The Vermilion Bird's Bargain
Hyeoncheon Sangje raised one corner of his mouth and spoke.
"There will be a price for any deal, I presume?"
The Vermilion Bird gazed anxiously at the divine thread at the tip of Hyeoncheon Sangje's sword.
"I will take only the divine thread back with me."
"Fine. In exchange, extend this child's lifespan."
At Hyeoncheon Sangje's request, the Vermilion Bird shuddered.
"Five years is the limit."
"Well, that doesn't matter."
The Vermilion Bird beat its massive wings. Crimson-flame plum blossoms fluttered forth and gathered around Yeong-hwa. He felt the warmth of the flames wrapping his body and closed his eyes.
A moment later, Yeong-hwa opened them again.
The Vermilion Bird deity grumbled,
"With this, the deal is done."
It shook its body vigorously. The divine thread at the tip of Hyeoncheon Sangje's sword was sucked into the Vermilion Bird deity's tail feathers.
Yeong-hwa wore a meaningful smile.
"Lord Hyeoncheon Sangje. What would happen if someone set fire to the ancestral hall at Huashan?"
At Yeong-hwa's shocking words, both the Vermilion Bird and Hyeoncheon Sangje gaped. Hyeoncheon Sangje hurriedly soothed him.
"Yeong-hwa, I understand you're angry, but..."
"Then the Vermilion Bird deity would have nowhere to stay, wouldn't he?"
At that, the Vermilion Bird deity roared in fury.
"Do you think Huashan would remain intact without me?!"
It sneered and continued.
"From the beginning, any sect or family without a guardian deity is doomed to fall."
Yeong-hwa looked at the Vermilion Bird deity and smiled bitterly.
"I hear there's someone in the Heavenly Realm who's currently free, isn't there?"
At Yeong-hwa's words, Hyeoncheon Sangje slapped his forehead.
"You mean Prince Nezha?"
"I heard he left the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult?"
Yeong-hwa descended from the Black Tortoise and approached the Vermilion Bird deity.
"The Huashan Sect Leader, having lost his direct disciple, is deeply grieved."
With a soft shuuk, Yeong-hwa pulled his Songmun Gogeom from where it was stuck in the ground. He pointed the blade at the Vermilion Bird deity and said,
"Do you really think Huashan will continue to enshrine the Vermilion Bird deity even after learning the truth of this incident?!"
At those words, the Vermilion Bird deity's body trembled.
"You... you dare threaten me?!"
"Of course it's a threat. Does this look like a proposal to you?"
Yeong-hwa smiled brightly and stared straight into the Vermilion Bird deity's blazing eyes.
"With Prince Nezha, he could more than adequately lead Huashan..."
The Vermilion Bird deity beat its wings fiercely. Crimson-flame plum blossoms swirled all around the ancestral hall.
"Enough!"
The Vermilion Bird deity demanded of Yeong-hwa with a face full of rage.
"What do you want?"
"At the Heavenly Council, cast a dissenting vote against the Jade Emperor's opinion."
Yeong-hwa continued slowly.
"If you do just that, I will keep all the deeds the Vermilion Bird deity has committed a secret."
"...Hmph. Fine. I'll do so."
At the Vermilion Bird deity's reply, Yeong-hwa, who had been about to turn away, added as if remembering something.
"Ah! It would be best to give up on Daoist Wol-yeon."
At that, the Vermilion Bird deity's eyebrows twitched.
"You take a god far too lightly."
"Not at all."
Yeong-hwa glared at the Vermilion Bird deity with eyes full of killing intent.
"Then I will stake everything I have and seal the Vermilion Bird deity."
"Are you confident?"
"I have little attachment left to this world."
At Yeong-hwa's life-staking resolve, the Vermilion Bird deity seemed flustered.
"Whether I summon Prince Nezha or set fire to the ancestral hall, I will stop at nothing."
Yeong-hwa stared straight into the Vermilion Bird deity's blazing pupils. In those eyes the deity saw a pure hostility that was neither good nor evil. Facing a human's transcendent conviction that it had never felt in its life, the Vermilion Bird deity was momentarily speechless.
"It would be best if you keep that in mind."
Having finished speaking, Yeong-hwa turned his back. Then the silent Vermilion Bird deity cried out.
"Wait!"
Stopping in his tracks, Yeong-hwa turned his head.
"Do you have something to say?"
"Select one and send them to me."
"Pardon?"
"As the price of the deal—a new sword master of Huashan to succeed my divine thread."
