Chapter 66
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 66
Chapter Title: Cat's Eye Stone Offering
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Hundreds of warriors clad in blue armor had already surrounded them.
In their hands were composite bows drawn taut with arrows nocked, their targets none other than the warriors of the Dharma Guardian Heavenly Dragon Clan.
Even Ananta, who had been overwhelming Musujong with her poison herbs, now dangled her pair of nanga swords limply at her sides, her face blank with despair.
"Heh heh... Shall we continue?"
Seeing Go Ipa, the Vajra Guardian Elder, lose his will to fight and lower his hands, Wi Jonggi swiftly sheathed his twin swords.
Musujong likewise slung his Demon-Slaying Sword behind his back and stood beside Wi Jonggi.
"You arrived quite early. These guys..."
Wi Jonggi smiled in praise, but Musujong rebuked his subordinates instead.
"It should have taken one hour at most, yet it took you nearly two. I won't let this slide."
"Watch your mouth, you grump. Quit complaining. No matter how urgent, we had to tend to our precious horses first, didn't we? Heh heh..."
A general who had meticulously groomed his beard stepped forward to Musujong and took up the conversation.
It was Na Taejong, Heavenly Mountain Ink Spear, another of the three Heavenly Division Commanders of the Azure Heaven Dragon Flag Corps.
As his epithet suggested, his left hand gripped a long spear with a subtle inky sheen.
"Quite right. Tending to three thousand horses before coming wasn't easy."
Wi Jonggi praised Na Taejong again, and Na Taejong clasped his hands together in humble thanks.
"Haha... Of course, Second Brother is looking after the three thousand horses right now. We hurried as fast as we could, but you weren't too inconvenienced, were you?"
"Can't you see? It wasn't much of a hardship."
While the three conversed, the roughly thousand warriors of the Azure Heaven Dragon Flag Corps disarmed the Dharma Guardian Heavenly Dragon Clan warriors one by one and herded them to the center of the valley.
"What do you intend to do with us now?"
Vajra Guardian Elder Go Ipa asked Wi Jonggi with a defeated expression.
Ananta, standing beside him, glared at Wi Jonggi with a complicated look.
Even so, her nanga swords were sheathed at her waist.
It was a sign of respect for the enemy leader.
"What else? Just accompany us for a while. The Hierarch will issue orders soon enough."
Wi Jonggi answered lightly, as if it were no great matter.
"Accompany you? To where? And what exactly is your purpose?"
"I can assure you we're not here to wage war on the Western Region. As for the reason, though... I can't discuss it. Or honestly, we don't know the full details ourselves..."
Ananta, who had been silent, stepped forward.
"You expect us to believe you mobilized thousands of cavalry into the Western Region without even knowing why?"
"Hey, Snake Girl. I don't know about you, but we don't care about reasons. The Hierarch commands, and we obey."
"Hmph. So where to now?"
"First, tell us about the poison you've scattered here."
"What about it?"
"It's made us unable to move without horses, hasn't it? Your lives are tied to it now."
"Are you saying you'll kill us?"
"We don't expect full cooperation—just tell us the poison's nature, range, and duration. It's harmless to animals, so no antidote exists, and we can't administer one to three thousand horses anyway."
But Ananta bit her lip and clamped her mouth shut at Wi Jonggi's question.
Unexpectedly, Go Ipa spoke up.
"Listen. It's already over, too late. Tell them."
Ananta glanced at Go Ipa and finally opened her mouth.
"With the wind blowing through this wide valley, how long could the poison linger? It'll be fine by the time the morning sun rises."
Wi Jonggi nodded.
"As I thought. We'll trust your word. Even if you're wrong, I have this lovely one, so no great loss."
As he patted his bosom, a small animal poked its head out, purring and nuzzling affectionately.
"Then we can't move until sunrise."
Na Taejong muttered, stroking his finely groomed beard.
Wi Jonggi replied nonchalantly.
"With things like this, no more day-night marches. Might as well rest while we're down—sleep soundly tonight and depart at dawn."
Soon, everyone began ascending to the upper part of the valley.
In the middle walked the remaining hundred or so Western Region warriors, guarding Go Ipa and Ananta.
* * *
As the sun rose, the white walls of Potala Palace began to sparkle dazzlingly once more.
