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EP.36 Searching for Biwaegun. (4)

The snake loomed over us, glowing with a pure white light, coiled up and watching.

“W-whoah, that’s a huge snake…!”

With Wi Seol-Ah’s exclamation, I bit my lip.

It was the worst situation possible.

‘…Is that a Demon Beast?’

There was no way to explain a snake of that size without it being a Demon Beast.

If it could talk… could it be an intelligent Demon Beast?

I had never heard of anything like that.

Let alone, one of such enormous size.

What should I do? With my current body, I wouldn’t even be able to scratch it.

At the very least, I had to ensure Wi Seol-Ah’s escape.

But how could I divert its attention…?

As if reading my thoughts, the snake spoke.

“Withdraw your strength, child. I am not hungry at the moment.”

Does that mean it holds no malice?

I wiped away the cold sweat and asked.

“…Can you understand me?”

“Thus, we are having a conversation.”

“How can a Demon Beast speak human language?”

“A Demon Beast… how amusing.”

The snake flicked its tongue.

That agile tongue looked even larger than me.

“So it is the age where I am called that now.”

Its voice sounded oddly bittersweet.

While it seemed there was no malice, I couldn’t let my guard down.

The snake’s golden eyes gleamed as it asked me.

“…Curious, are you, child? How is it that someone not of the Geum family came here?”

“Geum family…?”

Is it referring to the Geumcheon Clan?

“…The Geumcheon Clan vanished hundreds of years ago.”

At my words, the snake’s eyes widened.

Then, it slowly closed its eyes.

Sluuurp.

The snake coiled its massive body tighter.

It only moved a little, but the size made the room shake slightly.

“…So that is how it is. It was indeed inevitable.”

The enormous head it had been holding up slowly descended to the ground.

“However, you still ponder, even if my power is fading, how could it have come this far?”

‘…When it says power, does it mean the formation affected by Biwaegun was due to the strength of this Demon Beast?’

To think a Demon Beast would possess such an absurd power.

It was a terrifying notion.

What should I even respond to the Demon Beast’s inquiry?

In reality, it was mostly Wi Seol-Ah handling everything by herself, searching, breaking, and tearing her way in here, so I had little to say.

“…I just found it, so it worked out.”

“…Is that so.”

The snake paused, letting out a baffled sound. Its gaze shifted somewhere.

It was clearly looking at Wi Seol-Ah.

A faint shine appeared in the snake’s golden eyes as it stared at Wi Seol-Ah.

Perhaps due to its massive size, an involuntary fear crept onto my face.

Wi Seol-Ah seemed frightened by the gaze as she burrowed deeper against my back.

The snake’s head drew back slightly, creating space.

“Is that so…? So, that was it.”

Huh? Why is it coming to its own conclusions?

“Child, what did you seek out this place for?”

Suddenly, the snake asked me.

I hesitated at its question.

If the snake had ties to the Geumcheon Clan, would it let us leave quietly after coming to steal Biwaegun?

“I just happened to wander in.”

I couldn’t help but let respectful language slip out.

At that, the snake lashed its tongue.

Perhaps it was a misconception, but it seemed to be smiling.

The snake said,

“Unfortunately, there is nothing left here that you would covet.”

…Dammit, it noticed we came to steal Biwaegun.

Thanks to that, sweat was soaking my back more and more.

The snake slowly continued.

“My lifespan is running out, so it won’t be long until this place makes itself known to the world again.”

‘..Not much time left?’

With the snake’s words, I started to understand how the Tang Clan found this place.

If that is true, the Tang Clan must have simply stumbled upon this place when the formation was broken.

‘No wonder it didn’t make sense that it couldn’t find the white maple tree for so long.’

Is there really nothing here?

Then what did the Gyecheon Sect Leader gain from this place?

“Child.”

“…Yes?”

I responded carefully to the snake’s call, feeling a tension within me.

At this moment, worrying about my pride in using polite language was not a concern.

“What do you believe fate to be?”

“What kind of nonsense is this…?!”

In response to such an absurd question, my original speech style slipped out without thinking.

This crazy bastard shouldn’t be talking about such things in this situation.

“Hahaha!”

The snake erupted in laughter at my answer.

Its gigantic body shaking from laughter was enough to make my knees wobble.