At those words, Yeong-hwa made a troubled expression. The Vermilion Bird deity grinned and whispered to him.
"Then I shall accept your deal regarding Wol-yeon."
After pondering a moment, Yeong-hwa went respectfully before the Vermilion Bird deity.
"Might I ask what sort of temperament and martial talent you desire in the sword master?"
At the worldly wisdom Yeong-hwa displayed, Hyeoncheon Sangje burst into hearty laughter. He watched the bickering Vermilion Bird deity and Yeong-hwa for a long while with an amused expression. Yeong-hwa's efforts to curry favor with the Vermilion Bird deity continued until the sun rose the next day.
A Daoist descended weakly from the ancestral hall. It was none other than Yeong-hwa, who had been tormented all night by the Vermilion Bird deity. He sighed and muttered,
"So, around middle age, a temperament that knows nothing but the sword, and outstanding martial talent—is that it?"
Yeong-hwa grumbled.
"That's a sword ghost or a sword maniac! It'd be faster to look in the unorthodox sects or the Demonic Cult..."
He stretched and yawned.
"First, I should head to the Medical Hall."
As Yeong-hwa unfolded his Jeunjong and entered the Medical Hall, he saw Jaheo performing true qi guidance on the seated Elder Jangjin. Around Jaheo, who had raised his Purple Cloud Divine Skill to its peak, purple plum blossoms bloomed. Hyeonsong stood ready before him, emitting white hand-qi.
Jaheo, sweating profusely, suddenly shouted.
"Hyeonsong, the Tiantu acupoint!"
With a sharp pook, Hyeonsong's hand moved like a flash of light. Elder Jangjin vomited black blood with a long keoeoeoeok and collapsed forward. The Huashan physicians hurriedly laid him down and stopped the bleeding from the small hole in his chest.
"Whew..."
Hyeonsong wiped the sweat flowing down his forehead. Yeong-hwa carefully approached his side.
"Sect Leader."
"Yeong-hwa, you've come?"
"Please lend me your ear for a moment."
At Yeong-hwa's words, Hyeonsong lowered himself. Yeong-hwa whispered everything that had happened the previous night into his ear. Hyeonsong fell into thought for a moment and handed Yeong-hwa a fragment of blood jade.
"Then we just need to have the child the Vermilion Bird deity desires enter Huashan."
"But that's the problem."
Yeong-hwa looked worriedly at Jaheo, who was rising with the support of the physicians.
"It would be hard to find even if we went to the territories of the unorthodox sects or the Demonic Cult—would there be one in Shaanxi Province?"
Hyeonsong wiped his bloodstained fingers with a towel and said to Yeong-hwa,
"For now, we must stay here until winter, so let's search slowly."
"Understood, Sect Leader."
Just then, the door to a private room in the Medical Hall burst open. The one who appeared was none other than Hagun. Wol-yeon had not awakened since collapsing and was occupying a room alone in the Medical Hall. Hagun said to Yeong-hwa with an urgent expression,
"Yeong-hwa, Daoist Wol-yeon has woken up!"
Yeong-hwa quickly tried to unfold his Jeunjong to flee, but Hagun was faster. Already exhausted from staying up all night discussing the deal with the Vermilion Bird deity, and certain he would be asked to treat Wol-yeon again, Yeong-hwa tried to escape—yet before Hagun's intense affection, his struggles proved futile. Listlessly, he was dragged into the private room by Hagun.
There, Wol-yeon, her eyes wide open, was raising herself from the bed. Yeong-hwa said to her in a nonchalant tone,
"Daoist Wol-yeon, your body feels refreshed, doesn't it?"
"How... did you know that?"
"Yes. I've come after reaching an agreement with the Vermilion Bird deity."
At Yeong-hwa's words, Wol-yeon pulled up the blanket and burst into tears. Hagun, unable to hide his joy, grasped Yeong-hwa's hand.
"Yeong-hwa... what do you mean by that?"
"It means that from now on, Daoist Wol-yeon need not worry about the madness."
Hagun, not knowing Yeong-hwa's true feelings, put his palms together and chanted the sacred name.
"Amitabha, Amitabha! The Primordial Heavenly Worthy has protected Daoist Wol-yeon."
"Of course... of course... It was all the work of the Primordial Heavenly Worthy and the Tathagata."
Yeong-hwa sighed as he looked at Hagun's expression, which seemed unlikely to buy any of it. Wol-yeon got down from the bed. With an expression of disbelief, she slowly approached Hagun.
"Daoist Hagun..."
"Daoist Wol-yeon..."
