Chapter 116
Chapter 116
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: Sichuan, Conclusion (7)
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The scenery beyond the mist was serene.
It truly felt like a landscape untouched by human feet.
The air was clear.
The moisture touching the skin was refreshing.
The sound of water was crisp.
Mok Ri-won raised his head.
Beside the stream flowing gently under the starry night sky, a smooth rock invited one to sit.
Peeking grass between them was adorable, and the trees rising at intervals stretched their branches elegantly, as if yawning mysteriously.
‘This place….’
The Tang Clan's forbidden ground.
The mystical land where spirit beasts lived and breathed.
In his daze, Mok Ri-won belatedly thought of his comrades and checked on them.
“Ah! Is everyone alright?!”
It had just been moments since escaping the hallucination.
Recalling the horrific instant, he figured the others hadn't fared differently—and he was right.
The comrades' expressions were grim.
Dang Hwa-seo was wiping cold sweat, and Namgung Jincheon wore a blank face, as if unable to regain his sense of reality.
Hyeun and Il-un Monk slumped like they'd been drained of energy.
But what worried Mok Ri-won more than them was something else.
“…Jegal hyung?”
Jegal San's aura was sharp.
His deeply sunken eyes and the chilling killing intent emanating from him.
Unclear who it was aimed at, but it was the level of malice one would show toward an archenemy.
It was bewildering.
Mok Ri-won had never even dreamed of seeing Jegal San like this.
As if not hearing the call, Jegal San brushed his face.
Mok Ri-won swallowed dryly and called again.
“Jegal hyung…?”
“…Ah.”
Jegal San lifted his head.
Behind his swept-back hand, a smile now graced his face.
Tired though it was, it was the smile Mok Ri-won knew.
Bewilderment surged.
‘What on earth did he hear….’
To provoke such an intense reaction.
Mok Ri-won asked.
“Your complexion looks poor….”
“Oops, I must've worried you. I'm fine. Just heard a nasty voice.”
“Are you really alright?”
“Of course—who am I? None other than Jegal San, the true great hero of the jianghu!”
Jegal San grinned and waved his arm.
Only then could Mok Ri-won ease his worry a bit.
‘Hmm… Better not pry deeper.’
Jegal San must have his own painful past he hadn't shared.
Mok Ri-won didn't press him.
“Looks like everyone made it out safely.”
Dang Hwa-seo, regaining her composure, spoke up.
Mok Ri-won looked at her.
Her face still showed fatigue.
“Are you alright, little sister?”
“Yes, I managed. But….”
Dang Hwa-seo's gaze swept over the comrades.
“…It'll be tough to move right away. Let's rest a bit.”
No one objected.
*
After splashing water from the stream to refresh and gather their wits, the comrades sat in a circle, shuddering at the formation's viciousness as they unpacked their tales.
Hyeun did most of the talking.
“Wow, it was so horrific. My master's voice yelling he'd shave my head bald and lock me in the temple quarters as a monk. And that wasn't the end—voices of every guy I'd met piled on, dozens overlapping till I thought I'd go mad….”
Her uncharacteristic shudder made the comrades exchange awkward glances, mouths shut.
Amid it, Mok Ri-won quietly marveled that her exes numbered in the double digits.
“Hyeun, you had it rough.”
Il-un Monk chuckled softly to calm her.
Hyeun turned to him.
“Oh, what did you hear, Il-un Monk?”
Il-un Monk stiffened.
His eyes darting suspiciously.
Hyeun's eyes narrowed—like a predator spotting prey, in Mok Ri-won's view.
“Come on, tell us. It was just an illusion.”
“W-Well….”
“I spilled mine—hiding yours? I'll feel slighted.”
Il-un Monk's hesitation deepened.
Calming Hyeun was right, but Mok Ri-won was curious too, so he stayed quiet.
Dang Hwa-seo did the same, ignoring Il-un Monk's pleading glance.
“Come on, spill it.”
Hyeun grinned. Il-un Monk agonized, then squeezed his eyes shut and confessed softly.
“Th-The abbot yelling why I'd eaten meat… Ah! I didn't actually eat meat, of course! It was the hallucination—I thought I'd really done it! R-Really…!”
His voice was desperate.
Il-un Monk scanned the comrades with a woeful face.
“N-Next! Namgung layman, you….”
Namgung Jincheon's eyes bulged.
Il-un Monk clamped his mouth shut.
Mok Ri-won stifled a giggle.
Of course—everyone here knew what hallucination Namgung Jincheon had heard.
That massive roar—no one could've missed it.
“…Mukryong, why laugh.”
Namgung Jincheon's sharp voice shot at Mok Ri-won.
Lifting his head, Mok Ri-won flinched.
“W-Why glare like that!”
“No clue what you're on about. Not the slightest.”
Namgung Jincheon glared as if ready to throttle him.
Bloodshot whites in his wide eyes evoked a demon's glare.
Mok Ri-won shrank back instinctively, turning to Dang Hwa-seo for help.
Fortunately, she chuckled and came to his aid.