Countless people were climbing the sheer stairs leading to the palace.
It was a perfectly ordinary sight.
For over a thousand years since Potala Palace was built, this scene had unfolded every morning.
They spun their mani wheels in their hands, chanting sutras as they ascended step by step. Many even prostrated themselves fully after every three steps.
Even if they couldn't behold the Living Buddha in person, ascending to Potala Palace to offer prayers was the daily devotion and deepest wish of all Lamaist believers.
Especially numerous were the devout elders dragging their frail bodies up those stairs.
The yearning to glimpse the realm of nirvana, soon to come after shedding their mortal shells, gave strength to their weary legs.
Among those thousands climbing the stairs was that elder.
Clad in tattered gray robes, hunched over and leaning on a single wooden staff, the old man climbing was none other than U Gyeongcheon.
Amid the vast crowd, no one paid any attention to his expression.
Step by step, U Gyeongcheon finally reached Potala Palace's main gate only after the sun had reached midday.
The lamas guarding the gate scrutinized each and every pilgrim.
Their sun acupoints protruded prominently, marking them as masters who had perfected both internal and external Western Region martial arts.
Yet none recognized U Gyeongcheon's true face or tried to stop him.
Upon reaching the gate, U Gyeongcheon straightened his back with the aid of his staff, his eyes watering and his face etched with exhaustion.
Taking pity on him, a young lama approached to help.
"Elder, why climb all this way in your condition? Come rest here first."
The young lama supported U Gyeongcheon to a well near the gate.
U Gyeongcheon sat on the stone steps around the well as guided.
Catching his breath, he looked around to see elders like himself and even more pitiable disabled folk resting their bodies.
There were those missing one leg, and even some missing both.
"Everyone's suffering so much... just to live..."
U Gyeongcheon murmured, gazing at them with poignant eyes.
In the meantime, the young lama who had helped him returned with cool water in a wooden ladle.
"Here, quench your thirst first. The bell signaling the grand assembly at the main hall will ring soon—rest until then."
U Gyeongcheon took the ladle and drank deeply.
"Ah, the water tastes wonderful. Truly grateful. But I have one request..."
The young lama took back the ladle and asked,
"Please speak. If it's within my power, I'll do my best."
Instead of voicing his request, U Gyeongcheon rummaged in his bosom and pulled out a small stone, handing it to the young lama.
It was an extraordinary gem.
Resembling a cat's eye, this lustrous stone was known as the Cat's Eye Stone.
Even a lama living detached from worldly fame and fortune could tell at a glance the immense value of what he held.
"Gasp... Elder, what is this?"
"I heard if you make a special offering, you can meet the Living Buddha himself. That's why I came all this way. To see him in person."
The lama looked down at the Cat's Eye Stone in his hand once more, then at the elder's face.
The stone was the size of a child's fist—an unimaginable fortune for the young lama.
"P-please wait here just a moment. I'll go up and report this at once."
He then scurried up toward the upper palace.
Only then did U Gyeongcheon relax, gazing leisurely at the view below the palace.
At that moment, Dongcheon Lama was inspecting the hundreds of experts gathered in Potala Palace's inner courtyard.
They were masters from across the Western Region, hastily summoned by urgent messengers.
Combined with Potala Palace's own experts, over a thousand could mobilize immediately.
What troubled him was the lack of word from Go Ipa.
He had ordered Ananta's clan two nights ago and sent men to follow and report back.
Even three thousand elite cavalry would be mere ragtag remnants without horses, easily crushed by these gathered experts.
"Still no word from Go Ipa?"
Dongcheon Lama asked his attendant from the throne-like seat in the courtyard.
"Not yet, sir."
"Hmm..."
The night before, Dongcheon Lama had summoned a spirit from the Kalapa Sect to locate U Gyeongcheon but failed.
With this nagging unease, he couldn't rush these experts into action.
Just then, an old lama in red robes hurried in.
"Om mani padme hum... Living Buddha."
"What is it?"
The old lama bowed low, then respectfully presented what he held.
A silver tray covered with yellow silk bore a Cat's Eye Stone gleaming iridescently in the morning sun.
"What is this?"
Of course, he knew full well what a Cat's Eye Stone was.
"An elder just brought it as an offering. He wishes to pay respects to the Living Buddha in person..."