Chapter 215
Chapter 215
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 215
Chapter Title: The Sapling of the Blood Tree
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Ye So-ha nodded in agreement to my question.
"Yes. If we eliminate the sapling, everything will return to normal. That's why we've come this far, and why we've sought your help—because of that sapling."
In other words, that sapling was our ultimate goal.
I nodded along, but Hwa-ryeon cut in.
"I get what you're saying. But heading to the Wudang Sect comes first. That's non-negotiable."
Ye So-ha surprisingly accepted Hwa-ryeon's assertion that our business took priority, without much resistance.
"I'm not insisting the sapling has to come first. We want to check on the Wudang situation just as much."
...Didn't you say we needed to rethink the plan?
I shot her a sidelong glare, and she responded with the brightest smile in the world.
Her inscrutable attitude scratched at me, so I clicked my tongue softly and turned away.
"Anyway, with that settled, shall we fetch the priest?"
At Ye So-ha's words, Cheong left the room and brought Daoist Hyeonjin from downstairs to the innkeeper's quarters.
We briefly explained our current objectives and situation to him, who seemed quite tense.
"...So that's why we're heading into Mount Wudang today. But what about you, Priest...?"
"I will go. Please let me join you."
An immediate and resolute reply.
Hearing this, Ye So-ha added a word.
"I'm sorry, Priest, but finding your senior brothers is ultimately secondary. Our top priority is heading to the Wudang Sect."
"...I understand. I'm just as worried about my sect. Whatever decision you make, I won't hold it against you."
Daoist Hyeonjin's voice strained to hold back his grief.
She had drawn a firm line coldly, but I hoped they might find something after all.
I truly thought so from the bottom of my heart.
*
The meeting ended, and as we came down to the first floor, preparations were already complete, just as Ye So-ha had said.
"We've packed at least a week's worth of rations and plenty of gear for camping."
"...Plenty? Looks like overkill to me."
In a corner storeroom on the first floor.
I let out a hollow laugh at the massive bundle in the middle of the room, big enough to cover my entire upper body.
Well, who knew what might happen on Mount Wudang, now turned into a demonic realm? Overpreparing wasn't a bad idea, but how were we supposed to carry it?
Did they expect me to lug this around?
"Ahem, no need to worry about that."
When I voiced my doubts, Hong grinned mischievously and pulled something from her bosom.
"...A storage pouch?"
It was none other than a small storage pouch.
From the outside, there was nothing special about it—no unusual features even if you looked closely.
Wondering what she planned to do with it, I watched as something astonishing happened.
Hong opened the pouch wide toward the bundle, and the pack—dozens of times larger—got sucked right inside.
"Huh...?"
"Pretty amazing, right?"
Hong smirked smugly and proceeded to explain the storage pouch.
"This is called a subspace storage satchel. You can store objects much larger than its own volume with ease."
A sorceress was indeed a sorceress.
She wielded some pretty useful treasures.
Beaming at my undisguised admiration, Hong chattered on excitedly.
"Items stored inside don't rot or rust over time. Put food in, and even after ten years, it'll come out warm like it was just made. Weapons stay sharp and full of energy."
"Wow, impressive."
"Right? Here you go."
"...Huh?"
I stared in bewilderment as she suddenly thrust the storage satchel at me.
What was this...?
"Take it. Since you're cooperating with us this time, consider it a gift."
"...Out of the blue? For that reason?"
Gifting such a valuable treasure out of nowhere just for agreeing to cooperate?
Was this some new scam tactic?
Ignoring my confused look, Hong pressed the satchel into my hand and turned away with an incredibly proud expression, for reasons unknown.
"I'll go get Miss Ye and Cheong."
With that, she headed upstairs and vanished.
Left on the first floor were just me and the satchel in my hand.
"What are you doing?"
A voice in my ear snapped me out of my daze. I turned to see Hwa-ryeon approaching.
She glanced between my puzzled eyes and the satchel in my hand, asking softly.
"Gifting something so precious without context—what could she be thinking?"
"...What do you mean?"
Yeah, exactly.
I had no idea what I was saying either.
All I could do was give Hwa-ryeon an awkward smile.
*
"Good...!"
