Chapter 44

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 44

Chapter Title: Reason - 2

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It was a chilling moon. The moonlight, cold enough to seem indifferent, shone even on the Guest Reception Hall of the Emei Sect—a place that had once been a sacred Taoist site before becoming a Buddhist temple, steadfastly watching over its long history.

We arrived at the Emei Sect's Guest Reception Hall around the time the moon hung high in the midnight sky.

Showing up unannounced at a sect this late past midnight was a grave breach of etiquette, but given the circumstances, we had no choice.

The one who welcomed us was Monk Hye-won, the head of the Guest Reception Hall.

The elderly nun, her face etched with deep wrinkles that made her seem like an old woman, didn't ask who we were or what brought us there.

She simply saw Joo Yuri being supported as she walked and guided us straight to the hall.

"Miss. Miss. You don't have to worry anymore..."

"Hic... Sob..."

I'd been suppressing the spread of the poison through the Five Elements Circulation Art's cycles, but even that had reached its limit.

Desperate to stabilize her—she could barely breathe—I clasped her hand tightly and circulated the art with everything I had, but her complexion only grew dimmer.

"Elder Fist Emperor, is there no other way besides the Five Elements Circulation Art?"

"Hmm... If we had the imperial antidote master, maybe. But right now, this is all we can do. We've made it this far, so we'll have to leave the rest to the Emei Sect."

As we waited anxiously, the door opened.

It wasn't Head Monk Hye-won who'd greeted us earlier, but another nun.

She appeared to be in her mid-to-late thirties. With refined features that could pass for a noble lady if not for her shaved head, she carried a gaze far colder than her beauty suggested.

"Greetings to the Fist Emperor. Namu Amida Butsu. I am Yuk-hwan, head of the Medical Hall."

Medical Hall. She must be here for treatment. I shook Joo Yuri gently, relieved.

"You're going to be okay now."

"I'll examine her first."

As I released our clasped hands, Joo Yuri's complexion worsened further. Confirming this, Yuk-hwan inserted silver needles into her neck, arms, and the backs of her hands, then casually began taking her pulse.

How much time passed? Only after the needles turned completely black did Yuk-hwan finish the pulse diagnosis and speak gravely.

"It's the poison of the Monster Blood Temple."

"Monster Blood Temple? What's that?"

"Simply put, it's a poison from the Western Regions. Among the snakes kept by the large-eared patrons of the West, there's one with red spots. If you confine it in a jar for three years, it forms a small pearl on its own. After aging that pearl for another year, it gains toxicity. That's called the Monster Blood Temple poison."

I didn't know much about poisons, so I just nodded. The important thing was that it could be cured.

I looked at Yuk-hwan, and she glanced at Joo Yuri before speaking earnestly.

"There's only one way to neutralize the Monster Blood Temple poison. The flower of the Flower Spirit."

The flower of the Flower Spirit? I'd never heard of it. I glanced at the Fist Emperor, but he just tilted his head, unfamiliar with it too.

"What's a Flower Spirit?"

"The Flower Spirit is said to dwell in trees where three or more people have hanged themselves. It takes the form ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of a beautiful woman, emits light from its body, and is very small."

A spirit, huh. What a world this is.

"Where do we find one?"

"On Mount Emei. Some of our training monks have spotted them... Around Hoewol Peak and Cheonryang Pond, they said. But be careful. Both areas have treacherous terrain and are infested with demonic beasts..."

Yuk-hwan spoke softly, watching me before continuing seriously.

"But... this young lady is from the Evil Faction, isn't she? Joo Yuri, daughter of the Four Black Alliances' leader?"

"Yes, but... you knew?"

"Of course... Jin, the layman. Do you know? Not long ago, our Emei Sect clashed with the Four Black Alliances?"

I didn't. And it seemed neither Joo Yuri nor her two maids did either.

Then again, she'd been at the Heavenly Martial Hall, so it wasn't strange she hadn't heard Four Black Alliances news—especially from far-off Sichuan.

"It was a battle where the Four Black Alliances' leader intervened personally. Many of our sisters were injured because of it."

The atmosphere turned icy in an instant. As Joo Yuri's face paled further, Yuk-hwan removed the needles from her body and raised a long one sharply.

"So... do you think it's right for us to help the daughter of the Four Black Alliances' leader?"

Joo Yuri's subordinates, the two maids loyal to the Four Black Alliances, bit their lips hard.

And I nodded at Yuk-hwan.

"I do."

"Why is that?"

"Because you're a monk?"

At my answer, Yuk-hwan gave a puzzled smile.

Then, casually, she inserted the long needle into Joo Yuri's body.

"Ugh...!!"

With a groan, Joo Yuri's complexion improved slightly. The Fist Emperor stopped her subordinates from rising and checked her condition before chuckling.