“You’re right… It was too strange a question to ask.”

Fortunately, the snake didn’t seem offended.

I wanted to question why it was only asking me, but I held it in.

This was not a situation where it could be resolved by mindless talking.

The snake gradually relaxed its coiled form.

“…In the end, what will disappear, why did it endure?”

It seemed its words weren’t directed solely at me.

Who was it speaking to? The snake’s body suddenly glowed brilliantly.

It wasn’t the soft glow of white light, but a bright golden light like its eyes.

Just as I thought I should take Wi Seol-Ah and make a run for it, something plopped out of the snake’s mouth.

It was a golden orb.

I reached out and picked up the orb that rolled over to me.

Then the snake spoke.

“Take it with you.”

“…What is this?”

“It is payment for accompanying this treasure. It won’t be long before it lands in someone else’s hands, so it is better to give it to you, who is connected by fate…”

There were no saliva or other foreign substances on what emerged from the snake’s body.

If you had to compare it, it resembled a Demon Stone, but there was no ominous feeling that came with seeing a Demon Stone.

Quite the opposite, it felt resplendent and noble.

Should I even say it felt sacred?

“If you, who hold such within, might accept it easier than others.”

‘Accept? What…?’

Before I could even question that, suddenly, a fiery energy surged wildly into my body.

“…Ugh!”

Unable to endure the sudden pain, I collapsed to the ground.

Once again, the Demonic Absorption Technique activated on its own.

I had let my guard down because there was no ominousness, but was that the Demon Stone?

The strange thing was that there was no trace of Demon Energy to be felt.

The problem was that the sheer volume of energy flooding into me was immense.

As I struggled, I felt Wi Seol-Ah’s hand gently patting my back.

Then, astonishingly, the wildly pushing energy started shifting direction and flowed in smoothly.

The energy that had been swirling throughout my body finally plunged into the trembling Lower Dantian.

It swirled inside, mixing with the energy from the Technique of the Flame Wheel, which had been faintly heating up inside.

“Ugh…!”

The added pain made it feel like I was going to die.

Could it be that the snake was trying to kill me with this pain? If it wanted to kill me, it could have just swallowed me whole!

Slowly. Then quickly.

Boom!

The only sound besides my moaning was something bursting inside my head.

Could it be an illusion caused by the pain?

The energies intertwined and spiraled for a long time before merging into one.

In the end, the combined energy converged into a single point.

Without my will, it spread throughout my entire body.

Just like something exploding.

It was so unbearable that I couldn’t keep my sanity any longer, and I ultimately lost consciousness.

Right after Gu Yangcheong collapsed from the overwhelming energy.

Only the snake and Wi Seol-Ah remained in the room. The snake chuckled at the sight.

“I suppose it was too much for him to bear.”

It was the precious jewel of a being that was becoming a dragon, one that had been on the verge.

Moreover, since it was not to be consumed directly but drawn in, it would have absorbed a more complete energy than others.

Wi Seol-Ah gently placed Gu Yangcheong’s head on her knee and started to stroke his back slowly.

The snake looked at Wi Seol-Ah and asked.

“Are you satisfied with that?”

Wi Seol-Ah lifted her head at the snake’s question.

Her eyes, usually a dark obsidian, were now graced with a golden hue.

She replied, “How dare I be satisfied with such a thing?”

Her usual soft tone was nowhere to be found.

Looking at her, the snake spoke in a sorrowful voice.

“You’ve twisted too much. Is that your choice?”

“Why? You think I wouldn’t understand?”

“No, rather, I understand too well, and it only pains me.”

The snake bent its body slowly to the ground.

The bright scales shimmered less and less.

Wi Seol-Ah continued to stroke Gu Yangcheong’s back and asked, “Why did you give away such a cherished jewel to a being you’ve just met today?”

“It is but a whim. Waiting for someone who may never come is indeed a lonely affair. I, too, have let it go.”

A golden-haired young man who had once brightly smiled flashed through the snake’s mind.

A figure she would never see again.

“…Fate is indeed a transient thing.”

The scales began to fall to the ground. As soon as they touched the earth, they crumbled.

Just like the maple leaves that had graced the earth.

Soon, the snake would disappear without leaving a trace.

Such was the fate of a holy being that handed over a precious jewel.

