and turned to go. Less than a month remained until the Dragons and Phoenixes tournament.
Before then.
I had to finish all my preparations.
* * *
The setting sun receded fully. A crescent moon floated in the black sky, its lonely companion. As its light cast a reflection upon the surface of the lake…
Rustle.
I walked along the path. It was a path I had walked before, located a short distance from Henan in an area that was still underdeveloped.
Chirp, chirrrp!
The sound of insects tickled my ears. It was quiet, still, and peaceful. The forest always exuded this kind of atmosphere.
However…
They did a good job creating this.
I knew that this peace was a fabrication.
Step.
As I walked forward, I slightly adjusted my trajectory. Seong Yul was following behind me. I had brought him just in case, but…
I think I can come alone next time.
It seemed there was no longer a need to bring Seong Yul with me. I knew the way now. Or, to be precise, the path was finally visible to me. Within this artificially distorted space, a clear trail could be seen.
I set my feet upon that path. I could see what was once invisible and feel what was once imperceptible. Was this purely due to the rise in my cultivation level? Probably not. I knew it instinctively.
It doesn't seem to be a formation.
I reached out a hand and stirred the empty air.
Vwoom.
I felt a ripple.
Sorcery?
It was an unfamiliar power I had learned about in the North Sea. I believed this space and its distortion were the work of sorcery, though I wasn't entirely certain yet.
As I navigated the path and walked deeper…
Rustle.
I sensed a presence ahead. Someone appeared, kneeling before me.
“…I greet the Master.”
A woman with light green hair and violet eyes, similar to Tang Soyeol. It was Nahida, who had now become a Demonic Human. I looked at her and let out a small smirk.
“It’s been a while. Have you been well?”
She probably hadn't been. After all, I had given her a mountain of tasks to complete. I didn't wait for Nahida’s answer and walked past her. As if it were second nature, Nahida rose and followed behind me.
“You seem to have done your job well. It wasn't bad.”
“…Thank you.”
“The situation… organize the details and bring them to me later.”
As I walked, I pulled a cracked mask from my robes. Simultaneously…
Crrrack!
Using the Qi Body Transformation Technique, I gradually increased my size. In a matter of seconds, my body transformed, growing to just under eight feet tall. I had intentionally worn my uniform a bit large, so it fit my enlarged frame perfectly.
Click.
I placed the mask over my face. Once the mask was on, I felt the shift. It was time to work again.
[Nahida.]
I spoke, my voice now much deeper and more resonant.
“Yes, Cult Leader.”
[Go and inform the Cheonra Captain.]
The former captain of the Demonic Cult from my past life, who should be staying in the hideout. Tell Pilduma.
[This Venerable One has arrived. Tell him to prepare for my arrival.]
“…As you command.”
Nahida vanished like smoke.
[…]
I stopped walking and raised my head to look at the crescent moon. I thought to myself…
…That was pretty cool just now, wasn't it?
I felt like I looked quite impressive. A quiet sense of satisfaction washed over me, and I nodded to myself.