“Alright, seems everyone's recovered—enough chit-chat, let's move.”
“Aw, it was getting fun.”
Hyeun grumbled like deflating. Dang Hwa-seo smirked.
“Keep dawdling, and we'll end up with just the secret cave visit—no spirit beasts. That fine?”
“Let's go!”
Hyeun sprang up.
Namgung Jincheon followed suit.
“…Road's waiting.”
Still irritable, but his focus had shifted—Mok Ri-won counted it a blessing.
Rising casually, Mok Ri-won would never know.
What Namgung Jincheon had heard in the formation.
-Sword Dragon hyung, how pathetic. Sword Dragon hyung's just a fool swinging heavy swords. Switch to swift sword, and he panics like an idiot. Fool! Pathetic! Loser!
How that taunting, mocking voice had fueled his rage.
*
The forbidden ground was profoundly serene and mystical—the mere act of walking there carried an enchanting aura.
Nature under the starry sky pouring brilliant light was awe-inspiring.
All comrades save Dang Hwa-seo halted occasionally mid-stride, gasping in admiration.
“…It's really pretty.”
Mok Ri-won nodded at Hyeun's words.
“Truly beautiful. Practicing sword here would be refreshing.”
His hand drifted to the sword at his waist.
Night training under stars was a cherished hobby; his heart yearned.
If not for urgency, he'd train till dawn—but circumstances denied it.
“Young Hero Mok, don't space out—come on.”
Dang Hwa-seo smiled softly, urging him.
Mok Ri-won grinned sheepishly.
“Sorry.”
“No need.”
Resuming, Mok Ri-won glanced at Namgung Jincheon.
Eyes narrowed, he scanned about.
Likely the most earnest spirit beast hunter here.
As the thought crossed—
“…Found it.”
Namgung Jincheon spoke.
Comrades whipped heads toward him.
“Northeast—not far.”
Whoosh!
Namgung Jincheon unleashed his energy.
Then shot off wordlessly.
“H-Hey! Sword Dragon hyung! Wait…!”
“…He's gone.”
Jegal San chuckled.
“Sister. Should we follow?”
“We must. Lost, it'd be disaster.”
Dang Hwa-seo sighed, hand to forehead. Comrades laughed.
“Let's hurry.”
They dashed, auras flaring.
Luckily, they found Namgung Jincheon soon.
In a valley with two boulders side by side, he sheathed his sword.
Boom!
A massive body crashed, thundering.
Mok Ri-won widened his eyes, muttering.
“Human-Faced Centipede….”
A gigantic centipede lay there.
Oddly, its face was human.
“Eek… gross.”
Hyeun recoiled in horror; Jegal San peered curiously.
“Quite the beast. Looks over twenty-five feet easy.”
Twenty-five feet—not small.
Length for twenty adult men laid end-to-end.
Namgung Jincheon exhaled.
“Seemed venomous—killed in one stroke.”
Indeed.
The human-faced centipede was neatly split from face to mid-body.
Proof of a single slash.
“Poison Phoenix.”
“Yes?”
“Retrieve the inner core.”
Namgung Jincheon stated commandingly.
“Corpse poison risk.”
Dang Hwa-seo's eyes narrowed.
Comrades glanced sidelong.
Corpse poison meant only Dang Hwa-seo could approach safely.
But… even so, wasn't his attitude rude?
In the tense standoff, Namgung Jincheon added.
“…Take the poison pill too.”
Avoiding her gaze.
Dang Hwa-seo let out a hollow laugh.
“Gladly.”
One incident resolved peacefully.
*
The human-faced centipede's inner core was fist-sized.
Not huge, but its density and hue bespoke substantial power.
As Mok Ri-won eyed it wonderingly, Namgung Jincheon pocketed it.
“Spirit beasts everywhere now. Can snag more.”
Heat laced his voice.
Excitement too—the most thrilled Mok Ri-won had heard since patching things up.
“Hey, Namgung hyung—yield a couple.”
Jegal San guffawed playfully.
The other two nodded eagerly.
Seeing the spirit beast and core firsthand fired them up.
“Wow, Tang Clan could buy all Sichuan selling these.”
“No reason to. They're guardians of the forbidden ground.”
“Means the secret cave's that vital, right?”
Dang Hwa-seo nodded at Hyeun.
“Why I brought you here.”
Mok Ri-won hummed thoughtfully amid the talk.
‘With that, no more tormenting little sister.’
His fist clenched.
Spirit beasts mattered, but her freedom more.
‘They're all spirit beast-focused—I'll help her.’
He reaffirmed.
Suddenly.
Ssssk—
A sound reached Mok Ri-won's ear.
His head turned.
From the secret cave direction.
Puzzled, he checked comrades—no one seemed to hear.
His expression grew grave.
‘…Only me?’
Strange.
Their senses weren't dull; not killing intent—just a slithering crawl.
One more oddity.
Thump—thump—
Hand to pounding chest, Mok Ri-won gazed toward the secret cave.
For some reason, the sound stirred homesick longing, like returning to a nest.