Wi Seol-Ah carefully stroked Gu Yangcheong’s head.

“Even at this moment, you only thought of protecting me. How foolish of you.”

Drop. Drop.

Tears fell onto Gu Yangcheong’s face.

He could have just run away.

Despite trembling in fear at the snake, Gu Yangcheong did not yield an inch.

Truly foolish. Who does he think he is?

What right has he to resent and scorn the past when he himself knew nothing?

The image of a man who never once opened his mouth for anyone but himself until the very end surfaced in her mind.

It was detestable. Resentful, and she wanted to kill him.

None other than herself.

[…Now, give it back.]

A voice echoed in her ear.

Wi Seol-Ah wiped away her tears with the back of her hand.

“I’m sorry, but I’ll borrow it a little longer.”

Not yet.

It was still dangerous.

Just a little longer.

Wi Seol-Ah carefully laid Gu Yangcheong’s head on the ground before slowly rising to her feet.

As much as she would have liked to enjoy pampering him a bit more, it was a luxury she couldn’t afford, driven by a guilty conscience.

Wi Seol-Ah relaxed her body slowly.

Though still a very young and fragile frame, the size of her vessel was immense, allowing her to move freely as she wished.

After sufficiently loosening herself, Wi Seol-Ah glanced toward the door and spoke.

“Quit lurking and come out.”

Her voice was sharp as a needle and as cold as frost.

Moments later, a man with a bewildered expression appeared from the door.

“…How, when did you notice?”

“How could someone with such pathetic skills hide from me?”

The man was none other than Ma Cheol.

The guy who had been guarding Nangong Cheonjun from the Tang Clan.

From the very beginning.

From the moment Gu Yangcheong left the Tang Clan until now, Wi Seol-Ah had known there was someone following them.

No matter how much prestige Gu Yangcheong held in the past.

In his current state, he wouldn’t have been able to sense a peak-level martial artist tailing them.

“…I merely wanted to finish this quietly.”

Ma Cheol sighed as if resigned.

Before she knew it, Ma Cheol had drawn his sword.

“You’ve got a good sense, but since you have no business here, I just wanted to deal with Gu Gongja quietly, but now things are a mess.”

“Is this the will of Nangong Clan?”

At Wi Seol-Ah’s question, Ma Cheol’s brows furrowed.

“How dare you! You are not in a position to utter his name!”

Despite Ma Cheol’s roar, Wi Seol-Ah wore a blank expression.

Wi Seol-Ah quietly pulled out a small dagger from her robe.

Ma Cheol clicked his tongue in disapproval at the sight.

“What do you intend to do with that?”

Wi Seol-Ah offered no reply.

Seeing her, Ma Cheol’s thoughts shifted.

How beautiful.

Truly beautiful.

Though her young appearance was prominent, with such grace, it seemed better to take Gu’s son and leave than to kill her.

Both this Biwaegun and the girl would be excellent prizes.

Having finished that thought, Ma Cheol asked Wi Seol-Ah.

“Or, what do you think? If you don’t resist, I won’t lay a finger on you.”

If she struggled to protect her master, it could damage her precious face.

That wouldn’t sit well with his master.

Wi Seol-Ah still didn’t respond.

She simply raised the dagger slowly from its sheath.

Seeing that, Ma Cheol sighed as if disappointed.

“Well then, if that’s how you want it, I have no choice….”

Thwunk—

“Hmm…?”

Ma Cheol made a dumb sound.

He heard something dropping near him.

Then came a sense of incongruity.

With trembling hands, Ma Cheol touched his left shoulder.

Cold sweat trickled down his cheek.

It was gone.

His left arm, which should have been there, was missing.

Looking down at the ground, he found what had fallen: his own arm.

‘When…?’

Ma Cheol hadn’t even seen Wi Seol-Ah’s swing.

“Shut up.”

Wi Seol-Ah’s voice pierced his ears.

Only then did Ma Cheol sense that something was wrong.

Wi Seol-Ah took a step closer to Ma Cheol.

At that moment, the pressure that weighed upon him disrupted Ma Cheol’s breath.

“…Don’t talk carelessly; let him sleep peacefully.”

As she spoke, Wi Seol-Ah’s hair began to change, glowing with a golden hue.

 

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