Deer Get Ranked, Cave of Sacrifices
The two deer, freshly ranked by Gu Gangwang, entered Hengshanpa with eyes even more pathetic than before.
"...Those things are the demonic beasts? They're just deer?"
"They look pretty when they keep their mouths shut."
The Hengshanpa Taoists, who had only seen the beasts rampaging inside the sect while bleating kki-eeng and charging at anyone in sight like mad creatures, stared at Gu Gangwang and the deer with faces struck by cultural shock.
I get it. That's exactly how I felt when I first saw those guys trembling.
"Filthy things that despise the weak."
"Pfft!"
I muttered without thinking, and Gu Gangwang, leading the way, burst into laughter.
"Han Un, what if you end up weaker than a deer? Gi Chungmuwang would wail in the afterlife!"
"My apologies, but I've already given Gi Chungmuwang plenty of reasons to shed tears."
"Hahaha!"
I closed my eyes in quiet suffering as Gu Gangwang slapped my back with his tyrannical glee. Masters don't understand the hearts of the weak. I just wish the beauty of empathy could spread far and wide in this world.
"Judging by their reaction, these guys must've been causing trouble after all."
Kki-iing...
Gu Gangwang tilted his head curiously, stroking the male deer's antlers with his other hand. From his perspective, having only seen their docile side, our desperate survival tales must've seemed unbelievable. And needless to say, the male deer let out the world's most aggrieved cry as his antlers were grabbed again.
'You're getting what you deserve, you punk.'
Of course, I felt no pity. It wasn't like his antlers were being ripped out alive— a little touch was nothing.
I'd finally figured out the root of the deer kids' filthy weak-bashing.
"It seems they've become obedient under Your Highness's pressure."
"My pressure?"
At the words of the elder in charge of spiritual herbs and medicines even within Hengshanpa, Gu Gangwang stroked his chin with interest.
"As animals that evolved into spirit beasts through long-term exposure to qi, they're more sensitive to it than anyone. That survival instinct they carried even before becoming spirit beasts combines with it, letting them distinguish predators from prey based on whether a person harbors qi."
The elder continued, prodding the stiff bodies of the two deer this way and that.
In other words, back when they were normal herbivores, they'd flee from tigers or bears. As spirit beasts, they dodged monsters brimming with overwhelming qi.
'It really was weak-bashing.'
Thinking about it, the sect leader and elders were stressed because their disciples were getting hurt, but they'd never suffered direct harm themselves. Even Jo Wi-cheo, who'd reached master level, hadn't crossed paths with the deer kids much, unlike me getting picked on in real time.
'Wow...'
A sigh escaped me naturally. They ignored the strong but bolted when something infinitely stronger—a monster—showed up. Pure instinct, straight out of the wild.
The problem was these law-breaking brats acting on it.
"If Your Highness hadn't come personally, they'd still be strutting around."
"Yes, undoubtedly."
The elder nodded without a moment's hesitation at the sect leader's words.
"Keh, these pretentious little shits."
Unlike the sect leader, who pressed a hand to his forehead desperately suppressing his emotions, Gu Gangwang grinned, clearly pleased at being certified as a "fucking strong human" by the spirit beasts.
It was achievement-worthy, really. Spirit beasts, practically part of nature, harbored qi beyond most martial artists. For them to take one look at a human, recognize superior qi, and flee? Proof of overwhelming might.
"Too bad to eat 'em."
Kki, kki-eeeeeng...
Kki-oooong...
The two deer wailed pitifully, as if they understood. Even I got chills. It sounded like he'd have ripped out their velvet antlers and inner cores right in front of us if they'd acted up.
'Lucky them.'
I'd wanted to deal with those things quickly not long ago, but the moment the court took interest in two spirit beasts in a row, their status shot above mine. Now if anyone touched them, I'd get a crazy backlash from Jwa Do-eosa.
"...Gu Elder."
"Yes, Sect Leader."
"We get why the spirit beasts avoid Your Highness, but why did two appear so suddenly?"
At that, even Gu Gangwang—who'd been chuckling with an arm around a deer's neck—and I—who'd been receiving Jo Wi-cheo's wistful gaze—turned to the elder.