Meanwhile, Hong, who had unilaterally handed the storage satchel to Ja-seong, pumped her fist and headed up to the innkeeper's room.
So-ha and Cheong were there, ready to depart.
Hong approached them with quick steps, grinning from ear to ear.
"Clan Leader~! I totally scored points with the warrior."
"What are you talking about?"
Hong spilled the beans about giving Ja-seong the storage satchel. So-ha reacted skeptically.
"...For that? Subspace devices are a dime a dozen for us. You think that'll score points?"
"Oh come on, you have no idea. Sure, they're common for us, but in this world, it's a one-of-a-kind treasure. The warrior was super touched, I swear."
It had been a mix of bafflement and wariness, not admiration, but Hong was convinced it was the latter.
"No one gets moved by a random gift like that. I doubt it..."
Cheong pointed it out sharply, but it fell on deaf ears.
"Hmph, you can't just get close by smiling all the time like you do, Clan Leader. It takes material exchanges like this!"
"You child, what nonsense. They say you can't spit on a smiling face for a reason. Good relationships start with smiles. Plus, flattering him as the world's greatest should've closed the emotional gap even more."
So-ha declared confidently.
But in reality, Ja-seong only saw her as an inscrutable, annoying woman and kept his guard up—no emotional gap closed.
"Won't it push him further away? He looked irritated..."
Cheong cautiously pointed it out, but So-ha ignored her.
"So what now?"
"Now that we're closer, we help with something more personal."
"More personal?"
So-ha flashed a knowing smile at the clueless Hong.
"I noticed earlier—the vibe between our warrior and the previous castle lord's daughter was electric."
"You mean...!"
Hong's eyes widened.
So-ha clenched her fist.
"Exactly! Help those two progress, and we'll build even more favor!"
"Ooh—!"
They acted like they'd struck gold.
Unlike the fired-up duo, Cheong looked dubious.
"...They seem to be handling it fine on their own. We might just get in the way..."
Of course, Cheong's observation went unheard again.
"Then if we do this...!"
"No, this would be better...!"
"...Sigh."
As So-ha and Hong buzzed excitedly with ideas, Cheong watched anxiously and let out a small sigh.
*
Quite a while later, the three from Hao Gate came down to the first floor, preparations in tow. With Daoist Hyeonjin, we headed to the entrance of Mount Wudang.
-Mercy. Mercy.
-Lord of the Primordial Beginning...!
Just like yesterday, people were performing rituals and prayers nonstop.
Seeing the crowds packed densely all the way to the mountain entrance made me feel queasy all over again.
"Plowing through this mob will be a chore."
"Luckily, that's no issue. Hong?"
"Yes!"
At Ye So-ha's call in response to my mutter, Hong stepped to the front.
She murmured something softly, and a faint, almost invisible energy enveloped the entire group.
"There, all set. No one else will notice us now."
"With this?"
I was highly skeptical, but as we pushed into the crowd, I couldn't help but be amazed.
Even as we shoved through forcibly, no one noticed our presence.
They didn't even seem aware of their own bodies being pushed aside.
"Amazing. So this is sorcery...!"
Daoist Hyeonjin stole glances at the people, who weren't even looking our way, in admiration.
It was worth marveling at.
Even we, who had experienced sorcery a few times before, were stunned.
Thanks to Hong's sorcery, we passed through the crowd more easily than expected and soon stood before the entrance to Mount Wudang.
-Gulp
A tense swallow.
Naturally, it came from Daoist Hyeonjin.
"Are you all right?"
"...Yes. I'm fine."
He claimed to be fine, but his pale face screamed otherwise.
No wonder.
He had climbed the mountain out of worry for his sect, gotten lost in a daze, and now even his senior brothers were missing or dead.
On top of that, his condition wasn't fully recovered.
"You don't have to push yourself. We'll look for your brothers, so..."
"No. I can't do that. I have to go myself."
I tried one last time to convince him to stay behind, but Daoist Hyeonjin stubbornly refused.
"Hoo...!"
He gripped the hilt of the Songmungogeom at his waist, took a deep breath, and stepped forward.
"...Let's go."
No more hesitation—he strode purposefully up the mountain.
We followed behind as we began our ascent of Mount Wudang.