Because of the surrounding gazes, the two could only look at each other with regretful expressions. Yet the feelings for each other filling their eyes could not be hidden.
With a soft thud, Yeong-hwa shook his head and lightly closed the private room's door with his heel. Then he flung himself onto the bed that Wol-yeon had just vacated.
"So you two go about your business, and I'll get some sleep."
Yeong-hwa smiled as if pleased with the silk blanket fragrant with plum blossoms and soon fell asleep. Once Wol-yeon confirmed the door was closed, she carefully took Hagun's hand. Though he knew he should let go, Hagun could not bring himself to release it. Whether he knew it or not, only the sound of Yeong-hwa's snoring quietly filled the private room.
That evening, around the time the sunset gently enveloped Huashan, Yeong-hwa awoke from his sleep.
"Uuhaaaaam—"
He stretched with a refreshed face.
"Ugh... the Vermilion Bird deity's crimson flames are certainly effective."
Yeong-hwa rose from the bed, feeling his extended lifespan. When he came outside, a Huashan physician clasped his fists in greeting. Yeong-hwa returned the gesture and asked,
"Might I ask where Sect Leader Hyeonsong is?"
"He is at the White Plum Pure Offering Palace with Daoist Hagun."
"Thank you."
Yeong-hwa unfolded his Jeunjong and lightly headed there. Opening the door and entering, he found Hyeonsong and Jaheo conversing inside. Beside Jaheo stood Wol-yeon, and next to Hyeonsong stood Hagun. Hyeonsong was in the midst of explaining to Jaheo what he had heard from Yeong-hwa.
"So that's how it is."
Jaheo took a sip of plum blossom tea with a bitter expression.
"In the end, we must send Wol-yeon away, is that it?"
"Senior Jaheo..."
"I know. Having already lost my direct disciple, what greed could I have?"
A myriad of emotions crossed Jaheo's face.
"But it will take time to persuade the elders."
He continued, feeling the warmth of the teacup.
"Elder Jangjin's opposition will likely be the strongest..."
Then Wol-yeon, who had been quietly bowing her head, carefully opened her mouth.
"I will do it, Sect Leader."
"Wol-yeon, you?"
She raised her head and answered.
"This happened because of me."
A poignant sorrow lingered at the corners of her eyes.
"I want to explain it with my own hands and apologize to the elders."
At Wol-yeon's demeanor, which had brightened considerably unlike her gloomy past, Jaheo smiled.
"Very well, do so."
Seeing Yeong-hwa approach, Jaheo said to Hyeonsong,
"Yeong-hwa is looking for the blacksmith who made that iron net?"
"Yes, Senior Jaheo. According to Yeong-hwa, the craftsmanship is no ordinary skill."
At that, Jaheo laughed heartily.
"Yeong-hwa certainly has a good eye."
He took a letter from his bosom and handed it to Hyeonsong. When Hyeonsong unfolded the paper, a map of the geography between Huashan and Zhongnan was drawn on it.
"His name is Han Jin-o."
Jaheo slowly lifted his teacup.
"He runs a forge in Sanyang County, Shaanxi Province."
"Why is the name of such a great blacksmith not known?"
"Aside from making swords for Huashan and Zhongnan, he fabricates no other weapons."
"He is a peculiar man."
"We originally entrusted the Plum Blossom Swords to the Sichuan Tang Family, but after seeing his skill, starting from the previous Sect Leader, we changed our supplier."
Yeong-hwa, who had arrived beside Hyeonsong, pricked up his ears.
"Hmm, something smells fishy?"
At that, Jaheo smiled looking at Yeong-hwa.
"He is a man of very few words."
Jaheo slowly savored the tea's fragrance.
"He flatly turns away any sword master he doesn't like."
At those words, Hyeonsong's expression grew thoroughly serious.
"We'll have to be on our guard."
Then Jaheo waved his hand dismissively toward Hyeonsong.
"Someone of Junior Hyeonsong's caliber would likely be welcomed with open arms by him."
Yeong-hwa looked at Jaheo and asked,
"Sect Leader Jaheo, where is the largest market held in Shaanxi Province?"
At that question, Jaheo made a surprised expression.
"That would of course be Xi'an County."
Yeong-hwa smiled and looked at Hagun.
"Planning to stop by Xi'an County?"
Yeong-hwa clasped his fists toward Jaheo and answered,
"If Sect Leader Hyeonsong permits."
Hyeonsong also asked Yeong-hwa with a puzzled expression.
"Yeong-hwa. Do you need something?"