"You're quite the prankster."

The two maids sighed in relief at her much better appearance.

Yuk-hwan, who had shed her icy gaze and now beamed warmly, spoke gently.

"Namu Amida Butsu. How could one devoted to the Buddha's path let personal grudges interfere with saving a life? However..."

Slowly removing the blackened needles and inserting fresh ones, she continued with a smile.

"Obtaining the Flower Spirit's flower won't be easy. Moreover, our sisters capable of going there are too injured from the Four Black Alliances battle to move freely."

That meant the Fist Emperor or I would have to go ourselves.

"So I ask you, Layman Jin. You're an acquaintance of the Sword Heaven, aren't you? That makes you closer to the Righteous Faction. Would someone like you lend aid to save the Four Black Alliances leader's daughter?"

"The rift between Righteous and Evil isn't reason enough not to save her."

"Namu Amida Butsu..."

Murmuring softly, Yuk-hwan nodded.

Her expression quite pleased, she sent us a warm gaze and offered something from her robes—to me and the Fist Emperor.

It was a small jar of honey.

"When you meet the Flower Spirit, don't snatch the flower. Offer this honey instead, and she'll give it to you."

"Thank you."

"Saving a life knows no thanks. Now, you two should head out. Ah, you won't say it's hard to entrust an Evil Faction member to Righteous Faction folk, will you?"

Her face full of gentle smile, I just shrugged.

"I'll take Hoewol Peak. Finding the Flower Spirit will take at least a few days, so let's return here once a day to update each other."

From her earlier explanation, Flower Spirits were wary of people and didn't approach easily.

So who knew how long it'd take. But the Medical Hall would keep the poison from spreading further, so we'd have to trust that.

"Yes. But Elder Fist Emperor, are you alright? This might take more time than expected..."

"Well, helping out here lets me rack up a debt from the Four Black Alliances' leader. I'll head out first."

The Fist Emperor leaped away with lightness skill. Once he'd shrunk to a dot and vanished, I headed for Cheonryang Pond.

The warning about treacherous terrain wasn't exaggeration.

Even I, with my training, found Mount Emei steep and perilous. And with low-tier demonic beasts popping out, danger lurked at every turn.

"Whew..."

Who the hell would hang themselves way out here? Still, somehow I reached the entrance to Cheonryang Pond and spotted it the moment I entered.

- Kyarruk~! Kyarruk~!

A tiny woman the size of a hand, with a large flower on her head, laughing brightly and merrily—the tree spirit, the Flower Spirit.

Seeing her frolic with a joyful smile, I offered the honey as Yuk-hwan instructed.

Moments later, without a hint of fear, she beamed and clung to my hand.

She didn't take the honey? Why...?

She just climbed onto my palm, rubbed her body against it, flashed a radiant smile, hopped down, plucked one of her flowers, placed it on my palm, then took the honey and vanished into the brush.

Is that it? Feels kinda anticlimactic.

I clenched and opened my hand, still tingling with her presence, then returned to the Emei Sect.

"My goodness. You're back so soon. I thought it'd take at least a few days."

She was genuinely surprised. Scratching my head, I recounted what happened to wide-eyed Yuk-hwan.

"Is that so? How strange. Flower Spirits are wary of people and hard to approach... Well, it worked out. Now we can detoxify Layman Joo."

"Please take good care of her."

She clasped her hands lightly and left. One worry down.

As I relaxed with a lighter heart, intending to rest a bit—

- Piiiiiiek!!

A sharp cry pierced from the sky. I looked up. Something plummeted like an arrow. Up close, it was a magnificent falcon.

Flapping its massive wings, it soared down, perched on my arm, and extended its talon.

A bamboo tube was tied to the falcon's leg.

"...A letter?"

Opening the tube revealed a bundle of letters. It jogged my memory.

Yu Ye-ryeon's words before I left: Write letters.

"No way..."

Ah, got it.

It looked like an ordinary falcon, but what an impressive bird. Amazed, I stared, and the Thousand-Mile Messenger Falcon proudly straightened its head.

An unexpected gift. A spirit beast like this...

As if to prove it, the bamboo tube was stuffed with letters. I pulled one out, unfolded it, and burst out laughing unwittingly.

Day three, day four.

And onward.

From the day we parted until today, she'd written almost daily. Reading the pages full of her words, I fetched the letters I'd written and compared.

Hmm...

Compared to Yu Ye-ryeon's densely packed pages, mine were sparse—a few lines at most.

Wonder if it's okay to send these as is.

- Piiik!

The Thousand-Mile Messenger Falcon thrust out its talon, clearly wanting a reply. I shook my head.

"Hey, is there anything you want to eat?"

Yeah, better not send it like this...

I'll write longer while it eats.