Right, that's the key. Figuring out why spirit beasts appeared one after another mattered more than these gold-brats' weak-bashing instincts.
'That's how we breed them artificially.'
Before murim got dog-beaten into decline by the court, even giant sects and clans trembled at the long-cherished goal. Success would elevate a group's status by levels, but it meant betting everything for a slim shot. Turning that madness into sustained breeding was a pipe dream—but now, a clue glimmered.
Two spirit beasts emerging side by side in the same place and era meant Hengshan held the perfect conditions for their birth.
Crack that, and artificial spirit beasts weren't impossible. Realms reachable only by heaven's grace could fall to human effort.
"Well..."
Caught in the stares of a king, a sect leader, and two homeless inspectors, the elder scratched his head awkwardly before speaking carefully.
"These spirit beasts themselves can hardly be called naturally occurring."
"What?"
Gu Gangwang's brows furrowed at the unexpected answer. Climbing with the boss is the worst.
"Han Un, that cave over there looks suspicious."
"Wi-cheo."
"Yes, I'll check immediately."
Still, serving a boss wasn't like being a lowly minion—how grateful I was.
'Life, man.'
I nearly sighed at combing Hengshan for days already. I held it in only because a king was personally digging around. Plus, recalling the elder's words from days ago made quitting impossible.
"Spirit beasts are born from steady, long-term qi absorption in one place. But these feel like qi was crammed into them hastily, not steadily."
Meaning the ones we'd assumed natural were actually unnatural. The possibility someone artificially created them threw all of Hengshanpa into emergency mode.
This wasn't some "aw, first achievement stolen" bullshit. The court missed a group or individual who could make spirit beasts artificially, and Hengshanpa overlooked it in their own backyard.
If those unknowns were disgruntled trash? What if they had hordes of undetected artificial spirit beasts, gobbling inner cores?
'We're fucked.'
The stabilizing Central Plains could shatter again. Mongols who'd fled north might sweep south. No way. I wouldn't let my reincarnated life go to shit.
"If only these guys could talk."
Gu Gangwang clicked his tongue at the ominous situation, patting the deers' heads.
'Useless things.'
I turned away from the still-shivering deer. At first, I'd hoped to use them. If artificially made, there'd be a creation site they'd recognize and flee to once free of Gu Gangwang's grasp.
But even when he stepped back arms crossed, they didn't bolt—like showing their back meant a sneak attack and death. So here we were, combing the mountain inch by inch. Fucking pests.
"Your Highness, my lord."
Just as I steeled myself for wandering till moonrise, Jo Wi-cheo returned from scouting the cave.
"Found it."
His face was rigidly tense for someone bringing the news we'd prayed for.
"What's wrong? Something weird?"
"...Better if you see for yourself."
"Hah, what'd you see to react like that? A deer family?"
Gu Gangwang chuckled at Jo Wi-cheo's reaction and trudged into the cave.
"These worthless maggot shits!"
Soon, a roar thick with rage echoed out.
"...Wi-cheo."
"Yes, my lord."
"Tell the sect leader to get everyone down the mountain."
Just in case the berserk Gu Gangwang started rampaging and hurt innocents.
"Understood."
Sharing my thoughts, Jo Wi-cheo vanished in a flash.
'Damn it.'
I sighed, feeling sharp qi ripple from the cave. No clue what was inside to rile Jo Wi-cheo and Gu Gangwang like that, but with the king's fury ignited, my mission shifted from spirit beasts to soothing royalty.
Tough for most, even life-risking—but luckily, I was Giwang's grandson. No matter how enraged, he wouldn't swing at me.
Steeling myself, I entered the cave.
"Crazy bastards."
Like the two ahead, a fierce reaction burst from me.
Blood-soaked strings hung everywhere, eerie talismans scrawled with glyphs, and in the center, a mountain of bleached bones.
'Human sacrifices.'
Not one or two—traces of mass sacrifice.
'Ha.'
My head cooled instantly upon spotting the cave wall inscription.
For the immortality and glory of the Great Yuan Great Mongol Empire.
Translation: Traces of the Mongols who stirred a blood wind in the Central Plains and fled.
Mongol traces. From those who ravaged the Central Plains and left.